There Are No Words...

My sweet 'fourth daughter' Ashley is shown above with her dad & mom at the baby shower for Jameson last fall. Please pray for Ash.... an hour ago, she learned that her mom had died suddenly.

Right now my son Joel is driving his girl and their baby Jameson (along with Ashley's brother, his daughter, and girlfriend) from San Antonio to Houston to be with extended family. If you will, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers for a safe journey tonight, and for comfort in this most difficult of times.

We don't know much about what happened, and we can't call Joel while he is driving, but we are heartsick. As Ash's dad's girlfriend told us, this is the hardest thing that these kids have ever had to deal with. Oh, how I wish we were closer..... I'd hug sweet girl and never let her go.

Oh, and call your mom and tell her you love her. Right Now.

Added Sunday evening: Thank you all for your kind comments, and especially your thoughts and prayers for Ashley's family. I just thought I'd clarify that Ash is my 'almost' daughter-in-law - and we consider her our daughter. I didn't mean to confuse anyone!

A Spring Break

After waking up to snow on the ground this morning, the day turned sunny and clear (and cold!). I've been waiting for the right moment to change my tablescape, and decided this was it...

I grabbed a few of my aged flowerpots, some moss from the backyard, and a primrose and narcissus from the hardware store and got to work. When I was done, I had two white ceramic serving pieces filled with moss and bulbs and flowers...

...so I played around with their placement for a while as I chatted with my high school friend Sherrie on the phone. As the sunshine began to stream in my front windows, my table finally looked a little bit like spring!

With such bright sunshine outside, this flash shot looks like phooey. And the white pitcher needs flowers in it, doesn't it??? Ah well, it was a nice way to spend half an hour on a sunny day!

The rest of my day was spent working on products to sell, and finishing up miss Phoebe Buffet's 'spa treatment' in the workshop, helping as my honey refit the doors and put on the hardware. We moved her into the Master suite tonight, and oh my does she look mahvelous in here! (I'll get photos after I do a few other things to the room).

Then he bbq'ed a fabulous London Broil steak, I opened a bottle of Reserve Syrah, and we toasted a very successful day. Lovely!

What's Your Decorating Style?

Lovely reader Cindy visited my Design blog, (thank you Cindy!) so I went to visit hers here. She has a charming blog! While there, I found a post about a decorating quiz that is sure to determine your style. Well, you know me, I can't resist that, so I clicked on over to Sproost to check out the quiz .

As Cindy said, this is the equivalent of having Karen MacAloon from 'What's Your Style?' on HGTV show up and snoop through your house to tell you what your style really is. 'ContemporaryCraftsmanFunk' could be the answer - which tells you nothing, really - but I took the test anyway. it was fun! I recommend it, even if you are 100% sure about what you like every day of the week.

My results?

40% Classic

Not traditional, noooooo. I think of this as a combination of contemporary wth traditional bones - what some call 'Transitional' style. Classic lines and themes with lighter, brighter colors and shapes. I laughed when this photo and the one way up above came up in the test, because this is exactly what I have designed my house to look like. I even have the sofa!

30% Nantucket Style

Ok...NANtucket Style? That's a new one. Beach style, Seaside style I've heard of. Nantucket, notsomuch. It's correct - I am a California Beach Girl at heart, even if my fair Irish skin rebels against it - but that moniker just makes me wonder. In my case, it would be called California Style, but I do love it anyway.

30% French Eclectic

Blew.my.mind. REALLY? I've jumped on the Frenchy bandwagon in my own personal style? Yes, apparently, I have. This trendy new decor has made it's way into our Retreat products and themes, of course, but that's because it is hot and selling. At least, that's what I've been telling myself. Apparently, this chick has been harboring a hidden hankering for some French foofiness. Who knew? Ah, c'est la vie....

My biggest problem has always been making up my mind.

I love so many styles, so many 'looks' - that's why I love doing display work, and one reason I change my decor around every season. A flip of the furniture arrangement, an addition of a new color, and suddenly it's a whole new room for a new season. That's the display designer in me...I get bored easily, what can I say?!

This 'new-found' knowledge about my style preferences actually helps me to see that those elements have been showing up more often than not over the past few years. And I'll definitely keep them in mind as I make choices about our future decorating plans here at Retreat Farm. My guess right now is that it will be primarily classic, with a LOT of that - ahem - Nantucket style (the beach is only 1500 feet away...) with maybe a soupc'on of Frenchiness in my spa/bathroom and studio/office. Where I can get away with it.

The SAD thing is that if Mr.Deb took that test, his answer would look something like 'RusticCraftsmanWesternLodgeNantucketStyle'. But we did that in Tahoe and our log house a few years back, so he's outta' luck!

LOL....I took the test again, choosing what I think Mr. Deb would choose... and the results are 38% Arts and Crafts, 38% Mountain Lodge Style, 24% Southwestern Style. Sooooooooo not happening.....

soooooooooo Ready for Spring...

I know, I know....it's still February. A month until the 'official' dawn of Springtime. (and that's subject to interpretation here in the PNW, anyway...) But my oh my, this chick is ready for Spring to arrive. It will bring with it the fields of daffodils I love so much, followed by the tulips...


I could have had a jump on spring this past weekend and headed to the Flower & Garden Show, but I've been fighting a lousy sinus infection & earache. yuck. Dear Saucy, I feel your pain. Literally. (It's the pressure changes when weather systems blow through here that cause it, so I'll be one very happy camper when winter's storms are past and Spring settles in.) This is the first year in ages that I've missed the Flower Show.... a few years back, I fell in love with the garden that was presented by Christiansen's Nursery. They had a retail booth next to it, and it looked like this:

OMG, I know. That palace of a gazebo just took my breath away! Can't you just imagine it as the centerpiece of a cutting garden? Admittedly a BIG cutting garden. This thing is gargantuan. Tea, anyone? sigh. Since seeing it then, I just crave it. Love love love it. Pine for it. Dream of it. These photos of it are even in my 'wish journal'.

So this afternoon, when the hubs and I went over to the hardware store to grab a can of white paint (we are making an effort to purchase from local merchants whenever possible - even if we do pay a few dollars more for things), we walk in the door and.......oh.my.heavens......there it IS. Smack dab in the center of our very own ACE Hardware store. In all its curly swoopy statuesque Edwardian beauty.

I know my pace slowed as I gazed at it, and my jaw must have dropped as well, for the gentleman behind the counter smiled and said '14nineninetynine', then lifted his eyebrows and mouthed 'fifteenTHOUSANDdollars' at me...kind of like 'dream all you want missy, you ain't never gonna' get it'. I bet he says that a lot. To all of the women who walk in and gape and stare and have googly eyes when they see this grand gazebo.

I asked, of course, and he said, yes, of course, it was indeed the same one that Christiansens used at the Flower & Garden Show. So there it is, sitting there, not five miles from my house and my garden-to-be, just waiting for me. Has been all along, just like my house was. I really hope he is working the day I walk in with a wad of cash to buy it. I'll look at him and mouth the words 'Fifteenthousanddollars is nothing to God, and God is Goooooooood!' to him. ;0)

In the meantime, I have some little primroses that are popping up in the yard along with the daffodil sprouts. Spring is on it's way...the signs are everywhere. Funny, that's how I feel about a lot of things right now. I don't need to see them to know they are coming. Faith is knowing that the seed precedes the flower....and the flower will come when the time is right.

It's All HIS Fault....

Despite my best intentions to forego the Academy Awards and work tonight (since my fave 'Brothers & Sisters' isn't on), I got sucked in. One cannot simply ignore the melodious crooning, dapper style, smooth dance moves, and undeniable good looks of Hugh Jackman as host. Not THIS 'one', anyway...It's impossible.

SO, I sat. I watched that opening number and I.was.hooked. I Facebooked with friends who did the same. And now that Babawawa is interviewing the insipid Jonas Brothers, I am blogging. (I'll check back later for interviews with Anne Hathaway and the aforementioned Mr. Jackman, alias Wolverine. Caught Hugh, missed Anne. Darn.)

I wasn't into it, really, except for the killer drumline and the aforementioned Mr. Jackman's fancy footwork during the tribute to musicals. I was pleasantly surprised and am quite fond of the new way the Academy - or, rather, the production designer - has past winners coming out on stage to honor the current nominees. It's so positive, so affirming, so 'real' (though scripted), and I hope they continue this in future shows.

