Adam and Eve and others, too

Dear friends!

     It is a beautiful, blustery day here in SE Michigan!  We've had quite the rainy, cool weekend with a short, but turbulent storm last night.  The Detroit Grand Prix is running today on Detroit's beautiful Belle Isle.  I had the day off on Friday, and Rob took the day off as well so we could go down there and check out the practice session.  I myself am not a big race fan, of any type, but Rob loves Formula 1 first and Indy cars so I trekked down there with him.   It was rainy and a little cool but we had a fun day, in spite of the weather.  Heck, I even got interviewed for the Detroit News (got a one line quote in the paper) but thankfully no picture 'cause trust me, I looked like a drowned rat.  Anyway, if you're a race fan, here are a couple of pics.  If not, scroll on down.

Here are a couple of shots of driver James Hinchcliffe - he's a cutie!  You can see the rain coming down and in the second picture, he had just finished giving me a thumbs up; but being the poor photographer that I am, I missed it.

This is Marco Andretti - we saw both him and Mario but my shot of Mario is blurry blurrier.  Marco wasn't as friendly as James....

Finally, this sign at the track says it all:

Now, back to your regularly scheduled blog material.  You may know that I'm working on a SAL with Marilyn and Faye.

It is coming along but I have to tell you - those gals are fast stitchers!  I have accomplished quite a bit, I think, but they are also working on other projects at the same time!  I don't know how they get so much done!  Not me.  One project at a time, for the most part, is all I can handle.  Please go check out their blogs to see not only their progress, but their other beautiful works as well.

Here's my progress as of this morning:

Pics are clickable.

This is from Cross Stitch and Needlework Magazine, May 2009.

Worked on 36 Ct, Magnolia by Lakeside Linens.

I think all the color variations, lack of punctuation, and split words, in the over one verse make it hard to read.

It says this:

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

Gen III 6

I am really enjoying working on this sampler.

To close out this boring blog post, I thought I'd show you another vintage find.

I found these at a lovely antique store and, because one of them had a spot on it (I was able to get it out), I got the pair for $7.  Aren't they great!?  The little doll belonged to my Mom and I begged her to let me keep her for a little while (wink, wink).

Beautiful redwork embroidery pillow covers.

"I slept and dreamed that life was beauty"

"I woke and learned that life was duty"

I hope your life is more beautiful than dutiful and I thank you for visiting and leaving me such wonderful notes - you certainly help to make my life beautiful!

Have a wonderful week ahead.

Be well,

Peace!

Terri

A day Late and a Little Short!

I am a day late in posting my SAL progress with FAYE and MARILYN  and a few days behind in stitching!  

I went to my friend Julie's house on Friday to help her with some graduation party decorations.  

Silly me, I thought I might get a little time to stitch that evening, but I did not and when I left her house, I left my stitching, too.  Julie lives about an hours drive from my house so I didn't want to drive all the way over there just to pick it up.   She brought it to work today so hence, the late posting and little stitching progress.  

I am SURE that if I'd had it this weekend, my progress would be much more impressive!  

Rather than gardening, I would have stitched a BUNCH on Saturday and Sunday.  

YOU KNOW I WOULD!!

Anyway... this is called the Adam and Eve Reproduction Sampler from the May 2009 Cross Stitch and Needlework Magazine.  I am stitching it on 36 count, Lakeside Magnolia with a conversion of threads.

This is where I left off on Friday afternoon:  

The over one on 36 count is not my favorite but I love how over one looks when done.  

I'm also not crazy about the constant color changes in the words but I'm not going to change it at this point.  Over one on 36 count is not my idea of fun stitching.

In other exciting news..... Matt turned 21 in early May and here's a pic of he and Rob enjoying his

first beer.   

Okay, you and I both know it's not his first beer but it was his first legal beer, with his dad.

Matt was born right around Mother's Day and it's always a special treat when his b-day falls on Mother's Day.   It didn't this year, but both days were extra special because of him turning 21.  Amazing.  Not amazing that he's 21.  Amazing that I'M 21 years older.  

Golly.  That makes me.... oh, never mind that.  

Focus, Terri, Focus.  It's about Matt, not you!

Geesh... conversations with myself in writing.  Wonder what that means?

Anyway, Matt is a great kid and he is considerate and kind and smart and I love him dearly.  

I got beautiful tulips for my Mother's Day flowers and when they opened up, this is what they looked like.  The light was coming thru the window the next morning and I thought the flower looked so pretty.   I love how they looked in my Desert Rose water pitcher.  

The colors were perfect!

And finally, I found this little sewing table at a recent estate sale.  

They had marked it $75.  Always having been a bargain shopper, I asked if they'd take something less.  The lady working the checkout area said she'd "let it go" for $55.  Not quite a good enough bargain for me.  I asked if things would be 1/2 price the next day and she said they would so I told her I'd just come back tomorrow and take my chances.  As I was checking out with a $3 purchase, I asked if they'd hold the table for me tomorrow if it didn't sell that day.  Another worker overheard me and said, "Oh, for gosh sakes, give it to her for 1/2 price."  

She did!  So, I got the table for $37.50 when not more than 10 minutes prior, I was asked to pay $55!  So glad I didn't take her $55 offer!  As you can see, it needs a little work but that's okay!  

It's a darling table and I'm tickled with it.    Being a Leo, I LOVE the lion head pulls!  

What do you think?  Worth $37.50?

I am behind in answering some emails but I will get to it.  I am super busy at work this week and will catch up when I can, in the evenings.

Thank you so much for coming by and for your kind notes!  They make my finding time to blog worthwhile and I appreciate them a great deal!

Have a wonderful week, I'll see you again in two unless something earth shattering happens. 

Be well,

Peace!

Terri 

Stitching Along and Other Tidbits, too!

Good evening, friends!

     Today is the day!  

This is the day that Marilyn, Faye and I are supposed to post our SAL progress.

Be sure to check their beautiful blogs to see their progress!  

As you can see, my progress is somewhat minimal.   

Honestly, I have frogged more than I've gotten acceptably stitched.  

I'm not kidding.  

First, I stitched the darker green part of the border going across.:

 I got almost to the end and, "Uh-oh!", not enough fabric.  So, rather than frog (rippit-rippit), I flipped the fabric end to end and started over, but not until I had done a grid line to make sure I had it right this time (pics are clickable).  

Geesh!

Then, I stitched about 2 of the strawberries with the light pink color I had converted.  Blech!  It didn't show up AT ALL.  

So, I frogged those and began again with another color which I thought looked okay and then decided it also looked BLECH, so I frogged EVERY SINGLE STRAWBERRY you see stitched.  

Okay, it was only the lightest pink color I had to frog, but still... GRRRR!  

THEN, I re-stitched all the strawberry tops in the pale pink color you see now.  

It's staying. 

We are not even going to discuss the over one verse!  Seriously, I've frogged every stitch that you see, at least once.  

Basically, I have stitched every part that is now complete at least twice, in some cases three times.  

What is wrong with me?

Don't answer that!

Anyway, this is my progress to date:

I hope that progress will pick up now that I finished the SB Eve's Garden Sampler (one project at a time, for the most part)!

I'm also really hoping that the frogs, which way overstayed their welcome, have moved on.  I hope they don't come to your house but that they go out in the yard and eat some bugs and flies. 

I picked up Mary Gibson from Jo-Ann's today.

This is one big sampler and I'm not sure where I'm going to hang her yet, 

but I'll find a spot.

I was worried after I had picked out the frame that I wouldn't like it but I think it works.  The sampler is BIG so I wanted the moulding to be big, as well.  

The black and red in the frame work well with the sampler.  

I think.  I hope.

Finally, I was looking out into the backyard the other day and I spotted a baby (I think) cardinal and a baby robin, both splashing around in the bird bath together!

Unfortunately, by the time I found my camera, the cardinal had flown away.  

The robin hung out for a while though so I did get some shots of him 

splishin' and a splashin'!

  A few minutes after the robin finished his little bath the cardinal came back.  

I guess they must have decided they didn't like bathing together.

 I'm sure it's my glittery and sparkly wind chime that drew them in!

Thank you all so much for the supportive and sweet comments on my SB finish and my bitch session!

It would appear that I am not alone in my opinions.

Thank you so much for visiting and for being so generous in your comments!  

Welcome to my new friends.  I'm glad you're here and hope you'll come back, soon!

Have a wonderful week, dear friends!

Life has been a roller coaster lately but then, it always is...

Be well,

Peace!

Terri

Eve's Garden by Shepherd's Bush

pics are clickable

Adam and Eve just couldn't be happier!  

They are now, having given way to temptation, living in Eve's Garden, beautifully clothed.  Well, Eve is beautifully clothed;  Adam, not so much!  

I love Eve's skirt - it looks like a fairy skirt, don't you think?  

I did, for the most part, enjoy stitching this piece, as I do all SB designs, but I have a few notes for you.:

Chart Alert:

There is a small error on the chart (I called the SB gals and let them know).  The strawberry at the very bottom was missing the two rows of red at its base, just below the "seeds".  If you stitch it the way it's charted, it's fine (meaning borders will meet up but your strawberry will look funky).  If you want the strawberry to look right, you need to add two rows of the pinky/red color at the base of the strawberry and then find a place to adjust your vine by two stitches (easy enough).  I also added the year in a the tan color, over one, which I really like.

Forewarned is forearmed!

Do as I say, not as I do:

I made a few mistakes (I ALWAYS DO) that I had to compensate for later.
~ I skipped too many rows (and nothing consistent) between bands.  Count your threads!
~ I used the wrong green in several places which means I ran out of one of the greens before I should have.  Watch your Symbols!
~ I had to make some additions to the design because of miscounting.  I added a pink flower to the bottom left of the border (looks kind of like a heart) and another to the bottom right (the little yellow and black flower) to compensate for my inability to count and the incorrectly charted strawberry.  Okay, the strawberry didn't cause that much of a problem but I'm not going to take all the blame!  I also added the year, over one, to fill some of that extra space created by my growing garden.

~ I removed the heart on the upper left corner because it just got totally lost on the fabric.

This was my initial "finish" before frogging the heart:  Poor picture, sorry....

When I looked at it, I just didn't like it.  Unless you are right on top of it, the sampler just looks like it has a lot of empty space at the top.  So... I added a pair of over one cherries and found a bee button from some forgotten project (don't think it was this one) and sewed that in the corner to fill it in.  Actually - I like it MUCH better.

Soapbox:

I've stitched quite a few SB patterns and generally really like them because the patterns are sweet, the fabrics and fibers are beautiful.

BUT, and this is a big, ole but.... 

I don't like that the symbols are all hand drawn - I know it's supposed to look "folksy" or more "handcrafted" but some of their symbols are difficult to read.  In this chart, three shades of green, which are very close in color, had almost the same symbol.  There are small dots for light green, medium dots for medium green and open circles for dark green.  Really?  My mind reads "dot" when looking at the symbols so I frequently grabbed the wrong "dot" meaning I used the wrong green.  AARGH!!!  You know, as I do, that if you frog silks they get yucky looking in no time so I just left the greens as I stitched them.  In the end, you can't really tell that much difference but it aggravates me.  SB charts are expensive (IMHO) and it wouldn't be that hard to make them easier to read.  There are a ton of symbols (how about a heart or anything but dots!) that can be used - why use various sizes of the SAME symbol?  AND, if that isn't bad enough, they often use a circle with a dot inside it that is hard to read or a small square that looks like a dot.  

Seriously - This makes me crazy!!  

Don't get me started about differentiating the colors of silks.....

