Tips to Start and Maintain Joyful Traditions

Wherever you  may be…it’s the time of year when traditions are so much a part of everyone’s holiday experiences. And with that opening sentence – no doubt some of yours come to mind.

Traditions, of course, are not limited to holidays – but for purposes of this season, it is the primary focus of this missive. Interestingly, over the past few weeks, I have had a few people ask me about home decor and specifically starting or perpetuating holiday traditions. I found it so compelling because traditions are created from repeat practices and experiences.

Fond memories of family friends and their annual tradition of making warm and frothy Tom and Jerrys! I found these vintage china mugs just like the ones from my memories. Have have recently seen them re-created – new – just like these! Perhaps its time to start our own tradition of Tom and Jerrys for the holidays!

You can begin to practice things that become traditions – that’s the key. Of the recent conversations, one person approached me about a week before Thanksgiving.  He was single, hosting a few friends and didn’t know where to begin. Could I help? The other inquiry was from a couple of years ago as a young woman who was not from New Mexico found herself here, newly married and in a new home.  How was she to create the feeling of Christmas? The answers to both of these queries are at the end …

As is true with all consultation whether it is interior design, medical, self-help, physical fitness, IT…it all begins with questions. The consultant must ask questions to establish information that will guide them to make their recommendations. Here are 4 Tips for Approaching Traditions that will begin the conversation.

Perpetuating a Tradition:  Memories are personal references that are the basis for traditions. The repeat performance of these various acts establish traditions. Continuing to practice the traditions insures that they repeat as each like-kind of event unfolds. It takes effort to continue to re-create traditions, but to lose the pattern can become irretrievable. It can be an onus or a joy to perpetuate traditions. I would prefer to embrace the latter! Ideally, any tradition that you chose to perpetuate should be a joy.

This vintage set was given to me by a dear friend. It held precious memories from her grandmother having served hot cocoa from it every Christmas. My friend’s experiences dated back to the 1920s. The set preceded her memory…as her grandmother, born in the last quarter of the 1800s owned it for years prior. We enjoy hot cocoa from it nearly every Christmas morning!

Creating New Traditions: Establishing the approach that perpetuating a tradition should be a joy or the act of something that brings joy, the same is true with creating a tradition. Seems obvious that you wouldn’t want to create a traditional around something that does not bring you joy. But you might be surprised. I have recently learned that sometimes people think that they begin something that is a common practice to create a version for themselves, when in fact it is a perceived obligation rather than a joy. Don’t force it- don’t feel obliged to begin a practice just because others do it. Experience, invent or witness something that brings you joy and replicate it. You might recall it from your past, find it in a scene from a movie or experience at someone else’s home, derive it from participating in an activity or, of course, discovering internet ideas that abound. If something interests you to the extent that you want to practice it – then do it! If you enjoy it enough, you will perpetuate it and it will become a tradition.

This little Santa Doll was handmade by a friend of mine when her kids – now grown with kids of their own – were kids. Not originally intended to be a “Crazy Santa,” his accidental facial expression resulted in his name – held now for over three decades. He comes out every Christmas as an amusing family tradition.

Modifying Traditions: We all need to determine how much we want to take on,  how much we want to invest (in time or money) and how we achieve the same or similar results to create the joy. If traditions become too complicated or difficult, it might be time to re-think them. Rather than discard them, modify them. The time to discard a tradition is when it no longer brings you joy. But before that might happen and if the event/activity or degree of difficulty challenge your want to perpetuate the tradition, consider modifying it to suit your changing needs, circumstances and enjoyment.

This might happen if you move away from the context in which the tradition originally occurred, change in participants – if any, change in interests, physical or financial limitations…if the tradition still brings joy – find a way to achieve that with the necessary modification. Circumstances alter cases…like where you might have lived or are living at the time. Your fondest memories might be of chilly temperatures, warm fireplaces and the scent of pine trees…then you relocate to the tropics! This provides an opportunity to retain some of the original traditions and introduce some new. Not to mention, you might move to a different country where an entirely new set of traditions will present themselves – or just the different words for familiar favorites. Even without changing languages, in England they hang stockings at the foot of each bed rather than the mantle. Father Christmas is their Santa Claus. The list of similarities and slight differences goes on…

As I walked in the park last weekend, I spotted this fun, dangling snowman! So I stopped to inquire and capture a few shots. This family celebrates their son’s birthday every year with a piñata. Born on Christmas Day, they select another day close-by to have the piñata portion of the party. A family tradition.

