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May 20th, 2017

5/20/2017

Pottery Update on week 10 of Pottery Classes.

Hi...This is my update on my Pottery.
I am now in to my 10th Pottery lesson over 10 weeks.
Enjoying it more than I could possible hoped for.
Love creating ..the time flies past very quickly when I am there.
I love all the other pupils ...we have such fun and laughter.
This week I was able to bring home finished items.
Always a special time ..it feels like Christmas.
As when the item comes out of the Kiln from their final firing.
You never know what you are going to get.
It's just like opening a gift.

This is my 'My Bird Watching Corner' sign that I made a few weeks ago.
I have a corner in the garden with a bench and table that I like to sit on amongst the trees to bird watch.
So I thought I would make a cute sign for that corner and hang it on a shepherd's hook.
I just LOVE how it has turned out ...do you ???

As you can see I used a real Fern leaf in my pattern.
You push it in to the clay and the leaf burns away in the Kiln.

Do you remember this Cheese and Cracker Plate ?
It was the item I made on my second pottery lesson.
I had such trouble with the glaze.
It just would not work, hence I haven't showed you the finished project yet.
In the end it had 6-9 different layers of glaze.

Last week I decided that it would just come out as it comes out.
No more trying to correct the glaze.
Well here is the finished project.
Completed and finally glazed.
It's not perfect in anyway but I am still proud.
That it was the second piece I made.

I also made 4 pieces of jewelry pendants.
Two for me.
And two for gifts.
Here are my bird pendants
But as the others are gifts I will have to wait till they have received them to show you.
They were the best glaze ever ....I just love them.
And I guess I am learning a little more about glazing.
I hope the recipients love them too.

I have started to make,this week, a 'Teatime' Spoon rest for my oven or to put the ladle on for soups.
I then made another gift soon to be revealed.

Here is my sweet 'Bird Watching' sign in it's place in the garden.
It will make me smile every time I see it.
Happy memories of making it too.

Thanks for popping in and checking on my Pottery progress.
I hope you have a hobby that you enjoy as much as I do mine.
Take a little time out of your day and be creative.

Kindest regards

Janet

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May 14th, 2017

5/14/2017

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Happy Mother's Day everyone ....I hope you have a wonderful day.
Today is not Mother's Day for me although I live in the USA.
I celebrate the British Mother's Day as that is what my Children wanted to do.
It was on March 26th, 2017 this year ...I had a lovely Day.

The modern holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. St Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. Her campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she believed that they were "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world".

In 1908, the US Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday, joking that they would also have to proclaim a "Mother-in-law's Day". However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all US states observed the holiday, with some of them officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday, the first being West Virginia, Jarvis' home state, in 1910. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.
Although Jarvis was successful in founding Mother's Day, she became resentful of the Commercialization of the holiday. By the early 1920s, Hallmark cards and other companies had started selling Mother's Day cards. Jarvis believed that the companies had misinterpreted and exploited the idea of Mother's Day, and that the emphasis of the holiday was on sentiment, not profit. As a result, she organized boycotts of Mother's Day, and threatened to issue lawsuits against the companies involved. Jarvis argued that people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards. Jarvis protested at a candy makers' convention in Philadelphia in 1923, and at a meeting of American War Mothers in 1925. By this time, Carnations had become associated with Mother's Day, and the selling of carnations by the American War Mothers to raise money angered Jarvis, who was arrested for disturbing the peace.

Thanks for popping by.
May all the Mother's reading my blog have a wonderful day
Full of love, fun and flowers
Happy Mother's Day

Kindest Regards

Janet

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May 12th, 2017

5/12/2017

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Mishmash of a few Photo's taken this week at Maisonvogue.

Just a few photo's to share of some moments that happened at Maisonvogue this week.

Bella looking sweet and innocent amongst the Pansies ...but in fact she was demolishing them by flattening them down ...ha! ha!
I did have to take her to the Veterinarian's Office this week as she was limping badly with her right front leg.
It turned out she may have had a small bite from her Brother Toby ...and it got infected turning in to a nasty abscess ...so they lanced it and an hour after getting back home could walk on that leg again even though a little gingerly.
They also gave her a long lasting anti-biotic shot.

A lovely young lady at my Pottery Class prints out T-shirts etc...so I asked her to print out two t-shirts for me with my two logo's and my Web Site Address ...they came out pretty well ..I am thrilled ...

The flowers in my Mexican pot seem to be growing ok ...I am wondering if they could do with a full sunny spot ..may have to move them ..we will see.

My Indian Feather Plant is doing very well ..I took two cutting from it several weeks ago and they are both about to bloom as well ...
I love a free plant ..don't you ??

This flower is the gift that just keeps giving ....I can cut them from April to the first frost ...lots of them ...always like a ray of sunshine ....they are from my Wildflower garden.

My plantings are coming on well ...soon the Pansies will give up as the heat kills them off so I will have to find some new plants to put in their place ...Cacti are loving their new home in the Mexican Strawberry pot

My new plant I bought this week is going to become my new obsession ..it's so cute ..called Angelonia ..it comes in so many colors ..mine are called (pink) Archangel raspberry (purple) Serena Purple.
The ones below are just some of the colors it's available in.

Angel Mist Purple Stripe

Angel Face Light Pink

Archangel White

Big Indigo

The first flower to bloom on my Golden Star Gazer Lily ...that my dear friend Faith gave to me ...it's so pretty ..there are loads and loads of buds on it .

Cleaning day today ...so I changed out my flowers in my rooms and I cut some Knock Out Roses in red and pink,they look great in this enamel coffee jug ..don't you think ??

Thanks for spending a few minutes with me,
I enjoyed your company,
Come back soon !!!

Kindest regards

Janet

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May 09th, 2017

5/9/2017

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The 9th of May is Liberation Celebration Day for my Island home of Guernsey ...when the occupying German Forces Surrendered in 1945 and we the people kicked them out!! 72 years ago today .

This is how Guernsey will be celebrating today the Liberation of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands , my Island home.
All of the Islands have a day off to celebrate ...we gather in the main town and on the coast lines and other major places to spend the day full of joy and hope that we were made FREE on the 9th May, 1945.
I too in Alabama, USA , my now home, will be flying the Guernsey flag ..though it will mean nothing to anyone who sees it ...it does mean everything to me ..I am so proud to be British.

These are archive photos from the 5 years the Nazi's occupied our dear island ...it still hurts today to see them marching so brazen through our beloved streets .

Hitler considered the Channel Islands - Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm - a valuable landing stage for the invasion of mainland France, as they sat just 20 miles off the French coast. Winston Churchill, however, thought they held no strategic importance for Britain and decided to de-militarise them and leave them undefended.
The Germans invade
As the German army stormed through France in June 1940, some 30,000 Channel Islanders (one third of the total population) were evacuated. Once the initial panic was over, the rest decided to stay and tough it out, mainly on Jersey and Guernsey.
On 28 June, the Luftwaffe bombed Jersey and Guernsey, unaware that the islands were undefended. They killed 44 people. Two days later, Luftwaffe personnel took control of Guernsey airfield. There they met the chief of police, who informed them that the islands were undefended.
The following day, a detachment of troops arrived on Guernsey and that afternoon the German flag was raised. More arrived later and their attention turned to the other islands.
Jersey surrendered on 1 July and soldiers were swftly stationed. Islanders had to show their compliance by flying white flags over their houses.
Sybil Hathaway, the Dame of Sark, received German officers on 2 July. They assured her she had nothing to fear and the island's garrison of just ten men arrived on 4 July.
Alderney, meanwhile, was almost completely empty, but was garrisoned by a company of troops. Herm, the smallest of the islands, was visited by German soldiers on 25 July, although they did not set up a permanent station there.
Life under Nazi rule
A curfew was imposed between the hours of 11pm and 5am and ID cards had to be carried. The sale of spirits was banned. Later, wirelesses were banned and all British-born Islanders were deported to Germany.
A register of Jewish people was created and all Jewish business had to publicly identify themselves. Some were deported to concentration camps. Cars were requisitioned and the Germans controlled the food grown by farmers and caught by fishermen. Anyone caught trying to escape to Britain was imprisoned or shot - if they didn't drown.
Four concentration camps were built on Alderney - the only ones on British territory. Alderney became the most heavily fortified of the islands, built by slave labour.
Resistance and collaboration
Whilst there was no consolidated resistance movement as there was in France, V for Victory signs were painted around the islands, underground newsletters were written, and guns and ammunition were stolen from German stores. Some Islanders assisted their Jewish neighbours and fed slave labourers. On Jersey, letters sent to the Commandant by informants were intercepted by the Post Office and destroyed. Many who did collaborate were attacked after liberation.
The beginning of the end
The D-Day landings in June 1944 came as both a blessing and a curse. Whilst they marked the beginning of the end for the German occupiers who relied on supply lines from the continent, they also meant that food lines were cut. As supplies dwindled, everyone began to starve. However, after negotiation with the Home Office, the Germans allowed the Red Cross' SS Vega to deliver food, saving many of the Islanders' lives. The Vega continued to bring food parcels even after the British liberated the islands on 9 May 1945.

Wishing I was there to celebrate with my Friends and Family
Have a wonderful day
The weather is going to be wonderful.
God Bless Guernsey and our Dear Channel Islands

Thanks for popping by
I hope that you have found this piece of History interesting

As we say in Guernsey

Cherie for now

Janet

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May 08th, 2017

5/8/2017

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Using Bird Cages as Hanging Baskets

Instead of using traditional hanging baskets to hang on my front porch,
I have looked around for some old bird cages at antique stores and thrift stores and have filled them with moss and flowers
All that will hang down outside of the cages.

I don't have any favorites ...I love them all.

This is the first one all planted up...
You need to imagine it in about 6 weeks time.
When all the plants are thriving and pouring out of the cage

This one is the last cage I found ...I planted it differently to the others, by putting the plants in pots ...I have a lovely trailing plant with blue flowers on it in the large pot and a trailing variated colored leaves in the smaller pot ..both of which I don't know their names.

This one came complete with the birds ...I have sprayed all the cages and the birds with an outside clear protective spray and anti-rust spray.

I love how they all look on our front porch.
Below you will find lots of ideas that you can do with birdcages.

Love the Cacti display in this one

This one has been made in to a bird feeder .
By the look of the amount of birds feeding.
I guess it's a hit.

This is one of my favorites.

What great ideas ...to turn bird houses in to lamps.
So beautiful.
A total conversation piece.

Use ferns, climbing and creeping plants, moss.
I love to use Creeping Jenny as it has a lovely yellow and green color.
Or just add some moss and a bird's nest ...how cute is that.

I used English Ivy in mine,
This one is simply a terra-cotta pot
With one creeping plant it in
Looks wonderful
Don't you think??

Planting up a bird cage with a flip lid.
Love the purple flowers in this white bird cage.

Thanks for popping by.
I hope some of my ideas inspired you.
Birdcages at thrift stores and antique shops
Are very inexpensive.
Happy gardening to you all
Kindest regards

Janet

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May 07th, 2017

5/7/2017

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Mother's Day May 14th 2017 ...some gift tags & writing paper for you to print out for your craft projects

Mother's Day is just a week away so I thought I would post some of my favorite gift tags and writing paper/journal pages for you to print out and use for your craft projects

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I LOVE this note paper .....so pretty to write a special note for a loved one or for using in journals etc ..

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These super cute French tags I have used over and over again ...they look great on any craft project or gift wrapping

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If you have never made gift tags from print outs ...you will need to print them out ...don't cut them out ...using some nice printed or plain card from the craft store ...using craft spray adhesive spray the back of the print out or the back of the card and place the print out on to the card ..smoothing it with your hand/finger.
Then cut out each gift tag.
Punch a small hole at the centre top of the tag.
Thread some ribbon or twine through the hole.
And there you are ..a lovely hand made gift tag

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What's not to love ....gorgeous

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These are great projects to with the children ...they will love to make their own.

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I hope that you have found these useful and will use them for your Mother's Day gifts or just Birthday gifts etc..through out the year

Thanks for popping by

Happy Mother's Day

Janet

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May 04th, 2017

5/4/2017

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HRH Prince Philip is Stepping Down from Public Duties as from the Fall.

It has just been announced from Buckingham Palace that HRH Prince Philip is stepping down from Public Duties.
He is 95 years old.
Prince Philip is HRH Queen Elizabeth's Husband.
Prince Philip will still attend previously scheduled events between now and August. "Thereafter, The Duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time," Buckingham Palace said.
Very unexpected by myself.
The Queen and Prince Philip just seem to keep going.
I am however very pleased that he will be doing less.
At 95 years old he is amazing.
Going to all of those engagements.
Standing for long periods.
Being nice to people.
Not many 95 year olds could keep up with the pace.

Wishing Prince Philip good health.
Happy retirement.
God Bless the Queen and Prince Philip

Thanks for popping by

Janet

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May 03rd, 2017

5/3/2017

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Our 18th Wedding Anniversary Weekend Trip down South

We were lucky enough to celebrate our 18th Wedding Anniversary this past weekend.
It has become a tradition to go down to Fairhope , Alabama by the Gulf of Mexico to have a long weekend break.
Just the two of us ...a peaceful, quiet time.
Doing what we both like best.
With only each other to worry about for the whole 4 days.
Filled with Love and Romance.

We went on short walks whilst I drank in the much missed Sea of my island home of Guernsey ...
To hear the Seagulls.
Lapping of the waves.
Diving of the Pelican's

We walked several times in our very favorite swamp.
To say 'hello' to our friend the Alligator.
He is about 10 feet long now.
A Big Boy ....fighting off all other Alligators who dare to try to take his swampy pond away from him.

He seemed to favor swimming out in the Sea this time ..maybe it was the coming storm that we were promised while down there.

They have made a really lovely board walk through the Swamp now.
Allowing everyone to enjoy it.
The Toads were in fine fettle ...singing at the top of their voices in a huge Toad Chorus.
Sounding like hundreds of yapping Chihuahua dogs.
Almost deafening us as we walked with smiles on our faces.

Yours truly looking a little smug ...don't you think ...ha! ha!

The first time I have seen orange flowers on a Mimosa Tree ...up here in Central Alabama they are usually pink.

We had to fight off the mosquito's a little ....but there you are we were in a Swamp !!

I love how they put the nesting boxes for the Purple Martin birds out in the Sea...
As you can see the birds seem to think it's perfect.

There were 4 Alligators swimming in the Sea just outside of the entrance to the Swamp that day.

Thanks for popping by and sharing some of our Special weekend with us.
We ate at lovely Italian restaurants.
And treated ourselves to a delicious Latte Coffee and a large slice of Carrot cake.
Which was particularly wonderful .
Rummaged through Antique Stores.
Dreamed of owning one of the Mansions down there.
Super time.
Loving company.

Kindest regards

Janet

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April 28th, 2017

4/28/2017

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Archive of how Maisonvogue's Garden will look in 6 weeks time

I glanced outside today in the glorious Alabama Sunshine and saw the glory of my knock out roses

They were bobbing about in the light breeze saying ' look at me, look at me' how wonderful I look with my fresh green leaves and my bright red blooms ....these rose bushes are such a success

The only attention they require is to trim them back now and again to tame their wild ways ..love them

They inspired me to blog today about some of the flowers that adorn my garden every year ...I just love my garden and when we arrived 15 years ago it was just a blank canvas waiting for me to bring it alive

No landscaping what so ever just a green turfed lawn

I designed and planted the whole garden with the help when I needed it from my Husband who does the heavy digging and carrying for me
I do get a little help from Miss Bella ..we sure named her correctly ..she is beautiful and so helpful ..she thought she was hiding but we can all see her can't we ?

Thanks for the scratching post Mum

Danny cut these from a fallen tree in our woods

They will rot eventually but for a few years make great stands for the impatient's, busy lizzie plants that will spill over and run down the trunks as the season passes on

My Son helped me create this little garden on the right ...whilst he was over here on a visit he helped me plant the trees and bushes ..they were much smaller then but love where we put them

The Gardenia Bush is in the same section and blooms three times a season filling the air with their perfume ...I breath it in and savor it's perfume every time I go outside

These two lace head hydrangea's make great cutting plants and if caught at the right time dry very well

Anyone can grow these Morning Glories that I let do their own thing on the railings of our front porch ..they are self seeding and will come back each year ...try several colors together for visual impact. Collect some of the seeds and gift to family and friends to plant in a sunny spot after the last frost

Yes these pesky much loved Raccoons help in their own way ..usually rearranging the porch each night

Digging up newly planted plants to see what bugs might be below ...give me patience please ..ha! ha!

Impatien's ,busy lizzies are sure to please ..making great pillows of flowers till the first frost if in the right conditions ,they love shade so do well on the front covered porch having just a few hours of sun when it is starting to set each day

Brightly colored Caladiums ..love the shade under the umbrella on the back deck whilst the hibiscus flowers bask in the hot sun of the day

I found a use for my old Kitchen baker's rack ..took it to pieces and used the iron work around the garden

A Sunflower waves it's sunny head planted with the help of the feeding birds

The lilac daisies come up every year in all of their majesty

Don't forget to add a little vegetable garden in a sunny spot next to the water hose, complete it with a scarecrow left over from fall decorations ..pack them in tight ..many varieties of tomatoes, bell peppers , beans and they won't let you down

More of my favorite impatients billow over their pot and below bright pink million bells grow happily amongst the herbs in the herb pot

If you are lucky and have a good year ..sometimes you don't..... you could be picking this great yield and variety in one pick too
My garden is only 10' x 4' but keeps us in veggie's all season long ..I don't like weeding so the whole of my vegetable and landscaped gardens are covered in weed resistant fabric then covered with chipped wood bark ..I never have to weed a thing

Thanks for visiting my garden ..I hope it gave you a few ideas of what to do or what not to do ...enjoy it and don't let it be too much work ...most of my plants come up by themselves each year (perennial) and I add some annuals such as the impatient's, hanging baskets and little ones I can't resist to bring home every year

Fabric and chip bark all of your beds including the vegetable gardens ...no weeding ...and just replenish the bark ever other year

Oh yes my greatest tip is ...get your Husband to trim the bushes ...whilst you cover the surrounding ground and bushes with old sheets or ones from the thrift store ...so you just have to scoop up the corners once he has finished and dump the cuttings where you usually put them ...having the next bush already covered and ready for Hubby to do the next one ...then a clean garden and happiness all around

Happy gardening !!

Janet

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April 27th, 2017

4/27/2017

1 Comment

More Updates on the Decoration of our Summer Porch

A quick update on the ongoing decorating of our Summer front Porch.
Here I have decorated my 'faux' window with the ongoing theme of a pop of turquoise/robin egg blue

I will have to replace the moss on the topiary once the birds have finished taking it for their nests ...
I sprayed my once brass colored star a bright turquoise.

Here is my very old magazine rack , picked up at a thrift store years ago, I like to fill it with fresh moss every year from the edge of the woods ...then pop some flowers in the top ..it makes a great container

I popped in some white Impatiens (busy lizzies) ..I thought the white would look great amongst the turquoise.
As you and see my magazine rack was not spared from my obsessive use of the spray paint ....it really freshened it up a lot.

You can see all the little flowers etc..that are in the sheet moss .
This is moss I cut from my own garden not the ones bought in craft stores.
So I have to keep it watered to keep it's freshness.

I also purchased this cute solar lamp to hang on a shepherd's hook.
It cost me NOTHING as it was on the clearance sale table , the only one they had ...for $5 originally $29.99.
I had a $5 coupon ...then they gave me a scratch card for further discounts to help pay for the sales tax ..and that came to 15% off ...so it cost me nothing ...
I love Nothing !! ha! ha!

Thanks so much for popping by.

I enjoyed sharing my updates with you.

Enjoy your garden

Happy Days

Janet

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April 24th, 2017

4/24/2017

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Maisonvogue's Pansy Flowers.

The Pansies at Maisonvogue are enjoying their last flourish of life before the heat comes and they wither away.

