Another SF Weekend!!

GR&DF - well, another weekend quickly over and once again we sit on the precipice of the week. I am sitting here looking at only a three day week. A three day week - why that's crazy you say... ahhh, but it isn't as I have taken off Thursday and Friday and next Monday, Tuesday AND Wednesday. The reason being is that I took no time off but the few days around Christmas last year and my PTO (Personal Time Off - we don't call it Vacation any longer) is stacking up. If I don't take some of it then it will cap off and will stop accruing. So all I could think of was to wrap some "days off" around the Easter weekend - and even though I had planned to barricade the door and sit and stitch for a week the time is already getting eaten up by outside forces beyond my control!!

Over the weekend I did accomplish the finish of the Memorial sampler - I actually had to stop Friday night and put it down so that I could finish it on Saturday. Here are some snaps.....




2-4-2010 / 3-27-2010
Memorial Sampler - Midsummer Night Designs
36ct LL Vintage something - using the rec. GAST & CC Floss

Sorry about how wonky this piece is. I took these in the middle of the afternoon yesterday and still can't seem to get a decent snap!! I am also not as happy with the word spacing at the bottom - as the space is a sort of squeeze and I wish I had started two thread higher...I still may go back and frog all the words..... but then again I might just leave it - I haven't decided yet.

On Saturday we ran around to quite a few Estate/House sales - we even stopped in on some friends who where having a sale - they are moving to NY so everything was for sale!!
We picked up this -

Our friends who where selling up actually had two of these but by the time we got there one had already sold. They gave some killer parties and would serve both red and green Margarita's!! This will be a super addition to any festive occasion!! I also picked up a few other bits at other places...


Here is the haul - 3 old frames, a book I wanted to read, a nice older pamphlet about the California Missions, a nice little Italian Icon, an old tomato, a cute little china Teapot pin cushion, a Mason's "Vista" farmers cup, a great older sock egg and another super linen tea towel of the attractions in London.

Yesterday started off with breakfast at our usually GS (greasy spoon) place - Eddy's.
Outside was this sweet puppy...

This is such a dog friendly city you see this many times all over!!
This puppy was totally sweet and of the non-barky variety!

After breakfast we then ran over to the little farmers market on Grove and I got these snaps...


We picked up some of these tulips - and they are just lovely!!

here is snap of the other things we got...

The honey is really delicious and is from sage flowers around Turlock down in the Valley - it is a beautiful pale colour. We got the bread at the liberty Cafe over in Bernal Heights - I turned the cauliflower into this..

a tasty Gratin of Cauliflower - from a recipe of Julia Child's.
Over at the Liberty Cafe I got these snaps...

We parked the car and walked past this display of colour - the guy that was selling these was sitting in his van with his bong and was totally enjoying the lovely day!! Outside of the cafe is a patio area and there are these....


...beautiful wisteria everywhere - I love these flowers and even though they are a very destructive vine - the floral display is magnificent!!! I also got this snap of other goodies inside the cafe...


I'm not sure what these are but they were really great looking in the case.

Well, my dears I have droned on enough today and will let you go. Thank you so much for stopping by and do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

Stitchin' an Angel

GR&DF you are really the best - and such nice words about the Easter Basket exchange. I was lucky to find the Longeberger basket - they are really nice and wonderfully handmade, dated and signed. I think this one was dated 1988 - if I remember correctly. Sometimes my ideas do not turn out, but I think this one worked nicely.

When I got home yesterday I thought about the lack of snaps from the party - and the big flower arrangements are still there so I took a snap of the one on the dinning room table - It is holding up rather well - and you should have a peek at Rico's handiwork....

Not the most neat of snaps - with some of the silver still sitting out, leftover beer and a bowl - but look past that stuff and get a eye full of the blue and lime colours we went with for this party. We usually pick a different colour for each party - that way we don't get bored with the way things look - and it mixes it up for our guests - and we get to try all sorts of different flowers and plants.

On the stitching front I worked some more of the Memorial Sampler so I thought I ought to get a snap for you to see - it has been a while....

