It's been awhile...

I am quite embarrassed to see that it has been so long since I have posted. Even more so when this evening, I saw that one of my facebook friends, the fabulous Pamela Beattie (founder of Venetian Decor http://venetiandecor.ca/ a beautiful site!) had shared a link to SWELL. So, I felt it necessary to post at least a short update, explaining my absence. It is not because I am short of inspiration or ideas but the exact opposite!
Around the time of my last post, on a whim, I went a looked at a house I had been casually admiring on the internet. We are not homeowners, yet, and have been living in our cozy flat since moving back to Central Florida in 2008.
The house I had stumbled upon was a 1927 craftsmen bungalow on over 1/3 acre lot, on a tree lined street, just steps from an amazing little cafe...
My fiance joked that I should check out the inside because I would surely find that my imagination was building it up to be something it wasn't. Probably had horrible wallpaper or a horrendous layout or in major disrepair. That would be the end of it.
Long story short, I went and saw the house and the moment I stepped inside, I was in LOVE. It was everything I had ever dreamed about in a house...front porch, wood floors, original hardware on the doors, a brand new remodeled kitchen (sans appliances but that could be fixed with a very fun shopping trip!) and a yard that I could perfectly picture getting married in!! I wouldn't even have to paint one room! Seriously, this house was meant for me. But, we were in no way in the market for buying a house and the price was still what we considered a little steep for us. So, I tried to put this little dream house out of my mind...until the following week when the price dropped by over $30,000. I took this as a sign and we decided we should take the plunge.
We put in an offer and went and got ourselves approved for a mortgage! Did I mention the part about this being a short sale, as in pre-foreclosure? Yup, there was the hitch to this seemingly perfect plan.
Fast Forward 6 months, and here we sit in limbo. Despite the owner accepting our bid, the bank never saw our offer and the house was foreclosed on. We are desperately trying to get in contact with the bank holding the note, to see if we can go ahead and purchase our dream house. We drive by the house nearly every day and have dragged our heels planning our wedding, while we wait. It is very frustrating, especially when we have the financing in place and the house sits vacant. We aren't ready to give up on this house that would make the perfect home for our little family, even if it means everything seemingly being on hold for now.
However, in the past few months, I have fabulous finds that I am dying to share on here, including my grandmothers china cabinet, an amazing French Porter chair and my beautiful wedding dress.
Perhaps if I spend more time writing and posting my inspirations on here, I will spend less time pining over the house. So, I promise to be faithful to SWELL again.
Thank you to my friends and family who continue to support and encourage my ideas!

Warmly, Drena x

Fingers crossed this will be our home very soon...

What went into recreating the 1960's for the Mad Men Casting Call

"I entered this contest as a fan who loves Mad Men, not for my big Hollywood break. Just a chance to have the shows producers look at my photo and
maybe get to visit the set would be amazing!" ~Drena Bathemess


My entry photo to the AMC Mad Men Casting Call
http://madmencastingcall.amctv.com/browse/detail/PKC7TV

As many of you already know, back in July, I entered the AMC Mad Men Casting Call Contest sponsored by Banana Republic. As I have stated before, my fiance and I are huge fans of the series, Mad Men, going as far as to planning a "Mad Men themed" wedding for next year! I am a stay at home mom, sometimes blogger/home decorator/photographer/collector of all things shabby & vintage.

The premise of the contest was to submit an original photo showcasing your best Mad Men inspired style. After your photo was submitted, contestants would rely on popular vote to get their photo into the top 20 (10 men, 10 women) where from there, your photo would be judged (60% style, 40% originality) by show creator Matthew Weiner. The Grand Prize: a walk-on role to the show Mad Men and $1000 Banana Republic Gift Card, not to mention bragging rights!

I spent a couple of weeks trying to come up with an original theme, costume and setting for my photograph that would best showcase the series ideals. Mad Men is set in the early 1960's and is one of the most authentic, detail oriented shows I have ever seen, so it took quite a bit of creative energy and work. I thought I would share the journey below.

Gathering my props for the "shopping" themed photo,
on the "set" aka. our dining room.

Staging the scene...
Notice my costume on the table (lower left corner)

After much careful consideration, I decided on a "shopping" theme. In 1964, in New York City (where the show is set), there was a boom in designer clothes being made available to the general public, including Chanel, Yves St Laurent and other European designers. I decided that if I had been in New York in the 1960's, I would have been shopping because the fashion of the time was so amazing. Ladies of all social and economic backgrounds were always so put together with hats & gloves. The Park Ave set were vying for the latest fashion trends and single gals were searching for independence. Mad Men is a show set around the advertising industry, and the retail market represents a huge portion of this. Magazines, television & movies told women what they should be wearing and where they should be shopping.

Getting ready to shoot. "Have I forgotten anything?"

We moved furniture around in our Central Florida apartment dining room, to recreate a 1960's Manhattan pad. The mirror and plaques hanging on the wall are flea market finds from my personal collection, as is the chandelier. I tried to stick with gold and pastel colors all of which were popular in that time.
All of the shopping bags and boxes were researched to make sure that they were authentic to 1960's New York City. I was careful not to include full names, so as not to infringe on copyrights, but there is no mistaking the iconic Tiffany blue bag, deep red Cartier or that Chanel black box. The Salvatore Ferragamo shoes in the picture are a recreation of the "Audrey" shoe that Ferragamo personally designed for Audrey Hepburn in the late 50's/early 60's. There are also some Liberty of London boxes (a nod to the British Invasion of the 1960's) and a bottle of Creed perfume can be seen peaking out of a bag.

My "character" starts to emerge...is she a Park Ave wife, mistress or
a modern, single women of the 1960's?

My outfit was based on a mix of Jackie Kennedy and the popular Chanel suit, collected from thrift stores and online vendors. I love the several step dressing & how put together women use to be. The hat was my grandmothers and had a touch of the modern vibe (love the shape & soft angora) that was beginning to emerge in 1964, as well as the gloves (a must!). All of the jewelery is vintage. (multi-strand pearl necklace, clip on pearl earrings, rhinestone brooch) Some was from my personal collection and some borrowed from a friend who sells vintage jewelery (KatcherrFancy, Wall of Jewels & Etsy). I did my own hair and make-up (BareEscentuals.com & Chanel) per 1960's standard. And yes, there is also the quintessential cigarette, which was lit and burning (I quit smoking a year ago, but it was a necessary evil) and a classic martini in a chilled glass.

It is all about the details, from the cigarette & cocktail,
to the fashion, boxes & bags from the era.

Photography is a hobby of mine, but I would be unable to shoot these pictures. So, my fiance's help was enlisted to take the pictures. Jon was very patient, shooting both posed and candid shots on our Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90. We would pause and I would look at what we had and make necessary adjustments to light, make-up and angles. We were listening to Mad Men tag radio on Lastfm, to set the mood and had a great time together, creating something that we are very proud of. After we were done taking pictures, I loaded them on to the computer and began sorting through. We picked our favorites and I edited where needed, playing with the exposure & color to give the photo a vintage feel. I showed our favorites to some of my family before it was decided that we would use the picture above. I thought I would include the runner-up below. I can only wonder if the results would be different if we had used that one...

The runner-up photo that we nearly used. Although cute & sassy,
we were worried it looked like I was giving the finger.

There is less than two weeks left in the competition and it has been crazy to say the least. My photo has been featured on Banana Republics facebook page, several blogs and the local paper. I have created a voting event on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=141259545892458&ref=ts and bombarded friends and family with email and postings on facebook & twitter. Not to mention reaching out to fellow fans of Mad Men on fan websites & boards. After awhile, you start to feel a bit like a used car salesman, only this is self promotion! I have met wonderful people through the contest, other Mad Men fans and fellow contestants. There has been a cheating scandal, with several contestants using voting software to increase their votes (they have since been eliminated and the voting period was extended through September 17th) and the frustration of watching less inspired photo's (headshots or inaccurate period/details) blow by me in votes. I entered this contest as a fan who loves Mad Men, not for my big Hollywood break. Just a chance to have the shows producers look at my photo and maybe get to visit the set would be amazing! The bragging rights alone would be worth it!
In the end, all I can do is remain optimistic, continue soliciting votes and hope my friends and family are still speaking to me when the contest ends. Overall, this has been a great experience, especially having other fans of the show express admiration for my photo, calling it accurate and detailed. Mad Men Season 4 is on every Sunday night through mid-October on AMC. If you get a chance check out the show and stop by the contest website, votes greatly appreciated!

http://madmencastingcall.amctv.com/browse/detail/PKC7TV

ps. My dear friend, Ron Fox, also entered the contest. He has a great photo worth checking out!http://madmencastingcall.amctv.com/browse/detail/PC457N

Thank you for your continued support!!

An "Alice in Wonderland" inspired Baby Shower (or any party!)

After months of planning and gathering of special, "Wonderland" themed items, my mum & I threw my sister-in-law her baby shower. The Alice in Wonderland theme came about after the mom-to-be found out she was having a girl. She is not a fan of pink or "girly" things, so this posed an interesting problem with setting the theme for a baby shower. Mostly because regardless of personal taste, when people find out you are having a girl, pink is sure to follow and to be expected.


The dining room, set for tea

The inevitable pink for baby girl

I decided on "Alice in Wonderland" after seeing Tim Burton's edgy, funky adaptation, which suited my sister-in-laws personality perfectly. Having grown up on the Disney classic animated film, I was personally inspired by the crazy tea party, which would also be appropriate for a late afternoon gathering of ladies of all ages! (minus a crazy Mad Hatter!! Maybe next time?)

Alice inspired decor in many shapes & colors

It turns out, Alice is still quite popular and easy to find in her many incarnations from classic Lewis Carroll to Disney. My mum and I spent several months gathering tea sets, playing cards, artwork and pretty much anything having to do with Alice! Keeping true to an English tea, there was lots of floral but we kicked it up with some bright, funky argyle patterns. The shower colors were red, white, black and yes, pink. The day of the shower, we filled the main room with red & white roses (painting the roses red, optional!) along with balloons. I found that simply gluing playing cards to ribbon and suspending the cards from the ceiling invoked the feeling of Alice "falling down the rabbit hole"

The main room, with balloons & the illusion of cards falling from the sky

We served tea and sparkling lemonade, along with champagne as refreshments. For food, we went with a modern take on English tea with a mix of sweet and savory bites, including pastries, sandwich bites, cakes and quiche. I decorated a red velvet cake with Madame Alexander Dolls (from McDonalds!!) dressed as Alice & the Mad Hatter, along with a tea set and playing cards. Did I mention there were playing cards EVERYWHERE?!

An eclectic Alice in Wonderland cake

By mixing traditional themes (English High Tea) with modern touches (bright colors & Tim Burton), I believe we fully captured the spirit of the story while making the day enjoyable for the guest of honor and her friends & family. In the end it was a beautiful day and we have since packed away all of the decorations and Alice tea sets to be used at my nieces birthdays in the coming years, creating an heirloom for her.

Little touches of Wonderland on the table

Tips & Hints for An Alice in Wonderland Themed Party

The Story ~ Inspiration from the white rabbit & those poor oysters to "Eat Me, Drink Me" tags on your food & beverages. Go crazy, it's Wonderland!
Tea Sets ~ Don't be afraid to mix and match!
Playing Cards ~ affordable & versatile decorations
Roses ~ Red & White, the more the merrier!
Chess Sets ~ Great for die hard fans & little boys
Not Just Disney ~ while still wonderful and popular, many companies have adapted Alice, making her wonderful for all ages and occasions. Books, pictures, toys, dolls and home decor can be found just about everywhere and make for easy decorating.
Be eclectic ~ Remember everything wasn't always what it seemed in Wonderland, so don't be afraid to mix things up with your menu, music & decorations. Cocktails can be incorporated (Let's face it, there was more than tea being served to the Mad Hatter & friends!)
Don't forget Music! ~ We made a playlist from iTunes, including the Disney soundtrack along with the Danny Elfman composed soundtrack from Tim Burton's adaptation to create the mood! Great for all ages!
Most important, have fun!!!

A History in Paint

My "painting" overalls, Gap denim circa 1990's

I spent last week helping close friends paint their new home. Whenever I have a painting project, I break out my "painting" overalls. I have owned them for over 15 years and they are now filled with holes, tears and yes, covered in paint. I tried to patch the knees a couple of times, but later decided it added extra "cooling" for painting on hot summer days. The snaps and buttons like to come undone if I reach or stretch too much and apparently, you can see my underwear quite clearly from behind, thanks to more holes!!
Perhaps my favorite detail to this crazy outfit is the story that the paint tells. This was not the intended purpose, but over time and project as the paint flew and splattered, these overalls took on a life of their own. A stranger sees a mix of blues, greens and cream colors. I see my son's nursery, my college bedroom and the faux bricks I painted in my parents front hallway that remain to this day. Most of these rooms are long gone, painted over and re-purposed, but the paint remains on my overalls. My friend took great pleasure in adding her colors to the overalls (cherry cinnamon, periwinkle blossom and some green color that's name escapes me) appreciating the history and becoming a part of it. More memories and more stories, all told by splotches of paint on a pair of faded overalls.
I was a little sad as I folded them up, to return them to their shelf in the guest room closet. But, I was also inspired by that history of paint and look forward to future projects that will be added in many colors!

Shop-The Hunt

One of the four chairs I am redoing to resemble the Shabby Chic "Darcy" chair

It has been awhile since I have posted and that is of course because of the holidays and all the cooking, cleaning, decorating and shopping that go along with it. However, I couldn't resist posting my most recent treasures.
A quick background on the hunt that led to the purchase of my four new dining room chairs. I have long been a fan of Rachel Ashwell & Shabby Chic. In one of her earlier books, she had shown several fabulous chairs she had found and restored. Later, this chair would be recreated and named "Darcy". A beautiful French design, cane dining chair with simple cushions covered with a ruffled cushion cover. Available in either a oyster shell gray or oatmeal. The $400+ price tag was a hurdle I was determined to overcome, especially after seeing six chairs in a friends house recently *sigh*
Well, last week, after 8 hours of hunting and walking a local antique market, I came across my four chairs, that were in a similar style to the "Darcy". $125 dollars later, all four were squished into the back of my vehicle and on their way home with me. The cushions are a little worse for wear but the chairs are in solid, excellent condition. Nothing a good scrub and can of paint can't fix. I have since made plans to recover the cushions and have found a friend who can sew the ruffled cushion covers for me. For now, I glance lovingly at my new project and look forward to finishing them to resemble their not so distant cousin, "Darcy". My dream dining chairs, finally acquired and that much sweeter, knowing after a long hunt, I found them in true flea market fashion & price.
Don't give up my friends, there are still many treasures to find out there...

Shabby Chic with Rachel Ashwell

A picture with my decorating/lifestyle idol, Rachel Ashwell

Yesterday, I drove down to the Vero Beach Book Center, with my mum, for a book signing with Rachel Ashwell. For those of you that don't know, Rachel Ashwell is the founder of Shabby Chic, an interior design and lifestyle revolving around flea markets and English cottage living. Best known for over stuffed, white denim slip covered sofas and pale pastel accessories, Rachel has produced six books, a television series and affordable version of her line, Simply Shabby Chic at Target. More recently in the news, her company was forced to shut the doors of all the stores and file bankruptcy, much to the dismay of fans everywhere. Lucky for us, Rachel has recently re-opened two of the stores (with a third planned for London) in Santa Monica, CA and New York city under the name of Shabby Chic Couture. According to Rachel, the new stores will focus more on the art of Shabby Chic and less on the commercial. In other words, back to the roots of what made Shabby Chic what it is. The one of a kind, flea market find or a table, hand crafted by artisans. And, yes, there will still be those wonderful sofa's.
The book signing was very informal and relaxed. Rachel talked about her latest book "Shabby Chic Interiors" and the collapse and rebuilding of her company and brand. She took questions from the eager, enthusiastic audience, made up of fans and fellow antique/flea market aficionados. Rachel took time afterwards to talk to all of her guests and posed for pictures willingly. I think tea and biscuits were the only thing missing from the afternoon, which was truly an enjoyable affair.
I have been a devoted fan of Shabby Chic since my aunt took me into the old New York shop location and I sat on a beautiful, over stuffed sofa. Having grown up in a family where flea marketing was a weekend ritual, I could appreciate a design based on making somebody else's discarded items your new treasures. Of course, when I was growing up, I didn't dare say that most of our things came from flea markets. The 80's were all about new, shiny, plastic goods and we were still over two decades away from the reclaim, reuse and recycle movement going mainstream. Shabby Chic, in my eyes, would later be the marriage of yuppie meets hippie, less is more style of today.
Years ago, as a newlywed, Shabby Chic was about the only design that fit my budget. But, by then, I was hooked. The English side of my upbringing craved the dusty treasures full of story and history. I later loved that all of my furniture had a storied past, painstakingly collected and restored. Every ding, knick or mark my things have acquired over the years, from moves or at the little hands of my son, have only increased their beauty. My bed, with all of the feathers, pillows, blankets and duvets has earned the nickname "The Marshmallow" and is a favorite spot for the family to cuddle and watch movies. My home life feels a little more elegant and richer, eating on floral printed china, using cut crystal glassware and having chandeliers twinkling everyday and not just on special occasions. Little touches that make my house a home, and inviting enough for even the sternest guest to feel comfortable falling asleep on my couch. Rachel's "Shabby" ideal melded seamlessly with my flea market upbringing and only further encouraged my creativity.
As the Shabby Chic brand continues it's rebirth and growth, changing ever so subtly as it has matured over the past twenty years, I look forward to continuing my own Shabby Chic quests. Working for Rachel's company would be a dream come true, as I can't imagine a job I am better suited for and more devoted to. Through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs; there is no place like home. Thank you, Rachel Ashwell for your continued inspiration.

For more information and links to Rachel's Blog: www.shabbychic.com