A Work in Progress

Hard to Find Needlework Book!

Today I received a copy of "Sampler & Antique Needlework Volume II" in the mail.  This is a really hard to find (I thought out of print) needlework book.  I heard through one of my needlework bulletin boards that this was available through a Canadian vendor as well as HamiltonBook.com.  As I have ordered through Hamilton Books before, I ordered my copy there.  I subscribe to the magazine Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly, and I have always wanted the two books they put out as well.  This one was published in 1995.  Volume I is actually even more sought after, but I am quite happy to find either one.  I purchased this copy for only $9.95!  The original price is $25.95, so I think it is an excellent buy.  I know people have bought it through places like eBay for outragous prices, and I didn't want to pay an exorbitant sum for it, so I am quite pleased with my find!  There are at least a dozen charts for samplers, a huswife (which I would love to stitch) and other needlework smalls.  Plus there are a few other articles on needlework tools.  And to make it even better--this copy is brand, spanking new--a nice pristine copy!  Now to find volume I with such ease!

Chocolat II

"Chocolat" by Joanne Harris is a book I can read and read again.  In fact I have just finished reading it again.  It seems to be the perfect February book.  I mentioned it earlier this month as I had planned on pulling out the movie, but I later decided I should re-read the book first.  It is a book you can just fly through as it is a delight to read.  It has this slightly subversive tone to it as well, which makes it even more interesting.  Just reading it makes your mouth water--you can nearly smell and taste the chocolate.  Bitter orange cracknell, apricot marzipan roll, cerisette russe, white rum truffle, manon blanc, peche au miel millefleurs....things I have never even heard of.  And I thought the chocolates that Godiva sells in their really expensive boxes sounded exotic.  LOL.  Where do these things exist?  Maybe only Europe has such chocolatiers?  Now I will have to watch the movie.  It has also been ages since I have seen it, but I recall enjoying it.  I hope the experience is as good the second time around with the movie as it was with the book. Bon appetit. 

Needlework Stash

Okay, enquiring minds wanted to know, so here is the stash that came in my second package earlier this week.  These things came from Elegant Stitch.  Please keep in mind, though, I usually don't order so much at one time, but this was right after Nashville Market and also my birthday--so I got a special discount on my entire order.  I figured now is the time to kit up some charts I have at home, since I am getting the supplies on discount.  Some of the charts in the photo I have had for some time, and I just got the floss and/or fabric. 

Here is the run down: Carriage House Samplings came out with a bunch of new charts, but I contented my self with "Quaker Stocking" (she has two color schemes to choose from), "A Haunting Mermaid" (this was a teaching piece, and this is one of my favorite mermaid designs from all that I have seen), "Hopeful", and "Matter's Choice".  If you go to the CHS website you can see better photos of the charts.

Sampler Cove is a new designer for me.  She does beautiful work, but I am not sure about the finishing part of it all.  I bought the "Quaker Huswife".  No supplies for this one yet.  I have wanted to stitch one of these for a while, and I think this one is gorgeous.  Julie, who writes the Aldbrickham blog stitched and finished this--isn't it beautiful???  If all else fails, I can stitch it and pay someone to finish it for me. 

Abbey Lane Designs is also a new designer for me.  I saw a completed version in someone's online photo album and I thought it would be fun to stitch.  It is called "Sing a Song of Sixpence" and came with two charms.  I guess this is a bit of an impulse buy really.

These charts I had, and I wanted to get the supplies to kit them up:  "Sampler Heart" by Needle's Content is on my 2005 Goals list, so I thought I better get the floss, though I still need the fabric. I bought the Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Art Sampler Threads for this one. It calls for Lakeside Linens fabric, which I need to order from another place.

Little House Needleworks is one of my favorites, and I had to kit up a few charts, some of which I have probably mentioned before.  I bought fabric (RR Reproductions 32 count Iced Cappucino) for "Spot of Coffee", and fabric (RR Reproductions 28 count Irish Cream ) for "ABC 123", and finally fabric (Zweigarts 28 count Cafe Mocha) for the Bookshelf, which is another one on my goal list.  The nice thing about these charts is they all call for DMC.  I will have some of the colors already in my stash, and the rest I can pick up cheap at Michaels. 

I bought fabric (RR Reproductions 40 count Ink Spot Black) for CHS's "Patty Parsley".  This was finished as a pincushion, and I would like to do the same.  They finished theirs as a two sided pincushion with a strip of fabric between the front and back.  This is another skill I have not even tried, so I will have to read up on this one.  I also ordered the silk mori for this--it only calls for three colors.  ES sent two, so I will still need to get the other one.

And last but not least, I bought the Weeks Dye Works overdyed floss for "Dames Boarding School" by Examplar Dames Design Co.  When I bought the chart it came with the fabric already (and I bought this one on sale too--a Super Bowl Sale at The Silver Needle last month.  This one called for uneven weave linen (32/36 count), which I have wanted to try stitching on.

So this was my stash, and yes...there was a lot of it!  It is going to have to last me for a while now, I think!!  I keep telling myself no more new needlework charts, as I have *plenty* already!  But as any stitcher knows, this is a tough thing to stick to when new charts come out, or worse, when you see something all finished that another stitcher has posted online!!  Hopefully I will be posting a finish sometime soon, too!!

Wild Kitty

This is one wild kitty cat.  This is a postcard I found last weekend in a used bookstore.  It is entitled "The Young King".  I personally am more of a cat person than a dog person--though cats can have serious attitudes. 

I'm afraid there is not much going on here.  Every third person at work is sick, and I am doing my best to resist being sick too, though I have managed to pick up some slight bug.  My voice sounds nice and gravelly today.  I have been hoping this sore throat goes away, but it is just hanging on.  So I think things are going to be pretty low key at my house this weekend.  I am just very *happy* it is Friday!  I want to watch a good movie, and maybe finish stitching my BOAF "Peace" project.  I want to start on my new one, but I have to finish something first. 

I also need to start picking out images for the chunky books I am signed up for.  I am now in three--an Asian Dreams book, I Take Pen in Hand  chunky book (a spin-off of the Griffin and Sabine idea--each page will have an envelope and letter), and now I am also going to work on a Bathing Beauties chunky book, too.  I am ready for some sunshine personally.  And I am very sorry for you east coasters who are getting dumped with more snow.  Yuck.  Spring can't be that far away!

Good Mail Day!

Today was a good mail day!  I received packages from two internet needlework shops (I don't have a local shop unfortunately), and I haven't even opened one of them yet.  This is a brand new reproduction sampler that just came out at the Nashville Market.  It was charted by Historic Stitches, and it is the John Foster Sampler of 1885.  I saw it and fell in love with it, so I had to have it.  As soon as I finish my Birds of a Feather project, this will be my next project (even though it is not on my 2005 Stitching Goals list--I didn't know about it at the time).  I tend to go for charts that have houses, and this one even has a bee skep--two of my favorite motifs! 

I thought this was really interesting as it was designed by a boy, though his age is not listed on the chart.  I don't think I have ever seen a reproduction sampler stitched by a boy, though surely they must exist.  Some interesting facts about this--he filled his sampler with many, many motifs at a time when samplers had only alphabets, numerals, and only a few motifs.  Behind the house is a garden maze, which is a medaillon design that was stitched on Quaker samplers much earlier--this information is all from the back of my chart. 

The original sampler was stitched on 18-count off white fabric, which darkened over time.  John used one strand of fine wool to stitch his sampler.  The original colors were very bright and vivid, which faded over time.  I am stitching this using 35 count lambswool (which is one of my favorite types of fabric), using a few Weeks Dye Works overdyed colors, and for the rest I will be using DMC.  The designer who did the reproduction for this has even given DMC color equivalents for the original colors (which on the back are not faded), and the equivalents for the front of the sampler, which have a more muted and aged look.  I will be using the more vintage shades from the front.  The final size of the stitched sampler is 8.75" x 11.25".  And the designer even made a fob from the bee skep motif, which I will have to do as well.  You might be able to see it on the bottom of the chart picture that I scanned. Now I get to go and open my other package!!

Still Life, Peeled

I had to share this photo, which is "Untitled".  I just picked up the most recent issue of Harper's Magazine (March), and this was in the "Readings" section.  The photographer is Holger Niehaus, and his work will be exhibited in September at the Van Zoetendaal Gallery in Amsterdam--I wish I could go see it! I have never heard of him before, and I just Googled to see if I could find out more about him (guessing that Holger must be a man's name?), but everything appeared to be in Dutch.  So I will have to do a bit more research later. 

Since forever artists and photographers have been creating still lifes, but I have never seen one like this before.  I thought it was so imaginative I wanted to show everyone.  This is a truly creative person.  I think I am somewhat creative, but there is a most definite limit to my abilities.  This is someone who really goes beyond the obvious or accepted.  This is the sort of creativity I wish I had.  The ability to see something totally new.  How many fruit still lifes are out there-thousands?  And this one person thought to peel the fruit!  So, here is a little inspiration to see beyond the "skin" to what's inside!

Art Books and the Art of Books

For my birthday I received a couple of really excellent books.  This copy of "Vintage Paper Crafts" by Anna Corba came in the mail today (thanks Scarlett!).  Vintage finds have, of course, been very popular for a long time.  But I think vintage art, at least for crafters, has only recently become very popular.  I seem to find all sorts of books on altered books and altered art now, and I am not so sure how long it has been this way.  I have only flipped through the book a few times now, but it looks really good.  There are loads of color photos, great practical ideas, and even in the back the author includes "ephemera" that can be photocopied in your own art.  It has a sort of shabby chic to it--nothing dark or heavy about it.  There are even a few pages on altered books.  Lots of good inspiration in this one.

I have never seen a book like this before.  It is so cool.  Another friend sent, "Front Cover" by Alan Powers (thanks Merribeth).  There are so many things I think I would love to do.  After working for ten years in an independent bookstore (and even prior to that really), I have loved books.  Not just reading them, but I love how books are made and designed.  Something I have thought would be fascinating to do is design book jackets. I know you are not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but an attractive cover will always at least catch my eye.  This book seems to be primarily British book jackets, but it looks at the evolution of book jackets through the 20th century.   Of course it is lavishly illustrated.  It is interesting to see how the various art movements have had an impact on book jackets.  I am not sure where my friend found this one, but if you are at all interested in book design or graphic arts, this is a wonderful book.

Hannah Wolfe Mysteries

I love mysteries. As you might have noticed, I tend to read more than one book at a time, and there is always a mystery in my reading stack.  I have discovered a new series that I think is going to be very good.  It is written by Sarah Dunant of The Birth of Venus fame.  I have seen these mysteries at the bookstore, but I have been hesistant to buy any of them.   I finally picked up, Birth Marks, however, and I am enjoying it immensely.  Hannah Wolfe is the sleuth.  I have only just started it, but I like her.  She is sort of sassy, and has that dry British humor about her.  So, needless to say, I will now be buying the other two books in this series and hoping she is a fast writer!

Digital Pictures

Okay, this tiny little picture is my first digital picture with my new camera.  I set it at the lowest setting in terms of resolution--once again trying to save space.  I love computers and the internet, but I hate thinking about "space".  It is such an abstract thing in this case.  These flowers are gorgeous, and they were from my mom for my birthday.  Let's see if my poor photography will do them justice.  Thanks, Faith, by the way for suggesting I take a look at Picassa.  I have heard of it, now I will have to go and read about it.  Maybe that will help.  Let's see how this looks when it is posted...

Well...pretty small, but if you click on the picture you get a nice larger version.  I need to learn how to use the zoom, or at least crop after the fact...You have to start somewhere anyway!!

Welcome to the 21st Century

I may not own a cell phone, but as of today, I am the proud new owner of a digital camera!  I have a new camera, but as you see I am not posting a photo today.  I am trying my best to keep the images I post small, but unless I chill a little with all the visuals, I am going to seriously go over my bandwith allotment (or whatever it is actually called).  I am not sure really what I am doing wrong.  It seems other bloggers post lovely large pictures and daily, too.  Are they just not worrying about the how much room they are taking up?  I read that users will be charged if they go over the allotted amount, but they haven't gotten a rate set up, so that won't happen until they know what they are going to charge (they being Typepad).  Nonetheless, I better train myself to stay within the lines so to speak.

But my good news...I have a new HP Photosmart R707.  I also got a new photo printer, which I have yet to install.  I am still working on getting all the menus figured out on the camera.  The battery is all charged up,  I have a larger memory card inside and waiting to be used, and I have even taken a couple of pictures already.  It is a 5.1 megapixel camera, but I will also be able to take shots at a lower resolution and share them here (perhaps not daily, though...).  We'll see what interesting things I can come up with.  I love my scanner, but it just doesn't cut it with 3-dimensional objects!  I am off to read my instruction manual!