Spring Blessings...

Spring is finally beginning to make an appearance... smiling jonquils scattered hither and yon dancing joyfully in green scented breezes... bright, sunny bursts of yellow beckoning, oh so sweetly for long dormant friends to join in the celebration of renewed life... and at long last dashes of sky blue, snow white, rose and lavender blossoms peek out of their winter homes turning lovely faces towards the sun... reaching, swaying... all lost in the rhythm of glorious, melodic birdsong...

And naturally, with all the flurry of colour and sweet flowering new growth and new beginnings surrounding me... how could I resist the oh, so tempting siren call of a few new stitchy projects? Sounds like a wonderful excuse... Oops! But of course I meant to say... It sounds like a wonderful reason for stitchy new beginnings to me! ;)

Thus without further ado... my lovely, new Spring beginnings... accompanied occasionally by my beloved Mr Darcy, Shelley and Gandalf the Grey...

This is the Day by Hands to Work

January ~ February Issue of Just Cross Stitch

Stitched on Vintage Sand Dune Cashel Linen

by Lakeside Linens

with Gentle Arts, Crescent Colours

and WDW threads

and Belle Soie Red Fox...

I fell in love with This is the Day by Hands to Work when I saw it on Siobhan's blog back in January and it fair screamed my name... I do declare but it was all I could hear for days and days... So, naturally what could I do but ring up my LNS and order all the stash and the magazine... And at long last the moment is finally nigh... perhaps the voices in my head will settle a wee bit now... ;) And in visiting your blogs of late it seems there are a lot of stitchers who feel as I do about this gorgeous Sampler... :)

As you may or may not know, I love Bunnies and this designer is one of my favourites as well... I've had Easter Parade by Blackbird Designs kitted up since I saw it on Vonna's blog a long, long time ago...

Easter Parade by Blackbird Designs...

Stitched on R & R Apple Brown Bindy

Cashel Linen with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads

in Brandy, Butternut Squash,

Dried Thyme and Chamomile

Weeks Dye Works in Pecan

Belle Soie in Red Fox and Cinnamon Stick

and Gloriana Fall Foliage...

I did change almost all the colours...

And I just love Tanya aka The Sampler Girl's designs and Sense & Sensibility has long been a favourite of mine... the film, the book and the stitchery... I'm hoping to stitch Pride & Prejudice once I finish this one... Or who knows, I may just order the chart and stash and start it sometime soon as well... Aye! The more the merrier... ;)

Sense & Sensibility

by The Sampler Girl...

Stitched on Vintage Examplar Cashel Linen

by Lakeside Linens

with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads and

The Thread Gather Silk 'n Colours

Medieval Mulberry...

Oh, and this next darling lovely is another one I fell head over heals in love with back in early February and honestly, I did try to turn a blind eye and deaf ear... I do declare, but it was calling my name so loudly alas, I simply could resist no longer and I feared I'd go mad if I did not give Theresa of Shakespeare's Peddler's fame a ring and have her send it to me posthaste! It arrived last week and needless to say... I'm starting it! ;)

The Weary World Rejoices

by Shakespeare's Peddler

Stitched on Vintage Buttercream Cashel Linen

by Lakeside Linens

with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads

Winter Limited Edition 2009 colours

And of course this next wonderful lovely is by Carriage House Samplings... another of my favourite designers... I don't think Kathy has a design I don't love and hopefully, one day I'll have them all in my stash... ;) {insert slightly mad cackle here} And... Oh, happy day! I'm finally putting needle and silk to fabric on this one... I have no idea when on Earth I'll finish all of these new beauties... sooner rather than later I would hope... However, it is in the journey wherein we find joy, happiness and beauty... Thus I'm going to enjoy every stitch of the journey...

The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow

by Carriage House Samplings...

Stitched on Vintage Autumn Gold Cashel Linen

by Lakeside Linen

with NPI Silks...

I started Hen Party by Little House Needleworks a wee while ago and was stitching along with dear Sally... of course Sally finished a couple of weeks ago and I'm still plodding along... I'm hoping to have the last stitch in this one this week...

Hen Party by Little House Needleworks...

Stitched on R & R Iced Cappuccino Cashel Linen

with DMC and Crescent Colour Threads...

And my Christmas ornament for March... another delightful design by Carriage House Samplings... I've got to get busy, busy, busy as there are only a couple of days left in March... Yikes!

