MISSY!!!

I had to take Carole to an appointment this morning and I got two cats out, but Missy was no where to be found.  She is so bad and silent and she does not stay in the room with the boys.  Could not find her.  Did she sneak out with the others?  Did she not come in for breakfast?  Search the basement.  Search the upstairs.  Running around in a frenzy because now I will be late picking her up.  Hot flash begins and I stop, open the fridge for a cool blast, and as I turn.... I see the little devil.  She must have been looking at those charts on the sofa and hoping to give an opinion in her special ornery way.  My wrist is becoming more inflamed and probably infected so I do not need any more scratches.  Little does she know that those two are no longer in the running.  So there, you dirty pawed little brat.  GET OUT!!!

I have decided to force myself into a project but so far, have been dragging my feet.  Not only is Mary Spence and Elena Tratman still on a binge somewhere, Mary Elliot must have gone with them.   Sarah Harvey and Lillias Davidson are here but I don't have the wool for Lillias yet.  The longer I put this off the harder it will be.  Am I the only one that can actually lose sampler charts that are brand new and kept in one room?  So ridiculous.

 

Have a great day.  Neosporin and Advil for me.

 

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The sampler verse, wordy men, and poetastic fathers

Dummy me thought they were the words of the stitcher of years ago.  I don't study samplers, history, provenance, styles, and never will.  I just like them.  And I'm lazy.  So when I was reviewing the Rhode Island sized chart of Jane Ballard (and not understanding the flower stitches) I thought... hmmm.  I've stitched this verse before.  Yep.  Mary Oldfield.  Did a little online research to find "tell me ye knowing..." is on the samplers of Rebecca Cullin and her friends in addition to others. Then I found an excerpt from the book American Samplers which is a free read on Google.  Seems I wasn't the only one that thought this....

 

 

That last line says it all, and could have with fewer words.  To my dismay.

Based on his letter he was a wordy intelligent man and he was fooled too.  I don't feel as bad now about the sampler verse, but a little simple because I would have just said "hey, the verse is not their own words".  To my dismay.

 

Barbara sent me a few photos of her over one method which I never heard of, but she said is commonly used and taught in England.  Will be sharing that this week.  Might be something else you all know and no one shared with me.  To my dismay.

 

Rain rain rain.  To my dismay.

 

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Berry love

Even though pink is not a favorite color.  This is vintage pink hand dyed velvet from The Old Tattered Flag with the new cap.  Tomorrow I will make one in black and red, slightly different in size.  Couldn't wait to show it!!  I still like the wool caps too.

 

Snow

Snow snow snow.  All day.  Wonder how much we will get by day's end.  Good day for stitching isn't it?  I looked through charts and ended up pulling a few big girls.  Why?  I don't want to stitch and yet I'm considering very large projects.  Ann Spence and Elena Tratman must have been partying together because they are gone.  No where.  I spend more time making a mess than cleaning it up and my frustration got the best of me.  How can I lose two large charts?  Although large, the charts are well done and easy to follow which makes a huge difference to me.  I also pulled Jane Ballard, first the cellophane envelope ripped, then when I pulled the chart out I was disappointed.  I do not like charts printed on a single sheet of paper the size of Rhode Island.  So thick when folded that my magnets won't hold it on the Magma.  I usually make a working copy to color and make notes, Jane will be sixteen in all.  Right now I have Jane Ballard, Sarah Harvey, Mary Elliot, Margaret Logan, and the two party girls in the running which means....... I will end up with a little one.  Depends on the number of flashes but I usually change my mind right before threads are pulled.

 

Before the printer dies a third time I got May's box finished.  Another dark red, Liberty.  Using small samplers came out so much better than the countless hours of trying to manipulate large ones.  I look back at the first ones years ago and am disappointed that they weren't nicer.  But Now that I am pleased with results, everyone is boxed out!  So this will be the last set of the squares, starting May 1.

 

 

I was asked why I keep chocolate in the house since I am addicted.  It's because I have to know I can grab a piece during a chocolate emergency, and also to teach and test my willpower.  I need to learn that I can walk away and stay away from sweets.  I have a real problem, did with cigarettes and moved on to sweets.  Our local paper had an article today that 20% of local babies so far this year were born addicted.  I saw what these innocent babies go through their first months of life and the mothers who can't care for them and it kills me inside.  If you ever watch them wail and shake, you will never forget it.

 

The treadmill died which we knew was coming.  It would abruptly stop when the breaker blew even after a short distance and slow walk.  Mark took the motor apart and it needs new brushes (which are metal blocks but called brushes) and we will order them somewhere and start it up again.  I hate exercise and especially the noise of the treadmill, but I am so out of shape that it is necessary.  I used to follow Leslie Sansone for 45 minutes while holding weights and now I am lucky if I finish 15 with assistance!

 

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

 

Thanks for visiting.

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One excuse

for not stitching is this.  Budman nailed me.  It's much better, been almost a week.  This is the outside of my right wrist and any wrist movement at all was very painful so I had a good excuse to not stitch.  Now that I can move it some, I need to find another excuse or search for a chart.

 

Had several emails about berry tops and I have a few more items to show you that can be adapted.  Years ago, my sister made angel pins of all types and styles, I designed the display cards which all had a little verse and name for each angel.  We had lots of jewelry supply catalogs and you can easily find these items online.  The cap I showed last post was new to me and I found that in an online search.  The items we used for wings and backings and such were called filigree findings.  They are stamped from brass or metal, the brass more expensive but the soft metal can be manipulated to a degree.  The cheaper material cannot be bent without breaking.  The brass would also break if bent too much. To give you an idea, these are brass, large, and can be gently shaped to the berry top.  Not all will work, but they are 1 3/4" which is much larger than the largest of the bead caps.  Just make sure there is a little opening in the design to allow for shaping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someone said that Faye will also be selling tops, I don't know the size or anything but I'm sure you all follow her and will get an update.  So there are options out there under names that have nothing to do with berry tops.

 

Have a great weekend!

I'll be getting more snow.  Yippee ki yay.

 

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The berry cap

Hey.  How the hell are you?  We're cold and wet in PA, have been and will continue to be. 

 

I finally lost 3#.  It's a start.  The most important thing is - I didn't gain which I have been doing for some time.  There isn't ONE pair of spring pants or capris that fit me except for the stretchy Karen Scott that I showed a few posts back.  I must do something and am truly trying.  As for the chocolate, my heartburn has decreased with the reduction.  But the other day, there it was.  The basement door was open and the light was on.  My husband always leaves lights on wherever he's been but I ignored that fact.  To me, it was a sign, beckoning me to go down those stairs.  Door open, a guiding light to prevent another fall, it was fate.  I saw the light.  That light leads to where I keep the chocolate.  I thought making a trip up and down the stairs would deter me but over the years, I just wore out the carpeting.  It was a sign.  I went, I ate, I enjoyed, I took a Tums.

 

Now for the berry top.  Seems many of you have been looking for a metal top for fabric strawberries. 

Here's mine.  Very sturdy, no bending at all, lots of photos to give you an idea of size. 

I pinned it to the top of a wool berry that was finished with the calyx (or leaves) top so it looks a little odd but is about the right size.  They are not in stock but she will email me when she gets replenished, and I will post the source at that time.  I would still like to see a larger size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like the heft and the design.   This berry is a little over 3" long and thin.  The bell caps and bead caps I've seen are way too small, even for this size berry. 

 

So if anyone is interested, I will post as soon as they are available and you can order from her.

 

I still prefer topping my berries with chocolate.

 

 

Have a good one!!

 

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