Honey, I found the parsnips!

Ok - so yesterday, I found the parsnips that should have been cooked on Christmas Day!

I searched high and low on Christmas Day for these blinking things.  The family even helped, but then assumed that Mum was "losing it"!  They even suggested I hadn't actually bought them. But I knew I had, I just couldn't find them.  Of course they were "hidden" in plain sight - second tray of the vegetable rack.  They look a bit scabby now - but they'll make a great pot of soup!

Don't know about you, but I always, for some reason,  miss something out when I've a big meal to cook.  Ah well, there was so much food, I don't think anyone really missed them.

Love, Liz

Japanese Tea Set

This has to be my find of the year - a beautiful vintage white and silver tea set complete with gorgeous teapot.

I admired it in a local charity shop and my lovely sister in law bought it for me - what a perfect gift. It has a beautiful design of mountains and trees.

 I think next year I am going to decorate my Christmas lunch table around this colour theme.  It would look wonderful with some greenery arranged down the centre of the table.

I presume it is Japanese.  When you hold a cup up to the light you can see a Japanese woman's face. The only markings are the letters CTS (china tea set?).  If anyone knows what this means could they please let me know.

Do you like it?
Joining with Let's Talk Vintage.

Love, Liz

Dusting can wait!

The sun is actually shining in Greenock today after many days of rain.  Only thing is - it is showing up all the dust around the house!

I've been a bit lazy over the last few days and it shows around the house.  But it's Sunday and I'm just going to relax (a bit more).  A brisk walk then a lunch of leftovers (yup, still got some).

Then I'm going to settle down with one of my Christmas presents - didn't watch Poldark when it was on BBC because I thought it would be the kind of thing I'd like to watch lots of at once.  Well, perhaps two of my Christmas presents - got lots of lovely chocolates too!

As for that dust - well, it will get dark soon and it won't show.  Dusting can wait till tomorrow!

Love, Liz

Merry Christmas

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Love, Liz

Beautiful Surprise

A lovely, unexpected gift arrived for me today -

It's from my brother in Canada.  Isn't it beautiful with the lovely background of moss, pine cones and wood.  The bulbs are lovely too and the joy of this arrangement is that it will last for ages.  I can look forward to the bulbs opening well after Christmas!

My brother and I don't see each other very often, but it is so lovely to know that he's thinking about me.  This is an old photograph of us taken many, many years ago.  Don't look very happy, do we?!

This can be a difficult time of year for many folks separated from families by miles.  Especially for parents whose grown-up children have moved away.  It is sad not get to see grandchildren open their Christmas presents and join in the joy of the festive season.

So, thanks Bro for thinking about me.
Thanks also to the lovely florists, all over the world, who spend so much time creating beautiful gifts that bring so much joy.  Thank you local florist - Studio Flowers in Gourock - this is just beautiful.

Love, Liz

Pretty pink basket

I found this gorgeous little vintage china basket in a charity shop at the weekend.

It is by Govancroft - you can read about them by clicking on the link - I have one other Govancroft item in my collection.

It is a lovely shade of pink, but it was such a dull day when I photographed it that it hasn't turned out very well.

Hope all your Christmas preparations are going well.
Joining with Let's Talk Vintage.

Love, Liz

Star of Wonder

Two more vintage Ladybird Books from my collection - 

Baby Jesus from 1961 by Hilda L Rostron, illustrated by Clive Uptton is my favourite.  The other is The Little Lord Jesus from 1954 by Lucy Diamond, illustrated by Kenneth Inns.

My favourite illustration from them has to be this one of the wise men following the star.  The colours are just fantastic.

These sort of illustrations remind me of a Bible I used to have when I was a little girl and it had illustrations inside.

Don't tell anyone, but when I got bored at church, I would look at the pictures in my Bible - I suppose in a way they did the trick!  I might not have been listening, but I was taking something in.

Love, Liz

Happy St Andrew's Day!

Happy St Andrew's Day!

Aren't these wee Scotties so cute?!

If you'd like to know why St Andrew is Scotland's patron saint then you might be interested in today's post in my other blog - The Greenockian.

Love, Liz

The invisible authors!

