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.

Autumn Private Exchange 2010

How overdue this post feels! I must say I blame how much busier I've gotten lately (Was not at all busy before, and am only slightly busy now, but consider the percentage of increase!) Good "time management" is something I only have when working vigilantly to maintain.

Thanks, everyone, for weighing in with votes and evaluations of the Santa & Friends PS charts I asked about on the last post--BeckySC kindly double-checked her copy: They are indeed foxes! :D :D :D Be sure that I placed an order with Anita the very next day. Of course, I ordered a couple of other charts, too so that Santa (and his friends) won't get lonely in that envelope!

Did I say this post was over-due? "Recent" Stash acquisition from the aforementioned Anita:




Frederika by CHS (she's been on order since before retirement and I'm so glad she came in, uniting The Freds at last in my collection), Homespun Elegance's 2010 Snowman Ornament: "Snowmen 'A Gathering" (I am not a snowman fan, but as I consider this a "companion ornament to "Santa Arrives Tonight" how could I pass it up! Love those colours!), Hallow's Eve by Stacy Nash (Been wanting this one since I first saw it at Valie's--love at first sight!), and finally the Loose Feather that has the final section of the Mystery Sampler.

Now, the point of the post: I was blessed to be invited to participate in an Autumn Private Exchange early in the Summer, and I am just so thrilled by the outcome of the whole thing--beyond words, so, let's let the pictures suffice!

I'll start by showing mine, which I made and sent to Faye, because once you see what I received, you'll have eyes only for it--but as a teaser Edgar made it.





I had such fun gathering the materials for this: charmeuse silk ribbon (oh, I do love taupe!), BoaF Barn Owl 40 ct., WDW Straw 30 ct., stripe ticking, MoP buttons, Acorn Charm...




"Joyful Autumn"
Designer: Homespun Elegance
Fibers: WDW: Red Rocks, Terra Cotta, Indian Summer; CC: Almost Auburn; DMC for finishing.


I wanted to make something "Red and Quaker-y", yet very Autumnal because I read in Faye's blog that those 2 things are favorites of hers. I must say, I like them, too!









The back is a motif, I think, from an Ackworth sampler. I added in the year and Faye's initials. :) I really liked this color combination and may use it again if I ever get around to stitching a larger quaker. :) More (though not better) photos can be seen on my album, and the ones Faye took and put on her blog are just super--I am so pleased that she liked it enough to include it on her tree! As you all know, Faye is such a talented and high-profile blogger--I was rather nervous preparing this exchange. I really enjoyed getting to know her via her blog backlog, and counted this exchange a complete success. I was also beyond flattered when the designer of the piece asked me if she could include it in a blog post--OF COURSE! So, I successfully made my first hanging pillow (all those seams/different count linen were wrestled into cooperation with only one or two noticeably "prim" spots on the finishing), Faye liked it (best part), and even the designer and exchange moderator went out of their way to compliment me. How could it get any better? Well...

A couple of days later, a mysterious box was mixed in with the anticipated vitamin shipments on my doorstep. Plucking it from the pile, I mused, "Ah; that's right, the Exchange for me is still out." A glance to the return direction in the corner--"You're Kidding!!!", I cried aloud. Perching there was Edgar's name! Now, you may recall that I was lucky enough to have him stitch for me in the Valentine's Exchange earlier this year, as well. Lightning DOES strike twice, stitchers!




From "November" by Prairie Schooler
Fibers: Recommended DMC
Fabric: Mystery 32 ct. Linen
Stitched and finished as painted fabric-lined box by Edgar




Is it not perfect? I carried it around with me for several days and talked myself out of sleeping with it beside me on the pillow with great difficulty. :P



Pictures do not do it justice--I never thought I'd be lucky enough to receive one of Edgar's Incomparable Boxes! I've no idea how he managed to part with it.





My favorite part: It has a Red Fox!

Edgar knows that I've been fox-crazy for quite a while, he loaned me a copy of his Fox Forest by Workbasket (which is mere stitches--plus finishing--away from completion and showing off. I really want to find the perfect basket to use with it), and I also got the "idea" of stitching PS's "Fox & Grapes", which is my favorite of the PS Fox designs (and that's saying something!), from him.

