Decorating With Cloches

After playing around a bit with the 6 cloches of varying sizes that I found in my 'stash'...
(Sadly, I must content myself with the reproductions and facsimiles which I have collected.. no French ones here:))

Trying different effects...

I decided on the combination of old books,{I love the look and feel of well worn books} a rustic stool, and the cloches - light, airy and mostly empty - for a January reading theme. Only the largest one is ample enough to 'incubate' a few vintage books under it's lovely bell shape. The remaining ones are much smaller and are just resting on small stacks of books or the stool. {This feels somewhat like my reading lately. A few books being digested while others remain on the stack... to be tackled later?!}

Decorating Inspiration

I recently came across this photo which I took in France a couple of years ago. It reminded me of how fun it is to decorate with one or more 'cloches' or bell jars, and how we ( Shannon and I) formerly used them with reckless abandon in our shop~Poet's Garden. Though I wish that we had been able to bring one of these beauties home (we never saw one for sale!), I still enjoy the thought of seeing them in real life and real use.

Tomorrow I will show to what 'decorative' use I have put this small bit of fresh inspiration.

Keeping Christmas

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness."

~ Bob Hope~

" I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."

~ Charles Dickens~

From 'A Christmas Carol'.

Shannon ~ Keeping Some Beauty Around The Chaos

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty

never grows old.

~ Franz Kafka~

Beauty is the adjustment of all parts proportionately

so that one cannot add or subtract or change

without impairing the harmony of the whole.

~ Leon B. Alberti ~

“A man should hear a little music,

read a little poetry,

and see a fine picture every day of his life,

in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the

sense of the beautiful implanted in the human soul.”

~ Johann Wolfgang Goethe~

Nesting

Signs of the season...changing...

Geese migrating, Leaves on the lawn, Grandchildren at the pumpkin patch, Fog in the mornings, Down comforters and warm sweaters wanted.... yes it must be Fall!

The inevitable nesting instinct kicks in...

I need to change the decor to match my mood.

{Making a fall banner gets me started.}

Now I remember why I painted my walls this warm golden color...
{in the autumn, of course, several years ago}

A Little Summer Decorating

The hot weather has driven me indoors so I think I'll give the living room a cool update. Teal and green always remind me of summer, partly because they are cool colors and also because teal is the color of a tropical ocean!! Ah! Yes! (But would you believe that it never gets this hot in Aruba?) So in lieu of sitting on that white beach I'll do a couple of other favorite things-decorating and snapping photos .

My favorite method for a quick and inexpensive update in a room is to change the accent color. I like to keep my basics fairly neutral ( the walls appear brighter in these pictures than they actually are) so that I can change the feel with a few accessories in a new color to match the season. The trick is to get the chosen accent color several places throughout the room or area being decorated.

I have plenty of accessories waiting in the wings ( i.e. stuffed in random closets and cupboards) to rotate several times a year!

I love teal and sometimes think I could leave it out all year, but come September I'm usually in the mood for something warmer like orange. :)

Kichen Makeover

I love vintage silver and cutlery (some purchased in France) with lots of white. I still have brick on one whole wall and wood cabinets and floor so adding lots of white is a necessity.

The desperately, needed and much appreciated, kitchen re-do was recently completed.With the help of Drake (who comes decked out in well equipped tool belt) and Ben, the makeover is accomplished. John and Casey also worked on it. White bead-board back splash( replacing pink rose wallpaper :-[ Oh what a change! ) , silver drawer pulls, outlet covers and lights.

At the other end of the room

Drake

Decorating- Garden Style

I'll return to Holly's week of birthday photos after a short break for a decorating theme post.

~Garden style~

Using garden elements in decorating gives a fresh springy look to a room.

Sometimes the larger and more unlikely the item the better.

Like this row of vintage watering cans on top of an old Hoosier.

The feeling in this room lends itself to a garden theme nicely because of the wall of used brick.
Lots of white still keeps the overall look from getting to heavy.


Plants and topiary are another essential for a garden feel.





In all things of nature there is something marvelous

~ Aristotle ~

This post is linked at Southern Hospitality's Spring Fluffing Party. Check it out for more spring decorating ideas!

Pastel Books

Recently I wanted to add a fresher look to the bedroom and using books again I picked pastel coffee-table books to use as risers for vintage fans and a fun wire chair. I enjoy seeing the way the pastel colors mix. What do you think?

Old Books

~RED BOOKS~

It's not only fun to read an old book in order to savor a classic in it's richest form but to use their rich colors and patina in decorating.

~

I like to choose ones in the colors I'm using in a room for the particular season. They make great risers for other accessories that need to be a bit higher. Or just add a stack on their own.