Thursday, February 26, 2004
As requested ....
I've been asked to put in a closeup of the cyclamen to show stitching detail. As I'm still in the throes of the camera versus computer saga, I've only been able to crop a piece of the photo that's already on this infernal machine. I can see it clearly, but then again, I know what I'm looking at! :))
For those of you who want to know that sort of thing, I mostly use DMC threads, although I also use the House of Embroidery range (South African) of hand dyed variegated threads. Then there's the boxes of 'odd' threads that I've collected from jumble sales, or been given, or acquired on my travels, which mostly have lost their labels so are a complete mystery! Then there's the wool, string, raffia and anything else that comes to hand to create the effect I want. I have no idea how many boxes of threads I have, but can very safely say I'm a threadaholic!
This was all done with DMC threads. The leaves and petals are worked in long and short stitch, then the petals are mounted through a wooden bead covered in raised stem stitch. The sepals are detached woven picots. The stamens are wire that has been painted. The stems are wire covered in thread. The buds are also wooden beads covered in thread.
Moo
For those of you who want to know that sort of thing, I mostly use DMC threads, although I also use the House of Embroidery range (South African) of hand dyed variegated threads. Then there's the boxes of 'odd' threads that I've collected from jumble sales, or been given, or acquired on my travels, which mostly have lost their labels so are a complete mystery! Then there's the wool, string, raffia and anything else that comes to hand to create the effect I want. I have no idea how many boxes of threads I have, but can very safely say I'm a threadaholic!
This was all done with DMC threads. The leaves and petals are worked in long and short stitch, then the petals are mounted through a wooden bead covered in raised stem stitch. The sepals are detached woven picots. The stamens are wire that has been painted. The stems are wire covered in thread. The buds are also wooden beads covered in thread.
Moo
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Plants, plans and footie .....
I've been trying to source a persplex or glass dome for my cyclamen plant, so I can display it, after all having spent about seven months working on it, I want it to be seen! ;) Not had any luck at all, so it's carefully packed away so it doesn't get dusty and drab in the meantime.
This was an experiment, an 'I wonder if I can ....' that I'm so fond of doing. The inspiration came from a picture in a book of sugar flowers.
I want to do an orchid as well. I've just indulged myself (I've hummed and hawed for years over these) and bought one of those bowls that you can do embroidery on the lid and think it would look great on that. It's a lovely elm wood, with a stunning grain.
My mum, who has made some amazing things in sugar, has sent me tracings of her cutters so I have the petal shapes to work on. Which reminds me, I must dig out the South African flowers UFO that I designed and finish that! The slips are all finished, it's the background that needs finishing so I got bored with it ........... I'm terrible like that, once I know something's going to work, I tend to lose interest in it. Then there's the embroidery to start so I can use up the little clay plant pots I made!!
A friend sent this, wish it was possible!
On the family front, I got thoroughly frozen today, but it was well worth it! Robert, (who after an initial resistance when I first came here, has decided that I'm not wicked at all and treats me like a mum,) was playing football and asked if I would come and watch them play at 1:00pm.
By then it was snowing, but I dutifully trekked down to the school to be told that it actually started at 1:30! I hung around watching them warm up .... they looked really smart in their strips ....... and once the other team arrived it was game on. The other team were quite strong, but our boys did a good job of holding them off and in one of the brief forays into their half, managed to score the only goal in the first half. I and the other mothers had no idea who actually scored it (turned out to be wee David) but we went mad with excitement!!
The second half was even more exciting, they equalized, then scored again, we equalized, then they scored, we equalized again and then just before the final whistle blew, wee David shot in another cracker to win the game for us and Man of the Match for him!
I came home frozen and hoarse and when my conquering hero came home, we (Robert, David and I) went through the match blow by blow, which was just as much fun. I also got a big kiss on the cheek, with "That's for being there today" which made me very, very happy and goes a long way to making everything worthwhile!
Moo
This was an experiment, an 'I wonder if I can ....' that I'm so fond of doing. The inspiration came from a picture in a book of sugar flowers.
I want to do an orchid as well. I've just indulged myself (I've hummed and hawed for years over these) and bought one of those bowls that you can do embroidery on the lid and think it would look great on that. It's a lovely elm wood, with a stunning grain.
My mum, who has made some amazing things in sugar, has sent me tracings of her cutters so I have the petal shapes to work on. Which reminds me, I must dig out the South African flowers UFO that I designed and finish that! The slips are all finished, it's the background that needs finishing so I got bored with it ........... I'm terrible like that, once I know something's going to work, I tend to lose interest in it. Then there's the embroidery to start so I can use up the little clay plant pots I made!!
A friend sent this, wish it was possible!
On the family front, I got thoroughly frozen today, but it was well worth it! Robert, (who after an initial resistance when I first came here, has decided that I'm not wicked at all and treats me like a mum,) was playing football and asked if I would come and watch them play at 1:00pm.
By then it was snowing, but I dutifully trekked down to the school to be told that it actually started at 1:30! I hung around watching them warm up .... they looked really smart in their strips ....... and once the other team arrived it was game on. The other team were quite strong, but our boys did a good job of holding them off and in one of the brief forays into their half, managed to score the only goal in the first half. I and the other mothers had no idea who actually scored it (turned out to be wee David) but we went mad with excitement!!
The second half was even more exciting, they equalized, then scored again, we equalized, then they scored, we equalized again and then just before the final whistle blew, wee David shot in another cracker to win the game for us and Man of the Match for him!
I came home frozen and hoarse and when my conquering hero came home, we (Robert, David and I) went through the match blow by blow, which was just as much fun. I also got a big kiss on the cheek, with "That's for being there today" which made me very, very happy and goes a long way to making everything worthwhile!
Moo
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
GRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......
I don't know about Wicked Stepmother, anyone would think I was Cruela de Vil!! (Actually that's not a bad idea, although I'll have a 'kid'skin coat, not a Dalmatian one!)
It was wee Garys 10th birthday yesterday, so he loved me. Told me so about half a dozen times before he went off to bed. Now today he hates me again, (cos he was told off for not coming in for dinner) I'm not his mother and I can't tell him what to do! As that song has reached its sell by date, I finally told him that I didn't care how he felt, but as I was an adult and this was my home too, he jolly well would listen to me and do as he was told, or he'd be the one who'd come off second best.
Then, I remembered the adage, "Don't argue with fools, they drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!" Applies to kids too, cos I could see everything I was saying going straight over his head, while he sat there with a very patient, long-suffering smirk on his face. There's times I could really just give in and indulge in a bout of old-fashioned 'six of the best' and then just take the consequences.
My three girls were SO much easier!!
I've been having trouble (over the last week) trying to upload my photos from my digital camera. I presume our new anti-viral doodat with all the bells and whistles is responsible for it being 'disabled'. (Gary (DB) found a new bit under programmes labelled 'Disabled Startup Items' yesterday, which kind of explains why it wasn't transfering anything.) So, I uninstalled it and reinstalled it, having to restart this infernal machine each time, so it could do whatever it does. Won't run. So I uninstalled again, disabled anti-viral doodat, reinstalled, restarted and tried again, won't run. So much for geekdom, my knowledge is exhausted!
I might just take out all my frustrations on this inanimate object .... at least I won't get locked up or fined for it!!
Somebody suggested needlelace for the middle of the seahorse. Made me wonder if bobbin lace would work. Just have to dig out a pillow and bobbins and experiment!
Last night, cos I didn't have any stitching to do, (well....... to be honest that I really felt like, I have 2 WIPs and numerous UFOs I could do) I started packing strawberry kits. Mindlessly counting out 15 little beads becomes strangely therapeutic!
Moo
It was wee Garys 10th birthday yesterday, so he loved me. Told me so about half a dozen times before he went off to bed. Now today he hates me again, (cos he was told off for not coming in for dinner) I'm not his mother and I can't tell him what to do! As that song has reached its sell by date, I finally told him that I didn't care how he felt, but as I was an adult and this was my home too, he jolly well would listen to me and do as he was told, or he'd be the one who'd come off second best.
Then, I remembered the adage, "Don't argue with fools, they drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!" Applies to kids too, cos I could see everything I was saying going straight over his head, while he sat there with a very patient, long-suffering smirk on his face. There's times I could really just give in and indulge in a bout of old-fashioned 'six of the best' and then just take the consequences.
My three girls were SO much easier!!
I've been having trouble (over the last week) trying to upload my photos from my digital camera. I presume our new anti-viral doodat with all the bells and whistles is responsible for it being 'disabled'. (Gary (DB) found a new bit under programmes labelled 'Disabled Startup Items' yesterday, which kind of explains why it wasn't transfering anything.) So, I uninstalled it and reinstalled it, having to restart this infernal machine each time, so it could do whatever it does. Won't run. So I uninstalled again, disabled anti-viral doodat, reinstalled, restarted and tried again, won't run. So much for geekdom, my knowledge is exhausted!
I might just take out all my frustrations on this inanimate object .... at least I won't get locked up or fined for it!!
Somebody suggested needlelace for the middle of the seahorse. Made me wonder if bobbin lace would work. Just have to dig out a pillow and bobbins and experiment!
