Fabulous use of Susan's fabrics!

On the way home last night, I was kept awake by a phone call from my favorite sister, Denise! She lives in Mountain Standard time, 2 hours behind us. This sometimes makes for either late night or early morning conversations! Many of you have met her, as she comes for a yearly week of stress and 18 hour work days during our custom Christmas setups for Black-eyed Susan clients.

Denise is the ultimate helper, supporter, designer, entertainer, cook, and hard working best friend. Work is never boring when she's on the team, and I might say that there is no one that I would rather have on my team than her. There is virtually nothing that she can't do or come up with a solution for. As our Mother says, "she is so capable".

Denise is a costume designer and full time mother of 4. She also works as a project manager for a custom home builder in Denver. Yep, she's one busy woman!

We talk often and catch up on our busy lives, always yearning to live closer and work on the same team all of the time. I didn't mention that her other full time job is caring for our aging parents, which she does with loving tenderness and dedication.

She costumes several times a year for high school productions and does all of the costume design and much of the sewing herself. When I have remnants that stack up in the basement, I try to send them on to her. She always makes good use of them, sometimes in the form of Prom gowns, Christmas skirts, or in this case, a grand Wizard costume for her latest production!

I want to pass this photo on to you, pretty fitting as I just posted last night regarding the multiple choice fabrics that I love and treasure. While we were catching up on the phone, after a long crazy few weeks for the two of us on different fronts, she described the costume she had made of various half yard scraps that I had sent. Check it out for yourself!

She went into great detail to exclaim how the 100% silk fabrics make such an impact on stage, far greater than cotton fabrics. Yea, for scraps!! The pants are left over drapery fabric, as is the turban, the robe is made from an upholstery weight remnant! That is some costuming, Denise! Great use of some of my favorite leftovers!

I'll try to keep the fabrics coming. Great recycling. You are really good!

Over another mountain!

Last week, I felt quite a sense of accomplishment having sorted and gone through each individual fabric book in my design studio, one by one. If I were to estimate that I may have all of 3000 books in my resource library, I would most likely be under stating the number of selections.

Each season, approximately 2-3 times per year, the fabric vendors send their new collections which consist of anywhere from 4-8 books , showing the new trends, color pallets and patterns. As I sorted and thumbed through each book, my work slowed. Many of the collections go back to 2002. So, you can see how easy it is to amass an overgrown library. So easy to collect, so difficult to delete!

Naturally, there are many favorites from past projects. There are those that I have always wanted to find a project for, those that I have suggested that have been rejected, those that are far too expensive for real life, and those that are too outlandish in color or pattern for the average homeowner.

Having felt quite accomplished in sorting my resources, I was not happy to have to review them all, after securing a small space for additional design studio space. I was happy to realize that if I were willing to tackle this one more time, I could select my favorites---with great objectivity, I might add--to stock this small space.

Let me just give you a visual of this fabric mountain...

Gaze upon one area.....

Yet another stack...

Still another corner of the room (and there's more than this!)

I suppose it's easy now to see what a task it is to review each and every book, and more difficult still to decide the few that will make the cut to the smaller space. Oh my.


Much like sorting my trim books, the fabric books drew large raves and/or a quick toss aside. I just couldn't resist documenting some of my favorites....or not!


I began several nights ago by sorting several categories, i.e. favorite linens, best velvet selections, most revered mohairs, and stacked them into separate piles. While reviewing the linens tonight, I came across this new book sent by Lee Jofa. First of all, I love monograms on anything, and this is a generic monogram! Put it on 100% Belgium natural linen, and it's hard to beat! Pillows, valances, custom bedding, even draperies.

As I turned a few pages, I came across this one! Almost like an alphabet primer!

When I spotted it again in a pale robin-egg blue, I knew the camera must come out! I love linen!



Just when I was swooning about the linen alphabet, I came across this linen polka dot! What is it about linen, anyway?!

This cocoa, green,charcoal and chartreuse just made my heart sing!

.....no need to think twice about tossing this one into the discard pile! Flame stitch, ugh.

I had to keep this in the "must have" pile. I have always loved it and never used it yet! Wool hounds tooth in aqua, creme and chartreuse. Say no more!

STOP! Orange and hounds tooth together in this collection! No way could I toss this one.

I'll end on this one. All I can say is,the task became a wee bit less so when my fingers began to run through the fabric options. What can I say, textiles just make me happy. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do. Coming soon......Susan's favorite picks!

I almost left this one out! From one of the Modern Library collections....hot pink and lime green! I hope I find someone bold enough to try this one.

At the very end of the night, I thought I had completed my picks, when I came across this one. I haven't looked through it yet, but I'm pretty sure with a name like "NICKEL/EBONY", it will be a keeper! Come see for yourself.

