Thursday, September 08, 2011

She Blogs!

I think I remember how to do this thing called "blogging". Over the last few months I kind of ran out of things to say here on the blog. Do you ever think "that blogging thing is kind of pointless" I think I just felt I didn't have much to contribute so opted out for a bit. You know a summer hiatus, I love that word, so very tv.

I have been doing some stitching. Not as much stitching as I would like but my current project is The Scarlett House's Sarah Elizabeth Brooke. I've been dying to stitch this since Tanya acquired the sampler. My great grandmother is Sarah Elizabeth and Brook without the "e" is a family name. I was destined to stitch this sweet sampler.

I got a new camera and am still learning. Michelle is right, the best camera in the world is no help if you don't have an eye for the shot. I kept these simple and used the light box the spousal unit put together for me a few weeks ago.
I decided to go with DMC instead of Belle Soie so my sampler is a little different than the one you see pictured on the chart. I wanted to start Sarah sooner rather than later so I pulled the DMC, unkitted a piece of 36ct vintage light examplar, and jumped right in.




I did tweak the DMC conversion a touch. The flowers in the border are stitched with DMC 304 instead of 3721. I wanted a deeper red and I'm very happy with the 304.









I also swapped out the color for the house. Instead of DMC 355, I decided to go with DMC 347. Again I wanted my bricks just a little redder.






It's been so long since I blogged, I do believe all pictures can be clicked on to make bigger.




I tent or half cross stitched the verse. It was such a relief to discover that the over 1 in a half cross is not a nightmare. I've had Jane Atkinson in progress since 2009 I believe and part of the reason I quit working on her was the over 1 verse. I just couldn't face it, the thought of it made me sick to my stomach. But thanks to Sarah and just doing it, I can now face over 1 but only as a half cross. I think if I were forced by the stitching police to do a full cross at this time, I'd just have to stick my needle in my eye.




Last weekend Tropical Storm Lee dropped in for a visit. He came bearing(baring?) the gift of much needed rain. He was also kind enough to stagger the showers that there wasn't even a lot of flooding around here. I could go for a few more weekends just like that. I like being in the house. No guilt about not going anywhere, I'm actually being a good citizen by staying home. Really!


Here are some boats in the mists. OK the ghost boats are really in the pouring down rain but I love the eerie feel. Ghost Pirates! Check out South Park's Halloween Ghost Pirates episode with KORN. One of my favs. I think you can view it at South Park. If not there, then I'm pretty sure it's on Netflix.











Here are some surfers. I don't normally criticize surfers for surfing during a storm because that's their thing. But I noticed the guy in the middle was kind of teaching the chick here on the left. And sorry dude, a tropical storm, even one as whimpy as Lee is not the time or the place to teach someone to surf.




That's about all the news from the Redneck Riviera. I have a few more projects going and maybe I'll have a finish in a few days. Or maybe not!




Thanks for reading!











15 comments:

Siobhán said...

Yeay! It's good to see a post from you. :) Your progress is FANTASTIC! You go girl!

Anna van Schurman said...

Now that you're back from summer hiatus, I expect a new episode every week! :)

Katrina said...

Nice post!!!!! I love, love, love Sarah :-). She's gorgeous and your color changes are so pretty.

Melissa said...

Oh I love this sampler you're stitching! How nice that it's so close to your grandma's name!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Awesome progress on your sampler! Love the ghosty boat pic, too!

The Scarlett House said...

It was destined for you to stitch Sarah with the name connection you have. I'm glad that you are enjoying it. See that over one isn't that bad. I knew you could do it. It's fun for me to see your version come alive with the DMC. Yea for you for making it your own.

Glenna said...

Love your post and all the pics. I'm working on Sarah too--just love her. And you're so right about the would-be surfer chick not being taught during a storm. At that age I did the same dumb stuff--it's a wonder we all live through our stupidity as kids.

lenna said...

Hi ~ I enjoyed your post so much. You need to remember that it is like your very own personal journal and who cares if no one visits? That is what I had to learn after finding only one comment when I had worked so hard on the post!!! Yours was wonderful, refreshing and you do awesome stitching. Love your color changes. I will come back and see your work. Great job!!!
Siobhan does incredible stuff doesn't she? I love her site. She is so inspiring I don't get 1/8th the stitching done that she does.
Keep up the great progress and so glad it is named after your grandmother. My great grandmother's name was Sarah, too. I always wanted to be named Sarah. Makes you wonder how you life may have been different had you had another name. May be in my future.
Take care and God Bless your stitching fingers ~
Lenna

lenna said...

Sorry great grandmother just like mine. And you pictures are clickable.
Take care ~
Lenna

Dona said...

Melissa, your Sarah E. is moving right along! It looks great!

I enjoyed your beach/Lee pictures, especially the ghost ships. It seems like the Black Pearl should appear out of that mist!

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Well, hello there! It's great to see you, and your beautiful stitching. You see I'm kind of slow getting around to visit. Yours is one of the first blogs I remember visiting back in the day... glad to see you again!

Michelle said...

Fantastic progress on Sarah! And I love the ghost boats - very cool!

samplerlover said...

Hi Melissa, thank you for your comments regarding my Margaret
Gibson. She is stitched on 40ct Antique White Linen. Unfortunately, all the lovely linen that you are able to get are harder to get in Australia. Sandra.

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Bastrop County Jail said...

She blogs, she blogs! Oh baby when she moves, she moves.