Wednesday 3 February 2016

Simply Neutrals #16 Carillon Bells and Fairies

Greetings, friends! It's a busy time of year for us here on the South Coast of Australia. My partner and I are off tomorrow to Canberra for the day (a 4 hour return trip) to do a quarterly maintenance on the Carillon bells there. The children are back to school and all the after-school activities - gymnastics, basketball, swimming etc that keep us driving everywhere.


Since the bells are very neutral-coloured, I thought it might be fun to focus on them as well as some 'pretty stuff'. This is me at the top of the frame that holds the bells. It shakes when the bells ring, especially the biggest one at the bottom. We usually switch the automatic chimes that ring on the the quarter, half and hour, but sometimes we forget, and have to cover our ears as quickly and tightly as we can and brace ourselves - especially if it's 12 O'Cock!!!

Carillon by http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

There are 57 bells. Only one ladder up, no safety rails or handles - we are still waiting on all that to happen after about 118 years of doing this.



Carillon by http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

Here are the four big bells at the bottom. You have to duck or you'll hit your head. The frame you see here is about 3 stories high.


Carillon by http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

This is what it looks like from the outside. A beautiful building. It has a lift, and one fire escape. It's tough on the legs when the lift fails!!!

Carillon by http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

Now for some pretties... a gorgeous vintage book and metal bookmark...


Vintage book by http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

And a favourite old album cover waiting to be altered (maybe, if I can get the courage up!) with vintage baby shoes I found at an op shop.

I have been making some more fairies for my craft room. It's an easy portable thing to do. I bring the printed fairies and scissors wherever I have to wait for the children's activities.
I'm still not finished, but here are a couple so far:

The first is my daughter (about 11 years ago)


Baby shoes from http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

The second is from a cabinet card. I've added lace and a crown.


Fairy by http://lace-age-girl.blogspot.com.au/

I'm linking up to Wen's Simply Neutrals Tuesday. Pop over to her blog AppleApricot and see more gorgeous neutral beauty.



Have a great week, see you soon :) I'm off to bed to listen to the wonderful rain...

Hugs,
Jesse



15 comments:

  1. What a beautiful post. Love the idea of eh carillon bells, we have some here at the market place, but I can't imagine climbing up all that way to maintain them, well done! Hugs, Valerie

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    1. Valerie, How lucky you are having carillon bells in your market place. We have only 3 carillons in the whole of Australia.We love maintaining them.

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  2. Wow what a job that must be with those bells, I am afraid of heights so that wouldn't be something I could do. Your fairies are adorable!!

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  3. Hi Jesse! Your photos are lovely and I just love those fairies! So cute!

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  4. Dear Jesse, what a wonderful building holding all those bells, it must be a bit scary climbing to the top, but if you are used, I know it is nothing to " cry about" , BUT I admire you, you are doing it.
    It looks amazing seen from below, little you, there,between bells of all sizes !!
    Your fairies are so cute , especially the one of your daughter, a lovely idea to dress up sweet children in laces and more.
    Hugs from Dorthe

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    1. Hello Dorthe, Yes it's a long way up but we are used to it. Soon it will be safer for us to do the maintenance. My daughter is probably not impressed at being a fairy, she has outgrown fairies for the time being. SSHH! Jesse

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  5. Gorgeous Jesse! The bells are magnificent! What a privilege you have there~
    And your fairies are delightful~ They inspire me : ) with all the sweet lace and paper feathers! Lovely post! We are buried in snow here; and I'm a bit jealous of your beautiful weather : ) Take care, ~Karen O

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    1. Hi Karen, Yes, we are very lucky to have this work. We love it. Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you are cosy enough out of the snow. It's incomprehensible to me to have that much snow and cold!!! Hugs,
      Jesse

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  6. Your fairies are adorable Jesse. And those bells! Oh my goodness! Mimi xxx

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    1. Thanks, Mimi, I have some more fairies too, for another post.
      Jesse

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  7. Hi Jesse! I love those bells. What a sight they must be, and I can't even imagine how beautiful they must sound. The building is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing the tour with us. Your fairies are simply adorable. What a great idea to use your daughter's photo in the one. Hugs, Sue

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  8. Hi Sue, I'm glad you stooped by for a visit. I appreciate your friendly voice.:)
    cheers,
    Jesse

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  9. Jesse- the bells are so beautiful. I bet they have a lovely sound when they are played. Your altered fairies are so pretty... Just the right amount of glitter!!
    Thank you for stopping by my blog for a little visit...
    Xoxo
    Vicki

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  10. Lovely to see you here. Have a great week.
    Jesse

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Thank you so much for your friendly comments. It makes my day to hear from you about my artworks and topics.