Wow.  Who knew Cinncinatti, Ohio, has so much charm?!  I made a quick trip up this weekend to visit my friend Tessa and worked with several clients in the area:  beautiful homes in Hyde Park, Mt Lookout, Mariemont and Terrace Park.  What a treat!

I can’t wait to share with you some about these homes..all built in the 1920s and 1930s which you know i LOVE but more important than that is good girl time so i have to start with Tessa.  We met several years back through the blog and getting to meet her in person was so fun. 

I know that sounds cheesy and maybe just weird but i worked on this room with Tessa in her home (and many of you have referenced and loved it) and to finally stand there and see it in person was surreal and well, FUN! And the hydrangeas are blooming everywhere…even Tessa’s windowboxes!  Most of the homes i was in had their beautiful old windows cranked out or slightly raised..love that! 

Like I said, i will post more on the trip but wanted to start with telling you about this part of my visit with Tessa since i know many of you read her blog is well …so i have to tell you a few things about her home…it is SO cozy and warm..well decorated but not so perfect you don’t feel like you can’t kick your shoes up and curl up on the sofa (which i did)..there are books and paintings everywhere…it feels like what a home should be…lots of soul. Not huge not extragavant, not perfect, children clearly live there but just so. well. done. I could move right in.

Here a few iphone snippets..i actually snapped this while snuggling on the sofa with her Charlie (don’t tell my boys!;)

 This sliver of wall above  is the side of a bookcase with silhouettes and a wonderful little painting. Did you know Tessa was born in Belgium and lived in Germany as a child so she has such a love for things with history and charm and it shows! One of my favorite things in the entire house is a slipcovered ottoman pictured at the very top of the post.  Tessa says its a mess and torn but its so cute.

AND…can you imagine how excited i was to come up her stairs (bottom left..she has real command of the gallery wall and mixing frames, the key is using white mats to carry eye) and as i topped the stairs to see Charlie’s precious little room (he is soo cute!) off to the left and her gorgeous bedroom straight ahead. I was swooning.

Yes i know it sounds silly but i nearly cried seeing her gorgeous master in person after we emailed about it so much! I know some of you will get this insanity! ha! The Thibaut wallpaper is SOO perfect for the room..the scale and pattern are spot on..the room has slanted ceilings and so much charm, it is truly even prettier in person.

Sigh.

And you know we did some shopping and checking out of Tessa’s favorite shops like English Traditions in Hyde Park Square! (and then lunch at Tellers..yum!)

and latte drinking and eating..that girl can eat to be so skinny (she says she works out just so she can eat)..and she loves to cook!  She is a true cook and foodie! Really inspiring. She made these for dessert one night. And these for breakfast.  And the most amazing homemade brownies one morning. The girl is serious about the baking. She should open a little gourmet shop like Ina Garten..i can see it now..FOLEY HOUSE!

 muffin recipe here & pots de creme recipe linked in this post.

So, I worked quite a bit while there but thoroughly enjoyed myself too as you can see..thank you Tessa and family for sharing your home with me, thank you to Christine for picking me up at the airport and just to all of my clients for welcoming me to Ohio and into your homes.  You are awesome!

Ok enough of the lovefest and sugarfest..thanks for “indulging me”..ha!  Have a happy Monday!

If you don’t know about the Big Mama blog then this post will seem strange to you…but if you know of Big Mama and have been reading her since 2006  like me, then you will appreciate my joy over getting to meet her.. Silly sounding? Perhaps but when i was frazzled young mama in 2006 with a rowdy toddler, God used her to minister to me…and make me laugh! Recently i got to meet her in person.  It was fun to say the least.

{i love Big Mama’s arched front door…and i happened into San Antonio on Fiesta weekend!}

We have worked on her house before via email but she is finally ready to make some big changes so I went to see her in person!  Instantly I destroyed her house with my bags of fabrics and notebooks and measuring tape, moving furniture…she cracked a Diet Coke or two!

 And here you can see Big Mama texting Sophie (boomama)..supposedly a question about some word art but probably to tell her I was making a mess!;; 

We even moved a huge church pew to another room to see how it will work as extra dining room sitting! Perfect that is how! Yes that meant hoisting her darling husbands huge tv off its perch and moving it back so he wouldn’t know. Oh and his taxidermy…doesn’t really bother me..SHOCKED? Well I am a Texas girl too so I can’t be shocked with stuffed animals. We just have to deal with it sometimes. I can inject as much fabric and style as possible to balance..its called Eclectic y’all. We will make it work and her man will be happy! Speaking of her hubby and sentimental things…One of the neatest things we did was decide to hang an old ranch sign from her husband’s family (we found it in her backhouse..you know the backhouse right..the one she painted in her uggs…its already peeling) above the…kitchen sink! I hope he loves it…we do! Big Mama’s house just seems like a party house and hopefully the decor will fit that hospitality even more..like this fabric!

from here…i have used this on several projects lately..love this fabric and amazing price…

and the light!

Can’t wait to put this light over her gorgeous dining table!

 Melanie and I aren’t big photographers…and i had bad roots so that was an even better reason to not take many photos of us together but just look at her..she is so cute in her JCrew little toothpick pants or whatever you call them?! She is so darling and the she opens her mouth and PURE Texas (still very chic but much more likable!) know what i mean..her voice and accent just made me love her more.  So i was instantly at ease and think i hugged her more than once. 

And then we had to have a discussion about some dusty ivy on top of her cute cabinet… i said “Big mama, you dress too cute, you are too put together and stylish to have this ivy in your house..WHY???? tell me WHYYYY?” and she was finally ready to let it go…the moment!

Now don’t get all upset or offended with me about the ivy…i have some fake “myrtle” toparies in my house AT PRESENT and i have had my share of fake ivy… so much in fact i feel I can tell her its time to let this stuff go. You may not be there yet..and that is okay. Lord knows I have my issues;

All of this to say, it was a JOY to meet Melanie..we went to Target and talked about mom stuff and crazy families all while we decorated..pure bliss. Thanks Big Mama!

And I promise to keep y’all posted on this project..we are making progress quickly including upholstery, slipcovers, paint  and new lighting and built-ins..fun stuff.  Big Mama’s home is older and cozy like mine so we want every inch to sing!

To read more about my visit with Big Mama click here.