I planted them last October and they have bloomed ever since ...such vibrant colors

Such happy flowers ...they make me smile too.

These share a pot with my Rose of Sharon Bush ...filling the pot with color.

I enjoyed sharing my photo's with you.
The more you pinch out the old Pansies the more flowers you will get.
I hope that you have some 'happy' flowers too.
Happy Gardening to you all.
Glad you popped in to see me.

Happy Days

Janet

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April 23rd, 2017

4/23/2017

1 Comment

Pottery Classes Update ...Week 7

I can not believe I have been going to Pottery Lessons for 7 weeks now ....and have bought home some of the finished items I have created.
I am pleased with them so far.
This Silhouetted Bird Dinner Plate I made my very first lesson ...on day one !!

I learnt a lot that very first day ...When I am rolling out the clay to the thickness I want it ...There is a piece of fabric that covers it and also one on the bottom of it so that it doesn't stick to the pressing machine.
I had to choose if I wanted to leave the fabric pattern on it or not ...this time I chose to keep it.
I love how the glaze shows part of the clay in patches.
Then I made my bird design .filled it in with black glaze and once dry I hand painted the plate ...I did try to pour the glaze instead of brushing it on but my injured arm just wouldn't let me move the plate around as I needed to so I chose to hand paint it ...

Here is my finished Bee and Honeycomb Plate ....I am so pleased with my hand glazing ...I am so impressed with the depth of color I achieved.
It's very tactile ....and I love my cute Bees ...
I learnt a lot more about glazing when I did this plate....and so enjoyed glazing it ..
Not too bad for just a few weeks of lessons.
Faith, my teacher, is very patient and makes it easy to learn.

This was what the plate looked like last week after I had glazed it, before it's final glazing, ...can you imagine it would come out like it did ??
It's like magic and so exciting to see the finished product.

I also made this cute little heart pendant for myself ...I will make a necklace out of it ..
So now I have to become a jeweler as well ..ha! ha!
That's another learning curb for me to tackle.

Here is the finished necklace.
I am so pleased with it ..
Such a pretty necklace for Summer time.

So now I am on my way to making all sorts of items.
I have so many ideas and dreams of items I might want to make in the following weeks.
Hopefully learning more and more.
It will be a fun adventure to see how far I can go.
I love the items I bought home.
But most of all I have enjoyed the new friends I have made.
They are from all walks of life.
Everyone of them are so wonderful.
We have the greatest of fun.
A day full of joy, happiness, friendship and love.
It was a wonderful day.
Seven weeks ago when I started my lessons
I am so glad and excited about the future.

Thanks for popping by
I have enjoyed sharing my pottery creations with you.

Happy Days everyone
Find something new that you can be passionate about
It will make your heart sing.

Janet

1 Comment

April 20th, 2017

4/20/2017

2 Comments

It's that Time again ..Spring Closet Cleaning ..Out with the Winter in with the Spring/Summer Fashions ..tips on how I do it !!

It's that time again ..changing our closets (wardrobe's) back to Spring /Summer clothes from the darker colors of Winter.

I thought that this year I would share some of how I do mine with you.

I loath it at first, as it takes a good part of the day doing it, but once I have started I get excited about wearing the lovely brighter shades of Summer and the finished closet looks glorious and makes me smile

Huggable Hangers by Joy Mangano of HSN Shopping Channel.

Now that was a revelation to me and my closet.

Joy boasts that you will be able to fit much more clothing in the same space with her hangers.

And it is true ...also they have a velvet like covering and items will not drop down on to the floor even if they are just spaghetti strapped camisoles.

They come in so many colors you are bound to find one to go with your decor ...I got the lilac .

I have had them for many years and just love them .

I just LOVE scarves ...especially decorative one's that I can wear as an accessory in the summer and here are some of my favorite one's ..

I had almost finished my closet this afternoon and then wondered where to put my scarves ..instead of in a closed drawer I thought they were too pretty to keep in the dark so I have looped them around the hanging rail and pulled the two long pieces through each loop ..as shown above.

