Category Archives: Musings

October 25, 2015 · 7:24 pm

Ah! Sunflower

‘Ah Sun-flower! weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the Sun:
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done.’

(William Blake)

The traveller’s journey is done right here, right now, with this fabulous ‘Sunflowers in Bowl’ oil painting by accomplished artist, Anne Brandon Jones (1878 – 1968).

Brandon Jones was a Royal Academician and a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, but her main interest was in embroidery. She was a skilled needlewoman, and published many books on the subject. Interestingly, this particular painting reflects her skill and technique as an embroiderer, with paint applied in a measured and careful way; textures and direction of paint are built up deliberately and with care and precision.

Anne attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London (which eventually became Central St Martin’s). The School opened in 1896, as a result of the growing Arts and Crafts movement of William Morris and John Ruskin. (Anne’s son John was a founder member of the William Morris Society, and a renowned Arts and Crafts architect).

When I look at this amazing painting, I can certainly see the Arts and Crafts influence peeping through, the earthy colours, the organic shapes, the natural, simple form are all leitmotifs of this particular style. It’s a fabulous piece, by a female pioneer of one of the most influential creative eras of the last century.

More images available here, in my shop.

3 Comments

Filed under autumn colours, florist, home, home decor, Interior Design, Musings, orange, poem, poet, vintage decor, william blake

Tagged as 1940's, 1950's, antiques, artist, arts and crafts, autumn, flowers, gardening, painting, sunflowers, vintage

October 19, 2015 · 12:22 pm

Painting with stitches?

‘Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration.’ Quote by D H Lawrence.

Stunning embroidery by renowned artist Alison Holt. Take a look at her website, really interesting work.

Her work is a marvel, at first I thought this recently acquired piece was a painting, but it is in fact stitched. So clever, such talent. Alison’s work is sold for thousands of pounds.

I have this fabulous garden embroidery by her for sale in my shop.

This is a rare, collector’s item, and won’t be around long. I’m very tempted to keep it.

What do you think?

Alison Holt:

“Each piece is a combination of silk painting and stitch. The painting creates depth, perspective and richness to the work and combines effectively with stitch to give detail and texture

I started to explore my love of the countryside, flowers and gardens through the medium of embroidery finding it the perfect vehicle to express the colours, textures and shapes I find so fascinating. I try to combine in my compositions a sense of light and an interesting juxtaposition of colour, shape and texture. I aim to capture moments in time as an artist who has colour, line and texture to play with. I consider myself a painter that uses threads, an artist that draws with a sewing machine.”

5 Comments

Filed under blossoms, collecting, Craft, fine art, flowers, Gardening, Interior Design, Knitting, life, Lifestyle, love, Musings, painting, Textiles, Vintage

Tagged as antique, embroidery, fine art, gardening, hobby, knitting, sewing, stitching, textiles, threads, vintage

March 12, 2015 · 9:05 am

‘He who would search for pearls must dive below’

Beautiful string of choker length pearls, vintage Ralph Lauren.

Pearls look better the longer you wear them.

Their lustre reacts with the warmth of your skin.

Wearing them makes your smile whiter and brighter.

Here’s my tip of the day, try cleaning your pearls in salt water. They came from the ocean, a watery splash of brine does wonders for their nacre, but not the thread. A quick dip in and out is all you need. Then buff with a chamois leather. Gently!

Here is a marvellous article about our love for pearl jewellery. And you can buy them at my marvellous shop!

http://goo.gl/PZYsq0

5 Comments

Filed under Bridal, coco chanel, costume jewellery, Jewellery, Jewelry, Musings

Tagged as bridal jewellery, Chanel, Pearls, Ralph Lauren, vintage jewellery, vintage wedding

March 2, 2015 · 8:04 pm

Sarah Coventry – ‘For the Woman Who Dares to be Different’!

Charles Stuart founded Sarah Coventry Jewelry in 1949, named after his granddaughter.

Stuart was very forward thinking for his time.

He had no in-house designers, but relied on out sourcing from freelancers. He then put these designs out to be made in various local factories, rather then having his own manufacturing base. He was also quite innovative in his selling techniques, replicating the Tupperware and Avon models, using house parties to get people talking about his affordable jewellery, using the strapline – ‘Dare to be Different’!

This word of mouth marketing strategy made Sarah Coventry one of the most popular jewellery brands of the 20th Century.

You can own an affordable – dare to be different – piece of history, and a signed antique of the future by clicking on these beautiful earrings.

3 Comments

Filed under Jewellery, Jewelry, Lifestyle, Musings

Tagged as antique jewellery, antique jewelry, Avon, costume jewellery, costume jewelry, dare to be different, earrings, Sarah Coventry, Tupperware, vintage

February 27, 2015 · 10:08 pm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEDRO!

This is Pedro. We think he is two years old today.

Or maybe yesterday.

Possibly last week. Anyway, he’s around two. We don’t know for sure because he’s a rescue dog. From Spain. He was dumped on a roadside in St Pedro when he was about 2 or 3 months old. And that’s why he’s called Pedro. Duh.

He’s the best dog I’ve ever had. Actually, he’s the only dog I’ve ever had.

In Spain his main activity was finding the shadiest spot and lying there. All day.

In England his main activity is wagging his tail incessantly and standing by the front door, which is a massive hint that he’d quite like to go to the park and chase the ducks.

He wasn’t at all impressed by the snow. Which is fair enough if you’re a Spanish dog.

And like lying down in the shade. All day.

He was taken to a rescue home in Estepona, which is where he found us. And trotted over to us. And sat on my feet. Curled up. And didn’t move until we’d agreed to take him. He’s cute like that. He’s cute full stop. If I could have a £ for every person who comes up to Pedro and Me and says – ‘what sort of dog is that?’ Pedro and Me would be living in Spain. Lying down in the shade. All day.

To celebrate. He has had a new bandana. Red with blue paisley. And cheese. He’s partial to Cheddar.

If you know what sort of dog he is please do tell?

We just say he is an Andalusian Sheep Dog. Feliz cumpleaños Pedro!

(Click on the top photo for information about Pedro’s brothers and sisters in the Rescue Home in Estepona)

6 Comments

Filed under Dogs, Lifestyle, Musings, Pets, Writing

Tagged as Adana, Cute pets, dogs, Pedro, Rescue Dog, Spanish Dog

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Dream On

My house is currently on the market.

For Sale. On the crest of the housing market boom. In the bubble.

Hubble bubble toil and trouble.

There’s an offer on the table. HOORAH. It’s a paltry offer. BOO.

Meagre. Scanty. It wouldn’t even buy me the chimney stacks on the Old Parsonage. The pretty, perfect Parsonage with its pilasters and pediment, its Flemish bricks and fossil finials. I want to live here. In a real life Doll’s House, with its sexy symmetry and glamorous garden. Why can’t I live here? Why shouldn’t I aspire to neo-classical neatness and Georgian Gorgeousness?

Because, peeps, because I suffer from the joint diseases of impecuniosity and proletarianism. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon shoved where the sun don’t shine. All I’ll inherit is a very dubious Ercol dining suite. But one can dream, and one can pretend, which is why we ended up at The Old Parsonage in Arley, Cheshire, last Sunday.

The National Garden Scheme – Yellow Book – features gardens in the UK not normally open to the public. Perfect if you are nosey like me.

Or like plants.

Or flowers.

Or afternoon tea.

Or quirkiness.

Or ponds.

Not so perfect if you are moving house and have ridiculous delusions of grandeur. Sitting on the terrace of a garden bulging with begonias and poppies and peonies and roses and putting off the evil hour when you have to leave through the quaint little gate in the quaint little hedge and return to your not so quaint little house on a not so quaint little street in a positively un-quaint Northern Town.

Dream on.

12 Comments

June 4, 2014 · 8:05 pm

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Dee-lightful!

The Dee estuary, viewed from Hilbre Island, on the Wirral.

This is a beautiful spot on the North West coast of England.

Also one of the most polluted places in Western Europe.

Well worth a visit. But not on a Bank Holiday.

Never seen so many Wannabe Wags in One Place.

Fascinating.

6 Comments

May 27, 2014 · 6:51 pm

May 16, 2014 · 12:54 pm

Cornwall – Week 1 – Minority Status – One Lick is Never Enough

So following on from a very successful trip to North Wales, where – hold the front page – IT DID NOT RAIN ONCE! We decided to chance our arm with another staycation and head for Cornwall.

Which is a VERY VERY VERY long way away. 362 miles, and 6 hours 15 minutes to be precise.

Kernow, (Cornish for Cornwall my lovers) is a Celtic Nation.

The Corns, Kernovians, Cornishers (?) were proudly celebrating, having just been awarded minority status.

This means the UK has promised to protect the rights of minority groups to “enjoy their own culture, to use their own language, to establish their own schools… and practise their own religion”.

I thought I’d share some of this culture, which we certainly enjoyed, oh yes my handsome:

Breakfast, started off healthy, sadly this didn’t last long:

As the rather delicious smoothies were washed down with:

Followed by pudding, from this Michelin Starred Ice Cream Van:

‘One lick is never enough’ – states the flourish on the van door, and it wasn’t, leaving a disappointed dog:

So, after a quick walk/stroll/amble along the South West Coast Path spotting ship wrecks at Coverack:

It was time for refreshments – Cornish Afternoon Tea – jam goes on first, then cream in Cornwall:

Well, that filled a hole, but having arrived back in Falmouth, we decided Fish and Chips might be in order for supper. However, first we bought beautiful bread from this bang – on bakery: