29 Jun 2013

Canada Day and the Shabby Chic enrichment

Yes, of course I am an avid collector of old, used, reclaimed objects, yet I rarely buy them.
Somehow, many of those objects just find me, by way of being a gift or sometimes being just a found object.


Today I have fallen victim of a temptation and I have made a purchased acquisition, which will become a treasured member among my shabby chic collectibles (that include books, mannequins, china etc etc)
The statue is about 12 inch tall and really shows the passing of time. I do not know whether someone was removing the surface paint or it just came off.
Perhaps it is the surface wear that gives it charm, makes it intricate and feeling wanted.
As JP Sartre said, ----> "from the distance like that it doesn't do any harm, you'd almost let let yourself be caught in it...."

I am photographing it still at the studio, with an atmospheric drop-back my reproductions of stylish 19th century watercolours.
The statue of Our Lady will achieve a prominent place atop a vintage-looking sconce shelf, not far from the statue of Buddha.

I love images of women and various messages and other functions their portrayals were fulfilling. That is always of great interest to me.

Since it is Canada Day weekend I am analysing again the symbols of feminine divinity and taking another close look at the image of our Monarch on the face of our most circulated banknote, the Twenty.

I have lived in Canada for only 30 years now and the role of the Monarchy and that of the Queen of England as our monarch is not completely clear to me.
Well, I am patient, not everything has to be clear in merely 3 decades.

I am noticing that as I get older so does the venerable Monarch. That linear relationship and the image's omnipresence made me even more comfortable with the not fully understood political idea.
Hmmm, I don't know, but it is great...

22 Jun 2013

Dundee Marmelade

Vintage labels and labelled food containers are soooo trendy.
Here is some goodies I have scouted on the internet, unspeakably gorgeous stuff:
Here is the orange marmalade jar which I have spotted in some blogs, obviously hot collectible.












Equally amazing are those meat pots.
I have not seen those before and they are surely a great.
It's not quite obvious how those pots were sealed - by wax? Anyone knows?

Antique meat pots (Pinecrest)


I guess this pic may explain the many ways of sealing a jar...
This image comes from an amazing site that tells all about jars, lids, bottles and ways of naming and identifying them: http://www.sha.org/bottle/food.htm#Canning/Fruit%20Jars
This site is manned by the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA).
Mid to late 19th century unusual fruit jar closures; click to enlarge.
Antique glass jars with lids



Someone's blitz marmalade recipe, she (he) said:
Marmalade is one of the easiest things to make. I’ve made.
Sour Apple
Orange and Lime
Butternut Squash and Chilli
Lemon
Cinnamon and Ginger

21 Jun 2013

First Day of Summer feels Heavy

Today is the first day of summer
The Heavy played last night at the opening of the Jazz Festival and I loved them.




Yeah, perhaps he does sound a bit like James Brown. Sooo?
Some people commented on YT that it's the best band coming out of Britain in a long time.

Another link relating to the band's North American Tour

20 Jun 2013

Sombody turned big O


I've just heard that somebody turned... I was astonished to be reminded how old she is!
Oh, bug off - don't be silly, it wasn't me turning en-ty.
Why would I be looking for a birthday cake...


French Typography Image Patisserie

Happy second millennium Darling, it's not nearly as bad as it feels...
Kidding again!

18 Jun 2013

Running about


The pressures of life have been immense these days, lots of running and running about, and doing, and thinking, and pressing on.

When intensely occupied we have a chance to switch off from the usual requisite to "see the larger picture".
We may and can focus on the bare details.
Which are so interesting and revealing.

This image is a detail of a painting from the collection of the fascinating
obsoleteinc.com So is the antique running mannequin above.
This site is full of quirky antiques, truly thrilling stuff.








16 Jun 2013

Corset-free

Those women are my heroines.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Wigan_pit_brow_lass.jpgThey did not wear pants instead of lace - so fashionable during late Victorian and Edwardian times - because they liked it more. They wore trousers for the function and skirts for the social agreement.

The Wigan pit brow girls in the Victorian society wore trousers for their dangerous work in the coal mines. They wore skirts over their trousers and rolled them up to their waist to keep them out of the way.

Pit Brow Lasses.

Those young women worked often in mines where metal ores (copper or tin) were extracted, while their fathers, brothers or husbands were down below.
The tasks included often crushing large pieces of stones to expose more ore.

They are heroic because they were not forced to work so hard, but did so by choice to better themselves and help their families.

File:Corset Harpers Bezar1882k.gifAt the same time many women from the "upper crust" were suffering from the boredom, dependence and perceived lack of choice - forced on them or willingly assumed.
The constrictions of the Victorian life were almost like those of its chief social and physical prosthesis -> the corset.

8 Jun 2013

Flower Power



For over a decade I have been tending my Iris plants in front of the house.


The spot is not forgiving - no morning sun, very aggressive southerly afternoon exposure.
But really, two meager single blooms in a decade was something that wouldn't anyone feel happy.
   ---->


Something went right this year, must have been the cooling and rain in the recent days.
The otherwise lushly spread Iris plants are in bloom on both sides of the house.
I am very content and delighting over their tall stalks and robust flowers.


 
The smaller grass-like looking plant with purple blossoms received from my friends Margaret and Peter are related to Iris, also from the Iridae family.














I took some to Studio to share my excitement.
Here it is - a quick phone shot by my colleague Alex.




File:Fleur.iris.2.png
The French fleur-de-lis was thought to be an Iris, not a Lily plant.
No wonder, since it is irresistibly beautiful and intricate.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Charlemagne-by-Durer.jpg











The portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Durer bears clearly defined symbols of the fleur-de-lis as part of his heraldry. 











http://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-content/uploads/blogger/-OX4m0zyhuZk/TmaycDDOnZI/AAAAAAAAOBQ/BaZZzsbnv08/s1600/flower%2Bfairy%2Biris%2Bvintage%2Bimage%2Bgraphicsfairy008.jpgOne more digression:
This Iris resembling Flower Fairy comes from the indispensable http://thegraphicsfairy.com blog
and is sourced out from some antique children's book:


Click on Image to Enlarge
I haven’t posted one of these in awhile, even though I still have a number of them. This darling Flower Fairy comes from an Antique Children’s Book. This one is an Iris, she appears to be dancing!
- See more at: http://thegraphicsfairy.com/vintage-image-flower-fairy-iris/#sthash.WCGQVMkV.dpuf

1 Jun 2013

Think rich, look poor


I do not like canned soups and definitely not Campbell soups, but the Campbell Tomato Soup has almost a symbolic and regular presence in my kitchen cupboard. It is rarely eaten, always with the addition of 18% cream and cooked rice.


Since it is periodically consumed, the supply is always up to date, and feeds not only my fondness of tomato soup with rice, but it is a commemoration of Andy Warhol.
 
 

You may know that paying homages to various artists, causes and events is one of my countless favourite activities. I guess it is so much more fun when even a modest task of consuming some soup can be elevated to the rank of celebration.

My interest in his work increased since I had seen a documentary that spoke in more detail about his graphic work and showed how he created his illustrations that later became symbols of pop-art, effectively high-art.


I have also gained so much more understanding of him after seeing the interior of his apartment. Wow, no pop art there - totally classic, conservative, quiet, harmonious.
Amazing man.
Rest In Peace, Andy.

By the way, all the little icons and much info
and cool browsing come from
here:
http://www.warhol.org/

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