An Artistic Lesson in Geography

I am loving these original Linoleum Block Prints by Emily Wick. You can buy single states mounted on wood blocks separately for $45 each, or you can buy the print of the entire US. I think its sort of a more sophisticated or polished version of the kitschy idea of putting a license plate on the wall from each state where you have lived. Plus I adore the idea that each one was handmade by the artist. You can get them at Two Eyeballs Galleries. I have no idea where we would put them (have I mentioned we have a grand total of TWO things hanging on our walls at this point?), but I think they would look great as a grouping on a large wall or maybe in a foyer. We would have to get:

I was born there;

Brett was born there;

I grew up in WV;

He grew up in VT;

We met in NC (I have to admit I like this motto a lot);

and finally we now live in VA!

Isn't it fun? And odd, as far as the actual mottos go. For instance, the Virginia Motto seems like an archaic form of "Damn the Man!" Wouldn't you agree?

Camelback Sofa Redux Part I

I am the proud new owner of this carved sofa. It was my great-grandparents, and I like the lines of it, so reupholstering it is going to be my new pet project.
I am so excited that I hardly know what to do with myself. There are so many things to consider, such as:
1.) Do I attempt the reupholstery myself, or send it out to a professional?
2.) If I do it myself, should I try to wing it from reading how-to's, or should I take an adult education class in the area?
3.) If I get it professionally done, should I have it done in WV (current couch location) where it will be cheaper, or should I have it done in Richmond where it is more convenient?
4.) Can I afford to have it professionally reupholstered?
5.) Yikes, this is a serious investment, so the fabric choice needs to be something timeless but not boring.
6.) There is the matter of the two club chairs that don't necessarily "match" the sofa but which are currently uphostered to match it.

I was up all night thinking about this stuff people! yikes!

Here is a link to another blogger who just went through the same thing with her couch which she named "sophie".

Foot Stool Makeover Part 2

I picked out two fabrics for my footstool, and depending on what fabric I go with, I will buy a different color of spray paint for the base. What do you think?

Option A is Bazaar from Hancock Fabrics in Ebony:
which I picked out because I really like these:

Seraphina Collection by Pottery Barn, and
This gorgeous banquette featured in House Beautiful which is upholstered in Animal Farm Crewel by Brunschwig & Fils.

Option B is Lock by Calico Corners in Splash:which I picked because I like these:
Neiman Marcus Cane Garden Stool
So which one do you like better? I bought one yard of each, so whichever one I don't use on the foot stool I will have to find another use for.

Foot Stool Makeover

I have had this metal base for approximately 10 years now. It has been a side table in many apartments with a glass circle table top sitting on top of it, but it spent most of its time under my bed until now. I made my parents pack it in their mini-van all the way home to West Virginia when I found it on vacation at Myrtle Beach when I was 16. Thanks mom and dad! God knows why I liked it so much, but here it is!


When I was in high school, I had big dreams to upholster it in leopard velvet. Goodness. Here it is in its previous incarnation as a table:

Yeeeech! I know, right? Sorry old roommates, but when you need an extra end table, you use what you have when you are in law school, right?

Anyway, the thing that has kept me from upholstering a seat for it is that I couldn't figure out how to attach a wooden seat to the metal frame. I had a really frustrating day at the office a week or two ago, and on the way home I went to Lowe's or Home Depo determined to figure out how to attach it. Here is what I came up with:Wish me luck! I will keep you all posted on my progress:
C

Succulent Inspiration--Hens and Chicks

Lately I have been very inspired by succulents, especially Hens and Chicks:
www.mooseyscountrygarden.com

www.biology4kids.com

http://refractedmoments.com/

I think it is their strong graphical quality and shape that attracts me to them (as many of you know I am somewhat obsessed with spirals...see my portfolio...). So I wanted to try my hand at them. I remember being at my great aunt's house when I was young and seeing her flagstone wall with Hens and Chicks growing out of all the cracks, and thinking it was so beautiful! So I thought I'd try my hand at those.

