Modern Design Home Decor

Post Of The Month Club: June

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Helllooo there</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come on in :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today our Club will meet in a really special place -</div><div style="text-align: center;">perfect for those celebrating the summer <i>or</i> winter solstice</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">An English Shepherd's Hut</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3BieppwUvsODtfCaojTHVb0nAW__K8jjmDjZZf9c0zeKpuaKCijhoCJIEPbI0-TjlZm9GbOfGivVXHddG4HQIXjeY-YrlCUzGaUV95cdOdfkKiRASo1IXBvgkbFIMlVBK0PKVI2LuPE/s1600/Sheperd+hut+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3BieppwUvsODtfCaojTHVb0nAW__K8jjmDjZZf9c0zeKpuaKCijhoCJIEPbI0-TjlZm9GbOfGivVXHddG4HQIXjeY-YrlCUzGaUV95cdOdfkKiRASo1IXBvgkbFIMlVBK0PKVI2LuPE/s640/Sheperd+hut+2.JPG" width="456" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Available from <a href="http://www.hutsandhideaways.co.uk/">Huts And Hideaways</a> in North Yorkshire</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Traditionally used by shepherds during the lambing season, </div><div style="text-align: center;">these clever retreats-on-wheels can be seen in England as a </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">playhouse, artisan studio, home office, garden shed</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">OR for Post Of The Month Club :)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Won't you take a step inside...</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Isn't it so cute and cozy?!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHFwA2p76aRLwpa8qqr7A-c_-0dxwIKaFz6E4Ei4Eq-xNvT1MT9zsspCBpBarPhOkhMsQo55Vv1iVaUZlV2gOjm2ZQUGs-88PGIyCWBm0Xtwzko-Eeiz0996b_8jBmRDHLHMrvhWhxLM/s1600/sheperd+hut+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHFwA2p76aRLwpa8qqr7A-c_-0dxwIKaFz6E4Ei4Eq-xNvT1MT9zsspCBpBarPhOkhMsQo55Vv1iVaUZlV2gOjm2ZQUGs-88PGIyCWBm0Xtwzko-Eeiz0996b_8jBmRDHLHMrvhWhxLM/s640/sheperd+hut+3.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Available from <a href="http://www.mmdsites.co.uk/shepherdshuts/Artisan-Shepherds-Huts.html">Artisan Shepherd Huts</a> in West Sussex</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">So without further ado,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">let's start our meet & greet</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">- Bloggers, just link up your best post of the month -</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">And see, you've already done the work</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">- Share the love by visiting a few other blogs -</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">- Would you like to add my button to your lovely sidebar so more can join the fun? -</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Yep, we'll do this the last day of each month</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">- Don't forget to become a follower here too -</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Thank you for stopping by!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Happy July Blogging, you cutie you ;)</div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br /><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=94948" type="text/javascript"></script>

Post Of The Month Club: June

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK Helllooo there Come on in :) Today our Club will meet in a really special place - perfect for those celebrating...

2:01 AM

Last day of my 20% off sale!!!

Last day of my 20% off sale!!!

It's the end of the financial year, which means it's the last day to get 20% off storewide in my Etsy shop! Just enter 'ENDYEAR...

4:35 PM

A short break in transmission

A short break in transmission

I'm away on a little holiday at the moment, but will be popping in to catch up on all the blog happenings as often as I can. In the mean...

5:27 AM

Sweet Peas and Vintage Blue

Well, it was a little longer in the making than I thought...what with the end of the school term, and all the last minute organising needed before the holidays. But I finally managed to finish off this little number; 'Sweet Peas in Vintage Blue':<br /><div style="text-align: auto;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImy2yLYomrOgC9X6zJeObqS0sVtVCz3A3raPhG38WMHnvkkY2pcU-76Fbnw-RlaTZI75WUmb9TsevQb6DyvHbRWEAGxbmx55pG7oUqMpIlLedimJ1JuMlav0lr2XfrL3eJ11RxevwYvPO/s1600/fuze+sweet+peas+in+vintage+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImy2yLYomrOgC9X6zJeObqS0sVtVCz3A3raPhG38WMHnvkkY2pcU-76Fbnw-RlaTZI75WUmb9TsevQb6DyvHbRWEAGxbmx55pG7oUqMpIlLedimJ1JuMlav0lr2XfrL3eJ11RxevwYvPO/s1600/fuze+sweet+peas+in+vintage+blue.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Sweet Peas in Vintage Blue'</div><div style="text-align: center;">watercolour and gouache on paper</div><div style="text-align: center;">210mm x 297mm (8" x 11")</div><div style="text-align: center;">prints for sale now in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/76572777/sweet-peas-in-vintage-blue">Etsy shop</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(please excuse the terrible pic! I'll post a new one as soon as I can, but you get the idea...)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I've had lots of requests for more paintings along the lines of my 'Bouquet in Flow Blue'...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeoDZ5BJuC5NJD8ZRxanPFCQBzWWzr00tND0iu2BYGybuBDkPJlVnVb14_QLOp_rdWNrQTJbsAKNY0LS8oq_E7qd_XbfcPibBkBcSgS8SVsNmdOUH9kYm7m2co_XuPLucXvRnqW5vCrl1/s1600/bouquet+in+flow+blue+more+pink+watermarked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeoDZ5BJuC5NJD8ZRxanPFCQBzWWzr00tND0iu2BYGybuBDkPJlVnVb14_QLOp_rdWNrQTJbsAKNY0LS8oq_E7qd_XbfcPibBkBcSgS8SVsNmdOUH9kYm7m2co_XuPLucXvRnqW5vCrl1/s640/bouquet+in+flow+blue+more+pink+watermarked.jpg" width="562" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/69099692/bouquet-in-flow-blue">'Bouquet in Flow Blue'</a></div><br />...and finally, this next painting in the series is ready to go.<br /><br />Oh, and don't forget; I'm having an End of Financial Year <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">SALE</span></span> in my Etsy shop - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">20% off all prints </span>storewide until 30th June.<br /><br />That's it from me, have a wonderful weekend everyone, and I'll catch you all soon!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>

Sweet Peas and Vintage Blue

Well, it was a little longer in the making than I thought...what with the end of the school term, and all the last minute organising needed ...

