The making of a "tiaras & tutus" birthday party!

Since September when our daughter started the three's program at preschool (and received her first birthday invitation for the school year) she has been counting down the months, days, hours and minutes until she turns four!  I, on the other hand, have been pretending like it's so far away...sniff, sniff...I'm not ready for her to turn four. She takes "fairytale ballet" classes and has talked non-stop about turning four and wanting to have a princess ballerina birthday party. So, next weekend she will have a "tiaras and tutus" birthday celebration at the studio where she takes ballet!

 I look forward to creating a day that is as magical for her as she is magical to me and my husband. With that said, I have been squeezeing an extra twenty minutes out of my nights for the past month to make tissue paper flowers, to embellish tutus, to roll up flatware in a napkin and seal with an initial sticker, to place on-line orders, to paint paper dolls (you'll see) and mostly, to prepare for a bunch of little ballerinas to have fun.

Instead of birthday hats...

The ribbons and flowers I've been sewing on to tutus... 

The packages of tissue paper...

...continue to be transformed into flowers to be hung from the ceiling!

Preparing for this birthday party has given me pause, as I asked myself why is it that I give so much effort and energy to everything I do? Why do I happily bring on adding special touches that are time consuming? The reason came to me. I grew up in a single parent family and I witnessed my mother always give her best....always. My brother and I were given memorable birthday parties with every single detail done by her, when perhaps...it would have easier for her to use any number of reasons as an excuse to not make us a special cake, to not decorate in a special way for whatever our interests were at that stage, but instead she always made sure our birthdays were special. Being a parent was never a hassle to my mother. I hope my daughter grows up feeling the same about me.
I'll do a post on the party after next weekend.
Enjoy your day!

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

This brushed gold, solid wooden frame holds a beveled mirror and commands a presence with its size being 55"w x 67"h. We have had it for six years...first it was a leaner in our bedroom when we lived in the city and now it hangs in our daughter's room. It is the "wow" factor in her bedroom, unless of course she is in there! However, the bigger "wow" factor may be that we only paid $99.00 for it at Home Depot... it is stunning!

Sometimes we find surprises in unexpected places! Have you found a mirror in a not so obvious place?  

         

Bookends

 It doesn't matter whether they are visible on a bookcase, stacked in a pile on an ottoman or being displayed nicely with bookends...I love seeing books in a room. Books in a home tell a story about what the homeowners like to read, where they have traveled, who their favorite author might be and of course, I know that some books are just for display....regardless of the reason for having books, they are a nice addition to a room. Do you like displaying books? If so, how do you showcase your reading material?

 Here's one of many bookends in our home...the Eiffel Tower. Notice that I have the bookends inside a faux leather crocodile tray. I will sometimes put bookends inside a tray when on a console/sideboard, so that I can lift the tray and clean without moving all the books individually...just a little tip!

Happy Monday!

Your sense of design adventure

Since it's Friday, I thought I'd have a little fun with this post!

There is definitely something to be said for our own sense of adventure in life; and how that correlates with decorating our own home. I tend to have an adventurous personality and I'm not afraid to take risks. I think good design usually pushes the boundaries a little (or maybe a lot!) My interiors are never homogenous. I like to layer rooms by mixing the old with the new, the high end custom piece with the inexpensive retail find, tossing the distressed piece of furniture into a room that is otherwise quite polished, blending various furniture/metal finishes together to create a comfortable feel, a "wow" factor for every room I design is a must and ultimately creating a home that fits the homeowners like a couture suit...perfectly!

Thought I'd show a little of my adventurous personality in hopes that you get to better know me. Here I am in South Africa getting ready for my dive with Great White Sharks.

Climbling into the cage with my husband. 

We saw very large Great Whites...about two to three feet from our cage!

 

  Here are a few samplings of what we saw up close, all while in an open Jeep on a safari in South Africa. My husband took all of these photos!

Take notice of the baby monkey holding onto the mother's belly while she is walking.  

I decorate with a fearless sense of how I pull my interiors together. My interiors are not over the top or even infused with lots of color, but rather refined and higly influenced by the color palettes you see in nature. I am not afraid to leave my comfort zone with how I live life or how I decorate. What are your thoughts about one's personality playing into one's interior design or decorating?