Merry Christmas

by Carriage House Samplings

Stitched on Vintage Maple Sugar Cashel Linen

By Lakeside Linens

with Belle Soie Old Crow

and DMC 221 and GAST Blue Spruce

My dear daughter, Brandy celebrated her 26th Birthday on the 16 of March... We had yummy *cake and opened pressies at her house... I can't believe she's 26 already... I can still see her as a beautiful wee blonde angel... long braids flying in the breeze as she scrambled after her brothers... or playing contentedly with games and dolls... lovely tea parties with her dollies... I so miss the beautiful little girl but dearly love and cherish the wonderful woman and dearest friend she has become... If I searched the world over, I could not find a more wonderful and loving daughter and I love and cherish her dearly and I thank God I was blessed with such an Angel every day...

My dear daughter, Brandy...

Happy Birthday Brandy Rose...

She has been wanting a new Bible with her new married name engraved on the cover... I had gotten her a white Bride's Bible to carry with her in her wedding... and she wanted her new every day Bible to be from me as well... So, I found this lovely chestnut brown and burgundy edition of the NKJV Women's Study Bible... She loves it!

Brandy, my dear son, Elisha and their brother, Joshua...

Wee Jamie and Danielle could not come down for Brandy's birthday, but popped in a couple of days later to visit and of course I had to take a photo of the sweet father and mother-to-be...

Wee Jamie and my future DIL, Danielle...

Oh, and lest I forget... as much as I'd like to... Today... 29 March is my birthday... I think I've been rather Scarlet-minded when it comes to my birthday of late... meaning I'm not going to think about it today... I'll think about it tomorrow! ;)

Brandy baked me a delicious chocolate raspberry birthday cake...

and cooked a wonderfully, yummy birthday dinner for me tonight!

Elisha was there as well and we had a lovely time

and I was truly spoilt with lovely gifties...

Sadly, wee Jamie and Danielle could not

be there as they are nurses and work those long hour weekends...

However, they are all coming for dinner at my house tomorrow night...

Woo Hoo... I get to play Scarlet for one more day... ;)

My deepest heartfelt thanks to you all my dear friends for your continued visits, emails and kind, fond thoughts... akin to lovely, blossoming flowers on a warm, spring day your love and friendship fills my heart and soul with joy...

Blessings and Love always in stitches...

Lizzy

I am thankful for precious moments... new beginnings, dear daughters, peaceful stitching hours and dear friends...

Deeply Honoured...

Good morrow, my dear friends... I was so surprised and pleased to discover my blog was honoured with a few awards of late... :) I am deeply honoured and I thank you with all my heart for remembering me and for continuing to read my blog...

Dear, sweet Sue of Stitching and Life in the Company of Pets knows well my gift of rambling... especially when I'm writing... she gifted me with this lovely award... Thanks ever so sweetly, dear Sue...

Sweet Carolyn of Carolyn's Stitching Chatter and More bestowed upon me this wonderful award... Thank you ever so kindly, dear Carolyn... :)

And dear Suzie of Cat in the Moon honoured me with yet another wonderful award and I was deeply touched and moved to sweet tears of gratitude by what she had to say...

"Lizzy, you may be the last one listed here, that is simply a matter of logistics. But now, the challenge of putting what I feel into a few words. . .I love that you are SUCH a romantic, and aren't afraid to show it to the world, in these days when everyone seems to put up guards and shields! I love your fancifulness, and the creative ways that you have of expressing it. I love that you continually find hope in the face of potential sadness's, and continue to spread that positive energy with whomever comes to visit you. Your choice of colors & music create an atmosphere where one can't help but feel good. It is a pleasure to add you to my list."

Thank you so much dear Suzie, Carolyn and Sue for remembering me so sweetly and honouring my blog with such wonderful awards...

As for presenting these awards to others... I love all the blogs I visit and even though I have not been leaving a lot of comments of late... I remain a silent admirer from afar... and choosing just a few is by far much too difficult a task... Thus... I'm choosing you all... please consider yourself presented with these awards if you visit my blog and post them on your blogs passing them along to other deserving stitching and crafting bloggers... and know that your friendship is treasured and your wonderfully creative blogs are ever an inspiration to me...

Blessings and Love Always in Stitches...

Lizzy

I am thankful for precious moments and stitching friends...