Kathy's Sit and Stitch

TUSAL, TWO big finishes and Vegas

2012-01-23T10:49:00.000-05:00

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!

Fly by Post

2012-01-16T12:11:00.000-05:00

This is a quick post as I am on vacation in Las Vegas for the next week.

Here is my latest stitching update.

I just love how this little guy turned out! My nutcracker RR is stitched and ready for mailing. I thought a long time about that title and think it will work. Once people start stitching their home states etc then the nutcrackers will truly be "On Tour".

Here is the latest progress on Sampler Des Bouquets. A Happy Dance next week????

While searching for thread, I found this in the bottom of my stash and decided to knock it out. One day and here it is!

JBW Hearts of Joy from 1997 JCS Ornament Issue

Another finish for my WIPocalypse!

I am very excited this week as I am going to meet up with some online stitching friends - Juls and Margaret and a couple of other (unknown to me) stitchers for lunch and then a visit to Stitcher's Paradise. I wonder what I will have for new stash after that trip?????

And of course, Las Vegas is always interesting! I look forward to sharing my adventures with you next week.

Until then, stay frog free and stitch happy!

First WIPocalypse Post of 2012

2012-01-09T12:32:00.001-05:00

Here is my very first WIPocalypse post of 2012 and I have made some progress.

JBW's Teddy Bear made into a birth sampler is finished and posted in an late December post.

I have made some more stitches on my Sampler des Bouquets.
Before:

Now:

My nutcracker RR is coming along. Thanks to the generosity of my Floss Fairy, Karen I have some 310 and was able to finish the gridding. I will stitch the left corner nutcracker, put a title on it and send it out for the 27th.

I consider my first WIPocalypse post a resounding success. For the next one - we shall see!

And the reason for cleaning up fabric. I had to empty my entire park model. We had a new vinyl floor installed.

I LOVE it. It will be so much easier to keep clean.

Hopefully, not a single frog will enter. They cannot hide on this color floor (or so I tell myself).

Happy Stitching everyone!

Kitchen duty anyone?

2012-01-04T00:39:00.002-05:00

And why did I mention kitchen duty?

I've made some gifts for a few friends.

Thank goodness for pre made panels. They make me look incredibly talented!

Look at this beautiful Christmas package from my friends Dani! and Christin
Sorry, Christin. I forgot to mention you till now.
She sent some wonderful goodies along with her ornament.
If you have never had those Caramilk Snowmen - let me tell you - they are to die for - and in Canada only!
Since I wouldn't be home for Christmas I was hoping and wishing some would appear. And Lo and Behold! That card shimmers and looks like real ice on the branches. Just like home.
The gorgeous, gorgeous ornament she stitched me is a Teresa Wentzler and is even more stunning in real life.

I have been stitching constantly on my Jardin Prive. I am close to a finish and would like to add this to my done pile for 2012. I am about 4/5 done.

I have also done most of the gridding on a new RR that I will be in called the "Twenty Twelve RR". This is a group of ladies from Facebook and all of them are new to me. I have chosen Nutcrackers for my theme.
Here is my gridding to date and a photo of the layout.

You will notice the gridding is not finished. I ran out of 310 and neither Joann's nor Micheals had a single skein of 310, white or B5200! Can you believe that? A wonderful floss fairy has put some 310 in the mail and it should be here tomorrow. Stitchers are the best!

It is crazy busy here and sometimes I think I need to stop the ferris wheel and get off for a while.

My stitching has been relatively frog free these days. I guess our unseasonably cool temperatures have scared them off to someplace warmer. I sincerely hope they do not stop at your house.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

2012-01-01T01:36:00.001-05:00

Wishing you all a blessed New Year filled with fabric, threads, charts and stitching buddies.
Thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments, gifts and sharing you have gifted me with this past year.

TUSAL MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-24T00:38:00.000-05:00

How to do it all!!! Merry Christmas and a TUSAL post all in one!

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful friends. You have made this a wonderful year with all your stitches, comments, emails and caring. Thank you so very much.

On behalf of Frosty and I, we would like to wish you the most wonderful holiday filled with family, love and laughter. And after that - needles, fabrics, floss, charts

Wow, A finish, some pretty stitches and a nut!

2011-12-20T01:58:00.001-05:00

Well, making a WIPocalypse list seems to have spurred me on to some new stitches.

I picked up my Jardin Prive - Sampler des Bouquets and finished another section. I love working on this one but get bored with it easily. I am on Part III and hope to have this finished the first of the year.

I picked up the latest Band Sampler that arrived. This one is based on Drawn Thread bands. I picked a few bands from Toccato Two and stitched away. What a beautiful sampler this is.

Browsing around in my basket I found this one tucked in the side. The color appealed to me and I pulled it out. I worked on it most of the weekend and tonight. Before I knew it, it was finished. Oh why did I procrastinate so long. This is JBW Teddy Bear and I will frame this as a birth sampler. The fabric is a beautiful mauve Sparklies cut that was gifted to me.

And Dani and I decided on an ornament exchange this year. She has emailed me that she received the ornament I sent her and here it is. Handsome fella isn't he! It is laying on a piece of the backing fabric.

I would like to take a minute and thank all the wonderful people who stopped by and commented on my blog lately. I have been very remiss in posting and reading and commenting on blogs and was concerned that my readership may have fallen off. It is nice to know that my blog is still of interest.

Well, the Christmas rush is in full swing and there are lots of events taking place these days.
Leo and I will be hosting 6 couples for Christmas dinner - Arizona retirement style - potluck! Since none of us will be going home to spend the holidays with our families this year, we will get together and celebrate the season the best we can.

Until next time, I hope the smell of all that wonderful Christmas baking and all those smiling faces don't tempt a single frog your way.

WIPOCALYPSE 2012 and some other little stitches

2011-12-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

Warning: This will be a photo intensive post!!!

Good morning everyone from frigid Arizona! That's right FRIGID!!! It was 36F this morning. What is up with that. The weatherman is calling for rain Monday and Tuesday. Did I stop for the winter in the wrong state????

Well, since I can't do anything outside I have worked on my new Mirabilia RR that will start in January. This time I have picked Christmas as my theme and I have gridded out a window. At least, I hope it looks like a window. This took me forever to stitch - it is only 4 rows thick. All I stitched for this entire week was DMC 535 in rows. Making the archway look like an archway took some doing. I tore it apart several times until I got the right look. I don't think I want to see that color again for a while.This fabric shows blue but it is actually a gorgeous green and cream called Wandering Ivy - Silkweaver 28 count lugana. Did I accomplish my mission?

I received the latest UFO RR in the mail this week. This is - The Good Huswife - Book of Spells. This is how it looks when I received it. I hope to get a lot accomplished on this one over the next few weeks. It looks like a fun stitch.

I have joined Measi's 2012 Wipocalpyse. Here is my list (photo intensive). I so hope I get some of these things marked off I need to be on a NO BUYING diet.

1. Jardin Prive - Sampler des Bouquets - I think I stand a chance of finishing this one.

2. Prairie Moon - Merry Xmas - for my son and DIL

3. LHN - Summer Splendor -it was a gift

4. Long Dog - Bagatelle - My Jan 1, 2011 start - not much accomplished here. Am I signing up for a new start in January 2012 - NO WAY!!!

5. 4 designers contributed - A Petit Sampling Etui - I am into this one to the tune of $150 and really should get it done. The fabric is gridded.

6. Glendon House - Witches Wheel - love this fabric!!!

7. LHN - Acorn Hill - it was a gift and has those two skeins of the world's most expensive silks lol

8. Point Loma Lighthouse - it was a gift

9.Handblessings - Hooked on Lighthouses - would make such a nice addition to my lighthouse guest room

10. Nora Corbett - Sunflower Fairy - this was a SAL that I failed at miserably

11. Birth Sampler - Quaker Teddy Bear - this child will be 2 this summer and not a stitch is done

12. LHN - Travelling Stitcher - been carrying this around forever. Bought the backing fabric 3 or more years ago.

13. Chatelaine's Desert Mandala - love this one and it cost me a fortune.

14. The Stitchwork - Malcolm the Moose Race Car - for my son who is a Dale Earnhardt collector

15. JBW ornament from 1997 - found this in the very bottom of my trunk

16. HAED - Peacock Lagoon - love this but what was I thinking????

17. Lynn Nicoletti - Hockey Player - grandson Jackson wants a hockey Christmas stocking and so I have to design one around this chart

18. Autumnal Abstract - another one that cost a fortune. Lent the chart to a friend. She has it stitched and framed and mine is stilll like this

19. Mill Hill - Queen Anne's House

20. Lizzie Kate - Christmas Rules - had this one forever

21. M Designs - Las Vegas tree - Juls - remember this one! - had this one for a long time too!

21a. Finish my current Mirabilia RR

22. New Mirabilia RR starting in January

23. UFO RR - ending in April

24. Band Sampler RR - ending in March

25. Band Sampler RR - starting in May

26. Twenty-twelve RR - nutcrackers - starting in January - with some new Facebook Friends

Wow, I am almost embarrassed to write it all down here. Hopefully, I will be able to accomplish some of this.
I will start with my Jardin Prive, then the baby sampler, then some of the smaller pieces to get them off that list. PLEASE, wish me luck.

If you made it to the end of this post, I appreciate you taking the time. I hope you have a wonderful stitching week and are frogless the entire time.

Busy little fingers

2011-12-04T01:32:00.000-05:00

Boy, is it nice to have all that dust cleared away and be back to stitching and quilting. And another post in just one week! Can you believe it????

Every year my quilt group here makes a quilt to be raffled for charity. This year the theme is "Black with White, White with Black and One other Color". Here is the block I have sewn together. It is called Formal Garden and I will be interested to see it and the other blocks together.

I have seen the quilt that we all contributed a square to last year and I will take a picture when I can. It is amazing!

Annette's Mirabilia RR arrived this week. I sat down right away and stitched. This is the last round before this RR goes home and I wanted it home to her before Christmas. I stitched "Deepest Love". What a beautiful RR this is.

My own Mirabilia RR arrived home a couple of days later. Feast your eyes on this one.
I love it! I will stitch the last square soon. It will be Lily of the Woods - The Dreaming Fairy.

I have done some secret stitching and sewing and will have to wait until those things are received before I can post them here.

Oh, the internet can be wicked some times. There are just so many beautiful things out there to look at. I have enhanced my stash too. These are my new purchases.

Sunflower Fairy - fabric, Valdani threads, Kreiniks and beads.

I had purchased the pattern and beads for Witches Wheel - and look at the gorgeous fabric that just came to stitch it on!

I ordered a couple of skeins of Belle Soie silk to use on a LHN chart - $19.52 for two skeins - won't do that again!!

This gorgeous 14 count hand-dyed aida is for a RR next year with a Yahoo group.

I don't know when I think I will be able to stitch all these wonderful new things but oh well!!!

And I will leave you with this beautiful sunrise when I went to get the newspaper recently.

Until next time, keep those x's crossed and those frogs far away!

TUSAL and catching up

2011-11-25T12:06:00.000-05:00

I am back in Arizona and therefore my orts are once again floating in their martini glass. I am afraid it was a very small party as stitching has not been at the top of my list. There are a just a few stitches from my latest UFO RR, a secret ornament and my Sampler de Bouquets in the glass.

The trip from Canada to Arizona was an extended one - almost two weeks. We had some great visits and fun times. I will share a few pictures from that trip another time.

And when a girl is travelling and no stitching is happening what can she do??? Shop, did you say shop?

Yep, I did - in the stores and online. Here are a few things that happened into my hands along the way.

Fat quarters, fabrics, patterns, and some new charts.
I got a chance to go to Fancimats in the Denver area and had to add the M designs Colorada tree. I also have the Las Vegas tree from a previous trip to Stitcher's Paradise in LV.

I do have a bit of stitching to show you.
One of my friends at home is planning to make a quilt using the Prairie Schooler alphabet. Many of us have volunteered to help her out. Here is my choice - X is for cross stitch.

It went home to Canada in the mail last week.

I managed a few stitches on my Jardin Prive - the pot with the plant is my latest addition.

My stitching group at home has a retreat in November. I don't go as I am in AZ. They have a wonderful ornament exchange. This year they let me join the exchange. Here is the ornament that I contributed and it was won by Adriana!

My friend Judy did not know I was taking part in the exchange and she wanted me to have an ornament. She made me this lovely ornament, gift wrapped it, stapled it closed and I opened it the day of the retreat.
She is a penguin collector.This is so approriate coming from her. I love it and it hangs above my computer desk so that I can see it all the time.

Beatrice also Skyped me and walked her laptop around the room so I could say hi to everyone. It was fun.

When I arrived in Arizona a dear friend came for a visit and left me these two beautiful charts! I love them.

I do have a confession to make. My google reader had over 1000 posts and I just could not possibly catch up. I blew them away and have started fresh. I am so sorry but that was more than I could handle. I will try harder to stay on top of them and get back to commenting on your posts.

Until the next time, I have missed my stitching friends and look forward to catching up with you all.

