I have been losing myself in this piece of cloth. Cross stitch hearts and lace applique, simply applied and relaxing to embroider. I sit and stitch just thinking. Mostly thinking about all the other things I should be doing and telling myself I will do them later then panicking because Christmas is nearly here and my ''to do'' list isn't getting any shorter.
Yesterday I deliverd gifts and I also collected gifts. Today I have mail to answer, tomorrow comments to answer. This morning I did my supermarket chores as I couldn't do them yesterday. Later today I have to pop out to buy a gift and there is housework to be done. First of all though, thank you for the response to yesterdays post....happy memories in that one. And to answer Amanda....the little colourful things in the last image are these.....I love them.
to all my friends in the U.S.A. there are no words........
Doodle doo has been added to, moved on, has a new page. Hooks and eyes along an edge of applique and bullion knots. Well actually....I say hooks and eyes but I lie, there are no eyes. There would have been eyes had I had any. How does that work? Hundreds of hooks....no eyes. Never mind, it didn't stop me and I have ordered more. I guess it's all part of not being 'normal' having one without the other.
Last night, sigh. Last night I did what I said I wasn't going to do. I knew it would happen. I stitched on the cloth I joined on yesterdays video. I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. It's a compulsion, I have no self control, what can I say. There are other, more pressing things that need doing embroidery wise but show me a new piece of vintage cloth and some form of trance descends. You will get to see it soon, when I get off the naughty step. (which is getting quite full now, (the naughty step that is)) Double brackets???? Is that allowed? Is that even grammatically correct?
Earlier today I was over on my old blog. It was quite sad to be honest, I miss it, half of my life is over there. I was looking for a particular image and spent longer than planned having a look round. There are some amazing pictures over there, things I had forgotten about. If you want to have a look just go here. Then I got to thinking, I am not here tomorrow. I am off 'up North' delivering gifts. What if I put some images from there on here for a Friday trip down memory lane? No words, just pretty pictures? I could put that together this evening......if I get all the ironing done.......
Today is all about the things I bought in London. I didn't buy a lot, just things I needed and less vintage cloth than I bought last time but hopefully I now have enough to keep me going until next time I go. Also, the last image, my wrapping cloth in progress. This was on the table yesterday as I was making a video for class and I thought you might like to see it. I love how it looks, how it's progressing. (and did you spy my Christmas tree sneaking into the second picture?)
A flood update now...basically it is drying out. The carpet is getting there, the ceiling will require a new coat of paint. That will happen after Christmas there has been enough disruption for this year.
Remember I said I had big plans for doodle doo? Well the first part of those plans is here...mixing things from various pages and combining them in different form, on a different scale. The actual embroidery isn't placed in it's new design form yet, that will happen later. First of all I need to draw and then I can add the bullion strip and the applique metallic silk tissue to doodle doo. There are other things that will find their way into this piece but I think seeing is better than imagining so I shan't say anything about that until it's done.
Tomorrow I will make you a video about some of the things I brought home from my trip to London......
So the general consensus is that you don't want me to be normal. I understand that, I get it. In fact after a little thought I am sure I can safely say that I have never been normal anyway so that's a result for all of us. I will therefore strive to return to my ''usual self''. Will that do? The embroidery looks ''normal'', cross stitch words now finished with a lace trim added for extra titivation.
My house is moved around a bit, furniture out of place to accommodate a christmas tree etc so I no longer have a surface handy for taking pictures in front of the window. I could of tried balancing my work on top of the fairy but it was never going to work. Instead I placed it on an open ledger page........
I woke today to a mini flood.....yes, a mini flood. 6.45 am and a tap left running all night in the bathroom. Happy days.....a ruined ceiling and a soaking lounge carpet. What did I do? I got dressed, had a coffee, laid towels on the floor and...........went Christmas shopping. The bury your head in the sand (or shop) trick.
I'm back....did you guess? I'm a bit ''off'' though, number five in this definition is the most appropriate.....
funny
1 [fuhn-ee] Show IPA adjective, fun·ni·er,fun·ni·est, noun, plural fun·nies.
adjective
1.
providing fun; causing amusement or laughter; amusing; comical:a funny remark; a funny person.
2.
attempting to amuse; facetious: Did you really mean that or wereyou just being funny?
3.
warranting suspicion; deceitful; underhanded: We thought therewas something funny about those extra charges.
4.
Informal. insolent; impertinent: Don't get funny with me, youngman!
5.
curious; strange; peculiar; odd:
I don't know why, can't put my finger on it....anyhow that's not for you to worry about.
Leaving that behind...I had a wonderful break. Got lots of Christmas shopping done, bought some rather nice things for myself, (I may make a video this week to share those with you) spent time with my little girl, ate good food, saw some amazing sights. I rode the new cable car which travels across the Thames...that was amazing! I did take pictures but silly me took them on my phone and I can't easily transfer them to PC because I am technologically challenged!! What I will do though is add them to my facebook timeline along with some that are already there so you can just go here later today and have a look if you want. (give me an hour or so)
Embroidery? There is some....this is more for my veil/festooned thingy. I have also been working more on my white cloth, pictures soon and I have big plans for doodle doo. In fact I have the first tea towel planned...in my head...on paper too before the week is out fingers crossed. Alchemy is now available again.....and to my embroider, embellish, create girls........expect a mail later today....for clarification purposes.
''unfunny'' ''cured'' ''normal'' Karen will be back tomorrow........I hope.
So this is where I am up to with doodle doo. My bullion knots are now placed within a page and other work which was loosely slotted in is permanently fixed. I adore this book, this ledger. I am determined to fill every page. It may be that I use it to work in, to inspire me and investigate pattern, shape, colour and stitch for more than one project....I will keep using it until it is full. As promised I have made a short video, a recap.
See you next weekend.
***please note....I am using a bought book as a background for my embroidery. I cannot and do not want to claim credit for the pages here. They are copyright anthropologie.***
Doodle doo has been receiving more attention. I have permanently placed things into the book that until now were just loosely inserted and I have been embroidering bullion knots for the next page. Later today I hope to cut the next page and place these blocks of knots into their permanent home. I am hoping to have doodle doo part two on video for you tomorrow. Basically it will be a recap of the work I have done in here up to now. It will help me to focus, help me decide where to go next. This afternoon I am also planning to work a little with my veil/festooned thingy. There is scrim with lace tacked on it ready for the sewing machine. That will be followed by mirrors and titivation this evening.
This next bit is kind of like a public service announcement......I am going away on Monday.....for five days, to London. I will be staying with my little girl, shopping in heavenly establishments where I hope to buy lots of glorious vintage bits and bobs and if I have any money left after I have seen to my needs I will also get some Christmas presents....I know...I'm selfish. What can I say, who can resist vintage???? Anyway....Alchemy 2013......it is almost full.....I will de list tomorrow as I can't forward the mail to you if you buy when I am away. If you have already been in touch asking to sign up later then you don't have to worry. You will still be able to do that but whilst I am away I cannot stand behind the metaphorical shop counter so have to pull the shutters down.
I will however be here tomorrow...hopefully with a video.
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