More Hand Fans

This is my second post sharing one of my collections of  fans.  Previously, I had shared this:Fan of Fans 
Click on the above link to see that post.

More Hand Fans

I recently bid on a "lot" of Hand Fans, and surprisingly, I was the only bidder.  There were 4 total, one of them framed, and that one alone was worth more than what I paid all together.  Carl has been shooting the fans for me, because I want to have these in a format that will allow me to show exactly their condition, in case I decide to ever sell them.  And, I don't want to be opening and closing the fans that are fragile, so looking at the images will somewhat satisfy my desire to see them.  

Last week, I asked him to shoot about 12 that were not previously done.  These included two that were recent acquisitions.  While he was setting up, I snapped a couple of pics on my mobile phone so that you can see how he did these:

Tabletop set up in the front studio

Carl getting a good look through the camera

You can see the huge stand that is used to mount the camera.  This gives ultimate steadiness, which is very important for the type of photography he normally does.


Here is the one he had set up in the above photo:

Black silk hand painted 

Here is a close up of the detail.  The sticks are hand carved. . .not sure what material, and I think it could be ebony . . .  The carving is exquisite.  The painting was done by "Richy"

Detail

This next one was another from the same lot:

Hand painted ivory silk with flowers and bees, unsigned

And here are a few close up shots of the bees:

Close up of bees and flowers Left side

Close up of bees Right side

Don't the bees just seem to jump up at you?  This was quite a skill to paint these details.

The third fan I'm sharing was from another purchase.  I think the sticks might actually be ivory, but I'm not certain.  I have several that are made of bone, and this is most decidedly different from those:

Hand painted fan with ivory sticks

Detail of hand carved sticks (Ivory?)

These are my "show and tell" for today.  I really love the artistry that was involved in these, and it is no wonder they were cherished, if one were to think of the hours spent on the carving, painting, assembling of each masterpiece.

I'd like to thank Carl for shooting these for me.  It would have taken me hours to figure this out, even though it looks so easy.  

I am trying to find my own path with my photography, and I am lucky to have the encouragement that I do.  

Hope everyone is having a super marvelous day.  I'll have more fans and more collections to share in upcoming posts.

Sharing today with:
Adirondack Girl at Heart: Vintage Charm

bellarosaantiques

How am I doing so far?  I've shared some of my garden, some of the lake, and some of my collections.  What would you like to see more of?  Please leave a comment.

Thank you for your visit today!

Cynthia

Sunsets (and Sunrise)

I know the Sun doesn't really Rise or Set.  We are on a planet that revolves AROUND the Sun and not the other way around.  But, we mark the days by the hour when the Sun first comes into our view and the hour when it leaves.

Early morning in January 2012 looking to the East

Moon in the opposite sky in the West

The two photographs were taken in the early morning hours in January of 2012.  Something quite interesting in these shots, which I just realized, is the lack of ice on the Lake.  Although, we sometimes don't get any until late January or February.  Hmmm.  I'll have to make that another post. . .if anyone is interested!

 During the Winter, we don't see the Sun for very long, as our house faces the Lake in a NorthWest direction.  Even in that first shot of the Sunrise, we don't really see the Sun, just the pinkish glow.  Very pretty, though, and I often go outdoors at 6 or 7 in the morning just to look at the sky. . .

But, after the Spring Equinox, and through October, the Sun gets closer to it's "setting" phase further and further out towards the West.

Several years ago, we decided to make a marker on our deck rail on the three important days of the Sunset: Spring Equinox (March 20th), Summer Solstice (June 21st) and Autumn Equinox (September 22nd):

In this shot, you can see the marker, and the Sun in the distance as it is descending:

August 22nd, 2015

Do you see our little markers?

These next two were taken in March and October, and you can see the Sun is closer to land (from our vantage point):

March Sunset

October Sunset

At it's height, in the Summer months, June and July and August, it is quite far into the Lake, and it sets the sky ablaze!

June 2015

Yes, it is really that color!  So very spectacular!

During the Summer months, we sit every evening on our little deck and watch until the Sun goes down.  This shot above was taken close to 9 o'clock in the evening.  

August Sunset with Cedar Point 

If you click on the photograph above, you can see Cedar Point in the foreground, at the edge of the Lake.  Seeing the Sun setting behind it is truly awesome.

These are not the greatest photographs, but they are an accurate look at our view of sunsets on Lake Erie.  I don't have an editing program, and I'm not sure that I would want to fool around with these, anyway!  Nature is best viewed as it honestly is.

I truly appreciate all the kind remarks that everyone leaves, and if you like what I'm posting, please leave me a comment.  For now, as we're waiting for the weather to improve, I'll be sharing existing photographs that I've taken over the years.  Hopefully, I'll be posting on more current activities as the garden wakes up and I can get more photographs of it and my collections, etc.

Thank you for your visit, today!

Cynthia

Clouds

I'd like to thank Kathryn at The Dedicated House for featuring my post on "Blue Flowers and Bouquets"


You must go and visit this fun party!  Here's the link:

Anything Blue Friday

It's an honor to be featured, and I was not sure that I could come up with something "blue" again, but it didn't take long to figure it out.  I hope this meets with approval:

Living on the Lake, I am able to get an uninterrupted view (most of the time) of the sky.  Every season has it's beauty, and the sky and the wildlife are always providing a show.  It's natural to be fascinated by how much things change, and I am always finding something beautiful to photograph.

These cirrus clouds were part of a beautiful sunset in the month of October:

I love how feathery and light these are

cirrus clouds

When a storm is approaching, we usually see it descending upon us from miles away.  That's a good thing, but it's still compelling to remain outdoors until the last possible minute to just gaze at the beautiful sky.

cumulus clouds

Late Summer over the Lake

This shot above is one of my favorites.

There are also the puffy, Cirrocumulus clouds that always seem to be part of a Winter day, although these next two shots were taken in July. . .

I love the texture of these

Cirrocumulus clouds

And I'm sure we all think of Cumulonimbus clouds, when we picture them in our minds:

Cumulonimbus clouds

 These, probably more than any other kind, invite dreaming of castles in the sky.  All of these images I'm sharing were taken from my back yard, which faces the Lake.  I also love soaring above clouds when traveling by air, but I never think to take pictures at that time. 

August sky

So, do you like these cloud photographs?    I'll make my next post about the sunsets.

I feel it necessary to mention that I did not "watermark" these photographs because I did not want to take away from the feel of them.  However, all photographs that I share on my blog are taken by me unless otherwise noted.  So, please be kind if you are going to share them, and give credit back to the source.

Thank you so much for your visit today, and thank you for your comments.

Cynthia

Composing a Still Life with Silver and Pewter

You know how a collection begins, don't you?  

First, you see something you love.  After you've acquired it, you immediately see another, so you have to get that too.  Before you know it, a collection has begun.

And so it was with these pieces of silver and pewter.  I have to admit to being a bit of a copy cat with this.  When I first saw the pages of Jeanne D'Arc Magazine, I looked at all the lovely old pieces of tarnished and dented silver so beautifully displayed.

Elements of a still life

What most intrigued me were the old sugar bowls that looked like trophies, or loving cups.  Right away, I became aware of them in all sorts of places:  Antique stores, Goodwill, Ebay. . .and it wasn't too long before I was hooked!  The napkin rings were already a collection in their own, and the lovely old pewter platter with it's dents and dings is an inherited piece, and actually dates to Colonial times. 

This last weekend, while it was too cold to do gardening, my mind turned to composing a still life of some of my favorite pieces of silver and pewter:

Marbleized eggs that my sons made about 20 years ago

I pulled out some ribbon, and a soft gray velvet piece of fabric.  "Let the fun begin", or so I thought!

Lighting anything with a shiny surface, even if it's not all that shiny, is tres difficile as many of you no doubt know. I also wanted to show off some of my Easter crafty pieces that I've been making.  I have several of these egg shaped "boxes" that I've hand painted and glittered with German glass glitter.  The images were transferred on before the glittering.  These were made a few years ago, and I use them in my Spring/Easter decor every year.

Hand painted and glittered Eggs with images courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Throw something glittered into a shot, and that makes lighting even MORE challenging - lol!  Finally, after deciding to swap out the glittered eggs for something else, I was able to get the elements together to compose what I wanted to convey.

Finished Still Life

I was really going for a dark, moody look to these shots, like an Old Dutch Masters painting.  And just so you know, I really do decorate with these pieces. 

In the photos below, you can see one of them as it is set up in my living room:

Gathered with some of my German half dolls, and feathers found on our property.  I love the combination of natural elements with the silver.  There is also a pretty box that it is standing on made by Rosemary at Villabarnes.  She has a wonderful Etsy shop where she sells her gorgeous, one of a kind items.  I'm a big fan of her work.

I almost forgot to mention the cool, crooked branch in the first few shots.  That is from a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (Corylus avellana) plant that we have in our garden.  Sadly, I think it is not doing too well, and may need to be replaced this year, but I'll keep what I can to use for decorating.  


(Sir) Harry Lauder was a Scotsman whose popular songs lifted the spirits of many during the war years (both WWI and WWII), and he toured extensively throughout his career.   As part of his stage act, he often carried a crooked walking stick, much like the corkscrew branches of this plant.

Sharing this post with:

Bella Rosa Antiques "Let's Talk Vintage"


Thank you for your visit today.  I would love getting to know you!

Happy Easter, everyone!

Cynthia

P.S.  The last three shots were taken with my phone camera, hence the difference in quality of the images.  

Blue Flowers and Bouquets

I need to thank the bloggers who have featured some of my posts on their linky parties:

Bella Rosa Antiques  For my post on Dreaming of The 1920's  Thank you, Jillian!

The Dedicated House "Anything Blue Friday" for my post on Antique Silver and Flow Blue Dishes.  Thank you, Kathryn!

