La speranza è l'ultima
cosa mai perso.
Hope is the last thing ever lost.
~ Italian Proverb
So it's no secret that I went through a rough patch for a long while. I don't believe in hiding my feelings on this little blogspace of mine and I've laid it all out there for the world to see. I don't regret it. In fact, I'm kind of proud of myself about that. Honesty is huge in my world...especially after wasting so much time in the most dishonest relationship I have ever been in in my life. This does mean that I say things people don't want to hear. That I may be blunt and to the point. I don't say things to be hurtful though. I say things with my eyes and heart wide open...all for the sake of truth. Life is too precious to waste on lies and innuendo.
I may be a little jaded but I always have hope. I carry a lot of hope around with me every day. Some of it feasible and simple; some of it ridiculous. I hope I make it home in time to watch my shows tonight. I hope that bagged salad in the fridge is still fresh and I don't have to eat top ramen. I hope I meet a fantastic guy who is fun, loving, honest, successful enough (i.e. job, place, car) and worthy of my time and affection. I hope I win the lottery so I can retire! I hope I meet some wonderful new friends this year. I hope my parent/sibling relationship improves. I hope to develop a better support network. I hope to always be treated how I deserve to be treated. I hope to find my patience again.
If it were not for hopes, the heart would break. -Thomas Fuller
This little post is all about Sadie and just how hope prevails in my everyday. It's been very hectic lately and my weeks and weekends have been a blur with little stitching. I'm hoping to have a quiet week/end next week so I can just relax, stitch, get to the gym and catch up on my backed up posts. When I went to the Shepherd's Bush Retreat in 2010, I knew I wanted to get a stocking kitted up. My heart was set on Anna's stocking. Mainly because of her red dress. But when I arrived to the shop, they were sold out! Retreat was the same time they released Sadie's stocking. It was fresh and new and completely stocked! She was cute. I loved all the snowflakes and the sheep and the tiny sheep and the little village. I'm surprised I did buy her because I am not a pink person and her dress is pink but I guess "nutmeggie" was ok. And her simple message? "Hope"
Sadie and her reminder of hope spoke to me that day and she has been a joy to stitch on in the last month. Tiny sheepies, little village, soft colors, snowflakes, pretty basket.
The beads, buttons and charms weren't as fun to stitch on since I don't like that part of stitching but they bring a lot to the piece. The one downside to stitching a Shepherd's Bush stocking is that they don't reflect the placement on the chart itself so you have to follow the cover photos and this general guide they type up on the label of the charm pack. When I opened the charm pack, there were a few things I wasn't too sure where to place because the cover photo didn't show the very bottom of the stocking. Like the bunny charm, pink flower buttons and the green glass flower. A BUNNY CHARM!! Finding that charm in the pack just solidified the fact that Sadie was the stocking for me. And since I didn't really like the green glass flower in the meadow, I decided to be unique and put it on one of the big sheepies. What do you think?
Sadie's stocking was stitched as kitted up. 18 count natural linen with DMC, Weeks and Crescent Colors Perle 5. This makes huge x's!
I started a new project on 40 count this week. Holy Cow! Them x's are teeny! How did I stitch on 40 count before?! This is going to take a bit of adjustment.
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!
Until next time...
40 comments:
I love your honesty. I prefer to read a realistic post that is true to life with its ups and downs than one which never seems to have any problems whatsoever!! Be true to yourself. Love your new stocking. You have done so much on it!!! Fast work. Xx
That's a lovely finish, congratulations! Hope is indeed important to hold on to :-)
Sadie looks amazing! I bet you can't wait to hang her on your mantle this Christmas. The charms make the stocking.
I can't believe you've gone from 18 count to 40! Do you need a magnifying glass?! It seems a huge difference when I go from 32ct to 40ct!
Have a lovely relaxing weekend (well, what's left of it!)
I love honest people.I hate being lied to about anything.Your stocking is lovely..Wish I was able to stitch on 40 count.enjoy your young eyes while you have them.
I think honesty is a good thing Valerie. The stocking looks great - I know what you mean about the little fiddly bits not being fun to do but they do add to the finished look. Mind you I don't envy you going from a large count to a tiny count.
(Hope is a wonderful thing - I think those of us who hope are the more optimistic people in this world.)
I love your Sadie stocking! Love how you placed all the buttons etc too. So pretty! Sadie was meant to be your stocking for sure. Hope is so important, as is honesty. Great post!
Congratulations on finishing Sadie. I love her message of hope!
Sadie came out beautiful! Congrats on a wonderful finish!
Sadie is so pretty ~ love the sheep!! She is definitely meant to be yours!! Hope and honesty are two very good things to have! Hugs!!
sadie is so sweet..well done for such a lovely finish..
hugs cucki xx
Such a lovely post, Valerie--perhaps my favorite of yours ever :)
Your stocking is perfect for such a hopeful, forward looking stitcher. So beautifully stitched, too. Congratulations on a grand finish!!
Keep hope in your heart--no one can take that away from you, my friend...
This post brought tears to my eyes! I don't even know why...probably because I loved it, and it was "honest" the bunny charm put me over the edge. LOL Sadie looks amazing! The two of you are perfect for each other. :)
Sadie is so beautiful. I am glad that you two have found each other.
I can't wait to see your new project.
Peace.
The world needs more honest people!
Your stocking is really lovely. It makes me want to start it but I have not gotten any of the thread. I guess I need to finish something before adding another to the pile.
Keep on hoping:)
Sadie is just gorgeous and I love her message. (and yours too) I have always found that honesty is best - even if sometimes it hurts. :o) Enjoy your Sunday.
Absolutely love that first quote!
Honesty is huge, isn't it? Without it, the rest is just sh*t, really. You take care. That's a GREAT finish! :D Love it!
Sadie is lovely, and I'm glad she speaks hope to you. Hope you have a fantastic week, filled with all you're hoping for!
Sade is marvellous., she's so cute. i've been looking at these to sitch one for Isabelle for next Christmas, the bunny on this one might have swung it to the top of the choice list!
I love an Horst bog, life stinks at ties nd we all need some support and advice and help.
I hope you have a lovely week Valerie xxx
I love your stocking, Valerie! It is just so pretty!
I agree - honesty is very important. You sound better too...did you know that? And you're right - we have ever Hope to hang onto, otherwise what's the point?
I hope (pardon) you have a wonderful restful, and fun week ahead!
Sadie is beautiful!!!!!! I love all the details and her message.
I just love Sadie to pieces. The colors and the tactile, 3-d look to it. I want to hold it and go over it, square by square. It's just lovely!
Umm, I actually had top ramen for supper last night. I put a few pineapple teriyaki chicken meatballs in there along with some fresh chopped cilantro/green onions and a dollop of sambal on top..........DELICIOUS! I don't have it very often though. Very naughty with all that sodium and such. *blush*
absolutely gorgeous work !!!!!!
What a lovely post, it is interesting to know what makes someone else like a piece other than colours etc. or that it just looks nice. To jump on the bandwagon of 'hope' - I hope that you get everything that you hope for and more.
Always enjoy your blog....love the stocking ..you did a beautiful job with it.
Love this post Valerie!!!! And the stocking is just too adorable. What a fun time we had that weekend :-). Still waiting on the details for this year before I decide.
I agree with you about hope. Life is terribly bleak without it. I can tell of the change in your from your posts and it's a true joy to behold. :D
Sadie looks fantastic and I love the placement of the green charm on the sheep.
What is it that you're stitching on 40ct? Einsteins' quote?
I love the stocking. And I have always loved your posts. Honesty is so refreshing these days. Hope and faith are what keep us going and are sometimes the last things we hold on to.
Cute, cute Sadie! I really like her.
What a lovely post Valerie and you are so right about honesty and hope. I am not always honest about how I feel for fear of what people will think. I was once read on someone's blog that if we wanted to talk about other things than our hobbies we should start another blog! I'm afraid I told her that I didn't have time for that but it's stuck with me and last year when I was at my lowest I did start another blog then if people chose not to read about what I was going through then they didn't have to. Now I find I don't write so much about how I feel on my stitching blog so my posts are always happy happy even though I feel like crap! Does that make sense or am rambling?!
Sadie is beautiful and I love the story behind her. I think I would like to stitch her one day.
I love it!! It sounds as if Sadie was meant for you. :)
I prefer honesty, too. Actually, I feel stupid in saying this, but I am usually the last person to realize that somebody is lying to me, just because I assume that people are being honest. My mother is a 'what you see is what you get' person--which can be uncomfortable at times--but my MIL lies for sport and out of habit and it is very disconcerting. Anyway, I've found it interesting on blogs lately. A photography/scrapping blogger that I read says she doesn't read many blogs because they always seem too rosey and like life is perfect. Another stitching blogger said that she feels like she falls short because she doesn't have as many finishes as others. I hate that anybody feels like that. I always figured that your blog is your blog and you can do with it as you'd like. Anyway... interesting food for thought!
And yes, hope--it's what has gotten me through the last few years, living here in joy kill Ireland!
((((((((Hugs)))))))))
What a lovely and hopeful post :)
Sadie looks absolutely gorgeous.
I always enjoy reading your blog. Love the stocking.
What a gorgeous finish Valerie! I guess there was a reason why this stocking was available at the time and the other was not ;o) This will make it that much more special.
I, like you, tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, and sometimes people abuse that. I'm always honest and feel it's important for everyone to be...but not to the point of hurting someone. Hope is something one should never loose, because without it, life would be dismal. Great post to read Valerie, I love reading your posts!!
Beautiful stocking! Congrats on the finish!! I love the little sheep and that bunny charm!! It will look gorgeous made into a stocking!!
40 ct is fun!! I love 40 ct!! I just found that I needed another project to work on that is on lower count so I could rest me eyes a bit!!
HUGS!!
Wonderful finish! I bought this chart at the same time you did, and I didn't get the fabric or floss for it either. I'm glad you got it done. It's so cute!
Good luck with the 49 count. I'm sure that is a huge shock to your eyes. :)
I love your finish, Valerie! A perfect piece to reflect the light of hope within you. I love it and I love your honesty, too. Sometimes I think my blog is a bit too honest - a little too much info for some folks. Oh well, "I yam what I yam" as Popeye would say.
Love your post. And I love your Sadie too. The reminder to have hope will be there every time you look at her! And I love the little green glass flower on the sheep - cute! Congrats on a beautiful, and meaningful, finish!
a beautiful stitch and such a lovely sentiment.
Congrats on getting th stocking all stitched up it looks great!!!
I love Sadie, Valerie !!!! It sounds like you picked the perfect stocking for you. There is something so cozy about SB stockings, isn't it?
Keep on hoping girl and never be ashamed of pouring your heart out. I hope all your hopes become true :-)
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