Welcome to my blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I believe that everyone can have a beautiful home without spending a fortune! One of my favorite things to do is find creative ways to re-purpose things I already have on hand, or have picked up at yard sales and thrift stores. Join me as I share with you some of my favorite ideas for crafting and decorating, as well as travel adventures, and fun things that I pick up on my treasure hunts! Much of my work is influenced by my love all things French, nature, and of course shabby chic! I have gotten so many creative ideas from you very talented bloggers out there, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you as well!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Our Toile Bedroom


Today I thought I would take you on a tour of our bedroom.  As you will see, I am crazy about toile, especially blue & white toile!  I don't always keep this bedding on our bed.  I like to change it out with the seasons. But this is my very favorite look!  Our bedroom is quite large, with vaulted ceilings, lots of windows and two skylights, so it really feels light & airy.

I love our bedroom, but there are two things in here (well, mainly two!) that I really don't like:  the cedar walls, and the glass block you see to the left of the bed.  They are so not me!!  To me they scream 1980's!  This was my hubby's handiwork, long before I came on the scene!  So, I try to ignore/work around it, as best as I can!

I adore vintage embroidered pillow cases, and have collected quite a few over the years at garage sales.  Here is a close up of one of my favorites.  Imagine all of that work, even hand crocheted edging!   My mom made the two bolsters you see here.  She incorporated one of my vintage linens on the larger one, and it has the most gorgeous trim!  I think it may be tatting.





Our little pup always likes to join in the fun!


I love chandeliers!  Anything sparkly makes my heart go pitter patter!  On the quilt rack you will see a few of my vintage linens, and a very old quilt.

I love shell crafting, and I made this one hanging over our bed.  I don't know if shells go with the toile look, but I love it!

More toile loveliness!
This dresser is one of my favorite pieces of furniture.  It belonged to my mom's twin sister, and when she passed away several years ago, my mom inherited it, then gave it to me.  I wish the color showed up better than it does in the photos.  I really love the finish, I didn't have to do a thing to it!  That's my mom & dad on their wedding day, back in the 1940's.  And you can get a glimpse of hubby & I on our wedding day in Hawaii.  It will be 10 years this August!

In the picture below is a metal/iron wall hanging that I love. I found it at Jo Ann Fabrics, and I added some toile fabric to the back.
I added the same toile fabric to the back side of our framed initials.  In the middle hangs a leaded glass Eiffel tower hanging.

In my very first blog post in April, I talked about this clock (with more of my toile!), that I turned into a jewelry cabinet.  You can read more about it here



Ok, I am saving the other least favorite part of our bedroom for last!  This is hubby's dresser, and I hate the mirror!  I think it looks so very dated!  Plus it is a real pain to dust! I think the dresser would look so much better without it, and a different mirror, maybe oval shaped, hanging above.  But, I have yet to convince him!!

Well, that's the end of the tour!  Hope you all have a fantastic weekend, and find some great bargains if you get out & do some garage saling!

I am linking up with Cindy over at My Romantic Home, for Show & Tell Friday.

14 comments:

Christine said...

Your room is really pretty, it seems very calm and peaceful.

Karen said...

Everything looks wonderful! I think the shells go nicely with the toile. Love how you added the same fabric to the backside of the frames....perfect finishing touches.

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

Your bedroom is very pretty! Love the bedding and especially the bench at the end of the bed. I know, or I suspect, that your hubby would want you to paint the wall you don't like but what about the trim around the block? I think that would make it stand out less since it's not your favorite. I love your chest of drawers. It has a beautiful finish on it.

mizdarlin said...

If you could paint out the frame of that mirror, and get some of that wooden gingerbready carved stuff for the top and sides, it could work quite well in the room..see if he'll compromise and let you paint it..your bedroom is beautiful, and I even like the wall behind the bed; the contrasting lovely toile really pops by comparison...

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Donna~ your bed is amazing, and it looks so beautiful with all your lovely toile and bedding accents! Really pretty room!

Vintagesouthernlife said...

I love your bedroom... another toile and chandy fan here.

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna,
What a lovely bedroom you have! Wow...your ceiling are wonderfully high!!
How nice of your mom to make such lovely bolsters for you. They're beautiful!
BTW, thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comment about my favorite antiques shop, Good Goods!
Have a great weekend!
Jo :-)

Wendy said...

So pretty! Blue toile has a soft beautiful look to it! I like how you added it around the room, especially behind that iron art piece! Nice touch!
Hoping your having a sweet weekend!
Wendy

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Donna,
I love your blue toile bedding. What a great idea to put the toile fabric behnd the wall art. Looks very pretty.

Wooden shutters would look wonderful over the bottom portion of the glass blocks. Just a thought if you ever decide to change them. But then again, I kinda like it because it allows you to have such wonderful light.

Your bedroom is lovely.

hugs
Sissie

Kathy said...

Goodmorning! I think you have done a very good job in accenting around your wall. Marriage is a balance. One day he might see that white washing might not be a bad thing. Until then,
the blue toile is very lovely as are your furniture decorations.
Wishing you a very happy Pink Saturday
Kathy

Amy Chalmers said...

I love toile too...here's a thought on the glass block window: add a white iron rod across the top and hang a pair of blue toile curtain panels on either side of those glass blocks all the way tot he floor. I think it would look fantastic! But then again, making draperies is my business, so when I saw your dilemma, I wanted to share my idea.

Holly Lefevre said...

Your bedroom is beautiful. I adore toile. All of your details are fabulous. I didn't even notice the walls or the glass block. I never notice these things in others homes...only in m own. When we move din our family room was all pine...I called it the pine coffin!

Christy said...

I really like the decor of your room. It creates a very calm environment. I also enjoy the personal touches like your parent's wedding picture next to yours. Very nice touches with the toile as well.

Herbgirl said...

I would die to have a bedroom as large as yours! The toile is so very pretty. My kitchen is red and white toile. My hubby loves the wood paneling in his den.....I call it manwood since only a man would love it!
Hugs N Herbal Blessings,Mandy