Interesting News on V&A Textiles Dept

I've been web-wandering (sounds more genteel than 'surfing, don't you think? or less hobo-ish?) this morning looking for embroidered floral images on Chinese Imperial Robes, and in 17C or earlier clothing. That's what happens when you lie awake in the early hours designing things in your head!!

I'll give you some fabulous links in a mo, but if anyone is in the habit of visiting the V&A Museum to see their textiles (one of my favourite places in London for the last thirty years, irregular, but wonderful!), you really should have a look at this post which I happened across at Thistle-Threads. If you knew it already I still think you should pass it on, as out-of-towners would never find out otherwise?

And here's some Su Embroidery eye-candy for you- if you want more go through the Categories sections at the top left of this page, if you go straight to the e-shop you just get titles with no thumbnails...

and also some Elizabethan embroidery. Have a wander on the Elizabethan site, lots to see.


And for why was I web-wandering in the first place?

I'm designing an evening bag with beads and embroidery, well, I think I am...things don't always turn out as envisaged...as I found a lovely crimson table runner in the Charity shop which I want to reuse. I think its a table runner, could be anything actually, but its definitely crying out for re-use!!

Gobsmackerettoed!!

Well today isn't going to plan already! I got up at 5.20am when the Hub left for work as I couldn't sleep because of the wind howling, and its blinking SNOWING!

Hello?

Officially NOT IMPRESSED!

Mind you, it was stormy and sleet/snow all yesterday, coming from due North, to the extent that the weather is forcing itself through the panels of the front door.

Puddles inside on the hall tiles.

Huh!

And the second 'not according to plan' but a FAAAAR nicer surprise was to discover that I'd won a prize over at Everyday Bliss! Howzat for GOBSMACKED?? (Yeh, yeh, not a very polite word but VERY evocative and I can't think of a better one just now!!)

Listen to this:

'Grand Prize Winner of $50.00 to spend in the BLISS SHOP(s) of her choice is the lovely Heckety all the way from Ireland and the beautiful blog At Home with Heckety.'

(Not only do I win a prize but she thinks I'm lovely- so put that in your pipe and smoke it Daughters! (who have been complaining I'm a disgrace and an embarassment all weekend...))

YEEEE-HAWWW!!!!

(No, its just tea in the mug-honest).

What I was intending this morning was a nice genteel post about another wonderful Etsy Shop I found- in Helsinki, no less, and some photos of the parcel which arrived yesterday. Now she's going to think I'm a mad bogger (or blogger?) from the West and be terrified to open her emails any more...OH DEAR...

(Yes, the credit card ban is still in place- I 'borrowed' it when he wasn't looking...ok, technically, I nicked it...)

The Shop is Maili Supplies and she sells fabric, modern and vintage, mostly Finnish design, Marimekko...and very reasonable prices I thought.

And Ulla look! Maija-Liisa even included a Marimekko fridge magnet!!! The bold green and white I am going to use with the lovely Marimekko fabrics Ulla sent me back awhiles- and that quilt is going to be for ME, not the shop!

Aren't they lovely? And Tricia look! Finnish stamps!!

This is the most amazing fabric- the Shop photo didn't really do it justice! I don't know whether I'll ever be able to cut it up? I'm wondering about using it for whopping big cushions? Wouldn't you just smile every time you saw this??

Even the tape on the outside was fun!

So do head over and have a gawkeen? There's loads to see- I left you some...

And before I forget, Tricia has a Challenge going on if you fancy entering! Something different!

And the second thing I intended to say today is to apologise for not visiting any of you much the last fortnight, my head being full of the Shop and Logistics for the weekend. Now I'll get back on track, starting with a week of The Cabbage Soup Diet, I think, after the amount of junk and lack of whole meals ingested over the weekend...before I become like Winnie-the-Pooh and get stuck in doorways:

So Happy Tuesday y'all!!

Thankful Thursday!

Is it Thursday yet? Ah yes! Please click over to Sonja to join or read...

'To God be the glory! Great things he has done!

So loved he the world that he gave us his Son;

who yielded his life an atonement for sin,

and opened the life gate that all may go in.'1. Thankful for all the hymn writers over many hundred years who have given us extra words with which to celebrate, rejoice, give thanks, plead, worship, mourn, inspire...So many people who never open the Bible remember the words of hymns, and if that's what it takes to bring them home, that's good too. This is my (covered) somewhat battered Hymnal, precious to me.

2. Thankful Sos came home unexpectedly last night so we could sit down as a whole family to a VERY ROWDY supper, no one wanted to leave the table we were having such a good time. The chat was fairly flying, as were the insults! Today Dilly leaves for Dublin, work tomorrow night and College Monday so we likely won't see her again until the end of April.3. Thankful that I can recycle old clothes and cloth to keep crafting and stay occupied. Even in the lean times there is always something to do.

