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Pictures.... worth so much more than words...

The Colours of Serbia

I am always amazed at the hours and hours of dedicated work done by hand in these costumes.  And, although they are pieces of timeless beauty, I am afraid that the woman who make them by hand will disappear with time and will no longer be around to create these family treasures.  The pieces involve countless hours of watching a flower slowly blossom, colours of Serbia revealed one stitch at a time.  

Interiors + Photography = True Love

You know when you watch someone do something, and you think, "I can do that!"  Well, that was exactly my immediate impression when I watched Scott Hargis, of Scott Hargis Photo in San Fransisco, teach a small group of photographers to photograph interiors.  It was during my attempt at photographing this kitchen that I realized that Scott performed his art very well, and that he made it look easy.  In reality, it was not as easy as I originally concluded, and there was a lot of learning that I was about to embark on.  Scott is a master at his craft, and I was one of the lucky few who got to attend his Vancouver workshop last month. 

Not only was the topic an interesting one to me, the home we photographed was a beautiful show home in the heart of a newly developed Equestrian community located at the 49th parallel, a stone's throw away from the U.S. border.

  

Lunch with the GFs

(Photo from InteriorDesign-Center.com)

I recently tried on a purple coat.  As soon as I put it on, my friend scrunched up her face and gave me that "no way" look.  But, when I looked in the mirror, a smile appeared on my otherwise usually critical face.  I was inspired by its colour--its beautiful colour.  I thought, what could be better than a beautiful purple coat  on a grey, cold day? (And, we're not talking deep, dark purple, but an unusual shade produced from blue and red combined.)  The colour made me happy.  It was that simple:  happy.  

My friend still scrunched her nose at it (and she had every right--it was pretty bright purple after all.)  A passerby came by and gave me praise for it--saying she loved the colour with my dark hair and had been admiring that very same coat the entire winter.  I was still smiling.  My friend was scrunching her nose.  And, the coat was still purple.

When I came across the photograph of this restaurant, it evoked that same smile.  The soft, colourful chairs not only warm the whites, but also invite a group of friends to sip coffee, try out sweet pastries, and laugh the kind of laughter that can only come from a gathering of good friends.  It's a reiteration that we can find joy in so many places.  This not so plain and simple space evokes such a basic response:  it makes me happy. 

Silk Christmas Tradition

 

The tradition of hand making raw silk and ribbon ornaments continues.

I started this collection after watching an inspiring Linda Reeves segment years ago (and I mean years), on Christmas Decorating.  Since then, I have probably made nearly 200 of these ornaments--and never have two been the exact same.

On the weekend, I went to visit dear family friends.  My 11 year old God-sister came running to me, pulling out three of the many ornaments I have made for them over the years.  She then drew me over to the box of ornaments where they have a collection started of these.  In the beginning of this hand-made adventure, I made some with remnants of the three kids' baby rooms--sentimental keepsakes for rooms and times long gone.  They do not match the tree decor--and I have said to them, "Please don't feel they have to go up!"  But, the spirit of the season drives the decor, rather than the colour scheme.  

My six year old niece has taken to making them.  Unlike my need for controlled pattern and colours that compliment, her own sense of direction in colour reveals a joyful collection of candy-like ribbon and beads.  She thinks she is just making crafts, which she adores doing.  But, we're really making memories.  I'm not out in the mall, trying to find her the "perfect" gift--of which there will never be.  Rather, she and I escape into a world filled with Christmas music, laughter, times spent together, ornaments and memory making.

 

They do take time to make.  But, in the world of technology, where I spend so much time, and will have very little to show ten years from now for that time invested, I am happy to go back to using my hands for something else rather than typing...

Every bow is hand made.  Every bead, carefully selected.  The ribbons wrapped around the ornament are all hand wrapped.  Additions of Swarovski crystal and sequins add sparkle and reflect the lights in such a pretty way.  And the colour combinations are endless:  from extremely traditional reds, whites, golds to blues and silvers, purple and chartreuse greens.  They range in size from extra small, hanging perfectly on my fourteen inch tree, to large, filling up the branches of our six foot sparkler.  

I will often fill glass bowls and vases with these colourful and muted delights, and place them on my extra large mantle.

It's one of my favourite things about this time of year.  It's a tradition that not only provides one of a kind Christmas decorations for our home, but also reminds us of the stories of Christmas' past, fosters times together making them during Christmas present, and is memory making for Christmas' future... 

Looking for a Fresh New Start to Christmas Decor?

Are you looking for a change in your Christmas decor?  Are you trying to make your home feel festive, but with a spark of personality?

Seasonal colours of forest green and various shades of red often dictate the decor of seasonal festivities.  However, there are so many more options out there now. This purple and chartreuse green hand-made ornament takes us to a new traditional.  

Sometimes, non-traditional decor (the white tree--or even pink tree!) can be a little too modern for some tastes.  These non-traditional Christmas colours keep some of us a little more comfortable than some of the extremes in non-traditional seasonal design, as we haven't stepped out too far out of the box.  And the traditional design also echoes a classic design that evokes comfort.  However, the colours bring something new and fresh to the repetitive decor that often saturates most homes during this festive time of year.

Thinking outside of the red and green box can be exciting, scary, and fun.  There are many more options out there and it can be as simple as changing the shade of green we usually find in Christmas Decor.

Happy Decorating!





 

Kimberley Seldon's Star Shines Brightly in West

How often does one come across a professional who cares about her colleagues in the same industry as much as she cares about her clients?  The one that comes to mind is Kimberley Seldon, of Kimberley Seldon Design Group.

"Transparency" is not just a business model she follows, it is also who she is.  She has taken it upon herself to help her designer peers learn about the Business of Design, sharing her years of expertise and experience in the industry.  Her business principals are relevant to all those who dare embark on a journey in which creativity is a means to a salary, and not just in design.  Kimberley thoughtfully reminds us that it's 80% business and 20% creative.  Although business can be creative, an entrepreneur needs to know what he or she is doing in order for the business to prosper and be successful. 

On Friday, November 19, Layers and Layers (http://www.layersandlayers.com/) hosted Kimberley's successful book signing event (http://www.kimberleyseldon.blogspot.com/).  It was another opportunity to listen to Kimberley's inspiring real stories--incredibly candid, entertaining, and transparent.  The venue was the lovely Salari show room, and the evening was filled with talented people in the design and building industries.

Thank you to all the people who worked hard to put together this lovely event for us.  And, a thank you to Kimberley for flying all the way out West to inspire us to keep moving forward, both creatively and in business.  

Meet Spot

 

Here he is:  Spot.  He's not furry, nor is he complicated in any way.  Co-designed by a six year old, his cute potential was enormous from the get-go.

In design, we let our creativity take us down a complex path of mixing and layering.  We put in the pillows, the art, and a hint of this and that:  the inspirations all transpiring into one lovely decorated and designed space.  Sometimes, we go back to a clean slate, relying on simple lines to bring our art together.

Spot exemplifies the latter.  Not all good design has to be an intricate weave of complex fibres.  Sometimes, simple is just right and mixes the right tones of classic and contemporary.  Sometimes, we want to embrace simple, to escape from our lives, cluttered with so many to do lists and all this stuff that surrounds us.  Sometimes, simple is all we really want.

Time

There are moments we try so hard to hold on to, and yet the seconds slip from our fingers...