Set-ups, Day 6: Merry and Bright

• Enjoy quick breakfast of instant oatmeal with blueberries; hope there really is something to product's promises of staying power and heart health
• Layer clothing to fight biting wind-chill factor
• Remember to take daily self-portrait while lipstick is still fresh; lament what humidity does to hairdos
• Arrive at new client's home to begin set-up, grateful that she invested in beautiful, soft artificial cedar garlands which need little if any primping
• Wish that travel-sized hand cream in purse still had something left in it to soothe scratched hands (from primping countless scratchy garland throughout the week)
• Hang assorted kugels from dining room chandelier
• Call to reschedule afternoon set-up to allow for time to work in the store on one of the busiest days of the year
• Eat a quick lunch in the car on the way to the store
• Work in store until closing
• Head out to patiently-waiting client's house; hang kugels, decorate mantle, and generally work Christmas magic
• Express gratitude for array of tasty snacks provided by said client
• Load supplies into car, take deep breaths, and head to Kohl's for another round of Christmas shopping
• Wish for tub of hot water in which to soak aching feet

The Personal Touch!

Tomorrow is a big installation day for one of our whole house client projects we've been designing for several months! When I say installation, it means that the furniture will be delivered for multiple bedrooms, living room, family room, center hall, beautiful upstairs hall, and sun room.

It's always a rewarding day for me, the designer, and for the project manager who has driven the project through to this point. It's a big day of anticipation and very fulfilling to see it all come together.

Occasionally, there are surprises, like something is too big and won't fit up the stairway (even though we always consider that when furniture pieces are chosen......) What happens, do they grow,expand, change the pattern?! Once in a while something is not as expected, but for the most part it's a day long looked forward to.

You wouldn't believe what is involved in full service design! We really turn into little workers with magic wands (or so it seems when the homeowners come home)! We make up the beds with the new bedding that we have purchased, direct the placement of the furniture-an inch this way or that....some projects involve hanging new towels in the bathrooms, selecting the soap dishes and glorious accents around the soaking tub, well, you get the picture!

Tonight, in preparation for tomorrow's installation, I spent the evening washing and ironing the sheets! First, let me say, oddly enough that I enjoy ironing! If you have never slept in a freshly made bed with ironed linens, you haven't lived. Try it. You're not likely to go back! This labor of love is a gift to our client. Ahhhhhh! 600 thread count 100% cotton sheets, yes! (My daughters gave me 1000 count cotton sheets for Christmas-pure luxury!

Pressing the last hemstitch perfectly. You need a very hot iron to make your work easier.

Check out the plate to my iron! (My mother gave me this iron as a gift after I coveted hers! It has something like 2000 steam holes) It is the Rowenta Advancer. It's one fabulous iron.

All finished and folded. Very rewarding.

The car is loaded, the sheets packed to go, iron in hand (touch ups on bed skirts and the like)! and the anticipation is high. I'll show you some in progress photos tomorrow! It's going to be quite a day.