{Echo} 4: Surprise

This is the fourth "chapter" of the Echo (Word) Challenge which Susan Tuttle of Ilkas Attic (blog) and her friend Christi are running.  They put out a WORD, and the key is to interpret the word through the camera lens.   The current word is SURPRISE, (click on dictionary of meaning) which can be "something unexpected", "sudden", it can also be a feeling of wonder or astonishment.   I chose these two pictures. 

Old church Chrissiesmeer

We were on a road trip in an area not well known (by ourselves), when we happened upon a little "village" of Chrissiesmeer and this dear old stone church.  We had to stop immediately so that I could take pictures of the church and a number of other quaint buildings.  I'm not sure if it's still in use or not, but the building itself is still intact and standing proud - something about old churches that I really love.

Entwined Trees

We came upon these two trees at the National Botanical Gardens - they are two different indigenous species (Stinkwood and Combretum) and appear to have grown together over a number of years, sharing the available space, and in places appearing to be entertwined or even "dancing"

To see more on this challenge visit Susan's or Christi's blog

Vintage Paris in Black and White 2.

I adore black and white photography of all sorts - there is just something very special about the simple contasts in shades from black to gray to white(ish).    So bear with me while I post another set of vintage black and white Pairs shots ... enjoy!

Picture Credits: web and Artposters.com

To see previous post on vintage black and white:  click here

Vintage Rose Kitchen: Zucchini Cake (bread/ loaf or even muffins)

zucchini loaf and muffins

A while back I saw a recipe for a Zucchini (baby marrow or courgette) loaf and was fascinated - after all we do not normally relate vegetables (with exception of the carrot) to cakes, sweet loaves or muffins.    Well I tried it and loved it. 

I've since modified the recipe slightly (as I always do) making it less sweet and adding more zucchini and other ingredients.   We have now tried it in various forms from the loaf, to muffins to a gorgeous cake  (see pics below) which I made for a gathering yesterday ..... it's simply wonderful and reminiscent of the wondorous carrot cake...

.

a slice of zucchini cake ....

Ingedients:

3 eggs

1 cup cooking oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cups walnuts/ pecans (optional)

3 cups self raising flour

1 tsp salt

3 tsps cinnamon

zest of a lemon

Okay and how to make it up ....

1.  Beat eggs, oil and sugar together until well creamed

2. Stir in zucchini

3. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon

4. Finally stir in nuts and lemon zest.  Do not over mix.

5. Pour batter into a substantial loaf or cake tin until 3/4 full

6. Bake at 160 degrees (325 F) for approx 60 minutes

7. If you are making muffins, bake for approx 30 minutes

NB. this amount of batter make a very large loaf or cake!

after pouring the "wicked' cream and yoghurt "icing" - yummy .....

We decided to "ice" (frost) the cake and here is the recipe:

150mls cream, whipped

4 heaped tbls icing sugar

3 tbls plain yoghurt

zest of a lemon

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.

When cake is cold, pour generously over the cake, allowing the icing to pour down the sides.

Note:   You will need to refrigerate any leftover cake, due to the dairy in the "icing".

 Picture Credits :  Gena D Images

3 Country styled bedrooms

Country Style can look glamorous even though it's comprised of old and quirky items.     It can also look shabby, cluttered, ornate or totally calm and peaceful - you see it really depends on how you decide to put your spaces together.  So here are 3 lovely examples of country styled bedrooms  (picture credits: Country Homes & Interiors)

My favorite - possibly because it's in a calm neutral scheme, it soft, sedate, looks very cool and relaxing.  I love the detail i.e. the soft curtaining and light/ lamp, the fabric headboard, the quirky side table, the various textures of the bedding - totally gorgeous ...

a vibrant country room, bright and cheerful, to me a great blend of country and coastal ....

a perfect country bedroom - pink and green, iron bed, gingham, wood, stool for a side table....

{Echo} 3: Abundance

Part 3 of the Echo (Word) Challenge which Susan Tuttle of Ilkas Attic (blog) and her friend Christi are running.  They put out a WORD, and the key is to interpret the word through the camera lens. 

So the third word in the series is ABUNDANCE, (click for dictionary) which represents in simple terms, lots of, plenty, many, overflowing, too much of, plentiful, copious amounts of.     It also refers to wealth in monetary terms and an "abundance" in terms of love and affection.

"Under the Pear Tree"

Of all three words in the challenge so far, this one has been the most difficult for me to pin down in terms of a photograph, an image.   The first thing that came to mind is a market overflowing with fruit and vegetables and other food stuff, or fields 'abundant' in flower.    I also thought LOVE and affection, and in particular a recent spur of the moment snapshot that I took of a mom and babe .....

I eventually decided on the image above (in particular) entitled "Under the Pear Tree". 

It refers to an old pear tree at a friends farm in the country.    Evidently, this is a large tree and therefore afternoon tea is taken under it's massive (abundant?) canopy.  At this time of year the tree is laiden (abundantly?) with fruit and the moss covers most branches quite thickly, mostly due to it's age, but also due to the amount of rain.    This picture was taken looking upwards at the overhanging branch, which has since broken off in a storm, making this photograph all the more special.    

"Lilac covered roads"

The second image was a given i.e. spring, and fields, or in this case, roads, covered in flower.  This image refers to the Jacaranda tree which is not indigenous to South Africa, but was planted throughout certain areas quite abundantly in centuries past.    They reward us richly (and abundantly, I guess) every October/ November with their amazingly bright lilacy/ purple display of flowers, which line the streets and pavements.   If you happen to get a good view point over Johannesburg, for example, you will notice the vast number of Jacarandas in bloom - they quite literally 'brighten' up the city.