TUSAL and small stitches

2011-10-26T00:08:00.000-04:00

Here is my TUSAL update. With my neck and shoulder problems this past month my stitching has been very limited. I don't think I have ever had so few orts. Hopefully, next month will be better.

I did receive a couple of wonderful packages in the mail lately. From Patti - this nutcracker design

and from Jen this nutcracker pattern

My UFO RR went out in the mail this week. This is what the design looked like when I received it.

After 20 hours this is how it looks now.

And here is the latest Band Sampler RR. I stitched the area below the beaded blackberries.

The designs were chosen from 2 Sweetheart Tree Designs - Bleeding Heart and Pumpkin Time Heart. Aren't the little spiders just sooo cute. What a wonderful Autumn RR this is becoming.

I am not sure if I will be able to post now for a couple of weeks. We are in the process of packing up the house and getting ready for our winter migration to Arizona. We leave Sunday. I will have a big bag of stitching with me and hopefully, my neck problems will ease up and I will be able to stitch my way across the country. We are making stops in Guthrie Center, Iowa and Denver, Colorado to visit friends on our way south. We should be in AZ by November 8-10.

Until then, my friends, keep those x's crossed and those frogs away from your beautiful work.

Stitches, gifts and Christmas in October.

2011-10-15T10:45:00.000-04:00

Good day everyone. I know I am lax in posting but you will understand as you read this post.

My neck issues seem to have sorted themselves out. I have to be careful but if I stop when I feel that twing my neck doesn't start tensing up and spasming again. Chiropractor's conclusion - bending over the computer and looking through my magnifier when I stitch, for extended periods of time, is not the best way to keep my neck from hurting. I will have to limit myself for a while.

The "I Feel Good Gifts" that I sent have been received.
Here is the gift that went to Edgar.

Here is the gift that went to Ariadne in Greece no less. Ariadne and her blog are new to me and maybe others. Stop by and pay her a visit.

Both packages took less than 5 days to arrive. How come it takes two weeks for something to arrive in Canada????????

I have been working on the latest Mirabilia RR and have finished my section.
I have stitched Queen of Peace. The blank spaces are for Mill Hill Treasures which I will send seperately.

Here is the RR to date.

There is only one more round and these RR's go home to their owners. It has been a wonderful experience. These stitchers have all been so gracious and diligent. They have made it easy to moderate this RR.

I am working away on the UFO RR that I have in my possession.

This is Dimensions "Angel of Peace". I now have more than a red blog - there is some green and blue ribbon to be seen.

Warning - lots of Christmas photos here.

And the Christmas comment - well, we will be in Arizona for Christmas this winter and so we had Christmas at Thanksgiving. It took 4 days to get the house all decorated.

This fella greets you at the front door - all 4 feet of nutcracker.

Front entry table

Up the front stairs

In the living room . The small tree is our traveller's tree. I try to buy a decoration for this tree when we visit new places. You will see my Canada nutcrackers - a mountie and a hockey player.

Isn't this what a TV stand is for?

Our beautiful tree and the wonderful nativity that DH brought home from Isreal.

Beside my stitching chair.

Yep, those are nutcracker placemats.

Even the kitchen gets a little tree.

Going upstairs.

The upstairs landing.

Do you think that I am a nutcracker collector?

The entire family came home and we had turkey with all the fixings and gifts under the tree. Hunter, who is 5, wanted to know if he was still going to get presents at Christmas and if Santa was still going to come. After we reassured him, he was okay with the tree and presents. It was a good year for me in the gift buying department. I was bang on with all the family and they were thrilled with their gifts. WHEW!!
And then it took 2 days to take all the decorations down and store them away. Boy, the house looks empty now.

End result - one very tired but happy person. Now, I am free to stitch and read.

I will soon have to put them aside and start packing for our transition to Arizona for the winter. We have sold our van and now just have the Jetta. It will be interesting to try and pack into such a small space. Wish me luck cause I'm gonna need it.
I'm off to stitch. I hope you find as much joy in your stitches as I do.

Aches and Pains

2011-10-04T09:30:00.001-04:00

Oh it really sucks to be getting older. I moved the wrong way or sat the wrong way a week ago and have been unable to stitch much. I hurt the muscles in my neck and upper shoulders and have been struggling. I am going to a chiropractor and applying ice to my back and shoulders. Things are improving but slowly.
Here is my sad progress on my UFO RR - a big red blob.

My BFF Beatrice took a quilting class and learned to make a "Spicy Spiral Table Topper". She showed me how to make it and here's what I came up with. It will be a gift for a friend. The sewing was difficult with my sore shoulders so I did 15 minutes at a time.

And I thought I would show you my latest scissors - Canada by Dinky Dyes!

Since I have so little stitching to show you perhaps you would like to see the few pair of scissors I own. It started with a pretty pair of Ginghers and just grew from there. Many of them have been gifts.

When I looked at this photo, I felt so guilty I polished my silver frog.

Hopefully, next time, I will have some stitching photos. I wouldn't want my poor frog to be empty this month.
He would be awfully hungry.

TUSAL, a win and a winner

2011-09-27T10:36:00.000-04:00

Today is TUSAL.

With all the big finishes I have had lately my poor frog is ready to burst. His poor arms are wrapped around his belly trying to hold in the overflow and he was shaking so much that all I got was this blurry photo. Guess I better empty the poor fellow and give him a fresh start.

I won a giveaway from The Thread Gatherer and Mathair Earth (can be found on facebook). The soaps smelled absolutely wonderful before I even opened the package. And look at these threads, ribbons, beads and wools - silk, linen, flax and sea grass - what wonderful fibers and colors. And even a couple of wonderful new cross stitch patterns to add to my stash!!

I don't have much stitching wise to show you. I did finish an ornament but it is for an exchange and so no photo.

I have done a small amount of stitching on my UFO RR. This is the wonderful piece that Cat has sent around to have us all work on.

This is what it looked like when I received it.

And here it is after the first 2 hours of work.

I will post again before it goes in the mail and hopefully it will look like more than a red blob.

And the winner of my "I feel good giveaway" is - EDGAR - I think I have your mailing information.

And because I'm really feeling good I drew a second name - ARIADNE - please email me at drewsgrands@hotmail.com with your mailing information and a little surprise package will be off to you.

Until next time - keep those x's crossed and the frogs stuffed.

Another Finish and A Giveaway

2011-09-20T11:46:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it - after all these months of stitching and seeming to get nowhere I am posting my third finish in three weeks!!!!!

May I present Nora Corbett's Valentine Fairy in all her beaded glory.

Check this one off the list. That's three finishes and so I will reward myself with a new start!!!! A big thank you to Carolyn who gifted me the fairy! Into my bottomless little wicker trunk I will go and see what I will work on next.

I also took a little time and worked on Sampler des Bouquets. The section top right is my latest progress.

And since I'm still very happy from all these finishes, I have decided to have a little giveaway. It will be Snowflake Serenade from CHN and a few other little things thrown in. You don't have to do anything fancy.
Just leave a comment. If you want to become a follower - great. I would appreciate it. I will make a drawing sometime on September 27.

Until next time, keep those frogs a hopping to strange new lands!!

60th Wedding Anniversary

2011-09-14T20:43:00.000-04:00

I have so many things to share I don't know really know where to start.

First, I want to thank everyone for your wonderful comments on my Fairy finish. I walked around with a swelled head all week. Fairies will be a surprise gift for my great niece who has "selective mutism" and although she doesn't speak sat on the arm of my chair and watched me stitch whenever she could! I am hoping next year to start her on a little stitch of her own.

Hearing you all say such nice things keeps me inspired and my needles smoking. THANK YOU.

This past weekend was my parent's 60th wedding anniversary. My middle sister and I with the help of our families hosted an Open House for my parents.

Don't they look great!

I gave them their quilt. Both my parents were teary eyed and very appreciative.

Here they are trying out their handprints.

It was also my mother's birthday and my sister's 30th wedding anniversary that same day. The next day was Hunter's 5th birthday. It was a crazy busy few days but so much fun!

I have some wonderful stitches for you to see.

Rachel's beautiful Mirabilia RR. I stitched Ivy for her. Her RR is turning out wonderful and her fabric is just so luscious.

Sophia's Band Sampler RR - Teresa Wentzler borders - I stitched "The Traveler". This sampler is just so very beautiful when you see it in life.

I received my replacement stitch from Ruth for the Seasonal Exchange - her first stitch was damaged in transit.

What a beautiful replacement she sent. I love it.

AND -another big finish.

Here is CHN - Snowflake Serenade completed. This was a wonderful stitch but I had some trouble with the fabric. I was having trouble seeing the holes and discovered that the fabric was 36 count and not 32. I was able to do stitch with the help of my magnifier and can add this to the finish pile.

In other news, I had a stitch in at my home the September long weekend. Stitchers wandered in and out over the three day weekend. I even had some overnight guests. There was a great deal of laughter, buckets of food, many stitches and a collection of orts! What fun we had. I, unfortunately, was busy hosting and forgot to take photographs. If you check out Lynn and Dani's blogs you will see we had a blast!!! I am looking forward to next year.
Lynn brought me some lovely new stash - just love stash!!! And the bat fabric is just priceless.

I am on to my next piece. I am hoping to have another big finish in the next week!
Until then, keep those x's crossed and those frogs confused.

LOOOOONNNNNGGGG Awaited Happy Dance

2011-09-09T19:05:00.000-04:00

And here it is. Started September 3, 2008 and completed September 9, 2011.

Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden with all it's bling!!!

TUSAL and look at all these amazing stitches

2011-08-29T15:47:00.002-04:00

Today is TUSAL day and here is my frog. He is not as full as he normally is but I've been kinda busy lol.
He is full of threads from Fairies in the Garden, my Sampler de Bouquet and the latest Mirabilia round robin.

Last weekend, I attended the annual open house at Knowledge and Needles. Dani and Christin stayed with me for the weekend and we stitched a lot!!!

Instead of those pictures of us stitching, I thought I would share some of the wonderful stitches that were displayed. Warning: lots of photos

I have stitched on Fairies in the Garden - and it is close to a finish!!!

I have to put it down for now to work on a Mirabilia RR and a Band Sampler RR. I look forward to posting that big finish soon.

I am struggling to stitch again. I took 3 days last week and painted my kitchen - ceiling, walls and all the trim.
My left elbow is sore again. I have been stitching with it propped up. That helps some but I have to stop and rest the arm every once in a while. I am not happy about that!

Until next time - may all your stitches stay crossed and all the frogs stay lost.

Lots of lovely stitches

2011-08-18T22:41:00.000-04:00

What an eventful holiday I have had! Spending quality time with my family was awesome. And I returned home to a birthday with my grandchildren. This is the first birthday I spent with my grandsons and of course, they had to help me blow out the candles on my cake.

My grandchildren are the only thing that keep me from panicking as I just celebrated my 59th birthday and you know what that means!!! When I look in the mirror, I wonder when did I get that old. My youngest grandson has informed me that next year "I will be older than dirt" SOB!!!! Thank goodness I have my stitching.

I have some wonderful things to show you.

These are my squares stitched by Shelley for the Fair and Square exchange blog. This is a Ink Circles freebie. I absolutely love the colors and the design. Nice choice Shelley!

This is the biscornu I sent to Lisa V for the Seasonal Exchange. It is the strawberry biscornu from the Gift of Stitching newsletter. I added beads to the seam and made a matching scissor fob.

Unfortunately, my partner sent a glass framed picture and it did not survive the postal system. She is stitching a replacement piece.

My sweet friend Clare sent me this lovely birthday gift. A girl can never have too much stash or lighthouses can she! Thank you Clare. You made me smile.

A few weeks ago I won a giveaway on Terri's blog. This is the delightful package she sent me. Each gift was wrapped in old sewing pattern pieces -very ingenious. I am not very creative when it comes to arranging for photos but this time I had a brief burst of inspiration. May I present Terri's lovely antique gifts, Longaberger basket and Ann Sandles Sampler proudly displayed on my antique sewing machine. And Terri - they are going to stay there but for the sampler. They make such a lovely vignette.

My dear friend Michele has had to have some surgery and I wanted to send her a little something. With the help of my friend Beatrice I made her a project bag. She is a huge Wizard of Oz fan and I happened across this fabric.

My stitching progress for the past two weeks has not been too much.
I have done the next part of my Jardin Prive - here I am now.

I am working away on my Fairies - I so want them done. I am happy with my progress to date. Hopefully you will see more of them next week.

EDITED TO ADD: Today I have had to frog some of my Fairies. Somewhere I am out by 1/2 stitch and cannot find it. So, for every stitch I have added today , I have pulled out double or triple. I hope I find the error soon.

I had 750 posts in my google reader. I read most of them, commented where I could and enjoyed every last stitch. Your work continues to amaze and inspire me. Keep it up!

Until next time

For Sale CHEAP : some dratted, blasted frogs who have had the nerve to park on my stitching chair. Anyone interested?

TUSAL and frogs, fish, flowers and fairies.

2011-08-06T12:05:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone.

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments on my last blog post. I am still on vacation and therefore my posts are infrequent. I have not checked my google reader at all and I am sure I will have lots of reading and commenting to do when I return home next week.

