Dreamy Design Times Five

Boy, do I really stink at this blogging stuff! This is typical of me. I start an ambitious new project--like trying to take my writing/editing biz to the next level by moving it into the blogosphere--and then I get too busy to tend to it. (Guess this explains why I've never had much luck with plants. Or fish.)

Actually, I’ve been so busy working on a variety of cool and interesting projects that my modest little blog has sorta been wandering around cyberspace unnoticed—kind of like a planemo, come to think of it.

I may not be the best blogger in the Universe. And I may not have the most followers (current count is two, including myself). But I am fairly good at promoting people, places, and products that inspire and enrich our lives.

Allow me to introduce you to two wonderful magazines that recently made their debut on Facebook: Small Room Decorating and American Dream Cottages. Now, in the interest of full disclosure*, I do want to mention that I am a frequent contributor to Small Room Decorating. I also have a feature story in the premiere issue of American Dream Cottages, wherein I wrote about Susan Delurgio’s charming beach cottage; however, my articles make up but a small part of these two beautiful glossies.

Professional design ideas; decorating tips and tricks; easy DIY weekend projects; unique flea market finds; and page after colorful page of delightful homes—from whimsical cottages and contemporary condos to everything in between—are just a few of the things you can expect to find in Small Room Decorating and American Dream Cottages. So click on over to Facebook and show some Like.    

While you’re at it, check out the always stunning, eternally gorgeous Cottages & Bungalows* and Romantic Homes* magazines, brought to you by my lovely friends and colleagues, Ms. Jickie Torres and Ms. Jacqueline deMontravel.

Finally, you country folks absolutely do not want to miss a single issue of Country Sampler* for its beautiful variety of countrified homes, dazzling decorating ideas, and primitive-inspired products!      

After you pick up all five of these magazines at the newsstand, skip on back over to me and let me know what you found most inspiring about each one.

On the Nose

Peachy's nose also knows.

It's not often that I get really excited about something. But I had occasion this week to get, well, really excited about something.


Imagine you are walking down a street in an eclectic, artsy neighborhood that you stumbled upon quite by accident. As you take in your surroundings, you start to feel the creative juices flowing for the first time in a very long time. You feel excitement building--like you might be on the verge of a great idea or epiphany, of sorts. Then, as you round the corner, you find yourself standing face to face with, oh, let's say, Brad Pitt (sans Angelina and the kids). Brad (because you're on a first-name basis now) invites you to join him for coffee at a cool off-the-beaten-path cafe, where the two of you sit for the next several hours conversing about everything from art and literature to science and philosophy. That would be a great day, right? An occasion to get excited?

My day was kind of like that--only better. You see, I got an email from Jasper Fforde who told me the great news that I won his USA Spot the Dog Competition! And before you start in with, "Who is Jasper Fforde?", "What is a 'Spot the Dog' competition", and "Let's get back to Brad Pitt," please allow me to explain.


As a writer, I find few things more exciting than meeting or interacting with other writers--particularly those whom I really, really, really admire. Meeting writers is, for me, like meeting Brad Pitt or [insert favorite actor's name here] might be for somebody else. If you don't believe me, feel free to ask my husband about how I turn to goo every time I stand on-line at a David Sedaris book signing.


But for the last few years, my jam-packed work schedule has prevented me from doing much, if any, pleasure reading. A friend recently introduced me to Jasper Fforde's series of Thursday Next books, and then promptly gave me a box set. My intention was to "skim" the first novel in the group and then do what I always do when I have no time to read: Set it on my bedside table to use as a coaster. Fortunately, it wasn't meant to be. By the time I had finished the first paragraph, I was a fan. (Note to all you authors out there: It's never too late to amass new fans.)


Fforde's book reminded me of why I wanted to be a writer to begin with. Quirky, witty, and incredibly original, I was not only completely taken by his prose, but also keenly aware that the cogs in my own creative machine--which hadn't stopped but had definitely slowed--were starting to churn again. I felt renewed inspiration--the dawn of excitement you feel deep inside when ideas and possibility start speed dating and turning up at the same parties again. I know you creative folks out there know all about it.


