Library Addition

I was in the neighbourhood of a LNS today so I popped in to see what could possibly tempt me.  This particular shop has a lovely selection of books and I picked up this one – I Miel Sfilati – My Drawn Thread Works by Antonietta Monzo Menossi.  Absolutely stunning!!!  Worth every penny   Beautiful diagrams, in both Italian and a very ‘cute’ English translation which is perfectly helpful but a little bit ‘literal’ in places

 

There is a companion book to this one….I think it needs to be together with its mate

Read Full Post »

Gobsmacked!

My book is here.

Once again, this is a beautiful publication – well worth the cost ($95) –  I am so glad I bought it.  For lovers of samplers, this is a fantastic reference.  Big clear pictures and wonderful narrative on the composition and construction of the samplers.  Very differnt to the Ackworth book, in that the text focusses on the sampler and not the stitcher.

I wont post piccies because the ones on the needleprint website are far better than any I can take!

You may not see me for a while….I’m off to devour it.

*bliss*

Read Full Post »

A New Book

I was fortunate to obtain a copy of a new publication from Needleprint.

The Judith Hayle Samplers by Edwina Ehrman.

It may only be a small book but it discusses all the known Judith Hayle Samplers and also mentions those attributed to her daughter Rebecca, and is so beautifully presented like all the offerings from Needleprint.

You can have a sneak peek inside this book….here.

Also take a moment to look at “The Goodhart Samplers”.  I am looking forward to that one also and have already placed my order for it.  Written by Dorothy Bromiley Phelan and Eva Hansson, it catalogues a collection of 120 samplers collected by Douglas Goohart over a period of 30 years.  This book is due for publication in Nov 2008.  I can’t wait!  Three hundred glorious pages of images and descriptions of the 120 samplers in the collection.  The samplers are housed in the Clifton Maybank Corridor at Montacute House  in England.

In Australia, the Judith Hayle book is available from The Crewel Gobelin in New South Wales.

 Whilst Googling “Douglas Goodhart” I came across this list of permanent displays of samplers in the UK and Europe….a great resource if you are an intending traveler in search of something needlwork related to look at!  The entire website has some fabulous information also although it doesn’t look as if it has been updated for a while.

Read Full Post »

Checking in…

I’m here and feeling pretty good!  Back to work as early as next week – how great is that!

I’ve done a bit of stitching although not as much as I had hoped…small amounts of progress on Victoria’s Quaker, The M Designs piece, Faith, Hope and Love, and An Open Heart.  

I also finished a gift and MOTH will post that off a little later today.  I wasn’t entirely happy with the finishing and I hope its recipient will like it – her finishing is always perfect ;(

Pictures a little later.

Thanks so much for all your emails and wishes - I really appreciate them.  All those prayers and good thoughts have really helped!

I’ve been reading Suzi Quatro’s biography “Unzipped“.  It’s a great easy read and she’s an amazingly talented and down to earth woman!  I’m learning a  lot about her.

Carra is off to the vet this afternoon.  She’s just not herself and I want to get her checked out.  Personally I think she was taken away from her kittens too early and she’s a bit skitty because of it.  She has scratched a heap of fur from around her ear.  We’ve ruled out ear mite, and fleas, and been putting steroid ointment on the area, but it’s not healing.  I think she’s stressed poor darling!  She also has a sore eye!

Now, it’s Tuesday so it’s off to Victoria’s Quaker for me.  Karen and Carol - I’ll be sure to post a picture tomorrow

Read Full Post »

Oooops!

        

I “think” but I am not entirely sure…that I just bought a HEAP of books on Amazon France!

I thought I was putting them in my shopping basked but instead of pressing “hey lets see what you put in your shopping basket” I think I clicked “Purchase with one click” because next time I looked in the “panier” – all EIGHT books were gone!!!!

Two are by Isabelle Vautier (I really like her designs).

Silly me.  It’s a good thing I love books eh?

Read Full Post »

Some new books, a finish and a work in progress

I ordered a book from Amazon.com (as you do) and just to make the delivery worthwhile I picked up a couple of needlework books also.  I bought the Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless for the LHM and the Little Princess (Marita – it’s a bit old for a three or four year old, but perfect for my 8 and 11!)

I picked up two Victorian needlework books and the Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots (in softcover).

 

As mentioned yesterday – Junette commented she liked the green yarn and the feather and fan…so here it is a green, feather and fan scarf!!  It does look lovely!  The pattern is from WendyKnits.

 

And here is my latest start.  It is the Mead Scarf by Elizabeth Morrison, a freebie which can be found here.   Of course I am using the wrong yarn, the wrong needles, but I think it looks nice anyhow.  I am using a mohair blend in a deep pink colour.  This is for another good pal Melza!

I am also going to start something that is NOT a scarf or wrap – it’s a freebie pattern also.  I can’t post a link or a pic because I think the eventual recipient may visit here sometimes

I also got a great package in the mail from DragonflyDreams yesterday a heap of charts by The Workbasket (a new favourite!)  I received Quaker Odds AND Evens, Humble Home, Woodlands, Old McMary’s and Village!  Those of you participating in Neighbourhood RRs should probably take a look at these – lots of lovely ideas

Sorry no kitty pictures today…perhaps tomorrow.

Read Full Post »

Quite a bit to show….

I know I promised you stitching piccies last week but I didn’t get around to it so I have a couple of VERY bad pictures today.  I’m not sure what is going on with my camera – but the piccies are not very clear – oh well…..better than no pictures at all….perhaps! 

Firstly though, I  MUST say a big thankyou to the very gorgeous Carol who sent me a lovely parcel in the mail most unexpectedly.  A beautiful stitching cherub fob and some lovely stork scissors together with a lovely card featuring a kitty who so reminds me of one of my fabourite kitties ever, Felix, who was with our family a few years ago!  Thank you Carol – you’re really very thoughtful and kind and the world can only be a better place with you in it!  I have a perfect pair of Dinky Dye scissors to go on the fob you stitched and currently I am stitching the perfect fob for the blue ones .   The pictures on Carol’s blog are MUCH better – I am so sorry Carol – I didn’t really do the stitching justice did I?

   

Secondly you may recall that it was recently LHM’s 11th birthday and he decided he wanted a disco party at home…..well here are a couple of photos of the evening.  One of the mothers told me that her little princess had been dolled up and ready since 3.00 pm!!!  How cute!  All the kids looked fantastic and they had a ball however I was surprised at how much they ate!

The ‘disco’ included lights, smoke machine, mirrorball (at my behest – can’t be a disco without one) and the associated glitter, black curtains, smoke tunnel and thumping music!  It was very successsful and all the kids had a great time. 

MOTH decided we needed a bouncer for this night and he certainly looked the part didn’t he? Please take note of the ‘bling’!

I’ve also done a bit of stashing but overall I’ve been pretty good.  From Dragonfly Dreams I got a stack of Blackbird Designs including the Loose Feathers 23 and 24, some Blackbird Designs freebies, and A-Z of Whitework (sensational book), and the Rebecca Blake Needleprint Sampler which is beautiful.  I also got a chart with some cute little houses and sayings on for gifts for family.

   

I was also very naughty and stashed up on some kitty related items from Colours Downunder, one from Isabelle Vaultier (Le Chat) together with Isabele’s Owl and JBW’s French Country Cat and French Country Love.

Now for progress.  Not a great deal to show, but a little nonetheless.

Firstly Rosemarkie (which is my travelling project) has suffered somewhat because I haven’t actually been to work that much in the past few weeks and the two hours or so per day on the train is perfect time to stitch on it (except when the train is packed to the hilt which is often!  This picture is REALLY awful and doesn’t show the colour well – you will need to look at previous ones if you want to see them better – sorry!

This is a picture especially for Bren…don’t feel bad Bren – I’ve not had much time for this one either lately although I hope to spend a little time on it tonight.  I must admit I am enjoying needlepoint for a change and I can’t wait until Dragonfly Dreams gets some new designs in…hint hint….

I’ve been reading all your blogs but not commenting much – sorry – but sitting at the pc is not the most comfortable place for me at the moment.

Read Full Post »

I can’t help myself.

I know I have written about Crazy Aunt Purl before but just in case you didn’t do what I suggested and CLICK ON THIS LINK, I must urge you to do so!

Crazy Aunt Purl has written a book called “Drunk, Divorced and Covered In Cat Hair” and for those of us who have been all three (or in my case dog hair), reading Laurie’s blog is a sure-fire way to lose that feeling of singularity that you get when you suddenly find yourself alone again.  She has such a fabulous take on everything and you can’t help but identify with her and her experiences!

Every day I leave the blog in tears from laughing, or just in tears.  Laurie has a real talent and I for one can’t wait to get this book and settle in with a cat (yep I’m getting  kitty cat – more on him later), a bottle of wine and a box of tissues – just in case!

Read Full Post »

Further additions to my library.

I received two books yesterday – the first is “Borduren in Kruissteek en vlechtsteek” and the second is “Counted Thread Embroidery” by James Norbury, a book from the 1950s and full of wonderful hand drawn diagrams of counted thread stitches   .

I love old books – I always find some tidbit that makes me think, or brings about a renewed enthusiasm for my stitching.

“One of the strangest anomalies of our age is that although man has mastered time and space, he has found no solution to the problem of leisure.  In fact, this is an age of curious contradictions; for while, on the one hand, the machine apparently supplies most of man’s needs, human beings still crave to work with their hands.”…

“From towns and hamlets, from the bustle of the market-place and the peace of the villages, comes the echo of a single though: “I still want to make something myself.” 

“This is the oldest and the youngest cry of humanity.”  … James Norbury, 1955.

I’ve often wondered what makes us do what we do, what makes us crave to pick up a needle and thread and create.  Perhaps it is an inborn thing that we don’t have any control over.  Whether it is creating works of art, or music, or being able to fix broken things, I think that all humans have a desire or need to create. 

We don’t all draw well, we don’t all cook like chefs, not all of us can sculpt marble, but we do desire beauty in our world, whatever that word means to us.   For some it will be stitching little pieces of fabric together to make quilts that warm the hearts of our families (or strangers), for others, we will stitch embroidered pictures to adorn the walls of our home or as gifts, displaying both our personality and skills in the finished objects, still others take great delight in the perfect duco of their reinvigorated 1956 Chevy (too true!)

What makes you stitch?  How do you feel when you’ve not been able to pick up a needle in a while?  I know sometimes I get to a point where if I don’t stitch I feel a kind of guilt for wasting time, and then other times I feel guilty for ‘wasting time stitching’ when there is so much life to contend with.

A perfect conundrum!

Read Full Post »

Lucky for some…..

Yesterday may have been Friday the 13th but it certainly wasn’t unlucky for me!

I got TWO lovely parcels in the mail.

The first from Jean in Singapore (wow that got here so quickly Jean) a trade…contained these fabulous goodies!

Dutch Beauty by Permin (an awesome sampler), Sarabande by Long Dog (I’d not seen this one in person), a gorgeous piece of R&R reproductions 32 count linen in Apple Brown (I know EXACTLY what I am going to use this for Jean - thank you), some Carries Threads in Mandarin and Whine, and everybody’s staples black and white DMC (can never have enough).  Thanks so much Jean – soooo generous

My second parcel was from everyone’s favourite needlework store Dragonflydreams.  Now we all know that I was fortunate enough to actually visit Karen a few weeks ago – but it wasn’t enough – I had to have more.

The first item was a book called “18th Century Embroidery Techniques” by Gail Marsh.  A fabulous book about some of the long forgotten techniques used by embroiderers in the 1700s.  This is what will be my weekend reading (will need to be careful not to drool over the lovely pictures).

        

The second part of the parcel contained a heap of Madeira silks for my Permin 1663 sampler (I just LOVE those), threads for a needlepoint project I might start this weekend…Caron Watercolours in Bark, Gingersnap and Mahogany, some DMC perle 5, and Kresta D’oro in a Charcoal colour.  I also got a “Best Laying Tool” by Shae Pendray which I am sure will be useful with the needlepoint as well   I’ve not used one before so it will be a learning experience for me.  Any tips on using it will be greatly appreciated.

I also received the new Needleprint chart – Rebecca Jeffcoat’s Sampler which also includes some lovely perforated paper bookmark ideas. and Carriage House Samplings’ Quaker Study.

And you may notice that the much-desired “W” by M Designs is also in there so my lovely red project can at last be completed!

So you see it was a wonderful stashy day for me   I am in heaven!

Read Full Post »

The Cat in the Hat is 50!

According to the Borders newsletter I got today, “The Cat in The Hat” is turning 50 on the 2nd March 2007!!

In our lifetime, there may never be another revolution like it. And, as revolutions often do, this one started in a small way. In 1957, Dr. Seuss was asked to write ‘a story that first graders can’t put down’. Given a list of 236 words drawn up by three experts, Seuss wrote ‘The Cat in the Hat’ and changed the world as we know it.

The Borders Kids Webpage lists the Cat in the Hat Project 236. On the 2nd of March 2007, at 2:36 pm we are all encouraged to read aloud the Cat in the Hat!

I know I will enjoy reading it to my chickadees! : )

Read Full Post »