interior design – Camellia's Cottage

Posted on October 26, 2018October 27, 2018 by Camellia's Cottage · 12 Comments

Storm Art…

EF959F8E-EC91-4F0C-A7F6-A160946C6A03 The South often finds herself in the path of storms… just recently Hurricanes Florence and Michael came blowing through leaving a path of destruction- it’s heartbreaking, takes the wind out of your sails when the sun comes out and shines a bright spotlight on the damage. The first time we went to New Orleans after Katrina- we took a tour through storm ravaged parts of the city and visited a museum with an haunting installation hanging from the ceiling, made of recovered dirt streaked bottles and hand blown blue glass hands reaching down as a reminder of the many hands who reached into the flood waters and rescued survivors along with recovery of bodies and debris. After that season of terrible storms along the Gulf Coast it wasn’t unusual to see Storm Art…street vendors and fine artists who made things of beauty from parts of the wreckage, somberly beautiful reminders of terrible times, the will to survive and the determination to survive.

F00B3A49-1980-4532-8316-5AD8A5092771 One, internationally acclaimed artist, Nall, who hails from Troy, Alabama created masterpieces from pieces of wood, bits of fine art gilded frames and beautiful prints collaged together in ways that evoked sad memories wrought into beauty. In 2016, while we were in Fairhope – a beautiful small town on Mobile Bay… strolling around the town we came upon an art gallery and wandered in to look around. Nall, himself was in residence- all alone with his tiny dogs.

We were enthralled by his art and his colorful eccentric personality as he spoke of his work and many other things with passion. Nall’s work was known to me- I had seen several pieces of his work hanging in the historic Grand Hotel on Point Clear nearby. I had admired it for years, never dreaming we would actually meet the man who created the Storm Art. Now, I’m absolutely no Nall, however, I was inspired to create something- anything from a storm and make my own version of Storm Art. Sure enough, inspiration struck when, a year or so ago- a small tree was uprooted by a storm, in our yard. The mud was washed away from the trunk and it was sawed off to about table height. Then the drying out process took several months.

A6D82638-1BDE-4744-B3E3-ECA61A250F38 With a small pot of silver and another of bronze glaze- I set out to make the uprooted stump into something useful and hopefully beautiful. A friend helped me find a lightweight tray to put on top- I loved this tray whether it worked or not. To tell you the truth, I wanted a thicker rim for the top and still hope to find one! While I’m not entirely satisfied now, when I do find the perfect top- this tray will be useful and beautiful. Still. In an effort to finish my tree stump project- I’ve temporarily attached the tray and the result delights me.

DF77ADE9-E022-47D3-9D5E-4D540C7ECE81 Nall would probably laugh out loud- oh, maybe not- he encourages budding artists with his workshops- such an incredible man. Yet, for now… my silvered tree trunk plant stand pleases me- with it’s jumbo fern…a touch of whimsy indoors which perks up the gray days and makes me have hope. Imagine. My Storm Art has become a plant stand!

9F228F00-09BA-400A-8EEC-54E4487B98E9 I might not love the problems of storms… yet I can learn to love beauty born of trouble. Storm Art, if you will. Repurposing debris is an old art form…undertaken in the calm after a storm. Our hearts remain with those who are continuing to recover from recent storms and heartache.

Love y’all, Camellia

*You won’t want to miss seeing more art by Nall and reading more about him! You can find him at http://www.artistnall.com Amazing! We were inspired and honored to meet him!

*All photographs of Storm Art are obviously mine. A huge thanks to Nall, who gave me permission to take his photograph and the others in his studio- which in no way does justice to his fine art.

Posted on July 31, 2018July 31, 2018 by Camellia's Cottage · 10 Comments

Mapping the Stars…

Stars… we all love them. Songs have been written… Ships have found their way.. Poems have been penned. Wise Men found a Savior. Proposals have been offered. Sacred Vows have been made. Lullabyes have been softly sung… It seems mankind has been starstruck from the cradle onward through musical scores, love songs, hymnals and anthems across life’s precious moments, star strewn sidewalks, storm tossed seas and flag draped coffins. What is it about stars that fascinates, inspires and moves us? Pinpoints of light in the dark night sky- constellations traced with chubby fingers, comets eagerly awaited and falling stars amaze. I’ll admit it- I love the stars and do watch in awesome wonder; I like nothing better than to describe someone with starry eyes or recognize something special in a young child and say- ‘A star is born!’

