Christmas Lunch

Early Christmas lunch at a friend's house yesterday. She is a very good cook, generous hostess and has a pretty garden which she works very hard in. An invitation to lunch is always a treat for me as I don't like cooking or gardening but I do like to eat and admire the efforts of others in the garden. I am showing a couple of pics. of the food, table setting and garden with a great view of Lake Illawarra as a backdrop to the garden.

The plate of chocolate slices was my rather pathetic contribution to lunch. Condensed milk and crushed biscuits were involved in the making but I don't think they were as good as the recipe promised.

Vintage Bridesmaid revisited

Above is the bridesmaid dress my sister wore at my wedding many years ago, it's a pretty flock nylon with painted flowers and taffeta lining. The dress would have had extra petticoats underneath to make the skirt stand out more.
When I borrowed the dress I found the neck altered and a large collar and bow added by my mother so it could be worn again. There are photos of my sister wearing the dress again but we can't remember just were to.

I wore the dress on the right as bridsemaid to a friend when I was 19. It is the only dress I have had in my life made especially for me by a dressmaker and I wore a rope petticoat underneath which I don't have now.

The nylon fur jacket below was worn by me to balls and parties and I've added some of my marcasite jewellrey that I still love but no longer wear.

Sadly my sister and I no longer fit into our dresses though my daughter once wore mine to a party.

Renting them out for school formals in not an option, I don't think they are what girls wear now.

Charlotte and the Pelican

A nice friendly pelican comes to visit and Charlotte is sure she can have it for dinner if it just comes a little bit closer, she's on full alert and ready to spring. Why bother with those seagulls if there's a chance of pelican and she might share with Emily who really is not interested in catching her own.

Elizabeth and Phillip Wedding Anniversary

Today is the 62nd wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Phillip, I think this may be the longest royal marriage in history. I have the 2 embroidery wedding transfers from 1947 in my collection which I don't think I will ever embroider. The mug and truck from the Golden Wedding Anniversary 1997, Phillip is on the other side of the mug. A bus from the Diamond Wedding 2007 and a tapestry cushion to work I bought with great enthusiasm and expense 2 years ago but have yet to finish.

Happy Anniversary H.R.H

Royal Visit 1954 doiley

A great find on ebay, a Royal Visit doiley with Tasmania included. I already had 2 doileys, one given to me by my sister, she had started the embroidery years ago and I finished it and crocheted the edge. Can't remember where I got the unworked one but neither shows any sign of Tasmania even in the instructions.

The queen did visit Tas. on that tour in 1954 so that state should have been included so I am very happy to have this doiley in my collection.

Tasmania is sometimes called the Apple Isle and the embroidery shows apples.

Prince Charles Birthday

Today Prince Charles turns 61 so to be fair and impartial I am showing a souvenir from each of his weddings.

A bag from his marriage to Diana and a bag from his marriage to Camilla.

The character jug was released by Royal Doulton

last year to celebrate Charles's 60th birthday.

My Mother's Birthday

Today would have been my mother's birthday, she loved pretty china so i'm showing a few of the pieces she owned and I now love. Mum also loved opal jewellery and a brooch (now my daughter's) and a ring she wore is displayed on a Harbour Bridge doiley embroidered and crocheted by mum next to one of her pretty hankdkerchiefs she dyed purple in her dyeing everything purple phase.
The supper cloth at the back was worked by mum for me and I have put in a couple of photos of mum.
Click on the pic. to see more detail.
Happy Birthday Mum XX

Embroidered Samplers from Canada

An exciting surprise parcel from Shirley in Canada today, the 2 samplers were expertly embroidered by her Aunt Mary in the 1930's or 40's and now Shirley has passed them on to me. Thank you Shirley-you are so generous.

The poem "Trees" embroidered on black linen was written by Joyce Kilmer and I learnt this poem at school years ago, I think everyone knows the first 2 lines.

Joyce Kilmer was killed in France July 1918 in WWI and today is 11.11 Rememberance day so a fitting day for this sampler to arrive.

The other hand embroidered sampler is of course the words of Robert Burns the Scottish poet. Shirley included the pretty note card pictured with her message, wish we could get together for that cup of tea Shirley!!

