June 25, 2014

Restored Rural Romance. "I Took My Time."

Burlap Luxe Home Designs

Painted by Dore Callaway (Me)

A restored antique Century furniture chest I acquired from a local thrift shop.
I stripped it down to it's rawness so I could see the beauty it is. I loved the
lines, and its centuries-old charm. The top cabinet is married to the side-
board chest.

The less then generous fit with the cabinet leaves space on each end to
catch rustic's that land.

I added new hardware glass knobs aged with crusty homemade plaster paint.
Knobs (Lowes)


The Cabinet

The cabinet is a seperate piece purchased from another local thrift for $30.00
It belonged to another piece, and it being seperated was my good fortune.
The cabinet had glass shelving, and I added aged wood shelves;
 the backing was flimsy so I added bead board backing to a piece of plywood 
that would allow me to hang someday if desired.


I painted the cabinet to blend seamlessly with the side-board chest I painted
2 years ago; giving it a lime washed finish.

I am so pleased with the mixing of two seperate antiques pieces inspiring one
rural rustic piece.

It now sits in my home studio office where my art and designs take place.
I love the accumulation of things it can hold, and the life I gave these two
old castoffs.

I added a bit of black paint washed into the wood grain giving it an old
world finish; it adds to its aged feel and look.

A rubbed off finish to the wear of its paint finish.
Even the hardware received a bit of paint aging.




I love entering this room that inspires the art and designs I create.

June 19, 2014

The Trouble With Beauty

Dore Callaway Art and Home Designs.

The trouble with beauty is that it's difficult to agree exactly what it is.

Everything I create around has a charm of it's own, an imperfection here
and there rather then perfection; it's the imperfections that makes it interesting.

A rustic French grouping of floral cans inspire.

The white rose has retained its association with both love and formal ceremony.
Everlasting love that endure beyond all else.

I have been painting white roses sometimes called "the flower of light."
I am taking time to paint in its calm.

" Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time."
~ Thomas Merton

When painting, a stillness comes over me letting go and freeing myself in what
bonds me to its pureness.

Everyday I see a part of art I've never seen before.

I paint on wood paneling, the roughness reminds me of grained linen canvas.
Artists centuries ago used this practice, and I want to feel the soul in each panel as
artists before me.

I then frame them in with salvage scraps of wood; making sure it speaks to me calling
out, "I am done."

It's then on completion that I am no longer its creator and a sense of sadness comes
over me when it's completed. With each dipping of brush to paint, and the blending of colour,
emotions tie me to each piece.

Garden salvage inspires.

Framed in weathered garden stakes, stained with the winter rains that rise up to
greet what blooms.

Soon my art will be added to my peaceful etsy shop, "BurlapLuxe"

I dip brush into my soul, while painting grace in ones heart.

Everyday I am inspired by its little imperfections.


June 02, 2014

Little Area's Of Usefulness

Burlap Luxe Home Designs

Much of what has been handed down takes over this space.
(office)

When I aquire a piece from a market place be it a flea market, thrift shop or tag sale I
alway's think of them as pieces handed down with my instant connection to them;
as if the piece has always belonged.


I adore creating little areas of usefulness, along with dried aged flowers they
add that Frenchness as favored in faded toile French textiles.

A small find at my local thrift shop was part of this lighting attached to a hanging tiffany swag light.
I took the lamp and glass shade apart and with pieces left over from other lamps I was able to create
and marriage pieces to create this chandelier in the works. I paid $5.00 for the chandelier, and spare
parts I had on hand. I am excited to wire it and get it hung; embellishing it with something different,
and creative.




A draped French textile piece are much in evidence in French rural interiors.
No piece to small or of insignificant to be used somewhere.

Little Area's of usefulness.