The Bluuuue Planet!

When I did my reader survey back in November a few readers commented positively on my 'unusual subjects' for embroidery.  I'd never really thought of them as being out of the ordinary - I just stitch what appeals to me, but I suppose the goldwork viola (string instrument, not the flower), cross stitched narrowboat and perhaps some others are relatively unusual topics for stitching.  (Made me also wonder what 'normal' subjects are and, other than flowers, butterflies and birds, I can't think of much.  Anyone??)  Well, I think this latest piece will also qualify.

I've known for years that far more of the Earth's surface area is covered by water than it is by land, but it was really brought home to me over the past few days whilst stitching DH's anniversary card.  I saw this in 'New Stitches' #143 - it's part of a horizontally long piece of all the planets in our solar system.  As Sir has been studying sustainable energy and other environmental science and technology subjects a lot over the past year, I thought this was the idea design for him - even if it is the 'wrong' side of the planet, (Europe, or even Asia, would have been more appropriate), and not very romantic...

I might use this second shot, or another like it, as part of my header photos one day.

I also made Sir this tie out of some of the lovely fabric I bought in Taiwan on our spring 2008 visit.  He already has one with Chinese characters on from a museum shop in Taiwan and another with old style Korean hangul (i.e. not the totally modernised script) which we got in a Seoul gift shop, so I knew he'd go for this one.  I got the pattern from the Purl Bee blog and adapted it as needed.  It's ended up being narrower at the front than a commercial one, but hasn't come out too badly, all things considered.=)

A whole month since the last post, where have I been?  Running two lots of e-bay auctions that were rather a wash-out, amongst the usual being under the weather etc.  Oh yes, and I finally got all the drawers etc sorted out in my room.  I've done photos and so I need to post them to show anyone interested.=)

I've now 'awarded' myself two 'give the brain a rest' weeks where I won't be reading study books, doing research, learning languages, making notes for the books I'm planning to write and so on.  It's creative things - stitching, art, maybe even music; novels and getting some niggling jobs done as well, which include some mending and altering, but also making up another cushion cover and a case for my camera out of more lovely Taiwanese fabric.  So, I hope to have more to post during the second half of the month.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2012