There’s Magic In The Air

There’s a little bit of magic in the air right now.

sapalicious.tumblr.com

There are open doors just waiting for you to walk through them!

imgfav.com

So be spontaneous.

maluna.tumblr.com

Embrace the sun.

500px.com

And walk in The Light.

ninbra.tumbler.com

inspirationalquoteaday.blogspot.com

And if you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project, contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com.

Stone, I love you.

Whether grand or simple, inside or outside, rustic or refined it never seems to matter, I just love it. Stone.

Linda Hartong, Photographer

I hope your day is filled with everything that you love.

If you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com.

DONE!

We did it! The fabric baby has been birthed. We will go to market in December with 18 patterns and coordinates and hope and pray that the public gets as excited about it as we are.

Now the issue is how to get the samples made. There are so many steps involved in this process:

Serged fabric, printed tags, applied tags, fitted grommets, applied rings….. the list seems never-ending.

But we will get it done. Do I see a cottage industry in the making?

Thanks for being excited with us. Pictures will be forth coming.

And if you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

 www.cindybarganier.com.

Finger Biting Time

Which one do I choose???

The time is here. Thursday, I have to decide which fabrics will make the cut for the première of the Cindy Barganier Fabric Collection. I wish I could just spread all of the options out on the floor and have each of you vote for your top 10. Or better yet, someone just come do this for me.

So many decisions to make. Which pattern on which ground? Linen? Cotton? Silk? Wool?

This or That

That this is just how I feel. LOL

arghhh. See you Monday after all of this is behind me.

If you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com.

Going Green The Beautiful Way

Here are some examples of my own work showing our love of salvage in new construction:

This first image highlights our use of decorative finishes to achieve the effect of old when old is not possible.  We used a product called Bella Vernichi to achieve the look of a crumbling brick and plaster facade in order to tie in the theme of new from old for the corporate headquarters of this branding company.

We were fortunate enough to run up on a pair of fantastic capitols that had originally adorned a building in Huntsville, Al.

I used them as coffee table bases on two projects.

Bar stools salvaged from a favorite downtown Montgomery, Al drugstore’s soda fountain were re-purposed for use here.

I used salvaged doors for many of the exterior and interior doors in this New Urbanism community called The Waters.

For this home we used antique heart pine flooring, local stone and salvaged doors inside and out.

The front entry door was from France.

Here, again, we used old wood for flooring ( this time pre-finished) and antique European doors.

Old floors pair here with a new piece that has been distressed to look old thus adding instant warmth and charm.

This gorgeous baby is a work in progress at the lake. I just kept adding local stone. LOL I can never get enough of it! There are about 4 different specifies of wood used in this house, all harvested from their farm and milled locally. It is yummy.

Our shop at 43 Bridge Street in Pike Road, Alabama has some pretty awesome doors as well as old flooring and a tin ceiling…

Cindy E Barganier Interiors

If you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com.

Categories

Houzz, I Couldn’t Agree More.

“While it’s good to be green, it’s a plus when we craft something beautiful at the same time. The depth of color, patina and richness of salvaged materials are also design factors that can make our homes truly wonderful.

by Mark Hickman Homes

From the brick walls to the slate roof and more, Mark Hickman used quite a bit of salvaged material in the construction of Hidden Manor, a new home in the Chicago suburbs. These salvaged materials give the home much of its “always been there” quality, and they’re coupled with new, energy-efficient glass windows and doors.

by Mark Hickman Homes

One of the nice aspects of reusing a salvaged material like Chicago brick is how each piece takes on its own personality. It’s as if each individual brick were carefully hand made by an artisan.

by Mark Hickman Homes

Salvaged materials aren’t just for the exterior. In the case of Hidden Manor, the salvaged Chicago brick was brought inside. And what’s the point of using brick and stone if you can’t express their solidity and massiveness? A simple splaying of the window’s rough opening does just that.

by Mark Hickman Homes

In addition to the structural materials of brick and stone, salvaged materials have been used for the interiors. For example, reclaimed boards were milled anew for the kitchen cabinets, creating a truly unique kitchen.

by Narofsky Architecture + ways2design

Architect Stuart Narofsky really enjoys incorporating salvaged lumber into his designs. His use of these reclaimed materials adds warmth to many of his modern designs. And Narofsky likes these materials left exposed, saving on the expense of paint and drywall.

by Narofsky Architecture + ways2design

For loft renovations, Narofsky will salvage lumber from nearby to incorporate in the finishes. Paneled walls and barn doors made of these materials will have the same appearance as the loft’s original wood framing while keeping the relocated material from a landfill.

by Margeaux Interiors Inc. – Margaret Presti

Using salvaged doors, sinks, tubs and light fixtures is a great way to add character and style to your project while being greener, too. Salvage yards in just about every city provide almost every building component, from hardware to garden ornaments.

