Saturday, April 13, 2013

Time for a Change



Hello everyone,

Yes it's time for a Change, I do hope you like the new look. My original idea of the Sea Glass colours on my blog was a reflection of the coastal area that I live. In the beginning I had thoughts of showing you this part of the world but I really didn't do much of that. Most of the photos I load are of Miniatures and I find the images have warm tones which seem to clash with cool colours of my blog. SO....now the new look..... which I think compliments my miniatures nicely. I hope it's also a bit of a reflection of the direction I intend to go with Ambrosia Place,  a look I hope will be  Transcendental ( thank you David) and ultimately feminine.

Now to the topic of my post (ha...not miniatures) but something I thought a lot of you may enjoy. The other day I was rummaging through a box of old books in a Vintage shop and I came across this delight. It's Title (which I forgot to photograph) is the House Hold Gas Cookery Book. It is an English book but I'm not sure when It was published....I'm guessing around 1900's given the The clothing in the advertisements. The book has a lot of recipes in it and lots of Tips including Personal Hints like - To make Hair Glossy - Rub it at night and morning with a white silk Handkerchief. One of the most interesting things I find about the book is the constant reference to servants and Masters. I have uploaded some images of various parts I thought you might enjoy. Take note of the Write or Telephone (No. 54 ) I think that suggests there were only 54 telephones in London at the time???

Any way....here are the rest of the photos and Happy Minis every one!!

ML Fi xx

P.S I must mention the Beautiful Miniature Magnolia Grandiflora in my photograph for the banner is the work of the Lovely Ilona, I have left the link to her blog on the right hand side bar.









35 comments:

  1. Magnifico cambiamento! mi piace molto!

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  2. Dear Fiona, first of all I want to congratulate you on your new blog-look; it is so lovely! If this is the style Ambrosia Place will have; the house will become an example of utter beauty. The Magnolia....I thought it was a real one, but it's Ilona's!!! She is so talented in making flowers, it is her love of nature that's always shining through, I believe...
    Now for the book; you are really lucky to have found such a treasure; the prints are wonderful and the text will often be hilarious, I guess. But it gives a nice look into daily life around 1900. Thanks for showing it to us.
    xxx Liduina

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    1. Hello my Dear,

      Thank you for your kind comments! It is nice to show a little femininity......

      Yes, our very talented Ilona who mad me this most beautiful Magnolia branch that will one day take pride of place in Ambrosia place.

      And yes, I have had many chuckles about the things written in the book, I am also a bit curious to make some of the recipes, some of them are still similar to today...not too much has changed.

      ML Fi xxx

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  3. Your blog looks awesome now! You have chosen very natural warm and harmonious colors, an Ambrosia Place worthy, my compliments!
    This English book is a great find, Fi, now you can look up a lot of questions in this book ;). I wonder how the cover of this book looks like, can you show it too, please?
    I wish I could find some more useful information about the way of life in Dutch canal houses in the time period of 1900. This information is rather difficult to find.
    The fact you used my magnolia in your header makes me shy. Wow, what a great honor, Fi, thank you very much.
    I just clicked on the side bar on the picture for the chinoiserie to look for more information about this topic, but I am sorry to tell you the link didn't work. Then I clicked on the other pictures, but they don't work either.
    Lovingly, Ilona XXX

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    1. Hello my dear,

      Thank you, I am glad you like it, I am not one for too much pretties but I think this is just enough, although I'm looking at this orange and it's a bit strong....I must tone it down a bit.

      I will indeed take a picture of the cover for you, it has given me much entertainment reading it the book and learning the way of life back then. I have fixed the links to the photos and to your blog, just a simple mistake on my behalf.

      Thank you my dear, I still love the Magnolia...a true treasure!!

      Ml Fi xx

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  4. I like the new look Fi and that little book is a great find. Lovely pictures.

    To write or telephone? Have we moved on? Now it is to "text or email"? Only the mode has changed! My friends and I are taking it all back a step - we are re-introducing the written invitation/acceptance and what a novelty it is to receive a handwritten note!

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    1. Hi Irene,

      I know it seems so funny to think of how much we have changed, I only wonder what we might be doing in 2100. What a lost art it is.....the hand written letter, you were once judged on your fine hand writing.......good on you and your friends, I think in years to come it will be fashionable again as people realise it is a lost art!

      Ml Fi xx

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  5. The new look is very serene and inviting! As for the book...I know my historic fashion and it was most likely published between 1900 and 1910. Based on the clean, relatively modern font, 1910 is probably a closer bet than 1900.

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    1. Hi Anna,

      I'm glad you like the new look and thank you for pinpointing the time, I'm not that familiar with printing and publications.

      Ml Fi xx

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  6. I really like the new look, it's gentle and calm and the magnolia is magnificent as the main banner photo. Beautifully photographed!
    The book is very interesting. I had a conversation a few days ago with my 17 year old son and he just couldn't imagine that mobile phones didn't exist a few decades ago.What would he think of only 54 phones in London around 1900?? :))

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    1. Hi Idske,

      Yes I have a similar situation with my Children aged 18 and 13, they have no consept of life with out this kind of technology, it seems incomprehensible to me too to have only 54 phones.....

      ML Fi xx

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  7. Hi Fi! The new blog look is Gorgeous! (I also loved your old blog look... but can see the reasons for the change!) Now you have to be sure to show us More Pictures of Magnolia Place.... however incomplete they may be.... because you have whetted our appetites...! LOL! I recognized Ilona's (your!) Magnolia blossoms.... they are so Exquisite... her work is SO Inspiring!! I only hope someday I can learn to make such beautiful miniature flowers!
    Your book find is a Treasure! It reveals so much about a way of life that we don't know anymore... and obviously right on the threshold of it changing dramatically! What a wealth of information on domestic households of that era!
    As for phones... when I lived on a rural Farm, many years ago they still only had shared phone lines... so all your neighbors were on the same phone line... the clue to whose call it was was in the number or pattern of the ring tone... two short rings you pick up... one short one long it is for the neighbor etc.! They could pick up the phone while you were talking and listen in on your calls! Talk about gossip and eavesdropping!!! No chance for privacy at all!!
    As always, I love your style and your creations... so I can't wait to see more!!!

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    1. Hi Betsy,

      I'm glad you like the new look, whilst I loved the colours of the old one I was never quite happy with how it came together, at the time I did it I was a blogger noob, so I feel more confidant I could change it back. As you say though, I think this is ultimatly more suited to Ambrosia place.
      You know that is amazing that you had a phone line like that....it must only have been used for necessity, no way could you complain about you neighbour!!

      ML Fi xx

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  8. Hi FI,

    I like the new look (although I liked the old one also). This one is very soft and has a nostalgic and restful feel.

    What a find with that book. It was fun to see.

    Cheers,
    Iris

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    1. Hi Iris,

      I'm glad you like it! It's so good to have you back!

      ML Fi xx

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  9. LOVE the new look, FI! Very pretty and it will surely compliment your photos nicely. I'm afraid to change mine, every time I try I just manage to 'flunk' it up...your book is a scream --I like looking through those 'yesteryear' sorts of things, too.

    XOXO,
    John

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    1. Hey Lovey,

      I'm glad you like it! I have never been the kind of girl to go for pretties, but now I'm playing with dolls I thought, hey, why not? I still have a few adjustments to do but I feel much more confidant I understand it. I really just set aside some time in front of T.V and played around with it until I was familiar with all the gizmos. You know you can change it around as much as you like without altering what is live on your blog. If you wan't any tips lovey you know where to find me!!

      ML Fi xx

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  10. The book exerts are very entertaining, thank you for sharing.

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    1. Hi Janice,

      Yes, I have spent quite a bit of time reading through it and it is very entertaining!

      ML Fi xx

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  11. Gorgeous book - how times have changed in 100 years. :)

    I like your new look as well and have finally managed to get you into my sidebar blog list so can keep up to date more easily. :)

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    1. Hi Christine,
      Yes something I haven't done yet is up date my blog list and I will definitely add yours soon! Thanks for adding mine!

      ML Fi xx

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  12. I like your new header although I liked the other one also. You were so fortunate to find such an old book. It's so interesting to leaf through them and discover how people lived. Thank you for sharing that.

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    1. Hi Lucille,

      I liked the old one too but I felt compelled to change it, now I feel I could change it again just for fun!! You know I wish I had taken a screen shot of it though...

      ML Fi xx

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  13. Love the new look but I also loved the look of your old blog. It made me think of summer and sunshine. This certainly compliments the delicate beauty of Ambrosia Place.
    Those books always make me laugh. I remember reading one that suggested gas was more congenial to our lungs than air. It's amazing that we survived into the 21st Century =0)

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    1. Hi lovey,

      Yes, I agree about the last blog....it was hard to let it go but I always hated the photo I did in a rush...it just didn't quite look right. Maybe I will have another blog with those colours for posting my beach photos....now there's an idea!!

      Nothing like a nice intake of gas to send you off to lala land!! Hysterical!!

      ML Fi xx

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  14. Fi, I love the new look of your blog and Ilona's flowers are the perfect header photo.

    I love old interesting books and magazines too, especially the advertisements, makes me glad sometimes that I live now, some of the concoctions they sold back then makes me shiver of fear for my life and health!

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    1. Hi Elga,

      I'm glad you like it. Every time I loaded my photos the gold colours would scream at the background and I hated it! I have had it in my mind for a long time to use Ilona's magnolia for the photo.

      I know what you mean about the book, it really is funny to read some of the things in there. eg: COFFE is an absolute antidote to alcohol if it be taken in sufficient quantity. Dogs saturated with caffeine could not be made intoxicated.

      Must post that one...it's hilarious!

      ML Fi xx


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  15. Gosh!

    I thought for one moment that my computer had dragged me off to another blog by mistake when I first saw your makeover, then I spotted Ilona's magnolia, and knew you must have made some changes.

    Very impressive, love the background image!!

    Now I am not sure I like you snooping on David and I doing the cooking, especially as that isn't my best frock! As for servants and masters, that's not an avenue I think we should go down!!!!

    Andy xxx

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    1. Haha...Andy, you always make me laugh!

      Yes, that one with the the dark figure in front of the bath is a bit spooky....it looks like the grim reaper...I thought David might like that one.

      ML Fi xxxx

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  16. Hello Fi,
    First of all, I love the new look. It is very welcoming and elegant.
    Secondly, thank you so muchf or sharing that icnredible book with us. what fun to read! I love how they depict a lovely, easy life for the servants!
    Big hug,
    Giac

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  17. Hi Fi! Your blog header is BEautiful! What wonderful work Ilona does! Looking closely at the blossoms and the branch is like looking at something absolutely real!! What a pleasure to have that to see every time one visits you here! The book is darling and the interesting thing is that if the world continues into 2100's , they will be looking back at us now thinking what a "scream" WE all are and the things that we are doing NOW will seem "funny" and archaic to them!
    It is a sobering thought.

    elizabeth

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  18. Your new header image is really special. So looking forward to seeing Ambrosia Place come into being.

    Great shopping getting your hands on that book - fantastic.

    And thanks for your thoughtful comment on the French kitchen, it made me smile to think of music (or the chatter of Parisian conversations for that matter) floating up from the street.

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  19. Hi Fi, I missed your post, love the new look of your blog. And it is interesting to see how much things have changed since that book was published. I think life was lived at a slower pace then and there was time for some of the nicer things, thought I suppose people then thought it was a frantic pace with all the new inventions.
    I might see you at the miniatures fair if you are going on Saturday.

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  20. Hi Margret,
    I'm glad you like the new look. Yes the book is very interesting, I was thinking of doing another post about some of the other details....they really are a laugh! I plan to do a post tonight on the floor I'm doing, I'm a bit flat out painting at the moment and haven't had much time for blogging.

    Yes,I will be there on Saturday, probably from 10ish and for a few hours I think. I will be with Mia too. I will look out for you, I have seen your photo. If we're not too tied up with shopping maybe we can have a coffee??

    ML Fi xx

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