What Was Forgotten

Had an email from DS and now I know what we forgot. I'm going to be a good doobie and run the stuff down to him tomorrow. It's just over a 60 mile drive. I might try going to the back route just to check it out. Some times you just have to avoid the I-95 corridor and it'll be good to familiarize myself with that alternative.

I started the Mirabilia Halloween Fairy on Tuesday evening. I will freely admit that this is my first Mirabilia ever. But something about this little fairy spoke to me when I saw her as a work in progress by someone else. I also bought the Thanksgiving Fairy after much deliberation. Not impressed with the others. And will change some colors on the Thanksgiving one. Just don't like the mauvey stuff. Is that a word?

I'm about to name that Halloween Fairy. I think she looks like a Priscilla.

One Gone, One to Go

DH and DD drove off on the long trip to New England this morning at 5:00 a.m. just like planned. They spend a few days visiting in NH before dropping her at Clark, with two cars full of stuff on Sunday. DH will then drive home on Monday.

Meanwhile, today is DS packing and I bring him to school tomorrow morning. That means tomorrow night, it's just me and the cats. Who by the way freak out around packing and suitcases. Don't want any more long rides in cars or being left with strangers for 2 weeks. I don't blame them. But they can be pretty entertaining in the middle of their anxiety.

Of course, somehow I'm feeling like we've forgotten something...

The Textile Museum

A lovely place. It is currently in an older Georgian home mixed in among a bevy of embassies. But they will be moving soon into more space. It's a shame there isn't more room for them where they are because the building is charming and grounds are serenely beautiful.

The Tent Band exhibit was amazing. They are woven, some are embroidered, and most are about 40 feet long. The colors and detailing are impressive. And I'm glad some one has had the foresight to realize these are worth preserving. There was a video of a yurta being set up in the Mingei Museum in San Diego back in 1997. Absolutely stunning.

There was also an exhibit of Viennese textiles and a general textile exhibit. The hidden jewel would be the library which I perused quickly and will likely go back to and spend more time.

We then headed down the street to the Phillips Museum where there is currently an exhibit of American impressionism drawn solely from the Phillips collection. The painting chosen for the cover of the brochure is Gifford Beal's On the Hudson at Newburgh which was hidden under another canvas until 8 years ago. And there were our former views of the Hudson, Stony Mountain and all. Sigh. Made me miss NY. Very enjoyable. Plus the lovely pieces in the Phillips permanent collection - Renoirs, El Grecos, Goyas, Picassos, Klees, Kandinskys, Van Goghs, etc. The man had quite an eye for buying art.

And We're Off

One last family day before both children head to college. And guess where we're going? The Textile Museum! Yeah! And then the Phillips or maybe the National Gallery because our son has this strong desire to see the East Gallery again for some reason. Maybe he wants to relive that moment when he was five and tried to ride a sculpture like it was a horse. I only took my eye off him for a moment when he mounted up! The security guard headed our way really fast and I had the boy off his "horsey" and out of there fast.

It's a beautiful day for a trip into the city - dry and a high of 81 degrees! I see a trip to the Sweetwater Grill for supper in our future, too.

ah ha moment

Hmmm. I just had an idea. Maybe I'll put together an ornament finishing class for my LNS. Look - a little success has gone to my head. And now I think I can do it all. LOL

I've now got a couple of "surefire" techniques up my sleeve.

Anna - thanks for the "ladder" stitching idea. I'll have to give that a try.

Now to go see what else is in my finished stitching but not "finished" box.

Another finish!

I finished my easy project - an older Ginger and Spice chart on Aida of butterflies. Does not look like something I'd choose to do. But I did. And I'll try to post a picture tomorrow. Woohoo for me!

That means - I really need to pick up Agnes Scott if I'm going to finish her in time to frame her and enter her at Woodlawn next March. It sounds so far away, but it isn't. Next easy project is a zippered case with roses that I picked up last year after Christmas to do as a holder for my Nintendo DS Lite. But I've purchased a case in the meantime. Eh. Good planning.

That's Better

don't know why the pic I posted yesterday wasn't there. Watch, now it will show up twice. LOL

I should have another finish by the end of the week. Even though it is a busy time, getting two kids ready to leave for college. Need to wash new sheets, dishes, etc. Still have some shopping to accomplish, too. DD leaves with DH next Tuesday. And on Wednesday I bring DS to school. Then it will be majorly quiet around here. And cats will be freaking out at being alone with just me. They should just be thankful we're not leaving them with a pet sitter again.

It was a quiet weekend at our house. Watched the Red Sox win one and lose one. Had dinner at Big Bowl -yummy Crispy Orange Chicken and their homemade ginger ale. Last night I made spaghetti frittata and salad. I found some file cubes at half price at Target that hold 12" x 12" paper. Managed to put one together before dinner. Weeded the front yard. Decided to grow lots of begonias next year as they seem to be thriving with the heat and sun. This year I bought a flat of them whose name is Senator White. I'm thinking red, pink, and white begonias. Will have to decide if I want something behind them for height.

Next weekend. We are finally planning on going to the Textile Museum! Every time I plan for this, something happens to stop me from going. But not this time. It's the last weekend for the Afghani tent bands on exhibit. What I really want - to get a job there!

trying again

 

Side Two Quaker Heart

 

I finished the stitching on this back in June. But needed to buy some fleece for the finishing. This was a new finishing technique for me and I think it worked fabulously.

Goes like this:

Backstitched with one strand of pearl cotton around the design (two sides must be the same) over two threads. Cut a piece of white fleece just barely smaller than the backstitched design - a piece of tracing paper works to figure this out. Cut out stitched piece leaving a 3/4" border around the backstitching. Finger press in along backstitched line, clipping as needed. Pin fleece to wrong side of design. Baste fleece to linen on backside, being careful not to go through linen on front. Do this for both sides. Now pin wrong sides of linen together and with pearl cotton stitch the two sides together by whipstitching the backstitches. Leave a 2" opening. Turn right side out. Stuff with fiberfill. Continue to whip stitch closed. Bury thread along edge under the whipstitches. Was a little fiddly at the top of the heart, especially as I added a hanger.

I'm such a wuss when it comes to finishing that I'm awfully proud of myself for doing this with a minimum of fuss and bother.

Quaker Heart Ornament

 

For any who are interested, the pattern is available online at Piecework magazine. I believe it is the July 2006 issue.