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Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!


Photo from Martha Stewart
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Descansando ..... y bordando



Unos días de descanso me han servido para recordar cuánto me gusta bordar. Con tiempo por delante , lo que más anda en mis manos es algo práctico , sin muchos artilugios y que pueda ocupar ratos allá donde me encuentre.


Con la promesa de dejar casi acabado antes de volver al trabajo de nuevo , he elegido uno de mis bordados favoritos, los quakers.
En este caso uno que tenía hacía muuuuuucho tiempo preparado. Es un modelo titulado " The quaker sampler " de The samplar workes.

Los hilos son los propuestos en el esquema, de DMC . El lino un 32ct de Lakeside .




Decidí darle un look nuevo a este lino tan clarito con unas salpicaduras de té negro .
Es una cosa muy simple, calientas agua , dejas reposar una cucharada sopera de té al peso y cuando ya ha cogido color mojas la punta de los dedos y salpicas la tela.

Por primera vez me encuentro con un punto especial en un quaker , como requiere el modelo.... En la foto , he intentado recoger con detalle el Rice Stitch que va componiendo parte de uno de los bordados laterales.



Cómo no hay tantas iniciales familiares para añadir , sustituiré algunas por pequeños rosetones .


Entre este paisaje disfrutamos............. afortunadamente con buen tiempo.









Una vez más los colores de la primavera inundan la efímera vida de las flores..... y captan , como siempre, mi atención .









Más avances en unos días.....
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Visiting on Magazine Street

Blogging is an interesting business. We sit alone and write and our posts, we read other blogs and comment. And yet, what seems like such a solitary activity is actually very social. Over the past year, through Willow Decor, I have had an amazing opportunity to connect and make cyber friendships with several other bloggers. So what a thrill it was to meet two of them in New Orleans: Valorie Hart of Visual Vamp and Julie Neill of The Bayou Contessa. Valorie writes an great blog that keeps it all real. She has a great design sense and style. Her experience with design (and life) allows for her refreshing perspective! Visual Vamp is filled with interesting design ideas, as well as designer and artist profiles.

We met up at perch. - a fabulous must stop shop on Magazine Street. We only had time for a very quick visit, but I was able finally meet Valorie and to shoot some photos of the great items available at perch.
Entering perch. you are immediately impressed by the unique and beautiful inventory. Everywhere you turn in perch. you find another treasure.
I loved this zinc architectural piece - It would make such an interesting mirror. I also adore the antique door it was hanging on.
You know I love the Mora clock and the chair is so wonderful - I love its traditional lines with a contemporary twist! Isn't this a great little table? I like the way Valorie paired the more formal bust with the very contemporary mirror. Valorie called this the "girl-y room" - It really was! A gorgeous mix of watery blues and greens, and my amateur photos do not do this space justice. I wish Valorie and I would have had time for tea there! But, I was very late for a meeting with New Orleans' Bayou Contessa!
Julie was kind enough to spend some time and show me around her beautiful shop. It is housed a 120-year-old building with her showroom in the front and offices in the back. It is a wonderful old historic New Orleans building with 14-foot ceilings and separated into different rooms.When I walked in I nearly lost my breath. EVERYTHING was so beautiful.
And when I turned to the right, I was overwhelmed again by the beauty of another room.
This bed is a new item in Julie's furniture line. It is fit for king and queen and even has a crown on top! Notice the Hallie Chandelier hanging on the bed and the Arrow Sconce.Here is a collection of some of Julie's sconces and starburst mirrors. The patina on Julie's pieces can not be captured in photographs. There is a great depth and layering in the colors, creating a wonderful effect. Sconces pictured in the top photo are Danica and Michael; in bottom photo, Jodi.
Every one of Julie pieces was created for an individual client before they were added to the line. They are named after the person they were made for. If someone gets more than one piece, Julie names them after one of their friends or another member of their family. Of course Julie is best known for her chandeliers. Pictured above is the Madeleine.
Here is another favorite of mine - the Isabelle.
Look at this stunning chandelier named Juliette. I had to take a real close up so you could appreciate the workmanship and detailing.Julie also creates other beautiful furniture. Here is her Garland Vanity, complete with signature Julie Neill crown. Perhaps Julie's most interesting new development is her ability to cut metal into any shape she desires. This is allowing her unlimited options as to what she can create. Pictured above is Artemis Chandelier with crystal drops. The Meme Chandelier was stunning!
I was so taken with this brand new design that I forgot to write the name down. How about the Fabulous!
Here is another new design named Jeffery! And as luck would have it, you will meet Jeffery in my next post!
Another new item is the Chain Spiral. This is an innovative and decorative way to trail your Chandelier chain from the ceiling to your fixture. No more ribbon sleeves for me. So how does Julie ensure that her lights remain stunning? She makes them right in New Orleans. We had a chance to visit the studio and meet the artists, hard at work creating these custom pieces. They spend hours layering and layering to create the special finishes. Julie checks each and every one daily to make sure they all have her signature patina! We had such fun!! Here we all are chatting on the bed! From left to right: Me, Millie Gaines-Interior Designer, Julie Ponze-Director of Sales, and Julie Neill-The Bayou Contessa.
You may not be aware that Julie is also an accomplished artist and sells some of her work in her shop. Here is one of my favorites. The camera did not capture well the gold pattern or the watery teal blue color. I wish it had fit into my suitcase because it really spoke to me.
Finally, Julie does spectacular custom work. Here an entry way done by "Things that Inspire". Aren't Julie's custom sconces just perfect?!
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.For more personal information on Julie read the wonderful interview by Ornamental Design. And, to see even more of Julie's beautiful work be sure to visit Julie Neill Designs or The Bayou Contessa.
Thanks Valorie and Julie-it was great to finally meet you!
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April Showers

Dear Mother Nature,

We know that you are terribly busy and we hate to bother you but we'd like to remind you that it's officially spring now. We're well into April and this cold and rainy weather is a bit much. Oh, and you remember the snow this week...not funny! Not funny at all! Last spring was so beautiful! What happened?! I know I speak for everyone when I say that we could all use some cheerful sunshine and warmth right about now. Please. Pretty please!

Sincerely,

New York City

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Tara Shaw Antiques and MAISON

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I once gave my life for Tara Shaw, almost.  This is what happened:

You know how I say that I hyperventilate for antiques?   Well, it’s true, I do.   You think I exaggerate?   It all started when, after years of owning  a To-The-Trade showroom in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina blew Ms. Shaw to Houston.  We were all thrilled to welcome her, in fact, antique lovers were positively abuzz about her arrival.  Finally, Houston interior designers had a chance at the big time – buying 18th and 19th century antiques straight off the boat, without having to pay any middlemen – and at true To-The-Trade prices.   At the very first unloading show, there was a preview of the inventory the day before the sale.    The next day, the line at the door was very long  and everyone was given a number.   Once your number was called, you could run into Tara Shaw, race to what you had previewed the day before, pray it hadn’t been sold, and if it was still available, you would pull the top tag and the antique was yours.  That day I suffered much anxiety because my number was quite high and I nervously fidgeted watching most of the people in line be let inside before my number was finally called.  But luck was with me and what I had chosen to buy the day before was still available.   Later that day, when the time came to pay, to my horror I didn’t have my wallet and had to run home like a maniac to get it before the shop closed.  All the way home, my heart was racing as I weaved in and out on the back streets trying to beat the closing.  At my house, I bolted upstairs to get my checkbook, and back in my car I noticed my heart was practically beating out of my chest, beating so hard, and or so long, that it scared me, and I thought “I am actually having a heart attack over buying a set of antique chairs!”  The next day I made my first appointment with a cardiologist.   When the doctor asked why I was there, I explained:   “I was at Tara Shaw’s opening sale and my heart was beating like crazy and wouldn’t stop!”     After a battery of tests, he pronounced me alive and healthy but lectured me about getting too excited at Tara Shaw’s.  Don’t laugh.  It’s a true story.   I seriously thought I was having a heart attack over Tara Shaw’s beautiful antiques!  

And I’m not alone.   The store seems to have that effect on people.   Tara Shaw, the beautiful and chic shop owner, has an unerring eye for what you want.  Her shops are filled with just the very antique you lusted after in Veranda last month or on  Southern Accent’s current cover.   She specializes in French, Italian and Swedish antiques with their beautiful woods, the painted finishes, or the gilding done to perfection.  The showrooms’ ceilings drip with crystal chandeliers, or  lustres, as Tara prefers to use the original language when describing her goods.    There is bois, and jardineres, trumeaus and biblioteques – the array is dazzling and extremely tempting.   And Tara Shaw is true To-The-Trade only.  Really.  And her prices reflect this.  She deals with antique store owners from all over the country who come to Houston and New Orleans for her unloading sales, or they purchase from the internet.    To get the true values  found  at Tara Shaw’s, interior designers would have to go to Europe themselves and deal with all the shipping hassles.  Tara Shaw takes care of that for you instead.   Her prices are enough to make a mere mortal swoon, or visit their cardiologist, take your pick!   I can’t stay away from Tara Shaw for too long and there have been just a few unloading sales that I’ve missed, and only because I was out of town.  My clients have benefited from her shop too – many of their homes are filled with pieces from there.  Houston has been very lucky to have Tara Shaw open here and we proudly share her with New Orleans. 

Recently there’s been some rumblings that Tara was off on a new adventure, manufacturing her own line of furniture, inspired by original pieces she owns in her private collection.    For the past few months, her web site has hinted at the new venture:  MAISON, it’s called.   The web site featured only one picture from MAISON to whet your appetite, not nearly enough to satisfy all the curiosity.  Until this week, that is, when the new Tara Shaw web site was finally launched, formally introducing MAISON to the public.   The debut was worth the wait.    The new MAISON pieces are gorgeous, their authenticity is unrivaled by anything available on the market today.  Besides wonderful tables, chairs, and bookcases, there is a great array of smalls – candlesticks and mirrors, crowns and jardineres.   One could certainly furnish a house with the MAISON line,  that’s how extensive it is.   The craftsmanship is superb, each piece was created under Shaw’s knowledgeable and watchful eyes.   The finishes are perfectly aged – it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between the inspiration piece and it’s newer counterpart.    The Italian wood chandeliers are gorgeous and come in two sizes.  The mirrors, too, come both huge and tiny.    The best part of MAISON is the pricing, again.     The line is realistically priced, just as her antiques are.   One of the nicest things about doing business with Tara Shaw is you walk away feeling you’ve paid an honest price, not a price fabricated to make someone, somewhere uber rich.   I can’t rave enough about Tara Shaw, her antiques, her reproductions, her store, her interior design (yes!  she also dabbles in interior design), her sweetness, warmth and friendliness.     If you haven’t been to her web site, be sure to visit -  if you are new to it,  you will need to register first.    And if you aren’t in the trade, the staff will gladly direct you to a dealer who will be able to help you purchase an antique or an item from MAISON.   Tara tells me she hopes to soon have the MAISON line in stores around the country – and we can’t wait until everyone in America ends up hyperventilating over them!   

                                                                                                           

 

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 MAISON:   It’s hard to believe these are reproductions – the detail is amazingly authentic.   The banquette and chair reflect the growing popularity of Swedish antiques - hard to fine, impossibly expensive, until now, that is.   The Italian gilded wood alter table with stone top is based on the original which is in Tara’s private collection.

 

 

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MAISON:   The stars of the line:   The painted blue-gray French biblioteque and Italian gilded table with mirrored top.  The Italian chair is part of the line, too.

 

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MAISON:  \The Swedish dining table is a highly versatile piece – it comes apart to become two demi lune consoles and a smaller table.  Four tables in one!   The chairs are part of the line as is the Swedish corner cabinet.   The gorgeous Italian wood chandelier comes in two sizes.  

 

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MAISON:   a close up of the Swedish barrel back bergere.   What a graceful shape!  Notice the intricate carving, just beautiful!

  

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MAISON:  Candlesticks are so popular today – and Tara Shaw has several different sizes.  There is also one made into a floor lamp.

 

 

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The Louis XVI mirrored table comes in two sizes.

 

 

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MAISON:   one of my favorite pieces in the line is this  Swedish banquette,  perfect for the living room or the bedroom.

 

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MAISON:  there are two mirrors – one small, one huge. 

 

 

 

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Besides the new MAISON line, there is of course, the original antique store – here is a glimpse of the Tara Shaw showroom. 

 

 

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In the stores and online, here are a few of my favorite items for sale.  This Italian lustre, or chandelier, is really my style!

 

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This 18th century Swedish Rococo sofa is remarkably like the one in the MAISON line.   This would be perfect in an living room, or a dining room too.

 

 

 

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A 19th century Swedish clock buffet – perfect for an entry way or living room.

 

 

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A French Napoleon III canape – of course I would love this!   This would be beautiful in front of a king sized bed, or in an entry hall.

 

 

 

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A Louis XVI lit, or bed, ala Charlotte Moss.   Fabulous!

 

 

 

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19th century Louis XVI chaise, so perfect for a dressing room or bedroom.

 

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 To die for:   18c Set of 8 Louis XVI Caned and Original Lacquer Chairs – Genoa.    I would give anything to own this set!!!

 

 

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 18th century Louis XVI chest – such beautiful hardware!

 

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 What every house needs – an 18th century Louis XVI trumeau.    I love the store’s reflection in the mirror.

 

 

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Is anyone remodeling their kitchen?    This would make the most perfect show stopping island:    19c Marble Top Comptoir.

 

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There is always an amazing array of garden items, like these 19th century jardineres.  Of course – these would have to come inside!!!

 

 

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Right now in the showrooms are great series of framed art, including these Italian coral pieces.  

 

 

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This was my first glimpse of Tara – a cover story about her house in New Orleans.  It was the year 2000 – and it made me crazy to know her store was out there, but not in Houston!!!   I couldn’t wait to go visit.  

 

 

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 She has moved her showroom since these pictures were taken – pre Katrina – but what lover of antiques wouldn’t go wild – or hyperventilate – looking at this?   Those chairs!  That table!  Those sconces!   Those jardineres!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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The Veranda cover story in 2000 that introduced Tara to the world.  

 

 

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Her living room – with the ballgown, taffeta curtains that New Orleans is famous for.  Seagrass and antiques, Fortuny and linen – a great mix.  

 

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Tara’s dining room is filled with pieces she buys for Tara Shaw but somehow make it home.  I love the chandelier, the Lustre!   The silk taffeta curtains flow into this room too.   And notice the rustic jardineres flanking the Louis Philippe console – just perfect!!

 

 

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In the study, a beautiful Louis XIV chair is covered in white suede. 

 

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The gilded iron cachepot is in Tara’s new MAISON line, perfectly reproduced – using her original, see above,  as an inspiration.

 

 

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In the powder room, the walls are covered in fellow New Orleans designer Angele Parlange’s wallcovering.

 

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How is this for a dressing room?   Pretty nice!   I love that daybed covered in a Nancy Corzine brocade, but the oil painting is definitely the focal point here. 

 

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Tara’s bedroom with more antiques – the gilded console is matched with the less dressy botanicals.  The antique books, the Italian lamp – everything is so beautiful!

 

 

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The cover shot – with, for Tara, a rare English antique – a burled wood bed.  The painted walls plays off the gorgeous silk taffeta curtains in the same luscious apricot shade.   To die for!

 

 

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Tara Shaw made another huge smash when the house she decorated for Emil Lagasse and his wife Alden was published in Veranda in May 2005.   No one could possible have known then that in just a few short months – New Orleans would be devastated by Hurricane Katrina – the storm that forced Shaw to open her store in Houston.    Here the Lagasses’ beautiful living room with its pale tones punctuated with sea greens, seen in the antique table, chest, and paintings.     

 

 

 

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In the house there are candlesticks all around – some made into lamps.  The MAISON line has recreated the candlesticks in different sizes, including one that is electrified.

 

 

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A vignette with a wonderful painted trumeau and metal with stone table.

 

 

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The family room with its antique stone fireplace and Italian chandelier.  MAISON has two sizes of this fixture available.

 

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MAISON’s smaller 12 arm Italian chandelier.   How gorgeous is this????!!!

 

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The Lagasses’ very dressy dining room – with a large mirror reflecting everything, including a Swedish Moro clock!  

 

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MAISON carries a similar floor mirror – this huge painted, French inspired version measures 53 x 95 inches!

 

 

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I can only imagine the meals cooked in this kitchen!!  What a gorgeous chandelier.    Notice the crown on the table. 

 

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Of course MAISON has its own crown!   Italian, gilded wood – 15” tall.

 

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Over the past four years that Tara Shaw has been open in Houston, I’ve bought my fair share.    For instance, I got these sconces from the shop.  I had originally planned to show everything that I have bought from Tara Shaw, but when I added it up, it got to be just a little excessive and a tad embarrassing.   Suffice it to say – I’ve been a good client! And now with the new MAISON line – I’m sure I’ll be an even better client!!!!!

 

For more information on Tara Shaw MAISON and Tara Shaw Antiques, please be sure to go to www.tarashaw.com.   If you are new to the site, you will need to register.  In the box that asks where you heard about Tara Shaw, please be sure to say Cote de Texas!   I would really appreciate that!!!!!

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