Stitching and exchnage arrival

Last night I worked on Christmas Quaker. I wonder if there can be too many Quaker things to work on..... nope I don't think so. I went through my stash looking for something and probably half of the stuff I have "waiting in the wings" is Quaker, Quaker inspired or Quaker like.
The the other large pile of stash stuff is Samplers, either reproductions of antique ones or modern interpretations of antique ones. So whats up with that????
And, more to the point what does that say about me and the stuff I stitch.
As I sit an contemplate these mysteries from beyond I still just stitch away
...in out in out in out......

Anyway, here is a snap of the progress -


This is the piece that I am taking to work on while traveling.

I know that Allison has received the package I sent for the Fob exchange over at Hooked on Exchanging. I did remember to take a snap of the whole thing before I sent it out, and here it is -




Here is a snap of one side of the fob -

and, here is the other side -


I used details from Birds of a Feather "Silk Sampler." The floss is from WDW and is called Romance, the linen is some I had. I picked up the silk ribbon from Britex and was very lucky to be able to match the floss colour. It was a lot of fun to make and up next is the Biscornu.... I think I will try and make one first before I commit. That seems like a good compromise.

That's about it for today. I am off to New Orleans this morning and will be back Sunday night so will check back on Monday. Have a great weekend!!!!!! Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Super Mail stuff, stitching and finally the reveal.....

Yesterday was super duper mail day for me!!!! First off I received from Barbara Ana a great Fob from the HoE group. She reads this blog and found that I really like the Quaker things. So, she designed a Quaker inspired fob and included and super chart of her own design AND the floss to complete it!!! Here is a picture....

Now, the next exchange is a Biscornu one and I have never made one before....so the fear factor has me hesitating as to joining or not..... what if the biscornu I make sucks and is super wonky.....I couldn't send that..... I have until February 15th to decide..... I just don't know????

I also received an order I placed with Picture this Plus for some linen and an order came from Drema at Needlecraft Corner. These I got because I am processing (in my mind) the Carriage House Samplings "Alphabet," and re-charting the colours. I want to do this next after I finish VoHRH (you've not seen that for a long time here) :) Here is the completed "Alphabet" I lifted from CHS so show a re-charted colour scheme - this was done by Kathy from Needle Delights in Florida - I really like the way the different colours look with the letters... She did a super job and I was totally inspired to re-chart the colours.


The linen I got is called Relic and you can see the various floss' that I am working with to decide colour combos. Here is a snap of the toss/haul -


I worked last night on Quaker Christmas as I am getting ready for my trip tomorrow to New Orleans. Here is a snap of the progress -



As you can see I am still in the corner. Sorry about the darker area to the left, it was late when I took the picture.

Now, I have been keeping an eye out for the new Hawk Run Chart from Carriage House Samplings and yesterday I saw that finally Shores of Hawk Run Hollow was revealed.
Here is a picture -


I am so in love with this piece I am beside myself!!!!!! I was really worried it would have a beachy feel to it and then I wouldn't want to do it, but it is just GREAT!!!!! All 19th century and with a whaling / sailing feeling to the whole thing I think is well, GREAT!!! I may even do this before I do HoHRH. Could that seagull be any more fabulous!

Thats about it for today, Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Christmas Quaker, a Party & Le Petit Trianon!!

Over the weekend we celebrated Rico's Birthday with a Cocktail Party. His actual birthday is at the end of December but with all the Christmas and then New Years stuff we usually wait until the end on January for a party. There were about 50+ people and it was lots of fun. I think Rico went reeling off to bed at about midnight and I got to bed after 1am as I will not go to bed to wake up to a gigantic mess. I did a lot of preliminary cleaning and Theresa, a friend of Rico's, was up from Monterey and was a big help also. She took on the mantel of "Bouncer" and was there to "make sure nothing got out of hand!!"

On Sunday I got to go the Legion of Honor's Exclusive Exhibition from Le Petite Trianon. What a spectacular show!! There was some gorgeous stuff and it is amazing that it is here in this country.

Marie Antoinette a la Rose, 1783

There was some spectacular things.... painting, sculpture, furniture and even a piece of jewellery. Here are some chairs from her bedroom, called the Trellis Bedroom. This suite of furniture is called "Wheat Ear" due to the carving of natural wheat, pine cones and vine decoration.


Last night I worked on Quaker Christmas and made it to the bottom right corner
and will work up the right side. Here is a snap of the progress.


Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Christmas Quaker and a Bridge

We went shopping at Cosco last night. This mega store with their mega sized products is a place that I would rather never set foot in again. I mean really, who needs to buy gallons of mayonnaise or ketchup on a regular basis??!? Or, does one really need to buy a flat of muffins that are themselves each bigger than a head of lettuce? I guess if you have a large family then it would be a good place to go. We needed to go there as we are having a party this weekend and yes, there is a place for purchasing large quantities of things and party time is the time. We used a friends membership card to get in. After stopping off at a little Japanese take out place for some Udon we finally got home pretty late.

I did work some on Quaker Christmas and here is a snap of the progress.


And, while stitching away I watched the last part of Anna Karenina, 1935 with the great Greta Garbo and then it was on to Waterloo Bridge, 1940 with Vivien Leigh. What great movies!!!! If you have never had the chance to see them they are worth watching!!!

They are filming Milk in the Castro. Well, I go through this area every day changing from the underground Muni to the #35 Bus to get home. They have painted and "fixed" lots of the store fronts to resemble the 1970's Castro. Yesterday they were holding up buses and traffic for filming. Very interesting but it was pouring rain and I would rather get home than have to stand around while someone screams "Lights, Camera, action." In Fact...Rico was down at Cliffs, the hardware store in the Castro, yesterday afternoon and had a Sean Penn and Police protection sighting. I heard that filming was going to be going on for the next couple of weeks until the middle of February. I'll see if I can get some pictures of something and post them here.

Aside from the party this Saturday, I am really excited about going to the Legion of Honor to see the Marie Antoinette Exhibit. I am in addition to a giant Anglophile a gigantic Francophone also!!! San Francisco is the only venue for this exhibit and it is leaving shortly so I need to get to it sooner than later!!! It is great to live in this city sometimes!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Mailings and stitchings

I am dropping off both my "Valentines Exchange" from the SBEBB and "Scissor Fob" from the HoE this morning at the Post Office for shipping. Both of them have quite a way to go so I wanted to get them off as early as I could. I was worried I wouldn't get them out before I left next week for New Orleans.... but once I put my mind to it!!!!! :)

I can't post pictures of either of those finishes...but,
I did do a little on Forgiveness last night so I will post that snap.



There is also the SBQ for this week.

Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

Yes, I have had a happy dance - it was just a week or so ago.
I finished my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler I was a really great thing to stitch.
Here is a snap.....



If you remember I turned it more into a memorial sampler for my dad EM and my grandparents N McC & HM. I do have the companion chart, but have not kitted it up yet.

Short and sweet today. Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

All about Images

I finished up one and then 3/4's of the exchanges. i need to run to Britex after work to get another color of something as the colour I got originally I now do not like. But, I like going to Britex so that will be fun.

I still want to post and yesterday reading around blog-land I found on Annie's Blog over at Sampler Post a fun Google search.

What you do is answer the questions and type in the answers into Google images search and post the first picture that pops up, which can be hard!! So here goes:

Age at next birthday


A place you would like to visit



Favorite Place



Favorite Object


Favorite Food
These are Pontefract Cakes, licorice


Favorite animal


Favorite Colour


Name of a past pet

Where I live

1st Grade Teacher

Middle name

Bad Habit

Favorite Flower

Favorite Holiday

There you go, my life in pictures from the internet.......

Thanks for stopping by!!!
Take care,
edgar

Exchange finishing and some stash

Last night I worked exclusively on the HoE scissor fob that did not quite finish. :( I wanted to post it today but it will have to wait for posting until Thursday, then it will be winging its way to a far corner of the world.......

After work we did get a chance to visit my LNS, Needle in a Haystack. They are closed on Mondays, but we hooked up with Sweet Mary who works there and she graciously opened the shop special for us!!! Now I call that super-de-duper customer service!!!!! It is a very odd sensation to shop as she put it "like a rock star." Being the only people in the shop and getting such personalized service, what a treat. Here is a partial picture of what I acquired.

Sorry the picture is so dark in the corner like that but you can get the idea of the acquisitions. The list includes, "A Walk in the Woods," "Christmas Wishes," "#3 Hope Perches" and the Christmas Design Magazine Un Natale da Ricamore. All of these things I have seen on others blogs and I knew when I first saw them I would need to add to the stash.

