Happy Holidays!

December 17, 2022: Hi all. I'm still here, just been very busy (who of us is not?) I'm working on updating Maison Newton bit by bit, it's been awhile since I changed things up. Happy Holidays to all, soon the Winter Solstice will arrive and then the days will start to get longer once again, hooray!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Sad Tale of My Wall Sconce Woes - Part II

I saw these at Ruby Lane and tried to order them:


They're from the shop of Mercy, Maude! and cost a whole whopping $12.00.  It would have cost more to ship them!  Like I said, I tried to order them, but Pay Pal would not accept either credit card I offered, although I know there is nothing wrong with either credit card, because I used both the next night to order other items (not candle sconces) from two other online vendors (Kirklands and K-Mart) and had no issues at all.  And so it goes...

I was P.O.'d, let me tell you.  How DARE PayPal reject my credit cards!  But upon calmer reflection, it turns out I think that while these are gorgeous and a perfect match for THE MOOD I'm trying to create in my bath, they would have been just a bit too large for the space I have.

And so, I kept looking.  Found these and went Whoa!  I want these! 

Bettyrockit at Etsy via Kaboodle.  Vintage Syroco (molded injected plastic).
Size: 10" length by 6" wide by 4" sconce from wall (depth).Gorgeous and a great size
to fit in my somewhat tight space on either side of the mirror.
But, after having tried to purchase the first pair of sconces and then finding these, which I actually liked more and would be a better fit for the space, I decided to start exercising some caution instead of following my usual CHARGE AHEAD, PATTON (Patton is one of my nicknames, believe it or not; I wonder why...) modus operandi.  So, I kept looking, and that was when I found these!


They are at Ebay. They are injection molded plastic "Syroco style" wall sconces (like the top set and the second set) and look to be nearly identical to the pair I found via Kaboodle at Betyrockit at Etsy, except "shabbied" up with white paint (Annie Sloan or home-made?) and the added crystal prisms just made me practically faint.

The photo quality isn't that great but I knew these would look wonderful on my bathroom wall on either side of the mirror.  I figured that with taller (10") candles and with my black metal shades on brass candle-followers, I would get something of THE LOOK I want!  Minus electricity -- but, such is life.  A good size to fit in the narrow confines of  the space on either side of my mirror.  A little touch of frou-frou, but not too much.  Perfect!

Except, when I tried to order this pair online, via PayPal, my credit cards were once again rejected by said Pay Pal.

So, here I am, sconceless!

Well, you say, what about those sconces you'd ordered and wrote about in Part I?  Good question.  I finally unpacked them -- they've only been sitting in the bathroom inside a big cardboard box since January or so.  I pulled out one and unwrapped it, put in the batteries (six AA batteries!) and fired it up.  It works great.  But once I saw it outside of the box and held it up to one side of the mirror, I knew it wasn't going to work in the bathroom, let alone give me the kind of additional light I want. (Added later: I subsequently purchased brighter light bulbs, I will install them today, and see if that solves the problem of not enough light for  my failing eyesight.  I could also try getting some new eyes...).

So, I tried the test sconce out downstairs, hoping to find a place for the pair. 


This is my bookcase/hutch in my living room.  Current sconces are like the one on the left side - for candles.  The test sconce is on the right, fired up. 


Nope, just not the look I want.  Doesn't fit either the space or the ambiance of what I've got going on in the living room.

After so many months, I decided against being bitchy and trying to send the sconces back for a refund.  Sooooo, right now, this new sconce is holding court by itself in the upstairs hallway where I absolutely am loving it as a nightlight, believe it or not.  Well, after that horrid nightmare of a few nights ago, it's nice to be able to open up my bedroom door and see - LIGHT - without having to fumble around for the wall switch in a mad heart-pounding panic.  It's guaranteed to last for like 10,000 hours.  Best of all, no ugly cord, and no electricity needed! 

The companion sconce, still in its packaging, is resting under the guest room bed at present, so the duo are within talking distance of each other, as the door to the guest room is kitty-corner from the small piece of wall on the left side of the bathroom door where the unboxed sconce currently works.

Live and learn, Jan.  Live and learn.

3 comments:

  1. Scones are lovely. That stinks paypal is rejecting your credit cards! What a bummer... Maybe you can pay another way? We are thinking of putting up wall scones in our hallway downstairs too. :)

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  2. Hi Erika, I could use my debit card (assuming it too would not be rejected), but as you know, if a debit card number is stolen you can have an account totally wiped out and your loss is not limited to $50 as it is if the same thing happens with a stolen credit card number. So I do not use my debit card to make purchases anymore, it's just too risky. I will keep looking for sconces and I hope to find something similar to the style I really liked (the round ones with the long "tail") and perhaps score some that I can paint up and "shabbify" (is that a word?) myself. Thanks for your comment.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I know what you mean it is to risky! I wouldn't want my bank account to be wiped out and with hackers and so many things to worry about with online purchases I totally understand! I was actually referring to is if the business you are trying to purchase online from if they could take your credit card as payment and charge it through another way of eCommerce than though paypals payment gateway. If that makes sense? :) But yes maybe you can score an awesome deal at a yard sale and do your own shabby chic look!?

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