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Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Designing French Home Accessories and Magazine Secrets


 2017 has been an incredible year for me as far as magazine features goes!  It never gets old
to know that my home or yard is going to be inside a magazine, and never did I think I would 
get a cover.  Until the day that Fifi O'Neill came to do my house for Romantic Country Spring 2017 
issue and the photographer, Mark Lohman said to her, "This is going to be a cover try", as he
pointed to my living room and where he planned to take a photo.  Um...what??? I was standing
right there, but its like I wasn't standing right there while they did their business.  Any way, after
that comment, he mentioned another angle that could be a "cover try", and that is when I started 
thinking that getting my house on the cover would be very cool indeed.  And it happened!
I got an email from Fifi telling me they had picked my living room for the Spring cover.
Wow.  Just like that.  It takes months before it comes out in print (and sometimes longer),
and of course you just would never mention anything like that or you might JINX it and it
would likely be considered bad etiquette in the magazine world.  I would think.
My next two shoots were with Matthew Mead for different publications, one being his own
brand special edition magazines, published by Country Sampler, and it was all about Outdoor Style.
 Since we are good buddies now, I was able to see the process of the magazine cover decision,
and it was pretty darn interesting.  The publisher likes to have control over these things, and they 
picked many "possible" covers, including several of my shots.  Images get edited and re-edited and copy gets changed and colors of the titles and on and on.
OMG, could it happen again, with another cover shot?  
Yes, it did!! I had to keep it quiet for several months, which was not fun.
I was so proud of this shoot, and the way it all turned out, and I just hope this magazine gets the readers it deserves, because its packed with all kinds of outdoor spaces, including my awesome French Courtyard.  We love our courtyard!  If anyone is interested in getting a chance to win a free copy of this Upstyled Home Outdoors issue, leave a comment letting me know why you would like to get one, and you will be entered to win.  Make sure I have an email address so I can contact you for your mailing address, in case you win.  This magazine hits news stands April 25th, 2017.
 The other magazine that you may have noticed on the first photo, was Where Women Create.
This is a big honor, to be featured in this magazine, as artists of note and talent are interviewed
in their workshops and studios.  This issue will be out May 1st, and it is a biographical type article
on where I found my creativity and what nurtured my creative nature.  I hope you enjoy it.  If you ever wanted to know more about me, this is your chance, lol.  So one of the secretive parts of the magazine world, is that sometimes you get left on the cutting room floor.  And that just happened to me this week.  I was contacted by an editor of Country Home to possibly be included in their Style Makers section of the next issue, due in June 2017.  Wow.  This is really amazing! I wasn't sure what to make of all these features, but it was certainly thrilling to be considered a Style Maker.  And just like that, I got an email saying there wasn't enough room in the issue, and that I may be considered for one of their future issues. So POOF!  But hey, I am more than thrilled to be in the racks this year
in these great issues.    
The other bit of very cool news is that I was contacted to do some design work for a private company who is a wholesaler of romantic styled European clothing and who has decided to add some complementary home accessories to the line.  They wanted to know if I would give them some designs for French home decor.  So we struck a handshake of a deal, and my designs have been well received thus far.  Its funny because as a former owner of a little retail home boutique shop, I had a hard time finding things that I personally was attracted to, given my penchant for French style.  And now I get to CREATE French style items that will be made in factories and it couldn't be more exciting!  As things move along, I will be sharing more specifics, but for now we are fleshing out concepts and items to be included in the collection.
 One of my favorite things is to sketch. 
My design sketches are done in pencil with a bit of colored pencil 
added to give it some life, then emailed to the owner of the company for approval.
The feeling is an overall rustic and elegant European look.  
I will share the company and where you may be able to find these items
designed by moi as soon as they become available.
Yum. 


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33 comments:

  1. Congratulations!!!! Well deserved...and such a wonderful honor!

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  2. That is so impressive on the one hand and so not surprising on the other. After all, after seeing your home here for some time, it's clear that it's more than worthy of a magazine cover.

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  3. Congratulations, Amy! What an honour! This is so well deserved my friend. You have such an eye.
    Hugs, Jamie

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  4. So darn excited for you!!!!!!!!!'
    I'll be smiling all day 😀
    Hugs my friend
    Janet
    The Empty Nest

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  5. Alice (vintage peony)April 19, 2017 at 5:13 PM

    Congrats hope I can get a copy in Toronto Canada🖒🖒🖒

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  6. Well, well, well, look at you Missie! So proud of you, and can't wait to hear about the new line of decor items!!

