An angel and a butterfly or is that a moth???

I finished an exchange and worked on another, but can not post any snaps (yet). I also worked some on the "This and That" sampler.
Here is a snap of the progress-


I really like the way the motifs are kind of off a little. Ja'Niece was kind enough (and smart enough) to finding the link for Little By Little, I sure couldn't find that sucker!! So here is the link to the site http://www.littlebylittledesign.com . Going through the site I realized that I have lots of these small charts in my stash. I would guess the reason is I am drawn to the way they look so old fashioned and rustic.

The movies this weekend (you knew there would be some) were "55 Days at Peking" - 1963 about the Boxer rebellion in China around 1900. Starring Eva Gardner, Charlton Heston and David Niven. Flora Robson played Tzu-Hsi the Dowager Empress. I have always enjoyed this movie and seen it quite a few times very entertaining but not a great war spectacle. Also on the bill was "Home from the Hill" - 1960 - with Robert Mitchum, Eleanor Parker, George Peppard and George Hamilton. Although not a "Giant" film it is entertaining in a southern Texas soap opera kind of way. Including adultery, illegitimacy and sowing those wild oats!! This is more east Texas and looks a lot like the Louisiana/Mississippi delta area. There is even wild pig hunt, who could ask for anything more!! :) The third film was "Battle of Britain" - 1969 with an all star cast in a very underrated film of the British Air Force stopping the German invasion.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Exchange stitching

Worked on an upcoming exchange last night so no pics of that. The piece I am working on called "The Tale of This and That" sampler is by Little by Little. I tried to find it on the internet and couldn't so I have no idea if it is even available anymore. I got it in a group of charts I won on eBay over a year ago. I was trying for one of the charts in the group, not this one. When the package came I really fell for this pattern and knew I would stitch it up. Since it is a garden theme and has a fruit tree (they could be figs?) I immediately thought of my Mom. She is an avid gardener in Florida, writes a column for a local paper about gardening stuff and has an enormous fig tree in the backyard, who better to give stitch it up for. It calls for DMC but I am working it in HDF silks and stayed within her conversion. Here is a shot -



What the pic shows is the model picture and the chart they are on my blow up version I am stitching from. The chart is pretty old and some of the marks for stitching have become blurred or worn off so I blew it up to make it easier to see.

The movie last night was "Golden Boy" - 1939. with a very young William Holden and very polished Barbara Stanwyck. This is one of only two films that they made together. The other being "Executive Suite" - 1954. GB is worth seeing but dated.

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

Take care,
edgar

Two pink sparrows and two movies

I was all ready to work on an exchange and couldn't as I had left the rechart and color change key at work. Not the smartest thing to do. I couldn't go without stitching on something so out came the "This and That" sampler and all the silks. Here is a snap of the progress -

I would guess that the birds are sparrows but who knows. As you can see I also have started the verse. This is working up really quick.

The first movie of the evening was "Macao" - 1952 with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. This was their second pairing in film the first being "His Kind of Woman" - 1951. In "Macao" they played similar roles, tough guy and wise-cracking busty bombshell. The supporting cast was great also headed up by William Bendix and Gloria Grahame. The second flick was "The Sundowners" - 1960 with Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr. The supporting cast here were Peter Ustinov, Glynis Johns and Dina Merrill. This is a really nice film about sheep drovers in 30's Australian outback a bit long but worth a look.

This weeks SBQ is - "When you stitch a pattern that you have downloaded do you print out the pattern or do you stitch directly from your computer screen?"

Whenever I find a pattern on the computer that I might want to stitch I print it out. I have an ongoing file that I keep free charts in and then just add it to this. I can't imagine stitching from the screen, but I guess it could be done.

Thanks for stopping by and all the nice comments - I really appreciate them!!!! :)

Take care,
edgar

Exchange stitching and exchange received...

I finished up anther exchange but have to hold off on mailing for a bit. I have two more ready for the needle and want to get them done first before I stitch for myself.

I did hear from Hazel in the UK that my SBEBB - Spring Quaker Exchange has Arrived. That got there very fast!!! Here is a snap of the exchange -

and here is a closeup of the PynKeep that I stitched -


The pattern I used is from the Ackworth Pattern Book and is called Tulip #4. I used Thread Gatherer "Morning Garden." In the exchange I included some charts that were on Hazels wish list and some floss' I thought she might enjoy.