The magazine of Christmas patterns "Un Natale..." I picked up for Carol and the package I got together for the SBEBB Winter Quaker Exchange. When I perused the wonderful designs I knew I needed to get one. Why I didn't just get it last time I was over is a mystery. Since then I have quietly been obsessing over this little delight. In fact Mary at first couldn't find it as it was the last copy, but after searching around finally turned it up and slam bang into the basket it went!! The "Hope Perches" I saw on Rachel's Blog. She made it up like the charts suggests as a sweet little pillow......my thoughts are to create/chart a border of crows and hearts and include it in the design.... but who knows...I need to mull it over for a while. The other things not pictured that I picked up are for small prezzies in upcoming packages.

After shopping we three took off for a Japanese place down the street and had some delicious Sushi!!! I should say that Mary and I had delicious Sushi and Rico had a bento box of Teriyaki Chicken, since he does not like seafood in any form he opted out.

It has gotten very cold here and we even heard there were supposed to be snow flurries here in the city......all I saw was a ton of cold blowing rain - not a flake in sight!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

RR finshed for mailing....a bit o'stitching "Forgiveness"

I finished my block of Janice's RR and have it packed for mailing tomorrow. The modified pattern I used was "Acorn Hill." Janice wanted a Fall/Autumnal theme throughout her RR and what says fall more than pumpkins? Here is a snap of the block as completed.

And here is a snap of the RR as it stands with My and Lizzy's squares completed.




I also got a tiny bit of stitching on "Forgiveness" in last night and here is a snap of the buds I completed.....


I did this stitching while watching Northanger Abby on Masterpiece Theatre. I really enjoyed this adaptation. This came on after the final episode of "The Amazing Race." I am glad the Rachel and TK won. I think this is the first race that all three finalist racing towards $1,000,000 finish are all rather nice people and not the usual nasty self involved horrible pieces of work that end up at running the last leg of the race.


Here are the winners - TK & Rachel.
I think the best thing about them winning is that they really played a nice calm game. Usually the teams are just nasty mean and horrible and the nice teams are eliminated. They also had no real meltdown or screaming fights as the other teams did. I know this makes better TV but really....some of the things that go on, I can just imagine what they are like when the camera is not going.

That's about it, Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

SBEBB - "Winter Quaker" exchange

I just received in the mail my "Winter Quaker" exchange from my partner Amy. The main stitched piece for the exchange is the most lovely needle-book and just wanted to post about it before the weekend gets here. Here is a snap of the exchange...

and here is a snap of the inside of the needle-book...


The pattern is from The Workbasket, Quaker Evens and Odds. Included in the package were some beautiful silks from the Thread Gatherer, "Granite" and "Morning Garden." Amy also sent some of my favorite gold John James needles. There were also some MOP Thread rings, so very lovely!! Thank you so much for the wonderful exchange!!!!

What a super duper way to start the weekend!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

A new look and some stitching

As you can see I have revamped my blog a little and given it a new/old look. (How often can you use the word vamp and not be referring to
Theda Bara??)

The reason for the change is that I really like the way some blogs are so personal and I wanted mine to way more more personal and a lot less generic. The photo is of my mother taken when she was around two. It is taken on the side yard of the big house my great-grandfather built on the Town Common in Tarboro, NC around 1901. It is my favorite photo of my mom. For her 80th Birthday a couple of years ago it was this photo that I used in the as the front of the invitations.

I worked on the RR last night as I want to get this off to Donna next week, and I will!! Here is a progress snap:

I am really liking this linen, it is called Clay and is just the softest grey colour....I think I need to get some????? I ordered a big chunk of PTP Relic so that I can kit out the CHS Alphabet Kit and Kaboodle. I wonder if I will be around to finish all the projects I want to finish???? Too many things to stitch and not nearly enough time!!!!!

This weekends goals are to finish so that I can send off the Valentines exchange and the Fob exchange....if I write it down it will happen, or at least I think it will happen! :)

I think I need a real bodice ripper picture here......
just one more of dear Theda.....

Have a great weekend!!!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

HFF-RR and a side trip to the Big Easy!!!

Last night I worked on the Heartfelt Friends RR - I have Janice's piece and she is going for an overall Fall theme. Here is a snap of the progress.


It sure is a wonky picture, and certainly did not look as wonky last night when I took it, but I only took one so you get the idea. I modified a chart and then am having to shift part of the piece to fit in everything. I am really pleased with the way it is turning out. The more I do these LHN charts the more I really like them. They are relatively quick to make up and are just charming. Donna - I will have this RR on its way to you next Tuesday.

