November 7, 2009

The final cheese.  So flipping good.

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Wow, what a great blog I just found!  You should definitely check it out.  If you like antiques, jewellery, history, interior design, videos, photos, or even if you just like really inventive blog posts by fascinating redheaded shopgirls, this is the blog for you.  Bookmark it yo!  This is their latest post - how wonderful!     torontoantiquesonking: Victorian Hairwork and Mourning Jewellery This design on the face of this beautiful Victorian brooch is not what it seems at first sight.  Believe it or not, it is actually made out of human hair - a notion that never fails to cause a strong reaction in people, whether shock, awe, disgust or delight.  Personally, I think Victorian hairwork jewellery is a such a fascinating reflection of a time gone by: a time long before emails and digital photos and facebook and film, when people came up with curious and creative solutions to provide them with the comfort of loved ones, even when they were far from home or after they had passed on.  Wearing the hair of a loved one gave them a unique sense of connection, and it offered the opportunity to carry a piece of that person wherever they went. Godley’s Lady’s Book, a popular 19th century lady’s magazine offered hairwork patterns, which could be used much like knitting patterns or cross stitch patterns.  They also featured advertisemenets for special tools and hairwork tables which would aid those who chose to take up hairwork as a craft in their homes.  In a c.1850 issue of Godley’s Lady’s Book, the concept of hair as a medium of rememberance is reflected upon: “Hair is at once the most delicate and last of our materials and survives us like love.  It is so light, so gentle, so escaping from the idea of death, that, with a lock of hair belonging to a child or friend we may almost look up to heaven and compare notes with angelic nature, may almost say, I have a piece of thee here, not unworthy of thy being now.” (quote taken from www.hairwork.com) Today we may find this hard understand, but in our digital age, we have endless ways to document, remember, and keep in touch.  We really should appreciate these objects for what they are: beautiful, if unconventional, pieces of art that represent a part of our human history, and reminders of the very basic and unchanging human need to reflect on the people who matter to us most in our lives.  The Cynthia Findlay Collection of Estate & Vintage Jewellery at Toronto Antiques on King has a large selection of mourning jewellery, hairwork objects, and Victorian jewellery and accessories, including the brooch pictured here. 

Wow, what a great blog I just found!  You should definitely check it out.  If you like antiques, jewellery, history, interior design, videos, photos, or even if you just like really inventive blog posts by fascinating redheaded shopgirls, this is the blog for you.  Bookmark it yo!  This is their latest post - how wonderful! 

   torontoantiquesonking:

Victorian Hairwork and Mourning Jewellery

This design on the face of this beautiful Victorian brooch is not what it seems at first sight.  Believe it or not, it is actually made out of human hair - a notion that never fails to cause a strong reaction in people, whether shock, awe, disgust or delight. 

Personally, I think Victorian hairwork jewellery is a such a fascinating reflection of a time gone by: a time long before emails and digital photos and facebook and film, when people came up with curious and creative solutions to provide them with the comfort of loved ones, even when they were far from home or after they had passed on.  Wearing the hair of a loved one gave them a unique sense of connection, and it offered the opportunity to carry a piece of that person wherever they went.

Godley’s Lady’s Book, a popular 19th century lady’s magazine offered hairwork patterns, which could be used much like knitting patterns or cross stitch patterns.  They also featured advertisemenets for special tools and hairwork tables which would aid those who chose to take up hairwork as a craft in their homes.  In a c.1850 issue of Godley’s Lady’s Book, the concept of hair as a medium of rememberance is reflected upon:

“Hair is at once the most delicate and last of our materials and survives us like love.  It is so light, so gentle, so escaping from the idea of death, that, with a lock of hair belonging to a child or friend we may almost look up to heaven and compare notes with angelic nature, may almost say, I have a piece of thee here, not unworthy of thy being now.” (quote taken from www.hairwork.com)

Today we may find this hard understand, but in our digital age, we have endless ways to document, remember, and keep in touch.  We really should appreciate these objects for what they are: beautiful, if unconventional, pieces of art that represent a part of our human history, and reminders of the very basic and unchanging human need to reflect on the people who matter to us most in our lives. 

The Cynthia Findlay Collection of Estate & Vintage Jewellery at Toronto Antiques on King has a large selection of mourning jewellery, hairwork objects, and Victorian jewellery and accessories, including the brooch pictured here. 

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November 6, 2009

Revision: no cheese starting tomorrow...

I’m going to have pizza tonight. And then cheesecake for dessert.  Might as well go out with a bang (and possibly a stomach ache).

