instagram

Monday

On this Farm





I have this thing for naming the buildings out at our farm. 
The first ideas don't always stick or they evolve into a form from the original thought.
The biggest outbuilding started out as Bluebird Barn because of the bluebird houses outside the doors,
 It was kind of a tongue twister for this Texas accent and the grandkids, so it quickly became Birdie Barn. 
So much better. A nod to my mom, Birdie.

It's all about family anyway, right?

Well, the green barn (soon to be aqua) was called the corn crib barn by the previous owners because it was used to store corn back in the old days. 

Part of the year the barn is occupied by a mama turkey buzzard and her babies. 
She will hiss at you some and fly out with her six foot wing span, land on the tin roof and watch you until you leave. 
So, it became known as Buzzard Barn.

Next to those buildings is Mr. Ella's barn. The tin used for the roof had been torn off another old barn, leaving tiny nail holes that dot the ceiling. Even though most of them are sealed with silicone, the light still sparkles through. It takes me to another world when I walk in and look up. All that goes with farming is housed below this starry sky. 
None of the names that I have tried have jived yet, but
 I know the perfect one is out there, it just may take a little time!






Thursday

Demo Day is not for Sissies!

We have been busy out at The Range! 
I knew before we even started the demo that I wanted the Master Bedroom to be my special retreat spot. 
The floor plan of the house was all chopped up so I quickly rearranged all of the rooms including the staircase. 
That will be in another post..

The old dining room seemed like the perfect place for the Master Bedroom.
 All we had to do was pull up the carpet, take the 1970's paneling down
 (which was partially covered in 1980's wallpaper...)
and then add our own touch. 
Sounded so easy!

I should know anytime you remodel a house that you can always 
expect the unexpected.
After all, this is not my first rodeo... I have lost count on the number of houses Mr. Ella and I have worked on. 
The very first house we bought,way back when, had ship lap under the old wallpaper.
 I remember burning the strings off the nails even in a tiny closet!

This is what " Just taking the paneling down" led to. 
Yikes. 
Not for the faint of heart. Vision is the key word here,
 BIG VISION...
And yes, that is a water heater tucked up above the built in cabinet - go figure.
The wood used on this area of the walls and floors indicated that the house was much older than 1912. 
We are guessing it started out small and as the family grew and the money came in 
(good crops) the other rooms were added.
If these walls could only talk.

The first day of demo, I showed up at the house to this mess. 
The workers were supposed to only take up the sub floor, but did not understand that and just started cutting up the whole floor, many in 2 foot pieces. I was not a happy camper, but the damage was already done. It really ended up being a blessing because as you can see what was under that wonderful floor was awful and smelly.

So, I decided to make lemonade from lemons and picked the grey wood out. The linoleum brick pattern was what was on top of the other flooring and in the kitchen. Again- go figure!

We had just enough to make this wall. 
You can see where I started cleaning and sanding it... 

Not too bad!
All of the old wood we are using throughout the house was already there somewhere hiding under many layers of time. 
Not all of them are that easy to get to though!

The Range

Reclaim . Repurpose. Redefine 

Mr. Ella and I  bought us a farm.  
We are calling it The Range.

A hundred year old homestead that came with plenty of character.
 Some to keep and some to freshen up with a new 21st Century vibe.
I am only going to tease you with the a bit of the keepers.

Like the patina on the old corn crib barn walls. 
BIG influence on choosing this particular property!

And... on this old rusty Willys jeep!

Do you see the bird nest? 
I think it was just meant to be.

I have started adding my Ella touch to one of the outbuildings. 

(Which originally was an airplane hanger... yes, really.)
 The sky is the limit here!

 A little rust mixed with bling never hurts an atmosphere.
  The perfect surrounding for retreats, workshops or family days!
The farmhouse is under destruction and reconstruction for now and I will post photos soon!

Wednesday

Homestead Office Collection at IMAX


I always feel like a kid on Christmas morning when I get to see my Ella Elaine products in the showrooms! 
Several months have passed since the first concept of each idea,  through the development process and then to samples.
Every step of the journey is intriguing to me as I learn how to hone the skills and talents God has given me.


You should see me when I find my products in the stores!!
( It may involve a little jumping up and down and squealing.)
It never gets old...



Pursue your Dreams

Albert Einstein - truth:

Stepping off that comfy edge is not an easy one for most of us to take. It is so much easier to just be where we have found our happy place. We may even be doing very well at that spot.
 Extremely well.
I was there just a few years ago.
 I had established the Ella Elaine brand to a level that I was feeling really good about. 
Then, that getting stuck in a rut thing started. 
This little voice inside of me just kept bugging me to push my creative boundaries.
 I had to move forward.
 This is where I learned the true meaning of jumping out there and seeking courage, trust and faith.
An amazing chain of events started to unfold with each step.
Of course, this had been happening all along, 
I just didn't see it because it had been stretched out over a longer period of time. 
Or, were my eyes not open?
Doors of opportunities began to open right and left. 
Choices to be made. Which direction should I go?
 Oh, the timing of some of those invitations could not have been at a busier time. 
We were living in a rent house while we waited for our "new" old  house to be finished.
 My studio was crammed into a storage unit, my third grand baby was on the way, graduations, weddings, holidays and this thing called life just kept happening.
These all could easily have been legitimate excuses to put my business to the side.
But that little voice was still there, pestering me.
I am so thankful I had the wisdom (and energy) to do life and  listen to 
who I needed to be...

Are you listening to your inner you??

Monday

Drumroll, please!

It is Winter Market time again and here is your first peek at my new Ella Elaine collection! These will be displayed in the Homestead Collection at the IMAX showrooms. 



I hope you will stop by one of the Markets!
(If you don't buy wholesale, please tell your favorite store about my products!)

IMAX Worldwide Home
Atlanta - Bldg.2,1100
Dallas - WTC 6250
High Point - W446
Las Vegas - A429
Los Angeles -Corporate Showroom
Tulsa - Corporate Showroom