Photos from Here

Notice: In retrospect; I almost can't recommend reading the content in the following blog post;
Perhaps you ought to consider simply enjoying the pictures?  ~*

Astonishingly, and for various reasons perhaps not interesting to enumerate here, I've begun stitching on BBD's Mystery Sampler again. The idea is stitching as therapy in between finishing the I-did-not-realize-it-was-this-numerous pile of smalls I've accumulated. It is an entity large enough to require a name--perhaps "Legion, for it is many". I don't even know how many. Contemplating finding out, though...

I want to catalogue the progress in small increments; I want to see how amazed I can be by progress pics. Isn't that green nice?

Recently, I've received some wonderful foods from friends. My very good friend, Jen, who amazingly runs her family's restaurant, but rarely cooks, prepared this Lebanese desert for me for my birthday/Christmas. It's kanafeh, and boy was it wonderful. It's beautiful, aromatic, so sweet yet so satisfying. Please try some if you get the chance!

This is an egg with cucumber sandwich Marc recently surprised me with, call it a "souvenir" of a trip he made with friends to the grocery store for the ingredients to make okonomiyaki; It had been arranged that I was to prepare it for our friend group, but Did Not really want to shop then cook. A favorite food to look at and eat. I love that shade of yellow. 

This is a new packaging method they've begun using; I adore the sticker. :)

fr. Prairie Schooler Bk 151: Santas and Snowmen

Linen: 32 Ct. Sandstone by Wichelt

Fibers: Recommended DMC

(Notes: I imitated this finish out of admiration for those by Carol and Myra)

A Prominent Project in my mind for over a year is a long-held plan to have a yearly ornament dedicated to The Family or Our Love. Also, to extend this retroactively to the first Christmas Marc and I spent together, which is 2005. I've only been stitching since about 2008, so that would be a backtrack of 3 years, but why not? But looking at the body of ornaments I've stitched for more-or-less this project, many were published AFTER the years I need to match with ornaments. 

i.e., Am I in danger of opening a singularity if I put the date of 2006 on Plum Street Sampler's "Yuletide" (pub. JCS 2011?), and dedicate it to our love? At the very least it may be a violence to historical accuracy. I thought of adding the proper date of production (2012-2013), with a "ded.", but isn't that also used for "deceased" as well as "dedicated"? At least in public perception?

Here is the back; 2012 is the 8th Christmas we spent together--seems amazing! I have some more to say about this design--I actually stitched it 3x this holiday season!!--but will keep it for another time. My motto was definitely "finished is better than perfect" here--and one of the others which I gave as a gift; and even finished first is much more nicely done! I actually completed the finishing on this shortly after the new year.

fiber: DMC 4210

Linen: 32 ct. "Raw" by Zweigart

More New Year's finishing. I stitched this after falling deeply in love with BeckySC's version a few(?) years ago, and went ahead with knocking out the finishing so I could have it well in advance of Valentine's 2013. I don't recall any particulars about the design; it may be an old French Saijou piece.

I think I was testing changing the alphabet "joints"; do you see how they are different? Well, I can't recall where it is "safe" to frog anymore, and though I like the right side better, I also like the variation--calling it as "prim". This is a special piece in that it uses part of my first "real" piece of linen, and my at-the-time favorite DMC overdye. I feel that it is a bit of a time-capsule piece for me. 

I love these buttons, though perhaps not on this piece, but I bought them an eon ago for this purpose and decided to forge ahead!! 

The back, or "More Finished Is Better Than Perfect." 

fr. Prairie Schooler Bk. 143: Button Up

Fabric: 32 ct. Ivory by Wichelt

Fibers: Recommended DMC

I have Autumn and Christmas Stitched goods a'plenty, and spring, too. Oddly, I have more "by me, for me, finished by me" for spring than any other season. The other seasons, who are well represented, lack finishing in comparison). But Winter? I had Not One winter finish. Because I'd tracked down a copy of OOP Prairie Schooler Button Up for a Christmas Present (More on that later), I was also able to stitch this little piece of goodness for me! 

I have long wanted to add a white beaded edging to something, and here for these smalls was my chance--it just seems snowy to me in the best way!

Here's an in-progress shot to show off the "Winter" caption I added. I borrowed PS lettering from other charts. It does not show much, but I know it is there. Also in the background is a pincushion I made for myself to help with quilting/finishing while I was making some for gifts this Christmas. 

Friends, Thank you for your indulgence today during your visit, and your friendship always. A few of you I very much owe emails/need to catch up with. My blog-reading is sporadic, my commenting non-existent. Generally, I want to say how much I have enjoyed your posts when I am able, and a particular mention--seeing Annemarie's return to blogging has treated me to a great and effervescent joy. :D :D :D Somehow, I have not been able to tell her so on her own blog yet, so saying it now here. Perhaps she'll even see it. If you by some odd circumstance aren't familiar with her fine blog--please visit. You are in for something special. 

Oh, also--Christina, thank you for the special gift. It meant so much to me, I still don't know what to say. I am very sorry for this. 

I do hope all is very well with every one of you. As for us, If you are able and willing, PLEASE send whatever good thoughts, prayers, etc. which you think appropriate our way. We particularly need Wisdom and Opportunities. 

Love to Friends,

Berit

Stash, Startitis, and Sweet Mail!

I have these:






This would be complete; but the top large snowflake at right is one stitch too high. I can't decide to change it because stitching on this 18 count aida with two threads was beyond punishment (Not a fan of the ol' Stab-and-Yank!) I picked up a piece of 35 count black linen that Nicole was clearing out, so now I am actually thinking of stitching another from this leaflet, Santa's Night.





Homespun Elegance's House on Pumpkin Hill, from their A Halloween Year series. The spider and tiny cat need legs. And I need to learn how to do colonial knots for the tree. Wonder how they compare to french knots (which I am fine with.)



I even have this one; which I was supposed to Reveal to You All Finished this time on the blog. It lacks only the cat's body at Top Right. :/

These are only a few. November Nights (remember that PS?) is just as close. Jenny Bean Christmas needs only her words charted and snow and berries stitched. And the signature area added (okay, more to do on this one).

...

So, I started these:



Not sure I like the linen/thread combo I chose for this one.





Day 11 from Santa's 12 Days of Christmas. This is the second of the charts I chose from Kathy A's gift; an important one for me as I love (and want ALL the PS Foxes! :o)

Stitched 1/2 on 36 count Days Gone By, this is an easy one due to to thread laying (non-existent) but a bit of a plodder due to small-size finish making the progress less appreciable. Also, I have run into a problem with Huntsman Santa's coat. It is supposed to be DMC 815. The last skein at the shop had the number tube shoved back on, and only one of the adjacent colors was in stock. I bought it anyway, and thought it looked dark at home. I went through my DMC stash to look for it, and did not find it, but DID find 814 and 816. I decided I thought the one I purchased fit in between them. So I went ahead with it. Yes, it looked too deep in comparison to the cover photo, BUT PS covers are generally washed out/yellowed up (as a former film processor, I call it the Kodak Effect!), so I wrote it off. But, when it was time to lay in the 902 browny pants, UHoh! They are pretty indistinguishable from The Coat.

Should I: Frog, Find, and Change the coat? Frog the pants and choose a more brown color? I would obviously take the second choice, BUT the fox is supposed to Match Santa's coat, and I don't think want to make him this pseudo 815. Also, I think I want to stitch 1-3 more of this series. How much will it bother me if they are different in their Brightest Christmas Red. Since this is a Prairie Schooler Fox(!!!) Piece, I don't want to see only error and disappointment when I spy it on my tree.

Ah, DMC; the low-hanging fruit of my childhood is now more rare than hens' teeth! The Michaels I went to for it (atrocious parking; never go there but in desperation) had less than half my list. Six facings of Blanc--ALL EMPTY. So, I inquired about the back room. Was told it was all out. "But Really?? No White?!?!?" "Okay, I'll (pretend to) check for you." Even my ONS has to be cajoled into selling me DMC. "Yes, I have it, but you should buy it from Michael's. Mine is 6X cents per skein. You really don't want to buy mine." Umn, yes. I do. That's why I asked for it. And I don't care if I have to spend an extra $2.47. Cost/Benefit reveals it as a bargain: Gas, fighting nightmare parking, never-my-complete-list-in-stock/Definitely Getting What I need. My kingdom for a skein of 815! (And 437, one of those 5200 whites... Oh, and there is the supplies for my new stash...)

Thanks, friends, for listening to my DMC rant. I should also say that my ONS does totally send it to me, when pressed.



Isn't this floss toss pretty, though? And I think this is a new record in away waste knots for me.

The Stash:




I am forever coveting "Hallows Eve" finishes, so I figured it was time. Mary Katherine's beautiful "A visit from St. Nicholas" still tempts me all these months after I first saw it. At first, I did not like this New PS Halloween, but when I saw it again on Kathy A's blog, I thought, "Okay, I do need this" I can envision some nice smalls made from it. :D I also bought a skein of GAST's new Otter Creek. It is lighter than I expected.