Reclaimed Terra-cotta/Clay Roof Tiles » Builders and architects aren’t alone in their desire to salvage materials. Many companies that make new materials, such as clay roof tiles, also specialize in salvaging and making available for reuse existing materials. These companies have a respect for the inherent beauty and quality of these materials. Keeping them out of our landfills is a good thing.”

Tomorrow I will share  how we have enjoyed incorporating salvage into our own new construction projects to make some pretty special buildings. In the meantime,

if you would like to be able to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com. 

Happy 3rd Birthday Princess Rockstar!

What a weekend! Friday was spent helping our talented daughter and her can-do hubby throw a very clever celebration for Miss MC who requested a “princess rock star party with sprinkles”. haha  Saturday I put the final touches on the last 8 fabric designs- we go to print this Thursday. That night we enjoyed another fabulous wedding out on” the point” in out beautiful neighborhood and Sunday I was totally humiliated in the annual mixed-doubles tennis tournament. U-G-L-Y!!

Therefore, I have chosen to concentrate on the birthday party. Hey, it’s my blog. LOL

Getting a first peek at what’s to come.

Getting our ears on!

Daddy, I love it.

NOW, what SHALL I wear?

I don’t know, Gigi, do you think these heels?

Yes, definitely these.

“Women! Is the coast clear?” I see some cool stuff out there.”

“Dang it. She caught me.”

places are set

party attire is on

ahm, yeah…. for a 3 year old

Dick Clark, you ain’t got nuthin on us. Read the sign carefully. This is what started the whole theme. Love it.

The red carpet is ready.

The stage is set.

The stars are out.

Now, all we need are our guests!

…and here they come!

“Finally!”, he says.

It’s time to “make some noise”.

…and PARTY.

Then the band started to warm up.

There was a competition for lead singer.

And for keyboard.

My grandchild and her friends are so quiet and shy.

oh yeah

Then MC’s favorite song started to play, “bummer” has it. She was amazed.

A good time was had by all.

The next morning provided the only op for the missed family photo…. but alas, the birthday girl would rather be jumping in her castle. Happy big 3, MC. Love you.

Pacific Coast Highway 101

Leaving the beautiful redwoods was hard… really hard, but we had the coastline to see so it was back in the car for the ride up 101 toward Gold Beach. Everywhere you look there are these craggy outcroppings. I really wanted to make the walk to the lighthouse but we arrived too late and the tide was already coming in covering the land bridge. We found a hotel room in time to enjoy this pretty sunset over the Pacific. It is a very different kind of beauty than we are used to on the gulf coast. The rocky beaches are filled with driftwood. It is not as user friendly as our sugar white sand,

but lends itself to some great campfires on the beach, as we learned. People started pouring in at sundown to claim their spots.

Soon, someone invited us to join them around their fire for some great wine and cheese and other munchies. Wasn’t that nice?

The next day we crossed back over into Oregon and continued the drive up the chilly coast.

I’m getting a bit confused but I believe this was coming into Gold Beach where the Rogue River empties into the Pacific Ocean. Isn’t that a lovely little bridge.

Don Sawyer, one of Jeff’s Excellent Artist from Florida, would have approved of this. Area schoolchildren’s artwork decorated the pier.

This is where it starts to get amusing to me.  We are driving along this famous highway that I have always wanted to see, it’s a beautiful day and this is what I catch myself doing:

doodling in my journal and daydreaming about good ole Morrison’s Lodge on the Rogue ( read earlier post here).

(I’m sorry but I just find that hilarious. LOL)

So ya know what we did? Turned east and headed right back to that wonderful river for one more night.

Finally, it was time to make our way back to Medford for an early morning flight and the long trip home but not before we had the chance to explore the two little “must see” cities of Jacksonville ( why do I feel like my life revolves around  Jacksonvilles no matter where I go? haha) and Ashland. Ahh, Ashland, we loved you: Such an art-driven town.

Downtown Ashland sculpture

My beloved mountain streams meander through the downtown area.

The shopping was fun. I thought the grands would have loved this miniature bike. NO, I didn’t get it. They would be cool dudes in it but remember, we have the 1-year-old who has already tried to hang from the dining room chandelier and has crawled into the front load dryer and happily played hamster, rolling the drum. His slightly older sister has requested a rock star birthday party. No motorcycles for them!

One reason we felt so at home here is that Ashland is home to a fantastic Shakespeare theater as is our hometown of Montgomery, Al.

“To be or not to be….”

All the world is a stage. And I never met one I didn’t like. smile

Embarrassing I know but fun. This was my favorite of their three theater stages. It looks like you are walking into a building but once inside you realize the stage is open air. Grandbaby girl got my genes. When she sees a stage she says, “humon (come on) Gigi, let’s go sing and dance!” I love that kiddo. I know this is a little strange but we were told that we shouldn’t leave the area without visiting the historic cemetery in Jacksonville. Not only were the graves ancient but it occupies the highest point around with great views of the surrounding wine country. We obliged.

