more pics from skipjack

If you are interested in nautical art or artifact this gallery is amazing. SkipJack was totally burned down last year in a devastating blaze, and are now in the process of the arduous work of rebuilding, restocking and recreating their gallery in a new location. If you are anywhere in driving distance of Portsmouth this is one of the places you will need to see. If you are not, you can shop from the website. There is also an art gallery, for the nauticaly inclined art lover as well as some very pretty jewelry. Unfortunately my media card was filled so I could not get picutres of the painting gallery..

Mike was smitten with a knife with a scrimshaw inspired handle and sterling hardware. Maybe he will get one for his birthday? It was a good thing we saved our money (see previous post) or it would have been a long cold night in Delaware!

Elizabeth Cartier, proprietor of Starboards will fill you in on other sights to see, get you some coffee, hot or iced, and a snack and set you upon a walking tour of Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Click on the pictures to enlarge and get an idea of the beatuiful morning light that we were lucky to enjoy whilst whiling away the day, antiquing and bemusing ourselves on the High Street.

Back home

We made it home thanks to a tow truck and ATM machines. In delaware the car began to misfire and stall on the high way. Fortunately we were able to pull into a rest stop with a 24 hr dunkin donuts and a porta potty. Eventually we were able to get a flatbed to come and tow us to NY. Insert favorite curse word here.
However-I am so grateful because it could have been so much worse, if we were on turnpike where we could not have been towed, if we did not have the money, if if if.
In any case, the moral of the story is get AAA and have some extra cash.
While in VA we visited, went to Jamestown and Williamsburg and had a pleasant time in Portsmouth. In Portsmouth I always like to Visit the SkipJack Gallery and the Kitchen coop on High St.If you are into upholstery fabric, Ma Maison has a beautiful selection, which rivals any collection in NY.
.... and the socks are done, toes sewn up and ready for the next adventure.
We stopped for milkshakes on the way home at Stuckey's and yes Lewis, we did get you a pecan roll.
I do not hate this picture of me. Usually I do hate pictures of me and maybe that is why I am the one holding the camera on most occassions. Mike, having noticed this proclivity, wrested said camera away from me and snapped this one as we stood freezing at the port of Portsmouth.
It was a beautiful freezing day, and the puffy jacket hides a multitude of sins.
I have been unsubbed from the Dear Jane mailing list and I do not know why. I did write Brenda and received no reply so I am at a loss as to what happened. If anyone can fill me in......

ready to roll

I picked up this toiletry roll up kit at a 'crabtree and evelyn' store at the mall. Despite it being extremely pink, it is a great way to carry along my Inklingo bits. I will never have to worry about losing it in my locker. And it has enough room for lots of stuff. I confess to being a bit of a storage solution geek. I have many different kits for different applications. To me they are more important than pocketbooks, wallets and almost as important as shoes. But lets not get carried away.
My plan is to keep it with me and stitch at the odd moment, at lunch , in the car, on my couch watching ncis reruns, and one day have a quilt of snowflake/ poinsettia type blocks to put together for pink scrappy quiltiness.

done and finished

Ok I am finished whining now:) Thanks for all of your hugs. I guess the cure for my wallowing is an evening in the sewing room.
See you there.
I have cut about three quarters of the diamonds for the Jane Austen Patchwork. I think I need to get less finicky since I am running out of fabrics to cut that I love, and only have about a hundred yards of fabric I only like:)
....of the shabby chic genre that is. I am not counting the other types....which shall remain nameless for the purposes of this post.
Tonight my plan is to work on snowflake diamonds...I have an idea maybe I would like to make a top like thisfrom Hoopla Patterns. I have the book and love all of Froncie's beautiful fabrics but I have enough fabric for now. I also love the little sewing kit she has but alas I have enough of those as well!

more photoshop elements fun

Playing with pictures (mine) and templates and papers from Birgit Kerr, Jessica Sprague, and fonts from Dafont. Is that top one not an awesome font? It is called 'bleeding cowboys' by Last Track.
I could do this stuff all day.
I have been spending hours on Jessica's website, following links, and taking full advantage of her free tutorials. One day I will take a class.
Every one here is napping.
cheers!

Library booty

one of these things is not like the other

My floor is vacuumed and my garbage is empty. I took the tris off my "design wall", which is a piece of flannel on the wall, and put these up-Inklingo diamonds from the free collection.
I am enjoying the beautiful day, going to the library, and then a meeting at work.