Light and Lovely.

When I woke up this morning and went downstairs to pour my morning cup of coffee I couldn't help but notice the trees blowing wildly outside my window in the cool morning air... "cool morning air".

Yes. It's here. Officially.

I am of course very happy about the arrival of fall. I adore fall.. the smells, the colors, the sound of the wind, the crackle of the fallen leaves..

My girls and I are having so much fun planning for Halloween.. the decorations are up, but we want more! And both girls have changed their costume ideas at least five times.. as of right now Madison is going to be Mother Nature or a Rockin' Witch. Paris Abella is going to be a Lady Bug or a Ballerina..

I usually try to add images to my posts that match my words.. and though it may seem these do not, they actually do... Why? Because I just looked out the window at the cool gray sky and felt the overwhelming sensation that this really is it..

Goodbye lovely girly colored flowers and hello mums. Goodbye lovely silk night gown and hello fleece and Brad's comfy huge socks. Goodbye warmth of sunshine, hello lovely jacket...

Goodbye Summer, I shall miss you. Hello Fall, I've been waiting for you.

Tonight an extra blanket will be thrown on our beds... I look forward to snuggling in it.
xx
Jolena

Loving.

The look of this room.

My ten yr.olds room is similar as far as the colors. I've recently painted her wood furniture black and it looks fantastic. It added just enough sophistication to it to take it from "little girl" to "tween".

Before:

These "sea" items have been removed..we were going for a surfer girl look.. she's a tom boy and loves Roxy, etc.. Now there is a black sign that says "Rock Star" w/fuscia and neon green stars.. definitely fits her personality more now..

The shelf you see in this picture has been painted black along w/her book shelf and dresser.. I regret that I don't have any "after" pics at this time but will post some as soon as I can..
Her bed is similar to the iron one in the first photo.. I considered painting it black but am still afraid to... I like the look of the blue too.. What do you think?
xx
Jolena

Into the Mountains For the Weekend.

Were packing up and heading into the country tomorrow morning.. We have family with cabins right on the river.. The weather will be chilly.. my girls can run free, Brad will fish and enjoy time with his brothers and I will take pictures and collect nature for my vases at home while enjoying time with the ladies of the family.. playing with the kids, rocking chairs on the front porch in warm comfy clothes... I am really looking forward to this trip.

Especially this part of it...


Happy Weekend!
xx
Jolena

I Often Wonder.

What it is about the color black that I love so much. As one can easily see, I adore black whether interior or exterior.
Is it the the feeling it brings of sultry elegance? The dark mysteriousness?

Or perhaps it's the feeling of glamour?


Perhaps it's the way a demur amount can add sophistication to a space.





Surprisingly to some, black can be quite versatile. For example, it is usually associated with modern decor. However, in my opinion, the color black adds a touch of elegance to what one may consider country or shabby.








Regardless of reason, I adore this color.. I would even go as far as to say it is my signature color.. hence the name Black Ribbon Interiors...
For those that have considered using black but fear it's darkness, I say take the risk.. and I can assure you that you will be pleased with the results...

On another note...much of todays rooms I see are filled with white.. white walls, white furniture, and then pops of color.. what is more timeless than black and white? Why not try the all white fad with color and also black? This I imagine would be quite stunning..

So I will no longer wonder why... The colors description alone is reason enough... dark, mysterious, sultry, cultured, elegant... yes..yes.. I love all of those!
xx
Jolena

A Spooktacular Idea.

Memories In Frames.

I love when I visit someones home and it is filled with interesting things to look at.. photographs, artwork, collections, even framed fabrics.


The images below are a few things hanging in my staircase... artwork from my daughters and old photo's..


And this is a little something I made for a friend.. Framed sheet music she had shared with a very close friend of hers.. one would play while the other sang.. as a gift she had me frame it for her.. When I suggested we frame it she thought it was a lovely idea.. I think this would look nice as a part of a gallery wall as well.


And last of all, a framed antique dresser scarf I made for my daughters room.. I loved the colors in the stitching and painted the frame to match..

And I think any of these images would be an outstanding addition...
a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifW-xmChSSaxCEsoXtRAW5dQTR3xnJvGHH0adp8QRx56zPSFklOPjZuyJN1CqWF_ZVynYzHUbeWzN1ZhH1tTmkfkgw-0rJt5Gh_bFwlbErLIBQuKFwbNkQGVhDGC-8tRtVGm-jBcMYtuRG/s1600-h/NY1936.jpg">

"Anyone Who Has A Continous Smile On His Face Conceals A Toughness That Is Almost Frightening" - Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo- Born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905.

I have always been a fan of Hollywood's Golden Age. One of my favorite actresses is Ms. Greta Garbo. I began a bit of research on her as I decided to TRY to portray Ms. Garbo for Halloween. What I learned was far more interesting than I expected and to be honest, quite sad.

"Being a movie star, and this applies to all of them, means being looked at from every possible direction. You are never left at peace, you're just fair game."

She lived a very private life. No signing autographs, no interviews. And after a much publicized romance and three proposals agreed to marrie John Gilbert in 1926. It is said that she left him at the altar.

"You don't have to be married to have a good friend as your partner for life. "

She went on to do more films such as Camille.


She continued to live alone in her New York home until her unfortunate death.
Prior to her death however, Garbo received a 1954 Honorary Academy Award "for her unforgettable screen performances" and in 1999 was ranked as the fifth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute.




After learning her story I am now uncertian as to whether or not I will try to portray her.. it almost feels disrespectful in a way..
"I never said, 'I want to be alone.' I only said, 'I want to be left alone.' There is all the difference."

"The story of my life is about back entrances, side doors, secret elevators and other ways of getting in and out of places so that people won't bother me."

Ms. Garbo, you were a beautiful talent. A true lady that valued her privacy and I respect that highly. Thank you for sharing your on screen talent as it played such an important role in our American history of entertainment. You were one of the greats and I am honored to now know your story.