Kathryn Bechen Ink New World Headquarters

I knew it! I knew I should never have watched that movie where the heroine is a neurotic-and-uptight-writer-sort (albeit beautiful and charming!) who meets said annoying-but-oh-so-lovable male hero (emphasis on annoying!) and their over-the-top-chemistry forces her muse into overdrive to the point she writes a blockbuster bestselling book, enabling her to buy a beach-front mansion! Smile. Smile. Smile. :)

As I mused about the movie, my own muse kicked in, (the decorating one), and I walked down the hall past my wall of "writing paraphernalia" to my little home office corner in our San Diego highrise apartment which overlooks a pretty pocket park. (It's not a beach front mansion of course, but I do love my digs!)

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

And I became determined to take my home office corner as paperless as possible and also create a simpler and more neutral and serene color palette to go with our all-white master bedroom I just re-decorated. (Some people climb mountains for a thrill; I decorate and organize!)

Most writers can't go completely paperless as we have a tendency to collect info that supports our writing and constant learning, but I did manage to downsize my files into plastic bins sitting in wicker file baskets which I can easily move back and forth to my bedroom when I write from bed. Love that portability! I also stored my office supplies in white paper photo boxes on my bookshelves. I love having just a tiny office corner area without too much "stuff" so my mind stays clear enough to write. (My husband Steve shares the other side of the office with me.)

I found an elegant "Old World" style table at one of my favorite secondhand design stores, and I adore her gracious demeanor! I also found a pretty rose picture at Pier One and I repainted the "Bloom" and "Inspire" signs I had with blue paint. Easy-breezy project!

I LOVE the new office chair slipcover that the talented Teresa of Cozy Cottage Slipcovers made for me. Can you believe she did that virtually with me mailing her the fabric and my chair measurements, and it fits perfectly! Her customer service was awesome, too. Thanks, Theresa! :) The fabric is a painting drop cloth I bought at Home Depot and washed about ten times so it was really soft. Frugal, fun, durable, washable=YES!!

I especially like the gold detailing on my new desk, and when I'm tired of it as a desk, I can always use it as a foyer or sofa table, of course!

I also like the shabby "Old World" finish because if I scratch the top...well, um, who will ever know?! Old looking things give me comfort because they have....patina. (And since I just turned 52, I suppose that means I now have patina too, huh?! :) Well, as the old saying goes, it's all in the attitude. :)

This ol' gal has quite the pretty ladylike legs, don't you agree?!

Just perfect for a night on the town of dancing....or shall I say...a night of writing at home with her very own author owner curled up in a soft cozy robe...

holding a steaming cup of hot chocolate and using all her fun favorite "writerly" tools...

so she can encourage others through her writing to do the things in life that make them happy and help them BLOOM!

'Til Next Time!

Kathryn :)

www.KathrynBechenInk.com

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

Roses On My Table vs. Diamonds On My Neck

"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck."
--Emma Goldman

'Til next time!
Kathryn
www.KathrynBechenInk.com
"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom!"

SoCal Succulent Garden Beauty

I love hearing from my blog and e-newsletter readers and friends and I thought I'd share this lovely letter about Lee's succulent garden in Southern California. Isn't her front garden a riot of beauty?!

Lee says, "I love my garden as it's made up of SoCal native and drought tolerant plants. The beauty of the garden has inspired my work and led me on to water saving and nature conservation projects to maintain the beauty of all that surrounds us...

The hummingbirds, rabbits, doves, and butterflies animate the colorful and peaceful garden behind my house. You are absolutely right! Beauty in nature is breathtaking and makes us happy! We just have to enjoy those moments of happiness and the tremendous visual feasts that nature gives us every day."

And who has the best spot in the garden here but this sweet little bird sitting in Lee's orange tree, huh?! He looks, um, happy as a jaybird! (Oh wait a minute; I think the accurate cliches here are "happy as a clam" and "naked as a jaybird!") :)

Thank you Lee for sharing your beautiful garden with my readers and also for sharing your kind sentiment about my writing and our fun gatherings around the table at our home:

"Daryl and I miss our laughter-filled get-togethers with the two of you. You are a true friend to share your gift of writing with all. I love your blog post about living life in Technicolor; what a cool concept! Sending you a big hug! Lee."