Fast forward to now. Well, actually, to three weeks ago. I was hanging out at jasperfforde.com when I had the good fortune to see that he was running a USA Spot the Dog Competition: an invitation to examine clues on a photograph and guess the location of the nose of his little dog named Ozzy, whose image had been purposely digitally removed. I entered the competition on a whim. 


Wouldn't you know it, but yesterday I received an email from none other than Jasper himself ('cause we're on a first-name basis now; in my world, we're on a first-name basis) congratulating me on my "extraordinary achievement": I located Ozzy's nose spot on. My prize (which I will post here the moment it arrives in my hot little hands) is an "extra special" first-signed USA paperback of TN6 with the TNU144 'First Signed' stamp. (If you want to know what all of that means and why it's so freaking special, you have to click on the links.)


So, there you have it. A very good day for me. Call me a book nerd, geek extraordinaire, literary drip.  I'm fine with it. And by the way, Brad Pitt's got nothing on these guys. 


     

I Wandered Lonely as a ... Planet?

Image courtesy of NASA Goddard Photo and Video

A planemo is defined as a small wandering planet (once you strip out all the astrophysicist mumbo jumbo anyway). It has no star in which to orbit, so it has no home galaxy to call its own. And because it has no home and no orbit, it experiences no seasons, no months, no years, no days, no nights, no time. (Weird, huh?) A planemo simply travels around the vast reaches of the Universe at its leisure with, ostensibly, no real purpose. 

I was originally going to call my personal slice of cyberspace simply Planemo, which I had decided would be a lonely little blog devoted to nothing in particular and everything in between. My blog was to be to the Internet what a planemo is to the Universe. It would explore it all—the good, the bad, and the mundane of anything and everything I pleased—but it wouldn't stick around in any one place for too long. Then something happened: I fell into orbit. 

Planemos can experience a similar fate. One of the greatest mysteries of the Universe is gravity. And when gravity wants an object in its clutches, that object is helpless to resist. When a planemo drifts close enough to the gravitational pull of a star, it gets pulled into orbit. In other words, it finds a home.    

After having done some aimless wandering of my own for a time, I found my home a number of years ago in a galaxy consisting of words, sentences, and paragraphs, all held together by a strange dark matter known as punctuation. And so began my career in writing, editing, and publishing. Yet my days as a wanderer weren't entirely over because I had the benefit of working in a variety of settings, including trade media, magazines, book publishing, and even civil service, all of which eventually brought me to here: my own (entirely purposeful) editorial- and content-development enterprise. 

Welcome to Planemo Creative!   

Whether you are in need of a writer, an editor, an editorial project manager, a full-fledged creative team, or you simply need someone with whom to brainstorm ideas, Planemo Creative can meet almost all of your editorial and content-development needs. I say "almost all" because, let's face it, some of us are better in some areas than in others. And if your particular project isn't something that we specialize in, we'll point you in the direction of the people who do. (And we know lots of great people!)

But Planemo Creative isn't just a place where I talk up our services and peddle our talents. Planemo Creative is a place for you to get useful information, ideas, and creative inspiration about writing, publishing, art and design trends, home decor, and maybe even a fun crafty project thrown in for good measure from time to time. (Hey, I may have found a home galaxy, but I'll always have some planemo tendencies!)

So come along and join me in this galaxy of inspired thinking and creative collaboration. Who knows...you might just find yourself falling into orbit!  

Rebecca J. Razo

Founder, Planemo Creative   

Kitchens Magazine, Spring 2012

Woo hoo! My new issue of Kitchens magazine goes on sale tomorrow, January 24! This issue is packed with colorful design ideas, money-saving renovation tips, and tons of great product suggestions. Featuring:

• Abbe Fenimore, Studio Ten 25
• Jennifer Grey, The Old Painted Cottage
• Mary Jo Fiorella, Fiorella Design
• French Garden House
• Oodles more!