Gazing Into 2012

As the Waterford crystal ball drops into Times Square to usher in 2012, I’m wondering what the New Year will hold in store.  What a wondrous crystal ball it would be if we could really see into the future!

“The Times Square ball drop has been the highlight of New Year’s celebrations in New York City for more than a hundred years. Since New Year’s Eve 2000, the iconic ball has been created by Waterford Crystal, and the company will ring in 2012 with a new crystal design theme to mark the “Year of Friendship.”  ~ Time Online

Amazing, isn’t it?

Stuart Haygarth's Chandelier

Schonbek’s Da Vinci Collection

Checkolite’s Eight Light Crystal Chandelier

Bidding adieu to number 11.

And saying “hello” to our new friend, 2012!

Wishing you much love, health, happiness, prosperity, clarity, joy, peace, wonderment, beauty, contentment, and a sparkly good life in The New Year!

Heading Down The Atlanta Highway!

Almost time to get ready for a road trip!  It’s been a few years since I’ve been to the Americasmart and I’ve been wondering what I’ve been missing.  Well, I’m about to find out.  When my friend, Beth, asked if I wanted to come along for the ride . . . my arm didn’t need to be twisted!

(Okay, I don’t think I’ll be wearing a black tulle skirt or turquoise heels or packing pink luggage in a vintage car, but I’ll bet the B-52’s anthem will be buzzing in my head!  I might even be singing it.  Poor Beth!)

I’ve tended to write a lot more about my visits to the High Point Market, in previous posts.  High Point is definitely the place to go for home furnishings.  Just about every major manufacturer is represented at this show.  And it’s very big.  Huge, in fact!  There are times; however, when a different venue can bring different sources.  That’s where the Americasmart comes in.  They overlap categories from gift to home to garden to seasonal to rugs to florals to fashion – and more.  In fact, the Americasmart towers are dedicated to different categories, including the floors on which a showroom might be located.

A big, lofty space with great goals for the New Year!

While it might appear to be a bit overwhelming, at first, the towers of the Americasmart buildings are easily accessible by crosswalks, elevators, and escalators.  The last time I was there, there were masseuses stationed near the escalators for a little back and foot relief!  Hope they’re still around!

Some vendors show in both High Point and Atlanta.  Depending on their market’s focus, they may have a bigger presence in one than the other.  Others only exhibit in Atlanta.  Either way, I’m sure to enjoy a plethora of beautiful sources!

(Gabby Home)

(Anali)

(Sullivan’s – Yes, I’m already pre-shopping for clients’ holiday decorations, this year!)

There are also great events and seminars.  Here are just a few on the list . . .

HD Home Preview Party – Thursday, January 12th, (2-6pm) 

Besties Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner will be presenting on Friday, January 13th (3-4pm), “Our Life in Design”

Husband and wife design team, Steve and Brooke Giannetti, of Velvet & Linen, will share:  “Patina Style: Experiencing Design in Person and Online” – Saturday, January 14th (11am – 12:30pm)

For a full list of events, click on:  Home, Rug, & Gift Events

Fortunately, for resting after the end of a busy day, we found comfy lodgings in the Perimeter Mall area.  (Who knows?  We might not be too tired to shop after all of our walking.  Yes, Beth, I can feel your eyes rolling!)  Lots of great restaurants and easy access to the Marta station for coming and going to the downtown area, as well as getting in and out of Atlanta’s notorious traffic.

 

Our hotel has a nice fireplace to cozy up to at the end of a blustery day.  I’ve also read the reviews and they get a big thumbs up for customer service, cleanliness, and excellent bedding.  All big deals for me.

Woo hoo!  First road trip of 2012!  A great way to welcome in the New Year!

Planning A Perfect New Year?

So . . . Is it already that time of year when our thoughts are heading towards resolutions, goals, and getting back-on-track if we missed the mark on some of our best laid plans for 2011?  Totally time to get serious, right?  No more procrastination, lollygagging, dawdling, or side-stepping around it?  Time to see if we can get our proverbial houses in order – either literally or figuratively – to make for a perfect New Year?

Perfection:

~ a quality, trait, or feature of the highest degree of excellence.

~ the highest degree of proficiency, skill, or excellence, as in some art.

Aspiring words for certain!

(Hmmm.  If only life fit into a well-organized set of envelopes with each activity planned for in advance.)

I’m in great admiration of those who have already set in motion their upcoming lists.  Admittedly, I’m right there with them on the:  getting healthier, loosing weight, move more, breathe more, create more balance in life, get-rid-of-stuff-that-gets-in-the-way, etc., etc., etc.  You see, I tend to be a list maker and even a bit of a perfectionist.  Good for those who hire me to do their projects but not always good for me in terms of allowing a bit more of “me” time. 

(Of course, making a checklist for some things is good for more “me” time.  Keeping this one in view for a new “me” year.)

“Life” also comes along and muddies the waters of momentum.  Some things are out of our control . . . major events which alter our lives such as:  death, divorce, illness . . . .  There are also instances where perhaps we’ve given up our decision-making to others; producing end results which would have been in our best interest to say, “no” so that we could say “yes” to the things that would support not only our goals but the inner core of who we are and that of which we want to give.  Many of us could raise our hands to attest to walking on this path, at some point or the other.

(Sometimes you do have to make on-the-spot decisions.  Practicing a little “what if I’m faced with _______?” can be a huge help.)

(And if you haven’t walked a particular path before, there are always lessons or take-a-ways to be gathered for the next time.)

Rather than trying to “perfect” a “perfect” set of resolutions, I’ve decided to be a work in progress – an evolution of sorts.  Even when setting goals, there are many little steps to be made towards achieving them.  The “experts” tend to concur we’re more apt to be successful if we take each one as it comes, rather than trying to make a huge leap.  We have to decide if we’re doing it for ourselves or to impress someone else with big, lofty ideas.

Talk less, do more.

I’m always amazed how one little change can lead to big results!

Always share gratitude and appreciation.  It never gets old.

A setback or a bump along the way doesn’t define the final destination.

Amen.  Amen!  And A Happy New Year!

Warm Holiday Wishes From Wanda

The office light has been dimmed and the fireplace is all aglow.  The virtual one, that is.  It’s a little too warm in NC to have the real thing!

Wherever you may be and however you may be celebrating your holiday . . . Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Winter Solstice . . . I send you all my best for the season and with many good wishes for the upcoming year.

(You can click on this video to expand it to full screen, if you like.  It’s an oldie but a goodie!)

Last Minute Holiday Decorating?

So, are you feeling the heart fluctuations of procrastination when it comes to making things merry and bright?  I think a little rush of adrenaline isn’t so bad, in getting us moving forward towards the finish line, but I also know a full blown coronary arrest isn’t a good holiday tiding!

At this point, I like to think of using things that can be carried forward into the New Year and will be more about “winter” decorations.  Even when the tree comes down . . .  granting that you’ve put one up . . . there will be some lovely things to enjoy as we move into the early part of winter solstice. 

Sometimes, the best things are saved for last.  Fresh arrangements are happier that way!

Here is a bedside table setting that I created for my recent Hooker Furniture blog post.  (It shared with my readers how to create sugar plum dreams in a guest room.)  Simple greens and apples made my antique compote bowl sparkle.)

 

I loved this idea from Sally Page’s book, “The Flower Shop Christmas”.  The first step is to tie ribbon, as shown, around a square vase.

Then, you just pop in short stems of flowers and berries.  Even if the local florist is out or may be up to their ears in orders, many of the grocery chains, such as The Fresh Market or even Costco have pretty good bunches of flowers you can snip.

A lovely entry from Country Living shows how to “plant” branches in a vase, anchored with some fresh greens, and then decorated with some tiny glass ornaments.  The poinsettias are a lovely pop of color.  Be sure to keep them properly watered . . . not too much and not too dry.  They do need TLC during the time when most of us have our thermostats heating up.

Let’s just say you’re really short on time . . . No time to head out for any extra supplies.  Start putting on the thinking cap.  I’ll bet you can find a few items to jingle things up a bit!

If you’re a patron of plaid, gather up up some of your favs and place them in order of plaid perfection.  I found this on Pinterest and the clever simplicity, plus the retro lunchbox, grabbed my attention for a front porch welcome.

Yes - simple is as simple does.  If this seems a little to rustic for you, grab a can of metallic paint or your glitter and have at it with the pots!  Gold metallic dresses up just about anything.  (Also from “The Flower Shop Christmas”.)  For those who celebrate Hanukkah, it would be easy to align these on a tabletop and change the bows to blue.

(Image:  Pottery Barn)

No time to hang the ornaments on your tree?  Pull out the most special ones and group them in a container.  In having done decorating for my own clients’ homes for the holidays, I’ve found there are many stories behind the favorites.  Those memories warm our hearts and make great conversations to share with loved ones and friends.

From my home to yours . . .

Recapping 2011 – A Little Design Wit & Wisdom

Okay, I know we haven’t even celebrated Christmas and I’m already attempting to summarize the year of 2011.  My mind just works that way.  It must be years of advance planning for design project deadlines.  In many cases, I’ve already “seen” the room in my head before everything is installed in a client’s home.

(Oh, if only clicking my heels made it happen!)

But, as usual, I digress.  You see, try as I might, after adding notes to Christmas Cards and sending out my last 2011 newsletter, (plus putting on finishing touches to some interiors), my creative writing skills have taken a bit of a leave of absence.  I thought I would recap the year with some fun word visuals.  Yes, it’s cheating but in a good way!  (Etsy and Pinterest are the places to go when you need help.)

I do try to keep everything upbeat and positive and people say I have a way of keeping everything calm.  They always wonder what would happen if I pulled off the filter.  Ooooh!  It’s never pretty to pull off the filter!  

Yes, I do better when I can get my 7 hours in.  Give me 8 and I’m an angel!  I’ve recently said I’ll sleep after Christmas. 

I do think a few miracles have been pulled off, this year.  You had to be behind the scenes to know this.

  

The part about miracles?  It all had to do with hunting down either the product or the people who could make the process happen.  It’s all about availability in the world of interior design.  Including scheduling.

I think I’ve already shared this one but it’s worth repeating.  Custom design is not a “snap of your fingers HGTV 30 minute show style approach”, at least not by my firm.  My team and I certainly do everything we can to make things go as smooth as possible but it takes time.  I’m a huge paperwork queen.  Plan to prevent problems.  Measure twice, cut once.  But . . .  there is always that character called, “Mr. Murphy” and he likes to crash the party every now and then.

(So - he also may be called “Mayhem” on the commercial, but they kind of resemble one another, don’t you think?)

(From the mouths of babes.)

Who would you rather have steering your ship when the waves whip up?

I’ve got a great appreciation for clients who step out of their comfort zone.  It helps me to be a better designer and they get some pretty great results, too!

It’s all about creating a balance with a dose of common sense.  These four items cover so much territory.  I’ve added my translations, below:

• 672 – Be true to yourself and good to others.
• 673 – Editing goes a long way.  Don’t over think.
• 674 – Have realistic expectations and communicate them.  No mind reading allowed.
• 675 – Planning and preparation go a long way and keeps the journey and people a bit more comfortable on the way to the final destination.

I believe cookies and cupcakes are allowed for medicinal purposes.  In moderation, of course.

Contrary to popular belief, all interior designers do not get to vacation in Bora Bora – but if you’ve got a vacation home that needs some work . . . .

When you have two of them, it’s even better.  Love my office buddies!

And mine ARE the best!

Thanks for dropping by as I’m literally wrapping up the year and presents, too!  Just a few more days and the lights on the office will be dimmed until after the New Year.  I’ll probably put in one more quick post and then I’ll be offline for a while.

If I don’t have time to share it beforehand, thank you SO MUCH for making my blog a drop-in destination.  I know there are lots of them available to you and my goal is to keep improving this one to make it worth your while.