Our client at Poplar Plains, who enjoys reading this blog, would like me to point out something to you. A point of order if you will. In her recent Guest Room post seen here, I mentioned wanting to get rid of the metal thingees on top of her armoire and replace them with something more sophisticated - Asian Ginger Jars in Blue & White to be specific.

Well she would like me to point out to you that I apparently (I say apparently because I feel that I made the initial call on these under duress but more on that in a second) approved & placed said metal Judies up there in the first place.

That was kinda  a half hearted concession - I know, I know - I can hear her rolling her eyes (they're a bit dry after bugging out of her head) and of course there is her patented sigh - she does this deep sigh followed immediately by a little cluck. It's not quite a Tutt but it's close enough. It's her I'm not impressed or I'm bored or would someone please refill my glass of wine....? Anyway, I remember shopping with her at a particular store that I NEVER frequent because I think (little fuzzy here) that she had Gift Certificate or Store Credit to spend there. Either that or we'd just left a VERY expensive store where you can't just satisfy the itch to buy something & walk out without having had to go into debt/sell a kidney. You see, this lovely client loves instant gratification. Most do. Impatience & a lover of beautiful things.... The Judies were fun, whimsical but I'm over them. They lack the sophisticated elegance we are going for in this room. Maybe if we gold leaf them and move them somewhere else I can enjoy them again. Of course, because I endorsed them the first time, I'll be the one leafing them - pro bono of course. It's the only way I can right the "I'm Just Not Into Them."

That brings up a whole other ball of wax though - would love your feedback. If you change your mind down the road on a design element - do you cop to it, change it up? Do you wait for said client to grow tired of it and quietly squirrel it out to the side of the road? Do you pretend to love it still and secretly hope the cleaning lady breaks/damages/destroys it - let alone offer her $50 to lose it?

I need to specify, order, & have installed several doors before the winter snows come. Time is running out. Here's a few that have caught my eye. Hope they don't break the budget...

Speaking of budgets - ALWAYS grateful to the clients who understand the need for flexibility during a project when it comes to budget. These are the clients who always end up with the best results. By far.  I swear it is some sort of Project Karma that reaps the rewards of this. I am working on preparing options with regards to a budget today. You may want to send me vodka by noon.

Today is Thanksgiving Monday in Canada - which means it's a holiday. We Canadians live for our long weekends. It's unusually hot - which if memory serves, is exactly the same weather we had 5 years ago. Why would I remember the weather from 5 years ago - it was my wedding long weekend. If you've ever seen the picture of me in the About Me section, the one in the green dress - that was my wedding dress. Happy Anniversary to my sweet husband & business partner. We've had a fun & never dull first five years of married life - looking forward to the next five!

And with that here's what's catching my eye.

As promised, a little look into what I'm cooking up, playing around with and.......

I must be getting older. Jack Layton died just over a month ago - I heard the news while driving. (If you don't know who Jack Layton is - please google. He was a game changer) The radio show I was listening  to was interrupted and the newscaster broke in with the news that made me clutch my chest and gasp.

Tonight, I saw a tweet, followed by my entire feed turning to the news that Steve Jobs passed.

Immediately, I was horribly saddened. Steve Jobs  always reminds me of my husband. When I met Asa, I was a PC user. He was a Mac Guy. He converted me to Mac and I've never looked back. As part of my indoctrination into all things Apple, my husband would show me passionate rants (I may actual model myself, on occasion, after these) given by Steve Jobs at what I deemed 'Apple Rallies'. Passionate, a pioneer and a person who never settle for mediocrity - this is what comes to mind when I think of Steve Jobs, the black turtleneck notwithstanding.

Here's some of Steve's wisdom shared with the world:

 "Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices. Because almost everything- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose... There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

and my personal fave

“Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
- Steve Jobs

Rest in peace Steve. Some of us will keep on being crazy in your honour!