A Very Pretty Little Pond

This is the pond at Tocal Homestead.

2 weeks ago I ran a weeks worth of gorgeous photo's and stories from Tocal Homestead.

Tocal homestead really touched my heart. There was a silent beauty about this little piece of the world.  From the moment I walked onto the property I was in love.

See the story here

Eye candy lies everywhere waiting and ready to be admired.

After spending hours there exploring the inside of the manor and the grounds I thought I had seen it all. I was quietly walking the loop around the garden and happened upon this beautiful little pond.

The homestead was built in the 1830's.

I am not sure of the exact age of this sweet little pond but t has all the markings of history.

I wonder how many faces have stood there looking into it's subtle reflection.

I wonder how many wishes were wished by it's side.

My trusty camera had been packed away with exhaustion but on this little discovery out it came again.

All that could be heard in the peaceful silence was the

click

click

click

of my camera.

A photographers delight

A soothing place for ones soul.

shhh.....  

if you listen carefully you can hear the trickling water

Next week on

 FRENCH BLUE AND PEACHY PINK

IT IS

CHILDREN'S WEEK

I have lots of

pretties to share.

I won't tell you too much because I would like it to be a surprise.

You will just have to come back and take a look for yourself !

Have a fantastic weekend !

may it bring you a world of happiness.

Melanie

x

Thursday Flowers

Hello my lovely friends

Welcome to Thursday Flowers !

For my new friends who don't know, I began studying floristry earlier this year. Each Thursday I share with you my arrangement from this week.

Each week our teachers pre order and choose all of the flowers that we will work with. We very much work with seasonal flowers that are affordable for all who attend the class.

Later in the year we will be fortunate enough to be able to choose our own flowers but for now we use what is required to assist in our learning. 

I am very much a cottage flower girl. I  adore peonies (they are my favourite) hydrangea, roses, violets, stocks,  and anything pretty and fragrant.

I look forward to the day when I can choose my own blooms so I can create what my heart desires.

This week we worked with some native Australian flowers and also some lovely Proteas from South Africa.

I have to be honest, I can appreciate the beauty in these flowers but it wouldn't be what I would go in to a store  and buy.

I have placed this arrangement in my hallway under my white chandelier wall sconce and it looks very pretty in the light.

I am learning to appreciate flowers of all kinds.

              pink bloom above left - Protea                                          Red bloom avove right -                                                                                                              Leucadendron   

                      

                     above left - Kangaroo Paw                                                   above right - Dryandra

Kangaroo Paw (bottom left) is a pretty native Australian flower

(below)  Geralton Wax. It is one of our native Australian flowers that I really like. It is a really pretty flower

Floristry is a beautiful form of art. It allows creativity, expression and complete enjoyment.

It is by no means easy, it is back breaking at times and not as easy as it looks. One thing is for certain though, each time I leave the classroom I have a smile on my face and I find myself looking forward to the next class.

I am exactly where I need to be.

I am happy !

It is amazing to do something that you love.

It's not a job, it is a joy.

Follow your heart and you will find great love and fulfilment.

See you all tomorrow

Melanie

x

The Sweetest Gate I Have Ever Seen

I have a confession to make....

I have this very unusual obsession with old cemeteries.

The older the better.

I love the oldest dates.

I love the sweet old fashioned names

and I have been known to cry at some of the sad stories which are told on the headstones.

So many years ago now I found this very old section of cemetery in a beautiful country town that I love to visit in NSW, Australia called Morpeth.

and this is where I found the gate

It is soooo sweet !

and I had quite a few strange looks one day from passers by who spotted me taking photo's of the gate.

But I can't help it if I love the gate !

                     

There is something so enchanting about it.

I could just see it in an enchanted garden somewhere deep in the heart of the English countryside.

but it is lying at the front door of a sweet resting place for many souls long passed.

Bless their souls.

I am sure that they wouldn't mind me showing you all their gate.

I am sure they would have been laughing at me from the heavens the day I played in their gate.

in

out

in

out

such fun !

I wonder if my hubby will build me one ?

So there is my little secret obsession !

I am sure there must be more people out there just like me !

Tomorrow on French Blue and Peachy Pink

I bring you

THURSDAY FLOWERS

where I share with you all photo's of my latest and greatest creations from my floristry course.

I will look forward to chatting with you all again then.

Melanie

x

Antiquing Saturday Find

Antiquing Saturday last weekend saw me find this pretty little Miss.

I think she is from the 1930's, she is made of plaster, has been carefully hand painted and is in marvellous condition for her age.

She has been very busy out in the apple orchard picking apples.

I think she is beautiful and reminds me of a Bessie Peace Guttman painting.  This pretty little thing is available at The Coliseum Antique Centre or email me for further details.

I think she is very sweet and if she fitted into my French Blue and Peachy Pink colour scheme she would be happily living here with me.

I know that she won't last long, she is far too pretty !

Melanie

x

Something To Think About

Today's post brings you absolutely no pretty pictures of inspiration.

