Inside these canvas walls...

... the fire glows and sparkles, the lamplight throws gentle shadows on the books and piles of 

embroidery around me, and I can hear the sizzle of snowflakes as they fall on the stovepipe, 

just on the other side of the wall.  

Outside, it's fifteen degrees and snowing madly.  We have over a foot, and the world is a heavily-clad mass of velvety whiteness.  I'd share a picture, but as I don't have one at the moment, this shall suffice, as it makes me supremely happy:

♥♥♥

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I've been working on some more embroidery orders, and just shipped off the last today.  Such a wonderful feeling!  Here's the color pallet this time:

I adore the little dog.  Dogs, rather.  Each time I drew him for the different days, he seemed to take on a character different from any of the others and I look on them all as individual hounds.  One is so very quizzical, while another is rather sleepy looking, and the baking day pup looks exactly like an adorably greedy little boy.  

The little lass is the same to me each day, however, and she's developed quite a character herself.  She can be quite delightful when you get to know her, and her quick little tongue would as soon teach one a lilting folk tune or make a saucy quip to the grocer she trips so merrily to see each market day.  And her taste in petticoats and bonnets is impeccable.

If I do say so myself.

My sisters all came over for a sleepover on Lilly's birthday, and set up a dollhouse in grand style over the whole floor.  And we ate nice things.  And snuggled by the fire.

I recently discovered this beautiful duet transcription of The Seaside from BBC's Emma.  I can't get enough of this song, truly.  It gives me the feeling that something beautiful and completely unexpected is waiting just around the bend - as if I really were on a cliff's edge by the seaside, spinning and laughing for sheer joy.

One night while I was doodling with music on the piano, I felt the urge to scribble something down on paper - and this is what came of it.  Just for fun.  The combined result of being currently steeped in the Emma soundtrack, indulging in several evenings spent delighting in Aurora's blog, and the anticipation of going to a local contra dance.  "Oh, how I long for a ball...!"  We don't really have anything in the way of balls around here, let alone dances without costumes.  I am quite wild with longing when I read about the masquerades, dances and flings on some of your blogs;)

However, I recently found out about a monthly local contra dance in the area, and my whole family went last Friday... what bliss!  At last, I learned how to contra.  We danced the night away, and I trust this will be the dawn of a new era in our circle as we establish the tradition of historical dancing together!

"Away they all went, twenty couple at once, hands half round and back again the other way; down the middle and up again; round and round in various stages of affectionate grouping; old top couple always turning up in the wrong place; new top couple starting off again, as soon as they got there; all top couples at last, and not a bottom one to help them."
--Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol