A Little Fashion Show

I know,  I know.  It is about dang time I came up with a few pictures of my dear Mouline Rouge.  It has just been so hard to grab anything good.  By the time I'm able to get to the point where I can get pictures, the light has faded for the day.  Couple that with the fact that tax season is now in full swing and you end up with pictures that were snapped in the waining light of the evening.

So, forgive the crappy snappys, but it was all I could get.

Here's where MR sat the last time you saw her pretty face.........

And here she is now in all her fine glory!

Mouline Rouge as of 1/23/10
Stitched on 40ct Vintage Examplar by Lakeside Linen
Using Belle Soie's Rose of Sharon

I made it all the way to the end of the right side of the piece.  Whew!  While it was intense, it was very enjoyable.

Here are a few closeups.....

I've already finished the bottom motif and I've moved onto a few more of the letters and numbers.  Unfortunately I'm going to have to put this piece on hold for awhile.  While I dearly love it, I've got some obligation stitching that must be done.  Now that my time is severely limited, it means that I have to get a jump on some exchanges so that they go out on time.

I'm also going to be limited in my postings for the next two and a half to three months.  So, don't forget about me while I'm gone.

Honestly, it will be all I can do to keep up with your posts and my own stitching!

Happy Stitching!

Generosity....Stash Enhancement Style

"Generosity lies less in giving much than in giving at the right moment."  Jean De La Bruyère (1645–1696)

Lately I've had a wild hair.  I've decided that I want to collect all of the Loose Feathers patterns.  Now, this isn't a huge task since I joined Loose Feathers the instant that I knew of its existence.  So, I'm set on the last half of the patterns in this series.  However, as you all probably know, the Loose Feathers patterns become OOP (out of print) after one year and then you can only get them on the secondary market unless you are lucky enough to find them in the back corner of a stitchy store.  It has been a bear to find the older patterns.  They are quite elusive and quite expensive!



OOP Loose Feathers #6 and #12 purchased on eBay

 I've become a stalker on the Bay of Evil, better known to most as eBay.  Earlier this month I was lucky enough to pick up two of the OOP Loose Feathers that I am missing.  And, I didn't have to break the bank for them either!  Honestly, I don't think that the seller knew what he/she had.  Either that, or he/she didn't care.

Of course, I'm not the only one looking for hard to find or OOP charts.  I was over at G8dame's Place recently and I was reading a post where she asked what pattern was our current obsession.  Well, I made a comment about how I was on the lookout for older Loose Feathers charts. 

Here's where the generosity part comes in.  I got a lovely email from Robin (no blog) saying that she read my comment and that she thought she had a couple of the patterns that I was looking for and did I want them.  Did I want them???  YOU BETCHA!!! 

A couple of days later and this arrived in the mail........

I was so excited when I opened my mailbox to find the envelopes containing these little goodies.  What makes it even more special is that I have been specifically looking for Quaker Garden.  I had just bid and lost on an eBay auction for that exact pattern earlier that day.  I must have done the happy dance a dozen times after I opened the envelopes!  I went straight to my desk and pulled out a card to send Robin a big THANK YOU!!!  My thank you is not over either......so if you are reading this dear Robin, I have a surprise in store for you.  (Unfortunately, you may have to wait until tax season is over since my time is limited from late January to early April.....but don't worry, I won't forget your generosity!) 

Happy Stitching!

Last Crazy Start

Here it is, the last of my crazy starts.  I started this on the 15th of this month.  I'm so proud of myself for keeping up with this one!

Beyond My Heart
by Blackbird Designs

In other news, I finally got some pictures of Mouline Rouge last night.  I'm hoping to upload them and show them soon.  Stay tuned!

Happy Stitching!

Mail Delivery

Last month I entered a giveaway.  The other day this arrived from my neighbor to the north.  See the postage stamp?

It was a lovely package from Angela over at Hooked on Stitches.  I'm such a lucky girl!

My pillow has been carefully stored away with all my handmade Christmas items and will be proudly displayed next year.

Thanks again Angela......I LOVE IT!!!

Happy Stitching!

Another New One

While I finished the 2011 Crazy January Challenge back on the 15th, I haven't been able to get pictures of all of my starts.  I also haven't gotten a good picture of the illusive Mouline Rouge.  Hopefully there will be good light tomorrow and I will end up with a beautiful snap of MR along with start fifteen.

In the meantime, here's start number fourteen........

Mermaids
by Country Cottage Needleworks

Can you even tell that I started the dang thing?  Well, I did.......twice!  I'm stitching this one on a 32 count Silkweaver.  First I tried it with two threads and I thought it was too bulky.  Then I tried it with one thread (shown above).  Personally, with all the sparkles in the fabric, I don't think that one strand of thread shows up at all.  I'm just not satisfied with this project at all.  But, a start is a start, so I logged this baby in anyway. 

