Getting a Hand on Fall

Hello Everyone!  

I hope everyone is finding the fall season refreshing and the colors vibrant. I have been very busy doing all sorts of things, but mainly writing and being holed up in the house. So, while being in the home, I thought I would share some news, but also, how I spend my writing breaks - taking photos!

This pretty paper pumpkin was made and given to me by my dear friend, Debbie McReynolds. It was just the touch I needed for my window. Look at how the paper looks with the velvet leaf:

I decorate very minimally in my house, which surprises most people. I can pull out the stops when the mood strikes me, but for the most part, I keep it simple. While working all week, writing and writing (more on that later) I took breaks and found the light coming in through our windows just right and so I stretched my back and took some photos in our family room. My barber husband had bought his little bungalow home in hopes to have a wife to share it with some day (his words) and his little home was built in 1925ish. I put my little touches here and there and he gave me his office to do my "Elizabeth House" look, but the rest of the house is still being "combined" with our styles. I love how our little home is blending together.

I just loved these little gourds in the window that are on vintage butter pats and the candle holder is from our wedding, as is the platter. Most people find it funny that I design elaborate window treatments but I choose not to have any of my own. I love light and old windows. Or, I choose to have old grain sacks hanging up (as in our kitchen). Go figure. But here are some photos of the little gourds....

A couple of days ago, while writing in our little back room, with all the windows, I saw a man walking around our house and looking at our windows. I called my barber husband, who told me he sent a guy over to give us an estimate on what it would cost to take off the storm windows and to clean the windows both inside and out! Yeah! As you can see, not a moment too soon! Actually, these particular windows are about 9 feet off the ground from the BOTTOM of the window and having tried to clean them before, there is no where to lean the ladder on the outside, other than to the side of the window. I can't reach them. So for now, I have convinced myself that this "look" is the "new, vintage window" look. :-)

But I know my readers and you aren't looking at the window, you are looking at that little piece of furniture peeking out of the photo and wondering what it is....see, do I know you or what? Well, that is my, or rather, my barber husband's latest find! And found on the side of the road! After a day of shearing sheep (that is what I call what Randy does - sometimes I walk into the barber shop and I see all this gray hair all over the floor, he is standing there with his clippers in his hand, buzzing, and an old man sitting in the chair with a beard, and it looks like he has been shearing sheep all day!) But coming home one day, he saw this chair, and hopefully, no one was just sitting it out to air it, but home it came !

Until I can put a new facelift on it, it remains in its original state: Road Kill Street Chic - do you love it or what???

And in keeping with the fall colors - which happen to be extra pretty this year, I chose simple gourds to fill my English cream bowl. I am posting extra large photos so you can see what I saw behind my lens:

Randy is very proud of his art deco cabinet. When he bought his house, it was painted white,  he tells me (don't say it) and he said he spent months stripping it and refinishing it. He is not "handy" in that way and no one ever taught him how to do those things. This was his first project and I think he did a wonderful job. When we first got engaged and after he realized I would paint anything and everything, he said, "Four things you can't paint...this cabinet, the window seat, my dining table, and my desk." Hid desk is the one in my office. One down....

Now just in case these super large images are too large for some of you, here are a few in a smaller version:

As you can see, our home is decorated very rustic and simply for the fall season. We keep the dust for the true "rustic" feel - well, that is what I tell myself, at least. :-)

I've been writing a LOT lately, but before I get to that, I would like to say a little something about home life, fall, and just being with the one you love during this time of year. I gave you eye candy up front this time, and now "point of view" time comes a little later....and there is a reason.

This is the time of year that either is in panic mode - holidays around the corner, school schedules, exams, and shopping....or it is relax mode....soups to make, shopping not due yet, and the weather is just screaming for walks outside. I am the latter. This is the time of year that I start to "nest." Get out the cozy lap blankets, dig out the soup recipes, and take walks with the crunchy leaves. And holding hands. Fall is the holding hand season. Not too soon for gloves yet, but chilly enough that a warm hand is all the better. Just a thought - go grab a hand and if you need an excuse, just say you were chilly.

I took these photos just only a few days ago. My honey was up early to leave for fishing and I wanted to go, but I had deadlines to meet and I needed the house to myself to write and to think anyway. I enjoy being by myself at times. He had gone out to the car to load up, and while he was out, it was then that I noticed the light hitting the gourds and the chair in a certain way.

I was still in my pj's, my hair in my "thingy" as I call it (a stretchy headband) and no make-up. Barefoot, I padded over to my office and got out my camera and just went back to the gourds and started to arrange them a bit and started to shoot photographs. I did not hear Randy come back in right away - I was caught up in my own, little "gourd world." When I finally noticed him standing there, and he was waiting on me, I just put my camera down, gave him a kiss good-bye and he loaded up a few more things and on his way he went. And I back to my picture taking before I started my writing again.

