more stitches...

Apologies for the silence, but I have

been away and also busy working on various new

stitched projects.

I love taking my little folk art pictures and

turning them into stitched pieces

for others to create and enjoy!

The design below is one such -

done for a French cross stitch magazine, 

and I am happy with the way it turned out.

Happy weekend to all, 

and blessings...

Gail

xoxox

with needle and thread...

January has just flown past...I cannot believe we are almost

in February! At least I have been busy - having

picked up needle and thread again, after a

fairly long hiatus. I love to stitch...I had just forgotten

for a while, in my rush to do other things!

So, I have some new projects in the works -

while not forgetting my other art/book projects,

although sadly the books are not getting 

picked up by publishers (yet, anyway!)

I am going to convert some of my little artworks into

small cross stitch charts (I have no patience

with designs that take forever to stitch,

no matter how beautiful they are!)

So, watch this space - the designs will be

available as PDF downloads.

And the design range will be called 'Heart Thoughts'

since I always include hearts in all my creations!

I am also planning a book to follow up my French

book about the mice - this one will

feature little cross stitch pictures and other designs

stitched by the mice!!

Because - although you may not know it - 

mice love to cook, bake...and stitch!!

Have a bright and beautiful day!

Gail

xoxox 

in the moment...

It is hard to believe we are already past the middle of

January...time seems to disappear so quickly.

I hoped to be more mindful this year, but thus far

it seems to be more a case of 'mind too full'!

I seem to have been chasing my tail and losing

the thread of things - so much so that I actually put the 

same image on two different blog posts -

apologies for that!

Starting today I am going to try and slow down,

to focus on what is important. To breathe.

To remember. To be.

I have started my candle ritual again, too.

I place three beautiful candles, one white, one rose

and one gold on my windowsill. 

In the morning or evening I light them, to remind

me of three important things.

The rose candle is for yesterday, and what

it gave us. The gold candle is for today, the only

moment we have. And the white candle is for lighting

our path into a beautiful future.

Offered with love

Gail

xoxox

a heartmade journal...

I love journalling - to me and many others it

is a soul companion, a place to grow emotionally and to

allow oneself to simply be, without fear or censure.

A while ago I created a small, handmade journal

to stand along my book, 'Living a Simply 

Art-Full Life' - but now I have decided to redo it

in a larger, full colour format. I have also

renamed it 'The Heartmade Journal', as I

realised that a number of people have already

created books and the like with variations of

'Art-Full' in the title!

(These images are from the original book I created -

the journal is still a work in progress, but

will have quotes, thoughts, artwork and

plenty of space for your own thoughts and ideas!)

So, I will be busy in 2019 - I hope -

and also hope that all the readers of this blog

find their own heartmade lives... joy,

creativity and growth in this new year we are

privileged to be given.

Offered with love and good wishes...

Gail

xoxox

eat cake!...

Just another quick post... as some of you may know, I worked

as a needlework designer for many years, and still

love to create stitched projects, although I haven't been doing them

as much lately. Just the other day, digging for something

in the old wooden chest where I store my creative supplies, I

found this little stitched piece!

Quite cute, and pretty much sums up a happy (and healthy!)

attitude to life!

Offered with love

Gail xoxox

precious life...

A new post for a new week, and this illustrated quote,

which I did for a recent book project, has to be one of my favorites,

written by the amazing poet Mary Oliver.

(I also love one of her other quotes, 'tell me, are you

breathing just a little, and calling it a life?')

So powerful..and often so true!

Offered with love...

Gail xoxox

feeling a little wabi sabi today...

Feeling a little wabi sabi today - less than perfect,

tired and stressed, and unsure of what the future may hold!

We've all been there...I keep on working and

creating art, but sometimes I wonder if anyone actually likes it...

all part of the creative process I guess!

I saw my wabi sabi bird early today, singing his heart out,

with ruffled feathers and wonky leg.

He reminded of how perfect we all are, in our

imperfection - that all is as it should be, and will be

well - as long as we keep on believing in ourselves, 

and building our foundations on hope, not fear.

Offered with love

Gail xoxox