Halloween Exchange at Fair & Square

Just got back from the post office where I picked up the squares sent to me by Janice.  Aren't they adorable?!  I can't wait to stitch them together as an ornament and hang them for this year.

Below are the squares I sent off to Janice including a photo of a 2nd 'signature' square.  I ended up having to stitch the squares twice because the first set never arrived.   

                                             Enjoy the slow beginnings of fall everyone! 

Wow - GREAT Give Away at Victorian Motto!

If you haven't heard, Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a Give Away on October 1st of the most adorable bag filled with $70 worth of items.  It's filled with finishing goodies such as ric-rac and lace in beautiful fall colors!  She's even including the most adorable Halloween pattern.

Be sure you check it out.  In fact, check out her entire shoppe ~ It's filled with her wonderful designs along with hand-dyed items for finishing your stitched pieces.  No matter what the season, the shoppe is worth the visit! 

Also ~ For those new to applique like myself . .

There is also another great give away at All About Applique featuring a new book by Angela Lawrence titled Needle Turn Applique, The Basics and Beyond.  It breaks down the steps of doing hand applique ~ something I enjoy as much as cross stitch. 

EEK! Halloween?

Originally I was going to spend the two weeks of the Olympics stitching only in red, white and blue but that didn't last long.  I blame it all on the JCS Halloween Issue that comes out every year at this time.  Once I see that, I just want it to be fall!  My first finish from the 2012 issue is . . . .

"Eek!"  Designed by Michelle Lutzen of Stitch Kitty 

done on 32 ct Violet Mist linen with DMC threads

I have three others in the works but I also finished a kit from Shepherd's Bush  

"Creepy Cushion"

done on 32 ct Willow Linen using silk threads

This one is very pale in color but I absolutely love the design and want to try it a 2nd time with a different color scheme.

That's it for now and thank you for visiting.  I really do enjoy the comments and I'd like to send out a special thank you to all who left suggestions about framing pieces.  It was truly appreciated!  When my decision has been made and it's done, I will be sure to post a pic.

ENJOY THE OLYMPICS EVERYONE!  

Don't you just love watching the youth and energy and all that they have accomplished?!   

Four More Finishes & a Framing Question

I should be working on my house while I'm off for the summer but instead ~ I'm stitching!

I managed to finish up four pieces this week ~ 3 of which had been in my basket for at least a year. 

Gathering Basket by Blackbird Designs

32 ct platinum linen with crescent colour threads 

                    Joy to Ewe - a kit from Chessie & Me

32 ct vintage meadow linen with Belle Soie threads

LOVED working with the Belle Soie! 

Cottage Charm Stitcher's Pocket from Milady's Needle

40 ct Lakeside Pear linen using Belle Soie in Tortoise Shell

The 4th piece was a repeat ~ Prairie Schooler's Fall Fields Rabbit.

This next week will be a FINISH the finished pieces week ~ hopefully!  I just need to gather the materials for the Stitcher's Pocket.

Which leads me to the question about framing.  While I have done my own pieces in the past, I have one piece I really want to have professionally done so I'm curious as to what others do.  Do you go the route of JoAnn's or Michaels with the 50% off coupon OR do you pay more and go PRO all the way at a real framing establishment?  And if so, do you have them do the lacing on the back for you?  

Thanks in advance for any tips you can share with me.! 

Have a wonderful day everyone and stay as cool as you can!

Sea Glass Stash!

Yes, there is more then one form of STASH!

But first, I just got  back from spending a few days on the beach at Seaside where I finished up July Word Play from With Thy Needle & Thread.  I really enjoyed stitching this piece and I can see that I will not be stopping with one month. 

I also never get tired of stitching with the sound of waves in the background!  God I love that sound!  If I ever hit the lottery, I know exactly where I want to be ~ Next to the ocean!  Which brings me to my 'other' stash!  Whenever I stay in Seaside, I set my alarm early to walk the beach to see if I can find a handful of sea glass.  Usually it will just be clear glass but this trip, I found a bounty!  

                     

And not just a bounty but greens and ambers and even a bit of blue!  Just as I was wondering why the drastic difference this year, a woman came on the news talking about a group that is collecting beach trash from secluded areas trying to determine to what extent, if any, some of it might be from last year's Tsunami in Japan.  It's incredible to think that with the ocean currents, things can travel that far, isn't it?!  

 

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July!    

F&S Exchange for May

Yes ~ I have been stitching!  I'll prove it by sharing photos of 2 squares I sent off to my F&S exchange partner, Renee.  They haven't been "officially" acknowledged yet on the F&S blog but she said she had received them as of a week ago so here goes.

I picked 3 things from her list of "likes" and focused on those:  French designs, birds and the color teal.  I was going to go with a creme linen but Lois at Elegant Stitch talked me into the white as it would show off the teal more and I agree.  The name of the thread was "really teally"!   

The pattern for the squares came from Atalie.  I found a site online, The Thread Basket, that carries French patterns.  I plan to stitch all 3 of these later for myself. 

I've also been stitching on the autum version of the winter sheep I did last year but I'm not thrilled with the colors so I'm finding it's slowing me down. 

Well La-D-Da!

A few weeks back, I attended a workshop at the Elegant Stitch with Lori Markovic of La D Da as the presenter.  She is so CREATIVE as a designer!  The first evening we worked on a project for which we had each been told to bring a candlestick.  Since none of us knew what we were going to do with them, there was quite a variety  of candlesticks among the group.  Lori helped us to attach the small black velvet cushion on the top of our candlesticks along with a matching bow.  We were then gifted with beautiful black beaded pins which we immediated stuck into our new pincushion.  Just as we thought it couldn't get any better, we were given these darling red boxes in which we found mini black scissors that had the most gorgeous scissor fobs attached.  Of course we instantly hung our new scissors on our new pincushions!  Now I'm dying to fix up a stitching area where I can display it all!

We were given homework the first night to begin the stitching part of the project.  While I finished the stitching before coming home, I did not get a chance to put it all together yet.  It's going to be turned into a stitching roll to hold needles and threads.  Putting it all together will my goal in the next few weeks. 

If you ever get a chance to attend a workshop at Elegant Stitch, Lois is a wonderful hostess!      

A Finish and a New Project Bag!

I had ordered a large project pouch from the talented Faye over at Carolina Stitcher.   I asked for a spring fabric and when it arrived yesterday, I knew exactly which booklet and projects I would store in it.  But first look at the darling zipper clasp - it's a floss card holder with thread!  How adorable is that!  I love the pouch, Faye!  

 

This week I finished up one of the designs from The Prairie Schooler's Signs of Spring booklet.  Since I want to stitch almost all of them, I am going to store everything for it in this new pouch. 

I have to say that as I was stitching various projects this past week, I realized how much I appreciate the photographs taken by The Prairie Schooler as well as those taken by Belinda of Blue Ribbon Designs because when I use the colors they recommend for their patterns, they actually look like those in the photo.  I just want to say THANK YOU for that!     

Blue Ribbon Designs Giveaway!

Belinda Karls-Nace of Blue Ribbon Designs is having a giveaway of two of her cheerful spring designs.  What I love best about her patterns is that you can do them as one large piece or take sections and make all kinds of smalls with them.  Being a lover of smalls, I just love that!  Be sure to head over to her blog to enter!
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On aother note ~ I have decided to end my subscription with a popular cross stitch magazine.  You know the one ~ we all wait eagerly each year to see their special ornament issues.   After having bought it off the shelves for years, I decided to subscribe last July.  Unfortunately, after receiving one issue, I failed to receive any more.  After much questioning and then flat out begging by e-mail and written letter, I did manage to receive two more issues.  Nothing says 'the holidays' like receiving a Halloween issue in early December!   I haven't seen an issue since.  Their standard reply is that since everything is fine at their end, they suggest that I ask the mailman why he isn't delivering the magazine.  Um, yeah - Sorry but I like the guy so I'm not going to insult him with that question.  My only hope now is that whoever is receiving the magazine likes to cross stitch.  Then I can think of it as my gift to the XS universe.   

Thanks for letting me vent.  Enjoy the spring weather appearing out there!

Received a GiveAway From Faye!

I have cactus and a finish to show off but first up is the giveaway I won from Faye ~ Yay!  I was lucky enough to win this zippered pouch made by Faye.  It came in beautiful red wrapping and had Faye's original business card attached - great job on those cards, Faye!  Faye not only creates darling pouches but she's also available for finishing as well. 

I LOVE this pouch from the color and pattern to the inside lining to the bird-in-a-cage zipper clasp!  I've already filled it with a new pattern I picked up in the bay area called Cottage Charm Stitcher's Pocket from Milady's Needle.  What a great way to end a work week.  THANK YOU, FAYE! 

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 I don't know if it's age or what but I have become enamored with cactus in the last few years.  It all started when I saw a cactus the color of eggplant in Carmel and then began to notice them in pinks and lavenders.  If you're ever in Berkely, stop by the Cactus Jungle.  It's worth the visit! 

             

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 Last by not least, my latest finish!  I began this as part of the January 2011 Crazy Challenge.  My goal for 2012 is to go back and finish as many of the 15 as I can.  The pattern is Blessed Beyond Measure from Blue Ribbon Designs and it has it's own 3" square ruler.  I've added a hanging cord for storing it in view.  

                                            
                    Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments!

Quilted Gardens Fob & Pillow Complete!

 YES!  COMPLETION!  I am so bad at finishing "finishing" so this year I not only want to complete projects started last year but also to completely FINISH them.  This is number one for 2012.

It's the scissor fob and pin pillow from Blue Ribbon Designs "Quilted Gardens".  I love the colors in this pattern.  It's tempting me to start the large version of the design but I'm afraid that will have to wait a few years for my retirement. 


Ug-A-Buggah!  I'm having a heck of a time with blogger today! 

I'm also halfway to finishing this "Blessed Beyond Measure by BRD as well. Enjoy your Sunday everyone!