Here's my little progress on "My Lady's Quaker" as promised...

I haven't really gotten too much stitched on it. I did switch out the lighter silk I used for her skin (706) and used 531 instead. It's still a little light, but I think I'm going to leave it.

I also got back out "Happy Haunting" by Shepherd's Bush. I started it two years ago and put it aside. Well, I'm determined to finish it this year. Here's the progress I made on it yesterday...

I'm not using the linen that came in the kit, instead I decided to use 32 ct. Antique Cotton by R&R.

I got some threads for "A Sampling in the Square" yesterday. I'm not sure when I'll start this, but I think the colors are so bright and pretty!

I already had the linen, which is 40 ct. Vintage Buttercream by Lakeside Linens.

Well, I have so much to do today - laundry, dishes and cleaning to get ready for the coming week. But all I really want to do today is stitch! What a dilemma! :) Write soon!

A Little More PT

I got a little bit more stitched last night and today...

I was thinking of stitching another ornament, but I don't want to stop stitching this! I would love to get it finished by Christmas, but I don't think that's going to happen. We are going down to Florida this weekend to visit family for Christmas. It's going to be a busy week next week. Oh well, maybe I should stitch that ornament? Write soon!

Peppermint Twist Start!

I started Peppermint Twist last night while watching the Survivor Finale. I'm so glad Bob won! :) Anyway, I'm loving it so far! I think it looks good on the Mockingbird linen.

I have also updated my trade blog with a few things. Thank you to everyone who bought the other items! I really appreciate it! Well, nothing else going on! I hope to get some stitching down while my youngest naps! Write later!

Peppermint Twist

I went to my LNS today (I know, very bad). I got "Peppermint Twist" and a few threads I was needing for it. I decided to use 40 ct. Mockingbird linen by R&R. It's the same linen I was using for "Shores of Hawk Run Hollow," which I have decided I'm never going to stitch, so I unkitted it. :)

I'm very excited about starting this. I'm going to try to be good and finish up "Peppermint Lane" first though. :) Write soon!

Poinsettias and Pines Finally Finished!

I just finished it up tonight. I was determined! It took exactly three months.

Blue Ribbon Designs "Poinsettias and Pines"
Fabric: 40 ct. Luna by Lakeside Linens
Threads: Belle Soie Silks
Started: 11/24/07 - Finished: 2/24/08

Now I'm thinking of starting Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. I know, totally crazy considering I only have 1 and 1/2 blocks finished on Houses and less than one block finished on the Village. Oh well, maybe I'll finish them all one day - when the kids are in college?? :) Write later!

edited to add better picture.

Happy Valentine's Day

Well, it's finally here. The day of flowers, candy and romance and my dh is hundreds of miles away. Oh well, what can you do?? I'm still having a good day regardless! It was made better when I got a sweet card from Tanya in the mail!

She included a cut of pretty pink linen and a cute little heart button! I love it Tanya, thank you so much!!

I did get a little stitching done last night. I finally finished up the tree row on Poinsettias and Pines. I'm so glad to have that row done!!

I'll be so glad when it's completely finished! Well, I'm watching four kids right now, so I'd better go! Write later and Happy Valentine's Day! :)

I Was Good Today!

I went to my LNS to get some threads and a couple other little things I was needing and he had gotten a shipment of Lakeside Linens. Oh they were so pretty. My heart was pounding. I was like a junkie needing a fix, but I closed the drawer where they were kept and walked away. I was so proud of myself!! :)

I was also good and worked on Poinsettias and Pines today. I would really love to get it finished up. I'm not too far away from being finished!

I hope to stitch on it some more tonight. Write later! :)

I Have a Major Case of Startitis!

I always do this when I'm stressed... Start a bunch of projects (usually huge). I feel like I can't settle down to one thing. I'm stressed about moving and the fact that my brother is getting ready to put the house we're in on the market. It's going to be hard to show a house with three kids (sometimes four)! Oh well, I can't think about it too much. I wish we were already settled in South Carolina. I'm usually a live in the moment type person, enjoy each day as it comes, but in the situation I wish I could fast forward a little bit to the future!

So the latest thing I started was Ink Circles "Cirque Des Cercles." I really just wanted to see how the thread would look on the fabric and then I stitched on it some more last night, so I guess it's officially a start. :)

The fabric is 40 ct. Antique White Newcastle linen and the thread is DMC Variations 4210. I'm using two strands over two. The coverage is a little thick, but I thought it was too thin with just one.

