Thursday, May 31, 2007

A Tiny Little Finish!

I decided to stitch up a little fob for my new scissors. I decided on "A Tiny Little Quaker" freebie by Papillon Creations. I think it turned out pretty cute. My sewing still leaves something to be desired, but oh well! What can you do?? :)

A Tiny Little Quaker Fob
Papillon Creations "A Tiny Little Quaker"
Fabric: 40 ct. Navy Bean by Lakeside Linens
Thread: DMC Color Variations #4230 (Crystal Water) - one thread over two.
Started: 5/29/07
Finished: 5/31/07


I also worked on "A Simple Little Quaker" the other day. I didn't get too much done, but I did get a start on a new motif.

A Simple Little Quaker as of 5/29/07


Well, the kids are acting crazy, so I'd better see what they're up to! Write later! :)

Monday, May 28, 2007

Finally!!

I finally got "Their Song" finished! I don't know why, but it seemed to take me forever! Well, it's done and now I can send the pattern off to Becky tomorrow! :)

Their Song - Finished!
Blackbird Designs "Their Song"
Fabric: 30 ct. Apple Brown Bindy by R&R
Threads: Weeks Dye Works (I only used one skein of Moss and used just a little bit of the 2nd skein of Havana)
Started: 4/21/07
Finished: 5/27/07

Now I think I'll work on "Simple Little Quaker" or "Pomegranate Sampler." Or maybe I'll take a nap! LOL! :) I just wanted to thank you all for your very kind comments about my dh's new job. I read him a lot of your comments and he thought you all were very nice! He is excited and nervous at the same time. He has to talk to his sergeant at work today is not excited about that!

Well, thank you again everyone! Becky, look for a package at the end of the week! :)

P.S. I started a trade blog - click here to view. I will be updating often.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Not Sick Yet (knocking on wood)!

Thank you all for your concern and well wishes. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed though! :) I went stitching today. I decided to take "Pomegranate Sampler" with me. I finished up the sampler part and now I'm working on the border - lots and lots of pomegranates to stitch!

Pomegranate Sampler as of 5/26/07


While I was there searching through some of the older charts I came across a couple of Goode Huswife charts.

Goode Huswife Charts


They are "Dutch Strawberries" and "Nine Patch Cushion." I got the silks for "Dutch Strawberries." I can't wait to stitch this one - I think it's so pretty!

I also stopped by my LNS (Silk Road Needle Arts) yesterday. I thought I would treat myself to some new scissors and I also picked up a couple other things that somehow jumped into my hands.

Silk Road Needlearts Stash


Some pretty new Gingher scissors "Julia", a fat 1/4 of 32 ct. Examplar by Lakeside, and "A Quaker Pattern Book."

I do have some other news to share. Dh was offered a job with ICE as a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent). It's a dream job for him, but he has to go away for five months for training and then he will be stationed in Albany, Georgia. He actually applied in Dec. 2005! We weren't even sure we'd ever hear from them! I've decided though that I just can't move again with the kids and all our family being here. I just couldn't do it to my mom, my brother (who is also my boss), my MIL. So I think we've decided to have me and the kids stay here with my mom and he'll be up there during the week and try to spend most weekends down here. It's not going to be easy, but I know we can make it work and it will be worth it in the long run. He will eventually be able to transfer to an office closer to here and will finally have a normal schedule (mon-fri). So anyway, I'm sad for me, but happy for him. If it doesn't work he can always come home and get his old job back. He's supposed to report for Training on June 18th, so that only gives us a few weeks to prepare for this! We are still talking about it, but I think he's pretty much decided that he's going to take the job. Well, not much else going on - I'm going to try to stitch a little bit. Write later!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Uh Oh

Now Jake is sick. The poor guy. Is it selfish that I keep hoping that I'm not next?? I just can't handle being sick right now, or anytime for that matter. There's nothing worse than a stomach bug!

Well, in other, brighter news, I finally finished Little House Needleworks "Pear" into a pillow. I had the fabric cut for months now, I just never got around to sewing it.

Pear finished into a pillow


The bow on the bottom left may look a little funny, but I put it there to cover a mistake - oops! For the most part I think it turned out ok. I don't think I'll ever not be critical of my finishing. Finishing is not like stitching. It's more freestyle where as with stitching you have a pattern and there are certain holes in the linen that you put the needle through. It's much more structured, which is what I like. I'm not a freestyle person. Anyway, enough about that!

I stitched a tiny bit on Their Song. Probably not even enough to post a picture, but I will anyway. Just because I think this post needs one more picture. :)

Their Song as of 5/24/07


I am so determined to get this finished now! Hopefully I can get it finished by this weekend so I can get the pattern out to Becky! Write more tomorrow (if I'm not sick that is - wish me luck)!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

May is Finished!

I got "A Bit of May" finished up the other day. I ended up leaving the Beehive out because I just didn't like it. I think it turned out pretty cute! :)

"A Bit of May"


Flip-It Bits Jan. - May


I got a pattern in the mail the other day from Becky. It's Polly Wolly Doodle by La-D-Da. I'm going to send her "Their Song" in exchange when I get it finished. Her finished piece turned out so cute that I've decided to copy the threads (GAST) and fabric (36 ct. Flax) she used (hope you don't mind Becky)! :)

La-D-Da Polly Wolly Doodle


Well, this is going to be short - Jake is needing me! Write later!

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Lazy Sunday

I took a shower and put clean pajamas on. It's just one of those days to laze around. I have been cleaning and doing laundry. But I've also been watching some baseball games (Tampa Bay lost and the Braves are losing unfortunately). I've also been reading my blogs. I saw that Andrea has started Drawn Thread's Sanctuary. Her stitching is so neat and pretty. She is really an inspiration to me! It made me remember that I've had Sanctuary kitted forever! So I got it out and pulled the silks and linen and took their picture because they are so pretty!

Drawn Thread Sanctuary with silks and fabric

Caron Collection and NPI Silk with 32 Ct. Elegant Bean Linen


The fabric is 32 ct. Elegant Bean from Elegant Stitch. I don't think I'm going to start this now, I was just in the mood to look at it. :)

I did go stitching yesterday. I signed up for a thing they do called "Stitches & Wishes." We have a secret partner and once a month we get them something off their wish list. I got a $20 gift certificate, which was very nice! And I'm in the process of getting their package together. I love doing stuff like this. I think I almost like giving a package more than receiving one. It's fun to get all the little goodies together. Anyway, I did pick up a new chart and a couple of silks while I was there...

A Diminutive Dutch Sampler


silks for Diminutive Dutch Sampler on 40 ct. R&R linen.


It's Barrick Samplers (now Carriage House Samplings) "A Diminutive Dutch Sampler." I'm missing one silk, which I'll probably get tomorrow. The fabric is the 40 ct. R&R I got from Handcrafts Online. It's so funny because Niky just posted her finished sampler today. What a coincidence!

I did stitch a little while I was there. I thought I would work on "A Bit of May." May is one of my favorites out of all the months. I love the color combinations.

"A Bit of May"


Well, not much else going on here. Bradley is finally over the stomach bug he had. He was able to eat normal food today. I'm still hoping no one else gets it!! Thank you everyone for all your nice comments, they really mean a lot! :) Write later!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Ugh - not good!

Today was Bradley's last day of school. Because he was so good this year and for a little treat I took him out to eat at Chili's and then took him to see Shrek the Third. Well, on our way home he started to feel sick and when we got home he threw up before we even got into the house. I felt so bad for him! Hopefully he gets to feeling better soon. I just hate it when one of the kids are sick!

In other news I found the cutest Elmo doll for Matthew. He just loves Elmo. Right when I saw it at Target I knew I had to get it for him.


He sings and coos and laughs and says bye bye. It's just the cutest and Matthew started squealing right when he saw it. He just loves it.

Well, I really am going to try to get some stitching done tonight. Like Cathy, I'm in a mini slump. I'm hoping to get out of it this weekend! I'm going stitching tomorrow at JoAnne Nantz's Needlework and Framing. My goal is to get "Their Song" done soon! :)

Write later!

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

I feel so boring!

I just have a little more progress on "Their Song" to show. I don't know why I'm so blah lately. I guess I'm still in a little slump. I really have no desire to work on any wips. I know I a new start would get me going, but I don't want to start anything until the beginning of June when I start my ATS SAL. Anyway, here's my little progress pic...

'


I realized last night that I messed up on the bottom left bird. His head is one stitch too big, but I wasn't about to rip it out. It will just have to do!! :) I did manage to put all the stems on the cherries and I got the flower finished by that same bird.

I also got a little knitting done. I turned the heel and I am now decreasing down to start the foot part. I think I'm going to run out of yarn, but I'm going to keep going. If I do I'll try to order some online in the same dyelot.

"Roza's Socks" progress as of 5/15/07


Well, Matthew is fussing. I think he's ready for lunch! Write later! :)

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Elegant Stitch

I received my fabric yesterday from Elegant Stitch yesterday. They dyed it on Tuesday and got it to me just four days after that! Now that's service! I ended up ordering 40 ct. Elegant Bean for "And They Sinned." They no longer make the fabric I ordered (35 ct. Brimstone) and that's probably a good thing because I really like this fabric!

Fabric (40 ct. Elegant Bean) and Threads (Sampler) for ATS


Now I just can't wait for the SAL to begin in June! I wasn't able to go stitching yesterday because my FIL is still recovering from some surgeries he had last month. Hopefully he'll be doing better soon. Dh did let me escape for a little bit before he went to work and I decided to run down to Golden Needle. He said he didn't care what I spent because it would be my Mother's Day present (that may have been a mistake)! :)

Mother's Day Stash!!


I got several charts I haven't seen anywhere else. La-D-Da "Mocking Bird," "Bushel & Peck," and "Miss Mary Mack" (which I love). I got some 40 ct. Vintage Examplar to stitch her on.

La D Da Miss Mary Mack


I also got two Brightneedle charts "Elizabethan Garden Sampler" and "Strawberry House," which I never noticed until I saw it yesterday, but I think it's so cute!

Brightneedle Elizabethan Garden Sampler & Strawberry House


And I picked up a few new ones that I didn't have yet. Lizzie Kate "A Bit of June and July" and Little House Needleworks "Sampler Girl." They also had the limited Edition "Amercana Samplings" kit from 2005, so I picked that up too. :) Surprisingly I did put several things back. I know I went a little crazy, but it could've been worse! Dh is the greatest! I told him when Father's Day comes around next month he can go crazy at the tackle shop! :)

Well, not much else going on! We had a nice lunch today with my Brother, SIL and my niece Halle. We all kept yawning though, so they didn't stay long. I should've taken a nap, but decided to blog instead. :) Now I'm going to rest! Maybe watch "The Queen." Write later!

Mother's Day Roses for my mom from my brother.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Blah...

I'm tired again and I think it's hormonal because around this time last month I was exhausted the same way. Hopefully this weekend I can rest up and get some stitching done. The only thing I've done lately is a little bit on "Their Song."

Their Song as of 5/10/07


I have been getting caught up on all my blogs and I've found a couple new ones (new to me) along the way...

  • Becky (not new to me) has had a lot of awesome finishes lately! I love them all - she's so talented!

  • Niky's blog is just amazing! I'd love to share every post in my shared items. She's got a ton of talent too!

  • I just found Mayte's blog - MagicXstitch. Beautiful work! Her start on Just Nan's Bliss with all those AVAS silks is so pretty!

There are so many more that I could list, but those are just a few that I've found inspiring. Taking the idea from KarenV, who listed all the blogs that have inspired her lately. I think this is why I love blogging and reading blogs because of all the inspriation different needleworkers provide. It definitely keeps me motivated! :) Write more soon!

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Simple Little Quaker

I got two motifs done today in between all the laundry and cleaning! Matthew seems to finally being doing better. I can't tell if a tooth has popped through yet or not. He won't let me get a good look. Anyway, this will be a short post. Write more tomorrow! :)

Saturday, May 05, 2007

A Little Stash to Share...

I went to Venice, FL the other day and decided to check out the stitching shop they have there. it's called Needlepoint Ivy and it's a pretty cute shop. The owner was very nice. I picked up the "The Littles" by Hands to Work and she asked if I stitched on 40 ct. linen and I said that I had just started stitching on it and added that I thought I might be addicted! She cut me two pieces of linen. Vintage Examplar for "The Littles" and Maple Sugar just because I thought was pretty.

I had Be My Love in my stash and when I saw Mary Kathryn had picked it out on her site to stitch one day I knew I had to kit it up. When I got home I realized that the Maple Sugar would be perfect for that pattern.

The Littles with fabric and threads
"The Littles" with 40 ct. Vintage Examplar Lakeside Linen.

'CHS
CHS "Be My Love" with 40 ct. Maple Sugar Lakeside Linen.

I also got an order from Wyndham today. I got "And They Sinned" because I want to torure myself with the hugest pattern I've ever seen! I think it's just gorgeous though. I would just love have something like that hanging in my house. I'm planning on SALing along with Becky and Cathy starting in June. Wish us luck! :)

'

Another Sock and a little "Their Song."

I started another sock last night. It's "Roza's Socks" from the Spring 2007 Interweave Knits designed by Grumperina. I don't know why I'm on such a sock kick lately. These are fun to knit though. I'm using the new Lorna's Laces I got in the Watercolor colorway.

Roza's Socks

Roza's Socks from Spring 2007 Interweave Knits


I also worked on "Their Song" a little bit the other day. It's coming along slowly... I wish I would've gotten a smaller count fabric. After working on 40 ct. I think I may be addicted!! :) Merumo's on 40 ct. "Crow's Secret" hand-dyed by Attic Needlework is so pretty! :) What I wouldn't do to have a LNS like that!! I'm so jealous!

'BBD


Well, Matthew is getting another tooth. He's had a fever since the night before. I've just been giving him Tylenol, Oragel, and lots of love. The poor thing. I was told if adults had to go through teething that they couldn't stand the pain. :( Speaking of Matthew he's needing some of that love. Write later!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Been Knittin...

I haven't been stitching the last couple days. I was wanting to get those socks done for my old coworker. I did finish them, but they are a little small. I'm hoping she has smaller feet than me.

Finished Lorna's Laces Socks
Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Sock Georgetown.


They are definitely not perfect. They have two different heels and there is a big hole that I tried to sew up in one of the heels and they have visable ladders going down the side. Oh well, what can I do?? Well, I think what I decided to do is finish up another pair of socks I started in 2005...

Trekking Socks
Trekking XXL #100.


These will definitely be big enough, no visable ladders and no holes in the heels. The colors are a little funky. Both of these socks were made from the exact same skien of yarn and they look totally different. So anyway, I've been knitting away, trying to get these socks finished. I really want to get them out in the mail to her. Although I think it will be too hot to wear them anytime soon!

In a little stitching news I got the rest of my order from Mary Kathryn today.

More stash from Handcrafts online


I got some 40 ct. Light Espresso by R&R and some 32 ct. Light Mocha Belfast along with some needles and the Whitman Tin Red Sewing Set. Well, the kids are needing me so I'd better go! Write later!!