I am busily getting ready for the photo shoot of my master bedroom tomorrow morning. It was a last minute project that came up just a few days ago, and I have had the fairy grand baby for a few days, so I didn’t get a chance to set up till tonight.
I’m making up the bed nicely and sleeping on the couch so I will be ready and not have to rush in the morning!
The truth is, when I have a photo shoot, I do a lot of extras that aren’t involved with every day life.
I certainly don’t get a breakfast in bed tray complete with roses every morning!
The tray is all set up, all I need to do is add a muffin, coffee and juice for the pictures.
I also did a quickie project, and dolled up these lamp shades. That was about 1 minute per shade, all I did was wrap a bit of vintage trim around it and secure the trim with a rhinestone shoe clip.
The three shades each have a different trim on them, I like the non-matchy look.
The window frame had nails sticking out of it from a past curtain style. Those had to be covered before pictures, so I swagged a bit of lace that I usually use as a table runner in the dining room over the nails to hide them.
The biggest change for the shoot was moving out my husband’s comfy chair. He is out of town for now and won’t even know I messed with it, it will be back before he is.
But, in rearranging the chairs, I had a gap in the room, so brought in a stack of picnic baskets from the studio. They are all filled with ephemera for projects, but I’ll write a cute little paragraph about storing extra linens or something like that in a stack of baskets to save space.
We will pretend they are useful, not just filling a gap till they go back where they belong! 
Most of the time, the shelf of my mantel piece headboard is bare of junk.
But to foof it up for the pictures, I added a row of old bottles, that simply have some text cut from an old book tied on with pretty ribbon.
Tomorrow morning, I will add a single flower to each bottle.
For now, the flowers are soaking in blue food coloring. I used to do this as a kid, pick Queen Anne’s Lace and place it into colored water. The stems draw up the color and tint the flower.
It was hard to find the pretty weeds, most around here are finished for the season. I drove around until I found a decent patch to pick where I wouldn’t get chewed up by chiggers in the weeds, luckily, these were along a parking lot of an abandoned car dealership. I could snip them from the pavement and not even have to walk out into the tall grass.
A police car turned in the lot and parked behind me, but the officer never got out of the car or said anything to me. I guess it isn’t illegal to pick weeds at a closed business. Although it might be considered trespassing, and it was dark out.
I guess I am about ready for Diane to show up with her camera tomorrow. I’m off to the couch to get some rest. Chasing Sugarwings has worn me to a frazzle. It was fun, as always, but she is a busy bee.
Before I go, I’ll show the apron I added to the August Giveaway, which I will call my "50’s Housewife Kit"
You get a frilly, sheer apron, a pair of pearl pink clip on earrings, and a lovely old brooch with a blue stone, all to wear as you spiff up your home while waiting for Mrs. Dickson to call. (her calling card is included in the kit).
While you are dressed up for cleaning, and down on your knees, make sure you don’t forget to scour the corners of the floor with a scrub brush.
I enjoyed the “behind the scenes” look for your photo shoot.
🙂
I didn’t know that about the tinting of flowers. We have quite a bit of Queen Anne’s lace by our woods; I will have to try that!
Everything looks beautiful Karla. How fun to have a photo shoot in your house:)
I’ve got a Give Away going on, please stop by.
Hugs,
Pam
I didn’t know about tinting the Queen Anne’s Lace, either! I think we still have plenty here. No chiggers, either! I hope I remember this in the morning!
Loved all your special touches for the article! I’ll never tell… 🙂
*Heidi*
I wish you lived close enough to me to help me decorate. Your ideas are so cute and your house is so pretty. I just feel like mine is full of junk. What do you do with all your “junk” and SugarWing’s toys??
Please take pix of the flowers after they suck on the blue dye…. I remember doing that with white carnations…
Karla, everything is just soooo cute! You really have a good eye for creating lovely vignettes! Suzanne.
Emily Dickinson had calling cards like these!
Karla, i love that idea for tinting the queen anne’s lace…i have tons of it across the street by my mailbox and i want to try that, unfortunately my nose will not like me if i do, it makes my allergies go bonkers…nuts…i will never look at magazine pics the same again, i will always wonder what was brought in so “set the stage”, i never thought about that before…i love the little touches you added to your room to make it extra pretty!!!
If you ever get busted for stealing weeds from an abandoned business, you know you can call me to bail you out.
Heck, if you ever get busted for SMOKING weed, you can call me.
Have fun- I love the little bottles for the mantle- WHERE did you hid Rich’s chair?
Beautiful! That blue is my fave color. 🙂
xoxo
cs
Enjoy your day, Karla. Everything looks elegant and ready. I’ll look forward to the publication.
hey sweetie,
how exciting.
it is going to be fabulous!!!
awesome giveaway, as usual.
take lots of pics.
oxoxoxo,
jessi
Very good post! I had forgotten about the food coloring trick. I think the bottles look great(not to mention everything else!) I know the shoot will go great.
Hi Karla!! Seeing pics of your lovely home always inspires me! Hope the photo shoot went well and your summer is going wonderfully as well. Can’t wait to meet you at Silver Bella this year!! Hugs, Jana
I hope you got some good “couch rest”, Karla. You HAVE been burning the candle at both ends girl. Slow down a little. You are making the rest of us look bad. Hee Hee
Tomorrow set that tray up for yourself, get a good book or mag and linger in the bed for a couple of hours. You deserve it, Karla.
You are just so creative. I think of my cousin, Ann, when I read your blog. I used to meet her sometimes on a Sunday morning at a flea market. She had an eye for “junque” and could turn it all into beautiful display pieces for her home. Love your 50’s Housewife Pack … maybe if I dressed the part when I cleaned my home, I could raise my score from that MINUS 17 that I got on the quiz … lol (doubtful)
Karla, you make me laugh!! Love the nails sticking out of the wall – poof! All covered up. The same with the baskets “for linens”. I’ve read these magazines for years and never once thought anything was written “off the cuff”!! You are a dandy, you are! Love Beth’s comments too. What a great way to start the day. I’m still chuckling….
Kathy
What a wonderful eye you have! I just love how you solved your “problem” areas. Those are the things that will make your photo shoot special. Beautiful! You can come help me at my house anytime!
The room will look fabulous! It IS all about staging isn’t it?(of course besides the beautiful decor you have) but when looking at magazines you have to KNOW the people really don’t live like that! I love the food color idea…never thought of that! And by the way…I FAILED the housewife test miserably! But my father in law recently told my husband “Robin is a good home maker”! uh…you should have seen the look on my face!
Looks so beautiful! It’s the little things that “make” a room. I’m definitely going to have to “steal” your lace & pin idea on the lampshade! 🙂
Blessings, Stacey
Everything looks so perfect! Thanks for the sneak peek!
I’m so glad you are honest about what your room REALLY looks like. I feel better now.
Jody
Can you come to Texas and help me redecorate or decorate. You get more projects done in a day than I do in a year! you are amazing! your home is beautiful. Can’t wait to see the article after reading about all of the behind the scene actions.
Thanks for showing us the behind the scenes secrets. I always look at rooms in magazines and think to myself, “oh they do not use those stacked suitcases for extra storage!” Hah, I’m right again:>) I’m sure seeing what you can do to a room will be fun as always though. You do have great ideas for foofing things up!
Enjoyed the quick peek of the photo shoot preparations. Love those picnic baskets!
Gretchen
Or knock the cobwebs from the rafters! Loved the behind the scenes look of your photo shoot; your room looks absolutely stunning! Aprons and the 50’s; I like it! Reminds me of my mom and grandmothers baking in the kitchen! Thanks for the great giveaway Karla!
Tricky tricky!! I love to hear the secrets! I’m sure your bedroom is lovely, just like the rest of your home. How exciting it must be to have photographers coming over to record it all! Sigh, I am so boring! LOL
Smiles, Karen
What fun to get the behind the scenes scoop on the photo shoot.
I never thought of coloring Queen Anne’ Lace. We used to do that with white carnations tho.
Your giveaway package looks great. I love the broach.
Darla
cute apron
Your photos are lovely. Thanks for sharing. You have some wonderful ideas. Hope the photo shoot goes well. 🙂 xoxo, Joanna
Very cute! We used to put babys breath in food coloring when we were kids. My mom had big bushes of babys breath in her gardens. Love the picnic baskets stacked in the corner, so cute and what a wonderful idea to use them to store your linens! Can’t wait to see the pictures in the magazines! (Bet the cop who stopped behind you wondered just what you were going to do with those weeds!!!)
I am so in love with what you did with that lampshade! And so seemingly simple! I wish I had your creative flow, and could just tie something like that around something and have it looks so beautiful. I didn’t know that about the food coloring either: Excellent tip! I eat up everything you post on this blog!
Brenda
I haven’t dyed Queen Annes Lace in years, I think Ill go out and find some! My hubby was just saying he’s going to find some to dig up and move into the yard. I knew there was a reason I keep him around!
Love the pin on the lampshade…I’m going to do just that with the dragonfly I purchased from you. He’s on a perfume bottle now just waiting.
It is going to be gorgeous!
I love all the vintage lace!
xoxo
Dollybelle
It is going to look great in the pictures. Hmm some hubby might be happy to come home to find their wife wearing that apron, some heels, and those earings. Of course if you really wanted to make him happy you won’t have anything on to pin the brooch too. LOL Have a great week!
Everything looks lovely!! Can’t wait to see the pictures! I never knew that about food coloring and Queen Anne’s Lace…I haven’t seen it for years. I love that weed!
Karla, this post was so much fun to read! I love hearing the little tricks you do for photo shoots, so cool!! Queen Anne’s Lace makes me feel so happy. We have tons in the woods and ditch at my house. I have a bouquet of it on my garden table right now 🙂
Love ya,
Amy
Well, now all my remaining illusions have been shattered…the Magazine People really don’t have Perfect Houses and Perfect Lives and Perfect Closets and Perfect Meals and…well, I’m going to have to get some chocolate and rethink all I held dear…SIGH…Your Sadly Disillusioned Friend, Bobbi…
Karla what a fun post.
Oh it is tiring looking after little ones.
I am off to pick up sweet 10 month old Riley for my babysitting gig!
Loved reading about you getting ready for the shoot
Alison
Too funny about the police car in the parking lot! You can just imagine what the officer was thinking. lol!
when can I move in? LOL! Lovely as usual. You inspire me, I really enjoy reading your blog. Hugs Grace
What great last minute touches you added. I love the color of your window treatments. I had forgotten about that trick of putting food coloring in water for flowers to “suck up”. Interesting. The story of picking the weeds was interesting. I had about forgotten about chiggers. We don’t have them here. I remember them in Oklahoma though.
What is the photo shoot for? Did I miss something? Everything is going to be so beautiful! You have a great way to adding just the right touch to make something ordinary turn into something magical.
Hugs,
Joanne
Adorable kit! Good luck with the photo shoot. I know it will be uber wonderful!
You have such a great sense of style, Karla.
I love the Vintage lace and lampshade. You definitely have a good eye. You have helped
motive me to get on my bedroom and add all those special touches.. Thanks!
Can’t wait to try your flower coloring idea!
I always pick up so much great info from your blog, Karla. I love, love, love the lampshade and the way you hid the nails with the lace runner. You can never have too much lace in a room, can you? It will be beautiful for the photo shoot.
Your giveaway is going to be great too. My daughter came in this weekend and she loved my goodies from you in the hanky. Get some rest and enjoy tomorrow.
Jean in Virginia
I spent the evening enjoying every post of your blog. You are a very talented lady.
There were so many pretty things to look at. I will come back again to make sure I didn’t miss any.
Can’t wait to see your photo shoot pictures or buy the magazine,whichever comes first.
Becky
Laceandlures.blogspot.com
How exciting!! Can’t wait to see you in the magazines again!! Keep us posted!! Everything looks awesome!
Cute apron!….and that little ‘gran baby of yours is so beautiful!
I am utterly amazed at your creativity with little things! I love it! Your give away theme is just the sweetest! The lace and rhinestone shoe clip on the lampshade made me catch my breath. What an incredible idea.
Blessings,
Lorilee
I especially love what you did with the lamp shade and love the color of the lace.
~elaine~
Good luck with the shoot Karla! Everything looks fabulous…nice touches!!!!
Great photos and so many pretty things. I love your basket collection too. Nice visit.
You are so talented and clever.Not to mention the great photos you shared with us! The apron is just my color. But surly I would never be on my knees. That would upset my visiting dust bunnies! You’re the greatest! Hugs, Terri
I’m headed to the lake this weekend — Queen Anne’s Lace is a must! It’s fun to step behind the scenes with you!
I have been so busy lately that I haven’t been by here. I have missed you. You always have so many pretty things to see and dream about. I guess I need a bit of your creativity.I better get myself here every day and maybe some will rub off.
You have an amazing blog. I’m overwhelmed with your wonderful ideas. I will be back for more visits. Your photography is very good. I could learn a lot from watching how you do it. I found you through Charlotte. Have a blessed day.
Oh my gosh, your pictures are gorgeous!! I just found you today in a seach for beautiful buttons. lol
I added you to my favorites so I can come back.
I really liked the lace and shoe clip around the lamp…so much I tried it on one of my own bedroom lamps. Looks great. I’ll blog it next week. Thanks for the idea.