Everyday Special

What Happened to Summer?

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Now that August is almost over, I am wondering just what happened to my July! Of course there was the usual July 4th fun and frolic with children, grandchildren, out-laws and assorted pets. And then there was the "bomb" - a major health issue that came out of nowhere. And then in August we experienced a tragedy that still has us and many dear friends reeling from the shock. And a major decision about "the business" closes out the exciting "what did you do on your vacation" spiel.
After 15 years at this retail game, which I dearly love, I will be closing the shop and moving into a new phase of "the career" which means more excitement and hoopla. But first, I now get to experience the adventure of actually closing a business. A customer asked me why I was doing this and that started me really thinking. I have been through the start up, the moving of a store into renovated quarters while trying to remain open for business, the name change and focus realignment, a major hurricane and aftermath for 16 months, a move from one city to another with accompanying selling of buildings and finding new quarters, putting 6,000+ items into storage in a flood ravaged city and getting them delivered out to another city 2 months later, attempting to bring a business built on customer loyalty to a new venue, and lastly, just trying to get all other aspects of "after Katrina" put to rest. And that is how I get to where I am today! A long trip to be sure, but one I wouldn't change if I could.
So, now --- what happened to that summer? Well, for those of us here in South Louisiana summer isn't over until Thanksgiving at the very earliest. Football season isn't the signal for us that cool Fall weather is around the corner. If we are lucky, we may be cool for Christmas -- or maybe, just maybe, it will snow again like last year!! I dream of such things.....

July 1st and Vacation Begins Here

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:01:00 +0000

It's a wonderful feeling to know that from now until July 31 it is officially "vacation" and that I don't HAVE to go to the shop. Which of course means that I probably WILL go to the shop, just not to do any heavy lifting or floor mopping.

This will be the time to get everything ready for the big re-opening August 1st, when we will be getting ourselves ready for the next transformation. As some wise man once said, "if you aren't changing, you aren't growing." We will definitely be growing and changing that is for sure.

Now I have to take the time to work out the logistics and get the timeline finished. It will be a sad but sweet ending to an almost 15 year part in the retail world. I have certainly been entertained, delighted, perplexed, rewarded, and bamboozled by the experience. It will be sad to try to close something that just makes me happy - happy to work at, happy to look at, and happy to think about. But too much happy can be a bad thing - even I know that. When you start thinking of other things that you could be doing and start wondering how you can do both --- well, that means the handwriting is on the wall.

So, for the next few weeks I will be moving things around, consolidating, practicing web skills, doing a little canvas shuffling, and trying to figure it out. In the meantime I will try to do some creative blogging that can be my "to do" list, my game plan, my dreamscape, and my touchdown at reality. Until next time, take the advice of Coach Les Miles and "Have a Great Day!"

Good Advice or Idle Random Thoughts?

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:18:00 +0000

It was such a lovely vacation and I did so regret having to pack it all up and head home. And somehow I just can't seem to get back into the hectic pace of business everyday. My mind keeps balking at all those chores that you have to do on a daily basis just to keep a store open and alive. I keep seeing those cloudless blue skies and the beautiful white sand beach and thinking about going back to stay!

Alas, it seems that even before the week was done the storm clouds came rolling in. You know how that can take over your perspective on just about everything. It seems that everywhere I look now I see business articles geared to giving advice to just keep on keeping on during the downturn. You have to get more customers through the door, add on to your sales, update your inventory, advertise in new ways, increase email, re-train your staff, and keep a good attitude.

Now that is a LOT of advice and to be really truthful, it can tire you out before you even get to reading the articles . I, for one, have taken an oddly distanced reaction to all of this and I am attributing it to my current frame of mind.

I have just recently spent much quality time "doing nothing" and enjoying it immensely. I lolled around all day at the beach reading a huge stack of good fiction that I have been saving for that rainy day with nothing to do. I have been giving a lot of thought to the retirement scenario. My lease comes due for renewal in a few months and I have been asking the age old question "what would happen if I just quit?" And I have been making all the lists of things that I would have to do to make it happen ( or not happen depending on which way you view it) so that I could close the door at the end of the year and have no regrets. Is there anyone else out there mulling over these same things?

I just found out that my next door neighbor's store was burglarized over the week-end. And the really great part about it is that they found a wallet left behind with a driver's license and all sorts of identification. Now, the first reaction has to be "what a dummy", but then you think that it must be a frame-up job. Surely no one would be that stupid or careless. Or would they. I guess we won't find out until we hear back from the police. But this just added one more item to the list of reasons why I don't need to be doing this anymore. Who really needs the emotional stress of worrying about a place 24/7, rain or shine, 52 weeks of the year?

