One Side

I finished stitching one side of the Sakura bag.  It is sweet.

I picked up the Ebony and Ivory Neccessaire and started whipping down the black silk ribbon that goes behind the drawn thread area.

There is a lot of hand work in this piece.  I was not happy with how the skinny silk ribbon wove into the hem stitching.  It twisted and I couldn't get the twists out.  I bought some just regular (not silk) 1/8th inch black ribbon to fix it but when I went to put it in, I decided that the silk ribbon looked okay for the most part.  So I left it.
I am still putting coats of sealer on the stepstool.  Almost done!
I got most of my Christmas cards all addressed and ready to send.  I'm glad to have that job done.
I just couldn't face walking in the cold weather today so I didn't.  If I'm good, I will go to the Y and get my walking in.
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Almost There

I worked on the step stool.  I figured out a different way to do the name and it worked!

 I have used a ton of that special blue tape and it works wonders.  I put the blue tape on the top and then cut around the stencil with an Exacto knife.  Then I painted over the cut out blue tape and it turned out very nicely.  I made a big mistake though.  I used a pen to trace the stencil onto the top but when I got done painting you could still see some of the pen marks.  DH saved the day when he suggested I paint carefully over the pen marks with the background paint.  Whew, I was able to get rid of those pen marks.  I am happy with how her name turned out.  And I feel rather clever to have gotten it on the step stool neatly.

I have to touch up the stripes and sign my work.  The last thing is to coat the stool with a sealer.  That is the goal for today: finish up the step stool.

A.B. correctly guessed what I am stitching.  It is Sakura by Brightneedle.

 I was tickled to get to the cherries.  So cute.

I bought a kit off of Ebay and I'm feeling very guilty as the last thing I need is another kit.  So I'm trying to stay away from temptation.

We have some snow today and it is very cold.
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What in the World

What in the world am I stitching now?  I will give you a hint.  It's a bag.

It was fun to start.  I changed some of the threads as some are very hard to see on this fabric.  This is an old teaching kit without the kit part.  So I had to come up with the fabric and threads.

I put together the needlebook of Ebony and Ivory.  Even though it is messy, I like it.

I also found the directions to the other pieces of Ebony and Ivory.  I want to do the little pocket that goes on the end of the etui.  I don't find a cut of ivory silk for backing the front.  But I think there will be enough left over from lining the etui.

But the main goal for today is to finish the step stool.  DH got me stuff to seal it when I'm done (Minwax Polycrylic, satin finish) and a new brush to put it on.  Mainly I have stripes and the name left to do. I found a better black to use for the stripes, one that isn't a flat black.  I want to put a heart in some hidden corner.  I should sign it too.  I wrapped her other presents last night.  I need to get going on my Christmas cards.  The hold-up is the dreaded Christmas letter.  I went through my photos from this year so I could remember stuff that I did and places that I went.  But maybe nobody cares.  We'll see....
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Almost Done

The needlebook for Ebony and Ivory is almost done.  The ribbon is sewn on the back and the front edges.

 The front has been repaired where the ribbon did not overlap.

  The ultrasuede page and the wool page has been cut with the scallop scissors.

I love those scallop scissors.  So now I can tie everything together with ribbon.  Except that I have to find the ribbon first.  There are about six plastic bags with stuff for Ebony and Ivory in them and I haven't seen the ribbon yet.  I'm tempted to just go buy some as the silk ribbon in the kit seems a little frail for holding everything together.
I started the tool tray for The UnPlayed Piano.  It will match the top of the outside of the piano.

I haven't had a chance to work on the step stool.  Maybe later today.
I put in a few more mosaic stitches in Peace on Earth.

This next week is going to be very busy with Christmas stuff getting sent off.  I finally have the Australia package ready to go.
Our exercise class went out for breakfast today.  That was fun.
We got our first present in the mail yesterday.  I'm not ready for all this!
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Again

Many times after I have stitched something, I think "If I were stitching this again, I could do it a lot better since I would know what to be careful of, what not to do, etc".  That is what I was thinking while working on the needlebook to Ebony and Ivory.  It is a little tricky to sew the ribbon on and have it look nice.  What do you sew it to on the sides?  I was trying to think of a better way to put this together.  I was also thinking that maybe this will look like an antique when I get done.

It is a little bent.  The stitches show more than I want and are a bit uneven.  I'm not sure what the point of the white bone slats is.  Just decoration?    They do look cool.  I think there is a must be a better way to weave them in and to keep them close together.  The corners are still messy and rounded and uneven,  don't like that.

 So you can tell that I have mixed feelings about this piece.

I finished up the Renaissance Button Box.

I really like this project.  It is now on display in Curio Cabinet #2.
I went to Walgreens yesterday and bought a ton of candy for stocking stuffers and gingerbread house decorations.  It was a dream come true for my 5-year-old (inner) self.  Boy, are those cherry cordial M & M's good.

 I only ate two but they were great.  I know that those Cherry Cordial Hershey's kisses will be just as good.  I haven't dared open those.
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December Time

Time has a way of flying in December.  That's what happened yesterday.  Too much to do!  I got in 15,000 steps and I didn't even mean to.  Dylan and I played chess.  I really am bad at playing chess and he won.  I haven't played it in about 40 years.  I better stick to checkers.

I puttered around with the smalls to the Renaissance Button Box and it is very close to being done-done.

 The box isn't a perfect circle so it looks a little off.  But I don't care.  I need to add the buttons and the needle page to the needlebook.

 I'm am working a sort-of long arm cross around the pin cushion.

I found the other side of the needlebook from Ebony and Ivory.  It looks like it will be kind of hard to sew the ribbon on but I'll try it and see how it goes.

I painted some of the stripes on the step stool.  All I had was a flat black color.

 The stripes need some fixing.  I cut out the stencil for Claire's name and I tried doing the "C".

 I wasn't happy with it.  It was messy around the edges so I scrubbed it off.  I am going to try it again but with a stencil brush.  Slowly but surely the step stool  is getting to where I want it.  I was going to paint each letter a different color but now I'm wondering whether to do her name in black.  We'll see. .
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Pin Cushion

I realized that I was not working on a scissors fob but a tiny pin cushion.  I like how it turned out.  Of course I need to finish it off now.

 I started the needlebook.  It is quite small.

I put in a few stitches in Peace on Earth.  I think the sheep will be done with many french knots.

There are more colors on the step stool and I was experimenting to see what checks along the edge would look like.  It would be easier to do stripes instead.

I found a site where you can make a stencil pattern.  I am figuring out how to put Claire's name on the step stool.

I wanted to see how pegs would look as legs for the UnPlayed Piano.  So I painted a couple and cut them to the right height.

But they are too thick and stick out too far.  I have to think about this.
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