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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

New online Magazine

If You are young and stylish, if you are old and stylish, or just need a few fun ideas. check out the new online magazine Co-Lab. Its a collaboration between two super creative talents Molly Worth a 3rd generation reupholstered from the Phila. area, and Super Rural a 2 person company dedicated to selling fine printed goods. Oh yea I forgot a third important creative person Rachel McGinn who shot all the photos
I can think of a million people who I could give this print to for Christmas
I may just have to make an appointment to see all the (it is very green to reuse furniture) crazy updated looks on these chairs. I sure will be seeing different my next flea market or tag sale.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Support systems

It has been 62 days since I wrote a blog. I feel really bad about that. Just when I was getting lots of new readers I bailed. Why you ask? I am not sure, I tried to blame it on zapping time from my painting, ( I painted 0 hrs. last year) " Oh, I stopped writing my blog because I found it was consuming my time and I was not painting." Then I blamed it on getting too busy, " Oh my business is going crazy I need to spend all the time doing floor plans." " Bull s_it!" We can always make time for what we love. So I have been soul searching lately on what direction I should be traveling in, should it be art, should it be design, should I write a book, Oh God please help!!!! Then I realized how much women have helped me find the right direction all along. If I remember back to 1996 when I discovered the book "Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathnach. I loved reading how to better my life and become more authentic each day. It may not be on the best seller list anymore, but it still has a place by my bedside table, and is read on nights when I need answers. From this wonderful author I was led to Barbara Sher and her book "Wishcraft". A book that helps you realize your potential in life and that you could be what ever you wanted. This is a book that changed my life. At the time I was living in a Washington D.C. suburb, B.C. was in a corporate job. We had a good life there, you could say perfect. But I longed for something more. So I listened to the advice of the book Wishcraft and in 1996 wrote down my perfect day. ( A suggestion from the book) In that perfect day situated in 2004, I lived on a river, in New Jersey, running my own business. I had written a book that was successful and was now illustrating for Hallmark a line of cards and wrapping paper. I was no longer stressed and had time to complete everything. O.K. it all did not all come true, especially the part about I had enough time to finish everything I wanted, and I was organized. But here I am on the river, exactly as I described, with my husband quitting his job to come here. We have a great design business, my children are happy and life is good. Was it positive thinking, or when we think positive in the direction we want to go in do we then take small steps to get there. I believe there was another book by Sark,"Make Your Creative Dreams Real"- a plan for procrastinators, perfectionists, busy people, and people who would rather sleep all day. ( You just have to love Sark) So what now? I think I need to update my perfect day, use a little positive thinking from "The Secret" and believe in myself again and what I can accomplish. This past Saturday I participated in a watercolor workshop. There were two strong women there who made me feel competent in my art, confident in myself. One friend stated you stopped your blog? Why? all artist need to write. I took her advice, and listened, and thought, she is right it is a part of the creative process. The other women a very accomplished artist made me feel like I belonged in this special club, yes I was good enough. So again two women guided me. And then there is my sister who has her own interior and home furnishing shop, and listens to me every morning bitch, complain, talk about not being able to breath, and through it all she always believes in me, encourages me, and just is the best friend ever. Bill Murrey was on Good Morning America Monday and was discussing the scandal at Pen State and he mentioned that when women are not present such as in all male sport teams, the Catholic Church, the Far East, etc. bad things happen. We need a women's input to keep every thing honest. I agree, and with the help of life classes from Oprah, using positive thinking from the "Secret" by Ronda Byrne, discovering a path to higher creativity with Julie Cameron, and my own rather spunky outlook, I just might make it. Now I must be realistic and say the blog is back but maybe only two times a week, I am not a machine, and I do need to paint.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

When You Get Limes ; You?

About four years ago I wanted a lemon tree real bad. I had just chain sawed a sixteen foot ficus tree out of my bedroom that had out grown its 36" pot. You have no idea how big a 36" pot is. Completely out of the question to re pot any bigger. I was tired of raking my carpet of leaves every morning so down it came. B.C. and I covered the room with canvas drop cloths and lowered this baby with a series of ropes. Then came the chain saw, I could not listen, I could not see this, I felt like crying all day. After: what a bare room, I missed that tree, what could replace it. Well I had just finished reading Under The Tuscan Sun and Frances Mayes had lemon trees that she moved out side each spring. That's It! I could grow a lemon tree in my greenhouse like bedroom. I could just see myself picking lemons to make Lemon Cello. Chicken Picata, lemon linguine, the possibilities were endless. So excited.... My special number two child Michael got wind of this and presented me on my birthday with a mayers lemon tree. Dreams do come true. So I nursed this tree through blossom drop, white fly, and scale ( mind you I kept the treatments completely organic often picking bugs off by hand) Finally after four years I had fruit. I waited patiently for my lemons to ripen and turn yellow. Weeks went by, they kept getting bigger but stayed green. I kept waiting and waiting thinking lemons will ripen to yellow. Well finally I cut one opened smelled it and screamed "It's a lime #*^^@#*&^& ! "

Next Chapter:
B.C. was making Bloody Marys last night for cocktails and we had no limes, I bet I can help.......

Moral:
When you get limes you make Bloody Marys

Monday, September 12, 2011

Change That Mantel !

My summer mantel always includes green, produce things, birds and garden books. Everything that speaks summer to me. I light candles all year but on this mantel they must smell like a garden, not to sweet but like the smell after a gentle rain.
Green is cooling to me


But come fall I need to feel warm and cozy. I love the heat of the color orange, and lots of amber light. Candles, feathers, berries and gourds speak autumn.


This is my guardian angel of the pumpkin patch. She is out all year but has a special job watching over my favorite painting of just pumpkins come fall.
When I get to retire I want to live here, in a little cottage by the water.

I know my mantel is a little busy but I'm a busy kind of girl.


Here are a few simpler ideas to to transform yours.

I like the lamps on this one. Mantles always need light or candles to sparkle.
Even black and white speak fall, is that a pumpkin coach

pedestals are great, I used a silver footed dish on mine to elevate a pumpkin. I wish there was light or some sort on this one.


Mirrors are a great source or reflective light, still I think it needs votives.

Books, don't forget the books, my titles always read the season.
Very nice
Love the layering and contrast of dark and light.


Thursday, September 8, 2011

It's Finally Here






How could anyone not love this season. I am so excited to bring Fall into my home, with all the smells and colors. To me it is why I became an interior designer, the need to create a home that felt cozy, comfortable, and secure, all while pleasing the senses. A table set pretty with candlelight and an arrangement of just leaves, a fire going, the smell of Cinnamon. colors to make you feel warm, orange, red, brown, and greens. I am on sensory overload just thinking about it. Lets take this month to make our homes appealing, enticing and maybe later on a bit bewitching for all our love ones.







Monday, September 5, 2011

Summer is Officially Over

I want to start clean. Maybe it's a throwback to my first day of school. New book bag, new notebooks ( with a promise not to doodle on them ), new shoes, new haircut, and a chance to start fresh. that's what I love about September. I spent some time in the studio today finishing up lots of pesky odds and ends. I want to begin this month with a clean slate, maybe even pick up on a few of my New Years resolutions. I am one of those freaky people who look forward to cooler temperatures and shorter days. Somehow it just seems cozier and less busy than summer. I am not a born organized person, I fight hard to stay on top. But it can be done, and the pleasure of accomplishing your goals makes it worthwhile. So here is to a new notebook tomorrow, and I promise to stay in the lines most of the time....


Friday, August 12, 2011

"In The Pink!"



I had the good fortune to be part of the celebration of R.N.S. cancer and heart fund 50th anniversary celebration " IN THE PINK!" Featuring Fantasy Tablescape by some of our most famous designers. We had a guest speaker Linda Bradley from Lily Pulitzer who filled us in on the fascinating story of Lilly herself and how her business started. Kravet sponsored the event supplying Happy linens from the Lilly Pulitzer fabric line at Lee Jofa. How could you not feel happy with this splash of color... My fellow designer and good friend Scott Eccard of Eccard designs had the pleasure of setting the Lilly table. Love those pink chairs Scott...

Marcy Dash Freidman and Sharon Salvano of Dashing designs are clowning around again but put serious work into their table "Safari Elegance".
" An Anniversary Brunch " by Pedro Rodrigues
"Balinese Brunch" by Reed-Rosenberg Designs Love the tufted ottomans
A favorite of mine " A Thoughtful Brunch" By Michelle Joy of Primrose Designs
"A bridal Breakfast " by Gary Roeberg
" See Food" with a side of fabric by Joseph A Berkowitz
Yes, there are real fish in there
" Brunch with Budda" The Summer House Design Group"
" The Sweet Life " by Vicki Waxman
It was so good to see old friends and by a part of this wonderful organization. Congratulations R.N.S. for 50 wonderful giving years.....

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