Hello. How are you??? So nice of you to stop in and visit
for a little while. Please make yourself at home, and watch
out for crazy cats and tumbling piles of books. Can I make
you some tea???

I was dreading this post today because I didn't have all that
much to talk about. It was one of those weeks that flies by
and you don't know where it went, and what you did during
that time, but it's gone and you've nothing to show for it.
Well, except for a small bit of stitching, most of which was
done during breaks at work.

I'd say I'm at the half way point of the Cardinals square
on Prairie Schooler's Prairie Birds. The frogs have been
gleefully hopping around this one ever since I started it
and it's driving me batty!!! It's the dang branches of the
pine tree. I keep stitching blithely away on them and then
realizing after I've done a section that I've made them too
long. GRrrrrr!!

But I'm still enjoying this project, in spite of the #@%*$
frogs (and my own limited powers of observation). The
pine cones are so sweet and the whole design is quite, I
dunno, nicely laid out, and conceived. It's got a lightness
to it. Oh, you know what I mean. I will finish this square
next week and then move up to the second row and stitch
three more squares from the chart before I call this done.


Since I haven't much to write about in my life this week
I thought I'd show off some of the wonderful things that
were made for me over the years by my dear and very
awesomely talented friend Linda. Linda is the person
who introduced me to cross stitching (and should
therefore be responsible for the large stash charges on my
Visa bill.... but I digress) and who's mentored me through
the learning experience and beyond.

Linda doesn't sew as much as she use to, so I cherish
the pieces that I have all the more for that. So here are
some of the things she's made, many of which are in
the library. This is appropriate since Linda also shares
my passion for books and has been my inspiration for
pursuing my dreams for my library and collecting of books.

The blue bear is one of my most favourite things that she's
made for me. The fabric design is just lovely, and the
little touches that she's added to him are wonderful.


He's got a sweet face, with a tiny smile and a cute nose,
and the buttons for his eyes are perfect. Perfect seams,
stuffed firmly and put together to accent facial features
and the fabric's floral designs, this guy is just the best.


One Christmas Linda made me a bear pair, Mr and Mrs,
that I have displayed in my dinning room ever since.
This is Mr Bear, resplendent in his cap and vest and velvet
pants. He's very furry so you can't make out the eyes on his
face in this picture, but they are bright and cheeky.


I love the heart shaped buttons on his vest (yes, Linda
made the clothes too) and the tie around his neck.
Linda's always been about the details when she creates.
He's quite the sartorially well dressed bear. Perfect for
supervising and observing fancy meals in the dinning
room.


Mrs Bear has quite a long skirt on but I pulled it up
just a bit so you can see her feet. More gorgeous
fabric for her skirt and jacket, and a jaunty hat
perched on her head allow Mrs Bear to compliment
her debonair husband perfectly.


When I saw a rocking horse that Linda had made for
herself I loved it so much that I asked her to make me
one too. And she did. The legs are hinged so that I can
adjust them and set them to allow the horse to stand
just so. Shiny threads are woven through mane and
tail for added elegance.


Mr Humpty Dumpty is another that I fell in love
with when I saw Linda's own. I love the fabric
that she used to make his clothes and he is a bit
floppy which allows me to prop him and pose him
anywhere in the library that I want to.


I have several variations of this doll, which are patterns
designed by Alma Lynn (I think). Linda took the basic
design and went to town creating clothes and trims and
other details to give each doll her own personality and
style. Trimmed with lace around her shoulder cape, and
with a band featuring sweet bunnies around the hem of
her dress, this little lady is all ready for Easter.

There's more to show you but I think they will have to
wait for another day since this post is becoming quite
picture heavy. But I'm glad to have the opportunity
to show you my wonderful treasures that my dear friend
has made for me over the years.


Added a few more books to the library this week, including
The Lace Reader, which has been featured on many a book
blogger's site during the past several months. Quite a
popular book, generally well reviewed, which I am looking
forward to reading. In fact most of these books have been
mentioned on book blogs, or have been review on them, and
have caught my interest.

I'm reading a book by Anne Easter Smith right now, the
second book of hers that I've read. I'm about half way through.
So review will have to wait until it's done, probably next week.

*********************************************************

DH and I drove down to London again yesterday to see our
Godson Ian who was taking part in the graduating class play at
the Galleria Mall location of Fanshaw College. They did their
own version of A Three Penny Opera, which was a modern
take that they not only performed but also wrote parts for.
The main focus of the play was poverty in the London area
and the students researched various aspects of the problem
and wrote those observations into the play. This research
included visits to homeless shelters and food banks as well as
other services, and on line and in-library visits.

The performance was about two and a half hours long but
the time flew by. Some parts of the play were a bit abstract
and the set design was quite minimal but the performances
were outstanding and often very intense and powerful. I
never found my attention wandering, or the time dragging
at all during the performance. Such a wildly talented bunch
of young people. DH and I are so very proud of Ian and what
he's accomplished in his two years of study at Fanshaw, and
we know he's relished every minute of it.

*********************************************************

It's hard to believe that Easter is next weekend. I'm looking
forward to having Friday off work and hope to get some
premium stitching time in. We've already got plans for both
Saturday and Sunday so Friday is our only free day.

The crocuses are in full bloom now, and the daffodils are
probably going to be in bloom in time for Easter, which will
be nice. Tulips are just starting to make significant headway
now but are still probably several weeks away from blooming.

We had a ton of rain on Friday, which broke records and
caused some flooding in areas. The sun came out yesterday
afternoon though and it's a beautifully sunny day today,
although a bit cooler then the average temperature for this year.

So now it's time to move on to the usual Sunday chores and
stuff, so I'll wrap this up and bid you all a good day. Hope
you have a great week and get lots of time to stitch, with
minimal intervention from the frogs. Take care and thanks
for visiting.

Cheers!