Friday 8 February 2013

Snow Parasol
















 
 
“ In spring it is the dawn that is most beautiful. As the light creeps over the hills, their outlines are dyed a faint red and wisps of purplish cloud trail over them.
In summer the nights. Not only when the moon shines, but on dark nights too, as the fireflies flit to and fro, and even when it rains, how beautiful it is!
In autumn, the evenings, when the glittering sun sinks close to the edge of the hills and the crows fly back to their nests in threes and fours and twos; more charming still is a file of wild geese, like specks in the distant sky. When the sun has set, one's heart is moved by the sound of the wind and the hum of the insects.
In winter the early mornings. It is beautiful indeed when snow has fallen during the night, but splendid too when the ground is white with frost; or even when there is no snow or frost, but it is simply very cold and the attendants hurry from room to room stirring up the fires and bringing charcoal, how well this fits the season's mood! But as noon approaches and the cold wears off, no one bothers to keep the braziers alight, and soon nothing remains but piles of white ashes.” 

by Sei Shōnagon, from The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, via 1






 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Outfit:

Black daisy wrap dress: Celia Birtwell for Topshop, via ebay

 
Vintage 70s blue dress: from ebay

 
Blue floral skirt worn as petticoat: New Look, very old

 
Vintage 30s fur cape: made by late granny Kiki for Kiki Couture
 
 
Pale blue jewelled gloves: a christmas gift I gave to late granny Penny years ago
 
 
Vintage Chinese paper and wood parasol: from late granny Kiki
 
 
Pink hoop earrings: gift from a friend
 
 
Black wellies: Hunter, via ebay 




The Soundtrack

 
Of Monsters & Men: My Head Is An Animal 

 
 
Photographs taken by me, self portraits using the self timer on my cheap digital camera.
 
 

I'm delighted to be a part of Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.co.uk, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.
 
 

62 comments:

  1. Really beautiful poem, every season has its magical mood!This outfit is one of my favourite, the fur, the daisies and the parasol, everything makes me love the snow even more!
    xxxxx

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    1. So glad you enjoyed it Edie, thank you! One of my favourite outfits too!

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  2. your dress is just so wonderful! i adore the location of these photographs too, so wintery!

    lindsey louise

    hellomrrabbit.blogspot.com

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  3. Ah thanks so much Lindsey Louise, and great to meet you :) Believe it or not the location is our wild country garden, as we were totally snowed in here a few weeks ago. The dress is made up of lots of different dresses layered together, layering is the only option when it's this cold! Thanks to your comment I've just had a chance to check out your blog, it looks fantastic, you've a really lovely style and some equally lovely friends! Look forward to staying in touch via the blogs.

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  4. Loving all the floaty flirty layers and the beautiful snowy photos. Isn't it great when a cat wants to join in with the photo shoot?!
    That parasol is the perfect finishing touch - gorgeous! xxxxx

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    1. I know, I love it that Nico always wants to get in with the action, she's a big poser like her mistress! Thanks Curtise, so glad you like it.

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  5. What a beautiful post! It makes the weather forecast for more snow almost bearable, it can look so gorgeous.
    I love all your exquisite layering and the unexpectedly quirky addition of a parasol and being a mad cat lady, the photo-bombing tabby! xxx

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    1. From one mad cat lady to another, thanks for your lovely compliments Vix!

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  6. wow i truly adore your love for the details in your posts, everything completes each other sooo perfectly! i love this exotic look and the parasol is one of a kind. so beautiful!
    i hope you have a wonderful weekend!
    kiss,mary
    http://www.maryloucinnamon.com/

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    1. Ah thank you Mary Lou, how kind of you! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend too!

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  7. So pretty! What a beautiful mix of textures, colours and prints! At first I thought the daisies were polka dots. You look lovely in the snow under your parasol - it's perfect against the snowy background.

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    1. So glad you enjoyed the post, thanks so much!

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  8. These photos are great: snow, a chinese parasol, a cat, and a gorgeous looking woman. Love it.

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    1. Hi Olga, great to meet you! Thanks very much for your lovely comment, so kind of you.

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  9. You look stunning against all the white...
    The poem and your outfit make me think of a gypsy princess connecting with nature!

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    1. Thanks so much Ofelia, that's just the look I was going for: gypsy princess meets snowy geisha!

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  10. I love the layers and the parasol and the gorgeous gloves! Sarah xxx

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  11. Such a wonderful layering in the snow, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
    You are so unique Emalina.
    Enjoy your weekend.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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    1. I'm delighted you enjoyed it dear Sacramento, thank you! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  12. OH!!! Lovely you in snazzy frocks, in the snow!! I LOVE IT! And that kitty in the background, what a doll!! I just left you a reply to your comment in my comments (that sounds funny), but I am not sure you get notification of it. Anyhow.... snow here now too. After spring wather all week. Thanks for sending some down!! ;)

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    1. Ah how lovely to have a visit from you dear Vanessa! So glad you love the post, and glad you're getting to enjoy some of our snow now too!

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  13. You look great, I love your cat. I have a tall friend who always complains about garments being too short, I keep saying, layer, layer, layer, but so far I haven't convinced her.

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    1. Thanks so much, I love my cat too, she's the best :) And those are wise words to your friend: layering is a godsend to us tall girls, plus they're the only way to keep warm in the winter!

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  14. Love the quirky layering, gems, gloves and adore the idea of a 'snow' parasol. Also appreciate the poetry.

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    1. Thanks so much Paisley, and it's lovely to meet you! I've just checked out your beautiful blog - you're a really talented poet and writer and I look forward to reading more of your work.

