Hummadeedledee

Une carte de Paris!

2008-10-06T07:19:00.001-07:00

Well, if this just isn't the nicest surprise!

The Saturday mail brought me a postcard from across the pond... sweet Jenny sent me a greeting while on her dream trip to France. The brooding gargoyle at Notre Dame Cathedral seems to be enjoying his view of the City of Light much less than I imagine FABulous Jen to be!

I was thrilled to read of her travel plans on her blog - Jen has been dreaming of this trip her whole life long. When I saw this postcard in my mailbox, I just smiled a mile wide. I can picture her gathering them up at each special place she visits, then sitting at a Parisiene cafe' in the afternoons, sipping a cafe' au lait and writing messages to send winging their way stateside. I am just so thrilled for her to be able to take this trip of a lifetime.

Doesn't it make your heart sing to know that a friend is living her dream? So often in life (at least mine), it seems that we spend our time with friends concentrating on the troubles, the minutiae, the dilemas and the drama. How nice to be able to celebrate the joys and triumphs of the people who are special to you, and how heartwarming to know that they are thinking of their friends at such a happy time.

Appréciez chaque moment de votre temps à Paris, Jenny!

What's In A Name?

2008-10-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

I saw this cool widget on Charlotte's blog and couldn't resist:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
5
people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

It's kind of fun, kind of weird...finding out that there are other people with your name.

For me, it's not such a stretch - in the early 1960's, Debbie was the number one name for baby girls. (Thank you very much, Debbie Reynolds...millions of us have mothers who were enchanted by your performance as Tammy...oh, and that would include Tammy Gilley's mom, too!) Add the prolific surname of Kennedy to that and, well, I'm frankly surprised that there are only five. I'm guessing that the spelling has a lot to do with that - if I typed in Debbie or Debby, the resulting number would be quite a bit higher! (Which is why, way back in junior high, I decided that I needed to spell my name more creatively. And I was very creative - in five years, I changed it about six times: Debbie. Debby. Debbi. Deby. Debbe. Debi. My poor mom still can't get it right...)

Anyway, I know that one of those five Debi's listed above is me.
One Debi is a childrens' book author from Madison, Wisconsin. And yet another Debi is involved with mammography services in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (Bless ya, Deb!) There's the Debi in information technology services in Tucson, Arizona. And the Debi from Washington who's an artist & sculptor in Alaska now. (I found out that info by Googling my name...the widget above only shows you a number).

So have some fun....click on the link and go find out how many people there are with your name! (Who knows, this info may come in handy in a credit rating dispute!)

Fall Decorating Inspiration

2008-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, I went to a client's home and installed her Fall seasonal decor. Her home is a perfect example of some simple ways to update your decor seasonally, and pull a warm and cozy look together...fast!

The painting on the wall in her dining room, above, was moved here from its 'regular' spot in a hallway. I just had to use it here because the colors are so warm and inviting. (The painting that is usually hung here has cooler tones in it). Those big urns with arrangements of silk hydrangeas on the buffet stay here year-round, and I tuck various additional flowers & foliage in there to change it up a bit each season. It's really not necessary to get something completely new - just a bit of restyling makes a huge difference. What look like leaves in the photo are actually huge velvet poinsettias in a gorgeous rust color - I nestled them into the sides of the arrangements so that they don't really look like poinsettias. My client got these at 75% off at an after-Christmas sale last year, and they were the perfect addition to her fall decor.

The tablescape is oh so simple - which is important, because she can remove it if necessary for entertaining and then easily re-create it. The runner is a really cool roll of spun cocoa fiber that Karen brought along - it comes doubled up, but we liked the look of just one layer because it's almost like the veining in fall leaves. We unrolled it and let the ends just curl under the table sides. Karen moved on to foofing up the serving bar, and I started placing a collection of ceramic pumpkins on the runner. A fall wreath of wheat & various seed pods surrounds the ivory cake plate, which holds a selection of candles and a flower pick. Two more flower picks were tucked into the wreath to coordinate it...and done!

In the entry, I used the same trick of adding stems to an existing arrangement - a swath of bright leaves and berries tucked into this urn of magnolias adds a pop of color. A few funny little faux pumpkins add whimsy but still work with the more formal nature of the home. The same leaf & berry garland tops the mirror on the wall, coordinating the look.

It really is possible to change up the look of your home each season without going to a lot of trouble or having an entire attic full of storage bins. And without spending a ton of money. Picking up just six stems of a gorgeous floral at an after-holiday sale can make a big difference. Even by going outside and grabbing a few branches of fall leaves, and tucking them into your existing arrangements - or clear vases - you can add a spark of nature's warmth to your rooms. It couldn't be simpler!

Fifteen Minutes of Fame...er, Maybe More Like Seven...

2008-09-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

I'm SO excited to share this with you!
Last June, I filmed some video segments for the Gift & Home Channel online resource for retailers. The first one has just debuted on the web site!

In the segment that is up right now, I interview Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson, the original Farm Chicks, about their highly successful antique show & business. These girls are as high-class and professional as they come, and sweet as the apple pies they bake! I had such fun with them.

Click here to get to the GHC web site. The video will play on the left side of the screen when you click 'play'. You may have to register in order to view the video - but don't worry, it's relatively painless! There are five more segments to debut in October, too...so maybe I will make that fifiteen minutes after all....

sick Sick SICK

2008-09-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

Went out last night with the girls, to celebrate sweet Tracy's birthday. We had a lovely dinner and a great time together - these gatherings are far too far apart.

On the way home, I noticed that my throat was on FIRE. like, I.can't.swallow. kind of fire.
This morning, I woke up with a full blown case of sore throat, congestion, and all that comes with it. ACK. Feeling decidedly icky today, out of energy and generally miserable. On the last sunny day we'll have for...months. Great timing, Deb.

So, I'm thinking that this will be a day of alternating small housekeeping chores and minor product development with naps on the sofa in front of the sunny windows in the living room. Let the sun bake it out of me, so to speak. With tissues, icy cold water, nasal spray, and assorted other cold remedies at hand.

And NO this was not a result of our night out. My hubby had this bug last week... Thanks SO much, honey! ;0(

Image Credit: www.ehow.com via google search for images of 'cold remedies'

Weekend Update (not the SNL variety!)

2008-09-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

I made some amazing discoveries this weekend:

Disney's new promotion for 2009 is that you get to visit a Disney Park FREE on your birthday - yes, FREE! Go to http://www.disneyparks.com/ and register your birthday, your kid's birthdays, and you'll get a coupon for free entry on your special day. O Baby!

Saturday, while Bob & I were having a lovely waterfront lunch with Mari & Rick in LaConner, my daughter called me to excitedly report that they are building a Carl's Jr. restaurant just five miles from my house. This is big news because we are Californians and have been hooked on Carl's (and In n' Out, of course) for years....and there aren't any close to us. Until now, which I guess makes us all a bunch of Happy Stars. badum bum! Carl's was my first 'official' job (other than working in my mom's retail shop) and despite the lame uniforms we had to wear, I have some fun memories. One afternoon, a car came crashing through our front doors and into the counter - and we all ducked to avoid the flying glass. Except my best friend Libby Meyers, who stood there at the register with her hands on her hips watching it all unfold. Her retort? "This is not a DRIVE THRU!" I'll never forget that!

Then there was the big event: the giant Skagit garage sale. Whew.
Four hours on Saturday morning, another 1/2 hour on Sunday morning to scope out the leftovers for bargains...and we scored big time! Lots of furniture, lamps, accessories for retreat - and the wonderful box shown above, brimming with old player piano rolls. Jim was a peach and made me an awesome deal on these, which he hauled from home on Sunday just for me. (He has more, too!) I have several projects in mind for these - for myself, products to sell, display props, and some decorating inside Faded Elegance. I am beyond thrilled with this find! I also got a great selection of sparkly jewelry findings to use on some embellished bottles for our next theme.

On the way there, we saw hundreds of groups of bikers heading to the Anacortes motorcycle event...the final count was reported as over 35 thousand bikers in town. Holy moly! It was like a swarm of very loud noisy mosquitoes everywhere we went!!! And here at home, there was a car show to end all car shows...the town was brought to a standstill with thousands of visitors and hundreds of classic cars on display. We saw it all as we were stuck in traffic ;0(.

We were up early both mornings, home late Saturday, and yesterday at 11:30 AM when we returned home, I walked into the kitchen and thought 'Wow, taking the valance down off of the kitchen window on Friday sure brightened things up in here!'...then I looked outside and saw the real reason it was so bright. Our neighbors had a HUGE pine tree cut down that morning!!! I mean HUGE - I have no idea how they did it so fast or without one.single.needle falling into our backyard, but it's gone and there is light galore in there now. My kitchen and dining room are going to be a blaze of glory in about fifteen minutes, when the rising sun comes pouring into my East-facing windows! Oh, yeah, the sunshine - it's been a glorious weekend, with more on tap for the first part of the week. Record-breaking temps in the high 70's and low 80's. And THAT my friends is the best discovery of all: Summer's not over yet!!!

Sounding Off...

2008-09-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Questions rollin' around in my head this morning, totally random and nonsensical:

1. Why is the Navy repeatedly calling my daughter, telling her that she filled out forms to get information about enlisting? She has a 22 month old son, for heaven's sake. We think we know who filled something out in her name.... SO not a nice thing to do.

2. Why am I receiving approximately ten emails a DAY, asking me to promote products or people on my blog and touting how much money I can make on pay-per-click advertising? I've never been bombarded with these before. Talk about desperation! (yes, I delete those emails)

3. Why on the day that I have a lot to do online is my internet service interrupted? (Obviously it's back on now...)

4. Will I ever get my poor little Cottage organized??? I'm chipping away at it, but in the process I still have to purchase and store products & components for retreat, so it keeps filling up again. Oh, I just can't wait until we live in that dream house and I have storage galore!!!

5. Yay! the sun is shining, gee I'm hungry, and I just love Norah Jones' music in the morning.

Would you say Deb is scattered today?! BTW, I'm lovin' the new playlist on here - that's my 'theme song' you hear playing!

I LV U, 2!

2008-09-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

Well, bless your heart, LaDonna! Thank you so much for this sweet award!

So now it's my turn to give this smile-inducing little tidbit to some bloggers. Here are the rules for passing along this award:
1. Please put the logo on your blog.

2. Link the person from whom you received the award.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs. (SEVEN? Seriously??? I could name fifty....)

4. Put the links of those blogs in a post on your blog.

5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them. (Ok, now fifty sounds like a bad idea!)

I've chosen some of my newest Bloggette friends for this honor, because I think they are all incredibly creative women whom you should meet! I am most pleased to present seven beautimous blogs, for your browsing pleasure:

1. Jerusalem @ Mia Storia Di Vita

2. Sweet Sue @ Bella Shabby

3. Beth, Lisa, & Amy @ The Salvage Studio

4. Miss Molly @ Mixing Whimsy

5. Aleta @The Silly Bear

6. Angie @ Maamoun Madness

7. Darling Donna @ Blushing Rose

Of course, if I had passed the award along to my long-time blog friends, I would have named Amy, Heather, Bari, Saucy, Tracey, Charlotte, and Tammy, cause I love 'em dearly and their blogs are the ones I rush to each morning. Along with Deb, Dawn, Alicia, 'The Other' Heather, Rachel, Ki & Sue, Serena & Teri, and Miss Mary - all bonafide SuperStars of Blogland, business, & beyond who inspire us all to reach for our dreams. (Dear Lord, forgive me, but I just can't cut & paste one more blog address. Check out my sidebar over there on the right to see links to these FAbulous blogs!) Which is not to say that my friends are not SuperStars of Blogland...because they are, oh my yes, they are! (good grief, open mouth insert foot, Deb!)

While you are browsing blogs, dear reader, I shall be leaving messages on all of the blogs I just named, letting them know they have been LUVVVVVVED! Happy Thursday to you!

Bewitched!

2008-09-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

I have a lil' dilemma going here, my friends.
See, I'm working on all of the marvelous wonderful product that is set to go into our next setup in our retreat space at Faded Elegance. The theme of that setup is 'A Bewitching Autumn in New Orleans' - not gothic or scary, but decidedly decrepit and crumbling and ancient. Black, silver, cut crystal. Some draping spanish moss, even. Candlelight and ticking clocks, and weird old portraits in swirly baroque Brocade-style frames. Does that paint a picture for you?

OK well, then, here's a sneak peek:

That actual table will not go into the booth - it's mine and I'm not inclined to let it go! We do have lots of black furnishings to sell, however, and lots of amazing accessories & lamps. Wherein lies the problem. I am currently decorating my home for fall & winter. Thanks to my friend Catherine, we added a new leather chair, ottoman, and sofa in creamy tan to our black & white furniture. It gives a whole new feel to our rooms, so I am fleshing out the look with refreshed accessories in black, white, and tan, including some Brocade Home-like touches.

And I am in LOVE with some of this stuff. Make that most of this stuff. It's so cool I want to keep it. I mean, that black chandelier that I used in my onstage seminars at the gift show is sitting here, taunting me. It's too darned big for my small dining room, but I am enamoured by its drippy black crystals & beads and silhouette. Some black lamps with wavy glass bases. The old chess timers and the old black typewriter are graphic and cool, and coordinate so well with my own black typewriter and Bob's old accordian. (Don't ask....) They add that funky vibe to my rooms, and I love that. I am shamelessly Bewitched by it all.

If I kept everything that I love out of the bins and boxes of product, I'd be sorely lacking when it comes time to load in the retreat display. (And truthfully, I do already have enough tchotchkes in my Cottage. Gotta' keep this look clean and simple) sigh. So what's a girl to do? I'm going to try to head out today and get my hands on some cool black & white swirly fabric to make pillow covers and some sweet stuffed pumpkins out of. This weekend we are going to a huge multi-vendor garage sale, and I hope to find a few more chandeliers that I can drip and drape and spray black, including one that is a perfect size for my diminutive dining room with the low ceiling. (My secret: I use those old ugly bulbous brass ones from the 80's and restyle them)

And the fabulous marvelous wonderful stuff that is all over my living room right now will go back into its boxes and bins, and await installation into our space for October. Even though I am sorely tempted, I will not raid those boxes. I will not. No. Absolutely NOT. Except maybe the chess timers.

I'll let 'cha know how it goes.... in the meantime, this morning I had to go renew my 'subscription' to my phone's ringback tone. It's the theme from Bewitched, my official theme song. I no sooner finished that when my Dover Design Sampler arrived - and just LOOK at what was in there! Perfect!!!!

(Just a touch more risque' than Samantha, hmmmmmnnn??!!!!)

A Gift for the Queen

2008-09-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Now I can share this with you!
Last night, as we were all at Faded Elegance setting up for the big celebration tonight, I gave Kimberly the special gift I created for her. It's a smaller version of the wire crown I made for myself for the Tumbleweed Cotillion (the one I'm wearing in my profile photo)...but just as fun!

I used some of the marvelous French ribbon trim I've hoarded, plus some vintage rhinestone jewelry bits to bling it up.

On the back, I hung two charms - a gold crown and a gold fleur de lis, which are both present in the logo of Faded Elegance. The container is an old cookie tin - I added the knob and pouffe to the top, but it was already beautiful and the perfect size to nestle le petite crown into.

Kimberly collects crowns, so I've known since the store moved that this would be my gift to her to mark the occasion of her store's Grand Opening. And she loved it! I loved making it, and isn't that the best thing about making & giving gifts? She did put it on her head, then immediately yanked it off and said "Oh No you don't - I don't want this to end up on the blog !!!!!" She knows me too well...

If you want to see the absolute embarassment of riches we have packed into our 'Paris Flea Market'-themed space in the store, I've just added photos on our retreat blog.

More More More!!!

2008-09-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

We are crankin' up the big band tunes here at the Cottage, and crankin' out a bevy of beauties for the Faded Elegance Grand Opening in just - GULP - two days. There's more in the paint room, more in the workshop, more in the office/studio, more in my dining room...and tomorrow night, after hours, we haul it all down to the store to fill and FOOF up our space.

Along with the goods, I have a special delivery package for Miss Kimberly...oh, how I'd love to share it with you...but Kim reads my blog and I don't want to ruin the surprise!!! I'll share photos this weekend. I'm takin' some 'adult beverages' as well - I think all of the dealers will be in need of some libations after a lot of huffin' puffin' hauling shoving and foofing, don't you?!

WOW, this is a lot of stuff. But then, stuff is my life, like it or not. And whoever said 'Less is More' is not part of my tribe. Nope. More is more is more is more, that's how I roll!!!

Check out the new Faded Elegance Style blog!

le boutielles

2008-09-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

I've been crazy busy for the last week, gearing up for the Faded Elegance Grand Opening Party this Friday night. Festivities will continue throughout the weekend, as our town is hosting a musical competition, historic homes tour, and various harvest festivals at local farms. There will be thousands of people shopping, and I want to be sure we have enough stock in our booth!

One of the products I've had great success with is embellished bottles. I started making these last fall when we began our adventure of selling in an antique shop. I've been constantly collecting lots of bottles and jewelry, so I can keep making them and there will always be a nice selection. I found some resin chess pieces and used them on some of the bottles, too - I glued two pawns together to make a topper on one! Take a peek....

I just love the bottle below with the little ivory flowers. This bit of costume jewelry actually has a magnetized back! It schwooped itself right down on the metal lid of that jar with no help from me! I did glue it on just ot be safe, tho. It's got sparkly little rhinestones in the center of each posy... I really did think about keeping it for myself, but it's SO pretty on there. And I can't keep everything I love or it's not really a business, now, is it?!;0)

I was lucky enough to have found some amazing vintage jewelry that was still intact - wearable, even! So on some bottles (larger ones), I embellished with paper and ribbons and then just draped the necklaces over the neck of the bottles. When the ribbon is untied, they can be removed and worn. The pearl necklace below was intact but the clasp was broken, so I just glued the whole thing onto the Genie bottle. I can just imagine someone filling that bottle with her favorite bath oil....

Didn't our mothers used say something about 'not being able to bottle happiness'? This is pretty close, I'd say!

Easy As ABC!

2008-09-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

Whaddya' think of that new banner up there, Hmmmmnnnn??? I found a new toy and just had to play around...

My daughter sent me a link to www.wordle.net, a great way to create text images (and waste time....). It's a lot of fun - and super easy peasy. You type in words, then choose a font and color palette (or create your own custom one, as I did above), and print!

First I did a few of them with all of the names of my family members. I printed those out in black & white, so I can frame them and add them to our photo collection of black & white family portraits. Then I decided to do a new blog banner. I'm diggin' this look right now, so I may just do another banner for my design blog while I'm at it!

I can just imagine using a slew of words for Halloween and fall, all in black & orange! Or how about holiday text in red & green? You could create your own holiday card art using text!!! What possibilities... Have fun!

Pumpkin Inspiration & Tutorial

2008-09-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

Sheer creative genius, if I DO say so myself....
I came up with the ideas for these last October. I'm calling them my 'Sweet Sweater Pumpkins'! I am SO not into decorating for fall yet (we are having an 'Indian Summer' here, which makes up for our woeful lack of Summer... so fall has to wait a bit!) but I saw Tammy's cute new plaid punkin's here and was reminded that I have these fuzzy fruits (veggies? I'm not sure...) in a box upstairs. So I thought I'd share them again! I've also written a tutorial - a LONG one! - at the bottom of this post.

Whaddya think?!!! I LOVE them! I've got bitty ones and medium ones and large ones, squishy ones and hard ones, and long ones and round ones and flat ones. Textures from soft chenille to nubbly rough cotton. I also love that they are no-sew (rubber bands & string, people!!!), and that I made them from the arms of old sweaters - I used the sweater bodies to cover some pillows.

In case you'd like to make some of your own, here are directions for making my 'Sweet Sweater Pumpkins'! (Forgive my photos; it was late and dark last year when I took them and some are hideous. Oh well.)

Supplies needed:
old sweaters (adult size works best)
ball of twine (or yarn)
scissors
LOTS of heavy rubber bands (2 per pumpkin)

Start with adult size sweaters - ones you don't wear anymore, or thrifted.

Cut the arms off of the sweaters, then cut them (arms) in half for smaller pumpkins. If you leave them whole, you'll have bigger but more elongated pumpkin/squash shapes.

Take the twine or yarn, and wrap it sixteen times around your elbow & thumb to make big loops. When done, cut it in half at your thumb so that you have one big long hank.

Turn one piece of the sweater arm inside out, and put the hank of twine inside it. Let about an inch poke out on the LARGE end of the sweater arm - the rest of the twine will hang out the narrow end.

Fold that inch of twine over the edge of the sweater, then gather the end up and fasten it tightly with a rubber band. Wrap it at least four times...I'm talking really snug here!

Flip the whole thing right-side out again, using the hank of twine to help.

Stuff the open end with cotton wool at the base, then with polyfill. Leave about an inch - or more if you prefer - of sweater 'cuff' unfilled.

I found that the bigger pumpkins hold a shape better with cotton wool in the base, then plastic grocery bags as fill. Remember that lots of stuffing will make your pumpkin rounder, less stuffing will result in a flatter, 'squashed' look.

After filling, lay it down with the open end facing away from you. Separate the hank of twine into strands of two strings each - you will have eight two-string strands. Spread these out equidistantly around the 'lump'. (It's not a pumpkin yet, what ELSE am I going to call it?!)

Pick up the 'lump', and evenly distribute the strands as you stretch them to the other end of the 'lump'. Grasp the strands and the sweater 'cuff', twist them together, and wrap a rubber band around them several times. Make it tight.

Here's what it will look like. Now, separate the strings into their two-string strands again, and then begin gently pulling each separate strand (of two strings) in a clockwise pattern. You'll have to pull each one twice or more, so that's three times around the 'lump'.

As you pull, the strings tighten and make the sweater pouf out. Help it along by pulling it a bit at the top & bottom edges, so that they ridges are more defined.

Once the ridges are even, tie the strands together to hold them in place.

Roll the extra sweater fabric at the top into a 'stem'. Cut another piece of twine - about two feet long - tie it at the base of the 'stem', and begin wrapping around it. Move up and down the 'stem', covering the sweater fabric with twine. Tie it off when done.

Here's a shot of the wrapped stem. At this point you can trim the sweater fabric close to the twine if you want.

Then take all of the loose strands from the pumpkin, and begin tying them together. Wrap a little, make it a little messy for interest. Leave the ends dangling.

There you have it - Sweet Sweater Pumpkins! Enjoy!

However much I love these, after seeing Tammy's mad plaid ones I am thinking I need to get some stylin' black & white brocade fabrics, and make some very hip pumpkins for my house this year! My decor is all black & white with lime green right now, and the sweater pumpkins, as sweet as they may be, just don't quite work.

It's A Small Small World...

2008-09-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

...and wherever you are today, whatever you are doing, however bad or tough or frustrating things may seem, just stop for a second and remember...

Remember that people need to say I love you, I'm sorry, It's OK, because you never know when you won't get another chance to say it.

Remember that life is uncertain, we should live it to the fullest and take risks. Sometimes, those risks are profound decisions that turn ordinary people into heroes in a split second.

Remember to enjoy the good times, but not to take them for granted - because a perfectly sunny blue-sky day can unfold into tragedy on a scale previously unheard of.

God Bless the families of those lost on 9/11.

And a special hug to Miss Ashley, whose birthday was forever changed on this day in 2001. Happy Day, sweetie....

The Queen Speaks!

2008-09-08T06:29:00.001-07:00

No no no not me...(I'm the Diva, not royalty for goodness sake). By 'Queen' I mean her.

HRHS. As in 'Her Royal Highness of Shabbiness'. The Queen of Shabby Chic herself.

Let the trumpeters sound the herald call: Rachel Ashwell has a new blog!

And she's dishing on her newest project, a sweet little dream house that she's refurbing and decorating in her own fabulously foofy style. What fun to watch it all happen in real time. Though we've read her books (again and again and again!), this format is just so much more personal and intimate. It truly is like having her lead us on a personal tour of her project, or hearing about it all while sitting across the table from her, while sipping tea from one of her beautiful china cups...

So, my fellow Decorating and Shabby afficianados, grab a cuppa tea and kindly welcome our newest Blog neighbor. (She lives in the second palace on the right....)

Photo Credits: top: www.michaelweschler.com

second: www.i-d-d.com

third: www.i-d-d.com

fourth: http://thebutterflycollector.typepad.com

Photos found on Google image search

Would It Be Cheating....

2008-09-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

...to send off old photos of my Cottage as 'test shots' for someone who is interested in coming to photograph it for a project??? I mean, is it entirely inappropriate to stoop to any means necessary to send pristine, staged photos (like the ones of my office, living room, and dining room that you see here) instead of photos taken more recently that show...how shall I put this?....the utter and complete chaos that my poor little house is in right now?!!!

I mean, really...I think it might work! Ok, well, maybe it would be glaringly obvious that my house does not currently have a decorated Christmas tree in the living room. But I could explain that I am just getting a jump on the season. (No? You don't think they'll buy that one?)

Truthfully, if my dining room was not filled with a ton of prepped stuff (like a dozen pieces of furniture, four bins of accessories, and lamps & chandeliers) that are slated to go into our retreat space at Faded Elegance at the end of this month, plus two bins of accessories that are ready & waiting to go in to the space right before the open house Grand Opening on the 19th....well, then it would look remarkably like the photo above. All clean and tidy. (And this photog seems to think I have a handle on 'clean and tidy'. Oh dear.)

Alright, you don't really even have to say a thing. Nope. I know, this is a lousy plan.
What really needs to happen is that I've got to get off this computer and finish cleaning. Actually, it's not the cleaning that's the problem. It's where to put all of this STUFF so that I can take the photos! Well, it's not raining.... I guess I can shuffle it all out to the frontyard and get those shots done today, then bring it all back in. As long as no one thinks I'm having a yard sale, I'll be fine!!!

I'm excited about this project...if anything comes of it, I'll be sure to share! (That is, if I ever get photos done and off to the photographer.....)

Ironing Out the Wrinkles in My Head Led to This...

2008-09-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

I know, you're looking at that photo with your head cocked sideways asking "Is that what I think it is???" Yes, it is. And I did try the photo in a vertical format - but it looks more bizarre that way than this slightly awkward 'tilting as if it should be on the Titanic' angle (as one of my readers once commented about my wonky photos).

Last May at the Skagit County Giant Garage Sale, Bob picked up three old wooden ironing boards. I cleaned them, but that's about it. They went into our booth at the Tumbleweed Cotillion in Reno....tucked waaaaaay back in the corner, just sort of 'filler' to add to the tumble-jumble flea market effect we were after. They didn't sell - as a matter of fact, as we were dismantling the booth and I hauled them out, Tracey's eyebrows went up in surprise: "I didn't even see those in there!". So they came home and sat around here, waiting for me to come up with something to do with them.

I saw an idea in a magazine at some point - using these as easy breezy pop-up serving bars for outdoor entertaining. OK, I thought, that's a great idea. But just covering them with fabric was boring. I mused about collaging them...and just as quickly dismissed the thought, assuring myself that no one in their right mind would want a collaged wooden ironing board-and-serving bar.

Then, within the same week, I was inspired by this post on Tracey's blog. (Great minds think alike, I swear!) My spirits began to lift when I saw the amazing amount of comments she was getting after sharing her beautiful creation. Hummmmnnnn...maybe there are people out there who would, indeed, want a collaged wooden ironing board-and-serving bar!!!!

So I got to work painting and sanding the things, and then collaging old sheet music and French vocabulary cards and book pages and printed photos onto the previously naked contraptions. After they dry, I add some fine details like shadows and watermarks and stamped postmarks, so that there is a three dimensional effect to them...sort of gilding the lily, I know, to add trompe l'oeil detailling to a real collage...but it makes a huge difference in how the final product looks. I sealed them with judicious coats of clear varnish, to protect them from all of the wine and margaritas and possibly even Absinthe that will be served on their prettified surfaces!

I really like the way they turned out, and when I put them into our space at Faded Elegance, Kim was shaking her head in amazement (or was it total disbeleif?!) that I had done this to ironing boards. I can't wait to hear what Mari has to say when she sees them!

I collaged a few lampshades, too... and a few small frames...and the search is on for more tables to do. I scored a haul of more sheet music last night to replenish my rapidly decreasing stash, so I'll be able to get crazy with some more projects as soon as I can find something else to collage!
I have a small wood twin bed and a funky chair sitting here...maybe I'll try those....

Tammy, This One's For You!

2008-09-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here's what I first saw when we opened the door to our beach cabin last weekend... well, the bed was tucked into the corner then, but otherwise it's just the same. The minute I saw the riot of color and the meticulous handwork on these quilts, I thought of Tammy. (Wait a minute, something is amiss here...I was on my anniversary weekend getaway with my hubby, and when I looked at the bed I thought of a GIRL???!!! Dont' tell Bob, he'd never understand!)

So who is Tammy and what do these quilts have to do with her, you ask?
Tammy is...well, y'know, TAMMY, of Tammy Gilley Studios. She of the fearless ways with color. She of the morphing her business (and flawlessly, I might add) from paper arts to bonafide quilting goddess. She of the room-filling, mood-lifting, smile-inducing laugh. (Ohhhhhhhhhh , now you get it, don't you?!!!) Go check her out, she's as inspiring & amazing as her laugh!

The colors of this one on the left just make me wanna' eat pink cupcakes and hold a bouquet of sunflowers!!!

Each quilt had a label sewn on the backing, with the name of the pattern and the number of the quilt that is kept as a record of which cabin it is in. Our cabin had two double beds, so two quilts.

This quilt had a split back - the pink print above was part of it, and the floral print below was the other part. I actually flipped it over and used the pink 'cause I loved the fabrics so much!!!

We spent the second night in a different cabin, so I got to see two more beautiful quilts They were blues, and I'm not a big blue fan (unless it's aqua!) - but they were incredible nonetheless.

There are over 100 quilts at Cama Beach. They are on every double size bed. The cabins also have lots of twin beds & bunk beds, but no quilts on those - yet. I hear they are in the works. The ladies in the photo below are the marvelous angels who have cut, stiched, bound, and labelled every last quilt for this remarkable place. Gifts from their hearts & hands to this historic location on their Island. (Any questions as to why I want to live in this community?!)

I have an old quilt that Bob's mom gave me years and years ago. It's blue & white - again, blue is not really my fave color. It's faded, however, so it looks more like old denim. Old soft worn thin denim, with old soft puckered white cotton in an Irish Chain pattern. This simple quilt has survived a lot, having been handed down three generations in the family. Bob's mom had it folded on the backseat of her car for years - that's why it's faded. (Don't ask, I don't know WHY she did that!) I treasure it and bring it out for a bit in summer, laying it over the back of the sofa and realizing the work that went into it when it was handmade a hundred years ago. I am not a seamstress (much to my grandmother's chagrin), but I can appreciate the talent.

