Lovely In Chocolate

Seasons 2011 SAL - It's Finished!

2012-01-21T09:38:00.006-05:00

My new year of stitching is off to a great start! I have another finish. This one is the Seasons 2011 SAL. Obviously it was started last year. The pattern for each season was released about every three or four months. The pattern for Winter was sent to us on January 4, and once I started stitching it I couldn't stop.

This is the design in its entirety. This design truly was a pleasure to stitch, and I think that is because it is different than so many other designs, and it has so many beautiful colors. It is hard for me to pick which is my favorite, but I think it has to be either Autumn or Winter. But, aren't they all beautiful?

Have a wonderful weekend, and I hope yours is filled with many happy stitching hours!

Stitching the New Year

2012-01-18T09:30:00.006-05:00

At the end of 2011 it was a lot of fun to see all the holiday stitching and read about the stitching plans for this brand new year. I have seen so many beautiful new beginnings on so many blogs!

I started a new SAL, I'm stitching the last part of the Seasons 2011 SAL, and I have plans for some of my patterns stitched on the linen I got for Christmas. But, I thought I would start the year with two smaller finishes to celebrate 2012.

This first pinkeep is from Tonia of OakHaven Designs. This design was offered as an exclusive free pattern to her Yahoo Group. I just love the calming colors in this, and to me the dove is a symbol of hope for a peaceful year.

The second pinkeep is a free French design offered on the blog Talons Aiguilles. I brought out my DMC variegated floss to stitch this one. Not their new lines of threads, but the original that was just called Variegated. I think this is so bright and cheerful, and it gives me the thought that this year will not only be a peaceful one but also a happy one.

And, here is a photo of the backs. Isn't it fun to go through fabric stash finding just the right piece to finish something?

I hope to have my Seasons 2011 SAL finished very soon and will be sharing that with you in the not too distant future.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a very enjoyable day!

Post Christmas Post

2011-12-27T10:51:00.012-05:00

Did you have a nice Christmas? Ours was relaxing, we enjoyed opening gifts, and our meal was lasagna, vegetable lasagna, garlic bread and salad. It was a refreshing change from the traditional meal!

I thought I would share the last of my 2011 Christmas ornament finishes. I am still stitching them but will do the finishes next year.

This is the ornament I stitched for our granddaughter Gretchen. The design is Sugar Plum Fairy by The Floss Box. Isn't that little girl the sweetest? I love her little gold crown and the little bird to her left.

And, here is a picture of the back. The fabric is polka dot flannel.

This one is from the 2006 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue. The design is by Prairie Moon, and it is titled Mistletoe House. I have had this small piece of Santa's Suit linen for a few years, and I was happy to find this design stitched on red. Rather than stitch the berries with red thread I attached red beads.

The back is red and white ticking stripe.

This ornament is Take Joy by Shepherd's Bush. I won this pattern on Deborah's blog giveaway. She was so nice to include the silk thread she had leftover, and I only had to use two colors of my own silk stash to finish the design.

The backing fabric is black velvet, and I attached beads all the way around and made the hanger with them too.

And, last, but definitely not least, I won a blog giveaway from Michele. Thank you so much for the lovely gifts Michele. They definitely brought a big smile. She made this ornament in the style of a pinkeep. The design is one of Sharon's reindeer which I love! She did a beautiful job.

Isn't the backing fabric pretty? I love the red metallic ric rac she used for the edges and the hanger.

Also included was this adorable Starbuck's coffee cup ornament! I think this nostalgic design of a boy on a sled is wonderful. And, look at all these beautiful red threads! Michele didn't know I have a lot of red stitching planned for next year. I'm so excited to get started.

Are you making your stitching plans for next year too? It is so fun going through patterns, printed out freebies, and fabric and thread stash deciding what to stitch!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and enjoy the rest of your holiday week. Soon it will be 2012, a time for fresh beginnings that will tuck away the memories of 2011.

Christmas Challenge

2011-12-17T16:19:00.004-05:00

On this French blog there was the opportunity to participate in Defi Noel which translates to Christmas Challenge. Irene sent us so many beautiful charts for Christmas. The challenge was to stitch as many designs as we could or wanted to and finish them by December 19. I wish I would have had more time because there is a beautiful sampler design I wanted to stitch, but I will save it to stitch for next year.

These are the two finishes I have for Defi Noel. This first one is an ornament. The snowman has some specialty stitches at the bottom, but I don't know if you can see them in the photo. I attached a snowflake charm which the crow is giving to the snowman.

My second finish is a small sampler. I mounted the sampler on green velveteen and framed it. I used some gold metallic thread to give some elegance to the finished piece. Click the photo for a larger view because there are some very pretty specialty stitches.

I hope everyone is enjoying their preparations for the holidays!

Christmas in Shades of Blue

2011-12-09T20:14:00.003-05:00

When I decided to start some stitching for Winter and Christmas one of the projects I decided to do was finish a Christmas sampler I started in 2009. This was so much fun to stitch I have no idea why I ever put it aside. This sampler was a French SAL given by Carole. She also designed a Christmas sampler in 2010 which I will start this year to finish next year, and she designed the Seasons 2011 SAL I am currently stitching. I think her designs are beautiful!

This sampler is stitched with many shades of blue DMC threads. I don't know if the photo shows the different shades because some of them are very close in color. In the circles are my initials, and we had the option to stitch the word Noel or the year. Don't you just love this delicate tree?

I can see from reading many blogs that everyone is in the holiday spirit with decorating, stitching and baking. I hope your weekend is filled with all these things that bring smiles! Enjoy!

Winter Stitches

2011-12-02T10:08:00.004-05:00

Now it is December, and it is time to share winter stitches. I participated in the SAL "A la Belle Etoile", and I have seen on other blogs that many people stitched this sampler. This SAL was a collaboration between C Mon Monde and The Thread Basket. This design is beautiful, and to offer it as a free SAL is very generous in my opinion.

I stitched my sampler on 30 count linen, and I do not remember the color name. The threads are the recommended DMC colors. I finished this a few days ago, and I just love it!

Thank you for visiting my blog, and whether you spend the weekend relaxing or preparing for the holidays, enjoy every minute!

A Couple of Finishes

2011-11-29T07:16:00.005-05:00

I have been having a lot of fun stitching on winter and Christmas designs, but there are a couple of finishes I want to share with you now.

First is SAL Mystery Sampler by Carol R. I enjoyed every minute of stitching this sampler, and as it is with all SALs, the anticipation of what the next part of the design would look like was a lot of fun. I used 28 count Cream Cashel linen, and the thread is Bay Breeze by Carrie's Creations.

Next is Quaker Rose by Little by Little. Little by Little is one of my favorite designers. I have a few other patterns by this designer, and a WIP, so I will add a couple of those to my stitching list for 2012. I think this is such a pretty Quaker sampler the way the motifs are scattered over the fabric, and the rose is so pretty. My first initial and last name are on the left side, and I used our daughter's and granddaughter's initials for the rest of the sampler. These were supposed to be stitched in blue, but I ran out of thread. I think the light rose color softens the look of the sampler.

What made this even more fun to stitch is that I did it as a SAL with Brigitte. Brigitte is in Germany, and I am in the US, but we would share our progress each week with emails and photos. It was so enjoyable!

I have had fun reading blogs lately seeing all the beautiful stitching for the holidays! This is such a festive time of year. So, until next time, happy stitching!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2011-10-31T11:11:00.009-04:00

It is October 31, the day when children are so excited to dress up in their costumes and go door to door saying Trick or Treat in hopes of getting a bag filled with candy! I have to admit I love this fun holiday just as much as any child does. I wasn't able to decorate as much as I would have liked to this year, but I did stitch some things I want to share with you. Maybe next year I can finish some larger Halloween samplers. Wouldn't that be fun!

First is a tiny pillow that is a free design from The Stitcherhood. I wanted to finish this as a pinkeep, but the linen frayed badly. So along came this little pillow, and I do like it finished like this.

Second is this wonderful Pumpkinhead Family by By The Bay Needleart. This was a free pattern that Donna included in her monthly newsletter. This is the third year there has been a Pumpkinhead design. I have stitched and finished all three as pinkeeps and just love them. Look at those lips on the lady!

Here is a photo of the backs of these two smalls.

And last, but not least, is Quaker Boo by The Sampler Girl. I had always wanted to try Gumnut Stars threads, but they are very expensive. I found them on sale a few years ago, and since this little sampler only called for two colors I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try them. Gumnut Stars is 100% silk thread hand dyed in Australia, and to stitch with them is just a dream! The colors are so soft and the texture is absolutely wonderful. I purchased this little frame for 25 cents at a yard sale and painted it with shiny black acrylic paint. I am out of foam core so I couldn't frame it, but you can get the idea.

I used Whisper thread by Rainbow Gallery in black for the cat. This is a hairy thread that, in my opinion, looks perfect for a black Halloween cat. I took this closeup picture thinking you might be able to see the hairiness a little better. Isn't it fun?

Well, that's it for now, and thanks for stopping by. Hope your Halloween is fun!

Seasons 2011 SAL - Autumn

2011-10-24T10:32:00.005-04:00

Can you believe that it is already near the end of October? The year seems to go so quickly when there is only a few months left. I remember waiting for the Autumn part of the Seasons 2011 SAL to be released, and now Winter is only a couple of months away!

I love Autumn, and I love stitching with these seasonal colors. I think Carole captured the season beautifully as she has with this entire SAL.

This is a photo of Spring, Summer and Autumn. I look forward to stitching and sharing Winter. I know it will be just as pretty as the other seasons.

Thanks for stopping by, have a good week, and I hope it is filled with lots of stitches and smiles!

SALS - Progress and A Finish

2011-10-21T15:35:00.004-04:00

I have been stitching on three different SALs and keeping up with them! (Maybe I should not mention that I have other SALs from previous years that have become UFOs!) All three have been so enjoyable and all three so different.

The first is a progress photo of Carol R's Mystery SAL. This is a photo after finishing Part 6. I printed out Part 7 today, and the more that is stitched the prettier this becomes. The last part will be released November 5, and I can't wait to see what that will look like!

Second is a finish of my SAL Guimauve et Violette found on the French blog Talons Aiguilles. I just love this! I used the recommended DMC colors and just happened to have the perfect color and shape button in my stash.

I'm working on the Autumn part of my Seasons 2011 SAL, and also some Halloween stitching that I hope to share soon.

Have an enjoyable weekend!

More Stitching For Autumn

2011-10-15T16:33:00.004-04:00

I have another Autumn finish to share with you. I have really been enjoying the seasonal stitching this year even though I have no idea how I have accomplished as much as I have. It has been busy, crazy and we have been sharing the flu as a family! Anyway, this finish is a sampler, and I think it has to be one of my favorites that I have ever stitched.

I love French needlework, and Dany's blog and designs are among my favorites. The traditional Autumn colors are fun to stitch, but I love the unique colors in this sampler, especially the acorns and oak leaves at the top! The name of the design is Bonheur d'automne. I think this will become a pillow for our room, but the finishing will be at a later date.

Not much else to say, and if I do I'll start coughing! So I'll close by saying thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your weekend.

Autumn Stitches

2011-10-06T09:59:00.011-04:00

I love the word Autumn so much better than Fall to describe this beautiful season. The temperatures here have been ideal, and the leaves are just beginning to turn shades of yellow and red and orange. Soon it will be time to visit the local apple farm which also has a large pumpkin patch!

Last year I started a collection of Autumn smalls. I stitched a couple the previous year, but last year was the start of a serious collection! This year I have added three additional pinkeeps and one small pillow.

First is this little lady from Mausimom's Freebies. I stitched her last year but did the finishing this year. (I don't think this free pattern is available anymore.)

Next is an apple tree from Appleseed Prim. This is a current free pattern, and it was a fun and quick stitch.

The last one is a new free pattern from Industrioushead. Her designs and color combinations are always nice to stitch.

And, here is a photo of the backs.

The little pillow I stitched is a free pattern from Le Chalet des Perelles. You have to search back a little for it, but all you do is send a message, and Cathy is very quick to respond. The pretty leaf charm is from my friend Francoise in France, and I received it in an Autumn exchange last year.

Here is the back. I just love how the leaf border on the fabric matches the leaf border in the stitching. It's just like they were made for each other.

And last, but most definitely not least, is a lovely Autumn gift I received from my friend Hazel in England. I wish the photos could capture the real beauty of her workmanship. She made both the biscornu and the card, and they are both wonderful treasures to me.

Here is the back of the biscornu. Don't you love the mother of pearl button? I think it is the perfect accent.

Well, that's it for now. I hope to have more Autumn stitching to share with you soon. Enjoy your day, and I hope you are able to soak in the season's temperatures, scents and sites and all the things that Mother Nature has to offer!

SAL Progress

2011-09-04T09:36:00.008-04:00

I haven't had a lot of time to stitch lately. Well, not as much time as I used to, but enough to keep up with the SALs I'm doing and to start a new Halloween small. I will share the Halloween design when I finish stitching it, but I wanted to share my SAL progress with you on this post.

First is the Mystery SAL that Carol from iStitch offered. I'm so glad I signed up for this. I decided to use Bay Breeze from Carrie's Creations and 28 count Cashel linen in Cream. This is such a pretty little sampler.

Second is the beautiful SAL Guimauve et Violette from Vava's blog Talons Aiguilles. I'm using her recommended DMC threads, and isn't this a pretty color combination?

The end of summer is nearing, and I am so looking forward to Autumn and Winter! Stitching an Autumn or Halloween design with a chill in the air and a hot cup of tea or coffee seems so appealing!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks to everyone for stopping by and for the nice comments you give to me.

A Beach Cottage Finish

2011-08-04T08:37:00.005-04:00

Oh how I wish I was saying that about the real thing! It has always been a dream of mine to have a small beach cottage. I can't think of anything nicer than looking out the window at the ocean while stitching.

I started Beach Cottage by Country Cottage Needleworks last summer and for some reason put it aside. I pulled it out of my stack of unfinished stitching recently and worked on it until it was finished. I just love this piece!

I can't remember the fabric I used, but I liked the way it resembled the sand at the beach. The threads are the recommended DMC, Weeks Dye Works and Crescent Colours.

Every time I go to yard sales, estate sales or Goodwill I look for second hand frames. You can find some pretty frames, and even if they don't work with something I have already stitched I know eventually they will. The frame is just laying on top of the needlework, but I wanted to show this to you. I found this frame at Goodwill for only $1.00, and I think it's just perfect for my Beach Cottage.

Isn't this whale weather vane just the perfect touch for a beach cottage?

Thanks for your visit to my blog!

SAL Updates

2011-07-24T14:11:00.007-04:00

Just wanted to share my progress on the two SALs I'm stitching. Both of these are so enjoyable. First is Seasons 2011. This is the second part - Summer. I just love the bright, warm colors.

And, this is how this piece looks so far with Spring and Summer.

The second SAL is Guimauve et Violette. The colors in this SAL are so pretty and feminine. I love how this looks after Part 3 and can't wait for Part 4.

It has been so HOT here in South Carolina. I don't want to rush the year along, but I am really looking forward to cooler temperatures!

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Watermelon Garden

2011-07-08T21:07:00.007-04:00

Eating ice cold watermelon in the hot summer is so refreshing, and I think it would be wonderful to have a real watermelon garden. But, we don't, so the next best thing is to stitch one. I stitched Watermelon Garden by Ewe & Eye & Friends as a SAL with Carol of Stitching Dreams. I think it is so fun that we both ended up stitching this design for our husbands. It was such an enjoyable sampler to stitch, and I have to admit I have fallen in love with Ewe & Eye & Friends designs!

I stitched the sampler as it was charted except for the date. It was charted in cross stitch, but since there wasn't enough room for the number two I backstitched it. The photo on the pattern envelope had the checkerboard border all the way around, but the chart did not. Carol stitched hers like the photo, and you can find it on her blog if you click the link above.

I love this tree filled with Smyrna crosses.

Subtle details are a favorite of mine like these little buttons sewn in the lower right hand corner.

I enjoyed our SAL very much Carol, and I hope we can do one together again in the future.

Thanks so much for your visit, and I hope everyone has a very enjoyable weekend!

A New SAL

2011-06-26T13:19:00.006-04:00

Yes, I love stitching these! On her blog, Talons Aiguilles, Valerie has offered the SAL Guimauve et Violette. The parts are small and stitch quickly. The design is beautiful, and I have decided to stitch mine in her recommended shades of DMC. The colors are a lovely combination. This is my finished Part 1. The button will be attached when all of the stitching is finished. I look forward to July 2 with anticipation when Part 2 will be released!

If you have never visited Valerie's blog before you might want to. She has many wonderful free patterns that can be stitched as smalls.

Thanks for visiting!

Finishes and In the Works

2011-06-19T12:44:00.015-04:00

Hard to believe almost a month has gone by since I made a post to my blog. Where does the time go sometimes! I have a few things I want to share with you that I have been working on.

The first are two small finishes. Both of these bluebird designs are freebies and are available on the blog Le Chalet des Perelles. I think these designs are just beautiful!

For the little pillow I used a combination of overdyed threads that I had in my stash and enjoyed going through my small supply of beads for the finishing. For the pinkeep I used the recommended DMC threads and a pretty daisy trim given to me by a blogging friend a few years ago.

For the backs I used a brown with blue polka dot cotton and pink linen.

I have two samplers in the works. The first is Watermelon Garden by Ewe & Eye & Friends. I'm stitching this one as a SAL with blogging friend Carol. Like her I wish we were sitting together stitching it rather than being so many miles apart. I'm using the recommended threads with the exception of the black and the red for the house. The black is Anchor floss, and I think it covers a little better than DMC. The red is Garnet and is a Carrie's Creations thread. Can you see the two tiny buttons in the photo? They came with the chart and will be sewn in the lower right hand corner of the sampler. Since my husband loves watermelon this one will be for him!

The other is Marlene's Sampler by Romy in Austria. I won this beautiful sampler pattern from Melissa on her blog giveaway. I don't have any Olde Willow threads so I chose to use the DMC conversion, and I really like the colors. The alphabet called for one strand each of an icy blue and cream. I didn't want to use that so I stitched it in just the icy blue. I didn't like that either so I ripped it out (except for the last few letters you can see) and decided to use the cream color.

With both of these samplers I made personal choices on some of the threads. Don't ever be afraid to make substitutions with what you already have on hand. Personal choices make a sampler uniquely yours, and it's fun to go through all the threads looking at all the wonderful colors!

I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of summer, and thank you for stopping by!

Seasons 2011 SAL

2011-05-24T14:32:00.003-04:00

On Carole's French blog, novalee 02 Les Croix et moi, she announced she was having a Seasons 2011 SAL. I like to do at least one online SAL each year, and Carole's design looked so cheerful I just could not pass it up.

We started the stitching with Spring. How could you not smile while stitching this? I used the recommended DMC thread, and the fabric is Zweigart 28 count Annabelle in Potato. A stitching friend gave me this fabric a few years ago, and I love it for this project. It is an ivory color with small dark flecks that remind me of specks of soil from planting the Spring flowers.

If you click on the photo for a larger view you will see the delicate wings of the yellow bugs and the trail they left while flying around!

Happy Spring!

SOAR

2011-05-15T15:01:00.010-04:00

I am the type of stitcher that knows which patterns I want to stitch when I see them. I never have to think it over - they just hit me. But, it's not very often that I order one immediately when they are released and start stitching it as soon as it arrives in the mail. When I saw the pattern Soar, by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle & Thread, I was so taken by it. I think not only because the design is so beautiful, but also because it was designed for such a good cause. Part of the cost of the chart goes to the Resource Rapture Project to help protect the Bald Eagles.

I put the final stitches in my Soar sampler this morning, and I am so pleased with how it came out. I used the recommended DMC threads. The pattern called for a dark linen, but since I wanted to stitch it immediately I used 28 count Cream Cashel linen from my linen stash. Here is Soar -

I love the Eagles, and aren't the babies designed so cute.

The row of swimming fish at the bottom is a favorite part of mine too.

I have never stitched one of Brenda's designs before, but I definitely will be in the future. Her charts are so nicely done and easy to read. The color choices are so pretty!

If you have never visited the website to view the Decorah Bald Eagles that inspired this design click here. The babies are cute, but the adults are so majestic and authoritative looking. Scroll down past the web cam picture to read about the nest. The size is just amazing!

Afternoon Swim

2011-05-02T10:12:00.006-04:00

I think the water is still very cold, but the beach is beautiful any time of year! Do you agree?

I participated in the Afternoon Swim competition by Lilli Violette. We were to take two parts from the design (some ladies stitched the entire design) and do a finish. I chose to stitch the words and the sunglasses to make a pinkeep.

The linen I chose is 30 count Alabaster by R & R. The threads are Vikki Clayton's silks. For the lenses in the sunglasses I stitched the Scallop stitch upside down to resemble a pattern of ocean waves.

For the backing I used silk dupioni that changes from gold to pale turquoise. The edging trim is natural color ric rac purposely frayed to give the carefree feeling of the summer. Pearl pins are turquoise.

This project was a lot of fun to stitch and finish! You can go here, to the Lilli Violette blog, to vote for your favorite. There are some lovely finishes!

Fun Finds!

2011-04-10T17:04:00.005-04:00

My husband and I are getting estate sale fever, but because they haven't started yet where we live we make an occasional trip to Goodwill. We did that yesterday, and I just couldn't believe what I found!

This first photo shows a small plate with a pretty ship design in black, white and gold. It says Japan on the back so I'm guessing it's from the 1960s. Next to it is a very unique handcrafted votive candle holder. When I took this out of the box in never used condition I had a feeling it was a good piece. When we got home I went to the website, and to my surprise what I paid $2.00 for sells for $55.00! You can't even buy these without waiting for them to be made. How is that for a good find?

And, now for the really exciting finds! Two unopened sampler kits. One is from The Examplarery Sampler Collection titled the Ann Stevens Sampler. The other is from Simply Samplers titled The Anna Weiser Sampler - 1838.

Here is a photo of the backs so you can see the linen and threads that are included. You know I'll have a lot of fun stitching these! Can you guess what I paid for them? Believe it or not each cost $1.50! It just goes to show you there are many wonderful things hiding here and there just waiting to be found!

Hope your weekend has been as much fun as mine!

Rose Garden - Blackbird Designs

2011-04-07T08:05:00.006-04:00

I love the fact that there are small designs available to us because they are such a nice break from large projects that take months and sometimes years to complete. Recently I decided to do a new project stitching the Rewards of Merit designs by Blackbird Designs. I have chosen a few of my favorites of these to stitch and finish as small pillows or pinkeeps, and when they are complete I will display them together on a large vintage platter that I have.

The first of these is Rose Garden. I was so excited when I was nearing the finish on the stitching of this one, and the day I had planned to do the last of the stitches and finishing had to change because we had severe thunderstorms which left us without electricity for the entire day. Anyway, I did manage to finish it up yesterday, and here is my Rose Garden.

I didn't have the called for supplies so I made my own choices from my linen and thread stash. The linen is 30 count Alabaster by R&R, and the thread is a skein of light pink variegated floss I purchased years ago. I don't even know the maker of this floss, and the only tag on it was one that said light pink. Rather than stitch the small designs made of four stitches that were scattered here and there I added some iridescent sequins, and I love the end result that these give.

I think the design is very clever that it incorporates your initials,

and the year into the border. In this photo you can also see a peek of the pink linen I used for the backing.

If you haven't tried stitching any of the Rewards of Merit designs you might like to because they are so enjoyable! I have the linen and threads ready to go for all the others I want to stitch.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope Mother Nature is giving you the beautiful views of Spring that she has given us recently.

February Ornament

2011-03-09T11:25:00.005-05:00

It's a little late for February but early for Christmas so it all works out in the end! This is my February ornament finish. The designer is Birds Of A Feather, and it is from the 2000 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue.

I used the recommended Weeks Dye Works threads and Kreinik very fine braid. I find that metallic threads are a little difficult to work with, but the very fine braid was nice and easy to use. A few years back, at a church yard sale, I found a huge piece of dark green velveteen, and I used a small piece of that for the backing.

