Genevieve's LiveJournal

So, Saturday Alan again pressed the distinct lack of a floor cloth for our tent since we tossed out our old busted one a couple of years ago. Too lazy/too late to order a new one from Panther.  Alan had originally found this fabric on Spoonflower, and then I loved this design, but sadly they are not released for sale. There is a nice pale blue, but I feared that'd be too light for a floor. Oh, and getting it in the Linen-cotton canvas wasn't going to be cheap either.

So Sunday, we went to Home Depot to get materials to paint a floor cloth using a canvas painter's drop cloth used in the barracks tent last year. We grabbed paint and tape, and planned to set to work on Monday when it was cooler.
This was my inspiration, seen as a color woodcut on the cover of Fooles and Fricassees


Feeling that four colors were a bit much, I chose to go with just a mustard gold and the teal. I like the idea of red and gold but then was worried about clashing with our current divider walls, or that it'd be too red and gold. Sadly the colors I chose are a bit lighter than planned, and probably would have darkened if I'd done a second coat, but one coat was really enough work for me.

I spent 2.5 hours gessoing the canvas on the driveway with some leftover cream colored paint on Monday. Then Alan helped me lay out the tape to mark off the squares, which we measured at approximately 12" square. I spent 2.5 hours painting the gold squares on Tuesday early afternoon, and 2.5 hours painting the teal squares that evening. Alan suggested that a second coat would go faster than the first, but he was promptly ignored as my back, glutes, hamstrings, knees, shoulders, and hands were killing me. Last night I tested out with a few markers to see what would work the best to make the black highlights in between the large tiles. Sharpie was the winner, so I rounded up all the Sharpies in the house this morning and set to removing the tape and applying the detail squares and lines to the cloth. I was racing the sun and the running out Sharpies, so I only got about half done in 1.5 hours this morning before I took a break for lunch and then a run to Target for more Sharpies. I moved to the patio for shade and the use of the table, which took longer to maneuver around, but meant I wasn't on my knees anymore to finish up the last two hours on the floor cloth. I am tired, my right hand has bandaids on it for sore spots where the paintbrush and markers were gripped, and my ass hurts. Need more stretching.

But it is done, and I am pleased.


And it even looks okay with our divider walls. :)


Guess I should start thinking about packing soon...

Can anybody find me some bunny to chase?

Each morning I get up and stretch a little
Before I get to my feet
Take a look in the food bowl
Will you please come feed me
I spend all my doing what you say
Sit, Stay,, Oh where's my relief?
Oh...
Some bunny, some bunny,
Oh Human, can you find me some bunny to chase?

Oh, that deer will do!

So, last year our common tent took some damage at Land Grab, but repairs were sufficient to hold all of war. We haven't put her up since taking her down at the end of war. Sapphire was a smaller group so I took the smaller tent. For various other reasons, we've been going high-speed low-drag events, and fewer events, so we just haven't used her. But I did grab some canvas scraps before we left Pennsic last year, so I've been working on putting patches on the repaired tears, especially those on the ridge that carry the most weight/stress.

I've done one long patch on one side of the ridge, one patch across the ridge, and now most of the way on another patch along the ridge. Kirsten did a patch over the rip near the dagges at the bottom of the huge tear. Slowly, we're getting the essentials covered. I've been using athletic tape on the fingers of my right hand to help keep the finger pad damage to a minimum, as well as a wrist band below the elbow to help with strain.


stitch, stitch, stitch

(For, Kass, Bob and RH)
As mentioned in a previous post, I've been working more on my coif than the nightcap lately.

The coif uses Extreme Patterns Genevieve Coif Pattern (https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/genevieve-coif-embroidery-pattern.php?s=&c=22&d=185&q=1&p=466&w=21) and I'm doing it in pink. Really, I didn't think there was another option. ;) It has been nice and relaxing, very simple double running stitch for the most part, with a bit of buttonhole stitch thrown in for the lattice. There are 20 full Fluer de Lys, which seem to take an hour and ten minutes each, so 23 hours and 20 minutes will be spent on them alone. I've already done 6 of them, so I have at least 16 hours left just for the Fluers. I think the main motifs will take between 3.5 to 4 hours each, there are 19 full ones of them on the coif, and some partials. Of those 19, I've done 5, so 14 more of them to go as well. Each lattice line takes about 25 minutes, there are roughly 42 on the coif, and I've done 6 of them. Wow, okay, best not to think of the calculations, and just get on with it, right?

