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Sede Vacante MMXIII

How many days to wait for a Pope?

Here is the list of

Past Sede Vacante periods

1799 - 2005.

1799: Pius VI - Pius VII ~207 days (longest)

1823: Pius VII - Leo XII ~39 days

1829: Leo XII - Pius VIII ~49 days

1830: Pius VIII - Gregory XVI ~63 days

1846: Gregory XVI - Pius IX ~15 days

1878: Pius IX - Leo XIII ~13 days (shortest)

1903: Leo XIII - Pius X ~15 days

1914: Pius X - Benedict XV ~14 days

1922: Benedict XV - Pius XI ~15 days

1939: Pius XI - Pius XII ~20 days

1958: Pius XII - John XXIII ~19 days

1963: John XXIII - Paul VI ~18 days

1978: Paul VI - John Paul I ~20 days

1978: John Paul I - John Paul II ~18 days

2005: John Paul II - Benedict XVI ~17 days

2013: Benedict XVI - ~? days

"and pray, whatever did become of those floral russian scarves, Tif?"...

do you recall the lovely russian scarves, ney shawls, i found a few weeks back in our local thrift store. do not fret if you do not, i only recall it because they are living with me and i see them daily hence i am reminded of the peachy moment. for those that perhaps would like a little recalling help, you may find it over here.

after a few days of passing their floral delightful-ness laid out for all to see on our landing, my crafty cogs started to whirl and then it was a matter of 'eanie, meanie, miney, moe' and then again it wasn't. i thought it would be but then when i landed on 'moe' i could not chop up 'moe' because 'moe' was the green one and the green florally one is so perfectly suited to wearing as a shawl over a frock come springtime it would have been a crime. then it sort of immerged, 'moe' must be my favourite, but its not right to have favourites and i did not wish the others to know this, so 'moe' was taken out of the equation very quietly so the other two would not be alerted to the unfairness of the 'eanie meanie, miney, moe-ing' going on and get all in a tizzy. trying not to draw attention to my most unfair ways i continued with 'eanie meanie, miney' and voila! i had ~~my victim~~ my volunteer.

and so it came to pass, with help from Miss Ethel, a lovely russian shawl of last week, was now this week, a rather lovely 'brightly sprightly' cushion cover with 'accidental' doily and linen accents

and a welcoming addition to a chair seat in our entrance-way...

i say accidental because that is just what it was. needing extra milage from the scarf, so i could achieve two things out of one, i attached old napkins to make the envelope back. however upon surveying the results i noted, the back was in fact my most fabby favourite side and hence it became the front, with a rather delicate doily to add a bit of doily bling to the proceedings. 'doily blinging' can sometimes be the perfect 'cherry on the top' and sometimes it can be quite the opposite. it is always worthy of a ponder before one gets too carried away in the doily department. however i felt the foreign charms of this particular doily was most fitting to my russian floral cushion cover and so i followed my doily loving heart.

and what i hear you cry, happened to 'moe' and her friend 'eanie'. well eanie is of a grand size and she still hangs out on the banister waiting for the day when a table must be laid in such a fashion her ample beautiful-ness will be required and 'moe', oh sweet pretty 'moe', the one that tugs my heart strings the most (but i cannot confess to that, however i just did, darn and drat!) hangs around by the front door waiting for Mr Spring to come a-knocking and an outing to the grocery store will require her floral ways, so she may dabble in a bit of 'bedazzling passing folks' with her glorious technicolor beauty

dancing once again, with dottie angel...

