Tracy Porter - A New Look

Prolific home decor artist, ex model, and super mom Tracy Porter has branched out in new directions over the past year. Her new jewelry line is inspired by, among other things, decorative items she inherited from her grandmother including buttons and old fittings.


The collection has the same colorful palette as her home decor products but shows a more mature and sophisticated side to the designer.



I had expected to see frilly charms with birds and butterfly's but I was pleasantly surprised to find these classic, timeless, designs that would compliment almost any wardrobe.


Most of the pieces are over sized and chunky with dangling medallions, drops, and tassels.



These earrings are my favorite. I love classic motifs and unusual coloring.



I could see any of the main motifs in these designs as wallpaper or fabric patterns. You can really feel the influence of her experience in home decor in all of her pieces. They seem very architectural in their composition and the balance and symmetry are reminiscent of home design. Over all I think they are beautifully done and I may have to make some purchases. By the way they are all very reasonable! Christmas List - HHHHHMMMM??????

By the way be sure to check out her blog - here.

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Test Your Color IQ

My husband is on a roll and sent me this fun site that tests your color IQ. It's harder than it looks! ( I posted a perfect score - Yes!!!!)

In honor of color here are a few of the more vivid illustrations from the new book. Enjoy!

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Bedding - A Meaningful Perspective

After spending a full year designing and drawing luxury bedding I was taken aback by the pictures of this unbelievable bedding that my handsome husband emailed to me. It certainly puts the subject of bedding in a new light. While we look for beautiful ways to adorn our bed chambers there are many in the world with no place to sleep at all.


This duvet cover and pillow cases are designed to look like flattened cardboard boxes. A staple design element for those living on the street. It is part of Le Clochard Quilt Cover Project by SZN. The project hopes to assist young homeless people in The Netherlands by providing temporary housing and continuing education. Duvet Cover - $73 - $117, Pillow Cases - $22

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I'm late to the Jonathan Adler party but I heart him

Sometimes in life you fail to see the beauty that is right in front of your face. This is the case for me with designer and bon vivant Jonathan Adler. I have been to his website many times. I have admired his classic talent and sense of humor so vividly on display in his interiors but I have failed to consider the man himself.



I am not of fan of design competition shows so I don't watch him on TV ( this must change) and I did not buy his book ( this also will be remedied ). Today, following up on a post from a random home dec email showcasing a patent leather JA chair, I took another look at his website and I went past the obvious to really explore it in depth. What I found was pure, hysterical, entertainment! Am I the last to know? Probably. Have you all seen this before? Probably. But for the sake of those few who have not had the pleasure here is what I found under the heading:

Our 10 Commandments for a Happy Home

Ok, is this available on a poster or wallpaper? I think I need to read it as a mantra every morning. What a fabulous way to look at interiors and design - it's not brain surgery - it's about creating a happy and harmonious environment in which to spend your days and nights along the journey of life. I just love his take on design.

Under the heading of "Musings" Mr. Adler exstoles his new found love for country music in a hilarious tribute that makes me want to run to the store and buy a Brad Paisley album.

After this I hit the button taking me to his blog for The Hufington Post. Another glimpse into the hysterical mind of this colorful and entertaining guy.

In a world where we take things so seriously it's nice to be reminded that we are supposed to be having fun here. Life is meant to be enjoyed and we can all use a dose of humor every once in a while. Thanks, JA for making my day a bit brighter.



On an unrelated topic - Blogger has a bug up it's ass today and won't format my text correctly. Sorry for the weirdness.

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Pop the Cork - I'm Done !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hallelujah and Hazah! After an entire year of drawing and coloring illustrations 24/7 for the new book I have just finished coloring the last picture! I can't tell you what a momentous occasion this is for me. These books are so time consuming that each project literally takes over every waking hour of my life. Now don't get me wrong - I enjoy doing it and I am passionate about the subject matter but anything can get old when you're doing it every day!

All that's left to do now is to pack up my original illustrations and ship them off to the publisher tomorrow to be scanned. This is the really scary part because if "god forbid", "knock on wood", etc. something should happen to them in transit there is no back-up! So please send out your kind thoughts and prayers to the mail god''s for their safe journey.



If you've ever wondered what it takes to put together a massive 585 page illustrated book, here is a glimpse. The camera does not do these binders justice as they are 5 inches wide and weigh about 10 pounds each!

There is one binder that contains all of my original, black and white line drawings. A second binder contains all of my original color illustrations and a third that holds the printed manuscript which is essentially a rough layout of the book with text and illustrations combined.



In all it's about thirty pounds of book! This will eventually condense down to the six pound, hard cover, finished product. I still have six months ahead of me working with my wonderful editor Madge (yes, that is her real name) and the book designer to finalize the layout and text so I'm not truly "finished" but the hard part is behind me.

I can't wait to be able to show all of you the finished book when it rolls of the presses next fall. I think it is better than the first one!

I was planning on slugging back a few champagne cocktails in celebration when I finished but my handsome husband is out of town, my darling daughter is off at college and my sweet sister just left for the beach. So it's just me and the dogs. Maybe I'll just get them drunk!

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Bargain Books

Those of you who know me well can attest to my overall "cheapness" - a quality that I embrace wholeheartedly! I love to hunt for bargains and one of my favorite things to look for are inexpensive design books.

Here are three new books that I bought yesterday at Tuesday Morning, a discount store here in the West ( I'm not sure of the scope of it's territory across the country but if you have one in your town go there immediately!)

I usually buy discounted home accessories there but every once in a while they will get a shipment of books. You never know what will be in the pile but it's fun to see what you can find and how much you can save. For example, these books were priced as follows:

The House in Bloom
Sold new for $19.99 + tax
Sold on Amazon for $5.00 + shipping
Bought at Tuesday Morning for $3.99 + tax

Living with the Seasons
Sold new for $27.50 +tax
On Amazon for $18.15 + shipping
Bought at Tuesday Morning for $3.99 + tax

The Fabric Style Book
Sold new for $ 17.95
On Amazon for $14.36
Bought at Tuesday Morning for $5.99 + tax

Total cost: $13.97 + tax ( That's just two trips to Starbucks Joni!)

I also buy discounted books regularly at ROSS, TJ MAXX, & Marshall's
Borders also has a great discount section where you can find larger, more expensive volumes deeply discounted.

Tip: Always ask for an additional discount if the book cover or sleeve is damaged or torn. I have never walked away without at least an additional 10% off!

Happy Hunting!

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Office Project - Making Slow Progress

I've been making very slow progress on my office remodel over the past two months. Finishing my bedding book and getting my daughter ready for college have take every waking minute of my time and this "quick" face lift, which I thought would take a few weeks, has turned into a never ending project. The progress that I have made has been well worth it. The space is bright and cheerful now and much more user friendly. I cut down the size of my huge desk and changed it's direction which helped with the flow. Here are some before and after photos to show you my slow progress towards a finished room.


So far I've managed to get the cabinets and new woodwork on the fireplace painted. This proved to be a much more complicated process than I could have imagined as my supposedly "legal" painter was arrested and deported mid-way through the job and I was left to do most of the work myself. It's amazing what a crisp new coat of white paint can do for cabinets. The "before" paint was a neutral light tan color that was perfect for my showroom but did not do anything for the cabinets when they were installed in my house.


The ugly china hutch was also painted white and now blends in well with the other cabinetry. I like the way it adds a unique outline to the otherwise plain cabinets. I hate to have everything look the same especially when dealing with lots of built-ins in one room. Nothing is as boring as walls and walls of identical cabinets and shelves. Mix it up a bit!


New can down lights have added a substantial amount of light to the room which was one of my main complaints that needed to be addressed. Two new hanging fixtures will eventually be hung over the desk. I hung one and ran into an electrical problem with the new wiring so I am now waiting for that to be resolved.

After the painting was finally finished the wallpaper was hung. Thankfully, my paper hanger is 100% American and did not have to flee the country mid- job. I love the paper - it is so bright and lively!!


The floor now consists of the chipboard paneling sub-floor until I can afford to put in the wood that I have installed in the rest of the house. My miniature dachshund Marty likes to use it as a scratching post! At least I got rid of the awful tan carpeting! Even ugly plywood is better than that was.

Hopefully I will be able to finish it soon. Window treatments still need to be designed and fabrics chosen. The hanging fixture problem needs to be resolved and the floors need to be completed. I also need to find the perfect upholstered desk chair which seems to be alluding me.

After over 20 years in this business I am still amazed how no project for my own home ever goes smoothly! Ce la Vie.!

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