Whew! Three very tense and stressful hours and Queendom Website is moved.
You know, moving anywhere, whether it be for real or in cyberspace is always stressful.
But for nowIt's over and finished and I don't have to go through this again till Muse comes out of beta. Then I will finally move away from iWeb and to my new site. Yes, I decided to stay with my original plan of keeping iWeb with a new server until Muse is in general release.
For now, everything at Queendom Website looks the same and seems the same. It is a bit different behind the scenes, but up front it seems much the same.
If you find any differences or problems, will you please email me and let me know?
Thank you!
Gay Ann, much relieved.
www.GayAnnRogers.com
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Moving Day for Queendom Website
I thought I would start moving my website yesterday, but moving day is tomorrow.
Soon as I know everything is up again and running well, I will post here and on my website.
Guess what day Queendom Website is moving: on the Ides of March. No matter what happens, Queendom Website's fate won't be as bad as Julius Caesar's, so all is looking up.
I am taking 6 deep breaths every hour and keeping my needle nearby for a dose of calm stitching when necessary.
Gay Ann
Soon as I know everything is up again and running well, I will post here and on my website.
Guess what day Queendom Website is moving: on the Ides of March. No matter what happens, Queendom Website's fate won't be as bad as Julius Caesar's, so all is looking up.
I am taking 6 deep breaths every hour and keeping my needle nearby for a dose of calm stitching when necessary.
Gay Ann
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Queendom Website: Transition
The time has come for Part 1 of Queendom Website's move.
In the next few days I will move my website from one server to another.
What does this mean?
Right now I publish Queendom Website on 'Mobile Me'. We are moving from one publisher to another, from Mobile Me to DynaDot.
What might you notice?
Hopefully you won't notice any difference.
There is a small possibility that it will be a rocky move. If this happens, I will post my progress here, on my blog.
If there are any irregularities, know that it isn't your computer, it's a period of transition for me, that's all.
Gay Ann
In the next few days I will move my website from one server to another.
What does this mean?
Right now I publish Queendom Website on 'Mobile Me'. We are moving from one publisher to another, from Mobile Me to DynaDot.
What might you notice?
Hopefully you won't notice any difference.
There is a small possibility that it will be a rocky move. If this happens, I will post my progress here, on my blog.
If there are any irregularities, know that it isn't your computer, it's a period of transition for me, that's all.
Gay Ann
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sometimes Needlepoint Saves Me
I've had a bunch of stressful days. Nothing serious, just all website related.
Indeed all website related, and yesterday afternoon I spent most of my classtime very near tears.
I left class feeling frustrated, disappointed and directionless, as I face starting over yet again and learning another program for my website.
It will be my third one.
The first one was terrible. No, that's not fair to say; it was a great program but it is for people who live well in a box.
It forced me to line up everything in a tidy fashion. I know, I know, everything about web design is better when the elements are all lined up. But one can't go against one's grain and I was unhappy with everything I did in that program.
So I left it.
Then last summer along came a new program that was everything I wanted. I followed its progress and I played around with it from time to time, then In the last 3 months I began work on it in earnest.
I've worked nearly daily on it and I was so excited, I got exactly what I wanted, all on my own, no templates, no lined-up boxes, no unalterable padding and margins, etc.
And then it all came crumbling down around me. The program is in beta. Now in beta 6. It was supposed to come into general release in 'Early 2012'. I've followed its progress and my guess is, it will come into general release way too late for me. So with colossal disappointment I made up my mind I have to change programs yet again.
Now I've found a program which looks great. The tech support is unreal! I asked a question yesterday morning and had an answer back, as promised, in less than an hour. Remember, I was asking on Sunday morning. Amazing! Friendly, to-the-point and helpful. I took a short course as an overview and it looks very much easier than the other two programs I tackled. The company is large, ergo it's going to be around for a while, what's not to like.
Only one pretty hefty disappointment: it is totally template-based.
So here I am again, back to little boxes, all lined up in a row.
I guess the web world is so strongly in favor of little boxes all in a row that I can't fight it any longer. There simply isn't time.
So I came home yesterday from class very disappointed. I took a deep breath and picked up my needle, and it all came flooding back why I love needlework so much. I have some canvas, I have some thread, I can do anything I want. It's personal and up to me and there aren't any boxes and I learned long ago in my needlework career not to pay any attention to The Rules. I chilled and relaxed and left it all behind in the company of my needle.
A nice end to a frustrating couple of days and a reminder what an important role my needlework plays in my life.
This morning, the beginning of a new day, I see more options. What I may well do is move iWeb (my present website) to a new host and simply wait for the program I like. I still have nearly 3 months to decide. And I will learn the new program too, just in case I can come up with something I like.
Meanwhile, 12 Stitches a Day. Every day. My daily reminder that at least a part of my world belongs totally to me.
