No Guests Today!

Hello Ladies,

Those of you experienced in extending invitations to tea or any kind of hospitality will know the outcome of no-show guests! This time, it was due to a sudden ice storm. 

Here is what the party looked like when the guest list came down to just the hostess!

I had planned to post photos of the whole shebang anyway, so might as well show some:

What you see on the plate are called Devonshire Splits, a roll with cream and jam. The recipe is from The Little Book of English Teas, of which I will post a photo at the end.

Below: some hand made things given to me...

...and a guest book made for me by someone who created it out of a box in which waterproof dishwashing gloves are sold.  She cut the box open on three sides, covered it in scrap papers...

...punched holes to insert blank paper, added end-papers...

...tied a ribbon through it all, adding a pink pen for guests to sign their names.  I even signed the guest book and wrote about the circumstances and included the menu.

Also I wanted to show you a use for the plastic container bags you get at Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby for just a few dollars.  I insert all the mail I need to take to the post office so it doesn't fall out of my arms while struggling with car door, wallet, and so on.  I believe they call these "jelly bags" in the UK. 

Without guests, there was more time to do all the projects that cover every room in the house:

...urgent, unfinished sewing,

...urgent unfinished study materials for a class,

urgent unfinished correspondence,

urgent kitchen cleaning!

So far, only the room where the guests were to sit is in order:

This brings me to something I was taught when I was  in my 20's: 

Always have another plan in place for disappointment!  Have somewhere  to go or some interesting thing to do when there is a cancellation that spoils all your plans for company. Do not just sit there thinking it is a wash-out, spoiled day. Just continue as though there were no plans for a party and do what you want. 

It is good for Mothers to help children overcome disappointment by having other things to do by creating substitutions. In this case, I am looking forward to getting the sewing done and have also planned a care-package to take to someone.

My husband was always good at thinking of alternate plans, even at the last minute when anything fell through, and he can find interesting things no matter what the set-backs.

Hope you are having a lovely day and will attend worship in the Lord's church tomorrow.

Lydia

The festive lights are still up in my home because they are so cheeful in dark days!

Teacup is Regency English bone china, and the pattern has no label or particular name or date.

Gowns for Inauguration Events

The inauguration day consists of several meals and balls. Some of the attendees have worn different gowns during the day, afternoon and evening,  so it is possible the ladies will change gowns for the various functions.

Shown here are the inauguration gowns worn by Jacqueline Kennedy.

Below are my quick designs for some of the ladies in the Presidential party. Just pretend the fabric is shantung. 

The first gown has a scarf which forms the neckline collar attached to the  shoulders, flowing behind the sleeves and down to the hem.  The green dress has a bolero jacket and  the yellow dress has a tufted piece on the bodice. I hope to add another set of gowns to this post later.

Shantung silk, Dupioni Silk. Notice the little grains of threads:

I wish more bloggers who draw designs would create inaugural gowns and not leave it up to one or two "top" desgners. Have you seen sketches anywhere online for inaugural gowns by anyone besides the "top" designers?

I do not know who designed lucy Hayes gown, below, but it seems to be in keeping with the popular style of her times

Gown worn by Lucy Hayes at the inauguration of her husband, Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881). People called her "Lemonade Lucy" because she would not allow alcohol to be served in the White House.

I think I have one like it:

More inauguration gowns: 

Blue one has the decorative buttons and loops on the bodice, which can be jewel-like; the mauve dress has a starched eyelet collar and cuffs that resemble a crown; the royal purple dress has a long scarf attached to the waist and shoulder and back. All gowns look plain, but it is the fabric that will be noticeable.

We do not know yet if there will be young children there so have not designed anything for the girls.

Here is the post with the coats: http://homeliving.blogspot.com/2016/11/inauguration-elegance.html

Winter Tea

(Picture from Pinterest)

Fiona Ferris in New Zealand, where winters can be very cold in the southern areas, has an e-book on the winter season. Her blog, "How to be Chic" is included on my blogroll list at the left.

I have been looking at Winter Tea in Small Hotels in the UK:

Winter Tea at Down Hall Hotel in Hertfordshire

Miss B's Tea Shop in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

Tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia:

Close Hotel Great Fosters in UK

Below: I like these tea ingredients except for ginger. It is one of the spices I never was able to like.

Lennox company ad:

Cold Outside and Cold Inside!

View from my window: This is the scene in a lot of places these days.

Cold weather inspires some people to bake, because it also warms the house. The cake with orange sauce, served with Yorkshire Gold tea was very warming during this fierce ice storm, raining ice crystals that made quite a noise when it landed on the roof, porch and ground. ( I am imitating pictures of tea time at hotels in winter.) For more photos, type in "tea time at small hotels in UK in winter" and click images.

