The gift and a great day remembered

Like I mentioned in the last post I wanted to show you what I made my friend Paula.

I really wasn't sure where I was going with this.

I always have to have a back up plan so I don't
 get too nervous about

creating anything for someone.

I had a back up plan so I could keep my insecurities in check.

It's one thing to make something for yourself it's something all together different

to make something for a friend

....and a friend with great taste and a definitive style.

Not sure why I photographed it on this wire grid but at the time it looked a little stark....

on this white wall......

but I like white walls???

I used a book cover for the base and then just added this and that.

This sweet winged girl looks sad....

but this one's ready to party

I adore the delicateness of this lace.

I wanted to make a pocket and kept wanting to use lace but still wanted to not cover all the paper underneath. 

 I remembered I had some odd copper wire ribbon that

I had used on a Christmas wreath.  When left outside too long it

changed it a perfect old metal shade.

It always looked too bright and garish and now it was just right.

The garden trowel charms from M and J trims in

NYC that I picked up

on a trip with Paula and other gal pals.

That was a fun day trip we took a couple of years ago.

It was rainy and we spent most

of the day in the garment district.

 Me and my friend Delores are button, trim and ribbon nuts so we ruthlessly dragged Paula and Ginny to every shop in that district.

Lets just say they were very patient with us:))

I think they still had fun...... despite the rain.

Poor Paula had no umbrella so she stopped

and bought one from a street vendor.

She hadn't even gotten to the end of the street and the umbrella

blew inside out and broke.

Crazy windy that day.

Poor Paula!

 we ended the day having a great dinner at Becco's Restaurant.

Good food makes everything all better doesn't it?

a little wine and alcohol doesn't hurt either:)

George and I have been there a few times

 and it's always incredible.

Crowded but worth it.

Aren't all good restaurants crowded?

The olives and bread sticks at the bar I could make a meal of:))

but I still find room to eat a meal.

I guess that's what I remember the most of that trip....us all sitting around a table enjoying a great meal together at a

 New York City restaurant.

We were 4 girls in the city,

no men,

 no husbands,

no kids,

Kind of like the girls of Sex in the City

but not really!

we could pretend!

it was our day!

I'm joining Kathleen at Faded Charm

for White Wednesday!!!

Go say hi to her and the other participants!

WEEDS

Where I was born marigolds are like weeds.

Hence the name french marigolds.

They would grow in the shallow cracks of  river beds near

where my Aunt and Uncle lived.

We would walk by them on our way into town.

When I was young I never much paid attention to them.

 It wasn't until I was older that I realized people planted these

and was awoken to the image in my mind and the memory of that pungent smell.

The colors of Provence are vibrant but often with a hint of antiquity.

A warm worn look that says I've been here awhile....

and I'm here to stay.

Here in the US we have equally beautiful weeds.

among them....

Queen Anne's Lace

I admire them everytime I drive down our sideroad when I come to work.

Usually by now this area is weed whipped but since a fence had been put up it seemed

George had forgotten about it.

They had a chance to grow.

I had hoped to photograph the Chicory (Cichorium intybus) that was flowering....

but I was there too late.

.

( this image is from the web)

read more about flowering weeds

 HERE

Can you tell what this is???

while playing around I really liked the colors and though I rarely show the

crazy stuff I come up with I thought I would this one time.

It reminds me of a tapestry.

Anyways this is what it really is.... a train.

Yes we are near the tracks.

On the wrong side.

But, you knew that one already:)))

It's loud at time but you get used to it.

Last yr Amtrak worked on them extensively and everytime a train would pass they would

blow their whistle..choo choo!

 but  very longggggg choo choo's

It resounded all thru the town....the towns people were not too happy

but they had to do it. I had one lady say to me in a  huff.

"We just moved here and it's going to lower our property value"

OMG

I just laughed.

What could I say?

Yes maybe you should move!

but I didn't.

The train doesn't bother me at all.

In fact, the kids love to see it go by.

Fathers put their kids on their shoulders so they can get a better look.

The black eyed susans amongst the weeds to me just are the best!

The very best part is I can enjoy them just doing there thing without tending to them.

No watering,

No feeding,

No weeding,

Heaven!

If you want to be mesmerized by more Queen Anne's Lace

go and visit Erin's

Gorgeous blog

HERE

You'll be happy you did!!!!!!!

Well Loved

Along the way coming back from our first day of shopping at Madison Bouckville we came upon what seemed like on old abandoned barn. On the outside were piles and piles of old spindles, doors and shutters.

The subtle beauty of these utilitarian pieces as they lay among the weeds and the debris from the road.

Part of someones home was once

loved and cherished.

Too bad they weren't there to sell them.

I think I might have fancied a few.

Along side the barn was a lovely field of Queen Anne's Lace and other wildflowers.

Such a lovely weed Queen Anne's Lace....one of the prettiest I think.

This is Laura's picture....

her taking a picture of me.....

taking a picture of....

....this

The next day this was some of the other "well love pieces" we found

The old alligatoring we love so much that to my knowledge can't be replicated the same way we do with other faux finishes. Do you ever wonder if folks back 200 years ago liked that look or did they just want new and pristine????

They would probably have laughed at us liking these old pieces.

Well, I know a few people

that think that now. Different styles for different people.....or one man's trash is another man's treasure.....Thank Goodness right????

I like this piece....it was pricey if I remember.

It would look much better if I had moved the wooden candlestick in the middle. Cute little swans on the outside edge.

Never a shortage of little girls white cotton dresses at the fleamarket. Most of them were probably used as undergarments or nighties. How did they ever wear so many layers of clothing back then? No wonder they passed out all the time.....

too many clothes....

and bonnets. That would have kept the sun off their faces at least.
I still wish we could dress that way at times. Just not in 95 degree weather mind you. Details and laces that we rarely see anymore. The art of tatting nearly gone.

Now our clothes are mostly made overseas.

Such a shame.

But now we can at least appreciate what work

went into these pieces and love them all the more.

What's your favorite fashion piece

from years ago????

Now don't forget to visit

Kathleen at Faded Charm and all the other

lovely participants in

WHITE WEDNESDAY

XO,

Carole