However I think that when I get back to this one I'm going to make a change.  I'm going to change the fabric and substitute the light purple Crescent Colours floss with a darker one.  You know, something like this.........

What do you think?

Happy Stitching!

Just What You've Been Waiting For

You thought it was going to be a picture of Mouline Rouge, didn't you????  Well, it has been way to dreary to take pictures for the last few days, so I guess that will just have to wait.

In the meantime, here are two more of the crazy starts from last week.....

Number Tweleve

Winter Heart
by La~D~Da

Number Thirteen

ABC's of Aging Artfully
by Lizzie*Kate

I hope I can get a picture of Mouline Rouge this weekend.  I'm so anxious to show off my progress!

Happy Stitching!

More Crazy Starts

Just a few quick minutes to post more pictures of my challenge starts!

Number Nine

Flower Urn
Homespun Elegance

 Number Ten

Delivering Fleurs
Homespun Elegance

 Number Eleven



Living With Charm
2008 Flip-Its
Lizzie*Kate

Yes, I know these are pitiful starts.  I managed to get only a few stitches in on each and I haven't been back to them since.  But when you see Mouline Rouge you will know why these starts look the way they do.  (If that is not another tease, I don't know what is!)
Only four more starts to go!

Happy Stitching!

Crazy Changes and Pictures

As I said when I first started this 2011 Crazy January Challenge, I reserve the right to make changes on which patterns I choose to stitch.  Well, as you can see on my side bar to the right, I did change up my list of fifteen.  Plus, my list of alternates got much bigger as I went farther into the challenge.  The reason?  Well, there are many, but ultimately something didn't work out with the pattern that I wanted to start so it would shift down to the "Possible Alternates" area.  Then I would end up finding something that wasn't on my list to begin with.  Well......the rest is history and the fifteen were started.  However, my goal for the rest of the year is to make a start on each pattern that is listed in my "Possible Alternate" area.  Of course, I can't guarantee that I won't add a few new things into the mix during 2011.

Now, on to a couple of pictures of the rest of my starts. I believe I left off at number six. So without further ado, here is seven and eight........

Letter 'H"
Letters by Nora Corbett (Mirabilia Designs)

Rose Garden
by Blackbird Designs
(over one inspired by Peggy Lee....thanks Peggy!)

That's it for now.  I hope to grab a few minutes again soon so that I can show you some more starts.

Happy Stitching!

Crappy Computer, New Email

Yes, the computer is still messed up.  I've downloaded some software before starting work this morning and I'm hoping that I can upload it to my computer later tonight.  In the meantime, posts will be quick as I will have to do them before or after work.  (Sorry if I've repeated myself.....I'm just really frustrated with all of this!)

In the meantime, I've created a new email address just for my blog.  Check it out in my profile.  But, for those of you who have my old email address, it still works.  I just thought it would be nice to have a dedicated stitching/blogging address.

Hopefully I will get a quick post in sometime today with some pictures from the challenge.

Happy Stitching!

Challenge Update Squashed

Well, it looks like the computer is still fried. I worked on most of yesterday and part of today as well. But it looks like I didnt fix it like I thought. I guess it may end up with the computer doctor after all.

Men! UGH!

New Blogger, Giveaway & a Dead Computer

First the good news........my dear friend Darlene is now blogging.  You go girl!  Plus, she is also having a Valentine's Day Giveaway!  Check out her blog and maybe you will be the winner.

In other news, my home computer has crapped out.  I think Hubby may have been perusing too much on the Internet!  So, forgive me for the lack of posts.  But, be assured that I have been successful in the crazy challenge and I have started all 15 projects.  Plus, I'm much further on MR as well.

I think I may make a trip to Wal-Mart later today to check out the net books!

Happy Stitching!

Just a Tease

That's right, I'm just going to tease you a little bit today. While I have been a good girl by starting my Day 8 and Day 9 projects, I have been remiss to take any pictures over the weekend.

For the eighth project I started Rose Garden by Blackbird Designs. I chose to be brave with this project so I'm stitching it over one on 28ct fabric. I have only stitched seven diamonds in the boarder so far, but I can tell this is going to be fun. However, I have to make a working copy of this chart before I go any further because I know I will lose my place if I don't highlight where I am. Plus, I can really see myself stitching this one more than once. It is perfect for a gift.

My ninth project was Flower Urn by Homespun Elegance. I'm stitching it on the premade "Stitchery Keep" as shown on the front of the pattern. I only stitched about half the urn yesterday and I can already tell that this one will be a little bit of a challenge. Good thing I can use the sewing method!

I've also been more than busy with MR. While I haven't finished page 3 (I started in the upper right hand corner), I have moved onto page 6 so that I could work my way down before I start working my way too far to the left. She is really moving along nicely.

Well, it is going to be a busy day at work. Tax season has already started for me! Hopefully I will be able to get a stitch in on start number 10 later tonight. Good thing Hubby has the day off. Someone has to do the housework!!