Look what I bought!

Last weekend, while away for a short get away to see my youngest daughter, Jessie, I visited a favorite floral supplier. Jessie live in Charlotte,N.C. The weather was most unpleasant, torrential rain for a full two days. While I was looking forward to a relief from our cold spell and most unpleasant weather, I was disappointed. I was not disappointed, however, in the great haul I was able to pack in the van to bring a little spring back to Black-eyed Susan!

Orchids and spring hyacinths ready for Joanne to pot! (They're all out now!)

You can pick these spring blooms up to pot yourself, or have Joanne do it for you. Sweet!

If I didn't know better, I'd think these breathtaking tulips came straight from my friend, Shannon's, garden!



My absolute favorite (and totally lifelike, even to the touch!) phaleanopsis orchid foliage back in stock! Yea!!

This happy little chartreuse fern perfect for completing any space.

Mossy spheres that have been a big request of late from frequent shoppers!

I'm not sure what could be better than these french tulips in orangey-red. They not only look like we had them imported from Holland, they feel like it! Ahhhhhhhh!

I was thrilled to find this giant artichoke sculpture

. Perfect for a coffee table! It's a serious size!

This fern frond with root ball looks as if I picked it right out if the woods behind my house! Oh, so cute.

An assortment of teeny tiny succulents, just perfect for windowsills or deep ledges.

I picked up these rose bushes that could have come straight from the finest nursery. They are ready to "plant" (including the plastic nursery pots!). This shot was taken looking up in my stock room. I couldn't reach them to pull them down, but I think you can still get the vision on their realistic dramatic beauty. I love that color!

It feels good again! After my weekend trip to a favorite supplier, the buckets and full again and the feel of Spring abounds. I hope you'll drop in and see for yourself.

One step closer!

Well, we're one step closer to a stunning room!

And, during the process, Sneelock and I decided how to rebuild our retirement nest egg! We'll become a famous painting duo. I can spec the colors, and the two of us can execute the painting. I'm getting dangerously good a cutting in with a 5" angled brush (no taping!)

At the end of the day, my body was hurting all over. Fred said he was tired too, but he still had the attitude of sacrifice to give me a nice rubdown. He's definitely a keeper.

A long shot of the room. Note my signature black accent! The mantle, side bookcases and surrounding paneling....I know it looks like a black hole right now, but just wait! A little lady who was wondering around the house commented on what a lovely room we had (speaking mainly of the room assignment, location, etc.) and then under her breath I heard her say , "I don't like the black, though". I wish I would have invited her back to see the finished product to see if she had a change of mind! On the floor are the new and deeper shelves we had milled for the bookcases, and Sneelock doing his best to tap on one of the new Sherwin Williams paint can lids. We are using all eco friendly paint, donated by my favorite Sherwin Williams paint store in Newtown! They are so great to me. They never question my selections with a raised eyebrow! I highly recommend that location and ask for Mark, the store manager. He's great!

By the way, I highly recommend the eco-friendly paint! It covers great and there is virtually no smell. All for the good of the environment!

Next week, the stripes! I have mixed emotions about the execution of that part of the project. (I'm gaining a renewed appreciation for my usual painting crew.......)

Another shot of the room with painted trim, walls and doors! I feel a real sense of accomplishment. It's difficult to see, but the fabric leaning by the doors is the proposed drapery fabric--a beautiful 100% sheer linen with embroidered dots! Ahhhhh.

Last night, when I started the night shift (!) , I was lamenting about the excess furniture that is accumulating in the retail store. Suddenly, I realized that this favorite vintage chest is the perfect thing for our room! Check out the color, a soft cocoa-y latte color. I love using chests for locations other than the originally intended place. For instance, this was most likely a bedroom chest of drawers, but it works perfectly in a hallway with a fabulous lamp, a living room as an accent table, a foyer table, or even in a large bathroom for towels! Of course, any guestroom or craft room would welcome such a piece as well. I'm sure this will find a home in my room at the designer house. It will be available for sale, not to worry.

At the end of the work day, we had one dilemma.......Ian poured the wall color into the trim color can. Oh dear! But, never fear, one call to Mark at Sherwin Williams and a replacement was at hand. Thanks, Mark!

So, there you have the latest update! Stay tuned for more great design. And any stripe-painters out there, come on over!

World's greatest painting crew!

