Seeing Flowers

One day, whilst out and about in a book shop.......

He (a 'flora-phile') said, whilst poring over a most beautiful photography book on all things flowers, "isn't this a gorgeous coffee table book; wouldn't it look great on our coffee table?" (he did, he really, really did).

She (a totally obsessed eccentric) said "It is, isn't it; but just imagine how beautiful this book (times five), page by page, would look as a feature wall, in our boudoir???

So who do you think triumphed........he.......or she??

You are all a wee bit clever; of course she was the victor!!

It's not the first time I have totally destroyed a book, page by page......a sacred published document which should ever remain in it's binding.......and paste it to a wall. I love my bright and happy botanical hallway so much I thought I  might commit the iniquitous deed of ripping out carefully tearing out each page once again, but this time for my boudoir.

I have been searching for what seems forever, vintage wallpaper or perhaps a lovely chinoiserie wall paper for a feature wall, but could never find what I wanted for a reasonable price. When eventually I did find a lovely one, alas it would have cost me the proverbial arm and leg. Besides, when thinking about the colour schemes, I really didn't want to limit myself to one or two colour palettes. I wanted the full colour spectrum to be dancing on my wall, so I could change quilts for my bed at my whim. So.....happening upon this beautiful book written by Teri Dunn Chace and exquisitely photographed by Robert Llewellyn is a gift from Heaven. =)

For two weeks I was up the ladder adhhering page by page, the most beautiful flower photographs to my 11' high wall.....in total 204 pages. It was a snail-like process as the back of each page had to be covered with Mod Podge and then carefully pasted to a pre-pasted wall, ever so carefully smoothing out each crinkle, ensuring there were no air bubbles. It truly was the most laborious process. Upon completion of the entire wall, I then gave it three coats of Mod Podge.

I now have the bearing of Quasimodo, hunched over, unable to straighten, feeling pain in places I have never really been aware of before!!

BUT......I am delighted, absolutely ecstatic with the results. I LOVE the new feature wall, as does I might add, my husband. A wall that will bloom forevermore with pretty flower after pretty flower.

Just in case you are in need of a little more hydrangea love and didn't get enough last week!!

Oh......did I tell you......the Dahlias are doing their thing this year and beautifully so.....even better than last year, if that is at all possible. They can't let the Hydrangeas have all the limelight, they have to try to upstage the Hydrangeas and be the centre of attention. Just between you and me though, I don't think there is any plant, en masse, that can overshadow the Hydrangeas, but hey that's just me. =)

One of the things I wanted to achieve these Summer holidays was to create a feature wall and tart up our boudoir. Actually it eventuated into a complete makeover! The carpet has been ripped up and sent to carpet hell, damned forevermore, the floor has been given many coats of white paint and the walls painted a crisp white. Now to make some pretty curtains from lovely, embroidered linens and to finish my scrappy fabric/embroidered linen quilt.

I am so happy the boudoir is well on it's way to becoming a most beautiful place to rest and refresh a troubled or tired mind. It is a place to escape to, pull up a quilt or two and get lost in a good book for an hour or so, or even enjoy a nanny nap (not that I am a nanny.....pity). For now this hunchback gal, who really should know better than traipse up and down ladders for days on end, is intending to relax a little and enjoy a little quilting; who knows, perhaps this week all the quilting will be finished. 

Mmm......perhaps the dazzling Dahlias have a point...........

I, like Quasimodo in that tale of long ago, rather feel like swinging from bell to bell, ringing those tintinnabula in unison, joyously celebrating my beautiful flower wall......I'm off to find me a cathedral. =)

Until the next time...