Latest ebay apron

Latest purchase from ebay for my collection is the very expertly stitched apron titled Miss Westralia. It looks as good at the back as the front, she is holding a bunch of wildflowers and sturt desert peas are pictured top and bottom.

Apron came from a very generous seller in Victoria who included the other apron pictured as a bonus, how good is that!!

The bonus apron is also expertly done and very pretty. My photography doesn't do my aprons justice so please click on the pics for a better look at the stitching.

V.E day, Battle of Trafalgar

Showing are the next 2 samplers in the same series, all cross stitched by me, one showing Admiral Nelson and the Battle of Trafagar and the other celebrating V.E day with a street party.

Guy Fawkes

5th November today so it's Guy Fawkes day, 404 years since he tried to blow up the British Parliment. I cross stitched this sampler from a D.M.C kit I bought a few years ago, it's one of a set of 3 and i'll show the other 2 tomorrow. I'm usually too busy doing my "ROYAL" stitching but these 3 fit into my commemorative category so I made an exception for them.

Royal Visit 1954

A beautiful embroidered sampler from that exciting Royal Visit in 1954, the first time a reigning monarch had ever visited Australia. The sampler originally belonged to my sister but she very generously gave it to me for my collection.

Next a bath towel from that visit. My mother bought me an identical towel in 1954 but I lost it somewhere in my travels and was very pleased when I was able to replace it via ebay.

Another ebay purchase, the pretty silk wall hanging is very unusual and perhaps

was part of a shop display for that memorable visit and now hangs on my wall.

My Sunday

Went to a large Doll, Bear and Craft show on Sunday and bought this English Woman's Weekly dated September 1942, it has a knitting pattern for a W.R.N.S doll in 4 ply wool and I think I will add it to my list of things I must do (and finish) one day.
Instructions for a shopping bag made from deckchair canvas are included, a great idea these days now we are all trying to give up plastic bags though I don't think this idea will even make it to my very long TO DO list.

Bought this tray cloth at the show complete with matching embroidered napkin, just needs the crocheted edge done to finish it off.

Never can resist bears so bought these ones with little baskets and some pretty handkerchiefs, one even has crowns on it. Charlotte loves bears too and her little face can be seen top left corner.

Emily had a busy day too, here she is checking out the garden, giving her claws a good sharpen on the lounge and ignoring her scratching post then stretched out fast asleep on her (my) bed.

Emily being a lamp

Feeling totally uninspired this week even with so much of my collections still to show and I'm still collecting. Emily has come to my rescue by demonstrating that she could be my new improved bedside lamp.

Edward VIII coronation

A rare (I think) sampler hand worked for the May 12th 1937 coronation of EdwardVIII before he abdicated on 11 Dec. 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson. The souvenirs were already in the shops and I have some of them in my collection including the paper napkin displayed with his picture printed on.
The coronation went ahead on the same date with George VI next in line and I have some lovely samplers and memorabilia of his coronation.

childs disney apron

Today Ted is wearing an apron hand embroidered with Mickey Mouse. A very old apron I bought at an antique fair and looks like it has never been worn.

Also a disney coronation apron, an ebay purchase from America. It has a story on the apron about Donald and his nephews going to the coronation in 1953.
Tried to lay the apron down to take a better picture but Charlotte had other ideas and thought it a good place for a wash.

Thank you Ted for being such a good model again, I hope Charlotte is not becoming jealous. Though not in this post Emily was watching from a nearby chair, maybe plotting her revenge on supermodel Ted.

Charlotte internet dating

No Charlotte, no more cat internet dating sites-it will only end in tears.

childs apron

Ted is wearing a child's apron, a souvenir of the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales on 1st July 1969. The apron is in brand new condition and still has the "Made in Wales" tag. I collect aprons and royalty so this item covers both. Also displayed, a mug from the investiture and a pretty bone china daffodil brooch to represent Wales. The brooch, a birthday gift from my daughter, chosen together from Selfridges London when we were there at the same time.
PLEASE NOTE:) no bears were harmed in the making of this post.

outside decor

Innisfree is the name of my house named after the Yeats poem, Lake Isle of Innisfree and as that is my favourite poem and I live on the shores of a lake I thought it perfect.

Yesterday I had to have the name plate moved as it had been enclosed when one end of my large verandah had been made into a sunroom. That left 2 small holes in the wall, I had long been admiring the koala wall vase in a charity shop so rushed in, it was still for sale and I think covers the hole very well.

The house number has a corgi (perfect for my royal house) and the brass door knocker is a coronation 1953 knocker.

Think I am covering everything here from an Irish poem, Australian koala and British royalty.

Charlotte's pram

Charlotte decided to check out my old dolls pram as a new sleeping spot, she seems to approve as you can see her asleep and she even has a little bear for company. Emily, not being as brave always prefers my bed or her little Queen bed.

The pram was a birthday gift I received as a child and is an exact replica of the prams used by young mothers in Australia in those days. I still have the dolls I pushed around in it and Charlotte is not the first cat to sleep in it.

doll club day

Doll club today and the only category I entered was "bear going to the beach" but the competition was just too good and my old bear did not win. Never mind Ted, when the sun shines you will be ready, sunscreen and all. Tonight you can sleep in my bed with Charlotte and Emily as a treat but tomorrow you must go on display again wearing a crown and royal tee shirt.
I took my newest apron (previous post) for show and tell as I am so impressed with the stitching.

Vintage Apron

Arrived today!! the latest ebay purchase for my apron collection. The hand stitching is so perfect and the stitches so tiny it almost looks painted, the back is as perfect as the front-no knots or loose bits of cotton. Binding on the edges is all hand stitched with tiny even stitches. Another apron that looks never washed or worn but stored away for I wish I knew how many years.
This apron must bring my collection to about 100, will have to do a recount. That includes 5 royal aprons, a couple of children's aprons and lots half finished or not stitched at all.
I think this one deserves a special permanent display, if I can find an empty spot. Click on the picture to enlarge, I don't think my photography does it justice.

charlotte and the king

Charlotte again taking the limelight while her sister Emily is asleep. She is posing in front of two George VI coronation cushions. I'm sure she is admiring them.

spoon bills and swans

The rain has brought some of the lake birds in a little closer to shore and here are some elegant black swans and a couple of spoon bills. These photos were taken from my verandah. I live on the shores of Lake Illawarra just south of Sydney and both types of bird are frquent visitors.

war time sampler

This sampler I think could be from WWII, perfect for an Anglophile like me. Hand embroidered it was an ebay purchase and came from Canada where i'm sure there are lots of anglophiles and royalists like me.

I was lucky enough to join in the singing of this song at the Royal Albert Hall in London on one of my (must go to see the Queen) trips.

pretty china

Did I say I also collect jugs? I've had the one with the kookaburra handle since I was a child and the koala jug was found at an antique fair. Knowing I love cats the cat jug was a gift from a friend, all displayed on one of my tray cloth sets with matching napkin and egg cosy.

Some pretty cottage china displayed on a coronation tablecloth. The china was a gift years ago from my daughter and I am on the hunt now for the matching teapot. Tee shirt at the back was found in a local op shop and had been reduced in price a few times before I snapped it up, well who else in this area would want it? Am waiting for the right occasion to wear it.

spider remembered

I remembered I had a very nice marcasite spider brooch and as I was going to a barbecue lunch at a friends house I wore the brooch in memory of my brave spider who met such a sad end in the bathtub. The vintage brooch was bought at a garage sale a couple of years ago for $1 and when I cleaned it up found it is hallmarked silver and is one of my best ever sale finds.

Emily

Here's Emily drinking her glass of water on the floor, normally she would jump on the sink to drink but I did not want to shock my lunch guests even though it was only family. There are 3 dishes of fresh water on the floor for my 2 girls but at the moment Emily prefers a glass. Tomorrow I must get back to my linens and royals-unless more spiders visit....

Charlotte

Charlotte has heard too late about those spider eating cats and is now on the lookout for a spider to taste, or perhaps she's heard about those American cats who use the toilet and don't need a litter tray. Must tell her to open the lid first.

spider's end

The spider has gone, won't go into detail about his sorry end but since the last sighting on Thursday night he had travelled across the house to the second bathroom and climbed into the spa bath. He looked worn out and it must have been hard going on only 7 legs so has been put out of his misery and Not by the cats, they have never heard of such a thing.