Ants

This is a photo that I took years ago on our farm...In the following post, I refer to it in a color version of the photo...wrong photo..no ant..whatever..you are scratching your head, wondering what the heck I'm talking about....read on...:)

Self-Indulgence...

Today is my 63rd birthday....Until one crosses the line at 60, one doesn't realize how quickly it all goes by...so, each day has been a gift...a gift of 86,4000 seconds...never to be re-lived, so make the most of it.

This is my mother, Julia Florine, who gave me life (thankyou, Mama), and left this world far too soon...before even reaching 60. If you look at the background, you can see we were poor..dirt poor, but my mother taught me to see beauty in everything... This is my sister, Norma Jean, (the pretty one); I'm the one trying to grab the telephone away,and looking just plain onery...She wants nothing to do with me...fact is, I don't even know where she is...One reaches a point in life, where one has to cast off these sad things...I have..

The sun is shining into my dining room, and beckoning me to go out for a walk, before it gets too hot...this is Texas, you know....

There has been so much tragedy in the world and this country of late, that I go to bed in tears many nights...I am trying to regain my center...to realize there are things about which I can do nothing, but to try to do something -

I took this photo years ago, on our farm...I call it "Romantic America"...If you click on it (twice), you will see an ant on the apple...That's how I feel in this world...a speck...but, specks can make a difference, as well.

I am embarking on a new endeavor with a wonderful, talented, young designer...more to follow...Treasure this day...I know I shall.

Jessica's Interiors, Etc. ~ Stage 2

Since I moved to Texas nearly six years ago, I haven't been doing alot of interior design...won't even go into what I was doing, but I miss it....I specialize in new construction, but with the "Great Recession" the construction/housing industry (this is not a news flash, ya'll know this already) is in terrible straits...So, what do do? Again, no newsflash, but since there is a glut of homes on the market, homes are not selling, and if they are, not for the money they deserve to bring in....I have done staging in the past, but not concentrated on really building it as a specialty...
The following shots are of my work...mostly done in Wisconsin, mostly of Parade Homes...which I did from the ground up...To me, a Parade Home is the ultimate in staging...The builder builds a house that he wants to showcase his/her work, and a designer "stages" it...We wouldn't go through all that time and expense otherwise, now would we?

I do not believe in the "paint it white, throw a few rugs here-and-there-, and "viola" it's "staged..I believe in making a potential buyer walk through the door and be able to envision themselves living there...Of course, you take out the dozens of family photos, books on fly fishing, and other personal possessions...but, you want to have the home invite the buyer in and see what it could be for them...

So, here I go....I have my eye on a young, up-and-coming designer, who just graduated from design school, is charming, talented, and computer-savy...you know who you are...can you come out and play?

Remember, you can click on the photos to make them larger and view the details...such as the onyx and marble tile floor I put in this power room...Powder rooms should be like little jewel boxes..


Being a photo stylist for years has helped me to set up the "staging" for this bathroom...(Designed it, as well...just assume that the rest are all from the ground up)..they are. I am not bragging, just showing - Enjoy...

Rather than draping swoopy, swaggy, scarfy things over windows, I like to sew color-blocked window treatments...combining textures and colors, using a tiny bit of an expensive fabric, along with inexpensive, and tying those babies up with a ribbon..inexpensive yet striking...

Would these glazed walls (did them myself...1,000 sq.ft.) scare a buyer off? Not the ones who ended up buying the house...they loved them!

Sheets from Target - a bit of fluff on the windows...a dream room for a little girl...

Whether a penthouse, or a Southwestern setting...they both have to be serene and inviting...no clutter, no fuss...minimal...

I hemmed the sheer fabric, and sewed inexpensive trim on the bottem to weight them..the top squares are hemmed, and then, glued crystal trim ($1.99 a yard)..tossed them over spring-loaded window hardware..so inexpensive..yet, when the sun hits the crystals, prisms of light dance on the walls...

All the furniture in these shots was rented , the accessories were not all that expensive, and I did all the floral arrangements...The artwork was through a friend who has a gallery (and, yes, it is important to have adequate insurance)...

So, I have moved to "Stage 2"...fun...

Interiors of What???

I have led a pretty interesting life thus far.....
I began this blog quite awhile back, thinking that I would be like so many bloggers who are interior designers and showcase my work. By doing this, I would get clients....There's an old saying, "Man plans and God laughs"...Since moving to Texas (leaving behind a very successful design business), God has had several good laughs on me....I am not going to complain, for how could I; there are people starving, losing their homes, being radiated in Japan, being flooded out of their homes, etc. (there's that etc.)...Me, well, I'm turning 63 this month, and haven't had a good design job in which to sink my teeth for years now. In fact, my last design job of any significance was my doctor's home - just before I had major surgery.... Living in Texas has been like moving to another planet... hotternhell in the summer, temperate climate in the winter...a place with gardens called "Peckerwood" (true), and every kind of creepy-crawley under the sun (and rocks)...