FROGS and TUSAL
My TUSAL post is late but I only have internet when I come into town. Here is my frog this month. He is full of threads from my Band Sampler RR, my Fair and Square exchange, my latest Mirabilia addition etc. He is looking forward to a fresh start as am I.

FISH
Isn't that what you do at a cottage?
Jack with his first fish

Hunter with his first fish

Gramma, Papa and Daddy with our afternoon's catch of small mouth bass. Bet you didn't know I was a closet fisherperson. I love fishing.

FLOWERS
My partner has notified me that she has received her Fair and Square exchange. I stitched Chatelaine's "Kathy's Violets" for her. She assures me that she likes them. I enjoyed this design so much I will have to stitch it again for myself.

FAIRIES
I am working on Fairies in the Garden again. I spent this past week stitching green leaves and fairy wings. I am now working on a fairy. Boy, I wish I saw the end of this piece. I hope soon.

Look - lily pads and not a single frog in sight!!!!!

Till next time.

Ahhh - cottage country

2011-07-30T12:27:00.000-04:00

Ahh, cottage country

We have arrived at our beautiful, isolated cottage in Northern Ontario. Leo and I stopped and picked up our two grandsons and headed out last week. Leo's brother, wife and 2 grandchildren arrived at the cottage at the same time.
Blogger is being a pain and won't allow me to place the photos. I hope you can put the right pictures with the right words. This is my third attempt - sorry I just couldn't get them to move.

On the drive up we saw field after field of yellow. I have never seen so much canola and all in bloom. What a lovely sight it was.

We have had a wonderful week withour grandchildren. Lots of fun and laughter, and lots of bathing suits and towels.
What do you do when the clotheslines are full. You start hanging them on the deck railings lol.
The view, as you can see, is spectacular, the water is warm and the grandchildren are laughing lots. What more could you want.
Oh, maybe a stitching picture or two.

Ok - here they are.

First, I stitched on Jardin Prive - I completed the house and the section above it.

Second, I completed W and X on the Alphabet Zoo Sampler for my friend Carolyn.
Third, my first Band Sampler RR arrived in the mail and I contributed the yellow bands. Joanne wants a rainbow Rr and so we are following the colors of the rainbow. I stitched a section from Sweetheart Tree "To Have and Hold Sampler" and a row from Just Nan's Floral Bouquet. I used WDE Squash, Marigold and Carries Creations Lemon. What pretty colors they were to use. I hope she likes my contribution.
Fourth, I started a new piece. Doesn't a holiday mean a new start LOL.
I started my Christmas ABC Sampler that I have dragged around forever. I swapped out the aida for evenweave and started with the letter O - ornament. I haven't gotten very fat - with the grandkids I do a lot of stitch two - get them a drink, stitch two - get them a snack - stitch on - I want some lunch, stitch two- GRAMMA - I want to go swimming in the lake. I'm sure you get the picture.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Until next time - I've seen lots of lily pads and not a single frog. I hope they have not hopped to your house instead.

Fly-by Post

2011-07-21T20:54:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone.
Thank you all for you so kind messages. It has been a very difficult time for us and I appreciate your words. Paul was a very dear friend - one of those people you loved the minute you met and he will be a great loss to this world. He has left behind 4 beautiful children, lots of grandkids and his wonderful gift of laughter.

Before I left to go to the funeral, I managed to finish up the pillow shams to match my parent's quilt. There were no large pieces left - just enough for the backs - and so they became patchwork shams.

In the car, traveling (1200 miles one way) to south west Kansas, I finished up the finishing on my
Seasonal Exchange and the stitching on my Fair and Square Exchange. I cannot show them until they have been received so you will have to wait for those pictures.

Beatrice came to spend the day with me shortly after I got home. She and I entered my sewing room at 10 a.m. and except for a lunch break did not leave until 5 p.m. Leo said every time he went by the room all he could hear was " YAK, YAK, YAK " Sewing and quilting does take lots of discussion lol.
I made a Kindle cover for my DIL

and Beatrice showed me how to make project bags. The bag I made is a gift and so - when it is received - I will post it. You can see the bag she made for me in a previous post.
We worked on her quilted piano cover and the sashing and borders on a quilted wall hanging she was doing. It was a wonderful day spent with a best friend.

When I was at Knowledge and Needles for our regular stitch in, one of our stitchers, Bernie, gave us all a wonderful handmade ort container. Isn't it cute!

I received the next Mirabilia RR and added my square. I stitched Tigerlily. What a beautiful RR this is and how unique the shapes are. It is now packaged and ready for mailing.

Oh, and look - some new stash - Mystic Dragon II from an online friend, Eastern Seaboard Sampler from Karen and some purchases from Rachel who is destashing to my benefit.

I will be leaving tomorrow to spend 3 weeks at our cottage in Northern Ontario. It is a lovely spot on a lake way off the beaten track. There is no phone service and the cell phones work intermittently. I am hoping to have lots of time to relax and I plan a serious case of stitcher's butt!! There is no internet but I will go into town once a week to check my email.

Until I return to the fold, I hope you all have plenty of lovely stitches and the only frogs you find are in the local ponds.

In sorrow

2011-07-07T20:41:00.000-04:00

Leo and I lost a dear friend Monday. We are out of town until mid next week to attend his funeral. I will update my blog when I can.

TUSAL, and some little stitches

2011-07-01T06:50:00.000-04:00

Here is my poor frog after this month's TUSAL. He informed me that he is very unhappy with me overstuffing him like that and would appreciate it if I could find a new home for my orts. I am giving him indigestion. I have informed him that he is a frog, he cannot speak and therefore I don't see a problem.

My threads are from many assorted projects this past month. I flitted from one to another.

My friend Bonnie sent me this link. I believe it is "gazette 94". I thought to myself - now that's a quick stitch - can do this in a couple of days. RIGHT! 4 days later - here is my finished biscornu! And what do you know - it has lighthouses on it.
It is stitched on a piece of 32 count blue opalescent from a Zweigart grab bag.

I finished the second I Spy Quilt for Grandson #2 - Hunter. He loves dinosaurs and therefore he loved the back almost as much as the front. He is visiting for the week and when I tuck him in at night we play I Spy before light's out. That alone is worth the work involved in his quilt.

I am also working on the shams for my parent's quilt. Not quite sure how this is going to lay out so I'm playing with ideas.

I am working on a couple of exchanges at the moment and therefore have no other stitches to show.

To all my Canadian Friends ----- HAPPY CANADA DAY

To all my U.S. Friends----------HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

To all my other friends around the world------HAPPY DAY IN YOUR PART OF THE WORLD TOO!!

I love this photo - The Pfeiffer clan celebrating Canada Day!!

Until next time, keep the frog out of your threads and in his own pond.

Lighthouses Abound

2011-06-22T14:51:00.000-04:00

As you know, I have been up to my ears in paint. Here are the photos of the finished guest room. I used a grey wash on the walls.

The center attraction is my framed lighthouse RR. The framer did a wonderful job and I am very happy with it.

Scattered around the room are gifts from many of my stitching friends - lighthouse goodies. My father made the boat shelf. On the bed is my Hello Neighbor RR made into a cushion. I think of you all when I enter this room. Would you like to come and stay for a bit?

We had a lovely visit with our friends and my parent's quilt is finished. The quilter did an amazing job. Each block has a flower in the corner and small leaves in between. The outside sashing has larger leaves (family tree). This is my left handprint on the quilt. I did the left hand for myself and my two left handed nieces. The top section has my parent's dates, their original wedding photo and a photo of the entire family taken last summer. My friend and I sewed on the binding while visiting. She taught me how to do a proper blind stitch and I am so much happier with this hem.

I won Joy's 6th blogaversary recently and this is the wonderful package she sent in the mail. The fabric is gorgeous, the threads just so delicious and fondleable (is that a word? LOL) and the Just Nan design - just perfect. It was on my wishlist. I am trying hard to resist picking it up until Fairies are done. And the tea towel - isn't that just so cool.

Thank you so much Joy for your generous gifts.

I did all the back stitching in the latest section of the Fairies. I love how the fairies just pop from the design with a little outline.

I picked up my Jardin Prive and stitched away. I stitched that bleeping little bird at the top three times before I got it in the right place.

I added the beads to my Band Sampler RR and pulled out the pink row and changed it to light blue. I could just feel that pink glaring at me saying "I don't belong"

Finally, I have read through 265 blog posts. As you can imagine, I did not comment - my eyes were crossing just reading everyone's adventures. You all continue to amaze me with your skill and beautiful choices.
I will try to be a better commenter!

My DH has gone away for the weekend to do some work at our cottage. A couple of stitching friends are coming to stay for the weekend. Will hopefully have lots of stitching progress to show.
Until then, keep those x's crossed and may the counter-stitching frog find some other pond to swim in.

And life continues it's crazy path,......

2011-06-15T22:19:00.000-04:00

I know it has been two weeks since my last post. I have been busy working on my new house.
I have finished the front garden finally. Here is the overgrown front yard before

Here it is now.

I painted the guest bedroom - 4 days - 2 coats to repaint a mint green ceiling and 3 coats of paint on the walls. Photos to follow in next blog post. I got my lighthouse RR back today and it will be featured in the new room.

We had a new back door installed in our kitchen. The previous door let in no light whatsoever. Isn't it just the prettiest door!

I went away for 4 days stitching with my buddies - Beatrice, Anne, Dani, Christin, Barb, Clare, Rebecca, Sylvia, Bonnie and our wonderful hostess Sheila. It was beautiful, peaceful and so restful. We ate too much, laughed too much, stitched a lot and enjoyed each other's company to the utmost. I developed a serious case of stitcher's butt and loved every minute of it. You can also see photos and stories of this wonderful weekend on my buddie's blogs.

Here is Christin - stitching

Here is Dani stitching - oh wait, she's texting with her stitching on her lap

Sylvia is sampling the food.

Ann and Rebecca stitching away.

Clare, Sylvia and Sheila stitching like crazy. Can you smell the smoking needles???

I am joining a new band sampler RR and I plotted out and got the bands done on my RR. These are bands from Parlor Ribbons by Just Nan. I have some beads to sew on. It doesn't look like a lot but believe you me some of those stitches were very tricky and were ripped out more than once.

I picked up Fairies in the Garden and did another chuck on it. I have now finished this page and will be starting on the back stitching. With this one I have been backstitching as I finish a page. I didn't want to face all that at the end. One more page to go!

I also completed a secret stitch.

Our granddaughter is studying for her exams and calls for one of us to go get her because she wants some company. We drop everything and go.
We have friends visiting for 5 days.
What can I say - it is summer time and it is so brief, we try to grab every minute of it.

My google reader has over 250 posts. I will do my best to get them read as soon as I can. I will try to comment as I catch up.

And oh yeah ----------- Canada Post is on strike. I have one RR in the mail to Arizona, one of the way to me and goodness know what else caught in this ridiculous strike. How very frustrating! Let's hope the strike is short lived.

Until next time, enjoy your summer breezes - it just goes so fast.

Hugs to all

TUSAL and a catch up post

2011-06-01T09:24:00.000-04:00

It is TUSAL day. I found this wonderful frog at a sale and thought he would make an excellent container for this month's orts. He is a greedy little fella and has eaten plenty of those orts.

I have been away from the net for a bit. The weather has finally improved and my DH and I have been doing plenty of gardening. We spent a week visiting our youngest son and his family. While we were there, we planted trees, shrubs, bushes, plants and flowers in their newly landscaped yard. And I finished grandson Jack's quilt while we were there - with him asking me quite often if it was done yet LOL.

All that digging and planting made me want to do our home. We have spent the last several days landscaping our yard. We had some old overgrown cedar trees out front. After cutting them done, pulling up a million roots and getting rid of the stumps we relandscaped our front. I am very happy with the new look.

Berit was the winner of my blogaversary and she received a $25 gift certificate to Knowledge and Needles and Ann (the owner) filled the envelope with free stuff from her shop. I hope she liked her gifts.

I was the 500th commenter on Kathy's blog and it was for an ornament finish of my choice. I sent her a set of Fair Squares that I did not quite know what to do with. This is the wonderful ornament she returned to me. I was thrilled with her awesome finishing and now I can hang this with great joy and pride. Thank you so much Kathy!!!

My friend Dani is working on a series of squares that will be made into a quilt. Here are the two squares I stitched for her.

I have done some more work on Fairies in the Garden. I love each of the little fairies as they appear.

I have received the latest Mirabilia RR and am stitching away. Isn't this gorgeous! It is Christmas Elegance done in shadow boxes. You can see my progress on the bottom right. I hope to finish it this week.

Do you remember my Jardin Prive? I had bought a 1/2 yard of fabric for this one and my friend Beatrice has decided she wanted to do this piece as well. I offered to have her take the bottom 1/2 of her fabric for her piece. When I went to get the bill for the fabric I realized I had bought 28 count fabric instead of 32 and would not have enough room to do all three parts of the sampler. Thank goodness I discovered it before I got too far. So, I started over and stitched madly. Here is my progress now. I love this one!!

28 count on the left and the new 32 on the right.

As if my plate wasn't full enough I have joined a Band Sampler RR starting in early July and a Seasonal Exchange due August 1st.

Until the next time, keep those needles smoking. Mine had better be smoking like crazy lol.

Dani picks a winner

2011-05-23T18:10:00.002-04:00

I was out for lunch today with Dani - the Dani that started me on this journey - at our favorite restaurant - The Lone Star Bar and Grill and so I had her pull the winning name from the Ziplock of Destiny LOL

Dani

and the winner is

BERIT!

Congratulations Berit. I have sent you off an email.

P.S. I have had a couple of packages sent to me that were redirected back to their owners. I moved last fall and have a new Canadian address. If you would like my new address for your files please contact me at drewsgrands@hotmail.com and I will be happy to provide it.

Blogaversary #4

2011-05-17T11:33:00.001-04:00

Four years ago today Dani talked me into starting up a blog. I had just finished Celtic Banner and she convinced me to share it and go from there.
It has been a wonderful four years! I have met many new stitchers. They are as varied as the grains of wheat. They have laughed with me, cried with me and more importantly stitched and frogged with me.
Thank you one and all for sharing these past four years.

In honor of the blogaversary, I will having a giveway. It will be a gift certificate to Knowledge and Needles.
You know the drill - comment on this post.. You do not have to be a follower - but that would be nice. You don't have to post to your blog or add a button. If I have enabled you in some way, I would love it if you would share but it's not necessary. I will draw a name on the May 23rd.

Good luck everyone.

4 cans of paint

2011-05-11T20:19:00.000-04:00

That's right - 4 cans of oil-based, heavy-spatter paint!!!! The worst paint I have ever used! All that to cover the ceiling and walls in a garage that was used as a smoking room for 20 years. But - it has done the trick. The brown walls and ceiling are gone and the smell has dissipated completely. I hope I never have to do that again.

What does that have to do with stitching? Well, nothing really but it's the reason I'm overdue posting to my blog.

I did receive the most wonderful package in the mail this week. Margaret sent me some gifts. .Margaret's husband is an avid nutcracker collector and his collection makes mine look small. I sent him a Canadian Mountie nutcracker a while back. You can see him on Margaret's blog.
He and Margaret sent me a Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa) nutcracker and matching ornament. Included was a lovely Cricket Collection pattern called "Spring" and a skein of the ever elusive DMC 931. It was a wonderful treat and greatly appreciated. Thank you so much to Margaret and her DH.

It has been another week of stitching whatever called to me. I think everything did.

I stitched on Fairies in the Garden - a couple of mushrooms and a fairy.

I stitched some more of the wings on that darn angel - not much worth a photo but a couple more strands.

I stitched and restitched on Snowflake Serenade. LET IT SNOW was stitched twice. I was out by a row. I think I have stitched every section of this piece twice.

I pulled out Mirabilia's Valentine Fairy. She has not seen daylight in a while. I added her wings both left and right side.

Then it was Sampler de Bouquet's turn. I finished the pot of flowers. I am very happy with my progress on this piece.

I am off to visit with Dani this weekend. She is hosting a stitching weekend and Beatrice and I are going to join our friends for some quality stitching time. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone.

I am behind on my blog reading but will try to catch up now that I don't have to spend every minute at the end of a paint brush and roller.

My blogaversary is coming soon!

Until next time - may all your stitches be in the right place the first time!

TUSAL and Indecision Central

2011-05-03T14:03:00.000-04:00

Hello my fellow stitchers.

I have stitched on every thing I could find and got a lot of nothing done. Do you ever get a week like that? I just couldn't seem to settle on one piece and work with it.

For all that stitching my TUSAL dish is not very full!

Maybe it is because I left my precious martini glass in Arizona and my threads are not drunken orts this time.

I completed the back stitching on my Fairies in the Garden - at least until I ran out of Kreinik. I then stitched a bit on bottom right of the next page and ran out of 270, 271, 272 for the leaves. Hmmm - not good. I will pick these up when I go to Knowledge and Needles this week.

I stitched some more of the wings on the Angel that I volunteered to do for someone else. This opalescent thread is horrible to stitch with. I do not like working on pre-stamped fabric. The chart is impossible to understand. I am not enjoying this one at all. Ok, have I grumbled enough. I wish I had kept my mouth shut lol.

I picked my Snowflake Serenade and put it back down - not a stitch.

I took out my Etui, ironed the fabric, pulled the threads and got ready to grid. Then I discovered I was missing CC Joshua Tree. A call went out to my dear friend Margaret who will send me off a skein. It is so nice of her to do that for me. To buy one skein would cost me three times as much for shipping and she has offered to pick up threads for me when that happens. She is the best.

I picked my my Sampler des Bouquets. I LOVE this one. It just flows along so smoothly. It is such a joy to stitch. It calls to me often.

Do you notice a pattern of missing threads here? Me too! Maybe there are just too many things on the go and my threads are everywhere but in the project that I want to work on now. I must take the time to go through my threads and refresh my supply.

I have been very remiss in reading your blogs. DH and I also had to go out of town for a few days for a funeral and I did not take my computer with me. I promise to get to those blogs very soon. I miss seeing what you are all up to. You keep me inspired and ohhhh so very busy.

And a little note - my Blogaversary is coming up soon - so stay tuned!!!

Until next time, my stitching friends, I hope the only frogs you see are on someone's dinner plate.

Fellsmere, Florida - Frog Leg Festival - January 19-22, 2012

Frog's legs anyone!

Home safe and sound

2011-04-26T20:20:00.000-04:00

After 5 very long days on the road we are home, sweet home. The best part of being home was the hugs from our kids and grandkids. They were worth every single mile.

When I got home there were a couple of lovely things waiting for me. My BFF Beatrice I saw right away and she gave me this wonderful project bag that she made. Don't you love the fabric.

She also gifted me with this lighthouse chart of Point Loma from her trip to San Diego. She knows me well (smile).

I worked away on my Fairies in the Garden in the car and in the days since. I have all the top half stitched and have started on the backstitching. I want to do the back stitch on the top part before I get to the bottom or I will be doing that part of a veeerrrryyyy long time.

Yesterday, I stitched on Snowflake Serenade for my stitchalong with Cheryl. I did not have to rip out any stitches. That is a miracle. Believe me, with this piece, it hasn't happened too often for me!

Remember my Jardin Prive SAL and the missing 931. Well, when I got home I went right to my threads here and would you believe no 931 there either! I had a couple of very partial skeins but nothing that I would consider using for such a large piece. I am sure it is a conspiracy!! Oh well, it will have to be put aside until I can resolve this issue. ( I have received an email that some 931 is on it's way from Las Vegas!)

I have had several requests for information on that piece. It is called Sampler des Bouquets and comes in Part 1, 2 and 3 and can be purchased as a pdf. from www.jardineprive.com . Go ahead - order it and SAL along with me!!!

I bought myself a cover for my Kindle just before I left Arizona and well, I bought the wrong one.
It is too big for my Kindle. Perhaps it will fit yours. If you are interested in this cover (it is purple leather) and it will fit I would be happy to send it off to you at no charge. Just let me know.

That's it for this week one and all. Our youngest grandson is here for the week and we are enjoying the snuggles and cuddles he dishes out.
Until next time I hope you can be cuddled by someone you love too - be it human or animal!!!

Yesterday, I slipped and fell -------

2011-04-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

Last week, I packed and packed and packed. And then, I wondered - how did I accumulate all this stuff and how is it going to fit into the van. Well, it all fit but we are loaded almost to the roof. And isn't DH happy about that! NOT!
In the little amount of time I found, I worked on and finished Andie's Mirabilia RR. I chose Winter Queen. I think she fits the theme well.

Here is her RR to date.

I finally managed to make a little progress on Snowflake Serenade. Here it is after working on it today in the car.

Yesterday, I slipped and fell into a new start. I really tried hard to resist this one but ------ I was not too successful. Just what I need - another new start. But then, I realized I finished Royal Holiday, my Santa Stocking and my Lighthouse RR so far this year. And I have that lovely new project bag that Annette gave me.

And so here is my meager progress on this one.

I really enjoyed it but have a small snag. I don't have any 931 and both Michaels and Joann's didn't have any either. I will have to wait till I get to Canada to see if it is in those threads. If not the call will go out to my local stitchers looking for that color.

I'm off to check some emails and curl up on the bed in front of the TV in Effingham, Illinois. Tomorrow - Toledo, Ohio and then home on Wednesday.

Then to find a place to put all the things that are in those boxes.

Until next time, keep on stitching.

I WON!!!!

2011-04-11T12:11:00.000-04:00

Remember her! Well, look at her now all decked out in her new ribbons.

I entered "Royal Holiday" in the Yuma County Fair and won!

The top ribbon, the Grand Champion Rosette and the Cash Award!!

It has been a busy week for me. I finished the second "I Spy" quilt top. You can see a picture in the previous post. They are basically the same.

Last Monday was my SAL day with Cheryl. Here's what I accomplished - before I start again today. The frogs stayed away and so I was finally able to enjoy stitching on this one.

I am also working on Andie's Mirabilia RR. Can you guess who I am stitching? There is no prize for guessing right.

And in the mailbox this week, this wonderful gift from Annette - project bags from The Attic in Mesa. It took me two seconds to fill the larger bag.

I don't know if I will be able to update my blog next week. I am presently packing up my house in Arizona and heading back to Canada on Sunday. I will have my stitching in the car.

My husband laughs at me. I treat the front seat of the car like my living room. I have my books, my snacks, my needlework and my Kindle all around me. The miles fly by as I work away on whatever catches my fancy.
It takes us four 10 hour days to get home.

Until the next time, keep those needles flying and don't forget to smile every once in a while. It's good for the soul.

TUSAL, I Spy and other stitches

2011-04-03T17:50:00.001-04:00

First of all, thank you so much to everyone for your wonderful compliments on the lighthouses. I really appreciated each and all. I smiled all week.

Today is TUSAL and here is my martini glass with a few less but just as inebriated threads.

Most are from the Lighthouse RR, several are from Snowflake Serenade ( also known as The Rip and reStitch piece) some from the latest Mirabilia RR and some from my "UFO to finish" project - Fairies at the bottom of the Garden.
Here is my larger ort container.

This is 3 months worth of stitches. I will add what few I accumulate in the next two weeks and then will start a new container. We are heading back to Canada on April 17th and so for the next 6 months I will accumulate my threads there. Let's hope that along with the threads I leave the blasted frogs behind.
My pathetic attempt at Snowflake Serenade is below.

I stitched the entire bottom section - lovely branches and needles only to be out 1/2 stitch. So most of my time was spent ripping and restitching. I don't know what it is with this piece. I think it may be the fabric. I just cannot seem to count down without missing either 1/2 or a full stitch. Hopefully, next week will be better.
Now that the lighthouses are complete I have picked up my next focus piece.

This is poor, neglected "Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden". I will work on this one until it is finished.

Before:

After:

Umm, I did not stitch that much in the past week. There must be another before photo somewhere. I did finish the top left leaf, add the fairy and butterfly, yellow flowers and join the two sides together.
My plan is to work on Snowflake on Mondays, the latest Mirabilia RR on Tuesday and Wednesday and then Fairies the rest of the week until it is done.

And when I got tired of stitching, I quilted. Here is the quilt top for one of my grandsons.

This is called "I Spy with a Twist". It was great fun to put together. Now to make a second one for my other grandson.

Until next time, keep those stitches crossed and orts drunk in a martini glass ROFL.

LIGHTHOUSE HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!

2011-03-27T11:29:00.000-04:00

Here is my lighthouse Round Robin finished, washed and ironed. Isn't it stunning. It was started June 14, 2007 and finished March 27, 2011.

A huge thank you to all my lighthouse keepers. There were many grumbles, complaints and even some cursing as each lighthouse was stitched. They are Stoney Creek designs and some lighthouses had over 50 colors and many, many color changes. It was indeed a labor of love. I will be taking it home to Canada to have it framed.

Oh what a time I have had!!!

2011-03-23T16:31:00.002-04:00

The past ten days have been something else. I have had an exciting time.

First, my friend Dani came from Canada for a short vacation. I love having her visit and we stitch like crazy when she is here. She was on the hunt for the new Ipad 2 while she was here but had no luck.
We went to Maricopa to visit another stitching friend (Judie - no blog) from Canada overnight and we got to spend the day by her pool. We talked and stitched for hours.

The next day we drove to Mesa and met three other stitchers - Angie (no blog) from home, Annette and Bette. How exciting it was to have 3 of my Canadian friends together and then to meet 2 special stitchers from Arizona.

Annette, me and Bette.

If you ever get the chance to meet Annette and Bette, do. They were both very warm and welcoming. We talked and talked for the longest time. I hope we get to meet up in the future. We don't live that far apart.

Annette, Bette, Judie, Angie
Dani, me

We met at "The Attic" needlework shop in Mesa. OMG - what a store!! They are not open on Mondays. A phone call from Dani and a request and they agreed to open for us. How wonderful is that.
We were there for 1 1/2 hours and barely scratched the surface. We could have been lost there for days!! Here is a photo of my new stash. Dani bought me "Quaker Love Letters" after I put it back on the counter as I had already blown my budget. "Wild Eyed" is for my BFF Beatrice.

