Imagine turning petals from your wedding bouquet into a gorgeous work of art.   Leslie Baskin, the talented artist and owner of Leslie Baskin Designs, is garnering a lot of attention for her fiber art.  Leslie creates homemade paper then incorporates pressed flowers, watercolor and gold foil.  The results are simply stunning.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Leslie, and learning more about the exquisite pieces she loves to create!

 You have always been a creative person.  Tell us about your background in art? 
 “I've always had an interest in the creative side.  I took art growing up, went to summer camps for art, and had lessons after school.  When I was a freshman at Ole Miss, I went in undecided about a major.   But after half of a semester, I realized I wanted a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with an emphasis in graphic design.  After graduating, I began teaching art and graphic design at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, and after teaching for two years, I realized I wanted to get my master’s degree.  I am in my 5th year teaching high school students at St. Andrew’s, and I am currently at Mississippi College, slowly but surely working on my MFA in graphic design!”

What inspired you to begin creating fiber art?
“I took a paper-making class at Mississippi College.  With my background in graphic design, I have always loved beautiful paper, and that’s why I was drawn to the class. Fiber art gives me another outlet for working with beautiful paper.”  

Tell us how you create these gorgeous pieces of fiber art?
“You can use any sort of paper you want!  For my base, I use a cotton linter paper.  It is just a dry, ground up cotton with some fibers that hold it together.  I use a lot of recycled paper too.  I blend all of that up with water in a blender, making a pulp.  From there, I pull the paper flat onto a screen.  I then transfer the paper onto a flat surface and let it dry.  During the drying process, I begin incorporating dried flowers, gold foil, or several layers of pulp on top of each other.  I make each piece more of a composition.” 

Tell us about your graphic design business! 
 “I love creating invitations!  And I absolutely love the printing process:  picking the paper and using gold foil in invitations.  I create custom logos as well.       

Does Mississippi have any influence on your work? 
“Definitely!  My husband and I moved into a new house in Fondren two years ago, and our yard is filled with beautiful flowers.  I loved picking a flower, drying it and pressing it.  When I took the paper-making class at Mississippi College, I thought it would be an interesting idea to place the dried flowers onto the homemade paper. They kind of just float off of the page.  It is so pretty to me!  As compositions, they resemble landscapes found in Mississippi:  the Delta, the coast, and even some rolling hills.  Many of my fiber art pieces have transformed into these abstract landscapes.  Depending on the material or the colors I use, I often work back in with watercolors.  I recently created a piece using blue and green watercolor washes for a friend who lives on the coast.  It turned out beautifully.”  

What would you like to do in the future? 
“I love teaching, so I definitely see myself teaching for a while.  One day, I would love to have my own studio where I can create art and paper, but also have a graphic design studio where people can come in for custom invitations and logos.  It would be wonderful to sell cute stationary and my art, along with pieces from other local artists as well!”  

Thank you, Leslie, for sharing your beautiful art with us!  Follow Leslie Baskin Designs on Instagram! @lesliebaskindesigns

Locking eyes with the love of your life on your wedding day should be a perfect, insanely romantic moment.  Every bride ponders the question, “Should we do a first look, or wait to see each other during the ceremony?”  A first look is truly magical, and photographers can capture precious, private moments.  Today, we are thrilled to share some of these photographs, beautifully taken by Adam + Alli Photography.  Brides, grooms and wedding planners also tell us why a first look can be a wonderful start to a wedding.

“Is it bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony?  Will the wedding fall apart?  Will it take all of the excitement away from the ceremony?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  Many AMAZING things come from a FIRST LOOK.”  Adam Hudson, Photographer with Adam + Alli Photography

“At first I was skeptical, only because television and movies have created an image of what I thought the first time my groom would see me should be.  I thought if I did a first look I would be breaking ‘tradition.’ 

But then I thought about the advantages of only him seeing me walk down the aisle…I wanted him to have a natural reaction.  I know Taylor; he is so much more himself when it is just the two of us.  Looking back, it was the BEST DECISION I made!  We had an entire hour to ourselves with no interruptions!”  Haley Hawsey Smith, bride

“There’s nothing that can replace that moment, especially when it is just the two of you.”  Bride

“It was an intimate and calming moment that I will always treasure.  Wedding days can often be hectic and stressful, but that alone time with my love reset my focus and soothed my anxieties.  It also allows for some very sweet, candid and private photos without any rush.”  Lindsay Stevenson, bride

“I am a huge fan of the first look!  There is something about taking time to just have a few moments alone.  I promise, the moment of the bride walking down the aisle with the music playing, surrounded by so many friends and family, will be just as special and romantic.”  Kendall Poole Ellis, Wedding Planner / Owner of Kendall Poole Event Planning

“I walked up behind him, put my hands over his eyes, and he turned around.  Immediately, we hugged each other and didn’t want to let go.  We wouldn’t have been able to do that during the ceremony!  One of Nathan’s favorite pictures (he still talks about it) is when he took a step back after hugging me to ‘take it all in’ and then he looked at me from the back, then front again, and kissed me.”  Amanda Newman Cameron, bride

