Snuck One In

I was able to steal a few minutes at the end of the day for a quick post from my work computer.  I couldn't help myself because I've been itching to show the BoaF progress.  Here is what our pieces looked like at the end of Saturday (7/7/12)....

Left - Mine
Right - Maggee
Bottom - Sheryl

Since Sheryl doesn't have a blog anymore, here is a closeup of hers. (You will have to check out Maggee's blog for hers!)

The color of the fabric is washed out here.  It is more golden than it appears.

 And, of course, I couldn't leave you without a closeup of mine....

I've stitched a bit further than you see here, but not much.  Plus, I'm really thinking about pulling some of the greenish color out of the trunk of the tree.  It is a bit too stripy for my taste, but the longer it sits the more it grows on me.

So, has anyone been able figure out who my visitor was?

Happy Stitches!

Time on My Hands

It seems that I've had lots of productive stitching related time on my hands lately. 

Last Saturday two of my stitching buds and I headed to a not so local needlework shop.  It is about 45 minutes away (on a good traffic day).  We love the short trip for a different take on our hobby.  While I was disappointed in the lack of new patterns in the shop, I did manage to pick up some fabric and threads for a couple of projects that are waiting in the wings.

The Gentle Arts Threads and the 32ct Bo Peep Pink Belfast was purchased for the Birds & Berries Needlebook by Blackbird Designs. (Crescent Colours are from my stash.)

The 34ct Legacy Linen in Oaten Scone was purchased for the Summer Harvest Needlebook by Blackbird Designs.

I also managed to stitch and finish a cute little Shepherd's Bush piece for my Friends Through the Seasons exchange.  This was the first time I tried this finish.  I'm pleased with this first time effort and I will definitely use this finish on future projects.

The pillow is sitting on the fabric that I used for the backing.

I've been spending the rest of my free time working on BoaF.  Boy, has my needle been smoking.  Here is where my piece stood shortly after last weekend.....

Part I ~ DONE!

Speaking of smoking, I don't know how the weather is where you are, but temperatures have been smoking here.  We've been in the high 90's to low 100's for the past week and tomorrow with be another 100+ degree day.  With the humidity in the area it means we are under an "Excessive Heat Warning" and the temperatures feel like they are 110 or higher.    They aren't forecasting the cold front to come through until sometime tomorrow and they are talking about it possibly stalling off the coast.  That means we go from extreme heat to lots of rain with violent thunderstorms and damaging winds.  Either way, heat or rain, I guess that means more stitching time on BoaF!

Wishing you cooler stitches!

Bed Rest

Over the weekend I was put on bed rest.  So, what is a girl to do while on bed rest?  This of course!

Birds of a Feather Saturday SAL
Did I catch up to you Maggee?

Why was I on bed rest?  Because on Friday I unexpectedly found out that I was pregnant.  You should have seen all of the people in my room.  No one could believe it!  Especially since I had just experienced the time of the month where I become "an unpleasant person to live with" (if you know what I mean).  Unfortunately my progesterone level was extremely low and even though they tried to boost it with meds, it was too little too late.  Yesterday the doctor's office confirmed that I ended up losing Baby #3 over the weekend.

I'm fine.....we are fine......our faith hasn't waiverd with this loss.  In fact I think it is stronger than it has been in a long time.

Thankfully this new doctor and his staff are the most wonderful, caring people.  They will be able to get me back on track and figure out what is going on so that they can help me carry a healthy little one to term.

In the meantime, I was thinking that maybe I would skip the alphabet on this one and save the space to make it either an inspirational sampler or save it for a baby sampler.  What do you think?

Stitching with angels,

Saturday SAL

Thanks to my dear friends Sheryl (no blog) and Maggee, I have my mojo back in full swing......

I had just finished up "Faith" and I was searching for something else to work on while I stitched with my friends a couple of Saturdays ago.  (Miss you Darlene!)  I rummaged through my travel stitching bag and nothing really grabbed me.  Then I found "Abby Rhodes" by  Shakespeare's Peddler.  So, while I sat with my friends, I got to work.

As our discussion wore on that day, we started talking about different projects.  Last year's Mystery Sampler from With Thy Needle came up.  Here's a reminder picture:


Mystery Sampler

Maggee worked on hers last summer and had completed much of the border.  I don't know when Sheryl started hers, but she was much further than I was.  Me?  Would you believe that I never even started mine?!?  That little puppy was sitting in my bag just waiting patiently for me to start.  Scary, right?  How dare I call myself a "Serial Starter"! 

After talking it through, the three of us decided to have a Saturday SAL for the Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler starting this past Saturday.  This was my Saturday start:

And here are all of our pieces at the end of our time together:

Top - Maggee's version on 32(?)count
Middle - Sheryl's version on 36 count
Bottom - My version on 40 count

I can't wait to see how the different versions are going to come out.  We are all stitching on different counts and different color fabrics.  Maggee is using the called for fibers while Sheryl and I are using a conversion from The Attic for Belle Soie.  (Mmmmm.....my favorite!)  Even though Sheryl is using the Belle Soie, she changed her border color because it didn't show up.  Don't you just love her change?

You should have seen me on Saturday.  I was having so much fun working on this piece.  I kept commenting on how the first little flower was "soooo c..u..t..e!" and I kept giggling.  I guess that means the mojo is back! 

Needless to say, I have continued to stitch on this project even though Saturday is long gone.  (I can't help it if I woke up at 5am and couldn't go back to sleep.  What else is a girl to do?)  Here is how my sampler stands as of this morning:

I can't wait for next Saturday!