6:12 PM

THE POWDER ROOM: SMALL SPACES WITH BIG IMPACT

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />It's not a very large room</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />but it's one your visitors are sure to see</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />and you know what that means...<a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/10494/interior-design-by-Norman-Design-Group--Phil-Norman--ASID-CID---Bathroom-traditional-powder-room-los-angeles" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="interior design by Norman Design Group: Phil Norman, ASID CID - Bathroom traditional powder room" border="0" height="608" nbsp="nbsp" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/10494_0_8-3839-traditional-powder-room.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">it needs to look great</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><a href="http://yournestdesign.blogspot.com/2011/06/powder-room-small-spaces-with-big.html#more">Read more »</a>

THE POWDER ROOM: SMALL SPACES WITH BIG IMPACT

It's not a very large room but it's one your visitors are sure to see and you know what that means... it needs to look great Read mo...

3:26 AM

The Hat That Dragged Me To The Royal Ascot

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Last week a big ol' hat and I attended The Royal Ascot, </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">one of Europe's most famous horse races </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">(I'd never heard of it either)<br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiww3somonxg-18DSUfqHJbyLF3qUYW9iItE6Xilg08FPH9WW_IHYXKzXy-xYti-2BycWziH96pHUKndQ2sej377gpCECs746CCtUTwT-XupsmvDActfaoeuMGZDr1L2ot6UjlZjymmI/s1600/DSCN5001-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiww3somonxg-18DSUfqHJbyLF3qUYW9iItE6Xilg08FPH9WW_IHYXKzXy-xYti-2BycWziH96pHUKndQ2sej377gpCECs746CCtUTwT-XupsmvDActfaoeuMGZDr1L2ot6UjlZjymmI/s640/DSCN5001-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Held for 300 years in a town of the same name (Ascot, not Royal)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">unfussy-me had no interest in going to this fancy 5 day event</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Until I heard about the intriguing 'hat lady'</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dkjQ14CKbMvV4WAYYUvRzMZB00gLw8L5oUXv9kiBo4k5jssgXv37DqUV78uOD_oN5ayUxQdvyIP9d-FsJh6CJiVI2pB8lKzYc1W0jMHFiOcMbH7044wUP2uNZb6F7BhhUFwkXVKt-KA/s1600/DSC_0044-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dkjQ14CKbMvV4WAYYUvRzMZB00gLw8L5oUXv9kiBo4k5jssgXv37DqUV78uOD_oN5ayUxQdvyIP9d-FsJh6CJiVI2pB8lKzYc1W0jMHFiOcMbH7044wUP2uNZb6F7BhhUFwkXVKt-KA/s640/DSC_0044-21.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">An appropriate hat would easily cost £250 to buy new (approx $400)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">so renting is popular (£50)<br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Ten of her hats went to the Royal Wedding</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I'd heard that you bring your dress and shoes to Mrs Partington near Windsor-</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">she disappears and reappears with THE hat</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">No Browsing Allowed</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Well, I just had to find out what <i>that</i> was all about</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">But I didn't have a cute little outfit</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">So after 3 days of shopping, I found a steal of a deal</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">A £9 dress from H&M </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">And off to the 'hat lady' I went</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrsj11z_iq_-L5knW82_oX_DOZEptmrCGGTLQzObS-R0Z9wY1D0RTvWGKUJYRJIGM2477LVDTGsSofWofska1eAFxx3pi1bVfrHTaOKRKdnyxPZtHUQSZhjsXDeisA8yBe_77qR5RB_c/s1600/DSC_0036-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrsj11z_iq_-L5knW82_oX_DOZEptmrCGGTLQzObS-R0Z9wY1D0RTvWGKUJYRJIGM2477LVDTGsSofWofska1eAFxx3pi1bVfrHTaOKRKdnyxPZtHUQSZhjsXDeisA8yBe_77qR5RB_c/s640/DSC_0036-31.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">She did find the <i>perfect</i> hat for me</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Gigantic and beautiful in a rich burnt orange</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">So big in fact,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I barely made it through the bathroom stall door</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">and the typical 'greeting hug' was impossible with friends</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I needed an extra large umbrella to cover my ginormous headwear</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">in case of rain</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJYhoY9k5Czutma_TabF_C6M2itU_3GQ2qRy58tmPpRQz-n2IseNzJP86U6EZ7DuQnT2qVxWnrDgxMAbRTKabqVtQPVTtD85F-rLBEjtWSsrXYJvl45PdhCJQ0bmIQisKNi1nHvPO5Ys/s1600/P1010755-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJYhoY9k5Czutma_TabF_C6M2itU_3GQ2qRy58tmPpRQz-n2IseNzJP86U6EZ7DuQnT2qVxWnrDgxMAbRTKabqVtQPVTtD85F-rLBEjtWSsrXYJvl45PdhCJQ0bmIQisKNi1nHvPO5Ys/s400/P1010755-1.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE hat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">The Royal Ascot is a major event on the British social calendar,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">and press coverage of the outfits often exceeds coverage of the actual racing<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18RDWkKyTx1cg9fzDnAZtTbgD7GmdD4LHbz3DDhqQFF9_aBnSm2XFfJkyRAvOXE4lER3rkZoBP9avOLvOVekcYRJNG6UUm8jiYrnjU2gFoqormPd6dt8go9dkMCkjksMzxPhsos8Ct88/s1600/DSCN4866-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18RDWkKyTx1cg9fzDnAZtTbgD7GmdD4LHbz3DDhqQFF9_aBnSm2XFfJkyRAvOXE4lER3rkZoBP9avOLvOVekcYRJNG6UUm8jiYrnjU2gFoqormPd6dt8go9dkMCkjksMzxPhsos8Ct88/s640/DSCN4866-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Besides the hat<br />the other draw for me was seeing the Queen</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I just think she is such an adorable woman - always smiling</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">impeccably dressed and a reportedly empty purse</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">She never misses a Royal Ascot </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">for she loves horses<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4bclfv-w0cDy_1nJGQyVCU092JXNRWIwifHS57X-Jco9VEV0aNx3VOaHVyblmVstmLWvzRA_OZ4ALw7u88Wa_s-TSihO12tESb7aZyquiLcmu-hTMv3VmcwS7_PDq-Bebvy3xWGYkFI/s1600/DSCN4895-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4bclfv-w0cDy_1nJGQyVCU092JXNRWIwifHS57X-Jco9VEV0aNx3VOaHVyblmVstmLWvzRA_OZ4ALw7u88Wa_s-TSihO12tESb7aZyquiLcmu-hTMv3VmcwS7_PDq-Bebvy3xWGYkFI/s640/DSCN4895-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">It's too bad I didn't place a bet</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I would have won</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Number 9 is my favorite number, and it won first place in the second race</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">So let's just say I won</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">We loved our 'picnic box'</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">- champagne, finger sandwiches, scones, Victoria Sponge Cake -</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">and enjoyed seeing some of my hat's friends</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Many hats and fascinators were outlandish and fun</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">All in good spirit<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRod9TBaT1YClfASXVqmf0rVmFmnD2J0KoEu2k_NcH8J-LaWktJyOpEkkR5bYL9IkplAY7DelZ__K6dUmxEsiTXI222_faK1KxNvNOI1piG0iZHsyBfYZuTnL9A9Zf3IaekrM6pRRGBo/s1600/DSCN4881-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRod9TBaT1YClfASXVqmf0rVmFmnD2J0KoEu2k_NcH8J-LaWktJyOpEkkR5bYL9IkplAY7DelZ__K6dUmxEsiTXI222_faK1KxNvNOI1piG0iZHsyBfYZuTnL9A9Zf3IaekrM6pRRGBo/s400/DSCN4881-1.jpg" width="332" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Fascinators' are attached to a headband</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzNF1wupD1O3Xa8JRgShvHeqo0x_v-TJC8gRJNwhmfDaqlGOpdVxOz3ZvpOGSRVZZktGCJ4Y5Q12WChsXxCm0MEwK0BV3vM_CD4GWlaZnyQqQ3ooWD2PlZn0lCaI9kwai_VWOC3XvMds/s1600/DSCN4988-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzNF1wupD1O3Xa8JRgShvHeqo0x_v-TJC8gRJNwhmfDaqlGOpdVxOz3ZvpOGSRVZZktGCJ4Y5Q12WChsXxCm0MEwK0BV3vM_CD4GWlaZnyQqQ3ooWD2PlZn0lCaI9kwai_VWOC3XvMds/s400/DSCN4988-12.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjh7fjE0IeCZBPFRC2aoa2Q9l_a3aVJHtlfmz-cIzCuE1SXcHFCsbppyUkO5mZky-mCa-MqEyYaD7uIPFbUwqXfvs_NcXr7BMeDQmikDq4yMJoSIjqcQg_1VI0cV_PG4XIEqgOTIwb3E/s1600/DSCN4955-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjh7fjE0IeCZBPFRC2aoa2Q9l_a3aVJHtlfmz-cIzCuE1SXcHFCsbppyUkO5mZky-mCa-MqEyYaD7uIPFbUwqXfvs_NcXr7BMeDQmikDq4yMJoSIjqcQg_1VI0cV_PG4XIEqgOTIwb3E/s400/DSCN4955-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Honestly, it made the Royal Wedding headwear choice of Princess Beatrice make more sense</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Taken out of context internationally, her fascinator looked ridiculous</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">but at the Ascot it would have been divine<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHziL7ZSnSWZOKphdF8rhGtuVUhOK6S8eo6WFknQBi8BQldj8Lywy7um5_aUIccAPqVVIGftT07h6j7oj9ElT7DxhpVpf5gi5RXZKQKukfJvRvmgR1sUIsmUycXszLXzWubOWu9fh-K6Y/s1600/DSCN4897-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHziL7ZSnSWZOKphdF8rhGtuVUhOK6S8eo6WFknQBi8BQldj8Lywy7um5_aUIccAPqVVIGftT07h6j7oj9ElT7DxhpVpf5gi5RXZKQKukfJvRvmgR1sUIsmUycXszLXzWubOWu9fh-K6Y/s640/DSCN4897-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Charles, Camilla, Princesses Eugenie & Beatrice<br />in conservative hats</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">The only people that looked silly at the Ascot were </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">those who did not dress up enough<br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXyLHioz30m7c4gy-1o7tnBvcGrwH2A3KsZmKmdMlFK1zEYDVjWc7ryRieqqKATCY0ajL8CMEMyDaKX9FCDICv8VIKB8mc4z9REkSXBEc5MUlTw__9aAXm4c97fCjqujZnGXhZ4oFy3Q/s1600/DSCN4957-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXyLHioz30m7c4gy-1o7tnBvcGrwH2A3KsZmKmdMlFK1zEYDVjWc7ryRieqqKATCY0ajL8CMEMyDaKX9FCDICv8VIKB8mc4z9REkSXBEc5MUlTw__9aAXm4c97fCjqujZnGXhZ4oFy3Q/s640/DSCN4957-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Women seated in the Royal Enclosure (most expensive seating) (not where I was)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">follow the dress code of a hat or fascinator</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">and no bare shoulders<br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqeLfgqN3CpFE7e5aAgjG8ytBQ-wLmr6EBJJ2ZTZvWNfaw0Pr2J6lbyw9-R7CyOd_5Pq6IS2-x0RV_djRb6kHn3kQahyoJ607hrIZfbY2KP2vZg9ucCI6LyVHcwthXlOAWuwjfh4x7DQ/s1600/DSCN4958-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqeLfgqN3CpFE7e5aAgjG8ytBQ-wLmr6EBJJ2ZTZvWNfaw0Pr2J6lbyw9-R7CyOd_5Pq6IS2-x0RV_djRb6kHn3kQahyoJ607hrIZfbY2KP2vZg9ucCI6LyVHcwthXlOAWuwjfh4x7DQ/s640/DSCN4958-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Men in the Royal Enclosure must wear black or grey morning dress with a top hat</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Traditionally, top hats were made of moleskin (literally)<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiLMuPKkovgOGM7olap3BOhckDE7b-8IpalVyJLXQ0x-eHpwmrfxr47UQHOeZfF8HDY_2OPjYHPoxOEuG4nP2Ckoyi5w5rtDaFUKq_2ZZjnqtlXAWumPaoYt72H_9LxvrI4dsOtlCZjM/s1600/DSCN4890-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiLMuPKkovgOGM7olap3BOhckDE7b-8IpalVyJLXQ0x-eHpwmrfxr47UQHOeZfF8HDY_2OPjYHPoxOEuG4nP2Ckoyi5w5rtDaFUKq_2ZZjnqtlXAWumPaoYt72H_9LxvrI4dsOtlCZjM/s640/DSCN4890-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even cameramen follow the dress code</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">It was an unforgettable day 'at the races' with friends</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I can't wait to see which hat is my date next year :)<br /><br />***<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Time for another Post Of The Month Club day - yea! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It is a great way for you to promote your best work</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">and meet other fantastic bloggers</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Join me June 30th & July 1st</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Yep, right here :)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDmLFMaCIvtimlaovNxxk7Td7V11dw291mQtSjJVnhh6eHxJ1H6L6AqX8LmoymEygWGAHiLmB4wGtf1BRFUI04FExW9qdVdVEL_8pqbx4gUkXUU9hcjaTfe9HMDsnFEKPx6ev-EnZSmE/s1600/Happy+Homemaker+20111-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDmLFMaCIvtimlaovNxxk7Td7V11dw291mQtSjJVnhh6eHxJ1H6L6AqX8LmoymEygWGAHiLmB4wGtf1BRFUI04FExW9qdVdVEL_8pqbx4gUkXUU9hcjaTfe9HMDsnFEKPx6ev-EnZSmE/s200/Happy+Homemaker+20111-39.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="198" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Ooh, wouldn't this button look lovely on your sidebar?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">You can grab the code from my sidebar :)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">All bloggers are welcome to join</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It wouldn't be the same without you!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">(more details <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/2011/03/post-of-month-club-linky-party.html">here</a>)</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo credit: personal & friends</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Elegant Hats For Hire: Margaret Partington, 01753 543597</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>      <a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

The Hat That Dragged Me To The Royal Ascot

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK Last week a big ol' hat and I attended The Royal Ascot, one of Europe's most famous horse races (I...

12:26 AM

Wish I was here today....

...and I wish it was summer!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4e_uaZ2nPqicREDmM0XcnIpJr3ydmtk8bkHEF6mqfhpB5na_sIqyibDO6SoR37kH9Re9QcCgDqZhFp-v6fjGbCT5h2YuvXbdbSRQun6ITKxoeoJGpuD4Lki9wxjASMEWUz8MrH8G_HLc/s1600/12-easyandageless-0508-xlg+via+house+beautiful+july+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4e_uaZ2nPqicREDmM0XcnIpJr3ydmtk8bkHEF6mqfhpB5na_sIqyibDO6SoR37kH9Re9QcCgDqZhFp-v6fjGbCT5h2YuvXbdbSRQun6ITKxoeoJGpuD4Lki9wxjASMEWUz8MrH8G_HLc/s640/12-easyandageless-0508-xlg+via+house+beautiful+july+2011.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://housebeautiful.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">source</span></a></div><br /><br />Will be back later today with a new painting...if I can thaw out, that is :)<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Wish I was here today....

...and I wish it was summer! source Will be back later today with a new painting...if I can thaw out, that is :)

