bold2boss

The rough edges of the bureau draw me closer. The ruts and worn edges under my fingertips are like the groves of a record, replaying our precious stories. Memories flood around me, mixing joy and aching nostalgia… little feet pattering down the hall soft rosy cheeks snuggled against teddies Laughter and warm embraces, music and dancing feet. …passing time. My fingers linger on the imperfections as I savor the precious memories… our life and love resonating in these marks, our history inscribed…our beautiful life… beautiful imperfections have a beautiful week xo shelley

The thick blanket of snowy winter on the garden is just as beautiful as when in full bloom.  the chickens stay snuggled in their cozy nest. all is soft, still and muted. have a beautiful week.  xo shelley  

Fall is here! I love the renewed greenness that comes with the fall. In the garden fresh sprigs, tender shoots of grass and even new blossoms are coaxed out by the rain and gentle warmth of the horizon sun – the world is lush and alive. ...fallen leaves amidst the lavender and heather... ...lavender scent fills the autumn breeze... ...soft filtered sun through the turning leaves... ...the hens scratching up fallen seeds and tender new sprigs... ...grateful for the cool reprieve of fall... ...pecking at the flowers pushing through the grapevines... ...even new blossoms emerge in the fall warmth... ...Russian Sage waves in the fall breeze... ...cozy nest in the lush tuffs of grass... ...babies grown, moving onto ventures of their own... Have a beautiful week! xo shelley

The spring sunlight streaming through my windows has inspired me to do some decorating…adding fresh arrangements to my livingroom to take advantage of the beautiful visas.  These beautiful stems just opened their blossoms…perfect accompaniment to my spring arrangements. image my favorite spot to curl up with my morning coffee to watch the sun rise.  Our beach-combing collections…such perfect summer memories.  Some of my favorite garden ornaments snuck from the flower beds.  I’m collecting lavender to add to this vignette…it’s in full bloom in my garden just waiting to be picked.  Some more of my favorite garden ornaments…these hold lovely verbenia scented candles.  Shells and lightly scented candles – the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon glass of wine.  Have a beautiful week!  xo  shelley

I love the look and feel of finished concrete –  the texture and feeling that is both organic and industrial – and although typical in modern and industrial design, I think it works really well in many other genres…it reminds me of old French farmhouses and converted barn spaces. I used concrete for a fabulous countertop in my bathroom – it is easy, flexible and creative.  There are tons of instruction online…but it is super easy, just trowel several coats of a feather finish (made to be able to be trowelled on very thinly) concrete product onto a rough material, such as plywood, and seal. I wanted an especially distressed look with some efflorescence and color variation so I faux-finished using drywall compound and some cement powder, troweling it into the surface to highlight the texture (I used drywall compound because it is what I had available to create needed a white color – applied in this very thin way and mixed with the cement powder it has been durable). Many of...

I love painted wood floors…its a perfect fit to that farmhouse, beachy, creative aesthetic I love…and a large canvas to express your unique and personal creativity. I have done this quite a few times…some as temporary measures on the sub-floor while we waited for our ‘real’ flooring and other times on hardwood permanent flooring – either way, I love the results (and love getting to do the paint too…the possibilities!). Painting the sub-floor with paisley designs on a painted creamy checkered base…waiting for our final flooring material Painted wood floor in our sunroom sub-floor painted faux wood, pink and blue checkers, and faux saltillo tile…waiting for our real flooring material white-stained distressed wood floor with hand-painted scroll designs Have a beautiful week! xo shelley

This Easter we did Ukrainian style Easter egg dyeing, thanks to my mom’s initiative (Mom took Madeline to a workshop in dyeing Ukrainian Easter Eggs and came home with supplies for the rest of the family to create Ukrainian Easter Eggs). The process is quite simple but delicate, painting fine designs in wax and coloring in various amazing colored dyes. The designs emerge seemingly magically throughout the process with each dye dip, and finally, at the end with the wax removed that reveals the final picture. I became enchanted with the final dip in a deep rich black dye which adds an iridescent glow to the flowing lines of colors. Happy Easter xo shelley