I'm a Framin' Fool!

Well, I have just spent my entire evening framing! Last night I went out and got my miter trimmer, Sunday I got my miter vice as a b-day gift. I now have all the tools to frame!

The first piece I framed was by Taekwon-Do Black Belt Certificate. Its been stashed in a cupboard for at least two years now, so its about time I got around to it I suppose. Originally it was supposed to be double matted but I made a beginners mistake and cut the opening to the same size as the outer dimensions of the certificate. That's right... it fell right through. So instead of cutting two mats over again I just cut one mat and made it a triple! Overall size is 23 5/8 x 15 3/4.

Taekwon-Do Black Belt Certificate

The next project was "The School Letter", I swear this has been the doomed project. When I initially cut the frame back during March Break it just wouldn't go together properly! No matter how I tried, no matter how the instructor in framing class tried! So tonight I started over. Still I had problems! I had a nail bend I had to pull it out, and so on. But, its DONE! Final dimensions are 11 1/2 x 11 triple matted.

School Letter

I'm pooped, I'm off to bed!

The Best Birthday Presents???

I'm driving my little car chatting with my friend Christin we've just left her parents 5-10 minutes previously. I'm totally engrossed in the conversation. For some reason I decide to look in my rear view mirror.

There'sa ghost car behind me all lights flashing. I look at the speedometer.... CRAP!!!!

So I pull over I get the usual pull out your license, registration, insurance, etc. routine.

Asks me if I knew I had been doing 105-115 in an 80km zone. Ummm no officer I was totally involved in the conversation. Which leads me to think... how long was he following me for and how long had he had those lights flashing? Why didn't he blast the siren?

I'm sitting my my car he takes my documentation to the cruiser. Quite a few minutes he comes back.... Figured it must take awhile to write a ticket?

He hands me my documentation and says he's letting me off with a warning.

Hopefully he realized it was my birfday and that's why he let me go....

Its been a pretty good birthday this year, I've spent the day amongst friends doing things I like. We checked out the Kingston area needlework guild's merchant's mart. I easily blew my 60.00 budget.

I bought : Michael Powell's Mini Cottages III
2 skiens of hand dyed silk from KDS Fibers
1 beaded spider kit at a demonstration by my friend Vicki
And the coolest purse on earth with bright coloured CATS!
My friend bought for me : a fat quarter of dragon fabric (tres cool!)
and a Kats By Kelly chart
Her mom bought me a beadie blanket

Friday at work they had a card and cake for me the boss bought me a drink after work. So far in terms of gifts I got a stack of xs charts from my friend Christin a Celtic key chain and pen. From her parents I got a third Ice Dragon by Tudor Mint to add to my dragon collection. Tomorrow I should be getting my gift from my parents and hopefully Todd as well.

Todd took me out for dinner tonight at our favorite pub. It was a great dinner as usual. Just as our food was being served we were moved to a different table because the baby behind us got violently sick and was puking all over the place. One of the owners brought us two Tartan Beer Glasses with the bill to apologize. Hey its not their fault the baby got ill! But it was cool to get the glasses!

So that's about it for my birfday.

March Ornament #1

Ahhh.... it feels good to finish something. No matter what size, its like getting a fix (if I actually knew how that felt).

I just and I mean JUST finished off Merry Christmas by Glory Bee from the 2003 JCS Ornament issue. As usual I didn't use most of the recommended materials. I never do when it comes to ornaments. I'm not going to spend an arm and a leg kitting these things up unless its something really special.

The chart called for all GAST threads only which one colour I had in my stash so I replaced the red and white with GAST colours I did have, and on the 25ct Summer Khaki Lugana they look great!

Here's Merry Christmas

And now I've really got to get that Vermillion Bear done, no matter what!

Good Progress

Last week during March Break I got in quite a bit of time on my latest model : Bandon Lighthouse by The Silver Lining. Not as much as I had hoped but still pretty good. Its being stitched over one on Lavender Mist Joblean.

Bandon Light at 26 hrs

Now because the end of the month is rushing up to meet us I've got to get a couple of things done! I've got to finish up that darned Vermillion February Freebie before April 3rd, and finish it into a wall hanging as well! I'm heading out to my friend's and I just can't go there and not have it ready for her daughter! Also I need to get my skates on with the ornament stitching. Tonight I kitted up and got a start on Merry Christmas by Glory Bee from the JCS 2003 Ornament Issue.

I GIVE UP!!!

Do you ever have one of those days where you just throw your hands up in the air yell "I give up", go home and lick your wounds?

That's me today. I don't think I should of gotten out of bed actually. So what went wrong today....

I had to frog part of the Vermillion Fantasy Bear I'm working on... it called for 3839 I used 3838... Ooops!

I bought glass for my two latest framing projects I didn't unwrap the glass until late this evening... they cut one of the pieces wrong, I was shorted by 5/8 of an inch. Now I have to go back.

I was cutting the molding for the school letter the miters won't meet properly, not even the instructor could get it to fit. We're afraid the wood is warped. So I might have to go back to the shop I bought that from too!

