Jessica Day Off....

When I was in JoAnn's Fabrics awhile back, buying fabric for my window treatments, I met two, lovely ladies, and we struck up a conversation. Yesterday, I got an invitation to join them for lunch, and since I know so few people in Texas, decided to take them up on it...What fun!
When I first was emailing Sue, my new found friend, she said she was behind in putting in her Christmas decorations, as she had 148 trees to put up...I thought, okay - typo. No, not typo; when I walked into her home, I couldn't believe my eyes. Sue has every single room, nook and cranny decorated for the holidays - even the ceiling in the foyer. She has been on the national news programs, and is trying to get into HGTV. Since I didn't have a clue, I didn't take my camera. I just got off the phone with her, and she's fine with me coming back and taking photos. Next week...can't wait. My friend, Kathy, owns the "Purple Puddle", in Chapel Hill, NC...http://wwwpurplepuddle.com, should get you there. It's a floral and gift shop, and is always enchanting. Years ago, she flew me from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin (we had lived in Chapel Hill previously, where I did her displays and windows..and some floral design), to do her Christmas windows. She had this enormous bunny, along with Bunnies By the Bay (remember them).

Since I took the day off yesterday, and then before that, shared a bit of my past and my design philosophy, I thought I'd share some of the photos of her windows.

This bunny is six-feet tall, and has served as the "anchor" in many of the windows I did for Kathy.Ya'll may recall that I've been cutting out and saving all kinds of things pretaining to design from the huge quantities of magazines I've had over the years. I keep them catagorized in large binders, and what the heck, if I can't share a few with you, what's the point? I don't want to just have these instructional or inspirational photos all the time, but they are good for days like this, when I am recharging my camera, and working on some projects of my own to share with you.

Yes, this is from Martha Stewart's magazine; in fact, I have an entire binder of her "good things"..thanks, Martha. There are instructions below this photo as to how to do these wonderful orange pomender pyramids. Just click on the photo to read the directions...also, throwing in an origami star. For some reason, when I edited this, I cannot get it to come up by double clicking...all the others do...wonder why? Anyone out there know? Again, Martha...I love this look, although it does feel a bit cold...perhaps a fire in the fireplace. I would be concerned about setting the "flocking" afire..still, beautiful.We no longer have a staircase, but if we did, I'd love to do this......

I've spent the entire morning dealing with the "heater guy", and we finally are off "emergency heat", thank goodness. Now, I am going to go string lights in my ficus in the dining room, make a blanket cover, and maybe a few velvet fruit. We shall see.

You Can Make a Silk Purse Out of a Sow's Ear

This is my Mama...she was raised during the Great Depression....She lived in grinding poverty...just look at the natural grace and class she had.... so read on.

Well, I don't mean that literally. What I mean is, no matter what your station in life economically, there are ways to make things pretty. These are "the girls", who came running everytime we were working in our 4,000 sq. ft. garden in Wisconsin. The first few seasons, we grew too many vegetables to put up, and much of it went to the local food bank...the no longer fit to eat, went to the "girls". I've always wanted to use this in a greeting card, with the caption, "Your name came up at lunch today"....don't steal it...mine, all mine. I love the photo. We are by no means wealthy; in fact, the recession and my move from Wisconsin has pretty much shut down my business, but I do have a resourceful husband, who has been consulting for nearly two years, so I thank God everyday that I still have my lovely home, and way too much to eat.
What does this have to do with design, you ask? You don't have to live in a "McMansion", or have a house in "The Hamptons", to live with beauty and grace. When I was first married - not to this husband, by the way. My father-in-law said to me; 'you have a way of making simple things beautiful"..which started my foray into interior design.

I lived for awhile in my Grandparent's "shack" in Oklahoma - Cherokee...dirt floors, tin roof (they are fashionable now, but I bet they don't say "RC Cola" on them. This is me, in my grandmother's arms...my sister (the whitest Cherokee kid on the block), and my cousin, who's mother was full-blood - I am a bit over a quarter, but proud of my heritage. As you can see, that porch doesn't know whether to stand up, or fall down. Even though the floors were dirt, my grandmother would sprinkle them with water, and sweep and tamp them down until they were like concrete (funny, my house has stained concrete floors, all the rage, don't you know). She made rag rugs out of scraps of fabric, and quilts, and even clothes and curtains for us out of flour sacks (they were printed with flowers back then). This wasn't a hundred years ago...I am 61, but don't tell anyone.


This was my grandfather, who was a mule skinner...I once had a city friend ask, "what did they do with the skins?" - a mule skinner drove a team of mules. He was rough, tough, and hard to diaper, and drank homemade "shine", and lived to be 96. He used to take me to the woods, and set me on a stump, while he smoked out bees from the hive in a tree, and always gave me a chunk of beewax, dripping with honey. He also would shoot mistletoe down from Blackjack trees, and we would sell it in town.

My grandmother (center) loved to fish...she didn't like to eat it, but we did eat a great deal of catfish...She would take Rex Lard buckets (quite a pretty red, actually), and plant "moss rose" in them, and hang them on the porch (not too many, as it would pull it down on top of us).

This was my grandmother on my father's side...I took the photo when she was in her late seventies...all those years of chopping cotten in the fields took their toll. Remember ladies, sunscreen...She sat by my grandfather's bed for ten years (he smoked, and was on oxygen all the time), and pieced together quilts...not beautiful, but pretty...and functional. Remember...form follows function

I came across this photo this morning, and the one of the pigs, and that's what got me started on this - We lived in poverty, but we had beauty around us...we lived in beautiful country, with hills, and lakes, and trees to climb, and berries to pick, and wild flowers...It's much easier being poor in the country. At least now, inner city kids are getting garden programs and hopefully, some introduction to art by taking them to museums.

So, if there's not enough money to paint the entire house, or even a room, go to Home Depot to the "whoops pile" of paint, and you can get a gallon for $5.00. Go to the supermarket in July, and you can find glads for $2.00 a bunch. Or just stop for a moment, and gaze at a wildflower.

I have done multi-million dollar homes, and I have done modest homes...I have also learned that just because a person is wealthy, doesn't mean they have good taste.

There is the dictum, "If it isn't beautiful or useful, get rid of it"....Which is what I am doing this afternoon...cleaning out my closet.

I hope this hasn't been too self indulgent. But for those of you, who feel you are not able to have a lovely home...a clean home, a simple home, and alot of love for it is just fine.

They Said it Couldn't Be Done...

First, I want to thank my dear Kelly from http://muchtodowithnothing.blogspot.com/ for featuring me on her blog...(see yesterday's blog below). She's amazing..she knows how to do everything, especially, create wonderful slipcovers, and she can miter corners on wood moulding, and so much more! As they say in Texas, "I appreciate ya"..(really).

I wish I could give credit where credit is due as to this photo of peonies, but I did pull it off a blog, but it is so beautiful, and if whomever is out there would please let me know if it was you...I apologize for taking it, but miss peonies so...thankyou.

What they said couldn't be done (well, I said it couldn't be done) is to ruin a floorcloth. I did. For all of ya'll, who missed that one, go back in the archives and there is a tutorial about how to make them.
Floorcloths are hand-painted canvas, that have been primed front-and-back with latex paint, and after painting, sealed with a sealant (typically polyurathane.)

They can be placed on any surface, ie, stained concrete, tile, wood, etc., but not on carpet. They are durable, wipeable, and great for in front of kitchen sinks, (they can just be wiped with a damp cloth, instead of having to launder rugs constantly) in powder rooms, under kitchen/dining room tables, and on porches (if they are protected from the elements). I do not recommend they be used in bathrooms in front of showers or bathtubs, as more absorbant floor coverings in front of the shower or tub are safer. I do, however, have one in front of my vanity.

This is my kitchen island. I love my kitchen; it's small, but very practical. I love the countertops (granite), the floors (stained concrete), but I hate, hate, hate, my glass-top cooktop (which I have already broken). It's an all electric house. We are outside the city limits, and the option was propane....besides, by the time I found the house, it was nearly finished...too late.

But, I digress. I made this floorcloth two-and-a-half years ago, and I love it. It's held up beautifully...until.....(let me preface this by saying it's my own, stupid fault..also, the only other way to ruin a floorcloth besides what I did, is to fold it or put it on carpet and walk on it)...what did I do???? I didn't realize there was kitty litter on the floor under the floorcloth...I do sweep and wash my floors, really. I think what happened was I put what I thought was an empty kitty litter bag in the trash under my sink(I have to use small ones, because I cannot heft the biggies)...some residual litter must have fallen out, and marched under the floorcloth..no idea...anyway, not knowing it was there, I walked on the floorcloth, and now, there are raised bumps from the litter, that will not come out. I am obsessive-compulsive, and an interior designer (they go hand-in-hand)..also, I make these to sell, so how can I have a damaged floorcloth? So, now I have to make a new one. I am going to replicate it, as I love this one...I am part Cherokee, so I honor my heritage when I can.

This one is in front of my stove...it has fared much better..the handprints are mine and my husband's. The deer is a replica from a cave painting here in Texas, and the other symbols represent good luck, health, etc.

Poor floorcloth...I had one in Wisconsin that still looked good after nine years. They are practically.......bullet-proof. Live and learn.

I have decided to make a wall hanging out of this one. I cannot bear to part with it...It took me forever to paint all that fringe. It is an exact replica of a ceremonial wedding dress (not Cherokee), but I love it. I have some leather strips, and I will attach it with them to a lovely walking stick my late brother-in-law made (he would like that), and hang it in my foyer.

On a totally different note, I made this painting and floorcloth, (taken from a Christmas card), and ended up donating it to a very good charitable cause...Now, I have to make another one for this Christmas...maybe...

So, children, remember to sweep well under your floorcloths...let that be a lesson to us all!