IF IT'S TUESDAY: The Greek Islands








































IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS
Original Photography & Artwork [BeingRuby©]
Little Venice: Mykonos and Samos Port
Artwork includes a combination of Kim Klassen & my own textures



Paris: A Little Bit Frou Frou
























































Montmartre



The clever and talented Anita from Castles, Crowns & Cottages is having a blog-hop to share what it is you find most irresistible about Paris. Well for me it is many things.. but my first interest in Paris was Montmartre.  Home to the Moulin Rouge and the colourful  dance, music and art that was born of this district in the late 1800 and early 1900's. 

My first introduction to Paris most likely came via the 1952 version of the film Moulin Rouge. A vivid account of the life of Toulouse-Laurtrec and the art he created during his years frequenting establishments such as the Moulin Rouge and Le Chat Noir. It is his Poster Art that I found most fascinating.. simple yet powerful depictions of the flamboyant lifestyle of this period. Images of white frilled blouses, slim black chokers and the ruffled skirts of the Can Can come to mind.. Or the Parisian elite decked out in their finery and rubbing shoulders with the local riff-raff. Bold simple art that convey the vivacious history of Montmartre.


Of course the area's architecture and landscape is just as memorable. The narrow winding alleyways and never ending staircases that climb to the highest peak, culminating in sweeping view over the rooftops, chimney pots and orderly windows of Paris.  Yes Montmartre has much to offer.. 


So to join the party today .. I thought I'd create some Poster Art of my own,  created from my own photos of Montmartre and some of the postcards I bought there on my first trip to Paris. I do hope the original artists [rest their souls] will forgive me for altering their work.. Seemed fitting to go with that ballet slipper pink that comes to mind when thinking of Paris..




Thanks Dear Anita for hosting this Parisian Adventure
If you hop over to Anita's blog you will find others who are sharing 'Irresistible Paris' with you







Have A Great Weekend Everyone








IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS

Original Vintage Poster Art
Le Frou Frou: Lucien-Henri Weiluc
Le Chat Noir: Artist Unknown
Confetti: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Divan Japonais: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
[alterations by BeingRuby©]


Original Photography & Artwork [BeingRuby©]
Rooftops of Montmartre
Parisian Windows
Sacre Coeur
The Stairs at La Foyatier



On Another Note
Seems my internet woes are not over yet - 'I must be a Dodo' [another aussie joke]. Also Blogger has once again 'bloggered me'.  Apparently some of you. like me..  are having trouble with leaving and receiving comments..  Let's hope that sorts itself out soon.






Sea of Solitude




















Sea of Solitude

Hi Everyone.. Thanks for popping in.. I only have time for a quick post today so thought I'd show you a few more shots from last week's full moon and a day shot of one of the many piers dotting the bay near my home.. 

As much as I love  a rough and tumble sea.. I also enjoy it's quieter moments..  still and glassy waters.. the rhythmic lapping at the shoreline... slow and repetitive it quietens the mind and restores the spirit.. when things get a bit hectic for me.. this is where you will find me...

Beautiful by day.. and majestic by the light of a full moon  




[Texture Tuesday]
This week's Texture Tuesday Challenge is to use Kim Klassen's latest texture 'Yesteryear'. Which is just what I have done in each of these shots ..  I'm thinking these barnacles are feeling right at home with it..   If you would like to see more Texture Tuesday's Entries, pop over to Kim's blog ...   [Kim Klassen Cafe]




Have A Lovely Week Everyone










Image Source & Credits
All Photgraphy, Text & Artwork [BeingRuby©]











To The Moon Alice: May 2011

















































To The Moon Alice
May 2011


Ok I don't really want to 'spoon with you'  but I will share some moon gazing with you. It's time again to dream upon a full moon. I know I'm a little late.. still a little under the weather but that didn't stop me braving the chill air to bring you some shots 'by moonlight'.


La Bella Luna has been spectacular these last few months.. perhaps making up for all the month's she was hidden behind the clouds... and last night she outdid herself, casting a silvery glow upon all in her path... Absolute magic!  A rain of silver splinters falling from heaven.. I do believe she was sharing a little of herself with us... 


The last three shots are 'moonshine'. The local sea baths shot by the light of 'The Silvery Moon'..  The most mundane structures become magic under her gaze... Hope that magic rubs off on me!!










Have A Wonderful Week Everyone
And thank you for your kind birthday wishes



If anyone would like to join in on the Moon Madness I'll put the linky up









Image Source & Credits
All Photgraphy, Text & Artwork [BeingRuby©]







.


Mamma & The Magic Teapot





































Like her mother before her, my mamma pinned all her hopes and dreams on her children.. She hoped they would have happy lives and dreamt they would find love, adventure and their own creative spirit.  And like all good mothers, she nurtured our imagination and taught us we could do anything we put our minds too..


I always imagined my mamma came from a wealthy family.. The faded snapshots documenting her youth spoke of  finely dressed youth from rambling homes with backyard tennis courts and suburb size parcels of lands as summer hideaways. But those were the homes of her school friends and buddies. Her own beginnings were much more humble. She grew up in the modest quarters above the local Fire Station which my grandfather commanded. A modest life with simple needs, scant of wealth, but rich  with honour, respect and tradition.. And as such my mamma lived in two worlds.. her own simple life and the life of luxury belonging to her friends.



