X-Stitched lemonade from a lemon

I made this cross stitch at Christmas for one of my very dear and crafty friends.

I had plans to wrap the finished cross stitch over an artists canvas, as I had done with some pieces for the craft show last year. I like how it makes the cross stitch look really simple, clean and a bit more modern (cross stitch can easily walk the line into the dreaded "quaint" territory!).

The problem??? Once again my lack of planning. I thought that I was being clever in using up an end piece of aida cloth (the fabric used for cross stitch). I thought that it was just "the right size". I thought wrong - AGAIN. Hmmm...Why do I always feel the need to "feature" my crafty mistakes???

This does not make for a pretty, modern, clean edge at all. Behold...the Frankenstein of cross stitch!

I set this monstrosity aside and did not deliver in time for Christmas. I just couldn't stomach what my lovely cross-stitch had become (visualize a dramatic crafter with her had placed dramatically on her forehead here).

When I was finally ready to revisit this project, I was able to adopt a more reasonable approach. I decided to do what is done with all major flaws - cover them up!

I made a strip of fabric and wrapped it around the canvas, sort of like a quilt binding. In the end, I rather like how it turned out!

That is what I love about the hand made...It forces me to get over my "imagined" perfect ending and make the best with what I've got. From Frankenstein to an extra excuse to add fabric to a project. Hmmm....there could be a lesson for me to apply to my life in this....

PS - Martha is doing a cross-stitch feature in her March issue. Find a preview here.

Illicit knitting

I'm not supposed to be knitting...Knitting is my compulsion, my soothing drug....mmmMMMmmmm.


When the world feels busy and a bit out of control some knitting will put it right. The problem? I am a worrier and the world is often a bit out of my control. So I knit. And knit. And knit and knit. I knit until I have injured my arms and wrists and my fingers go numb. I knit until I have permanently damaged nerves and tendons.

I have to stay away from knitting...but sometimes I just need a small FIX.

A new job for me and waiting for the new job for my husband to be finalized have resulted in sleepless nights. So I found myself surfing Ravelry (so dangerous!) and making an emergency trip to the yarn store.

These fingerless gloves should be complete very soon! And suddenly the world seems calm and right....OOOOhhhHHHHmmmMMMMMM. Ahhh. Knitting.

Just in case you need a fix too, the pattern can be found at JCasa *handmade.

With great power comes great responsiblity

Yes...my husband is a comic book geek (and the most lovely man!). My craft geek honours his comic geek with this Spiderman post title!

I was the lucky recipient of a DSLR this Christmas - a Canon EOS Rebel T1i. Fancy-dancy.

I have long hated my little point-and-shoot piece of nonsense. The quality of the pictures was so low that I was rarely taking pictures (and was frustrated with how few were usable!). It was the second point and shoot that we had purchased in as many years.

OK - the truth people??! I am just a little bit afraid of this camera. It is intimidating. Somebody who carries this kind of camera should be able to take a decent shot.

I am looking into courses. There doesn't really seem to be much for somebody who really just wants the basic "tell me aaaaall about exposure, f-stops and the like, please". Mostly they are "make me into a creative genius" courses. Maybe I just need to read a book to start??

Was anybody else intimidated by their much desired piece of technology? How did you start? Any recommendations?

I thought about not telling you all about my new exciting Christmas gift (thus the delay in posting about it - it's February!?!). I hoped that you might think I was becoming more talented with my point and shoot. ;)

The quality of images on this blog may or may not get better! In the meanwhile, bear with me. Some of my shots will be weird.