Brad always liked to read 700+ page historical biographies about ex-presidents, and other more "brainy" works of non-fiction.  These books challenged him, but bored me!  I would sit up in bed next to Brad, night after night, reading instead the latest issues of Martha Stewart Weddings, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Your Wedding Day and just about any other wedding-focused (read: obsessed) periodical I could get my hands on!

As you might imagine, this seriously concerned Brad!  What sort of freak had he started dating...?  No talk of the future had been discussed, no serious milestones had been reached, and yet I was getting into bed with bridal magazines every night... I think Brad was fairly convinced that I was planning our wedding (a few years ahead of schedule!)

When we talked about it, I would try to put his mind at ease, and I always insisted that it was for "work"... I was getting inspired, staying in the know, following the trends... being a "responsible" designer.  How dare he suggest otherwise.  

One night as we were getting into bed with my stack of magazines, he said (pointing to my mags) "You know what that is?  It's "Wedding Porn!"  I laughed till my ribs hurt, so did he. It was the truth, it couldn't be denied!  I was addicted to Wedding Porn.

Three years, tons of invites & client weddings, one big fabulous wedding of my own and one small miracle baby later, not much has changed.  Several days a month, the postman delivers my "Wedding Porn" right to the front door, for all the world to see.  Lincoln minds, but he's really the only one!  

This nugget of juicy information is based on scientifically proven findings from the "Value of Design FactFinder". Thank you FactFinder.

Here is another fantastic piece of evidence:"Two thirds of companies who ignore design have to compete mainly on price. In companies where design is integral, just one third do so."

The answers were so varied, but one of them, in particular, struck a chord and has stayed with me for the last 24 hours. This person's definition of luxury was "Long lunches with friends that turn into dinners". I just loved that. What a juicy and delicious sentiment.

It started to make me think about luxury in my life, and wanting to jump into the New Year as though it were a giant cashmere hand-knitted blanket, with all sorts of new intentions!

What in fact is luxury?

Quality? Quality of life? Quality of product?

Is it the time you spend with friends, uninterrupted? Is it Crane's Lettra paper? (my alltime most favorite! Well, maybe Murillo is right up there with it!) Is it enjoying the smile on my daughter's face when I walk in to her room first thing in the morning?

I feel like the word "luxury" technically means something of perceived high-value, but to me it's how you experience the item, or the event that makes it truly enjoyable. Yes, a $10,000 Gucci purse is "luxury" in the best sense of the word. But if you don't enjoy it, if you don't crave it, if you don't dream about it - then maybe it's not so luxurious? Hell, a $10 pedicure with a great massage can be luxurious, so where is the line of demarcation?

I could probably type around in circles about the differences I see in how the word is used, but I'll let you think about it instead, and hopefully you'll feel newly inspired to make your own list.

Here are my top ten luxuries of the moment:

1. Hands down, seeing Grace's smile first thing in the morning is the best luxury

2. Dinner together with my husband - NOT in front of the tv

3. Clients who are willing to pay for the ideas I come up with

4. Uncompromised design

5. Time to think

6. Time to act

7. Time for a manicure & Pedicure (I'll settle for someone cutting my nails!!)

8. Letterpress Printing (although I wish it WASN'T a luxury!)

9. Facebook (without Brad over my shoulder telling me to turn it off!)

10. Great memories

At any rate, this is the first of what will hopefully be many posts about all things design. And all things anything else! I will try to amuse and I will try not to abuse -- most of you probably don't want to hear about the forty minutes it took to decide what paper to print on -- but hopefully I will entertain and ease the pressure off my husband's nightly symphony of "yes dear's"!

Looking forward to it,

Jenn