Exchange arrives, some stitching, a goddess, an opinon and some cleaning!

I heard from Amy over at Cross Stitch and Cupcakes that the SBEBB Christmas Ornament Exchange arrived - so I thought I would post a snap -

I stitched up one of the Old World Santa's from PS using DMC - He is a mountain climbing St Nick - I just love doing these Santa Ornies - such fun stitches!! I included some Christmas goodies - including some Lupicia "White Christmas" tea - tea bags- so delicious!!!!! They do special flavoured teas every Holiday Season and this was a total home run with me! It has cocoa/apricot and cookie flavours in back of a nice black tea leaf - how they do it- at first I sort of snorted at it thinking "chocolate tea" - but they let you taste anything you like in the store so I did and now it's a top 10 fav!!!! I buy the loose tea and brew pots at a time and the loose tea is dark with little silvery sparkles that float about making the tea really special just to look at.

Last night I worked some on the Quaker Reindeer Ornie for me
- here is a progress snap -



He is coming along just fine - I am using WDW Cocoa with a little HDF OmotH for the nose.

Last night TCM had famous couples on the screen evening and they showed a really gorgeous film "Cleopatra" - 1963 - starring Richard Burton, Rex Harrison and that screen siren at the top of her looks, powers and skill - Elizabeth Taylor - I really love this spectacle no matter how far from the truth they strayed - it is something to watch and get caught up in!!

Now on to soliciting opinions........ I am trying to decide what linen to use for the ABC SAL that starts in the next week or so - I know I want to use Belle Soie silks (Plush Plum and Scarecrow) - because I like them and I already have them so I do not need to spend up the cash but I have two pieces of linen -and am torn as to which to use - I am leaning towards the lighter one - PTP Sterling - but kinda like the dark - PTP "Heritage?" (the tag fell off - so I am not quite sure) - what do you think - leave a comment as I can't make up my mind!



Last night began the work towards Thanksgiving Dinner - with getting out my grandmothers crystal and sterling giving it all a good wash and polish.

I love hauling out this stuff and using it as it connects me to her and going to my Grandparents for Thanksgiving. My sister and her family are coming so my niece and nephew will be using their great grandmothers things connecting them to the past and making new memories for us and them to carry into their futures. It is such a great time of year for family and being thankful - and I just love the post that Lori at Not Forgotten Farms wrote yesterday - if you get the chance check it out!! It really remind one how lucky we are!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!!!! Thanks for stopping in!

Take care,
edgar

Exchange arrives and some movies -

I heard from Becky K that the SBEBB Reindeer Exchange had arrived - here is a snap


I stitched her up a Pyn Keepe - I modified one of the PS Winter Samplers that I really love - I was very pleased with the way it turned out. The package included some reindeer themed extras I thought Becky would enjoy.

Last night my stitching was on an exchange that is coming up in the far future
- so no snaps of that.

Over the weekend there were a couple of flicks I wanted to mention - starting off with "The Stork Club" - 1945 starring Betty Hutton. This is a really cute musical vehicle for Betty - co starring Daniel Defore and Barry Fitzgerald. The DVD was from Netflix and you probably couldn't have found a worse copy of the movie. The second flick was "Thank Your Lucky Stars" - 1943 - The premise is a couple of produces played by Edward Everett Horton and S K Sakall putting together a cavalcade of stars for a wartime charity show. One of the numbers I really enjoyed was Ida Lupino, Olivia de Havilland and George Tobias (Abner Kravitz of Bewitched) doing the jitterbug - very funny!! This film along with "This is the Army" - 1943 and "Hollywood Canteen" - 1944 are being released as a three DVD Box set called The Home front Collection.

Thanks for all the great feedback yesterday!!! and
Thank you all once again for stopping in and visiting!!

Take care,
edgar

RR's, Ornaments, an Exchange and a present for me!!!

On Friday the mail brought Donna's RR - now I need to think of what I want to stitch.
This weekend I finished up the square on Ulla's piece -

Ulla wanted us to include pumpkins in whatever we stitched so I stitched the bottom part of "Prairie Seasons" Book 50 from PS using the recommended DMC floss. I really liked the Pumpkin scarecrow - I hope Ulla likes it also.

I am selfishly stitching Sunday nights in the Quaker Inspired SAL - we are all stitching on Quaker Styled ornaments and I finished up the one I started last Sunday -


I stitched this up using HDF - Old Maid of the Heart - red and Old Maid of the Forest - green and the gold I think is Olde Gold from GAST (?) - but now that it is finished is finishing as an ornament what I want to do?? Not too sure at the moment!

I also started another piece - the JCS 2006 Quaker Reindeer from The Workbasket -



Both of the ornaments are on the same piece of cloth - 32 ct Days Gone By from Silkweavers (my current fav fabby) - but look at the snaps - would you ever guess they are on either end of the same piece - boy my lighting at 10:45pm is just ooc!!!

I also heard from Naomi who is running a Smalls Exchange that the Pyn Keepe I made for her had arrived -



The exchange was to use a colour that the recipient likes - Naomi likes pale Lavenders and blues so I chose and AMPA freebie and stitched using Belle Soie- Sweet Lavender and the gold accents are Gast- Olde Gold.

This weekend we once again went Garage Saleing and even stopped into an Estate Sale - and I bought me a super Featherweight Singer Sewing Machine - Merry Christmas to me!!!!!!!

If you remember back a few months ago I said how I wanted on of these suckers!! I have been chasing them all over eBay and the Internet but they are so expensive and then the shipping is outrageous if I could find a decently priced one - this one ended up being about 1/3 of the cost they are running online - without the shipping - The machine works like a dream and runs super smooth - From the serial number I know that it was made in May of 1938 - so it even hit the right decade I was looking for!! Now, I need to learn how to sew! :)

That was the weekend - Thank you all so much for the kind comments from Friday!!!! They really are a great pick me up on Monday Morning when I am so grumpy - just ask Rico!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Take care,
edgar

A Christmas Finish

I can't believe it - but I only have two things left to stitch up before Christmas for presents!! But for today I have the Cardinal stitching finish from last night -

(I just flicked back here and noticed that the picture I first posted was an earlier snap
- this is the actual finish - how dumb am I!!!)

I am really happy with the way this turned out - I am not sure how I will finish it ..... the finishing will probably happen over the weekend. I got out the Halloween RR of Ulla's and decided on a pumpkin design to stitch - If you have been reading her4 lately you may be able to figure it out.... what would I be stitching???? I will stitch on that over the weekend so it will be a surprise on Monday.

We did our usual Thursday go to market yesterday and boy was the grocery store packed already. We got about 85% of the stuff we will need for Thanksgiving. The veggies we will get on Sunday at the farmers market. Just thinking about things and I just can't fathom how fast this holiday has sprung up on me - realizing that time marches on and everything falls into place "like clockwork" - I wonder if it is the older I get the faster time spins away - In my mind I visualize the sands of time just slipping by quicker and quicker till the that hour glass empties out - kinda morbid for a Friday but that's the way it is sometimes.....

Have a great weekend - thank you all for stopping by, and for all the nice comments... I know there are those lurkers out there and that's fine but don't be afraid to speak out and leave me a comment - I don't bite - or not too much!!! :)

Take care,
edgar

Exchange arrival and a couple of flicks....

Yesterday the mail brought another gem for the Christmas tree - a really sweet ornament from Melissa - I was part of the Ornament Exchange over at HOE and she was my partner. Here is a snap of the exchange...

She saw from my blog that I really like Prairie Schooler and stitched up this super deer couple from a JCS Ornament Issue (either 97 or 98) and included some delicious black licorice bears and a note pad - What a really great exchange - Thank you so much!!!!!

My stitching was focused on exchanges..... so no snaps yet.

