Theme-a-licious Sampler September Wrap-Up

I did get some more done on Tocatta!

Absolutely not getting done this year. But I'm having lots of fun doing it, so it's all good.

I'm afraid the only ornament I stitched was in blank verse...get it? Cause I didn't stitch one? So the linen is blank? And blank verse is a kind of poetry? Yeah, it's definitely not funny if you have to explain it that much....

Now let's all march regally into...

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Opulent October

It's time to don your tiaras and bring the bling! Stitch on projects with sparkly fibers, beads or charms.

Ornament Theme
bells

I have a number of projects that can qualify for this theme! At the beginning of the year, I was hoping that I'd be beading Dancer, but we all know that's not going to happen. I'll stitch in some of her metallics instead. Who knows what else I'll pull from the pile...maybe even Les Rubans!

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So how did your Sampler September go? Did you sample a lot of WIPs, or did you sample different parts of one? Please add your link below (to your wrap up post), and visit some other Themers if you can (everyone loves comments and encouragement!) We'll check-in on October 15th to see if you've been blinded by all the bling!

Imaginary Worlds, or, 13 Reasons to go to the Botanical Gardens Now

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I know you're all waiting on London pictures, but this post has been in the queue for a while. If I don't get it out now, you won't have time to go see ...

Imaginary Worlds is the current exhibition at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, now through October. As if the Garden wasn't fabulous enough during Summer, you get the added bonus of seeing these intriguing large floral sculptures and learning about mosaiculture. This is the first time mosaiculture has been exhibited in the United States on this scale!

1. Butterflies

 

I took these pictures the week after the exhibition opened, so they have filled in a bit since then.

2. Unicorn!

 

Love the hair!

3. It's so FLUFFY!!

He almost looks real, but this guy is actually about 6 feet (2 m) tall.

4. More fabulous hair

 

One of my favorite sculptures is the Earth spirit. I found out last time we went that someone had donated her, so she'll be staying after the rest of the exhibition is taken down. Hooray!! You can see they've left room for her hair to "grow in". She really looks wonderful by the Cascade Garden...this area wasn't very well planted before, in our opinion, so she is a very welcome addition.

5. Get up close and personal with an ogre

 

6 & 7. Keep your distance

 

I would not want to get up close and personal with these guys, but they sure look great from afar. They actually do look great up close, too.

 

8 - 10. Fruit salad

 

These three cheerful guys were out in the open early in the season. They are now nearly covered up with papaya trees and other food sources! (They're located in the edible garden area near the outdoor kitchen.)

11. Punk rock frogs

 

And this little guy, located inside the Day Center has grown so much "hair" he looks like a punk rocker! Unfortunately, I completely forgot my camera last time we went, so I can't show you. This is what he looked like at the beginning of the season. I'll take pictures next time we go, not to worry!

12. Sushi ballet

 

These fish are spinning in the fountain area.

13. Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies!

 

These guys are really hiding in some tall grass now. I'm glad I got to see them when they were a little less shy. =)

 

JiffNotes
Visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden soon! If you go in October, you'll also get to see Scarecrows in the Garden.

Theme-a-licious Sampler September Check-in

Well, I haven't had a lot of time to work on much of anything this month, but I did get a little work in on Tocata I.

I am woefully behind...it may not get done this year. Random Thoughts took me two years, so I'm not sure why I thought I could get this one done in a year!

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So are you sampling lots of projects? Or is it back to basics with your ABCs? Please add your link below (to your check in post), and visit some other Themers if you can (everyone loves comments and encouragement!) Our next post will be on the 30th of September, when we'll wrap up Sampler September and talk about Opulent October!

Miss Me?

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I bet some of you didn't even know I was gone, eh? It seems a little strange to make a great public post that our place is going to be empty for two weeks, so I was vague about when we were going. Last Sunday we got back from two weeks in London (and Oxford). I had to go back to work the next day, and I was greeted with the news that I had a deadline at 10 AM the next morning! Jet lag and instant stress don't go great together, in case you were wondering. Anyway, the trip was wonderful, and I'm starting to go through the approximately 4,000 pictures I took. Eventually a small fraction of them will show up here. =)

JiffNotes
Back from two weeks in London!

Another Friday, Another Cowl

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I finally got around to finishing off my Beaumonde "scarf".

Moguls Cowl, from a free pattern

Or, I should say, I have finally gotten around to posting about it! It's been finished for months, just after it was cool enough to actually wear it.

I did block it, and I kind of wish I hadn't. Blocking pulls the cables together a bit and "offsets" them. If you look at my project page you can see the pre-blocked scarf and maybe tell what I'm talking about. I haven't given this a test run yet, so I have no idea how warm it will turn out to be. I didn't add buttonholes or anything fancy; the dropped stitches in the cables left holes large enough for the buttons. If I were planning ahead and not just stopping because I was tired of knitting it, I would have made it a little longer. I'm still in love with this yarn, though...it is SO soft.

JiffNotes
For more finished objects, head to Tami's Amis!