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Boz Towers, Essex, United Kingdom
I'm a Red Hat Society member with a love of crafting of all sorts. A very proud mum to four fabulous children and Nan to six gorgeous grandchildren. I started work as a milliner and now have an abiding love of scrapbooking and card making.

The lovely people that drop by ~ thank you.

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Back to School - Fifty Years Ago!

Reading about all the school age children returning to school made me remember when I returned to school in September 1960, fifty years ago.  I was starting at a brand new technical school called Trinity Girls School in south London.  I was transferred from my previous school as I had a huge interest in Dressmaking, Tailoring and also a brand new subject of Millinery.  I have sewn from a very early age and the first thing we made that summer and through the winter was our school summer uniform of a shirtwaister in lilac gingham.  Our school colours were purple and grey. When I started the Millinery classes I found a craft that I have loved for 50 years.  Sadly, during the late sixties the wearing of hats went out of fashion even for weddings until Princess Diana came along and reversed the trend. Now I get to enjoy wearing hats all the time as I am a member of the Red Hat Society.  Besides wedding hats I have about six or seven red hats for different times of the year and a very special purple one worn only in February, my birthday month or by special dispensation from our chapter Queen, Mel.

The theme for my US card swap between fellow Red Hatters is 'School Memories'.  This tiny card shows a needle and thread image by Just-Rite Stampers that I've coloured with Promarkers and I've die cut them with Nesties. The tiny button has been defined with Glossy Accents. The postage to the US is horrendous so my cards are getting smaller hence the size of these and little in the way of embellishments to keep the weight down.



15 comments:

bunbun2 said...

they are gorgeous, I love the simplicity of them! I envy anyone who can sew - it has taken me ages just to sew the hems on my son's new school trousers. I blame it on the fact I didn't do needlework at school!

Antonia said...

what beautiful cards, the sentiment forming the pattern is lovely, remember good things come in small packages :)

Debbie (Little Gingham Bear) said...

They're gorgeous wifey - am sure you're not old enough to have been at school in 1960!
hugs,
Debbie x

Scrappy Scatty said...

Oh I hate to sew but I adore these cards xx

dragonllew said...

They look fab love the stamp you have used.

PepPop said...

What lovely cards Wifey and so much more special as you've told us the story behind them. Jaqui x

Uma said...

lovely cards, very effective and pretty

Susan (aka TomsMom) said...

Lovely little cards - can you put them in the Clean and Simple challenges that are about at the moment? I really enjoyed reading about your interest in sewing and school. What a wonderful skill to have.

Addams said...

Lovely card, love that image

theboelemas@aol.com said...

Beautiful cards and thanks for sharing the story behind them. x

Sarah said...

Beautiful cards Jennie and a lovely story x

Sparkly-Fabtastic said...

Hiya - love these little cards they are so cute! would really love the stamp (as my mum is a seamstress/dressmaker) - I was just wondering tho do you know if I can purchase them anywhere in the UK?
thanks xxx

Fifi Folle said...

Lovely story & cards. x

Angie - Bumble Bee's Craft Den said...

Gorgeous cards, love that image and an interesting story to go with them.

Chrissie said...

Hi Jennie,
Thanks so much for your lovely comments on my blog... and for following too. I love your hat... I don't think I realised that there was a Red Hat Society in the UK. I used to see posses of ladies out together on events or whatever, when I lived in the states years ago. Maybe I should join! I did have a red hat once but I sold it.
I actually made a hat once when I was in grammar school... it was quite tricky if I remember rightly.
Enough waffle, I loved your story, I'm off to a reunion of my school on Saturday, 54 years since I started!!
Chrissie