Magic And Frozen Gardens

"Many a winter's night she flies through the streets of the town, and peeps in at the windows; and they then freeze in so wondrous a manner that they look like flowers."

Since writing about Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen here two weeks ago 

her icy presence has been felt in our home.

 

 "The flake of snow grew larger and larger; and at last it was like a young lady, dressed in the finest white gauze, made of a million little flakes like stars. She was so beautiful and delicate, but she was of ice, of dazzling, sparkling ice; yet she lived; her eyes gazed fixedly, like two stars; but there was neither quiet nor repose in them. She nodded towards the window, and beckoned with her hand."

 As part of my treasured birthday gifts I received this book

and this one too.

 Both have inspired me in many ways. The ball of "Silver Fox" Madelinetosh Sock Yarn in the first picture and the ivory silk left from Angélique's christening in the second are being crafted into two surprises which I will reveal soon, very soon...

There is no denying that the magic of winter is seductive. Thank goodness for I must confess I have been feeling bereft recently. I have lost my voice a little on this blog and the reason for this, I believe, is simply because gardens are frozen or - as the text on the page below implies - suspended in time and place. I must look for my inspiration elsewhere.

"Kay and Gerda's parents had large wooden boxes, in which vegetables for the kitchen were planted, and little rose-trees besides: there was a rose in each box, and they grew splendidly. They now thought of placing the boxes across the gutter, so that they nearly reached from one window to the other, and looked just like two walls of flowers. The tendrils of the peas hung down over the boxes; and the rose-trees shot up long branches, twined round the windows, and then bent towards each other: it was almost like a triumphant arch of foliage and flowers. The boxes were very high, and the children knew that they must not creep over them; so they often obtained permission to get out of the windows to each other, and to sit on their little stools among the roses, where they could play delight fully."

If you would like to discover more about this illustrator you can see more of her work here and here.  Let me know if you like her art, won't you please?  I have a good reason for asking ;-)

The Lady Who Understood Magic In Her Flower Garden

Whilst it is normal to yield to the charms of reds and gold with the approaching festive season I still hanker after pinks and greens.

 Inspired by the remaining trailing roses (in December?) which I peek at over lofty garden walls in our glorious village and Amanda Soule's hasty knitting up of these delights

I decided to follow in her footsteps.

 Here is my Dried Rose Petals cardigan.

The pattern is Kelly's "In Threes" 

The yarn is Malabrigo Worsted Merino in "Dusty Pink".

To quote Amanda it's a beautiful breeze of a pattern. 

And what of magic?

A few weeks ago (too many to mention, I'm afraid) I won my FiRsT giveaway from Robin's adorable blog. 

 This keychain has brought me so much luck! A few days later I won AnOtHeR gift this time from Emma's blog Mimi and Tilly which arrived on my birthday!

 Pink paper and purple ribbon...

 And inside.... Just look at those magical topaz earrings!

I couldn't be happier with these two gifts.  Pop over and visit these lovely ladies, won't you, please? Emma is doing a feature on Coco Rose right now!

This is really beginning to sound like a fairytale for BoTh these presents have doubled my luck because THIS week on the same DAY I won a fabulous giveaway at Annie's aNd at Sue's!

Can you believe my luck?  I promise to show you the two splendidly generous books when I receive them. 

Annie has added the final cherry on my GoOd FoRtUnE cake by bestowing a Versatile Blogger Award to Millefeuilles which (and this is really getting embarrassing) has followed one awarded by sweet Trish. I am so LUCKY!

There are wintery, frosty creatures being stitched up right now amonst other treasures and I will reveal all on the week of the 12th December for Making Winter Week at Silverpebble.

Ha!  Somebody cannot wait to get her hands on that soft cardigan!

A bientôt!

Which One's Your Favourite?

Let me begin by wishing my friends across The Pond a very happy and peaceful Thanksgiving this week!

 I was overjoyed to read all your responses to my question "What colour is winter?" in my previous post.  I am now busy creating something which will incorporate ALL the answers you gave me and I cannot wait to show you during the next  Making Winter Week over at Silverpebble's starting December 5th.

Quality Street Chocolates.  
Which is your favourite?  If you are not familiar with them which colour appeals to you particularly?  It can be tricky to choose.

