Icons of the Jazz Age!!

My Personal Homage to The Dolly Sisters

The Dolly Sisters:

Rose and Jenny...

ahh! simply darling!!!

and yet more....

Afternoon Tea images - simply lovely

Here are some lovely images associated with tea - sit back, with a nice cup of tea and enjoy!

Dreamy Vintage Scenes

Just wanted to share this most beautiful vintage chic images I found on the internet. The baby's nursery is quite gorgeous, and of the other images are simply fantastic - its why we all set up these blogs in the first place I think. Enjoy!

'Beautiful' Elin Manahan Thomas

Elin Manahan Thomas

Check out the web site of this lovely singer: http://www.elinmanahanthomas.org, she has the most lovely voice. Her album 'Eternal Light' is quite breathtaking. Follow her own blog at her web site.

Henry VIII

This year marks the 500th anninversay of King Henry VIII's ascension to the throne of England, so I thought my blogspot today could be dedicated to him. I had to include a shot of Jonathan Rhys Myers as Henry from the fabouloys 'The Tudors' series that has graced our screens of late, and I eagerly anticipate the new series.

I guess Henry VIII has his admirers and his critics, seemingly he started his reign well but it ended with him as a spoilt, grosteque, huge man whose every whim and mood was felt across his kingdom, some even whisper madness towards the end of his reign and his life, but love him or hate him he was a most charismatic monarch and one, 500 years later, is still firmly in my minds and one, who I doubt will ever be forgotten. As his daugther, Elizabeth I, said "I am my father's daughter..."

He was born in 1491, the second son of Henry VII and younger brother to Prince Arthur. He married his brother's widow, Katherine of Aragon and bore him Mary, later to become Mary I or 'Bloody Mary'. He had six wives in total they being as follows... Katherine of Aragon: the one who refused to divorce him, Anne Boleyn: The one accused of witchcraft, Jane Seymour: the one who bore him a son, Anne of Cleves: the one he hardly knew, Catherine Howard: the one haunted by her past, and finally, Kateryn Parr (Katherine): the one who loved another man and who, incidentally outlived him! He separated England from Roman, he created the Church of England and he appointed himself Defender of the Faith - a title which our present Queen (Elizabeth II) still holds today. He was a great warrior, untouchable at the joust, passionate, vibrant and in his youth a very attractive Prince. I don't want to bore you on my blog with historical and political debate about whether he was a good monarch, a successful monarch etc., this site isn't about that, I just wanted to mark the occasion of his 500th anniversary of the ascension to the English Throne... King Henry VIII - Long live the King!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Just wanted to muse on the Brother Cadfael books and the most excellent series starring the most excellent Derek Jacobi. There is something cosy about the thought of a herbarium with the plants hanging and drying from the beams above, and the delicious smells of all the lovely herbs, getting ready for aid the sick and ailing. Anyone who doesn't know about Cadfael check out the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadfael that will tell you all about the works of Ellis Peters who wrote the books and about the television series and also about the character of Cadfael the 12th Century Shrewsbury Monk. Just wanted to share some thoughts on herbs and Cadfael with some quotes from Robin Whiteman's excellent book 'Brother Cadfael's Book of Days' published by Headline, so sit back and enjoy Cadfael's musings and thoughts, and passages from Ellis Peter's excellent chronicles...

..."In the herb-garden, shaded along one side by its high hedge from the declining sun, the heavy fragrances of the day hung like a spell..."

..."August was high harvest time among the herbs, and all the medicines for the winter demanding Cadfael's care..."

and from Cadfael himself...

..."'I grow herbs', said Brother Cadfael, 'dry them, and make remedies for all the ills that visit us. I physic a great many souls besides those of us within.'..."

..."I know my herbs', said Cadfael. 'They have fixed properties, and follow sacred rules'..."

If you get chance to read the Cadfael Chronicles do, because you'll wonder why you hadn't found them before - enjoy!

I love this movie Marie Antoinette (as I am sure a lot of you do) so I had to add another few shots from that fabulous movie, and love her or hate, Madonna just does Marie Antoinette so well, so I had to add a piccie of Madge!

Beautiful Stumpwork examples

After mentioning stumpwork on my first blogspot post I searched the web and found three examples of quite exquisite stumpwork created by much more talented individuals then me. I love them all, but confess to finding the stumpwork face my favourite. This truly is a beautiful creative art form and not a new one as its origins date back to the 17th Century. Any future attempts of mine to create stumpwork embroidery will be shared on my blog.

Welcome to A Grand Day Out!

Hi and welcome to my first post on my first blog. My blog is called 'A Grand Day Out' and I want to just share my musings and wandering through all things that are beautiful and creative in this world of ours. Its a place to feel good about yourselves and each other, and to share thoughts, musings, memories, ideas, arts, crafts and anything that makes us all happy. I will be adding to my blog as often as possible.

As a keen cross stitcher I am curently working through a large Anchor kit entitled The Evening Express. Its coming on very well, and hopefully when it is finished I can add a picture of the completed design to share on my blog. Anybody who has any other cross stitch designs that they have completed and particularly enjoy and would like to share please let me know. I am also interested in stumpwork (raised embroidery) so if anyone out there in the blog world is currently working on a stumpwork project please send me a thought or share about this beautiful creative style.

The sun is shining and the sky is blue today and life is good, but life is always good if you take the time to look for the simple things, things that make you smile, birds building their spring nests, the smile on my dog's face, a butterfly delicately balancing on a petal - embrace the day, embrace life. Have fun - enjoy! I'll be back soon....