I am stuck! Don’t know what the heck has happened to me, it’s been three months already and I can’t stand looking at the last post I did any longer! I officially hate it, so I left my bed in the middle of the night determined to fix the problem. Enough is enough. I have something to say and it’s been stuck in my throat and heart for a while… My friend Ellie is dying, she is dying really young…and Aging is a privilege, so if you are aging you are so darn lucky.
My friend Ellie is dying with ALS. I’ve never met her, but thousands of us consider her our best friend. She has this crazy beautiful blog called “Have Some Decorum” -you can find it here – and thousands of adoring followers and friends…she is young and gorgeous, with a loving french husband and a pretty teenager daughter whom she adores and calls The Brat! Ellie is a California girl living in Paris, she’s hilarious and irreverent, tender and tough, with a dirty mouth and a mischievous brain as quick and bright as a ray of light. All her friends around the world, myself included, can’t accept the fact that we’re losing her and are praying for a miracle… and I would be all so grateful if you could add her to you prayers too.
To understand Ellie, you have to get to know her, it’s so worth it. I promise! But you must go way back in her blog to really get her. Don’t make the mistake to judge, just let yourself experience a lesson in life and strength that is rare and remarkable. I found her in 2014 through Janet from the blog The gardener’s Cottage Janet had just discovered her and begged us to pay her a visit, she was smitten and couldn’t stop reading…and then crying… I started reading and I was hooked. I can only tell you to be prepared to laugh out loud and cry like a child…
I don’t have images of “Real People” growing old with grace, I’ve been told in this post“Gray is Beautiful, or is it?” that the people in the pictures are rich, famous and photoshoped. I agree, but those are the only pictures available and until I become a famous photographer and I can produce my own material, this will have to suffice, of course that’s never going to happen, I barely know how to use my camera in automatic and prefer my iphone!
What is true and will continue to be true is that aging is a privilege not offered to all and that there is remarkable beauty, strength and character hidden in the lines that cover us all.
Ellie and Gracie in California
Ellie (Left in red and rhinestones?) and husband David. Don’t know who the lady in red in the middle is.
Ellie, not long after…
So let’s never forget to give thanks for the privilege and beauty of growing old
Eddie Ross… where to start?! The talented East Coast editor of Home and Gardens Magazine brightens any space he enters with his sweet personality, down to earth demeanor, boyish smile and tremendous talent. He can bring light and color in a masterful way to any room using things we own in combination with family treasures and some very affordable Salvation Army or Goodwill pieces. His spaces are definitely unique, bright and so darned positive that they can chase the blues away out of any heart in the world.
And now, with his new book, written in collaboration with his handsome partner Jaithan Kochar, he is on a mission to help us do just that on our own.
I find myself looking at old images of his work and realizing it has a certain timeless quality to it!
There was no chance in hell I wasn’t going to include next picture, a tablescape he did in collaboration with Bunny Williams for Christmas! People at this point might be sick of Christmas Decor, but this is so fresh and creative that nobody could tired of it, even after the holidays. What an honor to work with Ms. Williams, she is one of the best and most respected decorators in the world and a wonderful and down to earth person as well. I can only imagine how Eddie must have felt working with her, I would have cried. Yes, right there and then, burst into tears! Not just because of how talented she is but because she is a very real and classy lady who is unaffected and unimpressed with all the fluffies (is that even a word, or I just invented one?!) and pretentious stuff that comes often with the lifestyle of famous and top interior designers. I could spend hours and hours listening and talking to her, it must have been a rare and delicious treat! Nothing more on Bunny because of course, I’m going to have a post on her, and even if I try very hard, I won’t be able to begin to scratch the surface of her contribution to the world of design and her fabulous work. These posts are such a treat to me, to revisit the work of all those incredible people… Priceless.
What a joyful table…. I can’t stop staring. Tabletop fabric by Bunny Williams for Lee Jofa, the inspiration for the whole tablescape.
Eddie used his own antique English salad plates with Bunny’s Gold Star collection and his French Opaline Goblets. I love those who are not afraid of change and experimentation, opening new ways in any field and widening our horizons!
How gorgeous those salt cellars and shakers are as well as that pepper mill?! It is in the little details, I’m telling you… I always say the same thing! Well, not just me, everybody.
I believe this is from the book and makes me just so happy to look at it, you must order the book! After so many years of whites, browns and grays -which I ADORE- we really need help to bring color back into our lives and this book will do it. Imagine this: Bunny Williams did the foreword. It means the book is smashing beautiful and perfectly illustrated! Every review I read is calling it: The BEST. You can order it here: eddieross.com/modern-mix
This is my first time including links!!! hooray ! Go me! I hope they work because they make me feel so professional and stuff…. I apologize for any infringements with the authors of anything. If I need to remove something I sadly…not gladly… would do so! I know, but I’m not going to lie, I love everything here and don’t want to take anything away…
What a marvelous and happy combination! I hear Pharrel singing!
The colors and textures, the patterns and all the eclectic goodness going on here is such a treat, it has that collected through time look, that natural and effortless feel, so hard to obtain and it’s so unassuming that will make anybody want to stay forever…
I believe this is their guest room. I’m surprised of how restrained this room is in regards to color… that means they either compromised or Eddie can do neutrals with an accent color beautifully as well. Of course he can! I wouldn’t be surprised though if we find this room changed very soon, I can see orange curtains or at least the natural grasses roman shade painted orange or something like that!
I am not a fan of the tablecloth colors and pattern but I can still enjoy the whole thing, I think the brass candleholders are lovely, and I am in love with that mirror!
That shows everybody that even things we think we don’t like can look beautiful with the right combination of elements. Very english garden and Art Deco vibes at the same time! Eddie Ross can make anything work but it takes an immense amount of skills and talent to do it so perfectly, and of course great taste and instincts. I’m a big fan!
I love the cutlery, those beautiful white, crisp, embroidered linen napkins and fabulous plates!
I believe this an old photo but still, it’s so “Eddie talented”
I absolutely adore this palette and the setting! Are those olive trees?!
Handsome treasure Hunter!
Eddie’s vintage brass cart turned into a bar “fabuloso”!!!
and a reminder that next on the list is Spring! How can one avoid to fall in love with color with such a display of happiness and effervescent spirit? Thank you Eddie Ross for taking the stiffness out of the Interior Design butt!
Eddie and his partner Jaithan Kochar. I think Eddie looks so much like Derek Hough, from “Dancing with the Stars” What do you think?!
Derek Hough…. WOW! right?!
Eddie Ross … they look like twins separated at birth!
And last but not least: Eddie and the fabulous and very smart Susanna Salk from quintessenceblog.com
What do you think? Are you loving all the color coming back in our lives? How do you feel about brass? Too much too soon or are you young enough that you never got sick of it?
All of us who are living in the Northern Hemisphere are starting to feel the winter blues… Yes, inevitably, when the Holiday’s lights start to disappear, those moody blues begin to show up! … And what is one to do when confronted with the harsh reality of a long winter ahead of you without any prospects of skiing in St. Moritz?!
Dream! All we have to do is dream of a world full of colour and light, full of energie and happy thoughts … and to help you do just that I am sharing these wonderful pictures of the work of two amazing designers, masters of colour and pattern, who are not afraid of mixing anything… and I mean: Anything!
Don’t judge, just enjoy, go with the flow, let yourself float and be invigorated, I won’t say anything because I can’t, design has that effect on me, makes me really, REALLY, emotional and sometimes it is hard to do anything else but soak it all in and wonder why Eddie Ross and I are not best friends yet. We should be, we have so much in common! I know if he knew me he would adore me … Ok, back to reality, here we go! -Today is Jonathan the one bringing the sunshine and tomorrow Eddie will be the chosen one!
Yes! -Traditional elements mixed with modern furniture from the Jonathan Adler’s collection, totally inspired by modern-mid century design and by the genius designers that created the best armchairs since the Klismos chair, all mixed together with my beloved dark, lacquered walls (well, these are not lacquered but they are paneled, so I love them so!) and those balloon things, so similar to Koons dogs. Jonathan is a gifted designer and an artist, he was a potter first before becoming an interior designer and now, apart from his furniture collection, he has a really cool accessory line made of brass, glass and lucite.
Modern Pottery. Jonathan Adler malachite vases, what a bright bunch!
We can’t deny how happy and fun this is and I love that they didn’t leave the ceiling unfinished … no idea what it is, could be tin, could be plaster, could be wood, I don’t know, but it sure is beautiful
I’ll try to keep the comments to a minimum from this point on so I can share more pictures… (but please notice those gorgeous, colorful books inside the heart of the chimney, coolness!)
So fresh and clean, still mid-century but with a contemporary air and refinement
How about that?! I love the J.A. Topanga sofa and I am finally coming to terms with the Brigitte chair. (I kind of love it. I don’t know, I need to see it in person to really know)… – It was hard for me at the beginning, when all the modern craziness started, to accept this trend. Having grown-up during the 70’s I got sick of seeing a lot of this period’s furniture and decor and not in it’s best versions, nothing to do with the refinement of what we see now! On the other hand, no pun intended, I adore the lucite giant hand.
Even the giant Sputnik chandelier has found a place in my heart. I also love all the movement and flow coming from the undulating brass base of the Scalinatella table, the Bacharach swivel chair, the sputnik chandelier, with its rays darting into space in every direction possible and the chevron pattern in the area rug…. and what about those gorgeous blue balloons that look like they are ready to fly?!
The brass bird bowls are so cute and would look amazing anywhere, from the mantel to the bookcase, on the coffee table or in a tablescape!
Now, I draw the line at those mongolian lamb benches! I always hated them and founded them ridiculous… but now I am so afraid one day I might find myself liking them! who knows.
The Caracas dining table paired with his Goldfinger dining chairs, absolutely stunning! – Check his website for details!
The fabulous Jonathan Adler preparing a photoshoot for the 2016 catalog! Most of the last pictures I found at Jonathan’s Instagram. instagram.com/jonathanadler
Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa, designed by Jonathan Adler
Well, that is all for today, I think I will share Eddie Ross fabulous style tomorrow so he can have all the attention he deserves and because I am absolutely tired! One picture of Eddie’s awesomeness to enjoy next. Thank you for visiting, almost 21,000 hits or visits to my 40 posts!!!! Thanks again, I have no idea how that compares to anything or what that means but to me it’s a gianormous amount of visits and I am more than grateful.
The magnificent collaboration between the sweet and talented Eddie with the amazing Bunny Williams… I fell in love the moment I saw this!
So, what do you think? What do you feel about the Mid Century Modern revival we’ve been experiencing for a while? Do you like it or not?
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I’m so grateful to be able to appreciate all the blessings we have; Sometimes I still catch myself bothered by minimal things that, under the light of the Paris tragedy , shouldn’t even face me, but I’m spoiled and impatient and need to be reminded how precious life is and how it all can change in a split second.
I’m so grateful for my family, they are my everything, it shouldn’t matter that we live in different places of the country and of the world, what matters is that we are alive and that we love each other and we have each other’s back.
I’m grateful for friends, real ones, the ones that stay with you when you are down and cheer for you when you are up. They are rare and precious and we should treasure them for the blessing they are.
I’m grateful for the little moments and the little things, those that fill us with joy and hope, making it all worth it; the moments we hold on to forever to remember anytime we want or need to. We only need to take the time to bring them back, pause for a while and accept them for what they are, presents from God, the opportunity to relive and experience the love again, perhaps not in the same way we would like to, but not less real for that so… We realize as we age, that we almost don’t know anything, The more we live, the more we learn, the better we understand how little our grasp of the universe is, how minuscule our understanding of the power of the brain… How limited our perception of the greatness of the soul!
