Friday, April 30, 2010

Unrelenting Life

At times I find that life is just too much. You know? It really is unrelenting and I'd like to take some time off from it. Since that's not an option, I find that expressing myself through art helps tremendously! This girl is in somewhat of a pickle.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Spring 2010, a Free Chart


 


I recently created a new free chart, Spring 2010. It has a limited color palette and simple design, so it will sew up petty fast. There is a lot of room to change the basic design and use your own creativity. You could change the stitch size and use one thread over one thread, use over dyed threads, or bolder, or more muted colors, or a colored fabric. There are so many wonderful and creative stitchers out there, I would love to see what you've done. Just email your finishes and I'll post them here.

Most of all have fun stitching!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Two New Charts


 Strive, that your actions, day by day maybe beautiful prayers.




River House

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Thursday, April 1, 2010

The thing about working in a library is that you are surrounded by great books. Recently I came across this book,
Lincoln, Life Size
by
Philip B. Kunhardt II
Peter W. Kunhardt
and Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2009

It's a book of photographs of Lincoln, taken throughout his life. Alongside each photograph is a quote from someone in Lincoln's life that gives a unique insight into his daily life, both private and professional. This one I particularly liked;

June 3, 1860, Springfield, Illinois

AL.1861.5A
Photograph by Alexander Hesler

On the same day that Alexander Hesler took this portrait of Lincoln, the artist Charles Barry came to Springfield to sketch the candidate, as he later recalled.

Arriving in Springfield in the afternoon of Saturday, June 3, 1860, I went at once to the Lincoln home. When I rang the bell a very small boy called out: "Hello, Mister, what yer want?" I replied that I wished to see Mr. Lincoln and had come all the way from Boston for that purpose. Then the small boy shouted: "Come down, Pop; here's a man from Boston," and a instant later Mr. Lincoln appeared, holding out a hand in welcome. "They want my head, do they?" he asked, twisting my letter of introduction in his hands. "Well, if you can get it you may have it, that is, if you are able to take it off while I am on the jump; but don't fasten me into a chair..."...How vividly it all comes back to me-the lonely room, the great bony figure with its long arms and legs that seemed to be continually twisting themselves together; the long wiry neck; the narrow chest, the uncombed hair; the cavernous sockets beneath the high forehead; the bushy eyebrows hanging like curtains over the bright, dreamy eyes, the awkward speech, the evident sincerity and patience. (p.44)