And a final close up Mr DeMille

This room just came to life with a little help from the royal pink roses

Xmas styling joy

The big day closes in. Very happy with my antique apothecary jars turning into light focus points

and there's always room for something suggestive... hazelnuts chocolate gifts anyone?

We are having a Christmas dinner on Friday and I am super busy looking for table decoration, this is the time to go over the top, I just wish my dining table was twice as long to accommodate all the stuff I love, collect and quite honestly hoard. These mini installations use those much loved pieces that I cannot part with and are not being advertised in my etsy shop.
So what do you think?

When it comes to shabby chic styling the top tip has got to be keep the color palate super limited, add lace or netting for texture and something reflecting light for extending space.
As in the still life shown on pics above all these elements are present complementing each other and building up the interest as the eye travels and engages with the dimensions without the interference of color change.

Su Blackwell paper sculptures

Stunning artwork as seen at Anthropology London Kings Road

Paul Bommer's Delft Tiles

These witty delft tiles inspired by East London and the great fire by artist Paul Bommer are on top of my wish list

Carefree Jewelry by Lisa: More Recent Favorites on Etsy

Carefree Jewellery by Lisa: More Recent Favorites on Etsy: Take a look:
collection of Etsy finds by a fellow Etsy shop keeper
and it includes one of my hemp fabrics

These French passementerie items are soon to be listed on our Etsy

Perfect for a collection, to use for interior styling or as photo props

Home & Colonial

Second floor of Home & Colonial Berkhamsted my favourite hangout in town

Home & Colonial

Home & Colonial in Berkhamsted
Glittering antiques ahoy!

The simplest of objects can be transformed into superstars by the correct lights
here I used natural - gray & British - light to bounce the opaque shine of these antique Czech & French pastry molds.
They make the most inspiring props, their designs are perfect for Scandinavian style Christmas decor or they may just be used as pastry molds as Nature intended!!

www.brocanteart.com

One of these days I will move to Provence

The Decorative Fair in Battersea London is one of my biggest sources of inspiration, and every visit confirms my natural attraction to the pale textures of sunny Rustic Southern Europe. A particular favourite is Fontaine from Margate and Alex McArthur from Brighton.
cannot wait for next one in Easter

Just found these most wonderful shabby collection of early 20c Christmas trees candle holders
their faded glory takes me right back to a box of Christmas decorations we had stored under the stairs of my granny's house.
As decorative objects they are very effective as they add color accent to a wintery dark scheme with their gentle red and blue shinny surfaces. I wouldn't attach them to a Christmas tree as they were intended in fact I use them to clip all my bits of paper and hang them to a hook on my studio wall

https://www.etsy.com/listing/111599436/christmas-clip-candle-holders-vintage

Alex MacArthur from Brighton

Truly superb collection, opulent yet minimal.

Antique lace appliqués

I am a great admirer of anything Comedia dell'arte and was just overjoyed upon stumbling over these beautiful prints. Pierrot looks up beautiful Corallina whilst Colombina jealously glances over. The Pierrot is the protagonist of many early 20th C carnaval songs in Brazil , that probably explains my love of these beautiful characters as they have immense nostalgic value to a Brazilian childhood. Anyway they are here paired with my vintage appliqués.
Um Pierrot apaixonado...

What I like the most about the French farmhouse look is the layering of textiles, wood, glass and paper ephemera. Your eyes are drawn around the surroundings filled with a rich textural feast, then you sit down for yummy French cusine.
I brought back many shelf trims from my last trip to France, some of which I am listing in my Etsy shop. Others I am keeping for styling and interior decoration Provencal style, of course!!

I made this little lavender cushion with vintage fabrics including a lovely piece of broderie anglaise and a piece of antique welsh wool blanket. The heart is hand stitched with a pretty mother of pearl button detail at the back. This is truly one of a kind and is going to be a template to similar items to come

Etsy listing https://www.etsy.com/listing/94462393/shabby-chic-so-very-cosy-lavender-drawer

If you ever find yourself at home looking for something to do I can recommend a fine project from The Dorothy Days blog of a fellow Etsyan that will teach you how to make a nice corsage in a straight forward way... and hey presto you will be sporting your very own pretty corsage for when the sun is out
http://thedorothydays.blogspot.co.uk/

I found this beautiful key/jewellery hooks shelf in the most beautiful shop in West London
I've had it for so many year and never actually put it up, just used it for jewellery and styling

Now it is for sale on Ebay, I am sad to see it go but such is life... not enough room to keep everything we adore...
so farewell then
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190706150430&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

I saw the most beautiful lace necklace for sale on a hip Portobello Road shop last week and then remembered that I had a huge stash of antique French applique stored in the attic. I dragged them out and fell in love again
here it is the finest collection of appliques,  now for sale on my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104772416/appliques-french-antique-lace-flower

check out the latest listings on my ebay shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104677103/superb-moulds-collection-chocolate-jelly

It is never easy to part with anything this beautiful but I have now made a commitment to myself:
If I am to continue being a successful collector & hoarder of beautiful precious lace, trimmings, linens, French odds & sods I must at some point part with my beloved surplus...
So here it is how my collection of antique silk organza gets broken into
https://www.etsy.com/listing/103378316/gorgeous-organza-collection-antique-lace

BrocanteArt has been featured on this excellent blog
http://thedorothydays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/dorothy-days-featuresmadelena-from.html

Imagination plays a part in creating unusual styling as in this lovely God/Goddess head sculpture which was intended for the garden but has the potential of being used as paper weight or used inside as a scented candle/night light base. 

Chocolate ideas these lovely Belgian chocolate moulds look wonderful and bring indulgent ideas to ones mind...

check out my new treasury on Etsy uk

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTI3NTUwMnwyNjU1NTE4ODY0/a-whisper-a-tought-a-space-in-time?index=0

Collector's display

If a stylist is a collector all is well
If a collector is a seller then there's heartache

New morning, apothecary, old shelf

Lavender eye pillows using antique French linen

I adore this fabric and have been using every single inch in many incarnations. So far I managed a blind for bathroom (photo will follow once hanging up is finalized), a door stop, a pin cushion and these two lavender pouches. I've used antique passementerie and tea stained lace. Will have them with me for St Albans flea market and if they don't sell there they will be in Etsy afterwards.

I know for some folks out there new is best, but for me these dusty old haberdashery bits are a treasure find, as I surround myself in their history I cannot help getting more and more obcessed!

Wood, dry still life & Robin

One overlooked corner, one place to revisit

Getting my lace organized

Just been through my much loved lace collection and show them the light of the day

valentine's gifts

these wee lavender bags have been made out of small bits of fabrics that have been laying around for ages, I embroidered them all in one sitting last week so they are fresh out of press!!

JPEGbay nice little tool

Item Photos

JPEGbay.com - free eBay hosting

great new tool that I rediscovered to use on Ebay and now at beloved Artisan Vintage JPEGbay.com - free eBay image hosting