Beauty In The Imperfections

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Creating clam spaces for a simple way of living, finding beauty in the imperfections that comes with age and history. A buffet to love, it came to me in poor shape with dark stain and overly lacquered high gloss finish. With over looking the splits in the buffet top, doors and drawers not wanting to close properly, most would only see this piece less then desirable. Of course seeing the light in it, I started to strip, sand, repairing, priming, and painting with an aged white finish to it. Finding great pieces in any shape and painting them in shades of whites make an even better impression if the background is calm, and peaceful.

Using this piece in a creative way against an entry way wall will leave a lasting impression on those who enter, and those who leave.

"I rather like battered pieces that have a bit of history." Adding old pieces that have been loved a little to much, and choosing pieces because they inspire your home. Not just antiques, but pieces that have been rescued, and then breathing new life into them. Objects up-cycled from salvaged pieces that make them desirable, rather then new trendy pieces will speak in volumes to any room. Recycling furniture and found objects will always give your home an air of individuality.

There are no rules in designing with flea market, thrift shop, and estate tag sale finds. The only rule I will pass on is to be inspired by it, bringing beautiful things back to life, and the piece will love you for it.

A Sparrow Took A Piece Of Twig

"click on photo enlarge" ~ artist Doré Callaway
That little bird has chosen his shelter. Above it are the stars and the
deep heaven of worlds. Yet he is rocking himself to sleep without
caring for tomorrow's lodging, calmly clinging to his little twig,
and leaving God to think for him.
- Martin Luther

What is joy? It is a bird That we all want to catch.
It is the same bird That we all love to see flying
- Sri Chinmoy

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all.
- Emily Dickenson

If I were a bird, I'd sing a song
And fly about the whole day long
And when the night comes, go to rest,
Up in my cozy little nest.
- Jackie Silberg

The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind.
- Carly Simon

"Inspiring you all to take a leap and build your wings on the way down"
(Celebrate Daring) - Doré
(This sign is listed in my peaceful etsy.) As well as a thank you to my daughter Hannah for allowing me to post the sign on her bed, "Sing And Fly my little bird"

She...Painted Poetry

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Hand painted poetry by "Me" Dore' Callaway. The art of a rooms poetry is in a relaxed peaceful place, setting poetry in motion.

These old vintage European serving trays were filled with just the right amount of poetry. When I spotted the four of them hanging on there serving tray stand in a favorite antique mall, I was taken back with art excitement. I knew I had to have them, and I knew they had to go home with me. This was a treasured find I could embrace, taking the legs off then setting off to paint a peaceful piece of art with added poetry.



Looking for new inspiration alway's involves a euro chic flea market brocante find. Perhaps a perfect find at one of my local thrift-stores, or a old cast off from a dear friend who is just not inspired by it. I am always thankful being gifted such treasures that I will find some sort of poetry in it.

With an original aged brass handle to hang from a decorative hook on a wall of choice. Soulfully washed muted palette of whites, grays, and perfectly imperfect distressed burlap creams to gold flex's that only paint techniques and aging can give it. I don't alway's feel you need to use dramatic color's to define your space, I just love creating with piece's that don't compete with other elements to much.

This future heirloom piece will be added to my peaceful "etsy"

I'm Featured In Romantic Homes Magazine

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The word is out, and yes I am featured in "Romantic Homes" magazine. I am honored to have been asked to be in the October 2010 issue Setting your sites, what a great month this is. How did this happen to me?... When I was approached by Romantic Homes magazine editor's asking if they could feature my Burlap Luxe, I was so excited, beyond excitement. While LOUDLY thinking in my head, "are you sure you have the right Burlap Luxe, the right Dore' Callaway" If not, I'm claiming it!!

This is the most color I have had on my Burlap Luxe blog site to date. It took being featured in Romantic Homes to bring color to my Burlap Luxe, enjoying simple delights set before me. I woke to read comments from all you beautiful bloggers, and truly without you I would not be here. To my surprise I was reading my first alert as to being featured in Romantic Homes from Debra at her...
commonground-petiteboutique.blogspot.com What a surprise, because I had not even seen it yet, and could not wait to! Debra is a beautiful blogger, please go visit her passion. I also want to thank all you soulful bloggers, for holding my hand through this wonderful journey.


Continuing to bring inspiration to a simple life, moved by Romantic Homes magazines culture in flea market design style, art and literature. Thank-You Romantic Homes!

Retreat To Your Sanctuary

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Sanctuary Sign is offered on my sites "Peaceful Etsy"
Hand painted on reclaimed salvaged mahogany by myself. Aged wood has never felt so peacefully tranquil. A sign that is not only soul soothing but one that is coaxing you to relax, as well as reflect.

Retreat to your sanctuary refuge, be it a nostalgic place in your home filled with flea market piece's, or an art studio transformed from a rustic garden shed creating a sanctuary hideaway in a quiet corner of your quintessential country life. With coats of whites, washed with gray's, and some reclaimed salvaged wood inspiring you to create your own sanctuary.

