Strawberry case

Early in the winter season is the time of the year that I take some time to work on some of the things that I  have wanted to stitch.  It is after the national seminar and before I have to submit projects for the next year.  
I started this piece in 2004 and finally got it stitched and finished. It is by a dear friend Diane Clements. Originally I was going to do something else instead of the reticella strawberry but Diane talked me into doing it like the pattern. Reticella is one of my least favorite forms of needlework but I do love the way that it looks when it is finished.

I love the way that it turned out. I did make one little change. The sides of the pin cushion were bargello but I wanted more strawberries so I designed a blackwork design of strawberries in red for the sides.

Blackwork

This has been quite the summer of travel. Some of it for pleasure but most of it for teaching. In the space of 6 weeks I was in San Diego, Orlando, River Valley - Conn and Santa Fe.  I met some wonderful people and had a great time, but now I am home for the winter.


I have been able to stitch some new pieces. I have always wanted to stitch an adaptation of one of James Christensen's paintings and did so for a lecture on Designing for One Color. It is one of the angels of Faith, Hope and Charity. I choose to do Faith in blackwork. It enjoyed doing it and will stitch a multi-color one that is inspired by his work but for now I have this one. She ended up being framed in a wonderful, big gold frame so she looks like an old master.

 

I just finished stitching a challenge piece that the Swan Sampler Guild started. The flower patterns are free and from the Workbasket. I did both of them in lavender-blue on 40 count linen, added a book spine, and then made a sewing book. The closure is one of my antique  bone stilettos. I added old ivory pieces as a measure and thread winder.

Here are two views of the inside and the closure.

Soft Shading

I have been working on a new emboidery for a lecture and work has been going slowly - too many distractions at home. We went to the cabin last week for a few days and I was able to get so much done that I finished it today.
The wildlife also were enjoying the weather there also. It was warm and the rain felt wonderful.
I have never seen as many hummingbirds as there were this time. They swarmed  the feeders. It was so much fun to see.

Later a cow moose wandered through with her twin calves.

Updates and quilts

The past two months have been eventful to say the least. Jim retired, we drove to Arizona to visit family. It was fun to see everyone and do some shopping. I am not much of a shopper usually, but when we are traveling I can do lots of it. The spring flowers are nearly over but it sure was beautiful while it lasted. I love the first flowers of the year more than any others.

Two weeks ago we went to see the Dr because his ( the DH not the Dr) hip had been hurting and last week he had total hip replacement and is on the way to a full recovery.
Life just keeps keeping on...
I did get some fun things done between all of the stuff. I finished the quilt top that I had been working on. It is fun and bright and has lots of yellow in it.

Now I am busy with the next quilt. It will be blue and white and really striking.

Rachel and retirement

My husband retired last week. It is still too new to really know how it is going to work out with my teaching and designing but anytime things change there is a period of adjustment.  He brought home all the personal things from his office and I found this photo of Rachel when she was somewhere between 2 and 3. I thought it was so precious that I wanted to share it with you. The other photo is of the 4 grandchildren about a year ago. Some how your heart is never the same when those little people come into your life.

Blackwork wall

My two oldest darling daughters, who have been staying with us to save some money, have moved out.
They were able to buy a house a couple of months ago and so I now have my dining room back (one of them used the dining room as her bedroom).  I miss them but am so pleased for them.
As I was putting things back into the room I decided to change the picture that had been on one of the walls for years. There are a number of my original embroidered pieces that have had no where to be hung so they are stored behind the chair in my bedroom. I thought it might be fun to take some of them and hang them on the wall. Here is the new grouping for the dining room. It is fun to see how my stitching has evolved over the years.