Saturday 30 March 2013

Delicious Dessert & Pretty Plate

Need a quick and easy dessert for the weekend?  You must try this - it is so delicious and takes minutes to prepare.  I saw someone on "Come Dine With Me" make this and was impressed by how easy it seemed!

 
Belgian waffles, white chocolate, raspberries (frozen or fresh) and some crème fraiche - that's all.  Break up waffles and chocolate and place in dish (or you could layer them).  Mix in rasps and pour over some crème freche with a wee drop sugar in it.  Pop in oven for about half an hour and it's done!  It is so delicious, I've not been able to get an "after photo" because it disappears so quickly!

 
Some gratuitous pretty plate pics too!

 
Have a lovely weekend.

Love, Liz

Tuesday 26 March 2013

Left Behind!

Today's finds are this lovely sugar dish and milk jug from a local charity shop.

 
I've had to bump up the colour in the photo as it came out rather wishy-washy and nondescript looking (a bit like how I feel at the moment)!

 
They are vintage Duchess china and are a lovely shade of green which will go very well with my vintage green cups and saucers.

 
What I Didn't Buy Today While Out Charity Shopping

This should be the title of today's post as there were so many lovely things which I had to leave behind.  I saw a couple of fantastic pieces of furniture which, if I had a shed or garage (or even better - a shop), would have come home with me immediately!

a)       one of those little half-moon hall tables - my Mum used to keep the telephone on one in our house. 

b)        a little hostess table on wheels with pull out sides and a shelf underneath.

c)        60s wooden bookcase with glass doors in immaculate condition

All under a tenner each!  A coat of Annie Sloan paint and they would have been gorgeous!  I also saw a wonderful art deco dressing table and sideboard, reasonably priced.  Arghhhh ... if only!

Hope you've found some lovely things recently.  Pop over to -
Ta-Da Tuesday hosted by Lakota
and
Op Shop Show Off hosted by Max.
There are always some amazing finds, clothes and crafts to be discovered!


Love, Liz

Sunday 24 March 2013

A Bit of a Challenge!

This little granny square crochet baby blanket was actually a wee bit of a challenge for me.

 
 
The lovely young mummy who ordered it, asked if I could make it mostly in white with just a little very pale pink.  I'm a bit more used to having more colours to deal with, so I had the challenge of not making it too boring, because it was mostly white.  It was quite difficult to photograph because it is so pale.  Hope she likes it.

 
Now the best bit ...

 
... the choice of what colours to use next!

Love, Liz

Saturday 23 March 2013

Granny's Jewellery Box

I met my uncle for coffee recently and he handed me this -

 
Its my Granny's old jewellery box.  It always sat on her dressing table in the bedroom and I would be allowed to play with it when I was a little girl.  She always promised me that she would give it to me on my 16th birthday.  Then she said it would be my 21st birthday present, then a wedding present, then she used to joke that she would leave it to me in her will.  It was one of those daft family jokes. 


My Granny
She died in 1997 in her nineties and of course by then I had totally forgotten about the jewellery box. 

 
Just having it brings back so many happy memories.  I think its made of painted lacquer.  The music still plays, but the little ballerina has broken off, she used twirl round and be reflected in the mirrors in the lid of the box.  Perhaps I could replace her.

 
Granny never had much jewellery, just a few strings of beads and some brooches.  But that jewellery box seemed full of treasure to me as a young girl.

 
I'm so happy to have it.  Wonder who I'll leave it to??????

 
Love, Liz

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Knit Your Own ... Knee Cap!

Yes, you can ... if you really want too!  I've got the pattern!
  If the weather gets any colder I might actually try these!!!

 
Or how about knitting your man some pants!  Can you begin to imagine how uncomfortable these would be???

 
You might remember this little "Woolly Comforts"  booklet from Pandora'sBreadbin.  these are some of the other patterns from it.  It was published by Hunt, Barnard & Co Ltd for the Weldon's Practical Needlework series.  I think it is probably from about the 1920s or early 30s?

 
 
There are some lovely photographs and illustrations to make up for the strange bits and pieces!


 
There's even a pattern for Granny's shawl and I repeat ... this is NOT me!!!!!!!!

Love, Liz

I've noticed that Google Reader is stopping.  I read blog posts in Dashboard - will that be affected?  Hope someone can tell me.

 

Tuesday 19 March 2013

A Bit Dotty!

Had a bit of luck when I was out charity shopping this morning.  I found this lovely little Royal Vale tea set.  It is white with red polka dots and a little gold trimming.

 
Not my usual choice, but I thought it looked really jolly - it certainly brightened up a freezing Greenock morning for me.

 
Not sure if it is vintage or more recent, but I'm sure Miss Simmonds might be able to tell me.  Whether it is vintage or not, I think it would fit in with a contemporary table setting as well as mixed with older pieces.

 
Now I've got to find a place for it - I want to show it off - so I'm going to be an Op-Shop Show Off and join Max.  Then I'm joining Lakota for TaDa!Tuesday.  Come and join us.


 Love, Liz

Monday 18 March 2013

Vintage Royal Winton

This is my weekend charity shop find.

 
It is a lovely little vintage Royal Winton dish in a lovely shade of iridescent pink.

 
 
It really has a lovely sheen to it which changes in the light.

 
Fits in with everything on my spring dresser.

Love, Liz

Linking up with the Nifty Thrifty.

Sunday 17 March 2013

Tea and Crochet

Tea and crochet - what a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

 
Its raining and cold here in Greenock today, so I'm cosy on the sofa listening to Johnny Walker's Sounds of the 70s on Radio 2 - bliss!

 
Hope you are having a lovely, relaxing Sunday.

 
Love, Liz

Thursday 14 March 2013

Dolls In National Costume

Did your aunties ever bring you back dolls in national costume from their foreign holidays?  That's how I acquired these - many, many moons ago!

 
 
The dark haired one is from Ireland, I think - I'm going to call her Colleen.

 
Not sure where the other one is from ... Scandinavia, perhaps. I'm sure someone out there will let me know.  I'm going to call her Ingrid.  She is a really well made doll - her legs and arms move and her hair is lovely.

 
I used to have a collection (well, about six, including Wales and Scotland) - my aunties didn't venture too far!


And, yes, before you ask ......... they are both wearing knickers ........ the dolls that is, not the aunties (although I'm sure they did too)!

 
Love, Liz 

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Tea Break!

I seem to be on a knitting and crochet spree these days!  Probably something to do with the longer days and better light.  Also got something to do with how awful TV is at the moment.  Even worse now that Call the Midwife, Ripper Street and Mr Selfridge have all finished!  I listen to radio more. 
This is my latest retro tea cosy -

 
Very pale shades of pink and lemon - just right for Easter, I think.

 
Goes very well with this little vintage trio.

 
It is Plant Tuscan China (Reg No 780986) - so pretty and I use it quite a lot.

 
Loved putting this together, although there are fewer cakes now that there were at the beginning!!!!

Love, Liz

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Crochet Grannies - Blue and Lilac

I've just finished another crochet baby blanket.
 

This time I've used white with shades of blue and lilac.  It measures 24" (62cm) by 29" (74cm).
 

Although I've only used five colours, I pride myself on the fact that there are no two squares the same!  I'm actually getting a bit obsessive about this and have been known to undo a square if I discover I've done one the same!  Oh dear!

 
Joining with Lakota for Ta-Da! Tuesday - come over and see who else is showing off finds and makes this week.


Love, Liz