1797 Ship Sampler....

First....I just want to let you know that the
Alison Krauss concert was wonderful.

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I am happy to show you another

Crazy Challenge finish...

Barrick Samplers "1797 Ship Sampler"

40ct khaki linen w/ DMC

I have had this sampler in my stash for a

very long time...too long so I am glad it is done!

I searched online to see if I could find some

other finishes but found none.  

Just curious if anyone else stitched this one????

I always use DMC when stitching a Kathy Barrick

design and am amazed at the "funky" colors once

they're assembled. I have realized, though, that

they always come together to create

the perfect color palette.

Love the ship and fish

This one definitely looks so much better stitched.

Just need to save my pennies for framing...

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This is finish number five in my

Crazy Challenge. 

I think that calls for celebration and I will

do so by starting something new.

Linda was sweet to offer me A Colonial Garden 

from Plum Street Samplers after her recent

finish.   I fell in love after seeing Linda's

finish so I think this one will be next up

on the q-snaps.

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I have been so lazy about leaving comments lately

but please know I have been seeing all of your

wonderful stitching.  I do appreciate you visiting

my little corner of the world.   

happy stitching...

My Bee Collection....

Some time ago I realized surprisingly

 that I had a few finishes with a

common theme of birds and bees.

So off to the framer I went and I now have

a great start to my by very own

"Birds & Bees" wall.

Diane Williams ~ "Joy in the Journey"

Goode Huswife ~ "Bird Tree"

Goode Huswife ~ "In the Bee Man's Garden"

My favorite molding....

BOAF ~ "No Bees No Honey"

The basketweave is perfect....

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April has been the busiest month and I

feel like I have been gone more

that I have been home!  

Hopefully May will be a little calmer.  

I have found time to stitch and am

very close to a finish. 

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes... 

I did decide to splurge on some

stash from Victorian Motto to

celebrate the occasion!

I will definitely be stitching something so

I can use the cluny trim... it is just yummy!

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We are headed to see Alison Krauss tonight

so I better get hopping...

hope you have a good stitchy weekend!

And then there were none....

Feels like forever since I have been here.

I had the pleasure of spending last week with my
mom after she had surgery.  Unfortunately, it
wasn't a picnic for her and her time with
me wasn't as pleasant.

Although I packed my stitch bag as if I would be
stitching 24/7, it was not to be.

I did have one finish.....my last fat man!

LK "Snow Day"

stitched on 28ct khaki evenweave

w/DMC

My basket of snow beaus....

I think I will enjoy them for just a little longer.

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I'm a few days away from celebrating my birthday and Miss Faye (becoming better known as the Carolina Sewer)

sent me one of her fabulous pouches.

She even personalized it just for me....

I forgot to take a pic of the pretty red floral fabric used inside. Faye is such a sweetie and this was a nice surprise.

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I do have another little finish to share.   A co-worker retired last month and I decided to stitch up a little goodie.

BBD "Friends with You"

Chart 2 from My Heart Is True

stitched on 40ct khaki linen

w/Victorian Motto

This is becoming one of my favorite BBD books.  There is a companion piece to this one that is so pretty but time didn't allow me to stitch it.  Hopefully soon....

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As always, thanks for giving me a little
bit of your time.   Happy stitching....

Summer Jubilee.....

Well....I went from stitching winter to
summer and the weather here in South Carolina
followed suit.   It just plain hot....too hot for
March so I will be switching back to a
winter design very soon.  
Come on Mother Nature....give us a break!

Here is summer that I do like....

BBD "Summer Jubilee"

stitched on 32ct R&R 18th Century Blackbird

w/Victorian Motto threads

I decided to convert the colors to my Victorian

Motto threads which gave me more "pink" tones.

Although the colors are different, I really do like

the way it turned out.

My favorite part of the sampler.  

This would make a cute little pin cushion.

Funky vase .... got to have one of those!

A little Americana is the perfect touch.

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Well...I have one more fat snowman left to stitch

and think I need to start him so I can cool off.  

Happy spring!

(disguised as summer)

Exchange stitching.....

I recently participated in two of my favorite

exchangesand thought I would share.

Lisa was my partner in the Seasonal Exchange

 and here is my piece for her....

Hollis Designs "Snowy Littles"

stitched on 32ct linen

w/recommended thread

My procrastination resulted in the package going

out just in time.  In my haste, I forgot to take a

pic and thank Lisa for letting my borrow hers.

I really like how this one turned out and

hope to stitch/finish all four of the

seasonal designs in this series.

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Laura was my partner in the LK Exchange...

LK "Summer Basket"

Stitched on 25ct cream evenweave over 1

with DMC

Since we haven't had much of a winter I thought

I would move right along to summer.  This

design is perfect for  a cute pincushion don't

you think?  I am glad Laura is happy with it.

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Thanks as always for visiting.
Now....back to stitching!

My favorite snowman....

LK "Let It Snow"

stitched on 28ct khaki evenweave

w/DMC

Well....I made him my own. 

I goofed when I started the scarf which

resulted in changing the color scheme. 

Too lazy to rip out the wrong color, I carried

on and used a little pink, which I really liked.  

I figured I would carry on and change the

hat color to light blue with a little more pink. 

I just love him. 

