Happy Valentines Day!

 

Who, being loved, is poor? 

Oscar Wilde

Wishing you a day of love and laughter

Along comes February

 

When February sun shines cold

There comes a day when in the air

The wings of winter slow unfold

And show the golden summer there.

~Philip Henry Savage (1868–1899)

Hello everyone........here's wishing you are having pleasant February days and 

if the cold is keeping you inside, may you have plenty to keep your hands busy

 creating.  The panel above, I tinted and then hand embroidered. The flowers for 

February in this piece are violets and primrose.

I am embroidering flowers of the month panels to place onto this room

divider.......or maybe it is a photo display?  I found this at a "junk shop"

several years ago and have been deciding on what I want to embroider for 

each section.  Which is why I decided on the flowers of the month panels.

As  you can see, I did not measure the January panel properly

and I did not want to embroider the piece again. I will dress it up

after I get the other panels embroidered.

The February days here have been an alternating run 

of ice, rain, and lovely sunny days.

So on the days I stay inside, I have a full basket of things waiting 

for me to work on. 

I have been wanting to do some ribbon embroidery,

so I tinted and hand embroidered this first,

and then worked my ribbon embroidery to embellish it.

I found this lovely illustration a good while back on the internet,

I am sorry I do not know who drew it, but I have always had

an idea in my head to embroider it.........tracing it off onto 

fabric was a bit time consuming,

I tinted just a bit of the design and let the embroidery

floss bring  the rest to life.   

And now,  I have turned my attention and my needle to cross stitch

a design that has been waiting in my stash for about 30 years.

This is Teresa Wentzler's design,  Peacock Tapestry. 

I started it last year, but, as always, I got myself sidetracked........

but now have decided to devote any free time I have to stitch

on this piece until I get it finished. So this may be all you see or hear about

from me over the next few weeks........months?

I am truly enjoying working on it and am excited about one

day being finished with it. 

So tell me, what are you keeping your hands busy with?

Cross stitch, quilting, painting........maybe gardening?

I would love to hear!

Along Comes Jaunuary

 

" Winter does her own pruning. And I think that, as the new year begins, 

I might well do some pruning in my own life, keeping the essentials, the real values, 

and letting go the part that is no longer contributing to the growing time of my 

spirit."

                    Gladys Taber

Christmas day is almost here...........

and in just a few short days after that, this year will be

at it's end.

 Another year will greet us with  new things to stitch,

new craft techniques to learn, and new projects finished.

At this moment.......much of us throughout our country, are

weathering extreme cold days and nights.

Here's wishing you warmth and comfort , 

with plenty of great things to stitch as the cold wind blows the hours away. 

Stay safe and warm

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

A little paint....a bit of floss....and a sweatshirt

 

The November days are growing chilly......and I wanted to make

for myself a comfortable sweater.  Thinking upon a design for the sweater, 

I only had to turn to the beauty of nature at this time of year...........

leaves.

I love to make sweaters from sweatshirts.  I usually stencil

paint a design onto the sweatshirt, but this time, 

I used a hot iron transfer and hand painted the 

leaves and design

then I embroidered the design

The paint ran in a few spots....but in time it will eventually 

fade with the laundering.

I made the design to run along the neckline and down just 

a bit on one front half, 

and on one lower half of one sleeve,

and I finished the front edges with a buttonhole stitch hem.

It turned out vibrant and pretty.

It is comfortable to wear.........not too hot and heavy

and warm enough against the chill.

So tell me.......what are you in the process of creating?

Here's wishing you lovely autumn days ahead with

a wonderful Thanksgiving full of 

memorable moments.

 

Finding Time

 The house is clean and tidy, the laundry is dry and folded, the floors are mopped and clean, dinner has been fixed and dishes are done, and the gardens outside have been tended to.

I still have a little bit of time left to create........one thing or another.  And I do mean.........."a little bit of time".   When I happen to show the things I have made, to others, ......

it is a misconception when they comment that they envy all of the time I have to stitch, crochet, or create.......and they wish they had the same free time............

I am sure if you have creative hands.....and a household to run.......or a job to run to......as you read this.......you know exactly what I mean by misconception.  

For many of us, the creative things that we finally do get finished have actually taken us either a few days.......a few weeks........and sometimes.....a few months.....by carving out 30 minutes of a day....sometimes less.....

and when that one project is finished, we are joyful.  For me......this long process......or journey, as I like to call it.......is enjoyable as I slowly edge my way towards completion.  If I could crank everything out as quick as a factory, I am sure the piece would not mean as much to me. 

There is something that gives me contentment about the tiny moments, stolen away, working with color and design.......and then seeing the whole process turn into what I imagined it to look like.  

It doesn't matter........whether it's an hour or just a few moments......finding the time to create something is my "escape from the maddening world"....it's what gives me joy!

So how about you?  Maybe you are busy with your home and family?........perhaps you have long hours at your work?.......maybe that little slice of time is always elusive......

I encourage you........as hard as it may be........find those few stolen moments .........pick up a needle, a hook, or a paint brush........give yourself some joy.............make yourself some time to create!