I will be doing some hard thinking in the next few weeks - I've allowed myself to the end of the month to figure it out. What would I do if I weren't doing what I've done for so long? My family says "Ha!" - you are never without something to do!!" And they are right. I have never lacked for something ( or many somethings) to do to keep myself occupied and happy. I know that there have been a lot of things that I have had to say no to doing that I would really have liked to have done. And I could certainly learn to enjoy living in the world of "spare time" that seems to always elude me now.

But will this love of the retail game, the excitement of design, and that thrill of creativity win again? Will I be here still trying to keep it all in line? Will I miss those buying trips to Dallas, Atlanta, and New York?? Will I miss the excitement of greeting the UPS man with my box cutter and scissors in hand, ready to open the first arrivals of the new season? Of course I will. But I can't help but think that there will be other exciting things to witness, other fun adventures to experience, and new friends to meet.

Once Around the Store

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:58:00 +0000

I love doing these once around the place posts - gets me moving and looking at what needs to be done. Today I am here at the store and snapping some pictures before I go about changing the displays and changing out some display shelving. It helps to have something to reference so that when I decide I can't stand what I just did I can always fall back on the old plan and do an update instead of major overhaul.

It seems to me to always be a major undertaking to try to compose a display. I know that all the retail gurus say that in-store signage is a must, but I somehow manage to ignore it. I know that I shouldn't, and this time I am committed to doing something about it. Instead of just making nice looking vignettes, I am going to actually put the maxim to the test.

So, this is what we look like right now - before! The next post should have some subtle changes as well as some dynamic ones complete with signage. Of course, I will be taking a small holiday in between, so maybe that will impact what you see when you return as well as my attempts at first-class merchandising!!

Once Again Around the House

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:56:00 +0000

You may have noticed that there hasn't been too much going on around the house lately. I must confess that I have been a little distracted (again, already?) for the last week. Taking advantage of a challenge thrown out by Susan at http://www.homedigz.com/ I submitted pictures of my "laundry room" as an entry in her Help This Home project. This is indeed an exciting adventure and I want to share with you what has happened so far. But, before we start in on the project, I'd like to take some looks at the rest of the homestead so you won't fall down in disbelief when you see the Laundry Room!

Here is a rather placid view of the family room, pretty common set-up, not a lot of fuss or muss.

And from here we can go into the kitchen - getting closer to disaster area but not quite there yet!

Behind this door lies a sight to behold. You will either kill yourself laughing, or immediately sign me up for ADD-Anonymous. So here you go!!

Now! What could I be thinking? I was obviously thinking that this is a walk-in dumpster!!

Once Around the House

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:39:00 +0000

Okay, we started out with our walk on the patio and then I jumped the fence there to include that daylily. Let's get back to what we have here. Dr. Deeds specializes in "pots" - anyplace that he can fit a pot he puts one. I, on the other hand, like to place them with great precision. What with the ADD, I can only stand so much visual confusion in one place at one time. My newest project is to secretly hide some of the pots and see if anyone notices. Until then, let's take a look at what currently resides in some of them.

Pink is a special color for the patio at this time of year. In fact, we have some very lovely "weeds" that are a delightful pink. In fact here is a picture of them -- in a POT!

Next is a lovely variety of Hydrangea that will really be beautiful in a few more days of this high 80's-low 90's temps we've been having. I know that there is some magical stuff that you can do to change the color of your hydrangeas, but I really like these just the way they are.

One time Dr. Deeds brought home a lovely exotic plant for beside the pool - naturally in a pot - that is a lovely shade of yellow and orange. I am not sure what they are, but they certainly lend an air of the tropics (or maybe the desert?) to the poolside. What do you think - and better than that, do you have any idea what they are?

Probably my favorite right now is the bright pink Bouganvilla. We used to have one that grew all up the side of the house. It was just tremendous and didn't even look real. I'll check to see if I have some old picture of it for camparison one of these days. In the meantime, here is what we have to look at right now!

To finish up this pink story I took a picture of this fine plant. I don't know its name either. Did I mention that Dr. Deeds also is an avid gardener and never met a plant he didn't love? He is so crazy about them that he just has to bring one home - or two, or three. I have lately taken to telling him I am stealing his Lowe's chargecard if he brings one more plant home (but really, it could be worse, right). We now have an entire slew of these beauties - some white and some pink. Don't worry, we'll get to the white ones later. Remember, we haven't even left the back patio yet! We have an acre of so to cover before we get to the dog days of summer and an entirely different roundup of blooms! You can see by all of this that I almost never lack for a flower to make "everyday special".

Pick a Favorite?

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:06:00 +0000

What's your favorite color? What do you think the chances are that we can find it out here in the garden? Betcha a donut that we can! Now, let's take that walk around the yard we've been promising ourselves while we get in our workout and stake a bet. Okay - ready to go?

First, I think RED! Yes we can still find some red out here if we look closely enough. Actually, red is a pretty common color in this landscape. I hadn't really noticed before. Right here on the patio are two really nice "reds." The first is a really lovely vine and I notice this one and a few others of different shades. We'll snap a few pictures of them too, and add them to our "colorlog." Next we find a really beautiful "tree" - well at least it looks like a tree to me. Or maybe a bush. Think I need to start some research and study into floraculture?

And then, there is this Day Lily (daylily?) out here behind the pool stuff. It sits here amongst a sea of yellow cousins standing out like the brave soul it is. There is just something really lovely about these lilies that "make everyday special."

Another Look

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Sun, 03 May 2009 02:02:00 +0000

Well, for the past few weeks now I have been a bit busy and not really posting here as usual. I got myself involved in three online courses, a major store spring-cleaning, a photography project, and a migration of three websites. I have been a bit pre-occupied to say the least. And now I am planning the coming week and making lists and lists and more lists. I almost always make these lists - don't you do that too? And then I actually do try to work my way through them - it's just that I can get really distracted really quickly. So I am telling you right here and now, this time it will be different. This time I have a real determination to get through them all because they are the blueprint for the future, so to speak.

It is time to take a look at what's been happening and all that I have been trying to do, and make some sense of it all. For starters, after tonight's post I am going to work on a few design tweaks to the blog site here. Nothing radical - at least not at the beginning. But it is time for some change, and change is almost always exciting and certainly a lot of fun. I have pages and pages of sketches and definitions of "ftp stuff"and html and all that techno-talk. What it comes down to is this - we won't know what we are getting until I hang it out here. So it may be changing on a regular basis until I get it right!

So take a good look at it now, because with the next post it will surely look different, maybe even better (depending on how you look at it.)

PS And did I mention that I have been having a real bang-up time over at Twitter also? That, my friends, is the place to really learn some stuff!

Something's In The Air

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Something is in the air just about now, and it isn't just the music that will burst forth from JazzFest over the next two week-ends. No, this is something that's been around long before JazzFest was a dream in Quint Davis's eyes. I am talking about the flowering plants that are all over the city. Just walking past one will immediately take you "back home" no matter where you live now.There is just something magic about the way a scent can transfer us back through time and space. What am I talking about here? Well, for any of you who go around with weepy eyes and sniffly noses, you know exactly what I am talking about. Let's see what it could be.........

First on the suspect list is the famous ligustrum bush that bursts into bloom all over the city and countryside. Ligustrum has a very fragrant scent and I have been told (although I have yet to authenticate this fact) that it is a relative to the lilac plant which also evokes some of the same reactions from folks with an allergic factor at work.

The next culprit may well be the beautiful and sometimes undiscovered "sweet olive" plant. I am not sure what its real name is, but anyone who has lived in New Orleans knows exactly what I am talking about here. I once actually thought that a candle with the scent of sweet olive would be wonderful to remind me of my home town. I gave up on that and adopted the Magnolia instead and I am sure all my friends are thankful.

Rounding out the trio here is the Jasmine plant - I believe that this one may well be the variety that is called Confederate Jasmine, but don't hold me to it. I will have to go and research this for us. Right now though, I am using the names that were bandied about the neighborhoods where I grew up.

Is there any plant that you remember from your childhood that makes you remember things you had long forgotten? Another that I am waiting for is the ginger plant - butterfly ginger grew right under my window and I still look forward to its blooming today! Go take a stroll around your garden and see what memories you can conjure up!

Thinking Green Again

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:35:00 +0000

As I walk around the shop my eye scampers from one scene to another, and I realize that it is following the path that "green" has laid out for it. Green has long been one of my favorite colors despite the fact that a fellow "painter" once took a look at the canvas I was working, and said "yuck - I hate green and that is all you have on there!" And it was.

Green for me has many different personalities. It can be tranquil, exciting, romantic, surly, vibrant, and almost always has a hint of sarcasm and wit about it. When you think about it, green is almost everywhere we look. It is one of nature's "neutral colors" - whatever that is supposed to mean. I guess it means it can go anywhere, and it often does. When you get right down to it, what doesn't harmonize with green? Almost every color known to man is seen in some flower or other. Green can serve as the background, or the accent color when you vision down on a scene. And it almost always calls out to the eye when we are "fast forwarding" through a space or a photo, or even a memory. And being the "in subject" not just for fashion and interior design only adds to its lure. Everyday there is a headline somewhere calling us to just "Think Green."

