Amanda Talley and a Project Monday

Last summer while visiting with my friend Valorie, 

The Visual Vamp, we went to visit artist 

Amanda Talley. 

I had admired and adored her work for quite some time.

There's something about the swirls and angles...

...mixed with textures...

...and great interest.

This was a commission...would it ever look great in my home!

As much as I love her work, her talent is out of my budget.

Here Valorie and I caught Amanda working in her studio.  I have to say, she is such a sweet girl and had us up for tea in her home above the studio.

To our surprise, Amanda showed us a line of fabrics she has with her art.  I thought right then that my dream of having a little piece of Amanda Talley art might change!

This design along with the colors would work well for a project I had going on. I ordered 2 yards, but the yardage does not come as a contiguous piece, each yard (54"wide) looks like a canvas. 

It Takes a Village!

Deb

I ordered artist stretcher boards and enlisted 2 of my sweet girlfriends to come help me.

Well 'help me' is not the right term, 'do it for me' is more like it.  It was hard for me hanging on crutches to do much of anything.

 Here, Kathryn (Kathryn Dillon Drapery & Design)

and Deb are getting the frame put together.

We covered the frame first with muslin and then centered and  checked and double checked and pinned...

...here it is all put together. 

So what do you think?   Eventually I will frame it.

Yippee...I have Amanda Talley art!

A little bit later in the week I will show you my LR, 

the 'new' traditional!

♥

Do you need help creating a beautiful home?

Contact MD for design services.

Foodie Friday

It has been a crazy few weeks being with parents in various needs of family assistance AND for myself having foot surgery.  I'm back!  So let's kickoff....

Super Bowl Sunday!

So who are you rooting for?  

Me?  I don't really care, but parties are always fun!

 recipe here

It has been forever since I have made French Onion soup...this looks so yummy.

Something hearty and comforting.

recipe here

Crack-tastic crackers!  

These are kicked up a notch with some red pepper flakes. 

recipe here

Oven baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

recipe here

Hummus and Avocado Toasts

YUM...cannot wait to try these, ya need a little healthy bite with all of the other decadence!  

What's going to be on your party table?

recipe here

For a little sweet treat, how about S'more Cookies?

Don't forget to bring some flowers in!   Easy peasy in mason jars!  ♥

All images Pinterest


Do you need help creating a lovely home?
How about a little face-lift?
Contact MD for design services.

Design Inspiration

Michele Morelan is one of my favorite 'go to' places to visit. I love that her hubby is a pilot and she has two sons...just like me!

 She is a tremendous talent not only in interior design but an outstanding artist.

I envy her schematics....something I would love to learn.  She has a video series on 'how to' but my renderings look nothing like hers.

Visit her at her blog, A Schematic Life.

Be inspired.

Maureen Bower of Eclectic Revisted is a new friend of mine.  She had a beautiful sense of design and a lovely way about herself.

Visit Maureen here. 

♥

Do you want to turn your house into a lovely home?

Contact MD for design services.

Project Monday

Projects on hold....


Sandwiched in

It is said that my age folks are called the 'sandwich generation'. Those that care for children and their parents. 

 Since my kids are grown and gone...

...I suppose it's an 'open-faced' sandwich. 

 Today I sit with my mother as we sit waiting for my father who is getting prepped for open heart surgery tomorrow.  

A man, who by looking at him, is the picture of health and still walks 4 miles 4-5 days per week.  A man that by virtue of getting older has valves that leak.

I thought I would share with you the next few days some bloggers that have interesting things to share and beautiful designs to envy.  First up, my very good friend Lisa Porter, a jewel and creative I met (online and in person) through this crazy world we call blogland!

Visit her here...you will be delighted in what you see!

♥

Would you like to turn your house into a lovely home?

Contact MD for design services. 

Foodie Friday

It's Good to be Green

The other day I saw the benefits of green smoothies packed with nutrition and getting more of what we are 'supposed' to have in the way of greens in one place.

Iowa Girl

Greek yogurt (I like plain - less sugar that way,), milk of your choice, (almond milk for this girl), peanut butter (the natural kind, no sugar and no hydrogenated oil), and spinach - yep, SPINACH, 

like get 'yo' popeye on!

Ingredients:

1 frozen sliced banana

1 Tablespoon peanut butter

1/2 cup 0% Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt

1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (or other kind of milk)

4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutritional stats:

350 calories, 10g fiber, 21g protein

Great way to start your day!

 Bottoms up!  :)

It's tulip time!  They always make me happy.

♥

Do you need help turning your house into a lovely home?

Contact MD for design services.

photos: Pinterest

Design - Casa de Moore

As I mentioned in my last post, Mr. MD and I are directing our thoughts towards heading west in the next few years,  If you told me I would have thoughts of building a home, I would have told you you were nutzzz!  After briefly looking a real estate in a few areas I have come to the realization that we MUST build to get what we want, because this will be (after 40+ moves for myself) our last move until our kids have to 'do' something with us.  I hate that day for them (and us).

A few years ago one of my BFF's built a home on the gulf coast with this layout of the master bedroom.  My drawing is certainly not to scale but will give an architect my desire. I want to use natural elements that will fit into a mountain setting.

This is Steve Giannetti's (architect and husband to Brooke, Velvet and Linen) schematic of their future home Patina Farm.  I love the open space with the see through fireplace separating the kitchen from the living area.  Gosh I wish I could do these schematics!

Go visit Brooke often to follow along with the design of their home and visit Amazon to pick up their book Patina Style.

♥

Do you need help creating your house into a lovely home?

Contact MD for design services.

Mountain Home

After spending a family vacation in Breckenridge the week before Christmas, it rekindled Mr. MD and my desire to move west.  My head started spinning with building a home that would suit us until we're too old to drive. :)  When I got home the new edition of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine was waiting for me. 

I was particularly drawn to architect D. Stanley Dixon's design of a mountain home for an Atlantan couple in Cashiers, NC.  The interior designer on the project was Nancy Warren (photographer Emily Jenkins Fellowill) who had a great vision for the interiors to give a warm mountain feel.

I particularly love the North Carolina fieldstone entry into the home and the creamy horizontal wood paneling. 

Just because a home is in the mountains does not mean there has to be a primitive look to it. Rich warm textures in the textiles and aged wood on the walls layers this comfy room.

A mix of the elegant and rustic.

The kitchen is large enough for a long farm table and opens up into the dining room with a stone fireplace.  Love the dark stained plank floors and the rustic beams on the ceiling.

This is a great look featured in Elle Decor.  Plank floors again, lighter in color and wall of book cases.

Suzanne Kasler's design in a beautiful log cabin as seen in her book Inspired Interiors.  She uses rough hewn wood and  horizontal wood paneling and logs to frame the four poster bed.  The linen on the bed softens the hardness of the wood.

The cabinetry here is stained to match the old wood....beautiful.  No upper cabinets which I like.

 Put that in the file!

The antiques look very pretty against the rough background.

These few images have gotten my head spinning...it will be a few years down the road but definitely something to build upon and add to!

♥

Do you need help making your house into a lovely home?

Contact MD for design services.