WHERE TO FOCUS

I am so grateful to this wonderful world of blogging and the gift of the Internet that contains both the power to unite humanity and the power to fraction and isolate us.

Every morning I am greeted by many of my blogging friends. My first go-to blog is Seth Godin. Today's post (as so many others over the years) related to personal choice. Seth suggested making TWO LISTS. One where we document and detail all of the wonderful, serendipitous experiences, decisions, journeys and relationships of our life. The other, where we document all of our negative experiences and interactions. Seth's point being that at every point or even moment of our lives we make the choice of pulling out one of these virtual lists. It is our choice whether we act and make decisions based on all of the good in our lives, or, conversely, choose to come from a negative, rejected, hurting place. Yes, it our choice whether to walk in the light and power of the actual present or to be stuck walking without the blessings of life. 

It is also our choice whether to stay enmeshed in the past or to grow and overcome in order to walk in the light of the moment.....it's not an easy path, but it is do-able.

NOW....to get off my soap box and on to the more important issues of the day.............

...................MY CHAIR ADDICTION.....................

I think I've mentioned my "problem" relative to acquiring chairs many, many times.......well, I've fallen off the wagon (again).

A few weeks ago I bought these chairs

  

Then I bought these chairs

  

Next, I bought these stools/benches (still qualify as chairs)

  

Last week (Oh! S____!!!) I bought a pair of these (Isn't Jones handsome?)

  

Of course, I couldn't end the binge with those guys ........

This (potentially) amazing French Regence-style Fauteuil came next... (but just look at the carving?!)

  

But, in order to buy the Regence Fauteuil, I also had to bid on this early 20th c. Gainsborough-style solid mahogany chair.........

  

I'm in deep doo-doo now.

But it could be worse. Just this week I had tons of confirmation from different sources that (maybe) I was going to be OK.

Heather (Habitually Chic) posted a few photos of Hamish Bowles apartment

See those Regency Klismos side chairs? Not that different from mine (mine may be a bit more finely detailed with the brass rosettes and shaped crest rail--and of course, mine are rosewood and The Hamish chairs are lowly mahogany).

  

My Gainsborough Chair

Then...1stdibs posted 3 (not 1 or 2, but THREE) Gainsborough Chairs on the FRIST PAGE. Of course, my chair is early 20th c. and not drop dead to-die-for like the 1stdibs chairs--nevertheless.

1stdibs Gainsborough Chairs

  

Loi (Tone On Tone Antiques), who carries the most glorious Swedish and French painted furniture in his shop in Washington D.C., featured this chair in a post of early this week

Of course, this chair is perfection! My chair is his little brother--not bad, but it doesn't have the old scraped painted surface or the simplicity of carving of this one.  But it will work.  I'll upholster these guys in a natural silvery linen by Suzanne Kasler.

I love Art Deco furniture--and my little boudoir bergeres fall into that category. To bring out their Deco lines I have painted them black (I use metal paint to paint furniture--it goes on very smoothly with a couple of thin coats)

  

George--my mounted deer (who looks a bit like Jones) is supervising my work and Maddy refuses to eat anywhere else; so she gets to smell the paint. This pair of Deco Boudoir chairs will be upholstered in a gray silk blend velvet. I know that they are not California style and will probably go back East.

As for the stools......well. The round ottoman is a discontinued MacKenzie Childs piece, love those solid brass bun feet. The little guy I made up for OKL, not quite me. We'll see if it sells.

Because of the Financial Crisis and resultant changes to the decorative arts field I have had to change my business model. I can no longer afford to be a perfectionist--perfection isn't selling that well. I've had to adjust to the benefits of internet sales. I've had to acknowledge that there are so many different tastes that I can offer. Naturally, this involves all different kinds of buying......

After I finished painting the 1st chair black, I read the instructions on the paint can: light coats and DO NOT OVER-BRUSH!  That really got me to delving into myself. How much of life have I been over-brushing in my quest to bring perfection to life (mind you, it's my limited ideal of perfection). So today forward my motto is I DO NOT OVER=BRUSH.

Have a wonderful fall week-end. Please pray for rain for California.

Be well.

Mary & Jones & Cole

  PS  I just studied the Gainsborough chair......looks like the back legs are missing their scroll feet....ooops. This guy will go back to auction, but I'm keeping "Frenchie".

xo Mary