Sunday Secrets: Feb 17, 2008

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an amazing sociological experiment. Three secrets that resonated with me today:


Ah! A stranger did this for me once when my girls were toddlers. My car died. I had no way to contact my husband. I was too far from home to carry my girls. The kindest man gave us a ride. It was a leap of faith on my part. I'm so grateful for the goodness of strangers.


Oh, man. Noisy neighbors. Hated having them in college.
After I got married, I heard the phrase "neighbor-wakin' love."
It's stuck with me ever since. Makes me laugh.

A friend of mine told a tale of being on the road and having noisy hotel neighbors. The friend stood and listened for the longest time, enjoying the show. My friend's traveling companion was appalled. My friend was enthralled.



So glad my husband has more sense than this. Real friends are hard to come by —
and easy enough to lose all on my own.

Day 552: Tie One On

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Ribbons Aplenty

It appears I've moved from my stitching accessories to my sewing and crafting stash.

Guess I'll go with that for a while, if that's what sparks my imagination.

Spools of pretty ribbons, lined up like a rainbow. How inspiring is that?

I've taken to watching old episodes of The Waltons while doing my morning workout on the elliptical. It's amazing how well those old shows stand up. Now that was a way of expressing "family values" that didn't just bonk you over the head with didactic baloney. Those are fairly well-crafted stories with well-formed, multi-dimensional characters, decent plot lines and intelligent dialog.

Anyway, last week while "hope" was on my mind and I was preparing this batch of Today's Phrase images, Grandpa Walton opined this bit of wisdom. During the Great Depression, I'm pretty sure that hope was the thing that got a whole lot of people through the worst of times.

It's Amazing What You Find ...

... when you clean up your room!

I was in a decluttering mood today. Decided to set a timer for 15 minutes and start on a shelf in my studio that held old craft ideas. I found this from 1977:


Wasn't I a cute young lady? The rug I'm holding is one of my own latch-hook creations. I made it for a very good friend of mine, Tony. We grew up together ... 1st through 12th grades. Tony was the brains behind dissecting a frog in 7th grade. In high school, he dated my best friend. Then off to college at UC Berkeley and Med School in Davis, CA. Now he's an upstanding pillar of the community in upstate New York.

Think he still has this one-of-a-kind creation?

Hmmmmm. I should find the puppy pillow he made for me and post an image!

And check this out. Not only did I find the photo of the finished project, but I also found my working pattern!





I also found this photo:


I made it for a friend of mine who was a drama teacher and faculty adviser for his school's Thespian chapter.


Organized person that I am, I had the working pattern for this rug, too.

After all, you never know when you're going to need it to make an identical rug, right?

Happy Dance: Star Flower Bookmarks

I whipped up these two bookmarks over the last couple days.

Cute, eh?

They'll be donated to charity later this year.

You can learn a bit more about the pattern in Cameo's Corner.

Day 551: Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Buttoned Up.

In a recent post, I mentioned that I used a button from my grandmother's button collection on a Valentine craft. Here's part of that stash.

My maternal grandmother and great-grandmother were seamstresses. They made dresses for prominent women in town as a way to earn a living in the early part of the last century.

My mother learned to sew from her mother. When Grandma died (long before I was born), my mom inherited my grandmother's sewing cabinet. That cabinet was later given to me, complete with the drawer full of buttons.

Grandma's buttons and mom's buttons and my buttons are all mixed up together now. I've sorted them by color and type, and put them in these sweet jelly jars. They're on display and in easy reach now in my studio.

Forgiveness

This is my favorite definition of forgiveness. It makes more sense to me than "just let it go" or to write the stuff down on a piece of paper, burn it, and let the forgiveness happen with the rising of the smoke. That makes no sense at all to me.

Forgiveness is so internal, such a deepening process for me. That's why this definition makes sense. I get the chance to work the situation through in my mind every which way, then come to the point where I stop wishing it could have been any different.

Again, hope seems to be an essential component here. To no longer hope that the past will change, but bring that hope forward that the future can play out much differently than the past.

Happy Dance: Black Knit Scarf

Just another chenille scarf I knit for my daughter Julie. She wanted a narrow one this time.

You can see a larger image in Cameo's Corner.

Day 550: Spots of Blue

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, The Berries

Winter's still afoot, so getting outdoors for photos is still too uncomfortable. So back to my studio I go to see what I can find to shoot.

Ah. Berries for floral arrangements. That'll do.

And check it out. The deep blue berry at the bottom has a heart-shaped flaw. A little more love after Valentine's Day.

Just Around the Corner

As a liberal soul, I had a heck of a time over these last 6+ years with the extremely conservative bent within our government, church and community. My husband, the social scientist, would remind me that this goes in cycles. He told me to hold on. To expect to have hope rekindled.

That hope is now on the horizon.

Book Review: One Small Step Can Change Your Life

This fast-paced, easily read book speaks of Kaizen, a 20th century philosophy of better business practices grounded in the two thousand-year-old wisdom of the Tao Te Ching.

The seed of the philosophy lies in gradual, minuscule, non-threatening changes that help big jobs get done over time with long-lasting positive change.

This book works hand-in-hand with Flylady's method of keeping sane ... take baby steps, repeated over time, to make huge changes in your life and learn to live in peaceful surroundings.

I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. You can read my full review on my website in the Bookshelf.

Day 549: Happy Valentine's Day!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, My Valentine


Last week I saw these adorable felt hearts broches on Lil Birdie Stitches blog. They looked so cute and simple, I just had to make some. I was short on time, so kept them very clean. Given more time, I could have gone embellishment crazy!

The heart on the left is one I made for myself; the heart on the right is for my daughter Jodie. I decided to use a pre-glittered red felt for the front and a simple white felt for the back. The button on Jodie's heart came from my grandmother's button collection.

Jodie used her valentine as a hair ornament this morning, attaching it to her pony tail band. I'm wearing mine as a lapel pin.

I love the way these look!

Plus, they inspire me to try different shapes for other holidays ...

A Lifetime of Valentines

My husband gave me the sweetest Valentine this morning. Very simple. Very Dale. Very much a statement our present together ... a vision of our future.

We've been together 19 years now. For him to bring me to this point from where I was 19 years ago is a testament to joy, love and hope. Partly due to the steadfastness Dale brings to me, I get to be a high-color woman.

Honey, you're the best. I love you!

Day 548: On the Tip of my Finger

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Thimble

This is the last photo for this particular series about embroidery.

Thought I'd end it with this image of my grandmother's thimble, etched and worn.

A thing of beauty.

Wavin' My Hand in the Air

Ooo. Definitely me today. I had a day overflowing with optimism and hope. I think I passed some of it on tonight at a meeting I attended. I think I saw a new spark in a few eyes by the end of the evening.

Feels darn good.

Day 547: Down, Boy. Down!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Thread Heaven

Sometimes, even after you strip the thread, it does not wish to lie quietly.

This is especially true with persnickety fibers like blending filaments or rayons. They have minds of their own. They like to kink and twist and do exactly what they want to do, when they want to do it!

A bit like teenage girls.

That's when I get out my Thread Heaven. This is a waxy-like substance (sparkly, too!) that you drag your fibers across. This puts just a hint of conditioner on the threads and helps them calm down. They become more supple and glide more easily through the ground fabric.

Works wonders.

With a Little Help from My Friend

There are days when it's hard to find hope for myself. Little things can eat away at me and I end up with a case of the blues.

I'm blessed to have a husband that is a future watcher. When I get dragged down, he is able to point to what is possible in the future ... 10 years down the road ... or just around the corner ... or like today, what is possible just later in the morning.

He gave me some hope before heading off to work. Showed me what was possible. Started me on the road.

Let's see what I can accomplish by noon.

Day 546: Tuck It In!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Dololly

What is this instrument of torture?

Or is it fine jewelry?

And just what does it have to do with embroidery?

And where'd it get that funny name?

Hope

My phrases this week will focus on hope. Hope for our world, our way of life, ourselves.

This phrase is part of my personal mission statement. It pretty much sums up how I wish to present myself to the world. It's something to aspire to.

Now and then, I get there.

Day 545: Magnetic Personality

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Needle Minder

Needle Minder?

Looks like a magnet to me.

Oh. It is.

How's it used?

Glad you asked.

If you have your stitchery in a frame or hoops, you place the painted part of the magnet on top of your ground fabric, and the plain magnet on the bottom. If you need to stop stitching to, oh, answer the phone or change the thread color, place your needle on the magnet and you'll be able to find it again when it's time to go back to stitching.

You know, of course, this won't work with just any pair of magnets. They must be pretty and painted with flowers or a stitchery theme ...

;)

Steady As She Goes

Stand up
Get a grip
Take a step
Make some progress
Keep at it
Work hard
Step back and see what you've done
Keep a watchful eye
Do one more step

Sunday Secrets: Feb 10, 2008

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an amazing sociological experiment. There's one secret that resonated with me today:

After Mom died, Dad would tell stories of their life together and call her "My Emily."

I'll never forget the first time I saw his hand without his wedding band.
It took my breath away ...

The new Valentine's Day video on YouTube is worth a look!

Day 544: Fab Fob

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Scissors Fob

Until I started embroidering on a regular basis, I didn't quite understand why you'd put a dangly-thing-a-ma-jig on the finger hole of your scissors.

Then my scissors slipped down into the seat cushions one time too often, and it became apparent. Fobs give you one more thing to hold onto so the scissors don't slide away.

I made this fob myself. The stitchery is two different blackwork patterns. The fob is made of two covered button forms glued together back-to-back. You can learn more about it on my website in Cameo's Corner.

Ready, Set, ACTION!

Yeah ... that's the hard part.

In my needlework, I have two kinds of knowledge:

1. Head Knowledge: stuff I've read about or listened to conversations about or have done a bit of research on or watched other needleworkers do
   
2. Hand Knowledge: actually putting what I've learned into practice by giving a new technique a try.

But I suppose this goes for most of life.

Sometimes, I get stuck in the growth that happens with the help of my counselor. If I do, it's usually because I know the theory, I know what is asked of me, but I'm just not yet willing to go there, to make the change, to do it. I let the fear of failure take over. I stall.

Same with weight loss and my exercise routine. I knew that once autumn was over and winter was upon me, I'd have to change my favorite form of exercise (walking outdoors down by the Spokane River). But it took a month or more before I jumped on the elliptical trainer and did a workout 4 to 5 times a week.

To my credit, I do practice in my head for a while before actually starting the action. I'm reading a book right now that praises extremely small steps. In this author's reasoning, THINKING about doing the new thing and imagining yourself doing it must come before actual action takes place. That makes sense to me.

It's how I learned to typeset when I worked for a small literary press on my college campus. I knew about the new machine. I'd watched it being used in the Spring. I thought about it all summer when I was away from school. Then I took to it like a duck to water when I was back at school the next Fall.

Today? Today I'm thinking about making a batch of Pizzelles as I type this. I know they need to be done before 2pm. I'm willing to make them. Now it's time to apply, to do.

Day 543: Speaking of Focus ...

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Tabletop Magnifier

This handy dandy magnifier clips to the side of my table. It has a nice flexible arm, too, so that it's easy to position it above my work, or scoot it out of the way.

It works great for when I'm stitching while watching TV because it's easy to switch my focus from the close work in hand to the distance vision needed to see the TV screen.

My eyes go wonky trying to watch TV and stitch when wearing my magnifying glasses. Talk about an instant headache!

Where's YOUR Focus?

I heard once that "where you put your time is where you put your life." The above quotation pretty much says the same thing.

For me, I try to put my energy into the people that love me and want me.
I put my energy into my stitching.
I put my energy into my writing.
I put my energy into my photography.
I put my energy into taking care of my body and mind.

Where I put my time and energy, where I put my focus, is where my life tends to bloom.

Happy Dance: Giraffe Magnet and MORE!

I did another new-for-me kind of finishing technique today: a refrigerator magnet made with a foam core base.

I've outlined the steps on this finishing technique in my Stitcher's Studio in Cameo's Corner.



But here's what I'm really excited about!

As many of you know, I have a section on my website devoted to Needlework Finishing tutorials which I call


This is where I have several needlework finishing "slide shows" that give clear, step-by-step directions on how I do some of my finishing techniques.

Well, I don't always have time to take the photos and make the slide shows when I try a new technique. For years, I just added that information to the page in Cameo's Corner, my stitching gallery, where I explain each project.

So today, I gathered all that finishing information together and added a new list of links to the index page of Cameo's Completions! I even surprised myself by how many different types of finishes I've attempted. There are links to SIXTY-NINE different types of finishes!

Now, most of these links do not lead to full-fledged tutorials. But there is enough information and eye candy on each page to help stir your juices and give you the courage to try a new finishing technique yourself!

Please grab a cuppa and pop on over to my website for a while. Follow the links to find a new bit of needlework finishing inspiration!

Day 542: NeedleLittleInformation?

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Needle Pack

In counted cross-stitch, the most common needle to use is a tapestry needle. These needles have a blunt point. Since the fabrics used in counted cross-stitch already have holes, there's usually no need to pierce the fabric, so the needles can be blunt.

Much easier on the fingertips, too!

The needles we use come in many sizes. The larger the number, the smaller the needle. The range I tend to use is from size 18 to size 28. The size used is determined by how many stitches per inch will be stitched, how many strands of floss are to go through the needle's eye, and the stitcher's own preference. Size 28 are great for about 16 - 18 stitches per inch with two strands of floss. They can also often fit through seed beads. My favorite size is 26.

Way too much information? Or not enough? I have more!

Work as Prayer

Isn't this more or less the core belief of Quakers? One's work is prayer. Prayer is the work of one's hands.

As a needleworker, many of the things I stitch are for gifts or for charity. There's a saying, "Every stitch a prayer." That sentiment always sat well with me.

As much as I love words, I do have trouble praying with them lately. My prayer tends to take the form of action these days. Perhaps that's a good thing, to have action as I'm still young and vibrant.

As a young man, my father-in law was a star athlete. In his working years, he was a logger. Both physically demanding activities. By the time he was my age, my father-in-law became paralyzed from a brain tumor. His actions had to become very small. I don't know, but perhaps, then his prayers became words.

So now, while I am healthy, I'll allow myself to be more silent. I'll allow myself to let my prayer be the work of my hands.

Day 541: More Tools of Torture

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Snip-a-Stitch

This nifty little scissors has an awfully mean-looking hook on the tip of the blade.

Why's that?

Well, we needleworkers have been known to stitch a mistake or two into our pieces. When we can't work around the error, it's time to act like a frog and

rippit
rippit
rippit

These specialty scissors have a notched blade that helps easily rip out unwanted stitches. You slide the notch under the stitches that need to be removed, snip, and gently un-stitch all the hard work you just put into your piece!

I keep these nearby ... but not too close. I wouldn't want to tempt fate and have them so close that I subconsciously make errors just because they're so easy to rip out.

Where Expectations Lead

Ah, yes. That "expectations" thing can be tricky.

If you expect one thing, but get another, it too often leads to disappointment and frustration.

But if you can do what you do without expectation, you may get to be surprised by Joy!

Happy Dance: Felt Star Ornaments

I made a whole batch of these sweet felt star ornaments yesterday!

I found the pattern online. Jenny, the writer, artist and designer at AllSorts, has a very nice pattern there.

LOVE her blog!

I plan to keep six of these for my family. I'll donate the rest to charity.

You can see some nice close-up images and a "group hug" photo of these ornaments in Cameo's Corner.

Day 540: Watch Those Claws!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Trolley Needle

Do these look familiar?

I think that in one of the more recent Batman movies, Catwoman wore trolley needles on all 10 fingers.

But beyond clawing the eyes out of one's enemies, this tool is good for laying threads.

See how we are? First we strip the threads, then they get laid!

Laying threads means to stroke them with a laying tool or trolley needle so that the threads lie on top of the fabric side-by-side. This gives better coverage of the ground cloth than threads that are twisted together.

I've Got a New Attitude!

Because attitude is the one thing you can control yourself, yes?

I saw a guy on Good Morning America this morning ... one of the throng in the street outside the studio. He wore a t-shirt that had a big, bold message:

My Job Sucks

I'm thinkin' ... hope his boss sees him and fires him. Why would you do that to yourself? Why not either make the job better by employing a better attitude or go get a job that better suits your character traits? Instead, he chose to go on national television and make himself look the fool.

On Nightline on January 29, 2008, the show was devoted to the question of happiness. They gave a profile of one country (Denmark) where people who were asked said they were mostly happy ... high on the scale. That included the sanitation workers! They had the attitude that the job they do is important and appreciated by the people they serve.

So, yeah. A positive attitude brings, if not everything, at least 80% of the satisfaction.

Day 539: Now I See Them, Now I Don't

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Magnifying Glasses

The "them"? Stitches, of course.

When the stitches get to 18 per inch, I start having trouble seeing them. Most often, I'll use a table mounted magnifier. But sometimes, the ones that sit on my nose work better.

Pretty purple glasses in a pretty purple case.

Let's Get to Work

This week, I'm focusing on work.

As a stay-at-home mom, I sometimes find it difficult to know the value of my work since it is not expressed by adding to the family's financial well-being. It's so common in our society to put a value on our work by the amount of money made.

So when you earn no money, it takes a different mindset to find the value in your work.

But creativity, integrity and effort I have in spades. Now to define what success means to me.

Happy Dance: Pray for Peace

Hooray!

A finish!

A REAL finish ... ready for display!

It took me 3+ years to get this one done, from the time I first put thread to fabric until the time my cube is ready for display.

This No Sew Decorative Cube is a new-to-me finishing technique. I learned how to do it from In Stitches.

To read the story behind this simple piece, go on over to Cameo's Corner.

Sunday Secrets: Feb 03, 2008

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an amazing sociological experiment. Here are three of today's secrets that resonated with me:

As kids, we used to do this with the customer's at my Dad's pizza shop.

Our favorite was "BFS."
It stood for Big Fat Slob.

I end up thinking about the folks behind these secrets, too.

I still wonder if I have any secrets to share.
I do have one secret ... I'm just not yet willing to share it.

Well, I'm 50 now
And I'm getting here
It is a lot about the reason for taking my Creative Journey

Look Within

External places can help you get there. My favorites?

The Retreat House in Spokane
The waterfall above Camp Mariastella
Overlooking the desert at Table Mountain
Skamania Lodge
Sander's Beach on Lake Coeur d'Alene
Spooning my husband

But those places can only help set a mood. In all those places, I've also felt plenty of agitation.

The final serenity begins within.

Day 538: Ooo-La-La!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Thread Stripper

Bet you didn't know that we embroiderers have a raunchy, earthy side to our natures, did you?

But YES! YES! OH, YES!

We strip often!

Well, we strip thread often, anyway.
:)

What is stripping thread? Well, cotton embroidery floss most often comes as 6-strands of thread twisted together. For most of my embroidery, I only need to use two of the six strands. So I separate the strands one at a time, then put two of the strands back together, and strip them.

My stripper is a 35mm film canister with a bit of a damp sponge in it. I simply run the threads between the sponge and my thumb. This straightens the threads out and lines them up side-by-side so that when threaded through a needle, the resulting stitches lie flat and give good coverage of the ground cloth.

OK, everyone! Hum along with me ...
Tum tum tum
Tum tum tum
Tum tum tum
Ta dum dum dum ...

When Reason Prevails

Oh, yes.

If only.

Day 537: Poke 'n Pull

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: Uncle Bill's Sliver Gripper

These amazing, tiny, sharp, pointed tweezers are great for pulling threads. An excellent addition to any basic sewing kit, especially for those who love Hardanger and pulled thread embroidery.

Ying Yang

This phrase puts an image in my mind ... the ocean at night.

The tide recedes.
The foam from the waves bubbles white on the moonlit shore.
The sea undulates, throwing off its reflective glow.

Day 536: Don't Stick Me!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Embroidery: ThimblePads

Sometimes a thimble is just too cumbersome to wear while doing cross-stitch. And since tapestry needles are blunt rather than sharp, a thimble is usually not necessary anyway.

But on days where I am able to stitch for hours and hours (rare and wonderfully peaceful days), the tip of my middle finger can often get very sore from where I use it to push the needle from the bottom of the fabric to the top. These little ThimblePads are light and easy to use.

Geez. I'm beginning to sound like a commercial.

In any rate, the leather texture makes for a cool close-up photo.