Time to Move On

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:26:00 +0000

This 3/50 Project has been in the spotlight now for over a week, and it is time to move on. You can read the Project post at any time by clicking the keyword 3/50 Project. We don't want to lose sight of such an important project and concept, but it is time for us to get moving here!

Reading Joni Webb's post the other day made me laugh out loud - cardiac arrest! In our house it is a standing joke - "cardiac arrest" is when someone gets so really crazy, silly for something that their heart stops dead in its tracks and just a gasp eeks out of their voicebox . Poor Joni - I can just picture her driving like a madwoman to beat the clock back home to get her checkbook. And then that return trip to Tara Shaw's to retrieve her chairs. It would make a great YouTube!

Well I must confess right here and now, that any ADD worth her salt goes into cardiac arrest at least five times a day, if not more. I get that very exact same feeling when I first walk into the library, a book store, an art supply store, oh good grief even Whole Foods! It starts with a slow acceleration of the breathing pace, then heightened awareness of sounds and colors, then the real hyperventilation begins. Will I have enough time, enough money, enough energy, enough mindspace to see it all, feel it all, read it all, hear it all, DO it all.

You see, I think there is a sub-set of the ADD diagnosis. It is ADD-OAD. That would be Attention Deficit Disorder - Overload and Ambitious Dreaming. Now tell the truth, can you visit a blog or open a cookbook without your mind starting to race at about 100 mph? I start with the pictures, run through the printed word at breakneck speed, then check for any personnal comments or hints - all the while my poor little brain is thinking - " I could do that - and then I could do this to it, and add that, and paint it this color, and use it for such and such, and then put it right in that place, and then and then and then." Get the idea? Just plain crazy cardiac arrest.

So today I am starting a new project! (Hmm, another one of those ADD-OAD symptoms is tons and tons of started projects that lead to other projects that lead to new projects until.....cardiac arrest again!) This one will be to make a schedule for daily adventures into the land of "visually pleasing blogs" so that I don't forget which ones I want to see. A big problem with blogs is that there is almost always a list of that blogger's personal favorites - and off we go again. I get lost and forget where I started. My backtrack key fails me at least five times a blog. Not good.

So here are some of the blogs that I will put on my list to get me going in the right direction and of course there is a list that is always up here so you can see where I am surfing most days.

My short list of "must see today" blogs includes:

1. Visual Vamp of course for it's excitement and just plain fun

2. Cote de Texas for Joni Webb's wonderfully entertaining and educational trips into Interior Design

3. All the Best for a glimpse into the internationally known places, events, and edge of the envelope design personalities

4. Tobi Fairley for a designer's perspective

5. Jo Emmert Interior Design because Jo is my friend who has a wonderful eye for color and design

Now these five blogs are certainly not in any particular order (for an ADD personality there is no such thing as specific order as far as I can tell) nor are they the only ones that will be on my list. But I have to start somewhere, so this is the basic 5 for today. I hope that you enjoy them and let us know what you would add - what are your favorite five that you just have to check in to evey day?

Let's Do the 3/50

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:50:00 +0000

RetailSpeaks CEO Cinda Baxter is spear-heading a campaign to help local independent retailers and the communities in which they are located. It is a grassroots campaign that is gaining speed and national attention as everyone becomes more familiar with the concept. It started as a post to Cinda's blog and an email from one of the members of the RetailSpeaks community. From there it has grown and literally exploded.

Please visit the website of The 3/50 Project and see how you can become involved also. You can catch some of the action on FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We welcome any and all to join us and help from the bottom up as the business communities across the country try to keep local doors open.

I suppose the most relevant question to be asked is this: What would you do if your favorite restaurant, shop, local bank, bar/grill/music spot,snowball stand, museum, arts market, or grocery store had to shut its door because of the economy? Would you then wonder if maybe your spending $50 a month at local shops would have helped stop the shuttering of entire sections of your city? Do the "3/50" and become involved in something that is win/win/win.

