What? Where have I been...probably at work.

So I took a picture of my progress on Hannah...sad I haven't progressed that much in what...2-1/2 years.??  And, I've hardly stitched at all in the last couple of months.  Just taking a peek at her has me ready to stitch again.  I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself...I did get all the wording done, except for Hannah's name and birth/death date.  But...the tree...omg...the tree is going to take f.o.r.e.v.e.r.  I figure at this point I am only about half-way done.  But, it is the joy in the journey, right??   

Yesterday we took a quick trip to the cemetary in Spanish Fork, Utah where Hannah, her husband Samuel and quite a few of her children are buried.  I always get emotional when I go there.  I truly love this woman and will be happy, one day, to see her on the other side.  It is evident that there are many, many admirers who stop for a visit by the number of flowers left at her and Samuel's gravesites.  The picture is only of Hannah's headstone...more flowers on his, and inbetween.  

Maybe I'll blog again soon??  

Making some stitching progress!

Thought I'd update my blog on some stitching progress:  

First up:  Flowers for Hannah (aka Jane Atkinson, from The Scarlet Letter).  I've been working quite a bit on Hannah's sampler.  All the stitching on this sampler has been very satisfying to me!   I have submitted the verse I chose for charting.  I did choose the 2nd verse she wrote, which I put on my last blog post, about how Hannah loved to spend her life making others happy.  I love thinking about her while I stitch.  She was a fabulous woman and I thank her for her sacrifices so that I could have the life I have.  As you can see, I have many more stitches to take, a long journey to enjoy!  

 

Next up, taking a break from Hannah, while on our trip to California in September, I enjoyed stitching "A Red Cottage" by Plum Street Samplers.  This was very fun to stitch.  I've ordered the frame that Paulette used.

Now just to find out if it's coming or not since the company has changed hands recently.  

This weekend I started "Manor on Peacock Hill" by Brenda Gervais, a new sampler released at the latest market.  I'm enjoying this piece, although because I didn't order the flosses for this piece from Brenda at the time I ordered the chart and linen, I had trouble finding the Valdani floss colors...so I've improvised with the help of my dear sister...who provided me with the DMC equivalents.  Thanks Cari...gotta love a wonderful sister!!!  This piece has a beautiful blue peacock in the center, along with a stately house in the background.  This is just the upper right-hand corner. 

Thanks for taking the time to check my blog...life has gotten so busy...and with the time change making it dark so early in the evening, I have to resist the temptation of a nap after work.  Before I know it, it's 10 p.m. and I've slept on the couch all evening and wasted my stitching time!!!  

I'm hoping for a long, chilly winter to spend stitching to my heart's content...however, today I have several chores to complete...like housework...but I did get a few hours of stitching in first!!  

I do have my priorities!

Flowers for Hannah...

Back to stitching...I've been working on Hannah Cornaby again (aka Jane Atkinson) from The Scarlet Letter.  I've stitched quite a few flowers since getting her out again and I am loving it.  Love the colors and how they pop off the linen.  I am using the called-for AVAS silks on 40 ct linen, forgot the name of it, but could most likely be Vintage Light Examplar from Lakeside.  Here's the verse I'm contemplating using, coming from Hannah's own pen, of course:  

The prayer is breathed, that on each path

Truths own pure light may shine, 

Brightening the sombre hues of earth

With radiance divine. 

Onward and upward, clear and bright, 

May it direct our course

Back to the fountain head of light, 

Its own eternal source. 

Or...I could use this one...

I scarcely dare to think that God

Would give to one so small,

Aught that could cheer another on, 

Or help His cause at all.

But oh!  I prize above all else, 

The power to chase away

Sorrow or pain from those I meet

While trav'ling lifes highway. 

These poems were taken from her autobiography originally published in 1881.

I'm leaning towards the first one...what do you think?  I have plenty of time to think about them.  I'm having a stitch friend chart the words for me so that makes me really happy that I don't have to do that myself!  

Last year my brother and I had the opportunity to submit Hannah's life story to Deseret Book Company for inclusion in their series Women of Faith in the Latter Days, volume two, 1821-1845.  Her story was accepted and I was honored to write her biographical sketch.  The book was released last November and it was so exciting to see her name among other lovely women with Mormon pioneer heritage. 

Well...that's about it for now...wondering if I'll wait another 6 months before updating??  Maybe...maybe not.  In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer...I'm just about done with 100+ temperatures here in Utah this year...ready for some cooling down...how about you?  

Don't faint...

