Happy 2009!

After a really good family holiday in the the UK and the States, I'm back in Bulgaria and ready for a year of stitching and crafting. The holiday began with a whistlestop at the daughter's and SIL's in London. Here's their great tree!









Here's the tree in SC. We had a really relaxing holiday, watching movies, playing charades and eating more than was probably good for us. I'm pretty sure we're all "turkeyed out" until this time next year! The weather was unseasonable warm, and seeing iris in bloom in December was flat out weird.










I spent one particularly fun afternoon with my mother over the holidays. She assisted me in feeding my fabric addiction at Hancock's and the result was one entire LARGE suitcase of wool, linen, and silk fabrics destined for SCA garb. Now I just have to get over my jetlag and get started sewing. At least it's all unpacked.... To give a sense of scale, the chunk of white linen under the rolls of trim in the upper right corner is 12 yards of fabric. What can I say - it was a great deal - $99 for 20 yards! And to be fair, the other 8 yards are going to the daughter. I wish the colors were a little truer in the photos, but maybe it's just my monitor.






I've got several goals for the year.

* One is to finish at least half of my in-progress embroideries. That doesn't sound like much, but it is, around six large projects. (Yes, there are a dozen WIPs)

* The next is to have at least one really well-made set of court garb. That is relatively easy, since I've got the fabric and notions here now (see suitcase comment and photo above).

* The third is to complete at least 10 items on my A&S 50 list. That will keep me on track for the challenge.

All in all, I need to average two projects per month and given that I finished 27 projects in 2008, I think it's all possible.

Four days and counting

Not much stitching going on here. The end of the semester takes all my time and energy, especially in a year where there's both new construction underway on campus and more in the planning stages, as well as the prep work for a major capital campaign. I start each day with a new pile of paperwork and it feels like my name should be Sisyphus, because no matter how much I push it, it doesn't go away. Ah, well.

The only forward motion outside of work has been toward my persona development for A&S 50. I've learned to love our ILL librarian, who seems determined to find anything and everything I ask for, asap. She's also become interested in the SCA, which is a real plus! She wants to help start a group here, which probably gives me enough victims - ah, I mean enthusiasts -
for the core group!

My most recent ILL scores have been books on Bulgarian names, clothing and history. I think I have all the references I'll need to back up my name - fingers crossed. I want to submit everything just after the first of the year for my name and device, so the fact that I'm off to the US in a few days is also good. The heralds I've been hashing things out with say Crayola markers are the best for color, so I'll get some in South Carolina.

I'll be in London on Saturday for a few hours between flights and hope to get to see my daughter and SIL. Fingers crossed on that too.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

I'm sitting here embroidering (well, I was until I started typing) a Santa Claus counted thread piece. I'd say that's appropriate for the day, wouldn't you? It's on a medium blue linen and I can only stand it for a little while at a time, then my eyes start to cross. I've tried all the tricks for dark fabric - putting a white pillowcase in your lap, strong light, etc. but it still makes me crazy. I figure one more Christmas after this one should see it finished....

A good evening

The best evening is one spent sewing, but a close second is hearing an author you enjoy speak. Elizabeth Kostova, author of "The Historian", was at our University tonight as this month's guest speaker in the Distinguished Authors lecture series. She talked about the process of writing, which was interesting in and of itself, but the best was yet to come. We were treated to the first chapters of her next novel, due out in fall 2009.

She's a fine reader, so it was quite enjoyable. The students asked sensible questions and her answers were thoughtful and concise. Good stuff! She also told us the title of the new novel, but I don't think I'll pass it along, just to keep some suspense going.

I'm thankful!

Right now, despite all the problems in the world, I'm feeling very much in the spirit of the season. On this day after Thanksgiving, it's gotten very cold and I'm thankful my daughter knits for me. I'm wearing a hat and mitts that were knitted with love and it keeps me warm inside and out.

I'm thankful that my city still has the werewithal to put up holiday decorations - and used some this year that, while very colorful, don't have a lot of lights and use less energy.

I'm really uplifted by student activism on campus. There are highly effective campaigns this year for recycling and AIDS day. It it good to realize that our students are not just thinking of themselves, but are concerned about the world around them. I doubted that for a few years, frankly, but am glad to be reassured.

I'm thankful that construction has finally begun on our newest residence hall and that our students can look forward to living in less crowded conditions in the forseeable future. Space is something to treasure.

And I'm thankful that tomorrow, friends and colleagues will be coming to my home to enjoy a belated Thanksgiving feast. I'll be baking and cooking up a storm tonight and I can hardly wait to get started!

Snow update

Well, I was right - the snow's here! And it's not even noon yet.





Please note all the nice green leaves on the roses and chrysanthemums....

A good day to stay home and sew!

We're getting our first real winter storm, even as I write. There have been heavy winds for the last several hours, and they're getting stronger. One poor neighbor has lost virtually all of his newly shingled roof. There are just bare rafters now. Unsurprisingly, the surrounding homes with traditional tile roofs are just fine. I have a cracked window in my sewing room from a branch that came down from a neighbor's tree. The cats are fascinated by the blowing leaves outside that window - it looks a LOT like the view from Dorothy's window as she swirled in the tornado to Oz! It has been pelting down rain and the temperature has just dropped enough for it to be a mix of snow and rain. By this afternoon it should be all snow and I hope the wind will subside.

I'm staying in with a pot of tea and a lap full of holiday embroidery. Twenty-nine days from today I'll be back in the States for the holidays and I need to get things finished today and tomorrow and in the mail Monday.