June's Ornament Exchange.....

Log Cabin Needlework's "Merry Christmas"

Stitched on 32 ct. coffee-dyed linen w/

Victorian Motto red, ST Maple Syrup & DMC 3051

Sandy at Stitchin' and Life in a Small Town

offered this freebie last December and it is

this month's You & I exchange ornament. 

I did change the recommended colors and

love how it turned out.  This is such a nostalgic

looking design that I am sure I will stitch

this one many more times.

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I am excited that this month's "exchange" partner is one of my new followers.......

Tracey

Tracey's Little Corner 

Hopefully you know the drill and know that you too may be an "exchange" partner if you are a follower...it's not too late.

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Well...I'm off to the Hampton County Watermelon Festival, which I am sure will be hotter than hades.  Luckily, we will have some nice cool watermelon to make it bearable.

Have a great weekend and happy stitching...

F&S BBD Exchange

I received these lovely squares from Karen R. 

for the Fair & Square BBD exchange. 

Her stitching is just perfect.   

I don't have this particular design and am

excited to finally have it stitched.  These will

definitely be finished into a needlebook.

Thanks again Karen for a great exchange!

Happy stitching....

Free to a good home.....***EDITED****

New home found......   

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I've been playing with some of my new Americana paper and thought I would share a quick pic. 

 Ready, set, stitch!

  I have Aury's new Quaker Heart freebie, my coffee-dyed fabric and fibers ready to stitch. 

It will be finished on the little round box...I just love how this one came out.  The other is a recycled nut can spruced up with some paper, raffia and rusty tin stars.   A perfect candy

container for my desk at work. 

Oh...I just love scrapbook paper!

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Well....I have to go finish my Christmas ornaments since the 25th is fast approaching. 

Thanks for visiting and happy stitching...

Summer finishing....

These pieces have been waiting patiently in my "finishing" box for years...yes, years!   

When I caught the finishing bug
(he is so elusive) 
Satuday morning, I held on tight until
these were "finished"!

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BC "Buzzzzz"

Mystery  fabric w/recommended threads

Don't you just love this little simple design?  

I have been on the search for the appropriate

eggplant colored fabric but to no avail.  So I

abandoned the search.  After finishing, I

remembered I had this raffia in my stash that

matched perfectly.   I just love this little piece!

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BC "Pop"

Mystery fabric w/recommended threads

I can never have too much Americana.  

Not only was the little stitched piece waiting
patiently, but the pieces to make these little faux
appliqued pillows were too!  I found them when
reorganizing my stash.   They were intended to
adorn a sweatshirt but that idea was abandoned
years ago.  I remembered that Becky had created
some pin pillows and borrowed the idea.  

A little sewing and a little ironing resulted
in two big pops of color!

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Well....I'm off.   My nephew is graduating
from high school today...the first grandchild
on my hubby's side.  We are so proud of him
and can't wait to share this special
day for him and his family!

Happy stitching.....

Stitching friends.....

Back in March 2009, I met Amy when she emailed me to asked if I would like to come to her house and stitch with some friends. 

That is where I met Nicole. 

Three months later Amy emailed to ask if I would be interested in sharing a room with another stitcher from NC at the Pals Fall Fling. 

That's how I met Faye.

 So what do four stitching friends do?

A Friendship RR of course!

We chose designs from PS "Friends" & "Friends More" and have been busy stitching since last June.  This past Saturday we finally exchanged our finished pieces at a stitchin Amy arranged. 

Boy, I was excited to bring home these beauties.....

 Amy's square

Faye's square

 Nicole's square

 Mine

I think I am going to frame my finished
pieces so I can enjoy them as I stitch.  
I will always treasure them.

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Amy hosted a stitchin at the French Hens in

Manning and I got to spend the day

stitching with some wonderful ladies.  

And yes....we actually did stitch! 

Amy, Charlene and Faye have some wonderful pictures on their blogs from the day so you will have to check them out.  Funny that I had the same pics so I won't bore you with them.  

I do want to give a shout out to

Judy and Donna......

They just got back from the last Victoria Sampler retreat.... how lucky were they!!!!  

Their retreat project is just gorgeous and

I can't believe I didn't take a pic.

Well, it is stitching time.  As always...thanks for

visiting and hope you have a happy stitchy week.

Tuck Pillows for sale...

Just making room for more stuff....

Tuck Pillows for Sale 

Email me if you are interested. 

Goode Huswife's "The Peacock Sampler".....

Goode Huswife "The Peacock Sampler"

stitched on 32ct LL Buttercream

w/ recommended DMC

Another Crazy Challenge finish...yeah!!!!   I decided to pick this one up last weekend and figure out what to do about my 610 thread problem to get it finished.  Overall, the color combo seemed a bit odd while stitching it but I have to say I am very pleased with the finished result. 

Chocolate chip cookie anyone???

My dye lot problem with 610 was resolved by ripping out what I had stitched and using the new color.  The old 610 was so "chocolately" brown that it just didn't look right with the rest of the colors compared to the new 610.  The difference was so drastic that I am beginning to think I may have had the original color mislabeled. 

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Sarah E. Smith born May 1880

I kept thinking of two of my great-grandmothers while stitching this piece so I decided I would dedicate it to my mother's paternal grandmother. I didn't know her but my mom has remarked often that she was an immaculate housekeeper and loved to quilt...pretty sure I didn't inherit those genes!

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Well.... off to stitch. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Thanks for visiting as always and happy stitching!

May's ornament exchange.....

Yes....it's time for the You & I ornament exchange.....

BC "The Christmas Collection" -- "Red Holly Berries"

Stitched over 1 on 25 ct Mocha Vintage evenweave

This is one of my favorites!  I found this

oldie from Bent Creek in my stash and decided

it would make a cute ornament.  Stitched over

one it turned out the perfect size.

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Hopefully you know the drill....this "exchange" involves me stitching two ornaments:

one for me and one for a lucky follower.

And so....this month's lucky

"exchange" partner is......

Sharon

It's Daffycat

It's not too late...if you want to be my

"exchange" partner for next month, just

make sure you're a follower!

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I can't believe the response I got on my "collection" of tuckaway pillows. 

I knew you would understand! 

Based on some of the comments and emails I received, I thought I would share a few tidbits. 

All of these tucks were made in 2001 & 2002
( used to do a local craft show in my hometown)
...so I have been lugging these things around
for all of the these years.  For obvious reasons, I haven't made any in years.  

The best part of this finishing is you can adjust the size to make them smaller, which are perfect for ornaments, or larger. 

CyberStitchers has this neat calculator and a tutorial with pics.  If you haven't tried them, you really should.  My sewing skills are
not that great so if I can do it anyone can!

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As always, thanks for visiting and taking the time to leave a comment.  Hope you have a great stitching weekend and holiday.

Tuck pillows anyone????

I did a little spring cleaning in my craft room this week.  I admit I am a "craft hoarder" and will hang onto anything that I think I may be able to use later....sound familiar?  

Well....I have decided I need to downsize and rid myself of the stuff I will never use.  

Thus the container of tuckaway pillows...

how many are exactly too many????

 Inside the container I had 58 (yes...that's correct) finished 6*6 tuck pillows. 

While contemplating selling them, the "hoarder" side of my brain asks "but what if you need one later?  You'll regret it."   

Will I?

I then counted 44 finished but unstuffed pillows.  

Am I sure that's enough?  

I guess not....I then uncovered 54 unfinished pillows ready for the sewing machine.  

Grand total = 156 

Really????? 

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On a brighter note......

Motifs from LK "Spring Alphabet"

I wanted something fun to stitch and love the new LK "Spring Alphabet" so I stitched a few little pin cushions to share with some blogging friends.  

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On a side note, hubby & I were eating  at one of our favorite BBQ places yesterday and in walks Mitt Romney.   He worked the room and we got the chance to meet him. ( I was so surprised how skinny he was.)   Just not too sure I'm ready for the return of political ads yet.....

Hope you are having a great weekend and wish you a good stitching week.

Exchange from Sarah....

It's been a good mail week.....

I received my exchange from Sarah (no blog)  for the Seasonal Exchange and it is lovely.  It is a nice spring design stitched on a very pretty pink fabric.  Thanks Sarah for such a wonderful exchange.

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A couple of weeks ago Lee shared this wonderful strawberry finish from Manka, who was nice enough to share it with me. 

It is her own design of Hungarian
 motifs and her finishing is perfect.  I hope
to stitch this a few more times and hone
my strawberry finishing skills.  
(Yes....I finished this one upside down!) 
But it still works.  
Manka has some beautiful freebies as well
finishes.  If you haven't already discovered
her blog, you won't be disappointed
if you check it out.

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Hope all of you have a nice Mother's Day and happy stitching weekend....