Pink Saturday Dollies

Do you remember your childhood dolls?

Guys don't have to answer this question if they were more into Matchbox cars and Tonka trucks.

My dolly was named Elizabeth. Perhaps a little odd because that is my middle name! Elizabeth was quite a large doll and came to live with me one Christmas. My mum, being a dressmaker, had made beautiful clothes for her. I also had a special doll pram for her, complete with rose pink satin pillow and quilted coverlet - gosh wish I still had them to show you for Pink Saturday! When I took Elizabeth out for her daily constitution she certainly went in style!

I was reminded of Elizabeth, and other dollies I loved as a child, when I spied these adorable winsome girls at SuzAnna's Antiques last week. They sat sweetly on top of a cabinet, pink faces slightly crackled, blonde pigtails and kerchiefs, and cute felt vests laced over their puffed sleeved blouses. Their skirts were quite contemporary prints. Their felt legs and boots made me smile.

Have you ever seen dolls like this?

Perhaps they are handcrafted and one-of-a-kind.

They remind me of Heidi, the Swiss character of the book.

I think they are just adorable........and, if I was not into simplifying, I would have to start a collection for sure!

Heidi and Gretel perhaps - where's Hansel?

This gal grabbed the only tiny chair available.


I'm trying to make excuses not to go back and buy them....if still there!

Pink Saturday again - don't the weeks seem to fly by fast?
Beverly at How Sweet the Sound will have a long list of pink players again today - be sure to stop over and join the fun.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

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My maternal grandfather was born in Toronto, Canada. I don't know a lot about his younger years other than he had two brothers who moved to New York to become stock brokers. Grandfather left Canada to serve in the Canadian army during the Boer War (1899-1902) ~ this pic must have been taken during that time ~ and, following that conflict in South Africa, moved to England and continued his military life by joining His Majesty's Coldstream Guards. Not long after my mother was born, he was assigned to Windsor Castle and the family lived in the lovely town of Windsor where my mother and her siblings often played in the castle grounds.

Windsor is the largest inhabited castle in the world, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror. It is one of the principal residences of Queen Elizabeth II.

Aerial view of Windsor Castle.

Unfortunately, this is the only photo I have of my grandfather. I recall seeing others of him in his Coldstream Guards uniform, complete with bearskin hat, however they have disappeared.
Following retirement from the Guards, he purchased a pub in Devon and moved the family there. Later, during WWII, he returned to London and owned a pub across from the famous Harrods department store. He died shortly after I was born and, as far as I know, never met me.

Visit our Favorite Family Foto hostess Deborah at Pictures, Pots & Pens today to enjoy some fun photos and family histories.

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Warmth of Snow

"Cold enough to freeze your britches off." Ooh, that's cold! Wet enough to soak through your new leather boots........unless you had the forethought to waterproof them, thank goodness I did!

However, Southern snow, when we're lucky, is just a one or two day happening. Enough to close school and give the kids a chance to throw snowballs and build a snow person. Some folks get an unexpected day off work..............and lucky people, such as we were on Tuesday, were still able to take a safe road trip because once we were heading South and out of town, the roads were clear and dry.
Before leaving that morning I caught images of this rare Southern snow. My last post probably gave you chills.........this one is to warm you up a bit and show you that snow scenes around the cottage can also be warming.

Gazebo - we leave lights in it year round - lovely in the snow.

Same for the potting shed area - leave lights up to warm up the Winter garden and perhaps get a glimpse of our foxes and feral kitties who hang out in that area!

Front porch covered from the blowing snow - gave it a new look.


Recently hung out a Spring flag - guess Mother Nature didn't get the message!

Heading South!

We left town on Tuesday................ even though this is what greeted us when we looked out the door with eyes still blurry from sleep. We had to head South for a dear friend's retirement celebration. A party, a night in a nice hotel, and breakfast in the morning. We went - we had a ball. We were safe because dh is a New Englander and knows how to drive through six inches of Southern snow! Thank goodness.

Outside the front door at 6 AM

Back garden scenery at 7:30 AM

Snow still falling when we left at 10 AM

Winter wonderland at last!

Slow Enjoyment

Saturday afternoon, just at freezing. Slipping out between clouds casting long Winter shadows.

