Spring Flowers

"Can words describe the fragrance
of the very breath of spring?"
               ~Neltje Blanchan

     I popped into a grocery store yesterday to get something for lunch and there were beautiful bouquets of tulips sitting in pails everywhere! I tried to ignore them and I couldn't! Two little bundles had to come home with me. I cut them and put them in a tall stemmed crystal glass. I love how they have brightened the house - especially since the view from the windows has been a little grey and even (horror of horrors) a bit snowy. Oh well. Somewhere there are tulips growing and they have come to stay with me...

French Furniture

"What is the pull to this magical city?
... it's the wealth of inspiration
at every turn, a city unchanged and 
stage for great minds, so rich in design
and creativity for centuries. It's a place
that continues to reveal layers of a
splendid life, almost a fairytale in its
infinite opulence and incomprehensible
magnificence." 
         ~Claudia Strasser
                   Paris Flea Market Style

     It is no secret that I love everything French! (I talk about it non-stop don't I?!!) I have never seen any  style or design that approaches the femininity, elegance, and intricacy of old-world Parisian decorating. Those soft creamy paint colours, curved legs, gilding, intricate moulding, flowers, and the ability to add beautiful detail to even the most mundane item. It would seem that the French are not afraid to be fanciful and to embrace beauty in every aspect of their lives. It is a never-ending treasure hunt trying to find french antiques and beautiful high-quality reproductions here in Canada. When I do happen upon a piece the excitement and triumph is dizzying! If you are like me then you crave to see french treasures in books, magazines, photographs, and anywhere you can find it! Here is a little taste courtesy of my own home...

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What's It Wednesday

Antique Desk

"You know that place between sleeping 

and awake, that place where you can still 

remember dreaming?"

                         ~J. M. Barrie

    What do we do on grey days? Days when the sun hides away and the wind is cold and you can't help feeling a little melancholy? Do you get lost in your dreams? Spend a moment wondering about other places with bright skies and soft light. Read a story. Stare at a beautiful picture. Can you find yourself in the spaces around you even when your heart is a bit low? Doing what I love - creating, discovering, beautifying - always helps me come back to myself no matter how dreary the day. This is my little french desk and it is full of pretty things I love. There are treasures in all the little boxes and in every drawer. Maybe soon I'll give you a peek inside them - but for now here is a little look at one of my dreaming spaces... 

Soft and Lovely

"What is lovely never dies, but 
passes into other loveliness, star-dust, 
or sea-foam, flower or winged air."
                 ~Thomas Bailey Aldrich

      Sometimes when you are busy, with busy thoughts and busy things, the best thing to do is pause for a moment and reflect on something lovely (or pause and create something lovely). Let loveliness fill in the spaces inside of you that need to be filled with something besides work and worries. It is a simple solution to the wear on your spirit that happens when you keep your eyes in one direction for too long. And do you know what? Loveliness has a secret. A secret power which you will discover if you look long enough... Loveliness is like fine icing sugar - touch it and a little bit of loveliness will cling to you and everything that you touch afterwards will become miraculously, magically, and sometimes even mercifully a bit more lovely too. 

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Pink Saturday

NEW TO THE ETSY STORE!! 

Two new small original pieces of artwork by Jennelise. 

~Lilac and Rose Dolls~