3:21 PM

Political Climates

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br />The other night I was asked the difference between American and British politics. And honestly, although I've been here a year, I don't know much about the national politics in the UK. But here's my long answer...<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelj0kP7Z4YgMRBS5ipk5E1j_WsK0BhVnZ7ic67THx6rV_Rd_VL-81dDjgjnYcJ_nX6NPGsR_ryrwGEdKGHbOGeNCTGW1aFvFR3hfxg5T1Tg0BvSl9huFcqb5nsqJ2oFIaxc1fUpHk1vI/s1600/DSCN1343-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelj0kP7Z4YgMRBS5ipk5E1j_WsK0BhVnZ7ic67THx6rV_Rd_VL-81dDjgjnYcJ_nX6NPGsR_ryrwGEdKGHbOGeNCTGW1aFvFR3hfxg5T1Tg0BvSl9huFcqb5nsqJ2oFIaxc1fUpHk1vI/s640/DSCN1343-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milk or sugar for our little convo?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Words stuck in my head from an expat Brit blogger living in the US (<a href="http://fromsheeptoalligators.blogspot.com/2011/06/perils-of-writing-british-expat-blog.html">From Sheep To Alligators</a>): </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US">You don’t often find me quoting Margaret Thatcher, but she said that </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"><u>Europe</u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"><u> is founded on history</u> and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"><u>America</u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"><u> is founded on philosophy</u> and that is absolutely true....in some ways, the constitution *is* </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US">America [whereas]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"> the Brits...don’t have a constitution </span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">(emphasis added by me)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">To me, this is a profound observation. Let me try to put my finger on it...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">I find in the US, people are passionate or at least opinionated about politics - therefore it is a fueled conversation you steer clear of with most folks. In general, Americans don't trust their government </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">(some say this began with President Nixon).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Politics (and politicians) are always in the news. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Sadly, scandals are frequent, and the two parties often spar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">I agree the United States Constitution is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">the heart of America</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">. I memorized it in school. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Founded on philosophical ideals, Americans have a strong feeling of their 'unalienable rights'. We find comfort in having a piece of paper with those rights spelled out. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBV-NFRC8eFTWG7KD8HbUsrXqF-kHnMTi9WqRSoVI1GsZo_YFSmS0H6WKxpvaFwL5F5h-u66FEz7x4gPIi2nvx5z90CSSVqqs_I_l48w_D40yu0xBVd_Xp5y6yLHY99Wcoi1BDeV1Bn0/s1600/DSCN3832-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBV-NFRC8eFTWG7KD8HbUsrXqF-kHnMTi9WqRSoVI1GsZo_YFSmS0H6WKxpvaFwL5F5h-u66FEz7x4gPIi2nvx5z90CSSVqqs_I_l48w_D40yu0xBVd_Xp5y6yLHY99Wcoi1BDeV1Bn0/s640/DSCN3832-21.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Hey look kids, there's Big Ben, and there's Parliament'<br />-Clark Griswold (repeatedly), 'National Lampoon's European Vacation'</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">On the flip-side, England has an 'unwritten' constitution, meaning it consists of many documents written over 800 years (incl Magna Carta [1215], Great Reform Bill [1832], Parliament Act [1911]). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Guided by tradition and history, change is gradual. The position of Prime Minister was not simply created but evolved slowly and erratically over three hundred years. I doubt the US health care reform bill would have passed so quickly here. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">In England, t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">here is little chatter about politics in the news or in social settings. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">One Brit suggested this could be due to apathy or that the political parties in the UK are not as different or polarizing as in the US.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">The UK government provides many more services than the US government, including life & travel insurance (not free) and medical care (mostly free). Although taxes are higher, the government really does take care of many needs, and people feel it does a decent job in doing so. In fact, I'd say the trust and 'approval rating' of government services is much higher in most European countries than in the US.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">On a final note, I find it fascinating that election for Prime Minister can occur at varying times. Within 5 years of the previous election, a particular party will call an election when they believe they are popular enough to win. A vote of no confidence by the party can also result in a general election. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">And so there's my report on current UK politics...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">no report at all :)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;"><i>- photos by me -</i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Sources: <a href="http://www.helium.com/items/1305856-comparison-british-american-electoral-systems">Helium</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom">Wikipedia</a></span></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Political Climates

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK The other night I was asked the difference between American and British politics. And honestly, although I'...

9:38 AM

It's SALE time!

Not long to go until June 30, so what better time to launch a huge <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">End of Financial Year SALE!</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBptu7ALOeieG2W_mo_TUXLMKGRwffDqbZ8sFebMaRKPq73qnGoIURxBjgQqrwzmgv22g0IrmU68LhSpx2WyeT88nruC9A1ekje6E1tgQGbFkMXdJ9WV1Ioe-xrOje2vAn1DPfs2kmYxlo/s1600/20%2525+off+sale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBptu7ALOeieG2W_mo_TUXLMKGRwffDqbZ8sFebMaRKPq73qnGoIURxBjgQqrwzmgv22g0IrmU68LhSpx2WyeT88nruC9A1ekje6E1tgQGbFkMXdJ9WV1Ioe-xrOje2vAn1DPfs2kmYxlo/s1600/20%2525+off+sale.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So head on over to my <a href="http://www.driftwoodinteriors.etsy.com/">Etsy shop</a> for <i>20% off all prints</i> storewide. Just enter the code "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">ENDYEARSALE2011</span>" at checkout for your discount. It's my way of saying thank you to everyone for the amazing support for my artwork, it's been phenomenal! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Before I go, I'm almost finished a new painting, which will compliment one of my most popular prints, '<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/69099692/bouquet-in-flow-blue">Bouquet in Flow Blue</a>'. Here's a preview:</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRN6p2t3PnRbBOctJoV-DJCrUn3Wn46-CiYWIL3FXtA-_avZjWBIt4IaoaNTzr-aZTy7OrjYf-SdVFyhcf0qN-hBWFmNAcexOaEs0PXxyUu65dB6eJZ9FUyXtONsDmdoaKsMBCZ17jxfDF/s1600/Untitled+picture.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRN6p2t3PnRbBOctJoV-DJCrUn3Wn46-CiYWIL3FXtA-_avZjWBIt4IaoaNTzr-aZTy7OrjYf-SdVFyhcf0qN-hBWFmNAcexOaEs0PXxyUu65dB6eJZ9FUyXtONsDmdoaKsMBCZ17jxfDF/s640/Untitled+picture.png" width="538" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Sweet Peas in Vintage Blue'</div><div style="text-align: center;">will be available in both 8" x 11", and also 11" x 14"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's not quite finished yet, but I'll be adding this one tomorrow afternoon. Couldn't resist a little teaser!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

It's SALE time!

Not long to go until June 30, so what better time to launch a huge End of Financial Year SALE! So head on over to my Etsy shop for 20% off ...

2:55 PM

Oh my...

These beauties literally took my breath away. I found this first image on <a href="http://pinterest.com/source/hutkerarchitects.com/">Pinterest</a> (the most addictive treasure-trove imaginable), and found that it was the handiwork of <a href="http://www.hutkerarchitects.com/portfolio/">Hutker Architects</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqi_QiO0g3T18vNu4f3JuVNKLr2A48zV-fK9vPsi9JiSw02HQ9_gTOpCB7H3CxUa1gJDxV7NTT2hYOmn0jQk5KxyyHuJw_dzFDp5hBEQ0I4cnoMal61rb2cahaz0i28FW50kEUXPasJO6/s1600/hutker+architects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqi_QiO0g3T18vNu4f3JuVNKLr2A48zV-fK9vPsi9JiSw02HQ9_gTOpCB7H3CxUa1gJDxV7NTT2hYOmn0jQk5KxyyHuJw_dzFDp5hBEQ0I4cnoMal61rb2cahaz0i28FW50kEUXPasJO6/s1600/hutker+architects.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> be.still.my.heart.</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieb4Bkoc4A4l4jHJuRAbqM3re-I7JtlHZgRoF_xBnBgiTYr7o3XrUfA5Tw0fNz4Hp-6WVCWitL3iiVUMTJlRtRzBjQq7Tdgt9ZuNC5pOwTnZYqfElHu-CcFUEjE_HPyaiJO1fqeUoO9Po_/s1600/hutker+architects2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieb4Bkoc4A4l4jHJuRAbqM3re-I7JtlHZgRoF_xBnBgiTYr7o3XrUfA5Tw0fNz4Hp-6WVCWitL3iiVUMTJlRtRzBjQq7Tdgt9ZuNC5pOwTnZYqfElHu-CcFUEjE_HPyaiJO1fqeUoO9Po_/s1600/hutker+architects2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENuJX5E3eZp7kgb-0p-znXv8RMyefJBakTuW0U5l47pA8bfFv4103zUfIxYb8R241VyIBP9kfh0jN7dZOByBvvplYBgaxeeX1ECmjvp2-sxIYVg7seggOhygVEjJEzpFY0iRjjQPRIims/s1600/hutker+architects3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENuJX5E3eZp7kgb-0p-znXv8RMyefJBakTuW0U5l47pA8bfFv4103zUfIxYb8R241VyIBP9kfh0jN7dZOByBvvplYBgaxeeX1ECmjvp2-sxIYVg7seggOhygVEjJEzpFY0iRjjQPRIims/s1600/hutker+architects3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G-a24rLA7FoSoPhbgk0JgT0tG7ybu9T4Et9ESfwoj2-kvpw0-faupeWEv3Ov9d-OadO4FXs5sHkKlgX5D8f9Q4nxPHaEoYgJtXG4H9lwJchyphenhyphent4Mtlpw-nduzfZo4IgEpfFBiWwNEl9e_/s1600/hutker+architects4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G-a24rLA7FoSoPhbgk0JgT0tG7ybu9T4Et9ESfwoj2-kvpw0-faupeWEv3Ov9d-OadO4FXs5sHkKlgX5D8f9Q4nxPHaEoYgJtXG4H9lwJchyphenhyphent4Mtlpw-nduzfZo4IgEpfFBiWwNEl9e_/s1600/hutker+architects4.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> stunning in its simplicity</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHSWeSfPsGYpplwLaFCKv4Y1bxqshkKOy6IjuMh02mlia7H4HAfWjvKeBOdFK6yC50oVIXLwhCLD_D3JPFA94mG7BfBAEfedVgqTcdh7ClcnpeCxvkjA_l1t9ow4NyKwoTSY6t8Gh-ohq/s1600/hutker+architects5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHSWeSfPsGYpplwLaFCKv4Y1bxqshkKOy6IjuMh02mlia7H4HAfWjvKeBOdFK6yC50oVIXLwhCLD_D3JPFA94mG7BfBAEfedVgqTcdh7ClcnpeCxvkjA_l1t9ow4NyKwoTSY6t8Gh-ohq/s1600/hutker+architects5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> those doors, exposed roof trusses...doesn't get much better</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdZ9rKvMFMn4vnTuP4Y9te2iVqInRqpYPri01VZQ7vIL4szxlAO0t3MRGbmt1FiXueA8IqJjOCC42CemptN9I2MHLSaVpiixWUN7NiNadEqkH168a3g1W3bWz_8Io3uyjJh46CmNJ6t09/s1600/hutker+architects6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdZ9rKvMFMn4vnTuP4Y9te2iVqInRqpYPri01VZQ7vIL4szxlAO0t3MRGbmt1FiXueA8IqJjOCC42CemptN9I2MHLSaVpiixWUN7NiNadEqkH168a3g1W3bWz_8Io3uyjJh46CmNJ6t09/s1600/hutker+architects6.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />So if you have the willpower, head on over to check it out. But don't say I didn't warn you - you may find yourself lost in all things fabulous for hours on end.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Oh my...

These beauties literally took my breath away. I found this first image on Pinterest (the most addictive treasure-trove imaginable), and fou...