Dear Marc also REALLY likes this one; he's mentioned points about it on several occasions and even brought it up himself out of the blue--he said it's "beautiful". His favorite part is the stark, twiggy branches of the trees with their last leaves clinging.

There was, perhaps, a slight issue, however...this design has Canadian Geese. Three of them, to be precise. Marc was born and raised in Canada (the child of parents recently immigrated from the Philippines), and he famously (half jokingly) loathes The Canada Goose. Something about them being the playground scourge of his youth--where they go destruction (and defecation) follow in their wake. I suspect it's also a bit of homesickness; If the best of Canada isn't to be had here in the States (Coffee Crisp bars by Nestlé) why is the worst?

So, when I saw the geese, I wondered if it would put him off the whole thing. "Surely he can't be so unreasonable...." I dubiously assured myself.

He did love it, though, and (true to form) commented with several sure-to-become humorous Marc-isms of family lore.

"*aggressive breathing from throat* What are they doing here!?! Interlopers!!! They are in my house!!!"

"That Giant Owl should just eat them!!" (Previously the programmer in him had been musing on how the too-large owl wouldn't fit inside the house, so this plan showed a shift in sympathies--an alliance with the Oversized Owl.)

Generally, it was a 10 minute performance of his usual trash-talk for them; his usual epithets and geese-centric threats. My favorite has something to do with "kicking them in the bitch-head", and is a well-established Marc-ism with roots in a particular roadside altercation with a few of their species. Something about their aggressive posturing makes Marc want to respond by running right up and punting them in the head with the flat of his foot. Perhaps it's the way their heads sit upon their necks like golf balls upon an oversized tee. Anyway, with apologies for the language, one does not just kick them, no--the proper way to "bring the pain to" or "open and can on" a goose is by kicking him in the "bitch head". It's worthy of noting that neither pregnant female dogs nor human ladies of any state of being have "bitch heads"; only Canadian Geese do. :D





The interior is lined and slightly plush. The novelty print is just perfect!





Spoiled with goodies, to boot: Hallowe'en pop rocks, Great Pumpkin Hot Chocolate, candy corn ribbon, fallen leaves novelty shank buttons, and "B" stationery set comprised of stickers, magnet, and notecards.

Thank you, Edgar, for absolutely making my season! :D I will treasure this beautiful work you made always.

Stop in and enter Edgar's 3rd Annual Birthday Hobbit Drawing! I know he included a piece of his stitching in this super event last year, so if you win you might even get to own your own piece of his work!
...

So, for now I'm finishing up a secret project and that PS Santa, too, preparing to mail out a trade/loan, contemplating whether or not "When Witches Go Riding" is done, considering the making of a present, awaiting a stash order from Anita--that's just stitching!

I'm also contemplating the change in season, fretting about the state I've let the house descend to while sick, and perhaps most "important" of all preparing to take an exam the first week in December. It's a foreign language exam, and I have wanted to attempt it for many years...but...it's been reformatted and so no one is entirely certain how to study for it anymore. Between that and my perfectionism I must be careful not to disappoint myself by letting the opportunity to "really try" slip away from me. I have a regrettably entrenched MO of waiting for the "perfect time" to "do it perfectly" before I get anything done. Or, I expend the time fretting about trying to make the planets align perfectly before doing the thing instead of actually doing it.

My wisest teacher always used to advise that we must "Plan your work and work your plan." So, now I'm just trying to "forgive" myself, relax, and get on with doing that piece by piece.

I hope all is well with you this fall, and that you've exciting (and slightly challenging) stitches and events waiting to take you through to the end of this year.
I do hope to step up my blog reading a bit, though I might be a somewhat absent until after the exam is held.

Happy Almost-Autumn, Stitchers!
--Berit

Delivering Autumn—Stitching Complete!

Well, here she is in all her glory, with added signature and date! The orange checkerboard at the bottom was the part I was asking purple questions for. I put it in in both colors, but it didn't work there so I ripped it out and went with orange--much better! I decided to add a band of this checker because I liked it so much on the cart's banner BEFORE the other color was put in (I stitched that cart twice, you may recall, so I've had occasion to see both the umber and the ruby individually. It's the low-level relief effect that I like so much--I almost left out one of the checker colors on the cart...but I liked 'em both so this way I can have my cake and eat it, too!



