Sylvia's Simple Shots

 

S is for Silence by Sue Grafton  Kinsey Millhone handles a very old cold case.

On July 4, 1953, Victoria Sullivan vanished without a trace and was never heard from again. Her abusive husband lived under the shadow of suspicion, and her then seven-year-old daughter, Daisy, has lived with the questions about what happened to her mother and why. And so, thirty-four years later, she hires PI Kinsey Millhone to try to finally solve this mystery. Kinsey is reluctant to take on the case.

The story line runs between 1953 and 1987 in Kinsey time.  Many secrets are unearthed during the investigation and the final villain was not who I expected.

Another great read from Sue Grafton.

Slow Stitching - August 2025 - Week 4

My August piece is complete.  The theme for my piece this month was Friends. I am following Kathryn at K3NClothTales - Comfort Coverlet 2025. 

I finished the background in running stitch and white thread.

A reminder of my friends and how much they mean to me.

I have no plan for September yet as I have been unpacking for ages.

I am sure inspiration will provide something.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

Farrier's Lane by Anne Perry.  Another Victorian Mystery featuring Charlotte and Thomas Pitt as investigators. They make a great team.

When the distinguished Mr. Justice Stafford dies of opium poisoning, his shocking demise resurrects one of the most sensational cases ever to inflame England: the murder five years before of Kingsley Blaine, whose body was found crucified in Farriers’ Lane. Amid the public hysteria for revenge, the police had arrested a Jewish actor who was soon condemned to hang. 

Police Inspector Thomas Pitt, investigating Stafford’s death, is drawn into the Farriers’ Lane murder as well, for it appears that Stafford may have been about to reopen the case. Pitt receives curiously little help from his colleagues on the force, but his wife, Charlotte, gleans from her social engagements startling insights into both cases. And slowly both Thomas and Charlotte begin to reach for the same sinister and deeply dangerous truth.

Another great book.

The Shell Seekers movie. The Shell Seekers is a 1987 novel by Rosamunde Pilcher made into a television movie in 1989 with Angela Landsbury as Penelope Keeling.

Shifting in time, the novel tells the story of Penelope Keeling, the daughter of unconventional parents (an artist father and his much-younger French wife), examining her past and her relationships with her adult children. When the novel opens, Penelope is in her 60s and has just been discharged from hospital after what was seemingly a heart attack. Penelope's life from young womanhood to the present is revealed in pieces, from her own point of view and those of her children. 

Much of the forward impetus of the novel involves the work of her father, including a painting called The Shell Seekers, given to Penelope as a wedding present.

A wonderful time spent watching a great movie.

Slow Stitching - August 2025 - Week 3

Comfort Coverlet 2025 - August - Week 3.

My theme for this month is Friends.  

I have diecut fabric with my Bigshot machine from fabric which I associate with each of these friends.

I have started a running stitch background around the stars with a matching colored floss.

Watercolor HB Card

This is a card for an aunt who is celebrating a birthday this week.

I trimmed the watercolor panel to align with the left and right hand side of the SU Marina Mist card base. Placed the ripped edge at the bottom and the clean edge along the top.

I added an SU Old Olive grosgrain ribbon wrapped around the card front and knotted it.

Watercolor Card - Congrats on Grad

This card is for my grand neice who graduated from high school.

The ceremony was June 8th which 4 days after I took possession of this place that needed so much work that I could not get away.

We are celebrating this weekend as they are in town.

The card is SU Elegant Eggplant.  The seam binding is SU Marina Mist.  I layered the 3 pieces of watercolor over and below the ribbon which was wrapped around and knotted to the front of the card.  Added a SU Word window greeting.

They are headed to college soon.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

 

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

The book follows Towner Whitney (whose real name is Sophya), an unreliable narrator who returns to Salem, Massachusetts, after her eccentric Great-Aunt Eva goes missing. Towner must confront the tragic death of her twin sister and her family's dark history of using lace patterns to predict the future.

Towner struggles with memories of her late twin sister, Lyndley, while reconnecting with her estranged mother, May, who runs a shelter for abused women on a nearby island. 

As Detective John Rafferty investigates the disappearance of a local pregnant teen alongside Eva's case, he frequently butts heads with Towner’s subjective and contradictory account of events. Through flashbacks, dreams, and shifting perspectives, Towner uncovers dark family secrets, confronts the truth about her past, and ultimately works to protect herself and others from Cal's violent machinations.

Interesting book.

Watercolor Sympathy card

Today is the Celebration of Life for my brother-in-law who passed away July 20th. He struggled with health issues for the last few years and his body just gave up.

This card is for my sister on this difficult day.

The card base is SUSummer Starfruit in the A2 size with portrait orientation.

I trimmed the edge to leave a small border and ripped the bottom edge leaving the white edge showing.

I chose a blue strip of cardstock to coordinate.  

