Friday, February 14, 2014

A cute cupid and words of love...

Happy Valentine's Day! And how are all of my stitching friends this fine morning? I know we're all sick of the snow and ice in the U.S. and the flooding in the U.K. It sure has been a winter to forget. We managed to escape the latest storm that hit the southern and eastern states this week--only got about an inch of fresh snow. Our ground has been continually covered with the white stuff since late December so I am more than ready for S-P-R-I-N-G! Oh well, only 33 days left...

I have a couple of cuties to share with you today--just in time for Valentine's Day. First up is a very sweet freebie from Brooke's Books which you can find right here. This little guy is called "Stupid Cupid," but I don't think he looks dumb at all--maybe a bit mischievous as he aims his heart-tipped arrow of love at some unsuspecting soul. Just look at those chubby legs--don't you just want to pinch them?  He is so tiny! I stitched him "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco using the suggested colors although I changed the color of the strings on the bow to a lighter brown so they would show up better on the black.

Brooke's Books: "Stupid Cupid" freebie

I originally planned on a round finish, but I had a bit of this lacy ruched ribbon left from a previous project and thought it would be the perfect accent to add to a tiny pillow. I've placed the finish next to my scissors so you could see how truly small it is. I love it-- you know me and my love of anything miniature. On top of the bow, I glued three red beads in a  heart shape--not sure if you can see it well in the photo, but I think it's a cute accent. Mr. Cupid is backed with the red and white heart fabric shown in the background.

"Stupid Cupid" finish

And, I've stitched another of the monthly Word Plays: February. This one was much more enjoyable to stitch than the other two I did last year for some reason. I just love the charming scene of the man presenting his sweetheart with a Valentine flower and I think the tiny birds are so cute. Again, I stitched this "over one" on 28 ct. gray Monaco because I wanted it to be small enough to fit into my bowl of February finishes. I used the suggested colors, but did change the two little birds to the blue color. The suggested color just wasn't showing up well against the gray fabric.

February Word Play

I finished the February Word Play in the same way as January and April with a mini ric-rak border. This finish takes so long for me for some reason--I think it is exhausting trying to get the ric-rak lined up so perfectly. I debated between white and red for the border, but ended up with the red since I'd chosen white for January. My camera is horrible at portraying the actual red in pictures for some reason--it is not nearly as bright as is shown. What do you think?

Finished February Word Play pillow

So, I have an overflowing bowl of February smalls which I've stitched over the past three years. Would you like to see? (You can click on the photo for a larger view). I'd say I need another bowl if I do any more next February! I do love seeing the reds and pinks this time of year--such a nice change from all the white outside... Do you have a favorite? I think mine is still the little bluebird carrying the love letter on the far left--such a sweet design!

February bowl of smalls

A while ago, my mom gave me some of my grandmother's vintage handkerchiefs as she thought I might enjoy using them in my blog photos. Among them were these three sweet Valentine's hankies. I think it was common back in the 1930s-1950s  for women to have handkerchiefs for each of the different holidays. The first is bordered in a raised red heart design, the middle has a beautifully embroidered large heart surrounded by tiny hearts (that must have been grandma's favorite because it shows the most signs of use), and the third has one large heart with a sparkly "gem" in the center and a cupid and his bow and arrow sitting above. Such wonderful reminders of a by-gone era...

Vintage Valentine's Day handkerchiefs

You'll notice some cards and letters sitting on the hankies--these were also from Grandma. I have kept a  box through the years of cards and letters that have special meaning to me and I brought it out yesterday to read through them for the first time in years. What a treasure trove... Most are from the 1980s and early 1990s--before the days of email and twitter and blogs. Letter writing today is a lost art, I'm afraid. When was the last time you received an actual letter from someone? Oh, emails are nice, but they tend to get lost in the hundreds and hundreds of other emails, messages, and files on your computer. You don't take an email out of a drawer or box, carefully unfold it, and read it time and time again like you do a letter. There is something substantial about a letter--the words almost seem to be more meaningful because they are handwritten.

I'll have to admit I cried a few tears as I explored my box of letters--most of the writers are now dead... my grandmothers, my husband's grandmothers, a favorite aunt of ours. But, there are also cute notes from my sons from camp (one telling us that he must have killed 50 daddy-long-legs spiders that day!), sentimental anniversary cards from my husband, and long letters from old college friends during the years when we were all young mothers trying to figure out just how to raise our kids. There are even a few short notes from my dad who can no longer sign his own name due to his struggle with dementia--these especially touched my heart. I add to my box from time to time, but it is becoming rarer and rarer. Times have changed and these handwritten greetings are fewer and farther between...

