TUSAL and catching up

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.