With Thy Needle and Thread --Snow Bird

Happy New Year to all of you.  I hope you have a wonderful celebration tonight to bring in the New Year.  I look forward to what the New Year holds and am thankful for all of the good and not so good things that happened in 2013.  The good for the memories I cherish and the bad for the lessons I have learned.  I was able to finish the Snow Bird Pin Keep from With Thy Needle.  The kit included everything you needed to stitch and assemble this lovely little decoration.  I am pleased with how it turned out.  The pictures don't do it justice.

I was also able to capture a few shots of my very own snow birds.  A house finch and a couple of Gold Finches.  Their winter colors are so different from their summer colors.  Still beautiful.

I want to thank all of you for stopping by.  I really have enjoyed catching up on blogs and receiving your wonderful comments.  I plan to spend New Year's Eve and New Years Day in my stitching chair.  I have lots of plans for the New Year but I will have to see where it takes me.  I can't wait to watch the Rose Parade and HGTV has it aired commercial free...Doesn't get better than that

Happy Stitching!

Merry Christmas

Wishing all of you a Very Merry Christmas!  May you be surrounded by happiness and peace.  The photo is my progress on Hibernation Day by My Heartstring Samplery.  It is wonderfully pleasing to stitch while I am sitting by a warm cozy fire.
Happy Stitching!!

A finish or two...

I often wonder if other stitchers have this problem.  I tend to get involved in SAL thinking "Oh the parts are small, I'll have no problem keeping up.  Or I look at a piece and think "Oh I can whip this up No Problem!!"  Then, boom time escapes me.  These two pieces where just that.  I can stitch these up and have them displayed in time for the season.  Well, I didn't make it this year but they are ready for next year.  I will frame the smaller piece myself but the other piece is an odd shape, so off to visit the framer. The first piece many of you will recognize.  It was all over blog land last fall.  It was a freebie SAL offered by Donna of By the Bay Needlearts.  I used DMC variations thread for the leaves and DMC for the rest.  It is stitched on mystery linen from my stash.  I love Donna's coastal scenes and the fact that she sizes her finishes to fit into a standard frame. 

 

 

This next piece is from the Halloween Book offered by JCS for 2013.  It is designed by The Primitive Hare.  Stitched on Lakeside Linen 32ct Vintage Lentil with DMC threads. I am pretty sure that the kitty at the bottom of the piece was what attracted me to stitching it but the bitty spiders and charming witch's boots were an equal draw.  I look forward to displaying this piece next Halloween.

Back to the stitching chair to cozy in with a hot cup of tea and my Hawk Run Hallow piece.  The temps are frigid and we are expecting lots of snow in the Northeast this weekend. Thanks for stopping by and I wish you Happy Stitching!

Stitching Update

Now that our holidays are behind us and I have had a chance to relax a bit I can take some time to share with you what I have been up to.  Here is a quick snap of the table setting at Thanksgiving.  This was our 16th year hosting Thanksgiving and we have been using the same dishes since the first.
We have never broken a single dish.  Figures cheap dinnerware scathes misfortune but the fine crystal has succumbed to mishap.  Every year we manage to break a least one glass during the washing process. 

I have made placecards each year and fold the napkin differently each time.  Below is a close up of the placecard.  My brother says I am too elaborate but I just love taking some time out of the preparation to do something I enjoy--crafting.

This is a picture of my favorite dish.  It is a glass turkey that I use for the cranberry sauce.  I just love him.  Well, enough of that, how about some stitching.  I managed to stitch up this Cat's Whiskers design which was way deep in my stash pile.  I didn't like the color of the silk it came with so I switched it out with a Silk n Colors--Autumn Leaves It is stitched on Light Mocha Belfast. This first pic shows the stitching complete. The following pics show you the finished scissor case.  I have made several of these and love them.

-front-

-back_

Can you see why I chose this floss color??  It matches my stork scissors which are now tucked safely inside

Since I updated you on our Thanksgiving I thought I would share this finish with you.  I stitched it in time for Thanksgiving but not enough time to have it framed.  It is Plum Street Samplers --Thankful for Thee.  It is stitched on 35ct Olde Town Blend by R & R with the called for NPI silks.  I just LOVE working with NPI.    Well, that's it for today.  My stitching chair is calling and I have two 12 hours work days ahead of me.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Happy Stitching

Thanksgivukkah

 

Today marks a very special day.  Tonight is the first night of Chanukah and tomorrow of course is Thanksgiving.  What does this mean?  Well a very harried couple of weeks running around and prepping for our dual holiday.  I am just popping in to wish everyone who celebrates these holidays a Joyous Festival of Lights and a Peaceful Thanksgiving.  I am looking forward to spending the day with family and friends tomorrow so back to work for me.  Have a wonderful day!

