Stash Queen

Fort Wayne's Smallest Winner

2010-03-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the kickoff for the 2010 Fort Wayne's Smallest Winners Contest - season 3. I am one of the 25 contestants. There is an offical weigh in, "before" picture, rules, and so on. It runs for 15 weeks and ends with a "reveal" on July 10, 2010. Wish me luck!

Nela's 40th Birthday Raffle

2010-01-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

Nela's Life Diary is a blog maintained by Nela who is a lovely stitcher and finisher. Her items are unique and appealing. I am adding her blog address here so you can view her work and join in on the happenings!

www.nelapx.blogspot.com

My lucky number is 54.

Spring Flowers on a Snowy Day

2010-01-07T15:22:00.001-08:00

These lovely flowers were sent to Doug and I, in thanks for us hosting Maggie's BF, Christian, over the holidays. So sweet!

Overreact

2009-04-21T03:34:00.001-07:00

2009-04-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

THese are the Adam golf clubs Doug and I ordered at Bobick's demo days today. They should be here in a week or so. I hope they are not too flashy for a beginner!

Fanny Freezer

2009-02-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, Valentine's Day of 2009, Mary Ellen and I walked in the Fanny Freezer at Shoaff Park in Fort Wayne, IN. This was a 5K run/walk, sponsored by the Fort Wayne Track Club. Mary Ellen and I planned to walk instead of run. The day started with a lovely dusting of snow which had melted by the time we started the walk. It was really cold and pretty windy. We wound up only doing half of the walk as a result but it was really a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon with a friend. Thanks Mary Ellen!

Victoria Sampler - Cyberclass

2009-02-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

I was so lucky to sign up for Thea Deuck's cyberclass - Tea Party Sampler. This project had been offered at VS's retreat some time ago and I was so happy it was offered as a cyberclass. I think this picture shows my progress to include the first installment and a bit of the second. When it is completed, it is made into a tea cozy. How cool is that?

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T16:25:00.001-08:00

Katie, Maggie, and Cici enjoyed Christmas together immensely. We wore Christmas tree earrings made by Maggie. Wonderful!

Mary's Visit

2008-12-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

Mary, my sister, and I enjoyed a weekend together. We exercised, ate well, travelled around a bit during the ice storm (just to get out) and visited with Doug, Katie, and Maggie. She bought some new buttons for a lovely shearling coat she was given as a present and they look smashing!

Christmas Gathering

2008-12-17T03:00:00.001-08:00

Yeah! I finally got these pictures to load. Some of the Hoosier Stitchers got together last Saturday and enjoyed stitching, laughing, and eating at Jean's house in Huntington! In the top picture, in order from the left are Jean, Annette, Cici, Rhonda, Ana, and Debbie. In the next picture, we have Jean, Annette, Cici, Anne, Ana (with the dog "Useless"), and Debbie.

Thanksgiving Guests!

2008-11-27T15:03:00.000-08:00

We really enjoyed Christopher, Regan, Evan, and Grace! They loved running around the house!

Beautiful Babes!

2008-11-27T14:58:00.000-08:00

Katie and Maggie are enjoying a relaxing visit!

After the meal ...

2008-11-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

These two hunters appear very tired - wonder if they shot any thing?

I started today - Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

At a 4 mile walk, starting at St. Francis College and winding through Lindenwood Cemetery. I took 6 minutes off my time - from my only other 4 mile "race". Today's time was 1 hour and 10 minutes!

Eileen Bennett

2008-11-27T14:39:00.000-08:00

This is a great picture taken at NANI's Eileen Bennett class, Legends of the Underground Railroad Quilt. Can't show much of my work - 'cause I did so little. But I did have fun. I also won a drawing - a lovely new sampler design by Eileen Bennett.

2008-10-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

One of my co-workers, Ted Nitza, is spending a year with his family in Garborone, Botswana, while Ted's wife completes a Fulbright scholarship program. Recently, Ted came back to the US for a visit and presented me with a lovely crocheted mat, which I have displayed in my office. It was crocheted by the woman in this picture, Esther. She crochets and sells enough of her work to support her family, which includes her son, Neva, who is also shown in the picture. Ted knew I would espcailly appreciate her handwork because of my interest in needlework. It was a very special gift that I will cherish.

Mary's Visit

2008-10-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Mary and I had a lovely visit with Katie. Wish we could do that every weekend!

Fort 4 Fitness - Four Mile Walk, Sat, 9/27/2008

2008-09-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here are our stats - much room for improvement!

Fort-4-Fitness
4-Mile Run / Walk

Fort-4-Fitness
4-Mile Run / Walk
September 27, 2008 - Ft. Wayne, IN
number of finishers: 972
number of females: 742
number of males: 230
average time: 54:15

Cecilia Case
bib number: 5259
age: 53
gender: F
location: Fort Wayne, IN
overall place: 868 out of 972
division place: 71 out of 81
gender place: 659 out of 742
time: 1:10:30
pace: 17:38

Susanne Sulby
bib number: 5814
age: 44
gender: F
location: Yardley, PA
overall place: 837 out of 972
division place: 84 out of 94
gender place: 636 out of 742
time: 1:08:39
pace: 17:10

Douglas Freiburger
bib number: 5260
age: 53
gender: M
location: Fort Wayne, IN
overall place: 737 out of 972
division place: 20 out of 23
gender place: 187 out of 230
time: 1:05:02
pace: 16:16

Neighborhood Block Party

2008-09-30T19:37:00.001-07:00

On September 13, 2008, there was a block party in our neighborhood, celebrating the electronics makeover given to the home of our neighbors, The Royers. Here is me at the party and the website - telling more of the story - is here:

http://www.2pointhome.com

The Athletes

2008-09-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Polly participated in the Skylands Triathalon A half mile swim, 13.5 mile bike ride and a 5k run. Reports were of a very muggy day but the water was a nice temp and it did not rain.

