I am Lily - stitcher and part time bookseller. Mother to my gorgeous girl, Abigail and wife to Julian. I make time each day to let my imagination potter and add quirky prettiness and handmade comfort to our home and lives. You can email me at lily(at)blockaday(dot)com
the beauty of sharing
things got a bit stalled here at blockaday. I am so surrounded by love and loveliness but the last few weeks have just been wallowing in a few potholes I found along the road. And you know, I completely forgot why I enjoyed spending time here at blockaday and how to find and thrive on the joy right here in my home.
So today, having given my anxiety a stern talking too, and conscientiously concentrating on all external noises so as to ignore the dreadful roaring in my ears (who knows! I’ve been on antibiotics for a middle ear infection for over a week to no avail!), I set off to the beach with my beautiful girl, my BEST, best, best friend and her lovely son.
The sun shone, the waves lapped, the children played, magazines were read and meticulously analysed, fish and chips savoured, a sudden storm enjoyed and then, when we arrived home - dripping and sandy - there on the front porch was a parcel from Hope. Aptly named.
It was my Christmas stocking from Hope’s Christmas Stocking Cheer swap and oh my goodness, Hope, what wonderful cheer it delivered at the end of a glorious day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. We’ve all had a lovely chocolate, the christmas CD is playing, and gorgeous presents are covering the ironing board - photos tomorrow, there’s no nice light now. Your generosity has left me with damp eyes and a lump in my throat. And my goodness, I’ll have to fly you out to Australia next year so that you may decorate my mantlepiece - speechless loveliness! :-)
My heart is singing with the peace and happiness that sharing with such generous and beautiful women around the world brings.
I’m off to feed the children, take my turn in the shower, and tonight, keep on unwinding and thinking of all that I have and all that I receive from you, blockaday, my family and friends.
:-) xxx
11 December, 2008 at 11:12 am
welcome back! I have missed your wonderful blog trememndously.
11 December, 2008 at 11:24 am
phew. She’s back. Hoorah.
You got a parcel from Hope? Oh, lucky you - she sends GOOD parcels. She’s got to fly out to mine next year to help decorate, I’ll have her the first week of December, you can have her the 2nd…that ok? ;)
11 December, 2008 at 11:52 am
You’ve been missed and thought of often! Can’t wait to see the prezzies!
11 December, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Hi Lily! Nice to hear about you!! I met Syko alias Kajsa last Saturday in Helsinki At Women´s Christmas Markets!!! Guess, if I bought some decorations there! We had a nice talk together!!! My sister liked the angel so much that I had to give it to her!!! I brought many new ideas home with me and as you know mrs. Santa is very busy here!!!
11 December, 2008 at 4:07 pm
So glad you got it and liked it :)
And also so glad that I will be flown all over the world to decorate houses :)
11 December, 2008 at 8:10 pm
You will love Q-Snaps!
The reason I threw my hoops away and went with the qsnaps system was exactly the same reason you stated.
I hated those hoop creases.
You can take anything else away from my stitching supplies, but get close to my qsnap ‘collection’ and you will go out the door with bloody stumps!
The nice thing about them is that when you get the adapter set, you can make sizes you would never believe! A 6×6 can be a 6×8, 6×9 (with the three inch adapter, 6×11, 6×17, 8×11, 8×14,8×17, goodness I could go on and on. You can adjust to any size fabric.
One caution, the package photo shows the fabric being on top of the ’square’, when to keep the fabric front from getting soiled, place the frame on TOP of the stitching and bring the clamps up from the BACKSIDE.
You will be handling the back of the fabric and if you have too much fabric, a straight hair clip or butterfly hairclip will keep the extra fabric rolled up and out of the way. They have Q-wraps now, but you don’t really need that expense with a hairclip or two….
I hope you go to this system, you will love it.
Cait
11 December, 2008 at 11:09 pm
good for you! there are wonderful people in the world. fills my heart with joy.
11 December, 2008 at 11:28 pm
So very happy to see you back! I hope you are feeling much better soon.
11 December, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Oh, not good! Hope your middle ear gets better soon - and the anxiety and stress decrease - I can relate and wish I could help. Love your little ‘unwind’ pic - would you mind if I copied, please? So many of our Blogland friends suffer with overload and burn-out, but I guess that is society all over - at least we have each other!
Big hugs - Lurline!
12 December, 2008 at 12:26 am
So glad you had a lovely day - sometimes it is best just to leave the workshop and have a mini vacation from it all xx
12 December, 2008 at 2:36 am
Sounds like you deserve some goodies and a great day to go with them. Enjoy the goodness!
13 December, 2008 at 8:07 pm
You’ve been missed! We all need to take breaks now and then,to restore both physical and mental health. Take care!!!!