Happy families and a pin cushion winner

I'm sure we've all seen enough snow scenes for one year but I thought I'd just share this little picture with you before I move on to other things. It hung in my bedroom when I was a child and looking at it always fills me with a warm glow, even though its a frosty subject.

The clever artist is of course Mabel Lucie Attwell and her many pictures of cute chubby children have always appealed to me.

This week at the Flutterby Patch there has been much knitting by a warm fireside and numerous cups of tea and warm snacks. Hot buttered toast is excellent comfort food; not that I need comforting as I've been quite content in my snug little world. I love fruit preserves and honeys of all flavours and am currently enjoying some marmalade from 'Duchy Originals'.This is the company that was started by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990 to promote organic food and farming. The marmalade is tangy, chunky and delicious (just like homemade!) 

Cosy firesides and hot buttered toast never fail to bring back memories of my childhood and the many hours I spent playing with my sister and two brothers. Dad would be at work whilst mum was always at home with us; always busy, always caring, always there.

In our rather unpredictable world it's reassuring to indulge yourself with a tale or two about happy families and what better than the stories of Milly-Molly-Mandy. Written and illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley in the 1920s and 30s they are gentle tales about a happy little girl who lives with her extended family in 'a nice white cottage with a thatched roof'.

Here is Milly-Molly-Mandy with her family.

This is the wonderful cottage kitchen which is always a hive of activity.

And here is Milly-Molly-Mandy with her friend Billy Blunt leaving on a fishing expedition. Just look at the way she is holding that slice of bread in her mouth while she closes the door. Don't you remember doing the very same thing?

In this story Milly-Molly-Mandy's best friend comes to stay for the night (today's expression would be 'sleepover'). She is known as little-friend-Susan which I think is such a sweet name to call a friend.

The Milly-Molly-Mandy books that are currently being printed have new, full colour illustrations but happily they have remained faithful to the originals. I don't usually like updated illustrations in old books but these are really rather nice and its wonderful to know that children are still enjoying the books 75 years after they were written.

With thoughts of Milly-Molly-Mandy and happy memories of my own carefree days fresh in my mind I decided to knit a happy little character to add to my ever growing collection of 'Dottie-tots' (the family of little woolly dolls that inhabit my home).

And here she is, with her skipping rope. I used to be a great skipper. I skipped to school, skipped whilst at school and then skipped all the way home again. I must have skipped hundreds of miles all told. By the way, I've named this new dolly 'little friend-Susan' because I think she looks as if she'd make a faithful friend and probably lend me her skipping rope as well!

As today is Friday 6th February it's time to select the lucky winner of the wrist pin cushion.....

So here we go. The winner, as selected by the on line Random Number Generator this very morning, is .......... number one
 

Congratulations goes to Teasel at I Dream of Sun who was number one in the comments list. I will be contacting her to obtain her address so that I can pop the little pin cushion in the post as soon as possible.

Very many thanks to you all for taking part. As always it seems such a shame you can't all be winners but I truly value your friendship and the time you take each week to visit my Flutterby Patch.

Hoping you all have a happy weekend

Until next time,

Eli
 

Comments

[Martha]

Oh my Goodnes Gracious, such CUTENESS!! I LOVE that Atwell photo and your knitted dolly is just unbelievably cute!! Such talent you posess, I am awed.
Yippee to *Teasel* ♥

[Suzanne]

Eli, what a delightful post:-) I just love your little Susan and her skipping rope. I loved to jump rope too , double dutch and bluebells and cockershells....those were the days:-)

[Debbie]

Eli,
Your Little friend Susan is adorable! How tall is she?
I loved the Milly Molly Mandy books when I was little. I am so pleased they are still in print. Maybe I will treat myself!
Have a lovely weekend
Debbie

[natalie jo]

Oh my Eli...you've given me so much to hanker after I'm all in a tizzy! That toast looks so yummy I can almost taste it. I set the kettle on to initiate my own little tea time. But while waiting for it to boil I continued reading on only to meet Miss Milly-Molly-Mandy. If the story is anything like the illustrations I'm in love. Thinking I need to get my hands on a copy I seriously debated leaving right then for the library. The kettle, however, was boiling so I poured the tea and while it steeped I continued on to meet "little friend-Susan." She is the most darling thing with her tiny sweater and jump robe. I have to say you amaze me with your creative talents!

At this point I have tea waiting, I still really want that book, but I'm also feeling a guilty urge to go work on my own little doll project!

What to do...what to do...

Fondly,
natalie jo

[Redwood House]

Good morning Eli, this is a delightful post as it always is, the toast and marmalade, Milly with the bread in her mouth (I have been known to still do that), such lovely books I remember them well. Your new little doll is lovely I really like the little fabric dress she has on, so sweet.
I was a skipper as a child especially at school with one really long skipping rope when ablout 8 children could all join in at the same time, taking turns to turn the long heavy rope. Then it went on to french skipping with elastic around two childrens ankles and the skipper having to go through a series of moves jumping on and off the elastic and criss crossing the elastic around their ankles, you have taken me back to more active times I think I had better go for a walk!!!
Bye for now
Jan

[Paula]

Dear Eli,

Oh, your post is simply delightful as it always is! I am so blessed by your sweet and lovely writings and beautiful photos!

I love the picture that hung in your childhood bedroom. I spotted the owl peeking out of its hole in the tree. I, too, love pictures of cute chubby children. That one is so charming.

I am so glad you have been enjoying your knitting by a warm fireside, tea and snacks. Your buttered toast and organic marmalade look so yummy! I love that the company was started to promote organic food and farming. That is wonderful!

What beautiful and happy memories you have of your childhood! I am so glad you shared them. The Milly-Molly Mandy book looks so sweet and delightful, and just the thing I would love to read. I must purchase a copy!

Your dolly "little-friend-Susan" is the most charming thing. I love her sweet face and pretty clothes! You are amazingly talented dear friend! I am sure she would be happy to lend you her skipping rope! It is wonderful you have such fond memories of skipping!

Congratulations to the winner of your lovely pincushion!

Thank you for all your share! I enjoyed my visit with you!

Love, Paula

[Paula]

Dear Eli,

Thank you for your sweet comment! Oh, I do wish you could come get some of those primroses! Yes, I do indeed, love your facts! You are so kind to share your knowledge with me. I am always so blessed by you! I just loved reading about 'Primrose Day' and I do think it is a wonderful tradition!

I also love your idea of using old thimbles to protect your eyes from stakes in the garden... seashells are a lovely idea too! I hope you will be able to garden soon, until then I think you should treat yourself to one of those primroses!

Thank you for your friendship dear Eli!
Love, Paula

[Marqueta]

Hello, Dear Eli,

I haven't popped by for quite a while, and had forgotten what a lovely time we'd had here before! What sweet dolls, lovely teddies, and juicy tidbits! We were just studying Mabel Lucie Attwell in our homeschool; I wish I could draw cute, chubby children like that!

Have a lovely day,

Marqueta

[MarmaladeRose]

Susan is absolutely adorable. I want to give her a squeeze.
When my 13 year old daughter was a toddler she looked just like a little Mabel Lucie Attwell tot. Chubby rosy cheeks and a whispy little curl at each side of her face. Happy days!