Trick Or Treating in England + Post Of The Month Club

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">In Ireland and Britain<br />during the Middle Ages on Hallowmas { November 1 }<br /> people went door-to-door in costume<br />receiving food in return for prayers for the dead<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BhFERo1ZGGhHXeZGtLC2ed831KKtYCQHkPFgN3lM3uPNgHCBoieQ8NVqvk97UvHQqdcNheW8Pogp5UfW7a5CsTfIjNjmASdgbdbCTaRyZo0cOY_Y9NW6EHg48SRPWY6V8BgqmgRIsTg/s1600/DSCN5788-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BhFERo1ZGGhHXeZGtLC2ed831KKtYCQHkPFgN3lM3uPNgHCBoieQ8NVqvk97UvHQqdcNheW8Pogp5UfW7a5CsTfIjNjmASdgbdbCTaRyZo0cOY_Y9NW6EHg48SRPWY6V8BgqmgRIsTg/s640/DSCN5788-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Fast-forward to 1895<br />for the first record of '<i>guising</i>' in Scotland,<br />where children in disguise visited neighbors<br /><br />performing a poem, song, or joke<br />to receive cake, fruit or money for their efforts<br />{ practiced later in Ireland too }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />They carried lanterns made of scooped-out turnips<br />{ which was on the menu the following day }<br /><br />First record of guising in North America was in<br />1911<br /><br />Some point before 1940, guising evolved to 'trick-or-treating'<br />on Halloween night in the western US and Canada<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifLwaTwffo07ni_m6gc_OLUa18NcOQQFkDR_yWsRJ3SlrEordr-h_nrH0hR-S67fcBk4K16Pb9k4rj4BnGfup8T7W_vXZUJLFjWVX7Y7rYQF3yg0_dmfe3Ldr2M0a21L2eAWdukhAPG0/s1600/DSCN5729-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifLwaTwffo07ni_m6gc_OLUa18NcOQQFkDR_yWsRJ3SlrEordr-h_nrH0hR-S67fcBk4K16Pb9k4rj4BnGfup8T7W_vXZUJLFjWVX7Y7rYQF3yg0_dmfe3Ldr2M0a21L2eAWdukhAPG0/s640/DSCN5729-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Although this annual US event of<br />asking for candy without a performance was stalled<br />by sugar rationing from 1942-1947 due to World War II,<br /><br />trick-or-treating picked up steam<br />with the mass production of costumes<br />and attention given to it in children's magazines and radio shows<br /><br />firmly establishing it in American pop culture by 1952<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><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/AVvXsEjtmqxtrvo6RqjGmYox9byHT5qnuWbxnKbbYIWnDjwGj6JRYkjB8o72kE_70-CO0MJw0PuGvpjJsTcV0jvjS0GGtVA2YF2GJ0uuZ4VFGWM__6CRg2HPWGw8ueBkAk6EnaEsSkp0YnFwyFc/s1600/DSCN1145-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmqxtrvo6RqjGmYox9byHT5qnuWbxnKbbYIWnDjwGj6JRYkjB8o72kE_70-CO0MJw0PuGvpjJsTcV0jvjS0GGtVA2YF2GJ0uuZ4VFGWM__6CRg2HPWGw8ueBkAk6EnaEsSkp0YnFwyFc/s640/DSCN1145-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Carving pumpkins is an American tradition, as pumpkins are native to America</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{ and bigger than turnips }</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Trick-or-treating' in England is viewed as an American export<br />and not necessarily a welcome one</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In 2007 the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7067804.stm">BBC News</a> wrote<br />the 'authentically ancient festival' of Halloween<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">has been hijacked by trick or treating' </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">and cited</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the 1986 House of Lords debate about</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">trick-or-treating being not a tradition, </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">but American for begging</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">{ Yikes! }</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you know how many houses I've seen decorated for Halloween in England this year?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Zero</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxkyffOa4xunMKFyTLHMDYeFKvgcRycm5skfGTzOEBIEKj6hqwSY6Ut5hq2yIGDWAMk97_hm1s3cTrxwWcP6JoP2z3yL554SXUmSeCK4prBRVImZphASyhPY27pf5HIMOzQOkb1Y3j_4/s1600/DSC_0535-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxkyffOa4xunMKFyTLHMDYeFKvgcRycm5skfGTzOEBIEKj6hqwSY6Ut5hq2yIGDWAMk97_hm1s3cTrxwWcP6JoP2z3yL554SXUmSeCK4prBRVImZphASyhPY27pf5HIMOzQOkb1Y3j_4/s640/DSC_0535-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I believe Halloween is more of a dark occasion here,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which makes the older generations nervous about bad behavior<br />in a society that closely guards its privacy<br /><br />Last year I saw 'No Trick Or Treaters Here' fliers distributed for posting on doors<br />{ but none this year }<br /><br />To indicate trick-or-treaters are welcome at a home,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a pumpkin or lit candle will be outside the front door</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />I have to say, just since last year there seems to be<br />increased lightening and acceptance of this event<br /><br />evidenced by more Halloween displays in store windows<br />and a whole half-aisle dedicated to bagged candy, costumes, and knickknacks<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcJVB3COJJmbdtQuTNfitbcV5HqMbl9K7wXIfN3XrLNM5uS6w2j6uyjlK65viwUjkbFF03ThJBq9OHu9Sid7FhvH535IKn_FqShdBdB6BdG58CsTYQw2VoNHW37uS79lYTKHceGOl5KI/s1600/DSC_0004-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcJVB3COJJmbdtQuTNfitbcV5HqMbl9K7wXIfN3XrLNM5uS6w2j6uyjlK65viwUjkbFF03ThJBq9OHu9Sid7FhvH535IKn_FqShdBdB6BdG58CsTYQw2VoNHW37uS79lYTKHceGOl5KI/s640/DSC_0004-37.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Although most English parents never trick-or-treated as children,<br />it seems to be catching on and their children are enthusiastic about it</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Children's costumes are scary or gory</div><div style="text-align: center;">- skeletons, witches, ghouls -<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">nothing 'cute' like a puppy dog<br />and no Disney characters<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/AVvXsEjxI23xNnOD6CD-HzWnTkj5qxjZwSVlEJK8RVMPzHhxkh8Or1cZkHShFCZhuSn7-B11E8sxQS__YTRjLOqFdaMTQpWLQ6XNrv5KrG0YkSVIOcuPeKNbPIRLBu7SaSMkbkBzvrD3KQvRS1w/s1600/DSCN5795-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxI23xNnOD6CD-HzWnTkj5qxjZwSVlEJK8RVMPzHhxkh8Or1cZkHShFCZhuSn7-B11E8sxQS__YTRjLOqFdaMTQpWLQ6XNrv5KrG0YkSVIOcuPeKNbPIRLBu7SaSMkbkBzvrD3KQvRS1w/s640/DSCN5795-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many houses have spooky 'fog machines'<br />{ well, ventilation for boilers, actually }</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />And I noticed their trick-or-treat bags are quite small,<br />humbly not expecting much<br />{ some Americans bring pillowcases to fill in the US }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />English neighbors typically give one piece of candy or one coin<br /><br />This year a few trick-or-treaters rang our doorbell Saturday<br />and a few more will tonight { Monday }<br /><br />I expect only one-eighth of the houses on our street will participate<br />when we trick-or-treat tonight with friends<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5amOgRLQlYuH4Ol9db1jQwLSIVYM9vJKYtzeDujOOf2973g86syERUgDAJSpjvXSgOq2dpR-lkytE6YtVqcuuzyR0vZTKzrTkhHSJY97iwf41_DO_yYI8C3DOaqTvC7R3PyhXU95qO8/s1600/DSCN5212-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5amOgRLQlYuH4Ol9db1jQwLSIVYM9vJKYtzeDujOOf2973g86syERUgDAJSpjvXSgOq2dpR-lkytE6YtVqcuuzyR0vZTKzrTkhHSJY97iwf41_DO_yYI8C3DOaqTvC7R3PyhXU95qO8/s640/DSCN5212-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />American readers are probably thinking<br />how nice it must be to avoid the heavy commercialization of Halloween,<br /><br />but with no Thanksgiving in England<br />you can bet Christmas paraphernalia has been for sale since the beginning of October!<br /><br />Happy Halloween, y'all :)<br /><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick_or_treat">1</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween">2</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_costume">3</a>. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7067804.stm">BBC</a>, <a href="http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow_halloween.htm">Rampants Scotland</a></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Linking to: <a href="http://www.misselaineouslife.com/">MissElaineOusLife</a> </span><br /><br />* Postscript: I want to mention that in the US, this holiday has nothing to do with remembering loved ones that have passed. Halloween is almost synonymous with trick-or-treating, which commonly is a festive community affair of seeing your neighbors :) Teenagers will go with friends to haunted houses for a giggly scare; adults may attend parties. Halloween has a really fun vibe to it and generally loved by everyone. Unfortunately the innocent gaiety of trick-or-treating may not have been exported with this American tradition...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">Welcome to October's Post Of The Month Club!</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">I am pleased as Halloween punch you are here :)</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">Time for our meet & greet</div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">* Bloggers, link up your best post of the month *</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>And see, you've already done the work</i></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">* Share the love by dropping by a few other blogs and say 'hi',</div><div style="text-align: center;">if you can *</div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">* Would you mind adding my button to your lovely sidebar or post<br />so more can join the fun next month? *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/ae214/HappyHomemakerUK/HappyHomemaker20111-39a-1.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;" /><center></center></center><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Yep, we'll do this the last day of each month</div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; 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="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Happy November blogging, you warm autumn ray of sunshine, you</div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">P.S. You can c<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">lick </span><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway-other-goodies-to-share.html" style="background-color: white; color: #0c8bd4; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"> to see my current giveaway :)</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">Linking to: <a href="http://my3boybarians.com/">Sweet Shot Tuesday</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div></div></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 /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=114130" type="text/javascript"></script>

