School days , School Days good old golden rule days.

 Do you have school friends from primary days ? Well in my case the schools were known as State Schools the word Primary and Secondary came in much later.I started my school year in 1944 at Ivanhoe Central school in the State of Victoria. I am still in touch with school friends and neighbours from that time.

 During the war years and just after, an intake of children were taken every six months.  I started in the January. Half of the grade was a new intake and the other half had started in the July of the year before. My first classroom was large with folding doors down the center, so that it could be made into a large room. There was a sand tray, and an Eskimo village made out of eggshells and cotton wool. The alphabet was written in different coloured chalks on the blackboard with capital letters and small letters beside. Children bought along their own slate, duster and chalks pastels and special pastel book to draw in

 These books are those of my brother Ronald from the year 1939 when he was 9 years old. His books have survived , because he died from Leukaemia in the January of 1940.

 I have been reading a biography A tribe of Angels written by Russell Beedles .
Russell began school in the same year as I , yet it took me some time to work out who he was. His story highlights the life of a choir boy at St Pauls Cathedral Melbourne from the age of 10 to 15. Leaving Ivanhoe Central in grade 5 and going to Trinity Grammar in Kew. Slab hut to Red Brick  was produced a few years ago outlining the history of Ivanhoe Central School / Ivanhoe Primary School.Please note that my surname has an R , completely wrong but with a name like Stickland everyone puts an extra letter in.  It is interesting to read that many of the past students had the same memories. Have you started to write your memoirs? if not why not, they are yours and will be interesting for your great grandchildren to read.

A couple of my small collections Playing cards and thimbles .

Abbey is now back at home and is having Physiotherapy and others at St John of God hospital in Warrnambool as  twice weekly sessions. Can you believe this is the same person you saw back in February this year ????

 Faith ---  sees the invisible -- Believes the incredible --- Receives the impossible.

Thankfully Margaret

Sock Bags ? Pretty Nice eh!

 Beginning from where I left off last week, here is another sock bag, or stocking bag or whatever the girls wish to use them for. The Columbine is a stitchery I finished a year or so back,

 Ellie deserved some roses to make her even more appealing. The granddaughter who this is for is coming this afternoon , she is studying Zoology and she has loved Elephants from a very young age. She is the outdoors type as you can see by this photo taken a few years ago.

 A finish  - The glasses case from last week I was so pleased with this one that I have a person in mind to receive it, so am on to another , the pattern is from Wee Folk Art button on side bar.

Daughter number 3 has been away again, this time taking her long service leave in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Istanbul, Greece, Dubai , I think I have covered them all. I was the lucky recipient of some more thimbles for my collection. The Bee is for the ( Gd zoology) who this semester is chasing bugs, made him, and I think she will be pleased. I really would like a butterfly catcher with pith helmet on.

Dare I mention that it is 11 c this afternoon  - Whatever the Season  enjoy, -  for today is a gift -- The present .
Margaret

With Nedle and Thread.

Browsing in an Op Shop I picked up this large Doyley, the needle work is excellent cost $.5.00

 My scrappy pieces from last week turned into a nice table topper.

 Here is "Ellie" from Jennifer Elefantz. This will come a bag for stockings and socks for granddaughter 2 who is in residence in Melbourne. The next one I make I will put Ellie up a little higher, you know what it is like when you have some material and the pattern is in your head. I found one child's coat hanger and got Mr Fix it to cut the ends of another one .

 Some of my handiwork, there again just having a bit of fun with needle and thread.

and another pair of doyleys from the op shop. 

I am in  the making of  this and that I came across a beaut site. Wee Folk Art

Enjoy life it is so much fun. Cheers Margaret