Updated Header

Today I added a picture to my header. It is the view from our Reno house and a little bit of the front yard. It's part of why we love this place!

NO PROGRESS!

Well, here it is Oct. 22 already and I haven't done an update. That is because I haven't worked on my BOINK since I posted the last picture. I probably won't work on it for awhile!

I am working on a "secret" piece for my girl friend for Xmas. I can't talk about it cause she'll see it here! I am not working on anything else. Well, this weekend I will as we are headed to Reno for a long weekend and my secret project won't fit in my suitcase!

I think I'll kit up a cross stitch project to take with me. I have a whole lot of patterns I got in Australia. My husband had to be in Sydney many times for work, and I went along 3 times! I have stitched a map of AU already so I'll post that! It was a killer to stitch: linen with lots & lots of partial stitches! And cross stitch isn't my first love. I'm really a needlepointer. So that is why there is a pic of Australia at the beginning of this post!

BOINK SQUARE ONE

I went to a retreat yesterday and got a good start on Square One. I finished it this afternoon and really like it. It is hard to tell from the picture, but some of the aqua is FyreWerks SoftSheen & looks really cool.

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You?

BOINK CORNER KNOT

I also wanted to add a Boink note: Here is the chart for my corner knot, in case anyone else would like to use it.

LOG CABIN SAMPLER

I am also working on Ro Pace's Log Cabin Sampler, which is an ANG Cyber Workshop. I am ahead of schedule as I wanted to finish the first part before traveling to our "winter" home. So this piece is "resting" until the class starts the frame part, at which time I will take it up again.

I changed all the colors and threads, which was quite a challenge! I am pleased with the results. The next step is the frame which I think will go quickly. I just hope the "finishing" will not be too hard!

BOINK

This is a brand new Blog and I am a brand new Blogger! To begin with I will be documenting my progress, and sometimes lack thereof, of my latest needlepoint project: Book of Ink Circles. I should mention that this design is a cross stitch design, but I am doing it in needlepoint. You can see it at www.inkcircles.com.

I began last week when I painted the canvas using a variation of a technique published by Gay Ann Rogers. I used a sea sponge and acrylic paints.

First I marked the perimeter of the design area, and the center, on the canvas with a Sharpee fine point marker. Then I fastened my canvas to stretcher bars, nice & tight. I put the "right side" on top as I didn't want to risk getting paint on my stretcher bars. This way I only need to paint the area I will be stitching. I mixed my paint to just a little darker than the desired color. I added water till it was about the consistency of thin syrup or cream, maybe a little thinner. Then I wet and wrung out my sponge (a small one I got at Aaron Bros. for about $5). I gingerly dipped the sponge in the paint and *wiped* it across the canvas (if you daub, you may just get spots) and generally smeared it around. If you get a thick spot or a too dark spot, just wipe it with the clean side of the sponge and it'll clear it right up. It is easy to do swirls, almost solid, corners, whatever. I found that, as a non-painter, the small sponge is much easier to control than a brush.

I am thrilled with the results! It is exactly what I wanted and so easy! There are no ripples in the canvas - I think putting it on the frame first is the key! Of course, my paint wasn't real watery either, so that might make a difference too. If you decide to try it, be sure to experiment first on scrap canvas so you can find out what the right consistency is for the paint and check the color. I will always do this, every time I paint a canvas. And I'm sure I'll do this again!!!!

Next I decided I didn't like the Cat design at the corners of the pattern, so I worked up a knot pattern that would coordinate with the ones at the centers of each side.

Finally, time to start stitching. I have completed part of one side and am pleased with the results: