RIPE, RICH, ROYAL, RUBY RED ..........

O.K.... I'm going completely 'off piste' (topical!) today by posting about the colour RED !! Somewhat up the colour scale , hitting a very high temperature, as I'm normally down in the white, beige, grey, cold area.... but, I've decided to live dangerously and, that's happy and good, I think ! I might need a few tranquiliser's and a lay down in a dark room afterwards but, I'm sure that I will survive !!

This is what Mr. Home did for me on Valentines Day !....no, he didn't really but I know he would have wanted to if we hadn't been going out on the evening of the 14th !! haha

What I wouldn't give for hair like this ..........

Murano .... and the gorgeous, colourful painted houses....would you dare to paint your house red ? Even if you would, it wouldn't look quite the same as it does in the wonderful setting of Murano.

This is probably as far as I'd go when it comes to decorating with red !!

Although I wear LOADS of black, I could be persuaded to wear a red cardi !

Have you been watching the Winter Games in Vancouver ? I have. I love the luge, the skating, the biathlon the skiing and as a bonus, you get such wonderful scenery to look at.

Very 40's red. These ladies do look as if they have lampshades on their heads, but they still look pretty stylish in their swimming cossies.

I really do like dark nail varnish and, I have been known to have red fingernails but, I can't wear red lipstick. If I do, I look as if I should be standing on a street corner, sporting fishnet stockings, white scuffed high heels a really, really short leather skirt and smoking a fag !!!! How about you ? Can you wear red lipstick ?

I could definitely find a space in my wardrobe for this Christian Dior number., and, one of my hobbies is standing on tables so....... perhaps the House of Dior would like to send me one ?

I would fall off of these and end up in hospital for a week if I wore them , lovely as they are.... just a tad too high but, it might suprise you to know that I do have a pair of red high heels.

Yes.... I can do that ( very easily )

Have you ever been in a hot air balloon ? I have. It was a really nice experience but, being a lover of roller coasters, I thought that we would be whizzing along, dipping and weaving amongst the clouds but no. It's nothing like that. It's quiet and serene. the silence only being broken by the occasional blast of hot air. It was still a lovely experience, my favourite part being the landing which was quite exciting .... and the champagne !!

This is for Simone .......

.......... and finally, a beautiful vision of red hair loveliness.

Wishing you all a right, rosy red week.

Jackie

TO RENEE.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RENEE
daughter ..........

mother ..........

friend ..........

lover of horses ..........

designer ..........

A bouquet of your favourite tulips ..........

a favourite birthday song ..........

and finally Renee, something to help you with that particular person at work !!!!!!

Have the most wonderful day, Renee and I hope that it's filled with love and laughter, flowers and frivolity and copious amounts of champagne !!

sent with love.

Jackie

LAVENDER and OLD LACE ..........

Lavender and old lace ..... a beautiful combination don't you think ? I have always loved the smell of lavender and have collected vintage lace for many years. Now, I don't want you all to think that I'm some white-haired Victorian dowager, sitting in my rocking chair, surrounded by lace doilies and smelling of a mixture of musty old lavender and other dubious aromas !! ... and, I know that lace is not 'de rigueur' or 'en vogue' at the moment, but it can still be beautiful.

Oh, and apologies to any of the guys out there reading this....this one's a bit girlie !!

Love these old wooden boxes, don't you ?

I am not interested in the renewing vows thing that seems to be the fashion nowadays, but I could be persuaded if I could wear a dress like this.

Isn't it just too beautiful ?

Not quite lavender but a little bit !!

Oh WOW

What do you think of this chair ? Very dark lavender with lacy, crochet pattern. I quite like it.

Here's another beautiful dress. If only I went to functions where this little number would be appropriate ........ unfortunately, I don't. Has anyone got a spare ticket to the Oscars ?

I love iron beds. I've got three and am looking for another !!

Beautiful.

Hanged up in houses,
it doth very well attemper the aire,
Coole and make fresh the place to the delight
and comfort of such as are therein.

JOHN GERARD.......1597

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Jackie

A MASSIVE THANK YOU ..........

O.K........ I think that possibly, everybody is sick to the back teeth of my BLOODY BIRTHDAY, but, if you could just bear with me, I must thank some wonderful friends that have 'wasted' a full post ( well, I don't mean wasted from my point of view. What I mean is that they will probably not get many comments !!!!) on wishing me a Happy Birthday today.........
My first dear friend is the wonderful Deb @ Dumbwit Tellher She did a whole post on me which was fantastic, and you should read it, not because it was for my birthday, but just because it was brilliant and you will enjoy it. It must have taken her ages and was the act of a true friend. Thanks so much, Deb, You're a star...........

Next, I must thank my blogging buddy, Julie @ Being Ruby
Julie and I email all the time and, as a pair of night owls, can stay up to the wee small hours, changing the world !!....I think that I have probably been responsible for her being late for work on numerous occasions ! Julie also did a post for my 'special day' (that bit is for my friend Lucy). It was British, patriotic, clever, funny and included Matt Lucas and David Walliams from Little Britain. Julie, thanks so much for all the trouble that you went to but, it was time well spent 'cos I LOVED IT........you're a true friend, a wonderful photographer and a beautiful writer with a great sense of humour.

Then came my wonderful friend Carole @ Maynard Greenhouse
Another friend that did the most fabulous post for my birthday. Carole and I swap pretty long emails about our lives and enjoy much discussion on varied subjects. She tells us all about her friends, their houses and their regular jaunts to flea markets and their purchases, and, along with all this, is a great photographer. We get on so well, as I do with all of these women, and I call Carole a good friend.

.......... then it was Mise @ Pretty Far West who unselfishly did a post for me. Mise is one of the funniest, and a woman who is so clever with words, that I sometimes really have to get my brain into gear. As I told her today (and this is one of Julie's phrases !!), she often makes us pee our pants with laughter at some of the things she subtlety comes out with !! I was there, pretty much at the start of Mise's blog and enjoy the wonderfully varied posts that she puts up. Thanks Mise.....to do that for me was so lovely..........

.......... as if that wasn't enough, my dear friend Luiza @ Feelings
wished me a Happy Birthday through her blog. Luiza and I have been great friends, emailing, exchanging gifts and being supportive. Luiza is from Stockholm, need I say more. Her taste is impeccable and her photography a joy. She is so creative, making beautifully sewn treasures. Thank you Luiza for all your kindness...........

.......... and then there was Magdalena @ Color Sepia Magdalena is another talented and creative blogger from Stockholm and great friends with Luiza. The Christmas cards that I sent this year were made by Magdalena and the gift tags for my presents and they were absolutely beautiful. Magdalena also did a birthday post for me and I would also like to thank her for being so kind and generous with her time to do such a lovely thing for me..........
Also, my lovely friend Gigi@ The Magpies Fancy has mentioned my birthday on her new post. Gigi is a beautiful writer and poet and has the most beautiful blog. Thank you so much, my friend for your kind birthday wishes and for thinking of me.

.......... and finally, a birthday gift sent to me from Mel @ Reverie
When Mel found out that my birthday was around the same date as her daughter 'little crumb' she sent me a present. Look how beautifully it was wrapped. So beautifully, I didn't want to unwrap it, but, unwrap it I did and..........

VOILA !!.......... gorgeous personalised note cards.......... how did she know that I LOVE stationary? I can spend hours in stationary shops, Mr. Home doesn't understand how someone can spend hours looking at greetings cards, wrapping paper, ribbons and envelopes. He cannot grasp this concept !! It just doesn't compute. Mind you, I don't understand how someone can spend ages looking at drills and sanders and workmates so, we're even !! Anyway, I digress. .... sorry Mel. I am so pleased with my wonderful note cards. Thank you so much for you thoughtfulness.

I would also like to thank everybody who left me birthday wishes on my blog and on others blogs and for people who have never been to my blog but who popped in to see me after seeing the above posts. I really will try and thank you all. Please go and look at the blogs of the people that I have mentioned. If they can do this for me, just think what wonderful friends you are going to make. I have to say, this blogging lark is pretty good, isn't it ?

Right, that's it. I promise each and everyone of you that the subject of my birthday will never be mentioned again.......... UNTIL NEXT YEAR !!!!

I LOVE BIRTHDAYS !!!!

Jackie