It brings you absolutely no ideas to create something material to make you smile.

Today's post will hopefully strike a chord with your hearts.

You see.......today I heard a very sad story and I witnessed an act of non caring and thoughtlessness.

I was at the checkout at the supermarket waiting to buy my groceries.
My 10 year old son was standing with me waiting patiently .
It was a quarter to six on a Monday night and all of the world was waiting to go home and escape the cold night.
The grocery store was full of all walks of life.  Some happy stories, others not so much.
I watched a heavily pregnant mother who was clearly a drug addict, arguing with her partner, swearing and cussing.
I saw students who were watching their pennies as they walked through the aisles trying to work out in their minds and purses just how much food they could afford for the week.
I saw an elderly woman arguing with her toddler grandchild about which sandwich meat he wanted from the deli.

There were not many smiley faces in this place.
I know ! I know !...... It was the end of a very long day and people were in a rush and weren't in the mood for smiling.

The man in front of us in the queue was watching his every purchase being scanned by the checkout girl. He was very obvious a young, single man who was watching every penny and I could see the relief on his face when the total was reached and he could afford all of his groceries. 

I was the last customer to be served in our aisle and as I put my last lot of groceries up on the conveyor belt, the man paid and walked out the door to his car.
The girl at the checkout ringing up our groceries began a conversation with us about all the 'types' that were shopping in the store that night.  She mentioned to us that the day before, a man who apparently looked 'normal and like an ordinary man', had filled several shopping bags full of groceries and tried to walk out of the store without paying.  He tried desperately to get out of the store at various exits but eventually police arrived and he was arrested.

Interestingly enough, at the same time as this girl was sharing her story, she all of a sudden realised that the last customer (the young man), had left two bags of groceries behind.
I asked my son to quickly run outside and try to catch up with him to tell him.  I just KNEW that the man would have been devastated if he had have reached home to discover that he had so many items missing.
The checkout girl flippantly said "Don't worry, it happens all of the time.  At least 4 times times today alone actually !".
I stood there gobsmacked at her absolute lack of care and concern.  I could see my sons little face and his longing to help. He is a gentle little soul who likes to help others. At the tender age of ten years old he made his own mind up. He ran outside scouring the car park for the young man until he found him and came in to collect his groceries.
All the while the young girl at the checkout joked and laughed with the checkout operator next to her as she continued to scan my items.

My son walked back into the store with a very happy man in tow.  He had found the man and told him about his parcels that he had left behind.
With a huge smile and gratitude on his face the young man thanked my son very much for his help, smiled at me with gratefulness and walked back out the door.
I looked at the checkout girl and went to pay my bill.
"Yes there will always be different people in the world, some good, some bad. But did you think for a moment that the 'ordinary looking man' who tried to steal the groceries may have been so desperate to feed his family that he would stoop to any level ?   People walk the earth in many shells and even these so called 'normal looking ones' get desperate !"

my rant continued......

"That man who left his groceries here really looked like he needed those groceries. Was it not worth a little fuss to give him that extra hand to see him with his full grocery order ?"

"Yes I know what you mean, it's just that it happens so many times a day," she replied

I told her that many years ago I had a very close friend who was going through some hard times financially and it was threatening her marriage. My friend got so desperate that she called a local charity to ask them for some help. They had kindly given her groceries and vouchers to help with her bills.  Today my friend has sadly divorced from her husband but each year she gives generously to this charity that helped her.
The young girl thought for a moment and pondered my words. 
I said a quick goodbye and walked off with my son to our car.

As I walked, I hoped that my words had somehow sunk in to her soul.
Others can be so quick to judge. Their judgements alone slows the world down a little and makes a blue sky turn grey. 
Every soul has his or her story. We may not always agree on their actions or thoughts but we should always give them the benefit of the doubt.

I will never forget the day when I was playing with my children in a city park and a lady approached us. She was very obviously a 'worker of the streets'. She had a very tight short skirt on and boots that went up to her knees. She spoke in a rough voice but when she spoke to my baby in the pram, her roughness turned to honey.
I was watching on very carefully because I didn't want her to touch my baby as she looked dirty and drug ridden.
Willing her in my mind to go away, I began to listen to this lady's story.
"I don't know why I am telling you this but I am," she said to me.
" I look into your baby's eyes and see such innocence. My innocence was taken away by my very own father. He used to abuse my mother and my siblings. He was so horrible and we were all so terrified of him. One day I couldn't take it anymore and I left home."

"what happened?" I asked.

"He tied me to the back of his truck and dragged me along a gravel road behind it.  I was 12 years old !"
and with that she turned and lifted the back of her top up and revealed scars so deep that this act of terror had left her.
It was at that very moment that I learnt not to judge.
Every person has a story, it is not for us to judge.
No wonder this lady had ended up on the streets. Maybe if one kind stranger had shown more love then her life may have been changed forever. Instead she was judged by her looks and had led a life of sadness.

