Forget-Me-Not

I often hear it said when some one has passed away.."0h, but at least he lived life to the full" which is great, but I have come to realize that this frequently means that he did a lot of "stuff". I was bought up on the singular mantra that ambition & achievement of "much" & of excellence was all that there was to life.  I think, perhaps that's why I love "vintage" so much now...when you come across something of vintage dimensions it speaks to you, a conversation takes place & then a certain gratitude & emotional attachment evolves in those moments. I am quite sure, that unless, we are blessed with a particularly remarkable memory, we mostly remember how the people in our lives made us feel, not so much the things that they gave to us or necessarily all of their personal achievements. 

via tumblr

What do you think? Do you think that's true?

The Victorians were such a prudish, yet sentimental lot..wonder where all the sweet sentiment went to in our age? 

Many seem to have dispensed with the soft things, things of the heart & the soul: kindness, gentleness, thoughtfulness, beauty, true romance, serendipity & wonder. When I accidentally found myself in Kmart today (having posted parcels) I stood in the middle of the store gazing at an acre of black clothing.. ALL black & wondered how on earth we could have allowed ourselves to be so duped. The world needs us to be colour-FILLED!! When I looked at the pre-prepared, churned out cards & cheap products all around me, I felt such pride & a certain smugness in thinking of all the beautifully handmade creations that lovely woman are busily making all over the world & the comfort of knowing that my vintage cotton sheets will probably last us a lifetime. I walked away, deliberately empty-handed & with a spring in my step.

     

Quite a number of you, my sweet friends, asked about the book "Forget-me-not" that was in the pile of books in last weeks post, so I thought that I would tell you a little about this lovely volume.

"Forget-me-not: Timeless Sentiments For Life Long Friends"

available here

Written by Janda Sims Kelley

Funnily enough, the most appropriate chapter to tell you about seemed to be "Knowing The True Wealth Of Friendship"

 "I am wealthy", says Janda, "I am wealthier than I dreamed or imagined to be..my great wealth lies in treasure that cannot be bought with money or gold...I'm talking about the treasure of devoted friendship. My dear friend Linda is one of my richest treasures. We have been friends for almost 40 years....Linda & I forged a chain made up of conversations & experiences, dreams & secrets, joys & sorrows, as we've shared our hearts & our lives, & love has formed the clasp. The links of the treasure & the clasp itself have been strengthened year after year by our devotion to each other...."

my postcard

My friend Wendy & I have known each other for almost 50 years. Our fathers were pharmacy colleagues back in the early 1960's and Wendy & I met as toddlers. We don't catch up a great deal but it never matters. We've always stayed in touch through all the years..every meeting is just the same..friends who hold each others memories & hearts tenderly & always will.

my postcard

I picked these from my garden today..aren't they so sweet. I picked them for you...my friends.

The back of the book reads "Some treasures are timeless-sweet memories remain as fragrant today as the bouquet of love they were long ago. Although times have changed, the desires & longings of woman have remained the same. Connect the yearnings of the present with the grace & sincerity of the past-pearls of wisdom & ageless insight that have stood the test of time. Awaken your heart to a passage of hope & encouragement from woman who have gone before you...forget them not, & glean a harvest among the legacies they have left behind."

So there you are. A lovely book, still available & well worth having in your library.

I found this forget-me-not border at Bumble Button..such gorgeous free graphics. The saying I found via tumblr & the writing I was easily able to add online in Picnik.

In the Victorian language of flowers forget-me-nots symbolise hope, remembrance, faithfulness & memories.

 May the sweet flowers upon this page, bring to mind memories sweet & friendships true.

 May you know a faithful hand of care, a garland of gracefulness, your whole life through. 

via angelinthegardentumblr

Innocence by Arthur Hacker

Just before I go..do pop in here if you like Margaret Tarrant's lovely illustrations. I found some of her postcards on Trade Me this week & they are so lovely I thought that I would share them with you : )

Have a wonderful week my friends.

MUCH

 ♥♥♥♥♥

Fussing, Fleas and Knitting Graffiti

What a horrible old week..do you ever have those? Of course there's always "stuff'"that happens and I'm quite a good problem solver, in general, it's just when you get ambushed & overtaken by the tricky bits of life, you can end up feeling pretty yuk & defeated!  Fleas, dead birds, neglected barking dogs, overload of pollens (pine & wattle) = hayfever...we surely must be on the cusp of spring in our neck of the woods. Well the dog has nothing to do with spring, but neither does finding out that you've been falsely accused & viciously lied about for years & years by certain family members (not mine) & it's stuffed up soo many things & made life so skinny & hard. Let my blog speak for itself. The glad game isn't working very well & I sure hope that the flea spray does a better job because it smells disgusting & I hate chemicals!!!
Fortunately loveliness does not fail me, so when I found this pretty vintage picture at The Mart in Havelock North I was so delighted. I have been vintage hunting for a good 30 years, but when I saw this I realized that very few lovely vintage pictures come up for sale here.

I like the simplicity of the 50's style plain cream frame..always works.

Our sun can be pretty harsh so I decided to pop this on our bedroom wall, since there's lace curtains in the window, which in turn, meant a makeover of this chest of draws.

I adore old velvet flowers, but you don't come across them very often either.

This crocheted cross is such a sweetie. That's the wonderful thing about the advent of our Trade Me, there are now things offered up for sale that otherwise may have been put into the rubbish & they are often very reasonably priced if you keep your eyes peeled.

There's a funny old secondhand shop in the middle of town called "Good Forecast", it's always worth a quick walk around..that's how I found this tray..very homemade & old painty looking. The winter sun was shining one afternoon so I borrowed Rob's reading glasses ; ) & got out some of my favourite books for an airing. 

Aren't books wonderful.!!! I was just thinking the other day, with all the dreary news & sad downward trends & cut backs of so many things in society, isn't it amazing that "free" libraries are still robust, open & generally humming. Arguably one of a communities most precious resources.

Did you ever watch the English Patient? I love that movie. Michael Ondaatje says "She had always wanted words, she loved them; grew up on them. Words gave her clarity, brought reason, shape. "
I would have to add...she had always wanted beautiful pictures but didn't know it!!

Charlie, the Borrowed Cat, came to see what all the fuss was about books!

While we were out walking this week we came across knitting graffiti on the fence at the squash courts down the road.

Some of it looks like finger knitting. Did you ever do finger knitting..I loved it or was it the old cotton reel that I was drawn to?

The next day we found "bubble graffiti"....mounds of foam scattered all over Queens Park : )

When I went to the Farmer's Market last week I stood stock still & speechless at the pretty display of edible kale. I was soooo excited when I saw the sign to say that they were only a $1 each & that I could buy them...so I did!

This white one is called "white peacock".

Aren't they so pretty.

Gay & Robert grow the most amazing array of organic plants & salad vegetables.

Including the cutest eggs..well the chooks lay those for them.

Speaking of eggs, that frequently come in cartons like these..what a great idea for storing Christmas decorations.

via Pinterest

I found this pretty American polished cotton on Trade Me a week or two ago. A true vision of loveliness! Doesn't have a purpose. I just love having the fabric, but you never just know.

bye!

Thanks so much for coming by!

♥♥♥♥♥

Buttons, Bobs and Pardon Me

Oh dearie me, I nearly lost these treasures. Have you ever done that..upcycled something, quite sure at the time that you love it and very certain that you'll never want to get rid of it, and that you would never forget to take the buttons off it again, if ever you did part with it & then...forgot?
Lucky escape. My darling little "friends" almost went off down the road to the Sallies on a jacket.

I adore buttons & collect them up where ever I go. I am sure that no-one will be sad, to one day inherit boxes & boxes of beautiful buttons from "Katie"!!

I don't know about my costume jewelry living on here but I got so sick of trying to untangle my necklaces just so that I could wear the one thing...so here they are for now.

I just couldn't leave these little vintage shoes behind when I called into Connections this week. I don't think that they'd be very comfy to wear..they're as stiff as a board but so cute!

This is the best winter that I can remember in forever. I have had no trouble getting all my gardening done right through the season. The soil is workable & even though we have had frosts & chilly nights we have had so many fine, glorious, mild winter days. We really do live in Paradise..this perky chap is flouncing about at the front door.

We've been having lots of roast veges & salads. I pop my pan of vegetables in the oven with some stock or water & just add a decent drizzle of olive oil towards the end. These yams are so beautiful. How wonderful that they are there each week at our marvelous Farmer's Market.

They seem very friendly with the earth gems.

Kevin at the market grows these purple caulis & Romanesco broccoli... fabulous in winter. I love colourful food!

What a masterpiece!

The new Trelise Cooper eco shopping bags are nice & cheap & cheerful for winter Farmer's Marketing.

I found some gorgeous raw cashews on my travels this week, popped them into a slow oven for an hour or so..so much cheaper, no added salt & the most delicious snack.

Such a cute find at the Restore shop. A corn broom. It's been just the thing to have in my potting shed.

While I was in there (the potting shed that is) I noticed this little suitcase..past it's best, but makes a sweet little home for some indoor plants & looking quite good.

I cannot believe Mabel's rose (well that's what I called her for years) as I grew her from a cutting from a dear, dear, elderly gardener Mabel McKay, who was very kind to me when I was starting out in my garden here some 20 years ago. Then one happy day, years later, a dapper Frenchman exclaimed "Ah!! Herbert Stevens Pink!! when spying her loveliness over at Port'O'Call where she adorned a table set for tea & the mystery of her true name was solved. Look at her..mid winter & hasn't stopped flowering once!

Finally the violets are in full bloom & divine. Did you know that these lovelies "drink' from their blossoms? I have taken to giving them a quick rinse & then plunging them into a glass of water before trimming & arranging them. The resultant water can then be drunk..beautifully scented & delicious. Violets are, after all, edible & will last much longer in the vase if treated in this way.

There is something so enchanting & universally appealing about narcisii don't you think?  I have grown these double lovelies in a pot this year. I love their soft colours & gentle scent.

And the scent of the early blossom in the middle of town.

I walked out the back door of the library on Thursday as the sun was going down & making the world magical.

This is our Fynn. He is 7 & wearing his new $4 op shop waistcoat. Fynn & I have been emailing as his dad Matt, has gone off to England (some people!!) He is keeping us updated via his travel blog.. pop in here if you fancy following "woozle & me & our english oe" for the month.

Matthew writes an endless abundance, as many of you know & is still a student & a wonderful dad. It was just the right thing & the right time for him to accompany his grandmother to the UK to visit family for a month. I found this on Pinterest the other day. It is perfect for Matt & might appeal to you too.

Now, some of you may be familiar with the new Mollie Makes magazine that is being raved about all over the place (haven't actually seen one myself), however, there has been a great deal of industrious crafting going on inspired by this magazine (dottie angel is one of the clever contributors). I am aware that there has been a quite a lot of gifting happening too, as a steady stream of apple cosies & watermelon cosies, (in one particular instance!) have come off the production line!! In the honour of all things knitted & crocheted & crafted I offer you a serenade "Pardon Me (but I didn't knit that for you)" via the lovely Jess & Jo of "Fruit Bowl Craft Jam"...local acclaim.

If you fancy a bit of Ras el Hanout (great name!!) Lovely tasty, easy recipe do pop in here to the kitchen blog.

Lovely to see you. Don't forget to watch "Pardon Me" will you!

You can annoy everyone all week by singing it : )

MUCH

 ♥♥♥♥♥