Lacework

A box of lace has arrived

A box of lace from my M.I.L

A box of lace which she inherited from "Gan"

A box of wonderful family history, stored and treasured from one generation to the next and now it is Down the Lane.

"I must wash and iron and preserve this wonderful gift......"

This was just the first batch!

As you can see I became rather obsessed by the lovliness of it floating in the breeze!

One particularly large piece has ended up adorning the landing window.

And as a result I am adoring the landing window!

So I got to thinking about lace and all the forms it takes.

LACE: A delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern. Also called la

cework

but that's not it at all, I thought.

Lace is the opera of sewing, it is the prima ballerina of threadwork and it has been fashioned with such precision and beauty by women over many centuries and in every culture.

Then I thought wouldn't it be pretty to add some colour?

and sure enough a little trawling on the tintrenet

Of course lace isn't simply man-made.

Some of the finest lacework exists all around us in nature

Looking skyward through spring blossom

Discovering an impromptu seat for a little bottom to perch upon!

Oh and trailing, umbrella like blooms

and remember outside Cottage Industry in Fitzroy, Melbourne the amazing tree festooned with crochet doilies? Makes me smile to think of it.

Which brings me to Lacework Australian style

The houses are decorated with Victorian Lacework
Makes me think of those faraways...........

I would love to hear about your favourite piece of lace

Ooh and by the way I also wanted to tell you all about a lovely giveaway happening over at cottontails

Charlotte is offering these lovely Maileg goodies so hop over and join in if you can.

Last, but by no means least I wanted to wish all my wonderful friends the very best at the

Vintage and Handmade Chritmas Fair

The Fair is on 14th November in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall 10am -4pm

Do try and get there if you can as it will be chock full of the most wonderful vintage and handmade treasures you will find anywhere.

Good Luck to all the stall holders, I will sitting thinking enviously of you all x

Kind Hearts and Coronets

The kind hearts belong to Koralee and Viv,

And so do the Coronets as I crown them both the lovliest girls!

This little stocking is for you both from Down the Lane where you are much appreciated xIn spite of the rather eratic postal service we are experiencing here in Blighty at the moment, two rather amazing letters popped through the letter-box this week.
Lovely Koralee from Bluebird notes sent me this gorgeous be-ribboned, be-buttoned "Bluebird Note" all the way from Canada. Oh I just love those stamps.

Gorgeous ivory button too!

Just look at the treasure inside! Lots of lovely Birdie inspired things as you would expect and beautiful words from Koralee. I am still smiling with delight just thinking about it again!

Thank you so much lovely x

Now you might think that would be enough lovely post for any girl but no! There's more...Beautiful Viv from Hens Teeth staggered me by sending not one but two of her divine collaged Christmas cards, Oh joy!

I wish you could see these in the flesh they really are divine, the colours are heavenly vintage pinks, rose, green and blue.

I just adore this touch with a little twinkle of Santa's eye!

I them had a brainwave!

I found this vintage Selfridges Paper bag and have been toying with cutting it up and collaging with it when I thought, what if......

Viv's cards would look lovely with this as a backdrop!

You like?

I think I like them so much I might mount and frame them and keep them forever!They will become part of the Annual Christmas decorating extravaganza here Down the Lane.

You girls are the best!

Thank you for these treasures I’ll always think of you with a glad and grateful heart x

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes......................

Trick or Treat?

I love Margaret Tempest illustrations, this is "the witch's house"

Scary!


This was the Witch's garden at Hampton Court Flower Show

And this is absoloutely The Scariest Witch of all time!

I went with the Magpie to see Snow White when I was very small and this image kept me awake at night for a long time afterwards.


Enough of all that frightening stuff!

Do you fancy a treat?



If you would like a toffee apple festival head over to Bluebird Notes where Koralee has prepared some yummy gooey toffee apples and some other sparkly sweet treats.


Or call in at the Vintage Magpie and see Nicky's latest beautiful creation, Rufus


What about a sparkly Christmas teaser? Head over to Sweden and meet Malin at her beautiful
White Christmas blog just in time for her giveaway, entry ends today!

