I'm hearing an old siren call lately.  It's been years since I've worked on an embroidery project as I have focused almost exclusively on cross stitch for the past twenty years or so.  But embroidery was the first needle art I learned.  My mother and her friend Marion Green both patiently taught me the back stitch, the chain stitch, the running stitch, the beautiful satin stitch and the bane of my existence, the frustrating french knot.  My favorite stitch was the lazy daisy.

Marion helped me prepare several gifts for my mother, and I was so proud to give them to her!  I remember embroidering little flowers on baby clothes as a special surprise when my brother was born, and working feverishly to finish a pink apron that had flowers stitched on the pocket.  My mother loved it and then carefully packed it away so 'it wouldn't get anything on it.'  (Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it, Mom?)

I worked really hard on an embroidered covered bridge picture and couldn't wait to give it to her on Christmas morning!

As I grew older I left embroidery behind and was fascinated by the world of counted cross stitch, but lately I feel restless, ready to tackle something new.  And because the beautiful big world of blogging can connect you with so many creative people, I've decided to branch out a little and tackle a few new needlework projects.  Who can resist with patterns like these?

I just ordered this pattern from Crabapple Hill Studio...who can resist a pattern that promises to Stitch Winter Away?!

 

And I ordered this book.  I've fallen in love with the designs and can't wait to try some of them!  You can find this book on British designer Aneela Hoey's  blog http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/

Which one do I make first?!

Oh, it has to be this sweet little girl.  Isn't she lovely?

And since I live by the motto 'more is better' ( I really don't, but it was a catchy way of confessing I bought TWO embroidery books instead of one), I was so excited when this book arrived in the mail, fresh off the press!  You can check out Kristyne's awesome creations at http://prettybyhand.com/

Here's a little poem for today, titled Embroidery by Margaret Widdemer:

SHE sits and makes pink roses with her thread
And wonders what to do, her heart astir,
What road to take, where roads branch close ahead,
And how to know her true love calling her;
Whether to follow thorny paths (but sweet
The young wild heart's way!) or to fling the door
Wide to love's placid tread with wonted feet,
And how to build her life forevermore.

The rose-sprung needle keeps its darting deft . . .
When life has gone whichever way it goes,
Of all her wonderings shall be only left
The texture and the pattern of this rose:
And when her old eyes see its flowering spread,
Dull-faded, a known decking of her room,
(Wherever that may be then– all words said,
All life made certain then until the tomb!)

Something shall clutch her still of youth and pain,
From that far-thrilled girl-day, and she will see
Its shape grow in that breathless hour again
With all her ordered years were still to be;
From that brown silken flower shall flush in death
Youth with its rosy terrors quivering gay,
And she shall think, set free for one swift breath–
'Ah, yes, I made it on that very day!'

You know I'm going to have to embroider this TEA CUP, right?!

It was COLD last night, a perfect night for curling up on the sofa and watching old movies on television.  My husband and I were clicking through channels (hmm, is clicking still the right word? remotes don't really 'click' anymore with those soft buttons...) and we happened upon the movie Braveheart.  That started us reminiscing about our trip to Scotland and I mentioned that just yesterday I had written about how much I had enjoyed sharing a cup of tea with our hosts at our bed and breakfast.  Jean and Angus, who run Gruinard Guest House in the Fife village of Burntisland (a short train ride outside of Edinburgh) were absolutely amazing people, warm and friendly, and they made us feel a part of their family while we stayed with them.  Their son got engaged while we were there, and we were invited to share in the celebration with wine and conversation long into the night in their beautiful backyard which overlooks Gruinard Bay.

Gruinard Bay at sunrise

Travel abroad always brings its share of "holy cow, I am so NOT in Kansas anymore" moments, and Scotland was no exception.  Since they speak the King's language, we naively assumed we would understand what was being said.  Not always!  Jean and Angus were kind enough to SPEAK SLOWLY to the Americans, but when our rental car driver showed up at the B&B it was a different story altogether.  I had arranged for the driver to bring our car to the B&B and then we were going to drive him back to the next village--a much easier way of getting a car than picking one up in Edinburgh, and then trying to drive a shift car (on the 'wrong' side of the road) out of the complicated twist and turn roads of the city.  When he arrived, it turned out he had gone to school with Jean, and they excitedly started to talking.  Please don't ask me what they said, I have no clue.  Their accents got thicker and thicker and they started talking faster and faster and my husband and I stood there trying not to look like baffled American tourists.  We finally got in the car and the driver gave us lengthy instructions on how to drive the car, how to manage the round-abouts, and what villages to visit while we were in Fife.  My husband was sitting up front with the driver, and kept saying 'uh huh' and nodding his head, so I was quite relieved that he was getting all the directions and I was free to sight-see from the back of the car.  Once we dropped the loquacious driver back at his home, off we set on our grand adventure, with me enthusiastically remarking what a great job my husband had done understanding the accent.  He looked at me and said...."I didn't understand a single word he said." 

We nonetheless survived driving in Scotland, in spite of lots of ambling sheep, baffling round-abouts (does anyone remember the round-about scene in National Lampoon's European vacation??) and narrow winding roads that took us down into amazing little fishing villages nestled in the Kingdom of Fife, villages with lovely names like Pittenweem, Crail and Anstruther.  We visited St. Andrews and drove past rolling fields of heather, and for most of the adventure, we understood very little of the conversations spoken!

Fields of heather

Sheep!!

I thought I'd leave you with a small understanding of what we experienced in beautiful Scotland, with this charming but completely non-comprehensible poem by Lewis Carroll.  Enjoy!

Jabberwocky
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves    Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,   And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son    The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun    The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand;    Long time the manxome foe he sought—So rested he by the Tumtum tree,    And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood,    The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,    And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through    The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!He left it dead, and with its head    He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?    Come to my arms, my beamish boy!O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"    He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves    Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,   And the mome raths outgrabe.

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”   --Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

 

I don’t remember a time when I haven’t loved tea.  Some of my earliest dinner memories are of my grandmother’s big white enamel bucket, used on Sundays to ladle up big glasses of iced ‘sweet tea’ after church.  I was always so excited when the Fuller Brush man visited our home; his displays of colorful tins of Constant Comment teas felt like an Arabian bazaar of exotic spices had arrived on our doorstep.  Tea and honey kept my throat from giving out during my high school debate career, and later on in college, tea and cinnamon/sugar toast were my trusty companions on all-night study marathons.  Sipping Tetley tea in the garden with our Scottish bed and breakfast host is a cherished memory.  And one of my all-time favorite memories is having a proper British tea with my mother and good friend Mary at the British Museum.  I've always enjoyed the "English connection"--drinking tea always makes me feel a little more British, a little more in touch with my English heritage.  

I have one cupboard in my kitchen devoted to different teas and some of my favorite cups.  All my children know that there is only ONE way to properly drink tea...in a china cup, not a mug!  I love to open the cabinet door and ponder the selections--what tea will capture my imagination?  Over the holidays I discovered a new tea blend that I have really been enjoying--Lady Jane Grey tea, produced by the 300-year-old tea company, Twinings, that also brings us Earl Grey tea. Captain Picard (Star Trek), Batman and Piglet all favor Earl Grey, which is a mixture of black tea and oil of bergamot (a citrus fruit that is kind of a cross between a lemon and an orange.)  I've discovered that I actually like the Lady Jane tea a little more, as the tea blends the oil of bergamot, which can be a little overpowering, with lemon and orange peel, thus creating a gentler, lighter flavor.  It makes a perfect afternoon tea, and yesterday at work I took a tea break to enjoy a cup of Lady Jane and one of my 'tea-bag' shortbread cookies. There's nothing like a taking a few minutes to rejuvenate yourself on a busy work day.

The first cup moistens my lips and throat.
The second shatters my loneliness.
The third causes the wrongs of life to fade gently from my recollection.
The fourth purifies my soul.
The fifth lifts me to the realms of the unwinking gods
    Chinese Mystic, Tang Dynasty

Of course, having five cups at work may not be the best idea, as it will probably lead to multiple restroom breaks!   I hope you have a good day, with time for the important things in life, which hopefully includes a break now and then for a simple, warming cup of tea (or coffee, if you insist!).

