Pre-, inter- and postprandial photographs!

As with the tablecloths there was a bit of tin swapping going on

Oh the indulgence of having an 'After Eight' at 15.00!

Because of great need these little espresso cups were bought in the few days prior to Christmas of the Eve - all different colours - six of them for 3.99....came from France originally I think

Paper decorations from the 30s I think - lovely colours still

Same tablecloth - different plates...

 Dear Maille

Me with my Brussels - I paid the price later.....

Crumbs...

Detail on a different Christmas tablecloth

These little decorations came from a charity shop the week prior - this time 99p for a little pile - no idea if they are old or not but looked nice

A bit of a mixed bag of photos

On the Thursday before Christmas I was teaching up in Camden for a couple of hours - naturally I swung by the local Oxfam before wending my way home (others may have made more of their time in London with a trip to John Lewis...).  A fairly trendy Ox in Camden - but in a basket of festive goodness by the counter were several items from the 1960s - the man said I could have the lot for £2.  I will show those next year!

I keep my allium seed heads all year round.  Tin expose kept for next year too I think - though I have got rid of some of them they seem to multiply so no shortage...oh dear

My egg nog.....

Seasonal deers in the grate (haven't forgotten deer posting) !

Mix and match china as usual

I like things that are for specific occasions - this can be a little troublesome trying to remember but here is an old cup that is used once a year!!!!

I have been reading about 'vanity blogging' recently and thinking that this applies to me - will have a rethink for 2013 as I was always told not to be 'show offy' and here I am being 'show offy' (though it is not meant to be in a 'show offy' way if that makes any sense...not really Jenny...)

I loved this book as a child - something different to read every day of the year

Looking back I see that I did 11 posts in 2011 and a few more in 2012 - I will strike a balance in 2013.

Thank you once again for kind comments and thoughts and support and niceness

Off to meet up with my sisters later today - this is what we did last New Year - hope to speak with our brother too if satellite allows.   Sorry couldn't load it here but it makes me laugh and goes to show that alcohol is not needed!!! I think that this is all set to be the next internet sensation.

Such fun and Happy New Year 

They're changing cloths at Cootards' 'Palace'...

Mmm - doesn't quite scan (again!). This is being posted by the Bogger Scheduler so not sure it will work correctly -  if you actually read this on Christmas Day I will be doubly amazed! I trust that the day is going well for your good self - that you are quaffing the cooking sherry and watching Rolf Harris visiting the children's hospital....At this precise moment I have possibly  been up for a good two hours and thinking about going back to bed!

Here are some of my Christmas tablecloths - I will make a note for 2013 to show the embroidered ones then.  Can you see top left a trolley complete with cooking sherry?  I will post about that if time allows. 

This one shows breakfast last year - I used a ruler to measure the space between settings.








 NO I DIDN'T!!  I can't believe that you thought I did!!!  I saw you nodding sagely and whispering to yourself: 'Yes. Of course.  I do just the same.  Christmas isn't Christmas without the regulation distance'


.....Have you been watching 'Claridges'?

That said I do like a nicely laid table. A bit of oo'ing and ahh'ing at breakfast time - this is emitted mainly soley from myself  - can't believe that people just want to EAT!

Some Edwardian plates (local church fair again - £2 the lot), 60s mugs, 60s table runner , 70s Angel chimes (I have owned several of these over the years - all bought locally ranging from £1 to £3.00 - some from the 1940s in a lovely box which I think I still have....somewhere) - its good to mix it all up. A beautiful, "difficult to photograph and do it justice", Irish linen double damask tablecloth - phew!  I do not care a fig for bits needing to be of a certain time period - so long as it looks nice it is welcome...

Replete with my favourite vintage table runner (we love it don't we Cindy ;)).  I will have to do a separate posting on deers!

Never throw an old tin away - the lid of this one is all rusty but it is fine with some old plastic holly (I think...)

For last year's dinner I chose these two lovely tablecloths -

I see that the candles on the Angel Chimes have burnt down low and they are very tricky to replace!!  I will have to double check stocks for this year.

Starry cups and saucers for Christmas (6 sets at the car boot for £4 - so I HAD to buy them...)

 Pensive...

Having a nice tablecloth on the table helps to distract from any cooking disastahs dahling!

Not the ruddy  lanterns again!!!!

 I see that there is a different tablecloth in this photo - 2013 - the year of the tablecloth clear out!

Ending with Brussel Sprouts - of course - why wouldn't you.

I LOVE sprouts.

