No sewing but some showing..........

No sewing today.  Grrrr.  But I had a very important mission today - buying Father's day goodies for my gorgeous hubby.  Mission almost accomplished.  Have to do a few more on Thursday.

Tomorrow is quilt group.  There is lots to do - I have cut out a dozen or so little Christmas stars and there are more to be cut out there.  I have the three quilts for Queensland to be looked at and planned for and a bunch of labels to be sewn on quilts. 

But a post without photos is pretty boring so I thought I would share this:-

This is the first day Maisy has wanted to sit out in the sunshine on her favourite chair.  This is her favourite spot I am sure.  It has been too cold up until now.  Sunday was the first day we left some of the doors open for some fresh air without freezing! 

And I also thought I would share this.  I THINK this is Queen Victoria - as made my my Grandmother - my lovely Nanna.  She would have got the pattern from a ladies magazine.

I always marvelled at the details in it. 

 A lot of the materials that Nanna used were donated bits and pieces.  She used to make things for sale at the church bazaar and would turn old fur coats into traditional teddies.  Old jumpers used to be unravelled and the wool would be knitted into soft toys.  Old clothes became dolls clothes and soft toys.

 The features from this little purse would have been collected from the ones the doves dropped in her backyard.  I still always think of sleeping over at Nanna's when I hear doves cooing.  That is what I always woke up to at her house.

 An old necklace was turned into her tiara.  Nanna didn't have money to run out to the craft shop for bits and pieces for her dolls so she had to use what ever she had but the people from her church soon worked out what she did and she would often be given a bag of bits and pieces.

Another post I will share some more of her dolls.  Nanna collected dolls from all over the world and they are mine now - very special!  I have a special nook in the living room with my very comfy chair and ottoman.  I have a bookcase and my cross stitches on one side and my doll cabinet on the other side.

The most special dolls are the ones that Nanna either made or dressed herself.  I have a few more to show you.....next time.

This is my dearest Nanna.  She was the softest, gentlest lady.   Whenever we used to go and visit her we would hope there would be Lemon Sponge Kisses or Pop's Specials (a chocolate chocolate chip cookie) in her cake tin - and there usually was.  She made the best lemon butter - we used to call it lemon cheese - I still love it on toast for breakfast.  She also made meat paste - a kind of very rustic terrine or pate made with ordinary mince and pressed.  I loved.  Meat paste on sandwiches with tomato sauce for my school lunches - mmmmm my favourite!  Sadly, I could never duplicate it no  matter how faithfully I followed the recipe!  if I could I would be making it nowadays!  I left home when I was 19 and moved to the other side of Australia to join the air force.  But, it didn't matter how far away I was or where I went i always made time to call or write to Nanna.  I just had to.  And i always visited her whenever I came home.  She was one of my favourite people and I really miss her.  Luckily I have quite a few of her things around my home to remind me of her - her favourite chairs and her cake tin for starters!  When I have grandkids I hope I will be just like her - lots of hugs, cookies or cakes always on hand and home made stuff like quilts and toys and so on.

And until next time.............happy stitching!