And then....Actor in a Supporting Role.

YES!!!!!!
Heath just had to win. It would have broken hearts if he hadn't. I've already shared that his death affected me in a way that surprised me. The tribute spoken by his family tonight moved me to tears. So tragic.

Kate's acceptance speech was heartfelt and yet so very deftly presented. This is a woman with a gift and a heart. I am so glad she won. And so glad she called out to her dad in the audience! What a sweet moment!

To quote a friend of mine, "I'm not really a big Sean Penn fan." Actually, I liked him as Spicoli. ;0) But I understand that his performance in MILK was amazing. I can say that his acceptance speech was that, as well as eloquent and moving. And thought-provoking. We live in a country that has elected, as he said, 'an elegant man' as our President. It is time for equal rights for all. Well spoken.

All in all, I thought this Oscars ceremony was better than anything in recent memory. I actually enjoyed it, and I thought the stage sets and visual effects were wonderful without being overwhelming. The actors took centerstage - as it should be. It felt simpler, more intimate, more personal. (um, as much as it can with that many famous wealthy people in attendance and us on our couches.....)

And, as the tabloids predicted, Brangelina got ignored. (Hey, they should have been honored just to be nominated...isn't that the line?!)

Lastly, just my own personal observation of one of the strangest moments tonight: Jennifer Anniston stood on that stage just feet in front of Brad & Angie, and she was the very best version of her charming, beautiful, smiling self. Absolute perfection. Way to go, Jen...put those tabloid rumors to rest.

We now return to your regularly scheduled lives.....

Before & After!

When we moved into our house in November, it was a last-minute fast n' furious undertaking. Consequently, I made some fast decisions about what went where. Like this lovely piece: it came here in the trailer, got hauled into the house, and unceremoniously PLONKED into place. A bit later (like, um, January) I did a bit of fluffing....but nothing major.

This looooooovely buffet is one of my very favorite pieces.

I coveted it for years - years, I tell you - in my friend Sara's shop, Finch & Willow. First it was down the street, then I helped her move to a new location right across the street from my shop where I could almost look over and gaze at it. I'd visit it, I swear. Something about it just called to me. Sara wouldn't sell it (and back then I couldn't afford it, anyway). I closed my shop, Sara closed hers, and I sort of forgot about my treasured buffet. One day Sara called and asked if we could help her move into a new home, and OH! There it was, tucked away in her living room. I admired it anew. She still wouldn't part with it. (Can you blame her?)

And then....another phone call. It would not fit into her new place. She had to sell it. Did I still want it? DID I!!!!!!! It became mine, with the promise that if I ever choose to sell it, she gets first dibs. And I treasure it every day. It's been gorgeous in the Cottage, and now it's gorgeous here at the Farm.

But you know me....everything has to change! Dear sweet buffet (whom I refer to as "Phobe Buffet", a play on Phoebe Bouffet from 'Friends') has been hauled out to the workshop, so that she can receive a 'spa treatment' of sorts. Some wax on her drawer glides, new hardware and a flip of the doors (they were originally installed inside-out and it drives Mr. Deb nuts!), plus a fresh coat of soft white paint inside & out is the plan. She'll be sparkling fresh and ready for her next job...because when she comes back into the house, she'll be in the master bedroom!

And in her place in the dining room?

Meet the FABulous buffet that we bought at a garage sale last summer, then painted and put into Faded Elegance in September. She never sold (why not, I have Nooooo idea), so we brought her home last week and decided to let her live in the house for awhile. (Did I mention that the garage sale we bought her at was located just a block from our home now - before we lived here?!) She's a perfect match with the black chairs and other black furnishings we currently have in the house. (Which is, of course, all subject to frequent change...)

I foofed her up with one of my fave old mirrors to reflect the dining table, chandelier, and window. Added some black & glass lamps, with a few of my signature 'wire-frame-with-foofy-bits-added' lampshades, and assorted glass & china bits as a display on top. And I LOVE love love that black & white china - 6 pristine plates with a swirly art-deco design, which I paid a whopping 1.00 for at the Portland Goodwill outlet on our trip back from Texas! The 'good china' is tucked away inside the buffet and the thrift store stuff sits out on top....go figure. ;0/

I do think that since the 'new' buffet is so leggy, it needs something underneath it. Not sure what yet. But I like this new setup as it is....for now, anyway! I'll share photos of the white buffet in the master suite when we get that all done. Just moving a piece of furniture and a few accessories from one location to another makes the biggest difference. It's a fast, easy, affordable - and fun - way to get a seasonal change in our homes, and don't we all love that?!

Initially...

Can you see that pillow in the top right corner photo???
Lime & Pink, with 'dk' on it.

Room Service really knows a girls' weaknesses...

Was It?

O.M.G.
I just saw this info on my Feedjit Live Feed:

"Wasilla, Alaska arrived on "Diva Deb's Blog" at 18:56:45 -- 4 hours 39 mins ago".

SARAH PALIN READ MY BLOG!

Take THAT, Colleen! Tina Fey whooooooo???? ;0)

Jameson's Nursery

Equal time for the grandsons!!!!! It's Jameson's turn!

This is my grandson, Jameson. Also known as JW (pronounced 'Jay-Dub' in Texican!), J-Man, Lil' Dude, Lil' Irish, and grandson #2 (A number that has nothing to do with favorites and everything to do with birth order...)

And this is his room, which I painted in December and then completely forgot to share with you!

When you look in the door, you see the largest part of the mural.

The floral elements and colors are taken directly from the fabrics in the crib bedding, window treatments, and other elements in the room. I think Mommie did a STELLAR job choosing these soothing, natural tones for her boy! Very hip stuff. Now, Daddy also contributed: that lettering on the wall, spelling out JMan's name? Copied straight from the Jameson's Irish Whiskey packaging, as per Daddy's request.

Also per Daddy's request: Pooh Bear. (In our family, also goes by the name of 'Poobie Bear'). A must-have item in a baby nursery for my son's son. In order to make it blend in with the sweet decor, Joel's favorite Silly Old Bear is a silhouette in soft sage. Which makes him coordinate with the dragonflies and bunny in the linens and on the other side of the room:

At the doorway, I painted a growth chart, so mommie & daddy can keep track of their boy's faster-than-the-speed-of-light growth.

It's just a tall stem of foliage, with the words 'Growin' Like A Weed...' and one very special touch: JMan's footprint. Jameson was 3 weeks old and about 20 inches tall when I painted this - so we placed his paint-covered foot at 20 inches high and stamped it onto the wall!

It was such a treat to be able to do this for my grandson... I hope he enjoys discovering the little bunny and Pooh and the dragonflies when he begins to explore the room. I didn't get a great photo of one particular part (tho you can see it in the Pooh shot above if you look close enough), but I 'signed' the murals by having Pooh Bear hold a tag that says 'From Grammy to Jameson'... just so he always knows that his Grammy from far away thinks he is very, very special.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow...

Nah, he's not really the 'Master of Disaster', even though his shirt says so. He's more like what his mommie calls him: 'Tornado Troy'! But for the last two days, Mr. Man has been such a good boy for his Grammy...

Yesterday, we went off to Toys R Us...and he was ready to just move in and play to his hearts' content with the train. To hear his sweet little voice saying 'Where'd it Gooooooo?' when he pushed the train into the tunnel, and then smile and say 'There it is!' when it came out the other side....oh, my heart.

On our way out the door, he spied one of the coin-op rides. He loved it... until we put the quarters in! The movement was a bit much for him.

Today, while Daddy and Grampy went to buy wood for the kitchen remodel, and Mommie was at work, Grammy and Troy played in the sunny living room. With Cars. It's always cars with this one.... and he says it like a growl: 'Karrrrrrrrrz'. So darned cute.

Then, while Daddy got out the heavy machinery and made some big noise, Grammy & Grampy took Mr. Man on some errands with us. He rode like a big boy way up high in his seat in Grampy's truck - pointing out all of the cars he saw along the way, of course: 'There's a Car!' 'Hi, Car!' 'Bye, Car!'

(You should have seen Grampy's face during all this - he nearly melted!)

While I added some new things to our space at Faded Elegance, Lil' Man charmed the heck out of Mari and some shoppers. He was a very good boy in this 'no-touchie' store, let me tell you! He wandered (with Grampy following) and looked everything over, but his little hands were at his side the whole time.


