Archive for the ‘Decorative Treasures’ Category

I have a collection of vintage style clocks – that is,  reproductions of vintge styles. This is a great way of having vintage style clocks without the ‘vintage’ price tag. If you are a clock collector then is is not for you but if you like the style or want to add these to your decor mix then reproductions are the way to go.

Some of these designs are small & gorgeous but all of them have an elegant vintage charm. These are just some of the reproductions I’ve come across – I’ll show you more in the posts to come.

Ciao fo now, Elena

~ 

Recreated, decorative and useful!

I’ve found heaps of coasters in my opp shop travels. I love working on these little items. Although a fiddly process the final result is stunning.  I could never really price them according to the hours spent painting them but I still can’t stop myself from doing more.

These of course have decopuaged roses but my next batch of coasters will have my own painted roses. I can’t wait to get stuck into some new painting. It has been a long while since my last session of painting and I’m missing it.

My aim further on this year will be to show you some of my work as it progresses through each stage. It will be a long process because I work on pieces in batches rather than singularly, but I hope to show you how much is involved in recreating decorative homewares.

Ciao for now,

Elena

~ 

When I find an item that can’t be reused for it’s original intention, I’ll find a new use for it. I’ve probably mentioned this in another post but I often come across items that I find appealing & inspiring. It may be the shape, size or look of the thing that draws my attention, but whatever, I know when I see it if I must have it or not. Here is one such item of which I ended up with several. So from gravy boat in all it’s past ‘stainless steel glory’, they were transformed into candleholders.

All were given the ‘decoupage roses’ treatment with a shabby vintage finish & gold highlights. This particular one had candle wax poured into it while others were sold with wax beads in various colours & scents.

A quaint little recreation to lighten up a cosy corner or quiet nook.

Ciao for now,

Elena

~

I find Recreating items for an entirely different use very rewarding. Not only am I recycling but also creating a new decorative showpiece, and one that is useful too. I have bought an assortement of drinkware over the years, most of which were once shiny silver pieces. Recreating these into pin & brooch cushions was one popular idea I worked with, and creating pairs of candleholders was another.

These small drink goblets were finished in a motley mix of soft colour and highlighted with pale gold detail. The candle in each holder is held firmly in place by filling the goblet with rice. Each pair recreated was a one-of-a-kind design.

Ciao for now,

Elena

~ 

I had quite a collection of silver drinkware (& still do). Some of them were given a painted finish & others retained their original look if the silver was good polished up. Here is another of the silver pin cushion designs in my past work.

This little liquer goblet was a plain desgin without any decorative features so the embellishments made up for it; and put together with remnant pieces. Gorgeous tassel fringing, a rossette, and a tiny swathe of beads lend this item an elegant touch.

Like the previous pin/brooch cushion cup, this one also reminds me of 1920′s stylish elegance.

~ 

Brooch and pin cushions were a popular little item at my past EP Designs Exhibition & Sales. This little ornate silver casing would have had a glass insert as part of its original design & use. When I found a couple of them at an opp shop the glass insert was missing but I already knew what I would do with them once I got them home. I kept them silver (so painted finish was not required), & polished the casing as best I could.

Then all that was needed for this item was the embellishing - Beads, a mini rosette, colour & a petite feather to decorate the cushion and cup.

A Recreated Treasure – A rather elegant piece – it reminds me of the 1920′s era.

Not many of these were photogrphed but another stylish pin & brooch cushion can be viewed at my EP’s Treasures blog.

~ 

Another roses tray to add to the collection of recreated treasures - A solid, useful item and a delightful decorative piece. Possibly the last of my range of decoupaged roses to be displayed, but not the last of my creative work.

Warm sunny days are disappearing making way for the usual cold Melbourne weather. Well, anything below 20 degrees celsius for me is cold. I’ve made sure the studio is ready to handle the frosty temperatures and equipment is poised, waiting for action. It’s ready for a new season of painting and recreating – all it needs now is the artist to brave the first session and arrive full of inspiration and creativity. It’a not my favourite time of the year so it takes some time for me to get moving but I do enjoy the cosy feeling inside my studio - even though it’s not the tidiest of places, it is comfortable and it’s my little world away from the rest of the world.

Painting these old treasures is a long process but I will keep you in touch with my progress.

Ciao for now, Elena

I started thinking about my keepsake boxes after writing my previous post on keepsakes. We all tend to collect little keepsakes along the way in life. Sometimes we don’t keep them but sometimes there are special things we just can’t throw away. I believe that little keepsakes are lovely ‘memoir’ tokens which are a gorgeous hand-me-down gift to a loved one. There are the usual keepsakes for baby, Christenings, weddings etc, but it’s the non-occasion ones that can also be extra special. At the moment I’m thinking of hand made items…. and usually when I think of ‘hand made’ I think of something that grandmother made, an aunt, great aunt or special ‘someone’.

A while back I created some keepsake boxes to sell during my Christmas Exhibition & Sales. These decorative little boxes were purely decorative, and for storing little keepsakes…. possibly small, delicate or precious things.

These type of boxes are not difficult to make. Any crafty person could easily get together their materials and be creaive with it. These boxes could also become a keepsake themselves – a special keepsake secretly storing lots of treasures.

The boxes seen here are simply paper mache boxes (fairly sturdy ones); each given a painted finish & sealed; lined inside on the base with felt; with a lid decorated using padding, crushed panne material, braid or tassel fringing, feathers and fabric glitter paint. most of these materials used were found in remnant bins at various fabric stores or during stock take sales or from opp shops.

 An easy weekend project – you could also have more than one on the go. They’re a fabulous gift idea and a gorgeous keepsake in themselves.

Another of my earlier works. A discarded silver tray which I found in a recycling yard. I’m amazed at times at what can be found at these places. I love fossiking through these recycling yards, opp shops,  second hand dealers and antiques stores. But for the more unusual finds I prefer the recyling yards. These days some of these finds do not find their way to the painting table but are kept aside for restoration some day.

This tray in it’s original state was plain and in need of extra preparation work before I could begin the creative process. Roses have been decoupaged onto a motley of colours background and sealed with a satin varnish. The final result was a shabby vintage feel to the whole piece.

It’s easily displayed on a stand and would team up beautifully with an exotic beaded candelabra & velvet table topper. And of course, it’s always ready to use as a serving tray.

Another piece, recreated, finds a new home as a wedding anniversary gift.

Ciao, Elena

. 

Decorative Teapots add a touch of Elegance to your Decor.

There are more uses for a teapot, in my book, than just as a teapot. My favourite would have to be as a vase. A decorative teapot filled with beautiful blooms or shabby roses has a gorgeous country feel to it. Group them together on a lovely recreated tray for a chic display, on your dresser, sideboard or occasional furniture….. and in any room. Don’t limit their location to kitchen or dining rooms. A display of this kind is sure to bring a smile or two in your bedroom, study, office, hallway or porch.

These little recreated treasures would brighten up any corner of your home.

Ciao, Elena Perrotta

. 

Roses would have to be the most painted flower in the art world.

This piece is among my earlier works before I began painting my own roses.  I bought this craftwood panel in an opp shop and it was looking brand new when I found it. I have always enjoyed seeing what I can come up with in special effects with painted finishes, so here was another opportunity to experiment some more – this time with added roses, decoupaged over the decorative background. This was not the traditional decoupage method which requires numerous coats of varnish resulting in a highly polished/gloss lacquered finish.

My decorative works are sealed with 3-6 coats of varnish, depending on what the item is and how it is likely to be used. Art works intended for hanging on a wall or displaying on a stand only require 2-3 coats ….. but there are always the exceptions to the rule – I don’t stop until I’m satisfied that the work is adequately sealed & protected or has the final look I’m happy with.

A great deal of thought, preparation & creative time goes onto each work that for the artist it becomes a pricless piece, especially when they are one-of-a-kind artworks.

This time the piece is not what I class as a recreated treasure but a new treasure – hence the tage line on my web site EP DESIGNS – A World of New & Recreated Treasures
Ciao for now, Elena