February Fresh Start

 It is now February, and I'm happy to put January in my memory.

We lost Gordo the English Bulldog on January 17th, he had touched our hearts in many ways. He was a sick puppy and is now where all good dogs go, Gordo is in heaven.

He was rescued by Donald and had a good life with him for 1 1/2 years of love from all of us.

Gordo was quite the character and we all smile when we speak of him or think of him. RIP Gordo. X

Now onto February, it is the leap year this year & I remember back in 1988 being very pregnant with the second son Mitchell, with a due date in late February and so relieved when he made his debut on the 18th of February not holding out to be a Leap Year baby. lol

February is also Valentine's Day & I decorated the dining room with some love.

The crow I made now wears red gingham & holds the velvet heart that Bill gave me one year for Valentine's Day.

The dining room bay window is the focal point for that special day with beadwork decorations.

These were purchased years ago at La Cache in London ON. The sale prices made them affordable and I would use them each year thereafter.

The beaded birds were purchased at the same time and I had purchased three hearts & three birds. 

The large silver hearts were a sale find at Urban Nest in Miramichi NB last year with their after-Christmas sale...I saw them as a Valentine's decor!

I put the heart-shaped Love that I made years back in the window, you can see the ice on the window from a sleet of rain that went through our area that day. All northeast windows looked like they had a stained glass texture that day, could not see in, could not see out!

This is a lumbar pillow I made from all the scraps from the William Morris fabric table runner.

The back is made of a light tan striped chintz from a sample package I had purchased many years back. I finished it with a zipper on the bottom for easy removal and did a binding in The Strawberry Thief fabric which matches my Pumpernickel placemats that I purchased at Parkland in Miramichi NB,  On The Square in Newcastle.

We've brought the two Louis XV chairs in to cozy the dining room up this winter. I do miss not having the sunporch, I would sip my morning coffee and enjoy the waterfront view. Winter migrates us inside where it is warm and cozy.

Here is the table runner that I made with Morris Co. fabric, I love all William Morris designs!

I added five inches or one design block more to make the length fit the table. This is a new free pattern on the Connecting Threads website called Labybrith Tablerunner, under the free patterns. www.connectingthreads.com

His designs have such movement to them, like a summer breeze. The Strawberry Thief is one of my favourite prints in red and blue, the scale of this print is the same as the placemats!

The gingerbread house is now finished & the roof is put the right way too! lol

I crotched four strands of roving in a loose chain stitch to create the icing effect.

And love the idea Bill had having a hinged roof, thank you Bill for being patient with me & bringing this to life! This is finished and ready for this Christmas!

Don brought me his Bulldog pillow & asked for the feather pillow to be replaced with a polyester one as his allergies are through the roof with feathers. So I pulled out my chintz sample pieces of fabric & made a dark red striped pillow for Valentine's Day!

Since these are sample pieces I had only enough for one side, so this side was done with Valentine's Day in mind too with a soft pink. The scraps were then used for a removable band to go around it!

The band can be used vertically or horizontally, this pillow is in the foyer on the bench.

When Bill comes home with the truck & backs up to the house, this is what happens each time!!

I thought it was beautiful to share with Valentine's Day just weeks away.

We say that his truck loves coming home! lol

Here is the progress on the Pokemon I Spy Quilt, I have two more rows to finish to bring all the 168 blocks together. This is truly a labour of love for Nicholas. xXx

Thank you for stopping by to visit. I hope you are enjoying your winter as much as we are. It is a very unusual winter in the northeast New Brunswick area but it's just the beginning of February & another 6 weeks of potential storms to come blanket us with the Canadian winter that we all know.

Stay warm and healthy and come for a virtual visit again.

Cynthia xXx