Vintage Tablecloth: Kate Greenaway, Chelsea Rose

The rich coral color of this cloth was what originally drew me to it.  I was delighted to find it still had it’s tag, and that it’s another in the Kate Greenaway series printed by Leacock Prints to commemorate her 100th birthday.


The pattern is called Chelsea Rose, and is a design of flowers and ribbons woven together to create an intricate garland around the cloth.




There are a couple of faded spots along a fold line, but they are difficult to see and don’t detract from the overall beauty of the piece.


This piece measures 52 by 52 inches, a size I quite like.  I also like the wide cream colored borders around the outer edge.  This is a lovely pattern, one I have not seen much.

Growth Chart

I’m wearing mostly khaki pants lately.  I’ve learned they blend best with this stage:


This is the face of a baby with a runny nose.


It’s the face of a baby who wants to run around outside with all the big kids, get her hands and face in the dirt, and feed herself a snack like the rest of them.

And it’s the face of a baby who runs to my legs and wipes her face across them at least 50 times a day, usually clutching them behind my knees with dirty fingers.


I get dressed every morning hoping that my pants will make it for an hour or two, at least.  I try, really I do.  But soon they’re broken in and I give up the fight.  After all, I do love having her run to me like this.

I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that the dirty spots are slowly getting higher, traveling up my legs to where I notice them sooner.  And it dawned on me:

I am a walking growth chart.



The thought made me laugh.  I’ve thought of many additional titles a mother can claim.  You know the standard list:  taxi driver, maid, cook, etc.  I’d never thought of “walking growth chart” before, but it fits.  And I know all too well that it will end.  I have many years of clean pants ahead of me.

So I claim it joyfully.  Three cheers for dirty pants!

Hopeful Homemaker

Vintage Tablecloth: Kate Greenaway, Somerset pattern

Next in my small collection of Kate Greenaway tablecloths by Leacock Prints is this small bridge cloth.


Named “Somerset”, it features a farmhouse on each corner, partially hidden from view by the trees.


Printed on spun rayon/cotton cloth, it measures 32 by 37 inches.  It’s small size makes it a nice piece for the center of a table.  This five piece set has survived intact, with all four napkins in pristine condition.


As always, I love the beautiful blue in this cloth.

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