Snowdrops and a Vintage Bag...

 

The Humble Bungalow Garden is coming alive 

bursting forth with beautiful blooms for Spring!

This Hellebore was purchased from Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver.

At the time it was quite a rare plant...now Hellebores are available in many varieties.

I am absolutely smitten with Snowdrops...

it's becoming a wee bit of an addiction.

Gardeners can be fickle when it comes to plants.

We love so many things in our gardens...

Roses, Hostas, Daffodils, Tulips, Hellebores, Lady's Mantle and Black Mondo Grass.

We grow a wide range of plants...

our garden is so full it's really bursting at the edges.

However that doesn't seem to persuade me to stop acquiring more plants!

These new snowdrops are very pretty in their form, we bought several new varieties.

In The UK, where many of these snowdrops originate 

there are gardeners who are busy hybridizing unique new species of these plants.

I see many exciting snowdrops in the UK publications 

but unfortunately they are not yet available here.

The comments are working!

Thank you for testing them out...I am keen to welcome more dialogue from you.

Please know that I am unable to respond to each "individual" comment 

which would normally generate an alert 

so now will respond when I am able.

You'll have to check back.

I apologize for these glitches...

will continue to investigate.

Now that I have shared the "Blogger housekeeping issues"

let's move on to something more interesting shall we?

That BAG could be me :-))

Vintage Ann Taylor wicker bag with red leather details.

Vintage Coach Court Bag

Paired with my Josef Seibel ballet flats...

I want to buy another pair of flats.

Perhaps in that classic Chanel two tone style!

Vintage Coach Regina bag

Quilted leather vintage Canadian Due Fratelli bag.

(BTW~ The Mick Herron series of spy novels are fabulous!)

Do you ever get a "Bee In Your Bonnet?"

a shopping Bee?

An idea...

It hums along in the back of your mind percolating 

until it urges you to seriously look for that particular item.

So powerful that you start searching online and at thrift shops.

That urge to buy that imagined something that you cannot resist.

It happens to me quite a lot and I don't always act on the idea.

BUT

I have been quietly on the lookout for another vintage bag.

~ Not a NEED but a WANT ~

I see gorgeous iconic bags online...

most are designer bags with big ticket price tags

Chanel and Hermes.

Not exactly in sync with my budget or my lifestyle.

My handbag collection is rather small by comparison to some.

I love vintage leather bags...

2 Coach bags ~ Black Regina mini, Brown Court bag.

A wicker bag with red leather trim ~ Ann Taylor

Black leather Croc embossed "doctor" style ~ Banana Republic 

Wine quilted leather bag ~ Due Fratelli 

I saw this listing on Ebay.

Vintage Brown Croc bag by Canadian maker Due Fratelli

The price was higher than I really wanted to pay so I made an offer

which to my surprise, was accepted...

it arrived quickly but it smelled of smoke.

So disappointing...

I considered sending it back, even contacted the seller.

I really like the bag so instead did some research, 

for the past two weeks have been airing it out 

with a bag of baking soda in an open "Zip Loc" bag inside the bag.

The smell is definitely gone...

I will use a leather cleaner on the exterior this weekend.

Have you ever bought or inherited a vintage bag that has had a musty or smokey smell?

What did you do to "fix" it?

Many of the designer bag makers offer a service to restore their classic iconic bags.

No idea on the cost but thats peace of mind if you inherit a Chanel or Hermes bag.

Let's enjoy some more blooms shall we?

The Star Magnolia is in bloom out front in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

We have three magnolia trees all different varieties

they all bloom at different times of the year.

How is the weather where you live?

Our weather is slowly warming up 

I am keen to swap out my heavy coats for lighter jackets.

I will wash and store them away for next season.

Let's get serious bring on the warmth.

I would LOVE to start wearing my summer linen skirt and dresses!

Will have to pop into the shops, maybe this week, take a peek

see what they are showing for Spring and Summer.

Not that I will buy anything new but it is fun to browse...

besides it gives me ideas of what to do with my basic minimalist wardrobe.

Mix up the possibilities...add a scarf.

Well that's about all the news I have to share right now...

stay tuned for more blog posts.

I usually post on Sundays and often mention my blog posts on Instagram.

Thank you for stopping by...

I appreciate you taking the time to join me.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD ~ It is possible to "Dress Up" Yoga Pants

 

~ OOTD ~

I am wearing Yoga pants today...

they are comfy and they stretch when I move.

~ Jobs Today ~

Grocery Shopping

Laundry

Tidying up The Humble Bungalow 

Hair Appointment

Cleaning Out cupboards

The day ahead also has a few opportunities to put myself "out there"...

I don't want to look uber casual yet I don't feel like changing my clothes to go out.

Popped on my big pearl necklace

will add my black leather loafers...

put on bright red lippy.

Grab my Black Coach Bag and head out to the shops.

Do you wear Yoga pants?

Are you opposed to wearing them in fear of being cited by the Fashion Police?

How do you style them so they look a wee bit more polished?

Claire Austin pure white blooms

a stunning David Austin Rose.

Love the purity of white...

fluffy towels

pearls

white tops

flowers

dishes

enamelware

seaglass

bunnies

cats

stationary

linens

pottery

What are you up to this week?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Continuing with more Vintage vibes...

Did you have a wall phone when you were growing up?

We had a very heavy bakelite phone that actually gave the arm muscles a workout 

if we chatted for too long.

My father was quite strict about the telephone

 we had an egg timer with sand in it to let us know when our chat time was up.

I used to flip the timer over before all the sand ran out to extend my calls...

the main reason for limiting conversations were because we had a "party line."

A party line was a shared connection with someone else in our neighbourhood...

if they picked up their phone they could listen into our conversation and visa versa! 

Can you imagine?

There were no secrets unless we spoke in code!

~ Recently sourced ~

Vintage black patent leather Pourchet Paris handbag.

Quality leather and classic details.

Cross body bag

The company Maison Pourchet, has been in business in Paris since the early 1900's.

It is still in business today and you can find many of their classic vintage bags online.

Black and white skirt picked up at the thrift shop.

I have a small basic wardrobe that has a lot of black and white pieces 

so this will be a very versatile skirt.

White or black tops

casual or dressy.

Paired it with my distressed denim jacket 

or 

black vintage Susan Bristol dressy knit sweater...

I have numerous options.

Sparkly Vintage Canadian designed Sherman rhinestone brooch.

I have several of these brooches and add them when I feel I need a dash of bling.

Mom received several Sherman sets for Christmas from Dad.

They would usually be earrings, a bracelet and necklace...

set in a velvet box from Birks.

The sparkle was perfect with her bright and festive velvet dresses.

Vintage pieces add an extra zing to my classic neutral wardrobe.

When I am in a thrift shop I gravitate to the vintage section...

I keep an open mind

you never know what you'll find!

Good Luck and Happy Shopping.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

My new Vintage bag...

 

Vintage Gently Used Coach Regina bag.

Compact size, supple soft leather

with a zippered small inner compartment 

 an open space for my wallet and keys

&

featuring an exterior pouch for my phone.

Several years ago I had a frozen shoulder.

 which was incredibly painful.

It came on suddenly and scared me with the intensity of the pain.

The specialist that I saw told me to get rid of my big heavy handbags as they may have contributed to the problem.

I immediately bought a smaller bag.

Once my shoulder recovered, the other one froze!

I now carry a minimal amount of things

 just what I need.

Wallet, keys, nail file, lipstick and a mask.

My IPhone is stored in the outer pouch.

Darling daughter happens to have been the influencer on this Coach Bag.

She dropped off that lovely pearl pin that I purchased from her

at my front porch and I spied the bag...

well what can I say.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Jennifer was wearing an embroidered mask when she stopped by...

After several disposable masks fell apart after one wearing last week

I decided it was time to get serious and purchase a few decent non disposable masks.

These are from a dressmaker in Halifax Nova Scotia.

Her ETSY shop is Janice's Tailoring

her site has quite a few lovely patterns to choose from 

 hop on over and check them out!

Hope that you are doing well, staying safe and wearing your masks.

Have you had your vaccination yet?

Our supply of vaccines arriving here in Canada has slowed down...

we hope to get the shots as soon as they are available for our age group.

Maybe by Late Spring or Early Summer?

How is your area doing regarding Covid?

Have you seen a recent spike with the new strains?

 Are your numbers of active cases relatively low?

We are all in this together.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tea time, a french chic book and a drug store purchase...

Afternoon Tea in The Humble Bungalow

Canterbury pattern cup and saucer 

one of several patterns of tea cups that I use for my afternoon tea ritual.

I am on the lookout for a spectacular ornately decorated floral cup and saucer.

Reading an inspirational French themed book by Tish Jett

I read and enjoyed her first book Forever Chic.

A lovely tea from our local Tea Merchant Murchies

Paris Afternoon is sweet and tastes like a decadent dessert.

My last mascara was gloppy and had not performed that well.

Frustrated, 

but on a mission

 off I went to the local pharmacy to buy a new mascara.

Always one to seek advice from the knowledgeable gals in the cosmetics department 

I asked the clerk what she uses and could recommend.

Marcelle was her hands down winning performer.

 She handed me the gift pack that included a Kohl eye pencil.

This pencil is SO soft and easily lines the eye without tugging or pulling.

It is rather like Velvet Gel.

So now I am regularly defining my eyes with Kohl 

and they are the focus when wearing my mask.

New Year Goal

walk a minimum of 4 km each and every day

I've downloaded the Walk Meter App which is free and helps me track my distance.

The IPhone tracking is not that accurate but it does record the individual steps.

So I am using both to keep tabs on my progress.

Do you have any New Year resolutions or goals?

My winter accessories

consist of 

a cashmere scarf and a vintage Coach bag.

Do you switch out your handbag often?

I am a creature of habit and frequently use one for years...

I  have other bags.

A straw bag for summer

a vintage wine coloured quilted bag

a travel bag

a small vintage black Coach bag for evening.

Hope that you are staying safe.

Our provincial doctor has just extended our Covid restrictions until February.

Our numbers of new cases continue to go up...

hundreds are in hospital with many in critical care.

I'm going to have to get creative to help pass the time.

Another month of not seeing my grandchildren and family is going to be difficult.

I walk with a friend each week but we stay a safe distance from each other.

How are you coping?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Five things Friday

Five things Friday

Gorgeous wee daffodils that were a gift

they are especially cheerful on these rainy grey days.

Colour and flowers can make a big impact in elevating our flagging spirits.

I know I seek out bright pops of colour at this time of year.

Shopping the trends...

I went to the mall to check out the newest straight cut jeans.

I tried on several pairs but don't think they flatter my short frame.

Too heavy and make my legs look like tree trunks!

I much prefer the skinny silhouette which I find makes me look taller and slimmer. I hope that they will continue to be available as mine are all several years old and will need to be replaced at some point.

I don't usually follow the trends as I prefer a classic look 

with a touch of vintage

like this Coach bag 

which has many miles on it and some signs of wear

but it ticks all the boxes for me.

Quality, versatility, classic style and streamlined shape.

Did I mention that Vintage is a big fashion focus in Paris?

OOTD 

Eileen Fisher dark denim jeans

Timberland Tobacco coloured short boots

Large square silk hand rolled scarf

in a leopard pattern

Found at a local thrift shop for under $10

Love a bargain and it is in mint condition.

Citrine earrings made by my darling daughter they pair well with the scarf.

Eileen Fisher black vest.

This weekend we have several casual events planned...

I will make every effort to add a pop of colour and a touch of vintage to my basic outfit.

Do you LOVE vintage?

What is your best thrift shop find?

My best "score" 

 a pair of arts and crafts bookends 

copper with sterling silver inlay birds

($7.99)

I sold them so I could buy a strand of baroque pearls. 

 I literally ran across the street to a dealer who specialized in arts and crafts items 

(He purchased the bookends for $500.00)

then I skipped happily back across the street to snap up the pearls.