I will never forget this lady as long as I live. She was a tortured soul and I bet you my bottom dollar that her life would have been so very different had her home life been a happy one instead of a sad one.  As a human being I like to think that I make a difference in the world.
I strive to show compassion, I enjoy helping people and seeing a smile instead of a frown. I have been known to help others when I have been at my lowest.  It makes me who I am.
I truly believe that if there was less judgement and more compassion in this world then the world would turn a little more gently on it's axis.

Sometimes the greatest teacher appears to us as a humble checkout operator or indeed a street worker. Everyone has something to share that will make another person grow.
LISTEN and pay notice to small details. Our little angel friends upstairs are waiting for us to listen and lookout for their signs.

Today I listened and I watched actions that made my awareness grow. I hope that by pointing out to this young checkout girl what I saw and believed, that I may have made her think.
Tonight as I lay in my warm bed, I will think of the man so desperate for food that he was willing to steal his groceries. I will think of the lady who had such a horrendous upbringing and I will thank my angels above who have blessed me with four amazing little mouths to feed and a husband who loves us all and works so hard to make us happy.
We all have a tale to tell, some sad and some happy. It is our own self that weaves our web of life and creates our journey. 
Reach for the stars and make that journey a happy one.  If you feel inclined, then reach out to somebody who really needs help and give them a light tug up and encourage them to smile. It could changed their whole world.

                                                                      Melanie
                                                                            x

Bubble Bath Heaven

Baby it's cold outside !

Who on earth told Winter that it could turn up a week early.

It is absolutely freezing !!!!

At the end of a very busy week I love nothing more than filling up my bath tub with sweet smelling bubble bath and taking a long hot soak.

A cup of tea and a gorgeous magazine are a must as well.

Taking time to nurture ourselves is an important part of life.

We must look after ourselves and have something to look forward to.

Life is a busy place.

Find somewhere quiet and relaxing to lie or sit quietly and reflect on your week.  Gather your soul, warm your heart and remind yourself how wonderful you are.

We all go about the motions of life and regularly forget to smell the roses.

Somehow though.....the roses are always what are most important.

and who can resist a nice, warm fluffy towel straight from the tumble dryer...........Lush !

and my favourite, a spot of tea in a pretty cup !

A lavender scented bath bomb made it all the sweeter.

Always take time to smell the roses.

Well that's it for another busy week at French Blue and Peachy Pink.

I am off to paint my nails and read my book.

The electric blanket is warming my bed and I can hear it calling my name.

Have a glorious weekend,

Melanie

x

Thursday Flowers

Welcome to Thursday flowers !

As a lot of you know each Thursday I showcase my flowers from my weeks floristry course.

Last week I arrived in class to find a very pretty assortment of Chrysanthemums, Roses and Geraldon Wax.

We can choose whichever colour combination of flowers that we like.

Each and every person in our class has different tastes so at the end of the day we all have our own individual look with our arrangements.

It is quite interesting actually. Colour combinations that once upon a time I wouldn't have looked at, I now find myself enjoying.

Yellow is not a colour that I usually gravitate towards.  It is pretty but just not one of my favourites.

Last week I chose the colours featured in the accompanying photos because they are among my Mum's favourite colours. She loves the combination of pink and green so I was pleased to see those colours in our choice of flowers.

The pink roses and green Chrysanthemums looked really pretty together but somehow they needed a little lift.  Surprising myself, I headed towards a bucket of bright yellow roses and picked up a bunch.  Together with the pink roses and green Chrysanthemums the yellow roses looked beautiful.

They added a little bit of extra warmth and interest.

Lucky for me there were lots of flowers left over in the class which I purchased to use on the weekend for my Mum's surprise 60th birthday party. I popped the flowers in a bucket of water and put them in our garage fridge.  They kept lovely and fresh for the weekend and brightened up the party room !

These are some of the arrangements that I made.

ENJOY ! 

When the pink roses ran out for my larger arrangements, I made up tiny sprays to give out to some of the guests at the party.

I love green Chrysanthemums, they are so fresh and happy !

and of course.......beautiful pink roses !

I used pink wicker bridal bouquet baskets to place my arrangements in.  They looked so pretty sitting in the vases around the party room. They looked really pretty lining the floor near the doorway as the guests arrived for the party.

I used every last flower head left from my bunches. The little leftover ones that were too short got trimmed up and used in a float bowl surrounded by simple white candles. Once the lights went out they looked stunning.

Even the rose petals that I had stripped off the outer section of the roses were used.

Out of 2 bunches of Chrysanthemums, 2 bunches of Roses and a big bunch of Geralton Wax flowers I had 2 large arrangements, 1 small bunch, 2 small milk jug posies, 2 sprays for the guests and a float bowl.

Those flowers went a long, long way and there was absolutely no waste. I used foliage from my garden so there was no outlay there either.

and best of all......

My Mum loved the flowers and her special party !

Melanie

x