I would love to thank "Rita" a beautiful blogger Beachhouseliving.blogspot.com for the purchase of her 2 signs, "Sanctuary" and "Nest" from my hand painted peaceful etsy. Along with "Marlene" jujubescoastal.blogspot.com for your custom ordered sign "Seaside Cottage" thanking "Jo" Secretgardencottage.blogspot.com for another of my signs, thanking "Laura" Verbenanestedtreasures.blogspot.com for your art orders for your beautiful shop. Thanks ladies for supporting my passion and art. Don't forget to go visit these ladies beautiful blogs they will inspire a Sanctuary place.

Inspiring you to create one, or this sign offered on my peaceful "Etsy"

Bohemian Spirit

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To find such brocante gems as the little vintage bottles contained in this glass lid canister. You must travel your flea markets, second hand stores, tag and estate sales with a bohemian spirit.

Bohemian is a radical outlook on a collective flea market style in art and life. A bohemian steps over the rules of all things above and beyond conventional treasure seeking the next European flea market find. Designing around an easy, graceful, joyous unconsciousness guided by the principles of a feeling. Bohemian style is not narrow minded on a mix in designs to create your own environment, developing originality is a big part of your finds. A person of bohemian has a "devotion to one or more of the seven arts... and once known to live in poverty." I would guess the reasoning would be the gypsy like passion for old world flea market style with art, and designs in a poetic life.


French European imported cabinet in boho chic style, our perfect place to contain extra china pieces and entertaining needs. As you notice my latest sign i've painted..."Brocante" French for flea market gems, is temporarily placed waiting for a perfect place to rest.

The French are known for there baskets, in addition to there use and storage style. The square rusty one is from Anthropologie there found objects, and the round egg basket was a great ebay find, both baskets adding charm and function.

Designing around bohemian French flea market style, is irresistible to the eye of one who seeks it. I love things to surprise me with its neutral palette, and how the simplist piece adds to its presentation; resulting in a magical setting.

This slipcovered man tailored white button down old dress shirt is so bohemian chic, gypsy in style. I took and fitted the chairs with old white dress shirts for bohemain entertaining. You can see the face of the shirt up to the table ( back a few pictures) where it was buttoned down the front, the arms are wrapped to the backside tied and tagged with a special greeting or name place.

I hope this inspires, and brings the European boho chic out in all of you.

Altered Life

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The decorating of a home becomes an imagination of our life and the life journey we are on. This antique desk is a piece that I acquired from a wonderful aged old rustic antique mall, with all the perfect charm of inspiring you to buy kind of place. The desk was so perfect in every way except for the dark wood stained finish with a gloss to it that spoke in volumes that it dated a look that made this a hard selling piece. With that being said I was able to talk the price down a bit with the dealer. This was my treasured find, and I was taking it on my special hands on journey. It was in much need of added euro flea market chic-ness, with a little work and no fear of making it my own, it became a piece to love.


As I embraced each step in making this desk over, it needed to reflect my passion for all things chippy along with personality that added to its age without to much added new-ness. I stripped off the old stained finish to then add the new old painted finish to it. Taking the steps of priming it, layering of paints, and special techniques that sanding adds to it, as well as aged effects giving the piece a voice, and a place of belonging. The desk had to have a look of a well worn piece that evolved over time, with the appearance of water stained marks, and bubbled areas of pealed off paint to it.


One may say in the design and illustrating of ones home that it is a reflection of our life, and the journey we are on. As a young girl with a clam spirit and a passion to create, there was not a thing that I did not look at differently then my family of close would see. I would alter everything I laid my hands to, and I was enamored with paper, paint, and a necessary art to translate from what it was, to what it had become. I cannot resist great bones in a piece, this desk being not quite junk not quite valued for some, I saw much more in it, I saw a piece I can sit and be inspired to create.

Pictured here is my works of art, altered original pieces leaving nothing undone to the altered pieces while adding new life to them. I have been collecting those old brass wall pieces from the 70's that made there ways into our homes for years. Those brass villages, and cafes along with musical planes, you will now find them popping up everywhere with out someone to love them. I will take and alter there history with vintage paper book ephemera, covering the pieces of them giving them a new story to tell, giving me an intimate connection to each piece I alter. The elements of art for me is a critical mesh, a balance of what I love and the findings of great junk to add to each piece.

Inspiring junk and altered art to find its way into our homes, giving the pieces a voice, and a place.

