The Fine Art of Living

Fine Art of Living

It's been a couple of months since my last post. So much has happened since. I finally moved into my new home by the river, a real work of art. A panoramic view of lush, green forests, beautiful sunrises, and flocks of wild birds swooping across the sky. I've never seen so many stars at night, or heard so many crickets. It's always breezy, which makes going for walks such a pleasure. The sea is less than five minutes drive away. Mmmm, talk about the fine art of living.

Mornings are lovely here. The air is cool and a heavy mist hangs over the forest and the fields. People walk their dogs as joggers greet the day. Lots of young families here; Edna Hibel would approve. The many open fields are popular with kite-flyers, footballers, cricket players and remote-controlled plane enthusiasts. Towards evening, mouth-watering smells waft from the barbecue pits while laughter erupts from the badminton court. I love gazing out the window. There is so much life around me! Isn't this what the fine art of living is really about - enjoying the simple pleasures in life?

We're still painting our new home. When it's ready, my Edna Hibel fine art works will be displayed on the walls. We've selected elegant, soft lighting to create a relaxed setting and to show our Hibel art off at their best. It's going to be gorgeous!

Oh yes, the Edna Hibel 2007 Christmas Collection features "Magnificat". The range includes a limited edition collectible porcelain plate, a Laurel, a giclee and a collectable art tile. Isn't this "Magnificat" collector plate eye-catching?

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel

Original Art, Giclees & Lithographs for the Festive Season

Original Art, Giclees & Lithographs

It's the start of the holiday season! Cherish Collectibles, home of fine art, collectibles and gifts by Edna Hibel is gearing up with lots more beautiful products. Watch out for gorgeous fine art pieces like original oil paintings, stone lithographs, giclees and rosewood keepsake boxes. I'll show a few here in the days to come. Look out for them!

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel

Artful Home Decor

Wall décor plays a big part in home décor. Homes without wall décor are like women without makeup – ordinary when they could be beautiful. Have you noticed how the loveliest homes are always decorated with wall art? Bare walls are dull, whereas great wall décor gives life and dimension to a home. Fine art paintings, for instance, can instantly transform the ambience of the interiors and enhance your home décor. Why settle for ‘nice’ when you can have warm and inviting, or even rich and stunning?

Experiment
Think of wall décor as playing with an empty canvas. Decorating should be fun, so don’t be afraid to experiment. There are many kinds of wall art, like paintings, multimedia art, giclees, lithographs on porcelain, framed art tiles and collectible plates .The advantage with such art works is that you can always move them around to suit your mood and other requirements. Much easier than changing wall colors or murals.

Budget for Wall Decor
If you want your home to look its best, set aside a budget for wall décor like wall art. Never fall for the temptation of getting a large, cheap poster or art print just for the sake of filling up empty wall space. Art reflects your taste, personality, character and status, so what you choose to display is important. Don’t shortchange yourself - always get something you enjoy and the best you can afford. With careful planning and budgeting, you can easily have home décor you can be proud of.

Choose Wall Décor Colors and Themes Carefully
Select wall art works which match your walls. If you like flexibility, paint your walls in neutral colors, like white or cream, for easy matching. Home décor should have a theme, and this applies to wall décor too. Keep this in mind when choosing wall art.

Display Wall Art Correctly
A good art piece deserves center stage. For best results, hang a large painting, giclee or other fine wall art work with its centre focus at eye level. For greater impact, leave at least one to two feet of clear wall space around it. Less is more, so avoid clutter. Hanging multiple pieces of wall art in a haphazard fashion is messy and awkward for viewing.

Enhance the Value of Your Home
Unique wall art pieces, such as genuine artist’s proofs of lithographs on porcelain plates, can be great conversation pieces, especially if they were created by an award-winning artist. Good art, unlike fads, will withstand the test of time and can even appreciate in value. It pays to be discerning with your wall décor. Beautiful home décor can actually help enhance the perceived value of a property.

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel

Lighting Your Art Collection

Fine Art Lighting

My father-in-law is back home from hospital. The whole family is relieved. He's weak and can only eat tiny amounts of food, but at least he's holding it down and not throwing it up. We were afraid we were going to lose him. My husband and I still haven't told the folks about our new home. We've decided to surprise them. We've been going about quietly planning the home decor, such as choosing suitable lighting. We're taking our time over this, as we want to show off our Edna Hibel fine art works and collectibles to their best advantage.

Nothing too flashy or harsh. The lighting will be soft and elegant and, of course, energy saving. It will enhance our fine art collection and not compete with it. We'll also take care to keep our lovely art collection away from windows and direct sunlight.. UV rays can damage artworks.

Collecting fine art and collectibles is a very satisfying hobby, but curating and showcasing your art collection can be even more enjoyable. It certainly enriches the quality of my life.

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel

Healing Art

Art of Healing

My father-in-law is still in hospital, recovering from colon cancer surgery. It's been a week since he was admitted. Fortunately, we managed to get a private single-bed room. When I first saw it, I was struck by how much care had gone into making the room look pleasant and comfortable. Not only was the color scheme pleasing to the eye, but soothing framed art on the walls helped made the environment more cheery and also homely. The total effect was calming and relaxing.

When I wandered around the public areas of the hospital, such as the corridors and the lobbies, I noticed that art was an integral part of the hospital's interior decoration. Framed art of comforting, positive scenes, mainly pastoral as well of smiling people, were scattered liberally on the walls.

It is good to know that some quarters of modern medicine recognise the healing power of art. Fine arts, including music and dance, speak to our souls. When selecting art for your home or office, be discerning. Avoid images which are disturbibg or negative. We get enough of that in real life. Always choose fine art works with positive messages which will inspire and lift your spirit.

Art is both therapeutic and healing. Use it wisely to enhance your home and other living spaces.

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel

Matters of the Art

My father-in-law had surgery for colon cancer today. Finding out that he had cancer came as a real shock to him. He had always assumed that he was healthy because he didn't eat much, pottered around the garden and occasionally played golf. He was supposed to have had a colon cancer check-up in January but he put it off for half a year. Maybe it was laziness, or maybe he was just afraid. Several relatives have had cancer, including me. When it's so close to home, sometimes you just don't want to know.

My grandmother died of cancer, and so did my half-brother. Two other brothers had cancer too, but they survived. It's my parents-in-law 50th wedding anniversary this year and I've been thinking about a suitable gift for them. They have a lot of tacky and tasteless things in their home, so naturally I'd like to give them some beautiful Edna Hibel fine art works and art collectibles. If I could. I'd even give them a nicer home. The sad thing is, my parents-in-law do own some lovely things, most of them gifts from friends and other people. But somehow they felt that these items were too nice to use and enjoy, so they've kept the good stuff packed away all these years while they made do with ordinary and cheap things. What a waste!

Life is so short, and you never know what will happen tomorrow. The Edna Hibel Mother's Day 2007 Collectible Plate which my husband and I gave to my mother-in-law is still packed away in its box. My parents-in-law could have enjoyed a lovelier home all these years if they didn't have such a spirit of lack and unworthiness. They have such low self-esteem. Now almost three-quarters of a century have passed for them. My husband and I will inherit their carefully-preserved precious possessions one day, beautiful items which they owned but never alowed themselves to enjoy. What a pity.

Are you denying yourself or your loved ones when you don't have to? Don't, for goodness sake! Use the fine bone china and crystal, wear your pearls and other precious jewelry, and lavish your home with beautiful things, like fine art and collectibles. Live every day splendidly and have no regrets! Live life to its fullest!

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel

Art To Beautify The Home

Art In Interior Decorating

I'm counting the days to when I get my new home by the river. I've already decided on the wall colors. They'll be rich and warm, to match my gorgeous Edna Hibel fine art works and art collectibles, such as the stunning Arte Ovales artist's proofs. I'm still looking for the perfect lamps and other lighting to complement my decor and show off my Hibel art collection. It's going to be beautiful.

I've been so excited I can hardly sleep ..... There's really no place like home. My first home was very spartan and simple. I always planned to do it up but I never got around to it. I never made use of art to dress it up. Have you noiced how much character and personality a home with art has? It just gives it a whole new dimension and makes it extra special.

Life is precious and every day is a gift from God. Even if you don't entertain very much you should create a wonderful home environment just for your own daily pleasure. Beautiful art doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Hibel's art pieces and collectibles, for instance, are very reasonably priced.

My new home will be decorated with lovely Edna Hibel fine art works and art collectibles. I can hardly wait to start having guests over!

Carol
Cherish Collectibles
Home of Fine Art, Collectibles & Gifts by Award-winning American artist Edna Hibel