Today, after complaining for days about my computer’s wireless mouse freezing all the time, after being frustrated because even though I bought a new mouse I still can’t connect it to the computer because I can’t sinc them! Today I realized I still have an iPad and an iPhone to THANK YOU for the more than 16,000 visits to my little blog… More than 16,000 visits to my only 37 posts…. I’m humbled and grateful…. Even though for some bloggers that number might be small, it is not to me! it means the world to see people from all over the world in here, specially all the people from France these last days… I’m GRATEFUL for you all and I’m sending you my love.
I’m writing this on my phone and I’m not good at revising what I write, so forgive me for the mistakes, I just want you to know that I do feel you and I do appreciate you.
Finally and more importantly, I’m grateful for God, for His Love and teachings, for my faith, for always asking me to love and respect all, for asking me not to judge. For expecting me to help and serve others regardless. For asking me to be humble and for teaching me that joy is only found in love and compassion for all, for teaching me that there is no joy in a mean spirit who only looks up for its self and self gratification. For teaching us that we come from light and we come from love, that we are all one and that we need each other to connect with the source of it all. His love. I’m grateful that my God never asked me to kill and hate others in order to be able to go to heaven and I’m grateful I was never taught otherwise. Not everybody is that lucky.
Spring has taken forever to arrive…. If I wait one more day, I don’t know what’s going to happen to me! It’s been said that you create your own reality… so here we go! Spring has sprung and I am happy beyond myself. Spread the Joy!
Keukenhof, the prettiest gardens!Naeem Khan Spring and Summer 2015Holland, wonder of the world !Spring in lifePierre Auguste RenoirThe colors of ProvençeFlower marketDazzling DCA season for gardening!A piece of heaven on the roofTwo of my favorite thingsDreaming while awake with Flowers and Florence!The new Spring ! Yes… who would have thought only 30 years ago!delicious freshness!Blooming Branches and chinoiserie vasesRanunculus, aren’t they pretty?!A swing bed in the garden..Prosciutto wrapped pears with spicy arugula leavesRomantique, vintage, depression glassI can almost see it, almost touch it, I can feel it !Chilled avocado and cucumber soup, served with a light and airy parmesan cheese chipWashington DC’s Cherry BlossomsPear, pancetta and feta salad with pomegranate dressingNaeem Khan SS 2015Claude MonetItalian Feast, Carolyne Roehm. I can definitely see myself doing this often!Can this get any better?!Gingham PinkI would totally feel like a southern belle here..Lemony cucumber cream cheese sandwichesDreamy pink canopyWoman at the Garden, RenoirSpring table in the cityI’m feeling the blues!A little piece of heavenI can’t wait for those tomatoes…. Tomato, Tomato? Potato, Potato?Sunshine through the flowers! Peonies, my favorite!Mimosa Bar….If life gives you lemons… Yep, that’s what I’m doing right now.There is something so special about Spring and children, both represent hope and new beginnings, always a fresh start….Wheelbarrow of funPretty in orangeChinoiserie influencesBringing the outdoor inside always helps!GazpachoBouquet bedazzleBlues from ProvenceLavender FieldsSuch beauty…Van Gogh, I wanted so bad for him to be happy… he seems happy here..Fantastic Freckles,Nature’s perfectionSpring, Pierre Auguste RenoirEmilio Pucci, Spring 2015Hyacinth and pink tulips inspirationOh my gosh… those colors ! Only in nature …Blueberry beautySmithsonian Gardens in DCSpring mold… of course, I couldn’t just put a regular cake mold or pan here, right? It had to be a SPRING ONE!Orange pretty!Claude MonetPatio rendez-vous ! Hound’s Tooth table cloth…Birch conesOrganic green tableGorgeous woman at her best!Family…. who else could sit at this table if not family, or friends who you consider a part of it?! Freshly picked berries in grandma’s heirloom purple goblets…. long, neatly pressed linen napkins, bought together during a family vacation in Provençe… gorgeous flowers, warm and bright, still infused with Spring’s rays of sun…Lovely colors and textures awaken my taste buds!Peaceful and fun in the city, after you create your own, little paradise…How pretty is this bar created with an antique silver tray and an old wicker table?! The Pellegrino cans and fragrant oranges give this vignette a Tuscan vibe! (Yes, I can smell the oranges… we have more senses than we realize!)Tea time… I wish we could bring it back!The beach, the perfect place for everything…Orange glow…A place to set…Magical nights begin!Barn lemonade, tea and Mason jarsLove is in the air, have you seen those velvety peaches behind the flower centerpieces?!… and everything else?!Wedding confidential..Those candelabras are exquisite! Can I have a glass of that p-l-e-a-s-e ?! It’s almost too pretty to drink. Almost.Glorious blooms in HollandChocolate and Berries! match made in heavenLa vie en rose…Time to start to create my dream… Enjoy your Spring !
Downton Abbey influenceMixed patterns, gold and silver working together in this tablescape I created for a friend
Yesterday I was playing around with tablescape designs, preparing ideas for a friend who asked me for help with a Christmas dinner party she was having at home. She was a little nervous, it was going to be a semi-formal event and she couldn’t afford the time or the expenses to go shopping just for that. Even though I had to put together something with the few things I had, it shows once again that we can do a lot with what we have at hand, an example of that is the throw I brought from the livingroom to use as a tablecloth, at the moment I had red apples and that is what I used in addition to a leaf pulled from the mantel wreath. I know it’s not perfect or ideal, but I was trying to show her how to put together something pretty with a little imagination. The napkin was actually a hand towel….
Gold, red and silver, and the living room throw!
It is amazing the way we can communicate with each other nowadays, instantaneously, with images and sound that rival those of cinema! We can even add enhancements or erase blemishes if we choose to do so, all this in the comfort of our homes and in our pajamas!
My friend was really happy with the results. We “toured”, or to use the interior design lingo, we “shopped” her house and put things together in a way she never had imagine possible, now I am sure, next time she’ll be able to do it by herself.
It is hard to know if all is good about this mind blowing technology but it sure has some unbelievable advantages. I don’t want to go into that now and talk about the problems associated with it either… Overall I believe it is like a dream come true, it brings us all together, makes the world even smaller, show us how alike we are, broaden our markets without limits, keep us connected to our families, helps us create new ones and rediscover old friends. To me it is like if the Harry Potter’s books I used to read to my children at bedtime, had come to life, it appears that magic has sipped through the books’ pages and became one with reality… just fascinating…
As always I talk and talk about everything! Ok then! I was only going to share the first tablescape inspiration I made for my friend and I did. Tomorrow I might have another one if necessary. In the mean time I’ll include some gorgeous images that always inspire me and I hope they inspire you to have some fun and create one of your own. Have a great friday night!
We can do the same thing in different scale while keeping the beauty of itHow beautiful can this be? I almost never wear red anymore but I can appreciate it in other peopleI wish I had all this beautiful stuff to work with…My love for candles….BaccaratMore inspiration..Le Rouge… Exquisite!Scrumptious!Napoleon’s Dining Room, Le LouvreSinful temptation, liquid inspirationValentino, beyond beautifulWow…A little Downton Abbey to put us in the mood! So elegant..Le Rouge et le NoirTHE VICTORIAN TABLE! THEY ACTUALLY NEEDED ALL THAT INDEED.Lady in red, a princess dressI wonder if one day we’ll be able to travel in time…HISTORY… WHAT CAN I SAY! IT ALWAYS SHOWS US WHERE WE CAME FROM AND HOW FAR WE HAVE GONE…. OR NOTTHE COLORS ARE SO RICH THAT MAKE THE TABLESCAPE FEEL WARM AND WELCOMINGHOW ROMANTIC! 1904 NOW WE KNOW WHY THEY ALWAYS PUT THAT WEIRD LOOKING FISH FORK! THEY NEEDED ALL THOSE FORKS AND KNIVES FOR ALL THE COURSES THEY SERVED, OF COURSE THAT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ARMY OF MAIDS AND BUTLERS THEY USE TO HAVE…Cristal Room, Baccarat. ParisThe Butlers… the wizards of all ! (That was good!)What a table! Cristal Room, Baccarat, ParisThe tableThe ladiesMore Downton Abbey! Majestic..R.M.S MAJESTIC MENU – SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH 1890. Broiled Kidney?!!!! Calves Liver?!!!! Somebody help me please! Disgusting.The contrasts inevitably…
I FEEL SICK JUST READING THE MENU… I’M SO GLAD I WASN’T BORN DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA…
Decorating the mantel for each season has to be one of my favorite things. It is always unplanned, that is the way I like it, at least at home … grab a few things from around the house and put them together having a good time, enjoying the process and playing, the same way I used to play with barbies when I was a little girl and also later on, not so little. Decorating their houses, mostly made of cardboard boxes and dividers (I think evaporated milk came that way at the time, I think wine comes that way still now) was my favorite activity along with designing their wardrobe, and since we were eight brothers and sisters, there were always plenty empty boxes available to play with. Those dividers were a dream come true, I was able to change the rooms distribution any time I wanted! (designers dream!)
This year I wanted to keep things simple, made a promise to myself about not over thinking so stuff gets actually done! The problem was when I thought about making a post about decorating the Mantel for Fall, I felt the need to “finish” it, to make it better. Moving things around I “discovered” I needed to purchase a few items … I don’t want to buy more stuff, I really want to spend more time living and enjoying than trying to make things perfect…good is good enough, right? or at least it should be, so…I didn’t buy anything! (Who am I?! I don’t know this woman!)
These are some pictures of the mantel with a few variations…couldn’t stop myself from playing with the things and broke one of the candle-holders! I would had liked the moss balls to be bigger and some of the pumpkins to be smaller… oh well, what a surprise! Isn’t that the way it always goes for everybody?
Taking pictures with my iPhone is not very professional, I know! the indoor photos look gloomy and colorless and the definition is not that good…This looks so greenish, yellowish, “horriblish”… it looks so much better in person. I promise! perhaps I should upgrade to an iphone 6, just never wanted to do it only because it came out, don’t understand the need to have the latest gadget when I know for sure I barely understand all I could do with the one I already have… that is at least my impression.
The two windows flanking the fireplace are facing north and this particular area between the two of them is a bit gloomy… There is a big mirror on top of the fireplace to bounce the light coming from other places and a light above it, but for some reason it isn’t enough…very unnatural and cold light! I know I could do better, but since we’ve been almost moving several times… it wasn’t worth the hustle, or so I thought … it is always worth the hustle!
I’ve been in love with old silver forever and always have fun imagining where those old pieces could have been…I am a romantic, what can I say…the images in my head are pretty stunning… extremely handsome, elegant, well spoken gentlemen, walking around trying to capture the glance and imagination of breathtakingly beautiful women exquisitely dressed and coiffed ….everybody is having a wonderful time, conversations are interesting, intelligent and passionate and ….nobody is texting! The settings are old hotels with amazing architecture and furniture you only dream of and old mansions full of history and romance, the kind we rarely see anymore …. and of course, All this VERY unlikely to have ANY relationship with my silver pieces found at second hand stores, flea markets or state sales! No connection to reality whatsoever! … but hey! It is my imagination, right?! No need to be timid or frugal there… no budget restrains!
Coming back to reality I should say, I like freshly polished silver as well, occasionally I prepare a “special solution” to clean it, mostly around the holidays, you only have to line the sink with aluminum paper, fill it with hot water, add the non toxic ingredients I found on Pinterest and Voilà! Just submerge the pieces for a while and they all come out shining and reflecting light everywhere… brilliant! (Specially when I didn’t have to polish it!) Soon I will share the formula, it is like magic! I only want to make sure I know how to properly credit the source. Did I mention that I have an obsession with light? I need it bad, I love spaces filled with natural light and a great lighting plan, that is a must ! You can lose almost everything you’ve accomplished, design wise if you don’t have the right illumination….
Don’t you think silver pumpkins are gorgeous?! I do, they are just so pretty and elegant! It’s like they decided they didn’t want to be “loud” like their lovely, more common orange sisters! These grayish pumpkins are the snobs of the family along white ones! Orange ones are the happy eternal teenagers… Too bad the light didn’t help me here and the gorgeous gray pumpkin looks almost a shade of one of Pantone’s pastels for 2015…. I had yet to put a candle inside the orange goblet and it was and is bothering me immensely! Candlelight is so pretty, romantic and soft…. I find it flirty and happy! Few things can claim they can do for ambiance and mood what these little wonders do!….Contained fire…Do we even realized what we have with candles?! It literally is Contained Fire!!! anywhere we want them, whenever we want them! Awesome! Genius! Priceless! Brilliant! yes, very bright indeed, CANDLES bring magic to every space and make the ordinary look extraordinary!
That branch with the “caramel drops of Autumn” tilted the vase and went too low, wasn’t intentional… looks bad!
This is a small space so I should keep it simple… but Fall makes me feel warm and cozy inside and sometimes has me longing for the cluttered look of lived in spaces… I think it’s the same feeling we experiment during Fall and winter when we wrapped ourselves in soft blankets and cuddle in our favorite chair, sofa or bed (yes, more likely a bed..) and lose ourselves in a book or a movie, even a cheese one, a “chick” movie my boys used to call it … and then they watched it with me and even liked it! (Omg… those sweet memories … I’m not going to cry!)
I took a couple of things out to create some breathing space, what it’s called negative space, it is as important as all the stuff you want to display, your eyes should be able to rest and travel from one thing to the other with ease, there should be a nice flow and harmony among all the pieces in the composition, here it works because your eyes can take all in without being overwhelmed with too much clutter… almost!
– Not so much here though!
So… this is my mantel for the season, sometimes you should go with your impulse and if you like the result, if it makes you happy, then that’s the right one for you at that particular moment, if you get a pleasant feeling, go with it!
UPDATE -As the season progressed and the bright days of Fall got darker and bare, I felt the need to add color to the mantel and home to replace what we lost outside. Here are some pictures, that for some reason have better light than the previous ones that look so bad…
That poor pumpkin is dying!…. Hold on baby! Only a couple of weeks to go! You don’t want to be called rotten… do you?…
The leaves outside are almost gone… That makes me sad… everything is turning gray and dark so I needed to brighten up the mantel inside
And that makes me happy!
My entrance table
That was it, I didn’t mean to talk forever about so many different things…hopefully it doesn’t read that way…
It is hard to let go of Summer’s long, sunny days, specially when here, in Wisconsin, Winters are so long and cold. Spring and Autumn are my absolute favorite seasons, sadly they never last long enough!
The flowers in my living room’s coffee table are still summer blooms and look as lovely as ever, but even though we are getting a few more beautiful sunny days here in this corner of the world, it is soon and almost suddenly going to change..
– These came from my backyard
For a peruvian girl like me, who gets the Winter Blues bad, it doesn’t help if those darker, colder, shorter days… would find me still with a few tired summer planters looking sad and old… this week I decided to take action and start my Autumn decorations even little by little so I won’t feel sad when the cold gloomier days arrive…
This year I will keep it very simple, there are no kids at home any more and I still get emotional thinking about it. It is a mixture of feelings, the sadness of letting go of spring’s fresh air, green grasses, soft rains and happy blooms … Summer’s long, bright, lazy days, full of bike rides, picnics, lake swims, bonfires, roasting marshmallows, making s’mores … my kids’ childhoods and teenage years! … and the wonder and excitement of this new season to come with all the beauty and discovery it brings! Gorgeous crisp, intensely colorful days full of magic, where you can walk endlessly admiring nature exploding on fire! So much passion… so powerful … Just like summer’s colossal thunderstorms! New lives starting for my boys and myself… I have to work on Not letting the tears obstruct the view of all the blessings around me and all the fantastic things to come….
