Showing posts with label Instagram. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Instagram. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Wednesday late night post...


~ Antique Porcelain Bowl ~

I have had this antique bowl for many years.
I purchased it from a thrift shop.
I was drawn to its' "staples"
obviously an early repair.

I often wonder where this bowl came from?
Who owned it?
Why was it repaired and not just thrown away when it cracked?
If this bowl could tell its' history...
what might it be?


Looking at this bowl got me thinking...
so
I wrote this post on Instagram...



I've been busy this week...
dinner for the family, aqua fit classes, writing lists of things to do before Christmas.
Writing Christmas gift lists, buying cards and stamps.


I started polishing all the silverware.
Trays, candle sticks, the tea service, pedestals, bowls.
I still have a few pieces to do...
the champagne ice buckets, a baby rattle, some trophies.

I use Hagerty silver polish and Twinkle polish.
They both work well.
It is a time consuming job but is immediately rewarding.
The shine is like a smile.

I've been knitting and reading too...


I started this book Run by Anne Patchett.
I really enjoy her books, and after just one chapter I am already hooked!

I'll be sending Christmas cards out soon...
baking some shortbread cookies 
making my favourite spiced nuts which make nice hostess gifts, 
and of course the pork tourtieres.

~ Spiced Nuts ~
2 cups almonds
2 cups walnuts
2 cups pecans
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp allspice
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp ginger
2 egg  whites
3 tbsp water

Sprinkle nuts with sugar and spices.
Beat egg whites and water.
Mix into nuts and spice mixture and spread on a buttered baking sheet.
Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour stir occasionally.
Cool
Place into glass containers for gifts.
Add a ribbon and some greenery and a dried orange slice.

Hope that you enjoy these nuts!
Well I'll close for now as it is past my bedtime...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Seeking Snowdrops ~ Shopping ~ and other things happening in The Humble Bungalow this week.


Snowdrops are poking up through the soil here in The Humble Bungalow Garden!

I am in search of some new varieties...
Those that I particularly seek are the Double Snowdrops and Everest.

My husband and I are planning a trip soon to Salt Spring Island 
where we will visit a nursery that sells rare and unusual plants.

I have heard that they may have some snowdrops in pots.


Tencel has been the softest way to add a denim look to my wardrobe.
I love the feel of it next to my skin and the way it drapes is so effortless.


This top has a "BoHo" vibe
the pintucks and woven accents remind me of tops that I wore in the 1970's
we called them peasant tops...


Love the elastic detail at the wrists...
very easy to push up the sleeves when cooking!
Really like the frayed hem on the bottom...
many of you wear ripped jeans but I cannot bring myself to buy or wear them.
(Mom's fashion advice and voice is still loud and clear in my head!)
this ragged edging is a vibe that I can abide.

I found this top at Marshalls for $40

I also bought a pair of black capri Yoga pants as my older ones were faded.
My exercise regime includes Yoga and now some Pilates and weights.


The weights were at the thrift shop on Pender.
I will be working up to heavier ones as I get stronger.
I am going to keep my eyes open for heavier ones at the local thrift shops.

One of the reasons that I decided to add weights is that Mom had osteoporosis...
when she passed away at almost 90, she had 4 fractured vertebrae in her back.
They were very very painful and she suffered quite a bit.

I have osteopenia, which usually progresses to osteoporosis.
Weights can build bone mass as well as toning arms.
I have been working out watching weight training pilates videos on You Tube.
There are so many free sites which makes it easy to add them to my routine.

Do you use weights?


These dark mornings will be replaced by lighter ones very soon.
Spring is not that far off...
snowdrops, hellebores, crocus are blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.
Daffodils are not far off!

Well I must close for now and get some dinner started...
am making a new recipe that I saw on Instagram
 ~ Mezzeta ~

One Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs

I have never tried to make a one pan dish like this so I am hoping it works out!

until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

A symphony in blue and white and the May box from My Stylish French Country Box!

Do you love the classic combination of blue and white?


I particularly love blue and white porcelain and dishes...


The bowls are made by a local potter by the name of Harumi Ota.
The wee whimsical footed vessel is by local artist Robert Amos.






Sweet tumbling bunnies 





The writing on the pot says...

"Flick as flowflakes, litters from aloft."

I have a few other pieces with blue and white...
a transfer ware patterned tray and a vase.

Sharon Santoni's Intsagram post popped up 
and
 My Stylish French Country Box
telling followers that the May delivery box theme is blue and white!

It should be a very elegant box...
now I am dreaming of a symphony of blue and white! 

To order a box click this link...
you'll be glad that you did!

Cheerio for now...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, May 9, 2016

Hermes Scarf and Pyrrha Necklace ~ A Silent Auction fund raiser for Fort McMurray victims...

In my previous post I mentioned that my daughter Jennifer and I were going to be putting together a fundraiser to help the people from the town of Fort McMurray...we are ready and the auction is live!

Darling daughter has put together the silent auction post on her Instagram feed @thing _finder
and she is ready to accept bids by private message on these two lovely items. I donated the silk Hermes scarf which is made in Paris and she added the Pyrrha necklace which is made in Vancouver BC.



Fort McMurray is a town in Alberta where a wildfire has been burning for days. 88,000 people have fled, many with just the clothes on their backs and are currently living in camps or have joined family and friends elsewhere. Many homes burnt to the ground as well as buildings in the city.

After watching the news I have not been able to get the images out of my mind...so many people have been affected by the fire and the scale of the destruction is huge. I had just made a donation to The Red Cross and now I felt that I needed to do more to help.

Thank you...

                                ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Garden daze...and a plea for help.

This unseasonably warm weather continues to be sunny and the garden is putting on quite the splashy show.


We have several different varieties of clematis in The Humble Bungalow Garden.



Incredibly lush blooms on this clematis which is only a few years old.
I think it might be Clematis Jackmanii.



Our Pink Lewisia Cotyledon grows in a pot in the garden outside the back door.
It puts on a lovely display for most of the summer and asks very little except for the occasional drink of water and a sheltered spot out of the wind.


The  McCartney rose seems happy and is incredibly fragrant...
perfect for picking and bringing inside the Humble Bungalow.


The Rothschildianum Azalea was beautiful but sadly the deer have eaten most of the flowers.
I have suggested to Mr. HB that we look into erecting some fencing out in the front yard!

I observed the doe munching happily on these flowers and thought well...
she is probably expecting fawns and needs a sweet treat.
And Today Is Mother's Day!


Joesph's Coat of Many Colours climbing rose


Madame Gregoire Staechelin climber


closer look at Madame
her flowers are drooping and heavy as she is fully laden with buds and blooms


alliums


The bees love these...

On our Instagram feed 
Darling Daughter  @thing_finder and I are putting together a silent auction to help raise funds for more than 88,000 people who live in Fort McMurray Alberta who have had to flee their homes because of a fast moving wild fire...
It is horrific to think that many of these people had to leave their homes 
and left with nothing but the clothes on their back...many driving through flames and heat to escape.
The news is very graphic and scary that I fear that many will be traumatized.


I purchased this scarf new from the Vancouver Hermes shop and have the wee booklet and original box that it came in...
it is a white with grey 
a very "painterly" scarf 
 is so neutral that I feel anyone could wear it

you could buy this scarf and help someone in need.


I am offering my 2012 Hermes silk scarf and our darling daughter is offering a Pyrrha necklace
we both hope that you will help us raise funds for the people of Fort McMurray.
The Canadian government will match all the donations received...
so let's do our bit.
Please help.


So please stay tuned for details of the auction.

Hope all the Mother's out there had a great day!


~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Fabulous Finds

Darling daughter has an incredible gift for finding things...
she recently found me a couple of fabulous finds.

On Instagram she is known as thingfinder and she has an Etsy shop thethingfinders.

She works hard at finding things...
regularly frequenting the shops and antique dealers in town.
Her knowledge of jewelry, antiques and collectibles is vast...
I am in awe of her skills.

She knows a bargain and here are two of her latest finds
which she sold to me for a song.


Vintage leather Fossil bag in mint condition.

Cross Body bags are the only bags for me now
as I am not supposed to carry heavy handbags anymore.
"Doctor's orders"


A leather wallet, also in mint condition,
please look closer...


Kate Spade


gold lettering
immaculate even stitching
soft supple leather


polka dots


luxurious 
a quality piece in every way


lots of compartments 
plenty of room for money and cards


looks great with pearls


 a classic watch


or a silk scarf...

These two leather pieces will be so useful.

There is ample room in my closet now as I recently consigned all my big bags.
I took a bag of clothes that "I fell out of love with" to the charity shop.
There's a piece of vintage Navajo turquoise en route to my house from a dealer in the States.
I plan to wear it with my thrifted crisp white shirt and faded blue jean jacket 
for Spring and Summer.
Can hardly wait for it to arrive!


Garance has a list of her favourite things in this gem of a book.
I hope you plan to read it if you have not yet done so...
she is a breath of fresh air.

Have you happened upon any Fabulous Finds?

Thursday, January 28, 2016

The writing on the wall...perhaps?

Something rather disconcerting is happening here on the blog...
while several thousand readers pop by daily to read The Humble Bungalow posts,
the number of followers on Google Friend have recently decreased...
not by too many but enough that I noticed...and am curious.
So the question in my mind is WHY?

Here are a few of my thoughts...
~ The Hostess has been here for too long and has overstayed her welcome ~
~ the writing is dull ~
~ there is nothing of value for readers ~
~ your lives are busy ~
~ Paris dreams and travel was an exciting time and now a distant memory ~
~ since retiring my life has become fairly routine, it is quiet, simple and I am content ~
~ I have very little to share that you find of interest ~

So I am going to take a break...
I will be posting on Instagram if you care to pop over there...click on the pretty hydrangeas on the side bar and the link will take you to my page.

Yesterday was a whirlwind of activity
packed a lot into a weekday morning and afternoon.
Full to the brim with new things and above all ~ it was FUN!


I did something that I have never done before...
I had a professional make up application.

This is the "after" picture
at the Spa where I had a "makeover."

I am wearing more make up than I usually do.
The gal at the Spa used various Jane Iredale products...
primer was new to me and she used just a little and it covered my entire face.
Apparently it creates a base for all the other products.

Powder, eye shadow, blush, mascara, lipstick followed...

The results were quite startling, 
it was me under all those products...
my complexion looked even
my eyes stood out more
my brows looked fuller
it does feel like a lot of fuss and bother.
I like to keep things quick and easy 
~ Simple ~


I purchased two products that I was ready to replace...
powdered foundation and eye shadow.
The powder is in Satin and the eye shadow is called Supernova.
Lovely containers and all Jane's products are mineral based and safe.


Earlier in the day I went to the Tillicum Winners Store.
You can see my skin naked "before make up" here while I was shopping.
I do look a bit anemic without make up!


I bought a coral knit layering piece
not quite a jacket or a cardigan
something in between.
(very reasonably priced)


and this top
I have been craving colour.
(another bargain)


A light cross body bag was suggested by my doctor 
who recently diagnosed me with "supraspinatus tendonitis" 
a very painful condition that has reduced the mobility of my arm and shoulder.

I need to go to physiotherapy, do specific exercises, generally try to rest the arm and shoulder
 and if that fails to bring relief he will order a cortisone shot.

 He has advised me to stop carrying heavy things...
like purses and grocery bags.


I needed new boots and these were on sale.
Clarks, comfy and somewhat stylish...
will wear them with jeans, pants, skirts and tights. 
I wear boots almost every day and the Clarks that I bought last year are showing signs of wear on the soles, so before they fall apart I pounced on a new pair.

I did not overspend
everything I purchased was reasonably priced 
and having been very frugal lately I felt no guilt whatsoever.


This pretty pink rose bloom caught my eye on my walk...
this bud will open in the warm sunshine someday soon.

Heralding that Spring must be just around the corner.
Bring on the sunshine and roses!

As always I welcome your thoughts and comments.
Hostess