Bel Paese

After a little absence of two weeks, returning home from Italy, I decided to write a short personal post.

Normally, I prefer to keep it more of a professional blog rather than a personal one, but I came away from this visit to Italy where I was born with a bitter sweet feeling of sadness as well as happiness.

The two alabaster busts in this photo remind me of my sister and I when we were young. I just had to purchase them at a recent auction, and I am happy to say, they went for a song.

We went to Italy together, with our cousin, who is like our sister.

Our little village where we were born off in the distance, as seen through the leaves of the beautiful olive trees which dot the landscape everywhere.

Our family's property in the foreground as it appears today.Meticulous rows of well tended vines, and those gorgeous cypress trees.

My Mom left for Canada with the two of us to meet our father. The voyage took ten days by ship. I was two years old and my sister Micki was only two months old. She left with only a suitcase, filled with our belongings and a few of her mother's cooking utensils, alone with two little ones.

 

This is our maternal grandmother's house as it appears today, totally abondoned and boarded up.

Look at the beautiful door surround.  It must have been lovely in its day.

A fig tree brimming with fruit, has grown haphazardly out of what used to be the stable. The figs were so sweet and delicious and tasted like honey.

The bell tower of our church, Chiesa di San Martino.

The beautiful stone work and reliefs were still in perfect condition after both wars, and several earthquakes.

 

The old balcony on the house where we were born. I could picture my Mom

standing up there and chatting with her neighbours. 

Our street was called Vico Forno Vecchio, because it was the street of the local village bakery, which was run by our maternal grandfather.

A house similar to ours as it would be restored today. 

This sweet unknown couple, standing together and looking over the Arno in Florence evoked memories of my own parents as they too might have done.  My parents never did revist their homeland together, but this photo opportunity that was presented to me did suffice. I know they would be happy that I had come home to visit.

Bel Paese....beautiful village!

Angels among us.

Prior to ten years ago, today's date was just another day, however for me it held a very special significance.

But today, for all of us the date will be infamous and for so many, bring back memories of sorrow and especially loss.

It was a day that we will all remember where we were, or what we were doing. I was in Lisbon, with my husband, and feeling so far away from home at that moment.

All I wanted to do was be with my sons.

I remember thinking about their safety and that of my Mom's.

Suddenly all the people who were important to me became more vulnerable and fragile.

September 11th brings back all the losses.

...every one of them.

But for me, it is a very special day, my anniversary. I will always think of it with much happiness.

The shadow cast over it ten years ago will always be there, but I will focus on all the happy memories, like we all must when something is lost to us.

A Romantic Country Wedding

Many of the beautiful lakefront wineries bordering Lake Ontario have become favourite venues

for city brides.This particularily blustery day was witness to such an event, the romantic lakefront wedding of Allison and Phil 

Allison was a very hands on bride, and was also very specific about what she envisioned for her special day, flowers as if hand picked from the garden, in a loose uncontrived way and

an English garden romantic feel to the event.

Her bouquet echoed these sentiments perfectly with astilbe, old fashioned full blown garden roses, that resembled peonies and lisianthus and euphorbia.

A collection of vintage cut glass, and simple Mason jars to hold the arrangements catch the late afternoon sun.

A vintage torchiere was arranged with a loose collection of the same flowers for the outdoor ceremony which was held in the middle of the vineyard.

The bride with the help of her mother provided the hand crochet linens and tiny jars of homemade preserves which were gifted to each one of her guests. Everything was thought of with great care and love.

The attendants soft grey dresses were beautiful against the subdued hues of their

bouquets.

 

Like a Wuthering Heights scene against the stormy sky of Lake Ontario, this romantic event was perfectly captured as imagined by a discerning bride and groom. It was a pleasure for me to participate. 

Wedding Inspiration

Often, someone will ask me where I get the inspiration or idea for a wedding set up or other project which I have taken on.

I honestly cannot answer that most times, because I draw it from everything around me. Mostly however, I am inspired by Nature, which I am fortunately surrounded by everyday, by having been given stewardship of this place that I call Acorn Lane.

Colours and textures.

..which result in the creation of little mini scapes of what I see.

A grooms boutonniere.

...or a delicate wristlet.

Wedding bouquets waiting to be received.

Ceremony flowers with the added branches from a fallen tree which will be placed on the white pillars.  They were arranged in vintage silver punch bowls. The element of rough with luxe is always a winning one!

An all white colour scheme with silver.

Pewter table linens and an all ruffles white chocolate cake from Criveller, the ultimate confections.

Some florals were arranged in vintage silver champagne buckets with tall branches added.

Still more flowers will be added to this tablescape as well as lit votives.

A special thank you for each guest, white chocolate dipped biscotti from M.A.M. gourmet, a treat made in heaven!

Inspiration from a fallen tree, covered in moss and lichens re imagined into wedding florals for

a new client.

I will post more photos of this wedding soon.