Framed!

Did you see Madame Muriel over at Grey Tail was all decked out yesterday for Carnivale in Venice? She is ready to move on. Check it out.

I picked up the framing I had done during the January framing sale at my LNS. I had two gift certificates, so these frames were free! Well, to me anyway.

Love, Me
Hands to Work
Called for materials

Molly picked this one out. I had chosen something else, but she started playing and well, love it more!

Christmas Elf Fairy
Mirabilia
Limited Edition Kit

I wanted this to have a fancy frame because it is very fancy--not my usual style at all! But I love her and I love it. I am going to be so thrilled to pull this one out of storage every December. You'll see in the close-up that the frame has a lot of red in it. I thought that was appropriate.

Scared Silly
Birds of a Feather
Called for materials

I kept passing over this piece when choosing items to be framed. I love it--LOVE IT--but it seemed so crazy to frame something that wouldn't be out very often. The love grew too much to bear, and I decided to bite the bullet. (Actually, it was free! Why not?) This piece just makes me so happy. The close up shows that this shabby-chic frame had beads on it as well. It must have been a beady kind of day.

August

I did not manage to make it to Library Friday stitching, so I cannot update you on Mabel's story. I did ask for news, but haven't heard anything yet. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Thanks too for the tip on putting needles in my stitching bag. I usually have a needlebook in my bag, but I changed bags as I was rushing to get the bus. I hate carrying the bag I made on public transportation. It's not only too precious, it's too big.

Christmas in July was interrupted a bit by birthday and anniversary in July, but I still finished two of the three projects I set for myself.

• Mirabilia, Christmas Elf--Finito! I'm so happy to have this done. I believe I started it in 2008. Hahahaha. I just checked on that and I was nearly finished in 2007 having started in 2006. Sigh.
• Fancy Work, Noel Ornament--also complete (see below)
• Bent Creek, Snowman Stocking--While watching the Psych marathon, I completed one spiral and the snowman.

August goals

• marquoir, I'll be in Maine when the others meet for the stitch in, so I'm bringing it with me
• finish finish some ornaments (Oh look, she's scheduling those New Year's resolutions!)
• Strip piece the the messenger bags (and another!)
• make cards with blue scraps (and another!)
• finish Folk Art Threadkeep
• finish Tree of Life Window

Those last two are going to help me make progress on my 101 Things in 1001 Days.

Finally, Christmas in July

Today the dude and I picked peaches for salsa and also blackberries for cobbler. You know how messy those suckers are? I looked like I stabbed someone in the blackberry fields. (No one else looked this way...no one else over four.)

It would have been easy to do...I was working a row of blackberry bushes, and on the other side was a couple who were unaware of me.

The woman: "There's a big animal in these bushes with me."
Man: "Like a python?"*

Woman: "I hear sticks breaking."

Me: "Like a human?"

Woman: "Oh my God, I didn't know you were there! I'm sorry I called you a big animal."

Me: "It's been a long time since anyone called me a big animal."

Man cracks up.

The dude and I are still laughing.

Last night was stitching with the Strawberry Girls. I finished another alphabet. It was nice to meet some new people as well as seeing old friends. (Keep checking on Jenna--she finished something!)

In the morning my library stitching was curtailed because one of the old ladies had to show her photos from her trip to work with orphans in El Salvador. Of course the curtains had to be closed and the lights turned off. She was going on and on about the torture, rape, and murder of nuns in the 1980s (anyone who was in Catholic school in the early 80s will remember; it's all the nuns could talk about). Unfortunately, one of the member's grandsons had been killed this past week. It was a real cheery morning. But I did stitch a bit on my Miribilia Christmas Fairy.

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NB: I once watched a documentary where they tested people to see how they performed in groups. For example, they told a group of people to wait in a room until someone came to get them. Then they started shooting smoke in the room to see if anyone would leave because, you know, the building seemed to be on fire. People didn't leave. And the length of time they stayed? Had it been a real fire, they would have died of smoke inhalation. People behave the way they see other people behave, it turns out.

I'm not calling you lemmings. It's just that I asked you to list three charts that typified your family (and even gave you the link to the charts) and everyone chose "beer." You read the word "OF" where it was not written. Almost as interesting as watching people sit in a burning building. (I don't usually perform a lot of close reading of blogs myself so it's a gentle chiding rather than a, speaking of nuns, knuckle rapping.) I'm still going to enter those who chose beer, but the rest of you will be held to a higher standard. ;)

Also, Barbara's giving away one of the La D Da charts I sent her.

*A python? Your girlfriend says "big animal" and you think python...in southeastern Pennsylvania? At a pick-your-own farm?

December Remembered

My goals for December:

• create snowman tree topper Foiled by the craft stores!
• caterpillar eyeglass holder Took so long, it turned into a butterfly!
• finish fisherman ornament Sorry, still no photo...
  
• finish Elisabeth’s stocking See it here.
• finish Jillian’s stocking See it here.
• make lobster stew I did, and I have been crowned lobster stew champion.
• sew overnight case--changed my mind; Sissy will get this in Feb for her b-day
• finish beer stitched piece--changed my mind. Wrapped it with the frame but I didn't actually finish it. My dad is friends with a great framer.
• felted soap--nope--instead I made the dude a little scrapbook listing 12 restaurants serving 12 different ethnic cuisines--including printed directions to each place--so that we can try a new place every month. We tend to go to the same places and eat the same things. (We used to live near a sushi restaurant and when we'd go in all the waitresses would just say, "the usual?" So sad.) He also got a pile of books including Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving, Pynchon's Against the Day, Schott's Original Miscellany and the 2008 Miscellany (he likes facts), and a guidebook to Thailand where we plan to spend his 40th birthday.
  

I also worked on Christmas Elf Fairy--just have to finish the whisper thread and bead it.

I also did some back stitching on Tall Flowers this month.

Still on the Couch

Update on Christmas Elf Fairy.

Workin' From The Couch

Today, I worked from home, on the couch. My world has shrunk to one of red microfiber. And the sandy carpet that lines the way between the couch and the bathroom. My major project for today was to proof read a donor report, and I'm so bored, I actually thought it was interesting.

After work, I worked on the Christmas elf fairy. I'll try to get a photo tomorrow morning before I "go" to work. For now, I'll leave you with the napkin rings I forgot that I made for my cousin. I think the pattern might be from the Spirit of Christmas books. I can't run up the stairs and check. You'll have to forgive me...