Monday, 23 January 2012

TUSAL, TWO big finishes and Vegas

Oh what a week it has been.
Today is the first TUSAL of  2012 and my martini glass is full. I have been stitching and stitching and stitching.


My first big finish - Jardin Prive's Sampler aux Bouquets on 32 count antique white Lugana. This took about 9 months and I loved every single stitch. I will be making it into a bolster pillow with help from a friend.



My second finish is Handblessings Hooked on Lighthouses. This piece was great fun but a little disappointing size wise. I thought it was much larger than it is. I am not sure now how I am going to finish it.


VEGAS
Oh what fun we had! We walked for miles. We looked and looked. People watching is an event all by itself. We saw "Divas" at Imperial Palace and "Hitsville USA" at Planet Hollywood. Both excellent shows and highly recommended.

Here is my big win for the week! I'm not very lucky when it comes to gambling.


My week was capped with lunch, shopping and stitching with some wonderful women. Juls and Margaret I knew online and Juls I had met before.

I made project bags, whatnot bags, needlebooks and scissor fobs for the two of them.


Look at the wonderful nutcracker Margaret brought me. Her husband and I are collectors and this will be a great addition to my collection.


There were 5 of us for lunch and then off to Stitcher's Paradise we went.
I did a little stash shopping! Gina (the owner) is a real sweetheart and could not have been more helpful.
Look at all these goodies. I am joining a Mirabilia SAL in 2013 and Winter White Santa will be my project!


Several ladies from the Las Vegas area came to the shop to greet me. They had heard about me or read my blog and wanted to meet me. Was I flattered - absolutely. I have some wonderful new stitching friends.

Here we are - from left to right
Brenda, Juls, me, Margaret, Cheryl and Michelle .

I am currently working on another small piece and would you believe with all that stash I forgot to buy one Crescent Color!!! - Hazelnut. Will have to track some down.

I hope that you all have had a wonderful week and are frog-free!

34 comments:

Deborah said...

Love your finished pieces! Jardin Prive's Sampler aux Bouquets is simply stunning. Looks like everyone in Vegas had a great time. Wonderful stash.

barbara said...

Congratulations on your great finishes, as well as on the fun you've been up to!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Well look at you go Kathy :) I love your finishes and isn't it wonderful to meet people that you meet in the blog world?! Hurray!!!

Lesleyanne said...

Two lovely finishes. Sounds like you had a great time in Vegas. Nice to meet up with fellow stitchers - great picture.

robindefender said...

Your big win made my laugh. Your finishes look fabulous, though.

geeky Heather said...

Congratulations on your two finishes...especially the BIIIIG one...wow, it's beautiful! And congratulations on your "big win," LOL! Sounds like you had a great time regardless.

Joyus said...

Congratulations on your finishes and I hope you didn't spend all your winnings in one go LOL!

Meari said...

Congrats on your JP finish!! I was just looking at the site over the weekend. How big is your 32ct fabric?

Vegas sounds like a blast. I just bought Winter White Santa a couple weeks ago. You're going to wait an entire year to start it? I may join the SAL, too. Are there requirements?

Congrats on your lighthouse finish, too. Very cute.

Ariadne said...

In Greek we say "The one who wins in cards loses in love' so don't mind for not winning!I love all your new finishes!AriadnefromGreece!

Mouse said...

ohhhh your Jardin looks gorgeous and well done with it and can't wait to see it made up :)
love your stash win ;) and nice stash you got and DOHHH for not getting the one thread you actually needed hahahah .... isn't it nice to meet up with fellow stitchers too :) love mouse xxxxx

Unknown said...

Your Jardin is breath takingly gorgeous. What a wonderful piece.
Cute gifties you gave the girls. Looks like you had a wonderful time. I am glad

sandra said...

Great finishes! And what a fun time you had in Vegas!

Michelle said...

Congratulations on your gorgeous finishes!

Deanne J said...

Congrats on your finishes!! They are both beautiful

Suburban Stitcher said...

It's a fabulous finish!!!!! Love the stash, too!

Margaret said...

Oh Kathy, it was so wonderful having you here. I love my gifts and will of course show it off to everyone on Wednesday.

Just email me your snail address down there and I'll pick up Hazelnut on Wednesday.

hugs

Bonnie Brown said...

Awesome finishes!!

Catherine said...

Great finishes! And it sounds like your time away was a lot of fun!

Jennifer said...

Can't wait to see that bolster pillow - it's going to be GORGEOUS!!!

Juls said...

It was great seeing you as well and am just blogging myself about it!!!!

Angie said...

Gorgeous works

Katrina said...

What a pretty finish!!!! It's just gorgeous :-).

Lynn said...

Woo Hoo, Sampler aux Bouquets looks marvelous!! I think the finish you have decided for it will look great.
Love the lighthouse finish too!

How special it is to meet some of our blogging friends. Doesn't it feel like we've known some of them all our lives? You picked an awesome shop to visit and I love the stash you accumulated there. That Mirabilia Santa is a great design!

Rachel said...

Congratulations on the finishes, Kathy! And, OMG!!!! I love your lighthouse finish!!! Drool!! lol :)

Carolien said...

Hi Kathy,

Glad you had a wonderful time and wow, I love your finishes, especially the sampler, sooo beautiful!!! Sigh ...
Could you send me a bit of your stitching 'virus' please? My beheaviour is pretty bad at the moment. Not to say I'm having a bad depression on stitching and I MUST come out of that dip. HELP!!! ;)

Hugs and when postman Pat is doing his work properly, you should find a lady on your doormat this week ... Again hugs, Carolien :)

Karen said...

Sounds and looks like you had a great time, Kathy! (gambling aside) How nice to meet up with stitchy friends.

Congrats on your Jardin Prive finish!

Valentina said...

Jardin Prive's Sampler aux Bouquets is really beautiful!!

Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches said...

Such gorgeous finishes :D and lovely stitching stash.

Siobhán said...

Woohoo! Congratulations on the finishes! You go girl! :) Love the new stash, too--I'm glad that you had a good time in Vegas.

Von said...

What a gorgeous bolster pillow you will have, Kathy!! Congrats on such a fine project. :) So glad you had such a great trip to Vegas. You may not have won at the casino, but you definitely broke the bank in new stitching friends!

Sharon said...

Your finished pieces are just too beautiful!! I'm especially anxious to see the pillow finish - be sure and share! :) It sounds as if the stitching shoppe and new friends should be a tourist mecca all to itself! I'm so glad you met some new buddies and had so much fun! (I need to ask this next question like I need to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips,) but here goes....what is that divine Mirabilia????? I can't wait to see your new goodies become finishes! :)

Anonymous said...

What great gifts you made for the ladies!! Love your Bouquets finish.

Bette said...

What fun to meet new stitching friends! And I love your finishes, especially the lighthouse one. It's very cute.

Minnie said...

I found your blog while checking out the Valentines and I love your stitching. Great minds surely think alike, I too made a special trip to Stitcher's Paradise in Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday while visiting from Virginia. That is a great store with a lovely owner and wonderful staff. I also have a blog, stop by anytime.