I've stalled a bit on the nightcap, using Extreme Patterns Alan Nightcap Pattern (https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/alan-nightcap-embroidery-pattern.php?s=&c=22&d=185&q=1&p=505&w=21) because I'm at a more awkward place in the frame for working on it. I think I need to try turning it around and doing things upside down to get back in the swing of things. The main reason there haven't been any updates on it is that I haven't done anything on it update worthy. I do hope to get back into it, especially now that my lower back is being less of a pain. Ultimately when it is done, I have some of the gold Cluny Lace (https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/half-inch-wide-silver-or-gold-cluny-lace.php?s=&c=188&q=1&p=520&w=21) from Reconstructing History to trim the brim with.

I also purchased the Alice Coif Pattern (https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/alice-coif-embroidery-pattern.php?s=&c=22&d=185&q=2&p=476&w=21) back at Holiday Faire to make a small panel for my Mom, because she is awesome. I like the daffodil, pictured at the link, that I want to pull out and add a butterfly to. I was thinking of the Dolly Parton song, Love is Like a Butterfly, with the lyric, Daffodils and Butterflies when I picked out the design. Now I just need to make it work, but I haven't even started on it.

But, back to my coif, I had originally thought about doing the centers of the flowers in gold stitches and adding some gold oes, but I think I also got some silver Cluny Lace from RH, in which case I should use (and would need to acquire) the silver paillettes (https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/1-gram-12-paillettes.php?s=&c=111&d=158&q=1&p=343&w=21) from RH. Then again I might just leave it all plain pink silk and do some speckle stitch fill in the areas I was thinking of using gold. I was also going to use a casing at the base of the neck, but then do I get some pretty silk ribbon from RH, or do I braid my own cord from the pink and yellow silk I have in stash. My Stash Busting plan would lead to braiding from stuff in stock, so I guess that is the wise path to take, even if it means missing out on pretty silk ribbon...

Baaa! Latest meme... baaa....

Since I got this twice with two separate entries, I guess it must be close enough to accurate. Perhaps I should read some of his stuff, but then again it might annoy me in that way that someone like you can annoy you as they bring to light your faults.

Apparently,

I write like
Chuck Palahniuk

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

I don't think it technically counts towards stash reduction, but I have found a use for linen scraps. I've turned to diving in my sewing room trash can for long thin scraps to tie up the tomatoes.

Pink linen for our smaller but prolific tomato vine.

Black, blue, white and gray scraps help to corral our monster mater vine.

But in real stash busting news, Mom has already turned the bamboo yarn I gave her into a pair of socks. Yay Mom!

I, on the other hand, have been spending time on the heating pad baking my lower back and working on the coif embroidery. Each Fluer is taking 1:10 and one main motif took ~3.5 hours. I might be able to estimate how much more I have left. I'll try to remember a pic when I next reposition the hoop.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

The week before Independence Day our lotus bloomed. Since it looks like the only blossom we'll get this year, I'm glad it bloomed for three days.

Day One


Day Two


Day Three

So back in school either Winter 1997 or Spring 1998, Tracie and I painted some toys for the gift baskets, but this didn't make it. I took inspiration from several side snippets from the wonderful Medieval Woman calendars, and though I had no documentation to show that this style of decoration was used on wooden toys, I ran with the theme anyway. Alas, when it was done theodorad  saw it and fawned over it and asked to keep it and I was helpless in the face of her glee.  Occasionally she pulls it out of her basket and I remember that I did it, and that I didn't have any pictures of it, play with it and forget again. This weekend she pulled it out when I had the time and my camera and I was able to capture it for posterity.

Painted Cup and Ball toy


Butterfly on the cup


Caterpillar waiting in the cup for the strawberry ball


Ladybug and moth on the handle

My first stash busting attempt was to let my Mom shop in my stash while she was here. So 1.375 yards of red linen was donated to her toothbrush rug she started on the last day here. I even measured it out and tore it up for her use. StashBust01-Toothbrush rug.

Mom's progress in one afternoon.

I also let Mom shop in my yarn stash, giving her some Lopi for knitting with since she wanted to try some fulling after knitting a bag, gave her some bamboo I just got at MDS&WFest, and some more wool and a copy of the pattern for the Tudor Stockings I did for Plimoth so she could turn the last batch of wool into stockings in her spare time. (My Mom is so cool!)

So, a small amount of fabric and yarn liberated to my Mom.
Alas, I've found that I had 10 yards of white linen on a roll in the back of my closet, which is currently in the wash.

Female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on the butterfly bush in our backyard.


She stuck around for a while...


I feel really lucky to have been allowed close.

I had a great time and  took a bunch of pictures from the visit with my nieces and parents. They can all be seen in one Collection, but here are some of my favorites.

At the National Zoo:

Girls posing with a bronze panda, and one of the inquisitive red pandas

Cheetah face, and Panda nomming

At the Washington Monument:

Waiting for tickets, up inside the Washington Monument, and the National Cathedral from the top.