We went back to his house, Mommie came home, we ran another errand, and all of the busy-ness of his day finally caught up with him. He passed out in his car seat, slept through being carried inside, and didn't even twitch when Mommie put him in his bed (a CAR, natch!). He even snored!

My angel sleeps....

Grammy could stand a few hundred more days like these, let me tell you!. (How about tomorrow?!)

Love Love Love

My alter ego, DivaDeb, wore this glam outfit out for VDay this year. (Including the shades, just rockin' the look a bit!) To the swankiest place in Seattle. In a limo. Yes, there was champagne. And yes, that's the gift. In THAT box. From the swankiest store. Along with red roses. A violinist played music tableside. And Mr. Deb wore a tux, if you can believe that! Sigh. It was a dream...

No, really, it WAS.

(Come on , guys, you know me better than that!!!)
Our Valentine's Day was decidedly more intimate and low-key...We stayed here at home, encamped on our big soft bed and cuddled up in our jammies watching movies all day! Mr. Deb donned an apron and fixed a heavenly dinner, which we ate by candlelight, whilst sipping sparkling wine and staring into each others' eyes. We both agreed that this marvelous dinner (in the best place on Earth, for us) in our jammies, together, was just perfect. And it was...

Today, the bonus: I got a bit of cuddle time with my second Valentine - grandson Troy, he of the impish smiles, non-stop chattering, and sticky kisses. sigh. Yep. Perfect.

Yes, truthfully, there is a part of me that would love the all-out glam 'Hollywood ending' celebration and ostentatious display for one Valentine's Day in my life. (That would be the DivaDeb part!) But just once. Given my druthers, I'd choose the beautiful day we shared over and over and over. It's so much more ME!

To show you just how crazy I really am, at one point during the day, I said to Bob 'It's nice to know that this day is just like any other, not in a bad way, but that we take time every day to be together and say "I Love You" and do things for each other that are kind and generous and loving. It's not a once-a-year give a smarmy card thing just because Hallmark proclaimed it a holiday. And love doesn't come in a box - even THAT box!' He agreed. If it truly is all about LOVE, then finding ways - and days - to express it should be as individual as those involved.

I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with expressions of love to and from others... and let's keep this going. Every day, let's give love away!!!!

Happy Hearts Day!

I'm sending you HEARTFlair for Valentine's Day, my friends!

Tired....but Happy!

After a crazy week of resetting two entire display setups and a few hilarious moments (um.... literally selling furniture out of the back of our truck immediately after pulling it out of our antique space?!!!!), we have changed both spaces completely. Our new spring theme, 'Elegant Garden' went into Faded Elegance today, and I am totally completely passionately in love with it. I could not be happier!

Those lamps? They have handmade custom shades, which I created using vintage sheet music and player piano roll music. I lovelovelove the warmth of the light! I used the piano player music rolls in decorative treatments throughout the space, too. The dresser is one of our great finds from our Texas trip in December.

(You can't see my smile very well in this shot, but OH am I smiling!!!)
We tweaked our original plan for this setup, deciding to hold off on bringing in the mossy, green, bird-y and garden-y items....it will come in in March instead. And I am thrilled that we did that, because it's white and soft and warm and just a place I want to lay in the sunshine and take a nap in. (Especially after two weeks of nonstop work and some very sore muscles...) You can see all the details on our Retreat blog... please visit!

Creating Sunshine

Last night, just moments after the SNOW started to fly here (UGH), we went down to Poppyseeds and totally rehabbed our space there! After a fast n' furious 20-minute session of throwing stuff into bins and hauling it out, the space was empty (except for the red enamel table). I covered up the player piano music on the walls with red & white gingham curtain panels and put bright happy vintage linens up as window treatments.

Then Mr. Deb started hauling stuff in from the trailer, and I loaded the room with a slew of colorful furnishings, accessories, and vintage collectables. What a change!

It was just TIME for a change in there....even tho shopownerJulie begged me not to take out the vintage French Ticking stuff yet, I just needed the space to be happy and cheerful and bright and sunny. I figure if the weather aint' gonna' cooperate, we have to make it happen ourselves!

Check out our Retreat blog for more photos...