Life Should Be Pastels

Dear 2011: A Parting Message

'My Message To 2011'
& my new answer for everything

Dear 2011

You have pushed me to my limit Sir .. Once again I find myself putting pen to paper to question your motives and point out that your behaviour can no longer be tolerated. I am saying goodbye to you dear sir!! There is no more room in my life for your fickle antics and unconscionable tactics. 

I know I spoke similar harsh words to your cousin 2009... You are cut from the same cloth... 'Brothers from another Mother'... You give with one hand and take with the other.. Ok.. I will give credit where it is due.. You did bestow some wonderful gifts... There's no overlooking a trip to Europe nor gifts of a more personal nature which will remain unspoken in such a public forum.. But really you also created much havoc to all and sundry and I think it's time to move on.. 

Don't try and stop me with flattering words or false promises that quite frankly I doubt you can deliver in less than 12 hours..  Any such attempts to sway my decision will demand the forthcoming response..

... As a wise woman once said ... 

'I Four Fourths Don't Care!!'

Have A Wonderful New Year's Eve Everyone

I'm old school and will wait till we ring in the New Year to pass on those wishes

It's been a blast once again

Blogging has brought about some of my most treasured moments of 2011

And AS ALWAYS .. Each of you have brightened my year and lifted my spirits on a daily basis

You're The Best!!!

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:

ALL Text, Original Photography & Artwork [copyright beingRuby©]

Location: Normandy France 2011 [I couldn't stay away]

Quote:  Gilmorisms [more of those to come in 2012]

Post Christmas Lull

Post Christmas Lull

The post Christmas lull has finally arrived and traditionally, here in Sydney, it's time to hit the beach. Although the weather gods aren't always complying this summer, it's still a lovely time to take a stroll and watch the world go by before the pre New Year crazy starts. Or has that started already?

Sorry I was unable to continue with my christmas posts nor get around to visit everyone but I'll try and do the rounds over the next few days.

Meanwhile A Little Beach Blooms & Blues 

['cause I don't know about you but I'm sick of travel shots]

[really!.. just temporarily!]

Have A Wonderful New Year Weekend

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:

ALL Text, Original Photography & Artwork [copyright beingRuby©]

Location: Sydney Australia 2011

No I haven't gone all Dame Edna on you.. The blooms aren't gladiolas but agapanthus mid bloom

Normandy: In The Garden

In The Garden

The second installment from Normandy is a few shots taken in and around  Sharon's Pretty Garden... My secret garden... My answer to Monet's Garden as I didn't manage to make it to Giverny.. [slacker that I am] ..

I have so many shots of the gardens surrounding the cottage and house, that it was tough to try and limit it to these few hand selected shots, chosen for your viewing pleasure!!! As typical of Sharon, it is the little details that one can find here and there that made it so special for me.. as you know .. I'm a detail girl.. so the smattering of Brocante on windowsills and door stoops made my stay all the more pleasant.. Especially considering some of that Brocante followed me home. Australia Post is wondering what I've been up to!!! Don't worry.. I left some Brocante there for you too!!!

Speaking of Brocante.. I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint some people.. I've been rummaging through my shots of our Brocanting Trip Into Deepest Normandy.. and found I have very few of the actual Brocantes.. I think I was too distracted with the wares laid out before me to remember to take shots.. But there are plenty of the surrounding countryside.. as beautiful as you can imagine.. and enough of my own treasures and the subsequent 'Loot Shoot' as Sharon would say.. to hopefully fulfill your need for Brocante envy...

It's going to be tough deciding what to put up next.. Should I move on to Paris with the next post? I can always come back later to Normandy and the  'Brocanting Trip Into Deepest Normandy'.... With so many shots I think the chronological thing might bring me undone...  Not to mention I've almost filled my Picasa Albums [ooops.. some cleanup is required!] ....

What do you think guys? What would YOU like to see next?

Have A Lovely Weekend Y'All

Thank You to all who have been visiting and leaving such lovely comments.. And HI to my new followers.  I've been home a week and only just now starting to catch up with everyone's blogs.. It's a slow process so still making the rounds. Meanwhile, I hope this post allows you to imagine you are in Normandy. 

Even just for a minute!

IF YOU MISSED IT
Shots of Sharon's French Country Guest Cottage in the previous post!

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:

ALL Text, Photography & Artwork [copyright beingRuby©]

PS The little white 'statue things' are the latches to hold back the French Shutters!!!
How Cute!

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©]