4. Thankful, VERY Thankful for all you guys who are kind enough to write comments and ideas for me. Since Christmas I am battling once more with the depression, panic about going out of the house, and terribly jangled nerves, and to sit down at my computer and 'talk' to people is more of a blessing than you kindly people will ever know. I am just so thankful to yous.5. Thankful to my 'Heath Robinson' Hub who has kept us in water and firewood through the last three weeks of frozen pipes and below freezing temperatures. Very ingenious for a little African boy brought up in the Bush!

P.S. See the world map on the sidebar?

And all those dots around South America?

I do declare that my Travelling Sister is checking up on me!

Bits and Bobs!

I thought you would like to see yesterday's rainbow? It was lovely, and if you knew the amount of rain we've had this week you'd be thankful for God's promise not to flood the earth again too!
The Hub lit the stove yesterday morning so the house was lovely and warm when I returned from school. The singing went fine, it was the first session this term with all four senior classes- 112 children. Its always exciting for them and me when we start getting eveyone together and yesterday was no exception.

D'you remember the children's cartoon 'The Land that Time Forgot'? I think it was about dinosaurs though I never actually saw it since we didn't have TV in East Africa; well this is some fabric from 'The Trunk that Time Forgot'!

Some of it is truly awful, and its only '80's fabric, not even '70's! And to think I just loved the garments which Mom made me, AND thought I was the bee's knees - the orange check was a dress with flared skirt, blue striped flannel was pyjamas, blue flowery was harem pants (~+>#<~+!), tie dye was a duvet cover I believe, muzzy brown a circular skirt, and those fluorescent jobs were shorts...and in case you are very charitably thinking 'well I'm sure she had a smaller bum back then', its very kind of you but you're WRONG! I've always had an outsize backside and likely to continue so!

Have you noticed that the Christmas Charity and Donations ad.s have begun on TV? Last night we were watching one about sponsoring a dog so I asked Ben and Bertie what they thought? Ben-dog said that he wasn't interested unless it was a sponsored Stone Throwing contest, honestly! Talk about disinterest!

If you need a laugh or cheering up you've got to check out this Friday Funny! (http://godsheart-heart2heart.blogspot.com/2009/11/beware-of-treadmills-friday-funnies.html )

I had to watch it twice and I laughed until I cried!

Yesterday in the Staffroom I was successfully wound up two new members of staff- I wonder whether the Principal includes it in the fine print of their contract because very rarely does anyone stop me, and frequently they join in! One teacher commented that I was drinking water and I insisted it was vodka until she began to wonder and someone else had to soothe her!

The the new Learning Support teacher (who happens to be Canadian) was asking how the Swimming Sessions worked because today will be the first one. The Principal told him he would be expected to go with the children and I could see he thought the Principal meant 'go swimming' as opposed to 'go supervise'. I'm sorry to say I leaped into the breach and told him he'd need his wet-suit rather than togs because they didn't go swimming in the Sports Complex any more but out at Rosses Point. The beach? sez he. Oh no, sez I, the pool, haven't you seen it, there's an old tidal swimming pool which is used. Another teacher added that due to the Recession, parents decided to cut the swimming costs.

Well we had the poor guy fairly going, not knowing what to think, before the Principal burst out laughing and gave away the game!

Yeah! yeah! I know! But he's a good sport- and five minutes later I heard another teacher telling him that this awful weather was all coming from Canada! Anyone coming to teach would need to be well able for us! And most are, luckily!

My first Bloscar!

Well firstly I'd like to thank the members of Symphonic Discord for my first blog award (Blo-Oscar!) or four! Its so kind of yous! And when I figure how to get them to my side bar they will be on display! (http://symphonic-discord.blogspot.com)
This morning I sowed more lettuce and cress, planted out basil, parsley, bay, two pots of sunflower seedlings, and some left-over pansies. I picked veg to take to the folks, and then spent several hours quilting. I visited the folks for a while during the afternoon, taking them some sunflower seedlings as well as the veg. Then I took the scissors to my hair as it was driving me nuts: B decided to bake a cake this afternoon, but it was rather unsuccessful, not like her. Still, it tastes good!
Yesterday afternoon Sos and I went to the Crafter's Basket in Cliffoney with two of her friends, and got her Debs dress fabric. Its pinky mauve sateen with a pink tull overlay, and she wants tiny silver bows scattered across the front. Goodness help me! I am NOT looking forward to making it, and the fabric was rather more expensive than I anticipated. The Hub said its the last 'posh frock' she'll get from us until she can afford to buy her own! Are we very bad parents? She does have good taste though, and a nice figure, not like dressmaking for yours dumpty truly here!
Afterwards we stopped off at Streedagh beach to walk, which was lovely, but I didn't have my camera.

And that's all really, not much to show for two days. Perhaps I'll get the quilt finished at the weekend.