Now I can see the pretty scarves every morning when I wake up and it will be easier to see them and choose which one will go with my outfit for the day.

This is a photo of some of the colors being displayed by the shopping channel.

They are available on Amazon.com too.

On the shelf above the hanging rails I have some white storage boxes.

They have a little see through window so that I can see what is in them without taking them down.

I bought these storage boxes years ago from the Swedish store Ikea.

I usually store some of my off season clothes in them.

They look great as well as functional...in between each of the boxes I have displayed some of my decorative pillows and a great decorative handbag with a blue leopard scarf tumbling from it.

Just another nice added detail to make you smile when you go to get dressed each day.

Shelving that can be hooked and hung from your main shelves are just great,

To put shoes on ...so you can easily see and easily match them to your outfit.

COLOR CO-ORDINATION is ESSENTIAL to have a lovely pleasing to the eye closet.

It's such fun to see it all in color blocks when you are deciding what to wear and a time saver too. You can even print out the color wheel and do them in that precise order if you wish.

My closet used to have just one rail along the top and Danny put it up higher and then put one lower down so I instantly had double the hanging space.

Make sure you a can hang a pair of full length trousers (pants) that have been folded over a huggable hanger so that it has several inches space between the floor and the bottom of the hung trouser.

Also with the top rail make sure you can hang your longest top and that it doesn't quite reach the bottom rail ...if you have a shelf on the top of the rail like I do you could even put extra shoes or hats on it.

I hope some of these tips have been helpful to you,

And if you even just color co-ordinate your clothes.

That will make you smile every time you go in and look for ideas on what to wear.

Don't forget to put them back in the exact color block you took them from with all of the hooks and clothes facing the same way and it will never get untidy again.

Please 'comment' and let us know how you organize your closet ..

Do you have any great idea's for organizing ?

Let us know if you do this to yours and how you like it.

My closet isn't very big at all but I can put a whole season's clothes in it

All it takes is a bit of organization

Have fun

You never know you might find room to buy some more much needed clothes

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April 17th, 2017

4/17/2017

2 Comments

My Pottery Class Update

Just a quick update on my pottery class.
I have been going to Pottery Class for 6 weeks now
This week I glazed my Bee and Honeycomb bowl.
It takes a lot of time, for a beginner, to glaze
I hope that I did this all perfectly and that when I get it back from it's final firing in the Kiln, that there will be a nice bowl for me to use.
The dark brown back ground is going to be a very rich brown
And the grey parts on this photo will be shiny black
The white body and wings of the bee will be yellow and black stripes
The Honey Comb several colors of the yellow/orange family.
It is now ready for the final firing in the Kiln ..I am really excited to see how it turns out .

Here is the bowl two weeks ago.

I really enjoyed making this bowl ...and I think it will be super cute.
At least I hope so.
Do any of you go to Pottery Classes and how do you like it ?
Let us know in the 'comments' we would love to hear your experience.
Happy Days

Kindest Regards

Janet

2 Comments

April 15th, 2017

4/15/2017

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Let's Shabby Chic Maisonvogue's Back Deck Together !!

I LOVE to wake up and open the Kitchen Nook blinds to see this lovely sight on our back deck.
It's a great happy way to begin the day with the sun pouring in, filling the room with it's warmth and glow.

Today was going to be a good day for me as I was going to decorate the old privacy screen that we originally put up to make sure that dogs wouldn't be able to come up the stairs and our cats would be safe.
But now it's turned in to part of the decor of the back deck.
I have gathered pretty items , cut out fabric ribbons and armed myself with my glue gun.

I like to repurpose items rather than throw them away so I had this really cute vine hat and have decorated it for many years now but each year I redecorate it to look brand new.
I filled the raised mound of the hat with all of these pretty flowers ...using my glue gun of course
Then I framed it all with a circle of dried moss ...it's ready to hang.

I use fabric ribbons that I have cut from some vintage fabric found at the thrift store of course ..
And I attach it to the top of the hat frame and I tie it to the top of the screen and make a pretty bow.
Because it's outside in all of the Spring and Summer storms I also tie it at the bottom of the hat ..tightly to the screen so that the wind cannot move it.