I have been married several times...I do believe only Elizabeth Taylor had me trumped by a few marriages. I have been married to the final husband for twenty-eight years...so, finally got that right - and no, this is not him...this is number 3, the crazy, Latvian scientist...I'm just saying, I've had some excitement in my life. Now, at 62, going on 63, I feel as if I'm reaching another major turning point...

I also have had a few careers above and beyond interior design...I have been a photographer - still am...had a gallery (that showed me that retail for me is just not going to ever work out), a career in fashion (visual merchandising for such dept. stores as Bloomie's in Boston, etc...)...

a faux finisher, an artist, and now, I am sneaking up on writing a novel...Isn't that what everyone who is out-of-work does? I can't just sit down and hammer out a novel...no, I have to pick a period that requires years of research (Civil War), so that I can say, "I'm writing a novel, but first, the research)...

I shot this photo on one of my honeymoons (to the Latvian scientist, to be precise)...it was black-and-white, and then, I hand-painted it with oil paints...came across it stashed in an old portfolio..hard to believe that was thirty-five years ago...(so, are you beginning to wonder where the hell I'm going with this- so am I).

We have a lovely, Texas-style home...stained concrete floors, that stay cool in the heat...high ceilings, ceiling fans (I HATE the light kit, but it doesn't come off so I can cap it)..High ceilings, wonderful detailing...I love this house...I am at home here. I did the painting on the far wall...I have about six that I've been working on forever...Geminis do that...start something, and then, wander off...

For many years, I photographed children...This is Emma, who is probably out of college by now. My point? Life flies by...so, all you mama's out there, who blog about how wonderful your babies are...(and they are)..be aware...they grow up in the blink of an eye, have kids of their own, and you forget what a baby's head smells like (Heaven)...

Now, I mostly photograph my back yard...all the deer, who are hanging out here because we give them food and water. We know that we shouldn't, because they reproduce and there isn't enough food for all of them, but I can't let them starve to death in my back yard...(we are having a terrible drought.)

If you looked out your living room window, and saw this, could you let it starve to death? I can't...but then, every morning, I get up and feed two cats, feed and water the deer, feed and water the birds, feed and water whatever plants the deer haven't eaten...It's my routine.

I think this cacti (I shot this on a walk in my neighborhood...six miles a day)...describes what my heart has had to morph into...otherwise, it would shatter..watching all the sadness in the world.

We had (after months of no rain at all) a tremendous thunderstorm...Half of the country has had devestating tornadoes, and as I stood on my front porch, shooting this, I prayed those monsters didn't spawn a few and wipe us out...they didn't. We are blessed.

Oh yes, another of my "careers" was photostylist, and this was my calling card. I was raised (mostly) in Kansas..however, I can tell you with a straight face, "Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore".

Finally, I've just run out...a down...and have decided that come what may, I don't think I'll be doing interiors anymore...so, what do I name this blog?

Just One Word Of Encouragement....

The other morning, I arose, grabbed my camera, my "wellies" (there are snakes and creepy-crawleys in Texas), and went out to shoot. Lots of new babies, and a few big babies, as well. This was the photo I used as our Mother's Day card to my husband's 89-year-old mother. Sadly, my Mama died long ago, and this weekend is especially hard, as it is Mother's Day, and her birthday...I try not to cry the entire day, but it is difficult... My dear blogging friend, Rhonda, came to my rescue the other day....I was feeling that it wasn't worthwhile to even try to blog anymore, and she was so sweet. I think alot of us, when we look at blogs that have thousands and thousands of followers, think, "why bother"...I have come to the decision that I don't do it to advertise my design business, or whatever, but because I like to share parts of my life...

I am not one of those people, who changes my home everyother day (although, I used to do that, but now, I have one thumb in a brace - dislocated, and the other wrist is ruined from years of abuse - doing faux finishes and hauling around furniture).

My friend, Cam, said not to talk about it, or it wouldn't happen...but, I am working on a novel, and she's right..I need to talk less and write more.

I also am one of those 'round tuit' people...as in, when I get around to it, I'm going to paint three different paintings that I have in my head...I got the supplies, and it's just sitting there, waitingI have decided to try masonite, as I have lots of frames, and framing is expensive, so rather than painting on the canvas' I have, I am having masonite cut to the size of the paintings...starting that process this weekend.

This whole thing is a bit disjointed, but I just realized that I have water aerobics in a half-hour, and need to spend at least fifteen minutes, squeezing myself into my suit...I have lost 12 lbs since February, walking, doing South Beach (with wine), and water aerobics...at least, I am consistent with that.

Thanks again, Rhonda, for reaching out to me.

Perspective....changes....moving forward?

I have enjoyed blogging...at least, at first...Then, I just went dry...now, I don't know where this is headed...sorry for just leaving all (what all? no comments)...in what lurch...

New perspectives on life...on what is important, and what isn't...for now, this isn't.

So, we shall see...