When we first started this blog I made a series of posts beginning with each letter of the alphabet starting with A. Unfortunately, they ground to a halt after L. So in honour of The Alphabet Club hosted by Chiara I have decided to resurrect the original posts and link up each month with the rest of the Alphabet Club posters. To learn more about this SAL follow the Alphabet Club link to Chiara's blog.
G is for Gargoyle from A Dark Alphabet designed by Julie and Becky's Note of Friendship blog.
Gargoyles are essentially stone drainpipes designed to take the water fromthe roofs of medieval buildings away from the walls. The name comes from the old French word "gargouille" meaning throat or gullet. The stone masons liked to make their work as fanciful as possible and enjoyed carving the most grotesque gargoyles they possibly could. Some were even made in the image of their bosses or disliked members of the clergy!!
They were also believed to keep evil spirits away from the churches and cathedrals by frightening them away.
Some of the most famous gargoyles are found on the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, and here are some I met when I was there:
Iconic photo!
In the centre of the photo you can see the little park where we had our lunch after climbing up Notre-Dame.
This fellow would make a good door guard!
Our next G - Ghosts need no introduction! Ghosts are one of the most popular cross stitch motifs for Hallowe'en. Usually the cute and friendly variety like our own Mr Boo
Boo - Val's Stuff JCS 2012 Hallowe'en Ornie Special
(two more Gs there!)
There are even Glow-in-the Dark Ghosties (another G!)
Stitched with Glow-in-the-Dark Kreinik
And the final G is for Gravestones. I must confess, this is one symbol I am not so sure about stitching! I don't know why. I don't mind within a larger Haunted House picture but as a standalone stitch I am not interested. Superstitious me.
Gravestones themselves started out as a mere pile of stones to protect the body from wild animals digging it up and to prevent the body from rising again! They gradually evolved to become carved with the deceased's name and dates added then into the memorial stones we recognise today. The Victorians were the masters of gravestone carving and their's were ornate and highly decorated with long verses dedicated to the person below. Nowadays stones are not so much carved as etched with a laser. The designs are often modern pictures with no religious significance, usually something connected with a sport or hobby.
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I love Tracy's designs and the blurb on this one intrigues me - You've seen the three monkeys in the classic "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" pose. These tombstone angels make the same gestures, with the epitaphs letting us know the tomb's occupant made a fatal mistake. If you're familiar with your patron saints, you might notice the gentle folks' names were not randomly selected.
I must go Google those names now!!
8 comments:
Perfect Halloween Ornie SAL post and Alphabet Club post, you clever girl, you.
I had never really given much thought to stitching gravestones but I think I am with you, not something I want hanging on my wall!
:-)
Great designs! I forget which one but there's a cathedral in Washington, D.C. that has a gargoyle shaped like darth Vader lol. I need to look that up again :)
Great Halloween post indeed.
I love gargoyles! If I didn't already have my ornie pattern in mine, I would be tempted to do a gargoyle. :o)
Love the eye candy!
Gargoyles I can handle.... stitching a gravestone - no, I don't think so!
Great post!
Hugs xx
Gargoyles are wonderful. My SIL has one on her roof! She even put a small on on her chicken house(a miniature of her house).
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