A Gift from My Mom!

In My Father's House by By the Bay Needlearts
Many times I often lament that other's never stitch anything for me (not true!) However, I try to use this to guilt my mother who stitches beautifully into giving me whatever she has stitched! LOL It doesn't usually work, however for once I was very surprised and got exactly what I wanted! This is In My Father's House by By the Bay Needleart. It was stitched on 36 count cream linen. My mom can also see better than I can as well! I don't know what threads, though I believe it's DMC. Isn't it beautiful! I will treasure it forever! Thanks Mom!

My Mom!
I have been stitching very little, I have been really busy and work last week was killer! I have been working on The Flock-trying to finish up part 3 before part 6 comes out and I started a new one called Cottage Charm Sampler by Threadwork Primitives. So hopefully, I can get a picture posted of it soon! I have also been distracted by new potential projects including this one that has come to the top of my list by Shakespeare's Peddler and it Ragamuffin #2 A Quaker Sampler and you can see a picture of it here. I love it. I am also loving the new Loose Feather's piece called Sarah's House!  

I also wanted to point you in the direction of a new blogger, my friend Tina! You can find her here at Barentina's and Ginger's Place.  So head on over and give her a warm welcome to the blogging world!

Last but definitely not least, thanks so very much for the kind words regarding my Elenor Ferrow finish! I appreciate your words and visits more than you can know! I am off to stitch!

Blessings my friends! xoxo

Elenor Ferrow Finish!

Finally, here is my Elenor Ferrow Finish! I loved working on her, it was one of those pieces that just flowed for me.  It is stitched on 32 count natural Belfast linen with a combination of Gentle Arts and Week's threads. Stitch count  is145 x 203. This naturally will be framed for my sampler wall! This is also my second finish this year by Shakespeare's Peddler, with the first being Magic Garden Sampler. Now, to figure out what to stitch next or should I say concentrate on next because there is always plenty to stitch! Have you ever had that indecisive feeling of what to stitch after you finish a project?

Summer is in full swing around here and it is hot! I am off next week for the holiday and the kids and I have a couple of fun things planned. Mostly hanging out with family is a big part of the plan. You know stitching will be squeezed in there too-LOL  Can't wait!  I also have been working on some home improvements-mainly purging! I don't know how people can hoard stuff (well unless it's cross stitch-LOL) I get such a feeling of relief when I get rid of stuff I don't use.  All right, enough talk as I am off to find that next project to work on. I leave you with a picture of Tabasco (my baby) Hasn't he gotten fat?

Blessings my friends!

Lizzie Kate Santa 2010 Finish

This is Lizzie Kate's Santa 2010 Socks and Underwear. It has taken me far too long to finish him but here he is! He is stitched with the called for Crescent color threads on 30 count confederate grey by Weeks. A few tiny changes that make him uniquely mine are that I didn't use the whisper thread for his beard and eyebrows. I have developed a healthy dislike for whisper thread! Also, Santa is supposed to have on black gloves-oops!  I also changed the color of the long row across the bottom. It is supposed to be white, but I was loving the red.  So red it became! Future plans for Santa include him being made into a cube for my Christmas display.  Several years ago I changed back to the traditional Christmas colors of red, white and green. So he will fit in quite perfectly!

As for other things going on, the kids are out of school! Yay! So glad for a few weeks respite from homework, projects and the like. My youngest didn't get up today until 1 pm! Oh, the life!  Next year, my son is a senior. I can't believe that. So, that will be exciting. I am slowly getting ready for my cruise, it's still a few months away-but I want to be ready! I also have been kitting more projects and thoroughly enjoying that. I have a couple of new starts to show you next. Anyway, I am off to stitch. No work today!  Be blessed my friends!

xoxo

Fraktur WIP and Stash Enhancement!

This is Love Letter's Fraktur by Ink Circles! I fell in love with the colors on this one when I first saw it and knew I must start it asap. I am stitching it on 32 Creme Brulee by R and R fabric and using the recommended GAST. In my haste to stitch this one, I ended up buying two, so if anyone is interested in it I will give it away on Memorial Day. Just leave a comment on this post please. I am working on The Flock still, a little behind and hoping to get it caught up this weekend!


Edited to add: Tracy is the winner of the Fraktur Chart 

I am thrilled to be off for a long weekend. I have plans for me, Gibbs and my stitching at the current moment and just relaxing! I can't wait! Below is some of the stash that I have bought recently. I could't resist the stitcher's station from Liberty Hill, I love those handmade pieces. The rest is stash that I picked up from Shakespeare's Peddler!

Stitcher's Station by Liberty Hill                                

a great mesh project bag from Stitch a Gift with flip flops on it!

Jenny Bean's Humble Servant Sampler along with threads and 32 count Navy Bean linen by Lakeside Linen

Jane Pattison 1806 Sampler with 32 count Navy Bean by Lakeside Linen

This last piece is Coffee Compendium by Tempting Tangles, I have long liked this pattern and then I saw it finished in one of my Facebook groups and I had to start it! So, this is going to be my Memorial weekend start. I am stitching it on 32 Country Mocha by Zweigert and substituting Carrie's Silk Threads for the DMC threads. I had to make a couple of guesses on the threads, so I will have to see how that works out. The pattern orginally calls for Belle Soie silks, but I was trying to be a little frugal (now don't be hysterically laughing there behind your computer's) Anyway, if you have hung out with me this long-thank you! I hope your Memorial Day weekend is a blessed one!
xoxo

An Amazing Visit to Shakespeare's Peddler

This Friday, I went on a stitching trip with my monthly stitching group organized by Jinger! It was wonderfully relaxing. We started in Ocean Springs, MS arriving around lunchtime and ate at this delicious little Italian placed called. Al Fresco. Where I had some yummy crab cakes!   Then we did just a tiny bit of window shopping and browsing in a lovely antique store. Then it was off to the cross stitch store called ThreadNeedle Street. It was very nice and we browsed for a while there. I was very good and only bought some threads. Then we took off to Hattiesburg, MS which is where Shakespeare's Peddler was located. However, we weren't going to Theresa's shop till the next morning. So that left dinner, which was at another great eatery called Crescent City Grill. I had  fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits. Excellent place to eat if you ever go to Hattiesburg! They about had to roll us all up out of there-we were so stuffed!

Back at the hotel we were able to get together and stitch for awhile before we called it a night! The next morning we were up bright and early for breakfast and then off to Shakespeare's Peddler.  Theresa's shop was jam packed with goodies and we spent about 2 1/2 hours there. Trust me when I say all our pockets were considerably lighter when we left ;-)  I also,got to meet a couple more fellow bloggers, which is always wonderful. I got to meet Jen of Jen's Stitching Projects. She helps Theresa out in her shop. Lucky girl! I also got to meet Jen's sister Sharon of Clarkey's Projects & Hobbies. Jen, thanks so much for your help today! Theresa,  it was a fantastic visit and we hope it won't be our last!

Sherri, me, Emily, Jinger, Liz, Cindy, Judy and Theresa front and center!

I did take some pictures of the shop, but I used my new iphone and let's say a sister doesn't know how to work it! So, Jen this would be why you don't see your picture or more of Theresa, I managed to hit the video button when I took hers and some of my pictures were blurred oy! These last two pictures are of Tabasco, I got Tabasco from Theresa-so here he is a bit bigger.  See how handsome he is Theresa!

I will try to show you all some of my stash that I got this trip on my next post (think Shakespeare's Peddler-LOL) Hope your weekend is a great one!

xoxox

My Birthday, Framing and a Winner!

It's a glorious day here in NW Florida and to top it off, it's my birthday! I am 46 today and very, very thankful to be here. I hope to have many more! Anyone, who knows me, knows I don't like to take pictures but I thought I would take one for prosperity...LOL No plans for today, I have a yummy carrot cake that was made for me and I am going to have Chinese for dinner, no cooking for the birthday girl! Not to mention some stitching and some Leroy Jethro Gibbs to round out my day! Now, these two beauties below are the two African women my friend Sherri stitched for and they are finally framed and hanging in my home. I do so enjoy looking at them! I think they look fabulous! Sorry about that little glare, it's so hard sometimes to take a picture of framing!

And last but not least is the winner of the Rovaris Necklace kit, which is Patty of Hanging by a Thread . Congrats Patty! I have emailed you! All right friends, have a wonderfully blessed week! xoxoxo

Blog Anniversary and a Giveaway!

