My Stitching Journey

April Is A Busy Month

2011-04-20T09:52:00.001-07:00

birthdays, anniversaries and stitching..... my birthday, one son's (Marty) birthday and Chip and my anniversary....

here is a picture of an Indian Hawthorne Bonsai that Brian and Sue sent me for the big day:

here are some pictures of the stitch alongs that are growing.....

Sampler au Bouquets - 4 parts down -- 8 to go:

Autumn Forest Quaker -- about half way thru:

Tree of Stitches -- latest stitch was 'cushion stitch' :

a little more progress on Konstantinople Hamam -- trying to catch up on parts 4 and 5 before part 6 comes out in May..... don't think I'll get there because this design is very involved -- maybe part 6 will be a little smaller and I'll have a chance:

my newest Chatelaine design -- Chinese Garden Mandala..... got a little more done on this one...... I've done as much as I can with the threads I had on hand..... now I'm waiting for the kit from European Crosstitch to finish part 1 -- it doesn't look like much, but it is a beautiful design.....

thanx for dropping by.... see you all next time..... and happy stitching!!

Stitch Along Updates

2011-04-08T06:36:00.001-07:00

this has been a week full of SALs.... they all seemed to converge in this one week.... I guess this will happen about once every 2 weeks..... here are some quick pictures of what I got done....

part 3 is finished for Sampler au Bouquets.... this section gave me a fit for some reason, but after a little frogging, I did get it done.....

page 12 of Autumn Forest Quaker is done.... those trees were quite a chore, but I really like them.... so lifelike.....

part 7 of Tree of Stitches was a fun stitch.... a variation of the rice stitches we did earlier.... it's called Jerusalem Stitch or upright rice stitch.....

and finally, I stitched 2 more states yesterday...... Illinois and Indiana..... love those quilts!!!

off now to stitch on Konstantinople Hamam for a while..... see you soon.....

Another Update....

2011-04-05T15:28:00.001-07:00

back so soon???    *grin*     here are a few more things I've been up to since January.....

first....   a big thank you to all who took your time to check out my blog and left messages.....    much appreiciated....

I joined 2 more Chatelaine classes...... the first is 'Konstantinople Hamam Mandala'....    the 'little lady' in the center is stitched one over one.....

I started about a month behind because it took me so long to decide I wanted to do this one.....    part 5 is out for April and I'm hoping to catch up by the end of the month.....

the other Chatelaine is 'Chinese Garden Mandala'..... I'll be catching up with this one too, because the kits aren't ready yet, but should be out before the end of April..... part 2 comes out in May and I'm hoping to catch up with this one too.... I did get a small start because I'm using some DMC flosses along with the speciality threads.....

pitiful!! LOL

see you again soon......

Finally An Update

2011-04-04T19:14:00.001-07:00

it's been so long since I updated my blog I almost forget how..... I have joined several Stitch Alongs and here are my latest updates to them.....

America Land That We Love.... this is an old design by Jean Farish..... the last time I worked on this was 2005..... I'm hoping to finish this up by the end of the year..... we are stitching on this every Wednesday..... here is my progress so far.....

Sampler au Bouquets..... this is a new design from Jardin Prive..... it is on a French website, which is a challenge for me, but it's fun.... it is being done in 12 parts -- one every 10 days..... I am stitching this one over one on 28 count evenweave..... this update is of the first 2 parts....

Autumn Forest Quaker..... this is a design by Martina Dey..... one page comes out each Friday..... we just got page 12..... I'm really enjoying this one with all the little creatures..... I am stitching this one over one also..... running out of wall space..... here is my progress thru page 11......

Tree of Stitches..... this is a design by Abi Gurden..... it is all done in speciality stitches..... the parts come out every 2 weeks..... I am using DMC Variations #4215 and the 4 DMC solid flosses that make it up -- 155, 156, 209, and 322..... the trunk is done with DMC Vairastions #4145.... here's my progress so far:

thanx for your time here and I'll be updating these SALs as they come out.....

Update of Hummingbird Garden

2011-01-18T18:33:00.001-08:00

I finished another rotation of Hummingbird Garden by Martina Weber Rosenburg.... this is for the 'Up For A Challenge' blog..... this picture is after 148.5 hours..... I especially liked doing the little 'over one' hummers in the border....

