Blogging amazes me. It never ceases to surprise me. The connections, the small world made smaller, the way everyone knows someone who knows someone who knows you or me is a constant wonder.
Charland and Barbara are sisters who grew up in Montana, though years ago Charland moved to Canada and Barbara to the Netherlands. Their mother had a sister who is the Grandmother of my Mother's business partner Holly.
Small world.
I met them, plus their friend Lorraine, who introduced them to my blog years ago.
Charland's creates needlepoint and makes silver charms:
Barbara works with bronze and sculpture:
Art Makers
We spent a lovely day together. The three of them encouraging me to open a bed and breakfast and offer tours of Provence, and or write a book. Spread my wings... which sounds interesting, at least they did not tell me to take up needlepoint! Charland and Lorraine said they are coming as soon as I organize a tour. Wheels are spinning... Brocante, food, antique textiles, wine, arts, culture... photography...
Then they giggled, they had a gift for French Husband the Panty Finder.
I knew instantly that this was going to be good...
I called Densie a.k.a. W.R. and or Panty Lady to tell her to hold on to her panties the story continues. She promptly told me that she should charge me everytime I mention it. Yeah, right, not.
Charland created a pattern years ago of the Late Queen Victoria's knickers (panties - bloomers) also she added Queen Victoria's royal monogram and a silver bloomer charm to each pattern. Charland gave French Husband a silver bloomer charm for his heroic effort of locating Denise's panties by the river. I thought to myself I am married to,
"Prince Panty Finder!"
When I looked up Queen Victoria's Knickers online... I saw that a pair had sold yesterday for £6,200!! I tell you blogging/internet is amazing. I never knew about, nor cared about Queen Victoria's knickers until yesterday. Gee Yann, gee Denise maybe you two should be looking for the real deal and not just a pair of black panties down by the river. Maybe if I keep telling this story Denise's panties wlll be worth something?
Photo Source Queen Victoria's Bloomers
Photo Source via:
With a 50-inch waist and an impressive 66 inch bust, Britain's longest-reigning monarch's underwear are embroidered with a small crown and the initials VR, and also have a number to ensure they could be kept track of when sent to the laundry.
Vanessa Savage, a textiles expert at Hanson's Auctioneers said that Victoria's knickers are extremely plain and "made of a soft, fine cotton and sewn by hand, with fine attention to stitchwork, and the minute sewing would have taken days."
Hugs all around, good laughter, a bit of history at the French brocante.
Photo source and more...
"The monogram on a pair of Queen Victoria’s drawers. Each of her undergarments were embroidered with her royal cypher ‘VR’ - Victoria Regina and a catalog number. They also reveal that at the time of her death she had a 50 inch waist. As her height was 4 foot 7 inches this would make her almost as wide as she was tall."
Photo source, Charland's needlepoint design an bloomer charm.
Hum.
Pretty nice.
and the story continues I am sure of it.
P.S.
xx Happy 79th Birthday dear loving ultra creative Mom!! xx