May 23, 2014

The Gravity Of White Pulls Me In

Burlap Luxe Home

Where an artisan designs around natural materials.

A rare bit of colour blends in seamlessly with the use of pale stripes.
( Ralph Lauren Linen )
Adding to my French country home of bleached linens.

Does this antique brass lamp count as colour?
It was a great find at my local thrift shop. I studied it and looked it over charmed
by it's shape, but best was its rich patina of age and the way I knew it would anchor
my room with a beautiful rustic effect.
Can you believe I paid $9.00 for it!

I love how tall it is...
34" 1/2 in height

I gently cleaned it carfully to not disturb the patina that almost looks like
aged copper that takes on that rich zinc patina.
I am not a big fan of brass, but this lamp was like none-other, and
oh so intriguing enough to count as a bit of colour with ease and rural rustic elegance.

I also happened to have loved the off and on switch on the base, tugging at my
heart with memories of my grandparents prairie farmhouse being filled with lamps
with these kind of switches; funny that would mean something to me.

A lamp with a base switch added memories and comfort to my home.

Another great find was 3 of these.
( Yard sale $5.00 for all 3)
I could not resist bringing one inside and one out on the porch and the
3rd one to a dear friend.

Made of cement, and used on block wall columns decoratively topping them off.
I love it sitting on the floor in my sitting room

I have been busy creating new pieces for my etsy shop.
Peaceful birds, artist created unique in as much as not being a mass market pattern or
product, yet created with my signature style.

They hang gently on the wall from a wire hook, aged with grey and vintage
ephemera book words with a poetic message.

The French queen of her garden carries her crown in flight.
( Wire crown created by me )

New to my etsy is my wire art pieces,
( Crowns )
I have been busy bending and twisting at request of when I will be creating more?
More to come to my etsy.

Aged and decayed with a crusty coating, and a patina of tarnished grey and touches of gold.

After a long May of creating I took and made some time to return to painting.
I did not realize how I missed it so until the first stroke of paint hit the square piece
of paneling board.

A work in progress, and will share it when it is framed.
Shown with light on it so you can see the aging of gold added.

" The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."
~Pablo Picasso

May 05, 2014

A French Quarters Vintage Lantern...le coup de foudre

Burlap Luxe Home

The essence of French white.

Coup de foudre
( "love at first sight" )

Most pieces I bring home are love at first sight.


Here is one of them... Yes it was le coup d foundre
( "love at frist sight" )

This lantern was a piece to love, yet not for the owner who sold it to me.
A shopping day in Malibu California was a day of all days to love. My daughter
Hannah and I headed to Malibu with a tip from a friend that a large remolding job
on a beach house was taking place, and selling off the old.

Having a thing for old and French white with the patina of grey, and not to mention
lanterns, this lantern was love at first sight with a fear of it's price tag. I can tell you that
vintage pieces come with a price, and new ones are pricey enough. I held my breath
while asking the good looking seaside gentlemen how much!
How much do you want to pay he replied?

Ummm, ummm! I was without words and fear of even giving him a price, I was in
Malibu Ca. need I say more?
It was then he said how about $23 what ran through my mind was he wanted
$2,300. Then he repeated yes ladies you can have it for $23.00 dollars, it took
all my might holding back from telling him I loved him, and then yes I said
those words...I love you!

Look at the crusty decayed finish, sea washed with a patina so perfectly perfect.
The lantern is made of iron even the ceiling cover. The glass is seeded wave glass
weather beaten like sea glass. Sadly one panel of the wavey glass is broken but,
who cares I will get this replaced.

A lantern like this would be in the upwards price in any of the beach chic salvage
shops for at least $1,100 and the upwards of much more.

Size: 25" 1/2 in height before chain and 17" wide.

You can tell it was painted white, and now white and worn with the sea breeze.


Its going to look amazing to me in my kitchen over the rustic center island
of white.
Look at the old weathered glass, so French quarters.

The old apothecary age with authentic history looks perfect with
the lantern.
The stool was another great find the same day for $15.00
Iron legs and a weathered oak seat.
This was my day and I was loving it.


Then to top it off in my mail was Artful Blogging and a feature,
Blogging buzz...
I am so blessed to be included with past, present, and future featured bloggers
with there beautiful art and talents in designs.

Also I noticed that My feature of my home and art was a part of Artful Blogging advertising
for back issues.

Thank you Artful Blogging Magazine for adding beauty to my life.

Now I am keeping a watchful eye open for pieces to dress up my French
chest of drawers, in the mean time I love the space of calm to create around.