The Shabby Chic Rescue

I blame this.

This beautiful aqua pillow.  It got me loving aqua and in turn thinking I needed to add it to ........ something. 

A few weeks ago I showed my painted dresser project

I love it but the overall effect has been so white.  I noticed this when I took a picture of my daughter in vibrant colours and the room behind her glowed white. I thought adding colour to the dresser would work.  I thought I would add a bit of wallpaper ( could not find any I like),  those wall sticky things (never any in my taste ) and then I decided to look for a stamp of a damask pattern (which was no where), then I looked for a damask stencil.  Aargh! Nothing.

Then that damn beautiful pillow made me think I needed aqua and off to Home Depot I went.  This is what I did.

And this,

I sat down to look after I was done and realized it was a green not blue aqua.  It grated on me for the entire 6 days it lasted (It was wrong because I  have no greens here, blues, grays, pinks but no green.  There may be a reason for that, green never seems to work for me).

Yesterday I was by Michael's so I thought I would check for a damask stamp, but no.  Then I thought maybe I would look for wrapping paper and see if anything there would work.

A Shabby Chic Rescue!!  Treasures by Shabby Chic gift wrap.  Huh. 

I looked at it and realized I could make it work. 

I like the grey and white almost damask pattern and decided the grey would be a definite improvement over the green.  I applied it with mod podge

I repainted all the green pale grey.  It was exactly what it ( and I ) needed.

To me the grey looks french and subtle.

It is my little corner of France.

My favourite candle holder.  Once a weigh scale (like a justice weight),  it was my first garage purchase, .50 cents.  I pulled it apart, glued it together in a more appealing combination, then silver leafed it.  The crystals are from the grocery store.  

I like this all so much better.  It was a lesson I needed to learn.

No more green. 

Until next time

Patricia

I will be sharing this with:
http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

Lamp redo

A few years ago my Mom gifted me with a large, beautiful mercury glass lamp with a large black and white shade.

It's a beautifully detailed shade but the black and white isn't working in my bedroom.  I really needed a solution and couldn't find one.  I tried to do ruffles, an epic fail.  I was inspired by  this amazing shade done by;

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.com/

 I tried to replicate it ( using a mix of white ribbon and a black pin) but I couldn't find anything that made me happy, or would work, or was the right size. 

It's been bothering me for weeks, fabric would be draped, and discarded, ribbon wrapped and unwrapped.  Everything I tried was either too sheer, too small for the overall size of the shade or wasn't what I was looking for.

  I hid the lamp in a corner out of frustration. 

I adore inspiration, I knew an idea will bubble up and save me and it finally did.  I have a set of unused curtains and I realized if I folded it in half it would cover the black and white pattern.

After washing and ironing I rolled and then taped the top down. Pinned the edge to the fabric.

Easy

The result was perfect

I like it so much I took the lamp out of the corner.

Until next time,

Patricia

Frenchy Bathroom

We only have one full bathroom in this condo so it gets a lot of use.  It has been looking better since it was painted, but it was missing something.

 I found something last weekend at Homesense.

$16.00 on sale and exactly the design pow this bathroom needed.  After ironing I put it up and it was perfect.

The punch of black in a beige bathroom was exactly what it needed.  I already had some frenchy items in the bathroom so it just tied it all together.

I store makeup remover pads and q-tips here and I love that they are hidden and it looks girly.

I found a clock in the fall that I colourwashed with grey matte paint mixed with water which gives it a milk paint look.

I love a clock in the bathroom, and this one was a nice frenchy find but it needed a final touch. 

I had a fleur-de-lis pin that just needed to be on the clock.

I love the splash of black in here.

Wellington

 

 The new towel rod, from the restore now fits here.  It has all come together so easily, and this little beige bathroom finally has some style and design focus.

I think the big part of reworking a room is finding the one item that gives it a wow. The shower curtain brought together a bunch of disparate items, gave it the wow and make it shine.  It is a hit, I know this  because even my teenager is working to keep it clean. 

Until next time,

Patricia

Summer decorating

I live on the prairies.  Bright cerulean skies, miles to the horizon, and not much water.  How I developed a love of shells in the summer is unknown but to me, when it's warm the decorating with shells begins.

In front of books,

With my putti,

Enhancing a small starfish,

by my bed in a vintage aqua crown jar,

and of course my shell ball.

I can't explain why, I just know it's beautiful and really easy to replicate.  I think I purchased my first white shells at the dollar store.  All that's needed is a beautiful container, white shells, maybe some sea glass and you have decorating perfection for the summer. 

Until next time,

Patricia

I will be sharing this with:
http://www.romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://www.fadedcharm.blogspot.com/
http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Garden house

I needed something at the top of the stairs but nothing seemed to work until I found a garden house.

It's meant to be outdoors, I don't think so! I purchased it at HomeSense.  The only problem with it was where to put it.  I love the scrolly details, finials, and cut work that give it vintage personality.

It's a great pale grey with chicken wire sides.  Perfect.  I adore lilacs, and when they are white it's even better. 

My only sun purple glass.  I love the pale mauve of it against the creamy gray. 

I am in awe of this shell ball.  Perfectly white and purchased at a grocery store! It always looks good, no matter the season.  I pack and carry this one carefully and there is no damage after all this time.



My daughter adores old keys, and if I don't tie them down they disappear!

I love the top of the stairs now.

Until next time,

Patricia