November 05, 2006

Sampler Sunday


This is the Sampler Sunday sampler, Christmas Village by Victoria Sampler, where I borrowed this photo. The minute I saw it last week, browsing on ABC Stitch's website, I placed an order for it. It's getting a lot of attention on the 'net on various stitching blogs, and I'm thinking it'll be a sampler "best-seller." It's designed to be stitched on 28 ct. Zweigart smoky pearl cashel linen with a variety of fibers. Obviously I'm related to a magpie in liking sparkly things; everything I've bought lately requires Kreinik, beads, pearls and silk. All this work to hang on the wall just at Christmas though? Although I have a stitchy friend who leaves her Christmas pictures up year-round. Maybe if I eliminated Santa and his sleigh? I don't think the wonderful wintery, joyful feeling of the design would suffer if he was banished.


In the meantime, I've been stitching on Whale Hunting. I had somewhat less time this week because I've been up late every night diligently cleaning/decluttering the house in order to show it to the realtor who came to assess it yesterday. He pronounced it spotless and ready to show, which would amuse anyone who's ever seen my house: I'm a clutterbug who would rather stitch or read than clean. Fortunately, he didn't open my oven to see what I had stuffed in there to get it out of view.

Yesterday was another day of house-hunting. We looked at this property which we will not purchase. It comes with a huge responsibility which I don't really want to assume: it sits on a double city lot and has a full-lot-sized garden (not shown in the photo). Because the house, built in 1919, is in the historic district, it has to be kept as is (no tearing out the garden and bricking it over for parking--not that I'd do such a thing), and frankly I'm not enough of a gardener to take that on. Because of its location, it's very much in the public eye if you fail, too. It's an interesting problem which I've read about before: there are women (and men too) who buy properties with major, serious gardens and throw themselves into the task, and the garden thrives spectacularly (I'm guessing no one writes about or photographs the ones that wither and die). What I did love about this house though is that it is the perfect "sampler" house--it looks like something that would look great stitched on a sampler, and there is ample room for hanging all of one's completed samplers on the lovely plaster walls. Also, it's just about six blocks from my LNS--clearly a dangerous location. I borrowed this photo from the multiple listing service of MRIS in the DC area, the wonderful folks who save you so much time by publishing scads of photos on the web detailing homes for sale. How did anyone manage to house-hunt before the web?

10 comments:

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

OMG, you are absolutely correct...that house is a fabulous sampler house.

WH is coming right along...it's beautiful.

I agree....the winter wonderland sampler is spectacular!
:D

LivnLaf said...

I saw that sampler last week and wondered if it was one you would like. Love the house...you're right..it's a perfect sampler house

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love that sampler. It's so wintery. Whale Hunting is looking better every time to post on it.

Carol said...

What a pretty house!! I would love the garden :-)

Whale Hunting is really moving along... and yes, that new VS Sampler is wonderful! I hope to pick it up soon too.

catandturtle said...

Aha, the oven. I will have to remember that one for a good place to stash stuff. I have a few jelly cubboards in my dining area that are stuffed with odds and ends. I am not a fan of cleaning either, there are so many other fun things to do. I really love that winter sampler too and the whale hunting looks awesome! Ann.

Anna van Schurman said...

My mom keeps a Christmas sampler that I made for her (featuring a house with willow trees, and a Christmas quote heralded by angels)up year round. It can be done. Nay, it should be done!

Annemarie said...

Oh, that is one gorgeous house! I could never live there though, for the same reasons as you. Hey, I also store all sorts of things in my oven!
I love the winter sampler, but couldn't bear to have it on display only at Christmas time!

Michelle said...

Love that sampler - off to purchase it now!! WH is looking fantastic, not much more to go!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

That sampler is so lovely! And your project is soming along good as well!

Jeanne said...

You have a very nice blog. I have to go right now and add the Winter Wonderland Sampler to my "must have" list! Somehow, I hadn't seen it yet (I must be slipping....)