It's Nearly Here!

While much of the country is experiencing snow, floods, freezing rain, ice storms; we on the Cumberland Plateau have been having thunderstorms and wind and rain..(with tornado warnings thrown in for good measure). 
Having lived in Wisconsin and Massachusetts (not to mention Colorado), I have had my share of cold, snow, ice and months of freezing temperatures.  I'm fine with where I am.

No big tree this year...I decorated two for a charity that I feel needs it more than we do.  But, I couldn't resist adding touches to make our home more festive during these dreary days and cold nights.

We live in the woods in a mountain resort, so, a few pine branches and pine cones, make a festive, yet peaceful feeling for our front porch.  My husband's late brother, Steve, did the sculpture, and we cherish it...Every now-and-then, I sprinkle some bird food on it, and they flock to it...I know Steve would have liked that.

The bittersweet has moved from the front porch to my foyer....(I am big on reusing...

I made several wreaths for a local shop "The Screen Door", which I love to do, and was pretty burned-out, but, again, I couldn't resist....just one more....for our home...

I couldn't resist the little "Princess Penguin", and since I had quite a bit of Epson Salts left over from last Christmas...(it makes a wonderful, sparkly snow), and plenty of cake stands, and this-and-that...I went for it...

 

She's from a wonderful place I discovered in Knoxville..."The Paris Apartment"...I'm going back after Christmas, and see what I can get at sale prices..they are delightful, but expensive.

And so, from me to you...a Merry Christmas...may it be blessed with joy and good health.

 

I Promised a Tutorial on Making Burlap Pillows, and Finally.....

My friend, Carla French, who owns "The Screen Door" (two locations - Crossville, TN, and Fairfield Glade, TN, bought several wreaths I made, along with some burlap pillows.
So, here's how I did it...the pillows, that is...

First, I like the lighter burlap, just personal preference.  It's harder to find, but, inexpensive.  I wash it and dry it with lots-and-lots of fabric softener.  Be SURE to empty your lint trap often, as it throws off so much...could be a fire hazard.  Once washed and dried, I iron it with a steam iron, set on high.

Cutting burlap is easy..if you know how....

I have two cutting mats, a cutting straight edge, and a cutting wheel.  I seldom used scissors, as they are not nearly as precise and easy to use.  You can find all this in the quilting section at hobby and fabric stores.  It's an investment, but they last for years. The most expensive thing are the sharp, cutting wheel blades...but, replacing them frequently is good.  ALWAYS make sure your blade retracted when not in use..very sharp.  

Measure out the size of your pillow (I add one inch all around", mostly I do 18", so that means my piece of fabric needs to be 20x20".  Snip about an inch into the fabric, find a thread and pull..gather the fabric to the other end. When the thread breaks, cut between the line it leaves.  Do so on the other side.  (I start at one end, and work my way down).  If you do this, make sure you have straightened the end (same method) of the fabric.

I line my burlap pillows with a heavy batting (can be bought cheaply at Hobby Lobby).  Again, I lay my piece of burlap on the batting, and using my straight-edge and wheel, cut a piece around it.  You will have four pieces...two burlap, two batting.  Sew one piece of burlap to batting.  I come in about a quarter-inch or so.  Do this twice.  

I have images that I  have either bought on Etsy, or from the Graphics Fairy (those are free).  One thing I have learned from using the white or off-white burlap is not to print anything that has a pinkish background to it..looks awful..it should either be full-color (such as our Santa) or a white back ground. You can purchase at hobby shops, packets of transfer fabric...I don't use the iron-on for this purpose, but rather, the sheets of fabric with a backing, that you can run through your printer.  It's expensive to print full-color, as it soaks up ink, but, hey, it's only money (kidding).  I have a six-color printer, which gives pretty good results.  I did the others in black-and-white.

Once I have printed my image, I trim the threads with a paper cutter, and position it on the front of the burlap. Sew around it as closely to the edge as possible.  Then, using a hot glue gun and some gimp or whatever trim you want, carefully apply the trim in order to cover the edges.  I start in the middle bottom of the print, and slowly apply the glue, carefully turning the corners, all around and meeting at the bottom.  Cut off the end and figure out something you want to glue on to cover the spot where it meets. For Santa, I covered a self-covering button with velvet.

Putting right sides together, (Santa's on the inside) pin the four pieces together, and starting at the bottom (I place my big-fat hand on it, to make sure that I leave enough space to stuff the polyfil in the pillow.  Sew around the edges (I do a 5/8ths to a one inch seam.  I sew to the very edge, then, take my needle out, cut the thread, and sew the next edge (make sure you backstich to keep it from falling apart).  Once I am back at the bottom, and made sure I have left enough space to turn it and get my hand in there, I backstich and cut my threads.
Before you turn the pillow in-side-out, carefully clip the corners diagonally (not too close to the corner, or you are in trouble...in fact, I often sew over those corners to reinforce them..just in case.
Now, turn your pillow...I use a tool that is rather blunt, but have resorted scissors in the past.  Be CAREFUL (sorry for the shouty-letters) not to go right though the corners. I also trim about a quarter-inch all around, so the seams aren't bulky.

Take polyfil, and starting in each corner, start stuffing...keep pushing it into corners as you go...until your pillow is full.  Flatten in as you go, and make sure it isn't lumpy.  Then, turn the bottom open part in to match the seam, and with matching thread carefully sew the bottom together....Viola...a pillow.

Since "Laughing all the Way" are the words in "Jingle Bells", I attached these bells at the top (not the bottom).

 

Because of the shape of the sled, I made this pillow a lumbar pillow.

Because I loved this one, I kept it...love it so.

By the way, I can always make these for anyone interested...or who do not have the time or energy to do it yourself. 

By lining the pillows, they have a nice bulk to them, and the polifil doesn't come out the loose weave.

Have fun! 

 

Looking for the Candles?

JUST SCROLL DOWN A FEW POSTS, AND THERE IT IS..HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING MY COLUMN IN THE VISTA...

Goodbye, Zinnias, So Long, Glads, Winter's Coming & I'm So Sad

 

Fall is upon us...the chilly mornings call for my late father-in-law's red-plaid "Elmer Fudd" Jacket, set off by my red-flannel, fleece jam bottoms, with deer on them..This is my "uniform" for walking the dog in the early hours...sadly, some people actually see me dressed this way.

This spring, I dusted off my gardening hat, and rented a 40'x40' plot from our community gardens.  I had visions...great visions, of corn, and tomatoes, and flowers, and sweet potatoes, and well, you get the idea...what I got was rain...and more rain, then, it rained some more.  A fungus set in, and claimed much of everyone's garden plot...what I got were Zinnias..lots of lovely Zinnias, and a few glads, along with a few tomatoes, and some eggplant.  So, all was not lost...but, still....

 

I forgot to mention the snapdragons...saucy snaps...

I loved bringing home my harvest, and creating tablescapes from crisply-ironed, white linens, bronzes, and collected books...All worth the back-breaking rototilling, with a rototiller that was stubborn as an old mule...

This is pretty much the extent of the snapdragon harvest..sadly, with all the rain, it was difficult, fine, it was impossible to keep the weeds at bay on such a large piece of land, so, I chose my battles...the vegetables came first, then, the melons (the deer ate those), then, the flowers.  What I found was; zinnias are hearty, beautiful and just kept blooming).  They ended up being my favorite flower.  I did plant Cosmos, and they were lovely, but by the time I cut them, putting them in my French, flower buckets, they were wilted by the time I got them home.  You could practically run over the zinnias, and they just smiled and kept on being beautiful, complex flowers.

  By placing them in front of a mirror, I could double the effect...just adding fresh water every day made them last for at least a week.  When you get your flowers home, give them a fresh cut...I cut them with a sharp paring knife rather than scissors, as scissors sometimes close off the stem, preventing them from drinking.

Weeding this "garden" just wasn't going to happen, I had to set it free, and let it run wild.  I did hoe and mulch around the vegetables, but the flowers were pretty much on their own.  I planted some gladiolas in bunch of five, and mulched around them...I managed to get some for cutting...I love glads..they are stately and the colors are lovely.

I have a pair of etched-glass vases my wonderful mother-in-law gave me, and I cherish them.  By placing them in front of the venetian blinds, and putting my cameo-backed dining chair behind them, I created what I consider my "Film Noir" shot...

My favorite vase is my "fan vase", as you can create a very "full" floral design without that many flowers.  I don't like "tortured" designs...flowers are graceful on their own.  I did manage to get come cosmos to come home and gathered Queen Anne's Lace by the side of the road (I refer to it as "roadsidia).  There is "Cow Parsley", which resembles QAL, but, is larger and not quite as delicate.  I love it.  The trick with this vase is not to tip it, as I've spilled on table tops too many times.

I discovered one, volunteer sweetpea, strugglling to survive under the weeds, so I liberated it, and brought it home....I don't think humans can possibly be as creative as Nature...just so lovely.  In fact, I will just finish this by putting the closeups of the zinnias, as they are stunning in color and complexity.  I hope to paint them this winter, remembering that at one time, I thought they were ordinary-looking...how foolish of me.

"Zinnia Noir"

 

If I start painting now, I might have them all painted by Spring!

CANDLES, ANOTHER OF MY MANY OBSESSIONS

In my world, there can never be too many candles, whether it's the holidays or not.  Over the years, I've been blessed to inherit some lovely, silver candle sticks, and I've collected quite a few varieties of my own.  Everyone looks better by candlelight. In fact, we sit down to dinner every evening with at least three candles on the table. I place a silver charger underneath them, as even dripless candles can drip should a breeze come through (I discovered this the hard way).

Placing candles in front of a mirror doubles the effect, and the light.  I love these striped candles, and move them about the house, just to enjoy them with different vignettes I love to create.  I have design clients, who haven't moved a single thing in their home in years.  They are so surprised how much they enjoy seeing their beloved objects from a different perspective.

In this tablescape I created for a photoshoot for an on-site shoot, even though there wouldn't be food served, I wanted to convey that it is never a good idea to use flowers with a strong scent, so as not to interfere with the taste and smell of the food.  Also, it's never a good idea to use scented candles for the very same reason.  

 I used the striped candles for another shoot, placing them in mercury glass candlesticks.  Even if you don't burn your candles on a regular basis, it's an old designer's dictum to light them, and then blow them out; a blackened wick looks better than the white wick.

You may wonder "why doesn't she just buy more striped candlesticks?"; I have looked for them on the Internet, and found them, but, being the "bargain queen" I am, I just move these around, as they are quite expensive...I found these in a shop that was closing, and got them for a song.  This was our Texas home, and I had just finished making the window treatments behind them.. Since we have placed our Tennessee home on the market, I boxed them up with the silver and moved them off-site..they are that precious to me.

I love changing our mantle with the seasons...again, this was our Texas house, and although it looks like the candle is dangerously close to the wheat, it is a safe distance away, it's just the angle of the shot. Which reminds me, never leave burning candles unattended.

  The pineapple candlestick behind the photo of my one, true love (my husband, Robert), was once a lamp, that took a nose dive and rather than have it rewired, I stuck a candle in it, and I love it.

A simple shock of wheat, tied up with a brown, silk ribbon, and a hint of sparkle (the leaf), highlight the photo of the other true love of my life...my son, Shawn.  Mantles are a wonderful venue for seasonal changes...and candles..don't forget the candles...a very inexpensive way to light up your life.

I created the tapestry photo frame from a fabric sample, (again, my son as a child), I like to group different textures of frames together, and put a reflective-surfaced one near a candle.  This is my late brother, Steve, whom we lost several years ago.  He is missed. Being a professional photographer for years, I have amassed a huge collection of photos..it is comforting to have his image near us.

 

The "silver" candle sticks on our mantle in Texas (our builder was so proud of the piece of stone shaped like Texas, I personally, would have left that one out), I found at the local Goodwill...and then, I silver-leafed them..I am not ashamed to say I enjoy "Goodwill Hunting"..I got a set of three for $7.00!

 The third of the set sat on our table (which I found unpainted for a paltry amount of money, and painted it "Ralph Lauren, black".  I grouped silver-framed, black-and-white family photos around it.

Our first Christmas in our Tennessee house, (that was just last Christmas), I tied ribbon around the silver-leafed candle sticks, and added candles in glass-beaded holders, and lovely, scented candles (pine), along with lights behind the German tinsel...(this was after we had painted the ugly, brown brick floor-to-ceiling fireplace white)..warmth, light, and scent combined make a comforting, warm home for the darkest times of the year.

All this reminds me that it's time to purchase some more candles, as the ones on our dining table are down to nubbins.  One of the least expensive ways to bring a gentle light into your life is using candles....I forget who said, "Instead of cursing the dark, light a candle."

It's Finally Here!!! The Virtural Tour of Our Home...

Finally, come on in!  And be sure to watch the video following it, about Fairfield Glade...enjoy...

http://www.creativehometours.com/12canterburycir.html

How I Spent My Summer Vacation...This Home is Almost Ready to List

When we first moved here over a year ago, we saw a house that had been neglected.  Our Aunt Lillian had passed on, and it was up to us to bring the house up-to-date...and so we have been working for the past year, painting, hiring builders and restoring this home.  We are crawling towards the finish line.

The house was gray and uninviting..so, we had it painted...Sherwin Williams, "Urban Putty".

 

Before it was painted, you hardly noticed the beautiful Crabtree Orchard stone work on the porch and at the base of the house...now, it pops.

 

My husband spread 90, countem', 90 loads of mulch...

 

 We had the deck(s) painted "Smoketree", by SW, and had spindles added to the upper deck and down the staircase.  We didn't add spindles to the lower-level walk-out, as it would be an ideal place to have a screened-in porch.  We had the once stucco lower-level fireplace chase encased in the t-1-11 siding, and replaced all siding that needed it, and new flashing where it was required.  

We had a wonderful crew, replacing anything that needed to be replaced, new flashing, new gutters on the back.  The house is now in better condition that when it was built.

  The entire back of the house is windows, and the views are spectacular, whether from inside or off the decks.

My husband fishes (I no longer do), and loves to steal a few moments on the dock.  We got a little row boat, and it is just fine for us.  One day, we will get another canoe, and I will go out with him on that...How can anyone resist this beauty?

Moving to the interior, we are not quite ready for the "final reveal", but here are a few "befores" and "in progress"

 

The kitchen was "dated", with borders, wallcovering, applied directly to the drywall, and it took a great deal of time and effort to remove it, patch the damage, and paint.

 

 

 

The computer Gods are after me tonight, so I am going to just finish this with photos...enjoy.