At this time of year I find myself becoming quite dizzy with the vast choice of knitting patterns and gift ideas I would like to make.  My imagination goes wild during the run-up to Christmas. There is however little time in the day and I have been told that nights are for sleeping. Choices have to be made.  Do you feel the same?  If so how do you juggle between desire and reality?

In these moments of giddiness I find SIMPLICITY is best for me.

Hannah Fettig's Sock Yarn Sweater is the perfect solution to calm my feverish thoughts.
This one is for Angélique but can be made for any age. 
Decisions are easy and pleasant now.  Long or short sleeves?  Which delicious yarn?  So many work here: sock yarn and DK are good.  This time I opted for Rowan's Felted Tweed DK.  I cannot get enough of this yarn. The colour in reality is much richer and plummier than seen here.

Details to be found on Ravelry

 November 22nd is the Feast Day of Saint Cecilia the patroness of music.

It also happens to be my birthday...

Carlo Saraceni Saint Cecilia and the Angel
c. 1610

... and so I would like to share two divine treats with you.

I make no secret about my passion for Baroque Music.  Every year around my birthday I reach out for Purcell's "Odes for Saint Cecilia's Day".  Dear readers this work is sublime. It holds joy, melancholy and overall profound beauty.  Few things arouse patriotism in me - I am half French and half English - but this is so quintessentially British in both harmony and text (by NIcholas Brady) it is guaranteed to bring me out in goose bumps.

"Hark! hark! each Tree its silence breaks,
The Box and Fir to talk begin!
This is the sprightly Violin
That in the Flute distinctly speaks!"

Isn't this beautiful?  The trees are finally able to sing once they have been lovingly crafted into violins or wooden flutes.

If anyone is interested this interpretation is breathtaking although there are others.

My second treat takes us swiftly to nineteenth-century Paris. I am currently totally absorbed by Emile Zola's The Ladies' Paradise - Au Bonheur des Dames  Here is the nineteenth-century version of "shop 'til you drop" and it is an absolute joy to read.  Written in 1883 it traces the beginnings of the department store and contains fascinating insight into the role of women in Parisian society and mouth-watering details about fashion and textiles.  The theory behind the department store was that it suppled a desire you didn't know you had until you set foot in the door and Zola's imagery createes a sub-text of desire to beat them all in this book. 

It is a page-turner with a happy ending.

I wish you much joy this week.

 See you soon!

What Colour is Winter?

A warm hello to you all!

 We have had the great fortune of a three-day weekend as Armistice Day is a public holiday in France.  The weather has been glorious.

It is already mid-November and we are hurtling towards the winter solstice.  I have been thinking a great deal about why I love winter so.  When I was a child I would peer through the window every morning in the hope of finding snow or sparkling frost on the ground.  I fed my fascination with winter by reading  Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen and The Little Match Girl and would while away the dark afternoons by listening to Tchaikovsky's Winter Daydreams Symphony No° 1.

And now I find myself wondering what colour is winter? 

 This week as I sat nursing my bronchitis (I am feeling much better, thank you) and knitting this shawl the soft shades of celadon and gossamer grey reflected my idea of winter perfectly.  Old Man's Beard,the bright yellow pigments of lichen with a splash of berry red provide the perfect colour backdrop.

I will be working on the association between winter and colour over the next few weeks for no doubt - fickle creature that I am - my perception will change.

 In The Morville Hours

Katherine Swift writes:

"My garden was conceived in winter: a garden of ruler-straight lines and precise measurements, of black ink and white paper, moonlight and shadows."

 She continues by giving her thoughts on the colours of winter in the second paragraph on the following page:

She finishes by writing:

"I dress in monochrome, too: working with old books in out-of-the-way corners of dusty libraries I long ago adopted black as a simple everyday expedient.  Is there a connection? The subfusc of academic uniform, the black velvet of winter parties, the black and white of text on page, this liking for winter?"

Black and white for the garden lover and writer Katherine Swift.  Greys and pale jade green and blue for me.

And now I ask what colour is winter to YOU?

Before I leave you I urge you to pop over to visit Annie's amazing blog.  She is having a most marvellous giveaway so hurry, hurry over!

