EGGCUP AND TEAPOT COLLECTION (WITH A GOLLY THROWN IN )

I guess I have grown potty over teapots and eggcups !

I think teapots are mysterious looking works of art.

They have been around for centuries.

These are some of my treasures, of course I have to be colour coordinated.

 Love my golly's, my niece Wendy made this one for me.

The 2 teapots below are very special to me

Very old and very beautiful,

The ceramic teapot below, I painted at my ceramic class, I wanted it to match my little eggcup beside it.
I learnt you can't mix, or layer ceramic paints like you can oils and pastels, but I suppose its different.  

AN ANTIQUE FIND ---- LOVE IT --- OLD AND BEAUTIFUL and 10,000th PAGE VIEW

lsn't this the most exquisite Jardiniere bowl ?

lt stands fairly large, 8 inches and now lives on the centre of my table, in my pink chandelier  room.

   l was told it was over 80 years old and English, there is a number on the bottom, plus the makers name. I shall have to find out the origin etc.

I was wondering what to write for my 10,000th  PAGE VIEW ?

Then when l look at my newly acquired  Jardiniere, it shows everything associated to my blog name!

NOSTALGIA (definitely ) MYSTERY ( as it is so old, and beautiful l shall have to do some research

ARTY GARDENS  ( a delicate garden scene is painted on this Jardiniere and its such a work of art)

I know it cost more than I could afford, but I don't smoke or gamble, and I only have a glass of wine most nights. That's my excuse any way.

My GOLLYWOG Collection

l love my unique gollywog collection, yes every one is unique and different but their round surprised eyes all look the same

Golly - where did golly come from?

Some say Golly was  used due to the somewhat surprised look on the dolls face, as if saying, golly golly gosh

"Golly" which is an English exclamation of surprise

The dictionary defines it as a blackfaced, goggle eyed, fantastically dressed doll or, a soft black faced doll.

 These are some of my gollys

Florence Upton is accredited with creating the golliwog

Florence was born in New York to English  parents in 1873.

Upon the death of her father when Florence was 16, Florence and her mother Bertha  returned to England.

In 1895 at the age of 22 Florence illustrated her1st book, (written by her mother).

As a small child  Florence had 3 homemade toys, 2 homemade Dutch dolls and her black Gollywogg, .

with 2g's. The book called "The Adventures of 2 Dutch Dolls" featuring the golliwog.

Florence and her mother had 13 Gollywogg  Books published between 1895-1909.

They were incredibly popular.

Florence Upton died in 1922 aged 49 years and buried near her home in Hamstead.

On her gravestone are in engraved the words -

Florence Upton

Creater of the famed gollywog.

Florence's 3 soft toys, her childhood story book dolls are now housed at Chequers, the British Prime Ministers country residence.

HATS, HATS, AND MORE HATS.

l went to a wonderful garden seminar on Friday and a lady wore a hat with her outfit, and she was very proud to wear her hat.
l  love to see woman wearing them even though l don't like wearing hats myself.
One of my favourite movies was "My Fair Lady"
Nothing can beat the hats in that movie!

l have a collection of old hats and a very old wooden hat stand.
I will feature them in another blog.
THESE HATS JUST HAPPEN TO BE WORN BY MY FAVOURITE ACTRESS
AUDREY HEPBURN ---------from the movie
"My Fair Lady "

MY GAY HUMPHREY

First of all, when l was young gay meant happy. 

Now that I'm older and the world has changed, it has many meanings. 

About 20 years ago my daughter gave me a vintage stuffed teddy bear of a very male Humphrey B Bear wearing a ballet tutu.

Is my Humphrey a cross dresser?  Humphrey is part of my large Bear Collection.

Bear Collecting was really in fashion 15 to 20 yrs ago and I have some very old bears.

My old bear pictured below was stuffed with straw and made with hessian. I've been told he could have been made in the 1920's but I'm not sure.

Even if he is a cross dresser with gay tendencies, my Humphrey is beautiful and I love him. 

He is very worn so before he was mine he was much loved by some small child so he has had a very good life and always accepted no matter who he is.

SWAN COLLECTION

My grand daughter came to stay for 3 days. 

She is teaching me to skype and blog and has so much patience.

The swan earrings she is wearing are just exquisite.

They made me think of my beautiful swan collection.

l think my love of swans started when I was very small as my favourite story book was The Ugly Duckling. He turned into a magnificent swan of course.

Most of my Swan Collection came from the 1940's era. They must have been very in vogue then. I have 2 large ( to die for ) old swan paintings.

At the time I bought these, my daughter had an Antique Shop so l had great fun going to the Clearing Sales and Antique Estate Auctions with her. 

I was overjoyed when l bid and won these 2 paintings.

I have a life size black swan in my garden. It isn't real of course, it's a ceramic mold that I painted in one of my art classes.

Swans mate forever and are protective loving parents.