A Gentle stroll down Memory Lane......

'Sometimes a person has to go back, really back - to have a sense, an understanding of all that's gone to make them - before they can go forward....' Paule Marshall.

~ Taken from simple abundance.

~ My goodness February already....
How did that happen!

Today I am wearing them.

My Rosy Tinted Spectacles, that is.

~ and you could just be in for a giggle or two!

So dusting my rooms with a smile .......

The house work is done.

I decided on an authentic dig down memory lane.

~ Fasten seat belts safely now....

I am on that time machine again going back and back in time to the year 1970!

Happy, Happy Times....

These photos were found with 
  Mum's precious things and I haven't seen them for quite some years!

All in her suitcase of  'memories'...

I loved looking through....

I am  wearing that rather short becoming red cape..... hehe!
Gosh clothes were short then!

My brother, John-Paul and sister Donna are with me!

We have enjoyed a day out at, Grange-Over-Sands.

A lovely little town with a very pretty park.

Simple happy days!

This would be around the time, Mum entered me for 'Miss Pears'......

If you are of a certain age, you may perhaps remember this.
Parents sent photographs of their children to be entered to be the face of Pears soap.

I never won of course, but Mum did receive various money off coupons to use off her next purchase.....

Of course she never bought Pears soap again!!

~ Preferring Cussions Imperial Leather...

I only have to smell this soap to be transported back in time to Mum........

~ When taking a backward glance, our memories can be fickle, I know.

But I can remember this next photograph with astonishing clarity.
My Grandma had come around to visit and we had tea in our back garden...
Mum's dress was of her own creation and that of my sisters too!
(Good job I always liked this dress, as it would surely be handed down to me next)
hehe.

My Mum playing music of  the times on her old radiogram.
'Tie a yellow ribbon' by Dawn and' Seasons in the Sun' by Terry Jacks...

Our freedom of those days, with long summers, or so it seemed...
We were quite free to roam as I have mentioned before we had access into our local park, through a secret gate at the bottom of our garden.
There the adventures always began!

It felt good to coax my memories today.
~ And reacquaint myself with the child that once was!
I have noticed a few of us have been travelling a long memory lane, with  our blogging posts....~ I have loved reading them and meandering along with YOU!

Ooh the fashions !
Apologises to any one who may recognise them selves on here!
This picture was in our local evening mail.
We had been to a Christmas party...
The year would be perhaps 1973.
You can recognise us three, because we are all wearing the same anorak and look at those white boots on my sister!
I didn't know this of course, but the boy in the top right hand corner, (with the long hair )would marry my best friend and I would be bridesmaid at their lovely wedding in years to come!

~Sisters and best of friends too!
Enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of tea, listen to music from yesterday.
Flip through old photographs and trace your life back.........

~A little more up to date.. hehe.

"Time is a dress-maker specialising in alterations"...
I read this once and thought how true....

~
Wishing YOU a week of lovely times and happy memories....
Love Maria x
I will draw my give- away on next weeks post...
Thank you for sweet comments always.....

Friendships Are Sewn One Stitch At A Time....

~ 'The key to loving how you live is in knowing what it is you truly love. "To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer , is to keep your soul truly alive"'

.........Robert Louis Stevenson.

My goodness this week has kept me in hibernation for the most of it...Apart from work I have been happily puttering and pottering indoors ....

And I must say~ making the most of a few of the dramas being shown on our screens.

I wonder has any one been following Mr Selfridge on Sunday evening?

~"The hats, The hats, have you seen those beautiful hats!"

I love the beautiful clothes, the glamour and the finesse of those days gone by......

I even watched last weeks episode with the beautiful, window display of  ........Lily Of The Valley, Not once, but twice.......

Sad I know, but I do get carried away, with period dramas....

I am also enjoying, Ripper Street too..~Although a little raw and near the bone! 

It's good to watch with the Mr....( He helps me sort out the intriguing plots)

Thank You kindly for such lovely comments about my kitchen too!

~ The Victorian tiles around my cooker were collected and  stored under my bed for five years, while we saved up enough pennies to do the kitchen this way..... 

~ Some things are just worth waiting for!

This week I would love to host a giveaway on my blog ....

I have put together a few pretty sewing items from the 'East Of India' range and would love to hear from you if you would like to be entered .....

Or even if you wouldn't......hehe!

YOU are all so creative.
~

So maybe these could add to your sewing box.

There is a cute button jar, a pin cushion, a handy needle holder, a beautiful tape measure and some vintage Sylko cottons too.....

Ooh and red heart for Valentines Day.......

~ Anyone can enter....

It is just to mark my first year in blog-land.

I will draw the winner before Valentines day!

~ And on to other interesting things........

~ What has been filling your days recently?

Has anyone been along to see the movie, Les Miserables ? I wonder....

There is such a lot of talent in this movie...

I hopefully have a date for this on the 14th of February!

Fingers crossed....X

Primroses peeping through after a long slumber....

I even have a few Snow Drops.....

~ I just cannot wait for warmer spring days.

~ Bring on the spring time....

"Sew A little Happiness."

~Outside it is 'Window Crying' weather...

Cold and wet.

Inside it is cosy and warm.

~

Bye for now.

~ Take time to dream......

Love Maria x

Time For Tea And Time To Be.......

" Gaze at the winter trees.....

They may look sad with out their leaves.

They signal natures comforting cycles.

This represents the sure sign of regrowth.

They will blossom and bear fruit again.

We all have our seasons".....

I love this poem.

~ And came across it at work.

~ Today the soft white seasonal stuff has finally made its presence known, here in the North West!

I know most of you ladies and indeed most of the country, have had their fair share already...

I will pop on the kettle, will you join me for tea?

~ When the children were small and school was cancelled.....

I thought these days were just the best!

We could snuggle up all cosy and take time out with a movie.

Mum ~ always taking a short nap in between.

(If no one noticed) 

Hot cocoa and marsh mallows....

~ A coal fire on all day long.

Taking time to be ~ rather than do.

~ I am not a great lover of the snow.

Showing my age!

It can be so picturesque and so inconvenient , all in one.

I prefer to watch from a cosy, warm, window.

Preferably with a hot drink in my hands..

Today is perfect, for I have no plans and need to be no where, just here.

~ I am in the kitchen preparing a meal...

Chicken casserole...

Warming, just perfect for later....

~But I'm not alone......

( Please notice me)

~ Cats always find the warmest places, don't they just? 

~ And the naughtiest places!

~ I wanted to say thank you, for all your kind comments on my clog boots! (earlier post)

~ and for joining me today.

You have been, just 'purfect' company.

I have loved looking at all your snowy posts through this last week....

~Most especially' the snow men'!

~ Its getting near that time of year again...

14th February.

I am always a head of my self, as I have just displayed the shop window for~ 

St Valentines day......

~ 

~ I wonder do you recall the movie from our child hoods, perhaps?  It's a very old movie......  It was called', The Time Machine' . ~ I was always so fascinated by the mannequins in the shop display window, changing so quickly, as time flew by with the blink of an eye....This is how last year flew by to me! Was I on a Time Machine, I do wonder?

~ And here we are almost through January already!

Valentines day was my first post, last year!

~ Thank you for journeying with me through, what I called my healing year...

YOU are just the loveliest of friends!

~ Take time to dream and keep cosy ~

Love Maria x