I can't seem to decide on an ornament to stitch for March. Maybe I'll stitch a small design for St. Patrick's Day instead. Fishing Lady is still in the works. There is a lot of filling in on this sampler so I do a little at a time, and I also picked up another WIP to work on. That one is The Old West by Little House Needleworks, and I find it's a lot of fun to stitch.

A few days ago I received a beautiful sampler chart that I won in a blog giveaway from Melissa of Words and Blooms. It is Marlene's Sampler by Romy in Austria. I forgot to take a picture, but it's going to be an enjoyable stitch. Thanks so much Melissa!

Well, it's a grey and rainy day here, and I find this kind of day perfect for stitching all day long. Thanks for stopping by and for all your nice comments. I hope your day goes exactly the way you want it to!

Heart and Hand

2011-02-18T13:40:00.005-05:00

Some time last year my friend Angela and I decided to do a SAL of a sampler we both loved - Heart and Hand by Ewe & Eye & Friends. We were off to a good start, but soon we both became distracted by other projects. I really do not know how this happened because this is such a pretty design. We decided we would start again at the beginning of 2011, and I promised myself I would stitch Heart and Hand until it was finished. I have been working on my other WIP, Fishing Lady, and I have been stitching an ornament a month, but today I finished Heart and Hand.

The size of this sampler is small, but it is filled with so many wonderful things - beautiful colors, a berry border, smyrna crosses, satin stitches in the pink heart, eye stitches which I had never stitched before, a mother of pearl heart button, and a lovely verse.

This is such a good feeling to have my sampler finished. We all get tempted so easily to toss a project aside because there are so many beautiful things we want to stitch. But, if you just pick those projects up and admire them, rather than start working on them, and stick with what you have in the works you will have a finish that you love before you know it!

It is a gorgeous spring day here. The temperatures are in the low 70s, the sun is out, squirrels are playing tag, and the birds are singing their songs. So if you are in a part of the world where it is still cold I promise you spring is on the way!

Coeur de Roses

2011-02-10T17:50:00.005-05:00

I love hearts! And, since Valentine's Day will arrive very soon I was in the mood to stitch a heart. I purchased Coeur de Roses from Dany as soon as she posted it on her blog. I enjoyed each and every stitch, not only because the design is beautiful but because the color palette is as well.

Stitching with certain colors is so pleasant. Do you find that too?

A Door For Every Season

2011-02-04T12:55:00.006-05:00

My seasonal doors are finished. When I last showed them to you I still needed to finish the door for Winter, and now it is complete. This was such a fun project. The design is different than what I am used to stitching, and it was fun picking out my colors of floss, and Pinta always has such beautiful designs. I really can not pick a favorite because there is something I like about each one. I found the door for Winter to be very relaxing to stitch. I think it is very peaceful looking. So, here they are -

While I was still stitching the Winter door I made a trip to Goodwill. If you are reading this from across the pond, Goodwill is like one of your charity shops. One thing I look for while I'm there are frames, and usually I come home with a couple. This time I found a white wood frame that fits my seasonal doors like it was made for them. And, it only cost $1.00. How is that for a meant to be find! I haven't framed them yet, but I laid the frame on my stitched piece so you can see how they will look.

Thanks for stopping by, and have an enjoyable weekend!

January Ornament

2011-01-31T08:58:00.003-05:00

The Christmas tree with the small bright colored lights that tells stories by showing the ornaments we have bought during the years will always be the Christmas tree in our home. But, it is a dream of mine to have another tree that reflects my love of needlework. I want to have a Christmas tree with ornaments that I have stitched in all shapes and sizes from whimsical to traditional. So, when a small group of online friends decided to have a Christmas ornament or two or three a month SAL I thought what a perfect opportunity to make this dream come true.

I have had so much fun going through my Just Cross Stitch Ornament issues and freebie patterns deciding what to stitch. Since this year started me off in a finishing up WIP frame of mind, I decided my January ornament would be the one and only WIP ornament I had. My January ornament is a design by Mirabilia, and it is in the 2000 JCS Ornament issue. I was immediately drawn to it by all the different colors and shading and little flecks of metallic gold.

In looking through my Ornament issues I found that this was the only design by Mirabilia. I wish there were more! I think I actually started this in 2001, and I can't believe I had it tucked away for that many years. But, now it is stitched and finished, and I can hang it on my dream tree. And, I will always remember that 2011 was the year that I actually made my dreams come true!

Happy stitching!

A Lovely Gift and Seasonal Doors

2011-01-16T15:19:00.009-05:00

I wanted to share two things with you. The first is a lovely gift I received from Yuko, in Japan, to celebrate the New Year. She sent me an embroidered doily with a beautiful crocheted edge. And, look to the left in the picture and you will see a very delicate little shoe. Yuko said this shoe is for my Christmas tree next year. Thank you Yuko! Every Christmas when I put my shoe on the tree I will think of you! I love my gift from Japan.

I also wanted to share with you some seasonal doors I have been stitching. These are a free design on Pinta's blog. Click on the link, and it will take you to her charts. All you have to do is post the picture I have shown you below on your blog, and she will email you the chart for the Winter door.

I think she has captured the seasons beautifully with her designs and color. Here is a picture of my stitched Spring, Summer and Autumn. I stitched them on linen with my choice of DMC threads based on her color charts. I can't wait to stitch Winter to make it complete.

I have also been stitching on Fishing Lady and Heart and Hand, and my ornament for January, and I'm pleased with the way everything is coming along. I'll have my finished ornament to show you at the end of the month and some samplers in the hopefully not too distant future.

I hope you have been enjoying your New Year of stitching as much as I have!

Welcome To The New Year

2011-01-01T17:38:00.003-05:00

Isn't a New Year an exciting time? It's a time when we can brush away all the cobwebs of the previous year and start fresh. It's a time of new goals, new adventures, and 365 brand new days.

I enjoyed reading the different ways the New Year is celebrated. We stayed at home on New Year's Eve, which is the way we prefer to do it, snacking and watching the Twilight Zone marathon. At about 10 minutes before midnight we turn the TV to Time Square in New York to watch the ball drop, and this year they played I Love New York by Frank Sinatra. I love Frank Sinatra! My husband and I toasted each other with Mimosas, but instead of orange juice we made them with champagne and pink grapefruit juice. They were delicious! After that a couple more episodes of the Twilight Zone then off to sleep.

Like all of you I have new stitching goals. I was so tempted to start a new chart, but then I went through my WIPs and decided I would pull a couple of those for my new starts. I chose Fishing Lady by Little by Little and Heart & Hand by Ewe & Eye & Friends. Both are wonderful designs that I am really looking forward to finishing. I will also be stitching an ornament a month with a group of online friends, and I think that will be a lot of fun. And, I'm about half way through with a beautiful online freebie from last year that is a very fun stitch.

Besides my cross stitching this year I'm also going to work on some needlepoint projects I have had put away for too many years. I also have a few vintage linens stamped for embroidery and cross stitch that I want to do. The different types of needlework will be a fun change. I love them all!

I wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year! May 2011 bring you everything your heart desires.

A Beautiful Christmas Gift

2010-12-26T09:14:00.007-05:00

I want to share with you the most beautiful gift we received for Christmas! Ever since we moved to South Carolina, 19 years ago, I have been wanting snow for Christmas day. It rarely snows here in the winter let alone on Christmas day, but this year. . .

It started to snow late afternoon on Christmas day, and it is still snowing! Do you see the little dead tree to the far left in the picture above? A red-headed woodpecker has been visiting that tree every day the past week. I wonder where he is hiding now.

It hasn't snowed here for Christmas since 1963.

These are the trees around our house. Isn't it beautiful?

And, since I'm doing a blog post I'll share with you the other SAL finish I did this year. It is My Little Heart. I made a few personal changes. The border was charted in red, but I had seen it on a couple of blogs stitched in blue. I loved the look so I chose blue. I also left the year out that was at the top and stitched hearts all the way around. I wanted to stitch the hearts for each month in the same color, so I made that change too. It was a fun one!

I hope each and every one of you had an enjoyable Christmas or holiday season. I'm looking forward to a new year filled with fresh starts. How about you?

Small Bits of the Threads - Finished!

2010-11-27T10:53:00.009-05:00

Petits Bouts de Fils, translated from French to English, Small Bits of the Threads, is the 2010 SAL given by Muriel of Au Point de Croix. I try to do at least one online SAL a year just because I enjoy them so much, and this is the first of two that I finished for 2010. We were given one motif per week to stitch during the year until we were near the end, and then Muriel gave us two motifs per week so that we could finish before Christmas.

It was always fun to be surprised by the design of the motif and what colors would be used. This is one of those stitched pieces that I hate to see come to an end. Every single stitch was so fun! I'm so glad I have signed up for her SAL 2011 for another year of enjoyment.

Here is my finished Small Bits of the Threads! I stitched it on 30 count linen using Anchor threads I already had.

You can enlarge the photo to see all the different motifs, but I'll show you closeup photos of some of my favorites. I really do love the entire design so it was hard to choose.

I love this man on his bicycle and the bright green pear.

And, look at this delicious ice cream soda!

Isn't this colorful parrot beautiful, and the stacked cups beside him are so fun.

And, being a cat lover, this black cat captured my heart and beside it yet another fun cup. I think pretty cups are wonderful little works of art. Look at the little cottage with smoke coming out of the chimney.

I hope everyone in the US of A had a nice Thanksgiving. It was a hard week of scrubbing the house from top to bottom, but it was worth it to have a day of delicious food and the family gathered around the table to enjoy it.

Have a wonderful weekend!

The Last of the Autumn Stitches

2010-11-20T15:06:00.010-05:00

It is still very Autumn looking and feeling where I am, so I decided to get in a few more Autumn stitches before Thanksgiving arrives. After that it will be a Christmas and winter mood.

I stitched one more little freebie for my Autumn pinkeep collection. I didn't get the finishing done, but I thought I would share it. It's an older free design from the Mausimom's Freebies blog. I love the feeling this smiling little lady gives.

I think the Hare designs by Plum Street Samplers are wonderful, and when Paulette posted this free design on her blog it was a must stitch for me. Mama Hare always has her little family dressed just right for the season. I think I want to frame this one rather than make it into a pillow, but I don't have time right now to go through my frame stash, so this will be set aside for another time.

And, here are two Thanksgiving pinkeeps. You can't have a basket filled with Autumn pinkeeps without having a few for Thanksgiving! The pinkeep on the left is a free design by The Stitcherhood, and the one on the right is a free design from last year by The Sampler Girl.

Thanks for your visit, and if you're in the US of A have a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone enjoys the last days of the beautiful Season of Autumn.

Hazel's Gift

2010-11-12T14:03:00.006-05:00

A few posts ago I shared with you the gorgeous exchange gift that Francoise sent me. In this secret stitcher exchange, among a few close friends, the person that I surprised was Hazel. Hazel lives in England, and she is one of the most pleasant people I have known. Even though we have never met in person I consider her, and every lady in this little group, a true friend. Proof that it is the words exchanged, not the image, that makes a friend. Hazel shares stories of working in her garden, visiting Kew Gardens, working in the charity shop, outings with friends and family and attending her church functions.

In this exchange we could stitch a gift with either the Autumn theme or Christmas. When I saw this design on the Gazette 94 blog I immediately thought of Hazel and her stories of working in her garden. This is what I stitched for her -

I didn't have my head screwed on tight enough before I sent her package, and I forgot to take pictures of everything I sent. Thank you, Hazel, for letting me borrow your photos for my blog! This is the whole package - the stitched gift, some gold needles, the 2010 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue, and a vintage tablecloth and napkins I purchased at an estate sale.

On my blog I had posted the tablecloth and napkins when I got home from the estate sale, and Hazel left a comment about how much she liked them. So when I found out she was the person I got to surprise I thought it was the perfect opportunity to send it to her.

Hazel, I'm so glad you liked your secret package. And, a big thank you to Roberta, and her daughter Lindsay, for organizing this secret exchange. It really was a lot of fun!

PLEASE Vote for Gretchen

2010-11-08T19:21:00.002-05:00

Gretchen is a participant in the Gerber New Generation contest. The Grand Prize Winner of this contest wins a $25,000 scholarship! So, if you have a minute, could you please vote for her? To vote go to www.gerber.com/photo. When you get to that page there will be an ad for the prizes that covers the photos - just click that out. Then you will see the words Search for Photo below the pictures. Type in Gretchen for the name and Spartanburg for the city. You will then see this picture -

Then click Vote, and the rest is self-explanatory. You can vote once a day, but even if you can only do it one time it would help. Everyone that has children and grandchildren knows how much a scholarship can help!

Thank you!

Invasion of the Pumpkin Heads

2010-11-01T20:41:00.006-04:00

While browsing the By the Bay Needleart blog two free pumpkin heads invaded my computer. Wanting to make themselves known, they soon found their way to my printer and presented themselves in the form of a chart on paper. Within minutes they were going through my linen stash, and each one found a small piece just their size. Not knowing if these pumpkin heads were friend or foe, I immediately pulled the necessary DMC threads to stitch them. I stitched, and I stitched, and I stitched some more until they were complete. I thought something this captivating deserved to be more than just stitched, so I finished both of them in the form of a pinkeep.

Now, what was I so afraid of! They just wanted me to have some smiling Halloween decorations!

Hope you had an enchanting Halloween!

More Autumn Stitching

2010-10-30T10:22:00.005-04:00

I don't know why I am so in the mood for Autumn stitching this year, or maybe I always am and this year I'm actually doing it. Anyway, I have another little piece to share. This one was once again from my mile high stack of freebies, and the designer is Industrioushead.

Don't you just love the little bug in the lower left hand corner! I had this frame in my stash that fit the design perfect. Even the worn spots on the frame go with the brown in the design. It was a yard sale find at 50 cents. I stitched Fall 2010 on linen with the recommended DMC threads.

You can find this design, along with Spring 2010 and Summer 2010 on her blog. (Just click on Industrioushead at the beginning of this post.) And, you can even print out a pretty design for Valentine's Day. I'm hoping she'll have one for winter too!

Have a lovely, crisp Autumn weekend!

A Beautiful Exchange

2010-10-24T10:41:00.004-04:00

Recently I participated in an exchange with a few online friends. It was a secret stitcher exchange with the theme being either Autumn, Halloween or Christmas. Yesterday I received my package, and my secret stitcher was my dear friend Francoise. I have mentioned Francoise before on my blog and the fact that she doesn't have a blog, which is unfortunate because you would love to see everything she stitches and finishes. Her work is gorgeous!

Francoise chose to stitch my gift using the Autumn theme. I received this thread keeper and needle cushion as well as the beautiful glass leaf dish they are sitting in. Notice her little details of beads, ribbon bows, and the little pine cone charm on the thread keeper. These are also stitched over one, and I'm sure the linen must be 40 count. The back of the needle cushion is gold silk.

She also included some pretty ribbons, two pumpkin charms and some leaf charms. I can't wait to use these on some Autumn stitching! And, anyone that knows me knows I love cats, and Francoise sent her message to me on a kitty postcard.

Thank you so much, Francoise, for your lovely gifts! They are true treasures.

Autumn Pinkeeps

2010-10-08T17:46:00.006-04:00

After the first couple of days in October being as hot as summer, Mother Nature has finally gifted us with the Season of Autumn, and it feels wonderful! It really got me in the mood to stitch for Autumn and Halloween. Since it is already October I knew I wouldn't be able to finish anything large so I went through my mile-high stack of printed freebies. My goal is to have a basket overflowing with Autumn pinkeeps. That won't be accomplished this year though, so I started with three.

The first one is from Mausimom's Freebies. It isn't on her blog anymore, and I really don't know if it's available. Using the color chart as a guide I chose my own colors of DMC and stitched it on linen. I used deep pumpkin grosgrain ribbon and light pumpkin pearl head pins for the trim.

My second pinkeep is Fall Flowers, and it's a free pattern available on the Oakhaven Designs blog. I used the recommended DMC colors and stitched it on linen. You probably can't see it in the photo, but the flowers are stitched in four shades of orange that fade into each other, and they are very pretty. The trim is black and white gingham ribbon and cream pearl head pins. The bow is sheer black ribbon with tiny white polks dots.

The third pinkeep is Automne, and you can find the free pattern on the Broderies Passion blog. (Just click on grilles gratuities under the Categories section on the right hand side to find her free patterns.) I like this one because the design is so fun with the words in French naming all of the little motifs in the design. I used the recommended DMC colors and stitched it on linen. I chose black velvet ric rac and yellow pearl head pins for the trim. I love the yellow parapluie and the green bottes!

Here is a photo of the backs. I think picking out the backing fabric is part of the fun of making pinkeeps.

Now let's go jump in a pile of leaves!

How Sweet It Is!

2010-09-18T10:41:00.004-04:00

I'm referring to being the winner of Edgar's 800th post giveaway! I was lucky enough to have my name drawn, and I received the gift from Edgar earlier this week. What a wonderful gift it is! I received a beautiful, flawless glass flower frog, a box of very, very delicious chocolates from San Francisco, and even the card was perfect with the Wizard of Oz design. The Wizard of Oz has always been one of my favorite movies!

I think I might use the frog for it's original purpose by putting it in the bottom of a vase or bowl and filling it with flowers. Needless to say the chocolates were gone the next day! When they arrived I opened the box immediately, and then I had to share them with my husband and daughter that still lives at home. We all enjoyed them very much! And, here is a closeup of the gorgeous frog.

Thank you so much, Edgar, for the beautiful giveaway package! It made my week. Your blog is always so fun to read and your stitching always inspiring!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Valentine Rose

2010-09-01T13:58:00.006-04:00

Continuing with the Anniversaries of the Heart series by Blackbird Designs I present my latest finish - Valentine Rose.

My sampler is stitched on 30 count Alabaster linen by R&R. The threads are DMC - the conversion is on the pattern. Eyelet stitches adorn the roof.

Chain stitches outline the flowers. Satin stitches give the look of a woven flower basket. There was no personalization for this one for me, so I stitched the simple message Be My Valentine.

This series has been so enjoyable to stitch with the beautiful colors and specialty stitches. But, I think I'll take a break for now to stitch something seasonal.

I am so in the mood for the cooler temperatures. It is still too warm in South Carolina for my liking. I prefer sweater weather! But soon we'll have those days along with the wonderful scents of apple cider, pumpkin pie and cinnamon. The start of a new season always brings such a refreshing feeling!

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm A Funky Flower Gardener

2010-08-09T12:29:00.007-04:00

I love different, and I love color, so when I saw the Funky Flowers designed by By the Bay Needleart they said stitch me! Donna (By the Bay Needleart designer) started a blog called Funky Flower Gardeners for those of us that wanted to "plant" these flowers which makes this project even more fun. There will be 24 flowers total. My original plan was to stitch all 24 on one piece of fabric, using Donna's pretty layout, for one large garden. My fabric wasn't the right size so I have to change my plan, but I will still stitch all 24. Some grow horizontal, and some grow more vertical, so maybe I'll have two gardens with these two types of flowers. In any case, my first flower is blooming as of last night. This is Annabelle.

My Funky Flowers will bloom on 30 count Alabaster linen by R&R. The threads they are planted with are the recommended DMC. As with all her designs Donna adds just the right amount of specialty stitches to make them fun. I love the French Knots on Annabelle.

Thanks for your visit, and may your day bloom with happiness!

Happy Birthday Gretchen!

2010-07-28T13:48:00.002-04:00

A year has passed since I surprised everyone, on my blog, with the news that we had a granddaughter. Yes, today Tera's and Adam's little "Muffin" is celebrating her first birthday.

Happy Birthday Gretchen! We love you!

Sew Nautical

2010-07-21T20:12:00.005-04:00

I have heard that once you live near the water you will always feel the need to do so. I don't know if that's true or not, but how I wish I did! When I was a little girl I lived in Ohio down the street from Lake Erie. One of my favorite things about living near the water was laying in bed at night and listening to the fog horn of the Fairport Harbor lighthouse. I guess the next best thing, if you can't live near the water, is to surround yourself with nautical things, and that's what we are planning for our bedroom when we get around to redoing it. I have a collection of shells, shell art, shell pottery, and of course, I want to stitch a wall filled with nautical themed designs.

Recently Margaret and I had a Sunday by the Sea SAL. Every Sunday we would both stitch on Sew Nautical by Carol R. Margaret is in Spain, and I am in the US, but our thoughts were with each other as we stitched. We shared our progress once a week.

I stitched my sampler on an antique white linen I already had. I also had a small stash of Vikki Clayton's silks that I wasn't using for anything in particular, so I picked colors from my silk pile to use for Sew Nautical.

I love mermaids, and this one is very sweet.

Between nautical designs and the Anniversaries of the Heart series I think I have plenty to keep me busy for quite awhile.

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments you left me on Snow Garden. I started Valentine Rose and enjoy it just as much.

Until next time!

Snow Garden

2010-07-18T19:30:00.007-04:00

I am in love with the Anniversaries of the Heart series released this year by Blackbird Designs. Not only are the samplers very pretty, but the personalization makes them very special pieces for your home. I plan to stitch the entire series on separate pieces of linen. This weekend I put the last stitches in Snow Garden. Isn't that a beautiful name for a sampler?

I stitched my Snow Garden on 30 count St. Valentine's Blend which was linen I already had, and I used the DMC conversion. I plan to stitch all of them with DMC. Since my husband's birthday is in the wintry Month of January I personalized it using his initials and the year of his birth.

For the over one initials I used the first initial of each of our daughters' names.

I love the eyelet stitch detail in the peacock's tail!

There isn't a big contrast between the linen and some of the colors of thread, but to me this looks more like winter where you see white, greys, browns and green from the pines. I love how the house and tree caught some of the snowflakes. Now I'm ready to gather fabric and threads for the second one.

Thanks for visiting!

Do You Like Peaches?

2010-07-14T21:08:00.005-04:00

In South Carolina peach season is a delicious time of year! The local peaches are unbelievable and very abundant. They are good just to hold in your hand and eat like an apple. They are good sliced to top your morning cereal or vanilla ice cream. They are good combined with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries for a fruit salad. But, my very favorite way to eat them is in Peach Cobbler. This is a treat that I baked tonight.

Just in case you like peaches, I will post the recipe for this very easy, and very delicious treat!

PEACH COBBLER

1 stick of butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup self-rising flour
2 cups fresh peaches, sliced

Melt butter in a 2-quart casserole. Mix together flour, sugar and milk. Pour over the melted butter, but do not stir. Pour the peaches all over the top, and again, do not stir. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.

ENJOY!

PLEASE NOTE - I have been asked by a couple of people about the measurement of a stick of butter. For those that use the metric system it is 4 ounces and converts to 113.40 grams according to the online metric calculator. Sounds like less calories in ounces!

Stitching Red, White and Blue

2010-07-03T17:23:00.008-04:00

Inspired by Staci's basket of beautiful 4th of July pillows I thought stitching a basket filled with patriotism would be a fun project. I started it last year and didn't get very far. I only finished the stitching on two designs. But, this year I finished them!

On the left is Glory Bee by Glory Bee, and on the right is Liberty and Justice by Little House Needleworks.

I managed to stitch and finish two more this year. First is Yankee Poodle by Plum Street Samplers. The black mini pom pom trim reminded me of the poodle.

And the other is USA by Vee and Co. I like the beads in the centers of the flowers on this one.

It's fun to pick out backing fabrics for these little pillows.

And, even though four isn't nearly enough to fill a basket (or two!) it is a good start.

If you click on the links above they will take you to the patterns. Three are freebies.

Have a very Happy 4th of July if you are in the Good Ol' US of A!

So, What's New With You?

2010-06-28T12:54:00.004-04:00

A month has gone by since my last post! I think that is the longest I have ever gone without a new post to my blog.

Part of my time is now spent babysitting. Our daughter, Tera, got a part time job which means I get to babysit Gretchen! Needless to say it is a lot of fun. Gretchen is such a happy little girl and definitely a reflection of how much Tera and Adam love her. I have enjoyed getting to know her better, and it seems as if she feels the same way. She will already be one year-old exactly a month from today. I finally understand the joy of grandchildren. What a wonderful part of life!

The stitching part of my days have been filled with a gazillion and one projects. I promised myself at the beginning of this year I wouldn't let that happen, but oh well! I don't have any finishes to show since I am stitching so many things at once, but I do want to share something so I will show you a SAL I'm taking part in that I am now caught up with.

This is Petits Bouts de Fils translated to Small Bits of the Threads. It is designed by Muriel of Au Point de Croix. There are a total of 49 parts! Muriel gives a new part every week, and it is so fun to anticipate the design and colors. This week we were given part 25, so here is a picture of my sampler from part 1 to part 25.

Materials are of your own choosing. I wanted to use linen and threads I already had. The linen is 30 count Tea Dyed, not dyed by me but the actual color name. There is no color key for the SAL, but the charts are done in color. I wanted to use my stash of Anchor threads, so I use Muriel's charts for suggestions. With all the different motifs and colors this sampler will never get boring. It is definitely one of the most fun pieces I have ever stitched. If you are one that enjoys SALs you might want to bookmark her site. She has had them in the past, and I'm hoping she has another next year, but she does require registration.

Thanks so much for your visit. I even got a few new followers in the last month. When I started this blog I wondered if anyone would read it, and I never dreamed that over 100 people would actually follow it. So thanks to all of you!

I hope everyone has a very enjoyable day.

SAL With Pinta 2010 - Complete!

2010-05-28T15:13:00.005-04:00

A couple of posts ago I mentioned, and showed to you, Parts 1 through 3 of Spring Sampler that I stitched as a SAL. It is the SAL with Pinta 2010. Pinta designed the sampler and emailed each part to the participants to complete on a certain date. The linen and threads were our own choices. Last night I finished the final part, Part 4, and here is my sampler.

Pinta even charted our initials for us before sending us the final part.

I love the design of this sampler, and it was so pleasant to stitch. Some day I will find the perfect frame.

Thank you to everyone that left me such nice and encouraging comments about the pillow I made for the Competition Amitie. In the end I was not the winner, but the stitcher that did win was very deserving. She created a beautiful pouch. It was a fun competition that got the creative juices flowing.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the weekend!

Friendship Every Day

2010-05-14T09:42:00.004-04:00

I entered the Competition Amitie held by Lilli Violette. Names were chosen from comments left on the blog entry. A design was emailed to the participants. How it was to be stitched and finished was left up to the individual. The words on the design translate to Friendship Every Day. Such a nice sentiment! Here is my entry -

I chose three shades of DMC - 816, 840 and 842. The lady on the right has small beads to embellish her hat, and the lady on the left has a pearl heart. I used beige and red ticking stripe fabrics, vintage trims, and brown ribbon to hold a small bouquet of red flowers. The backing fabric is red and white ticking stripe.

Will I win? I have no idea. But, I have a new pillow that I love, and I had so much fun making it!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Beautiful Vintage From Spain and A SAL

2010-05-12T11:04:00.008-04:00

One of the blogs I visit is Eva's Tarin y sus Labores. Eva does beautiful stitching, and she is a lovely person living in Spain. Yesterday I received a surprise from her that I would like to share. I love vintage which makes this just a little more special.

Beautiful buttons that are handmade, and they were wrapped in the white doily that you see.

Gorgeous vintage trims. Eva wrapped the trims and some threads in the alphabet tissue.

Beautiful threads, and what we in the United States call ric rac made with silk.

She enclosed this postcard with a picture of lace and tied her packages with red and white trim, lace and string tied in bows.

Thank you so much Eva. I will treasure these gifts.

The SAL is SAL With Pinta 2010. Pinta is one of the designers of Lilliviolette, and she calls her design Spring Sampler. This sampler is emailed to us in parts. When we finish each part, meeting our deadline, she emails the next part for us to complete. This sampler is stitched using our own choice of threads and linen. The linen was in my stash, and I chose four colors of DMC. I think this design is so pretty.

This photo is Parts 1 through 3. We should receive Part 4 soon, and then it will be complete.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I always appreciate the nice comments you leave.

Lucky Me!

2010-05-03T13:56:00.006-04:00

I have a good start to a new week. Ranae of Stitch by Stitch had a blog giveaway. The prize was a flower/scissor frog, and I won! It arrived today, and it's just beautiful.

The bottom of the glass bowl that the frog sits in is so pretty I want you to see that too.

Ranae included this round doily and some DMC thread. I think these colors work so well together.

And, this gorgeous beaded scissor fob!

Thank you so much Ranae! You brightened up an otherwise gloomy, rainy day.

I have lots of stitches in the works but no finishes to share yet. Hopefully soon.

Hope you have a good start to a new week too!

Would You Comb Your Hair With Codfish Bones?

2010-04-20T14:36:00.007-04:00

This girl would!

Awhile back I started a SAL with some friends to stitch Cape Cod's Girls by The Primitive Needle. For some reason it kept getting put aside. I have no idea why because this was such a fun sampler. I think I'm the last one to finish.

I decided to stitch my sampler using DMC and used an online conversion. The colors look a little brighter, but I love them. The linen is from The Netherlands, and I won it during an online Christmas party. It was a dream to use.

Now I can't wait to stitch Cape Cod's Boys! My husband and I love the ocean, sea, beach, shells and anything nautical so all the samplers I stitch for our room will have that theme. That's where this will hang when I get it framed.

Belated Thank You

2010-04-19T11:49:00.003-04:00

to Cole and Sharon for this -

and to Babs for this -

With the gift Cole and Sharon gave me you are supposed to post ten interesting things about yourself. I don't even know if I have ten interesting things but here goes:

I gave birth to three daughters all born on a Wednesday ending in 9 within a months time (different years of course!).
I have a half sister I didn't meet until I was 32. She is a very busy lady who sometimes takes the time to read my blog. I have been terrible about keeping in touch lately, so Janice if you are reading this post, I love you dearly!
I met and talked to Tom Shipley of Brewer & Shipley (my brother used to fish with him).
In junior high and high school I made almost all of my clothes and used to make clothes for my friends. One friend paid me with a concert ticket to the Lovin' Spoonful.
My favorite place is the ocean even though I am terrified of deep water and learning how to swim.
One of my favorite things to do when I was little was lay in bed at night and listen to the fog horn of the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse in Ohio. It's now a Historic Landmark, and this has definitely dated me!
My husband and I were married after knowing each other only six months. We celebrate our 25th anniversary this month!
I decorate our home with yard sale and estate sale finds. There are only a handful of things that were purchased new, and I love it this way.
I was one of the annoying people standing across the street from Gerald Ford's home when he became President (before he moved into the White House) just to catch a glimpse.
I taught myself to embroider when I was nine and have been doing needlework ever since.

It really is impossible for me to pass this on to only a few, so I would like to pass it on to everyone that has a blog. Everyone inspires everyone else in one way or another, and thank you for that.

As for the Sunshine Award I do have three people that I want to pass this on to. Three friends, Angela in England, Francoise in France, and Hazel in England, are three of the dearest ladies I have "met". They do amazing needlework and finishing, and they do not have blogs. But, if they did, they would inspire you.

Today I am putting the last stitches in a sampler finish. I will show you that tomorrow. Here is a hint - would you comb your hair with codfish bones?

Enjoy your day!

Spring Is Beautiful In Any Language

2010-04-10T15:40:00.005-04:00

I have another Spring stitching finish to share. A lot of you are probably already familar with Dany's blog. If you are not be sure to pay her a visit. Her stitching and designs are just gorgeous! Last night I finished stitching her Spring sampler.

I stitched my sampler on cream linen with the recommended colors of DMC. I love how she made the border using the word Spring in different languages.

Some pretty blue birds.

Pretty flowers. These are true signs of spring.

Thank you for this lovely design Dany!

Coeur Du Printemps. . .continued

2010-04-07T18:54:00.005-04:00

When I posted the beautiful gift that I received from Claudia in the Coeur Du Printemps swap I mentioned that I was in a rush to get to the post office and had forgotten to take pictures of what I had made. The gift I made was for Cetty in Italy. I have never mailed a package to Italy before so it was exciting, and I also had no idea how long it would take to arrive. Cetty's package arrived safe and sound after three weeks. She was very pleased which made me very happy! She has given me permission to use her photos on my blog.

I used a Brightneedle design for the stitching.

I used gold silk for the backing and included a pair of violet colored scissors.

Again, a big thank you to Mary for organizing this swap! It was lots of fun!

It's Raining Violets

2010-04-01T13:25:00.007-04:00

Now wouldn't that be a beautiful site! Actually today is a beautiful, sunny Spring day! It was the perfect day to put the finishing touches on this design. This is Happy Easter by Lilli Violette made into a little pillow.

The backing fabric I used is deep purple, and a little violet just happened to land on it! This button was included with the pattern.

More Spring stitching to follow in a few days!

I hope you are having the beautiful start to this new season that we are, and have a very Happy Easter!

Yard Sale Treasures

2010-03-25T12:56:00.010-04:00

I have stitching in the works but no finishes yet. I thought I would share my yard sale treasures from last Saturday. It seems that a lot of stitchers are also treasure hunters so I thought you might enjoy seeing what I found. Excuse the dusty, messy room, but we are under construction!

First is this vintage chair. It's child size, and it was only $3.

Next is my favorite. It is a piece from an antique crazy quilt framed. I definitely need to clean the glass before I hang it.

The person that originally made this quilt made it reversible, and look at the beautiful backing.

Won't these baskets be pretty filled with pinkeeps and tiny stitched pillows? I have been finding a lot of baskets lately.

Look at this adorable pincushion. It is only 1 1/2". It was definitely well loved which makes me love it even more. That is a little silk rose in the center. The lady having the yard sale gave it to me for free.

And, last, three wooden drawers. I'm not telling what I will do with these, but I will share it with you when I finish.

All this for only $17. This is my favorite way to decorate, not only because of the prices, but it makes me be creative which I love!

Have a great day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T16:03:00.007-04:00

One of my stitching goals this year is to stitch and finish some small seasonal designs. I realized I didn't have one thing stitched for St. Patrick's Day so these were a lot of fun.

The first is a free pattern by La Chatelaine Designs that you can find here. I stitched Irish Shamrock Sampler over one on 25 count Dublin Natural linen to keep it small for a pinkeep. The threads are Vikki Clayton silks. The colors are one of the recommended choices. I purchased the pretty shamrock pins from The Sampler Girl.

The second is Hares' Lucky Day by Plum Street Samplers. You can find this free chart here. I stitched my Hare family on 28 count cream linen with DMC, and the vintage lace trim is an estate sale find.

The backing for the pillow is bright green velveteen, and I used gold silk for the pinkeep.

Now it's back to stitching samplers and deciding which season to stitch smalls for next.

To answer questions about Napoleon being a new member of the kitty family - we have had him since birth, and he is 3 years old. He's a funny one!

If you are having a St. Patrick's Day celebration enjoy!

Coeur Du Printemps

2010-03-15T15:01:00.008-04:00

I was very fortunate to participate in the Coeur du Printemps swap organized by Mary. Thank you Mary for organizing this! Today I received my package from Claudia in Italy. Claudia doesn't have a blog, but you will see that she is a very talented stitcher.

This is the heart Claudia made for me. I love the design and the roses she put in the flower box and also how she attached my initial.

She backed it with this beautiful fabric.

She also enclosed some surprises! The little Easter egg charms are bells, and there were two packages of chocolate, but I could not resist. They are shaped like pasta and very delicious. The embroidery scissors are very pretty and tiny.

Thank you very much for everything Claudia, and it was nice to meet a new stitching friend.

The swap package I sent has not arrived yet, and silly me, I was in such a rush to get it to the post office I forgot to take any pictures. But when she receives it I will give you a link to her blog.

I was working on some samplers. Then March rolled around, and I got in the mood to stitch for St. Patrick's Day and Easter/Spring. I'll have a couple of St. Patrick's Day finishes to share on the 17th.

And, if you ever feel in a tizzy just do this.

How is that for relaxation? This is one of our kitties, and his name is Napoleon.

Take care, thanks for stopping by, and see you in a couple of days!

