Saturday 7 November 2009

Some Small Quiet Things.


So, the last few days have been quiet, and this has allowed us to find a bit more time to sit around and occupy our hands with small things.

For me this has been an opportunity to catch up on some needlework which was abandoned back at the beginning of the summer! And although I tend to get these made in my car while waiting for the school bell to ring, a stitch here, a stitch there, I hadn't really got back into it yet so this was exactly what I needed.



It's a work in progress as you can see, and for those of you who are new here you can have a look here to see previous ones I've made. Not nearly as many as I'd like to of course, but it's slowly adding up.



There's something about lighting the fire that inspires me to just fall back into the couch and not budge for the evening, my thought's wandering as these miniature spectacles are conjured beneath my fingers, almost with a life of their own, and I merely their medium.
And each time I start a new one I wonder to what little world I shall be taken?



And as the little voices whisper, guiding my stitches in tiny increments, like footprints in my hazy childhood memory, as they tell their story, I wonder and marvel at the muse that is my children.

And I feel blessed.

For when I have an Alice moment, and I pause in my busy day, and I creep down onto bended knee to peer and listen at the tiny doors my children hold, I remember I am blessed. To have these little keyholes to a world that I can no longer truly live in, a means to steal a secret peep, to breathe it in and for the briefest moment really feel it again.

56 comments:

Tia said...

LOVE these Ciara !!!!

Daydream Believer said...

This was such a beautiful entry. It brought tears to my eyes.

Aoife said...

Delightful!
I know the feeling, ensconced by the fire with my knitting! Bliss.

A Daft Scots Lass said...

Stunning and very touching

Crazy People I've Worked With said...

Great entry!!

Martin said...

A truly beautiful post.

I discovered your blog via 'blogs of note'. I'm not at all surprised you find yourself in this category. A pleasure to visit.

Fya said...

ah! this is amazing! you've made my day.

Dreamfarm Girl said...

Your stitchwork is delightful and your words are elegant. Thanks for the glimpse into your world.

Elizabeth said...

What a beautiful blog -- I'm excited to have found you.

Sara said...

I am glad you have taken the time to peep into those keyholes. You inspire me to do the same. What wonders there are there.

Your creations are very lovely my dear. :)

xoxo

Kerry O'Gorman said...

I just discovered your blog and wanted to say how lovely it all is...your precious embroidery is a little world in itself and you must have fun doing them...I traveled through Ireland in the spring and loved everything about it so its good to peak into a daily life there...cheers..Kerry

Lisa said...

This was lovely! I used to do needlework, but this past year, my eyes just don't cooperate with me.

Bryan Boru said...

Ciara,
I would be flattered to have my meager blog connected with your honest document of your life. Thank you. I am relatively new to blogging my work, specifically on this site, when I get a more firm grip I would like to put a link to your on mine as well. Thanks

Bryan

love moneymaker said...

I normally dont follow this type of blog as you can see that my name dont actually represent take it slow lifestyle kind of guy. But there something mmmmm..... how do i put this ...lets say it serene about your blog and i love the pictures kind of slows down my tempo its like wow!! it have some amazing effects=good on me. i live in busy city Singapore and i love the country so i am caught in a bad situation...lol ok i would not want to take much of your space. Thanks for showing me that the garden of eden still exsist in this world.

Anonymous said...

I'll have to start taking my camera with me on each journey of life moment I take. There must be a hundred and one "should have brought my camera" moments that I would like to share. Thanks for the inspiration. Isn't Ireland such a special place!!

Kida said...

those r really cute things you make! keep it up :)

Paddy said...

Ciara, you are inspiring.
The kids may not realise it fully just yet, but they will in time. That will be your true legacy.

Beck said...

Thanks for reminding me to look and notice the small things. Your stitching is beautiful, as are your words xo

Lately Lisa said...

Ciara, I am new to blogging but yours is my ABSOLUTE favorite. I added a link on my blog to yours. Your blog is so beautiful I look forward to reading it and looking at your beautiful pictures every day. I found you on Blogs of Note. My blog is VERY amature at this point (but I have some great recipes etc and am learning as I go). Thank you for sharing!
Lisa
http://mamastress.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Ciara this is a really great blog. It's nice to read. I look forward in reading some more of your blogs. You should also try setting up aquariums as a hobby. Fishes helps me unwind during tired and stressful days. You can check this website out http://www.aquariumfishexperts.com/ to find out more about it. It's been a real help.