The challenge has been launched for next year. Matthew has his sights on Philly in June and perhaps a San Francisco swim from Alcatraz - yikes!

Polly got second in her age group - 55 and alive!!!

Learning Hardanger

2008-09-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that I am teaching hardanger - through the use of Janice Love's Basics and Beyond book - to several of my co-workers. I have taught this technique before but, this time, I decided to experiment on my daughter, Katie, first to see if I could teach her and then use that experience to teach my co-workers. Katie capably mastered the first part of the series, kloster blocks. This is a picture of Katie working on the second lesson, blanket stitches. She seemed to master that section quite well, too. Next she will work on petite blanket stitches and then algerian eyelets.

Louisville Trip

2008-09-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

The EGA's 50th year was celebrated in style, as heralded by this elegant musician, who played while the attendees entered the opening banquet!

The below picture shows the 4 lovely Fort Wayne EGA ladies (Sarah, Sue, Joyce, and Cici), who celebrated Sarah's "29th" birthday at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY, the home of the EGA's National Seminar, September of 2008.

I was lucky enough to attend for four days, during which I took two classes. The Saturday-Sunday class was a beaded watch called, "It's About Time". I was able to finish the watch during the two day class, all because of the talented instruction of the teacher, Deanna Powell. Below is a picture of my watch in progress and of Deanna helping me with the beading.

The Monday-Tuesday class was taught by Canadian designer, Deanna Bartell and you can see my progress on "Molly's Mouse below. I loved the class as it was on stump work, a technique I knew little about and found it to be very interesting and fun.

This is the end of the story - Cici at Linn's Paradise Cafe - funky restaurant with great food and fun gifts!

The Aunties Versus The Cousins

2008-07-29T20:23:00.001-07:00

WHO RULES? THE SISTERS OR THEIR OFFSPRING? NO CONTEST!

Ohio State Day

2008-07-13T17:43:00.001-07:00

These are the lovelies I am stitching, following my class yesterday with the members of the Ohio EGA, who held the Ohio State Day in the Columbus area. These smalls - originally designed for another guild - were adapted for the day and personalized accordingly. I hope to have a picture of my own finished pieces soon. Below is a picture of me with the lovely and talented Ellen Chester! She was a delightful teacher and I am so lucky to have had a chance to take the class.

Library Exhibit

2008-07-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

Below are the photos of my exhibit at the Allen County Public Library - Main Branch. It will be there until the end of July. It was put together to promote interest in the local EGA chapter.

Cici's Work at EGA-GLR, Madison, WI

2008-06-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday, I spent a better part of the day visiting with two fellow needleworkers. We worked on our practice pieces for the Diane Clements' class we took this past Spring in Madison, WI. The work is called reticello and is quite tedious. I did most of the above work in class and one little teeny tinsey strawberry this past Saturday. The picture below is of me on the rooftop of Monona Terrace, Madison's lovely convention center, which was originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Monona Terrace, Madison, WI

2008-06-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

A (Somewhat) Brief History of Monona Terrace, A Public Place by Frank Lloyd Wright

On July 18, 1997, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center opened its doors after nearly 60 years of controversy. First proposed in 1938, the lakefront facility is a testament to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright and the controversy both he and his design created. Of his plans, Wright said the building would be “the long awaited wedding between the city and beautiful Lake Monona.” It was a long wait.

By 1938, Wright’s reputation soared with the success and positive publicity that surrounded Fallingwater, Johnson Wax and the Usonian houses. Featured on the cover of Time magazine, the author praised the architect and said that he had rebounded from setbacks to become the “greatest architect of the twentieth century.” Despite his international acclaim, however, he had not yet been celebrated in his own hometown with a large public commission. It is within this context that Wright approached the City of Madison to build Monona Terrace. The project intended to fulfill the City’s need for an auditorium, armory, boat harbor, train station and city-county building. Wright envisioned the space to be an inspirational lake-view locale where great minds would gather to recreate and discuss the issues of the day. The city and county did not approve a joint office building project in 1938, so Wright’s plans were not required.

Another opportunity to build Monona Terrace arose in 1952 when the City decided to move forward with an auditorium. Wright altered his earlier plans and presented them to the city council and public forums. A referendum passed and Wright was voted as the architect. But the vote was close, and Wright’s arrogance and extravagant lifestyle earned him several enemies. In 1957, the Terrace project suffered a tremendous setback when one member of the Wisconsin assembly leader introduced a bill prohibiting any building construction on the lakefront higher than 20 feet. The bill passed, though it was later repealed in March 1959.

In April 1959, twenty-one years and eight designs after the original proposal, Frank Lloyd Wright died. In the process he devoted countless hours preparing drawings, renderings, and models, while simultaneously trying to convince the City that the project had merit. The proposal created a heated controversy resulting in five referenda, ten lawsuits, ten pieces of state legislation, and over four thousand newspaper articles. The fact that Wright returned repeatedly to a project for which he was paid a meager $250 attests to his commitment to the Terrace project.

