Thank you so much for your wonderful
comments on my previous posts....
they really do make my day!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
While visiting my mom awhile ago, I really
took note of how many stitched treasures
(her eyes rolling)
of mine that grace her walls. It got me
thinking about how I wish I could have started
this blog many years earlier. Well... actually
I guess I was "blogging" on paper....
Like many of you, I kept a "journal" of sorts in
a yearly calendar documenting my stitching days.
a yearly calendar documenting my stitching days.
I love my blog.....
just for the fact it is now my "stitching
journal". I can look back over the last few years
and see what I was stitching and I am surprised
how I can remember what was happening in my
life at that time. I've been toying with the idea
of sprinkling stitched pieces from the past so I
could enjoy them on my blog and decided there
was no time like the present to start.
was no time like the present to start.
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In keeping with the seafaring theme this week,
here is one of my favorite finishes from 2000.
The Need'l Love Company
"Ship of Life"
Started: 1-16-00 Finished: 4-9-00
I remember I originally started this one on 14 ct
cream aida......don't ask me what I was thinking.
After stitching a little of the wave, I quickly
realized this just wasn't right. I restarted on
32 ct. linen with DMC. At the time, this was
a very different stitch for me....this was my
first sampler of sorts. I am so glad I
stitched this on linen and stuck with it.
To this day, I still love this piece.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
BD "The Lighthouse"
Stitched 1999
I just loved the older Bent Creek designs and
probably have most of them between 1998
and 2006. I especially liked the Word Samplers
and this is one of my favorites. I attended one
of the now defunct cross stitch festivals where I
was able to pick up the frame. I didn't have a
LNS and remember being in awe of all the
cross stitch "stuff" available to buy. O how the
world has changed thanks to the wonderful web!
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If you made it this far, thanks for visiting.
I would love to know if anyone
else has these stitched and on their blog.
I love your sea projects. My husband and I are docents at our local lighthouse. I can't believe I have never stitched a lighthouse!
ReplyDeleteNice going back and looking over the journals..I did the same thing...It was primitive, but worked so well....I'll have to pull mine out~~
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to that next project....
Take care Karen,
Faye
oh, the memories!! I still keep journals of my stitching, but oh my! Am I ever behind on them.
ReplyDeleteI love how you have shown older projects..thank you! And now, thanks to this post, I must go on a search & see if I have that Bent Creek somewhere around here...I too love the word pieces!!!
I love both of those finishes! Thank you for sharing! I love looking at other stitchers beautiful works. Can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteOh those are both lovely! I tend to keep track of stitching in my journal too, but the blog is especially good for that. I'm looking forward to seeing what else your mom has. lol!
ReplyDeleteKaren - I think this is a WONDERFUL idea. I'd love to see and read about your'earlier pieces.' I'm so impressed with how detailed your stitching journals are - I have a spreadsheet I've kept for years now, but it just lists, chart name, designer, fabric, and start and end dates.
ReplyDeleteI always had good intentions about journaling in my pre-blogging days...but usually failed miserably. Even blogging isn't foolproof anymore, now that I have a toddler in the house to chase! My blog updates can be few and far between.
ReplyDeleteI've not stitched either of the pieces you shared today (which are fabulous, BTW!), but I DO have "Ship of Life" in my stash. While I'm not a lighthouse collector or anything like that, nautical stuff - especially with ships and compass roses - always grabs me.
I never kept track of my stitching much before my blog days unfortunately. I LOVE "Ship of Life". I have it in my stash and will stitch it someday soon I hope. It hung as a model piece in an LNS I used to love to visit, but sadly went out of business some years ago. It reminds me of the shop whenever I see it, and like Erin says, I love nautical designs and have intentions to have a grouping "someday". LOL I also love the old Bent Creek designs - so many great patterns from years ago still deserving to be stitched! I'm sad that I don't have my some of my earliest stitched pieces anymore - for various reasons they are gone (boo hoo hoo). Thanks for sharing these with us Karen.
ReplyDeleteI love your journals. I never kept a note of what I stitched before I started blogging but only stitched big pieces so could probably tell what I was stitching and when. Love your two finishes I haven't seen either of them before.
ReplyDeleteHow great you made a journal.. I can think off that that is so great to look at on a evening your not in th emood to stitch.. and done it so wonderfull!!!.
ReplyDeleteYour two pieces are really wonderfull.. beautifull
Oh, I can't wait to see more...this is a great idea! I never "documented" any of my stitching on paper. If I had tried I would have quit soon after ~ I have terrible handwriting and I am very self-conscious about it.
ReplyDeleteI love both of these projects...especially the Bent Creek. I like the older BC best of all.
Thank you for sharing your pictures of these projects, love the nautical designs.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I've been journalling faithfully for more than 10 years now and it's really useful. Love your old finishes - especially Ship of Life, which has been in my stash unstitched forever :-)
ReplyDeleteI love both of those samplers, please do show more of your work, what a great idea .X
ReplyDeleteYou are so very right about the personal advantages of blogging over the handwritten journal. Like you, I have done both and I much prefer glancing back through the blog, with it's photos and comments from stitching cyber buddies. I've also posted a few photos of older pieces on my blog every so often ... usually on holiday or seasonal posts. But there is so much of my work in other people's houses [ those of my mother, my sisters, my daughter] that it is unlikely I'll ever be able to put a full record on my blog. I do love your nautical pieces ... just keep those oldies but goodies coming.
ReplyDeleteOkay--what a Terrific idea! Throwback Thursday!! I may have to copy it on my blog!! We will start a club!! ;) My husband just came by and said he liked the Ship of Life one! I have the BC one--bought it on EBay years ago! I love it...just haven't stitched it! Hmmm... Thanks for sharing with us! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great to see some of your samplers from the past. I also love seeing how other folks keep track of what they stitch. Thanks for sharing with us today!
ReplyDeleteKaren, I love the "throwback" idea! Your post had me doing a mental inventory of the pieces my mother has in her home that my grandmother and I have stitched for her. The desire to learn needwork skipped a generation with my mom but she greatly admires the finished work! When my grandmother first taught me to stitch it was with stamped cross stitch kits because that is what she knew! I then moved to aida and finally linen. Isn't it fabulous how far the needlework industry has progressed and the materials that are readily available to us now!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Karen! You had me thinking about all the work I have given as gifts in the past. My mom did a little stamped needlework before she died years ago but she preferred knitting. I still have to make the cross over to linen and keep telling myself that I will but I just can't make it happen yet! Yes, the needlework industry has changed so much since I began stitching over 30 years ago!
ReplyDeleteI never kept a stitching journal until I began my blog. Now it's fun to look back at the older stitchngs. Your Ship of Life piece looks great.
ReplyDeleteYour older finishes are beautiful! I have always loved that Bent Creek design. That's great that you kept your journals. I bet it's fun to go back through and see what you were stitching.
ReplyDeleteWe want more! We want more! I love seeing these "old" finishes!!! My heart did a jump when I saw Ship of Life! I stitched that for my Dad a long time ago and he still has it in a place of honor in his house. I kind of feel like crying a little right now. It just touches my heart so.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog!
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ReplyDeleteThey are both lovely! Love the words on Ship of Life. :)
ReplyDeleteI really love your finishes :) They are very pretty!
ReplyDeleteShip of Life is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your older projects.
It's a great idea to post up some of your older stuff. I think I might do that myself. x
ReplyDeleteisn't it fun to look back on some of the stuff you have stitched in the past :) have your tastes changed at all ???? love mouse xxxxx
ReplyDeleteSo good you still have those journals. must bring wonderful memories! Your sampler is really beautiful! Happy stitching weekend.
ReplyDeleteNew follower here! I came across your blog while searching for cross stitching and paper-crafting, as I too, share those passions. I have spent the last hour going through your blog and I'm hooked. Your finishes are beautiful and really inspiring. I look forward to your upcoming projects. Thanks for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea! And the pieces you shared are great! Now I'm excited to see what you have done as well as what you are doing!
ReplyDeleteKaren - I love the idea of your stitching journal. I should have been doing that these past many years.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, too, Karen. Look forward to each and every post!!! The frame on your "lighthouse" piece couldn't be more perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteLinda
What fun to see pics of your Ship of Life and Lighthouse finishes! Oldies are still goodies. Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteIt's always so fun to see some of the older pieces that other stitcher's have! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing these older finishes Karen! Like you, I used to keep a journal but with blogging I enjoy having everything in so much more detail.
ReplyDeleteI haven't stitched the Bent Creek Lighthouse, but I bought when it first came out! :) My MIL is the daughter of a lighthouse keeper (she wasn't my MIL back then) and I've always meant to do it for her. Someday. With luck she'll be my MIL for a little while longer.
ReplyDelete