No snowy scene for snowball fights or skiing? Toss a ball or frisbee,  take a hike or bike,  instead.

No enormous turkey? Roast a breast or a more manageable duck or chicken.

Become a vegetarian? Using the same type of familiar meal service and table dressings, modify the menu.

Not convenient to cut and haul a tree from the wild? Buy one instead. Real tree a hassle? Become the proud owner of a magnificent fake tree- with a bit of pine-scented room spray!  In my case, I occasionally give myself a “bye” break from putting up our tree (Although I love my tradition of collecting silver ornaments, of which I have dozens). So the “modification” is to have a magnificent, tall poinsettia on the entry table and several others scattered throughout the house to punctuate the interior with splashes of red.

No formal dining room? Gather on cushions around a coffee table – even if it means a piece of plywood from Home Depot on cinderblocks with a paper tablecloth! Candles and a centerpiece will set the scene.

Sharing Traditions

Gifting things that represent your traditions is a wonderful way to share. Obviously, baking and sharing traditional delicacies is prime. Making or finding  ornaments to gift is nice.  I offer cuttings of our family’s Christmas cactus. My grandmother always kept one or more plants from the original plant that was in her family home in Youngstown, New York.  She was born in 1892 and her grandmother remembered the plant and told my grandmother that it preceded her in that same house. We don’t know how far back it goes, but at least mid 1800s. I have kept cuttings and grown mature plants from the very plants that my grandmother had her entire life of over 100 years and kept all the while we were growing up in the same house for 20+ years and now my 40 years since!  Gifting a traditional food or a CD you compile of favorite recordings, sharing plant cuttings, passing along a treasured possession – all are ways to share traditions.

But what if you are starting out? Memories from childhood might be the basis for beginning your own adult traditions – whatever the springboard, it should be fun to establish your own holiday traditions.

Colton’s Reindeer – A child’s artwork can be passed for generations.

Whether it is handmade decoration, food centered, activity engaging, music oriented, game playing, object collecting…each person has their focus. Even if one is alone for a holiday, there are sentimental triggers that remind of past events.

Food Centered: Main dishes, baking desserts, crafting cocktails…

Party cocktails – always a fun  tradition…note here the festive cocktail coasters. Handmade by artist Rebecca Speakes, they make a wonderful gift to start a collection.

Activity Engaging: Playing games, sports – live or on TV, taking a walk, driving around to see holiday displays, theater productions…

Music Oriented:  Gathering around a piano (guitar, accordion…whatever) to sing, neighborhood caroling, participate in a choir, Karaoke games, attending a concert, background music evoking memories for the occasion…

Decoration: Dressing your interior and exterior for the event(s)…

Hanukkah traditions, decorations – the brilliant blues and metallic accents…Color plays a big part in traditions and their interpretation and practices.

Collecting: Adding to collections…handmade series, vintage pieces, new releases…

Remember the guy before Thanksgiving?  He had no formal dining room. He was having 7 friends gather. He wanted to do some semblance of what he regarded as a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I asked him how he preferred to gather – standing with cocktails and appetizers grazing throughout the evening or a “sit-down” approach? He really wanted the feeling of sitting down to feast. In light of not having a formal dining area – and as it turned out, no coffee table either,  I advised that he gather on cushions around a coffee table. Since he didn’t have one, I suggested that he go to Home Depot and get a 48″ square cut piece of plywood  to position on top of a double stack of cinder blocks. I went in search of finding a table cloth and 8 large cushions (pillows) , votive candles and a centerpiece comprised of a bright yellow mum plant in a basket, with a few mini pumpkins and fall leaves. The scene was set. He used his own plates and utensils, white paper napkins and a package of orange cocktail napkins. He planned the meal and asked for each person to contribute an item that was special for them. After all the dishes were identified, he prepared the main dish, a casserole of boneless turkey breasts surrounded by his traditional favorite, Pepperidge Farm stuffing – baked and beautiful – and two other things that were not being contributed by his friends – canned cranberry jelly (ha ha) and a pumpkin pie that he purchased from a local bakery. Voila!

