Where The Lone Star State Meets The Puget Sound
A Fine Mesh Of Two Great Styles

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Unintended Consequences

Remember this~


I've already boasted that I have Christmas all neatly packed away.  But what I didn't tell you is that I had a huge, "oooops" in the process of undecorating.  My beloved magnolia painting, an estate sale score, fell off the mantel. Ouch!  It's my fault, really.  I never bothered to fasten it to the wall because I liked the casual (albeit transient) "leaning" look.  That is to say, the painting was only leaning against the wall.

It goes without saying that Larry, the puppy, and I were all greatly startled by this event.  It was reminiscent of the earthquakes we lived through in Los Angeles.  One casualty of the fall was a Waterford crystal hurricane.  If you look closely at the above picture you can see that I used to have two.  And something that saddens me even more, though the dollar loss is not as significant, is this footed bowl (pictured below)~



Hey, when I break something, I do it in a big way.  My bowl was planted with paperwhite bulbs and it was perched on the hearth below, sadly, in the path of the falling hurricane candle.  So when the crystal shade fell from the mantel, it torpedoed the bowl of paperwhites.  The bowl took a direct hit and the crystal was shattered.  (We are still sweeping up shards of glass and neither of us dare to walk through the living room without shoes.) Waaaah!  I love this bowl.  OK, it may be from Target, but I still love it.


Well, out with the old, in with the new.  A mantel makeover was in order.  The big-bad magnolias were banished to our bedroom~ where they actually look very beautifully at home.  And in its place is a stunning panoramic photograph of a cascading mountain stream.  And yes, it's hanging securely on two picture hooks.  It was taken by a good friend of ours, David Engle.  His work is of local renown in Los Angeles area galleries.

I encourage you to visit David Engle Photography.  David's creative eye is remarkable.  David is among the best of the best in the arena of landscape photographers, and we are so blessed to have two of his panoramas gracing our home~ hand-signed no less!

The panorama obviously anchors the mantel-scape. To further frame the photo I brought out a few other things that I enjoy as focal points.  As I've mentioned, my decor always drifts towards the autumn shades.  I never think I'm making a conscious decision to use the golden hues and deep reds.  It just happens.  Shall I get a bumper sticker that says, Autumn Happens ? Well, perhaps not.

Here's another view~


Cool, huh?  And look!  My footed bowl is sittin' pretty.  I just couldn't bring myself to throw her away, so I just turned her other cheek (or something like that).  From my present vantage point on the sofa, you cannot even tell that the bowl was ever damaged.


How fortunate that there is a fleur de lis on each side of the bowl! I am considering filling the bowl with small-sized containers of ivy and an abundance of Spanish moss. The ivy will grow in indirect light and nicely camouflage the damage.  Well, that's for another day and another post.


I especially like my aged, red books.  These two are from a bound collection of Winston Churchill's World War II letters.  Upon our son's departure after Christmas, I found that my other two had mysteriously disappeared.  Hmmmm. Well, I was lucky enough to have bought the books for $.50 apiece! These shades of red compliment the panorama nicely and really highlight all the reds in the photo.

Lastly, I would like to showcase my tower of nesting boxes.  I got the set years ago at Bombay Company.  Remember that store?  I loved shopping there, especially in the 'scratch and dent' section.  One of my boxes actually has a discolored lid, so I paid a greatly reduced price.


How stately! I like the height of the tower because it adds balance to the generously proportioned bowl on the other end of the mantel.

Thanks for visiting today.  How are you spending the second Monday of this new year?  You might check out Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.  And tomorrow I will be linking up with A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.  I hope you clear some time in your Tuesday agenda to wander over to Marty's. There is always so much loveliness happening in the blog world!

Blessings on your day~

     Dana


Dallas, the face of Northwest Texas

 




 

16 comments:

  1. I feel your pain. I hate to loose any thing to an accident much less loose beloved and expensive things. I am so sorry. Hopefully nothing will fall off of your new mantle decor.
    Traci

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  2. I have done the same thing with pretties that I break- which seems to be quite a lot since I am such fumble fingers!!

    Your mantle looks lovely! Coming by way of MEt Monday

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  3. Beautiful Mantle! Good luck with the new one!

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  4. That's what you call making the best of it. I agree, it's too pretty to throw away.
    I have a large topiary outside my front door, and we got the form from Bombay before they went out of business. I think it had a lot to do with too high prices, however my form was from their scratch and dent section as well. We've had it for ages and still love it.

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  5. Such a wonderful outlook! Perfect for the upcoming new year (and I still think the bowl looks fabulous). BTW....I wanted to invite you to stop by my blog. We are having an "impossibility" challenge for 2012!

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  6. Wow, that sounded like a spectacular disaster! I'm glad no one was hurt! Your new mantel arrangement looks great -- streamlined for the new year.

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  7. oooh this is nice... and i am great lover of old books as well....they are just so charming and "loved" looking. thank you for sharing and mostly for placing my button in such a place of honor...I was so surprise to see it when I logged in....thank you for that. your newest follower,
    rae

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  8. It sad loosing something that we love. However, if we can fix it, then we go for it. If not, we go and move on and we might find better what we loose.

    Absolutely stunning vignettes.

    Happy TTT...
    /chie

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  9. Your mantel looks gorgeous! I'm so sorry about the falling objects! It seems I have broken more items this year than ever before! Your new photograph is stunning over your mantle! I appreciate your kindness in stopping by ma blog today! I wouldn't miss the cloche at all! I think we all agree- it's tall! Thanks for sharing your wonderful vignette!

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  10. Too bad about your lovely bowl. I often lean oils and prints all over the place, even the floor. The photo is beautiful and your new mantel vignette is pretty. Olive

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  11. How terrible! Just glad nothing fell on you or Larry! I think you will be able to cover the damage to your bowl, and who will know? I like the touches of red, but of course I love the fall colors best too.

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  12. Oh! How frustrating! I hate when I do stuff like that! :( But it does force change. Your changes are beautiful. I love that photo landscape.

    Glad I stopped by. You have a lovely blog and home.
    Have a great week!
    ~Liz

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  13. Visiting you for the first time today from Table Top Tuesday.
    What a shame that the painting fell and smashed your Waterford piece and the bowl beneath.
    I like your mantle redo very much and agree that the bowl still has charm, even in it's battered state!

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  14. Oh how sad. I love that you are using it anyway. Such a fabulous pieced. Don't you just hate it when something breaks. Thanks for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

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  15. I hate it when something I love gets broken. I've become the glue-it-back-together queen.
    I think it will look fine with ivy trailing over it. I like the little cinnabar colored jar and your books, too. Nice winter vignette.
    Hugs,
    Babs

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  16. Oh, I hate it when I break something - but I am always glad when it is me and not someone else - I am so much nicer to me!
    Lovely mantel!

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