Let The Piece Find You

Love at first sight with rustic French flea market style. Timeless euro chic qualities are enhanced by the French tendency to collect and acquire furnishings over time rather than buy as sets inspiring a home with history other than trendy home accessories; resulting in perfectly imperfect. Sharing my passion for flea market brocante with my daughter Hannah has given her a creative balance with French flea market style that provokes love at first sight. The French chandelier was brought into our Burlap Luxe shop for sale by our dear friend Judy. I could see that Hannah was inspired by it's whimsey, as well as the paint finish in its peaceful tones that just spoke to you. The grayish white painted scrolling arms with cut glass was beckoning her that it was a special piece. This French Chandelier had found her heart with excitement, and she knew just where it wanted to be. We never go on the hunt for something to fill space in our home or force a design style, we just let the piece find us.

Pictured here are a few pieces that make me swoon over them. I have a fond passion for old pieces, chippy, and rusted with a hidden story to them. Some of my favorites are old doors, iron beds, and French chairs no matter what shape their in. A simple chandeliers with a bit of whimsey along with velvet feathered filled fringed pillows, and salvaged wood pieces all in which excite in how I will reuse or restyle there use in a renewed way.

European style is a design style of timeless desire. Its simple aged found object will add to a feel of history without the fuss of perfection. Treasures that find you make that special statement of not quite matching from groupings or collections, this gives a room a sense of being fashioned over time. Having an obsession with salvaging pieces have a way of making their way into our romantic homes, and decorating with what we love. I follow a rule of starting with one great piece for each room of a home. While letting salvaged pieces find you, the rest of the room will fall together inexpensively piece by piece.

Inspiring you to design rooms with great vibrations, using peaceful calming tones as I did with these pieces in my own home.

Bird Stories, Who Dare Not Rise And Fly

"click photo to enlarge"
The art of restoring life to my latest peaceful art, hand painted by Dore Callaway. This little gem was a cast off and it became my mission to breathe new life into it. This heavy weighted paper tray, wall papered with a small print was not much to speak of. Yet I found layering paint and aging it with peaceful shades, to then paint a little feathered life to it would evoke a peaceful story. As you all have noticed I have been telling some sort of bird story here and there on various pieces of found objects of desire, this piece needed a story of its own. The harmony and spirit of our little feathered friends add calmness to our sanctuary place.

The French call little flea-market gems brocante. Not quite junk, not quite valuable. Brocante is best chosen by its passion to intrigue rather then its appreciated worth. Many number of objects vintage or made to look and feel antique, can be used to decorate flea-market brocante. I love creating a vignette out of lost items in the shuffle of being junk. I will rescue old frames, wire cages, and wood boxes, all these items I find intriguing enough to paint a peaceful bird resting on a branch. I then will take and paint coat after coat of sealers to the piece, this will assure future heirloom quality to it.


Painting my peaceful bird art to just the right piece is why I call it bird stories, every piece will tell you its story. This little flea-market broncante was a cast off, and its beauty was over looked to what it could have become. I love that our wild feathered friends can bring so much charm and endearment to a home. The French have said it well, "La douceur de vivre" adding atmosphere that defines living at its best.

This piece that was not quite junk, not quite valuable has new stories to tell and will hold value for someone new to love.

Inspiring you to make something out of nothing.

Sing And Fly

"Feed The Soul"
THIS PEACEFUL GARDEN SIGN WAS CREATED BY ME! "DORE CALLAWAY" I most of all want to thank my daughter "Hannah Bailey Callaway" for inspiring me...I would also like to recap the bird story that I posted in an earlier post. I continue to marvel at the ability my daughter has to celebrate and capture her passion with beauty in an artful life, as well as her heart. She moves you to tears, laughter and will take you to a place of wanting to feed the soul. You will soon understand why I had to put these words once again to this special piece of garden art. Myself being an interior designer, also artist who works in mixed-media, altered art, paper and paint, needed to put my daughters artful words in the likeness and style of this art piece. Her words as a child inspired me to do something with bird stories, words put to an art sign peacefully and poetically.


Being inspired to do this garden art brought back a dear memory of my daughter when she was age 4... Now she is 16 and graduating senior, year 2010. I was amazed at her heart and her fond love of caring for her wild birds. They were hers because they were loved from her heart, making sure that they all ate more then there fair share of 40 pounds of seed monthly. One afternoon one of her dear wild birds had flown into the glass door and fell to the ground; she cried yelling for my help and ran out to care for it. As she picked it up stroking it's head with her tiny 4 year old finger she told it to sing and fly, you can only imagine what that did to my heart. The little bird was soon not in shock from it's near fatal crash into the glass door, and flew from her soft grip. She really believed it was her love that helped it to sing and fly. So now you can see why I had to do this poetic garden art and how the words Sing and fly were perfect for this piece.

WHO CAN EXPLAIN the nurturing, sustaining role art plays in all our lives? Perhaps it is the dream-like quality of art, and it's ability to engender ideas that makes art so important. Peaceful inspiration that is provoked by reminding us the way nature intended it. I hope my art shows a celebration of love, "The bird was hers from the wild."

I hope this inspires you to "SING AND FLY" daily.
You will find this for sell on my ETSY Peaceful Shop