Hot Skwash!

I know summer is not officially over, but when I saw these on my wonderful friend and customer's website Beadboard UpCountry, I just had to join in the fall fun! Another woman after my own heart - Daria Knowles is the artist, creator and owner of the business that creates these beauties. With a rich background in art, the humanities and classics, she ran an art gallery before deciding to be a stay-at-home Mom. While doing this she continued her creativity by sewing and knitting. With a passion for textiles, she started making beautiful purses out of fine silks, linen, suede and velvets.

Leave it to a creative soul to come up with the idea for Hot Skwash after seeing a crude gingham version, and then turn the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse, so to say! She has a great eye for color, texture and shape and this gives each "skwash" it's very own personality. She works with local farmers in Oregon to recycle unwanted pumpkin and squash stems AND she employs other stay at home Moms to help with the harvest! The company motto is "to combine creative passion with family" - how can you miss with this loving, generous attitude! See her website and blog for more information.
http://www.hotskwash.com/ http://velvetpumpkins.typepad.com/

Beadboard UpCountry

I am thrilled to be posting this story and pictures from one of my favorite customers, Beadboard UpCountry! When I met Maryanne Flaherty (the owner) at a Dallas Market, I instantly liked her and felt we had a strong connection with our design styles. She has such a great sense of humor she is a blast to work with! She describes herself as a California girl with Texas roots, and her incredible store reflects her vision of an upscale Euro Country Lifestyle, that is perfect for her customers that come from all over Texas, California and the rest of the country.

Her store itself is a completely restored Farmer’s Bank building in the Classic Revival Style on Brenham's "Main Street" district which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Brenham lies halfway between Houston and Austin and is 20 minutes from the renowned Round Top Antiques Fair.

Customers browse to the sounds of Parisian jazz, and enjoy her beautiful vignettes of tabletop landscapes, decorative accessories, fine linens, home fragrances and toiletries from France and Belgium, and her custom upholstered and slip covered furnishings, just to name a few of the delights that greet you.

She has a large fan club including Ann Williams from Hill Country House . I was inspired by Ann's great story on Beadboard UpCountry a little while back, take a look (more pictures!)since she does this blogging and story telling full time, and it shows! To top it all off - Mayanne goes to Maison et Objet every fall (I'm so jealous) and has been awarded the Texas Downtown Association's "Best Commercial Interior" of 2007! What an honor and what a pleasure to have Maryanne as a customer!