Home Decor: Sing Your Own Song

TravelinOma:

singing the same old song.

I had great plans of developing a new persona when I moved to Daybreak. I'd start over: instead of being a reclusive writer I'd be a community organizer. I'd enhance my full-bodied look and wear leopard driving gloves with huge glitzy bracelets; my ever-present bandana sweatband would be my signature roaring-twenties headpiece.

The basis for my persona was a new house. My decorating style would make a clean, classic statement ala Pottery Barn. Blue, white and red would be updated to blue, white and yellow--fresh, unadorned cream colored walls would soothe and calm my frenzied friends. A neighbor once told me, "Marty, your house makes me dizzy." My new interiors would put her to sleep like a lullaby.

NOT.

I've discovered that a month of planning does not trump 62 years of living. And 42 of those years I've been married to a collector who loves color and pattern as much as I do. Geometric straw balls placed strategically on bookshelves are for people who don't have 23 boxes of books! Elegant framed swatches of Marimekko fabric are for folks who don't collect coats from the Tyrol. Sad to say, the new persona died in the move. The old persona is sitting at her computer, wearing a bandana, surrounded by a patchwork of dizzying hues.

Our bookcases fit perfectly in a little nook by the entry.

We showcased the books we've written, plus collections of books that reflect our interests.

The suitcases on top are decorated with travel labels of places we've been.

IKEA magazine files on the bottom shelves hold projects in progress.

Someone once said, "You were born an original. Don't die a copy." Sing your own song! Designer shows I've been watching all summer emphasize decorating for your eventual buyer. They have rules for color choices, art groupings, and furniture placement. According to these experts, too much personal stuff detracts from the neutral wall space, and the universally featureless artwork the home-stagers promote. Ridiculous!

Our new townhouse in Garden Park is just over 1600 square feet.

It has two bedrooms and a loft, which we converted into Dee's office.

Half of the Living Room is living room, and the other half is my office,

with a long dining table for a layout table.

When company comes, I'll clear off the writing gear and pass the potatoes!

This is what my office looks like from the staircase looking down.

I used a collection of pewter pieces on an IKEA lazy susan to hold elastics, paper clips, pencils, etc.

(Handy for writing with grandkids coloring on the other side,

and easy to relocate at the dinner bell.)

Here's how the two spaces work together.

(From the kitchen . . .

. . . from the entry.)

A home should be a reflection of those who live there. Where else can you showcase your personality, interests and accomplishments better than your home? If kids are part of the decor, their fingerprints should be all over (both literally and figuratively.) School pictures in the bedroom (hang them on a clothesline with tiny clothespins) birthday invitations on the fridge (create a section for each kid to display their stuff and let them decide what to take down when something new comes in the mail) and towels hanging low in the bathroom (give everyone their own color and their own hook at a reachable level and they might not land on the floor!)

I love to troll decorating magazines and websites, and pinterest is my newest obsession, but if an idea appears too often I run the other way. Ideas are for inspiration, not to replace creativity. I'm wary of trends. If somebody tells you green appliances will spice up your kitchen, decide if guacamole is the look you love before buying the whole avocado. (I speak from experience.) If a trend sings to you, you'll still love it when it's out of style in five years, but if you choose it because it's all the rage, you'll be singing "It's not easy being green" long before the avocado turns brown.

In one house we had gorgeous oak paneling. Gorgeous, I tell you! Plus a rock fireplace. A decorator came in to help us choose fabrics and she informed us that the room looked dark (ja, und?) "Cover this wood up with burlap. The rock fireplace could be redone with Naugahyde and stud nails." She was so confident, so sure future buyers wouldn't like the old-fashioned cabin charm, that we actually thought about it . . . until we remembered we loved the warm, cozy feel we had, and WE were living there! Let your home reflect you.

Letters to and from our family while we lived a year in England

captured our experiences. Here they are displayed on a staircase wall,

available for reading and remembering.

The ambiance of your home is the most important element: the feel, the gemutlichkeit, the atmosphere. Decide which part of your personality to emphasize (elegant, sophisticated, casual, comfortable, colorful, artistic) and look through your drawers for stuff that tells that story. Pieces that represent your talents, interests, memories or heritage can be displayed in unique ways to prompt conversations or recharge your batteries.

Dee's inspiration board is a collage of former projects,

and projects to come. The pictures tell his stories,

which he happily shares with clients and grandkids.

Creativity is the best part of home-making, from my point of view. I love taking an idea and tweaking it with a few grace notes of my own. I've fallen flat with a few looks, but some are pretty sharp.

What tune is your house singing?

Share a description or a link!

Home Again

Oh my gosh! There it is!

I think I found it!

(A mind is a terrible thing to lose.)

After a summer we'll always remember as mind blowing,

things are finally falling into place.

Of course, they really didn't fall there.

It took a team to help them land:

Amy did the balancing act,

while others directed.

And a miracle happened:

all our old stuff started looking new!

The TV cabinet from the bedroom turned into a hutch in the kitchen,

and the dishes that didn't fit in the cupboards

got stacked on top in a display.

It was like playing with a Rubik's cube. I discovered where something should go, and then I had to mess up everything I'd done everywhere else to get it there. There was always a pile of left-over stuff to move to the bedroom or the garage, and then the next day I'd be out searching for whatever had seemed unnecessary yesterday.

It's home. It didn't take a month or even a week. Our first night felt right, in spite of the mess around us. We're like the TV cabinet in the bedroom--we just needed a new spot, new surroundings, and we feel brand new! We're loving it!

This week I'm in St. Louis tending grands, with no boxes to empty or closets to organize, so I'll be giving home tours and tips on moving and decorating. Come on over . . .

TravelinOma is home again!

Moving Observations

Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

I know it's in a box somewhere. Tomorrow I'll start looking. Tomorrow! Actually, it's already tomorrow—we're moving TODAY! The china looks dishy in new cupboards and the towels look swingy on new bars; books stand ready to be stacked and each knick-knack is hoping to be picked for the top shelf. Blankets can't wait to cozy up to the bed—no sheet!

There were so many details somersaulting through my head already today, and then I found out that when we sign out of Comcast (tomorrow) I'll lose ALL my email! I frantically set up a gmail account (martyhalversonatgmail.com) and finally figured out how to import my address list just in time—in spite of the empty boxes towering next to my desk, waiting to be filled. But I can't lose you guys! You understand me—you don't mind that I've lost my mind.

My phone number, address and email are all changing and I have to unplug my computer and wait days and days for a new internet connection. I feel adrift. I haven't had time to read blogs or call friends or even say goodbye to Sir John (the British knight who lives next door) and tomorrow my life as I know it will be over. It's exciting and exhausting and sad and traumatic and invigorating and scary. And right.

I only have six hours to sleep before the movers come, but I don't want to go to bed. Although I can't wait for my new life to start, I don't want to let go of the old one quite yet. It's been a good one.

But I've got to find my mind!

(I hope I'll be back soon.)

Perks of the Purge

(Linens I hadn't ironed in two years.)

In an effort to balance myself,
I had a purge.

(Extra stuff I never use.)

What was I saving this for?
The great bowl shortage?

The grands sift through my odds and ends.

So, I had an Oma Giveaway.
Craft paper, purse mirrors, pill boxes and stickers . . .
The little kids scored mini-sized lotions, notepads and bags,
toys I don't like to clean up, games I don't like to play, books I don't like to read—
they cleaned house!

Amy discovers a gift she gave me.

The big kids were a bit more choosy.
But hey, who doesn't want a new Christmas cookie platter?
Fake fruit anyone?
After my customers left,
the remnants were packed up and hauled off to a thrift store.
(I'll probably buy the red pan again when I find it there!)
Perk of the purge:
Living with less lowers my stress.

My long-lost fondue pot!

Another perk of a purge is the discovery of forgotten treasures.
After the Oma Giveaway, Dee whipped up his specialty:

Swiss Cheese Fondue

• 1 lb. cubed Swiss cheese (we like half Gruyere and half Emmenthal)
• 3 T. cornstarch
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• 2 cups white wine (we use white grape juice)
• Nutmeg
• Pepper

Spray saucepan with Pam and rub with garlic. While heating wine on stove, toss cheese with cornstarch and add it by handfuls to the wine, stirring constantly until cheese is melted. Transfer to a fondue pot to keep it bubbling, and sprinkle with nutmeg and freshly ground pepper. Spear bread cubes, vegetables, sausage, apples, olives, pickles and dunk and swirl.

I love the simple life!

Organization

Organizing is my homemaking chore of choice, so I was thrilled to find Jen's blog: IHeartOrganizing. I've been reading her old posts for three nights now. She is fabulous!

Pinterest has also caught my interest. Do not go there if you're not prepared to be addicted.

And tomorrow I'm getting balanced! (This post by Bernice Wood is inspiring.)

Why Are You Moving to Daybreak?

I've been buried with questions!
Underneath it all, I've got an answer.

Our new digs in Garden Park at Daybreak, Utah

Ever since I announced "We're moving," I've been asked

Why Daybreak?

Let me tell you. Daybreak is a planned community below the Oquirrh Mountains in the southwest corner of Salt Lake Valley. It's four thousand acres and will eventually have 20,000 homes—it's already a thriving village after just a few years, and growing like crazy.

Houses of different design, price range, size all mingle together—like neighbors!

