Gifts for me: The Most Beautiful Cherubic Figurines Ever!

Debbie Del Rosario is a friend straight from heaven. She recently sent me a pair of the most gorgeous cherubs I've ever seen or will ever see. All mine! Mine! MINE!!! ( See one of my pair above) Both are delicately and artistically laden with Swarovski Crystals - from their crowns to their ankles.

When I saw them, my mouth dropped and I looked and looked at all of the intricate details she had created. These are gifts that I will treasure until I die, and as Debbie is fond of saying, I may just request that both of the cherubs be buried with me!

Right now only two of her exquisite cherubs are available on eBay. Divine, they are simply mouth-watering divine. It's not too early to think Mother's Day - I know they made my day!
Thank you again and again, Deb.

This one below is one of two now available on eBay

(Click to enlarge it and see it better)

Click here to see both on eBay

Many Shades of Shabby: Do You Decorate In Colors You Love or Colors That Make You Look Your Best?

I spied this auction on eBay... Joan Collin's Dynasty Wedding Dress (in silver) . It nudged a nagging memory of the school of thought that we should consider our home our personal setting, our personal backdrop, our personal stage and that we should select our color scheme for our home the same way we select our clothing and accessories - to flatter us personally. Instead, we often select color schemes we love to see or what is currently in style. Is that a huge mistake? Could be.

There's lots of buzz about staging these days. Staging to sell a home; staging to photograph a home - So how do we look on our
own stage?

By this measure, my home should be in whites, pearl, rich corals or hot pink (even red) accented with ebony blacks and a splash of turquoise enhanced with the sparkle of crystal, lots of silver and glass. I know that because my coloring is similar to Joan Collins, one of the sirens of the glamorous Dynasty series. That series, more than any other, created settings for each of their characters -backgrounds that couldn't have been more flattering if a fashion designer had selected the colors just for each character. Remember Joan's office? The colors and styles reflected the drama of her character personality and her coloring and she looked stunning in it. But no more stunning than Linda Evan's character, Krystal, looked in her setting of cool creams with lots of icy pastels and golds.

Perhaps I should think about a few changes. When someone visits - shouldn't they leave with the subliminal impression that my home is me? Perhaps the easiest way to find out if your home flatters YOU would be to take several snapshots of yourself in your home. So how do you look - washed-out or terrific? Or check your closet - does your clothing clash with your surroundings? I like to think my jeans look great with anything - but my tops?

Would creating a home that is a better setting/backdrop for yourself be the height of vanity? If we believe our homes should be the most personal retreat in our lives; then the answer is a resounding no. I wouldn't have to change styles of decor to do this - thinking lots of white with accents of jewel tones and seashells- still decorating with what I love in flattering colors that I feel good in because I wear them constantly. Perhaps mercury glass should become my next collectible. Hmmm, after all, there are many shades of shabby....

Edenism : Could This Become The Next Romantic Decor Genre?

Interiors Design Intelligence is putting out the word that one of the hottest new trends for 2008 is Edenism ( as in the Garden of Eden). The look is described as dreamy with pastels (blue, mauve, pink) surrounded by dazzling sparkle and metal tones in gold and silver - a catalyst for a Marie Antoinette Moment. There's a pop-up slide-show at this link that shows one room evocative of the Marie Antoinette movie set. Oh my, this is sumptous stuff. But can we even remember Edenism long enough to make it a household name? Winner or Loser? Please cast your vote in the Poll.

Psst. We already know it as French Chic; so, French Chic + Marie Antoinette Luxury = Edenism. (Taking French Chic over the top?)

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ATTENTION: Watch for this product to be HOT! Golden Bead Gel

Gina Wolfrum has graciously shared her photo of an exquisite example she produced from Golden Bead Gel. (click on photos to enlarge)

You must meet Gina, a cutting-edge master of elegant finishes in murals, ceilings, furniture and accessories.

Her work is synonymous with adjectives such as elegant, magnificent, and awesome that make you stare in awe, wide-eyed, wondering...

How could anyone paint All of THAT while they are miles above a floor?

A link to her website, Elegant Finishes by Gina, will remain available listed always as a trend setter; an accolade she has surely earned. Can you imagine a ceiling embossed with hundreds of Swarovski crystals? Gina did and has done several - including a nursery with a twinkling stars and another graced with an exquisite salon flair. Thanks, Gina.

I've also added a link for Golden Artists Colors, available at most craft stores. You'll need it once you enlarge the photo sample above a and check out Gina's website. Golden Bead Gel is a translucent when dry - gel - requiring whisper-thin application, that I anticipate may well turn out to be one of the most important new products to be discovered by artisans in the romantic genre.

This gel has micro clear glass beads that add texture, sparkle, and shine when dried. Think of adding tiny touches to brocade silk lampshades, to Christmas ornaments, to rose wallpaper, to stenciling, to any paper or paint project, to seashells, to painted signs, to literally any project - from your ceilings to your walls - if a subtle dazzle would add the ultimate finishing touch. It's exciting, it's new and it's waiting for you to make it your own in your decor.

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