Shabby Chic-less

I guess I truly don't have what it takes to be "shabby-chic". I love the look of all white. I drool over those magazine spreads and web sites that are all neutral. Making up a room or a home in different shades of ecru and cream - ahh, so calm, so relaxing. I love it; but when I plan to do the all white thing, well... I'm not even trying for a whole room, just a piece of furniture; it never fails - I decide to add a "splash" of color! Next thing I know that splash takes over and it's bright red or neon green. I'm striving for that creamy confection; a cloud of colorless calm, but I keep gravitating to the whirling, swirling patchwork of color and chaos. I'm redoing an old chair of my grandmother's - I've painted it white and I was planning on recovering the cushions in white on white or a soft muted pink, but I found this fabulous multicolored, multi floral fabric. It's such a happy fabric! Another case in point; check out this cute white table - I decoupaged it with vacation postcards. There is no rest for the eye here, but there are happy vacation memories. So...maybe that's a good thing. I'm living with my souvenirs instead of putting them in a box or an album. I'm creating happy-chic! I'm surrounding myself in busy & colorful happiness!

A good friend of mine, MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson, is creating beautiful art from - for lack of a better word - garbage! She is making these fabulous collages from food packaging. Candy wrappers, fast food wrappers, cereal boxes and Chinese food packaging and more. She is layering tiny bits of colorful paper and foil to make interesting art with a message. Right now she is fascinated by the simplicity and obviousness of the instructions on the packaging. All her collages have a theme.

MaryAlice and I are both concentrating on finding useful ways to repurpose "trash". She is going the collage route and I'm going the utilitarian route. But both routes are very satisfying and, of course, fun!