A Tablecloth Changes My Decor

Who knew that a tablecloth could change my entire living area color scheme? I'd been thinking of going with a yellow and grey damask. Could I find such a fabric? No. Enter HomeGoods. I sauntered down the table linens aisle. Lo and behold, the perfect fabric in the form of a tablecloth.

So I quickly got to work sewing my new kitchen curtains.

With plenty of fabric left over, and a living/dining/kitchen that is all open to each other, I thought "pillows!"

Now, I only have a small remnant and would like pillows for my chair. For the small pillow, I got a grey fabrice and added the yellow trim. Now I want to add 3 more pillows about the room. Can I find anything to coordinate? Well...
Here are some of my options.

This might be a bit busy and compete with the existing fabric.

This is my favorite.

This might be a bit too modern. I'd love to see it in person next to the existing fabric.

This might be too modern and might be a bit lavendar.

Decisions, decision. I'll post results here.

Of Cats and Decor

I love decor. And I love cats. But sometimes the two don't mix.

A few days ago, my lovely cat Zuzu engaged in one of her favorite activities - leaping 5 feet from a chair to the dining room table. Fortunately, her claw marks have only added to the table's weathered charm, thanks to some clever use of stain by me. Unfortunately, on the evening in question, she caught a claw in the table runner. I turned just in time to see the runner, two ceramic birds, newly acquired bird cage, and cat go overboard.

Miraculously, one of the birds survived...

as did the bird cage (pictured here in its new location)...



So, the table runner is tucked away in the linen closet. A quick shopping trip ensued, and I came home with the grey ceramic bird pictured between the candlesticks above. So all is well.

Oh, and Zuzu continues her acrobatics between the chair and the table. Cats are lovely, but I do question their sense of priorities sometimes.

Spring!

Outside, it looks like winter. With a dusting of new snow to start the season, it's hard to believe that spring is finally here.

Over the last week and a half, the world has looked like a gloomy place. With the images from Japan and now Libya, it's been difficult to think about much positive. And yet I'm reminded about the power of hope.

Eleven years ago last Thursday, I was diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer. A few days later, as I recovered in my hospital room, a volunteer brought in daffodils, in celebration of the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days. So, to counteract all that seems dim, I now have a small daffodil plant blooming on my desk, courtesy of this year's ACS Daffodil Days.

During my 3 years of treatment, I sometimes wondered if there would be joy again in my life. Happily, there has been. So, I offer the picture of these daffodils as a small ray of sunshine, a sign that joy and beauty are not lost. The world will smil again - not today, maybe not tomorrow. For now, we can enjoy little things - and savor what is special to us.

Weekend Projects

Some people play golf. (I do too, occasionally.) Some people go hiking. (I can be persuaded, when it's really nice out.) Some people laze around on the couch. (Perhaps I'll learn how to one day.) But my favorite weekend activity is working on decorating projects around the house. Soon, I'll be heading out to the garden, to try to coax what is now mud and ice (mostly mud) into something pleasing. So, I'm trying to get to some of my decor wish list now.

This past weekend, I tackled two projects.

First, was the floor lamp. Oh, it was nice enough, but really too dark for the living room. So, in preparation for painting it with grey pebble finish spray paint, I took to it with some 220 grit sandpaper. I was stunned to find a lovely nickel finish under the dark brown paint. The more I buffed, the lovelier the lamp became. Happy with the look after the sanding, I decided to forego the grey paint altogether!

The second project was to recover a leather os de mouton chair. It had been relegated to my studio/craft room in the basement. So with staple gun and screwdriver in hand, I transformed it so that it now fits nicely into my livingroom.

The one project remaining for the room is to sew white linen slipcovers for the sofa and chair. I'm still stalling on that one because I'm not a great seamstress. Straight lines for curtains are easy. But easing to sew curved edges is just beyond me. Perhaps I'll just save my pennies and have a professional make them.

As for this weekend - who knows?

The Power of Music

It's been a very long and hectic week. I needed a little slice of joy. At just the right moment, one of my co-workers, who shares my affinity for music, suggested I listen to Bobby McFerrin's Ave Maria on youtube. I recommend you put on your headphones and give it a listen. It must have been amazing to be in that audience.

That reminded me of a flash mob version of Handel's Hallelujiah chorus. Whether one is religious or not, these pieces are so inspiring.

Then, for a change of pace, I listened to Manhattan Transfer's Birdland.

And, speaking of birds, I'm reminded of the story from Daniel J. Levitin's This is Your Brain on Music. He explains how one can make an owl’s bones vibrate such that the entire owl resonantes with Strauss’s “Blue Danube Waltz.” (It has to do with overtones. To oversimplify, you play aspects of the piece, removing some essential portions of notes and the bird's bones fill in the rest.)

Since reading this book, which I recommend, I've referred to myself as having owl bones because my love of music is that deeply rooted in me.

I hope you enjoy the pieces I've shared and found some joy in music today.

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.