Thank you so very much.  It is a real honor to be featured, and especially since I am new to the game.  I'm still learning about blogging etiquette, and I should have thanked them earlier.  On to my post for this week:

Here are some BLUE flowers from my garden.  This image of the delphinium was shot last year, and they're a big favorite with us.  The spikes grow to be over 5 feet high, and they make a HUGE statement!  Lots of staking during their bloom time, but it's so worth it.  I'll have to remember to try and get a fuller shot of the plants this year to show you just how big they are.

Blue Delpiniums

These next blue flowers, of course, are forget-me-nots.  Another shot from last year, although it won't be long and these will be making an appearance.  Always earlier than I think they will.

These are so pretty, and grow all over the place!

With a few more weeks to go before things really start blooming, I am getting so anxious!  Last weekend we had a spot of good weather and I was able to get some Spring clean up done in the garden.  I am proud of the fact that Carl and I do ALL of our own gardening, which is saying a lot as we have several areas to work in on our property.  But, it is something we LOVE!  Next to growing the plants and flowers, I love to photograph them.

I try to plant as many flowers as I can fit into each space, because I also love to have bouquets throughout the summer to enjoy.  

Hollyhocks, lavender, Queen Anne's Lace and a kind of Buddleja

Roses in Blue Bell jars

A few years ago, the blue Bell Jars were available at so many places.  I could not help myself, and had to buy a half dozen.  

They work so beautifully with little bouquets of flowers. These next images were all taken at the end of summer.  Still an abundance of Cone flowers, black-eyed Susans, Daisies. . .etc.

I know a lot of people look on these as weeds, but I've always love the delicate look of Queen Anne's Lace:

Even "weed" flowers are beautiful in a bouquet

I wait all Summer for the Dahlias to bloom that were planted in May.  When they finally make an appearance, I have bouquets in abundance, and share them with my neighbors and friends:

Lovely Dahlias and Snap Dragons

More Dahlias!

Did you notice my beach glass in the lower left hand corner of this photo?  If you'd like to know more about that collection, it is in my previous post.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Linking up to:

Rose Garden in Malevik

How Sweet The Sound

French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday

The Dedicated House "Anything Blue Friday"

Backyard Neighbor Blue Monday




Cynthia

Sea Glass from Lake Erie

I have been collecting sea glass from our beach for 23 years.  And, it is kept in jars and containers all over the house, although I prefer to have it on display as we get into the warmer part of the year.  It seems to be the right time to enjoy.

A portion of my beach  glass collection

Most of the colors that I find here are blues and greens, which is typical on our part of Lake Erie.  Most come from bottles and from insulators.  The glass gets tumbled around in the waves before washing ashore.

Pretty blues and greens

Collecting sea glass is a world wide past time, and I belong to a couple of Facebook groups where people share their finds.

The most desirable colors have eluded me for the most part.  Red, purple, orange. . .but, I do have a very few precious pieces of those colors.  Mostly, they are marbles, which, as an object, is also desirable.  None of these came to me quickly.  It was years of scouring the shoreline that yielded my treasured pieces.  I feel like Smeagol/Gollum saying "my precious". . .LOL!

My precious!

I love the piece of Coca Cola bottle in the above picture that has the "C" .  For Cynthia, of course!  Another piece in the foreground is part of a bottle neck. . .

Now, there are some very firm rules about collecting and displaying sea glass.  It must be something found on the shore, it cannot be "tumbled" glass, which is something that cannot be entered into competition.  Yes, there are competitions!  And, purposely throwing glass into the ocean or lake with hopes that it will become weathered by the tide is also strictly OUT!  Besides, that is called LITTERING.

If you notice from the photos, most of the sea glass has a frosted look to it.  This is very desirable!  It should have rounded edges, and look a little pitted. . .

Shells that I have in this little tableau are from the beaches we've visited in NJ, FL, NC and SC.  We don't get very many shells here, outside of zebra mussels, and those are not too attractive.  We have family members living near Long Beach Island, NJ, and whenever we're there, we go to the beach.  I pick up shells that others would pass by, because they're not intact or as beautiful as a whole shell.  It doesn't matter to me.  I love the fragments that I've collected.  They are all beautiful!

Another small collection I have of beach finds consists of pottery or china shards that have washed ashore:

Shards of pottery/china from the beach

 This just speaks to my romantic sensibilities. . .Maybe these were cargo that got shipwrecked.  Or, they may have been part of the "ship's china", lost during a storm. . .I can just imagine the stories these could tell. . .

Shipwrecked?

Along our shore of the Lake, there have been numerous ships that went down, documented passenger, freight and war ships.  We're not far from the "Battle of Lake Erie" where Oliver Hazzard Perry defeated the British during the War of 1812.

Carl and I were fortunate to attend the re-enactment 200th anniversary of that event in September 2013.  I will eventually post some photographs.  It was quite spectacular. . .

I will post again some of my treasures from the lake.  If you look at my first blog post, I have photographs of our beach.  Here's the link:


Seasons on our beach
Thank you for stopping by today, and thank you to all who are following me! 

I am going to link up this post to Jeanne's Blue Monday party at Backyard Neighbor:

Blue Monday

Anything Blue Friday
Cynthia