One Client, Two Recipe Solutions, Six Favorite Pieces + Taking Photos For Design*Sponge

This is a long post. Bail now if you're not comfortable.

When I was a (very) little kid, my sister and I shared a bedroom, one that had white wallpaper with tiny pink hearts in a pattern that would cause you a migraine if you stared directly at it. I had a weird attachment to that room, and this bizarre ability to remember the most trivial details of it's parts, like if my sister would move my Pound Puppy. An eighth of an inch to the left.

Doris emailed me a few months ago, looking for just that kind of psychotic attention to detail, and asked if I could help her with her Living Room. One meeting and a handful of sketches later, I gave her a basic consultation that began with this new layout and a small novel of recommendations.



Renovating an entire home is hectic, and Doris is overseeing the implementation of this project herself. (Thank God it doesn't involve an order of Thomasville cabinets.) She's tackling our notes bit by bit, and trying to gather her strength to repaint the walls Martha Stewart Sharkey Grey. (YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT!) Earlier today she emailed me pictures of the updated layout with the new stripe rug, which will be layered with a large blonde cowhide. Aside from the paint, she's redoing the fireplace, adding a chunkier end table, and burying the television cables. And then there's editing. Don't forget the editing.

So it's very much a work in progress.

Still, I wanted to share these with you, because I get a lot of questions about struggling with long, narrow areas. A LOT. I think you'll be surprised at how much was accomplished just by switcheroo-ing the furniture from the parallel facing couches to the layout above and tweaking a few of the existing pieces. Cohesive. Defined. Better.




So. THERE'S YOUR EXAMPLE. Don't ask for anything for Christmas.

Okay. Moving right along.




Remember how I mentioned that I was reorganizing my recipes? The binder thing reared it's ugly head again, but this time it's tolerable looking and has three ring hole punched plastic sheet covers FOR EACH RECIPE. (I know. I'm civilized!)

Wouldn't you know, though, that the very day that I finished it up, I came across this cuter than cute cutie.






So it's now in the Etsy shop. Speaking of which, here are my favorite new pieces that are up for grabs in the store.

Oh. Yeah. And there's one more thing.

I LOVE DESIGN*SPONGE, and Kate emailed today and was all, "We'd like to do something with your Kitchen but your crappy point and shoot pictures bite a big one." Actually, she really said something like, "Would you be willing to take a few more shots? The photos I pulled off your blog are a bit grainy." And I sighed and told Andrew, "Remind me again why I'm too cheap to buy a decent camera?"

And then took me by the hand.

Led me down the stairs.

Pointed at the tree.

And said,

"Open."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He even got me the right lenses.