I will get back to you when I pick out another project.... the lace parts of this design are very labor intensive, but I'll get it done someday.....

take care and be well, Claire

Meet Rebecca

2011-01-10T13:47:00.001-08:00

just finished my second challenge piece..... this is Rebecca by John Clayton and she took 59.5 hours to stitch.... I love this series of portraits..... really like seeing their faces come to life....

here is a link to some of Rebecca's friends that I've stitched in the past:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/559792080DdzNSg

now off to pick another project to finish for the 'Up for a Challenge' blog....

take care and be well, Claire

Decided On My Next Challenge

2011-01-06T18:51:00.001-08:00

hello again.....

I finally decided which challenge from my list to work on next..... on Saturday I will be starting again on Rebecca by John Clayton..... here is how she looks now after 37.75 hours......

will post an update after my next 7 day rotation....

take care all and be well, Claire

First Challenge Finish

2011-01-06T08:35:00.001-08:00

Good Morning.....

I have finished my first challenge project - Bayside Bungalows by Country Cottage Needleworks.....

I had some of it done before this challenge started, but it makes me feel good that something is done.... I'll be taking it to the framer next week and will post a picture of that when it gets back home....

not sure what the next project from my list will be, but will check back in when I decide.....

good luck to all the other challengers -- checked out all your work, and it is wonderful.... such beautiful stitching.....

happy stitching and be well, Claire

First Update to My 2011 Challenge

2011-01-02T08:47:00.001-08:00

Hello all.....

yesterday I stitched on my first challenge project..... Bayside Bungalows by Country Cottage Needleworks.... I had been working on it off and on for a while and thot it would be a good one to finish up and get one project completed.... the picture could be better, but here's my progress so far:

I'm hoping this challenge will work so I can get some good finishes this year..... good luck to all.....

talk to you soon -- be well, Claire

Ahead of Schedule

2010-12-26T06:39:00.001-08:00

Good morning.....

got lots of rain from the storm that is running up the coast..... badly needed here -- haven't had any for over a month.....

the piece that came to the top of my rotation pile was on the small side, so it got finished a few days early..... 'The Book Store' by Nikki Leeman of Country Cottage Needleworks..... it was fun to stitch, so here's the picture.... I made one small change to the center of the middle flower at the bottom of the design.... made it into a heart -- I love hearts!!! it took 21 and a half hours to stitch:

six days till the 'Challenge' begins..... talk to you again soon and have a happy and healthy New Year.....

be well, Claire

Meet Rebecca

2010-12-20T10:11:00.001-08:00

Another beautiful day.... sunny and bright, but chilly.....

I finished up about half of my newest start - Rebecca by John Clayton..... her seven day rotation is up and I'd like you to meet her.... she is about half finished.... this first half took 37.75 hours....

you can meet all her friends in my Webshots album, if you'd like....

it is getting closer to my 'Up for a Challenge' start on January first 2011..... I have all my WIP's and projects that I want to get done in 2011..... here's my list:

Savannah Romance - Thomas Kincade

White Nights of St. Petersburg - Marina Weber-Rosenburg

Georgiana - John Clayton

Rebecca - John Clayton

Carol Singers Sampler - Victoria Sampler

Medieval Town Mandala - Martina Weber-Rosenburg

Lady Hera - Mirabilia

Family Sampler - Little House Needleworks

Hummingbird Garden - Martina Weber-Rosenburg

Flamenco Dancer - John Clayton

Babe's Honey Farm - Victoria Sampler

Liberty Lane - Country Cottage Needleworks

Picnic at Royal Roads - Charles White

Pumpkin Cottage - Country Cottage Needleworks
At Day's End - Charles White

Snowflake Serenade - Country Cottage Needleworks

Bayside Bungalows - Country Cottage Needleworks

Wish me luck!!

Be Well, Claire

It Is Finished!!!

2010-12-13T09:04:00.001-08:00

Good Morning!!

Peacock Garden is finished and beaded!!! it took a grand total of 431.50 hours and 12 stitchy months..... it really sparkles, but this picture doesn't do it justice....

today I ironed it and rolled it into it's tube for it's journey to the framer..... I will post another picture when she comes back home.....

I just joined a new blog site -- 'up for a challenge'.... this is a group that is going to finish 15 wip's in 2011.... the rules are very flexible and this might just be the trigger that will help me get some projects done in 2011..... I will keep you updated here as to my progress.....

take care all and be well....

Ready for Beading

2010-12-10T16:44:00.001-08:00

Hello again..... wanted to let you see my Peacock Garden Mystery progress..... stitching of part 12 is done.... just have to do the beads.... hoping to finish the beading in the next few days and then it's off to the framer.... here's the update:

talk to you all later,....

Back As Promised

2010-11-29T16:23:00.001-08:00

hello again..... my latest 7 days are finished..... this is how far I got on my Medieval Town Mandala..... this design is by Martina Weber-Rosenburg..... this was a mystery several years ago and this picture shows parts one and two..... well almost.... *grin*

this part took me 47.25 hours to complete:

it was really hard to put this down because I was really getting into it, but I am really going to try to keep my rotation on track.... I think it might help me get more designs done in the coming months.....

see you next week.....

Another 7-Day Rotation Is Done

2010-11-21T14:15:00.001-08:00

here is a picture of my progress on this latest rotation..... the seven days are done and here's the progress on the 'Carol Singers Sampler'..... this is a design by Victoria Sampler.... these are the first 6 bands of the sampler....

the next project in my 7-day rotation is 'Medieval Town Mandala' by Martina Weber (Chatelaine)..... just added this to my list, so I will be starting from scratch.... will see you this time next week to show the progress I make on this new project.....

Hummingbird Garden Center

2010-11-14T18:33:00.001-08:00

I have several projects in a weekly rotation.... I stitch on each project for a week and then move on to the next..... right now I have 7 projects in my rotation..... I also have 2 SAL's and one monthly project going right now..... the monthly project has one more installment, so that will soon be crossed off my list....

here is a picture of the rotation project that I just finished off today.... there is still lots to go on this design, but now it's week in the sun is over..... it is the center portion of my Hummingbird Garden project.... it is a design by Martina Weber-Rosenburg....

just a note -- the hummers are stitched one over one...

A Framed Finish And An Update

2010-11-07T18:09:00.001-08:00

the cooler weather is here.... this weekend we had to bring in the indoor potted plants that had been vacationing in the gardens over the summer..... it will be going down to 32 degrees tonight.....

the Spring Quaker SAL piece is back from the framer.... it's hard to see from this picture, but the inner edge of the frame is blue (matching the blue in the design) and the outer edge is black.....

here are 2 pictures of my Peacock Garden Mystery..... one is the full design -- part 11 is finished..... the other is a detail picture of part 11 meadows....

the last part of the design will be out December 1..... after I finish it, I will be doing the beads and crystals to finish it off.... and my year long project will be over...

Another St. Pete Update

2010-10-30T10:13:00.001-07:00

got part of another side on my White Nights in St. Petersburg.... as you can see, I really don't like the yellow buildings, but I will be working on them next.... have to get them done or I'll never finish this..... *grin* I joined a Yuku group that is challenging each other to finish a Chatelaine design that we had put to the side..... I think this group might help me to get this done..... I think it came out as a mystery in 2007.....

White Nights in St. Petersburg

2010-10-21T14:11:00.001-07:00

I decided to work on this project again..... it came out in 2007.... it is a design by Martina Weber-Rosenburg..... it was a mystery in 2007 but I got terribly behind and put it aside.... now there is a new Yuku group that is trying to get UFO's finished up..... I still have a ways to go, but at least each stitch I add will get me closer to the finish.....

One Finish and an Update

2010-10-14T20:16:00.001-07:00

just have a minute but wanted to share another finish and an update.....

I got Brian and Sue's Anniversary Sampler back from the framer and wanted to share it before I box it up and send it off to them.... this is a design by Victoria Sampler and I used the thread pack that they suggested..... I've done this twice before for my other 2 sons, Marty and Eva for their Anniversary and Doug and Arienne for their Wedding.....

The Family Sampler SAL by Little House Needleworks is the update.... this is a really neat design where you have to be creative and make it match your own family..... will update you in again soon, so you can see how it's coming along....

561, 562, 563 and Done!!

2010-10-11T16:08:00.001-07:00

thot I'd share a picture of my Peacock Garden Mystery..... I finished the border, which is part 10..... would you believe there are 563 Rhodes stitches in this border..... it called for 1 strand of the variegated thread for the Rhodes stitches, but on my 28 count fabric they looked too thin, so I did them with 2 strands..... turned out much better......

2 more parts to come and the mystery will be finished..... then I have to do all the beading..... will upload another progress picture when part 11 is finished in November.....

Struck Out for the Edges

2010-10-05T15:44:00.001-07:00

Hello again..... here's another update of my Hummingbird Garden by 'Chatelaine'..... since this isn't a mystery, I got the whole chart at once..... and having no discipline, have moved out to see what the edges will look like.... I know, I know, I have to get back to the center again, but..... *grin*

I've put this away till I get part 10 done of the Peacock Garden Mystery by Chatelaine finished..... will upload a picture of it as soon as it's done..... after this, just 2 installments left to go -- and then the beading.....

