THE PRETTIEST TABLE SKIRT

Debbie and I went up to visit Debi at Out of the Blue. I think her shop is just about the cutest ever. In fact, I think I want to live there.

Isn't this table skirt just the prettiest thing?

Notice the shells and sea stars and sand dollars sewn into the netting. Truly a 'gown' fit for a mermaid!!!

The table is all white shells and to protect it, a round glass top.

And don't forget the Mermaid's Mercantile this Sunday at Out of the Blue in Solana Beach from 10a to 5p.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING EVERYWHERE

Just a sample of some of the many flowers on Coronado Island.

Happy Spring to everyone!!!

THE THIRD SET OF SLIPCOVERS

This is the third set of slipcovers these chairs have gotten. These were made from a duvet cover purchased at TJ Maxx.

The back had to be the solid (backside of the duvet cover) because of the large pattern.

All decked out for spring!

Just a reminder of the chair underneath. My client told me she doesn't think she will have anymore made. She's got spring, summer and fall covers and the chair without a cover is her winter look. I think she's all set!

VERY HIGH HEELS!!!

Yesterday, Deb and I went up to Laguna Hills to see Beth Livesay at Stampington. What a cool place! Beth was kind enough to show me around the offices, as I had not been before. Boy did I see some cool stuff!

Including the shoes below.

Now those of you who know me know that I am a flip flop/sandal kind of person. I am also 5'10", so putting these shoes on made me about 7' tall. Okay, not that tall, but several inches over 6' for sure.

Beth Livesay and me in her office. Everywhere I looked, there was more to see: more altered clothes, more jewelry, more submissions, since yesterday was the deadline for a bunch of the magazines. I have never seen as much art outside of a museum.

Thanks Beth!

And don't forget my custom pillow giveaway. I will choose a winner tomorrow, so you still have time to enter your name.

KITCHEN CURTAINS

I delivered these curtains this morning and getting a good picture of them was not easy. The problem was the brightness of the room, even though it is cloudy outside. The flash wouldn't work (can't force it on my little camera) and without it, all I got was a black blob.

Closed they are fairly flat. The only time they will be closed is first thing in the morning when the sun is beating in and blinding everyone. Today it wasn't a problem.

The curtains are inter-lined to help with the sun, both in protecting the fabric and cutting the brightness of the room without having to use blackout lining. As you can see, the view out the windows is just lovely.

And this is the view from the large window: San Diego Bay and the San Diego Yacht Club. Not bad, huh?

SWEET PEAS

I can't believe it has been 15 months since I first met Miss Mary. I never had the pleasure of visiting the original Sweet Peas, but now after a long wait, she is re-opening in Santa Monica. The official Grand Opening is set for 15 May 2010. Tonight, though, is a pre-opening fete from 5p-7p. The address is 1929 Lincoln Blvd. If you are in the LA area, do yourself a favor and stop by.

Me and the fabulous Mary Smilove.

Below are just a couple of pictures from that first soire.

These were just some of the goodies Deb and I took to Mary's. My all-time favorite bag that Deb ever did is just visible in the right corner of this picture. She made the entire bag with the burlap/jute webbing and covered the front with her signature silk roses. Needless to say, it sold right away.

Also long gone, this bag has the unmistakable look of a Deb Hodge bag!

And don't forget to enter my pillow giveaway. Check my last post, if you missed it.

A DAISY A DOZEN WAYS

Yes, I have been playing again. I can't seem to help myself.

PRETTY PILLOWS

Really, the title of this post says it all.

ROMAN SHADES

Both of these shades are jobs I did a long time ago. Like I said in my last post, most of what I've been doing lately is window treatments that need to be installed, which means I may or may not get pictures of them. The above shot is of Kim Kelly's kitchen window in her house in Coronado. Better Homes & Gardens shot her kitchen last year for an issue that will probably come out in June. This shade has an attached valance. (Since she moved to St. Simon's Island, I noticed that this shade is no longer up and mini blinds are in its place.)

This was done for a house in Highland Park, Illinois. It had a 1" banding around the sides and bottom and was not flat-stitched, which meant my client had to 'train' the folds into working properly. Now, unless it is a relaxed roman, I only do the flat-stitched because as soon as you pull it up the first time, it works perfectly. No training involved!

ALL ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY

I know, I know, lately I seem to be all about photography and what I can do in Photoshop. No, I haven't given up sewing; it's just that most of the jobs I've been doing are things that need to be installed (roman shades or draperies) and I just haven't gotten pictures of them.

Since I've been good about taking my camera with me on my morning walks, I am now getting the shots I could only admire before. I got as close as I dared to these sandpipers. The problem is my camera doesn't have a huge zoom on it. Not to mention it is old (from 2002) and has only a 3.2 Mega Pixels capability. I love my camera, but it does have limitations. In spite of that, I think it takes pretty good pictures. Or is it me that takes them? No matter. Together we get some good shots.

It was very overcast this morning, so these next shots have kind of a moody feel and all without any manipulation in Photoshop. I just love the reflection in the water of the ramp down to the dock.

The masts of the sail boats reflected in Glorietta Bay.

I decided to let the photos remain in their original forms today. Really, what could I have done to make them more interesting? I could have posterized them to make them look more like a drawing/painting but all the rest would have been wasted on them, I think. Sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone.