Bargains Galore and A Crown Tea Cosy

 Have you ever come across a bargain you had to have? In this case shoes reduced from $125 to $5, never mind that they are 3 sizes too big for me or have heels 4inches too high for me to wear. I had to have them as I knew they'd be good for something. Now look and I haven't finished yet. I think they need something sparkly like glitter.

 The back of the shoes. The other shoe might be kept plain so I can see before and after.

The shoes are perfect with my Australia day dress. Now if only I was taller, slimmer, younger and with bigger feet! If the 2 men in Darwin who dared to wear this dress on Australia Day (see a previous post) want to borrow the matching shoes I might consider lending the shoes.

 A new Crown tea cosy pattern from Peta in Victoria. This one is jumping the queue of cosy patterns as it might be a bit quicker to knit than some patterns I am struggling with. Visit Peta at www.handmade4u.net.au
Peta has a book of cosy patterns and readymade cosies can be ordered for non knitters.

 Two swans added to my collection, both both are from op shops at a bargain price. These 2 are unusual because they have eyes painted on. Both are Hollyware made by a Sydney pottery Sullivan and Griffiths. This pottery I believe only lasted a few years in the 1950's.

 I bough this shell vase for $2 last week in an op shop. I think it is also Hollyware as they have an almost identical wall vase. I don't have space to keep this vase so I'll admire and research it for a few weeks then donate it back.

Three interesting jugs. The pink one at the back is kept because it's small and interesting, I know nothing about it yet. The 2 jugs in front are unusual. The one on the left with the pretty scene is Victoria brand made in Czecho-Slovakia which according to Google if there is a hyphen it was made before World War II.
The jug on the right was made by IBC in Czechoslovakia no hyphen so it was made later. IBC made a lot of souvenir ware for Australia and New Zealand. I wonder why when there were so many potteries here at that time.

Teresa Gil Queen Update and More

You can see my Teresa Gil cross stitch is growing, still a long way to go but I know I will get there. Guilty again of stitch hopping and looking for easy bits to stitch and then going back when the mood takes me and filling in the missing bits. Any lone missed stitches will show when I do the backstitch and beads.

 In my magazine stash I came across this page dated February 2nd 1954, just before the Queen's first visit to Australia. 'Mrs Ellena Buiko, who describes herself as a White Russian monarchist and who keeps a photo of the late Zsar Nicholas II on a mantle piece in her Sydney Cottage, recently completed a tapestry of the Queen'
She started her tapestry early last year and worked on it 40 hours a week for 8 months. Ellena copied from a portrait of the queen but changed the face a little so the Queen wouldn't look too serious.
The tapestry at the bottom is of Madonna Dolorosa  copied from a painting in a German art gallery. Ellena stitched it from Australian wool before the war.  " A Queensland farmer heard that I was working on the Queen's portrait and sent me a case of bananas. These, he wrote me, should sustain me in my work. Isn't it marvellous." Ellena was director of the Belgrade School of Embroidery before she came to Australia.
All I can say is I wish I had met Ellena and no one has sent me any bananas.

Working hard on my cross stitch and at the same time knitting my 3rd crown tea cosy with at least 3 more queued up waiting to be knitted. I am a multi tasker.

 Sydney Harbour Bridge is 82 tomorrow. Happy birthday Bridge and I have a new souvenir apron to show.
The one on the right is my latest one. Both old aprons have the date 19th March 1932 stitched on the pocket.
A third apron not yet and possibly never will be stitched is at the top.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" said Shakespeare in his play Richard IV. Charlotte and I are both starting to feel uneasy with all those samplers above our heads at night but I am now so short of wall space that there is nowhere else. I see it doesn't stop you using my queen pillow when it's not really your turn Charlotte and I hate unmade beds though you force me to live with a rarely made bed.

 This is the panel I had hoped to place on the ceiling but was warned against. I had it stuck to the wall with lots of those sticky things and it came crashing down. Look how the heat and humidity have made it warp. Now held up with wire and nails it needs to be placed on stronger board,

 My old doll has a new outfit. Straight from the Salvation Army. A hand knitted cardigan and a skirt that I have attached a Prince George badge to. She is also wearing a Princess Margaret badge from the cancelled Royal Visit 1949. Ted (and here I should point out that big ted is very obliging and is whatever sex I want him to be. Sometimes male, today female.) is still wearing a denim skirt and a royal visit T shirt from 1954. Also 'diamond' earrings and a 'diamond' tie necklace. The small doll is wearing a very unusual crocheted hat from the Salvos, I threaded red white and blue ribbon through it.

Went to the BIG 2nd hand book fair on Saturday and came away with a couple of very interesting old books, I'll talk about them later. This is only a very small section of the books on offer. As I was downloading this pic onto my blog I saw it. The man with no shirt!! On the far right. One of my bugbears is showing I know, but still. I know this is Australia and it was a hot day and the beach and lake is not far away. BUT put a shirt on. He is not young and with a great body so put a shirt on. I wonder now if he was wearing shoes. Lucky while I was there I had my head down looking at books. Lucky I don't live in London where I've heard some people shop in their pyjamas and dressing gown. Is that his shirt over his shoulder?
So put your shirt on....