The sea at the opening of the harbour at Portreath, Cornwall on a calm July day and, when both the weather and the season have changed, in February.
Tag Archives: postaday 2013
Spring Yellow, Blue and Cream
Despite the grey day, our Spring flowers continue to bloom and deliver their beauty where it matters most.
Pale yellow primroses
Bi-colour Muscari
Tubs on the steps
Creamy tulips
Embroidery Transfers, E Nesbit’s Words and Baby Hat
1 Those of you who often read here will know that I have inherited lots of family treasures. Today I went to my sewing things to find a transfer for embroidery. These were bought by my Mum when I was 5 years old and many of my little dresses had lovely embroideries or smocking on them. I remember the ironing on process and being taught some of the stitches. I needed the transfer to embroider the little hat I’m making for our newest Grandbaby.
The leaflet that came with the transfers
Some of the designs
Helpful information with the transfers
The transfer I chose
2 I heard a few of E Nesbit’s words about flowers on the radio this morning and was very taken with them so I went to look them up – as you do – and discovered that they came from her book ‘The Story of the Amulet’ The children in the story have travelled into a Utopian London of the future and discover that all ‘tiny children’ learn these verses. Find out more here.
‘I must not steal and I must learn,
Nothing is mine that I do not earn.
I must try in work and play
To make things beautiful every day.
I must be kind to everyone,
And never let cruel things be done.
‘I must not litter the beautiful street
With bits of paper or things to eat.
I must not pick the public flowers,
They are not MINE, but they are OURS.’
3 I finished the hat this afternoon and am pleased with how it has turned out. It is to match the Hungry Caterpillar pram blanket which I finished last week. Thank you to Angel for the pattern.
Baby hat
Swiss Roll, Lemons and Family Togetherness
1 I needed to keep myself busy today so, the weather being unfit for a good stomp, baking was the answer. I decided to make a Swiss Roll and the lovely Mr S requested Lemon Curd Swiss Roll where I prefer raspberry. We had run out of Lemon Curd so I started by making a batch of that and then made a twin flavoured Swiss Roll!
Just made Lemon Curd
Swiss roll before rolling
A slice of each for our lovely neighbours
2 The lemon wedges and the fresh bay leaves for tonight’s roast chicken looked beautiful together.
Lemon wedges and bay leaves for the roast chicken
3 We Skyped with D in Barcelona to bring him and his Senegalese wife up to date with regard to the newest member of our family. He taught us the following expression in Warlof which means We’re all in this together / Family support is all around you, which is so lovely – Nyo far.
PS Thank you to so many of you who have sent love and support for us and Grandbaby B.
Clock, Three Wise Monkeys and Hungry Caterpillar
1 When I was doing the aforementioned Spring cleaning yesterday, I polished up this very old and lovely clock of my Granny’s. It just sits on the shelf in the kitchen stuck at 7.20. But, a beautiful thing happened yesterday. I tried winding it and reset the hands and it is working again! It’s been going for 24 hours and is still ticking!
Granny’s clock
2 The miniature daffodils in my Wise Monkey planter are blooming even though crows and sparrows alike are stealing the coconut liner material for their nests!
Tete a Tete in my Monkey Planter
3 I have finished the yards of blanket stitch around the Hungry Caterpillar pram blanket. I am very pleased with it.
Finished off
Made with love especially for you
Weekly Photo Challenge – Colour in Nepal and India
India and Nepal are the most colourful places I’ve ever visited. The women in their beautiful saris, the houses, the buses, the shops and stalls – everything! I took my most colourful clothes with me but I felt quite drab – until I was dressed in a sari!
On the lake at Pokhara
Beautiful shop
Flowers for the festival
Festival shrine in Sarnath
‘ Nice’ bus in Napal
Bookshop in Varanasi
Proud and beautiful Mum in Sarnath
Fruit stall
Colourful house and washing in Nepal
Leaving the Taj Mahal
Colour in Sarnath
Pea stall in Varanasi
Me in a sari
Beaten Eggs, Chief Seattle and A Model Of Me
1 This morning I made carrot cakes and was very taken with the colours, especially the pattern made by the teaspoon of vanilla essence in the beaten eggs and oil.
Beaten eggs with oil and vanilla
2 Talking with Don today about caring for our Earth, I had to go and look up a half-remembered piece written by Chief Seattle. I found it and here it is. I hope you’ll agree that the words and the sentiment are very important and very beautiful.
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.
– Chief Seattle, Duwamish (1780-1866)
3 I have had this little model for many, many years. It was made by S, a very talented writer in one of my English classes. He was a restless sixteen year old who needed encouragement, both to believe in his own talent and to sit still! I discovered that, given something to model with, his concentration on the literature we were studying increased hugely. One day, at the end of the lesson, he presented me with this precious little model, made of Blutak. It’s me – curly hair, long skirt, a necklace and a scarf, carrying books and a heavy bag of files and with a huge grin on my face. I was so touched and I have kept this little treasure ever since.
Thank you, S. I hope you have become the writer I thought you could become. Maybe you went on to make models in the style of Wallace and Gromit! Maybe one of my ex-pupils who reads this will tell you of this post!
The model of me in the style of Wallace and Gromit
Daffodils, Trapunto and A Simple Supper
1 The daffodils that I bought the other day are all open and very beautiful.
Mixed Cornish daffodils
2 When we were in America about 30 years ago, I bought some fabric to make into Trapunto panels. I still haven’t used them! However, the technique has stayed with me and I decided to use it on the baby blanket that I am making. I’ve been working on it all day, using stem stitch and chain stitch so that each segment of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is now padded and raised and looks brilliant! I am really pleased with it.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar with chain stitch on the antennae
The back end of the caterpillar with stem stitch detail
3 Embroidering all day called for a very simple supper! Chicken risotto with leeks and mushrooms with a spinach salad with balsamic dressing – delicious!
Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Risotto with spinach salad
Embroidery Threads, Footprints in the Sand and Camellia
1 I went back to my favourite shop today to buy new embroidery threads to complete the pram cover I’m making for the new Grand-baby due in 11 days!
New embroidery threads
2 We had a lovely sunshiny walk at Godrevy though there is still a very cold wind. Look at the people on the beach!
Godrevy Lighthouse
Turquoise sea
Celandines in the sunshine
Footprints in the sand
3 We called in at a new plant nursery just to see what was around and found this very beautiful cream Camellia.
Camellia in the plant nursery