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  7. So happy for you, Amy! It's wonderful that your talents are being recognized, and shared with so many. Congratulations, dear girl.
    Debbie
    xo

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  8. Amy, you go girl. I'm so happy and excited for you. I also cannot wait to see and hopefully have a chance to buy something you create

    I truly believe bloggers should support one another

    Cindy

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  9. Love, love, love hearing this Amy. What is the saying? "... when one store closes another door opens?" Ha! or something like that. Well deserved - couldn't be happier for you. xo

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  10. I'm very happy for you! You inspire us all.

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  11. So well deserved, Amy! As a long time follower and now friend, it truly couldn't have happened to a nicer person! Congratulations!!!

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  12. Amy, I've been following every one of your posts since the very start and I knew your talent would let you reach your greatest dreams. I am so happy for you! Congratulations!

    Ana María

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  13. So much amazing news at once! Congrats on the magazine features and especially on the chance to design French decor - so exciting - ou la la! please enter me for the drawing for the April issue of Upstyled Home Outdoors ~ my email is namkaur@gmail.com

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  14. Yay! Amy, this is so exciting! Loved FiFi's feature & can't wait to see Matthew's. Your sketches are gorgeous. Xx

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  15. Hi Amy,
    I am beyond thrilled for you! Yeah, Yeah, Whoopie, Horray...you go girl! You are so deserving of all this recognition and I always smile when I see my friend Amy featured in magazines. I always tell everyone, hey I have known her for a long time! I also cannot wait to see some of your french designs.

    Congratulations!

    hugs,
    Sissie

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  16. Amy, you are full of good news! Congratulations!
    I'm not surprised. I am a huge fan of your design and am so inspired by your projects. I never miss a post. I would love to have a copy of Upstyled Home Outdoors because I am interested in every detail of your project and also interested in the other featured topics to enhance outdoor living. I have no trouble finding time for outdoor projects and spend more effort there than indoors. We all benefit from you and Matthew becoming good friends!

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  17. Congrats on all accounts!....the past and future magazine features and the opportunity to design home accessories! Always loved seeing your artwork....I so remember long ago when you were painting custom artwork of peoples' homes. I loved those! So very excited for you!!

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  18. Congratulations Amy! I'm still swooning over your back yard makeover! I often refer back to your work for inspiration. Thank you!

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  19. Congratulations Amy! I'm still swooning over your back yard makeover! I often refer back to your work for inspiration. Thank you!

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  20. Such wonderful news! Following you from the very beginning....Pinterest, blog, design, store and now magazine covers. So exciting to be going along for the ride so to speak. Much success to you Amy. Congratulations!
    Anne Kelly (aka Fanci)

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  21. Congratulations. So many good things coming your way! I am looking forward to seeing the results of everything you are doing..

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  22. This is all so exciting. Congratulations.

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  23. I'm so happy you're getting the recognition you so richly deserve!

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  24. So excited for you Amy. I can not wait for the opportunity to purchase something designed by you.

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  25. Congratulations! All of that publishing is a nod to your creativity, well, more than a nod,an acknowledgementioned certainly. I am in awe of your energy.

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  26. So very happy for you, Amy! WhooHoo!!

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  27. All so very exciting Amy! It is fun to see all the places blogging has taken many of my favorite bloggers over the years.

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  28. Awww...Ames!!! I can say "I knew you when"....when you first started blogging and I fell in love with your blog and the sweet girl behind that blog....and I remember those closet doors you did and thought they were so very cool! Anyway--CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
    You can throw my name in the hat for the magazine giveaway. Nothing I love more than magazines and I don't subscribe to them like I once did. I will pick up the Where Women Create, too...and see what I DON'T know about you. lol
    Have a wonderful upcoming weekend, my friend. xo Diana

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  29. Congratulations on your "triple play" and blessings upon your future endeavors! I'd love to win the magazine as we are downsizing and moving near family in another state and looking for ways to make our new home feel like "home".

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  30. Congratulations Amy!! What a fantastic rush this must be for you, so why wouldn't your blog fans (AKA your admirers) want to exclaim that a friend is featured in a publication, and well should she be! You are quite deserving and I am looking forward to reading Where Women Create along with the others.























    t to go on this ride with you! Imagine being able to exclaim that a friend is featured in a publication, and she so deserves to.

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  31. Thrilling to hear these success stories, Amy, and to watch your evolution through the years. Celebrating these coups with you, and cheering you on across the miles! xox

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  32. Congratulations. You are a talented lady.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

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