Perhaps best of all is this giveaway I won from Marjorie! She offered a Halloween Goodie to anyone who could guess the title and designer of her new Halloween Start! Of course, I knew right away that it was Primitive Needle's Ouja Board. :D I think of that piece as a sister piece to Kindred spirits. Thanks, Marjorie--the BBD pin pillow and finishing goodies will be enjoyed!

Thanks for visiting and all your kind comments,
Berit

P.S. Any other Downton Abbey Season 2 watchers out there? We are following it with avid interest over here.

October Happy Dance

Hello, Everyone! It's beyond time for an update on what I've been up to in stitchy land! Here follows the floss toss (which I meant to post a while ago) for the piece I've been working on:



I just fell right in love with this piece after seeing it on Nicole's blog around Memorial Day, so off I went looking and looking for it on the 'net. Now, at this time I didn't know a BBD from a pair of BVDs, and so of course had No Idea that it was a Loose Feathers Design and also OOP. OOps! Well, in the end I was really blessed because kind Nicole agreed to lend it to me! So, it arrived mid-July, and then the battle to acquire fibers and fabric began. It was long and arduous battle with many setbacks--the less said the better! Note: This fabric is Silkweaver's Purely Primitive (28ct. Cashel), which is the same colour if not count as the one Nicole used.

And Now, progress as of this Morning:



I realized after taking this that the floss is entirely in the dark.
All I can say is...
a.) lol
b.) Good thing I uploaded that floss toss!
c.) Photograpy is not one of the visual arts in which I excel. :P



The Heron-Crane (can never remember which the leaflet identifies it as. Can you tell I'm a naturalist :P) I've really been hauling to get this thing done, but it totally doesn't show! I STILL do love this design, though I must say I'm itching to stitch for Hallowe'en, and will likely do so all of November!! As for this piece, I would love to finish it, though I am all but out of GAST Parchment (off-white), yet not halfway through the charted stitching of it. Gargh!!



And here, because my love is fickle and has many objects of devotion, is a closer shot of these darling scissors. To see them is to love them (IMO), and I finally got my paws on a pair thanks to intel from Staci's blog on ebay seller rosa0537 (I had no luck at all in wading through her 700+ items to get to these darlings until I searched the french "ciseaux"; "scissors" returned exactly zero results.) I want to post more in-depth about these beauties in future!

Also needing mention is the fatally charming floss tag lurking in the above shots, which was an exchange I received from dear Ann, which came along with some darling accessories and is therefore part of a Sewing Set. (I capitalize it so that you will know that its wonderfulness is such that it has attained Proper Noun status--lol!!) This is yet another item in need of its own blog entry!
...
Now, I'd like to make a brief "Seasonal Landscape" intermission.
I present to you a stunning photographic landscape the likes of which would compel even Ansel Adams to gnash his teeth in envy:


(Just look at the pretty crimson tree.) :)

And, here is "My Tree" which is a tree (in point of fact, this tree) as seen by me as I gaze upon it as I enter and exit my little apartment. It's rather concrete-y in the corridors of our place, but this little peek is my natural oasis:


My tree dressed in Autumn.

With such weather as this, is it any wonder that I am Expiring With Desire to stitch:



Now, this is another piece whose acquiring was fraught with frustration--and I still have yet to put needle to fabric. It's a conversion which is not mine (yet I don't care to identify the source now; I'll see about that if there is any interest) from DMC to cotton overdyeds (Mostly Crescent Colours, but one WDW thrown in for good measure.) I am actually Still WAITING for one of the fibers, the black calls for two skeins. Le Sigh. The fabric is 28ct Pilgrim Brown from R&R. A week or so after I saw this one all stitched up at the LNS (Oh, how Glorious it was--I even dreamed about it after leaving the shop!), Vonna decided to unleash her own version on the Unsuspecting Public! I was able to prevent my own Deaty by Envy only by admonishing myself repeatedly that I "really do like the conversion/fabby I'm waiting on better." I will however admit that I only now closed the browser tab containing the link you can see by clicking "her own version". :P

As a reward for enduring to the end:



Charty stash: PS "Autumn Leaves" and JCS Jan/Feb 2009 (Yes, it's the issue featuring "This is the Day", to which Edgar turned me on.)

To round things off (since I haven't a cat and so can't pleasurably pad out the post with charming pictures of him) here is a vintage card:



If I don't post before the day, Happy Hallowe'en to you and yours...

In Stitching,
Berit