Have We Lost Our Everlovin Minds??????

The cover of this months Blueprint Magazine is showing this pink "designer" tree. Now in the hands of a professional, this type of "theme" tree can work in a stylish interior but it always looks sterile and cold. Are we so into appearances that even Christmas has to be staged. What ever happened to tradition and sentiment. The old family ornaments handed down from generations and the handmade ornaments your kids make.
How have we gone from the perfect simplicity of the American ideal of the Charlie Brown Christams Tree to this......

Big Bird Yellow!!!!! Who needs this tree, are we really this tacky?



How about silver spikes for branches? This tree really says comfy down home Christmas doesn't it?


You never know when you'll need a red foil tree. Maybe this is the tree the devil puts up in hell.



Dead sticks for branches. I suppose it could work, but do I really want a dead tree?


Now this one brings technology into play with a center tube filled with lighted bubbling water. Who couldn't feel festive with that kind of trickery going on.



Iridescent mylar! A thing of beauty to be sure but not for you nature lovers out there.


Then we have the ever popular red foil topiary. A truly classic element sure to add class and sophistication to any interior.



Who wouldn't love this stunning purple tree?



Or perhaps you prefer blue foil. This one is sure to make that statement you are looking for.



A red Chile tree for you south westerners.





A lighted Palm for the Floridians in the group.




And of course the newest addition to the lineup the upside down tree. Truly the pinnacle of the new age of Christmas adornment.


Please for the sake of future Christmases show some restraint in your choices. Think back to Christmases past and the simplicity of the finer things we enjoyed as kids. Bring back some sense and sensibility to the Holiday season. And for God's sake please don't buy an upside down tree!!!!

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Buy Nothing Day

I've always hated the crass commercialism of the after Thanksgiving day sales. People running out like rats to the sewer to find the best scraps and fight over them. WalMart was open on Thanksgiving day to suck in any early sales they could - shame on them!. Macy's and other stores opened at 5:00 and 6:00 am to try to beat the competition. They even have a name for it now. "Black Friday". I think the name fits it nicely, it's a black mark on our society and it casts a dark stain over the holidays. We have lost touch with the true meaning and spirit of these special days. Please read the insightful post of More Ways to Waste Time in which she talks about Buy Nothing Day. She is much more eloquent than I am in describing our societies decent into uber-consumerism.

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Thaw Out That Bird !!!!

I usually don't like to eat anything that has even a vague resemblance to what it once was. This applies mostly to fish and other seafood. I like to live in denial and prefer to think that my food originates in it's edible form. I really hate it when I am reminded that I am a brutal meat eating carnivore! It seems so uncivilized when you think about it. My sister and I vowed to become vegetarians in high school. We stocked up on vegetables and carbs and went at it with gusto. I think we lasted about four days before we hit McDonalds for a Big Mac.

So, inevitably, I am defrosting my bird and my family is looking forward to my Thanksgiving standard menu. I have one dish that I learned from my ex mother-in-law that my family raves about. It is one of those ridiculously easy things to make that people swoon over and demand the recipe for so I thought in the spirit of Thanksgiving I would share it with you.

Corn Casserole

3 cans Green Giant Creamed Corn (don't ask me why but it has to by GG)
3 cans Niblets ( also Green Giant)
1 pkg Progresso Bread Crumbs (unseasoned)
3 sticks butter cut into 1/4" slices which are then cut in half to make dabs


In a medium sized oven safe casserole layer your ingredients as follows:

Begin by sprinkling a light layer of bread crumbs into the bottom of the casserole
Add a layer of creamed corn about 1" thick
Add a similar layer of Niblets
top with layer of butter cubes about 6 or 7
Add second layer in the same order.
Continue until the ingredients are used up topping with bread crumbs and dabs of butter

Bake in oven 350' for one hour or until bubbly on top.

Variations: Add thinly sliced green pepper or if you're daring jalapeños for a nice kick.

I guarantee your family will love it - even the kids!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

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Cheat Sheets for Designers

When you go to design school you spend countless hours learning correct drafting techniques and perspective drawing. You are told that everything should be drawn exactly to specification on drafting velum using a laborious process of measuring to the nearest inch with an architects scale and plotting furniture exactly on your original drawing. I can't tell you how many hours and weekends I spent at the drafting table!!!!

When I got out into the real world of design one of the first revelations I had was that there was no way in hell that this method was going to work for me. I needed a streamlined process to quickly turn out sketches and floor plans for my clients. No client was going to pay me to spend 12 hours drafting a perfect floor plan.

I found a small magnetic furniture layout for sale in th back of a design magazine and it changed my life. I could use the little "to-scale" pieces to quickly determine what the furniture placement should be on existing plans and I could quickly trace the pieces onto a floor plan to be rendered in by hand.

These systems have come a long way since the old days ( I still use my old one! ) . They now offer multiple scales, perspective layouts, and exterior templates, among others.

The first system is The Board. It is a magnetic system that uses an underlaying board on which you can arrange your room or elevation. You can lay your floor plan on top of the board and use the individual elements right on the plan.



This system has hundreds of pieces in all different shapes and sizes. The only thing I don't like about this one is the images are somewhat overdrawn and they are a bit distracting. However the system makes up for it by it's sheer size and variety of shapes.



The Board offers 1/4 layout scale for floor plan development and space planning as well as elevations of many of the pieces.

They offer many supplements including kitchen & bath.


The second system is the EZ Decorator. It is a vinyl overlayment system which allows you to overlap peices on top of each other to create intricate floor plans and perspective drawings.


You can create your layout , photocopy it and then use the copy for presentation or use it as a guide to produce a hand drawn rendering.


If you do a lot of window treatments there is Mastervisions, by Sally Tucker. It is a vinyl overlay system exclusively for windows.

They have a new supplement for pillows and also offer a cd version.


These are great tools to speed up the design process but I don't feel that they will replace hand drawn plans by designers. I am a staunch proponent for hand rendering and I believe that these systems should be used as a tool to facilitate faster rendering techniques. For the homeowner or DIY'er they are a great assistant when planning your furniture placement and helping you avoid making costly mistakes.

Both systems come in many configurations, none of which are particularly cheap. The basic systems may be worth the expense if they can save time and help you avoid making costly mistakes.

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What Would Jackie Do?

A loyal reader wrote me and suggested that I include a regular feature in my blog that would address readers design problems or questions. Sounded like a good idea so I’m putting out a call for entries.

If you have a very specific design challenge please drop me a line at
jackie_vontobel at msn.com. Include all pertinent measurements, attach photos or drawings of the space, and a detailed description of what you would like to achieve and I will give you some suggestions and show sketches of your room. Be sure to include your email address so I can ask questions if necessary.

Suggested Topics

Window Treatments

Bedding

Slipcovers

Accessories

Custom Cabinetry

Kitchen Design

General Space Planning

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Many Thanks - No Dry Rot

Well my friends , I'm back and I'm semi-coherent, minus four wisdom teeth. I have had a few surgeries in my day and have given birth to three children au natural but this was by far the most painful experience of my life. I am still feeling the lingering effects which include a swollen face and killer sinus headaches. Not to mention I am still unable to really chew anything. But I feel like I am over the worst of it.

I'd like to thank all of you for your kind thoughts and encouragement while I was under the weather. You'll all be happy to know that I did not get "dry rot". Although a few of you scared the hell out of me with your descriptions of it's symptoms. As far as I know I've had no complications thank goodness and as soon as the gaping holes in my mouth heal up I should be good as new.

Here are a few special thank yous courtesy of some of the creative geniuses at Etsy for all my wonderful well wishers. You're kind words we're very much appreciated.



Latin Love

Literal Interpretation


Pretty French



Botanical



Sparkly

Vintage


Preppy



Perky



Whimsical



Jungle Love



Brutally Honest

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I'm Out of Commission

Just a quick hello my friends - I unexpectedly found myself having all four of my wisdom teeth pulled out on Friday and I will be out of commission for a while. Not having much fun!!! This really sucks. I'll be back as soon as I am able. Keep up the good work while I'm gone.
This is how my head feels

Anyone now if these are still available?

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