Nataly's Needle Creations

And the winners are . . .

2012-03-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

Wow, how wonderful that I had so many people enter my giveaway! The winner of the Initial Scissors fob is
Jo who can't think of a clever nickname! Congrats Jo. I was so happy to have so many entries and truly wish I could send each of you a set a pins but there just aren't enough hours in my day. I did decide to increase the number of winners to 10 and will host another giveaway soon!! So ladies, here are the winners:
Moonbeam (Bobbi)
Pat Matejcak
Jan
Mouse
Maggee
Nicola
Stitching Cat
Joyce (Happy Birthday)
Calamity Jr
DonnaTN

Congratulations. Please email me your snail mail address so that I can send them out as soon as I make them. Thank you all for entering and stay tuned for another giveaway soon!

Hola!!

2012-02-29T11:34:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone, I'm back. I took a break and jetted off to Riviera Maya, Mexico with my husband. It was a business trip, sort of. He was treated to this vacation for being a top reseller for a company he works with. It was a lavish vacation with ALL expenses paid which made it even better. We had quite an adventure and I even crossed something off my bucket list. I know, too young to have a bucket list but I have a list of things I want to do and one was to zip-line in the jungle canopy. CHECK! As you can see from the picture below, Cosmo was not having it. He slept in my packed bag for 3 days before we left. Poor baby! Sorry buddy, no trip to Mexico for you.

Take me with you!

The all inclusive resort, Dreams Riviera

Ocean view room

Pool and Bar area just steps away from the beach

The beach

Shopping in Playa De Carmen

Zip-line into a Cenote

Sunset over the Jungle

I have never stayed at an all-inclusive resort. It really reminds me of a cruise except you are on land. We had daily excursion options, activities at the resort, several restaraunts to choose from and lots of umbrella drinks. We had a great time snorkeling, mini boat tour in the mangroves, ziplining the jungle canopy, shopping in Playa, swimming in the ocean, and great entertainment. Germany's next top model filmed a fashion show during our stay and they had a great comedian, Steve Zimmerman perform one night. The weather was a balmy 82 degrees every day. AAAhhhhhhh! So with all that being said, we are expecting some snow here today but I will kick back and ponder the wonderful time we had. The only stitching that I accomplished was LK Life's a Beach. I thought it was perfect for our trip. I stitched it over one on the fabric provided with the recommended flosses. Easy!

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the drawing for a beaded scissor fob with your intial and I am also giving away 5 sets of beaded counting pins. If you haven't added your name it's not too late. I will draw the names tomorrow but you must leave a comment on the previous post. Thanks for stopping by and as always Happy Stitching!!

Gifties for Friends and Giveaway

2012-02-20T13:50:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share with all of you a couple of gifts I made for friends/followers. I made this scissor fob for Chris of Tot Hill Farm Stitches when she won a blog contest. I included lots of black and white themed items and made a co-ordinating scissor fob for her.

These are glass beaded counting pins that I made for Teresa of Heartfelt Stitches. I had sent her the Kitty Quilt charts and made these pins for her. Her favorite color is pink and she loves hearts so I thought she would enjoy these.

So, in the spirit of giving I have decided to make an initial scissors fob for 1 lucky follower as well as 5 sets of counting pins for 5 lucky followers. Since March is a big birthday month in our family I will draw names on March 1st. Here's what you need to do. Become a follower, and leave a comment telling me you would like to enter. I would love for you to post it on your blog to spread the word. Do leave your favorite color in your post and be sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner. Good Luck and Happy Stitching!

Love and Friendship Exchange

2012-02-19T07:58:00.000-05:00

This month I participated in the Stitched with Love Exchange that Lainey organized. I love exchanges! Shopping for just the right things, stitching up something sweet and sharing it with a new friend. Well, I have to say I was so delighted with the exchange I received. It was completely thoughtful and everything I received was something I would buy for myself. Carolyn did a fabulous job and I LOVE the little pillow she made for me. Thank you so much Carolyn.

The gifties I received all beautifully wrapped.

My new treasures

Carolyn sent me the pillow she made, the new LK kit, new DD heart scissors, thread, beads, lovely fabric, hershey kisses, and a wonderful book titled Words for friends to live by. I love it all!!

Here is a picture of what I sent to my partner Jackie. Unfortunately she doesn't have a blog but Lainey said she loved her gifties.

Here is a better picture of the pillow I stitched for her. It is a Bent Creek design called February glows. I made it into a pin pillow and attatched heart lace to it. I included some Puntini Puntini pins to go with it.

I hope everyone that participated in the exchange had as much fun as I did.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you are all getting in lots of stitching time.

Goodies in the Mail

2012-02-16T07:19:00.001-05:00

Nancy, from Pickle Barrel Designs sent me these charts and they are great. Love letter is her newest kit and it comes with all of the Sullivan's floss to stitch it. I have never used Sullivans and I can't wait to give it a try. She is currently hosting a giveaway on her blog for this kit, so hop on over and leave a comment on her blog post. Good Luck!

The weather here is dreary. We are expected to have a couple hours of sunshine before rain moves in again. I'll just keep popping my Vitamin D because there is no way I am getting enough from sunlight. We are watching a potential storm for the weekend but it looks like the mid-atlantic will get a direct hit. I hope its just rain, although the kids would love snow.

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!

Sturbridge Box Progress

2012-02-15T07:57:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday was the second installment of the Sturbridge Box Stitcherama with Thea of Victoria Sampler. The above picture is my progress before class started and the picture below is what I have finished so far. I really concentrated on the webcast because it went over the finishing of this lovely box.

I found all of it a little overwhelming and lost my stitching mojo on this project for a couple of days. But I am forging forward because I DO NOT want another WIP/UFO in my stitching basket. I have french knots to add to the vine and the box top is done. There are four sides to the box to stitch and a scissor keep and fob. If I have enough thread left I will stitch a small pincushion with the quilt motifs you see on the cover.

I did make a small change. The top had a partial alphabet and I am not fond of using partial alphabets, as much as I love an alphabet on a sampler. I changed it to read Sturbridge Village and I like the way it turned out. It will give people some idea of what the design is although it does look like a typical New England town.

I enjoyed the Stitcherama. It's the perfect setting for learning something new when you can't sneak away to a retreat. Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful day! Happy Stitching!

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T19:34:00.000-05:00

This morning I woke to this! Do you see it?? The tree branches formed to make a heart. The sky was a beautiful brilliant blue. I told my hubby that I made this valentine especially for him. Do you think he bought it?? I hope you have all had a wonderful day and that you are surrounded by love not just today but everyday.

Designer Spotlight

2012-02-10T08:37:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share with you that Nancy from Pickle Barrel Designs has started her blog back up. You can visit her blog here. Hop on over to give her a blogger "welcome back". I have stitched one of her designs, Capecod Summer and admired many others, like Under the boardwalk and Into the woods to name a couple. Off to work on the Sturbridge Box, thanks for stopping by.

WIPocalypse February Update

2012-02-07T20:25:00.000-05:00

Wow, a whole month has zipped right by. Here are the WIPs I worked on this month. The 1st is Bent Creek's Spring Snapperville. Sorry about the bad photo but it won't see an iron until it is finished. I have a little more of the border to stitch and some buttons to add. I will be happy to have another WIP finish before the end of February. The other project that I worked on was the Petit Etui block 1. I finished the Queen stitched flowers and some of the over 1 stitching in the center. I have the over 1 alphabet and two specialty bands left on the top.

For tonight, it's back to model stitching! I have enjoyed visiting all of the WIPocalypse blogs and viewing everyone's progress. Happy Stitching!

Victoria Sampler Stitcherama

2012-02-06T16:44:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend filled with stitching and football. Back in November I signed up for The Sturbridge Box by Thea of Victoria Sampler. It was a Stitcherama which means live webcast. Not only do you get wonderful teaching videos but Thea is available to answer questions through a chat box. I got my kit about a month before the class and did most of the prework which is sorting threads, basting, pulling threads and cross stitching. She has us save the specialty stitches for class. I love this project and had to stitch it because I have chaperoned 3 of my 4 boys on a class trip to Sturbridge. Funny how I have to justify taking another class by finding a personal connection to it. Here are pictures of the kit with fabrics and the prework before I took the class. I haven't had a chance to take a pic of the progress I made over the weekend. I will most likely post that towards the end of the week as part 2 of the class is this coming Saturday.

I spent yesterday cooking all kinds goodies for the Super Bowl Game. I made a chili dip, veggies with dip, cocktail meatballs, and mini dogs. We had a great time snacking and watching the game. It's hard to get everyone in the same room at the same time so I just enjoyed being surrounded by my family to take in a football game. To bad the Patriots lost, but they played a great season and all of the players should be proud to have made it that far. I think the game was well played by both teams and a few missteps led to a victory for the Giants. I hated seeing the Patriots players hanging their heads and beating themselves up over the loss. Not necessary since we enjoyed watching them play, right. My heart goes out to Wes Welker who took his ball drop so seriously. I am sure it will haunt him for a while. Better luck next year!! And besides, the Red Sox will be playing soon enough.

Happy Stitching!

Little House Needlework finishes

2012-02-02T08:35:00.000-05:00

In my previous post, I had said that I had a weekend of finishing. Here are the ornaments that I finished for shop models. Finishing can be such a process. I don't have a designated area to do crafting so I have to set up a table, pull all the finishing stuff out (fabric, trims, stuffing, sewing machine, pins, glue, mat board etc) and then get busy. Sometimes that process can get in the way of creativity. Do you ever find yourself thinking, oh I have the perfect fabric for that, or the perfect button for that? And then, off you go into your stash hunting for it. You know it's somewhere. In your mind, you know you put it away for safe keeping, but where! Well, as you can see, a process. Once that is done, I have to haul it all back to where it came from. That is the number one reason why I save many stitched things for a finishing day. Here are the results.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Stitching!

Kitten Update and a Finish

2012-01-31T10:46:00.000-05:00

Good News! All of the foster kitties have found their forever homes. Daisy was placed in a home with a young boy who recently lost his adult cat. It was a surprise gift from his dad and I know he will be greatly surprised. Jordan (aka Moses) and Oliver (aka Dexter) were a adopted by a wonderful young couple who also lost their adult cat due to cardiac arrest. Sometimes in this process, I don't see the connection with the kittens and the potential adoptive family but in this case I was pleasantly surprised. The husband and wife sat on the floor and 1 cat went to each of them and cozied right up. The connection was so evident that I knew they were a match. She has sent me wonderful emails and pics since the adoption and told me the kittens are inseperable. I am so happy they will be together in a loving home.

I spent the weekend doing some finishing. I made 5 ornaments and 2 pillows. The Ornaments I will post at a later date and the other pillow is for a swap which can't be revealed yet. That being said, that leaves this tooth fairy pillow. My mom had asked me to make this for a friends daughter because she saw the one I made for my niece. It is a design by Lizzie Kate. I added a small heart shaped felt pocket to hold the tooth and ultimately the token from the tooth fairy. I hope she likes it.

In a recent trip to Michaels, looking for DMC thread that they didn't have, I found these packets of assorted trims in the clearance section. They were 50% off and I got them for .75 cents each. They are great for doing some finishing and I loved the colors. Besides, who doesn't love a bargin.

Well, back to stitching! I hope you all have a wonderful week. Happy Stitching!

A Couple of Finishes

2012-01-26T20:48:00.000-05:00

I have finished LHN Poinsettia House. I am participating in the 2012 Year of Smalls SAL and this had alot more stitching than I expected. It looks like a quick stitch but I did take up some time. Below is a picture of the next small for February. It is called Garden of Love by Citrouilles Designs. I have looked at this several times and decided it was meant to be when it was selected for the SAL. I ordered the kit from Cathy at Inspired Needle. It came packaged up in lovely Valentine's Day attire. Too cute and almost too pretty to open. But none the less, I will tear into the pretty package and start a new small.

The second finish is a design by Cross eyed Cricket called Down to the Sea. It is stitched on 32ct Lamb's Wool. This took some time to stitch up because of my own issues with boredom. All that WHITE! and then the 5 sailors pants were all the same, just blue then white, then Blah Blah Blah. I do like the way it turned out but I am happy to have this as a finish and out of the way.

The weather here has been a bit crazy. We had 6 inches of snow on Saturday. Tuesday reached 60 degrees and I had the car windows down, and today flurries, sleet, and then rain, rain, rain. The temps are supposed to go up again. Well back to my stitching chair now that the kids are in bed. I hope you have all had a good week and as always, Happy Stitching!

New Foster Furbabies

2012-01-20T18:59:00.000-05:00

This week has been a busy one. I got a call from the animal shelter 1 day after adopting out the last cutie pies to see if I would be willing to take in 3 furbabies that were coming out of their spay/neuter operations. Of course I said yes. They are from 3 different litters but seem to be adjusting to each other.

This is Jordan! He is a long haired Grey and White Tuxedo. He is a spitfire! Wild, Wild, Wild. He was found under a car in the parking lot of the shelter. His whiskers had been singed by someone. He is slowly opening up to us but is very possessive of food and toys. I also think he was taken away from his mom to early and wasn't weaned properly because he keeps rooting in my hair for a nipple. Poor little guy!

This is Oliver. I wonderful Orange male Tiger. He is very loving and purrs constantly. He is the last of a litter and may have been overlooked because he is reserved. He is going to make a wonderful lap kitty for someone.

This is Daisy. I was told that she is a munchkin. She is 5 months old and smaller than the other 2 kitties. She has short legs, a smushy face and little ears. At first I thought she was quite strange looking, but her personality makes up for that by a mile. She loves to be held but doesn't like Jordan's barrage of hyperactivity. She acts like a Queen and I imagine if she could talk she would have a British Accent. Look at those beautiful Gold colored eyes. She was left on the shelter doorstep in a box. Really people! It's cold out!

I hope they find homes quickly so they can get lots of loving! I imagine that they may have been Holiday gifts and not wanted by the recipients. So very sad. My job is to nurture them until they can be placed in a loving home and that is exactly what I plan to do. Happy Weekend and Happy Stitching!

New Release from the Drawn Thread

2012-01-18T15:14:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day. It is bright and sunny here today although the temps are on the cold side. Cynthia Zittel of The Drawn Thread released 3 new designs yesterday. One of them was The Butterfly Garden which is a model I stitched for her last month. I thoroughly enjoyed this design. The colors are beautiful and vibrant. It was a cheerful piece and I loved seeing the garden come to life. It is on the long side so the pictures aren't great but if you visit her website you can see the framed piece which is stunning. Thanks Cynthia for another fabulous design!

Thanks for stopping by and as always Happy Stitching!

Kitten Update

2012-01-17T08:31:00.000-05:00

We have found forever homes for the last 3 kittens that we were fostering. These little guys were wonderful and will bring lots of joy to the families that adopted them. Each time I walked into the room they would all start purring and greeted me with kitten love. I really enjoyed them while they were here and will miss their playfulness. These have been the friendliest bunch of kittens. I loved sitting with them, they would all clammer onto my lap and purr in contentment. Aaaahhh the joy they brought. Enjoy your new homes babies.

Baby

Frisky

Smiley

Poinsettia House progress

2012-01-16T14:18:00.000-05:00

Last week flew by, we woke to a couple of inches of snow one morning and I snapped this picture on my way out the door. We haven't had any real snow to speak of but the boys were out sledding at 6:30am before they went off to school. It was a very picturesque morning. Daisy got her fair share of snow flakes.

I haven't had lots of time for stitching but I did get to start Poinsettia House over the weekend and I love it. I am using the recommended threads on 40ct Natural linen. With enough stitching time this would stitch up quickly, problem is I am busy carting boys around to sports and MD appointments. I hope to get back to it this week.

The weather has been chilly these last couple of days and the boys are hoping to get some ice to skate on. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because they all have cabin fever. Happy Stitching!

WIPocalypse Update

2012-01-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

I managed to finish one of my WIPs and made small progress on another. My finish is Val's Itty Bitty Quilt Club. I love all of the colors in this one. I redesigned one of the blocks to better suit me. Can you guess which one??

The next one I worked on was Petit Etui Chart 1. I did some of the queen stitches and worked on the flowers. I had also outlined the house originally and ended up frogging it. There was just something I didn't like. And guess what, it was that.

I have a feeling that the WIPocalypse will keep my momentum going on my works in progress. I am enjoying seeing all of the projects people are working on and starting. Thanks for sharing with me. Up next, Poinsettia House. Happy Stitching everyone.

First finishes of 2012

2012-01-04T18:40:00.001-05:00

Although small, I did manage to finish 2 LHN Ornaments for shop models.

LHN Joy and Peace
30ct WDW Straw Linen
CC, GAST, and DMC threads

LHN Winter Forest
30ct WDW Cocoa
DMC threads

I have also been working on my WIPs and will post progress on those January 9th which is the full moon. I have also decided to join in on 2012 Year of Smalls SAL. I came across this blog by delightful accident and it was fate because I had the first project already kitted in my stash. I think this will be a great break from WIPs and fulfill my need to have some new starts this year. The first project is Poinsettia House by LHN and I plan to stitch it on 40ct to make it a little smaller. Lots of exciting things to start 2012, just wish I could get over this miserable head cold. Thanks for taking the time to visit and as always, Happy Stitching!

Kitty pics as promised!

2012-01-01T19:19:00.000-05:00

Meet our new foster furbabies! They were born 10-3-11. A litter of 6 strays - 5 Orange Tiger males and 1 black female. The Black kitten and the 2 kittens pictured in the second picture have already found their forever homes. Now, we will love and nuture the last three until they can be placed. They are AWESOME! They freely give love right back. What a great way to start the New Year!

Smiley, Frisky and Baby found a cozy spot to nap

Cutie and Fluffy have already been adopted and went to their forever home

Happy 2012!!

2012-01-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

Well, just a fly by post to wish all of you a Happy New Year! Celebrated in Boston last night with a wonderful parade! Had some Chinese food with family and headed home to watch the ball drop in New York. But that isn't what I have been busy with. We got a new set of foster kittens :)) They are adorable. They came to us on Friday. Five handsome Orange tigers. Too cute for words. I have already adopted out 2 of them and hope to find homes for the other 3 soon. I will try to get a picture posted later. Happy New Year everyone and I hope your year is filled with many blessings.

Antique Mall Find

2011-12-29T08:38:00.000-05:00

Why does it seem that it takes just as long to clean up from the holidays as it does getting ready for them?

I haven't had a lot of stitching time this week due to the boys being home for school vacation. I have been trying to find room for all the new stuff we got for the holidays and cleaning out the things we no longer need. I bigger task than I had imagined.

We went to see the movie War Horse which has had mixed reviews but I feel it was well done. I don't know why everyone looks for hidden meanings etc. . . in the movies. I like to watch them for enjoyment factor only. It told a story and I took it at face value. On a recent trip to a local Antique Mall I was lucky enough to find these flower frogs. I enjoy the hunt to find different colored ones and hit the jackpot. I got an onyx glass, green glass, and frosted glass. The clear glass one I couldn't leave behind because it was only $2 and a different size from the ones already in my collection. It was a fun shopping trip even though it triggered some serious allergy symptoms. No getting around the fact that I am allergic to dust mites.

On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to spend time with my NH Stitching Group. We spent the day at Carol's house. It's the mid point for all of us and she has the best new condo with lots of open space in a very quiet location. Perfect for stitching the day away. I worked on the Petit Samplings Etui and made lots of queen stitches all day. It was a lovely afternoon with friends, laughing and stitching and of course, snacking.

Carol is new to blogging and you can visit her at Stitching 'n Stashing. I hope to get some more stitching time in today and over the weekend. Happy Stitching!

WIPocalypse 2012

2011-12-26T08:43:00.000-05:00

I have joined in on Measi's WIPocalypse for 2012. I have added the list to the side bar and wanted to start with pictures so you know where I am starting on these projects. Some of these projects are big projects that I lost interest in, most are classes that I took and ended up not working on once I got home. You can visit Measi's blog to see what the rules are and who else is participating. I have been going down the list to follow some new blogs. Here are the pics of the projects I will try to finish during 2012.

Victoria Sampler Happy Hearts Stitcherama

Jeannette Douglass My Stitching Album
I have finished the front and back cover and the first three pages.

Sweetheart Tree Sea Sampler

Victoria Sampler Mermaid Song Cyberclass

Indigo Rose Acorn Pincushion Class

Stitching Treasures Grandmas Sewing Roll Class

Bent Breek Spring Snapperland

Blue Ribbon Designs Read Between the lines

Collaborative Design Petit Sampling Etui -- delayed SAL that is now back in progress

JABCO Boys are back in town

Vals Kitty Quilts - SAL

Jeannette Douglas Pineapple Biscornu Class

Brightneedle Capecod Passport Class

Well, that should keep me busy. I do plan to start a few new projects and all of that will take a back seat to model stitching but it's always nice to have a goal to strive for. All of the WIP progress will be posted on the full moon. What do you have planned for stitching in 2012??

Not a Creature was stirring . . .

2011-12-25T09:47:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope you are having a wonderful time with friends and family.

Today is Jessie's 12th birthday! She had a good visit with the vet yesterday. She is definitely slowing down but enjoys her walks, eating, and sleeping. She can be a little grouchy and doesn't listen at all but at her age she has earned the right.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Little Treasures and a Holiday Treat

2011-12-23T16:31:00.000-05:00

My mail lady has been busy stuffing my mailbox with wonderful little gifts. I am always so surprised to find packages just for me. Not bills, not advertisements, not magazines but little treasures just for me.

I received this wonderful note and Heart Sampler Fob from Cynthia at The Drawn Thread. I immediately attached it to my mini primitive stork scissors and love it. You can snatch one of these fobs up on her website just hit the link. I LOVE IT, Thanks Cynthia!

A day later, I got a wonderful little box in the mail. I wasn't expecting anything, I have been to busy shopping for everyone else and hadn't ordered any new stash. Hhmmm! What could it be! Well, imagine my delight when I opened it up and found that my wonderfully talented friend Belinda from Blue Ribbon Designs sent me one of her handmade pincushions, the cutest little pins-- check out the snowflake one--, a little pouch of yummy treats, and the absolute most stunning embroidered snowflake. I cannot tell you how gorgeous it is. Pictures and words do not do it justice. THANK YOU BELINDA! You are the kindest soul I know.

I received another package of goodies that I just have to share. I have a friend/penpal that I met through blogging. She is from France and we share the same name, Nathalie. She sent me some holiday goodies. These most darling ornaments and a beautifully stitched piece which I will make into a pillow. She also shared some charts that she thought I might enjoy. I love having worldwide friends! To think that a computer has provided me a way to share my hobby with so many people from around the world astounds me.

Thank you for thinking of me Nathalie, I wish you and your family a Very Merry Christmas.

Isn't he the cutest santa you have ever seen!

The last thing I will share with you is a quick treat we made for my son's teachers. He has 6 teachers in the middle school and wanted to bring them a gift. Unfortunately, that can add up to a huge expense so we decided to make them some special treats. He loves to be in the kitchen and here is what he created with a little help from mom.

The ingredients: pretzel snaps, Candy melting discs, m&m or candy of your choice

Place pretzels on baking sheet and add candy disc to each.
Place in 300' oven until melted.

Remove from oven, add m&m to each and let cool

Package in a lovely container with ribbon and tags. (That's where I came in)
And Voila, a sweet salty snack for all to enjoy!

That's all for today. I hope everyone enjoys their Friday night. I plan to relax and enjoy a little stitch therapy tonight. I need it after spending the day at the schools volunteering. I did a pancake breakfast at the middle school and then hopped over to the elementary school to assist with the holiday craft party. Right up my alley! Happy Friday and Happy Stitching!

La Belle Etoile Finished!

2011-12-22T08:03:00.000-05:00

I finished this SAL a couple of weeks ago but I never seem to manage photographing and posting things in a timely fashion. It's such a process sometimes. I enjoyed this SAL hosted by The Thread Basket and designed by C Mon Monde. I stitched it on 36ct Woodsmoke by Lakeside Linens with DMC floss. Now to have it framed. I am hoping that I get some holiday cash to soend on framing a couple of my pieces.

I hope everyone has finished up their shopping, cooking and preparing for their holidays. Take time to enjoy your friends and family! And as always, Happy Stitching!

Happy Hanukkah!

2011-12-20T11:39:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the day. Hanukkah starts at sundown and we're ready. The boys are excited, the gifts are wrapped, the menorah is polished and the candles and dreidels are standing by.

This is the menorah we have chosen for this year. We have many different styles but this is a modern take on a traditional menorah. It is traditional in that the candles are all lined up in a row below the shamash (helper) candle. This is a crystal menorah and it reflects light so beautifully.

Here are the gifts all wrapped and ready to go. It is very tempting don't you think.

Here is what eight nights of gifts looks like for my boys and hubby.

These are the dreidels and game pieces I put together for my youngest son's holiday celebration. Unfortunately, schools have become very strict on what you can send in. No chocolate gelt due to the unhealthiness of candy, no money because it would be considered gambling, no peanuts or nuts due to allergies, and so on. So I decided to send in the glass markers, they are used for display vases etc. but I have also seen them in Mancala games so I thought they would be alright. We could have done buttons but they are WAY to expensive even in bulk.

So, to all of you who will be celebrating the first night, I wish you Happy Hanukkah!! I have enjoyed some stitching time this weekend because I had finished all of my shopping and wrapping. I'll share a finish and some goodies I received in the mail in a later post. Happy Stitching!

Lovely Little Fobs

2011-12-16T22:01:00.000-05:00

I recently posted that I did some finishing work for someone. I was asked to finish 13 fobs for a Christmas swap. Theresa did a fine job stitching these lovelies and I beaded them for her. She stitched them in Christmas colors so I color coordinated the beads to match. I just got word from Theresa that everyone loved their little gifties. I am so happy! The pictures below show the stages of the fob making process. I always use glass beads and the fobs are whip stitched while attaching the beads.

The beading begins with the bead board. This helps me stay organized and keep the beads handy.

Stuffing with polyfil before I close them up

Beads are strung and attached to each little fob pillow. I use a lobster clasp on the end to attach to a favorite pair of scissors.

Packed and ready for shipping

I hope you enjoyed this journey with me. I had a very good time making these. I turned the radio onto my favorite Christmas Classics and beaded away! I am looking forward to some stitching time this weekend, I have finished off my checklist in the nick of time. Happy Stitching!

Counted Canvas Finish!

2011-12-15T07:42:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, I started this counted canvas, a design from Nancy's Needle. I got quite a bit finished before I put it down to work on models. I was able to finish it up this week and love how it turned out. The colors are very warm and comforting. I had showed it to my mom as a WIP and she fell in love with it so I will most likely be getting it framed for her. The closeup pics shows the true colors. It is rather hard to photograph needlework lately because it has been overcast and the lighting is poor. The design is titled Woodland Star. Now back to the stitching chair to see what I can finish!

Thank you for visiting my blog. I enjoy reading your lovely comments and getting your feedback! Happy Stitching!

Traveling forward

2011-12-13T08:14:00.000-05:00

I managed to finish the ABCD by La D Da over the weekend and mailed it onto the next recipient. You can follow it's travels to Sherry by visiting her blog. Thanks Peggy for loaning out your chart and thank you Jennifer for organizing this great SAL.

ABCD La D Da
R&R Lucky Penny Blend
Silk 'n Colors Green Leaves

Now back to holiday preparations. Hanukkah is only 1 week away and I still haven't finished shopping. I can't really come up with 8 gifts for each of my boys that are reasonably priced. When they were little, it was easy and I could find things for $10-15 but everything I touch is $50. I will really have to be creative this year. I hope you all find some stitching time in the midst of holiday madness. Happy Stitching!

Traveling Pattern SAL

2011-12-10T10:38:00.001-05:00

Wow! December 10th already. Where does time go? I have been busy with making fobs, stitching models, shopping for the holidays and school stuff. I can't show the model yet and I will share pictures of the fob making process when they have been received by their owners. In the middle of all of that I received the La D Da Chart ABCD from Robin at Crafting with the Stitch Witch as part of Jennifer's Traveling Pattern SAL.

I chose my colors: 30ct R & R Olde Lucky Penny and Silk n Colors Green Leaves. (All part of the stitch from stash program that I am trying to stick to)

And here is what I got done yesterday afternoon. This is a quick and fun stitch. I hope to finish it up today and pass the chart along to the next recipient Monday.

I am on my way out the door. Hope you all have a Happy Stitching Weekend.

C Mon Monde SAL Part 3

2011-11-29T07:55:00.000-05:00

After having a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, I was able to get some stitching time in. I spent Saturday stitching with my friend Carol, and spent Sunday working on this SAL. I received the final part yesterday and can't wait to have another finish under my belt. I have been working on several models and finishing projects but can't show those yet. I hope you are all enjoying some stitching time as we head into a busy holiday season. I typically have all of my shopping done by Thanksgiving but I still have a few more things to pick up for the holidays so I have some shopping to do. I enjoy seeing everything decorated for the holidays and the lovely music but I hate the parking space hunt and the crowds and the waiting. Not my favorite thing but I am going to try getting most of what I need during off peak shopping hours. Wish me luck!

Happy Thanksgiving and a small finish

2011-11-23T21:50:00.000-05:00

The table is set and I am ready to greet my 21 guests for Thanksgiving. I have spent the last week preparing, cleaning, shopping, baking, creating the perfect atmosphere to celebrate this wonderful day of Thanks. I am thankful for so many things but I am super thankful for the health of my family. Everyone is doing well and that is more than I can ask for.

Here is a picture of the welcome that will greet everyone.

This is a picture of my favorite Thanksgiving dish. It is a cranberry sauce dish. Isn't he the cutest.

These are the table settings. I am fortunate to have a large enough kitchen to seat everyone at the same time. I love it!!

My latest finish is "Snow in Love" by LHN. It is a model for ABC Stitch therapy. I hope to do some finishing after Thanksgiving. I avoid Black Friday like it is the plague. I don't understand the craze and this year they have been talking about it for far too long. I can't even get over the fact that they have been playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I love Christmas music during the holiday season but let Thanksgiving be it's own holiday. So, instead of crazy shopping I have decided to cozy up in my stitching chair and stitch the weekend away. I hope you all enjoy your families and have a wonderful holiday! Happy Stitching!

New SAL

2011-11-17T14:02:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick couple of pics. I have been busy with some model stitching and finishing projects but had to jump on board this wonderful SAL. It is A La Belle Etoile by C Mon Monde. The SAL is being hosted by Valerie at the Threadbasket. I loved this design the moment I saw it and jumped on board Round 2. I am stitching it on 36ct Woodsmoke by Lakeside Linens and I had to change I thread color to do so. I tried many different threads but they didn't give the same softness as the original design so I switched them back. Above is the picture of Part 1. I had to do some turbo stitching on Sunday in order to finish it by the deadline. I, then received Part 2 Monday and put the final stitches in it last night. Below is the picture of Part 2 finished. I love it! I stitched the berries in a smyrna cross to give them a little texture and I will be adding a charm or button to the house. I am on the hunt for a holly button but it will depend greatly on what I can find.

We are headed into a cold snap and there is nothing better to do than cozy up in my warmest sweater and stitch the afternoon away! Happy Stitching and thanks for visiting!

iStitch SAL Part 8 Finished!

2011-11-13T22:49:00.000-05:00

I finished this wonderful SAL by Carol at iStitch last week. I love the alphabet she provided in order to personalize and complete the piece. I am working on the pincushion which was a bonus chart for completing the stitch along and will finish both pieces at the same time. I hope everyone had a weekend full of stitches.

Some little finishes and a tired pup!

2011-11-10T08:51:00.000-05:00

We have had some unusually warm temps this week, but today out my window it is dreary. We are expecting lots of rain this afternoon and evening. My plan, cozying up in my stitching chair. Before I got comfy I wanted to share to small finishes and a picture of Lazy Daisy ( not the stitch but my lovely dog) First is a LHN ornament which I will make into a pillow ornament. It is for a model.

Next, a quickie for a friend. Her daughter has a loose tooth and wanted a tooth fairy pillow. She saw the one I made my niece and wanted one of her own. This is a LizzieKate design and I stitched it on Pink fabric. It's really girly and I plan to bling it with beads. I hope to have a finishing weekend to make some ornies and pillow.

Here she is, Lazy Daisy. As many of you fellow dog owners know, if you have a puppy and it's too quiet you need to check on them. Well, I was in my stitching nest and hadn't heard or seen from the pup so I decided I better check on her. Here is what I found, a sleeping baby. Problem, is she on her twin size dog bed, NO! She is on my kitchen sofa. My reaction was to tell her to get off the sofa, but then I am of the mentality, let sleeping baby's lie. She snoozed comfortably for a couple of hours. How cute is she!!

Well, I am off to get a couple of hours of stitching in before the boys get home from school. Happy Stitching!

Remember this post?

2011-11-08T11:11:00.000-05:00

Back on October 9th I had a post titled Library Gold which I posted a pic of a sampler that reminded me of With Thy Needle and Thread's Mystery Sampler. I asked for your opinion to see if you could recognize it too! Chris from Tot Hill Farm Stitches was the first to guess correctly! I have a small gift to send you Chris if you email your address. Thanks for sharing everyone!

iStitch Mystery SAL

2011-11-01T15:44:00.000-04:00

In the home stretch!! Only one more part and then I can decide on a finish. My mom picked up a beautiful music box at a thrift shop and it has a dark finish. I hope it will fit into that if not I may use it in my new DMC box that my friend Donna gave me. Ohhhh, so many options but truth of the matter is that is all irrelevant until I finish the stitching! Until next post, Happy Stitching Everyone!

Fall into Autumn Exchange revealed

2011-10-31T12:11:00.000-04:00

I participated in the Stitched with Love Exchange hosted by Lainey. I love deciding what to stitch and what else to include. This was an autumn/halloween themed exchange and I geared mine towards autumn as you can see. It seemed like all of the fall decorations were about crows this year so I went with it including my stitched piece. I hope Pirjo likes her goodies. The top photo is what I sent to her. Below is a picture of what Colleen sent me. It was packed beautifully, everything was individually wrapped etc. . . Problem, my little man wanted to help and busted everything open before I snapped a pic. The stitched piece is gorgeous. The pics don't do it justitce. there are specialty stitched leaves, and wooden buttons to embellish this lovely little hanging pillow. It is darling. She also spoiled me with a chart, scissors, ribbon, fabric, buttons, and thread. She also sent some candy but that got eaten up right away. I think little man thought it was his reward for helping me open my package:)Thanks Colleen for a lovely surprise! You outdid yourself and I love it all!!

I am headed out the door to help with a school Halloween Party. Let the madness and sugar high begin. HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!

Perks of being a retreat hostess

2011-10-24T09:04:00.000-04:00

Being a hostess at a Needlework Retreat has it's perks. Although it requires lots of behind the scenes work and being at the ready to take care of any issues that may pop up, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting many new stitchers. I also loved seeing familiar faces, people I have met at previous needlework retreats and events. I even had 2 good friends attend the Victoria Sampler retreat and loved chatting with them when I could. What I didn't expect, gifts from some of these lovely ladies. The first surprise was from Belinda, our very talented instructor/designer. She made this lovely quilted journal cover and I LOVE it. The best part about it is that she personalized it with my name. I very rarely have had personalized items because my name is spelled unusually and you just can't find it on anything. Belinda, it means more to me than you know. Thank you. I took two pics, the first is a picture of the foofing. It was packaged so nicely I didn't want to unwrap it and the second pic is the journal. Aren't the colors gorgeous. I am truly lucky.

Next, a couple of return guests gifted me with more treasures. Pam of Confessions of a Southern Stitcher gave me this lovely gift. She had it beautifully wrapped with lovely fall leaves. The picture doesn't do it justice. The lighting gave every picture I took this yellow hue. I think it has something to do with the energy saving bulbs but all my evening pics were terrible. Inside this lovely wrapping was the most beautiful sewing book. It had a lovely fall theme stitched on the front, gorgeous coordinating fabric, and inside blew me away: thread holders, ruler, marking pins and a spot to hold needles. Pam, you are so incredibly talented and I thank you for this wonderful treasure.

The next goodies came from Teresa of Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches. Have you ever met someone who thinks of everyone!! That is Teresa. She brought gifts for EVERYONE! Don't know how she fit it all into her luggage along with enough clothes for a 2 week visit to the east coast but she did it. She gave me this wonderful bag of goodies along with 4 boxes of See's Candies for my boys. She is sooooo very thoughtful.
Inside my bag of goodies I found yummy California goodies, a tissue pack holder and a wonderful stitched pocket to hold a small treasure. Right now it is being used as a chapstick holder. LOVE it!

We had four lovely Aussies on the retreat and they gifted me with a poem and little Koala clip. Too Cute! Thank you girls.

Another return guest, Donna and her daughter Stephanie gifted me with this lovely DMC thread box. Donna ordered it from England. It is just lovely. It was also filled with DMC floss. She was worried I didn't have enough floss for my stitching (LOL) Donna and I met at last October's retreat and I have a special fondness for her. She is someone who I connected with right away and I hope to be lifelong friends.

Next is a beautiful scarf that Elizabeth gifted me with. I love the colors and was totally blown away that she would gift me with something so lovely. Elizabeth brought LOTS of fun and laughter to our retreat and knows how to keep the party rocking. Thanks for the lovely gift and wonderful laughs.

The one thing I have learned about the stitching community is that all of these ladies are extremely talented beyond stitching, and they all love to share. I have met many generous woman who have boundless creativity. Thank you for sharing your talents with me. Happy Stitching!

Kitten Update

2011-10-22T15:23:00.000-04:00

Jilly

Leo

Here's the latest!! Leo and Jilly have found their forever homes. It was a busy day here today. Yesterday, I had a gentleman stop by to view the kittens and he and Leo hit it off. He had just lost his cat after 19 years and is a single retiree. I couldn't have asked for a better fit. The smile on that gentleman's face was worth the ache in my heart. He couldn't wait to get his "baby" home and show him the toys and bed he bought. He named him "Boomer". How cute is that! Then today when I went to drop off the paper work from Leo's adoption I was explaining to the volunteer that we had one 12 week old kitten left to place and she said she had a young couple looking for a young cat. We made arrangements for them to see Jilly. Jilly is VERY shy and timid and I explained that to them before I showed her. When we went into the room, she didn't run and hide. She looked at them with this very curious look and even let them pet her. I was amazed. She must have sensed something. The woman was immediately in love and couldn't leave without her. It felt so good to see the joy on her face. As hard as it is to let these furbabies go, I am smiling inside knowing that I have placed 5 beautiful cats into forever homes where they will be loved and nurtured. Everyone asks me how I can let them go, and I want you to know it is NOT easy for me. I love all animals but the reward for me is knowing that these families will have a furry friend to come home to. Until next time, Happy Stitching and give all of your furbabies a hug from me.

iStitch Mystery SAL Part 6

2011-10-19T18:31:00.000-04:00

I was able to stitch Part 6 of the Mystery SAL by iStitch designs while away at the retreat. I did it very late at night and couldn't print the chart so I did it from my laptop. It was a bit challenging because the lighting was REALLY bad in my room and it was usually after midnight when I got back to my room. The only chair in my room was a small shaker rocker that sat really low to the ground but at least that put me nice and close to the computer monitor. That being said, it's finished and it looks OK. Now I can sit back and wait for the next installment. Happy Stitching!

Beauty in Simplicity

2011-10-18T09:02:00.000-04:00

I have made it home after a very long stretch of being away. It was soooooo good to see my boys (hubby included) and furbabies. The retreats went well and I enjoyed meeting so many fellow stitchers. I hope I was able to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable at the retreat. The foliage was beautiful most of the week. These first couple of pictures were taken from across the lake of the Enfield Shaker museum. We only had a couple of days of rain. I have also included a picture of the project that Belinda of Blue Ribbon Designs created for the May 2010 retreat. I stitched this one twice. Once for me and once for the shop. I think she captured the essence of the museum and surroundings in her piece.

I am off to catch up on household things and will be back soon. I have so many things to share with you but it will have to come after I take care of the house. Happy Stitching!!

Enfield NH

2011-10-10T22:49:00.000-04:00

I took these pictures early yesterday morning before the sun had a chance to burn the fog off. I love connecting with nature and I really needed a little solitude on that particular morning. The retreat has been a blast but it is pretty lonesome without my new stitchy friends here in the museum. I am gearing up to host the 2nd and then 3rd retreat. Getting to know Belinda from Blue Ribbon has been wonderful. She is the most patient teacher and takes time to give students one on one. Tomorrow I will greet new guests at the museum. I am looking forward to the continued change in the landscape. The leaves were green when I arrived last Thursday and are now turning vibrant shades of reds, yellows, and orange. Fall is definitely here. I hope you enjoy my snaps! This one is for Elizabeth, Happy Fall Y'all.

Library gold and a kitten update

2011-10-09T07:14:00.001-04:00

On a recent trip to the library I found this wonderful book. It gives the history of many samplers along with detailed descriptions of motifs and verse. The back of the book has common verse used in samplers and explains some of the reasons why they were used. In further research, I found that some girls went to school to learn stitching techniques. I had no idea. That is completely fascinating as I thought most samplers were created by young girls practicing their sewing skills. But I suppose there were some mothers who didn't stitch but wanted their children to learn the skills. As I was thumbing through the pictures and reading details I came across this picture. It immediately resounded with me and I said " I have seen this one recently!" Does it ring a bell with anyone else?? You can click on the picture to make it larger but I found it fascinatitng that so many of us as stitchers still crave the motifs and symbols used from so many years ago. If you recognize it, leave a comment and I will put you in a drawing for a little treat.

On the kitten front, I wanted to let all of you know that DeeDee has found her forever home. I snapped this photo before she left and love it. She is a special kitty and I know she will make her new family quite happy.

Well, that is it for now. I must get back to my retreat duties. I will post pics and updates when I can. As always, Happy Stitching everyone.

iStitch Mystery SAL Part 5 complete

2011-09-30T08:13:00.000-04:00

Here is my Part 5. I finished it over the weekend and love how it is progressing. I am looking forward to the next installment and love that the parts are small enough to finish up quickly and keep up with the SAL.

The weather has been hot and humid for this time of year and I snapped this picture of my puppies this week. The brown one is my old lady, Jessie, she is nearing 12 and spends most of her days napping and running in her sleep. Next to her, Daisy, oh my, Daisy. She is now tipping the scales at 120lbs and can walk right over Jessie. She is all legs and stretches right out on the deck leaving little room for anything/anyone else.

This weekend will be a busy one. We have football and concession stand duties as well as Sunday school. We also wanted to make it to the Deerfield Fair in my parents town. I worked this fair as a teenager and haven't been there in a long time. Care to guess where I worked?? Um, let's see, the NEEDLEWORK building. I did demos: braiding rugs, crochet, embroidery, punch needle during the fair and answered anyone's questions. I loved it and want to see if the building is still as big as it used to be. The last fair there were not many cross stitch or counted thread entries and I hope to see more. Very little time to stitch this weekend but I hope to cross a few stitches. Have a great Friday/ weekend my friends. Happy Stitching!

Petit Sampling Etui Update

2011-09-29T07:37:00.000-04:00

My WIP

Gabi's progress

Teresa's progress

Here is our SAL progress. I am moving slowly on this project due to a lack of time but I am loving the colors so far. The next step is Queen stitched flowers which will take me a little time followed by some over 1 stitching. You can see these in Gabi's progress pic. It's beautiful. Unfortunately Carol needed to take a break for a bit but she'll be back soon. Hope you all have a wonderful day! I love reading your comments and visiting your blogs. Thanks for visiting and as always Happy Stitching!

Just Nan Halloween Party finished

2011-09-27T14:20:00.000-04:00

As much as I would like to blog everyday it isn't always easy to fit it in. Here is my Halloween Party by Just Nan. I finished it up last Wednesday. I was able to join the ladies of my Wednesday stitching group for a quick hello and some stitching. I wasn't able to go to group this summer with the boys being home from school and now I am busy with retreat preparations and model stitching but I wanted to catch up with everyone. I had a quick visit and a friendly hello and was on my merry way to get the little ones off the bus. I will post SAL progress tomorrow. Happy Stitching!

Kitten update

2011-09-20T08:49:00.000-04:00

The kittens are 8 weeks old now and ready for first shots and then adoption. Lucy and Lizzie have already been adopted by a wonderful lady named Mary. She wanted siblings and she chose two very sweet little ladies. They will be going to their forever home on Friday and I know they have found a loving friend. Phoebe continues to be a wonderful mom, she lets all of her furbabies eat first and cleans up the scraps. She is patient with their kitten antics and tolerates being pounced on and attacked by her little ones. It has been a joy to have them in our care and I look forward to playing with them while I can. Leo continues to steal my heart and DeeDee and Jilly are so affectionate when they see me. It's very rewarding to have unconditional love.

Lucy

Lizzie

Leo, DeeDee, Jilly-Boo

DeeDee ready to pounce

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my blog. I enjoy having someone to share my litte piece of the world with. Happy Stitching!

Mystery SAL Part 4

2011-09-19T08:10:00.000-04:00

iStitch Mystery SAL Part 4. Too Cute! I am loving how this little sampler is unfolding. I am enjoying stitchin on 40ct and I think I am becoming addicted to higher count fabrics. Stitches on 28ct look soo BIG. I like the coverage a single strand of thread gives to 40ct. That is all the stitching I did this weekend.

Here is what kept me busy this weekend.

FOOTBALL! My youngest little man is playing his first season and loving it. They have practice 2-3 evenings per week and a game Saturday and Sunday. As part of the youth organization they require parent volunteers and hubby and I worked the concession stand. We actually had a great time with lots of laughs. It's amazing to me that people were eating hamburgers/hotdogs at 9am but whatever! We grilled up 30 burgers and sold them all. We did get relieved from our duties in time to watch the last quarter where our number 27 sacked the quartback a couple of times. I am not the cheerleader type but boy did my heart swell when my little buddy's name was called our the loud speaker giving him credit for the sack. I was grinning ear to ear.

Yesterday, I stuffed goodie bags and prepared class kits for our upcoming retreat. Oh my are these ladies going to be spoiled. I hope everyone is prepared to stash enhance! Well time to start my day. Happy Stitching!

A finish and Just Nan WIP

2011-09-17T15:29:00.000-04:00

This latest finish is a design by Pickle Barrel. It is stitches on 28ct antique white even weave using WDW threads. It took some time stitching this one up even though it is a small piece (5x7). It is called Cape Cod Summer. It reminds me of the Victorian houses that you would see on Martha's Vineyard. This is a shop model for ABC Stitch.

Here is a pic of my progress on Just Nan's Halloween Party. I am stitching it on PTP Cauldron and I LOVE this fabric. I am going to pic some more of it up at my LNS to stitch other Halloween designs. I love this design. There are so many cute elements, little spiders hanging, ghosties swinging from letters, bats, jack-o-lanterns and more. I will most likely finish it into a door hanger. I hope I can get it done in time for Halloween. Right now the retreat behind the scenes is keeping me quite busy. I hope everyone has a great weekend and as always Happy Stitching!

iStitch Mystery Sampler part 3

2011-09-15T12:29:00.000-04:00

I love this design! Each part stitches up quickly and it will make a beautiful box top. I can't wait for part 4.

Happy Stitching!

Petit Sampling Etui SAL Progress

2011-09-14T10:23:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to have 2 more stitchers join my SAL with Carol. Gabifrom Lady of the Floss and Teresa from At Willow Tree Pond. Here are the progress pics from this weekend. We plan to post progress every other week.

My progress

Carol's progress

Gabi's progress

Teresa's progress

As you can see, not much done on the home front. I have had limited time to stitch since football season and school started. There are a few specialty stitches and over one stitching in this project which will take some time and slow me down. There are six sides to the box and I am looking forward to seeing the finished product. I enjoy having other stitchers work on the same project, it is very motivating to continue stitching and not move onto something else. I only work on this one over the weekend as I am stitching models during the week. I will post pics of my lastest model, but for now back to the planning board for the retreat.

Happy Stitching

September 11th remembered

2011-09-11T18:03:00.000-04:00

Today is bitter-sweet for me. This whole week the media has been reflecting on the tragic events that happened in 2001. It is now the 10th anniversary and I still cry and remain speechless when they replay the footage of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center. I have a hard time taking in everything that happened that day and since that day. We lost a family friend who worked in one of the Towers and his family still mourns. I am thankful that my family is safe and that we have so many people willing to fight for our freedom. Something we can not take for granted.
It is my son's birthday today. I try to explain to him that it wasn't always a bad day to have a birthday. I try to seperate the events as best as I can. I go over his birth story with him and try to explain how very special he made that day for me. I hope I have succeeded in making his day a happy one even though the tragic events of terrorism on our country remain on my mind. Happy Birthday my sweet son!

Count down to New England Stitcher's Retreat

2011-09-10T18:03:00.000-04:00

Final preparations are underway but it's not too late! We have a couple of spaces left at our October retreats. See website for details about this all-inclusive event. New England Stitcher's Retreat This is sure to be a wonderful event. We have Belinda from Blue Ribbon Designs and Thea from Victoria Sampler. These lovely ladies have created two shaker inspired projects and they are beautiful. Here are the pics!

If you have any questions about the retreat please feel free to email me. I would be happy to help! Happy Stitching everyone.

Drawn Thread Releases

2011-09-07T09:12:00.001-04:00

Have you seen the new releases from Cynthia at The Drawn Thread? She has published the last 3 designs in her Calendar Cover series, a darling Halloween design and The Holly and The Ivy Sampler & Ornament. I had the privilege of stitching The Holly and The Ivy model for her. It was quite enjoyable and I loved the little birds tucked into the wreath. It is a lovely design for the holidays.

Cynthia has done a lovely job framing it and I encourage you to visit her website for a look. Happy Stitching!

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T20:18:00.000-04:00

Another busy weekend behind us. The weather forcasters missed this weekend. They originally said rain for Sunday and Monday so Saturday we spent cleaning up after Tropical Storm Irene. Lots of the branches that fell needed to be cut up and moved to the side of the road for the town to pick them up. On Sunday we went to visit my parents. We had a wonderful lunch and enjoyed a swim at my brothers. Um, no rain! Today we visited the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island. It's been a long time since we have all been together. I think my oldest son enjoyed the zoo just as much as the youngest. Um, no rain! I wish I could be wrong in a job 90% of the time and still have a job to go to but as a pharmacist that probably wouldn't have gone over well. I did get some stitching time in but more importantly I organized my overdyed threads. Cosmo was pretty overwhelmed with the process. He was not too happy about me touching HIS threads

I managed to alphabetize them, placed them on large rings, and hung them on a pegboard system in my craft closet. It's so fun to walk in there and see all of the beautiful colors. I feel very accomplished:) I hope you have had a productive weekend with lots of stitching!

Visit to my LNS

2011-09-03T12:27:00.000-04:00

The boys started school on Thursday despite the fact that alot of people in town are still without power. The schools have power so they started a day later than expected. Everyone seems happy with their teachers so far so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Since they had school I decided to pay a visit to my LNS which is not so local. It's about 50minutes away and the traffic is always ridiculous. I picked up a few Halloween goodies and some fabric and threads. Here is the project I can't wait to start. (As a matter of fact, I had to put a few stitches in right when I got home) It is Halloween Party by Just Nan. I am stitching it on 28ct Cauldron by Picture this Plus with the recommended threads. I will post progress when it actually starts to look like something. I bought some other goodies but I won't post a pic, I don't want you to see how out of control my habit is. Just Kidding! I didn't think to take a pic.

Hope you have a lovely Stitching Weekend.

Power!

2011-09-02T08:22:00.002-04:00

Wow, what a long stretch without power. I am so thankful to have it back even though we made do it is a luxury I would choose not to go without. As we were going through it I could only think about those who have had it worse. The storm did not dump lots of rain but the wind did take LOTS of tree down in our area. I am grateful we are safe and that the storm wasn't as powerful as they had predicted. My heart goes out to anyone who lost personal belongings especially lots of friends that we have in Vermont. They have been devastated by the flooding and it will take time to for them to recover. I watched video of a covered bridge being swept away. An historic part of American culture washed away. It won't be rebuilt I am sure it will be replaced with a new concrete and metal monstrosity. Makes me sad.

I didn't get alot of stitching done as we had no light after 7pm and I usually stitch from 8pm-11pm. I did manage to get my Mystary Sampler Part 2 finished before the power went out and got some SAL together to work on but I spent most of my time entertaining the kids while the power was out. Monopoly Marathons, card games, puzzle making, story telling, etc. . . We also had 3 nights of candle lit dinners. When was the last time you had dinner by candle light with your family?? I highly recommend it. It was soothing and everyone was much calmer. Fascinating to watch that dynamic. I might try it more often.

Here is the pic of the iStitch Mystery Sampler WIP. I am really enjoying this one and can't wait to see the next part.

Mystery Sampler--Part 2
iStitch
CCS-Rose of Sharon
LL-40ctChantilly Cream

This is the SAL that my Wednesday Stitching Group started in June. I unfortunately haven't been able to get there in quite some time and the only time I would be able to work on it is at stitching group, therefore, no progress. It is a beautiful sampler featured in JCS Magazine. It was issued in 4 installments, 3 of which have been published. Hopefully, now that the kids are in school I can catch up.

The next is a SAL with my good friend Carol. I was hoping to start on this one over the weekend but with no power that didn't happen. This is a collaboration Design and it creates a beautiful etui box. The colors are beautiful and all of the sides are tiny samplers. about 5x5. I am stitching it on 36ct Pearled Barley with the recommended Crescent Colour Threads. I love the color palette and can't wait to start on this one. It will have to wait until I finish the current model I am working on. I hope to put the last stitches in that one today or tomorrow.

Thanks to all of my friends and followers.. I appreciate you stopping by to see what I have been up to. Have a lovely Labor Day Weekend and as always, Happy Stitching!!

We're 4 weeks old!

2011-08-25T21:08:00.000-04:00

For those of you following the story of my foster family here is a quick update. The pics are hard to take because they are becoming VERY active. They are 4 weeks old now and starting to use the litter box, play with balls, little catnip mice, and feather toys. They are practicing their wrestling skills and pouncing skills on each other which is hilarious to watch. Phoebe continues to be a doting mum!! She is very easy going and lets us toy with her wee ones. Hope you enjoy!

Lucy pretending I am not there!

Leo the lion who has stolen my heart!

The 2 littlest one - Lizzie and DeeDee making up for lost time

Mom feeding her family

Jilly Boo steals gently kisses from momma! AAWWW!

Thanks for visiting! I wish all of you who are bracing for Hurricane Irene safety! I hope the storm passes without too much damage. We are bracing for some heavy winds and torrential rains for the weekend but some weather meteorologist are saying the eastern part of Mass may not feel huge effects from it. I don't know if they are right, we have had in one year a nor'easter, tornado, earthquake and now possibly a hurricane. I am thinking mother nature may be suffering from menopause. As always, Happy Stitching!

A small finish after a busy weekend

2011-08-24T15:54:00.000-04:00

My small finish is a shop model for ABC Stitch. It is LHN Baked Goods ornament. I loved the colors of this one. The one thing I loves about the holidays was the baking. My mom and I would cook up hundreds of cookies and breads to share with family and friends. I never realized the reason we handmade things such as bakegoods is because we couldn't afford gifts for all of those that touched our lives. As a child I always thought that handmade items meant more. It required time and love. I still have the same mentality about handmade/homemade items but I am more reserved in who I give them to. I want what I make by hand to be appreciated and there are some in my life that don't appreciate what I can create. So, most stitching stays close to home.

Here is a pic of the SAL that I started with Carol at my last stitching day and I finished it over the weekend. I am gearing up for a finishing day once the children go back to school and I will post a finish of the box once I assemble it.

The next few pictures were taken last weekend. We ventured on a road trip to Coastal Maine. The first pic is of Nubble Light in York. It was a hazy, hot and humid day but we still enjoyed the view. Our destination was to get the coveted Lobster Roll that my hubby has to have each summer.

This is it! Red's Eats in Wiscasset Maine. It is a beautiful little town that has many antique shops and little shops. While hubby waited in line, (about 45min) I got to visit Stitchers Corner. It's a quaint little shop and yes I did manage to do a little stash enhancement.

The Lobsta Roll!!! Couldn't drive all that way and eat just one could he?

Wiscasset ME

Our last stop, to stretch our legs, and let those boys run about, was Old Orchard Beach. I love the pier and boardwalk. It has changed alot since I was a kid but I do love to reminisce. We had a great day and I am glad we got to squeeze this last road trip in before school began. We have already started the sports routine and next week will add the schedule of school and religious school. Busy Busy but Happy.

Thanks for visiting and Happy Stitching!

More likes

2011-08-17T18:40:00.000-04:00

So, just minding my own business today, perusing the web looking at all the goods from Market and come across, What? what is this?? a new sampler club from LA D DA ( one of my favorities) MUST HAVE Sampler club. I swiped the pic from Stitches n Things and can't wait to see the rest. Debbie, I hope you can forgive me for taking the pic, but I just had to share with my stitchy friends! Happy Stitching!

We've named Phoebe's Kittens

2011-08-16T09:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I should say the boys named the kittens. They will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. Phoebe is still doing a great job at being mum but she is sooooo skinny. I hope she will pack on some weight once she weans the little ones. I want to pet her and not feel all of her bones.

Phoebe nursing her little furbabies

Lucy and Leo (the lion)

Jilly-boo

Lizzie

DeeDee

Aren't they sweet. I can't keep the boys away from them. They are all adjusting to being handle so much and now look forward to our visits. They haven't stared running around yet but I can only image by this time next week they will be skittering about.

On the stitchng front, I am continuing to work on model stitching and SAL. My stitching time is limited and I so enjoy putting needle to thread/fabric. I look forward to any stitching time I get whether it's 15 minutes or several hours. Baltimore Market was this past weekend and I was wondering if anyone has found must-haves? I love L*K new snowman series and will most likely get that, and recently got Bent Creek's new Halloween patterns. Blackbird has a new chart of Halloween designs and yup I ordered that! I think the Carriage House Farms of Hawk Run is a nice addition to the Hawk Run Series and of course Shepherds Bush new scissor fob and pincushion's are darling. I have also fallen in love with Blue Ribbon Designs latest 3 especially the colors of the Quilt Sampler. Belinda is so talented. Oh, I think I need to get a full time job for my addiction but then I wouldn't have time to stitch. What to do! Have you seen anything that you must have?? Anything you need to stitch right away?? I would love to hear your thoughts and what you like.

Happy Stitching!

A Couple of SALs

2011-08-15T14:19:00.002-04:00

I can't believe a week has gone by and I haven't reached for the computer to post. Time seems to be escaping me and it is only going to get busier since the boys will start school in 2weeks. Their schedules will be super complex between work, sports, school, and religious school. To make things easier I am involved in 4 SALs. Yikes!! The first is one with my good friend Carol. It is called Grandma's Mending Box by Olde Colonial. Here is a pic of what it will look like and the following pic is my progress after a couple of stitching days together. The stitched part makes a box top on a lovely wooden box that is included with the kit.

The next SAL is a mystery sampler by Carol at iStitch. It will come in 8 parts and I finished Part 1 yesterday.

I am stitching it on 40ct Chantilly Cream by Lakeside Linens and Crescent Colours Belle Soie in Rose of Sharon. I love the way it is coming out. Now I need to sit and wait for installment 2. I plan to finish it as a box top providing I can find one in the right size. What a great excuse to go on the "hunt". I love shopping at the craft supply stores this time of year because they have all of the fall things out and I love the colors.

Lastly is my new addition to my flower frog collection. I picked these up at a flea market a month ago but just got around to taking a picture. I love the green one and the gray one is very unusual. The white one is self containing, meaning the holes don't go all the way through. I will have to put some felt in there to protect my scissor tips. Aren't they a great find?

I have lots more to share but I don't want this post to be any longer. Have a great day and thanks to all of my readers and followers for sharing a moment with me. Happy Stitching!

A Blog Win!

2011-08-07T21:49:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a great weekend. It was hot and humid yesterday and rained like crazy today. We have been busy taking care of our new furbabies, picking blueberries, and carting children all over creation. I wanted to share with you this lovely giveaway that I won from Stephanie at Blue Star Stitcher. She sent me a great tiny house sampler, 2 generous cuts or fabric, autumn shades of WDW thread and the cutest pillow. I took pictures of the front and back because they are equally delightful!! Thanks Stephanie, I love it.

In other news, the PIF chart will move on to Gracie! Shoot me your snail mail address and I will send it right along. Happy Stitching Everyone!

PIF and Kitten pics

2011-08-03T17:41:00.000-04:00

A while back, Chris at Tot Hill Farm Stitches passed this chart along to me. I decided to try something different with it. I stitched it on Grape Ice 30ct linen with white Threadworx thread. It was the first time I used this fiber and it has a pretty sheen to it. I plan to make this into a needle book. Stay tuned. Now that I am done with the chart I would like to pass it on. If you are interested please leave a comment saying so. If more than one person wants it I will draw a name on Sunday Aug 7th.

As promised, here are pics of the kittens. The first pic is when they were delivered to us at 3 days old. The following pics were taken today. They are now 7 days old and are starting to open their eyes.

As you can see, they sleep alot right now. When they aren't sleeping they are eating. Phoebe is doing well and is starting to look a little less ragged. Thanks for visiting and as always, Happy Stitching!

A New House Guest

2011-08-02T09:38:00.000-04:00

As most of my followers know, I work with a local no-kill cat shelter, Standish Humane Society, fostering pregnant moms. Last Wednesday, I received a call from the director asking if I would be able to take in a pregnant cat that was rescued from a barn that was housing over 13 cats. As crazy as my life is I couldn't say no to her knowing that the barn owner felt "It's just a cat, the coyotes will get it at some point. Why waste the money." I have trouble believing that people are so callous but it would seem that they are out there. We made arrangements to have her come on Thursday morning. I got a call Wednesday evening saying that she had already gone into labor and we wouldn't be able to get her until Saturday. She delivered 5 beautiful kittens! Looks like 4 girls and 1 boy. We named her Pheobe. She is extremely malnurished. If she weighs more than 2 lbs I would be shocked. Her fur is sparse and you can feel all of her bones when you pet her. But, putting all that aside, she is a terrific mom, very attentive to her little ones and is EXTREMELY sweet. She purrs all the time, loves to be picked up, and cuddles right up next to you. She even let me trim her nails. Just Sweet. I am looking forward to taking care of this little family, and usually I tend to pay more attention to the kittens but right now she needs my help and attention to get healthy again. I will post pics of kittens when they have adjusted to being here. Wish me luck!

Finished!

2011-07-31T20:59:00.000-04:00

I have finished Little Snowy Green Cottage by Nora Corbett. It is stitched on 32ct Sea Spray which is a beautiful blue but we had such dreary weather on the day I took the photo you can't really tell. Below is a close up to show you the Krienek and beading. Lots of sparkle and bling on this piece.

Next are 4 model ornaments I finished up on Thursday. I think that finishing requires more patience than stitching because it is done in steps. I like to finish lots of things in the same day because I already have everything out. I dont' really have an area where I can leave everything out so I haul it all out and then have to clean it all up. Very time consuming but I am happy with the final results.

LHN Deck the Halls 30ct Cocoa with recommended threads

LHN Gingerbread Village on 30ct WDW Tin Roof with recommended threads

LHN Pine Tree Inn on 30ct WDW Tin Roof with recommended threads

LHN Silent Night on 30ct WDW Tin Roof with recommended threads

Lots going on here but I don't have enough time tonight to get into it. I will try to post in the next couple of days to give you an update. I want to thank all of my followers and readers for hanging in there. I truly appreciate all of your comments. It makes my day when you share what you are thinking and I love the fact that you take the time to read my blog. Happy Stitching!

SAL finishing day

2011-07-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

Look at this beautfiul tote bag that Carol made for me. I LOVE IT! Thank you Carol. I met Carol 3 years ago at Celebrations and she is my stitching twin. We love all of the same projects and have taken many classes together. My Celebrations Stitching Group is made up of 5 fabulous women who enjoy stitching ( and lots of laughs). This past weekend Carol and I got together to put together our SAL Peacock Pincushion and Needlebook. It was quite an endeavor and we helped each other get through it. Finishing is not our strong suit and we both would have rather been stitching but the UFO piles are getting quite large. Below is the picture of our twin pincushion. As you can see they are not identical. I switched it up by substituting the floss to Blue Lagoon and Collards by Crescent Colours. Carol did hers with the recommended threads. The last pic is of the needlebook opened so you can see front and back and also the fabric I used to line the bottom of my pincushion and inside of my needle book. I love the way it came out and have it in a spot where I can admire it from my stitching nest.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing in my happy dance. Stay Cool and Happy Stitching

Happy Birthday Gracee!!

2011-07-19T09:10:00.000-04:00

This is Miss Gracee. She celebrated her 11th birthday this week. She is a wonderful girl with a very sweet and timid disposition. I remember the day I brought her home, my son was only 4 and he picked her out. They have been inseperable. Kind of like kindred spirits.

Here is the keeper of the floss. Guarding it like someone is going to take his stash. Cosmo is notorious for taking skeins of floss and hiding them behind the armoire. So if it's missing I have to play hide and seek.

This picture is of Maycee. She is our youngest kitty and can usually be found sunning herself in a windowsill. All of these pictures were taken from my stitching nest so you can see they don't venture very far from the one that feeds them. Stay tuned for a stitchy post. I had a finishing day with my best "stitchy" friend Carol and we are so impressed with ourselves. I can't wait to show you but I still have to download the photos. Happy Stitching!

A Patriotic Finish

2011-07-16T08:52:00.000-04:00

Bent Creek Quaker Star
28ct LL Maple Syrup
WDW and GAST

I am so behind on posting but with everyone home for the summer, life is definitely getting in the way. We have spent lots of time outside swimming, fishing, going to the beach, getting ice cream etc. . . All of the fun summer things but there is little time for any thing else. I have my own tradition for the 4th of July and each year I choose one patriotic project to stitch while we are on vacation. This year's was more of a staycation. We went to Vermont which is rather local for us but we enjoyed our 4 day trip anyways. We went river swimming, saw fireworks and went to the small town parade. We enjoyed fresh produce from the farmer's market and a wonderful bar-be-que at the inlaws. Daisy had a great time running the vast fields surrounding their house.

I think all dogs dream of large fields and meadows with no boundaries and no leash to hold them back. She went to sleep each night completely exhausted and running in her sleep.

Well, that's it for now. The blueberries are in, so I am off to pick untilmy fingers turn blue and then hopefully get some stitching time in too! Happy Stitching!

A Little Luck came my way!

2011-07-14T15:43:00.000-04:00

I had a string of good luck last month. I won 3 blog giveaways. This is a shout out to all of the generous bloggers who hosted these giveaways. They certainly put a smile on my face!!! First up, Bronny at Bronny's Bits sent me this darling scissors fob, quilted coasters, and DMC fibers. Check out Bronny's blog for some cute sheepie designs. Thanks Bronny!!

Next, Orna at Adorn By Orna hosted a giveaway for the thread pack for her counted canvas series My Family. I was the lucky winner of the these beautiful fibers and can't wait to stitch up this beautiful design. Thank you Orna!

And since my luck ran in threes, this one is from Diane of Nan's Needlework Notions sent me this beautiful project keep and darling scissors. This is sooooo me!! I LOVE the color blue and what can I say about scissors???? LOVE 'em!!! Thank you Diane for your creativity and generosity.

That's it for today! Gotta get back to the Monopoly game I was playing with the boys. Happy Stitching!!

Daisy, Daisy

2011-07-09T20:51:00.000-04:00

As many of my regular readers know, we have a beautiful Great Dane puppy named Daisy. I haven't posted pics in awhile so I thought I would send some your way. She has very many goofy moments each day as you can see in some of the pics. In this first one, she is lying on her toy and looking around to see who is going to try to take it.

The next few pics is of the big goof playing catch by herself. Dog thought: Where's my toy, who took my toy!

Big dog, big bone, bad pic!

Dog Thought: Wonder if mom will mind me drinking from the sink??

Oops! I got caught!!

Checking out the neighborhood.

She is coming up on her 1 year birthday and I have a couple of surprises planned for her. Stay tuned to see if she likes them. Happy Stitching!!

Exchange and giveaway win!

2011-07-08T19:42:00.000-04:00

I recently participated in a Picnic/Tea Summer Exchange through Lainey. It was lots of fun and the element of surprise was great. Here is a picture of what Cath sent me from the UK. It was cupcake themed and I enjoyed the color palette.

Here is a close up of the pinkeep she stitched for me. The cupcake looks just like the one on the mug she sent. It is a perfect match for my cup of tea and stitching.

I had Christina from the UK. Her blog is Whilst Iris Naps. I have been following her blog for a while and was happy to see I had her as my secret exchange partner. I was thinking picnic when I came up with this Watermelon themed gift. I hope she liked it.

This is a picture of the watermelon pincushion I made for her. The design is from SamSarah. I stitched it on Kudzu 30ct by WDW and used WDW Aztec red, Kris's Bon Bon and Green Apple. It was lots of fun to see it come together. The pins are made by Puntini Puntini which I picked up at ABC Stitch last year.

These are glass bead counting pins that I made for her. I wanted to have them match her pincushion and watermelon project. I hope to be making these to sell in the near future.

This is the whole package. I also included Down by The Bay by La D Da, 35ct linen, DMC floss, Sea Shell buttons and my favorite stork scissors.

I was also lucky enough to win this prize from Lisa. Lisa at Lisa's Stitching Life is a very talented quilter and stitcher and very generous. I can't wait to try these lovely fabric and fibers. The colors are delicious. THANK YOU Lisa! I have lots more to post but I am out of time. Until next time, Happy Stitching.

Busy Stitching

2011-06-29T19:11:00.000-04:00

I have a couple of finishes!! YAY! I have been trying to squeeze stitching time in here and there. The weather has been beautiful all week, upper 70's, so I have spent lots of time at the pool with the boys. Great place to cool off, not a great place to stitch. No one wants to get their over-dyed fabrics or thread wet with chlorinated water. YIKES! Here are the pics of my finishes.

LHN Ornament Silent Night
30ct Tin Roof with recommended fibers

Rosewood Manor
Keys to the Kingdom
30ct Parchment
DMC and Mill Hill beads

I tried to get a closer picture for you to see the beads but this little camera can only do so much. It is much prettier in person. Both of these are shop models for ABC Stitch. Next up is Nora Corbett Little Snowy Green Cottage. I haven't made enough progress on it so no pic this time.

Back to the back breaking task of weeding the flower beds.

Happy Stitching!

And the traveling pattern goes to . . .

2011-06-26T19:54:00.000-04:00

Erin at Fairy Tales & French Knots. Welcome to the stitcherhood. Please e-mail me your snail mail address and I will drop it in the mail tomorrow. As for everyone else, hop on over to Erin's blog for a visit and keep your eye out for the next stop. Happy Stitching!!

Traveling Pattern Is Ready To Move On

2011-06-21T16:17:00.000-04:00

I joined the sisterhood!! About 1 week ago I was contacted to say that I was the next to stitch the Traveling Pattern. It is Count your Blessings by Shakespeare's Peddler. I rec'd it Wednesday and stitched it over the weekend. It was a lovely, quick stitch and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's time to pass it along. It has made it's way from Oklahoma, South Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Oregon and Massachusetts. Where will it go next?? If you would like to be next leave a comment on this post. I will draw a name on Sunday. Please note the summary of the rules below: 1) Comment on this post 2) By commenting, you agree to stitch it and send it along in a timely manner 3) You must have an active blog to participate (so we can follow it) 4) If you aren't chosen, follow along to the next stitcher to see if you get it next time. This is for the chart only. You choose color and fabric of your choice.

Count Your Blessings Shakespeare's Peddler
36ct LL Lentil
Sampler Threads Autumn Pack

Happy Stitching Everyone! Good Luck!

Crossing two loves

2011-06-17T08:03:00.000-04:00

I recently finished a fob for a friend. Deborah is in my Wednesday stitching group and she asked me to finish a fob for her that she stitched up. It is a LHN design that she stitched over one. So it is tiny and very sweet. I love beading and she had admired some of the beaded fobs I had done in the past and wanted something similar. Here is what I came up with. (By the way, Deborah likes pinks and reds)

I am currently finishing up some model stitching. Working my way through Keys to the Kingdom and also finished something for an exchange but can't share that one just yet. What are you working on??

A couple of finishes

2011-06-16T11:46:00.000-04:00

Good day everyone! The sun is shining and the temperature is perfect! AAAaaahhhhhh!!! I have been out working in the gardens weeding this morning but said "time for a quick post and some stitching" Being fair skinned, even with sunscreen I don't like to be out during peek sun hours. I managed to finish LHN Gingerbread Village and All Through The Night The Sheltering Tree. Hope you like them.

Gingerbread Village is stitched on Tin Roof using Crescent Colours and DMC. I will finish it into an ornament very soon. Stay tuned. The Sheltering Tree is stitched on Lakeside Linen 36ct Lentil using Valdani P2 Olive Green (one strand). I loved this stitch and enjoyed seeing the bunnies, birdies and squirrels come to life. Until next time everyone, Happy Stitching!!
Congrats to the Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup Winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sturbridge Village Field Trip and Sampler

2011-06-14T07:51:00.000-04:00

I recently chaparoned a field trip for the 5th graders and we went to Sturbridge Village. It is a recreation of an Olde Colonial Village and I love the simplicity of it. It always amazes me at how much work went into daily life and how we take for granted the modern amenities we have today. Can you imagine churning your own butter and cheese. I think most of us would just go without. The kids were assigned the task of finding certain thinks within the village and one of the kids asked if I could just look it up on my iphone. What???? #1 I don't have an iphone and #2 where is the fun in that?? I swear technology has robbed our children. I am not anti technology but I do feel there is a time and a place for it.
While poking through all of the buildings I came across a small, tiny display of needlework and linens. I took photos of the 2 I liked the most. The pictures are bad, the building was poorly lit and the samplers were under glass in a glass cabinet. You can imagine the challenge there right?

I loved the border on this one. It just seems to flow peacefully around the edge and the colors were beautiful

I likd the trees on the lower right and the flower basket in the lower center. Simply beautiful and very well preserved. Just love it! The next picture is of the herb garden. It's beautiful. Can you imagine having all of those fresh herbs available??

I hope if you ever get to Massachusetts you will visit Olde Sturbridge Village. It isn't anything grand, no noisy rides or amusements but a throw back to a time that has past.

Happy Stitching!!

Life got in the way

2011-06-10T18:21:00.000-04:00

It has been crazy busy since my Birthday. My husband surprised me by taking me to a Red Sox Game. I love visiting Fenway Park. I have gone to many games and I never lose the excitement I feel about going to another. I haven't been the last few years because I give up my ticket to one of the boys but this one was just for me because it was an afternoon game. We had a blast (except for the intoxicated idiots who spilt beer all over me.) I will never understand the over indulgence of alcohol that some men partake in at sporting events. The joke with my husband and I is to stage the drunkiness. Stage 1 -2 beers lots of laughing, Stage 2 -4 beers Really loud and obnoxious Stage 3 6-8 beers F bombs flying and coach and player degradation, Stage 4 (my personal favorite) 8+ beers kicked out by security.

My boys surprised me with an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. It was quite delicious and so thoughtful of them. They had to bribe their grandfather to drive them over to DQ to pick it up in order to have it for me when I got home.

My Birthday bouquet. Beautfiul white snapdragons. A personal summertime favorite.

We have had a tight schedule with baseball for the little leaguers, award ceremonies for the older children, Confirmation for my oldest son, etc . . . So we decided last Sunday to go for a beautifully relaxing bike ride. This trail is a personal favorite along the coast of Falmouth MA. I love the beach and always feel recharged.

This was once a railway that was converted to a bike trail. It is appoximately 10miles round trip. The name of the path is the Seaway. If you ever visit Cape Cod be sure to rent some bikes and travel to one of these destinations. It is sooooo worth the trip!

The view

Fragrant Sea Roses line the entire patch and smell wonderful

The path--- long and flat

As far as stitchy news, I finished Gingerbread Village by LHN, worked on Keys to the Kingdom, worked on Kitty Quilts. I will post progress pics over the weekend providing I squeeze out a corner of time. Happy Friday Everyone and Happy Stitching!!

A small finish and some WIPS

2011-06-05T19:43:00.001-04:00

The weather has been good to us since the tornadoes rolled through last week. I can't tell you how many times I have been told, "Don't worry about tornadoes, they don't happen in New England" Yeah RIGHT!!! Western Massachusetts was hit with several strong storms which they haven't classified and there is much devastation in those areas. Probably nothing like the Midwest but pretty traumatic to an area that doesn't expect them. My heart goes out to those families who lost loved ones and all of their belongings. The running joke at Stitching Group is "Do we have our stash at the ready in case we need to evacuate?"

Here are my latest projects. The first is LHN Ornament "Deck the Halls" using recommended fabric and fibers. This will be made into an ornament and modeled at ABC Stitch.

Next up is a progress picture from a SAL I am working on. Ellen and I both love kitties and so we saw it fitting to work on this one together. 2 Charts come out bimonthly and we have the first 6 to work on. It is designed by Val's Stuff and titled Monthly Kitty Quilts. I am stitching mine on 35ct Iced Cappucino with the recommended DMC fibers. It so fun to work with such vibrant colors. I missed stitching group last week and have some catching up to do. I need to have block 3 finished for this Wednesday. I here that whip cracking, but get moving.

Here is another WIP. I started this one to work on during the baseball season. I spend from 4:30 to 8pm 3-4 days a week at the ball field watching my little leaguers PLAY BALL. I am the type that needs to keep my fingers busy so here is Sheltering Tree stitched on 36ct Pearled Barley ( I think but can't quite remember) using the called for Valdani thread (single strand). I am enjoying this one as it progresses and can't wait to finish it.

I hope you have a had a lovely weekend. The weather here couldn't have been better. We had a busy weekend and I will post some details tomorrow. Happy Stitching Friends!

And the Winner is . . .

2011-06-02T17:20:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my blogiversary giveaway. I used the random number generator and Blue Star Stitcher you are the winner. Please e-mail me your address so I can send your prize off to you.

A finish!

2011-05-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

Regatta by Cross Eyed Cricket Collection. Stitched on 32ct Cafe Mocha Country French linen with DMC floss.

This one is a tough one to photograph because it is so long. I started it a while ago and finished it last week. I just got around to photographing it a couple of days ago. I will post some WIP pics tomorrow. I have a SAL and some new model stitching I am working on. I have been reading lots of blogs the last couple of weeks and I find lots of you have startitis. I don't, I just want to finish what I have started. I do have lots of new ones in the pipeline to start but have held off so that I can clear up some WIPs. There is one that I may not hold off on and that is With Thy Needle's Mystery Sampler. It seems as if everyone is working on this one and the colors are BEAUTIFUL. Maybe I will reward myself with this one once I finish another WIP.
I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day. Dont' forget to join in on my giveaway. You must leave a comment on the previous post before June 2nd. Happy Stitching!!!

Blogiversary Giveaway

2011-05-28T11:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day! I can't believe we are at the end of May and summer is around the corner. Memorial Day has always been the marker for me as the start of summer. Family birthdays, specifically mine and my mom's and family barbeques. It's as if everyone starts to come out of hibernation and spirits are lifted with warmth and sunshine. Spring brings the renewal of life around here from plants to animals and we enjoy watching the swans, geese, bluebirds, turtles etc... caring for their newest members. I most love the return of color.

Thursday marked my one year blogiversary. The year has flown by!! I have accomplished alot of stitching but not nearly as much as I would have liked. I love the comments that people have left and the friendships I have made through the many (and I do mean MANY) blogs that I follow. In celebration of this personal milestone I am have a small giveaway for my followers (new and old). It's simple, leave a comment telling me you are a follower and you will be entered. I would love for you to share this on your blogs but it is not a requirement. I will draw and post the winner on June 2nd which means you have until then to enter. Good Luck and here is a pic of the Goodies. There are 2 cuts of evenweave, I cut of R&R linen, needles, scissors, LHN "Liberty Belles", CCN "Ice Cream Sundaes" charts and the DMC to stitch the CCN chart.

Happy Stitching!!

Stitchy News

2011-05-23T11:23:00.000-04:00

I have stitchy pics!! I have been playing with a new camera and it just isn't working out. Please forgive these less than fabulous pictures. It continues to rain so the lighting is poor and the camera won't co-operate. I will most likely return it if I can't get it to work properly. All the pics are a touch blurry and now I have resorted to re-reading the manual. We'll see how it goes.

By the Bay Needlearts New England Winter

28ct Country Blue

DMC floss

close up of the horse drawn sleigh

Nora Corbett
Little Snowy Blue Church
32ct Ocean Kiss
DMC, Caron Waterlilies, MH beads and LOTS of Kreinik

I am starting 2 more LHN ornaments as models and working on a SAL at my Wednesday stitching group. I will post a progress picture later this week. Also coming up is a Blogiversary giveaway. It is my one year blogiversary later this week and to celebrate I will have a giveaway for my followers. Stay tuned and Happy Stitching!!!

The Season for School Field Trips

2011-05-20T18:32:00.000-04:00

The rain has finally let up and the school field trip that was cancelled due to rain last Wednesday was postponed to today. I tend to chaperone alot of these trips because I am lucky enough to be a stay at home mom. We live in a town that has lots of history embedded in it and today we learnt a piece of that history. We visited the King Cesaer House. Ezra Weston was a vessell builder. (Ships and Brigs etc.) We toured the home which Ezra Weston II built. The historical society has tried to restore it back to period era. Of course, what do you think caught my eye??? Historical SAMPLERS. In EVERY room of the house. I was total enthralled and looking at these and reading the verses. Seeing which generation stitched it etc. Can I share any photos with you?? No!! They don't let you take pictures in the house. UUUGGGHHHH!! One of them has definitely been reproduced because I recognized it and I will have to go back to take a look at the name on it again. I really enjoyed catching a glimpse into this piece of history from a needleworkers point of view. The sun is shining finally and the birds are singing! Happy Stitching

Some Stash from Celebrations...

2011-05-12T08:11:00.000-04:00

As you know, Celebration of Needlework sets up a shopping mall and this year they did an exceptional job with a great variety of vendors. The problem with that is the ridiculous amount of shopping that I did. The only comfort is that I was NOT alone in my stash enhancing. Sorry the pics are so dark but it has been overcast for a long time and now when the sun does make its way out I get an instant migraine because my eyes can't handle the light.

This is a project roll by Jackie De Plessis. She had a wonderful booth this year with kits for many of her previous classes and also offered many sewing supplies and stitching goodies. This project roll keeps your work flat and the ends open to reveal space for chart and threads and the opposite end has a pin cushion. Of course, I picked blue but she had them in many colors and 2 different sizes. I also go the matching snap pouch to keep other goodies needed for stitching.

These are 2 kits from Jackie. One is a frog on a lily pad for "frogging" and the onther is a sewing accessories with flower beeswax. Too Cute!

These are 2 books and 2 needlebooks from Scandanavian Stitches and the French Needle. The blue needle book has a lovely ceramic Hedgehog button. Not sure why I love hedge hogs but it has something to do with the cute face but the bristlely nature. As if to say look at me but don't touch me. The books have beautiful floral and summer motifs worked in Flower Thread. I enjoy working with flower thread because it has great coverage.

Something different! Wool felted pin cushion. Not sure I will be able to figure this out but bought it on a whim because I missed my "Daisy".

Most unusual thing I bought. Edward Scissor Fish. I couldn't resist. I love beading and the shop model was precious. There are MANY packets of beads and it will take lots of time to stitch them on but the end result will be darling. By the way, I bought the BLUE kit. Surprise Right??!!

This kit came from The French Needle. It had the presewn sewing pouch with a stitchable band. I also picked up the little bird thread keep to tuck inside. This will stitch up quickly and it is something I can take with me on the go. I will most likely work on it during the many upcoming baseball games the boys have.

And lastly, the scissor addiction. I couldn't shop and not find a pair of scissors. I picked up a few minis and a pair of Bohin scissors which I have never seen before. Really, how many pair do we need?? Not sure but I did get excited to find the new ones. Thanks for checking out my stash. My next update will be a stitchy one. I haven't finished anything but have lots of WIPS to share. Until next time, Happy Stitching Everyone!

Celebrations. . . Classes

2011-05-11T08:44:00.000-04:00

AAAAhhhhhh! Finally caught up with all of the musts. Now onto the good stuff. I can't believe another Celebration of Needlework has come and gone. I had a great time catching up with friends and had lots of laughs. I was able to take 2 classes and do way tooo much shopping.

The first class was Grandma's Garden Sewing Kit. It was taught by Linda Duree of Stitching Treasures. She has very unique designs all based on antique needlework smalls that she has in her personal collection. The colors are beautiful and it has the cutest little elastic pocket inside. I am looking forward to stitching this one up. I really thought I could finish the stitching over the course of the weekend. HAAAA! It could have happened if I stopped the shopping.

The next class was Glastonbury Garden Portfolio. I absolutely LOVE the colors. They have a very seaside feel to them and I just love the ocean. I didn't make alot of progress on this one. The cover is covered in overlapping circles which are stem stitched. When the piece is opened there are beautiful pockets and a lovely garden of specialty stitches. You can see a pic of the finished product here. This class was taught by Lauren Sauer of Forget me not in stitches.

Lastly, this class was offered by Pam Reed of Olde Colonial Designs. I wasn't able to take the class because it was offered before I got to Celebrations. I was able to purchase the extra kit and I just love it. I already stitched up the pin cushion which is teeny tiny. This is Stitchers Tool Box. It has a beautifully hand painted box that will be lined with a green silk fabric and has a stitched needlebook, pin cushion, and wooden thread keep to tuck inside. Love this piece. Even if I never finish it the box is beautiful.

I think I will leave you with that for today and will follow with my stash post tomorrow. Happy Stitching!!

The gray of winter turns to the colors of spring

2011-05-04T17:25:00.000-04:00

Although it feels as if it took forever, color has finally returned. It is amazing what a little sunshine and color can do to the spirit. I had a wonderful time at Celebrations of Needlework. My plan is to post some pics of the classes I took and the stash I acquired but I have been running around like mad trying to catch up. You can imagine what four boys will do while mom is away for a couple of days. Until next post, Happy Spring!

A finish, A WIP and an Adventure

2011-04-28T07:41:00.000-04:00

My most recent finish is BBD Anniversary House A Wish for Thee. I was able to finish it up on Saturday. I spent lots of time frogging on this piece. See those windows, I change the color 4 times. My husband thought I was nuts but I really wasn't happy with the original color and every other color just wasn't working until I used this one GAST Roasted Marshmallow. It allows you to see the windows without having them pop out at you. Anyways, it's done and at the framers.

My newest WIP which already has progress since this pic is Mirabilia Little Snowy Blue Church which is a model for ABC Stitch Therapy. I have now done all of the stitching and have beads to add. Yup that is all Kreinik braid. Not bad but not great either. I will post a pic once I add the beads. Next model, New England Winter by By The Bay. It is coming along quickly, I started it last night and am very happy with the progess.

Now onto the adventure, I am heading to Celebration of Needlework this weekend in NH. I am so fortunate that it is just a drive to get there. They have just annouced a second show in St. Louis MO in September so for all of you who can't make it to NH you will now have a second option.

I will post pics of classes I am taking and events from the show. Have a great weekend and Happy Stitching!!

Daisy is 9 months old today!!

2011-04-22T16:58:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted about Daisy lately and thought since she turned 9 months old today I would share and update. She is now 85lbs and consuming lots of food. This picture shows her with a couple of new toys. One is tucked under her belly so her older sister Jessee can't get it. Toys last about 15minutes once they are out of the bag. I am in search of the indistructable toy and haven't found it yet. She chewed through 2 baseballs and 4 tennis balls last week and once she gets the squeaker out of her toys she loses interest. Typical toddler don't you think.

This picture was taken when she was 8weeks old and I just threw it in so you could compare it with the next pick.

This is Daisy standing next to Jessee. You can see that Jessee is now dwarfed by Daisy's size. Jessee is not a small dog, She is a 90lb Chesapeake Bay Retriever so you can understand just how big our Daisy is getting. She now thinks of the bathroom sink as her watering hole and has figured out how to turn the water on to drink from the faucet. What a gem!

Lastly I wanted to update everyone on Cosmo's wellbeing. You have all been very supportive and I greatly appreciate your kind words. He is holding his own. He sleeps quite a bit and has lost several pounds but still gives us plenty of loving. Every day the boys say "Mom, isn't it good that we didn't put him to sleep" as I try to recoup from the ENORMOUS vet bill and giving him more medications than I take myself. It was so worth it just to have these snuggly moments with him. He is definitely a love:) Happy Easter to all who are celebrating this holiday and I hope we get some genuine spring weather soon!! Happy Stitching!

Spring Swap and LK Finish

2011-04-21T18:58:00.000-04:00

Wow, time flies. It's been a while since my last post and I have tons I could share but have a very limited time to share it. So I apologize in advance for the fly-by post. The last swap I participated in was Lainey's Spring Easter Swap. It was so fun receiving these goodies in the mail. The first 2 picture is what I got from Loretta and the second photo is what I sent.

Isn't this scissor case darling!! I love it Loretta!

I finished up LK Spring alphabet last week and thought I would get around to ironing it but didn't so here are some not so great shots but a finish none the less.

So until next post, Happy Stitching Everyone!!

Spring Swaps and Exchanges

2011-04-15T08:21:00.000-04:00

I was very fortunate to be able to participate in 3 exchanges for the spring. I have sent all of mine off and have received 2 very generous exchanges. The first thank you goes to Michele at Just Another Stitching Blog. Here is a picture of the goodies she included: 2 cuts of beautiful fabric, limited edition thread pack from Gentle Arts, a finger tip towel, sharpies with a pen purse, thread heaven, photo album, a beautiful scissor fob (did you make this one Michele??) and a lovely pincushion with lovely beaded pins.

The design is by Raise the Roof. My favorite thing in spring is the return of the birds to my feeders especially the bluebirds. It couldn't have been more appropriate. Thanks Michele.

The next exchange I took part in was organized by Parsley at Seasons of my Mind. Lynn sent this wonderful package for the exchange. You can visit her blog at Needles-and-quilter-me.

As you can see, Lynn took great care in wrapping these lovely surprises. Inside I found some Madeira silks, a butterfly cookie cutter, a memo pad (better known in my house as a stash list), beautiful notecards, some sparkly spring fabric and a lovely pillow stitched and made by Lynn. How cute is that bluebird.

This design is Spring Bluebird by Waxing Moon and was the perfect gift for a Spring exchange. I am so happy to have had these wonderful ladies touch my life. THANK YOU!!!

Happy Stitching Everyone!

A Few Finishes

2011-04-06T08:10:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post with some finishes. I have had them done for awhile but I just can't seem to find time to take photos, download photos, then post. The first two are models that I stitched for ABC Stitch Therapy and the last is an Easter gift.

LHN Cardinal Winter
30 ct WDW Cocoa
DMC and Crescent Colours

LHN Bringing Home the Tree
30ct WDW Cocoa
Crescent Colours and DMC

BBD Basket of Spring
28ct Ivory Evenweave

I am now finishing up LK Spring Alphabet and will be moving on to Mirabilia Little Snowy Blue Church.
Happy Stitching Everyone!