It's Monday. Laundry. Vacuuming. Dusting. Etc. At least I got an early start instead of heading to the computer first.
Stitching on mystery sampler. As in finally stitching. The more I look at the source of my pattern on this one, the less likely it is that I will stitch the this entire sampler that I had intended to do. Does this mean to clear out my work basket I only have to look at things long enough to get tired of them? LOL Can it be that simple? Crazy talk. Probably just a Monday thing.
I will most likely be stitching on this piece most of the week as I should be handing it off on Friday. And then I will receive the last piece of someone else's that I am to work on. These things are getting prettier and prettier as they get completed.
Thanks for all good thoughts that I asked for back in July. My sis finally made it through closing on family summer place last Friday. I know she feels regret and relief at the same time. Such a yin and yang moment in our lives.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Celebrations that Never End
Lately we seem to stretch our celebrations out over several days. Or even longer. Case in point. We did not do gifts for our anniversary as we are considering the extra days in New Orleans in November our gift. Plus Thursday evening we had a magnificent dinner at Tuscarora Mills in Leesburg. And last night, we went to Wolf Trap to see Tony Bennett. I love celebrating like this!
On the stitching front:
I continue nun stitching my "Echoes of Elizabeth" case. Also nun stitching my Knautical Knots - even put in about 40 stitches last night sitting on the lawn at Wolf Trap after we ate. I know many people prefer the house, but it's wonderful to sit on the lawn drinking wine and eating good food before the sunsets and the stars come out.
On Wednesday we had a class at our chapter meeting on Dorset Buttons. Mary Corbett explained these on her blog back in 2007 - which may be where I saw them first.
Another good website with photos is Gina-B's. She's even got a photo of Johnny Depp wearing a shirt with Dorset Buttons.
I finished my first one in class. Was not difficult. Could keep my hands engaged in the evenings when counting sometimes gets too difficult depending on how tired I am.
I also received a new project from the UPS man yesterday. It's a Joan Thomasson canvas project that has been advertised in Needlepointers. Her kitting is fantastic. And this piece is going to give me lots of opportunities to play and make decisions. Not allowing myself to start this yet, though because first I need to spend the week on my Friendship Mystery piece!
On the stitching front:
I continue nun stitching my "Echoes of Elizabeth" case. Also nun stitching my Knautical Knots - even put in about 40 stitches last night sitting on the lawn at Wolf Trap after we ate. I know many people prefer the house, but it's wonderful to sit on the lawn drinking wine and eating good food before the sunsets and the stars come out.
On Wednesday we had a class at our chapter meeting on Dorset Buttons. Mary Corbett explained these on her blog back in 2007 - which may be where I saw them first.
Another good website with photos is Gina-B's. She's even got a photo of Johnny Depp wearing a shirt with Dorset Buttons.
I finished my first one in class. Was not difficult. Could keep my hands engaged in the evenings when counting sometimes gets too difficult depending on how tired I am.
I also received a new project from the UPS man yesterday. It's a Joan Thomasson canvas project that has been advertised in Needlepointers. Her kitting is fantastic. And this piece is going to give me lots of opportunities to play and make decisions. Not allowing myself to start this yet, though because first I need to spend the week on my Friendship Mystery piece!
Friday, August 27, 2010
White House Tour
Obviously I have no photos because you are not allowed to have a camera. And your cell phone must be turned off. And you're only allowed to take keys, phone, and wallet in with you. I felt decidedly strange heading off on the Metro without a bag - no MP3 player, no stitching, no reading material. They also have a dress code for the tour - no jeans, no flip flops, no t-shirts, etc. Of course the escalator at Metro Center was not functioning so there's the mad dash up 4 or 5 flights of stairs. (No editorial forthcoming on the Metro. Let's save that for another day.)
Stand in the sun and wait to go through the first line of security. Next line is in the shade. The metal detectors are in a trailer. That's it. And then you're in and free to wander the tour at your own speed through the public spaces. East Room undergoing either a deep cleaning or a small renovation. Blue Room is actually too blue. Which DH and I both thought was funny. I think it's the French style furnishings that we just don't appreciate. The Green Room is yummy. Love the silk on the walls. The Red Room got DH singing Courage from the Wizard of Oz. Don't ask. Love the State Dining Room. Etc. Etc. Etc.
It was interesting to me that I felt like this place had no soul. I've been in many buildings all over the world due to DH's architecture fetish. And this is the first famous building I've been in that didn't speak to me. I'm still trying to figure out why.
The Visitors' Center for the White House does have some needlework kits of a highly overpriced variety. The biggest one is a depiction of the White House kitted with Aida and DMC that cost $110. Overpriced at half that. I obviously did not buy one.
Anyway the White House Historical Association does have a nice website with lots of info and the pretty pictures that I couldn't take.
Stand in the sun and wait to go through the first line of security. Next line is in the shade. The metal detectors are in a trailer. That's it. And then you're in and free to wander the tour at your own speed through the public spaces. East Room undergoing either a deep cleaning or a small renovation. Blue Room is actually too blue. Which DH and I both thought was funny. I think it's the French style furnishings that we just don't appreciate. The Green Room is yummy. Love the silk on the walls. The Red Room got DH singing Courage from the Wizard of Oz. Don't ask. Love the State Dining Room. Etc. Etc. Etc.
It was interesting to me that I felt like this place had no soul. I've been in many buildings all over the world due to DH's architecture fetish. And this is the first famous building I've been in that didn't speak to me. I'm still trying to figure out why.
The Visitors' Center for the White House does have some needlework kits of a highly overpriced variety. The biggest one is a depiction of the White House kitted with Aida and DMC that cost $110. Overpriced at half that. I obviously did not buy one.
Anyway the White House Historical Association does have a nice website with lots of info and the pretty pictures that I couldn't take.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
What I Am I Doing and What I Did
I admit to a nearly pathological compulsion when writing, to write things chronologically. It's like if I try to not follow things in real time, I forget things.
Thus we start with what I did.
On Tuesday, a friend and I took a drive to Charlottesville. Why? Because we could. And because Threads has a good birthday sale and it was her birthday this month. It's a lovely little place with a friendly staff. It was hard to know where to start - going through the canvases or looking at threads or checking out the rather extensive collection of books.
Right now they have four completed versions of Tony Minieri's Stars hanging on the walls. And all four of them are different from the colorways our group is doing. So many color combinations - it makes my head spin. They also had two versions with three motifs stitched vertically with the border - kind of a mini-Stars! My first inclination with this piece was stitch the motifs separately as ornaments (then I just couldn't help myself and decided to stitch the whole thing.) My absolute favorite was one based on SNC's Monster Mash - lime green goodness!
I bought some YLI ribbon floss on sale. A finishing book. The bargello project that was published in Needlepoint Now that a few bloggers have finished this past year. And a black suede book cover with a inset canvas of dragonflies.
We headed from there to the downtown walking mall. Found lunch at a charming place from the fifties that has been updated, but still has wonderful touches like the black and white hexagonal tile in the bathrooms and crazy ceiling fans.
Stopped in Studio Baboo next, a bead store that doubles as a gift shop. Their website looks so bland compared to the explosion of color that greets you here. I did buy some pearls in autumn colors to string. And some gifty type things for a couple of special people.
Did I mention how many of these stores have doggie mascots? The white poodle lounging on the counter? The shy welsh corgie in the bookstore? You can tell what kind of college town it is by how it treats its dogs.
Next - the Needle Lady. This place is for you yarn lovers. Though they do carry a certain amount of hand painted canvas and threads for stitching, including the Plant Earth Fiber silks which are gorgeous! We didn't purchase anything here, but this place seemed like a mecca for a certain type of college girls who have just returned to school.
Lastly, and the place where we had the best conversation, we found Blue Ridge Beads and Glass over on Allied Street. The owner, Jerry O'Dell, doesn't just have a thing for beads. He's an artist who paints, sculpts, and does stained glass. I fell madly in love with several of his paintings. And we simply had a delightful time here.
Now, I truly apologize for not thinking to take my camera. I'd forgotten to put it back in my purse where it usually is.
And what I am doing today, I also cannot document with photos. Unless you want to see me on the news tonight under the headline Virginia Woman in Fracas with Secret Service.
We're off to do one of those must do D.C. things that we have never done before: a White House Tour. This means I only get to have a quick visit with my Thursday morning friends before I must rush off to meet my hubby. Last night I cooked - steak and artichokes and champagne in the glasses from our wedding - so tonight we'll go out. And tomorrow night, tickets for Tony Bennett at Wolf Trap!
Thus we start with what I did.
On Tuesday, a friend and I took a drive to Charlottesville. Why? Because we could. And because Threads has a good birthday sale and it was her birthday this month. It's a lovely little place with a friendly staff. It was hard to know where to start - going through the canvases or looking at threads or checking out the rather extensive collection of books.
Right now they have four completed versions of Tony Minieri's Stars hanging on the walls. And all four of them are different from the colorways our group is doing. So many color combinations - it makes my head spin. They also had two versions with three motifs stitched vertically with the border - kind of a mini-Stars! My first inclination with this piece was stitch the motifs separately as ornaments (then I just couldn't help myself and decided to stitch the whole thing.) My absolute favorite was one based on SNC's Monster Mash - lime green goodness!
I bought some YLI ribbon floss on sale. A finishing book. The bargello project that was published in Needlepoint Now that a few bloggers have finished this past year. And a black suede book cover with a inset canvas of dragonflies.
We headed from there to the downtown walking mall. Found lunch at a charming place from the fifties that has been updated, but still has wonderful touches like the black and white hexagonal tile in the bathrooms and crazy ceiling fans.
Stopped in Studio Baboo next, a bead store that doubles as a gift shop. Their website looks so bland compared to the explosion of color that greets you here. I did buy some pearls in autumn colors to string. And some gifty type things for a couple of special people.
Did I mention how many of these stores have doggie mascots? The white poodle lounging on the counter? The shy welsh corgie in the bookstore? You can tell what kind of college town it is by how it treats its dogs.
Next - the Needle Lady. This place is for you yarn lovers. Though they do carry a certain amount of hand painted canvas and threads for stitching, including the Plant Earth Fiber silks which are gorgeous! We didn't purchase anything here, but this place seemed like a mecca for a certain type of college girls who have just returned to school.
Lastly, and the place where we had the best conversation, we found Blue Ridge Beads and Glass over on Allied Street. The owner, Jerry O'Dell, doesn't just have a thing for beads. He's an artist who paints, sculpts, and does stained glass. I fell madly in love with several of his paintings. And we simply had a delightful time here.
Now, I truly apologize for not thinking to take my camera. I'd forgotten to put it back in my purse where it usually is.
And what I am doing today, I also cannot document with photos. Unless you want to see me on the news tonight under the headline Virginia Woman in Fracas with Secret Service.
We're off to do one of those must do D.C. things that we have never done before: a White House Tour. This means I only get to have a quick visit with my Thursday morning friends before I must rush off to meet my hubby. Last night I cooked - steak and artichokes and champagne in the glasses from our wedding - so tonight we'll go out. And tomorrow night, tickets for Tony Bennett at Wolf Trap!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Happy Anniversary To Us
Twenty-six years ago today there was a wedding in a small town in New Hampshire. That long ago? Seems like yesterday.
Will return to regular posting tomorrow. I promise.
Will return to regular posting tomorrow. I promise.
Monday, August 23, 2010
In Which We Return to the Arboretum
That is not a small hand near that leaf. That's a huge leaf of a Northern Catalpa. It was about 15 degrees cooler under this tree. I wish I had a yard large enough to grow one.
Luna hibiscus or moonflower. I'm sorry I couldn't provide scale in this photo as it's nearly dinner plate size.
One of these days, I'm buying a new camera!
I Was Right
I would rather be wrong. But I was right about the traffic on I-95. It gets worse every time I drive this route. Took us nearly two hours to get there yesterday. And on the way home, there was this guy in the blue BMW who couldn't wait. I had watched him zigzag through slow moving traffic coming up behind me. And when he zig to pass me on the right, the truck in front of him had a blow out. Wow. There was some spectacular driving going on to avoid a major incident then. Everyone else slowed even more, except Beemer dude who took this as his excuse to blow everyone away, after he nearly bought the farm. I truly feel sorry for the person just passing through for the first time.
Son safely ensconced at school. Groceries bought. List growing of things to bring him. All the usual.
I got almost 3 hours of stitching in at the car dealership today. Finished nunning on half of the inside of the case. One more half to go. And then stitched on my Knautical Knots. Even did the ambassador of stitching thing, by removing earbuds to talk to people about what I was doing. Most interesting random pairing in those three hours of my MP3 player on random was Benedictine Monks followed by Lady Gaga. I want your love and I want your revenge...
Son safely ensconced at school. Groceries bought. List growing of things to bring him. All the usual.
I got almost 3 hours of stitching in at the car dealership today. Finished nunning on half of the inside of the case. One more half to go. And then stitched on my Knautical Knots. Even did the ambassador of stitching thing, by removing earbuds to talk to people about what I was doing. Most interesting random pairing in those three hours of my MP3 player on random was Benedictine Monks followed by Lady Gaga. I want your love and I want your revenge...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
College Trip Today
It's time for the boy to return to school. Am always happy at this time of year that it's only a sixty mile drive. Notice I put this in miles, not time. Sometimes it has taken more than two hours to do this drive. Interstate 95, I curse you!
For E.R. who asked if I could share directions for a canvas protector with her:
Well. The directions I followed are from the September 2010 issue of Needlepointers, the American Needlepoint Guild magazine. As such, I am not violating copyright protection.
A quick trip around the internet and I don't see an online version of this. But I'll do some more investigating.
Probably not much stitching in the works for me today. But I have an appointment for the auto tomorrow and that's always good for an hour or more.
For E.R. who asked if I could share directions for a canvas protector with her:
Well. The directions I followed are from the September 2010 issue of Needlepointers, the American Needlepoint Guild magazine. As such, I am not violating copyright protection.
A quick trip around the internet and I don't see an online version of this. But I'll do some more investigating.
Probably not much stitching in the works for me today. But I have an appointment for the auto tomorrow and that's always good for an hour or more.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Nun, Nun, Nun on the Run
Happily, I have finished the nun stitch on Echoes for the front and back of the case. I've moved on to stitching the inside now. Okay. The DMC 822 on white congress cloth is getting just a smidge boring so I've been alternating this project with Fern Ridge's Knautical Knots which is white on Lakeside Linens Midnight- which is a lovely navy blue. Funny, but this piece has nun stitch on it, too! I find it interesting that it's been years since I last did nun stitch and here I am working on it with two projects.
I was going to link you all to some websites with nun stitching diagrams, but after noodling around I have decided not to. Why? Because every where I looked I see slightly different versions. I know. Some of you are wondering how to do this differently? There's the stitch the vertical legs twice or vertical legs once versions. There's versions where the starting point is different. There is a version where it essentially becomes a pulled stitch. I'm just not willing to take a stand here on any one version being the definitive way to stitch this. All I know is what I am doing.
So why nun stitch at all? Because you can cut away the fabric at the edge of this and nothing unravels. It's a great technique for finishing off ornaments and book marks. You can nun stitch and then have a fringe beyond it, too. Very, very versatile.
That's all for now. We're contemplating doing something. Going somewhere. Not sure what or where. But it'll be fun hanging with the DH.
I was going to link you all to some websites with nun stitching diagrams, but after noodling around I have decided not to. Why? Because every where I looked I see slightly different versions. I know. Some of you are wondering how to do this differently? There's the stitch the vertical legs twice or vertical legs once versions. There's versions where the starting point is different. There is a version where it essentially becomes a pulled stitch. I'm just not willing to take a stand here on any one version being the definitive way to stitch this. All I know is what I am doing.
So why nun stitch at all? Because you can cut away the fabric at the edge of this and nothing unravels. It's a great technique for finishing off ornaments and book marks. You can nun stitch and then have a fringe beyond it, too. Very, very versatile.
That's all for now. We're contemplating doing something. Going somewhere. Not sure what or where. But it'll be fun hanging with the DH.
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