Monday, June 11, 2012

Ann's face and last concerts

Well, I knew my laziness would cause problems.  I was going to take a pic of Ann with her face last week, but I had to cut the face out and I was in a rush, so I didn't do it.  So I'm showing her now -- here she is in all her glory.


It's really bugging me -- I thought I used the correct count fabric for this, but Ann's head looks ridiculously big.  Hmmmmmm.  Well, I guess I might have to size her head down or something.  Oh well.

ETA: The head was on paper, and I had to cut it out.  It's just printed on the paper, no stitching or anything.  I am supposed to glue it onto the fabric with fabric glue, but I am planning on letting my framer do that.  Just have to make sure not to lose the head in the meantime.  lol!  I'm thinking maybe I can copy it and shrink it in the copying process???

No rest for the weary around here.  We got back from the girl child's graduation Tuesday night.  Missed the boy child's senior award ceremony.  His drama club teacher texted him to tell him he'd won the National School Orchestra Award.  Here's the blurb about it from the program which we received with his award:

This award is given to the outstanding senior in the high school School Orchestra in recognition of individual excellence and contributions to the high school orchestra.

We are proud, of course.

Then Wednesday night the boy child had his school chorus concert - yes, he joined the chorus at school as well.  Here he is in action with the chorus.  (They had a very small guys section this year!)


He also played bass for one of the songs.


Thursday night was the boy child's school orchestra/jazz ensemble concert.  It was bittersweet since it was his last one.  He was praised by everyone for being a fantastic bass player -- it was good to hear he is considered a great player.  Here are some pics from the evening.


Getting ready for jazz.


With the orchestra.

And here are a couple of videos if you're interested in hearing the jazz ensemble.  The boy child did a great job!  Sadly, it's a bit hard to hear him -- I guess video cameras don't record bass very well.







It's crazy times here.  I still can't believe there is only one more school day after today for the boy child.  His senior prom is in a week and a half and he graduates a couple of days after.  

Apartment hunting for both kids is going on apace.  The girl child will start her job in July and will need an apartment.  The boy child needs an apartment at his college since dorm space is limited and he didn't make the cut.  I, of course, am freaking out.  My children are growing up and I'm not ready.  Luckily, they are.  

Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  I hope everyone has a wonderful week.


54 comments:

Annie said...

These samplers are so stylized that a head out-of-proportion really doesn't look bad. I'm still confused about how you did this though. What is the head cut from? Is that stitching on it?

Katrina said...

I don't know that I would start cutting on her head ;-). I think it looks fine!!!! Fun boy pictures and recordings.

BrendaS said...

Ann looks great and I don't think her head looks "too big".

Nice pics of your son! Busy busy times ahead -- hope everything works out well with the apartment hunting. I would be a crazed woman too:))

Mugwump Woolies said...

What talented children...once again...a job extremely well done, Mom..and Dad! I love seeing their accomplishments...such good kids!
I think the face looks fine. Is it paper?
Have a great week...hope you are feeling 100%...or getting close.
Robyn

Heirlooms by Ashton House said...

Your work is absolutely exquisite, Margaret! This was a beauty to behold! Congrats on your boy child's musical award. What an honor!

Diane (di) said...

Oh boy, I know how you feel. Where does the time go? Wonderful pictures of your son and congratulations to him (and to Mom and Dad, too) on his award. :)

Ann looks wonderful. What a beautiful sampler and I think her head looks just fine. Great job, Margaret!

Laurie in Iowa said...

I don't think the head looks too large and your sampler looks wonderful.
Wonderful honors for the boy child and well deserved. You must be so proud of your children.

Lanie said...

Hi Margaret! How proud you obviously are of your children ... and you should be! Congratulations!

Why are our children always two steps ahead of us?! But that's the fun of being parents to young adult children ... it is wonderful to watch them become young men and women and have the life we dreamed for them when we first held them in our arms.

Oh my ... y'all will have to excuse me as I have an emotional summer preparing for our youngest to go off to college too!

P.S. I love your "Ann"! I don't think her head looks too big ... I think her paper head is a fun part of the design!

Myriam said...

Bravo to the two children!!!!!!!!And Mia...No concert for her?????
I like Ann..her head is not too big....bravo to you!

Beth said...

The last photo on your post...how bittersweet is that?

Cathy Lloyd said...

Love your Ann...such a funky thing to put the head on like that. I like it! Did the original stitcher just decide she didn't want to stitch the head and drew one instead? I would love to hear the history of that! You and the father-type have fabulous children. It is bittersweet when they grow up...but you will LOVE being an empty nester! And of course, you'll have sweet Mia to keep you company!

Deb said...

I don't think that Ann's head looks bad at all. The whole sampler is a little funky fun, so that head just fits right in!

Congratulations to your son on his award, and it sounds like you're going to have a busy time over the next few months. I only had one to worry about and I was pulling my hair out. I know what you mean about the kids growing up. I don't think we're ever ready. It's amazing how quickly the time flies. Like yesterday that they were just babies.

Erica said...

Oh my!
Margaret, you are going to have to eat a high protein diet to give you lots of stamina to keep up with all of that! Your kids are amazing! I am sure it will all work out in the end, You will be due for a good rest then!

ps I think her head looks ok, but I know what it is like to have something like that bug you. I think the dimensions of the girl I am working on in L'Automne are really odd, but i haven't a clue what to do about it!

sheravery said...

Hi Margaret,
Wow! That sampler is just gorgeous! You do beautiful work. I think Ann's head looks just fine. Did they also include a 'charted' portion for her head, just in case one does not want to use the paper head? Using glue on my sampler would create a bit of angst.
Congrats to both of your children. You must be very proud!

-Sherry-

robindefender said...

I don't think her head is too big, but you could always put her on a copy machine and reduce her to 90 percent or something like that. Just be careful with that toner ink.

Anonymous said...

Dear margaret, you must be so proud of your children! They are both doing so well!! Sorry I didn´t react last week, but I am happy the results of your tests are good. Hope you recovered well enough to go to al these graduations and concerts! I do love your last sampler. Maybe the had is an bit big, but isn´t that the joy of samplers? That thinks don't fit but it is still a representation of that time? Love to your husband and children, love, janneke, Holland.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the mistakes, I am very Dutch :-)
Janneke.

Vickie said...

Wow! Ann is sooo different. Different but great. I think I am freaking out with you!! Oh my! Oh my! I told you I am right behind you with our son! http://astitchersstory.blogspot.com/

Melissa said...

Awww, take a deep breath, Mom! I can sense the emotions in you and can understand completely!

Congratulations to your boy for his outstanding achievements!

Ann looks great. I don't think her head is out of proportion although I think her face looks weird. Not criticizing or anything as I have this chart as well! I can't wait to see her frame - so pretty!

Good luck with the apartment hunting!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Great job on the sampler, Margaret. I don't know - her head looks okay to me. It looks to me like her neck lines up exactly as it should.

Huge congrats on the BC and all his accomplishments. I can't imagine how excited he is about Boston and living in an apartment his first year out - wowzers! He'll be fine. Try not to worry.

Love, love, love the last pic of the bass all by itself among the orchestra chairs/stands.

marly said...

Sure you can copy and shrink her head by a tiny bit if it bothers you. Maybe make a copy anyway just in case the framer loses it! Mary Slatter was the only sampler I knew of that used the photo heads - had no idea this one did from viewing it online. So much going on for you! Hope everything falls into place soon. That last photo is very touching.

Mouse said...

goshhh .. you have been busy with one thing and another .... mmmm re the head, does look a tad too big ... and I'm not sure if I actually like it ??? weird ..lol

hope you get them both sorted out with apartments and that you can relax and chill knowing they have somewhere to dump their dirty clothes and slob ...lol

glad the concerts were a success and well done on the award too ... and nice photos of everything for mementos of it all :)

sooo whats next in the stitching dept ???? love mouse xxxx

Rita said...

Beautiful sampler!

Congrats on the accomplishments of your children. One of my DS's is a bass (guitar) player.

Marjorie said...

So Ann has a paper head glued on her stitched body? That is unusual, but she looks great! You seem to be holding it together just fine, I hope I do as well when my kids abandon me (oops I mean leave home :)).

Cari said...

I think the head looks fine Margaret. You could try copying it and reducing the size and see how you like it. But really...it looks fine.

As I was watching the Tony Awards last night I was thinking about you and your talented children. Please let me know if either one of them ever performs on Broadway!! It wouldn't surprise me one bit!! Congratulations on raising two wonderful people!!

Hugs

Deborah said...

Her head doesn't look too big. The sampler is really different. Congrats to your son. I don't envy you having to find 2 apartments in 2 different places. Good luck.

Bertie said...

Looks ok to me, and her head lol!!! They look on antique samplers big too, it's charming really!
You do have very talented children, and something to be very proud of:)) Has the boy child heard of Gareth Malone? A famous choir master and no:1in the charts here at the Queens Jubilee Concert,
Have a great week!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Well at last a head for Ann! She must be quite happy about that! That young man of yours is so talented! hard for them to grow up so fast though isn't it?

Loretta a/k/a Mrs. Pom said...

Wow, Margaret, both your children are lovely and amazing! These are the whirlwind weeks, as I call them. Just hold on for the ride and before you know it, the holidays will be here and they'll both be home!

I would be freaking out, too, at moving a freshman into an apartment. Does he have a roommate and is it school-sponsored housing?

Penny said...

Ann is a beautiful sampler! Looking back at some other pictures of this sampler - it seems like that is just the way the head looks. So much to be proud of with both of your children. I enjoyed the videos! Take care of yourself in all of the busyness. :)

Chris said...

i think that Ann's head is supposed to be big. I think she looks fabulous.
Congratulations to your Son. You have so much to be proud of.
You will get everyone settled. Just take it a day at a time and breathe.
Have a great week.
Hugs to you and Mia.

Carol said...

Let's face it some people just have big heads in real life :) (My husband being one of them--he had to have a special football helmet when he played in high school!!)

Lovely and bittersweet photos of your son at his concerts--this is really a hard time of year for mothers... Good luck with the apartment hunting, Margaret!

Loraine said...

As I remember, Ann's head did look a little big on the pattern, re-size it if it bugs you. I probably would.

Congrats to the boy child! You have successful happy children, that is a huge accomplishment, and feather in your cap. Great job!

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

C'est absolument merveilleux ! bisous bisous

Brigitte said...

C'est ravissant,& bravo pour votre fils .Bises made in France .Brigitte

Dona said...

Love the pictures of your son! He looks so serious and grown up now!

I think the head looks just fine.It gives it personality! Pretty sampler, Margaret.

mdgtjulie said...

Huge grats to both of your children, Margaret. I'm sure you've very proud of both of them. And grats on the finish too. It did look funny with no head, lol.

Lois said...

As you know I've been intrigued by this whole adding the paper head thing!!!! Yes, I can see where it seems to be a little out of proportion but I'd say leave well enough alone. She looks good and it's such a different thing to finish it off.

Congrats to the boy child, I can understand what a bittersweet week this is. Good luck to both of them (and you!) on the apartment hunting.

woolwoman said...

kinda sad to see that last shot of the player-less bass laying in the spotlight alone. I'm sure you are stressing out about being an empty nester after so many years. Love Ann even if she does have the "big head" - LOL - I actually think it looks just peachy! take care of yourself - Mel

Jane in Wisconsin said...

What a crazy wonderful life you have right now! Enjoy every exhausting nutty moment. Contests to both the boy and girl children!!

Love the sampler. Ithink the head looks great!

Catherine said...

Glad she's not headless anymore, even if it seems big to you. There are some period paintings I have seen where the heads look bigger. Maybe it's just a stylistic thing. The neck does look like it is lined up.
Congrats to you son on his accomplishments and good luck with the apartments. The last photo tugged at my momma heartstrings....

Veronica said...

Your son sure is talented. Congratulations to him for winning the award.

Hmm... Maybe it's just me but I think the head looks fine. Not too big.

Hugs,
Veronica.

Giovanna said...

The head's not too big, but the house is definitely too small, lol. Seriously, it looks fine to me. Good luck with the search for flats, and congrats to your boy for the award.

Keeper of the Crowes said...

What a wonderful and interesting sampler! I'm anxious to see what you decide. And I really want to see it framed!!! Best wishes to both of your children!
Linda

Roberta said...

It is amazing how quickly our children grow up. I cannot believe that your son is going off to college!! Where did your time go???

Yes, you should be proud of both of your children - you both did good!!

Now as for Ann - she is in my pile to do list - will have to make sure I use the correct count linen!! Yours looks wonderful!!

valerie said...

I don't think the head looks too big. I thought it was supposed to be a little funky anyways from the chart photo. Sounds like you've been way busy with the BC events. And looking for two apartments? WOW! Good luck and remember to take it easy and relax some. :)

Karoline said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karoline said...

Congratulations on finishing Ann, she's lovely. From what I remember of other peoples finishes I think the head is slightly out of proportion on theirs as well.

Congratulations to your DD on her graduation and to your DS on his award.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Congratulations - all around! Enjoy!

Anne said...

Love Ann's oversized head!! I think it looks great!!! Congrats to your boychild on winning that award! Both of your kids are super talented! Don't freak out my dear, things will all fall into place...they always do! Big hugs to you!!

barbara said...

I think the big head is super cool!!

Jenny said...

Oh Ann looks gorgeous! I think that her head looks just right - what a beauty.

Love all the pics of the musical events. I totally understand why you are proud of your children - how great with the award.

Jean said...

Wow, love the face, I don't think her head looks large. Hope she gets the apartment thing worked out soon..

Sherry :o) said...

Love the "spotlight" on the bass at the end (I hope I have the instrument correct). Cool pics!