This is a totally craptastic snap of this sampler, but with artificial light and a flash it is the best I could do last night. As you can see I have finished up the right side flower/bird part and the black for the most part is finished - except the handles on the urns. The little animal band is also completed and I started to work on the second angel towards the end the evening - he looks kind of odd at this point. I have the words all charted out and so there really isn't much left on this to do. I already have my list of the next four things I am going to stitching - and I am itching to get started, but I am gonna finish this first.

The flickers last night where two very different movies. the first was - "Eye of the Needle" - 1981 - starring Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan and Christopher Cazenove. This movie was adapted from a Ken Follett novel and was pretty good. Set in 1940 England Donald Sutherland plays a Nazi Spy. The story flashes forward to the eve of the Normandy Invasion and Sutherland's character is wrecked on an isolated island off the coast of Scotland trying to get back to Berlin with important invasion information. I enjoyed the movie and if you like the spy thriller type movie you might also. There where some slow spots but over all well worth a look. The second film of the evening was "On the Avenue" - 1937 - starring Alice Faye Dick Powell, Madeline Carroll, George Barbier and The Ritz Brothers. One of the first big musical pictures from the newly formed studio 20th Century Fox lead by Darryl F. Zanuck. A very realist movie that Zanuck insisted on - so that the movie goer would experience it like going to the theatre - very unlike the Busby Berkley extravaganzas over at MGM. The music was provided by Irving Berlin with six great new songs - one of the songs was a parody piece called "Slumming on Park Avenue" - and you knew I would have a clip... (not the best clip, but the only version I could find)



There you go sports fans. Thank you so much for your kind comments and for stopping by. Do come again!!

Take Care,
edgar

Some Stitching and Estate Finds

GR&DF I was a total sucker and watched the whole 82nd Instalment of the Academy Awards - I know, I know.... bitch, bitch, bitch and then I still watch it!! What's up with that??? BTW I did enjoy most of the evening. I could have done with a few less commercials - with an average of 7 per break (of course I counted) I did think that there were too many!! I didn't even mind that it ran over time a bit it was a nice show. I was not sure if Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin where gonna be able to pull it off but they did an admirable job of thoughtful and entertaining banter and kept moving the show along. I did wonder frequently throughout the evening if there was some sort of shortage of combs and brushes in southern California?? Or if there was just some sort of huge wind tunnel that most of the participants walked through on the way into the auditorium???? As most of the "Hair don'ts"I saw where just embarrassing!!!??? I think if one is going to put on a lovely frock that it would behoove one to at least run a comb through ones hair or get a hairpin, bobby pin or ribbon or something to get those locks under control. Now, don't get me wrong I did see some lovely thoughtful hair but for the most part it was rat nest city held together with some gel and spray!!! Are there no mirrors???

Over the weekend I worked some on Memorial Sampler and here is the stitchity progress to date -


There are some odd breaks in the green vine and some odd white spaces I might have to go back in and work on - but for the most part I am really enjoying this stitch and am pleased with the way it is turning out.

On Saturday Dale and I ran around doing our usual Estate and Garage sales and I picked up a few things.....


I got another nice frame - that at some point might just get painted black... a great Red Wing "Dutch Girl" cookie jar, and a set of transferware rim soup bowls. Usually you only find these bowls in singles or at the most two but never in any kind of numbers - and I love me some transferware!!!! They survived my test (a run through the heavy cycle in the dishwasher) and now they are good to go!! I also got a few books, a couple of nice Italian memoirs and a book about Wallis, Duchess of Windsor. So it was a good weekend!!

There you go sports fans - Thanks for stopping by do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

A Whole Bunch of Weekend Stuff

GR&DF I am happy to report that Friday afternoon we came home to new windows and a new sliding glass door - installed correctly and not backwards. With only a minimum of worker dirt a quick vacuuming and a wipe with some Windex - and everything was cleaned up!!! It is amazing how quiet our home is now - it is usually, but with tight closing windows we can hardly hear the #24 Divisadero (a bus) rumble past our house at the bottom of the hill. I also felt quite a difference in how warm the rooms are..... I am now wondering how much of the heat was just pouring our of the cracks and crevices for the past 8 or so years!! The best window we got was in our bedroom. Where we had a stationary wall of glass - great for the views to the Bay Bridge - but for ventilation it just bit the big one!!! Now the wall of glass is actually broken into four large panes with the top two sliding windows to let in some air. I am a happy camper now!!!

The weekend events were few, but fun. On Saturday Dale and I went around to the Estate sales and Thrift/Consignment shops!! Here is a snap -

I picked up a couple of frames, a couple of books, a cute little chalk lamb (dated Easter 1952), and an Immersion blender. One of the Estate sales was the home of a stitcher/stasher. The entire guest bedroom was a stitching room. Mostly needlepoint things with dozens of projects started and either on scroll bars or pinned to frames. She had "startitus" really bad!! There was lots of finished and framed things but the unfinished outnumbered the finished by about 100 to 1. There was bags and bags and then some more bags of yarnage for knitting and crochet work. There was also lots of cross stitch projects started on Aida cloth and kits. Since I don't work on Aida I just passed these over, but in my digging I found a yard of 32ct white linen and a 1/2 yard of 32 ct cream linen - at a $1 a piece how could I pass it up - now I can try my hand at some dyeing of linen and not feel guilty if I screw it up. It was also at this sale that I found the two little embroidery scissors and the beautiful pinking shears along with the little oblong hoop and tape measure - can I have too many of these??? The large Roseville Poppy Jardiniere I picked up in a consignment shop for a pittance - $25 - now how could I pass this!! I don't collect Roseville but a bargain is a bargain - it is in really great condition without cracks or crazing.

I also worked on a couple of things this weekend. I finished up my section on Carol's RR - and here is my crappy snap of a lovely piece -

Carol chose a beautiful shade of blue - Magpie Tears - a HDF Silk. I worked the upper right corner and had to drop an acorn out to get my "M" in. This is working up beautifully and I hope that Carol likes what I have done.

I also worked a it on my Memorial Sampler - and here is another crappy snap -

This picture murders the piece and makes it look all brown - it really isn't but you can get the idea.

I watched a bunch of flicks - but I am going to save them for tomorrow.

It was a gorgeous weekend and the cherry trees are all in bloom. I do want to thank you for stopping by and hope you will stop by again. Until tomorrow my little cabbages.....

Take care,
edgar

A New Look, some Stitching, Mail and a couple of Flicks

GR&DF as you can see I have switched up the header with a new snapperoo. I borrowed - or blatantly stole - the idea from the lovely snap on Margaret's blog. I thought it was such a super idea - putting little teaser bits of past finishes - thank you so much for the idea!!

It was a relatively productive weekend stitch wise - I frogged out the crappy stitching that I miscounted last week and made some headway with the Memorial Sampler - here is a not so super snap -

The colours are off and the snap is on the dark side - but like most of the snaps I take of my stitching progress it was almost 11 pm last night and the light was truly sucking!!..... but you get the idea.

On Friday the mails brought a couple of things I had ordered. First up would be a new chart from Heartstring Samplery.

I just love Beth's work and this new one did not disappoint!! You can get your copy from her Etsy store.

Another Etsy purchase (I spend way too much time looking at this site!!) is another thing I am in love with - handmade soap - I have no idea why but I love the stuff.


I have ordered handmade soap from a few places but I think this is some of the best out there. I had waited until she had some more Sweet Anisette made before I placed this order - can you believe it licorice soap!!! - she is so sweet and always includes a little sampler bar - this time it is cinnamon!!

The flickers this weekend were good. Two that stood out would be "The Reader" 2008 - starring Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet and David Kross. A real tour de force part for Kate Winslet - winning the Oscar for Best Performance for an actress in a lead role. The book was so superb and moving I knew the film would be very powerful and I was not disappointed. It is really two films in one with very adult themes of love, hate, war, murder, redemption - a very thought provoking and moving film if there ever was one.

The second film made during WWII was taken from a Broadway play by Cole Porter. "Du Barry was a Lady" - 1943 starring Lucille Ball, Red Skleton, Gene Kelly and Virginia O'Brien - Not the best musical ever but one of the most beautiful by far!! This was one of the first big Technicolor musicals for MGM and they took full advantage. Starting off with dyeing Lucy what became her signature flame coloured hair. This was only Gene Kelly's second major role in a film - doing this right after appearing with Judy Garland in "For me and My Gal" - he only gets to do one solo number but it is a wowzer! I enjoyed the film but the story line is kind of sappy - watch it for the musical numbers and glorious color!

There you go sports fans - thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments - I do appreciate them!!

Take care,
edgar

A Memorial Start and a couple of Flicks

GR&DF you overwhelmed and humbled my poor little person!! Thank you all so much for the kind words - and - with 61 comments for a finishing post I am quite speechless..... I also thank you for the kind words about my changes and shifting of floss colour. Ariadne had a couple of specific questions - why no capital N in needle - and - what an odd shaped small s? I am not sure but would think that the capitol N would have been odd - and the s is from some older sampler. I really have no answer..... anyone know why? Littlebit asked how much time I spent stitching - I usually stitch each evening and when I am watching movies on the weekend. I guess I have a needle in hand if I am sitting down. I will think about moving the 1/2 star up a few stitches to make some room for my last name - you know I thought about that but just kept pulling out the letters and not this motif - go figure.

Last night I started on the Memorial Sampler with very little progress.... here is a snap -


It is a very dull picture, but one has to start somewhere. I am stitching this piece on 36 ct LL Vintage something (at the moment I just can not recall). April Mechelle commented yesterday that she is also stitching this piece. Click on over to her blog and see the wonderful progress she is making. I am so happy to see that someone else is stitching this piece. It is such a nice one but I really haven't seen any others out there getting stitched up.

Last night there where two flickers. TCM is at the beginning of the 31 Days of Oscar film fest and I got to see "Pinky" - 1949 - starring Jeanne Crain, Ethel Waters and Ethel Barrymore. The basic story is of a girl passing for white at school in the North. After returning home in the South she must confront her true color and background. It is amazing how much this film rings true toady as it did in 1949. The second film of the evening was "Julie & Julia" - 2009 - starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina. I really enjoyed this charming film. Both Meryl and Amy did wonderful jobs embracing their characters making you believe them and their situations. The working through Mastering French Cooking is something I applaud and is also something I would never attempt. It is a wonderful cookbook and I own an older copy of it but would never try each and every recipe. Both films where good and both films are really worth seeing.

That's about it for today sports fans!! Thank you again for stopping by and for your super comments - do come again!

Take care,
edgar

An ABC-erific Finish!!

GR&DF your comments are so dear to me and warm my cold withered old heart!!! :) For some reason I am feeling the chilly weather this morning - I think it is because of the rain storms that are pressing down on us. These will be drenching the Bay area over the next few days. Since we have our rainy time now during the winter it does seem that the dampness and cold intensify as the weather worsens - oh well - nothing to do but enjoy the drops!!

I finished up Alphablocks last night and here is a crazy Batman shot........

my name just wouldn't fit and I pulled out and restitched that sucker a couple of times shifting it around - as you can see I just finally gave up and let the s touch the last 1/2 star - and here is a full on shot.....


Alphabet Sampler - The Whole Kit and Caboodle
by Carriage House Samplings
November 28, 2009 - February 2, 2010
Using mostly the recommended floss

I am really pleased with how this turned out. Sometimes I can visualize how it will look in the end and am not surprised, but with using the different coloured floss' for the box fill and re-charting the J and Q - I wasn't too sure. I am still thinking about some little additions here and there but at the moment it is complete as is. I have already ironed and readied all the supplies for the Memorial Sampler - so that will begin tonight.

Last night the flicker was "Amelia" - 2009 - starring Hillary Swank, Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor. I wanted to see this film for a few reasons. I knew that it had gotten not so good reviews, I like Hillary swank, I am interested in Amelia Erhart and early aviation and I wanted to see the cool period aeroplanes. The basic premise of the film are the highlights of Amelia's flying career leading up to her flight around the world. I enjoyed the film and realize that not everything can be included in a bio-pick. I thought it was filmed beautifully and had a great look. It was not not a heavy hitting movie by any stretch of the imagination but very enjoyable. I liked Hillary much better in another period film - "The Affair of the Necklace" - 2001 - while many think she was miscast in the role of the Comtesse de la Motte I totally enjoyed her and this really beautiful film. I liked both films and would suggest them to anyone - give them a look.