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring breaks and every special occasion just aquired a new brighter feeling about them and became more exciting and joyful than ever! The promise of the boys coming home makes everything wonderful and special! Now I can just enjoy them and NOT clean after them! at least I don’t mind it anymore! When they were still living at home, it was an absolute joy when my daughter and my two older boys, who live in Pennsylvania and Florida respectively at the time (everybody is moving now a days!) came home for the holidays, birthdays and graduations !!! We were crazy excited and overjoyed for days before it happened! but, being so far away made it difficult to make it home more often, therefore there were many sad moments and endless hours spent on the phone trying to fill in the blanks that their presence would have filled otherwise….
CHANGE … life sometimes doesn’t prepare us for THAT kind of change…. it’s wonderful, it’s good, it’s right… and like the seasons of the year and the seasons of our lives, IT’S ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN! All seasons have their own beauty and purpose and definitely they bring their own JOY… It’s just taking me a little bit longer to adjust….
Oh, yes! I was writing this to share my attempts to start my Fall decorations with my entrance urn and the two half whiskey barrels I have in the backyard, even though they are not finish yet! I still need to go find some branches to add!
I decided to spray paint the urn black, it was a greyish cement color before and was looking rather bla, specially against all the white outside my house. There is no need to buy a new planter each time, sometimes a little bit of elbow grease is all you need and some paint goes a long way! Ahhhhh! the joys of spray paint!I bought a few plants, it was hard to decide among all the pretty Kales available but it had to be done. Doesn’t that grass look a lot like Cousin Itt in the Addam’s Family?! Just buy something that makes you happy or all cozy and fluffy inside! Trust your instincts, doesn’t have to be perfect.
– Dog not included!
It’s not even necessary to use flowers, sometimes a combination of plants with pretty leaves, grasses in different heights, colors and textures,( vegetables are a beautiful thing to use too!) and some gourds and pumpkins make a gorgeous combination for your planters.
I love the hint of purple in the grass playing with the deep purple of the KaleIt was kind of hard to move it to the front of the house but I managed! I really need to clean a lot around the house after spending three months in Perú this summer! Haven’t been able to catch up yet… In this case I did use mums in my arrangement.
One of my backyard’s half whiskey barrels. This time no flowers! It doesn’t mean it’s not going to change… I am always adding and switching things around and it is OK.I have yet to bring back, throws and pillows and all the stuff we decorate with around these days, so I decided to grab anything to take this picture… Actually most of the books I read now are e-books and I haven’t read Killing Lincoln yet. I’ve read Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus in my e-reader, this is a book my husband read recently. Bill O’Reilly did an AMAZING JOB with this series! So easy to read, so many things to learn… I think it’s gorgeous the way it is! those leaves are as pretty as it gets, all the colors of the fall in one convenient plant!I added another pumpkin to the container for more color and layers, this is the other side planter… see what I meant about the leaves? I can’t remember the name of the plant but I know I saved the plastic tag with it somewhere.
– Added another pumpkin to the right side planter too and it’s looking a little better each time.
– Look at the subtle changes in colors and textures! Perfection! That Kale is beyond pretty, can’t get over the hues!
I just love how much those little pumpkins look like swans ! (Are those called pumpkins too? Are they gourds?) I’ll google it sometime…Now I just need to add some birch branches or anything I can find … that “Cousin Itt” grass is looking a bit out of place in this vignette I think. but I don’t want to let go! It’s so awesome looking in person and makes me smile everytime I see itIs it just me or those flowers are really ridiculously pretty?! – I guess it’s not going to be as hard to let go of my flowers… or my children’s childhoods and teenage years if I decide to start focusing on this new season of our lives and concentrate in all the beauty it is going to bring…. Just like Autumn!
Ellie, not long after…
CHÂTEAU DES RÊVES 
