I have a confession to make. I fell in love with this painting about a year ago. It hung near the front counter in Vignettes. I saw it last summer when I was here coaching ~ if you remember I was here for one two-week stretch and then, a month later, another 10 day stretch. This is how it looked in the store. I came back this year and it was still there. It was rather expensive. I talked myself out of it. On my third or fourth visit to Vignettes, I took a picture of it, thinking I would upload it to my laptop and ponder. Fast forward a couple of months. Every time I went into the store, which was usually once a week, I talked to Lori about it. I went home to New York for a visit. I returned and when I finally hit Vignettes again, Lori told me that I had just missed their sidewalk sale and that a customer had decided to buy the painting, had it all wrapped up ready to go and then changed her mind. She said that while wrapping it up, my face flashed through her mind and she thought how sad I would be when I trotted back into the store and found it gone.

So I went back to the apartment and emailed my photo of the painting to my husband. Frankly, I didn’t think he’d go for the whole cherub thing. I usually don’t go for it, but this is an antique, one-of-a-kind beauty from France and there is just something about the faded beauty, the colors…everything. Husband, being the wonderful man that he is, surprised me and said if I loved it, then get it. I know it really isn’t his cup of tea but he understands me, bless him. Still, I waited a bit. This past Monday, I went in, talked to Lori, took it down from the wall, walked through the store looking at it in all sorts of light. Lori is infinitely patient. Finally, I said yes. I bought it. Frankly, it is more than I would normally spend, even at 20% off. I could have used that money for other things, far more practical things. It just stole my heart…I couldn’t get it out of my mind, I obsessed about it, I loved it. And I almost missed out on it. I mean, come on. Isn’t that a sign?

I have a plan. I will be hanging it in our bedroom. We have an enclosed chimney that is in the center of one wall. It will be perfect there. And I am finally inspired to re-do the bedroom. It is my inspiration piece. I. Love. This. Painting.

Try as I might, I cannot capture the color of the frame, which is more aqua than the photo indicates. My obsession is now hanging in Mockingbird Hill Cottage West, bringing me joy every time I rest my weary eyes on its beauty.