When you go to a nursery, however, succulents are usually sold all lumped together and not differentiated by species or hybrid like most other plants. I wanted Hens and Chicks specifically because they are kind of like spider plants in that they are self-propogating: the mama plant is called the "Hen" and the babies that grow from her are called "Chicks." I looked up the latin name, and it is "Sempervivum," or "ever living." So cool! I'm such a word nerd.

When I went to Lowe's I managed to find a few of the little succulents that said "sempervivum" on the side and picked up a few pots--three bigger ones and two smaller ones. Then I got some sand to mix in with my potting soil, since succulents like to be well drained, and some ornamental river rocks to arrange around the Hens. This is how they come from lowes, in little tiny pots:

Some people like to keep them in little individual pots, like this pretty little thing:
http://morewaystowastetime.blogspot.com

But I wanted more of a rock garden feel. So I mixed up about 1/3 sand to 2/3 potting soil in my beautiful big blue pot, placed the Hens around in an arrangement, and then pressed in the river rocks until I liked the way it looked. Its been about a week--no baby Chicks yet!
Lolly, of course, felt the need to oversee the project...


What does everyone think? Do you have any succulents? I think I see a Hens and Chicks painting in my future!

Front Yard Flower Bed

Wow, I can't believe its been 6 months since I posted anything! I am going to have lots of fodder to write about for a few weeks to get caught up!

I wanted to share these gorgeous pictures of the calla lilies and pincushion flowers in our front garden. I can't wait to start some new paintings based on the photos!

What is blooming in y'alls gardens?

Charlotte

Clothing Overload and Catching up

Hola! Its been forever since I blogged, so this is probably going to be a long one!

My most recent project has been putting my entire closet online, so I can plan my outfits, like clueless. I know, as Ashley said, "Wow you must have a lot of free time..." haha. But I have a ton of clothes, and I don't really know what I have, and my life has been changing from student to professional, so I really need to take stock and edit. I used to live in jeans, and now its kind of like an even when I put them on!

So I signed up for this website, http://www.mycloset.com/. Its free. All you do is sign up and you get a virtual "closet" where you can upload your clothes. It looks like this:

There are preassigned categories like "pants," "shirts," "suits," "sweaters," where you can organize your stuff. then you can plan an outfit and put them all together like this:

So that's pretty cool. then you can get other people who have an account to comment on outfits you are planning, and they can suggest other jewlery or shoes or whatever. I really like that! BUUUUUT...this has taken me months! I have too much stuff!! seriously! I need Tim Gunn to come to my house and help me get rid of shit! I still havent even posted my sweaters. I originally signed up because I thought I would stop randomly shopping for stuff if I knew what I had and could actually use it to its best advantage. UHHHH yeah...haven't stopped shopping...AND I feel bad about myself because I don't know how to wear my scarves. (I'm pretty sure that sentence would never come out of a man's mouth!)

Enough about clothes...

Things have been going pretty well at work. My firm has decided to send me to the Richmond office in January, and right now I am working out of that office once per week. Its really small, but I think I will like it. I LOOOVE my office there because it has floor to ceiling windows and we are on the 6th floor and there are a bunch of hawks that fly by all the time. Sometimes they hit the windows. Thats's not so cool. lol

Brett and I are house shopping in Richmond, hopefully to close sometime in January. I AM SO EXCITED I Can bARELY CONTAIN MYSELF! So excited to have a back porch and a yard and a dog and a garden! Its also pretty exciting to be somewhere for more than one year. I'm already planning the housewarming party. And the spring croquet and sangria party. And the first christmas party. etc. :-D

Brett and I have decided to do Thanksgiving in WV and Christmas in Vermont. So for any of you parkersburg people, I think we should go bowling for old times sake!

Ok, that's enough for now. I love you all. Please write back and let me know how things are going for you!

xoxo

c