Happy New Year! Bonne Année!

May you be healthy
May you be safe
May you be happy
May you live with ease

A day in the life

My day so far....
Woke up.
Had a cup of coffee while contemplating the day.
Worked -- completed a project from start to finish.
Packed two items to be shipped.
And now I'm having breakfast.

Detail of a new listing in my Etsy shop. SOLD

Still to do:
Feed the cats (this is their last day of me cat-sitting; handler returns from Montreal this afternoon)
Get ready (ablutions etc.)
Go to post office.
Take a long walk.
Count my blessings.
Surprise myself.

Objects of my affection

I confess I'm relieved to have normality back. Because Christmas fell on the weekend, the last two days were replacement holidays. I've been waiting for two days to pick up a mystery package at the post office. I went in to day and they asked me to call in the late afternoon because they haven't sorted their big pile yet...

Meanwhile.... I love vignettes

I saw this in Etc. as a long strip of kraft paper hanging on a door, but the only kraft paper I have is curved. I painted it anyway.

I watched the Kennedy Center Honors on TV tonight, and the Paul McCartney segment took me back. I even got sentimental. That was my music when I was a teen, the Beatles, and along with just about all the audience I sang the songs... It also took me back to my Washington, d.C., years and the concerts I went to at the Kennedy Center. Nostalgia is rife around here this evening.

Inspiration

This.............

 

 

....and this

...inspired by this.

Boxing Day

It's been such a good Christmas! Between my pre-Christmas with my precious family and actual-Christmas with my special friend Jocelyn whose family makes me feel so comfortable and at home, it was heartwarming. To say nothing of the gifts so tailored to my tastes. The greatest gift though is having such good people in my life, both family and friends.

Seasons Greetings

 

More stitching on paper. It tells any story you care to make up. I let the story tell me.....

Available in my Etsy shop

Sewing on kraft paper -- I do like kraft paper, the nice, thick kind.

A delicious and healthy snack: Thick, zero-fat Greek yogurt, drizzled with maple syrup (not too much!) and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix well and eat. Your tastebuds, and your cholesterol levels, will thank you.

I'm a coffee drinker, always have been. Dark, dark roast, black, no sugar. French press. Espresso doppio.

However, in my sister's house they drink tea, and when I'm staying with her, I have my coffee in the morning, but I also have tea the rest of the time. My sister makes a very comforting cup of tea, English style. And when I was there a short while ago, she noticed that I had tea more often than coffee. I explained to her that it just takes someone, preferably her, to make it for me and put it in front of me...

Comfort

I don't know how I stumbled upon this site, but I did and it made my heart beat faster. What I would give to spend a few hours in this space. It's one of the most seductive places I've ever seen.

 

So this is Christmas

And here we are again. Christmas is in a few days.

Since I'm still waiting to be paid for work and expenses done almost two months ago, I'm offering a discount in my Etsy shop. I made another little cottage, and have been stocking the shop daily. When you shop, type BlogDiscountOffer in the message box and you will get a 10% discount on everything in the form of an immediate refund until January 25, 2011.

We have to do what we have to do!

This is the newest addition: See it here.

 And a big thank you to all!

Snowy Sunday

The air is thick with tiny flakes that, in the distance, look like a mist. Christmas is around the corner, it's raining red kisses (add your own mistletoe). I went into a fit of drawing last night, on a pad of gorgeous paper, Canson Recycled XL Series. The paper has to be right for me, the same way a pen or a paintbrush has to be right for my hand, otherwise nothing works.

Friday's child

The days are quiet, there's a thin layer of snow on the ground, and my new windows are living up to their potential keeping out the cold! Little things for which I'm grateful.

Oh, and stitching, too. Iused part of a vintage handkerchief that was damaged (thankfully not on the embroidery) and gorgeous bits of French General fabric from the samples Kaari gave me.

Have a happy day!

No Christmas rush for me. Just some odds and ends to take care of and it's done. I wish you the same.

I'm feeling content today: I finished an article for Somerset Memories and sent it off; and also finished a little book of bird sketches. My rush comes when I finish projects! Now that's a good kind of rush.

And I finished the bird embroidery, adding a touch of old lace.

Have a happy day!

Tis the Season II

A seasonal reminder: Pas de panique/ Do not panic

DO NOT PANIC! Available in my Etsy shop.

Tis the Season I

Here's some cheer for you, should you need it -- or even if you don't need it. 'Tis the season.

Banana Bird -- available in my Etsy shop

The sheep's in the meadow

The versatility of French knots!
I sketched a sheep on a piece of paper, then copied it with my needle onto the fabric. This method works for me because I don't like drawing on the fabric in case I get it wrong.

It's winter. It's December. We have snow. Normal.
Lots of new goodies in my etsy shop.

Rainy Sunday

A cup of hot chocolate.
Lit candles.
A cozy throw to snuggle under.
A good book.
Embroidery.

Sometimes the weather makes sure we take time for ourselves.

Free-hand embroidery

Great finds

I'm a picker; I poke around looking for things. I loved this little cup. I'm now using it for coffee.

Packet of French documents from Patina. Old Lace from various McKinney antique malls. Wooden hoops from Canton.

What I plan to do with one of the French documents.

Patina

My sister usually finds places that she knows I'll love, and this year was no exception. Last year, it was Smitten in Downtown McKinney; this year it was Patina Green, also in Downtown McKinney.

Patina Green is totally and completely my favourite place. It combines fabulous vintage items (very much in my taste) and at very reasonable prices, and fabulous food, fresh, delicious, and French patisserie to boot. We ate, we shopped.

Kaci Lyford, one of the people behind Patina.

French documents turned into art on canvas.

My best girl: Cleo. I miss her.

My sister's Old English sheepdog.

Canton

Canton was fun, but I didn't find much that I wanted. A couple of old and interesting embroidery hoops was about it. The sights, however, were interesting.....

No Twinkie Defence will work here.

The good citizens of Canton

...and their boots

And a visitor from Florida

Back home

I got back this afternoon. Lemme tell you, Texas was cold! But I wasn't there for the weather so...

Here's a photo from Canton. I have to unpack, have a meal and rest. More tomorrow.

The Copelands -- no relation.