Traveling Again, Still Writing



I just returned from a Flair and Dare trip. First to Los Osos (means the bears) by Moro Bay where I rearranged pictures for my sister and her husband (he is an artist) after they remodeled. They like to cover the walls with his art work. I only made changes to the living room and dining room but did not photograph the rest. See below. 

Living area

Dining Room

 

The next stop was to my other sister’s in Alameda. I did some minor rearrangements there. So there are only a couple of pictures. The living area is long and narrow with the kitchen at the far end.See below.

Got the plant stand at Big Lots and the new rug from Sally's for $29.00 (Yeah)

Looking from the entry. Palm from Home Depot special $20, Cool lamp from Sally's for $5.00 (Yea!)

Looking from the kitchen toward the entry. Throw pillose on sofa from Sally's.

I took my writing with me to do some editing and to my surprise (though I should know better than to be surprised) my allegorical fantasy needed lots of reworking. I really like writing this stuff, it is fun. I have not completed the story yet, and have no idea when it will be done.

I also took my Crystal Pines Trilogy with me. I combined the published work of Morningside (#1 in the trilogy, published separately) with the middle story, Winter’s Inn, which was never completed and Crystal Pines, published first but is last in the trilogy. I am enjoying this project because since publication of Crystal Pines, I have wanted to make a lot of changes – true editing was never done.

The reason I am completing the trilogy is that a publisher called me and wanted to do a second edition of Crystal Pines, but I did not feel that it was worthy of one. This inspired me to make the changes necessary and complete the entire work. Don’t know when it will be finished, as it stands now it is over 550 words on 8 ½ by 11 paper with 1 inch margin.

I sent my Gifts for the Road story, about Jesus, Joseph & Mary’s travels to Egypt, out to another publisher but have heard nothing. I am going to send it to several all at one time. God Willing, it may someday get published –I don’t plan on self-publishing. That is it for now.

Spring Roses

Once again, I want to share more spring roses from our garden, thought I would also throw in a picture of the new me, though I am not nearly done with the Nutrisytem plan.

Pink & yellow roses on coffee table, small bird is $1 store special

My favorite the long stem pink roses with silver bell in front,

And who could go wrong with yellow, on the dining table, candle holders were salvaged from a give away location where I play bridge.

Couldn't resist showing this on my butler's pantry, basket is from sister, birds are from Mexico City, Gesha doll is from Japanese factory here in town, and the little Sumo man, love him, was $.49 at Goodies. 



Lost 20 pounds on Nutrisystem 6/02/2013

Update, New photos, new decorating

My beautiful red camilias match the red furniture in the family room

It has been awhile since I entered anything new here, my apologies. I went through a bit of writers block, but have recovered sufficiently. First, though, I took to redecorating our living room, well not really redecorating, but rearranging. I went through the house and gathered pictures and tables that I was tired of seeing in other rooms and switched them out. Also, I have included a picture of the beautiful camellias from the garden, since the roses are not in bloom yet. 

THe entry - this picture was in my Bible study Room and the stand was in the dining room

A combination of the elite and the salvage, Figurine is Armini,  the fern is from Safeway, an the blak pot is from the thrift store. THe table wads in some corner, and it is neat beause under the glass are tiny elephants and Japanese goodies.



My Yardrow elephant with my $5.00 bouquet of red roses from Wal-Mart. The coffee table is an end table that stands tall and makes a fine coffee table between the love seat and sofa.



The mirror was too heavy to move, it was over the stand in the entry. The tea cart was in a corner and it fit just right between two dining room chairs.
 

 THe table behind the loveseat was in the entry

 my office, turn your head sidewise, don't know how to fix it. Pictue in the background was in the entry.

   I went through a bit of writers block, but have recovered sufficiently. I had entered a partial story, an allegorical fantasy, but was I really stuck on an ending. I finally decided the story should just be set aside for another time.

