Christmas 1914

The Princess Mary Christmas Tin 1914

Today I'm joining Joan over at Anything Goes Here for Vintage Christmas Monday. Joan has asked others to share their vintage Christmas items, so today I'm sharing a special gift I received from a friend a few years ago. This is a beautiful brass Christmas tin that was produced in 1914. I have it sitting on a table in my living room during the holiday season.

This tin and thousands of others just like it were a gift from their nation for those men and women serving in the British armed forces on Christmas Day 1914. Princess Mary, the seventeen year old daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, wanted to do something special for the men and women serving their country on the battlefield. She created the "Sailors and Soldier Christmas Fund" to provide a gift for those serving in the war on Christmas Day. The response was so great that the plan eventually included all those in the King's uniform both at home and abroad.

The brass boxes about 3" x 5" x 1.5" deep contained a variety of gifts. For the men on the front lines, the boxes contained tobacco related items. Those who did not smoke received tins with sweets, and the tins for the nurses contained chocolates. Most of the tins also contained a pencil within a bullet case holder.

The polished brass tins were embossed with IMPERIUM BRITANNICUM, Princess Mary's profile surrounded by a laurel wreath with the monogram M on either side, and the names of Britain's allies: France, Russia, Japan, Belgium, Serbia, and Montenegro.

My little tin is in excellent condition. I wonder to whom it might have once belonged and what the original contents might have been. It's a sweet remembrance of those who sacrificed so much during the first World War.

Perhaps you have a family member who served in the British forces during this time and one of these tins is in your possession. Thank you for stopping by today. Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. I always appreciate your notes.

Deana @ Alchemy fine Living has recently posted about the Pay It Forward gift that she received from me. Deana owns a store that sells a unique blend of antiques and vintage home decor items. She is always sharing a great design idea or a fabulous makeover of a vintage item. Deana is one talented lady! If you would like to play the game, hurry on over to Deana's. The first three to respond will receive a PIF gift from Deana.

Then visit Joan @ Anything Goes Here for a list of participants who have vintage Christmas treasures to share.

Pink Toile Delight

Pink Toile Delight

a Haiku

by Hyacinth

Shimmering sparkles,

Graceful bauble of pink toile

Thoughts of sweet Jacque.

October, 2009

The above handmade ornament arrived in this pink box no less! Jacque @ Campagne Maison sent me the lovely pink toile ornament which she crafted along with a very special table topper that she pieced and quilted from beautiful fabric with both roosters and sunflowers. You can read about this gift here at my Tablescape Thursday post this week. I have to say, Jacque, is a talented and extremely thoughtful friend. I so appreciate her PIF gift that was made with such thought and care. Thank you, Jacque!

This pink box of joy was Jacque's Pay It Forward gift to me. You can click on the photo below to read the lovely note she included. It's even on pink paper!

As per Jacque's instructions for playing the Pay It Forward game, I'm to send a gift box to three who leave comments on my blog. The first two have already been selected form the Tablescape Thursday post this week, but I've saved the third for today's Pink Saturday post. So if you are the first one to leave a comment today....Tag, you're it! To play, you have to have a blog of your own so I can see what kind of things you like, though I can't promise that the gift will be a handmade item. Also, be sure to tell me if you want to participate.

I'm always thrilled to have you visit and very much appreciate your comments. I read each one and promise to respond to any questions. I've met so many nice people though the comments. Thank you for visiting!

Be certain to click here to go to Beverly's @ How Sweet the Sound for a list of other participating in Pink Saturday.

Happy Pink Saturday to All!

Crowing Roosters, Sunflowers, & PIF

Pewter Pitcher with Sunflowers, Seeded Eucalyptus, Hypericum Berries, & Milkweed

It's fall and the perfect time for roosters and sunflowers. Welcome to Tablescape Thursday with our hostess, Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch.

You must be wondering what this pink box could possibly have to do with a tablescape or for that matter, roosters and sunflowers . Well, it was a Pay It Forward gift from Jacque @ Campagne Maison. I've waited till this week to share its contents because I wanted to spotlight one of the gifts for Tablescape Thursday.

Jacque had received a Pay It Forward gift in late August from Deb @ Garage Sale Gal. Then she posted photos of her gift and left this message: "If you would like to participate in Pay It Forward, just leave a comment on this post. The first three people to leave a comment will be my next Pay It Forward recipients. You must have a blog so I can read your postings and learn a little about you. That way, I will know what to make just for your! Then, when you receive your package from me, you post pictures of what you received, just as I have done, then add the Pay It Forward button (which is above) to your post, and wait for three comments on your blog...and the game continues on. If there are any questions you can ask me anytime! It really is a whole lot of fun! Let's see how far this PAY IT FORWARD can continue."

I happened to be the first one to leave a comment on Jacque's post that day. So I was in the game! When Jacque visited my blog, she must have noticed that I'm a huge fan of roosters. So her crafty, talented hands made this for me.

Jacque pieced and quilted this topper with two beautiful 

coordinating fabrics. Can you hear the roosters crowing?

The reverse features a center with strips of alternating sunflower fabric and the rooster fabric. Either side of this beautiful table topper brings sunshine and joy to a room.

On this gray, cloudy day we could use a touch of sunshine. I decided this misty morning calls for a hot cup of tea with a soft boiled egg and hot blueberry muffin.

We have a small gate-leg table in our morning room off our kitchen. It's a cozy spot to enjoy a leisure breakfast and while away the morning reading in a comfy wingback chair. I've just started Kathryn Stockett's The Help which is set in Mississippi during the early 60s. I've been on a waiting list at the local library for a copy of this book since August, so I'm eager to read this book. What are you reading at the moment?

A morning breakfast of ...

a perfectly cooked 

soft boiled egg,

and a piping hot 

blueberry muffin.

The deep blue of the juice glass

 is perfect for my new table topper.

I'll have a cup of hot tea served in 

Wedgwood china in the Nantucket pattern.

Tea is Citrus Mint from Tea Forté. Not only is this tea delicious, the presentation in the silken tea infuser is so elegant.

I used a mix of my Wedgwood Nantucket, 

Italian pottery, and a glass figural egg cup.

The napkin is a vintage linen in sunny 

yellow with a pewter napkin ring.

The small tea pot was made by T Grove in Victoria, Canada. It was a souvenir from a visit to Butchart Gardens in the 1980s. I immediately fell for the denim like glaze.

The small dish for the muffin and 

the pitcher holding the flowers are both pewter.

The pitcher, an ebay purchase, 

caught my eye because of the sassy rooster.

So if you want to join in the fun of PAY IT FORWARD, leave a comment below. The first two that comment will receive a gift box from me, though I can't promise that it will be anything handmade like Jacque's gift. Remember you have to have a blog to participate so I can visit and see what kinds of things you like.

There was another gift in the box. It is pink so I'm sharing it on Pink Saturday. If you come back on Saturday you can see what it is, and the first person to comment on that post will be my third PIF recipient.

So please leave your comments below and then head back to Susan's @ Between Naps on the Porch to visit this week's Tablescape Thursday participants.