18th Century Paper Cut Flower by Mary Delaney

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Cut paper collage by Mary Delaney, English, 1700-1788. She began making these lovely intricate paper flowers when she was 70. It's never too late to start being awesome, is it? xo
Be sure to click on the link with her name -- her biography is fascinating reading!

Still Life Saturday

Still life with raspberries and cherries
Eloise Harriet Stannard (English 1829-1915)
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Still life at my kitchen sink.
Posted on Instagram here.
*Baby pilea plant.
*Antique opera glasses for looking out my kitchen window in style.
*Antique porcelain funnel.
*Old one-cup porcelain coffee filter.
*Happy Easter rabbit dish picked up at a resale shop.

Happy Saturday and have a great weekend. xo

Double Hearts on Pen and Ink 18thC Family Record

I have this framed family record on a wall in my living room that never gets any sunlight. Sorry about my reflection in the glass. It is hand lettered with pen and ink and the calligraphy is beautiful. Every line is hand drawn.

I especially love the double hearts with the word together in the center. This is the perfect post for Valentine's Day.

Hello, December

Last December I published a red copy of December page from The Procession of the Months by Walter Crane. It seems like yesterday. I worked outside chopping down tall weeds with my electric hedge trimmers and cleared quite a lot of lawn. It felt good to be outside. This was my third day in a row doing such. Today it's much colder and there is a freezing rain that could turn to snow later. I unearthed my snow shovels yesterday too. Enjoy what's left of the first day of December 2019. xo

The Garden Path by Frits Thaulow

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Frits Thaulow (Norwegian, 1847-1906), A Garden Path. Oil on canvas. This artist is new to me and I adore this painting. Click to enlarge.

Roger Rabbit Wearing A Sweater

It's jumper weather at my house too only we call them sweaters in America. via

Unseen Beatrix Potter drawings found inside books at Melford Hall Suffolk

Hooray for the cleaning lady who discovered these unseen drawings while she was dusting the books at Melford Hall, a stately mansion in Suffolk England. The delicate drawings depict scenes inside and outside Melford Hall, a Tudor mansion owned by relatives of Potter, whom she visited often between 1899 and 1938. Potter and her cousin Ethel Leech were very close, growing up together in Kensington. After Leech married Reverend Sir William Hyde Parker in 1890, Potter would often stay with her at Melford Hall. Read the entire article here. Old books hide many secrets, don't they? xo

Blue Beets Textile Design

I adore this fabric. I can think of a thousand places I could use these blue beets in my cottage. Have a great weekend! via 

Mushroom Studio: At The Toronto Sculpture Garden

Art Studio of Katie Bethune-Leaman commissioned by The Toronto Sculpture Garden. See another photo and read more about this delightful fairy-tale structure here.

August 1st + Two Legal Drama Movies

August is a month to try to enjoy in spite of the heat because once September rolls around the rest of the year flies by.

I enjoy legal dramas and two that I have enjoyed on Kanopy are shown below.

Emma Thompson is wonderful. View movie trailer here. I loved the interior design of her London apartment too.

This movie is based on a true story and the legal trial takes place in England. 

Based on the acclaimed bookDenial: Holocaust History on Trial, DENIAL recounts Deborah E. Lipstadt’s (Academy Award® winner Rachel Weisz) legal battle for historical truth against David Irving (BAFTA nominee Timothy Spall), who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier. In the English legal system, in cases of libel, the burden of proof is on the defendant, therefore it was up to Lipstadt and her legal team, led by Richard Rampton (Academy Award® nominee Tom Wilkinson), to prove the essential truth that the Holocaust occurred. View video movie clips here.

Delightful Cat Painting at Christie's

Noted for her paintings of cats and dogs, artist Henriette Ronner-Knip lived surrounded by her favourite subjects who played and watched on as she worked.⠀

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Henriette Ronner-Knip (1821-1909), 'Kittens at Play' (detail). Estimate: £12,000-18,000.

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British & European Art: European Art – 11 July at Christie's London.

I love the colorful needlework on the stool mama cat is curled upon, keeping watch on her little ones. The geranium in the clay pot is pretty wonderful too. Found on Instagram.⠀

July is here. Let the summer begin.

Happy first day of July.

The year's half over.

Hello June

I wanted to post this wonderful 19C. illustration and poem on time. Happy first day of June.

Old Photos from My Phone

I have no idea where this photograph came from but I loved it and saved it to my phone. I think this cottage is the ideal size and the construction materials are ones that will last several lifetimes. Isn't the chimney fabulous?

I don't know the source of this photo either but I loved the wattle fencing at the time and still do. Isn't this walled garden beautiful. 

I love this childhood oil on canvas portrait of a friend of mine with her cat. I photographed it when her house was for sale. She still has the same face. I didn't get her permission to post it online but I don't think she will mind. Isn't the embroidered name on the sash of her pinafore wonderful? She surely must have been an adored child.

I woke up this morning to a little shower but the sun is out now. Good weather for the seeds I planted yesterday. Have a lovely Sunday. xo

Warming Up in Badger's Kitchen by Chris Dunn

Click on photo to enlarge. via

I love the way Badger has decorated his country kitchen. He looks like the perfect host too.

Merry May by Walter Crane

I am a few days welcoming May. So far, she's has been chilly and rainy. I heard on the news this morning that in the past 20 days, 16 of them had rain. I have had to mow earlier and more frequently this spring than in any other. An illustration from: The procession of the months: the verses by Beatrice Crane; the designs by Walter Crane, [1889]. via Houghton Library at Harvard.

Rabbit with Peonies

"My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth's loveliness." Michelangelo

The Wonderful Artist: Koo Schandler's Homepage

The peonies here at my cottage are standing tall but have no buds yet. They are aching for some sun but there is none on the horizon for the upcoming week. They can't complain about lack of rain though because we have had plenty. Have a great weekend no matter what the weather.

💦💧💦💧💦💧💦UPDATE: I was wrong. All of my peonies have small buds. Yay!

Geraniums 1888

GERANIUMS

Childe Hassam

1888

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Trees with Long Shadows

I love this wonderful linocut by Australian artist, Anita Laurence, entitled Winter II. I have always thought it would be fun to learn this craft but sadly I am not at all artistic in this way. Have a great weekend. xo

Beautiful Illustration of Chickens

Sophie’s Chickens by Jenny Crocker

© 2010–2019 Indigo Dreams

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Content in a Cottage