As an aside - I have been accused of only stitching in "Grey" by those that will remain anonymous (Rico) so this dispels that myth!! :)

No too much else going on - no movies last night :(

I did see quite a few over the weekend - "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" - 1957 a movie I have seen before and will see again. Done by one of my favorite directors David Lean and two of my favorite actors William Holden and Alec Guinness. Excellent movie well worth seeing if you have not seen it. Also on the bill was "The Guns of Navarone" - 1961 with Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn. Really good action adventure movie about WWII in the Aegean sea and German gun installations on the island of Navarone. The next two are "The Man Who Cried"- 2000 and "Mary Cassatt: A Brush with Independence" - 2002 - ......(see..I can watch a movie from after 1970. :) ) "The Man who Cried" is about a small Jewish girls trial/life trying to find her father through the ravages of pre-WWII Europe. The movie takes place starting in a schtettle in Russia and ends in Hollywood USA. The main actress is Christina Ricci ( as the grown up girl) and she is just gorgeous throughout the entire movie. It is a very quiet movie with not a whole lot of dialogue, but you know exactly what is going on by the characters emotions and the beautiful music!! Well worth seeing, not for kids as there are some scenes that are very adult!! The Mary Cassatt was a documentary of the artists life and was wonderful. If you like impressionism this is well worth seeing.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Exchanging and some super mail!!!!

Last night I worked on an exchange so no snap yet!

My super mail day started with a wonderful exchange from Becky in Oklahoma for the Spring Quaker Exchange. She made the most lovely PynKeep in beautiful pale spring colours that really evoke a new season with their soft tones. Here is a snap of the entire exchange package.

Included in the package was a notepad, that I put right to work, a skein of "Melancholy" by Olde Willow Stitchery, and the third chart "Gobble" I needed from Plum Street. Such a wonderful surprise thank you VERY, VERY much!!!!!!

Here is a closeup of the PynKeep -

It is so pretty and springy!!!

I also got in the mail an order of fabric from Silkweavers. Here is a snap of all the linen I got over the weekend and yesterday -


I needed some small pieces of interesting fabric for some upcoming things and so got these pieces. The two Silkweaver selections are Days Gone by and Sudden Storm. Here is a snap of the Friday acquisitions - (and an outlet strip - :) )

I also see that Cathy has received her package from me for the HOE - it was a PynKeep exchange. Here is a snap of the piece I made for her -


It is a Quaker squirrel - I stitched him in one of my favorite floss' - Loden by WDW. Here is a snap of the entire exchange - The design is from the Ackworth Book of Designs.



I also received Carol's piece for the QFRR.
It is really lovely and I can't wait to start working on a section!!

I also would like to thank everyone for the kind comments about my "Christmas Tree" PynKeep - you are all so very nice!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Challenge piece finished and exchange stitching

I was off on Friday (from work not my rocker.....but that is always debatable!!) and so took a trip over to NIAH and picked up some things, no snap...I'll get that up tomorrow. Then spent a majority of my stitchy weekend working on the pyn-keep challenge. Here is a snap of that sucker -



This is a piece that I have wanted to work up for the longest time and the Challenge was a very good reason to make it up. It is from Barrack Samplers and is called "Companion Quaker Christmas Tree Part I. It is worked on 32ct BOF Sandpiper using WDW and CC overdyed floss'. The middle of the flowers I used beads that are copper coloured from Sundance Bead Co. They are kind of hard to see, but they are there. It was the first time I had used any kind of beads on anything. I have always wanted to try but was not sure of how they would look. I really like the way this turned out. I did modify the chart and left out some of the extra bits as it was getting very busy.

I also started my next exchange so no picture there.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care,
edgar

It's Thursday - but is it really Friday?????

Last night I worked on "This and That." Here is a progress snap of what it looks like today -


It is really stitching up fast - but will that momentum keep up???? I also worked on the upcoming Monthly Finishing Challenge. This month it is a Pyn-Keep. I want to have this done by Monday so that I can stop by Britex on the way home and pick up some trimming.

Last nights flick was "A Bridge Too Far" - 1977 a very good movie if a bit long at almost three hours. I think they spent too much time building up the back ground. The movie is about the allies trying to take some bridges in Holland. That is a very simplified version of what was called "Market Garden" a huge operation of men and armament that failed at many levels to accomplish it's goals.