A Beautiful Gift

2010-02-16T16:39:00.007-05:00

Back in January I received this beautiful pinkeep from Margaret. It is a Little House Needleworks design perfectly stitched over one, and I love it!

Margaret's finishing is as lovely as her stitching. She used gingham ribbon and pearl head pins around the edges.

The backing fabric she used is the perfect compliment to the design.

I joined the Little House Needleworks Ornament SAL, and it wasn't until I received this gift that I decided I would finish them as pinkeeps. I was going to wait and show this to you after I finished a couple of the ornament designs, but I have been enjoying the stitching of samplers so much that they are a little slow going. I may stitch a few over one as ornaments, but the majority of those will be pinkeeps. I hope to have some finished in the not too distant future to share with you.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sew In Love

2010-02-12T09:18:00.004-05:00

It is the perfect time of year to stitch this beautiful sampler by Carol R. This is Sew In Love. You can purchase Carol's designs from her iStitch Charts blog, and she sends them to you in an email in PDF format. They are a joy to stitch!

I think this is such a beautiful design! I stitched it on an unknown linen using Carrie's Creation Threads in Ruby. If you have never used these threads I highly recommend them. The colors are gorgeous, and the thread is a dream to stitch with.

I haven't had time to find a frame yet, but that will come later, and I do plan to have it out all year.

This past week I had to serve on a criminal jury. It was a horrible experience. When you hear these things on the news it doesn't even compare to sitting there for days listening to all the details. I was so drained by the end of each day I couldn't even stitch when I got home. But, the end result is good in that another criminal is off the streets.

Take care everyone, and have a safe weekend and a very Happy Valentine's Day.

Gretchen!

2010-02-04T16:53:00.004-05:00

A few people have asked for updated pictures of Gretchen, so here you go! Since a picture is worth a thousand words I'll let them do the talking. Oh how I love this little girl!

Meet Gaelle

2010-02-02T10:37:00.004-05:00

Gaelle is a little girl from Haiti that I embroidered. She is designed by Jenny B. Harris. Jenny's blog is Allsorts, and it is a real treat to visit.

The pattern for Gaelle can be purchased at the Craft Hope for Haiti shop on Etsy. The price is $5.00, and all the proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders.

I'm not sure how I want to finish her yet - frame or make into a pillow - so she sits happily in the embroidery hoop until I decide.

Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting someone from Haiti? About six years ago we had the opportunity to visit New York City. We tried to walk to as many of our destinations as possible, but some were too far. In that case we hailed a cab. What I remember about the cab rides is that I thought they were a lot of fun because the driving skills are amazing, but there is one in particular that gives me a vivid memory.

We hailed a cab one afternoon, the cab pulled to the side for us, and the driver greeted us with a hello and a big genuine smile. My husband and daughters promptly got in the back seat which left the front seat for me. The driver asked us where we wanted to go, and while giving him the destination I was thinking in my mind what an interesting accent he had. So, I just had to ask, "Where are you from?". He replied, still smiling, "Haiti". Well, this led to conversation that lasted the entire ride. While we were talking I noticed he was enjoying his music very much, tapping the steering wheel and bobbing his head. "Is this music from your country?", I asked. "Yes" he replied, "this is music from Haiti.". And, he turned up the volume. Not wanting to embarrass my husband or daughters I danced to the music only in my mind! When we reached our destination the driver and myself told each other that we enjoyed our conversation very much, and that the meeting was a pleasure.

Now I am one that always thinks, good or bad, people cross paths for a reason. If I had never met this New York cab driver I still would have paid attention to the earthquakes in Haiti, but I probably wouldn't have paid attention as close as I have. So many news reporters have said that the Haitian people are so warm and welcoming, and now I know this gentleman we met is a true example of his people.

So, the next time I am having a day where I feel stubborn because things aren't going exactly the way I want them to, I will look at the smile on Gaelle's face and be thankful for what I have.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pomegranate Estate

2010-01-26T11:50:00.007-05:00

Thank you to everyone for your generous comments on Raise A Glass Of Cheer! It is and will always be one of my favorite samplers. The day after I posted my finish I started another sampler - Pomegranate Estate by By the Bay Needleart. This is another one that I just couldn't put down, and I did the last stitches this morning. Two finishes for the Month of January! There is something to be said about stitching what you love! Pomegranate Estate is another favorite.

I think pomegranates are one of nature's greatest gifts so this design was a must for me, but the specialty stitches made it even more fun. There are Rhodes stitches done with three strands of thread, back stitches, long stitches using two strands, and French Knots using three strands of thread.

And, I love the border design.

I have several charts by this designer, but this is the first one I have stitched. I will definitely be stitching all of them! They are so beautiful in real life, and the specialty stitches give you the feeling that you are creating a little work of art.

My Pomegranate Estate is stitched on 28 count French Country linen. The color is Chardonnay. I used the recommended DMC threads.

Happy stitching!

Raise A Glass Of Cheer Finished!

2010-01-15T11:22:00.007-05:00

I love my sampler!

There are some designs, that after just a few stitches, we wonder why we ever started them, and we put them aside never to pick them up again. There are some designs that we love the look of when they are finished, but we don't enjoy stitching them, and we push ourselves to work on them every now and then hoping to finish them some day. Then there are those designs that we enjoy stitching, but if something better comes along, we don't mind putting them aside just to put a few stitches into this wonderful newly discovered project. And, there are those designs that, if possible, we bond to from the very first stitch.

That is what happened when I started to stitch Raise A Glass Of Cheer by Blackbird Designs. Nothing was going to make me stop stitching this sampler until it was finished. I love how all the eyelet stitches create a feeling of celebrating like confetti being thrown or champagne bubbles creeping up the side of a glass. I love how the subtle differences in color give the sampler an antique feel.

Framing will come later, and when my sampler is framed, it will hang in our dining room all year long.

Thank you, Barb and Alma, for creating this design that started my new stitching year with so much joy!

My next project is ready to go, and I'll share that when I have some progress to show you.

Thanks so much for stopping by in my blogging part of the world!

Raise A Glass Of Cheer

2010-01-02T15:54:00.006-05:00

Here we are at the start of a brand new year! New Year's Day has always been one of my favorite days of the year. You can look back at the previous year and be grateful for all the good that has happened, and you can take the not so good and unfinished goals, and just wipe them away with no guilt!

Like everyone I'm making plans for how I want my life to go during this new year. And like every other needlework addict I have plans in the making for what I want to stitch this year. I wanted to start a new sampler on New Year's Eve, and I chose Raise A Glass Of Cheer by Blackbird Designs. I love everything about this sampler - the design, the colors and the verse. Not to mention it celebrates one of my favorite days. But, I cheated a little and started on December 28.

I am using the recommended GAST threads, and my linen is cream that I had in my stash. This is what I have stitched so far. There are lots of eyelet stitches which I think will make it very festive and pretty. I only stitched three so far.

I hope 2010 brings all of you many good days! I look forward to visiting your blogs during the year to read what everyone is up to and see what beautiful projects you have worked on.

Happy New Year!

Post Christmas Christmas Post

2009-12-28T23:47:00.007-05:00

The last couple of days I have been relaxing and putting in the last stitches, and doing the finishing, on two ornaments. Both of these designs are by The Sampler Girl.

First is Little Fir Tree from her Kitty Kringle's Pattern Book for Christmas. I used Staci's tutorial for the beaded edging.

Stitched on 30 count Natural linen
Recommended DMC except for the kitty

I also stitched Tanya's Christmas freebie for this year.

Stitched on 30 count R&R linen with
Anchor floss 69, 269, 845, 901

I sewed pink pearl trim around the edge, attached a pink satin bow, and used gold silk for the backing. This will be an ornament that I just tuck into the branches of the Christmas tree.

In just a few days we will be welcoming a brand new year! I always love the fresh start that a new year brings. I'm already planning some new stitching projects!

An Ornament for Gretchen

2009-12-21T21:00:00.004-05:00

I had plans to stitch and finish so many things for Christmas, but since Thanksgiving I haven't had much time to do that for some reason. I did finish a few ornaments this year, and I finished some of my Pere Noels from the SAL, but I definitely didn't accomplish what I wanted to.

A couple of days ago I finished a very special ornament. Since this is Gretchen's first Christmas I wanted to make one for her, and one of the Blackbird Designs stockings seemed like the perfect choice.

This is from their booklet Glorious June - Three Stockings for June. I stitched Gretchen's ornament on 30 count cream linen. Some of the threads are the recommended DMC, and others are my choice. I left a little margin at the top so that I could attach a piece of vintage lace. The hanger is made with pearl and irridescent beads.

The backing fabric is polka dot flannel. This is the first of the stockings I have made, and I really enjoyed it. I plan to make many more.

I'm going to continue stitching what I wanted to do for Christmas after Christmas. For some reason that sounds so relaxing after all the hustle bustle of Christmas is finished, and it will make the holiday season last a little longer.

I hope to finish a couple more ornaments before Christmas, but if it doesn't happen you will see them shortly after. Hope everyone has been enjoying their preparations for Christmas Day!

A Nice Surprise!

2009-11-30T12:44:00.007-05:00

In my previous post I told you about a Christmas Club challenge given by Lilli Violette. When I stitched and finished my ornament I thought that the challenge was all there was to it. I had no idea that I would receive a nice surprise for doing this. In today's mail I received an envelope from Lilli Violette. I opened the envelope, and inside was a pretty white envelope all tied up with the most beautiful red ric rac trim.

The red trim is a gift in itself that I will use for finishing pinkeeps and ornaments. But, inside the envelope was a Christmas chart with a stocking charm and a beautiful hand painted button.

Lilli Violette always includes a charm with her charts. Let me show you a closeup of the one that came with this Christmas chart.

And, here is a closeup of the hand painted button. There is so much detail on such a small space!

Thank you Lilli Violette! You have given me Christmas joy at the very beginning of the season.

Christmas Village

2009-11-18T21:34:00.009-05:00

I love the designs of Lilli Violette, so when she posted on her blog that you would receive a free Christmas chart if you left a comment one particular day to be in her Christmas Club, I couldn't resist. Just a few days ago she gave the Christmas Club a challenge to finish the free chart by tonight. It was a fun challenge, and now I have another ornament.

I stitched Christmas Village on 28 count snow white fabric one over one with Sampler Threads in Cherry Wine. I attached red and white initial ribbon on the side just for fun.

Red felt trim makes the handle, and I attached it with vintage buttons.

The backing fabric is red and white Christmas toile.

All materials used were from my stash so another project finished for SALsuffit!

The candy canes in the photos were purchased from The Sampler Girl's website. They're very sweet!

Snow Bunnies

2009-11-15T19:14:00.010-05:00

I joined the Little House Needleworks Monthly Ornament Stitch-A-Long Blog. The first pattern won't be arriving until the first of December so blog leader Vonna suggested we might want to "whet your appetite" and stitch an ornament design, by LHN or CCN, from one of the Just Cross Stitch Ornament issues. I chose Snow Bunnies by Little House Needleworks. It's in the 2007 issue.

I had the recommended DMC, but nothing else, so I used what I had in my stash. The linen is 28 count Monet Blue. I used tan and white ticking stripe fabric for the back.

I used white leaf ribbon trim around the edges and attached it with tiny seed beads I have had for years.

Using craft wire I threaded the same beads and made a hanger. On each end of the hanger is a little vintage glass ball.

I can't remember a year when I had more fun stitching for Christmas! Can you believe it's already that time of year?

Pinkeep Novembre and the Collection

2009-11-06T15:52:00.006-05:00

Today I put the finish on the last pinkeep of the Pinkeep SAL that was given by Maryse this year. I present to you the pinkeep for the Month of November.

I stitched this lovely design on 32 count English Rose linen with the recommended DMC threads. The satin ribbon trim is a muted pinkish red, and the pearl head pins are bright pink. I used green velveteen for the backing fabric.

The collection includes ten pinkeeps. And, here they are.

I still need to find a nice basket or wood tray, but you get the idea. I'm going to miss doing this SAL. Guess I'll have to gather some small designs so I can keep making them. You can never have too many!

Happy weekend!

