This “Mother’s Day”;  I wasn’t with any of our girls or our seven grandchildren!  I thought all day about my own Mother!

She was the creative behind my own creativity;  although my father, (whom I cannot remember)  was extremely creative as well!

I owe so much to my mother;  and since she died when I was 33;  I never really was able to thank her for her encouragement and support of a talent……that really barely had

a “job description”  when I started “decorating”!

So, I decided, in honor of my talented and wonderful mother , to repost this “surprise” film  I discovered this past year!  (thanks to my cousin and her contractor!)

I hope those of you who haven’t seen it will enjoy it!  Those who have seen it can push “delete!!!

 Happy Mother’s day to everyone!  I have been saying this all day to everyone;  including  males and strangers!  If one isn’t a mother;  one had one!

Now we begin the original post……..shortly after we discovered this film!!   (78 years after it was filmed!!!):

I really have thought about this post!

“Grateful”  ”Giving Thanks”!   A Hugely important thing to me!!!

This is my first year blogging…….( I am so way grateful for those  of you who are visiting)!  I love, love love it!  Thank you for participating!

So,  I decided to share the thing I  am most  thankful for in a long, long time!

Honestly;  the best “Surprise Present” I have ever received   (that was not alive!)  is this!

I was born in 1947 in Los Angeles;  My mother was 40 years old when I was born (that was a neighborhood scandal!)  I have a brother born in 1938; ( there were blood issues ;  now easily solved);  however, my mother lost 7 pregnancies after my brother;  who was born in 1939!

My Daddie died when I had just turned 4;  I heard wonderful stories about him;   I have some great photographs of him which I treasure….and are on my walls! I don’t remember him…really…except little  tiny “snippets”..I never saw him “move”; and I didn’t remember any “mannerisms” or  ”body language”.

My mother was an enormous influence…..we were incredibly  close;  I learned everything I know  from her;  and she was a total pistol;

until Parkinson’s took her down at 67  (YIKES!)  and took her life at 70.

So:  my cousin Paulette calls me to say she found a yellow “Kodak” box with my father’s name on it;  inside is a roll of film with a date stamp of “June  20 1950″

I think it might be my birthday party!   Off it toodles to be turned into a disc!    I put it into my laptop;  and this is the story!

It is a film of them right after their wedding!!

It was a “silent movie” filmed 16 years earlier;  in 1934! It is a movie (when you had to crank it up……and let it wind  out…..and  crank it up again!)

My mother was 26; my father 32; they were married in Yuma Arizona, in 1934! Right after the ceremony; this person filmed them leaving the “Justice of the Peace” office;  and off they went to some divine hotel with a cousin; filmed by someone! In 1934!

My father took it to the film store to update the film 16 years later.  He knew he was dying;  I think he did so so we could watch it when he was gone!  He died in 1951.

This is the 3 minute film.

Among all I have to be grateful for, and I am , I picked this to show you!

Having a movie of my parents right after they are married is great enough;  however, this is the first time I have ever seen my Daddie “move”!

It means more to me than I can express!

One of my friends said it so beautifully!

She said….”this shows the power of film to bring people back to us”!

Watching it, I felt they were blowing kisses at me!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving;  and I hope you enjoy this short film!

I saw a lot of love here!  Please share your comments!

Pretty darn stylish people;  and the cutest car!  A 1934 Ford Cabriolet with a rumble seat!

An incredible gift!!!

My Mommies Wedding

Six baby ducklings hatched in our duck house.  Last Spring we had nine at the end of March, four in July, and nine again in August, all of whom got as big as their mother;  and off they flew after 53 days!

This year, April 19 they hatched;  and the first night, It poured rain like I have never seen here!

The next day I could see only two ducklings;  and I was beside myself!

More rain;   and no ducklings!

I had no idea that the wood chips had become soaking wet; and the poor mother duck was trying to keep her ducklings warm;  and she couldn’t!!

This is the repaired old duck house;  and the new duck house from South Carolina!!!  Today the new one went into the pond!

Here are all the adult ducks who return to where they hatched! This was taken two months ago!!

These were the two left the next day;   the next day, none !  I was devastated!!!!

Here is the mother on top of the duck house!!!

I was so devastated and felt so guilty!!!!  We pulled the duck house to the shore, buried the baby ducklings, (our gardener was almost in tears;  and I WAS in tears!

My housekeeper’s husband also stayed up all night fixing the leaking duck house;  adding more wood to lift it up; and waterproofing all the seams.  I thought back the last twelve years;  this had never happened !

It very rarely rains here during this time. He had it back ; repaired and floating in two days with fresh chips!

I spent the entire night”  googling” “Floating duck house”  and my HERO appeared!!

Meet Winston Brown and his lovely wife Linda!

