Seven Stinkin' Stitches...

...is exactly how many I had left to finish Autumn Cottage when I ran out of Weeks Terra Cotta (notice the half an acorn by "Autumn").

I am going to pick up a skein when we go on our little vacation and complete it along with the little pumpkin button, so stay tuned...an official "finished" picture will be posted next week. :)

I pulled Shores back out and worked on block 2. It is almost finished. I was hoping to get it done by the end of September, but not sure that I will make it. This is a busy week ahead with little stitching time.

I did a floss toss tonight. Tell me what you think. I am wanting to stitch Judith Kirby's two Halloween houses as one design. I am thinking about using this piece of Picture This Plus cashel called "Haunted." It is a little dark, but that is kind of the look I am going for. I am hoping that the stitches will show up on this fabric, however.

My sweet DH treated me to a new little camera over the weekend. Isn't it the cutest thing! It's about the size of a deck of cards. I love it! I have been wanting something small enough to carry in my purse for spur of the moment photos as well as a good camera to take on vacation that is not heavy to lug around. I think I found it. :)

That's it for tonight. I am tired. Worked all day. Took the car for an oil change/tire rotation. Ran a few errands while I was out. Hoping to sit, stitch, and watch both Big Bang Theory and Castle tonight after tucking Jake in for the night.

Happy Stitching!

Kellie

Shimmering Mermaid--FINISHED!

I finished Shimmering Mermaid a few weeks ago, but I am just now getting around to posting a photo. Life has been busy and blogging has taken a backseat, but hopefully it is getting better and I will be posting more often.

I decided to leave off both the border and the compass. I prefer just her without the other things distracting from her. I was never too crazy about the border, and to me, the compass placement looked too crowded. I am very happy with my choice and think she will look lovely as she is. I hope to have her framed, but I am not sure where I am going to hang her.

Shimmering Mermaid

Mirabilia

Started January 2009

Finished Friday, September 11, 2009

Recommended DMC, Kreinik, and Mill Hill beads

Fabric: 32 ct. Blueberry by Silkweaver (hand dyed)

Since I finished her, I have been really unfocused, picking up multiple projects, stitching for a bit, and moving on to something else. This happens to me almost every time I finish something. I have a hard time finding my groove on something else for awhile. I haven't made enough progress on most of the ones that I worked on to show pictures except for two...

I made a meager start on Mirabilla's Fairy Moon (I am not sure that this is even picture worthy, but I wanted to document the start for myself). I started this one as soon as I finished Shimmering Mermaid on September 11. I am stitching it on 28 ct. Dawn by PTP.

And I was a lucky winner in Ehandcrafts' Labor Day sale and won a Lizzie Kate Boxer kit. This one is called Autumn Cottage. I love it. I started it on the first day of fall (9/22) and hope to finish it today.

Not sure what I will work on next.... I may go back to Fairy Moon for awhile or I might try to finish block 2 of Shores of Hawk Run Hollow before the end of September (the END of September! Where did September go exactly? It has flown by!)

I am so excited about all of the new stuff coming out. I have pre-ordered two early favorites....

Plum Street Samplers' Paradise Lost and Carriage House Samplings' Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow. I am so excited about both of them, although I think the silks for each will eventually bankrupt me. LOL! I also ordered fabric for Paradise Lost. Thankfully, I already have the fabric that I need for Christmas HRH.

I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the new designs. I am have heard that Lizzie Kate is releasing a Christmas ABC, similair ABC lessons, which I think I will like.

I saw this on Hoffman's yesterday, and it will be hitting my wish list soon as well...

Isn't that gorgeous!! It is by Rosewood Manor and is called Quaker Diamonds. I LOVE it!!! And I love stitching with Valdani threads.

I saw where Goode Huswife has released a boy crow Ira Ray to go with Ida Mae, and her third book which is the Colonial Gardening series.

So what are your favorites so far that you have seen that are being released at Market this year? What are your "must haves"?

We have fall break coming up in one week. I am so excited! Looking forward to the time off. We are planning to go to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg for a three night stay. We are staying at the Inn at Christmas Place which we love, and I am looking forward to visiting Dixie Darlin' while we are there. My parents are going with us. They are as excited as we are. :)

Sorry this has been really, really long. If you are still reading, thanks for hanging in there. Shorter posts to follow, I promise. :)

That's it for today. It is a rainy Saturday here in my little part of Kentucky. I don't mind. I plan to stitch all afternoon. :)

Have a great weekend!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Thank you...mermaid...new re-start

I was recently a winner of a very nice giveaway by Jolene at Dip Diddly Designs. I won the Jane Austen BBC DVD giveaway she offered on her blog. I was so excited! And even more excited when they arrived. Thank you Jolene...I love them. I find these movies very relaxing to stitch to. Love Jane Austen. :)

In stitching news...

I finished stitching Bent Creek's Snapperville. I still have to attach the darn snaps and buttons to the border. I will post a pic when I get that part finished and claim it then as a true finish. :) I have read where some people didn't care for the snaps, but I really like them. I think it gives it a sort of charm. (Julie, thank you for the offer on the Autumn snappers. I do want to stitch them someday, but I don't know when it will be, so I hate to borrow them with no plan in mind. But it is so very sweet of you to offer).

I finally ordered and received the beads that I ran out of on Shimmering Mermaid. Her tail is now finished and I have moved on to the swoopy and beaded things on her left side. I am in the home stretch. I am trying to decide if I want to add the compass and border to her or not. I have seen her stitched both ways and I am not sure which I prefer. I can't decide if I am just being lazy because I hate backstitching and that border is almost all backstitching, or if it is really that I think I might like the look better. (or if it is because I am itching to start either Fairy Moon or Cottage Garden Fairy next....) I wish these were the only type of decisions that I had to make in a day. :)

While I was procrastinating snapping Snapperville and waiting on beads in the mail, a spark of inspiration hit me while reading this at Nicole's blog. If you scroll toward the bottom of the post (after stopping to admire the quilt and stash first, of course :) ), she has pictures of several designs she has kitted. I loved the way she kitted When Witches Go Riding with Belle Soie. I also love the Shepherd's Bush conversion that she links to. This inspired me to try my own conversion on this design. I had started it last year in DMC, but did not get far, so I decided to re-start it this year on different fabric and making up my own overdyed conversion as well. I haven't gotten very far...really not even far enough to show a picture, but I am going to anyway. LOL!

This is the conversion that I am going with right now, if anyone is interested. I may change it as I go along, but I think I am going to like the way this all goes together.

DMC Conversion

420 Weeks Bright Leaf

422 Weeks Straw

898 Weeks Maple Syrup

Weeks Celadon (grass)

GAST Hyacinth (letters)

937 Weeks Hunter

3371 Weeks Onyx

3826 Weeks Sweet Potato

3857 GAST Mulberry (?? Still mulling this one over)

That is all of my news. Glad that tomorrow is Friday. We have a big weekend planned. Jake and I will be shopping for cleats tomorrow afternoon so that he can play in the season's first little league game Saturday morning. I am singing with the praise team on Sunday and looking forward to that. :) Hoping to have some time to stitch and maybe scrapbook as well in between.

Hope all of you enjoy your weekend and find time for stitching as well.

Kellie