Throughout the next few decades, the City considered multiple plans and debated what would best fulfill the interests of the City, County and State. The interior spaces were repeatedly reconfigured to fulfill the City’s immediate goals.

In the 1990s, as Wright’s plans were revisited again, Taliesin architect Tony Puttnam was hired to work with the City planning committee. The resulting structure was built on the same site, and still has the lecture hall, community center, meeting rooms, exhibition hall and rooftop garden Wright proposed in the 1950s. However, it now fulfills the City’s need for a convention center to serve as an ecoomic catalyst for the downtown area, to be a community center, and tourism destination.

The design of Monona Terrace centers on the circular form. The dramatic cylindrical parking ramps that flank the east and west ends of the building reflect the circular forms with which Wright was experimenting. And the connecting spaces, both internal and external flow continuously in a curvilinear form that is echoed in the buildings decorative details including lighting fixtures, carpeting, furnishings and signage.

Completed in 1997 at the cost of $67.1 million, the building and its utilization have exceeded expectations as Madison residents and visitors have attended meetings, banquets, concerts, conventions and myriad other community events. Wright’s beloved hometown finally celebrated its local architect by building his working piece of art.

Vegans for Father's Day!

2008-06-15T19:37:00.001-07:00

YUMMY! This is what my vegan daughter, Katie, and I made for Father's Day dinner!

9th Floor News

2008-06-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

One of the lovely ladies who works outside of the Mayor's office had asked me to hang an exhibit of my needlework and, surprisingly, it has gotten a lot of attention. My sweet daughter, Katie, and I had lunch together last Thursday and I dragged her to the exhibit so I could show off a bit (show off Katie, that is). One of the neighborhood advocates happened by and took this photo, which I think turned out pretty well!

BBQ of Seville

2008-06-07T04:40:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday my friend, Bonnie, and I attended Fort Wayne's Philharmonic production of the BBQ of Seville, a take off on the Barber of Seville. Before the show, there was a terrific BBQ by a good ol' fashioned but world class, rib fest winnin', finger-lickin' grill team. Then we heard about an hour's worth of classical music. Good company, lovely night - all for $20.

Janice Love Class

2008-04-15T16:48:00.001-07:00

I recently attended the Indianapolis EGA's Spring retreat at McCormick's Creek State Park, where Janice Love had been hired to teach a hardanger project. This was Janice's swan song - her last teaching engagement of her career. As many know, Janice has been teaching for a long time and she authored what many consider to be the bibles of hardanger, Basics and Beyond and Fundamentals Made Fancy. And there I am - sitting next to her, learning how to make perfect picots!

Katie's Homework

2008-03-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

I think this is a very cool homework assignment done by my daughter, Katie. You can't tell from this picture but all of these elements are done using cut up bits of paper. Each one represents a different design element. Maybe if I understood these design elements more, I could make some of my own cool pictures!

Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin - Pinkeeps

2008-03-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

These two designs are freebies from Mary Garry that I made into pinkeeps. I had seen them done by another stitching friend and could not wait to stitch them. It took me a good part of today to make the pinkeeps as these were my first attempts. I used up a bit of bead stash to make the "pins", by poking a pin through the bead and then into the sides.

Snowy Monday Morning

2008-02-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

For those of you basking in the warm sun, this is what we faced this past Monday morning. Not fun to shovel but lovely anyway!

Needlebook - Flower Motif

2008-02-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

This is the first needlebook I made that has a spine. It is stitched on raw linen, 28 count, over one with ecru wildflowers.

Easter Basket

2008-02-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

This Easter "Egg" was a design I stitched years ago when I first started stitching. It was probably my first attempt at specialty stitches and I believe it was designed by one of my former guild members, although not available commercially. I finished it in the last year or so and will display it soon for Easter. Yes - Easter is early this year so we will probably have snow!

Valentine's Day - 2008

2008-02-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

Don't you think this is what I looked like when I was a youngster? I gave this card to Doug this Valentine's Day. The inside reads, "Of course, I didn't know YOU then!"

And A Forest Grew - Update

2008-02-08T08:46:00.001-08:00

The last time I posted about this project was on 1/15/2008, 15 days from the start. Today, 2/7/2008, I have completed about two pages of the chart, with about 14 pages to go. I am enjoyng every stitch!

Quaker Needlebok - The Workbasket

2008-02-07T18:07:00.000-08:00

This is the blue, over one, version of the Quaker Needlebook. The design is from The Workbasket and used to be a shop freebie.

Paulette's Pincushion

2008-02-03T07:06:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I spent a lovey day at Sew Biz in Marion, IN, making a beautiful pin cushion. The designer and teacher was an old friend from Blackford County, IN. Her name is Paulette and I originally met her through the garden club as she is a talented gardener. She is equally talented with a needle and thread. The pincushion class she taught - making a pincushion from 2 CDs - was very fun. She even showed us how to make decorative hat pins! I used my quiet time this morning embellishing the pin cushion and now my mind is overflowing with ideas on how to use many other embellishments on more pincushions!

National Seminar - Louisville, KY - September 2008

2008-02-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

This is the 50th anniversary, The Golden Gala, for the Embroiderers Guild of America. It is being held in Louisville, KY, the home of EGA's national headquarters. As it is not 4 hours from my home, I am very lucky to be attending. I have signed up for a lovely two day class by Deanna Bertelsen called Molly's Mouse.

I have seen the model and it depicts a lovable little mouse and her dragonfly companion with raised gossamer wings, enhanced with beads and gold thread worked in DMC cotton on silk Dupioni. The class description says students will perfect random long and short stitches and bullion knots and will learn an innovative padding technique.

Sew Biz, Marion, IN

2008-01-30T07:23:00.000-08:00

There is a wonderful quilting shop in Marion, IN, where I will be taking a class - Paulette's Pincushion Class - Version 2, which is shown below. The class is set for this Saturday, February 2, 2008, so I will have to assemble my supplies quite quickly!

Apparently, a version of this class was taught before as I saw several samples in the shop when I visited some weeks ago. It is made on a CD and you can embellish the top of the pin cushion fabric in any way that you desire. I think I will love this class and, as a bonus, the teacher will be bringing beads for us to make some beautiful long decorative pins to stick in the cushion. This would make a great gift for any woman, and gives me many ways to use up some stitching ideas and embellishments. Check out the other classes - which are very reasonable - by accessing the shop's blog site from the shop's website @ www.sewbizmarion.com.

2008-01-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

Turns out I am taking Diane Clements' Strawberry Lace at the GLR in April. Hope I get my lovely kit soon so I can start the pre-stitching!

This colorful, multi-stitch sampler is done in a 17th century style sampler in a book style sewing case. A wool-stuffed pin cushion, needle book with reversible stitching, scissors pocket, and fob complete the ensemble. The Punto in Aria design on the front cover features a petite, five petal strawberry blossom of cloth stitch surrounded by berries filled with knotted buttonhole stitch and accented by needlewoven lozenge leaves. The lace bits are supported by buttonhole and wrapped bars and a few Venetian picots add more detail to the design. Case is 3 1/2”x 5 1/2” x 1”.

2008-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

This is the front of the needlebbook I designed and taught for House of Stitches in La Porte, IN, some time ago. The design is from The Work Basket. It used to be a freebie handout but now is included in one of two charts, called Quaker Odds and Evens.

Chihuahua Craziness

2008-01-23T12:14:00.000-08:00

I just discovered a blog of note - Chihuahua Craziness. Since my son and his girlfriend have two miniature Chihuahuas, I thought it might be them. Sadly, it is not them but the site is very cute anyway. Here it is:

http://chihuahuacraziness.blogspot.com/

2008-01-23T07:37:00.000-08:00

I have registered for the regional seminar being presented by the Great Leakes Region of the Embroiderers Guild of America. I hope to be taking the class shown here, which is entitled, The Perfect Forest, designed by Catherine Jordan. See more of here work here:

http://www.catherinesdesigns.net/index.htm

The brochure describes the class as follows:

Create a three-dimensional, layered “Perfect Forest” and rolling landscape so that some trees lie on top, others behind. This class explores planned thread removal with an emphasis on the re-weaving of side margins to make a perfectly finished edge to the opening. The class explores wrapping and weaving exposed weft threads to make trunks and a variety of raised embroidery techniques to give a wonderfully three-dimensional effect using over dyed fibers. Class time will also be spent custom-cutting and painting the acid-free foam core opening through which the forest is viewed and the trees multiplied when a mirror (not included) is mounted behind. (The piece must be worked on a scroll frame.)

I will be attending the seminar with another Fort Wayne guild member from Sunday, April 20th to Wednesday, April 23rd, and this is a 2-day class being offered. The event is being held in Madison, WI, a nice college town that I visited last Summer, while on my way to a wedding in Wisconsin. On the last day of my visit, we will be attending a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings or homes. Should be great fun in the Springtime!

Owning your needlework - musings on this subject!

2008-01-23T05:51:00.000-08:00

The Drawn Thread design below is known as Toccata Number One and was done as a year long stitch a long with the Hoosier Stitchers. As you can see, the design has a sections in which the stitcher can insert the initials and the date of completion. Thank goodness, too, as I had no idea 2 years had passed since I finished that piece!

Many stitchers wonder whether they should stitch their initials and date on their needlework projects. I always think this is a good idea - if for no other reason than it helps you remember what you did in a certain year! There are some simple guidelines to follow:

1. When you view your finished piece, your initials/date should not be prominent. In other words, they should not detract from or take over, the design.

2. Stitch the initials and date close to the design - among the trees, under a flower or leaf, etc. Avoid altering the balance of the design by the placement of your initials and date.

3. Select a color that blends with the surrounding elements of the design. If the nearby leaf is dark green, use dark green.

4. Some stitchers will make a logo of a name or set of initials. Others use a cartouche (a rectangular or oval stitched frame with the name/date/initials inside). If the logo or cartouche are not obviously seen as the initials, name and/or date, some may wonder what that scribbling is all about!

5. If the design simply does not lend itself to having the identifying markings stitched, do write them on a card and affix the card to the back of the frame, making sure the paper is protected from wear.

And A Forest Grew Smalls

2008-01-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

These three smalls were made from Karen Kluba's lovely design, And A Forest Grew. They appear in her book along with the finishing instructions. I started working on the large sampler itself and just finished about a full page - update soon!

This small is one of my favorites, since the little bird on the tree is so sweet!

The owl in the tree is an appealing motif which I made into a pin pillow.

The needlebook was fun to make and I just finished stitching that motif on the large sampler!

What time of day are you?

2008-01-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits.

Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle.

Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it.

