Goodies....

 

Hope all of you are having a great stitching weekend.   The

weather here in SC has been very rainy this weekend and made

it so easy to sit back and stitch all day Saturday.   I can't

remember the last time I sat for eight hours straight

and just stitched but I made the most of it.

 

 I pulled out Worthy Brown, one of my lingering Crazy Challenge

pieces from last year, and have made some great progress.

CHS "Worthy Brown"

35ct WDW straw w/DMC

progress as of 2/23/13

Before I picked it up Friday night, I only had most of the body

and one wing partially completed.  I have added his tail

feathers, some smaller motifs and should finish the second

wing before bedtime.I am stitching this on 35 ct. with one thread

and am very disappointed in the coverage with the darker colors.  

 I plan to distress it once finished so I hope the linen might tighten

up a little more after having a warm bake in the oven. 

I would love to finish this one before month end.

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Last weekend wasn't very nice weather wise so I decided to play

with some paper.   I have become addicted to embossing and just

had to try out some recent purchases thanks to my

local AC Moore going out of business.  

 

As you can see from this stack, I think I might be ready

for just about any type of card occasion.

 

 

 

 Although I think they are all just wonderful, I won't bore you with

pictures of all of them.  I will show you one of my favorites.

 

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Saving the best for last, I won a Valentine's giveaway from

Krista  (Just Stitching Along) 

and received this pretty package in the mail this

week.   I just love the way she has it wrapped up.

This was a package of firsts because she sent a Stacy Hash design

 and this will be my first for this designer.  How did that

happen?!!?!!   She also sent some of Nina's threads and I have

never tried these.... they just look so "happy"

and I hope to put them to use soon.

 

Krista became my new best friend when I unwrapped that

 chocolate bar!  I have been trying hard to not keep chocolate

in the house so this just made my night.   Needless to say,

I think it was gone by the time I finished before my

thank you email hit Krista's mailbox.  

 

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My boys

 

I caught my hubby and Pork Chop napping in my stitching chair

and couldn't resist sharing.   Oh...how I wish I could nap in

someone's lap when it is so nice and cozy inside.

 

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great week!



Exchange from Jayne....

 

Waiting in the mailbox for me today was my Winter Exchange from Jayne....

 

 

Would you believe this is Jayne's first attempt at hardanger?   She did a beautiful job on this stitching pocket.  Since Valentines is around the corner she chose pink and I love it.   It is so dainty and too pretty to use so I will admire it by my stitching nook.

 

She also included some goodies including two stitched ort bags.   I am so excited to have a couple of these and will put one to use. 

 

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I also got my stitched pears

(compliments of Santa and Samplers)

finished and I very happy with the

way they turned out.

 

Santa & Samplers Sampler Pear VI, II, & V

Stitched on 32ct. LL Vintage Buttercream

W/DMC

 

I am in love with these designs especially the latest one.  It just perfect with the heart and dainty flowers.   I did change a few colors since I couldn't find the called for ones in my stash.

 

I do see that my internal "level" isn't exactly plumb but I can live with it.   I decided not stuff them and used cardboard and batting for the finish.   I had the perfect color trim from

Victorian Motto for all three and only needed to

add some twig stems and wool felt

leaves to make them complete. 

 

I still have a few more of these to stitch and can't wait to add them to my collection.   I am still amazed these are freebies and am so grateful Marly shared them with us.

 

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Thank you for all of the wonderful comments on my last couple of posts.  It is so exciting to read that others appreciate your stitching and I just love all of you in blogland!

 

Well....as many of you avid college football fans

know, it was National Signing Day and I have

been following the antics of 17 year olds all day

as they decide where they will spend the next four

years of their lives.  I can't believe how tiring this

has been!!!!  My team had a pretty good day but

I am off to check ESPNU again just to make

sure I didn't miss anything before turning in

Guess I will stitch tomorrow.

 

Happy stitching for the rest of you....



Friendship...

Time got away from me yesterday but my hubby

pulled a name this morning for the giveaway

and the winner is...

 

Butterfly

 

I just love all of the 'cyber' stitcher friends

I have made over the last five years.  

Thanks to all who enter the giveaway.



 

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Charlene (Needle in Hand) is another stitching

friend that I met because of our blogs although 

she doesn't live too far away.  She has gifted

me with some wonderful stitching

gifts over the years and I decided it was

time to repay the favor.  

 

 Prairie Schooler "Friendship..." from More Friends

stitched on 25ct ivory evenweave over 1

w/ DMC

 

I wanted to stitch one of the PS "More Friends"

designs and decided this was the one.  I thought

a pincushion would a useful gift so I

stitched it over 1 on 25ct evenweave to make

it just the right size.   I have never had a stitched

piece speak to me like this one but it was

determined to become a mattress pincushion.  

 

Pearl cotton was perfect for it all coming together.

 

Although I have never done this type of finish, I

finally gave in and made my first. 

Needless to say, I learned a lot and found some

wonderful tutorials after I finished mine.....

why didn't I think to Google first????

 

Simple flower finish for the back.

 

I am happy Charlene likes it and happier I

could share something stitchy for her!

 

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I have been busy this week stitching some "pears"

 from Samplers and Santas to add to my paper

pears.  Now I just have to do the finishing...

anxious to see how this goes.

As always....thanks for visiting!  

Happy stitching.....



Winter Exchange....

It has been so long since I have participated in
an exchange.   I have always liked the
Winter Seasonal Exchange so I signed up 
and was lucky to stitch for Dawn.

  I picked up a couple of these little pails at Target last Christmas from the Dollar bin and thought it

would be a neat little project.  I just had to
find the perfect design.   After a little bit of
figurin', SB Winter would fit perfectly and 
make a nice little stitching buddy.

 

SB "Winter" stitched on 32ct linen

w/ DMC

 

I just love these designs stitched on the

smaller count and I found some buttons in my

stash that I finished it off perfectly.    I was

a little nervous about the actual finishing

but think this turned out cute.

 

 Perfect spot for stitching stuff!

 

I didn't permanently attach the stitching so that

Dawn can easily replace for another season. 

I added a little pin cushion to the top and

attached it with a magnet so that 

it can replaced too.  I am so glad

that Dawn liked it.

 

I think I am hooked on this little pails....they

are just too darn cute.  I now want to make me

one.... I could kick myself for not

buying more of these!

 

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You still have time to enter my little

Valentine Giveaway if you like.

 

As always....thanks for visiting!  

Happy stitching.....



Sweet Valentine giveaway....

 

As soon as I saw this valentine freebie 

I couldn't wait to stitch it.   Although

it is a sweet Valentine, I was excited

to see the crowns.   I'm sure many of

you have seen Tanya's crown pins and

really wanted some for myself.    I had

 picked up some brass crown

embellishments at Michael's and

couldn't get my bead glue out fast enough!

 

http://crocettandofralepesti.blogspot.com/

Stitched on 32ct Lakeside Linen Buttercream

w/ Victorian Motto thread

 

I did change the thread colors since I also

wanted to use some Victorian Motto cluny

lace in my finishing.  It only took one episode of

Law & Order to get this one done so I

decided to stitch it again.

 

I really don't need two of them so I am giving one

a way to one of my followers.   Just leave a

comment by Friday (include your email if

it isn't in your profile) and I will pick a

winner Saturday morning.

 

Of course I had to buy extras of the crown

embellishments so I will send the winner some

of these so you can make your own crown pins!

 

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If you are close to a Michael's, check out these

brass embellishments.   There are 5 in the

pack and for $2.00 you just can't beat it.   Not

only did they have crowns, but they had

birds, keys, and fleur de lis.

Well...I hope you had a great stitching weekend.  

I am now off to pick up needle and thread too!

Happy stitching....

 

Edit:  I had to cut on word verification due to the spam.  

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Seven brides....

for seven brothers.   Well....six really.   That is

all I could think about while finishing my

Snow Belles since I knew they would soon be

introduced to my Fat Men.

