Diamond Jubilee Cross Stitch Samplers

 Before I show off my cross stitch I must show my lovely Jubilee figurine of the Queen. Bought in a Sydney shop it is Royal Doulton but made in Thailand so the Doulton quality is not there but that is what made it inexpensive enough for me to buy. It's a limited edition oh 4000 and mine is #1133.

 This is the John Clayton Queen cross stitch I put aside a while ago to work on the Bothy Threads Jubilee sampler shown in a previous post. Now I am hoping to finish and frame this one soon. John Clayton loves blended threads and also fitting two full stitches into one square and that's what makes his  designs so realistic. There is no backstitch on this one.

 I stitched this one between finishing the Bothy Threads and getting back to the Queen. The chart was in Cross Stitch Collection magazine issue 209 May 2012. I like the colours in this sampler. Easy to stitch even though there are half stitches and back stitch.

In the ever growing queue of stuff to be stitched is this tapestry cushion. I saw it advertised in My Weekly mag. Jubilee issue June 7th. and bought it from www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk

This sampler is a Mary Hickmott design and the chart is in her mag. New Stitches issue 229. All the flowers and birds represent a Commonwealth country and as there are over 100 colours listed it would be much better to buy the kit. I think this sampler is pretty but somehow it is not one I am tempted to stitch.

A sampler I stitched 10 years ago for the Golden Jubilee, it could be adapted for the Diamond Jubilee but not by me, I would hate to stitch the same chart twice. The chart was in Cross Stitcher mag. in 2002.

Another Bothy Threads kit I really want to start stitching. This one shows every king and queen from William I right down to Elizabeth II and should be fun to stitch even with all that back stitch.
All my kits are bought over the internet or come with English magazines. Am I the only one in Australia stitching Royalty? Please someone tell me I'm not!!!
Meanwhile, I must pick up needle and thread again, no time to waste.

Royal Display at Country Show

On Sunday I went to a country fair. I don't usually go to country fairs but this was a special one. The fair was celebrating its 60th anniversary and as the Queen is also celebrating her 60th year of rule Janet from Janet's Royalty Rooms (now closed but Janet still has her collection) was asked to lend some of her items for a display. So you can see why I had to go. A guard from The Tower of London was there to point us in the direction of the display.

 The display was well worth the visit, I have some of the souvenirs Janet has but of course she has so much more and I can't compete. The Queen came through this small town by train on her visit in 1954 and newspapers and photos from that date were also on display.

More of Janet's display. Last week I went to a local small museum which had advertised a Diamond Jubilee display. It was so disapointing I wanted to add some of my own items. Unfortunately I am too selfish and thought my items might be lost or stolen.

 There was a pet show and this little girl won the first prize ribbon with the blue tongue lizard she is holding. These harmless and common garden lizards are named because the have a long blue tongue.

 The small boy won first prize for the cuddliest pet with the chicken he is holding. I think all the pets entered won a prize for something. I'll try and talk Charlotte and Emily into coming with me next year---but I know they won't.

 There was a band playing country music.

 A display of utes bristling with spotlights and ariels.

Lots of stalls and games. This one looks good. You put your children in this sealed ball, throw them into a pool of water and then I suppose you let them out when the air runs out. I didn't stay to find out.
There was also displays of needlework, next year I am going to enter some of my cross stitch and hope to win a prize ribbon. ( I hope it's a 1st prize) I had a great day and now I will look for more shows to attend.

Melbourne Trip to Meet Gina

 Last Friday night daughterS and I took an overnight trip to Melbourne to meet blog friend Gina and see her display of embroidered linens at an old homestead turned art centre at Bundoora. SonD works for State Rail and was able to get us large discounts on a first class sleeper cabin for the 12 hour trip. We travelled in comfort and slept most of the trip so didn't see much in the way of scenery. We had all daySaturday in Melbourne then had another 12 hour return journey.

No this isn't our luggage being loaded, we know how to travel light.

This is Bundoora Homestead. We had our directions and thought we knew what we were doing. We caught a tram from Melbourne, got out at stop 62 and all was well, then we got lost in the large grounds of the home and had to ring Gina to come and find us. We had hoped to make a better first impression but Gina is such a very nice person and so easy to get along with. We saw her very impressive linen display then had a lovely Devonshire tea together in the beautiful homestead which also had a photographic exhibition upstairs.

 Some of Gina's linens in a display case, there were also tablecloths and aprons and doileys. I am lucky enough to have met 3 blog friends starting with Gattina in Belgium, Ruth from Brit Samplers who came to my home and now Gina in Melbourne. I think I got along with all three but then we all have so much in common. If not cats then embroidery collections. Gina also has two cats.   Thank you for a lovely afternoon Gina.

 Gina gave me two very much appreciated items to add to my Royal collection. A George VI coronation cushion cover and a 1953 coronation tray cloth.

 Daughter S and I went in to a Department store in Melbourne just to use their Ladies room but then I spotted a bag I really had to have. While I was trying to resist the purchase daughterS took it and bought it for me. Both my children are so good to me I think I must have been a better mother than I thought. Thank you sonD for arranging the discount train trip and daughter S for coming with me, I couldn't have done it without you both. Remember S, what happened in Melbourne stays in Melbourne.

And how are Charlotte and Emily, today they are 17 and 7 months old and have made a slight detour. Normally they go straight from my bed to their beds in the sunroom each morning. Today they made a slight detour to have a nibble of grass.  Emily is on her way to her bed in the sun and Charlotte will be right behind her when she has had enough grass.

Sydney Welcomes Olympic Athletes

Sydney put on a great parade on Monday to welcome home the Olympic athletes. The weather was perfect, a warm sunny winter day. I'm not much interesterd in sport though I did enjoy the opening ceromony but I love parades and I was there for a special reason.

While waiting for the Olympians to come we were entertained by people in blue wigs? Blue wigs were also given to the waiting crowds.

DaughterS was lucky enough to catch one and models it here. I did tell her she looks a sort of cross between Marge Simpson and Ronald McDonald. I refused to wear mine.

One of the athletes proudly showing his gold medal. To my shame I don't know who he is. Will update this post when I know his name.

Police were on duty for crowd control, suitably labelled so they weren't mistaken for athletes.

Here is the real reason I was there. My GRANDSON was in the parade, here he is leading some of the athletes. His highschool drama class was chosen and they wore white shirts and were able to get lots of athlete autographs on their shirts after the parade. I cheered and waved so much you'd have thought he won a medal. I was able to restrain myself from rushing out for a cuddle but I did tell the Chinese tourists standing next to me that my grandson was there. They waved and cheered for him too.

AND the QUEEN was there with 2 of her Corgis and some Guardsmen. She looked amazing after her jump from the helicopter for the games opening ceromony. More waving cheering etc. etc. A bit disapointed grandson didn't get her autograph on his shirt but at least I saw her and I love those corgis. I want a corgi!!!

One of the athletes managed to smuggle a London bus back to Sydney in his luggage. Hope I can have a ride some time.

Last in the parade was this colourful float reminding us we can look forward to the games in Rio in 4 years time.

EdwardVII Embroidered Coronation Sampler

 EdwardVII and Alexandra were crowned 110years ago today 9th August. Edward's Coronation was all set for 26th June when he became ill and was operated on for appendicitis. The coronation went ahead on 9th August but a lot of souvenirs were sold with the original date. Now I am lucky enough to have this sampler with the right date embroidered. Today is also my birthday, nice of Edward to choose my special day for his Coronation, wish I could have been there. But if I was in London in 1902 I would not have been in London in 2012!!

 Hard to show the sampler in one piece because it is very wide. The embroidery is expertly worked. It might have been stitched from an iron on transfer though I can't  see any sign of such a transfer.

 Five panels in total and here are no's 3 and 4. Although the top states' ye goode childes sampler 1902' I think the stitching a bit too fine to be worked by a child. There is a name on the back edge of the sampler but I have yet to decipher it.

 On the last panel we have the magic date 9th August 1902. It's my birthday and I'm excited. This rare sampler is now the oldest one in my collection. Any earlier sampler would be Queen Victoria and I don't think I'll ever find one of those.

 Here is a wall plate with the wrong date 26th June.

 A teapot with the wrong date. Other souvenirs I have for Edward and Alexandra only have the year 1902 so they were playing it safe.

 This little WH Goss miniature shows the Coat of Arms of EdwardVII. It's one of my birthday gifts and on the base it reads Model of the Pilgrim 'leather bottell' in Canterbury Museum. I have some Goss miniatures for GeorgeV but this is the first one for Edward.

Remember my last post when I wrote about hundreds of motor bikes going through the town. I wasn't exaggerating.
This is the article which was in the paper next morning, so now we all know what it was about.

Coronation Year 1937 Sampler and More from the Markets

 

 This is a 1937 sampler with a story to tell . Eileen, a blog follower in America emailed me and told me it was on Craig's List in America which I think might be a bit like Gumtree here. I emailed the seller Sue, who was more than willing to sell to me. Lots of emails later and I had it in my possesion. When I removed the glued on cardboard backing I found the name and address of the stitcher on a piece of tape. Margaret Hood of Springvale rd Ayr Scotland. So this sampler has gone from Scotland to America and now has a happy home with me in Australia. I think Margaret might have stitched this as a school project. The sampler was donated to a church sale, didn't sell and Sue was selling it on Craig's List on behalf of her church. I must say thanks to Margaret, Eileen and Sue for this sampler I now have on my wall.

 Yesterday I went to my local flea market and bought NOTHING! Today I went a bit furthur to a much trendier market in a trendy little town with prices to match. Not much at the market but there is a shop in this town I love and the only place I know apart from ebay where I can buy Laurel Burch bags. Well I really really needed a new bag And now they sell Laurel Burch Scarves too. I admit I lost my head a bit but it is my birthday this week  so I bought both with hardly a glance at price tags.

 Some of the Laurel Burch bags I already have but these are getting a bit shabby and worn, that's why a new bag was a must. I am never seen out without a cat bag of some sort.

 Doll house furniture I bought at the market and cakes are a market must have. In the trendy town in the trendy newsagent I found a magazine I haven't seen before with more Jubilee souvenirs to make.
Best of all, at the same shop where I bought the bag and scarf I bought new scissors. I should have made more of a feature of these. They were expensive and a good made in Italy brand. I ruined all my cheap scissors cutting carpet for the dolls'house. These new ones must only be used for fabric and must be hidden from everyone including me. I tend to grab any scissors available and use in the garden, the kitchen or anywhere then wonder why they are blunt.



  

 The main highway goes right through this trendy little town and today hundreds of motor bikes went through while I was there. The roar of bikes was deafening and wave after wave of bikes kept coming. My photographic skills don't allow me to show more bikes, you will have to take my word that there were hundreds. Fun to watch even if a bit noisey.






 No one was rude to me today Charlotte, everyone at the markets and in the trendy town was out to have a good day in the sun. Even the trendy dogs, and there were a lot of those. But Charlotte will be ready to help me out with tips on how to deal with rude people should the need arise.



Charles Diana Anniversary and Market Bargains

 Charles and Diana were married 31 years ago today and I am still collecting the souvenirs from their Big day. I think I have shown a C and D beach towel before but now I have two. Made in Australia by Bradmill I have been told only 50 were made. So only another 48 for me to find then.

 A selection of my C and D wedding plates.

C and D bath towel and soap. Like the beach towels, never to be used of course

Fun day at the local markets yesterday. Starting from the left I bought a tin of pink paint $3, the last doll house soaked up $26 of paint so I need to spend less. An etching of Buckingham Palace $3, very dirty but I cleaned it up. A sticker on the back says Garner-Bennett Ware. There is a firm by that name in Stoke on Trent, maybe it came from there.
A full boxed set of silver plated teaspoons made in Australia by Grosvenor, Pattern Christine and possibly from the 50's or 60's. I paid $1. This from a stallholder who rarely bargains but does have weak moments.
The spoons in front of the box are part of a wedding gift full set of  silver ware. Some of my guests get a bit nervous about the spoons they are given to stir their tea as they think I might have used them to dish up cat food. Now I have lots of good 'never touched cat food' spoons.
There was food I had to buy, some ginger biscuits and a Gramma Pie. My mother made the last gramma pie I ate about ???? years ago. This one is very tasty but I think mum's pie was better.

Now for the locket pictured above. I bought this a few years ago from the same stall holder who sold me the spoons. I'ts a 9ct gold coronation locket in perfect condition, it opens up so I could put pictures inside. The locket was in a box with broken jewellery bits and when I held it up and said "how much" I was told $7. I dropped it in my bag, paid quickly before he changed his mind and walked away with my bargain of the day. It didn't come with the chain but I already had a perfect chain. The same locket in very scratched condition recently sold on ebay for $85. This is one piece of my collection that I do wear a lot.

I bought the Queen Mother new shoes in London from the Bear shop. She has had to make do with plastic Kmart sandals and has never been happy about them. The new shoes are a silvery blue colour and go very well with her blue outfit. The QM loves a small heel on shoes and so loves the look and comfort of this pair.
There is a small bow on the front set with a sparkley diamonte.
I also bought my Camilla bear some new knickers with Hello Kitty pictured on them. Camilla has always complained about her home made undies, I will show her new ones later.