Today is dusting day. At the country house, I live down a little dirt road. Can you imagine how much dust it gifts me with on a daily basis? I made decent progress, then decided…
I can’t do any more. I need a fairy. I think this is karma for all the nannies & housekeepers I harassed as a child. Yes, I was one of those horrid children. The very very mischevious trickster kind. The kind that would put on masks, and hide behind murphy beds. Pouncing at the perfect scare tactic moment. Even if it meant 2 hours in hiding. The kind of child that would sit on the highest point of the roof, in costume, for hours… Ask Mammie, she has a basketful of stories. Then there are the extra horrid stories, that not even the parents know of…
Can you believe I was that mischevious? Click here to see the true face of the culprit… I know, she looks bad doesn’t she??
However, that is not the point of this visit. I am here to rid you of all your chores for the day… I made you a magic tea… Go on, don’t be afraid… have a sip…
It will make you get magic powers so that you can sit and relax, and your broom will do all the work for you… You know, Bibbitty Bobbity Boo kinda stuff…
What is the chore you abhor the most? The one that you are willing to try this secret potion for? I would say, mine is, taking everything out from under my bed and vacuuming… I love under my bed to be dust free, but, I don’t love the chore…
I would rather, write you a letter. Send it snail mail… Or, maybe journal in my beautiful treasured books my dear friend sent me last year from Paris…
You must visit La Marelle (below)… Incredibly lovely shop, where you can get your own Nicoletta Ceccoli art on journals, plus others. She is amazing! Also, LOVE the dinnerware at La Marelle!
So, let’s see, what would I write? Perhaps something along the lines of…
Nope never done… Where is that magic broom when I need him??
Oh, now it’s working! Thank goodness…
But, maybe I’ll put my broom down for a while…
And, put my cackling toes up, while you tell me about your least favorite chores… Or your favorite ones for that matter… I do like the scrubbing chores. Where things get all sparkly and white. I can handle those…
Perhaps, you would like to share the naughtiest trick you may have pulled on someone, like the babysitter?? Do tell!!
I will be back on Monday, with the winner of the Magic Berry Bag below… Don’t forget to enter if you’d like a chance to own it… 🖤 V
ps: Loved this!! I think I am in love with Ciarán Hinds (I already was, but yes, it is settled, I am in love with him for certain)…
I’ll take a sip of that tea, because I don’t like cleaning the bathtub!! xoxoxo
I’d be willing to try that secret potion! Dusting is the one chore that I really, really dislike! I mean, really, who likes chores at all?
Oh, Miss V… If only I could have a sip of your magic potion to avoid scrubbing the TOILETS! Waaaahhh! I hate that job with a fiery passion. 🙁 Of all the chores, that has to be the worst.
Your witchy toes are enchanting in those mismatched stockings.
Happy Cackling.
xoxo
Kate
Something I love and hate all at the same time~redecorating/rearranging my room! I hate moving everything, but I love it when it’s done! (Actually, I just did some rearranging today..fly on over to http://hiddenenchantments.blogspot.com to watch the transformation!)
😀
Chores are the bane of my existence. My kryptonite. The Joker to my Batman ; )
I pretty much hate them all equally. I wouldn’t mind doing dishes, I suppose, except without a dishwasher, I have to do them all by hand. All the time. Every single dishy day.
Though, bottom line, I have to agree with Kate–toilets are the worst!
P.S. I too love Mr. Hinds–the recent film version of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” with Rupert Penry-Jones (I think?) was pretty good, but it’s the version with Ciarán that will always have a place in my heart!
Never did I pull anything like that. I wasn’t bad until my 20’s! 🙂
Love that you are getting in the “spirit” of Hallowe’en. You will make us all want to get a jump on it!
I already ordered a case of cranberry autumn tea…fall is in my blood.
xoxo
p.s. dusting shmusting
I hate dusting! When I was a kid I was sure my mom had me so she wouldn’t have to dust! I need to get my own kids on that one. So your magic spell is right up my alley. Bring on the magic brooms!
From one brat to another, I always hated cleaning the oven the most, but now have a self cleaner. I guess next down would be dusting this collection of “things” I’ve amassed. But…sigh…I love them all. I’ve enjoyed my visit as always. Hope you’re having a lovely weekend. Now, where’s my tea?
Oh..hand me that magic broom. I hate to clean under the bed. Achoo! I was such a sweet and never mischievous child. Hah! And I hated to clean under the bed then too!