Hope that you have a fabulous weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Shopping with a nod to Mom...

The damp cold rainy weather has kept me indoors more than usual...

I have gone for shorter walks and took a page out of Mother's book!
Going shopping when inclement weather prevails...
Mom was a super shopper...she could have taught lessons on how to shop!
Mother absolutely loved fashion and clothing , she found such joy wearing and accessorizing her beautiful clothes. She was well turned out until the last couple of weeks before she passed away...and then she only wore her PJ's and bathrobe.

Mom had 4 full closets when she died... many classics and some quite trendy pieces...unfortunately we were not the same size...
I have kept her grey cashmere waterfall sweater and a black wool wrap...
they are so cozy and remind me of her when I wear them.

I've brewed up numerous pots of tea

layered on the extra warm cashmere and wool sweaters and shawls.

(thanks to mom I have two of her coziest)

My hands feel the chill so its nice to warm them with a cup of something hot.

Something soothing and tasty with zero calories!

I am mindful of my WW points and the slimming is slower than last time.

My Chelsea boots are away at the cobbler getting some new heels

so I have been wearing my favourite red shoes...

the pop of red makes me feel happy.

A few red things in the Humble Bungalow kitchen...

"Walking in the shops" has been productive...

(of course mom knew this!)

AND

I found a new coat.

I'd gone into Aritzia to look at their Wilfred Free tops 

as they make a nice basic which fits and has a great shape...

with a silhouette that skims and in a knit fabric that can be casual or dressy

a U hem detail which looks good un-tucked.

I already have one in black.

They were out of my size so I ordered one in a neutral soft light grey shade that I will layer with my white jeans and pants.

While I was in the shop I noticed the Babaton line of lightweight coats...

in a light soft fabric, with almost a Tencel feel.

They were far too long on me and I did not want to pay extra to take one to the seamstress to have it drastically shortened.

I found a similar coat at The Bay by Vero Moda

a deconstructed trench coat in a very light and soft fabric.

It was marked down and I got it for a great price.

Have you noticed how many straw and wicker bags are showing up in the magazines this Spring?

I've got a straw tote bag but it is too large for everyday use...

it's more of a market tote 

one that I use when going to the farmers market or to the beach.

Never fear...

Etsy has oodles of vintage straw and wicker bags...

I spent about an hour looking online and then this one popped up 

I could not resist!

The bag is by Ann Taylor

look at that pop of red!

It will work with my denim skirt and jeans

my red ballet flats

 it has just that little extra oomph which I think will perk up my basics quite nicely.

I am eager to see this and hope that the delivery is speedy.

I found this distressed looking Tee at The Bay this week too...

it looks like nothing (well maybe like a dish rag) on the hanger

 it is much better on!

I will wear this with my white jeans

 layered with my denim shirt

underneath a long white and grey linen top

Maybe even pair it with my black ponte knit pants.

Its going to get a LOT of wear.

Last evening we met up with darling daughter and her husband 

to see their new place.

I found a vintage mint orange Catherine Holm kettle and an icy modernist piece of art glass as their housewarming gifts which were well received!

We took them out to dinner after at our favourite local eatery...Zambri's.

I ordered this succulent fish feature and I had a "Julia Child moment!"

Do you remember the movie Julie and Julia?

It is the scene where Julia is in Paris 

dining in a small cafe 

and tastes 

for the first time 

fish cooked in beurre blanc...

Oh my this dish was a little slice of heaven on earth.

I must try to make it at home.

I have kept this vintage avocado green Catherine Holm bowl in our kitchen cupboard for quite some time and I casually mentioned it to darling daughter and it seems that she would use it so it is off to a good home soon...

Before I close 

I want to share some of our very tall snowdrops...

Drenched with precipitation...

things are definitely greening up in the Humble Bungalow Garden!

Hope you are having a fabulous week...

and hey its already Friday!

I've got to get in some groceries and stock up on some cleaning supplies.

Maybe I will do some research on the beurre blanc recipe too.

Whats on your agenda for the weekend?

Have you been shopping for some Spring things?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~