Please….Have a Seat.

I watch TV.

I often don’t have the sound on so I literally ‘watch’ TV.

My desk is in a corner of my family/media room so when I do glance at the TV it is more the set designs and visuals that I take notice of rather than dialogue and conversation (that I don’t hear).

And lately it is the talk show ‘chairs’ that have captured my interest.  The style, colour and size of these chairs often reflect the personality of the talk show host.

On the Ellen Show, Ellen DeGeneres has large, red upholstered club chairs.  The red lends itself to the energy of Ellen and the size allows for balancing on the arms which Ellen often does before she sits down.  (Seen here with Vanessa Williams)

Ellen DeGeneres

 

The newest talk show host appearing on the scene is the petite Katie Couric.  At just over 5 feet tall Katie’s custom fitted chair is built to her personal body specifications and the white upholstery appeals to her feminine side.  Sitting here with Jennifer Lopez on the 2 ends of a modular 5 piece sofa (used when more guests are present) makes for an interesting one-armed chair!?

Katie Couric and Jennifer Lopez

On the Canadian front, talk show host Marilyn Denis in this particular segment is seated with Randy Fenoli of Say Yes to the Dress upon what appears to be high-gloss, plastic white chairs. With thick seat cushions and high backs the chairs appear comfortable but somewhat ‘outdoors’ looking.

Marilyn Denis and Randy Fenoli

Another Canadian talk show host is George Stroumboulopoulos.  George’s iconic contemporary red, leather chairs with chrome legs are as much a part of his show as is his cool and hip demeanor as he interviews many famed celebrities and important figures from around the world.

George Stroumboulopoulos

British comedy chat show host Alan Carr of Alan Carr: Chatty Man interviews his guests in a purple-hued space reminiscent of a disco lounge.  Alan’s curvaceous sofa and chair are upholstered in teal and plum velvet creating a real ‘funky’ vibe that says “Hey, let’s chat!” (Seen here with Lady Gaga)

Alan Carr with Lady Gaga

Rove LA is an Australian talk show, set in Los Angeles and hosted by Rove McManus.  Rove’s guests sit together upon a lounge-like curved off-white sofa with big brown puffy back cushions allowing them to really sink in and get relaxed which often ‘disarms’ guests into being too comfortable and hopefully sharing more than originally intended.  (Plus alcoholic refreshments probably help too!)  Rove perches upon a more upright chair allowing him to be in control.  (See here with Jim Parsons, Chris Hardwick and Pink)

Rove LA

 

 

 

 

 

Henry Moore

“Please do not touch!”

4 words that sum up the rules of an art gallery.  Look and enjoy but never, never touch.

I understand – art from the Renaissance and Baroque eras do not do well with the human touch.  If we want following generations to enjoy works of art dating from the 1st century to present day keep your hands off!

But sometimes the urge to touch is incredible……

On Friday I visited the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) to see the Frida and Diego Exhibition.  Amazing, you could feel the passion in their work.

But as usual it is the Henry Moore collection of sculptures that always has the greatest draw for me.  Housed in a large room painted a very deep shade of grey, with minimal illumination are the bronze casts of Henry Moore.  The room is very sensual and the sculptures are very tangible.  Some appear very smooth, others very rough.  I have the greatest desire to touch them, to feel them.   But I don’t!

Instead I just truly enjoy looking at them.  Experiencing them.

Henry Moore Reclining Figure

Henry Moore Reclining Figure

Henry Moore Woman and Oval With Points

Henry Moore Woman and Oval With Points

Henry Moore Draped Reclining Woman

Henry Moore Draped Reclining Woman

 

Henry Moore Working Model for UNESCO Reclining Figure

Henry Moore Working Model for UNESCO Reclining Figure

Henry Moore Working Model for Three way Piece

Henry Moore Working Model for Three way Piece

All images via Modmissy

 

A Modmissy Creation

This past holiday my family (25 in total) did the gift exchange/swap thing – everyone brings a wrapped (hence the secret) gift with an approximate value of $10.  Depending on the number you pull from a hat you then chose when it is your turn to unwrap one gift or steal from a gift that has already been unwrapped and revealed.

Fun and chaotic, sometimes even turning into a bit of a ‘sport’!

This year in true Modmissy style I decided I had to create a ‘one-of-a-kind’ gift that reflected me.  Chocolates are de-lish and lottery tickets could be $$$$$$ but just not my style.

Here is what I decided to create.

I started with this.  A Ralph Lauren oxford shirt that I decided my husband no longer needed!

Ralph Lauren shirt Ralph Lauren

And then with some black and white houndstooth check fabric I started to create.  Any guesses?

Ralph Lauren DIY pillow

 

A few cuts and stitches later this was the end product.  A Ralph Lauren oxford pillow!

Ralph Lauren Pillow

Ralph Lauren houndstooth pillowRalph Lauren logoRalph Lauren label

The front of the pillow was the Ralph Lauren shirt complete with the pocket and logo plus I changed the white buttons to black for more interest.  The back of the pillow was the houndstooth with the Ralph Lauren label that I removed from the inside of the shirt at the neck and re-sewed on to the pillow.

A Modmissy creation now adorning a niece’s sofa!

 

 

 

A New Year

Today is the first day back to school which in our house really kick-starts the new year.

The holidays were wonderful.  I spent lots of quality time with family and had lots of fun with friends.  For me Christmas is always about spending time with those you love.

This past holiday I learned 2 things about myself.

  1.  While spending a lovely afternoon Christmas shopping with my niece, who is a beautiful (mature) young lady, I was referred to by a saleslady as her ‘mother’.  What I had envisioned as 2 females ‘out on the town’ having fun, swapping stories, trying on clothing together was now shattered.  I must not look as young as I feel!
  2. One of my cousins who faithfully read my blog told me that I had inspired her to re-decorate her living room.  She had decided one day as she walked into her living room that it was time for a ‘change’.  Encouraged by my blog she tackled the re-decoration of the room with confidence.  Bravo!

In life you win some, you lose some.  I am hoping that 2013 is a year of balance!

Inukshuk - balance

Image via Modmissy

Happy New Year!

I want to say farewell to 2012 – it was a good year.

I remember as a child on the 1st day back to school following New Years the teacher would write in big numbers on the chalkboard the new year.  And I would think “Wow.  The future.”  The future held so many unknowns, so many mysteries.  But that was when I was 7, 8, 9, 10…. and at that age my learning curve was steep and my ‘unknown’ curve was even steeper.

As one gets older life is broken down into increments of time.  4 year university degree, 20 year mortgage, 2 year bank loan, net 60 days, 40 hour work week, 8 hour shift, 3 weeks holiday, 2 ½ hour movie, 4 hour drive, 6 week delivery date, etc.  Life is intervals of time mapped out in doable increments.

The future is not quite as much a mystery but life undoubtedly is.

So let’s welcome in the New Year and start 2013 as a new beginning with lots of wonderful opportunities that lay ahead in our future.

Health and happiness for the New Year.

Cheers!

Happy New Year.

My Mother

My Mother.

Affectionately known as ‘Nornie’ to her close friends and family.

My Mother was an identical twin and as close as 2 peas in a pod but my Mother was also one-of-a-kind.

Image

 

It was from my Mom that I got my sense of design and love of décor.  My Mom had a passion for decorating and keeping a beautiful home.

In my parents very first home my Mom painted the living room’s 5th wall (ceiling) red to coordinate with her new crimson red curved sofa.  Ground-breaking.

When my Mom was expecting their first child my parents moved to the suburbs – a larger home for their 4 children (born within the next 5 years) and more space for my Mom to decorate.

When we were very young my Mom enrolled in night school to take an interior decorating course.  I remember my Mom’s design boards with little swatches of fabric, carpet and paint.  She loved attending this course even if it meant leaving my Father at home with 4 small children – and even if it resulted in my Father doing a quick trip to the hospital emergency unit with my brother who needed stitches after falling on the fireplace hearth!

