Wednesday 31 December 2014

A Brief Winter Wonderland

Have woken to a world of white …
… for the past two days.


Not snow.
Sadly.
But the next best thing.
Frost.


A brief winter wonderland …
… even if for just half a day.
I miss the snow.
Back home.

***

After a busy few weeks of fairs …
… a brief break from making pretties.
The holiday has been filled with coastal walks.


A lake side walk at Penrose …
… down to the beach. 
A wide expanse of sand …
… with dramatic crashing waves.



A very tranquil Godrivy ...


... and the rugged cliffs of Kynance.


Sitting in a cave drinking hot spiced apple …
… whilst watching the waves roll in.


Magical.

***

.

Sunday 30 November 2014

A Good Rummage ...

It has been a busy few weeks.
Including another trip to gorgeous Somerset …
… to the Shepton Mallet Antiques Fair…
… to stock up ...
… be seduced by …
… and drool over …
… beautiful things.
Tables of treasure.



Heaps of scrummy linens, lace and trims …
… to rummage through.


Card boxes of teeny buttons ...
… to dive into.
Happy dance.


There was a beautiful display sheet …
… showing the sewing skills of a little school girl.
In the 1800’s.


Such exquisite stitching …
… so weeny and so perfect.


Would have loved to take this home …
… but with a £850 price tag …
… I put it back down.


Instead, got this sweet little fella ..
… 1930/40’s hand stitched teddy …
… with an enchanting smile …


… only 2” high.
Lovingly made for the apple of somebodys eye.


A sweet little pair of silhouette pictures.
A French 1926 journal …



… charmingly illustrated ...




… and some deliciously worn jewel boxes ...



… eagerly awaiting some sewn words.
All for the Duchy Vintage Party at the Bedruthan Hotel this weekend.


***

Thursday 6 November 2014

Pink Glass Buttons and 1930's Pixies ...

A quickie post.
To share my teeny, but delightful, haul …
… from the Trull Textile Fair in Somerset …
… at the weekend.


A scenic drive through charming pretty villages …
… and endless, rolling green hills …
… to Trull, a village nestled deep in the Blackdown Hills.


My finds.


Edwardian embroidered edging, lacy cuffs …


… wooden bobbins and linen buttons …


… three weeny pink glass buttons ...


… and 1930’s fabric covered with pixies …



… and rosy cheeked little girls …
… in red frocks.



So, so sweet.
***


Friday 31 October 2014

Stitched Words


I am an absolute sucker …
… for anything sentimental.


An old book dedication …
…  a romantic proposal …


… or simply a few words in a song …


… can move me.


I love John Legends ‘All of Me’
… such tender words.


I adore the soundtrack to The Descendants …
… with George Clooney.


I fell in love.


Not with George …
… was already there.


It was the soundtrack.

Ka Makini Ka'ili Aloha

This breathtakingly beautiful melody …
… about a love of a homeland.


It is wistful and haunting.
It reaches deep inside you.


Yep. Give me nostalgia …
… any day.

 ***

My latest love poem scrolls.


Teeny hand stitched words …
… of love and affection.

***

Friday 3 October 2014

Carrot Jam, Vim and a Love Poem

Buried beneath an auction ‘lot’ of assorted cutlery …
… and a pile of old road maps …
… was a bundle of old books.
I almost missed them.




Three handwritten recipe books …
… and a cookery book …
… entitled Miss Tuxford’s Cookery for the Middle Classes.


Handwritten recipes that have been passed down …
… generation to generation …
… mother to daughter.


Tried and trusted recipes used again and again.
One book, stuffed with magazine cuttings …


… carefully glued onto the pages …


… and hastily written notes penned on scraps of paper and envelopes ...
… stuffed loosely in the back.




Pages stained with food debris showing the firm favourites.


The oldest book is written in the most beautiful script.


A fascinating insight …
… into the housewife’s life in the early 20 century.
With no supermarket to pop to …
… or the vast array of ‘off the shelf’ cleaning materials …
… to choose from …
… the book contains, not only recipes for dinner …



… but formulas and procedures for houswifey things  …


... in the kitchen ...


... and the smallest room ...



… patterns to knit garments for the little ones …



… starching collars and cuffs for hubby’s shirts …


… keeping your hats in tip top condition …


… as well as attending to the families ailments.


And for the ‘me time’ away from the daily chores …
… perfecting your handwriting …


… and keeping a note of those favourite love poems and plays.





The cookery book offers recipes that ‘’ensure …
… dainty, wholesome and nourishing dishes’’


… the Delia of their time?


... perhaps not - stewed eel – yuk!
Maybe something for the newlyweds …


… as well as the adventurous …


… cucumber marmalade and carrot jam?
Really?
.. and measures in coinage – how utterly inventive!


… and very handy dandy …
… if you misplace your weights.


***