The gal entering her first Christmas as an adult was not from New Mexico nor was her young husband . They had a new home here and the local traditions were not in her realm of traditions. She wanted a large tree but did not own one single Christmas ornament. She bought a live-cut tree and we bought strings of mini white lights,  a couple dozen red feathered cardinal  bird ornaments, candy canes and white ribbon. She tied white bows on the tree and scattered the red birds all over it. I cannot believe that I can’t find the photo of the finished product – but it was a memorable solution for a first Christmas presentation.

This year I captured a quick shot of this tree in a friend’s house that reminded me of that young woman’s first Christmas tree. In vogue this year are the bare, stick-like trees that offer twinkly accents and an airy presentation of ornaments of choice and here featured are the very similar red cardinals!

Happy Traditions Near and Far!!!!

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Posted On December 24, 2019 By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, art as gift ideas, artistic expression, cardinal ornaments, Centerpieces, Christmas, Christmas dinner table, Christmas Traditions, cocktails, cooking and design, creative process, creativity, design challenges, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designing a new home, designing small spaces, DIY design, drama of color, entertaining, exterior - outdoor design, fine china, floral designs, handcraft, handmade, Hanukkah, hiring an interior designer, history, holiday decor, Holiday Traditions, holiday trends, home, inspiration, interior accents, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, Interior design pro tips, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, kids' art, lifestyle, nostalgia and design, ornaments, personal expression, personal taste, pieced work, poinsettias, practical design, re-purpose, red, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Subscribers, Thanksgiving, throw pillows, tips for new home design, trends, value of good design /  

Designing with Your Story in Mind

Is your story important? Does anyone care about your story? And what does this have to do with interior design?

Whether you are marketing yourself or your business, your story has merit. It is about identity, branding and connecting. It is about letting people in a bit. It is about sharing history, experiences and process. It is about your unique reason for doing what you do.

For the past several months, I have been working with a client on a combination of interior design, graphic design, exterior design…it is all intertwined. A successful design laces together all these design elements. And that brings me to “the story.”

Even Facebook features a section to tell “your story.”  Yet, my client resisted presenting/using the story of this new business venture as a part of the design. He told me that was “so seventies.” That he had read that it was a dated concept that was no longer relevant. I begged to differ. For months I begged to differ! We agreed to disagree.

I believe that this is similar to many interpretations of design. What might be considered “dated” is often the manner in which it is used or done – not the thing itself. Whether a color,  a font, a style of furniture, a wall tile or wallpaper, an architectural detail or form…so many design elements are considered dated due to their context. Often, this is fair to observe. But, mix it up a bit and use things differently or with other different elements than the original trend presented and – Voila! You have a perfectly valid, even fabulous design – think outside the box!

The idea of a “story” is not unlike the “mission statement” which became a standard feature decades ago in every company’s presentation on printed media, lobby plaques, conference room walls, break rooms… Some say it is passe, but when something is good and has meaning – re-consider. Like “the story”, “the mission statement” identifies goals and intent…when paired with the story, it provides an overview of the who, what, why that inquiring patrons want to know.

So back to the story…about “the story.”  When a business or any concept is respected or liked, revered or praised, it is natural for people to wonder “How did they get started?” “How did they come up with this idea?” “What is their history in this business?” These are common questions that clever ideas or designs invite. So why not satisfy that interest, create a buzz…Let’s give them something to talk about!!!

In this world of disconnection, making connections seem all the more important. What used to be a natural exchange – of communication, ideas, sharing – is now something that has to be inserted with greater intention.

So this new business, for which I have been designing, is a barbeque establishment. There are a million. They have certain things in common. Without my enumerating them here – can you envision some common denominators that you might connect with barbeque joints? As is true with any venture, I asked: “What makes this one different? Better barbeque? Maybe. Cool interior? Hopefully. Are those the only unique traits? Is that the memorable take-away?  It certainly isn’t a bad one – the idea is to have great food – and a fun environment, but what else might contribute to the experience of this barbecue being unforgettable? What might you have, to tell your friends, to spread the word?”

My opinion was a  combination of an intriguing brand and “the story.” But before I go further, they coined a word to express their beer brewing prowess – exbeerience!  This will enter into the story as we go along.

Now maybe my opinion about their story was so worthy of consideration because there was so much to this story. That certainly helps. It happens to be a great story with layers of interesting twists and turns – riddled with history and significance. Plus, it had a local interest angle that has the potential to create a buzz far beyond their actual location.  

To begin to tell the story, I encouraged the development of a unique logo for this specific branch of the brand. Taking the lead to design it,  and incorporating it into interior/exterior design was part of my vision for a complete design package and presentation. Extracting from the story to create the logo seemed natural. The private persona was becoming public.

As we developed the logo, featuring a wood-carved graphic of an original log cabin/smokehouse, the story was recorded and edited down to a summarized version.

It was available for printed material, social media, and as art to be presented on walls. Yes, it was intended to become a decorative element too.

The Story became a focal piece in the interior along with authentic, original photos of the log smokehouse and an interpretation of patchwork quilts entitled Urban Piecework made from leftover ceramic and porcelain tiles, glass and clay assembled in wall-mounted panels throughout the interior and exterior spaces. 

Photos of the original smokehouse in North Carolina will soon be presented to further reiterate the story on the interior walls.
Urban Piecework commands the interior with bold mosaics reminiscent of patchwork quilts – an intriguing backdrop installed both inside and out.

Connecting with patrons, followers, clients, friends, family and acquaintances is valuable. As a business, it wraps who and those elements that are important to you in a familiar cocoon of context. It can instill a level of comfort and confidence in addition to sparking additional interest that might have taken longer to establish, without the introduction of your story.

The final multi-dimensional and multi-textural wall-piece featuring the story and mission is a striking 4’x6′ multi-textural panel. It offers patrons an opportunity to get a few questions answered as they enjoy their “exbeerience” at BLUE.

It was a privilege to promote, extract and produce this story and contribute such an important and valuable element to this business’s marketing and solidifying it’s new, exciting chapter of their brand.

Consider your story. Own it. Share it. Celebrate the uniqueness of your story. Design with your story in mind.

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Posted On April 19, 2019 By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, architecture, art and interior design, art assemblages, art custom commissions, artistic expression, bars and restaurants, branding in interior design, brew pubs, commercial interior design, commercial remodel, context of interior design, corporate branding, creative process, creativity, custom art in interior design, custom design interior design, design, design and marketing, design challenges, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designing with a purpose, dining and design, dining rooms, eclectic design, exterior - outdoor design, good design, Graphic art, graphic arts, graphic designs in interiors, hiring an interior designer, historic properties, inspiration, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design trends, interior enhancements, logo development, marketing the story, mosaic, mosaic tile, murals, Nexus Brewery, nostalgia and design, patchwork, patterns, personal expression, photography, pieced work, practical design, quilts, restaurant design, Subscribers, textures, the story, tile, trends, urban art, value of good design, wall treatments, your story /  1

Urban “Pieced Work” – an artistic narrative

We are excited to have the opportunity to bring a design installation(s) into a new project that will serve to support the brand with a twist. A nearly completed new smokehouse is coming to Albuquerque. This home-grown eatery blends family history and southern roots with southwestern barbecue flavors including indigenous  wood and iconic chile blends. But this is not about their cooking profile. It is about how we have arrived at a design theme that will define and further the identity in this new, specialized smokehouse department of this larger local brand.

To accomplish this task, we examined the concept the owner had  to remodel an existing facility that had been a popular gathering post serving this community for decades. The fringe barrio location was of a demographic primarily comprised of Mexican/Americans. Decades past it was home to a heavily black community. The fabric of these cultural combinations suggested a mosaic of color and vibrant heritages.

The spark of cultural references lead to discussion of the popular artistic expression of urban mural painting.

 

When we began the dialogue, the decision to have a mural painted by local neighborhood kids, with a mentor to design and supervise the work,  seemed to be the direction we were headed. After subject matter debate and development, I veered off on another tangent that might take a less subjective approach, be weather-proof and more durable for a patio location – mosaic.

This new more impervious and durable medium still offered the opportunity to engage the community, but with less focus on a specific subject and more about geometric color and texture. We discussed the details of installation so as to keep it simple for kids to participate using whole tiles – minimize cutting, if any, for starters.

Inspiration came from several other installations such as the Albuquerque Convention Center’s on-going mosaic mural project wrapping many sections of the buildings with intricate scenes of New Mexican lifestyle and cultural diversity. The colorful mosaic is an elegant and sophisticated contribution to our city’s cultural aesthetic.

Helen Atkins, manager of consignment art at PATRICIAN DESIGN’s downtown boutique gallery and the lead on their current restaurant mural project, has worked on several phases of the Convention Center’s mural project.

We have incorporated mosaic into several of our own design projects such as last week’s blog https://patriciandesign.com/trust-and-custom-designs/about a residential kitchen installation.

Here, in another installation, a fireplace surround of mosaic adds movement, color and textural interest to the room.

Ultimately, one of Helen Atkin’s personal photographs cemented the approach. It was decided that a geometry of different sizes and disparate glazes and designs of tiles pieced together in a colorful, textural  panel would be our design theme.

Helen Atkins, a recognized artist in many media, captured this in passing while visiting New Zealand. It’s crisp, yet irregular composition was intriguing and pleasing. It became the springboard for the concept for a geometric mosaic panel to anchor the theme of this new New Mexico eating establishment.

The idea became more exciting as we began gathering material from local tile distributors and our own personal inventories of favorite treasures saved for a special project. Here it was.  It seemed such a strong design element and therefore offered a new direction for the actual brand of this establishment. We embraced the idea and brought it into the interior and distributed murals throughout the space.

Still under construction, we will not divulge the identity or locations of this project just yet. But suffice it to say, the murals are an exciting part of this interior design scheme.

As we further discussed the plans to implement this project, school started and the ease of coordinating the assistance of neighborhood kids became more difficult. Helen lead the project as primary installer, coordinator and supervisor. She enlisted the assistance of a couple of people – one experienced and the other not at all.

We have named this series, Urban Pieced Work – an artistic narrative. Here we are interpreting generations old sewing patchwork using ceramic, glass and pottery pieces rather than the traditional fabric patches. The original folk art needlework has been in the American vernacular for ages.  In these installations, this up-cycled  use of discarded or discontinued tiles is similar to patchwork fabrics, re-purposed to make clothing, wall decor, window treatments and bed dressing when times were tough – often referred to as “pieced work.”

My paternal grandmother in New Mexico made this twin quilt for my bed when I was a child in Virginia.

 

My same grandmother made this and was given to me by my cousin, her only other granddaughter.

Mosaic is often, like fabric patchwork, a practical art form that puts scrap, shards and fragments to good use in an artistic fashion. Note though that more sophisticated mosaics have been designed more intentionally for centuries not merely as salvaged material. These masterpieces both in contemporary work and antiquities represent many periods in history and movements in artistic expression.

 

This mosaic version connects with the history of the restaurant’s roots and southern heritage. The panels’ mural nature speaks to the urban murals found throughout the community.

Located strategically throughout the interior, these murals have become a strong design element and anchor for this facet of the brand.

 

Another shot of the spectacular cultural story murals at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

We have woven a meaningful artistic statement throughout the interior and also on the exterior of the building. In addition, we will be inserting a graphic version into the signage and logo design.

 

Urban Pieced Work – an artistic narrative, of a New Mexican Smokehouse, will provide pleasing design visuals throughout this new interior, provoke conversation and interaction, weave an element of history and context with the southern roots of this exciting new eatery!

Join the conversation and watch for the first succulent flavors to come out of the smokers later this year.

 

 

 

 

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Posted On October 7, 2018 By pattisays In Abstract Art, Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and food, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, bars and restaurants, branding in interior design, brew pubs, breweries, commercial interior design, commercial remodel, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design and marketing, design process, design solutions, Design Team, design tips, dining and design, drama of color, eclectic design, element of surprise in design, fabrics, folkart, Food and art, food and interior design, glass art, good design, Graphic art, graphic arts, graphic designs in interiors, Greek mosaic, handcraft, handmade, Helen Atkins, hiring an interior designer, history, inspiration, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, Modern Art, mosaic, mosaic tile, murals, nostalgia and design, patchwork, pieced work, quilting, quilts, re-purpose, recycle, recycle design, Regional design, remodeling, restaurant design, Santa Fe, New Mexico, southwestern design, Subscribers, textiles, textures, tile, Uncategorized, United States history, urban art, urban design, value of good design, wall texture, wall treatments, wallcovering /  1