"Bee the reason someone smiled today"

"Be the reason someone smiled today" was on the notice board as I sat beside my Dad in AandE at the Ulster Hospital on 4th March 2020 this year. I remember the next day coming into work and doing a post on my Instagram page as it resonated with me. I am always inspired by nature and I remember hearing somewhere that there is a bee that is unique to the Ards Peninsula where I come from that is called the Black Bee. More and more I have been embroidering bees in my work as you can probably see on my posts on social media.

Everytime I embroider an outfit of my own a bee seems to appear on it some where.

For bees the flower is the fountain of life. For flowers the bee is the messenger of love. 

A couple from" God's own country",Valentine & Chris Hodges keep more than 100 hives on the Ards Peninsula. They became increasingly aware of the threats from imported bees and the spread of the varroa mite which was effecting the native black bee, which had almost gone extinct. They have made a haven for the black bee.

                                                  “The busy bee has no time for sorrow”

A lot of my bees in these photos I have worked on black. I have to admit my cashmere jumpers ended up with some bees after a month got in and decided to do some damage!! 

My brides may not all be aware when they see me sporting my ensembles with my bees that the reason the bee is there is because it hides a wee hole!! With me having been in lockdown I have been working on a sampler for the NHS and I have managed to be in my garden and noticed the bees enjoying the April sunshine so yet again a bee has appeared on my work.

This is part on my sampler I am working to raise money for the NHS, please visit my Facebook page (my private page) if you want to be in with your chance of receiving this embroidery sampler to give to someone you would like to say THANK YOU to!!