I am now back home after my counselling session, and lunch, sitting in bed writing this post. Generally, this week has been a pretty good one and I feel contented. For today’s outfit, I turned to my favourite purple shades, from the palest lilac to amethyst to rich deep purple. My handbag was the lovely Massaccesi Victoria in amethyst pebbled leather. I also have a very appropriate, for me, piece of jewellery to show you.
Outfit of the day 17/05/19 with Teapot and Cup necklace
Today’s outfit:
Purple cotton mix crew-neck top – Lands’ End.
Pale lilac cotton mix crew-neck cardigan – Lands’ End.
Indigo cotton straight leg jeans – Klass.
Purple and white crystal and gold stud earrings.
Purple enamel and gold Chain skinny bangle – Halcyon Days.
Gold, silver, crystal and enamel Teapot and Cup necklace – Bill Skinner via eBay.
Yes, when I found this necklace on eBay, I simply couldn’t resist! As you must be aware, if you read this blog or know me in real life, I am an absolute tea addict. These days, I spend my time with a large pot of tea next to me all of the time. I couldn’t exist without tea. I love tea!
I think you will get the idea…
So, this necklace is perfect for me and I wore it today with pretty minimal jewellery so that it had a real starring role in my outfit. The necklace shows a tiny silver teapot, cup and saucer decorated with enamelled flowers and crystals. Here is a larger version of the image…
Teapot and Cup necklace by Bill Skinner
I also bought a couple of other items this week, in preparation for the Summer, and I will show you those on Monday.
We actually went out for a pub lunch! Hip, hip, hooray!!!
It was my hairdresser appointment again this morning and I staggered around a couple of shops afterwards. I so rarely shop in real-life establishments. Anyway, I was very tired by the time Lovely Husband came to pick me up and I said to him, at first, that I wanted to go straight home. After thinking for about 10 seconds, I changed my mind, so we then drove out into the countryside.
So, I am back home in bed with a nice hairdo, a full tummy and drooping eyelids, but feeling very pleased 😀! LH has been sleeping in his reclining chair downstairs all afternoon. Oh, the joys of old age – ha, ha!
Cobalt enamel and gold Curb Chain bangle – Halcyon Days.
Cream enamel and gold Byzantine bangle – Halcyon Days.
Silk scarf, 90cm, in blues, white, green and orange – De la Mer au Ciel – Hermès. Tied in a necklace knot.
It has been very warm today with wonderful blue skies. The English countryside looked so beautiful as we drove through and our back garden (if I squint slightly to avoid the weeds), is also lovely.
Counselling tomorrow.
Best wishes,
💙💚💙💚💙
PS. If you would like to know more about the De la Mer au Ciel scarf design, please look at my Scarf of the Moment post.
I have enjoyed two very large fantasy books this week: Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Fools and The Liar’s Key (books #01 and #02 from his The Red Queen’s War series). Currently, I am reading the final part of the trilogy: The Wheel of Osheim.
Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
I actually read Prince of Fools back in 2016, but decided to read it again as I had found the rest of the series on our Library’s catalogue and had put in requests. In the end, I am glad that I did this as I couldn’t really remember the details of the story, just the basic outline. Also, it’s a great book, so well worth enjoying for a second time! Anyway, this is the blurb:
I’m a liar and a cheat and a coward, but I will never, ever, let a friend down. Unless of course not letting them down requires honesty, fair play or bravery.
The Red Queen is dreaded by the kings of the Broken Empire as they dread no other.
Her grandson Jalan Kendeth – womaniser, gambler and all-out cad – is tenth in line to the throne. While his grandmother shapes the destiny of millions, Prince Jalan pursues his debauched pleasures.
Until, that is, he gets entangled with Snorri ver Snagason, a huge Norse axeman and dragged against his will to the icy north…
Back in 2016 I gave the book four stars, but didn’t write a review on Goodreads. This time I increased the star rating to five and wrote the following:
I loved this book. Such a great mix of blood thirsty adventure, gruelling quest, larger than life characters, magic and black humour. Jalan is such a well-written character. Although I am sure that I wouldn’t like a real-life version, he is such fun to read. I really like the way that the author gets inside his head and shows the reader Jalan’s thoughts, unpleasant and cowardly though they may be. He is such a contrast to Jorg, in the previous series, and also to the usual brave and knightly fantasy heroes in most books of this genre. How he gets into and out of scrapes is such fun!
The other characters in the book are well drawn also, with plenty of variety and development. The plot is exciting and full of adventure. I do hope that the rest of the series lives up to this cracking beginning!
This book and this author are highly recommended.
The Liar’s Key by Mark Lawrence
As soon as I finished the first book, I grabbed the second one, The Liar’s Key, straight away and immersed myself in it. Here is the blurb:
The Red Queen has set her players on the board…
Winter is keeping Prince Jalan Kendeth far from the longed-for luxuries of his southern palace. And although the North may be home to his companion, the warrior Snorri ver Snagason, he is just as eager to leave. For the Viking is ready to challenge all of Hell to bring his wife and children back into the living world. He has Loki’s key – now all he needs is to find the door.
As all wait for the ice to unlock its jaws, the Dead King plots to claim what was so nearly his – the key to the underworld — so that his dead subjects can rise and rule.
This time, I gave the book four stars and wrote this review:
I enjoyed this book, but was a little disappointed to find out that it wasn’t quite as good as Prince of Fools. I was also surprised because this book has won awards! However, it is still really worth reading and I did award it four stars. Perhaps Mark Lawrence raises the game so much with his writing that, when he creates a book a little less brilliant than before, the resulting offering jars?
Anyway, my issues were quite small, really. The journey in the first half of the book becomes a bit tedious, although Lawrence uses various devices to help the reader along. Jalan’s homecoming is very amusing and the second half has a change of pace. It all just seemed a bit too long! The humour wasn’t quite so good either and it was so clever in book one.
A little bird has told me that the final book, The Wheel of Osheim, is totally amazing, however, so I will pick that up right now…
The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence
The third book, The Wheel of Osheim, was waiting in my book pile as I completed the second and I have now read the first few chapters. Great so far! I will tell you about it next time. If you are a fantasy fan, I really recommend Mark Lawrence.
Apologies for the lack of a post yesterday. I was simply too ill to concentrate. Luckily, I am feeling a lot better today, so I will try to write as coherently as possible.
The sun has been shining brightly here in the English Midlands for some days and the world outside looks beautiful. Lovely Husband is glued to the cricket on the TV and that reminded me of my Liberty of London scarf: The Laws of the Game of Cricket. It is an old 70cm in a very soft ivory silk with the design in a pale blue. The centre shows a drawing of a cricket match with the “Laws” written around the edge. I bought it for a song on eBay, but have since seen it offered for over £200! I wonder if it will ever sell.
Outfit of the day 14/05/19 with Liberty’s Laws of the Game of Cricket scarf
White and blue ceramic and silver Chinese style earrings – Emma Amies via Etsy.
Silk scarf, 70cm, in ivory and pale blue – The Laws of the Game of Cricket – Liberty of London. Tied using a MaiTai horn scarf ring.
Another thing I have to do this afternoon is set up my new laptop. My old one was so slow that I could cook a meal whilst waiting for it to load. Even though I don’t use it very often, as I tend to rely on my iPad as I am in bed so much, we do need one family machine. So, I ordered an inexpensive laptop which arrived this morning. I hope the setup goes well!
When I have finished that, I will begin my new book. Hopefully, I will be well enough to write the usual Reading Roundup post tomorrow.
Best wishes,
💚💛💜💙❤️🧡
PS. I have written about the Laws if the Game of Cricket scarf before and you may find this post interesting.
I am currently sitting in bed listening to a terrific hail storm rattling against the windows! The sky has turned a deep, dark grey and the leaves on the trees look shredded. I am so glad that I have a hot cup of tea next to me.
It was counselling day again and I was able to attend the appointment, although I arrived in the room wheezing horribly from the walk up two flights of stairs. To try to counteract some of the gloom from the week, I wore a rather whimsical pair of earrings with this lovely Under the Waves silk scarf, designed by Alice Shirley for Hermès. I have just searched this blog to find posts about the scarf and realised that I only seem to wear it in May – how odd! I must do something about that as it is so pretty with its refreshing pastel colours.
Outfit of the day 10/05/19 with Hermès’ Under the Waves scarf
Today’s outfit:
Aqua cotton cable jumper – Lands’ End.
Indigo cotton jeans – Klass.
Blue/green iridescent Seahorse earrings – MadMarchMoon via Etsy.
Coral pink enamel and gold Agama bangle – Halcyon Days.
Blue enamel and gold Agama bangle – Halcyon Days.
Silk scarf, 90cm, in pink, aqua, turquoise, blue, yellow and taupe – Under the Waves – Hermès. Tied in a cowboy cowl knot.
Elder Son is having a day out tomorrow, so Lovely Husband and I will enjoy the peace and quiet!
Happy Weekend to you all!
Best wishes,
🧡💚💛❤️💙💜
PS. If you are interested in finding out more about the gorgeous Under the Waves scarf design, do look at my Scarf of the Moment profile post.
When I first started writing these posts about my Hermès scarves, I chose the title “Scarf of the Moment” to kind of echo the standard “Outfit of the Day” or “Scarf of the Day” articles that are so common on blogs and Instagram. In actual fact, this scarf, Sweet Dreams, really has become my Scarf of the Moment, particularly this week, with such horrible cold and wet weather. I have been snuggling down with the scarf for comfort as it is getting softer with each wear.
I have never bought a scarf from any men’s collection before, but when I saw the modelling photos being shared on The Purse Forum, I fell for Sweet Dreams immediately! Designed by Jan Bajtlik for Hermès Spring/Summer 2019 men’s season, it has been such a hit with women.
Sweet Dreams by Jan Bajtlik for Hermès
Description
I was first attracted to the scarf by the amusing and whimsical design. Twelve monsters from your darkest dreams are depicted in boxes. Or are they so terrible? Perhaps they are friendly creatures and only appear to be terrifying. Maybe they are more like the monsters in Maurice Sendak’s famous picture book Where the Wild Things Are? Or the animals from medieval bestiaries?
Image from Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak
The design is one of colour tones, texture and pattern. When my colourway, #13, is tied the changing patterns come to the fore, with the gorgeous shades of blue, white and grey blending and curling around the scarf. Other colourways are more muted, or even brighter still with each variation giving a very different experience to the wearer.
Colourway #13 (bleu azur/ciel/gris), has many shades and tones of blue, a pale grey, a darker brownish grey and some white, with a pale blue rolled hem. The overall effect is more vibrant than in the image above. The scarf is 100x100cm and the material is a blend, 70% wool and 30% silk, in a fine weave which gives an almost weightless feel. When new, the fabric is quite firm but not harsh on the skin, and it is softening quite noticeably.
Colourways
These are the colourways for the Spring/Summer 2019 wool/silk 100cm:
Giant cashmere/silk triangles were offered during the Autumn/Winter 2022 season:
There doesn’t appear to be a design story for the men’s scarves on the Hermès website. I have, however, found a comment by the designer, Jan Bajtlik, on his own website (link at the bottom of this post):
“Sweet dreams” my first men’s Hermès “carré” scarf Spring/Summer 2019, 100×100 cm, wool and silk, available in 5 colour versions. The scarf is inspired by medieval bestiaries. It’s playing with archetype and our perception on the beasts and monsters in graphic and colourful way. I drew this project with fluorescent markers. Mixed transparent colours are visible on the scarf printed in silkscreen.
Details
Here are some closeups of my scarf in a slideshow format:
How I wear the scarf
I have only made three Outfit of the Day collages for this scarf, so far, but will add more as I continue to wear it. The scarf was purchased to wear with my clothes in navy and other shades of blue and also my developing collection of grey pieces. I am really happy with the way it looks with my accessories too, particularly my bluette pompei Midi-Muse handbag from Massaccesi (see image below).
Outfit of the day 16/11/20 with Hermès’ Sweet Dreams scarf
Outfit of the day 04/04/19 with Hermès’ Sweet Dreams scarf
Outfit of the day 08/03/19 with Hermès’ Sweet Dreams scarf
Scarf ties
These are a few quick ties that I made to show the versatility of the scarf. As the texture of the scarf is so different to the silk twill 90cm carrés and also due to the nature of the design, I feel that casual knots are more in keeping.
Sweet Dreams – scarf ties
Clockwise, starting on the left: cowboy knot, criss-cross knot, asymmetric wrap, scarf folded into a triangle and tied around neck using a scarf ring, similar to previous but scarf more loosely tied, unknown name for knot but tied using a MaiTai scarf ring!
Background information
As this is a very new scarf design, there is very little written about it. There are, however, lots of modelling photos of the different colourways in this thread on The Purse Forum:
I hope readers have found this exploration of Sweet Dreams both interesting and useful. Once again, if you find any errors or have any additional information that I could add, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
I have read two books this week and am about 60% of the way through a third. Due to illness, my concentration has been very poor and when that happens, I tend to read random sites and play games on my iPad. Anyway, here are the books that I did finish.
Providence by Caroline Kepnes
The first book was Providence by Caroline Kepnes. I thought I would take a quick break in between reading books by Mark Lawrence, so I turned to what I thought would be an exhilarating thriller. Here is the blurb:
Growing up as best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe are the only ones who truly understand each other, though they can never find the words to tell one another the depth of their feelings. When Jon is finally ready to confess his feelings, he’s suddenly kidnapped by his substitute teacher who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft and has a plot to save humanity.
Mourning the disappearance of Jon and facing the reality he may never return, Chloe tries to navigate the rites of entering young adulthood and “fit in” with the popular crowd, but thoughts of Jon are never far away.
When Jon finally escapes, he discovers he now has an uncontrollable power that endangers anyone he has intense feelings for. He runs away to protect Chloe and find the answers to his new identity–but he’s soon being tracked by a detective who is fascinated by a series of vigilante killings that appear connected.
Whisking us on a journey through New England and crashing these characters’ lives together in the most unexpected ways, Kepnes explores the complex relationship between love and identity, unrequited passion and obsession, self-preservation and self-destruction, and how the lines are often blurred between the two.
Well, the book simply didn’t work for me at all and so here is my verdict as written on Goodreads (I awarded the book two stars):
I am not really sure how and why I finished this book. I thought it was going to be a thriller about a kidnapping and its aftermath, but not like this! It was sort of compelling in parts, but also dragged badly in others. Apparently her other books are better – I hope so!
Perhaps Mark Lawrence’s amazing writing spoiled me for this book…..maybe!
The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson
After this debacle, I turned to our Library Service’s ebook catalogue and selected Tyrell Johnson’s The Wolves of Winter. This is the blurb:
Forget the old days. Forget summer. Forget warmth. Forget anything that doesn’t help you survive.
Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As memories of her old life haunt her, she has been forced to forge ahead in the snow-covered Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap to survive.
But her fragile existence is about to be shattered. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community—most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who sets in motion a chain of events that will force Lynn to fulfill a destiny she never imagined.
I gave the book three stars, although it really was just short of four, I think. Here is my review on Goodreads:
I enjoyed this book and read it very quickly in one go. It was a good story, with plenty of action and excitement but very simply told and easy to read. It felt like a Young Adult book in parts, but some of the subject matter would be better for older teens onwards. The ending was good and it seemed as if there might be a sequel in the offing, which I would be happy to read. The setting was also well written and atmospheric; the characters were developed and interesting. Worth reading.
Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
I am currently re-reading the first book in Mark Lawrence’s second series: Prince of Fools (The Red Queen’s War). I first read this in 2016, before I started this blog, and couldn’t remember more than the basic plot outline, so decided to read it again before tackling books two and three (which are currently piled next to my bed). In fact, I am glad that I did decide to re-read, as I really had forgotten a lot of important parts of the story. Anyway, I will tell you more about how I get on in next week’s post.
Unfortunately, I am very ill today and unable to write a proper post as I had planned. I hope to be able to upload the weekly Reading Roundup post tomorrow.
As I have said before, the fashion world seems like a very baffling place to me. We are not even in the Summer yet in the Northern Hemisphere, but already the designers are showing their new offerings for the Autumn/Winter 2019 season! I am still thinking about another scarf from the Spring/Summer Collection 😂.
There isn’t a great deal of information or many photos of the next season’s scarves as yet, but there is a new thread on The Purse Forum: ……The Hermès Fall/Winter 2019 Scarves……
This thread will continue over the next weeks and months with images and modelling photos, giving all of us scarfies invaluable information to help us choose wisely. Purse Forum members are very generous with their extensive knowledge. I should know, as I have asked for advice several times.
Ex Libris Les Parisiennes de Kiraz – Hermès Fall/Winter 2019
So, I will continue to keep and eye on that thread to see which beauties I might go for later on in the year. Mind you, I am now out of space in my scarf drawers!
Well, I actually managed to go to today’s counselling appointment! It feels like a major achievement. It tired me out so much that I had to return to bed this afternoon, but I am still pleased.
This time, I didn’t spend time planning a particular outfit, to then get disappointed when I couldn’t go out. Instead, I simply threw on things that were easy: starting with one of my favourite scarves that always makes me feel good – A Feminist at Heart by Karine Assaf. This is so easy to coordinate with a mainly navy blue outfit.
Outfit of the day 03/05/19 with Karine Assaf’s A Feminist at Heart scarf
Today’s outfit:
Bright navy cotton mix short sleeved top – Lands’ End.
Bright navy cotton mix crew neck cardigan – Lands’ End.
Indigo straight leg jeans – Klass.
Blue, copper, black and silver resin earrings. Present from my Mother. These are perfect with the colours in the scarf.
Navy enamel and gold Geometric earrings – Halcyon Days.
Silk scarf, 70cm, in orange, blues, white and grey – A Feminist at Heart – Karine Assaf. Tied in a criss-cross knot using a MaiTai medium size horn scarf ring.
Right, I think that I now need another cup of tea, so I will venture downstairs for a few minutes then return to bed so that I can settle down with my latest book.
Former professional school librarian, now retired through chronic illness. Trying to keep cheerful by reading, drinking lots of tea, blogging my new life, and my love of bling!
The Librain
The Librain......retired 
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