La pièce d'inspiration, Joyeux Noël

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Fragments from our home and yard echo a French cottage style holiday season, with plain rustic creatively designed, and found pieces. While capturing the essence of a Joyeux Noël in French flea market style.

Inspired by rustic European cottages I was drawn to gentle shades and natural forms adding all the charm I could to my interputation of a soulful peaceful holiday. Festive tree branches, junk jewelry, paper ephemera book pages, plaster and paints added a muted glow of calm. A formula that makes for a Joyeux Noël, and will steal special attention from the room.


I have taken tree branches and misted them with gray primer for a gentler appearance. Then poured a plaster mix into a plastic bowl while placing the tree branches wired together into the bowl just right. After the plaster is set and dried you then cut down the plastic bowl to a shorter size covering the container with an old torn, and tattered square of a pillow case. Using a strip of the case while holding all four corners together and tying it around the top gives the appearance of the tree having its root ball covered, and ready for planting. The best part is gathering up old necklaces while dipping them into a mixture of plaster, glue, and paint then hanging them out to dry for the use of aged old garland, with old world charm. I even dip crystals into it giving the glass a frosted aged look, as if they have been un-earthed from years of weathering outdoors with perfect age to them.

I took and cut out paper book pages in the shape of birds adding a perfect touch to this holiday tree. The vignette design under the tree includes a vintage birdcage, making for a simple display of peace and joy.
Inspiring one special holiday design that outshines all the rest.