So, does anyone have any special plans for Valentine's Day? We're planning on just eating in and then watching Captain Phillips (not exactly a romantic movie, but one we both want to see!). I did make these heart-shaped banana-chocolate chip muffins last night which were quite yummy. I had some very ripe bananas and decided to do something a bit different than make my usual banana bread so I found this recipe and they were very easy to put together. They're small enough that they aren't terribly high in calories, but they offer a quick burst of sweetness when you need a little pick-me-up.  

Heart-shaped mini Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Well, that winds up my post for today. I want to thank all of you for your wonderful comments and I'd like to say a special "welcome" to my new followers. I hope your day is filled with chocolates, flowers, smiles, and laughter! Happy Valentine's Day my sweet friends! Bye for now... 

   HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

90 comments:

pj said...

Carol
Happy valentines day to you. I love your stupid cup if. Darling finish. Yes your bowl is full of treasures. Makes you smile I am sure. You are the best finisher. Such a talent and thanks for always sharing. I have a heart collection of handkerchiefs and so enjoy them.

Mii Stitch said...

Carol what a truly lovely post!! I really enjoyed looking at your fabulous finishes - my favourite is the pinkeep on the right - and ready about the Valentine hankerchiefs from your grandmother :) These little banana/chocolate heart shaped nibbles look really yummy! Wish I could taste one :D

Tricia T said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Carol! I love your bowl of smalls and I think the Bluebird is my favorite, too, but the Word Play turned out so cute that that is a close second! :) I have a box of cards that I keep as well. It is so wonderful to receive a handwritten greeting. I guess that is part of the reason that I make cards. It encourages me to write them!! : )

Tricia

Clare-Aimetu said...

Your stupid cupid and word play are both gorgeous. What a lovely array of stitching gifts. Old letters are such treasured, filled with memories and even though family may no longer be with us letters and treasured items keep them close.

Lisa V said...

Hi Carol, I also love your little bluebird finish, such a little cutie, but I also admire your "Love You More" pillow, subtle but really eye catching.
Hugs

Jennifer said...

Carol I just love your Valentine stitching and bowl of smalls ! The vintage handkerchiefs are so lovely . Treasured letters from the past are just that treasures. It is so wonderful to read handwritten letters . Now with email I agree it is a lost are. Looking forward to your next post . Check out the new Prairie Schooler charts . I think you will like them. Have a wonderful Valentine's day!

Roberta said...

Happy Valentines day, Carol,

Just love your February word play it is darling. The muffins look yummy. Also enjoyed getting caught up with your blog. Sorry I missed wishing you a Happy Bithday so wishing you a good one very late. Loved, loved, loved all the remember when!

Laurie in Iowa said...

Happy Valentine's Day Carol! Your blog posts are always a joy to read. I love seeing your finishes.

Vickie said...

Oh Stupid Cupid is so adorable Carol. What a treasure your Grandmother's hankerchiefs are. I have one handmade from Brian's grandma that just passed. She gave it to me for our wedding day. I am blessed to say my Valentine's Day is filled with all of those things!

Barb said...

Oh Carol - it is always a happy way to start the day when you put up a new post! Your stitching and finishing is so beautiful - I always love to see what you have been doing. As always, wonderful! I love the pinks & reds, too!

I hope you have a very Happy Valentine's Day!

ps- snowing again in s.e. Michigan *sigh*

Margaret said...

Happy Valentine's Day! I love your little Cupid -- won't call him stupid. He's too cute! Love your February Wordplay too. So special to have those hankies from your grandmother too. I seem to have lost my letters from my mother and the letters my best friend and I exchanged when I was little. So sad. It really is special to have those written things. I realized with shock the other day when I got something in the mail from my DD that I really don't recognize her writing anymore. I don't get written things from her after all. So weird!

Cindy's Stitching said...

They are all so pretty. It hard to pick a favorite. I have a box full of letters just like you and cards. I have a letter from my best friend from when we were teenagers. I will be coping it and giving it to her next year when we turn 50. It is a lost art. The muffins look yummy. Happy Valentine's day carol.

Krista said...

What a sweet new finish! Happy Valentine's Day!

Bruna Aguiar Melo said...

That cupid is so cute!!!
Nice finish!!!

