Memories Of Blue

(Scroll to the bottom and hit the play button so you can listen while you read)

My father is visiting from interstate in a couple of weeks so he can visit with all the family here one last time and meet his great grandson, Julien.

Julien was also his father's name.

The blue china on the dresser is called "Envoy" by Royal Doulton and very popular after the second world war and often sold by door-to-door salesmen. This is the set that my grandmother used everyday and the one that my father grew up with. It holds memories for me and must do for him too I'm sure. I've also mixed it with some of the white Hutschenruther china that he gave me for a wedding present.

It's so good to be getting familiar things unpacked and the Matthew Simms doll has finally found her home. I bought her just before we moved thinking she would fit so well with our Georgian cottage. 

Matthew Simms is a local artist/eccentric and he paints and makes these extraordinary dolls by hand.

Here is an extract from his site

"With a hand saw I cut blocks of willow wood, split them and stack to season. 
Then I cut the dolls to shape with an axe, finishing off with a rasp and pocket knife.  
The legs and arms are put on, clothes made with a hand sewing machine.  The clothes, in almost every instance, are silk, linen, cotton or wool.  These dolls are not copies, nor are they unlike dolls from history."

Memories Of Blue by Vangelis