Bangles to the MAX!

Never thought I'd be a bangle collector and it all started so innocently...
one simple Tiffany sterling bangle and the rest they say is history!

love the variety of designs that one can find

keeping them shiny and polished is quick with some Twinkle silver polish

sometimes I wear a few but most of the time I lay them all on!

many were gifts

 found in the antique malls

 in thrift shops

others in Tiffany and Co. with Mr. HB 

variety is the spice of life!

deeply carved

Anjelica Huston from inside the pages of French Style a book by Veronica Vienne

I don't think that stacking bangles is exclusively a "French Style"

to me it feels rather Bohemian and somewhat ethnic.

Having recently watched Enchanted April 

I have been inspired by Polly Walker

and think I will go shopping for some kohl for my eyes...

Don't you think Anjelica looks great with her smokey eyes?

~ Change is a foot I can feel it in the air ~

Are you feeling the winds of change blowing through your life?

What are you contemplating?

a new look

a trip

a different job

do tell I'd like to hear from you.

Hostess

Beastly weather...and snippets of Spring

Spring is on the horizon and there are hints if you just take the time to notice.
I ventured out into the garden camera in hand
raindrops sprinkled and wind tossed my hair...

I managed to capture a few images before I was chased back inside by the inclement weather.

Primula

in 

Orange

Did you know that Yellow Primulas have a scent?

sweet and intoxicating

if you don't believe me sniff one after a rainfall!

Crocus almost ready to open

Yellow daffodils 

for me

are the consummate harbinger of Spring.

Yellow against the backdrop of brown or black or perhaps grey

POPS!

Sandstone rock

from a BC Gulf Island

placed in the garden

for 

texture and interest...

It was too stormy to stay outside 

so 

I am showing some details from the lower level of the Humble Bungalow.

Vintage keys

we have a few doors with locks

and the keys at the bottom and left

work in these locks

 crystal "snowflake"

and round suncatcher prism

with 

 clock keys

I find that the old and antique keys have an appeal 

that todays keys seem to be missing...

am I the only one with this thought?

Vintage clock winder keys 

sit atop

 an antique country cupboard

Tiffany makes jewelry with sterling keys

would you wear a key?

Crystals on a tarnished silver tray

tarnished?

just because.

 matte white collection

I have heard it said that elephant ornaments are good luck 

only if their trunks are up in the air...

Fishing float

these are found on beaches on the rugged westcoast

and all the way up into Alaska

blown glass with a pontil on the bottom

Bowl of floats

I planned to have a pond in the garden awhile back 

and 

I thought it would be fun to float these on the surface...

we gave up the idea of a pond

and have put in raised veggie beds.

The price of fresh vegetables has risen so much in the last couple of weeks.

I think it must be the price of gas and that bad weather in Mexico and California.

Have you noticed?

The 100 Mile Diet is going to come in handy.

I gasped when I saw zuchini at $3.99 a kilogram

we grew 3 plants last season and had a wonderful crop

I picked them when they were small and tender

and we enjoyed them so much

now 

I wish I had frozen some.

It's positively beastly outside

I have made a hearty chili and that will warm us up

and there will be leftovers for tomorrow night too.

I am still very much in love with Le Creuset

this dutch oven cooker

is so versatile 

cooks on top the range 

or stews away inside the oven

It's heavy 

 the way I look at it is

I get in a wee bit of weight/strength training 

toting them about

and they last forever!

Doesn't it look pretty next to Pepper's kitty grass?

She has discovered the grass and nibbled a bit of it

but much prefers tulip bouquets.

I can only wonder what she will do 

in the Summer

when I invite copious amounts of David Austin Roses inside

they are my passion

and 

I adore arranging large billowy bouquets 

and 

placing roses in every room of the Bungalow.

I think Mr. HB and I will be viewing 

a few more episodes tonight

we loved it ages ago

and

guess what

we still love it today!

Dear friends have gone off to the Jolly UK

for 6 weeks

so they have loaned us some of their classic videos.

Wherever you are

I am sending thanks to you

for stopping by 

and spending a few minutes 

visiting the Humble Bungalow.

Hugs from the Hostess

XO

Bangles, bridges, birds, baby boutiques and boulevards....

Good afternoon! We are back at the hotel for a wee break before going for a quick bite before the hockey game. Lovely DIL is positively radiant, she looks so amazing, I feel very protective, son is in fine form too, getting into the tech part of things like baby monitors, car seats, carriages...how they work. He's done his research, they both have, it what the kids do these days, it's all out there on the net.

I feel so blessed...I have a lump in my throat just typing this...tears well up.
I am so grateful for so many things, family is huge for me.

Time to sip a beverage and peruse some blogs, read some comments!

9 sterling bangles

First bangle closest right is a Tiffany, I've had it for eons...3rd one is the new one. I have another picture which is clearer.

New Tiffany is on the top, second down older Tiffany, rest are vintage.

On the way over the bridge to the north shore.

Heading to our fave fish restaurant for lunch...

Seagull on the 11th floor awaiting a snack...lucky fellow had some granola!

Baby boutiques from east to west, to north. (south tomorrow)...covered a lot of territory, saw some pretty cute stuff....it's like "Mothercare gone Sweden" In my days of baby and parenting we had little to choose from so I ordered a lot from the Mothercare catalog, I hand knit all kinds of things and ordered Osh Gosh B'Gosh.

Today they have chic baby garments and fashionable furnishings!

Mr. HB did a mammoth job driving and navigating...we are not used to the volume of traffic but he knows his way around like the back of his hand.

The CD player got a work out...Leslie Feist, Kate Nash to name a couple.

Must be off...cheers for now,

Hostess

Saturday morning, the sun is shining!

We spent most of yesterday downtown walking in the sunshine.

Lots of great window shopping and that promised Christmas bangle from Mr. HB...

I am now wearing the sterling bangle TC&CO...1837.

I wear stackable bangles, 2 now are Tiffany and the rest are vintage finds, and one a gift from mother, who also wears stackable silver bangles on occasion.

Lovely to look at Tiffany's have an interesting blend of traditional and arty jewelry.

Mr. HB also needed more of his scent, which is really more for me...as I love it! 

Free samples from the clerk too for me to try.

BTW, lots of leather bags in store and two women test driving the Kelly and another the Birkin...lovely DIL and I were trying to guess what the sticker prices were after we left the store...one woman was toting the traditional Hermes orange. Oh and you should have seen the packaging!

                                                            View from our hotel...

We are off to explore the baby and maternity shops.

I have a list...and the family are ready.

Must go....bye for now!

Lazy Monday and Luxury, or what it means for me as opposed to what the dictionary defines it as...

This morning I slept late after our 12 hour road trip to pick up the Pedigree Pram. I must admit that I have been excited and am now a wee bit tired.
I made myself an egg nog latte and sat in front of my laptop and read all my favorite blog posts before showering! Pure luxury to stay in my robe and relax, something I normally do when waking in a hotel and ordering room service. Another luxury!
 I made a big brunch of bacon, eggs and toast and then Mr. L and I went for a brisk walk. We are fortunate to live in an established older area of the city close to the ocean and yet near town.  It is remarkably quiet in our neighborhood, birds being the cacaphonous symphony of sound we most often hear. There is a large and historic cemetery nearby where we enjoy walking under the canopy of trees and noticing the variety and details of the headstones and family plots.
This afternoon we have spent sitting in the bungalow living room warmed by the fire reading our books and nibbling on wine sausage, pickles, cheese and crackers. More luxury, bliss in fact.
The simple tick tock of the hall clock and the Westminster chime every quarter and the hours marked feel luxurious to me...luxury can be material things, goods, items, service.

Luxury, for me is the gift of time, spent doing things that I love with someone I love.

Luxury defined:
A good or service that is not considered a necessity but is considered as something that brings pleasure or happiness. For example, an individual might purchase an expensive automobile because of the status and comfort that it will bring, though a used car would suffice for traveling purposes.

Mr. L,  someone I LOVE gave me a very romantic gift this year, something luxurious that I would not do for myself... it involves travel, a hotel and dining out! Destination: Tiffany's! I will be choosing a silver bangle to add to my collection. I have an assortment of them, which I wear as a group. Mr. L could have easily purchased a bangle but he knows me well and knows that the packaging and ambiance of Tiffany's is all part of the gift!

Simple luxury, or decandence? What defines luxury to you?