Lynn B said...

Beautiful finishes for Valentine's Day! I still send hand written letters to friends I have not seen for a while, usually asking if they would like to meet for lunch. They are always complimentary that I have bothered to write!
I was taught to do calligraphy so I sometimes write in old fashioned calligraphic writing too, my friends love receiving them.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Robin in Virginia said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Carol!

I love looking at your bowl of smalls. Sweet and fun pieces each and every one of them! Your muffins look great.

Enjoy your weekend!

Robin in Virginia

BrendaS said...

Happy Valentine's Day Carol! What sweetie little goodies you have stitched. I love the February word play over 1 -- just fabulous!

Have a great weekend -- Spring is coming:)))

Annie said...

Well you are certainly prepared for Valentine's Day. Your rendition of Brooke's cupid is so sweet and so "Carol". Love your Wordplay finish too. Great additions to your Feb. smalls.

Those are such beautiful hankies! Wonderful day for a trip down memory lane like that. You are lucky to have those treasures in your possession.

Those cookies look great! Enjoy them with your movie and have wonderful day.

Elizabeth Ann said...

I have just the best idea! When you are ready to put March pieces out just send the February pieces here, (save you storing them for a year)and that way two households get to enjoy them for the year! 2 For 1 - I love it. I'm silly, I still send Valentine's out to all the family, I love mail. Have a wonderful fun day! P.S. your pieces are beautiful....

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Oh Carol, I do love your Valentine's bowl! I agree, I love the tiny bird. Happy Valentine's Day! Hugs and squeezes!

butterfly said...

I love all the red and pink too.
Your stitching is just beautiful and love your display , Your two new ones are just so cute.
I use to have a big box of beautiful Victorian Cards when I was little my Nans friend gave me , I would play with them for hours , sadly with all the moving we have done they were lost .
Oh how I would love them now , big hugs and xxx .

Chris said...

Happy Valentine's Day Carol!
Your little cupid finish is so sweet. What a wonderful bowl of smalls.
What a box of treasures, so nice to revisit loved ones this way.

Vicki said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Carol. My favorite design in your bowl is L*K's Be Mine Valentine. I have stitched that for many others, but never for me! The vintage hankies are lovely and bring back memories of my own grandmothers.

Gabi said...

Happy valentine's Day to you. The little stupid cupid is so sweet. Love your Valentine bowl.
Hope my little surprise arrived.
Greetings from Germany

Melissa said...

Carol, I love the latest finishes, especially the cute little cupid. The February bowl is indeed overflowing, and gorgeous!

Letters are wonderful. I still exchange letters with a friend overseas though occasionally we will email with something. We both enjoy receiving that letter. People put more though into letter writing than email. I'm glad you saved some of the special ones.

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Karen said...

Happy Valentine's Day! Love your bowl of Valentine smalls.

Karen

Michelle said...

Wishing you a very Happy Valentines Day xx

Linda said...

Another fantastic finish Carol. Beautiful bowl of smalls.

Linda

dixiesamplar said...

Oh Carol, your Valentine Bowl is perfectly lovely for the holiday!! And your new Valentine finishes are adorable...especially Cupid :D

Like you, I miss sending and receivin handwritten letters and notes...emails can be so impersonal. I have many of the cards my grandmother sent me and love to pull them out to reminisce from time to time, expecially now that she is gone. Glad you have all those wonderful momentos to remember your loved ones by.

Hope you and DH have a wonderful Valentine celebration together.

dixiesamplar said...

Oh Carol, your Valentine Bowl is perfectly lovely for the holiday!! And your new Valentine finishes are adorable...especially Cupid :D

Like you, I miss sending and receiving handwritten letters and notes...emails can be so impersonal. I have many of the cards my grandmother sent me and love to pull them out to reminisce from time to time, expecially now that she is gone. Glad you have all those wonderful momentos to remember your loved ones by.

Hope you and DH have a wonderful Valentine celebration together.

Pam in IL said...

Lovely stitching as always! I enjoyed reading about the vintage hankies and your box of cards and letters. I lost most of all the ones I had kept since I was kid in a flood one year, but I started another box right after that and kept all kinds of treasures in it. It's so fun to look through those things!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Kate said...

A delightful post with lots of eye candy, Carol!

Sherri said...

Your stupid cupid is adorable. He doesn't look stupid to me, he looks focused on aiming his arrow. I love your bowl of smalls for each month; they are pure joy. A second bowl? Why yes you should! Let's see what you fill it with. Cherish your box of "treasures." Sadly, letter writing is a lost art. I still have my Betsy Clark stationery from my teenage years. Loved writing letters to my penpals back then.

The Queen Bee said...

Carol,

You always find the best little free patterns. Cupid is super cute. Both finishes are wonderful.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Pam

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

A lovely post Carol.Happy Valentines Day..your stitching is gorgeous.

Vicky L said...

I enjoyed reading your post. Your stitching is lovely and love the February word play.

Mini Addictions said...

Hi Carol,

I agree, cupid does not look stupid. I would have to say he is my favorite pillow but they are really all so lovely.
I especially love your hankies and the stories that go with them. I have a few from my grandmother and I find that the older I get, the more I cherish them. The letters are such treasures too. It's nice to the handwriting and think of the person. I have a couple of Aunts & Uncles that do not do technology so I send them cards and letters. I actually enjoy making and sending the cards and I know they love to receive them.
Enjoy your Valentine eve. A quiet night at home sounds lovely.
Hugs,
Lisa

♥ Nia said...

I have to say I'm not a fan of this day... I prefer birthdays and christmas :D or even Easter! Hehehe
But I do hope you had a lovely day :))))
Hugs to you my friend

AnaCristina said...

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Barbi said...

Happy Valentine's day my friend. I love your post :) Your little cupid is adorable and I'm so proud of you that you got thru another "word" stitch. I know that it's not your favorite. I would have to say the my favorite is the little bird with the love letter, in fact I am about to start that tonight, and I'm going to stitch it the way you did (yep...I'm stealing your creative idea) I used to wait for the mailman when I was younger, I have a friend in Australia, and we used to write constantly...we are still friends, we were placed together as a school project when we were 12 and we are still the greatest of friends. I have all her letters tucked away in a box too. So wonderful...I miss mail.

Oma said...

I don't stop to comment often enoigh. I love all your Valentines, especially Cupid! I just saved it to my files for later. I really love your blog, keep up the great work.
Hope you have a great evenimg!

Ellen said...

Happy Valentine, Carol!

Wonderful post! I love these beautiful little pillows! Your Valentine Bowl is gorgeous, I always love forward to your yearly additions ha ha!

Wow, you have some vintage treasures, I love those hankies. It's great to have memories in notes and letters, we don't get them now. I only have tons of emails ha ha!

Hugs,

Meari said...

Happy Valentines Day, Carol.

I really enjoyed reading your post. The only letter I have from a relative is one from my aunt. She wrote it to me when I was born. I do have gloves and a broach that were my grandmother's.

Your Feb smalls are so adorable!

Christina said...

Thank you for the link to cupid Carol, he is a cutie.
I think my favourite in your bowl is definitely the little bluebird carrying a heart love letter.
I too love receiving letters/cards through the post. I have kept every single letter ever sent to me. I don't get much time to look through them these days, but I'm sure one day they will bring me a lot of joy and great memories!

Lesleyanne said...

Your finishes are gorgeous. My favourite is the two L*K finishes. How lovely to have something of your nan's and the letters are a beautiful reminder.

Marilyn said...

What a great bowl of Valentine finishes.
That tiny bird with the letter is way too cute!
Marilyn

Andrea said...

A duo of sweet finishes. Love the word play piece, I think red was the correct choice. It brings out those hearts and flowers. You know how much I love your bowls. My favourite ... well I do like them all but I am especially drawn to the one that simply says 'Valentine', love the thread colour and is it a L*K piece on the top right hand side... that one too.
Hope you enjoyed a wonderful evening. Have a great weekend!

Karen said...

I love a long post! Stupid Cupid finish is adorable. Wonderful job. Love your bowl of smalls. You do lovely work. I also have some family handkerchiefs. I wish I had saved some of the letters I received from relatives over the years. I have part of one from my grandmother and I cherish it! Happy mid-February!

Candace said...

Thanks so much for sharing my recipe for mini-banana chocolate chip muffins. I appreciate it. :)

Judy said...

Hi Carol, beautiful post--a bright spot on this yet again snowy day! The cupid and word play finishes are adorable. And the bowl is definately filled with love. The vintage handkerchiefs are so special. I love to decorate with them. I too love to get out old cards and letters to bring back those menories. And to think school children no longer need to learn cursive writing...how sad!

