I am trilled to announce that we have a wonderful giveaway on the blog today! Things are really heating up around here on Blog by Olios as today we have not one, not two, not even three, but four (4) fabulous prizes up for grabs! I am teaming up with Maribel of EightTreeStreet for our May giveaway! Check out what two lucky Blog by Olios readers could possibly win!

(If you want to team up and be a part of a future giveaway, head over to my Sponsor page)

Here is a little bit about Maribel and EightTreeStreet… EightTreeStreet is a contemporary floral art design studio located in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, specializing in custom designs for home and weddings. We work with local and national clients to design unique sculptural wreaths perfect for home décor ?and weddings, decorative wedding florals, silk flower bouquets, brooch bouquets, handmade bridal accessories, fresh flower bouquets, centerpieces and floral arrangements, and other floral decor.

**Both floral arrangements will be customized to fit your likings (within the budget allocated).

This giveaway ends at 12am EST Thursday, May 9, 2013. 2 lucky winners will be chosen at random and notified via social media and on this blog.

Have fun and good luck!

It’s that time of week again…Friday Favorites time! This week I have been oohing and ahhing over so many great finds for Mother’s Day. If you are looking for a great gift for your mother or grandmother, check out these great home decor finds. Don’t worry, all the items in today’s Friday Favorites are budget friendly, coming in under $50!

1) These glass floating frames from Pottery Barn are the perfect gift this Mother’s Day! Click here to check out even more frame options. They all are on sale (30% off) and many have free shipping.

2) Resurrect the glamour of pampering with these glass perfume bottles from Z Gallerie. They are sure to add glamour and class to your mother’s bathroom or dresser.

3) Who is She? This pocket size notebook is a great way to let mom or grandma know who she is. Fill tehse pages with thoughtful words, inspirational quotes, or leave them blank for her to fill them in. This is a great coffee table piece!

4) How about these glossy lemon colored Mariposa Pillar Holders from Z Gallerie? Choose from two sizes (11″ or 14″) and three other colors. She will definitely adore these!

5) I am loving this sage jewelry box from Crate and Barrel. The color is stunning and totally worth the $49.95. I could see this on my dresser, couldn’t you?

6) Choose from a variety of colors with these Square Lacquer Trays from West Elm. At the price of $24.00, you can even add a few accessories to your Mother’s Day gift!

I hope you found something that your mother or grandmother will adore! Happy weekend my lovelies!

Today I am participating in my first ever link up party! Truth be told, I have been scouring the net hoping to find a good design blog link up that would be highly beneficial for you, my lovely reader. After weeks and weeks, it finally has happened!

If you have not seen already, I have been revamping my design portfolio. As you may or may not know, with every design project includes a design concept board. The concept boards help clients get a feel for what their space could look like. It is essentially their own drawing board- they cross things out they don’t like, circle or highlight things they do like, and write any other notes they feel fit. This is a highly valuable part of the design process because it really helps me, as a designer, get the ultimate idea for what my client really wants.

When I found this link up party, co-hosted by Beth from Design your Dwelling and Sarah and Sara from Design for Renters, I immediately fell in love with it and knew I wanted to be a part of it…

I hope you will be inspired by the mood boards that I will be sharing from here on out (every Tuesday, that is)! And who knows, if you want me to design a mood board for your own space, no matter where you live, I would be happy to do so. Just head to be Contact page (or leave a comment), and we can get started!

Today’s mood board is one of three options I presented to a client I am working with now (they have selected an option and we are now in the purchasing phase). This concept was titled ‘fresh start’ because we are completely revamping the family room- everything must go! Because the space gets a lot of natural sunlight, I immediately fell in love with the soft color palette for this option.

Well, don’t forget to head on over to Design your Dwelling to check out all the mood boards for today’s link up party. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite (hopefully mine, but I will still love you if you don’t vote for mine).

This week is the third week of my Friday Favorites and I hope you are enjoying reading about all the fabulous finds as much as I am enjoying sharing them with you! This week, in honor of High Point [spring] Market, I am posting a few of my favorite products that have been floating around. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to attend Spring Market. As much as I am disappointed not to be there, I am very thankful for the power of social media to keep my informed of what is happening. Check out some of these great companies and the new products they are sharing.

NOTE: Most of these products are for residential interiors, but if you have a commercial space, there are plenty more where these came from that can suit your space as well!

1. I am loving this retro hollywood glam bedding collection, Abernathy, by Eastern Accents. I was introduced to Eastern Accents at High Point last fall and fell in love with their bedding collections. They have great products at affordable prices.

2. This sunburst mirror from Rejuvination is fabulous! It also is available in a nickel finish. Rejuvination carries a variety of American classic lighting and other home accessories and hardware. Oh, and take an additional 20% off mirrors now, for a limited time!

3. Wowza, are you loving this chandelier as much as I am? This Haley Chandelier is a favorite of mine this week…thank you to Currey and Company for posting these newbies from Spring Market on your Facebook Page! Go check out their FB page for more inspiratonal images! (if you are interested in purchasing anything, you know how to get a hold of me!)

4. This Taylor Stool from Arteriors Home is so fun! Its dual use as a stool and side table is definitely perfect for a small urban space. It is a polished nickel finish with a leather handle. I could see this in a man cave.

5. This sleek and stylish glass door refrigerator is amazing, perfect for a basement bar or outdoor kitchen. U-Line has a variety of products available, such as fridge/ice box combo, freezers, wine fridges, and so much more! This could even make a fab dorm room fridge!

6. Looking for an area rug that screams sophisticated entertaining? Well, FLOR has some really nice patterns that will make you want to entertain every weekend! I love FLOR carpet tiles for a number of reasons (inexpensive, washable, durable, etc). FLOR is specifically designed for residential spaces, but if you are looking for something to use in a commercial space, Interface is the sister company and they have great product available!

I hope you found some inspirational products this week! Have a fabulous weekend!