A Cold And Rainy Sunday

Hello lovely lovelies♡ I'm sitting in the parlour, this Sunday evening (have been most of the day, actually) where as I looked out the window throughout the day, the vista as far as the eye can see changed from rain and mist....a little sunshine.....but as quickly as the sunbeams penetrated through the thick clouds, the happy beams quickly disappeared. The weekend has been one where cosying down inside has been the thing to do. The parlour, my place of choice in which to recline and relax.

The parlour 'tis the place to be on a chilly day such as today. 'Tis a lovely space. A calm and restful room. 'Tis a space filled with treasures which have been collected over the years. Paintings, prints, rugs, sofas, chairs, lamps, quilts, tchotchkes.......gifts made for me by my girls when they were children.....books........oh yes, we cannot forget the books. There are many bookcases with many a book jostling for space. These inky treasures are everywhere, waiting for me to revisit them once more. For I am that gal who revisits favourite books over and over again. They are old friends to me. Some books are as delightful today as the very first day I picked them up. I can remember the thrill and excitement of picking up a book for the first time and embarking on a new adventure within the pages bound by a wonderful binding. Oh, how I love the binding of books! Books that I read over and over in my childhood....my teenage years....they are all old friends that have fed my imagination and soul through the years. And....talking of books I have just started to read 'The Bookbinder of Jericho' by Pip Williams. I recently read her first novel 'The Dictionary of Lost Words' and loved it. Though, I must say there were parts that were heart-wrenching to me. I cried many a tear reading this book. I wonder if  'The Bookbinder of Jericho' will pull at my heartstrings??

Pete and I have sat in the parlour most of today......and yesterday, actually.  We have both been in the car  travelling here and there for most of the week, so we both desired to relax and not move too far from the fire. The weekend was one where it was too cold to venture outside. The glow of the fire with the wonderful warmth was too enticing. So, we read, chatted, drank copious cups of tea, nibbled on home baked biscuits and cakes. Oh......and I captured a few happy snaps. =)

I have worked on the wee poppet's quilt, too. I will join Kathy's, Slow Sunday Stitching party later. The diagonal quilting is finished and I am now quilting the border. I was going to have the quilting stitches march one behind the other in straight lines around the border but I changed my mind; having decided to hand quilt around the centres of the flowers and leaves. Not every flower and leaf, but here and there. The border fabric is flourishing with stylised 'Corymbia Ficifolio' an Australian flowering gum tree, so I thought quilting stitches do-si-do-ing around and around the flowers and leaves  would look more fun than straight lines. I have sat in front of the fire all afternoon and happily hand quilted away.

This cold and rainy Sunday I have enjoyed a pleasant day sitting in the parlour with my Pete; reading and hand quilting my wee quilt. This morning I lit many, many candles adding a warm, ambient glow to the room. It is always my aspiration to add beauty  wherever I am. =) Yes, I am that gal who must have a plethora of candles flickering, illuminating the room with the softest light, with reflections dancing in the glass and mirrors. Love, love, love a room aglow with soft candlelight. Oh, I must tell you a funny story about me and my penchant for candles. When we first moved to this little corner of  Tassie a farmer drove  by one very dull Sunday afternoon and looked in and to her surprise saw our little home alight with a plethora of candles. Apparently she loved what she saw. She went home and told her husband of what she had seen at our home and insisted that they buy a lot of candles. His response?? "What on earth do we need candles for???? We have electricity!!!!" Oh dear. I'm guessing candles are kept in the farmhouse for only those times when power outages darken their world. How sad. Life is far too short not to have a million and one candles aglowing; don't you think??

If you were to peek through the window into the parlour this evening, I wonder what you would see??  Why, like my neighbour farmer all those years ago you would see a room bathed in the softest of candlelight. Of course, I would invite you in. You could sit in a comfy sofa and warm your tippy toes by the fire. Oh, and you and I would partake in some tea and cake. Why, Pete would pop his head around the corner and say g'day. Doesn't that sound delightful?? So, so love my restful, homely little parlour.

Anyway........have a lovely Sunday, lovely lovelies, when it comes aknocking at your door♡ Take time to drink in those moments of beauty; and be thankful for those little joys of light♡ Perhaps light a candle or two♡ I'm about to snuff out the candles and go to bed♡

Until the next time....................

Brrrr.....It's Cold Outside

 

Hello lovely lovelies♡ A lovely welcome to you this chilly Sunday afternoon♡ The sun's out and if one can find a sunny little nook it's toasty and warm. Here at my little abode there are big picture windows where Old Man Sun's sunbeams invade every dark corner shooing the chilliness away. I do believe sunshine is my very favourite thing in life. Well, let's just say.....one of my favourite things. 'Tis the season for thick, woolly jumpers, boots, woolly blankets and snuggling under the quilt one is quilting. Yes indeedy, winter is the season for hand quilting♡

Jack Frost has set up residence. Yep, he finally arrived. And, I must say he arrived with great gusto and oomph! Every flower which was hanging on to dear life with one last breath, gave up the ghost and fled deep down into the ground. The hydrangeas; quite lovely one day, burnt and ugly the next. The dahlias, a pitiful sight of charred-like misery. The dahlias have been cut back to ground level where they will bloom again in summer. The hydrangeas I fear will just have to look dreadful and bereft for a while as they won't be pruned till August. Though, I must say regardless of all my belly-aching, the ice-sheathed ground, as far as the eye can see and the beauty in the ice-etched leaves is rather sculptural and artistically beautiful. All right....all right....there is much beauty in winter. There.....I admit it! But.......I did say to Pete last evening......."only three months till spring!". =)

Fortunately, the hydrangeas I had been cutting before all the destruction have been drying quite nicely. All have retained their lovely blue hues. More so, than last year. I don't know what I did but they are looking lovely in their demise. They truly do make me smile in their shrivelled and withered, paper-like state.

Though I could chat about all things flowers all day, every day, I suppose, because it is Sunday and I will visit Kathy's place later this evening, I should chat about all things slow hand stitching. There's not a lot to say, really. The hand quilting on the wee baby quilt has begun. The stitches are skipping up and then down the length of the quilt, in diagonal lines. Hand quilted stitches happily skipping along in a merry fashion. I don't suppose the quilting will take too long, then I can bind the wee quilt and send it on it's merry way wrapped in many kisses and hugs♡ This wee little quilt just makes me smile♡

Another Sunday nearly gone. Another week ahead filled with dreams of pretties to stitch and create as I hand quilt away. Have a beautiful week, lovely lovelies♡ May there be many moments which cause you to smile and be thankful♡

Until the next time..........

Happy Mother's Day♡

 

Hello lovely lovelies. How are you all on this Sunday?? 'Tis late here in Tassie.  I have enjoyed a lovely Sunday. 'Twas  Mother's Day today. A lovely day was enjoyed by me and  my Pete. A perfect day gallivanting around the countryside, drinking in the autumnal beauty and a stop here and there for coffee and cake. Are you celebrating Mother's Day at your little place??  If you  are, then a beautiful Mother's Day to you♡ Mother's Day is always bittersweet for me as my girls live in different parts of the world and my darling mum passed a very long time ago. But.....Pete always makes sure I enjoy my day. My girls gifted me with lovely surprises. Flowers♡ Books♡ They know me so well, as flowers and books are my very favourite gifts to receive. My daughter who will soon be a mum herself sent me the sweetest book; How to Greet A Gran. So fun. Now I will be proficient at greeting grannies in their language from all over the world. =)

I finished hand stitching my wee poppet's quilt top. The border fabric has been machine stitched as well. A pretty Jocelyn Proust Australian fabric in aquas, teals, purples, pinks and moss greens. A perfect fabric to happily live with all the sweet fabrics of the quilt. Now for the quilting. Simple hand stitching, me thinks. Just straight lines skipping one after the other, diagonally. The backing is the same as the border and the batting is a 100% cotton. My daughter and son-in-law live in Queensland so cotton will be perfect for their climate.

I have been enjoying a little knitting, too. Goodness, it's been many, many years since I have knitted woolly garments for a wee one. The needles are tiny and the garments so little. It doesn't take long at all for the garments to quickly knit up. I am going to have the best time knitting for this wee little poppet.

A quick post from me this Sunday evening. Who would've thunk it??!! But my bed is calling out to me......I cannot resist.  I'm just in the mood for hopping into my electrified bed snuggled under cosy quilts. One of my favourite times of the day is collapsing into bed at day's end. =) Gosh, I live a boring life, don't I??!! I must be getting old!! Granny old!! Traipsing around the countryside, coffee-ing and cake-ing all day long is seriously, exhausting business. I look forward to visiting all you lovely slow hand stitchers tomorrow morning. So, have a wonderful Sunday, lovely lovelies, when it comes aknocking at your door; and to all of you who are celebrating Mother's Day; have a joy-filled time♡

Until the next time........