I Am In Lace Heaven !

Oh how I have missed you.

Cross your fingers that my blogger problems are all over now and I can continue blogging as per normal. There are so many new changes going on out there in blogland. Can you believe that I have to pay now to upload photo's. The world is going crazy and getting just a little bit greedy I think.

Anyway on a more positive note

I have been super busy over the past week since I last spoke with you all. I have finally finished all of my exams for my floristry course and I am now on holidays for 2 months ! I have one year left and I will be fully qualified. Exams went really well, my assignment was a great success and received high marks and the last practical of the day saw me achieve 99%. I was thrilled with my result. I have studied and worked so hard so I felt quite proud of myself at what I had achieved. It has been a tough year but I find myself at the end of it smiling and feeling almost peaceful again.

I received a phone call yesterday from one of my lace suppliers.

They had a box of Lacy treasures for me to browse through and of course I ran out the door straight away when I heard that the lace had come from Nottingham.

Nottingham lace is very famous and also unbelievably beautiful and has the most amazing history.

When my supplier lifted the lid off the box I almost cried with delight as it was sooooo amazingly beautiful. After seeing the exquisite piece that was on the top I knew that all of my Christmas's had come at once.

The photo's really don't do it justice at all. This lace is absolutely beautiful.

One particular piece looks as though it belongs in a museum. It is a night dress pouch that has been so lovingly made and is nothing short of spectacular. The lace has been made straight onto the pouch and the fine needle work blows my mind. Every stitch is perfect, turn it over on the inside and every stitch is just as perfect on the back. Whoever created this masterpiece had angels working through her fingertips. This piece has become my pride and joy and a definite keeper forever.  There was another pouch but it was quite stained and the moths had taken to it in patches. The handiwork was still amazing but not quite as stunning a piece as the night dress pouch.

The rest of the box was jam packed with endless lengths of lace, pillow shams, doilies and tea cloths.  I am litterly in lace heaven.

There are just so many pieces to be photographed so I just chose my favourites to share with you all.

I haven't washed any of it yet but all of it will have to have a good soak to remove age spots and stains.

I may be wrong but my estimate of the age of the night dress pouch would be from the 1830's.  I have been searching on the net for more information on Nottingham lace and it is quite fascinating.

My lace supplier had already told me that the lace was very, very old and that in times past when Nottingham suffered through wars, the women would go into the underground caves that lie beneath the city and make lace.  Nottingham is built upon sandstone so there are caves running all of the way under the city.

It is now on my bucket list of places to see. How fascinating !

Apparently the largest lace manufacturer at the turn of last century dug underground caves under his manor house so lace production could continue through war times.

Who would have thought.

I am a bit of a history nerd and love any gorgeous old stories such as this one. I find times gone by just so full of wonderful tales and experiences and the fashions and especially the lace always has me sighing in delight.

Ok I will stop rambling on because I really would love to show you some of this lace.

Scroll down and smile :-)

My husband kindly held up my night dress pouch so I could show you the detail of the lace.

DIVINE !

BELOW, This piece has many age marks and some moth damage but it is still lovely.

All hand worked by a perfectionist. Honestly the needlework skills this lady possessed are amazing.

A pretty doily or perhaps a jug cover that wasn't quite completed, I am not sure. 

 A little moth eaten but I just love that lacy edge.

I have zoomed in as close as I could to show you the fine work in this lace but it just doesn't do it justice. I wish that you could touch it and feel it and see it's age.

I don't generally post my blog on a Saturday but I have a lovely friend Doni from FAITH, GRACE AND CRAFTS who is bursting to see my finds. She has the same passion for lace as I do and I so want to share these photo's with her.
I hope you love these as much as I do my friend.
For those readers who haven't visited Doni's page then pop over and take a look. There is eye candy everywhere and it is one of my most favourite blogs to visit.

Next week I will be running a beautiful Christmas giveaway.
I have a collection of pretties that one lucky reader will win.  It is a chance for me to wish you all a Happy Christmas and to thank you all for your kinds words and friendship.

                              I will see you all on Monday
                                     Enjoy your weekend

                                                Melanie
                                                      x