June 12, 2009

finally framed!

This one only took me exactly ten years to get framed....and no good reason for that time frame, just that I had other stuff framed instead, and pushed this one to the back of the line....

(this is the indoor shot)



and here's the outdoor shot....



This is from Little by Little Designs, and is called "Tale of This & That Sampler".

(OH CRAP! I just saw a picture of this design HERE! and realized that the cover model shows the designers name and date stitched in the cartouche along the top! Now that I look at mine, it looks BARE!!! OMG, did I just completely mess this up??? I can't believe that I would leave that off! And there are also other initials added that I didn't do. What the heck?? Should I redo it??)




It was the first thing I'd ever stitched on hand dyed linen with silk threads, and good golly Miss Molly, was I ever hooked after that, lol!



And here's my little "Be Kind" by Homespun Elegance that I stitched earlier this year. The frame is also from Homespun Elegance.



Now I'm thinking I need to go ahead and stitch the "Be True" that was on the same chart....had talked myself out of doing it, mainly because I was ready to work on something Shepherd's Bush at the time. Hmmm....

Thanks for visiting! Have a good weekend y'all!

26 comments:

grace said...

Oh wow~ it looks great! I have the same pattern in my stash, now it's gonna move up higher in the list. :D
Isn't it funny how we notice these things only after everything is "done"?
Your be kind piece is so sweet!

MJ Enterprises said...

Astro says you ought to stitch your name in the box--it will drive you nuts if you don't.

Muttley thinks that your crazy to reframe it. Think of the $$$ you could spend on dog treats instead of a dumb ole framer.

BeckySC said...

Gorgeous! Wonderful choice of frame :)
Have a great weekend :)

Siobhán said...

Oh wow, Andrea, they are both wonderful!! Would you believe that while stash diving the other day, I came across that Little by Little pattern?? I might just have to drag it out now. And I say leave it as is. The frames are perfect for both! YGG!! I never do Homespun Elegance designs and then I see them stitched up and want to grab them up and stitch 'em. Thanks for the nudge! ;) Have a great weekend, gf!

Tanya said...

I really like your frame choices.
I love Little by Little designs and that design is no exception. I am going to have to get it now. Your stitching is very pretty.

BronnyB said...

If it were at all possible to stitch something in the cartouche, then I would, otherwise you would be staring at that blank section and that will be all that you see each time you pass. I've got a sampler that was not framed for 2 years after finishing it - the day it was picked up from the framer, my son pointed out I had stitched his birthdate incorrectly. I've put a note on the rear of the piece with the correct date.
The stitching and colours are great though! Good luck with your decision!

Edgar said...

I love the frame choices - I stitched the Little By Little fro my Mom for last Christmas - here is a post for a snap of my framed piece - I posted it in August - 08 - after it was framed. I did change some things and added the initials - but I do like to open spaces on yours.

Jan said...

Andrea, I love this!! And I love the simplicity, I say leave it in it's frame and forget all about anything that might have been left out. After all, that is what makes it your original, right? Love your other small HE finish too!

Enjoy your weekend!:)

Missy Ann said...

Great finish and I love the frame you picked out. If it's going to haunt you forever - pull it apart and stitch it. I'd leave it as is and smile every time I saw it.

karenv said...

They both look great, but I particularly like the frame for the top one, it really suits the piece!

BTW, I replied to your question about the fabric for Penn. Alpha sampler in my comments, if you want to check back :)

Deb said...

Okay Andrea, now I'm laughing! I'm so glad to see that I'm in good company with leaving things out of samplers. I would have never known that something would go in the cartouche because I don't remember seeing the pattern before, but now I know! LOL I think you're save in leaving it alone. I think that it is such a beautiful sampler just the way it is. But how funny to have it around for 10 years before framing it and never noticing. I have to admit though that I did the Willow Tree Sampler by CHS a year or so ago and forgot to put the birds legs on the left side birds. I didn't notice it, nor did the framer. I was going to pull it apart, but you know, to err is human. Well, that's my story! Anyway, I love your piece!

Nancy said...

Your Tale of This and That is gorgeous! Your satin stitches are beautiful Andrea, and I wouldn't change a thing. It looks lovely framed, and so does the Homespun Elegance piece. That is the sweetest little blue bird! Have a great weekend!

Julie M said...

Beautiful pieces and the framing is perfect. I'm not going to comment on the empty cartouche, that's something only you can decide. Live with it a while and see how it goes.

Melissa said...

Andrea, both pieces are lovely. I can see your dilemma with the first one, which looks gorgeous by the way just the way it is. But, if it drives you crazy to see that blank space everytime you pass it, then you gotta bite the bullet and do it.

But me - I would leave it and enjoy it the way it is ...and move on to the next great thing!

Linen Stitcher said...

Well, my first impression was what a sweet sampler this is, and no, I didn't even notice the empty spot for the name. I only noticed the beautiful design and your wonderful stitching!!

I agree with Julie M. Live with it for a while and see what you think. Also, if it really bothers you, you might try adding something else there that wouldn't require re-framing. Something like (dare I say it) glued-on buttons or a piece of ribbon, perhaps.

But honestly, I think it's beautiful as is, too.

Alice said...

Oooh, I love all your framed pieces!!! I have never see that Little by Little sampler so it was a new discovery. One more for my wishlist. I would go and open it to add my initials but then again, I do strange things so don't listen to me. I can be a bad influence lol. Homespun Elegance is also one of my favourite designers and Be True is to good to be true. So pretty.
Have a great weekend too.
Hugs
Alice

Brigitte said...

Both pieces look gorgeous in their frames. I think I'd leave the Little By Little piece as it is.

Annemarie said...

Oh Andrea, you poor thing. I've made stitching samplers into a sort of sport: I can't wait to finish them and then to check what part I messed up utterly *this* time. And then I take great pleasure in that and leave everything exactly as it is. Every sampler is unique simply because of those 'mistakes'. I love the look of your samplers and the frames are both perfect. Well done!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

I don't know, Andrea.... I love the Tale of This &That and until I read that you'd left something out, I didn't notice. If it were me, I'd HAVE to leave it because I don't do my own framing - I've made plenty of mistakes on things and just have to laugh at my inability to follow a simple chart. But, if you framed this yourself (and if you did, huge kudos), I'd probably take it out and add something. If you didn't frame it yourself, I'd leave it as is and enjoy it and not worry one second about it because it looks great either way! I love the frame btw!!

Katrina said...

I am a teeny bit obsessive so I'd have to unframe it but that's me. I would never had noticed if you hadn't pointed it out :-). Both pieces are gorgeous!

Stef said...

It all depends on you! If it bothers you then you should take it out of the frame and add your name and date but if it doesn't - write your name and date on the back of the frame and call it done! Personally, I would take it out and add the information because I would be telling everyone when they looked at it what I had forgotten to add! But I also would not have known about it until you told us. It's such a beautiful sampler, the colors are lovely and I really like the frame.

Ranae said...

The frames really compliments the beautiful stitching. I didn't even notice the blank space till you pointed it out. I leave things out too, so your not alone.

Cindy F. said...

oh gosh....I love your newly framed samplers!

Tricia said...

They are both beautiful, Andrea!! As always of course. I'm obsessive too so I'd rip right into it. However, in your case, if it wakes you up in the middle of the night, then fix it. Otherwise, sleep good and leave it just the way it is. Of course a quick-fix alternative would be a black Sharpee...or if it has glass, how about a few post-it notes. Happy to help with the big decision gf.

Sharon said...

Beautiful framings!

Maren said...

Don't panic. My vote would be leave it alone. It looks fine without the author and everything across the top. The only reason to restitch this would be if YOU can't bear to look at it without all that other stuff. Me, I think it's beautiful just the way it is!