July Ornament Exchange.....

Yes...it is time again for the You & I ornament exchange and I decided to do a another freebie from Kincavel Crosses.  

Kincavel Crosses "Beaded Humbug"

Stitched on 22 ct hardanger w/ DMC

This is my second one and will match my
April ornament.   

Lady Kell of Kincavel has some wonderful freebies and you should check them out.   I also want to stitch the snowflake humbug freebies to add to my ornament collection so don't be surprised if you see some more of these!

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My lucky "exchange" partner this month is....

Deborah

Cranberry Samplings

If you would like to be my "partner", you just have to be a follower.  Easy peasy....

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July has been my "Challenge" month and I have been busily stitching on BBD "Their Song" and CHS "Frederick".   I am enjoying stitching both so I just keep alternating between the two.   It would be great if I can I finish "Their Song" before month end.  Just got to keep on stitching.

As always, thanks for your wonderful comments and taking time to visit my blog.  

Happy stitching and stay cool!

So close.......

I was so close to having another Challenge

finish last weekend. 

I was stitching away on BBD's "Its Berry Time" and had sneaky feeling that I was going to run out of thread with just the alphabet left to stitch.  I was using Victorian Motto's Plum so I shot off a quick email to Nancy to see if she had some more.  Luckily, she was able to identify just the dye lot I needed and I got my package of threads (I couldn't order just one skein now could I?) yesterday.

Just a few hours stitching and I

finally have my finish.....

BBD "It's Berry Time"

Stitched on 35ct WDW Linen w/

Victorian Motto Plum

I really love the color of this one and will add it to the framing pile.   I really need to work on a "framing plan" so I can rescue some of these finishes from seclusion.  Guess I need to go buy that lottery ticket.......

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 We spent a few days in Charleston and Pawleys Island the first of the week.  The weather was just perfect for walking and touring.  I had forgotten how pretty Charleston is and the food is wonderful too. The best thing I had was the

Southern Grilled Crab and Pimento Cheese Melt

w/ Fried Green Tomatoes 

found at the Boone Hall Farms Market.  

I can not describe to you how good this was...yummy!

We headed up the road to spend a day at the beach.  While at Pawley's Island, I decided to make a quick trip to the Quilter's Cottage  located right up the road in Garden City.  

I certainly didn't need any more fabric but decided I should come home with some type of "souvenir" and I think this filled the bill.   If you are ever in the Myrtle Beach area, it is definitely worth the trip to visit.

We are home for today and will head out Thursday morning to Tennessee for a few days.  Sure hope we find cooler weather too! Hopefully I can work in some stitching time during the ride.

Well...I'm off to work on my ornaments since the 25th will be here before I know it. 
As always...thanks for visiting and happy stitching!

"Dampy Sod"....

And then there were 9.....

Primitive Needle "Dampy Sod"
Stitched on 40ct. Purely Primitive w/
WDW and Sampler Threads

.....Crazy Challenge finishes that is.  

I have been stitching on and off for a
couple of months on this design and decided it
was time to finish it.   I loved this saying the
first time I saw it and like it even more now
that it is finished.  This was my first design
from Lisa but not my last. 

Now up on the q-snaps will be BBD "It's Berry Time".  I have been stitching on this one by and by also so hopefully I can finish it this week. 

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Six months into this challenge, I do have an
observation.  I was usually a one project girl so I
was a little nervous when I decided to do it.  It
would normally drive me crazy to have more
than one or two big WIP at a time. 

Boy have I changed! 

I love having so many great choices when I pick up my stitiching bag.  If I get tired of one, I just have to reach in for another.  Even better, I have finished some designs that have been languishing in my "To Do" pile for years.  In short, I think I have been more productive this year and hope to keep up this "rotation" going forward.  Even though I have 6 remaining in my bag, I am already looking ahead at my next 15!  

Unfortunately my "To Frame" pile has grown
but that is a problem I don't mind having!

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As always, thanks for visiting and all of your
wonderful comments.  They do make me smile.
Happy stitching.....and stay cool!

"Americana" finish.....

Just in time to celebrate the 4th of July,

I put the last stitch in this morning....

CHS "Americana"

Stitched on 32ct Buttercream

w/ DMC

This is number 8 in my Crazy January Challenge.  Another great design from CHS!  

I really should have finished this one last week but just couldn't find my stitching mojo. 

With a little help from the Law & Order

marathon yesterday, I found it and

spent the day happily stitching.   

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Stitching at the Beach- Oct 2011 

  It will be here before we know it and I need to get busy stitching all of my goodies.  I also need to get my registration in so I don't miss all of the fun.  If you haven't heard of this wonderful stitching retreat, please check it out...it's not too late but seems like it is filling up quickly. 

Hope to see you there.

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For my Amercian friends, I hope you

are enjoying the 4th holiday!

Happy stitching.

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.