Signature Pieces

I write not here for beauty, I write not here for fame

I write to be remembered, so here I write my name.

The Autograph Book

Is there anything more precious than friendship? 

In the past friendship was highly regarded and typically autograph books or friendship albums were started by school girls as keepsakes.   In the Victorian era they were kept by young middle class woman. These books housed poetry, prose, pressed flowers as well as signature souvenirs  from close friends.   The tradition was passed down from generation to generation and has evolved, yet today they still captivate our imaginations. 

 "Yours till the ocean peeks to see the salad dressing" 

 

 These treasure filled albums held meaningful memories of   favourable friendships, places we lived, people who may of influenced us and a few who we don’t even remember now.  Signatures and verses added a magical touch of whimsy.  Friends, both old and new were encouraged to pen the perfect words to express their feelings.   Most would just sign their name, while others copied their favourite verse.   Friendship albums or autograph books are a rare find today.  Antique autograph books are found at estate sales.   Some of them fetching hundreds of dollars. 

"Like many, trust few...Always paddle your own canoe" 

While we modern men and woman may not pen our lives for future generations in a friendship album, many of us record and write about love, losses, travels and our life's journey through journal entries, photo stories in scrapbooks and of course creating a blog. With just a simple click of a mouse we can open the door to our very own virtual keepsake album. We can continue the tradition by leaving a signature piece of our own.

My Autograph Books 1962 - 1968

When I was about 8 years old, I received my first autograph book. I think it was one of my favourite gifts. However, I’m pretty sure people got tired of me asking, “Won’t you sign my autograph book, please .” I still have my two childhood autograph books. They are filled with verses and signatures from school classmates, friends, teachers and relatives . When I read through the entries from long ago, it evokes sweet long forgotten memories. So to answer the question. “Is there anything more precious than friendship?” I believe my answer would have to be, absolutely not.

It tickles me...It makes me laugh...To think you want my autograph"

I now feel I have a virtual autograph book in the form of my Blog. 
So why not try writing your own verse or call one up from memory.  
Come on…Would love for you to leave one on my comments...

So, for old times sake,

Will you sign my autograph book, please?

 

Porch Portraits

“Close your eyes, listen for a second

Relax in the moment as the summer porch beckons

Bright and fresh, as a cool breeze caress

A summer-morn porch, so easy to acquiesce

An invitation to reminisce

How could this ever be anything but bliss.” 

~ Helena White 

Join me on the porch and sit awhile

This is the time of year to wander outside, find a seat and just sit.

Everyone needs a safe haven and for me in the summer, my front porch is my

retreat from the busyness of the world, especially early morning and at dust.

A front porch is a gathering place.  It's a neighbourly place. 

Private enough if what you're after is a leisurely Sunday afternoon with a 

good book and public enough for a freindly chat with the dog walkers

 and neighbours who stroll past.

 A front porch is like a front row in the neighbourhood

I was of the belief that porch sitting was a lost art.  Since moving here, hanging 

out on porch  is a wonderful way to connect with friends and family to find out how 

their day went or calling an informal hello to our neighbors.

 

We can  enjoy this simple pleasure, morning, afternoon or evening,

while watching life unfold from the comfort of our own front porch. 

 

Come along with me,

 I'll meet you on the porch for tea!

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❤ (ྀ ❤
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It's “The Where Bloggers Create Party”

Welcome to My Studio and Sewing Room

 It feels like home with unexpected friends…

This is my first time attending the “Where Bloggers Create Party” and I have been anticipating this get-together all year and I am especially looking forward to visiting everyone's creative spaces.  I feel pretty grateful this year as I have new furniture for my studio office and a brand new separate sewing room. Can you say spoiled? My wonderful husband certainly can? lol! A special thank you goes out to Karen Valentine  from over at My Desert Cottage for hosting such an amazing, fun party. 

Welcome to My Studio Office

My New Furniture

Love my HP TouchSmart computer

This light fixture is has been around It has been in our dining, kitchen, quest bedroom and now my Studio. The wicker chair was a gift from my Mother…It has as many different looks as there is fabric… 

Black 12 x 12 frames from Michaels  ~ For now I just framed pretty papers

I know it looks pretty neat and tidy, just give me  sometime  lol! I’m still in the honeymoon stage.

