…but it’s the closest weekend to the 1st of December and two little girls (and one big girl!) couldn’t wait any longer!

I bought the ‘Eloise & Skipperdee Go Caroling’ ornament pictured above the year my Eloise was born. It’s become one of our favourites! (released in 2004 as part of the Heirloom ornament collection by Carlton Cards)

This delicate tree ornament was given to me by my mother inlaw last year. It’s gorgeous and made out of translucent papers. It’s one of a pair of ‘Dancing Fairies’ designed Danish designer Jette Frölich.

We don’t do a colour theme. Our tree is full of ornaments we’ve collected over the years including a couple from my childhood. Lots of surprises hidden in the branches that the girls love finding. They buy one new ornament each year to add to the tree. This year in typical almost five year old fashion, Eloise chose this one. ‘Don’t mess with the dress’ (you’ll get it if you’ve seen the movie haha).

Almost December. So exciting!

Featured Gem 21
Real Photo Postcard

‘Good Luck Black Cat’

Date: 1909
People: Unidentified
Studio: Unspecified
Postcard Back: Blank

Notes: Such a great pose and fabulous costume! (From the same collection as Gem 16) This image is from a series of over twenty postcards from the same old album. Apparently there was a message on the front of the album that read: “To The Mayoress with H Jenkins compliments. 1909 A souvenir of the Childrens Fancy Dress Ball”. What a fancy dress ball it must have been!

Circa Dec, 1978.
Nice look don’t you agree? Christmas must have been approaching!

I picked up this lovely old picture book in an opshop in New Zealand several years ago, just after getting off the ferry on the South Island. It’s in poor shape, tattered and torn, but all the pages are there and it is quite magical to look at! I am not sure the publication date but the handwritten message inside says:
“To Lucy from Uncle King June 28th 1892”

This is around the time my grandfather and his siblings were growing up in New Zealand, so it felt quite an appropriate find at the time as I was absorbed in hunting down some family history while I was over there.

If you’d like to see the entire book it’s free online via the International Children’s Digital Library. The other titles by R. Andre look equally intriguing! Warning, click at your own risk as you might get stuck looking at all the delights this website has to offer! The Internet is a wonderful thing.

…right now…maybe not with the heat we’ve been having…but a nice 25degrees and a gentle sea breeze…yes that would be nice!

{Tathra Beach September 2009}