Big Finish

Today I mailed off the Prairie Schooler rr--finished it yesterday. I also finished Vous et Nul Autre, but the camera hook up is still in Penna, and I'm not.

I think I forgot to mention that I was going away. Well, I'm away, and I just found out my parents have wireless internet in this joint. Hell, I remember when we rented beach houses that had an outdoor shower. This is luxury. (When I was young, I spent the summer at the beach with my sister and cousins. Here I am again at the beach with a cousin and we're walking down memory lane. When her kids complain the sand is hot, we tell them we walked across hotter sand without the benefit of "beach shoes". When they complain the walk is long, we explain that our walk to the beach meant clamboring over rocks, and high tide meant spreading our towels on the rocks. And our coolers were steel! It's "walking uphill both ways in a blizzard" for the summer set.)

I almost bought a frame for Vous et... but you couldn't see my signature which ended with "IV" not because my husband provides me with intravenous fluids, but because we're marking our fourth anniversary soon.

SBQ: Never!

Are there any types of designs that you won't stitch? I have stitched a couple of designs that were not to my tastes as gifts for other people, so I'd hate to say never. I'm not big into realistic animals. I don't like dragons. And Margaret Sherry. No Margaret Sherry.

So it's really just the ugly ones.

Photographic Evidence

Camera found! Here's the update on the anniversary present. Not much more to do, but I really need to focus on the Prairie Schooler rr.

Ewe & Eye & Friends, Vous et Nul Autre

New Starts

Yesterday I went to the storage unit to find a JCS Ornament issue. Crazily enough, I actually found it. There are about 20 boxes that had come from the "office." And I only had to go through about 10. I also needed some fabric because it is getting to be time to stitch something for my anniversary. The dude and I have been married almost 4 years. We've been together for 13 years, so I'm still not impressed by the length of our marriage...will I ever be?

Last night, while I was watching Spike reruns of CSI--one I had never seen before for a change--I started four new pieces. Now don't get all upset! Two were round robins: "C is for Cow" by Prairie Schooler and a Sampler House ornament for the JCS rr. Kate said we could choose from a bunch of different designers, including Bent Creek and Twisted Threads. Of course, the magazine I grabbed had an ugly Twisted Threads and a Bent Creek I had done before. The Sampler House ornament was one I hadn't even marked for stitching, but it's not nearly as repulsive as stitching a dragon or Cherished Teddy. In fact, I wondered why I hadn't marked it. I also started "Vous et Nul Autre" from Ewe and Eye and Friends for the dude. It's cool. He knows Latin, even though he's never been to Latin America. It's 40x40, so it should go pretty quickly. And next week I may go to Maine and be able to stop in NH long enough to get it framed. I should bring last year's too. Of course, I'll have to pick some money from the trees since I am still not working for pay. I send out all these resumes--and meet as many people as will talk to me about "information"--and I get the standard e-mail response, "we have received your resume, if we think you're likely to take this shit job, you'll hear from us again, otherwise this will be our only communication." I remember back in the day when companies actually wrote to tell you that they had interviewed a group of people, that did not include you, and they gave the job to someone who was far more qualified. We called them "ding" letters and used to hang them up around our doors in college. Ahhh, the good old days.

Oh, the fourth new start? Janynn's free poodle chart "Dolly Mamas by Joey"--the puppy lover in the house loves this puppy. How can I disappoint her? Thanks to KiwiJo for bringing it to my attention!

stamping like a madwoman

In the past few days, since I went and got my stamps out of storage, I have made 9 birthday cards (feminine), 9 birthday cards (masculine), 2 androgynous bday cards, 3 July 4th cards (so I can send a note to my grammas), 5 Halloween cards, 3 Thanksgiving cards, 3 baby cards, and one anniversary card. I'm taking advantage of my copious free time. Unfortunately, no pictures because I cannot find the camera. I'm going to have to put some stuff back in storage because our shit is multiplying too fast for our space.

What I've been thinking about recently though is the little album I put together from the March for Women's Lives in DC last year. I took a bunch of pictures of the young women I was marching with, some of the signs, some of the counterdemonstrators, and just the general we're-in-Washington-showing-them-what-democracy-looks-like shots. There's a lot of pink. And hot pink and navy blue is one of my favorite color combinations. So navy is the background color and hot pink is the accent color. While I was making it, I kept thinking, "this needs something." I've decided what it needs is stamped images of women, preferably in pink (hot pink) on navy. So, short of going out and investing in all that rubber, where am I going to find these images? There are no real specialty stamping or scrapping stores in this area--just Michaels, Joanns, and AC Moore all close enough together that I could hit them all in a half hour.

I thought I'd ask you, dear reader. Care to trade? If you've got stamps like this, or this, or this, or this, or this or this, or this (I have her)--that is, modern to contemporary looking women, face only or whole or partial body--would you stamp it (hot pink ink) on white or navy acid free cardstock. I'd be happy to send an image you might be looking for or whatnot, as they say in the Yankee Swop.

SBQ: Dislikes

What do you like least about stitching? My dearest readers will know the answer is finishing! But seriously, I have enjoyed getting some of those outstanding projects completed this year, so maybe that's not such a good answer.

I dislike stitching Nazis: teachers who want you to stitch their way, no matter how long you've been stitching and how well it works for you; people who are horrified by a little spit on the floss; people who flip your work over to examine it (nasty evil trolls); but I'm sure that's not all. I'll keep thinking.

Margaret Sherry. Phew. That feels good to get off my chest.

SBQ: Experiences

Do you feel the need to stitch a design from a specific designer just to say that you've experienced stitching one of their designs? No. And I think it would be sort of weird to do it. Cross-stitch isn't really like climbing a mountain.

Waterfall card.

You might be able to tell that you pull the red checked ribbon to make the strip of animal stamps fold up. When a card's this country, you need a horrible pun. I worked extra to get it.

Flip flops in the Pool.

Very summer-y. Wax paper resist in the background. Cardstock must be glossy (hence the reflected flash).

Butterfly card

Versamark + chalk = "that's beautiful," according to my five year old niece. She and I will probably put a little rubber to paper this summer.

Stampin' Up

I went to a stamping class today. Wanted to buy some stamps I saw in Take Ten. Do you know it? It's got great cards that can be put together in 10 minutes or less. I love it. Of course, some of the stamps I wanted were Stampin' Up, and you can't just go to the store for those. The class price was quite reasonable, and I learned three techniques. The first card uses chalk over a versamark stamp. The second card used wax paper as a dye-resist--very adorable. And the third card has a "waterfall" pull. I won't be able to describe them. Of course I need pictures. Unfortunately, the cards are here with the computer and the internet connection and the camera is at home. Tomorrow. Promise!

Don't Look, Marisa

Le Petit Berger. It's starting to look like something! There's still plenty o' work.

Something Fishy

This is the other scrapbook, for general fishing pictures. All the background paper is the same, that fish paper that was on sale at AC Moore for 7 cents. The accents are all olive green. I used the same letter stencil in both books to unite them.

Scrap Happy

Uncle's Winni Derby Scrapbook. These are part of a series that include, "The Man," "The Boat," "The Fish," and "The Prize."

Back

I had a terrific time in Montreal, but I stayed up too late every night. I almost got to a stitching store, but my the husband of the other couple said he'd "rather go to a doll show" than stop for a few minutes at the stitching place on our drive around the city. Next time.

On Tuesday, I had to watch the five year old niece all day because her sister was getting an mri. We had a picnic on the Brandywine River and then went to the museum. I think she whizzed around the place in 45 minutes (to be fair, one gallery was closed). She was moderately interested, but her nose hurt so she wanted to go home. When we got there, she wanted to draw. She drew and drew and drew. So did I. We used the crayola version of pastels (a little waxier, and easier to clean up). The upside of all this is that I survived watching her from 8-4 with only 1.5 hours of television.

On Wednesday, I hit the Bryn Mawr College archives to gather some images for the Bryn Mawr Club of Southern California's new cards. These will be available in the fall, but there's a big sale coming up July 1-31. I looked for photographs of May Days celebrated at the college (from 1900-2005!) and I looked at the special collections map exhibit for images too. That was a delightful way to spend the day.

Yesterday, I went to Philadelphia for a fancy lunch with a contact regarding the good old job search. I really should be following up.

I took some pictures this morning of Le Petit Berger, but I left them on the camera. I got a lot stitched during our 16 hours on the road last weekend. It's starting to look like something! I also finished stitching two rrs. I am totally done with them! I can already feel the weight lifting off my shoulders! Four to go...