A Marvelous MAW Arrived

Don't you just love alliteration!!! I used it all the time when working at the Museum a million years ago - It just drove the Director nuts - :) Yesterday the mails brought a MAW (Make A Wish) piece from Shelleen - I had asked for an ornament - since you can never have to many - or can you.... my tree did fall over one year!!! That's a story for some cold wintry eve by the fire ..... back on topic - I left the MAW request quite open with the only parameters being something traditional..... and look at the super piece I got -

He is the greatest Santa!! I really like the edge finish!! Thank you so much Shelleen!!!

From the comments yesterday.... Colleen - you will so love "Mildred Pierce" - a real comeback or return for Joan and filmed so well!! I love "The Enchanted Cottage" - what a great film! Denise - the weekend brought no sales from either the yard, garage or estate - as Dale went off to commune with nature up a Guerneville - into the woods you might say. He often camps in the wilderness and has been just chomping at the bit to go now the weather has gotten better. We are planning to run around this weekend as the weather in the city is supposed to be just perfect!!

Last night was some more Exchange stitching and the flickers were more Mapp and Lucia. I got the second season from Amazon yesterday and just about broke a finger ripping into the box to pop in a DVD. I sat there all evening watching the wonderful adventures of the Tillinites at play. If you get the chance you should check out the books - or even pop in the DVD for a look - you won't be disappointed!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

A MAW Arrives and a super singer

I got an email from Jill that the MAW (Make a Wish) Exchange I made for her had arrived. Jill's wish was for something made using a Brightneedle chart. When I took on the MAW I had three patterns in my stash and thought - alright I have something now just pick one out - How wrong I was...when I pulled them out they didn't feel right for Jill - and then I got to looking around at what was available ..... then the orders started going out.... I have added 5 additional charts to the pile and am now a huge fan. I love these charts and want to stitch all of them - they are really sweet - Here is a snap of the piece I made for Jill -

I used the "Grey Goose Sampler" on 32 ct linen and the recommended over dyed floss'. Here is shot of the lined interior -

I was inspired by the box finish that Becky sent me for the PS Year Long Exchange.

We went to the mall last night - and Rico picked up Renee Olstead's new CD "Skylark." If you have not heard her her sing you may know of her acting. She played the oldest daughter, Lauren Miller, on "Still Standing." We think this is a really funny show and watch the reruns all the time, but it is Renee's singing that is so good. She is very young and has such a good voice and sings beautiful jazzy standards - here is a You Tube of her singing Summertime. Her two Cd's are -


Last night the stitching was on exchange and something secret. The movie was "Daddy Long Legs" - 1955 - starring Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron. Such a nice musical with some really beautiful staged numbers.

There you go - another week gone - the weekend here is supposed to be dry. We still need to get out to see the Artistic Luxury show at the Legion of Honor and there is also a Quilt show this weekend sponsored by the SF Quilt Guild so now there is two super things to do along with everything else!!!

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

Take care,
edgar

Some Weekend and Stitchy News

I heard that another exchange piece had arrived. I am in an ornament exchange with some dear stitchers and I have heard that Cathy has gotten her ornament - she is the recipient for January. Here is a snap -

The pattern is from Heartstring Primitives and is called "Peace on Earth." I wanted it to feel like an old sampler piece. The ribbon for hanging is attached with two antique mop buttons. I am so glad that Cathy likes it as I really enjoyed stitching it together. Tuula has posted some snaps of the flat fold I made her. That piece was for the MAW exchange.
I have another MAW in the works for Jill - she wants a Brightneedle piece - now which one to do - they are all so very nice???

I received on Friday the very last exchange from the SBEBB - "Winter House" and my exchange partner was Becky K - and she stitched me a super little pillow - here is a snap of the entire exchange she sent me -

and a close up of the lovely stitched piece -



Knowing what a nut I am for the PS designs she chose a perfect one!!
Thank you so much Becky for everything!!!

On Saturday we went out Garage Saleing and Junque Shopping
- Here is a snap of the treasures I picked up -

I got the 5 Quart Casserole for $5 and the Christmas plate for $10 both at Goodwill shops. I didn't find a thing at any of the Garage Sales or the two Estate Sales we visited - that's the breaks sometimes there is just nothing out there to get!!

A new discovery for us was a Co-Op Bakery called Arizemendi - on 9th Avenue.
Just the best!!! I picked up some bialies for Sunday -

Talk about being in Hog Heaven!! I love these things - and usually by the time I get up and going the two bakeries on 24th street are out - BTW these were ever so much better than the ones that I can get closer to my home. If you ever get to SF and find your self in the inner Sunset on 9th Ave between Irving and Judah stop in and pick yourself up something. Next time we go - and there will be a next time - I am getting some of their coffee cake - something they are well know for!!!!

Yesterday I had a new start - "Le Jardin" - It is a really nice piece to stitch - here is a snap of what I have done so far.


I went with the Heritage since the mottled effect has a green tint that really goes well with the over dyed floss' that I am using. The original pattern called for only DMC but I shifted all the colours to over dyed and expanded the palette a bit to include an extra red and blue. The snap sorta sucks since I took it last night around 10:30pm - but you get the idea.

One of the movies I watched this weekend was "The Robe" - 1953 starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons and Victor Mature. Such a really nice and BIG movie. Big actors, big sets, big scenes, big music and a BIG story..... I really enjoyed this and had not seen it for a really long time. The ending was a bit much but it was Hollywood in the 1950's. A great movie for Easter. Another film from the weekend was from last night on TCM - they showed "Bye, Bye Birdie" - 1963 - starring Dick Van Dyke (his first movie), Janet Leigh and Ann-Margaret. I am a sucker for this movie and always have been!! Who wouldn't want to visit Sweet Apple, Ohio for a little while - AND - who isn't mesmerized by Ann-Margaret as Kim McAfeee (Her second movie - her first was being the daughter to Bette Davis in Frank Capra's "Pocket Full of Miracles" - 1961, BTW another wonderful movie!!)

That's about all I can inflict on you today - Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Bigger is always better!!!

Before Christmas Rico and I decided not to get each other the usual presents for Christmas but instead get something together for the both of us. Yesterday we went and picked up the most gigantic TV we have ever owned. We both wanted a plasma flat screen and decided to go for the 42 inch monster. Let me tell you going from a 19 inch to a 42 inch was quite a jolt to say the least. Here is a snap of our new toy....


We had to rearrange our stuff twice before settling on its current position in the living room - Merry Christmas to us!!! I am amazed at how good the picture is and movies look super!! - it is just so big!!!

On the stitching front I heard from Tuula that the flat fold I made for her MAW has arrived - I thought that I had snapped a picture but for the life of me can not find it anywhere. Tuula said she will post one next week. Last night I also did a giant shift in something I had almost finished stitching. Have you ever been making something for an exchange and the whole time it just didn't feel right, but you kept plugging away. Well that's how it was for the upcoming Valentines Exchange. In my delirium and nausea at the beginning of the week I went looking for something else and stumbled on to a piece I knew immediately would be perfect for the exchange - but could I get it done before the mail date next week - You got it - I abandoned the original piece and started furiously to stitch last night on the new piece - I will have the weekend to get it done - it is the better choice and will be worth it -

Thanks for stopping by - and all the uplifting and kind comments!!!

Take care,
edgar

Mail coming and Going and a film...

I received a really lovely Biscornu from Carol yesterday as Part of one the last SBEBB exchanges - ABC Exchange - I have really enjoyed all the exchanges I have participated in on the SBEBB and will always be grateful for the encouragement and support from fellow stitchers - Thank you so much dear Becky!!!!! - The piece that Carol sent was of course just prefect -

It is the December Quaker Biscornu from the Workbasket done on Silkweaver - Solo Newcastle - 40 ct linen - the floss is HDF Garnet - could it be more perfect - I love Christmas, Quaker and red!!! It has my initials on the upper left corner - in the right corner is DEC for December and the bottom two corners have the year - Thank you so much Carol!!!!

I worked a little on Valerie's QFRR - here is a progress snap -

The two little bits above the wreath - I was busy finishing up the MAW for Tuula - which is going in the mail this morning - also going into the mail is Donna's Halloween RR to Terry. I am expecting to get any day now Donna's LHN RR from last year that she finally got back - I think I have a chart picked out but I want to see the piece in person to make sure it fits with the rest of the filled squares.

I think I am catching up as the heaps of paperwork are going down - I have not gotten to do any catch up reading blogs - so am feeling left out of the all mighty stitching loop that I just know is whirling away out there!!!!!!

One of the films I saw over the Holidays is a really great film called "Joyeux Noel" - 2005 - based in a true story of Christmas 1914 in the trenches - a really good film and not your typical Holiday fare - I would highly recommend seeing this 116 min flick.

Thanks for stopping by!!!!
and
Thank you all for the nice things you had to say yesterday!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Just a quick note...

....since we had a super long weekend - 4 days!! - the work has piled up. I did want to check in a say how wonderful it is to get back to blogging - I was totally having some sort of withdrawal!!!

Over the Holiday I worked on two pieces. One piece was for a MAW that had gone missing - from my sieve like brain - I thought I had finished and sent it off - I had wondered why I had not heard that it had arrived - but just thought it was a slow because of the Christmas mails..... I finally had some sort of wake up moment while going over the past years stitching that the reason it hadn't gotten there was I had not even finished the stitching but had only just a small start. Geeeze what a ding I am...... Now it is going out a few days late - which makes me crazy - but better late than never - I will show a snap when it arrives in it's new home.

The other piece I worked on was Donna's Halloween RR. Her piece is a Halloween House - and here is a snap -


I did the attic part - and what an odd space - but I think a spooky kitty looks good. Donna had asked that whomever did the attic do a moon so there is a moon and I threw in the bats. The floss' I used were Belle Soie (surprise) and WDW. This is the softest cloth to stitch on and was a total dream - It is ready for the mail tomorrow.

That's about it for today -
Thanks for stopping by and here's to another great year in our little cyber Blog world!!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

An Exchange, a Prize and a Wish aririves

It was mail overflowing yesterday for me....... Lets start off with the SBEBB Fall House Exchange - my partner was Leena and she made the most clever Tin finish - as you may recall I really love tea - especially black loose tea and drink it often - well, Leena finished off a Tin Cosy in the cutest way - here is a snap of the entire exchange -


This is the front on of the tin - included in the packages was a copy of the great magazine that had the sampler from which Leena stitched the designs - a black licorice pipe and great piece of linen and some lovely floss!! The piece is stitched on black linen with glow in the dark thread, here is a snap of the side - (both sides are identical)

and the back -



and she filled it with some wonderful black tea!!!
Thank you so much for the great exchange - I just love it!!

I was also the winner in Lillie's Drawing for the lovely Needle Roll she made - the package arrived yesterday - and I was amazed at the lovely prize she put together
- here is a snap -


Lillie was so generous with her prize - not only including the needle roll but some beautiful over dyed floss, trim and shell key ring - such a lovely- package thank you so much !!!!!!

I also heard from Gaby that the MAW Flat Fold I had made her arrived - I used LHN "Woodland Sampling " and the recommended DMC and think it turned out pretty cute!! here is a snap -



It may look like a Pyn Keepe but it is a FF - I just like the way the pyns finish off the edges.

____

About yesterdays Pyn Keepe chart - I did find my hard copy that I made when I found the chart - but the address printed on it no longer works. I am usually surfing about all over the Internet and whenever I come across a free chart that I may like to do I immediately make a copy (and that file is getting pretty full) as I just know I will never remember where it was to go back to. If I remember correctly this chart was from a French site - the image is called Quaker2008 - that's about all I came up with - I did surf about a long time last night trying to find it with out luck - but did find a few other free charts and some really great free sampler charts - so no time surfing around is ever wasted. I am often just stunned at the amount of free charted projects out there - and the generosity of stitchers and designers. If I ever run across the Quaker 2008 chart again I will totally make a note of the spot - and post it here.
____

I worked on VoHRH last night and got the walls up and now I am on to the roof - Here is a snap -


This square is coming along nicely - and I will be on to Square 9 in no time.

Thank you all for the nice comments and for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

A Bucket of goodies arrives.....

Yesterday my cup runneth over - so to speak - as the mailman had one of those square plastic buckets loaded down with stuff for ME - just for Me and all for ME - ME, ME, ME - just a tad bit self centered there!!! - but anywho - where to begin - I was the recipient of many packages starting off with some stash from 123 Stitch some charts and from Drema at Needlecraft Corner - the rest of my silk for SoHRH. There where also numerous packages of lovely stitchy pieces - the first up will be the wonderful piece that Donna made for my 3rd MAW - here is a snap -


My MAW was for a mattress pin cushion with a Christmas theme - well you can't get more Christmasy than St Nick - and this PS Santa is just perfect (as I am nut for PS)
The finish is so perfect I just love him!!! Thank you so much Donna!!!

I am the lucky recipient for the Ornament exchange this month and
I had two arrive on one day - the first is from Carol - here's a snap -



She stitched up a very traditional sampler inspired piece that is just lovely
and will go so well on the tree!!

I also received an ornament from Vonna - here is a snap -


What is so great about this ornament is that I almost stitched it up a couple of weeks ago - as I totally fell in love with it the min I saw it in the new JCS Mag. Like so many things I just put it aside to do later and slam bam Vonna stitched it for me!!! She knows what I'm thinking.... I just know it!!!! Even when Rico saw it last night he asked when I had the time to make it up and finish it as I had told him about it a while back!!!
I think these wonderful ladies just know me too well!!!!!!
Thank you both so much for the wonderful ornaments!!!!

I also received the Halloween exchange from HOE - my partner was Shay (no blog) and boy was it a wonderful exchange - as she really outdid herself !!!!!! here is a snap of the entire exchange -



It was just a cornucopia of goodies and wonderfulness!!!! As you can see she included ribbons, and clips and Halloween sprinkles, a message pad, some super cute scissors, a gorgeous piece of linen, a box to hold stuff, the beautiful "Quakers and Quilt" chart from Rosewood Manor - I just love this design!! - AND the exchange piece - a beautifully finished floss holder - here is a snap -



Could this be any nicer???? Just a perfectly finished piece WITH a Quaker kitty!! I have seen these around on the blogs and wanted one and wanted to make one but like so many things I was to afraid to try - but seeing this lovely I might just give it a try!! The kitty is so sweet done 1/1. It was a wonderful exchange and I was truly spoiled -
Thank you so much Shay!!!!! You did a super job!!!!!!!!

I got a little stitching on VoHRH - finished up square 7 and moved on to square 8
- here is a snap -



I do not care for the white lillies and will probably change them out for some other colour... I am just too lazy to do it right now. It is a totally wonky snap but you get the idea.

Just another thank you to everyone!!!
Thanks for stopping by and reading my yapping!!!
I love all the comments and I do appreciate them!!!

Take care,
edgar

It's Thursday....

.....and you would think by this time in the week I would be able to get it together!!! I am so far behind in blog reading that it just isn't funny! I got a chance this morning to see whats up over at the Ornament swap and a ton has been going on - Vonna has gotten some gorgeous ornaments!!! What a talented group of stitchers those ladies are - I hope when mine arrives it can stand the test!! I totally loved the ornie I made for sweet Vonna so much that I am making me one just like it! Last night in the realm of stitching I worked on AND finished the MAW for Gabby - so that it CAN leave today - I really think it is cute and hope that she likes it when it arrives - in the next week or so. I also worked on the VoHRH some and here is a snap of the progress -



The mail yesterday was super as I received my Christmas Ornament issue and some stash
(like I needed more!!) Here is a snap -



You knew I was going to get that "Alphabet Zoo" - so when I was placing that order with Drema I thought I would also get the "Quakers and Quilts" as it was another one I HAD to have - this chart has quite a few extra bits in it and an extra chart I didn't realize was included is on the back cover - so you really get a ton with this chart!! The silk pile is me steadily stashing away the NPI for the Shores of HRH and I am getting very close to having them all... I think I am going to trot over to NIAH and check out the linen .... I also want to kit up "des Arbes" as I know I want to change the colors from the model...I need to be in front of the racks of floss to decide.

There you go - thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Hit and Run Post.....

A very short and very late post today. This morning I have been sending out the reminder emails for next months SBBC Partners - and October is the biggest Birthday Month of the year - and we all know why....... about 9 months ago there was a holiday called..... Valentines day..... a day that is very romantic!!!! Just a reminder that the SBBC for 2009 sign ups will close on this Friday, 9/26 - at 3pm PST. I am planning on working up the parings over the weekend and sending out the emails next week, that will give everyone enough time.

Last night I was working on the MAW - and will probably not make this Thursday's mail date - it will more that likely be pushed to next Tuesday.

Yesterday Rico got a copy of the "Sex in the City" - 2008 movie - and so that was the flick for the evening. We really enjoyed it and it was just like watching a very long show. if you liked the show then you will probably like the movie.
I know that there are lots of people that did not like it but we did!!

Thanks for stopping by...

Take care,
edgar

PIF Participants, and that outgoing mail....

Well - we have some "winners" for the PIF's - I was really very touched that so many wanted to join my PIF and that the response's warranted a drawing of names - Thank you all so much!!! Once again I am very blessed with such nice folks reading this here blog! -

Setting the stage - In a secret a nameless cavern on the brink of an abyss with cauldron and elixir in hand a drawing was held that has no snaps .........woooo - hoooo - squeak..squeak.. squeak.. (sound effects for mystery)....... plus and the hound-a-liciousesss wouldn't sit still - they ran away from me - the paparazzi - so what am I to do??? The stitchers that are now in my web of PIF are:

Karen, Lisa and Deborah

Ladies my email is edgarmatt @ g mail . com (remove spaces) so please if you wouldn't mind contacting me with your details (as I'm unsure how to get hold of you to tell you that your name was drawn) so I have the lables ready when I've completed your PIF's.
I'll need your name and snail mail details.
Don't forget to post on your blogs the PIF details - you can stitch for as many as you like but a minimum of 2. Once again thank you all for your great interest!!

I am toting to the mail today a pile of stuff - The HOE Halloween Exchange, The SBEBB Fall House Exchange, The SBEBB Halloween Exchange, The Christmas Ornament Exchange, The Sampler Kit Lisa Won Yesterday and a Birthday present that should have gone out last week - I will look like some sort of camel dragging this stuff down Market Street, but I am glad to get it all out as some of it has quite a way to travel!!

Last night I only worked on Gabby's MAW exchange piece and am almost there still on track to have it in the mail on Thursday -
you see if I keep saying it will go out on Thursday it is bound to happen!!!

Once again dear friends - Thank you for stopping by!!!

Take Care,
edgar