tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57096312009-12-11T18:27:26.143-05:00Opinions on the fine crafts involving needles with eyes.Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.comBlogger1461125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-73891932419252247642009-12-11T17:47:00.007-05:002009-12-11T18:05:31.658-05:00

I've had a few finishes that I haven't shown you. Here are the boys' sorting hat boxes. I used the directions from Blackbird Designs for the interior. Sort of. I got the idea to xerox the book jackets from them. You can see that at the bottom of the box, the boys have been put into Gryffindor. I couldn't find PVA glue, so I used Aileen's instant decoupaging medium

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-17236918623241706572009-12-10T11:26:00.002-05:002009-12-10T11:34:12.723-05:00

Offray ribbon purchased at Jo-Ann. Unretouched photo.

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-20783020105525630312009-12-09T11:57:00.003-05:002009-12-09T12:05:48.612-05:00

I know I am supposed to be working my butt off on Christmas presents. Yesterday, I read T is for Trespass. Creepy. I like how Sue Grafton ties social issues into her mysteries without making them Mysteries Tackling Social Issues. Not self-important. Just a really good story. And I love how it's still the 80s in this series.I've also been meaning to tell you that I read a couple of books just

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-27066249070913691052009-12-07T19:00:00.003-05:002009-12-07T19:38:14.657-05:00

The dude and I left the house this weekend and went to a birthday party for Sissy's friend, Marebear. She had given me this apron a while back to stitch up for her. I thought I couldn't get to it in time, but then I just sat down and did it. When I studied the apron carefully, I realized it was linen. I know what to do with linen!The dude helped with the layout of the daisies. That's why there

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-66069566160869277162009-12-03T18:47:00.003-05:002009-12-03T18:55:12.613-05:00

I was so surprised today when I was shopping at Stein Mart, I just had to share with you.I had to procure a navy blue sweater for the dude today. (Why didn't he know he needed one yesterday when I was at the mall?) I decided to have lunch at Wegman's and then hit Stein Mart. I buy in bulk for the dude because he never gains an ounce and wears clothes to death. (Seriously, he has turtlenecks {

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-28213597184842733362009-12-03T08:27:00.004-05:002009-12-03T08:43:39.162-05:00

Hi! I couldn't come to the blog yesterday because I spent 21 minutes on the phone with DirectTV yesterday trying 34 different set up codes to get my new remote to work. Actually, this story starts about six months ago when the remote stopped working.I call, we go through a number of codes (fewer than 34) to restart the remote. I say, "you need to send a new receiver." They tell me that I need to

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-26143976259701099782009-12-01T19:12:00.003-05:002009-12-01T19:32:43.312-05:00

It was cold when I was dragged from bed this morning by the dog. I'm tired. Too tired for the amount of sleep I am getting. The dude and I are leaving for two weeks in England toward the end of the month. I'm trying to figure out what to do about decorating. The prospect of arriving home in mid-January and taking down the tree(s)...sucks. We've already canceled the Boxing Day celebration that we

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-55852030069694135202009-11-30T18:59:00.001-05:002009-11-30T19:21:40.069-05:00

Last month I set out to:Clear off stupid craft tableSew purseSew AB stash and dash bagsSew messenger bagsFinish second sorting hat--done!String something for cousin--a pair of earrings with goldstone circlesMake felted flower pomander for grandmother At left; directions here.Stamp 85 cardsThink of gifts for boys--yup! They're still young enough to appreciate my fusible web shirts, so I'm making

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-38081736953145607172009-11-29T16:51:00.004-05:002009-11-29T16:58:39.443-05:00

I know a lot of people start their decorating this weekend. Of course, there's the guy down the street who started putting up loads of decorations the moment his Halloween stuff was down. It looks like the Hallmark store has vomited on his house. The dude also discovered a house that is all lit up and plays Joy to the World with all the lights flashing in time to the music. A full size house that

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-15893141055104209532009-11-28T22:12:00.004-05:002009-11-28T22:20:33.967-05:00

If you are missing your little stitched pieces, please send me your address so that I may return them to you. ;)I had a lot of intentions of blogging about something, but we left NH today so we wouldn't get stuck in Thanksgiving return traffic. Only instead we were in this traffic. Six hours after the original accident, it took us two hours to move seven miles. I'm a little frazzled. I'm going to

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-39122061793358017622009-11-27T18:35:00.000-05:002009-11-27T18:35:00.537-05:00

In my mom's pile of quilting stuff, we found this little pile of cross-stitching. She thought I did it. I have no recollection of this. I think it's more likely she did it. I don't even recognize the patterns.I was thinking of making them into little ornaments...

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-41813199671517468222009-11-26T06:44:00.003-05:002009-11-26T06:44:00.198-05:00

This hung in my parents' kitchen for many years hence the antique patina.I'm heading to where the heart is.Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends and those of you who'd like to join us in gorging today.

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-87434018431971402892009-11-25T10:58:00.000-05:002009-11-25T10:58:32.552-05:00

Hi! Hello! Not dead yet. But you might think so from the dearth of comments on your blogs. I don't know how it's happened but I have about 200 unread items in my reader. I will read you, someday. Every word.Look what happened: Nic said, "Those quilts are lovely - the sampler quilt reminds me of one that is still in construction in my own stash. I think I need to learn from these posts that I need

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-58990875766573116042009-11-24T12:41:00.001-05:002009-11-24T12:42:24.601-05:00

Melissa is working on a red and white quilt right now, and it cheered me a little to see that people still make red and white quilts. (No one in the family wanted these because no one is decorating in red...)I think my mother had started the sampler quilt for my sister, when her room was done in stenciled red hearts with a red accent wall (mid 80s?). My mother did a version of this sampler quilt

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-37520677790353073682009-11-23T19:42:00.003-05:002009-11-23T19:57:23.196-05:00

Mariner's CompassHand pieced10 blocksI think you might be starting to see the point...I've lost count at how many works in progress we've found. Don't forget the ones I salvaged from the attic--and the ones we just plain threw out.I really don't know what to do with these. Hand pieced squares cry out for actual hand quilting...

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-5529064162299104942009-11-22T15:25:00.003-05:002009-11-22T15:58:12.847-05:00

It's been interesting hearing your perspectives on the reunion. Unlike many of you, I enjoyed my high school experience. I really did. I mean, I was a cheerleader! (It's just like all the movies: popularity, boy friends, parties, cross-town rivals in the cheerleading competitions, stolen routines, zombie cheerleader camp.) And I actually enjoy my college reunions whether or not my circle of

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-33915577185394549582009-11-21T07:50:00.004-05:002009-11-21T08:03:42.422-05:00

I don't know what kind of information you need about the reunion, but here are some points.Of the 76 people I graduated with, I have kept in touch with two, although through facebook, I have many more as friends now.Two different people on facebook are hounding me to go to the reunion. They were part of my little circle. (Actually, with so few people in the class, most of us were part of several

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-36154647412013191762009-11-20T18:30:00.000-05:002009-11-21T07:49:19.544-05:00

This rust and green log cabin is in bits and pieces. One section is sewn together in 4 x 4 blocks; another is 3x4; and there's a pile of 21 squares. I guess she was three short.My quilting friend finally came over last night. This is the only one of my mother's quilts that she took.She did however take the last two antique quilts. I don't know how I feel about that yet. On the one hand, they

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-40835277249481600002009-11-19T12:09:00.007-05:002009-11-19T12:41:12.862-05:00

Even though "Stella Sunday" has beautiful consonance, I couldn't wait to share her results. Boy were you guys wrong!And a littleAs for guesses lab and terrier--pit/Staff and Jack Russell (Stewie's influence?)--were the most popular. Saluki, Akita, greyhound, Great Dane, poodle, and Chi were all outliers.I've always thought Shar Pei because of her forehead but also these little ridges of fur on

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-74660891101526474342009-11-18T18:11:00.000-05:002009-11-18T18:58:10.009-05:00

Thanks for the kind words about my mom's quilts. My friend still hasn't come over to look at them; clearly she doesn't know what she's missing.I'm on one computer and the other photos of even less finished quilts are one the other. So you're getting this today.A hand appliqued and quilted bag my mom made in the 80s. She may have taught this as a class at her quilt shoppe.Definitely needs to be

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-21545769082206152242009-11-17T16:53:00.004-05:002009-11-17T17:24:37.447-05:00

Here are some of the nearly completed quilts I've rescued from my mother's house. These were shoved in a cupboard in the family room.Here's a sampler quilt wallhanging. This was the quilt my mother taught newbies at the shop. You can see that only about 1/3 of the border needs to be quilted. These are all hand quilted, of course, of which my mother said, "Quilting by hand is so much more relaxing

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-22500416711901850352009-11-16T09:15:00.001-05:002009-11-16T09:15:00.501-05:00

Over the next few days I will be bringing you the little quilty things we rescued from the house-o-clutter. Prepare yourself!This pile contains eight quilts: three antique, three stitched and hand-quilted by my mom (some are UFOs), and two store bought. I'm not going to show you the latter, but we brought them back in case anyone can use them. I thought someone would take some of these last night

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-52104608069780254172009-11-15T12:46:00.004-05:002009-11-15T20:50:54.854-05:00

I really thought the DNA results would arrive this week. They say they shipped on 11/10 from Oregon. Apparently they shipped from the moon! So I cannot do the big reveal today.Instead, Missy Ann declared Melissa's last post, the "Thanksgiving Menu Meme."We're having Thanksgiving at my parents' house this year. And because my mother is in full-on house selling mode, there can be absolutely no

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-43313276102112912622009-11-14T22:06:00.004-05:002009-11-15T10:16:22.540-05:00

Siobhan stirred many stitchers' desire...wait...um, that didn't sound so dirty when I was writing it. Siobhan's story about her Le Marquoir de Justine stirred many stitchers' desire to obtain and stitch that lovely pattern.About a month ago, I starred a post on Violarium. They've got the pattern in stock.

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5709631.post-82056873755003876032009-11-13T22:08:00.009-05:002009-11-14T16:34:59.906-05:00

I am still under the illusion that I can make all my Christmas presents this year. However, I just checked my list and realized that I have several people for whom I have nothing...no ideas...no hope.A little help?Edited to add: all the in-law gifts are being carried to England.Brother-in-law: geologist, does something with gas (works for the people who work for the people who drill?) He's an

Anna van Schurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09545037218589039870annavsxs@gmail.com11