Washi Tape, Washi Tape, I Love Washi Tape!!

Almost edibly sweet!

Running an errand in town took me past the Red Cross shop.  Well of course I did not go past I went in!! I got a lovely Japanese horse tile for HORSE -mad Stella and an old fashioned  white silk ribbon wrapped lucky horse shoe which may be incorporated somehow in her upcoming ' pony party '. I also got an old picture frame for 50c.  Here it is ... thought I would paint it for Stella but when I got home I instead decided I would wrap some of my Washi tape around it.  I have found this stuff well nigh impossible to buy in New Zealand up until recently, in the shops that is, of course. Online shopping is an option but fripperies like these tapes are more likely to catch me on a whim in the flesh than online where postage and card transactions etc leave me time to come to my senses! Anyway this little project took me around 10 minutes and then I put a lovely Mabel Lucie Atwell,  picture in the frame and I was finished.  Crafty happiness for just over 50c!

Doilie, doily, doyley, doiley, d’oyley or d’oilie?

I was wondering since I had so many of the darn things if I was spelling the name doilie correctly and whilst searching for the answer I came across the following snippet on The Dreamstress blog all abut the history of the word doilie! http://thedreamstress.com/2011/06/doilie-doily-doyley-doiley-doyley-or-doilie/.  I often wonder at the lives of the people who put so many hours of painstaking effort into these beautiful little works of art and how different my life is and how I barely have time or the knowledge to make anything let alone something so intricately complicated. This weeks creative pinnacle was to merely glue a doilie onto an old battered stool. A very simple idea but as you can see in the photos it looks interesting and evokes for me just enough pretty but not enough to be cloying.  I always love the juxtaposition between opposing forces, bitter sweet, old and new, love and hate it excites my senses indeed!

Styling Vintage with Dulcie Green!

One of the best days I have enjoyed so far this year was when my wonderful friend Florence came to stay. Not just fun because we always have so much exciting stuff to talk about but also because I got to exercise my styling muscle and Florence got to do what she loves most, take exquisite photos!!! I have so many vintage props at my disposal from years of collecting that it's easy to create whimsical scenes for her to capture on camera, we have had lots of fun photo shoots in the past but this time was special.  This time Dulcie Green my little Ford Transit MK1 and the inspiration for my blog was to be the star of the show!! The theme of course was Vintage!!!! What else? Florence is an accomplished and talented photographer you can see more of her gorgeous work at http://fotographiebyflorence.blogspot.co.nz .