White O'Morn Cottage

Gardening and Craft (& Paul) News

I'm back at last and have some of my recent crafting projects to share with you. This first one is a WIP and I really must get it finished off as I wanted to use it as a summer handbag and summer is flying by! It is a stocking stitch knitted bag with blossoms all around the top. The flowers are really easy to make - indeed the whole thing is so easy it is a pleasure to work on.

 

Below are the two cushions I made from the Moda, Carrots and Peas fabric Teeda gave me.  I love these muted colours.

 

 

Now for some of my PIPs ( projects in planning stage) This flower is so easy to do too.

 

More of a challange is this lovely piece of embroidery work. I haven't done embroidery for a while, I hope I can remember how to!

 

 

Is there a more beautiful blue than that of the little forget-me-nots? This is a close up of the ones growing in my cottage garden beside the green bench where I like to have a nice cup of tea and admire the view

 

...and here is the said bench with the said forget-me-nots at front of cottage.

 

...and last but not least here is a pic of two of my three "garden inspectors" Chewy inspecting the flower tub and Pretty peeking out the door keeping a close eye on the gardener...Me!

 

Thanks to all of you who have been thinking and praying for Paul. He is fine at the moment and just waiting to hear a date for his next operation at end of July and course of radio therapy after that. We are off to our annual holiday on Friday to enjoy some relaxing time before we have to worry about such things. I think he is looking very well considering all he has been through...here he is...the one and only......Paul Flynn!

Bits and Bobs

I am delighted to have a few minutes to update my blog. I have so many photos I want to show so here goes....

My sis Catherine gave me two lovely pressies for my birthday. One is a vintage style sand bucket! I use it tied to my washing line as a funky peg bucket. Also a gorgeous little bird house/feeder. I have it hanging outside my living room window in cottage so I can watch the bluetits feeding.

  

 

A bunch of flowers from Angie brighten up my deck area at back of house.

 

I got some lovely cards at the end of term from my students. This one looked so familiar and then I realised it was a painting of a cottage in Raheny, a village near me in Dublin. In fact - one day when I was passing this cottage there was a skip outside and I spotted something that should not be in a skip and I rescued it! It is a handmade toy dresser and I have it in my cottage kitchen window. I am  going to go and take a photo of the cottage and add it in here too. In the meantime here is the print of the painting and the dresser that came from that house.

 

 

 

Now here is what I saw through my kitchen window when I woke up the other morning....a great big cow trying to look invisible in the long grass of my "wildflower meadow" (weed field)

 

I took a picture but the said cow was not impressed and walked away turning just once to give me a really dirty look!

 

 

I got a lovely wedding invitation for my nephew's wedding in August. Beautiful and even the stamp had a wedding/romance theme in both English and Irish. Michael Flynn and Carina Catterson are getting married in Donegal and we hope to be there to celebrate with them. (Paul needs another operation and follow up treatment so we are not sure we can make it)

 

 

 

 

 

Now for one of the quirkiest items I have ever thrifted...these are a pair of leg warmers. Fashionable in the eighties (maybe they have come back?) anyway what tickled me pink about these are the graphics on them... fifties style, comic book, beach/sun theme...ON LEG WARMERS??!!! Yes, I do love quirky so I had to have them.

 

 

 

Well I certainly did not need any leg warmers last weekend which was sunny and bright. We went t0 view an old house nearby in county Roscommon that is for sale. It was an old police barracks and is a listed building. Beautifully done inside. It is going for a great price too ... 140 thousand Euro

 

Back at the cottage I got stuck in to the jungle/cottage garden. My supervisor, Chewie, kept an eye on me in case I slacked off.

The evenings brought a chance to craft a little cushion from the fab fabric that sis, Therese, brought me on her last trip here. The fabric is from Moda and is called Carrots and Peas. Beautiful colours!

..And finially I snapped this lovely picture late at night when I was sneaking into the bedroom, trying not to wake Paul who needs all the rest he can get as he recovers from his recent operation.

Shhhssshhh....do not disturb.

 

Night night.....Pam

 

White O'Morn Cottage / Quiet Man Film / Old Fashioned Romance

I got a comment on my post about the Quiet Man Film / White O'Morn Cottage post (to be found under the catagory "Quiet Man Film" on my sidebar to right)

It is from a lady named Linda, she is the grand-daughter of the man who owned the original White O'Morn, the one used in the film. She is coming to Ireland this month to visit the ruins and the locations in the film. Thanks for contacting me Linda. I know you are going to have a ball in Cong, County Mayo when you make your visit.

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=GcHknRxRpxQ

Above, I am putting in a link to a Quiet Man video on Youtube that is my absolute favourite.  I am such a romantic and this compilation of scenes has been put to a lovely romantic song. Make sure you volume is on, click, and sit back and enjoy a few minutes of pure romance!

Quick Post

Long time - no blog. I have been running around like a BAF (blue arsed fly) since Paul came home so have not had time for blogging. However I have a few mins to spare and want to let you all know that he is doing fine. He sends his thanks to all of you who have sent kind wishes etc for his recovery.

I made him a welcome home present of a garden ornament featuring his favourite animal...(frog) He is a singer/guitarist- SEW..... ('scuse the pun) here it is....

 

This was made from a part of an old Singer sewing machine (the bit on the left of picture below) and here are the before and after photos of it, and another one, that I turned into a nifty potting table.

 

Above: Before and below After (as if you couldn't tell!)

 

Talk to you soon :-)

Sharing my TITAWICS with you and more good news!

 Good news is Paul is coming home tomorrow! I'll sit him in the corner and throw sugar at him! Happy days!

...now - I bet you are wondering what a TITAWICS is. Nope. Not tellin' you until the end of this post. So you have to read all my boring knitting bits first.

I was given a bunch of 80's knitting patterns this week. I got them from a woman on the Irish freecycle site, see link below.  They sure brought back that decade to me and made me smile...Ahh, the big hairy shoulders era (sorry, I meant the big hair & shoulders era) 

Some of the patterns were so complicated I just culled them and put them back up on the freecycle site www.jumbletown.ie  and I got a taker in two minutes flat!

These are the ones I kept...This one is for an Aran that I can't do so I am giving it to John in work 'cos he can and does and will (yes, you heard me...John. He is a very skilled knitter and makes all his own knitwear)

Hey!  is that straw sticking out from under his arm? Why can't he have hair like the rest of us?

This one below looks easy and I WILL be giving it a go. Batwing sleeves are back (well

they will be when I have made this)

I love the eighties styles in these books. God be with the days when you could tie an 'oul dishrag on yer head and off ye' go looking gorgeous.

The one on the right reminds me of YOU Colleen...OMG! I think is IS YOU COLLEEN! (I am going to go to your blog and rip that pic of you in the 80's to prove my point)

 

                                  Colleen in the Eightes! Main Street Memories Blog - see my sidebar.

Now TITAWICS...are very interesting and you should keep reading to find out just how interesting :-)

 Ha -ha,  you thought you were off the (crochet) hook but no...keep reading my head ramblings first.

This is one I would love to make but don't think I can manage it. Looks so cuddly and gorgeous. Ah well ....one can dream!

...and THIS one is also gorgeous and I would love to cuddle up to this one but I don't think I can manage that either...but ah well..one can dream (and if I could  then he would not need any wooly jumper or scarf to keep him warm..whehey!)

 

Speaking of dreaming brings me neatly to ...TITAWICS = (Things I Think About When I Can't Sleep)

I could not sleep the other night so I came up with a plan for World Peace instead. It is devestatingly simple. That's what a good TITAWICS is and if I ever come up with a better idea than World Peace I will be sure to let you know.

Here is mine......What if all world leaders were women? One good meeting in New York and all would be well. Then it woud be off to the outlets stores to blow the respective national war budgets (which -let's face it - would be better spent on Jimmy Choos and shoes anyway) ...I rest my case.

Meet The New Me! Grey is the new blonde.

 

Aren't I gorgeous? Yes? Yes!

OK, OK I know you have spotted that this is Emmylou Harris not Pamela Flynn. But I am working on it and this is what I am aiming for. (I can aim, I might not hit)

I am not colouring my hair anymore. There, I have said it.

My name is Pam and I am a natural grey...Yeah!

More to follow.....going up to hospital to see Paul. He is doing fine...Lots of love...Emmy, er sorry Pam

 

Update: Just back from the hospital and Paul is doing fine. It is our 30th wedding anniversary today and we toasted it with plastic cups of iced water! We are putting off celebrating until he is home. Happy Anniversary love! Love you xxx Pam

I just brought him up a little fairy to mark the day and here she is on the right of the little one Marie (our son's girlfriend) gave him. It is well known that Paul likes his fairies and frogs.

And here is the first picture of the lovely man. I took it from his good side ('cos you don't want to be seeing the other side. (If you DO you have to go to his Facebook page where it is going up specially for the son of a friend of ours who loves gross things as young boys tend to) They don't put a dressing on these op wounds these days for some reason.  I had to cut away part of his pj's as they were dragging on part of it. It's hard to stop looking at it though when you are with him. He says people are talking to his neck!

 

He also says to tell you all that your kindness and such has been great help to him as it has for me. xxxxx Paul & Pam

 

Update on Good News...more good news

Paul is over his operation and is doing well. He, and I send more thanks to you all for your love and support at this time. Talk soon...Pam

Happy Birthday Catherine..Vintage Patterns and Knitting Needles

First of all. Thank you all so much for your kindness and love etc for Flynner. He is very upbeat, though nervous about Tues next when his operation is due to be done. You have all been a great source of support for both of us...Thanks

Next - a big Happy Birthday to my sister Catherine who is (state secret)years old today! I have put together a sister bag style pressie for her and will drop it over later. 

Now, shopping must go on even at times of stress (great reliever actually) and I hit paydirt in my local charity shop yesterday. A huge big stack of realy old knittting patterns, some dating from the forties, had come in along with two cardboard tubes of knitting needles of every size imaginable!

I grabbed them as quickly as I could (even though there was not a queue forming  for them) Now the Irish have a great gift of insulting you while making you smile at said insult. We call it "slagging" and it's best done with people you know well. Don't try this out at home though as it is hard to carry off, specially if you don't know them well and they and or you are not Irish. 'Cos this is can lead to all kinds of trouble for you.  You have to be on good slagging terms with your victim....So with that in mind....

...The man working there said - with a twinkle in his eye " We were going to throw them out. Sure what class of a madwoman would be bothered with the likes of that!"  and then he said "I knew you'd go for them, I won a bet with the rest of the staff" Ah, Robert, you know me too well and we are on good slagging terms!  Two euro for the lot - that brought another smile to my face. Thanks Robert (ye' fat baldy oul' fecker ye'! :-)

So here are a few pics of them. A bit sad really as I imagine the old lady who saved them for years has died and they were donated to the charity shop. A name and address was even on one of the tubes of knitting pins.

 

The post date on the tube above is 1966 and the cost of postage was 6d or sixpence. The label is from a shop, Veritas, in Dublin that sold religious items and it would originally have been used to post a holy picture or such. The other tube was originally a pack for Prices Flower Lights Candles.

I'm not sure if I should put the lady's name up here. But on the other hand if her family read this then you can be sure that I will  be putting her patterns and needles to good use, she would surely like that idea as she had treasured them for decades. So here goes...If any one does recognise her. I'd love to know more about her. Some of the patterns had the name Sr Assumpta handwritten on them and some had notes like "This one in size 2 and blue" so maybe she took orders for knitting.

 

 

 

Now....to the patterns stash.

I'll start with my favourite and the one I am going to actually knit...Looks fifties-ish to me and also looks easy to me. The handwritten bit along side of pram says "Miss Sadie"

Why am I knitting a baby's jumper/pullover/sweater? (see? I am multi-lingual) I don't know...maybe it brings a little comfort to this poor grandchildless woman. WOULD MY THREE SONS - PLEASE TAKE NOTE! I AM READY FOR IT! I AM KNITTING MATINEE COATS FOR GOODNESS SAKE! (in pink by the way but I'm not fussy)

IF THIS DOES NOT CHANGE SOON I WILL PUT OUT RUMOURS AS TO YOUR PERSUASION!  XXX LOVE ..MAMMY.

(a lost cause I know, as they don't even read my blog) I'LL PUT IT UP ON YER' FACEBOOK! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! (this is a perfect example of slagging) fair enough though -come on now...they are between 23 and 30 years old)

Beautiful Children

Now I have a theory that children have become more and more beautiful with every generation. All babies are beautiful of course but what do you think? You may have to click on this to blow it up and get the full effect. Do you see the Wonderland one? with the child on the right with the pink frilly knickers....I think it's Mick Jagger.

Oh dear, I hope none of you reading this were child models for these patterns and if so....Er, eh....Oh I know!.....I was only slagging ye'

 

A twinset just like Mum's! (through gritted teeth) "It's 1969. Get me out of this thing -there are mini skirts and such to be had"

 

Below...Now don't tell me that the girl on the left and the boy on the right don't have a little chemistry going on.

Yes, I have a favourite...This one is in flitters, it must have been used again and again. The dark brown lines are oxidised cellotape holding it together. It speaks to me about the lovely lady who's stash I have been lucky to inherit.

Above: Ah sufferin' heart! I know things were hard in the fifties and youngsters had to go to work early ...but a five year old truck driver...Now c'mon, it's a bit much!

Even More Good News...and a one inged wangel, just when you need one.

Paul had a meeting with his specialist this morning and he said he thinks he can go in get it all out in one go and he does not feel he will need to even do chemo after. That is the best possible news we could get in the circumstances. It brought great relief to all of us who love Flynner to bits.

When he walked into our job/school (we work together) after I told them the good news they all broke into applause!

It also brought a lot of strange emotions to Paul and I- all unexpected. We are so heartsore for all the other people there this morning who did not get such good news and are thinking of all the people dealing with this disease right now. If you are one....we send you all the love we can muster to help sustain you. I light a candle every day now for all of you and him.

Life will never be the same again for us. Very little is important anymore ...and never really was but now we see it.

During the darkest days in the last few weeks Angie bought Paul an angel. When she got it home she realised it had a broken wing. But that somehow seemed appropriate ('cos he's not perfect you know!) and gave it to him anyway. It is what I call a one inged wangel - sort of an apprentice earth angel waiting to earn the other one. This is the angel where I light the candle every night (she has a sweeping skirt with star openings for a candle to shine through)

 I don't know why this one thing of all the dozens of messages, cards, gifts and words became a focus of all the goodwill aimed at Paul but it did. Here she is all lit up and a symbol of hope and love from us to Paul and whoever else might need it today.

 

 

 

 

OH, YEAH! and she also bought him these funky frogs as he likes frogs too!....

 

Some Good News

 

Well, Paul got his results of the PET scan today and it is thyroid cancer. This is not really bad news as they say it is very treatable and they are hopeful of good outcome. Very relieved all round. Thank you all for your support over a very difficult time. It really helped us to know you were all thinking of us. Best wishes...Pam and Paul

................................................................................................................

Now I have been busy doing other things besides worrying and here are some pics of what I have been doing. I thrifted two realy lovely small cushions, one in lavender gingham and the other with some angels in same lavender shade. I also made myslelf a pair of dainty knitted slippers. These are so easy to make and comfy to wear. I got the pattern from Drops free patterns website.

 

 

Of course I had to make a pair for Himself too. Here they are being modeled by one of his favourite frogs...  LOL!  :-)

 

Happy Snaps from Anna (Ireland's Best Photographer and Lodger)

These are taken mostly in Newgrange Tomb which is older than the pyramids! It is in county Meath and on the winter/summer solstice (whichever applies) a thin ray of sunlight shines through the opening at the top of entrance and illuminates the chamber which is deep inside. I visited it once but never again as I suffer with claustraphobia and as you are going in the narrow corridor it suddenly get really narrow and I wanted it turn and run out but with dozens of non English speaking tourists behind you pushing you along ...

(sure- who could understand AAAAAGGGGGGGGhHHHHHH!!!! anyway?)..you have no chance of getting back out. Anyway when you are all inside they put out the lights and a single voice says (my voice of course) "Ah sufferin' heart!) ...to which all those non Englilsh speaking people have a good laugh. They find panic attacks  very funny it seems, in any language. Then a tiny beam of artificial light is shone in to simulate the solstice light to show what it is like. Only a handful of people can be there on the day it really happens and there is a waiting list to get in (I'm not not on it...go figure)

 

It looks like something that was designed in the last decade but really is donkey's year old. I love the spiral patterns on the stone outside. In fact I just love being outside of it and not inside of it!

 

 

 

 

 

Above, taken from the front of the tomb

 

wildflowers nearby

 

Daffodil De-fence! ....sorry, I could not resist.

 

 

a delicate beauty against a blue sky

Ancient monestry

Cath Kidston Doggie Carrier

What do you use your Cath Kidston Bag for? I find so many uses for mine. The latest being a cool carrier for a precious pup!

Pretty gets tired when we are out walking  (so would you if yo were 200 years old in dog years!) and I just pop her in and guess what? She gets SO  much attention from passersby it's unreal. She revels in it of course...feeling quite royal with all the oohing and aaahhing from her lowly subjects! 

 Paul update...we are still waiting for results of PET scan and should have some news this coming week. Thank you all for your kind comments. They help more than you can know. Watch this space for     GOOD GOOD GOOD NEWS  ....Love yis' all...Pam

Pam & Paul...Update 21st April

 

Hi, my best friend and husband, Paul,  has become ill and we will have a busy few weeks ahead. I will update as soon as we know more. Thank you all for the kind wishes I know you will be sending us..Love from Pam and Paul.

Update: 21st April.

Paul is going into the Blackrock Clinic tomorrow morning for a PET scan and we should have some news a few days after that. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your kind comments, prayers, chants, mantras, cyber hugs, angel cards, rabbits foot, Wicca spells etc.

It's such a comfort to be getting such goodwill from so many quarters. It is only what we would have expected from the vast range of good people of every religion and none that we are so lucky to be friends with....Pam and Paul

 

Look What I Won in Blog Giveaway!

  I told you recently that I had won a giveaway on the blogs. Well, I had thought it was a sewing magazine and I was thrilled to have won it but look what popped in my letterbox this morning.....

 

Yes, the said magazine and I love it - I will definitely be making some of the projects in it. The gorgeous sewing machine cover (I bought that from Josie at Skyssillysite (see my sidebar) and she gave the money to Red Nose Day) It is made from heavy Sanderson fabric and is super for popping over your machine to make it look good whle not in use. Every sewing machine should have one! Her prices are VERY reasonable too. A must see

She makes the most amazing things. Go check her out.

But the best surprise of all was this gorgeous Morsbag she made and included in the giveaway. It is just PERFECT for my knitting. I am thinking of embroidering "Pam's Knitting Bag" on it!

Josie makes these Morsebags from recycled fabric and scraps from her stash and www.morsbags.com will explain all about the concept behind them. The label says "Morsbags.com sociable guerilla bagging".

I am a real tree huggin, earth lovin' greeny and just crave anything recycled or repuropsed so this is bang on for me. Thank you Josie..I love everything!

Close ups of the gorgeous applique fabrics. DIVINE!

 

 

And now for more lovelies - lovely to look at. A selection of photos I found that bring a smile to my face of a soft wisp of peace to my mind...

My latest craft project. I made this little bedside mat from some of the wool I got for my birthday. The wool is called The Big Softee and it was like knitting with candy floss!

   

I found these little pink hearts in my stash and threaded them onto the fringe

 

Here is little tip for when you are knitting and the dog keeps trying to kill the ball of wool. Just pop it into a pretty tissue box. This one is from Lidl and has the prettiest floral pics on it.

Yumm...cake!

 

I often browse this great book by Nicholas Mosse

 

The Grinning Plate! This is guaranteed to bring a smile to my face as I think it looks like it's smiling. The bottom half of a serving dish - the cover can be seen to the left.

 

An old musical figure - she plays Ave Maria. I think her hairstyle is so cute!

 

Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoy some of my favourite things too....Cheers...Pam

Stitch - New Wool Shop & Happy Birthday to Me! & Funny Old Memories

Update: Angie has just given me my pressie and it's of the Sister Bag variety.  Whee!.....all the goodies were contained in my first Cath Kidston...yes, I said my first! I love it.

What was inside? Well, a watch, vintage style tin sign,  

 

 necklace, lace pillow, door hanger, pink candy dish, handmade cards, scapbooking goodies and

 

.... a photo of me and Angie taken many years ago, around 1989. There is a great  story attached to it.

  We were going by boat to the Arran Islands. When we arrived at the pier for the ten o'clock boat there was no boat! We enquired at the office and the chap got on the phone to someone and we heard the following orders being given...." Ah for feck sake Donal, will ye' get up out of the bed...there's a big juicy blonde wants to go to the islands!"

Well, Donal arrived in two minutes flat and manhandled/groped us into the currach (a small canoe like boat used to bring people out to the bigger boat) We had never received such close attention, especially the big juicy blonde!

Well after recovering from this skirmish with the 'bould Donal we were delighted to see that the seat at the back of the boat was empty. "Great" says us "We'll be able to trail our hands in the water" sez us. Now, we did notice the locals smiling (smirking) to see the "Dubs" (daft people from Dublin who know nothing about sailing) looking so happy to have nabbed the best seat in the boat. We soon found out why!

As soon as it picked up a bit of speed the waves washed over the end of the boat and drenched us! We took a fit of laughing and realised why no one had sat there!

 Now if that was not bad enough......up wind of us some other, non sailor, type tourist got sea sick and the wind blew it right into Angie's hair! Now this should have  caused a pause in the manic giggling, but no, because no sooner than that had happened when another wave lashed in and washed it away again! Ah sufferin' heart!!!!! By the time we got to Inisheer we were in pain from laughing.

...and if that was not funny enough -when we got to the bed and breakfast house we were advised by the Bean an Ti (woman of the house) to hang our wet clothing on her washing line to dry. We did and when it was time to get them back we asked Dominick, a friend who was travelling with us,  to please collect them for us. He duly did but reported that the bean on ti was giving him very funny looks through the kitchen window.

Hadn't the gobbeen taken in all her underwear from the washing line and she looking at him - and him smilin' like an eejit at her! So another round of laughter ensued and that set the tone for the whole weekend. Ah happy memories....Laughter is a great tonic and that has to be the best laugh I ever had in my whole life.

 

It's my birthday today and I am treating myself (as you do!) to all the things I love. My first treat of the day was to visit Dublin's fantastic new wool shop to spend some of my birthday money. Not just a wool shop though ...more like a crafting experience.

Dublin sisters, Teresa and Fran, have  opened a shop where crafters can drool over the huge selection of wool, patterns, threads and sewing notions.

Then you can have a cup of tea in the little cafe at the back where tea is served in vintage china and teapots are decked out in wonderful tea cosies. The patterns for these are given away free to anyone who wants one. People tend to gather here to do a bit of knitting and chatting over a cuppa. What a great way to spend an hour or so.

Also one can book in for one of the regular classes to learn how to knit or crochet and I saw a workshop advertised for sock knitting that I intend to sign up for. Outside is a beautiful patio garden with a water feature and on fine days one can take ones crafting out there and join other knitters to swap tips and ideas.

www.stitch.ie

 

Above - Fran in the dinky little cafe. I love the gorgeous pink Smeg  fridge.

Below Teresa with my stash of goodies I bought with my birthday money. Don't you just love it when you get new fabric or wool? Can't wait to get started!

 

Get the knitting bug! .......Ladybug crochet tea cosies, patterns are free in Stitch, 74 Shantalla Road, Beaumont, Dublin
 

Do count yer' chickens!  A knitted tea cosy...also free pattern from Stitch.

 

 

 

Below Paul talks music with Fran in the cafe

  

Mam browsing the pattern books.

A peek at the garden area. Looking forward to getting clicking out here during the summer.

 

Some of what I bought.  Fab pattern book, pearly pink needles and the softest pink wool ever!

 

I could not decide between lemon or pink for the booties so I got both (as you do!)

 

I will be back to this great shop for sure. Well done Fran and Teresa (and Kelly) Lovely to meet you and wishing you every success with your venture. It is wonderful  www.stitch.ie

 

Next I came home and made some bunting for the cottage.  All in shades of blue to match the colour scheme. Thanks to Teeda who brought these from Canada for me. I love the vintage patterns of them.

 

This is the vintage style wicker basket I was given for my birthday by my lovely hubby, Paul.

"MMMmmm" ...thought I..." Nice, but I don't have a bike"  Well of course he had a bike for me too. It looks like it could fly!

Of all the lovely cards I g0t today this is my favourite...

 

So I'll leave you with the pissing puppy giving you a good giggle. Bye for now...Pam

Calming Things, Places and Crafts.... Handmade in Ireland

  I find crafting so calming. I always think that knitting or crochet are like using worry beads! Another thing I love are things or places that I find calming to contemplate. So this post is a bit of both. First let me show you some gorgeous things that have been handmade in Ireland (some of them by lil' ol' me!)

My Patchwork is Finished

This is my patchwork bedspread that my mam bought me the materials for as a Christmas gift. I have been working on it since and have just finished it. I made a lot of mistakes (as it was my first) but learned from them. I am overall pleased with the result.... and it now is on my bed in White O'Morn Cottage. Thanks Ma! 

 

 

An Irish Prayer

Next is an old handcrafted prayer given to me by my lil' sis' Angie.

Now I would not be the most religious of people but I must say I really love this one. It was made by a nun, Sr Mary O'Donovan, using calligraphy, art and real shamrocks (which have dried and faded over the years)....Thanks Angie!

It never fails to astound me when I come across an especially fine piece of embroidery...this is one such piece. I can do embroidery but don't because I can never match this standard. Photos show a vintage table runner in Irish linen done many years ago by some unknown woman. I used my macro setting to show the amazing detail of this lovely piece.

 

 

 This will soon be listed on my website *see address below.

Exquisite Set

I came across this truly beautiful set of pure Irish linen handmade and hand painted napkins. Tiny fairies and bluebells are the graphic used. They are presented in a handmade box and each one is tied with its own napkin holder. Made by Irish master crafter Alison Doherty- These are pure eye candy. I have put them up for sale in my online shop for the simple reason that I would never be able to take them out of the box and use them........ www.suchprettyoldthings.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soul Stilling View

I hope I never get so used to the view that I stop noticing it. This is the view from the bedroom window. The windowsills are so deep one can put a cushion there and curl up and read a book or just look out over the quiet hills while sipping on a cup of tea. This is one of my favourite things to do.

Lately there has been a radiator just under the window so it is even more cosy now! ...Thank you Jamie!

(Jamie is my son, a plumber- he qualified just this week - he did all the plumbing in the cottage for me for a great price) Well done Jamie. You worked and studied hard for five long years. Best wishes in the future. Anyone got a job out there for him? No work here at the moment due to recession. Ah well, this too will pass.

John McGahern, Irish Writer

If you look at this view on a clear day (through the bottom left pane of glass) you can just make out a white church steeple on the horizon. This is the church in Aughawillan (pronounced " Ock-ah-will-ann")  where a celebrated Irish writer is buried and this is just down the road from Angie's schoolhouse which, of course, is John McGahern's former schoolhouse that he wrote about in his book Memoir. He wrote many award winning books but Memoir is an exceptionally wonderful read....Anyway, his hometown of Ballinamore have commemorated him with this stone bench in the town. The writing says...."The best of life is lived quietly, where nothing happens but our calm journey, through the day, where change is imperceptable and the precious life is everything" ...Angie's blog "The Old Schoolhouse" is to be found on my sidebar

 

Mountain Waterfall

...and now I leave you with a natural creation that is so calming to spend time looking at and listening to. This is the waterfall, Pól an Easa, (pronounced pole-on-ay-sah) in Aughnasheelin (pronounced ock-nah-shee-lin)

White O'Morn Cottage is situated in Aughnasheelin too- so this is only a stones throw away... (if you are good at throwing stones that is!)

Both winners of my Patrick's Day giveaway - a week's free stay in White O'Morn Cottage, have been in touch and are delighted to be coming for a visit. They are Twiggy who is from Yorkshire in England and Heidi, who is from New Hampshire, USA. Congratulations to both of you. I hope you enjoy your stay in the cottage. I so enjoyed this giveaway that I think I will do it every St Patrick's Day. Why not?

Ring a Ring O'Roses A Cottage Full Of Posies....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pink, porcelain, paper or  painted ....you just gotta love roses.....

 

 

Ship Ahoy...Capt. Aine and Crew Sail in ...and a winner(s)!

  ...and the winner is....

 

 

 

Heidi wins a week in White O'Morn Cottage. Please contact me and we'll work out dates etc. Congratulations!

 

Of course I thought I'd have a second drawing for a week in said cottage and out came..AnyoneCanQuilt...This lady can't  stay in cottage so she wins the goodies giveaway!

 

So Paul had to go in again for the second winner of a week in cottage and out came.... Twiggy!

 congratulations to you too!

I have kept the other names in case anyone backs out.

A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETING TO ANGIE, MY LOVELY SISTER AND BEST FRIEND, SHE IS ****** YEARS OLD TODAY (STATE SECRET THAT) (but make me an offer and we'll see!) I got you something nice but you'll have to wait to see what it is.

 I had such a good response to the giveaway I decided to have two winners for a week in White O'Morn!  Why not? I'm in charge of this blog so I make up the rules as I go along!   Strangely enough I had no entries from Ireland at all. In fact all the entries came from the UK and USA. Who'd a thunk that?

The lovely Kimme, her DH and her DD will be staying at my cottage in May and will be posting about it then, so you winners will know what you are in for...the good the bad and the ugly! ( I should add here that White O'Morn is a work in progress and is not perfect ...yet. But I hope you will make allowances and enjoy your stay)

Ireland wins the Grand Slam and the Six Nation's Cup

We had a fab time watching Ireland win the Six Nation's Cup and the Grand Slam in rugby. (Grand Slam means that we beat all other nations on the way to the Six Nations, Countries involved are France, Italy, England, Wales and Scotland. Last time we did it was 1948. We were in Smyth's Siopa Ol, Ballinamore,  for the mad excitement and I'm sure you heard us roaring as far away as Utah!

During the match we were joined by a hen's party from Armagh and those gals could cheer I can tell you! 

They had sailed down the Shannon Erne waterway in two boats and the "Hen" Aine (the very beautiful bride to be) was the Captain, complete with captain's hat, and her crew - 15 of them - had the cute little sailor hats. They had moored up nearby and came in looking for a good place to watch  the match, a good meal, a bit of craic and to meet the locals. Well, there was not a local in sight but they got our little coterie who are:  Bob from Belfast, Gill from South Africa, Kevin from England and  Pam, Paul, Zinda and Pairic from Dublin! A very cosmopolitan town is Ballinamore!

The captain/bride/hen, Aine, is third from the right.

 The girls were from all over Northern Ireland including Belfast, Strabane and Armagh. Gosh but we have beautiful women here in Ireland. Send your sons over to check 'em out! 

 

 

 

Ah, yes, there's always one who wont wear the uniform!

Well done girls...And to the lovely Aine....we wish you all good wishes for a long and happy married life!

Aine tells me she is not getting married until the 1st or May! I said "Sure this hen party will have worn off and you'll have to have another one" ....."Well" says she "I thought I'd have it six weeks in advance to allow for any  breakages to heal!".....AH, SUFFERIN' HEART!

What else? Oh yes, I was having a creative moment in Smith's before the match. I was has happy as a pig in shit snuggled up beside the real open turf fire and doing my crochet and skullin' a pint of beer. This gave all the patrons great amusement it seems. 'Cos - apparently...only little old ladies do crochet and only big burly men or butch women drink beer by the pint.  So, there, I have damaged some stereotypes in my efforts to please my self! Well, I don't care...I do as I please when I please and where I please. So? What's the problem? It's one of the few advantages of getting older...