This is my old desk, which I still love and use for writing, mail and sometimes scrapbooking

My favourite chair to curl up in.  I enjoy my first hot cup of tea of the morning here, while I gather paper and pen and scribble down whatever my musings might manifest.

I found the little teapot handled storage cabinet in a local Shoppe, where it stored a variety of teas…they were discontinuing the tea and had no idea what to do with the little cabinet…humm….It now holds, my business cards, stamps, address labels etc…The cushions are two of my Memory Box Creations ~  “Tender Heart Pillows”

❤

My new Sewing and Craft  Room ~ Can you see me smiling?

My space is an out-in-the-open airy area in our basement.  We carved out an 8’ X 16’corner in our basement just for me to play to my hearts content.  I wanted a half wall and full open wall, so as not to feel claustrophobic. Each of my craft spaces are inspired by childhood memories or what I call  “Heart Treasures.” Those wonderful memories that stay with us all the way into adulthood.  I enjoy being surrounded with the things I love , things that evoke all good memories, which include keepsakes passed down from my mother and grandmothers, to vintage finds, as well as my own childhood toys and trinkets that somehow endured the many years of play by my siblings and myself.

Pictured here is my childhood vintage iron, a sock darner, and my vintage doll , a gift brought back from Hawaii by my uncle.

  A Dresser makes for great storage, housing patterns, scrapbook papers, photos, fabric, lace…

My favourite ivory cabinet holds books and fabric. This was a great find at a discounted warehouse sale. One leg needed repairing, which my hubby did.

 Gotta Love Crystal!  The perfume bottle center stage was my paternal Grandmothers.

One of my cute fully jointed lovingly handmade Teddy Bears.

The bulletin board above my desk was pretty plain until I had it framed at Michaels during their 50% off sale. It’s pretty empty for now, but it won’t take long to turn it into a vision board.

I prefer to keep most of my items behind closed doors.  I have a large closet type room down the hall where all my stash is. Trust me you’re not missing anything. 

Bookcase to hold fabric and glass jars filled with buttons, lace, stamps and ribbons.

Ribbons and lace and buttons oh my!

My Sewing Machine…Okay, I don’t really sew on a lace covered table, but it looks so pretty doesn’t it? lol!

Close up of my childhood doll

I found this used farmhouse style kitchen island at another local Shoppe. It is the perfect height for cutting fabric.  Also I re-purposed my kitchen Bar stools, which are perfect for sitting and scrapbooking. It has tons of storage. A recipe card holder is going to be re-purposed to hold pictures of my creations.  I just found the black wire two tiered holder…now what to use it for?

Button, Button, Who’s Got The Button? When I was a little girl, my Mom taught me how to sew on buttons, by having me practice sewing beautiful buttons onto the cardboard that was used to package silk nylons. I loved my button cards!

This very special bear is one of a set of twins that I made for a bereaved parent, using a piece of clothing of their loved one to create a one of a kind keepsake.

The ivory lace bear was one of the first bears I made out of my daughters graduation dress to safe guard her memory, which lead me to create other keepsake mementos for other bereaved parents who have lost a child.

And last but not least,  I have to share my paternal Grandmothers parlour chair. It was covered covered in pink damask, which was gorgeous in its day. I recall her entire dining room suite matched along with a settee and matching chair. It has earned a place in my sewing room, offering a place to display pillows and bears, now covered in black leather. 

Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour? I want to thank you all for taking the time to visit and I look forward to mingling with all the quests at the party in hopes of meeting some new friends. Party on!

❤

It has been a joy to be apart of  “Where Bloggers Create” Hosted by Karen Valentine.  Be sure to visit Karen’s beautiful blog, My Desert Cottage where the full list of all the party goers in the 4th annual Where Bloggers Create 2012 blog party and enjoy!

❤

Oh Canada!

It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she's something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that you are a part of.
- Emily Carr  

Canada Day Celebration 
viewed from our backyard deck.

“Happy Canada Day 
from our house to yours”

Oh Canada!