Good intentions

I had good intentions today. The sun was shining for a change but due to serious road re-surfacing work right outside our gate my escape from the house was made impossible. I was confined to barracks. A good opportunity to run the hoover round and dust I decided.

The trouble with being a hoarder and collector of numerous knick-knacks means dusting becomes a real chore and I'm all too easily side-tracked. I'm a 'flutterby' by name and nature I'm afraid, happily flitting about from one thing to the next and not settling for long on any one thing in particular. I'd hoovered two rooms and dusted a shelf when I picked up a pretty Victorian Christening mug that I bought from an antiques fair several years ago. I love items that bear the name and date of former owners. Whether it be on china, glass, wood, metal or even books, for me the addition of a name adds character and mystery.

This pretty mug belonged to Alice Eley in 1859. It was a popular style of Christening mug favoured by many Victorians and I treasure it. I'm sure Alice would be pleased.

  My prize possession in the 'name and date' department is this silver spoon. Thanks to Britain's fastidious regulations regarding the hall marking of precious metals, I know it was made in London in the year 1730 by a silversmith named James Wilkes.

  It is engraved with the initials IA and surname BLAKE. Under this is written 'BORNE Ye 10 DEC 1730 at 3 in AF' (3 in the afternoon). Isn't that wonderful? I know that the letter 'J' was often written as an 'I' in those far off days and have many times tried to track down a child with that name who was born on that day. There have been a number of possibilities but no proof. A place of birth might help solve the mystery.

  From the spoon my mind wandered to my own children's births and Christenings. They have neither silver spoons nor Christening mugs but I do have all the cards from friends and family that mark each occasion.

Blue for my son

  Pink for my daughter

When Christened they both received a little book from Granny and Granddad and I made a tiny baby in a cradle trimmed with blue for my son's Christening cake and a baby in a cradle trimmed with pink for my daughter's. I rooted them out today just to make sure the babies were doing OK. They have been used as dolls house toys over the years so have that 'played with' appearance but now live happily with the cards in a pretty box and seem to be quite content.

  

My children are grown now and have flown the nest. Toddlers, toys, tears and teenage years are distant happy memories. My son is 3 years older than my daughter and they've always been good chums.

  

As for me, I'm surrounded by keepsakes and happy memories that I cherish. Serious hoovering and dusting have never been top of my agenda. They can always be done another day!

Comments

[Redwood House]

What a beautiful post, I love the little cribs how wonderfuls to have kept them and all the cards. I do have the cards from when the girls were small but would have to search around in the loft to find them.
Your flowers on the name of your blog make me smile every time I visit..........
Jan

[kitschen pink]

I agree it is so lovely to hold a bit of domestic history in your hand. My favourites are always the family pieces where I can trace the connection all the way to my little man. Thank goodness for hoarding ancesters! t.x

[Michele]

Lovely distractions.. and definitely nicer than chasing dust..
I know just what you mean about fluttering.. the hoover has sat beside me most of the day .. redundant!

Michele x

P.s The china mug is adorable..

[Michele]

Lovely distractions.. and definitely nicer than chasing dust..
I know just what you mean about fluttering.. the hoover has sat beside me most of the day .. redundant!

Michele x

P.s The china mug is adorable..