Showing posts with label decor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decor. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Tuesday 4 - Art

Hi Friends and welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we are given 4 questions each week to ponder and answer.  It also gives you a chance to see how other Bloggers feel about things and an opportunity to make new friends.

This week we are talking about art.  

1. Are you artistic in any way and if so, how so? Knitting, crochet, drawing, painting, writing lovely word art, home décor, lovely meals?  There are many ways to be artistic.

I've never considered myself an artist as in painting or drawing.  I do however use my hands in other ways that I enjoy such as knitting, crocheting, sewing, a bit of home decor. Oh and don't let me forget photography. I also like to cook but only from time to time.  I took up many of these activities out of necessity or boredom rather than having a great affinity for them.

2. Does any art hang on your walls or grace your tables or shelves at home? How about your front door or windows. What about your yard?

I have a number of art works on my wall, some of which are unique: African women carrying baskets on their heads (done in cloth and framed), a detailed black and white print of a drawing of a Navajo couple in a wagon. It was done by an American artist who had lived amongst the Navajo peoples for many years.  I have another framed print of a North American Indian on horseback set in the old west days, a carved West Coast painting in wood (a gift) and a very special piece called "birch bark" biting done by a woman who is now passed.  Birch bark bitings usually depict insects or designs in nature and are made by folding the birch bark and biting into it until you have a design. This kind of work is extremely rare and I feel blessed to have such a piece.  I'm finding the natural light is already much reduced since the heat of the summer has ended and I've taken these photos very late at night so my apologies for the quality of them.  


African women with baskets

Birch bark biting with floral design

Print of a detailed pencil drawing



I also have a small, quilted star blanket that hangs on the wall behind my bed but I didn't make it (you can see a bit of it in the photo above).  I don't have any of the items I've made on display in my home as I usually give these away.  But I do use and make knitted dishcloths which are very useful.  I try to bring a little artistic bent to my patio garden but in 2023 I was not able to plant the garden. Perhaps I can do it in 2024.

3. Do you have a favorite artist or artists and do you have a favorite piece of art?

I have favourite artists who are well known and long gone such as Monet and Vincent Van Gogh.  I also like Gustav Klimpt for the use of gold leaf in some of his works (The Kiss,  Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer). I love the works of these famous artists and others but in my own home my favourite piece is the Birch Bark Biting I have.

Woman with a Parasol, Monet

The Kiss, Gustav Klimpt

Cafe Terrace at Night, Van Gogh

4.  Home décor can be art. When you  bought things for your home did you plan out the décor or did it all just fall together. Was there a theme?

I mostly just buy what I like but since I've never been heavily into decorating and didn't have the funds or time to spend on decor, I never really had a cohesive look.  Over the past 2 years or more I've been in a downsizing and decluttering mode and am using this time to figure out how to have a more cohesive decor look without spending a lot of money. What I've settled on is a boho look or a ethnic boho look so that I can use a lot of things I already have or have picked up on my travels to Kenya.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Tuesday 4 ~ Home Sweet Home


Home Sweet Home
 Welcome!  It's time again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Today we are talking about some things related to home?

1. What styles of décor do you like?  Mid Century?  Colonial?  Contemporary?

I like too many decor styles to have a favourite.  Having a beautiful home has never been that important to me though. It's more important I feel comfortable in my home. Since I used to travel a lot and I like handcrafted things from my travels or those I make, I prefer to decorate in an eclectic or bohemian style.

2.   What  makes your bedroom comfortable?

My bedroom is comfortable when I have cosy and warm or cool bedding depending on the season. I also like a variety of pillows because some days I need neck support while other days I need less support but I always need my head to be quite elevated.  I also need lots of room for putting water and others things I might need including the phone for the alarm.


3   What do you think makes a home comfortable and welcoming?

A home where people don't feel that they are going to get something 'dirty' because it is too white or too elegant. Other than family and a few friends, I don't invite that many people to my home.  Invariably they comment on how comfortable or peaceful my home is and that is the feeling I'm after.  Some people also like to investigate all the books on the bookshelves. Over time I've downscaled a lot of books but I still have more I'd like to give away in due course. 