Hope your valentines day was lovely. Until next time---

Judy Heartland stitcher

Anonymous said...

Beautiful finishes! Your February bowl of smalls is so lovely , what a nice idea to decorate your home every month with different ornaments.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Hope you had a fabulous Valentine's Day! I've always loved the idea of a special, dainty handkerchief, and used them on occasion, but they're just not practical anymore, are they? AND I used to write notes fairly often, but that has gone by the wayside, too. Thanks for the memories!

Melody said...

Carol, I enjoyed reading your long newsy post. I agree, no one writes letters anymore. We are all into communicating instantly. Your bowl of smalls are wonderful. I would have a hard time picking a favorite one. We also watched Captain Phillips recently, and enjoyed it!

Sally said...

What a beautiful bowl of finishes Carol. I think my favourite is the sweet bluebird as well.

Those handkerchiefs are beautiful. It's sad that we don't use them as much but I do still have a lot.

laceystitcher said...

It totally makes my day when I have a new post notice from your blog - I love all the pretty photos and the many things you write about! Your bowl of goodies for February are so very pretty - I just love them all; can't pick a favorite - keep up the good work!

I also have hankies and cards that I have kept and truly enjoy reading from time to time. I also still take a "real" book with me when I am going to have to wait somewhere - people are surprised to see you reading that way instead of electronically. I know things are much quicker, etc., but it feels like we have lost many things from the past that bring pleasure......I don't plan to let them go! Thanks for sharing again with all of us!!

Pam in KS

Anne said...

Happy Valentine's Day Carol!! The Cupid finish is adorable with the little trims you added. I like the fabric you used for the February play as well. I bought some of the abedcarian..or however you spell it...fabric and wasn't too keen on how dark it was. I'll be choosing a lighter colour too so the colours pop more. Very nicely done with the ric rac! Hard to pick a favourite with your smalls! They each are so special. Those hankies are so beautiful and what a great keepsake from your grandma. Ah, the letter writing days of old...wonderful to go through and reread, even with tears! As for Valentine's, we took a walk around the town and visited some thrift/antique stores. Your night sounds perfectly cozy!

Hugs!

Barb said...

What a delightful post for Valentine's Day. You have so many cute little finishes. I loved seeing the hankies. They are so pretty and special coming from your family. I hope you had a wonderful day. We also stayed home and watched the recording of the after Super Bowl festivities in Seattle. We recorded them before we went to Arizona. We decided that if we lost we could just delete them! We had not watched the recording yet because of the Olympics.

Friendship Crossing said...

Loved seeing all of your sweet Valentine finishes Carol and I do think you'll need a bigger bowl next yr!
Love the hankies, how pretty and how special.
The letters would make me cry too and I like to keep things like that as well, now if only I can find the box they're in!! LOL
Muffins looked yummy!
and yes, Valentine's Day is special to me cuz it's our anniversary too!

Hugs,
Tanya

Simply Victoria said...

Sweet post, Carol. I love your cupid and Word Play with all the others in your bowl. How nice to have those sweet memories and notes!

Bekca said...

I think February Wordplay looks fantastic, it's my favourite in the bowl. I hope you had a lovely time on Valentine's Day. Movie and cookies sounds perfect to me too :)
Thank you so much for the encouraging comments you leave on my blog. There's a lot of work to do, but I do feel confident that I will finish my course with a good grade :) Your support truly means a lot to me.
Best wishes.

staci said...

Darling finishes as always Carol! And I love the handkerchiefs! I do wish they were still in style...perhaps I'll start carrying one anyway, I'm getting old enough not to care what's popular, lol!!!

Did you enjoy Captain Phillips? We did. Happy Valentine's Day!!!

priscilla said...

Beautiful finishes Carol ! Love your wordplay over one ! Still can't believe you can see that ! Love all your Valentine finishes , so pretty ! Such nice memories your Mom gave you ! Hope you had a wonderful Valentines weekend !

Mylene said...

Such beautiful collections, Carol!
Love them all!!
Hope you have had a lovely Valentines Day!

Michelle said...

Your February bowl of small looks so lovely! The 'word play' is such a beautiful piece! I hope Spring comes your way soon!

Annette said...

Sounds like a great Valentine!!
Normally we never do a thing with that day, expecially now, not as we can't afford it, nut we decided next year to go out fo dinner on that day.. hihi'

Your cupido piece is cute, I pin the chart need to remember it for next yhis, this year I will not do much for the season tables here as much as I did last year.
Your finish off is also so beautifull again.
This Februari word piece is beautfull, as is the finish off.
What a sweet gift from your mother, how great!

Enjoy your week, here we are having cold wind and many sunshine, so I;m not complaining!!

Brigitte said...

I always love to see your wooden bowl in your posts because it's always filled with all these wonderful little treasures that you create. This time it's wonderful to see all the red and pink pillows. Little cupid is such a sweetie, a funny little guy. And the new word play looks great in your bowl, too. As for my favourite - it would be the one on the right hand side, the white basket with the red and pink flowers. Is it a Prairie Schooler?

Your letter box also seems to be a box of treasures. Yes, it's true, letter writing is a thing of the past. I used to exchange letters with many people all over the world but that was before the internet existed. Now everything that is left is a huge box full with all sorts of stationery. But whenever I send someone a birthday card or a get well card or something like this I try to add a letter telling about what is going on in my life. And I try to do it as often as possible.

I hope your Valentine's Day was exactly what you wanted it to be.

Lumiruusu said...

Thank You again for this very sweet and inspirational post. I love Your stitched Cupid as well all the valentine day pillow on Your basket.

Be Blessed in Jesus name !

Julie said...

The February wordplay is finished so beautifully Carol and your little cupid is adorable and so teeny tiny.
Such wonderful hankerchiefs, how wonderful for you to have those.
I found a letter my hubby had written to me the other day and that brought a tear to my eye, it must be over 20 years ago that he sent it letters are so lovely.

msmartello said...

Hi Carol,
Sounds like a wonderful Valentine's day! Your muffins look delicious. What wonderful things to share of days gone by. to be it's also sad that nobody writes letters anymore and this day in age no one even talks anymore with texting. Especially kids. my daughter is in 4th grade and most of her friends have ipods that they text on since 2nd and even 3rd grade. To me that's too young.My daughter won't have it for a while yet and am thankful that she loves to talk and write. She can write a story that you would not believe.Someday I think I will put them in a book for her.
by the way I think my favorite is the blue bird as well.
Take Care

Maureen

passionfruitprincess said...

Hope you had a happy Valentine's day!
Very cute finishes!Your February Word Play pillow looks lovely, and your handkerchiefs are sure a treasure!
Have a wonderful week!

Ana Paula

Kay said...

Happy Valentine's day to you! I hope you had a great day, it looks like you did though from the photos! Beautiful finishes as well, but you already know that!

Christina said...

Your cupid looks great on black. The bowl is so nice filled with your beautiful stitching.

Valma said...

what a lovely post :)
perfect for that day of the month...
if till then my favourite piece of your bowl was 'love you more' it's now this little cupid !! soooo cute =)
and so tiny !! a very great finish on that very small piece
and on this black fabric it's really perfect !
as well as your word play pillow, perfect =)
beautiful handkerchiefs from your Grandma !! Mine gave me an old cup & saucer from hers I'll try to do a pincushion in it soon =)
and you're so right about letters !!
I have all hubby's one =D
It was before emails arrived in our lives !!
have a great day sweetie
big big hugs
xxxx
PS: just in case...for the day I'll come & visit you...I'm allergic to bananas =D Hehehehe

Lynda Harrison said...

Hello Carol!
So lovely to read your new post - I am so sorry that I am late in reading and commenting, and also replying to your so-welcome email. Things have been rather full on here lately, but I will send an email later this week.
Your stitching is beautiful - and it is impossible to choose a favourite as I love them all! Take care of yourself, and have a good week! Let's hope the warmer weather isn't too far away!
Much love,
Lynda.

Anonymous said...

Wow...Happy Valentine's Day to you as well. I adore your collection of Valentine stitching! What a nice display! One day I will have one of those. AHHHHH. Thanks for the freebie chart!

Karoline said...

Gorgeous Valentine's finishes, you have a lovely display.

Your Grandma's handkerchief's are very special

valerie said...

Hope you had a great Valentine's Day Carol! I love your cupid finish...he's a cutie! And your bowl of smalls looks terrific! I think it's nice to pull out momentos once in a while and reminisce. Your grandma's hankies are from a whole other era. You just don't see those anymore. Makes them even more special. Hope the warm weather heads your way soon.

Sharon said...