Another Feathered Friend

2010-09-22T20:11:00.001-07:00

my first little hummer seemed so lonesome, so I stitched up a friend..... he seems a lot happier now.....

my next project is an anniversary sampler for my son, Brian and his wife, Susan..... will post my progress right here..... I have to have this done, framed and mailed, to be to their home by October 30, so I thot I'd better get stitching and put the hummers away for a week or so.....

talk to you again soon.....

Here Are a Few Updates

2010-09-18T13:37:00.001-07:00

here are few pictures of things I haven't taken time to add here....

Spring Quaker SAL is done..... here's my finished piece..... it is out to the framer right now.... I changed the center and sprinkled the letters to the word 'Spring' around the design and added some other motifs where the center used to be.....

I started a new Chatelaine design -- 'Hummingbird Garden'..... this will take quite a while to complete.....

here is the update on Chatelaine 'Peacock Garden'..... there are 3 more installments to go.... and then I have to do all the beading....

I finished 'Rainbow Row' by Barbara and Cheryl.... it is framed and hanging in our master bedroom..... will take a framed picture in the next few days.....

this has caught up a few odds and ends..... will try to talk to you sooner the next time.....

The Family Sampler

2010-09-18T13:18:00.001-07:00

It's been a while!!!

I keep saying that I'll keep this up, but I haven't done so well..... so I've decided to try again.... *grin*

I have started a SAL with the Little House Needlework group called 'The Family Sampler'..... I have stitched on it for eight and a half hours and have added the 2 day's work here.....

I am stitching this on 32 count lugana -- color = lemon whip....

this is the first day's stitching - 4 hours.....

this is the second day.... 4.5 hours.... the colors on this aren't very good.....

in my next entry I'll put some pictures of the things I've finished and haven't added here yet.....

see you all later.....

Spring Quaker SAL Is One Page Closer

2010-06-01T19:02:00.001-07:00

finished page 7 yesterday and have added it here for you to see.... waiting for another Friday to roll around so I can stitch page 8.... this project should be done sometime this summer.... and then what will I do.... *grin*

anyway.... here's the picture....

I don't think I ever mentioned any information about the fabric.... I am stitching this project one over one on 28 count, white Monaco.... I am running out of wall space and one over one cuts the size in half....

see you later.....

A few updates....

2010-05-29T08:54:00.001-07:00

here are a few small projects that I wanted to share.... I finished 'Winter Thread Pal' thread holder..... the chart was designed by Little House Needleworks and the thread pouch by Impie, Hattie and Bea.... the picture came out rather dark, but you can get an idea....

the next finish is 'Needle and Thread Scissors Bed'.... the chart, again, is by Little House Needleworks and the bed by Impie, Hattie and Bea.... stitching the 'coverlet' to the bed was a challenge for me, but I did finally get it done.....

and last but not least..... the 6th Christmas Ornament from Little House Needleworks (do you see a trend here?? *grin* )..... it's called 'Snowy Pines..... this was stitched one over one on 28 count fabric..... these ornaments are coming out at about 2" x 2" and will fit on our little tree just right..... hopefully by Christmas, I will have them all finished and ready to hang.....

I'm working on the next ornament 'Red House in Winter' now and will show it off in a day or so.....

Page 6 is done

2010-05-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

just a short entry to show you my progress on 'Spring Quaker SAL'.... last Friday page 6 was published.... this section finishes the top row of the design.... each Friday we have something to look forward to.... the next page!!! finished stitching it on Sunday and took this picture:

now we have to wait another week for the next page.... the size of each page is very manageable, so I think I'll be able to keep up with the progress....

my next project is to do the 'blanket' for 'Needle and Thread' by Little House Needleworks.... this is then attached to the scissor bed and pin pillow from Impie, Hattie and Bea.... this is a cute little project and when it's done, of course, I'll add a picture here....

Finished a WIP!!

2010-05-23T05:08:00.001-07:00

I was torn yesterday when page 6 of 'Spring Quaker SAL' was published.... I had picked up a WIP - 'Winter Thread Pal' by Little House Needleworks and Impie, Hattie and Bea, and was so close to finishing it.... this was started way back in 2009..... it's a cute little project holder.... the chart is tucked into the pocket that the cross stitch design makes and the threads and the rest of the project are inside the little pouch..... cranked up my will power and did finish this cute little project.....

tomorrow I'll be back on the SAL and will be sure to show you my progress in a day or so.... this page will finish the top row of the design....

