the idiot cleans while the genious master the chaos...

IMG_10
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

I'll keep telling myself that... Ha ha


This is the BEFORE picture. Pretty bad huh? If you click on it it will take you to my flickr page where there is about 18 more pictures of my entire studio. I am not hiding anything. This is what you get when you take one over creative woman, 2 businesses (going on 3) and a full time job... But it's gonna change :o)

I cleaned, scrubbed and sweated last night. And I made progress. A lot. It feels so good and I can't wait to keep going. Hopefully by Monday I will have some awesome pictures to show you the transformation...

Are you excited? I know I am!!

Happy friday friends :o)
~tess

time to get organized

fabric flowers in progress
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

oh dear...
It suddenly occurred to me that it's probably been about one year since I really cleaned my studio. I'm not talking about dusting off the bench but about wiping off everything, organizing drawers, finding those missing gemstones that are probably lurking in some crack on our old hard wood floors, doing inventory, maybe even rearrange the layout and finally get a more functional workspace...

Now where did I put that little drill press I bought?


It has only taken me about 2 years to turn my house into a complete mess. At first I took over one of the guest bedrooms and made it into my studio (thanks honey!). Then I realized that I didn't have enough space for my desk. Where are all the bubble mailers supposed to go?

So then I got the space outside the studio and David built me an awesome desk with a lot of storage.. Now you can't even see the desk for all the mailers, pens, business cards and misc items that (I swear!) the cats have dragged up there.

And now I am starting this new adventure with nova of love. And all of the sudden our dining table disappeared. I mean it's still there, if you look hard enough. The chairs around that big pile of fabrics, petals, ribbons, a sewing machine, flowers, scissors, hair clips and headbands is a dead giveaway...


So today I decided to roll up the sleeves and tackle this monster that is growing out of control. David and the kitties deserve to have a clean house. Cleaner at least.

I am going to deal with my studio first. I think if I rearrange a little bit... maybe that scroll saw that someone (read David) convinced me to buy and that have been collected dust ever since could move somewhere else (read David's studio HA HA) I would be able to squeeze in a little work table for nova of love. And I need boxes. Tons of boxes to store fabrics and stuff. Which reminds me that I need to go through that IKEA Expedit I have in there. That is one underutilized bookcase. I could probably fit everything that is still laying around in boxes if I just took the time to do it...

And I definitely need to find a spot for that christmas tree foot holder thingie that I keep tripping on. Maybe I can jam it into the wardrobe together with my massive suitcase and that inflatable 8ft pool we bought in a weak moment during a 100 degree summer.

I feel good about this. I think it's gonna look really nice and I think I will feel so much better. I don't like mess (stop laughing David, I am serious!) but I don't mind a little bit of clutter. Yes, there is a difference...

Wish me luck. Hopefully I'll be back with before and after pictures for you guys.
lots of love ~tess

wedding shoes

I think I've landed on these..

I like the way they look with the open toe and they're also low heeled with is a must for me and my poor feet. I wish I could have beautiful high heels but I wouldn't last more than 5 minutes in shoes like that. Besides I'm getting married in the backyard so a stiletto would only get stuck in the grass! I hope that these heels will be ok though...


I ordered them online and they should arrive any day now! I needed to get a pair of shoes before the 5th, which is when I'm getting dress shopping with my friend Harsha! I'm so excited and nervous. I've been slacking with my p90x and put on a few more pounds during vacation but I am gonna do my best to shed some before next week.


I will of course have to add some details to them. I'm thinking some pretty flower shoe clips to spruce things up. I love wedding shoes that shows unique quirky details :o)

What are you up to this lovely Monday?

love ~tess

Save the dates in progress

Save the dates in progress
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

Yesterday David and I finally sat down and almost finished our save the dates. It was a lot more work than I initially had thought. But I guess whenever you have to make multiples time adds up quickly.

We wanted to do something ourselves and not buy or order ready made save the dates. We're both very crafty and wanted to add our personal touch to them. If I may say so myself I think we've succeeded!

We're doing one english and one swedish version. I'm not showing you a finished save the date just yet.. I want it to be a surprise for our guests and I know a lot of them read my blog (sneaky sneaky) so I will wait to post pictures until after we've sent them out :o) I think they are a lot of fun and I hope my guests thinks so too.

This weekend I'll spend some time in the studio with metal and fire. I hope to squeeze in some softer stuff as well. Yesterday after we had finished working on save the dates I started pulling some flowers together. I just love layering petals together and watch them take shape. It's hard cause I want to keep them all for myself ;o) But I would look like I am walking around with a whole flower shop on my head so I better share them with all of you..

You better heart my new shop so you can find it quickly for my grand opening August 20th.

http://www.novaoflove.etsy.com

I hope you'll all have a fantastic Friday and remember to put some sun block on this Saturday. I heard it's gonna be like 103 here in Philly.. *sigh* like the house wasn't hot enough, not to mention my studio... it's like working in a sauna sometimes...

anyways I'd better get going!
love ~tess

I can still feel...

lortviken\
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

the sun on my face...


You will just have to bear with me for a few days while I still daydream of Sweden.. I promise I will snap out of if soon.. A little it anyways.

I have to take some pictures of my little garden and show you. When we came back the tomatoes had grown to some monster plants and are HUGE. My cilantro unfortunate I think have died. And the deer ate all my lettuce and broccoli leafs... But the rest seem to be thriving!

Yesterday we picked up the p90x exercise where we left off. Arms and shoulders.. Sore today.. But it feels good to be back. I have two weeks before my friend Harsha comes over. We are going to NY to go dress shopping.. Very scary indeed. Need to work on that muffin top :o)

Lots of love!
~tess

a refreshed, softer me..

forget me nots
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

I found myself in a little corner of my mother's garden. And there they were. Small yet stunning. The little forget me nots that I love so much.

I feel rejuvenated
bursting with inspiration

An explosion of colors
so many shapes and a million different textures

All fighting in my head to get out
in one way or another

Some will be precious jewels for you to wear
other will be precious memories for me to hold on


I have a hard time expressing what I feel. So many impressions, meetings, conversations to sort out in my head.
I know I love sweden so much and I will always refer to it as my home. But I realized that this is also my home. Here in the states. Here with David. With the little furbabies. Here in my studio where I can make magic and frame stones with my memories.

And here where I will start my next adventure with yet another shop. I know you must be curious and so am I. My head is filled with peonies, dandelions, roses and other flowers that are just dying to get out. I can't wait to get to my studio and pull out all my fabrics. Soft, colorful and beautiful fabrics. Cut petals after petals. Gently put them together until they become alive.

I can't wait to show you my softer side. :o)

love ~tess

slowly returning

smitingen
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

I think I might be suffering from post vacation depression...

but who wouldn't if you had to leave this to come back to a very hot apartment and a desk job...

It was wonderful to see my family and friends again. I needed that so much. And I needed a time out from internet and blogging and all that stuff. I needed to just be. Be in the present. To just breathe. I just wish it could have lasted longer. There were more friends and family I wanted to see, more places I wanted to show David, but there simple wasn't enough time.

If you click on the photo it will take you to my Flickr page where these is tons of more pictures. I know you are curious to what I was up to :o)
And honestly I was mostly laying on the beach soaking up the sun, eating good food and talking to friends all night long...

Now it's back to reality but I want to hold on to this feeling forever. I don't want it to ever go away!

Lots of love!
~tess