I wanted to tell you about a pattern I recently found in the Walmart sewing store. It is for cotton flannel sleepwear, and view B, with long sleeves, is easy to make.

Easy Stitch 'n Save McCalls 9201 (M9201)

The flannel at Walmart  is so nice, I brought home a whole bolt of it. The brand may be Waverly.  A flannel nightgown will last a long time, and when it thin, can be used for a petticoat.

Below: The hot water bottle is a Victorian invention that has never been improved upon. It warms the foot of the bed under the covers for hours. Sometimes when I do not get around to remaking the bed until just before bedtime, I find the hot water bottle still warm. The secret is to use boiling water from a kettle, not from the tap.

Covers made for hot water bottles are quite pretty and clever, shown by these Pinterest pictures. Above: quilted fabric; below: hand knit covers. These make the bottle soft and comfortable;  not too hot for your feet. There is no need to remove these covers, as the bottle is filled at the top where the spout is.

Here is my quick and easy version of the hot water bottle cover, sewn from a piece of worn-out towel, leaving the top open. You might be able to do this using a small face or hand size towel, sparing you the cutting and measuring. Just fold the small towel, machine stitch two sides, then turn inside out.

The local power company suggests if the power goes out in the night, get under the covers with a hot water bottle at your feet. 

If you do not sew and need a soft cover for your hot water bottle, insert it in a flannel pillowcase and wrap the fabric around it several times.

Dearfoams are a great brand of shoe slippers for the home in winter. I see people wearing them in town and in the shops, as well. I wore mine in the car on our recent trip, and then walked on the sidewalks in the town of Sisters, still wearing them. The soles are thick enough to avoid getting the upper parts wet. It worked out better than changing into cold stiff boots. These work for checking the mail at the end of the driveway when you he snow is packed. Not suitable for deep snow. They are not waterprrof, but very warm.

Make them more supportive for your feet if doing housework, by wearing thick wool socks.

The recipe for the quick-bread is from the Victoria Classics Holiday issue. I substituted a few ingredients but it still had a great texture and flavor.

Below: From Victoria Classics magazine. I changed the recipe a little, using molasses , almond flour and pineapple juice to get the flavor. It is called rum cake and requires rum flavoring which I did not have.

Ps. I know a lot of people who use electric blankets with no adverse affect on their health, thankfully. I used to have one but was not comfortable with the type of warmth it provided, finding that I felt better with the weight of blankets and comforters.  I also like a heavy coat on top of the blankets, at the foot of the bed.   I was also cautious about having electricity so close to the body so many hours.

Here is something to read about electric blankets http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/24/is-your-electric-blanket-safe.aspx

Russian-Cut Roses

Like many of you, I walk through the floral department at the grocery store before attending the business of bringing home the essentials. Yesterday I noticed some roses with the label "Russian Roses". They were substantially larger than ordinary roses. They had the look of old-world cabbage roses seen in paintings.

It seems we do not need to go far to see new things, and in these dark cold days, the Russian-cut roses were a very uplifting sight. God is so good  that he has created flowers for every climate!  Just when we think we have had enough of frost, snow, ice and cold fingers, we see these roses. 

You can look up Russian-Cut Roses on the web amd see what they are all about!  

http://www.growerdirect.com/what-are-russian-cut-roses

 Below is a painting by Russian painter, Igor Levashov, who has painted many canvases of roses.

While lookup up Russian-Cut Roses, I came across what is called a (1970's ) Russian peasant skirt by designer Yves. St.Laurent.  Being a stitcher and a sewing pattern reader, I thought the waistband shape was interesting, and the apprent rufflle or piece halfway around the skirt. It always seems strange to see the 1970's fasions referred to as "vintage" when they would be perfectly in style today and could be easily worn without feeling like a conspicuous costume. The styles of that era were very classic and had beautiful artistic designs.

Afternoon Tea by the Fire

These are photos from a Pinterest site called Charming Small Hotels, in the UK.

In the northern US it has been especially cold this year. Regions that rarely get snow, have had lomg periods of snow and ice, along with power failures.  At times like this is sure is nice to think about getting away from a cold house a d visiting one of these tea rooms! it would be lovely to have pictures like these in a scrapbook to look at just for the cheerful idea.

When travel is not convenient or affordable, there is always one place you can have tea where the distance and cost is minimal: the home. I know someone who has a tray she uses for tea preparation, and she takes it somewhere in the house or porch (even in winters she has tea outside sometimes). It is like a luxury get-away, when you consider how much you would pay in a tea room.

We are expecting another ice storm, but not with as much damage, (since all the trees have already fallen down) but the cold is very uncomfortable.  I hope these pictures give you incentive to  find a tea room or have a winter's tea at home.

