Reclaimed Heart

I love mixing reclaimed architectural pieces such as doors, wood panels, and cabinet doors in my art.  I recently completed a piece as a donation to an Americna Heart Association gala, using a reclaimed cabinet door fauxed finished to mimc layers of peeling painting, as well as a piece of salvaged hardware.

I'm planning to open an etsy store within the next month as a place to sell my art.  I'll keep you posted.

And sorry about the lack of posting, but I've been so distraught over the oil spill in the gulf, that I'm finding it hard to be witty and optimistic about crafting and decor.

*Update:  I'm really exicted.  I found out that my painting sold for close to $400.  I'm so glad I could contribute to the American Heart Association.

What I Know For Sure....About Decor

Oprah's favorite designer, Nate Berkus as featured in Elle Decor.

Sorry about the recent lack of posting.  I've been distracted with the good (a new part-time job and client projects), the still-pretty good (trying to get my garden in hand and ready for the "it's not the heat, the humdity....no wait, it's both"  portion of the year---which has now hit...temps close to ninety and 100% humidity), and the ugly (Damn you, BP).  But now I'm back ready to share more of my vast wisdom and knowledge.....( I am joking...kind of).

Anyway, with everything that's been happening in the gulf, and the world, lately, I've been thinking more about the important aspects of home.  After all, talking about trends and paint colors is fun, but creating a home has to do with more than that...it has to do with the intangibles like atmosphere and comfort and peacefulness. 

I've jokingly referred to Ms. Winfrey as Our Lady Oprah, but I am actually a fan.  Not so much of her show, but I do enjoy her magazine.  As I desperately to rewire my brain from cynicism and negativity to optimisim, and I do try to focus on the positive, and I find that her magazine does that.  One of my favorite columns is her monthly, "What I know for sure" lettter.  So here's my interior design centric version:

What I know for Sure about Home Interiors:

1.  People (most of them, anyway) and pets (almost all of them) are far more important than your home and the things in it.  So if you find yourself delaying or avoiding entertaining friends and family  because of the potential mess or damage, get over yourself.  There is nothing sadder to me than a perfect home or room that is never used.   I'd never trade the joy of snuggling with Cleopatra (cutest, sweetest doggy ever) on the sofa for a pristinely white slipcover.  So it's no longer perfect---i'd rather have the memories of hanging out with Cleo.  If your family is forced to curtail all their activities to one "safe"zone or drop in guests flee in moments after a quick look around fails to yeild a comfortable perch, perhaps it's time to do a little tweaking.  Even if you like formal, or have expensive furniture, the key to being able to relax around it is to make it usable--co-ordinating throws and slip covers can protect delicate or expensive upolstery.  Make sure that coasters are handy--I like to put them on every cocktail or side table.  Fresh, simply arranged flowers and houseplants, candid family photos, and books (real ones that have been read---not those horrible, bourgeouis fake ones tied with twine--i hate that----"Oh look, I'm so cultured....I have French books, even though I can't read french and have no idea what the subject of the book is, but I couldn't read them anyway because they're tied together with string..." 

2.Use it, cause you may lose it.  Hurricane Katrina taught me many things, but one really important lesson I learned is that shit happens, so you might as well use the good china while you can.  I'm mean, sure if you use it (and I say that displaying it beautifully in a china cabinet counts as "using" it), it can get broken or damaged,  but that's life.  We never no how long we have to enjoy things---houses flood, burn, get broken into, etc.  Use and enjoy everything you own like it's your last chance...it may be.

3.  Let love lead you.  Go with what instinctively touches you.  My experience has been that if you fall for something, say a fabric, in a particular colourway that justs makes your heart sing....if you decided to change to a "safer" version for practical reasons, you'll always regret it.  It's better to move on to something completely different.

4.  Pick your paint last.  One of the most common design problems I have with clients is trying to retroactively co-ordinate items with an existing paint color.  Especially in new construction, builders push clients to pick their paint colors fairly early, and lots of them decided on a palette before picking finishes, and usually before picking fabrics and rugs.  The problem is that if you have a fabric featuring robin's egg blue, you can easily find a paint to work with it, or custom match it.  However, if you paint first, it's going to be a lot more difficult to find a fabric (especially the more parameters that you place-i.e. price, durability, type of print) that perfectly co-ordinates.  The reasons--once you consider custom paint, there is an unlimited number of variations of every color.  Their is a much more limited number of available rugs and fabrics--even more limited when you started looking for cheaper options.  Again,  pick finishes and fabrics first, then paint.

5.  You need to get rid of your crap, not organize it.  I spend a lot of time and money helping clients and myself organize their things.  Honestly,  80% of the things I organize are used so rarely or never that you'd be better off removing them.  Give them to relatives, charity, the dump--whatever, just get rid of it.

6.  Clean your damn house.  You want your house to automatically look better and more polished---clean it.  And I mean really clean it---purge unnecessary paper, polish your furniture, donate unwanted items, line and organize your kitchen shelves, wash windows, dry clean or wash curtains, polish hardware, vaccum.  Your house will thank you.

7.  The 5 things that make a house a home:  original art, candid photos, books, fresh flowers and houseplants, and something old.

Grateful

As you can probably tell from my blog's title, I like to focus on the positive.  This isn't always easy for me; in fact, a certain amount of cynicism and negativity comes much more naturally to me, but much like people with curly hair who insist on blowing it straight every morning, I refuse to accept what nature gave me.  However, in times like these, with the oil spill threatening my state which is still recovering from Katrina, Rita, and Gustav, it's both harder and more imperative that I focus on the good.  Years ago, I learned a great technique for increasing one's graditude from Our Lady Oprah (I kid...I love Oprah....damn, I hope her minions don't chase me down for that crack):  keeping a daily graditude journal where you list 5 things that day that you are grateful for.

Today, I am grateful that I get to wake up every morning with nature's alarm clock (who has no snooze button, by the way) Cleopatra Schwartz, pictured above.

I am grateful for slipcovers, for reasons also pictured above (and I know the slipcover is dirty and should be washed...don't judge me)

I am grateful I have a partner who brings me flowers because he knows I like them, and I'm grateful I have this cool little lady to put them (she's a vintage drink holder from Beni Hana.)

I am grateful that I get to have my morning coffee here, smelling the jasmine.  And lord knows, I am grateful for the coffee.  I'm impressed...I actually found 6 things I am grateful for, without even needing to leave home.  And Our Lady Oprah was right...I do feel better for recognizing my blessings.

Alternative Art for Metamorphasis Monday

It's Monday, so it's time for Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

When hanging art, I like to have a mix of different types, framed prints, art on canvas, mirrors, sculptural pieces, etc, for interest.  Therefore, I'm always on the hunt for unique and inexpensive wall decor.

Last year, I fournd these great solid doors on the street and snagged them:

I turned them, which the addition of legs left over from another project, into benches:

When I was working on the doors, I noticed the latches were still attached and had developed a great patina.  I put them aside for later use, and recently had a brain storm:  they would look great mounted in a shadow box or on canvas.  I actually had a couple of primed canvases on hand, so I gathered supplies and got started:

Since the latches are light weight and had holes, I decided to stitich them in place.  You could also use hot glue.

A few minutes, and a couple of stitches later, voila, art:

The original white of the primed canvas actually worked best for me, but they could always be painted or covered in fabric to coordinate with your decor.  This would also be a great way to display interesting keys, pendants, brooces, and buttons.  Just adjust the canvas size to fit the proportion of the item.

 

I Am Insane

Last night we had a barbeque.  Actually, to be technical, it was thrown by Thomas's brother who is living with us, but since their identical twins living in the area of their birth, their friends overlap.  Anyway, I arrived home from a quick client job (hanging photos and sports memorabilia in a downstairs party room opening on to a gorgeous slate paved courtyard complete with pool and outdoor kitchen.  I'm usually not a fan of Rachel Zoe, but seeing that space, I had one reaction, "I die!") around 11:30, looked around the dining room and decided I was tired of the color, the curtains, everything

When a deadline of 8:00 looming, I called in reinforcements (aka my friend Leah, the one with the diy spirit and gorgeous sunroom) and started painting. With one quick color change later, the after:

After I recover from the party and the redo, details and better pics will follow.  For the curious among you:  did I make the deadline?  Yes and no.  I hung the last frame just minutes before the first guests arrived (I had done the cleaning  the day before, and the twins were taking care of the food, so I didn't have those last minute host duties to take care of); but, and it's a big but, there was one small hitch.  MY personal guests, who weren't familiar with the others arrived before I could take a shower or even change, and the party's momentum started early--usually if the party officially starts at 8, the main body of guests don't really arrive until about 45 minutes later.  Honey, last night every body was punctual.  I ended up having to spend the party in paint splattered jeans and tee shirt.  Made even worse by the fact that I had decided to shower AFTER the client meeting.  Which didn't happen because I had to do Decoration: Impossible.  Oh well, everybody had a good time, I tried to stay in the shadows (at my age dim lighting is my friend anyway) and  kept telling my self my paint splatters looked boho, not hobo.  After a couple of beers, it was much easier to believe.

Housework: Will the misery ever end?

A few days ago I posted about my mixed feelings on spring cleaning...love the result, hate the work.  One of my readers...( and can I just say how excited I am to be able to use that phrase?   As a child, I always wanted to be a writer when I grew up...of course I was planning on the writing career leading to bestsellers, untold wealth, and movie deals...the writing career was also somehow related to also being a famous detective (influence of the Hardy Boys)  and an archeologist (thank you, Indiana Jones).  How this was going to happen was a little unclear.)...sorry for the digression...anyway, one of my readers, Marlo commented, "Let us know if you manage to fall in love with cleaning and exactly how you did it because I dread cleaning."

Well, I'm certainly not in love with it right now.  In fact,  I still usually hate and resent it, but I'm tryng to change that. I can't get away from the fact that it's a necssary evil (emphasis on the evil).  Since it's something I'm going to have to do no matter what, I really am trying to find ways to make it more pleasant.

I'm taking a couple of approaches.  One is an action based, one attitude.  For example, I'm embracing the idea of "clean enough."  It's not an original idea, but it's useful.  I've tried to determine what is the minimum I can do and still be okay if others saw my home.  For me, it's a cleanish kitchen--clean countertops, sinks, and no dirty dishes (ignore the floor), cleanish bathroom (clean toilet, counter, sink..again ignore floor and wet towels as long they are hung up), decluttered livingroom, and making my bed.  The vaccuming, dusting, laundry are things I try to stay on top of, but as long as the rest is done, I'm okay with it.  Another thing I'm working on is beating the clutter itself, with purging and organization, as well as with returning items to their proper place, which has always been my weakness.  I was that kid with a trail of discarded possessions that started in the car, went through the front door, meandered through the kitchen, and ended in a pile on my bedroom floor. I come to realize that my cleaning issues are the resulting Karma for the Hell I put my neat freak mother through.  Now that I've picked up after someone else, I understand why she used to get so mad at me.

As for as attitude, I've been greatly influenced by Gretchen Rubin, who has a book and a blog, both titled The Happiness Project.  I've really enjoyed both, which chronicle her year long search of ways to increase her  happiness.  Based on my readings, one important thing I've been trying to do is not feel resentful of having to clean.  It's hard...I sometimes feel like I'm the only adult in the house who knows the magic combination necessary to open the dishwasher.  But the deal is, I'm really cleaning for me.  Thomas thinks I do a great job keeping house, and he would think I did a great job even if it looked like Grey Gardens.  As long as the health department isn't knocking on the door with official documents, he's good.  It's me who cares if the furniture is polished and the slipcovers are laundered and if the houseplants are watered, etc.  Therefore, if I'm the one who cares the most, and a clean house makes me the happiest, and I can't afford to hire someone else to do it, it's in my own best interest to learn to do it with a smile.

It's especially important for me to accept that (a) housework is a part of life and (b) i do for myself, because Gretchen describes one trait we share that can make me very unhappy....I want to be praised for my doing the housework.  And it does happen.  Just not as often as I want it to.  But it's not going to, because, if I'm honest, I want it to happen after I rinse every dish and place it in the dishwasher. after every load of laundry, etc.  Ironically, I usually don't praise Thomas for doing housework, because I'm mulishly thinking, "It's about time" instead of being appreciative of his help.

So, in short, do I like housework yet?  No.  But, I never thought I'd ever say this,  I hope that one day I will.

Framed: An art redo

What do you do when you need new art, but are on a limited budget.  Take an existing work (it was a mass produced giclee, not an original work) in a frame that you still like, and just paint over it.

Before, a mass market print.

In this case, it was going to be a pain to remove it from the frame, so I just taped the frame off with blue tape.  Be sure it's adhered well so that no paint leaks underneath.  In this case, paint did leak underneath, so I just painted the linen liner in a linen color paint to hide the stains.  It looked fine.

The middle stages, with soft layers of latex house paint, acrylic craft paints, and gouache.  It's okay to mix different types of paint as long as they have the same base:  in this case, even though the types are slightly different, they're all water based.

Finished.

In place.  I love mixing contemporary art with traditional frames and interiors and vise versa.  Even if you don't think you have artistic talent, you could get a similar effect by using a solid color covered with a tinted polyureathane, or mix layers of different tones of the same color.