Friday Funding Fun

My favourite thrifty snacky treats- even keeps me away from the cake shop or cafe [only sometimes though- visiting a cafe once in a while is part of my new to me silk shirt approach to the art of frugal living]

Hot buttered tea cakes with a pot of char

Or even better crumpets eaten with butter and jam, marmite, scrambled egg and smoked salmon trimmings the combinations are only limited by your imagination and so much cheaper to buy 12 rather than 8. A versatile staple in my freezer that satisfies wanting of something naughty to eat but doesn't leave me feeling hard done by. Never had the same success with a rice cake!

Arilx

Medieval Church Paintings

As you might have guessed ho-hum I am just a little bit of a history fan- not so much the big stuff but social history- the everyday lives and experiences of the masses that go unrecorded. Every once in a while I get a chance to glimpse of their world in the faint hints that have escaped our wanton destruction.

Last week, whilst watching The Tudor Abbey Farm, Ruth Goodman visited St Teilo's at St Fagan's- a medieval church which has had its original wall paintings [preserved under the plaster] repainted to give an idea of how they would have appeared to the congregation in 1520. One is immediately struck by the colour and vibrancy of the images as they were used to inform and educate their largely illiterate audience. It was a new discovery to me and definitely on the list of places to visit. The following link gives you both pictures and a brief description.

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/1206/?image=4669

I am incredibly lucky that in my little part of the world we have a handful of churches within close proximity of one another which still have their original paintings remaining. The similarities in the work has given rise to the belief that they were probably created by the same artist travelling from one to another.

St Peter Ad Vincula, Wisborough Green

St Mary's, West Chiltington

And last but most definitely not least- St Botolph's, Hardham

If you are ever near this little church it has extensive wall art remaining and is charming- it has a leper hole as well.
More detail for you from here
http://www.arunchurches.com/wallpaintings.html

Arilx

Meddling with Meddlars

Today I am lucky enough to be receiving 4lb of medlars. Along with the quince, it's a fruit that's largely fallen out of favour. It's in season now and is rather a curious egg because you have to wait until it has gone rotten [bletted to be correct] before you can use it.

It originated in the area near the Caspian Sea 3000 years ago north of Iran where it was used medicinally for diarrhoea, bloating of the stomach and throat abscesses. It was introduced to Greece in 700BC and subsequently popular both with the Romans and during Medieval Times. Chaucer uses its bletted state as a symbol of prostitution in the Reeve's Tale. The Elizabethans saucily referred to it as 'open arse' because of its shape- one doesn't need to take a huge leap of imagination to see the similarity! Whilst the Victorians used it to make delicate sweetmeats

Nowadays it is mainly used to make curd and jelly which is the route we or should I say my Dad will be taking! It is an unusual taste but one definitely worth trying.

Arilx

Jingle Bells

I keep Christmas in December but this has a high sniggering value- Mr GBT used to ring handbells and still occasionally stands in for the team. I don't think he's ever had that much fun at practice!

Despite the title of the video I promise that there's nothing naughty on display!

http://www.thefrisky.com/2013-11-18/these-men-can-play-jingle-bells-with-their-penises/

Arilx

Baker's Dozen

Originating from when the Baker's Guild enforced a 'bread assize' within a two mile radius of the city of London. The Guild weighed the bread to check for underweight loaves or to detect those who adulterated the flour with sand or sawdust. If caught, the punishment was being dragged around the dirtiest streets on a hurdle with the offending bread hung around your neck. For a second offence you spent an hour in the pillory and for a third your oven was destroyed and you were no longer allowed to bake. Bakers became so fearful of giving a short weight that they would provide a small extra piece of bread with each loaf to ensure that no shortfall occurred. Therefore, if you ordered a dozen loaves you would receive another one free.
[From Nigel Cawthorne, The Strange Laws of Old England]

Arilx

A Cheapside Caper

Hoards....there is a bit of theme emerging here....not me becoming a hoarder I hasten to add but me visiting them- last month a Saxon one this month the Cheapside Hoard at the Museum of London.

The hoard of late Elizabethan and early Stuart jewellery was discovered by workmen buried in a cellar in Cheapside in 1912. It was known to have been an area of goldsmiths but why it was there is open to interpretation. The building was certainly owned by a jeweller and one theory was that this was his stock which was buried before the outbreak of the Civil War but quite why it remained there is unknown. The rediscovered jewels were spread out between three museums and this is the first time they have ever been seen together in public.

The exhibition is not huge but it is well thought out and sets the scene in Cheapside alongside the fashions of the day well. It really helped me to see the contemporary paintings displayed alongside so that I could understand how the jewels were worn to embellish the fashions of the day. This is one of the examples used.

It also taught me what a farthingale was- an underskirt support used to achieve the desired silhouette of the day. We spent some time looking at this particular portrait of Elizabeth trying to fathom what it could have been from the description of the placement of the jewels. In the end we decided that perhaps it was something worn on the head!

The jewellery itself is displayed simply in clear glass cabinets which do not detract from their sheer beauty but also allow for close inspection to admire the workmanship. The detail is stunning- very thin gold wire embellished with dainty enamelled flowers in long chains were actually stitched to the clothing.

An inch high scent bottle again demonstrating the fine enamelling skill of the craftsman

Pendants galore- the grapes were made from emeralds but they also had ones made from amethyst.

And my favourite the hexagonal emerald watch and the watch made by G Ferlite.

The thing that really struck me was the belief system attached to different jewels- in many ways it is reminiscent of those who use crystals esoterically. More on that in a later post......

Arilx

Friday Funding Fun

On matters of glue......

If you only need to use small amounts of glue for a project dispense some into an empty blister pack and use a cocktail stick to apply. I do this when I'm making miniatures for my dollshouse.

Much cheaper than Fraycheck- dilute some pva down with water and apply to the raw material edges with a paintbrush.

Arilx