Hello everyone! I had a busy and productive week, though it was strange to not be writing {or reading for that matter } any blog posts. I missed it {and you}!!!

poster from Made by Girl

 

The biggest event during the week was a photo shoot on Tuesday with Janis Nicolay {fab photographer and a blogger to boot!}. SO. MUCH.FUN. Halfway through the day this was my Facebook status:

I have to admit I was terribly nervous the day before…I scurried around {poor kiddies in tow} picking up supplies for styling the rooms, while I anxiously worried about how they would turn out. Would I get good enough shots for my new website? Would I have enough time to get downtown {where the first condo was} to style/setup before Janis arrived to do photos??? Would I then have enough time to pack up, get to the second location, style/setup, take photos etc before the homeowner got back??? And, at the last minute (we are talking Monday evening here folks) I decided that the second condo needed an accessories switch-up in order to make it feel different enough from some of the other projects I’ll be showing on my site. That sent me running around for some blue and white and green Hamptons -esque accessories {I’d gotten a bee in my bonnet and had these colours stuck in my head} to add the spring freshness I was looking for…

Luckily I hit the jackpot at Bombay (never usually go there) with some gorgeous plates and accessories in classic blue and white patterns. But still some blue cushion covers was on my list. As usual, I had imagined the perfect pillows in my head but they didn’t exist in real life. My last stop {with fingers crossed} was popping in to our new Winner’s to check out their home section. Come on blue pillows!!!

No blue pillows to be found, though I did get momentarily sidetracked by some items for decorating our deck. {“focus Karla, focus, you can come back another time….BLUE PILLOWS BLUE PILLOWS”}.

Just as I was admitting defeat, I walked past the section where they displayed pashminas and scarves. Hmmmm scarves are essentially just fabric, right??? {Can you see where I was going with this…?}

{ok, there is a slight resemblance, but this is NOT me… though to be 100% honest I did consider pasting my face over hers for this post. I have countless pictures of me with a dorky grin that would work for doing a little cut/paste job}

 

Aha! a whole rack of BLUE scarves. Lovely! I grabbed a selection and headed for the cash register, where the very observant clerk commented “you must really like blue”. Yup, I’m a bit blue obsessed today

Home I went, all prepared to sew up some pillow covers quickly on my machine. BUT, after getting the kiddies to bed {which somehow took longer than usual}, getting them all packed up for Grandma to look after them for the day, and doing a quick clean {our house was a neglected mess}, I was totally not feeling the sewing energy anymore.

Then I remembered a little trick I’d seen Lynda Reeves do on her show before. She suggested wrapping your pillow form with fabric and duct taping it at the back to see how pillow covers in a new fabric would look in your room. Lynda, you are a genius! I rummaged through Jeff’s tool box and found the duct tape, Yee-haw, and set to work wrapping the scarves around feather pillow forms and carefully duct taping them at the back. At this point {as is usually the case when I’m doing something wacky} Jeff walked in and gave me The Look. Of course I immediately I said “I saw Lynda do it before” which quelled any comments he’d normally make. Even Jeff respects LYNDA.

Anyhow, the pillows were finished with their temporary “outfits” {relax people, they are getting made into real, beautifully sewn, sergd, zippered pillows, I’m not that kooky} and I was thrilled with the colour and pattern. Yay Winners!

Tuesday morning went fabulously, traffic was great, got parked, up to the condo and setup in record time {room to spare for sitting down and drinking a nice big coffee}. It helped having my “design props mobile” aka my Phil and Ted’s double stroller. It happened to be in the trunk and I made good use of it, loading it with buckets of flowers and other goodies for styling for the photos, and enabling me to avoid too many trips up and down the elevator.  Here’s my handy helper parked in the bathroom {which we weren’t photographing} :

hmmm definitely not as glamorous as having a posse of assistants to carry things, but it gets the job done

 

Once Janis arrived and we started shooting {ok SHE started  and I watched/directed} I fully relaxed and had a great time, even sneaking a picture of the photographer taking a picture {golly, wouldn’t you know it, I take one of my WORST pictures when photographing a professional photographer!}

 

After wrapping up downtown, I packed up and headed over to location numero deux to setup and have a quick lunch. I have to tell you that Janis did comment on the beautiful blue cushions on the sofa , at which point I DID have to confess my dirty little duct tape pillow secret. I loved Janis even more when she thought that was both hilarious and brilliant, and called me a “true stylist” for thinking that trick up. {If you are reading this Lynda, I want to emphasize that I gave you full credit for the resourceful idea}.

All in all, it was a great day getting to know Janis {who is both talented and very cool, sweet, and lovely}, getting some wonderful shots of a couple of projects, and having a little mommy time sans children! Since I’ve blabbered enough for one post I’ll save the details of the rest of the weeks highlights for later, but will leave you with a favorite shot from each of the condos we did on Tuesday…

{Contemporary & Feminine}

 

 

{Fresh, Crisp & Classic}