Antique Victorian Christmas Angel Postcards ~ Beautiful Gift Tags ~

 Hi Everyone! Welcome to my little blog!

Today it is raining. Hurray! The dry windy fire season has ended for awhile. Finally! So nice to wake up to cloudy skies. 

Are you in ready for some Christmas pictures? I am more than ready! There are so many beautiful late Victorian Christmas postcards to choose from. I thought these made such pretty gift tags or labels.

Charming Children's Book~ A Book of Children's Verse ~ Delightful Watercolor Illustrations by Millicent Etheldreda Gray

Hi Everyone! Welcome!

Very excited to share these pictures from a children's book I just discovered. The artist is a new one for me. I just love the softness of her paintings. M.E. Gray also did the illustrations for an edition of Louisa May Alcott's book 'Little Women'. As one of four girls I always enjoy seeing illustrations and paintings that feature four sisters. Now I will hunt for M.E.Gray's illustrations for that book!

Millicent Etheldreda Gray (1873-1957) was a British painter born . She  attended the Cope and Nicol School and the Royal Academy Schools. Many of her illustrations for books are done in watercolor. Lots of little details. Some of the books she illustrated are  A Book of Children's Verse https://archive.org),  Princess Mary's Gift Book, The Queen's Gift Book. and Little Women. Can't wait to find copies of the other books she illustrated! 

A favorite.

Beautiful Fine Art Paintings Featuring Birds, Canaries, Parrots, Dove,White Cockatoo~ Fun Vintage Budgie Button Card ~ Artist Joseph Caraud

Welcome to everyone! 

Thank you for your kind comments! They really warm my heart and encourage me.

When I found the Budgie button card I knew it would be the perfect theme for a post. As a little girl we had parakeets (budgies). Mine was blue and my sister's was green. Now these gorgeous paintings and illustrations leave me wanting one again. I am sure my two cats would really like that as well! 

Please stay safe, be kind and help each other as we go thru the days challenges.  

Find joy and replenish one's spirits by creating something pretty. 

Much love to each and everyone of you!

The Pet Canaries

by Joseph Caraud

Joseph Caraud often feature birds in his paintings.

By Joseph Caraud

Elizabeth Jane Gardner

By Henri-Guillaume Schlesinger

This really is a button card.

 From England where parakeets are called budgies.

By Sophie Anderson

I love this painter. One of my favorites.

Welcome to November! ~ The Topaz Birthstone and Chrysanthemum Flower for November to Warm Your Days~Marjorie Mostyn

Welcome to all of you! Welcome the to the month of November! 

Today I have a selection of antique postcards featuring the birthstone and flower for this month. The topaz and chrysanthemum perfectly reflect the beautiful colors of fall. I hope you enjoy them and that you can use them in your journals and art projects.

By artist Marjorie Mostyn.

Beautiful Staffordshire Willow Pattern ~ Blue and White Pottery in Antique Postcards and Ephemera ~ Adorable Kittens and China

 Hi and welcome to all of you! I hope you are safe and well. Like most of my post themes this one fell in place because of one picture. Today the darling little kitten drinking out of the tea cup was my inspiration. The Staffordshire Willow pattern reminds me of being with my grandmother. So cozy and full of love and warm tea. That sounds so good as it is chilly tonight!

The little note says 'A Bright and Happy Christmas'

Circa 1880-1890's Victorian Greeting Card.

Couldn't leave this one out just because the vase is not blue and white. 

Staffordshire Willow Pattern Teacup.

What is going on in the background? 

A Moral Compass to Find Your Way ~ What is Your True North? ~ Antique Weather Vane Graphics ~ World Sphere and Cosmographia

 

Finding our way through these difficult times is challenging.  

Having a strong internal moral compass helps me. It is an honest, direct and truthful way.

 Remember your own true north, your path, and how you want to be in this world is a choice. 

I stumbled upon the weather vane graphs while going through books on the Archive Library. They were perfect for today. Thank goodness for online libraries and the rich abundance of books. After the weather vanes are some very unusual pictures! A departure from my usual material for sure. They are just so amazing and different. I imagine them in journals and collages. The book is Libro de la Cosmographia published in 1548! I hope you can use them in one of your creative projects.

British Butterflies ~ Victorian Book of Beautiful Butterflies Illustrations

 Hi everyone and welcome!

The night is so quiet and peaceful. No wind, No traffic, Just calm before the day begins. Time for rich strong coffee and staying under the cozy blankets a bit longer.  As always my cats think I am their personal warm bed. One on my lap the other by my feet. They definitely think we should stay in bed longer!

 Then I contemplate the day ahead. Do I stay away from the news? Does it really matter at this point? I get curious most days,wondering what new craziness has transpired while I was peacefully asleep. Often reading the headlines tells me enough. I always want my blog to be a positive, sharing, and giving experience for all. It is just a little harder this morning to get going.

 So on to my files and folders to find something pretty and useful. Images that will inspire and spark some creativity. 

These are perfect for this post! So happy these lovely butterflies were in my files.