Category Archives: Hand made

Summer dresses

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v8180crop.jpgI have a very organised friend who has already sewn herself a collection of stylish new summer dresses. I know I should sew for summer in winter and vice versa, but I don’t seem to manage it. I am inspired though and I have fabric bought at the end of last summer and a pattern purchased the other day ready to go. The girls have decided they want to make Lucy’s and Susan’s dresses from Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. So there is no shortage of plans and patterns, just a lack of time. But that will change soon, won’t it?

 

Group of Four paints

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With a name like “Group of Four” we had to do some painting sooner or later.

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I had been thinking how nice it would be to have someone else come in and teach our group. All four of the mothers have had something extra in their lives over the last few weeks and I just thought we could all do without the preparation of another lesson. Well, as often is the case, God knew what I hoped without me ever voicing it. One of the grandmothers of our group was visiting her grandsons and kindly agreed to give the whole group a lesson.

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First she covered colour mixing, then did a demonstration with acrylic paint in order that the children could all do their own simple landscape. Before we finished she gave the older ones some pointers in sketching. It was an excellent lesson which everyone enjoyed. At the top is the landscape by B6, in the middle is A10’s and below is L12’s.

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More on dresses

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I mentioned my Aunty Dot the other day as one of the three aunts who taught me to sew.  Aunty Dot had been a home economics teacher but was retired when I knew her. In me she found a willing student. It was in her kitchen that I learned how to make scones, always rubbing in the butter, never melting it. It was in her living room that I learned to sew, beginning with the dolls clothes and accessories I wanted to make . img_2256crop.jpgWe still have some of the clothes I made, under her supervision, for Barbie and Wendy. In amongst the clothes, also are those that she made, many of them works of art. There are reversible dresses, skirts and cloaks for Wendy. Beautifully sewn evening gowns, complete with strings of pearls, lined coats and suits, and frilly nightclothes were created for Barbie. At left are some of the clothes in just as good shape now as they were when I played with them 35 years ago.

She also made some lovely clothes for my mother and me. Yes, I still have some of them too. I don’t hoard everything, but an original item of clothing made out of a beautiful piece of fabric is hard to give away. And you never know, I just might find the right occasion to wear it one day.

Last May my own girls and some of their friends wanted to learn how to sew. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching them on Friday afternoons. There were looks of satisfaction on their faces as they completed each step and looks of disappointment when I told them that something needed to be redone. Perhaps I had similar looks on my face when my great aunt showed me how to unpick and try again. Never the less I’m glad she did.

Dresses

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When writing about the Group of Four acting out scenes from Romeo and Juliet the other day I didn’t mention a small detail which delighted me. The acting was great, they really stepped into their roles, they made their props and organised their costumes. The extra little bonus for me was seeing A10 and L12 in dresses I had made for myself many long years ago. These dresses are not worn by anyone at present but neither have they been relegated to “dress up box” status. They hang with the formal dresses from the wedding years.

img_2248crop.jpg L12 wore my 21st birthday dress. I designed it and made it out of white voile with lace inserts, pintucks and a blue sash to go round my waist. A10 wore the dress I made for my older brother’s wedding. It was violet and gold shot silk with lace inserts (yes I did like lace inserts) in the sleeves and a very full skirt which A10 spread dramatically about her on the couch as she acted. It was made from a dress which my great aunt had made herself. Aunty Dot was one of three aunts who taught and encouraged me to sew from an early age. The material is really quite beautiful, the light catches the violet, then the gold as the folds of the skirt move.

As I was describing the history of the two dresses to one of the other mothers she mentioned how she had slightly altered her mother’s 21st birthday dress to wear to her highschool graduation. I did exactly the same thing for my highschool formal. We still have that dress in the dress ups and it has been worn by many a “princess” or “bridesmaid”.

Sweet

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A10 has created some sweet treats and cards for her friends. Last night she made the peppermint creams with a little help from her sister. I think I made these as a child too.

Peppermint Creams

To make about 25 peppermint creams, you will need:
250g icing sugar
half the white of an egg
1 teaspoon peppermint essence
2 teaspoons lemon juice
food colouring

1. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl
2. Mix egg white, peppermint essence and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the sugar
3. Use a blunt knife to stir the mixture. Then squeeze it between your fingers until it is smooth, like a dough.
4. Divide the mixture if you want to make different colours. Add a drop of colour to each bowl. Use your fingers to mix in the dye.
5. Sprinkle a little icing sugar onto a clean work surface. Sprinkle some onto a rolling pin and roll out the mixture until it is about 1/4″ thick. Use cutters to cut out shapes.
6. Place shapes onto a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap. Leave for an hour to harden.

Guests at the Villa Caprice

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This week the ladies at the Villa Caprice welcomed their first house guests, their good friends from the Casa Gialla.guests

They enjoyed a wonderful feast in the dining room.

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Later in the week the lady of Villa Caprice returned the compliment and was warmly welcomed at the Casa Gialla.
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Casa Gialla

First loaf

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A10 made her first loaf of bread yesterday under the direction of her dad. We ate it for breakfast and lunch and it was good. I hope it is the first of many. I believe she is now making a miniature version so the folk at the Villa Caprice can also have some. img_2107crop.jpg

A few days before Christmas

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We are listening to The Blind Boys of Alabama’s ‘Go Tell it on the Mountain’ and Angele Dubeau: Adoration and the girls practising Christmas carols for Christmas eve service. Actually the bit about the girls practising; that is only wishful thinking at this stage.

We are cooking Almond and Pecan Brittle partially from memory because no matter how hard I looked I could not find the exact recipe which was so successful a couple of weeks ago. A10 has cooked something for her dad.

The tree looks almost finished as we have been hanging the nativity glass ornaments on the tree and dressing her in her skirt. B6 has packaged up the cookies he made for his Sunday school teachers and written cards.

L12 is working hard on the quilt and her friend is here  to continue work on hers. L12’s  squares are finished and she and is laying them out on the floor working out which arrangement would look best.

I am thinking about the Lamb Roast I am making for dinner with friends tonight. Roasts are not exactly my forte, so I’m trying to plan ahead in order that meat and vegetables are all ready at the same time, I prefer meals where the meat and vegetables are all in the same pot together!

We are decorating gingerbread.
We are putting little circles of fabric and labels on our jars of Three Fruits Marmalade.