YAPPING CAT STUDIO

Only a True Friend will tell You

Fifty-three degrees.  Bliss. Pure Bliss!  (Every menopausal bone in my body is collectively sighing in relief.)

For today, with the coolness coming through the open window, thoughts are turning to Fall decorating.  And since I've been wanting to change my mantle for some time now, why not. 

I've heard it said that only a true friend will tell you when you have something on your face.  So following that line of thinking, I guess only a true friend would tell you that your decorating is well, boring. 

And she did.  She said my mantle was "lacking".  Boring actually. 

BEFORE

And she's right.  Especially if you count my classy fireplace screen.  Or lack there of.  Yep, it's plastic.  Hey, we've got two very creative cats here, we take no chances.  And we hope one day (it's only been ten years) to find the perfect fireplace screen.  

Anyway.  Mantles are hard to me.  Especially this one.  The space between the windows is very wide, the mantle is very narrow and the ceiling is high.  I feel like it needs bigness to fill that space.  Not having any other art that large, I compromised.

I tried this.  OK.  I like the frame (one of my favorite things).  But the plant seems a little lost.  And perhaps the plates need to be bolder?

Nope.  Liked the other plates betters.  And yep, the plant is too small.  Plus, I want "Fall".

Hey, that's better.  But now, I don't like the little tray of pumpkins and vines.  Seems redundant with everything in the basket.

 

Little tray of white flower pots and one white pumpkin?  Hmm.  I like the silver tray, but wish I had a bunch of white pumpkins that where a bit larger.  Thinking, thinking, thinking....

Not so bad.  Fills the space a little better and is fun.  I picked this up years ago, made by a local teacher.  It's paper mache.  And I've got my safety lights in it.  Cute!

And what's that odd white thing under the "Rooms" sign you say?  It's an electrical outlet.  Yes, I should cover it wit the sign.  But that would mean re-hanging it all.  I'll do it later. 

AFTER

So, what do you think?  I think I can live with this for awhile.  I can easily see changing the fall  leaves to Christmas greenery and the plates to red ones.  It seems to fill the space, OK...although now the front of the fireplace needs something.  Well, that's for another day.  For now, I hear a Pumpkin Latte (the first of the season) calling MY name! 

Happy Friday!

Trendspotting at Round Top

Trying to spot trends at Round Top last week was interesting.  At Marburger,  while I did have camera in hand, I got so caught up in the moment, that I forgot to take any pics of what was actually there (eye roll).  BUT, I have pulled some various one's here just to illustrate.   The first look we saw over and over again was Burlap. 

Yep, good, cheap (about 2.00 a yard) burlap!  Burlap was here, there, everywhere.  On lampshades, raw edged on chairs, pristine-ly upholstered on couches, stenciled and plain.  As seen above, with the right mix of goods, it can be raised to an elegant level.  My favorite look, where some chairs, that reupholstered with, the edges were left raw, it was a very interesting look. sorta French

Country to me. 
The texture of burlap contrasted nicely (as seen in the first pic above) with furniture that had also been reupholstered with cream or white linen.  We saw quite a bit of that.

Angel Vine seemed to be the number one plant choice of most dealers.  And while we did not see the topiary, little tiny pots of it tucked here and there seemed to be the most common choice.  It is a sweet little thing, very delicate.  Will have to see if it is hardy enough to pass the "Yapping Cat Black Thumb Test".  I'll have to let ya know.

Books sans covers was the other decor element that we saw everywhere.  The dealers decoration of choice as it where.  (Sorry could not find a pic to illustrate).  The look was achieved by taking a book and removing the cover and binder totally,  so that you are just left with the pages intact.  Then a twine or heavy duty string is tied around (like a gift package).  A stack or pile of these added texture and interest to a coffee table top. Recovered books were another popular choice.
As seen above, (the top book) the cover re-wrapped (much like we did in school)  in an interesting or pretty piece of paper. 

Heavy metal.  (Sorry again, no pics).  Big, woven, wrought iron planters hung upside down, with bare bulbs suspended, made the coolest hanging lamps.  Bar stools made from old heavy reel-to-reel holders and heavy cogs and wheels.  These things, mixed in with the elegant pieces were that "contrast" of texture and style that are a fun look to mix together. 

"Things of the sea".  Huge, I mean huge, ropes twisted around wooden tables.  Lamps made from mussel shells piled up high (and these were spotted for a wicked high price).  Corals and dried sea bits were quite the rage.  Neat, but more elegant, not a cutesy, lake cottage look.

So, there ya have it.  Those were just a few of the trends we seemed to see over and over in decor at Marburger in Round  Top.

If you are flea-ing in your neck of the woods, what looks are you seeing? 

PicniK Fun

Oh gosh.  Look who discovered Picnik.  LOL. 

Before Photo. 

 

OK this is a display in my kitchen.  Where did I get those plates?  Those cute numbered votive and so forth.  Well, let me show ya. 

After Photo

 

LOL!  Too much fun.  (Click on it to make it bigger). 

As for my new Picnik skills, I've said it a thousand times before.  My simple mind is easily amused.  LOL.  

But this was a fun way to show that inexpensive goods (like the Wallie plates), mixed with a few vintage finds (like the sugar bowls and spoons and basket) and new (the numbered votive cups and fake tomatoe branches) can make a great display.  As Tracy Porter always said, "its the mix, not the match".

And speaking of my fake, bunch of tomatoes and the last of summer, here is a great recipe.  I'll be fondly thinking of this dish when it's cold in January.  Ah, Farmer's Market, how I will miss you.  Hopefully still time to make a couple more.

Tomato Pie

1 unbaked 9" pie crust (deep dish is even better - yap cat)

1 6 oz package baby-loose leaf spinach

6 ripe local tomatoes, slice horizontally (I drain mine on a paper towel - yap cat)

1 large sweet onion (I cook mine in just a little Pam first, till soft - yap cat)

12 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup mayo (I use light Hellman's and it's just fine)

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes.  Remove crust and increase oven to 400 F.

In the partially baked crust, layer 1/2 of the spinach, 1/2 of the tomatoes, 1/2 of the onions and 1/2 of the bacon.  Repeat with a second layer.  (I FIRST, put a little of the mozzarella/mayo in the bottom of the crust first.  This keeps the bottom of the pie from getting really "weepy".  - yap cat) 

In a small bowl, thoroughly blend mayo and mozzarella.  Spread on top of the pie.  Bake 45 minutes  Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 Servings.  

Just a little fun today. 

Happy Labor Day Monday! 

Fairy Fun

I had mentioned, last week,  that I was getting together with my friend Angela for a lesson on creating fairies.  And well, as promised, here are the pics of the finished creations.   

 

Angela is so very sweet and she generously offered tons of supplies, images and goodies (see that cute little birdie little missy is riding).  There is something about gathering with like-minded hearts to create, it never fails to refresh my spirit.  Lots of laughter and giggling rang through out the evening, as scissors cut and colors flew.  Wings made of roses were delightful.  It was so much fun.

 

We were even accused of disrupting a class!  Sorry Tee!  But it was all in good fun. 

 

And now, I have a couple of new fairies flitting around the studio, peeking here and there.  Yep, give a gal a fairy and she's delighted.  But teach her to make em, and well, you've probably created a fairy making monster.  LOL.  Ad my mind is running amok with all kinds of little, cut-out ideas.

But not to worry...there are other things going on in the Studio as well.  Wait till I show you what I made with this. 

 

But that's for tomorrow!  

  And thanks again to miss Angela, for the wonderful lesson and for a new found friend. 

Poor Little Thing

Somewhere under here:

This poor little thing is buried.

Sad.  Poor little thing.  So time for a change.

To this big, ol' Bad Boy.  Looks like a giant, potato chip rack does'nt it?  LOL.

Ah!  Now we have some breathing room.

Fun, little clusters of things that look cute together.

Are "you" on my potato chip rack?  Look closely, you just might spot something that you made, hanging there. 

Where has the week gotten too?  Happy "late" Wednesday. 

And now for something completely different

Fan's of Monty Python will remember those words. 

When I first started my blog, I wanted the focus of it to be the things that touched my life and spurred on my creativity.  These things might vary.  For instance, a gorgeous display, a pretty plate of food, or something vintage that I find at a great flea. 

So for a day like today, where I have nothing new done, don't really have anything cool on the old studio table, we might vary our focus on something else creative for today. 

So, now that I've blathered on, here's is the focus of today's post. 

Home Decor.  But not my home.  My friend's house.  

She has such a fun sense of decor.  And while she leans more towards a clean, modern look, I find many of the touches to be just cozy and warm.  Like this wonderful grouping of plates.  She picks these up for a song at Ross, Marshall's etc.  So inexpensive and cute.  What's not to like? 

Notice anything different?  No plate holders.  She Velcro's 'em up.  I love it.

Here are more cute plates on the wall in her nephew's room.  I should have taken a pic of the whole room.  But I dorked out and just did the details.  

This room is done in bright blues, oranges and lime green.  I just love the whimsical touches, like the above mentioned fish plates.  Again, cheap and fun.  And this.

LOVE this windsock.  She made it out of crepe paper.  How cool is that?

 And an embroidery hoop.  Easy.  And cheap.   A touch of whimsy, since it adds to the "under the sea" decor theme in the room.  Kinda like a big orange jellyfish? 

OK, hope you can tell what this is. 

She took an inexpensive, black plastic frame, a white sheet of paper, centered the photo and then wrote around the photo, about one-third of it.  OK, I just loved this idea.  What a great way to note a special event, a moment, a pet name (or names).  She had a grouping of three up and it was perfect.  Again, dorked out and should have taken the whole shot.  Duh.

Here is another grouping that I really like.  This time a plate with artwork and a shelf in the center to break it all up.  The little metal guy is a fun center piece to the whole thing.  Again, artwork she picked up inexpensively here and there.  When we get home from her house, I always want to re-do mine.   See?  Creative inspiration. 

Such fun details.  I wish I had taken more pics, but I was losing light and dinner was smelling good and my thoughts galloped to other things.  Like her lime green cooking pan.  It was just adorable!

Dear-heart, thanks for letting me take pics.  I love your house.  And dinner was fab.  But the company, well, always the best part of any evening with ya'll.  Hugs.

And hugs and happy Tuesday to you too!