CHALKBOARD AND A WIN!

I WON TWO TICKETS TO TORONTO'S COTTAGE LIFE SHOW THIS WEEKEND...NOW IF I CAN WIN A COTTAGE WHEN I AM THERE ...WHOOT, WHOOT!

Tickets were courtesy of Colin & Justin ( Scottish Designers Extraordinaire) and I just happened to randomly win one of 20 pairs...how great is that! So, it is off to the Cottage Life Show we go. I am quite excited to see what all that entails and hoping it is as relaxing, well somewhat, as going to the cottage.

FROM CORKBOARD TO BLACKBOARD

Here is a little taste of what is to come this week.  I started a little project and it needs three days ( yes 3 days) to cure...

Corkboard to Blackboard

I will provide step by step instructions and pictures so check back.  I have picked up some trim for framing which I will cut and paint this weekend and then "stick" it on to frame the blackboard. I am also going to look for an artistic piece/feature to make the board more designer looking...not blank...maybe a stencil, child's drawing etc.

It's a beatiful life when you are on your way to the The Cottage Life Show!!

Arts & Crafts Design

MacIntosh, Morris & Lloyd Wright

...sounds like a law firm but couldn't be more different. As the founders of the Arts & Crafts movement these three men were right brain thinkers from a very deep creative side. I also believe some of them had lot of gray matter on the left side and were good businessmen although it appears they also missed deadlines, imbibed, partied hard etc., which seems to apply to a lot of creative people. After all Leaonardo da Vinci rarely finished a painting.

When Scottish designer Charles Rennie MacIntosh entered a European competition 'Haus eines Kunstfreundes' asking architects to develop fresh and innovative ideas for "A Grand House in a thoroughly Modern style" his entry was incomplete and he missed the deadline. However his work could not be ignored and a "Special Prize” was awarded with no first prize being considered whatsoever ( future post). So I am really interested when I read about the difficulties these highly creative folks had in life and wonder if it is just life and happens to us all or are they so far right-brained that the left is just not computing businesswise and it is their downfall, at times. Like all artists once recognized these designers did make a huge difference and took us in another direction. I chose Arts & Crafts Design for my final project in the Advanced Interior Decorating course further studying in much more detail an area of design I was seriously interested in . My design boards are illustrated below:

THE SPACE:
A 1920's Arts & Crafts bungalow designing two rooms (Bedroom and Living Room were chosen) and a bathroom ( my apologies for the reflection).  I changed the layout to accomodate an ensuite with window and a laundry room off the common space. The bathroom was designed to accomodate disabled requirements



Floor Plan & Electrical Plan

THE MASTER BEDROOM - GLASGOW STYLE

Highlights the Glasgow Style of Charles Rennie MacIntosh portraying the lattice profile in furniture, curvature in pattern with japionese style end tables and mission style lamps

Sample Board - based on Charles Rennie MacIntosh Design
with William Morris Fabric (Acanthus Leaf)

THE FURNITURE
The Edinburgh Collection from Stickley furniture which was inspired by the Glasgow Style of Charles Rennie MacIntosh includes the Willow bed and the Glasgow bench which demonstrate the lattice motif /pattern that MacIntosh was famous for and is reminiscent of a chair MacIntosh designed for the Willow Tea rooms in Glasgow. Two oriental style night stands flanking the bed are striking in black wood with gold details as they support two streamlined mission style bedside lamps in a metal finish. 

Vogel Slipper Chair in William Morris
Heather Acanthus Leaf Fabric

THE FABRICS

Drapery- Woeller Textiles, Kitchener ( through Isle Mill Fabrics, Scotland) Grovedale Lavender 100% wool with definite curvature and pattern of oval shapes connected end to end characteristic of the Glasgow style.

Slipper Chair - Grape/ Heather upholstery for Slipper chair in William Morris Acanthus Leaf pattern from Sanderson, UK and available at Telio, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Sample board based on Frank Lloyd Wright Design

THE LIVING ROOM- OPEN CONCEPT
I believe the Frank Lloyd Wright style with open concept living is more favourable today than it was in his time.  Lots of wood in furniture and panelling with Morris' Arts & Crafts style upholstery and wallpaper patterns in botanical and nature designs. Lloyd Wright was also know for his multi-functional furniture and spaces.    

