September 8 - September 14, 2013

Crappers, I just deleted my last post - I tried to right the upside down fish so it was right side upwards! I've tried everything to retrieve it - alas, it is lost. To those few who read it, please ignore this one blog or read on, see how well I do. I will blather again about the brooches, likely similar to my last lost blog, depending upon how good my short term memory is .....hmmmm. Let's see what I remember.

Here's deja-vu pour moi.

I bought this silver brooch at one of my favourite antique stores "Renaissance" on King Street in Toronto a long time ago. This store has been long gone but lives on for me in a few brooches, a bit of this, a bit of that, and a wonderful set of drawers.

I've made a number of these brooches in numerous colours and hues. I'm glad I kept this one - the colours turquoise and lime green make me happy. 

I like shiny things, it must be the magpie in me. This pretty snazzy bird is from a pretty snazzy friend.

I found this small Mountie pin lurking in a corner of my jewellery box. When I was a wee babe my "Baby Bowl" (written along the lip of the bowl) was a Mountie on a horse with Winnipeg Canada written below. I think this is what started my enamouredness with Mounties, don't you think? On the cork board just over my left shoulder as I type there is an old pennant with a Mountie (and of course his horse) on it from Dauphin Canada. I have no idea where that is but they made a fine pennant in their day.

I was recently given these little mice with the bendy tails. Methinks they are night-time critters with their shiny pink eyes and large alert ears (we have a house full of felines). It took me a while to decide which ways they would run on my shoulder. I think next time I wear them they will be running out of a pocket.

This is a large brooch, likely looking to grace a coat or jacket.  For some reason unbeknowst to me, I like to keep the same brooch on a coat until the coat is on its last legs. But I couldn't resist this one. I like the homemade quality of it, the imperfections and the rightness. 

When I bought this, I couldn't tell whether it was old or newish. Now it is old since I've worn it for decades. Love the fronds climbing up the right side. Always wondered if the glass "berries" were added on at a later date. It's a fave of mine.

September 1 - September 7, 2013

Even though my school days have long since past, the beginning of September brings with it a flood of first day of school memories - the excitement and the terror of it all. Everyone is reunited, friendships reforged, the simmering early days of crushes, the dreaded teachers and the beloved ones.
Here's a week of brooches.

I love my travelling buddies. This was brought back from one of my favourite places. When we went to Paris, we climbed all 3 of these buildings -  Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame. We call them our vertical holidays.

Friends of mine go every year to the Pembroke Fiddle and Step Dance Contest held on the Labour Day Weekend hence the wearing of this pin. One year a group of us went to the Shelbourne equivalent. Seven of the eight of us slept in the van, and one under it. People were surprised to say the least when we all tumbled out of the van in the morning. By the way, if you ever get a chance, go and see the wonderful fiddlers and dancers, it will make your heart happy and your feet do a tap or two.

A brooch from a London England toot. I think the image is made from bits of wood fibre, bamboo.......The price sticker is still on the back - a steal at 4 pounds.

I laughed and laughed when I received this brooch - great gift. I'm a proofreader. But please ignore any spelling/grammatical errors in this blog - this blog ain't work!

Wore this at the first meeting of my Rug Hooking guild for the year. A few of us used to go every Monday night to our teacher Nancy's in Princeton where we would hook, and laugh. She taught us how to make this strawberry brooch. Miss you Nancy!

During my years as a step dancer we performed at many folk festivals and had the great good fortune to be paired up with wonderful musicians. We were a group of 4 women called The Mulligan Dancers - we named ourselves after our teacher and friend Alex Mulligan who bravely took on the job of teaching us when we were in our twenties. This brooch reminds me of the 5 handsome fiddlers from Sweden who we performed with on one occasion. Very nummy!

This elephant head looks a bit like it has "Wiener" (Daschund) dog ears. Now that would be an interesting cross breed.

August 25 - August 31, 2013

I have to admit, I thought the Morning Glories were toast this year as not a bud was to be seen. But happy days, they are blooming in profusion and it makes my heart glad. When I was a teenager at camp my Mom would send me postcards with a tally of how many daily were in bloom along the backyard fence. The highest bloom day was over a hundred. I can't believe she took the time to count them, but she knew of my passion. I couldn't have asked for a better Mom.