Good for the bowels and taste luverly. A great combo

Not for nothing was I known as the 'Bowel Queen' (a moniker that I was justly proud of) when I was a nurse on the wards - patrolling and checking that EVERYONE (including relatives if they were in the vicinity) had had their bowels open. Rapidly dispensing the lactulose to anyone (including relatives if they were in the vicinity) with a hint of sluggish bowel movement.

Have you seen 'Carry on Nurse'....?

Just joking about the relatives - I would have the decency to wait until they had left the bedside....ha ha

Thank you for a fun year

Tuck in

PS I had to make a private announcement to the Eco Ethel who won the giveaway because at that time I could not bloggity blog - very sorry.  To make amends I promise to have another give away sooner rather than later

There is just time (if you are quick) to.....

....last minute wrapping (70s paper of course!)

............make some little Christmas trees for the Christmas tree...

Made from lovely scraps that I bought years ago  when travelling around America on Greyhound buses! 

Or perhaps...

 ....whip up some paper chains made from falling apart books

or maybe....

...glue your chosen objet to the base of the jam jar - add drops of glycerine (from the chemist) and some glitter - all done.  I have found that you don't need to glue the lid - this is from last year and still watertight.

Finally add a few more choccies into the tin...

Feet up!

Merry Christmas to you all - I wish you a peaceful and restful Christmas

It is Christmas Day in 'The Zeitgeist' & Vintage Tablecloth Rescue Christmas seaside edition!!

This may not make a great deal of sense unless you have read previous posts and watched Crusty! I am not sure if it makes sense even if you have read those posts!!!

Festive greetings all the same

It is Christmas Day in the 'Zeitgeist'

and she has got me working again

Old Crusty is up to no good,

She is hatching a plan in her den

"If only I could get some old rope

And make it into more money

Or create a Channel 4 project

..that would really be funny"

"No - I will just have to downsize

And give La Cootard La boot

She is not aware yet

Isn't that such a hoot!"

As the paupers gather round for their dinner

I will hand out the lovely surprise

Why CK is coming to meet us

And you won't believe your eyes

For after you  have eaten

And filled up on pies - all  iced

I am going to drop you  in it

And close down 'The Zeigeist'

There is no use 'boo hooing'

'cos I am off to Channel 5

They have offered me a sitcom

It will be the time of my life.

So I am selling off  old stock

My dipped baskets and toy box too

You can all boil your heads

I am through with you!!"

(not really!)

Still have sooooo much to do so why, oh why, did I spend this morning tra la la'ing on the beach!!!

Thank you so much for kind comments on previous post - I am going to sit down with an Egg Nog and read them over the weekend as there is nothing else going on!! Yikos!

Best wishes

Jenny

Christmas and baubles in a bowl

Thank you for your very kind words on 'Lantern' post - they are jolly and were duly erected again last Saturday.  Welcome also to new followers.

We spend little on presents, little on food (lemonade being a big treat!) so Christmas is not a crippling time financially but I do like my decorations and that is not onerous to do.  Things get changed around each year - some nice things may not appear for a while and then turn up again.

Over the years I have done all sorts of things with the old baubles - following on from the 'brooches in a bowl' post here are the 'baubles in a bowl'.

I added to the baubles the other day - amongst all the more recent decorations in a box were all these little glass ones - nestling for 10p each.

I particularly like these very small concave ones

I saw this tin below for sale on a vintage web site a year or so ago - it was pricey (though sold pretty quickly) - however,  if you wait long enough a cheaper one will turn up.....and it did.

Took this whilst watching Nigella in Venice......is it me or has she gone a bit daft?

I transplanted the Quality Street into the tin below - the children are not aware and they have not looked in the tin...I think that they assume it is full of the usual nonsense....I am working my way through the green triangles....then on to the purple ones...

Aberrant robins muscling in on the bauble post...

I won the knitted Nativity in the local church fete a few years ago


Last years bauble idea....! (note the Chinese lanterns on the plate!!!)

...I know....

Year before that.....

Doily bowls are very easy to make with diluted PVA glue and then you have a nice tra la la for bits

The tin above I think is one of the first that I ever bought....a few years ago.  I lined it and use it for mince pies

I no longer have this bauble tablecloth...

Sometimes the baubles go on the tree!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What the MAHOOJAH!  

I think that this went to live with you Trude? Daftness - but something that the children can help make.

I have had a ruddy good clear out of Christmas stuff this year and will continue 'refining stock' .  More tins and tablecloth post still to come if time allows. Due to Blogger deletion I am trying to revive my Crusty post from memory....sadly my memory is not what it was....

Resolutions being forged and broken in one deft movement.....

I will be blog visiting today - so put a mince pie in the oven please and throw another log on the fire

 I am very grateful that our children are safe and sound with us this Christmas and always.  My heart goes out to others