Shopping Wish List for the Country Living Fair
I have become a big believer in sharing my shopping wish lists publicly before going to an antique market. It’s a bit like wearing my “lucky sweatshirt” when the Commanders have a game (which I do), but it often proves to be effective. Remember before the Lucketts Spring Market when I posted that I was […]
custom cut plywood art panels
When I first started painting with oils, I bought a smattering of substrates to test. I painted on stretched canvas and linen, canvas and linen panels, oil paper, and gesso board. Over the years, I learned that I didn’t like the bounce and fragility of stretched canvas and linen. I didn’t like the texture of […]
moving fast & moving slow
I intended to share more on the blog over the last couple of weeks, but my days have been busy! On top of a full plate at work, we’ve had to fit car shopping into the schedule. (If you missed why, you can read about it HERE.) I wish I could say car shopping was […]
Country Living Fair, here I come!
It is not lost on me how cool it is that I get to wake up each workday and decide what I want to do. Some of that is dictated by deadlines and commitments to clients, but since 2008, I’ve been able to jump into working on my house, refinishing a piece of furniture, doing […]
Federal & Black | A gorgeous shop in Middleburg, VA
Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to drive down to the quaint town in Northern Virginia’s horse country for a book signing. I spent a beautiful late-summer afternoon at Federal & Black in historic Middleburg. First of all, everyone who came out to support me, the book, the shop, and Middleburg small businesses was awesome! […]
little things that go right
Calvin had an appointment last Tuesday, and I debated whether I should go with him. If you can believe it, my youngest son turned 18 this summer, which means he can go to routine appointments on his own. At the last minute, and in a roundabout way, he asked if I would go with him. […]
swapping slipcovers for fall
One of my favorite decorating books for over twenty years is New Country Style by Country Home. I remember pouring over one particular room again and again that showed how dramatically a room’s look can change by swapping out slipcovers. The room was completely transformed, and I always wanted to replicate that in my own home. […]
perfection vs. personality
Most of the time, when I’m working on a project that requires something of me physically, but allows my mind to wander – gardening, painting, cleaning, drawing, walking – I put on music or listen to a podcast or audiobook. But sometimes, I give my mind quiet to see what thoughts bubble to the surface. […]