Have a beautiful week,

Stephanie

Shawl: by Never Not Knitting 

 Yarn: Madelintosh DK in Celadon and Gossamer delivered, you may recall, by the Madelintosh Fairy in the cabbage patch.

A blissful knit.

Short and Sweet

David Wheeler and Simon Dorrell founded Hortus Magazine twenty five years ago shortly after opening their garden to the public.

One gardens with words the other with pencils and paintbrushes.

Hortus Magazine is...

 thick, creamy paper and stark drawings.

 Each beautifully printed and bound issue contains articles on gardens, plants, people, history, design and ornaments.

A subscription to Hortus would make the perfect Christmas present for desolate gardeners with nothing to do during the winter months.  It is wonderful to read by the fire with a glass of something warming.

I am honoured to be included in the twenty-fifth anniversairy edition.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing this article.

Thank you David Wheeler. 

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Finally if you are searching for the perfect Christmas card pop over to see Vanessa's designs on her blog.  I received mine yesterday and as you can see the packaging alone is a work of art.

Amazing!

I am off to nurse my bronchitis and Angélique's first ear infection.

Have a beautiful week. 

Mine will involve a lot of knitting.

D is for Damson, Dahlia, and a Delicious Dilemma

I was woken up in the middle of the night on Friday by a scratching sound by my bedside.  Since our lovely cat Sakura's death a fortnight ago I have heard the mice dancing a jig in our attic so I was a little fearful of what I might find when I opened a weary eye.  I need not have feared for I found Dahlia The Rabbit  standing on the tip of her long toes and shivering.

"What ever is the matter?" I managed to mumble.

"I'm cold", she replied. "These trousers you made last week are fine and dandy for prancing about on stage but I would be grateful for something warmer now the nights are so frosty".

I nodded sagely and went back to sleep until Angélique woke me up a little while later.  It was still dark but my conscience geared me into making a little something warmer for Dahlia and I smiled as I knitted for I reminded myself of the Elves and the Shoemaker although much bigger in size of course.

Dahlia is delighted with her overalls and she happily declared them damson in colour.

"Why not?" I smiled for they do remind me a little of the damson's shining black-purple coats with matt blue overlay.

Dahlia urged me to write down the very simple pattern I concocted in the dead of night so should any of you wish to make this adorable Helen Philipps' rabbit you too might be able to dress it warmly.

So for those who are interested you will find my Dahlia's Overalls pattern at the end of this post.

And now for the delicious dilemma!

For the first time in years my dearest husband will have a week off between Christmas and the New Year.  Can you imagine our excitement?  After our weekly family meeting we decided we would like to head off in search of snow somewhere in the mountains.  The Alps seemed the obvious destination.  My mother's family is from Savoie and whilst I spent all my childhood holidays there I have lived by the sea for many years in Normandy and have not so much as glimpsed a mountain for far too long.

It is time to return.

We have searched for a gîte and it was my husband who came up with the following idea:

"Why don't we look for a roulotte (gypsy caravan) on a mountain top?"

   He knows me well.  You see, dear readers, one of my dreams when we finally buy a house and garden of our own in the Loire Valley is to also own a gipsy caravan, decorated by ourselves, which would serve to house visiting friends, host birthday parties for the children, and maybe even serve as an extra B&B room.

So this is what we found.  Please take a peep and tell me honestly what you think.  Bear in mind that at Christmas there will be snow on the ground as it is located between Chamonix and Geneva.  Do you think, as a family of five, we would be nuts to sejourn there for a week?  We generally get on pretty well although we are not perfect, of course.  For those who read French you will see there is a farm nearby which would be wonderful for the children.

 I am waiting for your thoughts on this delightful dilemma.

   

Until then I shall leave you with a picture of my newest acquisition:

 

My fabulous Fairysteps shoes!

Despite my deceptively large legs displayed here I feel like a fairy when wearing these for they fit like a kid glove and make me feel as if I am walking on air.

Have a heavenly week walking on air and welcome to my new followers!  I should have some good news to share with you in my next post!

A bientôt,


Stephanie

And here as promised is my humble pattern:

Dahlia's Overalls

I used Rowan Felted Tweed (so very soft) and a pair of US 4 (3.5mm) needles.

Legs

make 2

Cast on 34 stitches

Knit 2 rows

Starting with a K row knit 24 rows in stocking stitch (or more should you wish for longer trousers)

Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows to shape the crotch

Knit a further 22 rows in stocking stitch

Next rowm *K6 K2 tog* repeat ** 3 times, K6 (27 stitches)

Purl 1 row

Knit 2 rows

Cast off. 

Bib

make 1

Cast on 20 stitches

Row 1: Knit 1 row

Row 1: K2, P to last 2 stitches, K2

Row 3: Knit

Row 4: K2, P2 tog, P to last 4 sts, P2 tog, K2

Repeat the last 4 rows 3 times (12 stitches)

Knit 3 rows

Cast off

Straps

make 2

Cast on 4 stitches

Working in Garter stitch, knit 24 rows.

Cast off.

To sew up overalls.

With right sides together, fold each leg in half lengthways and sew up leg seam.

Turn one leg right way out and fit this one insdie the other.  Sew up crotch seam and turn right side out.

Sew bib to front of trousers.  

Sew one edge of each strap to the back of the overalls, about 1 cm either side of the centre seam, cross straps over at the back and sew the other end to the top of the bib at the front, overlapping 1cm.  Sew a button ont he end of each strap although these will not undo.

Finished!

 

The show must go on!

I am deeply touched by the empathy each of you expressed in your comments on my last post.  Every comment was received with tears of gratitude and you have all supported my children in their grieving process.

Thank you to Kate from harmony and rosie for suggesting the Judith Kerr books, Charlottesplot for giving me the reference to Marry Fedden's books, and Jo for telling me about the Rainbow Bridge Poem.  There were tales of mourned pets and helium balloons from Annie, gentle, hopeful hints of a future pet from lovely Isabelle (who is expecting her first child and is knitting up a storm) while Pat encouraged us all to laugh at Sakura's funny antics through our tears.  I loved Jeanne's reference to Voltaire, which I read several times, and I am grateful to Sara (anonymous) for her heartfelt messages and her suggestion to plant a rosebush.

I read your messages of hope and sympathy to my children and we agreed we would plant a cherry tree for Sakura when we were settled in a house and garden of our own.  

Tristan, who is seven years old, painted these flowers on A3 paper to thank you all.

 

We all heartily agree that the show must go on. 

 With a roll of drums and a few clashing cymbals here is Dahlia my autumnal rabbit.

This little androgynous creature is straight from Helen Philipps' last book.  You can see one of her rabbits on her blog here.

 He/She was delightfully easy to make and calls out for a generous collection of outfits to be rustled up.  The little cardigan was a free pattern suggested by Barbara.

 I urge you all to make one.  My fingers are itching to sew up a shelf full of different coloured rabbits.  There are so many beautiful coloured linens to be found. Dahlia has woven her magic over me (I think she is a 'she', don't you?) and has made me quite chirpy this week.  'Merveilles' (as seen on the book cover) or enchantment help us dance through our everyday lives.  Dahlia would be in her element prancing about on stage, I think.

And here she is posing as a bookish 'Princess and the Pea'.

Have a wonderful week full of 'merveilles' or enchantment.

A bientôt,

Stephanie

Sakura

Dear all,

Our kitten was born in March 2010 around the time when the wild cherry trees were flowering.  We named her Sakura as she reminded us of the foaming white Japanese cherry blossom.  We were also aware that Sakura symbolised the ephemeral nature of life.

We did not realise of course how fleeting our sweet cat's life would be.

Sakura died on Saturday morning and I am certain you can all imagine how sad we are.

I am simply relieved she is no longer suffering.  

The flowers (with dahlias, naturally) above were picked by the children to put on Sakura's grave which is in an idyllic spot in the woods by the vineyards.  The weather was heavenly and the children wrapped up poems they had written and gifts to accompany her.

We shall get through this grief together but if any of you have any tips on how to help the children along I would love to hear from you. It was their first cat, you understand.

Sakura was a gentle soul who reflected back ALL the love our children gave her.

Sakura napping two months ago

I will return soon with happier thoughts.

I wish you ALL a peaceful week with joyful moments.


A bientôt,


Stephanie