february gone

  time is mercury.  the older i get, the more i realize this.  where has february gone?  i've spent it like this:
i love that my beloved friend katey lives in alabama, that i can make a circular trip when going down to see mama and drive another route to stop by and stay with katey and her sweetheart of a family for a few wonderful days and nights before heading on down to montgomery.  her entire family makes me feel that i am very much a part of their own; i can be myself, walter can be his own wild and wooly spirited creature self and we are loved for the creatures that we are.  we spend a lot of time laughing and talking, wandering the woods that surround their house, drinking cups of coffee in our pajamas, watching movies, telling stories, laughing some more.  how we met is a story that deserves another post, sometime.  i never seem to have enough hours to set aside to go into detail for anything here, anymore.  but i love going there, and this time katey set everything up for a valentine tea for the girls.  well, for walter and his four legged buddy jack, too.   i sat next to katey's beautiful mother in law, pat - such a genteel lady, is she.  when katey and i shared with kevin the story of walter and jack hovering around pat and how horrified i was with walter - i swear, he does NOT beg at the table, he didn't used to, anyway - kevin didn't believe us.  pat is a grandmother, remember, and those dogs knew a soft, giving heart when they saw her walk in the door with all those delicious heart shaped pumpkin bread treats.   (make sure you click on the photo above and zoom in to the little torn yellow tea tag to the left of the porcelain teapot.  that's katey's mama dian's special tea touch.)
katey's mama dian is a gem; she came walking through the door with all the fixings to make scones and fresh fruit/custard tarts; katey's mending "wing", as i called it, seemed to slow her down not one bit (until i patted her a bit too hard with loving one afternoon in the car), and the two of us prepared little cucumber sandwiches cut into perfect circles; these reminded me of the ones mama had so beautifully assembled for our royal wedding tea that we had at something like 5am a couple of years ago.  this time around, we ladies sat and shared stories and hot tea, sweet breads and cucumber sandwiches while fog hung heavy and thick outside the tall windows of katey's lovely home.  later in the afternoon, we pulled out needle and thread, and began to stitch right there at the valentine table while the fog lingered on.
i love this photograph of miss dian's hands.  i love it because it is of her beautiful hands, the ones that make the beautiful quilts, and because i see the jewelry wrapped 'round her wrist that katey made for her.  i see the ring on her finger that her sweetheart of a husband surprised her with one christmas, i see the stitches that she has started on a project that i am starting as well.  i love katey and her family, her mama and daddy and husband and sons, all of them, so much.  i'm not sure how that can be, i've only known them for such a short little while.  chosen family can be like that, you see.  they love me for what i am, right now.  they met me as the person that walked through that door and embraced me unconditionally as my own mother and boys do, they judge me not one bit, they do not mock me, they understand my tender side as well as my stubborn ways, and i love them even more for that right back.   my valentine gifts from katey, which she made entirely by hand.  so much love!

  these arrived that afternoon, from france; katey came dancing up the long driveway after checking the mail, so happy that the little antique laundry labels had at long last arrived the day before my departure.

my days in montgomery were some of the loveliest that i've ever, ever spent with my mother.  unhindered by frantic, stressful holiday schedules or errands to run, we were able to spend long leisurely days savoring the hours with one another, uninterrupted by anything at all other than the jangling phone or every now and then, a doorbell pressed by the UPS driver delivering a movie for us to watch (skyfall! and the gentle loveliness of bright star), a book for us to read and enjoy in tandem (maurice sendak's final published book, such a lovely exquisite thing).  i called no one, saw no one, made plans to be with only my mother and our pups.  we had our own valentine breakfast, with tulips (my favorite flower), vintage linens that i'd bought for her, a vintage valentine i assembled with added vintage words and embroidery thread.

  it rained and rained and rained the entire time that i was there, dumping something like eight inches of rain over montgomery in the short period of 48 hours; we were content to stay snug and dry within the lovely walls of her home, while i stitched away the hours making a valentine for my beloved mama from thrifted linen (j. crew thrift store shirt), antique laces, tatting and mother of pearl buttons from my ancient collection, vintage barkcloth for the backing, thrifted wool felt, and dotted swiss that was a gift from a friend.  mama was thrilled, especially because she got to see the piece as it took shape (the word came first, then the x and o - oddly placed, i would have changed that but it was too late), got to see the time involved and got to see my hands, so much like her own, busy at work.   such a joy it was!  i'm now completely addicted to embroidery and textiles, all over again.   she hung it where she "could see it all of the time", in her lovely large bathroom next to the antique mirror that followed her there from the home where we lived for 38 years.  she will keep her favorite pins on it; you see her hand there, pinning an owl that sits on a branch to the front of the heart.  i sneaked another photo through the mirror - unbeknownst to her, she would have been horrified.  i think it is so lovely, this candid photograph.  i love my mother, so much.  too much, as daddy used to say about his love for us.  i know just what he means.  i love you forever, daddy.  i love you so much.
i got back home on a friday night, ten days ago, and my dear dear pal julie joined me late that evening for a wonderful extended stay of ten fun days.  we are good about hanging loose, we respect each others' space and moods, we have no agendas and are good about doing nothing at all or doing a little of this and a little of that, tromping through the back woods along the trails, taking a side trip over to the river, checking on our geo cache at the suspended bridge, baking and cooking and watching a movie or two.    (an appropriate photo of julie, as her heart is even bigger than the rock that she found by the river that day and carted all the way back to the car; i tried to make this photo look like it was taken at a long ago camp because that is what the ten days felt like, with her)

i sat and stitched on my current embroidery project in the evenings (remember, katey's mama dian and katey and i are all working on the same thing - i highly recommend anything that charlotte lyon has designed, go take a look at her blog and at her etsy shop.
  before too long, julie had been bitten by the needle and thread bug, which made me happy to have her interested in stitching there in the "brocade arcade" chair next to my own blue velvet one.  after a few simple embroidery stitch lessons, she was well on her way, and is now working on a pair of skull and crossbone pillowcases.  i could not be more proud of my friend!  we also began carving our own rubber stamps, under the wonderful guidance of a how-to book by the talented geninne zlatkis (tools, supplies, instructions are all very well explained).  my first little effort, here - i was so proud, but goodness.  now i am a little embarrassed:
and then, a few nights later, my second attempt - fashioned after the good old hand shadow puppet of a rabbit:   i love this stamp, so much!  after this initial stamping that you see above, i went back and tweaked it with deeper cuts in the border, which make the details of the lines and x's show up a bit better.  inspiration struck the following evening when i considered stamping a thrifted .25 cent vintage linen napkin in my favorite sea blue green. 
it worked - the ink didn't run - and i was consumed for the next two evenings with layering and stitching of bits and pieces of fabrics i've had kicking around in my stashes for oh! so many, many years.
i have a lot of ideas rattling around in my head all hours of the day and night now that involve old fabrics and threads and ribbons and beads, and it's difficult to keep myself from sitting down and picking up needle and thread instead of heading into the studio.
i am currently beginning to finally pull together some ideas and notions that have been brewing and bubbling in my head for quite a while - months, really - involving old leather and stone and glass, so that will be what surfaces next in the jewelry work.  no photos yet, there isn't enough pulled together to show.  when that falls into place,  i'll let you know.  for now, i can say in earnest that it has been a winter of quiet, one of long evenings sitting in the blue chair pulled up next to the fireplace while i stitch to my silent heart's content.  i have been silent here for reasons that take too long to explore on this rainy afternoon.  i'll save that for another day.  for now, i wish you evenings that bring you peace, whether with words that you read, with pictures that you see, with talks that you share with a friend or a loved one, with pats on the back of a four legged friend - whatever it is that brings you comfort and a sense of peace, i wish you much of that.  and longer stretches of time to do the things you love to do, with the ones that you dearly love. xo 

Comments

[Katherine Langford]

Rainy day - just came home from a LONG day at school tending learning and scaring away the crows who want to eat the seeds of learnng! Fixed my cuppa and thought, "oh, I wonder what Nina is up to these days?" Voila - a posting that lifted my spirits, warmed my heart's cockles and purely lifted me out of a tired mood. Thank you Nina - your words are as lovingly laid out as your stitches and it was heartwarming to feel and know your contentment. May you continue to bask in love, in walks, in stitches back and forth through time and space. May March blow in the winds of the muse of MUSES! May you find your heart's delight in repayment for the joy you give to me. Blessings upon thee, oh friend I know only through these words that gladden my spirit. Thank you, oh THANK YOU!!! I am blessed because you make art!

[Sandy]

What a treat. Sometimes just chillin and relaxing, having fun with friends and family brings out the creativity. I love your new found soft ornaments. Thanks so much for this post. You put your heart and soul in it. I enjoyed this so much.

[herhimnbryn]

What a tender and heartfelt post Dear One. Finding your words here has brightened my morning.
xo

[Julie]

It certainly did not feel like 10 days - the time went so fast, as always. We always make the best of it doing the crazy things we do...me stitching? Who knew?!!! Skull and crossbones take one almost finished. xxx

[Tina M.]

skimmed it once, got tea and came back for a more in depth immersion into this blessed loveliness...the photos, yes, but the words...and joy of life...here's to saying yes and doing it. hugs...xo

[kim]

pure sweetness my teeth hurt...
its all like a dreamy dream....xox

[Katey]

Our lives crossed in such a way that our friendship was meant to be and I am blessed to call you a friend. You are a gift and I was so eager to share with my family knowing they would see that in you and feel the same way. You make people feel as though they have known you forever. Thank you for sharing your time with my family. It's treasured time. Love you much. Katey

[Tina Zappone]

What a beautiful post! I have been an admirer of your work for many years and your blog always warms my heart.

[jamie v]

Good to hear about your recent adventures! And the stitching...I love it! So much inspiration! Thank you. Xo. Jamie in mt

[Patricia Walters]

Thank you for sharing your February with us. I love all things fiber and fabric. Your embroidery is beautiful and fun.

[Sophie]

Thank you for this gorgeous offering! As always your poetic words have struck some deep chords in me. I love what you are doing at the moment...love the carved stamps and am in awe of your stamped/stitched piece. Thank you for this poetic moment in my day.

[Laura]

What a gift this morning to wake to your words and art as you had been on my mind. Love the stitches. Spring is almost here. Much love.

[Pati]

Always a treat to get a Nina post! You always transport me right along with you. Stitching and stamping--you make them seem so very appealing. Now I want to do both. It is obvious that giving yourself the gift of private time along with sharing time with beloved friends and family is a recipe for renewed creativity. Thank you for giving us a glimpse now and again of your creative process and how living a gentle artistic life can be so fulfilling.

[Monica]

I am SO GLAD I came by to see if you had posted anything lately - this post is BURSTING with juicy creativity and joyful remembrances of time spent in the company of loved ones! Thank you for sharing these beautiful events with us here, Nina, seeing the lovely tea table is inspiring me to start utilizing the tea service I have and seeing your lovely embroidered goods is infusing me with energy to pick up my own needles and threads collected by my grandmother to create some of the designs you have linked to. I may just bring along a little embroidery project while at Artful Journey...and I will be thinking of YOU during my stay! It will not feel the same without you there, but it looks like you have a LOT happening and all of it looks WONDERFUL!
Looking forward to seeing you reveal the new designs you have in store for us all...=-)

[gretchen]

beautiful. every word, every image, every stitch. thank you again for sharing :)

[Ina]

I was glad to read what you have been up to lately. I really love your rabbit stamp and what your created with it~ina

[sandi m]

Wonderful post, Nina. It makes me want to find my old linen and break out the needles. Your stamping has me itching. I've always wanted to try making my own stamps. A must is to check out that book.

As always, thank you for sharing your beautiful words and creative treasures.

[Tina Gilmore]

There is a much loved and much used Welsh word we use here (Wales(UK), it's "Cwtch" (pronounced kooch), meaning; snuggling, cuddling, heartfelt hug, protecting safeguarding and your lovely post brought it to mind - you sounded very Cwtchy/cwtched :) It chucked it down in my Montgomery too (UK), non stop although for hours rather than days, i watched it from the counter of my shop, drinking rose tea and sewing brooches - very cwtchy too! Beautiful post Nina, thank you xx

[sue]

What a lovely surprise to read your lovely post Nina. You brighten up my days! xo

[Mary]

How beautiful - your valentine, your mother, the tea, the miraculous heart-shaped rock, the fuzzy nose. It's always a treat to catch up with you.

[Loretta]

Sigh. I have so so so missed these posts of yours. My heart aches at the Valentine weekend with your Mom. I so miss mine. Fills my aching heart to read of your time with yours and the quiet stitching. Loverly.

[Lauri]

Oh Nina, you have been using the winter hours so fully, it's like you just pulled energy from inside the earth and broke thru the cold crust of Winter, and made it possible to have softness and peace in the middle of raw, stinging cold. The new projects are so wonderful, it looks like you have just been filled with possibilities that are beginning to bubble up and form each piece. So nice! Enjoy the last days of Winter, and welcome each lengthening day.

[lilylovekin]

My first love-embroidery, I taught myself to do this when I was 10 or 11. I still fall back to the needle, thread, and comfort of the fabric. I just wish that #$%! needle hole wasn't so small these days! Your work is a joy to see.

[Vickie]

Wow, so glad I was able to stop by today. I have been so busy making arrangements to take care of all sorts of damage around my place from a huge snowstorm that just hit us here in the Midwest. Being able to read your wonderful post and see your wonderful pictures and beautiful creativity took me so far away from the mess outside my window and lowered my stress level. Thank you!
vickie in kc

[Glòria]

Beautiful. This is what keeps coming to mind every time I read one of your post. However this one is deeply beautiful. I was deeply touched to see you beatutiful through your words.

[Emily]

I'm in love with the quilt as a tablecloth on Katey's table! Glad you had a nice time with her. I've always wanted to to learn to stitch. I have so many sewing projects brewing in my head but I get so intimidated, even with sewing machine projects. I can't wait to see yours!

[Kathy Pennekamp]

Thank you for the post. We all love hearing from you!

[Jennnifer Thornton]

so happy to hear from you again. i fully understand about TIME!

[Jacky Mcfarlane]

exquisite as is everything you create, lovely photo of your mum, you sound content with your world.
xxoxo

[kim]

Your writing is like a balm for me. Once, a long time ago when my dad was very ill, I sat down with some embroidery floss and a piece of cotton and I stitched something that came out of the depths of my fear. I've never done anything like that before or since.

Yesterday I had to say goodbye to my 19 year old cat. It was so hard and so painful. I read your post and it inspired me to pick up the needle again. I will stitch away my sorrow. Maybe.

[Linda]

Nina, thank you for this inspiring post. I especially love the photos and those lovely hands holding the embroidery needle. Truly a lovely post on so many levels.
I went to the the website and ordered the bird banner and started it last night. It will take me awhile, but I'm inspired by your post.
Thank you for posting.
Linda

[julie whitmore]

gorgeous, newsy, loving, post full of tenderness. Your mother is beautiful; yes!
your stamp efforts are amazing for firsts and that heart rock! Go Julie!
xx
j

[charlotte]

what a rich and lovely post! such beautiful makings, friendship and love. thanks so much for mentioning my samplers and blog. you are a giving soul, Nina! xoC

[Just Jane]

That picture of your mother is so very dear. Thank you, as always, for sharing.

[Cherie Wilson]

Nina, your generous words and images of heart is such a blessing! I am so glad I caught you here in a very spacious place beyond instragram. XO

[Jeannie]

What a wonderful post! I hear happiness in your words and that warms my heart. You have touched on two of my favorite artists and things to do - stitching and stamp making. Charlotte had me hooked on her artwork ages ago when she and Mary Engelbriecht created together. I still love her style and romance. Be happy!

[hol]

Quite simply, you have filled my heart with this post! There is some big juice in this!
Love you Baabe! XOXO!

[Layingthetable.wordpress.com]

Beautiful post. So lovely to have found your blog again after so long away. Nel

[mbatten3@tampabay.rr.com]

What a delight...as always. If you words and photos had calories, I would be in big trouble!

Mary

[Judy B]

I feel like Nel...so long away...but now back to your "home" and your heart that you open so freely and warmly to us wanderers..

With love and gratitude, Judy

[Carolyn Dietrich]

February gone. . .March gone. . .Nina gone. Please come back. I miss you.

[Jan]

I was just going to write February gone, and now March is gone, but I see another reader beat me to the punch. I hope you are well, and that you've been able to share special Easter memories with family and friends. You are thought of and missed -- but without any pressure to write when it doesn't work for you.

[SusanS]

Unlike the gentle reader above, I'm TOTALLY putting the pressure on you to write to us. Or at least make Walter do it.
xo S

[susan]

Just catching up after a long time away, dealing with life and taking care of my mom.
I loved this post, Nina - thank you for sharing your February days with us. The most wonderful storyteller, you are. It's such a joy reading your words and studying all the litte details in your photos.
I hope you are having happy days.
Sending love as always.

dusan xo

[Ina]

we miss you

[Vickie]

Sure am missing you. Hope all is ok.
vickie in kc

[Jan]

What to say, what to say? Thinking of you.

[Vickie]

yoo-hoo

[kksb]

Thank you for sharing your love. I feel and see your joy.

[Ramona]

We miss you, Nina! Hope all is well.

[Jennnifer Thornton]

Miss you! I know I'm being selfish, keeping up with a blog takes time and dedication. Trust you're ok! Jenny in SA.

[Vanessa Hall]

Hi, hope all is well, we miss your stories, & we miss you, glad you're stitching, please come to see us soon. what a beautiful time you had, I'm jealous Vanessa in KY