Prep time and travel

I'll be spending the next few days preparing for us leaving on vacation and maybe getting some stitching done.

While we are gone, and if we can access decent internet, we will blog about our vacation at our family blog. http://jocarhansenfamily.blogspot.com/

So for now I bid you farewell and I'll be back sometime in August.

Happy stitching and creating.

Carol H.

Peek-a-boo

Look who's decided to tag along to Britain as quality control inspector for my sewing project. It's baby penguin from the recent pincushion swap. She's going to make sure I do my chain stitching properly and finish all 26 blocks for the LofSHE "siggie block" exchange. We shall see how that "OC" goal develops :)

Baby penguin needs a name. Maybe we will get inspired while we are on our travels or maybe one of you can suggest something. I'm thinking she may need an outfit to protect her from the sun :)

Juliet's project - an update

Juliet has been concentrating on the blue ribbon at the bottom. She has finals, in addition to work, this week so I'm not sure how much she will get done over the next few days.

Cirque des Carreaux - an update

I've opted for a much smaller version i.e. 28 count, 1 strand DMC #3712, 1 over 1 on Monaco (evenweave) cloth. It's approx 9"x7".

My "OC" goal over the past few days was to have all the main background "blocks" sewn by last night and I almost made it. I just have 3 left to do on the left hand side. It reminds me of the Argyll pattern you find on sweaters.

The finished project is intended for our bedroom so I am planning on picking up a couple of colors from our bedspread for the rest of the design.

Everything Austen Challenge

I'm doing some sampler research and ran across an interesting challenge that just started on the 1st July and runs for 6 months. Click on Miss Austin link on my sidebar and it will take you to how to do what and when to do etc. For those of you who like prizes there are some of those too :) Thanks Stephanie for coming up with the idea.

So here is my 6 item list (which is NOT all book/DVD related).

1. Visit a Jane Austen related site while vacationing in England. (We were already planning this before I found the challenge because DD #1 is a huuuuuge fan.)

2. Purchase "Jane Austen's Sewing Box" and do a project from it.

3. Do a drawing of an outfit from the Regency time period.

4. Watch Pride & Prejudice DVD ( my hubby requested we do the 2 hour one)

5. read a JA related book or novel.

6. find a blog of someone who has completed a Jane Austen sampler.

If I have time I would like to stitch a small JA sampler or design one.

I've finished one. Woohoo.

6. I found a blog (or two) :)

willinghands.blogspot.com/2007/06/jane-austen-sampler-finish.html

It is a lovely little sampler hope you all enjoy looking at it.

and another more recent finish can be found at http://marykathryn.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/everything-austen-challenge/

You have got to see what she plans on doing with her JA wall :)

And just "for fun" - http://janeausteninvermont.wordpress.com/ I for one did not know that there are official JASNA chapters in the US.

Just call me the village idiot :)

A mystery package from Malaysia showed up at my house a while ago and for the life of me I could not work out what it was for. An adorable baby penguin that had obviously been hand made, along with some ribbon, buttons and a little note book. I think I looked through every group I belong to and checked almost every swap I am participating in to no avail.

Today it dawned on me try looking in the pincushion swap site and lo and behold there was Diah's blog - and there was the penguin (which I might add I had read about previously) - so needless to say I feel like the village idiot.

So thanks Diah it all got here safely :)

New starts and finishes

Last night I started Cirque Des Carreaux. I was originally going to do it in one color but I may switch to two or three to highlight another pattern embedded in the design. Looks like it is going to be a fun piece to stitch.

I also started Antique Roses and Strawberries BUT I do not like the fabric that came with the kit so I'm going to rip it out and start over with something different.

"Garden Prince" is finished stitching wise and just has to be made into something. The design was done for the 1999 Nashville Show and did not have a picture with it. When I did some research I found a really lovely picture of it as a small box. Turns out the design is one of Just Nan's older ones that is difficult to find so I will be holding on to the pattern. At some point I may try it in different colors.

Rose Splendor and Porlock Down are almost finished. I need to have them done before we leave for our vacation as they are going to be gifts.