About an hour later, my barber husband tells me he is well on his way, made his stop at Bass Pro, got his coffee and I can hear in his voice that all is well with the world. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was making green tea and cutting french bread and getting ready to start writing. He paused for a second and said, "You know, I thought it was kinda neat how you just got out your camera so early and just started to shoot that bowl..." I was caught off guard because this isn't something he usually says to me. I asked him what did he mean? He goes on to tell me that he felt it was "neat" how I can just walk into a room, see something special, and then just stop what I am doing, go get my camera and start shooting. "I never see stuff the way you do, it is kinda neat," he tells me over the phone. "I was wondering how you do that and this morning when I saw you, I was wondering what you were seeing."

I am a little stunned as I gnaw on some chewy french bread, while standing in my kitchen with bare feet.

My husband is impressed by me.

Now I know he has been impressed with my "stuff" before, but for some reason, this resonates with me differently. Maybe it is because I never gave it a second thought about pulling out my camera. Maybe because I just assumed that OF COURSE ANYONE would have noticed how the light hit that tiny little gourd stem just "like that." 

Or maybe, I just realized right then that when my barber husband came back into the house that morning as I was taking photos and thought he was waiting on me, he wasn't waiting on me to finish up, he was actually watching me. Watching and wondering.  For a moment, he was wondering what I was seeing through my lens that was so fascinating, that I didn't even bother to eat breakfast yet, or even put on socks, that I would stand on a cold floor because I didn't want to miss the light. 

And it is at those moments, when we can look at our loved ones and either really wonder at them with amazement or wonder what we ever had in common with them and brush them off so easily because our own agenda is more important at the moment. I am guilty of the latter so many times. Always in a rush, it seems. I hate to admit that, it isn't intentional, but it happens. But yet, I do find myself wondering so much about my barber husband, but I don't speak of it often enough.

For example, those "sheep" he shears all day - those haircuts. I will sit there, in the barbershop and read and chat and sometimes, a guy will enter with a head of hair that looked like has never seen a comb and I wonder, what the hell is Randy going to do with that?? And I will watch my barber husband as he sits this mess of guy in his chair, and as he puts the cape around his neck, and ask his usual question, "So, what are we doing today?" I think, What are we doing today? What are we doing today? Buzz that crap off? What else can you do??

So, I sit there and watch in wonder. And I get impressed. I wonder how he sees the haircut that is to be. I only see a billy goat. I wonder how he knows what "take a little off the top" means and how much is a "little"? But by the end of the shearing session, Mr. Billy Goat, looks like he has joined the human race. Oh, I do tell my handsome barber husband how much I love seeing what he can do with those clippers of his, but I should tell him more. He impresses me so often.

How we wonder at one another is a sign of affection. Wondering means we are curious enough about the other person in a good way. We want to know what makes them tick, how they think - all without judgement. We enjoy that person for who he/she is and have no desire to change them, only to get to know them, and without taking any of their glory, only being happy to be invited into their life.

So these above photos, are just a mental break from all my writing, and are simply a visual of how I see my world inside my tiny home on one given morning, while waiting for my husband to pack up for his fishing trip and while standing around in my pj's. And my husband, minding his own business, walks in and sees his crazy wife, bent over, studying a bowl of gourds, and he was just wondering what I was seeing behind my lens and how I manage to find it all so fascinating.  And now you can see what I was seeing as well and whether or not you find it fascinating, doesn't matter, it only matters to me that you found it (me) at all. :-)

I just wanted to share the moment that took place right at the beginning of this little photo session.

And now on with some news - and then off to bed! It is late and I must try to get some sleep - sleep is important to me lately and haven't been getting much.

Well, as pretty as that part of the house is, below is another case...this is how my last week or so has been spent, writing, in our little back area....not glam at all - but content.

You see, I wasn't lying about that "thingy" in my hair, no make-up, and my pj's and french bread. Oh, I have so much news, but I am so pooped. Well, for those of you that I am driving crazy about my website not being up, get in line....right behind me. My hard drive crashed about a month ago - and I don't even want to get into it. But it is from my new Mac - and in 25 years, I NEVER had a hard drive crash - and if I keep typing, I will just keep getting upset - but lucky me, the computer guys said, "this is so rare..." and my hard drive is STILL at the repair center and can't be totally recovered...and is looking like well over $2000 to recover data....okay, I am stopping now....