I was able to buy two new skeins of CC Pixie Dust and now can go back to my Mirabilia Valentine Fairy.
Before Dani and I headed back to Yuma, we had car trouble. We were leaking anitifreeze from the radiator reservoir. I am so happy that Dani was with me. I know nothing about vehicles and she was able to show me how to keep the reservoir filled. We made it back to Yuma a few hours late and very warm. We had no airconditioning and the temperature was 90F.

Dani and I went to Mexico for part of a day and she did some fun shopping. She also did some mall shopping for some new clothes. She came with a half empty suitcase and I can guarantee that was not the case when she left.
Believe it or not, we did put in some serious stitching time. Here is my lighthouse RR now.

The Point Loma lighthouse is finished. I have 8 more boats to stitch and the whole thing will be done. I was going to stitch some smaller things in the blank spaces. I stitched a lantern in the bottom right hand corner. I did not like how it looked and pulled it all out. I think I will leave it just the way it is. The entire piece is in for a good long soak when it is done.
Watch for a BIG Happy Dance when this one is complete!!!

I also picked up my Snowman Serenade for my SAL with Cheryl. I seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. The frogs visit far too often. Here is my progress now. Hopefully, next week it will go smoother.

That's it for this week everyone. I hope to have that major Happy Dance soon. I will be going through my WIP's to see what I can finish up next.
I am expecting a Mirabilia RR in my mailbox soon and will be working on that.

Until then - keep those needles smokin'

P.S. Dani has sent me the two photos of us stitchers and has updated her blog about her trip here. Check it out!

Flying By

2011-03-12T16:31:00.000-05:00

Wow, this week has just flown by. I don't know where it went. I know I spent a lot of time in front of my sewing machine and a few short hours on the sofa stitching.
This is what I've been up to this week.

The first picture comes with a bit of a story.
My parents will be married 60 years Sept 12th and so I wanted to do something special for them. I designed them a quilt. This is the top finished and now it has gone to the quilters.
The top row - a little hard to see - has their dates Sept 12, 1951-2011 embroidered by a good friend of mine.
The rest are the family handprints. My young niece in Texas got my parents handprints "for a school project". Clever girl. My parents are at the top, myself, my sisters and their families fill the rest of the quilt. I can easily recognize my father's hands. They are short but very thick. My mother's hands are starting to cripple with arthritis and you can see the twist in her fingers. My youngest sister cut the tendon in one finger when she was young and you can see the finger has healed crooked. Myself and two of my nieces are lefties and so you can see our left hands. My little grandson's hands are easy to recognize. Already this quilt has a story. The quilt should be back from the quilters by mid April. Then I will sew on the binding and make some shams when I get back to Canada. I hope they like their surprise gift.

I received two wonderful gifts this week. I won a giveaway on Karin's blog - she creates her own glass beads. The lovely scissor fob has her incredible beads too. Isn't this a stunning collection! I'm trying to think what I will make with this.

Last night I went to a welcome home party for some friends of ours who had spent 3 months touring and visiting family in Australia. Look what she brought me. Now, she nows nothing about cross stitch. I think she made some wonderful choices don't you. I will have to stitch her a little something from one of these.

This week has been focused on my lighthouse. This is Point Loma in California.

For those of you who have not seen this before this is my lighthouse RR. It was started many years ago and I am finally hoping to finish it up and have it framed. Isn't it beautiful!

My friend Dani arrives tonight from Ottawa. I am very excited to see her. She and I are off to Phoenix for a couple of days. We should have stories and photos when we return. I hope to settle my CC thread issues while there.

Till then - keep those stitches crossed.

Angels, Fairies, Snowmen, Lighthouses, Frogs and TUSAL

2011-03-04T11:27:00.001-05:00

Can you tell by the title it has been a busy few days? I have skipped from one stitching project to another and each one has a story.

First, here is the first RR from the newest Mirabilia RR that I am participating in. This is one of the sweet little angels from "Angel Proclamation" I love this design. It was a gift from a friend and one day I hope to stitch it all. When I got to the wings, I needed Wisper White and I had forgotten mine at home. I only needed a few strands. Thanks to Melissa - she popped some in the mail and I had it in a couple of days. Stitchy friends are the best.

Then I stitched on Valentine Fairy. This was a giveaway last year that I won. In case you think I'm a wicked fast stitcher - all the rose in her dress was already stitched. I stitched the darker rose color, the pale pink legs, the Kreinik and the mauve in her wings. And then I got out the Pixie Dust to stitch more on her wings. And that's when things came to a grinding halt. The two skeins are from different dye lots and are not the same color. Not good. Will have to try and order another and hope I get a match. But, it will have to wait - I'm not ordering just one skein of thread. Back into the basket it goes until I resolve the thread issue.

I am doing a SAL with Cheryl on CCN "Snowflake Serenade". And that's when the frogs came to visit. This is my sad progress for one entire day. I restitched the left side and the top twice and I have to restitch them again. Maybe next week (sigh).

And so, now what do I pick up. I know - my Lighthouse RR that I vowed to complete. And here is my tiny little bit of progress on this one. A few stitches of green grass. I'm liking this one right now so I think it will be a focus for a while.

It is TUSAL time - and here is my martini glass. It is overflowing with the threads from my Santa Stocking, the Mirabilia RR, Valentine Fairy, Snowflake Serenade and the lighthouses. There are some wrappers from new thread skeins and even some sewing threads from my quilting. I will glad to empty this and start fresh.

Edited to add: To Staci and other readers - there is no martini in the glass since the orts drank it all. That's why they are hanging all over the sides of the glass.

Well, that's it for this week friends. Have a great week and keep those needles slipping through the threads.

Stitching and Quilting and Sewing and................

2011-02-23T15:51:00.001-05:00

Oh, have I been busy. My DH is laughing at me as I'm going back and forth between stitching and the sewing machine. He says I can't seem to make up my mind which I want to do.
Well, I want to do both!

So, my computer time has been very limited. I was reading a bunch of blogs in my google reader yesterday and pushed the wrong button! You all disappeared. Oh no!!!!! If I have not commented on your blog lately - it means you were there when I pushed the wrong button. I will read your next post and catch up from there.

Here's my progress for the last 10 days or so.

Beatrice Mirabilia RR.

She left it with me when she visited. I am the last stitcher. I stitched "Emerald Mermaid" for her. I will take it home with me and give it to her. Isn't it pretty all done up. The stitchers are my fellow stitchers at home in Ontario, Canada. The little white box at the bottom left is the famous Adriana - still stitching at 94!

Marie-Paule is working on making a quilt. She asked that we each stitch a Santa for her. I stitched "Star Santa" on 14 count aida. I can't tell you where the design comes from.

A good friend of mine is expecting her first great grandchild - a boy - and she and her family are very excited. I made the little guy some baby bibs, some burp pads and a couple of bigger bibs. These were fun to sew!

This panel was in a grab bag of throwaway stuff. I loved the alphabet, found this wonderful fabric and here is my end result. It will hang in my new stitching/sewing room at home in Canada.

I have another couple of irons in the fire. I am working on Susan's Mirabilia RR. This is a new RR and the first mailing has happened. I will be posting photos as I go along. Right now, Susan's RR is just a blob of color.

I am also working on a quilt for my parent's 60th anniversary in September. It is a quilt that I designed myself so it's a little more complicated than I had intended. Once it has started to shape up, I will post a photo.

Oh, and someone sent me a picture of this - I just had to have it!
http://www.jardinprive.com/index.php?mod=DM07&PHPSESSID=8f416db4b1cd763280f85a4dd03a9c02
To finish off this week - I found this pattern in my stash - it was with a bunch of stuff given to me. If you are interested in this chart, I will be happy to give it a new home. If there is more than one person interested I will draw for it. I don't know why he/she is upside down - but you get the idea!

Until next time - keep those needles smokin'

Edited to add: Courtney - You will be the proud new owner of the above chart.

Happy Santa Dance, gifts and bling

2011-02-13T17:47:00.000-05:00

Here it is - all done!

X's and Oh's Hockey Santa Stocking. I put the last stitches in late yesterday afternoon. This is the first project in my "Finish Them Up" Pile. I am not sure about the finishing - if I will do it myself or have it done. I am very happy to have this one out of my stitching bag!

I received the most wonderful gifts the last few days.

First from dear sweet Erin.
She saw this lighthouse and thought of me instantly. She was looking at DMC's Ocean Alphabet and the K had a lighthouse! She said she just had to stitch it. And look at the wonderful lighthouse fabric on the back. It is a very kind, thoughtful RAK and I appreciate it very much.

From my dear friend Clare - a Christmas gift that she mailed on December 12th - yep that's right - and it arrived in my mailbox on February 12 - perhaps by flying donkey???? It was kind of fun to receive a Christmas card with a sweet note in February.

I won the Valentine's giveaway on Myra's blog and here are the wonderful goodies that arrived. Let me tell you, that chocolate bar was lucky to make it into the photo. What fun it was to receive a Valentine's card like we did when we were kids. And the card says "Girls Rule."
Myra's finishing is gorgeous. The penny pocket and needlebook are beautifully finished. Thank you so much Myra.

My BFF Beatrice was here for a few days and we had a wonderful time. We laughed, we giggled, we went shopping, we did lunch, we did dinner, we went to the casino and had such fun. We did sit and stitch a bit. She has now gone off to San Diego and on up the coast on her grand adventure and I miss her already.

While she was here we went into Mexico to do a little shopping and lunch. Well, what did I find!!!!
Can you believe it - those are genuine topaz and rubies and of course, it is solid gold - NOT!!! But, girls - what a ring!
But isn't he the cutest little frog you ever saw. I could not leave him behind.
I had a terrible time trying to get a photo of him. This is the best that I could do.

My next projects will be a Santa for a friend's RR - done on Aida - not my favorite and Beatrice Mirabilia RR that she delivered to me. I am busily pulling threads and picking designs for these two pieces. What fun!!

Until next time - let's hope that frog stays on my finger and away from your stitching LOL!

TUSAL and other news

2011-02-03T14:04:00.000-05:00

I joined the TUSAL for this year. Today is posting day. Here is my latest accumulation. I have graduated from a shot glass to a crystal martini glass. Does that give you any idea that my fingers have been busy? There are threads from my Santa stocking, threads from my Winter Exchange and threads from sewing the binding on my Fair Square wall hanging. I hope next posting I will have graduated to a larger container.

Without further ado, here are my latest goodies.

I won this giveaway from darling Sharlotte before Christmas. She was kind enough to hold it and send it on to me after I returned from Canada. There are some beautiful designs here and I hope to stitch them one day soon.

I can now show you my Seasonal Exchange - Winter! I stitched JBW's Snow Globe on 32 count mushroom lugana and finished it into this little pillow. Marjorie assures me that she likes it.

I received this wonderful LK -Winter Wishes from Conny. It is so cute and the little pompoms on the corner add that special finishing touch.

I have met two new stitcher/bloggers through this exchange and look forward to getting to know them.

Since I was at the sewing maching making the Snow Globe into a pillow, I also finished my blackwork SanMan Snowmen into a pillow.

I have finished quilting and sewing the binding on my Fair Square wallhanging.. Here it is all done and hanging on the wall. I will be taking it home and it will hang in my sewing/stitching room! I am reminded of each of my exchange partners as I view this wall hanging. I love it.

And look at this - I have been addicted to this one. For some reason, I cannot put it down and have accomplished lots. I will stick with the backstitching so I can see this wonderful Santa finished. Then I will stitch the heel and toe and the funny little penguin who is shooting at the net. I LOVE THIS ONE!!!!! I hope to finish it in the next couple of weeks.

That's it for now everyone. Have a great week. My BFF Beatrice is on her way here for a visit and I can hardly wait. I miss her so much and look forward to seeing her. Until next time keep those needles smoking!

I have a confession

2011-01-23T13:34:00.000-05:00

Dear Fellow Stitchers
It has been two weeks since my last confession and I have been shopping. I was ill with that stupid cough most of the time I was home for Christmas and so mall shopping was not an option. But, oh, my fingers did their work via the internet. And so I am the proud owner of some new stash - check these out.

First up, I saw this Christmas pattern - on Anne's blog and had to have it! and I needed a new Mirabilia fairy while I was at it. I can't order just one pattern now can I.

Prairie Moon - Merry Xmas
Mirabilia - The Woodland Fairie

And of course, Merry Xmas needed some fabric and so I was off to Picture This Plus to order this delicious fabric - 32 count Lugana - "Haunted". This was my first time ordering from their website. The fabric is fantastic and their service was very quick.

Then, I received an email that Silkweaver had a sale on their grab bags. Well, I couldn't order just one and besides Beatrice might like some of these for her stash. Look at all these wonderful colors.

Next up I had an email at Christmas from our Not So Secret Santa - Judy M. Judy is a personal friend of mine and such a wonderful person. She often encourages me when I think about not blogging. She always makes me feel that I have something to contribute and I so appreciate it and her. She gifted me with a certificate to Mary Kathyrn's shop and so I purchased these!

                                              Country House Needleworks
                                            Snowflake Serenade
                                                            English Garden
                                               The Nutcracker

                                            Long Dog Samplers
   The Token

Mary Kathryn kindly included the 2 Prairie Schooler designs.

In my mailbox the other day came the most special gift from my BFF Beatrice. She made me a project bag.

Isn't it wonderful. But the best part, was the card inside that said "Because I miss you". Well, Beatrice I miss you a great deal too. I will be seeing you soon here in AZ. I can hardly wait.

And I've been stitching. I did a little work on Long Dog's Bagatelle. It is easy to stitch with just one color. I love how it is coming out and the fabric is a delight to work on.

I am determined to finish up this stocking before the end of March and so here is my latest progress. I finished the first two pages and backstitched it. I love how his face just came alive as I added those stitches. You will probably be seeing lots of this one as I work to get it completed. I hope you don't mind.

Well, that's it for this post folks. Thanks for stopping by and being patient with me when I go off the radar sometimes. It is not that I am not stitching or checking out your blogs, I'm just crazy busy and loving life in general.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and keep those beautiful stitches crossed.

ABC's of me and some stitching progress

2011-01-10T10:32:00.000-05:00

What do you do when you have a cold and cough that just don't quit. You stitch! and so I did. The coughing is still really bad. I finally went to the hospital and they gave me some "knock you on your keister" cough medicine. Well, I'm still standing (grumpy!) and coughing. My throat is so sore from coughing.

Here is my progress on Hockey Santa - there are lots of quarter stitches in this one! I will stitch on this for one more day and then it is time to give Bagatelle some attention.

And I finished my grid for my Mirabilia RR. I have chosen fairies this time and so it says "On the Wings of a Mirabilia Fairy 2011.

I have seen this quiz out there and thought I would try it. I'm not sure you really want to know all this about me but here it goes.
A - Age: 58
B - Bed size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: doing dishes - I'd rather scrub a toilet
D - Dog's name: Had a Sheltie named Snuggles - devastated when he died so no more for me.
E - Essential start of the day item: French Vanilla cappucino
F - Favorite color: red
G - Gold or Silver: gold
H - Height: 5'6"
I - Instruments you play: Not a chance
J - Job: retired and enjoying life
K - Kids: two grown sons, two DIL's , one granddaughter and two grandsons
L - Living arrangements: house in town, cottage up north for summer, park model in Arizona for winter
M - Music you love: Country - anything Alan Jackson
N - Nicknames: Kat or Kath
O - Overnight hospital stay at hospital: too many - appendix, tonsils, hysterectomy, big toe fusion both feet
P - Pet Peeve: People picking at food while I'm cooking.
Q - Quote from a movie: Life is like a box of chocolates-----
R - Right handed or left: left
S - Siblings: two sisters
T - Time you wake up: 7:00 am
U - Underwear: for years I wore what my sisters called floss, now granny undies
V - Vegetable you dislike: brussle sprouts
W - Workout Style: from couch with stitching in hand, to computer to check what is up to sewing machine to couch
X - X-rays you've had: too many
Y - Yummy food you make: weiner schnitzel, homemade spaetzle and rosti
Z - The best place to visit: anywhere I am welcome! Love to travel

The TUSAL has attracted some new people to my blog. Welcome! I love having you visit me and I have stopped by and checked out all your beautiful work! What a talented bunch we stitchers are. Look forward to getting to know you.
Till next time, keep those needles smoking - especially those who joined the 15 day Crazy Challenge. I admire you all.

TUSAL and January 1 Start

2011-01-04T13:28:00.000-05:00

I signed up for the TUSAL (Totally Useless Stitch Along) on Daffycat's blog this year.
And so here is my sad collection of orts. They are indeed in a shotglass. I have picked up a cold and sore throat and have spent most of my time reading instead of stitching.

The colored orts are from my Seasonal Exchange that I can't show you.The wrapper (DMC B5200) and the white threads are from my January 1st start. Beatrice talked me into this one. It's not that I don't have several BAP's now, so we will just add another ROFL. - Long Dog Sampler - Bagatelle. The fabric is a gorgeous 32 count evenweave from Silkweaver called Slate Blue.

Pretty sad start isn't it.

Until next time, fellow stitchers, keep those needles singing.

Santa and the Reindeer ate it all!

2010-12-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

Before I get to the stitching part of the this post I thought I would share this photo with you. My grandsons woke up Christmas morning and were astonished to find that Santa had drank his milk, ate his cookie and even the reindeer must have been hungry! It was priceless.

We had a great time at Christmas. Having small grandchildren who believe in Santa made the days so special. A visit from our oldest son and his family for a couple of days was awesome too. Even my sister came to stay for a couple of days and practiced "Shop Till You Drop" with us!! Some wonderful memories were added to my heart.

On the stitching front - I can now show you the stitched gift that occupied most of my stitching time for 2 months.
If you remember, back in August Missy Ann blew me away with the gorgeous stitched lighthouse box. Well, I thought a long time before I decided what to stitch for her birthday on December 27th. I wanted it to be something special and something very different.

Here's what I came up with - Memory Keeper by The Workbasket - stitched on 32 count mushroom lugana with a mix of Crescent Colors, Weeks Dye Works and Carrie's Creations hand dyed threads.

I learned a very valuable lesson - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! and when it says grid the fabric - do that!
After I cut the fabric, I realized I had cut it wrong. It took much finagling, wrangling, turning the air blue and the help of a very experienced quilter to make this into the envelope.

Included with the gift were some bunny thread drops and a pair of bunny scissors. The girl does love her bunnies!
I sent if off before I left Arizona and it arrived before Christmas. Missy Ann was a good girl and did not open it until her birthday. She has assured me that she liked her gift. I was so touched when she said she is putting the handmade christening gown that her grandmother made her inside it.

I did some more work on Hockey Santa and he now has a head. Lots of quarter stitches in this one!

I am still working on my Seasonal Exchange - about half way.

I am also moderating a new Mirabilia RR on the WWRRB starting January 1st so I've been busy picking patterns and gridding my fabric. The design is now on paper. I am trying to decide whether to leave "Titania" or replace her with either "Cottage Garden Fairy" or "Woodland Fairy". Annette stitched "Titania" on my previous RR. Hmm, that means a little stash enhancement since I have neither pattern.

To all my wonderful friends out there in blogland, I wish you a safe, healthy, prosperous New Year! May every blessing fall upon you and your entire household in this new year.
To my fellow stitchers - I wish speedy needles, gorgeous fabrics, threads to fondle, charts to drool over and nary a frog!!! Right Harmien!!!

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T12:23:00.000-05:00

I am so blessed to have a family that is healthy and happy. I wish the same to all of you.

Back Row: Adam, Bob, Bob's wife Julie, Adam's Wife Cindy

Front Row: Adam's Hunter, me, Bob's Drew, Leo, Adam's Jackson

Merry Christmas one and all!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there enough room?

2010-12-19T17:15:00.002-05:00

Here I am flitting from room to room!!! Packing my suitcases! We are headed home to Canada very early Tuesday morning to spend Christmas with our children and grandchildren. Excited!!!! You bet. But before I go, I should update my blog.

I have a few things to share in this post.

First, Jill and I agreed on a personal exchange. I posted my gift to her in my last entry and here is the wonderful package that arrived in my mailbox this past week.

Obviously, this girl knows I like nutcrackers.

Look at the wonderful nutcracker scissor holder with scissors she stitched for me. Isn't he a handsome fella!
Included was some lovely dark green linen, a little gift bag, some wonderful DMC variagated threads, a cut of Christmas fabric and a very cool thread counter with a delightful nutcracker hanging from it. And to top it all off, there is a new nutcracker to add to my collection. Thank you so much Jill for a wonderful exchange.

A little envelope arrived in my mail earlier in the week. I was a bit down and just didn't have much Christmas spirit at that time. In the card was a wonderful note and this little handmade ornament from Harmien. See our initials on the back. It made me smile and helped me pick my spirits up. Thanks Harmien.

This little surprise package arrived in my mailbox from Michele. She was wandering her LNS and saw this pattern and thought of me. My other passion - lighthouses. Look at all the wonderful lighthouses in this booklet. And, she included a handmade scissor fob with a lighthouse hanging on the end. Thank you Michele for a wonderful surprise!

And this - remember the Friendship Sampler RR I participated in. Well, poor Lisa's first RR was stolen. She sent out a second one and it was delayed starting. Then, it got held up somewhere for months. The rest of us had all received ours back and many of us had finished them and Lisa's was still out there somewhere. Early in November her RR finally returned home but I had not stitched on it. So, Lisa and I braved USPS and she mailed her RR to me. I stitched it and it is on it's way home to stay. Finally, this RR is a successful wrap!

The surprise gift that I have been stitching on, and stitching on and stitching on is finally finished and is also in the hands of USPS. You will have to wait till late December for the seeing though.

Now, that all my other stitching is complete, I was able to pick up my own work and get back at it. Here is my nephew Ryan's Christmas stocking - maybe next Christmas? Those big stars were all Kreinik thread and we all know how we love those threads. The brown blob is part of the hockey net!

And you know, I just couldn't stand not having some outside stitching to do and so I signed up for the Winter Round over at the Seasonal Exchange blog.

And, I've signed for another Mirabilia RR on the WWRBB.

Am I crazy? Sometimes. So much for stitching just from my own stash this year.
My BFF is sure going to hassle me over this but hey, I love to stitch for others and it gives me the chance to stitch things I wouldn't normally stitch.

Okay, I'm off to finish packing those suitcases. I sure hope I can get it all in.

Oh, by the way, I have a 4 hour layover in Los Angeles and a 5 hour layover in Chicago. Any stitchers out there want to come of the airport and stitch with me LOL.

Until next time, I wish you all the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years. I hope Santa leaves you all some wonderful stitchy treats under the tree!!!!

What a time!

2010-12-09T14:20:00.000-05:00

Hello one and all. Here I am back from our Mexican vacation! We had an okay time. The weather was not the greatest and the food was bad but the beach was gorgeous and the service at the resort was wonderful.

And the sunset - spectacular!!!!!

One good thing - I did get lots of stitching done. Unfortunately, I can't show it to you.

I do have a few other things to share though.

Joan let me know that she received the squares I sent her for the Fair and Square Exchange.
I stitched her Ink Circles Stain Glass Tree from the 2010 JCS Ornament magazine on 32 count antique white lugana with the recommended colors.

In my mailbox, was this lovely ornament exchange from Rowyn. The design is Just Nan's Christmas Wishes.
Included were some lovely goodies including a gorgeous green 28 count fabric called "Leprechaun". Love that name. Thanks Rowyn for such wonderful gifts.

Jill also let me know that she has received the personal exchange I sent here. Jill, as you know, is a peacock collector and also does some pink stitches in honor of her friend. And so her package contained -

The Holiday Peacock by Courtney Collection from the 2010 JCS Ornament magazine on 32 count hand dyed mauve opalescent fabric from a new Canadian company called Ayrloom fabrics. It is stitched with Vikki Clayton's Black Rasperry silk. Included was a peacock purse, a peacock necklace, and a mauve whatnot bag.

For her pink stitch I stitched her a freebie design on the same opalescent fabric and included Pink Ribbon scissors and made her a pink fob with a pink ribbon charm. Included was some 32 count linen - Carnation Pink and a few other little goodies.

Yesterday, I picked up my Royal Holiday from Michaels. They did a wonderful job of framing her. The mat is burgundy velvet and the frame has burgundy in the gold.

I am going to bring her back to Canada with me as well as Winter Queen. I will hang the two of them together and as my friend Missy Ann says - they can outsnoot (Is this a word?) each other.

Look at my new toy - a Pandigital ereader. I have heard good things about this particular reader and am ready to try it. I just bought it yesterday and so I have a learning curve ahead.

I wonder if anyone can help me out here. I have tried ebay with no luck so -
I am looking for Quiltmaker Magazine July/August 2004. It is the fourth part of a quilt that I am interested in doing.

Till next one - keep those needles singing!

Adios Amigos

2010-11-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

Popping by to update the blog and then it's adios, amigos. Friends of ours have won a week at a resort in Mexico and have invited us to go with them. Yipee!! Mexico bound we are in the morning.

Stitching away on a gift that I cannot show you.

I did however receive a note from Rowyn saying she had received the Christmas exchange I sent her.
I stitched for her the Brittercup Kittie from the 2010 JCS Ornament Magazine and included a couple of little extras.

I have been trying to decide for a while what to do with my Fair and Square blocks and this is what I came up with. Grant it this is just the top and I have much more work to do. I was so thrilled that I wanted to show it off.

There are a couple of sets that I did not use in the wall hanging. Melissa W.'s set made a lovely pillow. Karen R. stitched me a wonderful nutcracker that will be an ornament.

I have been making a couple quilt blocks too. Every year the ladies quilt group makes blocks that we sew togetherand make into a raffle quilt to raise money for the local mission. This year we are making house blocks.
Here are my two blocks. Of course, one had to be a light house!