Gay Ann
Indeed all website related, and yesterday afternoon I spent most of my classtime very near tears.
I left class feeling frustrated, disappointed and directionless, as I face starting over yet again and learning another program for my website.
It will be my third one.
The first one was terrible. No, that's not fair to say; it was a great program but it is for people who live well in a box.
It forced me to line up everything in a tidy fashion. I know, I know, everything about web design is better when the elements are all lined up. But one can't go against one's grain and I was unhappy with everything I did in that program.
So I left it.
Then last summer along came a new program that was everything I wanted. I followed its progress and I played around with it from time to time, then In the last 3 months I began work on it in earnest.
I've worked nearly daily on it and I was so excited, I got exactly what I wanted, all on my own, no templates, no lined-up boxes, no unalterable padding and margins, etc.
And then it all came crumbling down around me. The program is in beta. Now in beta 6. It was supposed to come into general release in 'Early 2012'. I've followed its progress and my guess is, it will come into general release way too late for me. So with colossal disappointment I made up my mind I have to change programs yet again.
Now I've found a program which looks great. The tech support is unreal! I asked a question yesterday morning and had an answer back, as promised, in less than an hour. Remember, I was asking on Sunday morning. Amazing! Friendly, to-the-point and helpful. I took a short course as an overview and it looks very much easier than the other two programs I tackled. The company is large, ergo it's going to be around for a while, what's not to like.
Only one pretty hefty disappointment: it is totally template-based.
So here I am again, back to little boxes, all lined up in a row.
I guess the web world is so strongly in favor of little boxes all in a row that I can't fight it any longer. There simply isn't time.
So I came home yesterday from class very disappointed. I took a deep breath and picked up my needle, and it all came flooding back why I love needlework so much. I have some canvas, I have some thread, I can do anything I want. It's personal and up to me and there aren't any boxes and I learned long ago in my needlework career not to pay any attention to The Rules. I chilled and relaxed and left it all behind in the company of my needle.
A nice end to a frustrating couple of days and a reminder what an important role my needlework plays in my life.
This morning, the beginning of a new day, I see more options. What I may well do is move iWeb (my present website) to a new host and simply wait for the program I like. I still have nearly 3 months to decide. And I will learn the new program too, just in case I can come up with something I like.
Meanwhile, 12 Stitches a Day. Every day. My daily reminder that at least a part of my world belongs totally to me.
Gay Ann
Thursday, March 01, 2012
All the Beads for My Needlepoint Portrait of Elizabeth 1
Yesterday I finished writing instructions for my needlepoint miniature portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots. It was an arduous task, writing those instructions, and I was happy to see them come to an end. So happy, in fact, that I emailed Kate that I had finished and asked her if she could hear me shouting with joy all the way from San Diego to Dallas.
Yes, one task complete, but no rest for the wicked. Today I decided was the day to tackle the bead packets for my Elizabeth 1 class at Shining Needle Society which begins in a couple of months.
Elizabeth 1, as I stitched her, has a complex collection of beads and today I began the first stages of counting little beads into little baggies. Today I counted 34 (+ 2 extra) little gold balls, plus 1 green teardrop bead, plus 1 pearl teardrop, into 157 2" x 2" baggies.
After I finished my 157th baggie, I stopped and figured out how many little gold balls I have counted into 2" x 2" baggies since I first taught my Elizabeth portrait at Callaway a year ago, and when I did the math, the sum was 11,200 little gold balls.
In addition to little gold balls today, I counted 17 metal bugle beads along with 4 red beads, 4 green beads and 4 slightly larger gold balls into another 157 2" x 2" baggies. That was my day's work. In all there are 7 such 2" x 2" baggies that fit into a 3" x 4" baggie.
I didn't do the math for any more beads because I thought the totals might overwhelm me.
So why did I begin tackling the beads today? Because I want to go tomorrow morning to a bead show in search of... yes... more little gold balls, more red beads and green beads and also more slightly larger gold balls. I discovered my supply of them didn't extend as far as I needed. Oh, I have enough for my Elizabeth kits, but on Elizabeth's heels are Mary and Bess and they need all the same beads also.
I think my fate in the next year is to count another 3000-4000 little gold balls into more 2" x 2" baggies.
Such is my life right now, and probably into the future. I don't mind, for there are worse things: I could spill all those thousands of little beads. That would indeed be much worse.
It is always satisfying when little beads are all safely fitted into their little baggies. Then they can't spill, can they.
Unless the baggies rip, but that thought is too much for today.
Gay Ann
Yes, one task complete, but no rest for the wicked. Today I decided was the day to tackle the bead packets for my Elizabeth 1 class at Shining Needle Society which begins in a couple of months.
Elizabeth 1, as I stitched her, has a complex collection of beads and today I began the first stages of counting little beads into little baggies. Today I counted 34 (+ 2 extra) little gold balls, plus 1 green teardrop bead, plus 1 pearl teardrop, into 157 2" x 2" baggies.
After I finished my 157th baggie, I stopped and figured out how many little gold balls I have counted into 2" x 2" baggies since I first taught my Elizabeth portrait at Callaway a year ago, and when I did the math, the sum was 11,200 little gold balls.
In addition to little gold balls today, I counted 17 metal bugle beads along with 4 red beads, 4 green beads and 4 slightly larger gold balls into another 157 2" x 2" baggies. That was my day's work. In all there are 7 such 2" x 2" baggies that fit into a 3" x 4" baggie.
I didn't do the math for any more beads because I thought the totals might overwhelm me.
So why did I begin tackling the beads today? Because I want to go tomorrow morning to a bead show in search of... yes... more little gold balls, more red beads and green beads and also more slightly larger gold balls. I discovered my supply of them didn't extend as far as I needed. Oh, I have enough for my Elizabeth kits, but on Elizabeth's heels are Mary and Bess and they need all the same beads also.
I think my fate in the next year is to count another 3000-4000 little gold balls into more 2" x 2" baggies.
Such is my life right now, and probably into the future. I don't mind, for there are worse things: I could spill all those thousands of little beads. That would indeed be much worse.
It is always satisfying when little beads are all safely fitted into their little baggies. Then they can't spill, can they.
Unless the baggies rip, but that thought is too much for today.
Gay Ann
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tomorrow: the official end of my needlepoint hearts sale
My actual hearts sale ended a week ago and Queendom Website came alive with Hearts Sale Annex as Kate Gaunt sold the supplies packets for all the hearts. Tomorrow is the last day for hearts supplies; tomorrow evening or early Wednesday morning Queendom Website will change -- and for me it will mark the beginning of Queendom Website's transition. Yes, a new castle is coming, a new home for Queendom Website. We hope.
It has been rocky. I know the rocky ups and downs come from using a website program in beta. Just in transition from beta 5 to beta 6, poor MacSoph was brutalized. She and I are up and running again and hopefully it won't be more than a couple of months more.
So what about Queendom Website in the next couple of months, during the period of transition?
I would like to bring back my 'For Beginners' articles and perhaps add a couple of techniques columns.
I will definitely write about more from eBay if eBay comes up with collectors' goodies worth bidding on, hopefully lots of vintage and antique scissors and thimbles and stilettos and little hemmeasures, all sorts of goodies for sewing cases. I hope to write about cameos again, and some bits of laces and linens as I have an idea what to do with them now that I am a linen devotee.
Ahh, yes, linen! The focus of my spring will be on Legacy Linen as I continue work on a spot sampler and what else but a couple of new hearts. Mostly my linen pursuits are aimed at my Elizabeth class at Shining Needle Society. I stitched my Elizabeth portrait on congress cloth but now I am curious how it would work on linen. Maybe some brave souls will try.
Why the linen fetish of late, after a lifetime on canvas and congress cloth? A while back I had an idea for a sampler that I became convinced would work best on linen. I tried a 25 count linen that was simply too wiggly but now I have found Legacy Linen 25 and it is a joy to work on! I have all sorts of plans ahead, just need chunks of time to work on them.
So as Kate begins to pack up Annex from my hearts sale, I raise a champagne glass filled with orts and toast the coming months of transition as we begin to move Queendom Website, MacSoph and I.
Drugery? I am sure. As anybody connected with them knows, computers can drive one nutsss. But not only drudgery; there will be joy too! To me months ahead with at least some time to stitch always bring joy.
So for spring this year, my favorite time of year, I need some luck -- a lot of luck -- and my needle will provide a lot of joy.
Gay Ann
It has been rocky. I know the rocky ups and downs come from using a website program in beta. Just in transition from beta 5 to beta 6, poor MacSoph was brutalized. She and I are up and running again and hopefully it won't be more than a couple of months more.
So what about Queendom Website in the next couple of months, during the period of transition?
I would like to bring back my 'For Beginners' articles and perhaps add a couple of techniques columns.
I will definitely write about more from eBay if eBay comes up with collectors' goodies worth bidding on, hopefully lots of vintage and antique scissors and thimbles and stilettos and little hemmeasures, all sorts of goodies for sewing cases. I hope to write about cameos again, and some bits of laces and linens as I have an idea what to do with them now that I am a linen devotee.
Ahh, yes, linen! The focus of my spring will be on Legacy Linen as I continue work on a spot sampler and what else but a couple of new hearts. Mostly my linen pursuits are aimed at my Elizabeth class at Shining Needle Society. I stitched my Elizabeth portrait on congress cloth but now I am curious how it would work on linen. Maybe some brave souls will try.
Why the linen fetish of late, after a lifetime on canvas and congress cloth? A while back I had an idea for a sampler that I became convinced would work best on linen. I tried a 25 count linen that was simply too wiggly but now I have found Legacy Linen 25 and it is a joy to work on! I have all sorts of plans ahead, just need chunks of time to work on them.
So as Kate begins to pack up Annex from my hearts sale, I raise a champagne glass filled with orts and toast the coming months of transition as we begin to move Queendom Website, MacSoph and I.
Drugery? I am sure. As anybody connected with them knows, computers can drive one nutsss. But not only drudgery; there will be joy too! To me months ahead with at least some time to stitch always bring joy.
So for spring this year, my favorite time of year, I need some luck -- a lot of luck -- and my needle will provide a lot of joy.
Gay Ann
Monday, February 13, 2012
Just two more days of my Needlepoint Hearts Sale
I can't believe how quickly the week of my hearts sale has flown by, and here it is, almost the middle of February. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Just two more days and my hearts sale for 2012 will finish.
Of course activity on Queendom Website doesn't stop because as soon as my hearts finish, Kate Gaunt will be here with all the supplies my hearts. Yes, the first time that Kate's Corner Annex will be on Queendom Website during my hearts sale. Two years ago Kate started suppling threads and canvas for my designs during E-Week, simply because I couldn't do it all. Hers is a separate little business and I have no financial interest in her supplies. They belong to her.
This year I am particularly excited about supplies because Kate has squares of Legacy Linen 25 count for sale as well as congress cloth squares. I am hoping that people in my Shining Needle Society general classroom and also those in my Elizabeth 1, A Portrait class will try experiments on the linen. And ultimately I am wondering if brave souls will decide to stitch the portrait on the linen. One fine way to decide is to stitch Heart of Elizabeth on the linen and see how it looks. Heart of Elizabeth is essentially a little practice piece for the portrait.
In general Hearts are such a great way to experiment, for many of them are just a few evenings' work, not a months and months long project. Why not experiment and then end up with a stitched heart.
I am so excited about the prospect that I am already eyeing my miniature portraits of Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick. I am wondering: could I make Mary's and Bess's Hearts on congress cloth and then again on linen to see what happens.
I should be packing heart patterns, I should be working on my new castle, I should be doing dozens of things, but I ditched it all for a couple of hours today and drew hearts for Mary and Bess. Slightly smaller than Heart of Elizabeth, I am hoping it won't take much time to stitch them.
I'll save the stitching for when my classrooms start working on their hearts. I drew the drawings; I cut the canvas and mounted it on stretcher bars, and I had a look at the designs under the canvas to see if I thought they would work. Now I think I'll see if Kate will send me two squares of linen, then I'll set all the makings aside till we start work in Shining Needle Society.
Do I want to wait? Of course not. But I've had a little holiday, now it is back to work again.
Gay Ann
Of course activity on Queendom Website doesn't stop because as soon as my hearts finish, Kate Gaunt will be here with all the supplies my hearts. Yes, the first time that Kate's Corner Annex will be on Queendom Website during my hearts sale. Two years ago Kate started suppling threads and canvas for my designs during E-Week, simply because I couldn't do it all. Hers is a separate little business and I have no financial interest in her supplies. They belong to her.
This year I am particularly excited about supplies because Kate has squares of Legacy Linen 25 count for sale as well as congress cloth squares. I am hoping that people in my Shining Needle Society general classroom and also those in my Elizabeth 1, A Portrait class will try experiments on the linen. And ultimately I am wondering if brave souls will decide to stitch the portrait on the linen. One fine way to decide is to stitch Heart of Elizabeth on the linen and see how it looks. Heart of Elizabeth is essentially a little practice piece for the portrait.
In general Hearts are such a great way to experiment, for many of them are just a few evenings' work, not a months and months long project. Why not experiment and then end up with a stitched heart.
I am so excited about the prospect that I am already eyeing my miniature portraits of Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick. I am wondering: could I make Mary's and Bess's Hearts on congress cloth and then again on linen to see what happens.
I should be packing heart patterns, I should be working on my new castle, I should be doing dozens of things, but I ditched it all for a couple of hours today and drew hearts for Mary and Bess. Slightly smaller than Heart of Elizabeth, I am hoping it won't take much time to stitch them.
I'll save the stitching for when my classrooms start working on their hearts. I drew the drawings; I cut the canvas and mounted it on stretcher bars, and I had a look at the designs under the canvas to see if I thought they would work. Now I think I'll see if Kate will send me two squares of linen, then I'll set all the makings aside till we start work in Shining Needle Society.
Do I want to wait? Of course not. But I've had a little holiday, now it is back to work again.
Gay Ann
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