Not Just Any Saturday Night

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:49:00 +0000

It's not much these days that can get me on the road for a Saturday night out in New Orleans. After all it IS an hour and half just to the parish line, for goodness' sake. However, this past Saturday was an exception. My friend Valorie (of Visual Vamp blog fame) was kind enough to issue an invitation to a lovely gathering in her home for cocktails. And this was just the perfect way for her to introduce us to two friends from her beloved NYC. Eddie Ross and his partner Jaithan Kochar were in town for the New Orleans Home and Garden Show, where Eddie was THE star and main interest for the entire lollapalooza.

First --- YES, Valorie's home is all that you would expect it to be and ever so much more. While we have all enjoyed her pictures, they really do it no justice. As soon as you cross the threshold you are instantly aware that exciting things happen here! And there can be no doubt that creative and fascinating people dwell here. Valorie and Alberto are two most gracious hosts and envelop you in their lovely aura as soon as you arrive.

One of the things that I have always loved about my old home town is that you almost never know what to expect when a front door opens and you enter. New Orleans has many characteristic architectural designs and you can find many examples of each in almost every neighborhood in the city. Valorie and Alberto's home has all the charm and elegance you would expect to find as well as that impish quirk that we of New Orleans like to call "our style." What this means is that each one of us is absolutely certain that any style worth it's keep is of our own doing. Translation: " I love it, it must belong here!" I know that each of you can picture what a house full of "Valorie style" would be -- and you would be correct!

We were treated to a demonstration from the Tango Queen when Valorie and Alberto showed us just why they are so well known far and wide for their dance. Made us all wonder out loud how come our dance lessons didn't do that for us. No one wanted them to stop - it was just so glamorous and so beautiful to watch and, well, just so Valorie!

So now I am sitting here remembering all the wonderful new friends I met, the excitement of having Eddie and Jaithan there with us, and the absolute delight at being a part of it. Thank you Valorie!

Guest Soap

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:28:00 +0000

Guest soap. What exactly is a guest soap? Well, it must be a soap that a guest will use. Or maybe it is a soap that a guest has brought along with them. Or it is a "new" or "guest" soap that hasn't been in the soapdish before. Or - it is a smaller than average soap that will last just about as long as the guest's stay in the guest room. If that is the case, then sometimes the guest soap is a great big giant sized bar of utility soap. Other times, it can be a small, delicate round or bar that easily slips into a guest bath soapdish.

When selecting a particular soap to fill the need for a guest bath it is fun to let a little whimsy play into the game. Something to make that special guest smile when she sees it and uses it is a good thing to hunt. And then of course there are the stand-by choices that are the perfect size, not too much perfume or scent, a good "hand" to them, and that get the job done.

Next time you go looking for a guest soap, remember that these are some of the things that make your guest's Everyday Special!

A rose is a rose, unless it's a............

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:25:00 +0000

Soap Dish or a soapdish. No matter how you spell it, it's still ...

A Soapdish! What? Well, exactly. What is a soapdish anyway? We all have them hanging around somewhere. If not on our bath countertops, then at least in the "powder room" as the little ole ladies call them. Anyone in the retail sector that sells such things knows that really good ones are often few and far between. In the past, we have been known to just go digging around and picking up things that should be soap dishes even if they aren't. The only hard thing about that is convincing a customer/potential owner of said dish that, YES, you can use it for soap. Here are some bona fide, made especially to be, officially manufactured as and labelled as soapdishes examples of the real deal.

Notice the drain holes in these examples of soap dishes made in France. That is another question that often goes unanswered - should a soap dish have these holes and why? If you vote no, then you get a soapdish full of watery scum after a few handwashings. If you vote yes, then you have a puddle of scum draining onto your countertop or sink. So, I am thinking it doesn't make much matter - you have to de-scum something either way!

In our "powder rooms" and guest baths we are often inclined to use a little more whimsy than in our own where everything gets lots and lots of hard use. In the guest bath are most likely those charming little things called Guest Soaps. That opens up another entire discussion which we will revisit later. But for now, let's just assume ( I know........) that you have a few of those cute things hanging around that you need to put somewhere. A "holding box" is sometimes as critical as the actual soapdish itself. A guest needs to be able to find the soap first, then think where to put it after using it. So here are some examples of neat ways to store them so that they can also add to the decor.

If you are in any way adventurous, this is where the fun comes into play. Walk around your house and pick up the cute little things that you love that maybe have been pushed to the back of the cabinets. Things that you love that have lost all the rest of their family, have been gifts received but never found their "right" home, or things that you just want to be able to use somewhere for something. Below are some of the ways we have come up with to solve the soapdish problem when we could find nothing that had any charm or saving grace that was a real soapdish.

I am sure that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that you can find endless possibilities hiding on your own cabinet shelves. Go on, have some fun........after all, it's only a soapdish!!

Diagnosis by Dr. Deeds

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:37:00 +0000

It's official. This morning Dr. Deeds made the official diagnosis : GARDEN ENVY! Yes, it has finally come to light. I have Garden Envy and it is my next door neighbor's garden that is the culprit. I have been watching for a while now and finally just gave in to the garden envy disease.

All the while I have been saying to myself that I will have a garden and that it will be the delight of my summer. But really, YOU saw my yard in a former post. Not much to be looking at right now. Next week the pool gets drained and the work begins. I will be snapping updates of that process as we go along. But the real gem is to be the re-worked flower beds around the patio and the naturalized "back 40". It was when I was ambling through the brush that I glanced through the fencing and stopped dead in my tracks.

There - right over the fence is the garden to end all garden dreams. Already it is on its way. I am hoping that tonight over a shared bottle of wine I can convince my neighbor to let me wander her yard and take some pictures to show you next week. And if not, I am not above climbing under the fence in the dead of night for a really good look!

When first I glanced throught the chain link I couldn't believe my eyes. There it was, replete with it's own stylish picket fence and bean poles and all those quaint things that gardens love to harbor. Already, she says, there are bush beans, butter beans, corn, and a host of other plantings that immediately made my eyes glaze over as they were turing green....

There are some redeeming features about my "back 40" and the pond and playhouse are two of them.

However, the old raised garden is now no more than a fond memory. The overhanging trees have five or so more years on them and now cast such overwhelming shadows that the entire thing is in dire need of sunlight.

In the meantime, I will just have to settle for gazing out over the pond to the playhouse and knowing that there - just over the fence - is the Garden Envy culprit in full bloom!

Bienville Street Studio

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Yesterday I had the chance to visit The Bienville Street Studio and poke around while work was going on as I watched. I have often wondered what it would be like to be a part of a working studio again. It has been a long, long time since I actually had a scheduled time and day to paint and I miss that a lot. Now I paint a bit on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the back offices of the shop. It isn't a bad setup by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a lonely pursuit of a craft.

There is something magic about being in the collective whirlpool of creativity and bouncing ideas off the walls with someone else or many someones else. I could see this in action yesterday as Jennifer and one of her fellow studio residents, Betsy, worked on their current pieces. Piled all around was the evidence that good things happen here!

It was truly inspiring to see all the work stacked against the walls and hanging around the studio. It was even more inspiring to think that I could do this, too! Jennifer has done some truly beautiful things and you should definitely visit her website for a look at some examples of her work.

I think I see the beginnings of a new work - deadline is Friday, Jennifer!!

An Everyday Special Walk Around the Yard

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Today is the kind of day that just beckons you out the door, camera in hand. I took a short spin around the yard just now snapping a few photos of the flowers that are saying "Spring" while the weathermen are saying "Not so fast!!" It seems that our yesterday's 85 won't be seen again today. Not that it's cold out there, but it certainly isn't anywhere near 80.

It's about time to start thinking about getting the patios and porches and pool ready for the sunny days ahead. First, we need to capture exactly what we see right now so we can make our plans and get on with it.

Sometime in the next few weeks work begins on the pool overhaul. It's about time as it has been 20 years since it was dug and then sadly forgotten except for the fun times and hurricane bathings of all the visiting dogs! Last summer it gave up the ghost and we have spent the last so many months trying to decide whether to turn it into a turnip patch (my suggestion) or have it refitted, refined, and made beautiful again. I lost! So now the fun begins - again. After 20 years all the equipment has been improved, discontinued, or updated. The tiles need replacing also, and while we are at it, why not just give the whole thing the once over!! So, I guess the next few weeks ( even months from what I hear) will be full of pool-talk and picture taking of progress. The result should be a working, beautiful, inviting pool finished just in time for our "beach time" each year. Who knows, maybe the backyard will win the race!

When To Stop

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:00:00 +0000

It will be a real achievement for me to actually quit stalling around here and just get to it. The other morning I put out the ole black easel. That should have been the first warning, right then and there. But oh no, I just went on as if I really intended to finish up that inventory count. Ha! Next thing I know a canvas magically appears and that old basket of acrylics. Now I really have a love/hate relationship with the acrylics because I have absolutely no clue what to do with them. The only things I have ever used are oils and these "other" things just make me crazy. I decided to just start mashing them around and see what happened - only problem is that it happens all too quickly. Well, duh! Isn't that what everyone loves about acrylic? I guess I'll learn to adapt and use this to my advantage.

When I paint, I end up painting at least 4 pieces on each canvas. The first one is the "idea" barely sketched in with charcoal or just a base coat of "color". That's what I did this time - just covered that canvas with a nice neutral linen hue. That looks good in itself!

Next thing is to fill in with some sort of design or representation of an object. This time, however, I just stick some "stuff" on top of the linen color. Maybe some neat paper that came in some packaging the other day. Yes, that looks pretty cool. And maybe a piece of bubble wrap just for fun. No - let's use that to put some texture into the paint! Really neat looking now. And then some more color and some squiggles here and there.

Then just let that dry and come back and do some more "stuff" - I bet it won't even look the same by the time I finish that. I at least thought to take some photos of what I did so I can see where it fell off the wagon!

I think I like what I am seeing - and this is the hard part for me everytime. Knowing when to quit is just as important as knowing what you are doing! And I always miss the stopping point it seems and end up with something even I have no clue about!

Well I did manage to just stop - walk away, and then come back later. Later............well, later I just put some varnish on it so I couldn't start messing around with it again! And now I am done.

Everyday Special

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:00:00 +0000

One of our very favorite places to find things that make Everyday Special is at fellow blogger Joni Webb's Cote de Texas. Just recently Joni was featured in the Southern Accent blog. This is a wonderful tribute to a most gracious friend and she certainly deserves the title "Miss Gracious Living".

Gracious Blogger: Cote de Texas - Miss Gracious Living - Southern Accent

Where Were You Last Night?

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:01:00 +0000

That could be a leading question, I know, but I was really hoping that everyone will have as fantastic an answer as I do. Last night was the opening of a new exhibit at Ann Connelly Fine Art here in Baton Rouge. Ann Connelly has long been the "home" gallery for many Baton Rouge and New Orleans artists. Some of my very favorites hang there - Donna West, Amanda Talley, Karoline Schleh, Amy James and a lot of new favorites! Last night was especially gratifying because I bumped into (quite literally) Libby Johnson in whose studio I used to paint. I drive past the studio every day on the way home from the shop, and each time I promise myself that I am going to drop in and hang out. Something must be in the air right now, because I actually put the brush to the canvas myself yesterday and am here this morning at it again. And for Libby to invite me back into the studio with her groups is just such a wonderful thing. I have been smiling ever since! And trying to figure out how I can schedule it so that I can get back to one of my most favorite things that I do (or don't as the case has been for the last 3 years). There is something just so energetic about being surrounded by creativity - and my mind takes off and sometimes I fear there won't be a landing anytime soon. Last night was no exception.

So today I am finishing up one canvas and trying to work through another. When I say working through that is exactly what I mean. I have never really worked with acrylics and so everything I do is an experiment. Some are real flops and some have some hope for them. I just chuck them behind the freezer - whoops can't do that anymore since that freezer died and moved out of the laundry room! Maybe behind the armoire at the shop - no one would ever discover them there!

Where to Start??

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:22:00 +0000

It is easy enough to say I am going to weed this stuff out of here, but exactly where do I start this task? A look around tells me that I can jump in anywhere - just depends on what method I plan to use. Should I start with the shelves that have the most "stuff" sitting there with no rhyme or reason to their display? Or maybe using one of the good ole accounting rules would work best - first in, first out! That's what I'll do - that should work perfectly. Next step is to choose an inventory category or store department and start pulling from the shelves.

I think a good place to start is in the Bath section - lots and lots of singles in the towels and shower curtains as well as the bath rugs. This should be really fun. Time to check the Inventory Reports and see which ones qualify as "orphans" - they will be the first ones to move from the shelves into the "fantastic garage sale". Then I'll move on into the things that have been here the longest and see if any should move to the blog. It should take only a day or so, and I can have them all sitting there on the pages at the blog. It's time to do it!

If I really get moving along here this afternoon I can have some of these up and ready to go! And then I can work on getting the email ready to send out to all our customers and let them know that they can visit the "fantastic garage sale" any time and reserve their choices for pick-up at the shop. What could be easier!

Clean Up That Mess!!

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Well it had to happen - time to clean out all the clutter. This morning in a fit of organizational frenzy I attempted to get a handle on this. The results may actually end up being the beginning of another exciting project as well as another fun blog. I am sitting here imagining how in the world I will ever get rid of, dispose of, relocate, move around, or sell all the things that are sitting on the shelves here at the store. I do realize that selling inventory is the actual purpose behind having a lovely shop. BUT, for a lot of us we commit the sin of falling in love with our "stuff" and therefor hoarding it on shelves rather than making it the "star" of a sale. What to do? Well, I can always begin by weeding out the real orphans that are sitting around.

