Missing my Daddy

Bob Merrill
5/24/25 - 1/29/09

I am the product of my parents and am so very blessed. 

Off to spend the day with my Mom and brother.

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Follow Friday: It's a two-fer

Last week, I showcased the amazing talents of designer and blogger Michelle Morelan. In this week's Follow Friday post, I am giving a shout out to two wonderful blogger's who were kind enough to pass along a Stylish Blogger award to ::Surroundings:: and The Skirted Roundtable.

Wanda S. Horton is a designer in Charlotte, NC who blogs at Interior Concepts by Wanda. Her blog is filled with inspiring images and insights into her design work.

In particular, I loved her recent post on Trends in Design: Past meets present. Her comparison of old school vs. current trends complete with vintage photos (with a shoutout to the original single professional gal Mary Tyler Moore!) So check out Interior Concepts by Wanda - you'll always be sure to learn something new!

Gina from Art and Alfalfa is one of the more artistically talented bloggers going. Her ceramic work is amazing. I blogged about Gina a few months ago here. Her daily blog is filled with snippets from her lovely life out in a Utah alfalfa field. Her gorgeous home, beautiful photographs and of course, her ceramics are regular features. So, stop on over there!

Ladies, thank you so much for including me and SRT in your lists of Stylish blogger - I so appreciate the support!

If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please email me. Thanks!

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The Skirted Roundtable chats with The Rue Girls

Here's a peak at Rue's Winter 2011 issue. 

This week, Megan, Joni and I chatted with the fabulously entrepreneurial team of Crystal Gentilello and Anne Sage - aka The Rue Girls - just prior to the release of their third issue of Rue magazine. Crystal and Anne - who hadn't met in person when they started the venture last spring, are clearly bundles of energy, creativity and organization. To put together a 300 page publication with a shoestring staff is an amazing feat. Plus, they are incredibly open about how they operate and what makes them special.

So, grab a cup of cocoa and head over to SRT for a listen and then click over to their site - because issue three is launching on the 27th!

If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please email me. Thanks!

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Surroundings mag::E::zine new issue is here!

 

If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please email me. Thanks!

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Follow Friday: Michelle Morelan of A Schematic Life

I consider myself pretty good at cobbling together design sketches to flesh out a concept for my clients. My "sketches" are actually a combination of hand drawing, computer renderings and image placement.

 

My drawing skills are labored and slow, at best. I can manage, but the time it takes for me to do a complete hand rendering is not worth the final results. So, I am constantly amazed and jealous impressed by the rendering skills of the über talented interior designer Michelle Morelan of Vancouver.

I know, right?  Seriously. Michelle's work looks so effortless which is the big thing my own hand drawing lacks (well, not JUST that, but it's the biggest thing).

Michelle's blog, A Schematic Life, showcases many of her own design projects and renderings, plus commissioned work. She is also offering a rendering workshop in March in Vancouver which I wish I could attend!

Michelle also has a series of videos that show how she creates a rendering. So check that out.

Thanks Michelle for adding your voice and artistic talent to the design blogosphere!

If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please email me. Thanks!

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White House State Dinners

I love a big fancy event and I don't think we get bigger or better that a good old fashioned State Dinner. Last night, the Obama's welcomed Chinese President Hu Jintau. Regardless of which party is in power and who is occupying the Oval Office, a State Dinner is an important part of US diplomacy and has been so since the Grant administration which first started using the State Dinner as a diplomatic tool, honoring a specific foreign head of state. It's part diplomacy, part theater. And a whole lot of fun to watch. Wouldn't you love to be invited??

The traditional formal welcome of the honoree

The State Dining Room is clearly the place to be in the place to be. Love the portrait of Lincoln overlooking the events of the day.

State Dining Room formal table setting

The Blue Room table setting. I am wondering which invited guests don't make it into the big room (State Dining room) and are relegated to the Blue and Red rooms?

Another view of the Blue Room table setting. I love the acrylic chairs, but am not sure about the table cloths.

The Red Room (note the flat screen tv so diners in this room don't miss the main events).

The State Dining room getting set up.

Pardon me, excuse me, pardon me, excuse me... get out of my way!

Seat cushions for the acrylic chairs - keeping famous tushies comfy!

Here are some interesting State Dinners in history:

1902 State Dinner for Prince Henry of Germany (Prussia). Note there are no women at the table.

 The White House Historical Association (White House Collection)

 Maimie Eisenhower in the Red Room in 1958

The Kennedys honoring the President of Peru, 1962

State Dinners in their modern form began with President Grant. Historically, they featured the traditional long table. It was Jacqueline Kennedy who started using the small round tables which promoted conversation and accommodated more people. The setting above was from 1902.

 

1974 State Dinner featured then president Richard Nixon accompanying singer Pearl Bailey.

 The First Lady and her staff are responsible for the decor, menu, etc. for State Dinners. This is from the dinner the Bushes hosted for the Japanese Prime Minister. Love the color palette!

This is the table setting for Queen Elizabeth at the 2007 State Dinner. Note the use of the same gold plates and pearl cutlery as used in this weeks State Dinner.

If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please email me. Thanks!

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That's me all over the place

Sometimes, I think I'm here there and everywhere. I guess it's because I am!  I wanted to share other places I'm showing up right now:

New England Home magazine launched their new blog a couple of weeks ago. It's  a great way to get to know the staff that makes up this great magazine and find out more about upcoming projects. I was honored to be asked to be their first guest design blogger and today is my first post! This week - it's all about Honeysuckle pink - Pantone's color of the year.

So, click here to read and please do leave a comment and peruse their earlier posts.

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I recently wrote an article over at Networx.com called 7 New Kitchen Appliances Designers Love. I interviewed three fabulous kitchen designers for the article: Susan Serra, Paul Anater and Corey Klassen. So, click on over to learn about their thoughts on what makes a fantastic kitchen appliance.

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I wrote called 10 Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes for Networx that was picked up on the Huffington Post today.

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And finally, we just posted our recent chat with Suzanne Rheinstein over at The Skirted Roundtable. Her work is beautiful and elegant - you will swoon as we did over her New York apartment!

If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please email me. Thanks!

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