Yes, I'm back. Thought I'd be a-nattering a while ago but got those lazy bones, oh yes, busy days but those lazy blogging bones. Wore some of these the first week of January - there was all that snow and cold, and now it's green all over. Love that mix!
Well, here's the seven.
This is from the turn of the century, not 2000 but 1900 - actually around 1902. Isn't it lovely; it's become a favourite. I remember as a kid always looking for a four-leaf clover, for that little bit of extra luck and you would find them because as a kid you would be digging around the earth, looking at the goings-on in the grass and flowerbeds. I used to have one pressed in my wallet. Here's to the luck of the Irish.
Methinks this is a thrush of some sort - gray-cheeked, swainson's, hermit or wood - a robin is of the thrush family. My money's on the hermit. In "A Field Guide To The Birds" by Roger Tory Peterson he writes of the thrush family - "Often fine singers." - well, that's to the point.
"Walser House Pin" is what's on the card. A little tourist doo-dah. It's based on the windows in the Walser house that Wright designed in Chicago.
A friend found this in a secondhand shop; it's my first ark pin. And it's well suited. I love birds and the noble elephant is my fave animal. The Ark - well I get motion sick so I wouldn't have been one of the 2 redheads allowed on board.
Found this on a toot up North - well Renfrew County is north to me. I have a penchant for sprays of flowers brooches. I like muchly the etched metal and the pearly globes.
This is actually a tie pin but it sits prettily on a thick sweater - especially needed this winter. Can't you see the bird flying full tilt across the sky.
My friend Carol spent a few glorious weeks in Paris, in the Springtime - sigh! I gave her a request to find an Eiffel Tower pin of the ilk that I have dangling around my bedside lampshade. Alas, none to be found, but my intrepid friend found this one for me. Another interpretation of my favourite structure, and in shades of pink no less.
It's been toooooo cold and blustery to do snow angels. The snow is crispy, not ideal conditions. But inside, our home is Christmasy and bright. We leave up the tree and cedar and Christmas decorations til after our party which we always have close to Twelfth Night in January.
Hope your Christmas was Merry and Bright as Bing Crosby use to tootle. And may 2014 bring you much happiness.
Here's the last 3 brooches.
A new brooch addition from family up North. I'm routing for the mouse. He looks like he can get the better of the kitty. When our cats catch a mouse, it's a free for all, usually ending in us catching the mouse, and setting him free in the great outdoors - hopefully never to find his way back inside.
I wish more potters made brooches, I'd be buying them. Here is a fine example from Maine, from a dear friend who's Mom had a wonderful art and crafts store there. I love the soft colours and the crackle in the glaze. And the trees sit out from the background. Luv it.
I promised 365 brooches, and here is the last one - my favourite building, my favourite brooch. It's an old brooch. Bought it up North in Ontario decades ago; almost squealed with joy when I spied it. The cream isn't bone or ivory but a hard plastic of some sort, and it still has glimmers of blue in the background. It must have been a souvenir from Paris. I even like the pin style at the back of the brooch. It was difficult not wearing this brooch a few times through the year as I love it so. My Mom always said, "Heather, you don't love things, you love people," so my apologizes to my Mom.
This year has been quite a brooch journey for me. When it was looking like I was going to be a bit shy of the 365, friends made sure that I would make it.
So, thank you dear friends and family, for your generosity and your uniqueness in the gifting of brooches. Thanks to my husband for photographing and scanning them all so I could put them in this blog. He had particular favourites of my rug hooking wool to use as backgrounds. And to Carol, who usually wrote a comment, so I always knew someone was out there.
It's been great excavating my jewellery boxes and finding long forgotten gems. I have found brooches that I've forgotten about, and now that the jewellery boxes are empty, a little reorganization is in the works, so my faves will be all together. Don't worry, I won't forget the rest.
It's also been a challenge to blather about the brooches, about what's happening, about what I care about. Memories have resurfaced. I have to say I've had a blast!
And a BIG THANKS TO YOU! who have been with me; who supported me and continued to read this blog. I hope I've made some brooch fans out of some of you. Take that wee step and buy a brooch, or look in your jewellery box, there might be a few lurking there. I watched the Queen's Christmas message as we do every year. The Queen and I both wear brooches. Come and join the club.
I've been receiving and buying brooches for most of my 62 years. In fact, I received a new one last night from a trio of Bs. I will never stop prowling around second-hand stores, going to craft shows, enjoying the white elephant rooms at Church bazaars, lingering in antique stores, scanning through brooch pages on Etsy, looking for a brooch that catches my fancy.
This isn't the end of the blog, I will continue on when I get 7 more brooches and will post them on the 1st of a month. Come and take a boo on the first of each month, I might have 7 more. A friend wants me to send it to her email when I do the occasional posting. If you want me to send it to you, please email me.
I'll miss touching base with you through my brooches on a "weekly" basis. Thanks again for being on this journey with me.
Heather XO
