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Friday 8 July 2011

Stitching Summer

First, let me get this out:  O M G it's been HOT.  Please rain, please rain...  It's been twenty degrees first thing in the morning, and wayy too hot for me to run.  Then it nearly doubles for the whole day.  Needless, to say, we've been either in the water or hiding inside with the A/C on.  I'm definitely a spring/fall kind of woman.

heading out to stitch under the shade tree

ok.  Thanks for listening.  : )

I am very happy to say that I made it to the Bridge City Needle Arts stitch night!  They meet weekly through the summer.  My husband actually told me to get out of the house because I was getting bitchy about all the housework (though I still did laundry and dishes into the night as usual).  The stitch group was terrific and I got 2 solid hours of handstiching done on 'Boundless' from my photo of the post surrounded by dandelions.  I spent yesterday doing another several hours, and I think it's done!

Boundless II, (detail) 2011

If you look really close, there is alfalfa, dandelion blooms, dandelion puffs, blue aster, and goldenrods.  I am really happy with this one!  The dandelions look like dandelions.  It's going into a dark grey woodgrain frame that really brings out the blues & the post in this one.  I'm not sure who is getting this one.  It is being purchased as a birthday gift for a loved one.

inspiration for Boundless.  photo by me, 2010

And more great news!  Some lovely woman left a couple of embroidery scroll frames up for grabs at our local quilt shop.  I now have one for my landscapes.  (Thank you!!)  What great timing with all this hand stitching I'm doing.  I bought a small rectangle one from a garage sale earlier this year.  It has the felted work on it.  Now I have a really long and narrow one which is just fantastic for my landscapes.  While I was with the Bridge City NeedleArts group, I was able to find out how to attach the work to the frame.  'Stitch it on with unwaxed dental floss!' said one.  Smart. 

I have one last thing to show you.  Now that the mail is moving, look what my mother sent me!!  I have it pinned up on my inspiration wall.  She knew I was looking for a flax field.  A friend of hers took this photo.  This is the view from the highway. 

view of Jackfish Lake / Day's Beach SK

You will see (bottom to top) blue flax, blue lake, blue horizon, and blue sky.  Isnt' that hilarious?  There's no sense of up or down or depth in this with the exception of the tree tips to anchor you.  I'm not sure I'll do this entirely, but I'll use features of it in an art piece.  I might crop it vertically for a long panel and play up the blue & green with lots of distinctively different texture.  It is an amazing sight!

Now to take a day off and re-organize this mess!  How did that happen so fast?

See you Sunday,
~Monika

10 comments:

Sheila said...

Just love Boundless that you finished and I wish I was closer to take classes from you , you are an inspiration. I have never seen a flax field and had no idea it was blue flowers wow isn't that an amazing sight !!

Ellie said...

Absolutely love your work!!!

Poppyprint said...

Boundless is really beautiful, Monika!!!

elle said...

Ya nailed it! It is HOT! Better to think about blues. My farmer has forbidden me to use the 'rain' word because it often forgets to stop over here in our neck of the woods. lol

Zoe said...

Wow!! it is beautiful- that is some amazing hand stitching- I am sure the lucky loved one will love it!

Michelle in Saskatoon said...

The stitching is beautiful Monika! I'm glad you're getting so much done these days despite the heat.

Anonymous said...

Monika,
It is summer - it is supposed to be hot!! Take your kids to George Ward pool and have some fun - maybe you will see me there swimming laps!
Your bountiful life has once more produced an amazing piece.
Your mom's picture is quite interesting - I was going to keep a watch out this way for a flax field. When you asked I had thought it was a bit early as all the crops went in so late. My alfalfa is all colors of purple right now - maybe I will have a go at a few pictures of it. I followed your lead and took some ladybell pictures the other evening and one of them turned out really cool.
Bernie

Anonymous said...

Thank you everyone! Oh Bernie, I cannot take three kids to a crowded big pool by myself. Maybe in a couple years. Spray parks and paddling pools for now! :-) Still, I prefer winter. I am weird that way. That is when we spend a lot of time outside.

M.

Jeane said...

I really love you Boundless II. The flowers are fantastic. Great job.

Anonymous said...

Big Sis Says: Awesome Monika! Keep on Sewing!... And Quilting... And Threading... And Embroidering/Thread Painting...

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