Victorian Christmas Stockings

Christmas is fast approaching and the crisp night air is filled with the music of sleigh-bells jingling through the snow…..what snow? More like rain, but I can Dream  ; )

Dream of A landscape filled with fresh fallen snow and old leaded glass windows on stone cottages in the country painted by Jack Frost with the most intricate, detailed wildflowers of Winter shimmering under the reflecting flame of the indoor hearth.

Our Christmas Hearth of a few Christmases past. 

I've been too busy working on some Christmas Stockings but tomorrow I  plan to decorate our fireplace and entrance to our home. 

In-between creating the stockings I took a break from the hand sewing to give my hands a rest, never sewed so much in my life till now.

 I made a miniature two-three foot snowman, took me a whole 20 minutes to create.

 He will be part of the entrance and when it's decorated I'll show you my new snowman, he is just adorable!

So here are the three stockings, largely inspired as you might have guessed by no other than Doctor Zhivago ( the blush Pink ) and of course Queen Victoria and England .

This Edwardian style Christmas Stocking is really a deep wine red felted wool but shows like black on the monitor. The brooch is a perfect match for the fabric.

I love this vintage paste brooch, looks like a million dollars on this stocking and it can be worn on a dress or jacket.

The colour of the satin is more like the colour of the stocking

I've been having fun with my new machine and embroidered stars, fagot stitches, and more.

The rose is singed satin with a crocheted rose in the middle.

I just love this scalloped wedding lace with pearls, somehow feel more like an Edwardian type stocking, especially it's straight lines and vintage brooch I added to it. 

All these roses are hand crocheted and I added some champagne acrylic beads to their centres.

The ribbon isn't as dark as the photo shows but rather more on a light raspberry shade.

Embroidered by hand the french knot and blanket stitch and the wedding lace is Alencon French Lace the QUEEN OF LACES .I also used tea dyed bias tape and added a wool felt heart with a sequin rosette

Vintage hand made sweet heart roses in the softest shade of pink and cream

These flower lace appliques are too beautiful, they shimmer in the light

Mother of Pearl vintage bird brooch , can be worn on dress or jacket.

A little felted wool heart and sequin rose.

A little vintage pearl icicle

A vintage pearl brooch …pearls are the same shade of ivory as the wool and trim…pin can be worn on jacket or dress besides the Christmas Stocking.

She hung the Stocking with care and waited for Santa to come.

~JACK DD007 ~ ON MY WISH LIST

DO YOU HAVE A CHRISTMAS STOCKING STUFFER YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE OR RECEIVE? 

Well, I do ; ) 

Meet Jack DD007

The adorable ugly cute English Bulldog Jack DD007

was recently spotted in his unforgettable debut in Skyfall, the latest 007 Bond movie. Jack was originally created in 1941 by Charles Noke, art director for Royal Doulton and was named after the Union Jack flag that he wears on his back. 

JackDD007 marks the 50th anniversary of the Bond films. 

It was my husband and daughters' first movie pick for the holiday season…great choice guys. 

Bond , bad fellow Silva….again an instant favourite of all time Bond bad guys; he played it creepy good. M, Q ( could pass as a distant grandson of the original Q …well cast), the settings, especially Skyfall, stunts and the true to Bond style opening( really luved this one) with song by Adele….was a perfect blend of an ultimate Bond movie!

This was a really great flick to take in and even better when viewed in IMAX….. *****

I believe it has to be one of the best Bond films ever!!!

Photo by Marc Sayce

Of course the lodge Skyfall and the family chapel is stuff which my dreams are made of ; ) ; ) ; ) 

An old stone mansion in an isolated and beautiful serene Scottish landscape really Surrey, England with a secret passage behind an old stone hearth with a tunnel which leads through to the old family stone gothic chapel with graveyard up on the moor…luved it!

#1

Photos 1 and 2  by Simon Bridger

#2 

Photo of chapel by Lucy Browne 

The Foraging Photographer

Worth the money to go see this BOND FILM

***** SKYFALL*****!

So patiently I'm waiting upon Jack's return ; )

P. S. I tried to buy Jack online from Royal Doulton but sadly he is out of stock; signed up for notification once he is back, hopefully soon.

My affections for him might also be that he reminds me a bit of my dog Boo in my painting "Halloween Twilight".

I could see having a real one for my next pet ; )

He is just darn cute ugly!!!….

HAPPINESS IS DANCING TO "LONELY BOY" ALL ALONE ~The Black Keys - Lonely Boy (First Listen)

JUST HAD TO SHARE THIS VIDEO WITH EVERYONE WHO DROPS IN ON MY BLOG. THIS IS ONE OF THE SONGS "LONELY BOY" BY THE BLACK KEYS IN THE NEW UP COMING MOVIE "WARM BODIES".

HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAST IN THE FLICK….
LUV HOW THIS FELLOW DANCES…ENJOY!

REMEMBER ME

SHOULD THEY BE THE ONLY ONES WHO REMEMBER?

Many died and some returned home with memories; memories they have shared with us since I can recall as a child.

A few months ago I went to the local Aylmer Quebec Legion for a supper with my mom. It was nice to hang out with a few of the folks there and also be contributing to their Legion…the food was excellent!

Before leaving I picked up a free book in their library titled, "Rare Courage". In Rare Courage twenty Canadian Veterans describe their harrowing true tales of war. So far I have read one story of the twenty there are in the book and it promises to be quite a read on what these young men and women did ….for their country.

The one story I did get a chance to read was that of a solider from Toronto.

It initially grabbed my attention because of the soldier's name he shares with my husband and that of my husband's uncle Stan who died in the war and also because I think Cpl. Stanley G. Grizzle, looks a bit like Denzel ; )

 The story of CPL.Stanley G. Grizzle, a canadian soldier born in Toronto of Jamaican heritage, not only had the burden of war on his shoulders but also that of discrimination, yes, even in Canada.

It must have been a strange and curious situation for him to be in , to be a part of a Canadian Allie group fighting for freedom in a foreign land and yet be discriminated against by his very own .

He tells how when he married before going off to war he tried to book a room at the Royal York in Toronto but was refused being told they "couldn't accommodate coloured people".

 Really if it was me standing at that desk I would have been second thinking about going off to war for a country who treated me in such a humiliating way.

I was glad to see his commanding officer (Sgd) ( R.G.REID) - Lieut-Colonel

 had made sure to send forward a letter of complaint to the Royal York.

These days I would like to believe it's not as bad as it once was; Obama is America's President for a second term.

I thank you CPL. Stanley G. Grizzle and all of the young men and women who some sacrificed their youth and others their lives.

 Like the author of Rare Courage quotes in his book ….

"THE DEAD , HOWEVER, WERE GONE FOREVER.

WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE BECOME? "

…….THEY LEFT THAT TO US.

Wear a poppy on your heart …...

I still hear the Balalaika

Doctor Zhivago

 in all it's loveliness leaves music of the balalaika lingering in my mind. I just had to create a treasury to show case some of the wonderful Russian art, inspired by Russia or even just in name; all so beautifully captivating.

Looking to Spring

The Ice Palace

 A few quotes from Boris Pasternak's novel…

 "You must never, never despair, whatever the circumstances. To hope and to act are our duties in misfortune. To do nothing and to despair is to neglect our duty."

 "Never, never, not even in their moments of richest and wildest happiness, had they lost the sense of what is highest and most ravishing - joy in the whole universe, its form, its beauty, the feeling of their own belonging to it, being part of it."

 Hope you like this treasury Annabelle ~^..^~

'I still hear the Balalaika ' by HUSHSWEETCHARLOTTE

In all of it's loveliness " Doctor Zhivago " still leaves the plucking of the balalaika strings lingering in my mind. Enjoy!Annabelle ~^..^~

Doctor Zhivago - Boris Paste... sometimesagrea... $5.00	Currier and Ives Print The R... jalinde $11.99	Night in the fairy-tale town... ArmeniaOnSilk $100.00	DEPARTURE black and white v... ninafriday $50.00
Original Oil Painting for Sa... NaturelandsAnd... $50.00	Photograph Frost On Window P... LovesParisStud... $30.00	SALE ... Vintage Pave Rhines... GypsyFeather $18.00	Russian Blue Cat MAESTRO lim... ToddYoungArt $12.00
Fox in winter forest - Vinta... LucyMarket $2.99	STAUROLITE Fairy Cross Natur... Aestheticsunli... $28.00	Cute Little Chap Dressed for... RetroGraphique $4.95	RARE collectible antique spu... CoolVintage $43.50
Balalaika thehermitage $6.00	Vintage Fairy Tale Illustrat... missquitecontr... $25.00	Funny Cat Greeting Card - Ru... tylersworkshop $3.50	BORIS PASTERNAK linocut port... WingedLion $70.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

I wrote a little post on the movie a while back, if interested here is the link.http://pastoraldreams.blogspot.ca/2011/01/dr-zhivago-leaving-its-imprint-in-my.html