Instagrammers.....

I love Instagram for so many reasons...mainly I love that it

encourages us to capture those everyday moments and observations

that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten.  What can I

say, I am a lover of life's small moments. So today, I thought

I would share some of my small moments with all of you.

I have titled each of them appropriately.

'Joy'

The photos above were all taken while we

were in central Oregon for Christmas - the snow was amazing!

I took the photo of me, my girls and my mom when we did a Starbucks

run on Christmas Eve morning - it was a baseball cap/no make-up morning.

'Imperfect Pretties'

 I am dreadful about posting photos of myself on my blog - and I strongly dislike

having my photo taken.  I am trying to be better, cause it's just so silly.  The photo

above was taken a couple weeks ago and shows my 40-somthing year old self and each

of my well earned wrinkles and laugh lines.  The center photo was taken in 

my yard when a frozen fog layered covered everything, including this 

long abandoned spider web - lesson to be learned, something so imperfect can be beautiful!

And finally some perfectly pretty fabrics for a client project {heeeey Jenny H.!}

'Happy'

I call the collage above 'Happy' - 'cause who

doesn't like pretty fabrics, a good magazine, Ina's Yogurt Lemon Cake

and primroses outside in January?

'My Cup is Half Full'

And finally, like many mothers, I find myself doing

loads of driving between the hours of 3:00 and 9:00. 

The upside to all this driving is witnessing some

gorgeous sunsets this time of year.....I

captured this one when driving daughter #1

to basketball practice.....

Here's to life's small moments.....AND Instagram!

You can find me at jillhinsoninteriors!

Young House Love Lighting ......inspired space.

Have you seen the new Young House Love

lighting collection at Shades of Light? It really is 

fantastic and very reasonably priced.  I was

particularly smitten with the 'Large Globe Light'

pictured above, it comes in SEVEN colors!  

While I gravitate to a more traditional design aesthetic 

in my own home, I am at heart a design-junkie who

appreciates all kinds of styles. 

This fixture could be used in so many 

different spaces.  For fun, I created a design

board for a modern living space using

the Large Globe Light!  I like to

 keep modern spaces from feeling too 'cold' by

incorporating lots of texture - the flokati rug,

grasscloth wallpaper and mirrored coffee table all add

those important elements of texture to the space!

I would love to help you design the room of your dreams - whether

it be traditional, contemporary, eclectic, glam or transitional.

I have a couple e-design client openings in the month of February - 

please email me at jill.hinsondesigns@gmail.com 

so we can chat about your project!

Happy Monday to you!  

*** this is NOT a sponsored post - I just love the new lighting collection!

Lake House Design

I have been working with a client in Minnesota over the past couple

months.  The family of six recently purchased their 'forever' home -

located very near a lake where they enjoy boating and swimming.

The great room is the first room you see when you walk in the home.

The design was inspired by the client's favorite piece of art

{included above}.  The room needs to be a comfortable space

for entertaining and family activities.

While many might automatically think of white slipcovers and striped cotton

rugs when they think lake house design - this house is in Minnesota.  And

having lived in Minnesota for a couple years, I know that the chilly

climate calls for a warmer lake house design.  A lighter, California beachy

style would be out of place in the upper midwest.  The design includes

a sailboat model for the fireplace mantle, neutral chenille slipcovers 

 on the pair of Lee sofas, warm woods and texture
with baskets to store extra pillows and/or a cuddly

throw for a cold winter's night. I designed a

space that is pretty much all about tradition but with some

contemporary elements, like the floor lamp, included for this young family.

********

Have a wonderful weekend - stay warm for all of you

in those colder climates!  

I will be enjoying some precious one on one time with my little

girl while the big girl and the hubby are away for

a soccer tourney.  

Fiddle Leaf Fig: An Update

See those black edges on my precious Fiddle Leaf Fig {aka the most 

frequent flyer in any well designed space}......

After some research I found out those black edges are due to

OVER-WATERING!  Oh Fiddle Leaf Fig, this is

a first for me.....usually I kill plants because of under-watering.

See how much I love you?

I am determined to make you beautiful and design magazine worthy....

just you wait and see.

Loving: Antique Rugs

via

First, thank you for all your kind comments on my new blog design.

I was so overdue for an updated look!  I am still learning

my way around - it's almost like driving a new car! 

Now, let's get this party started....

via

My love for using vintage objects in design is well known

around here.  However, I have not often used antique rugs.

But that's all about to change!

There is a patina to antique rugs that just can't seem

to be replicated by anything new.  In contemporary

spaces, an antique rug provides just enough color, texture

and balance.  These photos are so inspiring!

via

I have been perusing Ebay and have found
a few good sellers of antique Persian rugs.  So far
I have lost a couple auctions but I intend to be patient....
waiting for just the right one at the right price.
Wish me luck!

