Peppermint Lane Finished!

I got it finished up today!! Now I get to start "Peppermint Twist!" :)

Country Cottage Needleworks "Peppermint Lane"
Fabric: 32 ct. Maple Sugar by Lakeside Linen
Threads: DMC and Crescent Colours
Started: 11/08 - Finished: 12/14/08

More Peppermint Lane and Crocheting

I worked on this quite a bit yesterday. It's been a fun stitch. I have also been working on some Christmas presents. Since times are tough for everyone, my family has decided to only buy gifts for the kids. So instead of buying presents, I decided to make my mom and SIL some dish cloths and I also plan to make them some Christmas cookies and maybe throw in some chocolate. :)

Well, my baby is fussing, so this will be short! Write soon! :)

Slowly Stitching

I have been slowly working on "Peppermint Lane."

I have been stitching so slow because I've been distracted by other things like trying to cut foam core board so I can frame something for a Christmas present. But since I can't cut in a straight line, I have finally given up after wasting three boards, and now I have decided to go to a frame shop to have them cut it. I should have just done that in the first place! Oh well, what can you do? :) Well, nothing else going on! Write soon!

Another Tiny Finish and Christmas Stitching

I finished up my Nov. Flip-it Bit today...

Now that all my fall stitching is done I have been getting my Christmas stitching in order. I have quite a few projects I'd like to get finished before then. I figure if I devote a week or less to each one then I think I can do it! First, I'd like to get my Flip-It Bit banner finished by getting "A bit of December" stitched.

Next I would like to finished up my other Lizzie Kate Project "Christmas is Forever."

I would also like to finish CCN "Peppermint Lane." Oops! I forgot to post that I had started this last month too. I went through a little closet startitis phase. :)

I'm stitching it on 32 ct. Maple Sugar. I only stitched a little bit and then thought I would put it away until Dec. I would also like to stitch this little freebie ornament by Blue Ribbon Designs called "A Star on Top."

Last, but not least, if I have time after all this I would like stitch "Christmas Tea" by Plum Street Samplers. I was going to stitch it last year, but ran out of time.

Do you think I can do it?? Maybe?? Write soon!

Peppermint Lane

(c) Nikki Leeman of Country Cottage Needleworks

I love this new design coming out by Country Cottage Needleworks! It's a must have and must stitch for me! I love everything about it - the colors are so sweet (no pun intended)! :)

Well, no stitching for me. I got an inner ear infection (my first ever - my mom gets them all the time), which caused me to get very bad vertigo, which caused me to be sick. Dh went to the store and got me some motion sickness medicine. Thankfully it helped. I'm still a little queasy, but I am doing much better.

I also messed up "Kindred Spirits." I didn't think the fabric looked right (dh said it looked like someone spilled orange Kool-Aid on it). So I decided to dye it a little darker. Well, I ended up dyeing it too dark. So then I decided to start over on a different piece of fabric (PTP Relic), but I didn't like that either. I hate it when I'm so picky! It drives me nuts. I should have just stuck with the original fabric because now that I look at the pictures again I see it looks fine. Oh well, I ended up ordering the recommended 40 ct. Days Gone By from Silkweaver. Hopefully I will get it fairly quick and then I can still get it stitched around Halloween.

For now I think I will get back to "Acorn Hill." Write later! :)

Sweet Treats Finished!

I finished up Sweet Treats today. Well, it's almost finished. I still have to sew on the buttons, but all the stitching is done.

Country Cottage Needleworks "Sweet Treats"
Fabric: 28 ct. Tea-Dyed Lugana
Threads: Crescent Colours
Started: 2/23/08 - Finished: 7/30/08

I did substitute one thread. I used Weeks Dye Works Bright Leaf instead of Crescent Colours Peanut Brittle. It was a little darker than the Peanut Brittle, which worked better for the fabric I used. Another change I made was I stitched the word "Tart" using the purple in that block instead of the blue. I just thought it showed up better. Well, now I just have to sew on the buttons and I'll really be done! :) Write later!

I'm Home!!

Yeah! I'm so glad to be back. I enjoyed myself for a couple days, but after that I was just ready to come home! I feel like Dorthy - "There's no place like home!"

Anyway, I ironed my "Needlework Shop" (sorry Wendy, I just had to do it!).

And here it is next to my "Tea Room"

Now I think I will finish up "Sweet Treats." I got the final thread pack in the mail while I was gone. And then I'll get back to my neglected LH neighborhood. :)

Write later!

Needlework Shop Finished!

I got it finished up last night! Please forgive the wrinkles, I don't have an iron where I am at!