The flicks last night were really good and very different from each other. The first was "Blues in the Night" - 1941 - starring that wonderful character actor Jack Carson and a host of others. I was very surprised at this movie as it had everything - really good music, a pretty good story, murder, revenge and redemption all in glorious black and white! You couldn't ask for anything more!! Quick paced and very watchable - highly recommend you checking it out. The second flicker of the evening was "Copying Beethoven" - 2006 starring Ed Harris as Ludvig Von B and Diane Kruger as Anna Holtz. This is a highly fictionalized story of the last year in Beethoven's life. The high point of the film is the performance of that masterpiece the 9th Symphony about mid way through. I enjoyed this film... very much like I enjoyed "Immortal Beloved" - 1994 - but - I think that IM is the better of the two films. Both very watchable and easily accessed in DVD form - give them a shot - you wont be disappointed. The one thing to watch out for in CB is that sometimes the odd manipulation of camera and film - it seemed to detract instead of add to the film.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

An exchange arrives, some major PS Stash and 2 flicks

I got some great mail yesterday - I was in the harvest Exchange on the SBEBB and my partner was Leena. She also stitched for me in the Fall House exchange and made a lovely tea tin cosy. I was once again the recipient of her super stitching and received this really sweet piece -

I really love pumpkins and they are a symbol of the fall harvest. Leena finished it off with a dried thistle pod. Thank you so much Leena once again for such a lovely treat!!

I also had received a package I had totally forgotten about. A while back I won on eBay a "lot" of PS Charts. It included a bunch of low numbered books, including numbers 1 & 2, that where out of print and that I didn't have. The lot also included quite a few early PS Santa cards that I didn't have (and some I did). First off I was stunned I won this pile and the relatively low price I paid, but whatever.... so it arrived and I am just bouncing off the wall!!! Here is a snap -


Some do have little notes or the occasional bookplate from the original owner but they are all in really super condition. This really fills out the list of charts I was looking for and chasing down one at a time. With so many of these charts hitting the OOP list I am having to get them on the secondary market which is quite an adventure in hunting!! I have found that the Autumnal and Christmas charts are the hardest to get - so if you got 'em hang on to them!!! I did want to answer a question from yesterday's comments - the Cardinal I am working on is a Prairie Schooler chart called "Birds and Berries" and is OOP and a hard one to find - or it was for me - but the Book has four bird designs and I think they are really sweet! Flipping around the blogs lately I have seen lots of PS being stitched - I wonder why that is??? I often wonder about the popularity of designers - every now and again there seems to be a designer that lots of stitchers are stitching and then it shifts to another designer and they are the flavor of the month - I wonder why????? Oh well - too much to think about on a Wednesday.......

I worked on finishing up two exchanges -
getting them ready for mailing tomorrow so no stitchy snaps.

The movies last night were - "Handful of Dust" - 1988 - what an odd empty movie - the book is supposed to be really good but this film translation was a bit long on "not much going on" with a bazaar ending. It is basically a study in lives of artifice and emptiness. Lovely production and the acting is superb - but a bit dull - I really liked Anjelica Huston in this as always superb!! This was followed up with "Top Hat" - 1935 - The evening ended on an up note - cha-ching!!!! Who can beat a super duper Astaire and Rogers flick!!! Along with all the fake scenery and back lot filming - so thirties and such a winner!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and all the really nice comments
- they mean a lot!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

An ornament, a bird and 6 things about me

I heard from Joke that the ornament that I made for her for the HOE Exchange had arrived. That mail sure got over there quick - here is a snap of the exchange package I sent -


It is one of the PS Santa's from Old World Santa's I - Book 80 - I think I am officially some sort of PS Nut!! Stitched on 32 ct linen using the recommended DMC Floss.... I also included some Christmas themed extras.

The stitching I accomplished last night was more on the Cardinal I am working on - here is a snap of the how he stands now -


I should have him finished in the next day or two - then it will be on to the next exchange. Speaking of exchanges I also worked on the finishing up of two I stitcvhed over the past week - they'll be ready to send next week.

Xeyedmary tagged me for six random things about myself..... I think I have done this before but lets have a go at it again.

The rules are as follows:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

The random things about myself - if there are any you already don't know -

1. I really like seafood - all kinds from sushi to plain old fried shrimp - however I do not like any kind of fried fish - go figure.
2. I really like to Iron - and do the laundry - always have.
3. I can't go to sleep with any dirty dishes in the sink - that sucker better be empty.
4. I collect royal memorabilia - specifically handled cups and mugs
5. I like raisins cooked in something - be it bread or cookies but do not like them just out of the box.
6. I could care less if the car ever got washed again - it rains occasionally and that's enough for me!!!

So there you go - more weird things about me that you probably didn't even think a sane person would care about!!! I am not going to tag anyone else as this has been around quite a few times but if you would like to post six things - please feel free and then link back here.

Have a great one - thanks for stopping by -
Take care,
edgar

ps - Ja'niece - I totally saw them yesterday and ordered them right away!!!
Thanks for the heads up!!!

Christmas ornaments....

I heard from Carolyn that the ornament that I stitched up for her had arrived - she was the November recipient In our Ornament exchange - Here is a snap of the piece that I sent -

He is from the PS "Old World Santa" book - I just love those Santa's from Book I and II.

On the stitching front I worked up and finished the stitching on a couple of exchanges now it is the actual finishing that I need to get to and get them out by the end of the week - as next week I not only have jury duty but it is a short week with Thanksgiving and everything. Other stitching this weekend - I also started on a Quaker ornament for myself yesterday as part of the SAL on the Quaker Inspired Blog. Here is a snap of that progress -



I shifted the floss from a very pale pastel palette to a more Christmas one - using HDF silks. It is working up really fast and I will probably have this one done and on to another before Christmas.

I want to mention one of the flicks I saw this weekend - "Anchors Away" - 1945 - starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson. What a super movie and at 2 1/2 hours you really never notice how long it is. Of course it is an MGM over the top, highly impractical, hard to believe the plot kind of musical - but there is a ton of singing and dancing and even Jerry the mouse from Tom and Jerry gets to dance with Gene Kelly. If you have a chunk of time - sit down a watch "Anchors Away."

I was tagged last week for 6 things about me - but so far only have 4... I will think of 2 more and post them all tomorrow - I am really pretty boring!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Take care,
edgar

Some stitching, a flick, Grey's Anatomy and commenting on comments

Lets end the week with a stitchy snap -
this is something I am working on for a Christmas present -

The picture really bites, but you get the idea. It is from PS Birds and Berries - cardinal. It is coming along nicely and I will try and have it done in the few days.

Last night there was a flick on TCM called "NANA" - 1934 - starring Anna Sten. It was a total flop when it was released but watching it last night I couldn't see the reason. The sets, costumes and cast all were excellent - if a bit dated - I thin that Sten was being groomed to become the next Dietrich or Garbo - although adequate Sten couldn't compare to those two powerhouse's for acting and moody delivery. Oh well you can't win every time - nice film - dumb sacrificial ending.

Before the film of course there was Grey's Anatomy - what is going on on that show???? I don't want to get started but are we seriously supposed to believe that Danny is back from the dead and hopping into bed with Izzy??? or that a hospital that is courting a new heart surgeon doesn't know every little thing about the visiting surgeon - I find that not only hard to believe but just a bit too far fetched for even TV. I am still watching but am coming to the end of what little patience I have..... did you see the scenes for next week - jeez!


I love reading the comments so thank you all for them - it does let me know that you a reading what I am am babbling about - now some responses......

Sabine - I know what you mean - being born in 1963 makes me even closer to the five-oh than you - we are sort of moving down State Road 40 looking for the exit for 50 - and have a way to go yet!! :)

Donnatn - Thats how I first met Martha was through the book - and excellent book btw - seeing the film really brought her and early 19th century Maine to life - check it out if you get the chance.

Jennifer - I hear you about Donatello - I tried for a good 10 mins to get a good snap of one of his sculptures and kept getting those Turtles every time. It is especially disheartening when you think about the magnificent Magdalene and David he did that changed art as we know it - that they wouldn't be the first things to pop up when you goggle the name.