at the beginning of this here shiny new year, i was quite positively thrilled to leave the last year behind. not that last year did not have some grand things within its 365 days, (writing the granny chic book with my buddy Rachelle being one of them) but never the less, i was delighted to say 'cheerio'

the new year came a knocking and with it i cleared all commitments and agendas, and climbed back inside of my dottie angel bubble to nurture her roots. this right here i believe was a most crucial moment in my path to find inner happiness and health again. (i am not going into details here, i posted about this earlier in the year. in all that i have learnt since last fall and the quest i set out upon, the one thing i am so much wiser at is actually not only listening to my inner voice but also my whole self and what it is saying)

and so by going back to my roots, clearing my plate for Mr Opportunity to come knocking if he so wished, i stepped back into where my crafty soul feels most at home, and in doing so, i found dottie angel and i found a creativity so huge, waiting patiently for me, it literally caused me to weep with relief...

i have been spending every spare moment of my days and nights since then, beavering away on the creative thoughts my cogs have conjured up. it is like after so long, the flood gates have been opened and my little fingers are having a jolly tricky time trying to keep up with the whirring crafty cogs. after a few weeks of beavering away, as and when my body allowed, i stood back and looked at what lay before me and out of nowhere, just like it happened all those years ago when dottie angel first found me, the path became so clear and so shiny, i literally caught my breath. for i was surrounded by none other than a collection, a 'dottie angel collection'.

each handmade item, stitched with fabrics, or crocheted with yarn sat perfectly peachy next to its friend and there was more... not only that, but within each of their stitches was healing, baja, luck, love and happiness pouring out and most of all 'light', yes a light came shining through the likes of which i have never seen before. right there and then i knew Mr Opportunity had indeed come knocking, he had actually not even knocked but walked straight in, bold as can be and presented me with a most thrilling opportunity. to design and make a collection...

my cunning collection plan goes a little like this. with the help of Our #3 and Our #1 i will be building a website for dottie angel and on this website amongst other most interesting things will be an emporium (because i love that word) and this Fall, i will launch my first dottie angel collection! it will contain handmade, vintage, eclectic goodness never before seen in my Etsy store (which after 6 years i will be moving from). the website emporium will give me the ability to present my wares visually that i have not been able to before and this alone makes me thrilled. the theme for my collection is all about lucky, love and happy thoughts

most of it, alas and alack, i cannot show till nearer the time. however for those that perhaps have been waiting patiently for a dottie angel frock moment to happen, yes there will be some frocks and there will be other dottie angel attire to go with them. it will be a limited addition collection and thus, small quantities and when or if they sell out, there will be no more until the following Spring (if all goes according to my cunning plan, i will make 2 collections a year). i do wish i could share more of what i have been working on (alongside of a few fine folks who are helping me with some of the collection), for it makes me so giddy and it is my hope others will love it as much as i do, but alas i cannot, however i will nearer the time... yes i will. so if perhaps i'm a little quiet, or indeed i do not show quite so much of what i am making you now know the reason why, i'm beavering away on my first 'dottie angel collection' and shiny spiffy new website.

so after many weeks of plotting, planning, doubting, reading Mr Wintle's wise words daily and figuring out how i can do this most exciting adventure whilst still on a quest for full health, i am still as giddy as the moment Mr Opportunity came knocking a few weeks back. yes, of course, i have told myself i am just starting out, there is a long path to be trod and many hours of work to be done, but whether it fails, or thrives, does not matter, for me what matters is, i took a chance, i found my light and i danced once again with dottie angel... and in doing so, i found me again

"Pope Emeritus"

The Pope wearing the white mozetta or shoulder cape.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

wearing the simple white cassock without the white mozetta.

It was announced today,

that after his retirement

the Holy Father will wear a simple white cassock

without the mozetta (the shoulder cape).

He will not wear the red papal shoes.

His official address will be:

"His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus"

"His Holiness Benedict XVI Pontiff Emeritus"

not "Bishop Ereritus of Rome".

On the loss of Cardinal O'Brien

Professor Tom Devine,

OBE, BA, PhD,

DLitt, HonD Univ (Strathclyde, 2006),

Hon DLitt (Queen's, Belfast, 2001),

Hon DLitt (Abertay, Dundee, 2001),

FRHistS, FRSE, Hon MRIA FBA

senior research professor at the University of Edinburgh

and a Catholic:

“My first reaction is one of personal sadness about the turn of events and also of human concern for the Cardinal; his terrible suffering at this time can only be imagined.
“Keith O'Brien has been a courageous leader of his flock, well respected and liked by many beyond the Catholic community and a doughty champion of his church who has spent a lifetime as pastor and teacher proclaiming its principles without fear or favour. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
“The imprecise anonymous allegations against the Cardinal are not accepted, legal advice has been sought and nothing has yet been proven.
“Nonetheless, and surprisingly perhaps, there is no denial of the charges in the formal announcement of resignation today; that must be a cause of concern.
“This is probably the gravest single public crisis to hit the Catholic Church in Scotland since the Reformation and its effects in the short term are incalculable.
“Many of the faithful in Scotland will be stunned by the seismic turn of events and left demoralised. But some perspective is necessary. The Church is very much more than Episcopal hierarchies no matter how eminent.
“The powerful resilience of a global faith, now one sixth of the earth's population and still growing in numbers, which has endured for more than two millennia through many vicissitudes, much more fundamental menacing than this personal tragedy, should not be underestimated.
“Moreover, in the cause of transparency and indeed fairness to all, it is now time for O'Brien's anonymous accusers to step forward into the public domain. If Catholicism in Scotland is to move on from this tragic affair a number of serious questions urgently require frank and honest answers from all concerned. The nation's Catholics deserve nothing less.”

Source: The Telegraph

In illo tempore: Assumpsit Jesus Petrum....

At that time, Jesus took Peter...

(Gospel, II Sunday of Lent, 2013)

Communiqué on the Conclave

Days of silence ...

'...to pray for Pope Benedict,

to pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten the College of Cardinals,

to pray for the future Pope,

trusting that the fate of the barque of St. Peter

is in the hands of God.'

A Vatican Radio translation

of a Secretary of State communiqué on conclave,

issued Saturday, 23 February, 2013:

Communiqué of the Secretariat of State

“The freedom of the College of Cardinals, which alone, under the law, is responsible for the election of the Roman Pontiff, has always been strongly defended by the Holy See, as a guarantee of a choice based on evaluations solely for the good of the Church.

“Over the centuries, the Cardinals have faced multiple forms of pressure exerted on the individual voters and the same College, with the aim of conditioning decisions, to bend them to a political or worldly logic.

“If in the past it was the so-called superpowers, namely States, that sought to condition the election of the Pope in their favour, today there is an attempt to apply the weight of public opinion, often on the basis of assessments that fail to capture the spiritual aspect of this moment in the life of the Church.

“It is regrettable that, as we draw near to the beginning of the Conclave when Cardinal electors shall be bound in conscience and before God, to freely express their choice, news reports abound which are often unverified or unverifiable, or completely false, provoking damage to people and institutions.

“It is in moments such as these, that Catholics are called to focus on what is essential: to pray for Pope Benedict, to pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten the College of Cardinals, to pray for the future Pope, trusting that the fate of the barque of St. Peter is in the hands of God."

Here is the same text in the original Italian, for those of you who would like to check the one against the other:

COMUNICATO DELLA SEGRETERIA DI STATO

His Eminence Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone

The Secretary of State.

La libertà del Collegio Cardinalizio, al quale spetta di provvedere, a norma del diritto, all'elezione del Romano Pontefice, è sempre stata strenuamente difesa dalla Santa Sede, quale garanzia di una scelta che fosse basata su valutazioni rivolte unicamente al bene della Chiesa.
Nel corso dei secoli i Cardinali hanno dovuto far fronte a molteplici forme di pressione, esercitate sui singoli elettori e sullo stesso Collegio, che avevano come fine quello di condizionarne le decisioni, piegandole a logiche di tipo politico o mondano.
Se in passato sono state le cosiddette potenze, cioè gli Stati, a cercare di far valere il proprio condizionamento nell'elezione del Papa, oggi si tenta di mettere in gioco il peso dell'opinione pubblica, spesso sulla base di valutazioni che non colgono l'aspetto tipicamente spirituale del momento che la Chiesa sta vivendo.
È deplorevole che, con l'approssimarsi del tempo in cui avrà inizio il Conclave e i Cardinali elettori saranno tenuti, in coscienza e davanti a Dio, ad esprimere in piena libertà la propria scelta, si moltiplichi la diffusione di notizie spesso non verificate, o non verificabili, o addirittura false, anche con grave danno di persone e istituzioni.
Mai come in questi momenti, i cattolici si concentrano su ciò che è essenziale: pregano per Papa Benedetto, pregano affinché lo Spirito Santo illumini il Collegio dei Cardinali, pregano per il futuro Pontefice, fiduciosi che le sorti della barca di Pietro sono nelle mani di Dio.

Link: http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/30540.php?index=30540&lang=it

Thanks to Dr. Robert Moynihan

"His Holiness, Benedict XVI, Bishop Emeritus of Rome."

bonkers, or not as the case maybe...

it would appear in the past few weeks several folks and a few more have contacted me thinking they are going quite bonkers because they are unable to find a comments box upon this here shiny place of mine. well this would never do, no sirree! the thought of folks out there, in the world, fretting and getting all in a tizz looking for something because once it was there, yes they are quite sure it definitely was, but now, alas it is lacking and did it appear that perhaps it never was, had they imagined it, were they now going a little batty, ney bonkers... and so forth

well, let me reassure those lovely folks, you are not going batty and you are not going bonkers. indeed once it was there, but now it is not and that is the way it has been since last summer and will continue to be so.

we appear to be living in a fast paced cyberworld compared to those heady early days, where upon 6 years ago i merrily started to tippity tap upon this here page and only this here page. however, cyberworld got busy, pages here there and everywhere sprung up and then before you know it, you have many fingers in many pies and not enough hours in the day to keep each pie with a finger in it. and then of course we all know what happens then, one just cannot not do a proper job of things. no, not at all, one is stretched too thinly between each pie and alas, each pie is lacking somewhat because it only has one finger in it, or no finger at all.

i love this here place, this is where i can ramble on to my hearts content, however i must say, and i did not think this would ever be the case but i also love my dottie angel facebook. it gives me a place to say odd things which may pop into my head, let folks know about magazine articles, or show a little picture which makes me smile from instagram or just have lovely folks pop by and say hello. i would say it is more of an 'instant & interactive' sort of place, gosh, yes that does sound good, 'instant & interactive' and thus, therefore, quite obviously, for me, the perfect place for folks to comment.

now of course there will be those saying, "but Tif, that is crappity crap, we do not have a facebook page" (mother, this is where you must pay attention) well do not fret nor hang your head and weep, for you do not need one! no the brilliance of it is, you can visit my dottie angel facebook page any time of day and be able to read anything and everything i post on there along with nice things other folks say also. now yes, alright i will admit if you don't have a facebook page you cannot comment, but really truly, that does not matter, what matters is, you choose to come and visit me, see what is going on in the world of dottie angel, note as usual most of the time you can not make head nor tail of what Tif is going on about and then go on your merry way. the same with this here shiny place, stop by, have a ganders, sometimes its a small note, sometimes its a long old ramble of getting to the point ('ummm, like today perhaps Tif!') and then if you do wish to say something, then you can hoppity hop over to facebook where i have my blog post also and say something there. except you can't if you don't have a facebook page... yes ... well moving on quickly ...

please note all pics today have been brought to you by Tif's bead collection, they have most kindly agreed to illustrate this big old ramble despite saying they felt their beauty was worthy of greatness beyond a narrative about blogging comment boxes and a dottie angel facebook page. i so wholeheartedly agreed with them and asked for their forgiveness. they are considering it, which i said was most kind in the circumstances

wordless wednesday... making a nest for spring

Poop Talk

This is what happens when my sister and I have babies 8 weeks apart and we are both delirious and sleep deprived. That saying that all babies do is eat, shit and sleep...apparently we were feeling that with two newborns.

All conversations should be so deep.

beautiful, inside and out...

over the past few weeks

i have been

spending my time wisely

doing hand stitchery things

and

each and every time

i finish up a project

i note,

to me

the inside

is as beautiful

if not more so

then what is

on the outside

Feeling Blue

I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm an incredibly indecisive person. If I'm making a decision for your life, I know the right answer immediately. If I'm making a decision for my life, I labor over everything for...sometimes years. It's honestly painful.

Two fabrics, including custom colored pieces I spent a few weeks designing on Spoonflower are either here or on their way here for the nursery. I'm having issues with that dang shade of lavender, but I'm working with it. And, I really like the plan I have in my head.

While feeding the baby on Saturday I was killing time perusing Craigslist and came across a dresser that was too pretty. The lines, the hardware. Love. So I emailed the seller and we went to go see it yesterday. That dresser is now in the nursery. Except it's turquoise. Or teal. Or a moody blue.

My plan when I saw it online was to repaint it mushroom or white. Except I put it in that fricking room and it's so gosh darn pretty that I'm rethinking everything. I hate it when that happens.

The first thing that popped into my head when we put that dresser in there was this nursery I pinned a few weeks ago.

I love the boho chic that is this little room. But it's not me. The second thing I thought of was this fabric. Oh this silly, stupid fabric that I first spotted in Southern Living a few years ago after the collapse of Cottage Living (when all of the CL editors switched publications for a millisecond).

Gorgeous. So gorgeous. And more expensive than all three of my IVF conceived children combined. Damn you, stupid gorgeous fabric.

So I'm thinking I may keep the turquoise dresser as it is and change literally everything in the room with the exception of the crib and the chair. Or I may not. I can't decide if turquoise and navy would work for a nursery/little girl's room. I personally love it. But is it feminine and childlike enough? Probably not. Would they grow into it? Maybe.

I've been pinning turquoise and navy inspirations here and the lavender and greige here, if anyone is interested or cares to weigh in. I'll probably be up googling fabrics till random hours in the morning this week. Maybe Lola's room will be done before she goes to college? Maybe not.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Duh, contracted some version of ebola this week and have pink eyes. Four of them. We were at the urgent care until 10 last night. My twinkies have a knack for getting ridiculously ill when the pediatrician's office is going to be closed for several days in a row. So while my kids are home sick and off of school and activities anyway for President's Week, I'll be laying low.

Seriously, have you ever seen two sickies happier to be at urgent care? You'd have thought I took them to Disney World. Enjoy the holiday week, if you have off for such tomfoolery.

And before I forget! For those of you that asked, here are the files for the onesies. I took the liberty of flipping the images for you, so all you have to do is open and print. Let me know if the links give you trouble, I am sometimes a little special when it comes to sharing files.

Onesies Months 1 - 6

Onesies Months 7 - 12

Happy Crafting!

raining cats, dogs & russian shawls...

on saturday it was raining cats and dogs outside and inside the thriftstore, it was raining russian floral scarves. i had no intention of going to the thriftstore but i felt the calling and so i did.

i could only stand in wonder as i turned the aisle to discover not one but three in all their dazzling colourful beauty. two of shawl size and one of piano size, waiting patiently for me on the racks of despair

after months of watching from afar, be it on Ebay or Etsy it was as though i had been guided by the thrifting gods up above. as i admired their charms for many a long time, in my head i saw cushions, curtains and bags crafted from their peachy patterns but alas, now i have these sweeties in my crafty mitts, i cannot quite bring myself to snippity snip into their perfect ways. so for now, they will shine brightly on our landing until such a day comes when i pluck up the courage to dabble with them...