Well, off to finish packing. My stitching is coming with me and I will see what I can accomplish.

I read my way through all the blogs - over 650. I am sorry that I did not comment. I didn't know where to start. You are all so amazing and I love reading all the wonderful things you write and the gorgeous stitching that you do.
I will try to post from Mexico. The hotel is supposed to have internet. Until then - adios!!!!

Guess Who

2010-11-21T16:13:00.000-05:00

Back from the great beyond, here I am. Not really the great beyond but Windsor, Ontario, Guthrie Center, Iowa, Paxton, Nebraska, Denver, Colorado, Flagstaff, Arizona and home to Yuma, Arizona. It was a wonderful trip. The weather was gorgeous - sunny and warm the entire trip of 10 days.
And then, the dust!!!!! It took 4 days to unpack and clean out six months worth of dust! We must have had lots of wind in the 6 months we were gone.

All my stash is organized and tucked in corners. You would roll over laughing if you saw how much stash I brought with me for the next 6 months. You would think that I stitched day and night - wait a minute - I do ROFL.

I am still plagued with tendonitis in my elbow and so I have to restrict my stitching time.

I have managed to stitch a couple of exchanges and a set of Fair Squares. None of these have been received yet so photos will have to wait.

I do have a few things to show you. I won Day 13th of the 31 Days of Halloween put on by Missy Ann and Annette. Maybe because it was Day 13 my package made an extended trip - to Canada - after I had left there, back to Annette and then on to me in Arizona. It was a fun package to receive. I think of Annette every time I use her Halloween pencil. The lovely Kylie made me a wonderful book mark. The book - devoured in a matter of hours and now I have to find more of the series.

I received this wonderful little kit as a thank you some time back and stitched it up in the car during my journey. The buttons make this one just so very special. It is a Stitch' Em kit from Hob Nobb Designs.- SP9 - Sunflowers.

I received my Fair Squares from Joan in Friday's mail. Isn't this a gorgeous piece! I love it!
It is Little House Needleworks - Winter Sampler - from the 2009 JCS Ornament magazine. The card that she included is hand done. Beautiful! Thank you Mama Joan!

If you are ever looking for a fun group and a great bunch of people join a round of the Fair and Square Exchange blog. It has been such a treat for me. I have a series of the most beautiful squares and I am in the process of making a wallhanging with them. Each square that I sew together reminds me of the wonderful people that I have met and the friends I have made through this exchange.

I do apologize for being offline for so long. I just seem to have hit a slump. I know my sore elbow is making me cranky. I am stitching on a birthday gift for a friend and I am worried that I will not get it done in time. Okay, enough whining. I am off to read over 650 posts in my Google Reader. Please understand if I do not comment but I am reading one and all!!!

Till next time stitch fans, stitch your heart out!!!!!

I Got Nothing

2010-10-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

Seriously folks, I got nothing. No stitching, not a single stitch. My arm is really giving me HE double hockey sticks and so I haven't stitched a thing.

I even looked through my earlier photos looking for a photo to post. That just made me cranky too. I don't want to look at photos of stitching I can't do.
Have you ever seen a cranky stitcher who cannot stitch! Not a pretty picture. She looks something like the redhead who writes this blog.

So what do I do instead. Pack, yep you heard me - Pack. We are heading to Arizona on Saturday for the next six months.

And my stitching - well, I packed enough to do for the next 10 years. You never know what a girl might want to stitch LOL.

Hopefully, next time I write I will have something to show and I will be in a better mood.

Happy stitching, y'all.

Lights, squares, snow and a tribute

2010-10-19T21:49:00.000-04:00

Another week has come and gone. The tendonitis in my elbow is not getting better. Of course, if I stopped stitching, lifting and working my arm it would heal much faster. I have done some stitching but not nearly as much as I would like.

I have managed to finish my San Man Inky Dinky Blackwork SAL! Aren't these little guys just the cutest! Beatrice has brought me some really cute snowman fabric and I will be making this into a little pillow.

I received word from Jeanie C (no blog) that she received the Fair and Square blocks I sent her. The design is a freebie but I don't remember where I got it. I thought oak leaves and acorns were appropriate for this time of year.

Jeanie is from Singapore and I was excited to receive my squares from her. This is the cutest little SanMan freebie for Autumn. That fat little bird has such character.

Beatrice, Barb and I attended a stitch day at Rebecca's on Saturday. It is so much fun to get together with people who make you feel special. I stitched on my secret stitch the entire day.

The next morning I picked up my stitching from the day before. The entire section I had stitched the day before was in the wrong place - IN RED THREAD - and I had to take it out. Thank goodness it came out without a mark but I lost hours of work and time. Those bloody frogs!!!!!!! I need to get those frogs so angry they will hop off and never come back again.

On Sunday, I, along with many of my stitching friends attended a special tribute to Adriana put on by Knowledge and Needles. Adriana has been stitching since she was a small girl and many of her pieces were brought together for display. It was amazing.
I consider myself blessed to have this wonderful woman in my life. Her daughter, Beatrice has been my best friend for over 30 years. What a great day!

Adriana is pointing at her favorite cross stitch piece in this photo.

Nantucket Rose in the bottom right is the piece that she stitched for me many years ago.

Please go to the Knowledge and Needles and Beatrice's blog (links are above) to see the wonderful photos that were taken of Adriana's amazing work.

Today I went to my mailbox and was surprised and excited to find this wonderful package. I had sent some patterns to Niina in Finland that she was having difficulty finding. This thank you was in the mail. She sent me some wonderful fabrics. The two large floral fabrics are Finnish designs. She included a wonderful DMC kit!

Look at this bag - Finnish Lighthouses! How cool is that! I loved it all! Thank you so much Niina.

Today I realized that my DH and I will be heading to Arizona for the winter in a little over a week. Usually by now, I have a lot of my packing done and I'm almost ready to go. I haven't packed a single box. I think all the packing and unpacking I did when we moved about 7 weeks ago made even looking at a crate difficult. I need to get my butt in gear. I don't know how much stitching I will get done over the next little while as I get my act together and get those boxes packed. It will probably do my arm some good not to stitch for a bit. I find it hard to sit in the evenings without a needle in my hands. I think I am addicted!!!! LOL.

Till next time my friends - keep on stitching!

A houseful

2010-10-10T14:21:00.001-04:00

Here's what you do when you have a new house with lots of room and lots of light.
You fill it with all your stitching friends! Ann of Knowledge and Needles was away last Thursday and so I invited everyone to my house for stitching. There was room for all of us. We had a wonderful afternoon full of lots of laughter and a little bit of stitching.

My dear friend Clare sent me this lovely house stitch for my new home. Thank you so much Clare. I love it and it will have a place of pride in my kitchen.

Barb (no blog) made me this wonderful nutcracker ornament. Isn't he just the cutest!

Beatrice and I showed off our finished Stain Glass Quilts. This was Beatrice's first quilted piece and she did a great job!

We are visiting with our youngest son, his wife and our grandsons for Thanksgiving. The turkey is in the oven and the pumpkin pies are in the fridge. I can hardly wait for supper.

We went to watch Jackson play hockey this afternoon. He started playing a couple of weeks ago. It was great fun. Here's a couple of pictures of our future hockey star!

I have been stitching and it is still a struggle. I did get the two ornaments I needed to stitch done but cannot show them as they are for others.

To all my Canadian friends "Happy Thanksgiving!!!" and to the rest of my friends "I hope you have a happy day". Today, I am thankful for all my stitching, blogging friends. You make my day!

Boats, and trees and rooms

2010-10-04T11:02:00.001-04:00

I don't know what it is these days but blogging seems to be difficult. I start out with the best plans to post once a week and then I procrastinate for several days. I am not normally a procrastinator so I just don't understand why. Finally this morning I am sitting down for an update.

My stitching progess has slowed considerably. I am suffering from tendonitis in my stitching elbow and it makes stitching painful. That really frustrates me. I am stitching on a couple of things I can't show you - an ornament for an exchange and a birthday gift for a dear friend.

I do have a couple of things to show you though. You haven't seen the lighthouses for a while so here is an update. There were 5 boats stitched when this RR returned home to me. I have been stitching boats - lots and lots of boats. My BFF Beatrice has taken it home. She has stitched a few boats and now I have stitched many more. Only 18 more to go and another lighthouse and some small things to add in some of the empty spaces. Do you think I will ever see this one finished?

I have started a Christmas stocking for my nephew Ryan. He played hockey for many years and I thought this might be his kinda stocking. Not much progress but I can say I started it LOL.

Ok, now some pictures of my new home - If you don't want to see them, just skip to the end. Warning: Photo Intensive - like about 20 or so

1. Exterior

2. Entryway

3. Sewing room - sewing desk - My Nutcracker RR is on the wall. Some stitched gifts are hanging under the window.

4. Sewing room - storage for stitching stash. Those baskets hold stitched gifts.

5. Stitching magazines, books etc

6. Stitching chair upstairs in living room - Mirabilia RR beside my chair on wall

7. Living room

8. Cabinet found in antique store - now in living room with my Great Aunt's antique dinnerware

9. Sewing machine in same store company is called Raymond? - also in living room

10. Interior of sewing machine - needs some serious cleaning. Any suggestions?

11. Kitchen

12. Kitchen - pantry

13. Kitchen - new cupboards we added and my deceased MIL's old cast iron pans on the wall. Crewel embroidery clock I did in the 1980's and gave to MIL and now back home with me.

14. Dining room - can't convince DH to lose the water cooler. High chair was given to my parents for me when I was born. Refinished and proudly sits in my dining room.

15. Lighthouse bathroom - Note - lighthouse cross stitch. My Hello Neighbor RR pillow on the shelf and the post cards - gifts from stitching friends. This the room that will require major renovations next year. It is stuck in the 80's.

16. Upstairs hallway - L&L - Nantucket Rose - stitched by Adriana who is now 94. My Sweetheart Tree RR hangs to the left. Little table is my Great Aunt's mending basket and sat at the top of the stairs when I was a child. Antique flour sack tablecloth was a gift from a friend. It belonged to her grandmother.

17. Guest room

18. Master Bedroom.
Before we moved in this room was painted Pepto Bismol Pink with rose carpet. My DH and his brother installed my beautiful new hardwood floor and I painted the room. Still needs new lighting and window dressings. Can you see me in the dresser mirror taking pictures? LOL

19. Stain glass in windows master bedroom

20. Family room or as DH calls it - his Man Cave - my downstairs stitching chair - after all a girl needs a place to stitch.You can see my overfull stitching bag beside my chair!

21. Laundry Room - I did laundry at the laundromat for years. I am excited to have my own laundry room. DH doesn't get my excitement but I am sure you will!

There is one more bathroom but it's kinda plain. The garage - well that's a guy thing. and the yard - I forgot to take photos but I think you get the idea. Thanks for stopping by my new home.

Till next time. Keep on stitching. Wow, this took me over an hour to post!!!!! I'm exhausted.

Home Sweet Home

2010-09-23T22:59:00.001-04:00

Well, it's done. We are all moved into our new home. All the furniture is in it's place. All the new purchases to fill the empty spaces are placed.The 130+ boxes are unpacked and in their place. All the pictures are on the walls and all the knick knacks are in their spots. It looks and feels like home.
We signed over our old home today to the new owner. It was time to move but there were some small feelings of loss as we left the house for the final time.
It has been a long gruelling four weeks. Leo and I moved 90 percent of our belongings ourselves. Our van became a moving van. We learned that you could even move a futon in a Dodge Grand Caravan!
Our eldest son and his father in law were a great help with the big heavy stuff. It was moved using their two 1/2 ton trucks and two trailers. Our niece's boyfriend installed some kitchen cupboards for us. I painted our master bedroom - ceiling and walls before we moved furniture in. My BIL came and he and my husband installed hardwood flooring in the master bedroom. My sister came and helped wash walls. Friends came to help unpack, set up, commiserate and check out the new abode. We had friends come for a weekend. Linda helped me decide where to hang my many, many treasures and her wonderful husband helped mine transport all the outdoor furniture and garden ornaments to the new abode.
I don't know how all this stuff fit into an 800 square foot park model. We now live in a 1750 square foot house and it is full!!!!!! Leo is still trying to figure out where I found room for 130 boxes worth of stuff and to be honest so am I LOL.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your lovely comments on my finish of Royal Holiday. It was good to have her done. All your wonderful comments went straight to my head and I was awed at your kind words.
I have stitched hardly a stitch in this past month. I have often picked up a piece, did a few stitches and put it down, just too tired to concentrate.

On the stitching front, I have a couple of things to show you.

I do owe an apology to Annette at Annette's Acre. I received this wonderful exchange from her at the beginning of September. I did personally acknowledge her wonderful, thoughtful gift but had not posted it before now.
Isn't it gorgeous. I absolutely love the color of this thread!

Here is the exchange I did for her. Her biscornu is stitched on 32 count ivory lugana. The pattern is a freebie from Casey Bounaugurio Designs. The pattern gave me the idea for a theme for her exchange and so she ended up with a collection of froggy things.