I cut a dove with my Sizzix Dove die from textured white cardstock. I painted it with pearl and the blue strip as well.  Adhered both to top part of the card.

I added a SU Modern Label punchie greeting in bottom right hand side.

Thank You Cards - Finally Set 2

The card base is SU Taken with Teal in the A2 size in portrait orientation.

Trimmed the rough edges off this piece and ripped the bottom edge.

I saw flowers in the salt marks in this piece so I took my fine black marker and drew them in.

Added stems and leaves reaching to the bottom of the paper with additional grassy strokes.

It pays to save bits of ephemera.  The green yarn came in really handy.

The A2 card base is SU Pumpkin Pie with a watecolor panel marked with saran wrap on wet color and left to dry.

I punched 4 holes with the 1/8 inch punch. Two on the right and 2 on the left.  I taped the end of the green yarn found in the stash and was able string it through the holes and knot both ends.

I added a SU Artisan Label punchie colored with pencils and held on the yarn with a orange clip.

With the yarn still on my table I used in this card.

I trimmed the waterolor to crisp straight edges.

I layed a strip of double sided tape to the back of the watercolor piece.  Layed my pieces of green yarn then added another piece of ds tape and adhered it to the SU Dusty Durango card base.

Once adhered, I picked apart the strands of the yarn to create this wavy row of goodness.

I added an 2 inch oval punchie greeting below the yarn frill.

The A2 card base is SU Island Indigo.

I added a piece of SU ribbon in So Saffron and flagged the bottom end.  Trimmed the top edge to the top of the card.

I mounted the piece of rough edge watercolor panel over the ribbon aligned along the top.

Each card has a white quarter sheet insert with a white envelope.

Thank You Cards - Finally!

I finally have most of my craft room set up so I could get some cards made. With seeing family tomorrow I pushed through to get quite a few done.

I created watercolor abstract art on a sheet of 12x18 inch Strathmore Cold Press 140lb paper.  I added salt in some areas.  I ripped my masking tape which held down my edges which gave wonderful irregular edges to my watercolor art.  Great idea. 

Left: SU Pear Pizazz green card stock in A2 size because I know where those envelopes are.

I ripped the bottom edge and added a sequin star in the top right hand corner with half of the one piece of 3D foam tape I could find.

Still stuff to unpack.

I chose blues - Prussian Blue, Ultramarine, and Turquoise along with some Sap Green and Cadmiium Yellow Hue.

Of course not all pieces have the same colors.

The card base is SU Night of Navy with a landscape orientation.  The right hand side ripped with an oval punchie greeting overlapping the ripped edge.

The A2 card base is SU Bermuda Bay.

I ripped the top edge of the watercolor and aligned the right hand edge to the card edge.

I chose to create a flower with watercolor and metallic watercolor around the dot of color left by a grain of coarse salt.

I added a line of pearl watercolor along the top and mounted a greeting over it.

Greeting is SU Modern Label punchie with a Word Window greeting.

Slow Stitching - August 2025 - Week 2

Comfort Coverlet 2025 - August - Week 2.  Project hosted by Kathryn at K3N Cloth Tales.

My theme for August is Friends. I die cut seven stars to represent some of my friends. I chose colors which I associate with them.

I continue to stitch down the stars to my foundation layer.  I have used running stitch, French Knots, blanket stitch and representations of stars designed by me.

I am thinking of what the stitching will be on the background.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

 

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields ( A Canadian Author)

I chose the book because it was Canadian.  I read the book which was hard to follow at times. 

The Stone Diaries follows the life of a fairly ordinary Canadian woman from birth through to her death as an octogenarian. The sections are called things like ‘childhood’, ‘marriage’, ‘motherhood’ and so on. Daisy falls in love (not necessarily with the man she marries); she has friends, acquaintances, colleagues. Her one brush with the something that threatens to be extraordinary is becoming a popular gardening columnist, but she doesn’t truly become a celebrity. She has children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It is an ordinary life, well-lived.

A fictional autobiography. Interesting idea. 

I remember googling about the pages in the middle of the book with photos, names and dates to find out that they are not accurate representations of the book. Pictures are family and some taken from museums.  A bit off putting I have to say.

The Healing Garden movie is a heartwarming, faith-based drama directed by Joseph Granda. 

It follows Eddie, a grieving former military chaplain, and Hope, a young girl from a broken home, who plant a miraculous, prayer-filled garden that ends up transforming their entire community.

Slow Stitching - August 2025 - Week 1

My theme for August is Friends.  I am following K3N Cloth Tales Comfort Covertlet project.  

I die cut a star for each friend in colors that I associate with each of them.

I used 2 strands of embroidery floss and the blanket stitch to attach the stars to my background fabric or foundation layer. I chose the threa according to the colors in the fabric.

Some fabrics have metallic accents

Sylvia's Simple Shots

 

The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve

In March 1873, two Norwegian-born women who lived on the desolate Smuttynose Island, one of the Isles of Shoals off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire, were brutally murdered. Maren Hontvedt, a sister of one of the victims, survived by hiding in a sea cave until dawn. The murdered women were her older sister Karen Christensen and Anethe Christensen, their sister-in-law. A man named Louis Wagner was tried and hanged for their murders, mostly on circumstantial evidence. His conviction has been argued about, as some people think he could not have done it.

More than a century later, Jean Janes, a magazine photographer working on a photo essay about the murders, returns to the Isles with her husband Thomas and five-year-old daughter. Thomas is an award-winning poet who has been struggling with alcoholism and not writing much. Hoping to have a small vacation, they travel on a boat skippered by Thomas' brother Rich, who has brought along his girlfriend Adaline.

Jean becomes immersed in the details of the 19th-century murders after discovering a purported memoir of Maren in the library. Gradually, tensions increase among the group on the sloop, with unspoken emotions surfacing. Jean begins to suspect an affair between Thomas and Adaline.

The novel is split into two parts: the present day, told from Jean's point of view and in the present tense; and 1873, told in first person from Maren's point of view, her "memoir".

My aunt and I attended the reception for this show at the Red Brick Common Art Gallery. 

The art was created by a variety of artists whom were in attendance.

Jani Galarneau is always a joy to talk to and view her art. Marcel Thibodeau as well was very interesting to talk with as a fellow up cycler.

Miss Potter movie with Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor.

I am a fan of the Beatrix Potter books and characters.

Watching this movie was a delightful time and distraction from settling into a new place.

Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 5

With most of my social groups represented and an extra week in July I decided to add seed stitching to the background of this piece.

I used white floss so it only adds texture with not much visual presence to this piece.

It was a lot of work but slow stitching is always so enjoyable.

I have done this month's piece in advance because of the move with took place recently.

It adds some substance to the piece as well.

Upon reflection there a Flickr photography community that I have forgotten to include in this piece.

It has been a valuable experience to remind myself of these wonderful communities.

World Embroidery Day - Fabric Collage

World Embroidery Day 2025 is July 29th.

Only found out yesterday when Sarah Homfray mentioned it.

I decided to make a piece slow stitch art.

I chose blue and green fabrics on a foundartion layer with a bit of batting/wadding.

I practiced a few stitches I have not done for a while.  I moved recently and unpacking has been the priority.

I am happy with the piece and I am not sure how I will use but that is not the point.

It was a nice slow day.

 

Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 4

I continue with my social group themed stitching piece as part of the Comfort Coverlet hosted by Kathryn at K3N Cloth Tales. 

I have added a few more groups. I belonged to a card making group on line for many years. There were challenges and exchange groups. I made cards and mailed them away every month for years.

I belong to a sewing group at church before the pandemic and has been reborn after. I belong to the slow stitching community through my participation with K3N's projects on You Tube.

I belong to an art group. I participate in art shows, regular meetings and social events.  Those have been curtailed due to moving but I look forward to getting back into it later this summer.

Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 3

I have belonged to bible study groups as a participant and a leader.

I was a leader in women's ministries at church for many years. This lead to organizing events, contributing at meetings, offering creative and practical help to create community for women.

I attended night school for many years and full time studies for a year where I met new people every year and made friends.

I organized a women's group which met in our homes to create community and support for women. It was called Welcome to my Kitchen.  It was a wonderful time. The pandemic put it on hold and it has not returned in that form.I loved it.

Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 2

I continued with my social groups on this piece.

This week I have added stitching the represent the neighbours I lived near over the years.  Some I have known well and others just enough to say Hi in passing.

I have taught many classes over the years - card making, paper making, and a few others. I have taken art classes.

I have belonged to several worshiping communities over the years. Some were places to connect on Sunday, others become places I made wonderful friends and I participated in activities at different levels. 

I remember many Tupperware parties, Stampin Up parties, and Pampered Chef parties and a few jewellery parties which all great fun. I just thought of these now so they are not represented in the stitching.

It has been fun to recall the group and then come up with an icon which will remind me of those folks I hung around with at that time.

Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 1

My theme for the slow stitching piece for July is Social Groups. It represents the groups to which I have belonged over the years that created community for me. I participated wholeheartedly, contributed to the vibe of the group, and enjoyed those folks who shared the journey with me. Following K3NCloth Tales.

I chose a piece of white on white printed fabric and dyed it with Rangers Distress stains in various colors. I let it dry then rinsed it out to leave the mottled pattern you see.

Being on the volleyball team in high school was a big deal for me. Going on the bus for away games, have my favorite snack (Coffee Crisp), and a uniform which meant I belonged.

I was also in the church choir and I remember practicing from September to be ready for the Christmas concert.

I belonged to calligraphy group for many years. Attending monthly meetings, sitting on committees, taking classes, giving classes, and having social events at Christmas and in the summer.