Yes...I'm updating my blog...what a concept! I guess I've play hooky long enough. Life has just been busy, and really, I think I've nothing to say at times. Stitching has definitely taken a back seat (like I knew it would) when I enrolled in school and took on new employment! That being said, I do have a tad bit of stitching to show. Over the past 5 months I haven't stitched much, but I did attend the Merry Cox Weekend at The Attic last November. I didn't get much prestitching done, but no matter, I did use my time wisely in Mesa and did some of the finish work on the two classes I took. It was really wonderful to meet lots of friends there and put faces with names of fellow stitchers I have known for a long, long time! I took "so dear to thy heart" and "Palais Royale" which were so very much fun. Merry, as always, was a fabulous teacher, and even though she has health challenges, she was at her best and I enjoyed every minute of her classes. Jean Lea, as always, was a fabulous hostess! Here are a just a few of the pictures I took:

My inside of box, Palais Royale

Merry's Palais Royale

Merry's "so dear to thy heart"

Fabulous Jean, announcing that our lunch was ready. 

I'm really glad I had the opportunity to attend!  

Wayne drove me down to Mesa in my new car, Ms. Scarlet.  

What a fun car she is...

Next up, I've been working on my Scarlet Letter piece that I started last year, Jane Atkinson, aka Hannah Cornaby.  Here is my progress as of last night...I think she's going to take me a while, but I've loved every minute of stitching her.  I absolutely love the colors in this piece!  

Jane Atkinson/Hannah Cornaby stitched on 40 ct Vintage Light Examplar with Aver a Soie silks

 

 

Lastly, I loved this saying yesterday when I was out shopping, 

so I bought the piece to hang somewhere in my house...

we all should be a little kinder to ourselves during this new year!

Hopefully I won't wait so long to blog next time...

Martha Knapp 1844

Good afternoon friends!  Finally, I have pictures of Martha.  I've had her home for about a week now, finally have her on my wall and enjoying every minute of her presence.  I sent her to Pennsylvania, to Van Tassel Baumann American Antiques where she was cleaned and stitched to a new acid free fabric-covered conservation mount.  She was installed into a solid mohagany reproduction frame and topped off with her old original wavy glass (which is fabulous, I might add).  Ruth Van Tassel was the woman who did the conservation work.  She was able to tell me that Martha originated in the British Isles.  The ground fabric is wool and she was stitched with wool threads which is why the colors are still so vibrant on this piece.  The original frame Martha came in was not able to be repaired, but the glass was still in fine shape and since the piece was stitched wool on wool, she suggested I use the original glass.  So fun!  I will let the pictures of her tell her story.  So sorry I'm not a great photographer.  I'm so happy she came to my house to live! 

Here is the information for those of you interested in having your antique sampler conserved:
Ruth Van Tassel at www.vantasselbaumann.com .  I sent her pictures of Martha and she told me what she could from the pictures.  She sent me information on approximately how much it would cost to conserve.  I was in contact with her for several months during the time she was conserving her.  Her work was very quick.  Her framer took a very long time to make the frame.  He actually crafted the frame itself.  All in all, I thought she did an excellent and very professional job and would highly recommend her work. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! 

Long time...no see...

Has it really been six weeks since I last updated?  In that time I have managed to do just a minimal amount of stitching.  I've been working on my Merry Cox piece.  I just have the personalization to do...and was a bit dismayed that she didn't include an alphabet on the chart!  Really?  Seriously weird...  

I'm actually not really in the mood for doing the prestitching on this piece and almost wish I hadn't signed up for the classes.  I'm sure that by November I'll be glad I did!  

On a personal note, I changed my life drastically by quitting my transcription job at home and taking a new job with the medical records department of a local hospital corporation.  I'm just going to sum up the experience in a few short words:  "LIKE and TIRED!" 

Hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics.  We're enjoying everything we've been able to see. 

I promise I'll update again soon.  My antique sampler, Martha Knapp, is on her way back to me after I sent her off to be conserved and re-framed.  Can't wait to see her...she was shipped out today so I'm VERY excited! 

Life is good here at the Lloyd home...hope your summer is turning out to be everything you've wanted it to be! 

A summer solstice update...

Progress on "So Dear to Thy Heart" for the Merry Cox classes in Phoenix this November. Isn't she just so cute?  I have half the cat done on the left..my waste knot looks like a little ball the kitty is getting ready to jump for! Most everything on this project is stitched with tent stitch over one thread, so the stitching is going quicker than expected.  Just wish I had more time to stitch (don't we all), but the picture below is representative of what I'm doing instead of a lot of stitching...

This is the first module of 4 modules of my online medical coding course.  I'm 2 months into a 12-month course...I think it's the easy module...crap!

 These remaining books represent the other 3 modules...When I look at them, I get sick...literally...and wonder what in the world was I thinking...then I sit down to work and I know exactly what I was thinking...I need a new job...and something that pays better!

It's been interesting so far...and my brain is getting a good workout!

So...

I'm getting close to 100 followers on my blog...when I reach 100, I think I'll have a giveaway!  Til then, my friends, I hope you find yourselves sitting in your favorite chair with your favorite needle and thread, creating another colorful masterpiece!

Happy Summer Solstice Everyone!