I did complete this little pattern. This scissor keep was in a package that I won in a giveaway a while back.
The pattern is a Bedouin design and made an interesting and very different keep. It was a fun stitch.

My mother gifted me with this blanket a couple of days ago. It had been given to her by a family member and she thought that I might like it. I learned from her that my great grandparents were lighthouse keepers on an island/rock in Nova Scotia. When they lived on the island, they raised sheep. My great grandmother made this quilt and filled it with wool from those sheep. It is all hand stitched and quilted. Considering it's history, I think this has become a treasure.

Although the blanket is plain in color, it is rich in stitches. The second photo is closer to the true color.

Today I found a couple of wonderful things to add some character to my new home. It will have to wait for my next post. I will share with you some photos of that and some of my new home if you are interested.

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking in on me. I have missed you and look forward to renewing our friendships. Now to catch up on all your blogs and see what wonderful things you have been up to!

Royal Holiday Happy Dance

2010-08-31T09:51:00.001-04:00

Here she is in all her glory!!!!!

Started January 1, 2009 and completed August 31, 2010.
Stitched on 32 count Queen Anne's Lace from Silkweaver using recommended threads.

Dancing all around the room going "Yippee!! I'm glad she's done"

Stitchers Showcase

2010-08-23T15:06:00.002-04:00

Saturday, Ann of Knowledge and Needles held an open house! Ann and Barb counted - 45 stitchers stopped in over the course of the day. Many brought their work to display!

Check this out!!!

It was a wonderful, awe inspiring day. We all contribute food and have a wonderful lunch and the leftovers are enough for supper. We started at noon and went till about 11 p.m. Ann had stitchers in her sunroom, her dining room, her living room and even a group in the garage. We talked and stitched, compared WIP's and enabled each other! Thanks to Beatrice letting me use her photos of the stitched pieces. She has others on her blogs as I am sure will Dani and Ann at some point.

You should have seen the shop! You couldn't move for stitchers. I found the most wonderful fabric. It will make an amazing background for another Mirabilia RR.

I also received the most wonderful birthday gift from Dani and Christin - a pair of Dovo scissors. Aren't they beautiful.

And I stitched and have stitched the past several days. I am obsessed. I want her finished. And here she is this morning - Royal Holiday.

Almost there!

I will warn you - blogging may be hit and miss for a bit. We have company coming from Denver tomorrow for several days and then the rush is on to get the rest of the boxes packed to move. Will do what I can.

Until then, keep those stitches crossed!

Edited to ADD - one of my stitching friends is almost finished a piece and has run out of thread. She needs about 12 inches of Waterlilies - Antique Pewter. If anyone can help please email me.

Pennies and stitching

2010-08-14T08:29:00.000-04:00

Look out world - two posts in 5 days!!!! I guess that's what happens when you have a birthday. The wonderful gifts continue to arrive.

From Barb (no blog) at Thursday stitching - these wonderful marking pins.

From sweet Clare - these wonderful goodies - look at that lighthouse fabric - LOVE IT!!! and the lighthouse card. That key holder will hold the key to my new house in a few weeks.

My DIL and son gave me this too cute snail that my granddaughter Drew named Esci - for escargot LOL.

And Drew - well she made me this sign on the beach with the lovely pile of seaweed. Works for me!!!!! Will treasure this photo always.

Melissa also sent me this lighthouse card with my gorgeous lighthouse box. It is Peggy's Cove lighthouse in Nova Scotia. I was born in Nova Scotia and stood on those rocks in 2000!!!

And here are my stitching progresses.

I finished up this wallhanging. It was a kit and went together very nicely! I consider it a stitching progress cause I had to add the windows and the rails after with floss.

I brought my lighthouse RR to the cottage and got lots done. I did the boat border up the right side.
I decided to name and number each lighthouse underneath - over 1 on 32 count. My eyes just about crossed.
I added the words - Lighthouse Keepers and added the names of the stitcher for each lighthouse.
I'm really liking how it is coming together.

And Royal Holiday got some major work!!!
Here she is before.

And here she is now!!!! She will now be my focus piece until she is done! I can finally see an end in sight.

Well, off to buy a kitchen countertop, and hardwood floor and paint for the master bedroom. Three weeks until we have possession of our new house. Am I excited!! You bet!!!!

Until next time - keep those needles singing.

Pennies from Heaven

2010-08-10T21:43:00.001-04:00

I have been truly blessed by the wonderful stitching friends I have made since I started this blog three years ago. The generosity of stitchers is amazing.
My birthday is tomorrow and I have received some lovely gifts.

From Melissa the most astonishingly beautiful gift you could imagine.

Look at this box.

The finishing is impeccable. Melissa has stitched the lighthouse from Shores of Hawk Run Hollow for me and used it to top this wonderful box. She has lined and covered the outside and inside of the box perfectly. It even has a drawer. I wish you could see it. It is just so gorgeous..

Inside she included a pair of lighthouse scissors (she said they called my name LOL). She made the lighthouse needleminder herself. She included some of the fabrics in case I wanted to add smalls to the case. She added some wonderful button pins and some sticky notes with my initial K. I had to pick up the phone and call her personally to say thank you. Melissa is indeed one of my pennies from heaven. My birthday card was a photo of a lighthouse from my birth province of Nova Scotia. Melissa put her heart and her thoughts into such a wonderful gift. Thank you my friend!

From Bonnie who knew I had been searching for this - a wonderful milk glass scissor frog. And here it is Bonnie - full of scissors. Thank you so very much.

From my dear 94 year old friend Adriana this wonderful bookmark. I am so blessed to have her in my life. It is because of her that I stitch.

Just before I left for my vacation this gorgeous little packet arrived in my mailbox from Michele W. This is her personal exchange to me. Love the wrapping. I may have to borrow this idea for a future exchange. The needlebook - just too cute - and the other goodies were greatly appreciated and quickly distributed to their new homes. You can see the scissors in the afore mentioned frog. Thank you Michele for a wonderful experience.

When you go away for two weeks you have a full mailbox when you return.

I won this wonderful handmade Q-snap cover from Sadie and she included these beautiful threads as she did not want the cover to be lonely on it's long trip LOL. Of course, the Q snaps are packed when I went to find them to put the cover on.

From Margaret came this wonderful lighthouse pattern that she offered to pass on once she was done. She included a JBW design from my wishlist with a wonderful skein of thread.

I won a draw on Carolyn's blog for Mirablia's Valentine Fairy. Carolyn says she is glad it went to me as I moderate a Mirablia blog. She sent the fabric, threads, Kreinik and beads. And she added a little extra. The sunflowers will be a really cute stitch. Generous indeed!

And so, my mailbox was full of "Pennies from Heaven". Thank you everyone for your generosity. It is greatly appreciated.

Before I left on vacation I sent Mare her blogaversary package.She was this year's winner and I asked her for suggestions. She asked for a Christmas ornament and so I stitched "A Christmas Song" from the 2008 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Magazine and included a few other little goodies. She assures me she likes it.

My clicky finger found this pattern I had been searching for and it was in my mailbox when I returned - Dragon Quaker by Stickadeen van den Wiehenburg.

I did not shop much while away but I did run across these. Now, you can't be surprised that they ended up in my cart ROFL.

My google reader has 592 posts. As our cottage is many miles in the bush with no internet access I only checked emails twice. Cell phones do not work and we don't have a landline there. There is no way I can catch up with that many posts. So, I will read as many as I can but commenting won't be happening until I clear my reader. Please know that I am looking at, admiring and oohing over all your stitching and other assorted projects. You all amaze and inspire me. You too, are my pennies from heaven.
Edited to add: Phew, I made it through all your posts. WOW!!!! Will be back to reading and commenting now!
I did stitch and stitch and stitch but that will have to wait till my next post for pictures along with some photos from my holiday.

and keep those needles smokin'

If you made it to the end of this post - thank you for letting me share with you.

Exchanges and gifts

2010-07-19T21:28:00.000-04:00

I have received notice that my two exchanges for July have been received. I can now share them with you.

The first exchange went to Michele. I stitched the scissor protector and needlebook from The Gift of Stitching 2008 on 32 count Ivory Lugana with the recommended GAST Threads. I loved the colors in this and it went together beautifully after having some help understanding the instructions from Beatrice.

Here are the other goodies I included in her package.

The second exchange went to Nic in the U.K. Nic is new to me and she has Linden Bee Designs. Now, doesn't that make one nervous about stitching when you are stitching for a designer.

For her I stitched For My Friend Scissor Pocket from Cat Whiskers Studio, Limited Edition 2009 on 32 count Cookie Dough using Dinky Dyes - Kalamunda. Again, a challenge to put together but well worth it in the end.

Here are the little extras I included in her exchange.

From my sweet friend Helen - a gift - Blackstone Fantasy Garden. Helen has stitched it and then passed on the pattern. I love this one and it was on my to do list. Thank you so very much my friend.

I also won a giveaway and look at the cool gift I won.

I will be taking it to Thursday stitching where we shall all try it out. Thank you so much Joanne.

I'm sure like many others of you, it has been so stinking hot! The humidity has been brutal! and let me tell you I get very cranky. I just don't handle it well. It did break for a day but today we are back in the high temps again.

I will be leaving Friday to go on vacation for a little over two weeks. We have a cottage in Northern Ontario - no phone, no internet! I am looking forward to some quiet time and some serious stitching. And I hope to do some fishing - I am a closet fisherperson. I love fishing for bass. That is the only time of the year I take to do that but I love every minute of it. I will bait my own line and I take the fish off with a rubber kitchen glove - hey - whatever works - right! Cleaning the fish is up to DH.

My blogging and reading will be sparse as I have to drive 15 miles into town to get internet but I will catch up where I can. Until then, keep those needles singin'

Lighthouses and school children

2010-07-07T07:23:00.001-04:00

I am so very excited. In 2007 I started a lighthouse RR. Well, this RR has had it's issues. The designs are from Stoney Creek. Each lighthouse took a huge number of threads and a very large amount of time. Each person who stitched on it grumbled and complained their way through their block. When my local stitchers had done their contribution, some away stitchers volunteered their services. So after 3 1/2 years, it is home. I still need to stitch the last block and do the border. I am going to add the name of each lighthouse under each block and then add the names of the stitchers at the bottom. It is not done but it is home in my hands and that is where it will stay.
The last stitcher was Jenn from Sweetpea Stitches and she included photos of the lighthouse she stitched. Her husband also stitches and he did all the back stitching on her piece. She and her DH do lighthouse tours and had actually been to the Selkirk lighthouse that she stitched. I am planning to frame the photos and hang them near this RR when it is done. She also included some lovely little angel pins that she made and a lighthouse design that her DH had stitched.

My stitching has been for 2 exchanges that went out in the mail last week. I did work on a RR for a local stitcher. Barb (no blog) is a retired teacher and find this cute design in an old pamphlet. My Thursday stitching group are working on this for her. I did the two little guys to the right - one dipping the girl's hair in the inkwell and the second under the desk. Kinda reminds me of my boys when they were young. LOL.

I received this package in the mail yesterday. In my recent exchange with Clare, there was a set of thread keepers from Rosewood Manor. Unfortunately, a couple got broken in transit. When I contacted Karen at Rosewood Manor about replacement cost, she generously sent me a replacement package at no charge and included a free pattern. So a BIG Thank You and a worthy mention goes to Karen Kluba at Rosewood Manor designs!!!

I stitched the April block on my SanMan Snowman. Love these little pieces.

I really need to take some time and get back to my BAP's but it is too hot to pick up a large piece of fabric. With the Humidex, it was over 100 degrees here yesterday. It was not quite that hot but close Monday and today is supposed to be even hotter then yesterday. I plan to spend my day on my swing outside, stitching and enjoying the breeze from the water. I hope all of you who are experiencing this heat wave survive well.

Till next time, keep those stitches crossed.

HAPPY CANADA DAY FROM THE PFEIFFERS AND I

2010-07-01T16:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Canada Day one and All.

Last year at this time, Vonna made a comment on my blog that she thought she would like to celebrate Canada Day too. Well, of course, that set the wheels turning.She had forgotten all about that comment but I hadn't. A package went off in the mail a few weeks ago. Today you can see the results.

My adopted family for this year's Canada Day - the Pfeiffer clan. You should read the post on Vonna's blog. It is wonderful.

Mirabilia Framed and All About the Family

2010-06-27T22:57:00.000-04:00

Here is my framed Mirabilia.

It will hang proudly in my new home. Until then, it is carefully under wraps.

Two weeks ago we celebrated my dad's 80th birthday. He is in remarkable health and it was fun to have a family get together. My sister and her family were home from Texas so we were all together for the first time in many years. We had a wonderful photographer who made some memories.

My father and mother

My parents and my sisters and I

The entire family

Leo and I with our children and grandchildren

Our sweet granddaughter Drew had her Grade 8 graduation on Friday.
Here she is looking very grown up.

And she received the Reading Award.

Leo gives her $10 an "A" and this year he was happy to give her $100 - way to go girl!!!

Have some stitchy stuff to post but will save it till the next time. Enjoy your visit with my family.