Winterthur's Enchanted Wood:

B in the cottage, T in the Fairy Ring, and B makes a butterfly wand,

B walks the labyrinth, a child sneaks into the cottage, dancing the May Pole,

T in the cottage

Family portrait before departing:

Sorry for the "pass the salt" news yesterday. No, no one was close to emergency or jail with respect to work. Here's my anaology.

In late 2002 I had fun flirting with Job, and Job flirted back. So in Feb 2003 Job and I made it official. In the beginning we had lots of fun, were productive and helped lots of folks through a firm partnership. Over the years though Job and I had grown apart. We tried various things to make it work, and were effective but no longer happy and inspired. I stuck around hoping to catch the eye of Job's friend in another department, but eventually I realized I was doing Job and I no favors, so I left. Job is still great and worthy, just no longer for me.

Yes, I am looking for a new Job, would like a new Job in my life, but also kind of enjoying a bit of time off from Job. I'm on the Job hunt, but in the meantime am being a stay-at-home DogMom and taking longer walks with the Ladybug. We've upped our walks from one mile twice a day to total around four miles a day. She gets to go outside and bask in the Sun more during the day, and I've accomplished some things around the house.

I was also able to enjoy a fun week with my folks and nieces. We went to the National Zoo, the International Spy Museum, the Washington Monument, the National Air and Space Musuem's Udvar-Hazy Center out near Dulles, Wunterthur to visit the Jacket and enjoy a day in the Enchanted Woods with the girls, and a fun day relaxing around the house. And I even managed to clean enough of the house to not be completely embarrassed around my folks and completed the laundry loads of sheets and towels after they left.

So that's all the news from here, where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and the dog is above average in cuteness.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Sorry for the "pass the salt" news yesterday. No, no one was close to emergency or jail with respect to work. Here's my anaology.

In late 2002 I had fun flirting with Job, and Job flirted back. So in Feb 2003 Job and I made it official. In the beginning we had lots of fun, were productive and helped lots of folks through a firm partnership. Over the years though Job and I had grown apart. We tried various things to make it work, and were effective but no longer happy and inspired. I stuck around hoping to catch the eye of Job's friend in another department, but eventually I realized I was doing Job and I no favors, so I left. Job is still great and worthy, just no longer for me.

Yes, I am looking for a new Job, would like a new Job in my life, but also kind of enjoying a bit of time off from Job. I'm on the Job hunt, but in the meantime am being a stay-at-home DogMom and taking longer walks with the Ladybug. We've upped our walks from one mile twice a day to total around four miles a day. She gets to go outside and bask in the Sun more during the day, and I've accomplished some things around the house.

I was also able to enjoy a fun week with my folks and nieces. We went to the National Zoo, the International Spy Museum, the Washington Monument, the National Air and Space Musuem's Udvar-Hazy Center out near Dulles, Wunterthur to visit the Jacket and enjoy a day in the Enchanted Woods with the girls, and a fun day relaxing around the house. And I even managed to clean enough of the house to not be completely embarrassed around my folks and completed the laundry loads of sheets and towels after they left.

So that's all the news from here, where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and the dog is above average in cuteness.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

So, I quit my job and then my parents and nieces came into town for a few days and we did site-seeing until I thought my feet might fall off. That's it in a nutshell.

Should write more, sorry.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

So, I quit my job and then my parents and nieces came into town for a few days and we did site-seeing until I thought my feet might fall off. That's it in a nutshell.

Should write more, sorry.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

At Martine's request, I've signed up to teach hands on embroidery classes again at Sapphire this weekend.
Since Saturday will likely be packed, I'm teaching on Sunday afternoon.

1pm:  Elizabethan Embroidery: Reverse Chain Stitch and Detached Buttonhole
Instructions: reverse chain and detached buttonhole stitches

2pm:  Elizabethan Embroidery: Trellis Stitch and Ceylon Stitch
Instructions: trellis stitch and ceylon stitch.

Description: Hands on embroidery instruction in four stitch techniques based on the free PDFs created by Tricia Wilson for the Plimoth Jacket Project. Limited history discussion, but relevant books to look through will be available.

Due to lessons learned from Night on the Town, I've broken it into two one hour sessions. That way anyone who is done after an hour won't feel guilty for leaving for part two, and those who missed part two can try it then. If you can't make it then and find me idle any other time, feel free to ask for help then.

My new camera arrived a week ago. In the first 20 minutes out of the box I found it nice and easy to work with. In the first 20 snaps I captured:
Ladybug in mid-snout-lick using the Pet setting


and a few macro shots of our Gyrth irises



Then later I snapped this one of our walk on a side path from the local trails


That'll do. And should work well for the Jacket Study Tour too.
Francis laughed since it is the same type that the NMAI Conservation Lab got for taking their before, during and after documentation pics of pieces in progress. She says it is super easy to use and takes great shots for them. Hooray. Panasonic Lumix ZS6. Also highly rated by Consumer Reports.

