He Has Left Us

No one can prepare you for a beloved parent's passing. Even when you know it is inevitable, you are not prepared for the grief that you will feel, and no one can convey the depth of it to you in advance.

My father passed away on 11/11/11, Veteran's Day and also the Canadian Day of Remembrance. It felt like he slipped out through a tear in the space-time continuum.

My family entered a fugue state. We all could help take care of arrangements, but at the same time each of us felt a sense of unreality cloak our world. The words surreal and unimaginable took up a predominant place in our vocabulary during the week after his passing.

The sense of surreality is but slowly fading as memories of my father grow stronger each day.  Shared stories of times with him has made us all smile through our daily tears.

I will forever feel his presence inside me when I make decisions, hug a loved one, or observe the unbounded sky overhead. I will miss him immensely.

The Traveling Victorian Family

A little holiday gift collection inspired by a Victorian family that travelled throughout Europe by rail. Click on the image to go to the collection and find out more about these treasures.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Crochet Jewelry: Linen Inspiration

It is so inspiring to see what others are creating in beads and fiber. Any of these crocheted jewelry pieces would make beautiful gifts for a loved one (or yourself).

Some pieces combine elegance with a rustic sensibility, like this beautiful crocheted necklace:

Coral Red Flowers - Linen Necklace by GreyHeart of Stone

See more more linen jewelry by this wonderful shop here.

There is pure romance and grace in this lovely necklace crocheted in cotton of a linen color:

Free form flower crochet necklace by FIBreRomance

If you are not looking for flowers, but still want an organic form, how about this spectacular red coral crochet necklace:

Exotic Red Coral Art Scarf Statement Necklace by kanokwalee

And for simplicity of design, don't you love this next necklace and the way it combines the crocheted piece with chain?

Lace Snip Necklace by Nadene

For free form versatility, you can't beat this combination piece:

Handmade Crochet Necklace / Bracelet/ Ring by rRradlonica

This piece can be deconstructed to provide lots of separate jewelry pieces:

This is about the cleverest idea I have seen and a bargain to get so many pieces in one!

Fashion Tapas: Late 20's Style Cloche

Ms. Gish Crochet Cloche by KnotChaCha

It’s a cloche with a tiny flare at the bottom. Just enough of a flare to still call it a cloche. Anything less and you’d have to call it a beanie. The crown is a solid charcoal wool and as the hat swoops down toward the tiny flip of a brim charcoal and black wool alternate in a spiral stripe that ends in a black edge. A vertical row of simple buttons decorates one side.

With this low profile cloche you could picture yourself in the late 1920s, a time when in fashion and actions women had been making statements all decade about their independence and worth.

As the decade of the twenties wound to a close, "talkies" were replacing silent films and Ms. Gish’s acting career was slowing down. By 1929, the cloche hat had evolved so that it only had the tiniest of brims—similar to what you see on this hat. Ms. Gish did not appear on screen during that year. I’d like to think that while she was not working she might have crocheted a hat like this for herself or a friend.