I am off tomorrow, Woo Hoo!!!! So there will be no daily dose of my ramblings and no movie recap - yes there is a movie waiting to be watched now sitting on the side table by the TV.

I Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Easter!!!!!


Thank you all so much for stopping by and the wonderful comments!!!! I do appreciate them all!!!!

Take care,
edgar

It was a Tuesday evening and.....

I spent it stitching and watching a couple of movies. Worked again on "This and That." I am really liking these colors that are used in this piece. It calls for DMC cotton but I am using the HDF silk substitutions and it is really coming out pretty. Here is a snap of the progress from last night -

Although it looks really wonky to the right, that is me not taking a good picture and
not the piece. ;)

I also got in two movies. Th first flick was "On Our Merry Way" - 1948. The movie was really very nice with a cute ending. The copy of the movie was pretty poor for the first third then really cleared up. It starred Burgess Meredeth (of Penguin fame in Batman), Paulette Goddard, Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, Fred MacMurry, William Demarest ( Uncle Charlie form "My Three Sons") and the glamorous Dorothy Lamour. It was the song and dance of Dorothy Lamour that really made the movie a pleasant surprise.

The second flick was a continuation of Ava Gardner week - "Barefoot Contessa" - 1954. Ava Gardner was never more beautiful than in this picture. I really think this is a great movie.... some others would disagree, but this is my soapbox so I get to say what I want!!! If you like Ava Garnder, Humphrey Bogart and some really beautiful photography with an adequate story behind everything (Written AND Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz) then I would recommend this movie as very watchable.


Thanks for stopping by!

Take care,
edgar

(I don't know what happened this morning with the daily posting --- I hope that fixed it)

A Fire, a start, a mailing, a package, and a movie, of course!

Now lets work backwards - The movie selection last night was 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro" - 1952 - with three of my favorite actors - the ever stunning Ava Gardner, Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward. A very disjointed film, but then it was hard to make a 2 hr+ movie from a 29 page story! The movie also took from other works of Hemingway's to fill out the film....which I think added to the disjointedness. Watch it for the performances and not the story.

I also had some mail from HDF - I had ordered some spools of a variegated silk and they cam yesterday. Here is a snap of their beauty -

From left to right - "Old Maid of the Soil, "Exemplar Ox Blood," and the new "Exemplar Blueberry Soup." I am now trying to figure out what to work up in these lovelies!

I finished up my part of the Quaker Friendship RR so that I could get it in the mail today.
Here is a snap of my piece -


As you can see I used two of the colours that make up the three variegated colours of the main silk. The initials are in Nisse Grey and the Rabbit is in Steelies. I am posting it this morning to Rowyn in New Zealand, lets hope the mails don't fail me!!! I really am excited with the RR and hope that we will all have some fun with it!!

After working on the QFRR I started the "This and That" sampler Christmas Present. Here is the bit I have done - Don't you think it looks a little like a green mustache!!! :)

What these are supposed to be are the two leaves on either side of the flower tree in the middle.

Finally we where going out to pick up some take out Chinese for dinner ( love those walnut prawns!!!) and found that there was a giant fire in the mission. Our Building is on the top on Noe Valley and we can look down into the Mission and here is a snap of the 4 alarm fire that had over a 100 firemen fighting 4 burning buildings.

You can't see it but every time part of a roof would fall in huge flames shot into the air. There were numerous helicopters hovering about from the news stations adding to the cacophony of noise that makes up the city. It felt very ghetto with them hovering over us as two of them positioned themselves up over Noe Valley. The things we can see from our balcony.

There you go - Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

It was a movie weekend with some stitching....

This past weekend I finished two upcoming exchanges and they are waiting to be mailed this week. I really like seeing the packages just sitting there waiting instead of me in panic mode!!! I am usually such a procrastinator about things in my life - as Scarlet would say - "Tomorrow is another day!!" Now I need to start up on the next exchanges and get ahead of the game - wouldn't that be nice. I also will finish up the QFRR since I got the rest of my silk from HDF last week I need to put the initials and date and rabbit in and then get it in the the mail to NZ.

I almost started my mom's sampler on Saturday but couldn't find my working chart. I always make a copy of the chart I am working so as not to mess up the original. I can mess up a piece of paper faster that anything - with the multiple pin holes and pen marks and folding and refolding it usually ends up a complete crumpled mess.

So The stitching I did was on "Forgiveness." Here is a couple of progress shots -


Here is a positioning shot - and



Here is a close up. I am working from the left to the right. Kind of in rows of items. The brown piece will be a swan motif at some point in the near future.

It was a really heavy movie weekend, since there was nothing on the TV. Starting off with the French film "Bon Voyage" - 2003. A pretty good film about France and the reaction of the populace to the invasion of the Nazi's at the beginning of WWII. I did not care for the ending, but that may just be me. Next up was "The Clandestine Marriage" - 1999 - a period movie set at a country house in the later part of the 18th century. With Joan Collins - very over the top, Nigel Hawthorn - good, but better in "The Madness of King George" - 1998, Timothy Spall - very funny as Sterling, but better known as Peter Pettigrew from the Harry Potter movies. Very well acted and a very funny and a satisfying ending! Then it was "Seven Days in May" - 1964 - entertaining film - and well acted by the entire cast. Ava Gardner was stunning in her role!! Next was "Indiscreet" - 1958 - with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. Excellent film and wonderfully acted!! I will see this one again! Then last night on TCM was an Anne Baxter Double feature. "All About Eve" - 1950 - a movie I have seen a 100 times and always enjoy!! followed by "The Blue Gardenia" - 1953 - along with Anne Baxter and Raymond Burr (the bad guy) there was the always delightful and witty Ann Southern one of the movies most underrated actors ever!!! The last movie was "You Only Live Once" - 1937 - with Henry Fonda and Sylvia Sidney - an interesting film of an ex-con trying to go straight with the woman who stands by him no matter what!!

And there you go - Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Friday has come again....

Yesterday we got the new vacuum together that we picked up on Wednesday. The on going saga that is our vacuum is a drawn out unimaginable trauma of apocalyptic proportions..... Let us just say it quick working and needed replacing. So we trotted down to Sears to get another one and would you believe it there were about a dozen choices. We settled on a bagless (my choice) model in a very bad shade of mauve/purple( not too my liking but it was the only color it came in) and was on sale and sucked the dirt up like crazy. Last night after putting it together (one screw I can manage, thank god!!) we vacuumed the entire downstairs. You would think that our house had not been vacuumed in months! The rabbit hutch of dust bunnies and dog hair balls were enormous!! Here is a snap of the new acquisition -

I also had a really great mail day!!!! I got a pretty good sized package from Vicki at HDF. She had organized a group purchase from Studio for Historic Samplers and the two charts I ordered came!!! I have been drooling over these charts for the longest time and just never took the plunge! They a presented in the nicest fashion...being spiral bound with a hard plastic cover. Very well done, as I heard they were. Here is a snap of the the charts with the extra silk for my QFRR - Old Maid of the Sea -


I also got in the package the silks for the sampler I will be making for my mom for Christmas - it's never too early!!! :) The sampler is called "The Tale of This and That" from Little by Little design company. Here is a snap of the silks and chart -


All the silks and chart are on top of the linen I will be using - this photo makes it look pretty dark - it really isn't.

I also got to work on "Forgiveness" a little...and here is a snap of that -


Last nights movies were a tribute to the deep south - Starting off with "The Southerner" - 1945 - interesting film about very poor sharecropping cotton farmers and their struggle for a crop/farm of their own. Starring Zachery Scott (of "Mildred Pierce" fame and done the same year) and Betty Field. It is a nicely shot and edited film in the vein of "Grapes of Wrath" - 1940. "The Southerner" is not as good by any stretch of the imagination and the characters often find themselves in very stereotypical situations, but still a nice slice of very poor americana. I almost couldn't recognise Beulah Bondi playing Granny Tucker but there she was getting off some of the best lines in the film. She played Ma Bailey "It's a Wonderful Life " - 1946 - One of my favorite films!!! This was followed up with "Driving Miss Daisy" - 1989. This film is one I always enjoy. Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman both bring in stellar performances. Supporting actors Esther Rolle, Patti Lapone and Dan Aykroyd round out this wonderful cast.

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


Take care,
edgar

It's Thursday and it's raining.....

Today is a damp-rainy day here in the Bay area...I really love the rain and rainy days. It is a kind of drizzle and nothing hard but very nice.


This is a great early morning photo by Thomas Hawk taken from the Ferry Building looking up Market street. This is how it is this morning all reflections and umbrellas.
It is supposed to stop later today and then rain again this weekend.

Last night we had to run errands and so stitching time was curtailed. We had dinner at a Red Robin as Ricos favorite cut of meat is the Hamburger! :)
It was pretty crowded for a Wednesday evening but we were sat very quickly.
After getting home and working some on an exchange piece I settled down for a little time with "Forgiveness." Here is a progress snap -

Still working on the far left medallion. This colour is called Burnished Gold.

The movie last night was "Sea Wife" - 1957. Starring Richard Burton and Joan Collins. Now, this is a movie I had never heard of and found while building my Netflix Queue. It was a different kind of movie with JC playing a Nun, if you can imagine. She makes a really lovely Nun by the way!!! It is a beautiful film shot in CinemaScope of four people adrift in a lifeboat in the South Seas in1942. As nice as this was I would stick to Hitchcock's "Lifeboat" - 1944 - a true Cinematic masterpiece!!!

I think I will leave off today with a snap of Her Majesty the Hunny-licious -



She is the old-grandma dog around our house, and rules it with an iron paw!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Stitching and finishing

I worked some more on my upcoming exchanges but need to run out tonight for a couple of things...is that vague enough?? :) Don't want to give anything away!

I also worked some of "Forgiveness" and here are a couple of progress snaps -


Above is a closeup of the left side I worked on and below is the entire line as it stands -



Last night the movie was "Julia" - 1977 Starring Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave. I had seen this movie years ago and yesterday it finally came from NetFlix. A very good movie about the Resistance in the years leading up to WWII. Yes, I now have two movie rentals going at the same time. I am going to drop Greencine as they have become so slow in the turnaround of DVD's that I spend more time waiting than watching. It really slowed down when they moved the entire shipping operation to Van Nys last fall and has never gotten back up to speed. Netflix is super quick and I usually have a two day instead of 5 or 6 day turnaround.

I am so far behind in reading blogs, so sorry!!!!! I will try and catch up in the next day or two!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

More exchange stitching

Still working on getting exchanges done so no snaps of my stitching..... I do have a snap of a piece of needlework that was my great-grandmothers. I do not know who actually made it, but it came from her home in Georgia and she did needlework so she could have made it but why, when or really who, is lost to time. Here is a snap of the front -


and here is a snap of the back where the colours are still very bright -



It is about 10x8 big and the edges are well bound on the back. My granny used it as a mat/coaster on a table with a piece china on it. I have no idea what it is supposed to be - and why would someone make something that looks to me like three cowboys wearing chaps are looking out to sea with a dog? If you have any idea what it might be or what the subject is just drop a comment. I don't think it has ever been framed or been a pillow but has always been a table "coaster."

The movie last night was "Bloodhounds of Broadway" - 1952. It is a light comedy/musical in the vein of "Guys and Dolls" - 1955, but without the abundance of talent the G&D has. B of B does have Mitzi Gaynor and she is wonderful as always!!!! The accent she manipulates throughout the film is odd at times but it is Hollywood and from 20th Century Fox so that is excusable. This is a few years before her stellar performance in "South Pacific" - 1958 - which was one of the highlights of her career!! B of B was lots of fun and well worth seeing. There really should be a release of the rest of her musical movies on DVD as she is a wonderful dancer/singer and just all around great entertainer!!!!!! - I wonder what the hold up is?

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Exchange Stiching weekend......

I spent all my time working on exchanges so there are no stitchy pics today.... I did however get a great delivery on Friday. As many of you know just by reading this blog I collect early 19th century transferware. I had won on eBay (my downfall) a great platter in a pattern that I collect called Wild Rose. Here is a snap of the piece.


I have a few pieces in this pattern and really like it. I think because it typifies the bucolic landscapes of England and there is no better place than by a stream in the lovely English countryside!!


I really appreciate the comments about exchanges, I usually do exactly the same as most stitchers out there. Just try from any source to find something they would like or if that is not possible then try for something with wide appeal. I think I was just over thinking this as I so often do!!

I watched a few movies this weekend..... surprise - starting off with "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" - 1943 a really great movie with a very early performance by Deborah Kerr, she plays three different parts. Also on the bill was "Brief Encounter" - 1945 a film directed by David Lean. Absolutely wonderful performances by Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson. The next movie was a "black comedy" called "Where's Poppa" - 1970 - a movie I didn't finish watching, I did not care for this film. I really like both George Seagal and Ruth Gordon the two primary actors but I did not like this film. I guess you can't like everything.

Last nights flick was "Fargo" - 1996. Since I do not like violent movies I have avoided this for a long time but finally broke down and had it in the queue and it came on Saturday. I did enjoy this film even though there were about 6 people murdered. There was quite a lot of funny parts. I especially liked Melissa Peterman's role as Hooked #2 - ya dont'cha know!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Movies and Stitching on Thursday night

Last night the movies where both out of the DVD collection as TV just wasn't cutting it. The first flick was a movie that I have seen too many times to count and do the dialogue along with the actors. It is "What's Up Doc" - 1972. This is one of my favorite movies. Both Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal are wonderful and Madelaine Kahn is so funny!!! If you have never seen this you should take a look. It has lots of physical comedy and is shot all over SF. This was followed up with "Murder on the Orient Express" - 1974. With its all star cast including Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller (you know how I love her), Albert Finney (aged up for this Hercule Poirot) Sir John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins and Ingrid Bergman (winning Best Supporting Actress for her roll) how could this go wrong!!!!
Two great movies and I seem to watch them over and over. There are two other really nice Agatha Christie flicks "Evil Under the Sun" - 1982 and "Death on the Nile" - 1978.

I also worked on some stitching - first off the QFRR - I have finished the wreath and am off by two stitches - oh well!!!! I also changed a few other things - here is a snap -


I also finished up the right medalion on "Forgiveness" - here is a shot of that -



I also worked on an exchange piece but can't show that just yet.

I was wondering, or have been wondering for some time now, what everyone thinks about stitching for exchange partners - I mean when you have a partner and you go to their blog, and it either hasn't been updated for a long time, so you have no idea what they might be working on, or you really can't get a feel for what the recipient likes or for that matter dislikes. I know that I babble here M-F and am pretty up front with stuff I like, and don't dwell on things I do not care for so I think I am pretty easy.... but then again I may be wrong about that........
The way I approach exchanges is try and fulfill the requirements of the exchange and try and make it work into my partners realm of something they would or might like. Is that just way to convoluted or am I just over thinking the whole thing. How do you approach exchanges? Do you just stick to requirements or do you try and work the recipients likes/dislike onto/into it also?? I've really never seen anyone discussing it anywhere or is there a forum that someone knows about that it is discussed. Oh well I really enjoy making them and working on something I wouldn't otherwise try...I also think it is a wonderful way to meet new people and the stitching community is such a nice one!!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

QFRR and the SBQ.....

I worked some on the QFRR and due to my colour change at the 12th hour I can't post this next week as was my original plan. Oh, well such is life. Here is a progress snap -

It is really coming along and I REALLY like the colour I have switched to. The silk is called "OLd Maid of the Sea." It is from HDF and is one of the "Old Maid.." series of colors that are really attractive. I am now deciding what secondary colours I will be using. I know that at least one other color will make an appearance..... do I want to introduce a third colour????? :)

I also worked on a couple of upcoming exchange pieces ( no snaps yet). I have both Spring Quaker and HOE Pyn-Keep very soon to be mailed.....
busy , busy, busy.....

Blonde Librarian over at Incoherent Scibblings, who works the SBQ's is starting to recycle questions from the past. I think this is a super idea as so many times the answers to the questions change over time or new people are added, I applaud this move!!!!!!! And so now, without further ado, this week’s SBQ was originally posted on January 4, 2005 and is:

After you stitch a pattern or kit,
what do you do with it?

I guess it depends on the chart. There are very few charts that once finished, I would and or do keep. I usually just pass them on to whomever asks for it first. I do have quite a few in the pile that are not done, but then again don't we all, so there is always something new to stitch. I would rather a chart once stitched finds a new home rather than have it just sit in a pile mouldering and not getting used and enjoyed.

Last nights TCM Tribute was to the 100th Birthday of Rex Harrison. Or as Walter Winchell dubbed him "Sexy Rexy!!" One of the he movies that was on was an all time favorite of mine - "My Fair Lady" - 1964. What a stupendous movie and always a great thing to watch. Coming up on April 5th is an all day Birthday tribute to the great Bette Davis, mark your calendars!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Fun Book List.....

I was reading over at Anna's site Stitchbitch her list of books she has read or wants to read and thought what a great idea. I really love reading and usually have 2 or 3 books going at any given time. (Just ask Rico about the packed bookshelves and bookstacks all over the place) :) So here goes:

If you would like to do this also just look at the list of (100) books below. Bold the ones you’ve read. Italicize the ones you want to read. Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in. (Movies don’t count.)

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25 . Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) – read this over 10 years ago for the first time and many times since!
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) – one of my favorite books!!
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

I read lots of History and biographies...I am also currently reading tons of contemporary Young Adult Fiction, so that I can at least talk about it at the book store. :)

Thanks again for stopping by!!!!
Take care,
edgar

"The Longest Day" during the longest evening...

Last nights flick was "The Longest Day" - 1962. The film deals with the Normandy Invasion on June 6th 1944, and is a really great film. I have seen it a number of times and enjoy it every time. I think what really works for this film is that it has no main star but lots of star power, American, French German...... in cameo and larger parts. It is also really good that it gives an Allied and German point of view switching back and forth showing both sides. Although flawed in other ways it is a epic film of a momentous day in history!!

Well, during the evening I came to the realization that my QFFRR that I had worked on a couple of nights ago and then picked back up last night was not going in the direction that I had hoped. I had decided to use "Baneberry" by HDF for the floss colour.....and the more I stitched the less happy I became. It was just turning out SO VERY stripey!! I then tried to see if I scattered the stitches if it would be more blocky and that made it look freckled and spotty. So, I made the decision to pull/frog everything that I had done and start over with a colour that I had liked to begin with. I went back to "Old Maid of the Sea." A really lovely blue/grey variegated silk. I have ordered some secondary colour from HDF so the rabbit won't get done until they arrive. Here is a very poor picture of the little bit that I got done form last night -


You can get the idea of what it will look like and I will get a better picture up tomorrow. I did not take a snap of the "Baneberry" version as it was NOT good. I think that "Baneberry " will lend itself to a Christmas alphabet sampler in the future.....

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday Night stiching with Royalty!!

Last night was a movie and a special - both dealing with nobility. Let us start with the mail - woo-hoo - I got some movies finally....that I had ordered a while ago ( I know - do I need more movies in my life.... why of course I do!! ) One of the flicks that came was "Anastasia" - 1956. This wonderful movie is full of great actors!!! Ingrid Bergman (winning both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for this performance), Yul Brenner, Helen Hayes and Martita Hunt.... following the movie was the Babara Walters 20/20 special "A Year in the Life of the Queen." This was an 2 hour piece produced by the BBC that was acquired by ABC. It shows a glimpse of how the Queen and her family operate on a daily basis.

I was working on "Forgiveness" and here is a progress snap...


Not much else going on..... Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Stiching/stashing weekend

Thank you all for the nice comments!!!!!!
It is such a wonderful read first thing Monday morning!!!!! :)

This weekend we started off Saturday morning with a super omelet buffet breakfast at Mary and Gary's. It was so nice to just visit and relax before the day started!!! She served the most wonderful vanilla tea with breakfast and even went to the trouble to make biscuits. We were truly spoiled. We even had the nicest visit with sweet Luna, her adorable little white poodle. We also got to see the first flowering of Mary's Amorphophallus. She has had this for a few years and this is the first time it has ever bloomed. It is a tabletop version and not the giant kind. The flower and leaves are a very black purple color. I forgot my camera so no snap.

After breakfast we trotted on over to Needle in a Haystack. It was lots of fun getting some new things. Here is a snap of the new acquisitions.

I had every intention of not going crazy and buying everything I saw but I am such a sucker for fall/Christmasy things and if it even remotely looks Quakery ..... I'm a goner!! The list of things I couldn't live without: "Alphabet Sampling Book" - With my Needle , "Quackworth"- Ink Circles, "Coffee Menu" & "Geranium House" LHN, Quaker "Rooster & Pig", "Sheep & Cow" & "Faith,Hope & Love" - The Workbasket, "Give", "Gather" - Plume Street Samplers (I still need to get "Gobble"), "Weather Wise" - Prairie Schooler, "Reindeer" & "Reindeer Sampler" - JBW, and assorted floss' and a piece of linen to start a Christmas present on. Now, did I need any of these, not really..... did I want all of these things, YES!!!
Some of these things came from the tremendous piles of new things laying out across six big tables in the back room from the recent stitch show.

I also worked on "Forgiveness" - here is a progress picture -

With the alphabets both out of the way it is to the bottom and the medallions, letters and leaves, some fun stitching!!

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

Take care,
edgar