Little Smocked Dresses and Bon Voyage

Smocked Little Dresses Quilt
Originally uploaded by pipersquilts

 

Love this. This is a shop sample for a quilt shop. I love their doll dresses or as they call them, "Little Dresses." Adorable.  There are close up pictures in their Flickr photostream. Too stinkin' cute!

FYI, the previous post featuring the altered CD, I didn't stitch that. I found it on Flickr.

I have been MIA and I apologize. Life has just been crazy busy with nothing to show for it. Except....

tomorrow, we are "Leavin' on a jet plane..." I'll spare you the singing. But you get my drift. Remember this? Well I FINALLY get to use it!! We are headed over the big pond, now that the volcano has decided to stop erupting. I will return before you know it, hopefully with lots of pictures and maybe SOME fabric. I do plan to at least tour the Royal School of Needlework, even if I don't have time to take a class this trip. I'll have a spot of tea for y'all.

I will leave you with their rendition which is much better than mine.

Inspiration

First posted by angéliquepatch

Is this not beautiful? It is an altered CD. Yes CD as in compact disc. Inspiration comes from everywhere.

A little something

I don't have any sewing to show for this week yet. I am done unpacking boxes, and attending wakes and funerals though. I even snuck in a nap. In other words, I am beginning to feel human again. My daughter is amazing. She is almost 6 months pregnant and has the house almost completely together. It is 99% unpacked for sure. In less than three days. Wonderwoman!! I would still be thinking about it. Or thinking about thinking about it.

As you may remember I helped put on our chapter workshop this past weekend. I have already professed my love affair with favors. So to entertain you, I will share a peek or two at those.

The first day was a cute scissor fob with a silver dress form. These were in a variety of colors. Aren't they pretty?

For a treat on the second day, was a group of flowers for your pincushion. I call it pincushion jewelry. It has no purpose other than to make you smile. They were tough to get a picture of.

No I didn't

forget about you.

I just was caught up in one of these. I had a chapter workshop this weekend, #2 daughter moved back to town, husband sick, friend's husband died, met youngest daughter's "friend", went out to dinner, cooked dinner, went to church, went to the grocery store etc. etc. etc. All in less than 72 hours. I also updated my chapter blog.

This is me. Too pooped to pop. Back tomorrow with more useless chatter. Good news, I was able to use a pair of scissors for the first time in almost 2 weeks. My hand is healing and I will be back to the sewing machine this week.

Another Pink Moment

We all know how enamored I am with pink these days. Well Melanie of Pretties and Posies is giving away a dynamite painting entitled "In Bloom on Old Mission." I just love it. I know it will look great in my home. But if you are feeling a bit luckier than moi, visit Melanie and enter her giveaway. Just don't be disappointed when it comes to my house. The giveaway runs until April 10th.

A whimsical thimble

Raspberry a needle felted thimble bunny 1-3/8"

Originally uploaded by feltedmice

It is amazing to me the talents of others. This darling little thimble is needle felted. This artist has done some precious things. I love this little thimble. The detail she has achieved in less than an inch and a half is remarkable.

feltedmice

Isn't he darling as well? The faces on her creations are adorable. 

feltedmice

And this little bunny is feeding her friend.

Almost there

 

Not the best shot, I took this picture in my lap to illustrate something to a friend. I was able to set in the sleeves, VERY slowly with my hand, but I can't do any finish work. I can't handle a hand needle to attach lace or stitch down the entredeux around the neck. So hopefully in the next few days I will be able to do some hand work.

Its that time again

I really need to work up a St. Louis Cardinals smocking plate. I would be able to retire. Believe me, I could make millions! This is a baseball town. Today marks the beginning of Cardinal baseball even though the home opener isn't until next week. One of my kids already has tickets for a game next week. They are die hard Cardinal fans. So while I wait for my hand to heal, I can ponder a way to make a smocking plate sure to please.

Below is the former Vicar General of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He is now the Bishop of Knoxville, TN. No matter how far away the move, you can't crush Cardinal Spirit.


Bishop Richard F. Stika Celebrates Baseball in Springtime 2010 from patrick murphy-racey on Vimeo.

Easter Blessings

One of the sweetest stories my mother ever told me about her childhood was about a bird singing on Easter Sunday. In the church of my mother's childhood, Lent was very austere. No music, the crucifix was draped and as in today's church the Alleluia nor the Gloria was sung during Lent. Easter was and is celebrated on a large scale. The once dark, very somber church is decorated with all of the glories of spring. One year Easter fell late into April and it was already quite warm in south Mississippi. On Easter morning they celebrated Mass with the doors open to allow a breeze to blow through the crowded church. Mass started quietly with no entrance music but when it came time for the Gloria, the church erupted into loud music and song. At that precise moment a small bird that had settled in the rafters of the church broke into singing as well. I can hear my mother telling that story every Easter.
There weren't any birds singing inside the church this Easter, but I never sing the Gloria and not remember the story.

This version of the Gloria is a much more recent one, but it is one of my favorites.



Rejoice, the tomb is empty. Celebrate for we are an Easter people.

Spectacular Goldwork and Silk

Goldwork Pomegranate Complete

Originally uploaded by marycorbet

Is this not magnificent? I am not usually a fan of goldwork, but the combination of the gold with the silk shading. Plus the way she couched down the outline gold with silk. It is just spectacular. This is stitched by Mary Corbett of Needle n' Thread. She does such gorgeous embroidery.

Update on the thumb/hand. I think things are finally beginning to heal. As you offer your prayers of thanksgiving this Easter, include opposable thumbs in your prayers. If you don't believe me, try taking your bra off tonight without a thumb to use!! It is quite the endeavor. I have lots of sewing to do but I am thankful this didn't happen the year I was trying to get three matching collars done the week before Easter.

 

I battled a bad case of strep that Easter and that was bad enough; at least I had all of my digits to work with. This is a snippet of the last Easter dress I probably made for my oldest daughter that year. She was nine. Her two younger sisters also wore it in the years to follow. Note the leavings of a chocolate bunny still evident 22 years later. The smocking is not the world's best and I cringe at all of those flopped over pleats at the neckline but I was proud and they all looked adorable. That was a special Easter for our family, it was the Easter her dad was received into the Catholic Church. I can't believe it has been so long. 

Easter Blessings to You

Oh be still my heart, Turkey Work!

Of course he never does use the term "turkey work," but it is the stitch he is working.



And for some additional eye candy. Visit the Royal School of Needlework website and see a tour of their embroideresses and their studio. Notice the gal stitching the needlepoint at the speed of light! Imagine what you could get done if you were able to stitch that quickly.

Royal School of Needlework Studio

No Sewing for Me

I only wish this is what my thumb looked like. No sewing around here because I had a run in with a mandoline and the mandoline won! And to answer the first unasked question, yes I was using the cover knob. The problem is it wasn't as sharp as it needed to be,  just like rotary cutters and knives, dull is more dangerous than sharp.

Wish me luck, I have sewing to do.