Elegant Rose

Thursday 28 June 2012

The Pretty Things in June...

It's been a peaceful kind of week......


With lovely gifts from a friend......
Wild roses, lemon balm and Rosemary,all from her garden....
Beautiful!!


Plenty of walking and thinking, always noticing the world around me.....


There was two of these guys, 'Two for joy'.....
His mate watching and waiting in the distance.....


I love the scent of the earth after all the rains...
Mother nature is soo doing her thing at the moment.....
There is some thing quite 'witchy' and special about the elder tree...
Don't you think?

There is a little spot of catching up with books, that I love.....


You know it must be Wimbledon time, because Strawberries taste perfect too...


I just can't stop eating them....


And time spent watching a movie, that makes you laugh, but also makes you cry.
Loved it!

Hope you are taking time to 'Smell the Roses' along life's way too....
Wishing you a week of  Peacefulness...
Maria x

Tuesday 26 June 2012

The Honey Pot village.......

Hawkshead is a pretty little village in the Lake district, about 20 minutes from where I live.....
On mid summer evening of last week, Patrick decided he would take part in the yearly 10k road race held there.....
He has taken part for the last few years.......
A lovely drive out after work sounded just perfect....


It was the most beautiful evening, all though my hay fever played me up no end!
I can remember when I was small, all our weekends were spent in the Lakes,We had a Cherry and Cream colour Triumph Herald Car ( would be proper vintage now)
We all used to pile in with a picnic and visit Coniston and  Bowness and last of all Fell foot park, My favourite place ....
Good memories!


Back to our evening....
With some beautiful little places to have bar meals (we ate here after the race)....
It was very nice too!
Us Mum's appreciate, someone else doing the cooking after all, don't we just....



Lots of quirky shops.....
I would love a bath like this, with out the flowers though!


Beautiful chocolate box cottages, it all looks quiet, but actually their was a hub of folks and excitement, as the Olympic Torch was due to pass through Bowness the following day.......
There are many references to Hawkshead in Beatrix Potters books of course, notably, Johnny Town Mouse, who was based on the village Doctor, I believe....

.
Loved these books....
Can remember reading to my children, we loved, the Tale of Tom Kitten......
There is also a museum which houses William Wordsworth's old school desk....


And lots of pretty shops, Patrick was soo glad they were closed though, as men usually are!


Don't worry I am not going to show any sweaty middle aged men running on here, ooh Lordy  no, this is a blog of pretty things after all....
But Patrick did win the team event and was first home for the veterans race.....


It was the most beautiful sunset, for mid summers Eve,
A real Barmy night....

I even managed to get a couple of bits and bobs for the lovely Ali http://alibeecreations.blogspot.co.uk/  who I am swapping jars with in the Jar of Love swap......(you may have read about this on my side bar)
I can't keep secrets I am afraid, never could!! hehex
A real Honey Pot Village........
Bye for now!
Maria x



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Friday 22 June 2012

The Windows Are Crying...........

Thank you so very kindly for your encouraging thoughts on Olivia's dress (previous post).......
You made both our days!


I wanted to show you these wonderful roses, I bought as a gift, as they are the most beautiful colour...


They are called the 'Chocolate Rose'.....
Brides are choosing them for their bouquets as they are soo special!

I don't think my photo's do them justice really.......
Whilst sheltering and waiting for a bus in the pouring rain, on what was our longest day yesterday,
an elderly lady joined me......
We chatted and she told me that her grand daughter used to say on days such as this, "Grandma, the windows are crying".......
It made me smile!

I am off work to day, so I am thinking I will possibly take a leaf out of my moggies book!

And just 'bee' rather than do.........
I will leave you with this little quote that I wrote on a plaque for a lady to give to her friend recently........
"Into every life, a little rain must fall,
call me any time you need an umbrella."..........
Thank you to my new followers also, I soo appreciate you popping in on me!
Have a weekend full of kindness.....
Maria x

Monday 18 June 2012

Twinkles and Stars........

Aww, I would like to start with a big thank you to those very lovely ladies, who gave me awards last week...

Boy, I was humbled.....
But if I am honest I worried that I wouldn't be able to post a reply and i didn't want to offend any one....
soo, lovely Anna whose blog is charming http://miss-beatrix.blogspot.co.uk/
and my lovely friend Claire, http://thriftwood114.blogspot.co.uk/ you know that I think you are the bees knees, soo thank you and don't think I am a 'funny one', it's just I was, well, shy really!
I have had a very busy bee week indeed.
Wednesday I had a treat out  with hubby to the cinema to see Snow White and the Huntsman....
Karen had recommended this movie on Moon light and Hares blog...
I loved it and found it soo visual and enchanting!


I didn't know Florence and The Machine had sung the sound track until after the movie.
Loved it!
I saw Florence in concert two years ago at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, wow she can sing!
I took a lot of photos as the setting again was superb and looking back on them I noticed we were surrounded by lights and what could only be described as orbs around us...
Quite spooky really!


Thursday was an evening spent at Olivia's sixth form college, where she show-cased her creations for her Art and Textiles exam (A tense time for all).

We saw fab creations from the young students and when they modelled their collections, it was simply amazing!
We were told afterwards every thing had been put together technically in a couple of days!
This is one of Liv's peaces, a beautiful vintage wedding dress, complete with Suffolk Puffs (my vintage 1930's fabrics from the wonderful Sal's snippets I may add!)

My mum had made her own wedding dress back in the fifties, soo I hope Olivia has inherited this....
Saturday brought my much anticipated date with the medium Colin Fry.
I wrote about this in previous post, well I wasn't lucky enough to receive a message, but I like to think those who did, perhaps needed to more than me...
It was a wonderful show.
Mr Fry is a very charismatic man and there were lots of Twinkles and light coming from him, a real people person!
I did manage to get a signed copy of his autobiography and a star struck photo that Patrick had to take!
We laughed later about this as Pat kept calling him Stephen Fry, I think he wished it had been a show with Stephen Fry actually! hehe..


 Colin Fry and me!


I will leave you with this little enchanting find that I picked up at one of the vintage fairs over the Jubilee weekend.....
What do you think?
Not everyone's 'cup of tea' I grant!
But I think she is sweet.....
I am wishing you a week full of twinkles too
Love Maria x


Tuesday 12 June 2012

From This Day Forward......

'This month we rediscover that it is life's enrichment's rather than the riches of life that bring us true contentment' - Simple abundance: Sarah Ban Breathnach.
A lovely weekend in pictures.....

The shabby show of weather didn't stop our wonderful wedding celebrations this last weekend!
My lovely sister in law had imagined a cream tea on the lawn, before the big day, and asked if I could help out in the vintage china department!
....Could I!
I certainly could and it was nice to give my many tea sets a trip out on such a special occasion.....
although we couldn't brave the terrible June weather, it was wonderful all the same, in doors, with fires on too...
Saturday brought with it excitement and joy and again the rains could not spoil their day!
Cup cake heaven dear readers...
There was a green theme to the wedding!

(Hubbie and me)
It was wonderful to get the posh frocks on and to be together to celebrate....
Especially as the bride had just got her all clear on beating cancer, only weeks before!
Two celebrations in one......

Another celebration too, my wonderful give away from http://ooohbetty.blogspot.co.uk/ arrived safe and sound and I would like to say, has settled in nicely along with bad puss Willow.
Thank you once again you are very kind Mrs Betty!
I think Bad Puss Willow rather stole the show on the last photo, so here is my give away again....
Kittie Polly and wonderful vintage materials and craft goodies...(lucky me)
And on to my give away, thank you for staying here with me, I do seem to have a lot to say today....

The winner of this fab magazine pulled out of my cloche hat by lovely Olivia is....
Well done!
Let me know your address Caroline and I will pop in the post for you!
Wishing every one a week full of happy things!
Mariax

Friday 8 June 2012

What Every Woman Should Know........

Have you been reading any good books lately?I have...
I came upon this fabulous 'Life style lessons from the 1930's' at my local news agents last week..
It's pretty appropriate really as my Olivia has strong thoughts and ideas about her special birthday celebrations coming up soon .....
She was thinking of perhaps a glamorous girls (Jessica Rabbit) and gangster guys dooo....


We have both been reading, the Great
Gatsby's by: F.Scott Fitzgerald and have heard that one of our favourite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio is to play the lead part! 
I think the film is due to be screened around autumn time, so I am looking forward to that...


If I remember rightly Robert Redford and Mia Farrow played in the original version...
Any ways back to this fab magazine, it's packed with lovely visual pictures of glamorous ladies and their fashion secrets and beauty treatments from those days...
Some made me smile really, gosh us woman have changed!
But the pictures are just wonderful!


I love the glamour of the 20's and 30's era, but I guess us girls are lucky to have the freedom that we now have, oh and definitely the kitchen gadget's to make our life a little more pleasurable!


There is a page about sweeping and dusting your way to beauty, by doing your house work to keep you trim!
Oh and the best ways to wash your lovely silk stockings!
and nett curtains too..


Anyways, I was thinking of how welcome I have felt here on blog-land and wondered if any body was interested in owning this lovely copy of life in this glamorous time!
If it's your "cup of tea", just let me know and I will pass on to you....
If there is more than one of you folks interested I will ask  my Olivia to choose by popping names in (my cloche hat) of course....


Must be moving on now as I have a party to organise ....
I also have a wedding celebration this weekend, soo lots of lovely things to enjoy!


Hope your weekend is of the loveliest kind too!

love Maria x

Saturday 2 June 2012

A Jubilant Weekend...

Wishing every one a wonderful Jubilee weekend!Whether it is a street party or a vintage fair, or just enjoying a cream tea with family and taking time to slow down for the bank holiday...


I've had a busy bee kind of week in the little vintage shop where I work, we have been selling bunting and union jacks galoure!
It's good to see folks getting into the spirit of things really...


I can remember so clearly the Silver Jubilee and have quite a bit of keepsakes from this too.
We had a street party held in our local school and being of a certain young age, I can remember thinking,"whats all the fuss about".
I  can now safely say, I am of a certain age and am looking forwards to the weekend and our local vintage fair, that is being held in The Railway Terrace fields complete with swing boats, a brass band and marquees selling vintage wares!
aww and of course cream teas..


I can't wait!
I will perhaps be wearing a little red, white and blue too!


A little nostalgic picture or two here.
This is my my man's junior school picture for the silver jubilee ,he's the one back row left hand side three from the end, looking rather shy,with a cute bob hair style!haha..
He doesn't know I am showing his photo on here, but my picture of the Jubilee isn't nearly as sweet, as I am in my secandary school years with a little more attitude and am a lot less happy to smile for the piccy!
Yep I have a toy boy!
I love all the streamers and colours on the photo.


The lovely vintage glass here is again from my keepsakes and has the Coronation date of  june 2nd 1953 on it..


Local news papers of advertisments from 1977!
Still in tact, I loved the old pictures on these..


I know I will be having a Pimms or two, this weekend!
As I have been soo lucky to win  a give away on the lovely http://ooohbetty.blogspot.co.uk/ 
I have never won any thing before, that I can recall, soo Thank you once again Mrs Betty!


I will close with this little bunch of wild flowers, hand picked for you!
Have a Jubilant weekend!
Love Maria x