Valentine's Day 1900

On the 14th February in the year 1900, a group of schoolgirls set out for their annual Valentine's Day Picnic. Some were never to return...
What was the secret of Hanging Rock?

Every Valentine's Day I'm reminded of my favourite Australian movie, Picnic At Hanging Rock, which is based on the book of the same name by Joan Lindsay.

When I first saw this haunting, eerie movie in the 70s, I was terrified. After many repeat viewings, it still creeps me out. I'll do a longer post about this one day as it's such a fascinating film and I also love Elvira Madigan which Picnic was heavily influenced by.

Elvira Madigan

Picnic At Hanging Rock is my bookclub (Magic Hat Bookclub) pick this month. Joan Lindsay is a fascinating character and so I'm looking forward to this discussion.

image source here

But the Peter Weir movie will be forever associated in my mind with the 14th February. On this day every year, I see white dresses, corsets, elaborate cards, birds soaring in a brilliant blue sky, parasols, the menacing rock and the enigmatic Miranda.

A little bit of Rock trivia: Joan Lindsay married her husband on St Valentine's Day. The day always had a special significance for her which is why she set her novel on the 14th February.
Enjoy the day and night dedicated to love.

Happy New Year with Bogart, Bacall and Tracy Anderson

Happy New Year to all from a sweltering Sydney oven.
I'm wilting in the heat. I find this city unbearable at this time of year. If you're lucky enough to live near the water it would ease the pressure but the inner-city is an airless, dusty battery-hen cage.
Wishing you a joyous New Year and I'm looking forward to 2011.
Here is my comfort book.

 I re-read it over Christmas in two days. Despite knowing it so well, I couldn't put it down. Amazing how you get a slightly different angle with the characters every time. It has such a sinister, dark edge to it. Clever, wonderful Daphne.

And no surprises as to what I've been doing (see Tracey Anderson DVD). That's my big new year resolution. Writing is such a fattening job.

If you follow my Facebook, you'll see that I'm not a fan of the fireworks at this time of year. I've had a mini-rant there about the waste of money, cost to the environment and the damage to the harbour, not to mention how it frightens animals. I found several others who also hate the fireworks. How about you? Are you pro the big bangs or, like me, believe it's fiddling whilst Rome burns?

With all the Green perceptions globally and the fears for how fragile the planet is, I'm dismayed that firework displays are still so popular. I've been criticised in the past for my anti-fireworks stance and told that I don't like people to enjoy magic.

Personally, I find far more magic, splendour and meaning in a simple blade of grass than in millions of dollars polluting the night skies with transient explosions of coloured lights - but that's just me. I'm not even a fan of going out on New Year's Eve. The Scribe and I spent a cosy evening with a bottle of Grand Marnier and The Big Sleep. We still aren't sure what exactly happened in that confusing, twisty movie but Bacall and Bogart are magic.
Off to try to catch some of the tiny breeze in our courtyard. xx
bogart and bacall image via google images

Fabbo Friday and Fab books

I love books (in case you hadn't realised by now). There's no greater pleasure than a new book that smells wonderful, contains a gripping story or beautiful photos. Two of my favourite new friends are:

Kirstie Allsopp's Homemade Home. I was mad about the series and so had to preorder this one. Not only am I a Kirstie fan but this book is even better than I expected. My photographs don't do justice to the lush layouts and all the beautiful images within. It's filled with all the loveliness you would expect from Kirstie. Wallpaper hints, op-shop hints, crafty tips. And it smells totally divine.

Selina Lake's Romantic Style is totally my style.

Again my photos don't do this very beautiful book justice. My eyes aches with all the fab, frilly photographs. Look at this image!

Now that's my idea of heaven. A stack of beautiful vintage books seated next to a vase of divine flowers.

And if it's a scary ghost story you are hankering for as a break from the prettiness, you can't go past The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It truly did give me nightmares and the character of the doctor was superbly done in my opinion. I'll write more about this one on my official writing Blog. I'm a great lover of a gripping ghost story and this one really captured me. It was our book club's choice and not everyone enjoyed the slow pace – but for me it was a perfect read.

