Trash to Treasure

One of the websites that I have, recently, added to my favorites is www.ladolfina.blogspot.com.  Therese bills herself as a “Hunter and gatherer up and down the California Coast.”  I can, soo, identify with her “hunting and gathering” habits!  Check her out!

Her March 19 post on “Ladders” in decor brought back memories of one of my own hunting and gathering experiences.  I love ladders!  They are so functional and can be so architectural in a room.  I have seen them (as in Therese’s blog) used as a magazine holder and also as a shoe holder, pot rack in a kitchen, quilt rack and the list goes on and on.  I have seen the free-standing ladders with added planks to make beautiful, unique shelving.

This is a picture of one of two ladders I have flanking the sides of an old vintage pharmacy cabinet. I use it for “throws,” that we can grab off the rungs and take to the deck when it gets a bit chilly. Very simple….with a black paint wash on the ladder and my white throws.  I am thinking about  a monogram on the “throws” to draw your eye to that area a bit more. 

My husband and I found these old fruit picking ladders at the county dump!  There were so many, I should have picked up more than two!  What was I thinking!

On that same excursion, we found this metal footboard.

I wanted the headboard too, but it was so entwined with other metal pieces (and it was about 100 degrees that day), that it just didn’t happen.  But that “footboard” treasure has rusted to a very nice patina! I love the way it serves as a trellis for our rose bush and a backdrop for our oversized urn.  From trash to “very nice” treasures!  Have a great evening everyone.

Getting Ready for “The Remnants of the Past” Vintage Show!!

 

Although this pillow may imply that I am taking it easy these days, “Roosting!”….. nothing could be further from the truth! 

“The Roost” pillow covers are just one of the projects I have been working on for The Remnants Show. 

I hope you all plan on joining us!  Go to Judy’s website with the link below and check out the wonderful vendors and all their wares.  She is highlighting a vendor each day on her blog, and it is wonderful to read about the creative and energetic vendors that will be selling their unique and beautiful items. 

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

2010 “Cottage Style” Magazine!!

 

I had to do a little shopping on Friday, and of course, had to drop by the magazine rack.  I am sort of a decorating magazine junky!  The 2010 Cottage Style magazine “jumped out” at me, so I added it to my cart.  I came home, fixed some lunch and sat down to have a bite to eat and look at my latest magazine.   I turned to the Table of Contents and who knew?!  That teacup chandelier looked very familiar! What a thrill! It turns out that my teacup chandelier was part of a patio dining vignette for Catherine Deeter’s beautiful garden in Templeton, California.  Thank you to, Stylist, Sunday Hendrickson for including Patti’s Artful Design in this beautiful feature! And, thank you to Michael Garland for his beautiful photography!

Have a great evening, everyone!

The Wedding Planner

Our oldest daughter is a wedding planner.  She helps brides and grooms plan their important day, and she is excellent at it!  Check out her website.  It is  beautiful!  It was designed by our nephew-in-law…a very talented techno wizard!….

She has even gotten our youngest daughter to do what she does best, “hair and makeup” for the wedding parties.  She is having business cards made, as I write this.  This is truly a family affair…..

I received a call from her a few days ago asking to borrow some of my “vintage and art stuff” for a photography vignette she is planning to do.  Well, I love vignettes!  So, as I was gathering items, I just couldn’t help myself…. I had to snap a picture myself!….

old white washed picnic baskets, old tarnished silver, a vintage wedding cake topper, a little shell art, and, of course, I had opened a bottle of champagne for those glasses, so………..

I toasted to our beautiful and multi-talented family!

Have a wonderful evening, everyone!

Shell Work

Just had to share this ingenious look created by one of my clients on the East Coast.  She used my large seashell letter with the smaller letters flanking each side to create a family monogram effect for her wall decor!  I love it, and I hope you do too!

I, also, just completed this Seashell Cross to add to my line.  

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Art and Quotes

A few years ago when we were renovating our home, I wanted an area designated not only as a guest room but as an exercise room as well.  Installing that Murphy bed was the perfect solution for providing exercise space!  So the next thing, was setting about making art for the room.  I know I’ve mentioned countless times in my posts about how much I love quotes.  So, I decided “motivational” quotes were necessary to keep me going to that exercise room and would provide a bit of “art” in the room as well!

This is the bottom portion of a vintage scale that we have in the room.  The step plate was just an old piece of particle board, so I decided to embellish it with a favorite quote I pulled from the book, “Simple Abundance,” by Sarah Breathnach.  The quote is by Martha Graham and reads……

  Another art project for this room was my “Quote Canvas.”  ……

This was such an easy and fun project to do.  An old frame from the thrift store, a canvas that fit the frame, computer font, tracing paper, paint, and patience!  I know it is hard to read some of the quotes from this picture. Sorry about that.  But,  I’ll share my favorites! 

“If not now, when?”  Such a great quote for life in general!  And…

“Dance to the song of life.”  This was a quote by Katharine Hepburn.

And, my favorite motivational quote for exercise, “Never eat more than you can lift!”  A quote by Miss Piggy!

Have a great day everyone!