The Ancestors [& A Giveaway]
























The Ancestors
[coming to a blog near you!]

Welcome to Being Ruby... The often absent and sometimes absent-minded blogger!!!... In fact I've been both lately and so absent-minded I almost forgot two important celebrations. One being my 'Third Blog Birthday' [which fell back at the beginning of April!!] and the other being my 'Human Person Birthday'  .. which is fast approaching and celebrates a 'landmark number!!' [I just won't tell you which so you can continue to think of me as young and beautiful traipsing around blog-land with nary a wrinkle on my perfectly painted complexion]. 


Another cause for celebration is, I'm honoured to say, my little neglected blog is being featured at 'The Decorating Forum' this week. A big thank you to the host  Julie-Ann and all my readers who nominated my blog to be featured!!. I'm thrilled to take part and if you've not visited the forum before, it is a great place to catch up with other like-minded readers and to discuss and debate all things interiors and design. You'll find great inspiration, clever ideas and may even learn a thing or two.


With the feature in mind,  I decided to put together a French Themed Week .. 'Somewhere in France'.. Art and photography put together from my trip last year, with a little bit of French Countryside, a bit of Paris and whatever else takes my fancy. So.. If you can.. tune back in later this week as I will be posting more often than my lazy self has been of late!!


To celebrate all these occasions, and as I am long overdue.. I think it's time for a Giveaway.. During the next week I will be posting a selection of prints for the winner to choose. Perhaps your very own 'Uncle Louis' to haunt your walls? But first... Let me tell you about my 'imaginary' Ancestors.

I've always admired the dark and brooding portraits than bedeck the halls and staterooms in many a fine movie or tv series. Always something mysterious and alluring about these characters that makes me wish I had my own mysterious and alluring Ancestors to hang on my not so stately hallways. So I made my own. Of course I had to make the back stories to go with them or they would just be lost souls lining the passage; ... So.. 'Meet The Family'. French of course. In honour of French Week at Being Ruby. 



Meet The Family

Cousin George: A hapless creature. Forlorn and often overlooked, no amount of pandering and posturing could ever gain him the attention he well knew he deserved. Being the first inline to inherit the family fortune, he expected preferential treatment and well.. Respect!!. But alas,  it was not to be. His destiny it would seem, was to whimper in the background sniveling and forgotten, constantly obscured by his vivacious and somewhat evil twin sister Georgiana. 

Cousin Georgiana: Although identical in features, that is where the likeness ended. Georgiana, regal and unbending believed herself superior to her hapless twin. Embittered by her fate [and perhaps also at inheriting the family nose!], Georgiana spent her days scheming and plotting George's demise. History had other plans!!

Uncle Louis:  A simple and jolly fellow with a commanding profile and quirky nature. A benevolent ruler and friend to many. He lived a long and healthy life and was to outlive all his family. His later years spent lost and mourning, roaming the halls of his grand estate, conversing with the portraits of his long since departed family.

Aunt Marie:  Ill-fated to a short but happy life, Marie lost her head in a scuffle with the local riff-raff. Her devastated family would forever mourn her loss and treasure her memory by wearing her cameo.. pinned close to the heart in constant memory of her departed soul!.


The Ancestors
To be [or not to be] continued..




The Giveaway

During my 'French Week' every comment on this and future posts up to and including Sunday April 22, will go into the draw for my giveaway. I've put together a selection of some of my art prints [see link below] and the winner can choose any two.  Perhaps your own Uncle Louis or some Parisian Rooftops.. the choice will be yours! I will also pick an extra winner from my Followers who comment, in appreciation of helping my blog make it to it's Third Birthday.



Giveaway Print Selection Can Be Viewed


Giveaway Button If You Feel So Inclined





Have A Lovely Week Y'All

And a BIG Thank You once again to

 Julie-Ann
and All My Readers


IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:
 Artwork & original photography:  [copyright beingRuby©]
Louis & Marie: Shot at Versailles, France, 2011
'George & Georgiana' created from postcard of portrait by Palma di Vecchio


25 comments:

myletterstoemily said...

please continue! this is will be the 'french'
"downton abbey!"

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

How exciting! And how delightful to finally meet your family! We want more details please! :)

beachcomber said...

hilarious! love your imaginary family. & i think i can guess the big number, it's not so bad. it's the next big number that frightens me a bit.
happy birthday!
x

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Ooooo! count me IN, PLEASE! All in the family, I say!!!

Julie, you are brilliant. This is absolutely GENIUS!!!!! HEY THERE! Anita

Teresa Hatfield ~ Splendid Sass said...

Congratulations on your third anniversary, friend! And congratulations on being featured this week!
Yes you have been scarce around here lately. Just don't let it happen again, lol.
This post is great, as it always is, Julie.
Happy week.
Teresa
xoxo

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

Hi Julie...Happy 3rd birthday to your blog and to you...we must nearly be at the same time...I am tomorrow....Have a great birthday and a wonderful year ahead...I think you are turning into a storyteller...good on you xo

Julie-Ann said...

Rofl you are too funny:). Love the history of the Ancestors. Being a Francophile I can't wait to see your blog posts this week.
Thanks for letting us feature you on the Decorating Forum:)

Lisa Sommers said...

How lucky that I FOUND YOU today, so many posts to catch up on. Lovely!
Lisa

It's me said...

3 years....time flys.......congratulations.......and almost your birthday...wowwww......have a nice week darling.....love from Holland....xxx...

rjerdee said...

Ha, ha! Loved reading this hilarious post and looking at your always grand pictures (photos?)...you always tickle me with your originality and goofy look at the world. Wish I could live inside your head for awhile...it would be fabulous fun!

Martina said...

Oh, congrats Ruby! To both birthdays! And - isn't it wonderful, that in blogland, age is somehow irrevelant? We are as young as we feel ... Love your artwork here, so pretty!

La Petite Gallery said...

Hi Julie,
Loved the story, better than
most TV shows..
Good luck with the Give-a-way. I cherrish your beautifil photo's yvonne

Carole said...

Sure I can always use a few low maintenance family members. Haha

Totally gorgeous work

Hugs
Carole

mermaid gallery said...

Love that the ancestors are such lookers!....Where did you get that nose?....all in the french family darling....kick up your heels and have fun when you turn 30? 40? Aging just makes us better!....and there is nothing wrong with being lazy either......cheers! Susan

Jen Beaudet said...

Hi Julie! It's so great to see you post and how exciting to see your giveaway!!! You know how much I love your work! Congratulations on the Decorating Forum feature, I have never visited this site before and am eager to see what it's all about. And last but not least Happy belated Blog Birthday! Have a great week:)
Jenniferxox

Sharon said...

Hello Julie! A belated Happy Blog Birthday and an early Happy Birthday to you!!! After what happened to Auntie Marie, I'm guessing you'll be celebrating without cake.

You are so outrageously wonderful!!! Glad you're back. xxx Sharon

Loree said...

I love all the characters you've created. Georgiana sounds interesting but positively evil.

Claudia Lane said...

Dear Julie, another great post...
Thanks for stopping by my blog...have a great (wet!) night xx

Stephanie said...

Sweetie! How good to see you back! So nice to "meet the family"... a happy blogaversary to you, and a happy almost 25th birthday!! ;)

Fonda C Butler said...

I love your site, you are so luck to live in such a beautiful place. thank you so much for sharing all the beautiful things.

simon said...

are you turning 21? congratulations!

Ann said...

Julie-

Your wonderfully creative gift... always fun to see.

Love Georgiana's eyeliner!

Louis and his nose scare me a bit, hehe.

Elaine said...

Happy Belated Birthday Julie! Hope you had a great time.

I loved reading about your little family, quite ecentric they are!

Sweet of you to have a giveaway. I am heading to the link now.

helen tilston said...

Hello Julia

Congratulations on three great years of blogging and bringing so much joy to your readers, I speak for myself specifically.
I love your imaginary ancestors.
It is curiors, of late I have been getting many portrait commissions and or subjects personal to the homeowner.

I love your prints, a super give away

Helen xx

Francine Gardner said...

This was such a fun read...Merci
Congratulations on your 3 years blogging, it is always such a treat to see the world through your lens and your heart