Having children I find that my worst, most repetitive chore is tidying up. I quite like cleaning but by the time I’ve tidied all their toys and papers and basically just the trail of devastation they leave behind them, I’ve used up all my energy. They are such messy little monkeys! SO I’ll take a sip of your magic tea and it’ll all just disappear!
Your crow is fantastic. What a magical creature.
oh me oh my what a great blog, actually blog does not really suit what i have just read. you are so talented and creative i just have to add you as a link.
oh yes, does the potion do the witching hour? i have three wee ones that need bathing, feeding and bedding from the hours of 5 to 8pm. that would absolutely be a dream come true…that and a personal chef!!! love the blog mmwah rosey
As I looked around my very messy kitchen this morning, swearing I would never cook again, I thought, ‘If only someone would make me some magic tea . . .
Twyla
You are SUCH a sweetie! Hope you are having a great weekend! 🙂
Spooky CK
Oh, I have my own cleaning fairy. I set a dish down and he whisks it away! Even if I was just about to pour my cereal and I turn around to grab my coffee, POOF! bowl is gone before I can eat breakfast.
If I leave a stack of bills on the counter and get called away to tend to important things like blogging, POOF! bills are gone never to be found again. Until they are late.
If I leave my suitcases packed and untouched after a trip for more than a day, POOF! my fairy comes and pulls them into my closet and empties them.
How did I get so lucky (or cursed at times?) I married a perfectionist who likes things to be neat and tidy!!! Curse tidiness! There is too much fun to be had.
MUAH!
Dishes are #1 worst and laundry comes in a close second. I will scrub a floor, mow the lawn, clean the toilets … but those two chores I just cannot stand. My boyfriend does the dishes most of the time, so I get stuck with laundry. I was having someone do the laundry for us for awhile which was nice, but they used way too much detergent and wrapped everything in plastic wrap which was super annoying. And then my t-shirts kept shrinking so I figured if I want it done right … darnit, I better start doing it myself. Ugh!
My evilest prank took place when I was 12 and my uncle was watching us during the day one summer. I made a concoction of dog shampoo and soaps and mixed it up with water in a ziplock bag. Our house had a built in shelf just above the stairs where we put plants. I crawled up there with my soapy baggie and quietly waited for my uncle to walk by down below. When he did … I dropped the bomb!! It was just a sudsy mess all over him. I am pretty sure that was the meanest or maybe when I put dots of cinnamon extract on his freshly shaved face. That burns even if you haven’t just shaved!! He was the only person I was ever that mean to and I still don’t know why my dark side was inspired by him.
Oh…I am cleaning and scrubbing and dusting and mopping today. phew…I am sitting down with a lot of breaks and promising myself that I can have as many teats as I want as well. I absolutely adore cleaning the bathroom…but I do not like to dust. I am sorry to say that I live in a rather dusty home sometimes.
First, I have to say that looking at that photo of you with the cat whiskers and that shower-cap-hat-thing-a-ma-gig, just put the biggest smile on my face this morning!!!
Ok, now down to cleaning business . . urrrgh. My favorite chore in the home (believe it or not) is laundry. Yep, I like washing, folding, and even ironing when necessary.
My 16-year old manchild and I share space together, so pretty much I’m doing everything around here *Sigh*.
I could use that cup to have my broom scrub the bathrooms for me…
As for a favorite chore, has to be laundry.
Hanging it up and taking it down (no I do not own a dryer, I’d hardly ever use it)relaxes me. A private meditation time.
Especially when I can hang it outside.
Naturally I left it out to dry yesterday and woke up to pouring rain.. there is always that risk.
I hauled it back inside wetter that it was when I hung it out..sigh.
Oh please send me a sip of that magical tea and don’t forget to send that broom as well!!
Sorting out the paperwork/bills in the study is my #1 worst, most hated job.
Miss Alison
Quick, pour a cup for me, please! It’s vacuuming that I despise, despite having a lovely Dyson vacuum that makes it easier. Dusting isn’t far behind. Love your photos and your imagination! As for the journals, am glad you’re putting them to good use. Those things fly off the shelves like hotcakes in Paris. I will look for more, so you can keep up w/ all those magical potions. Goodness knows, we need all the magic possible! xoxox
Dusting.
Good grief, how it does follow me around, that dust. The furniture, well everything, looks at me disconsolately, and I say: “What??!!?? I have to dust you? AGAIN???”
I’ll take a cup of that tea, thankee kindly Miss Vanessa.
xoxoxo
Luck duck with your potions and magic to assist you. 🙂 and that artist on your journal is one of my favorites! 🙂 I believe it’s the same artist who does the book The Girl In the Castle Inside the Museum.
Your posts are fairy tales 🙂
I know about the dust. Even though I have no dirt roads nearby, there’s so much dust coming in every day…I can only imagine how much you have, but you have the ability to turn into into magical dust, right? 😉
Have you ever thought of writing books? You are amazing! How do you find the time to make up such magical adventures?
My least favorite chore is to put things away. Mostly because we don’t have much to put in. I’m working on that part though.
I also don’t love to do dishes. The first time I lived on my own, I had a rinky dink studio by the beach. Back them my rent was only $400. I paid it by waitressing and often went with out but made sure my cat ate. I had a impossible tiny fridge under a even smaller stove/sink. I ate a lot of microwave items plus green olives in a jar. Dishes were not my fortay. When company came over I hid them on the balcony. When I moved, I packed them all up in a box, dirty or clean.
I just had more “important” things to than clean. Know what I mean?
I think my least favorite chore is laundry! There is always so much of it and it never seems like it’s ever done. Could you send me a laundry fairy to do it for me? Great post.
Wow…the first thing I noticed about your recent entry was the secretary desk. I have the identical twin! It belonged to my Grandmother. I have 2 large beautiful fabric witches sitting on top of mine.
So strange to see it here! 🙂
Oh, thanks. You mentioned nannies and ‘those kind of kids’ so I immediately thought of Mary Poppins. Now ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ is playing in my head, not to mention ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’.
D.
Oh no, here comes ‘Chim Chim Cheree
I’d love a sip of that tea, because my least favourite chore is anything that involves getting my hands wet or handling damp things. It dries my hands out so, which does nasty things to my dermatitis. Ouchy. Not that I’d ever take advantage of that when my housemates comment on how sore my hands look… ;o)
I confess, I rather like vacuuming. You can dance around, sing as loudly and as out of tune as you want and the noise of the vacuum drowns it out. Plus it’s so satisfying to see that nice clean floor, especially in my house where I’m convinced we have a bad pixie that throws dust and dirt and goodness knows what else all over the floor.
Oh yes, we all need our Mary Poppins every so ofen. I hate ironing (sometimes the washing up)…thanks for sending the fairies over, they are much needed 🙂 PS. love La Marelle and all the jewellery on your dress-dummy.
** just read kate’s comment above (I have the same problem).
I’m in Awwwwww!!!~
Unfortunately, I have led a pretty uneventful life and have never really played any nasty tricks.
I saw this weekend that the Mrs. Pettigrew movie was released so I will have to go and rent it.
I love the La Marelle books. I studied french in high school and that was a very long time ago so I don’t remember much.
oh dear!! Thankgoodness for your magical tea…or I would have had to actually fold the laundry and iron the wrinkleees (that is my dreaded chore….folding and ironing). It’s horrid and now the happy faeries are doing all the work for me as I enjoy dark chocolate cake and magical no-chores tea!! What a perfect combination,indeed!! Thankeeee!
oh….and as tricks go…I used to do that hide behind the door and pop out to frighten my sister to shrieks….I was slightly naughty,too, huh!? ; )
Oh Miss V~
I just love those tights!!!!! I must say your art amazes me but your blogging is seriously impressive! You’ve got mad skills Miss Vanessa! I had a sip of the tea and now I must be off to see if it took effect!
~Hugs, Miss Ann-Denise
Well, I was always a good little girl…never ever naughty for a split second!!! My big brother was the bad one…I was never bad…nope, never. So what if I took two race horses out of their stalls for a little walk one evening at the golf course while my parents sipped their cocktails in the lounge.They needed exercise. Or so what if I put a cray fish in my cousin’s black patent leather shoes…they needed some wearing in. Never bad, not me.
I want that magic broom right now and if you don’t give it to me, I’ll just have to steal it!!!!!!
My oh my, you do bring out the good side of me Vanessa! Have a good day…always love visiting you for some magic.
Hello Vanessa,
Every visit to your blog is such fun…always great things to read about, great laughs at times… awesome photos…and I really like the one when you were a girl…Hilarious! :o)
~ Gabriela ~
Oh, my I think I’m in witchy Heaven here. I love those photos, all that magic it’s just wonderful. Your blog is delightful and I will take a sip of that tea because I hate to vacume…and is all I want to do today is create…I’m linking your blog because its to good to pass up love it…Lisa
I’ll take a cup or two of that tea!
Karla
I have always wished there was a magic way to do the chores I abhor…which if truth be told it’s all forms of cleaning. Although the chore must be done it’s never done with song and glee…….UNLESS of course I had the magic at my disposal. Since the first time I saw Mary Poppins I wanted the power to make drawers open and clothes fold inside neatly. To have a duster run about ridding the room of particles. That hasn’t changed….I want to tap and the bathroom is sparkling….tap tap floors are gleaming…tap tap windows twinkling.
Sadly in reality the only tap tap heard here is me tapping pen to pad for the to do list.
So pass me a cuppa please!!
XOXOXOXOXOX
A spot of your lovely tea is just what I need!!
My least favorite chore is dusting. Lucky for me that I leave for work in the morning before the sun is over the huge school building on the next street and is low in the hrizon by the time I get home! So from Monday through Friday, I don’t see any dust! But I see it on the weekend (ugh!) If your magic potion would turn that dust into glittery, glamorous fairy dust I would be just about the happiest woman in the whole world!
I think I need a double dose of that magical tea. 😉
The one chore that I could live without forever and ever is doing the dishes. I don’t know why but I find it to be so unpleasant. I should just use disposable dishes.
I pretty much hate all chores, but especially cleaning the bathroom. Luckily, it doesn’t take long to clean the house, which I hate to do this weekend. Blaaaaah…send some of your tea my way 🙂
Dont get me started on cleaning or the dust here in Bend..it’s bad! I just did an all-nighter cleaning as I didnt waste my daylight hours playing Cinderella. I’d say folding clothes is my least favorite chore. It just seems to take forever(mostly because it piles up all week). Send that fairy on over when she’s done with your place…hope she does laundry too.
Those journals of Nicolleta’s are dark and sweet:) I’m one of those people who buy journals and never get around to writing in them, maybe an occasional sketch.
Have a wonderful week:)
want to waste*
I am currently trying to write a childrens book about a little witch. This is funny timing. I will send you a copy when Im done!
I have no dirt road, but Dust Galore.
The household chore that hurts the most is Dealing-With-Stray-Items-That-Don’t-Really-Have-Homes. I become paralyzed and the clutter aggregates.
Even if stray items DO have “homes,” it seems difficult for me to get them back there.
So, it’s the “minutia” (sp?) that bothers me. (Second in line would be cleaning bathrooms.)
What I don’t mind/kinda like is doing the laundry, believe it or not (for some folk). Folding is no problem at all for me. I think that Laundry duties are a nice task for me because I *like* the medium I’m working with: cloth/textiles. That’s why.
Overall, I feel very priviledged to steward Home and Hearth. I get to fluff and personalize our nest, making it a respite from the outside world for me and my husband. HOMES are so important.
Vanessa, I would write you a long snail mail letter in a minute. I think you’re kooky enough to understand MY quirkiness (I’ve got a lot of it!). Fun. 🙂
Ellen P.
I desperately need a magic broom….
Bah humbug…I arrived too late for some of the magical tea! My chores are done … (but not dust free)….I have some spiders living in the corners that don’t want to be disturbed! A visit to your whimsies makes my day complete – dust and all !! Judy
Hi! I would love to try your potion for scrubbing toilets!! (and cleaning litter boxes, but this is kinda the same ~ huh?) Have a magical day….gail
Another lovely fairy tale in which to drift along…even if it was about chores, you make it beautiful! I did so many today – vaccuming, sweeping, even the toilet…my most hated chore of them all. I once hid in the upright laundry basket at the top of our stairs for ages and waited for my father to come looking for me, then gave him the fright of his life when I burst out…he was always scaring me, so it was such sweet revenge that I still remind him of!
Your Neil Diamond story is the cutest! But I can relate to it because when I was very little I associated my father to a little picture of Napoleon! That’s got to be worse, I thought my father was Napoleon! lol
I love Frida, what a complete rebel she was. I also feel some connection with her because I had spinal surgery and those paintings where you see her spine are really touching.
Also, since you have Mexico connections, do you know Lhasa de Sela and her wonderful songs? She has a bunch of songs about pajaros, I think.
I love Nicoletta Ceccoli!!! Look here: http://labaleineaplumes.webou.net/?p=48 , if you look well enough you’ll see one of my favourites drawing of her… on a notebook from La Marelle of course!
Ooo, I need some of that magic tea! My place is a wreck! And I must pick myself up one of those magic brooms too! 🙂
Sandra Evertson