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Monday 18 February 2013

Looking In The Window & Oh Naked Ladies!

I love that February brings us the chance to get a little bit sentimental...
 and share a heart or two, with lovely people.
Warm hearts & a robust sense of good will, lend themselves well to the pleasure found in admiring beautiful things.
Rules lapsed, in our world, mean that these divine mother-of-pearl knives & forks no longer need to be saved for the fish course & company, but can be admired & employed for whatever takes our fancy.
Discovered at the Hospice shop recently, they have found a new happy home, beautifully balanced & snazzy for everyday eating.
Although the heat has been a little much day upon day, it does mean that meals can be simple & colourful & not take a lot of cooking. A small piece of salmon sprinkled well with good salt & weighted in the fridge for 24 hours gives a touch of delicious elegance & ease to summer meals.
This retro fruit stoner has found a revitalised sense of purpose as a capsicum de-seeder & is so useful.
 I quite often stop for plants on the way to work & enjoy the friendly service at Planters on the journey to Havelock North. Colleen is such a treasure...I love her summer planting pizazz in this corner over here.
 I don't know how on earth she finds the time to plant & trim hedges, as well as water & serve us all.

 We had a bit of a strange phone call last week from Catherine from i-site Hastings (the information centre in the middle of town) Apparently someone had pulled out of their slot in the main window & she had seen our cards that we had left there & wondered if we would like to pop our Vintage Picnic things in the spot for a fraction of the usual price...
 we decided that we would!
 Worth a go don't you think?! But kind of weird!
 It's for a whole month!
We can pop back anytime to make additions & adjustments.
We are a provence characterized by all things Art Deco...since we lost so much at the time of the devastating 1931 earthquake. We are not Deco, of course, but I think that our vintage feel compliments the Art Deco display in the front window rather well.
My dear friend Ruth has a daughter's engagement party coming up this weekend. I offered Sharon a loan of what we have for hire..so lovely walking in & finding this rainbow resting on the cake stand. I hope they have a wonderful time!
 We couldn't help but pop back after dark to peer through the window downtown & see what it all looked like. Unfortunately the lights were out but the town clock looked stylish...
 & well illuminated.
The naked ladies have stretched their elegant necks up & up & are flirting out over the footpath just now. I love their pretty pinks & sweet fragrance.
 I thought this swan vase rather lovely. I bought it from one of the hospice shops further south. It only cost $5 & they were kind enough to post it to me.
 This double geranium is called apple blossom.
 There was a wee persons birthday around the corner on Friday.
 She is such a honey & loved the strawberry jelly her mummy had made..colour-free & delicious.
Her Papa took this photo returning home from Central Hawke's Bay last week.
Sunflowers are just so happy & a rare sight on mass like this around here (click on the picture to see all of it).
We watched Eat, Pray, Love again last week.
I do love this movie. Have you ever watched it or perhaps read the book?


More Betsey..

You have to believe in happiness,
It isn't an outward thing;
the spring never makes the song, 
I guess, 
as much as the song makes the spring."

Thank you so much for visiting. 
I hope that there is joy & grace & beauty in you world this week.
If you fancy joining like minds of the op-shopping variety pop in here to Max & you'll find the linky.
I love Max's recent post about mantlepieces...the heart break & the glory in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake...& she, with a wee one due in the next week or two!! All the best dear girl!
Much
 ♥♥♥♥♥

20 comments:

  1. Beautiful post! So many great photos and lots of colour.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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    1. Thank so much Liz...so appreciate your visits & nice comments. Hope you're having a good week. Any signs of spring your end?

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  2. I would love to watch that film will try to track it down. I really enjoyed your post - the double geraniums are wonderful and an op shop that posts! unheard of here - your swan is special. Betty x

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    1. Hi Betty, I hope you'll love the movie...it's full of colour & passion & makes you think. Rob loved it too. Let me know what you think when you've seen it. The trailer gives a pretty good indication.
      I seem to be rather fond of vintage swans...pictures or vases small or large. Some of the op shops here sell their nicer items on Trade me but then sometimes they don't get more than shop prices for them. Of course with TM the buyer pays the postage..which is just fine with me & I get to support another great cause. Catherine x0x

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  3. p.s. they have the video in my library, I just ordered it to my branch - wonderful!

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  4. I read the book first and thought it was interesting. The movie was okay, very pretty for sure! We like pretty!
    Have you watched Much Ado About Nothing? It's a gorgeous movie, all white dresses and barefoot scampering around Italy. LOVE.
    How nice that your picnic ware is on display! It' looks beautiful, GK!

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    1. I think I love the EAT bit most of all (& Italy)..the colour & passion of it all & the message to woman about sometimes just feeding themselves in a good way, not always counting & guilt...that's a good message.
      Thanks for the idea Pom. I'll look out for Much A Do. Might be in our library! Love GK x0x0x

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  5. What a lovely idea you had to make fruity heart sticks. A wonderful inspiration. I think there were lovely people in your house to share the heart sticks.

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    1. So nice of you to say but I really can't take the credit. I saw the general idea on Pinterest & since it's melon time here it worked just fine. Only thing I found was that mostly melons are quite concave so the hearts come out all kinds of odd shapes. You are quite right there were lovely people in my house ; ) Lovely to see you. Much love Catherine x0x

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  6. oh so much to love!...I think swannie is my fave....and thanks cause now I just know I must get a capsicum deseeder! x

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    1. Hi Allison, glad you like the swan. I just love swans for some reason. Since this one was so inexpensive it's all fine to use it as a vase. Although, come to think of it I put a smaller glass vase inside. Hope you find yourself a peach stoner..I didn't find any butter curlers for ages & ages & then I found 3 in a row. Not that I really truly need 3 now do I. Love Catherine x0x0x

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  7. Hello Catherine, a beautiful post again my friend. Like you, I adore anything Mother of Pearl, so your knives/forks are beautiful. I have found my local i-site Centre to be the very best advertisment for my business. I have my DLE cards in there & they are so good at suggesting a visit...so I think your window display will be a great hit. It looks wonderful - what happens if someone books a picnic & you need the stuff I wondered?? I laughed about you going back at night to check it as thats exactly what I would do/have done :-)
    Now as for Eat Pray Love - yes have read the book first & then seen the movie. I actually love Julia Roberts anyway, think she is a great actress. I loved both book & movie tho book was much more intense. At the moment Italy, India & Bali sounds a fantastic destination !!!! You have made me want to get the movie out again. Happy week my friend, no rain here as yet :-( Julie Xox

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    1. Hello Julie...I am so glad that you like Mother of Pearl too? Do you have a stash of said buttons?
      Um...what are DLE cards? It was a little bit wobbly there for a minute in the weigh up of how much do we put in the window & how much do we keep at home just in case. As it turns out we were quite safe...no enquiries as yet. Any suggestions welcome. Do we just sit tight & see what happens over the month? We are making changes in the window regularly. Did have an email from a lady from Hamilton who'd seen the tea cosy & who desperately wanted one for herself! I was able to put her on to a Trade Me auction of another one from the same maker.
      Good for you on the movie front. I never seem to get through as many books as I'd like but I have a copy of Eat Pray Love, I found last week in the Hospice shop, waiting beside my bed.
      Yes talk about parched..phew.
      Love Catherine the wilting garden fairy xxx

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  8. oh brie...haven't had that in more than a year! thanks for reminding me, will buy some this week...when the storm abates. yes, I've watched the movie and listed to the audio version and loved Julia Roberts...she was great in that role.

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    1. That's a long brie draught Sandra! Hope you enjoy it well when you catch up with some. Our heart was a blue one...extra flavoursome but not too strong.
      I never thought of listening to the audio of a book. Silly 'cos Rob listens too a lot of podcasts & learns so much that way.
      I so admire your indomitablility Sandra..you are so honest & gutsy. Much love Catherine x0x0x

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  9. Hello
    Just over visiting from Max's blog. I'm loving your pretty blog. Such lovely photos.

    Cheers

    Linda

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    1. Hello Linda, thanks for visiting & your sweet comments.
      Love Catherine x

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  10. Catherine, it's always lovely to see a new post from you pop up on my blog roll, and this one is a beauty!
    I would love to know where you found the heart shaped crackers - I've had the cheese before – so yummy & pretty!
    Oh I must grow some Zinnias next Summer - love those jewel colours.

    I'm so happy your vintage picnic goodies are on display at i-site Hastings - it all looks so inviting I'm sure more bookings have been made as a result!
    You must have loved sharing the 3y old's birthday party - isn't she so sweet!

    I clicked on the sunflowers - WOW - takes me back to France - merci mon ami!!!

    Hugs
    Shane ♥

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    1. Hello dear Shane...always so lovely to see you. I have the box of hearts right before me. I just spotted them in front of the deli department at our New World...not seen them before. The label is: "Valley Lavosh Baking Co. Hearts". They are delicious. If you can't find them I'll send you a picture of the box if you like.
      Yes, I have become very fond of the zinnias summer splendour. Get them in the right spot & they really are a delight. I planted some of the green ones in one of my gardens last year & they antiqued very nicely in to pinkie shades...so pretty.
      Thank you for your encouragement about the window display. Still no bookings, but we'll just potter a long & see what comes. We will pop in & out & change things around...we have another 3 weeks there yet so here's hoping.
      I loved Nina's birthday...she is such a little darling & my niece. I am so glad that they just live around the corner.
      Pleased you saw the sunflowers...still not a very common sight in New Zealand yet. With summers like this more my be planted. I wonder if they were growing them for the seeds?
      Have a lovely week.
      Much love Catherine x0x0x

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  11. Hi Catherine, I LOVE your window display, it is just gorgeous..I am sure that your vintage picnic idea is doing super well.

    The salmon dish looks really yummy, and of course the valentines treats. I hope you were well and truly flourished with love.

    Hope you and Rob are well, Tam x

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So lovely of you to leave a comment. Thank you!! So sorry if you've tried to leave one & it hasn't worked. You are welcome to email me at catherine@sunshinevintage.nz instead, if you'd like to, much love Catherine♥

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