Musings of a bearded embroiderer

Another "What I've been working on" post

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:34:33 GMT

I don't have scans of the recent illuminations (since I just finished them) but here's the embroideries that I've finished...(I hope I got the html thingies right, so it doesn't break my friends' lists)
(click on thumbnails to enbiggen)

This was a postcard that I recently sent in a postcard swap. I love the little fuzzy bits.

This was a fun piece, it took about 65 hours, that's a lot of needleweaving around the center there. And it was inspired by another postcard that I'm still working on.

And this one was just strange. The big petals are embroidered over cord, so they're very padded. And, everything is worked in shades of grey. While I was working this one, I really didn't care for it, the big leaves, looked blah and weird, kind of organic but not nifty. The smaller leaves looked plain (worked in star stitch and split stitch) and uninteresting. Even the center section didn't thrill me, it looked too Liberace-ish or something. Then, I put it all together. It's currently one of my favorite pieces. It's weird how that happens.

What I've been working on

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:10:26 GMT

That's the latest brooch. It's modeled after another brooch (which will be finished soon) which is, itself, modeled after an embroidered postcard I'm working on (which won't be finished quite so soon)

And here's the latest illumination...

So stuff is getting done. Woot!

thank you tashabear

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:15:50 GMT

notes from yesterday's farmers' market

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:00:38 GMT

Yesterday I went to the local farmers' market with vg_ford it was a good time. I got some pictures of some very nice ideas for more flower pins. It's a good source of inspiration. And, it's wonderful getting out like that. Here are some pictures...
(click on pictures to enbiggen)

Interesting experiment...

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:56:32 GMT

I test rode a bike today. I don't think I'm going to get it since I'm still debating whether I'd be comfortable riding in public (the fact that I'm worried about it, is a good indication that I would be)

Although, the bike is indeed cool.

(click on images to enbiggen)

Move along, nothing to see here...

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:27:28 GMT

Just posting some recipes so that I'll know where they are.
If you're interested, they're behind the cuts

CINNAMON-SPICED MOROCCAN CHICKEN
Ingredients:
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds) or 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons flour, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Season-All® Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Turmeric
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup pitted whole dates, sliced
• 1/3 cup whole almonds (with skins on)
Directions:
Place chicken in a self-closing plastic bag.
Combine 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon, Season-All, cumin, and turmeric.
Sprinkle over chicken and toss well to coat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Sauté chicken about 5 minutes per side.
Mix remaining 1 tablespoon flour and broth; add to skillet.
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir in dates and almonds; simmer, covered, 7 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Chicken Tika Masala
Ingredients:
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into
bite-size pieces
4 long skewers
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat a grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Lace experiment

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:56:57 GMT

Here we go, here's the latest experiment from Chez Lunacy

I haven't been posting much, I know. It's been an interesting month, but I'll have some good news in a little bit I hope.

Oh, as another update, I actually drove for 15 minutes this week! 0_0! (I'm using the local driving school, "Pale Rider" they have license plates like "WhoopC" and "Whiteknuckle" etc. They've got a great sense of humor).

ohmigodwtfbbq!!!!!!eleventy!

Sat, 30 May 2009 05:35:01 GMT

Found via ellen_kushner

put down your beverages and enjoy....

Ack!

Mon, 18 May 2009 21:36:09 GMT

It's been a while since I've posted. And since I have no new photos (for many sundry and various reasons, which are too boring to relate.) I thought I'd post a new "Cat Yodeling" video.

Enjoy!

60 hours and it glows in the dark...

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:24:03 GMT

Here's another embroidery

(click on the thumbnail for a larger view)
All the white embroidery is worked with glow in the dark floss and sewing thread. (I'm trying to figure out how to photograph it.

I didn't bother showing the back of this one, since they're all the backs are starting to look alike. But yes, it too is embroidered.

The next project is a lace experiment, and then it's time to start evaluating my process, to see if there's a way to get more coherent designs, and a faster method of working.

Current projects

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:42:45 GMT

Hi Folks!
Since the clickable thumbnails worked on the last post, here we go. ... (click on thumbnails for a bigger view)

This one was supposed to be a quick and easy project. It wasn't so bad, it only took about 100 hours. (there were some false starts, but I think it turned out well) the petals are worked in split stitch and french knots, and of course they're outlined in buttonhole stitch. Oh, the leaves are worked in long and short stitch.

And here's the back. I'm pleased with how the beads turned out.

and here's my first real lace experiment

what I've been working on

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 02:40:55 GMT

This piece is a bit less than 3 inches in diameter, the edges of the flower petals are worked in buttonhole stitch, over wire. The middle petals have a section of detached leaves, also worked over wire (this was a pain to do by the way) and I learned an important lesson, do your french knots *before* doing your woven picots. (they get tangled, and telling someone that your french knots are all tangled in your picots simply sounds dirty, dirty, dirty)

Here's the back
Doing stem stitch, on top of detached buttonhole, was not my smartest decision. (though it does look good) there was a lot of bleeding on that one.

Here's a detail of the gilt silk twist (it's fun to play with) on the back of the petals.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:54:24 GMT

Happy Birthday brickhousewench!!!

--from your evil twin, Skippy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:05:34 GMT

This has been a good year. I'm thankful for everyone out there and all your marvelous comments on the last post.

My good news (or at least progress towards great news)

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:57:30 GMT

I mentioned in my last post (in the comments) that I had some good news, here it goes, it's long, and thus going behind a

Some of you know about my agoraphobia. I try not to talk about it much, I consider it to be part of the boring day to day life that I don't bother posting about. I also don't mention that until recently, even while still in the house, I had, at least, daily panic attacks. To be more accurate a single panic attack in a day was considered a good day. This too, was part of the boring day to day details of my life and not worthy of posting.

Around April or so, I started therapy with a therapist who uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I have a hard time posting its acronym without snorting) it was going well, and I was starting to expand my boundaries, not a lot, but it was getting easier to bring the trash down to the curb.

We also moved in September, before the move, my therapist, my doctor (she's wonderful if anyone needs a new physician in Concord) and I decided to start medication, to beat back the panic attacks and let some of the rational part of my brain work on the problem. We started with Celexa. It was a partial success. It completely squashed the panic attacks, so that after the move, I was able to walk around outside the house (more on this in a bit). It had an utterly unacceptable side-effect. No, it wasn't the daily bouts of diarrhea, I could live with that, though traveling to events like Coronation and stuff became impossible, or at least problematic. The problem was my attention span. I didn't have one. I could focus on a task for about 15 minutes, maybe. Cooking became difficult. Holding a comprehensible phone conversation was a challenge. And I couldn't read. I couldn't remember what I'd read just a few paragraphs earlier. This was not good. And this was the reason I skipped so many events, and couldn't do any scribal assignments. An AoA scroll takes me at least 30 hours of work, and on that medication, that would have worked out to about a month for a single scroll, not acceptable.

So we've changed drugs to Zoloft. It's not bad, it takes the edge off most of the panic attacks. It doesn't eliminate them, but it seems to shorten the duration, and the frequency. I'm down to about 5 or 6 a week, so that's not too bad.

Here's the good news (yay, finally a long story getting shortened! Woot!)

For a bit more than the last four years, I really haven't been able to leave the house without some assistance, I could do short trips to the mailbox, most of the time, or take out the trash. But that was about all. Events left me drained for a week, but I put up with what I call aftershocks, because I really wanted to participate, and see my friends, the people I care about and love. Even if I can't quite express it due to the anxiety issues.

With this medication, and the motivation of the Obama candidacy. Yes, I really believe in him. I dragged up my courage, and walked downtown to volunteer at his headquarters. And, I was able to do it. I couldn't make the calls, that was too much on top of being out, but I could do the data entry. So, every day for the last week and a half, I've been walking the mile downtown, trying out new routes to get comfortable with the streets and traffic. And walking back afterwards.

This is major good news. I'm no longer completely trapped in my house. I can walk to the Marketbasket that's next to Joanne's Fabrics, it takes a lot out of me, but I can do it.

There's still boundaries of course, but they're further out than they've been in years. And for a good part of it, I can thank the Concord Obama campaign for providing a reason to leave the house, and safe place to go to.

FUCK YEAH!!!

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:03:53 GMT

THE 8 YEAR AMERICAN NIGHTMARE IS OVER!!!

ETA: I didn't expect this but I'm crying.

In place of actual content

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:05:06 GMT

I'm still unpacking from the move, dear gods there's a lot of boxes, my brain is moooosh, and so, ....

Octopuses (Octopods, Octopi?)!!!

For the spinners out there

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:54:13 GMT

Just saw a tutorial on how to Spin newspapers into yarn

I need another hobby like a hole in the head, but this one just looks damned cool.

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:28:50 GMT

Happy Birthday barlidoc!!!

Interesting find for Heian fans

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:34:12 GMT

I found a Murasaki-bot that reads the entire tale of Genji, as well as acts out parts of it, with delicate subtle movements. Apparently it isn't available for sale yet. But still. I want one.

Odd thought on a Wednesday evening...

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:54:06 GMT

The internet has failed me!
There's no NCIS, Project Runway crossover fanfic stuff.

(yes, I did find NCIS/Torchwood, but no Tim Gunn and Gibbs slash...The internet needs to make it work)

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:46:53 GMT

If there are one or more people on your friends list who make your world a better place just because they exist, and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the Internet, then post this same sentence in your journal.

memes, memes, everywhere there's memes....

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:43:07 GMT

Shamelessly yoinked from jackoutofthebox

- Go to musicoutfitters.com
- Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year.
- Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline your favorites. Do nothing to the ones you don't remember/care about.

1. When Doves Cry, Prince
2. What's Love Got To Do With It, Tina Turner
3. Say Say Say, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
4. Footloose, Kenny Loggins
5. Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now), Phil Collins
6. Jump, Van Halen
7. Hello, Lionel Richie
8. Owner Of A Lonely Heart, Yes
9. Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr.
10. Karma Chameleon, Culture Club
11. Missing You, John Waite
12. All Night Long (All Night), Lionel Richie
13. Let's Hear It For The Boy, Deniece Williams
14. Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen
15. Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper
16. The Reflex, Duran Duran
17. Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper
18. Jump (For My Love), Pointer Sisters
19. Talking In Your Sleep, Romantics
20. Self Control, Laura Branigan
21. Let's Go Crazy, Prince and The Revolution
22. Say It Isn't So, Daryl Hall and John Oates
23. Hold Me Now, Thompson Twins
24. Joanna, Kool and The Gang
25. I Just Called To Say I Love You, Stevie Wonder
26. Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
27. Break My Stride, Matthew Wilder
28. 99 Luftballons, Nena
29. I Can Dream About You, Dan Hartman
30. The Glamorous Life, Sheila E.
~~31. Oh Sherrie, Steve Perry~~
32. Stuck On You, Lionel Richie
33. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, Elton John
34. She Bop, Cyndi Lauper
35. Borderline, Madonna
36. Sunglasses At Night, Corey Hart
37. Eyes Without A Face, Billy Idol
38. Here Comes The Rain Again, Eurythmics
39. Uptown Girl, Billy Joel
~~40. Sister Christian, Night Ranger~~
41. Drive, Cars
42. Twist Of Fate, Olivia Newton-John
43. Union Of The Snake, Duran Duran
44. The Heart Of Rock 'N' Roll, Huey Lewis and The News
45. Hard Habit To Break, Chicago
~~46. The Warrior, Scandal~~
47. If Ever You're In My Arms Again, Peabo Bryson
48. Automatic, Pointer Sisters
49. Let The Music Play, Shannon
50. To All The Girls I've Loved Before, Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
~~51. Caribbean Queen, Billy Ocean~~
52. That's All, Genesis
53. Running With The Night, Lionel Richie
54. Sad Songs (Say So Much), Elton John
55. I Want A New Drug, Huey Lewis and The News
56. Islands In The Stream, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
57. Love Is A Battlefield, Pat Benatar
58. Infatuation, Rod Stewart
59. Almost Paradise, Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
60. Legs, ZZ Top
61. State Of Shock, Jacksons
62. Love Somebody, Rick Springfield
63. Miss Me Blind, Culture Club
64. If This Is It, Huey Lewis and The News
65. You Might Think, Cars
66. Lucky Star, Madonna
67. Cover Me, Bruce Springsteen
68. Cum On Feel The Noize, Quiet Riot
69. Breakdance, Irene Cara
70. Adult Education, Daryl Hall and John Oates
71. They Don't Know, Tracy Ullman
72. An Innocent Man, Billy Joel
73. Cruel Summer, Bananarama
~~74. Dance Hall Days, Wang Chung~~--I used to like this and due to overplaying, well...bleh.
75. Give It Up, K.C.
76. I'm So Excited, Pointer Sisters
77. I Still Can't Get Over Loving You, Ray Parker Jr.
~~78. Thriller, Michael Jackson~~
79. Holiday, Madonna
80. Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us, Ollie And Jerry
81. Nobody Told Me, John Lennon
82. Church Of The Poison Mind, Culture Club
83. Think Of Laura, Christopher Cross
84. Time Will Reveal, Debarge
85. Wrapped Around Your Finger, Police
86. Pink Houses, John Cougar Mellencamp
~~87. Round And Round, Ratt~~
88. Head Over Heels, Go-Go's
89. The Longest Time, Billy Joel
90. Tonight, Kool and The Gang
91. Got A Hold On Me, Christine McVie
~~92. Dancing In The Sheets, Shalamar~~
93. Undercover Of The Night, Rolling Stones
94. On The Dark Side, John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band
95. New Moon On Monday, Duran Duran
96. Major Tom (Coming Home), Peter Schilling
97. Magic, Cars
98. When You Close Your Eyes, Night Ranger
~~99. Rock Me Tonite, Billy Squier~~
100. Yah Mo B There, James Ingram and Michael McDonald
</lj>

memes!

Sat, 17 May 2008 00:37:45 GMT

Posted from rufinia
Questions!
behind cut because it's long
If you are on my friends list, I want to know things about you. I don't care if we never talk, if you're more of a lurker, or if we already know everything about each other.

BE HONEST! Answer the questions in a comment, then repost on your own journal if you like.

Are you currently in a serious relationship?

What was your dream growing up?

What talent do you wish you had?

If I bought you a drink what would it be?

Favorite vegetable?

What was the last book you read?

What zodiac sign are you?

Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.

Worst Habit?

If you saw me walking down the street, would you offer me a ride?

What is your favorite sport?

Do you have a pessimistic or optimistic attitude?

What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?

Worst thing to ever happen to you?

Tell me one weird fact about you.

Do you have any pets?

What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?

What was your first impression of me?

Do you think clowns are cute or scary?

If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?

Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?

What color eyes do you have?

Ever been arrested?

White or red wine?

If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?

What's your favorite place to hang at?

Do you believe in ghosts?

Favorite thing to do in your spare time?

Do you swear a lot?

Biggest pet peeve?

In one word, how would you describe yourself?

Do you believe/appreciate romance?

Do you believe in God?

Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

Sat, 17 May 2008 00:09:45 GMT

Because there just hasn't been enough *CUTE* on the lj recently. I give to you a dancing otter.

Just doing my job.