That is why I am in the back room, with all the windows so I can see the trees and leaves and not face the my huge desk top, that I have yet to RELOAD all the programs and everything and working off my laptop for now....

But you know...I am really pooped. I think I will have to finish this post another time. I know, I know, I never do this, but I am really tired.  I will say I am writing and interviewing chefs and food bloggers for a book coming out, Where Women Cook Celebrations - very exciting, but will talk about that and other news next time. To be honest, blogger cut me off and this is the SECOND time I am doing this post - so it should have been done about 2 hours ago. That is why I am pooped.

Okay, much more news later. Once I am caught up. I hope you enjoyed the photos. On a design note, for those of you who may feel the pressure to always go "all out" and decorate your home for family member or friends who are coming over to visit...just remember that sometimes, less is more. I know how much fun it is to decorate, believe me, I do love doing it. But sometimes, if life doesn't allow the time, or the energy, or even the expense, sometimes, keeping it really simple can be a quiet way to make a nice statement about a season. 

Let your heart and your words decorate the souls of your friends.

A home is a place for lovely wondering...

A house is a place to wonder where to put your butt to sit and feet to rest...

Don't kill yourself decorating for butts and feet...just my opinion, but what do I know, I just spent an hour taking photos of a bowl of bumpy gourds.... :-)

From my house to your house,

Pins, Paper, Scissors

As promised, I said I would show you some photos that weren't included in the Aug/Sep/Oct issue Where Women Create Issue. This time I am showing some extra photos that I shot in the studio of Amy Barikman, of Indygo Junction. To recap, I am trying to catch everyone up on everything....

Two postings ago, I showed you some extra photos that I took for Curious Sofa that weren't included in that issue of WWC, and if you missed that posting and want to see some photos, you may click here and it will take you right to it. Next, I showed you photos of Ree Drummond's (Pioneer Woman) ranch and if you missed that posting and the stories that went with it, you may click here, and it will link you right up. I also caught you up on the fun tidbit that I entered a national design contest sponsored through Design Sherpa and was selected and made it to phase one with my photo and essay (feel free to click and leave a comment!) and as of this writing, phase two has not been announced yet. So, I have no word if I made it to phase two yet. I believe there are four or five phases, the winner won't be selected until November, I believe. And finally, I hinted a little about my new studio. I am still in the process of getting the permits - I went to city hall and am getting the inspections scheduled as I type this and the electrical is being finalized! More on that later...can't wait to show you...  :-)

So now, on with the eye candy. Let me tell you a little about Amy. This is one very talented lady with LOADS of energy. She makes me look like a slug! She writes, owns and runs a business, takes great care of her wonderful family,  has a beautiful home, a great disposition, and loves to share, share, share. I was just fascinated by all that she does. She owns (along with her mother) Indygo Junction, a pattern business that many of you crafters probably are familiar with. Her company sells all sorts of patterns that will help you make all kinds of fun stuff from rosettes made out of vintage ties, purses, vests, scarves, tops, aprons, you name it. Items you see in the following photos are from her patterns.

Amy at her desk. I love her style.

I thought you might like to hear how a photo shoot goes on DURING the set up when I don't know what I am really walking into, and I thought you might find it interesting, so here is a peek. When I arrived at Amy's house to preview it, I had to shoot her studio and Debbie's on the same weekend. I arrived on a Thursday afternoon and went and visited Amy's home. She is a dream client because she let me style and do whatever I wanted to her space. She is a real worker bee and had this fabulous room with all these windows that she did work in, and it did have a table that she did paperwork on, but her stacks of patterns were in the room next to it, with no windows (both these rooms were in the basement) and I immediately said, "We must use the room with the windows!" She just smiled and said, "Tell me what to do." She showed me around her house and she had all these FABULOUS vintage mannequins and I told her we need to gather all her girls up. I went into her pattern room (actually a room that actually was more of a stock room, not really a work room) and she pulled out all sorts of goodies and I told her we need to pull those into the window room too. I rearranged her tables (they were already in there) and gave her more "assignments" to pull together for the next day (Friday) as I shot over Curious Sofa. She worked very hard all day Friday in her studio.

Oh, I can't remember her kitty's name, but I loved him!! He was a like a dog and followed me everywhere.

Late Friday, after a day of shooting at Curious Sofa, I go back to Amy's to see her work, and I am so happy when people actually do what I tell them to do! (I know, I know, Randy turns that statement around every time I use it, but I am referring to when people do what I say design wise!).  She did pull her studio together but still had some work to do. Amy is very modest and humble. I helped her to see her space differently for a photo shoot. I helped her with "marketing." 

