White O'Morn Cottage

Getting Ready for St Paddy's Day and saying "I LOVE YOU"

 I have been AWOL for a while as I have been making all sorts of green things for St Patrick's Day which is fast approaching.

I made some hats and shoes for leprechauns ...yup, leprechauns or babies, you know ...little people. Very little people.

Here's the hat

Ahhh...just testing ye'. Those are obviously the shoes. Cute or wha? Being modelled by my grandchild.

(actually its just a doll because on the grandchild front I have given up and settled for a feckin' doll... SONS! - you have a lot to answer for!!! ...go forth and multiply for goodness sake)

Ah-hem...now here is the hat.

And the inevitable St Patrick's day badge. I love making these, so easy and perfect for those crafters who have no patience as they work up so fast.

The importance of saying..... "I LOVE YOU"

On a more serious note. I have just done something I have not done for years, decades, maybe I never did it before...at least not because of a song. A book - yes, a film, definitely yes, but a song ...NO..

 But I have just cried listening to a song written and performed by Gilbert O' Sullivan on our Late Late Show (the longest running chat show in the world). Do you remember him?  A big hit in Ireland and Great Britain in the seventies.

Well he just performed a BEAUTIFUL  song he wrote ...about an OUTRAGE????

Is it possible to write such a thing???

YES, and Gilbert did, and I am going to buy his new album because of it.

It has verses that question again and again, how can it be justified by THEM... when ... that  upon  finding  themselves trapped in the buildings,  those wonderful people all (all who could) called their loved ones and all they could say was " I love you"

Such a moving song and I am still gobsmacked that someone could write such a beautiful song about something that should have no beauty associated with it - but does,  because they, who when it came to the most important moment in their lives,  had only one thing to say,  and it was " I LOVE YOU" 

Here is the link to it on youtube Sound is a bit wobbly but you'll love it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-LV36UwiWk 

 

 Have a lovely weekend and tell those you love that you do.
 

 

 

Teddy Bears All in a Row

I just got a great book on crochet for beginners in the local library. Unlike most books for beginners this one has some really lovely projects that don't look easy but are. I made this lovely wall hanging for a nursery. Really cute teddies and pompoms. I have a second one on the way in pink...pink teddies - gotta love 'em!

Books, books, books - how I love books. I got a Kindle Reader for Christmas and it is great for reading in bed. I love to read about true crime and am reading one on the Susan Polk case at the moment. Strange stuff for sure.

and more books.

I bought Paul a book about friendship for St Valentine's Day.  The text and illustrations are beautiful....

 

From books to boxes..well, tins really. I got this beauty in Amsterdam last November at a street market. It is my all time favourite, being very old and chippy, rusty and with a great detailed graphic.

It is highly decorated on all sides and once had a key. I wonder what treasures were kept in here? A real bargain at 5 Euro.

Of course not all my tins are as old as that. Here is my favourite modern one. It held cheese biscuits and I love the way it has a mouse in relief on top and even a little mouse hole on side!

Another fabourite is  this Chinese or Japanese one ( it has characters on bottom but I can't tell whice language it is)

 It had been plated but someone tried to clean it and left it with a wonderful copper patina. This has little legs and a heavy hinged lid. I keep sewing needles in it. A charity shop find.

Another chippy one with some lovely boats on I also found in Amsterdam for 2 Euro.

and on the side:

And the tiniest one of all is this handmde wooden hinged one with inlaid design on top. Ebay find this one.

I keep my pin backs in it (nothing else is small enough to fit in)

No matter how many I collect I never seem to run out of things to store in them!

I hope you all have a faboulous weekend...cheers Pam
 

 

 

 

 

Treasure Galore and Girly Weekend Giggles

I have been trying to leave comments on some of your blogs but Typepad is giving me the runaround and wont let me without me signing in and then it wont accept my password...AAARRRRGGGGGHHHH

Oh well, I have some lovely pics to share with you. Last weekend I went to Leitrim to spend a girly weekend with Angie, Zinda, Martina and Katie. - the Girls ( I use the term loosley!) We had a very late night  - three hours sleep is a very late night, right? and then....you wont beleive this but we went shopping for ...wait for it....12 hours! Yes, 10 am to 10pm. We went to Enniskillen just over the border in Northern Ireland. The shops close at 5.30pm but Zinda, who was driving, brought us all to ASDA and they shopped until closing time there! I didn't, I bought some wool and needles and made a baby's hat while waiting for them. I was shopped out at 5.30.

Now, shopping in Asda might seem odd to you who have Asdas on your doorstep but we don't have them in the south so it was a real treat and they found some great bargains in all departments.

Here's my first lovely pic. We were having breakfast in Angies house, The Old Schoolhouse and I just snapped these pictures of the wall along the table.  The light was just right and it really speaks of the peace and quiet that is to be had in this lovley old house.

 

And some close ups of the details including this lovely old Irish proverb.

 

and this...

 

And in the living room I spotted this little rainbow dancing on the ceiling between the beams. Maybe this house is at the end of the rainbow!
 

Cool Finds:

I love these old prints dating from the 60's of guardian angels and babies and such (there I go again...babies, babies)

  

Delightful goldtone locket that has the teenyweeniest cross stitch rose on it. The stitches are minute!

 A close up of them.
Who has the patience to stitch like this? (not to mention the eyesight) the locket is only an inch wide and the cross stitch is only 5mm.

I have a gut feeling that this is actually gold ....mmm, if it is then I have found a real treasure. It has a definite stamp but I can't read it...can you? Here is a close up of it.

There it is on the centre hinge. Maybe it is only a mark in the metal but I like to believe it is gold. Does anyone know a way to find out if something is gold?
 

Next is an old dressing table set.

 

Beautiful emerald green hand crocheted doily

 

And also for St Patrick's Day this wonderful shamrock tablecloth.  I really want to keep this but as I keep telling myself "You can't keep everything...sell the shaggin' thing!" (OK, I will but if it has not gone by Patty's Day I'm using it for my corned beef and cabbage dinner!)

I actually have a pale blue one very like this but wont ever sell that as it belonged to my great-grandaunt and she got it as a wedding present 80-ish years ago. It is as fresh and new as the day she got it as a young bride. It is one  of my treasures but I use it daily and wash it and iron it and it still comes up like new. They don't make them like that any more. I don't believe in saving good stuff for "best" ...today is special enough to use your best.

 

And then we have this exquisite drawn threadwork table topper. I am always amazed when I look closely at the hand work on these old linens. See the white embroidery? So perfect I thought it was machined at first but it is not.

 

here is a close up of it and the thread work and embroidery.

 

Now this item came as part of a collection and one of the other ones has an ornate cross on it so it was probably an alter cloth work by hand by the nuns. I can't get enough of old Irish linens. 

Speaking of old linens here is what I made from the old chenille candlewick patches I got on Ebay....a cute raggy cushion. 
  

 

What else did I make last week? Oh yes, I made these fishnet gauntlets for my niece, Jessie as she is always doing stuff for us. 

 

That's all I made (as I was busy partying up in Leitrim for most of it)

And now for the bad news.... We had a really bad spell of weather last month. Untold temperatures of minus 16 and our water pipes burst up at the cottage. Loads of damage but somehow I just can't get het up about it. We can't stay there until it is fixed but what the hell...I am always saying " Your healt is your wealth" 

Well, on that bright note I'll leave you for now. I am going to try to comment on your blogs again. But, if you need a good bellylaugh just read on.... this is the funniest Email I have received in a long time...

 

THIS IS FUNNY!!

 

Can you imagine the nun sitting at her desk grading these papers, all the while trying to keep a straight face and  maintain her composure! 

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING. IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU'LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS! IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST. 

KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE . NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS. 

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH. 

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES. 

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS ... 

8. THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APP! LE. 

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY. 

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SH! E WAS TH E MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA. 

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER. 

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD. 

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE. 

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS. 

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

24. ST... PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE. 

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.