Too Cool, Two Cool Things

I've been working all day long. I started working on my silk for needlework sample for my level 3 homework and finally finished all the spinning last night just as I was going to bed. I was tempted to stay up and work on my needlework into the wee small hours of the morning but finally good sense won out and I decided that perhaps some sleep would make it better to work when I was fresh. This morning I woke up quite early and the first thing on my mind was my needlework.... I was excited to get started and so all day today I've been working on embroidery. This is the result......

I am really happy with my work. I think it is by far my best sample so far. The embroidery thread is spun in pure silk. The white is Bombyx silk and the ecru is spun in Tussah silk. I knew as soon as I found out that I would need to do a silk embroidery sample this year that I would use both Bombyx and Tussah on a black background though I didn't know what my picture would be then at Christmas time I received a catalogue in the mail from Northern Images and in it was an etched mirror with this picture on it and I knew in an instant that that would be my needlework sample.... I'm so proud.....

The second thing to tell you all about is the burl... I went to the guild member's house on Friday past to say my goodbyes since she is moving to New Brunswick which is way across country and I wanted to see her one last time before she left. In her living room was this really cool plant stand that was a burl that she and her husband had come across in the bush and dragged home. They had spent some time with a wire brush smoothing it down after all the bark had been removed and underneath, where it had gone through a fire in it past years, was this beautiful dark burnished wood. She put a base on it so that it would stand up and had it as a feature in her living room. I loved it and so I asked her if she was taking it with her or leaving it for the new people who are buying her house.... she said she hoped to take it with her but her husband was not happy about it and didn't want to.... that was it.... I never thought anything more about it.

As I was leaving she asked me if I had any fleeces that she could buy from me and I said that I had lots of fleeces and if she wanted one then I would send Hubby out with it in the afternoon and that she could have it as a going away gift.....

I left that afternoon for the Sock Workshop.

When I came home on Sunday there in my living room was the burl..... she gave it to me.... to ME... that was SO nice...... and it looks awesome in my living room..... at least I think so.


So there you have it..... two cool things which are too cool!