I have been in a bit of slump lately, I have been cleaning out more my parents boxes, its a tedious and emotional task. I began to feel inspired, so I started on Mary Wigham, here is my progress since Friday.

I'm using WDW linen Straw, 40 ct I'm no longer using a frame since it was keeping me from getting closer to see my work, even with my mag eyes. I decided to switch to in-hand, but I felt the stitches were not laying right. So finally, I got a recommendation to try Susan Bates Hoopla Hoop and I love it. I don't think I have ever gotten so much done before. I'm not stitching constantly, but its nice to be able to be portable with your work. I can take it with me up and down stairs (of course remembering to take it out of the hoops when not stitching) so during breaks from boxes and other things, like errands or wifely chores and I can sit in my chair and stitch.. ta da!.

I want you to know that Lucy has been helping as well. My parents had a room of bookshelves and books. We are just as bad, along with collecting old movies and records. I am making progress though I have 3 boxes ready to go the library, for them to use or sell. I'm also working on a goodwill box.



Saturday was Paul's my DH birthday, he turned 64, and yes I will still need him and feed him... It also was a friend of my parents birthday, Robert F Kennedy, he would of been 85.

Well now that I'm back stitching I will keep up with my blog posting. Have a Happy Turkey Day, and relaxing day. I will be cooking for the kids and us.

Start on Mary Wigham

I have been in a bit of slump lately, I have been cleaning out more my parents boxes, its a tedious and emotional task. I began to feel inspired, so I started on Mary Wigham, here is my progress since Friday.

I'm using WDW linen Straw, 40 ct I'm no longer using a frame since it was keeping me from getting closer to see my work, even with my mag eyes. I decided to switch to in-hand, but I felt the stitches were not laying right. So finally, I got a recommendation to try Susan Bates Hoopla Hoop and I love it. I don't think I have ever gotten so much done before. I'm not stitching constantly, but its nice to be able to be portable with your work. I can take it with me up and down stairs (of course remembering to take it out of the hoops when not stitching) so during breaks from boxes and other things, like errands or wifely chores and I can sit in my chair and stitch.. ta da!.

I want you to know that Lucy has been helping as well. My parents had a room of bookshelves and books. We are just as bad, along with collecting old movies and records. I am making progress though I have 3 boxes ready to go the library, for them to use or sell. I'm also working on a goodwill box.



Saturday was Paul's my DH birthday, he turned 64, and yes I will still need him and feed him... It also was a friend of my parents birthday, Robert F Kennedy, he would of been 85.

Well now that I'm back stitching I will keep up with my blog posting. Have a Happy Turkey Day, and relaxing day. I will be cooking for the kids and us.

Oh the last few days

I haven't posted an update because my camera died, DH fixed it, that was the easy part. We went Thursday to get an updated Thyroid Scan (on me)and couldn't get out of neighborhood due to utility work. So we called and I would have to wait forever, so I'm rescheduling that..Then we went to get my ID card updated, since I let it expire so I could get a new picture (since I now have short hair and people questioned if it was me)So off we go to the DMV with my birth certificate and other stuff and they declined to give me one. Apparently they will no long accept a birth certificate by a hospital or a registry of birth certificate. Both I have.

I was born an Naval Bethesda, and then my mom had to register my birth in Maryland since it was military hospital. When I went 5 years ago to get my ID card (I don't drive anymore due to eye blndness), they accepted those documents. Not a anymore. I guess they can be forged. So now I'm sending off the Bureau of Vital Statistics in MD to get a Birth Certificate, what a mess. I urge every one to check to see what they have and what places like DMV requires. I'm sending to Seattle to get my husbands, in case we ever have to show it. So that has been the last few days of fun and games. I've stitched very little due to floating migraines from a barometer change.

Well post pictures soon, I promise.

An Anniversary and updates

Today would of been my parent's 60th wedding anniversary. Its always a bittersweet day for me, since my father died young at 56 just after they celebrated their 25th. My mother died 13 years later at the age of 63, which was some 20 years ago. My husband and I wear their rings... the commitment goes on.. Here's to them!

An now for some updates. Since I was progressing so well on LD Bienvenue, I decided to cheat and start JH Tribute to 9-11. I only the top edge started not alot to show, but I will when I get some more done. Of course the two colors I'm using are DMC 839 and DMC 310 (Black) which were not questionable on the Natural Linen I'm using, they look just fine. But I won't forget to post a picture when I have more in place.

Now for Bienvenue. I have the bottom medallion almost done.. The next challenge if the name for the center and parents initials. Mom(my god-daughter) is pleased, since she had look at it Sunday when she came over to take me to In Stitches who was having a sale. I got my fabric and threads (DMC called for) and two charts, LD "Do Bears" and SVW "Quaker I" The fabric is WDW 40 ct, Straw. Its golden brown and looks great with the threads, can't really tell so well by the scan.. (Just click to see larger)

I downloaded "Emma" from Audible, unfortunately the reader is someone who runs things together and talks fast most of the time. This is the first time in the 2 years that I have used audible that I have had a reader issue. So I'm going to look for another version with a different reader. In the been time I will start listening to "Garbo" which I also downloaded. Don't forget you can read all my book review's here. I just finished "Laura, and Intimate Portrait," which was wonderful.

I also received, "Miss Austen Regrets" from Netflix's which I thoroughly enjoyed and may have to purchase my own copy. My next fascination is my re-introduction to Poirot, on Masterpiece Mystery. We are (if I haven't already mentioned) big mystery fans here. It is the one thing that Paul will sit through, other than history programs. Agatha Christie made an excellent choice when she picked David Suchet to play Hercule' Poirot. She saw him on stage now that was almost 30 years ago, so he was in his 30's. She knew that he would make the perfect Hercule' Poirot, just as knew that Joan Hickson would be perfect as the "redoubtable" Miss Marple. She is the my favorite Miss Marple and the one that I can watch over and over again, Julie McKenzie is also good but she's not Joan. After reading (listening) to "Duchess of Death" a bio on Agatha Christie, I found that little tidbit out. That the BBC had approached her before her death about taking it to the small screen, since the movies had been so popular. So she agreed and made her recommendations. But I have a digressed, with my renewed interest in Poirot I think I will get some earlier episodes off of Netflix. Helps beat the heat doesn't it?

Jean, stitching away in virginia

Oh and Josh's ear is doing great, but he hates me and runs like the dickens

Jane Austen and Cat Repair

I have succumbed to Jane Austen, I have fought for years trying to ignore all the new Masterpiece Classics of Jane Austen, "Emma" and "Northanger Abbey" (which I have to say I don't get) But "Emma" finally got me. This new production of "Emma", on Masterpiece Classic is really good and I found myself being drawn in, now I'm sorry I missed the first episode. You can take look here to read about the production in case your PBS hasn't shown it yet.

In 1998 a movie version of "Emma" came out with Gwyneth Paltrow, I really enjoyed it so much that I got the DVD. But, what I really enjoyed was Jeremy Northam...I also enjoyed "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant. But Northanger Abbey I don't get. Oh, and I loved the 1991 version of "Persuasion" on PBS Masterpiece, with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds.

So where is all this going.. I went to Audible (my online audiobook site) and searched for Jane Austen. They have multiple copies "Emma", one can download. So picked one downloaded to my library then toItunes and I now I just need to burn it to disc. I have mentioned that I love audo books which I rediscovered because of retinal surgeries. The recovery time post surgery is rough, you have to say fat or one sided for about week. After the failure of the two retinal surgeries (which came about post cataract surgery years ago), has left me blind, but I love to read and stitch, but both are hard on one little eye. So since I enjoyed listening to audio books, I have kept up with them while a stitch. I'm building quite a library, and now "Emma" will be added to that library. I also have "Persuasion", "Northanger Abbey", "Sense and Sensibility", and others on my wish list to be downloaded, but one can only listen to one and at a time. I also have her bio to on that list to be download.

So since I know so many of stitching friends have become Jane Austen aficionado's I thought I would announce that I have joined the group. I have gone so far over the edge that I have also renewed my Netflix membership, and I have "Miss Austen Regrets" and "The Crown Prince" coming in the mail. The "Crown Prince" is not an Austen piece but its a historical drama on the Hapsburg Family, I also love historical drama.

Now for some cat news, allergies and mites have taken a toll on two of felines. Edward, my beautiful boy (look at slide show) had a swollen ear (a hematoma from scratching) back in February his ear was so swollen, that I really thought it would pop. I had seen him scratching, but never imagined he contracted ear mites. We had treated all the kittens, Beau and Annie so it only took a quick second or two for one to go in his ear. I got my vet to come (this right before the big snow that hit in February) . She drained it, and put a small drain it (a small cath tip) so I could keep draining it, also he was on antibiotics. Well the snow knock out power for 3 days and I could only see to get it drained once a day. So his ear is now crumbled. He was such a handsome boy (still is) but his ear.. well its done. In May I had her my vet come (yes she's a traveling vet she comes to the house) co look at his eyes and ears. They looked terrible, like he had been scratching them, but cats rarely rub their eyes. She said he bad allergies, which is what I thought (I was going through the same thing, our pollen count was high due to snow storm in February delaying the trees doing what ever they do). I got meds for the eyes and ears. But then I had come in June because of the hematoma starting, and she drained it, and said I could keep doing it. Well to do it, I had to poke it, that really hurt and I was not his friend. So last Friday she came, he got knocked out, had the ear drained and stitched up differently (so I won't have to keep draining it). He get antibiotics three times a day, and ear ointment but he doesn't hate me as much. So here is my Josh (big as he is) with his stitches ...

Well you had enough of my ramblings about my cat and my rediscovery of Jane Austen, tomorrow I should have update picture of LD Bienvenue. I'm down to the home stretch until I get the name confirmation.

Trying to decide...

I have been toying with changing the fabric for Jan Houtman's Twin Towers Sampler from Cream to Natural. I have been looking at this and looking at this for the past few weeks, and I really like it but now I'm not so sure about some of the threads showing up.

I really would like some opinions, so here is my floss toss.

So what do you think? the concerns I have is some of the blue greys, but I think I can go darker our lighter on both..

For some reason this is really growing on me.

Jean, who is stitching away and listening to Laura - An Intimate Portrait...

Lot's of things

Let's see I had a birthday, my husband took a week off and got the deck clean it looks great. The sad news was the death of elder statesman Senator Byrd (my senator) from WVA. But he was 92, so he did good. We were going to go up to Senate for the viewing, but something came up. The family really surprised me and apparently some others as well, with their no pictures of them or much of anything. I don't think he would of wanted it that way. But it was their choice and you have to respect that. Now he has been laid to rest with his beloved Erma at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, in Arlington, not Arlington Cemetery.



Now for some stitching news. I am down to one medallion and names for the "Boys" LD Bienvenue Sampler. Then once I get confirmation on the names, then I will finish and frame. I apologize for the lousy picture it is straight on the fabric. So, in the mean time I will start on the big one "again" Jan Houtman's Tribute to 9-11. I'm also going to be starting a SAL for Needleprints Mary Wigham the first of August. If want to join in let me know..

Success and Progress!

Well those are two positive words! I finally got the lower right medallion even and almost done. It just needs one little round ball on the upper right. Then I will use another blue color to fill in the medallion. Here it is... I also need to add the parents and grandparents initials.

From Samplers and Such

There is still alot more to do, the center lettering, a middle smaller medallion and another larger on the right, but I am seeing the light. So do you like all the blues.. I guess you figured it was for a boy baby, there are two new ones in my little family circle, but I'm not going to say which one..

Stitching away, Jean

Medallion Trouble

I'm on the right lower medallion and it's driving me nuts. I have taken it out 3 times because the alignment is just not coming out right. I will get a picture and post my frustration for all to see.

So since I'm now on my 4th attempt, I think I have come up with a way to stitch it that will keep things in perspective and keep me on track. Track is a good word since I looks like a railroad track.

Stitching along, Jean

Progress on LD Bienvenue

I'm still marching along on LD Bienvenue. I'm on the bottom row which on has two Quaker medallion's. I have also been working on the lettering for the center of the sampler. (Your not going to see who its for yet)I have never been real pleased with lettering offered. Since I do some calligraphy I have been playing around with my own lettering. You'll see in time.

Last week I got the threads and the linen for hopefully my final start of Jan Houtman's 9-11. As I mention its the colors and some of the design that bother me. I itching to start work on it. I just got my scroll rods for the lap frame, so I have everything I need. Just need to prepare the fabric, which I will do when I get the lettering of done on the LD Bienvenue Sampler

Stitching Away, Jean

Hello and Welcome

My plans for the is blog are to keep you updated with my samplers plans and finishes, as well as some other things not sampler related.

Currently I'm working on LD Bienvenue for grand nephew Caleb. I'm doing it all blues with some light green as accent. There are some other design changes that I'm making as well.

Speaking of design changes, I'm getting ready to start Jan Houtman's 9-11. I have started this design about 5 times. It finally hit me one day that the reason I stop or get bored with it is the colors. They are just not my colors and they depress me. 9-11 is tragic but it should also be praised. I therefore plan to do it in blues, reds, golds and off white on natural linen. I have started it yet, I want to keep marching on caleb's sampler and I need to order some long scroll bars.

Stitching along, Jean