Tuesday 27 November 2012

Keeping Warm.

Bit  of nostalgia going on for me with this weeks challenge! I grew up in East London during the 50's when there used to be real 'pea souper'  smogs and it was freezing cold. Ice on the inside of the window cold. Libert bodice, flannelete nightie, cardi, socks, ten blankets, eiderdown cold! Central heating is a marvelous thing! I can remember going to school and not seeing my hand in front of my face, thick wool mittens and scarf pulled up over my mouth. There used to be a lot of .Hot Chestnut Men in my memory. They used to stand on a corner under a street lamp and you could buy a paper twist of lovely roasted chestnuts that would keep your hands warm. I guess they're about still, but I expect you have to have the chestnuts in polystyrene trays with the fires under control. Health and Safety! Enough said, here is my tag in memory.

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I cut my tag from grey card and swirled black soot distress lightly over it. I die cut a street lamp and put gold glitter paper behind and a little pool of yellow light around it. The chestnut oven I made from metal sheet that I punched holes in and covered in black dabber, Then I put red foil behind to simulate the glowing charcoal. I cut out a pile of stamped chestnuts that I layered on with sticky fixers and used red wool around the edge for the embers. Then I knitted a pair of mittens out of 4 ply wool, lightly stuffed then with wadding and made a newspaper cone with chestnuts piled on the top.
That should keep out the cold!
My heart goes out to everyone suffering from the flooding, hope all my tag mates are safe and dry. Have a warm safe week, with love Barb x

15 comments:

  1. What a wonderful tale and tag Barb. You've put such a lot of thought and effort into it. I love it.

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  2. A wonderful tag Barb - and I'm quite envious that you could just pick up the needles and knit a pair of mittens like that! Very skilled and very impressive - I love it!

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  3. What a great memory and a lovely tag too, beautiful little mittens. A perfect tag for the theme :)

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  4. Love this - wonderful mittens. I used to knit them like this for my daughter when she was small! Hugs, Valerie

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  5. Fabulous!! Really fun!

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  6. Oh yummy! Roasted chestnuts. I remember having them with my grandma in Blackpool. They were so tasty the memory is very strong. Wish I could have them every time I think of them, haha. This is a fun and cosy tag for sure. The wee mittens are really cute :0) Mo x

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  7. So clever and so beautifully done, I love it! I remember the smogs in London too - walking across Wandsworth Common to school and you couldn't see your hands in front of you, all seemed like fun at the time ... central heating is a wonderful thing as you say, but I'm sure we get more coughs and colds these days ... thanks for bring back those memories! :o)

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  8. this is lovely, so full of warm memories - my grandma used to roast chestnuts on her range in the Winter and it was the most delicious winterfood!

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  9. A fantastic tag, those mittens are brilliant, thanks for bringing back memories of 'old fashioned cold'! Jane xx

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  10. I love, love, love your miniature mittens. They would make great Christmas ornaments on their own. Blessings!

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  11. A lovely trip down memory lane for me too minus the horse chestnuts as never had them. Did you have a spoonful of malt extract every day too. Dad always said a daily dose would help to keep us warm! Hugs Mrs A.

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  12. Isn't it funny - my memories of childhood are of really hot summers and really cold winters - was it really so??!! Thanks for these memories - lots ring really true with me. WHat a wonderful tag! Carolyn x

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  13. How did you knit those mittens? Love the 3d nature of this tag.

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  14. Beautiful job Barb. Great post too. I have no idea how you made such tiny mittens. They are darling.

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