Registration for session #77 of University of Atlantia will open on 5/20/2010.
Thank you to all the wonderful instructors who have offered to teach, Lady Isabel the helpful autocrat, and all interested students for their patience.

Using the wayback machine, I've been meaning to post the link to some pictures I took at Sheep and Wool on Sunday May 2nd. I went with attack_laurel  and despite the heat and humidity, we had a fun time. I got to take a spin through the competition area and see lots of fun creative winning works. Since I tried to limit further stash acquisition, that was fun for getting ideas and dreaming. Though I did pick up some things; a silk scarf, some bamboo yarn, one hunk of merino and some home baked dog treats for the Bug.


But before heading to Sheep and Wool, we had to run by Frisky's Wildlife and Primate Sanctuary to drop off some baby bunnies. On Saturday Ladybug found the nest of a negligent rabbit mother who made it inside the fenced yard of a hound. At least two didn't make it, but we managed to use her to find the rest of the nest and then kept her away from it until the next morning when I scooped up the rest to take to rescue.
Baby bunnies now in safe hands- Ladybug tears up the rest of the nest


And, I have the best Laura evar! attack_laurel  made me a scrapbook of our participation in the Plimoth Jacket project, which is just wonderful. So sweet. I love it! Best Evar!

I've actually been meaning to write something like this, and am grateful to Genie for her latest Living Out Loud challenge, even if I am too late.

I grew up in a wonderful neighborhood of midsized homes, mostly 3 bedroom ranch and split-levels, nothing insanely luxurious, but comfortable. We knew our neighbors by first name, Al and Margie to the right and Dottie and Wallace to the left, and used them as back-ups when we lost/left our keys to the backdoor. Since we had the pool across the street I think it was easier to for us to be known as we had back-up keys to the pool, and a view of the parking lot to keep an eye on things. We were babysitters for many neighbors, or pet-sitters if needed. I've taken care of neighbors cats, potted plants, and even gerbils. We'd take walks around the neighborhood periodically, and often cut through our backdoor neighbor's yard and had a back gate on our fence since folks would cut through our yard to reach the pool sometimes. One of the other things I've seen since is that everyone pretty much looked like me.

Alan and I have been in our current house for 8 years now. Only in the past year have I really started to appreciate our neighborhood, and that is mostly due to having a dog to walk. Walking a dog brings to light those who aren't as fastidious in their lawn care, the owners who have fun with holiday decorations, the places that collect trash, and who is a grumpy old fart versus who is happy to see a happy pup on leash walk by. I've also been pleased to see other folks out walking or working in their yards and try to say hello to everyone. Our house is also near a large bus stop, so sometimes there is a horde of kids and some parents keeping an eye out for the kids. Many of the kids are always pleased to see Ladybug and she gets some positive attention from her pint-sized fan club in the morning.

But one of the things that I really appreciate is that everyone doesn't look pale like me. On one side we have a few sets of black neighbors. Our immediate next-door neighbors are Israel and his family. Israel is a pastor at his French speaking Baptist Church (Haitian I believe), so he always has lots of company and is often helping out others and letting them help him around the yard and house. His wife keeps a beautiful front yard, but isn't keen on dogs, so I try to keep Ladybug away from her. One more house over is Brother's family. Brother is a little black poodle who is adorable, and always too excited to see Ladybug out and about.

On our other side is Dao's parents, who bought the house from their daughter and son-in-law. Dao's Mom takes care of her non-school aged grandchildren during the weekday, and sometimes sets herbs out to steep in the sunshine in the backyard. She was very appreciative when we chatted after Alan repaired the damaged fence section between our two yards. I pointed out to her that it was important to us to have a secure barrier to keep Ladybug in, and she was just glad they didn't have to hire a pro since they don't have a truck to get the long rails we needed. Another house over is another Asian family, and then next to them is an Indian family who was very helpful at keeping an eye out when Ladybug was on her run-about. Their little girl is also pleased to see Bug on leash too, as long as her hands are food free.

And this is just a small selection of our neighborhood. Faces of all shapes and shades live in our neighborhood, and you can often smell amazingly different and yummy foods being cooked during evening walks, from garlic to curry to jerk. All around we have neighbors who are policemen and doctors. We have dog and cat owners, older folks and young families, minivan owners and the guy with the original convertible VW Beetle, overall a wonderful variety. I may not know their names, but from Wrigley the beagle's owners, to Marley the large gray poodle's moms, I like seeing them out and about. I do only mostly know them by their pet's name and house number, but adore the diversity.

Especially in Ladybug's bus stop fan club.

I love our home, our yard, our snuggly furniture, the nice space, our awesome patio, and now I really appreciate the neighborhood it is situated in.