I Did Manage A Mental Health Day

I stole away from my home full of contractors for a couple of hours to find my sanity in
Roger's Gardens, Corona Del Mar. 

Waiting in a very very long check out line (even with 5 registers ringing away!)

I took two steps away from my cart to snap this one.  And my cart rolled ever so slowly into the couple's cart behind me....  "oh, I'm so sorry! (big smile)"  No response from them, but maintaining eye contact I followed up with,  "That's a litigious offense, thank you for your patience. (bigger smile and a bit of a giggle)"  NaDa.  Maybe when I turned away they smiled to each other?

Not to be denied a lively exchange I engaged my cashier and his manager helper and we laughed; I was complemented on my unique plant (red camilla with a yellow pom pom center, orange red sedges, blue/grey sedum, and a new variety of Leucadendron "Ebony" aka black conebush)  combinations; we wished each other a Merry Christmas!


Cheers to You Dear Reader!   Linda   :-)

P.S.  Sorry about just two photos.  I hid my phone in the bottom of my purse while I walked through, so I would not stay all day!

On This Day Of Christmas....

my true love gave to meeee,


One Roofer Roofing

Two Tilers Tiling 

Three New Water Pipes

the red line added a festive touch

A Sheet-rocker behind plastic

Fiiiive Gollllden Rules!    (of home ownership)


1.  Live as if you're moving.  Weed out regularly or never keep the crap.  Make all repairs and updates to enjoy while you live there - why just do it for the buyer?

2.  When a pipe leaks take measures immediately to dry out all areas nearby. (and a bit further... water is sneaky)

3.  A roof is only as good as the application of the felt and metal channels over the plywood and under the roofing material.  (that's the pretty stuff you see but it's only function is to protect the felt from sun damage and to shed rain)

4.  Love thy neighbor and make decisions along your shared property line that will benefit their property as well as yours.  (they might will decline to pitch in financially, and then bitch about critique the changes during construction, but in the end they shut up calm down)

5.  And this too shall pass.  (when your subcontractors see you smiling and taking "it" all in stride they will go the extra mile for you)




Our 12 Days of Christmas song ends here with some photos of the decorations despite the chaos.

the long view of the living room
god that guest room holds a lot of decor!

more guest room furniture and the outdoor cushions
suspends pool table play

blurred lines (and focus!) between construction site and family room

and just as Mary and Joseph found room in the manger 

our guest room carpet will be laid and cleaned and decor replaced (on the 27th)
in time for our guests arrival on the 28th

a pretty blue christmas 

My favorite winter cocktails have helped me connect with the spirit of the season - join me!

pinterest

The classic Old Fashion

• 2 maraschino cherries
• 2 slices of orange
• 1 teaspoon sugar or 1 small sugar cube
• 1 or 2 dashes of angostura bitters
• 1 teaspoon water
• 2 ounces rye or bourbon whiskey

Muddle 1 cherry, 1 orange slice (my mom uses a 1 inch slice of lemon zest), and the sugar, bitters, and water in a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Remove the orange rind. Add the whiskey and (load with) ice; stir. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.

Martha Stewart's Cider-Bourbon Cocktail

recipe here

Cheers to a very Merry Christmas for All!     Linda   ;-)  

Don't Go Upstairs...

... I've finished decorating!

via Casual Loves Elegance  

Cheers!  Linda   :-)

The Portland Horse Project

I didn't set out on this walk through Southeast Portland 
to find a horse...

DesignInMyView

... but when I spotted it I knew exactly why it was there!  

Either my sister, or a bloggers post a few years ago filled me in on what was going on in Portland.  The Horse Project was taking to the streets.

via

It was soon after I could understand my father's spoken word that I learned about the iron ring imbedded in the curb in front of my grandmother's home.  We visited nearly twice a month and each time he fondly recalled how the horse wagons carrying produce or milk could tie up to that ring and sell their items to the neighbors on the block.   When he was 4 or 5, the man with the pony and a cowboy costume came to sell his parents a "photo op".  (Good thing too, it's one of our favorite photos of the boy who became our Dad.)

via

In 2005 artist Scott Wayne Indiana (if you click on his name, don't be shy about clicking on the forks)  set out to bring attention to these artifacts which had been designated historic and development ordinances require their preservation.

via

via

copied from The Project's site:

          The Portland Pony Project

It seems that we gallop through life in a haze
And don't notice the things we race by every day
Until a time comes when a change will occur
That will cause us to notice, stop and confer
We talk to our neighbors; ask "was that always there?"
"I never saw it before", the neighbors declare.

So it was with the horse rings 'til Scott came along
Thinking "I've an idea that could gather a throng!" 
He found some toy horses and tied them up tight
Then sat back to watch and see if they might
Cause people to notice what was always around;
What they had been missing – now they had found.

Now many people will pause for awhile
And others will notice, and they also smile
To see these small horses tied up to the rings
Where once their much bigger brothers had been
And maybe they'll even see a lot more
Of what they've been missing; it's happened before!

His project is spreading and now there's a herd
Of horse-loving folks who've also been spurred
To add some small horses to places near you
Hoping they’ll catch you smiling too.
Watch over our ponies, maybe bring them a rider
And we can make Portland a little bit brighter.

Ride on dear Reader, ride on!   Linda   :-)

Happy Halloween!

Scenery in the background is part of a haunted trail designed by Daughter and me.

A neighbor lady and I dress up as Witches to greet the trick-o-treaters every year.  As she said this afternoon, "Why not? (be a witch on Halloween)  I'm one 365 days a year!"  I responded with light humor, "But today, we get to wear the costume."

Sugar loved her flying monkey wings.  They began to lose feathers as she did not allow passing room for furniture and people.  Fortunately, I took them off her before she attempted passage through the dog door.

Haircut tomorrow at noon!  I purposefully let it grow (way past a scheduled cut) so I did not have to wear my witch wig. Daughter exclaimed that I look like a before on the "Today with Kathy Lee & Hoda" makeover segment.


Cheers!  Linda   :-)

Work The 70's Vibe "Bring Back Big Bush"

I couldn't help thinking of her when I saw this ....

via and La Boheme

Gotta love Gwyneth Paltrow! 

(Let's not say I am, but let's not say I'm not .... but I may, too.)

Hate Hug the Haters.  No gal could be this cool and not be GREAT.
(check out Gwyney's blog - goop)


Cheers!  Linda   :-$   (I'm recently sporting the over 50 "brace face" - yikes!)

Real Life or Photo Shoot Style

How are you going to live in this room with all the layers of furniture stacked in the middle?

Vincent Wolf     via

The rattan chairs can not see each other (even without the lilies in the giant vase) over the height of the table straddling the mattress sized ottoman.

That sofa is the perfect shape for conversation, as the angled ends are looking at each other and the person(s) seated in the middle section.

This room is styled for the photo shoot.

View MY Venini Chandelier On The Cover Of Elle Decor

October 2013 Elle Decor cover on newsstands now!

DesignInMyView

That's the chandelier I found on 1st Dibs a year ago.

Hello Ms's Wearstler and Diaz!

I knew you were artsy fartsy.  I did not expect to see you so topsy turvy. (I've tried every which way and this photo just won't sit up straight)

I love how you used MY Venini chandelier in Cameron's Manhattan apartment living room.

(seriously.  this photo too?)

Did you see how I used it in a virtual design for a woman's office in September 2012?
I was inspired by a photo from The Sartorialist of street fashion in Paris.

So cool that we have similar taste!
Though maybe more cool for me, than the two of you...


My inspiration had multiple jewel tones which heightened the drama in a small room.
I too used citrine pillows, a clean lined white bench style table and stacks of books for interest.  Our wall & ceiling color is also similar.

I used the emerald green you chose for your real kitchen cabinets....

.....as upholstery on the desk chair in my virtual office.
 

Gotta see that kitchen chandelier....

..... Kelly loves statement chandeliers (me too) !   Cameron's apartment is loaded with them.  Buy the magazine for the example of how a special light source (chandelier, sconce, lamp,..) is a unique sculptural element, not just a bulb holder.

Kelly's crown molding topping these kitchen cabinets is very similar to the molding I designed for our family room bookcase.

Crown trim molding added to an existing
 (formally 1980's golden oak) bookcase.

Design in my view, is very much like Wearstler & Diaz's design view.
View is one thing.  Execution and a fabulous budget are two other, very important things.

Linda   :-)

Girlfriend With Cancer Gets Picked Up From Chemo

It was my first opportunity to be Pick-Up Gal Pal.  

The next day "girlfriend" was scheduled to have a blood transfusion.....   

I did not want to be communicable. 

F.Y.I.  "HAPPY * HAPPY * HAPPY is a t-shirt from the A&E cable reality show "Duck Dynasty".  The quote, "HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY" is from patriarch Phil Robertson. (I call him the Cliff Huxtable/Bill Cosby of the 2010's)  

The Duck Commander Store here sells ALL the show product, and equipment for real hunters.
I assisted Santa, and put this shirt in my stocking last Christmas, "Oh, Santa!  Thank you!  It was on my wish list!"

As I waited for the call to drive up to the medical center door, I needed to use the bathroom.  Traipsing across the parking lot (from my tree shaded spot) a young man on a bicycle was crossing my path.  He broke his headset audio focus, looked at me with a smile and said, "I like your shirt."  I responded with, "I'm a BIG fan!, you?"  "Yes!", he grinned, as he peddled away.

Thank you Girlfriend for sending me this photo today.  I'll see you tomorrow.  My 2nd opportunity to pick you up from chemo.  I am honored to assist!

XO,  Linda   :-)



Dear Reader,  I have just learned about a glassybaby giveaway from Leslie of, Around The Table.  The sale of glassybaby's assist in funding cancer research, cancer patient needs and many other charitable organizations.

Go to her post HERE to enter to win.  If you don't know about glassybaby's go to her post and see what you're missing!

View From The Pool

Floating on my back in the pool, this is the blue sky and fluffy white cloud pattern. 

(The bright bright sun combined with my i-phone 

has washed all the color out to create this black and white.)

It is sooo hot here!  How hot is it?  No towel is needed. 

We are dry in just a couple of minutes and then so hot, we are quickly into the water again.

Happy Labor Day Weekend to you!  Linda   :-)

Oh Happy Day!

A happy day is on it's way.  Yippee!



I know this to be true because I saw it this morning in the water print....

left after washing the dog bowl.     :D

And #1Son called from the lifeguard tower (not on duty yet) to thank me for the egg sandwich and, the cinnamon apple scone.

And Lovely Daughter has been chatty and in my space, since enjoying her scone too.

As it happens I may have stumbled upon the antidote for premenopausal hormone sensitive teary outbursts - follow up quickly with scones!



Cheers!  Linda   :D

I Thought I Saw A Tweety Bird...

Riding A Bicycle!


But after a bit of research....

I discovered that this, is a Tweety Bird on a bicycle.





Maybe I saw Big Bird on a bicycle?

A bit more research reveals that I may have seen the VERY rare.....

canary

crested canary

Canary on a bicycle.

I did!  I did!  

Cheers,  Linda   :-)

photo credit in order of appearance #1 #2 #3 #4, #5 original photo by E.Hansen for DesignInMyView (I was driving) location:  Doheny Beach State Park, Capo Beach CA