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Showing posts with label Deb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deb. Show all posts

2.25.2016

Sorting. Packing. Shopping? uh oh.

Project HOMEWARD  - our new house - continues to move forward, 
with lots of visible progress on the job site and also with our packing.
oh, Lord, the PACKING. Mom's been in this house 36 YEARS. I feel like this photo most days.

I promised you that I'd show you the FIRST thing we purchased for the new house...
Be patient... there's a story there!

I am totally into vintage industrial style. LOOOOVE it.
One day about seven years ago, I got a huge vintage scale FREE on Craigslist.
please don't hate me. she nearly broke my arms carrying her, if that helps!
She lived in my little seasonal store for awhile, and then we moved her into my kitchen:
Four years ago, I left my dream home and my island, and came back to SoCal.
 I've admired industrial style decor from afar since then,
because it's just not something I can do while living in my parent's home.

Well......... that's changing!
Mom has been watching HGTV's Fixer*Upper with me. And it's rubbing off on her!
Like so many of you, we love JoJo's style. 
It's very much like my own, and Mom has seen how I decorate my houses over the years...
 but honestly, when it comes to making design choices for the new house, 
Mom is amazing me by broadening her views to include a more industrial, farmhouse style!
We won't have a house that looks like Joanna decorated it, 
but similar components - like the white cabs and wood flooring and stainless appliances
and vintage accessories that tell OUR story - will certainly be part of it.
Shiplap? Maybe ;)

so...
Back in January, we were at a flea market (Trading Post 1908 here in Southern California)
and as we perused the vendor booths, we saw a few scales for sale...
we found a scale that was actually exactly like the one on Joanna's kitchen counter.
But we kept walking. I wasn't 'feeling it' and Mom wasn't, either.
We knew we WANTED a scale for our {{huge}} new kitchen island,
but it had to be the right scale and look.

Then we headed toward the last booth at the show
and all of a sudden Mom started walking faster.
She was makin' a beeline toward something, and I just tried to keep up.

She went to the far back corner of the booth and stopped, and then I saw it...
and I gasped. Really. Because I knew it was perfect. And so did Mom.
It was sitting there holding a ceramic bowl of bright yellow lemons
and had us at hello:

We can just picture it in our kitchen, 
holding a stack of vintage cookbooks and a jar of cookie cutters, 
or a terra cotta pot of basil - or a bowl of lemons.

Honestly, it's a smaller twin of the one that I used to have!

And the BEST part? the story.
 That's what homewardFOUNDdecor - and project homeward - is all about:
Telling our own stories through the way we decorate and celebrate!

Like what you see in my photos?

2.10.2016

the Language of Love

 Contrary to just about everything I share here on homewardFOUNDdecor, 
the truly important things in life aren't decorating or crafting.
The decorating and crafting have always been - for me, anyway  
the way I show people that I love them...

The kids' rooms were always cute and fun and bright and happy, with handpainted furniture and murals that expressed their own style. The house was always clean (ish!) and decorated because I wanted my family to be proud of where they lived. The birthdays and special days of the year were greeted with simple decorations and fun food at the breakfast table (like pink milk and pancakes on Valentine's Day). The 'big' holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter were celebrated with fun traditions and decorating.

ALL of those efforts on my part resulted not just in happy moments and lasting memories, but in a deeper meaning that leads my now-adult offspring to do the same things for their own kids.
This has become a 'language of love' for our whole family,
and nothing could make me happier.

My Mom started it all when I was a girl, and I added to it... as have my kids. It's not about money - because we've never had a lot of that - but about using what you have, being creative, and investing time and effort into doing things for those you love. For me, the BEST gifts ever were the handwritten, handpainted, handdrawn cards made for me  by my children and grandchildren.

Sometimes, the simplest things can mean the most.

 There's another 'hand made' gift that is the very best one I ever received:

Valentine's Day 2015 came in the midst of some very hard days.

My Dad was fighting the battle of his life - FOR his life - against cancer.
He was weak, and tired, and spent a lot of time in his comfy chair downstairs. He wasn't going out of the house anymore, so I asked him if I could find a card for him to give to my Mom on Valentine's Day... he said yes, and I did. (I ended up overwhelmed by tears in the card department of the local CVS store, on the phone with my little sister to give me the strength to find a card expressing the love of a dying man for his wife of 35 years...) I gave him the card, he signed it, and gave it to her a few days later. 
She loved it. She still reads it from time to time.

And then, when I awoke on Valentine's Day, I found little notes taped to my bedroom door, my office door, my bathroom mirror, and my laptop:


... little love notes for me, from my Dad. 

He had written them on scrap paper and come upstairs to tape them where I would find them.

Handwritten love notes from my Daddy...
there isn't anything more precious to me now,
no other Valentine that could mean more than these.