This is un-ironed, even though I have the button wheels and other embellishment I'm planning to use--because I just can't decide how to finish this. I kinda wanted to hang it on a wall (but not framed; hanging pynkeepe?), but I'd also like to plunk it on a shelf (Pillow? Triangle pillow? Stuffed with what? Ribbons? Beads? Overdyed wool? Find some silk matka? Trusty homespun? Distressed neutral stripe ticking?) Can you not tell that various "cleansing symptoms" that delayed this blog update count "brain fog" in their number? (lol!)

So, I'm asking you, Dear Reader, for Finishing Suggestions. Just don't get your heart too set on me following them. I have a nasty habit of asking things of Dear Marc just so I can disagree with him (so claims he), and thereby make my choice. :P Well, no, that's not (quite) it.

Me: A or B; I can't decide!!!! (after endless, dizzying deliberation).
Marc: You should do B because X.
Me: What?! But what about A!? I must have A!
Marc: Well, you asked, so I picked B.
Me: Who cares about B--if there's no A there's no point! B would be great, but A comes first. Oh. Well. A it is, then! Thanks, Marc!
Marc: ...

So, you see, it's just that I can't see what really counts until it's being eliminated.

Today's an overcast, Autumnal Prelude sort of day (as about half of them have been for the past couple of weeks. A neighboring tree is even starting to turn!), so the pictures aren't the best, but forward-ho!



Here are some HDF fibers the wonderful Myra sent me recently; I've been wanting to try them, and she generously offered to include them in her order! The Purple is Prim Barn Purple, and the Green Old Maid of the Tempest. The brown was a bonus gift, and is the premium weight and the best color of the bunch. Haven't stitched with them yet, but they seem to be nice, if rather BRIGHT in color based on what I was expecting. They are way brighter than this pic shows--very nice, but I do have to say that I wouldn't call the purple one "prim" at all. I'm looking forward to seeing how it stitches up. :)



My new teacup and saucer--oh, how I love tea! I'm not allowed to drink it at present, though, so I enjoy hot distilled water or "ginger tea" from it. The shape is my all-time favorite. I grew up with some very similar Buffalo-brand white style, and I think nothing beats it. I'm having trouble finding those, so happily opted for this charming usagi (rabbit) pattern in the meantime. The other 3 in the set are nothing to do with bunnies in the slightest, though they share similar colors and are all of wabi-sabi theme (which is sort of the Japanese version of Prim-style Americana.) If there's interest I might see if I can't rustle up some decent pics for the rest of the lot.



The saucer: same rabbit motif as around the cup.



Here's what I stitched after completing stitching of Delivering Autumn and my Autumn Exchange (which also needs finishing thank-you-very-much.) Having first seen it on the inimitable Staci's Blog (though certainly I'm becoming known for trying--love ya, Staci!), I HAD to have one for my kitchen. I call it "Good Morning Rooster", but Marc looked over at the finished Rooster in my lap, looked up at me with mischief-filled eyes and said in his most innocent voice, "Good Morning, Cock!"

Well, name (and his suggestion that I mount it next to a photo of last year's Thanksgiving Turkey) aside, I had charted in some other motifs--not much for butterflies or those particular roses--including some fleur-de-lys that I'm just dying to stitch on SOMETHING, but now I can't decide if it's DONE. It looks like it is. And Marc (Utilitarian Man) says it is. I'm planning to mount it in a plain white Ikea frame and hang it in the kitchen so I can see it while I work in there. So, friends, is this bird "Done"? ;)

~*~

I want to thank everyone for the good thoughts and well-wishes you've sent to me and mine lately. We're still "going through", but we'll come out on the other side, and you've helped more than you'll ever know. Thanks also to all those I've been stalking/hounding regarding Blackbird Designs' Mystery Sampler. I've become so batty-obsessed over that thing the last couple of months and am so curious about it. You are all patient and kind dears.

Happy Thursday--I just love Thursdays (always have), and Enjoy the weekend Ahead!

Yours,
Berit