For loveliness around the Blogs this week, you can't do better than my Blogging friend, Carla Coulson. Carla has written and photographed some of my other favourite books such as Italian Joy. I love her work. She has been very kind to Tale Peddler and often pops in. I was delighted to see on her fab Blog that she married recently. You can see more about her work and life HERE.

Signing off for another busy week with the ever romantic and pretty Johnny Depp. xx

image of carla coulson source
image of johnny depp source

Fabbo Friday and Fab Book, Ghosts and Lovely Bones

My bookclub The Magic Hat recently chose The Lovely Bones by Aliice Sebold

, which I'd been meaning to read for years. I found it very gruelling and distressing, which really surprised me. I've written quite a lot of dark crime over the years and researched from a lot of true crime and profiler books and I'm the sort of person who always looks for the predator whenever I'm out and about. The more you research the darkness that lurks, the more you know to be wary. Look for the exit. Lock the doors. Watch for the person wearing the wolf's fur on the inside.
Some of the Magic Hatters found it uplifting, but I felt emotionally flattened by it. Susie Salmon, the young protagonist, is killed in the beginning of the book by one of the most sinister predators I've read for awhile - her neighbour, Mr Harvey. This book has superb opening and closing lines. Susie then narrates her struggle in heaven as she watches her loved ones deal with their grief in different ways. It's beautifully written but terribly sad. I'm not a person who copes with endings and transitions very well. My mother sobs over total strangers saying goodbye to each other at the airport, so I'm genetically wired to not cope with any sort of adieu. I'm still weeping over my dog's death in March. And it's family legend how I'd cry and weep as a child over the old show Lassie, because Lassie looked so noble, his fur blowing backwards as Greensleeves played and we had to farewell him for another week. Heady emotional stuff.
The title The Lovely Bones is wonderful and the idea of the family unit being The Lovely Bones who holds the connections of the departed dead in place and continue to grow is luminous. Just not the easiest read. And I do have a problem with the plot development towards the end, when the girl's friend does what she does so Suzie can do what she does... (no spoilers, but if you've read it, then you'll know what I mean). Such a jarring, silly segment. But hats off to Alice Sebold for such a strong, poetic, moving novel which reminds us that for growth, the dead also have to release the living as well as the opposite way around.
Speaking of the dead, one of my very favourite Blog crushes is Art and Ghosts. I do love this girl's art which reminds me of the work of some of my favourite artists, Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington. She also looks like Mo Hayder's younger sister and her entire Blog is lovely. Her whimsical short video grabs where she talks to friends are gorgeous. Her cat has eyes bigger than the moon and her world is whimsical, clever, floral - but sprinkled with shiny darkness.
Leading us into the weekend is a ghostly looking Johnny Depp. I suppose ghosts are the perennial outsiders and so here's Johnny as Edward Scissorhands.
Hats off to outsiders, ghosts and Lovely Bones.
Have a lovely weekend. I hope it is filled with family, health and friendly ghosts. Thanks for visiting me.
xx

all images from art and ghosts source

alice sebold image source

johnny depp image source

Fabbo Friday and Fab Fairytales and Minnie

Hello,
All week I've been excited and happy about my agent liking my Poets Cottage MS and setting the ball rolling quickly as she has done. The dreary grey skies over Sydney have been replaced by patches of sunshine. My daughter is well enough to return to school.
I read a book filled with patches of blue, yellow and exotic colour recently for my bookclub (The Magic Hat Bookclub). If you like Mexican art, Frida Kahlo, and words that shake and shimmer with poetry and sly flashes of mysterious beauty then I highly recommend it. Funnily enough I was the only one of the Magic Hatters who loved it to bits. It's a terrific read and the main character, Harrison Shepherd, is a guy I really loved and related to. Reviewers disliked him for his self-effacing, introverted writerly ways but I loved and got him totally. And so The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver is my fab book choice for this week.
My fab and favourite Blog posts of the week – again, far too many to pick easily but I did love two fairytale cottages that went around the Blogs.
The very stylish Marie Nichols, a talented stylist from the UK currently residing in Sydney, featured this beautiful fairytale cottage on her Blog wholelottalovely. To me it looks like Rachel Ashwell and Princess Aurora are sharing the space.
The other house is my daughter's favourite and I have to admit, I love it too. It looks as if it was designed by my daughter as she is mad for pink, purple and lovehearts - Minnie Mouse's Disneyland House from the Blog Hooked on Houses.
Do you like them? Which one would you pick? Are you a Princess Aurora or Minnie Mouse? I think it's too hard for me to decide as I’m a bit of both.
And to complete the fairytale sign-off here's Johnny looking at some part of Edward Scissorhands. I do love a man in braces.
Enjoy your weekend. Hope it is filled with fairytale loveliness. Thanks for visiting me. xx barbara kingsolver image source

