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.

spider update

The spider is on the move and now just outside bathroom door. Now I have a clearer run to the back door I wonder if I am brave enough to knock him/her into a bucket and throw bucket and spider out the door. Watch this space......

spider saga continued

Well I knew it had to be there somewhere. Just went into the bathroom to clean my teeth and THERE IT WAS, hiding above the small royal display on my bathroom wall. Charles and Diana towel and soaps from the royal wedding. This is a Royal household with 2 very Regal cats so either that spider goes or we do.
Just hope it hasn't used my toothbrush, to be continued........

my slippers and spider

Showing my slippers today to cheer myself up, I shouldn't have to tell anyone who they are and yes they fit and no I don't wear them.

The spider was in my shower all yesterday so could not use that shower, lucky I have 2 bathrooms, I don't like to use second shower as it is too hard to clean. Yes I know it's harmless etc. etc. and this one only seems to have 7 legs but that is still too many legs for me. Gone from the shower now but I still feel it could be somewhere in the house watching.

This morning the huge dust storm came, the worst for about 65 years and though the house was closed up red dust seeped in and everything is coated in red dust. All my collections will need to be washed, dusted or cleaned. Even the cats' beautiful white paws turned red just from walking on the floor before I had time to clean it. Charlotte did jump on me at 3.30am so perhaps she was trying to warn me something was wrong, well I ignored her, told her to have a sleep, maybe I should listen to her next time. Oh well back to cleaning and dusting.

Royal bears

My big ted is wearing a childs Royal Visit shirt. The shirt shows flags,crowns and shields saying ER and Royal Visit 1954 printed on it. Shirt is a bit faded and well worn but ted and I both love it. Bear on the left is from Buckingham Palace gift shop, bear on the right has a coronation commemorative vest 1953-2003.

cow parade

The only Royal cows from the cow parade range of china cows. The cow on the left is titled Bovingham Palace and the cow on the right celebrates the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

Doll club win

First prize at doll club for my cup and saucer of the Queen when very young, shown on an earlier post. The 3 categories were, cup and saucer, a pair of doll shoes or Humphrey bear. I didn't have the shoes or H. bear but my very special cup and saucer won. Displayed now with 2 small coronation plates and a new addition to my collection, a beautiful GeorgeVI coronation cloth from 1937.

U.F.O. Alert

Here is an UnFinished Object I really want to finish but am being defeated by the hair and pearls. It's on 14 ct aida and all in sepia tones and only full crosses, no backstich, should be easy enough, but there are so many shades and just 1 stitch of so many colours I keep loosing my place. It's in the too hard basket for now. I do hope to finish it one day, it is of course Princess Diana.

Golden Jubilee Sampler

Cross stitched by me from a pattern bought from the U.K, this sampler was fun to stitch and didn't take too long to finish. Looks like a stamp and shows a corgi and a horse, Windsor casle and the yacht Brittania, all representing things loved by the Queen and of course that GOLD COACH loved by me.

Tennis Apron

Click on the picture to see the intricate stitching on this hand embroidered apron from my collection. Apron shows a bit of wear so I am pleased someone wore and enjoyed the apron before it ended up with me.

wardrobe experiment

I saw this idea on another blog, wish I could find that blog again. Like the idea of turning a mirrored wardrobe into a window with some curtains, if I find more royal fabric I will change the floral look to that or maybe have another look at my stash of cat fabrics. The smaller of my 2 doll houses is pictured sitting on a coronation cloth. Does anyone have an opion on this wardrobe idea or have I gone too far this time?

Charles Diana and William

Arrived today - my latest ebay purchase, the teapot milk jug and sugar bowl commemorating the birth of Prince William in 1982. The tapestry above is from an engagement picture of C and D and the edge around the shelf is fabric from THE wedding,I also have some of the same fabric in red which I made into curtains for my Diana room. Love Prince William but have yet to make up my mind about Kate.

Harbour Bridge Apron

Apron stitched in 1932 as a souvenir of the opening of the Sydney harbour bridge. Another never worn apron, just stored for years till it ended up in my collection.

Princess Diana

Sampler cross stitched by me from a magazine pattern. The edge is worked in gold thread and there are five different pinks in the roses so I was pleased to get it finished. Kensington Palace, Diana's home is pictured.