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Thursday, 17 December 2015

Sara Jumps Into Bed

Hi everyone, it’s Sara here, back with another Makeover Takeover update about my bedroom makeover. I hope everyone is enjoying the brisker weather – perfect for cuddling, cozy fires, and naps (unless Emily is reading this, in which case we never nap and all we do is work really, really hard).

During LA’s “colder” months my bed becomes a little haven from the chilly weather. My body is trained to believe anything lower than 75 degrees calls for a sweater, so I pile on the blankets, set up my space heater, and spend as much time as possible in bed. Back when I was 21, and bought my first bed for myself, I couldn’t afford the $10,000, memory foam, turbo twin engine, queen size mattress of my dreams, and settled instead for the cheapest option I could find. I’ve been sleeping on that mattress ever since. So when Sleep Innovations asked if I’d be interested in trying out one of their memory foam mattresses, I was totally down.

Here’s the deal – They have a few different mattresses, so it’s not “one-size-fits-all,” but they have a little quiz you can take online, which helps guide you towards the one that would work best for you. And once you’ve picked out your mattress (I choose the Marley 10″ Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress), you can order it on Amazon. Which means, if you have Amazon prime, you can have a new mattress delivered and unwrapped in your home in two days, with almost zero effort on your part. That is a big plus during the holiday season.

My “Marley” mattress was shipped to me, tightly vacuum packed in a cardboard box, and as soon as I had pulled it out of the box it started to take shape. It happened SO fast (see the gif at the bottom of the post), and it was completely flat and then ready to go in under 5 minutes. But the bigger questions was – how did it feel? It was a little firm at first, but then my body was just absorbed into this soft, cushion of memory foam. It’s pretty great (and if you’re into really cozy mattresses, keep reading for how you can win one at the bottom of the post).

See, I love it. And it loves me.

But what is a great mattress without an equally perfect bed frame, and accessories to go with it? It’s a good thing then, that I have some pretty intense feelings about my new bed frame. It’s a 1960s, vintage, Danish, teak frame from this amazingly wonderful vintage furniture store, appropriately named the Vintage Supply Store, and they’re just generally awesome people. It didn’t hurt that the frame went perfectly with my pair of Mid-Century style nightstands (which are currently out of stock, but keep checking! They were out of stock when I first looked too, and then magically came back).

Now that I had all the essentials, it was time to dress them up. I want to go in a clean, fresh, yet feminine direction with my room. My color palette is whites, woods, pastel pinks, and blues, with hints of brass and gold. But instead of trying to fit all of that into one set up, I decided to try out two different directions, and see what worked best in practice.

First up was a clean and bright bed, with a more mid-century and masculine tone.

I kept this set up limited to whites, blues, and golds, with not a hint of pink in sight (the plan would be to bring in pops of pastel pinks in other areas of my room). I love how fresh and happy this feels. It has clean lines, and minimal color, which makes for a very “zen” kind of vibe that I’m totally into. But that embroidered eye pillow, and the cute bud vase still keep it fun.

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That brass lamp from Target is a favorite around the EHD office, and I know it’s been used over and over again (because it’s so good), so I had to try it out myself.

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It’s a bit hard to see, but those sheets have the most delicate little navy dot pattern (peek the left side of that photo below), which is the type of tiny detail I’m a big fan of. And the texture from the raw edge quilt kept the bed from feeling “blah” (plus, no one would notice if Lady, my cat, decided to make biscuits on it, and pull up all the threads with her petit, yet destructive, claws).

There was a LOT I loved about this set up, but I also wanted to explore a more feminine direction, considering two girls live in this room. So next I tried out a softer, pinker direction (pink is my favorite color, and now you know everything about me).

This pretty lady was done up with classy whites, rosy hues, and hits of golds and yellows. I can imagine day dreaming here, and spending hours writing profound and romantic insights about modern life in my journal, while a soft summer breeze floats through my open window (but replace the profound writing with serious napping).

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That fur pillow up there is cuddle buddy #1, although Lady doesn’t seem to be into the faux fur. The sheets and duvet are stone-washed linen, which evokes such a sense of timeless simplicity. Plus, they just feel like they make my life simpler (textured linens are supposed to be wrinkled, right?).

