random postcard #1...

dearest reader,

arrived safely in old blighty, spent a few spiffy days in london.

my fabby fav spiffy day was sunday.

it was Our #1's half birthday, Sun 26th June

we pottled around Spitalfields Market which was extra peachy.

upon passing Brick Lane market my heart missed a beat.

my little beady eye spied a stall selling Kantha quilts and wares.

in all my born days (which are quite a few) i have yet to stumble across such a stall.

after much 'umming and ahhhing' i settled on a quilt in beautiful green,

with bright pink flowers.

i bought Our #1 a yellow casio watch to celebrate her day.

* * * * *

a few days later we travelled by train to Devon.

Mr Sunshine was being nice so a day on the beach beckoned.

me, two thirds of my clan, a Kantha quilt of loveliness

and my latest bit of dabbling with Mr Hook.

a perfect day.

the starburst flower squares pattern i found in issue two of Mollie Makes,

taken from a lovely knitting book by Jane Brocket.

having stitched together nine squares i am now granny stitching around the border using a giant ball of duck egg blue yarn found locally.

hope things are dandy with you...

Tif x

Feast of St Alphonsus

Today, the Feast of our Holy Father Saint Alphonsus, was a very special day for us since we also had a final profession, temporary profession and two clothings!


The four candidates present themselves before the superior.


With Our Lord enthroned within the tabernacle and the doors open, Br. Xavier Maria, F.SS.R. kneels before His Divine Majesty and pronounces his final vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience together with a vow and oath of perseverance.


Br. Xavier binds himself with his hand upon the Holy Gospel.


Br. Alfonso, also kneeling before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament pronounces his temporary vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience for three years. He received his complete religious name: Br. Alfonso Maria of the Star of the Sea, F.SS.R. Brother had spent some years as a sailor before he joined the Transalpine Redemptorists.


At the time of first profession, brother receives his pallium, or, mantle.


Our two postulants preparing to be clothed in the habit of the congregation. On the left Mr Tyler Lunsford and on the right Mr Arden Mills, both from the United States.


Exuat te Dominus veterem hominem cum actibus eius,
et induat te novum, qui secundum Deum creatus est
in justitia et sanctitate veritatis.

May the Lord strip thee of the old man with all his acts and
clothe thee in the new, who is created by God in justice
and in the holiness of truth.


The new Brothers receive their habits.


Indue, Filii Dominum Jesum Chrisum, semper
mortificationem ejus in corpore tuo circumferens.

Son, put on Our Lord Jesus Christ, always surrounding
thy body with His mortification.


Accipe, Fili, imaginem Crucifixi, Magistri et Redemptoris tui,
qui passus est pro te, et tradidit Semetipsum pro te. Pone Illum
ut signaculum super cor tuum, ut signaculum super brachium
tuum.

Receive, my Son, the image of the crucifix,
image of thy Master and Redeemer, who suffered for thee and
offered Himself for thee. Place it as a seal upon thy heart, as a
seal upon thy arm


The first step towards leaving the world! Today we have seen all three:
These young men leave the secular life and enter the novitiate.
Br. Alfonso completes his novitiate and makes his temporary vows.
Br. Xavier, after three years of temporary vows takes the final step and gives himself to religious life until his death.


Accipe, Filii, Rosarium beatæ Virginis Mariæ, quæ tibi sit semper murus ad protegendum, mater ad nutriendum, stella ad dirgendum, portus ad salvandum. Tu autem stude diligenter Mariam diligere et imitari, ac ejus saluberrimam devotionem ubique propagare. In periculis, in angustiis, in rebus dubiis, Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca. Dulce nomen illius non
recedat ab ore, non recedat a corde.

Receive, Son, the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may She always be a wall to protect thee, a mother to nourish thee, a star to guide thee and the door to thy salvation do Thou, however, learnest diligently to love and imitate Mary, and to propagate Her most salutary devotion everywhere. In dangers, in anguishes, in doubtful things, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May Her sweet name not disappear from thy lips, nor disappear from thy heart.


Accipe hunc habitum benedictum precans sanctissimam
Virginem, ut eius meritis illum perferas sine macula, et te ab
omni adversitate defendat, atque ad vitam perducat æternum.

Receive this blessed Scapular and beseech the Blessed Virgin
that through Her merits, you may wear it without stain. May
it defend you against all adversity and accompany you to
eternal life.


With the reception of the skull cap comes the new name:
Mr Tyler Lunsford is now Br Seelos after Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.SS.R.
Mr Arden Mills is now Br Peter after St. Peter the apostle.


Congratulations to Br Peter and Br Seelos!


And to Br Xavier Maria and Br Alfonso Maria!




Br Seelos with his mother and father and three brothers.


And Br Peter with his father.


Mr de Jarving, a friend of Br Alfonso, entered as a postulant today.


Br. Xavier Maria and Br. Magdala Maria, both from the Pacific Islands.

home sweet shed...

oh yes indeedy, 'tis grand to be back in Our Shed. after a month or so on the road, nothing is quite as lovely as coming home to a shed full of critters and my favorite knick knacks. it will be a very thrilling month of August. i am trying to think if there has ever been a month of August to match up to this thrillingness. nope, i do not think so. therefore i will call this 'my most thrilling month of August to date'... ah yes, thrilling stuff indeed.

and why is August such a thrilling month you may wonder? (you also may not, and quite honestly that is perfectly okay with me) well the majority of the thrillingness is down to knowing Janine has made August 'pre launch book month' for my book, which as i tippity type this very ramble, is at the printers! i am positively giddy by this news and even more so that Janine will be posting over on her spiffy blog all week long about 'this and that' to do with the book. it is quite a thing to see how Janine took my pennings, my ramblings, my images and my thoughts and through her brilliant design skills the book i had inside of my head for so long has come to life. not to mention all the hours which have been put in by lovely mighty fine 'helper bees', cutting threads, vintage fabrics and doilies to accompany the book and inspire the reader to allow their creative soul to shine.

tomorrow i will be back with my 'postcards in retrospect', yes i am one of those pants kind of folks who go away, write their postcards whilst away and then come home and post them. anyhow the upside of my 'pants way' means i get to title it 'postcards in retrospect' which i really really like, and so this has made me happy.

so a little recap i think is in order, if not for you, certainly for me, for my little blogging cogs are tres dusty and i am slowly finding my feet again.

things to be happy about today,

happiness number one is here

happiness number two is here

happiness number three is 'postcards in retrospect'

happiness number four is a little furry friend

lordy how i missed my little critters and of course you dear readers, i hope life has been a little spiffy, a little dandy and indeed a little crafty for you, whilst i was on the road

she is licking her first stamp and will be posting 'postcard number one' tomorrow ~ Tif

Did You Notice?

Friendship bracelets are back en vogue.

via

I may just have to break out my giant safety pin (stolen from my mother's sewing box), strap on a pair of peg rolled jeans (to affix said safety pin to) and open up an etsy shop.