Obviously, I still like their designs enough to buy and stitch them and I do like their diagrams of the specialty stitches but the charting and trying to figure out which fiber is which just aggravates the p-willies out of me!

Okay, that's enough bitching for one day.

A few parting shots just because it's so pretty!

 

 Remember that little wheel I found not too long ago?  This is what I turned it into.  I used some beads I had in my stash and some old skeleton keys.  I really like how it turned out although I wish I'd used more blues.  I may have to "fix" it, one of these days.

That's all I've got for today!  I'll be back Sunday with an update on the SAL with Marilyn and Faye.   I hope to get quite a bit done between now and Sunday's post.  I had to finish this SB piece before I could get started, too much.

Have a great rest of the week and thanks so much for all your sweet comments! 

Be well.

Peace,

Terri

Adam and Eve

Dear friends,

     I am so pleased to tell you that Eve has joined Adam in the garden of Paradise and I think she is as happy to see Adam, as he is to see her.  Although, like most women, she is more beguiling and significantly more subtle about her desires than Adam appears to be!  I think the sunlight is washing this out a little bit - the colors are pastelish but they're prettier than they look here.   That's okay, it's only a progress update, right?

Pics are clickable for a better look.

Here's a little close-up of the over one verse.  The white band between the two rows of letters gave me fits and I had to frog it twice (the first time was a complete row) before I got it to an acceptable level of stitching.  The first time I dropped down a thread in TWO different places, so the whole thing was wonky.  The next time, I jumped up a thread.  Aaargh!  The third time was just right, almost.  There are too many threads between the bottom of the band and the 2nd row of letters but I'm done with it. 

It is good enough.  

It's staying.

My next project is going to be with my friend Marilyn, in France.  You likely know her from her blog and if you don't, go visit her and tell her I sent you!

click here to visit Marilyns beautiful blog:

Marilyn's Blog

Anyway, we are going to be working on an Adam and Eve Reproduction Sampler from an old issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework Magazine.  

I did not care for the threads as charted so of course, I converted them to WDW and GAST.  

Marilyn liked my suggested conversion so we'll be using the same colors unless something just doesn't work with our fabric, then we'll make changes as we go.  I'm already not sure if the blueish color is blue enough so that may get changed.....

Once we are done,  we will post our floss conversion for you, if you're interested.

I am normally a one project at a time gal so I will be racing to finish the SB A&E while also working on this one.  I have wanted to do this A&E Repro for a while and am anxious to get started!  Tonight.

My fabric is 36 count, Lakeside Linen, Magnolia.  36 count may make the over one verses in the upper corners difficult but I'll give it a go.  

We will each be posting our progress every two weeks on Sundays but will work at our own pace.

Thank you for doing this along with me, Marilyn!

Fun Finds:

I want to show you a scale I found at a little resale shop last weekend.

Carrie is the owner of the store and it's called "Our Little Shop, Consignment and Resale Store" on Auburn Road.

She was really cute and fun to chat with and I found a few little things:

The Scale:

I will use it to display a portion of my tomato pincushion collection.  It's a great, light turquoise color and I love it.  I think it's porcelain over cast iron - it's heavy.

It was missing the counter weights but I'll improvise or will find some one of these days.

Isn't it cute?  LOVE the color!

I also love my tomato pincushions!  

I especially love it when I find them loaded with old pins or, like the one with the tape measure coming out of it, on the left of the scale bowl  

I got that at Carrie's shop, too.  Isn't it cute?

The tiny tin was a find at Carrie's shop, too.  It used to hold tape of some sort.

I will use it to hold a bobbin of thread, like the one pictured, to go in my sewing basket.

For those of you in this area, the shop is moving this summer.  It will be in a bright yellow house, on Auburn Road, just down from the Joe Dumar's Field House.

Go in for a visit.

The little doll with the tin is teeny-tiny (not quite 2" tall from head to toe)!  I found her a while back at an estate sale and she lives in my sewing basket.  Her face, hands and feet are not plastic but I'm not sure what material they are - porcelain, maybe?  

I love the lace detail on her little apron and dress.

This little crochet doll I found at an estate sale.  She hangs off the knob of my sewing basket lid and I've never seen another like her.    Her face is drawn or painted on and is wearing away a little bit.  

I wish my wrinkles and lines would fade like that, don't you!?

  Not sure what those pompoms for hands are supposed to be.  

Entertainment News:

Blog updated to say, oops!  I called Elvis' band the Pretenders, they are The Imposters!

 Rob and I went to Canada last night to see Elvis Costello and his band The Imposters in concert.  My son used to call him , Elvis Costellio when he was really little and we still do call him that.  Elvis put on a great show! He had a big wheel set up on stage and would bring people up from the audience to spin the wheel to determine the next song, or set of songs that the band would play.  Some were big hits - the others, more obscure (he's written TONS of songs). The folks that spun the wheel got to sit on stage at a little bar and would eventually dance in the go-go cage on the left side of the picture.

So fun!

Finally, here's a picture looking across the river from inside the casino in Windsor to Detroit - the grime on the pic is from the window....

Here's a quick drive by shot of the Canadian and British flags all standing at attention.

So pretty! 

We had a great time, eh!  

Oh, here's an interesting little bit of something:

The two couples sitting in our row, to our immediate left, were from our town.  

Not just the Detroit metro area but OUR little town.

I thought that was pretty unusual, given the size of the crowd and the fact that most of the crowd was Canadian.  

Small world.

Thank you to all of your for your lovely notes on my last post. 

I hope my little joke about Adam didn't offend anyone.  This really is a PG blog but truthfully, how many PG'ers do you think read stitching blogs?

I'm betting exactly zero!

Anyway, thanks so much for you comments and I'm so excited to see some new followers.  If you have a blog and I haven't visited you, please send me a note - I'd love to visit you.  Sometimes, between work and life, I get so busy that I don't even realize there may be an added follower for whom I've not visited.  I'd love to remedy that.  Let me know so I can thank you for following if you don't have a blog, or thank you and follow you back, if you do have a blog!

Either way, please, let me know!  

Blogging just wouldn't be fun without you and I want you to know how much I appreciate you stopping by!

Have a great week ahead.  I'll be chatting with you in two weeks, if not before.

I'm hoping Mary Gibson will be back from the framer in the next week and I can show you how she looks.  I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about the frame.  I think I may have picked wrong.  Time will tell.  This is the first time I've ever been nervous about my frame selection.

Keeping fingers crossed.

Be well,

Peace,

Terri

Makes You Wonder

Thank you all so very much for the overwhelming comments on Mary Gibson.  I can't believe how many of you took a minute to leave me a note and I am so appreciative.  

I also found some new stitching friends as a result, so for that I'm grateful as well!

I dropped Miss Mary off at the framer late last week and she will be happy to make an appearance again once she is completely outfitted.  

I was flattered to have my Mary featured on the Needleprint Blog yesterday which is where I first discovered her.  

What a thrill!  Thank you, Jacqueline!

After stitching Mary, I took a couple of days rest and then proceeded to work on Eve's Garden by Shepherd's Bush.  A complete change of pace, but a nice one.  This piece is really pretty with its very soft, pastel colors and gentle look.  I always think one thread over two on 32 count is going to look blah but somehow, 

these pieces always look wonderful. 

Don'tcha love the pink flower and cute sheep?

Pics are clickable.....

And, I don't know about you but I think Adam's oak leaf is disguising the fact that he is, uh-hum, very excited for Eve's arrival!

Makes You Wonder, doesn't it?

Eve should be making an appearance this weekend and lets be honest,

Adam is beside himself with excitement!

Moving on.....

I spotted this pine tree with cones just beginning to show themselves a couple of weeks ago.  

Aren't they a beautiful color?

And, because I love all things pink (and red) my sweet mother sent me these pretty pillow cases she found while she was out and about:

 I love the pretty pink, accented with red, flowers and that beautiful crocheted edge!

I'll put them on a bed but there better not be any heads actually resting on these!  Nope, these are just for lookin' pretty!

I doubt these were ever used because they are in pristine condition.  

I love 'em!

Thanks, Mom!

While visiting an out of town antique store not too long ago, I spotted this little beauty:

I didn't buy it (too pricey for me) but I thought it was really pretty. 

Frankly, I'd have put a prettier color of thread on it and it would have looked better but they didn't ask me to style their booth. 

I believe this type of machine was once mounted on a sewing table but don't quote me on that.  Two bills (for those not in the US, that means $200) was more than I was willing to part with to have another thing to dust.

What I did buy was this:

                                  

A small wheel that I will, one of these days, turn into a wind chime to hang in my garden.

I'm thinking that I'll string some pretty beads/crystals and add old silverware to make the chimes.

I have a vision in my head (no, I'm not hallucinating) and hope it will be as sweet as I envision.

That's it.  That's all I've got today.

Well, except for this:

Someone told me that she thought this blogging thing is all just a big 

"pat each other on the back" society.  

And it is, but it's bigger than that.  

Lets face it, in the world scheme of things, we're really a pretty small group and we should be encouraging and applauding each other.

I love seeing what you're working on and I love being inspired by the things you create.  

I am grateful for your visits, your comments, your creative and sharing spirit and your friendship.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Be well.

Peace,

Terri

Mary Gibson, 1824 Sampler

I finished Mary Gibson last night.  

On April Fool's Day. 

I put the last stitch in, gave it the once over and cut it off the scroll rods.

I thought I would brag share my completion with my two best stitching compadres:

Julie ~ our new guild president - congratulations Julie!

and Deb of the Threadgatherer blog!

 I snapped a picture with my iphone and sent it on its way.  

Pride goeth before the fall....

or

April Fools!

They texted me right back with their congratulations and then I looked at the picture I had sent them.  

Oops.

I had failed to stitch the vertical mullions on the house on the right on the two bottom windows.

D'oh!

So, a bit of frogging, a bit of re-stitching and now, I'm really calling her done.  

Oh, there are other mistakes.   

I know there are.

Some I know about and I'm sure there are others I've missed.

No.  I'm not going to point them all out. 

If you see them, keep it to yourself, okay?  ;-)

Mary Gibson, 1824 Sampler

36 count Lakeside Linen

Vintage Light Exemplar

stitched mainly in silks, one strand over 2 

 

Love the colors!

I love the houses!

 I always sign my reproduction samplers, even though it won't show once it's framed.

I also write my name and the date I finished it on the paper backing of the frame. 

I am really happy with how she turned out and I will take her to be framed later this week.

If you are interested; here is my conversion:

Note:  The birds beaks and legs were charted with pink floss but I changed them to orange which looked more like the original (at least on my monitor) and seemed to 

make sense.

For the A&E I used NPI 986 because they were charted to be pink and I wanted them to have a nice suntan.

Original, called for floss on the left, my conversion on the right:

DMC 3033, No Change

DMC 168 > Soie Cristale, #1081

DMC 310, No Change

DMC 315, No Change

DMC 317 > Soie Cristale #1071

DMC 601 > Soie Cristale # 2044

DMC 817 > Soie Cristale, #3041

DMC 961 > NPI #944 (Carnation Pink)

DMC 936 > NPI 356, (Grey Green)

DMC 934 > NPI #298 (Old English Range)

DMC 932 > Soie Cristale #7003

DMC 921 > NPI #626

DMC 3727 >Soie Cristale #2006

That's it.  Easy Peazy, Lemon Squeezy!

If you're interested in ordering this chart, you may get it 

by clicking here: Haslemare Museum in the UK:  

Have a wonderful week and thanks so much for stopping by!

Be well.

Peace,

Terri