French Influences...

I just finished a project for a client that wanted a timeless patina with french influences for a bedroom in her home. With touches of gilding, painted canvas and washes of color, the illusion began....

First, I painted panels for the head and footboard on canvas.

Then, the distressing began...washes of color and sanding aged the design giving the illusion of a rescued antique!

The canvas was beaten, crumpled, even abraded with a rasp to get the effect of wear over time.

Soft garlands and ribbon with a touch of lattice gave it a European feel.

Coronas and mirrors were also aged to add to the story.

A palette of french blue, cream and soft pinks with touches of gilding gave the soft look needed.

Small berries and olive leaves were used on the mirrors.....

With the  flick of a brush and attention to detail, any era can be created in a home. There are many qualified artists just waiting to complete your dreams! The only thing limiting you is your imagination!

Stylish Blogger Award

I have made such wonderful friends though blogging! Mark of All Things Ruffnerian and Gina of Art and Alfalfa BOTH awarded me with the Stylish Blogger Award! They both have blogs that are on my must read list weekly. 

According to the rules, I must list seven things about me.....hmmmmm....

I am a morning person.

I love cats!

I see the color before I see the object.

I hold a paintbrush seven days a week.

I am a loyal MacBook user.

Salted caramel gelato is my weakness!

I want to hold a book, not a "Nook'.

Thanks to both of you for thinking my blog is stylish!!

Floorcloths

Gunderwood Studios photo

This is no aubusson rug....it is pure faux! Gunderwood studios are that good. This elaborate handpainted rug is the most incredible example of a floorcloth I have ever seen!

Gunderwood Studios

This is more of their work....amazing stuff!  I love the faux fringe on the edges.

Sally Carmichael Designs

Painted floorcloths have been around for centuries and still can add so much to an entry of a home.

Sophie Sarin also makes me smile with her mosaic floorcloth. How cool is it using the mosaic concept on a floorcloth? Sarin's work was recently featured by Daily Basics.

This gives you the scale of the whole design. Those red walls just make it pop!

Lucretia Moroni  photo  Fatto-a-Mano

Lucretia Moroni was one of the first artist to combine the look of hand woven oriental rugs into floorcloth designs. She combines silk screening with stenciling and hand painting on linen to create these incredible illusions.

Susie Morgan Wilburn took it one step further and painted a "floorcloth" for her table!  Floorcloths can add such a punch to a home for a small amount of money....get painting and let me know what you create! 

What Fairytales are Made Of.....

King Ludvig's Bavarian sleigh

There was a time when travel for royalty was in elaborately carved coaches and sleighs.

Kerry Larson photo

Art and history are intertwined in these royal carriages.

The finest craftsmen were employed to carve, gild and paint these works of art.

The famous Lord Mayor's coach has painted panels reportedly done by Cipriani.

This coach, built for the Queen's 80th birthday, contains almost 4000 years of history!

[And] the Queen classifies the coaches as works of art." But for Mr Frecklington the coach is a historical monument. "This is a time capsule that goes back almost 4000 years."

The passenger doors are inlaid with wood from Henry VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral. Even Admiral Nelson's golden crown, rescued from the battle of Trafalgar, rides atop the roof, although here there is a hint of the modern world.

Jim Carlson photo

This is the Golden State  Carriage from the Royal Mews in London used for the Queen's coronation. History....art.....what fairytales are made of!

Ghost Nest....

A few months ago, I entered a contest that Teri Long had on her very creative blog- La Dolfina. The prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners were custom drawer knobs from Ghost Nest.

The contestant was to describe how they would use these fabulous knobs in an organizational way. I won 2nd place!

These knobs are from Ghost Nest. They offer round and square shapes and you provide the image (or chose from their files)you want embedded in the clear knob. Reid Evans is the San Francisco based artist behind the concept of Ghost Nest.

I promised to use my custom knobs on a file cabinet to organize each drawer, but decided the old file boxes would be a more clever idea!

I chose photos from my travels and home to visually organize my life. I can simply glance at the pictures and know which one is a file for home, clients, bills, current projects, etc. Thank you Teri for creating this give-away and be sure to visit Reid's site and organize your life in 2011.

Bread....yes, Bread!

Bread is a simple pleasure that most cultures enjoy.

Not only is it functional, but can be beautiful as well!

The Boudin bakery in San Francisco has been baking creative sourdough shapes for years from their original 1849 starter.

You can watch the process from outside of their location near the wharf.

Wicker baskets are dusted with flour and filled with dough to let rise.

Free form shapes of teddy bears, lobsters, alligators and such come down the line for customers to purchase.

These loaves of sourdough stacked together remind me of grains of wheat.

This is the traditional shape with razor cuts that is identified with sourdough.

You can actually eat your "bowl" in this meal!

Even though bread is a basic staple, it can be elevated to an art form.

The fundamental shape has become a fanciful one!

This is the only alligator I would consider eating!

In Venice, bread can take on the shapes of happy faces for people to purchase.

Even their sign is made of bread!

But, the best bread of all is that from a friend....made with their hands and given in love!

Paolo Olbi

I will never forget the first time I saw the shop windows of Paolo Olbi.

I was walking from La Fenice in Venice to the Museo Fortuny.

Christine Rochet Photo

There is much eye candy in Venice, but his shop caught my eye.

I took photos of all the wonderful hand printed stationery....that was all I could do, because they were closed! (Little did I know there was another location near the Rialto bridge)

That is the luck of shopping in Venice. Many of the most wonderful things are made in small shops that are only open a few days a week.

I have since been able to amass a fairly large collection of Olbi products.

They do not deal with on-line selling. They prefer to meet their customers and deal with them directly.

I own a note pad, journal, bookmarks and many note cards. The origins of the designs go back to the beginnings of Venice itself.

Moorish and Byzantine ornament are captured with sienna and ochre inks.

I now own everything in the photos posted and I will go back to add to my collection in the spring!