And I really want to start this....

It's taking all my willpower not to start it, but I have very little of that lately, so don't be surprised if you see a wip pic soon. :)

Anyway, in order to ease my guilt a little over my recent spending binge I've put some things on ebay.

Just Cross Stitch Magazines

Vera Bradley Classic Black Little Travel Case (yes, I forgot to share that I got another one, which I don't need)!

Very Bradley Capri Melon Little Travel Case (I like this one, but it really doesn't go with my other bags).

I have also added some more items to my For Sale Album. :) Write later! If you are interested in anything please email me at nicoleneville@aol.com. I tend to miss it if just a comment is left! Thanks!!

And More P&P

I feel so boring being a one-at-a-time girl. But that was my resolution to try to get things done, to stick to one project at a time. So I guess I'll just be boring. :)

It's cloudy today, so getting a decent pic was hard. I'm still getting used to my new camera and the different settings. It seems my pics are either dark or bright, it's hard to get them just right, which is why you see so many variations of this one design. One day I'll understand it all... I think?? :)

Chiloe asked if I knew when I'm moving. I think we're moving the first week of June after my ds is out of school. We'll have to find a place before that though because dh's lease is up at the end of May. Anyway, I can't wait. I'm counting the days! :) Well, nothing going on here. I'm thinking of taking the kids to The Pier just to get them out of the house! Writer later! :)

Changed Name Again

Yes, I know I should have my blog name be more stitching related that way I wouldn't have to keep changing my name so often. But where I live is part of who I am, so I guess I'll keep it for now. I chose the name because all I've been doing lately is dreaming of living in beautiful South Carolina. I can't wait! :) While I'm posting I thought I'd share a little stitching. I'm to the trees at the top of P&P! Now that I'm up there I feel like I can get it finished in a week or so if I keep at it!

Well, Jake is needing me, so I'll write later! :)

Blah...

Not much going on here lately. Just hanging out with the kids. I've been so tired the past couple of days. I'm not sure why, but I haven't done much!

I did work on "Poinsettias and Pines" just a bit yesterday and today, not really enough to show a pic, but I will anyway.

I did go to the bead shop today to stock up on some more beads and clasps. I'm meeting Deb Saturday and she wanted a fob for her daughter, so that gave me the perfect excuse to go shopping :) Well, I'm going to crawl into bed and hopefully not get up until 6:30 tomorrow. :) Write later!

Back to P&P

I thought I'd get back to Poinsettias and Pines before I forget it all together! I got a little bit more done this weekend...

I finished listening to "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, and now I'm listening to "Dragonfly in Amber." I love these books so much. Davina Porter is such a wonderful narrator. I sometimes forget she's just one person because she does the voices so well.

Tonight is "Persuasion" by Jane Austen on Masterpiece Theater. I can't wait! Write later! :)

Thank you!!

Thank you to everyone for your very kind words! They mean so much! I feel so good about my decision. I just don't know how I would've done it for three years. As it is we'll have lived apart for a year and that's long enough! :)

Anyway, I do have a little more progress to share on P&P. Are you getting sick of this one yet?? I am, but I am determined to finish it!

It's hard to stitch something so wintry when it was 82 degrees today! It feels more like summer than winter. Oh well, what can ya do?? :) Well, not much else going on here. Just hanging out with the kids - getting ready to make dinner. Write later!

I'm Moving!!

I finally got up the courage to tell my mom and my brother what I wanted to do (thanks to a few kind friends who gave me great encouragement). My mom freaked at first, but is doing much better now. My brother was totally supportive, which helped to calm my mom down. Anyway, I'll be moving in June! Only five months. I'm so excited. Bradley is ok with changing schools and is glad he can finish up the year here. I'm glad too. I want to make the transition as smooth as possible. I told dh to look for a bigger place for us and get ready! :) I feel like a huge weight has been lifted! I'm so happy!

Well, I do have a little stitching to share. I worked on P&P again last night. I got some more of the words finished...

Well, not much else going on here! Just had to share my news! Thank you to everyone for your very kind words. I couldn't have done it without your support! :)

I'm Home

We made it home about 3 pm yesterday. I haven't done too much since coming home. Just a little cleaning and laundry. I definitely miss South Carolina! Thankfully dh is coming home this weekend and I'm going back up there the week after that. I need to get more pictures!

Well, I got back out Poinsettias and Pines. I'm determined to get it finished. Although I don't make New Year's resolutions I would like to try to be more of a one-at-a-time kind of gal. I just hate seeings wips and ufos build up. Anyway I don't have much progress, but I'll share a pic anyway. :)

I did get some fabric in the mail while I was away. I ordered this way before Christmas for "Christmas Tea" by Plum Street Samplers. The fabric is much darker than I thought it would be. I shouldn't order fabric I've never seen before on the internet anymore. It may actually be cute though. I probably won't stitch it now until next Christmas.

Well, not much else going on here. Just hanging out with the kids. Back to school and work tomorrow! Write later.

With All Your Heart

I think I might start this next....



"With All Your Heart" by Blue Ribbon Designs. I think it's so pretty! It's also pink and not Christmassy! :)

I put some fobs on my sale/trade blog. I really do have too many!

Write later!

More Poinsettias and Pines

I finally got past the lower tree section on P&P!



The words shouldn't take too long. I'm kind of over Christmas stitching though. I may work on something else... Maybe get back to Prairie Sampler?? Well, not much going on here. Write later! :)

Christmas Joy

We all got sick yesterday. First Bradley in the middle of the night then Chris, then me. Jake only got it a little bit. I guess Matthew wasn't throwing up because of phlegm. I guess he had a bug and then we all got the bug. Fun, fun!

Unfortunately I have a history of being being sick at Christmas. One year I even spent Christmas day in the hospital because I was so dehydrated. I hope I'm not passing this unfortunate tradition (curse) down to my kids. The poor things. Thankfully they all seem to be doing better today. We are supposed to celebrate today because Chris is leaving to go back to S.C. today. He has to work tomorrow. I don't know if I can stomach a big Christmas dinner though. We'll see....

Well, I did manage a little stitching before I got too sick. I'm almost done with the bottom tree section on P&P. I'm definitely not going to get finished by Christmas. Oh well, what can you do?? :)

Well, not much else going on. I've been listening to "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory. It's pretty good. So much intrigue back in 16th century England. I'm looking forward to listening to more of these books. I also just finished season one of Mad Men. I highly recommend this show! I don't think many people know about it because its on AMC. I would have never heard about it if my mom hadn't told me about it. Season two is supposed to come out next summer I think. Anyway, I hope you all have a very Merry and Healthy Christmas! Write later! :)

Not Much Stitching....

I love having my dh home, but he's really cutting into my stitching time! :) Matthew being sick hasn't really helped matters either. He's been waking up very early around 4 or 5 am crying and coughing. This morning he woke throwing up a little because of all the phlegm. The poor guy. Waking up so early has left me exhausted at night. I've been going to sleep around 9 pm. I do have some good news. My husband checked out my wish list on Amazon and he actually bought me something from it. I was so shocked, I never thought I would get it. It came yesterday and he let me open in early.

It's a Nikon D40. I just can't tell you how much I love this camera and how much I have to learn about it. I've been experimenting with all the different settings. Here are some pictures I took of the kids...

And some pictures of my stitching...

I'm still experimenting with what's the best setting for taking pictures of my stitching. I think good lighting is key. Some of you may notice the fob - I kept one for myself too! :)

Well, I've got to finish getting Bradley ready for school. Write later! Hopefully with some stitching progress to share! :)

A Few More Trees

I haven't been stitching too much. I've kind of gone fob crazy the past couple of days. The bead shop has captivated me! It's just too tempting and sparkly going in there to come out empty handed. I did get a little bit stitched on P&P.

Along with making fobs I coffee-dyed some more linen. I may try doing a couple more pieces again when I have more time to see if I can get them a little darker. The best way for me is to just do them in the sink and poor the coffee over them. I tried simmering them with grounds, but they turned out a little grey.

My dh is coming home tomorrow for about nine days! He has a trial that he has to testify in from when he arrested someone down here. So they are giving him off for that and his supervisor told him he didn't have to come back until Christmas when he goes on duty as a duty agent. That when they get their cases. And then I'll be going up there with kids for a week on the 29th. :)

Well, not much else going on. Matthew is sick. He's caught a bug of some kind. He's had a fever, coughing and runny nose. I just gave him some tylenol, so hopefully he'll go to sleep soon. The poor thing.

I'll leave you a pic of some of my fobs. I guess I need to put some up for sale, but I just hate to part with any of them. I get so attached! LOL! :) Write later!