Updating on Confessions of A CF Husband

Adorable Gwyneth at home.

  

Nate and Tricia are a timeless lovestory that I have been following for several months.  This is what he has to say on his blog:

"My name is Nathan.  My wife, Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and had been preparing for a double lung transplant until we discovered we were pregnant.

Tricia is the most incredible person I've ever met.  She keeps me humble and in love.

Gwyneth is our beautiful, new baby girl, born 15+ weeks early. 

Tricia is now breathing with the help of donated lungs, and Gwyneth is on her way out of th NICU and into our hearts." 

Talk again,

Denise

ELEGANT HOMES Window Treatments #2

Hi Girlfriends,  

This is a test..........for it is my first attempt to try Adobe Elements in scanning a magazine photo, instead of scanning to Printmaster and uploading from there.  I am on a MAC and learning all the time.  

One EXTREMELY  helpful websites for 101 learning to blog, has been All Things Bright And Beautiful.  I highly recommend this website for learning the in's and out's from this A+ mentorship blogging.  If I feel this 'test' is what I am seeking, expect all my photos to be clearer in the future.

Elegant Homes

Fall/Winter 2008

Designers Jean Turcotte and Louis Pepin

Montreal

"Hospitality begins at the entry, where red Italian marble flooring glistens in the sunshine and red, pink, and gold striped silk-and-velvet draperies puddle theatrically a the base of golden pedestals with red antique vases."

Talk again,

Denise 

ELEGANT HOMES Window Treatments

Hi Girlfriends,

WE're baaaaaaaaack-!!  Vacations are wonderful distractions from day to day life of home, but.......there's no place like home.  Settling back into a routine is even welcoming.  One pleasure is pouring through all the newly arrived decorator magazines.  

This August edition of Elegant Homes,  I am excited about some creative methods on saving cost on rods, brackets and finials, but still have beautiful window treatments.  All three window treatments featured have the same concept from  the prestigious Pink Ribbon show house (built to raises money for breast cancer awareness and research at the Baylor College of Medicine) Houston, TX.  to Lexington, MA.  

If you have difficulty seeing how resourceful these interior designers were, please, pick up Elegant Homes the next time you are at your local Borders

Interior Designer, Tricia Dobson, decided upon "panels hung simply on iron backets.....thus, preventing a heavy look."  Still, it oozes all the charm and elegance of a traditional living room.

Interior Designer, Edwina Alexis, used decorative drapery tacks to hold flowing silk draperies...... which gives a hint of drama to this small intimate library area.  By using ivory fabric for this treatment,  the room remains quiet for reading, sipping wine or a game of chess.

The kitchen curtain, by designer Betsy Speert, was hung with decorative black ceiling hooks which can be purchased at any hardware store like a ma & pa, Home Depot or Lowes.  I really like this idea for its light and airy effect and without the hassle of cumbersome hardware in such a small area.

Talk again,

Denise & Gwen

discountdesignerfabricsonline.com

Window Treatements

Schumacher Wallpaper Book 1995

Hi Girlfriends,

Now is the time to begin thinking of indoors for window treatments. 

 Right now, the workrooms are slow (many take vacations in August for this very reason ).  

By the time one begins to think of entertaining during the holidays

 you have wisely gotten a most important project completed.

One of our greatest resources of window treatments

comes from o discontinued wallpaper books.  

Most places that sell wallpaper

 have stacks of discontinued books 

in their back.

By asking they are thrilled to get rid of them.

So, don't be shy when asking.........

  

This particular window treatment we have repeated over and over.  

WARNING

 you will need a really good workroom to execute this design for it is all in the mechanism of the construction. 

 Once up 

the design compliments any room.  

GWEN: "For us, using this design in dining rooms have been most successful."  

The secret to any attractive Window Treatment is "Trade-only" fabrics.  

Remember

 "You get what you pay for."

  

Denise: "Ooooooooh so true.  

Pick a room

spoil yourself

use Trade Only designer fabrics

and

gradually

in stages

 spoil yourself

again, again and again

 on your remaining rooms.

By the time you have completed

your stages........why

the first room fabrics

are still 

wonderful."

Gwen and Denise: 

"Yes, it's all about quality."

Talk again,

Denise and Gwen

Remember, you can buy designer fabrics at fabulously pricing through us

discountdesignerfabricsonline.com

A CLASSIC TRASH TREASURE

Simplicity Sewing Book, 1957

Hi Girlfriends,

A client asked me to drive by a house she and family had just put a bid on............What luck-!!  There on the parkway was the current owners "Trash".  

When I spotted this "Simplicity Sewing Book" 1957, I had to have it.........and hoped no one knew me--as I went into my "Trash Picking" mode.

This cover speaks volumns of a classic look:  

From the hair style, to the circle pin, to the gold charm bracelet, 

big gold earrings and painted nails.  

So, what's new?

Talk again,

Denise and Gwen

Jackie O's Dining Room

Hi Girlfriends,

The following is what both Caroline and John Kennedy wrote in the Sotheby's, " The Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis" catalog, April 1996.

"In deciding what to do with our mother's possessions, we were guided first and foremost by her deep knowledge and love of history.  She was proud to have played a part in the history of our country, and in accordance with her wishes, we have given objects and documents which help chronicle the Kennedy Administration and her role as First Lady to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation which will make them available to the public.

Beyond that, our mother believed in individuals more than in institutions.  She was able to evoke the lives and people of other times and places, describing to us the ancient pharaohs, court society at Versailles, or life on a Nantucket whaling ship so vividly that we felt we had visited these wondrous places.  For our mother, history came alive through objects and paintings, as well as books.  Because the things she collected link her with history, and because she cared about them, they represent more than just a record of her life and travels.  As they go out into the world, we hope that they bring with them not only their own beauty and spirit, but some of hers as well."

"Caroline Kennedy                                                                                                         John Kennedy"

The Dining Room of

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis'

New York City Apartment

Item # 332

"A Set of Four Louis XVI Style 

- Grey and Blue -

Painted

Fauteuils en Cabriolet

"Each with a molded oval upholstered

backrest, the padded armrests, raised

on voluted supports, the bow-fronted

seat raised on circular tapered, fluted legs."

 The Red Room 

and one of four state reception rooms 

in the White House

 Jackie restored this room and loaned her own 

pair of French obelisks.

Item # 323

"A Pair of Louis XVI Ormolu Mounted 

Black and White Marble Obelisks

last Quarter 18th Century"

History note:

Surprisingly, or maybe not, at the time of Jackie "O's" estate sell, Sotheby's did not have a ".com" account in 1996-!!  Think of it, 12 years ago..............no internet for many, many, many.

Talk again,

Denise and Gwen