I START MY NEW JOB TODAY !

Bright and early this Monday morning, my life will take a dramatic turn. For the first time in years, I will climb into my car and drive to work. (as opposed to walking across the hallway from my bedroom to my home office - you can read about what happened to that job here)

I'll park my car near this corner and, while waiting to cross the street, I'll check out what's new in the windows of Pottery Barn (the competition) and J Crew (where I'll try not to spend my whole paycheck).

On my way down the block, I'll pass more tempting shops and restaurants housed in fantastic, original Old Town architecture like this . . .

. . . and this . . .

. . . before turning into one of the alleys that leads to the courtyard, the heart of One Colorado.

On any given day in the courtyard, I'm likely to encounter such surprises as a 'Rainbow in the Sky' . . .

. . . or a juried show and sale of works by local emerging artists . . .

. . . or the largest free outdoor film festival in Southern California . . .

. . . or live music . . .

. . . or a giant Christmas tree!

On New Year's Day, if I were to stand on this corner, just steps away from my new place of business . . .

. . . I would see this in person instead of on tv.

Back in the courtyard now, have you guessed yet where I'm headed to work? That's right! It's my first day at Crate and Barrel's Pasadena store. Under one of those black awnings is the door that will take me. . .

. . . through the housewares department . . .


. . . and up those stairs . . .


. . . to the furniture floor where I will be surrounded by and selling such beauties as this . . .

. . . and these . . .

. . . and these.

After four weeks of training, by mid-August I'll be on my own, working to help Crate and Barrel customers beautify, energize, design and create that place that's most important to all of us - home.


Wrapping up my old job and preparing to start this new one are what's kept me from posting (and commenting) as much as I'd like to lately and I imagine this adventure might keep me away from the blogs altogether for a while. At least until I get used to my schedule and figure out if blogging still fits into it. I have a couple of half-written posts about a recent "field trip" that I hope to get up soon and, at some point, I'll update you on how the job's shaping up. In the meantime, have a great week and wish me luck!

Oh, and if you find yourself shopping in Old Town—great shopping by the way, if you're unfamiliar with the area—please stop in and say hello!

This Woman's Day

I wish I was having this woman's day. Warmed by the sun, cooled by the ocean breeze. Deeply engrossed in a compelling story. Free to put the book down and simply sit and watch the sailboats dance by. Secure in the knowledge that my ample thighs have been given a makeover of such artful, glowing brushstrokes that I am beautiful to behold. These thoughts confirmed by my companion as he returns from the cabana bar with tall drinks for two and a wink just for me.

I wish I was having this woman's day. While strolling down this lakeside path, having all the time I could possibly need to enjoy the beauty all around me, I decide to take a nap on the cool, lush grass. Wouldn't you? I shade my porcelain skin with my parasol and listen to the leaves rustle, the birds sing. I think deep thoughts like "hey, that cloud looks like an adorable baby bunny" until I drift off to sleep the sleep of a carefree child. Blissfully unaware that there is anything wrong in my world.

I wish I was having this woman's day. Or, perhaps, the day she has already had. For hours, she busied herself with creative pursuits and was satisfyingly rewarded for her efforts. Now, it is evening and she is simply waiting. For her love. For her children. For whomever it is that pleases her most to come into her beautiful room and share with her the stories of their own productive day. With nothing pressing weighing on her mind, she will give them her full attention and thoroughly enjoy their company.

Instead, I am having this woman's day. A very long string of them actually. Fragmented. Disjointed. Pulled in several directions, not sure which way to turn first. Trying to get too many unpleasant things done from a very uncomfortable chair. I really wish I had paid more attention to my hair and wardrobe just in case someone sees me here, shoulder-deep in paperwork and unexpected complications. It wouldn't have made any difference though because, look, someone has made me wear a hat. I hate hats.


Lots going on right now, Friends. Some of it pleasant and welcome, much of it disconcerting and chaotic. Daughter is home for a few months til she heads up north to a new college, a household's-worth of stuff and one naughty cat in tow. New projects in various stages of incomplete, both for our own home and a client's. The middle of a project—the part where everything's undone and messy—always makes me feel unsettled. And yet, I have no time to finish what I've started in my own house because of client work (good) and changes in my "day job" (not so good). The day job is more demanding than usual right now because the contract I've worked under for fifteen years has come to an end. Much longer work hours are required from me each week until all accounts have been audited and closed. How long will that take? 30 days? Sixty? More? And then what? Tracy needs a new job, that's what. I'd love to leave the world of claims and codes and insurance companies behind and move forward into something creative again. That's been the plan all along—work at home til daughter grows up and out then find a home and design related job that allows for part-time decorating work. Great plan, bad timing. Our current economy might make this process more difficult than I imagined but still, I'm looking forward to seeing what's out there for me. Stepping into the unknown is scary for sure, but exhilarating at the same time, right? That's what I keep telling myself anyway—"This is so exciting, isn't it?!"—a big hopeful grin masking my inner terror.

To my readers who are bloggers, if I've been absent from your comments box recently, this is why. I've been visiting you, but my brain is simply too overloaded to form thoughtful, witty remarks. To everyone reading, at the risk of seeming selfish, I'd like to instead ask for your comments. Thoughts. Advice. Direction. Help! Where, in Southern California, on the eastern edge of LA County, can a 40-something woman with loads of professionalism, design acumen and an obsession with furnishings, fabrics and finishing touches earn a regular paycheck helping people turn their houses into homes during a shaky-but-slowly-recovering economy? Any suggestions? All are welcome.

Three lovely ladies by Marie Fox, Edward Cucuel, John Maler Collier, and one amazingly accurate portrait of me by Pablo Picassso.

Oops, It's Happened Again... and a reminder

During the past few weeks, my little blog received another award... from three different bloggers... and just the way it happened before, I let too many days (weeks even) pass before acknowledging them. This time, it's the Kreativ Blogger award and I am honored to have received it from three bloggers who are themselves incredibly creative. For this embarrassment of riches I thank

Soodie Beasley, whose thought-provoking posts inspire me to be a better writer, though I wouldn't want to be judged by my long-winded comments to her.
Kathy, at Creative Home Expressions, who expresses her multi-talented creativity through design makeovers, pretty crafts, beautiful tablescapes and inspiring finds.
Tamera, at Double Delight Designs, a busy new blogger who, with infectious enthusiasm, is creating a fun, pretty, crafty, cozy home for her young family and sharing it all with us.

In order to accept this award, I must list seven things about myself that my readers may not know so I have compiled a list of seven "favorites":

1) Favorite forbidden food: Pastrami sandwich, from a "world famous" local chain, with mustard and pickles
2) Favorite after-school cartoon: Kimba the White Lion

3) Favorite flower in my own garden: Alstroemeria

4) Favorite ice cream flavor: Rocky Road; with almonds, not walnuts

5) Favorite new fall television series: Flash Forward

6) Favorite happy movie moment: When Mary Poppins, Bert the chimney sweep and the children, Jane and Michael Banks, jump into Bert's chalk drawings.

7) Favorite book that made me cry, even the second time: "Charms for the Easy Life" by Kaye Gibbons

Now, here are the seven bloggers I choose to pass this award along to:

52 Flea

Boxwood Terrace

casa dulce hogar

Daisy Cottage

doe-c-doe

ella minnow pea

The Happy Homebody

These seven blogs are new to me and even after reading them only a handful of times, I can say that they are fun and clever and pretty to look at and, most of all, very, very creative. If they're new to you too, please take the time to have a look. If you're already a reader, then you know exactly why I've chosen them, don't you?

DON'T FORGET!!

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!

I'm hosting Mood Board Monday this time. Go to this post to see the inspiration items and get your mood board ready for the McLinky party on Monday, November 9th. You can also go to Room Remix, where PK started Mood Board Mondays, to see all the creative results of the last challenge. Please come play with us! No competition—just fun.

A First. And Second. And Third.

In recent weeks (well, to be "honest", not really so recent), I received the HONEST SCRAP AWARD from three different blogger friends. My very first award! And while I did gratefully thank each immediately upon receipt, I have been remiss in acknowledging them here. In true pro procrastinator fashion, I meant to get to it right away... and then didn't.

So first off, I need to publicly thank these ladies for deeming me and my little blog worthy of their esteem: PK of Room Remix, Janet at The Gardeners Cottage, and Jill at Forever Cottage.

I was not familiar with this award so I googled it to find out what it means. Here's what I found: "This award is bestowed upon a fellow blogger whose blog content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant. This award is about bloggers who post from their heart, who oftentimes put their heart on display as they write from the depths of their soul."

Well now... I don't know about all that "depths of my heart and soul" stuff, or that there's anything close to brilliance going on here, but, frankly, I'm so impressed with each of the above blogs that it's quite something to have them notice mine and I really am flattered.

In order to officially accept this award, I have to follow a few rules:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.

2) Share "10 Honest Things" about myself.

3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.

4) Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving.

Whew! Alright, I've taken care of #1; here's #2:

Ten Random Honest Things About Me

(prepare to be fascinated)

1) Quite often, I will catch myself unconsciously selecting a mug for my morning coffee that matches the pajamas I'm wearing.

2) While growing up here in Southern California, I lived within a bike ride's distance of both sets of grandparents' homes and only as an adult did I realize how fortunate that was.

3) I love to watch Ghost Hunters on SyFy by myself with (most of) the lights off and (all of) the doors locked (like that makes a difference to ghosts!) because it scares the you-know-what out of me. Watching it with someone else is a lot less spooky and even a little embarrassing.

4) I was so certain that my one and only baby would be a girl, I papered the nursery walls in pink and white plaid. Good thing I was right!

5) When I was in kindergarten, I was allowed to take the milk money all the way (probably 50 feet) to the grade school cafeteria and pick up the little cartons of milk for my class. I don't remember how many times or exactly how long my turn lasted, but when I think about it, I can still smell that cafeteria kitchen. It was a warm, sweet, delicious, fantastic scent. And I've never smelled anything just like it since.

6) My husband grew up in Massachusetts. I've known him for twenty years and I still get a kick out of his accent.

7) In a former career, I planned a corporate event that took place in Elvis Presley's Palm Springs getaway home. While there was not really much left of the King—framed artifacts here and there and the master bedroom was reportedly as it had been in his day—it was still a great location and a fantastic party (if I do say so myself).

8) I make a mean chicken pot pie... when I cook... which isn't all that often because...

9) ...my husband does 99% of the cooking in our house. It just sort of worked out that way and he's happy to do it so who am I to infringe upon his happiness, right?

10) For Halloween, when I was about twelve, I dressed as a box of Tide laundry detergent. That said a lot more about my future as a graphic designer than it did about my affinity for cleaning products or my latent housekeeping skills.

There you go! Ten new things you know about me!

To fulfill the last two requirements, I'm going to break the rules just a little. If I were to hand out seven of these awards myself, based on whose blog impresses and inspires me or to bloggers who have encouraged me in some way, I'd have to give it right back to those three who gave it to me. Obviously, and with good reason, they've already received it and as this award has been making the rounds like wildfire lately, the others I would choose may have also received it by now. So I am going to do this: encourage you to visit the following blogs to see why I think they are brilliant and inspiring and beautiful and fun to read.

Room Remix

The Gardeners Cottage

Forever Cottage

Struggling to Be Stylish

Content in A Cottage

Jan's Gems

Mille Fiori Favoriti

I'm going to leave it up to these bloggers whether they choose to respond to this shout out as an "award" or simply as my sincere thanks for always entertaining, informing and inspiring me. If you're not familiar with them, go now and see what I'm talking about. Honestly, you'll be glad you did!

