Good Read

My Sister-In-Law sent me this article this morning, perfect timing.  Getting out the door every morning running no less than 10 minutes behind is a small victory every day. This morning that feat proved to be even harder with a cranky, cranky, colored ALL over the wall toddler.  Good thing I have pictures like this saved on my phone that make me instantly forget I aged 5 years in 1 hour.

Article "To parents of small children: Let me be the one who says it out loud"

If One Space Is Good, Two Is Better.....Right?

For the time being I have decided to take on a second space in conjunction with my current space (#15) in Interiors and Antiques.  Another title for this post could be, "The One Where She Lost Her Mind".  Craziness, a whole other level of craziness.  The second space is in Interiors @ Pepper Place.  I am still getting moved in but so far, so good.  I am not sure I will be able to keep both places up but I am excited to give it a try, at least for 6 months.  

If you are in Pepper Place, especially for the Farmer's Market please come by!

It's Here

Summer is here.  This weekend was the official start of longer days, heat to great you when you walk outside, the pool, cookouts, flip flops...watermelon.  I am a summer baby.  I am as happy in the water and scorching heat as any other place and time of year.    While unfortunately summer does not bring with it a summer break I am going to take additional time off to be with Henry.  I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  I especially want to say thank you to those men and women who have and are bravely serving our country.  You deserve more than I could ever write here.

Quiet Time

Hello Friday

 Hello Friday, so good to see you.  It has been on wild and crazy week.  I am beginning to feel like I say that every week but this week I mean it.  I am a planner.  A logistics queen.  I start each day with the schedule down to the last detail- perfectly planned out.  It seems though that each and every day the world has something else planned.  But I survived and today starts four days off with my boys.  I think I am actually going to delete my work e-mail off my phone until Tuesday to help my mini stay-cation.  

 (Henry discovered a new FAVORITE toy- fabric books, go figure)

Don't worry though, not everyone in our household has had such a hard week.

I hope you have a wonderful, safe and peaceful weekend.

*not sure why these pictures are stretching but like I mentioned above-nothing ever goes as planned.

A Different Kind Of Art

A while back a client asked me to do something with a collection of antique barn hinges her father had given her.  She was speaking my language.  The original thought was to make a collage on the wall itself but I was drawn to the idea of placing them on a single piece- mostly for the wall's sake.  

 I will tell y'all this was a LABOR.of.LOVE.  As I said on Instagram, emphasis on LOVE.  I will say, it has been a while since something has kept me up at night but this did.  The sheer weight of the hinges gave me fits.  If you were to turn this board around you would be astonished by the supports.  

I have to thank my installer who I called on multiple occasions to ask him if he was sure this crazy concoction  could be hung.  He reminded me we had hung much heavier....and crazier in the past.  

Along the way- board created, now onto the order and how to attach.

He was right but still, there was something about this piece that had really gotten to me.  I think it was a.) I love anything old and interesting- hinges?!?!?! yes please.  b.) It is sentimental and I am sap. c.) I have the utmost respect for this client and appreciate her faith in my creative process.

There was one more piece that was too large to fit so it is on another wall.  The rest of the space is looking good as well, including the floor.  Pictures coming....one day.

Quiet Time

Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs 23: 4-5

A verse that came to me this week and stuck as I strive to find the work/Motherhood balance that works for me and our family.  It is not so much that I am trying to "get rich", it is that success is very rewarding and drives you for more.  Not necessarily a bad thing but right now my priority is family and the balance is a struggle.  I am so thankful for the blessings God has placed on my business but I want to make sure I always keep that in check with what is true and important.

This week this verse speaks to me regarding my career but in other weeks I will have to remember it when "stuff", material possessions, gain to much importance to me.

Client Before and After- Living Room/Dining Room

This before and after is actually of a space I did a couple of years ago but only came back to shoot recently.  Just as an FYI- the pictures were taken by me, not my photographer, so they are good, not great in the photo quality sense.  Here are the before pictures....

 And after...

Images Marianne Strong Interiors and a big thank you to the client for letting me show this transformation.

Quiet Time-Mother's Day

During one of my business classes in college my usually detached professor lecturing on something to do with taking over the world stopped, looked at the class and simply stated- "at the end of the day you always want your Mom to be proud of you, her approval is whose you will seek first."

It stuck with me then and now because there is a heavy truth about it.  There is something about a Mother's love that cannot be duplicated.

I have found motherhood provides another glimpse into God's vision of us.  If God is my Father and His love for me is greater (albeit inconceivable) than my love for Henry, then why do I fret?

Today I want to take a moment to thank God for my Mom- who is my best friend and whose approval I know I have unconditionally.  For Henry, the being that made me "Mom"; my love for whom there are not even words. For my Mother-In-Law and Step-Mother-In-Law who bring me another family I am so honored to be a part of.  For the blessing of getting to watch my friends and others around me navigate the crazy, amazing and humbling experience of motherhood.

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's day.  

Be Back Soon...

My computer decided it needed a vacation. Which ended with me in the Apple store for 3+ hours yesterday.  Which led to it being shipped off for 5 days.  Which puts me in terrible situation for the rest of the week.  I will be back soon... in theory. Hope you have a great week.

PS- Dear Apple, not that you need another way to print money, but you should consider putting a real bar at your Genius Bar for those who have to sit there for long periods of time.  I guarantee a few glass of wine later I would have bought a desktop for the office to back up my laptop.  Just a thought.

Details

1. Traditional Home 2. & 3. Southern Living

Quiet Time

Come Join Me...

Today from 5:00-7:00 Interiors & Antiques is hosting a get together of sorts.  Wine? Check.  Antiques and other various interior decor items to be had? Check.  Sounds like a good time to me!  Unfortunately I can't be there the whole time but if you stop by I would love to see you!  So many treasures to be discovered.

Coming Soon...

This may not look like a lot right now (except vaguely like my office) but it is a commercial project I was brought in on and it is going to be great....just what Birmingham needs.  The owner has a very cool vision and it is nice to work with such creative freedom.

 More to come soon.