Stash and Progress

I got my order from Joann's yesterday!  I love all my new goodies.  My Ott-Lite is coming separately, hopefully today.  I'm hoping it's a good light.  I will let you all know when I get it.  I'm hoping it will be a good light to take on vacation with me.

My favorite thing that came are these Pewter Gingher Scissors.

I have a little progress pic on CaHRH block 6 to share...

Not a huge difference from yesterday, but this picture is better.  I have found that taking a picture in my light box (I use my Daylight stitching light for the light source over the box) is better than taking one outside.  I get more accurate color doing it that way.  Anyway, I hope to get finished with the house and get started on the sky today and hopefully I'll be finished with this block by this weekend.  I plan to move up to block 3 and then go over to block 5, then 2, etc.  Since I stitch in hand I figure there will be less handling of the actual sampler if I do it this way.  Another thing I've decided to go back to with my silks is Floss-A-Way bags.

I found that they were getting really tangled on the Thread Drops and thus wearing them down.  I will still use the Thread Drops for my cottons, but I think putting the silks in the bags will cut down on wear and tear.

Well, thank you all for your very kind comments yesterday!  Write soon!

I have been working on CaHRH quite a bit this week. Here is my progress on block 6.

40 ct. Vintage Examplar, NPI (1 over 2)

I have also been working on Jenny Bean's Christmas Sampler in the car while waiting for my sons to get out of school.

40 ct. Maple Sugar, GAST (1 over 2)

I love Glenna's latest post about "Sampling Samplers." That's such a good phrase for what I do often! I have many things I have started just to "sample" them. In fact I decided to sample a sampler that I had once started a long time ago. I started this sampler when Matthew was a baby. I decided I just couldn't stitch it, that is was too big and the 40 ct. was just too hard for me at the time. I put it away and then I ended up cutting the linen and selling the pattern. Well, it's been a few years, Matthew is older, I've grown used to 40 ct. and large samplers, so I decided to tackle this big project again. I'm talking about "And They Sinned" by Examplars From the Heart.

40 ct. Elegant Bean from Elegant Stitch, GAST (1 over 2)

Ack! As I was typing this my ds just spilled my coffee on the sampler and some of the threads. I quickly rinsed it in cold water and it seems to fine. Thankfully the threads didn't run. And I guess it's pretty good I got Elegant Bean fabric, which is dyed using coffee, so a little more coffee on it isn't going to hurt it. What a mess. Thankfully, it turned out ok! Well, I'd better try to dry it now. Write soon! :)

CaHRH Progress and a New Start

I ended up starting block 6 of CaHRH the other day.  Here is my progress on it...

You'll have to excuse the wrinkles.  I think my silk was fuzzing up from ironing it so much, so I have decided not to iron it again until I'm finished. 

My new start for the New Year is Plum Street Samplers "A Sweeter Love."  I tried to talk myself out of it because I have so many wips, but it didn't work!! :)

I have just a small start on it because I spent most of the day trying to decide which linen to use.  I finally went with 40 ct. Examplar.  I'm using NPI silks 1 over 2. 

Thank you all for your very kind comments on my 2009 finishes.  Again, I hope you all have a very Happy New Year! :)

Happy New Year!

Here is a slideshow of my stitching accomplishments for 2009.  My goal for 2010 is to get more things framed!!

I hope you all have a very happy and safe New Year's Eve!  And a very Happy New Year too!! :)

Home from Florida!

Hi Everyone!  I hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas.  We sure did!  We went down to Florida last Saturday (12/19) and just got back on Sunday.  Before we left my dh brought in a box and told me it was a microwave for his parents.  I thought it was a little strange because I know they have a microwave, but didn't really think too much of it.  We let the boys open their presents early (Nintendo DSIs) for the trip.  After that my dh asks if I'd like to open my present.  I was very confused - I told him not to get me anything!  He then says the big box is really for me.  I was so shocked!  I was even more shocked when I opened it and found just what I'd been hoping for, but never in a million years thought I would actually get.

Vera Bradley Mini Laptop Case

Acer Netbook

I'm loving it!  It was perfect for our trip.  I also got spoiled by my parents and in-laws.  My dad got me a Jo-Ann's gift card, which is already gone.  I got some pewter Gingher scissors, a battery operated travel Ott-Lite, two of these French General Journal Sets (one for me and one for my mom) and couple other things like needles and threaders.  

I got just a tiny bit of stitching done.  I haven't stitched since last Sunday (12/19), so I'm really going through withdrawals.  I got block #7 finished on CaHRH, so I'm halfway done with it now!

I also had a package waiting for me when I got home.  The last ornament from the exchange I was in.  This one is from Chris.  It's so pretty!  Thank you again Chris! :)

Well, now I have to decide what I want to stitch.  I'm thinking of working on block #6 on CaHRH or maybe getting back to Paradise Lost.  It doesn't really matter - I just need to get stitching!! :)  Write soon!

Gifts from Friends!

I received another wonderful ornament in the mail recently. This one was from Karen (AZ). She stitched it over one on hand-dyed linen! It's just beautiful! And finished beautifully too!

She also included a couple of goodies! There was a chocolate bar, but the kids ate it before I could take a picture. Thank you Karen! I love everything!

I went to Amy's yesterday for a little Christmas get together. We exchanged gifts and also an ornament.

Amy gave us all one of these cute gift card holders that she made into a needle and scissor holder. I just love it! I added the scissors and threader.

There were also candy canes with this, but once again my kids ate them before I could take a picture! :)

For our gift exchange I got Amy. You can see what I gave her on her blog. Myra (no blog) got my name and she got me a Brenda Keyes chart "The Contented Mind" and this very nice lantern. I just love it!

Karen (SC) got my ornament and I got hers.  She stitched a design from the new Blackbird Designs book.

Here it is on the tree...

I just love it Karen!  Amy was originally going to get this ornament, but at t he last minute Amy told Karen to let me chose between the two she had.  Well, I just couldn't resist this one.  I felt so bad after the fact though, so I have promised Amy that I will make her one!! :) Karen also made these sweet little fobs for everyone.  She is so talented!

I have been stitching a little bit.  I have been working on block seven of CaHRH and I also started something new - Prairie Schoolers Christmas Alphabet (pictures are in my flickr album).  I'm loving it, but I had to put it aside for a little bit because I started working on a model for Lisa, designer of The Primitive Needle.  I'm determined to get it finished before we go to Florida again next Saturday.  Wish me luck!

Gifts from Shelleen and Ruth!

I received two great packages from Shelleen and Ruth recently.   The first is Shelleen's.  She stitched an adorable penguin ornament for me....

And here are the goodies she added to the package....

Ruth stitched two ornaments for me!  They are both so sweet!

The pink flamingos were a joke within our exchange group.  Chris said that she would like anything, but pink flamingos for her ornament.  Of course she got pink flamingos! :)

Here are the extras Ruth included....

Thank you to both Ruth and Shelleen for your great packages!  I will cherish the ornaments always! :)

CaHRH Block Eight Finished!

I was determined to get this block finished yesterday.  I was so determined I stitched until I poked a hole in my finger.  I hate it when that happens!  And it's not the normal poke in my finger from the point of the needle.  That finger has callused so much that it's no big deal when that happens.  It's when the back of the needle pokes into the side of my finger, which is not callused.  I have a bandaid on it now, but it still hurts when I stitch.  Maybe it's a sign that I just need to spend today cleaning instead of stitching! :)  Especially since my in-laws may be dropping by sometime this weekend on their way back from New York.  

Anyway, here is my pic of a completed Block Eight...

And here is the whole thing...

I did make a few changes - I made the eyes and backstitch on the face dark brown and I made the lady's hair a little darker.  Other than that it's all as charted.  Well, I guess I'd better get cleaning!  Write soon! :)

CaHRH Block Eight Progress

I've been stitching away on block eight of Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow when I realize I'm using the wrong green for the lady's dress!  

The correct green is on the right, the wrong green on the left.  You can see how much I've already done in her skirt and sleeve.  The problem is the symbols for the greens are so similar.  There is a white "8" in the lighter green, but it's not showing up on the chart.  It's just showing up as a white dot.  So it looks like I'll be spending some time frogging today.

Here is a picture of the whole thing so far...

Write soon! :)



Edited to add: I took out the dark green and put the lighter green in. I was going to leave it, but then my anal, picky side took over and I had to take it out! :)

My Tree

I put up my tree up yesterday.  The kids were so happy when they got home from school.  I didn't put one up last year because we were going down to Florida for Christmas.  Well, we are going again this year, but I decided to do it anyway because Bradley was so disappointed last year. 

I have been stitching on block eight of CaHRH.  I'll probably take a picture later today.  I finished the man caroler and now I'm working on the lady.  Write soon! :)