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.