With love & God Bless
Caro
xxx
Wednesday 25 September 2019
WOYWW 538
Another week and another Wednesday so time for another glorious blog hop round the crafting desks of the world courtesy of Julia!
I was missing in action last week because I was down in Somerset for my beloved Gran's funeral service. It was a religious service at the Crematorium in Taunton, with a live organist, two good hymns (her favourite two). I read the Bible passage and the minister who took the service read the family's tribute which I wrote. The sun was shining and the crematorium was light and airy. We included a few unusual pieces of music as well which were very Gran - the arrival of the Queen of Sheba because she and Mum used to play it as a duet, and one of the big choruses from Elgar's Dream of Gerontius (She loved this and sang it many times - as she put it "the theology is suspect but by golly its a good sing"). We gave her a good send off, but I miss her terribly as I spoke to her twice a week, every week for the past 20 years. I miss being able to have those conversations with her.
Here is my desk this week, very tidy having had to clear enough space to write an assignment for my School of Ministry course (yesterday there were books everywhere as well as my laptop). On the desk you can see a nearly empty mug of tea, Gran's order of service and some of her needlework.
Gran was amazingly creative trying her hand at all sorts of different things over the years, but particularly needlework and lace. She made the lace for both my Christening Gown and my wedding veil, and did a lot of embroidery, tapestry and cross stitches. This is her handmade needlebook complete with some of her embroidery and I will treasure it, even though I am rubbish at sewing!
I have spent some time crafting, as well - learning to play with my Gelli plate - boy have I made a mess in the process, but it has been very therapeutic and great fun.
Here are some of my more successful pieces!
And to finish I thought I would leave you with a couple of photos of where I grew up. Mum still lives in this house, which has 5 acres of land, and Alex loves being down there as he can run free in the garden with the dog.
That's all from me for now. I hope you have a lovely week
With love & God Bless
Caro
xxx
With love & God Bless
Caro
xxx
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22 comments:
What a beautiful post today Caro. I can tell that she was a very special lady and has left a huge void in your life but you were so very lucky to have had her in your life so treasure all those happy memories. There will be many times when you will 'store' the events in your daily life to share with her later [I had an Aunt I used to visit each Wendesday so know just how this feels]....tell her anyway cos I'm sure she will be listening.
Hugs,
Annie x #11
Your post is such a nice tribute to your Gran! Your childhood home is gorgeous and I can see why you son loves it there! Happy WOYWW!
Glenda #18
Your gran was very talented with her needle work indeed! She must have been a lovely lady as you speak so warmly of her - she will live on in your heart. Your childhood home looks idyllic - it must be a little haven to visit in this busy world. Great prints! Have fun with your gelli plate - yes it can get a bit chaotic - I always feel like I had a workout after playing with mine! I always run out of paper and then desperately try to find clean surfaces before the paint dries LOL! Happy WOYWW! zsuzsa #17
The pics of your mother's house is so peaceful and beautiful. Sounds like you had a very special bond with your grandmother and what wonderful memories you have to cherish along with her beautiful needlework.
sandra de @19
Your Gran sounds like a much loved and wonderful woman, i am sure you and your family will miss her terribly. But how wonderful that you were able to tailor her celebration with music that holds special memories for all of you and so appropriate for her. Well done you for having a go at the gelli- I can't always face the mess and the sheer amount of 'art' you can produce really quickly but it is always fun to do (and a little addictive). That house just looks amazing. I wuld think anyone wuold be blessed to grow up or live there.
Happy WOYWW Cindy #15
What a lovely tribute to your gran, The house looks so quite and I know I would love it therre, Love your printing on your gelli plate,
Lilian B #10
Hi Caro, it sounds a lovely place to have held the funeral. Love her needlecase, such intricate work. So lovely that you have so many fond memories. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #6 X
Your Gran really sounds a lovely lady and very special - and the service a perfect way to celebrate her life. of course you will miss her but you have some lovely memories, and her needlework is outstanding! well done on getting some crafting done too! Helen #1 (thanks for the visit)
Stopping by to say Happy WOYWW! Fonda
I'm pleased that your gran had such a good send off, the service sounded really lovely. Your childhood must have been golden in that lovely house, I'm not surprised that Alex is continuing the tradition of being out all day. I did admire that beautiful needlework btw, your Gran must have had a lot of talent and patience!
Hugs LLJ 4 xxx
What a lovely tribute to your Nan and some great needlework too.