I also have a quilt remnant that was made in the 1800's. I found it in Nevada City, California in 1988. I actually swapped it for an old enamelled Coke sign. (Bad move, shoulda' kept the sign!) The quilt is ivory with appliques of olive green leaves and persimmon orange thistles. It's a very FALL quilt, which is why I got it in the first place, as I was totally into the primitive country look in our Tahoe home then. It's been folded up in a box for...well, about 18 years. And I just saw it yesterday up in the attic. I feel guilty that it doesn't ever see the light of day anymore! I am trying to think of something to do with it so it's useful again. Any ideas?

After the Storm

2008-09-02T06:23:00.001-07:00

I chose the title of this post as it applies in so many ways... first, my thoughts and prayers are with all who have been affected by Gustav. It must seem surreal for those in New Orleans to have to go through this yet again. These are strong people, brave people. God bless you all.

It also certainly applies to the situation with Bob's Dad.
His dad is now home from the hospital, fever down, e-coli eradicated, MRSA under control (I am not quite sure how long it will take for him to be 'cured' from this...), and back on his heart meds so that the congestive heart failure condition is once again balanced. And that's truly what the doctors are trying to do - balance his body systems to restore his health. He has a lot of changes to make in his lifestyle to help to accomplish that. Mom is doing better, too - resting now that dad is home (although he's a handful!). Bob is checking in three times a day by phone, and is still ready to run if needed...but things are no longer in crisis. Thank you again for your prayers and thoughts, and your comments here. Bob was so touched by them, and he sends his thanks to you all.

And last but not least, it applies to our wonderful anniversary weekend getaway.
Our first night there was slow, easy, relaxing. Cooler than normal, but we just snuggled a lot! On the second day, a storm rolled in. And I do mean a STORM. OK, not by Gustav's standards, maybe, but when you are sitting this close to the 2 foot seawall

and the wind is bashing your tiny little cabin in 60 MPH gusts and rain is pelting the windows

and the waves are crashing up over the seawall....well, that's stormy weather, my friends.
It didn't ruin our trip at all, though.We huddled up inside, turned up the heat, drank hot chocolate, and read books. We had the laptop with us, playing great tunes by Norah Jones and Madeleine Peyroux. We snuggled under our down comforter and took a nap in the middle of the afternoon. Oh, it was just perfect!!! We were soooooooo relaxed.

And then, at about 8 PM, it ended...

Just in time for sunset. A beautiful, glorious sunset.

The last remnants of the storm moved East and the sky lit up like a fire. It was absolutely breathtaking.

I told Bob that I felt like the storm coming on, blowing so hard, shakin' our bones, and then moving away like this, was an allegory of our life. As we sat in the cabin and watched the edge of the clouds move slowly toward us, with the gleaming warm sunshine peeking out just behind it, I felt like that is right where we are in our life right now. In the 29 years we have been together, we've weathered some pretty awesome storms, been shaken to our core once or twice, been through the cold windy night, had our vision obscured. But now, we know where we are going. We know that the clouds are moving on, that the sun is behind them, that very very soon it will be shining on us. We see the signs and we have faith that it is coming. What a remarkable feeling!

Many Thanks

2008-08-28T10:41:00.001-07:00

Thank you all, so much, for your heartfelt best wishes and prayers for my father in law. And for all of us. I know that sending prayers and thoughts of healing & peace may seem to some to be 'the least we can do'...but truly, it is the MOST we can do.

As of this morning, Dad is holding steady, the treatment is working - albeit more slowly than we would all like to see - and Bob's mom is adamant that we do not come down right now. She's telling us to go enjoy our few days together on the island, and promises to call us if there is any change.

So that's the plan...we are heading north to Cama Beach, for some relaxing time together. Yes, Dad will be on our minds and hearts. And if we should receive a call that he is not doing well, we'll be on the road immediately. It's been a hard decision for my hubby to make, let me tell you... he is relying on his mom and the physicians to be honest with him about his dad's diagnosis & progress. My prayers have been with him as he struggles with this...and it can all change in an instant. So, we pray and expect healing.

Again, thank you from my heart for your caring concern. You are all angels!

A Request...

2008-08-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

Mr. Deb is dealing with a heavy heart right now.

On Monday morning, his dad went into the hospital to treat one problem...and last night we found out he now has a MRSA staph infection on top of it. MRSA is serious business, and Dad is in a weakened condition from his heart issues. He's in ISO now, and Bob's mom has to wear a protective suit to visit him, which of course is unnerving for her. It's so hard for Bob to be this far away at a time like this - he is the only child, the only one who can help in a time of stress. Later this morning, we'll know if we need to cancel our anniversary stay at the beach this weekend and drive down to So Cal instead.

My friends, if you have a moment to send a prayer, a thought, a wish for healing for Dad Kennedy today, I know that it will make all the difference... thank you.

Edited at 2:30 PM Wednesday: We are waiting until this afternoon's doctor report to make our decision about making the trip down. Things are improving - well, sort of. Bob's dad is able to talk on the phone, is eating a little, and is laughing himself silly as the doctors run test after test on him.

They have now determined that along with MRSA and the heart condition, he has e-coli. So at least they know how to treat it, and by treating it they will also be treating the MRSA simultaneously. The guy is just amazing...even in this uncomfortable situation, even in the face of some pretty serious diagnoses, just to keep them all on their toes, he keeps insisting that they are missing the real problem entirely and that he's pregnant! Like Father, Like Son....

True Bliss

2008-08-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

It stopped raining this morning so I was able to get yesterday's treasure out of the truck. So what was it I found at that last garage sale yesterday, anyway, you ask?
72 issues of Victoria Magazine, dated 1980 to 1999.

I am still in shock. First I saw two issues sitting on top of a dresser in a dark corner of a big old barn filled with antiques and junk. I tried to look casual as I went over to snap them up, and then.....

...then I spied the box, old and ratty, tucked under and behind that dresser in a dark corner of a big old barn filled with antiques & junk. I reached under, yanked on the box, and when it cleared the dresser I saw stacks and stacks and stacks of Victorias. I know I gasped at that point because Mr. Deb asked "You OK, babe?" from across the barn. I shook my head vigorously and read the tag on the box: 'ten dollars per twelve issues'. A quick calculation in my head ensued as I flipped the issues to count them, and then I announced to Mr. Deb that he needed to stop shopping right that instant, because I had just blown the budget for the entire day.

Mr. Deb, to his credit, also gasped, gave me that 'Is this REALLY necessary?' look (probably brought on by his recollection of the many many issues of various and sundry magazines already filling our Cottage...) but then fished in his pocket for the cash. He paused just long enough, however, to entice the proprietor of the barn to start dealing - I got one whole stack of twelve free! I hauled those babies outta' there in an old milk crate (also thrown in for free!), sheltering them from the raindrops with my body. He was laughing and shaking his head at that point. Poor man. There is just no hope for me, I swear...I was happier than if he had gifted me with a diamond tiara from the Royal Estate Jewels.

This morning, once I got them in the Cottage, I happily went through and sorted them into months. I recognized a few covers - so I know there are a few duplicates of some issues that I already have. But not many, really. Most of these are the very early issues that I do not have any longer. God Bless a woman named Darla from Redmond, Washington, for saving all of her subscription issues! She is a much smarter woman than I for doing so... I actually cut mine up and used them in craft projects & collages all those years ago. Oi Vey. So now, I am indebted to Miss Darla for her wisdom and ultimate generosity in selling them. They will be read, savored, and cared for like the royalty they are!

And you can bet that these copies below will be the first ones I tuck into, whilst sitting by a fire and sipping tea. Late summer rain is upon us here in Seattle, a harbinger of fall. The perfect time to peruse page after page of Victoria September issues for autumn inspiration....

Ahhhhhh. Bliss, personified.

A Happy Haul...

2008-08-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

So, um, wanna' know what my hubby did for me on our anniversary?
He took me shopping and let me buy anything & everything I wanted! Oh yes he DID!

And since you know me, you know that all that shoppin' was done at thrift stores and garage sales over the weekend! We caught the Salvage Studio girls while they were in and prepping for an evening event - these gals are so much fun, and SO inspiring! We had a great chat while Mr. Deb and I browsed the shop and enjoyed their display style & creative minds. He found a marvelous huge Stanley thermos bottle and had to have it - his collection is over 25 now, I think! We talked Blogs. (I am worthy of being touched on the arm because I know Heather Bullard, did you know that?!!!! I agree completely, too - she IS a rockstar!) I swore that I would make it down there to the shop for some of their fun events this fall...that place just makes you wanna' start grabbing stuff and makin' somethin' as soon as you walk in! It's located on Hwy. 104 West in Edmonds, Washington - check them out at http://www.thesalvagestudio.com/ .

From there, the shopping commenced. We traveled hither and yon, from Seattle to Mt. Vernon, whipping turns at the sight of garage sale signs, hitting our fave thrift haunts in between, and generally having a grand old time. OMG, such a haul of goodies....

Gorgeous gold accoutrements for the antique booth, plus this swath of embroidered sheer fabric that I will use on custom lampshades and who knows what else. And you should have SEEN the looks I got carrying that gaudy gold plastic baroque candelabra around...I just knew people were gaping at me as they thought "OMG, her house must look like Las Vegas...."! Little do they know how very hip it will look once it's primed and sprayed black!

More gold, glittering this time - in the form of a framed mirrored tray, a small baroque frame, a lovely gold-trimmed china plate, and various and sundry vintage jewelry findings. I felt like Heather was sittin' on my shoulder coaching me as I dug through bins and boxes of baggies of jewelry!!!

These were music to my ears, all the perfect color and that title - AH! The sweet wicker carriage beckoned to me from a thrift shop window, and was all mine for a mere four dollars!

Three fabulously spalted and damaged leather books...Mr. Deb has a plan for these already, and I can't wait to show you the finished product!

Our haul included a plethora of lamps for the booth - we nearly sold OUT this week, so we were on the hunt for quick replacements. A little polish, paint, 'rust' effects, and new/old shades made them perfect, and they went into the booth this morning.

Late afternoon Sunday, just as rain was beginning to fall and send us scurrying back home, I stumbled upon the best find not just of the day, or the weekend, or even the summer. This was the.mother.of.all.finds, girls. What I found is still sitting in the backseat of the truck, and I can't bring it in until this rain stops because it will get damaged. I am dying to snap a shot of it so that you can drool all over yourselves...but that will have to wait until tomorrow. sigh.

This is just a portion of all of the fab things we found and brought home, either for us or for the retreat collections current & future. For less than the price of a cheap CZ necklace, my man gave me three days of bargain shopping and treasure hunting fun. I'll say it again - he knows me so well, and he's perfect!