I still think he needs a little pompom at

the end of his hat.  Hmmm...will need to

do something about that.

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I saw this card on Pinterest a few weeks

ago and I just couldn't get it out of my mind.  

I just had to try and make one...

I had to do a little figuring on this one to get

the mechanics correct and I'm pretty happy

with my first attempt.   I really like the

flowers/leaves layout in the original card

better so I  will make it like that next time.

This was my Friday night project.

The idea of weaving a paper basket came to

me Friday night after I had gone to bed. 

I was up Saturday by 5:30 am

(thanks to a tornado warning)

and so I decided to give it a try.

Summertime is calling me....

I was amazed how easily these came to together.

So I made some more....

{Love} the yellow flower basket...

  I am just pleased at punch with these.

Now that the creative juices were flowing,

I thought I would make a clay pot. 

  

Not to shabby if I say so myself....

  I have a tendency to overindulge when I

 find something I like so I wouldn't be

surprised if I have a hundred of these

by the end of the month!

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I haven't stitched in 4 days.... so I'm off to remedy

that and put a few stitches in something!

As always...thanks for visiting.

happy stitching....

Count 'em....two finishes!

I'm happy I will end February with

two Crazy Challenge finishes.

 BOAF "Bloom"

Stitched on 32ct PTP Doubloon

w/DMC

BOAF "Kindness Sampler"

Stitched on 32ct PTP Doubloon

w/DMC

So glad to finally have these stitched.  

I did make the decision to use DMC.  I wasn't
too happy with the colorations of the
recommended hand-dyed thread I had. 
I guess the dye lots have changed somewhat
since the designs are a little older and
they didn't favor the picture at all. 
 
Don't you just hate it when that happens?  

 I did a little "research" and found a couple

of finishes using the DMC and I liked

them so I off I went. I am very happy with the

finishes and think I am falling in love

with DMC again....weird!!!

The second thing about these two I really like

is the PTP fabric I used.  I have some in my stash
for awhile and am using it a lot for my
Challenge pieces.    I love the way it stitches....
better start making my list & saving my pennies 
for their annual sale this summer!

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I've noticed that several bloggers have

picked up a bug lately....

"the clean & organize my craft room" bug.

If you have it, please send it over this way!  

I definitely need something to get mine under control.

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I'm glad so many of you found the Fabric Tac
tip helpful.  I do warn you....if you haven't used it,
you may wish to start on something simple. 
Hate to think you ruined a future family
heirloom because of me!

Well....I now get to start another snowman!

Happy stitching....

Finishing tips....

Thanks for all of your comments regarding

my little fat men.   If you are even
thinking about stitching them, go ahead
because they are aquick and fun stitch. 

I hope LK does another series!

I've had several people ask how I attach

my ric rac and thought I would share

my best stitch for finishing trim....

a liquid stitch!

My sewing skills, when it comes to detail,

are limited (which means I'm just lazy!)

Another stitcher recommended this to me one

time and I have to say I'm hooked.   It is very easy

to use, dries quickly but still allows you to adjust

your trim before it is set.  It doesn't take too much

either so my little bottle has lasted me for over

a year now.  I have used it with chenille trim

also without a hitch.   I know there several

brands available and expect you would 

get similar results.  

Someone else asked about the look of the ric rac

so I thought I would show a pic from the side. 

The backing fabric I chose is more for form

than fashion.   The fabric is actually an outdoor

canvas and I used it for its stiffness.  Once
stuffed, the little pillow holds its shape better.

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I picked these beauties up today from my framer

and thought I would share.   By this time

tomorrow, all will be gracing my wall.

CHS "Americana"

I {love} this frame molding.

BOAF "Bitter Flower Sampler"

The darker frame really changed the look of this sampler.

BBD "Their Song"

 

I used the same molding for this one because of the

little hint of gold detail.

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Well...I hope to have another Challenge finish

this weekend so I am off to stitch! 

Happy stitching....

My Phat Men....

I just love these little fat guys and

can't stop stitching them.

LK "Snow People"

28ct khaki evenweave w/DMC

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LK "Snow Fun"

28ct khaki evenweave w/DMC

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Well...it looks like this is the closest I

will get to snow this year!

On a ric rac roll! 

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Thanks for visiting. 

Now...back to my Crazy Challenge stitching

and finish something so I can stitch

another one of these guys!

happy stitching....

Dusting off the sewing machine....

I finally got my gumption up to

do some finishing today.

La D Da "In the Sweet"

This design stitched in DMC resulted in

some "funky" colors but I had the perfect

olive ric rac from Victorian Motto

to trim this little pillow.

Scarlett House "Jingle All The Way"

I also had the perfect ric rac for this

one but it was too small to sew in

the seam.  Tacked around the edge

worked out perfectly and I have

to say I  *love* this one.

(Pssst Tanya....I need a complementary design to stitch on

red and one to stitch on ivory to keep this one company.)

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Well...I've been spending time with

another Fat Man this week.  With temps in

the 70's, stitching one of these guys is

about as close to winter as I can get. 

Sure hope this doesn't mean we

are in for a hot summer.

Hopefully my sewing machine will get

another work out tomorrow and I can get

some of these Fat Men properly dressed.

happy stitching...