Or you can help Wendy at Ticking Stripes celebrate her 50th follower with a giveaway too!




"Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in "


Happy Halloween x

What's the story Autumn Glory?

I dont know about you but Autumn always seems the most magical of seasons to me. It prompts a story telling, fairy tale response from me. (Probably something to do with the Arthur Rackham pictures I had on my walls as a child.) The crab apples decorating the tree outside my kitchen window are very Snow White.....................

...............and so like the apple trees on my Bunnykins plates.

I love the promise of the new day as I poke my nose out of the door, Mr.Boodle sniffs the air and squeals expectantly at the iminent prospect of a walk.

So we cross the field and ford the stream

And find ourselves amongst the grassy tips dripping with twinkling spiders webs and crystal dew drops shimmering in the misty light. The tip of every blade has a perfect dew drop suspended.

I am sure if we looked a little harder we would see the shadows of the fairies darting away on hearing us approach.

" Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Lets go..................."

Avenues of trees with the low Autumn sun sun rising, Little Red Riding Hood may have just passed by on her way to Granny's house.

Always remember to look up! I have to remind myself of this as I could easily miss Mrs.Pepperpot hurrying home!

Careful, not to trip over tree stumps! The old man of the woods will stir.....

Home again!

Now these lovely cherry like apples are for Wendy over at Wendy House.

Thank you Wendy for my award, I love it.

Have a look at Wendy-House if you can it is full of lovliness.

In the meantime I would love to hear about your favourite Fairy Tales....

And for those who were wondering, you will be pleased to know that we all lived happily ever after our walk!

x

A butterfly, for three summer days................

I am so excited about the new Jane Campion film Bright Star I just can't contain myself and here I am waxing on about it to all of you! If you have time visit here and click on each of the little scraps and photos to gain an insight into Jane's creative process with her and some of the team that worked on the film.................., lovely!

I really adored The Piano especially the very spare artistic direction and the strange atmosphere that she created and all that supressed passion! I suspect that this will be just as good................

I am crazy about beautiful period costume and set design and from the snippets I have seen they are sublime, locations look wonderful too!

The film is based on the relationship between John Keats and Fanny Brawne. The letters that Keats wrote to Fanny were a source and of course his poem, Bright Star. Fanny kept his letters all her life, thank goodness!

Have a lovely weekend x

post script: There was a lovely article in Telegraph Magazine you might want to check out.

For Silver Pebble! Bright Star is released on November 6th.

"So bright and delicate:Love letters and poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne"

Bright Star is filled with such an enormity of love and feeling, it nearly takes your breath away.

The film's rapturous images and Campion's vision make you long for a world as vivid and true as this one.

Streams full of stars

This hydrangea is for Lucy.

Thank you Lucy for giving me an award, how lovely of you!

This hydrangea is for Kelly.

Thank you Kelly for giving me an award, I really appreciate it!

Please do visit these two ladies at Vanilla Ivy and Kellys Recipes for Life.

Now I'm not too good at always following the rules!

One is to pass these awards on to a specified number of recipients but I cant possibly choose between you so I award all of my 65 Followers! I think you deserve to be rewarded just for reading this!


I am also supposed to let you in on 7 things you dont know about me,
hmmmm, head scratching.................

Well you cant possibly know what I'm thinking.

When I was out early this Morning with Mr.Boodle my heart was bursting with the joy of being up early and wandering through leaf drenched dewy woods where the Autumn colours glowed. I thought "how beautiful" and I was glad to be alive and I remembered this........


LEISURE
W.H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows,

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like stars at night,

No time to turn at beauty's glance
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.


I think that covers it x

He is the Champion my friends.................

Back to my earlier musings on this topic.....still havent seen Jenson and Chris Martin in the same room together..................................................

Congratulations Jenson

F1 WORLD CHAMPION

How many ways do I love a man who bursts into a bit of spontaneous Queen!

happy days x