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I'm giving up cheese for 6 months starting today.

This is simply to prove a point.

Before you let out a loud guffaw at this suggestion and remind me of all of the wonderful things that have cheese in them, let me tell you I have thought it through and am fully aware of what this entails.  No nachos.  No pizza.  No poutine.  No cream cheese bagels.  No lasagna.  No grilled cheese.  No cottage cheese.  No Christmas cheese balls.  I get it. 

This is not the first time I have given something up.  Once I gave up french fries for an entire year.  And I didn’t cheat once.  Another time I commited to flossing my teeth every day for 6 months.  I did that one with no slip ups either.  I know I have what it takes to do this. 

My motive - a girl named KD.

(That reminds me, no Kraft Dinner either!)

Last night, as a few of my girlfriends and I were sitting around at a pub catching up, I shared my previous triumphant feats with them, and they were inspired to do the same.  For KD, we challenged her to let go of coffee - all coffee - for six months.  After fighting it for a good hour, she decided she would do it. 

The punishment for all of the girls (not including me, as I was not originally planning to give anything up this time around) would be either a short “mom” hair cut or a tattoo chosen by myself… I am the official referree of the proceedings - Task Master, if you will.

But this morning KD announced that she would not give up coffee… she simply couldn’t do it.  I was supremely dissappointed by this, and so I made decision.  I would give up cheese, as I gave up french fries once before.  It will be FAR more difficult than french fries (and in my opinion coffee), but the more challenging it is, the happier I will be when I can announce at the end of the six months that I was successful. 

Let this be a source of inspiration for you KD.  You can do coffee… just switch to tea.  What the hell am I going to replace cheese with???  Yours is easier - commit already.

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November 5, 2009

All The Pretty Girls Video!

Fun.

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I just found this sitting next to me at my place of employment with a stack of other wonderful photographic gems.  I love it.  But I can’t figure out which part I love the most.  It might be the man with the hat and walking stick in the background.  It might be those big round pram wheels.  It might be the little girl herself.  Actually, no, I think I love this photo because it just has so much honesty in it.  Thats the thing about old photographs - even the ones where they played with trick-photography - they can’t help but to be just so damn honest… like a magical glimpse into another world and I can get lost in them for ages. I was recently asked if, given the chance, I would travel back in time.  Though the question was asked in relation to a nerdy techy thriller film that was being viewed at the time, I would like to…  as long as it didn’t instigate massive chaos and disruption and didn’t cause anyone to black out and for people to be murdered whilst living inside a game that recreated 1940’s California (obviously). I want to walk down a street in a time when passing a man in a top hat with a walking stick was commonplace.  That would be fantastic.  For now I will just look at my photograph.

I just found this sitting next to me at my place of employment with a stack of other wonderful photographic gems.  I love it.  But I can’t figure out which part I love the most.  It might be the man with the hat and walking stick in the background.  It might be those big round pram wheels.  It might be the little girl herself.  Actually, no, I think I love this photo because it just has so much honesty in it.  Thats the thing about old photographs - even the ones where they played with trick-photography - they can’t help but to be just so damn honest… like a magical glimpse into another world and I can get lost in them for ages.

I was recently asked if, given the chance, I would travel back in time.  Though the question was asked in relation to a nerdy techy thriller film that was being viewed at the time, I would like to…  as long as it didn’t instigate massive chaos and disruption and didn’t cause anyone to black out and for people to be murdered whilst living inside a game that recreated 1940’s California (obviously).

I want to walk down a street in a time when passing a man in a top hat with a walking stick was commonplace.  That would be fantastic.  For now I will just look at my photograph.

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I purchased a new piece of the Internet today.

vigeant:

It is going to be the best thing I have ever put on the Internet ever.

Please hold for results.

Ditto

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November 4, 2009
Smart LV by the other LV

Smart LV

by the other LV

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November 3, 2009
Deep fried butter? Only in Texas. Check it out here.
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November 2, 2009
My dog Winnifred sometimes has a bow on the top of her head (which I detest), but to my delight, we had to cut it off recently as it was horribly matted.  The result?  She looks like a dead ringer for Kate Gosselin!!  Poor Winnifred… poor poor Winnifred.

My dog Winnifred sometimes has a bow on the top of her head (which I detest), but to my delight, we had to cut it off recently as it was horribly matted.  The result?  She looks like a dead ringer for Kate Gosselin!!  Poor Winnifred… poor poor Winnifred.

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