A Few Framed Stitches

Gentle Friends, I finally got back some framed things that I wanted to share with you.....

First up would be BBD "Feast of Friendship"  - I loved stitching this piece and think it turned out really nice......  I do love BBD and have not had a bad stitch with any of their charts.....you can click HERE for the Finish Post where I talk about the changes I made and my thoughts about the piece....

______________

The next framed piece was from a Kit by Lizzie Kate - I usually steer clear of kits as I like to change up floss colours or the kit comes with floss I already have - usually they are just not my cup of tea - all I need is a chart, so why not just sell the chart!!  Off the soap box........... but sometimes you just gotta give in and get the damn kit. 

 I remember searching forever on the bay of evil waiting for just the chart to pop up and one never did........  You can click HERE to read the Finish Post and my thoughts...... 

......  even with all my bitchin' I really REALLY like this piece - I knew from the first moment I saw it when it was released I would stitch it up....... it was a super quick piece to stitch up and the word association with the Christmas Season is just perfect...... the frame I chose really doesn't show well in the snap, the speckled gilt matches the linen so well.....

_______________________

.... and the last piece I had framed is called "Christmas Band Sampler" by Heartstring Samplery, I love Beth's things and have many of her charts in the old stash heap waiting to be stitched.  You can click HERE to read the Post I wrote when I finished it and my thoughts and changes.......

I totally remember loving the stitching of this piece and how fast it seemed to work up - I am going to have to pull it out of the frame at some point and work on some of the "wonkiness" as the framer did a less than stellar job, but after waiting 6+ months and rejecting four earlier attempts I was at the end of my rope and just went with it....... I like the basic plain frame and think it suits the piece.

________________

That's about it for today sports fans, thanks again for stopping by do stop again soon!!

Take care,

edgar

A Christmas Finish!! - and - A Little Drawing.......

Gentle Friends I wound up the stitching on the "Christmas Band Sampler" last night and so have my first finish of the New Year!!  Here's a snaperoo.....

"Christmas Band Sampler" by Heartstring Samplery

36ct Sand, over dyed by me with black tea.

I used the recommended floss (GAST and WDW)

12/6 - 1/16/2014

This was a super piece to work on and I almost couldn't put it down to work on anything else.  The changes I made were -  from top to bottom - Band 7, the do dads at the end of the row I replaced with up and down lines to go with the top and bottom, at Band 11, I replaced the do dads at the end of the row with a double heart motif of my own construction - and at the bottom I left off the numbers, I think they detract from the body of the sampler.  

I love Beth's pieces and have even pulled from the "stash heap" my next start.  The chart, floss and linen are all coming from stash how cool is that!!  I'll show the actual start and talk about that on Monday.

________________

Now, on to the Gift-a-Way Drawing.....  since the chart for "Christmas Band Sampler" was a gift to me I think it only appropriate that I gift it on to another stitcher......

... so, if you would like to have this slightly used copy ( I stitch from copies not originals) just leave a little comment on This Post Only and next Thursday evening I'll have the Hag Claw draw a name and announce the winner on Friday, 1/24.  Anyone, anywhere can enter, if you can get snail mail you can enter...... just make sure I can contact you through your entry Comment.  There you go easy peasy!!

______________

That about wraps up the week here by the Bay, thanks again for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Stitchity Update.....

Gentle friends I managed to not only get a more recent snap of the "Christmas Band Sampler"  - but - I also remembered to bring the dang camera to download and post the snap here!!  So here's sort of here it stands at the moment.....

.... or at least where I was Saturday - I am a bit further along.  I really enjoyed the eyelet letters - in fact that is what drew me to the piece in the first place.  Only a small bit to go and then I'll be moving on to the next piece.

_______________

As with so many stitchers over the last year I am part of a group stitching away on Scarlet Letter Samplers as Part of Nicola's Scarlet letter Year.  As part of the ongoing "getting to know everyone" some of us where asked to participate in online interviews and the one I did a while back was just recently posted......  so if you ever wanted to now more about me you can click HERE and read what I wrote.....  you can also look around at some of the magnificent stitching going on at both Blog I and Blog II and also take moment and look at the newly posted Gallery of finished pieces, it is truly amazing!!!!!!

That's about it for today sports fans, thanks for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

Christmas Band Update

Gentle Friends just a quick stitching update on the Christmas Band Sampler......

... I am a bit further along than the snap, but this is the most recent picture.  The only changes I have made to sampler - is with the "extra" stitches that to me looked a bit messy - at the end of the "z" and the "W" rows.

That's about it for today sports fans - thanks again for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Stitchity Update.....

Gentle Friends the week just flew by.... whoosh..... and now it is once again Monday morning!!   This will also be an odd week as we have a short day tomorrow, off on Wednesday and then two "short handed days" will round out my week, so I am not sure what kind of posts I will have, but I'll do my best.  

One of my really great prezzies this year was a new laptop from Rico.  One of my rules of life is to never touch the computer at home, in the evenings and never, ever on the weekend, but now that I have a slim, lightweight, lap fitting, easily used toy and it is so accessible, I may just have to start Blogging in the evenings after work and over the weekends, who knows...... I have noticed the last few days that playing with my new toy has cut into my stitching time..... it is a fun distraction and so handy!!!

Even with a new toy, I got some stitching done on the Christmas Band Sampler.....

 here's an updated snaperoo....

I am a bit further along than this picture, but you get the idea.  I stitched the left hand side vine to the end, to see if I was going to run out of linen, I am mighty close, but since I am not stitching the numbers along the bottom I will be fine.  This is a totally fun piece to stitch and I am enjoying it immensely!!

____________

That's about it for today sports fans, thanks for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Stitchity Update and Film #5

Gentle Friends since I have been doing next to no stitching posts while I count down some fun films I thought I might just throw in an update on the Christmas Band sampler I have sort of been working on.....  it seems that every evening I am just busy doing something other than stitching.....  I guess it's that time of year!!  Well, here it is, the update...

... I am actually a bit more along than this, but not much!  I really love the colours that are used.  I am thinking that things will actually slow down over the weekend and I'll get some big chunks of stitching time in - so I am anticipating this being much further along by next week - fingers crossed.

_______________

For the #5 spot I have picked a modern film, in fact a modern British/American 3D Animated film......  

"Arthur Christmas" - 2011 - starring James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Stauton and Ashley Jensen - the story is set on Christmas eve and the youngest son of Santa, Arthur, learns that a present was not delivered and a child would wake up with nothing from Santa.  Arthur makes it his mission to deliver the present.  With the help of his grand father, the retired Santa Claus, Byrony, and elf, and the old fashioned reindeer and sleigh delivery system they take on the mission. 

I really enjoyed this film and found the story line of a dysfunctional "Santa" family and the power struggle as to who will be the next "Santa" very entertaining.   There have been many films over the years with the "save Christmas" theme, but this one has a different twist to it and I think it quite charming.  It is available on both DVD and Blu Ray - so get a copy and give it a chance, I think you'll enjoy it!!

Here's the trailer for the film from You Tube....

That's about it for today sports fans - thanks again for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

An Exchange and a Secret Santa Arrive, I make a new start ....and We're at #13......

Gentle Friends today I'll wrap up the week with some real Christmas cheer......  let's start off with an Exchange that I did with Shirlee over at "The Easily Influenced Stitcher" - a while back we emailed about doing an exchange and set the date for St Nicolas Day, today December 6th, as the send date, well as everyone knows both Shirlee and myself are early senders so I got my Exchange yesterday and she'll get hers either today or tomorrow ( I tracked it to see just how close to the Devils Playground it had gotten...).  I got mine home last night and out tumbled a super Christmas Exchange..... here's a snap...

... Shirlee knows me so well, she included some super DVD's and some delicious Christmas tea... but the focus of the exchange is the ornament, it is simply gorgeous!!!

... so perfect for the season and so wonderfully finished!!!  Thank you so much dear Shirlee!!

_________________

I also took part in the Secret Santa Exchange over on the 123 Stitch Board, and Belinda my partner sent me a chart I had on my wish list AND the floss to stitch it with......

I pulled extra floss from my stash just in case I it is needed.  I love Beth's colouring for this piece, the faded reds, greens and golds are so lovely this band sample will be a wonderful addition to the sampler wall..... here's my teeny tiny start....

I would have started it two days ago but the linen (36ct Sand) was way to light and cold, I thought, so I tea-stained it and warmed it up a bit, now I really like the linen and the stitching looks great on this shade of brown.

_____________

For the 13th Christmas film I thought I would talk "Dickens" - and do "A Christmas Carol" mention.  There a dozens of versions of ACC out there, lots of film, TV, and radio, even in print, the story is so universal it can change place and time and still the message is the same.  I love this story, always have and always will.  I have in my Film collection numerous versions; some great, some good, some bad and some really bad - but my all time favorite is .......

"Scrooge" - 1951 - original title, renamed for the American market "A Christmas Carol" - starring Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley and Jack Warner.  The story stays pretty true to the book, but what I think makes this a wonderful version is Sim's interpretation of Scrooge, spot on through the entire film!!  Other versions of ACC I'd like to mention would have to include.... "Scrooged" - 1988 - a modern version with Bill Murray in top form, "Scrooge" - 1970 - with Albert Finney heading up this musical version, it was my Mom's favorite Christmas film and I have always enjoyed it immenselly, "A Christmas Carol" - 2009 - a 3d animated version from the Disney Studio, starring Jim Carrey, "The Muppet Christmas Carol" - 1992 - starring Michael Caine - it's the Muppets and just darling!!, There are other versions..... 1984's ACC starring George C Scott, 1999's ACC starring Patrick Stewart, and 2004's ACC starring Kelsey Grammer.... I could go on and on.... each highlighted ACC should take you to a Wikipedia link to read more about the individual films.  There are many, many versions out there to watch and enjoy, try and catch one this season!!!!

That's about it for today sports fans, thanks for your continuing kindnesses, have a super weekend!!

Take care,

edgar