Numbers + Progress + Inspiring Things

I'm not much of a numbers gal. Math is definitely not my strong point and never has been. I know the basics to get by to do what I need to do for my life - simple algebra, percentages, and simple accounting. What I do like about numbers though is that they give me a way to track my progress in life and business. Numbers give me a way to gauge success. They aren't always about money for sure. They give me a way to account for how a project is going (or not). 

Here are some numbers that I just stumbled upon. 
10 - I have been blogging on this Getting Stitched on the Farm blog for just over 10 YEARS. My first post was March 16, 2006. Wow. I didn't know I had the concentration to keep at this thing for so long. I should throw a party or something.

2,038,109 - The number of blog visitors since June 2010. That is staggering to me.

104,793 - The number of people who have watched the Houzz.com video about our Colorful Farmhouse. It is no Adele Carpool Karaoke but still - I find it amazing how far the reach of YouTube is. 

53 - The number of eggs in my fridge right now. The hens are producing like mad. Eggs are where it is at for lunch and dinner around here. 

4 - Number of rooms I have started fooling with for my next book project. The house is in such disarray as I start and then don't finish something. Usually I don't subject my family to my artwork and writing experimentation but with this book, it is hard not to impact their living spaces. 
I'm working on the Upstairs Bathroom still. 
The Pink Bedroom which has hit a bit of a stall because I'm not sure if I'm liking my ideas once I started trying them out. 
The Orange Bedroom which has had 2 different tests of paint colors and is about to have a bit of a re-do. I thought I was going to go lighter and tested a yellow and a green. I wasn't loving it and then it came to me overnight that if I lighted up the room, none of my rugs or textiles would go and that would be a disaster. 

Back to the paint store. I chose another yellow (more goldish ochre) and another green (more olive-chartreuse) and I love these as bases for the plans I have. And they will work with the other things already in the room.

The Garden Shed which over the past 2 weeks has been cleaned out. This week, my carpenter friend Kevin put thin plywood over the walls for me. 

I painted it with two coats of white primer. But now it is cold again and I can't do anything on that room until the weather gets warm enough for paint and glue to dry. 

This is the VCT tile that is left from my Studio Renovation Project. I'm going to make a pattern out of the leftover colors and Kevin and I will tile the floor. Can't wait for that. 

This is the exterior of the shed. I had a new window put in my kitchen (with double glazing which the old one didn't have). This is the old kitchen window now in the shed. I plan on a bit of this treatment to the blank pieces of plywood. Will be fun. (Thanks Laura T for sharing those photos with me.)

So although things have been quiet here on the blog (and I have been having guilt for not writing more), I have found it necessary to take a bit of a break and concentrate and formulate ideas for work that needs to be done. Things are gelling. It is a process and although it seems like I am making no progress in the physical way, I am in my head. I know where I am going, a list and wall chart has been made, and now I can hopefully do the work, write it down, and keep it building. Writing a book is a lot of building...... concepts, ideas, projects, and then words and photography and editing. 

This week, I am off to eastern Massachusetts for a presentation at the Essex Needlecraft Guild. Should be fun to share my work. 

In the meantime, here are some fun things you might like too. 
• Sotheby's had an auction of The Duchess of Devonshire's things. You can read about it here. Her stuff raised £1,777,838! Wow. It seems Debo had a lot of fans besides me.
• I discovered the work of Eileen Guthrie in an old issue of The World of Interiors. I love her textile patterns which were mostly done with lino-cuts. What is really cool is her granddaughter has started a company called Flockhart and is having her Grandma's work printed and is selling it. You can read the pdf article via the Flockhart website here. 
• I love the work of French artist Pierre Boncompain. Check it out here. 
• I have been crazy in love with Josef Frank's fabrics for Svenskt Tenn. This blog post has a nice representation of the fabrics used in Interiors. 

Have a great week ahead everyone.