What a wonderful post full of love! I love your finishes - so, so sweet. I love that you shared your beautiful memories of your grandmother...I have letters from my Godmother. I miss her so much...those letters are always like a hug from heaven to me.
I love the heart-shaped muffins (yum!) and I love that you were able to share Valentines with your sweetie.
Like I said, a post full of love! :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Care,
So, I am finally catching up on your stitching. You've been so busy! I love all the snowmen and the Valentine's Day pieces. I agree with you on the bird piece--it's quite fetching. The handkerchiefs of Grandma B's are so precious! What wonderful little mementos of our dear Gram B. Thanks for your beautiful and thoughtful posts. And, I'm sorry about selling your Barbie dolls in a garage sale : (
Love you,
Julie

Unknown said...

I discover your blog. It´s wonderful.
I return back to see it.
Sorry for my english
Bye

Wanda said...

Carol,
Happy belated Valentine's Day to you! I love your February bowl of goodies - each ornament is so beautiful. The little cupid is so adorable. The February wordplay is gorgeous and your rick rack is perfect! I have the wordplay patterns but have not stitched one yet.
Your treasured hankies and letters are certainly a trip down memory lane. I can totally understand that it would be emotional reading them and thinking about your loved ones who wrote them but what great mementos to have. A couple of my favourite mementos are a letter written by my grandma to her mom and in it she has just had ice cream for the first time and I have two of grandma's diaries. I think it's because in both cases, grandma was just writing about her days/life but to me, they are so precious.
We have just returned from vacation so I am trying to catch up.
Happy stitching and hugs to you, Wanda

Hilda said...

Hi Carol,
although Valentine's Day is long gone I want to send warm Valentine's Greetings your way. I love your February bowl of smalls and you have added two marvelous works on it. Since I read your post now I can not get the song "Stupid Cupid" out of my head, haha!
Your whole post is very romantic and when I read the part concerning the letters I hat do nod very often. I also miss the time where we wrote handwritten letters - especially to get them …. I keep many of these old letters in a box too. There are such a bread memory of former days.

I hope the end of February brought some sunny and springlike days to you!
Hugs
Hilda

WordsPoeticallyWorth said...

Good luck to you and your endeavours.

Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.

Lillie said...

Cute, sweet and beautiful post.
The vintage hankies are so pretty.

Parsley said...

You've done it again...made me want to stitch another pattern. I've been eyeing the word play patterns for a LONG time. Love the colors you used!!!

Solstitches said...

Lovely post Carol.
The miniature cupid pillow is adorable and the Word Play finish is very pretty also.
I've never seen Valentine hankies before. What a sweet idea and a lovely treasure for you to have.
Your Valentine basket is overflowing with lovely little finishes. It would be impossible to pick a favourite :)
Hugs,
Margaret

Heather said...

Hi Carol! I love your new valentine stitches. I have the word play one in one of my stitching bags, I need to pull it out and finish it up. :-) Your bowl of valentine stitching is gorgeous! I am working on some for next year. :-) I love the hankies of your grandmother. I too have a box with letters and cards that are special to me. They are so fun to pull out once and a while. :-)

Mary Ann said...

I am catching up on blog reading, and have enjoyed reading your recent posts and seeing your lovely stitching!

Jennifer M. said...

Love your February basket of finishes. I really like the February Word Play.

You are right about letters. They are few and far between. E-mail has become so much more convenient I guess, plus it doesn't cost a postage stamp to send an e-mail. Times have definitely changed. :-)

Jackie said...

I absolutely love your bowls of smalls Carol and I think my favorite would be the Word Play pillow.
I like the Vintage handkerchiefs and reminds me of bygone times when a young lady would never be caught without one in her hand or her purse. I remembered my mother stitching embroidery on these handkerchiefs and she taught my older sister to do the same.
…Oh yes!!!! Letter writing is a lost art, I agree. Have we become so busy to sit and write a letter or two? I do recall the days of penpals…Is that word still in the dictionary? LOL:)
In the bygone era of letter writing, this was the way we communicated and at times how we made long distance friendship, how we learned of family from afar, birthdays, death, new births, etc… Notecards were sent for no apparent reason at all, nevertheless, it spoke volume to the recipient of a small thought someone was thinking of them..I could go on I suppose:). I will give a lot of the credit to all things computer and a lot of the online social interaction. There is a lot to be said about online "social" interaction. I could go on there too:), but I won't.
I admire your stitchery projects you send as RAK Carol, and I know they are very well received. I believe in return, the kindest gestures are reciprocated.
Take care and hugs my friend, always,
j:)