And sending you, Lee and Daryl, a big "virtual hug" too from me and Steve, and a big bowl of "happy as a clam" chowder so you have some "hearty hot soup**" to celebrate the fall season! :)


'Til Next Time!
Kathryn
http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/
"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

**More on my funny "faux pas" soup story in a later blog post! (Trust me on this one--my "Martha Stewart-ness" was on temporary vacation the night of that dinner party at our home!)

Magical Marriage Moments At the Villa Royale Inn

Villa Royale Inn, Palm Springs, CA

Is there anything better than a relaxing and romantic "no-tech" getaway weekend with your spouse at a beautiful and charming inn to melt away the stresses of everyday life? My hubby Steve took me recently for my 52nd birthday, to one of my favorite places in Palm Springs, CA, the lovely Villa Royale Inn and Villa Europa Restaurant.

Quaintly nestled into the stunning mountainside...

under the brilliant desert sun, where it can get to over 120 degrees in the Coachella Valley area...

the Villa Royale immediately captivates you with her sensuous desert charms...

including the faded European style grandeur of the lobby...

where faux flora and fauna abound...

and a row of lovely French doors quietly overlook....

a shimmering swimming pool...

that's especially refreshing under the desert's black velvet night sky.

Meander down little cobblestone brick walks...

past interesting urns...

and the soothing trickle of stunning old fountains...

through secret passageways...

that lead to charmingly quaint corners.

The comfortable and quiet rooms, many of which have their own private patios, exude an Old World European-ish style charm...

with a touch of Old Hollywood glam...

and faded gentility...
making it a lovely place for afternoon tootsies and tenderness...

with your loving mate.

It's also a fun place to get a little "gussied up" (as my hubby calls my girlish primping!), for a delectable dining experience...

at their Villa Europa Restaurant, where you'll be given the "Royale treatment" by a most attentive and kind staff...

who'll do their best to give you a favorite table, like this one overlooking the outdoor fountain on the patio.

I can't decide if my over-the-top delicious chicken dish...

or my hubby's melt-in-your mouth beef was better.

And imagine my smile of delight when I was brought this gorgeous gratis birthday "death by chocolate" dessert...

and my hubby Steve and our charmingly attentive waiter Robert sang "Happy Birthday" to me. Aw, thanks guys, you're so sweet!

In the morning, you'll be treated to a delicious complimentary hot breakfast in the Villa Royale's back patio courtyard before you head off into the desert sunshine for your drive home.

Thank you hubby Steve, for the beautiful trip, roses, and card with the sweet sentiment that you signed to me "Love forever" and for telling me that I've taught you during our 30 years of marriage how to treat a lady.

And you, my sweet gentleman of a hubby, are certainly worthy of this lady, and may we have many more magical marriage moments together!

"Enjoy life with the woman you love." --Ecclesiastes 9:9, The Bible

Why Marriage? A beautiful sentiment to read here.

'Til Next Time!

Kathryn

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

Media Interview: Military Couples At Home

"It takes a hundred men to make an encampment,
but one woman can make a home." --Robert Ingersoll

I was blessed to be interviewed about "couples at home" this morning by nationally award-winning author and journalist Tanya Biank. Tanya was catapulted into fame as a Hollywood and White House celebrity when her book became the hit TV show, "Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage," now cable's No. 1 rated drama series among women and Lifetime TV's most watched show in its 23 year history! Congrats Tanya!

It is my great pleasure and honor for my decorating/organizing/lifestyle-at-home tips and ideas to be published in Tanya's syndicated column, "Operation Home Front," which will go out to 200 military post newspapers across the U.S. I feel truly blessed to serve you in this very small way, our soldiers and your families, while you so courageously serve our country, and my sincere wish for you as couples is that you will build a happy long term home life and marriage together.*

Thank you Tanya for the wonderful interview today and may you continue to be blessed in your amazing military family ministry and writing career!

HOME QUOTES:

"The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes." --Confucious

"The Illiad may be about war, but the far greater odyssey is about men who want nothing more than to get back to their wives, children, and vineyards." --Susan Waggoner

"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave." --Martin Luther

"Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave but not our hearts."
--Oliver Wendall Holmes, Sr.

