Good For What Ails You.

My Grandma Ida used to say this all the time.

She applied it to things like gravy, scissors for cutting up raw chicken, Edith Piaff songs... in fact anything that came prefaced with, "Ida, why do you .....". Because it's good for what ails you.

These gorgeous blooms have been very good for what ails me.

I had a lovely gift voucher to spend in my fav french inspired shop.

La Paige in New Plymouth.

It stocks linens to die for!

What ails me at the moment Blog Chics is a lack of creativity. I've had nothing in my head for months really, but I just didn't like to say so. I think the logistics of keeping up two gardens through the Taranaki autumn, the pedantic nature of some of the stuff I've had to learn for work, leaving in the dark and coming home in the dark has just sucked it all out of me.

This is not to say any of this is abnormal, just part of life. And now it is over.

This weekend some retail therapy and my new House and Garden mag

have really done the trick.

I feel the cogs start to turn again, and I'm making bags and cushions in my head once more.

These are a few of the winter blooms I've found serendipitously in my garden at the new house.







I was reading my House and Garden (July Issue) in bed this morning, while onto my third cup of coffee, when I discovered an add for some people who make bespoke cake stands out of your old china!


A Eureka moment that was, because I've been wanting to do this for ages,
and been secretly lamenting the fact that the thing for unscrewing wheel nuts or the power drill were probably not going to be the right implements for drilling the holes.
And then where would I find the right hardware?





Problem solved. This lot do it for you. thevintagetable.co.nz



So I gathered up some of both my Grandma's china and emailed them straight away, before my fourth cup of coffee even. So I shall let you know how I get on.

The Granny and I went for lunch today to the new cafe in Eltham called Rhubarb!!!!

Have to say it was pretty ordinary, but maybe they'll get better.

It must be hard to get it all going smoothly in your first week.

Shall report back on that too.

So afterwards, we went round to "The Bank" which is a gorgeous vintage/retro emporium I have blogged about before.

Barb had this amazing reproduction french Louis something chair there, in the perfect celedon green that I love.

You know what happened.

I bought it; and it gladdened my heart so much to see it fit perfectly into my house.

You know what happened next too, don't you!!!

I moved my Grandma Ida's chair into the bathroom, which really appeals!

I'm sure she'd say that it was very good for what ails me.

And I have my chooks and ducks back at the front door too, now that the other place has been handed over to the new people.

And that really gladdens my heart!

One last thing Blog Chics.

This is the first time I have ever been compelled to print a retraction here at Magpie Chic.

It involved a certain Granny and the consumption of last weekend's rhubarb loaf!!!

After I'd published, I found 3/4 of a rhubarb loaf in the cake tin!!!!

She was "affronted" when she read that bit in my last posting.

In the manner of Tom Kitten's mother when the kittens were naughty upstairs when she had company for tea!

She wanted to leave a comment to that effect, but lucky for me, couldn't work out how to do it!

So a retraction I shall print ....even though one could be forgiven for jumping to such conclusions after the episode of the missing lemon tarts!!!!

My lips are sealed Blog Chics.