June 15, 2008

Red, White and Blueberry

I have been working on Americana just a bit, but there's hardly enough to show. And for whatever reason--the difficult times? The approaching 4th holiday? Memories of carefree summers (my current summer is anything but) on Cape Cod?--I've been looking for another one or two patriotic designs to work on. I've looked online, in the LNS, and nothing. Thanks to Sue, who I met for the first time IRL Saturday, I went home with several patriotic projects. Sue and I each took the day off from our studies on Saturday and met to go over the Rappahannock to Sandra Sullivan's Homespun Elegance "1st Saturday Gathering" at her shop/design center/fascinating objects, crafts folk art warehouse. We saw so many samplers. I have some of Sandra's samplers already, but seeing them stitched up made me appreciate them so much more, and some of them had red, white and blue patriotic themes, like this one:

I enjoyed the gathering, and I'm in awe of Sandra-the-artist/designer as well as Sandra-the-businesswoman. Her designs are gentle, precise and historical, photographed nicely on soothing earthtone backgrounds, and in person, they really pop; I wanted to come home with a stack of them. Well, actually, I sort of did come home with a stack. I won this little guy (44 st. x 30 st.) and several other charts as a door prize!

From there, we went on to Everything Cross Stitch in Fredericksburg, where we enjoyed a pleasant search for fabric and fibers and looked at more charts and laughed with Celeste, the wonderful owner of the shop (and another savvy businesswoman) about how none of us will stitch people with faces on our designs.
Sue and I had time just for a quick refreshment on a sidewalk bench before we flew back over the Rappahannock; terrible lightening and thunder and buckets of rain chased us home. I had such a great day with a wonderful fellow blogger, and we agreed we'd do it again, and next time we'll bring our stitching or check out another shop. Psst--Sue--did you hear Celeste mention the great big needlework shop in Baltimore? I've never been to that one....
I went to the garden center today to buy blueberry bushes. These grow as a hedge in our climate and supposedly produce 10 pounds per bush. We'll see. It's producing now, even in its little plastic pot.

"I'm quite sure you meant to name this post 'Pink, White and Blueberry.'"

12 comments:

Anna van Schurman said...

I've been to the big shop in Baltimore--I bet we could get a critical mass of bloggers at that place. That would be fun!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

I love patriotic stitching. i have a red, white and blue heart to do with tons of beads! Oh yeah! LOL! Hi there Pink!

RG said...

Oh I am so envious of the blueberries! (So is Pink, and Elvis too, I bet!) We live smack in blueberry country and I've killed about 7 bushes and give up!

mainely stitching said...

Congratulations on winning the doorprize! :D I almost always really like Sandra's designs. I'd say she has her finger on the pulse of what stitchers want!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Oh, Pink, he has such a face! We have seven blueberries, all in pots. Pots allow you to keep the soil acidic (if you have the right mix of stuff), and they can be pretty happy (and productive). Do PInk and Elvis get to have any blueberries?

staci said...

Love that Land of the Free chart! It's patriotic but the colors are so subtle, love it!!!

Deb Cushman said...

What beautiful samplers! AND --
Yum, Blueberries! That look on Pink's face is pretty scary! I'd change the title right now if I were you!

Wendy said...

I'm so jealous - visiting some great cross stitch shops and blueberry bush plantings! I need some of both!

Michelle said...

Love those two designs!! I've been putting blueberries in my smoothies in the mornings - yum!

Anonymous said...

Hi Glenna,

I was at Homespun Elegance also. I made a video for my blog. Sandra told me about your blog and Sue's.

Jennifer said...

Next time we're in the area, I think I will have to convince DH that I NEED to go to that shop in Baltimore.....

Tanya Willis Anderson said...

I had SO wanted to go to Sandra's Open House!!! The same day was Ben's closing day ceremony for little league and I had to be there. I love that red white and blue sampler - will have to go hunting now for it!!!

Tanya