No! Not that kind of vice!

Shelter magazines. Friends and family will agree, they're my vice of choice. An incurable habit. The thing I spend so much time and money on, I don't even want to think about how much time and money it would all add up to. But, see, there's this: I don't smoke anything. I don't drink much of anything. (Although, if you hand me a margarita, I will drink it. And the next one. And the next one. So it's a good thing I don't live in a Mexican restaurant.) I don't own too many shoes. I don't collect coats or expensive handbags. What I do own, hoard, subscribe to in embarrassing numbers are shelter magazines. Not surprising I suppose, considering my current profession. They're actually a necessity. Now. But this vice? This addiction? It goes way back. Before design school. Before home-ownership. Back to when Architectural Digest was a to-the-trade publication. What are my favorites, you ask? (I'm pretty sure I heard someone ask) Well, let's see. Until a few months ago, I would have said my all-time personal fave was Cottage Living.

Thanks to my hoarding tendencies, I have every issue!

But this crazy economy has caused too many great magazines, like that relatively new one, to close.* Not enough people spending their money on home decor and improvements to support the advertisers who supported the publishers. So even more senior, well-respected industry favorites like Domino, Country Home, House & Garden, and Home are gone now too.

Two kind of quirky titles I purchased at the newsstand more times than not, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion and Martha Stewart's younger, hipper spin-off Blueprint, were a lot of fun but they too are no more.


Yes, some of my favorites remain. Veranda, Elle Decor, California Home+Design and Southern Accents top that list.

And I wouldn't know what to do without the range of inspiration I find in Traditional Home, House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home and Western Interiors.

Recently, I even crossed the border and found a couple of fine replacements for some of what was lost. They're doing the job quite nicely too.

One each from Canada and the U.K.

But the one I'm most grateful for, the one I've read continuously since high school, is still going strong. Better Homes & Gardens. Thank goodness (and Meredith Publications) it's remained so popular. Ok, maybe not "popular" like a celebrity or the homecoming queen. It's not known for being the most stylish or artful or cutting-edge. But it's real. And it's comfortable. Like your oldest and dearest friend who would never make you feel dumb for not knowing what a fauteuil** is. Reading BH&G doesn't feel as much like homework as some of the other titles I use for research and inspiration. Even so, since the closure of so many, this magazine has really stepped it up design-wise. Take a look at these images from recent issues:

Pretty great, right? I think so. And where else can you find inspired decorating, region-appropriate gardening guidelines, parenting advice, health and beauty tips and ten recipes for potato salad all in the same issue? I don't know. I don't need to know. Because I have my old friend BH&G. And all of her little sister "special interest" publications like "Decorating" and "Beautiful Interiors". Curled up on the sofa with a stack of BH&G's to page through feels the same to me as watching a favorite old movie for the fifteenth time. Cozy, comfy, reassuring, familiar. So I guess I'll call this old friend my "new" favorite.


Left to right, top to bottom: covers from 1926, 1958, 1973 and 2009

Tubbs and Crockett image from my own personal stash of memorabilia. (kidding)

*If you are a design blogger or have been reading design blogs for more than a few months, you know that the subject of "dead magazines" has been discussed everywhere by everyone. But I'm new here. And I'm still not completely over the fact that I won't find the current issue of Domino or Country Home or Cottage Living (!) in my mail box this week. Or ever. And that makes me sad. So give me a break. Thanks.

** A fauteuil is a fancy French armchair of the Louis XVI era, very similar to the more commonly familiar bergere but much more difficult to pronounce. Five different vowels in one eight-letter word?!

NOTE: After writing and scheduling this post, I learned that Western Interiors was also closed a couple of months ago. Bummer. But no longer shocking. Also a bummer.