Sunday, February 14, 2016

Share Your Heart With the Queen of Hearts






Are you sentimental like me

and save special valentines through the years? 





Or collect hearts of sentimental value

that were gifts from your sweetheart or a friend?





With Valentine's Day on the 14th,

the topic selected for this month's

CAMEO meeting was Hearts.





~ Hearts ~ 

the universal symbol of 

~ love ~ friendship ~ courage ~ loyalty ~  hospitality ~





Last year the topic of our February 

CAMEO meeting was Antique Valentines.

A local woman shared her grandmother Ruth's collection

of valentines dating from Victorian times thorough the 1950s.

You can read about that meeting here.





When our planned speaker this month couldn't make it,

we decided to have a heart theme "show and tell".

Each member was asked to bring a valentine, love letter,

special memory, or a heart shaped treasure.





I chose to share this beautifully carved wood heart shaped 

butter mold that belongs to my friend, Elizabeth.

It's French; an early piece with gorgeous patina.





The wooden pegs can be removed so that the sides

swing open in order to remove the molded butter.

Elizabeth and I spotted this piece while shopping

the flea markets of Paris a few years ago.





One of our members shared 

this very special heartfelt poem written by 

her late father for her mother on Valentine's Day last year.

Sadly, Karen's father passed away over the summer.

This is just one of many sweet poems that George Benigno

wrote for his wife Ann through the 68 years of their marriage.





I chose a Queen of Hearts

theme for my table.




Red, pink, and white tulips filled various

MacKenzie Childs vases.

Goodies both sweet and savory

filled the table.




This adorable Queen of Hearts

stood guard on the buffet with the plates 

and napkins and tray of drinks.

She was my muse that inspired my theme.

A striking 16 inches tall, this queen 

makes a beautiful statement.



Image from Pier 1 

Shortly before the meeting I happened to receive 

an email from Pier 1 about their valentine offerings.

With the Queen's regal crown and the wonderful

black and white check details of her robe,

I thought, "What could be more perfect with

MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check?"





Pier 1 also offered exquisite 

crown ornaments in three different styles.  

They added the "crowning" touch

for the chandy mobile!

I was late discovering the Pier 1 valentine offerings, 

so I'm fortunate that my local store still had these items available.





Various Queen of Hearts gathered through

the years mixed with hearts and vintage valentines

to complete the center piece of the table.





This adorable one is from

Patience Brewster, Inc.  

She is available here.





I ordered this clever

faux cupcake from an Etsy shop here.





This queen was stitched by me.

I'm proud to say it is my first piece stitched in 2016

toward my goal to devote more time to stitching.

A Petei Design available here.




A few vintage valentines 

that feature the Queen of Hearts

were added to the table.




The vintage tray is 

part of a child's tea set.





One vase was filled with puffy,

sparkly red hearts found at Pier 1.

The vintage tiara was a birthday gift from my

CAMEO friends several years ago.




Glitter crowns on dowels could

be found tucked in with the tulips.





A mini metal crown sat

among a chalice of sugary gum drop hearts.





A vintage silver heart on a stand along with red glitter hearts

and petite book paper hearts filled in the gaps.




See this darling hand made valentine?

It features an adorable Queen of Hearts just for me.

A surprise from a blogging friend, 

it's the latest valentine to be added to 

my tray of special valentines!

Thank you, sweet M!




Happy Valentine's Day

to each of you!

Joining









Tuesday, February 2, 2016

February ~ 2016




Iconic Fork Sculpture at Local Austin Restaurant


F e b r u a r y



Original by Patience Brewster, Patience Brewster Inc.
Used With Permission

How can it be that we've 

turned the calendar to a new month?

February 2 ~ Groundhog Day

Punxsutawney Phil and other famous groundhogs

around did not see their shadows this morning.

According to legend, 

"There is no shadow to be cast; an early spring is forecast!"




Detail of Vintage Ball Gown of San Antonio, TX Fiesta Queen

February 8 ~ Chinese New Year 2016

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is one of the

most important celebrations for the Chinese.

2016 ~ Year of the Monkey




Contemporary Mask

February 9, 2016 ~ Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday.

Wearing a mask and costume is common for celebrating

Mardi Gras along with parades and lots of merry making!




Victorian Valentine ~ Private Collection

February 14, 2016 ~ Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine's Day has evolved through the years

to be associated with romantic love and gifts of

valentine cards, chocolate, flowers, or some romantic item.




Alice's Key, 2011 by Beth Fisher, Gypsy Fish Studio


The "chef" holds the key to my heart

and surprises me with gifts in his own time.

He is a romantic who doesn't believe in contrived holidays.




Star Quilt, c1880 ~ Uncle Sam Doll by Saundra Slagle


February 15, 2016 ~ Presidents' Day

Presidents' Day is a US federal holiday 

held on the third Monday of February

to honor the Presidents of the United States.



Porcelain Heart Boxes ~ Gifts From The Chef

That about sums it 

up for the month ahead.




Red Geraniums ~  Nice, France

I'd like to give a shoutout to my blogging friend,

Jenna @ The Painted Apron.


She commented on my January post that she had enjoyed 

my Alphabet Series and asked if I 

planned to do a monthly themed series.




Antique Cooper Pudding Moulds and Mary Engelbreit Tin, c1983

Great idea, Genna!

Look for future monthly posts dedicated to each specific month.

Also a special thank you to Patience Brewster for allowing 

me to use the photo of her wonderful painting for Groundhog Day.

Visit Patience Brewster, Inc HERE for gifts for your valentine.


Joining


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

January ~ 2016







J A N U A R Y





It's a cold 

and dreary day here.





Caps and wooly scarves

help keep the chill off.





A perfect excuse to 

 wrap up in my favorite tartan.




To gather with friends

and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.




My posting of late has been as sparse as

the stick arms on a snowman.

I apologize to you, my readers!




Partly, I just haven't had that spark of inspiration

to come up with something of interest.





Mostly,  it's that the new year has me busy with some

projects and the desire to get back into stitching

and reading more rather than yielding my

leisure time to the dark hole of the internet. 




I do have more to share,

and I fully expect to be back to

posting weekly once February arrives.





I felt I needed some time to reflect

on the priorities of how I wish to spend my time

and simply take a break from posting on the blog.





Thank you to all my blogging friends who have

written to check in to see that all is OK.

The blogging community is an amazing network

of caring friends for which I'm truly grateful.




Sadie and I appreciate your friendship and 

that you take the time to stop by Hyacinths to visit.  

2016 is off to a good start.

We hope you will continue to visit   

and follow along as we share 

this and that in the months ahead.




Blogger and Google have been changing things again.

Many of my "Followers" have disappeared from the sidebar.

I hope you will continue to visit and hopefully 

attach a comment when you visit.  

I read every comment and try to respond

to all who let me know that they visit here.

If you wish to follow by email,

you will find a link at the top of my sidebar.