 

Here they are all dressed up and ready to go.

I did have some issues with the finishing.   I

decided to use another Aleene's Fabric Fusion

fabric glue to attach the ric rac and that did not

go well.   I stopped in the middle of the first

pillow and promptly made a trip to Joann's

to buy some trusty Fabric-Tac.  

Lesson learned... I will not stray again.

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Welcome to the Fat Farm....

The above basket was tight quarters for the

whole "fat" bunch so we moved up to

slightly larger accommodations.  I know Lizzie

Kate did not want to refer to the ladies as "fat"

but I just love my fat little friends and I

don't think they mind a bit.

 

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I had a good finishing weekend.   I finished up

a Winter exchange and it turned out so cute.  

Wish I could show you but I will just have t

o wait until it makes it to its new home.    I

am off now to attempt my first mattress

pincushion finish.   I have everything stitched 

and hope to get it put together tonight.   Please

keep your fingers crossed for me that I

don't mess this one up.

 

Thanks for visiting and happy stitching....

Stitching in 2013......

 

I can't believe it is the 16th day of the new year and I have yet to put a single stitch in the projects I have decided to stitch in the new year.   I have everything ready to go...I just can't seem to bring myself to start one of them.   Crazy right?

 

I decided not to do the Crazy January Challenge again since I still have 5 projects lingering from last year.   ( Yeah for getting 10 finished!)  And yes....I will get these finished this year!  

 

I decided that since the world didn't end on 12/21/12, I better take advantage of my time left so these moved to the front of the line.

 

By The Bay "13th Colony Bay"

I am stitching these as one design on 40ct Lakeside Linen w/ DMC.

I have loved this since the first time I saw it years ago

and I am really excited about this one.

 

Dames of the Needlwork "Ode to Mary Needleroll" 

This beauty will be stitched on 40ct. Jamaica Sunset

w/Victorian Motto.

I feel in love with this design that I found at Counted Stitches' Going Out of Business Sale this last Spring.    The design is such a wonderful nautical piece with a mermaid and I want to hang it so I will be stitching it for framing.   There is a lot of over 1 in this design and I "plan" to stitch it all over 2 so it will mean a lot "thinking" on my part but I think I can do it.  

 

Prairie Schooler "ABC's" 

This will be stitched on 40ct. WDW Linen w/ DMC.

I am not a big PS fan, but couldn't resist after seeing many of you stitching these the last few years.   I decided to jump on the bandwagon and stitch these as one large piece.

 

Rosewood Manor "Old Glory" 

I'm using 40ct PTP Sand w/ Victorian Motto

This is another one I instantly wanted to stitch last year

when it was released and so I added this on to the list.   

Hopefully I can get this one done this year.

 

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I have been stitching on exchange items so no pics to share.   I have also been crafting and I wanted to share a recent project.

 

 

I found these paper mache pears in the clearance bin at Michaels and decided they were worth the 25 cent they were asking.   With a little bit of paint, and Briwax, I turned them into these:

 

 

We found this bowl in Texas in December and I just knew it

would be the perfect home for them.

 

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 If you made it this far, thanks for visiting.  

I hope you have a great stitchy week!

Southern Belles.....

 

I hope everyone had a great holiday season.  It
seems harder each year to get back in the swing
of things after such a nice holiday break.  I think
 how crafty I could be if I didn't have to work.

As usual, our Christmas wasn't very cold and
no snow in sight.   To compensate, I spent
my time stitching these wonderful snowy
belles while wishing we had a little
snow in my part of the south.
 



Stitched on 28ct khaki evenweave w/ DMC

Like the "Fat Men", I fell in love with
these ladies.   Once I got the first one done, I

just kept on going and finished the

rest up during Christmas.

Hopefully they will be properly dressed
before too long!
 

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I have been busy planning my stitching for

this year.  I won't be doing the Crazy Challenge

since I still have five projects lingering.

I can't wait to share what I will be doing once

I get everything kitted up.

 

We were travelling New Year's Eve so I

packed this little sweet design to stitch.

Something about that redbird just caught my eye.



 Trilogy "Happy Chirp Chirp Day"

stitched on 28ct natural linen w/ Gentle Arts & Victorian Motto

 

 I didn't realize I had picked up 28ct so this design
turned out a lot larger than I had hoped.  
I am also not very happy with the coverage
of the red but I can live with it.

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Well it looks like everyone is off to a good start to the new year and I love seeing all of the new projects stitchers have going.   I hope you have a great stitchy weekend!

happy stitches....



12-12-12=20

 

December 12, 2012...

 

our 20th wedding anniversary....

 

 

We decided to take a trip to Texas and explore the

Hill Country.  It wouldn't be a "vacation" for us if

there wasn't a park, forest or desert involved. 

Here we are at the Enchanted Canyon right

outside of Fredericksburg.   The stars at

night are said to be beautiful but it was a tad

too cold for us to find out.   We did have a good

time and enjoyed our time together!

 

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Anytime we travel, I always start a new Lizzie

Kate project since they are so easy to stitch.  

I recently acquired the Snow Belles

(thanks to a visit to the Spring Robin earlier this fall)

and decided to start the first one.  

Lizzie Kate "All Dressed Up"

Stitched on 28ct khaki evenweave

w/ DMC

That snowman was so much fun to stitch I

decided to stitch him twice!   I had my fabric

oriented incorrectly so it soon became obvious

that I was running out of fabric.  Not a good idea

to start something new at 6:00 in the morning!  

Luckily...it doesn't take as long to rip it out as

it does to stitch it.  I plan to make these into

small pillows to keep my fat men company. 

One down....five to go!

 

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We had some free time in San Antonio so I was

 able to visit Stitches from the Heart.   They had a

lot of great stitched models to drool over.  The

best part was the "Texas" section with a variety

of  designs about Texas from Texas.

 

I picked up these two ornaments from Redbird

Designs.  If memory serves me correct, you can

only find her stuff in Texas.   I know I purchased

another Texas ornament years ago at another

shop in San Antonio.   I thought these were

just too cute to pass up and hope to stitch

for next year as a reminder of our trip.

 

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Well...Christmas is almost here and I hope

you are ready!  We start our celebrations

tomorrow so I am ready for some good food

and fellowship with our families.   I wish you

a very Merry Christmas and hope you

find time for a little stitching too!



On the 1st day of Christmas....

....I was busy!

Penelope from Beehive Needleworks posted a sweet Christmas freebie on Friday.  I had linen and thread at hand so I stitched it up.

 Beehive Needleworks "Christmas Wishes" freebie

stitched on 32ct linen w/ Victorian Motto

I just couldn't put this one away so I gathered my finishing supplies and came up with this.  (Faye...your blog offers the most wonderful inspiration for finishing!)  I just love the red ticking fabric!   I think I can see more "red" stitching in my future.

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Since my sewing machine makes limited appearances, I tackled  some earlier finishes that have been anxiously waiting some dressing.

With Thy Needle "Friendship Samplers"

With Thy Needle "Autumn Splendor"

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Tanya from Scarlett House offered this memento at the Pals Fall Fling and I just had to stitch it after seeing Faye's, Michele's and Charlene's finishes.

Stitched on 25ct Mocha Vintage

over one w/DMC

This little design seemed to take forever....that sand and water were a killer.

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And lastly, I have stitched two ornaments from the new JCS Ornaments issue and they are now ready to hang on my tree.

Glory Bee "Joy to You 2012"

stitched on 32ct. coffee-dyed linen w/DMC

Stitcherhood "Christmas Morning"

stitched on 32ct coffee-dyed linen

w/Victorian Motto

If you made it this far, thanks for visiting.   I do have two more finishes that require finishing with a special touch so I hope to tackle those today.   Fingers crossed I don't ruin them.

I hope you have are having a great weekend...

happy stitching!