I noticed that she didn't have any of her company's items out, or her branding out, or her name anywhere. There is a very fine line in doing this. You don't want to go overboard, but hey, it is a national magazine, so you want to take advantage of the free advertising! So, I ask her to show me around her whole place and I come across all these purses she had stashed away and fell in love with them! And I needed to fill up the place under the table, it looked too bare, so this was perfect! See? Not in-you-face marketing, but still an addition of color.

Okay, I have to add, the green purse if my favorite. I love them all, but I love the green one.

And in this wide shot, see how the table would look naked and dark below without a dash of color? The trunk is too dark on its own. You see the purses, and nothing tells you the purses are her patterns, but there is a feeling that you might wonder about them, look up her website, and presto! There they are! Now in case you are wondering, those pillows right in front, on the floor, are mementos that were already in her studio that has meaning to her, and added great color - not a pattern. So, again, we are not overdoing the marketing.

So, there I am on Friday evening, giving her more instructions to dig out even more stuff. Again, like I said before, people are just amazed at how much stuff it takes for a photo shoot. She will have all day Saturday to get it right. I will be shooting all day Saturday at Curious Sofa, and Sunday, I will be shooting all day at Amy's. I leave of list of things for her to hunt down: threads, ironstone bowls, notions, pin cushions, papers, needles, anything with sewing...

I shoot all day Saturday at Curios Sofa and then on Sunday, I come back to shoot at Amy's. She found lots of good stuff and then I go about and arrange them here and there, according to how the light is coming in through the window and hits it. Above is a good example. She wrote a book, Vintage Notions, and did a lot of research and had tons of vintage papers regarding the subject. She also had vintage ribbon and lace. By simply putting the them together at a certain angle, then suddenly, what was  just stored in a box and plastic bags only moments earlier, becomes "artsy."

She had piles of the old red tomato pin cushions...I loved them! But when they are piled in an old jar...well, now, even I would consider putting this beautiful, bright red jar of pin cushions in my soft palette office....

Her studio was like a candy store. I was so happy! I could have clicked and clicked all day long with all the goodies she pulled out for me to play with. She really did a great job and was great in standing back and letting me make small adjustments and playing with all her finds.

This really is her office, don't misunderstand. But she also has another area that just didn't have any windows, color, and was just pure shelving for inventory. And all of what you see here all belonged to her, none of these things are props. All I did was arrange it so the readers could see all of her fab finds and what had most meaning to her and why. The bench was there, the bulletin board, and so on. A picture should tell a story without words. I think if you knew nothing about the owner of this space, you would instantly know that this person was into fabrics, and textiles and yet, there is not a sewing machine in sight. Did you notice that? No sewing machine. Remember, she is a pattern lady - not a seamstress. But yet, somehow, you knew by this photo she was into fabrics and textiles. That is what a picture should do - tell you a story. If you don't believe me, look at the photos of my space, and the space of Debbie of Curious Sofa...I bet they will tell you a story.

Okay, now on with some more photos without me gabbing:

I added her beautiful scarf  - yes- this is a patter from her company.

These are pins made from vintage ties. Yes - her pattens!

Suspenders hanging from desk lamp, and she works with buttons too.

I have to say, when she pulled this out, I flipped. I have TONS of photos of these pins from all sorts of angles. I just loved it so much and found it to be so cool.

Something as simple as lining up her little bolts of thread along her window sill not only keeps her supplies handy, but can be a little work of art. (Of course, be aware of fading if left too long in direct light.)

I remember making yo-yo dolls as a little girl, while learning how to sew!

Just as I was leaving the studio for the day, the light changed on me (clouds came in) and I tossed these boots on the desk and stood on a footstool and snapped this. The colors of the papers went with the color of the inside of the heel, if you look closely. That is the challenge of natural light, the time of day, shadows, clouds, and so on. I love it, but it is hard to work with.

It's funny to see what the room looks with someone's eye (and a pocket camera with flash) standing there and then what it LOOKS like through my lens, on a stool, hunched over, squinting...all day long...clouds just came...I can tell I am getting frustrated with the lighting coming and going....see the dull light in the windows?

After a long day of shooting and after dinner, we had a our photo taken to remember a job well-done.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour of another studio and photo shoot.  Next time, I am going to share with you some girlfriend time I had with a special friend that I kidnapped and took her antiquing. And hopefully have more news to share. Until then, maybe take a look around your house and see what you might have that might look good somewhere else or mixed up a bit. You might be surprise what you find in closets, drawers, or in a box...then put them in a bowl, a jar, or on a window sill and enjoy them for a change. Who knows, you might end up using it and gaining drawer space all at the same time!


from my house to your house,