 

 

 

Dyeing to Stitch Retreat ...Awesome

I have finally downloaded the pics!!  I must say that I have only been to 3 retreats and Celebrations of Needlework and I can say that we were SPOILED at this retreat.  Anne and Pat made every effort to make sure the event was a success and there were bumps in the road--trust me.  We started our adventure quite early in the morning with 2 needlework shop destinations but traffic curtailed one of our stops.  The stop we did make was at In Stitches in Alexandria, VA.  What a fabulous shop!  Lots of fibers, fabrics, and charts . . . charts. . . charts. 

Here is a pic of my stash!  So very happy with the Lakeside Linen collection.  Every color and count you can think of.  It happens to be a personal favorite so I indulged.  I also go a European chart for a beautiful quaker motif table runner.  It's a big one but I hope to start on it soon.

The following day led us to Dyeing to Stitch.  A smaller sized shop with lots of eye candy.  The models were to die for.  I wanted everything but held back a bit because of our venture to the previous shop and the fact that the hotel would have a shopping boutique.  I did pick up a Blackbird Design from one of their previous retreats.  A seaside motif stocking set.  We made it to the hotel and had a small hiccup with accommodations which took a bit to sort out but once we did were quite comfortable.  We headed to the meet and greet and project preview.  They gifted us with a sweet "Celebrate" pin cushion kit taught by Sharon of The Purple Thread.  We had classes with  Paulette of Plum Street Samplers and Jeannette Douglass of Jeannette Douglass Designs.  They presented us with 2 projects each.

 At the stitch with Friends night we were presented with and exclusive design stitched by all of the instructors present at the retreat. 

Then we had another design presented by Stacy Nash.  A wonderful thread keep.  Have you been able to keep count?  That is 7 new projects!!  Oh my!  I loved them all and have intentions to stitch them all.  If that wasn't enough, the banquet was loads of fun.  It was a costume party and yes I am a party pooper and didn't dress up but so many people did and we were in "stitches" with laughter.  There were doors prizes and I was lucky enough to win a fabric covered journal/sketchbook.  The parting gift was a beautiful hand painted box to commemorate the event.  I have plans to keep my stitched needlebook from the retreat and other sewing necessaties in it.  

Sorry for the long post!  I hope you enjoyed this review and I will leave you with a picture of the sunrise that greeted us each morning! Oh didn't I tell you the hotel was right on the beach and the temps were in the 80's the whole time.  How can you not enjoy that!

Happy Stitching and thanks for stopping by.

Loose Feathers 2013

Are you stitching the 2013 Loose Feathers series??  When Barb and Alma announced they were doing a loose feathers series for 2013 I jumped on the band wagon.  I mean, could you really go wrong with 12 different samplers to hang as an ensemble.  Then the first design was released and I wasn't very excited by it.  I didn't like the shading of the blackbird and held off deciding how I could change it to suit my taste.  While I was pondering that I received #2 titled My Heart's Desire.  I LOVE it especially the colors.  Well don't you know I started right in on it.  The best part is that it was a quick stitch.  Here are the pictures.  Once again I apologize for the pics, camera issues.

 

It is stitched with R&R American Chestnut with recommended GAST threads.  My issue is this,  I will have to work some stretching magic on this piece because those darn wrinkles do NOT, will NOT and can NOT be removed.  I have ironed this piece many times.  It definitely gives the appearance of an antique sampler.  Something that will clue you in to when it was stitched is the year in the lower heart.  I also added the letter J and U to my alphabet.  Since this wasn't a reproduction I didn't feel it was necessary to leave them out.  I also left our the crowns.  They didn't mean anything to me.  I also have just my initials on this piece and no one else's.  Do you switch things up so that they appeal to you?  Do you change fabrics and thread choices to make it your own??  I would love to know what you do with your pieces??  I hope to be able to download pictures of the retreat and share them soon.  I am sure you have read about it on many blogs but I do feel people have a different perspective so I thought I would share mine with you.  Until then,  Happy Stitching!

Model Stitching

Last month I had the pleasure of stitching models for Cynthia of The Drawn Thread.  Have you seen her new releases??  Check them out here.  I stitched up the Christmas Jumble and cube ornaments.  Aren't they darling. 

Lilac Pixie--Nora Corbett

Please forgive the horrible picture.  Unfortunately, I think a new camera is in need.  I am hoping that the holidays will bring me a new one.  I have been on a personal mission to finish up my WIPs.  Ever have the feeling that something just isn't right and you start to feel a bit unraveled. Too many loose ends and over booked schedules.   Well, since the boys have started school I have felt compelled to work through my WIPs.  I have finished quite a few but wanted to share this one first.  I started her with the intention of giving it to my mom for her birthday last year and missed the mark.  I am proud to say I have finished her and she is at the framers in plenty of time for the holidays!! Yippee!! 

 

I don't know about you but there is nothing more effective at killing your stitching mojo like a WIP mission.  Many of these projects were put down for one reason or another and working on them leaves you exasperated.  Well, my mojo all but walked away.  I didn't want to stitch anything!  I couldn't even entice myself to start a new project. REALLY??!!  That lasted for several weeks and finally found my mojo waiting for me at the Dyeing to Stitch Retreat.  I think being away from the daily grind and enjoying the beach led my stitching mojo back to me and I have been at it ever since.  Small problem, I came home with a few new WIPs.  I guess the joy in stitching is enjoying what you are currently stitching.  Who cares if something takes longer than you anticipate.  It isn't gone forever, we always return to them and guess what, the stitches you place don't disappear.  They sit and patiently wait for your return.  The lesson I learned is to enjoy the process.  No need to rush through things to just get them done.  I will be back with more finishes and retreat details soon.

 

Thank you all for visiting and encouraging me in creating beautiful, stitched heirlooms. I appreciate each and every one of you and your comments.  Happy Stitching!!

Pumpkins for Cathey

Cathey,  Wishing you the best in celebration of your blogiversary.  I hope you have a wonderful day and that you realize the impact you have had on so many people around you.  God Bless

Late Summer Exchange

My stitching friend Pat and I have been participating in exchanges with each other for quite some time and she continues to amaze me with her generosity and creativeness.  We decided to have a late summer exchange since we are both entering into a very busy time in our personal lives.  She came up with the a theme of Blackbird and I love the heart pin pillow she created for me.  Isn't the birdie just darling??

 

She also gifted me with these extras.  My favorite of course is the Stacy Nash book titled my Name is Lidya.  I have already picked out the must stitch projects now I just need to find a little extra time.

Here is a quite snap of the Star Spangled Pin cushion I made for Pat.  I used the suggested GAST on 32ct Light Sand by Zweigart.  I really enjoyed this stitch.  It is from a Blackbird publication titled A Stitcher's Journey.  I will definitely be making more of these as "gifties".  I used Victoria Motto ric rac as trim around the pillow and of course made a few pins for decoration.

As summer winds down and the boys get ready to start school I am left with creating a "To Do" list.  There are so many things that have taken a back seat to summer activities that it's now time to get things back in order.  My fall will be filled with lots of painting.  I plan to refresh all of the boys bedrooms as well as our family room.  If my work schedule allows it I hope to have all of this completed by Thanksgiving as we will have a housefull.  I will leave you with a couple of beach photos I took on our last outing.  I will miss those lazy summer days and look forward to their return.

Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts

On the stitching front, I have started Autumn Jumble by Drawn Thread and recently received some model stitching which has captured my attention.  I am lovely every stitch!  I want to thank all of you who visit my blog.  You are truly appreciated!  Happy Stitching!

 

Oh by the way, did you fall in love with anything from Market??  I did and of course I overindulged.  Who can resist when you are surrounded by so many talented designers?

 

Ghoul Tidings . . . Halloween Stitches

As summer nears its end I get into the autumn stitching mood.  I am not typically a seasonal stitcher are you??  This year JCS Halloween Book had some lovely samplers to stitch up and I couldn't resist Plum Street Samplers Ghoul Tidings.  I pulled threads and fabric immediately upon receiving my book and didn't stop stitching it until it was complete.  I love the kitties and the witch is darling.  How does Paulette make a witch look cute I will never know.

 

 

Don't you love her fashionable attire??  I stitched it on 32ct Woo-steria from R&R ( a stash find) and GAST as charted. Off to the framers she will go and I will have plenty of time to display her.

And my reward for finishing a piece of course is a new start.  Really I should get back to those WIPs but when I saw my stitching friend Deborah with this one I had to stitch it!  It is Drawn Thread's Autumn Jumble.  I hope to put some x's in tonight but life always seems to get in the way.  We flew from East Coast to West Coast for 3 days and I am in a funk.  I guess they call it jet lag but I seriously can not get out of my own way.  I hope to right the cart by the weekend but I am working long days this weekend.  Any suggestions from anyone on how to recover from jet lag would seriously be appreciated.  Thank you all for visiting and giving me encouragement and stitching ideas.  I truly enjoy hearing from you and visiting the blogs of so many talented stitchers.

Happy Stitching!