{GHP} Word of the year 2014

08 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Personal Information, Traditions

Tags

I get a lot of post ideas while reading other blogs. There are so many talented writers and I often gain inspiration for a subject to explore while reading someone’s account of a topic.

This happened on New Year’s Day. While reading as many of my favorite blogs as I could with a day free of obligation or industry (I was typically behind in my blog reading due to fun with my granddaughter/Christmas celebration) . When I read Layla’s {The Lettered Cottage} account of her choice of a Word Of The Year for 2014, something she does annually, I knew this word would fit with some of my goals for the year. As Layla explains,

That’s what choosing a Word Of The Year is all about. You live with it, you let it speak to you…you follow where it leads. There are no rules…it’s just supposed to be a little spark.

With the new year comes analysis of life in the rear view mirror and ideas for tweaking this or that. The goal is to improve in some small way, or to maintain things that are working well.

So with that grain of wisdom and inspiration, I decided to go with the word Simplicity as well. That decision sparked the need to share, it’s what we bloggers do, right?

Clearly, great minds think alike. I’ve since read a reference for using a word as inspiration for writing. Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project guru, posted a helpful tip for writers about using a single word to stir creativity. Posting a single word in your conscious to help with self-improvement holds great appeal for me.

I then came across the post by Ted Kennedy Watson sharing the cover of his new book, Style and Simplicity, An A to Z Guide to Living a More Beautiful Life. For those who have not had the good fortune to visit one of the Ted Kennedy Watson stores in Seattle, or visited his blog, you’re in store for a treat. This is what he had to say about the title to his book…

Simplicity is such a prevailing theme throughout the book, and the table I set that was chosen for the cover speaks to that word and philosophy.

I even had two dear friends mention in a comment on my blog that one of their goals (respectively) for the New Year is to simplify {thank you, Linda and Gretchen}. So that will be my goal for 2014.

So, I pledge to give simplicity in life a try this year. I hope to pare down and simplify my lifestyle in every way I can. With that, I hope to take more time to relax and appreciate what I have and the great beauty in nature that surrounds us.

Here are some simply lovely images for your viewing enjoyment.

♥ Karen

{GHP} No words…that is so you.

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Gardening, House and Home, Personal Information

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

dreams, interests

If you had to select images to describe who you are, what you’re all about, your dreams, your style, your passions, how would they look? What would be on the canvas? I was pondering this notion and decided it would be fun to pull together a host of images that I believe reflect my style, hobbies, interests, and dreams (big, big dreams). Vicki Archer of the always entertaining French Essence recently posted about ‘signature style’ where fashion is concerned.

Since I tend to obsess over homes and their surroundings, more than pencil skirts, {although I do love clothes and especially pencil skirts} these are images that inspire me, reflect my “favorite” design style, or at the very least make me sigh.

No words…

{source}

No Words/GHP {source}

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No Words/Garden, Home and Party {source}

No Words/Garden, Home and Party

{source}

No Words/GHP {source}

{photograph::Kim Christie}

Garden, Home and Party {source}

{source}

Share with me…what would some of the images that your friends would look at and say, “that looks like you” look like.

{GHP} The modern penpal

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Misc, Personal Information

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Blogging

News sources have been insistent that social media and all of the electronic means of communication are ruining us as a society, that we’re becoming more disconnected and distant. As an optimist, I can’t agree with that view.

{source}

As a blogger I am touched by the encounters I’ve experienced with people from all over the world. Their sincere kindness and their willingness to take time out of their day to read, and yes, sometimes respond with comments (sometimes not) moves me. You and I both know how busy life can be, whether you’re a full time worker, like some of my blog friends (including me), retired, or somewhere in between, LIFE IS BUSY!

{source}

This line of thought came to me when out of the blue I received a message from a woman in another state that was paring down. I can relate. She decided to sell some of her things through consignment, one item was a set of Pierre Deux stone coasters. When she Googled Pierre Deux coasters, my post of the coasters being on my wish list came up. She contacted me and asked if I would like her set. For shipping costs only, I will receive a gift from a stranger.

{tumblr}

{source}

This delightful surprise and the chats that I’ve enjoyed with friends I’ve never met from blogging brought to mind the excitement I felt, as a grade-school girl when our 3rd grade teacher put our class in touch with a classroom in Germany. These children became our pen pals. For a few years my pen pal and I would write to each other sharing our school events and happenings. I’m sorry to say I lost touch with her about the time we would have entered middle school, no surprise, I suspect other pursuits began to interest her.

{source}

Have you ever had a pen pal? If you’re a blogger, share with me one of the most memorable, random acts of kindness someone in blog land has bestowed upon you.

