Patience vs. Perserverence

The stunning craftsmanship exhibited on todays Belgian Pearls site and some ensuing comments got me thinking about a statement I hear often. When viewing something that requires many hours of fine workmanship, observers often remark that completing the piece must have required a lot of patience. As extraordinary quilter Marjorie Lydecker would say, "Not patience, perserverence!"

"As Time Goes By" by Marjorie Lydecker

It takes patience to navigate rush hour traffic. It takes patience to wait in line at the supermarket. But to complete a project that requires taking many small stitches, assembling many small pieces, or making many delicate carvings take perserverence.

When I create a sailor's valentine, an intricate shell mosaic done in an octagonal shadow box, I glue hundreds of shells to create the design. And I love every minute of it.

"Tuckerman's Dream" sailors' valentine by Anne Sandstrom

So how can you tell the difference between patience and perserverence?

Usually when people see my work, they ask the same question. "How long did it take to do this?" My answer is always the same. I have no idea. I've been standing next to Marge Lydecker at a quilt show and heard the same question and her same response.

But if you ask me how long I was standing in line at the supermarket or stuck in rush hour traffic, I can tell you exactly.

And that's how you know. When I'm not counting the minutes or the number of shells or the number of stitches, that's perserverence. But when I'm watching the clock, that's patience.

Some Artists

For as long as I can remember, I've been enamored with fine art. By the time I reached college, I minored in art history and even took a few studio classes. The security guards at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts got to know me, although some were still wary of my habit of sitting in the middle of a gallery, often on the floor, studying my current favorite works.

My tastes have changed and evolved over the years. I've been drawn to nautical themes (not the cutesy cottage-y type) and portraits.

Ken Otsuka is a favorite. His oils of shells strewn along the shoreline are realistic, but are imbued with his individual vision.

Original Oil   " Whispers of Waves and Shells "   24 x 32 by Ken Otsuka

Ovid Ward also paints maritime related themes. His treatment of light is unique, as striking to me as the impressionists' work.

Print "High Tide" 22 x 13 by Ovid Ward

Lately, I've been discovering portrait artists. In particular, watercolor fascinates me because the combination of the medium and the subject matter is one of the most challenging for an artist.

Ali Cavanaugh's work is both stark and emotional. She captures the essence of young womanhood, imbuing her figures with a sense of both innocence and restlessness.

Profile of Neve by Ali Cavanaugh

Alyssa Monks combines water and portraiture to capture brief moments that are striking and even disturbing.

Smush 40x54, oil on linen, 2008 by Alyssa Monks

Stephen Scott Young's watercolor portraits also capture individual moments.

watercolor "Yellow Light - Study for Innocent" 13 1/2 X 9 1/2  by Stephen Scott Young

Kara Castro has mastered using watercolor to portray not just people but emotions.

watercolor "Lacrimosa" 10 X 20 by Kara Castro

Although enjoyable on the web, there's nothing quite like seeing a work in person. Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not visit a local gallery. You might find a new favorite artist.

Inspirational Designer

Soon it will be spring, when a woman's thoughts turn to - house tours! It won't be long before the season is upon us. I've made some wonderful friends traipsing in and out of houses, marveling at designs. Last year, my sister and I ventured to the HGTV Green House (at the Pinehills in Plymouth MA) to see it in person. Frankly, it was hideous, garish, and poorly laid out. We were dismally disappointed - until we wandered into the model home nextdoor. What a wonderful revelation.

The designer, Lisa Weekes, is a favorite of ours and one of New England's best kept secrets. In this home, her soft palette introduces muted shades of lilac and lavender against a soft neutral background. She uses old pieces and paints them to make them look fresh. Her rooms are inviting, mixing vintage without the 'grandma' look.

All of the stragglers from the HGTV home ambled through the Lisa Weekes designed rooms, commenting "Now, this is a home I'd like to win!"

Kitchen - The blue glassware and hydrangeas were added for the photo

Lisa's designs inspired me when I redid my guest bedroom and bath.



Soon, it will be time to get out the map or GPS to see what local designers have been up to all winter. I can't wait!



Bedoom Secrets

This is where I start and end each day - at least when I'm home. With a hectic life, like many people, I need a place to wind down and recharge. And, being budget conscious, I found ways to acheive the look I wanted without dwindling my bank account.

First, an amateur decorator's best friend is her sewing machine. Making curtains, pillow covers, even bedskirts is simple - just some careful measuring and straight line sewing and you've got the custom look you want for a fraction of the price. The curtains, bedskirt, and pillow covers are all Waverley fabric. And instead of fussing with hanging hardware, I used snap-in-place grommets, available at most fabric stores. Nothing could be easier!

The lamps were a recent acquisition from HomeGoods. The white furniture was also a find at Cardi's. Which brings me to one of my design mantras. Don't be afraid to shop anywhere. You never know what you'll find. You just have to have a good eye and be able to wade through some mediocrity.

So, what makes this room so restful? The color palette, of course. The sea foam is indeed the color of shoreline froth. But I have another secret to share - something you can't see in the room. My secret to a good night's sleep.

For years, I suffered from insomnia. Now, I sleep better than ever. Meditation is the key. For me, the recordings available at the Meditation Podcast changed everything for the better. They use a technique called binaural beats. Having been discovered in 1839, this is not a new technology. With slightly different tones in each ear, your brain relaxes. Of course, you might check with your physician before trying any of these recordings.

So, the final secret? Loving what I see just before turning out the light and when the sun first rises. After all, being happy in one's environment is the first step toward peaceful slumber.

Realities of Renovation

There's nothing quite like peeling back the layers to reveal the bones of your house. Last year, I took my entire second floor down to the studs. And I did much of the demolition myself, including pulling up five layers of carpet and flooring. In spite of the fact that tack strips were indeed invented by the devil himself, that project ended well. On time and on budget.

Yesterday, I got to help my sister with the start of her kitchen renovation. Nine of us descended on her house to remove kitchen cabinets, strip wallpaper, and pull up old flooring. With the wind howling outside, we worked cheerfully, lapsing into complete silliness when we were able to remove large sheets of old wallpaper.

At one point, I commented that I felt young. For the most part, everyone I know now just hires contractors to do the whole thing. Long gone are the days of pizza and beer as an enticement for friends to gather to to help with a large project. We're all too old and too busy. But yesterday, with spray bottle in one hand and scraper in the other, I felt the same as I had so many years ago, when we were all just starting out. We'd strip floors, take fire axes to walls, and paint, paint, paint. As the pieces of wallpaper fell like confetti to the floor, the care of all the intervening years also fell away.

Soon, there will be a shiny new kitchen in my sister's now blank space, probably in time for spring. On a blustery winter day, we planted the seeds for the room of her dreams to grow. Just like when gardeners clear the land, there's a timeless hope that comes with starting anew.

Welcome!

Inspired by several design blogs (most notably Belgian Pearls and Cote de Texas), I've decided to start writing about some of my favorite things, including interior design, fashion design, art, and music.

At the moment, I'm enthralled with Belgian design. Its hallmarks include fine linen, especially white, and weathered grey wood, similar to driftwood. Hence the inspiration for the title of my blog.

But there's more to it than that. Linen is carefully crafted, made of the finest material. It is soft, yet durable. And it can be pricey. Driftwood is also crafted, but by nature. Finding it is haphazard. And free. I like the juxtaposition of those two concepts. They embody my approach to interior design and even assembling outfits - combining seemingly disparate elements in which texture rather than color is the focus. I also mix pricey pieces with less expensive finds.

For example, I just noticed that HomeGoods is carrying linen dish towels. At $2.99 a pair, they are a bargain. I've seen them with beige, cocoa, red, black, yellow, or green stripes. You can use them in the kitchen. Or make trendy 16" pillow covers.

Cut one in half. Position the two halves so they overlap about 3 inches. Place face down on the right side of the uncut towel. Sew a 16" square around the outside edge. Turn inside out and voila!

If you're feeling particularly clever, you can sew a zipper closure instead.
 

Instant chic!

Stay tuned for future tips, finds, and observations.