My Family

My Mom made her design choices slowly and meticulously.  Whether it was the fabric choice for the new sofa or drapery, the shape of the custom built kitchen table, the pattern of the wallpaper for the new feature wall or the paint colour of the garage door, my Mom made her decisions carefully.  Mom decorated on a budget but her home indicated otherwise.

My Mom was aware of trends and the latest in décor but chose the classics.  I grew up with mahogany, wools, silks, cotton damask, Louis XlV and gilded furniture.  Mom took me shopping to fine furniture stores like Eaton’ s Gallery of Fine Furniture, we visited art galleries and she taught me how to identify different fabrics.

I fondly remember my Father every few years saying to my Mom, “Well Nornie, it’s time for a new car, what colour shall I order?”  My Mom liked to coordinate the car with the colour of our home’s exterior!

Unfortunately my Mother never met any of her 11 grandchildren or got to retire with my Father.  And she never got the pleasure of helping her children decorate their homes.

Twenty-seven years ago today my Mother lost her battle with Cancer.

I miss you Mom.

 

 

My Christmas Door Wreath

The wreath:  A circle of flowers, boughs, or leaves worn on the head, placed on a memorial, or hung as a decoration.

The door wreath whether you celebrate Christmas or not, is a wonderful way to greet guests at this time of year. (especially if your door is ugly and needs replacing like mine – but that’s another blog!)

My childhood family’s first Christmas door wreath was a faux cedar one that my Mother was quite proud of.  Mom had paid a good penny for this wreath and subsequently that wreath adorned our door for many years.  It was very pretty at the onset but should have been laid to rest sooner than it was.  Note to self: cost cannot always be amortized!

As a kid I remember making my first Christmas wreath from IBM Punch Cards.

IBM Punch Card.

For those of you who may not know what an IBM Punch Card is (ie. too young) they are probably the earliest icon of the Technology Age.  Before computers of today these ~3” x 7” cards were coded or ‘punched’ with data and then fed into a computer to input information.  Seems primitive but we wouldn’t be where we are today if it were not for these cumbersome cards.

An IBM Punch Card Wreath

IBM Punch Card Wreath

When I moved into my first apartment I had a pine cone wreath that I purchased from a co-worker who was making and selling them.  But when the pine cones started falling off beyond repair this wreath became fire tinder.

Pine Cone Wreath

Over the years I have always purchased a natural pine or cedar bough wreath.  Beautiful.

But this year I decided to change it up.  Since my Christmas tree is not ‘strong’ enough to hold decorations I made a door wreath-ornament-holder.

So I started with this…

DIY door wreath

And DIY-ed this….

Door Wreath

 

PANTONE® Color of the Year 2013

Yesterday PANTONE® announced their Color of the Year for 2013.

A drum roll please……..

2013 Pantone Color of the Year - Emerald

“Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.”       

As I look around my home I realize I do not have emerald in my décor although I do have an emerald coat (fabulous pop of colour in my way too black wardrobe!) and an emerald ring (birthstone for May).

The word ‘emerald’ is derived from the Greek word ‘smaragdus’, meaning green and as everyone knows that ‘being green’ these days is a very positive thing.  So I think as we venture into a new year Emerald will be a very optimistic and encouraging colour for 2013.

Now to embrace it in to my décor!

Emerald montage

Images via:  www.bakerfurniture.com www.jeffgoodmanstudio.com www.instyle-decor.com www.swanklighting.com

Pantone Color of the Year

 

Jeff Goodman Studio – Open House and Sale

I would like to share an invitation with you if you happen to be in the Toronto area this Friday and Saturday, December 7th and 8th.

The Jeff Goodman Studio www.jeffgoodmanstudio.com has its annual Open House and Sale where you can enjoy live demonstrations of spectacular glass blowing in their newly expanded 4,000 sq. ft. studio.  Meet the creative team and witness their stunning work of blown and cast glass.

I love this year’s invitation with the ‘juicy’ colours of blown glass vessels.

So drop by if you can, it promises to be a colourful event!

See you there.

Jeff Goodman Studio