Two Heart-Warming Things

♥ Getting some beautiful fabric in today's mail. Take an easy guess of what it's going to be in? I can hardly wait to skip over to the store and pick up some corresponding bias tape!

♥ Playing the hymn "It is Well With My Soul" with a friend (she on the piano, and I on violin) for the offertory at church this Sunday, and then being asked to play for a funeral which will be on Monday. The funeral isn't exactly "heart warming" but knowing that this man is in Heaven, and being able to minister through music is a joy to my heart.

My Cup of Tea

Tonight Grandma and I were discussing recipes (with family secrets) and fun kitchen gadgets that led onto tea strainers and then tea rooms. Upon mentioning of wanting to visit a place that I visited over a year ago that carried a large collection of loose teas, she mentioned of a place locally that offers the same. Imagine my excitement, as in the midst of the holiday season combined with driving half way across the country I completely forgot to bring my stash of teas with me!

This evening I am working with a gorgeous floral cotton that is filled with a floral gardner's dream of wild roses, peonies, blue corn flowers, and other wild delights. Oh, and once completed, it will be in a Margaret apron. Look for it in the shop sometime tomorrow morning.

Grandma to the Rescue

What fun it is to have my sewing stuff with me, back here at Grandma's house. Poor Arabella really wished to come with me, but I didn't think another person, er... body in the house would be suitable so she had to stay home. For those who don't know, Arabella is my dress form. ::grins::

I am working on a new Margaret apron this morning, and to my dismay, I didn't have with me a spool of thread that matched the vintage rick rack. Upon voicing it, Grandma goes back to her little sewing area and brings out an old spool of thread that matches perfectly. The thread is still strong, and so thanks to Grandma, I am able to continue sewing. =)

Dreaming in 1820s

Little did I realize that upon watching the new Little Dorrit (from a Charles Dickens novel) over the weekend, that it would give me a huge bug to want to sew Regency and Romantic style clothing. Oh dear, oh dear. I think I am falling in love with the 1820s.

The costumes were delicious, though I took a liking more to Amy's simple gowns over the more regal apparel. I'm sorely tempted to make myself a frock like hers to just wear about the house, but then where would I find the time to do that, not to mention historically correct "unmentionables."

For this time period, I can't say that I like the hats, but Amy's few were darling.

The story as a whole is very "Dickens", and I like it as much as I do Bleak House. Maybe a little more? I appreciated the lesson of selflessness displayed by "Little Dorrit", and weaved throughout the story that money doesn't buy happiness. Perhaps once I'm done reading The Pickwick Papers, Little Dorrit will be my next Dickens novel to read.

After watching a historical movie, as always, I'm wishing that I could "skip the pond" and visit England. Of course, wearing historical apparel would be a must!

"No lace, Mrs. Bennet! I beg you!"

Still in town, I am doing some more de-stashing in the sewing room, and came across a never-opened package of 22 1/5 meters of lace. I already have well over 10 meters for myself. Not to mention many more yards of other laces like antique pieces, cluny, eyelet, etc, etc. Needless to say, I don't need any more lace at present!
The enormous amount is in the SHOP!