Jul 22, 2012

Olde Santas, Eunice, and a decision

Hello friends.  Another not so great weekend so my progress on Eunice isn't as much as I would like. About all I can do today is stitch so I'm hoping to complete another two rows of the slow rice stitch.   I'm so frustrated with not being able to locate items, and the mess I have with craft stash that contributes to it.  So I'm donating many items to the local pre-schools and nursing homes.  Lots of Mom's knick knacks were taken to the homes since they can give them as prizes for bingo, and some of my craft kits were accepted too.  In the past I've also taken various items to local flea markets and asked vendors if they wanted them to sell.  I better warn you, this is kind of a useless post.  Here we go.
 My decision is that I'm giving up painting.  Making a decision feels good, making more will feel great, and I plan to continue.  The shaker boxes left over will be used for pincushion or stitched tops.  Wooden heart boxes will be crackled and all others will be donated.  I have small and medium gourds that will be used for display or garland, no more Santa gourds either.  So these photos of two boxes are all that's left, since I only kept these two small gourds and didn't photograph my works.  I didn't expect them to sell so well and should have kept a journal of designs.  A big seller was a  large gourd of him in long underwear and suspenders with a cup of coffee.  Formal Santa wore a red sport coat with tie and wedding ring.  Others had a stethoscope and clipboard for a doctor, and camo boots with a license on his back for an outdoorsman.  I enjoyed creating him in different styles and I have some sadness but it's time to empty these cupboards of paints, supplies, and items I am not using.


 

Even though they took forever to do, since I've had no training or proper supplies, they were both fun and frustrating to paint.  Goodbye Santa!  I'll see you in stitches!
Wouldn't these little ring boxes make cute thimble boxes?  I also have two basket kits from 25 years ago!  They should be complete, I will never use them, so out they go.
 
 And here's my new pincushion along with an old coverlet piece pillow that I found for little $$$ yesterday.

  Back to stitching.  I bought this pattern years ago from Fanci That and get a chuckle every time I look at her.  This is Stella's Brooms n Brellas and Mom was named Stella.  I was looking through some Santa charts and think this may be my next one.






This series of charts from the 80's are all adopted from antique post cards.  They range from 39 to 63 stitches wide, and 85 to 97 high.  I put them on EBay a while back and no one bid so I decided to keep them mainly because of their detail and small size. 
Wouldn't they make great ornaments for a feather tree?  As you know, I have plenty of trees, so these 14 would be perfect for a postcard Santa tree.  Fourteen????  Maybe not.  I'll be in that home getting a knick knack for a bingo win before those are completed.  I have a few more things to show but that's way too much already. 
So I will close with a thank you to everyone who commented on the needle cards.  I'm glad you liked them and it gave you an idea for displaying your collections.  One more photo - this is the wall in my sewing room and I love how they look.

 Thank you again for staying to the end of a kind of useless post, but I was up all night so please excuse the mishmash.
Have a great week!  Thank you for visiting.
****************

20 comments:

Primitive Stars said...

Hello Marly, stitching is coming along, great job so far. Love the painting of Santa on the gourd, you are gifted. Really like the coverlet pillow and pin cushion,I enjoyed your post, Blessings Francine.

Judy said...

Your painting is beautiful, and even if you stop..you will always have that talent to pick back up if you choose. Your stitching is equally as beautiful...at least you are not giving that up! It is nice to give things up and clean out. Enjoy!

Judy, heartland stitcher

Mouse said...

If you feel happy about that decision then it is the right one :)
you will always have the talent to do again if you feel in the right frame of mind :)
well done on clearing some stuff out as well that will help too :)
enjoy your stitching :) love mouse xxxx

Margaret said...

Wow, Marly! You are one talented lady. Your painting is amazing! Wow! I really love that blue Santa gourd in particular. But they're all amazing. I think giving up painting is the right thing to do if you feel good about it. I do love the Santas you have lined up to stitch.

Barb said...

I hope that making your decision clears your mind, I know it does mine!!Love the Santas. You are an amazing painter! The gourds are beautiful!

Glenna said...

I agree with the commenter who said that you are a gifted painter--you are! We've been winnowing our own household collections, and I am getting rid of a bunch of the knitting yarn I collected, facing that I'd always always prefer to stitch, and there just isn't time for my halting knitting. It's a little scary, since I remember how excited I was to collect the yarn and the patterns--but it's so freeing to have the space and not be ruled by the clutter. Love the PS Santas--wow--haven't seen that particular set of them before.

The Eveningstitcher said...

Beautiful painting, Marly...I used to paint also, but quit about 8 years ago. It felt good..got rid of all my stuff...still have some patterns by Donna Atkins from the 90's that I just can't seem to part with yet..but I will. I'm thinking of quitting cross stitching for the time being. It takes me so long to stitch a piece that it gets frustrating for me. I think I would just rather buy finished pieces from other stitchers! I'll go back to rug hooking and making penny rugs.

Shirlee said...

Not a useless post at all! Never a useless post from you! I applaud your decision to never paint again. I had such fun painting years ago & still have all my supplies, my brushes, my patterns, & even a high priced scroll saw still in the box that I bought when we moved here thinking I'd start painting again. I truly don't see it happening but it's so hard to make that decision to really put an end to it. It's the same with my bobbin lace supplies. I have tons ... thousands of dollars worth ... & I loved doing it at the time but I really can't see myself doing it again yet it's so hard to put an end to it forever. Sigh! Again, I applaud you. Perhaps your decision will inspire me to take my life by the collar & give it a good shake.

Ann said...

You've done some lovely painting in the past (especially with no training)! Decluttering things sometimes can be a relief!
Pitty I wasn't around on Ebay frequently, because I would've bid on those olde Santa's ... really like them and I think they'll look lovely as ornaments on a Christmas tree!
Have a nice day!
Ann

Chris said...

Wow! Your painting is amazing. Congratulations on making a decision on giving up the painting supplies since that is not something that you are doing right now. I hope that it will clear some space and help you organize. I need to do some of that.
Miss Eunice looks wonderful.
Have a great week!

Vickie said...

Wow! You rarely show us your painted items, but I am so glad when you do! What a God given gift you have!
Eunice looks great.

Siobhán said...

Your painting is beautiful! You're a woman of many talents. ;) I know it's hard to give up stuff but I know how you feel... sometimes having the things around is just too overwhelming. I did that with scrapbooking and a few other things. Some day I'd like to get back to it but it feels good to not have it hanging over my head, so to speak.

Lanie said...

Hi Marly, first let me say your "Eunice" is looking lovely! I know those rice stitches take a long, long time; but I love the results!

Aren't we all full of good intentions of "someday" doing this or that or "someday" getting back to something we once loved to do. In the meantime, we clutter our lives with "good intentions". Kudos to you for being realistic. That's something I'm trying to work on!

And just fyi ... your posts are never "useless" to me ... I always find them entertaining and inspiring!

Have a great week!

Melissa said...

Gosh, I'm sorry to hear you are giving up on your painting (at least for now). You are very talented and I hope one day you will come by to it. I can understand though perhaps there's too much going on and you want to focus. I do the same thing!

It feels lighter when you've cleared space in your life to do what you really want to do...at least for now! ;-)

Penny said...

Eunice is looking wonderful! And what a talented painter! I'm frustrated frequently, trying to find things I know I have in this mess that is my stitching stuff! I know I need to pare down, but knowing and bringing myself to do it are two different things. I admire your ability to make your decision! And I've never read a useless post from you yet - I always enjoy my visit! :)

Susan At Glen Oaks Primitives said...

You gave me an awesome idea for displaying my old and fragile needle books.
Thanks!!
Eunice is looking pretty.
It's too bad you aren't going to paint anymore, but I can understand your decision.
Hugs,
Susan

TheCrankyCrow said...

I am somewhat hesitant to comment on this particular post - because, if I were able to articulate even halfway effectively how wonderful your paintings are, it would not make you feel any better about your decision to hang up the brushes. They truly are amazing, Marly! But if there is good to be had of this decision of yours, it has prompted me to get rid of my painting stash (that is, when I can again get at it). I know I will never paint again - I truly didn't enjoy it that much when I did it....but like everything I do, I do it full board and to excess. The paints will need to be disposed of, I'm sure - but brushes upon brushes (and good ones), palettes, brush cases, transfer paper....argh....I don't even know where to begin.

Anyways....love your new treasures! That pinkeep is so sweet! And I adore your needle case displays! I have a few and never came up with an effective way of displaying them other than tossing them in that proverbial bowl.....So clever you are my friend! Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin

Kaisievic said...

Hi Marly, this was a great post. I so enjoyed reading it. Your painting is truly wonderful but it does feel so good to clear some space, doesn't it? Love all the santas that you are planning to stitch. Have fun!

Carol said...

I am in awe of your painting skills, Marly. You were blessed with a great natural talent (one which obviously skipped me as I can't even draw a single recognizable thing--well maybe a flower or a sun!!).

That little pincushion is adorable and your line up of Santas is one I look forward to seeing all stitched up. I have many of the same charts, but have only stitched the blue PS Santa with the moon in the front row. I really need to do more next year!

Charlene ♥ NC said...

It sounds as if it could be too late, but what is your ebay selling name?

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