Now, just let me conclude with this thought...I would scream, fall over, knock my head on something and pass out if I were to see a mouse...I'm terribly frightened of them...seriously! I'd rather see a tiger in my kitchen than a mouse. When we go to the Bronx Zoo my husband trys to get me into the mouse exhibit with our children...I tell him I have to stay outside and "watch" the stroller...wink, wink!!

Have a wonderful weekend!           

Custom Pillow

I'm working on a custom pillow for our daughter's bedroom. She loves to sit in her bed and lean against her headboard to "read" books. I'm making this pillow the width of her twin bed and high enough for her to sit in bed and lean against comfortably while "reading." She is so excited about this textile! Here's a sneak peak of what's to come...
This Zoffany textile is going to be the frontside of the pillow. It's perfect for an almost four year old (who has a mommy that loves shoes!)    
Close-up details:

This deep rich pink is a cotton velvet by Fabricut and will be the backside...it's so soft. 

 I will do a post on her entire room once I complete a few more details.
You can use any material to make a pillow, it doesn't have to be a textile from a design showhouse (as seen above). You can use patterned napkins and sew together...include a great trim to take it over the top! You can also use a piece of clothing.  I once saw Eddie Ross speak at Calico Corners (about a year ago) and he used a fancy sequined gown from Goodwill to make pillows that were gorgeous!
Do you like to make custom pillows?   

Lillian August Flagship Store

Yesterday and today were very busy work days. I'm working on the installation of furnishings in a client's home...it's so rewarding and exciting to see a home come together! With that said, I started my day yesterday at Lillian August grabbing some stuff for this particular client's home. Lillian August is a mega interior furnishings venue with it's flagship store located in Norwalk, Connecticut. To walk into Lillian August is to enter a magical world! Their selection of furniture, lamps, mirrors, accessories, custom pieces, carpeting, outdoor decor are varied and impressive! They also have in-house interior designers for the homeowner working on his or her own. And, for interior designers they have a trade program. This store has become one of my favorite sources for endless possibilities under one roof. Here are some photos I took yesterday to showcase a little sampling of Lillian August's offerings.

Have you been to Lillian August? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
If not, and you'll be in the area I strongly suggest stopping by for some serious eye candy!
Check out their website: http://www.lillianaugust.com/   

Orchids

Often times, I'm asked for advice about what would make a great hostess gift, housewarming present or birthday gift for the person that has everything. My answer...a beautiful orchid. There is something about an orchid that elevates the room in which it's placed...agree? It seems when people hear the word orchid, they immediately think $$$ signs...are you one of them?

Orchids need not cost a fortune to elicit the response "you shouldn't have!" 

Here's one of my secrets...
I have had great success in finding orchids from Home Depot and Trader Joe's for $20.00 or less. I recently purchased orchids at Home Depot for $14.99 a piece and several months prior to from Trader Joe's for less than $20.00. Now, I would never have the nerve to hand someone an orchid that looks like this...in a plastic container with plastic little clips...not my style.    

    Instead, I have a go-to supply of green moss and raffia, both from Michael's (art supply store for those of you not familiar) for a few dollars each. Since, I can use both for numerous gifts (or for my own home), I amortize the initial cost (which isn't much) over numerous plants.

And, then I grab something snazzy for the pot. In this case I bought a serving bowl with two lions heads, one on each side. The cost...$3.99, the source...Christmas Tree Shop.

      Here's the breakdown: the orchid $14.99, the pot $3.99 and a handful of green moss to enhance the presentation and raffia to replace the little clips...the final look for about $20.00! 

  

For the presentation, I wrap it in clear cellophane from the bottom up, leave about 10 extra inches at the top, then I gather the top and wrap a huge bow around it...looks very pulled together! This gift will have the recipient smiling for months! Your thoughts? 

 I'm off to begin a very busy day by dropping my daughter off at preschool with a big hug and a kiss followed by taking delivery of much anticipated furniture for a client, a client meeting and shopping for a client!  Happy Monday!