Coronation Crackers: week one.

 I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m wholeheartedly looking forward to this year, and the celebrations for the Queens diamond jubilee. (I already have ideas for an outfit and I might even force the family into having a tea party!)

This year also sees the centenary of the Titanic sinkingL, and also sees the staging of the….. (deep breath, keep calm Tupney!)….the London Olympics. There I’ve said it!  I don’t want to bother with the overrated and over anticipated (by many but not me- obviously!) 2012 Olympics- I wont be watching it, and on this blog you will hear no more of it! The only way you would get me watching it is if they had a special event for eyebrow twitching or nose wiggling, which I may add, my sister would most certainly win gold in as she is a master nose wiggler!  Anyway, I’m rambling and veering totally off course!

So my deary-do’s, back to the diamond jubilee....

I have quite the dinky collection of all sorts to do with the ’53 coronation and really do enjoy finding them. So because of this, and the significance of the year, I thought (yes, I was thinking!)  for the run up to the lovely-jubbly Jubilee I would share some of my coronation treasures in a weekly post. I initially thought I would have to show and tell some other bits and bobs from the ’37 coronation too, but having a quick nosey in my diary it looks to be only 22 weeks away, and I’m sure I’ll have plenty…. She says!?

So here goes... week one!

(also a Christmas pressie!)

A Carr’s biscuit tin in rather spiffy condition! 

My, what a handsome pair they make!

Close up of the sides...

The inside and what came with the tin.... just look at the lovely red
 original paper stuff!
 (cannot for the life of me remember what its called!)

Tupps x

More Christmas Goodies….

More, More? Yes More Goodies- I’ve been quite the lucky young miss this Christmas!

Quite an assortment too, then again ‘variety is the spice of life’ and all that malarkey!

First up....

Santa obviously knew that I like to do a good jig-saw now and then, and this one is certainly a corker with hand cut pieces and made of plywood!

The finished Jig-saw with missing pieces :(- still it was fun putting it together!

A Radio Times cover- He must have also found
out how much I have been wanting one of these too!
(Do I need to get out more?)
I'll have to scour my stitchcrft mags to see if I can see the original!



A yellow and grey (very cheery indeedy-do) Nightdress cas for
my boudoir! 

A tootal childs tie with Galleons on from my big sis!
I think bought with Edmund in mind, though I might thieve it to wear for myself!

What every girl needs.... a marmite crate! Isn't it just super (this is where you nod in agreement !) ;)

An unusual sleeping beauty wall plaque.

Not sure on age-  I would put it pre 60's though....

even 30's/40's?

A lovely 30/40's  stocking box- I do like a nice box, me!



So there you have it- I was also given a stitchcraft, a Tootal scarf and a Bakelite dice shaker thingy, but at this moment in time the thought of taking more photos fills me with dread!

Next up I will show another pressie, but I going to run a mini series so I have decided to keep it separate!

Tupney x

Happy New Year

Lucky girl... she has a nice sparkly dress, beauty, lovely hair (without a trace of frizz!) and she has Bing singing to her.... cor makes me sick!

Well anyway, I didn't really want to start the New year with green eyes so I wont think any more of it!

Happy  New  Year

Tickety Boo Tupney xxxxx

P.S. sorry for the film cutting the song a bit short, but you get the drift!

The Spirit of Christmas Past.

Christmas day 2011

Oops! Looks like Christmas totally passed this old blog by! I feel thoroughly ashamed of myself, yet at the same time feel that the result of my lack of posting left me a lot less stressed than previous years!

Christmas does not agree with me. I have so many ideas of things to do, but when the time comes all my enthusiasm dwindles and I’m left well and truly down in the dumps…. as well as extremely exhausted!

I did however feel chipper enough to make both my Grannies and my own Christmas cake, Christmas cards, a few presents (at the last second- nothing new there!) and a few Christmas decorations- nothing too fancy though!

Of course Mr. S. Clause found time to visit the Tickety Boo household on Christmas Eve (Hurrah!) and on Christmas day all my gifts were opened with much excitement (even if they were opened at some abnormal time in the morning!) You must hand it to the chap- he certainly knows what this girl likes… though you can’t give him all the credit- I have an inkling that Santa’s little helpers do most of the leg work!

I have quite a selection of goodies to show you, so I shall start with the dinky items! My jewels…..

A little pup!



Kingfisher  Celluloid brooch( I love things with birds on!)



1940's RN silver sweetheart brooch- which is the first
thing in my collection to do with the Royal Navy!
So I am super pleased!!!



Why what is this? Oh my, it's a another piece to do
with the Royal Navy....  like buses eh!
RN Comforts badge- 1940's.



Perspex RAF sweetheart pendant.
I knew about this as I found it- It was extremely hard to be parted from it for a whole month!

30's Paste Dress clip/ brooch set from my Auntie!



My very best LoobyLoo from my sis- isn't it just the tops!

Tupneys christmas card 2011

I've just done a preview and it looks like it's the 31'st today! Blimey! I was rather hoping to cling on to this year for a little longer but it looks like the New Year is nigh. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Here’s to a happy and prosperous New Year Folks. Chin Chin!

Sincerely yours

Tupney xxx

Crazy patchwork….

…. Or patchwork that sends you potty!

Last month, I started a new project (actually I started it on the first of the month if you’re interested!). A project that incorporated something totally alien to me…. Patchwork! Bet you couldn’t guess from the title eh!

I decided upon making a cushion cover as it was relatively small, and its something that is much needed - mine are rather dull and flat looking!

It took me four days in total to complete all the hand sewing, and blimey did my poor fingers pay for it! I’ve never done so much hand sewing in my life and I’m not sure if I ever want to again. I probably would average at about 18-20 stitches to an inch ( I say this with crossed eyes!) It was indeed enough to send me potty. Though luckily for me I didn’t have the added hassle of cutting out all the templates or the tacking of the patches as it was already done for me. You see, I had a box full of the patches come into my care, so all I had to do was to decide on how to arrange them and get stitching! I may moan and groan about doing patchwork now, but I suppose in some odd way it was quite an enjoyable project whilst I was stitching away…. Well it must have been because I finished it pretty quick and I did very little knitting!  (I say ‘finished’, that’s a little porky, as I’m still to find a nice piece of fabric for the backing.)

So here it is! My first attempt at patchwork!

As it’s not much to look at yet I have taken some photos of a patchwork with more interest and skill involved!

It’s one of my first and favourite items in my collection, and it’s very much treasured.

I started to collect twenties clothing before I found out that it was really far too much out of my league and before I moved on to the thirties and forties (which in all fairness is becoming the same way!)

It’s certainly a piece that has seen happier times, when its jewelled silks and velvets were paraded with such gaiety and pride for the marvellous handiwork involved in making this technicolour cutie. Unfortunately it has lost its sparkle somewhat. No more to be worn with all its shattered patches, and only to be admired by all who visit my room.

This little lovely has been hanging up on my wardrobe since I purchased it. I hadn’t the heart to pack it away. Well, what’s the point? The condition is ‘knackered’ yes, but I might as well get the enjoyment of seeing it every day if I can’t wear it!

I can only imagine where this dress has been and what the original owner was like. What about all the patches? What outfits did they get cut from? Grannies wedding dress maybe, or how about the girls first party dress!  Oh, what it would mean to know exactly!

it should have more of a dropped waist but it has been taken up a bit!

Worn by yours truly...

The inside....

the back... with funny arms!!!

...some of the patches and just look at all the lovely stitching!

and the inside!

I have my sights on making a crazy patchwork dress or garment of sorts of my very own…..maybe when I have some nice scraps and oh yes, some patience would be handy in the sewing department too! I'll keep you posted!!!

Tupney x

And the rarely spotted curly top!

Well here’s a snap to mark the momentous (simply earth shattering!!!) occasion of yours truly actually setting her hair for the first time in about three weeks, (this is quite unlike me I must say!) and for my Sister dearest who wasn’t very pleased with me when she came home to find a scruff!  See sissy dear, I’m back to normal and have my curly top back!

The rarely spotted curly top seen here in her natural habitat...
said in the voice of David Attenborough... naturally!

iffy photo but.... behold the wave!
Oh, and the little airman is my Val  :)

TTFN All

Tupps  xxxxxx

Date Maker Hey?!

What-ho folks!
I’ve just been thinking that I haven't shown off any of my recent(ish) knitteds lately. I now intend to correct this and yes, show off one of me woollies!
This one was knitted from the intriguingly named 'Date Maker' pattern found here<<

It was love at first sight for me as it comprised of all the things I like in a knit..... Nipped in waist, thick wool, and big needles. Perfect!

Immediately cogs started turning (the few that I have) as I saw potential…. To me it had the look of the Military. A waisted jacket with a buckle fastening is very battledress like don’t ya think? Well that’s how the design spoke to me, and as I’m rather partial to a nice battledress or two I thought I would make one of my very own. I originally had visions of it being in a kaki, but apparently that shade isn’t in vogue at the mo. My visions were dashed for a whole minute until I looked heavenwards in the wool shop and spotted some wool babies of the purest air force blue! It was meant to be….. a sign….The wool babies spoke to me…. Tupney dear, you don’t want a kaki BD. Tell me, what sweetheart brooch would you wear upon it? Now Tupps, what you need is an air force blue to wear with one of your countless pairs of wings! You need me… buy me… knit with me... Yes, of course! You are quite right oh mighty wool baby…. I shall take you home…. Gosh, how could I have ever thought differently!

And so, the Kaki BD was confined to history and the air force coloured BD reigns supreme!

Showing the back of the Cardigan and the Lovely Roger M!

It caused quite a rumpus on its first outing too! Ok, it wasn’t actually  the jumper, and  it wasn’t two dashing young AC’s fighting over me (mores the pity!) but a WOMAN quite stuck in her ways ( and incorrect ways at that), saying that the wings I was wearing (upon my very lovely jumper!!!) were wrong as they carried the ‘Queens’ Crown…. Oh and remind to tell you the whole story at a later date wont you!
 It’s a shame really as I shall always think of this jumper as the Jumper I wore when I nearly had fisticuffs with a WOMAN outside the Tourist Information, and not the Jumper I wore when Trevor Howard took me boating on the lake…. Well, that wouldn’t happen anyway but you know what I mean!

Why yes Trevor,  I would love to go boating... but what time? I'm meeting Roger at the milk bar at twelve!!!

So there you are the trials and tribulations this Cardigan has brought me so far!

Tupney xxxx

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Yes, I have too much time on my hands.... and yes, I shouldn't be left alone with a RAF Tunic and my collection of scarves!