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I love the idea of having a little display box next to my bed. I hate sleeping with jewelry on, but I always forget to take it off, and end up losing lots of cool things to the vacuum, once I’ve thrown them on the nightstand, and they accidentally fall under my bed. So, having a secure drop point for pretty “I-don’t-want-to-lose-these” things is a solid idea.

Lady is really happy here, I promise. She just has a serious case of “resting b*tch face.” She is in love with that little cat square, though. Wherever I set that thing down, it’s like a kitty magnet. Which works really well when I don’t want her sleeping on folded laundry, or my keyboard.

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Overall, I’m drawn to the “clean & bright” bed, but there were elements of the “soft & feminine” that I ended up really liking. So here’s what I decided – I’m keeping the linen bedding, but going to lean towards blue bed accessories. I’m also pretty attached to the brass and marble lamp (versus the brass task lamp, which is probably a little too big in scale for this situation, but still such a winner). The flower print and the yellow accents from the second set up are leaning a little too girly for me, and I like the more mid-century vibe of the the “clean & bright” direction. That being said, I’m thinking that I do want to bring in a few more feminine, soft, and possibly even pink elements, because I ended up loving how dreamy they felt. Now I have to style out TWO nightstands, and find accessories for both of them, so expect to see some new items in the final reveal!

Which bed would you folks pick? Am I making the right choice?!

For now I’m in a serious relationship with my bed, and I’m pretty sure it’s the one. I have separation anxiety when I’m not in it, and I can’t wait to go home to it tonight (we’ve even already had the “exclusive” talk).

Here’s a little video of my bed transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly (and you can see just how fast that mattress unfolded).

Oh, did you think I forgot about the mattress contest? Share a picture of your sleeping situation over the holidays using the hashtag #SInoplacelikehome via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and you’ll be entered to win one of Sleep Innovations memory foam mattresses to help makeover your sleeping situation for the holidays! And, by using their hashtag, #SInoplacelikehome, you’ll be contributing $1 to Stand Up for Kids’ health and wellness program, which provides medical and well-being services to homeless youth across the country, which is pretty awesome.

And incase you want to go in one direction, or the other, yourself, here are “get-the-looks.”

See you all in 2016!

*Written by Sara Tramp, photos by Jessica Isaac, styled by Sara Tramp, Jessica Isaac, & Brady Tolbert for EHD.

See Sara’s Makeover Takeover from the start: Sara Updates Her Childhood Bedroom | Sara’s Custom Closets

Want more Makeover Takeover? Check out these posts from the rest of the EHD crew: Brady Picks A Sofa | Brady Picks A Gray Paint | Ginny’s LA Living Room | Ginny’s English Roll Arm | Jessica’s Living & Dining Room

The post Sara Jumps Into Bed appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Christmas Tree Frames

Hi! Mindy here from Savvy Sisters. I’m so excited for Christmas! One of the things I look forward to most about this season is pulling out my Christmas tree and getting it all decorated. Ever since last year, when I finally bought a big tree (I use to have just the 3 small trees) I have been adding more ornaments and such to my tree. Last year I made the burlap snowflake stamped ribbon to put around the tree. And this year I decided to add some pictures to my tree. I love these frame overlays from the Wood Connection and they were perfect to put in my tree! I like that they aren’t too heavy and I love the different shapes. I decided to go with 3 frames.

Supplies needed:

–3 wood frame overlays

–scrapbook paper

-grey paint

-red paint

-red glitter

–sanding block

–foam brushes

-tape

–wood glue

Glitter Frame

The first frame I decided to glitter the whole thing. I gave the frame a first coat of red. Oh and go ahead and paint the back too! You may be able to see it from another angle of your tree, I went back and painted mine. Then get the glitter ready and paint a second layer of red paint and while still wet, place in the glitter. You can follow these instructions if needed.

Striped Frame

The next frame I decided to paint it gray and do red stripes. So first give it a light sand then paint it gray, I gave it two coats. Don’t forget to paint the back also! Once dry I cut some strips of contact paper for my stripes. I eye balled this and didn’t do a super great job, but didn’t notice until it was done. Oops! After it was all taped off I first painted a light coat of wood glue so that my lines would come out nice and clean. After that dried I painted 2 coats of red. When finished, just pull off the tape.

Scrapbook Paper Frame

And my third frame I did scrapbook paper. First I painted the outer and inner edges and of course the back of the frame red. Then I traced the shape of the frame onto my paper and cut it out. Once it was cut, I used wood glue to glue the paper to the frame. You can click here for a tutorial if needed. Then the last step is to use your sanding block to sand all the edges of the paper to give it a finished look.

