A finish!

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

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

 

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

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...

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

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

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!