I have been in hiding

The dogs all got snuggies for Christmas, as usual Spike was excited.
Not so sure about the others.

Spikes favorite gift "The Cave" he just dove in.
Jason is into hunting this year, thank you B.C. now he is away every weekend.
Christine loves EVERYTHING Jason gives her.
Are black puffy coats in style?
The mess
and I am sickI am sure I can find one more present, just one more.

It's New Years Eve and I have been sick since before Christmas. I mean really sick and I have not even had a cold in the last 10 years. So I was not avoiding everyone just needed some rest. It was a great Christmas and we took a family vacation skiing for four days. O.K. it wasn't my year to ski but the kids had fun. Reading all my January magazines by a fire wasn't bad either. Next year I will hit the slopes. I think I may have pushed a little to hard before the holidays and picking up three new customers , and two commissioned paintings due pre holiday may have set me over the edge. So I started thinking about some new resolutions for 2011. Went back to my diaries from previous years and all my resolutions were the same year after year. Don't procrastinate, lose 10 lbs., use my time better, draw each day, stop sweating the small stuff, be a better person, blah, blah, blah, . Apparently I don't keep them or I would not need to repeat them each year. This year I am taking a different approach and I WILL stop being so hard on myself. I will include five fruits and vegetables in my diet daily, no diet just healthy eating. I WILL put everything I take out back in it's proper place. No more shoving things in the cabinet thinking I will go back and straighten it later. No more, I'm tired I will pick things up in the morning. This should make me a little more organized and my life a little easier. After all life should be easy not stressful, and I need to enjoy it more. So have a happy and fun filled New Year, and let your resolution read : Be kind to yourself.

First Snow

"Winter came down to our home one night/ Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow ..."
Bill Morgan Jr.

The Christmas Card is Done

The Ornament of a House is the Friends Who Frequent it..... Ralph Waldo Emersom


On the drawing board.

Since I have lived in N.J. I have hand painted my Christmas Card every year. It is a labor of love that someday I will complete in August. But for now, I hope my message of how much I appreciate each and every one of you, and I treasure you as friends, not just customers. You bring joy and purpose to my life , firing all my creative juices. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Really Clean Design

Just when I am happy with who I am as a designer I see a design portfolio as unbelievable as Erica Powell's from Urban Grace Interiors . I would be stress free if I lived here, the quiet colors, simple accessories, and clean lines just blow me away. O. K. lets imagine living in this home is a duel career couple with grown children. They already have had the home stuffed full of furniture, so for this new vacation retreat they want simple. Their life is busy and they need a no stress get away. The house needs to be family friendly as they love having their four grandchildren visit as often as possible. The house is easy to care for and gives them more time to spend with each other. Paige, ( OMG I am naming her now) loves to cook and her new kitchen is perfect for family gatherings. I better stop now or I will imagine being invited for dinner. I can only dream, I think we could have gotten along.

OH ! OH ! Christmas Tree

Just not the trees for me.




So we followed the sign.

There she is my ugly duckling.




There are some things B.C. has learned to deal with in the past 33 years, one being the selection of our Christmas tree. I really am not that difficult, I like unusual shapes not the trimmed balls or "perfect" trees most desire. It works out well since usually we can bargain on the unwanted tree and B.C. hates to spend a fortune on something we own only for a few weeks. He still likes to complain that I waste too much time, this year he tried to go himself but I knew better.
We pulled into the first tree farm and I said "Bill we went here last year and there was nothing over 6 ft". No no that was a few years ago the trees will be bigger this year. "O.K. I said" . Well there was nothing on the front lot so we followed the Tall Trees sign. There is one I said, I love it. No no B.C. stated its at least 8 feet wide - are you crazy - we will never get that into the house. I laid sideways to prove it was less than my 5 ft. height but no go. Lets go next door and look said B.C.. "Remember last year you thought the owner had an attitude" I stated? No I think it will be fine." O. K. I said". There I spotted a blue spruce that had a very bare tall trunk. Visions of wrapping it in ribbon danced in my head. I want that one please. So off he went to see the man. Next we were leaving for the car with B.C. mumbling &*#!* something about an attitude. " O.K. I said". The next farm I remembered driving in and out last year but B.C. gave this a try too. Back in the car and traveling down Rt. 9 I spotted a sign Dominic's Treeses ( not a miss spelling) There it was a lot of overgrown trees, miss shaped, tall , funky and any tree $25.00. I saw B.C.'s eyes light up and a smile start to form and I found the unperfect tree of my dreams. So yes Virginia, there is a compromise.

Just for a Laugh

We all need a laugh this time of year, so if you have ever owned a dog or been around one PLEASE read this blog...... Just click here> Hyperbole and a half God this girl is creative!

That's The Spirt

Saturday I unwillingly pulled a few boxes of Christmas decorations down from the attic. I was just not in the spirit to start . What is wrong with me? I am the one who used to put up 13 themed trees, drag my kids to yard sales looking for old ornaments , this is my season. I called my sister Dotty, ( what I always do when procrastinating) Do you feel the same way I asked? Is it because I am getting older or is the trend not to collect anymore? Dotty, who has a beautiful home furnishing shop just loaded with Christmas said we have too much and are on overload. Just push through she advised and you will see the colored lights. I have a pretty extensive collection of glass ornaments , a few antique German Kugel, lots of shiny brite from the 40's and 50's and boxes of pre war ornaments. I always imagine who owned these before, was this a new bride who's husband was off at war. Did a mother save her pennies to purchase this box from Woolworth's for her children. Was this a couples first ornament? Many of my glass treasures are displayed on evergreen swags and by the time I'm done, I am in tears with the memories I have created. But this year I realized- this is what decorating means. I remember in college I did a work study program with John Wanamaker's and ran there Secret Santa shop, B.C. was my boss and I worked so hard no wonder he married me. As an executive trainee I ran Trim the Tree and purchased many beautiful ornaments in hopes of a home and children someday. The first year in my new home and my 14 foot tree fell over breaking many treasures, my Dad came to the rescue and my 9 month pregnant sister ran over and bought me ornaments from her tree. Her daughter was born the next day. The year Michael crushed anything within his reach I still have a tiger ornament without a tail, or when Christine announced on Christmas eve that Santa was leaving her REAL reindeer bells ( I never liked that leather belt anyway). With each decoration in place I began to feel that holiday rush, remembering those past wonderful family moments. I am not taking Christ out of Christmas because I truly believe whoever your God is he would want this precious feeling of love to exist. Yes Dotty, I am seeing the colored lights!

The Spade's Home

Like the use of wide stripes on traditional furniture, notice a chair a few photo's down.
For years I have been drawn to black and white floors.
Kate you always look good.
It takes confidence to create this "just happened look"
Great art
Dramatic paper, powder rooms should always be like little jewel boxes.
Check out the TV stand, now I have a bedroom TV solution to B.C. saying get your a__ down I can't see.
Art to the ceiling, my fav

Family never goes out of style.

Any house without books is not a home.

Two bars, I like that.




Thought you may enjoy peeking at the home of Andy and Kate Spade. Saw this on The Selby site