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!