Pinterest...you need to be here!

Pinterest is the new "buzz word"...! If you are a creative person , you need to know about this! Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board...a place you can gather images by subject or upcoming project, and keep them organized for viewing and inspiration.

Are you saying, "Oh, I don't need another website to keep up with",I can always "google" what I need...

Look at the color combinations on this rainbow fungi...many times nature gives us what we need if we know where to look!

On Pinterest, you get information much quicker and keep up with current trends with the click of a mouse.Did you know you can mimic mercury glass now?

How cool is this? You can make textured rollers with hot glue and pvc pipe! I see lots of possibilities with this one.

How about just needing to see things in a new way? Pinterest is brimming with images of quirky, creative concepts.

Ok, we are back to practical again...need to get twenty years of paint off of some vintage hardware? This link will show you how easy it can be! (when you click on an image on Pinterest, it will give you the source)
Pinterest is a place you can sort out your thoughts , through images(which is the way artists think anyway!) You create subject "boards"- color, mural ideas, trends, etc. I work out my blog ideas here as well as upcoming projects.

Do you need some wall inspirations? There are literally thousands of photos of deterioration, gilding, encaustic painting, food recipes, crafts, castles and trompe!
You can view thousands of photos that other people post...if you like someone's style, you can "follow" them and be inspired by their images!

Pinterest has changed the way I create. I am so serious about it, I will sponsor anyone wishing to join! (It is an invitation only site) Just e-mail me your address and I will send you an invitation. There is no fee or spam related mail to come to you. You do not have to interact with anyone else(although, many artists and friends are already there).....it is making the world smaller and unifying creative people to be better at what they do!

*all images are from my boards on Pinterest

Pargeting

Ian Warren

The decorative art of pargeting is amazing...combining lime putty, horse or hog hair and sand, pargeters sculpt magic onto the exterior walls of Tudor style buildings.

Pargeting derives from the word 'parget', a Middle English term that is probably derived from the Old French 'pargeter' / 'parjeter', to throw about, or 'porgeter', to roughcast a wall. (Source: Webster.) However, the term is more usually applied only to the decoration in relief of the plastering between the studwork on the outside of half-timber houses, or sometimes covering the whole wall. (wikipedia)

Ian Warren

Pargeting was originally associated with tudor style architecture and was used to adorn the exterior walls.
Contemporary pargeters include Ian Warren, Ed Fordham, Joe Pattison and Bill Sargent.

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I have conversed in the past with Bill Sargent, a master with the art of pargeting. Almost a lost art, Bill trains "lads" in the craft in England.

Bill Sargent is amongst the highest regarded pargetters (also spelled pargeter) in the country. His work can be seen in Suffolk, Essex, Kent and Norfolk and covers most areas of Conservation Plasterwork and pargetting (also spelled pargeting). This includes conservation plastering for listed buildings, Lime washing, Lime plastering (mouldings etc.) Arches, Lime floors and Brick stone and slate work.

Bill Sargent

Bill is a very generous man with his knowledge and loves sharing his passion of pargeting!

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He teaches his passion for the next generation to be able to restore and maintain  early pargetting in England and surrounding areas.

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For a while, Bill had me convinced I could conquer the world through pargetting! He corresponded with me on technique and tools...

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I do use lime plasters  and holding a trowel is very familiar to me, but his level of work is meant for the serious student.

Ipswich 

So when you see the fanciful decorated houses with ribbons, animals and heraldry, you will know it is pargeting!

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Bill also works with sgraffito...but that is another story!


**I think Regina Garay (Fauxology) and I were separated at birth! We often blog (and pin) the same or similar subjects. Here is her post on pargeting.

July is for Leos!

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What do I have in common with Napoleon, Coco Chanel, Madonna, Jackie Kennedy and the Queen Mother? We are all Leos and have our birthdays in July or August.

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I am in good company with people who put emphasis on interior design....have you ever seen Napoleon's bedroom at Fontainebleau?

Fontainebleau-Napoleon

Or Coco Chanel's Paris apartment?

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Coco Chanel's apt

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Madonna is not only a trend setter in the entertainment world....

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Madonna's house in London showed classic taste in decorating.

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We all know what Jackie did with the White House!

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Jackie brought in  Dorothy Mae "Sister" Parish to give the White House a historic legacy which featured Zuber's Views of North America wallpaper.

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When it comes to decorating, who can top the Queen Mother? I think Leo's love to feather their nest and are maybe a bit flamboyant? LOL! I am in good company and hope to continue to provide smart decorating ideas for all the other Leo's  (and Leo's at heart ) out there!

Divvying up wall space..

Walls...sigh...how to divide the space into a pleasing composition?

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Sometimes, just a painted grid or play on a greek key will do it!

Or maybe a quiet approach, with simple trim ?

If you need to add weight, you can grid the wall with trim!

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Sometimes you don't have to divide the space, a design can spill over into other sections as in this lovely chinoiserie scene.

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Need some interest on a focal wall? This design not only gets your attention, it adds height to the small room.

Feeling a little "boxed in"? Bring the outdoors to you with some simple graphic designs of foliage! Done in a faux inlaid approach, this room is now rich and spacious.

Is there a small neglected space at the top of the stairs or at the end of the hallway? Dress it up with a little baroque ornament!

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Who said walls have to be rigid? Go all out and create a tufted backdrop for your furniture...whatever you do, let your personality reflect in your walls!

(all photos, unless noted, are from Pinterest)

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Mochaware...

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Mochaware-Mocha: Cream- or pearlware decorated with vibrant-colored bands into which tree-like (dendritic) or other effects are introduced. Used in taverns and home kitchens. Named after mocha quartz.

I fell in love with mochaware the first time I saw a piece in the 1970's. What's not to love about the bold colors, and serpentine designs and swirls?

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Glazes are allowed to swirl and mingle reminding me of marbled papers.

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Mochaware is most known for it's serpentine, or earthworm designs.

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What makes the designs so three dimensional, is the way the glazes are applied. Two to three colors are poured into a tin with a spout, The colors are separated with metal walls and come out through the spout at the same time to create highlights and shadows of the design.

Dendritic designs are also common, forming tree like or seaweed shapes made when the glaze fans out . "mochaware was never intended as art. First made in England in the late 1700s, it was utilitarian pottery, used in taverns and modest homes. Simply put, it was the cheapest decorated pottery one could find. By the early 19th century, it was imported into America and was later produced here."(source)

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"Most people assume that mochaware is so named for its palette of browns, creams, grays, blacks, and muted tones of blue, green, pumpkin, and yellow. But the name derives from mukha ("mocha") stone, a type of moss agate from the Yemeni city of the same name. The stone features natural striations similar to the wares' seaweed and tree-like decorations... Owing to daily use, few examples of mochaware have survived over the years, making it a rare American collectible."(source)

I am always on the lookout for a piece to rescue at a flea market.,,sigh...no luck yet!