Update Picture of Peacock Garden

2010-05-17T14:45:00.001-07:00

I am really enjoying Chatelaine - Martina Weber's latest 12 month big mystery -- 'Peacock Garden Mystery'

here is a picture of parts 1 thru 4.....

this is a detail picture of part 5 added to part 4 above....

a new part of the mystery comes out the first of each month and now there are 7 months to go.... I am stitching this on 28 count, antique white, evenweave fabric....

Another Page Done

2010-05-17T14:11:00.001-07:00

just finished page 5 of the 'Spring Quaker' SAL design I'm working on..... the pages come out every Friday, so now I have the rest of the week to work on my other projects.....

I think there is one more page to finish the top row of the design....

I guess I'll work on a Little House Needleworks or Country Cottage Needleworks design.... will let you know in the next day or so which it will be.... I have so many projects ready to start and so little time..... *grin*

Spring Quaker by Martina Dey

2010-05-09T17:44:00.001-07:00

I've joined another SAL with a Martina Dey design..... this one is called 'Spring Quaker'.... so far there have been 4 pages published and the following pictures are my progress so far....

if you'd like to join us, here's the Spring Quaker link....

I'm Baaack!!!

2010-05-03T07:30:00.001-07:00

I finally got a chance to get back here and start blogging again.... I have gotten quite a bit of stitching done since I was here last and will be adding pictures in the next few days....

it is beautiful here in Florida this time of year.... because of all the rain we got over the winter, the gardens are doing great.... here are a few pictures that show how beautiful they are this year....

I did get it done.....

2009-12-21T14:44:00.001-08:00

I'm back after a month or so, but that is because I was busily working on 'Persian Iris Garden' by Martina Weber (Chatelaine Designs) and I did finally get it done and ready for the framer..... it took me 425 hours to complete.... tomorrow it will go to the framer and when it gets back home I'll be sure to add another picture.....

Back to Basics -- Kind of....

2009-11-12T13:28:00.001-08:00

I'm in kind of a stitching slump here, so I went thru my UFO's and found 'Persian Iris Garden', an older mystery by Martina Weber....I'm about half way thru and am hoping I can get back in the mood and finish this off.... here's where I was when I quit.....

Martina will be starting another 'BIG' mystery in January 2010 - 'Peacock Garden'.... I'm thinking of starting this one when the time comes.....

started a new book.... 'Rough Country' by John Sanford.... so far so good.... a new mystery and it seems to be just as good as all the rest of his books....

yesterday we went to the movies and saw 'The Box'.... it wasn't at all what I expected.... it was quite weird, but I thot it was very good.... a little unsettling and really makes you think....

Happy Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T14:41:00.001-08:00

today is Veteran's Day.... 'you're free to thank a veteran today and for that you should thank a veteran'..... this was Maxine's calendar page saying for today on my Hallmark Maxine Calendar.... I think that says it all....

we had a good day!! Applebee's had a Veteran's Day celebration -- a free meal for my veteran hubby and all other active and retired veterans.... we both had a delicious meal.... it is good to know that our country salutes their veterans for their unselfish service to all of us so we can live our lives as we please.....

You Know It's Cooling Off.....

2009-11-09T07:40:00.001-08:00

when all the plants that love living outdoors for the summer are brought back into the screen porch for the fall and winter..... it does signal that the cold weather is not far off.....

we have a great screen porch that we are able to use all year round.... we had vinyl windows made to put in the screen openings so we can keep the plants warm and us too.... we always hate putting them in, but it's worth it to keep from having to bring all my plants into the house.....

Forgotten Finish

2009-11-08T11:38:00.001-08:00

good morning all.... beautiful day here, but getting a little more humid.....

as I was looking thru my past posts I see that I never uploaded the finished product of 'Mermaid of Atlantis' by Mirabilia..... she is framed and hanging in our master retreat.... thot you might like to see her.....

it took me 105.5 hours to finish stitching her.... I have a neat little clock program that I start each time I stitch and I keep track of it all in an Excel worksheet.... I found it interesting to see how the time mounts up, but you don't seem to have gotten much done....

Big Car Problem

2009-11-07T13:25:00.001-08:00

yesterday we decided to take my pride and joy out for a ride -- 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo Aerocoupe SS..... well, we didn't get but a few miles and she started steaming..... limped home and luckily she didn't blow up.....

today Chip is outside working on the problem.... I sure hope nothing was hurt and that it will be something easy to fix.....

it wasn't as bad as it looked.... one of the hoses had sprung a leak, so we lucked out.... new hose and new antifreeze and we're back in business.....

here's I picture of my 'baby'.....

and here's a picture of my Chip (my other pride and joy) and me.....

Chamber of Commerce Day !!

2009-11-06T15:35:00.001-08:00

today was another beautiful day here in Florida.....

started stitching on my next project..... 'Coming to America' by Little House Needleworks..... don't have much of a start yet, so I'll just upload the picture on the chart..... as soon as I have enough to show you, I'll add it here......

dropped off 'Mayflower Landing' and 'Forever and For Always' to the framer today..... picked up the third 'Bless Our Home' sampler, Christmas gift for son #3.....

I'm On A Roll !!

2009-11-05T18:40:00.001-08:00

posting 2 days in a row!! today I stitched another ornament.... this one is stitched one over one on white, 28 count, Monaco evenweave with 'Jolly Holly' by Crescent Colours..... I found the design on a blog I visited -- Les Grilles De Liselotte..... she has a great blog with lots of charts to share.....

now I have 2 ornaments to do the finishing on....

Catching Up

2009-11-05T07:04:00.001-08:00

this will be a post full of pictures..... it is my attempt at trying to show you all what I've been stitching before and after my update in August..... these will be in no order, but thot you'd like to see what's been going on.....

'Forever and For Always' wedding sampler by Victoria Sampler for my youngest son and his fiance.... I am planning on stitching it 2 more times for the other kids' aniversaries:

'Bless Our Home' by Country Cottage Needleworks..... I stitched this 3 times so far (Christmas gifts for 3 of our 4 sons) -- one for Marty, one for Bill and one for Brian.... have one more to do once Doug gets married in December:

'Mayflower Landing' by Little House Needleworks..... this will be going to the framer on Friday:

'From Sea to Shining Sea' by Little House Needleworks:

'Heart of America' by Little House Needleworks:

'Pixie Bluebell' by Nora Corbett:

'Pixie Fern' by Nora Corbett:

'Verandas of South Battery' by Graphs by Barbara and Cheryl -- this is an actual street in Charleston, South Carolina:

'Secret Love' by John Clayton:

'Shimmering Mermaid' by Mirabila:

'Rose Thread Pouch' by Little House Needleworks and Crescent Colours..... the pouch itself was a Limited release from Impie Hattie & Bea:

'Heirloom Stitching Sampler' by Victoria Sampler...... this was my first try at 'cut work' and it turned out just fine... this is the framed piece and the 2 below it are the top and bottom so you can see the detail better:

'Beach Cottage' by Country Cottage Needleworks:

'Traveling Stitcher' by Little House Needleworks and Crescent Colours with another Limited release from Impie Hattie & Bea:

'Dorothy's Pink Flamingos', 'Natasha's Violets' and 'Eloise's Roses' by Alchemy Stitchcraft:

'Peace Ornament'

2009-11-04T16:21:00.001-08:00

I'm way behind on my blog, but thot I'd add a little today.... I joined a new blog -- 'Little House Needleworks Monthly Ornament Stitch-A-Long Blog'.... the charts will start distribution in December....

to get us ready we decided to stitch a 'bonus' ornament to get us in the mood.... I found a cute Country Cottage Needleworks ornament..... 'Peace'.... stitched it one over one on blue, 28 count, Monaco evenweave.... I didn't do the finishing yet, but here's a picture of how it turned out....

I'm really looking forward to doing a new ornament each month.... I've never stitched an ornament before and thot this would be fun.....

hope you all have a great day and happy stitching.....

Long Overdue Update

2009-08-27T19:23:00.001-07:00

Hello again everybody!!! It's been forever since I've updated my blog, but things have settled down and here's the project I'm working on now.....

I'm working on a 23 month mystery by Papillon Creations called 'Castles in the Air'..... here is a picture of the first five parts.....

there has been a lot of work here since the last time I updated and I'll be adding those picture soon.....

A Little More Progress From Last Week

2008-11-10T19:15:00.001-08:00

Monday, and time for my check in to let you know what I've been up to.....

I made some more progress on 'Mermaid of Atlantis' by Nora Corbett of Mirabilia Designs.... this is at 51 hours of stitching.... she is coming along quite nicely and soon I hope to do the beading and get her to the framer..... maybe she'll be done by the time they call for me to pick up 'South Seas Mermaid'......

my chapter 2 of 'My Stitching Album' by Jeannette Douglas arrived and I worked on it over the weekend and got it all stitched..... the stitch is called 'Milanese' and the chapter is called 'Milanese Moment..... it took about 18 hours to stitch....

the finishing isn't done, but I think I'll wait till the end and finish them all at once..... better chance of having the pages of the book all end up the size.....

page 7 arrived of the 'Spot Sampler Mystery SAL' by Martina Dey on Friday and I finished stitching it today.....

I'll see you all again next week with some more progress, I hope..... until then....

happy stitching!!!!

Progresses and a Finish for Me Last Week

2008-11-03T15:48:00.001-08:00

Well, a lot has happened (been stitched) since the last time I was here..... last week I finished 'South Seas Mermaid' by Mirabilia Designs.... this took about 84 hours to stitch.... tomorrow she is off to the framer and I'll post a picture when she gets back home.... she is very colorful and at first I thot it was too much..... but she grows on you....

this week I was able to stitch page 6 of my 'Spot Sampler Mystery SAL' by Martina Dey and stay up to date on it..... these pages come out each Friday and it is always fun to see what the next page will bring....

my next project was picked up again on Saturday..... 'Mermaid of Atlantis' by Mirabilia Designs..... this progress picture is what I had done a while ago, so when SSM was finished, I picked her up again....

also this past week I received Chapter 2 of 'My Stitching Album' by Jeannette Douglas in the mail.... it looks to be a real challenge and I will be starting it soon.... these Chapters come out every other month, so I should be done in time for the next one to come out....

I guess that's it for now..... I'll talk to you again next week..... hope to 'see' you all then.... till then take care and happy stitching....

Last Week In My Journey

2008-10-27T07:37:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful, sunny day.... the temps are heading down, but the days are just great....

got quite a bit stitched this past week.... the fifth page of the 'Mystery Spot Sampler' by Martina Dey arrived on Friday and I got that stitched up yesterday.... next page will take us back to the left side again to start another row.....

when we got back home on Thursday there was a surprise in my mailbox.... 'From Sea To Shining Sea' a colaberation between Little House Needleworks and Crescent Colours..... this is a 6 part project that comes out once a month, thru January 2009 and each part comes with the silks needed to work the design..... so far the border and part 1 (the west coast) are here and I got that stitched.... took about 15.5 hours.... I didn't do the whole border tho.... I'm just going to do it as I go across our beautiful country.... this is being stitched on 28 count, tan, Monaco fabric...

'South Seas Mermaid' by Mirabilia is coming along nicely and she will be my project this week until 'My Stitching Album' by Jeannette Douglas', chapter 2 arrives sometime later in the week, then I'll be off to stitch on that...... this progress picture of 'South Seas Mermaid' is at about 52.25 hours....

hope you all have a great week, and I'll 'see' you again soon....

Finally Back Again

2008-10-20T09:04:00.001-07:00

Good day all..... haven't posted in a few days, but I have 2 up dates to show off...... I have worked on 'Secret Love' by John Clayton again and now have put in 34.75 hours.....

my other project was 'South Seas Mermaid' by Mirabilia at about 40 hours..... this has been behaving badly!!! had to frog quite a bit, but now I'm back on track....

the weather here in Live Oak is finally feeling like Fall..... 2 night in the upper 40's, but in the low 80's during the day... just great weather and we're enjoying every minute of it.....

have to go now and wrap up Ryan's (three years next week) birthday gifts and get them in the mail.... can't have them arriving late, especially for a 3 year old..... ;-D

hope you all have a great day!!! see you soon.....

Hope You All Had A Great Weekend

2008-10-13T13:22:00.001-07:00

Happy Columbus Day!!!

things here in Live Oak are turning back to summer.... hot and humid.... but each hot day is one cold day we won't have.... did a little repotting of the indoor plants..... we have put the windows back in the screen room for the winter and brought in all the plants that live outside during the warm weather..... we use it as a 'greenhouse' by using 2 space heaters to keep the temps up to 55 degrees.... tomorrow I'll take some pictures of my collection and bore you with them.....

I started a new cross stitch project this weekend, because I'm the 'Queen of New Starts'!!!! I started working on a design by Martina Dey called 'Willie's Quaker Band'..... this picture is at the nine hour point.....

I am stitching this design on 28 count, antique white evenweave..... one over one..... using Vikki Clayton's Hand-Dyed Fibers instead of the DMC floss that it called for....

back soon, with another picture.... thanx for looking and hope you all have a great night....

Today's Update

2008-10-11T15:01:00.001-07:00

another bright and beautiful day here in Live Oak..... I stitched last night and today on Martina Dey's 'Spot Sampler Mystery', since part 3 arrived.... so I'm caught up again..... here's a picture of my progress so far..... other than that, today was very boring, housework and cooking....

tonight there might be some excitement while we are watching the NASCAR race, even tho they seem to be getting boring too.....

tomorrow I plan to start a new Quaker design by Martina Dey called 'Willie's Quaker Band'..... this is my challenge for the week on another blog.... I will be stitching this one over one on 28 count, antique white evenweave with Vikki Clayton's Hand-Dyed Fibers.... updates to come later.....

It's Raining In Live Oak!!!

2008-10-09T11:46:00.001-07:00

rained some last night and when we got up this morning we had one and a quarter inches in our rain gauge..... right now it's raining again and we're lovin' it.... our lawn and gardens were turning to dust, so this is welcome and should really help....

today I picked up a John Clayton 'Precious Memories Series' piece that I haven't worked on since the end of August called 'Secret Love'..... here's my progress so far, after today and about 25 hours of stitching.....

I have also stitched 14 ladies from his 'Elegance Series'..... you can click here if you'd like to see them in my Webshots Albums.... I always enjoy seeing their faces come to life.... and don't you just love those hats!! all of my ladies have been stitched on white, 28 count Monaco fabric with DMC flosses.....

Some Stitching Got Done Today

2008-10-08T15:23:00.001-07:00

we are getting a little rain here today..... the emphasis on little..... we are still in a drought and any rain we get is welcome.... we live in North Florida, up by the Georgia border and I was a little surprised when we moved down here from Central New York State that the climate (except for the heat and no snow) was close to where we came from..... I had always thot that Florida got some rain every day --- not so.....

here is an update on the 'How Does Your Garden Grow' mystery by Yvonne Horn of Papillon Creations..... this is up thru part 9.... the next section will be coming out October 15.... this has been fun to do and all the parts have been very manageable in size..... most of it is speciality stitches, not many cross stitches at all.....

Sunny Day In Live Oak

2008-10-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

didn’t stitch much yesterday, maybe today… I did catch up on some of my reading… I have many authors whose books I collect… mostly, I lean toward mysteries and psychological thrillers… some of my favorite arthors are, James Patterson, John Sandford, Dean Koontz, John Saul, Alex Kava, Stuart Woods and Sandra Brown to name just a few…

right now I’m reading 'Shoot Him If He Runs' by Stuart Woods.... this is 'A Stone Barrington Novel'... quick, fun read...

Christmas Stitching

2008-10-07T09:55:00.001-07:00

this little angel will be framed and given to one of my daughters-in-law for Christmas..... it is 'Pearl Angel' by Just Nan....

I am working on 'Lavender Angel', also by Just Nan for my other daughter-in-law.... will post a picture when it's finished....

Back Again...

2008-10-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

these are some pictures of another project I'm working on is 'My Stitching Album' by Jeannette Douglas... page one and the front and back covers are out and I've finished stitching them, but haven't attempted to do the finishing (each page has a pocket on the back for stitching tools and will be finished into a stitcher's book) yet... page two is due out in November..... this project will last till November 2009, with new pages coming out every other month....

I have signed up for this project with a great online store (Wasatch Needle Craft), that automatically notifies the members of this project when they come out... there is a Yahoo group for the members too...

Hello Everyone!!

2008-10-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is another try at a blog for me... I'm not really too good at posting daily, so this may be hit or miss... I will be sharing my stitching addiction with you...

yesterday I finished page 2 of a multi-week spot sampler mystery by Martina Dey of Wiehenburg's Designs... I am stitching this mystery one over one on 28 count, white evenweave using Vikki Clayton Hand-Dyed Fibers.... I picked 'Acts of Violets' and the three colors that make it up: Lilac Mist (2143), Nosegay (2109) and Sue-Purple-Ous....

the Quaker Sampler in the heading is another mystery by Martina Dey... it was the 2007 project and I stitched it one over one on 28 count, white evenweave with Vikki Clayton Hand-Dyed Fibers....

Here is another Martina Dey mystery that ran from January 2008 thru August 2008.... this was stitched one over one on 28 count, white evenweave with one DMC Color Variations and the DMC floss colors that make it up....

today I plan to finish part 9 of another mystery in 13 parts - 'How Does Your Garden Grow' by Yvonne Horn of Papillon Creations... I'll post a picture tomorrow to show you my progress on this project...