Over the past few days, I have been on an exciting and stimulating journey all over the world, right into the homes of many lovely creative and artistic people. All from my chair here in Devon House!
Karen, a blogger from Arizona, has been hosting a "Blog Party" where bloggers from everywhere were invited to take you into their homes and show you their creative spaces, studios and collections. Check it out at
I did not get the invitation soon enough to participate this year, but thought I would still take the opportuity to invite my readers into my home to see some of my creations and collections!
One of the things I have really loved gathering and collecting in recent years is old doileys. These are just a few. I will show you more at another time, and also some of the things I do with them!
Of course my books have always been important to me, and I have many many shelves of them. This particular pile are some I acquired when I used to do a lot of painting. I have recently begun doing some painting again, and find myself referring to them. So glad I did not give them away!
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These shelves hold a variety of books of special interest - some relating to Embroidery and Crazy patchwork, some Christian books, my much loved Michael Leunig books, National Geographics, and some "This England" magazines that I cannot part with!
Below are albums and boxes of photos. Eve though I now put them all onto the computer, there are just heaps of photos here, and loads that need sorting!
And more...almost all of these relate to crafts, gardening, cooking, herbs, flower arranging...and just a few novels!
On one of the chests of drawers in the bedroom stands my little collection of Blue Wedgewood china, with a little needlefelted picture I did behind.
On this chest are more "bits and pieces" including some little round boxes I have collected. I can never resist a pretty container! I suppose I should mention that both these sets of drawers contain just some of my fabrics - silks, velvets, sheers, glitzies, satins, themed fabrics, chintzes, upholstery sanples and many more. Squeezed between the chest and the wall is another huge pile of upholstery samples that I cannot fit into the drawers.
Just outside the bedroom in the hallway, an old Scotch chest holds all sorts of miscellaneous treasures, including a collection of wooden, china and papier mache eggs - and a chicken or two! Behind is a lovely photo of some of the family taken one Bounty Day.
I once thought it would be fun to collect shoes, but I stopped at two. (But come to think of it, I do have others elsewhere in the house.) One contains some hatpins I made. The little knitted sheep was an Op shop find. I just love him. I have some other old knitted toys in the drawers, all with some sentimental memories.
There are a couple of fabric dolls I have made, each sitting in her own chair. This one is "Apple Annie". made as part of a little collection our old "Pine Needles" quilt group made once for a display.
The two pictures above are worked freehand in wool by Helen S., a very clever lady on this island. The Norfolk birds are complemented by a plate featuring robins.
In the foreground is a little collection of "Sunbonnet Sue" felt needlecases, including a couple that are really quite old.
Just along the hallway is a wallhanging I did a few years ago. It features just a few of my large collection of old buttons.
Another bookcase in the hallway, made by our son John. It contains a collection of books relating to Norfolk Island and other history volumes, poetry and literature, and some very old and historic books, handed down or acquired in other ways. In the cupboards are a number of special treasures, historic items and memorabilia. It is crying out for a "tidy -up"!
In one of the bookcase cupboards is some old silverware. And as you can see, knobs come in handy to hang things on! In this case, a couple of little bags I made years ago which incorporated pressed flowers bonded onto fabric.
Just outside the guest bedroom door is this miniature Crazy patchwork wallhanging I made ages ago. The photo is of Bernie's great-aunt Maria Heaps, in a frame handcarved by his Aunty Linda. Underneath, on an old writing desk that came from Great-Aunt Charlotte, is a collection of old "Shopfront" tins. Inside the desk I keep a collection of pretty stationery that I have a habit of picking up at Garage Sales etc.
Oh dear, I have only covered two rooms and the hallway, and have even missed out on showing you everything in those! I have barely started on what is inside drawers etc.
As you can see, there is no place for minimalism in our home. But I love being surrounded by these treasures and nostalgia!
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