I will miss you dear Barbara...

Barbara dyed lace using avocado skins.

Today has been a sad day for me

as I discovered that one of my dear

blogging friends died recently

after losing her courageous battle

with ovarian cancer.

Dear Barbara of Vintage Bunty

was an exceptionally talented

mixed media artist.

I'm sure many of you knew her too

and admired her beautiful work.

She participated in many

on-line workshops and classes.

Barbara and I first met while

doing Carole's on-line journal class.

She made such a pretty journal

full of lace, sweet images and her

very favourite buttons.

Harmony - so very talented.

We also both enjoyed

Mary Green's

Vintage Gluebook class.

 ...and then she was published in

Sew Somerset magazine

with this exquisite collage piece

I remember how thrilled she was -

a real achievement!

You made it Barbara!!!

To a collage artist it just 

doesn't get

any better than that

Well done!!!

I'm hoping that just maybe

you are looking down from above

and smiling as you read this!

I'm so lucky to have a very precious

reminder of Barbara - 

her charming Giveaway which I won.

My heart skipped beats when I

opened her beautiful parcel!

This was real treasure to me -

way way too good to use -

you understand....

But I've had a change of heart

and these pieces will now become part

of a collage I will make

in memory of

sweet Barbara.

I will miss you dear friend

God's speed until

we meet again

in collage heaven.

love

Shane ♥

Barbara's garden.

All the images are from her blog

http://vintagebunty.blogspot.co.nz/

Barbara's husband Paul has written

a very moving and loving tribute to

Barbara.

RIP

Summer Garden Visit

Late last year I did a post here
on my visit to the country
gardens of Coatesville.

Because most of you (my blogging pals)
live on the other side of the world
to where I am in New Zealand

and you are experiencing
the cold grey days of winter

I decided to share some more
photos from that happy 
Summer day out visiting
beautiful gardens.

This was a huge garden
and everywhere had the 
most wonderful vistas of
the lake.

As it was still early Summer
the pretty water lilies were just
beginning to bloom. I imagine in
another month they would have
been a sight to behold.

I think this is a swamp cypress,
please correct me if I'm wrong!
My friend Mariette is a mind of
information on flora and fauna.
Do pop in and meet her,
Mariette is one of
our blog world treasures!

I'm linking to Vee's
Note Card Party today 
 please
pop over and meet everyone.
They're all so nice and friendly

Lovely to catch up with you all
until next time

À bientôt

be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

Clevedon Farmers Market

A visit to a farmers market

is one of my favourite

weekend things to do.

The lavender lady's stall

is full of things I love.

I bought several bits and bobs.

Pony rides were popular

with the children

 

I made a new friend.

I would love to have taken

him home with me!

Who could resist a packet

of these seeds, now I can't

wait for next Summer

to see their blooms!

Fresh buffalo mozzarella

looks so yummy!

Another new friend I made

 was the image of

chef Rick Stein's

faithful friend

Chalky!

We enjoyed the lovely family

atmosphere at the
Clevedon farmers market.

Today I'm linking to

Claudia's

A Favorite Thing Saturday

and to 

Karen's

Sunlit Sunday
and to
Mary's
Mosaic Monday

Thank you all for your comments

Be kind to one another

Shane ♥

LOVe for Valentines...

Happy Valentine's Day
dear friends!

This collage represents my love
of

France
especially because my family are there

Roses

and

Home

Chateau Vaux le Vicomte

I'm linking to
Mary's
Inspiration Thursday
and
Debra's
Be Inspired Friday
please pop over and join the parties!

Thank you for visiting me
I'll be over to see you too!

Be kind to one another
hugs

Shane ♥

Vive la France!

Missing the ballet lessons...

Part of the joy of staying with

my family in France

is sharing their

day to day activities.

One such activity is "looking in"

on the girl's weekly

ballet lesson.

spectacle de danse

My two Prima Donnas on stage
for their end of year
performance!

Ballet is a wonderful discipline

for girls.

It teaches them

graceful movement

beautiful carriage

and deportment.

A love of the arts.

Linking to Mary
for Mosaic Monday
please follow my link
Mary is an amazing photographer!

Be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

from www.skiptomylou.org

Home...

When I return from a trip away
I know I'm home
when I arrive at my front door.

On either side of the entrance
I've hung a sweet wreath
and nailed to our door
is this plate with the words

BIENVENUE
french for welcome.

In the front hallway is a
large bookcase
full of 'old friends'
books that belonged to my dear father.

They sit happily in these
old brass ended book ends.

I consider all these treasures
to be part of my
welcome home committee!!



Today I'm joining Mary of 
Little Red House
and
Bernideen of
Bernideen's Tea Time Blog


Lovely to see you here dear friends
I'll be over to see you soon
in the meantime

be kind to one another
hugs and love

Shane ♥

A relaxing beach weekend

We spent a relaxing weekend with friends

at their bach 
(that's our term for a kiwi beach house)

for my non-New Zealand friends!

The location is Tairua on the

Coromandel Peninsula.

Their property is on the inlet

and a short walk across the other

side of the road is the ocean beach.

Today I'm sharing my photos of

the inlet side.

All along the coastline
Of New Zealand are these

beautiful gnarly old trees called

Pohutukawa.
They are a New Zealand native tree
which we affectionately call

the New Zealand Christmas tree 
because of its

beautiful bright red flowers which

bloom in December.

Today I'm joining Mary of

The Little Red house for

Mosaic Monday.

Please pop over there for a visit!

Thank you so much for visiting.

Please leave me a little comment

so I know you've been here

and then I can come and visit you too!

Wishing you all a happy week.

Take care everyone

be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

LETTER TO VICKI & GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Dear Vicki

THANK YOU

again for hosting

your wonderful

“GROW YOUR BLOG” party!

A bringing together of like-minded souls!

Over these two weeks

I’ve met some wonderful women,

heard their stories and

joined their amazing blogs.

In return I’ve received comments

from 119 interesting bloggers

and I’ve gained

71 new followers!!!

I'm so glad I joined your party
A big thankyou to you from me.
hugs
Shane ♥

Now

Can I just say again how grateful

I am that there are people

like Vicki in this world

so giving of themselves

for others.

Purely by chance another blogger told me

that Vicki works full time as a

registered nurse

as well as running such projects like

“The Pink Scarf Project” and

“Grow Your Blog Party”.

Plus she knits these
exquisite birds nests
that benefitted a children's hospital!
Read her story here

Anyone taking part in GYB could tell

what a massive job it must have been

co-ordinating those lists of bloggers

for us to contact.

A very professionally run affair

Merci beacoup mon ami!!!

Vicki can I just ask a

‘tongue in cheek’ question please?

Did “the Gardener” get his dinner

during all this preparation?!!!

The winner of my GYB Giveaway

is #58

Kimberly of Kimberly’s Korner

Congratulations Kimberly 

please email me with your

postal address!

Thank you to everyone who took the

time to visit me during the party!

WELCOME

to my new followers!!!

Until next time we meet

Be kind to one another

hugs and love

Shane ♥