In the comments yesterday Vonna asked about Rico - and yes, he is a Catholic and I have learned lots of Catholic things from him. He is also very helpful when we visit different Churches as I see them from an architectural or artist point of view while he sees them for what they were intended to be - houses of worship and contemplation.... and.... Ariadne mentioned a film I also enjoyed - "Memories of a Geisha" - 2005 - taken from the excellent book this beautifully conceived picture is really worth a look.

Also Ellen S has started a new Blog so lets all welcome another to our wonderful world of Blogging!!!

One last Batman shot......


That's about it for today sports fans!!
Thank you all for the super interest in my stash Trade stuff!! Do stop by again.

Take care,
edgar

Super Mail and some Flicks

GR&DF I do thank you for such nice comments yesterday about my little bit of re-charting. I had quite a few emails about the Q square and my other changes - I will try to post them all when I finish the sampler - but I am so bad about making notes if you don't see and explanation about anything feel free to ask.

Yesterday the mail brought me some wonderful things from two very dear friends I have made here because of blogging.

From the Holiday Exchange Blog I received my Valentine Exchange from my partner Becky. She once again spoiled me with her package - as she is wont to do....... The beautiful box arrived...

and after taking the brown paper from the mail off was this beauty!! Opening up the box I found that Becky had filled it with such goodies..... candy, ribbon buttons, Valentine decorations..... my goodness ....my poor spinning head!!

with the star piece being a gorgeous needlbook.....


beautifully stitched and finished!!! This opens to reveal...

lovely brown and blue paisley pieces for needles - and there are even some needles already there! I am just in love with this needlebook. Not only because it is beautiful and came from sweet Becky but because it gives me hope. The hope you ask about.... I have avoided the needlebook finish because of my non-sewing skills - but the construction of this needlebook I might actually be able to accomplish - It is beautiful, functional and inspirational!! How often can you say that. Thank you so much dear friend for the wonderful exchange!!!

The mail also brought a sweet gift from another dear friend - Donna - a friend I made a couple of years ago when she organized the LHN RR that I participated in.

Donna had sent me an email a few weeks back telling me she wanted to get me a chart that I wanted and what would I like to have. Well, I thought about it for a moment or so and then almost immediately said "Paradise Lost" by Plum Street Samplers - and so slam bang it arrived yesterday. This was such a very generous and kind gesture - Thank you so much dear sweet Donna!!! I now need to think about stitching it up and wondering if it can take a Belle Soie Conversion..... I wonder????


Sherry asked what was up on the stitching agenda after AlphaBlocks - nxt up is "Memorial Sampler" from Midsummer Night Designs.

Picture from the chart pack - I will need to chart out my family names. I had wanted to do this last year and got all the floss but just never got a good piece of linen I liked. I also ran out stitching time - Now I have a great piece of linen and it is next up so it will get done over the next few months.

The flicks for today start off with a hum dinger - "To Each His Own" - 1946 - starring Olivia de Havilland, John Lund and Mary Anderson. This film is one I had not seen before and really enjoyed. Set around 1917 the story is told in flashback and evolves around a small town girl in "trouble." This trouble is adopted by another woman after the loss of her baby. The story wraps up with a teary revealing scene in London during WWII. Certainly a woman's film from the period - Olivia de Havilland was very good. For a real tour de force picture of Olivia's watch "The Heiress" - 1949 a great film with a great actress!! Next up - "It Should Happen to You" - 1954 - starring Judy Holliday, Peter Lawford and in his first starring role on film Jack Lemmon. A delightfully breezy comedy of a girl that wants to make a name for herself - and does she ever - in a big way!! Then ensues all the hilarity and of course and love triangle. The direction is by that super director George Cukor. The next flicker is "Bell, Book and Candle" -1958- starring Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Elsa Lanchester and Hermione Gingold. Another great comedy with a magic touch of the mortals and the supernatural. The last film today was last nights flicker - "Pennies from Heaven" - 1981 - starring Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters and Christopher Walken. A superb but dark musical of the depression. I have alwys enjoyed this filom and over the years has gotten a big cult following.

It's getting late so I will sign off dear ones!!
Thank you again for your visit and your kind comments do come again!

Take care,
edgar

Stitching, Stashing and a drawing.....

GR&DF I do thank you for your kind words about last Friday's post. I am also pleased that you enjoyed the murals from last week. I know there are loads of them all over the city - as I run into others I will get snaps of the more interesting ones.