I went on a bit of a jaunt yesterday.  I travelled from Greenock to Stirling - two and a half hours and two buses.  It was a typical rainy November day - but I had an event to attend at Stirling Castle.
Historic Scotland (of which I'm a member) were hosting an author event for Scottish Book Week. My favourite author Diana Gabaldon and the Scottish archaeologist Neil Oliver were to be speaking.  I was really looking forward to it.  The event was held in the great hall of Stirling Castle - it was beautiful.  There were candles and a lovely Christmas tree.  The wooden ceiling is amazing to look at ................ just as well - because it was the only thing I could see.

I was sitting about a third of the way back and here's my view - the back of other people's heads.

Yes, Diana and Neil are there ..... somewhere!

The authors were sitting on a tiny dais - I'm sure only the first few rows could actually see them! There wasn't even a screen behind them that we could look at!  I have no idea who the woman leading the "discussion" was - haven't a clue what she looked like.

So what did these two authors have in common ... well ... errr!?  Diana Gabaldon's books are set in the 18th century..  I hadn't even realised that Neil Oliver had written a work of fiction, but it seeming is set in the 15th century and deals with the fall of Constantinople. So lots in common then?!

Diana Gabaldon at Waterstones last year.

A very disappointing evening followed by the long trek home.  Really a waste of time.  Enjoyed seeing and listening to Diana Gabaldon at Waterstones in Glasgow last summer - now that was a worthwhile event.  Sorry for the long moan - but you know how it is when you have a major disappointment.  Perhaps Historic Scotland could try and make their guest speakers a bit more visible to those of us who have paid for the privilege of seeing them!

Love, Liz

Vintage 60s selection box

I found something amazing when I was doing a bit of clearing out (well, re-arranging really)!  Look at this Cadbury's Selection Box from the 1960s!

Can't quite believe the prices - a Flake for threepence and a bar of chocolate for a shilling (5p)! There was a little game on the back.

BUT ... it was what was inside that I had totally forgotten about!  The contents are out of this world!

A selection of press cuttings from 1968 and 1969 all about the moon landings.

I must have been quite a collector - even in those days.  I had totally forgotten about these.

Haven't a clue what I'm going to do with them.  Have to admit that I found the other sides which had news from the time and especially the adverts more interesting this time around!

Funny what turns up - have you found anything interesting recently?  Share them with a link in the comments section and I'll highlight a few over the next few days.

Love, Liz

Vintage Roman Ladybirds

I was rearranging my Ladybird books recently and noticed that I had a "double" about Julius Caesar and Roman Britain.

Printed a couple of decades apart, it is interesting to see the different covers and the fonts used.

The first one is an early one with a paper dust jacket, the second one is from the 70s.

As usual with Ladybird Books, the illustrations are fabulous.

Love, Liz

Hallway Transformation

You know how it is when you are about to have visitors - you take a look around the house and one particular spot really stands out as needing a quick make-over.  That's what I thought about a neglected corner of my home.

We live in a first floor flat and the stairwell from the main door had been sadly neglected!  Hardly the most attractive of welcomes for visitors.  I had a couple of plants out there which seemed to be doing well.  But that was about it!

So drab and uninteresting!

Anyway - I got some herbs in pots, added a little plant stand and a mirror which I found at the back of a cupboard and now I think it looks quite attractive.  Added some battery operated fairy lights and remote controlled battery operated candles - such a difference!

A much nicer welcome for my visitors don't you think?  My wax flower plant was magnificent this year.

Hope you like my makeover!
Love, Liz

Oxo Cube tins - another collection!

I found this great wee vintage looking tin in my local supermarket at the weekend.

It contains Oxo Cubes and is one of their special edition tins which they produce every now and then.  I just thought it was so cute!

I've another two which I've collected over the years - does that mean that I now officially have the start of a(nother) collection?!  Oh dear!  Which do you like best?

Love them all.

Gosh, it's been a busy few weeks - three sets of visitors over the last three weekends!  Had such a good time and this month has just passed in a instant!  Will try and catch up your blogs very soon and thanks for all the lovely and helpful comments on my last post.

Love, Liz