make a room out of it...

 

We have been adding great new piece in the shop and I thought it might be fun to share a dining room design with some of my favorites and some new pieces.

Chandelier // Console // Frenchy Artwork // Wood dining chair // Slip covered dining chair //Dining table // Cloche // Fabric

If you would like help creating inspirational spaces for yourself contact us!

RH Slate Gray Paint Collection

I just stumbled across 

Restoration Hardware's Slate Paint Collection

These wonderful grays can be ordered in samples or gallons.

Check it out...

A New Painting

19" x 27"

Once it was decided that we would be moving east, we began to review our possessions and started the process of deciding what to keep, and what to sell or give away.

This can be a complicated process but in the end, we adhered to two values. Was the item something we truly loved, or was it useful? Or better yet, did is possess both qualities?

I did this with just about everything - furniture, clothes, linens, and even our art work. I had a regional painting of the Three Sisters in Oregon. Although I thought it was a beautiful painting, it was not something I truly loved. So I took it to our local antique art gallery and sold it.

In its place (although there wasn't supposed to be an acquisition in exchange), I purchased this landscape painting. It absolutely grabbed a hold of me. So I put the value of the Three Sisters towards it, and paid the rest through the gallery's lay-a-way program.

Last week, I finally received the painting. I had forgotten what it looked like actually. I even wondered, especially in the midst of our long move, what on earth I was thinking to purchase something at a time where most of our belongings were in storage.

But when I opened it, I understood once again.

I love the ornate and intricate detail of the gilded frame and the contrasting simpleness and complete calm of the subject matter, which is thought to be Greenwood Lake in New Jersey (from markings on the back of the frame).

Unfortunately, the frame did not withstand shipment across the country and arrived with a few broken pieces. They were clean breaks and likely easily glued. But nonetheless, I took it to a local antique frame restorationist and he mended the pieces back in their place.

In addition to repairing the frame, he also was able to give me some wonderful information on the piece. He believes it to be a painting by the 19th century American landscape painter, Thomas B. Griffin.

I haven't had a chance to further research the piece, but I am excited to learn more.

Two New Rose China Necklaces: Hurry Up Spring!

Hurry up Spring...we're getting antsy here in Pennsylvania! 

In the meantime, here are some Spring-inspired roses...

What do you think?

Want to learn to make your own broken china jewelry?

Then check out my new book!

Planting: Eden and Evelyn roses

Lately I have been a little obsessive about my garden, here in California the sun has been shining and it has been pretty warm so I have been feeling like it is the perfect time to get started on really planting my garden.  It is a bit of a challenge for me as we took almost everything out of our yard last year when we put in the pool, so I have been planning and scheming for months as to what I could plant.  I have been dreaming of these two beauties for much longer than that and finally I should be able to plant some in the next few weeks.  If I can just find them at the nursery, I am a little ahead of the game this year, so I am patiently awaiting their arrival.  Eden and Evelyn are two of my favorite roses... I am so excited!  

 I know that just about everyone has a favorite and I would love to hear which roses you prefer.  I am looking for more ideas and have a lot of space to fill.

 

They are described as having a double or full head... which to means perfect.

 

David Austin describes the Evelyn as follows: bears giant, apricot colored flowers of a shallow, saucer-like shape, with numerous small petals inter-twined within. This is not the most vigorous of English Roses, but the individual flower is absolutely magnificent. Its great glory is its wonderful fragrance, which is similar in style to an Old Rose, but with a sumptuous fruity note reminiscent of fresh peaches and apricot. Named on behalf of Crabtree & Evelyn, who used it in their range of rose perfumes.

 

The photo below is from Sharon at My French Country Home.  She has the most amazing garden and I found myself stalking her blog over the weekend looking for ideas..

 

images via google and pinterest

If you would like help creating inspirational spaces for yourself contact us!

black and white tile

My obsession with all things black and white continues...

this week it happens to be in tile.

Does it get any better?