There are biking and hiking trails, a town square with shops and restaurants, and over a dozen parks, all built around a lake. Residents can use sailboats and canoes for free, fish and play on the beach; we can rent garden plots for $35 a season.

From our house everything is within walking distance: the TRAX Station (our local public transit) is a block away; there's a hospital, bakery, hair salon, florist and dry cleaners five minutes down the street. Plus a major shopping center just a mile away (movie theater, grocery store, Office Max and all the regulars—after ten restaurants I stopped counting.)

Oquirrh Lake in Daybreak

So what's Garden Park?

Garden Park is a 55+ neighborhood within Daybreak, "for grownups," the ad says. The idea is we've worked hard and now it's time to say no to yardwork, stairs and maintenance, and yes to anything we want!

Garden Club

The clubhouse is at the end of our street and is exclusive to the Garden Park residents. It's gorgeous, with a huge kitchen designed for parties, receptions and cooking classes. The work-out room offers aerobics, yoga and dance classes, personal trainers, treadmills, weights, etc.

(Plus a pool and hot tub.)

We were part of a focus group the other day, and Randy, (the guy focusing in on us) had us do an activity that couples or families could also use to help decide where to move.

How Much Would You Pay?

We listed things that were important to us about where we want to live: transportation, space, floor plan, neighborhood, yard, architecture, etc. and he wrote them on ten separate pieces of paper, which he spread out on the table. We were each given $100 in small bills (fake money, unfortunately) and we divided it up among the categories. It helped us see what matters most to us. I put my money on stability of Ivory Homes (the builder,) square footage (little but big enough,) and small town feel.

In reality, none of the many reasons I've listed is why we're moving to Garden Park in Daybreak. They are all perks of our decision. The real reason is the spirit of the place.

Back in 1970 my dad, a man of vision (he was an eye doctor) invested in some real estate and sold it quickly for a profit. He was anxious to repeat the experience, so he bought some more land and hired his brand new son-in-law (Dee) to help him develop and sell it. It was next to the Oquirrh Mountains. Dee got to know every well-wisher (people who search for wells) and sheep rancher for miles around—they were the folks who owned the land.

At the foot of the mountains is the Bingham Copper Mine, and there were several ghost towns (Lark, Copperton, Ragtown) where the miners had lived. Dee loves ghosts, and got to know them all. (Have you heard of Ivy Baker Priest, the humble copper miner's daughter from Bingham Canyon who became President Eisenhower's U.S. Treasurer from 1952 to 1960?)

Anyway. This summer our life was turned upside down and we decided it was time for a new chapter, a change of scenery, so we took a thirty-five minute drive to see what had happened out west. The surface had changed, but we could feel our roots—there was still a spirit of hope, vision, history. We felt energized when Lane (our great realtor) showed us through a few houses—it was like coming home.

Immediately I googled Daybreak, looking for bloggers who could give me the real scoop on the place. The official website came up with (interesting) sales-pitch-type-jargon, and a few private posts from 2009, but nothing current from a real, local Daybreaker. I had to do my research the old-fashioned way: by telephone, car and on foot.

I need a blog about Garden Park! There's stuff I need to know: Who's moving in? Is there a book club? Can anyone recommend a handyman? Who did your drapes?

I'd love to hear from any of you who live (or know someone who lives) in my new neighborhood.

My spirits are soaring because I'm moving to Daybreak!

(Now, maybe I'll be the one who pops up on Google!)

My Book: Son of a Gun

You can pre-order my book! I am over the moon!
Click here to see it—or buy it!

The Story Behind the Story

On New Year's Day, 2010, my Uncle Mel went into the hospital to get new knees for his 86th birthday. Instead, they gave him a staph infection, and he took up residence there for over a month. Uncle Mel has very poor eyesight, but he can see stories inside his head. He entertained the doctors and nurses with tales he spun from experiences he'd had with people he'd known (who were real characters!)

On March 5, 2010 he called me from Nevada. "Marty Ann," he said, "I've got a story in my mind. Do you think you could turn it into a book?"

Five days later I received a digital recorder with his ideas locked inside. It took a few days to get it transcribed into fourteen pages of text, and on March 15th I read Son of a Gun for the first time. A western, complete with gunfights, saloons, love scenes and fallen women, it was set in Texas a few years after the Civil War. Uncle Mel came up with the main characters: Jack, Indian Joe, Ruby, Sam, Leo, JJ, MJ and Big Red. The plot was roughly outlined with details that didn't hang together, and there was no ending. It was like having a list of random spelling words with the assignment of fitting them all into a story. I didn't know where to start.

I'd done a lot of historical writing but not historical fiction. My challenge was to get familiar with a new computer program to help me organize, study up on the American West and find out what Texas looks, feels and smells like. The children's section of the library is a great starting place to learn geography and history quickly. I read every book they had on Texas. Then I checked out books on horses, saloons, soiled doves, and guns. Real life research was going on, too: my son-in-law took me shooting, I explored a pioneer village, and a local smoke-shop owner taught me how to roll a cigarette!

Uncle Mel and I talked almost every day, and we thickened the plot. I began to picture the setting; his characters came alive and introduced me to new characters. As I wrote their dialogue, they told me in their own words what happened and how—writing a novel is an incredible experience!

Six months to the day, September 15, 2010, I sent Uncle Mel his manuscript. That night I emailed a pdf to Tate Publishing on a whim. Within a week I got a thumbs up from both of them!

Writing a novel is only half the job of publishing a novel. These are some of the post-writing steps:

1. Copyediting
2. Conceptual Editing
3. First Edit
4. Proof
5. Final Draft
6. Cover Design
7. Final Proof
8. Marketing

There are other little chores, like acknowledgments, bio, dedication, back cover matter, design, layout, color choices, etc. Luckily, all the folks at Tate Publishing know what they're doing and moved me from department to department without a hitch. I've now worked with several people and they've all been encouraging and supportive. It's been more work than I expected, but more fun than I expected, too.

The book releases to bookstores on Oct 28, 2011, but it's being pre-sold by the publisher at the same price. It's also available as an e-book!

Now comes the scariest part—someone will read it!


A fictional Marty Ann Halverson writing fiction.

“For those who can do it and who keep their nerve,
writing for a living still beats most real, grown-up jobs hands down.”
—Terence Blacker

See You in September

I've got a lot on my plate right now.

1. Finishing a book.
2. Publicizing a different book.
3. Building a website.
4. Moving to a new house.
5. Giving a talk in church.

I've always admired the ability to bite off more than you can chew,
and then chew it.

Süsse

Life is particularly sweet right now,
but I've got some serious chewing to do!

(Excuse me while I take a little blog break.)

Interior Design: Welcome Home

Carl Larsson's art captures a spirit of Gemutlichkeit.
This still life says, "You're home."

Supernal Way Family Room

This corner of our family room said the same thing.

Carl Larsson's Bedroom

I love bright color with white walls,
(Notice the lace ceiling of the bed.)

Supernal Way Bedroom

Our brass bed had a pedigree!
We could trace ownership back to the 1700's.
(Now we're just another former owner on the chart.)

Can you smell pot roast?

Supernal Way Big Room

Our old stove didn't cook anything.
(We kept board games in the warming ovens.)

Supernal Way Dining Room

This table had enough leaves to seat 24 people!
(Our space only worked for twelve.)
To make a room seem timeless, there should be at least one antique.
(Does an Oma count as an antique?)

Carl Larsson' study

I like studies that look like there's some studying going on.

Dee's Office

Dee's study is open until his eyes close.

Choosing colors and pieces you really love (rather than the latest trends) makes your home unique, personal and warm. It will express you. Right now my challenge is to make new spaces say the same old thing, "You're home."

Spotlight on Lighting

In the dark about your interior design project?
Lighten up!

Libby Langdon, author of Small Space Solutions, says, "Not lighting your space effectively makes it look smaller. If you can't see an area in your room it's as if it's not there! Capitalizing on natural light and bringing in artificial light is imperative."

There are four main types of lighting.

1. Ambient: The room’s overall splash of light—sunshine, overhead fixtures, chandeliers, floor lamps.
   
2. Task: A desk lamp, an under cabinet light, swing arm lamp for reading.
3. Accent: Lighting that draws the eye to architectural or decorative aspects of a room. Track or recessed lighting, lamps over artwork.
4. Mood: Dimmer switch, flickering candles.
   
   

Layer these types of illumination in a room for phenomenal effect.

Figure every room needs an average of 200 watts for every 50 square feet. The older you are, the more wattage you need to be comfortable. As we age our pupils have less flexibility and demand greater brightness—an average 50-year-old gets as much light from a 100-watt bulb as a 20-year-old gets from a 50-watt bulb!

A small living room could include four table lamps or a triangle combination of floor and table lamps to form plenty of welcoming pools of illumination. The bottom edge of the lamp shade should be at eye level of the person seated near it. If you want a standing lamp to function for reading, stand it behind the chair. Large lampshades create the appearance of greater space and more height. No more wimpy lamps!


Mirrors are great accessories. Angle one with a window, or behind a lamp to double your light source and brighten dark corners. Put a mirror on top of an armoire, bookcase, or above kitchen cabinets to reflect the light from ceiling fixtures. Dazzle everyone!

I can hardly wait to switch on the lights in my new house!
Do you have any brilliant (budget-friendly) ideas?

At home, think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.