STUFF--SOMETIMES IT DOES MAKE YOU HAPPY

Contrary to the popular saying and despite the fact that I'm not very materialistic or consumer oriented, some times "stuff" does make me happy. The stuff that makes me the happiest is to see a project that I envisioned FINALLY materialize. Like the leather clad tables above. I've been blogging about this adventure for at least a year and then some. I found 4 c. 1980s (1970s ?) brass frames and immediately saw that I could copy (or find inspiration in) Jacques Adnet tables. The first pair were completed and sold last year

I had envisioned covering only the top bars and the leather straps--this is a photo of the tables taken from 1stdibs. I was happy with the results and with the fact that the tables sold quite quickly (cash flow is a challenge). When I took the second pair of frames to my leather person, the new employee came up with this 

......now that is what I call taking an idea and running with it. There has been one problem (and it has taken months and many trips back to leather guy to resolve): the new employee is creative, but the details were never right (all stitching must be the same, the seams must be all going in the same direction, the brads and strapping must be equal, etc., etc., etc.,). This week was the week that everything came together and eureka. I am so grateful that the owners of the leather fabricating company didn't kick me out the door (they have multi-generational contract (for at least the last 30-40 years) to fabricate all of the specialty shoes for Disneylands every where--they do not need my little projects!). When I get back to normal after my hip surgery, I will design a similar table and THE Leather Guy will figure out the leather. Now, to make the iron guy understand that everything rests on the details. (Surgery has been delayed--don't ask....)

This week at my auction I continued my quest for more soulful objects......I bought three paintings. One is a little 19th c. seascape which I didn't even preview, but the other two are a pair of 17th or 18th c. panels of a "Nature Mort" type with a black background. I didn't take a photo of the paintings...I'll post photos next week when I go pick everything up. But I did take a photo of the pair of French Walnut Louis XIII style corner cabinets that mysteriously ended up on my invoice (no mystery--I just couldn't keep my hand down).

Right now French (or English or American....) antique furniture is not selling too well, but these were too good to pass up and they fit the soulful category. Although these cabinets are not the period (ie. late 17th/early 18th c.) that I really love, they do date to the last half of the 19th c.; are solid walnut; are beautifully carved; have a superb natural deep patina; don't need too much restoration work; have a "look"; and are a matched opposing pair--not that common. These cabinets are the perfect Santa Barbara pieces--could work with a Spanish Colonial inspired house, a French house, a Mediterranean house, a Tuscan Villa, a great kitchen, wine cellar--etc.

And finally look at this frittata that my daughter made--meat free and gluten free (maybe it has a tiny bit of gluten?? in the chorizo) and delicious. It is made with Trader Joe's soy chorizo, kale, grated cheese, eggs and half & half. So easy and so yummy. I think that the prep time was about 10 min. She chopped the kale super fine, which took up the most prep time.

  

IT RAINED YESTERDAY AND TODAY. NEED I SAY MORE? AND IT WAS A GOOD HEAVY AND LONG SOAKING RAIN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. This will not relieve the drought, but it will definitely help. And it looks like we will have a strong El Nino this year. We desperately need several years of normal rainfall to break the back of these years of drought with dried up lawns and severe water restrictions.

Have a blessed week.

Mary & Jones & Cole