Binky!

I've been working like a fiend this week on my stitching. I've made some progress on Liz Easdon (The Essamplaire):


And started something new. This design is by Green Apple--Beatrix Potter's "Christmas Tree." I'm stitching it using DMC on a mystery piece of 32 count linen (whatever it is, it's very creamy and heavy) over one. I was inspired by the piece that someone had exhibited at the Woodlawn Plantation Needlework Show. They had stitched three Green Apple/Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Christmas designs on a single piece of probaby 40 count fabric over one. It got a "best in show" ribbon, I believe. Stitching an entire design over one on 40 count is a bit much for me--no sense putting it away because it's too onerous to work on! I have the designs they stitched (from a single leaflet) on order, but since I had this, I just had to start it. It's pretty much a daylight-only project!


Here's the design. Nobody illustrated animals like Beatrix Potter. All of the rabbits remind me of Peaches, since she has the classic rabbit shape and coloration.


And speaking of rabbits, I was lucky enough to capture bunny joy last night. During bunny run-around time in the bedroom (so far still empty since yours truly has procrastinated on painting--goodness, but I hate to paint walls), the bunnies devised a game. First Elvis dashed around the box.


Pink headed him off, dashing in front of him.


Elvis binkied here--all four feet are off the ground--with the joy of the rabbit game they were playing.


Have a joyful week, and express it with a little leap in the air!

Essamplaire Sunday Progress--Liz and Liz

Hi, all! Just a quick drive-by since it's been a busy day, and tomorrow is shaping up to be the same. The colors in these photos are a bit light, but here are a couple of shots of my two Essamplaire starts:

Liz Couper:


And Liz Easdon:


Off I go! Pink, Elvis, Peaches and I wish you a happy week ahead!

We Represent the Lollipop Guild

Normally I post on Sundays, but yesterday was busy, so here I am today, with a couple of new starts that arrived in the mail last week. Both are by The Essamplaire.

This one comes as a kit and is called "Elizabeth Easdon." Although it came with fabric, I swapped it out for Lakeside from my stash in 40 count examplar. I am using the AVAS shipped in the kit.




Doesn't this look like a lollipop vine? I'm enjoying the border. I wanted to stitch this because of all of the yellows and golds. This came as a chart only, and I kitted it up with 40 count Lakeside vintage strawflower and the called-for AVAS.




Pink likes to hang out under the recliner, so it's really important for us to lower the chair very s-l-o-w-l-y.


Happy week ahead, and many thanks, Erin, for finding the name of the Beatrix Potter chart I was looking for. I'm ordering it and will show it when it arrives.

Happy week ahead.

Sampler Sunday

Just a quick one, since I'm getting ready to head out to In Stitches in a bit, to work this afternoon. Here's a peek at Mary Ann Gollins. She's coming along nicely:


And I started Amy Breucken's April Lilybell Sampler. It's a fun little start, and the WDW 30 count fabric makes it a very relaxing stitch. (Two over two--something I never do.) The fabric, in "Morris Blue," is soft, but not floppy, and nicely dense. I love the little belly button on Lilybell.


I'm enjoying it so much that I'm going to do the May Rosebud sampler also. ("Rosebud is pretty but prickly.") I have the perfect color of Lakeside (left), but it's 40 count, and I'm thinking I should buy the called-for pink WDW so I can hang them together and so the buttons and beads are the right scale.


Oh, and a question I had last week about sharing my conversions for projects that I'm working on. Absolutely--I'm happy to. I'm a bit disorganized and don't always write down my colors as I convert on the fly, but I'll take a look at Ann and her project bag and write down my conversion a little later this week and email anyone who wants it. If you want it, just leave me an email address in my comments. The same with Mary Ann Gollins, which I'm converting. Bear in mind that I'm not completely true to the DMC chart because I adjust based on the fabric color (no sense having threads fade into the background), what I have in my stash and whether I want to dial the intensity up or down. Just my taste

Peaches: "I am pretty but prickly too." Yes, that's true; Peaches Prefers that you don't Pet her, although she's always eager to touch you with her nose and then run off. That's love from Peaches. Pink will sit next to you, getting closer and closer until he's almost in your lap, and present his head to be rubbed. And Elvis, unless he's in a mood, will let you rub his head and scritch his bottom, and then run in circles around you, honking gently, the only noise any of the bunnies ever makes.


Happy week ahead!