More pretty journals ...

Vintage embroidery, there is something

so special about it ... don't you think?

It may be the history retained in the piece of antique linen or the fact that I try to imagine the stitcher

and what decade it was stitched in.  I enjoy looking out for hand embroidered linens and enjoy using them in my work.  Embroidery takes a long time to do and sometimes it is more expedient to use pre stitched linens, that said I love hand stitching and embroidery and do some bits for me personally and always hand embroider the samplers I do for commission work.

I enjoy covering the journals and these are A4 Daler-Rowney sketch journals with beautiful blank paper.  These journals, once covered, are for keeps.  They could be used to write your family tree out for further generations or indeed memories or thoughts.  In this day and age I worry about what hand written history our younger generations will actually be left with as everything is on a computer.  Do not get me wrong emails are great in business and a quick hello but I worry about the written word.

I love the fact that I have hand written letters or documents from my ancestors and can almost feel

their presence when I hold them.  I wish I had a written letter or a signed card from my fathers mum.... As a young child you do not appreciate what you are holding in your hand and that if you do have something like that to keep, what it holds in your heart.  I want my family generations to have that for when the appreciation kicks in and I am not here anymore!

To write in one of these special books is a treat and I have made several for myself.  If you would like to buy one then please contact me on here.  They are not cheap I am afraid but they are a luxury item meant as a heirloom .... with oodles of history in their fabric and the history of the written word for someone else in years to come.

I am particularly fond of the one on the right with an embroidered foxglove!  On the back is a piece of my handmade vintage fabric ribbon as there was only the one flower embroidered on this piece of vintage linen.  I say only, the detail

in the stitches is outstanding and I rather hope this one does not sell.  I have sold two already so this is a good sign.....

They are fiddly to get right, I have to be precise in all that I do so I am afraid not neat corners ... no journal.  With mitered corners plus paper covered inside to finish it off.

I am stopping at eight to sell, of which two are now gone until I get down to one then I will make more... I have some stunning fabrics to use.

The one on the right here has an autumnal feel about it with those colours...... and is a mirrored back and front...

This one has flowers back and front and has a more summery feel to it.  I kept the one with the bird (made last week) for me as I paid a lot for that piece of fabric and knew I would never be able to off set it by selling that journal.... I have started writing in it and I have to say every time I open the pages and get out my fountain pen, It feels rather special and really good !!

Anyway that is it for today and I hope you liked looking at the new batch .... Have a great day and as always Happy Stitching!

Sorry the picture is upside down but this is the detail of the foxglove ......Outstanding!