2:08 PM

Recess

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Hello, buttercup -</div><div style="text-align: center;">how I've missed our chats!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My apologies for the unannounced break -</div><div style="text-align: center;">life has become too full for the moment</div><div style="text-align: center;">for writing</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUhmkX5Vt8A6q-PNfuPK24hxhGkwNHOrUei2Lx5kAR-gCmnzM-gDpBQvZ6rOeVer3_O5EYMMtfFVHR0PcnDouotXypxH6iNh5JBK7JZwJmAyrt1H9u8jKHpZ0l7Cc5EpUaN_wVlx6MHw/s1600/DSCN0679-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUhmkX5Vt8A6q-PNfuPK24hxhGkwNHOrUei2Lx5kAR-gCmnzM-gDpBQvZ6rOeVer3_O5EYMMtfFVHR0PcnDouotXypxH6iNh5JBK7JZwJmAyrt1H9u8jKHpZ0l7Cc5EpUaN_wVlx6MHw/s640/DSCN0679-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing says 'England' like a thatched cottage</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Family time, helping at school & scrapbooking (almost done!) have taken my full attention</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll be back shortly to show you the Cotswolds and Royal Ascot through my eyes</div><div style="text-align: center;">as well as another peek of my on-going list of UK vs US differences</div><div style="text-align: center;">Maybe throw in a photo editing tutorial?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hope your weekend is grand!</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll see you soon, gorgeous :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">- photo by me -</span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Recess

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK Hello, buttercup - how I've missed our chats! My apologies for the unannounced break - life has become too ...

10:15 PM

FIREPLACE DESIGN

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Our family vacation destination of choice over the last couple of decades </strong></span><br><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>has been this breathtaking spot</strong></span></div><br /><br><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKS7QNzutTCDBxBC9Pp1XWUEghSjzWhyphenhyphen7x7nmqwm-zw2oDb6-kLOy8Cxm4nmo6qzoCwZMOmCVihOPrN0EtlZlZippDohycWeFQIS6xpuTAiUJqhA0XxY6jNduSR0-tisYWama8gVgJKDNM/s1600/Yosemite-National-Park1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKS7QNzutTCDBxBC9Pp1XWUEghSjzWhyphenhyphen7x7nmqwm-zw2oDb6-kLOy8Cxm4nmo6qzoCwZMOmCVihOPrN0EtlZlZippDohycWeFQIS6xpuTAiUJqhA0XxY6jNduSR0-tisYWama8gVgJKDNM/s640/Yosemite-National-Park1.jpg" t8="true" width="640"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />With only a very few exceptions, we have come here every year<br><br /></div></div><a href="http://yournestdesign.blogspot.com/2011/06/fireplace-design.html#more">Read more »</a>

FIREPLACE DESIGN

Our family vacation destination of choice over the last couple of decades has been this breathtaking spot Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Nationa...

7:37 PM

Let's warm things up a little..

...with a touch of red. I thought it would be fun to add a new colourway to my paintings, and this rich raspberry is the result.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZC_rbu82xP5QOb_sYa2rdaHVEVJue5zi7wk0YoCWGtc7uRtsQjT45iBpLG50Lc2FTRml0Yz53wmUUGQxDAyFBYZSh9ehRSqZsGlApx0gSO1tt5Hlu_aLs_HlgD3NEZjKtnJ4Okze5P5IG/s1600/sea+fan+IV+raspberry+watermarked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZC_rbu82xP5QOb_sYa2rdaHVEVJue5zi7wk0YoCWGtc7uRtsQjT45iBpLG50Lc2FTRml0Yz53wmUUGQxDAyFBYZSh9ehRSqZsGlApx0gSO1tt5Hlu_aLs_HlgD3NEZjKtnJ4Okze5P5IG/s1600/sea+fan+IV+raspberry+watermarked.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Sea Fan IV in Raspberry'</div><div style="text-align: center;">watercolour on paper</div><div style="text-align: center;">210mm x 297mm (8" x 11")</div><div style="text-align: center;">for sale on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/75883540/sea-fan-iv-in-raspberry-new-fine-art">Etsy</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm adding larger sizes to my shop too - all prints will be available in 11" x 14", as well as custom sizes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">See you tomorrow with some new goodies....new, <i>supersized</i> goodies!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a></div>

Let's warm things up a little..

...with a touch of red. I thought it would be fun to add a new colourway to my paintings, and this rich raspberry is the result. 'Sea Fa...