Last night, cos I didn't have any stitching to do, (well....... to be honest that I really felt like, I have 2 WIPs and numerous UFOs I could do) I started packing strawberry kits. Mindlessly counting out 15 little beads becomes strangely therapeutic!
Moo
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Feeling Furry
The children seem to have been particularily trying this evening, I'm very glad it's almost bedtime!:o)) Nobody managed to drown themselves having a bath, but they seem to have been trying hard. I don't even want to see what the bathroom looks like!
A friend sent the address of this quiz and the result seemed particularily appropriate!
No stitching today, I've been cutting out felt strawberries. I've been asked to teach "stumpwork" at our local guild and as it covers a wide variety of mostly time consuming stitching not suited to workshops, I decided that at least the strawberry, which is fairly easy and quick to make, can be used as a scissor fob or something.
The jap outlining of the sea horse is very time consuming, but makes a world of difference. Makes it look neater and 'finished'.
Moo
A friend sent the address of this quiz and the result seemed particularily appropriate!
You're The Hobbit!
by J.R.R. Tolkien
All you wanted was a nice cup of tea when some haggard crazy old man
came into your life and told you it was time to do something with yourself. Now you're
all conflicted about whether to stick with your stay-at-home lifestyle or follow this
crazy person into the wild. While you're very short and a little furry, you seem to be
surrounded by an even greater quantity of short folks lately. Try not to lose your ring,
but keep its value in perspective!
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.
No stitching today, I've been cutting out felt strawberries. I've been asked to teach "stumpwork" at our local guild and as it covers a wide variety of mostly time consuming stitching not suited to workshops, I decided that at least the strawberry, which is fairly easy and quick to make, can be used as a scissor fob or something.
The jap outlining of the sea horse is very time consuming, but makes a world of difference. Makes it look neater and 'finished'.
Moo
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Fishing?
I have used some strange things in the past in my embroidery to achieve the desired effect, but this is the first time I have gone to a sports shop to buy thread!
Unfortunately the explanation isn't as exotic as you might think. I was given some Jap to outline my seahorse with and told to use the thread that flyfishermen use to tie their flies to couch it down. I didn't get to explore the shop properly, but it looks like there could be some very interesting, useful things in there!
Still cogitating on what to do in the middle. Will start the couching and do the side fin meanwhile. Inspiration better hit soon!
Moo
Unfortunately the explanation isn't as exotic as you might think. I was given some Jap to outline my seahorse with and told to use the thread that flyfishermen use to tie their flies to couch it down. I didn't get to explore the shop properly, but it looks like there could be some very interesting, useful things in there!
Still cogitating on what to do in the middle. Will start the couching and do the side fin meanwhile. Inspiration better hit soon!
Moo
Friday, February 20, 2004
Shattered!
Brains turned to mush! I haven't managed to put an (embroidery) stitch into anything for the last couple of days, mending doesn't count!
Did my bit for charity and familial relations today. My 'm-i-l' works in a charity shop on Fridays and my eldest 'b-i-l' Norry suggested I go and help her, to get me out of the house and also to give us a chance to get to know each other. Seems to be working on both counts and "there's none so weird as folks" to keep you amused as they haggle over 50p!
Youngest has a bee in his bonnet, so I'm 'persona non grata' in his life, again. He'll come round as soon as he wants something, males of all ages are so predictable!
Moo
Did my bit for charity and familial relations today. My 'm-i-l' works in a charity shop on Fridays and my eldest 'b-i-l' Norry suggested I go and help her, to get me out of the house and also to give us a chance to get to know each other. Seems to be working on both counts and "there's none so weird as folks" to keep you amused as they haggle over 50p!
Youngest has a bee in his bonnet, so I'm 'persona non grata' in his life, again. He'll come round as soon as he wants something, males of all ages are so predictable!
Moo
Thursday, February 19, 2004
My name is Liza and I live in Glasgow, Scotland. I moved here two years ago (from South Africa) to live with my partner Gary and become 'step-mum' to 5 children between the ages of 10 and 15. I frequently have reason to believe I am losing my sanity!
I love Stumpwork and raised/surface/freestyle embroidery and do a lot of "I wonder if ......" type experimenting with material and thread. Embroidery restores my inner peace.
I was a seamstress in my previous life and have turned my hand to most crafts over the years.
I love Stumpwork and raised/surface/freestyle embroidery and do a lot of "I wonder if ......" type experimenting with material and thread. Embroidery restores my inner peace.
I was a seamstress in my previous life and have turned my hand to most crafts over the years.
