Cake And Jelly

I do hope you're all having a wonderful cake and diddy sandwiches weekend!

I'd had so many plans, but due to rain and a bit of laziness, not much happened. Though please do keep your fingers crossed for some fine weather tomorrow, it doesn't have to be hot, just rain-free!

So, as it was a special weekend... Though I didn't see much evidence of that, the one weekend I really wanted the telly back! Where was I? Yes, food;

Did you happen to see the Chivers Jelly Crown here? I wanted to make one, but I didn't have enough jelly to make a proper big 'un, so it looks pretty.... child-like. No, that's insulting, a 4  year-old could've done much better! So among my excuses - Not enough jelly, over-whipped cream, the piping bag was leaking, the royal icing didn't set...

It's funnier every time I see it! But I've learnt my lesson, look at the picture and ignore the instructions!

I ought to point out that me and dairy don't mix, so I'm just going straight in for the jelly, cherries and jelly sweets!
My more sucessful delight was this Victoria Sandwich, which I have been told is "better than Sainsbury's".... There you have it!
I used a 1951 recipe, hence the sucess :)

We don't really have much cake, so this is a treat. Remember what I said about dairy and me? I feel awful after only one slice! I'm not ill, but I am trying to decide of that one slice is worth a headache?

Yes, yes it was!

Ma had seen some biscuits in Marks & Spencers, they call them "Jazzie Biscuits" and slap a nice price tag on them - So Ma made some "Jazzie Biscuits:

And finally, after moving around the furniture and trying to make the old dining room worth of a photo...

Please excuse the "home improvements", it was left in more of a state than this - We've actually tidied it up! But enough of that talk, home made bunting, Coronation mugs and one from the Golden Jubilee (10 years ago!)

I have to go now, but I just wanted to wish you all well on this long weekend. Hopefully I'll be back in a few days after having a lovely day out tomorrow... If the weather holds!

Happy Jubilee Weekend

Jennie xx

Canteen Girl

'Ello Ducklettes,

When do you decide a collection is already too big and doesn't need adding to?

That's my question for the day. This comes after planning to use my Woods Ware this weekend - The weather's not looking good, so the picnic is not going to happen and that day out on Monday is looking doubtful (it's an outdoor event with fields and walking involved), so I thought it'd be nice to bake a cake and use my favourite crockery...

But it was packed away, so Ma being the intrepid explorer went under the stairs into the cupboard to go and find the two boxes of Woods Ware - Two boxes later and some was missing, so back into the cupboard she disappeared, and found another three boxes! Five boxes jam packed with plates, bowls, tureens, cups...

Even with 21 dinner plates, 18 cups and 5 tureens (and the rest!) I still don't have a full collection :(

It doesn't look like much when it's neatly stacked, but I'm dreading the thought of re-packing and re-housing it all.

The one thing I'm really missing (apart from coffee pots, toast racks, egg cups...) is the guide/brochure to identify the various pieces. I saw one for free online, but didn't save the picture and can't find it again (!), so some of the pieces are, as Toyah Willcox sang, a mystery!

I'm trying to decide whether or not to open a canteen... Any vintage factories need a canteen, plus girlie to run it? Have Woods Ware, will travel!

Anyway, I thought you might like to see it all it it's glory before it goes away until Christmas! I'll show you the cake when I've baked it, plus the other treat I have in store.

Have a lovely evening,

Jennie xx

Vote Charlie

Morning, Afternoon, Evening... Depending on where you may be or when you read this!

Charlie has recently been a little under the weather, I think with the change in home life and his former life as a stray, it's made him rather unsure of things. He's been rather on the clingy side of late, he'll be alright in the long term, but I wanted to cheer him up...

So I entered him into a Kitty Beauty Pageant!
Morrisons are having a pet event, and I submitted his picture, he had already been given a 5 star rating before I entered, which just goes to show how lovely he is.

The prize is a years supply of cat food, which would be so handy for cutting down our bills.

But back to the main event, it's really just a confidence booster for my boy. So if you could spare a few moments, could you pop over to the site and give him a rating?
I'm not sure when the competition finishes, I can't seem to find out, but I think it may be tonight!

If you do have a moment to spare, the link is:

http://www.morrisons.co.uk/Family-Life/Pet-Event/Cat-Gallery/?ImageId=d4f1c54a-14b0-44ea-bc96-be16f48bd5f9



5 Star Kitty

This weekend has been a bit of a strange one, due to our popular demand (no, seriously!), no boot sales have been attended and I missed out on a costume sale on Saturday - The day this year when I knew I wouldn't be able to make it!
Hopefully, next weekend will prove more fruitful, I may just be attending an event (Monday or Tuesday) as well as at least one boot sale - Fingers crossed for fine weather across the land!
Oh, and as it will be Jubilee weekend, I will be eating cakes, scones and jelly and drinking enough tea to float a ship!

