S is for…

   The challenge was to stitch an inchy using everything with the first letter of your first name.

                Sue’s second inchy.

Stitched silver threads on silver flecked canvas. Stitches used: Scotch Stitches, Spider Web & Stem wrapped. Added a silver strawberry, silver scissors, and silver star.

S is for Silver and sue.

For more inchies: http://www.inchybyinch.blogspot.com/.

 

Inchy

I have been wondering how I was going to incorporate inchies into needlepoint since I saw them in Issue 29 of Quilting Arts Magazine http://quiltingarts.com/qamag/qahome.html. I could have just stitched up some inchies but I really wanted something that would speak to me.

This week I found out a friend of mine has been diagnosed with cancer and I wanted to give them something that would let them know that I am thinking about them. A HOPE inchy was born. I made a mat and backing from Ultra Suede and sent it on its way.

     And then I made another inchy followed by and couple other ideas too. And since I made these I have fould out that many cancers have their own color designation..i.e. Pink is Breast Cancer. You can Google for “Cancer awarness colors” or visit here http://home.earthlink.net/~hope.4.tomorrow/id20.html . Also Kathy Moss at Count Your Blessings http://www.countyourblessingsxstitch.com/default.aspx?Page=CANCERAWARECOL has listed DMC colors to use. These were just two that I found. One thing just leads to another so it seems..so know I’m going to make an ATC using the cancer color.

And then I came across Inch by Inch http://www.inchybyinch.blogspot.com/. The instructions to play are: “How TO PLAY: Please link your entry back to this blog. It’s as simple as that” I ‘ve added it to my blog list and am going to try to link to it, remember I’m new to this blogging and it doesn’t take much to leave me very confussed, bewildered and consulting the Dummy book. I hope it works, but to be on the save side I’ll add a comment too.

April TIF

I probably should not be doing this today but I’m afraid if I don’t I will be next week before I can get back here. I think my grey mood is directly related to our weather…Who would have thought it would get cold again in late April…I am really tired of cold weather. Luckily and hopefully, it is not going to damage the foliage.

Anyway, I struggled with this months TIF, almost did not do it. I was expecting a color scheme of bright or pastel colors…after all we in the northern hemisphere are thinking spring and warm weather. Had to change my mind set and work with what was given. Change is a sometimes difficult especially if if goes against your grain or mind set. I decided that even though changecan be difficult it is worth a try especially on the TIF. I have thought of these TIF projects as something that should be quick and fun. Simulating, mind stretching but not overwhelming or mind boggling.

So I incubated…then because of another project I am following I decided to make a color card using these colors ( Note: since we all perceive color one way and our computers display colors differently these colors may not agree with other TIF participants) I did take the RGB percentages and entered them into my color program so I think these colors are close. Then I lived with this card for a few days and came up with a few ideas to explore.

I have chosen for the time being to continue to make Temari Balls even though I am a needlepointer at heart. I have known how to make Temari Balls for a long time and have made a few a year but this year I wanted to really get back in the swing (change) and fine tune my skills at this art. And I think the only way to get better at something is to practice, practice, do do. So the media again is Temari  (no change here).

My first Temari Ball was as close to the original colors as my mind set could get. While stitching this ball I thought about Sharon and all of you in the Southern Hemisphere who are entering the fall and winter seasons. I am glad I live where there is a change of seasons, each season has it’s own beauty.

 

But then I had to do a second Temari Ball to change my thoughts back to spring. I used the same family of DMC green to link the balls together.

You can see all the pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudukc/

Next week is guild meetings and family business hope I get stitching time in somewhere. And most of all I hope the Mother nature decides to blow her warm breezes our way and turn our world into full blossoming spring.

ttfn…sue

Spring in the heartland

Today is a cool gray rainy day in the heartland, but yesterday I noticed spring has arrived in the heartland at last. And isn’t it beautiful… 

             

 Even the Dandelions…   And can summer be far behind?

ttfn…sue

Incredible week-end!

I just got back from the most incredible week-end!

My grandson lives with us and went on a camp-out with his Boy Scout Troop this week-end to ride part of the Katy Trail. The Katy trail will eventually connect from St Charles Missouri to Kansas City, Missouri. It is the longest “rails - to - trails” trail in the United States and is also in parts the Lewis and Clark Trail. It follows the Missouri River pretty closely.

http://www.bikekatytrail.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Trail_State_Park

Anyway, I tagged along but I don’t do tents so Mike and I stayed at a Bed and Breakfast, Katy’s Little Lodge. http://www.katyslittlelodge.com/ It was wonderful. The lodge was great, not fancy but quite, charming and cozy; food was good and the company excellent. Took my reading material and my stitching and was as happy as a lark. 

      Saturday morning we drove down to the Eagle Bluffs Conservation area to see if we could spot the eagles that have built nests here. Saw the oldest Burr Oak tree in Missouri and  lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery but couldn’t find the eagles or their nests. But we had no idea what we were looking for or where to look. But we had fun, saw flocks of Turkey vultures sitting in areas that really looked barren. It reminded me of Halloween. White and Blue Herons, 8-10 varieties of ducks and countless birds, it was a beautiful place and spring has not yet sprung here. Next couple weeks should be beautiful and then the babies will be hatching too.  

Then, we drove over to Rocheport to meet the boys and shop. Josh had a blow-out on his bike and was “not prepared” so he and a buddy carried the bike back to camp. So we spent most of the day driving between Huntsdale and Rocheport ferrying kids. There are some nice “adobes” built in this area and I had my reading material, so who cared… I wasn’t driving.

Late afternoon, Mike and I took off and headed to Colombia, Missouri to eat at Murry’s. Murry’s is this wonderful restaurant not far from the University of Missouri campus that serves great food. My favorite is Fried Green Peppers, I think I could eat this and nothing else. These green peppers are sliced in rings no thicker than a 1/4 inch, battered, deep fried and then dusted with just a tad of powdered sugar. They are to die for better than onion rings. I have tried to make them at home but my batter does not stick. I even had a friend who owned a restaurant in town and made incredible onion rings try and he couldn’t master them. So the only time I get them is when I go to Murry’s in Columbia, MO. Murry’s needs to open an annex in Kansas City.

Returned to the B & B and Patty the owner had baked mini choc chip muffins and started a fire. It was great and I settled in to stitch. We were sitting around watching movies, and talking about the day. Patty asked if we’d seen the nests and eagles but we said no. We told her we probably wouldn’t have know the nests if we saw them. It was just before dusk and she suggested we drive down and take a look…eagles are most active in morning and early evening.  Well, we would never have found these nests without her but once you see one you’ll never forget it. The are HUGE! Reminded me of tree forts only higher in the tree, they are something to see. Didn’t see an eagle but the nests were too cool.

                 Sunday morning, after the Boy Scouts broke camp we offered to take them down to the nests but we didn’t get any takers. But we decided to take Josh anyway, and what  a good decision that turned out to be! Sitting on a branch closest to the levy we were on was an eagle. It looked like it was just sitting there waiting for us…Oh, are they majestic or what! Got goose bumps just looking at it even without the binoculars. We were probably about a .1 mile from the trees but you could see it and knew what it was. Josh got the cool idea to take pictures using the binoculars as well as the zoom. Necessity, the mother of inventions and it worked too. I got to be the tripod, but that’s okay…I also got to hold the binoculars and see the eagle. I think his pictures turned out great for a inexpensive digital and binoculars. I also posted other pictures in my Flicker account of the conservation area, Rocheport and the vultures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudukc/.  

Started home and stopped in Rocheport to check out the shops. A few were open and I bought some antique buttons for my stash. Made note of all the shops (not that many) for my next visit. We also drove through Booneville and other stop on the Katy trail but this town is larger than Huntsdale and Rocheport and I didn’t think it was a nice as the others. But then Rocheport was quaint and Huntsdale had the eagles…what could compete with this? 

Check out the Flicker pictures, these were all I got downloaded this morning before Josh went to school. I wanted him to have his composite for his Environmental Science class.

It was an incredible week-end!

ttfn…sue

Another TIF for March & a quick gift

  Yesterday, I went to local ANG guild meeting and the program was Blackwork. I could have used the suppilied thread but since I knew I would probably complete this at the meeting and I happen to still have the colors from the March TIF still in my stitching box…Well…It was just a given…another TIF and an ATC too!

   This little Blackwork technique was worked in 2 methods: The flower and leaves were worked in a “Back and Run” Stitch; it is a back stitch followed by a running stitch.

    The border on the bottom is a “Double Running Stitch”.

Then I committed a great faux-pas… I missed one of my only two Granddaughter’s birthday! It was kind of a honest mistake but it made me feel awful. I sent her an IOU ticket and today took her to lunch complete with cake and a shopping trip.

    

Her gifts were Webkins http://www.webkinz.com/ and cash stash pad. I made the cash stash pad with unused $2 bills and a glue stick. Make sure all the bills are sqared up on one end and rub over a glue stick. I also put a tiny piece of ribbon over this glued end. Then I made the cover using legal sized paper. Glued the cash to the inside and folded. And a gift anybody would love to get. I think I’m out of the dog house now and I won’t make this mistake again!

ttfn…sue

More Cookies

  Today was a beautiful day in the neighborhood…I spent some time outside helping get the patio ready to open and uncovering my iris that are peaking out. I know we will have a few more cold days but the iris are hardy and they won’t get frost bitten as long as the rest of the neighborhood doesn’t get frozen out too. I know today is the first day of Spring but I can hardly wait for our temperaures to stay warm and no more threat of snow. And yes, we are suppose to have snow on Easter…I’m dreaming of a white Easter.

 I’m also glad this is the last time for many years that Easter is so close to St. Patrick’s Day. One of our sons was born on Easter Sunday (march 26). His birthday and Easter fell on the same day again when he was 11 years and 22 years and won’t happen again until he is 99 years. That’s about as often as it should be, Easter in March is too early.

   But since it is Easter, I had to bake sugar cookies for the Grandkids, especially since it will be to cold and snowy for an outdoor Easter egg hunt. I have been wanting to try my hand at Martha Stewart decorating sugar cookies, the TV and magazines always make it look so simple. Well, I am no Martha Stewart and I really did not enjoy the dozen or so I really tried to decorate. It was not that I couldn’t do it I just thought it was a lot of work for someone to eat it in a matter of seconds. I think if I do it again I will ice the cookies in color and then decorate with white icing…like White Work on cookies. And there won’t be chicks, bunnies, and carrots…just eggs. Anyway I am finished now and there won’t be anymore cookies until May, but here are the pictures to prove it. 

     

 Way too many cookies this month, spring better hurry and get her so I can start walking everyday!

I sure am glad this is the last time Easter and St Pat’s day are so close because I am about cookie–d out. And between the patio cleaning and baking and icing cookies I’m so-o-o tired I don’t even know if I hurt from all the work today.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week-end.

ttfn…sue

No one said anything

 I was looking at my Flicker account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudukc/ and noticed back in January I had refered to my postcard and ATC as the Hungarian Stitch and not the Herringbone Stitch. I have changed them but it really brought home “taking care of details”. And I can’t believe no one said anything…

Having St Pat’s dinner for the family so I need to get with it. Happy green to all…

ttfn…sue

St Patrick cookies

Today I spent the better part of the morning baking sugar cookies…rolled iced with sugar and baked. Decided not to ice these so I just used egg white and decorative sugar…and 7+ dozen later I decided that was enough green. I also ran out of green sugar and wasn’t about to send better half to the store for green sugar. So… I started the Easter cookies for next week. About 2 dozen sugar cookies ahead of the game. These I am going to ice with royal icing and try my hand at using decorator tips and pipe decorations on the cookies. Normally I just ice them with a spatula and if you’re luck I might throw on some decorative sugars. No one has complained yet but I don’t think many people bake from scratch anymore. Maybe I better re-consider the decorating. Don’t want everyone to expect this every holiday.

Anyway I went to the framer and left two birth announcements I have had stitched since before Christmas 07. I put them out of sight and forgot them. They are safely at the framers now and maybe the recipients will get them before Christmas 08.

Also went by fabric store and picked out a couple materials for a project that I have been thinking about doing. How many times I have started a project and had a pre-conceived idea how I would like to finish the project? Too many! And usually I either have used a wrong color or can’t find exactly what I am looking for. I found two fabrics for finishing one project but couldn’t find anything for the other idea. small details again…I’ll talk to my finisher before I start the other project, she always has great ideas. But I do have two fabrics for one project and maybe I’ll just do two. But this reminded me of noticing the small details of the March TIF. I guess maybe I am beginning to notice the small things.

Finished my day at the craft store for the cookie decorating tips and the grocery store for food. Now I think I’m just going to curl up in my favorite chair and see what other blogs have to say and surf the evening away.

ttfn…sue

March TIF

I’ve had these finished for a couple days, just needed to attend to the “detail” of taking pictures…

         

I  went with the  color motif and did not pay much attention to the ”little things, the small moments, the details in life? This months challenge is to do just that, pay attention to the tiny details.” But as I was making the temari balls base, I realized that without paying attention to the tiny details my temari bases are not round and firm. So I do unconsciously pay attention to details. I am more aware that I pay attention to the detail of marking the temari another important step if the temari are to be as even as possible.  

It is amazing how many of the “tiny details” we take for granted or simply ignore because we do them everyday or every time we apply our art of choice. I was in my local needlepoint shop not long ago and a woman came in seeking advice about a thread and stitch. I went to show her a stitch on the extra space of her canvas and there was no extra space…i.e. it is recommended to have minimum 2 inches on all sides of the design area of a needlepoint canvas and 1.5 inches is the absolute minimum. Anyway, there was barely an inch all around,more like 1/2 inch and this was covering the stretcher bars. Thank goodness she was using these because I can’t imagine how she ever would have gotten it blocked back into shape otherwise. I did ask her if she had these professionally blocked & finished and she said she didn’t think it was necessary to block her needlework because she worked on a frame and she finished everything herself. Since I have never seen the woman before and I have never seen anything she’s finished I can’t comment.  I thought to myself that if she was happy and the receiver of the needlework was happy, who really cared if it was perfect.. some child or grandchild was probably thrilled to have something Grandmother made. And I also silently thought to myself, the shop finisher was probably grateful she was finishing herself. But really, isn’t all about the love we put into our work? Anyway that was the least of the immediate problems…Every thread she had stitched with still had its tail parked somewhere on the canvas. I did suggest she start to bury these threads in the appropriate areas and to avoid placing dark threads in light areas. I did several of these so I could demonstrate the stitch in the appropriate area. I used an away knot to start and explained I did so, so if she chose not to use this stitch she could remove the thread easily. I did suggest she add a “bit more canvas around the design” so she would have an area to practice a new stitch or thread if desired. I don’t think she will ever had the recommended 2 inches but maybe her next design will not be up against her stretcher bars.

My point is that we take many things for granted when we have been applying out art for some time or have learned our art from a professional or someone dedicated to the proper way to execute the art. I know there are no hard fast rules, but there are recommendations that are very helpful. I always tell students, this is my way to do this…there are many other ways out there and many other teachers to teach you their way. You need to try their way and sometimes there is a reason they do what they do. But if after the class is completed, you want to replace a stitch, thread or the way the stitch is executed be my guest. It is your piece and you have to be happy with the piece. There are no needleart police. As my grandmother used to tell me, “Nothing is for certain but death. If you want to change or try something new, fine…But first learn to walk before you try to run.”

So I guess I do notice the little things even though I am not always aware of them. I am trying to slow down and notice the small things…

Have a wonderful change of season no matter where you live. I am really looking forward to the blessings of Spring and all the new, fresh little things I hope to notice.

ttfn…sue