Would Like To Make

This ad just came from Victorian Trading Co. featuring a beautiful cape.  Ladies sometimes email me about things like this they have purchased and suggest it might be easy to sew. Due to financial cautions, I have to look for ways to make things, and I wonder how this could be made. If I can  figure out what the shape is, it might be feasible to sew from fleece.

When sewing fleece, remember to change ypur machine needles to non-woven. It will tell on the package. They are available at Walmart. Machine needles for woven fabrics seem to work alright, but the needles for synthetics and knits are ball points that separate the fabric enough to get inside of the fabric to sew it. I hope that makes sense. I will explain more about fabric some time and help you make a little scrapbook of samples and descriptions.

Some ladies who have ordered fleece capes and shawls express dismay at the thin material and high price. If you can examine the garment and see the shape, it might be possuble to make it, even without sewing.

Ila

Painting: The Rose Gatherer by Cecil James Hobson

There will be a new column on the sidebar in 2017 called "Friends Of the Past" highlighting people I met as a young woman,  even back to my teen years, with whom I am in contact today. I have already done a couple of them, including Angela, a friend since the age of 16 in Tasmania.  Each time, I highlight their goodness and share the impact of their lives on mine.

Somehow, there is always a 19th century painting of a woman that looks so much like the person I remember. I have never known any one else with the name of Ila. She looked like the painting, at least she did to me.

When we were in a small country congregation in an overcast, normally gloomy-weathered part of Washington state, I met Ila. We had moved there with high hopes, and the town and the church at the time was suffering a big economic depression. This effected everyone's social and home life, and it was such a let-down to an eager young preacher's wife who enjoyed sunshine and socializing.

Ila invited us for dinner and I have the scene all sketched out in my memory. She had a small child and husband and lived in a tiny attic apartment above her parent's old store, located in an even more remote area. It was a country road at the time. I wondered as I ascended the narrow set of steps to that upper room if I was going to become more discouraged by austere living coupled with another dark afternoon,  but I met a life-long friend.

Once upstairs, we were greeted by the wonderful scent of Ila's home-made pizza pie, made with a Bisquick mix, which she served on a coffee table next to some old brown wicker chairs and a small seat covered in a worn quilt. She liked fabric and had made curtains for the little windows. On the coffee table was also a set of clear-glass candle holders shaped like stars, holding long white taper candles. I recall she also had dim lighting from a small electric lamp set upon a dresser, for this room was also their livimg room amd dining room and family sleepimg wuarters all in one.

In that cold, northern climate, her place was adequately warm. She had made a place into a home and she was a unique picture of home made contentment that I will not forget. After enduring the troubles of this life in trying to "get ahead", how many women today would love to go back to such a scene of their  family beginnings?

I cannot neglect to say that Ila looked after her parents in their old age, just as my friend Angela, whom I wrote about awhile back.

One thing I like about Ila is that she carried her personal contentment all her life and did not try to reinvent herself or alter her Biblical beliefs. She has a strong admiration of truth, a rare quality today.  I also admired her motherhood and het stick-to-it-iveness when she endured upheavals in her life. She suffered terrible losses over the years and she remains the same.

The little dinner scene in her home is one I must attempt to draw someday.

Painting by Carl Herpfer

Taking Tea at the Movies

Most family movies now have a teacup scene. Above RCMP officer Jack takes tea in the saloon on When Calls The Heart Season 1. It looks like the pattern found in many Canandian homes, called "The Friendly Village."  Below: tea scene in A Christmas to Remember, just now released:

Someone told me Walmart was serving paper cups of tea on a cold winter day last week, and customers were calmlly shopping while sipping tea.  I wish all shops would do this.

Season's Greetings

Painting by John Callcot Horsley, English

Dear Ones,

A lot of viewers of this blog have their own sorrows and yet take time to read and comment.  Besides your prayers, this is the ultimate generosity. We are also VERY grateful for donations which have been sent throughout the year and hope this blog will continue to be worthy of all these blessings.

Thank you!

We look forward to seeing you next year, and always appreciate your suggestions on subject matter.

Lydia

What Are You Having?

Above: A Winter Walk sold at Victorian Trading Co.

Hello Ladies,

For Thanksgiving, people go all-out,  preparing the traditional foods, which take a lot of shopping planning and cooking time.  For Christmas, not everyone relies on the same type of meal, so I was wondering what you are cooking or having on Christmas Day. 

 What are you planning? If you are British, or otherwise European, what are your traditonal foods at Christmas? Are they time consuming? What are the Australian women preparing on the hottest day of the year? If you participate in Christmas in India or the Phllipines, what do you eat on that day?

Below: one of the photos from our recent trip through the mountain pass: