Saturday, January 29, 2011

Think of Your Own Title


As promised, I did a bit of work on my Teresa Layman mermaid. I have completed the light blue background. I seem to have mislaid the color key to this one, so tidying the craft room may be in order.







On Thursday, I became a willing prisoner in my house (that's from Billy Collins's Snow Day. Go read it, especially if you have a dog.) I turned to Treasured Tulips (Nutmeg Needle). This was a class I took with Sue Stokes in 1999 or so. The last time I showed it to you, I had just spent ten hours ripping out and restitching the right hand tulip...in 2006. I didn't get much done on this round, just those feather eyelets below the section that has been unwoven and  the box that will be filled with triple crosses. Every time I pick this up, I have to freak out about that middle section which will someday be filled with coral knots, an interlacing stitch. When I was in the class learning coral knots it was like my brain was shut off. No sooner would Sue walk away then I would completely forget what I was doing. I may have to give her a call and make a special trip to Connecticut.

I didn't have very long to work on this because I had to do the calligraphy for my sister's wedding invitations. I had a doctor's appointment in the city and since I was going to be there anyway, I wanted to bring the invites to the Ben Franklin post office where they could be hand cancelled with the franking signature Franklin himself used ("B. Free Franklin"). (I mailed them yesterday and our invitation arrived today!)

Last night I didn't take a single stitch. My Stampin' Up! rep had a "PMS party"--pizza, music, and stamping--where we could use all her stamps and punches and Big Shot stuff and inks--the only thing we had to bring was paper and adhesive. Let me tell you something, she has a Ton of Stuff. Still, I only used one set of her stamps and one wheel stamp. Next time, I'm packing much less of my own stuff.

I concentrated on making cards to send to people who get Meals on Wheels in Manhattan (the Etsy project under "Love One Another" -->>). Meals on Wheels fed Maggie when she was in New Hampshire on Thanksgiving. She didn't feel up to the drive to Pennsylvania. But she wasn't forgotten. They even gave her two desserts. Now I want to repay them. (The "Olive You" is reserved for her though.) I made two dozen cards to send.

The gang is coming here for Sunday dinner--gotta spruce up this joint!

9 comments:

Heather said...

Gosh, I love that mermaid!

And a PMS party. What a fabulous idea!!!

Anonymous said...

I love the paragraph about the wedding invitations - the calligraphy and the Franklin cancellation. They will be very special.

dd

Kelly said...

Love the mermaid! Another person that works on TL projects. I find them so comforting. The cards and invites are also lovely.

barbara said...

OMG, Anna, you've been incredibly busy and productive!!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

The mermaid looks great - such soft, pretty colors. That tulip sampler - Whoa! it is stunning - I love the colors in it and the center section looks so intricate and delicate. Beautiful!

The cards are so fun. I always look at them and think, "I could do that." and yet, if I had to sit down to make one, I wouldn't have a single, original idea. Not one. Great way for you to pay back the MOW's kindness to Maggie.

Annemarie said...

Ooh, love the mermaid! And the tulips, bur I have a soft spot for tulips anyway (it's true!).

I'm sure the wedding invitations are spectacular. As spectacular as all your other cards ;o)

And today's word verification is PANTI. Just thought I'd share that.

Melissa said...

Love that Mermaid but all those colonial and French knots. I'd have to resort to punch needle!

Kristen said...

The mermaid looks like punch needle in the photo, but really cute in any case.

This here: hand cancelled with the franking signature Franklin himself used , is beyond cool.

Alice said...

Great Mermaid! I'm very impressed by the USPS too, that they got your invitation delivered so quickly. The Tulip sampler is so pretty; beautiful colours! Isn't Meals on Wheels a great organization? Two desserts? Score!