Pere Noel #3

2009-11-03T09:01:00.003-05:00

Here is the third Santa in the Pere Noel SAL found on the Gazette 94 blog. I am so glad I decided to stitch these because I think they are quite beautiful. Do you think Santa and the snowman are discussing the weather forecast for this winter? I hope we get lots of snowflakes this year!

I stitched this design on 28 count linen, and I think the color is Rue Green. As with all the others I used the recommended DMC threads.

Now it's time to start finishing them into little pillows. I have the backing fabric and trim picked out, and I hope to show you the first three finished when I show you the stitched Pere Noel #4.

Thanks for your visit, and happy stitching!

What Costume Did You Wear for Halloween?

2009-11-01T01:27:00.003-04:00

Gretchen started out the day as a fairy,

and later turned into a happy little pumpkin!

Pinkeep de Septembre et Pinkeep D'Octobre

2009-10-24T14:47:00.007-04:00

The design for the September pinkeep was released at the end of the month so I decided to stitch and finish it at the same time as the pinkeep for October. Here they are!

I think the design for September is such a cute way to welcome the beginning of a new school year.

This is stitched on 28 count linen. I have no idea what kind or color. The threads are the recommended DMC colors. Trim is beige satin ribbon with cranberry and white pearl head pins.

I received a square of this sampler fabric as part of an exchange and used a snippet of it for the back. I was thrilled that it went so well with the design.

Every one of these pinkeeps stitched up so pretty, and I really don't have a favorite, but the design for October is definitely one of them.

This pinkeep is stitched on 30 count R&R linen. I have no idea what color. Threads are the recommended DMC colors. The trim is brown felt with copper pearl head pins. The brown trim looks a little like ric rac but has more of a scalloped edge.

The backing fabric is gold silk.

There is one more design to this SAL, and that is one for November. It really has been fun stitching and finishing these little gems wondering what the next design would be. Maryse has given us such a pretty collection of pinkeeps. When the final design is stitched and finished I'll show you the entire collection.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sweetness. . .Lovliness. . .Happiness. . .

2009-10-22T19:39:00.002-04:00

Gretchen

A Touch of Halloween

2009-10-20T23:27:00.010-04:00

It's almost time for all the little goblins and ghosties to appear! I only have one Halloween stitch this year, but it was so fun. This is a freebie by The Sampler Girl.

The only room in the house that is decorated for Halloween this year is the dining room, but what fun it is to walk through. Two samplers help decorate the mantle. Both of these designs are by Notforgotten Farm. (Next year I plan to have more Halloween samplers stitched and framed.)

Chocolate pumpkins fill a sweet dish that belonged to a member of my husband's family.

Real baby pumpkins fill a silver bowl that is a Good Will find.

I hope these giant spiders don't munch on the pumpkins too much.

The witch left her hat propped up against her hatbox on the hutch again this year.

She liked Tanya's design so much she left one of her hands to hold it! Yikes!

Such a fun time of the year!

Happy October

2009-10-01T10:59:00.005-04:00

The sun is out, there is a chill in the air, and the projects are in abundance. We are doing some renovations to our home which is always rewarding when you finish, but the process can be stressful and very dirty! But, at least we can do them ourselves. The stitching projects have been given a little less time, but they are a nice form of relaxation at the end of a busy and very dirty day.

The first photo I want to share is my finished Pere Noel. This is the second Santa in the Pere Noel SAL, and I think he is beautiful. These are such a pleasure to stitch.

The same color scheme is used for all six in the series, and for the second Pere Noel I used the 28 count Delicate Teal Jobelan that I used for the first.

The second photo is materials I have gathered for a new project. Have you read about the SALsuffit on Anne's Tempus Fugit blog? The rules are you have to finish what you start, at least one project, and you have to use materials that you already have. I think this is a wonderful idea, and projects like this always spark my creativity. I plan on having a lot of fun with this SAL. You can read all about it on her blog.

I will be stitching this pattern on natural linen with these lovely Autumn colors. I'm not sure which of the finishing materials I will use, but the choices will be from what is in this photo. Burlap or corduroy, beads, sequins or bisque hearts, maybe some buttons to cover? I will let the stitched piece decide when it is finished.

And, last, but definitely not least, a picture of our daughter Tera with her little bundle of love, Gretchen.

Per Tanya's Request

2009-09-20T17:22:00.004-04:00

In the comments on my last post Tanya asked for more pictures of Gretchen. Since I love sharing pictures of this little doll. . .

and

I babysat her on Thursday, and I enjoyed every minute. What a little sweetheart!

Pinkeep D'Aout

2009-09-17T13:37:00.005-04:00

But isn't it September? Maryse explained that the pattern for the September pinkeep would be delayed, so I was lazy in finishing the one for August. I do love these little terra cotta pots filled with lavender.

My August pinkeep is stitched on 32 count linen that I would describe as being Antique Ivory. The backing fabric is mini gingham in yellow and white.

The trim is terra cotta velvet ribbon with matching pearl head pins and an occasional lavender pearl head pin to bring out the flower design.

Until next time. . .may your needles always guide your thread in the right direction!

Pere Noel

2009-09-13T19:31:00.003-04:00

Continuing with the SALs this is the third one. It is the Pere Noel SAL given on the Gazette 94 blog. This is a series of six different Santas, and here is my first one finished.

I stitched my Pere Noel on 28 count Jobelan in Delicate Teal using the recommended DMC threads. I love her color combination especially the two very different reds. I think I'll wait until I have a couple more stitched before I do the finishing. The second in the series was posted yesterday.

I hope to have the fourth SAL finished to show you in a couple of days. Most of the time my brain thinks my fingers can stitch faster than they actually do which is why it isn't finished yet. It is the August pinkeep in the Pinkeep SAL by Maryse.

Thanks for stopping by!

Online SALs

2009-09-07T08:48:00.006-04:00

It seems every stitcher has at least one thing, in the hobby of needlework, that they are addicted to. Some collect all of the patterns from one designer, some collect all the colors of a brand of thread, some collect scissors. My addiction is online SALs. I just can't seem to resist these, and I am stitching four of them at present. I will share two of those with you now, and I'll share the other two at the end of this week.

The first is a progress photo of the Perpetual Calendar SAL. I have fallen behind once again, but I still hope to finish this on time. The pattern for the last block will be given in November.

I'm stitching this one on 32/33 count Strathaven linen in Cream using DMC threads. When it's finished and framed it will hang in our kitchen.

The second SAL I want to share with you is one titled My Dream In the Garden. Part 1 was so enjoyable to stitch I can't wait for Part 2 which should be given soon. This is going to be such a pretty sampler with a cottage in the very center, and the color combination is unusal from anything else I have stitched.

I'm stitching this one on 28 count French Country linen (I think the color is Chantilly) using the recommended DMC threads.

Even if I know I can't start stitching one of these patterns when the SAL begins I still print out all the parts to the design so I can stitch them at a later date.

What is your needlework addiction? Or is it just the hobby as a whole!

P.S. You can click on the photos for a larger version.

Starting The Week On A Sweet Note

2009-08-31T08:52:00.002-04:00

A new picture of Gretchen -

She received her new hat as a gift recently, and she loves it!

On the stitching front - I am getting caught up on one online SAL and started two more. I'll have some photos of those to share later this week.

Have a sweet day!

Tiny Stitches Vintage and New

2009-08-28T13:45:00.007-04:00

First I want to share with you a treasure that my dear friend Francoise stitched for me. She knows that my favorite flower is wild violets so she stitched this beautiful fob.

Isn't this basket of violets just beautiful? And, she stitched it over one. The fob is only one-inch square! On the back she stitched a bow and my initial N.

This is so beautiful and delicate I think I will use it as a decoration rather than put it on a pair of scissors. Francoise doesn't have a blog, but we all know the French do gorgeous needlework! Everything Francoise makes is so lovely.

The second piece of needlework I want to share is something I found at an estate sale a few years ago. I purchased it for only $1. It is stitched over one on gauze. It is worn, and it's a little stained, but to me this shows that someone loved this little piece.

It is mounted on a piece of thin cardboard, and it has some kind of signature on the back. Even held under a magnifier I couldn't make it out, but I imagine it is the signature of the person that stitched this.

I brought this home and tucked it safely away until I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I attached some brown silk fabric to foam core, attached the vintage needlework to the silk fabric and framed this beautiful bird in a frame from my stash that was a yard sale find. Now I have another treasure to hang in our living room.

Have an enjoyable weekend!

From Christine

2009-08-15T19:51:00.006-04:00

The Prairie Fairies by The Prairie Schooler are some of my favorite designs. In the mail on Friday I received a package from my dear friend Christine who lives in Canada. (Unfortunately she doesn't have a blog anymore, but she does beautiful stitching and quilting, and she has the best sense of humor.) Inside the package was this gorgeous pinkeep she stitched as a belated birthday gift. The design is one of the Prairie Fairies!

Christine trimmed the pinkeep with brown ric rac and red and cream pearl head pins. In the lower left hand corner she embellished the pinkeep with a piece of lace and a little safety pin holding the tiniest jingle bell.

The backing fabric is a calico print that goes perfectly with the design.

I love my pinkeep! Thank you so much Christine!

An Incentive to Finish

2009-08-13T09:48:00.011-04:00

We all know the self-gratification that comes from finishing a piece of needlework. And, as for the samplers, I frame them and hang them on the wall so I have a new decorative item as well. But, with my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler came a nice little surprise.

I stitched this sampler with some friends in a SAL. Some finished quickly, some not so quickly, and some put them aside wondering if they would ever finish, me for example! Roberta led us in this SAL, and she told us she had a little surprise for each of us when we finished. If I had known how pretty this little surprise was going to be I may have finished sooner. In yesterday's mail I received this little gem for finishing my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler as a token of this SAL.

Roberta made this pincushion, and I think it is so pretty and clever! To show you some of the nice details, here is a closeup of the beads. They are sewn on the flap on all three sides.

Look what is inside on the pincushion itself. The button and leaf pins are so pretty, but this Benjamin Bunny button is gorgeous and so appropriate.

Thank you for leading us in this SAL Roberta and for the beautiful surprise!

And, if that wasn't enough, she also included these goodies for a birthday gift. Tin Roof and Rose Gingham linen, much needed needles, and these little scissors that are supposed to be wonderful for cutting fabric.

Once again, stitching friends have to be the best!

Sweet Gretchen

2009-08-06T10:35:00.002-04:00

I just had to share this picture. It was taken by Gretchen's mommy Wednesday morning. Can you tell I love her!

Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler Finished

2009-08-02T12:21:00.008-04:00

I can't even remember exactly when it was that I started stitching this sampler, but it was awhile ago! About two-thirds of the way through I lost interest and set it aside. I tried to pick it back up and finish, but the most I could get done was one or two motifs. Within the past week I got it out again and finished. This time I just couldn't put it down.

I stitched my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler on 28 count French Country linen. It is large, but that's the way I wanted it. I used Anchor floss 5975 which is the conversion from DMC 356. The Anchor color was so pretty and rich. For the offwhite I used DMC 3865.

On the chart this floral motif was only partially charted, but on the cover model it was stitched as a whole, so I stitched a mirror image of the right side, and I'm very pleased with the way it looks.

Something terrible happened while this was in progress. I cut my finger, but didn't see a drop of blood. When I had finished stitching it for the day and was putting it away there was the blood on my sampler! I wasn't about to start over, and I know the person that originally stitched this wouldn't have either. I tried to get it out, and did for the most part, but it left a small spot of the linen looking very worn and dingy. So I stitched a little square over it, and it doesn't bother me a bit. As a matter of fact in real life it looks as though it was darned and gives more of an antiquey feel to the sampler.

I think Quaker motifs are beautiful, and I do love all of the motifs in this sampler. Some were more pleasant to stitch than others, but I think out of all of them this floral motif is my favorite. It has a simplistic beauty that I love.

Another M(asterpiece) A(waiting) C(ompletion) has been moved to the finish pile, and what a good feeling this is!

I have visited Gretchen the past couple of days, and she is doing very well! She has the sweetest disposition and is very alert. Baby kisses are the sweetest!

SURPRISE EVERYONE!

2009-07-30T16:47:00.006-04:00

From the moment our daughter, Tera, told us that she and her one and only, Adam, were going to have a baby I knew how I would spread the news. I decided to keep it a secret until she was born and announce it to the world - everyone at one time! So, without further adieu, let me introduce you to my beautiful granddaughter, Gretchen.

Gretchen was born on July 28, the day after my birthday. She weighed in at 7 pounds 1 ounce, and she is 21 inches long. She is very content!

This is Gretchen with her loving parents Tera and Adam. Aren't they a beautiful family?

They are now at home relaxing and starting their new life as a family.

Life gives you so many things, but the gift of being a grandparent has to be one of the best.

We love you Tera, Adam and Gretchen, and we hope that life will always bring you as much happiness together as it does at this moment.

Lovliness Made By Yuko

2009-07-28T09:57:00.007-04:00

In yesterday's mail I received a package from Yuko. Inside the package were beautiful gifts she sent for my birthday, and her package arrived on that very day. If you read Yuko's blog you will know that her needlework is exquisite, and if you haven't read Yuko's blog give yourself a treat and read it. Just look at this beautiful gift she made for me.

Yuko stitched a teacup design by Tra La La in red and white as the top of a little white basket. French designs stitched in red and white are a favorite of mine, so you can imagine how much I love this gift! Here is a closeup so you can see her perfect stitching.

Yuko put an organza ruffle around the edge, and she embellished the teacup with clear beads and one pearl bead. These beads give a look of elegance.

She covered the inside of the top with a beautiful floral fabric, and she made hinges from pieces of lace. Isn't her work lovely?

Yuko included a birthday card with a cat on the front - she knows I love cats! Inside the basket was some tea that is her favorite. It smells wonderful, and I can't wait to sip some! My daughter says she will join me. Also included in the package were some raspberry bath salts and gel, a spool of pretty pink lace, and some floral binder clips that I will definitely use.

Thank you so much dear Yuko! Your gift made my birthday even more special!

Christmas Kitties

2009-07-19T20:42:00.009-04:00

Well, I haven't kept up with stitching one Christmas ornament every month (big surprise!), but I did manage to stitch and finish two more this past week. They are both kitties, both designed by The Marking Samplar and from the Christmas of Olde series of the Friends of Threads of Gold.

Both of these designs are exact reproductions of kitties found on Italian "Biedermeier" samplers. The pattern states that "the Biedermeier period was from 1815 to 1848, however a few experts believe that the period ran up to the year of 1860. Biedermeier samplers feature motifs of various animals, flowers, scenes of buildings, and various other items of interest to the stitcher or, perhaps, what was available in a pattern book of that time period. These samplers are very similar to those completed during the Victorian era".

This kitty is titled A Pur-Fect Christmas and was designed for Christmas of 2000.

This kitty is titled Not Even A Mouse and was designed for Christmas of 2001.

Both ornaments were stitched on 32 count linen, color unknown, with DMC threads. The backing fabrics are plain color velvety fabrics, and the hangers are made from craft wire with lampwork beads for accent.

If you ever get the chance to stitch some of these little gems they go quick and are so much fun!

Saturday's Finds

2009-07-11T13:41:00.008-04:00

Friday's purple chair was just the beginning. There were two yard sales today rather than just one, and what sales they were. At one I found this old mirror in a chunky black frame and this lovely piece of vintage glass.

And at the second this basket, candles and old hatbox containing the black velvet hat sitting on top of it, and the white hat with hatpin still attached,

and, this Kay Dee linen towel featuring pictures of Sandwich Glass,

and, these two tablecloths, one of which is embroidered, with matching napkins,

and, these two vintage tablecloths. All four of the vintage tablecloths were only $2 each!

And, last but not least, the creme de la creme, a vintage wooden DMC thread box! I have to tell you I paid only $5 for this.

I'm thrilled with my finds!

As for the purple chair - no we won't be painting it. My husband thought it would be nice to leave them as found, and I think it's a fun idea.

Now I'm off to seclusion to stitch Cape Cod Girls by The Primitive Needle.

If you want to enlarge any of the photos, maybe to see the patterns on the tablecloths, all of them are clickable.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Purple Chair

2009-07-10T13:10:00.004-04:00

My weekend has started off on a happy note! My husband and I made a trip to the produce market this morning where we found all kinds of yummies, and there was one yard sale to go to. A yard sale on Friday is a rarity. They are usually on Saturday mornings. Nothing there appealed to me except for this purple chair, and as you can see our kitty Pistachio had to check it out immediately.

We have a small room off the living room where we have the computer and a bookcase that holds all the supplies and all of our DVDs. Vintage ceiling tins and samplers I have stitched adorn the walls - hopefully they will be covered some day. There really isn't room for any furniture, so I decided to put a collection of vintage wooden chairs along the wall. We already had two, and the purple chair makes three. These make for a fun collection and an interesting look along the wall in my opinion.

There is only one yard sale for me to go to tomorrow. It is advertised as having craft supplies so I'm hoping to find some needlework supplies. Cross your fingers!

Hope your weekend treats you well.

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue

2009-07-03T15:23:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow is the 4th of July! Do you have any special plans? We always watch the Twilight Zone marathon, so when we're not feasting on hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the grill, homemade potato salad, baked beans, and peach cobbler, we'll be camped out in front of the TV with Rod Serling.

I envisioned a pile of small patriotic designs stitched and stuffed for decoration, but it just didn't happen. How did July get here so quick! I did manage to finish the stitching on these two pieces.

This one is from the All Dolled Up series by Little House Needleworks. It is titled Liberty and Justice.

And, this one is a free design offered by Glory Bee. You can find it here.

I could hurriedly finish these, but to me that's not fun. So in a few minutes I will take a leisurely drive to Hobby Lobby where I hope to find some patriotic fabrics. I'll stop for a Cafe Mocha on the way home, and then put my newly purchased fabrics and these two designs with some other patriotic designs I have and consider this a head start for next year. Later I will gather patterns and supplies for some summer projects before Autumn comes knocking on my door.

I hope you have a very Happy 4th of July, and to those that do not reside in the Good Old US of A have a very happy weekend.

Isn't summer fun?

Pinkeep de Juin

2009-06-24T19:21:00.007-04:00

Continuing with the Pinkeep SAL offered by Maryse, this is the pinkeep for June. It's a large one, but I love it! My favorite part of the design is the cherry border. I think it looks so crisp and summery against the white fabric.

I stitched my pinkeep with the recommended DMC threads with the exception of one that I had to substitute. I used a 30 count white fabric.

The backing fabric is brown silk. I used the same green ribbon leaf trim as I did on the February pinkeep and red pearl head pins.

This SAL consists of ten pinkeeps. July is one of the months that there is a break so I won't have another to share until August. Here is a photo of the collection so far.

I think it's fun to look at the sides and see all the different trims and colors of pins!

I have some ideas of some fun summer stitching projects that I need to start. I am continuing to stitch on my MAC Bay Sampler by The Workbasket, and I'm getting ready to start Cape Cod Girls. This one will be a SAL with some online friends.

Happy stitching!

Saturday Morning Yard Sale

2009-06-13T15:10:00.007-04:00

One thing that appeals to me about summer days is the casual and carefree atmosphere. But, another thing I love about this time of year is that yard sale season begins. There was only one this morning. I think maybe because it's still early in the season or people are holding onto things because of the economy. Anyway, one was all I needed because this is what I came home with.

Vintage linens including four linen placemats with hemstitched edges, a damask towel, and the piece with the gorgeous edge is a linen table cover, and

The first piece with the bird is a wallpocket, a wonderful kitty figurine for our small china cabinet, and a milk glass dish. The handle is made of two leaves, and

These two frames that I will use for cross stitch samplers, and

This vintage basket and a small piece of blue pottery. I will add the blue pottery, which is signed, to my blue and white collection. As for the basket I will fill it with "Tokens Of Visiting" with the Jane Austen Girls by The Sampler Girl, when they are stitched and finished. I handed the lady having the sale a $20 bill, and she gave me $1 change. Where else can you find treasures like these so reasonable?

As for the print in the wooden frame - I'm not sure if it is a page out of a book or a card stock print or what it is exactly, but I am going to remove it from the frame. You can see if you enlarge the photo that there is a little damage next to his feet. I don't collect this type of thing, but if you are a person that does, or if you just like it, be the first one in the comments to say yes I want that print, and I will send it to you free of charge. I can't bear to toss it, but I really don't want to keep it either.

I have been filling myself with a lot of negativity lately about where I live. Moving from a big city to a small town in an entirely different part of the country can sometimes be self-destructive. I really need to stop doing this because it really is not a healthy thing to do. On my way home today I thought how wonderful this morning was and how many treasures I was coming home with. This is how I prefer to decorate our home, and I wonder how many places there are where people can actually do this. Now, that is a very positive thing, don't you think? I am beginning to think in this day and age, at least in the United States, relocating to any place can be a difficult thing. And, after all I do enjoy my alone time to get lost in my stitching. Negativity breeds unhappiness, and being positive creates happiness. Am I right?

Strawberries and A Win

2009-06-08T12:53:00.005-04:00

I love everything about strawberries! I like their shape, their color, their little green hats, strawberry blossoms, and most of all their taste. And, the fact that they are good for you is just an added bonus. We finished this bowl of local strawberries in no time!

Unfortunately, where we live, strawberry season will only last about another week. I thought what better time to get this pattern out of my stash pile and stitch it. This is Summer Strawberries by Country Cottage Needleworks.

This design stitches up so pretty. I used a piece of fabric I already had rather than buying new. It's 28 count Country Grain. I did use the recommended Weeks Dye Works and DMC threads. The red, Aztec Red, is one of my new favorite colors. I want to frame this in a carved white frame so it will sit carefully aside until that day comes.

I actually won a drawing on a blog and wanted to share it with you. Heartstring Primitives recently had a drawing. I couldn't believe I was one of two winners! Beth said the winning pattern was one of my choice. With One Accord is what I chose. It arrived very quickly, and it is so beautiful! When the day comes it is stitched and framed it will hang on my dining room sampler wall.

Now it's back to stitching on my UFO, or as my friend Zeena calls them M(asterpieces) A(waiting) C(ompletion). I like MAC better, and mine is Bay Sampler by The Workbasket.

Enjoy a strawberry!

Return to the Sea and Honeybees

2009-05-25T23:53:00.010-04:00

In January I decided this would be the year that would end with no unfinished samplers. It is hard to believe that we are almost in the sixth month of the year, and not one of my unfinished samplers had been finished. So. . .

This is Return to the Sea by The Sampler Girl. I am so in love with this sampler, and I have no idea why I would have put this down and not pick it right back up to keep stitching on it. Tanya's designs are always so lovely, and this one is no exception.

I stitched my Return to the Sea with the recommended DMC threads with one exception that I had to substitute. The linen is from R&R, and it is one of the stiff linens. I like this because, to me, the look of it adds some aging to the sampler itself. It was fun to imagine that the salty sea air was aging this as I stitched it. The colors are so beautiful.

And, the verse is so enchanting.

Now it is safely tucked away until I can get it framed.

My second finish is also a design of Tanya's that I stitched several years ago. I believe it was when she designed under the name of Journey's End. I think this pretty little sampler was waiting for just the right frame, and I found the perfect size at a yard sale last summer. And, the button was patiently waiting to be sewn on.

I always loved the flower urns, and isn't the little honey bee a sweet touch?

Thank you Tanya for so many enjoyable stitching moments!

Pinkeep de Mai

2009-05-17T16:03:00.009-04:00

What design could be lovelier for the Month of May than a simple Lily of the Valley.

I stitched my May pinkeep with the two colors of DMC that were recommended. The linen is cream color.

Even though the flowers are white I used the cream linen to try to mimic the tone on tone look of the back of the pinkeep. For that I cut a small piece from a vintage table cover that was beyond repair.

Rather than ribbon I decided to trim the sides with a piece of vintage lace. I attached Swarovski crystals with pearl head pins to add a touch of elegance.

I didn't think the clouds could hold any more rain we have had so much lately, but today it's raining again, and there is a chill in the air. It feels more like October than May, but the weather is perfect for staying inside and stitching! Hope you have enjoyed your weekend.