10th August Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Hi Dear Folk,

The Fitzwilliam Museum is a must visit if you come to Cambridge and for me on this particular day, I had already walked all morning so didn't feel I had to see everything while there, because I have been before and it's free.  I thought this time I would take a walk around the porcelain section, and you know how I love my china.

I do like Majolica ware, this fish was a wonderful example.

A little French dressing table set.

Islamic pottery.

Christine

Nor'easter Snow Day

Hi Dear Folk,

Love snow days when you can stay at home, Mr. B, The Boy and I.  Snow day mornings always feel so good, the whole day stretches ahead with promise.  By late afternoon, it's all coming to an end and there's a feeling of finality.  Lazy crochet day at home.

Friend gave me this Caribbean Rum Cake, these are good.  She was away on a cruise and this is the gift Maria brought back for me.

Tuppy looking for her great escape.  Love this boy, now a man, what a joy he is.

Playing Judy Garland.

Now this she is a warrior female. feisty and friendly.

A friend is moving into an apartment and selling up her house.  It all comes at the right time, she has been through a lot, hospital, nursing home, hospital, physio.  We have been helping her to pack up, there is a lot to pack and sort, a lifetime.  This beehive clock is one of the items that she gave to me.  An old Seth Thomas, CT.

My dear one Mr. B. making his specialty, chocolate chip cookies.

They are just so perfect and with a mug of coffee, yummy.

A friend invited me over for lunch and then we went out thrifting.  At our last stop we found this, almost complete dinner service, I thought from the 1950's but it is earlier than that circa 1930.  Made in Czechoslovakia, Royal Ivory, Windsor.  It seems the company exported to shops like Macy's from 1924 to 1939.

Led astray, because a china addict needs very little encouragement to succumb to a bargain.  Bad associations will destroy an addicts resolution.

Always like square plates very Deco.

The shape of this gravy boat is different and with the flowers inside, so sweet.  I guess it could be used for custard too.

I think the set is just missing the bottom of the sugar bowl, I have the lid, the top to the circular vegetable dish and the teapot, possibly it also had a coffee pot, as there are little demi tasse cups or espresso cups.

Very pretty.

Finished another Cape Ann shawl, this is such a nice pattern, and made a hat to match, will finish the other hat today, somewhat like the one in the picture below, but modified.  A combination of two patterns.  I always have to give things my own spin, or wouldn't be fun otherwise.

Our nor'easter.

Days end.

Christine

A Little Denby and A Lot Of Royal Albert

Hi Dear Folk,

It is snowing again for the third time this week and it is really coming down, hope the commute home is OK, and trains are running on time.

As I mentioned the other day I visited my friend for lunch and this is what she gave me.  Do love my china.

A Denby Albert College Spring Design, just a few pieces.  I like to have a pot of tea and try out all my odd cups.  I love the shape of the milk jug and sugar bowl in this design.  In fact I like Denby as a whole, some designs are so reminiscent of the sixties.

The other big gift was the Royal Albert County Rose.  The china of my childhood.  This had to be their most popular design ever.  Almost everyone had this when I was a child and I still love it just as much.

I had a few wedding pieces, never a whole set.  A pedestal cake plate from auntie Gladys a family friend.  Six mugs from Barbara and a set of small desert dishes with a larger serving bowl from my mum, and a few odd pieces I had picked up.  I would intersperse this with a cheaper white dinner service I bought with a gold edge.

With this I positively do have a complete set.  Even have a matching rose tablecloth.

Now I'm going to clean out my hutch to hold this.  Fun, fun.

Quite a gift.

Christine

Pink Roses and Amber Necklace

Hi Dear Folk,

A friend KK surprised me with pink roses, how lovely are these.

It's been a rough week, not sure my eyes are up to all day work on the computer, but such is life.

Today was fun, a dear friend over for lunch,  and used some of my English pottery.  Forgot to take photos.  Quiche, salad and baked apple for desert.  C spoilt me with NZ cheese, the cheese of my childhood, crackers and truffles along with pumpkin scones which we shared over tea, out of my Canadian pottery tea set.

I bought that many years ago when my sister and family came over, Rob was about four and we took a trip up to Niagara Falls and into Canada.  Just fun memories of walking around the studio and picking out some special pieces.

Then we popped over to my local thrift and look what little gem I found, a vintage amber necklace.  It is very long well past my waist $3.99,  just love it.

Christine

Rummage at Rockport

Hi Dear Folk,

It was fun going to the rummage sale in Rockport, here are most of my goodies, along with a brand new still with tags on tee shirt, embroidered around the neck and a red patent leather pair of Wolky sandals.  I looked these shoes up and they are quite an expensive line of shoes.

The design on this teacup reminds me of a hotel on the edge of Lake Como.

Forget-me-nots.

I know how much work goes into a crochet table cloth like this so for $6.00 could not pass it by.

And who wouldn't fall in love with this lady?

And these little maids, interesting placement of holes on the back.

Christine

PS Ankle avulsion fracture of the medial malleolus.  Did visit with the orthopedic doctor and I have to go back in three weeks and then some type of physical therapy.  Also he gave me a black boot thing to wear, well I do hope the insurance will pay some of that.  Seems only need to wear the boot.  It aches a lot and will take at least six weeks to heel.  Such is life, but it could have been worse.

Wilbur Chocolate Factory, Lititz, PA

Hi Dear Folk,

After lunch at the Tomato Pie Cafe, we wandered across the road to the Wilbur Chocolate Company.  Mr. B. had declined desert in the expectation of goodies found here.  In 1865 Wilbur began as a confectioners and in 1884 they decided to specialize in just chocolate.  So they've been going a while.  They have however sold this old building and are moving across the street to a new one.  I do think something of the ambiance will be lost in the transition.

You can just keep looking at all these old chocolate molds.

I was fascinated with these old chocolate molds especially the eagle, bottom right corner above, it must be so heavy.

These bunnies above made me think of my dad.  Via the post he always received an Easter egg from a great aunt in Somerset, however every year to his great disappointment it was always plain chocolate and he liked milk chocolate.  It must have been one of those childhood disappointments that you never forget since he told us the story many a time.

When I saw all these hot chocolate pots, with places of origin such as Silesia, Germany, my mind traveled to before WWI Vienna. Not that I have ever been to Vienna, but in the movies you see those old pastry and coffee shops and they must have served hot chocolate.  Something like this I had in mind Cafe Demel.  All those ladies, with wonderful hats and long dresses, sitting at marble and wrought iron tables with a slice of cheesecake or maybe German chocolate cake or apple strudel, the mind can run riot, and sipping hot chocolate.

My favourite pot might be the yellow one above with the irises, but it's a hard choice.

Old cocoa tins.

Was rather taken with the chocolate cuckoo clock.

Mr. B. bought chocolate covered pretzels and other goodies.  My addiction right now is white chocolate with coconut and not even expensive as it comes from Aldis, sugar overload. I'm safe from Mr. B. as he hates coconut, but have to hide it from The Boy.

Bye all you chocolate lovers.

Christy