Trick Or Treating in England + Post Of The Month Club

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK In Ireland and Britain during the Middle Ages on Hallowmas { November 1 }  people went door-to-door in costume ...

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The eagle has landed....

It's been a mammoth few weeks. As you can probably tell, my poor little blog has taken a back seat to everything else that's been going on. But even though there's been precious little blog action, I've been painting like a woman possessed! For those of you who follow me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/originalartbykerrishipp">Facebook</a>, you'll have seen a sneak peek of the biggest painting I've done for quite a while. This bad boy is 1.5m x 3m long (around 5' x 10') - a real statement piece. The canvas was custom-stretched, specialist art transport was needed due to its sheer size....but it was totally worth it. I absolutely love it, but more importantly, my gorgeous client Helen loves it too. Here it is:<br /><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/AVvXsEgzqe5VhG6RZC5Rz_pthswiMB0q5m_Pxq81DSk9-HSbL4TvAhn0oKZeR4wR_rRV1gyTVhk-2CYBzR9chAfE8zhUSSPwByLNpkpSCji-hoeKzTe-iMkojThx0dZC_N9vg8rCi-xnfpOjhRft/s1600/helen+final+watermarked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqe5VhG6RZC5Rz_pthswiMB0q5m_Pxq81DSk9-HSbL4TvAhn0oKZeR4wR_rRV1gyTVhk-2CYBzR9chAfE8zhUSSPwByLNpkpSCji-hoeKzTe-iMkojThx0dZC_N9vg8rCi-xnfpOjhRft/s640/helen+final+watermarked.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">'Equinox'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">mixed media on canvas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">1.5m x 3m</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">private commission</span></div><br />We did plan to have it delivered and hung all on the same day, but there were a few hiccups which meant it was only hung today. I'll be heading over next week to get some lovely in-situ shots, and I'll post those as soon as I can. I'm so looking forward to seeing it in place in Helen's beautifully restored Queenslander - very exciting!<br /><br />Thanks for bearing with me lately. Even though my usual blogging routine has been completely thrown out the window, I have lots of original commissions on order, as well as some new paintings of my own. For all the news, sneak peeks and previews of new work, you may want to head on over and 'like' my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/originalartbykerrishipp">Facebook page</a>. I'd love to see you there!<br /><br />Have a great weekend everyone,<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><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: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div></div>

The eagle has landed....

It's been a mammoth few weeks. As you can probably tell, my poor little blog has taken a back seat to everything else that's been go...

