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Saturday, February 25, 2012

When Books become Accents



I'm so ready for spring! Although it has been an unusually mild winter for us, I am longing for spring foliage and blooms and spending more time outdoors. All the wonderful spring posts around blogland are enticing me as well and spring fever is on:)


I like changing things around my house according to the season. I love using books as decor accents. The local library has a monthly book sale where you can buy books somewhere from 50 cents to a dollar. Vintage books make wonderful accent pieces or can be used as risers to create height in table top vignettes:





Supplies used for these decorative book covers:
Brown gift wrap paper from Dollar store
Round paper doilies
Variety of laces: I used white and ecru colored lace
Fabric scrap
Sea-themed stencil from Dollar store
 Craft paint and stencil brush
Decorative fish net from Michael's (optional)
Glue-gun
After covering the book with the brown craft paper, I attached the paper doily along the spine of the book and finished it off with some lace:




I like the effect created by the addition of the delicate lace:
   I found this cute little cherub at Big Lots:
     Doesn't he look adorable sitting atop the books?
I love cherubs in vignettes:
The gold accent of the decorative box is so beautifully highlighted:

Top-view:

Lace, flowers and the cherub bring spring fever to my family room console table:
These beach-themed fabric book covers bring a touch of summer to my living room:
After covering the books with fabric I stenciled these images on the cover:


Tied them up with twine:
A bundle of starfish:


Some sea-shells:

The starfish tea-light holder adds to the beach vignette:

I brought this lighthouse home from one of our beach vacations:

 I just love how it looks on top of the book bundle:
The silk orchid in the blue planter completes the vignette:
To add to the beach vignette I wrapped the book bundle with decorative fish net:


I have enjoyed making these decorative book covers and using them in these vignettes. Thanks for stopping by to take a peek. It is always a pleasure to read your sweet comments and I look forward to them. Have a wonderful weekend! Until next time ~

Linking to:
Link Party @ Fine Craft Guild
Rustic, Recycled and Chic Link up
~POPPY~


               
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Sunday, February 19, 2012

A Monument of Love

This past summer we visited the Thousand Islands region and took a boat ride to the world famous Boldt Castle. I thought I will share some pictures from our trip to this astonishingly beautiful castle:

Located on the romantic Heart Island along the northern border of New York State in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence river, this imposing structure stands as a testimony to eternal love:
The Boat Entry Arch. Reminds me of Roman architecture:
The castle was built at the turn of the century by multi-millionaire George C. Boldt for his wife, Louise (via)
George Boldt came to America at the age of thirteen from a German island in the Baltic Sea and worked as a kitchen helper in a hotel in New York City. His entrepreneurship skills made him extremely wealthy and a renowned celebrity: 
He planned on presenting the castle to his wife as a "Valentine's Day"gift.

 George Boldt invested over $2.5 million to build this beautiful castle comprising of eleven buildings and 120 rooms. The mansion was under construction when Louise Boldt unexpectedly died in January 1904. She never got to see this dream castle. Heart broken, George Boldt ordered that all work on the castle be stopped. He never returned to the island and the structure remained as a symbol of eternal love. 

The Castle and its surrounding structures were left to the mercy of nature until the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property in 1977 and decided to preserve it for the  future generations. 

The Grand Hallway and Staircase inside the Castle:





Boldt monogram on the tiled floor:


Sitting area near the Grand Hallway:




















Hall Table:


Love the beautiful stained glass ceiling dome and on the windows:

 The Morning Reception Room. Beautiful tall windows filtering in the sun:
  Gorgeous detail work of the ceiling leaves me awestruck:

  The Grand Ball Room:
 Beautiful detailing of the chairs:

I just loved this gorgeous mirror:

And the pretty Table:


 I loved all the mirrors in this mansion. Another gorgeous mirror in the upstairs hallway:

 The Dining Room:
 The chandelier above the dining table:

 The library:
George Boldt was the proprietor of The Waldorf-Astoria in
 New York City.Established at the end of the nineteenth century, it was largest hotel in the world, as well as the most advanced and prestigious one. George Boldt was known as the “the inventor of the modern hotel.”(via)

                 George Boldt's bedroom at Boldt Castle:


                           The fireplace in his bedroom:


His wife, Louise was his working partner and the two of them transformed the Waldorf-Astoria into a glamorous and luxurious structure that attracted the social elite. 

                    Lousie's bedroom at Boldt Castle:



The fireplace in her bedroom:

  
The Bathroom:


The daughter's bedroom in the castle:



The cozy window seat in the room:


Love the fireplace mantle in this room:


Boldt Castle has its own Yacht House:

Beautiful fountain in the castle ground:



Thanks for joining me for a tour of this romantic castle
 that remains as a symbol of eternal love and the 
splendor of a bygone era.

        And a note of thanks and gratitude to Kathy @ 
featuring my Wine vignette HERE and Winter Whites
And also to Terrie @ A Creative Princess for featuring my 
Winter Whites  

Thank-you ladies! My heartfelt thanks and gratitude to 
both of you. Do stop by if you get a chance and visit their delightful blogs filled with inspiring ideas and thoughts. 
  

Linking to these awesome parties:


July's Linky Party 7/1

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