As much as a kind of hate to admit it, I am definitely not a cook – and what I mean by that is I totally stink at cooking.

I have tried and tried to get the hang of it, but it seems I just don’t have the knack (which explains  why anytime Jeff makes something it officially tastes ten times better than when I make the very same thing).

But I am not going to let that stop me from having a good meal – I love food WAY too much to let that happen. So we eat a lot of super simple meals (I am pretty certain I’ve seen a monkey make more advanced meals than this), paired with eating out + we rely on Whole Foods to make a lot of yummy stuff for us too.

Long story short – I don’t let things I can’t do get in the way of what I love. I just find a different path to making it work.

“I don’t let things I can’t do get in the way of what I love. I just find a different path to making it work.”

Of course with food its a little easier because restaurants and cafes cater to people who either don’t cook or just don’t feel like cooking, but this same principal can be applied to virtually anything you can think of.

The key is to know what your strengths are and what they aren’t.

I’ll use myself as an example.

I know what I am good at, and for the most part, I focus my energy on those skills. Of course, there are plenty of things I am not good at as well…like sewing. I love diy projects, but I am all thumbs when it comes to a needle and thread. So if I have an idea for something I want sewn, I just ask someone else if they can make it for me (my mom’s pretty good behind a sewing machine anyway).

Or taxes….that’s a big one! I don’t like taxes and I certainly don’t fully understand the nooks and crannies of making sure I get every single deduction known to man, so I hired someone else to do that for me. By the way, if you struggle with taxes too, I have a post going up early next week that will help you.

But before I go listing off even more examples, I’ll just cut to the chase and make my point.  You do not have to be the doer-of-all-things. There are plenty of people out there ready and willing to share their talents with the world. Use your strengths the best way you can and find other people who can help you do the rest.

That’s the key to success these days, and it doesn’t even sound terribly hard, does it?

I would like to end this post today with a shop that combines two things that I utterly suck at (cooking + sewing) into playful, sewn fabric housewares for your dinner table and beyond.

The shop is called Too Cute Custom Crafts, and it is today’s reminder that my weaknesses are another woman’s strengths AND vice versa. So let’s work together to make great things happen.

Take action: How will you utilize your strengths moving forward + find people to help you with the weak zones?

Leave your response in the comments below.

Yesterday, Jeff and I strolled down to Barnes and Noble at lunchtime because (surprise!) I’m in the February 2012 issue of Women’s Day magazine. Yay!

Of course, I always get excited about magazine features, but I have to admit it’s partly because I like to send a copy to my grandma every time it happens so she knows I’m legit (she basically has no idea what I do for a living because she has never been on a computer in her life so its kind of difficult to explain it to her. but magazine features she understands).

Anyway, this year is the 75th anniversary of the mag and I am honored to be a part of it. My project for a lacy frosted glass mirror is on page 46. You may remember the original mirror project from the blog a couple of years ago if you’ve been around for a while.

If you’re interested, you can pick up a copy at your local book store or head to the Woman’s Day website and get the full tutorial online to make your own.

Big thanks to Woman’s Day for featuring my project. Really a pleasure to work with them.

When we think of textiles for use in the home, typically our thoughts go directly to towels or sheets, and perhaps to pillows and upholstery. But there are other great ways to use fabric-type items within your modern interior, and a wonderful selection of textile types to use as well.

You can add textiles to your interior environment in the form of screens, wall hangings, lampshades, baffles, blankets and throws. And the materials available in these styles range from macramé to shell, wood to standard fabric. This is a great way to add visual texture and perhaps a pop of color to your room without making a more permanent investment.

(above) Modern Macramé Hanging

Textile Shelving + Macramé Lampshade

 Tent-Like Baffles

Foldable Wood Fabric + Capiz Screen

Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.

Yesterday I got the new Crate and Barrel catalog in the mail. Did you get it too?

I am not one to go crazy for Crate and Barrel, but I was pretty excited to see this colorful Marimekko tablecloth and napkin set on the front cover. The colors are perfect. I love Marimekko.

How about you? Would you use this set in your kitchen or dining room?

I know I would. But whether you would or wouldn’t, I hope you have an amazing weekend!

After our last look at the clean fresh start of all-white interiors, I was intrigued by the opposite way to approach a space: using blasts of bright color. Bright pastels and sunny colors are all the rage this season, a strong shift from the darker neutrals, and shifts in fashion are often mirrored in the world of interiors. Bright colors convey a sense of optimism and a zest for life, and these vibrant interiors are no exception.

From the use of a single pop of color for an accent wall, cabinet or furniture to a mix of multiple brights throughout a space, bright color should never be overlooked as a great option for a fresh take on interior decor. Stunning against the backdrop of those white spaces we looked at last time, a shot of orange, pink, green or blue can really shift things into higher gear. If the idea of a hot pink wall or tangerine couch scares you, pick a color or two and add it in accessories to your neutral space. If you’re more daring, but not all the way out there, keep a rein on your newfound love of brights by highlighting a small area of a wall that really sets off some furniture or a carefully planned vignette. And a hint to those with terrible cabinets that they can’t really afford to replace: surprisingly enough, painting them a bright color makes the color itself take center stage, and makes the quality of the cabinets disappear in the background.

(above) Flea Market Finds in Orange, Sky Blue and Chartreuse

Bright Blues and Greens + Citrus Accents

Orange and Pink

Green Cabinets + Aqua Accent Wall

Yellow Wall with Ice Cream Pastels

Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks,   where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.

Modern illustration meets letterpress + screenprinting at Sweet Harvey. This shop features original illustrations that are “simple, modern, fresh and a bit whimsical,” hand printed on fabrics and paper goods alike. You’ll find accessories for all over your home, your self and your post box, all from the mind of artist Brandi Powell.

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*And if you you are interested in becoming an advertiser on papernstitch, visit the advertising page for more info.

This contributor post was written by Beth of Parsimonia.

For me, the start of 2012 isn’t about resolutions; I’ve made tons over the years and usually forget about them before February rolls around. Instead, I like to look at it as a fresh start, a year brimming with bright, shiny possibilities along with the feeling that anything is within my grasp. As such, I thought it appropriate to bring you some bright and shiny DIYs to inspire you for the new year. The last one isn’t a full-out tutorial, but I know that you have what it takes to recreate it them — you are papernstitch readers after all! Here’s to a year of possibility!

(above) Gold Chevron Paintings by Makeunder My Life

99 Cent DIY Candles by Emily Henderson

Glittery Gold Bow Clutch by The World Is My Oyster

Metallic Gold Mason Jars by Lovely Little Details

Gold Tree Stump Side Tables via Love Maegan

Have a great weekend!

Beth is the writer behind Parsimonia: Secondhand With Style, where she blogs about her first love (thrifting) and her second love (cooking), as well as DIY projects, sustainable style and other bits of inspiration. She lives in St. Louis with one husband, one fuzzy dog and lots of dreams, and recently launched an online vintage store.

Leave it to an environmental science major turned photographer to get at the stunning details of the nature around us. Diana of D.S. Brennan Photography does just that in all of her work, including her autumn feather collection. Whether you are looking for an elegant, ephemeral feel for your living room or a more masculine piece to inject color into a minimalist area, she’s got your walls covered. And check this: using code PNS2011 will get you your art with free shipping anywhere in the US!

Still looking for the prefect calendar to keep you organized and on track for 2012? Perhaps the offerings of Eye Poetry, a fine art photography studio run by Irene Suchocki out of Montreal, are just the thing. Featuring images from Paris, NYC, and other beautiful locales, Irene puts it best when she says you can, “treat yourself to a new poem for the eyes each month.” Though the new year was ushered in quietly around here, I’m thinking the Wild Horses calendar makes the right statement for what 2012 has in store!