No words........

just a pretty photograph....a memory to share....

a moment to just slow down, to savour, and enjoy!

I still have a few things to share and post.......so I will not wait until the new year begins......

I am back.  

Today is the last day of fall...........my goodness, it seems like it did

not last long enough!  Tomorrow winter starts.........

I agree with Edith Sitwell's words............

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” 

Although the days here are still warm and pleasant, 

I still enjoy the colder days that will soon come.

It is a time to find my needle and to stitch the day away.

How about you?

How do you spend your cold winter days?

Do you have fun outside in the snow?

Do you sit beside a cozy fire and read?

I would love to hear!

Until I Return Next Year........

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;

The spirit of Christmas which is peace;

The heart of Christmas which is love.

Ada V. Hendricks

Wishing you a very merry Christmas!

There is just something about a piece of string

that can be pulled, twisted, and tied, with colors so captivating.....

and then, can be turned into something so beautiful.  

I rarely purchase patterns, but when I saw  this 

crocheted granny square cardigan pattern, 

I just had to purchase it!  I love crocheting granny squares, 

using up the bits of leftover yarn from other projects. 

(for those of you who want to know,

it can be found at Maggie's Crochet.com) 

This is not the weight or type of yarn the pattern calls for, 

however, I have so much  left over from making crocheted scarves and throws,

that I wanted to find something else to crochet with it.  

Such beautiful variegated colors with names like "meadow/prairie"

"winery " , "echo" and "parrot". I also love the feel

of the yarn.  

So I am being careful and making sure the granny square measures the 

right size when I finish.  And there are quite a lot  of squares to crochet!

And it may wind up looking pretty primitive and goofy,

so I may not be seen wearing it in town.........

however, my chickens, cat and dog accept my primitive

and goofy look, so I will wear it here on the farm..........

when I finally finish crocheting it. 

December is here, along with it's chilly days........

perfect for staying in, using the imagination, 

and keeping the hands busy creating! 

Don't you think?

I love  Minna Thomas Antrim's thoughts about chilly nights...........

Brew me a cup for a winter’s night.

For the wind howls loud, and the furies fight;

Spice it with love and stir it with care,

And I’ll toast your bright eyes, my sweetheart fair.

Minna Thomas Antrim, "A Night Cap," A Book of Toasts, 1902

So tell me, what are you creating these days?

I would love to hear!

Thanksgiving day is upon us..........

I think the words attributed by Jacqueline Winspear

says it all so wonderfully.............

"Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live. "

 Jacqueline Winspear

Wishing you a wonderfully grace filled and blessed Thanksgiving!

November comes And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

With night coming early,

And dawn coming late,

And ice in the bucket

And frost by the gate.

The fires burn

And the kettles sing,

And earth sinks to rest

Until next spring.

Elizabeth Coatsworth (1893–1986)

 I love these lovely, pleasant November days! My husband,  Sophie dog, and Taboo kitty and I love to take leisurely afternoon walks.   I have been able to start having sales in my 

vintage shop........the shop is now not too hot and not too cold.

I spend my days working with my handmades while waiting on visitors.

I finally managed to learn how to make Japanese Temari balls. I saw a photo of these kinds of pretty

balls of thread a few years ago........ordered a couple of books to learn how........and just now

got around to learning!  

 With the holidays fast approaching, my thoughts turn to the food I that want to prepare for our usual gatherings.  I always try to find something that is pretty and tasteful.  This year.....I am keeping it simple with the foods everyone loves..........but I am making at least one decorative pie.  I made this one cherry pie the other day and was very happy at how cheery it looks!  

I have also started painting my Mrs. Butterworth's bottles again and this time 

hand crocheting dishcloths in matching colors for each bottle.

I was thinking these would be cute to put dish soap in........what do you think?

Has your weather turned more pleasant at this time of year?

What are your favorite foods for Thanksgiving?  

Do you decorate early for Christmas.......or do you keep a fall them till after Thanksgiving?

Are you working on hand crafts at this time of year?

I would love to hear!  

A few weeks back, I showed you a table runner

I have started embroidery work on..........after years of it

being stored away.

There is a large cornucopia on both ends. I decided to embroider

both ends at the same time so that I would get them finished

and out of the way.  

There are 2 fruit clusters on each side

The table runner is a very good large size..........

enough to cover a good length of the table.......

and now, the embroidery work has been finished on it.

I still need to finish embroidering the napkins...which won't take 

me long.  Although I do plan to use this set on our 

Thanksgiving table............

it looks lovely used along with the plates with a fruit pattern 

and with dishware in different shades of green.

I have another idea for this runner............

but that will be way down the road. 

So, for now, it will be enjoyed as it is.

Tell me..........

do you have certain linens that you like to use for 

your holiday table?  I would love to hear!

In my vintage shop............I have a vintage table

I love to set it ,at different times, with 

a different tablecloth

a mix of vintage plates, serving pieces, 

and vintage glassware and teacups

Each vintage piece just seems to always fit in

 

 The old table comes to life in it's own vintage way

Lovely vintage serving bowls also add charm

Sometimes, I hand embroider coasters and napkins, 

and sometimes, I use a set of vintage napkins

An inviting table for family and guests

If I don't have enough place mats, I often use vintage 

embroidered dresser runners, folded to serve as such

Sometimes, I set complete sets of dishware 

for  a lovely farmhouse look

 Take time enough for your meals, and eat them in company whenever you can. 

There is no need for hurry in life—least of all when we are eating. 

Edward Everett Hale, "How to Get the Best of It," c.1892

I fell in love with this 1930s garden scene linen

that someone had started embroidery work on. I purchased 

a junk box of old linens, and this was inside. 

It was heavily stained

and I set about soaking it...........two times, yet 

the stains were still very noticeable.  I thought about

soaking it once again for a long term, but noticed

that the embroidery transfer was also fading and I did '

not want to lose the embroidery lines. 

So I retraced over all of the transfer design with a very fine

tip micron  pen, after that,

I lightly tinted the whole design , covering much of the stains.

Some of the embroidery work was also very loose and 

worn

and some of the design I did not like the choice of embroidery stitch,

So, some of the embroidery stitching I let stay, because it really is pretty.

For the frayed stitching, I removed and will work other embroidery over it.

I will show you different sections as I work on this piece over the next few weeks......months?

Such as the photoed section  above. I decided to work on this upper corner first.

  The black lattice was very frayed and 

I dd not like the turquoise roses   

I decided to work red bullion roses with a green spray of leaves

and  the pine shrub in the back 

I chose to work in a darker green

Along with this work I am also working on this set

that I received as a present many,many years ago.

I never seemed to "get around" to start embroidery work

with it.  I want so to have this completed by Halloween

or Thanksgiving

The only hurdle........this is how the chart is........sigh

The company double printed it.

Have any of you ever had this problem with a chart? 

and it is a struggle to read.  I had once emailed the company to see

if they could replace the chart for me......but they said it was 

out of print. However, I have a great sewing light and good

sewing glasses

and the embroidery is coming along well. 

I am embroidering both ends of the table runner at 

the same time. The reason??........

If I have a large design such as this on both ends of a table 

runner, I tend to tire after I have finished the first end and 

take a long time getting to work on the other. This way , I 

will have both ends finished at the same time!

Do you ever do that??

Now I just have to keep working at it to get it all done.........

as long as I prevent myself from getting bit by a rattlesnake.

You can read about what almost happened to me yesterday morning

on my country blog at this link

Eggs In My Pocket

How about you?  Are you working on something 

to decorate with for the holidays? 

I would love to hear!

The last mason jar on the back of my shirt has been finished

if you have not read about this in my other post, you 

can click onto this link  Mason Jar Shirt

 about the beginning 

of the work on this shirt

This jar had small flowers that remind me of wild roses, 

mixed with berries to go with the berry jam

and a couple stalks of wheat

The first jar has Queen Ann's Lace

The second jar has forget me nots and poppies

here are the jars when I first tinted the design

and here they are, all embroidered 

I now need to embroider the upper back, the sleeves, and the front..

I have many hours of stitching ahead.

Still not sure if I will wear this when I go to town or 

if I will just enjoy wearing it at home in my gardens.

So tell me

what are you busy creating?

I would love to hear!