My daily moments of Zen I share ...

My days are hectic, fast paced hours spent engaging in follies and my insistent muse driven ambition, which seems more destiny than chosen by me. I guess everything has a purpose and a reason. Just as the evening turns into inky moody blues and brilliant stars appear to enhance my dreams, my days quickly turn into months recording my daily existence through my writing and photography.

I have received numerous personal emails asking "are you giving up blogging?" Well - the answer is no, but time has slipped away while finishing up my 4th fairy tale book. All my books I have staged, photographed and poetically wrote with help from my assistant Simon >^..^< Meanwhile enjoying my life and capturing moments in time to post daily on Instagram. I share personal observations in my posts, favorite quotes, fairy tale scenes, lots of photos in our row home and on Fridays wine shares, noir and color shots and everything in between. Instagram has become my journal. So for those who have missed me in Blog land trust me I haven't fallen down the Rabbit hole - nor traveled far... just click on my IG link and share in my life... But for now I will hit the mute button and share some IG photos you may of missed. Posting daytime or nighttime as I find a quiet moment to share of myself and talent. 

xx,

Vera

click to view me on instagram

Shares from my heart

Lately I have been posting daily on Instagram. I share stories, photos of our home, scenes from my French fairy tale's, amongst other things. On Monday I started working on my 4th children's book while I've been fighting the flu, which is now in week 2. I also often share thoughts of the day and on Fridays I post a wine share. Friday's wine share I enjoy because after I photograph my wine, I write randomly from my heart as I drink the glass of wine in the photo. The wine choice is planned but my written share is not. Sometimes I am surprised how much I share personally on Instagram, but I have discovered I truly enjoy it. I will always blog, which I am in my 4th year blogging, but today I thought if you were not already familiar with Instagram I would try to entice you to depart Blog Land and visit. Below are some recent photos and some recent shares, hopefully it will give you a flavor of my shares. This photo was taken in our upstairs sitting room.

When we removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room the quest for our homes documented legacy convinced me to leave the exposed just be. A salvaged architectural piece of a column was added for embellishment. It's how we dwell in our old Philadelphia home.

Happy Saturday wishes to you from Philadelphia. We are experiencing our first major snowstorm this winter. Thankfully we are fully stocked with essentials, refrigerator is packed and my plans are for spending time in the kitchen cooking. I will enjoy the beauty of the falling snow in the warmth of our home. In case you are wondering why 2 stainless steel clocks, well one is Philly time the other Paris. Enjoy your weekend wherever you are.

This is the first architectural piece I introduced in our Philadelphia home, a building Lion Gargoyle, purchased inspired by an unforgettable storm. Back in the early 80's I wound up in the hospital. Lying in bed watching a storm form, across the street was an abandoned building in need of much renewal, requiring a complete renovation. But it had the most glorious Lion Gargoyles lining the buildings roof line. I was on a floor high enough to look directly into the top floor where homeless sought shelter and teenagers partied in. No electricity, except what was seen by constant thunder and lightning clashes lighting the interior of the building. My imagination ran wild, it was a scary storm, lying in bed conquering up stories to fill the long hours of the night. To this day I have never experienced a storm so severe and to this day I can visualize those magnificent Building Lions flashing with each lightning bolt offering protection, guarding. Now decades later once again a fully restored magnificent building. Coming home from my hospital stay I asked John to stop at an architectural salvage vintage and antiques building, he did, this was purchased and came home. This is just one home story and how we dwell. 

Tea time in our kitchen with my French Fairy tale twins.

Just snapped this moments ago... confession, lately I have been spending much time in our Paris French bed from Anthropologie under fluffy layers of linen bedding from Moo purchased through Etsy. Day 6 Flu - weak, with a promise of improvement - YAY.

When our diy Philadelphia Bedroom update was planned I knew I would purchase a replacement for the floor lamp next to the egg chair. Well over a year ago I fell in love with the artistic design of the Dino floor lamp with curved antiqued brass post with an adjustable black enamel shade with golden interior. Dealing with this flu and knowing full well my heart was committed to Dino I embraced my artist desires and purchased it from Flair New York. I am still sick but happy. 

Keeping a watchful eye for delivery trucks today. 3 scheduled through 3 different carriers! In our eclectic textural Philadelphia living room ... keeping it quiet to hear the door bell. Day 7 of Mr. Monster Flu and I am happy to report today is a better day than yesterday.

Lighting has always been a weakness for me and is my favorite accessory. It became the last piece of our romantic dreamy Parisian bedroom update. I wanted a statement piece, a handcrafted sculptural artisan design inspired by 50's vintage. Meet Dino our new floor lamp for our bedroom delivered yesterday. Purchased from Flair New York. In a word we are thrilled.

The Dino floor lamp is entirely handcrafted in satin antiqued brass and metal with a warm golden interior by Gong in the UK. Designed by Guillaume Evrard. I love that the golden hue of the shades interior gives a warm soft light. 

Our plans this weekend are to move the Zebra Rug (cowhide) away from the wall and a bit under the bed on a diagonal for design interest and also allow the legs of the Dino to show.

Just a snap in our laundry room on a rainy day waiting for the washer to stop I staged this mouse photo for my days photo share.

Today I learned lessons in relaxation from Simon ... Icelandic lamb throw ✔️ comfy chair ✔️ time for a cat nap ✔️ like Simon says eat, play, sleep and repeat. Maybe I will get it right soon, seems he has life all figured out.

Many people are following me on Instagram and I appreciate it but if you haven't check out my gallery wall click here and meet me there. 

xx,

Vera

Christmas under the Stars

Meet Altair and Stella, a Parisian star gazing couple, deeply in love...

Who believe their marriage is graced by the stars in the heavens above.

When the sky forms a canopy of twinkling glitter at night...

And the stars in their luminescence are an absolute delight,

Stella and Altair feel energized and protected in the stars purity of light.

It is just days before Christmas and Paris has been blanketed by many inches of freshly fallen snow.

While out choosing their tree on a bright star filled night the white ground cast a magical reflective glow...

Exhausted but excited from their tree adventure, our couple jumped into bed cuddling and sharing stories before prayers about their day.

Stella believed a day was not over until moments of importance became shared memories attached to the heart and what each night she would say.

Stella woke from a long Winters night dream announcing their tree would be decorated with bright stars and Altair asked why...

Stella said she had dreamed about Heaven where Christmas trees are decorated with only stars plucked right out of the sky.

Now without doubt Altair believes Stella's ideas can often be lofty, but she is the dreamer and romantic in their marriage.

With their huge picture window, nightly viewing stars through a telescope, Altair knew this year's tree would be forever cherished.

Just a little more tweaking by Altair and finally their tree was complete, trimmed with twinkling silver stars shining so bright - 

Stella mirthful for envisioning what turned out dreamy and heavenly with all it's beautiful celestial glittery light.

So wherever you dwell on our planet Earth and no matter how humble or grand your holiday celebration may be ... My sincerest wish for you is when your heart finds Christmas and it will, it's magic lingers and graces you throughout the New Year. 

© Vera

My presentation is dedicated to Chris, forever you will shine radiantly bright in your heavenly flight.

I wish everyone a Joyeux Noël, thank you for all your encouragement and friendship throughout this year and may your holiday celebrations sparkle and shine and be blessed from above.

xx,

Vera

Click here to view Dore's from Burlap Luxe holiday presentation

Click here to view Lin's from a Tiny Cottage in the Woods who is posting hers on IG.

Dreaming in Paris

Once upon a time day dreams of writing children's fairytale books about mice living in Paris France entertained my aspirations. Now it fills my days, writing poetic storylines, staging and photographing ën noir mice adventures told through a series of 5 books. Inspired I recently embarked on a update to our bedroom to blur the distance from Philadelphia to Paris in our nightly dreams. I described my design concept to my husband John as "Dreamy, Romantic, Parisian". A new bed purchased from Antropologie in light French grey was the start. Because after all ..... "Paris is always a good idea."~Audrey Hepburn~

My vintage large side table I use for my nightstand needed a dreamy transformation. I painted 3 coats of charcoal grey acrylic paint and then applied a faux finish of creams to appear illusory, faded and dreamlike.

During a photo shoot ën noir I did in late Spring in our local park of our 1972 Citroën DS21, this photo became my favorite capture of the day. The first owner of our Citroën (we are the third) was an American CIA operative that lived with our car Jean Claude on a secret mission for 18 months in Paris France. Since John is in digital media I asked him to print this image directly onto canvas. It is very large, 40x50, framed in a pewter color metal frame. New bedding, a white French linen duvet set with pillow shams delivery just arrived and is not shown in these photos, along with a few new accessories and our update is complete.

Since it is the holiday's I have been slowly decking our home with Christmas décor in a Nordic/French winter time theme.

Snow glittered and white painted 4 foot tall Birch Branches in a French flower bucket will be enjoyed throughout Winter. 

Our upstairs sitting room mantel was handmade and gifted one Christmases past by our son. Created from assembled antique and vintage architectural salvaged pieces it is now decorated in our white and cream Winter creative expression to enjoy all of December and January.

I will once again join Doré from Burlap Luxe and Lin from A tiny cottage in the woods to present our Holiday theatre productions. Look for mine on my blog in a couple weeks. You can find me nearly daily on Instagram, where I post in both noir and color. I share scenes from my fairytales and photos of our home and adventures and always write sentiments from my heart. Until then may the magic of Christmas time bless you in kindness and grace each passing day.

xx,

Vera