{Home} Wall Art

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, House and Home, Personal Information

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

wall art

When it comes to art in our home I tend to buy what I like at that moment, over saving my money and buying that signed piece or original art hanging in the gallery. The reason for this is that I learned early in marriage that I have a tendency to tire of some of the art trends that come and go.

An example of this, and there are many (I just don’t recall the names of the artists that have flitted across my decorating radar over the years), is in 1982 when we moved home to California from Texas (where we were transferred 2 years earlier), “French Country” was a huge design trend. Not the kind of authentic, French country rooms we see today, but the kind I would call trend-of-the-decade, which various retailers then create accessories, art and furnishings for the consumer.

In the early 80’s this was the look! I had a version of this look in my home, maybe you did too. I loved it for a decade or more. (Maybe you still LOVE this style—I am not out to bash anyone’s personal taste, honest). The artist, living at the time in Orange County, that captured this French country look/style with his paintings was John Botz. I loved his work, still do, but for a signed and numbered print back then, the price tag was too steep for our budget. His work is wonderful in the right setting, but typical of my evolving style at the time, I would have since tired of his art for my home in it’s current English country, old world, traditional incarnation, and then been compelled to sell it at a consignment store, at a loss.

John Botz

About that time I began scouring antique shops and consignment stores for art I could afford. I’ve lived with most of what I purchased back then for a very long time and love all of it. As you will see, several pieces are old graphics I’ve framed. Mostly, the framing is the most important thing, it can be costly, but it can make even a simple newspaper page look really nice.

Those that have been reading my posts know I’m a confessed Anglophile…

I ordered this architectural print (below) from a frame shop and then the framer tea stained it to look old. I apologize for the glare on the glass, it really does look old when you see it in person.

The above painting is a favorite for a couple of reasons…it is a print on cardboard of The Skating Minister, originally painted by Sir Henry Raeburn, but it was a gift from my friend and long-time business partner, Wendy. She had an artist friend that could touch up a print with paint and create the illusion of an actual oil painting. Wendy “commissioned” her friend to paint this for me and I love it.

The print below was a gift from my Grandma. It’s titled “Steady Johnny, Steady” and depicts a grandfather and his grandson walking with their fishing rods. It always reminds me of the close relationship I enjoyed with my Grandma.

My readers have seen this (above)…the historic sailing vessel painting is from a frame store that sells art students art. It’s original, not signed, but a lovely painting and the best part, it’s very affordable! {Thank you, Gretchen—I still want you to paint an Union Jack on the mast for me!}

The pair of riders is probably the most expensive painting I own. I found it in an antique store in San Juan Capistrano. The only reason I was able to buy it is that they accepted layaway. It took a few more months of saving to have it framed, I think it was painted by a French painter and I never tire of looking at it {surprise}.

The above picture was in storage at the office where I work. They were thinking of pitching it…I rescued it and love it. It’s some kind of art poster but it almost looks like a glass painting in person.

Alison, over at The Polohouse always comes up with such fun topics for her Favorites on the First, and this was no different. Thanks, Alison.

June's Linky Party 6/1,2,3

{GHP} 10 things I can’t live without

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Personal Information

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

happiness

Really? Maybe that’s too strong of a statement, but here are the 10 8 things, that in a perfect world, I couldn’t ~~live~~ be truly happy without. (I’m not sure I can even say that with conviction). {Please know that I realize I can live without all but health to keep me alive, maybe not in happiness, but I could be alive}

Here you go: 10 8 things that ~~I can’t live without~~ make me very happy. The bluebird of happiness flies very close when all of these things are in sync.

1) Coffee, good, rich and strong. Two cups per morning. Occasionally, in the afternoon when I feel like I’ve hit the wall, one more cup o’ joe, please.

2) My family and friends. Maybe it’s because I’m an only child or I am simply a needy person, but I thrive on contact with others and the relationships I enjoy with family and friends. I love them all, and each time I hear from them it brightens my day. Mr. B. is my best friend and I feel fortunate to have him in my life all these years!

(Above) son #1 – Kyle, standing; son #2 – Kevin, sitting, talking with Olivia our granddaughter, all essential components to my happy place.

3) Fresh plants and flowers indoors. I really delight in fresh, live plants indoors. I am giddy with a bouquet of fresh flowers, even simple greens from the garden with a few shrub roses thrown in the mix, I am happiest when flowers are present and live plants are in the room.

4) The few blue and white accents in our home. The weird thing about this is that for most of my married life I have not had blue and white in my life through no fault of anyone except myself. I started married life trying to forge my own way where color was concerned. Many of my best friends were using blue and white as their base colors and I longed to be different…all the while, I really loved the look of blue and white and the way it made me feel {I believe color has a big impact on how we feel in our homes, do you?}. I know, I’m an idiot, why wouldn’t I just concede already? Anyway, I’ve finally started, in earnest, introducing blue and white into my home and I must say I wonder how I managed without it all these years?

5) Books, all kinds and topics. I have less time to read these days and have adopted using Audible, an audible book store that allows you to upload unabridged books onto your iPod (great for multitasking), but there is something about the presence of books that calms me. I can sit down with a book, begin to read and feel my blood pressure drop.

6) Music. Same as a above…really a lot of different styles of music appeal to me. I tend to listen to classical in my car. Hey, I live in Southern California, have you seen the traffic? There is nothing like Mozart for putting a stop to the negative reaction that tends to take over when you encounter careless, clueless drivers, which are found in abundance on the busy streets of the greater Los Angeles area, including Orange County. {Note: I was going to try to insert a little button you could push to play a song, but I didn’t figure it out}

7) Work in the garden. Communing with earth, if you will. I do love to labor in the yard and living in Southern California affords us nearly year round weather to accomplish this.

8) My dogs, really all of the pets I’ve ever owned have brought me such pleasure. Raising our sons we had a veritable zoo at one time, including a Texas tortoise named “Timothy”, a lop-eared bunny named “Lucy”, cats and dogs, a canary, and our youngest son had a lizard and some mice at one time. If you are a pet lover, you know what I mean. Winnie and Madison are rescue dogs. Madison is a Jack Russell/Border Terrier mix and Winne, well what can I say? We don’t know what she is, we only know that when we adopted her she was 30 lbs and the shelter told us she was full grown, she just turned 9 years and she weighs 90 lbs!

Do you have a list of happiness triggers?

I hope your upcoming weekend brings you joy.

I’m over at Ricki Jill’s Art @ Home, sharing my “happy list”, stop by.

{GHP} A wedding on my mind

06 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Family, Misc, Party Planning, Personal Information

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

weddings

George (Steve Martin) from Father of the Bride:

GEORGE
I used to think a wedding was a simple affair.  A boy and girl meet, 
they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say "I do."  
I was wrong.  That's getting married.  A wedding is an entirely 
different proposition.

If you’ve read my blog for a year or longer you may remember that I’ve talked about the upcoming wedding of our youngest son and his wonderful fiance HERE, HERE and HERE.

A dress has been selected…

Shoes have been considered…

and a few surprises may still be in the works…

(isn’t this a cute idea?)

The date is rushing at us faster than any of us might like, and we’re excited and a bit stressed all at the same time. We’re in countdown mode.

The venue will be unique and wonderful, The Los Angeles Museum of History will host our smallish wedding of 100 guests. When Son #1 married we enjoyed a family-only event overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the home of some dear friends in Emerald Bay {Thank you, Glenys and Jim}.

The African Mammal wing will be the backdrop for the wedding. The North American Mammal room will be where the reception takes place. The pre-reception will be here…

We’ll mingle with dinosaurs, sipping our drinks and enjoying an appetizer or two.

This scene in a Harry Potter movie will be similar to our dining experience with a table to accommodate 100 guests, 50 on each side, sans Christmas trees, but lots and lots of candles.

There are details to attend to.

Since the wedding will be just prior to winter’s official start, we will all enjoy the warmth of the candlelight,wood floors, soft lighting and of course our mammal-friends alongside our dear friends and family.

I realize it’s still almost a month away, but I’m really getting excited. I’ll post some pictures of the venue after the big day. Have any of you attended a wedding at the Natural History Museum?

{Home} What style are you?

25 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, Designer, House and Home, Misc, Personal Information

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

decorating styles

Are your tastes and preferences, where design is concerned, clearly defined? If asked, how would you describe your style? Do you look at a shelter magazine or book and know right off the bat that the room/home featured mirror your style; the room is how you would furnish and accessorize ~OR~ do you sometimes get drawn to a style that is completely different from what you currently have?

{Barclay Butera}

{Beaufort House}

{House Beautiful}

{Carol Glasser via Cote de Texas}

There are so many blended styles that appeal to me, so I believe I would have a hard time telling anyone that my style is strictly traditional, classic or country. I believe there’s a little bit of several styles in most homes, especially if you’ve been adding and layering over the years.

{Haus Design}

{Heather Bullard}

{Kathleen Rivers, Southern Accents}

I confess, I have to put the brakes on sometimes, I can become so enthralled with a certain new-to-me ‘style’ that I lose site of what I believe to be my design focus or style. Does this ever happen to you or am I the only fence-rider of style?

{Linda Floyd Interiors}

{nest egg 1.27.11}

{Robert A.M. Stern Architects}

{Rose Uniacke}

That doesn’t mean I decorate a room and it never changes, far from that. I find I get tired of colors and maybe even some furnishings every 10-15 years. Fortunately, it usually means I need to paint and maybe rearrange the furniture or trade out a lamp with another, in a different part of the house, change the wall adornments, move pictures, change pillows and throws, you know what I mean. But I do have to remind myself sometimes what ‘it’ is I love, what I always come back to, what makes my house my HOME.

Does this ever happen to you? If it doesn’t, you are the person I admire and would love to have the confidence to say, this is IT, this is my style and I’m never swayed to the fickle tastes of design world changes and trends.

{GHP} Artist unknown…Anders Oscar Gottmann?

09 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Family, House and Home, Personal Information

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Anders Oscar Gottmann, artist

My father’s great grandmother emigrated to Ohio from Germany at the turn of the century, about 1904. Since my grandparents died when I was quite young I don’t remember much about our visits to the area but I remember my mother and father were assigned the job of clearing out the house when my grandmother passed away.

There were pieces of jewelry and several pieces of china that stick out in my memory but it wasn’t until I was married and ready to decorate our current home that I pulled out a bound art book that had been given to me.

I’ve tried, with Google’s assistance, to search out the artist with out certain results. There is an Anders Oscar Gottmann, 1828 – 1867, born in Sweden, but no samples of his work to convince me my book was his. I don’t believe he was a relative of ours, many of the books I inherited had been collected along the way, but this book was clearly someone’s self-published pen and ink art book.

Caution! The following information may horrify the true bibliophile: The individual sketches are so wonderful, mounted on brown construction-like paper with a dark ink line framing each piece, that I dismantled the book and have framed numerous pieces for our walls. [Truth is, the book was falling apart when I received it]. I gave 4 of the collection to my dear friend, Carla. One went to the godparents of our children. They have brought me pleasure each time I look at them in our home, much more so than if I kept the book on the shelf.

I hung a grouping of the dogs over the guest room bed. Sadly, this photograph doesn’t do the images justice [and the room isn’t army green, what up with this exposure?!]

There are quite a lot of architectural drawings in the book, along with a Gothic alphabet, upper and lower case.

Some of the pages have multiple architectural elements.

Makes me wonder what he used as a model to draw from.

I framed 2 additional dog prints for my entry, yes, I like dogs. More than that, the dog drawings were unusual breeds or variations of breeds you see today.

Here is a close up of the two…

and the final piece I’ve framed is an architectural detail that I thought particularly pretty.

If by some chance you know anything at all about art history and you’ve heard of A. Gottmann, I would love to hear from you.

I’m linking up at No Minimalist Here, stop by if you have time.

{Garden, Home and Party} Living with pets

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Family, Misc, Personal Information

≈ 12 Comments

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Pets in the home

Carl Larsson

For those of you who follow my blog, {thank you}, you may remember we have 3 pets in our home. A 15-year old cat, Maggie {the senior pet}, and our two shelter-rescued dogs, Winnie, age 8 and Madison, age 3. Maggie is a black and white cat, whose grandmother was a Scottish Fold (their ears fold forward). Maggie’s ears do not fold but our vet says her ears are shorter and she suspected before I told her that Maggie had Scottish Fold in her genes. Winnie is our giant bear of a dog. The shelter labeled her “part terrier” when we adopted her. They also told us she was full-grown when we acquired her petite 30 pounds of puppy! She now weighs 78 lbs. and still considers herself a lap dog. Our baby, Madison, is a Border Terrier/Jack Russel Terrier mix. She has calmed quite a bit but when we first adopted her she was more a terror than terrier! We love her and she definitely entertains us with her antics.

If you have a cat you know they sleep where they want…Maggie decided hubby’s briefcase was just the right size for her.

Winnie truly thinks she’s a lap dog. She puts her 2 front paws on your lap and longs for the days when she could get up with all fours!

Laundry day is one of Madison’s favorites…when the warm laundry is thrown on the bed for folding she assumes that’s her invitation to snuggle in.

Our atrium is a favorite with the pets during warm days of spring and summer.

During the time our sons were growing up {they are now adults} we had a bevy of pets with, at one time, six in all: Mackenzie, a Scottish terrier; Woody, a Cairn terrier; Skittles, a calico cat; Thomas, a desert tortoise; Lucy, a Dutch bunny and Goldie, a gold fish won at a carnival).

We used to have a wire haired German pointer mix. Reilly looked very much like this sweetie.

This resembles our Scotty, Mackenzie.

There are books on the topic of pets/dogs in the home. Living with Dogs is my all time favorite and I blogged about it last year.

The cottage in this image, as well as the West Highland Terrier, all contribute to my vision of the ideal accessory for a home. {smile}

My husband teases me saying I only buy or adopt pets that look good with the décor. There may be some truth to that but the bottom line is…in my book they are one of the best home accessories.

The Cavalier King Charles spaniel has become a fixture in so many homes. I confess, I love they way they look as well as their sweet dispositions.

Our entire family loves animals and we always said yes, when youngest son, Kevin, would ask to bring home or buy a pet (lizards, hamsters, mice).

Providence Ltd.

Splendid Willow

Photo by Roger Davies

Photo by Victoria Pearson

{ahhhh}

I have very dear friends that prefer not to be bothered with the work and planning (when they travel) involved in owning pets but I’m not there quite yet. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there are days when I wish I didn’t have to perform the morning chores involved with providing good care for our pets. But at the end of the day there is something so satisfying about their unconditional love and exuberant greeting when I return home from work.

Maybe this sketch by Rupert Till would suffice, or…

…one of Penelope Bianchi’s antique, stone doggies.

So, dear readers, tell me…do you have a pet. Could you imagine your home without? I love your comments…tell me.

If I don’t answer the door, I’m over at Sherry’s Open House Party, No Minimalist Here

{GHP} Happy Birthday, Hubby…and other masculine pursuits

12 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, Family, Personal Information

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

masculine rooms

Sunday is Hubby’s (Lyn) birthday. Those Capricorn’s seem to always have it together and in his case, are always calm.

Ewan McGregor via

[Trust me, I don’t read daily astrological predictions and actually BELIEVE them but there does seem to be a thread of truth to many of the characterizations made about the various birth signs, don’t you think?]

No, Lyn doesn’t look like Ewan McGregor but he is half Scottish and I thought this captured the essence of his Scottishness (is that a word, probably not)

via

When we met Lyn drove a BMW he had purchased in Germany and brought home with him…it was similar to this but tan in color.

That said, there are certain rooms where design is concerned that remind me of Lyn and most of them I absolutely love…I’ve addressed my fondness for more masculine, tailored room design HERE.

I’ve used this image before, Glen Feshie Lodge via Elle Decor some years ago. It is truly one of my favorite rooms, mixed plaids and worn Persian rugs…if I could duplicate this room in my own home I would do it. I realize I live in California and it may not be the ideal setting for our climate but it’s still an all time favorite…oh, and I know Lyn likes this room too!

Library of Darin Geise via

This room reflects the lodge but there is something so inviting about a great leather wing back chair with a warm wool throw close at hand and a fire in the grate of a aging brick fireplace.

via

Does there seem to be a recurring theme here? As Lyn likes to remind me, “plaid is your favorite color”.

source unknown

See, I can do bright and cheerful. I have this house tagged as a home in Sun Valley which may explain the bright white light, reflecting the white snow, streaming through the windows.

Ralph Lauren – Fall 2011

As I’ve mentioned before, no one does ‘it’ better than Ralph Lauren for me. The richness of his rooms gets me every time.

…more of RL – Fall 2011

I’ve always liked this desk style but wondered about its practicality…where’s a drawer to keep the unsightly stuff?

via Carol Glasser via Southern Accents (years ago)

I’ve always been drawn to this house and have kept the pages from the magazine in my files for years. Joni at Cote de Texas called Carol Glasser’s home in Houston as a “perfect house”…I agree. There is something inviting and warm and timeless in this room’s details.

So, back to Lyn’s birthday…he loves coffee. He claims it stems from living in Germany where he first enjoyed truly great coffee. During our 39 years (yes, I was a child bride) of married bliss we have owned many coffee machines and now own a drip machine and a Breville espresso maker. I confess, he’s influenced me and I only like coffee that is full bodied and flavorful. The kitchen below would appeal to Lyn since there is plenty of room for this restaurant sized espresso machine. 🙂

via decorpad

…and I’m only partially kidding when I say he’d probably be able to justify an espresso maker in the bathroom! Fortunately, our bathroom barely has room for all of the essentials let alone such a luxury as an espresso maker.

via

To close, Lyn enjoys his leather…what man doesn’t right? The above David August items are a little out of our budget but the iPad case is pretty cool.

via