Marvelous Monday Update 7/7/08

Freecycle


I've been looking at tables for my backyard for when I get to sit out there and stitch. An older couple were giving away two small metal patio tables. They needed a little work...




So, I set to work. After primering and painting, I have a great looking set of new-to-me tables!

Matching Swing



Remember the last place I lived at? The family that lived there when I first moved in left this swing behind.






The landlords were just going to throw it away, so I scarfed it up for my own. Unfortunately, it's always needed a new paint job.



Again, I set to work. I scraped. I wire brushed. I washed. I primered both the wood and metal. I painted. After 3 days of painting, it was finally finished! Not perfect, but much better than it was. I still need to touch up some of the white where I smeared red onto it.


M-m-m, Good!
There's nothing like grilled food. Great summer weather, sizzling sounds, scrumptious smells!

Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob, Grilled Spicy Vegetables(potatoes, onions, zuchini, mushrooms), Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken, & Iced Suntea


Stitchy Stuff
One would think with all the stitching related posts I'd made over the weekend, I'd be done... But no! I managed to work a couple hours on Quakers Rule. Here's what it looks like after 7.25 hours:

Health & Happiness Ornament

I stitched this last month as part of an ornament SAL I'm doing in two of the groups I participate in. Today, I made it into a pillow ornament with handmade cording.

A Christmas Wish For Health & Happiness
Designer: Blue Ribbon Designs
Fabric: 18ct fiddler aida
Fibers: DMC floss, Kreinik Blending Filament

The photo really doesn't do the sparkly Kreinik justice. :( More details on this piece can be seen HERE.

It's a PIF!

I signed up for a PIF on CJ's blog, so now it's my turn to offer it on my blog!

*** This is how it works ***

If you would like to receive something made by me within the next 365 days, please comment on this post to say that you are interested.

I will take the first 3 people...or if there are more than 3, then I will do a drawing. In return, you must offer to do the same :)

I will be taking sign ups until Saturday, July 12th. Thanks for signing up!


What's a PIF? It stands for Pass It Forward or Pay It Forward, meaning pass forward a bit of kindness to make the world a better place. My guess is its origins come from the movie of the same name, starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment. Great movie, btw!

Tea Time Floss Tag

I stitched this up over the past week and finished making it into a floss tag at 2am this morning! I created the floss tag by using parts of a freebie design called "Tea Time" by Ria Lanser. The tag was stitched on 18ct mauve aida using Six Strand Sweets Tropical Punch and DMC 208.

Front Side
Back Side

Not bad for my first time, eh? I'd like to thank Shari for answering my questions on how to make one. Thanks, Shari!

Mime Revisited

The bullion knot required me to use spacers in the frame. I found a frame shop that was willing to sell me spacers, and offered to "staple" the piece in the frame if I brought it in. Today, with Mime in hand, I trotted into the frame shop. :) It was supposed to be a quick 5 minute job, but turned out to be a 30+ minute escapade. The board I stitched Mime onto was *just* a little to short (OK, about 1/4") for the spacers and it kept sliding out of place. The guy at the frame shop with really nice about it and kept at it until "we" got it. I offered to pay him and he said no. He just wants me to come back again. I think I can do that!

Without further adieu... I present, "Mime" framed:

Had an interesting chat with the framer about how people bring in their needlework. He commented on my lacing and said it's rare that he sees that anymore, and how much work it takes to do it. He said they use the sticky boards. He also said that some people use pins and pin needlework to foam core.