The Birding Life

One of the sure signs of Spring, is the return of the beautiful birds that inhabit our woods...

....although we have numerous Morning doves, I have never seen the likes of the beauties above...the photo, an uncredited source from Pinterest....

Birds, cages, aviaries...they all intrigue me, and I use these motifs from Nature in my home decor if I can, as well as outdoors in the garden...

....this is a plan I have for building a dovecote...sometime in the future...I think I can adapt it to work with a house we built for our last pup, Tukk...although he is gone his doggie abode is still in the garden...

It has weathered nicely, and the vintage tin roof tiles have acquired a very nice patina....Tukk, loved his house, and took to it as soon as we placed it in the garden...

...I think I can make this little "garden folly " work in my birding dreams !! My husband may have a different idea...he just isn't as interested as I am on this one!!

 

A few years ago, I was lucky to find this vintage aviary....and it has served another purpose...a white clematis, Huldine is winding it's way happily over it....

 

 

Birds, whether real, or otherwise, find their way to the garden....

 

Peonies, from last summer, sharing space with a rusted bird bath on my potting bench...

 

.....rusty birds.... patina in my garden....

....a weathered goose, standing watch over the lower terrace...

....a bird inspired vignette on the potting bench....

 

.....inspiring me indoors, as well...

 

 

.....a verdigris bird sconce on a small wall in the breakfast room....

 

These winged creatures of our world, are very inspirational to me...their birdsong I hear every morning during the spring and summer months, and can't help but make me feel happy and alive...

I just lugged a rather large, old birdcage in from the garden, and am planning on using it indoors to bring a touch of Spring to the house...it will fill the need to feather my nest whithin the next few weeks...

I hope that Spring will quicken it's pace, where ever you may be.....N.xo

For some fascinating reading, or just to soak up the beautiful photos, A Birding Life..A Passion for Birds..at Home and Afield authored by Larry and Carol Sheehan is available on Amazon..

 

Collections and obsessions, and a recurring theme..

 

Yes, you're stuck with me! Bed bound with a nasty upper respiratory, the only thing I can do is blog!!

I can't recall publishing more posts at one time in the entire history of the blog! I'm usually up and about, and into something either indoors or outside....and too busy to sit and post...but, with this downtime I've been cleaning up photo files and other computer issues...

I have noticed a recurring theme in my home decor and things that I love...the colours of the garden...predominantly the colour green.

Starting with my collection of green majolica...pieces I have acquired over time, and when it was still affordable...

Green and white are the predominant colours in my garden....it is a shade, woodland garden.

 

I'm not looking for perfection, just pieces that speak to me...most have imperfections, like small chips or grazing in the finish which make them more affordable. In the green majolica pitcher, below, the handle was broken and has been completely repaired...

I believe in displaying your treasures, and now with the new kitchen island, I am able to keep them in full view...

Mixing old and new pieces is something I always do...not a purist at heart...

I love the patterns of McKenzie Child's, their botanical motifs, I am drawn to, but I also like their pattern Harlequin, it works so well with most china pieces, with it's black and white checks it is a favourite design...

These dimunitive demi tasse cups, which I have collected, remind me of the peonies in my garden...

I believe, the example above, was hand painted....ladies, in the early part of the nineteenth century passed the time in such activities...

A photo, taken in my old kitchen, before the renovation...I miss it's coziness somewhat....

....again, colours from the garden are very evident...

This is the lower terrace of our garden in late Spring.....I take most, if not all my inspiration from my garden and the outdoors...

 

It is difficult not to think of warmer days spent gardening. Especially house bound this week, it is heartening to look at photos of the garden and be warmed by Mother Nature's perfect beauty both indoors and out....

N.xo

All photos are my own, except the quote is from Pinterest...

 

Weddings...from the Lane.

A groom's boutonnière, below....

I have never really shared my floral designs in one post, and unless you go back through my archived entries you may miss my real passion, flowers! From growing them in my garden to arranging them for a prospective client, it is something I never tire of...

I can spend hours on the tiniest detail, that probably only a handful of people would notice...

From the vintage containers, to the natural elements collected in our woods, like fallen branches and moss..

 

Here, vintage silver bride's baskets waiting to be filled, in the carriage house...where I do all the work....

 

 

I never tire of the possibilities....

I strive to bring every clients vision to a reality...

Whether formal, or not so much...

 

A very casual vineyard wedding...

...utilizing Mason jars and collected vintage glass....and rusty, garden ornaments...

...to shiny gold chiavari chairs and chocolate brocade...

I like to create tabletop vignettes, rather than just one solitary arrangement...

Ferraro Roche chocolates and chocolate dipped biscotti under bell jars, with deep red roses, made for a beautiful wedding colour board just prior to the holidays....

I also had custom, chocolate brown tablecloths made for this wedding...

 

I must never lose sight of my clients wishes, at the forefront of every project...

 

 

A mock up, presented to a bride, in my garden...

A bride's bouquet...

Working on a seasonal urn, this past fall...

 

...a birthday luncheon....

I loved making these nest centrepieces for my friend Susan, for the baby shower celebrating her first grandchild...

...little white chocolate enrobed shortbread bird cookies were the favours....

It was a little boy....

...above, a Marie Antoinette inspired mock up for a fund raiser luncheon...

 

I loved making these, but they proved too cost prohibitive...

....but, my most favourite thing to do, is arranging flowers from the garden, like peonies...

...and roses...

...and hydrangeas...

 

Upper most in my mind, always to bring beauty to the weddings and events I create....I strive to surpass my client's expectations with every commission...this summer our wedding assignments will be in full swing beginning in June...wedding month... I hope you enjoyed these photos of a few of my floral projects...

N.xo

 

Waterlogue...the app.

I just discovered Waterlogue...it is the most amazing thing! It will turn anyone of your photos into a water colour...

One of my garden photos...

A bridal bouquet from a summer wedding I did...

 

...and my table centrepiece for Valentine's Day earlier this month...

 

I am down with a wretched cold today and feeling a little better...

Well enough to play a bit, while I can!

N.xo