The Find...

So I've had these lovely, antique wood spindles around for ages.

Technically called 'quills', they were used in the woolen mill/textile 

industry in big factories to organize threads on looms.

I've had a few inspirations on what to do with them

and then yesterday one of those ideas finally came to fruition...

Introducing... "The Find"

 These happy crows are making a big noise of today's find...

 I had these scissors in my button stash that I think were intended for scrap booking.

I believe they came from a little pack of buttons and such from the thrift shop.
I've aged them a bit to look like they've been around the cutting floor for eons...

So if any of you know anything about the Corvid family of birds,

you'll know that they love shiny things...hence the excitement!
Crows and Ravens are some of the most enduring birds.
Don't be fooled by their bad reputation.
Intelligent, loving, resourceful, dedicated family members and comical.
I'm not sure why they've been the subject of doom and gloom and bad omens
but in my books they are a joy to watch.
Definitely the bird of October aren't they?!

 I notched of the bottom edge of the spindle so it wouldn't roll around anymore.
The beaks are made from some outer teeth casings from a jaw I found on the beach...

...I painted them black and meticulously pieced them together before adhering 

them into the heads of the crows...

They worked into perfect crow beaks...

In photography, I find the two hardest colours to capture are red and black.
In practicing with different shutter speeds, apertures, etc, and some fine tuning
in the editing department I was able to get some fairly decent shots though.
So off they will fly...to a house on the river road...
...to a maker of lovely textiles and a lover of crows.

I love you just the way you are...

We had a customer at the flower shop that we were doing wedding flowers 

for and this is what the bride and groom to be pulled up in to pick up their arrangements...I grabbed my phone and started taking pictures...

So me, a girl who loves a classic car, wanted to know everything about it...

The man who owns it told me that the car originally came into his fathers automotive

shop for repairs. He bought it new off the lot in Victoria in 1945 and had it 

painted with his business logo and info at the same time...

I love so many things about this van...the simple phone #, the aged look of the paint, 

the grill, the lights. the history!

The current owner said he would never change a thing about it.

I said that you couldn't re create that look no matter how hard you tried.

These are original paint cans that the current owner of the car has been collecting over the years.

Same brand as the original owner use to use...

So then he told me how it came into his families hands...turns out over the years, the original

owner kept bringing it in for maintenance and when he retired from his business he offered

the mechanic the van for sale. The mechanic wanted to know how much he wanted for it...

"what I paid for it" says the guy..."$1,287.00".

Needless to say the mechanic bought it and in time handed it down to his son,

 who still drives it today.

How cool is that?!

She's a real beauty isn't she? 

Some things are just worth perfect the way they are.

wordless wednesday...

Wordless Wednesday...

Off and running....maybe...

For the past 12 years my daily recreation has been walks with Griffin twice a day.

Since he's been gone I'm really missing some kind of reason to get out and exercise.

In fact I'm really missing my routines with my bud.

So today, as spring is springing, I decided to dig out my bike from the barn...

There she sits, amongst the lawnmower and the other old bikes...

 Quite a bit of dust and dirt on her...

 ...she's seen much brighter days...

 So out comes the scrubbing brush, rags and soapy water...

 Tires pumped up with my new pump...not just any pump but the Bell Airattack 450!!

 After her bath, she's showing off her lovely logo.

I traded one of my old CCM road bikes with a guy down the road for this one for $50

years ago. I always wanted a classic cruiser and this one has it all...

 All the right reflectors...

 Skirt and pant leg guards...

 Built in rear wheel lock and key...

 Old school friction front light...

 Still in working order...

 Only 3 speeds but good on the flats. You don't want to go up too many hills on this old 

girl since she weighs quite a bit...

 Bell still in good working order...

 Built in bungee on the back rack...

 Large mud flaps on the front...

 Nice little reflectors on the front handles...those Dutch think of everything!

That's what happens when you build bikes in a place that lives bike culture!

 One hand brake...

(she also comes with the back peddle brake system)

 And there you have it!

All scrubbed up, tires filled, ready for action...

 Now if the weather would only co-operate...just as I was done, it started to rain...AGAIN!

 Oh well, better luck tomorrow...at least she's ready to roll!

Out and about...

Yesterday we went into the city to finish up some shopping

and I brought along the camera to capture lights and decor but

ended up focusing (mind the pun!) on all the

lovely old doors around Chinatown.

Maybe next trip in I will be transfixed on my original target,

but for now, I bring you, The Doors...

This is probably my fave...the look and the number!...

 ...reminds me of Harry Potter...

 ...number 1 store for all little Chinatown toys...

 ...Elegance...

 ...door to all things basket...

 ...lucky colour red...

 Imports from far away in Nepal and Tibet...

 ...vintage blue Love...

 ...living in plum...

Global Village...beautiful, ethical things... 

 Time to do some shopping...ciao for now!