For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .







''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007







Monday, May 25, 2009

can't keep away!

Well I couldn't even last a week without posting, how sad is that? Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes, I had a brilliant day, lots of amazing presents, good food, good company, it was perfect apart from the fact that it went too fast! I got lots and lots of vouchers and have already used some of them to get myself some luxurious bubbles for the bath which I intend to use later tonight, that should keep the birthday feeling going a bit longer. I have been working too, it hasn't all been laziness and getting spoilt. We have a bit of image overload going on here but I really couldn't decide which one's to leave out, (thankfully, and I am saying this with everything crossed, my image editing programme seems to have got a new lease of life, must have been the threats of violence!!) So here is progress to date on makey do stuff. (if you want to be bored senseless there are more on flickr where you can comment on each picture individually)When I see you again these will be finished products so hang in there!
Now I have a bit of a searching question for my fellow bloggers and someone who's name I don't know. I noticed yesterday from my stat counter that one visitor, United Kingdom, no further information on location, had spent 217 minutes on my blog. The loudest voice in my head is saying they were just looking at all my archives because they enjoyed reading this blog. However, and call me paranoid, part of me (a small part) wonders if there were ulterior motives. I am not even sure I am getting this across properly but do you have those doubts with extra long visits??? and also, please, please, please, if you like it here so much I am really happy, truly I am but a little pleading....could you just leave me a little comment. I would like to get to know you, know what you think about my ramblings etc. I hope that hasn't offended anyone, yikes, I hope I haven't put my foot in it in big way, but I am so intrigued!!!
Tomorrow the birthday continues, I am going ''up north'' to visit family and get more presents, yes more presents!

20 comments:

IrinaBohemianDance said...

Very,very nice!I love them all...

kisses,

irina

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Hi Karen,
I saw your pictures on flickr,beautiful stitching.
I have had similar visits on my blog from another part of the world.I like you hope it's just for enjoyment and sometimes people forget to turn the computer off, or leave a page open by mistake.
Although mine down loaded every photo!
Now I'm getting paranoid!
Happy belated Birthday and have a fab week.xx
Happy belated Birthday and have a lovely week. xx

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

opps sorry I'm repeating myself!

Elizabeth said...

Wonderful stitching. Wish I could temper my excitment and just work but that seems not in the cards at the moment. Better a little late than never. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

hens teeth said...

The crispness of the white against the beautiful coloured embroidery...sigh.

Jane said...

oooooo, this all looks so delicious

victoria said...

Hello, I am one of those who visit you can not leave comments because I do not speak or write English.
All I see in your blog is wonderful.
Through google I have translated for this to explain my views without comment.
I am delighted to have arrived at your blog and I also try to translate through google everything yet, but it is never 100% accurate.
Congratulations on your birthday!
Victoria de Chile.

Jackie said...

Gorgeous pics.
I know what you mean about the long mysterious visits too. I did find that one of those was me because my connection had reset itself so my IP had changed so you could check that.
Make sure your visits are not being logged. It could just be someone who went out and left the computer on...but Its unnerving all the same.

KrazyPatch said...

Karen,

I visit regularly (when you have a new post), and am pretty sure when I first found your blog I spend hours within a few days.

Your work have evolved beautifully, and your "ramblings" usually make me smile. It does not hurt to be cautious, since you are using your blog, in part, as a marketing tool.

I do not leave comments because it tends to create visits to my blog which is a blank. Someday I will have time to create again, and I hope I will have something to share. In the meantime, I can expend a little creative energy by visiting the wonderful work of you and other bloggers.

Thank you for the priviledge of allowing others to see your work.

Karen

Claire said...

I wanted to come and comment (normally I read blogs through google reader) because I often get distracted from the computer and come back the next day to find I've had the one site open for say 12 hours :-)

As a mum of a newborn, this has happened more often LOL.

So perhaps there is nothing sinister going on at all!

By the way, I love your work and your blog often inspires me to take up needle and thread and embroider.

Cheers
Claire

jennyflowerblue said...

Ki Karen, not sure it WAS me, but.... when I check my feeds I click on and read all the updates and leave the windows open on the ones I want to comment on to come back to later. As Claire says I often then get elbowed off the computer, or have to fetch snacks and sometimes it is hours until I get back. I will make sure I comment on you straight away in future to save any worry. xx

meplusmolly said...

hello!
ooo how intriguing!........
well it's not me as I'm trying to limit the amount of time I let myself spend on the computer! lol
beautiful work ;0 X

Cathie said...

Delicious little bits of eye candy. Really, they look like little sugary flowers. Absolutely beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

Jacky said...

Oooh I love these extended birthdays...sounds like you are really enjoying yours...those bubbles for the bath sound wonderful.

Beautiful photos, I can never get enough of your amazing stitching.

Jacky xox

Unapologetically Mara said...

Justg discoverd your blog, and find your embroidery lovely. Love the combination of colours as well.

As for the extra long hours, I sometimes have windows open for hours just because I want to came back to them later, and then I go on, do my housework, go to the market, and windows are still open...so...that could be someone´s case I guess

Victoria said...

Gorgeous! You just keep out doing yourself, and right when I think it is so fabulous it can't get any better, it does! Amazing work, Karen.

As for the long visits, well it never even occurred to me to look and find out. Probably a good thing as it would get me wondering the motives too much as well. Sometimes to much knowledge is a dangerous thing! Glad to hear you had a happy B-Day!

Diane Cransac said...

Good Morning Karen :) I wouldn't worry too much about the extra long reader. Often people will op-en a blog on a tag and go on to something else. Sometimes I will go through my reader and click on the blogs I want to take my time reading. Often I open 6 or 7 at a time and slowly through the day read them. I actually had one tag open on my computer for over a week as I kept getting interupted! The new pieces look wonderful...of course. You are such a talented one my friend :) Some of your first pics looked like a beautiful wedding cake with icing flowers marching down the sides. Love it! Take care ~Diane

Gayle said...

These photos made me so happy! The workmanship is extraordinary with just the right amount of color...you edit beautifully as your workmanship doesn't get lost in the overall effect...it's perfection. :-)

Oh, about the 217 minute visit. I've had times when I've been distracted by the phone a knock at the door while blogging...walk away and forget to log off of a site. Perhaps the person who was visiting your site was distracted and forgot to log off...a possibility. :-)

Again, love the photos in this post...amazing!

Mary Corbet said...

As usual - so stunning, bright, and colorful! I love seeing your work!

nonni ru said...

I adore your stitching and am just tickled to see how creative you are...keep up the good work....