Happy Mystery Stitches!

Crazy Update

There are only 84 more days to finish all fifteen of my Crazy January Challenge pieces.  I don't know about others who have participated, but I just don't see myself finishing all fifteen pieces.  Maybe in 2012 I will have to create the "What the @*$^ Was I Thinking in 2011?" Challenge so that I can finish up my works in progress.

Here's what's left:

1. Mouline Rouge (Long Dog) ~ When I actually have a calm moment to stitch this is my "go to" piece.  I'm much further than I thought I would be and I've actually finished page 3 of the pattern (upper right side).  Page 6 and page 12 still have some work to be done, but page 9 is 80% done.  Here's where she stands as of a few days ago:
2. Sheltering Tree (With Thy Needle) ~ It still looks like it did on January 3rd.......sigh......
3. Tis The Season (BBD) ~ This one also looks exactly like it did on January 4th.  I guess I should put down Mouline Rouge and make this my "go to" piece so that I have slim chance of having it ready in time for the holidays.
4. To Light the Way (BBD) ~ This has a few more stitches in it than it did on the 6th, but I'm having a hard time determining which color is which in this retreat kit.  I just need to make an educated guess and I could have this one finished in no time.
5. Letter "H" (Mirabilia/Nora Corbett) ~ I typically stitch on this project when the lighting isn't so good because this piece is on 32ct.  When you are used to stitching on 40ct, 32ct is enormous!  I'll probably work on this piece when I meet with my stitching sisters tomorrow.  The light doesn't always work in my favor and this will be the perfect project to work on.
6. Mermaids (CCN) ~ This one is a disaster!  I started it on one color fabric on January 14th and promptly decided to change it.  When I went back to it recently, I grabbed the fabric that was sitting next to the pattern in my wip basket and went to work even though I wasn't real pleased with the color.  I stitched the left side of the seaweed and then moved onto the right side of the seaweed because I was missing some DMC in the middle.  After getting to the bottom of the right side I realized that I was off by one stitch near the top of the right side.  Then, while looking through some older blog posts for a picture, I realized the reason I wasn't happy with the fabric that I was stitching on.  I PICKED UP THE WRONG COLOR FABRIC!  So, this "easy" stitch has really become a bear.  Looks like I will be starting this one over.  Third time is a charm, right?
7. Beyond My Heart (BBD) ~  I've worked on this piece several times in the last few months.  I have all of the border done as well as the words in the top of the piece.  I was able to get a few of the flowers done, but I've become bored with them.  I'm also coming up to the eyelet and satin stitches.  I definitely have to be in the mood for those and I haven't been.  If I could just get my rear in gear I could have this finished by the end of the year.
 

Looking on the bright side, I have finished over half of what I started.  I guess that is an accomplishment in itself!

Happy Stitches!

More Weekend Talk

Thank you all for your kind Blogoversary wishes!  It is so amazing to me that I've been at this for three whole years.  I love looking back on my older posts to see how I have grown since I started blogging.  What a trip down memory lane!

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Now, onto the good stuff.........

My four day holiday was crammed full as you all know.  One of the evenings I spent with my Mom.  My Mom is the greatest.  She is my rock and my best friend!  Recently she and my step-dad took my (step) Grandfather (who is 94) to Disney World in Florida for vacation.  While they were gone, we dog sat for them.  In return she brought us all this wonderful stuff:

There was a bowl, plates, salad tongs, corn cob holders, chip clips, chopsticks, reusable straws, a tervis tumbler for Hubby and a Tigger charm for my Pandora bracelet!  See, I told you my Mom was the greatest!

And the design inside the bowl????

Mickey heads are always cool!  But, get a load of the big picture.......

The heads became Mickey himself.  Neat, huh?  (It took my Mom the whole trip to figure that out!  It's okay Mom.....I still love you!)

Okay, okay, I know.  You want to see the good stuff, not a plastic bowl! 

Over the holiday I was hard at work (when I wasn't quilting) on this baby:

Delivering Fleurs by Homespun Elegance
Part of the 2011 Crazy January Challenge

This piece has been so much fun! It has been a quick stitch, once I got my needle smoking again.  (I can't believe that I didn't pick it up sooner.)  I worked on it again last night and all I have left are the colonial knot centers on the flowers.  Then I can add a few button wheels and Voila, I'll be one step closer to finishing this challenge.  I think that I may even make this one into a stand up instead of framing it.  What do you think?  Maybe I'll put a poll up on my sidebar and see......

I finished another piece over the holiday weekend, but I won't be able to show it since it is for an exchange that is due on the 15th.  Uh oh!  The 15th is coming up fast.  Looks like I need to get myself into a finishing mode! 

In addition to the finishig I need to do, my Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler arrived today and now I'm itching to start that as well.  I just don't know how I'm going to get this all in!  I need to win the lottery!!!!

Happy Stitches!

Oops, I Did It Again!

Yes, I'm feeling a little like Brittany Spears today because "I did it again".  What did I do you ask?

Well, as if I don't have enough to do this year with the Crazy January Challenge and my various exchanges, I've gone and joined another club.......

"Birds of a Feather" Mystery Sampler Club

 (Maggee, it was all your fault....I wasn't going to join until you said that you joined.  I mean really, I have to blame it on someone!)

Oh, yes, I caved.  I joined in on the With Thy Needle & Thread summer stitch-a-long.........check it out here if you haven't seen it already.  It was way too easy.  I just called my favorite shop, The Attic, and placed my order.  I hate it when things are that easy!

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