We be stitching

The last of our visitors are gone and I am free to stitch again. Yippee!! And the needles have been smoking!

I think I will let the photos say it for me.

First up, my Easter Fair and Squares for Melissa.


The bunnies are from Marjolein Bastien's Four Season's Sampler on 32 count antique white Lugana. I have stitched these for another Fair and Square round but Melissa is a bunny lover and these are just the cutest ever.

I picked up my Fairies in the Garden, did some border, a couple of flowers and a pretty butterfly.

I stitched a heart on Donna's Friendship Sampler and sent it off in the mail.



I stitched on Noddy and now we have the head of a giraffe and the grey blob is the beginnings of an elephant.

I stitched up this little biscornu for Juls when I went to Las Vegas and shamelessly borrowed the photos from her site cause they were better than mine.

It was a freebie.

I finished stitching this little Halloween sampler from Heart in Hand on a piece of 32 count hand-dyed mystery fabric using WDW threads. The little pumpkin button I bought at Stitcher's Paradise in Las Vegas. The pattern then flew off to the Netherlands to hopefully help Annemarie cheer up.

I sewed my Sisterhood into this little pillow and it sits beside my stitching chair. When I look at it, I think of the joy that stitching gives me and all the other stitchers out there.


I started my HAED - 3 1/2 hours, 250 stitches and a tiny dark navy blob.

My design is Peacock Lagoon. But, hey, I'm happy - I started it!!!! I consider this one my 10 year project.

There are a couple of other things I would like to mention.

You may notice on some of your blogs that I have added my name as a follower and my photo shows as a farmhouse. That farmhouse is a photo that I took back in the 80's. It is of my paternal grandparent's house after being abandoned for many years. The property had been sold and resold several times and the house was allowed to fall to rack and ruin. Since that photo the house has collapsed completely. I just love that photo and decided to use it.
Our adopted, spare son took this photo and made it look like an oil painting. I had it enlarged and framed and it hangs in my parent's home. My dad just loves it.

And one other piece of happy news. Every second year, the quilt group that I belong to make and raffle a quilt to raise money for Precious Treasures here in Arizona. Precious Treasures is an organization that provides before and after day care for the migrant worker's children. They also provide a summer program. This year we raised over $500 and immediately sent them a cheque to help cover their summer program. And the best part, I WON THE QUILT!!!!

I was so excited. I have loved this quilt since the first time I saw the squares and the vibrant colors. The photos do not do it justice. It is so much brighter in color. The two squares that I made and contributed are Row 1 - #5 and Row 4 - #6.

P.S. The Sister is finished and Carol has posted to her blog that she will soon be ready to travel. Check it out if you are interested.

Till next time, keep those crosses crossed!

Hello - it's me

Hi everyone. I am back from my grand adventures.
I will share my stitching updates with you and then if you wish you can have a little peak at our trip.

Here are the beautiful Winter Fair Squares I received from Gillie (no blog).


My Make a Wish also came in the mail recently. Chris made me this beautiful Altoid tin.


The design is from Victoria Sampler and from the Christmas Poinsettia leaflet. The photo does not do it justice. It is so dainty and I love the hardanger. I so admire hardanger but am afraid to try it.

Here is my addition to Annette's RR. I chose "Winter Cottage" from Maryse's House. I really enjoyed this stitch. Annette is doing individual squares - not sure what she has in mind at the end.

I have a couple of secret stitches finished but cannot show them yet. And today, I picked up Noddy and put a few stitches in that. I will post a photo of that next time.

Our next stop after Las Vegas was the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon was as breathtaking and awe inspiring as ever.

We have been there several times and it still takes our breath away.

And look what we found while we were there - SNOW!!!


This handsome fella welcomed us at a local trading post during our drive from the Canyon to Flagstaff. I think he has been too long in the Arizona sun.

