The making of a Perfume shelf....

It started with a drab looking birdcage shelf I spotted in a shop,

it was painted in a dull grey/white, 

the look that passes as shabby chic these days ....so not me.  

No.... please.... don't get me wrong I love shabby but not 

that contrived stylised version 

of shabby that seems to be everywhere these days.
I love genuine shabby, the kind where you treasure hunt at 

flea markets & charity shops, rummage through local yard sales or

 find something abandoned by the roadside 

take it home and put your own spin to it. 

Recycling & up-cycling, is my kind of shabby, 

I always end up with something truly unique doing it this way.
When I bought this cage I had no idea what I needed it for
I just knew I did.
And yet I didn't know what this would become
I always know the colour it needed to be
GOLD....
....don’t ask me why.
I just did.
At first I tried gold leafing

but what a messy affair that turned out to be, 

with the gold leaf ending everywhere mostly my hands instead
of the fine metal bars and the finish didn't really rock my boat at all.  

Isn’t there a saying
“When at first you don’t succeed then try & try again” 

so true when it comes to creative experiments.

The second time I opted for gold spray paint, 

still messy but much easier to use
and covering the cage beautifully.  

I have to confess though at first I was a little disappointed 

or maybe unsure of the gold shade & matt
finish from the spray paint. 

When it comes to interiors

there isn't a box I can easily be fitted into style wise.   
I love clean none fussy simple lines just as much as 

sparkle & frills and this shelf needed a little of the latter.

As long as I can remember, I have always been mesmerised by 

layers upon layers of  fabric covered with sequins. 

Probably a love fostered by my many trips to the magical glittering world 

of the Circus & Theatre with my two great Aunts, as a young child. 

 

 By making these blossoms I could indulge that LoVe. 

They are sOoOoOo much fun 

even though cutting all the circles
is a bit of a tedious job. 

The circles get folded into quarters
before being stitched onto a felt base.

I don't have a set number nor colour combination of circles, 

I just play around with each blossom until I’m happy.

For the centre of the blossoms I wanted old fashion glamour, 

the kind that takes me back to those childhood trips
at Circus & Theatre.

I used sparkly “vintage” pieces.

I always salvage bits of sparkle from
old jewellery, clothing & shoes.

On this project I used a earring that was missing it’s partner, 

a ripped pearl necklace from my great Aunt 

that has given me these beautifully sparkly memories 

and some crystals & beads I have salvaged from some 

much loved old summer sandals.   

The leaves are made from a mix of different ribbons 

some vintage some new in a variety of greens 

with a couple of them having a few sparkly touches added as well.

I added two pretty chains
made from leftover glass pieces from our vintage chandelier.

And to finish the birdcage off I had two mirrored shelves 

cut from my local glazier.  He did such a great job.  

It looks practically perfect in every way now 

....I know its really silly
I get so excited over little details like that 

but it’s always those little details
that make something like this beautiful.

I have to giggle looking at my little “Perfume shelf” 

....it’s funny that this is what it has become. 

Whilst working on this I had no plan for what I would use it for.

Looking at it all finished however with it’s pretty
pink blossoms reminded me of a rose bush in our garden 

that fills the air with the most beautifully sweet smelling perfume. 

So I couldn't think of a better way  then to use this birdcage 

as a lovely way to display my perfumes.

I can't help but feel so very lucky to open my

 eyes to this every morning.

  Wishing you all a super rest of the week!

 XXXX

 

Hello....

 long time no see.
It’s so lovely to be back on here.  

I have been meaning to put a post on for weeks
but the days have whizzed by.  

My last couple of weeks have been a crazy mix of
emotions & moments the good the bad & the ugly 

I had them all and maybe that has added a little to my silence on here. 
My daily routine has been mainly dominated by that
mundane boring every day stuff known as domestic delights,

coming to terms with the reality 

that I will not be reaching the top of the washing MOUNTAIN any time soon.

 And being forced to referee the endless bickering between a teen & a pre teen 

oh what fun ....not! 

It is mind boggling what they can bicker over. 

I have come to realise in those moments 

you just have to sit back put your headphones on, 

volume on full blast, enjoy a cold drink and think to yourself

 “Oh the joys”. 

There have of course been some much welcomed distractions

....some very yummy

....some very pretty 

....others creative

Like this old Printers letterpress draw.

 I picked it up for a measly 5 euros last Autumn 

at a charity shop here in Berlin. 

I couldn't believe when the assistant told me the price 

I wasn't going to ague I just grabbed, paid & left 

rather fast before she could change her mind.

Paradoxically this draw is one of those things

I have always wanted whilst having no idea what for. 

I know it makes little sense, but I'm talking about me after all

I make very seldom sense at first! 

But back to the draw....

Some of the sections are very small 

and the depth of the draw is narrow, 

really limiting it’s use. So with no real purpose for it, 

the draw spent the winter in the cellar, 

a little forgotten about if  I’m perfectly honest. 

As I pulled out my shell collection a couple of weeks ago 

I stumble across it again, 

looking at it surrounded by all my shells 

that famous light-bulb moment happened

this draw could be a beautiful display for my smaller shells.

Black however didn't make me think of Ocean nor 

does it really work with my ever so white & blue living room.  

Blues were needed ....a mix of soft grey green blues.

Blues that remind me of wonderful days spent at the beach!

With two premixed shades of blue a creamy white

and a couple of drops of green paint pigment some empty glass jars 

I played around and around to get my perfect mix of ocean blues. 

There was more paint on my hands at times 

and it took me a week to paint all the little sections. 

 OH boy 

what a tedious job that was, 

especially as every section had to be painted three times in blue, 

that is after I had painted the whole draw twice with a primer 

to block the black out already. 

No I’m not in any hurry to do that again.  

But the work was well worth it

 It looks so beautiful against the bare concrete wall in my living room.

I LOVE LoVe LOVE it

and it definitely reminds me of fun days spent at the beach.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  Oh I like to be beside the seaside  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I love 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the smell & taste of the salty air  

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the soft warm breeze  

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the sound of waves rolling in  

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the endless sparkle on the water  

& 

soft sand between my toes.

Have a great week 

XXXX