My Crown Jewels and Other Bargains

 I know you've seen this bear before but look at those beautiful sparkly rhinestone (diamond?) earrings she is wearing now. Bought at the op shop for just $3, wish my social life included events where I could wear these precious gems. Looks like Jubilee Bear thinks they're not good enough, well I'll go op shopping on Monday and see if I can find something better.

 I can wear this solid silver, Silver Jubilee bangle and I often do. I couldn't seem to take a very good pic of the bangle, it is very pretty. Hallmarked 1977 it was an ebay purchase. I promised to let the seller know the minute it arrived. I placed the bangle on my wrist, made a cup of tea then tripped and broke my arm and wore the bangle to the emergency dept. Three days later I was able to email the seller who by then must have wondered if I even liked it'.

Went to a local Antique Fair last week, not much Royal stuff for sale but I did buy these bargain brooches.

 I was laughed at for buying this piece of bargain kitsch but I do love horses and coaches. I'm sure this is Marie Antoinette going to a Ball.

 Janet's Royalty Rooms have closed and her collection is for sale. The price is rumoured to be $350,000  The local council won't buy it and keep it this area so it might go north of Sydney. Janet hopes the collection will stay in Australia. No, I can't buy it and I don't have Janet's outgoing personality to help me run it.

 Another doll's house, this was at the op shop for only $5 so how could I resist? Just big enough for some 1/12 scale furniture I will put some windows in the back, where those small holes are and another floor below the attic.

 Yes Charlotte I know I haven't worked on that doll house yet but I broke my arm remember so don't be too hard on me. Look I bought some wallpaper at the op shop so I will start soon.

A market bargain to brag about, this plate was $2. I called him Prince Valiant and put the plate in a box and forgot it for a while. When I found it again I saw the tiny letters Cinq-Mars on the side. looked that up on google and there he was (I love google) He was Henri Ruze' d'Effiat Marquis de Cinq-Mars. Henri was a friend of Louis XIII but was beheaded at age 22,for conspiring against the King, at Lyon in 1642 though his mother begged Cardinal Richelieu for his life. The Castle of Cinq-Mars is now a Bed and Breakfast and Conference centre.

Australia Day Celebrations

Australia Day, 225 years since Captain Arthur Phillip sailed into Sydney Cove with the first fleet, mostly convicts, to form a settlement. Big Ted is celebrating the day with a new shirt, hat and sun glasses. Rescue Bear was asked along at the last moment and had nothing new to wear.

 When it got too hot they arranged themselves on the steps. Lots to see today with many boats and fishermen on the lake. Big Ted and Rescue Bear are now firm friends and often seen together since BT heard of RB's sad start in life. The other bears are too Royal to celebrate Australia day. They will have their turn on Queen's Birthday holiday in June.

 Had a bit of a panic when I thought I had no Australian books among all my Royal and cat books. Have manages to find a fair selection to show. I can include the Royal visit book because it is about the visit to Australia 1954. The small book on the right Transportation and Chains was written by a distant cousin about his convict ancestors.

 Here is a true blue Aussie dog. A brown Kelpie named Gypsy. Gypsy belonged to my father many years ago.

 An old Aussie holiday home. My mother always insisted on a waterfront with a rock pool and a boat included. We had a couple of holidays here as children, we always hoped the tide would come a bit higher and go through the floorboards, it never did.

Another house of mum's choosing. The tide is out here and oysters can be seen on the rocks. These houses never had a bathroom or much of a kitchen. There was always a stiff climb down from the road high above with our luggage. The toilet was a ramshackle building with a pan back up in the bush somewhere and in some of these houses a man and boat would call to take away the pan.

Different times. This is some of my family off to celebrate the day on the lake in their boat. I happily waved them off, someone has to stay behind and do the waving and I love my lake view but I don't want to be on it or in it.

Dressing Sylvia

 Well you've seen 'Dressing the Queen' but what about me? I had a dresser too. My mother.
I bought this knitting book at a second hand book sale recently. The book was released in 1954 to celebrate the visit of the Queen to Australia. You can see rampant lions on the front cover designs.

This design is named Heraldry and has the kangaroo and emu coat of arms.

 Look, here I am wearing the knitted jacket. Mum was an expert dressmaker and embroiderer but not much of a knitter so I'm sure she didn't knit this and I didn't. Mum knew an expert knitter who took orders so perhaps she did the knitting. I loved this jacket and wore it often, it was a deep rose colour in a fine wool. Wish mum was still here so I could thank her for my Royal knitting.
In the photo I am also wearing the wide eyed gormless or stunned mullet look on my face which I still wear sometimes now.

I made this dress. The fabric was rainbow coloured with glitter in the fabric. I never used a pattern but this style looks a little more complicated so perhaps I did. My usual dressmaking style was to look at me, look at the fabric and cut and sew. Being small and young I got away with dressmaking mistakes. I always favoured quantity over quality and my clothes often fell apart after a few wearings. My sandals are silver.

I had a very sophisticated paper doll with very nice clothes. Mum copied this outfit from the paper doll. The jacket was green with pale yellow blouse and embroidery. Mum didn't need a pattern, she could look, cut and sew but with more skill than me.

 Here I am bridesmaid at my older sister's wedding. I made the dress and mum made my younger sister's the same. Mine was blue brocade with blue nylon skirt and taffeta underskirt, my sister's dress was pink.

 Me at about age 3. I am wearing a red coat with yellow embroidered chickens. Don't know the history of this coat, it could have been a hand-me-down from my sister. I never minded hand-me-downs as I always felt I was getting bigger like my sister. Not sure about the rest of my outfit but note the boomerang brooch I am wearing.

My daughter about the same age as me in my red coat. Daughter is wearing a very pretty purple and white striped dress with matching underwear and a white apron. This was a gift from her grandmother. Lucky girl, mum had almost given up dressmaking by then so daughter was given-something I always wanted- A Shop Bought Dress. I continued to make clothes for daughter and me for a few more years and she still talks fondly about some of the pretty dresses I made for her.
I never sewed for my son, boys clothes are too difficult to make.
Now I have discovered comfortable jeans and op shop bargains my dressmaking days are over......Unless the Queen needs help, I'm sure I could still sew on a button...........

Dressing The Queen and a Pretty Apron

A just released in the U.K book by the Queen's dresser Angela Kelly and approved by the Queen. I bought my copy from Amazon U.K as I couldn't wait for the book to be released in Australia in February. All about the Queen's wardrobe from choosing fabrics and trimmings to fittings and final approval by the Queen of the whole outfit right down to jewellery, hats, bags and shoes and matching umbrella.

 I think this book is of interest to anyone who loves fashion and fabric, not just lovers of Royalty.

 A busy sewing room pictured here. There are some beautiful pictures in the book and explanations of why certain fabrics and colours are chosen.

This is the dress worn  for the opening of the London Olympics. Two copies of this outfit were made, one for the Queen and one for her double who jumped out of the helicopter.
My print has gone small again!! is it blogger playing with my sanity or is it my paranoia kicking in???

I have something in common with the Queen, she chooses a handkerchief from her large collection to suit her outfit.  I do the same. The hanky I show on the book was my mother's and she dyed it purple in one of her 'dying everything purple' phases. I carry mum's hanky to special family occasions.
I know handkerchiefs are out and sniffing is in  but I wish people would at least carry a tissue.  I also like to dye things purple sometimes

In the seventies when I lived in the U.K for an extended period I sold handkerchiefs  in the haberdashery department of  Bentalls, a large dept. store in Kingston Upon Thames just outside London.  I soon learned a lot about hankys. There were mourning hankys,  some for lipstick, hand rolled edges, whatever the customer wanted I had it or would order it in. I still dream about the huge stockrooms full of wool, buttons, trimmings, lace and ribbons. I first saw velcro there and have been in love with it ever since. The bottom left pic. shows the back of Bentalls in my day. The name is still there but Bentalls is now a collection of smaller shops and handkerchief counters and haberdashery depts. are sadly no more.

Latest  arrival for my apron collection is this pretty apron. I couldn't resist buying it because of the dog. Love the shoes the girl is wearing too and she is holding a bone for the dog. The apron came gift wrapped in pretty paper and ribbon. Love it when sellers do that and so few do. Thank you friendly seller.

Coronation and Apron Embroideries and Jubilee Cosy

 Still working busily on my Diamond Jubilee projects and trying to catch up on the weeks of stitching lost waiting for my broken elbow to heal.
Gina in Melbourne found this tea cosy pattern for me. Thank you Gina. I am not really a knitter but I hope I can finish this project. The cosy looks easier to stitch than the previous pattern I showed. I bought the wool from the U.K as I couldn't find it here and wanted the exact wool stated. Hope I can show this cosy finished by the end of this year.

 Started my Bothy Threads Kings and Queens, still a very long way to go. I still have Kate and William wedding projects to finish and I'm sure there will be baby samplers to stitch.
Another big royal year this year, Kate and William's baby. Also the 60th anniversary of the Coronation in June, sure to be souvenirs for that occasion.

Ruth over at Brit Samplers alerted me to these 1937 Coronation cushion covers. They are expertly embroidered, they are only small and I think I will frame them. I don't have space for all the cushions I have and don't want Charlotte and Emily sleeping on them.

 My latest 1953 Coronation tablecloth bought on Ebay. All four corners are the same and it's a large cloth. I was surprised I won this as it was a bargain.

 Haven't added much to my apron collection lately and was surprised no one else bid on this pretty apron. I have another very nice apron coming and is already in the post so will be able to show it soon.

As I said above this is another special Royal year so my Jubilee bunting must stay put for another year.....or even forever!!!

A 21st Birthday and Christmas

 I have special family permission to show this photo. Grandson T celebrated his 21st birthday a few days before Christmas with a climb to the top of the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with his father. This is not a climb for the faint hearted or those afraid of heights, but look at that view. The Opera House on the left, opened by the Queen in 1973, and the huge cruise liner Voyager of the Seas on the right. This has to be almost the best view in the world, second only to Buckingham Palace. I left Sydney by ship in the 1970's for the U.K from that very same berth. A 5 week voyage. In those days it was possible to have visitors to your cabin for farewell parties and hundreds of streamers were thrown ship to shore. Bands played, tears shed and goodbye's were screamed. Now ships slink quietly away with barely a wave and security and health and safety spoils the fun and the emotion of parting.

 Also by special permission a Christmas day photo of 15yr old Grandson A wearing his Christmas gift sunglasses.  I am so proud of my 2 very special grandsons.

 One of my gifts, a book about French Cats and we all know they are much more sophisticated than cats any where else in the world.

 I thought Puss in Boots was English. No! there is an insert in the book with the story of P in B and turns out he is French. The story written by Charles Perrault 1628-1703. Now I know the whole story.

A fun find at the markets today, a decanter shaped like the GOLD COACH with four tiny cups. Now when the Queen and Prince Phillip visit I can offer Phil a tot of rum while the Queen sips Earl Grey from a coronation cup and nibbles on cucumber sandwiches. I am always on alert and ready for this mythical visit. I will only need about a six month warning.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

 From our house to yours we wish you a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS and promise we will be back with lots to show and tell in the NEW YEAR. My arm is healing well and I am able to sew again and that helps me stay sane.
Charlotte is posing with my old Patsy doll dressed for Christmas.

Emily's lack of enthusiasm is because she just came out from under the doona. I told you it was too hot under the bed clothes Emily but you never listen. Shouldn't you be out shopping with Charlotte for my gift Emily. Shops close in a few hours.

Trouble and Drama in my Blogland Paradise

On Wednesday afternoon I tripped on the handles of my new cat bag which was on the floor. I fell heavily on the tiles and shattered my left elbow. I arrived home last night after time spent in emergency, then surgery. My elbow has been screwed back in place and I now have a sort of half plaster cast and tight bandages and am not in too much pain now. Emily is giving what comfort she can -please don't dribble on me Emily, Charlotte came along later to give more comfort.

This is the culprit bag! though I know it was my fault for leaving it on the floor. For 6 weeks I will be in plaster and unabe to drive and everything else is going to be a nuisance to do but on the bright side I didn't break a hip or leg.
Emergency ward was full of young men with sports injuries or who had fallen off  a motorbike.I was the silly granny who had fallen over her cat bag so it did get a bit of a laugh. So when you have finished laughing send me lots of sympathy please.

Vintage Embroidered Apron EllynAnne Geisel and a Siege

This beautiful hand embroidered apron is the latest in my apron collection. It's an ebay bargain from Victoria, possibly dating from the forties or fifties. Unlike some of my aprons this one has been worn and enjoyed but still in almost perfect condition.

The back is as good as the front, there must be hours of work and thousands of stitches in this masterpiece.

My local bookshop ( yes a cheap one opened up after all the others went broke and left town ) had these books on special last week and they are very interesting. EllynAnne Geisel is an apron expert, an American who does tours and lectures about aprons. A google search will find her.
November 21st is Tie One On Day, meaning tie on an apron. Well that's in America but should I be brave and wear one of my aprons on the 21st and start an Australian trend? Trouble is 21st is a Wednesday, a busy day for me and I'm out a lot..... I'll think about it.

Remember a few months ago when I was headline news pictured here pouring a cup of tea for the Queen then flying off to London for Jubilee celebrations?

Times have changed and here is today's headline. I was about to head off to my local shopping centre yesterday because I'd had a brilliant inspiration about how to display my aprons and needed a trip to BigW. Lucky I heard the new before I left home. My great new apron idea had to wait, I went to BigW today and will be able to show my display soon.
Today is Melbourne Cup day, that's why there is a horse also on the front page.
PS, the two gunmen are still at large, one female accomplice has been captured. Can't imagine what the gunmen were looking for this is a quiet area with not much money around.

John Clayton Cross Stitch QUEEN Finished

My John Clayton Queen Diamond Jubilee cross stitch is finished and framed. I am so pleased with the result, there is a lot of work in this sampler but it was not difficult to stitch. The frame is only an inexpensive one but the best I could find. I am always on the lookout for better frames for my samplers. I now put my full name on all my work, always hoping in 100 years people will be searching the internet or whatever is used in 100 years for my work.

The back of my work is not too bad as I am always thinking of my 100 year rule and don't want the back of my work critised by yet be born collectors.

 A temporary spot has been found on the wall which means another sampler had to come down and is searching for wall space. The Queen is the 7th Diamond Jubilee sampler I have stitched and I still have more waiting to be stitched. I would like to group them all together so soon there will be a HUGE wall upheaval.

This is a very unusual sampler I bought from Jan at fabriquefantastique. Jan has an etsy shop and a blog, you will find her if you do a google search as I don't seem able to do links at the moment. Not sure which king it was meant for and is a Canadian sampler with a maple leaf at the top. I'm hoping to squeeze in a tiny kangaroo and emu each side of the maple leaf to make it a bit Australian. I have already starting the stitching as it came in the post just as I had finished the Queen and so it was able to jump the stitching queue, hope to show it finished before too long. The sampler came with a small Westminster Abbey picture but I think that one will be in my stash for a while.
Thanks Jan, I love my purchases and thanks to Gina in Victoria who told me about them.