Cameo Bliss Designs: Living on the Face of the Sun....

Summer is here!! No mistaking it where we live. Where I am from however, is a different story. My friends and family back in the Seattle area tell me how much rain and general overcast has been lingering still...they are patiently waiting for summer to arrive and it's already mid-July! :( And yet here in Austin, or anywhere in the central to east parts of the country, we are melting. It's CRAZY hot. Like, bottoms of your shoes start to melt a little as you walk on pavement- hot. And I actually LIKE heat, always have. If I'm sweating, I'm happy because because I feel like my thighs are shrinking, LOL! As of now, my husbands dream of some winter cabin out in the wilderness of the Rockies will NEVER happen ;) I say this because I was born and raised there and as much as I love it, I do not like or miss the cold. I'll take heat any day over freezing. Of course, my dream is to move us to Maui, but until we can afford the cost of living in paradise; well...touché.

Fortunately for us, Austin has elements of both here. The people truly embrace the climate and so much activity is focused around it. There is a thriving 'something for everyone' downtown culture. It's a small city for certain but that is what keeps it charming while still offering so much to do regardless of weather. On any given day, no matter the temps you will see everyone jogging, sprinting, rowing, kayaking, paddle boarding, even doing one of tons of outdoor fitness boot-camps in the parks. Austin-nites are HARD CORE and I have been truly inspired watching them. There is a beautiful wide gravel trail called 'the hike and bike trail' that goes 7.2 miles around the lake downtown (with bridges that run across if you want to cut it shorter) and hundreds descend upon it every day, with their dogs or their jogging stroller or their iPod and they are unfazed. I can't tell you how many hipsters, business people and long time residents you see mid-day, dining outdoors for lunch, wearing their jeans, or nice suits, hats and boots ...with a SMILE. They are completely undaunted by the heat. I feel like I'm on another planet sometimes, or in the midst of a science project. I'm captivated.

With all that said, I can't last more than an hour in my garage right now :p This is why I've had nothing to post for a while. The kids have been out of school since May and our routine of pools-daycamps-gym-groceries-errands and 'where else has AC?' has taken precedent. Yet I have so much to catch up on work wise. In the meantime, just to fit something creative in (as well as time for myself), I have been taking an upholstery class that has been so much fun! Every weekend, for 6-8 hours I have been working on two antique spring-seat chairs - yep just two chairs...but that is how labor intensive upholstery is. I'll be lucky to complete them by the end of the class. Upholsterers earn every dime they make, and I will never balk at the expense again! My Grandfather and Aunt are both professional upholsterers and anytime I'd ask what something would cost to be redone the answer was 'aah just buy a new one!" LOL Now I get it.
I will be sure to share pics and some of the process when these are completed!

In the wings I have a great desk I plan to do with Milk Paint (where is Miss Mustard Seed's already?? I can't wait to try it) as well as a vanity in chalk paint, and then a tall dresser in regular old Latex (or maybe my own milk paint mixture, we'll see ;) It will make for a good visual comparison of the three types and I will be sure to share those as well.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer wherever you live and keeping cool! Here are some pics I found on google just to share what an Austin summer looks like :) Of course with 3 small kids we have yet to do some of these...but it WILL happen!! XOXO