An OLD project

I recently dug out a bunch of WIP/UFO's for the January challenge I posted about earlier and this was one of them. This is from a class I took almost 10 years ago! The class was with Sue Stokes of the Nutmeg Needle and it was called Duet of Hearts. There were 2 needlerolls. I finished the first one many years ago, but had only stitched about 20 stitches on this one before putting it down. I picked it up this week and finished the whole thing in about 3 days. Onto Thistle Accessories! Denise and Paula, want to join me an Nataly in a Thistle stitchalong????

LHN Snow white

As you know,  Carol and I got together last weekend.  It was a real treat to stitch with a friend and catch up.  I miss all of you!  We sat down and caught up for a bit and then whipped out our WIPS and low and behold we were working on the same project.  WHAT???  We couldn't believe it.  We had both chosen Snow White by LHN and I did mine on 32ct Blue Grass.  How fun was that!   Below is a pic of a baby sampler I just finished up for a friend of my mom's.  I still have to add the name and DOB but thought I would share it before I personalize it.  I will post a picture of Thistle Accesories before I start the stitch along with Carol (Denise and Paula, I hope you will join us) and then I will post a weekly update.  Right now I am trying to finish up Peacock Pinkeep.  My last stitch a long with Carol.  She finished and HMMMMM I didn't.  Ohhhhh the pressure. 

Snow White by Little House Needleworks

As soon as I saw this I had to have it. Instead of the suggested fabric I stitched it on 28 count blue wing, and I love it. The color isn't quite right in the picture, but you get the general idea. This one was on my January Challenge list, but since I finished it early I'll just add another!

Flipp'n Crazy January Challenge & Thistle Accessories Stitchalong

I don't know if any of you have heard about the Flipp'n Crazy January Challenge but I decided to give it a try. More info here: http://up4achallenge.blogspot.com/ The goal is to pick 15 projects that are ALREADY STARTED and FINISH them. OK, so finding 15 WIP/UFOs, no problem! I searched through all of my little hidey holes and came up with a bunch of projects in various stages of progress. I'm ready to go.

I talked to Nataly about it on Sunday and we decided to try to finish up our class projects from last year BEFORE this year's Celebration. So we're going to have a stitchalong starting the first week of January to work on Thistle Accessories. The plan is to work on it during the week and post our progress here on Sundays. Want to join us????

Small Finish

I decided I needed a 'portable' snip basket. I've been lusting after the cute little one that Denise has but since I couldn't remember where she got it I decided to do this quick little ORTS Baby Boxette from Susan Greening Davis. I used GA Peacock thread, and really like the way it came out. It only took a couple of hours to complete. Now I just have to get some brads!

Peacock Pinkeep progress

I finished the stitching on BBD Peacock Pinkeep, and the coordinating needle book. Really enjoyable stitching! I used the same colors for the needle book, although it suggested slightly different colors. Not sure when I'll get around to the finishing work on these, since I'd rather stitch than do finishing work. Looking forward to seeing Nataly's done up in different colors.

Slow progress on SAL!

Really slow progress. No time for stitching, blogging, or thinking.  I do like the color changes though. Carol, do the needlebook in the same colors of your pinkeep it will look great.  As for another SAL, I have to finish this one first, so count me out.

Stitchalong anyone?

Anyone interested in starting a new stitchalong when Nataly and I finish Peacock Pinkeep? I noticed that the Yahoo group will be starting the Little House Needleworks Family Sampler soon. Since most of us are LHN fans that might be a good one for us to do. OR, we could do a Scandinavian Stitches one! We all have some of those :-) Anyone interested?

Peacock Pinkeep progress

Nataly and I decided to do a stitchalong for Blackbird Designs Peacock Pinkeep (before Nataly got overwhelmed by back-to-schools things to do). I started working on it about 2 weeks ago, but have been seriously sidetracked by work for much of that time. Since it's such an easy stitch I did manage to get quite a bit done though, and may be able to finish it up this weekend. The alphabet band section is finished
Now I'm working on the peacock that goes on the top part


I haven't decided yet whether to do the needle book that's included. Although it has a peacock's head it uses completely different colors. I found a Shaker box in my stash (is anyone surprised?) that I might use to display it until I'm ready to tackle their assembly instructions later.

Nataly decided to do hers in actual peacock colors, instead of the unusual colors it calls for. Can't wait to see what that looks like (hint, hint, Nataly!)

Why don't some of you post some pictures of what you're working on?

Midnight Watch and SAL

This is the piece I was trying to finish at our Stitching Day.  I finally got it done and will most likely drop it off at the framer next week.  I enjoyed the colors and fabric but it was a labor intensive stitch.  I like a quick fix and this wasn't it.  Carol and I decided to do BBD peacock pinkeep as a SAL so if you guys have it and want to stitch it as well please join in.  Carol has the alphabet band finished and I haven't started yet.  I am trying to decided if I want to switch the threads colors after all has anyone seen a red peacock??  Anyways I posted a pic before I start and I will try to post once a week with progress. 

A couple of finishes

LHN June Sampler

LHN July Sampler

Lizzie Kate Green Flip-Its

Hi Everyone!  Sorry to miss our last stitching day.  I got tied up with family that I hadn't seen in a really long time and Dov threw me under the bus.  He volunteered my to take my cousins boys overnight so they could have more time with my boys.  I enjoyed my time with them but desperately needed my stitching day.  I hope everyone is doing well.  I would love to see pics of what you are working on.  I here Paula has some finishes and Denise I would love to see your tablecloth.  Cathy, what are you up to these days??  I know you decided on another stitching day, but I don't have the email anymore and in my absent mindedness I didn't write it down.  (menopause I think, that's my story and I'm sticking to it)  Please refresh my memory.  I hope to see all of you soon.

Singing the Blues by Little House Needleworks

This is the piece I started at our stitching day last Sunday (Was that only a week ago???). Fun, easy stitch. The colors on my piece look a lot more muted than they did in the chart photo, but I still like it. Paula, we're still waiting to see the pieces you finished last week!

Birdhouse Sampler by Prairie Schooler

This is the top part of the Birdhouse Sampler by Prairie Schooler. I always liked this one, but had no place to put it, so I decided to make it into a book cover for my Kindle. I didn't have room for the whole sampler so I cut out about a third of it and changed the bottom a bit to fit the area I had available.

Stash!

I decided a wonderful way to spend a steamy hot vacation day was to take a trip to ABC Stitch Therapy. What a beautiful shop! I can't believe the thread selection they have. You probably won't be surprised to hear that I bought a few things I hadn't planned, in addition to the things I was hoping to get there. Only 4 though :-) Frosty Flakes, Red House in Winter and Singing the Blues by Little House Needleworks and Hedgerow Birds Project Bag by Blackbird Designs (with the floss and fabric). Also bought some 36 count Iced Cappucino fabric for my Petit Sampling Etui. This is not the fabric it called for, but they didn't have 36 count pearled barley and I thought the Iced Cappucino was better anyway. Picked up several more Crescent Colors for the new projects and asked them not to tell me the total, so I still don't know how much I spent :-) Best vacation day so far!

Finally!

After almost 14 months, and more that 50 hours, I finally finished Mosaic Muse :-) Now I only need to quickly stitch 3 more samplers so I can catch up to Nataly! It took me almost 40 hours of griping and complaining before I finally bonded with the Mosaic stitch, but I'm now looking forward to starting the next chapter, which Nataly assures me is much easier. But before that, I'm going to indulge myself in one of the new projects that have been sitting on the back burner for awhile. I'm thinking about a few Olde Colonial Designs projects, specifically the Mending Box or Waste Knot, Want Knot.

Here is my latest finish.  I did the stitching pretty quickly but the ribbon rousching took awhile.  I think the more you do it the better you get at it.  This was a limited edition kit I got from lizzie kate.  It came with fabric and scissors but the scissors were so tiny I decided to stitch it over 1.  The end result is, as Carol would say, stinking cute!!

Hi Carol and Cathy,

How was stitching day?  What did you guys work on?  All I could think about was the fact that I was missing out!  I was quite a stinker about it too!!

This is another finish which I got back from the framer last week. It is La D Da's Lazy Alphabet. I did it on 36 count Flax linen with DMC floss. I loved the colors and the easy flow of the design. I thoroughly enjoyed stitching this.

Posting this one kind of late being that this is the last weekend in May. I received this in the mail after Celebrations so it took me a few days to stitch and then frame it. It is Little House Needleworks Monthly Sampler. I change the green to English Ivy because the other green was too light.

This is a journal cover that I stitched from a kit I found in my stash. I will now have a journal to write all of the things I "must" have for my stash. That is all I have finished for now. I have lots of WIPs to work on but won't get to any of them until after Celebrations. Boys are on vacation and I have my niece and nephew next week.

Here is the Indigo Rose needlecase that I took with Cathy and Carol. I have had the stitching portion done for a long time but I was afraid of the finishing work. Guess what, easy peasey!! I strongly recommend Catherine Strickler classes. The stitching was enjoyable and the finishing completely manageable.

Well, I was feeling guilty about taking classes again this year so I spent the rainy weekend finishing the 2 classes I took. This is pilgrim etui which came out really cute. Hard to take pictures of it so you will have to see it in person. I substituted thread rings where she had a scrim ruler because I didn't have a ruler that fit.

Hi Everyone! I know this isn't stitching related but I thought I would share this picture of Maycee with you. It was taken after we got days and days of rain. The sun was shining bright and it was a warm beautiful day. Miss Kitty jumped into the open window and gave her belly to the sun. She sat in that window all day. Ahhh!!! THE SUN oh how I love the sun.

Here is April Monthly Sampler from Little House Needlework. I finished it awhile ago but only recently got the picture out of the camera. I hope you are all happily stitching. I am looking forward to the end of the month. Celebrations here we come!

Celebrations Confirmation!!

I got my confirmation for Celebrations in yesterday's mail. Less than 3 weeks away!

LHN-Sampler of the Month-March

Well, we survived the Bar Mitzvah. The weather wasn't great but we had a great time anyways.

This is the only thing I have finished since our last stitching day but I thought I would post it since we are in March. These designs are so easy and quick to stitch it motivates me to keep on stitching.

I know this has nothing to do with stitching except this is what has been keeping me very busy. I saw these clear plastic pails and thought what a great favor they would make. I designed a label on the computer, added bling (hard to see in the photo) which are scrap book embellishments, some ribbon, tons of candy and VOILA! Austin's Bar Mitzvah party favors. Only problem I had to make 65 of them for all the friends he has invited. YIKES! Thank god my mom is coming to help.

Carol and I both completed this project together. The stitching was quick but I have been lazy with my finishing. I decided to make a matching scissor fob. I stitched part of the pattern over 1 and on the back I wanted it to look like fabric so I did a plaid pattern to match the design colors. I then finished if off with some bling(beads of course). I will bring it to stitching day so you can see it close up.

Well, I've started a series by Little House Needleworks called Monthly Samplers. Here is a close up view of January and One of February framed.. I Had them framed in an interchangeable frame so that I can change them as the months change. These are easy stitches and I am looking forward to stitching next month.

Oh what a fun project this was. Denise, Carol, and I couldn't resist this debut kit from Olde Colonial Designs when we were at Celebrations in the fall. It stitched up really quick and I decided enough, get to it and finish the silly thing. Well, it was far easier than I thought and it actually came out really, really cute. Love it!

Winter Wingding by Blue Ribbon Designs. Really tough to photograph because the alphabet doesn't show up.. One of the problems with overdyed thread, some areas get too light. In hind sight I probably should have done something different for the letters.

Cranberry Sampler with lots of modifications. I took out the alphabet because I didn't like the size of the sampler--too big! I then substituted some overdyed threads and changed the bog color.

I have a few finishes to post. I haven't been to the framer yet but decided that I better post them because I will probably never get to the framer. This is Bent Creek's Branch Series. Hard to photograph but really cute.