johnny depp source

Fabbo Friday and Fab Buys - Fab Books

I bought a few fab things in Blackheath.
More Witchy shoes from the local op-shop.
And from the Antique Centre this floral vintage print: I couldn't resist the little flowers peeping out.
Apricot gloves from the 1950s (which I have already worn to the Opera House).
Vintage Chic by Cabbage and Roses, filled with beautiful photographs. The Scribe also bought Exploration Fawcett, the true life adventures of an explorer who disappeared into the Amazon in the 1920s. He recounts tales of giant anacondas, piranhas and ghosts.
Daisy picked herself out a Shirley Barber book which has Barber's usual stunning fairy illustrations. And to prove that one person's junk is another little girl's treasure, this yellow plastic Walt Disney Belle which she happily put her vintage Minnie Mouse back for. You can see Belle with her new friends in the picture above.
And as mentioned earlier, my holiday read was Lisa Jewell's The Truth About Melody Browne which is very engaging and romp along. Lisa has a real talent with creating engaging and sympathetic characters. I first found this writer when she was interviewed in Red magazine and really loved her warm, witty and clever style.
At times I felt my heart was going to break when reading this book for Melody.It reminded me of a little of a Cinderella or Harry Potter story in that the heroine who appears to be leading a mundane and pretty beige existence turns out to have an entire other story happening which she was unaware of. When she does discover her hidden past, she discovers an entire different dimension to herself and her own perceptions of how she views herself and the world alters. It's Lisa's talent that she really does make you believe and care about her characters.
And a book I have also enjoyed recently (thanks to my neighbour and friend) is Lovesong by Alex Miller.
I hadn't read any of this much acclaimed Australian author's books but found his writing captivating. Lovesong is set between a Tunisian cafe in Paris and Melbourne and braids two different stories. In the Paris scenes is a love story between an Australian man and his North African bride, who yearns for a child. And in the Melbourne scenes is an ageing writer who meets John in the future and listens to the story of what happened to John and his exotic bride. It's a memorable, sensual and poignant read. Parts regarding ageing and the narrator writer's relationship with his daughter are so tender that it almost hurts to read.
The Paris segments have a different rhythm but you easily slip into both worlds and find that not only is the language elegant but the story keeps you turning the pages. Moody, bittersweet and as sharp as a guillotine's blade. You can almost smell the spices and curries in the air. I can promise you'll never look at a tomato seller at the food markets in the same way again.
I find the author fascinating as well. It's commonplace these days for writers to do the usual university course route but Mr Miller (who wasn't published until his early fifties ) has had a range of jobs from stockman to cleaner at Myers. A writer from my tribe, in other words. There's a link to an interview here if you are interested in such things. I do really get so excited when I find new writers to love and so a big thank you to my lovely neighbour friend for introducing me to this wonderful Australian talent.
As for Fab Blog posts this week, I've really enjoyed a new Blog from a very talented Danish woman, smilerynker
She has a beautiful eye for pattern and colour. Here's are a couple of her lovely images above.
And signing off for the weekend with the magnificent Johnny Depp. I have a sick daughter at home this weekend. We have all been battling the winter bugs in Sydney.
Thanks for visiting me. Enjoy the weekend with your loved ones. Stay cosy and keep creative. xx
When I first went to writers' festivals — they used to have this thing that they did to us, which was (and they maybe still do it occasionally, I haven't seen it happening here anywhere, it may happen still) but they used to say, 'When did you first realise you were a writer? What was the earliest book that you read?' So Salmon Rushdie or Louis De Bernieres or whoever it was that was sitting next to you would say, 'I found Stendahl's le Rouge et le Noir under my mother's bed when I was three.' And I used to think, 'Shit'.
Alex Miller interview
lisa jewell image link source

alex miller image link source

johnny depp image source

Fabbo Friday and Fab and Lovely New Books

One of the simple joys in my life is new books. And look at my lovely new books which arrived last week!
Perfect English Cottage by Ros Byam Shaw could easily be renamed Perfect Book. I could spend hours gazing in awe and rhapsody at the beautiful homes within it.
I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks is another fab and lovely book filled with style inspiration. Massive amounts of photographs of stylish and super fab people. The sort of stylish and fab that make your eyes water when you gaze upon their coolness and beauty. And some pretty rare shots of Brigitte Bardot in this lovely book as well as folk like Laura Bailey, Mick Jagger, Jane Birkin and so on. The usual fab and cool crowd.
And Kelly Doust's The Crafty Minx. This pretty book written by the pretty Kelly is sublime crafty loveliness. I think I have to do a separate post on it alone.
I really love finding some time in a busy day of mothering, editing and domestic artistry to sit in my little garden in the autumn sunshine with a cup of tea and flick through these fab books.
And of course read a couple of magazines. Australia's Country Style and the UK's Country Living both vie with each other for the prettiest colours.
And my fab Blog post for the week goes to the Crafty Minx herself, Kelly Doust. Her Blog is so informative and if you subscribe she sends you the prettiest craftiest newsletters.
I hope your weekend is filled with joyful leisurely moments with good books and mags. Take us away, Johnny for another fab weekend.
Thanks for visiting me. xx

image of Kelly Doust source:

image of Johnny Depp source:

Fabbo Friday and How I would like to hang out the washing

The Magic Hat Bookclub (the fab bookclub I'm in) met this week. The selected book was The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. It's been a long time since a book has uplifted, inspired and moved me as much as this one. I was on the bus reading it last Saturday and had to restrain myself from jumping up and screaming, "Read this book everyone!" It's become one of my all time favourites. I'm sure Markus would be chuffed to know he was up there along with Enid Blyton, Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie. Warning - this is a book you need several boxes of tissues near as you reach the ending. I'm sure my sobs were heard all over Sydney. I cannot stop thinking about the characters. Hats off to Markus Zusak and Liesal, Rudy, Hans, Max, Rosa, Ilsa and Death.
It's Mother's Day in Australia this Sunday. Below is a little piece I wrote for the lovely Kate Lord Brown's writing Blog (which is one of my favourites) called What Kate Did Next. This was a writing exercise about what I saw that morning. There's also a photo of my daughter and myself taken at drop-off time at her school. Excuse our windblown look, and my daughter's hair is filled with olive oil as I had to cut a rather large piece of chewing gum inventively hidden by some crafty child. As you can see from the piece, my daughter loves to tell stories as much as I do. I think it was written just after this photo was taken, one of a collection of photos for the school's Mothers Day Mass celebrations. And so Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers and Grandmothers this weekend.
My daughter beside me skipping to school in the Autumn Sydney sunshine. Long navy legs, blonde ponytail. Grey tunic. A dancing dappled fairy as she recites a story to herself, "Don't listen, Mummy! It's MY story!"
Commuters in suits rushing past us to catch their trains. Planes flying overhead, low on their descent. Trains rushing past and the commuters run faster. My daughter collecting fairy-clocks and bits of rubbish. Garbage lying discarded. An old street man lies amongst his discarded oranges. My daughter glances briefly at him before she springs in the air to continue her story. Nearer the school, Nannies and Mothers rushing with small children. We swoop through the gates together like a steam of tunic wearing fish. Hugging my daughter goodbye - she smells of innocent stories and her dreams of the night before. Racing home, kicking clouds, heart singing with joy at the laptop waiting in my untidy bedroom. Now it's time for MY story.

When it comes to Blog posts I enjoyed this week, I'm still thinking about a post the beautiful Vicki Archer did for French Essence on lingerie shops in Paris. Sigh. Exactly what every Mother needs. The post is called Thinking of Paris. Lingerie and Lace. I hate to ruin any illusions but that is not me hanging out washing in my Parisian underwear, sadly. That is from the amazing link on Vicki's post to Fifi Chachnil.
And sorry Isabelle, but you're up again for your post on perfumes. I'm addicted to perfumes and so when Suzy's Vintage Attic opened her perfume cupboard, of course I was right there salivating. The post is called The Power of Scent.
And whilst we're salivating over French lingerie and perfumes, then we may as well salute Johnny Depp. Somehow it all seems to go together.
So many fab and lovely things this week!

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for visiting me. xx

Fabbo Friday and Loads of fab and lovely things

Loads of lovely fabs this Friday for my swallows and swans.
First up my new Rachel Ashwell book which is one of those books difficult to tear yourself away from. Pure lush beauty and inspiration on every page. I love the way Rachel's style is evolving with a more urban edge (such as her vintage brown leather sofa) and her minimal way of living. Little tips like you only need two changes of linen for each bed and Rachel's personal inspirations such as vintage wallpaper Marie Antoinette, the theatre and ballet make this book one of my new favourites. I think Rachel is so inspiring with her new life directions after Shabby Chic suffered the losses it did in America. I also enjoy Rachel's beautiful Blog as I love her style of writing.
In a new addition to Fab Friday for Tale Peddler, I plan to talk about a particular Blog post that inspired me or, I thought was fab, during the week. Blogging is all about sharing and so hopefully, you'll find some inspiration there - or even make a new Blogging friend.
This week I actually have two as it was difficult to pick.
The talented, crafty Kari from Artsy Mama and her post on her daughter's fifth birthday party where she created a Strawberry Shortcake party for her lovely daughter, Chloe. My daughter also thought this was an amazing post and asked me if I could reproduce the same party. With a doubtful look at me, she said, "You could try, Mummy." You can find the post on Kari's site Artsy Mama.
And another Blog I've followed for ages. A fellow Tasmanian girl, the lovely Amanda from The Vintage Rose. Amanda really lives in my dream home in Launceston, Tasmania. You can see the photo of her home above. Sigh. She also has a divine store where she sells lovely French inspired goods. She has two beautiful teenage daughters and a terrific garden. The post I really loved of hers is where she shared a few personal photos of her family. There is the loveliest pic of her and her husband. You can find Amanda's beautiful Blog at The Vintage Rose.
And I had to add this fab piece from the very fab Allison of Lark. This is an extract from her gorgeous newsletter. I recommend you subscribe to the Lark newsletter which you can do here. It really is the prettiest thing to receive in your inbox. And Lark stock so many goodies. Even Cath Kidston now - hurrah! The piece below I have copied from Allison's newsletter. I thought it so true - and so clever. Fab Allison and fab Lark. You can find Allison's gorgeous Blog here.

If you grew up thinking ...
A Blackberry was something you picked in a country lane and not something you spent your weekend ignoring ...
MySpace was a den in your back garden, built with bed sheets and runner bean canes ...
Noah, Isaac and Joshua were characters from the Bible rather than kids in your class ...
And if you wanted to be an astronaut, train driver, nurse, footballer or anything other than a CELEBRITY when you grew up ...
CONGRATULATIONSYou're a product of the Ladybird generation.
Lark's delightful collection of Vintage Ladybird gifts, homewares and stationery features classic, fun and nostalgic images from the Ladybird Book archive. Perfect for Mum

And last but not least. Another new feature of Fab Friday is a photo of the wonderful Johnny Depp to be rotated every Friday to go out to the weekend on. Yes, I know that's probably a bit tragic and perimenopausal of me but I think we all know how much I love Johnny!
So much fab for this week!
Have a cracker of a weekend filled with lovely moments. Thanks for visiting me. Cheerio. xx

image of Johnny Depp source weheartit