One can be a Red Hatter and get away with it.

When you are middle aged you can't blush no matter how hard you try! 'Tis true! Maybe it's just that you can't get embarrassed any more 'cos you just don't give a damn or circulation does not work the way it did. Who knows? but it is a bonus you must admit.

The spring has sprung in my garden and given me these beauties....Hyacinths in pink and blue.

Daffs galore to brighten a cottage window,  

and wild primroses.... ah, how I love these and there is a story to them...here it is.....These primroses grow wild in all ditches in Leitrim. They are so beautiflul to see as you drive along. Well when I established my cottage garden I "nicked" one of them from the ditches and planted in in my garden. Everyone said "It wont grow for you in the garden 'cos they like the ditches"  A BIG HA! to you all.  'Cos the primroses are leppin' out of it.

The pretty little Forget-me-nots are starting to bloom. I planted these in memory of my Tiny (the best little Yorkie EVER) and here is the Peace stone and angel I planted in the garden next to them in memory of my beloved Da who passed at Christmas last.

 I also placed a lock of his hair and secured it at the base of the angel so the birds could take  it to build their nests. I don't see any strands left so I'm guessing it is up in the nearby trees with the fledglings. Love and miss you Willa, (Da) 

Well I have reduced myself to tears at this point so I'll sign off. Please call back again to see results and the photos I will add to illustrate all the waffle I have put in here!...Love Pam

PS - I forgot to tell you about this.... an email I got from the Admin. of www.jumbletown.ie...........it seems that Ireland's top magazine wants to talk to little ol' me! Ha ha! I will do of course. Watch this space.

Hi Unapam, The editor of House & Home magazine has contacted JumbleTown with a view to writing a piece about Members' restoration/re-use projects as seen in the "Before & After" forum. She is particularly interested in talking to your good self, and JumbleTowners Eily and Shonastar. Admin does not give out Members' contact details so if you are interested in having a chat with Eimear about your work, please phone or email her (details below) and she'll explain in more detail what she has in mind.  I'd be grateful if you'd also let me know if you are interested in helping out. Finally, many thanks for helping promote JumbleTown to date. Much appreciated! Regards Chris P Admin -------------------------------- CONTACT: Eimear Nic an Bhaird, Editor, House and Home magazine, Dyflin Publications Dublin 8 eimear@dyflin.ie Tel: 01- 416 7983 Web: www.houseandhome.ie

 

Happy St Patrick's Day! ....Lá Féile Paidraig! ....& A Give Away! I Mean Two Give Aways!

It's the big day so to celebrate I am having a BIG double give away! See details further down the post...  You just have to leave a comment to be included in the draw!

      

Wishing you all a fabulous St Paddy's Day! I am so looking forward to it this year. Everyone in great form, lots of ultra happy tourists who seem to enjoy it more than we do!

 

Leprechauns leppin' about the place, (which is what they do best) green white and orange flags, faces, clothes and normally sane people shouting

 " Whup -ya-boy-ya! A truly magic day to be Irish! :) ...Reality and Recession both suspended for the day.

The celebrations have been going on since last Friday here as we now celebrate it as St Patrick's Festival and they take a week - right? Suffice it to say we are in overdrive!!!!!

So many of my readers have Irish ancestors and the Irish diaspora is said to be HUGE. We always have oodles of extra visitors at this time and we give them a big "CEAD MILE FAILTE" which translates literaly as "A hundred thousand welcomes" The parades are fantastic and everyone is in very high spirits - a day when everyone loves everyone (a bit like Christmas but greener)  Pity we can't bottle the feeling for later use!

 

Pressies from Japan!

My good blogpal in Japan -japanesekeane, who is Irish mad has sent me a great gift for the day that's in it...It popped into my mailbox this morning and I was so delighted to see the goodies he had sent me...Here they are

A gorgeous leather Hello Kitty (Dia Ghuit A Caitlin!) all dressed in green ready for the party! I love her!

 

Also included was this old Irish stamp with a picture of St Patrick on.

 

OHHH....and some yummshous chocolate beans (millsean) which I stuffed myself with all day.

 Go raibh mile maith agat Keano! (this means Thank you very much Keano) he will understand though - as he speaks Gaelge! Yes, an 18 year old Japanese chap and he knows as much Irish as me! ...and Kimme (Irish Cottage Dreams) is studying it too...I'll have to catch up to keep up with them! (Kimme has some great links to the parade on her blog so I wont repeat them.  (Use them to see the parades live)

Eat your National Flag!

....and speaking of yummy things how's this? I was out with Ma at a market in nearby Howth and we found these to have with a nice cup of tea when we got home.... They are done in the Irish flag colours of green, white and orange. What a great idea! The lady had made them herself and arranged them in the box. They were selling like hotcakes and what's more...NO CALORIES..... as St Patrick has given us all a dispensation just for this day. (I wish)

 

 

 

Someone told me the colours mean green for Ireland, white for peace, and orange for Northern Ireland. In this case I ate Northern Ireland so I did!

Check it out...just listed on my website: www.suchprettyoldthings.com a baby leprechaun hat. Unique, one of a kind (....'cos I lost the pattern) cute little hat for the little leprechuan in your life. Hand crafted in Ireland and very reasonably priced. Price includes postage! Listed under the Handmade With Love section

Next for your enjoyment I have a link to a cute piece of animation for your enjoyment... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W97M5i05xUo

 

Got Irish in Ya? ....Test yourself for Irishness.....

Did you like that? Yes? Well here is a real treat for you. Do yourself a favour and spend the next three minutes watching this with your volume UP! It will resonate with any Irishness in you and get your pulse racing! ENJOY.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B718RsboGEI

Phew! I'm tired after watching that!

White O'Morn Cottage Give Away

Now to the give aways...you can enter for the goodies giveaway alone or the holiday giveaway alone - or both if it suits you :-)

Goodies give away...goes like this...you will receive a selection of my hand made lavendar sachet, a hand made doorhanger heart, a small patchwork Christmas pillow (Christmas is coming fast!)  Two crochet cookies, and a framed real shamrock, grown in my own White O'Morn cottage garden. More pics to follow (well I have just thought of these and don't have all the pics ready) Don't be rushin' me! 

 

 

Stay in White O'Morn Cottage for Free!

Giveaway no. 2 is a week's free stay in my country cottage White O'Morn Cottage in Co. Leitrim.

In these hard times one has to do one's bit for the tourism trade. So this is my "bit"

If you are thinking of visiting Ireland soon (or even next year) you can spend up to a week FREE in a 250 year old Irish cottage that is a close copy of the cottage in the cult film The Quiet Man. It started life as a Weaver's cottage and is still known as The Weaver Duignan's. The Duignans are the family who built it and it stayed in that family until we bought it. We are good friends with the present day Duignans and they might even visit you for a chinwag during your stay! (for more details just browse my blog) The facilities are basic but comfortable, with one double bedroom and a pull down bed in the living room.

I am always offering it to people as I love to share it with others who appreciate it as much as I do and I can't spend all my time there and want to spread it around. Kimme has spent a weekend there and is coming back for more! Maith on cailín Kimme! Anyway that's why I am offering it as a giveaway to any blogger who wants it. Just leave a comment letting me know which give away you are interested in...and you're in. 

(Kimme, you are disqualified from the cottage giveaway as you are my favourite American and more than welcome anytime! :) Wheee!

Everyone else is welcome - you don't have to be a regular reader or commenter or anything -  just be someone who would like to stay in an old Irish cottage for free!

Have a great St Pat's Day!....love Pam

Ps.. Fur babies welcome!

Both draws close on 21st March

No Calorie Cookies....Shamrocks & Granny Crawford Memories

I have just learned to crochet. One of my students showed me how to do the basics and I was hooked (no pun intended!)

Thank you Rita!. This lovely lady is the official spokeman for Ireland's Special Olympics and as well as that she is very gifted at crochet (and not too bad at computers, which is what I teach her)

 She is always making something for someone...usually a baby cardigan for an expected arrival. She does not even need a pattern as she can just do it! Her work is so gorgeous I got the "graw" to take it up myself and asked Rita to show me how. I am so glad I did. I can already knit and do many other crafts so I knew I could pick this up.

So with the basics in place and St Patrick's Day coming up, I went to Youtube to get a tutorial on crocheting a shamrock.

Here is the result....

 

Then I had to look for a new challenge and found instructions for crocheted cookies..Yummy and calorie free!

 

Both are very easy to do and tutorials are given by Teresa Richardson on Youtube. If you got to Youtube and key in Small Crochet Shamrock you will find the tutorial.   Teresa has lots more, easy to follow, tutorials on there. I will be going back for more.

Next I will try to do one of her lovely flowers and cupcakes and then maybe I will go for something bigger. After many years of threatening to - I have finally got to grips with crochet.

My Granny Crawford was a fabulous crochet-er and seamstess. Maybe I inherited her talents. I used to visit her in the sixties and she used to say "Oh my, you are growing out of your skirt!" .....and then -much to my dismay she would let down the hem on her foot treadle Singer sewing machine.

(Ah sufferin' heart! there goes my street cred.!) 

I never had the heart to tell her that it was a mini skirt and therefor... the height of fashion!

This is a picture of her - Elizabeth Crawford,  pictured with my dad (upper right) and her other children, taken in about 1926-ish.  A very beautiful woman who led a hard life but was known for her kindness to all and sundry. It was said that tramps had left a special mark on her gatepost to let others know that this was a good place to get something to eat. She would always bring them in to sit on the stairs and have a bowl of soup or stew and a cup lof tea.

A medium once told me that she kept a special eye on me - like a guardian angel. I am a bit of a skeptic on these things but it is a nice idea all the same.

Well Granny, I can now crochet too...I bet you would be proud of me!

Sepia Memories in Virginia and other Head Ramblings!

 

While passing through Main Street, Virginia, County Cavan I came across some lovely old photos in G Fitzsimons shop. The owner has  a collection of her relatives displayed at the cash register and what a great set of photos they are! The shop is pictured in the photo below - taken in the thirties and the two romantic ladies are her aunts with a very popular local man! This one was taken in the forties. Aren't they fabulous!!

Be sure to call in and see them if you are in Virginia. The shop has some really lovely gifts and things and the owner is really friendly.

 

Virginia also has this wonderful original hardware shop. Unchanged since it was built and full of character and charm both inside and out..

Also in the same street is this lovely black and white former shop. I really like the old name over it. It translates as E O'Kelly 

Seachtain na Gaeilge 

This is Seachtain na Gaeilge which means we celebrate our national language.  So with that in mind I went about taking pictures of signs in Irish around Ballinamore....

first is the school bus - Bus Scoile

  

Siopa Eadai is a clothes shop 

 

Tailliur...Tailor?

TOURIST iNFORMATION 

 

...And the crest outside the Garda Station (Police)

It is quite beautiful with celtic scrolls, intertwined G and S and reads...Garda Siochana na hEireann which means Gaurdians of the Peace of Ireland

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cute Quill Pen!

While we were in Virginia we called in to Manna Charity Shop and were delighted to find these quill pens. They are actually modern pens or biros witha  feather fitted over it. Perfect for the guest book in the cottage! 

Macro setting on Camera

I love to get really close to patterns to really catch the detail on items. This is my vintage cake slice up close...very close And now - up close a soft fluffy throw in robin's egg blue that I got in Cavan. So snuggly and warm and the colour is just the business....  

Finished at last!

I won! Iiiiiz da winna! I won a giveaway on Skyssillysite (see sidebar) Thanks so much Josie. I'm delighted with it! I will be posting photos of it when it arrives. It is the first time I have ever won a give away before! Wheee!

 

Last weekend I managed to finish some of my many -work-in-progress projects.

Don't worry, I know it looks like I have feet of flames but it is just me toasting my toes in front of the open fire and modelling my (finished at last) first pair of socks.

 

 

I also made a cute little dog coat for Pretty. She doesn't look too impressed with it.

 

Next I finished my duck door stop in Irish wool tweed. OOOps - I just noticed I need to do the eyes so this is not quite finished yet.

   

...and here is the first of my series of WillaPillas made from my late dad's neckties. This one is for sis, Teeda, who is coming home on Tursday. We are all heading off to Leitrim for a lovely weekend away and a bit of a hooley!

 

I have two more of these laid out and pinned and will of course, be posting them. I am making one for each member of our family as a momento of Willa (Da)

For my next project I have started to make a pair of knitted slippers for myself and they are so easy and quick to do. I am still knitting my blue squares lap blanket and making my patchwork quilt top. Ah, so many projects...so little time!

Oh, and with Paddy's Day coming up I am doing my bit for the country by inserting this great link to a promo from the Irish Tourist Board. So come and vistit lovely Ireland and in particular come to Ballinamore - the friendliest town in Ireland!... And if you do ...be sure to visit White O'Morn Cottage, it's the fifth cottage up the mountain on the right. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvaIO9Gb7Jg

 

Spring Delights

Saturday today and no work so a long walk was called for in St Anne's Woods in Raheny, Dublin. The dogs get to chase the squirrels and paddle in the stream and terrorrise the poor ducks in the pond.

 

 

 

The first flowers are appearing and it is so cheering to see them and know that the long winter is over at last! Crocus and daffodils and some more that I don't know the names of.

 Down by the childrens playground there was a new piece of art...a big metal cow.

 

Just when I was thinking..."it has no udders" I went around the other side and found them in a very strange place!

Off home then for some home made vegetable soup which was delicious and settled down to watch the big rugby match between Ireland and England while knitting my "Thingy" .....I don't know yet what I am knitting! I had loads of Aran wool -real wool in a lovely natural shade of deep ivory. It started off as a child's hat but I changed my mind when it got going and decided it would make a great rustic cushion for the cottage. I began to make up my own design too (patterns? who needs patterns??)

It was so lovely to work with this wool that I am know thinking of making a lap blanket  or a throw for the couch...or even a bedspread! Ain't no stopping me now!

 

Now here I want to show you my latest vintage sewing notions. I just love them. I am still coming across notions that my lovely son, Chris, bought me a huge lot of for Christmas.

A very pretty stork shaped scissors with a little doll pincushion attached and some very old wooden cotton reels.

 

 

Delight in the Little Things

What a marvelous weekend we had. In these hard times it is getting more and more imortant to find pleasure in the simple things of life. To that end we had a "Delight in the Little Things" weekend. 

This meant doing things that did not cost a fortune but gave great pleasure and being very aware of that pleasure and appreciating it. Counting your blessings sort of thing.

• Walking the dogs up the mountain...well, the weather was gorgeous and the air was fresh and we just strolled for as long as we wanted and then turned around and headed home for a nice cup of tea.

• Next we went to the local library where I found eight, yes, 8 gorgeous crafting books and took them home for a good browse and got lots of inspiration.

• Next we went food shopping where we found that they were selling off for very little lots of good fresh food that was nearing its sell by date. Lots of fruit and veg for nutritional meals. Good for the body, easy on the pocket and good for the spirit (bargains are always good for the spirit or lifting them!)

• Then we met Lizbiz in Ballinamore and gave her a bottle of wine and a pressie for her dog, Coco. Giving is one of life's best pleasures!

• Hard physical work...well, it was hardest of all to find pleasure in this one! We laid some more of the flagstone floor in the kitchen. This did of course, give us a fabulous appetite for our home cooked dinner that was to come.

• Gardening for the first time this year. Oh how I loved this one. The crocus were out and the daffodils were sprouting and the forget me nots had just started to bloom along with the wild primroses. I got lots done and was so pleased to survey my work.

• Crafting. Always a pleasure. I got to finish my first pair of socks! I need to stitch them up now and I will be modelling them for you. I did some more squares of the lap blanket I have been working on. I also made some red gingham curtains for under and around the Belfast sink and they look really well. It is one of life's little pleasures when one finishes a craft project.

Here are some pics of magic moments over the weekend.

Dogs really know how to relax. Every chance they get it's "Let's have a snooze in"  Chewy left and Pretty, right get settled in on the couch for a good ol' session of ZZZZZZZZZ-ing

 

Below is a pic of Betty's great pic of John Wayne in its new home  in my Quiet Man corner. Looks great.

  Below are some of the craft books I borrowed from the library and my first pair of socks and lap quilt which are WIP's at the moment.

   

After a hard days work it was so nice to sit down to a lovely meal and a glass of wine by the fire. The kitchen is a work in progress and we usually set the table on the coffee table in the living room. So cosy. It made a relaxing end to a very wonderful day.

I'm Tickled Pink....Two Blog Gifts in One Week!

 

Thanks so much to you Betty (Joy in our Lives blog - on my sidebar) for the lovely present you sent me. I am chuffed with it.

 

I am just tickled pink because the postman brought me a little surprise this morning. What I found inside made my day and put me in the pink all day! It was a mounted photo of my favourite actor, John Wayne, a movie still from my favourite film, The Quiet Man. It is going up in my cottage next to my photo of Maureen O'Hara in her wedding gown from the same film. I have a Quiet Man corner there. It is perfect for it!  

 This is the card she sent me with the photo.

Sassy is a s Sassy Does! Yup, that's me Betty!

 

 

A real handsome hero. I love him in the role of Sean Thornton, in The Quiet Man...of course Sean knew when to be quiet ......and when not to be!

 

I got a real AWWWW! moment when I opened the lovely card to find...a fluffy foofoo poodle. Well, what can one expect from a great dog lovin' lady who has three rescued poodles (my favourite is the one eyed one who looks like he is winking, Gus.

And if that's not enough Betty and her husband have just rescued an adorable little black dog, Tommy.  He is just sooooo beautiful.  Check out her great blog for the most adorable dogs in blogland.

Again, thank you Betty. I am thrilled with your kind gift. I will think of you every time I see it and I will be keeping the cute card too.

...And more blog gifts from another wonderful blogger Lizbiz (also on sidebar)

Life Dreaming Workbook Giveaway

Liz Biz is having a giveaway on her blog at the moment. It is a wonderful e-book called Life Dreaming. Liz wrote it and it is a workbook from a course she developed over years and - well, I wont say too much  - BUT. ....I have started it and it is fantastic for anyone wanting to change their lives for the better! It is just what I need at this time and Liz is so generous to give it to all of us for free! THANK YOU LIZ!

(actually, I hope to see Liz this weekend and will have a little bottle of red for her and a little pressie for her amazing dog Coco)

Do yourself a favour and pop over there for your free ebook and a great read blog. Tell Liz I sent ye'...Pam

Weekend in the Country -what a difference a day makes!

When we arrived in Ballinamore last weekend we stopped off in Solas Art Gallery to see the fabulous exhibition of children's art. There were some there I wanted to buy but they were not for sale -

Here is one of my favourites...painted by Meghan Quinn (daughter of local artist, Colleen Quinn -as we say here "Black cats have black kittens")

 

 

Imagine my surprise when we went for a walk near the river and I spotted this...surely I had found the original model for Meghan's painting!

As we drove past Lake Camagh I snapped this picture. It was such a lovely early spring day and the sun was shining.......

 

....The following morning I took the very same picture but how it had changed!

 

The snow had fallen overnight and I was keen to see how my other favourite spots looked so it was down to the town to take some more pics along the locks of the Shannon Erne Waterway....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brrrrhh!!! It was so cold there so we hurried home and took a quick couple of pictures in the garden...

 

 

Next it was into the cottage for a cup of hot tea and fresh scones by the roaring fire. A lovely end to a lovely day!  

Lights of my Life and Tie Pillow Instructions

  I was on Sweet Repose blog (on sidebar) and she has some very quirky lamps going on at her place! So I decided to show and tell about my,  not as quirky but still unusual lamps...Above is the kitchen lightshade that I made out of a metal collander. It just appealed to my odd side.

...and below is my sewing room lamp made by filling the glass base with vintage sewing notions and using a tape measure and buttons to decorate the shade. Also shown here is my new humdinger of a sewing machine, a gift from Himself for Christmas last. It can do 200 different stitches!

 

 

Below...I love this chandy lamp in the living room. It first belonged to my Granny Savage (that's her name...she was really quite gentle) and when she died it passed to my mother and she passed it on to me for the cottage. When my gran bought it it was the first thing she bought for herself when she got a job after rearing her family. She treasured it as it marked the start of her independance and buying her own things for the first time in her life.

My mam had it for years in our living room in the house where I grew up but when the grandsons grew so tall they were always braining themselves on it -as it hung a bit low, so she banished it to the shed. That's where I found it and thought...."ah haa..just the thing"

 

Instructions for  a Willa Pilla Tie Pillow. I am posting these up for Marybeth who contacted me with some questions about how to go about it. I hope they blow up enough to read for you Marybeth! If not let me know and I'll type it up for you.  

 

 

Quiet Man Prints and Quiet Corners of my Home

I had a lovely comment from a wonderful artist in the US, Bryan Varnam. He is a big fan of the film The Quiet Man and has produced a series of prints of scenes from it. They are super! Nicely priced at $40+$12 for postage. I have added Bryan to my sidebar if you want to have a look...and his other work is to die for too.  Also I have added to my sidebar  Cannaboe Confectionery Ballinamore. Sharon Sweeney makes the most amazing wedding cakes, themed cakes and handmade Irish chocolates. A must see!

Quiet  Corners

I have been browsing through my old photos and came across some that are real favourites. I know some of you may have seen these before but bare with me...

Here is one of the best corners of my home for reading, curled up by the fire and snuggling up to a couple of doggies. The hardback book on the table is "Green Rushes"  by Maurice Walsh which is the book that The Quiet Man was based on. This is an original copy and although I have never read it I love to dip in and out for a few paragraphs.

I made these cushions about two years ago and I still love them.

 

Soft lighting, a big fire and a good film (Quiet Man of course) to watch while nestled on the couch under the cutest window in my cottage. The sign hanging in window says "Welcome to the Cottage" My sister, Therese, gave it to me about 20 years ago as she knew I loved cottages. I never thought I'd be using it for real some day! Wish it -Dream it - Do it

The gorgeous fancy creamer belonged to my granny Crawford and I am delighted to have it as it brings her to mind every time I see it. The hand worked quilt on the couch is one that my dad gave as a housewarming gift when I bought White O'Morn Cottage...and the wildflowers in the floral jug were picked from my "wild flower meadow" (or field of weeds - depends on how you look at it...I see wildflowers)

 

 

In the kitchen this is where I chill out with a nice cuppa tea in the morning. The table is tiny and heaven help us if we ever have company! More wild flowers here in a Cornish Ware jar. Roll on the summer - it has been a long cold winter here.

 

Speaking of summer...these were taken last summer in the garden showing another of my favourite spots to sit and read on a nice day sipping a glass of vino. Can't wait for those long lazy days to come back.

 

Just along the side of the house is the boreen (bóthereen -meaning small road)

Very little traffic comes up here but often we will see the three batchelor farmers who own the land around here and live up the mountain from us. They always have time to stop for a chat and I love their soft Leitrim accents and it tickles me pink every time one of them says "Sure - isn't  the weather a hoor?"

This is the year that I finally get to grips with the garden which is in danger of becoming a wild flower meadow itself!

Vintage Crafting Treasures and a Willa Pilla!

 I am still finding lovely old sewing notions that my son, Chris bought me for Christmas last. He bought me a large lot on Ebay and I have not really investigated them too closely until yesterday.

Above is a booklet dated 1954 and printed in Kansas. Aunt Ellen teaches how to do basic knitting, sewing, crochet, rug making, tatting, lace making and many more crafts.

To the right of it is a wonderful vintage sewing needle book...just look at the roses pattern...so in vogue right now. It reads "Golden Fleece - Perfection in needle making"  I love this and will actually use it even though the needles are rusty I will add some good new ones and use them.

and the front of it has a fabulous Rubenesque lady with cherubs. Check out her footwear...fancy flipflops!

 

 

 

 

Inside the booklet there is a pattern for a knitted shopping bag and again it could be made up today and be the bees knees of shopping totes!

 

 

While I'm on the subject of knitting...I have just turned the heel of my first sock!!!! Wheeeeeee!!!! I asked Ivy and Lace if it was possible to knit socks on two needles and she very kindly sent me some great patterns and I did it...(well I did one and now I have to do another -given that I have two feet you see)

I am using a white cotton ball of yarn and it was driving me mad as it was getting dirty rolling on the floor and Holly was trying to kill it every time it moved ...so I popped it into  this empty tissue box - Perfect!

Now to explain what a Willa Pilla is. My Dad (we called him a pet name - Willa) had an obsession with collecting neckties and he left hundreds when he passed at Christmas. He had lots of grandsons who chose the ones they liked, and we gave lots more to charity shops and still we kept finding them...so I was delighted to find this pattern in one of my craft books for making pillows (Pilla to rhyme with Willa) with neckties. He would be tickled pink at the idea of it.

I have started and it is looking well and is easy to do. I will make one for each of us in the family. It will make a nice momento don't you think?

Yes, I do hop from one craft to another - I have about six WIPs going at the moment. Wish I was an octopus and I could do all of them together!

Next is one I did actually finish. It is a white felt dove filled with lavender. I made it for Christopher, my student in my last post. He loved images of doves as I do. I love making these as they are so easy to do. (I like quick and easy too)

 

I have another one of these on my website www.suchprettyoldthings.com £3.99 including postage worldwide.

Well I am off now to make some more doves and felt hearts filled with lavender for Valentine's Day. Now that I have featured them on here there might be a run on them! See you soon.

Bright Spots in a Dark Day

Much as I wish I could be upbeat on every post here - it's not always possible. Life's not like that.  But there are always some bright spots to be found in the darkest days. I experienced both yesterday....

 

A Tribute to Christopher

I have a special fondness for some of my students. That's not really very PC for a tutor to say but it's the truth.

 

On Tuesday this week I said a cheery "Bye now" to one of my most loveable students. He replied "Bye bye - see you on Thursday"

He died the next day and we are all in shock and dismay and wishing we could have done something to change things.

I had helped him download a picture of a dove and he had written a poem on the computer. 

 

He was a lovely man with a roguish sense of humour and always in good form. We will miss you very much Christopher.

...from your tutors at KLEAR, Kilbarrack - Pam, Lyndsey, Alice and Sinéad

......................................................................................................................

 

Thank you Linda

Well, later that day, Wednesday, I got a parcel in the post. Most unexpected. As I started to open it I was more and more convinced that someone on Ebay had posted me something by mistake 'cos I just knew I had not bought these things.

DH had a very disapproving look to his face which read "I thought we were on a tight budget this month?"  I was denying buying these treasures of course.

It turned out that it was for me!...It was my PIF from Linda, Somewhere in Time blog. I had entered for her PIF ages ago. (Pay It Forward) and had forgotten all about it. Linda hadn't though and had sent me a fabulous bracelet that she had made for me...and an eyelash yarn scarf threaded with blue satin ribbon also handmade for me and some cards and notepad, and a lovely card full of good wishes..and all of it beautifully wrapped up.

A huge thank you Linda. I just love all of them and they arrived just when I needed a boost to the spirits. Well timed on your part.

A Pub That Sells Hangovers??? ...Who Knew?

Every time we pass The Woodbine Inn in Virginia, county Cavan I say "Where's the camera? "

Well today I had it ready to hand and finally got the picture...apparently this pub sells beers, spirits and hangovers!...

Hangovers in a pub? Well, what next?

 

This was the scene from our door at dawn this morning......shhhh, can you hear the silence? Photo credits to Paul, my DH.

The name of our cottage - White O'Morn means the white of morning or dew of dawn or mist of morning or first light of day....anyway you get the idea...

I think this picture says it so well...White of 'morning

Well done for taking this beautiful photo Paul, ('cos only you would be caught up at the crack o'dawn.  I'm with LizBiz on this one...Loll for Ireland! LOL!

 We don't get much snow in Ireland so when we do we snap, snap, snap 'cos it is gone in an hour.

This is how my quilt project is coming along. Must say how much I am enjoying doing it. I have about one third done so far.

 

We recently got our timbered ceiling (tradiotional cottage style) done in the living room and we put up a blue floral border to finish off the room. Both seen here in this pic of our bookshelf next to the rugged chimney breast.

The brown beer bottle on the right is empty (wasn't me - I didn't do it) and was dug up from the land outside. It was probably cast there many decades ago by someone who lived in the cottage. I love to find these little treasures from the past.

I have a collection of them now...mostly syrup of figs bottles, milk of magnesia bottles and beer bottles...MMM... must have been inhabited by a billious, constipated alcoholic!

 

Now - how would you like to wake up to this scenery every morning. It is actually one of the two lakes my pal, Jill, can see from her house near Ballinamore. The other lake is called Corgar Lake and this one is.....unpronouncable.

This is the sloping driveway from the front of the house and yes, the lake is across the road. 

Jill house is beautiful and she has three tables hand made from longways slices of trees. This one has a fissure on the right hand side that might have been seen as a flaw in the wood but the craftsman has turned it into a feature.

  

More of Jill's fabulous rustic tables....

 

This is Jill's lovely home at the top of the hill..."Jack and Jill went up the hill"...Pity her partner's name is not Jack!

They have beautiful views from every window. How wonderful is that? Their house is called "Cois Loca" which is Gaelic for Lakeside or Beside the Lake. Well named. Jill is camera shy and would not have her photo taken. Next time Jill!

 Now, Jill, your gorgeous doggies were not so camera shy. The black and white one is called Chuckie (not spelt like that but I don't know the real spelling) and the brown and white beauty is Judy. Champion stick chasers both of them. They would give Coco (Liz Biz doggie) a run for her money!

Now back to a more modest dwelling...White O'Morn Cottage. The lovely Liz Biz gave me this dinky little cup and saucer this weekend. I put a tealight in it and it lit up the bowel of the cup and gave a cosy glow to the deep windowsill in the living room. I love it Liz, Thanks so much.

 Oh, and I am in the process of making a pressie for Coco the wonder dog. She will eat it in five minutes flat (not that it is edible at all, at all) ...but that is part of the fun and I reserve the photo rights!

Outside this morning in the soft light of dawn Paul took this picture of my painted milk churn, (centre), my painted gate (right, painted to match the one in the film Quiet Man) and my crock of gold, (left) which sits outside my cottage at my end of my rainbow.

I must admit...the crock of gold is not real gold. Not at all.....I just painted local rocks with gold paint and put them in the black crock.  It just symbolises treasure at the end of the rainbow...but you knew that right?

 

I laughed when I saw this rusty sign I have hanging on my fence..."Take a peek at my bloomers" ...and not a "bloomer" in sight. Ah well, Spring is on the way.

This little fairy has been sitting in the corner of the garden for about two years. In that time she has lost her wings and if you look closely you will see tendrils of some kind of moss entwining her legs and arms and waist. She is being claimed by nature.

  

OK, I know this is not a pretty picture - but to me it is fantastic! It shows the vintage Belfast sink (butler's sink) with its copper taps/faucets. We got it up -FINALLY - after two years of storing it. The kitchen seems to be an endless project.

Kimme and hubby, I promise it will be done by the time you come to stay this year! 

I am so looking forward to meeting such a good blog friend. You have been such a comfort in recent sad times. I very much appreciate your kind words and support which came just when I needed it most. You don't know how much it meant to us all. Thank you.

Kimme, Irish Cottage Dreams is on my sidebar as is Liz Biz Ballinamore, and Angie of the Old Schoolhouse. We'll all meet up in good ol' Ballinamore for a toast  in Smith's Pub!

Watch out Ballier...Here come the  GIRLS!