A favorite Movie and some stitching -

Well, on with 31 Days of Oscar and last night they showed one of my favorite movies - "Stalag 17" 1953. Now I am not a big war movie fan but there are a handful of them that I really enjoy and this tops that list!!!! In fact William Holden who plays Sefton won the Academy award for best actor. The movie that preceded this was "Some Like it Hot" 1959, with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. I think one of the best performances in this movie was from George Raft as Spats. It was a great double feature evening.

I worked on QC - and here is a progress shot -


As you can see I am filling in the space with the crow/sparrow and that curly heart design (which doesn't look to Quakery to me!).

Vonna asked about the platter and bowl - I won them off of eBay - I am totally addicted to that cyber garage sale. I know that if I sift through all the stuff long enough that there are true treasures to be found, and sometimes I can even find a real bargain. Right now I am chasing a beautiful red platter - but it has gotten really expensive - will I succumb to the temptation - Tune in next time when we hear edgar's wallet say "NO - not again - pay a bill you fool!!!!"

Another day has begun - and the big slide to the weekend . :)

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Transferware, Valentines Exchange, Stash and stitching

As you may remember I, in addition to 19th century silver, collect 19th century English transferware. Well yesterday the mailman was very good to me. Starting off with this lovely platter made by Ridgway in the Oriental pattern. Here is a snap -


I also received this wonderful early bowl in the Africa pattern -



Now all I need to do is get hangers and get them up on the wall - or at least get the bowl on the wall as I really like the size of the platter and may just use it for a while before hanging it up.

I also got my Valentines exchange from Paula over at Celtic Stitcher. She sent the most lovely ornament. Both the front and back are stitched in a super Quaker-licious pattern!!!! And everyone knows that for me you can't go wrong with anything Quakerfied. Here is a snap of the piece and the super goodies she sent -

Along with the stitched heart Paula sent some Valentine's ribbon and pen, heart fabric and a great piece of Antique Pink linen. Thank you so much!!!!!!! Here is a snap of the other side -


Thank you so much Paula!!!!!!!!!

Also the mails brought me some stash (can I ever stop getting this stuff???)
Here is a snap of the three charts I got -


I got from Drema "Quaker Virtues" from bygone stitches, I thought I am so enjoying "Quaker Christmas" that QV should be equally as fun - Looking at the chart I already know that I will change the words and the floating letters to two separate colours.... and may even change the overall colour from the blue..... as that shade of blue is really no knocking me out - and you need 38 skeins - so I need to be knocked out to stitch that much . :) I also got "The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow" and think this super piece will get done before "Houses of HrH." I REALLY like this pattern - I do not much care for the gold coloured linen the model is stichted on - but that is easily changed....... I also picked up "Jingle All the Way" from Not forgotten Farm. For some reason this simple primitive chart just called to me - I think it would make a great Christmas pillow and not be that much trouble to stitch up.

I also worked up in the corner of QC last night - here is a progress shot -


I hope nobody is bored by my progress shots -

There you go.... a great mail day and some stitching fun!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Two great movies and Brownies!!!!

When I got home I just caught the tail end of "Raintree County," 1957 on TCM. As you know I am a great fan of Elizabeth Taylor's and this is one of her great movie rolls with her looking absolutely scrumptious!!!!! I have yet to see it come out in DVD form (except for the Asian knockoffs) and wish that it would!!!

After RC was over TCM Continuined on with the 31 Days of Oscar, by showing two 1939 mega hits!! "Gone with the Wind" and "Wuthering Heights." Can we say Spectacular - Spectacular!!!!!! So it was a very good night at the movies!!!! I think that February has become one of my favorite TCM months!!!

I also got up the nerve to make some brownies!!! Now I can make them from scratch but that box o'mix from Miss Crocker was just calling my name!!! After throwing in a cup and half of pecans into the mix they were super delicious!!!!!

I am not that big of a fan of chocolate but for dark chocolate brownies with pecans
I am just a pushover!!!!!

I also worked on QC some - I started the last full big medallion - it has a lot of stitches in it so I did not finish but here is a snap of what I got done -


I need to chart out my initials for that wreath and get those in there....

Thats about all there is today. Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Christmas Quaker and Golden Elizabeth

I worked on filling in the red and gold bits that I had left off earlier along with some of the extra snowflakes ......and here is a progress snap. (sorry about how wonky it is)

As I was working on this I was wondering - there should be an Autumnal Quaker companion piece .... sounds like a project in the making - can't you just see the golds, russet browns, Burgundy reds..... I have to think about that one.

I got from Greencine a copy of "Elizabeth - the Golden Age" and if you have not seen this movie you really should take the time and see it. I often am so disappointed in sequels that I won't go to see them. I thought I would take a chance and give this one a chance.... I was not disappointed!! I was a beautifully shot movie and Cate Blanchett is just wonderful, again, as Elizabeth!!!

I think I am going to go with Baneberry and the Kahki for the QFRR.... :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care,
edgar

Floss Toss - New Blog - and seeing Red

Well I had a great mail day yesterday in that the silk that I had ordered from Vicki Clayton arrived. Now I can finally make a decision about what I want use in the QFRR . I took some pictures of the silks on different linens that I want to use - the pictures bite - so do not expect too much - there was way too much light as I was working this out in the daylight and not the middle of the night when I usually do these kinds of things.

Here is the first snap -

This is a piece of fabric that I do not know the name to - it has a slight red splotchy cast - the silks on it are - (from top to bottom) Grasses, Imperialosity, OMOT Vinyard and Wood Louse.

The Next snap -

The fabric is Summer Khaki - the floss' are (from top to bottom) Baneberry, Kindling, Kodiakery, Country Road, Salty Sea and OMOT Sea.

The last choice is -

The fabric is from Silkweaver called Solo - (From top to Bottom) Pelly Fog, Raisin Wine, Moon Called the Sea, Flannel Dark and Hearthstone.

Now, with that multitude of choice I am really leaning to the Kahki with Baneberry. I have been wanting to use Baneberry in something for the longest time.... Any thoughts???? I think I may use Raisin Wine or OMOFT Vineyard for Hanah Beeby or even Flannel Dark. But then again I really like Moon Called the Sea.....

I have set up the Blog for the RR where we can all post and keep up with where are - it is called "Quaker Freinship RR - 2008." I have also sent out invites to everyone and have posted our blogs there. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

I worked on QC and started to add some of the colour. That cupid red is really bright -
Here is a progress snap -

The snaps of this piece make it look so dark - I take them at the end of the evening and the lighting is not very good - this is really not as dark as it looks here.

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Have a great weekend,
take care,
edgar

31 Days of Oscar continues & Happy Valentines Day!!!

TCM continues with 31 Days of Oscar!!!! Once again it was movie night focusing on the 1950's - Starting off with "Houseboat", 1958 - Sophia Loren and Cary Grant. Miss Loren is another on of those movie divas that the camera just loves!! Just watching her move across the screen is beautiful!!! The movie itself is a very lite comedy but entertaining. This was followed by
"The Quiet Man", 1952 another John Ford Directed masterpiece and the always magnificent Maureen O'Hara!! Then it was "Roman Holiday", 1953 - whats not to like about this Audrey Hepburn Gregory Peck classic lovely flick... finishing up with "The Mating Season" 1951 with Thelma Ritter and Miriam Hopkins chewing up the screen and Gene Tierney.
Tonight the movie focus is on the 1960's with....
"Hello Dolly" - 1969, "Funny Girl" - 1968 and "My Fair Lady" - 1964.
Guess what I'll be doing tonight... :)

I did get to work on QC and here is a progress snap -


As you can see I did a doo-dad a tree and started on the large medallion on the side - I was just to distracted by the movies - I am really enjoying this piece and have ordered the new one by ByGone Stitches called Quaker Vrtues

I really like the interesting shape. The model is done 2 over 2 on 28 ct. I think I want to try to do this 1 over 1. I also may change the colour as this is all blue and even though I really like blue..... - I think I may try some really interesting silk from HDF....... that decision is far off!!!

Now I need to say that I have been using a Q-snap for the last few weeks and think I will not go back to my hoop except when I travel. In the HFF RR that I am in one of the participants requested that we use a Q-snap when working on her piece. So I bought one and used it ( it took me a while to get the hang of it)...... now I use it all the time and really love that thing. The fabric is held really tight and doesn't slip like with a hoop. I am a true convert I guess... Now I need to get another larger size.


HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!!


Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

A couple of Movies and some stitching.....

Last night was a bad TV night but a good movie night. I pulled from my library of DVD's two super movies!!! "Pride and Prejudice",1940 and "Tale of Two Cities", 1935.
So it was a Edna May Oliver evening. Don't you just love her!!!

This is a photo of her with Henry Fonda in "Drums Along the Mohawk", 1939. Directed by John Ford, another super movie!!!!!

I worked on Quaker Christmas and it is coming right along. I did not get a far as I had hoped as I was visited by the frog-zilla. On the left side two of the arms where off by one stitch and I did not notice until I saw that it was not coming together and working out evenly. So I had to spend time pulling the mistake out and then putting in the correct stitches. I have also come to realize that I can not work with a rotation (as you may have noticed I pulled it off the blog a while back). It is just that I am a one project at a time kind of stitcher. I like to work through things and get them done then move on to something else. I have been that way throughout my whole life. I did notice that even while I was working on a piece I was thinking about the other piece I wasn't working on. So there you go - One at a time - with the occasional exchange or RR thrown in for good measure.

Here is a snap of what I did accomplish last night -


It was that big snowflake in the middle that was giving me the hard time.....

I also took a snap of them working on "Milk" when I went through the Castro yesterday. It did not look exciting by a long shot. But, there were some great looking old cars out there for atmosphere. Here is the snap -



There was a gang of people around what used to be Harvey's Camera shop that is now a gift shop (I think) that has been turned back to a camera shop for the movie.
Movie magic at its finest!!! :)

I also ordered some linen from PTP and my silk from HDF so that I can make a decision about the Quaker Friendship RR piece. There are just way too many choices out there!!!!
I will be setting up a separate blog for that soon.

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

take care,
edgar