To paraphrase
Lady Bracknell, to win one giveaway may be regarded as fortunate, to win two looks like greed.
I am possessed of an embarrassment of riches! First Wendy from
15 Coast Road pulled my name from the giveaway hat, and then Sophie of
A Good Year did the same.
That gorgeous wool phone cover is Wendy's work, and would have been quite enough reason for celebration as I really was in need of one, but Wendy also included a vintage-doily-adorned 'zippity' purse (which I can't show you as one of my daughters has snaffled it, cheeky girl). And the delightful Portmeirion 'Dawn Chorus' teacup and saucer
and matching cake slice are my giveaway gift from Sophie. O frabjous day indeed! Thank you ladies, truly.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
See how colour co-ordinated everything is? Totally coincidentally, I should add, but so very satisfyingly. The books are Alan Watt's
Zen: The Supreme Experience: The Newly Discovered Scripts,
which I'm reading for the second time, and
Evocative Objects: Things We Think With,
a collection of writings by artists, authors, philosophers and scientists that trace the power of everyday things. I'm only a few pages in and already I'm fascinated ...
We find it familiar to consider objects as useful or aesthetic, as necessities or vain indulgences. We are on less familiar ground when we consider objects as companions to our emotional lives or as provocations to thought. The notion of evocative objects brings together these two less familiar ideas, underscoring the inseparability of thought and feeling in our relation to things.
Reading that I thought of a ball of yarn! A proper ball of yarn, hand wound in just the way my Grandma Eva taught me. Evocative? You betcha! As is the swift I inherited from her. How about you, what cherished evocative objects do
you own, knit related or otherwise?
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Now, many thanks for your previous concern and good wishes (and the lovely compliments on my last post), my hands are much better you'll be glad to hear, quite recovered from the euphorbia encounter and much less sore than they were arthritis-wise. I even found myself thinking about new knitting projects yesterday. And some sewing. To which end I've sent my ancient sewing machine off for a proper service. I really need a new knitting project bag, can anyone recommend a pattern, knitted or sewn?
And a recommendation from me: you've a chance to win a years supply of Blacker Yarns over at
The Making Spot. You have until September 28th!
Welcome shout outs this week (one or two of which are overdue, sorry folks) go to Jackie at
Dog-Daisy Chains, Cathy at
nanacathydotcom, Jan at
Door 51, Nell at
Nell at cnmakes, Jenny at
Myths and Fabrications,
Tialys, and Helen and Aly.
What lovely prizes! :D
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that Kindle case.
ReplyDeleteThose books sound interesting, I'm going to look them up! Pretty wool phone cover and not too difficult to open when the phone is impatiently ringing! I see you enjoying a nice cup of something too! Have a lovely day! Sandra
ReplyDeleteHello Annie:
ReplyDeleteYou are indeed most fortunate and we are delighted for you. Such a very jolly thing to happen. Enjoy!!
What luck, the first thing I thought when I opened your post was 'I like that cup and saucer'
ReplyDeleteThe books sound fascinating, this is one of the best things about blogging, it leads me to things I would never have discovered otherwise.
Lovely loot! How lucky!
ReplyDeleteYour books sound interesting, the second one made me think of a dodgy documentary (on five I suspect) I saw a few years ago where people had a condition where their relationship with inanimate objects became so strong they got married to them....I seem to remember one lady married the eifel tower....sounds like a five doc doesn't it?
I think the idea of having something that has been used by someone else creatively is very evocative.....I have a beautiful, old wooden flute and two wooden piccolos played by my husbands very musical grandfather....such a treat to play them and the quality in them is something far more than I could afford.....I also have his and his mothers sheet music....blessed indeed.
Oh goodness Faith, what treasures! It would be lovely if you could blog about them :D
DeleteI envy you the beautiful cup and saucer in particular - just the thing for a spot of soy candle-making?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your wins-I'm so jealous!
ReplyDeleteLucky you Annie....You have some beautiful gifts here...I can't seem to stop collecting cups and saucers and I've fallen for this one!
ReplyDeleteI have lots of cherished and evocative objects but in particular anything that was created by my lovely mum.She designed and knitted a christening gown for my daughters which is very special...
Hope you have fun on your sewing machine...I think it's a nice alternative if your joints start aching with the knitting...
I've been looking for a project bag pattern myself but can't find one, something quilted, so I think I shall just have a go myself when I have a moment,
Happy Wednesday,
Susan x
Quick, get a lottery ticket, you are on a roll! Well done! Ada :)
ReplyDeleteNow there's a thought!
DeleteHow fantastic to win two prizes. The cup and saucer from Sophie are stunners!
ReplyDeleteJune
Love this post - thanks for another great one!
ReplyDeleteEvocative objects. I think I surround myself with them, anything that has a history. Furniture, old books, china ... Thanks for your words, it's gotten me thinking and looking around me : -)
ReplyDeleteLucky you Annie, I love the cup and saucer! :)
ReplyDeleteI have many objects that are important to me, books, china, my many, many rabbits!!
Vivienne x
I love the title of that post annie! I've just had a little catch up on your recent posts - such beautiful photographs (as always) and so glad you're feeling better...love fee x
ReplyDeleteI am quite thrilled you won lovely Sophie's exquisite teacup, Annie! I am pretty certain you will put it to good use. Perhaps you can regale us with descriptions of which teas you sipped in it?
ReplyDeletePrecious objects? Hmm, the first which spring to mind would be my violin, boughted when I was ten, and the baroque oboe which was made for me by one of France's renowned early music wind instrument makers. The scent of the wood alone comforts me.
And, I would add, the engravings and paintings my mother made for my children and myself.
Stephanie
How fascinating that both you and Faith have treasured musical instruments. Perhaps fodder for a blog post? I'd love to know more about the oboe :)
DeleteI'd like to hear more about the oboe too, Stephanie. Perhaps an interview with the maker? Pictures of his/her workshop? A short video of you playing it?
Delete:)
Oh Annie and Sue,
DeleteI am sorry not to have responded but to be honest I wasn't expecting an answer to my comment. Very exited I was to see two!:-)
You are both absolutely right. A blog post would be a great idea and I shall aim to get one done this autumn. I just wish you could smell this divine instrument too as well as see it and read about it ...
I hope you are fine and dandy today ;-)
Calloo, callay to that! What lovely things to be given.
ReplyDeleteI have an old, turquoise teapot, safely wrapped up in a box since our move to Spain and still in Leon in my parents-in-law's barn. It's gorgeous and I can't wait to get my own house and unpack it again.
Axxx
Such a cheery thing to happen, winning a giveaway! And even cheerier winning two!! How lucky too that they are so perfect together colour wise ...your pictures are lovely, Annie.
ReplyDeleteHelen x
That cup and saucer is so CUTE! Good things clearly come to those who deserve them :-)
ReplyDeleteI won a nice cushion in a giveaway many months ago, and nothing else. You know, they say luck comes in waves, so you're probably not done yet! I have a lot of cherished objects: two paintings my mom made, a collection of ceramic tiles where my grandfather painted gnomes, and a copy of 'heidi' the first real book of my life, I was six.
ReplyDeleteI once wrote a piece about "The Tribe of my Things". Nomads though we were, a certain core tribe always traveled together. Some evocative of the past, sentimentality, nostalgia, memories; everyday objects solid in hand yet inexplicably intangible but for the story of me. Others prized for their imagined history, or merely a seductive curve to their form.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Congratulations on the very lovely prizes!
What a wonderful notion, that one has a tribe of things!
DeleteOh, that lovely turquoise colour! It reminds me of some Meissen (I think) china I saw in the Milwaukee Art Museum - just the same saturated shade.
ReplyDeleteMy Christmas ornaments are highly evocative objects - many of them handmade or former gifts, they remind me very strongly of the people who made them or gave them, and the time of my life in which they were given. Putting them away each year is like putting away old friends and dear memories. And bringing them out is like finding buried treasure.
Wonderful giveaway wins, you were on a roll!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your hands have recovered and ready for projects!
Gill x
Lots of objects around me are evocative. I still have my son's first soft shoes hanging on my bedhead and a handmade card, made a few years ago by my grandson still stands on my dresser.
ReplyDeleteLoved the phone cover and the colours in the photo generally.
Hi Annie - you are indeed on a roll, I should rush out and get that lotto ticket as Ada suggests! I LOVE the cup and saucer.
ReplyDeleteSo many articles become evocative through constant use, or emotional connection, don't they? I have a huge floral bowl which sits on the floor (actually collects recepts etc for shredding!) Thoroughly garish, but my sister persuaded me to buy it years ago, and since she died last year I find it very poignant just looking at it. Certain old books which came to me from famiily members no longer with us are very special, a jug we bought in Sienna, my nurses fob watch my parents bought me when I joined the QARNNS (many years ago!) My Buddhist friend would gently suggest we become too attached to THINGS but I'm not ready to let that attachment go...not yet.....
I'm glad your hands are better. Thanks also for all the info on wools etc that I always in your blog! Joan
ReplyDeleteWhat fabulous bounty! Well done you. I love the moody blue tones of both items. And that cup and saucer got me thinking about evocative objects - i have some of my Grandma's paper-thin china cups and saucers and although I rarely use them, when I do I think of her. She and my Grandpa believed in making tea with ceremony - teapot, strainer, the works. Most of my evocative objects are useful household things like cups and dishes and pots that are full of memories. That book does sound fascinating. xx
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely winnings! Good to hear you are able to start some projects again too.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the welcome shout out!
Lucky Annie, but very well deserved, so enjoy your pretty prizes. Thanks for the link to The Making Spot which I look forward to exploring. Very glad to hear that your hands are feeling comfortable enough for you to think of doing some knitting again. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are indeed on a roll! I must say that cup and saucer really have me smitten. Well done you on winning two great giveaways, much deserved!
ReplyDeleteWhat a jammy dodger you are, and such wondrous gifts. Happy weekend x
ReplyDelete