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  15. Beautiful and oh-so-elegant in the snow. Your cat looks like a sweetheart too :)

    Ruby xx

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    1. She is a total sweetheart, a very companionly little one :) Thanks very much Ruby!

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  16. Those are such wonderful verses, I love each one of the seasons for their own special gifts ... we don't really get proper seasons here in Brisbane, we'd have to move to your neck of the woods to get the benefit of such wonderful seasons. Your gloves are absolutely exquisite, you treat your inherited gifts with such love, it brings me joy! All the layered frocks - utterly divine and very practical, lots of lovely swishing, warm layers - oh and I'm fainting with desire at your fur cape:) xo

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  17. I'm so glad you enjoyed the post and the writing, Desiree! I can recommend The Pillowbook of Sei Shonagon as a wonderful read, written by a geisha in early 11th century Japan, so evocative of her way of life, and so philosophical too. Thanks so much for your lovely words, and I'm delighted it brought you joy, yay!

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  18. Stunning! Amazing layering, fabulous earrings, fur, beads, and prints - and the gorgeous parasol, Nico, and the poetry elevate the whole effect to magic.

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    1. Thanks so much Amber, for your lovely comment, so glad you enjoyed the post! I do love to try to bring magic back into mundane reality!

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  19. The layering is so lovely - and the jeweled gloves - divine! I love the way you incorporate your inherited treasures with new finds. And as always - love the snow-kitty, so sweet!

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  20. Your opening photos is perfection! I love the location as well as your fabulously styled ensemble! And to think you shot this yourself...huge kudos all around my dear!!!

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    1. You're so kind Tamera thank you! Yes I was proud that I managed to shoot them myself, for just long enough in the snow before I got cold!

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  21. Emalina! Each piece a delicate wonder comes together as the silky vowels of a poem, all rounded marbles and delightful plays of textures. The beaded gloves, the pop of polka dots, the sheer whisper of a crinoline and the gorgeous optimism of cobalt all set against an ageless winter. So lovely! So you!

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    1. Bella! Thank you so much for your wonderful words, so glad you enjoyed all the layers and textures, made me think of your outfit too!

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  22. A parasol for the snow, for shade from the sun, or basically just looking fabulous as you do in all your images. Another beautiful snowy post, can I come over to your place for a cuppa and a frolic in the snow? Enjoy that gorgeous winter, as your cat obviously is. It's so wonderful that you've got all these lovely things from Kiki, that cape is beautiful.

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    1. Yes come over and we can make a snow woman, Willow! Thanks so much for your compliments!

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  23. How beautiful and graceful! I love the layering, and the beaded gloves.

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  24. I'm always in for a delightful and artistic surprise whenever I visit you blog. The wrap, the dress and the sheer skirt as the final layer are brilliant. I adore the jeweled gloves and your photography is always a treat.

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    1. So glad you enjoyed it Judith, I feel the same about your blog :) Thanks very much!

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  25. I love the story-telling quality to your posts, and this geisha tale, aided by Nico, is delightful. I especially like the last photo where you walk away and the close-up where Nico is centre stage. Most impressed that you do all this on by self timer!

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    1. Ah thank you so much, so glad you like the geisha (and Nico cat) elements! I'd perched the camera on the garden table and hoped for the best!

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  26. There is always such a glorious softness to your posts. The photographs, the poetry combined. The images that you've captured today, with kit framed by you and your parasol to name one, are magical, and I can't imagine how you captured all these great shots taking them yourself.

    How lovely that you are also close to the sea!

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    1. What a lovely thing to say Sue, thank you! It's always very hit and miss when using the self timer, I have to throw lots of photos away, but it's good fun taking the shots myself and they're not always too wonky thankfully!

      Yes we love living near the sea - my newest post shows some of the local seascape!

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  27. So stunning. The parasol is amazing, I would love to have such a strong piece like that in my wardrobe! Like the previous ladies I did not know that you took all your photos with self-timer. That is amazing, you have such skills. I'm your "newest" follower on bloglovin and I do also look forward to keeping in touch!

    Take care!

    Simona

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    1. Thanks Simona! So glad you enjoyed the post, how lovely to have you as a new follower yay!

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  28. You've taken me out of my world into a beautiful revery, a place with no time. You are lovely in the snow and Kiki's art and spirit are palpable, enriching us all. Just glorious.

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    1. Gosh what a wonderful compliment, Jean, thanks so much!

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    1. So glad you enjoyed it Ulla, great to see you here!

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  30. I too am in awe that you took these photos yourself and managed to capture your kitty framed by part of you and the parasol in one! I also love how you set the scene with music and poetry, and end up creating a work of art, multi-layered, like a tapestry. What a legacy Granny Kiki has left. Xo

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind words, what a compliment! That kitty framed one came about by pure chance, she just walked into the shot as it was going off!

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  31. Ah, royal blue with black and white goes beautifully!
    Fab pix, fancy kitty coming out into the snow for a nosey! You'd think they'd like to keep their toes toasty, but no!
    XXX

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    1. So glad you liked it Helga, thank you! She's a snow cat it seems, never seen the snow before this winter but instantly smitten!

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  32. Be still my heart!! What gorgeous gorgeous photos!!! That is absolutely breathtaking, and I love the mixture of colors, prints and fabrics! You rock!!

    xoxo
    Lynn

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    1. Oh how sweet of you Lynn, so glad you enjoyed it thank you!

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  33. amazing outfit again! ... i have almost the same cape!

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    1. Ah how lovely you do, I'd love to see you wear it sometime! Thank you :)

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