For info on Jacarandas, click here

See Susan and Christi's interpretation here and here.

For previous Echo Challenge posts, click here

And the DETAIL lives on ....

an exquisite juliette balcony.   note the detail above the door...

Architectural detail on old buildings is simply fascinating!  How some of these buildings were put together is mind boggling, how long they must have taken to build and the effort required is often beyond imagination.

All of of these, detailed here, are very old, some centuries old, and yet they live on, standing proud!

a "home" for "our lady"

fascinating stone work ....

an ancient door knocker.... 

wonderful arch and gable, ancient clay roof tiles .....

a clock face, carved out of stone .... (sadly this one no longer functions)

curves and curls ... out of stone ....

tilework (azulejo) ... everywhere you look

wonderful brick arches, still standing proud .... on a delapidated building.

Picture Credits:  Gena D Images & Photography.  Taken in various locations in Portugal Aug 2009

Vintage Inspired Bathrooms

a self standing bath in a wooden clad style bathroom with pegs for hanging towels, gorgeous pot plants on the sill of a sash window .... (Picture Credit:  Country Living)

Last week I did a post on a gorgeous vintage inspired kitchen and the details of what makes a great vintage kitchen.  This week, I've chosen to do vintage bathrooms and the detail that makes a great vintage inspired bathroom, what it is, or, should be.   So here are a few samples to feast the eyes on ...

a  bath in a wooden frame/ box, beautiful windows (note the detail), soft curtaining and a vintage stool to put a towel on.  (Picture credit:  Coutnry Living)

cottage pane windows with wooden shutters, a plain white bathroom with a vintage chair - almost amish in it's austerity.   (Picture credit: Country Living)

vintage styled slipper bath in a french inspired bathroom - note the beautiful blue velevt Louis chair, the large ornate mirror and soft window treatment!!  (Picture Credit : Country Living)

old taps, ornate mirror, flowers in a simple glass bottle .... (Picture credit : Country Living)

old style black and white floor treatment, vintage inspired basins, flowers - with a modern twist - bright towels!    (Picture Credit : Beter Homes & Garden Gallery)

modern rectangular basins set on a vintage cupboard, old style wall tiles, sash windows, old style taps, and again, an old stool to place your towels on  - Lovely!!   (Picture credit:  Coastal Living)

So there you have it, a few examples of vintage bathrooms - generally great detailing but simplicity at it's best.

Paris in Vintage Black & White

I adore Black and White photography of any sort, but there is something very evocative about old black and white pictures taken in old cities, such as Paris, or maybe, particularly in Paris ?! .... it's almost as if time has stood still, such is the beauty of the image captured.

Images via the web and Artposters.com where you can order prints, framed or unframed

Vintage Shopping : The Lamp Post

Loving vintage things and finds, means that I (obviously) LOVE vintage shopping!      Well in my hunt for great places for vintage finds, I have uncovered a few "hiddden gems" so to speak, and will be posting these as and when.

 

a wonderful array of vintage brooches

 For the first post on vintage shopping, I've chosen a little store in Norwood (Johannesburg) called The Lamp Post - it's small, quaint, neat, clean, the decor is often rearranged, to keep it fresh.  The best part is that there is always a huge variety of iems to be found, from vintage clothes, vintage brooches, beautiful gloves, to old crockery and cutlery, vintage furniture items, garden utensils, the odd art piece .... the list goes on ....

a unique art piece made with traditonal african fabric, seshweshwe (previously featured on Vintage Rose Studio)

 

A wonderful collection of lether gloves ....

The Lamp Post has apparently been featured in the Oprah magazine (altho I have not seen the article myself) and can be found on the corner of William and Grant Avenue in Norwood.  Tel: +27117286388. (sadly no website)

For previous entry on (traditional african fabric)  Seshweshwe, click here.

Picture Credits:  Gena D Photgraphy & Imsges taken on location at The Lamp Post.

Country Kitchen details

I came across this post on House Beautiful recently  - lovely pictures of a "Country Kitchen".

I love how the shiny new fittings are offset so well, against the older pieces, such as the scale, and jug, above .... and of course the abundance of fresh flowers ....

A mix of old and new, traditional and modern ....

wonderful soft shades of gray, sand, off white and blues ... and more fresh flowers...

a display of simple, everyday items (my best!!!) ...

Crockery in shades of blues and off whites ...

A butler sink and... a jug of daffodils...

an array of kitchen utensils in white ceramic containers ....

Country decor is by it's nature "not minimalist" as there are normally lots of interesting things around.  What I love in this kitchen is how, it's neat, organised, and yet still a country kitchen by it's very essence.

Picture Credits : House Beautiful Gallery

Indispensible Kitchen items

I recently put together a list of kitchen indispensables - things that just make my life in the kitchen that much easier ...
click here to see post on Thinking Aloud

Picture Credit: Gena D Photography

Pretty vintage details ...

a jug full of peonies

It's been a while since I posted something "pretty" in terms on vintage home details ... so today is the day. This post is about the little things that make vintage, truly vintage ... the textures, the fabrics and textiles, the soft colours, the worn paint, pretty crockery, flowers in jugs, using everyday items for decoration... These pictures were all sourced directly from Country Living - the best gallery for vintage details.
Feast your eyes ....

exquisite upholstery and scatters in ticking

layers of wonderful vintage linens - note the embroidery, the lace, the buttons ....

an old cupboard laden with crockery, and again, a jug with flowers

a variety of wonderful crockery and salt & pepper cellars...

a vintage dresser - the paint worn away with the years

a soft blue ceramic vase laden with pumpkins ....

a pressed rose, and old frames

PICTURE CREDITS: COUNTRY LIVING GALLERY