Just a few short weeks later, on Easter morning, my Dad passed away.

I moved those notes to the back of my bedroom door, and I see them every single day. They are a constant reminder of his love, and of the effort it took him to climb the stairs to put them there for me. 
He gave me all he had to give... his love. And it is more than enough.

The language of love is time. It's effort. It's thoughtfulness.

Maybe to you, it's a cupcake, or a card, or a perfect door wreath and mantel. Maybe it's a date, or a diamond, or chocolate and champagne. We all want to be shown love in the way that makes us feel special and loved, and to show love to those who are special to us.
For me, it's the little things done with a caring heart that mean the most

 Whatever you do to show your love this year on Valentine's Day,
may it be from the heart.
Even if it's simple post-it notes... because you just never know.

 .

1.09.2016

Valentine's Day Sweet Tooth!

Valentines Day window display

Deb's got a sweet tooth in more ways than one, let me tell ya...
today I was searching for something on my retail visual design blog
and found a 'blast from the past' old post sharing my Valentine's Day decor.
... and since we're already gearing up for Happy Hearts Day decor,

I thought you might just want to see it!

That was my little craftsman Cottage's kitchen window shown above, 
loaded with candy dishes heaping full of yummy tidbits 
(that I'll never really eat, truth be told....my weakness is chocolate
and a few trompe loeil treats.
One of them was inspired by THIS photo
from a past issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine ...
stacked ribbon cake decor
I gathered up some round cardboard containers, metal tins, fabric, ribbons, and froufrou,
and got to work making my own versions of this 'stacked wedding cake' idea.
(I know, I know, this is not WORK. Let's call it a 'Creative Exercise' then, OK?)

I came up with two of them:

original valentines day decorvalentines day decorating
It's simply a cake pedestal with boxes, tins, and even a ceramic coffee cup
stacked up in layers and embellished with ribbons, flowers, 
and even my own REAL wedding cake topper!

 I shared a similar 'stacked wedding cake'-style idea here on HWf a few years ago:
repurposing white dishes

Here are just a few more ideas for making your Valentine's Day sweet as can be....
heart-shaped candy boxes valentines day decorvalentines day decor
More clear vases, domes, and candy dishes were loaded with 
pink and red candies from the Dollar Tree, an old heart pin made from buttons,
a 'cupcake' pincushion in a mug, and red marble hearts in a heart-shaped box...
it all added whimsy and charm to that little window in front of the sink
but took no time at all to create!

The truth was that although my Cottage kitchen was a retro dream,

the view out that window was utterly hideous
it looked directly at the garage of the house next door. UGH.
(you can see it right there in the background of the top photo!)
So I always created cute little vignettes in the window to look at instead!

.
Want even more Valentine's Day inspiration?
 

See my '30 Days to Valentine's Day Countdown' posts from 2013!
View my Pinterest board: February Hearts


pssssssst..... I'm on Instagram, too!

9.02.2014

Welcome, Fall! Wait.... WHAT????!

Yeah, it's FALL, Y'all.... and I'm just not ready for summer to end!
Before we jump into ideas and inspiration for Autumn decorating here at homewardFOUND,
I thought I'd share what I was up to over my two-month 'break' from social media.
Yes, friends, I'm going to answer the eternal September question
that we all remember (fondly??) from those first-day-of-school assignments:

'What did you do on your summer vacation?' 

You had to either write about it or stand up in front of the class and talk about it.
(How many of you, like me, immediately thought 'KILL.ME.NOW.' when the teacher informed you
that you had to speak instead of write because she knew you LOVED writing??
Fortunately, I finally overcame my fear of public speaking!)

Just as I planned, I spent my 'summer vacation' doing things I love:
walking at the beach, going to flea markets and vintage shows and thrift stores,
reading books from the library, swimming in the pool, sitting on the porch swing,
seeing friends and family, and of course working at the Happiest Place on Earth!

 But the BIG thing, the ONE thing that made this summer totally awesome was that
We had a Family Reunion!
Four generations of my family - my parents, siblings, our kids AND my grandkids -
gathered in California to celebrate my Mom's 70th Birthday
and to celebrate that we are one AWESOME family - 
not 'despite' the difficulties we have faced, but in part BECAUSE of those challenges.
Love is stronger than anything - even distance that spans the continent.


26 of us spent five days together at my parent's home,
splashing in the pool, making a lot of noise, talking, laughing, 
and eating SO much good food... 
(my brother brought 100 pounds of fresh fish and King Crab with him from Alaska,
and that fish fry dinner was utterly decadent!)

It was such a joy to be in the same place with all four of my 'kids' and their families,
including my four grandchildren, 
enjoying the smiles and hugs and stories and laughter.
It's a bona fide miracle, folks,
and I could not feel more blessed to have had this time with them.

And then, on the last day....
We went to Disneyland!


We posed with my BOSS! (and isn't he the CUTEST boss ever?!) 


We posed by the Castle!


and we posed in front of the attraction that is VERY important to our family,
'It's A Small World'

We have family ties to the history of this wonderful place:
My Mom's Dad and brother, my Uncle Don, were electricians
who helped build many of the attractions at Disneyland...
Grandpa Ward worked on It's A Small World, Tiki Room, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
Uncle Don Ward worked on the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

All of my life, I have had such pride that they worked to bring Walt's dream to life,
to make the magic real
(that's a HUGE part of why I have always wanted to work there!)
and since the day my first grandson was born,
I have dreamed of riding the little boats of It's A Small World with my grandchildren.
Just like my grandpa rode it with me when I was a Little Debby.

I got that wish ;) That weekend was the best part of my summer!

I created the graphic that you see at the top of this post, 
and had it made into buttons at PureButtons.com.
My sweet friend Julia Chow, who is my fellow cast member at Disneyland,
captured our dream of a day in photos.
(See more of her fabulous work on her Julia Lisa Photography facebook page)


OK, now it's YOUR turn...
"What did YOU do on YOUR summer vacation?"
Leave a comment and share!

I promise I won't make you stand up in front of anyone :)

7.01.2014

Taking a Break....

 In a world of increasing speed, business AND busy-ness, 
broadcasting our every meal and move and thought on social media,
and occupation with things happening outside of ourselves,
I crave simplicity.

I long for summer days that stretch into forever... 
a season of relaxation unfolding moment by memorable moment,
WITHOUT documenting it in photos or posts.

My heart yearns for a summertime like the one I experienced as a child - 
and if you want to see what that looks like, watch the movie 'Now and Then'.
The girls at the beginning of the film depict exactly the kind of summer vacation that I lived 
as a kid in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
I loved it. I tried to re-create parts of it for my own kids, who grew up in the 1980s.

In this recent post here on HOMEWARDfound,
I shared a bit about how a certain book influenced my summers and my life as a child.

That re-discovered book has stirred creative longings in me again:

To explore the local shops and parks and gardens that call to me as I drive by.

To spend my days off walking and sitting on the beach, 
photographing crashing waves and changing sunlight.

To be inspired to create something just for the pleasure of playing in the moment - 
not as a planned, scheduled, managed activity leading to a blog post.

To invest hours in writing letters to the people I love, 
rather than rely on texts and facebook comments to communicate with them 
in the midst of our busy lives.

To plan and enjoy a monumental birthday party for Mom and family reunion for everyone.

To spend days and nights wandering the magical streets of Disneyland,
seeing it again like an eight year old little girl with a dream in her heart
(and a camera in her hand).

To celebrate that my childhood dreams really ARE coming true 
as I work at the Happiest Place on Earth,
especially now that I have been promoted to member of the Visual Merchandising Team!

To lie in the shade and listen to music and read books that nourish my soul.

Actually, that word perfectly captures what I am craving:  
Nourishment.

I desperately need more than just a 'fast food' mindset when it comes to my creativity.
I need the freedom to immerse myself in an idea, a process, a project
and 'let it flow'...[ why, yes, I DO hear a certain tune when I read that! ]
instead of rushing everything to make it fit a blog post schedule.

There is only one way to satiate my hunger for simplicity and focus - 
and that's to simply STOP. 
Stop running through the equivalent of a drive-through for inspiration and motivation.
Stop worrying about making products and selling them online,
and marketing and promoting and... all of it. It's exhausting.

And now, finally, I'm ready to give myself the gift of summertime again...
I am taking a social media break for the rest of the summer.

I plan to spend the next few months feasting on time in nature, 
time with family and friends, time on a walking path and a bike, 
time in the sunshine, and time investing in my own creativity.

Heaven knows, I have learned that there are no guarantees.
No 'forever'. And sometimes, no 'someday'.

We have only each moment, each day, to LIVE. 

Enjoying every day: that's where I'll  be this summer.

6.26.2014

My Creative Source

Many (many) years ago, there was a little redheaded girl who loved to read.
LOVED. TO. READ.
Loved it SO much that she hid in her room reading all the time,
and her mom & grandma would literally kick her outside and close the door,
entreating her to 'Go Play!'.
Most of the time, I DID go play - bikes, barbies, kiddles, house, swimming, skating -
with my neighborhood friends, 
until dusk fell and the streetlights came on and Moms called their kids in to dinner.

Other times, I sneaked a book out of the house - under my tee shirt - 
 and climbed the tree in the yard to read hidden among the branches, undisturbed.

And there was this one book.....
the 'Make and Do' volume of the Childcraft 'How and Why' Library from World Book.
ah, the wonders it held inside!
Every page revealed creative ideas GALORE.
Pages dog-eared from being folded over for 'things I want to make'.
Cover sticky with remnants of paste and glitter and paint.

I made things for Christmas and holidays and birthdays and every days.

Oh, how I loved that book.
In later years, my mom gave me the whole World Book set for MY kids, 
and they loved it just as much as I did.

A week ago, I went into a thrift store and there was the whole set of the books. 
[ not MY actual set, mind you ]

I rifled through them in a split second, looking for the familiar cover...

and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I found it!
I bought it for the grand sum of FIFTY CENTS and brought it home.
I sat on the twin bed in my office, which is covered with a white matlasse spread - 
reminding me of my own childhood bed all those years ago.
On hot summer days back then, I lived for 'rest time' -
 I was too old for naps, but it helped my mom get my little brother to nap if I laid down, too -
but I never argued about it,
because THAT was when I could curl up on my bed with this book, 
and just devour its enticing and inspiring contents - page by page:
 So, when I came home the other day,
I did exactly that... devoured it from cover to cover.

And on one particular page,
I spied something that I realized had been embedded in my mind all of my life.
It brought a smile to my face as I read it,
because the formation of my homewardFOUND philosophy
of using what you have to make beautiful things
started right in this very book when I was a child:
Tin Cans? yep. Buttons? yep. Balloons? yep.
I've shared posts for craft and decor ideas using all of those elements - and many more.
(Sweaters aren't specifically mentioned here, but let's just go with the 'cloth' reference, shall we?!)

What a thrill to see something that inspired me so much as a child
and formed one of my most definitive design qualities: re-purposing everyday items into decor.

I didn't just find a treasured book last week...
I found another part of ME!

4.10.2014

It's a Small, Small World!

 Guess where I am this morning???
 I'm at the 'It's A Small World' attraction at Disneyland!
( 3:30 AM PDT report time! )

Disney Cast Members, characters, and special guests 
are gathering at Disney Parks around the world 
to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the 'It's A Small World' attraction 
with a live sing-a-long of the sweet theme song on a live Good Morning America broadcast.

Edited to add:
 

I was on the train that pulled into the It's A Small World attraction facade 
during the GMA segment - 
back row, second car, and you couldn't see any of our faces on television!

But that's okay, because the point is that I was THERE to participate,
and I loved every moment of it! What a dream!!!!

 
I became an official Disney Cast Member just over a month ago, 
after waiting all of my life to do so....
The timing couldn't be more perfect!

My grandfather was an electrician who helped to install the Small World attraction at Disneyland, 
and I could not be happier to be able to participate in honoring him 
and his part in the history of this attraction today.

Thank you, Grandpa Ward, for this gift 
that has touched every generation of our family...

"It's a world of laughter, a world of tears.
It's a world of hopes and a world of fears.
There's so much that we share,
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all.

It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world.

There is just one moon and one golden sun.
And a smile means friendship to everyone.
Though the mountains divide,
And the oceans are wide
It's a small world after all.

It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world!" 

.

4.02.2014

Finding Your Way Through Wonderland...

I've previously shared info on this marvelous event for women, 
but wanted to share it once more so that no one misses out!

Held once a year in sunny Southern California's vintage & antique community of Orange,
the Launch Your Creativity networking & educational event 
is geared toward women who HAVE a business or who want to START a business.
Whether you will offer your own artisan work, a store, a service, or a franchise 
(natural oils or makeup, for example),
here is where you will find resources, inspiration, encouragement, support, and connection
to women who UNDERSTAND and can EMPOWER you and your business!

The two-day event is coming up soon, and you don't want to be late for this very important date!

Come to Launch, and learn how to navigate 'Wonderland'
("I wonder how to start... I wonder what to do next... I wonder if I can DO this...")
and you'll find yourself on the road to SUCCESS!

Visit the Launch Your Creativity Website HERE 
to learn more about the event and to purchase tickets
Limited seating available
 
PS: The DoubleTree Hilton Inn is located just two miles South of Disneyland !
[ If my Disney work schedule permits, 
I'll be participating in the 'Truth Over Tea' Panel Discussion on Saturday morning ]

3.21.2014

the Gift of Sharing

I'm celebrating my birthday by declaring today
'the Gift of Sharing' Day 
over on the
 HOMEWARDfound facebook page!

Click the green link above to join me there, and
share the links to YOUR favorite facebook pages...
They can be your own page, or a page belonging to a friend
or a page that is a business you love and would like others to know about: 
Shops, shows, events, movies, vacation spots, cafe's, anything at all!
( let's keep it PG-rated, though, okay?!!! )
.
All I ask is that you please don't post the links in your comments here on this blog -
Only on the facebook page.
Thank you!


Click HERE to SHOP HOMEWARDfound!
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inspiration for every season of the year,
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