Spraying my French Day Bed Fiasco, Getting Old and more

Before we get to my fiasco this week, I did have a triumph to share.  Here is a little consignment project I took on this month.  I don't do much painting of furniture anymore since my shop closed, but a friend from my tennis days asked me if I would...so I agreed.  What I love about this is that you can see how a perfectly fine piece of furniture (not antique) can look a bit dated in a room. After painting it with Annie Sloan's Paris Grey and giving it a hand rubbed clear...

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Part III of NYC diary: Martha Stewart's Fabulous Turkey Hill

When I last left the blog, I told you there would be part III of my account of the trip to NYC with Matthew Mead to attend a party for Mary Emmerling. I did mention that Part III would include a trip to Martha's! So let me give you a bit of background on what I am talking about. Martha Stewart used to live in an antique colonial in Westport, Connecticut on Turkey Hill Road for over thirty years.  The house became famous along with Martha and was featured in her many books and magazines.  The...

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A New York Diary: The Exotic Marigold Hotel, Dr. Ruth, Mary Emmerling and more!

Oh what a night!   This is part II of my story about going to NYC with Matthew Mead  to attend a private party for Mary Emmerling  (Read Part I here).   Matthew picked me up and we headed out the Massachusetts Turnpike to New York,  about a four hour drive. We talked non-stop the entire ride, and soon enough  we had checked into our rooms at a modest hotel on the outskirts of the city that  we selected from the internet.  I asked for our rooms...

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Toasting Mary Emmerling in NYC

Wow! Today is going to be a special day... I am headed to NYC with Matthew Mead, to join him tonight at a party for guest of honor, Mary Emmerling, the iconic Country Style designer. She has had a storybook career in decorating and design, that has spanned five decades, starting in the magazine business at Mademoiselle.  Mary was asked to join House Beautiful next.  She brought along a freelance gal she worked with named Martha Stewart.  They had always talked  about...

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Blue Fairy Tale Table

Once upon a time, I had a little French shop called Maison Decor. It was in a town outside of Boston and inside of it were treasures to be found.  One of the most special treasures was a hand painted set of furniture that was more than a hundred years old. I was told it was from the late 17th century and was either French or Italian, by the auction house expert. The set comprised a daybed, a chest of drawers, a chair and a tea table. It was painted in the prettiest of all blues, by...

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