In the Jewish section when people visit they leave “remembrance stones” on the monuments. I liked that.

We think we checked off every box on our “want to see” list. Whew.

We closed the trip with a visit here for some good fruit and fresh jams:

Thanks for coming along for the ride. I hope it inspired you to plan your own trip. When you get back send me some pics!

And if you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com.

Robin Hood and His Mighty Men

Ever since we were children reading Weekly Readers The Writer and I have wanted to see the giant redwood trees so big a family together cannot reach around  and that cars have been known to drive through. One more bucket list item checked off.

This was funny.

Boom Magazine. This was for your benefit.

First we saw Smokey Bear! You have to be reminded of not playing with matches before you can enter these special woods.

Finally, there they were. They just started appearing.

And then … I turned into a tree hugger… just like that.

I really wanted to spend the entire day just hiking that majestic forest that words cannot describe. There is an awe about it. A sereneness. A peace that bids you stay.Fair warning… you might grow weary of seeing roots but your simply MUST see the size of these babies. Here we go.

Someone,besides me, was inspired. Can you see the Name of Jesus?

lightening strike?

He is 6′ tall.

Next item on the bucket list: a drive down Pacific Hwy 101. Fasten your seatbelt if you want to go along.

And if you would like to say, “That was fun!” at the end of your project contact me at

www.cindybarganier.com.

Now For A Little Sight Seeing

After  a couple of days fishing we headed off to see what this beautiful part of the world had to offer. My friend, Linda Ford, told me that we had to eat at “the restaurant in Medford’s old depot” so after a little detective work we made reservations for dinner at Porter’s Train Station  Restaurant and Bar and we are glad that we did. What a beautifully restored old building with ivy gracefully climbing its facade.

The theme here is decidedly “train” but tastefully done. You can choose from several dining spaces:

curtained booths reminiscent of the old dining cars that used to pull into the depot to pick up and let off passengers

a lovely walled courtyard with party lights and umbrellas

or the two story bar.

Wherever you decide to sit you can be assured that the food will be wonderful.

We started off with a salad of fresh Oregon organic greens topped with glazed walnuts, Rogue River Creamery blue cheese and a homemade blackberry vinaigrette dressing. Delish

This was followed by our first ever hazelnut encrusted steelhead served on a bed on steamed spinach. Not my cute little half-pounder that likes Hebrew ( see former post) but just a plain ole generic steelhead and it was fantastic.

The manager even sent over a bottle of local wine.

If you are ever in Medford, Oregon check them out and tell them we sent you!

Early Saturday morning we set out for Crater Lake National Park about an hour away.

Breath taking. The lake was formed when a volcano erupted and then imploded creating a basin that was then filled with run-off and melted snow . The average snowfall at Crater Lake is 533 inches every year. That’s about 44 feet! That’s a LOT of snow to a southern girl. They say that if you go at Christmas you are actually snowshoeing in the tops of the trees. Wow! Its depth of 1,943 feet (592 meters) makes it the deepest lake in the United States, and the seventh deepest in the world. Its fresh water is some of the clearest found anywhere in the world. Indeed it looks like the Mediterranean’s water and the mountains are as close to Switzerland as I have seen in this country.

It was very desert like around the crater.

And the ground was filled with these little red flowers whose dried leaves made an eerie sound that one family near us mistook for a rattlesnake.

You can drive around the entire perimeter which takes about 3 hours, or you can take a trolley (which I highly recommend since the road is so narrow and winding with sheer bluffs on the side that the driver cannot takes his/her eye off the road for a second)

These cute little ground squirrels were everywhere. No, they were not chipmunks.

You can also take a boat ride to the two islands located in the center of the lake but prepare for that with hats and sunscreen. That’s about a two-hour ride and the boat is open.

When you get to the tip top you are rewarded with one of the most award worthy architectural feats around: a remarkable stone and cedar lodge literally perched on the very edge of the crater. Even after watching the videos showing them building it, it was difficult for me to wrap my head around how it was even possible.

You know I’m going to love it when I walk inside and find a walk-in stone fireplace with roaring fire and real bark covering the staircase.  This was craftsmanship at its best.

One day, if I can gather any information on it, I will have to dedicate a post to its construction.

Across the entire back, just outside the restaurant where I had the best salad and clam chowder of the trip was this veranda.

 

From here one can begin to grasp the size of this lake but as I review these pictures I realize again that you just cannot capture it on film.

Tomorrow, we head to the Redwood Forest!

If you would like to say, ‘That was fun!” at the end of your project contact us at

www.cindybarganier.com.