Sunday, October 12, 2008

Updates

I'm sorry that I have had a big gap in blogging, but as usual life gets in the way. Since my last post I really haven't done that much on Lois, but I am starting to get into the swing of her.

One of the reasons I couldn't post is because my youngest son ended up in hospital for 3 days with Pneumonia. Unfortunately for him it was the start of the school holidays so he hasn't missed any school LOL. He is going ok. He has been on 2 courses of anti biotics and has to have another chest X-Ray in another 2 weeks to see if it has cleared up.

So this is my current progress on Lois. I still think she is beautiful. There have been a lot of over ones. Some of you have asked if I have trouble doing it and also if I do cross stitch or tent stitch when I do it. I actually do cross stitch. I also find I can do it easier during the day. I do have a magnifier, but usually during the day all I need is my glasses. I must admit though that doing over 1 is much easier on 32ct than on 40 ct.

I have also made a couple of necklaces while I have been absent without leave LOL. Jewellery wise there are 2 things that I really love. That is pearls and cameos. (I have already posted a photo of 2 cameo pearl necklaces that I love last year).

The first one is a string of Lapis Lupis that my parents gave me as a birthday present a long time ago. The same with the cameo. One day I was sitting looking at them, thinking now that would work if I put them together. Anyway I think it works ok and everytime that I wear it I always get admiring comments.

The third one is a Wedgewood pendant that I bought on my first trip to England when I was young, rich and single. (Now I am married and poor LOL). It was originally on a silver chain and I never wore it so it is now on pearls and I also wear it quite alot.


Now the middle one is very special. On one of my trips to the Medici Chapel in Florence there was an old lady who was supposed to be 80 years old. She was a minaturist and was painting a small portion of the figures that were on the ceiling on a small piece of ivory, which was quite amazing. She was also selling minature portraits. They are also painted on ivory and can be worn as a brooch or as a pendant. I fell in love with them and bought this one. I used to wear it as a brooch for a long time, but I decided to turn it into a necklace. This is the result.

I was told that the original was supposed to be painted by Michelangelo. She is supposed to be one of his girlfriends, but I think they were pulling my leg LOL. Anyway I don't care who painted the original as I have always loved wearing her.

If you love reading Jane Austen and the Bronte Sisters, can I recommend Elizabeth Gaskell to you. What a writer. She is brilliant. Some of these books I have had for a lot of years and they were on my "to read" list. I started reading Cranford which is a collection of stories that the BBC have made into one of their brilliant series.

The second book I started reading was Ruth. What a brilliant book. I started reading it while my son was in hospital and couldn't put it down. (Luckily he was sleeping a lot at the time LOL). I am now reading Mary Barton. Both Mary and Ruth help you understand life in the early 19th century.

Elizabeth Gaskell was the wife and also daughter of a Minister (funny how Jane Austen and also the Bronte's fathers were all ministers). After a great tragedy in her life with the loss of her baby son she started writing. She started writing about things she knew a lot about re life in Manchester and also the unfairness of the way women were treated.

She became friends with Charles Dickens and wrote stories for his magazine and she also became really good friends with Charlotte Bronte. She was asked by the Bronte family to write Charlotte's biography.

If you would like to read any of her books and have trouble finding some of them trying looking in second hand book shops. That is where I found some of my harder to find books.

9 comments:

Lapplisor said...

Dear Sandra
Love thanks for your visit.
I wish also you much success with the PC… it am already bad, if one cannot be any longer on-line. Therefore I am pleased much that you your work " Louise " here so advanced to show can.
I wish you further much joy with this beautiful work!
♥☼♥ Barbara ♥☼♥

staci said...

So sorry to hear about your son...glad that he's on the road to recovery.

Those necklaces are really stunning!

Gladys Creativa said...

Hello there!

I discovered your blog, is fantastic!
Congrats!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Sorry to hear your son got really sick! I had pneumonia when I was a kiddie and that was awful!

Lois is looking good.

Sachiko said...

Your progress is sooo beautiful!!

Crazee4books said...

Hi Sandra,

Hope your youngest is well on
the road to recovery after his
bout of pneumonia. That sucks
that he was sick during his
holidays. Bad timing on his
part.

My friend's 5 year old daughter
came down with pneumonia week ago
and they've been working to get
her fever down with medication.
She is home and hopefully will
soon be back to normal.

Your jewelery projects look so
amazing. The Lapis Lupis (the
blue stones) are beautiful, and
really provide a great showcase
for the cameo.

I adore the miniature painted on
ivory that you got in Florence.
The face is lovely and the paint-
ing is so delicate. What a fine
treasure she is, and a great
souvenir of your time in that
incredible city.

Sounds like you're really enjoying
your Elizabeth Gaskell books a lot.
I remember visiting the Bronte
home in Haworth many years ago.
They had such a hard life, and
lived such tragically short lives.
I've never read their books, but
I did read a biography about them,
though not the Gaskell one.

Lois continues to impress. I'm
currently obsessed with a Waxing
Moon Designs piece, but am only
stitching it when I'm home and
can use my magnifier. It makes
an incredible difference in how
my stitches turn out.

Cheers!!

Kajsa said...

So glad to hear that your soon is doing better, these things are not fun.

Beautiful stitching and necklaces.

Aussie Stitcher said...

Hi Sandra, thanks so much for you lovely comment that you left on my blog, it is greatly appreciated. You do beautiful work, your samplers are stunning. How sad for your son to be sick during the holidays.

Yuko said...

Dear dear Sandra,
I'm just writing here because there was no your e-mail address in the comment, so I couldn't reply you back.

Thank you SO much for your warm comment!
I'd really really appreciate for you taking time for me!
I'm so happy that you cheered me up so much, please don't approgize to me, it was very very fun reading your comment about "BiOch" things! LOL LOL
I so laughed!! you just made me laugh and happy!!!
So please please don't be sorry, OK?
I just didn't write it on the blog, but of course I call her "BiOch" LOL LOL
Please don't feel sorry, dear Sandra!
You helped me much!!!
Thanks again!
((big hugs))

Yuko