..lucky charm & Tom Mouse

It’s started a long week-end….given over to write the first draft of my thesis...I have to deliver it to my teacher next Wednesday….an hard work awaited me!!!!

I would like to show you the lucky charm that I and my daughter Alice have made this week…Valeria, our Trento friend, gave us some wood silhouette…I and Alice painted them and bound them with a string…we made one charm for Alice and one for Samuele, Valeria’s child.

Yesterday evening I started to stitch Tom Mouse kit (enclosed in Cross Stitcher October issue), I decided to use only one strand for the x-stitch as suggested in the magazine…I think I will make a little bag with it… like those of the magazine…

--guest map...

Yesterday, I saw in Zohrah’s Blog the Bravenet GuestMap…I fall in love with it!! So today I‘ve put it also on my blog…I thinks it will be really nice to see where my X-stitch friends live!!! So if you want leave a mark on it!!! Thanks…Chia

...ebay & SBQ...

This evening I’ve done my first purchase on e-bay!!! I’ve bought COUNTRY FRIENDS 2004 CALENDAR…I hope i twill arrive soon!!!


Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" was suggested by Outi and is:

Have you ever stitched something as a gift and later realized that receiver doesn't respect your stitched gift a bit (for example it's never on show, or you have other reason to suspect that it may even be nonexistent or at least placed in some dark storage room corner)? If so, what have you done? If you've been lucky enough to avoid such people what would you do if it'd happen to you?

For now, luckily, I’ve never had this problem!!! If it will happen I Think I will fell sad and angry it will be a great heartbreaking…I think I won’t ever give that person any present (especially a present I work very hard on !!!)

The permalink to this post is:
http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2005/10/a-gift-sbq/

Zohrah...I have choosen the FRAGILE COEUR as you've said it's sweet...I'm not in Xmas mood yet!!!

Danielle...thanks for the compliments...I assure you that Trento is really nice...

…A good week-end...

The past week-end was really good!!!

First I finished my CATAFIDDLE:
(Since I’ve so little time to post my images I‘ll post all my progress this time)
The fruit of Thursday evening work:

I stitched some white and grey(I run out the DMC)…and some outline
The fruit of Friday evening work:

I bought DMC 762 and I completed all the cat tummy and the cat outline …I make the bow and the outline of violin…..and I ironed all the work…I was really satisfied!!!
On Saturday morning I got up early to work on the musician folder and finished it before the departure for Trento. I cut the square for the cat in the cardboard, then I lined the cardboard with some sheet music I’ve antiqued painting it with coffee. I lined the angle of the cardboard with a blue cloth to protect it from the wearing effect of time.
Using the bio-adhesive tape I attached the aida in the square and I put up in three sides of the folder some blue and beige ribbon to allow my sister to close it and to avoid to lose all the paper she’ll put in it!!! Then I covered the back of the folder with a blue paper and I lined the spine of the folder with the same blue cloth I used to cover the angle. I left it under a press all the Saturday and the Sunday…Yesterday evening I unearthed it and gave it to my sister as a present…she was thrilled…I was really glad to have make her happy(she is quite sad in this period!)


Second we went to Trento:

We visited some friends of us that some years ago moved there to work…they are a couple of our age with a one year child Samuele. A month ago they moved in a larger house…a really nice house…I would like to have a house all ours!!!(now we live in my parent’s mansard…)We enjoyed our day in Trento, Saturday we visited the city…a really lovely city…

in the evening we had a tasty dinner with "polenta".On Sunday we visited Segonzano Pyramid

truly strange and interesting…they look like those of “Willie coyote”


At the end it is a very good week end!!!


Now I have to decide what to stitch now? I have to stitch the heart for the RR or to start something new……mumble mumble…

On Thursday I received the October number of Cross Stitcher (now in England is coming out the November one :( ) ….there is Archie Bear in the bath…this design will be perfect to complete the square empty(a girl has withdrawn) of my “RR Nostro” cloth ….

...a newborn baby...

This afternoon the daughter of my thesis director was born!!! Her name is Bianca!!! I’m truly happy for him and his wife!!! Tomorrow we’ll celebrate the happy event at our office!!

Yesterday the pattern I’ve ordered at the end of September are arrived!!!! They are marvellous…I don’t know from witch I can start ….


Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" was suggested by Cathy and is:

Do you mark or hi-lite your patterns or can you follow them without any markings? Do you make copies to mark up, or do you mark originals?

Usually I don’t mark any pattern, but sometimes when I’m desperate I highlight it….it happens to me especially when the pattern has a lot of colour changes or it is printed in small….in this case I’m in danger to ruin my eyesight so I print it in a larger size !!!!

The permanent link to this post is:
http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2005/10/pattern-marking/

..thesis&cat&book&RR:::

Since my daughter was ill, we stayed at home all the week end and I take advantage of it for writing my graduation thesis....I wrote only a chapter....at this rate I will finish it next year (I have to finish it before the end of November!!!)...

I applied myself to cross stitching on Saturday on Sunday evening when Alice was sleeping and my husband was watching football championship (When his favourite team play he is untraceable !!!)….I stitched the cat tail and the blue floor….I found an error in the stitch I have done some days ago so I split all the wrong cross…what a damned nuisance!!

During the lunch break I went to the library and I took on loan Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby a friend of mine has said it’s wonderful…we shall see about that!!!

Today I received a fabric of the RR I taking part in…the theme is heart of Savoir-Faire Vailly I have to decide what heart I will stitch…I waver between:

I will decide…I have time until the end of November!!

... little witch...

Yesterday I finished the embroidery on the dress: I stitched two pumpkins, a witch hat, 3 stars and the moon….I used only four colours to avoid doing a witch harlequin!!!!!

This morning I slipped the dress on the witch body, stuffed the shoes and stitched on the whiskers to the cat …..and my little witch is finished!! I’m satisfied with what I have made….Alice loves the doll very much, she put the witch on her night table!!!

I have seen a nice Halloween pattern titled Meg and Mog on CrossStitching.com it seems really simple but I like it.. the owl looks like PLOP a character of Alice’s book….I would like to buy it…I’ll think about it!!!

I would like to show you where my little city is…

Reggio Emilia is a little city in the north of Italy (near Bologna), placed in the Po valley with an awful climate!!! It’s Sultry in Summer …It’s cold and foggy in Winter…Autumn and Spring are rather wet….It’s a bijou!! Italian flag was born here on 1797 and we are the home of Parmesan (the cheese)!!!

...SBQ...

Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" was suggested by Outi and is:

How do you `non-hoopists' who use a rotation system handle it (as it
seems to be lot easier if you are in good terms with hoop)? Do you
have several scroll frames? Do you use Q-snaps or maybe something
completely different? Or do you just have one or two big projects and
others are small enough to be kept in hand while stitching?

Today my answers are all negative..
I don't use a rotation system because I usually stitch one design at a time and I don't use any Q-snaps, I keep all my pattern in hand while I'm stitching, but I would to try some Q-snaps as soon as possible...

Permanent Link: http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2005/10/a-rotation-sbq-and-an-sbrr-update/

....I'm a Gryffindor!!!!...

I have found the link to the HOGWART'S SORTING HAT in Karen blog....as I'm a super fan of Harry I've completed the quiz immediatly and....I'm a Gryffindor!!!


be sorted @ nimbo.net

WOW!!! AS Harry, Ron and Hermion!!!
I'm waiting for the italian version of the last book..i hope it will arrive soon!!!

..a witch for Halloween....

Finally the sun......

We have just taken Alice to the fair she is very happy...and very dirty of spun shugar!!!!

Some weeks ago I have borroed a book from the library called:"Fairys ,wizards and witches...."

it is a manual that teach how to make dolls.Saturday I started a witch...this will be my Halloween manufacture!!!
Saturday I've chose the pattern to use (I will use one pattern I've boughtlast wednesday)...and I went to the shop to buy all the things i missed!!I've bought a beautifull pair of scissors that cuts the pattern zigzaggy...It's a long time that I would like to buy it and now i have do that!! :)
I've decide to modify the original dool, instead of the plain pattern for the dress i decide to use a piece of black Aida where I'm going to stitch some Halloween design:I choose some free design of Lizzie Kate i like very much her style!!!
For the witch hair I have used orange raffia instead of an hair pattern(i didn't find it!!!)
On sunday and on monday i've cut, machine-stitch,stuff and glue...yesterday evening my witch shown up like that...I'm very satisfied of that result

...I hope to finish her as soon as possible!!! (also my husband loves her!!!It's a miracle!!!)

...rain rain rain and still rain...

It's raining since Monday...not light rain but heavy shower!!!I hope sun will come back again( but I think it's vey improbable...here in the Po valley, in autumn and winter, there is only fog !!) Even now it's thundering!!

But apart from the rain I have some freshness!!!

First today without study!!! Danielle you have reason I feel very great !!!

Today it's my first day at work!! I've seen my new office it's very nice...as soon as possible I will show you a photo!!!(I have the pc not yet but it will arrive soon I hope!!!)

Yesterday evening I went with my sister, Elena and a friend of us, Alice to a show in Reggio emilia called "Casa e tavola"(home and food) where I saw a lot of furniture and I ate some chocolate very delicious!!!! There was also a corner with cloth and paper for decuopage...I bought some of it (I think they are really prettty!! I don't know what to do with them ...but I will use them soneer or later!!)

Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" was suggested by Bea and is:

When you have almost finished a pattern and start thinking about the next one to stitch, how do you select it? (a list, most recent purchase, etc.)

The permalink to this post is:http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2005/10/future-projects/

It's a very interesting question...I 've think about it some day ago when i have to decide what to start stitching....I haven't a specific rule...I select the new pattern to stitch according to my current emotion...I have an enormous wish list (in fact I haven't put it on the web yet, it's too big ) so I have a lot of options to choose...when i finished a design I think what's my feeling in that moment ...and I start to stitch the patter that fit better with my wishes!!

Whopee, I've got it

Last exam ....DONE!!!!!!
I'm very happy today i've passed my last University exam (It is passed not very well but it is passed!!)...next step take a degree in December!!!! I'm really really relaxed, now!!..Hurra Hurra!!!!


Now cross stitch....
Yesterday I've received the december number of Cross Country Stitcher truly disappointing!!! The cover story is worse than the Christmass previous one!!! I love only the Country Sampler of Christmass. It's the last number I will receive because I haven't renew the subscription...I'm pleased of it, the last number was really poor!! I will invest my money on other magazines!!!

...a sly smile...

Yesterday evening I applied myself to the muzzle of my Cattafiddle and I get a sly smile!!! So when I will stitch on it I can see its smile!!! And I will be more happy to stitch all its tummy with white floss!!!


Some friends of my parents have given us as a present two nice parrots a buck and a female, Alice is mad for them(in the photo you can see her finger!!)!!!...so we spent the day searching some amusing names for them....at the end my daughter has decide...BIANCA e BERNIE as her favourite Disney characters!!!

...litlle progress....

I've made little progress in my Cattafiddle


in the meantime I'm thinking how to make the music folder for my sister...I have bought some papers but I'm not really convinced of them...so I would like to take some music, make a photocopy of it and then antique it...I have to thinking about it!!!


Yesterday evening we watched Sin City, very exciting!! Bruce is the best!!

This evening we will have some friends for dinner I'll cook "TIGELLE" a typical dish of my region, It's very good with ham, salami and NUTELLA!!!

Now I have to clean my house and make it presentable!!!!