Friday, February 04, 2011

ageless charm

Meet Tante Babs, she is my husbands Aunt and lives in Provence, le Collet Bas. She has an ageless charm and so much energy. Here she is standing in her bedroom, she found this paper which she ordered from Sweden and papered her bedroom. She wanted something fresh as she lost her husband last year and wanted to give her room a fresh vibe.

She found this print in a magazine. The paper came in the form of a poster making it easy for her to hang. She hung 70 of the posters. At 85, I think she is marvelous and has such an ageless charm that I admire. ( The artwork hung is an image of her sister Clementine. )

Have a wonderful weekend full of life and ageless charm. Love to hear about someone in your life who radiates an ageless charm.

38 comments:

quintessence said...

I remember your mentioned her when I did my Provence piece. I love her already!! Don't you just adore vibrant, spry older women still filled with a lust for life? I know I do - and I suspect you do as well. Love her cheerful room!

the gardener's cottage said...

hi patricia,

i LOVE this. i find so much inspiration from stylish, charming, ageless women. they offer so much in the way to truly live. i love that she papered the bedroom by herself and although she just lost her husband she is still full of vitality. many women like her inspire me.

xo
janet

Divine Theatre said...

I am so sorry about the loss of her husband. Hug her for me, will you?
I hope the new wallpaper lightens her spirit!

Chedva @Rooms and Words said...

"Charming" is right on. My late grandmother used to have a high-gloss peach kitchen, dining room full of chinoiserie and a staircase clad in leopard carpet- all of which were considered highly tacky in my family, but to me showed her amazing taste and being a woman of her own opinions.
Thanks for sharing!
-Chedva

Party Resources said...

How hip and fab! May we all age so well...

The Buzz Blog said...

Simply fabulous - and to think I gave up on one roll of wallpaper! Happy weekend, Patricia!

Purple Flowers said...

I love older women who have embraced the age of time. Love that wallpaper too: so refreshing!
Good for her that she continues to carry herself with grace and creativity.

My Mother radiates an ageless charm. Always with her pearl earrings and a smile. She will be 90 next Thursday. I just love her!

Wishing you a warm weekend.

Living Life in the Lowcountry said...

I hope I am like her at that age! She sounds absolutely wonderful!

Aspiring Kennedy said...

oh wow. what a woman. i would have invited her to lunch yesterday when i was in aix-en-provence. :) i could have used a lunch date!

ArchitectDesign™ said...

OMG -how fabulous is that? She looks like she'd be a fun dinner guest for sure!

I Dream Of said...

Charming indeed! Thanks you for introducing us to Tante Babs...wonderful to see someone who knows how to live and to carry on and bring beauty and brightness into her world, even in a difficult time. Love it, and I love that wallpaper. She looks so much like my grandmother, Rose, who was a little spitfire (all of 5 feet)and lived into her 90s... What a terrific example of how to live a charming life.
Have a lovely weekend.
xo
Jeanne

Unknown said...

She is amazing! I love that vibe! So energetic and fun!
And the artwork of her sister fits right in...
Something to aspire to!
I like how Quintessence put it: Lust for Life!
Hope your weekend is fun filled!

annechovie said...

Tante Babs has got it! Gotta love her style and spunk. Have a wonderful weekend, dear friend! xo

bluehydrangea said...

Go Tante Babs!! You rock! I want to be like her when I grow up!

Kwana said...

Wow! I'm in love with her! What style.

Moments and Impressions said...

what a lady - and what style. Decorating with what you love and what makes you smile - great lesson.

Unknown said...

What a great post - It just made my day! Bless her heart to hang 70 sheets of paper HERSELF!! She sounds exactly like my mother who at 81 (next week) runs circles around me. She will run up to Target, buy a cabinet, take each piece out one by one (too heavy to carry the whole box in) put it together herself and spend the day reorganizing or redecorating. Finally this year we have convinced her to stay off of ladders - she was up on her roof not too long ago - goodness! What a wonderful inspiration these ladies are!

Janet said...

What a brilliant idea. I love it! Creative and resourceful.

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

I am completely impressed. I am sure she is a delightful woman. Would love to meet her.

Danielle Sigwalt Interiors said...

What incredible style...I am so impressed and hope that I can be as energetic and current in my old age! If I start to wear full leopard jumpsuits like my grandmother, then please somebody stop me and show me this post again! Your blog is so charming!

A Perfect Gray said...

patricia, what an inspiring gal she is! thanks for that great glimpse of a stylish lady...

Southern Lady said...

She is radiant! Carla

julielorusso@gmail.com said...

Wow, I'm very inspired and impressed. As I sit here with my aching back from my first attempt at hanging wallpaper--and I only did half of our powder room before running out of paper.

Good for her!!

Have a great weekend!
Julie

Joyce said...

Sorry to hear about her husband. Tante Babs is beautiful! I hope to hold onto my energy at that age. The wallpaper is perfect for a charming woman. Have a golden weekend! xo

Claudia Lane said...

This is a great post. Tante Babs is so charming and beautiful. I too am often inspired by older women, especially when they're confident and fabulous like her :))

Sandra said...

It is energizing to read this post!! I redecorated my bedroom after my husband passed away. I made it bright, cheery, colorful, but still peaceful. I know exactly how she feels. Thanks for sharing. xoxo

red ticking said...

my grams... she was the best woman i will ever know...
she died at 94 and 1 day before she passed, we were at one of classic picnics 15 of us... a very long table loaded with food... and darling grams asked "didn't anyone think to bring a jar of pickles?" we still chuckle about it today... she never complained... so this was really something to hear coming from her...

her aunt bowled till the age of 95. she was a twin.. daisy and maisy...

wonder what i will be doing at that age???

lovely post... i am sure she is darling... and so sad to lose the love of your life.... xoxo

CREED said...

This is a woman with style!!! I so admire how she's embracing things that are fresh and new rather than clinging to the past. Love the paper, what she's wearing, her pose, and the way she's beautifully styled the shelves. What an inspiration!

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

I am in love with Tante Babs.

Unknown said...

Hello,
Tante Babs looks pretty in pink and did a great job decorating. So congratulations and best wishes.
My mother is my inspiration with a great spirit.
BarbaraG

Tonia Lee Smith said...

I love that wallpaper! I'm sure that it's keeps her sprirts lifted is why she picked such a lively pattern.

Unknown said...

She looks just wonderful and I admire her energy! Ageless charm? That would have to be you of course! You're always stylish and chic in all that you say and do :)

xo Mary Jo

Carrie Waller Watercolors said...

That's terrific! Her room certainly is bright and cheery:) I admire these ladies that are still full of energy well into their twilight years. My Grandmother is the same way, still out mowing her yard and we've even found her on under her car working on it and she's in her 80's. I can only hope to be doing the same at that age:)

barsha said...

I admire her strenght and the will she has at this age.....My mom is the same..if there is something that she luvs,she can go on without taking a rest. I do not know where do these women get all the strenght and can tirelessly work on without taking a break.It is absolutley amazing and inspiring.and it is wonderful of you to put this up on ur blog so that we can all share our feelings and take inspiration

Carole said...

Brava to her for maintaining here joie de vivre.

Marie Söderberg said...

this is so fun,,I just found your site..and found this post and reading wallpaper from sweden..Im from sweden:)..I live in Stockholm..well, she seem so be a charming woman, with the spirit of life inside..have a love day and hug her from me :)) have a lovely day

Summer is a Verb said...

I can only hope to one day have style jump off the page the way hers does...XXOO

Millie said...

La Grande Dame! I know 30 Somethings with far less joy de vivre & energy. Bravo Tante Babs.
Millie x