Thursday 22 April 2010

Enchanted Mermaid.

We finally made the agonising decision on Monday to take our lovely dog, Marshall to the vets to be put to sleep. He had a really bad weekend and we knew things were never going to get better, he had no real quality of life anymore. So as you can imagine we are all very heart broken at the moment and miss him terribly. So first I want to share this lovely photo of him, taken a few years ago when he was still fit and well and full of life. This was at our old house, Stuart had just dug a little patch to plant some vegetables in and Marshall decided this was his favourite place to sit and eat his chew!


We had him when he was 6 years old from a rescue centre in 2001, his previous family had split up and put him in a home, he would have been 16 in October, so a pretty good age for a dog. I know he had a lovely life with us. The house is so empty and quiet though without him. We are having him cremated and will bury him in the garden and put a pretty bush above him. Rest in peace dear Marshall.
I managed to get some stitching done too, to take my mind off everything! All day Sunday I worked on getting the beads attached to my Enchanted Mermaid piece so that it was finished. There were more beads than I thought and it took ages.... but it looks great now it is done.


You can't really see the beads on this photo, especially as 2 of them were clear/opal colours. Here is a closer shot of the mermaid's head, and the seahorses and castle. Still the beads aren't very clear but you get the idea! I will add this to my "to be framed" list !


I also finished a little fairy for my Stitch for Charity group. She is a birth stone fairy and represents July. I may do another of these at some point but for now I have moved on to a "chick" square.


If any of you have the UK magazine Cross Stitcher I have a letter in there this issue (226) I wrote it well before Christmas last year and forgot all about it. It is about the beach bag I made on holiday last summer. Luckily a friend who subscribes to the magazine spotted it and told me. I sent my mom to buy a copy today so haven't seen it myself yet! So looking forward to reading it later when I get in from work.
This week I am working on Henry and I have a few little ones I want to start. There is a ballet dancing hippo in my World of Cross Stitch magazine that I am going to do for Becki. I will make it into a bag for her ballet shoes for when she performs with the English Youth Ballet. I also want to stitch something to remember Marshall. I have seen Little House Needlecrafts do a chart called "Walk in the park" which looks like the sort of thing I want. Lastly I have started another small Art Deco Lady and now have the beads to finish the first one. Need to keep busy!!
Sorry my last 2 posts have been a bit doom and gloom, it has been a tough week. Hopefully back to my cheery self soon.
Happy stitching

Ginnie xx

18 comments:

Maggie said...

So sorry about your dog Jayne, they do leave a great big hole in your life. Our dog Flo was very similar to your Marshall, it's been just over 3 years ago now we had to have her put to sleep and we still talk about her, she was 18 years old and like you we rescued her when she was about 2, sometimes they are the ones that are the most faithful and loving.

All you stitching is lovely, don't envy you stitching all those beads on though, lol.
I shall look forward to seeing Henry all finished.

Jane said...

Sorry to hear about your dog. We have just acquired one that needed a home for similar reasons.
Well done on getting all the beads attached, the mermaid looks briliant

Lesleyanne said...

Sorry to hear about Marshall. Always a tough decision to make.

Lovely stitching as always. Cant wait to see your progress on your new starts.

Jane said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Marshall ~ DH and I made this very hard decision 14 years ago and my heart still aches when I think of him. I think owners know when the time is right and if animals could talk they would thank us for letting them go in such a peaceful way. A stitched piece will make a lovely tribute to him.
Your mermaid is gorgeous, I love it and know it would look lovely stitched up for my main bathroom - oh no! another chart to hunt down and add to the 'to do' list xxx

Sew Wilde said...

I am so sorry to hear about Marshall! Love the photo-it is really cute. We had to put our dog, Teddy, to sleep about 5 weeks ago. It is such a hard decision but it was best in the end.

I love the mermaid! She looks great.

You just seem to whip out the charity sqaure so quickly-I am signed up to do a few but it takes me alot longer to get one stitched.

Here's hoping to better weeks for you.

Julie

Cath said...

You have my thoughts and sympathy at the moment , it's been a bad couple of weeks for you. XXX

Love the mermaid , and the fairy will look lovely on a quilt . Enjoy reading your letter in the mag.
Love and hugs ,xxx

Annette said...

Sorry to hear about your dog, it's sounds like he had a wonder life at your home.

Congratz on finishing the mermaid its so beatifull.... and the lovely fairy.
Good luck stitching the new starts..

loulee said...

So sorry you had to say goodbye to your friend. (Hugs) It must have been a difficult decision. He was lucky to have an friend like you.

http://ingridsknitting.blogspot.be/ said...

I am so sorry to hear about your dog ,it does always hurts to lose a faithful friend!and you're right, a little stitching is good for your mind as to resist! beautiful work you have done

AnnMcD said...

You really have had a difficult time these last few weeks. My heart goes out to you and your family. Your aunt was young and that is coming from one who just turned 60 so 64 has become the new young for me! It must be very hard for your uncle.
As you know we have two dogs and I dread the day when one of them loses the battle. Dan still gets tears in his eyes whe he talks about our first dog who died in 1999 so when one of these goes we will be devastated. I guess you just have to think of the happy memories to get through it.

LoneStar said...

Jayne, I'm sorry to hear about Marshall. Pets are a blessing in our lives and losing one is hard. When DH and I had to put our last dog, Bailey, to sleep, we cried our eyes out (and the vet did, too).

Your mermaid is beautiful!

Lisa (Texan)

Cindy F. said...

Oh Jayne! I'm so sorry to hear about Marshall. Sending you all very big (((HUGS))).

Love your wips....You're STILL stitching circles around me:)

Angela said...

So sorry to here your sad news about Marshall. Pets become such a huge part of the family it's always hard when we have to let them go.

Srinity said...

I'm sorry about Marshall. I hope you will find comfort in good memories. *hugs*

The mermaid looks beautiful.

Julie said...

A very sad time for you all, he looks like he was a lovely member of your family, i'm sure in time you will be able to remember him with any happy thoughts as the pain of his loss fades.

Beautiful mermaid, she's stunning

a dancing needle said...

I am so sorry to hear about your dog! We had to do the same thing to our Husky 5 years ago. We had had her for 15 years. It amazing how they attach thmselves to you & be come part of the family so quickly! You gave him a great life!

My daughter loves mermaids! I may have to do this one for her too!

Wendy said...

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your dear dogfriend.
it must be very diffcult to get used to not having him around.

your mermaid loks lovely, again, sorry the picture does not click larger, for a better vieuw.....

Unknown said...

where could I find the pattern of this beautiful mermaid?