FURNITURE  

Frank Lloyd Wright's Coonley occasional tables were selected for the room.  The slim end table is comprised of two tables, one within the other. The Boynton Hall Table (console table) matches nicely and sits at the window housing a Japonisme style lamp and space for refreshments. The Robie Tabouret (small table, footstool or seat) can be used as a tea table or an extra seat  The Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin chair can be used as a stand alone piece or utilized in the dining room.

THE FABRICS

The Robie Tabouret - Upholstered in rich Aubergine colour in Faux Leathertex, 100% Polyurethane, Polyester & Cotton Blend, 100,000 rubs for multi purpose use from Woeller Textiles, Kitchener.

Taliesin Barrel Chair - Sun coloured upholstery fabric in Velvet finish. 100% polyester.Stain repellent finish w/ acrylic backing from Woeller Textiles.

The yellow sun colour on the chairs is reminiscent of the sofa Frank Lloyd Wright designed for the Martin House. However today’s fabrics with stain repellent applications bring it up to today’s standards.

The next three future posts (3) will be on the individiual works of MacIntosh, Morris and Wright.

It' a beautiful life when you learn something new...

FINISHED PIECES...

As I promised the minute I was able to download the pics I would post the photos of the finished cross stitch pieces. 

WIP - Clara Ellen

Blackbird Designs Clara Ellen ( #1 onto #2 now) in it's finishing stages in the photo left was completed and will be gifted to my Interior Decorator teacher at the college.  She has just lost her Mother ( February 2013) and in prior postings I explained how hard she worked at the college, what a great teacher she was to me and is to others and how she was dedicated to the care of her elderly mother (and father).  It seemed it was no coincidence that I was working on this piece when we got the news that her Mother had passed away. So four of us ( her students) got together and agreed this cross stitch was appropriate and I mounted and framed it rather quickly and it will be presented to her on the last night of her Advanced class on Monday, March 25th, 2013.  The finished piece in the picture below turned out very nicely with a store bought frame and custom mat.



Clara Ellen
Anniversaries of the Heart
Blackbird Designs

HOOKED ON CROSS STITCH

Recognizing your favourite artist's work hanging amongst many others draws you to a specific style that you may love, or warm to it because it reminds you of something in your childhood or you just like it...no questions asked. I can usually identify (because I love them) William Morris fabric and wallpaper patterns and Charles Rennie MacIntosh design furniture (quite unique so not too hard). Now it seems I am drawn to Blackbird Designs Cross Stitch patterns...I can spot them a mile away and I so enjoy the content and the colours as well as the stories they tell. One of my first was Floral Gift from the Christmas Ornaments Just Cross Stitch magazine 2010 special issue ( thank you Irene for that suggestion). So I have gathered up a little stash...Anniversaries of the Heart...



Pattern #4 - Pink Hill Manor
Can't wait to stitch this one. 
I have all the threads ready to go

   

Pattern #6 - Happy Birthday



Pattern # 11- Evergreen Lane
WIP as I post this and coming along very nicely



Pattern # 12 - Elizabeth Jane
Just can't get this one started - soon maybe

I also finished Pattern #8 - Clara Ellen. I had to email Alma Allen on this one as I really haven't done any "odd/ advanced " type stitches and you will see I stuck to the tried and true cross stitch but I will try the eyelet stitch required and with some practice see if I can accomplish the different border for the 2nd one I am working on. It does look lovely. If you are reading the pattern the "diamond" is the colour code of the thread and the stitch itself is eyelet stitches over 4 linen threads using two strands of floss. I know...99% of you got it...I am not sure how hard this will be for me but please don't hesitate to comment if you can help me out.





CLARA ELLEN - Pattern #8
BLACKBIRD DESIGNS
 ANNIVERSARIES OF THE HEART
I have completed and gifted one Clara Ellen
framed in black with a greenish mat
 and have another one to stitch.




I also finished Hannah Lovina Joslin from the
Honeysuckle Manor book which may be my favourite of all time.
I stitched my mothers name and year of birth on it.
Framed it in black with a warm deep red mat

 
Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers SUMMER is all set up to go as well...but I got hung up on the Anniversaries series and you know how that works...it is like chocolate and wine together who could resist.



A Schoolgirls Work by Barb Adams & Alma Allen contains samplers from the Spencer Museum of Art. The first half of the book contains the original samplers with specific information on each one. The second half of the book contains cross stitch patterns inspired by each sampler...how wonderful.  I haven't thought of starting any one of these...I just pick up the book and ooh and ahh at each one and the stories they depict. Of course there are some other pieces that have fell by the wayside that need attention as soon as I clear this lot lol!!

I picked up a new designer last week JBW "French Country - Love". 


It is a gift for a specific couple young and modern...and I hope it works.
I  have kept the threads very light and hope to find a French
country style frame for this piece.

It really is a beatiful life when you know you have to live to 100 to finish the stash - hope my eyesight holds up.

I am still having trouble loading pictures.  I did manage to load one on this post and the others are copied from 123 Stitch ( thank you) http://www.123stitch.com/JBWDesigns2.html. Hopefully I will sort this out soon and be able to post the  finished pieces.



 

GOOD TO BE BACK...

I have been very fortunate to attend quite a few seminars in the design world recently all very well done and informative and a few weeks ago attended the Privada Party put on by Fusion Homes in Guelph. Although it was not a formal seminar it was an Open House of the Model Home and two residents also opened their homes. The set up at each house with refreshments and food (two with chefs) was amazing to say the least. However the draw you might say was their, Fusion Homes, Interior Designer Glenn Dixon from TV’s Take this House and Sell it. Glenn was most gracious giving advice on colour, space planning etc., and with his expertise, down to earth attitude and a wicked sense of humour a good time was had by all. Thanks Fusion Homes for your hospitality...the homes were well laid out and beautifully decorated...if you can take a look for yourself it will be well worth it. This site ( Privada) is definitely adult lifestyle with a gated style community of condos in town house fashion. I followed this up with a visit to their location in Kitchener called River Ridge and if you want a family home in a great neighbourhood this is the place. The colours in the Model Home are very trendy and may give you some ideas of how colourful you may want to go…or not. However visiting this model home now will give you a definite lift...so colourful in this drab end to winter. Go visit Ann Williams in the sales office, she can tell you all you would want to know about these upscale homes. I have another site to visit probably next week and I will be quite excited to see what they have done there and how it differs from the other two sites. I will include on the blog. I am having trouble uploading pictures to the blog so that is what I will be working on immediately as I have lots to show you.

Is it Spring yet - maybe tomorrow?

My goal is to blog weekly and let you know what is new in the decorating world of Plum Interiors and what I have been up to in the real world, so to speak.

It is a beautiful life when you get back to what you love!

MO RESULTS and WAGJag Draw for Apple Ipad and Iphone 4S



SHEEPDOGS AND MOSISTA GAYLE



Our little MOscot

Mo son raised $1000.00 for Movember cause for Men's prostrate cancer. His Mo sista raised $180.  The Blingstaches and Sipstaches were a big hit and really helped getting people talking and promoting the cause.

ALUN'S COLLAGE OF MOFRIENDS



MOCHILD

 DRAW FROM WAGJAG

If you win I win!!
WAGJAG Draw for apple Ipad and Iphone 4S - go to WagJag...select answer "Holiday Shoppe".

http://promo.wagjag.com/r/en/4927

Hand Made Mo's

I have made over 50 Mo's today and need to deliver these to Toronto soon as.  I think they look quite good.  I have some on a stick, masquerade style, and others on a straw so that when you sip through it your mustache is positioned above your lip.  This week I will move onto more masculine versions which will be bigger and maybe a bit of a challenge.

Don't forget to donate in your area Movember is world wide.

It's a beautiful life when you are supporting a good cause and helping others.