Flutterby Patch

Flutterby Patch Christmas is taking shape

Thank you for dropping by. I'm happy to tell you that Christmas is slowly arriving at Flutterby Patch.

I've decked the hall with boughs of holly and a tree 

Flicked cobwebs off the lantern in the porch

Lit the lamps

and photographed my favourite glass bauble to show you.

I still have two more trees to decorate and have found a willing little helper but I think she might prove to be more curious than helpful.

There are freshly baked mince pies and a something 'warming' to drink.
 
Perhaps you'd let me tell you a poignant tale about the Christmas tray you can see at the back of the picture. It was about 80 years old, made of paper mache and very battered when I bought it from a 'junk' shop many years ago. Covering it with pictures cut from old Christmas cards and 3 coats of varnish gave it a new lease of life. I remember the day I did it very well. It is a day I will never forget as you will see.

It was 20 years ago, a Wednesday and 4 days before Christmas. The children’s last day at school and my last chance to indulge myself with a bit or creativity. By early evening I had almost completely covered the tray (back and front) in Christmas scenes. I was working at the dining room table surrounded by colourful cards and glue. The children were happily playing upstairs, their squeals of laughter punctuated by my young daughter’s occasional squeaky rendering of carols played on her recorder. I could hear the TV in the sitting room but was paying very little attention to what was being shown until I heard the chilling words, “we interrupt this programme to bring you a newsflash”. It seemed a plane had crashed in our region. I guessed it might be a light aircraft but I was wrong.

It was a Boeing 747.

Twenty years ago, on 21st December 1988, Pan Am 103 left London’s Heathrow airport just after 6pm bound for New York’s JFK.

38 minutes into it’s a flight and at a height of 31,000 ft a powerful explosion shattered the aircraft which came down on the small town of Lockerbie in the Scottish Borders. So enormous was the explosion that debris was scattered over 81 miles of Scottish countryside.

270 people lost their lives that night. 243 were passengers, 16 were flight crew and 11 were residents of Lockerbie.

The mere numbers are easy say but if you follow this link you will see just what those numbers look like as actual names. I was very touched when I saw the list.

Lockerbie is just north of here and this weekend will be particularly poignant as a great many families from around the world will be visiting the town for a 20th anniversary memorial service.

We use the tray every Christmas and it never fails to bring back memories of that fateful night. Our thoughts this Christmas are with the many families who lost a precious friend or loved one in the Lockerbie Air Disaster.

Christmas is coming.....when the carpet arrives

You can see through the study window that our pretty festive pre-Christmas snow has all melted and we are now back to dismal days of drizzle and mist. Never mind, we are keeping snug and warm indoors and there is plenty to do. Thankfully the newly re-decorated study is finished and is ready and waiting for the Christmas decorations. 

 
We are very pleased with the oak floor my husband spent so long stripping and polishing and the new rug makes a welcome change from fitted carpet.

Although the rug is 'Persian' in design it has never been anywhere near near Persia! It was made in Belgium and very nice it is too. 

After he'd finished stripping and polishing the study floor hubby decided it might be a good idea to do likewise in the dining room. The old carpet (and it was old) was lifted and a new carpet/rug ordered. That was 3 months ago and we are still waiting for it to be delivered! After a very heated conversation last week with the supplier I have been assured that it will arrive before Christmas. I don't want to decorate the dining room until the carpet is here, so watch this space!

Meanwhile my job is to lengthen the dining room curtains which are too short now the old fitted carpet and underlay have gone.

After a grumpy week of carpet chasing I needed cheering up so treated myself to a box of 'Quality Street' chocolates. I read in the newspaper that Cath Kidston (the much revered interior designer) decorates her home at Christmas in 'Quality Street' colours. I thought that was a wonderful description.

I never decorate the house until 3 or 4 days before Christmas but when I do I can guarantee you'll find plenty of Quality Street colours (baubles not chocolates as the box will be empty by then).

There are still quite a few things to attend to before the big day. For example, this little knitted fairy must have wings before she can fly onto the tree and I have dining room curtains to stitch, so excuse me if I get back to work.

Christmases past and early snow

An elderly neighbour gave me this Nicholas Thomas book when I was six years old and as you can see it has been well loved. I always enjoyed reading the story about Christmas.

The chapter entitled 'The Special Christmas Tree' starts with Mummy saying to Nicholas and Timothy "Now is the time to dress the Christmas tree. Pop up to the attic and bring the decorations down." 

And just look at their excited faces when they open the box.

When I was a girl the decorations were stored in the loft which was reached via a rather rickety ladder that my mother would climb whilst we children watched nervously from below. What excitement when the box was set safely down. You hadn't set eyes on its contents for a full year and seeing all those shiny baubles and festive trinkets brought memories of past Christmases flooding back.

Unlike the characters in the book I won't be trimming our tree just yet but when I do I'll spare a thought for poor old Woolworths who recently went into administration after 77 years trading in the UK. Their first shop opened in Liverpool in 1931 and it proved so popular that very quickly every town had a Woolworth store. Their baubles, tinsel, and paper chains have decorated millions of homes around Britain for decades and many of their vintage bits and pieces will doubtless be seeing the light of day once again this year. When I was young 'Woolies' was the only shop selling Christmas trimmings, but now the competition is enormous which, of course, is part of the reason for their downfall.

I can remember Woolworths at Christmas time had several huge counters overflowing with inexpensive decorations. Items like these crepe paper garlands that I found amongst my Granny's things. She carefully stored them away each year in a crumpled Woolworth's bag. Why did grannies always store things in the bags they brought them home in?

And here's an unopened bag of Woolworth's festoon garlands dating from the 1970s (55p according to the label). 

And who remembers this cheap and cheerful wrapping paper? This is some that Granny will have carefully smoothed and put away for another year!

And the little tree with baubles that are now covered in several decades of sticky fingers prints. Crackers and a Santa disappearing down a chimney, and a plastic trumpet that made an ear piercing din and was blown by young brothers throughout Christmas just to annoy everyone.

And best of all, this little Santa with a concertina tummy. I remember him from being very young. He lost a leg many years ago but still makes an appearance every Christmas as it wouldn't be the same without his jolly grin.

And here is the story tree trimmed with all kinds of edible goodies. It has drawn quite a crowd of hungry animals. Timothy and Nicholas feel so sorry for the little animals outside in the snow that they hatch a plan.

They trim a tree with edible decorations for the animals in the garden. I doubt the hungry animals will have obeyed the instructions!

The story concludes with rabbits carrying away armsful of carrots and mice scampering home with biscuits. I love happy endings!

These pics are for you Michele at Cowboys and Custard because I know you are a really big fan of Nicholas Thomas books. Michele has a passion for vintage toys and ephemera so do pay her a visit.

And finally

We rarely see snow before Christmas but on Thursday I drew back the bedroom curtains to be greeted by this wintry scene.

The sky was grey and heavy giving the impression there was more snow to come so I was happy to spend the day snug and warm indoors.

Although I feed the wild birds regularly I can't help feeling especially sorry them on days like this. A robin watched my husband put more food on the bird table.

Needless to say he was first to the food as soon as hubby's back was turned. Amazingly this chirpy chap will hop around your feet when you are digging the garden in the summer but aim a camera at him through a kitchen window (as I'm doing here) and he's decidedly nervous and on his guard. 

The snow started to melt after lunch but the slushy remains quickly froze again as the sun went down and today is not a day for venturing far. Wonder if I should start writing the Christmas cards!