Happy Mothers Day: Antiques & Giveaway Winner

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Happy Mother's Day

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To all our mothers around the world ...

Those we hold near to us each day ... and those we hold dear in our hearts and memories ...

And all the nurturers and sisters and daughters

May your days be filled with love, happiness and the comfort of family and friends

xx Julie

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It's also Silver Sunday and the long awaited Venice Giveaway winner[s]

- that's at the end of the post ...

[I can see you scrolling!!]

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French & Italian Antiques

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In honour of our mums.. I thought I'd bring you girls [sorry guys] a bit of culture to go with your silver fix.. Yes a little culture in the way of my male model here.. Brought to you all the way from Renaissance Italy and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.. My Italian boy dates from the 1500's .. but hey.... he hasn't lost his muscle tone.. It's all about the eye candy!!! I mean culture!! So here are some of some of my French and Italian antiques.. strategically modeled by Michelangelo's Ignudo ... I had more silver antiques to show you but they are currently held captive in my trial version of photoshop.. which conveniently expired this morning..!! So.. I just made the pics extra big and hope you don't notice. haha

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Michelangelo's Ignudi

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The splendid male model is courtesy of a postcard I bought in the Vatican Museum.. He is one of twenty Ignudi that Michelangelo painted in the four corners of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. I don't know if you have ever had the chance to see this miracle of art in real life.. but it is everything and more than you imagined.. Quite extraordinary.. I'll tell you more about that in a later travel post... and bring you the colour images then .. but now it's time for the giveaway winners..

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.. The Winners Are ..

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Yes winners plural! In appreciation of those bloggers who posted about my giveaway and all my lovely followers.. I drew two additional prizes

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Giveaway Winner

#134 - Monika from Splendid Willow

- wins the two Venice Prints

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Followers Prize

Rhonda from Shellbelle's Tiki Hut

- wins a square Venice print

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Prize for Posting my Giveaway

Roberta from Tresor Trouve

- wins a square Venice print

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If you are just tuning in my Venice Prints are these [here]

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Thank you everyone for your lovely comments.. not just on the giveaway post but each and every week. Your constant encouragement is the icing on the cake. Speaking of.. come back later in the week as I have a little celebrating to do.. which may include another giveaway!!!

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.. I'd also like to say a big warm welcome to my new followers and once again

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Happy Mother's Day

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Thanks to Beth of 'Gypsy Fish Journal' for hosting Silver Sunday. Pop over there and spread the Mothers Day love ....

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IMAGE SOURCE: ALL Photography, text and altered art by me - [Being Ruby]

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Mothers Day: A Fractured Fable

The Venice Giveaway has now closed.. Thank you everyone who commented, entered, blogged or posted my giveaway button... You are fantastic and all winners in my book!! Stay tuned.. as I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow..

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As I'm busy counting comments and picking winners .. here's a little story I posted last Mothers Day ... Hope you don't mind.. They say recycling is fashionable .. I couldn't resist reposting these vintage images..

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Mothers Day: A Fractured Fable

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What better tribute to motherhood can a young girl give ... then dreaming of growing up to be 'just like their mamma'

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A YOUNG GIRL'S DREAM

a family album

Practice and training in the fine art of motherhood starts early

Young girls pay careful attention and give kind words of encouragement to dolly

They dream of that special day and someday being a bride

And then they reach the age where their dreams turn to hopes of love and finding that special beau

Someone to love and carry you through the hard times

To sweep you off your feet and promise to whisk you away to greener pastures

And one day those dreams come true!

They buy a little home in a nice new estate

Where their dreams of having babies can become a reality

PERHAPS A BOY

PERHAPS A GIRL (???)

There may be hard times, when they will struggle and worry for their future

They may need to turn to the in-laws for advice

It is then they will take comfort in the extended family and the wisdom and customs that have passed down through the generations

Knowing at the end of the day... when the children are grown...

there will be time to reflect and enjoy life's rewards

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~ THE END ~

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IMAGES: Most of the images in this sequence were found at Square America - A wonderous website - but beware - you may get lost in here for hours mezmerised by the plethora of images

Fly Boys: Just Hanging With The Boys

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Fly Boys

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just hanging around creating havoc

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Sorry everyone about the last post.. something went a miss and I'll fix it eventually...

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Meanwhile, today I've been hanging off the balcony again trying to get shots of the cockatoos going berserk in the jacaranda tree. A rainstorm was brewing which always tends to get them a little pazzo .. Hearing their screech fest, it was off to the balcony with camera. One wize guy came swooping past just inches from my face ... I screamed ... He screamed.. We all screamed.. the neighbours just shake their heads and mumble about the crazy lady with the camera.. but usually it pays off, even if only to confuse the neighbours.

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.. Camouflage Cockatoo ..

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As today's visitors would not cooperate.. I dug up some old photos instead.. Welcome to Australia.. the land of the crazy cockatoo.. Mind you looking back this guy above was quite calm and let me get numerous shots of him in all sort of poses... Sitting Cockatoo .. Climbing Cockatoo .. Eating the tree Cockatoo .. and doing 'after eating things' you don't want to know Cockatoo.

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.. Hanging with the Boys! ..

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And these little rascals I shot a few weeks back. they had me on the run.. I had to chase them back and forth across the street till they stopped still.. Talk about work for the photo!

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.. Join The Club! ..

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.. Giveaway Reminder and Thank YOU ..

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Thank you everyone for such a wonderful response to my giveaway...

Your kind words are so encouraging and just the boost I need. The giveaway is still open until Friday May 7 so if you haven't had a chance pop over to my last post..

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IMAGE SOURCE: .. all photography and artwork by me [being ruby©]

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