Another picture brooch of the lovely fountain situated near the end of Boulevard Saint Michel looking up towards the Jardin du Luxembourg in the far distance. Tres magnifique!

When I left my old job in Toronto, a friend made me a brooch with my beloved Eiffel Tower on it (you will see it in a later blog),............... and this one. I'm not keen on masks and this one is a little spooky don't you think???? but it was kind of him to give it to me anyway. When I wore it to my current workplace more than a few eyebrows were raised. You would think they would be used to my brooches by now.

I have 2 of these portrait kitties. Bought them decades ago in London England from a store called Katz. There is something about enamelled brooches that are so appealing. Wish I had bought more. As a side note. I lost the 3rd brooch also decades ago - if you see a brooch that's heart-shaped, with a white cat face on it with blue eyes and 1 of the blue eyes has "exploded", that's my lost lamented brooch.

Love this funky ceramic fish. I think he could tell a good fish story or two as he looks like he's lived an interesting life.

Look you cry, another Toulon pin. When I like something, I really like it. I find this so beautiful, the lovely detail.

I had to make sure that I wore my last CGIT pin in August. When I was a teenager my CGIT camp days were in August at Ryde Lake Camp near Gravenhurst. It was and no doubt still is a beautiful spot. My young life at camp was full to the brim. One of my favourite places was a quiet spot that was set aside for contemplation and for sermons - Alma held lovely sermons/talks. I will never forget the intense peace and quiet; sitting on logs or large flat rocks; facing the setting sun over the water and the long fingers of shadow among the trees. Such places hold a time and memory in my heart.

I was thrilled to receive this pin as it reminded me of happy times in the Food Building at the CNE in Toronto as a kid. You were fed royally for free. I still have miniature (about an inch high) glass Coca-Cola bottles, no, not filled, that were given out along with a ton of other advertising "stuff". I wore this to the Paris Fair as a nod to past times.

August 18 - August 24, 2013

At last, the little green tomatoes are turning red - it's the beginning of the cherry tomato explosion. 
There is an huge Black Walnut tree that overhangs our backyard. It is a home to a variety of living things and because of its great height, the birds like to twitter and sing away in its uppermost branches. It's a wonderful tree. Why the abrupt segue from tomato to tree? Anything from the Nightshade Family cannot grow with a Black Walnut, which means tomatoes etc. Hence, we have "the driveway garden". Pots are lined up along the driveway against the house - herbs, basil, tomatoes, basking in the afternoon sun. Num!
Here's another week of brooches.

I like receiving brooches out of the blue, for no reason. It's always thoughtful.
Now, wouldn't it be wonderful if sheep came in a rainbow of colours? 

Turquoise and silver - lovely combo. A nice substantial brooch.

Wore this pin today because tickets for FIFA 2014 are now on sale. A few years back a friend had a mitt-full of team pins - I chose this because I liked the colour and design. I like soccer but don't follow it - my husband is a big fan - his team is Barcelona because "they are a pleasure to watch". Translation - they play tres bene.

Here's the last of my tin pins that were made in Japan (as marked on wing). Haven't seen as many dragonflies flitting around the garden this year as previous. Hope for a bumper crop in 2014.

I found this pin amongst some funny jewellery my Mom gave me years ago. Don't know its providence, don't know if they are moonstones, but I love the soft moony glow anyway. I even like the unusual shape.

This is one of my favourite brooches. Such an elegant shape and the green tops of the onions are pliable and soft to the touch - love it!
Here's a little story. My husband's Mom grew up in Montreal. When she was nineteen or so, back in the late 1930s she was a hat model. She was taken out to lunch to some fancy restaurant with some execs, and she wanted to appear grownup and worldly, so for an hors d'oeuvre she ordered scallions, thinking she had ordered scallops. And of course, when the scallions came on a little plate, she ate them with great elan, never hinting of her mistake. 

I seem to have a barn-full of cat pins. This one is pleasing to the touch since it follows the contours of the kitty, and it's so true to the nature of cats. When I'm rug hooking, if there's any wool unprotected you'll either find a cat firmly ensconced on it or if it's a ball of fibre, it's wet since it has been mauled when I wasn't looking.