The Kindness of Strangers

I did a tiny little favour for a purchaser of one of my fashionista sister dolls a while ago.  I didn't want paying but she remembered me as she cleaned out her home for a move to Australia. 

Yesterday this arrived on my doorstep... 

The book is just hiding names and addresses but also shows the size of the parcel

... and when I opened it ...

...Christmas arrived early!

Fi had sent a fab stash of wonderful old linens - how kind is that?

Here is a montage of the contents.  Enjoy looking at them.  I've used one of my favourite books to show the size of some of the items.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Obviously they will look even more glorious when they are ironed, but I couldn't resist using some as a background to my first baking of Red Velvet cupcakes.

Thank you so much, Fi and have a wonderful new life in Oz! xxx

General Burblings

Hello, lovelies!  If you popped by because I awarded you a Versatile Blogger Award, please see previous post. If you can hang around for a bit, however, I have a few pics.  There's no theme to this, just a few rambling burbles...

 I finally found a use for the little scraps of fabric from a sample book I was given.

 Tiny tissue cases.  I love these and they're so quick and easy to make.

 I found this floozy lamp in my porch one morning.  My neighbour changes her style almost monthly and sometimes fab castoffs come my way.  Our bedroom would now be lit up like a tart's boudoir if it wasn't for the large pile of doggy blankets and chewed bone biscuit shards in the corner of the room...

 There's no place like home.

The Girl Genius has fallen in love with "The Wizard of Oz" and adores dressing up, so I found my mouth saying "I'll make you all the outfits" while my brain was saying "NOOOOOOOOO!"

 Dorothy is complete, the scarecrow is half made...

 ... the Tin Man has a long way to go and the Cowardly Lion is (naturally) hiding until I can find the right fabric.

 I have had a crocheted hexagon session, following a browse of the lovely Attic24 blog. (Thank you, Lucy)

I made this cushion for my mum.  The colours are much more muted than this but the photos really zing them up.  

Well, that's enough from me today except to say that I've had a little run on followers (you are such lovely people) and have nearly reached the Diamond Jubilee 60!  When I do, there'll be a little giveaway...

Okay, I've Got Fifteen!

Having received my Versatile Blogger Award (thanks again, Alix) my last post was my Seven Facts about Me, and I promised the fifteen recently-discovered blogs list as soon as possible.

Well, here they are:

1. Aunt Jane's Attic

2. Dotty Red

3. DYSLEXIC CHIC

4. French Laundry

5. French Larkspur

6. Little Blue Mouse

7. Little Tiny Stitches

8. Moonstruck Creations

9. Pretty Petal Handmade

10. Random Wooliness

11. Rosie Hearts

12. Simply Chateau

13. Sparrow's Yard

14. The Home Nest

15. The Fluff Pot

Phew! Well done, you lot!

 I shall let you all know I have presented you with

Award and ask you to pop by my blog to get your instructions.  Here they are:

a. Pass the Award on to fifteen recently-discovered blogs of your own.

b. List seven facts about yourself, and

c. Thank the awarder.

I do understand that some people don't like getting awards, so you are not forced to accept it and follow the instructions.  Just wanted you to know that your blogs are enjoyed and worthy of note.

Best Wishes,

C xxx

Seven Firsts and a Thank You!

I am, at last, the proud possessor of a Versatile Blogger Award!

Thank you, Alix, at the lovely blog Used-to-Bees 

I have to pass this on to fifteen other recently discovered blogs then tell you seven things about myself and finally thank the sender for the award (last bit ticked - see above!)

I am working on the first bit but I can manage the middle bit.  I will tell you seven "Firsts" from my childhood.  Hope they astound and amuse ...

1. My First Memory

Aged about three I accidentally set off my parents' alarm clock.  I thought the incredibly loud and insistent noise would wake up the whole world and I would be in BIG trouble.  I wasn't.

2. My First Pet

I had a black and white cat called Archie.  A man threw a brick at him and killed him.  This is not one of the amusing memories.

3. My First Love

Roy Truman and I fell in love at infant school, aged five.  It was definitely the real thing and lasted until our parents sent us to different junior schools.  (I must have got over it as I then had a four-year fling with Kenneth Driver until I went to a girl's grammar school and it was ALL OVER)

4. My First Scary Book

Mum had to send a letter to school to say I wasn't to read any more of the fairy tale book in the library as I had nightmares over the decapitated horse's head in "The Goose Girl".  They were a bit disturbing, those old tales, weren't they?

5. My First Sexual Encounter

Aged about nine, I sat next to an unknown boy at the ABC Minors Cinema morning.  He suddenly reached down his trousers and whipped out a curly-wurly.  That's a real curly-wurly, chocolate and all, but it made me jump!

6. My First School Day Out

In the first year of Junior School our class went on a visit to York.  It seemed hundreds of miles away on the coach.  We visited Clifford's Tower, the Minster, the Shambles and the museum with the old fashioned streets.  I just looooooved it.  I bought a Medley bar to eat (choccy raising it's lovely, scary head again) and a tiny vase of plastic red roses for my mum.

7. My First Record

"Shapes of Things" by the Yardbirds.  I was in love with lead singer, Keith Relf.  Anyone who knows about rock'n'roll family trees will be aware that this was one of the groups from which British rock music icons like Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton sprouted and blossomed.  Put another coin in the juke box, baby!

Well, that was little me.  The next post will hopefully be my awardees' list.  Watch this space...

Weather Wishes

Hope you're all keeping warm and safe in this chilly weather xxx

Spooky tree outside our house

Replanted Chistmas Tree being decorated by nature.

 

This looks like Rudolph preparing to take off!

Good Buys (not Goodbyes!)

Hurrah for second-hand shops and chazzers!

I was only going to post a pic of my completed cardi, but ...

... here is the cardi I knitted on Saturday evening and finished on Sunday morning.  The Indie wool was soooo big and fluffy it took no time at all, and it's also soooo warm.

Cynthia is modelling my charity shop £3 Per Una jersey dress.  She will be naked tomorrow as I'm wearing it with slouchy black boots for work.

This pretty bone china set cost all of £2, with the two white tea plates thrown in.

A fiver well-spent, I say!

Keep warm, m'dears xxx