Bubbling and Loud Hissing Urn
by William Cowper (1731-1800) 

Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast,
    Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,
And while the bubbling and loud hissing urn
    Throws up a steamy column, and the cups
That cheer but not inebriate wait on each,
    So let us welcome peaceful evening in.

I promise--I really do.  I am not going to inflict you with my obsession about Downton Abbey for the next several weeks.  It's just that last night was such delicious fun--Dame Maggie Smith won 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television' at the Golden Globes last night on one channel, and on another channel she was justifying her award with yet another stellar performance as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Lady Violet, in the second episode of Downton Abbey.  

 

I blame my mother for this obsession with all things English.  Her fascination and interest in English history and literature rubbed off so early in life that I distinctly remember creating paper dolls about the royal family when I was just seven!  

 

My imagination roamed the streets of London with A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, and later, with the swashbuckling adventures of The Prisoner of Zenda and The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Once I was old enough to discover romance, the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen made sure my heart remains firmly in England. 

So I never stood a chance with Downton Abbey; it has reeled me in hook, line and sinker!  The castle, the drama, the love stories, and above all, the beautiful dresses they wear while sipping tea....what's not to love?!  I must confess that during last night's viewing I was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt rather than an evening gown, and it wasn't quite as elegant in my family room, but I did set a lovely small table with my pink rose studded teapot and favorite antique china, while serving a delicious pot of Lady Jane Grey tea (which I strong recommend if you haven't tried it yet!) and homemade shortbread cookies, dipped in chocolate.

And now for the fun part--a friend of mine sent me a link to tea-bag shaped cookies on Saturday and I thought it would be quite fun to re-create them for my DA night.  I haven't had much luck with shortbread before, it usually seems too dry and crumbly, but this time I used Ina Garten's recipe and it turned out great.  And ta-da, here is the final result--tea bag cookies, complete with my own handmade tags!  Hmm....now what do I fix for next week's episode?

Tea bag cookies and heart-shaped cookies.  The heart cookie was in honor of Lady Edith's upcoming nuptials, but I guess I should have broken it in half!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/shortbread-cookies-recipe/index.html
 

And we're off!  Another weekend to fill with a few household chores (really, the Christmas tree has GOT to come down!), some miscellaneous errands (I need to find the perfect frame for my new 'potato print' that I showed you yesterday!), and hopefully a whole lot of fun!  My husband and I are looking forward to spending some time together, as he just finished a 70+ hour work week and we have had very little time to spend together.  Our lives this week  reminds me of Longfellow's remarks on solitude; we've been rather like two Ships that pass in the night, and speak to each other in passing, only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak to one another, only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.  So it is definitely time to have fun experimenting with some new recipes in the kitchen, enjoy a bottle of wine by the fireplace, catch a movie and a couple of football games (go Packers!), and of course, watch Downton Abbey on Sunday evening!  

It's once again "Favorite Things Saturday", and I thought it would be fun to share a sampler I recently finished for my library.  I so love working on cross stitch projects, and this one was especially fun since it features some of my very favorite books, authors and poets.  It was also fun to work on this sampler because I knew it was for me--I tend to give away all of my needlework as gifts.  I've also been working on some original cross-stitch design patterns over the last few months and I hope to share those patterns with you soon--stay tuned for more on my designs later!  

This pattern can be purchased at one of my favorite online needlework shops, 123 Stitch (http://www.123stitch.com)

And to go along with my needlework offering today, here is a simply splendid poem by Emilia Barrosse that really struck close to home.  My beautiful rocking chair, a college graduation gift from my parents, sits in my library next to all my bookshelves, with my new sampler on the wall beside it.  "The stories were enough for her"...what a lovely line!

The Bookshelf and the Rocking Chair

She sat in solitude
in a room with a rocking chair and a bookshelf.
And she didn’t ever speak.
The solitude was perfected by the silence, she thought.
She went through pages and pages
and read about the lives of others,
the adventures of others,
the great loves of others.
And she rocked back and forth in her rocking chair,
the motion soothing, assuring, constant.
She read of families, friendships, brotherhoods,
and tragedies, celebrations, miracles -
and that was enough for her.
And each book she finished, she placed gently back on the shelf.
Each in delicate order,
each lovingly read and admired.
And then she sat back down.
No rocking this time.
The stories were enough for her.
They were all she wanted.
They were all she needed.
They were her life -
The lives of others.
Her adventures
Were their adventures.
And she sat in her motionless rocking chair,
and she imagined the trips her favorite characters took,
And the things they said
And the things they saw
And the things she learned.
And she closed her eyes.
And she folded her arms.
And her rocking chair swayed to and fro.

And for a little added fun in today's post, here are some parting photos from some of the books featured in my sampler.  Really, aren't books just grand?!  Open a page and be swept away to the drawing rooms of London, or the brooding, windswept Yorkshire moors or to a Massachusetts home filled with the laughter of four little women. 

I agree with Marmee:  “...the love, respect, and confidence of my children was the sweetest reward I could receive for my efforts to be the woman I would have them copy.” 

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend!  You can enjoy more Favorite Things at

http://mockingbirdhillcottage.com/

 

I'm taking my own advice today.  Yesterday I mentioned that my smile had 'slipped' a little, but last night I was thinking of things that made me laugh this week, and realized that in spite of some crummy moments, there was a whole lot to enjoy these last few days!

Taking my own advice!

I always smile when I have tea in my beautiful blue and white willow ware teacup.  My husband bought  two of these  gorgeous cups in Harrods so that my mother and I could remember our London trip every time we had tea together.  Every time I sip tea from this cup I think of sharing our English adventures with my mom, and how much fun we had exploring the city!

I wrote about this poster back in November.  It was featured in an Etsy shop, and  after the holidays I ordered it for my kitchen.  It arrived last night and I can't wait to frame and hang it this weekend.  Seriously, this quote from the obsequious Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice makes me snicker every time I see it!

You can have your own excellent potato print by visiting http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeighsArt

Okay, maybe this is middle school humor, but how funny are these pictures?  A series of  Edith pictures (the awkward, unloved middle sister in Downton Abbey) , with Edith sporting google eyes, has popped up this week and had me laughing out loud at the results.

This picture should properly go at the end of my blog, because this is my plan for the weekend!!

But I put this hilarious facebook post at the end because it's rather long, but sooo deliciously funny.  This made me laugh out loud first thing this morning, and I hope you enjoy it as well.  I guess I did have many lovely moments that gave me somthing to smile about this week!  I hope the same was true for your week, and that you cap off the week with a wonderful weekend.   Don't forget, episode two of Downton Abbey is Sunday night on Masterpiece Theater!  

Oh, how facebook has taken the world by storm, even the post-WW1 time of Downton Abbey!  Here's a peek at how episode 1 would have been presented if aired on facebook instead of television....

I have to admit, yesterday was a bit of a tough day.  We all have them, but sometimes it is really difficult to pull yourself out of a slump and carry on.  Sometimes a little self-love is called for.  Give yourself permission to take it easy and not carry a heavy load by yourself.  Remember it's okay to spend time doing things you love. Chores and obligations will wait a day, while you re-group and find the smile that seems to have slipped a little.  We are always our own harshest critics, aren't we?

I've always loved this song, written by Charlie Chaplin for his 1936 movie Modern Times.  When I was recovering from surgery a couple of years ago, this rendition by Judy Garland was a staple on my iPod. You can find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh57sCPjtzw.

Let's rename Thursday to SMILEday!

Smile though your heart is achingSmile even though it's breaking.When there are clouds in the skyyou'll get by.

If you smile through your fear and sorrowSmile and maybe tomorrowYou'll see the sun come shining throughFor you.

Light up your face with gladness,Hide every trace of sadness.Although a tear may be ever so nearThat's the time you must keep on tryingSmile, what's the use of crying.You'll find that life is still worthwhile-If you just smile.