Tuesday 4 March 2008

Easter snippets


Yesterday, I made an Easter tree!


I found a piece of fallen branch in the garden and then hey presto!




My lovely Easter tablecloth came from Fuerteventura!

It does not get much use. Easter is over with in a flash and it is not something that one can drag on a little longer, as you can with Christmas.




Matching napkins make it complete.


And here are the Easter pals, all waking from their long rest in the cupboard.


Inspired by the 'Show and Tell/Giveaways', I've gathered together all my Easter bits which spend almost all year in a dark place.




Amanda (Shabby Chick at Totnes) sold me these pieces of china, years ago, when she was in the Newton Abbot Antiques Centre. I wonder if she remembers these.

I love the little daffs but always thought that it was odd that the leaves were more autumnal!I have a few plates and bowls but only one cup and saucer ;-(

So it's no good inviting you to join me for a cuppa! I'll have to do that alone ;-(







Monday 3 March 2008

Show and Tell : Thrift to Fantasy

Tomorrow we have a slightly different craft morning. We are not going to put on our aprons!

Instead of making and doing, we're going to sit cosily, with a cuppa and have ....
'Show and Tell' ;-) !!

So I've decided that I'm going to take my companions on a little trip to New Zealand.
Well, kind of!


Thrift to Fantasy, written by Rosemary Mcleod, is probably the nicest book that I own.

In it, she shows pictures of so many lovely domestic handcrafts, in New Zealand, from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.




It is, as she says, that most domestic arts leave little evidence in any tangible form, whereas needlework, although fragile, does survive to tell a tale. And this book is such an amazing tale.


With illustrations on every page, you get the beautiful crafts, you get the social history behind these crafts... and you can't fail to end up feeling so inspired!
I hope that these tasters inspire you and that if you do manage to buy or borrow the book, you will not be disappointed!


Anyway, that's a sneak peek at my 'Show and Tell'. I'm looking forward to seeing what the others bring along!!

Sunday 2 March 2008

Mothering Sunday



Young Mothers, Old Mothers,
Pushy mothers, Loud mothers,
Fat mothers, Slim mothers,
Something in between Mothers.
Mothers always in a rush,
Going out to work,
Stay at home Mothers,
(Is that a perk?)
Mothers who are jolly,
Mothers who are kind,
Mothers who give everything,
They never seem to mind,
The sacrifices that they make,
They love their 'smalls' to bits,
Ever loving Mothers,
Sometimes driven to their wits
End of the day,
When the work is done,
Do they sit and think,
'Motherhood is fun'?

And so, to Mothers everywhere,
Not forgetting mine,
May your day be lovely,
I hope the sun does shine.
To thank you for your Mothering,
This Sunday is your day,
We love you Mum,
You are the best!
Hip Hip, Hip Hip, Hooray!


Sal;-) 2nd March 2008
Painting : Mother and Child by Gustav Klimt





The fourth Sunday in Lent is called Mothering Sunday and the traditions associated with Mothering Sunday in England, date back as long ago as the 16th century.


On this day, people were encouraged to return to worship in their, ‘mother church', where they had been baptised. People who usually attended their local parish church, would make a longer journey to the ‘mother church’ or cathedral of the diocese.


Girls in domestic service would bake to show their mothers their new skills in the form of a gift, traditionally a simnel cake. On this day, many girls who were in service, were allowed time off from domestic chores, to visit their mothers and their family.


Often, they would gather flowers from the hedgerow as they made their way to their homes.


Nowadays, the original meaning of Mothering Sunday has been largely lost. Families are too often scattered across the world and cannot meet to attend church and dine together as a united family.


But we still observe Mothering Sunday, although perhaps not in quite the same ways as in days gone by.