Drama Drama Drama

For the past 3 seasons, I've been focusing my creative energies on a different type of celebration: Theater!  I have found a great local theater to volunteer at and they have been more than happy to let me roll up my sleeves and swing a hammer (and paintbrush, and saw, and lots of duct tape) designing and building sets and props.  I started with a small role in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and pitching in on solving some set dilemmas.


Then I really dove in for 'Little Shop of Horrors' designing and creating a set that evolved through the scenes.  Working within a tight budget, I reimagined materials - cheap green yoga mats became large hand painted alien leaves and scrap magazines became handmade flowers!  The local paper covered our progress as we created a raised stage, set furniture, and backdrops. The biggest challenge was also developing the plants which started out as puppets and then became a person.  I covered the puppets in soft suedes and velvets (scrap fabric samples!) and used green feathers to create a 'venus fly trap' look around the 'mouth'.


The most recent play I designed the set for, 'Blithe Spirit', was a more traditional living room set.  The director embraced the idea of a set created from key furniture elements to anchor different scenes which I love.  The Art Deco era inspired a glamorous living room in neutral tones accented by luxurious touches of silvers and golds plus silks and furs.  The actors really 'moved in' with coordinating costumes and made the set come alive!



Baby Love

Two of my best friends have had babies this year, making me feel like the luckiest Aunt ever!  I helped throw each of their showers - dinosaur party in blues, greens, browns for the little boy, and new years eve party in pinks, greys, golds for the little girl due at the end of the year!




Take A Dip

I get restless as Spring approaches and need to find a few projects!  A simple one I just completed was inspired by the 'dipped look' trend.  Just an old table and some spray paint and I love it!


Tea Time

There is something so magical about brunch and girlfriends - two of my favorite things, especially when they are together!  I decided to throw together an impromptu pot luck brunch to break up the winter doldrums.  Even though it was last minute, I still started a Pinterest board to help me visualize the 'feel' I wanted as I pulled out my serving dishes and tea towels while keeping my eye out for a few special touches.  I settled on a Spring palette to inject a little cheer into the cold winter day.
I invited everyone over on a lazy Sunday afternoon and asked them to bring their favorite brunch dish to share and offered a variety of fragrant loose leaf teas.  To keep the potluck organized I pre set my table the night before with designated spots for dishes so that when they arrived there was no question how or where it would fit on the table and it resulted in a beautiful (and delicious!) tablescape.  Since it was close to St. Patrick's Day, I used mini pots of clovers for both decoration and a little parting gift for my ladies.  They make me feel so lucky to have such great friends!