Tuesday, January 29, 2013


needlepoint

needlepoint

needlepoint
Ok. So maybe it's a year later than I wanted it to be, but my gosh, I finished that needlepoint. I can't really believe I managed it, and find it even more unbelievable that I am feeling anxious to start another one.
The illustration is based off one I found on the website of Chris Silas Neal, but of course can't find again. I am not an illustrator, so I knew I was going to have to steal from someone else for this, but wasn't sure where to look. I browsed around a while, not really drawn to anything until I saw this, and I knew immediately it was the one. I really hope he doesn't mind.
needlepoint blocking
I was bouncing off the walls when I pulled the final stitches through, but when I stepped back to have a look at my work, my heart sank. The whole thing had gotten itself all stretched out of shape and I thought for sure itwas ruined. Do you see that slope in the photo above - devastating, right? Well, fortunately, wrong. This being my first needlepoint project, I had no idea that this is totally normal and all it needed was some good old fashioned blocking. Lucky for me, I am collector (hoarder) of craft books of all kinds and found a great tutorial in my Complete Guide to Needlework. A few simple steps, some major pulling and about 50 thumbtacks later, the piece was straight. Now all I have to do it get it framed. . . I'll see you back here with that in another year.

needlepoint blocking

needlepoint blocking


Sunday, January 27, 2013



 My sister had to call me last week just to make sure I was ok. "It's just that you haven't posted anything in a while" she said. "Is everything alright?"
Everything is fine, just fine. We all caught colds here after christmas which I think is what I am going to blame for my posting lethargy. Any time I've had a moment to rest, that's exactly what I've been doing - plopping down on the couch, throwing my feet up on the table and taking it easy. A month later, the fog in my head is finally clearing and I think I am ready to add a computer to that relaxing combination and just put up a blog post already!
We took some passport photos of R last week. These are a couple of outtakes.