The Stylish Blogger Award and A Friday Surprise!

What an amazing week this has been!  First, I’m blessed to be working on some wonderful interior design projects, but then to my surprise, Maureen Coates of Modecor, a fabulous Canadian interior decorator, (with a beautiful, new blog), bestowed the honor of The Stylish Blogger Award! 

Maureen, thank you for the kind honor!

Upon receiving this award, Maureen shared that the rules are to:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you.
2. Share 7 things about yourself. 
3. Pay the award forward to 10 great bloggers.
4. Contact those 10 bloggers and inform them that they have received the award.

(I feel like I just won a little Oscar for blogging!)

I guess it’s my turn to tell you about me and to pay it forward.  I’ll try to be brief on the “me” part so I can do the important stuff – pass along the crown!

1.  I’m short.  I won’t say petite.  That makes you think of someone who’s a size two.  (I once got into a four and we all know four petites are like a size smaller, right?)

2.  I like pretty. 

3.  I really appreciate good manners of the sincere kind.  I think they are the glue which holds society together. 

4.  I’m a white knuckle flier.  It’s an inherited trait.  On the other hand, my dear husband once had a summer job, in college, doing aerial photography where he hung out of the back of a crop duster.  (I know this is about me and not about him, but I’m still in awe of the fact!)  I will get on a plane, but I’ve got to really have a self-talk that every bump doesn’t mean “we’re going down!”.

5.  I say “long story short”, a lot, but as you can see from the previous comments, it’s a stretch for me.  It’s also an inherited trait or a southern thing.  We like to “spin a yarn”.

6.  I’m your go-to gal in a crisis.  If you are choking, need to go to the emergency room, or your ceiling is falling in, etc., I can hold it together and get you through it.  I might have knocking knees, later, but I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.

7.  I may need a tissue at the movies or during a Hallmark Card commercial, especially if it involves an animal.  I try not to watch reruns of “Old Yeller” or “My Dog Skip” as it’s quite embarrassing.  I’ve never seen “Marley and Me”.  I care about the environment, too much, and I hear it’s a *two box of Kleenexes* kind of movie.

If you’re still with me, I’ll share some of my favorite design style blogs.  A few I’ve been reading, for a while, and others are newer to my list.  They are not in any particular order and I’ll try to share a snippet about them.  It was a tough assignment to narrow it down to just ten!

Without further adieu, The Stylish Blogger Award goes to:

1.  The Adventures of Tartanscot – Designer Scot Meachum Wood brings musings from the design world, peppered with humor.  And he does love a good plaid!

(Image from:  The Adventures of Tartanscot)

2.  Mr. Goodwill Hunting – A stylish South Carolina blogger who shares his tales and photos of his latest treasure hunts from the sartorial to the salon.

    

(Image from:  Mr. Goodwill Hunting)

3.  Preston Bailey’s Blog – Not only is he the arbiter of style for exquisite events, he shares some of the most sound business advice, based on his years of experience.  It’s nice to hear the perspective of another creative type.

 

(Image From:  Preston Bailey’s Blog)

4.  Eddie Ross – I would read this lifestyle and design blog, even if I had not met Eddie and his partner, Jaithan, in person.  They just happen to also be lovely people who are extremely talented and are full of ideas!

 

(Image from:  Eddie Ross)

5.  The Decorating Diva – Carmen Natschke has one of the most comprehensive sites devoted to all things about interior design.  To me, it’s a hybrid between a blog and a magazine and the content is always fresh and updated!

(Image from:  The Decorating Diva)

6.  The Skirted Roundtable – Pull up a chair and join Megan Arquette, (Beach Bungalow 8), Linda Merrill, (Surroundings), and Joni Webb, (Cote De Texas), for a roundtable of design.  Their interviews, with some incredible design talents, always leaves me waiting for the next!  (For laypeople and designers, alike.)

7.  A Schematic Life – Vancouver interior designer, Michelle Morlan, shares drop-dead beautiful interior details, handily illustrated by hers truly.  Design is art!

(Image from:  A Schematic Life)

8.  Tobi Fairley – Arkansas native and interior designer, Tobi Fairley has always created fresh, clean interiors and her updated blog is the perfect reflection of her unique blend of traditional and modern design.  Tobi continues to raise the bar!

(Image from:  Tobi Fairley)

9.  Scandinavian Kitchens and Designs – Susan Serra, CKD, CAPS, brings beautiful interpretations of Scandinavian design across the pond.  Her new line of kitchen and bath furniture, Bornholm Interiors, will be launched at the Architectural Digest show in March of 2011!

(Image from:  Scandinavian Kitchen and Designs)

10. A Beautiful Mess – I decided to add a blog, to the list, which is brand-spanking new!  Already the ladies, who’ve joined together to create an exciting antiques and interiors store, are creating a big buzz with their blog. 

(Image from:  A Beautiful Mess Blog)

I guess it’s good to reign myself in or this post could go on and on.  (Remember my whole, “long story short” issue in item #5?)  I know I’ve left out some fabulous blogs and this is a great reminder for me to begin adding them into my mentions, as I post throughout the year.

As always, thanks for sharing your time!  And thank you again, Maureen, for the honor!

Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up! (Hee, hee)

Wanda

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In My Mailbox: Great DIY Wreath Ideas -- for the Holidays and Throughout the Year!

Every once in a while, I discover something really fun and worthy of sharing ... and it's 
often tucked inside an email!  Today, I'd like to share more than 30 wreath ideas 
-- for all seasons -- collected here by Online Certificate Programs. I pulled some wreath ideas from that site, DIY (do-it-yourself) pages, as well as from some some very creative and talented bloggers. Enjoy:

Fake grape bunches make up the body of this almost-edible wreath. Add artichokes and asparagus to the top for a bow that's sure to draw visitors' gaze and tempt their tastebuds. (http://www.diyideas.com/quickprojects/Accents/wreaths_ss19.html)

Funky Junk Interiors created this memory wreath. She decorated it with her 

dad's tie clip, an old photo of her mother . . . items that recalled fond yesteryear memories.

Designer Eddie Ross took a wire hanger, a glue gun, sparkling ornaments . . .

and voila -- he's now got a beautiful and very festive door. 

Visit his site for complete instruction.

For instruction on how to do your own wonderful

 fresh cedar monogram wreath, visit Dittle Daddle.

Lots of ribbon turn this door into a festive welcome.

Visit Kristen's Creations here.

Ever wonder what to do with those old and growing collection

of holiday cards? Well, how about turning them into a door wreath?!

"All you need is a round die-cut capable of punching out varying sizes, plus scraps of scrapbook paper or card stock. Simply cut around the patterns and designs on the paper (such as the snowflakes we used here) and glue or tape the circles together in a wreath shape."

 (From http://www.diyideas.com/quickprojects/Accents/wreaths_ss12.html)

"These cattail tops, fronds, and ornamental grasses can be plucked from the great outdoors or from your local crafts store. Instead of a wreath form, we constructed a base from corrugated cardboard cut into a circle. Working clockwise, we glued grasses around the center point of the cardboard, taking care to overlap and hide the cardboard. The larger cattail accents on the outside of the wreath are poked into the corrugated layers of the cardboard and secured with a dab of glue."

(ttp://www.diyideas.com/quickprojects/Accents/wreaths_ss13.html)

From: http://www.hgtv.com/handmade/apple-holiday-wreath/index.html

Materials and Tools:

sheet of plywood
jigsaw
green exterior spray paint
100 3-inch galvanized nails
hammer
heavy-gauge wire
sturdy picture hangers
holiday greenery
20 lb. of apples
holiday bow

Steps:

1. Draw a 24-inch circular pattern onto plywood, cut out wreath shape using jigsaw. Sand any rough edges.

2. Before continuing, add sturdy picture hangers and heavy-gauge wire to back of wreath.

3. Randomly hammer 100 3-inch galvanized nails into wreath form.

4. Spray paint the plywood and nails green.

5. Skewer the apples onto the nails.

6. Fill the empty spaces with greenery.

7. Add a decorative holiday bow.

Love Where You LIve


p.s. I just visited 6th Street Design School, where Kirsten had assembled a nice group of hand-made wreaths -- all from Etsy. Here's the link, if you'd like to see those.

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Christmas Countdown – Day 4

Wrapping It Up – Eco Style

It’s easy, when in a hurry, to want to grab the nearest gift bag, stuff in some tissue and the gift, and be on your way.  Yours truly has been guilty of this activity, too!  - And I’m not taking an oath that it won’t happen again, during the next few weeks. :)  When I allow myself a little extra time; however, I actually take pleasure in adorning a box with beautiful papers, textural ribbons, and whatever little ornament or accent I might find.

Personal touches are part of the art of gift giving.

You can tell these wraps, from Fish Lips Paper Design, must have been created by someone with a background in interiors!   Kimi Chronis, the company’s owner, while working as an interior designer, developed a strong interest in sustainability and became a LEED, (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Designs), accredited professional.

Here is a close-up of one of the featured paper patterns – ‘Chrazy’.  We all need a little of that in our lives, in the good sort of way!

The retro and Mid-Century modern movement has become quite popular in the design world.  When I saw this ‘Cosmic Christmas Frosted Blue’ pattern, it made me smile as I remembered Sunday evening tv and the Jetsons series (1962-1963). The design is from Nashville Wraps and is part of their Green Way® Eco-Friendly packaging group.

Topping the gift is truly the icing on the cake.  Conserving on materials is a great way to “go green” with your gifting.  This bow was made from the paper, itself.  Click on the image, above, to learn how!

So, maybe this cascade of ribbon may not conserve as much on the materials, but it is to die for!  (And it does feature such a lovely shade of teal!) 

Need a little tutorial on how to tie a bow?  Eddie Ross shares a great video tip:

As Eddie shared in his video, satin ribbons can easily be used again, via ironing.  The gingerbread embellishments can actually be consumed.  Who would ever toss those out?!

I hope today’s post has inspired you to spend a bit more thought and time on presenting a gift to your favorite someone.  I’d say, “It’s a wrap!”

22 Days and Counting! ~ All my best! ~ Wanda

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It’s In The Mail – The Gift of Designing Christmas Greetings!

Now that Thanksgiving dinner has settled, one of the first things I like to address . . . no pun intended . . . is the stack of greeting cards I’ve carefully selected to send to family, friends, and clients.  I don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach as to how I design an interior, so selecting cards shouldn’t be any different.  I’ve got a mad passion for beautiful paper, patterns, and lettering.  Email cards can be fun and fast but I love to send salutations which can be held in the hand.  (It’s one of the reasons, if it were up to me, bookstores would still be thriving, too.)

If you need inspiration for your Christmas card list, all you have to do is log-on to the website, Etsy.  I could spend hours searching through all of the designs!  There is something to fit everyone.

Sweet Letter Press displays a peaceful image in current colors.  There is a fab fabric from Lee Jofa and designer, Eric Cohler, which captures a similar, graphic aesthetic.

A fresh interpretation of the lodge look.  I keep hoping to use one of these patterns for a client!

This fun card, from dodeline design, brought to mind a fabulous wall display I saw, below, in the Halo Styles Showroom at the High Point Market. 

Almost hard to believe they all didn’t end up in the landfill!  (Image courtesy of the Kandrac and Kole blog.)

Sentiments expressed, en Francais, always take on certain je ne sais quoi .  I have a wish to someday make it to the Maison & Objet, in Paris, the city of lights.  It’s a trade show of magnifique proportions.  (Wonder what the French would think of my southern accent?)

One Etsy vendor, petitepear, enthralled me with breadth of her designs.  I especially heart her gift tags, as shown below:

When I saw the fine examples of papeterie, above, it reminded me of tagging along with Eddie Ross, during one of our recent antiques’ shows.  He shared a great tidbit about silver in the video I recorded, below:

A friend of mine, Beth Swanson, has a darling antiques shop, Olde Tyme Marketplace, located in the old mercantile building where the “The Color Purple” was filmed, in Marshville, NC.  These gift cards would be right up her store’s alley!

Beth is the consummate recycler.  Just look at what she’s done to this old pail!

The dog lover couldn’t help but to be won over by the little black pup with the wreath collar.  Another friend, Tammy Taylor, is “owned” by her sweet black lab, Reagan.  I just know she would share a big “AW!” if she opened this card.

Tammy is also a talented interior designer in the Charlotte area.  She just recently created a room at the Southern Christmas show.  She was recommended, by the folks at the show, to appear on a “Charlotte Today” segment.  (Smart people, they are!) Tammy was so calm and cool and offered a lot of great tips for trimming the tree!

Any Eames enthusiast would be gaga over the “tree” of DCW plywood chairs!  Santa can still get these from your Herman Miller dealer. 

A design classic!

The card above, is reminiscent of English Transferware.  It’s done in letterpress printed on antique presses using soy-based ink and 100 percent cotton paper - tree free and made from recycled fibers.  Wouldn’t it be a lovely accompaniment to this? . . . .

The relief pattern, around the border of this charger, makes it extra special.  At under $60, I think it’s a gorgeous buy!

Yes, I could find a whole universe of cards for, well, the whole universe on Etsy! . . . 

Let’s hope you’re on a first name basis, if you decide to try the magic powers of the Mistletoe card!  (Smile!)

I live not too far from the barbeque capitol of North Carolina - Lexington.  As long-winded as we southerners can sometimes be, when we’re spinning a tale, we can also oddly enough assign a short nickname to a food which requires hours of cooking over a hot pit! 

I hope you’ve had fun with me while browsing through the “card section” on Etsy!  By now you might be able to tell, I love connecting the dots of design.  A card is not just a card.  It’s about the detail and thought which went into the design.  It’s about the unique quality being shared with an individual.  It’s about a gift from the heart!

From my heart to yours . . . All my best! ~ Wanda

Final Contest Alert!  I’ll be giving away an autographed copy of Vicente Wolf’s “Lifting the Curtain On Design”!  All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on any two of my posts, beginning with the 2010 High Point Furniture Finds – Post 1 thru November 30th – Ends November 30, 2010.

I’ll announce the winner the first week of December 2010.  I hope you’ll enjoy a festive month!

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Picture Perfect! ~ An Afternoon With Eddie Ross

I’m always a multi-tasking interior designer, so why shouldn’t my blog posts follow suit?  Just this week, I was in the process of pulling together some client projects, while also making plans to spend the day at our local, (Charlotte, NC), antiques’ show, the Metrolina Tradeshow Expo Big Fall Classic.  I’ve been an avid attendee for at least the last fifteen years!  It has morphed from being only about antiques and collectibles, to providing savvy shoppers with some pretty fabulous interior design finds.  The key to making it work for you is to have a creative eye . . . or at least the ability to take a pair with you!

                     

(Eddie is as warm as his picture!  In the photo to the right, he’s showing our group how to consider using vintage trims.  We received many pearls of design tips, on this trip.)

Since it seems I’m always sourcing for the unique and different, as well as to think of creative solutions for even the most simple items, I decided I would borrow another designer’s vision.  How exciting to know those peepers would belong to none other than the immensely talented Eddie Ross!  If you aren’t as familiar with Eddie, as his enthusiastic following of fans might be, Eddie comes to the world of design via a background in catering, event design, and editing.  (Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, and the Food Network – just to drop a few names.)  You might also enjoy listening to a podcast, with Eddie and his partner, Jaithan, on the Skirted Roundtable.  I’ve always enjoyed the intimate, conversational style interviews with guest designers. (Eddie’s award-winning window, at Bloomingdale’s, representing “Elle Decor” is a primer in framing multiple elements.)

It seems, back in the spring, several fans kept nudging Eddie to head into Charlotte and to share a tour, much as he’s done at places like Scott’s, in Atlanta.  (I have three places to antique on my bucket list – Scott’s, Brimfield, and Round Top.  One day . . . one day!)  Eddie, and his partner Jaithan, decided to put Metrolina on their calendar and the count-down began!  While he also made stops by the lovely Mrs. Howard’s and Interior’s Marketplace, I wanted to join-in on the thrill of sourcing.  No matter how much we’ve all attended a venue, it’s always nice to be offered a different perspective.

If you weren’t able to join the tour, I won’t dwell too much on how much you might have missed.  (It was definitely a great time!)  I’ll be a good gal and take you along on a virtual stroll, down the aisles, while I share some of Eddie’s finds and designs, peppered with a few of my own, and I’ll end it with a local “go-to” source for framing beautiful interior treasures!

Who would have thought to place such a delicate christening gown between a pair of graphic patterned panels?  Eddie has the gift of knowing how to meld and balance all things modern and traditional.  He referred to it as “traditional cool”, during our walk around the flea market.  While I think he should copyright that phrase, I hope to borrow it, from time-to-time!

I captured a few spots of video, along the way.  In the one above, Eddie shared pointers about framing some textile or quilt remnants.  Not only did we see beautiful objects, their potential was unleashed via Eddie’s keen sense of design!

Eddie discussed the concept of looking deep into bowls or plates to find unusual color palette combinations to inspire you for your room.  He also shared the idea of framing them as wall decor.  This dealer had a well-rounded collection of silver, transferware, and Imari pieces.

I absolutely concur on using pieces of porcelain or stoneware as a focal subject!   I had previously collected some blue transferware, in order to wrap them around a high-arched headboard, for a client’s guestroom.  I could have just hung them, as they were, but the custom-shaped matting and the turning of the frames made the arrangement much more conversation worthy!

I looked at these buttons as a wonderful way to finish off some drapery panels or to attach them to a jacket.  Eddie added the idea of putting them on a card and framing them.  The Button Lady had aptly named her booth!  These were vintage buttons, where three layers had been placed inside of one another.  Another form of shadow boxing, as it were!

Sometimes having little objects of art can present a quandary as to how to best showcase them.  Larson Juhl shared the great idea, above, on their website.  They also offer a sleek, modern selection of framing materials.  A combination of their metallic frame and a padded headboard, below, helps to expand a room, visually, while pulling back on the bed’s footprint.

By the way, Eddie did a wonderful series of videos for Larson Juhl, one of the leaders in the frame industry.  You can click on the photo, above, to be taken to the Larson Juhl link, and choose from any one of Eddie’s fabulous framing presentations!

Here’s a clever idea for recycling old frames.  Adding some handles, changing out the art with layered materials, fabrics, or prints, can turn a toss-out into a tray.  I know I’m often on the lookout for something to place on a cocktail ottoman and the solution might be just staring back at me . . . from the wall!  The how-to can be found at Better Homes and Gardens < just a click away!

A couple of years ago, while working on a new home project, I found a series of book etchings.  It just so happened, the vendor was a fabulous artist so he hand-colored the etchings to fit into my client’s decor.  Here they are, in the before stage, as I was selecting the fillet, mat, and frame.  (A fillet is a small version of a frame, which can be inserted between the picture and the mat, for adding decoration or depth.)

Here is the completed wall!  I really needed something to anchor this space but there was not much depth for a large piece of furniture.  The bench gave a practical solution, as it was just to the exterior of the master bath.  The wall of etchings provided the much-needed visual impact, while staying close the surface.  Scale and proportion can be created in more than one way!

In speaking of placement of artwork, “Women’s Day Magazine” shared some simple, but effective graphics of how-to’s, below:

                            

(PS – Eddie is a frequent contributor to Women’s Day.  He says they are really upgrading their content!)

(Eddie’s tableau made the front cover, in the November issue!)

As promised, I must tell my Charlotte, NC area folks about Graham’s Framing Specialties.  You may have zipped right past them, if you were on Highway 74/Independence Boulevard, (12995 East Independence Blvd, Matthews, NC 28105), near the 485 interchange.  They are located in an unassuming white building, facing the “boulevard”, as we locals refer to it.  I’ve known Al Graham, for more years than either of us care to admit, and I’ve used his framing services for just that long, too.  (We’ll just say I’m going on my 15th year of owning my firm.)  I can attest not only to his quality of work, the value you receive, the immense variety of frame materials and supplies, but also to the fact that Al is one of the nicest and most ethical people I’ve had the pleasure to know!  I can also scoot in with a stack of prints, photos, objects – you name it – and they come back to me, completed with the precision of a true craftsman, in usually less than two weeks. 

                   

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then there must be at least that number of frames, if not more, located in Al’s shop!  Don’t let his location fool you.  While Graham’s Framing might not be in a “chi-chi” shop, he has one of the most fabulous offerings I’ve found in the Charlotte, NC area.  Sometimes those secret sources have the best selections.  I just had to let the cat out of the bag on this one!

More frames!  The selection just doesn’t seem to stop!  Even so, there have been times I needed a finish tweaked and Al has offered me that option.  I’ve also taken some antique frames to be adjusted, and because I’m a fairly regular customer, he’s helped me with those special little requests.  It just goes to show relationships with vendors are not about price.  The value story of loyalty goes a long way!

      

Okay, I’ve got to use a designer comment, here . . . These are “to die for”!  I could see the moldings on the left, incorporated as an architectural accent in a room.  Some of the burled trims could be inserted into a window cornice, over dramatic drapery panels.  Al did say he receives order requests for linear footage, only.  He’s more than happy to oblige.  Being that he’s a distributor for some of the frame manufacturers, he can order as much or as little as you need. 

I had just been by to see Al, prior to my Metrolina visit with Eddie and Jaithan.  Sometimes we designers have certain things buzzing around in our heads, and that makes us more receptive to what we might see, as we’re out sourcing.  Eddie really had me thinking of all of the different things I could frame and the trip to Al’s shop made me even more mindful of who could help me to do it.  

(It was a picture perfect day!  I had a great time with girlfriends, Maybelline and Davetta.  I never realize how short I am until I’m in a photo!  And may I just say, both Eddie and Jaithan are lovely from the outside, in!  ~ From left-to-right:  Maybelline Te, yours truly, Eddie Ross, Jaithan Kochar, Davetta Moore.)

On a side note:  It would make my heart happy if you would stop by to see Al at Graham’s.  He’s open Monday – Thursday, from 10am – 5pm.  Be sure to tell him “Wanda sent me”!

. . . And that’s what I call multi-tasking at it’s best!

Here’s looking at you!  Wanda

PS - Contest Alert!  I’ll be giving away an autographed copy of Vicente Wolf’s “Lifting the Curtain On Design”!  All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on any two of my posts, beginning with the 2010 High Point Furniture Finds – Post 1, and by November 30, 2010.

I’ll announce the winner the first week of December 2010.  I hope you’ll enjoy a festive month!

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