Jessica's Breakfast Nook

Over the summer, my best friend, Jessica and her husband moved into their new home. In June, when I was home visiting family and friends, Jessica asked me to sew for her breakfast nook new cushions and a roman shade. I was very excited to take on this project and jumped at the chance to help her decorate her new home. Jessica and I have different taste when it comes to decorating. Jessica's style is more bohemian mixed with traditional where as my style is more contemporary meets traditional. Though our decorating styles are different I always like what she picks and sure enough she picked two great fabrics.

Her original cushions were old and out of date black and white checkered fabric and the window was bare.

old cushions

 
True to her bohemian taste, Jessica chose a beautiful multicolored chenille fabric for the cushions and an embroidered bird fabric for the roman shade.

breakfast nook finished

I love the way the cushions and shade turned out and can't wait to see them in her breakfast nook. I will be home for Christmas and hope to have better pictures soon. Also, I will need to do a little fluffing when I get there and by then I will have finished her new throw cushions for the bench.

roman shade

close up shot

I am very pleased with the way it all turned out and it is very cozy! I sat here a lot over Christmas and New Year's with my glass of wine chatting with Jessica as she worked in the kitchen.


Bon Appetit!

Obsession of the week...Keep Calm and Carry On

I have always wanted a framed Keep Calm and Carry On poster to hang in my aparment. In my search for one I came across this great rug on the Apartment Therapy website. I love the look of this rug, but it wouldn't stay clean in my house with my dog or the dirt brought in from the dirty streets of New York.

In addition to the poster I had another idea on how to showcase this saying, I want to embroider it on a chair. I envision it on the back of a large fabric chair.  It would the be chair for my sewing table, that way I can see it every time I enter the room. I think it would be a nice touch in my sewing room. And since both my mother and my sister have embroidery machines I just might try it!

Where has the time gone....it went to the Nate Berkus Show and SNL!

October was a busy month for me, sewing, working and Halloween. However, I did find the time to go to a taping of the Nate Berkus Show and a dress rehearsal taping of Saturday Night Live. Yes, I said Saturday Night Live, SNL baby and I sat VIP for both! It was awesome! By far my best New York experiences ever. Runner up is the Monique Lhuillier fashion show Spring fashion week 2010.

 

The Nate Berkus Show was my first awesome NYC experience. The taping was on a Monday and I went with my friend Lia Romeo. We didn't know what the episode would be about, but I hoped it would be about refurbishing and it was! A few days before the show I told Lia to dress up and wear bright colors because, "I want to sit near the front, and the audience coordinator picks who sits where - so look good!"  Lucky for us as we were standing in line waiting to entry the studios, the audience coordinator selected us to sit VIP! 

After we were seated I noticed a tv screen that read Mr. Goodwill Hunting.  As I read it I gasped and said to Lia, "Oh my gosh I love him! I think this show is going to be about thrifting and refurbishing! Mr. Goodwill Hunting is an expert in thrifting and refurbishing." The show was great and I even learned a few things, but I will say the only downside to sitting VIP is how close you are to the cameraman. He was next to us the whole time and blocked our view half the time, but don't get me wrong I loved every second of it. Blocked view and all!

My next amazing NYC experience was going to the dress rehearsal for Saturday Night Live with host Charlie Day (musical guest Maroon 5) and sitting VIP! First you should know SNL tickets are extremely hard to come by and are only available via a ticket lottery. My fabulous friend Rachael Block won tickets and took me as her plus 1. Thank you RACHAEL! I should also tell you the VIP seats (the seats on the stage) are not available to the general public. They are reserved for guests of the actors, host, executives and other SNL people. So our being selected to sit VIP was a mini miracle - especially since we arrived late. We were told to arrive no later than 6:45pm for the 8pm dress rehearsal taping. Well we arrived at 6:50pm and literally in a panic thinking they would give her tickets away, but thank goodness they did not.  Nevertheless, we were the last two in line. Soon after an audience coordinator came out to give everyone instructions, and people started to enter. As we moved to the front the coordinator tapped me on the arm and asked, "Can you and your friend go stand over there against the wall near that couple?" "Sure, no problem," I said. Rachael and I looked at each other with confused looks on our faces and walked towards the other couple. As I walked over I asked the couple laughinly, "Is this the time out section?"  The gentleman said smiling, "Yes, this is were the bad people go."  As we stood there, I said to Rachael, "I think we are in the VIP line!" She said, "Are you sure or did we do something?" "No! What could we have done?" I said. I should also tell you that earlier that day I told Rachael we needed to really dress up more then we usually do, because if we look really cute then hopefully we can get picked for VIP. Well it worked because soon after Rachael and I were entering the 8th floor and being handed VIP wrist bands.

Attending the dress rehearsal was the most exhilarating experience I have ever had. I was a gitty school girl grinning from ear to ear the whole evening. My face litterally hurt after two hours of non-stop smiling!  Sitting VIP is the best way to experience SNL, but much like the Nate Berkus show, the cameraman is right next to you and sometimes blocking your view. But next to the cameraman can be Kristen Wigg and Jason Sudeikis which totally makes up for it! I was also very impressed with the stage crew. The way they built and changed sets within seconds was like watching a NASCAR pit crew. Of course they probably have the best in the business working there, but either it was an impressive sight.

I also saw Loren Michaels, the SNL comedic genius, at the beginning of the evening and Danny DeVito as a surprise guest!

All and all both shows were amazing experiences and a big check off the life bucket list!