THE OLD SAMPLER

     The Old Sampler  
Out of the way, in a corner
of our dear old attic room,
Where bunches of herbs from the hillside
Shake ever a faint perfume,
An oaken chest is standing,
With hasp and padlock and key   Strong as the hands that made it
On the other side of the sea.
When the winter days are dreary,
And we're out of heart with life,
Of its crowding cares aweary,
And sick of its restless strife,
We take a lesson in patience
From the attic corner dim,
Where the chest still holds it treasures,
A warder faithful and grim.
Robes of an antique fashion,
Linen and lace and silk,
That time has tinted with saffron,
Though once they were white as milk;
Wonderful baby garments,
‘Broidered with loving care
By fingers that felt the pleasure,
As they wrought the rugglesfair.
A sword, with the red rust on it,
That flashed in the battle tide,
When from Lexington to Yorktown
Sorely men's souls were tried;
A plumed chapeau and a buckle,
and many a relic fine,
And all by itself the sampler,
Framed in with berry and vine.
Faded the square of canvas,
And dim the silken thread,
But I think of white hands dimpled,
And a childish, sunny head;
For here in cross and tent-stitch,
In a wreath of berry and vine,
She worked it a hundred years ago,
"ELIZABETH, AGED NINE."
In and out in the sunshine
The little needle flashed,
And in and out on the rainy day,
When the merry drops down plashed,
As close she sat by her mother,
The little Puritan maid,
And did her piece on the sampler,
While the other children played.
You are safe in the beautiful heaven,
"ELIZABETH, AGED NINE;"
But before you went you had troubles
Sharper than any of mine.
Oh, the gold hair turned with sorrow
White as the drifted snow,
And your tears dropped here, where I'm standing,
On this very plumed chapeau.
When you put it away, its wearer
Would need it never more,
By a sword-thrust learning the secrets
God keeps on yonder shore;
And you wore your grief like glory,
You could not yield supine,
Who wrought in your patient childhood,
"ELIZABETH, AGED NINE."
Out of the way, in a corner,
With hasp and padlock and key,
Stands the oaken chest of my fathers
That came from over the sea;
And the hillside herbs above it
Shake odors fragrant and fine,
And here on the lid is a garland
To "ELIZABETH, AGED NINE."
For love is of the immortal,
And patience is sublime,
And trouble a thing of every day
And touching every time;
And childhood sweet and sunny,
And womanly truth and grace,
Ever can light life's darkness
And bless earth's lowliest place.  
Mrs. M.E.Sangster
Poems of Home Life
American Tract Society, N.Y.C., New York 

I STARTED A CROSS STITCH...

I started a cross stitch the other day
I've started at least a hundred and one,
and only a handful of those are done.
My problem is simple and plain and easy to see;
I'm hooked on cross stitch, it's not as bad as could be.

 

I don't drink or gamble, I just sit and stitch.
This is my weakness, my passion, my itch.
Each project I buy is exciting and new,
I can't wait to get started, so that's what I do.
I stitch on the new piece, forgetting the old.
That makes one more piece that I'm putting on hold.
If I bought no more projects ever again,
I'd still never finish if I live to one hundred and ten.
So I'll keep right on buying forever more.
(I'm a preferred customer at my local stitch store.)

 

And when my time comes, in stitchers heaven I'll be
With enough unfinished projects to last through eternity.
I'll sit and I'll stitch all the day through.
And I may finish a project, perhaps even two!

~Author unknown

Shepherds Bush Retreat 2012

I have been patiently waiting for the Bush gals to post their brochure for their retreat this fall. Visit their website at noon April 2nd for the unveiling. www.shepherdsbush.net I wonder what fabulous designers will be there this year. I can't wait to find out! P.S. This is not an April Fool's joke

A Visit from the Green Grinch Himself

"Summer's Souvenir"

by Blackbird Designs

30 ct Dye Pot linen

GAST

Sunday my furry cuddle bug, Jibby, and I snuggled most of the afternoon watching old black and white movies from the 50's and I started a new project.  It was a great way to spend an afternoon after I washed sweaters and did some general cleaning.  This is yet another "patriotic" stitch that I have been wanting to do, so I was happy to pull everything I needed for it from my overwhelming stash of "to-do's".  But, like I said, no pressure here, I am going to enjoy the journey.  Well, I did until this little fellow showed up......

Yup, I know some of you have been unfortunate to receive a visit by Mr Frog himself, too.  As you see that purple border, well it was suppose to be separated into two lines not one big bulky one....ugh!!!!!!  I wish the tooth fairy or Peter Cottontail showed up instead, but I guess it was my turn for the grinch of frogs to visit me. At least I caught my mistake before it became a monsterous disaster and had most of it done.  I need to rip out the star, too. 

Onto other things, here is a not so perfect photo of an old quilt I happened along on a visit to one of my favorite thrift stores. A steal of a deal for only $6.99.  You can't even buy a yard of fabric for that today.  I love the red baskets and this was a treasure find for me.  It had never been washed by the looks of it.  Not that it was dirty because it wasn't but it wasn't puckered as cotton tends to do once it is washed.  So as soon as I got it home I threw it into the washer and here it is.  Love it!!! Pretty and simple.

Here is my favorite son, or young man, Brayden.  He is my near perfect boy, he is awesome at everything he does.  He amazes me everyday.  He gets straight A's in all of his classes, and they aren't easy classes.  Which makes me glad he is getting some college credit for his hard work. 

Here are a few samples of his artwork.  He loves being crafty, too, just not with needle and thread!  Maybe someday.......one never knows!

Siberian Tiger

Leopard

Not sure who this is, but most likely an athlete, he absolutely loves the game of basketball and he is a go getter at this sport, too.

Hope you are staying warm and healthy.  Until next time......


Smiles,


Jolene

2012

Blackbird Designs

"Union Forever"

designed by Maggie Bonanomi

In 2012, I have decided to concentrate on this:

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it."  So, I am going to enjoy my stitching time and not make it a "job" but a "hobby"; something that relaxes me and calms me from the daily stesses of everyday life.  I am not pushing the limits on how many projects I have to do and finish in 2012.   I just want to enjoy the feel of the fibers, threads and textures along with the beautiful flavors as I stitch with my needle.  Simple, and doable with "no strings attached".

So, with this in mind, I started something new for the new year, something that would sing to my heart when the skies are bleak and gray.  Something simple, yet subtle and delivers a punch......so I turned to our nations colors, the red, white and blue.  I am "focusing" on patriotism this month and the brave hearts that give us these freedoms, the freedoms that are not free, but come with a high price.  Sometimes that price is life.

May I introduce you to my first finish for 2012.

Smiles....

Jolene

TURKEY TALK

Yesterday I was "talkin' turkey" and this is what it looks like so far as of last night. This is a pattern by Need'l Love called "Primitive Gobbler", that I bought a few years back and I found that turkey just a jabberin' and screaching for me to rescue him from my stash.....so I did! Now, if I am lucky enough I will have all the punching done this evening. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Also, I have been working on "Fancey Blackett" by Pineberry Lane. Oh, how..I..LOVE..her! This is where I left off on it a week ago.

Fancey Blackett

by PineBerry Lane

Vintage Light Exemplar, 35 ct 

DMC thread

And last I have been making hundreds, and really I mean 100's of yo-yo's for a quilt. I took a snap of what a few of them are looking like.

I am enjoying the beauty of the fall flowers, here is a pretty photo of some black-eyed Susan's I took just as some of them were starting to die off.

Today I let my son drive his car to school for his very first time.  I haven't received any phone calls yet for any mishaps, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.......soooo scary!

"I know the year is dying,

Soon the summer will be dead.

I can trace it in the flying

Of the black crows overhead;

I can hear it in the rustle

Of the dead leaves as I pass,

And the south wind's plaintive sighing

Through the dry and withered grass.

Ah, 'tis then I love to wander,

Wander idly and alone,

Listening to the solemn music

Of sweet nature's undertone;

Wrapped in thoughts I cannot utter,

Dreams my tongue cannot express,

Dreams that match the autumn's sadness

In their longing tenderness."

- Mortimer Crane Brown, Autumn Dreams

Humor