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Listy Loo Strikes Again

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Let's take something you are totally <i>not</i> interested in - say, The Dictionary</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But did you know that before dictionaries were in the hands of most,</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">people in England wrote phonetically?</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You can see how this would be problematic</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">when pronunciation of words varied so much within the country,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">even within London</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(and explains why I have trouble reading old English literary works)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></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/AVvXsEgJbxyKkSG3jHUOMvMocd4DlwsFHFnFn_PfFIOa0BxSzBYtMefpeJKeDdEYb5cOrw7ebCJtkbMrRPdqBVg6GXQAZaiwo1Te-wyYwQtxJBY1QB_3zo4du1tZQ2dUi3ZLeCVThsT6HhFA3mg/s1600/DSC_0008-225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbxyKkSG3jHUOMvMocd4DlwsFHFnFn_PfFIOa0BxSzBYtMefpeJKeDdEYb5cOrw7ebCJtkbMrRPdqBVg6GXQAZaiwo1Te-wyYwQtxJBY1QB_3zo4du1tZQ2dUi3ZLeCVThsT6HhFA3mg/s640/DSC_0008-225.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">in Wiltshire</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Samuel Johnson's <i>A Dictionary of the English Language</i> (1755) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">is hailed as the first modern English dictionary, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">written with reliable text references and arranged alphabetically, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">instead of by topic as organized previously</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It was the standard dictionary for 150 years </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">until the <i>Oxford English Dictionary</i> was published in 1928</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Taking nearly 50 years to complete,</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the <i>OED</i> is the most trusted English language dictionary today, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">revised and updated every three months</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">In the US, most Americans are familiar with Noah Webster, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">the father of the American Dictionary</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">{ think Webster Dictionary }</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">After twenty seven years of writing </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">and learning twenty-six languages </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">to evaluate the etymology of words,</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Webster published </span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><i>An American Dictionary Of The American </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>Language</i> in 1828</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></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/AVvXsEjIMT8TGBBbUQquAVFQ05s2HneCw4D_29GbHdEQK5wQmOD5J5JL17P1Z6x8SYdmoZEVOS6jCWW7bpO1ucLtipcQVOBC13NnttwwrvUC-GfFMTrkkF_RULdq9es62J1jhG5HHUFMqJde9fY/s1600/DSC_0028-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMT8TGBBbUQquAVFQ05s2HneCw4D_29GbHdEQK5wQmOD5J5JL17P1Z6x8SYdmoZEVOS6jCWW7bpO1ucLtipcQVOBC13NnttwwrvUC-GfFMTrkkF_RULdq9es62J1jhG5HHUFMqJde9fY/s640/DSC_0028-16.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Winston Churchill indulged his passion for writing and painting here at his home, <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-chartwell/">Chartwell</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Previously a teacher, Webster found </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">English spelling rules </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">unnecessarily complex, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">too aristocratically British, and with the need to be controlled by the people</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Therefore, h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">e intentionally accentuated differences in meaning and pronunciations of some words</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">One hallmark was altering the spelling of words such as 'colour' with 'color', 'centre' with 'center'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Webster added American words such as 'skunk' and 'squash' not found in English dictionaries</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">And interestingly, Webster included technical terms from the arts and sciences </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">rather than just literary words</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Truly transforming American English</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">At the time, Webster's dictionary was seen as radical and political </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">during a time of national identity crisis and instability </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">after American independence in 1776</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Today, Webster dictionaries sit on the shelves in countless US homes and schools</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Who could say the history of the dictionary was dull?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><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/AVvXsEgMRYF4YGWg3cmmkRC-SFVwey0jNaDd8B0soyLu5B3MXmwIcyPLhnbozkozUEwsp76m_el56dtZSbCA9juQ7eYj9w3OOeiSURc-OJBsAgqjFll6TLQMU4YZJUUR3Kqg0S25coqVeyAVmHA/s1600/DSC_0077-311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRYF4YGWg3cmmkRC-SFVwey0jNaDd8B0soyLu5B3MXmwIcyPLhnbozkozUEwsp76m_el56dtZSbCA9juQ7eYj9w3OOeiSURc-OJBsAgqjFll6TLQMU4YZJUUR3Kqg0S25coqVeyAVmHA/s640/DSC_0077-311.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">aka English Oak with its lobed (not sharp) leaves</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">I mention this because my 'Listy Loo' today is filled with</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">interesting words that hurled me to the nearest dictionary</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Let's start with the adorable word, <b>Wendy house</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">It is a general term for a playhouse, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">named after the house Peter Pan builds for Wendy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">in <span class="hwc" style="cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">J.</span> <span class="hwc" style="cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Barrie's</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.25em;"><span class="hwc" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span></span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="hwc" style="cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Peter</span> <span class="hwc" style="cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Pan</span></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">Love it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><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/AVvXsEgFhPxFIRD84ZqfLefCoENTmrYPI4UWdrsXeeKB0bMmBsIsH9GN-uvmts-qifZRBsefWW3SDp8gWwqPZ-a344S2GQDxpnV5dGEIEyJ9yGTKx5YvZXFn8OsUTuCv4eDmkwklzxlVgeRafOs/s1600/Capture66.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhPxFIRD84ZqfLefCoENTmrYPI4UWdrsXeeKB0bMmBsIsH9GN-uvmts-qifZRBsefWW3SDp8gWwqPZ-a344S2GQDxpnV5dGEIEyJ9yGTKx5YvZXFn8OsUTuCv4eDmkwklzxlVgeRafOs/s640/Capture66.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Available from <a href="http://blueforest.com/">Blue Forest</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><b>Wattle and daub</b> is the interweaving of twigs </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">plastered with a mixture </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">of clay, lime, water { and sometimes straw } </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">to form a wall of a building</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">England's period timber framed houses were often made of wattle and daub</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">It became less popular by the 17th and 18th centuries </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">due to </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">the popularity of brick and stone construction</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">the risk of fire</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">and the problem of criminals breaking through a wall</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">{ yikes! }</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">It remains </span>architecturally charming to me</span><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/AVvXsEhylI6Sm8EryHAy86jT6xhU-jcTlU8kdSrr09i97OeMhSagqrk_JVa8hL0ggEb_gRe6CjA1SXEqB_1pu8aGL9pfU9BsfKQfnnsPtautocY61MFkaHQLMndm-93d0eUfcG3zK2bv2_b49xM/s1600/DSCN3825-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylI6Sm8EryHAy86jT6xhU-jcTlU8kdSrr09i97OeMhSagqrk_JVa8hL0ggEb_gRe6CjA1SXEqB_1pu8aGL9pfU9BsfKQfnnsPtautocY61MFkaHQLMndm-93d0eUfcG3zK2bv2_b49xM/s640/DSCN3825-2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">'Wattle and daub' likely used in this timber framed home</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>Fairy cakes</b> are similar to the American cupcake</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">often with flat hard icing</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><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/AVvXsEgJY4t9IcSxLp-U3Lu89-HHi_N2FmcO4tSyO-Jy8ooYi4bhEHNAhti1zuPPd5SMzQzL8Lc6Kdcr7Pdo7zselhPqJ8LYd1MjkOPCJ0hENGCmsVLSR2XEKb6c8fh86jBJ4R5n3pKYsHwe21U/s1600/Capture009-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJY4t9IcSxLp-U3Lu89-HHi_N2FmcO4tSyO-Jy8ooYi4bhEHNAhti1zuPPd5SMzQzL8Lc6Kdcr7Pdo7zselhPqJ8LYd1MjkOPCJ0hENGCmsVLSR2XEKb6c8fh86jBJ4R5n3pKYsHwe21U/s400/Capture009-1.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">by <a href="http://www.jessicascupcakes.com/">Jessica's Cupcakes</a> in Oxford</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I was surprised how the <b>European Robin</b> looks so different from the American one,</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">so small & dainty and much revered in English folklore</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><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/AVvXsEjYlq_tGjl8iMmj5O3nnJ-H9uQ0ipKZLoS8DoUvcLo4qGJjwVtvd_L5BKGgIACB_3Oruc0q_w0EW4-6kJLLToizcrPyzA-CRBEVWmvfRL_PObm-1UXW-b80IrAJjKjq7PpQDPDNO3DQM8U/s1600/372px-Erithacus-rubecula-melophilus_Dublin-Ireland+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlq_tGjl8iMmj5O3nnJ-H9uQ0ipKZLoS8DoUvcLo4qGJjwVtvd_L5BKGgIACB_3Oruc0q_w0EW4-6kJLLToizcrPyzA-CRBEVWmvfRL_PObm-1UXW-b80IrAJjKjq7PpQDPDNO3DQM8U/s400/372px-Erithacus-rubecula-melophilus_Dublin-Ireland+%25281%2529.jpg" width="247" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Robin">Wikipedia</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The <b>Common Blackbird</b> is unrelated to the obnoxious New World blackbirds</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">These lackluster birds shine with their absolutely beautiful melodic song in early spring mornings</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">- a great way to start the day -</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></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/AVvXsEiEnGqLjBL9f0S8zyAqhjqI2uj4U2es_WoIDcYeVR42dU_IPcHdZuA47SA2B2ug87dL1R-NUXEnLkVCZ5pd8T23ICR3vxlAhGYHLe60emVxP15Dr7c2h11EKHvgp3txEtWIP-J1sNqONaw/s1600/Blackbird_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnGqLjBL9f0S8zyAqhjqI2uj4U2es_WoIDcYeVR42dU_IPcHdZuA47SA2B2ug87dL1R-NUXEnLkVCZ5pd8T23ICR3vxlAhGYHLe60emVxP15Dr7c2h11EKHvgp3txEtWIP-J1sNqONaw/s400/Blackbird_2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Blackbird">Wikipedia</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Not winning any health awards,</span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I need to try a <b>Chip Butty</b> - a sandwich of french fries</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">common in Birmingham and northward</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><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/AVvXsEhmIGTa5juwxMGHBlVcZ19Wk8qBeFfGN-jctEr8Y-65WAHPctrEWUiv2GyTbJ0va4upzB72DmKUryjtcKkdu3A30fo7T1mnzFY2a_5GzM8hyphenhyphenuLJj2Ip-YazwXOtheJ7tC6ebbji2lhN8Ts/s1600/629px-Make-a-Chip-Butty-Intro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIGTa5juwxMGHBlVcZ19Wk8qBeFfGN-jctEr8Y-65WAHPctrEWUiv2GyTbJ0va4upzB72DmKUryjtcKkdu3A30fo7T1mnzFY2a_5GzM8hyphenhyphenuLJj2Ip-YazwXOtheJ7tC6ebbji2lhN8Ts/s400/629px-Make-a-Chip-Butty-Intro.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">via <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Chip-Butty">wikiHow</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This interesting 'hatted' building is an <b>oast house</b>, designed for drying hops</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Not in use anymore, but really picturesque in the Kentish countryside</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><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/AVvXsEhVzXIveT5Gx_xkJXvu7mZ2KvqawYWOSbyP2OJjepVKUr22iQMfpOtAofvYIDoccp_cUVtBeZj6QgroyexFztZirWAWZ2CmsjVvF0RBK6A6lB1nnnWI1jJopMrKvdmHMptnhw5Teh2K6ZY/s1600/DSCN5434-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzXIveT5Gx_xkJXvu7mZ2KvqawYWOSbyP2OJjepVKUr22iQMfpOtAofvYIDoccp_cUVtBeZj6QgroyexFztZirWAWZ2CmsjVvF0RBK6A6lB1nnnWI1jJopMrKvdmHMptnhw5Teh2K6ZY/s640/DSCN5434-5.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Oast House at <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-sissinghurst-castle/">Sissinghurst Castle</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">During the summer riots in London, I heard the troublemakers referred to as <b>YOB</b>s </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">You may have noticed this is 'Boy' spelled backward, </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">to indicate the antithesis of what a good boy should be</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">-rude, obnoxious, violent, and stupid -</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Apparently</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> it was coined in England in the 18th century </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">when it was popular among the upperclass to speak backward </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Yob is still a word </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">used today</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">I love the idea of speaking backward to indicate an opposite meaning, don't you?</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Perhaps my gibberish really means something?</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">And last, this unusual conifer originates</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> from Chile</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"> and first planted in England during Victorian times</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Its common name, the <b>Monkey Puzzle Tree</b>, </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">was given by a group of friends in Cornwall in 1850 </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">figuring it would be a puzzle for a monkey to climb</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">{ although I'm pretty confident monkeys don't live in Chile }</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></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/AVvXsEgbiiJ_gY37wWDKVG3gGiVk5NZlKsPnPSkRXdn4AlUbF8DTJuHISaU6C_Psi3Rhicu6uvzsIxOpXB_ro5X_gkM9DQl5ReJ4AACC9x86BOcv6j-xgN6uMInX2qTSfptvTxdUYAjBmnhomeQ/s1600/DSCN0045-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiiJ_gY37wWDKVG3gGiVk5NZlKsPnPSkRXdn4AlUbF8DTJuHISaU6C_Psi3Rhicu6uvzsIxOpXB_ro5X_gkM9DQl5ReJ4AACC9x86BOcv6j-xgN6uMInX2qTSfptvTxdUYAjBmnhomeQ/s640/DSCN0045-1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Monkey Puzzle Tree at <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-leithhill">Leith Hill</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">I have many many more words on my list, </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">but I will stop here</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">leaving you wondering the meanings of </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><b>haw-haw (ha-ha)</b>, <b>cordwainer</b>, and <b>twee</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">- probably all known by my British readers - </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">:)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;"><i>all photos by me unless otherwise stated</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sources: <a href="http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/spfree17c.htm">Oz Ideas</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary">Wikipedia</a>, <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yob">Urban Dictionary</a>, <a href="http://www.tonygraham.co.uk/house_repair/wattle_daub/WD-2.html#Heading192">Tony Graham</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_araucana">Wikipedia</a></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">***</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">See you Monday for <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/p/post-of-month-club.html">Post Of The Month Club</a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/ae214/HappyHomemakerUK/HappyHomemaker20111-39a-1.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;" /></a><center><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">And click <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway-other-goodies-to-share.html">here</a> to see my current giveaway  :)</div><div style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">Have an awesome day!</div><div style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">P.S. Excuse the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">inconsistent</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"> spacing between lines - I've been unable to fix it</span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Linking to: <a href="http://www.chichomeschoolmama.com/">Monday Rewind</a></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></center></span></center></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></span></a>

Listy Loo Strikes Again

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK Let's take something you are totally not interested in - say, The Dictionary But did you know that before ...

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A LITTLE HALLOWEEN

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />JUST A LITTLE 'BOO'</div><br /><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GobEBBY_NlAG_su7-r47-3tfmB5ko9SfISTa7YwIpJEGtgso41ll2vea0Wanklln17jbNr3ROhLvTv4GHGI0VkPR12Zj4W_1K1SL6cPRWspfo42WNUki0laa5yN-vbpSCskXpSBpkTE/s1600/%2524%2528KGrHqV%252C%2521l0E6CCDu%2521m3BOkyR86%252BFw%257E%257E60_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GobEBBY_NlAG_su7-r47-3tfmB5ko9SfISTa7YwIpJEGtgso41ll2vea0Wanklln17jbNr3ROhLvTv4GHGI0VkPR12Zj4W_1K1SL6cPRWspfo42WNUki0laa5yN-vbpSCskXpSBpkTE/s400/%2524%2528KGrHqV%252C%2521l0E6CCDu%2521m3BOkyR86%252BFw%257E%257E60_3.jpg" width="292px"></a></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /><em>I didn't go overboard this year,</em><br><br /><em></em><br><br /></div></div><a href="http://yournestdesign.blogspot.com/2011/10/little-halloween.html#more">Read more »</a>

A LITTLE HALLOWEEN

JUST A LITTLE 'BOO' I didn't go overboard this year, Read more »

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Before and after..

I'm sure it's no secret that I love a good before and after. Toni from <a href="http://somethinggorgeous.blogspot.com/2011/10/sweet-dreams.html">Something Gorgeous</a> has been working on her beach apartment, and has done a fabulous job so far. She's taken a tired and outdated space.....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvX0ZrcjIywbj8_agKgs-DEwANH-Se7Zt6K44K7mW1yVWa9LApboxEJxqremMNXNjZA3jqQC9vgOAVmIpvAebfloIiJEBsZMM1xubD2nwACY3f5O6ZXx-kpYkNQ-XJzdvB2i7WT-LYSDER/s1600/something+gorgeous+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvX0ZrcjIywbj8_agKgs-DEwANH-Se7Zt6K44K7mW1yVWa9LApboxEJxqremMNXNjZA3jqQC9vgOAVmIpvAebfloIiJEBsZMM1xubD2nwACY3f5O6ZXx-kpYkNQ-XJzdvB2i7WT-LYSDER/s640/something+gorgeous+before.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>...and turned it into this!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQOnsJTOr8cQo7JCRAqpYBm8iJUajK-_w0iGtC9VYeRTo7tJlNtnggly7eX0POjWJWgdcuffEBJOjeX8xHUEz2Xf-KoBGek1g1tERJzBcRdluvn0dL0_LAnqfQ248JdXCl40fuap57CyN/s1600/something+gorgeous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQOnsJTOr8cQo7JCRAqpYBm8iJUajK-_w0iGtC9VYeRTo7tJlNtnggly7eX0POjWJWgdcuffEBJOjeX8xHUEz2Xf-KoBGek1g1tERJzBcRdluvn0dL0_LAnqfQ248JdXCl40fuap57CyN/s640/something+gorgeous.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-small;"> You might recognise my <a href="http://www.driftwoodinteriors.etsy.com/">turquoise prints</a> above the bed </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GcN6VCCKw8ekAm2feVCgG4P80qjIPHpUMZ1vWoTAJjyXlcK90zUP7E_J7Nizb7jNVkJf5MGtFEFyXpTlJgepOY8GEKIQLKHUlx4pYes7uORrYuFYFPoRssD6n4VzGmbQdG02QVqTLF5M/s1600/something+gorgeous2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GcN6VCCKw8ekAm2feVCgG4P80qjIPHpUMZ1vWoTAJjyXlcK90zUP7E_J7Nizb7jNVkJf5MGtFEFyXpTlJgepOY8GEKIQLKHUlx4pYes7uORrYuFYFPoRssD6n4VzGmbQdG02QVqTLF5M/s640/something+gorgeous2.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekNN3OnBtI1itYJkpbjzLm0AhqrU2tZKy96AhBZNw4mZdWfAD4ybHlIJhyBosXesmkeq6Pxl1fLcjIGa1KSk-R1MfOzfwbP1E01pWUNOtvd-4Fwn86ekUsFxsDAft1rSsAzAV0pJrmQsS/s1600/something+gorgeous3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekNN3OnBtI1itYJkpbjzLm0AhqrU2tZKy96AhBZNw4mZdWfAD4ybHlIJhyBosXesmkeq6Pxl1fLcjIGa1KSk-R1MfOzfwbP1E01pWUNOtvd-4Fwn86ekUsFxsDAft1rSsAzAV0pJrmQsS/s640/something+gorgeous3.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />She's a clever one, isn't she? You can see more over at Toni's blog, <a href="http://somethinggorgeous.blogspot.com/2011/10/sweet-dreams.html">Something Gorgeous</a>. And even better, this is just the beginning - can't wait to see more!<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>

Before and after..

I'm sure it's no secret that I love a good before and after. Toni from Something Gorgeous has been working on her beach apartment, ...

