What we do for our art!

Alternatively titled 'Acorns on a Dead Rose Bush'

So . . . .

I was browsing my way through the many and varied items on the internet and saw something that I liked. 'I can do that' was my first thought, as indeed it is the first thought of many such idlers. But on this occasion - I actually could do it!

I rang my country-dwelling sister and ordered her to 'Gather me acorns aplenty' so of course she did. I am older than her and pulled her hair when she was little. The fear lingers on.

I gathered together the necessary supplies. This unfortunately involved throwing away the acorn nuts which my sister had painstakingly gathered and keeping only the caps (maybe I should have told her that?) I used the caps, a head pin and a variety of beads and set to work.

Anyway, after an hour I produced these.




Oh alright, after several hours on several days.

Today I fiddled about, checking Pinterest boards, reading blogs and generally squandering my time as if it was a unending resource. Eventually I decided it was a good day to take some photos and write my blog.

Back to the title.

I had hoped to show you these acorns in sunshiny glory, but after the aforesaid time-wasting the sun was only visible in one small corner of the garden - you know - that corner over there, where the dead nettles are?

I threaded up a selection of the acorns on beading cords and began to hang them artistically on the ivy. Sadly, the knots on the shiny cord kept slipping open, sending the acorns plummeting downward. By the time I had re-threaded, re-hung and replaced them and applied soothing balm to my nettle-stung fingers, the sun had moved relentlessly on, heeding not my artistic endeavours.

I stood on tippy toes, up to my knees in nettles and took this photo.


You can just see the sun disappearing in the corner.

So... Acorns on a Dead Rose Bush.


Taken by me with nettle-stung, thorn-pricked, cold fingers.
But so worth it, n'est pas?

I have some stitching to show you too. I have decided to go for a Winter theme to replace the Christmas one, but need to stitch a few more to have anything like a display. I have also resolved to keep a note of the name, designer and linen used. I have given up on my goldfish memory.




This is, she said with some confidence, LHN's Saltbox Christmas, stitched with recommended colours over two on 32ct Tin Roof. ( oh, for goodness sake, I forgot to write down the colours and linen and count, so I just guessed. I'm not perfect)



This is the Snowman Quaker freebie stitched over one on something count something. I hung little shiny crystals from the bottom. To look like ice?
( my new recording system is having teething problems )


And this is a wooden Red Cardinal which I've had for ages from those clever people who make the little sledges, stitched on perforated paper.

Well, I have tons more to show you, but this is enough for today.

Fell free to make acorns.

If you need any caps, let me know. I'm sure my sis would be happy to go a-gathering, she's hardly busy at all.

Thank you for your comments. Always read and very much appreciated.

Love, Irene xxx

The return!

Bet you thought I'd given up this blog-writing business eh?

Nope, just sort of lost the urge for a while. I have really enjoyed reading other blogs but was just too - well - lazy I suppose, to pick up the metaphorical pen and paper.

Pen and paper - who can remember that??

Anyway I have resolved, not in the big New Year Resolution way at all, but in a personal 'let's make a bit of an effort here' way to write up my blog a little more often.

I will try not to be so wordy, try not to wait until I have a finished piece to show, and try to be worthy of the many friends who started to follow me and who have, no doubt, given up in disgust.

So, to begin again, Happy New Year. Let's hope we all have one free from major health issues spent with the people we care about.

And if we could all win a lot of money, well, that would be nice too.

I have been stitching steadily all year, but didn't photograph everything. I just forget.

So here is Diligence, the Scarlet Letter sampler I finished from the challenge. I finished it quite quickly but didn't even trouble to post it on the main blog. Don't know why.





I can't find the full image of the finished piece but I am going to press on and not wait another seven months. This proves I finished it as it's the bottom. And those are my initials (IH). And I started at the top.

I did quite a few Halloween and Autumn themed ornaments. I'll just show the pics, it's weeks since Halloween, but if anyone wants details 'spect I can find them.



Just so as you don't have to tell me, I know this Halloween is a bit wobbly.
A witch made me do it wrong.




I love this little Cherie Wheeler rabbit.
I know its not Autumn but it's nice.




























I stitched loads more.

Honest.

I just can't remember what they were.

But this time next year I will know because I will have kept a record here on my blog of every single stitch and then I too can do clever little montages of my year's work. Interspersed with flying pigs.

I crashed my car on Boxing Day!
First accident in almost fifty years of driving. Nobody hurt but a sad little car sitting outside my house for a week. It's gone off to hospital now. The garage provided me with a courtesy car. I will be lucky to get my right foot in it. I may well need a second car for my left foot.

Well, there we go.

The first post of 2014.

The first post of many.

Those of you who have been holding your breath for my return can now exhale - in fact I think you should. Nice and easy now, it's been a while.

Love Irene xxx
Oh and don't even get me started on Pinterest. That......that.....thief of time!