Love seeing your childhood home (my family are from Wellington so not too far from Taunton) and some nice experimenting with the gelli plates too.
kyla
Your Nan's work is beautiful, you're so lucky to have it as a reminder of a much loved lady. The house is gorgeous, how lucky you are to been brought up there. Hope you have a lovely creative week and a very happy woyww, Angela x13x
Sounds like your Gram's memorial was full of great memories. She will live in your heart forever. Her needlebook is gorgeous! So much detail!
I have a gel press (probably about the same as your gelli plate) and haven't taken it out of its container for a year! Someday...
Love your mum's home. The yard is so nicely mowed and such beautiful foliage!
Thanks for coming by and I hope you have a great week!
Carol N #20
Caro, what a beautiful post, and a lovely tribute to your Gran. The service sounds lovely, and full of her favourite things too. I am with her, not only in her favourite Bible verse (Rom. 8:28) but also in loving the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and her views on the Dream of Gerontius! It certainly is a very good sing - we did it at the Dartington Summer School of Music many years ago with Robert Tear conducting and I loved every minute of it. Your Gran's Egyptian goldwork embroidered piece is stunning. I've done a bit of this in the past - great fun and lovely rich results. The house where you grew up is so beautiful and it must have been lovely to go back and visit even under such sad circumstances. A great place for kids and dogs! It is somewhat reminiscent of my parents' house where I spent a lot of my childhood, with plenty of garden to run around in. I love your gelli plate efforts! I have yet to try this technique. One day, one day!
Thank you so much for your supportive comment on my blog. I don't think there is anything I can do about the repeat assessment. I seriously wonder if this is part of their general approach - make it as difficult and stressful as possible in the hope that most people will give up and they can save money. Horror stories abound, and the most vulnerable (people with mental health issues) seem to be the hardest hit. Anyway, they have me over a barrel really because if I don't go along with this, I shall lose my claim altogether. The whole situation absolutely stinks. It's definitely been a week of highs and lows, and one of the highs was certainly the meet up with Margaret and Christine.
Happy WOYWW and God bless,
Shoshi x #25
Ooh Caro (( big hugs )) I am sorry to read that your gran has passed. That is such a cool thing that your family is still in the same house. ( I think that is becoming a very rare thing around here) :) The stitching on that book is so neat and I love the string print you pulled too. ~Stacy #21
A lovely celebration of your Gran's life. A very talented lady. What a lovely childhood home you had. I still miss my mum and spoke to her everyday and my daughter used to visit twice a week. Such happy memories. Ani #5
Thanks for your visit earlier.
What a beautiful lady! She has left lots of wonderful mementos to remember her. Marvellous that you can still visit your family home.
Have a good week
Christine #16
What a beautiful home you were brought up in, it looks like something one might see on a tv programme. You must have had a wonderful childhood playing there and it must be lovely to see Alex enjoying it now.
Well, what a wonderful post you have given us today. The needlework from your gran is nothing short of extremely beautiful. Such a wonderful talented lady. How privileged you were to wear a veil she had made - that surely was made with love in every inch of it. What an accomplishment.
It was lovely to read how the service had gone, truly a wonderful service full of memories of so much love pouring out from all of you. Gran would be looking down and feeling so proud of you as you read the Bible passage and your family tribute was read out.
You will miss her but I am sure you also feel happy that she is safe and free from pain now. Focus on the wonderful memories you have of times spent with her and phoning her. You could not have done more.
God Bless, Neet x
Hi Caro, so glad the card and colouring sheets arrived safely there, and lovely memories of your darling nan, what stunning embroidery in the needle case, amazing, it is gold thread?
Your home of young days looks wonderfully restful, and well done on gelli plate work too! May God bless and comfort you all in these early days,❤️❤️🙏🏻
Happy WOYWW. Thanks for sharing, Shaz in Oz.x #14
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
A really lovely post Caro. I would say.. keep talking to Grandma - she will always be listening. Gran's needlework is wonderful and if you make it to the crop in June try and bring it with you. I would love to see it close up. Your Mum's house is wonderful and yes, I can imagine Alex loves the freedom of roaming there. xx Jo
Oh Caro I am so sorry for your loss. Your Gran sounds like an amazing women and how wonderful you were able to communicate with her so frequently for the last 20 years. That is a true blessing. Thank you for sharing a piece of her with us.
Sending hugs your way!
Belinda #26
So sorry for the loss of your Gran, she was obviously very talented, and it's nice to have handmade items to remember her by! Your Gelli plate play looks like fun - I need to get mine out too (now that I know where it is!). Have a great week, and thanks for your visit to mine, Lindart #23
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