If you don't like to or am unable to make these wreaths you could find interesting frames and attach fabric ribbons to them and hang them on the screen ...find them at the thrift store and decorate them as you please.

If you don't know how to make the ends of your ribbon pretty and neat follow these photos, fold fabric in half, cut on a diagonal and you have a 'v' shaped end to your ribbon.

Here it is in all of it's glory.

All of my wreaths I have found at the thrift store for just a few pence ...
This one I have started to decorate with flowers I have also found at the thrift store for pence as well.
They are going out in the storms and severe heat of Alabama so I don't want to spend very much on them.

I just put a little hot glue on each flower or greenery and stick it in amongst the vine wreath ..that way the wind won't blow away the flowers etc.

Here is my finished shabby wreath.

When I bought this wreath I loved the shape of it and how it has different pieces of vine sticking out of it but really it's had it's day.
All of the vines are loose and it could fall apart at any time.
So I sat down and wired it tightly back together again with floral wire.
It's ready to live another day.

I love this bright orange pop of color.
And the deep purple flowers that I put on my wreath.
I first glued on some pieces of Reindeer Moss that I had amongst the flowers I had, then attached the orange flower.

Here it is ...all cute again ...I am very pleased how it turned out.
The wreath should last a few more seasons just because I wired it together.

My screen is coming together nicely ...I now have just one more wreath to make.

Here it is ...heart shaped and looking tired with it's decoration from last year on it.

But now it's looking fresh and happy ...I tied it on at an angle for a change.

A truly Shabby Chic screen ...that brings me lots of joy all season long.
If you would like to make a screen it's just four matching frames made from some wood from the local home store ...Danny attached it together with different metal braces that now have rusted and look great.
Then he attached the lattice work ,also available at your local home store, with an electric stapler gun.
Then attached each frame with three hinges so it can fold up and be unfolded like a gate to use the stairs.
I then dry brushed it with green paint.
This screen has been out all year long for about 17 years ...without me every painting it ...so it's got a great shabby look.

For the decoration on the deck table ...I found this cute rustic basket at the thrift store years ago.
I use it to place items in that suit the season and can quickly change it out when ever i like with other decorations.
This is it's Spring/Easter look.

I got my cute solid cast iron rabbit from Texas a few years ago ..it's rusted nicely.
Added some moss and a plastic Cacti...
Hot glued a white Gerber Flower to each side of the basket.

My wooden tulips I bought in Amsterdam, Holland on a trip with my Son.
They are solid wood.
Hopefully this has inspired you to decorate your outside space in a different way.
I had fun sharing it with you.
The day I made them it was a glorious sun filled day.
With no humidity.
And the birds chorus full of happiness
Happy Crafting to you all
Happy Easter Weekend
Janet

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May 20th, 2017

Pottery Update on week 10 of Pottery Classes.

May 14th, 2017

May 12th, 2017

Mishmash of a few Photo's taken this week at Maisonvogue.

May 09th, 2017

The 9th of May is Liberation Celebration Day for my Island home of Guernsey ...when the occupying German Forces Surrendered in 1945 and we the people kicked them out!! 72 years ago today .

May 08th, 2017

Using Bird Cages as Hanging Baskets

May 07th, 2017

Mother's Day May 14th 2017 ...some gift tags & writing paper for you to print out for your craft projects

May 04th, 2017

HRH Prince Philip is Stepping Down from Public Duties as from the Fall.

May 03rd, 2017

Our 18th Wedding Anniversary Weekend Trip down South

April 28th, 2017

Archive of how Maisonvogue's Garden will look in 6 weeks time

April 27th, 2017

More Updates on the Decoration of our Summer Porch

April 24th, 2017

Maisonvogue's Pansy Flowers.

April 23rd, 2017

Pottery Classes Update ...Week 7

April 20th, 2017

It's that Time again ..Spring Closet Cleaning ..Out with the Winter in with the Spring/Summer Fashions ..tips on how I do it !!

April 17th, 2017

My Pottery Class Update

April 15th, 2017

Let's Shabby Chic Maisonvogue's Back Deck Together !!

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