“I have never had a bride or groom regret a first look, because it helps them both relax.  As a wedding planner, it’s always great to see my couples have a few moments to just relax and feel at ease on their wedding day.”  Paige Haven, Wedding Planner / Owner of Compliments of You, LLC

“At first I thought that the first look would be less romantic than waiting to see each other until walking down the aisle, but it actually ended up being one of my favorite moments of the whole day.  When we saw each other in the garden, it was like time stood still.  We shared this sweet, intimate moment between us, and I’ll never forget how much love was in his eyes.”  Joy Abedikichi, bride

“It’s not that it got rid of all the little nerves, but it did put things into perspective – that we were there together to take these vows and celebrate that love.  The first look really slowed time down and allowed us to truly be in the moment.  And now, to have those photos reminds us to slow down and be in the moment.”  Azod, groom

“For us, the first look was an exciting start to our perfect day.  We chose a few places that were sentimental to us.  We were able to spend time together for a few hours before the chaos began!  During these important moments alone, it felt like it was our time to say, ‘It’s our wedding day!’  Those are actually some of the best moments that will forever be etched in our minds.”  Amber Koestler, bride  

Thank you, Adam + Alli Photography, for sharing these pretty, intimate first look photos!

“I grew up in a very artistic family.  My parents were into the symphony and the theater, so I was exposed to all facets of the art world.  When I began to think about making a living, I decided to explore interior design.  It was a practical decision.  I was not the child who rearranged her bedroom every weekend,” laughs Lisa Palmer.  “But, I truly fell in love with interior design.  I had a very inspiring instructor who taught my textiles class, and she was hugely passionate about textiles.  I became passionate about textiles through her class, and she changed my whole perception of design from a practical decision into a passion.”

Lisa Palmer is sharp.  She is gorgeous, gregarious and smart, and her love for design is intoxicating.  As Owner and Principal Designer of SummerHouse, Lisa has created a business that is just as impressive as she is.

Lisa began her career at CraftCrosswell in Jackson, where she honed her design skills and learned how to run a business.  “Bill Croswell was one of my great inspirations in life because he taught me how important client service is.  He also taught me the importance of working with a staff, and that you must keep a positive attitude with your staff.  I try to do that every single day that I am here.  Not only to my customers and clients, but also with my staff.” 

Seeing a great need in the Jackson-area for soft, traditional furnishings, Lisa opened SummerHouse in Fondren in 2003.  “I had to go out of town to find clean-lined, high-end, high-quality furnishings for my clients.  And when a space came available, I decided to take it.” She laughs, “It was never a long term goal of mine to be a business owner.  It kind of just fell in my lap.  I thought, ‘I’m going for it.’  You get nowhere if you don’t take risks.”

Two years later, a fire in the space next door completely destroyed her business.  It was time to rebuild.  Lisa gained two business partners who believed in her, and they decided The Township in Ridgeland was the perfect location for SummerHouse. 

Lisa designed a truly magnificent space.  Natural light streams into the open 6900 square foot showroom, which boasts 17.5-foot ceilings, and a mezzanine with offices and a resource library.  It is light, airy and refreshing.  “When someone walks in, they immediately know who we are and how we design,” says Lisa.  Clients are surrounded by inspiration in the showroom, and love to see and feel the pieces.  “Too many clients have been burned too many times in the past.  Women tend to trust your opinion, but with an important piece like a sofa or lounge chair, men want to be enveloped by comfort.”

SummerHouse is filled with fresh, classic, soft-modern designs.  Lisa says, “The trend at markets right now is to go very modern.  That is not us.  We still love our antiques and great, crusty finishes.  Here at SummerHouse, we just like to incorporate modern pieces with our time-worn finishes and our natural matte sisal rugs with our antique rugs.  We do a beautiful, balanced mix of those things.”  However, if you wish to have a more contemporary home, they can help create a beautiful modern space as well!  Lisa says, "If contemporary is what you want, we will jump right in!"

Designers at SummerHouse are trained to handsomely create your home, holding your hand throughout the entire process.  If you are a client, they will not charge to pick out paint colors, and will ensure pieces will fit your space, so you are not making any mistakes.  Lisa adds, “What we do best is what we are trained to do.  I think in the long run, if you find the right designer who matches your style, it is worry-free.”

Whether you are looking to buy one new piece, or decorate an entire home, SummerHouse is the ultimate destination.  You can visit their beautiful website here. 

Today, Lisa shares her tips for finding your perfect designer at SummerHouse:

~ Visit our website, www.summerhousestyle.com and click on the Interior Design Section.  You can read a bio and see photos of all of the designers on staff and learn more about their style.  We also feature rooms and homes we have designed, and each project links to the designer who created it.

~ Call me!  I know all of the designers and their strengths.  I can tell you which designer will fit you best.  Each has their own personal style, they all have a degree in Interior Design, and each is excellent at what they do.

~ Ask around! Word of mouth is the best!  If you know of anyone who has used designers from SummerHouse before, ask who they worked with, about their experience, etc.

~ Do your homework.  Find your style and what makes you feel the best in your home.  Do you want to go rustic modern, soft traditional, or contemporary?  Look through magazines, Pinterest and get your research done.  That will help your designer help you best.

~  Come up with a realistic budget.  Sometimes clients are scared to talk budget with a designer.  It truly helps US know where to go with a room!