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Friday, October 31, 2008

'Round About the Cauldron go... Double, Double... Toil and Trouble...


Fire burn and cauldron bubble...


Double, double, toil and trouble Fire burn and cauldron bubble Double, double, toil and trouble Something wicked this way comes.

Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing.




Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Double, double, toil and trouble
Something wicked this way comes.


In the cauldron boil and bake,
Fillet of a fenny snake,
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches' mummy, maw and gulf.





Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Double, double, toil and trouble Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Double, double, toil and trouble Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Something wicked this way comes.
~The Bard~


My dear friends... Is it really the end of October already??? I do believe someone's cast a loss of time spell on me as I don't know where on Earth it has gone... It's simply vanished into thin air... I had to go back to work this week and I'm feeling better... methinks the black frogs are fading away somewhat and for that I am grateful... Here's hoping they will stay in the dark corner into which I've banished them... :-) As long as it's naught save their eyes I feel upon me and not their dark shroud... I will KBO... ;-)

Mr Darcy is settling in nice and comfy and oh, so cozy in his new home and he's just the sweetest wee companion... Just the wee soul I needed to bring me sunshine and cheer... Gandalf and Shelley are slowly accepting him into the family, and for that I am thankful!
On a Stitchy note... I've made a wee bit of progress on a couple of stitchy WIP's whilst still watching Pride & Prejudice... It's become my stitching film of late and a constant source of inspiration and hope... Oh, and one of my WIP's is a new start! Oh, Horrors, not another one! ;-)

And oh, happy day!!! I have a very special, much beloved giftie to share with you all... Oh, was I ever surpried to find the sweet and thoughtful gift from Sally's oh, so talented needle... Thank you ever so much my dear, friend... I love the pinkeep you stitched for me and it shall ever be a much beloved and cherished gift... :-)


The Prairie Schooler...
A Friend is a Gift...
Treasured and Beautiful pinkeep from Sally...
Thank you ever so kindly, dear Sally...
I will cherish it always...


The Back of my Lovely Pinkeep from Sally...


The beautiful PS Pinkeep Sally stitched for me...
displayed in basket of special stitched lovelies from friends...


And for good measure.. a close up of my basket of stitched gifties...
A Friend is a Gift by The Prairie Schooler...
a lovely and cherished pinkeep
from my own StitchyAngel Sally...
And yes, if you look closely
you will see a much beloved gift from the needle of
none other than the ever talented Harmien... ;-)


And Two Shall Be As One by Lizzie*Kate...
Stitched on Vintage Mocha Cashel Linen...
With GAST threads...
Accompanied by the adorable Mr Darcy...


Hallows Eve by Stacy Nash Primitives...
Stitched on R & R Iced Cappuccino Cashel Linen...
With DMC threads...
Accompanied by the darlin' Mr Darcy...


Hallows Eve by Stacy Nash Primitives...
The beginning...
Wee Witch pendant from
and my dear Mr Darcy...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow...



"What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted specter, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scouring!"
~Washington Irving... a quote from "The Legend of Sleep Hollow"...



Wishing you all a Happy Hallows Eve, my dear friends... And thank you all ever so kindly for your continued visits and comments... akin to the full moon on a cold, Autumn night... they light my path and warm my heart...


"From Ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night... good Lord deliver us..."


Blessings and Love in Stitches...

Lizzy


I am thankful for precious moments... Hallows Eve... blessed friends and stitched gifts... Mr Darcy~ both of them... and ever still Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice which continues to give me Hope for tomorrow...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Black Frogs Are Upon Me...

Or at least they were... I do believe I've managed to throw them off my trail for the time being... And as Churchill would say... I'm going to KBO... For Churchill it was black dogs... however, stitcher and crafter that I am... it's black frogs for me! ;-)



I can't believe October has nearly come and gone... Time is flying by on a broom with transwarp drive to be sure... and it's leaving me stranded at the docking bay... ;-)


My Cardiologist took me out of work last week and this week... soooo I've been stitching and watching films and reading... and trying to catch up with my blog visiting and emails... I keep telling myself I should have accomplished more... alas I find myself puttering and pondering and wandering hither and yon... and all in all it seems to add up to much ado about nothing... ;-)


I've joined a few blogs whilst I've been on leave... For marvelous stitchy Inspiration I was fortunate enough to be granted membership in BeckySC's new blog... Let's Stitch... And it's certainly proving to be wonderfully Inspiring... so many talented stitchers and so much lovely handwork to admire and inspire... And Becky has all manner of stitchy incentives that is sure to entice even the most stubborn of stitching mojos to come out of hiding... I really don't know where she finds the time to organise and oversee so many wonderful stitchy groups, not to menion all the lovely handwork she creates... Ah... to be so talented!!! I could certainly take a leaf out of her book when it comes to organisation and sewing and crafting skills... I am determined to teach myself how to sew and make all these wonderful creations... I'm hoping for a sewing machine for Christmas... {If you see Santa do whisper a hint in his ear if you please...} Anyway, hop on your brooms and fly on over and have a gander... I know you will be inspired! :-)

My stitching Muse has been whispering ever so fervently in my ear of late... Thus, I also took the plunge and finally joined Vonna's wonderful, wonderful blog, Me, Myself and I Neighbourhood Round Robins 2 ... Oh, and I am sooo excited about this!!! I fell in love with Neighbourhood Round Robins when all the buzz surrounding The Original Dijon Neighbourhood RR was flitting around the stitching community and I have long since thought of stitching my own Neighbourhood... then I could stitch along at my own leisurely pace... ;-) Alas, I just never got around to tackling such an endeavour... Now, I have no excuses... Save the *minor* one of making a decison on my theme and choosing the designs... Minor? Have I finally lost what wee bit of sense I had left??? Have I gone completely daft??? Achk??? HELP???

I am most certainly at a lost when it comes to the blueprint layout of my Neighbourhood, and I've been pondering long and hard... Yes, I am completley and utterly dazed and confused at this point... ;-) Anyway, I'm seriously thinking of sitting down with a stitcher's yard of Vintage Examplar by Lakeside Linens and begin stitching in the upper left corner... leaving room for some sort of boder of course, be it flowers, leaves, vines or whatnot... and naturally I'd have my chosen designs and houses, gardens, critters, et cetera on hand and just let the design flow... and as I stitch, the neighbourhood will unfold as it may... Hmmmm... I wonder? Can you tell I am NOT an organised woman? ;-) As for my theme... Now, that's the difficult part as I cannot seem to make up my mind... Much akin to a buzzing bee amongst a garden overflowing with flowers I keep buzzing about from one idea to the next... I'm at a complete loss! There are so many I'd love to stitch... Country Folk Art Village ~ Jane Austen Village ~ Seaside Village ~ English Village ~ Prairie Schooler Autumn Village ~ Prairie Schooler Christmas Village ~ Halloween Village ~ and a Fantasy / Mediaeval Village... Ah, Decisions, Decisions... I am going to have to make up my feeble mind soon and save the rest for another time... And I do declare, I just don't know if I can settle on one theme... Any words of wisdom from you my dear stitchers on designing... And thoughts and ideas on a theme for my Neighbourhood would be ever so kindly and greatly appreciated! :-)

In anticipation of Neighbourhood stitching and a wee bit of inspiration and eye candy for you... Here's a stitched wonder to behold... I had been following Isa's progress on her Prairie Schooler Autumn Neighbourhood for a while now as she's in the Prairie Schooler Fans Yahoo stitching group and lo and behold... she finished it not too long ago... Absolutely, positively stunning!!!

The link doesn't seem to be working just now...
Nonetheless, I would not want topost the photo
and not give the stitcher credit...
Isn't it Gorgeous? I could look at it for hours... :-)


And of course I just can't resist a wee bit more *Inspiration*... ;-) This is one of my faves... It's absolutely Stunning!!! Just Gorgeous! Oh, and does anyone know who the Designer is for the house and tree et cetera in the bottom left corner... it looks like a Prairie Schooler Tree and Critters... but I don't know... And I love the border... and I've long thought I'd love to use it on my own NRR some day... I thought it was from Millennium Sampler by Ewe & Eye & Friends, thus I've been trying to find a copy for ages on eBay... And... a couple of weeks ago, Fate was kind and I now have my own *precious* ... ;-)

This is Deborah's NRR...


I also joined Hazel's blog... the eagerly anticipated Needleprint Beatrix Potter's Quaker Sampler SAL ... I have had the chart since last year and what more wonderful inspiration do I need to begin this beautiful design than a lovely group of stitchers peacefully stitching along with Beatrix together... I'll most likely go with Vintage Examplar and some muted Autumn coloured silks... just haven't decided which ones as yet! Imagine that? ;-)

Needleprint's Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler...


