Day 327 & 329- Caterina's Gifts

It was on 21st May 2011, yes, you read that right, 2011, that Caterina wrote me about a swap.  Thankfully for me, Caterina was quite specific with what she would like; I loved her books and shoes and she liked my rusty suitcase and woven basket. So I readily agreed after ample warnings that  I would be taking my time with the swap. Those were my pre-suitcase garden days. 

Almost a year later on 17th April 2012, I received Caterina's little packages whilst my rusty garden for her and the basket were still lying around in my home, waiting for me to be sure. I will explain why later. Anyhow, I didn't immediately opened her parcels and it nearly cost me dearly. Let me also leave that gory detail to the end because I want to just show you the treasures I nearly lost.

  Gifts for Maharaja

For the Maharaja, Caterina made a pair of golden slippers out of precious silk, a set of bowl and jug also in gold and a toy elephant with emerald eyes. Can you see that there was also a pretty anklet made with little gold balls on one of the elephant's feet? Just like my tattooed anklet. Intentional or not, details like this warmed my heart.

Here are the books I love. The one on the left is titled The Court and Camp of Runjeet Singh which Caterina meant for the palace, whilst Aladdin, or The Wonderful Lamp was for Maya. Caterina sent me a note about these books.

The Court and Camp of Runjeet [sic] Singh was a book written by Lord WG Osborne to chronicle events of Punjab from 19 May -13 July 1838 and his impressions of  Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

The book contains a vivid account of the person and character of Ranjit Singh, his habits and idiosyncrasies, and his virtues and foibles. The Maharaja was, observes Osborne, one of that order of men who seemed destined by nature to win their way to distinction and achieve greatness. Cool and calculating by nature, the Maharaja kept a just proportion between his efforts and objectives. Unable to read and write, he was amply compensated for this deficiency by an accurate and retentive memory, an extraordinarily agile mind and fertile imagination.

By sheer force of mind, personal energy and courage, he created a powerful nation...

The book was also said  to be illustrated with sixteen beautiful lithographic portraitures drawn by the author himself. All 16 of them were reproduced by Caterina in this teeny version. I know because I counted. This is exactly the kind of book I will love to read and own.  

Ranjit Singh, ladies and gentlemen, courtesy of Caterina, just in case you want a picture of him in your dolls' wallet.

Aladdin, or The Wonderful Lamp was an 1872 edition containing 16 illustrations by Felix O.C.Darley, or F.O.C. Darley, a self taught artist who was later hailed as the most accomplished and prolific American illustrator before the centennial. Darling Caterina had faithfully reproduced this book in 1:12 and I have just spent the last half hour speed reading it online and loving it.

In this edition, the story was set in ancient China or Cathay but the main characters have Arabian names like Fatima or Mustapha who was Aladdin's father. The genie was from Africa and there was a princess with a french sounding name called Badroul Boudour ala Brigitte Bardot.Whoever they were or wherever they were from, as far as Mr Darley was concerned, they all had Chinese faces and almond eyes and the men wore pigtails, even the African Genii. Some people may be irritated with the inaccuracies but I find these anomalies gems and totally identify with the characters. A stroke of genius on Caterina's part to have found  this particular edition, she, who love my almond eyes. For those of you who wondered, yes, I can still see even when I smile so widely my eyes narrowed into a line.

Much as I love those books, my favourite has to be these slippers that Caterina made for Maya. Poor Maya never saw these slippers though because they were hijacked quite quickly.

Look, he protested, Caterina made everyone else presents, the bar of soap for Papa, perfume for Mama, and Aladdin for Maya. Surely, those slippers were meant for me.

True enough, they fit him like the glass ones for Cinderella and since that day, he never allowed them too far from his sight, even in his sleep. 

Caterina, you have made a bunch of people really happy, so

Papa and Mama Rolla thank you.

Maya thanks you.

And OM says he loves you 

and 

here's a 1001 kisses 

for your sweet Arabian Nights.

On Sunday, I went to the box I brought back from Europe to take out my goodies and found the box half eaten by termites, I nearly went crazy because amongst some precious items I bought from my recent travels were the packages from Caterina. Packages I didn't want to open until I could photograph them. Luckily for me, only the envelop containing her gifts were destroyed. I love my home but really hate these termites. The last time termites attacked was when they tried to eat up my Farmhouse Jr dollhouse, now the tribal house for my Rollas. I shudder even now thinking about how close it was that Caterina's treasures  could have been food to the white ants.

I will sleep now and hope to dream of 1001 ways to kill termites. Good Arabian Night, everyone!