Slow Hand (as in Geez, am I slow or what!?!)

***

Good day, friends!  It has been forever since I've update my corner of the world wide web and I thought it was high time to do so, a month ago, and then two weeks ago, and yesterday...  So!  Without further ado, allow me to apologize for myself.  I have several excuses.  Select whichever one you like best.

#1) I retired at the end of February.  Yes, like I am no longer in the work force and loving every minute of it.  But, like so many of you know, one doesn't just dive headfirst into the stash pile upon retirement.  No.  "Things" must be done like major housecleaning, closet purging, trip taking, establishing a new routine.  Yes, these things I felt had to come first - so that was my March.

#2) Stepson 1 AND Stepson 2 got married (March and May).  I was asked to photograph the May wedding, hence the photography class in March-April.  Taking the wedding pictures was an honor and a pleasure but one that put me into a state of panic, for a couple of months.  Let me state it clearly for the record, I am not a professional photographer.  I am just an avid shutterbug, doing the best I can.

#3)  I accepted a regional position with the EGA and had to learn a whole new raft of things in preparation for the regional meeting in June in Knoxville.  My stitching pals and I had a great time in Tennessee and didn't make any new enemies - always a plus!!!

#4)  SISTERS TRIP to Cincinnati to see the Princess Di exhibit.  If you are close enough to go see it and haven't yet, go now before it returns home to England  (closing Aug 17th).  Not only are the contents of the exhibit extraordinary, the museum must be credited with putting it all together beautifully.  Truly, one of the best exhibits I've ever seen - and I'm a museum hound.  Oh, did I mention that the hotel valet service in Cincinnati lost my car?  Yeah.  Long story.

#5)  June - the month of wine and roses.  Multiple major family events in June.  I can write off the month of June every year due to back-to-back-to-back celebrations for my baby sister (birthday), husband (birthday) and father (father's day), and my wedding anniversary.  Whew... 

Then, hubby retired at the very end of June.

Now, throw in three funerals between #1 and #5.

Which brings us to JULY and can you believe I actually have an actual FINISH to share?!?!?!  Yes, a stitching finish...

A couple of my sweetest stitchy pals gifted me this kit when I retired.  How sweet is that?!?

Additionally, I am totally chuffed to show you this near-finished Little House piece:

But wait, there's more!  After carefully reading Mary Corbett's recent tutorials about her Tudor Rose project, I could not wait another minute to start my luggage tag, which has had me mystified for over a year.. (I know - it's not rocket science, but needlepoint is new to me).  Mine isn't supposed to be like hers, she just inspired me to find my round 'tuit'.  Working with the Neon Rays and Very Velvet and Planet Earth silks has been a ton o' fun.  The Gumnut wool french knots were just the thing for the center, I thought..

 

 

I'll leave you with this last pic of my soon to be complete wedding sampler WIP called "The Wedding" by My Big Toe Designs.  S2's wedding was in lavender, purple, grey and white so the ground fabric is a platinum linen.  The threads are two shades of GAST overdyed purple (lavender potpourri and hyacinth).  The center section is designed to read "two shall be as one", but I think I will chart their married monogram and stitch it in the center instead (as inserted with photoshop below):

 

 

Me thinks this is plenty for today.  Tune in next time when I tell you all about my super terrific Charley Harper canvas called "And One To Grow On".

 

STITCH HAPPY!

 

 



Playing Catch Up

***

Greetings, friends!  I hope this post finds you well and enjoying the change of seasons.  With several days of rain coming my way, I thought it was time to post some cheery spring pics.

 

Freshly graduated from my very first photography class, I actually learned what a few of the buttons on my digital camera do... See?  There is the kinda close-up shot (above).

 

And the really close-up artsy shot (below).

 

 

I know --- I'm looking into more classes....

 

There is absolutely no stitching news to report except that I am already packing for the semi-annual Stitchers Retreat being held this upcoming weekend.  (So exciting!)  

 

I have however, spotted two new-to-me birds at the feeder this month. 

 

The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

 

 

And secondly, the stunning Summer Tanager which I have not yet convinced to sit still long enough for me to snap a pic..  However, just so your imagination doesn't run wild with possibilities, here is a pic from allaboutbirds.org:

 

 It is the only totally red bird in North America, and silly me did not even know such a thing existed. 

 

 

 

 

And with that, I'm off to do the official rain dance of my people, a.k.a., wash the car.

 

Happy stitching, friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbus Day Weekend

Camera practice down the Blue Ridge Parkway:



Natural Bridge, Virginia



Hope you had an awe inspired weekend too.

September Wrap-Up and some comment replies (edited)

(the following post was edited after I realized I had apparently been sleep-typing when I originally wrote it.  Sorry ladies.  I'll try harder next time!)

Good evening friends!  I'm in such a great mood since my horrible work situation has resolved itself.  Well..it didn't actually resolve itself, but now that it's O.V.E.R., my creative juices have been in overdrive.  I'm telling you this so I will be extra mindful to enjoy every minute of the office between now and the next major change.

Does that happen to you?  If your creative power is suppressed for any length of time, does it come back with a vengence?  Mine has.  Yay!

For starters, let's talk about a couple of comments from recent posts.  In all honesty, I almost wet myself when I read Giulia's comment about my her set.  Seriously?!  Giulia, as in the G in GPA, took the time to compliment my work of her design?  Shut. Up.  Okay, so maybe I'm a little star-stuck. Sue me.

I triple-love reading comments from everyone!  It probably is true of all bloggers, but knowing someone has taken time out of their day to share a little friendship/sunshine with me is just like unwrapping a wonderful, warm, fuzzy gift, that is the perfect fit.  :-)  Thank you all for dropping me a line!  Please come again soon.

Moving Along -

Anonymous W (maybe Wendy in VA?) wanted to know more about my tassels.  Here's the secret: 

A good ol' (unused) toothbrush makes all the difference in the world!  You can see from the fuzz that mine is about ready for retirement.  After you make your tassel, you brush, brush, brush the skirt until all the strands are separated.  It is time consuming, but close your eyes and try to pretent that you are 10 again and Barbie has been driving that convertible without a hat and desperately needs all the tangles brushed out of her golden tresses. Then you are going to trim, trim, trim, until the bottom is nice and even.  I like to use a pair of long skinny scissors for the majority of the trimming. (don't know what they are called but they remind me of hair dressers sheers).  Then, when you are getting really close to having it the way you want it, grab your best embroidery scissors and make sure every thread is trimmed.  No matter how well you trim the tassel skirt the first time around, you are going to want to brush and trim your tassel a few times before calling it 'done'.  They will look fuller if you start by brushing the inner most strands first.

I've learned that for my taste, some of my older tassels were simply too skimpy so now I make sure I use enough thread for my tassels to be nice and plump, like me!

I like to make my tassels with the cording coming from the center of the top knot instead of coming out of either side, but I have made them about every whichy way.  These "flop-over" black tassels were fun and easy.  Just lay a skien of floss across a closure, like a tassel, remove paper wrappers and wrap the neck.  Easy peasy.

And as Forrest would say, "that's all I know about that".

Jeanine in Canada writes the Italian Needlework blog.  She is probably, at least partially, to blame for the sad shape of my checkbook lately.  Ms. Jeanine also attended National seminar earlier this month and I was a delighted to meet her in person.  Jeanine asked me to share where my newly acquired Italian stuff will live.   I brought home several pieces of woven linens and a few painted beads.  Until I have a little more time to photograph the other things, I'll show you the largest piece now.

Multi-color table runner:

My newest arrival is the small multi-color table scarf situated between the two lady chairs in the "Drawing Room".

I'd love to tell you more, but I keep falling asleep.  Logging off friends.  More later!

Sunset, 9/29/2010

Edgar's Giveaway and Moon Shots

By now, everyone may know about the famous Birthday Hobbitt give-away at Edgar's place, but just in case, do yourself a favor and click HERE to throw your name in the hat.  You'll be glad you did.  Don't forget to wish him a happy birthday!

In hopes of getting one half decent full moon photo last night, I stayed up way past my bedtime and took about 100 shots.  These two are okay for video, but in print, not so much:

September 23, 2010

I must read and learn more about my camera before the next full moon.

Camera practice

While I'm learning how to use my new camera, there will be practice pictures posted here periodically, pardon the alliteration.  Feel free to ignore, or make suggestions regarding the photos.  For those shutterbugs out there, I'm using a Canon PowerShot SX20 IS.  It's been 20 years since my last photography class, so I'm way behind the curve.  Lots to learn. 

Portrait with Flash (too harsh):

Super Macro:

Priority:

Natural low light:

Sepia tone: