In Between

I'm certainly not a Grinch when it comes to the Holidays. But I have a confession to make.

My favorite moments during the Christmas season aren't the parties and lights and music.

My heart is the happiest in the moments in between. When frost and woodsmoke are the stars of the show. When December sparkles all by itself, without help from me or General Electric. When there aren't school lessons to complete, so the kids and I can breathe and relax and enjoy quiet moments.

I try my darndest to keep it simple and focus in on what really matters, but it seems that things still get away from me during the holiday season.

But those in-between moments when I can breathe; that is when I find the peace that I know this Season is supposed to be about.

Artsy-Fartsy

I can't help it. I'm in love with this picture. I don't usually love pictures of me, but this one is artsy and silly and perfect.

I had my laptop open on the kitchen counter as I was making dinner in the evening. I was reading comments and listening to music and blog-hopping and stirring soup. Then the sun came out, and there was my reflection overlapping my page.


In so many ways, this photo is the perfect glimpse of how I see myself these days. I don't get out much... I'm a total homebody. Its mostly just me and the kids and errands and housework and evenings with Daddy and... you.

I don't really know what it is about me that makes me enjoy writing this blog so much, but this online journal has become an inseperable part of how I think each and every day. You give me fuel and inspiration to keep taking pictures, to keep noticing the details that make up my life. I find myself getting excited about telling the story of my life in snapshots, for my benefit, as a record for my kids to read when they are grown and I am gone, and as a link to the outside world.

It makes me really happy that you keep coming back to see what I'm up to, what we are up to. I have a widget that tells me how many of you are stopping in on a daily basis, and I am humbled to know that you are out there living life and taking the time to visit... hopefully finding encouragement and inspiration in the photos I take and the words I write.

Love Day

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

Jeremiah 31:3

That's what it says.

We are loved with an EVERLASTING love.

Not like everlasting gobstoppers that really don't last that long.

This is the true meaning of everlasting... forever love... isn't that what we all long for?

Someone who sees who we are, to the very core, and yet... loves us unconditionally?

And there it is, simple and pure and free.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, 

so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." 

John 3:16

While I cherish the love of my Husband, Children, Family and Friends, 

this forever LOVE is what I cling to the hardest.

God won't send me chocolates or flowers today, but its okay... 

He gave me a greater gift. He gave up His very life for me.

*NEW* My Shadow

Her origins began on a cold December evening in 2008, as I was decorating for Christmas. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen, I created a papercutting titled, “NOEL 1887”.

A full year later, I was taking a slightly different direction in my business, moving away from finished goods and fully embracing my sampler designing work. A flash of inspiration, and the original shape of my dancers became the logo that I now use to represent me. I first introduced her on January 15, 2010, saying:

Meet my shadow, formed from paper

with scissors and knife,

born from a seed of inspiration

that was certainly planted by God.

She represents the feeling I truly want to convey, that the designs I present to the world, are all creations that spring forth from my heart. I am strongly convicted to never, ever offer a design that is not meaningful in some way to me. I will not offer designs that were made just to generate money, but rather to generate an emotional response, a resonation in the hearts of my customers.

And so, she has come full-circle, My Shadow, now depicted not with paper, but with needle and thread, and a motto that hopefully will resonate with you as much as it does with me:

With only a silver needle

and a string from the depths of my heart

I will stitch love and beauty

into the warp and weft of the world.

Warp and Weft: Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric. The longitudinal threads are called the Warp and the lateral threads are the Weft. 

My Shadow would still be waiting in a “designs to be stitched” folder if it wasn’t for the generous and patient Donna Gabbard, who willingly took on a project calling for Black, Black, and more Black. With an extra skein of Black thrown in for good measure! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your time and the result of your skill is a gift that I will cherish for all of my days.

Stitch Count: 191 x 292

Model stitched on Weeks Dye Works 40ct. Linen

Using Weeks Dye Works 1094 Linen and 3900 Kohl (5 skeins)

When I set out to find a frame for this design, I had something in particular in mind, and was super excited to find Homecraft Framing on etsy. Dona has been making frames for a very long time, and understands the world of cross-stitch. I highly recommend that you check out her shop the next time you are looking for a painted frame for one of your pieces.

My Shadow is now available in my etsy shop and will be going out to my distributors soon. If you prefer to order directly through me, you can send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com

Have You Ever... ???

In all you live-long life, have you ever seen something like this?

I am completely baffled by this old pincushion.

She appears to be made of horsehair-stuffed silk. And I think she used to have a ruff of some kind around her neck.

Her head has a big hole in the top, presumably where her hair was once attached.

Otherwise, all I can say is, "What in the world!", shake my head and smile.

And speaking of old pincushions, do you like her pillow?

Its an oldie too, given to me by my Sis-in-Law for my birthday.

Methinks I might be a bonified pincushion collector pretty soon.

Coming Soon...

Just as soon as I develop the cover and get a good photo, I will be ready to release a charted version of my logo that many of you have asked after.

Featuring a gorgeous surround by a new-to-me framer that I found on etsy.

Tuesday? Wednesday? Not sure yet... but soon!