PrimMaynia 2018....

Hello.....long time no post!

Thanks for Sharon (It's Daffycat)

for nudge me to do an update.

I am back to share my plans for May and

PrimMaynia 2018.

I am again participating in StitchMaynia 2018

(Instagram hashtag #stitchmaynia2018

or the group is on

Facebook under Stitchmaynia)

where you have a new start the first 18 days

of May but many are making it their own and

planning all kinds of things to do..

So what is PrimMaynia 2018 you ask? 

Coined by Christy

( @ladygatorstitches on Instagram),

you will start 18 (or however many you want)

new primitive designs in May. 

So what is considered primitive? 

Anything I want! 

My least favorite part of stitching is gathering the

thread,  choosing a fabric, deciding where

to start and putting in the first few stitches.

By doing this for numerous designs at once,

I then have a great assortment of projects

to choose from as I stitch throughout the year.

So....this year I decided to do a new start

each day so that means I will have 15 new

starts. The thing I do love about doing this is

"shopping" in my stash and rediscovering all of

the wonderful designs I own that have been

patiently waiting their turn in the hoop. 

Here are my few starts......

~ ~ ~  May 1st  ~ ~ ~

Goode Huswife

Ellen Birdseye

Linen = PTP 40ct Wren

Thread = recommended DMC

~ ~ ~  May 3rd  ~ ~ ~

Carriage Housing Samplings

Katy Horn

Linen = PTP 40ct Sand

Thread = recommended DMC

~ ~ ~  May 5th  ~ ~ ~
Summer House Stitche Workes

Simple Abundance

Linen = PTP 40ct Doubloon

Thread = Victorian Motto & Gentle Arts

~ ~ ~  May 7th  ~ ~ ~
Blackbird Designs

1861 Antique Sampler

from 
In Friendship's Way

Linen = PTP 40ct Doubloon

Thread = Victorian Motto threads

~ ~ ~  May 9th  ~ ~ ~

Blackbird Designs

Darling Buds of May

from

Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?

Linen = PTP 40ct Sand

Thread = Gentle Arts

~ ~ ~  May 11th  ~ ~ ~

Blackbird Designs

Feliz Navidad

Linen = PTP 40ct Wren

Thread = Weeks Dye Works

 ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

I have been stitching the last 8 months and have

lots to show.  As per my usual, I will catch my

blog up over the next month

so I can look back and see all that I have done.

Thanks for visiting and hope you have a great

stitching week.....

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

You can find me almost daily on Instagram

@karenshandiwork

Stitchy Finishes and Finishing.....

Summer is moving right along and

I have had a good stitchy one thus far....

After the 4th holiday, I pulled out

CHS "Matter's Choice".

I love everything about this piece.

CHS "Matter's Choice" stitched on 40ct Meadow Rue

with Victorian Motto "1840 Cranberry Rainbow"

I did change it a little bit and added

my initials and the year at the bottom. 

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

I reached into my big bag of WIPS and

this was the lucky draw.

As you can imagine, I couldn't help but

hum that favorite hymn as I stitched.

 Silver Creek Samplers "Blessings"

stitched on 40ct PTP Mello with Victorian Motto threads

I am blessed to be married to my

best friend so I added

mine and my hubby's initials.

The colors were so soothing to stitch

and I truly enjoyed this one.

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

With the beginning of August I couldn't

resist spending some time with Miss Martha.

The colors in this one just pop and

the combination of the teal blue and

golden mustard work perfectly together.

Kathy Barrick "Miss Martha's Potting Shed"

stitched on 40ct. PTP Tycho

with Victorian Motto threads.

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

I needed a quick gift for a friend and

decided the bonus chart from

Lizzie Kate's Things Unseen Mystery Sampler

would be perfect. 

LK "Things Unseen" bonus chart

stitched on 40ct PTP Sand with

Victorian Motto threads

The original design was charted to be

rectangular but it was easy to alter

into a square shape for the perfect no-sew finish.

The base for this finish is a little wooden

plaque from Hobby Lobby, and with a

little paint and Briwax, finishing

couldn't have been easier.

While at Hobby Lobby, I spotted a

galvanized plaque that I thought would

be perfect for another recent finish I had.

A little more paint and I have the perfect 

backdrop for this cute design.

Oh....I still am in love with that fabric...

WDW Red Pear...got to find some more.

LK Selfie Sampler kit

I loved this design the first time I saw it and

I am happy to have it in my office so that

I can be reminded often to have a great day.

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

Well I hope you are staying cool and

crossing many stitches.

Thanks as always for visiting my

small corner of the stitching universe

and happy stitching.....

Catching up: January.....

My least favorite part of stitching is

starting a new design.  I am always second

guessing my fabric choice and

thread choices so it makes it hard to put

that first stitch in.  I have found over the

years that "speed starting" a lot of projects at

once helps with this anxiety and I then

have a basket of delight to choose

from each day.   I know that it stresses some

people to have too many designs going

at once but I believe that having something

started is no different than having the

design sitting in my stash waiting

its turn to be started.   

So.....I decided to partake in the Crazy January

challenge again and I kitted up 15 projects

to start.  I did change it a little by "speed starting"

several projects over the first two weekends

in January.  I eventually only started 9 and I

am glad these were in my rotation.

Scarlett House "Coverlet Houses"

BBD "Quaker Garden"

Rosewood Manor "Old Glory"

La D Da "Peace House"

Carriage House Samplings "A Quaker Study"

Rosewood Manor "Cornwall Cottage Sampler"

Goode Huswife "Be My Love"

Silver Creek Samplers "Shadow of My Wings"

BBD "Sweetheart Sampler"

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

Our journey with our Clemson Tigers ended

in Arizona at the BCS National Championship

game. Realizing this was a lifelong dream

and an opportunity that may never come again,

hubby and I made the trek west to see our

Tigers play.   Although they didn't prevail,

we had an awesome time. 

Clemson fans have an awesome tradition that

began in the 70's when Clemson always

traveled to Atlanta for a match with

Georgia Tech.  To show the impact fans

have on a city's economy,

we stamp Tiger paws on $2 bills. 

It is amazing how many you will see

floating around while visiting the host city. 

Some rival fans are aware of the tradition and

will often ask for one as a souvenir.   We know I

t works because of the usual publicity it

brings once we have left.   This was the

case for Phoenix when several stories were

printed regarding the tradition and how

much money fans pumped into the

hotels, restaurants and bars during our trip.  

And that is your daily dose of Clemson history......

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The best part of the trip was being to

visit The Attic Needlework shop again and

to visit with Tanya from The Scarlett House.

We had a short and sweet visit and yes....

I did leave some $2 bills at the Attic.

~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~   *   ~

Thanks for visiting my small corner of

the universe and I will be back

soon for another update.

Happy stitching....