At breakfast in Flagstaff, most of the guests were in ski clothes. We knew then it was time to head back to southern Arizona and warm weather LOL.
We travelled through the beautiful red rocks of Sedona and then up the narrow mountain roads to the city of Jerome then returning tired but happy home later that evening.

Our guests left on Thursday at 11 a.m. and our next guests arrived at 2 p.m. the same day. My DH Leo will be 60 on Monday and his sister and her husband have come from Florida to celebrate the day with him. I am in the party planning mode now!!!

Until next time, may all your stitches cross where they should LOL.

Vegas Baby

First of all, thank you to everyone who stopped by and left a little note for drawing of the sisterhood. I have met many wonderful new people and checked out many new blogs (still working on that). The winner's name is Carol - Linen Stitcher.

We are in wonderful, wacky Las Vegas.

My first stop in Las Vegas was a wonderful little slice of heaven called Stitcher's Paradise. I was introduced to this shop by an online friend and we met there. Here is a photo of Juls and I in the shop. I walked out with 1/2 yd 25 count antique white lugana for my HAED, 1/4 yd. white 32 count lugana to restart my Cirque des Cercles, Glendon Places "Monster March", M Designs "Las Vegas" (only available at this shop) and some new threads. I was so in awe I left without the threads that I actually needed. It was so nice to meet Juls. She knows her fabric and designers! She amazed me with her knowledge. We had a lovely time and extended it to dinner in a local restaurant. Thank you Juls - it was a great pleasure to meet you and I hope we meet again.

We have had some friends from home fly here. We have met them and are touring the strip. It is as anyone would expect - over the top. There doesn't seem to be any recession here. It is crazy busy and the number of young people is astonishing. We have had lots of laughs and have not won a single dime in the casinos. Such is life. As I have been to Vegas several times I thought I would share a couple of different photos of the Strip.
These are the doors to the ladies washroom in Planet Hollywood in Caesar's Palace.On the exterior wall of the Venetian.Dh and his friend outside of the Riviera.

Now, for stitching. The Fair Squares that I have sent recently have been received and so I can share them with you.
My Round 11 squares are:
Dear Friend by Elizabeth Designs on 32 count antique white Lugana. I added the heart in the middle.

My Winter Squares were a freebie (Mausimom I believe) on the same fabric.


There was no information on these lovely squares I received from Mia in Finland. They are gorgeous. Love the design.

I am working on a couple of secret stitches at the moment and so cannot share anything else for now.
I will blog again when I can. We are leaving tomorrow for the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Sedona and Jerome and then home to Yuma.

Take care. And May all your losses be little! Just ask me about that!!!!!

And the winner is......................

LINEN STITCHER!!!!

Congratulations Carol.

Please send me your snail mail address to drewsgrands@hotmail.com and the lady will be on her way.

The Sisterhood is Ready for Travel

Here she is in all her glory. I stitched her on 32 count Bone Lugana using DMC threads. She is done in blues to stay in my Arizona home. She is ready to travel in search of another sister stitcher.

This is the path she has taken on her journey.

Harmien in the Netherlands (November 3, 2007)
She sent it to Lili in France (June 17, 2007)
Who sent it to Barbara in Malaysia (June 25, 2007)
Who sent it to Tessa in Australia (July 16, 2007)
Who sent it to Lizzie in North Carolina, U.S. (February 26, 2008)
Who sent it to Barbara in the Netherlands (March 11, 2008)
Who sent it to Sarah (no blog) in Ohio, U.S. (April 11, 2008)
Who sent it to Anna in Pennsylvania, U.S. (May 28, 2008)
Who sent it to Wendy in Ontario, Canada (July 4, 2008)
Who sent it to Sue in Michigan, U.S. (August 2, 2008)
Who sent it to Jennifer in Pennsylvania, U.S. (September 2, 2008)
Who sent it to CJ in Texas, U.S. (October 25, 2008)
Who sent it to Claire in Nova Scotia, Canada (January 20, 2009
Who sent it to Kathy in Arizona, U.S. (February 17, 2009)

If you would like to be the next to receive the travelling pattern, please leave a comment on this post including your email address.
You have until midnight February 25th to leave your comment. I will draw a name on Feb. 26th and will mail her as soon as possible after that.
When you have finished stitching her please post her to your blog including a list of her journey and send her on her way.

Lots of stitching and not all on fabric

I have had a very busy week. My trip to the post office this past week sent five packages off in the mail. And it was fun.
I cannot show you much of the stitching that was mailed until it is received but I do have a few things to show you.

I granted Jill's Make a Wish and she emailed me that it arrived yesterday. She wished for a design by Sampler Girl. I pdf'd this pattern called Lavender Mansion and ordered the GAST threads from Stitching Bits and Bob's. The fabric is Silkweaver's 28 count Jamaiican Sunset. I made it into a little house pillow.

I received a lovely gift from Sandra this past week. She had mentioned on her blog that she was unable to get a walking foot for her sewing machine. I had two that did not fit mine so I mailed them off to her. Well, they both fit. She was very happy. She sent me these beautiful things as a thank you.
Check out the almond cakes. Yep, those are cakes!!!!!
I gridded and stitched my heart on my Friendship Sampler RR and it is ready for mailing. I did a floss toss so you could see my fabric and choice of colors.My fabric is 32 count bone lugana. I stitched my heart with DMC 4230 - actually a mauve color and my colors are mauves, blues and greens. I think it will turn out nice.

I stitched on my Royal Holiday for the Friday Let's Stitch. She is now a beige blog with some brown swirls and I actually got to add some red too!!!

And from the very bottom of my basket came Noddy. I have added the cow at the bottom and that pink blob is a pig. I need so much encouragement to work on this one. I am just not enjoying it.

And now the other set of stitches. My little grandson Hunter fell twice in about three hours and now has 7 stitches, 3 over his left eye and 4 in his forehead. His poor parents were a mess. He now has a helmet to wear until he heals some and my son says he will wear it until he is 17.

Until next time, may all your stitches be in fabric!!!!!

Better late than never

I am so sorry everyone. I just have so many irons in the fire, I'm hot, hot, hot!!!! I am stitching and quilting away.

For those of you who have followed the trials and tribulations of Marjean's Mirabilia RR you will be happy to know that it is safe in her hands WHEW!!!!

I have won The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern. It is in the mail to me as I type. So, keep your eyes open for when I post that I am finished and that it is ready to move on. I am honored to join the Sisterhood!

I recently won a giveaway on Jennifer's blog. This is the beautiful package that arrived in the mail today. WOW!!
The stitched bag is just so pretty and see the chocolates are still inside the bag - well, for a few minutes anyway. She included some Thread Heaven, Piecemaker needles (my favorite), a lighthouse calendar and a gorgeous Just Nan pattern (my first ever!)

I finished Shannon's Winter Neighborhood. It was a fun stitch. I think my house is a bit small but I live in a small house too.

That is the only stitching photo I can share! Jill's Make a Wish is finished and will be in the mail this week. I am working away on the first of three Fair and Squares.

Here is a photo of my Mystery Quilt. It is called Pinwheel Parade. It was tricky to find 4 shades of 4 colors with no patterns, prints or flowers and then see what they became.


Our quilt group also had a challenge - make a quilted piece with the intials of your name. Here is mine

K - Khaki
M - Mauve
L - Lemon
A - Avacado

There was a lot of light when I took this photo so the colors are not true. Let me tell you - K was difficult!!!!
In other news, I have joined the Friendship Sampler RR starting at the end of February. I think there are still a few spaces left. If anyone is interested, please email me and I will provide you with the details.

And dear Ruth is the only person to have agreed to be interviewed. The rest of you are such chickens LOL. You can check out her blog to see what questions I asked her and how she answered them.
Until the next time, keep stitching one and all. I consider myself so fortunate to be part of this awesome stitching community.