I will be back during the week, probably to provide excuses for the poor dressmaking skills, oh and speaking of dressmaking... I was chatting to my Gran over a cuppa this afternoon and she told me she still had her old button tin - Now, I was under the impression this had been given away years ago, but no, it's safe and sound and in her possession. Better than that, she told me she didn't need them and would have a sort out and I could have them! Yippee!

That's that for now, I'll sit down in the week and we can have a proper chat about things.

Don't forget to vote, Charlie sends all you voters a little wet nose kiss!

Have a nice Sunday eve

Jennie and Charlie xx

I'm Back, I'm Thankful And I Have Boot Sale Booty!

Hello Ducks,

Did you miss me? Don't answer that :)

Four weeks since he been gone, and more importantly, since I been gone from the blog! But fret no more, I am back, I am once again smiling like a cat with a hanger in his mouth and I have loads upon loads to write about!

First up however, I wish to say a heartfelt thank you for all your kind words and wishes, we have both taken a lot of comfort from them and will probably never be able to converse the appropriate words in which to thank you. Thank you x

Now, not much has "gone down" since we last spoke, the main news being: We no longer have a telly! It gets a bit complicated with the names on the licence etc, so Ma told them we no longer watch a live stream of telly (BBC are just repeating repeats anyway!) and unplugged the aerial so we no longer have a signal.
With that £145 a year saving (!!!), we can have a few extra DVDs every now and then the first of which being Open All Hours, a boxset for just £11.99 on Amazon! That's over 12 hours viewing for under £12.
We have seen a few things on the iPlayer (Not Going Out) and 4OD (Homeland, 2 Broke Girls, The Big Bang Theory), but not live... No need to dip into the pocket!

I've just realised how awfully boring I am! Apologies

Something more up our street? I've attended only 2 boot sales in 4 weeks - Shock-o-rama! Oh and a charity shop or two, Ma nabbed this rather nifty table for only... £8! The only reason she got it was because she's quicker at drawing her purse than me, thanks to her jumble sale practise!

I'm so embarrassed about that floor!

At the first boot sale, I found these buttons:

There was a whole big basket full of little bags, each filled with a few buttons. The prices were rather steep, so I allowed myself one bag only... I picked the best ones!

At the second, I actually turned some things down to try and avoid clutter... Too late really, but I am in the middle of the Mother of all clear outs, the C.A.T. charity shop will be doing really well out of me!
Anyway, the first bargain of the morn was this Silver Jubilee tin from 1935...

The condition leaves a lot to be desired, but none the less, I couldn't leave them there... Them?

I said to myself, I refuse to pay more than £2 for this tin, which was buried with the broken stuff on a bit of a junk stall... £1 lighter and I have my tin - My Gran thinks I overpaid!

Then the next item(s), I looked, then walked away thinking they were too expensive, but had a good ole think and returned, haggled and was victorious! They are mine...

A Coty compact alone would make my heart flutter! I think it's circa 1935 because of the stamp-y thingy on the back... Please words, return to me! However, it will not open! The lid moves, but the button press won't push in... Grandad suggested using a lump hammer, just to see the "noooooooo" look on my face! We'll get it open one day, maybe a crisp £20 is wedging it shut?

So, that was a rather long post! I honestly didn't expect it to be so easy to write today, maybe my Grandparent's visit today helped more than I realised.
I must get back to eBaying now, I have a huge pile of clothes to go on, and as soon as they're sold, I can buy some more!

Thank you once again

Jennie, Ma and Charlie xxx

Devastation

The following is out of the ordinary, but I need to get something off my chest:

On Monday Ma and and Dad celebrated their wedding anniversary as normal. He actually remembered the date and popped it on the calendar, and got Ma a nice card.

Thursday was fairly normal; My Dad came home from work and read a letter of rejection from a job he'd applied for (we've all been there), then after The Big Bang Theory, he disappeared upstairs and there was a lot of banging around as he was looking for something, this again is normal. At 10 he came downstairs kissed Ma goodnight and went to bed...

Friday I was awoken with Ma in my doorway in tears saying "He's gone". I presumed a misunderstanding from a note he'd left (many a morning, he'd leave a note). It just said that "This isn't the life I want" and if we needed to be in touch with him, he'd be in contact with his friend S. We agreed he'd probably had a midlife crisis / breakdown and left a message with S - Just let us know you're ok.

I thought that after many years of discussion, he'd finally packed his bags and gone back to Spain to do some walking in the sun - I wished him well in my heart.

Saturday morning, S phoned up and spoke to Ma with such contempt, but he knew where my Dad was, still in the country. Ma asked if there was someone else - Yes.

If you know my Dad, you'll realise he is the last person you'd suspect of having an affair and abandoning his family - I always thought he had more style than that. He meant the world to me, and even though I may not of said it much, I loved him so much and thought the world of him.

His friend S and his wife J were supposed to be friends of both my Dad and Ma - So why is she been treated like this?
35 years of marriage, children, and she put up with his foul moods when he was unhappy. We supported him through the jobs he's hated so much, and even moved 200 miles to support him when he chose to go to college. Then we moved to a house we didn't want to live in, but he liked it, so we came.

It hurts that when he went off to bed on Thursday evening, he knew he wouldn't be coming home on the Friday evening, but he talked to us as normal. If anything, he talked to me more than usual. He was so calm. Why didn't he do the decent thing and tell Ma? Why did he decide to go?
He's just lost his wife and children, I almost want to pity him.

Mind, what does it say about a woman who gets involved with a married man? They're both to blame. I do believe in Karma however, I'll let it sort these things out.

He gave me such grief over my (now ex) boyfriend and the way he treated me, complained that he was rushing into things - Now my Dad has apparently only been with HER for a few weeks and he's abandoned his family to be with her - Sorry but, pot, kettle, black!

Now Ma, me and Charlie are left with a house which resembles a building site in an isolated part of the country and miles from family.

In complete anger, all his things have been packed up and put in the workshop... his workshop, with all his tools and equipment. He either collects it in the week, or it goes on eBay. It was the most painful thing I've done, packing up his books. They each represent him and his life; Boats, motorcycles and travel.

He left his keys too, so when he does come, he's got to face us, but I don't know how I could look at him after what he's done.

I never thought I could feel so much pain. I honestly don't know where we go from here, it just feels too much to bear.

Creme de la Creme Egg

Oooh, if only you knew the effort that went into this title of today's post! I had to eat many eggs for research purposes, it was hell! Thankfully, when the title was decided upon, I could rest. The remaining eggs are now on display as a reminder of the things we do for our blogs!

I trust you're all well?

Things have moved on a bit here since we last spoke; My dearest Bess (number 1 bicycle) has been fixed, I'd done the bearings (my poor poor nails were ever so black!), then my tyres wouldn't stay up... Long story short, it's all fixed (thank you Daddy!).
Another bike has been sent my way, it's on a time share between me and Ma as she doesn't have a rideable bike. This one is electric, or would be if the battery pack worked!
I've added yet more to the stash/collection/pile of tat - A handful of magazines, the picture of King George V... Gawd bless 'im!. Sunglasses and some Double Knit wool in a fancy shade called Claret (oooh, get me!) which is for a 1935 Coatee which will be knitted closer to Autumn (so, now?).

I've not much planned for the weekend; Tonight is a lovely night in with home-made pizza and the 100th episode of The Big Bang Theory. Then the rest of the weekend will consist of a chocolate egg, hair cut, some films and maybe a bootsale if the snow stays away - More warm weather please!

Speaking of films - Listening to the wireless the other day, an advert came on for Blockbuster, they suggested renting Happy Feet - I mentioned to Ma that I thought Kung Fu Panda was on the box. She turned to me and said that she had not desire to watch the panda as it wasn't believable... Dancing penguins however.... I think you're crazy Ma, but I love you x

Anyway, I think I've come to the end of this post, I didn't really have anything to say, but do want to wish you all a lovely weekend.

I shall be back next week without fail, I will (I swear) have finished something, either a 1933 Coatee with a nautical theme, or a 1939 Jumper with yachts on (no, it's still not finished!), or a 1940s Middy Jacket... Something will be finished!

So I wish you well

Jennie & family xx

The Bag Lady of West Wales

Hello All, I trust you are all in good health?

I haven't been so good during the past month, my last two posts were scrambled together somewhat, but now I'm getting myself back on track. I keep telling myself that there are worse things in life than a broken heart. But there you have it, we are no longer "we" and I think I've even bored myself with moping around!

Anyway, that's my poor excuse for bad grammer, lack of posting and a "can't be bothered" attitude!

So anyway, enough of my self pitying drawl, a while back in this post I mentioned finding two bags and hat going cheap and you wanted to see... Well, I got off of my rear end and took some snaps for you:

A new hat for chapel

This bag needs some stitching on the handle as it's come apart, oh and some leather feed... It's on the list!

Maybe a bit of feed, and maybe removed the spiders web from inside?

So those were my finds last month. Today I managed to haul myself out to the market to get plums and had a look round the charities and antiquey shops and found a 1957 booklet of knitting patterns which I forgot to photograph, but I'll be knitting one of the jumpers for the Summer. AND... yes, it did require capitals! I came across a bag which had my heart a-fluttering. At first I was thinking 1920s as it was similar to a bag Ruby wore in Lilies (second series, please?), then I decided it must be modern as the condition is too good. Well, I bought it and decided to ask you me dearies. My brain is too frazled to make the call. But the more I look at the details, the more I think it's pre-war.

The strap is long enough to wear across the body, with the bag sitting snuggly under ones bossom.

There's a scrap of lining left, I think it's grosgain. But round the edge under the frame is a bit of foam. I'm thinking of relining this, just make it tidy like? Tidy!

The gold-y-ness has all but gone... I can't find my words now, but I'm sure you know what I mean, you know, that thing... The thingy majig!

Anyhow, your opinion on the age?

I'd best get off, I can feel a ramble coming on, and I should really go and enjoy that sunshine... Yes, sunshine!

Toodle pip!

Jennie xx