As fate would have it she married a working class man of working class dreams.. and the riches and luxuries would be stored in the cupboard with inherited treasures from my grandmothers home. As a child this was my favourite playtime.. As my mother pottered in the kitchen rustling up the family meal.. I would play in the world of make believe.. rummaging through the heavy old sideboard to unearth imagined treasures of a life of luxury... The sideboard was choked with all manner of mysteries.. and although I had done this a thousand times before, each find would seem new and thrilling and bespoke of a glamourous life of worldly riches and adventure. Whereas in fact it was just the old tarnished silver and dusty damask tablecloths crammed in tight behind the other bits and bobs of a busy family.


The silver treasures were always my favourites .. Old tarnished flatware and vessels of little importance became new and shiny with a little applied industry. A symbolic ritual becoming an adventure to a child's imagination. Flatware and vases would speak of glamour and luxury... the opulence of the forties and the privileged lives of the stars  of the silver screen.  Luxurious sitting rooms with velvet ottomans would play in front of my mind..  and women with satin gowns and perfectly applied  finger-waves would arrange soft scented roses on silver trays and serve afternoon tea from beautifully engraved vessels..  Yes this was where my child's imagination would roam whilst my mother quietly cooked the humble meal for an everyday family.


My favourite treasure of all was the large silver teapot.. Such a curious shape and prettily applied markings spoke of mysterious lands with turreted rooftops. Too many pirate movies had me convinced it was a magical lantern.. and vigorous polishing would reveal a frightening genie.. his loud and thunderous voice belying his gentle intentions to grant my wishes. I would be transported to exotic lands and luxurious destinations and the silverware would glimmer a little brighter reflecting the light from a child's happy eyes. All too soon playtime would be over and my world would return to the wallpaper walls of the family dining room.. The treasures would be jammed haphazardly back into the cupboard sitting in waiting for the next adventure. My mother would smile as she set the table, knowing her humble dining room was really an opulent salon filled with silver treasures from faraway places.









... Dedicated to my Mum ... 
&  Katherine who requested a silver post...




[Texture Tuesday]
All images except #5&7 use a combination of Kim Klassen;s texutres 'Love' & 'Luminous'
Pop over and view other Texture Tuesday's Entries at Kim's blog ...  'Kim Klassen Cafe

[Silver Sunday]


I'm also linking up with the generous Beth from Gypsy Fish Journal.. for Silver Sunday



Thanks ladies for hosting!!






Giveaway Update
I've had a bit of a crazy week and very little internet access so completely forgot about my giveaway.  So think I'll leave it open until midnight Tuesday [May 10th: Sydney Time]. Hopefully that'll give me time to figure out how to put the comment count back in my format.. 








Wishing You All A Beautiful Week








Image Source & Credits
Vintage photo from my family library & restored by [BeingRuby©]
All other Photgraphy, Text & Artwork [BeingRuby©]


Rome 'n Roses [or I'll Be Bloggered!]















































Well I'll Be Bloggered!!!


You might need to be an aussie to understand that humour.. but never mind.. I'm sure the overall meaning isn't lost on most of you..  Last week proved to be a bit of a debacle.. so I'm taking the opportunity to have a do-over..  Why the heck not!! Still a bit under the weather but my postponed birthday celebrations are rescheduled for this week [so hopefully I'll get my cake and eat it too] and .. as the great blogger mishap of 2011 ate my birthday post.. [and all your lovely comments]  it seems a do-over is in order... Important to get those wishes back out into the universe .. although I've revamped the images for your viewing pleasure... Don't won't to totally bore those of you who turned up for the first event..



Three Coins In The Fountain

For a bit of luck, I thought we could all have a virtual tossing of three coins in the fountain...  La Fontana di Trevi.. A must visit on any Roman adventure .. A majestic tribute to Neptune and the oceans he commands, one can't help but be mesmerized by the fountain's  baroque beauty.. Neptune takes centre stage, standing tall atop his watery chariot and is flanked by the goddesses of Abundance and Salubrity. 


Managing to snap a shot without someone's head, arm or camera blocking the view can be a challenge.. The place is constantly buzzing with tourists from every corner of the globe hoping to chance a glimpse of the baroque beauty immortalized in Fellini's La Dolce Vita.. Of course they may also be hoping to replicate that other film.. by tossing their 'Three Coins In The Fountain' ...


On my last visit,  not only did I manage my wish and coin toss, but was also delighted with a little midday entertainment.  An embarrassed gentleman crawled out onto the fountain in a valiant  attempt to retrieve an errant watch, inadvertently flung from the arm of a vigorous coin tosser!! It was one of those always hoped for but not often found moments.. Straight out of film.. a little bit patzo.. a little bit italiano.... The crowd lapped up every moment.. Audible gasps could be heard with every slip and slide that distracted him from his goal..  jovial laughter greeted the shoes & socks removal.. and cheers of applause brought a nervous smile to the worried face of our humble hero when finally he returned the errant watch to his tearful son ..  Of course the polizia also got into the act and I suspect enjoyed the spotlight as they 'orchestrated' the moment.


I couldn't have asked for a better memory of Rome. Life imitating art.. you would have thought Marcello himself had waded  into that fountain...  One of those moments when you felt connected to the strangers around you.. united in the childish joy of the moment.. Like I said.. a little bit patzo.. Somewhere I have a photo showing a bit of the days events.. Hopefully I will unearth it one day.. but for now I have the memories.. and this shot above.. thankfully free of tourists..



More Re-News
For those of you who didn't make it across before the blogger clobbering.. another post item that bit the dust  was the giveaway winners announcement.. Selected by Random Generator, the winners were;


The lovely Yvonne from La Petite Gallery
& the ever witty JG from Fatscribe





Have  A Lovely Week Everyone
I'll be back [sometime] later in the week with my Full Moon Post..


Arrivederci &






Image Source & Credits
All Photgraphy, Text & Artwork [BeingRuby©]