South Nest Blog: Life in “The Lost Barrio”

I read in the Arizona Daily Star yesterday that Extreme Makeover Home Edition is coming to Tucson, January 27th to February 4th! The article states:

“Now in its sixth season, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” finds worthy families with hard-luck stories and essentially surprises them with a new house, one that is built in less than a week on the site of their existing home after it has been demolished.”

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/276801.php

They are asking for volunteers, so if you want to sign up, here’s the link:

http://www.extrememakeovertucson.com/volunteerForm.asp

I signed up for Saturday, January 31, 2-6 pm and “Any Day” in the mornings and evenings. I think they will have many more volunteers than spaces available so I recommend volunteering for more than one time slot to increase your chances.

If we don’t make the cut, we’ll just have to watch it on TV!

“Obamanos” is my favorite new Obama-ism. And with today’s inaugural speech calling on Americans to make a change, I am going to heed the call with a pledge to take action. I invite you to join me, either in  your own communities or literally to join me if you live here in Tucson!

I helped build a home in high school with Habitat for Humanity, an experience I never forgot. I loved the hands-on work, and the partnership that is created between the volunteers and the low-income families that also help build the homes. If you are like me and work inside all day, what a great excuse to get out and actually be able to create something. I also thought since I sell furniture and home decor, and am working towards a degree in Interior Design, maybe I can make an aesthetic contribution as well! Whatever it is I do at Habitat for Humanity, I’m excited to build, excited to create, and most of all, excited to support my community.

Want to join me? In order to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, you must attend a Volunteer Orientation. At the Tucson Habitat for Humanity, orientations are the second Saturday of every month, 10 am, at 621 W Lester Street. Upon completion of the orientation you will receive a code that will give you access to schedule yourself for volunteer opportunities. For more information, visit:

http://www.habitattucson.org/volunteer/

The next orientation is Valentine’s Day- a great day to spread some love! (and to bring the ones you love!) If you’d like to join me at the volunteer meeting, please respond to the blog so I know how many bagels and coffees to bring! And pass this along to anyone you think would want to join in! Obamanos!

10% of all profits generated from Old Brazil’s online store, www.south-nest.com, will be donated to the Casa de los Ninos shelter, in Tucson, Arizona.

With so many non-profit organizations to choose from, it was difficult to decide on just one. I hope some day that I will have the means to give to many charities, all over the world. Until then, I decided that Casa de los Ninos will be the first.  Giving to a local shelter is a great way to give back to the community, as well as guarantee that the money is going to those in need. Inspired by my sister Anne Francis, who adopted four children out of the foster program, and continues to be a foster parent, I wanted to choose an organization that would fight for and protect children.

I chose Casa de los Ninos because it is a local organization that has been revered in the Tucson community for decades. Committed to preventing child abuse and neglect, the Casa de los Ninos shelter and family service programs have provided aid and support to over 50,000 children and families.

“Casa de los Niños champions every child’s right to a safe permanent & nurturing home. When a child can’t be safe in their own home, our staff and volunteers work together to create an atmosphere of security and acceptance where children have a chance to heal from trauma, build trust and experience being a kid.” -Casa de los Ninos

If you would like to donate to Casa de los Ninos, please go to:

http://casadelosninos.org/donations.html

As President-elect Barack Obama stated:

“Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little better than the one we inhabit today.”

We can all make a change, however small.

Interested in Do-It-Yourself Design for your home, but don’t know where to begin? According to experts in Color Marketing, Home Furnishings Development, and International Trend Forecasting, here are the top trends for 2009 that are sure to spice up your home!*

1.  Furnishings & Home Decor:

• Traditional-style furniture is predicted to make a strong comeback
• Eclectic style will be a leading influence in home decor and fabrics, reflecting individual personalities in the home
• A relaxed, mix-and-match approach will prevail
• Lighter stains and distressed finishes emerge (the distressed pieces mix well with the clean lines of traditional-style items, creating an eclectic, mix-and-match style).
• Green design will continue to be a hot trend in ‘09, including furniture crafted with “reclaimed” eco-friendly wood

Brazilian Reclaimed Wood Console Table, Colonial Antique Style

2. Fabrics:

• Contrast: look for textiles that combine, for example, matte with luster,  or smooth with textural
• Bold patterns: manufacturers are producing fabrics with large patterns that can cover the back of a chair without repeating the design
• Texture: such as tweed and chenille, especially in earth tones. Also pleated, punched and dimensional fabrics
• Outdoor-In: one of the hottest trends is using outdoor fabrics on interior furniture, allowing for sturdy, eco-friendly fabrics for the home (perfect for children and pets!)
• Blingy Trims: crystals, beads and tassels will accent everything from pillows to window treatments

2 x 3 Ribbed Chenile Rugs

3. Color:

• Complex hues: look for curry yellows and golds, and shades of pink, orange and bronze
• Earth tones: beige, gray and taupe will popularize the neutral palette. Look for deeper tones of neutrals that can stand on their own, such as rich chocolate brown
• Metallics: primarily as finishing touches (such as cording on accent pillows), especially copper
• Blue: from lighter shades to purple tones, blue is a versatile palette that complements earth tones

Yellow Colonial Antique Style Table, Hand-Crafted in Brazil

* To read more on Trends for 2009, see the Phoenix Home & Garden “Magazine of the Southwest”, December 2008

As a store owner, both online (www.south-nest.com) and bricks-n-mortar (Old Brazil in Tucson, Arizona), I am frequently asked by my customers how to make simple home improvements on a budget.  I am a small business owner, so I know all too well the desire to turn your home into  a glossy magazine cover without spending thousands of dollars.

The goal of my blog is to share with you tips on do-it-yourself-decorating. It’s easy, it’s fun, and the best part is you can do it little by little so it does not require a big investment of time, or money.

The first tip is my personal favorite: lighting. Good lighting is absolutely essential to a warm and inviting home. Arizonans are spoiled by great lighting, from endless blue skies to the dramatic colors of our sunsets. Perhaps this is why we appreciate the warm glow of candlelight in the evenings.

Range Artifact Hurricane Lamps

If you live in or visit Arizona, you will notice that candles are as ubiquitous as fireplaces in the Southwest home. Lighting up homes and restaurants like old cathedrals- votives, candelabras, hurricane lamps and candlesticks are as much a staple to Arizona as the saguaro cacti that dot our desert landscape. There is something about candlelight that calms, humbles… brings one back to the basic elements of life.

Thistle Candle Holder

If you want to try candlelight in your home, start with one room to see what types of candle holders you like. If you want to start with an outdoor space, I recommend using hurricane lamps and/or lanterns which stand up best to wind. If you begin with your dining room table, a set of candlesticks is a must, as they can remain on the table day and night.  If your table is large, try a set of three candlesticks with big pillar candles instead of the traditional tapered candles. Iron candle holders with either white or colored pillar candles offer a rustic-chic look that looks great on tables or mantles.

Candlelight is one of the few things in Western design that virtually cannot be overdone. However, you also do not need to go out and buy it all at once. Candle holders can be collected over time and work beautifully mix and matched. They are also easy to move so if your favorite candle holders are on your outside patio, move them to your empty fireplace next time you have guests over. A few candles and  you can turn any space into a unique and inviting environment for everyone to enjoy!

Tejas Table Votive