Saturday, February 10, 2018

Vignettes of Blue

Blue, blue.....my heart is blue....not in a sad way, but in a peaceful, happy and tranquil kinda way.  To me there is no other hue quite like blue. Misty Blue, Dresden Blue, Majolica Blue, Swedish Blue, Porpoise Place, Ocean Surf, Northern Sky...............................paint chart after paint chart sing of rhapsodical names of exotic shades, of the colour blue. Why, our humble abode is painted in a Dulux paint shade called Harbour Master.


I have loved all things blue ever since I was a wee little girl. Blue is the colour of the sea and sky. My earliest memories are of Summer holidays at the seaside with my extended family. For weeks on end we would all holiday at an uncle's house just a hop, skip and jump from the beach.  We seemed to live at the beach, day after day, after day. I can remember being mesmerised by the sun-filled sky touching the sea in a straight line, almost as if the sky underlined and emphasised the horizon. I remember thinking in my child's mind, what would happen if those ships in the distance dropped off the edge. =).

These days my humble abode is far away from the beach, though I am still mesmerised by the wide, blue skies which kiss the landscape in which I live. Down here at the bottom of the world, I never grow tired of the Australian skies. They are painted the most beautiful azure blues on those sun-filled Summer days. As far as the eye can see God has dipped His brush into his palette of blues, swishing them around and around and magically painting broad strokes in myriad of blue hues.

Because Hydrangeas bloom everywhere in the garden in the summertime....AND....because I pick basket after basket of my favourite blooms, they appear everywhere in my (very) humble abode at this time of the year.

I love the late afternoon summer light peeking in, casting lovely shadows everywhere.


This wall clock is one that I painted many, many moons ago. It was way back when  I dabbled in folk art painting. I wanted to paint simple scenes of a lady (me) picking flowers and a scene of my husband and me with our two little girls. The bottom painting encapsulates my two girls perfectly. My eldest daughter was such a serious and proper little wee one and my youngest daughter.....well, she ran barefoot through meadows; no hat, climbed trees and always chatting to all the animals. These are very simple paintings..........artists of the world have nothing to fear from me. =)


It is said, is it not, that one should never judge a book by it's cover. Well.......this shallow gal quite often judges a book by the pretty binding which hugs the pages inside. Since a wee girl, I have been attracted to books with beautiful bindings. Old books with beautiful bindings send my head into a giddy spin. AND.......if ever I happen upon an old book with a blue binding, and all the better if it has a pretty picture......well it is a no brainer.....it comes home with me.

Pretty lace curtains, blue, blue Hydrangeas and a blue and white patterned rug.....heaven!

Once upon a time, this sweet little chest with painted Hydrangeas, was a present from my husband...love, love, LOVE!




Indeed, Hydrangeas and all pretties, blue, make me want to slip on my ballet slippers and pirouette through my day.

A recent acquisition. A lovely in blue T2 teacup, saucer and plate dancing with glorious pattern and hues of blue. I love the busyness of the different patterns. These patterns remind me of beautiful moorish tiles and Moroccan architecture.

The plate sings with a sweet verse around the border.........

Here’s to the feeling blue gives you, shining bright in the night, full of endless possibilities. Here’s to spending days chilling out and keeping content, celebrating the little wins this shade brings about.


I have read that blue is closely associated with harmony and peace. I must say I feel extremely calm and relaxed when surrounded by all things blue. It evokes within me a sense of "all is well with my little world". According to Colour Wheel Pro, "light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding and softness. Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness. In addition, blue symbolizes faith, truth and wisdom." Well, there you go.......who am I to disagree with the learned ones. =)

We intuit colour, do we not?? Each one of us has a penchant for a certain colour or colours. I wonder, what colour or indeed colours, make your heart sing? So many colours in all their variational tones make me smile, but it is the blue hue that will always sing the most lyrical of songs.


Aah....blue Hydrangeas, blue teacups, blue tarted up chairs fashioned by moi, blue and white rugs,  blue quilts and throws, books embraced in  blue bindings.........all so very pretty.


While you are belly button gazing and thinking upon all things colour, I am off to enjoy a cuppa in my pretty, Moroccan inspired, teacup, and be swept away for a li'l while on my magic blue carpet, to the imaginative, faraway lands of the exotic Arabian Nights.....and I might add.....without ever having to leave the comfort of my tarted up, pretty blue fabric and doily, chair.

Until the next time...............


Saturday, February 3, 2018

Colours of Summer


Hello lovelies; welcome to my sunny part of the world. Thank you all so much for the lovely comments you gifted me last post. Yes, the lavender field is truly breathtaking, but alas, the day after my little photo shoot, my neighbour farmer harvested the lavender; so all the gorgeous lavender hues have disappeared. BUT......all that glorious colour will return later on in the year. Perhaps my Japanese pretty will be quilted and finished by then.....perhaps. =)

These last weeks have been filled with sun-drenched days. Each day the countryside has been bathed in glorious sunny hues with wide blue skies that stretch forever. The landscape is dotted with breathtaking, dancing summer colour. The sights and sounds and fragrances of Summer are always a delight. I have been enjoying all those happy and warm sunbeams bursting upon my li'l humble abode and its environs. The garden is flushed with glorious colour.

The Dahlias are yet again abloom in bright, happy colour.



The Cosmos are sashaying in shades of pretty pinks.

The roses are still smiling in pretty pastel hues.

AND.....of course the Hydrangeas.....well....they are doing their beautiful Hydrangea thing. =)

AND...of course, the pond is ever a restful retreat, casting it's magic upon all whom sit awhile.


It really is tough living in this paradise. =)


January found me socialising a little more than I usually would, as I celebrated a BIG birthday. Yes indeedy, this gal from down under turned 60!! Such a happy, wonderful and sunshiny, kinda number. So much more happier than the number 59......not that I ever was 59. You see, for the past year I have been 58 and 13 months, 58 and 14 months, 58 and 15 months etc etc.........until the wonderful numerals 60 appeared on my horizon. I can't really articulate why I dislike the number 59 so.....I just do.

So....this little while I have been enjoying the company of dear family and friends; birthday dinners with lovely friends, hanging out with my daughter and son-in-law who flew over land and sea to help me celebrate; to the grand finale......a surprise birthday dinner in a rather lovely restaurant, where beautiful family and special friends waited for me to say.....SURPRISE!! I didn't suspect a thing; I truly didn't. My dear husband and all those sweet friends of mine, have been plotting and scheming the last few months. They have all been involved in all manner of chicanery and subterfuge to organise my celebratory dinner. My sweet friends are all terribly adept at lying; as is my husband. Who would've thought my husband, who just happens to be a school chaplain could utter so many falsehoods. I wonder, will I ever be able to believe anything that is spoken from his mouth again. =) I do believe that if the day jobs, of all those whom were involved don't work out, there will always be a spot for each one of them in the secret service of their country. ALL would make the most excellent of double agents!

Me and my beautiful friends........oh, and my wonderful husband.

I received many beautiful gifts, from books, pretty doilies, beautiful jewellery, an ever-so-chic clutch, bouquets of flowers, a beautiful writing pen and ink set with various inks and nibs, pretty fabric, to a gorgeous crochet hexagon throw. My family and friends know me so very well.....'tis an utterly spoilt gal that I am.

My friend, Michelle, with whom I have been friends for over 40 years had been crocheting this hexie pretty for a little while. Isn't it gorgeous.



The garden is so welcoming of my crochet hexie woolly. No matter where it is placed the pop of bright and happy colour is perfect. Oh look.....there's my gardener......and a clever one he is at that. =)



My pretty looks amazing on both sides!



Love the reflections in the pond.

It's not at all obvious I am in love with my gorgeous, hexie crochet pretty, is it!!


Beautiful flowers were gifted to me.


A birthday cake is the perfect finish to a birthday celebration, is it not??  I was surprised with a most amazing birthday concoction, whipped up by a cake baker/decorator extraordinaire. It was truly an amazing cake and so very delicious. It was a rich, chocolate mud cake with icing of a patched hexagon quilt covering it, complete with buttons, needle and thread, scissors, thimble, flowers. I of course cried when I saw it. I could not help but stare at it for a very long time. I did not want to cut into this work of art. When eventually I guided the knife through it, I cut along the hexie pattern much to the merriment of all those who were watching. I quite simply could not hack into it.......it had to be cut with precision and care.

Isn't it a vision of pastel loveliness??

At my friend's home (another birthday celebration) ......little Eli (of  "One-Eye Eli fame) was most impatient with my cutting of the cake.



Though I was gifted with many beautiful gifts, it struck me that the collection of many beautiful moments were far more precious. Many moments filled with smiles and laughter. Many moments filled with love and hugs and joy......and a few tears. Many precious memories, skipping down the yellow brick road of friendship, with each gorgeous friend, at various stages of my life. These past few weeks my fine bone china, tea cup has runneth over with beautiful moments of love and friendship. Old friendships.....new friendships......all have added  beauty to my life. Indeed I cannot imagine my life without these dear friends, and of course my wonderful husband.

Sitting here reflecting upon the friends whom bless my days, I am reminded that each one brings beauty to my life. Each beautiful friend, at different times has shared the "best of times, the worst of times". Each one has laughed with me, cried with me, encouraged me, and at times carried me. I once read that "friends are God's way of taking care of us"; how very true! Indeed, when I count my blessings, I count my dear friends, twice. My beautiful friends remind me that it is a blessed gal that I am.

Until the next time........