The art of the old Magnolia tree

 You make that old magnolia tree

Blossom at the mention of your name .... 

 .... I think you're just sensational!

You Little Gem!

© 2012 Francesca Muir and Instagram

 

The art of the painted olive oil tin!

Take and empty tin of olive oil

Give it a coat of paint

Fill it with soil

Add some Geranium cuttings

Water, feed and then wait for the sun to do its magic!

You will be richly rewarded.

So simple!

A Birthday celebration

It's been 12 months today since I started Postcard Pictures and I could never have dreamed it would lead to so many new friends scattered all around the world; all linked through a passion for photography, creativity, a good story and bonhomie. 

Thank you for making me feel so welcome; for your encouragement; for your heart-felt comments and for following me as I trip through life with a camera glued to my face!

This has been such a creative boon for me and I now permanently look at life through a lens! 

Postcard Pictures has also re-kindled my creative writing juices which were in serious need of a kick!  I really love that what gives me great joy, also resonates with you.

 So what better way to celebrate a birthday than with a birthday post! 

My Vintage Girl LOVES birthday parties with a theme.  

Since she could first talk, she devised themes and colours;  designed invitations and together, we worked on interesting variations of party food and cakes.

 

The 10th just had to be hot pink and lime....

The 14th was a Mad Hatter's Tea Party ....

.... with mix and match tea cups, saucers and teaspoons from local vintage shops

.... playing cards which became name tags, written backwards just to add a little madness!

And hand-made crepe paper and tissue roses sat in 

Wellington boots 

 

Best of all, everyone took home their cup, saucer, teaspoon and a paper flower ....

 

So there was no clearing up!

And the 15th was in fact a 5th Birthday party....

complete with fairy bread; chocolate coated strawberries; chocolate crackles and jelly cups and

games....

pass the parcel

pin the tail on the donkey 

and

musical chairs.

Sometimes, the older they are the younger they play

Perfect!

© 2012 Francesca Muir

The Silent Sentinels at Folly Point

They stand like silent sentinels 

guarding the shore at low tide

Like the shells of a giant insect

Discarded at a moment's notice for a midnight swim.

Upright and proud

and braced in iron against the wind

The little dinghies of Folly Point have a new home. 

They are tidier now.
But I far prefer they way they used to 
prop up the trees and idle around with gay abandon

Do we have to clean up everything?

© 2012 Francesca Muir and iPhone

The amazing faces of Bali

Warm....

Kind ....

Wistful ....

Smiling.... 

Joyous ....

Focused ....

Fascinating ....

Sage ....

Hard-working ....

The amazing faces of Bali. 

The joy of winter flowers

I can't live without flowers in the house in winter.  
I love their colour and
the touch of warmth they bring to a cold corner.

There's always a sweet scented hyacinth on my bedside table

Pots of colourful polyanthus adorn the kitchen windowsill

 

A jug of jonquils sits on the kitchen table

A cyclamen thrives against the frosted bathroom window

A white Camellia Japonica from the garden (so perfect it looks like a fake!) sits on the corner of the desk

Graceful Madonna lillies adorn the sideboard

And delicate daisies (also from the garden), 

sit and watch the rain on the bedroom window

Thank goodness for simple pleasures!