My sister and I are taking a quick little trip to New Orleans, just the two of us to get away, at the end of the month. I am very excited about that as we never get to do anything together. I have been to NO before and am really looking forward to visiting the NO Museum of Art to see the revamped collection of Faberge.


The SBQ - "What is your favorite past time while stitching?"

I usually have the TV going and that will usually have a movie showing.
Last night's feature was "Yankee Doodle Dandy" what a great picture!!


Thanks for stopping by, Take Care!!!

edgar

Working on Forgiveness

I was feeling kinda crappidy last night so I only did a tiny bit of stitching. I thought I was catching what everyone here at work has been passing around since before the Holidays or what Rico has been hacking away at for the past couple of weeks...sometimes I really think he will expel a lung or something he coughs so hard!!!
But, this morning I feel way better and after dropping off the car for the bi-annual smogging I have finally made it to work. Here is a snap of the leaves that I finished....



I was also asked about what pattern I used for the Winter House exchange.... it is an older chart from Prairie Schooler dated 2000 called "Home for Christmas." It is lifted from the middle of the third chart Seasons Greetings. I got this chart a long time ago and have always wanted an excuse to do some of them.

That's about it for today, I am running late......

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

SBEBB - "Winter House" Exchange..stitching on Forgiveness

Yesterday I received this beautiful pin-keep from my partner Terry for the "Winter House Exchange." It is just gorgeous and the goodies that she included are super!!!! Here is a snap


Terry included "Snowman Needle Roll" chart & "Winter Sampler" which also came with the floss. There was also a spool of black ribbon and a really cool piece of fabric. Thank you so much for the exchange piece and the super extras!!!! The picture is hard to see the wee little buttons that are on the bottom...they are little red birds, could that be nicer!!!!!! :)

I worked last night on "Forgiveness" as if I had nothing else to work on.... Like.....I could have worked on the RR piece, as it is only about 40% done, and I am running a tad late with it..... I could have finished up on one of the exchanges that need finishing..... or I even could have tackled that white church on the VoHRH...which has not seen the light of day since the beginning of December. But, instead I worked on finishing the large motif on Forgiveness, here is a snap.


That little leaf looks kind of silly just hanging there, but there are others to be added later. This large brown motif is done in WDW Molasses, at first I thought that this was really dark but now after it is done I kinda like it.

I guess that I am just very critical of my work and the things I do, I always have been and probably always will be. Always hardest on myself.....but you can't teach an old dog new tricks, so the Drawer of Doom remains. (Hi Barbara - I knew I wasn't the only one out there!!!)

This is just the best group of people, stitchers rock!!!!! Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Miss Potter, Exchanges and some Forgiveness

As you will have guessed I have finished Miss Potter, what a super stitch!!! I really did enjoy doing this one. I really can't think of a project I haven't enjoyed. Here is a snap of the piece in its finished state.


Well there she is - I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I used 32 ct Vintage Autumn Field with Soie d'Alger #4625 I started this at the beginning of June 2007. The initials are those of my father "EM" (which by the way are my initials as I was named after my dad) and my grandparents "N McC, HM." I was going to work my uncle into it also by his initials wouldn't fit and after twice frogging them out I just decided to add the finish year date. I really enjoyed all the feedback from my ramblings and all the great ideas for the framing. Now I just need to get over to the framers and decide. I am leaning towards some kind of black or dark frame...I do like the idea of a thin gold line included, I may even look into a fillet of some sort, I just need to get over there and make up my mind.

I also had a start. I had kitted up the mate to Serenity, called Forgiveness, a long time ago and so that was the start for the next project. Here is the bit I got done.


I always start in the middle, as I am way too cautious/scared to start in the corner for fear of running out of linen on the other end. Not very much to see. The piece is charted for Vicki Clayton silks and as much as I like them I wanted this to go with Serenity so I recharted the colours in CC and WDW over dyed floss.

I also know that two of the SBBE have arrived so now I can post those pictures.



I had Susan as a partner for the Winter House Exchange and made her a pinkeep from a Prairie Schooler Pattern. I also included some Vera Bradley Stationary that she likes, a chart from her wish list and some Vicki Clayton silk.

For the Winter Quaker Exchange, I had Carol for my partner. Now, she is a person who is one of a handful of my inspirations here in the stitching world, so I was very nervous about what to stitch. Here is a snap.

In fact, if truth be told this was not what I originally made for the exchange. The first thing I made I thought did not really seem that Quaker to me so I put that in the "Drawer of Doom" never to be seen again and made this pinkeep which I am very happy with, and I am elated that Carol is pleased with it. I included a Shepherds Bush needle roll kit an Italian Christmas Mag from her wish list ( I think I will need to get this also) and some Vicki Clayton silk..

I think that about covers it for the weekend!! Thanks for stopping by!!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Why do I stitch?..... and coming to the end of Miss Potter.......

Now, I am not the best new starter in that it is not my favorite part of the process. It can be exciting and it is fun to gather the supplies together.... it is just the starting, where you have a giant piece of linen and the floss just laying there and the task laying out before you where all those stitches line out ahead. I also feel that when a finish happens that although I am happy, don't get me wrong..... it is a little bit of a downer. That you have lived with a piece for so long and put such work into it and, there you go, its done, the end. I think I like the part in the middle of the quiet doing..... just the quiet in and out of the needle and the repetitive motion of the needle and changing the floss and moving the hoop/qsnap around that's the part I like best. I know cross-stitching is different for everyone and everyone has their own secret reasons for the doing, some like the super quick turbo finish, how they accomplish these I haven't a clue as they seem to turn out one after another big project that seems to take me months to complete, I would guess it is the pile of completed projects building up that gives them satisfaction. The there are some stitchers that like the buying of stash and accumulation of linen and floss. Then are some that are great starters and have ton of wip/ufo that they never get back to..... I think we all fall into this catagory at some point. :) I guess for me it is the journey of the making not the beginning or the end but the getting there - well aren't I looking way to close at the reason for my stitching - let's just say that Miss Potter is almost finished and it is a little sad but, I am very happy with how she looks and had a lot of good stitching time in the making...... now I get to obsess on the framing - should it be black and plain like the photo of the original or black and fancy or some kind of gold or even - I don't know some kind of coloured frame..... any suggestions from the wonderful world of stitching??????

Here is a snap of last nights progress.

I have worked out a couple of the initials and will have those inserted and the last little doo-dads added this weekend...... then I think it is on to "Forgiveness."
Since I have had that kitted out for a while.

That's about it for today, thanks for listening - Have a great weekend!!!!!
Thank you for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Working on Miss Potter and Exchange mailings

I worked on Miss Potter last nigh and finished up another medallion, I call it the "skinny bird on a branch" medallion. It is way to skinny to be a chicken, it is probably a sparrow or some other small bird. Here is a story..... I have always been told that the first word the I ever said... that someone could actually call a word was "bird." Guess who I said it to and told me the story, that's right, my Granny. She was a wonder with Red Birds and her garden in Raleigh, NC was always full of them....not just Red Birds but all the different woodland birds.
There you go more background on the "Gangsta Stitcher"...yo!
Here is a snap of the latest medallion.



This weeks SBQ is:
"What was your favorite Finish for 2007?"

I would have to say that is was "Serenity." I think the reason is that part way through it I felt that I was not going to finish it and then I came up against that border, which I held off doing until the end. In the end I guess it was just the hump that I had to get over and it was lots of fun to stitch. Here is a snap...



I have "Forgiveness" kitted up and waiting and it will probably be the next start when I finish Miss Potter. I want to have them framed together so they can hang together.

I have mailed out both exchanges for the SBBE - "Winter House" & "Winter Quaker." They were lots of fun to do and I hope the recipients enjoy them.



Some comment comments.....

Hi Redwitch - I had not done any research about Hereford Cathedral.... now that you have brought it to my attention, it looks really doable and a must for my list. Thanks!!!

Hi Kathryn - How well you know me :) The Biennale was not on my list but of interest and when you travel in a pack you make compromises, while we were in Venice I did get in quite a few churches and the Doges Palace.

Hi Vonna - you bet I burned those suckers up - can you hear the sizzle!!! I give you full credit for the idea of a memorial sampler. I do admire your skill and your work, you have quality ideas!!!

Hi Donna - The RR is about 30% done and will be finished by the end of next week, have no worries, :) How did pizza day go?

Hi Carol R - I already had someone else ask for the BP chart, but have had no email back to see if she still wants it. If that falls through then of course you can have first refusal.

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

Take care,
edgar