How did they get to be in such a state? Napkins and placemats generally start out as "sets" of 4, 6, or 8. Then someone needs only 3 or 5 and you have some left over if you agree to "break the set" and sell to them just what they need. Now I know that some retailers NEVER do this, but we almost always do. It just seems better this way - the customers get what they need, and I get to keep some of my favorites. I know --- once again, that isn't what I am supposed to be doing. So, one of my resolutions this year is to just do it right. And in order to keep up with that, I am going to go back and get all this stuff under control so I won't want to fall back on bad habits.

I am really enjoying searching through all these wonderful things here. I think that I really got started when the dreaded "inventory count" started. You really get up close to your stuff when you have to count every single thing in sight (and some that are in hiding!). With over 5,000 single items living in this store, you can well imagine the relief I will feel when I can let go of some of them. So, I am gathering up the orphans, the pieces that manufacturers no longer produce (which makes ordering replacements or add-ons for customers impossible), things I am just plain tired of moving around and displaying, and some special pieces and putting them up for sale at http://www.fantasticgaragesale.blogspot.com/ so someone can rescue them. Hopefully in the quite near future you will be able to see a shop all pristine, neat, tidy, and full of new exciting displays.

The Perfect Setting

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:44:00 +0000

If I were to serve that masterpiece of baking that I made yesterday, how would I orchestrate it so that not only the cake but the table were works of art ? Here at the store I have many truly lovely cloths and mats with which I could create any number or gorgeous, timely, sophisticated, quirky or just plain outrageous tables.

One of the first things to consider is what I am wanting this vignette to portray. I think for a cake made from scratch (yes, that is what we call it when we bake from all the first order ingredients that are not already combined, sifted, mixed, and shaken for us) I need to search for a cloth and napkins that were also made in the traditional style. What better way to go than with a Madeira piece? I love this one in particular for it natural coloration, beautiful handwork, and "used" state of being.

The cloth and matching napkins have come from an estate sale that I believe was in the highlands of North Carolina. I sometimes picture it being used in one of the grand houses, but truth be told it could just as easily have been brought down from a home "up East" for use during the summer months spent in the hills. Either way, I love it for its historical possibilities and its personal touches. A small mar here and there are only the physical evidence of someone having used it before I have. I can imagine many an afternoon tea with a table set with fine china, crystal, silver, and perhaps a cake just like this one.

Time to Bake a Cake

karen@neworleansathome.com (Karen) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:43:00 +0000

Today was my first adventure testing recipes for Leite's Culinaria. I discovered this site while reading a fellow blogger's posting a few months ago and was instantly captivated. You can receive an update via email from them as well as visit the site and blog (http://www.leitesculinaria.com.)

For someone who has always enjoyed cooking and entertaining (a trait I inherited from my Mom who was the ultimate hostess to hundreds at least once a month and usually more often than that and from whom I received a pantry shelf or two of tremendous cookbooks) this was too good to be true. Being accepted as a tester is one of the most exciting things I have managed to undertake in the last few years. So, shopping list in hand, I headed out this morning to gather the required ingredients.

When confronted with a new recipe, I usually just hum along making do with what I have on hand and that I have already picked up and set aside on the last "making groceries" adventure. Somehow this seemed a little more important and I do believe I over-thought the entire thing. When the recipe called for a pound of honey, I immediate started agitating over 16 fluid ounces by volune or 16 ounces by actual weight. I spent at least half a day just reading labels! Suffice it to say some companies actually tell you the measure is by weight. Thankfully I did not have to go through the kitchen scale drill complete with sliding things onto the floor instead of into the containers for weighing.

After spending far too long struggling to get everything just perfect, I slid the pan into the oven and set the timer. And about 5 minutes later I smelled something really sweet and smokey. I looked in the oven to see a small bonfire shouting hello from the oven floor. I decided to just let it burn itself out and continue the baking process. After about 10 minutes more the batter stopped leaking out the bottom of the tube pan and all was good.

After answering all the questions posed for the testers, I forwarded my comments and decided to just look at my creation for a while. That lasted maybe 2 minutes before the big "tasting" began. First a piece that was a little bit warm from the oven -- not too bad. Then another that was truly cooled and ready to slice - a little bit better. And then, after having watched enough tv news to send me to the South Pole to survive the economies of the proposed budget, I cut another slice "just because". After all that cake and all that angst and all that "from scratch" stuff, I concluded that it is a good cake, but I am not sure it is worth all the work and chemistry involved, not to mention the fire drill. This month I will try a recipe that does not involve baking skills!