Cottages and Roses Paintings #4 for Pink Saturday

This is the 4th time I've edited this post!! I keep thinking of things I want to tell ya chicks or tips I want to share.
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I've been thinking on what I wanted to do with a corner behind me to the left of the desk in my office. I just couldn't come up with anything, but actually I hadn't given it too much thought as I've been super busy trying to find space for my sheets and towels.........here I go—getting off track!

Anyway, I was reading a blog the other day and she had a corner and "BOOOOOING", it hit me like a ton of bricks!! I don't know why because I've done this in my house in other places, but it just didn't hit me until I saw her picture. Donna "snapped a rubber band" at my head with the picture over on her blog today.......hmmmm, seems like yesterday though. Oh well............ I simply put a little lamp that has been sitting on the floor until I could find out what to do with it. This is the corner where my cable modem and wireless router sit and it looks just "blah" there. I've been thinking but it didn't sink in until her blog picture. I am going to cover the little tv tray it is sitting on. My office can't be configured many ways because of all the electronics I have hooked up to my computer so this is IT, chicks. It fills that corner AND gives me some light. But it was so short that I added the books to it for a bit of elevation. Works very well. DUH!!!

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I've had these millinery roses for years and years and they've kind of "settled or flattened" from being in a drawer for so many years.

Then I came across a tip from Heather several days ago—can't really remember when— and tonight I decided to test it out as I had nothing to do. Riiiiiight!!!! Hah. Anyway, I thought I'd share this tip/trick with all of you. It actually worked well as you can see in the pictures below of the before and after. They're actually very perky and pretty now.

The tip is to hold them upside down over a steaming kettle or pot. I used a pot with boiling water and held it over for a minute or so and voilà! They are back in shape.

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Okay, I got to thinkin' today, chicks. I wanna do a swap with only one person! Just me and someone else. I want to do a crown swap. Anyone wanna accept the challenge to do it with me??? Hmmmm??? Just email me today and let me know. I'm only going to do one person. I want to get to know one of you very well. By 5 pm tonight. I'll pick the name out of a hat and announce it after 5 pm TONIGHT. This is gonna be fun!!!

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I saw this darling prom gown and had to share. While certainly more modest than some I've seen, most of the teenagers I know wouldn't wear something without a sleeve. However, this dress is adorable with its net ruffles and being pink so I had to share.

I love hand bags like these below—all pink, satin and froufrou-y.

I guess men design these shoes. Women who actually wear them wouldn't design something so high you look like an elephant walking down the street. Just watch the women in these HIGH heels walking. They CAN'T! Why can't they design these in a shorter heel style so we don't ruin out feet later in life. Trust me on this ONE!!!! They are adorable though.

This looks like something designed by a man who hated women! Like maybe the Marquis de S*de!

You certainly won't break a heel in this one; you'll break your FOOT! Silly.

Seriously, chicks, can you REALLY see someone actually buying, wearing and walking in such a shoe??? This designer must REEEEALLLLY hate women! Idiot!
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How I love this magnificent huge rose bouquet!

Spending a summer afternoon watching sail boats drifting by while reading your favorite book and having a picnic lunch with someone special.

Spending some time at the sea shore watching the ocean ebb and flow in your solitude with the birds drifting overhead and a blue bouquet at your window. Feel the sand on your toes as you dig them into the sand.

A bouquet of roses freshly picked from the garden and tossed onto a side table until they can be arranged into a vase. She reminds me of Paul de Longpre and his luscious painting of roses in this one.

Another exuberant bouquet of picks from the garden on a summer morn with fresh berries and other fruit for a tête-a-tête.

Last of these paintings by Barbara Mock.
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Vignettes Can Be a Lot of Different Things

People think vignettes have to be a book and a vase of roses or something similar. Not necessarily true, chicks, although that can be quite stunning and original if taken the time to think it out "creatively." It can be anything you want it to be as long as you assemble items in one particular space - a little space with items that evoke emotion is what works best for me. Something pleasing to the eye. I've gone around my home and just photographed some little descriptive vignettes to show as examples.

A pedestal rose plate with bars of fragrant soaps - some hand painted - and some little fizzie bath hearts given to me. They are absolutely sweet smelling and fragrance my guest bathroom.

A stack of white towels in a little pink wire basket. They are in there for guest's immediate pleasure and convenience so as not to have to go rummaging around underneath the cabinets. Just a thought to the comfort of my guests and family. ;-) I have a friend with a teenage boy who is meticulous in his personal grooming and will not use a towel after someone else. So I decided to do this with him in mind. Always a fresh and scented one for that young man. He steals my heart with being so well groomed.

Some little birdhouses on my mantel - one I made and three my friend, Rhea, made. Hers are stunning and I have a lot of items from her - so many, in fact, that I may have to dedicate a room to her! ;-)

Some old vintage rusty finials on my mantel also. I love the patina and rust of these old iron objects. These don't have much verdigris on them but I especially love the verdigris on old copper objects. And, of course, the proverbial "rose" to add to their beauty. If you knew how many roses I have in this house you'd faint. I have several hundred ribbon roses, many silk roses, dozens of paper roses, millinery roses and porcelain roses. I should call this the Rose House. Well, actually some of my friends do call it that.

Starfish that I spray painted pink and sprinkled on german glass glitter. I just love the look of them on the mantle. I love "fluff" everywhere I can arrange to have it.

Even my craft paints and paint swatches from a paint store can be a vignette when arranged on a vintage old shelf with snippets of leftover lace tacked on the shelf. I think you'll have to agree it adds "color" to the place!

As simple as some vintage salt and pepper shakers painted pink and set on the shelf with paints.

Even little sachets scented with fragrance oils lined along another shelf can add not only beauty but a wonderful scent to enjoy in any room. Yes, I actually do this in every single room - living room, family room, baths, office, bedroom......every room. And these certainly add beauty to the room.

And then there are the tops of book cases that aren't really conducive to hold actual book on the top so I just put some vintage sewing drawers with CDs or DVDs in them and little boxes I've tried selling but didn't. So buyers loss is my room's gain! LOL

One of my favorite vignettes is artist paint brushes. I just love seeing all the brushes in a pretty vase or container. These are mine and I would NOT call my self an artist. I call myself a BEGINNER!! ;-)

I have a bowl on my coffee table that has some pink sea shells (I painted them pink) and I love the juxtaposition of them with the roses and faux desserts I have on there. This one below is not in my home but I think it's stunning. Just simple everyday things gathered together in one spot for a lovely vignette. Rocks in a vintage yellow bowl, starfish and old ephemera.

The roses, sea shells, starfish, a wicker basket leaning against a wall, attractive statues, a container of nails and a plate of fruit.

I liked this room when I first saw it and was drawn back to it because of the table vignette near the dormer. I also stack pictures on the floor leaning up against a baseboard. I just love the look of "high" and "low" pictures. Most people hang their pictures too high on a wall. That's fine if there are other pictures below it but the room looks out of whack if all pictures are at one level in a room and that level is 6 feet up the wall. Lower your pictures so that the lowest part of the frame is no more than 46 - 48" from the floor. It will make quite a cozy difference in the look.