 I found online LWB Creations, and wrote him the whole story;  tears streaming down my face!

He makes floating duck houses!!

 He called me the next morning with the most wonderful Southern accent you have ever heard.  He said, “Penelope, you are distressed!!

I make these myself;  and I am making one for a man in Louisiana who is  ” not in distress”  and I can have it to you next week!!!

Fabulous!  What a hero!!!

And floating swan or geese platforms!!  I have never been so pleased to find something so quickly!!

There was only one fly in the ointment!  The truck it came in  was too tall do  come down our lane………so, quick like a bunny my assistant and I rented a moving truck and picked up the beautifully crated duck house in a parking lot.

My assistant ,Gilda insisted that our grandchildren see their “Granny” can drive a big TRUCK!!!

Here it is!  It is beautifully made, even packed with the chips!!  The lid is hinged;  there is a wonderful ladder, and today it went into the pond!!

Our gardener and our housekeeper got it floating today!!

The repaired duck house already has a female sitting on eggs!  I think it won’t take long for another one to find the new house!!!

A female is sitting on eggs in this house!

And my next surprise;  is that Winston Brown’s wife paints the most beautiful portraits of dogs, chickens, and houses!!!

All you have to do is send her a photograph!  She captures the personality of the animals!!

LWB Creations

lwbcreations.com

Here is a beautiful rooster!

Winston makes all kinds of birdhouses, platforms, and what beautiful work!  And Linda does my favorite pet portraits ever!!

Thank you Winston and Linda!!!

Yes we do!!  Spring is in full swing!!

DO WE HAVE SPRING???

YES!!!!!

We have a handsome new deer trophy!  (wrought iron)  in a proud position!

The house is fully cloaked with ivy!  (People ask me why I bothered to pick a color of the plaster!)

You can see the plaster in the winter;  all the leaves turn colors and fall off!

I found a wonderful “dovecote” from the estate of the wonderful artist, Jack Baker!  I’m hoping doves will make nests!

The arbors are covered with different roses!

This giant azalea is as old as I am!  There are pictures of me as a child next to it!  It is in a big pot!

These roses all came from the wonderful place “Rose Story Farm” in Carpinteria!  They only have old roses;  and roses that have fragrance!!

(I learned there  that you have to leave your nose smelling for a full ten seconds to get the fragrance!)

This is the stupendous  (I think!) view from the window by my husband’s desk in his office!!

“The maternity ward” has a hen with five chicks!

They are so fast!

Can you see the wisteria in the tree?

Our grandchildren’s clay art works are displayed on this table!  It’s their “Art Gallery”!

This is the “olive allee” with its focal point of an Anduze pot we bought in Provence!

and our lovely “faux bois” bench from my friend Janice who owns “Janus et Cie”!

 Our proud “trophy “!

I

at night….I learned from Tara Dillard!!  Pretty to see in the windows!!!

Another angle!

The roosters are so happy to have their tails back!

I love the damp and mossy stuff on the pots!  and the other rooster!  (I AM SO SO lucky to inherit pots !!)

Tara says to buy pots and garden accessories that people will “fight over, at your estate sale!”

A happy rooster!

We really do have Spring , Summer and fall in Santa Barbara!

The only thing we really don’t have is “Winter”!  I must admit!

I almost forgot!  Here are the “Spring slipcovers”  They go on the first day of Spring!!!

A lovely little bird took a tuft of our cat’s fur (I put it on the bushes when I brush her) and flew off to put it in her nest!

I’ll do another post  about the garden when it’s Summer!

And we have a mallard sitting on at least 8 eggs in the floating duck house!  I will show you right away when they hatch!!!

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

 Here or click on the image above

]]> http://mccormickinteriors.com/2012/04/07/thank-youtg-interiors-for-such-lovely-compliments/feed/ 11 http://mccormickinteriors.com/2012/03/30/early-springtime-in-the-garden-2012/ http://mccormickinteriors.com/2012/03/30/early-springtime-in-the-garden-2012/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:52:05 +0000 penelopebi http://mccormickinteriors.com/?p=2572 These pictures were taken two weeks ago, around the middle of March!

Many people think we don’t have seasons in Santa Barbara;  but I am going to show you that we do!

You can see the wisteria; which not only looks beautiful, but smells sublime!

It creeps across the front of the garage, and around the side through the “sweet olive”!

This is pretty much its prime;  no leaves yet!

The finial fell off the duck house;  I am not replacing it until the end of the summer!  The wood duck loves posing as the finial!

wood duck!

The juvenile black-crowned heron takes turns!  And there is a mallard sitting on eggs in one of the nest boxes!

This heron won’t hurt the baby  ducklings;  but we chase the Great Blue Heron out of here when there are baby ducklings!

Our Boston ivy comes in red in the beginning;  red leaves are not appealing to birds.  The rooster is happy to have his tail feathers coming back!!

From the other side!

The real roosters didn’t lose their tail feathers!

This shows a glimpse of our mesquite front gate.

This shows the mesquite railing that goes across a small stream from the pond ! It is interwoven with willow; so it is a living railing! The willow loses its leaves in the winter.

Hardenbergia  vine blooms in the winter (the purple one) and the white potato vine (a type of jasmine) blooms 12 months a year!

Chickens busy at bug finding and eating!

The crabapple fence just starting to leaf out in the herb garden!

These steps are petrified wood!

I love the rock edging on the herb garden; and the lavender planted in gravel.

This is our “Certified Backyard Habitat ” sign!  My granddaughter was in the first grade when we went online; filled out the application,  and sent it in with photographs.

It says  ”This property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive:  food, water, cover, and places to raise young.

It has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat Site.”

We are very proud of that!!

Our gardener planted these native iris two years ago as a surprise;  he didn’t think they “took”;  but look at them now!!!!

When the gardeners on our lane “blow” (mercifully only once a week) , they leave the pile of oak leaves for us!!  My favorite path material!

more iris!

More hardengerbia and potato vine and chickens!

In a week or so; I will post what it looks like further along in Spring!

He also won an Academy award for set design for “Moulin Rouge.

She timed her trip to coincide with a show of his oil paintings at the Katia Granoff gallery.

In researching for this blog post;  look what I discovered!!! A blog post about Marcel Vertes with my bedroom in it!  I had never seen it!

Feeling Pink with Marcel Vertes

Hungarian painter, printmaker and illustrator Marcel Vertes (1895-1961) was full of whimsy, as evidenced in the gorgeous series of ads he concocted for Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1937 scent Shocking Pink.

Vertes and Schiaparelli not only worked on this campaign together, they also collaborated on the 1952 film Moulin Rouge, about artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Another ad for Schiaparelli’s Shocking Pink.

Here is an original bottle of the perfume. The curvy torso was inspired by Schiaparelli’s client, Mae West.

Vertes hits the bottle of pink paint again for this portrait of Coco Chanel.

For this buff pink room in designer Penelope Bianchi’s Santa Barbara home, she hung Vertes’ work from floor to ceiling. Photo from House Beautiful. Gorgeous.

POSTED BY BUNNATINE DREAMS 

This was the beginning of a lifelong collection of the work of one artist by my mother, my brother, and by me!

“Columbine en Vacances”

This is a beautiful one that was above our living room mantle while I was growing up!

s

We had a fire in 1982, and one of my mother’s Vertes oils was lost.  I bought this one from  my dear Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson;  and after I had purchased it, they told me it had belonged to Elsie de Wolfe.  My mother gave me her book, The House in Good Taste; which had inspired me to become a decorator!!

We stayed at a friend’s guest house right near the beautiful Auberge de Soleil  Hotel;  and even in the off-season; the weather was gorgeous!!!

The first place I want to share is one of the most beautiful, magical restaurant  I have ever seen!  In fact, the minute we saw it ,

we decided to have lunch and dinner there the first full day we were there!

At first we saw this beautiful stone building!

Stunning Entrance!

charming sign!

 

 

This is an annual list released once a year!  These houses are selected each February and are

publicized all year!

No one can apply for, nor purchase this advertising!

I feel extremely honored;  and I am with some very spectacular company!!

I have had calls from friends from all over who saw it in their newspapers, and even on AOL!

 This is sure  fun for me!!!  And I consider it a big compliment!!

                                                         

I started a blog last April (I think);  and was encouraged by my dear friend Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen.

I will learn how to make those links……(actually Velvet  and Linen is in my sidebar and you can click on it!)

My nine year old grandson asked me what a blog was!  I really couldn’t answer him.  (see previous post comments……

they are wonderful and so informative.)

Well, anyway, I have been a decorator for 41 years (sorry, there are new people who don’t know!)  and the thought of a blog had not

crossed my mind………until….way after ……..I discovered the internet!

First thing I did on the internet..(newyorksocialdiary.com).

No one called it a blog….I just knew I liked him;  his point of view…..(I also love all the party dresses!!)

(David Patrick Columbia….now a dear friend)

These two things happened at the same time…..the other one was “Pale Male”  the blog about the very first red-tail hawks

to nest in Central Park in 50 years, or more!  (www.palemale.com)

the author of that one is a photographer for National Geographic.

I read about the hawk’s nest 22 years ago in the Wall Street Journal and sent our daughter (who lived there and was a teacher)   on a mission to see this nest!  She saw it!

(don’t forget, I am a decorator, not a techie)

So, along I go, discovering fabulous blogs along the way!  ”An Aethete’s Lament”!!??!!   (I have not recovered!!  the best of the best!  Lordy!  Grad school in decorating right there!

“Home before dark”  are you kidding……….you cannot get that education anywhere…….nowhere at all.  I am serious.   There are so many wonderful blogs!

So I became a blog addict.  Then……with Brooke (who when she met me could tell that my favorite thing is to tell stories…..encouraged me to start a blog! Of my own!)

So I did.  I thought 3 people might subscribe.  5? maybe.

Sheesh!  I am so way too wordy…….the point is this.  I did start a blog.  Once a week at most is all I could muster;  but the fact is;  it is one of my favorite things in my whole life!  I am a storyteller!  I love telling stories more than anything in this world!  So here is the audience who have not heard my stories….

and if they don’t like them; one click away!  POOF!

Here is the point of this.  I received this in my email. This is the reason for this post. This is why I know I am doing the right thing.

This is a new blogger’s dream come true.

I received this from someone far, far away.  It made me cry very happy tears….and I asked permission to publish it  She said yes..  So:  here it is!

This is an example of what makes this whole effort so way worthwhile:  THIS:

“Dear Mrs. Bianchi,
my name is Bettina Baldassari, I’m writing you from Italy, where I live with my 5 cats and 5 birds, I found in years.
I just were looking around he web, and I came into your site.
So, let me tell you: that the pictures of your house

in S. Barbara are simply BEAUTIFUL, and more, the philosophy that I guess is beyond, that must be your life-style, is what I feel to be

nearest to mine.
So I can’t help to write and say THANK YOU, for your art, and for sharing your inspirations on your blog, that now is among my favorites.
Last year I’ve written and illustrated a book dedicated to the old school book I remember of my childhood, and to the places where I live, that’s the countryside near Ravenna.
Let me send you the link of the book trailer that we made (which I compose and realized the music for too), is just a small thing, but is precious to me, and I’m happy to share it with you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-tZV8Edi8o
So, thank you again, and again.
I send you also a picture of my friends…
And since we still are in Christmas time, my best wishes for you and your family.

Bettina Baldassari
Conselice (Ra)

p.s.: Is there a book to order somewhere to know your work better, I mean something like a catalogue?
I would be grateful if you let me know.”

That is what she wrote to me.

Guess what?  As a decorator, animal lover, and new blogger……..it doesn’t get any better!  What a lovely letter and what a lovely thing that I touched a life in my favorite place in Italy……it doesn’t even matter where it is!  Somewhere in the world I touched a heart, a visual person, a life.

This made my dreams come true!!  Isn’t it astonishing????

Of all the wonderful things about blogging…..nothing means more than the comments.

thank you all so much for your comments……..they mean more than I can ever express!

 And then she sent me this picture!!!  Of 3 of her cats!

Grandparent’s Day at Crane School Sunday with Poppy (Penelope) 13;  and Tommy , 9, and Adam my husband!

It was 80 degrees, if you can believe it!!

I cannot tell you how much fun it is to post a blog every week or so!  There is always something I am excited about!!  and that has not changed!

What has changed is that there is a member of my family who has developed some medical problems.

I am on call to help with my grandchildrenI can’t even think straight…..let alone…..do my blog!

I know you will all understand.

Also, my assistant who helps with the photos on my blog  is having a wonderful time “en vacances”  in Kauai surfing!

I will be back……I have four or five (I hope interesting posts)  I am just unable to do any at the moment!

Thank you for being my friends……..and I do consider you all my friends…

I have some really exciting things coming up here………(go Brooke! Velvet and Linen!)

 We are going to a book signing with my best friends in Palm Beach Florida and Lars and Nadine Bolander.

 You may remember the book signing at our house  for Lars’ book is where Brooke  and Steve and I met!

Lars’ book is  ”Lars Bolanders Scandinavian Design”;

and Brooke and Steve will be signing  their beautiful book “Patina Style”  at the Bolander’s  wonderful store in West Palm Beach!!

They are online and have the most unusual and wonderful things

I have ever seen in one store!  EVER!!!  They have another store in New York in the Design Center.

The name of their store is,   Lars Bolander!

It will be such fun to show Brooke and Steve around Palm Beach!  They have never been!

I am just out of commission for a while.  I think next week I can pick up again!

My favorite was  when I was fretting….with my nine year old grandson……

“ohhhh I can’t do my blog!!”  Tommy said ;  (he is nine)  ”Grannny, what’s a  blog?”

Do I know?  No!

I told him:  ”You know how I love to tell stories?”  He said, “yes, and I love all your stories!”

(he gets something big in my will for that one!)

I said, “that is what my blog is;  telling my stories!”

I think that is sooo funny!

Please help me…….and thank you for your patience.  I will  post some pictures.  So…what the heck is a “blog”???

I hope you miss me;  and I hope you will welcome me back!  I miss you!

Penelope