Pamper Me Jessica

Thought of the title because of "Tickle Me Elmo"...don't know why...my thoughts are all over the place this morning. Yes, that's moi - Woke up this morning and thought, "today, I am going to pamper myself". Why today? Why not? It's been a difficult few months, and I sold a floorcloth, and by golly, I'm going to go on a "spree". No, not diamonds, but a pedicure would be nice...then, ink and paper for my computer (it's very expensive, and I love printing out my photographs as cards, and, of course, I have a six-color printer, and have to use the best paper or why bother).

I have a quilt, which I bought (nope, didn't make it - and I probably should make another, but have other priorities right now) when I was photographing babies and small children...the quilt would go on the grass, the babies would pee on it, and I have washed it about a thousand times in the past twenty years. It has so many holes in it...I have duvet covers I did make, but the quilt is to put over the duvet in the guest bedroom on chilly nights. Anyway, this quilt has so many holes in it that it's looking like Swiss Cheese. So, off to Tuesday Morning (they have great quilts at great prices). My mother-in-law is going to visit for the holidays, and she deserves a better quilt (that's my rationale).


Time to "stop and smell the roses"...even by candlight. I took this last Saturday, as I lit the scented candle in the powder room. It has that wonderful effect of light and dark...the Italian's call it "chiaroscuro"...Rembrandt was a master of chiaroscuro.

I made this frame from velvet, which was once an Eileen Fisher top (it died, after a million wearings-I can't afford her clothing new, but have had great luck in resale shops), and then, made the roses from ribbon. The lilac sprig is vintage, and yep, that's a photo of one of my subjects - you can't see it, but she's standing on the quilt. The frame, the roses, and the pitcher are in my powder room.

This photo (the larger one) is of my Mama, who was so beautiful...taken in the 1940's..it's one of my favorites. She passed over twenty years ago, and I think of her every day...she was younger than I am now, and I remember vividly, as she lay on her deathbed, saying, "I wish I had done more, traveled more".....I don't want to go like that...so, I refuse to feel guitly about a pedicure, or a quilt, or a good lunch with a good friend. I'm not trying to be maudlin nor defensive..just reminding myself - and you, to drink in life to it's fullest. (you're probably thinking, "I thought this was a design blog"). Some days it's just my ramblings..

My friend, Kelly, has the best blog "Much to do With Nothing", and she's the queen of slipcovers. I have hesitated showing this chair and ottoman, which I did before her tutorial..I sure could have used some help on it. It's faux leather (no animals were harmed for this chair and ottoman) and linen. The pillow was a fabric sample. The ottoman was tapestry, which I got at a garage sale for $40.00. The only thing I really dislike about it, are the Queen Anne legs..not quite right, but maybe someday I'll find one with more rustic legs, and replace them.I took this photograph at a Civil War reinactment...I once had a gallery in Wisconsin, which was in an 1860's schoolhouse. It was called "Widow Weed's Gallery", as I dressed as a Civil War widow, (the grieving attire at that time was called widow's weeds). This was my political statement against war. I traveled from reinactment-to-reinactment, all over the South, and we lived in an Officer's Tent, where I set up a "parlor". Once I was through with that, I opened the gallery - one of these days, I'll put up some photos of it...

This is the floorcloth...I liked it so much, I painted an extra one for my powder room.Yes, this is me..."Widow Weed"...I've been fortunate to be able to follow my heart, when it comes to my various "careers" throughout the years. I truly pity people, who have to drudge though life...(I'm sounding very "Auntie Mame" today, aren't I?)

Amen