"Where thou art, that is home." --Emily Dickinson

"Make your home feel like a sweet embrace."--Kathryn Bechen

*RESOURCE LINKS FOR COUPLES AT HOME:

Your Blessed Nest: Finding and Creating a Comfortable, Beautiful, and Harmonious Living Space for Two (magazine article)

121 Dollarwise Decorating & Organizing Tips to Make Your House a Home (e-book)

Moving With Ease: The 8 Week Plan for an Organized & Stress-Free Move Whether You Hire a Mover or Do It Yourself! (e-book)

Decorating Without Divorcing (Poem)

Decorating Without Divorcing (Audio Interview)

Decorate Your Bedroom Like a Bed & Breakfast Inn ( online article)

Bed & Breakfast Bliss Blog

Portable Home Decorating: 11 Tips for Creating a Comfortable Home Even When You Move Often (online article)

'Til Next Time!
Kathryn
www.KathrynBechenInk.com
"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

Notice Beauty & Fight for Your Dreams

What are your dreams? My dream was to write books that positively impact people's lives, and that dream has come true! The gorgeous singer Priscilla Ahn captures my sentiment about following your dreams so that you won't look back at the end of your life with regrets. Watch her incredibly beautiful video "Dream."

Photo taken by Steve Bechen

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and

fight for your dreams.”

--Ashley Smith

May you find a way to live out your dreams!

Kathryn

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom!

Fun Bloomings

Hope your Labor Day was bloomingly fun! My hubby and I had a relaxing time together watching a movie at home, touring model homes for ideas for my book, eating out, and just relaxing.

A big thank you to speaker and author Beth Jones for her kind feature article she wrote about me and my work. Check out Beth's lovely website and blog, Tablet of My Heart, where you can find her books and read more about her Christian speaking ministry.

If you like the paintings above that are hanging over my kitchen sink, I hired my client and friend, Erin Houghton of The Painted Garden, to paint them for me; they're custom.

Thanks to all of you who left comments on my blog about my all-white bedroom. So glad you enjoyed it and are now inspired to create your own serene master bedroom retreat!

Wishing you a bloomingly great Tuesday!

Kathryn

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

Aw Thanks, You're Sweet!

I want to wish you personally today a blessed Labor Day weekend! Straight from my heart, I am really touched by the e-mails, blog comments, and social networking comments and requests** I receive from you, and they inspire me to write more for you!

The beautiful song DREAM (listen here) by gorgeous singer Priscilla Ahn describes what it's like to have a dream and be inspired to follow it! Whatever your dream, I encourage you to pursue it! And here is my own true personal story of how I followed my dreams (and yes, also worked hard) to become a nationally published writer, now working on a book for a major U.S. publisher, my ultimate lifetime dream!

**THANKS FOR THE KIND KUDOS!

*Thanks to sweet realtor Arianne Verna for her kind words about my blog. If you are looking for a "Tommy Bahama" style home in Orange County, CA, Arianne's own lovely home is for sale. Contact her at www.SoCalBankers.com.

*Thanks to the adventurous empty nest couple, Gypsy Nesters, for tweeting to their 6000+ Twitter followers saying @KathrynBechen is "More magic than 'Bewitched!" Aw...how sweet! The Gypsy Nesters' home is all over the world as they celebrate their empty nest by traveling.

*Thanks to one of San Diego's award-winning wedding planners, Rachel Welland, Ower of Bliss Events, who liked my marriage article "Recipe For Creating a Happy Home Together" and sent it out to all her Facebook followers. Rachel has been nominated for "Woman of the Year 2010" by San Diego Magazine. (San Diego county has 3 million people!) Yay Rachel!

*Thanks to Kansas City, MO based speaker/author Beth Jones for asking to use my marriage article as a guest piece on her blog. Beth is a warm Christian woman with a heart for building up women's lives. Thank you Beth, for your lovely feature article you wrote about my work; how kind of you to go to that much effort!

*Thanks to interior designer Alesha Churba for inquiring about me speaking at her conference. Alesha is a talented gal with a big heart whose design mission is aging in place.

*Thanks for the kind blog comments from Centsational Girl and her blog readers about my all-white master bedroom, a.k.a. my FAV writing and blogging place. Centsational Girl is quite sensational with a hammer, a drill, and a paint can!

Well, you know by now that my mission is to continue to bring beauty and order to the world, and you, through words. And to virtually consult with other creative business owners on how to further their own business dreams. And so....

'Til Next Time!

Kathryn

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/