I'm here!

Well, it's Celebration of Needlework weekend. I am so excited to spend time with friends new and old. I am taking several classes, plan to do some (maybe lots) shopping and of course stitch to my hearts content.   Wish you all could be here to share in the fun. I'll update you on my classes and stash enhancements. Happy Stitching!

Diamond Quilt Block #2 and #3

I haven't been doing a whole lot of personal stitching recently.  I have been working on model stitching which I can't share yet.  I did manage to get Block 2 and 3 finished while at baseball practice for the boys.  This design is by Handblessings and there will be a total of 12 blocks.  I love the colors but this picture isn't a great reflection of the colors.  We are getting over a couple of very rainy days but hey it wasn't snow so I think it's fine.  Besides, no better excuse to stitch than rainy days.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting my corner of the world.  Happy Stitching!

Here they are -- New Foster Furbabies

Rusty (a.k.a. Miss Kitty) with Oscar

Sparticus and Penney

Sparticus in action

Marty

Pebbles

We are having an absolute blast with these furballs.  They were born on St. Patrick's Day so they are just over 4 weeks old.  They are lots of fun because they are just starting to move about. The pictures aren't great because they move around so much but you can catch a small glimpse at their furry cuteness.  The boys took the liberty of naming them and the names just fit.  Not a lot of time for stitching but hopefully next post will be stitching related.  Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Stitching!

Stitched With Love Spring/Easter Exchange

I recently participated in Lainey's Stitched with Love Spring Exchange and Shannon sent me a wonderful package of goodies. She sent me not one, but two hand stitched items for spring decorating.  Her finishing is perfect and the colors are so cheerful.  I also received lots of finishing items that I will put to good use.  Thank you so much Shannon.

Here is a pic of what I sent my partner Catherine.  I love putting these packages together and I received word from Catherine that she was happy with what she received.  That makes it all the more fun.

I stitched Blackbird Designs Wild Lilies on 32ct Autumn Bluch using a combination of GAST, Crescent Colours and DMC.  I also made some glass beaded pins to coordinated with her pin pillow.  This was a fun stitch and I really enjoyed it.  I am selling the pins sets in a variety of colors and beads if you are interested just shoot me an email and I can fill you in on the details.  Have a great day and Happy Stitching!

A Couple of Small Finishes

Just a quick post to share my March and April Year of Smalls finishes.  Of course, the stitching is done but the finished product won't happen for a bit.  The first is BBD Pins and Needles.  I stitched it over one on miscellaneous fabric in my stash.  I thought it was 32ct but I have a feeling it was 36ct because it came out much smaller than I anticipated.  I plan to make it into a pin pillow.

The second finish is what i substituted for the April small.  I didn't like that months selection so I decided to go stash diving and came upon this cutie.  It is the Cat Sampler by the Goode Huswife.  Too cute!!  My problem, what happened to the letters A,B, and J.  UUUGGGHHHH.  An incomplete alphabet. My plan is to frame it using a houndstooth wool as the background.  We'll see what I can come up with.  My fabric stores are limited so I may have to use what I can find.

The weather here has been steller although no rain means it's very dry!!  All of the trees are in bloom, and some of my perrenials are made their way to the surface and bloomed.  I have spent the last 4 days doing yard clean-up, gardening and pruning the many fruit trees.  We also took in a new foster family.  An orange tabby named "Rusty" (really, that didn't fit so I call her Miss Kitty) and her 5 most adorable little bundles.  There are 3 boys (1 orange tiger and 2 buff colored tigers) and 2 girls (both torties).  They have been rather shy because of their circumstances so no pics yet but I promise to have them soon.  I hope you have a wonderful day and fit some stitching time in.

Stitcher's ADD continues

Well, as you can see I still haven't been able to focus on a single project.  I have 3 new starts with really good intentions.  I hope I can finish something soon. 

Mirabilia Garden Pixie- Lilac

--gift for mom

Emmanuel stitched on 36ct Attic Lace with recommended silks

--SAL with Ellen

Elizabeth Mears reproduction sampler

36ct Lt Sand with NPI silks

On Friday night we went to my inlaws for a passover seder.  Below are pictures of the seder plate as well as the table set for 17.  We had a good time and the kids enjoyed hunting for the afikomen.  My little one was the winner. I have been reading about all of the wonderful ways that everyone celebrates Easter.  Thanks for sharing.

 I wanted to let all of you know that Rio found her forever home on Saturday and all the kittens are doing well in their new homes.  We have started the baseball madness and I have been running here, there and everywhere.  Unfortunately, last Tuesday I had someone run into my car.  I understand everyone is busy and in a hurry but had this person just slowed down a little I wouldn't  have $4,000 worth of damage on my car.  I was completely frustrated by it.  Oh well, at least no one was hurt.  That's the most important bit. Well, off I go with the car pool.  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Stitching!

WIPocalypse Update- April

Well, my attention span hasn't been great this month.  I have been jumping around from project to project and can't seem to stay focused on any of them.  I worked on these three WIPs this month.  None of it lead to a finish but maybe if I keep jumping around by the end of the year I might have them all finished. Yeah, right.  The first pic is Petit Etui - Block one is finished. The second picture is the appliqued part of the biscornu with some of the top stitched. The biggest challenge for me was attaching the applique. With that out of the way I can push forward with the rest of the stitching.  By the way, does anyone know what happened to this wonderful designer, Catherine Stickler??  She is an amazingly talented individual and I haven't seen her at Celebration in a couple of years.

This last photo has the most work done.  I finished 2 blocks and I am half way through the 3 block.  I love the colors and it has lots of springtime motifs so it has been enjoyable to work on.  I hope that by next months WIP check in it will be on the finish list.  Here's hoping.

On the kitten front, we have found homes for 2 out of 3.  Jewel and Eva went to their forever homes yesterday and poor little Rio meowed ALL night long and most of today.  I feel really bad so I have been keeping her close and trying to reassure her that everything is okay.  She is a love and I am sure we will have her placed in a forever home soon.  Thanks for stopping by and I wish all of you a Happy Passover and Happy Easter or just plain Happy Spring.  Whatever you have planned for the weekend I hope you enjoy yourselves.

Home from the Framers

This year I have been trying to minimize stash enhancement and work through my WIPs.  I have been doing pretty well although I do occassionally come across a chart or two that I MUST have.  The reason I am doing that is because I have a lot of unframed finishes stacked in a draw that really need to see the light of day.  I recently had these two framed and will hopefully be able to do a couple more next month.  the first is a Plum Street Design that I put in a basic black frame and the one below is Bent Creek Spring Snapperland, a recent WIP finish and thought wow, just in time for spring.

Here is a close up of the frame.  It is very antique looking and has beautiful scroll work in the moulding.  I have used this one before and love it.

I have been busy with spring cleaning and spring activities, baseball and such.  I did sneek in a Stitching Day with my Celebration girls last weekend and we had a blast.  I can always count on them to make me laugh until my belly aches no matter what I might be going through.  I had a tough week and needed the company of friends.  Thanks girls!!

I'll leave you with a pic of my girl Daisy.  She is just too cute and a love.  We are enjoying our springtime walks together and she loves just laying out in the sun on our deck.  Ah the life of a dog.  I chose this picture because this enormous dog loves the smallest of toys.  I fill her toy basket up with a variety of toys but she always digs deep to find the wee little ones.  Here she has a squeeky frog in her mouth and carries it around everywhere.  Too funny!

Well, back to work.  I have pins and needlebooks to make, pictures to take (WIP update), food to cook (for Passover) and kittens to tend to (they had spay surgery yesterday) as well as carting the boys around this afternoon.  I hope you all have a wonderful day and I thank you for stopping by.

Happy Stitching!