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, April 30, 2012

did you miss me......




Hi honey I'm home! Back from an eventful weekend in the amazing city of London with my little girl, on her birthday and having spent an afternoon taking tea with Alice in Wonderland. There will be more of that in a few days in my May newsletter....there are other things to share here. I ate cake, I drank champagne (and for someone who never normally touches alcohol that half glass of bubbly caused a little bit of a hot flush I can tell you) and I spent around 5 hours in hospital.....who says I don't know how to have fun!? Actually it demonstrates clearly why I hardly ever leave the house... I'm not to be trusted in public.....and I might add that this was the day before I consumed my half glass of champagne....
From nowhere......an incredibly painful, bloodshot and hideously swollen right eye appeared just as I was about to hit the shops. (it was the bank manager I hear you cry...well probably!) It was agony and I couldn't see....no help at all when shopping is planned. So off I staggered to the NHS drop in centre in Soho...sorry we can't help you....it needs to been seen at the Moorfields Eye Hospital....so the upshot after hours of prodding, testing, poking, shining lights in to my eye, sitting around, drinking copious amounts of coffee, trying to be brave and not cry......a scarred cornea girls, caused by an infection of unknown origin.....medication dispensed, refused an eye patch as apparently that would make it worse, reduced to walking around looking like cyclops due to the lack of  a begged for eye patch....my scarred cornea and I are now home....I did go shopping, the next day. I didn't get everything my heart desired but never mind....an excuse to go back soon I think!
Enough of the drama though...today's pictures.....these are in honour of tomorrows new start for embroider, embellish, create...a last call so to speak. Get over here to sign up...and never fear, a half blind, Cyclops impersonating teacher is better than no teacher at all!!

24 comments:

deanna7trees said...

ok. so now i know that you have no idea how that happened. glad you are on the mend and that you were able to enjoy part of your trip. take care of yourself. we need you here.

lynne said...

Do be patient and take care of the cornea. I've had this happen and taking the time to let it heal is important for the long term health of the eye. No rushing back to fine needle work. Promise?

Joanna said...

Did I miss you? Nope! Did you miss me? Doesn't sound like it. You know how to do things with style don't you? Glad you enjoyed yourself with your daughter though and I do hope that eye heals really quickly. I know what it's like to go around looking as if you have done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and it kind of makes you want to stay in behind closed doors.

Lois Evensen said...

I'm glad to hear you are safely home! I hope your eye heals well and quickly. Hopefully, you will give it a rest!

ersimarina said...

Are you sure that isn't just an excuse so you can go about winking an eye at everyone? :)

I did miss you and the cloth you posted today is exquisite! Will I ever even get near that? I'll be 'seeing' you tomorrow and I'll wink right back!

(Won't be able to log in till afternoon though, I must work in the morning.)

barbara l. hale said...

Hoping your eyes heals very quickly! Boy, isn't it just the way it is for something like that to come up when you are planning to enjoy yourself? But it sounds like you managed to have a good time in spite of it all. Glad you're home and on the mend.

Elizabeth said...

Take good care of your eye. Doctors can't do a transplate yet!

Annet said...

I'm glad you had a great time in London, apart from the eye troubles. There was no time to miss you, I was very busy finishing projects before your class starts tomorrow. I'm just catching up blogreading after spending a lovely time at a flea market. I bought some great goodies to use in your class!

dandelion said...

Ooooooouuuuuch! But do you have an embroidered eye patch now? It could be a look you could keep??
The cloth is just unbelievably beautiful!!!! I hope your eye gets better soon
x

Jane said...

Glad you're home safe and sound now. Hope the eye heals quickly

Jeannie said...

I did miss you! Please tend the eye and let it heal properly. My biggest fear is to loose my eyesight. How would I thread my needles? The cloth is gorgeous. Now, rest that eye!

Rosa said...

I missed you - but I've been busy too;-) That eye-story sounds dreadful, take good care of it and be healed Oh Goddess of Stitches!
Wonderful cloth. Just wonderful.

jill said...

oh no, how bad is that (the eye cyclops) but look forward to the pictures of Alice and the cakes, Good luck with the course, it will be great

Lynda said...

Good to have you back. Wishing you a speedy recovery and thanks for today's photos of a beautiful, inspirational and totally sumptuous cloth.

Linda Carole Bloom said...

Love the photos today!! Take good care of the eye - we need eyes in our business!! DID miss you.

Jillayne said...

Karen, I am so sorry to hear of your eye ordeal! I hope you are on the mend and will be right as rain soon. I can't imagine how awful that ordeal must have been and a worry too. Our eyes and our fingers are so important...take care, and get well!

Heather Woollove said...

Oh, how dreadful, Karen! Grrrrr...and on a lovely holiday with your daughter, as well!?! Heal quickly! XXO-

Anonymous said...

My goodness, you have been in the wars! Get well soon, and don't overdo things while the eye is healing (yes, I do know that that is very difficult!)

Barbara said...

Poor you Karen - what rotten luck but pleased to hear you are on the mend...take care of that eye :)

Anonymous said...

Even big pictures aren't big enough - I just want to pore and sigh over every exquisite detail of these. Sounds like you had a scary time with your eye. Fingers crossed it's back to normal very soon. Take care!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

My God! Not the review I expected to read from your London trip! What a terrible time. I hope you and your eye are now resting and improving a little more each day.
I note the champagne was consumed the next day, so I assume it didn't entirely stop you from enjoying yourself. :)

Anonymous said...

Yikes!! Hope you are well on the way to being mended!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Oh my - this proves we can't let you go out to play alone! Next time we just have to all come with you to keep you safe, that's all there is to it. Seriously, I do hope your eye is much better and that the hurt has gone away.

Yvonne Moxon said...

Oh dear, how awful! I wondered why everyone was asking about your eye in more recent post comments. What a shame I hope it heals quickly. Couldnt help but laugh though at your discription of yourself :)