4. Do you share your home with pets? Would you tell us about them please?

Long ago I had a beautiful while, long haired Turkish Angora. The cats I like tend to have long hair and require a lot of maintenance. These days I don't want to spend so much time brushing a cat or vacuuming after it but I do miss having one. From time to time, I think about getting another cat though it will likely be a medium haired cat. So far, the timing doesn't seem to work out to get a cat but I'm sure eventually I will have another fur companion.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Tuesday 4: Pondering Odds & Ends

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 kept up in her memory.
 
 
There are 4 questions to ponder and consider each week.  Here are this week's questions and my answers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Do you have a favorite gem stone? Why is it a favorite.
 
I have two favourite gemstones. My first love is the deep, blue sapphire. I have always liked jewel coloured stones and blue is my favourite among them.
 
 
In later years, I also developed a great fondness for turquoise stones set in silver because I love the Native American jewellery of the South West. This stone is not as readily available in Canada and it doesn't really suit my style of dressing so I admire it from far.
 
2. Do you know and  understand the doctrines of your religious faith?  If you are not religious, do you have a personal doctrine you believe and live?  
 

 
I grew up in the Pentecostal faith and am pretty well acquainted with the doctrines. Actually my childhood church identified as non-denominational but it belonged to the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.  The fundamental belief is that one must be saved to get to Heaven and that salvation is not through any good works but by belief in Jesus Christ, Son of God,  who died on the cross for the sins of mankind. Other things follow but this is the essential belief. As a side note, the things I experienced as a young Christian are seldom experienced in the church today; such as speaking in tongues and the interpretation immediately following, for the edification of the corporate church body. It can also be a bit tricky for me personally to distinguish between the different arms of Pentecostals because they do not all believe exactly the same things.  But I do believe they all have the same belief about salvation and Jesus' death and resurrection.
  
 
If this question is too personal, tell us about your pet or favorite pastime.
I'll use this as a bonus question. I don't have a  favourite pet. I like all kinds of animals including exotic ones. However I don't think people should have exotic animals as pets. For pets I love both dogs and cats. I grew up primarily with large dogs that acted not only as pets but also as guard dogs.  They were usually German Shepard dogs and they were always very playful with us and I loved them a lot.  We only had one dog at a time and it would have its own house to sleep in outside.  When we kids were not in school we spent a lot of time playing chase with the dog outside. I'm not able to own a dog in the city so I've grown to love cats which are often accepted, but not always,  in apartments and condos.  I've come to learn that cats are unique and special too and they have the added advantage of not needing to be taken for a walk.

My favourite cat breed is Turkish Angora

3. Do you have a favorite decor style... as in classical, traditional, modern, mid century, colonial, etc?  What do you like about it?
 
Tuscan Living Room

My favourite decor style is traditional English, French or Tuscan country. I like the rusticity and comfort as well as the colours.  Nothing is too precious and has a "lived in" look.  I'm not good at consistency in decorating.  My taste for furnishings and decor pieces is very eclectic and it can also be hard and expensive to find the item you want when you want.  It's easier to stick to a bohemian or ethnic/tribal style because I've collected a lot of pieces that fit this style and I'm comfortable with it.  The main idea I like in a home is comfort.  Two words people have used to describe my home when they visit are "comfort" and "peace". That makes me happy because it's what I aim for and my style is definitely  not fancy.

Elements and colour of bohemian tribal. I use more red/orange and less black.
 
 
4. Are  there any books or movies you want to see this summer?
 
I don't have any burning desire to read particular books or see particular movies. I have a long list of books I would like to read and I just pick one or two up at the library when I'm ready for a new one. As for movies, I've completely lost track of what movies are being released. The only big screen movie I've seen since the pandemic began is the 007 movie, "No Time to Die" with  Daniel Craig. It is his last James Bond movie and I'm in anticipation to see who will play the next 007. In case you haven't seen the movie yet and you love James Bond, I highly recommend this movie. You might be able to catch it on television or borrow the DVD from your local library.

 

Thank you for stopping by and spending some of your day with me. I appreciate it.

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