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Giveaway + Other Goodies To Share

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Living in England, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't help but rekindle my love for the country cottage look<br /><br />Smitten :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Englishwoman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Ashwell">Rachel Ashwell</a>,</div><div style="text-align: center;">shabby chic design has taken the world by storm for the last 20 years</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Other English icons going strong include <a href="http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/">Cath Kidston</a> and <a href="http://www.liberty.co.uk/">Liberty of London</a> since 1875</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/AVvXsEiUZlTZcFXddb46wsAbSNm29Dwdcq3ABWtFNcWb1aAzjkDgsrJpPnOV5iwT-wEO7Qrnpt_5YroeECN4eOa8j3peplX7oZnctOeQtrDOPWXKTvbN3vASUQuJCSchBitJ1BoBW2l8wEojuuA/s1600/CathKidston_BRAND-BANNER_110719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZlTZcFXddb46wsAbSNm29Dwdcq3ABWtFNcWb1aAzjkDgsrJpPnOV5iwT-wEO7Qrnpt_5YroeECN4eOa8j3peplX7oZnctOeQtrDOPWXKTvbN3vASUQuJCSchBitJ1BoBW2l8wEojuuA/s640/CathKidston_BRAND-BANNER_110719.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/">Cath Kidston</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><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/AVvXsEjr9q4jECn8qnCsh4UIc8IR29jsJj_ifSqQviQ6CjxnZTZ19DYKo3nam1i-nrERUGkg2Aj-RPxQ6WP8CKTxm_GI1SMaXfrFE3IqzBf_qffHlLcUqjEm_jubwxzMwh66oj-UoGx1Av6R4QE/s1600/aw11nike146100399-assorted-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9q4jECn8qnCsh4UIc8IR29jsJj_ifSqQviQ6CjxnZTZ19DYKo3nam1i-nrERUGkg2Aj-RPxQ6WP8CKTxm_GI1SMaXfrFE3IqzBf_qffHlLcUqjEm_jubwxzMwh66oj-UoGx1Av6R4QE/s320/aw11nike146100399-assorted-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by <a href="http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/product/Liberty/THE-LIBERTY-PRINT-SHOP/Mauvey-Print-Blazer-Mid-Premium-Shoes-Liberty-Nike-Autumn-Collection/69703">Liberty</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Freaky cute, eh?<br /><br />Check out Liberty's one-minute video on how to tie a cute head scarf<br />She makes it look so easy<br /><br />{ if it were me, I'd likely get it fumbled around my limbs,<br />crashing to the floor in a muffled 'help help!' }<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rxBi1ay9hDc" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Here are a few more goodies I've come across lately<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Have you checked out any online magazines before?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a great one to whet your appetite: <a href="http://www.leafmag.com/">Leaf</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rochelle Greayer is one of the masterminds behind Leaf</div><div style="text-align: center;">- designer, turned blogger, turned magazine creator -<br /><br />With a focus on the garden and outdoors,<br />this quarterly read is sure to bask in success for years to come<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.leafmag.com/">first</a> edition was released just this week :)</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/AVvXsEjNYHcsUJRlH6wTOIVKZ61xwUde7A6vX561mEIzLnjPXVPq8MtzcHAUiP3qY1HqT-oHBOGYZBoSM7Zk3sfGQfaEzl3Ay0L8O_QaGfnes_Bkbuyk6GAIL56MVVGFVbTot-43swW1Z0ADlSg/s1600/October+2011-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYHcsUJRlH6wTOIVKZ61xwUde7A6vX561mEIzLnjPXVPq8MtzcHAUiP3qY1HqT-oHBOGYZBoSM7Zk3sfGQfaEzl3Ay0L8O_QaGfnes_Bkbuyk6GAIL56MVVGFVbTot-43swW1Z0ADlSg/s640/October+2011-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. <a href="http://www.leafmag.com/">Leaf Magazine</a>    2. <a href="http://www.baileyshomeandgarden.com/mail-order/homeware/info.php?id=354">Candle</a> via Baileys    3. <a href="http://www.dirtcouture.com/garden-supplies/tree-swing-architect-green">Tree Swing</a> from Dirt Couture</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know, 'Mowed Grass'? Can you stand it?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And how adorable is that tree swing?!</div><div style="text-align: center;">I think everyday ordinary should be wrapped in such great design :)<br />Don't you?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thinking this personalized 'Likes' print {below} is a perfect way to capture a current snapshot<br />of the ever-changing kiddos</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And you know I'm all about the retro laptop case :)</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/AVvXsEiauZ_4qpBf_gcqrDKKXHUQBRL1Le2RHA5CM4CZnJ-6HECXBs1JpenrlYj8ScKWPqwJ9_b-AW840KmTtlGAhrCQG4gxlAUYCTTRSUglNtNqlMUyqHo6TxQ7-uEUBqW4zOvn87S4p0GXl7s/s1600/October+20111-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauZ_4qpBf_gcqrDKKXHUQBRL1Le2RHA5CM4CZnJ-6HECXBs1JpenrlYj8ScKWPqwJ9_b-AW840KmTtlGAhrCQG4gxlAUYCTTRSUglNtNqlMUyqHo6TxQ7-uEUBqW4zOvn87S4p0GXl7s/s640/October+20111-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/rosierobins/product/she-likes-personalised-poster-print">Personalized 'Likes' Print</a> by Rosie Robins    2. Ted Baker's <a href="http://www.daisypark.co.uk/collections/hand-bags/products/copy-of-ted-baker-utility-radio-bag">Laptop Case</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">There's an interesting <a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy</a>-esque website in the UK called '<a href="http://www.folksy.com/">Folksy</a>'</div><div style="text-align: center;">See a few fun finds I found on Friday<br />{ like the alliteration? }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And those outside the UK may not be familiar with AGA cookers</div><div style="text-align: center;">but my, how it screams <i>cozy country</i>!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">How I hope beyond hope that our next house will have one of these</div><div style="text-align: center;">to warm the kitchen 24 hours a day<br />{ it maintains a constant temperature }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'd have to take special AGA cooking classes to use one, but that is okay by me</div><div style="text-align: center;">{ according to their website, coming to the US soon }</div><br /><br /><table 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/AVvXsEimBKAjUpvilwLx98FvcFow0S_ZDkU20BdthXklZHfdxFVWLr4_8ZRdPRajA5G0b1QkQrdWLk5poMMd8eV72YkUSuez8XMT1gYNLU_DEEhC6OunBGh43uoVNRKqts4poY-T_WaUu9KgvIU/s1600/October+20112-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBKAjUpvilwLx98FvcFow0S_ZDkU20BdthXklZHfdxFVWLr4_8ZRdPRajA5G0b1QkQrdWLk5poMMd8eV72YkUSuez8XMT1gYNLU_DEEhC6OunBGh43uoVNRKqts4poY-T_WaUu9KgvIU/s640/October+20112-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. <a href="http://www.folksy.com/items/2300909-Esme-Chair?shop=yes">Chair</a> via Folksy     2. <a href="http://www.agaliving.com/">AGA Cooker</a>     3. <a href="http://www.folksy.com/items/1962165-Large-Garden-Potting-Table">Garden Potting Table</a> via Folksy   4. <a href="http://www.pip-studio.co.uk/">Bedding</a> by Pip Studio</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pip-studio.co.uk/">Pip Studio</a> from the Netherlands is another 'must have'</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fresh, adorable, bright design every single time</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now to my exciting giveaway :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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/AVvXsEjokW19D4DWbUcLZ6uW7d_tnCtXjRvZCAbr4XAyeHrXBH6i77z2yw_wuQ0wl4TxKzwTyGVrp49uwM2RKpveOXWXwtwOjNVHeKGnVcnzn-QNgQ7mwao569L4DjSkbDeLa9Qb1tnOJ755cRo/s1600/Collages3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokW19D4DWbUcLZ6uW7d_tnCtXjRvZCAbr4XAyeHrXBH6i77z2yw_wuQ0wl4TxKzwTyGVrp49uwM2RKpveOXWXwtwOjNVHeKGnVcnzn-QNgQ7mwao569L4DjSkbDeLa9Qb1tnOJ755cRo/s400/Collages3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ramsign.com/">RamSign</a> of Denmark</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ramsign.com/">RamSign</a> approached me to give one of my readers one of their lovely signs<br /><br />{Squeal!} So generous! If only I could win :)<br /><br />I am thrilled to offer this as a 'thank you'<br />for supporting my photojournaling, my soulfood efforts<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ramsign.com/">RamSign</a> will provide free international shipping<br />for one thick porcelain enamel sign<br /><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">in that swoon-worthy traditional European style<br />{ winner chooses sign style and up to 5 digits }</div><br />Not just a great house sign,<br />but possibly a Christmas ornament or addition to a little vignette?<br />I'm sure the uses are endless, and you can view their samples <a href="http://www.ramsign.com/">here</a><br />{ worth $49/ 29 euros and up }</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike<br /><br />If you are interested in entering the giveaway,</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">throw me a comment or email this way<br /><br />{ extra giveaway entry if you include a link in your blog/post }</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">One lucky winner will be chosen randomly on November 2nd</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Thank you, <a href="http://www.ramsign.com/">RamSign</a>, for your generosity!</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I know I think this </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">every time each month</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">but wow, another month has flown by</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Unbelievable!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Mark your calender for</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Monday, October 31st</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br /><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> to link up to Post Of The Month Club</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">{ insert leprechaun heel click here }</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is a great way for bloggers to promote their best work</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">and a place to meet & greet</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">{ easy peasy, you've already written the post }</span></div></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yep, right here :)</span></div></div><br /><br /><center><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/ae214/HappyHomemakerUK/HappyHomemaker20111-39a-1.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 110, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;" /></span></a><center><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">- more details <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.com/p/post-of-month-club.html" style="text-decoration: none;">here</a> -</span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now don't forget to enter for that awesome giveaway</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Goodbye for now, chickadees :)</span></div></div></center></center></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>

Giveaway + Other Goodies To Share

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK Living in England,  I can't help but rekindle my love for the country cottage look Smitten :) Thanks to Eng...

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Soon to make an appearance...

...in a new painting. I think these beauties would make a gorgeous subject for a new piece - the colours are stunning.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QbQrMvGje5C8SorrgQ9YAjUfB-R_qFqKuq99jykFXvRyqHMlGuZJJYWtKICpWlYO4CA1hMU3hBADSg2JDJNrSIPETKfcktWbudMTNn7BQtXyrGMvVA7AYk6wQGueThXDVq9Of_LA5C1Q/s1600/hippies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QbQrMvGje5C8SorrgQ9YAjUfB-R_qFqKuq99jykFXvRyqHMlGuZJJYWtKICpWlYO4CA1hMU3hBADSg2JDJNrSIPETKfcktWbudMTNn7BQtXyrGMvVA7AYk6wQGueThXDVq9Of_LA5C1Q/s640/hippies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Aren't they lovely? And from my very own garden too - not that they require any work on my part, they totally take care of themselves. Now, if only I could teach the crew to do the same.......!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><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><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photo via my iphone</span>

Soon to make an appearance...

...in a new painting. I think these beauties would make a gorgeous subject for a new piece - the colours are stunning. Aren't they lovel...

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Buying Vintage In England

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">In the US I always enjoyed shopping<br />in thrift shops and at yard sales,</div><div style="text-align: center;">finding interesting tidbits to add to my eclectic nest</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Like a 'truffle pig' rooting for its delicacy,<br />I savor the forage of a good find with a<br />gentle price tag<br /><br />{ and yes, I just called myself a pig :)  }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So naturally I was curious to see what this process would be like<br />in the fertile antique hunting grounds in the UK</div><div style="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/AVvXsEjWo0EWvUAJ-sa5zI7bMFax_xOhrukrXX8jrdNaiNQdtSpeaB_kA4iDmy8xvI6zIdyQCtRxK_eDiQxrmJVFWqScn5H_IGrmb_sXUFk2M1rcaYcaB4TS-y16QDgtM74s4JrtOv7zjJxzbB0/s1600/DSCN3119-299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo0EWvUAJ-sa5zI7bMFax_xOhrukrXX8jrdNaiNQdtSpeaB_kA4iDmy8xvI6zIdyQCtRxK_eDiQxrmJVFWqScn5H_IGrmb_sXUFk2M1rcaYcaB4TS-y16QDgtM74s4JrtOv7zjJxzbB0/s640/DSCN3119-299.jpg" width="570" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunbury Antiques Market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A <i>charity shop</i> is England's equivalent to a thrift store in the US</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are numerous ones from which to choose</div><div style="text-align: center;">often on the High Street (main street) in many towns</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- Cancer Research, Princess Alice Hospice, & Oxfam to name a few -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">However, these storefronts often are quite small and rarely offer furniture</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mostly clothing, jewelry, shoes, a few knickknacks, and books</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nothing I'm looking for with a cool, vintage look</div><div style="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/AVvXsEhlfh3_QzEbWdJ1HrTFjhCD87h2IPzErzIgR83NGo5Ijpq8S-6YffxZ4QfQIrU02VOWIg5gV92A6O1ILwa9ygtnWh5u1OqVUjSuFZ2VkpmBX92p-y1YqFNM4_LCCyiJ5wvz2FgV2zMs-f0/s1600/DSCN3118-1999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfh3_QzEbWdJ1HrTFjhCD87h2IPzErzIgR83NGo5Ijpq8S-6YffxZ4QfQIrU02VOWIg5gV92A6O1ILwa9ygtnWh5u1OqVUjSuFZ2VkpmBX92p-y1YqFNM4_LCCyiJ5wvz2FgV2zMs-f0/s640/DSCN3118-1999.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunbury Antiques Market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've visited towns with a line of storefronts selling antiques</div><div style="text-align: center;">which rarely satisfies my quest for bargain vintage</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So what's a girl to do?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table 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/AVvXsEilwL97W7hmnUQvBaofS75_nOJQF2gS0c92z0AN8XsFVVfDGVks-OOnsLZQ4sqpqOphpAQicIhdx9L_xl-CvmE0gXao5Giy1UmvpPJLK4_klTquMANojlh5vzNye0mz0vtNRK3Lf_wc6Fw/s1600/DSCN3117-299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwL97W7hmnUQvBaofS75_nOJQF2gS0c92z0AN8XsFVVfDGVks-OOnsLZQ4sqpqOphpAQicIhdx9L_xl-CvmE0gXao5Giy1UmvpPJLK4_klTquMANojlh5vzNye0mz0vtNRK3Lf_wc6Fw/s640/DSCN3117-299.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunbury Antiques Market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ah, Antique Fairs... The first one I went to brought tears to my eyes</div><div style="text-align: center;">See all the cool stuff I'd love to just walk away with in these photos?<br />{ well, maybe not the ship painting }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although vendors will often tell you<br />they know little about the piece and could only guess at its age<br />{ I like their honesty },<br /><br />they do have a good feel what people will pay for their goodies<br />so there are few bargains to be had<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{ One can haggle, but I stink at it }</span><br /><br /><i>My general rule is to buy only what I love, can afford, and can carry :)</i><br /><br />Arriving early gives you the best selection, but prices drop as the day lengthens<br /><br />And like most events in England, fairs are held rain or shine<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></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/AVvXsEhpsXCUJXtKXx0BDAdf5GctpDenaVrFPlZYu7BTh9GxmdOL8mx1MwvBoYE7et65uDVpcbOnGgofFCMZKi0Zt3U9TRs_pSf6O9iwKUVKxV3rKTfPTN_TpyxtXQlhPtPjKlqfQTibOzYimxU/s1600/DSCN3120-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsXCUJXtKXx0BDAdf5GctpDenaVrFPlZYu7BTh9GxmdOL8mx1MwvBoYE7et65uDVpcbOnGgofFCMZKi0Zt3U9TRs_pSf6O9iwKUVKxV3rKTfPTN_TpyxtXQlhPtPjKlqfQTibOzYimxU/s320/DSCN3120-21.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My loot :)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are antique auctions, which I would love to observe one day</div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">weekend boot sales, where people sell unwanted items out of their car at a good price</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you feel comfortable going to people's homes,</div><div style="text-align: center;">there is always <a href="http://london.craigslist.co.uk/">Craigslist</a>, <a href="http://www.gumtree.com/">Gumtree</a> and other equivalents</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />But in general,<br />real bargains are hard to come by in England<br /><br />Not even a 'Free Kittens' sign to be seen</div><div style="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/AVvXsEiwDDIEi0hR6GrjhATY0MibUmvEUeAvjhQ8cwbDn0UwrG6Hl91qtld7Xa9FAMfjcOrbQhcOtQ_p0CJbHjZKB39qamah5QVGpjJ9TOazpbW96MbGXbwmWt7dpCH5Kb-_ZTXhNVPTN4M6shQ/s1600/DSCN5612-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDDIEi0hR6GrjhATY0MibUmvEUeAvjhQ8cwbDn0UwrG6Hl91qtld7Xa9FAMfjcOrbQhcOtQ_p0CJbHjZKB39qamah5QVGpjJ9TOazpbW96MbGXbwmWt7dpCH5Kb-_ZTXhNVPTN4M6shQ/s640/DSCN5612-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My newest acquisition :)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />So if you plan to move here,<br />don't come without a dining room table with thoughts of buying one here<br />{ like I almost did }<br /><br />Vintage purchases tend to be of the serendipitous nature<br /><br />And ooooh, how I still revel in the hunt :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />***<br /><br />:: <i>SOUTHEAST ENGLAND STOREFRONTS</i> ::<br /><a href="http://www.surreyandbucksantiques.co.uk/">Hampton Court Emporium</a>, East Molesey<br /><a href="http://www.pah.org.uk/our-shops/furniture-">Princess Alice Hospice</a>, Kingston-Upon-Thames<br /><a href="http://www.antiquesnews.co.uk/page_3.php">along West Street</a>*, Dorking<br />The Antiques Warehouse, Farnham<br /><a href="http://www.packhouse.com/">The Packhouse</a>*, Farnham<br /><a href="http://www.northlaine.co.uk/snoopers-paradise/">Snoopers Paradise</a> Flea Market*, Brighton<br />The North Laine Antiques & Flea Market*, Brighton<br /><br /><br />::<i> ANTIQUE MARKETS & FAIRS </i>::<br /><a href="http://www.bermondseysquare.co.uk/antiques.html">Bermondsey Square</a> (London, Fridays)<br /><a href="http://portobelloroad.co.uk/">Portobello Road</a> (London, Saturdays)<br /><a href="http://kemptonantiques.com/">Sunbury Antiques Market</a> * (Middlesex, 2x/mo)<br /><a href="http://iacf.co.uk/">International Antique & Collectors Fairs</a> (various locations & dates)<br /><br /><br />:: <i>EVENT LISTINGS </i>::<br /><a href="http://www.antiques-atlas.com/">Antiques Atlas</a><br /><a href="http://www.antiquesnews.co.uk/">Antiques News</a><br /><br /><br />:: <i>MAGAZINES </i>::<br /><a href="http://www.homesandantiques.com/">BBC’s Homes & Antiques Magazine</a> (my fav)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">With so many places to visit on my list, I marked the ones I've been to so far and worth a look (*).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I just had to share my complete list with you here :)</span></div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Postscript: Thanks to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">Gris Fleur for the tip of a Sunday Car Boot Sale in Walton-On-Thames <a href="http://www.appscourtfarm.com/carboot.htm">here</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Related post: <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/vintiquing-in-england.html">Vintiquing In England</a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div></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>

Buying Vintage In England

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK In the US I always enjoyed shopping in thrift shops and at yard sales, finding interesting tidbits to add to my...

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