I don't know about you guys, but Winter can really take it out of me. These past few years I seem really prone to seasonal insomnia--I still sleep 7-8 hours, but sleeping between midnight and 4-5 A.M.? Not on your life! I did pretty well today, sleeping at about 3 AM and waking up at 8:30, so I'm going to push for turning this anomaly into a trend! :D
Marc needs to get his professional portfolio sorted, but has built it up into a mountain of a task in his mind, so I convinced him to just spend an hour on it a night for the next few weeks rather than living in dread of the time when He'll "have" to spend 3 days on it without sleeping. :)
And, I figured I'd better join him and do some things I technically like to do or want done, but have convinced myself I don't want to actually do right now. (And it's always "Right Now" so if you won't ever do a thing Now, well, then you'll do it Never. Doesn't that sound like Alice in Wonderland somehow?)
Some of those tasks are Finishing, and so Ta-Dah:
My JBW French Apple from Christmas: Ironed, Padded, laced, and framed!
Fiber: DMC 310
Fabric: 32 ct. Vintage Antique Ivory Linen
Wearing a simple off-the-rack frame from Ikea.
Whew, what a lot of lacing! I thought I'd pad it with a layer of batting to give it a nice look and get it off the acid-y board...and then realized it looked a little gray, so I laced on a white cotton layer--is it muslin? Then, finally, my ironed piece.
It's quite thick, so I think I'll need to get some tiny felt-dot sticky "feet" to prop this off the wall a bit. Otherwise the piece will so itself! I'm still pondering about sealing the back somehow as I want to hang this in the kitchen near my workstation.
Also, I worked on JB Christmas Sampler. It felt like I made no progress, but...
Jenny Bean Before:
JB After(!):
Wow! I definitely did more than I thought--these before and after photos are a real shot in the arm. :D
The linen colour here is pretty accurate, at least on my monitor.
The Bonus Round:
• I have not forgotten the things I'm promised to send for my "decluttering" winners. no progress on that, but I'm still planning to!
• I recently made the Christmas Rum Cake Edgar Recommended last fall--if you're longing for those fun Christmas times when the cold seemed cheery and enjoyable rather than stiflingly snowy, I totally recommend you make it! I made it using ginger liqueur (ginger is very warming, lol!) because that's what I had, and I also grated some ginger into the glaze mix before cooking it. Considering that the liqueur is also made with ginseng, it's practically health food, lol! This was a big hit with friends (I made it to take to dinner at their place), and I want to make it again both with regular dark rum and with my alteration. It's so easy, even for "Not-A-Cook"s. If you can make a box cake, you can make this! Hit the first link for the recipe!
• In the final-final stretch of stitching my Freebie--then to the City to buy some finishing fabric, then finish, and then publish! Easy, right? (okay maybe not!) But, it is still coming for those of you who recall its existence. :)
I'm going to have some extra supplies left over from making the model and am thinking of selling a few kits if anyone winds up wanting to make one exactly like it. I tried to make it as simple and universal colorwise as I could, so there will not be any recommended fibers for the design itself. I wonder if anyone will want to stitch it at all--I do wonder a bit if I'm getting ahead of myself thinking that someone will not only want to make it, but with the same fibers and linen as my example--I can only hope!
Pining for a slice of an Already-Devoured Cake,
Berit
32 comments:
Pomme looks awesome! Love how it is padded. Another idea I will be copying :-)
Good progress on JB too.
Can't wait to see your freebie, and I am sure there will be lots of people who will want to stitch it. Have faith x
((((((((((((hugs and love friend))))))))))))) :)
I LOVE your JBW finish!! AWESOME!!! Great work :) and your progress looks amazing! I love that sampler and simply must make time for it!!
Have a lovely weekend :)
Your JBW finish looks wonderful! I really need to get some smaller pieces framed myself, rather than paying out for the framer to do them and you may just have given me the extra push I need :)
Lovely progress on JB too!
You finished Pomme absolutely beautifully! JB Christmas looks wonderful too.
I really need to take your advice and spend an hour a day of really productive time and not allow distractions. I'm sure Marc is finding value in your suggestion as would I.
Winter is starting to really take it out of me too. I can handle the cold (after all it's not as bad here in Florida as it is elsewhere) but the days when you don't see the sun? That's another story!
I love how your piece came out -- the framing looks great! I'm looking forward to seeing your design! I bet some will want to buy the kit too.
Your JBW looks fantastic - so professional. Just goes to show an 'off the shelf' Ikea frame can look just as good as an expensive one from the framers.
The JB sampler is coming on a treat - the colours are just delicious together! Looks like you're definitely on track to get iT finished well before Christmas 2011!
Have you tried one of those sunlight lamps? They're supposed to be really good for the winter blues. I think you can even get them at Costco.
I love the JBW and how you framed it. The deep frame looks awesome.
Lots done on JB too. Have a great weekend!
I love your JBW and how you framed it. I love how it's a deep frame instead of the stitching siting right under the frame. I'm going to have to file that idea away.
I hear you big time on the Winter and the sleeping. I fall asleep but only for about four hours. Really weird. Then I want to go back to sleep about 7:00 and can sleep until 10. I'm only asking for 6 hours in a row. I will be happy when winter is over. It's really overstayed it's welcome this year - well maybe not - it's only February but it seems like it's been here forever.
Your stitching is wonderful, but your advice is priceless. I love how you worded it... " things I technically like to do or want done" - I have a few things that come to mind!! Thanks so much!
I love your pomme and the framing! I often put plain brown craft paper over the back of pieces I've framed and glue the edges to the frame. Keeps the back protected and the dust out and it's simple.
I have a growing stack of small pieces I've stitched but need to frame or mount so yes, need to make the time.
Love your Pomme! The finishing is wonderful.
Don't you love it when your stitched pieces fit into ready-made frames? Love your French Apple finish, Berit--it looks very nice in that IKEA frame.
Can't wait to see Jenny all finished up :)
Love you finish and the JB Sampler is coming along well.
Love the finish for the JBW French Apple. Looks beautiful in the shadow box style frame.
I have JB Christmas on my start list. In discussions with the fibers on which will be used :)
Great proactive activity, Berit!! :D
Your framed piece looks amazing! Great job. Loving your jenny bean too. Loadsa progress! x
Beautiful framing job, Berit! Good for you for getting it done when Old Man Winter was trying to hold you back. Great progress on Jenny Bean. :)
Love your framed Apple, thanks for the info:))
Jenny Bean is fabulous.
Hope winter is gone soon too:))
This has been a long and dreary winter. I'll be so glad for some warm and sunny spring days.
The JBW apple turned out sweet! run a bead of glue along the edge of the frame and lay it on a sheet of acid free cardstock. Once the glue is dry take a razor knife and cut off the excess paper. The paper should be flexible enough to give a little to excuse all that padding.
Did you get my email with my mailing address?
Pomme looks great Berit! I love the IKEA frame. Winter makes me dreary too. It sure doesn't help that it has been raining for two days here but I suppose I should be thankful we don't have the mountains of snow some do. I am looking forward to seeing your freebie - can't we get a sneak peek? Have a great weekend!
A great finish, Berit. And it looks awesome in this frame.
Your Pomme looks fantastic Berit. Love that frame.
JB is looking gorgeous.
Congratulations on a beautiful finish-finish! If your are thinking about adding a dust cover, you may want to consider using acid free backing paper. I purchase mine from an online source, Framing4Yourself and have been very pleased with it.
My, you are making progress on your JB Christmas Sampler! It is looking so pretty! What is the linen that you are using. Love the warm color!
I'm on pins and needles waiting to to see your freebie. Sneak peaks are always nice to see. (Hint, hint.) ;)
Your pomme looks lovely and the frame complements it perfectly. I never thought about looking for frames at IKEA - thanks for the tip! Jenny Bean is coming along so nicely. Since I'm on hiatus from it while stitching something else, I'm vicariously stitching by watching your version come alive. I really like how you changed that weird B.
I love Pomme, it turned out so perfectly!!
Pomme looks awesome. The frame is such a neat one!
I'm sure I'm not alone in waiting for your freebie! More designers are always good!
Your Pomme looks great in the shadow box frame. I love JBW. I have thought about trying my hand at one but wasn't sure how it would look ar even how to use it.
Good progress on Jenny Bean. i have become addicted to Jenny Bean patterns and have started collecting them all.
Great way to frame the Pomme. I picked up a couple of those frames too sometime ago, thinking they might be perfect to hold smalls - haven't used them yet, though, lol. Jenny bean is so pretty, great going!
Beautiful frame and beautiful embroidery ... fantastic!
Sandy
Your framing of your JBW Pomme is fantastic! I'm going to have to check out Ikea now for some of those frames.
I'm in love with your JB Christmas. I have to have this one!
Your JBW looks great :)
I like the shadowbox effect on Pomme. Looks great. If you get some brown backing paper (you can buy it by the roll in the craft store), rough cut it to the size of your frame. Then moisten the paper. I usually run a damp sponge over it until it is moist but not soggy. Run a line of glue around the frame and apply the backing paper. I then use an exacto knife to cut the excess. When the paper dries, it is as tight as a drum. It gives a very professional appearance. Good luck!
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