The Laughter of Color

I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for sticking by my side during this past year and being such devoted followers and friends. I deeply appreciate you checking in on me, sharing prayers, and offering encouragement, support, and love.
I treasure you all and consider you such a blessing in my life.
Thank you for being you!

~ ~ ♥ ~ ~

The seasons change and so does life.
Along with changes in one's life often comes changes of the heart.

With sadness, the soul seeks joy. 

My heart has been craving color.
Warm, happy, joyful color.

It has shown up not only outside in my gardens...

but inside this old farmhouse, too.

Tribal pillows, with their rich texture and cultural patterns

now mix beautifully with one of my favorite darker florals....but only one.

You won't find many ruffles or florals in this house right now.

I packed away the whisper of soft pastels and brought out the laughter of color.

My soul was craving laughter.

Earthy richness in my favorite deeper shades of purple, pink, blue, gray, and brown embrace the rooms with a warm hug of coziness.
My soul was craving a hug.

Bohemian style is all about exotic, saturated color, rich texture, intricate patterns,
and an earthy vibe  ~ with a bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure.

It's about being a "vagabond traveling through life" collecting eclectic treasures along the way.
Think....gypsy caravans.
A free-spirited lifestyle.
Layered decorating.
Spicy.
A bit wild.
Yes, my heart craved a bit of wildness.

Maryam Montague writes that it's "a combination of strong architectural shapes, sublime decorative finishes, vivid, inky colors, fresh, intricate patterns, and one-of-a-kind objects."

Kilims, batik, oushak, ajrahk block prints, hand quilted kantha.
Handcrafted artistry in rugs, pillows, and throws.

Mixing them all is easy.

Patterns that you think would clash, live joyfully next to each other as long as there is one common color.  The woven patterns each telling a story of the artisans who made them.

The bohemian theme is carried into my studio with collected, treasured paintings by my great-grandmother, grandmother, my father, and my talented long-time friend, Kerrie Sanderson.

Kerrie's sweet beach painting is on the far right. You can purchase her paintings from her Etsy shop, Seawashed.

Found Moroccan ceramic lattice vases from a consignment shop grace the cabinet in my studio.
This reworked pink cabinet, which has gone from white to blue to pink, will soon be getting a wash of "Muddy Pond" wax to "dirty" it a bit and create a more authentic well-worn, vintage look.
 (You can purchase it here from Anne at White Lace Cottage.)

Orchids sway next to roses on the fireplace mantel.

A regal purple orchid soaks up some sunshine on the kitchen windowsill.

A bohemian lantern and a red Moroccan glass filled with bright pink roses stand beneath a couple of my dream catchers.
(You can order a dream catcher from me here.)

A pierced tin lamp gives light to books and magazines that provide continual inspiration for me.
Of course, my favorite Young Living 'Patchouli" essential oil is never far away.
It is diffused and worn almost daily, and lends the perfect exotic fragrance in the house.
Patchouli has a musky, earthy aroma. In Eastern cultures, it is commonly used around the house to provide general support for health, and to help release negative emotions.

A simple touch of boho graces the master bath.

An orchid grows quietly next to a small beaded jewelry box atop a vintage Florentine table.

A carved whitewashed acacia wood box sits next to the one and only painting created by my mother that my father helped her with...

and a battery-operated gold filigree candle adds a soft glow at night.

The meditation room ~ dressed in purple, brown, and gray ~ is a haven of peace and tranquility.
Mismatched lace tablecloths tossed casually over curtain rods filter the morning sunlight.
A large pillow made from a Turkish rug grounds this space.
This has become my favorite room in the house.

I am currently on the hunt for another Moroccan side table like this.

A sparkly turquoise blue vase brings memories of cherished vacations spent by sparkling blue oceans.

I'm still tweaking the master bedroom.

A favorite throw from India in pink, white, and gray is tossed over a white linen duvet,

while a Turkish patchwork throw was tacked to the headboard for a quirky introduction of crayon colors.
The 1800's blanket chest at the foot of the bed was hauled home from a trip to Maine many years ago.

Tailored bedskirt by Shellagh Selee from Ticking & Toile.

Cowboy hats, tasseled shawls, and fringed leather handbags

hang on a handmade vintage coat rack.

Tattered Turkish rugs with beautifully bright and sometimes faded colors in exotic patterns can be found scattered throughout every room of the house.

The white wicker furniture on the front porch will soon get a make over, too, with a wash of earthy brown.

As I continue to plan and design some big changes for our back porch
~ which will become another favorite bohemian haven in this house, I'm sure ~

 my heart is being comforted.

Embraced in color.

Grounded in pattern.

Reveling in the joy that it all brings.

~  Eucharisteo  ~

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

Dancing with Autumn

Sweet Autumn is knocking on the door of this old farmhouse ~
announcing her gentle presence with bronzing oaks and golden maples.

Whispering of the gown of  rich colors she'll be dancing in.

Singing of cool, crisp days with deep turquoise skies,

and even cooler nights with glimmering stars close enough to touch with your fingertips.

I welcome her.

The change of seasons can bring a change of heart, too.

A need to change up the rooms in our home.
A need to tuck away airy lightness for a while and embrace comforting warmth.
A need to layer colors like we layer our cool weather clothes.

We put away the pastels and replace them with deeper, richer colors

that warm our souls on cold, dark evenings.

Heaven's Walk is dancing with Sweet Autumn and singing her song.

A beautiful Florentine tray,

a gift from a beloved friend,

now sits on the old green board on the bathtub.

The rich gilding brings even more depth to the room

and is the perfect place for a bar of rose scented soap in a vintage gilt-edged dish.

A favorite RASCC patterned chair slip, 'Somerset',

was tied on to the French dining chair at the desk in my sun-filled studio.

I love its purple tinted denim color.

A lavender scarf with tatting and tassels is draped across the back and falls onto the seat...

and dusky lavender roses grace an elegant shabby chic vase nearby.

A turquoise blue needlepoint piece is tossed on to a wooden serving tray next to soft pink roses and mini carnations, adding another level of rich boho color. 

I've been physically dabbling in color, too.

A RH linen pillow slip purchased on eBay a while ago for a great price
(because the initial on it was a little wonky and a bit off center)
was originally a drab shade of dark oatmeal.

I wasn't currently using it because,
although it was once perfect for my French-Nordic decor a couple years ago,
it's neutral color didn't jibe with my shabby prairie bohemian style now.

 I dyed it with a touch of purple and a bit of denim blue.

Due to it's original color, I didn't add in any tan or taupe to the dye recipe like I usually do when wanting a dusky shade.
It turned a beautiful faded smokey shade of what I call "Prairie Plum".

It picks up the plum shades in the roses in my overdyed 'Somerset' pillow slips.

A Florentine tissue box was added to my planked side table to create a vignette of lavender, mauve, and turquoise.

The lavender prayer candles were a thoughtful gift from sweet Rachel.

And yes....I'm still working on reworking that tri-fold door....  :)

Fresh cut roses, carnations, delphiniums,

and a charming little purple flower plunked into a rustic, galvanized pail

bring deeper shabby chic autumn colors to my chippy pink planked table in the corner.

And all the while autumnal colors are blooming inside this old farmhouse,
my little girl waits patiently for her papa to come home in the fading light
on an early autumn day.

~  Blessings ~

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

Amidst the Blooms

Late springtime flowers hug the old porch with fragrance and color.

'Million Bells' spills deep pink from a rustic pot.

'Henryii' clematis twining around the post.

Sweet English lavender dances with even sweeter roses.

Soft, cushy pillows tossed onto a vintage wicker sofa under an azure sky...

whisper of sleep.

'Walker's Low' catmint lining the brick walk fills the air with invigorating scent.

Shade deepens along the woods hem.

Frilly, feminine 'Josephine' blooms happily on the arbor by the porch.

Tree peony blooms nod heavily.

Their fragrance intensely intoxicating.

Sweet and ruffly 'Sarah Bernhardt' sighs in the warm sunshine.

Fragrant "Knock Out" roses budding yellow sunshine
and opening to vanilla ice cream.

Green embraces white.

Lanterns filled with fairy lights will glow softly with falling dusk.

A catnap amidst the blooms calls to me...

 ~ Blessings ~

Next week Friday (June 1), I'll be guest posting over at Stacey's beautiful blog, A Sort of Fairytale. She's been giving some fabulous house tours, and I was honored to be asked to share my shabby French-Nordic farmhouse with you.
You are cordially invited to join me there!

Linking to the parties on the lower right of my sidebar.

Just click on the buttons.