Thank you all once again for sharing a few mins with me -
Have a great weekend!!

Take care,
edgar

A couple of films and a SAL

Last night was educational film evening - as my Netflix queue spat forth a couple of really good films. First up was the Portrait of an Artist: Donatello - The First Modern Sculptor - 1986. I really enjoyed this film. Here is a gorgeous piece by Donatello -


Cavalcanti Annunciation, Santa Croce, Florence

It ties to a book I am almost finished reading right now called "Dark Water" by Robert Clark. The book is about the devastating flooding of Florence in November of 1966 - an excellent book that just came out that sets the scene historically and moves through the decades after the floods and all the work that was done and is still being done and not done for all the destruction of paintings, sculpture, books etc.... it is amazing to think that almost 50 years since the flooding of the Arno river there are still dealing with the mess.

The second film was from The American Experience on PBS - an excellent series that I would highly recommend!! The film last night was from season 10 show #3 - "A Midwifes Tale" 1998 - from the Pulitzer prize winning book of the same name by Laurel Ulrich. An excellent book and an excellent film based on the 18th century diary of Martha Ballard. This midwife delivered over 1000 babies and never lost a mother. Set in rural Maine and covers over thirty years of Martha's life in post colonial America.

Still stitching away on exchanges and a Christmas gift - I was wondering if anyone was going to do the SAL found here. Scroll down to 11/5 - It looks really nice and I am very tempted - and I have a great piece of linen and a couple of HDF spools of silk just burning to be used...... It is going to be over eight installments so it won't be that gigantic a commitment.
Let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

It's Hump Day - and I can see the weekend

It'll be a short no snaps kind of post today - I stitched on exchanges last night after packing up a bunch of things that have to be mailed today - The HOE Christmas ornament, The ornament exchange for Carolyn, the Smalls Exchange piece for Naomi and a bunch of Swap-Bot obligations. It's a bag full of fun flowing out into the world.

The movies last night were WWII themed as it was Veterans Day - and TCM showed a really good one called "Hollywood Canteen" - 1944. The movie is about a fictionalized visit of a wounded soldier to the Hollywood Canteen who is obsessed with Joan Leslie (today we would call it stalking). You get to see lots of stars and lots of entertainment. I have always enjoyed this flick not because it portrays anything real - its just a nice movie. This was followed up by "Stage Door Canteen" - 1943. I only saw about 45 mins of this an promptly fell into a coma. I eventually lapsed out of that coma and the movie was over and it was way to late to be up so I trotted off to bed. A pretty exciting evening living on the edge like that!!! The second Canteen movie - what I saw of it- seemed pretty good and when it comes on again I will try and watch it.

Thanks for stopping by!!

take care,
edgar

A lovely Gift arrives - stitching and movies

Yesterday the mail brought me a couple of things. First and foremost a wonderful gift from a dear friend in New Zealand - Margaret - she has been reading my ramblings for quite a while and we have emailed back and forth - you do meet the nicest people on the Internet - I have met so many nice people and made quite a few Friends through this medium - Well - a week or so back Margret asks to get my snail mail and yesterday a package arrives - I thought is was an exchange as I am in quite a few right now - but I open that sucker up and out pops some wonderful goodies....

Some chocolate - super dark, some tea - really black - a darling tea scoop - a really cute a chart- Quakerish AND if all that wasn't overwhelming enough - Margaret also included an exquisitely stitched ornament!!!! Now - I ask you - wasn't that just the sweetest thing to do?? Thank you so much Margaret!!! Hare is a close up of the stitched ornie -



These darling mittens are stitched with such tiny stitches and decorated with beads - the finishing is exquisite - although they are just lovely - hanging here off the loper on my secretary they are not shown off as well as they will on a tree. I just can't wait to put up the tree this year!!!!! I have the "Christmas Carol" movies in readiness for the two evenings it will take to get that sucker up - The first night to get the lights on and curse the tree out for being crooked and the second to get the ornaments on and again curse the tree out for being crooked - its an old holiday ritual but it works for me and drives Rico batty ..... and causes his running screaming into the night!!!! Happy Christmas - you all!!!!

I also finished up another exchange and started on a Christmas present
- since I am almost 93 1/3 % sure that they do not read this blog I will post a snap of the start -


It isn't that exciting but I really am stitching away in the evenings.
I bet you can't guess what chart this is that I am using...... :)

The movies last night were really watchable - starting off with - "They All Kissed the Bride" - 1942 - Starring Joan Crawford (on loan from MGM) and Melvyn Douglas - a funny film and worth watching for the Jitter Bug that Joan does about half way through the flick. This was followed up with "I Found Stella Parrish" - 1935 - starring Kay Francis in a true movie soap opera - basically the movie is about how your past will always catch up with you and bite you on the butt!! Both really watchable films and worth a look if you get the chance.

Thank you again Margaret - you made my day!!!
Thank you all for stopping by and for all the nice things everyone said in yesterday comments,
I really appreciate them!!! - and Kathryn,
I also love the french cruller things from Happy Donut and stop there almost every morning on the way in to the salt mine for a cup of coffee and a donut!!!

Take care,
edgar

Exchange arrives, Antique show and some Deliciousness

I heard from Goldie that the Pyn-keepe I made her for the SBEBB Harvest Time exchange arrived safely - Here is a snap -


I used PS "Thanksgiving Comes Again" the four square chart from the back. Using 32 ct LL Vintage Ex and the charted DMC floss. It is pattern I have wanted to stitch up for the longest time and really like lots!!! I am so glad that she likes it - enjoy Goldie!!!! The fall is favorite time of the year and I think that this epitomizes everything about leaves turning, getting in the bounty from the land and making ready for the winter.

We went to the Hillsborough Antique show in San Meteo yesterday - there was some really lovely things. These shows happen 3 times a year. I haven't been to one in a couple of years. If I only had a ton of money what I wouldn't buy...... I didn't get a single thing - not a piece of china nor a bit of silver - which is very unusual as I can usually find something..... there were a couple of plates and a gorgeous dark blue transfer ware tea-pot...but I was strong and resisted!
.....and there is always February!!

We also eventually found and made a stop at Dynamo Donuts and Coffee - and let me tell you - just fantastic!!! I had read a review of them last week and on Saturday I was determined to find them. They are located on the left side of the street - look for the green awning or you'll miss it... like we did!

We got some to go and they come in a paper box - this little bird is one I picked up a Joannes fabrics from the fall sale stuff - 75% off so he was only $2!! How could I pass it up??? Back to the donuts - then you open that box and find -


Four - one of each kind they made for Saturday - l to r Vanilla Bean with Vanilla glaze, Chocolate with Anise glaze, Chocolate chip with chocolate glaze and last but far from least Pistachio with a lemon glaze. Let me tell you they are a bit more expensive than say Krispy Kreme (the best raised donuts on the planet) as these are cakey - but they are super duper good!!!!! They serve Stumptown Coffee - the best coffee on the planet - just ask my sister!! Worth the trip - hard to find any parking as they are located in the outer Mission, but if you get the chance make the effort - We certainly will again!!!

The stitching this weekend was all for exchanges still so I will post the snaps as the exchanges arrive in new homes - For the movies this weekend I will draw attention to a single flick - "Five Came Back" -1939 - starring Lucille Ball, Chester Morris and John Carradine. An excellent film from RKO Studios. The plot is simple. Morris and co-pilot Kent Taylor are flying a small passenger airline over South America and are forced down in the middle of a rain forest. Some patch work repairs are done. But the plane won't get off the ground with a full load. Some choices have to be made. With native headhunters all around and them having killed a couple of the passengers already, time is critical. Who will survive and who will be left behind. A short film at 75 mins and remade later on under the title "Back from Eternity" -1956. Worth a view if you get the chance.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!! Thanks for stopping by!

Take care,
edgar

A Basket of Christmas Love - a couple of movies and some Hot Stuff!

I wanted to post a final snap of all the wonderful ornaments from the Ornament exchange -


These lovelies will forever remind me of the great stitchers who created them and every year go on the tree and be spots of friendship!! I want to thank all the ladies who created them - Carol, Vonna (I know its not Donna - I just write this stuff way too early in the morning - :) ), Joan, Becky, Staci, Cathy, Jill, Julianne, Carolyn and Amy - Thank you all so much for these Christmas treats!!!!!! and Thank you Becky for putting the exchange together!!

Last night before Greys Anatomy - don't get me started - I watched a really great movie - which I think was a fourth film incarnation of an Oscar Wilde play - called "An Ideal Husband" - 1999 - This version had top notch actors, set design and photography. The ensemble cast included Cate Blanchett,Minnie Driver, Julianne Moore, Rupert Everett and Lindsey Duncan. Excellent adaptation if a bit slower than the play but well worth a look. An earlier version was the 1947 version starring Paulette Goddard. Directing for this version on his last film was Alexander Korda and costumes by Cecil Beaton - the 47 version is quicker paced but just as lush - I do not think it is out on DVD - you have to catch it on the TV so if you get the chance to see it try to.

Yesterday on the way home I stopped into Walgreen's and found some new candy
- or at least new to me -

Now the Fireball - jawbreaker - is one of my favorite candies and has been since forever - I had never seen a "chewy" version of the regular or atomic - since chewy is always good...I had to get them. This version of the fireball is about the size between a green pea and a chick pea and shiny - and very hot and chewy - so if you like it hot and a super cinnamon blast for your palette AND chewy - you should try these.

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

Take care,
edgar

My last Ornament arrives.... and Happy Birthday

I received my last Ornament from the Ornament Exchange as my month was October
- it was from Amy -

I really admired the strawberry that she made for Vonna and am so happy about the one she made for me!!! The design is from a JCS Ornament issue - PS Quaker Strawberry (I forgot the card that Amy sent so I do not have the correct year - 2006 - I think - will post the exact year tomorrow). I am over the top with happiness about all the lovely ornaments I received from all the super stitchers - I will post a snap tomorrow with all of them together so you get an idea of how wonderful these treats are!!! Thank you so much Amy and every one!!

I did want to thank you all for the suggestions about VoHRH - I think I will have to live with the "MI" issue for a while - I still have 3 squares to get done before I trot that monster off for framing. I also wanted to thank you all for the the info about starting a finishing album - it just never occurred to me that anyone would want to see my old finishes once they were posted - but now after thinking about it - if you stumble on this blog who wants to go back through all my ramblings to dig out the snaps. I will work on getting an album together - it may take a while as I am not the smartest when it comes to these here computin machines and such.....

I have been busily stitching - but on exchanges only so no snaps - yet -

Yesterday would have been Vivian Leigh's 95 Birthday so TCM had a really nice tribute to her last night starting off with a really wonderful film "Waterloo Bridge" - 1940 costarring Robert Taylor - Such a beautiful film and so well done. This was followed by "Anna Karenina" - 1948 costarring with Ralph Richardson who once again played the heavy. This version is beautiful movie - a remake of a Greta Garbo vehicle from 1935 where she played opposite Fredrick march as Vronsky and Basil Rathbone as Karenina and which Greta had done even earlier as a silent film in 1927 with John Gilbert - that version was called "Love." The next Leigh movie of the evening was a pre- GWTW flick called "Fire over England" - 1937 costarring Flora Robson as Elizabeth I and Lawrence Olivier. The evening ended with "That Hamilton Woman" - 1941 - again costarring with Lawrence Olivier. All really great films and all worth seeing if you haven't. I think it would have been nice to throw in a later film as all the ones they showed were all made about the same time - if I had been asked I would have thrown in "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" - 1961 - where she costarred with Warren Beatty - in a roll I think he shouldn't have played as he has a really bad fake Italian accent - and by the 60's there were plenty of Italians that could have played the roll of gigolo - other that that it is a fine movie and a really good late one for Vivian - as she would only have one more film before her death - in 1965 - "Ship of Fools" which is very ensemble, but really good.

Enough for now - Thanks for stopping by!!!!

take care,
edgar

An Ornament, some stitching, the movies and a baby

In yesterdays mail another lovely treasure arrived for our Tree - it was from Carolyn -

This is from this years JCS Ornament Issue - called "Norwegian Reindeer." The lovely red it is stitched in is DMC 902 - I just love it!!!! Thank you so much Carolyn!!!!! Feel better soon!!!!

Last night I worked some on an exchange and on VoHRH
- here is a snap of the progress on the Run -

Now that the words are finished and the little people are done I will move on to the center garden area - I probably wont get back to this for a while as I will most likely be at my exchanges for a good while..... Now - here is a queation - what do you think about the spacing on the word middle? There is an extra space there on the pattern and the model is stitched that way.... should I leave it or pull out the "MI" and shift it over???

Last night began the month long tribute on TCM to Charles Laughton - 1899-1962 - one of the finest actors of the 20th century. They started off with 4 really great bio-pic type movies - beginning with "Rembrandt" - 1936 - Wonderful bio-pic that along with Laughton starred that fine stage actress Gertrude Lawrence and Laughton's wife Elsa Lanchester. This was followed by "The Barretts of Wimploe Street" -1934 costarring lovely Norma Shearer as Elizabeth barrtt-Browning. Then it was on to Laughton's Academy Award winning performance in "The Private Life of Henry the VIII" - 1933 - costarring again with Elsa Lanchester as Anne of Cleves and a smallish part for Merle Oberon as Anne Boleyn. The evening ended with Laughton playing Henry VII again in "Young Bess" - 1953 starring Jean Simmons as Elizabeth and Stewart Granger as Thomas Seymour. All fine flicks with their own take on history and all very watchable.

Let me introduce you to Miss Addison Grace -

She joins sisters - Riley, Trinity and Avery and proud parents David and Paula
- what a darling baby - Congratulations!!!!!!!


I had a question from Gail over at Needlework Nut - about pictures I have - and did I have an album of finishes..... You know I never thought about it - I don't have one - and really don't know how to go about setting one up.... any suggestions out there????

I know I am pretty slack but I do try and answer questions - :)

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

A busy weekend

This weekend was super busy - with house guests coming and going starting Friday and not completely leaving until late Sunday morning - We had a great time at Dale's Halloween party that was just packed with party people in a variety of costumes. Since I do not go in costume - I am always amazed at some of the outrageous get ups that are worn. I had on one of my ECU sweatshirts and was thought to be a college student - but I wore it only to keep warm.

The only stitching done was for myself - I received Praiseworthy Stitches "A Little Quaker" in Friday's mail and just had to stitch that sucker up - here is the result -


I made myself an ornament!! I never make any little things for me - but I did this time. I shifted the colours to be a little more Christmasy and stitched it on Silkwaevers - Days Gone By - 32 ct. This worked up super quick and will be really nice on the tree.

I also worked on VoHRH - just some of the words a little -



I still do not know why but I am not really liking this square???? I think it is the weakest visually and not that interesting - and if I was a bit more creative I would drop it altogether and stitch something else - but I am sticking to the design and will push forward.

I also finished up some upcoming exchange pieces
- so I am just a tad ahead of the game.... woo hoo!!!!!

I didn't get to that many flicks - but did see one worth mentioning. "Dangerous Beauty" - 1998 another film based in historical fact - picture it 16th century Venice - Old family, no cash, drunk father - what's a girl to do??? Turn to being a courtesan to survive with the help of her mother and become a hero to your city in its time of need. A really beautiful film and a faithful adaptation of Margaret Rosenthal's book the Honest Courtesan ... about the courtesan Veronica Franco - very adult in spots - starring Catherine McCormack and Rufus Sewell.
Well worth a viewing.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar