Earrings - Past to Present

Documented as one of the earliest forms of bodily adornment, ear piercing dates as far back as the Bronze Age and Ancient Persia. Earrings have symbolized everything from religious belief to cultural status to the size of a Pirate’s booty ~ and we’re not talking his derriere! Men and women alike have worn earrings for millennia.

Tyrone Power & Maureen O'Hare in The Black Swan

Persian Soldier

In Ancient Egypt earrings were predominantly gold, thought to be the skin of the sun god Ra, or silver, thought to be from Isis, goddess of the moon. Eventually Egyptian artisans crafted them with semi precious stones like lapis and turquoise.

Egyptian Queen Tiy

Ornate styles introduced during the Roman Empire saw the addition of diamonds and other precious gem stones.

Gold & Jewel Roman Era Earrings

The ups and downs of fashion through the ages dictated the size and shape of earrings worn, if any were worn at all. Large almost garish hairstyles and huge hats from the middle ages often covered the ears making earrings all but obsolete. Bless the stylish men and women from 17^th century Italy and their more subdued hairstyles and necklines.

Maria de Medici by Allori Alessandro

The early 1900’s brought about clip on earrings, thought to be more sanitary.

Circa 1920

Circa 1850

Earrings are now simply a form of self expression, a way to accessorize and enhance the look of what we wear. From top designers to retail chains, there are styles, shapes, and colours to suit everyone.

Troll Beads Sacred Heart

 

Ivanka Trump Collection

Thomas Sabo

Long Weekend Weather

It's the long weekend! Most people want to get outside to celebrate which inevitably means checking the forecast. Why? Because weather is unpredictable, meteorology is not an exact science and May long weekend is notoriously famous for sending showers, freak snow storms or gale force winds across much of the camp grounds in our nation.

Most of us have been salivating for months, not necessarily over the thought of mouth watering hot off the grill BBQ skewers or hot buttered corn on the cob... nope... we're thinking stylish outdoor furniture and fun patio lights!

So what is a 'gotta get outside before I die of cabin fever' girl supposed to do? Jump on the bandwagon and check the forecast ~ I'm a slave to the weather as much as anyone else. But instead of checking just little 'ol Calgary, I thought, 'what is the weather like around the world?' Here's what I found for holiday Monday.

Jakarta, Indonesia
+35 (that is NOT a typo)
Maui
+30 (I'm getting a tan just thinking about it)
Amalfi Coast, Italy
+19 (not bad, and they do have great wine)
Cape Town, South Africa
+18 with showers
Dublin, Ireland
+14 with a chance of rain
Brisbane, Australia
+23 (pleasant)

And here in this great country of ours...

Iqualuit, Inuvik
-1 (again, NOT a typo)
St. John's, NFLD
+8 (not exactly beach weather)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
+14 (surprising somehow)
Vancouver, BC
+16 & sunny with a chance of rain (we don't like to think of Vancouver very much... it has something to do with the Canucks)
Calgary, Alberta
+16 (that would be great except for the rain in the forecast)

There you have it, weather from across the globe and across our county. What does it say to you? To me it says, 'consider traveling next May.' But I'm also reminded where you are plays a small part compared to who you share your time with and what you end up doing. So tomorrow we'll brave the golf course then share a meal, whether indoors or out, and be thankful for an extra day off to consider how blessed we truly are. Hope your long weekend is fabulous!

Decorating with Clocks

Time.

Each day we are given 86, 400 seconds to live, love, laugh, cook, clean, shop, sleep, and everything else in between. Time can pass slowly. Most days there never seems to be enough time. There are countless books, articles and workshops on how to embrace efficiency and make the most of the time we have.

Well, we're not experts and we can't necessarily tell you how to be more efficient with your time. But we CAN make sure how you tell time is stylish, elegant, sophisticated and decorative.

Clocks make an interesting accent in any home. They can be a striking piece on a feature wall and bring style to a kitchen or den. Clocks are also an item you can have multiples of in a home. Each bedroom certainly needs the right clock, in fact almost any room in the house could and should have a great clock or timepiece within view.

With a new shipment in store, we wanted to share our favourites with you. 

Discovering Pussy Willows

Don’t you just love them? Soft, tiny bundles of fluff perched delicately on the edge of a branch, pussy willows are a delightful addition to spring. But just what are they? Here at Willows on Willows, we thought it only fitting to share a bit about this soft and tiny spring delight.

Pussy willows come from the willow tree, specifically the species Salix caprea (or discolor). Before leaves bloom on the trees, small, silky catkins appear as tiny buds on the branches. They are silvery or yellow in color and most typically about the size of a quarter.

HOW TO DISPLAY THEM

Pussy willows are a great way to welcome spring indoors. Bundles can be small or large, short or long and used in displays throughout your home. A grouping of longer stems can brighten up a dining room or entry hall when placed in a taller vessel such as a floor vase or tall planter. Tiny bunches can be placed in mason jars in the kitchen or your sunroom.

Pussy willows can also be used outside a front door by sticking them into the middle of a planter display of greenery, whether cedar boughs, pine branches, or ivy. Florist foam can help keep the cuttings upright. Pottery also makes a good container for display. Pussy willows’ supple branches can also be bent and used as a wreath for your front door. You can definitely get creative with them! How about this cute bowl to display your Easter eggs in?

HOW LONG THEY LAST

Once cut, pussy willow stems will last indefinitely when treated with care. Keep them out of water to preserve the furry catkin. If you want the buds to continue to open, place them into water. Once they reach their desired sized, remove them from water and they stop growing. If left in water they will grow roots. The branches can then be popped into soil where they will grow rather easily.

We love this pretty pussy willow wreath, learn how to make your own from HGTV 

Fresh Cut Flowers on Display

We love displaying fresh flowers. Pretty blooms offer color and beauty on a kitchen island or the dining room table. Spring brings with it pretty tulips and daffodils. Mini carnations can always be found. Many florists have suppliers that help them stock many colorful blooms and greenery. 

        

Often fresh cut flowers are inexpensive, so it's easy to have them as regular guests in your home. You can break up a bouquet and place smaller containers of flowers in bathrooms and guest rooms. A large bouquet of the same flower can be a striking accent in your entryway. A single orchid or other flower is a peaceful addition to any bed side table.

        

Containers for your flowers can be anything from a cut glass vase to mason jars. Almost anything that holds water has potential as a container for your bouquets. With the selection of Napa Home pottery at The Willows, we found our first choice!

How do you display flowers? Share your inspirations!