When Star Mapper and artist, Jennifer Beck, contacted Camellia’s Cottage about her amazing star maps at Modern Map Art and asked us for a review of her star strewn maps, I didn’t hesitate as I often do, since we do very few product reviews. One look at her website’s ‘astronomical software used by a planetariums that generates the actual sky at a particular time or place’ from the past or even the future- well, I was starstruck. And it didn’t hurt that they had been on NBC’s Today Show promoting their wonderful designs! When I accessed their website, I had so much fun putting in important dates- birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and more. I thought how impressive a whole wall of family birthdays would be; I imagined a dorm room with a star map entitled ‘Reach for the Stars’ , now that would inspire a young college student! And what fun it would be to give an engaged couple a futuristic sky map of their wedding night- my imagination was in overdrive.

Ultimately, I created a Custom Night Sky of an important date to me- and had it titled ‘Stars Fell on Alabama’. I could have added the constellations to the night sky with their amazing software, I chose the simpler night sky. Camellia’s Cottage is mostly traditional in design, though I do like a bit of contemporary art and had been looking for something different. I was so excited at the possibilities. When the Star Map arrived a few days ago- the paper was sturdy and high quality, the lettering and design is crisp and the border is a nice touch too. I couldn’t wait to try it in a few places even before it was framed! Now, the hard part! I need to decide where my Custom Night Sky will find it’s permanent home!

I hope you will visit their website- Modern Map Art . When you get to the site- go to star maps and just have fun creating your very own star maps of important dates! They have lots of options and while ours is the largest size at 24″ x 36″ – there are lots of sizes from small to large. The prices for custom art from Modern Map Art is very reasonable and would make great gifts for your family and friends. Christmas in July may be over…still. It’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays and all of those stars in your life!

We try very hard at Camellia’s Cottage to recommend only those products or services we would personally use. Modern Map Art certainly met our standards! A huge thank you to Jennifer Beck and her team at Modern Map Art for creating our special poster! And, I’ll show it to you again when I get it framed and installed.

‘Stars Fell on Alabama’ might be a big band song, though it really did happen here, and the Saturn V missile was built right here in Alabama to take folks to the moon. Alabama is where Music and Movie stars are part of our history, yet every time a baby is born- we also believe in those tiny twinkling starry miracles!

Love y’all, Camellia

* All photographs are obviously mine. The Star Map is, blush…of my wedding anniversary’s night sky. I’ll admit I have a hankering to order even more – the birthdates of my own children who’ve played a starring role in our lives and of important occasions when I might not recall the beautiful night skies! Modern Map Art is a wonderful resource for star maps, city maps, city skylines and more! The poster they provided to Camellia’s Cottage for review will have a starring role here for years to come!

Posted on November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 by Camellia's Cottage · 15 Comments

Freshen up for Fall, y’all…

60B3C876-BBFB-4CA2-8F15-9308077EBA05 In the South, when we start saying- ‘It’s nice outside!’ The Fall days have cooled down, all of that Daylight has been saved…it signals a time when I want to Freshen up for Fall indoors and out… The Cottage is small but has a good many windows which tends to expand the space visually, bringing the Outdoor Views inside. It’s a fact, that if the foliage outside is still lush and green, the sofa pillows have hints of green too; when the foliage is thinner and more colorful– I want to make changes indoors, bring out cozy throws and warm up the color palette. When abundant Fall Vegetables, Fruits and Holiday Foods start showing up too- It’s time to Freshen up for Fall, y’all!

I spent some time last week clearing out and taking inventory of the pantry and freezer to shop here for meals, already in the freezer and take advantage of grocer’s sales on-

Turkeys, Corn Meal and Grits-
Sugars- brown and white
Apples, Pears, Peppers and Pecans too.
(The signature sign of a good Southern hostess, is a bowl of Toasted Pecans!)

While I was clearing out inside– the sunny cool days beckoned me outdoors more than once! A year ago, we visited the historic Grand Hotel near Fairhope, Alabama.. the abundant colorful arrangements in the foyer were stunning. I wanted recreate them here -if space allowed! 67EC36D1-1C1B-4DC2-942B-24461F95947C

It doesn’t. Still. Outside here at the cottage- the sky’s the limit! So, here’s what we did-

Inside, we cleared off counters, cleaned out pantry and fridge, used what we had on hand and freshened up while still taking advantage of the abundance of Fall. We cozied up the sofas and chairs with a few throws and a big bowl filled with Fall Fruits and Vegetables.
We looked outside and made note of the views. It’s still nice outside, so why put up the outdoor cushions when we still have a few weeks to enjoy it? We can keep the cushions and a paisley throw nearby inside for reading or relaxing. We pulled terra cotta pots and urns in closer-still lush with summer Ferns and a big pot of dark Coleus clustered beside the chaise. At the same time? We improved the view from indoors- the cozy cluster outside is hiding bare rose branches and hydrangeas no longer at their peak.
Over the sink, the kitchen window overlooks an ironwork table and chairs…now bare from summer’s plants or arrangements- we put a big pot of fat Mums and some faux white baby pumpkins in a galvanized tub to brighten the view from inside while taking advantage of a dogwood beginning to change from summer’s green to Fall’s Brilliant Red.
*Note: Most faux pumpkins are a better fit for continuous outdoor use. Bring them in if you’re expecting a downpour! Don’t be afraid to mix faux and real in arrangements or fruit bowl. Abundance is key. Real baby pumpkins and gourds will stay fresh a while longer if refrigerated- hopefully ’til Thanksgiving!
In another area- we set up a Big Disguise. Where a tree had to be removed is a big bare hole not yet ready for re-planting…
In front of the railing, we set up a temporary Fall scene using a small Fire Pit and a Flea Market Ironwork Container with a faux candle. Take a look! Now, while it’s not as grand as the famous Grand Hotel… it’s a big scale arrangement that was fun to assemble with some fresh Magnolia Leaves, swept up fallen leaves, Nandina Berries, vines and bundles of twigs.
This arrangement, using what we had on hand- is whimsical, improves the outside and freshens up the view from inside Camellia’s Cottage for now, as we prepare to enjoy Fall!

I’d love to know- How do you Freshen up your cottage or castle for Fall?

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine.

*The photographs of large scale floral arrangements were taken at the Grand Hotel and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama- beautiful all year round… Well over 100 years old, The Grand is a Stately Southern Lady lounging on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Everyone should try to visit at least once in a lifetime! It is now part of the resort collection of Marriott® Hotels.

Posted on March 4, 2017December 7, 2022 by Camellia's Cottage · 15 Comments

Words are powerful…

Words are powerful. Fifteen years ago, a grand lady who sits among ancient bearded live oaks taught me a lesson about words. I brought that lesson home to Camellia’s Cottage. Over and over, words have proven to be a powerfully quiet presence here and there. Often I am reluctant to share these things in a print, for some reason I feel compelled to share the lesson of words with you now. Built at Point Clear, Alabama in the 1840’s, the Grand Hotel has been a beloved place almost all of my life- it sprawls across an area of astonishing beauty, among trees that must be over a hundred years old- live oaks with gray Spanish moss; to go there is to experience the finest Mobile’s Eastern Shore has to offer to visitors. The Grand Hotel has known her share of hardships; she has been battered by war, hurricanes and upheavals. Yet she was always beautiful. As she gracefully aged along those shores inevitably the historic hotel needed repairs and upgrades, not unlike Camellia’s Cottage. Added in 2002, the Spa at the Grand Hotel has consistently been one of the highest ranked Spas by Conde Nast and other travel guides. I am not surprised by these rankings – I was there the very first year-when the paint was barely dry, when those who had helped build and staff the Spa were still around to tell about it. I recall exclaiming to the Spa Manager- ‘This is the most peaceful place I have ever been.’ Now, that’s sayin’ something- Point Clear is one of the most peaceful places on earth; yet every time I have been at the Grand Hotel- with it’s wonderful food, bonafide botanical gardens, sitting regally on Mobile Bay…why is it that windowless inner Spa seems so incredibly filled with embracing warmth, pervading peace, quiet hospitality and a spiritual ethereal atmosphere? The Manager told me that before the floors were laid, before the walls were installed and while the rafters of the Spa were still exposed, she asked her team to write their best words, quotes and phrases on the raw wood.

She strongly believed words are so powerful that even if those written words are covered with tile, carpet, sheetrock, paint and plaster- the unseen words would radiate through the interior of the windowless Spa. I believed her. I kept those words in my heart for five years before I acted on them. Ancient Scripture attests to the power of Words, we know the written word is especially powerful, think of a Handwritten Note as opposed to a quickly muttered ‘Thank you’– which is more powerful? I wanted hidden handwritten words to be part of my home. Let me be clear, this cottage is not historical, it is not sprawling across acres of bay front property, but it was aging and needed to be renovated. Oddly enough, in the same year the Grand Hotel Spa manager had shared her wisdom of powerful words, I had already started an assessment at home by going into each room, writing down what I liked about each room and how each room made me feel. Here is what I wrote about the Front Entry:

The front door faces harsh western heat and light
The foyer is cramped, dreary and dark
It isn’t a welcoming entrance-
No matter what I’ve done to improve it, all of these years the front entrance is the space I most dislike.

I made furious notes about the problem of the Front Entrance and decided the Renovations would begin in there. Five years later, according to my notes,

we would remove the foyer wall to install a wide opening into the living room,
we would grab a mere 18 inches from an old laundry/storage room behind the foyer wall-
we would add additional lighting

On and on…until truly the Entry was stripped down to gaping holes, studs, subflooring and rafters. Recently, I found the journal account of those notes- I had written a prayer before renovation began-

‘Oh Lord, You have said, ‘Do all that is in your heart to do’ and ‘Do not neglect the gift that is in you’. Let me get this renovation right! Call forth the gifts! As I recall in Your Word, when the Tabernacle was being built, artisans, craftsmen and carpenters were called in. The workmen have been called in here- bring forth the plan, bring forth their gifts!. Let me get this right! Guide my thoughts, ‘gift’ me. Help me write the vision for this space, for You have said- ‘Write the vision and make it plain…’ Bring forth the gifts of light, wisdom and hospitality for this place. Amen.

The next page in the journal has the detailed vision and drawings. The work began. Walking through the rubble- bare rafters and all, I recalled the wisdom of the Grand Hotel Spa. Over a 3 day weekend while the workmen were gone- I wrote words, phrases, quotes, scriptures on every bare surface- on the ceiling rafters, the wall studs, even a section of subflooring beneath the front door!

My notes say- ‘Write words where they will not be seen- words of peace, love, joy, hospitality, friendship, safety, shelter, compassion, mercy, welcome, come back soon.’ Some of my favorite passages of Scripture were included-

‘The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift His Face to shine upon you and grant you peace.’
‘I am come that they might have life and have it in abundance.’
‘I, the Lord God, have loved you with an everlasting love.’
‘Welcome strangers into your midst, for some in so doing have entertained angels unaware.’
‘Beloved if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.’

Now, I’m sure the workmen thought they were working for an eccentric at the very least. The words are now covered up, unseen. I kept a sample of words I wrote on a board that was removed from the old foyer, but if you come to Camellia’s Cottage, I can’t show you anything more than a bare ceiling, walls and floors. The results of the powerful words are known.

The Entry feels larger and more open than it actually is, there is an abundance of natural light. My assessment now would be that the Entry is one of my favorite spaces in the whole Cottage. The total renovation of the cottage lasted close to five years. When the Entry was finished enough to welcome folks, regularly I would hear, ‘This house is so peaceful.’ The choice of words are almost the same ones I used so long ago at the Grand Hotel Spa. Personally when I come in the front door or just walk through the Entry- unseen words continue to set the tone and inspire me. The cottage is not grand, it is home. Words are powerful, even unseen, unspoken. Words do make a difference.

Love y’all, Camellia

For more information about the Grand Hotel – go to https://www.marriott.com/spas/ptlal-grand-hotel or in your search engine put Marriott Grand Hotel in Point Clear Alabama- Marriott manages this historic hotel property which is owned by Retirement Systems of Alabama and is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail the Spa at the Grand Hotel was ranking #1 for 2009,2010, 2011 in the Marriott Guest Satisfaction and in the top 100 spas by Conde Nast

Opening photograph of the grounds of the Grand Hotel are mine- as are the others

Posted on October 28, 2016October 29, 2016 by Camellia's Cottage · 21 Comments

Fall Wreaths…

Fall Wreaths are an essential transition from summer to harvest, on Southern doors and interiors you will find wreaths and arrangements gleaned from yards and gardens. From the cradle to the grave, Southern ladies insist that:

Knowing a good florist is essential, especially if you don’t happen to have a green thumb or know anyone who does. Please do this by recommendation- if you visit a florist that bases the business on lots of glitter, tinted carnations, specializes in funeral wreaths shaped like golf carts, makes holiday arrangements with canned snow and plastic snowmen or Horror of all Horrors mostly uses artificial flowers– with as much grace as you can muster, tiptoe backwards out of that shop and run- don’t walk away. Resolve to never darken the door of that place again! It can only lead to social embarrassment.
Being in a Garden Club trains ladies in the fine arts of arranging flowers, especially yard flowers for their homes. Being on the Altar Committee of your church is a labor of love and if you have a member who makes an offering of artfully designed yard flowers all the better. Working Garden Club Holiday Houses is not for the faint of heart- it is as rigorous as SEC Spring Training! Beautification of your community is considered an act of love and devotion as long as you do it with a stylish garden hat and matching gloves; are able to merely glow and grow, without breaking a sweat!
The very height of a Southern lady’s repertoire is to actually grow flora and fauna in her yard to use for home décor and special events. Any time there are especially auspicious occasions you can find florally talented ladies roaming all over yards that are known to have seasonal specialties, snipping and trimming from yard to yard to get up enough for a yard arrangement, which is highest form of floral gentility, good taste and refinement.

Fall Wreaths are part of the genteel Southern tradition. If you don’t actually have a granddaddy who owns a cotton farm, well- at least you can round up some cotton to make a Fall Wreath to grace your interiors or front doors. Cotton Wreaths are highly prized in Alabama. I fashioned my own wreath from cotton grown in the George Washington Carver Garden at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which was given to me as a gift from the gardeners. I had my husband go to an actual cotton farm and chop cotton for me so that friends and family could have their own! Be sure and leave the ’empty cotton bolls’ on the stems- they are called Southern Stars! wreath

Fine gentlemen consider it a privilege to grow Muscadines even if the deer eat all of them before anyone gets enough to actually make a pot of jelly! Southern men might dream of Muscadine Wine but he knows the ladies will appreciate the vines for their Fall Wreaths, even if his vines aren’t successful that year. img_0120-2

Herb boutonnieres are a wonderful addition to weddings and funerals- Granddaughters of a large family I know, fashioned herb badges for family members- Rosemary for Remembrance and Lavender for Love and Devotion, for the visitation and then a few months later, they planted Rosemary and Lavender behind the gravestone. I know one lady who knew that a prominent member of the community would be wall to wall with funeral stands on his behalf. She decided to cut and wrap a massive arm bouquet of fresh rosemary to be presented to the widow at the gravesite- it was a sweet gesture of remembrance. Fall Wreaths can be made from fresh herbs and hung to dry for snipping later, Southerners love this idea. I admit to having fresh basil drying in my pantry as we speak, shamefully I did not fashion it into a Fall Wreath. However, months before a nightly nip in the air arrived, I cut and filled big galvanized tubs with hydrangeas which are drying for Fall Wreaths and filling baskets here at Camellia’s Cottage.

This weekend, get outside and wind up some Vines, some of the most beautiful Fall Wreaths I have ever seen were made from Kudzu vines! Morning glory vines also make wonderful wreaths… even cuttings of long flexible shrub branches wind up in a quirky sort of way….the wreath on top of the white chest at the end of this post was made from Fresh Gardenia shrub growth- it just happened to dry into a glorious shade of brown, I added cotton to it, to make a Fall Wreath. It is one of my favorite wreaths. You can also purchase grapevine wreaths and stick rose hips, herbs or dried pods and berries along with magnolia leaves for a stunning Fall Wreath- you don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot of decorating magic. Go ahead and embrace the imperfection of yard finds. And please remember the advice from our Southern ladies- Yard flowers are the most loving, because they are a part of who we are.

Love y’all, Camellia.

All of these less than perfect photographs are shamefully mine.

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