2:06 PM

New blog on the block

I always enjoy finding new blogs to add to my ever-growing reading list, and this latest addition is fast becoming one of my favourites. I was commissioned to paint some original sea coral paintings for Melinda, and from her lovely thank you email I found her gorgeous blog - <a href="http://www.georgicapond.blogspot.com/">Georgica Pond</a>. Reading through her posts quite literally stopped my in my tracks - almost each and every one of her inspiration photos was either one I had stashed away myself, or wish I had! Melinda has recently moved into a new home and is about to embark on a renovation, and from the looks of things, I'm going to love following along on her journey.<br /><br />She and her family built this stunner on a hundred acre property in the NSW Southern Highlands.....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFCm2nvzLpre4aNjNtcV2ldCHBUomA2T_1KDYaKsIiKS1iu46ZR56zLmYXArQcYu7KlIK4vJtSgu89HCzi0m7Wxj5niztcV5HdMo2x7L7qKi8f-a7broAO8T7Z-dvyKeWESOsT9cD7Qva/s1600/georgica+pond+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFCm2nvzLpre4aNjNtcV2ldCHBUomA2T_1KDYaKsIiKS1iu46ZR56zLmYXArQcYu7KlIK4vJtSgu89HCzi0m7Wxj5niztcV5HdMo2x7L7qKi8f-a7broAO8T7Z-dvyKeWESOsT9cD7Qva/s640/georgica+pond+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHHtMt_1n0hrVUvOGxifXUWW0Af6A-0ICrCHmKF-tgkpfZrFMWwne6Y5fFrAPjwlFIEWjHOG1viwZYS1xpZNWaTlF7tKFnIJMnkh-98-89cYZPQA09Yz6IIi5tJ3EOT_e75UG-pLjUn1o/s1600/georgica+pond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHHtMt_1n0hrVUvOGxifXUWW0Af6A-0ICrCHmKF-tgkpfZrFMWwne6Y5fFrAPjwlFIEWjHOG1viwZYS1xpZNWaTlF7tKFnIJMnkh-98-89cYZPQA09Yz6IIi5tJ3EOT_e75UG-pLjUn1o/s640/georgica+pond.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DRFrKVmUSYov7N7xggOhvbPX7qOargkqAmlF6WRAsukU93r5c4s_TgWlgfA05sKc4jPWRATO6yInb9TxL9TtwQfkliJ9gyqfaFMxFLcu_gz2qEJ1HP_0587eyzBA-FPuvHLXf7DOFyYc/s1600/georgica+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DRFrKVmUSYov7N7xggOhvbPX7qOargkqAmlF6WRAsukU93r5c4s_TgWlgfA05sKc4jPWRATO6yInb9TxL9TtwQfkliJ9gyqfaFMxFLcu_gz2qEJ1HP_0587eyzBA-FPuvHLXf7DOFyYc/s640/georgica+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />...but they've since moved to Sydney into this renovator's delight...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BHTpwzlcVtXfFR0v54S5JFvRNODjczI8YuTowJI0OnMcvOwnz01oLhIevzJ7mUJqCNPuk8uGXCtTVQl_wW6CPjT0-YDE0NS-Rz-oM6IAZsVNMOxZCEAufPAB-2w55s1wd6dfEv_JBDFF/s1600/georgica+pond+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BHTpwzlcVtXfFR0v54S5JFvRNODjczI8YuTowJI0OnMcvOwnz01oLhIevzJ7mUJqCNPuk8uGXCtTVQl_wW6CPjT0-YDE0NS-Rz-oM6IAZsVNMOxZCEAufPAB-2w55s1wd6dfEv_JBDFF/s640/georgica+pond+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />...and when we share these as inspiration for our renovations..<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGNyhLk430p6bQ4P-jlKPACsUFYy1N77VyTDg3F4XEl2geWSj4S-VacVng8SvBQSQUSoiIzSRZyNPqnC_yR7ebTaL0eYW_NHGwnAtAVTSjJpTig3HtCSqObMfBRJspFVUbZAoUau1NQnt/s1600/georgica+pond+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGNyhLk430p6bQ4P-jlKPACsUFYy1N77VyTDg3F4XEl2geWSj4S-VacVng8SvBQSQUSoiIzSRZyNPqnC_yR7ebTaL0eYW_NHGwnAtAVTSjJpTig3HtCSqObMfBRJspFVUbZAoUau1NQnt/s640/georgica+pond+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhdTY3tBq5UKJSvQOR5t6e_Vr12Bj1SpYxlhxEmcjwPs-JkgVUAeL0euxJFJN8PoAuR_dJSbW3GamgydZpLrLnYJ39dSXTs65HshzLGqiM-4fN7NlGQH4KbI3P603jnZupBW93Q-XQzs3/s1600/House+Beautiful.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhdTY3tBq5UKJSvQOR5t6e_Vr12Bj1SpYxlhxEmcjwPs-JkgVUAeL0euxJFJN8PoAuR_dJSbW3GamgydZpLrLnYJ39dSXTs65HshzLGqiM-4fN7NlGQH4KbI3P603jnZupBW93Q-XQzs3/s640/House+Beautiful.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjbLgAvkhwUVeILUxQWnj9ebySg_6IjZBfgMwYD4xtpHAGmi1swk_xK8KGqbKMIffEunO5vpWb3-Acb3tzPMDJqMdaCTSaNgBIabbjRy30qs2NeIHcgTkXOdBkrPY54lX0-w6hXZKMG6e/s1600/mabley+handler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjbLgAvkhwUVeILUxQWnj9ebySg_6IjZBfgMwYD4xtpHAGmi1swk_xK8KGqbKMIffEunO5vpWb3-Acb3tzPMDJqMdaCTSaNgBIabbjRy30qs2NeIHcgTkXOdBkrPY54lX0-w6hXZKMG6e/s1600/mabley+handler.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.mableyhandler.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">source</span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0m4tB2ZBo7sbwzoXO4wEK9fRnQH2qg3TC4mEHlpqzJ5aGl4zUOq_jWAmHJlno3D5uY-kS_wzIRVA_JOM7PyDlAw87N6wh-1neWReQXV7qd4m9K87Oo2RTyJJL72hPyOzAOWBddWUWVIvN/s1600/megbraff+via.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0m4tB2ZBo7sbwzoXO4wEK9fRnQH2qg3TC4mEHlpqzJ5aGl4zUOq_jWAmHJlno3D5uY-kS_wzIRVA_JOM7PyDlAw87N6wh-1neWReQXV7qd4m9K87Oo2RTyJJL72hPyOzAOWBddWUWVIvN/s640/megbraff+via.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://megbraff.com/">Meg Braff</a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-nsmKNa7Qq7e4AYpFSyfpLnseWwFOdxRmqJLlHdjiVvEMLGAaZCiJvpXDIa_z-CAmIv_F_-RZY3ung2evlZRX82szCFoibgxP3GcpmjFqiTLNd4H4Q_8CCMlnuJhhCRMs4iDu7GmH0wz/s1600/Melanie+Elston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-nsmKNa7Qq7e4AYpFSyfpLnseWwFOdxRmqJLlHdjiVvEMLGAaZCiJvpXDIa_z-CAmIv_F_-RZY3ung2evlZRX82szCFoibgxP3GcpmjFqiTLNd4H4Q_8CCMlnuJhhCRMs4iDu7GmH0wz/s1600/Melanie+Elston.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>...I knew I'd found a kindred decorating spirit. So, if that's whet your appetite, head on over to Melinda's lovely blog, Georgica Pond. Oh, and make sure you say hi from me!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

New blog on the block

I always enjoy finding new blogs to add to my ever-growing reading list, and this latest addition is fast becoming one of my favourites. I w...

2:09 PM