Christmas cards…photo cards

17 Friday Dec 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Traditions, Trends

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Growing up I don’t remember a lot of photo Christmas cards and the few that we did receive were usually poor quality photos on photo paper with semi-blurry words stating, “Merry Christmas”. (Full disclosure, I grew up when “politically correct” wasn’t in existence).

Today, with very little computer skills you can have any kind of card you want, using any photograph you want and many of the companies will even label your envelopes for you!

A couple of weeks ago one of my favorite columnists for the Los Angeles Times, Chris Erskine, wrote a piece about taking the family photo for the Christmas card. One of the funniest lines in the piece was,

“My wife, Posh, approaches the Christmas card photo like a Vogue editor perusing the perfect cover. She once flew the whole bunch of them to Paris for the right Christmas shot”.

To read this very funny column visit HERE.

image via Martha Stewart

When did we become so determined to show friends and family the year’s progress in photographs? Don’t get me wrong, I too realize that I’m just slightly disappointed when I only get a lovely card sans photograph. Crazy, right? As if we don’t have enough other important tasks on our list this time of year, we have to include thinking about a photo-op sometime during the 11 ½ months prior to December 25^th!

That said, on our trip this past week to Austin, I went with 2 goals in mind. 1. Bond with my infant grand daughter so that when I see her next she won’t cry when Grandma wants to hold her; and 2. Get a card-worthy picture of the little bundle of joy for my Christmas card this year.

I am happy to report that we were successful on both fronts.

A few good sources for photo cards:

Cards Direct

Tiny Prints

Costco*note, you must have a membership card for this company.

image via Martha Stewart

Do you do photo cards for the holidays?

Are chicken coops just for farmers?

17 Wednesday Nov 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Outdoor living, Trends

≈ 4 Comments

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chicken coop, raising chickens

In addition to always wanting a small studio/playhouse/garden cottage in the back yard, another outdoor adornment I’ve always recently wanted (in the sense that I’ve given it some thought) is a chicken coop. Wouldn’t it be great to wander out your back door and pick up fresh eggs?

These images from this post on Velvet & Linen got me thinking about having your own coop. This particular coop is on the grounds of a beautiful home owned by Penelope Bianchi. Read more HERE. Don’t be surprised if you get lost in the beauty of this home—the chicken coop is nothing compared to the rest of the grounds. Brooke of Velvet & Linen takes you on an amazing tour of the Bianchi home in Santa Barbara (complete with chicken coop).

Ahhh, mommy chicken with her chicks.

I’ve seen several magazine articles on the trend and if it weren’t for the fact that our fair city will NOT allow chickens and/or livestock of any kind (except where zoned which as far as I can tell is NO WHERE in my city), I’d have a couple of hens roaming my backyard.

These little chickens won my heart in Austin's Eastside Cafe

When I visited Austin, Texas earlier this year, I was treated to lunch at a wonderful restaurant that had a bit of land planted with vegetables and herbs as well as a chicken coop filled with many varieties of chickens.

In this feature in Country Living Eleanor Mondale has a chandelier in her kitchen coop. Now that’s my idea of style!

Doesn't this look like fun...cute chickens and chandelier in your chicken coop!

{images courtesy of Country Living}

The Mondale farm even has a pet miniature pony...I've always wanted a pony. {kidding}

Martha Stewart even hosted a show where guests brought their chickens with them to the show—I didn’t see it but wondered what kind of havoc that would have created.

Chickens seem to come in a variety of colors, even the eggs.

A neighbor and former kindergarten teacher at the local elementary school used to have a couple of hens she had obtained by way of one of her class lessons. In the spring the class would follow the progress of eggs in an incubator. Once they hatched the teacher would keep a couple of the chicks. She said they (chickens did a great job of keeping the snail and slug population in check). Unfortunately, the city made her get rid of the chicks.

Maybe I’m naïve but the southern California girl wouldn’t mind living on a farm! Is it like wishing for snow—honey, you don’t even know how much work farming is!

What will I want next…

{image courtesy of Pioneer Woman}

Do any of you have your own chicken coop?

Hard copy vs. digital

18 Monday Oct 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Trends

≈ 4 Comments

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home, library

For as long as I can remember I’ve loved perusing magazines and books on the topic of interior design/decorating (I’ve been told there’s a difference; I think some RULES are involved with design).

This room looks comfortable and inviting for an afternoon of reading.

With the inevitable continuation (yes, there was a time I thought, “surely magazines and newspapers will always be around”) of digital media I’ve pondered, “Can a self-proclaimed home decorating enthusiast ever find happiness with digital magazines and books?” I confess the answer for me is a resounding NO, with some qualification.

Reading about room design is such an escape for me. I have often said that feathering my nest is my artistic outlet, my hobby and my passion. I know from reading my favorite blog sites and design books that I am not alone in this. In fact some of my closest friends share this passion. So with the loss of magazines such as Southern Accents, Cottage Living and House & Garden, I felt the blow. I kept it to myself for fear that most would wonder what was wrong with me—after all, they are only magazines!

I love the ease of viewing images of rooms by the hundreds (thousands even) from all over the world on the World Wide Web, with just the click of a mouse. That said, spending hours in front of my computer fails to give me the same enjoyment as curling up in a favorite reading chair with a stack of magazines or design books and a cup of tea, or glass of wine if it’s after 5 p.m. is pure bliss!

I don't own an iPad but I've heard they are wonderful.

The Analog Sherpa, a site that features news and opinion on the rapidly changing marketing/advertising world recently had a thought-provoking piece on this topic. While THIS article focuses on newspapers, it’s a trend that seems destined to take down some of the publications I cherish.

I’ve visited Nesting Newbies, a digital magazine that has gotten lots of recognition since its first issue late last year. And don’t get me wrong, the magazine is very attractive and has a lot to offer readers, including some wonderful recipes, BUT at the end of the day I want to wind down instead of boot up for a visit to a favorite magazine.

This toile-covered ladderback chair and ottoman has given me hours of comfort while reading.

I am an optimist by birth and choose to believe there will be new shelter magazines to replace the ones shuttered and that IF they all go away I’ll get used to sitting in that comfy chair with my iPad (which means I’d have to purchase one) and be eagerly flipping pages of my favorite digital magazine. I’d love to have you talk me down on this—what do you think? Will you be okay with digital media?

Is it me? Am I trying to hold on to a archaic ritual?

Trends in upholstery fabric

11 Monday Oct 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, DIY (do it yourself), Trends

≈ 4 Comments

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drop cloth upholstery, trends in fabrics

Trends [current style; the popular taste at a given time] tend to come and go so I typically don’t try to keep up with every little thing in vogue. In part because I’m a person that likes change in my surroundings but I keep the bulk of my changes to seasonal accessories and re-purposing items I already own. I change out upholstery and wall coverings when the room or item is old enough to warrant it.

This sofa may not be drop cloth upholstered but the canvas slip covers share the look.

Image via Country Living

I would say my design model is Traditional with a cottage/country leaning. I prefer European influenced furnishings and accessories, but because our home is relatively small the cottage look is very appealing. The traditional style leans towards furnishings that supposedly never really go out of style. Maybe?

A trend I’ve noted in blog land and shelter magazines is the use of fabrics that aren’t manufactured to be ‘upholstery fabric’ in the strictest definition of the word. I’m talking about Home Depot/Lowe’s canvas drop clothes. There are even tutorials out there for the ambitious and talented do-it-yourself person. I love the simplicity of white drop cloth upholstered chairs and benches.

Mustard Seed Creation covered this little bench and gave it a grain sack look with paint, including her initials...so cute.

Miss Mustard Seed's dining room chairs look amazing---bet you wouldn't guess that this is made with drop cloth!

Marian over at Mustard Seed Creations has covered several pieces of furniture with these drop clothes and they look amazing. Visit HERE to read her instructions for making slipcovers for chairs using drop cloth.

This is another chair that the talented Miss Mustard upholstered. (I don't believe I could tackle this project but I have an upholstery guy that could do it if I provide the drop cloth.

Another favorite design-site is Brooke’s Velvet & Linen. Brooke recently wrote about a beautiful chair her husband designed called the Clive. The first chair was covered in drop cloth fabric—it looks so amazing.

The Clive chair is so pretty, especially in this particular room.

Osnaberg fabric is another fabric not originally meant to grace a lovely wing back or cover an ottoman. Osnaberg got it’s humble start as a loosely woven fabric designed to transport dry food…essentially the fabric originated in Osnabruck, Germany and it’s coarse but strong thread count was used for feedsacks, among other things.

Another fabric that is receiving exposure is burlap—A Country Farmhouse used a runner on their newly remodeled dining room that looks like it could be washed burlap. The effect is so pretty…less really is more!

Isn't this a pretty room? I love it's light and simplicity.

Most of us have seen and loved the French grain-sack pillows/cushions that are so popular right now—they are earthy and appealing in homes around the globe. Isn’t the whole global market amazing? You can find sites that offer tutorials on how to apply words and pictures to fabric that provide the same look as some of the more costly grain sack cushions…this, in the words of MS, is a good thing! A recent post by the charming site: Ticking and Toile offered a tutorial HERE.

This is one of the many grain sack pillows sold by Ticking & Toile.

I love these pillows, not sure where I can use them but still...{dream}

Are you using/or have you used any of the above mentioned fabrics on any projects in your home? I want to use the drop clothes for something, not sure what just yet.

Setting a Table

06 Friday Jul 2007

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Trends

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The wedding I’ve mentioned in my posting for “Presentation” was a small affair and the bride chose to keep the table setting informal. We used pottery instead of fine china, napkins that coordinated with the pottery and simple glass goblets instead of crystal. The flowers used in the centerpieces were similar to the flowers used in the bouquets of both the bride and bridesmaid. The end result provided a cozy and inviting table complete with lots of candles to set the mood.