Beautiful Obsessions

I have seen a few things lately that I loved the look of so much I had to get a picture and I thought I would share them.  I was at a Canadian company called Chintz & Co. which is packed full!  It always has been and that's part of the joy of going to Chintz - you are on a search!

This view of the shop shows you there is stuff everywhere!  On my search I saw this light that I would love to have but it needs a larger space to shine in then I have.

A Chandelier on an elegant tripod with a sheer shade is just so glamorous! 

My favourite piece was this:

I would love to own this piece but at almost $700 I just get to drool over the picture.  It's just amazing.

This I could afford; a little murano glass mirror which I have yearned to have for years. About 10 years ago I saw one just like this in a store and I walked away from it because I could not afford it. When I finally found it again Ebay made it affordable!

I loved this little charming french looking birdhouse in Creston, B.C. which has little growing plants in it.  It was in a little area between shops where you could sit.  Just a tiny bit of charm where you least expect it.

Patricia

 

Vacation Time

It was time.

Time for a vacation.  Really really time, so I packed up my daughter and Lovey our cat and hit the road.

   I live in Alberta and part of the joy of summer vacation in BC is arriving at the mountains.  It was at this moment when I realized I was starting to relax.

We went to visit my Mom and her boyfriend Allan who live on the side of the mountain overlooking the town of Creston, BC.

This was my view for my morning coffee,

It beats Starbucks anyday.

I drive a small PT cruiser but when I saw this in Idaho I suddenly wished I drove a truck so I could take it home with me. 

It would be fabulous in my garden but I had no way to get it home so I had to walk away.

One day I went into the garden to harvest the sour cherries.

After washing, pitting, washing again and mixing them with 2 Tbsp Tapioca flour, 1 cup of sugar and a 1/4 teaspoon of Almond flavouring they went into a  flaky pie crust from The Joy of Cooking:

1/2 pound butter

1 1/2 cups of flour

2 Tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

Ice cold water to mix

Made in the food processor and baked at 350 for 1 hour the result was the most amazing pie ever.

Vacation puts everything into pers[ective

Christian Lacroix

I have a sweet work friend who works at a flea market every weekend and when I went to visit her she had this beautiful Christian Lacroix lacy Evian Bottle.

It just suits a branch with flowers.

This is a difficult wall with the Furnace control, light switch,plastic panel and door bell box above all of that - really what could be uglier? But I move pretty items into the area to distract the eye from the ugly.



Flowers and a venetian mirror is just the prettiest combination. 

Enjoy the summer,

Patricia 

Shabby Chic Vintage Ikea

It's always interesting to see the effect of Shabby Chic work it's way into mainstream manufacturing which was the case at Ikea recently. 

These amazing drapes are lined and are made of a heavy heavy cotton that feels like sateen. They instantly reminded me of finding vintage fabric that would be made into drapes. I spent time talking myself out of these because I don't need them, but don't they look like something you could buy at Rachel Ashwell's shop?

This lampshade (there are also hanging pendants like this) reminded me of projects found on the blogs of very talented women.  I'm debating if I should try to make this on my own.  It was just a wire frame with white fabric ruched and held in place.

Tucked in a corner were these vintage images of the Eiffel tower (in the snow - perfect for a Christmas card) Venice, Big Ben, Grand Central and a building in Sweden ( I have no idea which - sorry!) all with postage.  So perfect with a vintage feel.

I purchased three white frames.

& Voila!

Ikea impressed me with it's vintage turn.  There were a lot of other looks but these were my favourites.

Pink Peony from my garden with pink rocks in the base - too pretty.

Cheers,

Patricia

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

For me it's the most wonderful time of the year.  White sweet smelling lilacs.

Beautiful white and pale pink peony's 

I love the soft petals and colour.  

This Korean lilac just smells heavenly.

If you love flowers this truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

A Disparate Group

I needed to store my Domino magazine's, some books and other items in my room and I didn't want it to look like a "bookshelf".  I had to take into consideration that the phone was attached to the area, the shelf is "open" & I still wanted it to look nice.

It also had to work in my new find. 

I love this shelf, with it's vintage look and fabulous corbels. As soon as I saw it I grabbed it because I had been perusing vintage corbels on ebay for years & never purchasing because shipping would break me.

This is a good luck shelf as well, a nice man asked me out for coffee with this in my cart - best day ever at Home Sense!

Doesn't it look vintage?

To break up the top I added a this little shelf for some texture.

With magazines and books below it satisfied my need for storage while looking beautiful.

Sorry for the long delay in posting, yard work, painting a new fence, putting in a garden & job hunting has taken my time lately. 

Cheers,

Patricia

Looking Back

After a few years of upheaval I am ready to look back and appreciate what I had. 

Last house Dining Room looking into the living room.  July and that Shabby Chic table cloth just go together.

A different angle of the dining room.  It was the first time I had purchased a paint colour I didn't like so I mixed my own and looking at it now I love the colour.  I did 2 opposite walls the blue and then left the other 2 white - sounds headache inducing but it worked.

I don't like to live with regret but really I should not have let this piece go.  I have no room for it now but it turned out beautifully. I let it go for a song.

Lovey.  (She is beside me as I write this having a bath) She just seems so suited to Shabby Chic. 

I loved these dark hardwood floors against the white but they were awful to keep clean.  Every footprint in the summer showed and I spent too much time washing the floor.

Looking back was fun.

Cheers,

Patricia