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‘tiny happy’ was a journal of my handmade life from 2006-2025.

taking flight

Flight 1

Flight 2

Flight 3

I finally hung up a picture I originally found in an antique shop- it's an old Vernon Ward painting of geese taking flight. I love it and it holds a familiar feeling for me- I wonder if perhaps it used to be printed on a biscuit tin belonging to my grandmother. Or perhaps the back of a set of playing cards? Poor old Vernon Ward.

It's another hot and bright day here today, with the cicadas screeching all around the house. I've been working on some small linen embroidered things, and getting ready for another quick trip up to Wellington- this time to attend the Sufjan Stevens concert tonight. I can hardly believe my luck! See you back here tomorrow.

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33 responses to “taking flight”

  1. louana Avatar
    louana

    I love those needlecases! I’ve been using my jasmine one lots today 🙂 Have a great trip.

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  2. Garden Mama Avatar
    Garden Mama

    i love these photos melissa, and the painting is lovely. It struck me how you mentioned it feeling familiar, a friend who is a quilter just gave me a bag of scraps that my daughter starting looking through hoping to create a quilt of her own she found a few fabrics that she held onto saying that they felt familiar to her… i really like that and like that feeling even when you don’t know just why something feels that way it is a nice feeling. Enjoy the concert, I bet it will be amazing!

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  3. Margaret Oomen Avatar
    Margaret Oomen

    flowers, needlebooks and sufjan, sounds like a perfect day

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  4. Maribeth Avatar
    Maribeth

    Playing cards – yes, that is familiar! Have fun at the concert. It is always more fun than I even imagine to hear music live.

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  5. Holly C. Avatar
    Holly C.

    Everything is so pretty!

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  6. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    I agree with Margie! Hope you have a wonderful time at the concert.

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  7. Sera Avatar
    Sera

    The jasmine one is delightful! Enjoy your concert 🙂
    Sera

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  8. Lotus Avatar
    Lotus

    Hey Melissa enjoy the concert. I also found a dress that you might like:
    http://www.upthewoodenhills.com/products

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  9. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    I really love that painting. So glad you mentioned that familar feeling, i have a Vintage print that I had to buy because of that same nagging ‘i know this from somewhere’…..my mum and I now think it may have been a print that used to hang in my Great Grandma’s house….and i can hardly remember her at all!

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  10. Marty Avatar
    Marty

    We’ve had a blizzard here all day, but it’s mostly stopped and I was able to get home from work safely. I love the geese painting-I love geese! I love the noise they make flying overhead.

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  11. Tammy Avatar
    Tammy

    Your images and embroidery are just delightful. Happy day to you! Tammy

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  12. Jenn Avatar
    Jenn

    Eeek… you must be at Sufjan Stevens right now! I saw him at Sydney Opera House last week and it was just such an amazing concert. People got up in their seats and danced in the second half of Impossible Soul and it just made me so happy I cried.

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  13. Ange Avatar
    Ange

    Oooh, I ran into some friends on their way to Sufjan Stevens tonight, and wondered to myself if you were up here for it … hope it was fabulous!!

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  14. Rosa in the Antipodes Avatar
    Rosa in the Antipodes

    Have fun up here, Melissa! The weather is not as good as Nelson, but the concert worth the trip! 🙂

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  15. Eva Avatar
    Eva

    And the leaf in the jug looks like a little bird of paradise about to take flight too! Have a great time Melissa.

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  16. Barbara Avatar
    Barbara

    such a sweet and peaceful post …

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  17. heidi Avatar
    heidi

    have a good time tonight! i love sufjan stephens. i love reading about how warm and fabulous it is there when it is so very bitter and cold here now in kansas. gives me hope!

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  18. D @ Homemade&Happy Avatar
    D @ Homemade&Happy

    Oh you can’t beat good old Vernon Ward! I’ve got several now, having started with some floral prints. Then the discovery of some seascapes over time has meant VW’s pictures are in various rooms around the house! I like that idea that his paintings were reproduced on tins, cards, trays, etc – it makes me smile.
    Can’t wait for us to have some of the warmth that you describe over here in the UK !
    Happy days to you,
    D x

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  19. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    I have a few Vernon Ward pictures and my favourite is very similar to your “Taking Flight” (all were charity shop or car boot finds).
    It was sunny here today too but very cold, the mild weather of recent days brought on the snowdrops, aconites and hellebores, some of my favourite flowers.
    Love your needlecases.
    Always such a pleasure to visit your gentle blog.
    Carol xx

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  20. Lucy Avatar
    Lucy

    Wasn’t Sufjan AMAZING? Such an incredible spectacle. Can we expect some gaffer tape creations on tinyhappy soon as a result?

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  21. Jacilyn Avatar
    Jacilyn

    I can feel a little beachiness come through the screen. We are on the cusp of spring here so a glimpse of your full-swing summer is fun.

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  22. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    I love to come visit your site, Melissa. Everything always looks so peaceful 🙂

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  23. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thanks lotus- those dresses are beautiful! thank you for sharing the link xx

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  24. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    yes yes- and that happened in wellington, too. everyone dancing to impossible soul while giant balloons came down from the ceiling… amazing!

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  25. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    ha- yes, i loved the gaffer tape outfits!
    so glad you loved it too, lucy!

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  26. gracia Avatar
    gracia

    Those birds in flight! So brilliant. Makes you wish you could somehow join in… just once… just to see what it felt like.

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  27. kaylovesvintage Avatar
    kaylovesvintage

    I like your vintage

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  28. tai Avatar
    tai

    Oooh… big Sufjan fans over here- lucky you!

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  29. vera Avatar
    vera

    I just love to visit your blog ! 🙂

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  30. Jenn Avatar
    Jenn

    I loved the connection you made with Eurythmy. The Dancing Girls were just incredible. And every time I see Sufjan he is just such a gentleman! Such a pleasure to share his music with him. Did you get Owen Pallett opening?

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  31. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    hi jenn! yes, he was very humble and intelligent. it was an amazing concert, wasnt it. no, we didnt get owen pallett, but instead a nz musician named renee-louise carafice. sadly we missed her though!

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  32. Margaret Law Avatar
    Margaret Law

    I have 2 Vernon Ward paintings in my house also (copies of originals). I brought them over from Scotland with me, one is of Swans that my dad gave me many years ago and one is a harbour scene with fishing boats and flying birds that I purchased because I loved the one my dad gave me. I think he must have loved birds. His work is gorgeous. Love your blog.
    Take care.
    Margaret.

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  33. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Your embroidered needle books are just lovely! They are making me dream of making my own…

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