Happy Stitching!

Attention Hog

I've noticed that MR (Mouline Rouge) has garnered your attention as much as it has mine. I'm glad to see that you love it too. I have to thank you for all your wonderful comments on it. I'm quite enthralled and I find myself drifting to it each and every time I sit down to stitch. It is getting harder and harder to work on my startitis with this project in my bag.  I'm sure that many of you have had a project like this at one time or another.

I've had a few questions about MR, so hopefully this will answer them all. It is a rather large project, but it is not the biggest Long Dog that I have in my stash. The biggest would be Bagatelle at 322 x 443, which equals 60,156 stitches!  I've had Bagatelle in my stash for sometime now (since at least 2007). However, I've decided that I no longer wish to stitch it on the color fabric that I originally chose for it. Maybe I will come to a decision as I stitch MR. Who knows?

On to the details........ MR is 364 x 364 stitches. I'll be stitching a grand total of 39,084 stitches. WHEW!!!! That is going to be a ton of thread!  With the help of dear Hubby I picked Rose of Sharon (Belle Soie) to stitch with.  Thank goodness I have a wonderful friend who helped me get all of my thread from the same dye lot. (Thanks Sharon! **waves, blowing kisses and sending hugs**) I'm stitching MR on 40ct Vintage Examplar by Lakeside Linen.  I really love this color fabric, don't you?

Now that I've talked about my current beloved project, I've got a hankering to get settled into the happy chair!

Happy Stitching!

Serial Starting

I have to say, I love this "Crazy Challenge".  It just fits right along with my M.O. of being a serial starter.  At least I have reined in my craziness with these two starts since they are much smaller than the projects that I have already started.  After all, a girl has to have a sense of some kind of satisfaction in finishing a project or two.

Here's start #5.......

Pumpkin Stack
by Chessie & Me

And start #6......

To Light the Way
(Harvest of Friendship Retreat)
by Blackbird Designs

I'm so glad to hear that you all are enjoying this challenge as much as I am!  Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments on my starts.

Happy Stitching!

It's a Challenge

It is Day 5 of the 2011 Crazy January Challenge.  I haven't started my piece for today, but I've got some time carved out for that after dinner tonight.  The hard part is going to be what to pick next.

Here's my start for Day 4.......

Tis the Season
by Blackbird Designs

Only three dozen stitches made it into this project last night.  But, a start is a start.  After all, the challenge stated that we had to "start" the project.  It didn't say we had to work on it all day!   I can't help it.....I've been distracted ever since I started this.......

Mouline Rouge by Long Dog
First motif down......a bazillion more to go!

What can I say?  Mouline just grabbed all of my stitchy mojo and ran.  Because this is such a big project (364 x 364 with 39,084 stitches) I have to go with the mojo when the focus is on this project.  I'd really love to be able to say that I finished this project in the same year that I started it.

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments about my new starts!

Happy Stitching!

New Beginnings and the Challenge Starts

Welcome to 2011!!!!

I've been a very busy beaver the first few days of this wonderful new year.  I just hope that the rest of 2011 is as good as these first few days have been.  I think Hubby said it best with his first Facebook post of the new year.

Lessons were learned , memories were made, and I became a stronger more loving person all in 2010. Now it's my season, 2011 marks the beginning of more growth, more memories, more love and more goals to be met.... Looking forward to all that is ahead......

Speaking of new beginnings, I've been very busy with the 2011 Crazy January Challenge.  I've already made a change to my list of fifteen.  I'm pretty sure that this won't be the last change either!

Remember this post from 2009?  I was supposed to start a SAL with a dear friend at the beginning of 2009.  Well, we never did start it.  So, since this was a "Crazy Challenge", I decided to go crazy with my first piece.  Here's my start on the upper right hand corner working to the left.


Mouline Rouge
by Long Dog

Day two was a wonderful day spent with my stitching sisters.  We decided to have progressive dinner and I hosted the dessert.  It was so much fun to see each other's finished and unfinished stash.  In the process we also found things in each other's stash that we hadn't seen before.  A few of us even exchanged patterns.  I was a good girl and stuck to the challenge.  I started this......

This Heart of Mine
by Ink Circles

I decided to change things up on day three and deviate from my list.  One of my stitching sisters had stitched a piece that I fell in love with.  From the instant I saw it stitched I knew that I had to stitch it for myself.  She was such a wonderful friend and passed it on so that I could fulfill my stitching desires.  So, I rearranged my list and began this.....

Sheltering Tree
by With Thy Needle & Thread

I'm very pleased with my new starts in the 2011 Crazy January Challenge.  Now I'm going to go back to working on Mouline Rouge until tomorrow.  Then I'll have to get start number four under my belt. 

This is definitely crazy.......but fun!

Happy Stitching

It's 2011!!!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful 2011!