Welcome to the new Forever*Cottage!

I am so thrilled to unveil my new blog design!  It was so long overdue.  This new design in more 'me' and gives focus to my decorating business which, I am happy to say, is growing and giving me so much inspiration!  This little blog has grown slowly and steadily over the years, provided me with friendships that distance and life would have otherwise made impossible and most importantly, given me a place to dream and grow more than I could have ever imagined at this stage of my life!

 A BIG thanks to all of you who have been on this journey with me.

make this...

Long ago, I was a member of the Junior League, a wonderful women's service organization that does great work in each chapter's local community.  I was fortunate to be a part of Junior Leagues in Minneapolis, MN, Morristown, NJ and Portland, OR and volunteer for some really great and worthy organizations. Besides serving as catalyst for pairing smart and accomplished women with not-for-profit organizations doing good work, many Junior Leagues make and sell cookbooks to support their work.  I feel like everyone has a Junior League cookbook? Right?

One of my favorites from "Portland's Palate" the cookbook from the Junior League of Portland is a Tomato Basil Soup.  I made it on Friday when I was having a few of my youngest daughter's friends, along with their momma's over for a girl's night in.  It has been cold in Portland!  This soup is a perfect simple meal for a cold winter's night!  I added a caesar salad and some garlic bread and called it good.

Tomato Basil Soup

1/4 cup butter, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
5 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped and divided
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 (35 ounce) can whole tomatoes 
salt & pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
Fontina Cheese, grated {I had none so did parmesan shavings}

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter.  Add 3 tablespoons basil, chopped onion and 4 cloves garlic.  Cook until tender, about 15 minutes.  Pour in tomatoes and their liquid.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a food processor or blender, puree tomato mixture in small batches. **Thankfully I have a hand blender which is THE BEST kitchen appliance, especially when you need to do something like this! No need to transfer to a food processor - you just blend right in your stockpot.  Return mixture to saucepan.  (Soup can be stored in refrigerator up to one day ahead at this point.)

In small saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons basil, garlic and Italian seasoning and saute for 5 minutes.  Combine sauteed herbs with chicken broth and tomato mixture.  Simmer until heated through.  Serve immediately and garnish with cheese.

On blogging and decorating.....

Obviously, it has been difficult getting back to a normal blogging

routine this week.  No excuses, but I have had a sick girly home,

visiting parents, the need to clean a dirty house, do some

laundry etc.....{just living the dream!}.  

My blog is "under construction" - a blog designer

is working on something new and fabulous for me.  It

was time!  As much as I loved the pink-cruiser logo, it really

did not relate to the direction my life or this blog is headed.

The new design will be cleaner, more contemporary and more

focused on interior design and decorating.  I hope you

will hang in there with me while we wait for the new

design to go live.

And speaking of blogging.  My friend Melaine from 

My Sweet Savannah, experienced major blog

problems last week and has had to begin blogging at a 

new URL.  Please go check out her 'new' site and 

give her some love.  She is a super-blogger and missed

having your daily visits!  Make sure to 'follow' her new site.

I took theses photos yesterday after I had somewhat put

my living room/office back together after having taken

the tree down over a week ago.  I added the Betwixt pillow

in black just before Christmas to the lumbar on the sofa.

My desk accessories include some of my vintage eye-glass collection -

I have a thing for cat-eye glasses {who knew} and a slinky.

What does this have to do with anything?

Nothing.

Feeling the need to post a pretty photo and tell

you a little something about me.....on Wednesday......

So how about you?  Are you back in the swing of things?

Client Project......'Finishing Touches'

I was hired by a friend to help her 'finish' her kitchen and family room -
now mind you, this friend's home is gorgeous and many would think,
"whaaaaaat"?????  Why does she need a designer?

However, I am finding lots of homeowners are good at what I call the
'big stuff' - couches, tables and rugs but struggle with how to really
make their space feel cozy and personal.

This particularly space if full of white furniture and white cabinets.
And while I knew my friend did not want to inject a ton
of color, I knew the space needed texture and some
'pops' of color sprinkled about.  The art chosen for above the
mantle definitely inspired the color palette.

If you are interested in either starting or finishing your space in 2013,
I would love to help! Please email me at jill.hinsondesigns@gmail.com.

Sparkle.....please watch and pass along!

My friend Suzanne, from Privet & Holly, posted about her sweet cousin

and her battle with leukemia.  Campbell "Soup",
is 7 years old and would like nothing
more than to meet singer Carrie Underwood.
Go HERE to read Suzanne's post that provides
additional beautiful details of a  special little girl's dream!

No better reason to break my blogging break.

Be back Monday with my regular/irregular posts.