Country Cottage Needleworks "Needlework Shop"
Fabric: 32 ct. Lambswool Jobelan
Threads: DMC
Started: 7/17/08 - Finished: 7/23/08

I met Deb today and we had a very nice lunch. Unfortunately, I had Matthew with me, so it could have been nicer (he was pretty good), but it was so nice to see her. I did get to go to the Golden Needle beforehand and got the new Shepherd's Bush "Sail Away" kit and some needles.

Well, I'm driving home tomorrow and can't wait! I will be glad to have a T.V. again and my internet (and see my hubby of course). I have been hanging out in the Panera Bread or the library parking lots using their wifi. I will be able to answer emails and comment - it's going to be nice! Write soon! :)

More Progress

I'm in Florida and I've been stitching a little bit. Here's my latest progress on "Needlework Shop."

And here's my latest progress on "LH Neighborhood."

Hopefully, I'll be able to find some time tonight to stitch! Write later! :)

Needlework Shop Restart

I started over on 32 ct. Lambswool Jobelan to match "The Tea Shop," which I stitched last year. I frogged the border about ten times on my restart. I should have took my friend Debby's advice and put it away until today. But I'm stubborn. Anyway, here's my progress next to my "Tea Room."

I'm going to Florida tomorrow. I should have internet (hopefully), so I'll update again down there!

Another Start?

I don't know what's wrong with me lately! I can't stop starting new projects! I started CCN "Needlework Shop" last night. I'm not crazy about the fabric. The feel reminds me of Heatherfield, and I don't like Heatherfield because it makes my hands sweat. I'm thinking of putting it on a Q-Snap, or choosing a different fabric. I'm strange, I know, but I can't help it! :)

Socks!

I decided to get my yarn and knitting projects organized. My yarn stash was worse than my stitching stash. I had some yarn here and some yarn there. So I got it all together and inventoried on Ravelry. What a great site. I wish there was something like that for cross stitching. So anyway I decided to finish up a pair of socks that I've been working on since 2005! I finally did it tonight!

Sally Melville's "Simple Socks" (with a few of my own changes)
Yarn: Trekking XXL Color #100
Started: 10/2/05 - Finished: 7/15/08

I also finished a scarf today, but it needs to be blocked, so I'll have a picture of that later! I did stitch a little on "Joyful Summer" last night and today...

I got the thread I was needing at my somewhat LNS yesterday. I also got some threads for the new designs coming out. :) Not that I'm excited or anything! :) Well, not much else going on here! Write later!

Wow!

My friend Debs sent me a wonderful package today!! She made me a beautiful floss tag using one of the motifs from LHN "Heart of America."

I absolutely love it Debs! I also love the scissors and the very nice card. Thank you so much!!

I also got a package from DSL today. Amy got in the new CCN pattern "Needlework Shop," so of course I couldn't resist that...

I also got the 28 ct. Natural Pearl linen that it called for. I have heard a lot of good things about it, so I thought I'd give it a try! :) The other thing I ordered was the new Just Nan "Sizzle" tin kit. I fell in love right when I saw it! It's so cute! :)

I did stitch on LH Neighborhood. I post an update on the LH Neighborhood SAL blog. I'm loving it! Speaking of LHN - have you all seen the new designs?? All Dolled up! They are must haves! Diane continues to design wonderful patterns, I love them all! :)

Another Start...

I think I may have a case of startitis! :) I started Joyful Summer yesterday to work on in between my LH Neighborhood. I'm going to wait to work on the Lizzie Kate Christmas Double Flips until the next set comes out so I can work from the bottom up, which is how I'm most comfortable stitching. Here's my little "Joyful Summer" Progress pic...

Joyful Summer - 28 ct. Summer Sky Jobelan using Crescent Colours and DMC

And here is my latest LHN pic...

I'm having so much fun stitching this one. I love the design, the fabric and the basic DMC threads.

Here's a carnation from the latest bunch I bought. I know carnations aren't roses, but they are still pretty. Especially the pink ones. There's something so simple and sweet about them. :)

Write later!

Two Finishes!

I had a very productive day yesterday! I went stitching at Keep Em in Stitches in Summerville. I met Teresa there, a girl I met at Amy's. We had a lot of fun! I definitely would like to go back again. While I was there I finished "Pie" the fifth block in the Sweet Treats series.

I also worked on "Quilting" and got it finished up last night after I got home...

Little House Needleworks "Quilting"
Fabric: 32 ct. Vintage Lentil
Threads: Crescent Colours
Started: 6/26/08 - Finished: 7/5/08

And of course I couldn't go to a cross stitch shop without picking up a couple of things. I got the first two patterns in the new Lizzie Kate Christmas Spirit Double Flips. I also got some fabric for it - 28 ct. Heritage Cashel. A new over-dyed linen. I really liked it in the store, but when I got home I wasn't too sure. So now I'm trying to decide which fabric to use. I put all my choices in a set. Please help me decide!!