So once I gave up on the school letter I tried cutting the molding for my black belt certificate... the finish is a hard finish and it chips each time I used the guillotine. I need to use a power saw for that.

This was the point where I discovered my glass was too small.

So I packed up went home, crawled into bed and finished my book. By the way its The Subtle Knife by Gary Pullman the 2nd book in the Dark Materials Series.

Hopefully Friday will be better....

Getting Ready for Framing Class - the last one!

Well I'm all ready to go now, albeit a little ambitious! Yesterday I cut mats and mounted the School Letter sample for work and my Black Belt certificate.

I made a bit of an oopsie on the certificate, actually a beginners mistake. I cut the double mat opening... or exposure (proper term) to the same size as the outer dimension of the certificate so when I put it all together it just fell straight though the hole! Since its a large and awkward size I decided to cut a triple mat that would take care of the problem. So I have two inner mats the same colour but I think it looks okay. The beauty of self framing is if I don't like it down the road I can pull it apart and change it!

This morning I cut all my lengths of molding so they will be ready to use the guillotine on for my 45 degree cuts.

So if I'm lucky I'll have two pictures to share with you tonight.

Its a Busy March Break!

Its March Break for me and WOW I've been busy!

Saturday I spent the afternoon out with my Mum, we went out and bought some beads (my Mum for jewelry me for scissor fobs). We had lunch out... they messed up Mum's meal but covered the bill so I can't really complain, it was the right thing to do. Then we stopped by Home Depot so I could get a work table for my stash/computer/craft room and some assorted odds and ends for framing at home.

Sunday I went out to a friend's house where three of us worked on Chatelaine's Mystery VI together. We've been doing this once a month since the mystery started. Sunday night I finished up part 3 I'm now very happy with how this is coming together.

Finished Mystery VI - Part 3

That evening Todd and I went to the parental units for dinner and dropped off the futon that used to be in the computer/stash room.

Early Monday morning (after midnight) I started my next model, Bandon Light by The Silver Lining stitched over one on 28 ct Lavender Sunset Joblean. Monday proper started off the right way with a massage! In the afternoon I picked up Christin we went out for lunch then came back to my place where we stitched all evening.

Today Christin and I headed out to our framing supplier and picked up molding at mats. I picked up mats for my black belt certificate, and mats and molding for the school letter I'm putting together as a sample for work. Hopefully I'll get the school letter all framed up during my last framing class on Thursday if I'm really ambitious maybe get the certificate done too????

Before hitting the framing shop we stopped at a needlework shop that we heard was closing down to find some bargains. I still managed to spend 60.00! But I came home with 4 skiens of waterlilies, 5 spools of Kreinik #4 braid, 2 pkgs of beads, and a pair of gingher scissors.

After that shopping we swung out to Dragon Lair Beads where we hung out with the owner Vicki and made scissor fobs until it was time to go out for dinner. Unfortunately our favorite restaurant was busy and had too long of a wait so we went to another near by restaurant and all had horrible, cold food! Tonight was guild night! So Christin, Vicki and I went and stitched for the evening.

My Scissor Fobs :
My Frist Fob
Marilyn's Winter Fob
My Green/Yellow Fog
Chrisanne's Penguin Fob

Tonight I'm going to work on Bandon Light once I'm done online!

Compliments Galore!

I think I almost went around work today with a permanent blush! Val was SOOO happy with her piece! What a relief! She had it on display in Student Services all day, staff would keep stopping by and complimenting me on the framing job.

Guess what??? I've now been "hired" to frame the school letters for graduating students (about 6) for the grad ceremony in June. I'm going to work up a sample during the March Break and give them a quote when we go back to work on the 22nd.

Wow, before I know it I'll be in the framing business!

ITS PERFECT!!!!

Well the pressure if off! I'm sure yesterday I conveyed to you my worry over the piece I was going to frame tonight. I wasn't sure if the frame and mat, etc I had picked for Val's piece was going to come together or not. Well it did, and is perfect!

Instead of bore you with a description follow this link.

Val's Framing Job

OMG... How many days have Passed???

I swear it hasn't been 3 days since I last blogged!!!! I am a bad, bad, bad, bad blogger! Wet noodle lashings for Dani!

Well the last couple of days have been a blurr of feeling like crap and stitching! I was home sick on Tuesday with a bad tummy and a monster migraine the night before. I did get some more work in on Mystery VI and was hoping it would be done. But alas I have mis-calculated again! I should have it done by sometime Saturday. There's not much left to do, its just a matter of finding the time.

I have not put one stitch in fabric today! Straight after work I pointed my car in the direction of Manotick, it was my first time there ever! The reason for this field trip was to pick up frame molding and a mat for a piece I'm framing for Val at work. She has this gorgeous, little tapestry of Mary and Jesus that she was sent by a family member who visited The Vatican. Val handed the piece to me leaving all choices in my hands! Oh the pressure of choosing mat colour, frame colour, etc! But the choosing is done, and tomorrow night I plan to cut and assebmle the frame. I spent about an hour tonight cutting the backing board, the mat and sewing the tapestry onto the backing board. Because it is a textile that has a little bulk to it I built up underneath the top mat with foam core so its more like a shadow box style. Now lets just home the rabbit of the frame is big enough to fit it and the glass! (which I still have to buy!)

Hopefully I'll have a pic for you tomorrow.

Stitching the Weekend Away!

And man, did it ever feel good! It was nice to just stay home and stitch, something I haven't really done a lot in the last 3 months. I've gotten two of my March goals accomplished. I've finished my latest model, Northern Lights Sampler by Jeannette Douglas and I've stitched my part in a Wee Beasties RR.

Today I've spent the day working on Chatelaine's Mystery VI - Part 3 I have all the evil Marlitt outlining done and tonight I've started filling in. If I'm lucky I'll have this done before the week is out. Which would be nice to start March Break with a fresh project, The Silver Lining's Bandon Light!

Forgot To Blog...Another Happy Dance!!!

Well I've met my next stitching goal, to stitch up a Round Robin. This year I'm participating in a Wee Beasties (Dimples Designs) Round Robin through the TWBB. We've just started and I've stitched the first buggie!

On Jen's RR I've stitched the Lateral Ladybug from Wee Beasties Part 3. It was a bit of a pain because of all the DMC Rayon floss.... ick!

Today I'm stitching up part 3 of Mystery VI, once again more icky Rayon Thread!

Doin' the Snoopy Happy Dance of JOY!

A HUGE YAY for me! I've just finished model number 2 out of all the models I said yes to doing (slamming head on desk... why did I do that???). I've JUST finished...

Jeannette Douglas's Northern Lights Sampler c2002
Stitching time : about a month
Stitched on :28ct blue spruce cashel linen
Stitched using : all kinds of cool threads

I have to say this is one of the neatest designs I've ever stitched! There are just sooo many specialty stitches, almost all of them new to me! The directions are great, so for someone new to the stitches it wasn't that hard. I have to say my favorite rows were the igloos, snowflakes, and bargello stitched mountains.

My one complaint, the flosspack purchased to stitch this chart with. I had plenty of specialty fibers for all of the design except for the wisper. This chart uses two colours and I ran out of both. Luckily I had a card of white in my stash. The brown I ran out of with 4 stitches remaining. I did the most desperate thing in my life tonight. I pulled half of the floss out of my "ort jar" went through it to find any length of brown wisper long enough to stitch even one stitch with. I managed to do it, but I felt like a desperate smoker going through an ashtray for butts! I was also irked because my LNS's website showed them having this colour available, but when I actually when into the store, they didn't. As usual. This seems to becoming a common occurrence with my LNS, they carry the brand, but never have the colour I'm looking for! Grrrr....

I had ordered a card from an ONS just in case... threw in some new charts for my stash for good measure. Oh well I guess I'll just have it on hand for the day when I stitch this for myself!

So what's next on the stitching agenda????

1. Wee Beasties RR
2. Chatelaine Mystery VI - Part 3
3. The Sliver Lining's Bandon Light (over one... eeek!)

February Progress and March Goals

This is something we do each month over at the Needle and Thread bulletin Board. We state at the beginning of the month what we hope to get done and how we did on the previous month's list.

So here we go...

February Goals
Keep up with Mystery VI - No problem
Stitch Two Ornaments - Yup
Finish Jeannette Douglas's Northern Lights Sampler (model) - Not Quite, almost
Work on a DD design on Feb 8th - Yes, finished and framed too!
Stitch up the new Vermillion bear for this weekend (eek) - Nope still working on it


March Goals
Finish Northern Lights Sampler
Stitch Part 3 of Mystery VI
Stitch two ornaments
Work on a Dragon Dreams design on March 14th
Finish Vermillion Bear
Start Bandon Light House (Silver Lining)

I think we're aiming quite high this month... watch how I do!

Telemarketers and progress!

Okay I'm putting it here for the world to see.... I HATE TELEMARKETERS!!! Why do you call my house? Why do you call me when I'm eating dinner? Its always when you're eating! Its always when you're busy or in the middle of something. Tonight I had two telemarketer calls. The first from a cell phone company... who I used to be a customer of but I was so unimpressed with the lack of signal in rural areas that I cancelled my cell phone almost two years ago now and I haven't missed it once! The second was a credit card company... wanting to offer me some "Home Protection Service". As soon as they identify themselves as trying to sell me something.... click. I hang up! I can't be bothered with being polite, they just won't accept no for an answer they try to talk you over. So I've given up on being nice... I hang up. If I haven't won anything please don't call me!

Besides the pain in the you know what telemarketers I made awesome progress on NLS tonight! I've completed rows 25-27! I now have some very cute igloos! That leaves..... 5 rows to go! C'mon happy dance!!!!!

Only A Little Bit...

Ever had one of those frustrating stitching nights were every time you sit down to stitch it seems the phone rings or something???? I ended up getting very little done tonight. I did get row 24 on Northern Lights Sampler finished. Onto row 25 tomorrow.

I got a pleasant surprise in the mail today! The best kind. A very kind person I know ;-) sent me all the new Dragon Dreams charts! Oooh I spent a good hour drooling over all of them this evening. You know who you are, and I wasn't expecting that at all, thank you. You're a very kind soul!