Treasures by Shabby Chic

I adore Rachel Ashwell and she has yet to do anything I don't love.  When I heard she was doing a line of stationary for Michaels I got a bit excited since Michaels is in Canada but my hopes were not high.  For those of you who don't live in Canada, let me explain, not everything available in the states is available here in Canada even if it's an American store, hence the popularity of ebay!

I went into Michaels yesterday and asked 2 sales clerks and they told me no, they did not have any Shabby Chic but if they did it would be in the stationary bins - which is exactly where I found it and the best part of it is the stationary bins are $1.50 or less!!  I was so excited and picked up everything I would want because those bins clean out of a cute product and then don't get filled again, so run as soon as possible, I don't think it will last.  This is what I picked up:

After this wonderful find I got to the till and it was 25% off day so I got each piece for about $1.13 each except the magnets which were $3.00.

I picked up pens. 



I got beautiful post it notes and gift tags.

Beautiful gift cards (with pale green envelopes), which are always so hard to find.

Magnets (pretty magnets are impossible to find!) and a notebook.



I even got nail files!

It's all so beautiful.  It seems to be based on many of her patterns.   It's a little odd that I now have a pillow and nail file that match! 

It all makes for a beautiful desk.

Beautiful pens in milk glass.  It's hard to find prettier.

It will make everyday prettier, which everyone deserves. So run to Michael's and show me what you have.  There are items I left behind; hangers, shelf paper, soaps, but I got everything I wanted at a better price than I ever expected.  It's affordable Rachel so don't let it pass you by!

Have fun shopping,

Patricia



My Blue Period

I am going through a blue period, I still love pink but lately blue is winning.  About 3 years ago I was at an antique store and saw a vintage urn and everything looked alright in in but nothing made it sing, then one day I was in another antique store that was closing down and in the corner was a fishing float and suddenly the urn had something that worked with it.

This float was hiding under a very intricate rope cover and it was dirty but cutting it out of the rope and cleaning it off revealed this beautiful blue float.  Floats are so interesting and all over ebay in all price ranges.  This float got me thinking about more blues and how lovely they always look.

This Rachel Ashwell shabby chic pillow has the most beautiful combinations of blue.  It's called Blue White Floral and something about it is so charming to me.  My favourite Rachel Ashwell blue is Bella Rose Blue, bar none her best blue. 

She hit it out of the park with this one. 

A calming blue corner.  This is a chair my mom found in Home Sense and it was christmas green and gold (ugh) but she could see the beauty.  She kept at it with the white paint and now I owe you a picture of the whole chair - next time.

My Mom, like my daughter, is an artist.  She saw this picture in Domino magazine and copied it. 

I love the how blue can be bright even in a dark snowy run of winter.  I got my laptop a few months ago and despaired at the horrible laptop choices available. Ugh, no thank you to black, black, black.  Then I found this:

I love the cheery polka dots.  It's from a company in Britain called Oliepops, I purchased mine on ebay but they have a website as well, http://www.oliepops.com/.  I tell everyone who is interested in a laptop case about this company because good design has still missed laptop cases.

We have been in a cold snap with loads of snow.  I have a sweet little timid cat, Lovey, who went out to look at the snow one evening and left the tiniest little present in the snow. 

Until next time,

Patricia

White in all it's glory

I got snowed in this weekend.  No where to go on Saturday, my car would not have made it.  The snow is almost up to the back step.  All this extra in the house time gave me a chance to soak up Country Living's White issue.  The title alone " The simple beauty of white" made my excitement rise.  January light here makes white so pleasing and ..... white.  I have always loved white, in all it's forms.

My favourite flower is always a white one.

A few years ago my mom and I purchased  roses and used all of our milk glass.  My first collection.  Milk glass is common yet perfect.  New versions of it never look as good as the vintage pieces.

Decorating with white is so easy and always ends up looking so good.

16 years ago I purchased a white couch.  I was considered nuts by everyone but it did not matter.  It worked with everything and it still does.  I had it slipcovered in 09 and it was worth every penny. 

White is always right.

"White is not a mere absence of color, it is a shining and affirmative thing:  as fierce as red, as definite as black"

G.K. Chesterton, English Philosopher

Patricia

Looking Up!

I did a lot of looking up in Vegas!  The first day I forgot to carry my camera - after 1 day without I knew better than to do that again.  The chandeliers were breathtaking.  I love chandeliers that take a chance, that are big, overblown and undeniably beautiful. 

The first I noticed was this.  We were in a mall with a restaurant with excellent margarita's (hence being unable to remember!)  It's not that I love it but it was the care and effort that went into hanging each and every piece.

I love Urban Outfitters, they are forward thinking in a way I like and they are like the funkier (and cheaper) little sister to Anthropoligie.  This is a white chandelier done right.

We went to the Bellagio and I could not believe the chandelier in the lobby.

This is the most amazing beautiful glass work I have ever seen.  It is a chandelier called Fiori Di Como by Dave Chihuly. It has over 2000 glass flowers.  It feels like your in the sea looking up at colorful jelly fish.  This alone is worth going to Vegas for.  It is large and simply awe inspiring. 

The beauty in the Bellagio continued with this behind the desk.

White and mercury glass perfection.  I need to remember this because it could be done on a small scale.

I also adored the window's at Tiffany's

It's hard to tell but the leaves are paper with writing on it.  It reminds me months ago I walked pass a book with music in it at the thrift store.  I could have done great paper crafts, wrapped gifts, and now this showed me I could have made itty bitty leaves!

I love seeing the wonderful ways glass and paper can be used.  I also got to see the grand staircase from the Titanic redone at an artifact exhibition at the Luxor.  I thought it would be cheesy, but it took my breath away.  No pics allowed so you have to imagine it. 

I did not think I would see so much beauty in Vegas.  I was prepared for tacky not beauty.  

 I have saved one final treat for you. 

I didn't indulge but it just amazed me too!!

Until next time,

Patricia  :)



Great Design

Happy New Year!  I'm back from Vegas and had a great time.  It was an amazing place with so much to see.  We walked so much every day that our feet always hurt.  What's so interesting about Vegas is that such a modern place has chosen so much classical architecture.  It should be boxy hotels but it's very European. 

Not a detail has been skipped.



I love the french influence.

There are moments in a beautiful place like this when you forget your in Las Vegas.  This was in the Bellagio Hotel right by a little cafe where I paid $8.00 for a chocolate eclair for my daughter!

The Bellagio, Caesars, and Wynn were all breathtaking.  The entrance to Wynn made me a little homesick for a moment. 

Pine Trees!!  A rare sight in Vegas.  It was beautiful to see things I never had like Chanel at Christmas,

and a polar bear covered in white carnations.

In Wynn we went into a little cafe with marble tables, great salad, a waterfall out the door  and the most interesting thing on the walls. 

these rosettes were all over the walls and the ceiling.  It was difficult to get a shot with people in and out trying to get food. These rosettes would be amazing painted a different colour (hello white!!).

Next blog will be on chandeliers (amazing) and some more of  the amazing Christmas decorations that we saw. 

Until next time,

Patricia