Sblogging = Slog + Blog

An article on blogging done in the New York Times has been making the rounds. It's about blogger burnout.

All the usual poster children of the blog world are in the article, talking about how they have to take a break, or have moved onto posting less calling it slow blogging. Everything has a shelf life. Or life simply becomes more demanding. Boo-fucking-hoo. Okay that was snarky. But really, The New York Times deserves it sometimes.

From The New York Times

Remember when we all started blogging? We were in a fever to share and over share on a daily, if not hourly basis. I loved having other design geeks to communicate with. But sooner or later you run out of projects because you actually finish your house (for the moment). Or it takes too much time and money to produce those cute and crafty DIY posts. Or new and easier ways to photo share crop up like Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Or it gets to be a chore (like doing homework or having a deadline) to come up with posts. Or you start putting ads on your blog that have to be managed. Or your blog becomes a "brand" or a business marketing tool that needs to be constantly cultivated.

I have slowed down because I am in the thick of grief. Living without Alberto is a shadow life. I am still at the stage where getting up, getting dressed, and doing work is about all I can handle sometimes.

I don't have guilt about not blogging. My younger friends say blogs are dinosaurs. But then so am I. Some bloggers stopped because they got fed up with the cliques that wouldn't let them in. I never let my blog be the boss of me. I chose to keep it homey and personal. Wonderful things happened because of my blog in a fabulous hippie-dippie organic way: Friends, work, my book, learning things, etc. There was no master plan to take over the design world.

I am proud of my blog. I was "new" when I started in 2008. There were others that started in 2006 and 2007 who I looked up to. This blog is my life history, an archive, forever etched on the Internet. No one may care, or someone might. I care. We all want to leave our mark on the world. Blogs have enabled a zillion souls to leave a legacy. I am so thankful for the body of work that Alberto put out there via his many blogs, Youtube, Facebook, and our Planet Tango web site.

From the blog The Tango Life

What about you guys? Are you still reading blogs? Are you still posting on your blogs? I can still spend a happy day clicking around reading blogs I love. It's how I stay in touch. Every post doesn't have to be a masterpiece. Sometimes I go back in my own archive to read early posts, and I love the innocence and enthusiasm. I still feel that way.

I also think we have all become victims of the over share. Along with cameras on cell phones came the thrill of documenting everything with an ease that was so exciting and seductive. But while snapping pictures we missed the actual experience of what we were taking photos of. I had some girls over for dinner. These are some of the women who have been keeping me alive these past sad months. They check in on me, feed me, lend me money, take me out, and never, never weary of my tears or talking about Alberto. I asked them to please not take any pictures or post anything anywhere. I didn't know what reaction I would get, but all of them were relieved and delighted to truly be relaxed in the selfie-less moment.

New Build of the Year

I recently did a feature for New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles honoring architect Morris Adjmi for the new build of the year. If you are in New Orleans pick up an issue if you don't already subscribe. For you visual vamps outside of New Orleans NOH&L is very worthy to subscribe to. I am a firm believer that there is outstanding design talent in New Orleans that can inspire you and hold up to any other design work anywhere.  So subscribe HERE

Modern dining room - Interior Design by Valorie Hart

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles - Fall 2014 - Subscribe

I also love this house because I did the interior design for it. When I first saw the house, it was a plain white box with a few pieces of place holder furniture from Ikea. The aesthetic was definitely modern, and I was not sure how my brand of mix would dovetail with the owners. But mesh it did, and it was one of my most rewarding projects.

Here are a the pages from the magazine, and a few out takes. The wonderful photography is by Sara Essex Bradley. 

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Fall 2014 - Interior Design by Valorie Hart

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Fall 2014 - Interior Design by Valorie Hart

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Fall 2014 - Interior Design by Valorie Hart

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Fall 2014 - Interior Design by Valorie Hart

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Fall 2014 - Interior Design by Valorie Hart

 Wallpaper  from Flavor Paper in a two story stairwell - Interior design by Valorie Hart

Pair of vintage chairs reupholstered by Leonels in Kravet fabric; toss pillows are custom except for "Be Nice or Leave"; rug custom over dyed by London Varner; pair of oversize modern lamps from Eclectic Home - Interior design by Valorie Hart

 

Vintage Bitosi urn; "Be Nice of Leave" pillow from The Shops at 2011 - Interior design by Valorie Hart

Detail in child's bedroom - Interior design by Valorie Hart

For shopping and more sources, please go to New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles magazine.
Have talent, will travel - contact me at mizvtheb@yahoo.com - no project too large or too small.

Happy Birthday MILIEU!

Launching a new shelter magazine is daunting in the best of times. It is especially courageous in this digital age that has seen the demise of so many beloved magazines. Pam Pierce has talent and vision and drive and believes in unicorns and happy endings. Well maybe not unicorns, but she has done something extraordinary with MILIEU magazine. It has made it to its one year anniversary, and I am sure there will be many more to come.

Pick up a gorgeous hard copy wherever shelter magazines are sold.
Or subscribe to MILIEU HERE, and you can also check out MILIEU online.

This issue is extra special to me, because I have the honor of having one of my design projects featured in it! Peter Vitale did the beautiful photography, and Pam oversaw the shoot. I placed myself in their hands as the lovely assistant, always eager to see how someone else would handle a photo shoot. It looks amazing! Former NOLA resident Suzanne Levert wrote the article with insight and verve. 

As usual I like to take along as many people with me when something good happens to me. I use local merchants and artists in my design work as much as possible. I featured photographer Lisa Conrad, art from Gallery Orange, home furnishings from Eclectic Home, Source, Renaissance Interiors, and AKA Stella Gray. Local craftspeople Shading Places and Mitchell Settoon also did great work for me and got a shout out.

I also connected fellow New Orleans designer Donna Masselli with MILIEU, and I am proud to see that she got the cover! You know how I love New Orleans and all the talent here.

Joni Webb from Cote de Texas did a wonderful post about this issue of MILIEU so take a look at that too.

I have been posting few and far between. I apologize. Grief will not be hurried. Just working to make a living exhausts me. I so wish Alberto was here to see this issue of MILIEU. He did a lot of things for me on this project, and the clients Erica and Kevin loved him. He was always so proud of me and my work. He would be thrilled for me.

Anyhoo, it goes without saying: Have talent, will travel. Keep me in mind for styling, decorating, designing, and writing...xo xo

Hailey

Here is the link:VOTE FOR HAILEY
 
My grand niece Hailey is an amazing girl. She lives in Apache Junction, Arizona and she is quite the little cow girl. She has entered a contest and I need your help my dear Visual Vamp readers to vote for her in a contest the Girl Scouts are having (Hailey is a Girl Scout). Just click on the link and vote. You can vote many times, once an hour. We need to get her a couple of thousand votes pronto. Hailey is so proud of her Auntie Vamp's blog and is hoping that I can help her out. 
So go on and vote! You guys are always in my corner and you know I love you for it.

Hailey owns her horse, cares for it, and competes in barrel racing!

From the Girl Scouts:

Who says Girl Scouts is just about cookies, camps, and crafts? Whoever it was certainly forgot about health, fitness, and leadership! Since the beginning of time—1912, to be exact—Girl Scouts of the USA has placed special emphasis on the importance of staying active and adopting a healthy lifestyle full of creative outdoor activities and a balanced diet.
We want to see you in action!
First place: $300 gift card plus GirlSports merchandise bundle Second place: $150 gift card plus GirlSports merchandise bundle Third place: GirlSports merchandise bundle.
PLEASE Vote for HAILEY  HERE

Infused With Chic Mardi Gras Colors

Kicking off Essence Festival 2014, the McDonald’s Infused culinary event at Café Reconcile in New Orleans offered a unique approach to McDonald’s menu items. Partnering with Café Reconcile, the McDonald’s Infused event celebrated local cuisine while remixing them with ingredients McDonald's uses on its everyday menu.

Infused with chic color

I got a call from a colleague (Mark Musters) in New York about doing the decor for this event. He could not do it so he connected with me a terrific event planner named Mary Kay Navarro who is based in Chicago. I become her visual point person in New Orleans.

Getting ready to stage the room

The brief I got was that while New Orleans elements and carnival colors (purple. green, gold) would be used, they had to be chic and sophisticated. The usual dark more gaudy purples were replaced with a smoky lavender. The emerald green of Mardi Gras was replaced with a more chartreuse green, and the gold was re-imagined as silver.

My assistant Joe setting up silver lanterns - lanterns are very much identified with New Orleans

The event was held at Cafe Reconcile, which is a restaurant used to train young people (age 16-22) in all facets of the hospitality industry. It is a terrific program focusing on inner city kids that empowers these kids to take a career path.

One of the culinary students at Cafe Reconcile helps out

McDonald's wanted to feature the fresh and wholesome ingredients they use daily for their regular menus served in a local McDonald's near you. They want the message to come across that the fast food they serve is not unhealthy. They have made huge efforts and strides to modify their menus toward a fresh and healthier approach. Magazine editors, social media, television, community members, and bloggers were the invited guests.

I engaged Event Rentals to hang lanterns in the courtyard in our chic colors

The tables are coming together - Smokey lavender Bengaline tablecloths, mercury glass votive candle holder with a Fleur di lis motif, satellite flower arrangements each in a different container, and moss balls to play off the flora and fauna associated with New Orleans

Tina Dixon the catering manager of Cafe Reconcile was a tremendous asset

So many great details were added by McDonald's, including this macaroon shaped like a hamburger - McDonald's features macaroons on their everyday menu

The chef from McDonald's tying a ribbon on each little box for the macaroons, which were given as a party favor

The party favor is in place - How cute is that!

Each table had cards stating some fun facts about McDonald's

 

Menus are added to the table

Another detail: The Infused graphics were shown on TV monitors throughout the space

Guests entered from the street into the courtyard for cocktails

The dining room is set up and ready

I created a gallery wall installed over the "stew" (the area were a hot table with food is usually served)

I printed black and white images of New Orleans interspersed with photos of the food ingredients McDonald's uses

The images were put into frames - Tip: Do not use the glass that comes with frames for a richer look and print in black and white

Another view of the dining room

A view of the courtyard from the balcony above

The courtyard festooned in the Infused colors

Lavender and chartreuse used in the courtyard; dark metal lanterns were used here as table centerpieces

The sculpture was made by Cafe Reconcile students after Hurricane Katrina to signify the helping hand they get in the program

Table top detail

Table top detail

Table top detail - I arranged the flowers in tight bouquets

Table top detail

The menu

 

This same young lady who worked all day with me, also worked all night as a server - she is serving the Muffazella salad

This is a play on Yaka Mein, a very local dish in New Orleans

Blackened fish fillet (the same fish served daily at McDonald's) with fire roasted grits

Lemon Ice box cakes were made from the lemon cookies McDonald's serves daily

The Cajun fries served during cocktail hour

I loved doing this project, and I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of the process.