A Little Hallowe'en Framing

Gentle Friends, I think I mentioned a while back that I took some things in for framing.  I've already gotten back two and posted about them HERE.  Over the weekend I retrieved two more ....  here's one of them...

....sorry about the odd angle, I was trying to make sure there would be no weird reflections... this is an older piece from Lizzie Kate called "The Very Scary Mystery Sampler."  I usually don't like to use matt board with framed cross stitch, but this piece I think really needs it to get the colours to pop.  I remember it was a really fun piece to stitch and I do love the bit from the Scottish prayer...

From ghoulies and ghosties

And long-leggedy beasties

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!

... and it is so perfect for the season, even if I'm jumping in a bit early!!  

I'll have the second piece up tomorrow.

There you go sports fans, thanks for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Hallowe'en Finish and a Christmas/Wintery Start

Gentle Friends I finished up the Lizzie Kate "Hallowe'en Mystery" piece over the weekend and started up on a Christmas stitch.  Here's a completed snap of the LK piece...

July 23, 2013 - August 24, 2013

Lizzie Kate, 3 Piece Hallowe'en Mystery "Very Scary"

30ct WDW Tin Roof - recommended WDW + CC Black Coffee

Well, here it is, the finished product, using the recommended floss, except I ran out of the WDW Onyx about half way through and had to pull out all my over dyed blacks to find a match, and CC "Black Coffee was a match, so I stitched about half or more using that.  The actual change I made was not using the "Honeysuckle" for the flowers in the lower third.  I thought that was just to bright/light of a colour. 

 I attached all the bits - the two black and single silver stars, the key and all the silly little beads so I couldn't really iron the piece.  Overall it was a great piece to work on and I'm glad I did - I liked the colours and the design - I didn't like having to use two piece of floss, and the low count linen, but that's just me.

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I started up a Christmas/Winter piece after I rolled up and tossed the LK piece on the finished pile. 

 Here's a snap of my start... 

... doesn't look like much, yet....  it's Heartstring Samplery's "Baby, it's Cold Outside" - it was released a year or so ago I think and I have been wanting to get at it since it arrived at my house.  It's a great looking piece and a wonderful song that was its inspiration.  I am stitching it on the recommend 36ct PTP "Ale" which is a great piece of linen to work on, colour count and feel.  However that's where the recommendations end.  I loved the idea of using an antique frame, so I dug around in the pile of old frames I have collected and found the perfect frame, almost.  I have had to add two more diamond bits to the height (if you look closely at the right side you can see where I frogged a bunch of them out to add the extra bits) so that it fits the frame better, which means I will be shifting everything around to fill out the space, I'm not to concerned about that - I also shifted all the floss recommendations from the over dyed cotton to my favorite silk.... Belle Soie...  so that was my stitching weekend.

That's about it for today sports fans.  Thanks again for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

Wrapping up the Week - Thrifting and Stitching

Gentle Friends we've made it to another another Friday and the weekend is here.  We really have no plans - just the usual running around, stopping off for breakfast somewhere, dealing with the grocery store and then on to the thrift/consignment shops.  I got emails for at least two Estate Sales I may have to stop in and check out.  Today let me catch you up on last weeks Thrift/Consignment/Estate Sale buys....

.... at an Estate Sale there were a few shelves of DVD's that I couldn't resist.  Most of them were of the "Horror/Comic Book Action/Thriller" Genre so I passed on the bulk of titles, but the ones I did pick up I am happy with.  I also found a book and a cookbook from the great Masterpiece Series "Upstairs Downstairs."  It is written as if Mrs. Bridges wrote them, there are little antidotes from the show, a fun little book - and Rico found the nice Icon of St Paul - over all a pretty good haul.

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I took part in an HOE Ornament Exchange and my partner, Lynn - from over at OK Stitching News That Counts - The only parameter in the Exchange was that it be a Prairie Schooler Design, and Lynn picked a wonderful design.....

... this is the Church from Book 14 "Holiday Homestead" - it is stitched on a piece of stash linen using the recommended DMC thread, and filled with the most delicious lavender from Lynn's on garden.  What a super piece and it will look great with all my stitched ornaments.  Thanks so much Lynn!!!!

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...... and I thought I would leave off the week with an quick update snap of the LK "Hallowe'en Mystery" sampler.....

... as you can see I made a slight change in the flowers, they are supposed to be done in the light "Honeysuckle" floss, but that was not working for me so I just frogged the pale yellow and then finished them off with the "Bullfrog" that the main stem was done in - and now they don't pop off the linen.  it looks like I am getting down to all that satin stitching and attaching the bits and pieces, it wont be long before I have this sucker all wrapped up.

That's about it for today sports fans, thanks for stopping by do stop again.... have a super weekend!!

Take care,

edgar

Hallowe'en Mystery Update

Gentle Friends I'm still stichin' away on my LK Hallowe'en piece and thought I would show an updated snaperoo of where it stands at the moment...

 

... it is odd to see the windows and roof sort of floating in and empty background, but I like to stitch the bits first and then do the fill stitching last.  I am still waffling in my mind about the new LK "Holly and Hearts" Christmas Mystery piece soon to be released.  From the little bit that has been shown it looks interesting, but I think I will hold off until I see the whole thing to make a decision.

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

Take care,

edgar

"Mystery" Stitchin' and Planning a Trip

Gentle Friends so sorry to leave you hanging yesterday without a word or email or anything, but we had two call outs and work was a bit overwhelming so something had to give.....

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I have stitched a bit on the LK "Mystery Hallowe'en" piece and here's and updated snaperoo...

I was trying out some different lighting on my camera and flash options and came up with this snap, although it is wrinkled to death it does come very close to showing the actual colour of the linen.  For some reason a heavy flash washes the grey out of the linen and turns it more yellow/tan.  I would love to get this sucker finished up and move on to one of the two Christmas stitches I have kitted up ready and waiting.  I am waffling between which to start first, an older piece from last year or a new design from this year....  one is very traditional in colour a feel and the other not so traditional.....  I'll have to chew on this for a bit longer.

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Now, to the trip.... I have been simmering on the back burners of my mind taking a trip this Fall - since I'm turning the big 50, I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate - so I narrowed down what I wanted to visit and was getting all my ducks in a row...... and into my lap plopped a huge opportunity.  Some really good friends of mine are taking a house in Perros-Guirec, Brittany for the month of September and have invited me to come and stay there for the last part of their vacation.  

 

Now, I had already decided I was going to the North of France, I've been all over the south of France a few times and really found it gorgeous!!  But, I had never gone north of Paris, no reason, just never thought about it until I got to thinking about this Fall.  My friends are renting a car and so we'll be driving all over the place visiting and seeing different things... especially looking forward to seeing Mont Saint-Michel.  I have tacked on a few days for myself in Paris after Brittany but before I come home.  I have been to Paris a few times and have always enjoyed the City of Lights!!!!  I will certainly make time to visit this beautiful place...

......The Sainte Chapelle - I have been here twice before and it is my Number one place to see in Paris!!  Like, whenever I have been to London I have always made a space of time to visit Salisbury Cathedral, and will always make the time. 

Here's a question for you, after seeing the Big Sights... La Tour Eiffel, a goodly hunk of  le Mussee du Lourve, Mussee d'Orsay,  Musee National du Moyen Age, and most of the great Churches in and around Paris, what would you make time to do????  I am open to any suggestions.  Thanks.

That's about it for today sports fans.  Thanks for stopping in, do stop again.

Take care,

edgar

Wrapping up the Week

Gentle Friends I thought I would wrap up the week with a few more snaps....  I've had a great time sharing the photos of the Fair with you and this will be the last one.  n addition to all the "regular" farm animals that were present this more exotic one really got my attention......

...... this guy had such great poise!!  All the Llamas were down what was called "Llama Lane" and all under their own marquee.

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We also hit the local Farmers Market on Saturday afternoon.  Downtown Vancouver, WA is really charming and the Farmers market is no exception....

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and so I don't miss a Friday without some great puppy snaps, here's a couple of great hounds....

... this is Samson...

... and this is Lyla, they are my BIL's Boxers and two more sweet "lap" dogs you will never find!!

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I will leave off today post with an updated shot of the LK Hallowe'en Mystery" sampler I'm working on...

... it's a bit on the wonky side, and the linen is a bit wrinkled, but you get the idea.

That about it for today sports fans, thanks for stopping by do stop again!!  Have a super weekend!!

Take care,

edgar

A Mystery Update

Gentle Friends, let me show you a quick snap of the Hallowe'en Mystery piece I'm working on....

...  I took this snap with the fading light of day yesterday, so it comes really close to the actual colours, especially of the linen (WDW "Tin Roof") - sorry about the wrinkles, but no flash to even things out when using natural lighting.   It is still a super fun piece to work on, I especially enjoyed the acorn band, wouldn't that make a spectacular border for Fall sampler!!!!

As you might remember today is the last post for the week.  I'll be away in the great North West visiting Family over the weekend and will be back next week - with some great/interesting/clear snaps, I hope!!

Have a great rest of the week, and thanks again for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

Chihuahua Friday and a "Mystery" Update

Gentle Friends thanks, so much for stopping by, I have a couple of Chi snaps today, and the focus is on Whahumpi, he goes by a few other names, like Humpster, or Humpi but overall he's a great little man-dog, who-hound.  Always a little but skittish, we figure that's from all the "steamer trunks" of baggage he brought along with him from the home we rescued him from - here is a most typical evening shot .....

... in the evenings after the sun starts to set, and the fog rolls, in I usually click on the craptastic electric heat to take the chill off the house.  Almost immediately one or more of the hounds will grab this spot or the purple blanket just to the left.  Why they don't roast is beyond me, but they love this warm area.  I also think it is because they can see the front door and the sliding glass door and into the kitchen, a very good vantage point from about 5 inches off the ground.   Along with Humpi you can see some petals from the flowers and even a little ort, the Humpi loves all kinds of floss and especially the orts, he will chew them and I find them all over the house - sort of wet little knots of colour - it is very odd.  He will, if given half a the chance grab a skein of floss to just chew on, his preference seems to be WDW - and I usually just untangle it and dry it out, but the little tags are always destroyed......  here's another shot...

...... the Humpi is yawing and shaking all at the same time, this spot is - on the message chair -  the boys tussle over all the time - and usually starts a giant game of "grab-ass" that turns into a chase and bark up and down the stairs - which turns into fours hounds running all over the house!!

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I wanted to leave off with a snap of the LK "Mystery" piece I'm working on....

..... I'm going to leave all the satin stitching for the border until the end - I don't want the q-sanp to mess it up.

That wraps up the week, have a super weekend!!!

Take care,

edgar

A "Mystery Start" and an Apple Coffee Cake

Gentle Friends we had a cool/cold foggy weekend here by the Bay - I am love watching the fog as it rolls in over the City......

... I took this Friday evening from the end of our street - looking NW towards Downtown.  As you can see the fog rolls in over the city through the Golden Gate (on the far left outside of the snap) and from behind where I am standing it was also rolling in over Twin Peaks and then both arms of fog sort of meet over the Mission.....  glorious Summer!!

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As I mentioned last week I am saving the fill stitching on "Thy Needle" for my upcoming trip, so I needed another piece to work on, Heaven forbid I actually pull out a WIP from the basket....  I was itching to get to a piece that was released last year, the 3 Part Hallowe'en Mystery Sampler from Lizzie Kate.  It is a small and sweet piece that is working up nicely.....  here's a snap...

.. I am stitching it on a piece of recommended 30ct WDW "Tin Roof" and using the recommended WDW floss ( I added a couple of GAST colours)  I am not a fan of 30 ct linen and would prefer a higher count linen, but like with most LK designs there are some bits a pieces to add at the end and they would be over sized on higher count linen.  Another thing... "Tin Roof" is a great grey shade of linen and in the snap it looks brown, what's up with that!!

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On Sunday I baked up a version of Jean's Apple Coffee Cake I found the recipe over on the 

 "New York State of Mind" Blog -

... the cake came together quickly, the only changes I made were to the apple mixture, I added about a 1/4 teaspoon of ground clove and grated in quite a bit of nutmeg, to kick up the Fall spicy back notes - I also doubled the chopped walnuts, I like a nutty cake!!  It is a super cake and really delicious warm with a cup of coffee, Thanks Jean!!!

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

Take care,

edgar