Well I have now been blogging for 6 years! Last year I missed my fifth anniversary due to being in a deep funk...sigh. Actually, this year my anniversary date was on the 17th and again it has gotten past me, though in no way due to any funkiness! LOL Many times I think of stopping blogging ,as my posts have greatly decreased, but I just keep plugging along. I have met so many wonderful friends blogging that I would miss my little piece of cyber space.  So to celebrate, I am giving away this Rovaris necklace kit.  The kit comes with everything you need, the scrap of fabric, thread, necklace cording, charms and a pattern with entire alphabet on it and even some other patterns if the alphabet is not your thing! You can see my Rovaris  necklace finish here. I would love to stitch something to give away, however seeing that I have trouble getting my stuff done that was not going to happen! Below is Ms. Mia displaying the kit.

So, all you have to do if you are interested in winning this kit is just leave a comment on this post and I will pull a name on Sunday April 29th, my birthday! Thanks for your continued friendship and visits!

xoxoxo

The Flock~Part 1 Finished!

Here is part 1 of The Flock by Samsarah completed. I am hoping to keep up with each part as they are released. Of course, part 2 is waiting for me but it's not very big. I am loving those blue polka dots. This is stitched on the recommended 30 count red pear fabric by Weeks and a combination of GAST, Crescent and Weeks threads. There nothing else much going on around here. I have been organizing my stash some and deciding what to work on-mostly samplers. I have a couple of personal goals in regards to my Christmas ornaments and how many I want to complete. I can't say it here, I would most likely would jinx myself-LOL

I am starting a new SAL with Jinger on Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat. I am usually a terrible SAL partner, (Tina, stop shaking your head yes) however, I am going to give it another whirl. I am using Blue Moon Java which is a gorgeous blue by R&R and Onyx thread by GAST! Pictures to follow later in the week. I am off to finish dinner, have a blessed week!

An Award and WIP"s

First up, is an lovely award given to me by Jackie of
Scattered Threads II . Called The Leibster Award. Thanks Jackie!

Liebster is a German word, meaning favorite, dearest or beloved. The Liebster is awarded by bloggers to other newer bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers to spread the word and help the new bloggers gain wider recognition.
The award comes with four conditions that each recipient must satisfy when accepting:

1. Choose five up-and-coming blogs (with fewer than 200 followers) to award the Liebster to.

Enchanted Burrow ~~~~Terry

Counting Bits of Joy ~~~Joy

X Marks My Spot ~~~Michelle B.

Stitching Gems ~~~Gemma

Guava Gems ~~~Gwen

2. Show thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them-Please see above!

3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites Leave comments on their blog so they know about the award.

4. Share five random facts about yourself that people don’t know

1. I first wanted to be a nurse when I was about 15 partly because I spent the summer caring for my sick grandmother.

2. I am a huge, huge fan of NCIS. I will watch Gibbs day or night if he is on TV and if he isn't, there are my DVD's-LOL

3. In light of the above, no one is allowed to borrow said NCIS DVD's! I have refused at least twice. All I can say is Get Your Own! LOL

4. I wish that I had been stitching for longer than I have. Which is only about 11-12 years.

5. I now have a total of 4 terrific cats, 2 boys and 2 girls! Kojack, Tabasco, Stoli and Kiki.

All right, now for one of my many wip's, this is The Flock part 1. I am almost finished with it and I have part 2 waiting. I love this blue polka dot bird, got to give him some legs. He is being stitched on 30 count red pear by Weeks and using a combination of Crescent and GAST colors. The body of the bird is done in a color called snips and snails. It has 3 different colors in it.

So, that is all for now. Will be back soon with more. Thanks for stopping by and have a very Happy and Blessed Easter!

Magic Garden Sampler Finish

Well as always, I didn't intend to let so much time get by, but you know how life gets in the way This is Magic Garden Sampler by Shakespeare's Peddler stitched on 32 count Creme Brulee with the recommended Gentle Art threads. Can I say chamomile is my friend? I seem to using that color quite a bit these days! Not sure which way I will turn next but things are percolating as always in the old brain. I did start The Flock by Samsarah-love that one, but then I love a lot...sigh!

On the home front, I have been busy working and my son is now an adult as he turned 18 on the tenth. I find it hard to believe, it seems like yesterday I was going to the hospital to have him and now here he is driving with a girlfriend. I am not sure I gotten past the girlfriend part yet-LOL I didn't think that I could potentially be the slightly nutty mother of the son... Anyway, I will have to work on my little idiosyncrasies!

Tabasco is doing wonderfully well! He is lot of fun and he has grown. I can't seem to get a good picture of him-but I will! Thanks for stopping by! Have a blessed week!