I love the personal touch it added to my tree! And the kids love seeing pictures of themselves on the tree. This is my favorite spot in my house at Christmas time!

The post Christmas Tree Frames appeared first on The Wood Connection Blog.

Shelter Reveal – The Bedrooms

DAVID TSAY PHOTOGRAPHY © 2015 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO REPRODUCTION WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT

The Holidays always seem to make us feel all warm and fuzzy, and to keep that warm fuzzy feeling going, today it’s a big reveal of the shelter, and this time it’s all about the bedrooms.

There are 8 bedrooms total, and to suit the needs of the shelter and the residents each bedroom had to have 2 bunks in them to accommodate up to a family of four. The bunks and the dressers had generously already been donated, so our job was made slightly easier, as we didn’t need to start sourcing a ton of big pieces for these rooms. The bunks were made specifically for the shelter and each have a handy pull out drawer underneath so the families can store their belongings. The shelter encourages them not to hoard too many things (they’d be horrified if they came into our studio!) but to really use this facility as a clean slate to jumpstart them back on their feet. So we really didn’t need to add much more in the way of storage.

The bedrooms really only serve as what they are – a functional place for the families to sleep in. During the day the rooms get locked up, while the kids are out at school, and the parents are either at work or looking for jobs, so they didn’t need to have areas to lounge or work in. With the shelter being sort of a halfway-house, their main focus is to get the families back on their feet and into apartments of their own. With that being said, it didn’t deter us from wanting to make these spaces feel as cosy and homey as the rest of the shelter.

Because the kids would be sharing and sleeping in the same room as their parents, we wanted to ensure that there was a good balance and that the rooms didn’t feel too child-like, or too adult. We started off by choosing a color palette that consisted of mainly blues, whites and coral tones, which also felt gender neutral and didn’t sway too feminine or too masculine.

We started off by painting the rooms in three different colors: 2 rooms in Moonlight White, 2 rooms in Soft Pumpkin and 4 rooms in Pilgrim Haze, all by Benjamin Moore. The Soft Pumpkin turned out to be a little more pumpkin colored than we’d anticipated, once we had it on the walls. But, the walls had originally been painted in a neutral beige, which was very drab and depressing, so we really wanted to bring some life into the rooms. Unfortunately due to the quick turnaround and deadlines we didn’t have time to swatch colors on the walls, and just had to go with our instincts. Let that be a lesson friends . . . always, always swatch. Fortunately, with the bunks having an orange tone to them, they blended in well, and we used more navy tones in those rooms so that helped to balance it out.

The lighting was all donated by our good friends at Lamps Plus and we spent time selecting different styles within the same palette of woods, whites and gold. Which meant we had lots of different options to play with. The books again were donated by Strand, and I cannot say enough good things about them. They’ll personalize collections for you by the foot. So all you need to do is tell them how many feet you need, how much you want to spend, and they’ll tailor them to specific genres and even certain color schemes, which is music to a designer’s ears. They’ll pretty much do whatever you want when it comes to books, except maybe read them to you in bed at night.

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Most of the curtain fabric was donated by Minted, and we had an awesome set of costume designers donate their time to help sew them together. We brought in some nice florals, graphic prints and water colors, all within the color palette.

We were super fortunate that Serena & Lily and Deny Designs offered to donate bedding to the shelter, and we knew this would be one of the main ways we could bring some personality into the rooms.

Again, keeping our blue, coral and white color story going, we mixed and matched different patterns and prints to create a varied and eclectic feel in each room. We stuck with two different sets of bedding in each room, with at least 1 type of stripe. That way it didn’t look too mismatched.

Although the rooms do have a window, they don’t get a lot of natural light because the windows actually look out onto an enclosed fire escape. But we wanted to still dress the windows properly, to make it feel more like a completed room. We were very pleased at how they turned out and it was so much fun to see the kids enjoy their new spaces.

Brian van der Brug from the LA Times snapped this pic after one family had moved into their new space. You’ll notice that they removed a few of the accessories we added while styling, and also added a pack and play, and a kid’s chair. It is so much fun knowing these kids and their families not only have a place to call home, but a space to really make their own.

San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission_Emily Henderson_Bunk Beds_Modern_Blue_Coral_White_Kids Playing

We really couldn’t have pulled these rooms together without the help of some very generous donors. Serena & Lily, who have just opened an amazing store in LA, which is going to be a great help for us when we recommend products to our private clients. As well as a ton for the kid’s area, they also donated all the striped bedding shown here. Deny Design, which is a super fun company that offers lots of different designs that can be printed onto almost anything – pillows, trays, even desks, and where we got all the floral and patterned bedding from. Lamps Plus, who not only have a great range of lighting, but also have a great range of furniture, which you’ll see in the living room reveal – coming soon. And last but not least, Minted, who has an amazing selection of patterns that can be printed in different colorways, onto different weights of fabric. That way you can make your own pillows, curtains and even clothes.

Now go ahead and get that look for your room:

***Written by Ginny Macdonald, before photos by Jessica Isaac for EHD. After photos by David Tsay styled by Ginny Macdonald & Brady Tolbert.

A quick word about David Tsay. He volunteered to shoot this shelter without pay which we were obviously PSYCHED about. It’s a tricky place to shoot with a lot of overhead commercial-style lighting, and frankly, we needed someone really good to capture the space. Thank you once again, David, for far exceeding our expectations. This was shot when I was in Spain, and it was the first project of mine EVER that I let my team style without me. They did SUCH a great job. Thanks, everyone.

See the beginning post here, the first update post here, a last little nudge to our indiegogo campaign here, an art roundup of our favorite work from the artists that have donated here, a big thank you to those who donated here, the family room reveal here, and the playroom reveal here. And check out our feature in the Los Angeles Times!

The post Shelter Reveal – The Bedrooms appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Wood Scence 101 (21) - The Mystery of Wood and Water

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is holding their annual Kiln Drying Workshop again next month. While the program is considered one of the premier and must-attend workshops for professional hardwood kiln operators, there might be reasons for you to consider a trip to upstate New York in the dead of winter.

As much love for wood as I find out in the world, I also constantly see a great deal of misunderstanding of the issue of wood, water, weathering, mold, rot, warpage, and other moisture-related wood performance issues. Quick story from this weekend at the Ray mansion...I had been given a small gift-size oak barrel several years ago, designed for seasoning a bottle or two of whiskey. I had used it a few times, but made the mistake of trying it for wine (which didn't work well, because the wine needs to be consumed shortly after the bottle is uncorked), and the wine residue tainted the barrel enough so that it was no longer good for further use in seasoning whiskey.

My eye landed on the deserted barrel this weekend, and I had the brilliant idea that it would make a great in-tank prop for my aquarium. So, I picked up the barrel, headed outdoors to fill it with sand, brought it back in and sank it in the tank. It looked great.

But then the family questions began, with several of the little wood rats wondering if the barrel wouldn't "rot away" in the tank. I was aghast, and explained more than once that wood rotting is a function of wet-dry cycles in wood...and that wood that stays saturated with water will last forever, at least until some organism in the water might possibly consume it. In my fish tank, the chances of that happening are very, very small.

That experience got me to thinking about how folks really don't understand wood relationship with water, and why wood drying, seasoning, and finishing are done improperly so often. Wooden decks, roofs, and siding are the worst case scenarios, as they are constantly exposed to extremes in temperature, ultraviolet light, and temperature...and with improper drying and maintenance, they often disintegrate in short order.

Wooden furniture and crafts also tend to fall apart when improperly dried and stored lumber is used in its construction. The hardwood dry kiln operators job is to ensure that it doesn't happen...but even in the professional ranks, I find operators who seemed genuinely confused about how to make end-of-kiln-cycle decisions according to how the specific load has responded in the kiln.

I also find that more often that not, persons involved in the sales of wooden furniture give absolutely incorrect information when discussing the qualities and environmental properties of the wooden products they represent.

Crafters at the local fairs often create their works of art under conditions and using techniques and materials that practically guarantee their short life.

And non-woodites routinely make wood products purchasing decisions under misguided assumptions about how that product can be used in application.

All reasons why I would like you to consider attending SUNY's Kiln Drying Workshop next month. Even if you're not one of the folks who dry lumber for a living, you'll find that a few days spent learning the science of how to properly remove moisture from wood will benefit every aspect of your appreciation of it as one of the greatest of raw materials on the planet.

Here are some details on the workshop. Only five days left to take advantage of the early registration rates.

If you truly are one to Go Wood, you'll find it time and money well spent.

Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Gift Guide: Contemporary & Minimalist

Contemporary_Minimalist_Style Guide_Gift Roundup_Modern_Sleek_Black_White_Minimalist

Welcome to round 3 of our Gift Guides inspired by STYLED, a home interior design book you may or may not have heard of. Today we bring you a mash up of the Contemporary and Minimal design worlds. Don’t worry — while it may seem ironic that we’ve combined the two most stripped-down, clutter-free categories to make one (kind of) giant gift guide, you should also know that Contemporary Minimalists happen to love irony, so it’s ok.

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[photo from Murray Mitchell]

Clean lines, minimal clutter, and streamlined pieces have become synonymous with living in the here and now, which is what our Contemporary Minimalists are all about. Froufrou flourishes and fluffy fabrics of the past are few and far between in the contemporary/minimal home. Rather than hoarding kind-of-cool stuff, these highly sophisticated folks tend to collect just the attractive versions of what they need, and display them in a simple, organized way. White surfaces and limited neutral color palettes take simplicity and organization to the next level.

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[Masculine Clean Modern from 1 Bed 4 Ways]

While sometimes stark and a little on the cold side, contemporary/minimal homes can also be extremely peaceful. Our brains like things to be organized, so with few distractions and everything in it’s right place, these spaces are like a vacation for the brain. There’s something to be said for restraint and discipline, so kudos to those of you achieving a true contemporary/minimal lifestyle. Here are some gift ideas for our favorite pared down pals…

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If you missed our last two roundups, we’ve covered Seventies and Rustic so far. Contemporary and Minimal were in high demand last time, so let us know what you want to see next! Is it Scandinavian, Zen, Industrial, Mid-Century Modern, Bohemian, Modern Glam, Traditional, or Totally Eighties?

If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a copy of the book, and are craving some more interior and style inspiration you can pick up your copy here, and while you’re impatiently waiting for that postman to arrive you can check out some behind the scenes, and a few more peeks inside the pages of the book here: Book Title And Cover Options | The Real Book Cover | Behind The Book – Styling The Perfect Shot | Styled On Shelves Now

*written by Jessica Isaac for EHD

The post Gift Guide: Contemporary & Minimalist appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Joyful Things In 2016

This time last year, my partner and I decided to make a Christmas pact. We decided not to waste money on myriad gifts for each other, but to spend the money visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites instead. (Last Christmas was spent at Angkor Wat and Siem Reap; still one of my favorite destinations. This January, it will be the Great Barrier Reef.)

Writing our UNESCO Wish Lists for 2016 and 2017, which include Luang Prabang, and Praslin Island in the Seychelles (the Vallée de Mai national park was reportedly the original 'Garden of Eden') was a small thing, but it made me stop and think about life, and what makes each of us happy? (Thank goodness I have a partner who loves to travel.) Contemplating the UNESCO lists also made me realize that, no matter how overwhelmed we may become from digesting all the content we're offered in The Information Age, there is still something out there, in the world, to discover. There are still things that will inspire and delight us; things that are so beautiful they will, like Angkor Wat and the Seychelles, linger in our memories.

2016 is set to be a year of such things. Here are a few lovely things to anticipate in 2016.

As always, thank you for all the thoughtful and kind emails. I've loved reading every one of them, especially those from the Garden Tour girls, and look forward to staying in touch in 2016! Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and a happy, restful and joyful holiday season.

(NB New additions to UNESCO's World Heritage List can be found HERE. I love that Singapore's newly restored Botanic Garden has been added to the mix.)

NEW HOTELS TO DREAM ABOUT

The new NOMAD HOTEL LA, THE BECKMAN in NEW YORK, and BLAKES SINGAPORE are among the coolly glamorous hotels scheduled to open or begin development in 2016, but one of the most anticipated hotel openings is Six Senses' new resort SIX SENSES ZIL PASYON (above two images), in the SEYCHELLES.

Set on the private island of Felicity (I also love the cute name of nearby Curieuse Island), it's a short boat journey from La Digue or Praline (more gorgeous names), but miles from the rest of civilization. Six Senses is becoming as well-known as Aman Resorts for its architectural designs and remote destinations, so this will likely be One To Save Up For.

There's a great list of the Hottest Luxury Hotels in the World opening in 2016 HERE.

(And if, like us, you don't have the budget for Six Senses, there are also lots of cheap guesthouses in the Seychelles too. As there are everywhere. It's difficult to find them, I know, but they're there.)

NEW DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A CERTAIN STORE ON FIFTH AVENUE

If you saw the much-talked-about documentary SCATTER MY ASHES AT BERGDORFS (featuring some of the best quotes ever captured in a doco – LINK TO TRAILER HERE), you're going to love the next in the series by filmmaker Matthew Miele.

It's about Tiffany & Co., the jewelry store that started as a small stationary and gift shop more than 177 years ago, and eventually, with the help of Audrey Hepburn, a film and some good branding, became an international success. It stars some big names, including Katie Couric, Baz Luhrmann, Rachel Zoe, Jessica Biel, and Jennifer Tilly. Tiffany is on board, so the archive footage will be fascinating.

No trailer yet. Released in cinemas early 2016.

(Above pix of Tiffany Christmas windows for 2015)

NEW FILM CAUSING A FUSS

(AND AN OSCAR CONTENDER)

THE DANISH GIRL is a beautiful film. A beautiful film. It's based on the true story of Lili Elbe, a pioneer in transgender history, and the woman torn between her loving marriage and her own needs and desires. It's a timely film, coming out in the wake of Caitlyn Jenner's story (and Vanity Fair cover), and it's well worth seeing, even if artistic films like this are not your thing.

Eddie Redmayne is superb as Lily, and up for a Golden Globe. He is even more moving in this than My Week With Marilyn, Les Miserables and The Theory of Everything. Alicia Vikander is also up for a Golden Globe.

If you missed the previews of this film in late 2015, it will undoubtedly be re-released in cinemas in early 2016, as the Oscar buzz about it is loud. (It's released in Australia in early 2016.)

TRAILER HERE. Released in cinemas early 2016.

NEW (TOURING) CHANEL EXHIBITION

If you missed the CHANEL EXHIBITION, Mademoiselle Privé, at the Saatchi Gallery in London last month, the good news is it will be showing in Hong Kong early 2016 before traveling to other international cities. Billed as an 'enchanted voyage', the exhibition takes a historic look at the design of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and the contemporary direction the brand has taken under Karl Lagerfeld.

No news of venues or Hong Kong dates yet, but keep an eye on Chanel's website for details.

NEW GARDENS-IN-ART EXHIBITION

There's been a spate of books and exhibitions about the beautiful symbiosis between gardens and art. Even Buckingham Palace held an exhibition on the subject last year. The newest show to display the inspiration that gardens have had on art over the years is at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, from January to April 2016. PAINTING THE MODERN GARDEN: MONET TO MATISSE will feature the usual players, including ol' Claude, but it will also highlight the works of artists and gardeners like Pierre Bonnard, Camille Pissarro and Wassily Kandinsky. It will also tour afterwards, so keep an eye out for cities and dates.

Set to be a blockbuster exhibition of paint, petals and pure joy.

(There will no doubt be a book to accompany it, so look for it on Amazon.)

Royal Academy of Arts, Mayfair. January 30—April 20, 2016.

Note: There's a great article about artists and gardening HERE, and another one HERE. I loved hearing about Monet's horticultural expertise. His library was filled with gardening books and journals. Instructions sent to his chief gardener Félix Brueil in February 1900 included: From the 15th to the 25th, lay the dahlias down to root, plant out those with shoots before I get back. In March sow the grass seeds, plant out the little nasturtiums, keep a close eye on the gloxinia, orchids etc., in the greenhouse, as well as the plants under frames. Oh, if we only all had our own little Felix to do our weeding!

NEW (OLD) TV SERIES TO BUY FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Finally, while this isn't new for 2016, it's something to put on your Must-Watch Lists for the new year. A lovely reader told me about it, and I just loved the trailer! She says it's well worth watching.

It's a period drama called THE TIME IN BETWEEN (or type it's Spanish name—EL TIEMPO ENTRE COSTURAS into Google for best results), and it's about a young seamstress who rises to become an elite couturier and then a spy during the Spanish Civil War.

The film sets are as beautiful as the fashion and the dressmaking. With the success of the Australian film The Dressmaker with Kate Winslet, and Dior and I, I predict there will be more movies about fashion, seamstresses and behind-the-scenes in ateliers and studios. Let's hope so.

TRAILER IS HERE. (It's wonderful!)

Available via Amazon and other outlets.