You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

AFG - Progress

2008-01-15T05:44:00.001-08:00

Despite the fact that Christmas stuff is still strewn about our house, our tax papers are not ready for the tax appointment in one week, and there is a bunch of unfolded laundry on the living room floor, I did get some stitching accomplished. This picture reflects the stitching I have completed since 1/1/2008, and is also most of section one (of fifteen) of this lovely chart. I am enjoying the spot motif technique and try to stitch one tree at a sitting!

New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-12T01:10:00.001-08:00

While my resolutions seem to vary in principle, they all distill to one concept - FIND MORE TIME TO STITCH!

Eat Less - so I don't have to get up from my stitching chair so often
Cut down on coffee, particularly from Starbucks - so I have more stash money
Exercise regularly - so I have more energy which translates to more stitching time
Find serenity - so I can concentrate on stitching without making mistakes
Avoid sugar - so my hands are not sticky when stitching

Rather than fuss with how to achieve any part of the resolutions, I'll just dive into what I will stitch when I find all that extra time! My Challenge Project for 2008 is Rosewood Manor's "And A Forest Grew" (which can be found on the designer's website www.rosewoodxstitch.com). This is a large cross stitch design, for which I stitched and finished the smalls, shown on the front cover:

I started this project on January 1, 2008 and hope to finish it by the end of the year. Later this weekend, I hope to post my progress!

The Last Knit

2008-01-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

My favorite part of this clip is at the end, when the knitter it trying to figure out what to do with her idle hands - perhaps she will want to learn to embroider, hmmmm!

Snow!

2007-12-16T06:34:00.001-08:00

This is the lovely snowfall we woke up to this morning. It's pretty, especially if you do not have to drive in it!

Snowblower Success!

2007-12-16T06:27:00.000-08:00

Doug got the snowblower out yesterday, in anticipation of this snowfall and - lo and behold - it started right up! Aren't we lucky?

Surf's Up!

2007-12-07T03:10:00.000-08:00

While we are busy decorating for Chrismas and shoveling snow, this is what my son, Justin, is doing in California!

Martha was here .... Thanksgiving morning

2007-11-22T05:38:00.000-08:00

Ooh la la! Martha was here this morning and made this lovely Almond and Cranberry Tart. I'd like to have it for breakfast but I will have to wait until later today!

Dinner By Brian

2007-11-22T05:33:00.001-08:00

Above is the scallop appetizer Brian made for us, before he served a delicious fish dinner.

Best Hair Ever

2007-09-30T05:07:00.000-07:00

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!

Lavellette, New Jersey - August 2007

2007-09-16T03:33:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough to visit Lavellette, NJ, last month and visit with family. The picture on the top is my sister-in-law, Linda, and her mother, Flo. It was great seeing them together - mother/daughter - and great having Flo with us as she knew the area and could tell us all about the best places. The other picture is of me (on the right) with my sister, Polly, my OLDER sister!

Isn't it just about the prettiest place you have ver seen?

2007-07-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

The cousins and second counsins sat for a photo while at the weeding of cousin Jesse Baker, now Jesse Haney. Aren't they the sweetest bunch?

2007-07-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

So here I am using Maggie's "miner's" lamp for reading on the front porch. How attractive! I wonder if this would work for stitching in bed!

2007-07-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is a project that has me captivated. It was a class project, designed and taught by Betsy Morgan. The Indianapolis Embroiderers' Guild hosted this class and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has 4 sides, each depicting a different season, using different light-colored ground fabrics and gorgeous silk fibers. The top and bottom squares pull all the colors together, as does the small fob piece for the scissors. I am just about done with the stitching and will begin the finishing very soon! Believe it or not - this might be the first piece I will have finished in all of 2007!

2007-07-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of the Blue Ribbon Sampler, stitched by my friend, Joyce Hoffmann. One year ago, Joyce challenged me to do this sampler. I got side-racked but she finished hers and it is at the framer's now. As soon as I finish sorting through my sewing room - I will be starting on this project again. Hers is fabulously gorgeous and I can't wait to see it framed!

2007-07-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Maggie enjoying a bit of shade under the trumpet blossoms! Fabulous!

This is Katie underneath these fabulous blossoms which are trumpet-shaped and hang from an enormous tree! Awesome!

What I like about this picture is that you can see my toenails! The picture was taken at the Froelinger gardens in Fort Wayne on my birthday. The girls took me there to celebrate. It was a lovely day and I am glad I got there because the day before my girlfriend, Joyce, pampered me with a pedicure and a manicure to celebrate my 52nd!

2007-07-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of me at the Bugs & Butterflies exhibit at the botanical gardens in Fort Wayne.

2007-07-07T15:04:00.000-07:00

Katie and Mo look so happy in this picture!

2007-07-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Time is sure passing quickly this Summer. It is now past the 4th of July and I am just now posting a photo of Maggie, taken when she was in South Africa. That trip was taken just after the Spring semester ended!

Mail Art from Canada!

2007-05-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is my latest mail art envelope. I received this from Fiona in Canada, through one of my online mailart exchange groups. In addition to the lovely motifs, the stamps are all very cool, too. The inside is lined appropriately with ice hockey fabric that matches the Canadian theme and the inserts were thoughtfully chosen as well - a postcard from Toronto, a Canadian "rubberband" bracelet and a sweet pin depicting the flags of our two countries. Can't wait to put it on display for my fellow stitchers and friends!

Easter Brunch

2007-04-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

Today was the coldest Easter Sunday I can remember. I awoke to find a heavy dusting of snow coating my daffodils, which are now all wilted. Soon the snow had melted and Doug took Katie, Maggie and me to a lovely Easter Brunch at a nearby restaurant, called Joseph Decuis, in Roanoke, IN.

Joseph Decuis was founded in 1996 as the private dining facility for American Specialty and was opened to the public in 2000. It is known for its distinctive reputation for superb gourmet dining. Here was today's menu:

Amuse Bouche *
Carrot and Ginger Soup with Orange Agrumato
~
Choice of Salad:
Hearts of Palm
Artichoke Hearts, English Cucumbers, Bibb Lettuce,
Tarragon Remoulade, Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
or
Spring Mista
Mesclun Greens, Strawberries,
Goat Cheese, Honey-Champagne Vinaigrette

Choice of Entrée:
Thai Barbequed Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast
Thai Jasmine Rice, Wok Flashed Vegetables, Mango-Habenero Mojo
or
Wild Mushroom Crusted Jail Island Salmon
Celery Root Puree, Haricots Vert, Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms, Red Wine Reduction
or
USDA Prime Petite Filet Mignon
Potatoes Anna, Asparagus, Baby Carrots,
Black Truffle Demi Glace
or
Lobster Ravioli
Tender Pasta with Maine Lobster, Artichoke Hearts, Parmesan,
Light Cream and Brunoise Vegetables

Choice of Dessert:
Caramel Pot de Crème
Whipped Cream, Tuile
or
Carrot Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting, White Chocolate Tuile
or
Flourless Chocolate Gateau
Chocolate Coulis, Fresh Raspberries

* After reading the menu and learning that Amuse Bouche means "amuse mouth", it is safe to say I was expecting a party in my mouth! We sat in a lovely solarium in our Easter finery and were graciously waited upon!

The deer are hungry ...

2007-02-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

These two photos make up a panaramic view of my backyard. The small black dots are all deer. They must all be in the field looking for bits of food. There must have been about 30 deer!

Moving to Fort Wayne ...

2007-02-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

Now that I am working as a municipal attorney for the City of Fort Wayne, Doug and I will be moving to Fort Wayne. We found this lovely home, in an area convenient to work, that we will be moving to in about 2 months.

On the move ...

2007-02-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

This is the shed where Doug will live!

2007-02-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

This picture depicts the front of a mail art I did for an international exchange. Of course, the "theme" was "patriotic" so I used a few motifs and stitches from favorite charts to come up with an envelope that would represent colors in the U.S. flag. Hope my partner likes it!

Patriotic Mail Art - Back

2007-02-14T14:28:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make the back look a little interesting, too, so I added a charm and some couched grosgrain ribbon.

Wintery Wreath

2007-02-14T05:33:00.000-08:00

Winter finally arrived this week. It started snowing Monday evening and continued throughout Tuesday. I was unable to get to work but, as it turns out, my office was closed for the "snow emergency" at about noon. I was grateful to be home and safe. The wind was fierce all night long and there is an incredible amount of drifting. There has not been a plow down our road at all nor have any cars passed. This picture is the wreath on my front door.

Sister's Weekend - Wilmington, DE

2007-01-28T04:22:00.000-08:00

The coven of five sisters met in Wilmington, DE, near Kathy's home. We had a great time talking, exercising, shopping, and - of course - eating.

Digital Photography

2006-10-22T03:53:00.000-07:00

I just recently finished a course on Digital Photography and this is my graduation picture. I am the one with her eyes closed!

Shepherd's Bush Stocking

2006-10-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

As soon as Linda asked me to finish her stockings, I decided I had to practice on my own to make sure I had the technique perfected. Some years before I had started two Shepherd's Bush stockings so I quickly got them stitched up and then used Linda's technique to finish them. I like how they turned out!

Linda's Stockings

2006-10-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

Sometime in 2005, I visited my hometown of Doylestown, PA, and met Donna's friend, Linda. I had some finished needlework items with me and showed them off at an evening stitch in hosted by Donna's neighbor. Linda was one of the attendees and, after looking at some of my work, she asked if I would finish her cross stitched stockings. Although I had not finished a stocking, I was interested, especially since Linda said she had a good idea of how she wanted the stockings to be finished. Later she showed me a sample of how she wanted the stockings to look and we set out to find some lovely cotton velveteen for the backing and binding. We found the perfect weight and color at a local fabric store and the picture at left shows the finished results. Once they were completed, I mailed them to Linda and held my breath until she told me they'd arrived. I love the way they turned out!

Each time you leave ...

2006-09-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

I stitched this piece, a design by Linda Palmer of In A Gentle Fashion, when my daughter, Maggie, graduated from high school. It hangs just inside the kitchen door, the main entry to our home. Tonight we celebrated Maggie's 21st birthday with a dinner at our home. Of course, we served (and sent home with the Maggie and her sister, Katie) a lot of tomatoes. After dinner, the girls loaded up their cars with lots of food. The house is very quiet now. The sentiment is as poignant right now as it was when I stitched it 4 years ago: "Each time you leave this room, my heart goes with you".

Smalls Pouch

2006-09-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

As I was de-cluttering, I came across this smalls pouch, the first small I ever did. It is signed with my former name and completed in 1989.

Drawn Thread's Sanctuary

2006-08-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

Drawn Thread's design,called The Sanctuary, was really lovely to stitch. It uses needlepoint silks which I really prefer over many silks.

The Day of the Killer Tomatoes

2006-08-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

I seem to remember an old-time movie called "The Day of the Killer Tomatoes". I don't remember the entire story but I do know a modern version of that I think covers most of it:

Once upon a time, in a land far away, a princess lived with her prince. One day, the prince brought his modest tomato harvest from his fields. The princess lovingly made the meager harvest into stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, and salsa, so that they would have a well-stocked larder in time for the bitter winter which had been predicted. When the prince lamented that his farming skills were poor and he was worried they would not have enough to last, the princess reassured the prince that they would be well-fed over the winter, that he needn't worry and that he shouldn't seek any more tomatoes. The princess was happy with the first batch but she really didn't like all that work! The very next day, the prince bought home FIVE 5-gallon buckets of tomatoes, which he claimed had been given to him by one of their neighbors. Although a little out of sorts about the prince's decision to accept this large quantity of tomatoes due to the amount of work involved in the task, especially after she'd so kindly asked him to refrain, the princess set about the next day cleaning them, skinning them, and making them into all sorts of sauces and such. The next day she rested. On the day after that, and unbeknownst to the princess, the prince ran into the neighbor who was mowing his fields. The prince told the neighbor that he and the princess were so appreciative of the neighbor's fine tomatoes and that the princess seemed to enjoy this type of work. The neighbor responded by giving the prince FIVE more 5-gallon buckets of tomatoes, which he gleefully brought back to show the princess. The princess greeted the prince at the door and spotted the tomatoes. The prince was never seen again and the princess lived happily ever after.

The above picture shows what FIVE 5-gallon buckets of tomatoes look like!

The End!

2006-08-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

The End!

My Reward!

2006-08-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

Mail Art Model

2006-08-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

It's hard to imagine but this shop model went through the mail. It is called Mail Art. So, what is Mail Art anyway? You have heard of it, but are not quite sure what to make of it! Basically, Mail Art is sending a stitched envelope through the mail. But, once you try it, you will find it is so much more. For me, it is the thrill of opening up the mailbox, rifling through the bills and the junk mail, and pulling out a wonderful stitched treasure from another creative spirit. It is also the anticipation that my creation may provoke a similar reaction across town, across the country, or even across the globe!

This particular design is the one I have taught for various shops, groups, and guilds. It includes all there is to know about making and mailing a stitched envelope, including an easy hand-stitched method for assembling the envelope itself. It is a great technique for embroiderers who generally do not like to use a sewing machine.

Since I made my first envelope as part of an exchange, I have mailed and received about 20 envelopes. All have made it through the mail with great success.

Marriage of the Minds

2006-08-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

In 2004, my nephew, James, eloped with his long-time girlfriend, Jill. Upon hearing their news, I asked Jill to peruse the Drawn Thread website to see if she could choose a design they both liked, that I could stitch as a wedding sampler. She chose Marriage of the Minds. How apropos! James and Jill attended St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD, where their undergraduate work was wholly devoted to the study of the classics. So fitting because the sampler’s motto is derived from Shakespeare’s Sonnet CXVI, which speaks of the commitments of love and marriage:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
It this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)

Originally designed to commemorate a 20th wedding anniversary, the design includes some traditional symbolism in the motifs used. Some of my favorites are:

Cranes - longevity and good fortune
Owls - wisdom and loyalty
Deer - longevity, peace, and compassion
Birds - honor, honesty, conjugal fidelity and good fortune
Hearts - love, soul and spirit
House - stability, the seat of the soul, the place one returns for comfort, protection & rest
Trees - strength, durability and steadfastness in adversity
Clouds - good fortune, happiness and peace
Butterflies – joy and longevity
Dragonflies – marital success, victory
Bees – hard work and industriousness
Rabbits – fertility and family

James’ mother, Susan, will be delivering the framed sampler to them soon and I can’t wait to hear how they reacted! I wish them many tempestuous years together!

Hardanger Sachet Design - Pillow

2006-08-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hardanger is a Swedish form or embroidery, traditionally done white on white. Many years ago, I learned to do this technique through a group correspondence course I took with the Bucks County Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America. I fell in love with it because it is a counted thread technique, goes fairly quickly, is very rhythmic, and is quite portable. A few years ago, I started teaching a 4-part series on hardanger, relying on the Basics and Beyond book by Janice Love. This large sachet design , mounted on a custom-made, blue moire pillow, is the class model.

Needle Book - Over Two

2006-08-25T03:03:00.000-07:00

A quaker motif was used for this needle book. In the Spring of 2006, I taught this finishing technique - making a "hardback" book with a spine - at a Stitcher's Day for the House of Stitches in LaPorte, IN. The red version was stitched over two, using an over-dyed floss for the stitching and pearl cotton for the two-color cording. Its overall size is 6" over 6", which leaves plenty of space for needles.

Needlebook - Over One

2006-08-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

Over one, the needlebook looks very sweet!

Lauren Sauer's Fragrant Hearts

2006-08-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

A few of my friends have suggested that I put up more pictures of my completed embroidery. This finish, called, Fragrant Hearts, was designed and taught by Lauren Sauer last year at the Indianapolis EGA. I took the class with my friend, Joyce, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Lauren had us pre-stitch the five hearts, all done in lovely and luscious silks. We learned the finishing techniques during class and Lauren gave us a bunch of dried lavender to stuff the 4 largest hearts. The remaining heart - which is only about 1" in diameter, is filled with white seed beads. The hearts are strung together with a light pink organdy ribbon. It would be sweet to hang this ornament on bed post.

Virginal Machine Quilting Experience and Oldest UFO

2006-08-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

We have a lovely quilt shop in Marion, IN, about 20 minutes from my home. Although I am not a quilter, I do love going there to buy materials for embroidery projects and finishing. They often have classes for projects that are either non-quilting (like the ever-so-popular bags) or semi-quilting, like the padded envelope I just finished. It was designed by a woman I know from the Hartford City Garden Club. Its original purpose was for the quilter to store her quilt blocks. It is 14" x 14", machine quilted on the back and pieced on the front. You could also quilt the front, after the piecing was done, but I opted out of that since I was so busy just learning how to do the rest of the project. During this class, I learned how to use the correct attachments to do the machine quilting on the back. Other techniques included the installation of the binding, mitering the corners and matching the point at which the binding beginning and end come together. I don't know what it will be used for but I was so happy to be able to insert the small blackwork sampler in the front, as it was my oldest UFO and knowing it had to be done for this class compelled me to finish it!

Oldest UFO Close Up

2006-08-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

So, I think this small blackwork sampler is as old as my youngest daughter, who is about to turn 21. I took it as a hands on class with my EGA guild in Bucks County, PA, when I lived there. The stitching is called blackwork, which is completely reversible. Because it is actually reversible, I had wanted to mount in some way that it could be seen from both sides. That is probably why it took me 21 years to decide what to do with it. In the end, I so wanted it to be on the quilted envelope, that I just "drop-mounted" it and you cannot even see the back at all. Other techniques I learned with this piece were mitering corners for the hem and the hemstitching. It is a sweet little piece and I am glad now that it has someplace to call home, instead of in a box in my cellar!

Seaside Sampler

2006-08-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

This is a bellpull made for a Nova Scotian friend, Sally. It was stitched, round robin style, by the Hoosier Stitchers, who also funded the cost of the materials. Designed by a fellow Canadian, Thea Deuck, of the Victoria Sampler, it is called "Seaside Sampler". It was chosen for Sally because she loves lighthouses and her husband is a lobster fisherman/ Sally is an beloved member of the Hoosier Stuttgart and usually attends our retreat in September. Unfortunately, she cannot be with us this year so we hope she is reminded of us when she sees this gift.

Matt and Susanne

2006-08-22T03:20:00.000-07:00

So, Matt and Susanne visited and fell in love with our dog, MacKenzie. She loved them, too. Shortly after this picture, Matt left for his flight home. He flew from Marion, Indiana, to Ohio, then from Ohio to New Jersey, and then a drive home to Pennsylvania. Thanks Matt for leaving my baby sister here with me for a few days!

Fabulous Felted Bag

2006-08-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I visited my long time friend, Donna, in Pennsylvania. Donna and I started stitching about the same time - believe it or not - about 20 years ago. When I visited her this time, however, I discovered that she'd mastered knitting and had made herself a lovely knitted and felted bag. I had never been able to knit and I really coveted that bag. It was a lovely green and has some really cool fringey stuff at the top. When I returned home, I toyed with the idea of learning how to knit just so I could make one of those bags but I abandoned that idea when I saw them for sale in different shops. The ones I saw were not nearly as nice, they were not the right color, they were not the right size or shape, and they were hideously expensive. So, I just kept looking.

Soon I got a message from Donna telling me to look for a package in the mail. When it arrived, I was so surprised to see the most gorgeous knitted and felted bag. Made with the most beautiful wools, it is a very generous size. Had I picked out the fibers myself, I would have picked the same ones! I could not believe how generous Donna was to make it for me and I simply can't wait for it to be cold enough for me to start carrying it. Isn't it nice to have such a talented and thoughtful friend?

Sulby's Summer Adventure

2006-08-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Matt and Susanne are flying to Indiana today. They left KMMU Airport (Morristown, NJ) at 10:06 a.m. and arrived at KLBE Airport (Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe, PA) at 12:01 p.m. We have been following their plane's progress using www.flightaware.com, which uses the plane's tail number N8154M and GPS (global positioning system) to track the plane's progress.

Skylar's Tooth Fairy Pillow

2006-08-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

This is my latest embroidery finish. It is a tooth fairy pillow for my niece, Skylar. Her bedroom is decorated with lavender, pink, and yellow colors, with curtains made from Disney fabric. I chose the embroidery design and Sklyar chose the colors for the design. Every time I see her she reminds to me I have to get her fairy pillow finished. She is 5 now and probably has some loose teeth already!

I made the finished pillow look sort of like a purse with the ruffled ribbon at the top of the pillow, although it is not open at the top. There is a pocket on the back of the pillow to put the baby tooth and for the tooth fairy the leave the $$.

Salsa Girl

2006-08-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

This Summer, my daughter, Maggie, decided she wanted to sell fresh salsa at a Farmer's Market. There is a small market in a town near my home and we registered as vendors at the start of the season for $25.00. Since then, she and I have been selling Salsa Magrita (mild and medium), Cici’s Magnificent Cheese Spread, Grand Granola, and various yummy cookies. I have enjoyed these Saturday mornings, getting to know many local people (vendors and customers). It is fun shopping and visiting at the Farmer's market and, of course, it is especially enjoyable spending time with Maggie.

2006-08-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

The Farmer's Market is organized by an energetic group of people who live in Warren, IN. Although Warren is a teeny-tinsey little town, it also boasts the the very popular Pulse Opera House (www.pulseoperahouse.org), the enjoyable Salamonie Summer Festival, the lively Labor Day Tractor Pull, and a well-attended Fall Arts Festival.