Allister, The Market, and a Big Bag

Busy day, went to Lancaster and Millersville for a baby shower and to visit a farm market. Ended up with a lot of home made "junk food" and this ginormous tote bag.

Exhausted!

Something brutal happened to our computer. Lost everything. Luckily iTunes had been semi-recently backed up to CD and most of our pics were loaded to an online service. Hard to tell what else we lost. Experiencing frustration with the "Media Center" function - computer is apparently not talking to the Direct TV.

Would like to post more house pics but am not sure C has installed the scanner/camera software yet. Maybe C can help me this evening.

Should be doing some housework! Yes that is what has become of me! Housework on a Saturday night.

R's Interior Inspiration 7

Shiny and Sparkly - so long as you can stand the dusting, in a small space go with glass, mirrors and other reflective or see thru materials - it allows the illusion of more space. Our house is only about 12 foot wide. . .keeping the light bouncing around and the eye moving from one thing to the next helps it feel bigger - I think. . .

R's Interior Inspiration 6

Let's commence with our torture shall we? As you can see, I have once again taken a lovely piece of furniture and adorned it with dust collecting inanimate objects.

They may be inanimate but they aren't anonymous: framed pics of family, a piece of art I made almost 20 years ago, a big old "monogram" painted in gold leaf. Books give height to small accent lights. Lights tall enough for the area would have cost way more. . .plus I had the books already and they make me look smart!

This foolishness is all piled on top of my paternal great-aunt Helen's dresser. It's in our living room. It houses photos, a catch-all drawer for ins and outs, etc.

About caring for your older furniture: You have a lot of retail options for polishing, conditioning, and dusting. I vote olive oil! By all means, get the really good stuff for cooking only - don't waste it on furniture!

Allister Likes Being the Big Spoon!

Once again Edison horns in on Allister's Snuggle!

Good Night and Good Dreams!

Pen and Ink & Watercolor. . .c. 1990. . .

Someone asked me the other day if I had a portfolio. I have a lot of baggage but it never occurred me to also drag around a portfolio.

I should have one I've decided. We all know how I work: If one is good, three is better!

At first I didn't think I had anything to add to the portfolio but the mixed media animal art. But when I started taking pics this evening, I realized my art (Yes, my art) was all over the house!!

More pics to follow this weekend. (Again, I can nearly feel the enthusiasm and anticipation!)

R's nterior Inspiration 10

Talk about the mother of all dust collectors!!! A curio-cabinet I got for Christmas circa 1988(ish). Mom refinished it for me shortly after I got my first place. It hangs right inside our front door and contains an assortment of randomness.

Many of the items are gifts friends and family have given us after they traveled somewhere - miniature souvenirs you can easily stuff in a suitcase. We appreciate and adore them. It's special to us that someone would think of us when they are so far from home.

The bird is my take on a belted kingfisher. It's ink and acrylic on canvas. It just kinda' come to me quickly one evening and it was effortless. I've wished repeatedly to have that touch again but I don't think it's ever returned.

I hope to hang a few hooks below at some point for dog leashes and umbrellas. I'm specifically looking for antique egg shaped door knobs in gold/brass/crystal OR some kind of antique door stops. Clearly, I haven't been searching that hard. . .They are rather common.

R's Interior Inspiration 13

I think this is self explanatory:

Impulsively purchase a massive glass vessel.
You have no idea how to build a ship in a bottle.
Too poor to collect quarters in it.
Beer caps or soda tabs may look trashy.
You lack terrarium know-how.
You've killed way too many damned goldfish in your day.
Open bottle of wine to contemplate situation. . .
Ah ha!

R's Request for Interior Inspiration 14

First of all, the hutch tends to be dark. So I purchased some wall paper. I cut it to size (which I suck at and it took forever and still isn't quite right). I used some little donuts of blue painters tape to affix the paper to the back. (I wouldn't want to ming up such an important piece by permanently affixing the wall paper).

You can do this with any shelf. You could also paint the backside a contrasting color or line it with fabric. If you find a piece that has the back missing, that's ok too so long as it's not too wobbly. Your wall can peek through.

I found a couple of battery operated Velcro/adhesive under shelf lights and viola I was ready to jam the thing full of dust collectors. . .

Some china cups and saucers my Mom bought me. Little glass punch cups and "snack trays" I found at a flea market, some well loved books. . .

Champagne flutes. . .A couple of the flutes are Tiffany flutes a good friend purchased us for our engagement. The rest cost about a buck a pop. This is kinda' "overflow storage." To make sure the glass doesn't "disappear" I filled some of them with corks and clear glass marbles.

The other bizarre item is the framed football pic. . .That's Chris Baker the touchdown maker. An autographed pic one of C's good friends gave him. I had relegated it to the basement for the longest time. C's initial request was that we display it in the bedroom. I figured the main floor was middle ground. Honestly, with the doors shut, you barely notice!

There's a bunch of other random garbage in there too. . .Some pine cones I got at a craft store. I tipped their edges in gold leaf. They are Christmas tree decorations but I didn't have room to store them all with the holiday stuff so I left them out. A few shells. . .a porcelain bird I found on clearance at Target. . .

Complete randomness unified by my fondness of it all. . .Yeeeeeesssss. . .Even Chris Baker!

R's Request for Interior Inspiration 12

My paternal Great Grandmother's secretary. If you must have a desk in a common area, this is the way to go. If you have guests over, all the mess gets folded up into the drop leaf writing surface. Genius!

Speaking of Secretaries. . .I worked with this lady for a while and she was a hoot. She kept me laughing constantly. I distinctly remember her telling some crotchety old man, "A secretary is a piece of furniture. I'm an assistant." Hysterical and true.

There is no limit to the amount of stationary and randomness I wedge in this thing - so long as it isn't so heavy as to cause the drawer floors to bow. My sister has a nearly identical one from our maternal great grandmother and she uses the drawers to store wine. YIKES!!! I see a wine rack gift in her not-so-distant-future.

I'll talk about all the dust collectors I've wedged in this thing in the next post. . .

R's Request for Interior Inspiration 8

FRAMES!!!! I used to work with this guy that would occasionally mumble in a bad situation "You can't polish a turd." One of the funniest things I've ever heard. . .not entirely accurate however.

If you have the right frame(s) you can do it!!!

(Note to self. . .research how to obtain owl scat. . .dissect and frame small mammal bones. JOKING!!! Unless there's a market for that sort of thing. . .If so I'm calling Carolina Biological and getting all the sanitized owl scat I can afford.)

Frames are the greatest. You can switch out the stuff inside of them. The are easy to move, switch out, and store. You can also stain, paint, gold/silver-leaf them will little skill, trouble, time, or supplies. If you have a lovely frame, you don't even need anything in it.

This is a slim shadow box picked up at a craft store. The shells were also purchased there. I used a heavy duty adhesive to affix them to the back of the frame. Then I researched what kind of shells they were - with scientific name (not being completely ridiculous about an accurate id - close enough was good for this). Wrote it on some craft paper and used straight pins to attach the paper. The whole project probably cost $20 or $25 bucks.

It's not perfect. I know now how to go about it better BUT the frame hangs well above eye-level so the imperfections are barely noticeable. . .(That and I keep the lights dim and frequently serve wine!)

Took me a moment but the "yellow" blobs are actually reflections from our recessed lighting.

R's Request for Interior Inspiration 16

Ok. . .Left to Right. . .Top to Bottom. . .
1. An autographed pic of "The Greaseman" and iconic DC area radio personality for years and one of C's heroes.
2. A pen/ink/watercolor I did in 9th grade art that my Mom had the good sense to frame.
3. Old Baltimore post cards C gave me as a gift (c. the time the house was built)
4. A scrap piece of fabric I embroidered an initial on
5. A large plaster relief frame from my paternal grandmother's collection. I added more gold leaf. The little wreath breaks up the expanse of wall.
6. An envelope that contained my 21st birthday card from my paternal grandfather. He wrote on the outside
7. An historic pic of the Battle Monument c. 1904 (close to the time the house was built)
8. A framed pic of my brother being ridiculous at Christmas
9. The while elephant. I love the concept. Just not in this spot. It's a small shadow box. I had a piece of china that was broken and I put the pieces in it. (I can't part with things I could re purpose - this we all know).
10. A picture of Allister
11. A childhood pic of C and his brother.

What you can't see in this view? To the far left, there is a fav family pic (in a green frame) and a small canvas I painted of a scene from Crisfield, MD (unframed).

It could be highly offensive to some over all. . .Or it could be overwhelming in a different spot; however, it seems to be just fine in this location.

PS - I think everything on that wall is hanging with push/pull pins. The plastic, colored kind. They leave teensy holes and don't require a masonry bit. . .The 4 "perimeter" walls are thin plaster and lathe on brick. Thumb tacks rock!!!

R's Request for Interior Inspiration 1

Ok. This is a hot mess. hahaha!!! This is the stairway leading from the main level to the basement. (Notice the baby gate in the lower right. . .yes we have no children. We do however, have dogs.)

Stairways are a wonderful place to hang a bunch of crap that people can continually knock crooked all the day long on their trips up and down the stairs. Notice we've taken full advantage.

I've heard a lot of folks recommend using frames of all one finish to "unify" a grouping of pictures/art/etc. Clearly, I haven't embraced it. If you like that look, use it. If you like a little disorder with your order use frames you like. . .But repeat a little. You see that prominent white frame in the middle bottom? Sticks out like a sore thumb right? I have plans to relocate it. It's been there a while and I thought it might grow on me but it has not.

You'll also notice that there's an awkward space between that "white elephant" and the frame to it's immediate left. And this does illustrate a valuable point: You need a plan if you're going to create this kind of organized chaos. I had planned well until I thought it was a good idea to hang the white frame. I have another frame that will fill the area better and be less obvious. . .Maybe next weekend!

In terms of designing your wall art, there is often talk about lying it all over the floor over reams of brown craft paper. You then trace the art, cut the shapes out of the paper and you have the ability to move the paper around until you find an arrangement you like.

That's not how I roll (get it roll out craft paper? That was a corny C comment). I'll hang something and maybe another. . .Then a few hours, days, or weeks later, I'll find another thing to add. It's like a puzzle.

What if you eff it up you ask? How could you? Just find something to cover the hole in the wall before your husband or landlord finds it!!

What's in all those frames? A whole lot of stuff some folks would consider trash - or at the very least not worthy of a frame. Loosen up. I'll elaborate in the next post. (The anticipation is nearly palpable.)

Look What C is Reading

Maybe he can tell me how it ends! He was floored when I told him I never finished it!

I'm so Honored and Excited!!!

No I was not nominated for a Nobel Prize - ha!

Friend R emails me. . ."Can you either send me some photos of your house, or post some on your blog? I need inspiration. . ."

Luckily for R we have no fewer than 500 pics of this little house. (It's a little sickness of mine). It's time I take a few new ones anyway. I take them periodically so I have them in case anything unfortunate happens. They might help the police recover property (Right. . .) or the insurance guy.

Anyway, I'll be spouting off about my "decorating genius" (haha) over the next few days. Hopefully, can get a few posted tonight in case she wants to plan a weekend project! Apologies in advance to her darling Husband.

Here are a couple of thoughts for starters:
1. Unless you absolutely adore it, it shouldn't be in your house. (Or your closet. . .'cept for Spanx - they are necessary).

2 I don't necessarily believe in comfortable or functional. Although you can achieve it. However, if I have to pick comfort or style, I'll pick style every time. (Consider my wretched stiletto habit the ultimate proof).

3. Personal style takes time to collect items you love OR an obscene amount of money and a decorator that "gets you."

4. It's ok to wander around your house with on object in your hand for hours on end until you find the perfect spot to put it. (Unless you say, have a job or other annoying places to be timely). In which case, you might have to move an effing vase 15 times in one week! (That's a conservative estimate).

5. Don't limit yourself. If you want a waffle iron in your bathroom (not recommended for a host of obvious reasons) you can find a way to pull it off. Weirdness or unconventional notions add interest so long as you do them with conviction and a sense of humor, whimsy, or irony.

6. Be Brave - Color, pattern, and textures are so important.

7. Find a statement piece (or more). . .A velvet chaise, a floor to ceiling mirror, an aubergine painted claw foot tub, some fabulous art. Pick the statement pieces carefully. They should best represent your style. . .but they should also be flexible.

Example: If you think you have a romantic style, purchase velvet chaise - not too ornate - just about any solid color would work. It will be at home in your bedroom, living room, or den. When you marry that fellow who likes traditional or even modern spaces, your chaise will still fit right in just about anywhere. Use a toss pillow or throw to help tie it in or update it. If you purchased that chaise in a romantic pink floral chintz, it wouldn't work so well in a traditional or modern setting.

NOTE: I need to get ready for work but given my minor OCD, I want a list of ten - LOL!!!

8. History - Not everything in your home needs to have a lively past. But things that reflect you and your past help make the space yours. They don't have to be expensive antiques or vile hand-me-downs. . .Memories are great - just don't get too precious or sentimental. And don't let the collection overwhelm anyone area. (The "college" room debacle is another post).

Examples: Shells/sea glass/pebbles collected on vacations displayed in jelly jars labeled with place & date; family photos (or copies); a massive cork collection labeled with date and occasion you had the wine/champagne; a silver baby cup can hold Q-tips in the powder room or on your vanity. A circa WWII framed note from grandpa to grandma is good. A wall of notes from your stupid ex-love interests is bad, creepy, and rather stalkerish!!!

9. Scale is very important. You can wedge a big piece in a small space but it needs to be the right big piece. However, small pieces in a cavernous room have a difficult time holding their own.

10. Be your fabulous self and it will be authentic. If you're not true to yourself, it's going to look contrived.

Allister is not so pleased with Squirt

Squirt seems to like to snuggle with everything.

This Sh#@+!t is Bananas!!

Really wicked weather. Lost power at work. Left a little early. If C was here would make him drive me around the waterfront chasing good storm pics!