Diwakar Sinha said...

I too was having these urges for stiching and weaving and had to blog them out..though in a different way from yours..

Anna Patricia said...

beautiful! i love your blog, i'm happy i stumbled upon this :)

dan said...

hy,my name is Dan and i wanth to ask you if you wanth one link exchangenwith my personal blog(Freedom Opinion)?
Have nice day

Plamen said...

Really nice. Well done :)

Jo said...

I love these, so much! They're so perfect. Do you do them straight out of your head or do you outline them first? The cow! The garden! The hens are in the cabbages!

Anonymous said...

Nice work.

mkg.durgapur said...

Really a good blog, you deserve for "blog of note"! Good work Ciara!

Jess said...

What lovely gentle stitchery! :)

Anonymous said...

amen!

and love your stitchery.

Angel said...

I love reading your blog! It makes me feel warm inside :o)

Beautiful stitch work

Drawn to The Sea said...

Your words give me chillbumps, & your sweet needlework makes me smile.

Peace to you & yours,
~Julia

Liz of Wool Boutique said...

Eep! Cute little chickies!

Enjny said...

HI, I just wanted to say I enjoyed your entry :]

Stem Cell Blog said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
affectioknit said...

That's lovely - I love red embroidery!

Philip Dodd said...

found your blog today whilst sat sniffly and coldy on the sofa. Love your writing. It's like a cup of hot chocolate on a rainy, windy day.
thanks
Philip

Joanne Angelina said...

Great stuff, came upon your blog and I'm glad that I did... have a great day!
x

sugoandsunshine said...

Wow, this is really beautiful! I like to cross stitch when I can, but had never heard of this sort of embroidery. Complimenti!
Tammy in Italy

Rebecca S. said...

Ciara,
I decided to look up some blogs of note, and I'm very happy to have found yours! My girls and I sat down on Sunday afternoon to start some garlands made of origami cranes and beads. Our wet weather and sniffly season has also set in here on the west coast of Canada and our thoughts turn to little projects, too.
I love Jane Austen, too. And my little one and I are reading Harry Potter 4 to each other in the evenings.
Check out my new blog if you like.
All the best,
Rebecca,

Lea said...

It's a nice work done..
I mean I saw your previous work.
I always wanted to try to do some needlework but I just can't find the time.
Do you have any advise?

Ryane said...

Those are beautiful and I couldn't agree with you more about lighting a fire, and just wanting to be in for the rest of the day!

Unknown said...

Your words are touching and they bring about feeling in people, touching their hearts, and that...is a special gift.

gaga. said...

Great post (: such wonderful needle work!

picture-lover said...

great picture, wonderful..
wanna know though, why did u draw 3 chickens? maybe there are specific reasons..

Kelsey.Giesler said...

I can relate, sometimes you can become inspired by even the smallest things that allow you to just relax and look around you with such gratitude for what we're blessed with.

Esti said...

your little things always make my day. thanks again, Ciara, for I feel related to every word although we live in different places and speak different languages. It feels like we've come a long way, doesn't it?

Mel said...

Ciara, so love to see your red stitchery again... the fine tiny stitches... the whimsical stories they tell. But so much more the truth in the tiny precious moments you tell about...

:)

Hope you are all on the mend...

xo Circe

networkchic said...

We often forget to look through those keyholes to catch a glimpse of the past partly because we fear what we might remember and partly because we forget that being a grown up doesn't mean we can't keep a small part of "child" within our hearts.

Beautiful post.

nineob said...

Very good at all.

Anonymous said...

Great stuff

;D

Anonymous said...

Nice !! good work
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Audrey C Morey said...

we all seem to have those moments where somewhere something out of the norm happens and completely wraps us in a cloud of wonder and for but a moment we are permitted to see into a world we never knew was there... i live for those moments... the smallest glimpse of story bigger than me.

Anonymous said...

very touching wow sounds like you had a great childhood sweet

mindder said...

iyi çalışma.

Unknown said...

Beautiful form of expression and wonderful writing!

R0cKi said...

Magnificent needlework!! and the literary scheme is esquisite! I enjoy your writing, it is sort of a euphora for my escape into a lost peaceful place.