Up at 6:00am
Makeup and hair
Dress for a day of painting
Breakfast
Personal reading
Quick email check
Pack lunch
Check list, check again
Pack van (don't forget ladders)
Meet crew on job site at 8:00am

This is how the day began.I did pretty well until it came to the "dress for a day of painting" item on the list! First of all, what shoes am I going to wear? Ugh. I have an entire closet full of shoes, but none really suitable for painting. While musing over the selection for shoes, I then realized that all of my pants are basically hemmed for heels....this compounds the shoe situation. Well, you get the picture. I don't have much of a wardrobe for a day of painting. Searching through my closet, I found a pair of jeans-the kind that shrink every time you wash them-perfect! After a few edits, I came across an old pair of clogs that seemed appropriate for ladder climbing, kneeling, stirring, dripping, wiping and cleaning.

The rest of the list was a cinch. The what to wear was the show stopper. Due to the final pick, expect no self portraits on this post!

The room is shaping up nicely for one day of work! Generally, I have one of my painters that we use on our design projects who steps in and donates his time for the purpose of a greater cause. This year, none of my painters were available and guess who filled in as my main man.......

Yep, Sneelock!

Sneelock, head painter, painting the ceiling with a very wide 12" roller! I'll post the colors for you later, but I have selected a very interesting taupy grey with a bit of brown in it. I'm painting a very wide awning stripe around the entire room. More tips to come!

My black accent! This is a wall of paneling with bookcases on either side of the fireplace. One of my favorite contractor subs fashioned new shelves, a good 5 inches deeper than the original ones and added another layer to the mantle to enable me to detail and layer to my heart's content.

This is Nick and his brother, Ian, putting the finishing touches for today, on the Tricorn Black accent wall.

So there's just a peek at the beginning of the transformation!

I'll keep you posted as we progress.

Thanks, Sneelock. You're my hero.

Backup!

While searching for the photos of the "before" room , I found the photo documentation of the measuring day,which I meant to document for you! These photos really start at the beginning, so let's backup for just a month of so........

Susan arriving on measuring day......pad and paper in hand. Where is my assistant?

Snow covered path to the manor house.....

Sensible show boots, as usual.......

With my hands full of paperwork, I dropped the steel tape......drat!

Never fear, all ended well, and I was able to record my measurements (without my assistant!)

return down the snowy path to the car, and return back to the office........now to begin the idea pool. What will I do?

You'll have to check back to see!

The Countdown Begins!

The official empty house party was held today for the Bucks County Designer House, and I guess that means there is no turning back! The participation in these events is always a two-edged sword. That being exciting, and stressful all at the same time!

This year, the house is really a fabulous property. It is an historic house owned by Solebury Township. The location is great from a close-to-home standard for me this year. The locations is the intersection of Street Road and Upper Mountain Rd in New Hope. There are multiple outbuildings, barns, and many garden areas. All in all, it has every promise to be a great show house.

Black-eyed Susan will be doing the main house living room! While the plans are in place, and the furniture ordered, paint colors selected and most subs on board to help, there is still much to be done! The work is all a donation, all in the name of charity for the Doylestown Hospital. Even though we have many of our subcontractors committed to help, there is so much to be done on our end that it at times feels a bit overwhelming.

This year, my painter is only on board for limited days and hours. This means that Sneelock (and most likely myself....) will be doing a lion's share of the work. The good news is, that the room is is relatively good shape. There are many things that go into selecting a room....(actually, the committee selects you. Each designer is asked to give first, second and third choices, submits ideas for each choice in detail, and then waits to get an assignment. We got our first choice!! That is always a coo.

Back to the selection process.....we try to take into consideration the general state of the room (i.e. areas that need refinishing, repairing, rebuilding......you get the idea!) I guess the bad news is, it's a rather large room----so Sneelock and I can count on spending a fair amount of time doing the special painting effects. It's been quite a few years since I, myself, have had to do the actual painting! It seems the economy has taken a hit on nearly all the subs and it's not so easy to get donated labor. Years ago, I can recall a rather large room that I did where I painted the entire thing myself and did a special rag glaze on the walls and ceiling!! Yikes! This year,I have in mind to do a wide awning stripe (painted). With all the new offerings we are embarking on at the retail location, this could be a real challenge!

I'll post updates as we progress. We have a great pallet and a wonderful design vision. (We sounds like quite a team......actually, so far, I have just a few!) I'll give you several hints.....Swedish washed oak sofa and chairs upholstered in natural linen and rich gray/brown walls. Just wait till you see the drapery fabric! Stay tuned for updates and photos along the way.

Here is what our room looks like as we begin!


And by the way, Black-eyed Susan will be selling tickets for the month long event. The opening gala is a large fund raiser and tickets are available to the public. It is aways a great event, with the first peek at the designer rooms and visits with the designers of each space. Check with the retail staff is you are interested in attending.

Here goes! I think you'll enjoy the ride.