The Queen's Corsets!

 I have been watching Kirstie Allsopp's latest programme Christmas Craft Programmes.I really shouldn't - she just winds me up, and I rant at the TV - and fail to find any ideas which succeed in being manageable, affordable, original and workable-with-children.

 "I was being crafty and thrifty before she was born" I mutter. This week, more evidence of the amazing thriftiness and creativity in my family - Back in 1977, when I was young and carefree single, there was an OAP Residential Home at the end of my road. I used to visit the tenants, and we did a Sunday Service once a month in the lounge for them. I helped the warden decorate their lounge for Christmas. She had huge strips of coloured acetate and she made massive chains to festoon the large room. "My husband works for BBC, and this is lighting gel they were throwing out" she said. After Christmas, when we took it all down together, she gave it all to me, hoping I could make use of it. 
There were over a hundred strips of the gel, in loads of different colours. Down the years we have used them for all sorts of projects. This week, Bob has been up into the loft and selected a few strips - this time for their original purpose - he is going to put filters on the uplighters at church for tomorrow night's candlelight carols. Without the lights, it really will be Stygian Gloom, but with some tastefully shaded jewel-like illumination, the newly painted ceiling should look amazing!

But you are wondering about the royal underpinnings, aren't you? I am clearly not the only thrifty woman in Ferndown. I picked up a stocking filler in the Trussell Trust Shop this week, and the lady said "I've got a bit of tissue, I will wrap it up for you" And produced this sheet from under the counter "Ooh! The Queen's Corsets!" I exclaimed. I showed her the gold lettering on the paper, and explained that Rigby and Peller are a very old company in London, and hold the Royal Warrant as the Queen's Corsetieres. The CS assistant, who saved the tissue is clearly thrifty, but I do wonder about the sort of woman who can spend hundreds of pounds on a bra! I may use this fancy paper to line my knicker drawer, even though its humble contents are from M&S.