Driving slowly.

You know how it feels in a new car. Loving it but hoping nobody swerves, throws open their door...or worse!

Cold? Yes, very.

Alone? Yes, dh at the basketball game. Where did I go?

To the grocery store for necessities.

To SuzAnna's Antiques for some browsing and friendship of course.

The lights were on.......the heat wasn't. Cold, but warmed immediately by friendly smiles and hugs. Catching up on news made one forget the chill, and of course I had to keeping moving with my camera.

Beautiful bottles everywhere.

Loved these above - and the pair of old, soft kid gloves. I had on my elbow length wool ones and my fingers were still frosty....but I kept snapping away!

I took a lot more photos to share another time.....some pretty pink treasures for a future Pink Saturday post. I also found the cutest dolls ever and will show you those soon. How I loved having this slow day with a chance to visit friends.

For those of you who haven't entered to win my 500th post giveaway, do scroll back to my January 15 post and leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win some British gifts. All entries must be on that post only and no later than January 31. Look forward to adding your name to the hat.

Take up your pen...........

I have plans to write letters as promised.

Some of you will remember the secretary I put in the guest room last year ~ part of the French inspired decorating project? Even before I spent October in France I was already embracing the French look. I've no idea why I'm becoming a Francophile this late in life. To think I lived for almost 19 years just across the English Channel, almost able to see the distant coastline on a clear day, but never made it to France then!

Maybe it's because part of my English family live there now. Much of it revolves around simplicity and the old ways. Living, or staying for a while, in an old village truly makes you see life differently............perhaps writing by hand is all part of the magic.

Pen, ink, sealing wax and seal..............lovely paper, envelopes.

The desk, a lamp to light the room as dusk falls, lavender in glass to perfume the air..........

.............a chair nearby. Take up the pen, the words will come.

My French writing box from J. Herbin

~ Producteur d'encres et de cire depuis 1670 ~

~ Producer of inks and wax since 1670 ~

Hope you have decided to write by hand to someone special.

Winter Dressing

~~~~~~Time for a fashion article perhaps~~~~~~

I've always loved Winter clothes. Moving South many years ago I really missed dressing for the chilly months. Coming from damp old England, then New England where the Winter months could be brutal, I found I no longer required heavy wool overcoats and slacks, itchy turtleneck sweaters and snow boots. But I've missed these. I feel they can be so much more elegant than the basic warm weather uniform that many of us can wear almost year round in the South.

I was always a bit of a 'clothes horse' who grew up with a mother who sewed the latest fashions for me and then taught me dressmaking skills. As years have passed my lifestyle has changed. I now wear more casual clothes as opposed to the dressy outfits I wore when I was a working gal!

Although I didn't visit Paris in October, I did spend a couple of days in Aix-en-Provence. This is one very fashionable city. The shops were wonderful and their Winter offerings were tempting. Only a French woman can wear a scarf and make it look so fabulous. Aix is full of students from all around the world, they certainly knew how to pull neat looking outfits together on a budget, sometimes just adding that fabulous scarf or a knitted hat.

I love texture........knitted scarves, sweaters, cardigans.

I'm really for neutrals when it comes to color - give me black, brown, oatmeal and grey and my wardrobe is happy!

Window shopping in Aix-en-Provence ~ October 2008

I've been kicking myself for not buying a pair of fabulous French boots while in Aix ~ not snow boots, elegant soft leather dress boots in a gorgeous, perhaps unusual, color.

Beautiful boots!

Well I did decide to buy tall leather boots in December. After all there's no rule that says Southern ladies can't wear boots in the sunshine, is there? I'm so happy because with the temperatures down in the single digits at night these past few days, it's not only boots with warm pants tucked in, it's a turtleneck, a cardigan, a soft wool muffler, a pull on hat and a pair of wool gloves that go up to the elbows! Add the LL.Bean faux sheepskin coat and what do you have, a vision from Winter up North of course!

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Do you like the latest fashions? Do you even care what's in style? Do you think current styles are mediocre/boring? Where do you prefer to shop for clothes ~ large department stores crammed with racks of clothes and designer brands; small national chains such as JJill and Chico's; locally owned boutiques; Target, K-Mart/Sears and similar stores; thrift/vintage shops?