Sunday, August 18, 2013

A Trip, Treasures, and a Tri-fold


Be forewarned:  I'm all over the place with this post.
A bit unlike my usual style,
but I have so much to share with you,
that I'm unloading it all at once.  lol




It begins in the master bathroom.
The bathroom I claimed as my own when we moved here.
The bathroom where I oohed and ahhhed the first time I walked in.
(The bathroom where I stroke the bead board walls periodically just because they're there.)

I'd been wanting to replace this light for the past seven years.
I always wondered why an outdoor light was installed in there.
A couple years ago, I dry brushed it with creamy white to soften the look a bit.
It grew on me after a while.
So, I embraced it and learned to live with it.

After Debbie said she liked it because it reminded her of a lantern on a gypsy wagon,
I reeeally loved that thought ~

And I hesitated about changing it out...

for a moment.




But once the Husband wired this antique sconce I brought home from Michelle's booth at the antique market last month,

I was smitten.




It added a sweet touch of vintage bling to my favorite room in this old farmhouse.




A bit of sweet elegance against the sweet bead board walls.






Yep.  Totally smitten.

~  ♥  ~

We celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary last week,
traveling to Lake Michigan through small coastal towns,
stopping at flea markets, antique shops, and fruit stands.
We picked through dusty treasures, dug through boxes of vintage goodies,
and test-squeezed fresh picked peaches before loading them into the car
with sweet juice running down our chins.

We exchanged heartfelt cards over lunch on The Idler, a unique riverboat restaurant in South Haven,
and ate crab cakes, buffalo wings, and artichoke dip.
It was beautiful day spent together.


Idler Riverboat-Magnolia Grille
source




We wandered through numerous antique shops in South Haven and Saugatuck.
While my husband lugged around a vintage outboard boat motor he ended up purchasing,
I couldn't resist these pretties.




There wasn't a price on the china pieces, but after being told they were $4 a piece,
I found myself grinning stupidly while clutching them in my hands.
Vintage beads for my dream catchers and wind catchers were a happy find,
and a faded Simply Shabby Chic tablecloth I pulled from the bottom of a box beneath a table was only $5.





But the pink and lilac tapestry with a black silk border was my favorite discovery of the day.
Four feet of embroidered flowers and elegant flourishes, beading, and sequins
that I unearthed from a pile of linens under an old table.
The embroidery is exquisite and so unique.
It's a beautiful piece of shabby bohemian goodness.




~  ♥  ~

I recently purchased some RASC fabric and asked
a friend of mine to make a couple of Euro shams for me.




I love the 'Somerset' pattern.
I could only find the fabric in white though, so I dyed it a pale lavender-blue.
It's perfect snuggling next to 'Mon Ami'.




The purples and blues are soothing, and 'ground' the room a bit
amid the white and pinks.




 ~  ♥  ~

As much as I'm loving my bathroom and the new shams on the sofa,
this corner of the living room is currently giving me fits.
Big fits.
The "I-can't-stand-to-look-at-it-anymore-and-don't-know-what-to-do-with-it " kind of fits.

Behind that beautiful fabric is a tri-fold door
that needs.....something.

You're probably wondering why the fabric is draped there.




Well, this is what they looked like when I bought them a couple years ago at the antique market.
They looked wonderful with the French-Nordic decor I had in the house at that time.
Simple, elegant, and very French.




This is what they looked like after I waved my magic rustic wand over them.
I spray painted the doors. Then, after spray painting the chicken wire, too,
stapled that to the back of the doors.




So much better.
Cleaner. Brighter. Airier.

BUT
{sigh}
I've grown tired of the chicken wire...
AND the fabric
(and maybe of the doors themselves....?)
They're not just speaking to me any more for some reason.
They're actually driving me nuts.





I hung an embroidered pashmina on one door
and some of my favorite linen fabric on the other doors to cover up the chicken wire,
and to add a bit of soft color there in the corner.

But now it just looks messy to me.

{sigh}

So, I'm changing them up....
...again...
to see if my new idea sings to my soul.




I'll let you know if I hear any music....  :)

{If I don't, I'll just go back to stroking the bead board in my bathroom...}



~  Blessings  ~



Linking to the linky parties on the lower right of my sidebar!




















43 comments:

  1. Beautiful changes Laurie! And amazing finds! Saugatuck is one of our favorites! Happy anniversary♥
    xx
    Anne

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  2. Nice finds, and changes, Laurie. You have a corner driving you nuts? My whole house does that. lol Send some music this way.

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  3. Great post Laurie!! Love all your pretty treasures you found, and your gorgeous shams!! I've been wanting to try my hand at dying fabric, but have never done it before, so am a little apprehensive about it ~ any tips you can give me would be GREATLY appreciated, lol :) Can't wait to see what you do with the tri fold door!

    xoxo Brenda

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  4. Oooh the tri-fold doors. I put them in my booth last year. They were fun for a while, weren't they? and so funny when we bought them..lol. You've done so much more with yours than I ever did with the set I had.
    LOVE the new treasures you found with Rog!! especially the tapestry piece.
    Your new pillow covers turned out so very pretty, Laurie.
    I DO like the new light in the bathroom...very chic.
    I hope you kept the old light, however. Just in case you find an old gypsy wagon to hang it on.
    xoxo

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  5. LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I think my favorite is the tapestry and the tablecloth -- so many possibilities. The changes are beautiful --- the bathroom light is fabulous. ~HUGS~

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  6. Everything is just beautiful sweet friend... those little plates are gorgeous and that old embroidered piece is just stunning... I think that's my favorite of your finds... so glad you had a nice anniversary... your dinner sounds delish and nothing better than spending the day antiquing... and eating juicy peaches!... I have no ideas on your doors... but I know you will come up with something wonderful... so excited for my new dreamcatcher!... hey, have you thought about hanging some of your dreamcatchers on those doors?... also, I would LOVE to see more of your kitchen!... will you do a post about it soon?... xoxo Julie Marie

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  7. I love your bathroom, just elegant. Happy Anniversary and I hope you have many many more.

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  8. Happy Anniversary to you and your mister! You certainly have the magic touch, Laurie! Everything looks beautiful. That little sconce that you put up in the bathroom is the perfect addition. As for the trifold door, what if you put some pretty gathered fabric panels back in the spot where the chicken wire is? I don't know, that is my best suggestion :)

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  9. Happy Anniversary!

    It's wonderful - 29 years, yay!

    Love your new sconce in your pretty bathroom.

    And, well, I actually loved the first two ways you had those shutters - I would love to own those.

    Change is always nice but really the chicken wire looks awesome, in my opinion.

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  10. Laurie,
    WoW!!!
    What great finds on your Anniversary Trip, dear friend!!!
    Just a thought, just one word. . .turquoise!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  11. Laurie, I love Saugatuck and South Haven! Hubby and I will be celebrating 27 years of marriage on Sept. 12th! We were thinking about taking a drive to the Lake Michigan coastline. It's gorgeous driving down the coast and I could walk the beach all day! Love all the simple changes that you've made. The vintage sconce in the bathroom is perfect! Oh how I wish I had a large vintage bathroom as huge as yours but I'll have to be grateful for the 2 small and 1 medium sized bathroom. I'm sure whatever you do with the room divider will look divine! You have the gift of re-arranging and making things beautiful. I don't think your post was all over the place but maybe It's becuase I'm all over the place and can easily follow along :) Such lovely goodness at your home! Happy anniversary!

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  12. Hello Dear Laurie....LOVE the new sconce in the pretty bathroom. SOOOO much prettier than the lantern.

    I'd like to see the piece of fabric all spread out on a table to get a better look at it.

    You found some wonderful treasures.

    Congratulations on your anniversary. I wish you and your forever love many, many more happy years. Susan

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  13. Oh,how I love your home! Your bathroom is charming place and every your treasure is absolutely amazing! The Sommerset pattern is my favorite too :) But I can see her only on the pictures :))) Have a beautiful sunny days, sweetie! xoxo, Michaela

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  14. Happy anniversary! What lovely finds to remember it by! Love that embroidered piece you found!!! Your bathroom makes me sigh too. Love the beautiful sconce!

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  15. Love the sconce, looks much better than the lantern. Don't you just love that tub? So pretty.
    Sandy

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  16. Laurie...first of all, Happy Anniversary!
    What a wonderful way to spend your beautiful day together. Sounds so romantic!
    I love your beadboard! I have it too..in my kitchen and half way up my bathroom walls. It adds so much and I adore it! You are too funny, but I really do get it...about stroking those walls! Hahahah
    That sconce is perfect and your bathroom is dreamy! No wonder you love it so!
    That bohemian fabric is gorgeous!!! What a great find...it must have been waiting for you ;)
    The beads...so pretty!
    So happy you found all those treasures...but the most wonderful of all...that you found your true love in your dear hubby and have been enjoying 29 memorable years together!
    Blessings upon both of you!
    Hugs xo

    All my heart,
    Deborah xoxoxoxo

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  17. Laurie
    What a beautiful post. happy happy anniversary!!! I love all of the changes and I too am smitten with your sconce. Your home as always is ever so charming. Have a blessed week

    hugs
    Kate
    xo

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  18. I love your bathroom, too, Laurie. It really feels like a true retreat. It sounds like you and Rog had a great time on your get away. I think I need to run away to get away!;>)

    I hear you about the doors. I have pieces like that, too. All of a sudden it will be-what was I thinking? lol xo Diana

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  19. Laurie, you have been busy with those tri fold doors!!! there is a lot you could do... i have been googling some images of painted furniture lately.. i might email you some! immediately i thought that you could use some wood to cover where the chicken wire once was... perhaps cover it in a fabric...? paint the rest of the door frames to match? maybe a pale pink or lavender...? or a chippy teal with a painted panel in the centers? (similar to the panel thingos from taushas blog a few weeks back...) my mind is going crazy now!!! i am off to google!!! have a great day lovely!!xx

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  20. Happy Anniversary Laurie!!
    Love your new changes!
    I've been totally enjoying summer and have been neglecting my blog and facebook page but making lots of notes and expect to be very busy this fall!!

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  21. It's been way too long since I have been over here and just reading this post I realize how very much I have missed your lovely lovely blog Laurie! Oh my, your new bathroom sconce and that amazing tapestry sent me dreaming of finds like that. Now, I'm off to enjoy more of your fabulous posts I have missed. Oh and happy 29th too...your special getaway trip sounded wonderful! xoxo

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  22. Oh! Happy Anniversary, and congratulations on 29 years! That bathroom sconce is so very gorgeous! Great change! Catherine

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  23. Happy Anniversary Laurie! Your bathroom is truly a relaxing space! I love your new findings and can't wait to see how the integrate with the rest of your decor! Thank you for linking at Fluster Buster's Party , I'm co hosting today! Have a great week, Lizy!

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  24. Well Laurie - I would happily take those doors off your hands - leave the chicken wire in place for me - I'll send you an email on my address, K???
    Love your new light in your beautiful bathroom!
    XOXO

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  25. Isn't is funny how one little thing can make a room, the sconce is lovely. Your anniversary sounds like a lot of fun, congratulations, hope you have many more together.
    Jeannie

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  26. it all looks just lovely. I like the new sconce in your bathroom very much.

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  27. Wow! Lots of lovely things and Happy Anniversary! We will celebrate our 34th next month. Hmm....what to do what to do for our anniversary.

    Linnea

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  28. oh laurie, your soothing beadboarded bathroom is to die for! go soak in your tub a while and i am sure you will come up with the perfect solution to your corner....at the very least you will feel soothed and relaxed and perhaps not care so much about it because hey, your home is beautiful in any light. happy anniversary! us old married couples are a rare breed now a days.
    erin
    xxoo

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  29. the new sconce is a charming addition to your sweet bath, laurie! love the tapestry--what a great reminder of your anniversary!

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  30. Dear Laurie-all is beautiful!!!!Love your new treasures and the somerste is my fav too ♥ And all the best for your anniversary!!Have a nice day's and wish you more lovely treasures for your home!
    xoxo

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  31. You kill me with the bathroom Laurie!!! You do realize that, one day, you're going to find me squatting there right:) Happy 29th anniversary!!!

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  32. Happy Anniversary !! what a great shopping trip ....love your bathroom and all the pastel colours in your lovely home.... as for the doors ... I love them but I know what you mean ...sometimes things need changing in order to avoid that "stale" feeling... can't wait to hear them singing again ...Gail x

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  33. Beautiful, Laurie. Your bathroom is just gorgeous. Love your finds. In fact I love everything here.

    Happy weekend

    Hugs

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  34. Hi Laurie, I actually thought that the outdoor light was kind of cute. An unexpected bit of lighting. However, the new one is fabulous and looks just perfect! I love the dishes you found and that piece of fabric is so beautiful. Happy Anniversary to you and your hubby. We celebrated our 41st on the 4th. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  35. I love your new bathroom sconce. It looks like a mini chandelier and I would love one in my bathroom.

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  36. The sconce in the bath is just perfect, it compliments the hanging piece so well.
    Happy anniversary!
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  37. Ha! you're so awesome... What a great post. That pink and lilac tapestry is insanely wonderful... What a cool find! And how great is it that you're celebrating your anniversary with a guy who can go thrifting and antique shopping with you! The sconce is wonderful, i know you're loving it, and can not wait to see what you do with the doors... smile

    Cindy

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  38. Dear Laurie,
    pictures of you are beautiful, I do not mean just what they are in your living, but also interesting. Council at you I look at your living. Your other contributions will surely beautiful. Beautifully days.
    Katka

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  39. Happy Anniversary, a little late, Laurie. Isn't it funny how we love something and a year later are thoroughly disgusted with it. lol Thank you so much for submitting your post to Transformed Tuesday.

    Hugs,
    Peggy~PJH Designs

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  40. Happy Anniversary, wishing you continued happiness. Your changes are lovely. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop xo

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  41. Happy Anniversary Laurie! All your little changes and purchased treasures are beautiful. Love the new light in the bathroom and dyeing the pillowcases was the perfect touch.

    As for your screen, what about stapling or taping (no damage) some of the fabric panels to the back of the screen, then wiring tiny vases or test tubes to the chicken wire and using them for little bud vases with your pretty roses and flowers? Just an idea. Thank you for sharing at What We Accomplished Wednesdays.

    Hugs,
    Deborah

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  42. Hello Laurie, Happy Anniversary! Love the new sconce to your bathroom - so serene. I love changing things about - its funny that at one point you're perfectly content with something and then at another you're ready for a change - I know you'll know and find just the right thing! I feel now my kitchen is just as it should be - it's fun to fluff our houses :)
    I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  43. Happy Anniversary and what a lovely day you had. It seems we never stop changing our rooms around and I've found when I tire of something, I put it away for a little while until I'm ready to love it again. Quite often I do re-love it again after a break.... or sometimes it ends up getting a complete make-over and reinvented.
    Hugs ~ Kerryanne

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