Oh, and my goodness... for stitching fun year 'round... and because I just love stitching Seasonal pieces... I joined Nicki's wonderfully inspiring blog... Seasonal Stitch-a-Long... I have been itching to stitch something Halloweeny and Autumny and just haven't had the time with the wedding gifts I am stitching... However, this is just the inspiration and incentive I need... who can resist? I do feel the need for a wee bit of *me stitching* time...

Monday was my eldest son Elisha's birthday... he is 28 now and I just can't believe it... He, Jamie, Brandy and Nick all came over for his Birthday dinner Monday night... Alas, my camera batteries died and I just couldn't get my charger to work... {you might know that it started working after they left...} Anyway, I did manage to get one photo before my batteries died on me... silly me did not even think of using my Blackberry... I could have at least taken a few more photos... Well, Jamie had his digital camera and he took lots of photos and two hilarious videos and we're going to download them on my PC ... So... I'll have some memorable photos!

Jamie, Brandy and Elisha...
Elisha's Birthday... 20th October...


Oh, dear but I'm rambling yet again... one of our incentives this week over at Let's Stitch was to post a photo of just one of our favourite stitched finishes and tell a wee something about it... Why it is our favourite, when we stitched it... memories surrouding it, et cetera... Of course, you all know how I am when it comes to decisions... Thus in pondering which piece I would choose and how on Earth I would ever decide... I was drawn to the very first piece I ever stitched... It's a wee boy in patchwork overalls pulling a toy train and he looks just like Elisha... I stitched it while I was expecting him in 1980, thus this piece will always be near and dear to my heart... and with it being Elisha's birthday this week, I thought it was the perfect choice!

Wee boy pulling train...
Designer unknown...
My first stitched piece...
Stitched for my eldest son, Elisha in 1980...


Oh, and I have a new family member in my home... It is with immense pleasure I introduce... drum roll please... ahemm... Are you ready???


Ooops... Whatever was I thinking???
This is the wrong Mr Darcy! ;-)


Thus... without further ado...

Lizzy and Mr Darcy...
I just couldn't resist... ;-)
For the real Lizzy and Mr Darcy
from Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice...
see my side-bar...


As for my current WIP's... I have a few photos to share with you tonight... Here's my progress on Lizzie*Kate's... And Two Shall Be As One... I'm stitching it for my dear daughter, Brandy, who just got married back in June... It's going to be one of her Christmas presents and I hope to be finished soon... and if it weren't for those dreaded black frogs... I'd be finished already... I do declare, but I've stitched almost all of what I have stitched now twice, and some of it three times...

And Two Shall Be As One by Lizzie*Kate...
Stitched on Vintage Mocha Cashel Linen...
With Gentle Arts Sampler Threads...
Wee Mr Darcy just loves to help me stitch and take photos... ;-)

Spring Has Come by The Prairie Schooler ...
Stitched on R & R Cashel Creme Brulee...
With Crescent Colour Conversions
by Theresa at Shakespeare's Peddler
And my Angel, Shelley...

Spring Has Come by The Prairie Schooler...


The Wedding by Lavender and Lace
Stitched on Vintage Examplar by Lakeside Linens
with recommended threads...
for my dear daughter, Brandy...

The Wedding by Lavender & Lace...
I really need some encouragement
with this one, dear Ladies...

Thank you all ever so kindly for your continued visits and lovely words of inspiration and encouragement... akin to honey to the bee... they are sweet nectar to my Soul...


Blessings and love in stitches...

Lizzy


I am thankful for precious moments... Mr Darcy... Pride & Prejudice... Stitching... Lovely Autumn days and kind and thoughtful stitching friends...

Monday, September 22, 2008

Peeking out of my pumpkin shell...

Blessed Autumn Equinox my dear friends... It's been a long, long while I know and I hope you all are well and happily stitching... I wanted to peek out of my pumpkin shell and let you all know I am feeling better and I hope to be blogging a lot more often...


Thank you so much to all of you who have thought of me and sent me messages, emails and kind and loving thoughts... Though I may not have always answered right away... your thoughtfulness was ever a balm to my wounded heart and soul and I know that hearts and souls as special as yours shall ever be blessed with a bountiful Harvest...

I have a few stitching finishes... a few WIPs... as well as a few other pics to share... My dear daughter, Brandy married her Soulmate on the 14th of June... It was a fairytale wedding and she was a Beautiful Bride...

Oh, lets see... I did move into my new home back in March and I'm still settling in so to speak... Living alone is quite an adjustment for me... well, not entirely alone as Gandalf the Grey and Shelley, my beloved cats are such wonderful companions... I'd truly be lost without their love and companionship... and they seem to be settling in beautifully...

So without further ado... I'll let my photos speak for me tonight... There are too many to post in one post... so I'll post a few along here and there...


Heartfelt Friends RR...
Lesley's RR finished in April 2008...
I stitched designs or fragments of designs by...


Heartfelt Friends RR
Designs by Little House Needleworks
and Country Cottage Needleworks
Finished April 2008

A close up...
I did add the chimney's to the house...
It's Winter and I thought the folks needed a warm fire... ;-)

Sunflower by Pine Mountain Designs ...
Stitched for my DD Brandy's
Birthday in March 2008...

Heartfelt Friends RR...
Donna's RR finished in August 2008...
I stitched designs or fragments of designs by...

Heartfelt Friends RR...
Designs by Little House Needleworks...
and Country Cottage Needleworks...
Finished in August 2008...

A close up...
Donna's linen is such a lovely, warm yellow...
I just couldn't get the light right
and the photos don't do it justice...

By the Sea...
This is one of my favourite finishes...
I love Lighthouses and the Sea and Jane Austen...
and I Love this design...
Thanks Tanya...

By the Sea...
Stitched on Cashel Dark Cappuccino by R & R
with GAST and WDW threads...
Finished 22 August 2008...


By the Sea...
A close up...
I'm going to use the Lighthouse fabric
in the photo above and make a wee pillow to hang
on my bathroom door as my bathroom is decorated with a Sea theme...


Brandy and Nick...
One of my favourite photos
from their engagement pictures...
19 April 2008

Brandy and me...
at her Bride's Maid Luncheon
7 June 2008...


Thank you again, my dear friends, who have kept me in your thougths and prayers... I will always remember your thoughtfulness... and thank you all for continuing to visit my blog despite my long absence, your kind thoughts and wishes are ever an inspiration...

Blessings and Love in Stitches...


I am thankful for precious moments... soul mates... daughters and sons... fairy tale weddings... friends and stitching... and sunshine through the clouds...

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

There and Back Again... A heart's journey...

It's been a long while... and I am sorry I have been so quiet for such a long time. I started several posts over the last few months... alas, I just didn't have the heart or the energy to finish them... I have been unwell in heart, spirit and body for quite a long while... Aside from the Fibro that at times is ever my constant companion, so much has happened... suffice it to say my heart's journey has been wrought with many trials and tribulations of late and it seems to be catching up with me physically as well as emotionally... I was in Hospital the first week of February and they still do not know what is wrong with me... I passed out here at home and seem to have had some sort of seizure or something... who knows??? My anaemia is much worse and my blood pressure is lower than usual.. it's running an average of 90/50-60 and has been as low as 78/52... So, I don't know what is going on and no one else seems to have any idea either. I have made an appointment with another Doctor and will be collecting my chart from my Hospital stay and all the tests et cetera over the last few months and changing Doctors as I seem to have no satisfaction from my present Dr. Altogether over the last few months I've missed about two months of work... Aside from the health issues... the emotional turmoil has been, at times, more than I can withstand... I've moved there and back again and will find myself moving again in the next couple of weeks... Hopefully, I'll find peace in my new flat and can make it my *home*... Who knows, perhaps my ailments are naught save the lingering affects of the remnants of a broken heart...

On a lighter note... I have a few stitching finishes to share... Yes, Oops don't fall out of your chairs, I finished My Needle and My Floss, They Comfort Me by Waxing Moon Designs ... aka *The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern* For those of you unfamiliar with the tale... follow the link to my previous post about this wonderful design... Anyway, I finished stitching My Needle and My Floss back in October, on Halloween to be exact... and once again I am so sorry to have been so terribly slack about my posting... Well, rather than fool around and waste more time I have already drawn the name of the next *Sister* from the names of everyone who expressed a wish to be the next stitcher... I had originally planned on drawing the next *Sister's* name out of my Witch's Hat on Halloween, alas, All Hallow's Eve has long since passed... thus in honour of Valentine's Day and this special pattern and everything it meant to me, I chose a Victorian Heart box I've had for years and years as keeper of the prospective Sister's name... And without further a'do... the next Sister to join the *Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern* is...

Dear Barbara is now an official member of the
*Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern...*


...Barbara from Mainely Stitching ... I hope you will enjoy stitching *My Needle and My Floss, They Comfort Me* as much as I did, Barbara... {It's winging it's way to you now and I know you will finish it in a much more timely manner than I} And to echo Harmien's words when she stitched it... "Ne'er a truer word was spoken..."

My Needle and My Floss, They Comfort Me by Waxing Moon Designs...
Stitched on Belfast Vintage Autumn Blush...
With Crescent Colours, GAST, WDW Threads...
and The Thread Gather Silk 'n Colours...
and Gloriana Silks...


I am sorry I just couldn't get a decent photo... the colours aren't showing up that well and there was almost always a glare or the photo is just too light... Needless to say, it looks much better IRL... And the dress and the words are not the same colour as they appear to be in the photo... The words are stitched with Gloriana Silks Fall Foliage and her dress is stitched with Silk 'n Colours Worn Brick Path...



My Needle and My Floss, They Comfort Me...


The Heartfelt Friends Round Robin is coming along so beautifully... We are all using designs from Little House Needleworks or Country Cottage Needleworks... Janice wanted Autumn Themed Designs for her RR, thus for my stitched bit on her RR I chose Two White Houses by LHN... I finished this in November 2007...


Two White Houses by Little House Needleworks

Two White Houses by


Oh, and my RR is coming along so beautifully... here's an update... Cheryl has since finished her stitched bit... I couldn't download the pic she uploaded as it was not clickable... but you can see it here ...

Dear Diary Series by Little House Needleworks...
Stitched on R & R Belfast Iced Cappuccino


And I received these beautiful squares from Karen and Dani in the Fair and Square Exchange... Thank you both so very much... I will treasure them always! I have yet to post Dani's squares off to her... I have to finish stitching the second square... I am deeply sorry to be so behind yet again and I know my name is most likely mud with a few people... However, this I cannot help... alas, sometimes Life does happen...


Beautiful Prairie Schooler Squares
Karen sent me...

Lovely, lovely Squares Dani sent me...
The photo doesn't do the colours
or the stitching justice...
I just couldn't get the light right...


Here are the squares I stitched for Karen... The design is one of my faves and a lovely freebie by Plum Pudding NeedleArt... You can still download the chart on their website...

Stitched on Belfast Vintage Autumn Fields
with recommended threads...


And on another bright and blessed note... My dear daughter, Brandy is engaged and the happy date is set for the 14 June... Nick proposed on the 26 of October while they were away for a Romantic Weekend at Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley NC... They stayed at the ever oh, so Romantic Dancing Wolves Lodge at Smoky Falls... Needless to say she is so excited and everything has been all a'flurry with wedding plans since November... They are Soulmates to be sure and truly blessed with each other... I am so very happy for them and wish them a lifetime of endless love and happiness together...

My dear daughter, Brandy
and my future son-in-law, Nick...
The Wanted Poster they had
made at Ghost Town reads...
*Wanted for Crimes of Passion...*
So adorable...

Brandy and Nick...
Time Travellers in the Wild, Wild West...


Oh, and I thought I'd share a photo of the beautiful Roses my DD, Brandy sent me for Valentine's Day...


My Dear Daughter, Brandy
sent me Beautiful Roses
for Valentine's Day...

And on a Literary note... I ordered a few new books for myself for Valentine's Day... Oh, and not to mention the visit from the Stash Faery... Seems Drema sent the Stash Faery my way for some unknown reason... Oops! I'll save stash photos for later... as there is also the Christmas Stash I bought myself and the Halloween and Thanksgiving Stash... and the *Just Because Stash*... A Holiday is always a good reason to gift oneself with stash but sometimes the *just because stash* can brighten one's day ever so much more... Anyway, I have been reading Jane Austen of late... I'm a quiet member of Tanya ... The Sampler Girl's ... The Jane Austen Stitching Group ... I just love Tanya's Jane Austen Samplers... and her newest series The Literary Littles are all must stitches for me! Anyway, back to the books... this month we were to read Persuasion... well, mine didn't arrive until last week, and I've only just started it... but I am enjoying it so much... I also ordered a couple more of the books in the Beatrix Potter Cottage Tales Mystery Series by Susan Wittig Albert... I do love them so....

Jane Austen Collection...
and Beatrix Potter Cottage Tales
by Susan Wittig Albert


Thank you all for your encouraging emails and comments, as always your continued support and friendship remains a constant source of inspiration and are ever rays of sunshine through the clouds...


Blessings and Love in Stitches...



I am grateful for precious moments... Daughters, friendships and blessings... and sunshine through the clouds...