   Finally afterthe holidays, I became inspired with a really wonderful allegorical fantasy – inspired by God. I have to give him credit, of course. And how do I know He inspires me, because during my Bible study time every morning, I always come up with ideas of what to add to the tale.  Anyway, I am having fun – what is the story about? I don’t want to give anything away, but I can say that there is a variety of characters. Some are celestial, some regular humans, and of course the bad guys.

   I have joined a critique group, Sunrise Christian writers, http://sunrisechristianwriters.blogspot.com/ and the critiques’ I’ve had from the group are good, and they love my allegory. That is encouraging, so much so, that I have written daily for the first time since the summer. This will be a long novel, so I will not be putting it on the blog, like I did the short stories.
         I am still waiting to hear from Waterbrook Press, Random House’s evangelical division about my story of Jesus, Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt, ‘Gifts for the Road’. It has been almost a year, and there’s been not a word.  April 3, I will email the editor and give her a week to respond. If she doesn’t, I will start sending the story out. Thank you Lord, for I am rarely discouraged, just persistent.

Christmas Time and Holiday Decor

 

 Table decor

 This is the first year that my husband and I are staying home without any family and that I have not put up my myriad of Christmas Decorations. I kept it real simple with just a tree and part of a large Manger Set. Getting the tree was great fun, I went to the 5:00 am Black Friday opening of Home Depot, around the corner from us, and purchased a 7 & 1/2 ft. tall pre-lighted tree. I can make the lights either white or colored. I love the color ones. We  entertained guests for supper, you can see part of the table above. I used pomegranates, parts of small pointsietta branches and favors stuffed in coffee cups - the favors were little fuzzy bears, snowmen and reindeer ornaments from Costco in an 8 pack for $4.97. Such a deal! The beautiful red and white dinner dishes and cups were from, of all places, the $1.00. I was shopping one day and had my basket full when I discovered these dishes. Well, I promptly emptied my basket and cleared the shelf of dishes, cups and bowls of service for 6. These are just a few of my secrets.

 The great tree.  

Partial Manger Sceen

The butlers pantry with Lenox Snow Queen

Close up of Snow Queen, the two snow birds were my mother's

Thanksgiving decor

Thanksgiving décor/dinner

The entry table

Dinner for 8

     Well I am at it again, doing one of my favorite things, flair & daring as I get things ready for company for Thanksgiving dinner. This year we will have 8 people – just the right amount. For our table, I purchased at the $1.00 store, little picture frames for place cards.  I always like to seat my guests rather than give them a choice; that eliminates the possibility of having all the talkers sitting together and incorporates the silent ones so they are not forgotten. I have never had anyone complain about suggesting where I want them to sit.

     For the plates at the table, I picked them up at the dollar store also, a great buy that I needed when I hosted a dinner for 12. The silverware is sterling, inherited. The table cloth is from Ross’s and the runners are from the dollar too. 

Priscilla & John, Pilgrims


Flowers in family heirloom

 

     The décor on the coffee table is of a $5 mum plant put into a true family heirloom, as are the 2 vases on the entry hall table (one vase is on its side on purpose (if in an obvious place, most people want to stand it up) the turkey next to the vases holds a votive – I’ve had that for a while and can’t remember where I got it.    

      In the pantry is a large pumpkin with a lid from my mother, as the small pumpkin on the side table that I put flowers into. Back to the pantry – the orangey vase in background, I picked up at the Goodwill and paid too much – I think $3. Wow. In front of the mirror the red vase, which I got at the grocery store for $10 – another big expense, is standing with two pilgrims – Priscilla and John - that I bought at a craft fair on sale for $7. Now that was a bargain and I love them.  The porcelain pumpkin in front of the candles I got at the dollar store – love it. Well there you have my Flair and Dare Ideas on how to spiff up your decorations on the cheap. However, I always think it is good to mix expensive with not so dear, it keeps me humble. Oh yes, I forgot to mention the most important thing - the menu: Vegetable Tray, crackers & cheese spread, Roasted & Stuffed Turkey..Cranberry sauce, jellied & home made, Curried Pea, Mashed PotatoesTurkey,Taragon Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Rolls & Butter, Fruit Salad, Pumpkin Desert

Pumpkin with flowers

Flowers in family heirloom

Mothers pumpkin with lid and goodwill vase behind Armani figurine of girl walking dog, pangry includes a cheap plastic night light of Jesus, given to me by grandaughter, Samantha

More Flair and Dare – decorating a narrow apartment

Stove pipe hidden

 

Before pictures - from the kitchen to the front door

In front of kitchen area

Looking toward kitchen

   Last week I spent four and a half days helping my sister decorate her long, narrow apartment—the bottom half of an older home in the bay area. The pictures show a little of what it was like when I got there, and then what we ended up with. Since the rent is cheap she had to do a lot of moving furniture that belonged to the owners upstairs.

     I knew shortly after I started my own decorating business many years ago that I was not and never would be a famous top notch designer. What I did discover was that I am great with helping people make their home beautiful without having them spend a lot of money. I realized that most people want their homes to be beautiful but don’t know how to use what they have and don’t have the money to spend on new furniture and things.

     Often I find that friends and family have wonderful treasures either hidden in the corner of a room, or stashed in a closet, or even just put in the wrong room – like the attic or garage. Well, I have I love to help people use what they have as much as I love writing stories.

      I adopted the name of my decorating talents with two slogans – one is “Have Hammer Will Travel”, and “Flair and Dare”. Flair and Dare is the official name because I don’t mind taking chances. I hate pictures unframed and or sitting on the floor or a room. Correcting this when I go to someone’s house does wonders for moral and for the beginning of a great new outlook. Lots of times it is someone’s fear of making a hole in the wall so they never hang a picture. How silly is that. Who cares if there is more than one hole behind a picture that wasn’t hung right the first time?

    When I got to her place the furniture needed to be arranged in to several different spaces as the room when you enter is very long. In addition there is a stove pipe heater almost half-way in the room. She won’t use it, but it can’t be moved either so we had to use that as part of the décor.



Treasures from Sally's added to the bedroom

    We spent each day shopping at her favorite (high-end) stores – Sally’s, Anytime Thrift Store, and Wills, plus Ross & TJ's (not truly high end unless you find the best buys that someone else once owned). We bought a great assortment of colorful throw pillows, rugs, mirrors, plants and throws. Aside from that we used what she had.
Here are some finished pictures:



Her intimate dining area in front of kitchen

 

What I Do

    Well, now I have two Christian Fantasies on my blog - The Naja Haje Abyss and Desert Spice. I love to write and am currently working on a Christian allegory that may turn into a novel. I haven't decided whether or not to put it on the web.
     I am still waiting to hear from Multnoma Publishing (evangelical division of Random House) about my Gifts for the Road - biblical story about Jesus, Joseph, and Mary's trip to Egypt when Jesus was a baby. It has been over 6 months since they requested to see it, but the agent did say that it could take up to a year before I hear from them. I look at my email daily to see if they have said anything about it. I am not discouraged - just being patient and enjoying my other stories. I must admit, though, that the urge to write often wanes.
     I have truly loved setting up my blog and working on a web site that I am able to do without tech help. It is so simple now days.
     About the decorating - my company name is Flair and Dare. I take what people have and decorate around it. I have been doing this part time over the past 25 years, and have done it mostly with family members and friends. I never believed in charging clients for what I could sell them - most professional designers mark up the goods and make their money that way as well as charging for their time. I think I did not feel like I had enough talent for high-end design as well as education  in that field (I do have some college credits in it). The things I am best at are color and organization....Either way, I love flair and daring rooms by incorporating what people have.
      It has been some time since I actually wrote on my blog and this is fun too. Sometimes I am not sure what I like best, but the one thing I have stuck with since 1984, on an almost daily basis, is taking the first hour of each day to have time with God and study His Word.