Happy New Year!

Ah bugger, missed it!   Not unlike the bezzie who spent an entire school disco circa '82 rooted to the spot under a net full of balloons in eager anticipation of them being released on her, unfortunately that same year the committee in charge had gone stark staring mad and laid on ice cream in cones for the first time in living memory. Seeing the rest of the school parading past with theirs she eventually cracked, left her spot she'd been guarding all night and shot off to the dining room to claim hers...she walked back in to the hall clutching her cone just in time to watch 100's of balloons being released...you could almost hear the sound of her heart breaking...bless! ;0)

So yes Christmas/New Year, well most of mine was spent on my back rolling around feeling sorry for myself and not, unlike most years, because I'd eaten my body weight in Mr.Mimi's trifle. No, I was stricken with some hideous flu virus thing which has only just left the building...bleurgh!

Couple that with the in-law's health deteriorating/hospitals/hospices I've barely had a chance to thread a needle and I'm afrad the ol' internetting has taken a backseat, so apologies to all my chums and new followers if there's been a lack of Mimi Lovin' your way, I hope to make amends soon!

So lets get cracking with some of the good stuff that has been helping to keep me the right side of sane!

First off a big shout out n a virtual huggin' to the fabulous Mr.X Stitch for putting up with me and my wittering by interviewing me for Creative Crafting online mag. Read me drivvling on about stitching and cake shovelling over at Creative-Crafting here.  Thank you big you big fella :) x

Also congratulations to Carina from Polka & Bloom and Nicole from Follow the White Bunny for their fabulous new magazine &Stitches. &Stitches is a quarterly e-zine, all about modern stitching. It has a strong focus on all kinds of embroidery and other (hand) sewing projects and is packed to the rafters with stunning photographs, glorious colour and some fabulous helpful tips and tricks...I'm hoping the girls will one day launch the mag into print because it really is a joy to behold...and I'm not just saying that cos I'm in it! ;0)

Grab your copy here:

I'm currently working on some new pieces heading for the Glasgow Goodkind Gallery, Cathryn informs me that Cockney Sparrows and Gnomes are taking Montana by storm...huzzah!

(Yoink! Photo courtesy of Goodkind Gallery)

And so to my recent pictures and a public apology for making my
mate Robey cry...I have that effect on people and not necessarily for the right reasons! ;0) 

Meet Archie, a handsome English Bull terrier and loyal, sorely missed chum.

　
Pam had to say a heart breaking farewell to Archie late last year and this is my wee tribute to him I've surrounded Archie in lots of hand stitched stars in metallic threads and tiny drops of golden glitter paint which sparkle like his personality did

　

Words read:
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper I love you
Birds singing in the sycamore tree
Dream a little dream of me

　

Night night Archie, sleep well precious chap. Watercolour and acrylic on canvas with hand embroidery

So there we go; the balloons, like my bezzie was, are thoroughly deflated, the tree is back in the loft and I wont have to take the ironing off the excercise bike cos I actually managed to lose weight over Christmas...that will last about as long as my resolutions but I can bend over in my jeans without passing out at the moment so bring on the flu! ;D

Next time I will be sharing the fully stitched version of my latest commission...a chicken, huzzah!

Once again apologies to all you wonderful folk for my lack of contact recently, I really cannot thank you all enough or tell you what it means to me that you take the time to drop in and leave such lovely comments and send me such heart warming messages. As some of you know it's a bit of a stress on the home front at the minute but knowing there's a world of love and support out there keeps the MimiLove going x

Big MimiLoves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! x:)