This past weekend started off with a nice cosy dinner over at Dale's house. It wasn't just for dinner as Dale wanted a "reading." A Tarot card reading that is and Rico was happy to oblige - after smudging his apartment they got to reading, I of course sat in the living room and promptly fell asleep - typical.

Saturday was laundry day - and after 5 loads I was beat but had that sense of accomplishment from getting it all done!! The rest of the day was spent stitching away on my Alphablocks.... here is a snap of where it stands at the moment -

Sorry about how wonky the piece is - but you can see that the vine met without mishap - I was so happy when that happened!! You might also notice that I have started the block fill. I figured that this will be the year of "stitching from the stash" and so that's what I did. I went to my extra over dyed floss' and found that I had quite a few OWS floss' I had gotten for an earlier project. There is plenty of floss there so I am doing the fill with the lovely softly coloured OWS floss. So far I am very pleased with the result and may have to pull other bits for the fill from that ring of lovelies.

Yesterday we made a pilgrimage to NIAH. Specifically to meet up with Susan, who had very generously offered to loan me the "Alpha" charts I was so desperately obsessing about. I had already gotten as a gift the first chart - Thank you so much dear Sherry!!!! So I was only going to have to borrow the other two charts..... When I got there I went on over to where the Sheepish charts where hanging and right there in the little pile of them was the third part - "Alpha Sheep" - damned if I didn't do a jig right there in the store!!!! I completely thought I would have no chance at finding this chart just out for sale. I know that many stitchers are looking for these three charts and they just do not appear that often on eBay or anywhere else for that matter. While looking around, we where there a good 2 hours, I saw lots of other charts that are either out of print or ones other stitchers have mentioned looking for - If you have a chart need or hard to find chart I would suggest emailing NIAH with any requests you might have and you might just luck out. Now with my having the first and third charts I only needed to borrow the middle chart from Susan - which of course dear Susan loaned me!!! I am totally stoked to get this going....

Here is a snap of the three charts and the Belle Soie conversion I made. The piece is charted for NPI, DMC and Anchor - but I wanted to do this in over dyed silks (You know how stubborn I can get about some things!!! ) - so my conversion is mostly BS but there is a Gloriana skein in there for the Olde Gold colour. I had most of silks and only need to get a couple from NIAH. I think it will work up quite nicely. I do not have a piece of linen yet - but I did pick up apiece of linen for my next piece......

The memorial sampler I wanted to get going last year - I just never had a piece of linen I liked or that was big enough - so I made my decision and got it yesterday - it is vintage navy bean (I think) and is nice an lightly splotched - I have had the floss kitted up for the longest time and now with the fabric it will certainly be the next piece after Alphablocks.

We had the drawing for the JCS yesterday....


and from the BOD a name was pulled - and after being checked out by The Peach....

It was Donna's name that was pulled and is the winner of this the First Drawing of the Year!! Congratulations, Donna - I have emailed you for your snail mail address.

There you go sports fans!! Another low key weekend - Thanks for stopping by and thank you again for your kind comments!! Such nice things to read on a cold a windy Monday morning!!!

Take care,
edgar

Stitching, Stash and a Movie

Last night I moved on to Square one and finished the border and started in on the verse.
Here is a snap of the progress -


I think this square will move along really quick.

The mailman brought me an order from Drema with a couple of charts -

I just really fell for the "Home is Where you hang your Needlework." Workbasket charts how can I resist - "Quilt Border" is a real knockout as a pattern - it is the pale colours that I don't care for - I will need to refigure the colour combo and rechart them
- but when that will happen who knows....

Also in the order was the floss for "Memorial Sampler."

The colours are great and now I need to figure out on which linen to do this on et voila another project awaiting the needle!!

The movie last night was "The Purple Heart" - 1944 - made during the war.... it is a basic propaganda film built on a truth as it was then known - The story is about a mock trial for a group of downed B-25 airmen from the Doolittle raid over mainland Japan. Very interesting movie staring in the lead roll Dana Andrews who does a really good job!!

I remembered the info for yesterdays Redwork exchange piece. The design with the owls and rabbits is from a new French book called "Amities Croisees. The other side design is a free chart from French blogger Dany, who does some really gorgeous work.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar