The Stitching Post

overload

2012-01-14T11:07:00.009-05:00

I didn't mean to be away so long. I am trying to be better about blogging more frequently.

The last week has been very hard. I don't typically dwell on sad things on my blog, much preferring to mainly focus on stitching and knitting and positive. But this week has had a profound impact on me and if you will indulge me for a minute, I will get back to more positive things....

Most of you that have been reading for some time, know that I am a school counselor. I have worked at all levels from kindergarten to eighth grade. Actually when I first started this blog I was an elementary school counselor shared between our two elementary schools and within the last year and a half, I transferred back to our middle school. Anyway....

Last weekend, one of the elementary school principals that I worked for previously was tragically killed in a car accident. It was a single car accident. It is thought that she swerved (to avoid an animal maybe?), over corrected and lost control of her car. She was killed instantly. She was young. Forty seven (I think that is young...), and she had two children. And she was the caretaker of her family. And she was a respected well-loved principal that knew every single child and adult in her building by name. She hugged. A lot. She told people she loved them. A lot. And a whole community has been in mourning for her all week. Along with everyone else, I am struggling to understand how such a vibrant person can suddenly be gone when so many people needed and relied on her. It has caused me to rethink a lot of things. To want to be a better version of myself. To be kinder than necessary. To live fully in the moment. Every. Single. Day. To not dwell on past hurts or troubles. To not worry about future problems that I have absolutely no control over. To be the best mother and wife and daughter and sister and aunt that I can be. To tell people that I love them and appreciate them. Not just people in my family who I tell daily that I love them, but my friends that I am close to who I may not have let know how much they mean to me. To learn ALL five hundred and fifty plus students names every single year so that they know that they matter to me too.

Okay enough of the sad.....

On to the positive....

In the little time that I have had, I have stitched and knitted this week.

I finished Poinsettia House! Just in time for the new small that will be announced tomorrow. I am so loving this 2012 Year of Smalls challenge. I chose to stitch our name on the sampler rather than "poinsettia."

Poinsettia House by Little House Needleworks

40 count Lakeside Linen Navy Bean

recommended threads

I think I mentioned in my last post that I am wanting to stitch a lot of smalls this year and to work on whittling down my WIP pile. Most of which are BAPs.... I am trying to focus on one WIP at a time in between the smalls that I stop to stitch. Right now, my focus in Paradise Lost by Plum Street Samplers. While I love Paulette's quirky fun trees, I will be happy to have all of them stitched on this piece. This last one with the diamond shaped leaves is about to plow me under.... LOL!

In the world of knitting, I have embarked on making some baby hats. I have two teachers in my building that are having babies soon. Like one of them is due this month. She's having a girl and I finished her hat last night. Here it is modeled on one of my baby dolls from when I was a child.

Easy Peasy Newborn Sock Hat

Free pattern found here: Ravelry

Classic Elite Yarn Summer Sox

3.25 mm needles

Mods:needle size and stitched stockinette for 4 inches instead of 3.5 inches

Anyone know what these dolls are called? I know they are old and antique, but I know very little about them. I was given two of them by a great aunt. I remember seeing these type of dolls in clothing stores when I was a child in the 70s. They used them as mannequins for baby and children's clothing. I can remember seeing them sitting on top of clothing racks, but not for sale. I have no idea how my great aunt came by the ones she had. They were old when she gave them to me as a child. If any of you know anything about them, let me know. I am curious to learn about them.

I am working on Jake's epic striped blanket. I have started stripe number three of seven. This is supposed to be my focus knitting project right now, but I have strayed. I am knitting this out of Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand. Not that I am a yarn snob by any means, but I am not too fond of acrylic yarns. However for blankets, I want something machine washable and dryable. And Vanna's Choice is actually pretty soft to knit with and not squeaky on the needles. This is a modification of the Purl Bee Super Easy Baby Blanket. I just cast on a bunch more stitches (around 300 maybe?) and have made my stripes approximately 10 inches long (39 garter ridges). Very easy knit. Also very boring knit. But I love the simplicity and squishiness of garter stitch, and this is a great TV project.

Speaking of TV, I am officially hooked.... Love. This. Series. I watched the entire first series last weekend which was very therapeutic for me and helped to keep my mind occupied.

I cast on a pair of Toast mitts last night. I am making these out of KnitPicks City Tweed in the color Larkspur. This is the first time that I have knit with City Tweed, and I love it. I will be looking for more projects to knit using this yarn.

A lot of stash enhancement this week, partly thanks to my brother and sister-in-law who gave me gift certificates for Christmas....

Here's my yarn haul...

And the stitching haul....

The scissors were from my parents for Christmas. And I had the JCS magazine. I ordered the fabric, button, needed threads and beads to make the Bloom pincushion. I have fallen victim to Laura's stitching group's influence. I think all of them have this as one of their twelve projects to complete in the coming year. After seeing it featured repeatedly and loving it more each time I saw it, it is now one of my projects to complete in the coming year. :)

Another goal for the coming year... organization!! Everywhere, but including my stitching and knitting. I am a pretty organized person, but I have let some things slide lately and one area is keeping my stash and supplies organized. I am sucker for the visual. I love quirky and unique. I am going to try to find a few more of these locker baskets to store my stash of charts in. I love being able to see what I have at a glance and to be able to flip through them easily. More organization ideas to come. Please share yours with me. Particularly on overdyed threads. I like flossaway bags. What I don't like is figuring out a good way to store them. I have outgrown the big 3 inch rings. I either need more rings or bigger rings or a whole other system. Any ideas?

Okay, now that I have overloaded you completely, and probably very few of you are still reading at this point, I am going to sign off of the day.

Have a good weekend. Tell someone you love them today.

Kellie

3 Things....

2011-12-28T15:21:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! It's been awhile. Crazy busy here, as all of us are, so I haven't posted for awhile. I have so much to share that if I put it all in one post it would be very long and overwhelming. So my goal will be to share a few things in multiple posts over the next few days.

So first, stitching.... One of my current projects is Poinsettia House by LHN. I joined Laura's Year of Smalls, and have started the first project. I am enjoying it immensely. I am finding that I am enjoying small, quick projects lately. I am stitching it with the called for threads, but switched out fabric to a 40 ct Navy Bean that I had in my stash rather than the called for 28 ct Light Exemplar. I am loving this design on a smaller scale with one thread stitched over two.

Second, a knitting finish... Ida's Kitchen by Kirsten Kapur. I started this earlier this year, put it aside, and recently picked it back up. I knit the final stitches and wove in the ends yesterday. I like how it turned out. I used the yarns and colors that the pattern called for... Blue Sky Alpacas Melange and Sport Weight in the called for (and some hard to find!) colors. I think I'm going to knit a matching scarf in the leftover yarn.

Third, I hope everyone reading this had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever you choose to celebrate. Here at the Stitching Post, our Christmas was Merry indeed. My husband surprised Jake and I with a whirlwind trip to Disney at the start of our Winter break to see the lights and festivities there for several days. Then it was home to celebrate with family and friends. We have had a fun, blessed holiday that I continue to enjoy as I do not return to work until Monday. Yay!

More stitching,knitting, and whatever else I think up coming soon!

Happy stitching!

Two finishes!

2011-10-20T10:27:00.005-04:00

I don't have hardly any finishes for the year, and now I have two in one night!!! Please excuse my poor excuse for photography.

Let me present....

Molly by Carriage House Samplings

Recommended fabric and threads

October Word Play by With Thy Needle and Thread

Recommended threads/fabric unknown

What to stitch next?? Inspired by Margaret's A&E wall, I am thinking I might focus on finishing my Paradise Lost By Plum Street Samplers. Here is where I have last left off with this particular project...

I have quite a few A&E designs in my stash. Maybe it is time I concentrate on creating an A&E wall of my own. :)

A little sneaky peek of a blanket that I am knitting.

Petey says "Happy Stitching!"

Kellie

New starts and a stall

2011-10-16T20:44:00.001-04:00

I have stalled on Molly that I showed in the last post. She is 99.9% finished. I ran out of one color of NPI and need to finish about 20 stitches. As soon as I get my order from Needlecraft Corner, I will have a finish to post. And regrettably, it will be the second of two stitching finishes that I have had this entire year. I don't know what has been wrong with me this year. I think I hop back and forth between projects too much without making a lot of progress in any direction. The last couple of weeks I have tried hard to stick to one stitching project at a time and have been pleased with the progress I have made. I don't see myself becoming a one-at-time stitcher again, but I'm leaning heavily back in that direction.

While waiting for my NPI thread to arrive, I decided to stitch something small that I can easily finish in a week or so. This is October Word Play by With Thy Needle & Thread. I love Her designs, and this caught my eye from the first sneak peek that was shown on her blog. But wouldn't you know, I'm now running out of another thread for this design.

I'm still knitting as well. I started another Pioneer Braid scarf. I love this simple garter stitch design that in my opinion looks more complicated than it is.

Hard to believe that the last time I posted, I was here (although I didn't allude to that in my post).

Now we are back in reality....

Have a happy week ahead....

Kellie

Rediscovering Molly

2011-10-02T22:37:00.001-04:00

I recently dug Molly of Carriage House Samplings out of the never ending WIP pile. I am really enjoying the stitching and wondering why I have let her lapse for so long. I want to eventually stitch all of the CHS "girls." I finished Mary Margaret several years ago. I ordered the remaining NPIs that I need to start stitching Elizabeth right after I finish Molly. Suzannah is my least favorite, but I still want to stitch her to complete the set. I envision these hanging on my wall in window pane fashion. If only I could talk Kathy Barrick into coming out of retirement and designing a boy preferably with a dog to match Molly's cat. Lol!

My stitching mojo has ebbed and flowed since I learned to knit last summer. I try not to stress over the fact that there are tons of things that I want to stitch and the fact that I don't always have the desire to stitch. Rather I just go with the flow when the stitching notion strikes. I am enjoying the current wave and hope it continues for awhile. Stitching was my first love. I hope the mojo never leaves completely.

I'm in love

2011-09-14T18:36:00.001-04:00

My first pair of Signature Needle Arts knitting needles....

Size 6, 10", stiletto tips, spiral top

Now I want a whole set.

I've cast on a scarf. I plan to knit until I can no longer hold my eyes open tonight.

This is the first night my family has been home together this week. We've all been running in different directions. Too busy!

I love having my little family cozy under the roof of home. Right now, I'm listening to Jake and Michael talk to each other excitedly about a box of basketball cards that they lucked into this week and can't wait to open to see what "treasurers" await inside. They both collect and it is fun to watch them share this hobby. They love to tell me all about it. And although I don't have a clue about most of the sports stars on the cards, I listen with interest, feeling blessed that they want to include me in their excitement.

Daybook September 2011

2011-09-03T12:25:00.003-04:00

Found this on another blog... Love it and would like to try yo incorporate it at least monthly onto my own blog.

FOR TODAY :

Outside My Window...a sunny hot heatwave; it is supposed to be over 100 degrees today

I am thinking...about our upcoming vacation to Disney World and getting very excited!

I am thankful for...my husband and my son

From the kitchen...takeout for breakfast; love having McDonald's breakfast occasionally on the weekends

I am wearing...my PJs still and quite comfortable

I am creating...a knitted blanket and stitching Penny America

I am going...to go with Michael and Jake to shop for a new cell phone and a few vacation necessities this afternoon

I am reading...Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children; finished My Name is Memory this morning

I am hoping...that I can enjoy this long holiday weekend without thinking about work

I am hearing...Knitting Daily playing on TV

Around the house...still enjoying my newly decorated bathroom and very happy that the rose wallpaper is GONE!

One of my favorite things...weekends at home; everyone enjoying themselves doing whatever they choose to do

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: going to friends' home for a cookout tomorrow

My picture thoughts... I will be here soon....

My Dads Etsy shop

2011-08-21T20:35:00.004-04:00

Some of you who have been reading my blog for a long time know that my father is a woodturner who creates some pretty nifty things for me. My favorites are my yarn swift and my various needle holders. He has opened an Etsy shop with several items for sale. He has several items related to sewing/cross stitching as well as several ornaments. Check him out if you have a chance. His prices are very reasonable for handmade items and his workmanship is excellent. Okay...shameless plug over. :)

I started Penny America. This is a lot of fun to stitch. I especially love the thread colors Jan chose and how great they look on her macadamia nut fabric.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Penny America

2011-08-08T21:36:00.001-04:00

This came in the mail today, and I am starting it tonight. Can't wait!

Beach Time

2011-06-24T20:32:00.001-04:00

I've been knitting....

And stitching.... (pardon my wrinkles...)

With this as my backdrop....

I could stay here the rest of the summer. Unfortunately duty calls and it is time to return to the real world....

2011-04-10T17:17:00.006-04:00

Thank you all for your sage advice on my Shores dilemma. Hearing so many of you say that you would leave it as is was reassuring, and that's exactly what I did. I frogged out the right side where I was a stitch off, but left the blocks together as they are. I love the stitching community. I had so many responses so quickly. Love that!

I have been working on Sarah Woodham here and there. So many bloggers are working on this design. It always inspires me to see their progress and makes me want to work on mine.

I started BOAF's Friendship Sampler as a part of a group of stitchers who are stitching this traveling design. Melissa at Birds and Blooms started this a couple of years ago. I was delighted when I received an email from her that it was now my turn to stitch this. I will working on this pretty exclusively in order to finish it and send it on to the next lucky stitcher on her list. I chose to stitch mine on 40 ct. PTP Relic. I am using the called for fibers except that I plan to change the girls' skin tone to a different color besides the called for GAST Pumpkin (pumpkin?? yikes!).

I have been knitting up a storm as well. I finished a pair of socks...

And cast on another pair...

Working on a log cabin afghan....

Working on a Traveling Woman scarf... actually quite a bit farther on this than the picture shows...

I thought I would also share a couple of pictures of my favorite place to stitch in my home. It is a sitting room that is off of our master bedroom. I recently got a new reclining loveseat and TV for my little abode. This is my absolute favorite place to hang out in the house. I need to get some framed stitching up on the walls however. :)

The shelf cubbies hold knitting projects in progress as well as a few stitching projects, knitting books, stitching magazines, scissors, etc. The rolling tote beside the TV holds stitching wips. I love how I can pop out one of the lidded drawers and everything I need for the wip is all inside... chart, fabric, threads, etc. Sometimes I even include scissors and needle holders for each project. :)

Petey likes to hang out here too....

We have been on spring break for the past week. We surprised Jake with a trip to Disney. He thought we were staying home all week. We sent him to get the mail the Friday afternoon of the last day of school. There was a postcard in the box with Disney World on the front and a note from Mickey on the back telling him that he had 30 minutes to pack and get ready, that he was leaving for Disney and Mickey would see him there. It was a great surprise. We had a great magical week. Unfortunately the magic is over and we will be slammed back into the real world tomorrow at 6 am.

Off to prepare... or stitch... probably stitch!

What would you do?

2011-03-16T17:39:00.004-04:00

I need some advice...

Here's the backstory...

I pulled out Shores of Hawk Run Hollow the other night thinking I would complete another block. I have been happily stitching on block 3 when I notice that I am off by one stitch. I made the border of the block one stitch too long. So I will be frogging out the white lattice work and the right side of the the border and re-stitching. Frustrating yes, but at least I noticed it before I got much farther. It would have been nice if I had started stitching the lattice by counting from the chimney instead of stitching from the right side border. I would have noticed this much sooner, but I digress....

Anywho, for some reason, I pull out the picture of the whole design to look at block 3, and felt all of the air rapidly leave my lungs....

I have been stitching the blocks together with no spaces between instead of leaving the one space between each block. Does that make sense? There should be one tiny space of fabric between each big block of stitching. Each block should be stitched separately in its entirety and not connected to the previous block.

I am on the third block. Part of me says leave it alone, it's fine. The part that is winning by a slight edge is saying, visually it would look much better the way the designer designed it with the space between the blocks... Anything worth doing is worth doing right. And this is a big project to stitch and not be happy with the end result. And then that other little voice pipes back up and says that picking out all of those stitches in block two is bound to leave traces of fiber and enlarged holes and may not look good frogged and re-stitched....

What to do, what to do....

Okay, I am going to try to resist chucking this whole thing in the trash can, curling up the fetal position, and crying miserably...

What would you do? Be honest, I can handle it.... To frog or not to frog?

Pictures Galore

2011-02-20T10:58:00.010-05:00

This post is going to be heavy on pictures. Narrative... eh, not so much. :)

First of all, I want to thank the lovely Jan of Belfonte Notes. I won her most fabulous giveaway during her 2nd blogiversary celebration. It was like Christmas in the mailbox.

Check it out....

Six different patterns from two of my very favorite designers.... Plum Street Samplers and Carriage House Samplings (amazingly I didn't have any of the six... double bonus!!)

Three gorgeous pieces of fabric (Lakeside, PTP, and Weeks... love them all!), a huge bunch of gorgeous threads, a scissor frog (!), a cute notebook, and a beautiful box filled to the brim with buttons, ribbons, a gorgeous needleminder, and a funny stress ball. Jan, you completely made my week!!! Thank you so much! I can't wait to start stitching one of those designs on one of those beautiful pieces of fabric.

Some close-ups...

I've been working on Paradise Lost exclusively when I stitch. I'm determined to have this on my living room wall soon. Here's the latest.

Love this cloud...

Surprised to already find this in my mailbox yesterday. Thanks, Theresa!! :) Ann Grant was a must have from this year's market. Along with the new Blackbird Designs book which I can't wait to get my hands on.

I've been knitting a little bit of everything, but I won't bore you with all of my projects. Just two... LOL!

I finished this scarf last month, but forgot to take pictures. The yarn was a thick/thin yarn, and the pattern was a simple one row repeat. Love it!

I've started Ida's Kitchen hat after chasing down one ball of discontinued Blue Sky Alpaca for a month.... Love this pattern.

New bag to store my knitting on the go from Rose Knits.

Spent the weekend in Springhaven, Mississippi for my husband's home based business. We have been really blessed by this product and this business. My husband has lost 45 pounds, we all have improved our overall health, and the extra income has allowed us to do things and go places that we might not have been able to otherwise. One of the perks that I love is traveling with him when he goes various places to do PBRs (business presentations). This weekend found us in Springhaven, Mississippi. I found a great little yarn store there called Hank of Yarn. Came home with some gorgeous Malabrigo Rios, which I am thinking I will make into a Traveling Woman shawl.

While we were in the area, we went to Graceland. I have wanted to visit here for years, but just never made time to go. I still listen to Elvis occasionally, but I remember my parents listening to his music a lot when I was a child. I was six when he died. And I remember being in the living room with my mom when she heard it on the TV. I remember she watched his funeral, and I remember seeing the long white cadillacs and not really understanding at the time why she was so sad. I am so glad that we went this weekend. It was fun (and a little sad) to see where Elvis lived when he was in Memphis. I have never been, but my parents had. When they went, they had a live tour guide taking them through the house. They have switched to an audio presentation where everyone wears a headset. I liked this. Some of the tour was in Elvis's words, some in Lisa Marie's, some in various other narrators. There was a lot of Elvis's music included that went along with whatever part of the tour you were in at the time. Really enjoyed this day!! Here's some of my favorite scenes....

And this picture post finally comes to an end. I have some yarn to wind on my new yarn winder, compliments of my dad. He made this. Isn't it gorgeous?! Love it! They offered to wind my yarn for me at Hank of Yarn yesterday, but I graciously declined. I wanted that fun for myself! :)

Have a good one!!

P.S. Several people asked in the comments where I had bought the Queen of Unfinished Projects bag. I got that at Archivers in Louisville, KY in December. It is meant to be for scrapbooking, but I use if for knitting and stitching. They had blue like the one I bought, and a bright hot pink one.

Check out this giveaway...

2011-02-01T18:01:00.002-05:00

Go see Jan at Belfonte Notes. Wonderful stitcher/designer/blogger and a great giveaway to celebrate her two year blogaversary.

It's good to be Queen!

2011-01-13T20:15:00.003-05:00

Check out my new project bag. Fits me to a tee... I know I share my unfinished project kingdom and crown with many of you. That's okay... It's a good sorority to be in. :)

My first finish of the year is actually a knitting finish. I finished a scarf last week. I had started this scarf during the really long dress rehearsals of our church Christmas play last month. I put it to the side for awhile and then picked it back up to finish.

Brisbane scarf--free pattern hereLion Brand Hometown Yarn 3 skeinsColor: Tampa SpiceNeedles: Size 13
I cast on a new scarf. This is the "Sinful" ribbed scarf. I'm using KnitPicks Capra in Celestial for this. I love this yarn! It's so soft. I will definitely be using this yarn again.

I also have a new pair of socks on the needles... Monkey in KP Stroll Tonal Gypsy.

Now on the stitching front...

I started Her Sampler on New Years Day and finished the border and a little of the alphabet before putting it aside. I will pick it back up again because I love the design but I got a little bored with all of the green.

I'm stitching on Paradise Lost again. I'm wanting to get this finished, framed, and hanging on my wall. It has languished in the WIP pile for too long.

(sorry for the sideways photo... I'm blogging from my phone).

I'm thinking a hot cup of decaf tea and some time in stitching paradise sounds like a good way to end the evening.

Enjoy your evening or morning... Depending on where you are. :)

Looking back, looking forward

2011-01-01T12:11:00.003-05:00

Goodbye 2010!

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, so I want to document some of the milestones from the past year for my own personal records (feel free to skip ahead...)

* Jake completed second grade with flying colors, and started a great third grade year. He has a wonderful teacher, and I have seen him really deepen his love of reading and writing this year thanks to her.

* Michael quit coaching football after 18 years. This has had such a positive effect on our family.

* I transferred from an elementary school counselor position that split me between two schools to a middle school counselor position at one school where I am the only counselor. And I love it. It has been a long time since I have really enjoyed my job as much as I am enjoying it this year.

* I learned to knit. I have wanted to know how to knit for years. I enjoy it as much as I enjoy stitching.

*I started some of the home improvement projects that have been lingering on my list for awhile.

*Jake had a successful little league football season, playing his first year of tackle. His team won the LL superbowl.

*We traveled some... two trips to Disney, several weekends away to Gatlinburg and Franklin.

*We became DVC members this year... a big dream of mine realized. :)

Great year over all.

Hello 2011! I am looking forward to the goals that I want to accomplish this year.

I won't go into my personal goals at this point, but I would like to share some of my stitching and knitting goals. Mainly I want to keep track of what I finish. I didn't do a good job of that in 2010. I didn't document all of my finishes here so I have an incomplete list for the past year. I am going to be better about that this year. I will start new things. That is a given. I started something new today as a matter of fact. More on that later. But there are a lot of things I want to finish this year as well.

My main WIPs that I would like to complete this year are:

BBD Anniversaries of the Heart
PSS Paradise Lost
SP Sarah Woodham
GH Ellen Birdseye
RM Quaker and Quilts
CHS Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

There are more, but these are the ones that I am going to focus on first.

I also want to frame things and hang them on my walls. I hope to frame the things I complete this year and add them to my decor.

My new start for today is Carriage House Samplings Her Sampler. I have wanted to stitch this design for a long time, and I have seen it stitched lately on a couple of blogs. I decided that it would be a perfect new year start for me... not too big, not too small... hopefully easily finished soon. Pictures soon to follow....

That's it for me today. I am going to take down the lingering Christmas decorations and get my house back in order. Then I think I will see if we can make some fun... maybe dinner out combined with some shopping.

Happy New Year to all my readers and friends. Hope this year finds you and yours happy and healthy!

I'm Happy to Say....

2010-12-14T13:07:00.006-05:00

the tree is decorated (actually finished it after my last post) :)
the stockings are hung
the shopping is ALMOST complete
the play went well, and two repeat performances are scheduled for this weekend
we have missed four days due to snow/ice/bad roads/bitter cold, and I have had plenty of time to rest and recuperate. We are out again today, so I am officially on Christmas vacation as of today! :) No work until January 3!!

I have knitted and stitched until my butt is numb and my fingers are sore. Good times!!

I had my last sock class this week. I had to ditch one of my socks off of the needles because I messed up somewhere along the gusset. But I managed to finish both. The kitchener stitch was not nearly as horrible as I imagined. I was able to put my ripped off sock back on the needles without having to totally rip it apart. Looking forward to casting on another pair of socks this afternoon.

Classic basic socks

CO 64 sts.

Size 2 needles

Aslan Trends Santa Fe Kettle Hand Dyed Collection-Carnival

I also finished a pair of fingerless mitts this week. Love these. So does Jake. He has requested a pair for himself in black. I might cast on those this afternoon too.

Those Mitts Pattern - found HERE

Cascade 220 in Ruby

Size 7 needles

I've been stitching.... I am working on block 6 of Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow. This block takes awhile. It has a lot of solid stitching. It's really pretty though. I love the dark blue sky and the salt box house sitting on the snowy hill.

I have also been thinking a lot about stitching lately. I have seen a lot of stitchers that are planning to participate in the 2011 Crazy January Challenge. I have to say this whole idea really appeals to me and I am very tempted to join in. But I think I will end up watching from the sidelines and coming up with some goals for myself that include finishing a few WIPs from the massive pile that lurks in the basement and a few new starts as well.

Some WIPs on the finishing short list may include:

Anniversaries of the Heart

Paradise Lost

Sarah Woodham

Ellen Birdseye

Quakers and Quilts

Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Shores of Hawk Run Hollow

Beatrix Potter's Quaker Sampler

June Morning

Some new starts that are calling my name include:

All Was for an Appil by Scarlett Letter

Adam and Eve by CHS

Sarah Esh by Barrick Samplers

Adam and Eve Sampler by City Stitcher

Heavenly Paradise in SANQ Fall 2002

Adam and Eve reproduction sampler in CSN May 2009 (see Tanya's beautiful finish here)

A&E by The Primitive Needle

(Notice a theme yet?)

Jane Philpott by Shakespeare's Peddler

Frances Eden by Handwork Samplers

As well as a few others that are not Adam and Eve themed... Will I start all of these? Maybe. Will I finish all of these? Probably not. But it is fun to plan and dream. I am on an A&E kick lately. This post on Paulette's blog started a two hour internet surfing session seeking out various A&E designs. If you love A&E samplers, what are your favorites?

I'm hearing another pair of socks calling my name. Time to cast on. :)

Have a happy one....

Kellie

I need a little Christmas now...

2010-12-06T15:23:00.004-05:00

Why is it that the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is also the busiest? I can't catch my breath or a break lately it seems. I love Christmas, but the hustle and bustle of it this year is draining my Christmas spirit in a hurry.

I know what it is.... I have taken on too much and committed to too much and need to be better about saying no. Life has gotten crazy busy. I don't even have all of my Christmas decorations up yet or shopping done yet. Why this is stressing me out so? I have no idea. Seems ridiculous really... It's because of the self-imposed deadlines that I give to, well...myself. According to my own deadline, the Christmas decorations should have been finished by Thanksgiving weekend, and the Christmas shopping should have been done a little after that. Because in my own warped sense of time, that is not only doable, but easily doable. And having all of this completed already would give me the perfect peaceful O Holy Night Christmas that I long for every year... at least in the irrational side of my thought process.... When did Christmas turn into such a marathon? A marathon of events and "must do's"? I don't remember it being like this when I was a child. Is it because it wasn't like this... or is it because I was a child and didn't realize it was like this because my mom was behind the scenes handling all the details for our family just like I now handle all the details for my own?

Aside from stressing about decorating, shopping and all the other details, our family is part of a Christmas production at our church. Not a just a play... it is a production. With music, scene changes, costume changes, lighting, the works. And it is fun. Really it is. But it is also busy. We have practiced A LOT. I have a minor role. I sing in one part, and have around five lines as the program coordinator of the town's Christmas program (all part of the play). No big deal. My husband Michael has a smaller role. He's the town mayor with a couple of lines. Also no big deal. Jake, our nine year old, on the other hand, has one of the main roles playing a pioneer boy who hears the story of Christ's birth by his parents in his cabin long ago. He loves it. I, on the other hand, and more stressed about him learning his lines and part than I am about the decorating and shopping that is not done yet. LOL! The play is really neat. One side of the stage is present day... a family celebrating Christmas in 2010. One side of the stage is the past... a family celebrating Christmas in 1810. Center stage is the town square that is later converted to Bethlehem and then later still to Calvary. Very good play. Written by our music minister who is extremely talented and creative. And I am glad to be a part of it. And I hope it is enjoyed by hundreds of people. But I will be glad when it is over, and I can take a long winter's nap....

I did receive this little bauble in the mail today, and I. love. it. A handmade Jolly St. Nick necklace sold by Country Stitches. I can't wait to wear it.

On the stitching front...

I finally completed the bonus chart of the BBD Anniversaries of the Heart.

I started Lizzie Katie's 2010 Snowman... He's going to be a cutie!

On the knitting front, I have started a blanket, a couple of scarves and some socks. I am taking a sock knitting class at a local yarn store that just recently opened near where I live. I am really enjoying the class. I am learning how to knit socks top down and knit two socks at a time on one long circular needle. It is a lot of fun. My next class is tomorrow evening. We will be learning to do the heel turn, I think... Pictured below are my socks and the start of one of the scarves I have been working on.

That's it for now... Maybe after supper tonight we can "haul out the holly and put up the tree before my spirit falls again...."

Or maybe I will just start on that long winter's nap a little early and quit sweating the small stuff....

Granny Goodness

2010-11-08T19:15:00.003-05:00

Hoping to turn these...

Into something that looks like this...

Stay tuned..... :)

A little of this and that...

2010-10-18T20:46:00.007-04:00

I can't believe it has been almost two months since I last posted. I've been busy....and lost my groove there for awhile, but I think I am back. :) Here's my life in pictures for the last two months...

Started this...

(Lizzie Kate's Hiss of Eek, Boo, Hiss)

Worked more on this...

(Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart--bonus #1)

Started crocheting this...

(Granny Stripe afghan)

Also crocheting this...

(motifs for a motif style afghan)

Still knitting this...

(ribbed scarf in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Bulky Yukon)

Finished these....

(basic stockinette socks in KnitPicks Felici Abracadabra)

Started these....

(basic stockinette socks in KnitPicks Felici Boardwalk)

Greeted by this the day before Fall Break....

(My principal decorated my parking space... Love his sense of humor!)

Went here....

(Disney World, Orlando)

Rode this a bunch of times....

(my favorite roller coaster Mt. Everest in Animal Kingdom)

Love this...

(the Headless Horseman starting the Halloween parade in Magic Kingdom)

Wish I was still here...

And that's that...

Until next time... which won't be two months from now...

Kellie

Work, stitching, knitting

2010-08-23T21:15:00.001-04:00

Work is really cutting into my stitching/knitting time which stinks, but I love my new job. My days are so busy that they fly by. I don't particularly like feeling overwhelmed or staying later to catch up, but all things considered, I really can't complain. I really like both the new principal and the new assistant principal, and we all seem to be working really well together. It has been a pretty smooth transition for me and for my family. I had forgotten how much I really enjoy working with middle school kids. They can be challenging at times but most of the time, they are just a lot of fun.

My parents surprised me with an "office warming" gift that was delivered to me at work with the best letter that I will always treasure. This is a Jim Shore piece called 80 Years of Laughter. It's hard to see it in this picture but the partition in the middle is a mirror so it looks like the black and white Mickey is stepping through the mirror into technicolor Mickey. I absolutely love it! A lot of my office decor is Disney so this fits right in (and starts a collection of Jim Shore Disney that I have been wanting to start :) ).

I've been stitching on a couple of things. Mainly Dog Lessons and Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow. I have fallen woefully behind on my goal of stitching a block a month on CaHRH, but that's okay... It's not a race or a contest. Lol!

As for knitting, I am still really enjoying that as well. I recently finished a Berruti hat that was so much fun to knit. I have been working on a ribbed scarf and a patchwork handbag as well. The patchwork bag isn't much to look at as it is just a bunch of stockingnette squares right now, but you can get an idea of the colors. And check out these little sock shaped needle point protectors! Aren't they adorable! I'm still on a mission to learn sick knitting. My last attempt (see last post) was a complete disaster. I knitted all of the leg, the heel flap and heel turn, but screwed up the gusset. So much so that I could not figure out how to tink it and move on and ended up taking the whole thing apart. I haven't had the heart to start over yet. I think I will wait until my knitting teacher shows me her method of knittitng socks on two circular needles from the toe up. :)

The movie Grease is on tonight. Love that movie! Thinking that I will watch it and stitch tonight after I get Jake to bed.

Have a good one!

2010-08-05T18:29:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post since it has been over a month!

I am working on a couple of new projects. I am trying to learn how to knit a sock using the magic loop method. This is my second attempt. I'm kind of winging it, using an online video class and a book. Between the two, I'm trying to figure it out. Love knitting! And socks are one of the things I have most wanted to learn.

I've been stitching a little too. I started Lizzie Kate's Dog Lessons for People. This will be for Jake. He loves it and thinks the sayings are hilarious. I've stitched very little for him so I'm excited that he wants this particular design to hang in his room. I bought the design at Dixie Darlin' during a recent Pigeon Forge getaway weekend. They had a model of it stitched on PTP Relic, and it was gorgeous! I bought enough fabric to stitch both this and the Cat Lessons version. (sorry for the crooked photo. I'm posting from my iPhone and can't figure out how to edit it.

In other news, I transferred jobs about two weeks ago. Some of my regular visitors might remember that I was a school counselor working in two elementary schools. A counseling position opened at our middle school this summer and I decided it would be a good move for me. I am thrilled to be at one school every day but it was very sad for me to leave my elementary schools. I miss my little kiddos and the wonderful staff and friends from there. But I am settling into the middle school nicely. I have worked there before and still know quite a few of the teachers. Today was our first day of school and it went really well.

Time to fix supper although I would love to just take a nap!

Monday

2010-07-05T11:58:00.008-04:00

Creative blog titles are alluding me today....

My new found love of knitting has seriously impinged on my stitching time lately. I am sure it will balance back out eventually.

I have discovered that collecting yarn and knitting paraphernalia is just as much fun as stashing stitching stuff.

I have made a few rookie projects. (Don't look too closely... they are definitely beginner projects and have mistakes).

My first knitting class project was a shortrow watch cap. I actually made two but the first one was quickly adopted by Jake and seems to have disappeared.... It looks just like this one except it is orange.

A dishcloth for my aunt in Texas who celebrates a birthday tomorrow....

A pom pom scarf with a fun yarn called Pomp a Doodle. This knits up very fast...

And a Wedding Washcloth and a Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth...

My next project for my knitting class is another shortrow watch cap except this one will have a cabled brim. I have started it and ripped it out about five times so far. I do fine with the cables, but seem to get in a hurry in the other parts of it and end up messing up.

My next goal is to learn to knit socks and to make a felted bag. I am loving knitting, I tell ya. :)

I have done some stitching. Right now, I am working on the BBD Anniversaries of the Heart piece. I am on the third one (can't think of the name right now...). I decided to suck it up and do the counting between the second and third design. I counted a dozen times. I hope I have done it correctly....

I am thinking I might start LHN's Simple Joys after this. I have it kitted and ready to go.

Here are some of my favorite flowers in my yard that are in bloom. My husband Michael is the green thumb of the family. If it were left to me, we would be lucky to have grass growing in the yard.

Black Eyed Susans and Coneflowers...

Stargazer Lillies (probably my most favorite flower....)

Scout enjoying the shady front porch...

That's it for today....

Have a good one. :)

Still kicking

2010-06-17T12:15:00.006-04:00

I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I just haven't been here in a long time. Or on other's blogs either, but I will catch up eventually.

School is out. I have had to work several days here and there, but I am getting ready to start a long stretch and not go into the office at all for awhile.

We have been to Disney and back. We had a great time. This was the first year that Jake wanted to ride all the big rides and major rollercoasters. Michael and I love those so it was a lot of fun that we all were riding together this year. I can't wait to go back. We are planning another trip for October. Now that he is no longer coaching football, fall break vacations are an option whereas they never have been before.

I haven't been stitching as much as usual, but I do have a lot to show since it has been so long since I posted. I have made more progress on CaHRH, finished blocks #4 and #5, and started block #6.

I have stitched and finished a few patriotic smalls for Independence Day. I have always loved the idea of a basket of smalls to mark the holidays and seasons. (I have only stitched a couple of these recently. Most were stitched last summer, but I have just now finished them into little ornament sized pillows).

Speaking of smalls, that is all that I want to stitch lately. In the last week or so, that is all that I have worked on. Usually I love stitching on great big designs that take forever to finish, but lately, I just want designs that are quick and easy. My BAPs aren't holding my attention. I started this Lizzie Kate design this morning and hope to have it finished by this afternoon. :) I think this would make a cute pinkeep or a small framed piece.

I have also been learning to knit this summer. This is something that I have always wanted to know how to do, and I am so thankful that I am finally getting the chance. A friend of a friend is teaching several of us how. It is so much FUN!!! I am still such a beginner, but I look forward to getting more proficient and learning new things. I have made a short row cap and started a second one. We have learned casting on, knitting, purling, and binding off. Our next class will focus on stitching knitted pieces together and using a cable needle. If anyone knows any good knitting resources online, I would love to know about them. :)

That's it for now... Back to my marathon stitching, movie watching, audiobook listening afternoon. I love when I can have days like this. Enjoy yours. :)

Show and Tell

2010-05-21T16:12:00.005-04:00

I finished Valentine Rose last weekend. These are small designs, but detailed with quite a few colors. They are taking me awhile to stitch. I read on the Blackbird Designs blog that they are thinking about releasing the bonus design that is placed between #2 and #3 early so that those of us stitching this series on one piece of fabric would not have that empty space hanging out until October. I am really hoping that they decide in favor of this idea. I am putting this piece on hold for awhile in hopes that this happens. I was dreading trying to get the space between #2 and #3 counted correctly. Knowing me, I would have counted it ten times and still messed up.

Now I am back to working on CaHRH block 4. At the beginning of the year, my goal was to stitch one block a month and finish this in December. I am behind, of course. I am thinking that I might work on this one pretty steadily and just get it done. I love it. I would love to have it hanging in time for Christmas this year.

Found this cute little fella last weekend. There is a quaint little town called Glendale that is very close to where we live. They were having a spring festival there this past weekend, which we went to. It was fun. I got a few odds and ends from the booths, but found this little guy in The Village Shop. He is supposed to go in a garden, I think, but he is going to hang out in my sitting room/stitching room for awhile. They had several styles to choose from, but this one on the skateboard caught my eye. Isn’t he cute! Hopefully he will have fun on that skateboard and not find his way to my current project. LOL!

I have been doing some major stashing. I am still trying to complete my collection of Carriage House Samplings designs that I "have" to have before they are no longer available.

Miss Lila's House, Hearts and Flowers, My Hometown, Quaker Stocking, Primitive Stocking, Quaker Study, Black Willow Farm, Fredericka, A Haunting Mermaid, A Weeping and A Blessing, Folk Art Pincushions, and BBD Anniversaries of the Heart #4 Pink Hill Manor

If you like CHS, what are your favorites? (In another words, enable me so that I can make sure I am not missing something fantastic that I will later regret not buying and end up paying way too much for on the Bay of Evil. LOL!)

I also lucked into some Birds of a Feather designs that I have been wanting from the Stitchin' Post (gotta love that name!) in Nashville. I enjoy shopping there when I am in that area. They are also online and do call in/mail order. These are Memories of Christmas, Christmas Angel Ornaments, French Lesson, and Halloween Icons. Somehow this particular shop lucked into several OOP charts including these BOAF. I called the shop hoping that they would also have Joyous Christmas as I have been searching for that one forever, but no luck. I am not complaining... I am thrilled about these!

Five days of school left!!!! This time next week, I will be telling all my little people to have a great summer, and getting ready to enjoy a great summer myself. :)

Hope you have a great weekend!

Snow Garden finished!

2010-05-10T16:17:00.005-04:00

I finished Snow Garden this past weekend and started Valentine Rose. I am loving this series. I am glad I decided to stitch it all on one piece of fabric. I am saving the personalization until the end. I have ideas that I am jotting down as I go along, but I want to see all of the series before I make my final choices.

I am trying to play "catch up" in May and stitch on all of the monthly projects I decided to stitch throughout this year. Specifically Anniversaries of the Heart, Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow, and the LHN ornaments. I would like to get Anniversaries caught up through the third house. I owe CaHRH blocks 4 and 5. I have a pile of LHN ornaments to work on. I think I have stitched two of the six so far. I probably won't accomplish all of this in May, but I hope to make progress toward all of them.

Thank you all for your kind words regarding the flood. Thankfully, my family was not in any danger at any time during the flood and did not have any damage at all. Things are back to normal in our area.

I hope all of you here in the States had a lovely Mother's Day this past weekend. My little one surprised me with a card and some stitching stash cash with the help of his dad. I was fortunate to get to spend the day the way I wanted with the three of us traveling to my parents' house to spend the afternoon with them and with my brother (whose birthday was on Mother's Day this year). It was a fun day!

My husband also surprised me this weekend with the news that he has decided to resign from coaching football. He has been a varsity football coach for 18 years (as long as I have known him). I have always tried to be supportive (I have been better at it some seasons than others), but I am really glad he has made this decision. It will be a really positive thing for him and for us as a family. I have always dreaded July 15 (the official start date of football season and the day I feel like I become a football widow) and looked forward to the final playoff weekend (because the Monday following we feel like we get our huband/father back). It takes a lot of time and energy to be a coach. Coaches, at least the ones I know, are a very dedicated bunch of people. Because at the high school level, it sure isn't for the money. He made the comment to me today that he has not had a free fall season since he was seven years old. He started playing little league football then, played high school and college football, and then immediately started coaching after graduating from college. 33 years of football. That is unbelievable. But he seems very happy and at peace with his decision. I couldn't be happier or more proud of him. He is an extraordinary man, and I am lucky to call him mine.

I have been seeing Lake Stitcher's SBQ and people's responses posted on various blogs. I was not blogging the last time she was doing this, but I was reading blogs and loved reading people's responses to the SBQ. I thought this time I would join in on the fun. Here's the question:

Suppose we say that there are two types of stitchers.

There are those who enjoy the “process” of stitching. They stitch for stitching’s sake and if something gets finished, so much the better, but it’s not necessarily the end goal. Primarily, it’s the application of needle and thread to cloth that makes them happiest.

Then there are those who are “project” stitchers. They move steadily through their projects, certainly enjoying their stitching time, but finding their greatest joy in the completed stitching.

If you had to pick one to describe yourself, which type of stitcher would you be? I imagine that we could all say that we fall somewhere in between, but really think hard about this and try to pick just one. And once you’ve decided whether you’re a Process or Project stitcher, tell us if your recognize that approach in other parts of your life.

I think I lean more toward the process stitcher side. I enjoy all the different phases of stitching--stash acquiring (who doesn't enjoy that!), kitting projects, organizing, making the first stitch, etc. I have no qualms about making new starts. The large number of WIPs I have doesn't bother me or cause me to lose sleep at night (I don't call them UFOs because I do plan to eventually finish them all. LOL!). I will work on a project until I get bored with it and then I will put it down and move to something else. I feel restless on days that I do not get to put needle, thread, and fabric together. It relaxes me. I love the rhythm of it. I love painting on fabric with thread. It makes me feel artistic and creative, regardless that is someone else who created the design. Not that I don't love finished projects, but I definitely favor the process more.

That's it for me today. Have a great week! Make lots of x's.

Kellie

It's a Beautiful Morning!

2010-05-04T10:06:00.008-04:00

In my 17 years working in education, I have experienced school being called off for a variety of things besides your garden variety snow... For example, I have witnessed ice storm days, flu days, tornado days, mercury spill days, and train wreck days.... I am not kidding. Today I am experiencing a flood day. And believe it or not, this is not the first one in my educational career. Which I find odd because we do not live in a flood plain. We had school on Monday, which I wondered if we would, so I was a little shocked when the phone rang around 9 pm last night announcing that there would be no school today. One section of our district that has a smallish river running through it, has been hit extremely hard with flooding. Roads are closed there and no vehicles can get in or out, which includes busses, so no school today. I think everyone there is okay, thankfully. They just have a big mess to clean up.

So this leaves me with the question of what to do with this time I have been given that was unexpected on this beautiful sun-shiny day....

Do I stitch?

Do I read?

Do I shop?

Do I clean? (nah, that's no fun!)

Not sure what I will do with this gift of a day. Maybe a little of all of the above.

I thought I would share a few stash acquisitions that I have acquired recently.

A little birthday stash: CHS Houses of HRH, CHS Village of HRH, Spot the Horse, BBD Anniversaries of the Heart #3 A Wish for You

A few something somethings from the Bay of Evil: SANQ Fall 2002 and JCS April 2002 which may or may not seem impressive from the covers, but look at the treats that await inside....

Heavenly Paradise from the SANQ issue.... love this little A&E design

And a Bent Creek design from the JCS issue

As well as a cute Brightneedle design that I have stitched here and there in Blogville and have always liked.

I have read a couple of books recently that I wanted to share.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon.... an oldie but a goodie. I read this series more than a few years ago after she had written Fiery Cross. I fell in love with Jamie and Claire and their adventures in Scotland and America and through the portals of time. Now that she has come out with the seventh book in the series, I am trying to re-read them all from the start of the series before diving into the newest one. It is amazing to me how much I have forgotten of these stories. It is almost like reading them for the first time all over again. I am enjoying them very much. If you like historical fiction/drama/romance/time travel.... I highly recommend them, but as I say to all my friends especially if they are easily offended, these books read like an R rated movie. Nuff said.

I also finished listening to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I love young adult literature. I taught 8th grade language arts prior to becoming a school counselor, and I LOVED teaching literature units. Everything from The Giver to Animal Farm with a few others thrown in for good measure. This is a book I would have loved to have had when I was teaching. It is futuristic with a lot of moral dilemmas that makes it a great book for discussion. My middle school librarian friend has not been able to read it yet because she can't keep it in the library. It is always checked out. Any book that makes a typical middle school kid want to read...well, I just have to read those myself! :) I have started listening to the second book in the series called Catching Fire this week. So far, I am enjoying it too. I think there is a third book coming out this fall.

I will leave you with a picture of Petey, my other boy "child"

Good grief, Mom... The Derby is over... Super Saver won.... Don't you think it is time to lose the dorky bandana?

Thanks for reading and for your comments. I have a few people yet to email some responses to some questions to, and I will get to that shortly. :)

Hope the sun is shining where ever you are today. I am out of here to make some fun!! :)

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY

2010-05-02T20:13:00.009-04:00

It has rained all weekend long. We have had a lot of flash flooding. This was the scene across from our church this morning. This is normally a very grassy pretty park and sod farm. I am starting to wonder about the status of school tomorrow. I am sure we will make every attempt to get there because our state testing starts tomorrow, but there are a lot of people locally whose roads are impassable and are closed.

The rain has given me a lot of time to stitch. While I haven't done all of this over the rainy weekend, this is what I have been up to since the last time I posted....

Love, love, love the colors on Sarah Woodham. This is a fun one to stitch. I think this is probably the first reproduction that I have attempted. I can see why people like to stitch them. :) I am debating though if I want to stitch mine exactly as charted. I am not too crazy about those s's that look like f's, even though I know that is true of the time period. We'll see. I haven't decided for sure what I will do yet. (Please pardon the very crooked photo and wrinkly fabric... I am taking pictures in a hurry tonight).

Rather than banishing Snow Garden to the bottom of the WIP pile as I threatened, I did frog out the border and have recently picked it back up and have started working on it again. The release of #3 has prompted me on as well.

A little more on Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow...

I did not make my self-imposed goal of block 4 being finished by the end of April, but I did work on it some. I will try to double up in May and finish this block and block 5.

I want to thank sweet Jolene for a couple of reasons. She recently nominated me for an award that I have not mentioned here yet. Thank you, Jolene, for the Sweet Friends award.

I am supposed to list 10 things that make me happy. I love making lists like this, so that in itself makes me happy. LOL!!

1. My salvation and faith in Jesus Christ

2. My family... I have the best husband and best son that a girl could ever hope to have.

3. My extended family... my parents, my brother and SIL, and hubby's parents and brother and family

4. Friendships, both in real life and the friends that I have made through blogging

5. Stitching, especially starting and stashing :)

6. Music

7. Reading good books

8. Traveling

9. My home

10. Chocolate

I am supposed to nominate others, but I am going to nominate everyone who takes the time to stop by here and read my drivel. Consider yourself doubly nominated if you take the time to comment. LOL!

I also want to thank Jolene for the sweet gift that I received in the mail on the day before my birthday. She sent me a very sweet card with the BBD Bluebird chart enclosed. I was so surprised. It was so unexpected and undeserved, and she totally made my week. Jolene, you are so sweet and kind, and I appreciate more than you know, that you thought of me. :) I did not have this design, and can't wait to stitch it!! (See #5 on my happiness list and expect a new start pic soon. LOL!)

My blog has been sadly neglected lately. School is wrapping up for the year (19 days left, not that I am counting or anything...). This is one of my busiest times of the school year. Between state testing, end of year grade reporting and wrap up, and scheduling for next year for two elementary schools, I am wiped out by the end of the day. Not that I am complaining... I am grateful for the job that I have, the kids whose lives I get to be a part of... But I am looking forward to those two most blissful words in the English language... "Summer Break."

Have a good one. Hope you are staying dry wherever you may be.

Kellie

THE BEST!

2010-04-20T16:29:00.004-04:00

Thank you, my dear blogging friends. You guys are just the BEST people. I texted that little blog post a few minutes before we went in a restaurant to eat dinner. By the time we came back out, I had so many nice comments, replies and offers of help. My husband couldn't believe it. I explained to him that is just the way the stitching blogging community is... kind people.

Thanks to Tanya and Natalie, I was happily stitching Sarah Woodham last night. My progress is not picture worthy so I will save that for another day, but I was so glad to be able to start it. I have been "obsessing" over it for a few weeks now. LOL!

I also appreciate Margaret being willing to help, and the kind comments from Lainey, Jackie, Cari, and Carol. ALL of you are the sweetest. :)

I was feeling the gratitude today... just wanted you to know. :)

The silk threads for this are just beautiful. This sampler would not have caught my eye had I not seen it being stitched on blogs, completed and in process.

I am a little concerned, however, about stitching with the Belle Soie Sister Scarlet. I have had that thread to lightly bleed on my fabric when stitching with it before. I would hate to put all this time, money, and effort into this and that happen. I am not sure what to do, if anything, about it. Do any of you ever run your threads through cold water first? I am wondering how this affects the color and luster, or if that would even be a recommended practice for silk?

I am looking so forward to my stitching time with Sarah again tonight. But in order to make that happen, there are chores to be done. :)

Have a great evening!

2010-04-19T17:13:00.001-04:00

I need some help. I received my Sarah Woodham chart, fabric, and threads today in the mail. Unfortunately, the very last page of the chart that has the symbol/thread key is missing. The LNS is mailing that too me, but I would really like to put some stitches in tonight. If you have Sarah Woodham and would be willing to help me, I would greatly appreciate it! I want to start the border and need to know what threads are designated to the following symbols:
Shamrock
Oval
Dot
9
X

If you would be willing to comment or email me, I would be very appreciative. :)

Going Frog Hunting....

2010-04-10T17:17:00.006-04:00

I have been happily stitching along on Snow Garden from BBD's Anniversaries of the Heart series. I was even optimistic that I would have a completed first section to show on my blog this weekend. I was rounding the last corner of the two shades of white (!) border when I realized that the stitches were not meeting like they were supposed to. I recounted several times. Everything appeared to be as charted. Then I realized that I was down a row too far. I discovered the mistake at the top of the left side of the border. One tiny stitch too many....

Nothing sends a project to the bottom of the WIP pile faster than a frog on the loose.

Here's the offending portion....

Normally, I would just fudge it and move on. But with this being a multi-part project, the borders need to be uniform, so I will be picking out the border and making the necessary corrections. I think I will go ahead and get the frogging over with tonight and then put this one to rest for a few days and let my frustration ease a bit. LOL!

I finally succumbed to temptation this morning and ordered this (and all the silks and the fabric)....

Isn't she beautiful!!!! I have been drooling over this on so many blogs lately... check here, here, here, and here just to name a few.... (If you notice a lot of visitor activity from Kentucky, ladies, it's just me stalking Sarah Woodham! LOL!). I can't wait to get this in the mail next week and get started. When you think about a certain design so much, surely you are meant to just stitch it already, right? :)

My spring break is coming to an end. Back to work on Monday. It has been a great week though. We went with my parents to Pigeon Forge for a few days (and stash shopping at Dixie Darlin'... more to come next post), celebrated 14 years of marriage on Tuesday, spent some time relaxing and stitching, got a major haircut (went from long shoulder length hair to short...love it).... all in all a really good week. 7 weeks of school left until summer break. This year has went by so fast. I am glad in a way and sad in a way. I will love being off for awhile this summer and all the fun that we have planned, but it also means that my second grader will now be a third grader and that just doesn't seem possible.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your weekend. Hope you have some sunshine. It is a lovely sunny 70 degrees here today, and Jake is having so much fun playing basketball outside with some other boys from the neighborhood.

Catching up...

2010-03-28T16:40:00.006-04:00

Hey all,

Quick post to catch up. :)

I finished Easter Parade. Such a cute, fun stitch. I love eyelet stitches, and this design is full of them. I also love the purple border (GAST Berry Cobbler).

I broke down and ordered the rest of the NPIs I needed for CaHRH. I had been trying to order them a block at a time as needed to spread out the cost, but we know from my last post that obviously that wasn't working for me. I finished both blocks 2 and 3 this month. I have started block 4 and would like to complete it and block 5 during April. The bazillion white snowflakes on block 4 are already getting to me however.

I also started a couple of things...

Rise and Shine by Bent Creek. This is a cute little all inclusive kit that came packaged in a coffee bag. This will look cute hanging in my kitchen eventually.

And I started the Blackbird Designs series Anniversaries of the Heart. I am following Nicole's lead and stitching these on 40 ct. Meadow Rue (I hope she doesn't mind me copycatting). I am looking forward to all of the personalizing that I will get to do with this series.

I also rearranged my WIP storage. I had been keeping tons of projects in mesh project bags stored in a basket in my sitting room, which was fine and working, but messy looking. I had so many that I was having a hard time narrowing my focus. So I decided I needed a different solution that would allow me to have variety but not too much as to be overwhelming. I repurposed a little 7-drawer cart that I had been using for scrapbooking. This has been perfect. I have a project per drawer. The drawers are lidded so it is very easy to pull a drawer and go stitch in any room. All the supplies needed for each project are in the drawer, so it stays pretty organized.

If you look carefully in the above picture you will see a cookie sheet next to the drawer unit. I have found that I prefer using these with magnets to hold my charts and keep my place. I have one of the smaller boards that is specifically for stitching, but found I like this better. It looks a little silly, I guess, but it works.

My stitching has taken a backseat lately to reading. Michael surprised me with a nook as an early anniversary gift. I love it. I don't want to put it down. It is so much fun (and a little dangerous!) to be able to shop for books anytime. I have been keeping myself in check though. I am trying to order one book at a time and wait until I have finished it before ordering another one. Currently I am rereading "Voyager" by Diana Gabaldon, and I am enjoying it just as much the second time around, as it has been several years since I last read this series. I am really enjoying the free sample feature that you can use with the nook/Barnes and Noble. As I see books that I think I would like to read eventually, I download the sample chapter so that I will remember the book and be able to check it out more in depth before committing to the purchase. I thought I might would miss holding an actual book in my hand and turning the pages, but not a bit. If you have a favorite book that you would recommend, I would love to hear about it. I am always interested in reading new material and new-to-me authors.

One more week of work and then we are off for a week of spring break!! I am hoping to travel a little and do some home improvement projects...more on that later.

Until next time.....

NPI woes...

2010-03-11T18:54:00.005-05:00

I would have finished block 2 of CaHRH by the end of last weekend, if I had had NPI 871 like I thought that I did. I thought that I had all of the silks I needed for block 2, but I guess that is what I get for thinking. LOL! So, aggravated but still determined, I dashed off a quick order to Needlecraft Corner and promptly began block 3 which I was sure I had all the supplies for. See that pretty, unfinished pineapple in the picture below. It lacks NPI 313 which I also thought I had. That did me in.

It took me less than 10 seconds after discovering my lack of 313 to chuck that baby into a project bag and put it back into WIP oblivion. To ease my frustration, I promptly started BBD's Easter Parade (which thankfully I seem to have all the threads for...at this point anyway!).

Needless to say, I will be dashing off another quick order to Drema because I am determined to get both of these blocks finished before the end of March and get back on my (self-imposed) schedule.

In other news...

I was recently honored with an award from both Jolene and Faye. I greatly appreciate that both of them thought of me. :)

I am supposed to tell seven little known or unique facts about myself. So here they are, in no particular order...

1. I am a Disney fanatic. I have turned my husband and son into Disney fanatics as well. We try to visit the parks for an extended vacation each year. I scour the internet for tips and trivia. My friends ask for my help in planning their trips. My basement bathroom and one of my school offices is Disney themed, and that decor is starting to leak into other areas of my home as well. I have more Disney art on my walls than cross-stitch.

2. I love electronic equipment--computers, phones, iPods, flat screen TVs, gadgets, etc. I jokingly tell my husband that I would rather have the latest electronic gizmo than jewelry for special occasion gifts. (Honey, if you are reading this, a Nook for my birthday would be fabulous!!).

3. I sing. I am a member of my church's praise team, and I love it. I much prefer singing with a group as opposed to singing solo, however.

4. I've been cross-stitching for 20 years, but feel like I have so little to show for that amount of time. I gave a lot of stuff away, and I have a lot of stuff stored. I have very few stitched pieces hanging in my home, but I am making an effort to change that before the end of the year by either framing some things myself or having them custom framed.

5. I once met John Travolta in a Red Lobster in Florida and got his autograph. I was (am) a huge fan of Grease, so you can imagine how excited I was.

6. My husband's middle name and my first name are the same--Kellie/Kelly.

7. I met my husband on a blind date that I VERY reluctantly agreed to. Almost 14 happy years of marriage and a wonderful eight year old son later, I am so glad I didn't back out.

There you have it... a little glimpse of me that you didn't know previously. LOL! I am supposed to pass this on to seven blogs I love, and there are so many to choose to from that I love. And I am not sure who has been selected already and who hasn't, but here are my nominations...

Natalie - a . stitch . in . time

Doris - A Pause in the Journey

Natasha - A Stitcher's Ramblings

Lainey - Lainey's Stitching Hoose

Nicole - Nicole's Needlework

Siobhan - Notes from Blue Hen Hollow

Melissa - Words and Blooms

If you want to accept this award, the following are the list of rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.

2. Paste the award on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you.

4. Tell 7 interesting things about yourself.

5. Nominate 7 blogs and post links.

We are going to see Alice in Wonderland tomorrow night in 3D (refer to #1 in my list above... LOL!). I can't wait!

Well, Survivor and stitching are calling, along with a pan of snickerdoodles....

Kellie

Plugging away...

2010-03-05T16:37:00.003-05:00

My stitching has been really scattered lately. I have stitched a lot, but I have picked up and put down so many different projects that I really don't have a lot of progress on anything to show for the last couple of weeks.

However, the last couple of days I have consistently worked on block 2 of CaHRH. I am hoping to have this block finished before the end of the weekend.

I also want to say a big thank you to Lainey. I recently won a giveaway on her blog. The picture below is what it looked like when I first received it. It was like Christmas in an envelope. :) To see what I won, click on her name above. It was very nice and very generous, and I really appreciate all of it... Thank you, Lainey!

Here's hoping all of you have a wonderful weekend full of little x's. :)

Have a good one!

Headless Molly....

2010-02-16T19:45:00.003-05:00

Is headless no more! :) And a little birdy has landed on the cat's head.

My snow/all-day-stitch-athons have come to an end. It is back to work tomorrow. I am glad and sad. I will miss the time at home, but I do not want to go all summer. These snow days are edging the end of school a little too close to our already scheduled vacation to Disney. So far, so good, and maybe this will be the end of it, I hope.

I am off to stitch while watching American Idol and Lost. I will do more watching than stitching with Lost, I am sure (or I will be lost! LOL!). Any Lost fans out there?

Be Kind and Be True Finished

2010-02-15T12:37:00.004-05:00

I spent my snow days stitching and finishing Be Kind and Be True. I like how it turned out. I want to eventually get this framed and hang it in my bedroom.

Be Kind and Be True

With Thy Needle and Thread

36 ct. Flax

DMC threads

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. We did not celebrate in a big way this year. Our iPhones from a couple of weeks ago were our Valentine's Day present to each other. The three of us went out to dinner last night, and it was nice to get out of the house. Jake brought home a rose in a vase for me over the weekend. He is a very thoughtful boy and always tries to do special things for me. He spotted the roses in our local grocery store last week when I sent him and his dad on an errand. Michael is very good about "helping" him do things like this. I am a lucky girl to have such a great son and a great husband.

I haven't been to work in a week (not that I am complaining...). We are out again today. Not sure if we will go back tomorrow. We didn't get a lot of snow this round, but it will depend on how well the back roads get cleared today.

Since finishing BK&BT, I have been working on Molly by Carriage House Samplings. Seeing Siobhan's finish of Mary Margaret and my mom commenting on Molly's cat being pretty has spurred me forward on her. :) She is fun to stitch. I love the fabric (Lakeside Linen Vintage Autumn Gold) and the silks. I had been stitching in qsnaps lately, but went back to stitching in hand with BK&BT and Molly and had forgotten how much faster I can stitch when I am stitching in hand. It has been a nice change of pace.

Short post today....

Have a good one. Stay warm!

Snow Day!

2010-02-09T09:41:00.005-05:00

Here is the scene outside the window of my sitting/stitching room....

I love snow. I think it is so pretty, and I love to watch it falling. (I know some of you aren't feeling the love for the white stuff right now.. .especially my friends in the eastern part of the country who have experienced a blizzard with what seems continuous new snowfall). This particular snow fall has landed us a snow day from school/work and I am quite thrilled with that. We can't have too many more though... I want school to be out before June so that we can go to Disney as planned and not have to switch our dates around.

Still... what to do with this unexpected blissful day off? I think I will probably stitch and scrapbook and keep busy with crafty things. And I will probably fix a big pot of chili and some brownies as that just sounds yummy and perfectly appropriate for a day such as this.

I have been doing some stitching since I last posted. I started and finished a couple of Valentine smalls... (I even finished/finished them...) My goal is to eventually have enough smalls for each holiday/season to fill a wire basket that sits on my entryway table. I am a long way from it, but I am getting there.

I added a few more strands to Quakers and Quilts...

I started Be Kind and Be True (LOVING this one...It will probably see some stitching time from me today)

And I am continuing to stitch Paradise Lost...

I was doing so well on this one last night... making tons of progress on that bird tree... when I discovered a one stitch mistake in two of the leaves (I am not sure what to call them?) so basically I am in the process of frogging everything I stitched during my several hours of stitching/TV watching time. Grrrr....

I haven't stitched as much this week because I got a new "toy."

Michael and I joined the ranks of iPhone users... It has been so much fun to play with and figure out. I have been wanting one of these since they first came out. I wish there was a cross-stitching app. This is one area where there is not an "app for everything." I am wondering if it is possible to blog from it? Anyone know?

I am off to make a few phone calls, send a few texts, and see where the day goes from here. I am thinking that Be Kind is going to fly into my hands any minute....

Hope you are having a great day wherever you are... snowy or otherwise. :)

What to stitch?

2010-01-29T17:32:00.004-05:00

I am looking forward to a stitchy weekend, but so many things are calling to me that I don't know what to work on first. (warning...lots of pictures...)

I did finish a little quick LK design this week. I hope to finish/finish this one this weekend.

I am going to quit posting any intentions here. The minute I do, I no longer want to work on whatever I had in mind. LOL! I think in my last post, I wanted to finish an LHN ornament and Block 2 of CaHRH this week. Didn't happen. I have picked up, stitched a little, and put down a number of projects this week, including...

Quaker and Quilts

Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Mediterranean Mermaid

(started this last weekend)

There are several other things, in addition to those above, that are also "calling" to me...

Paradise Lost

Molly

Be Kind and Be True (a new start)

Decisions....decisions. Maybe I will just put some strands in all of them.

We are under a Winter Storm Warning right now. I love snow. I hope we get a big deep one this weekend. The mets here are forecasting 6+ inches. Jake is hoping to make a snowman and go sledding. He is eight. The deepest snow that he has experienced was about four inches when he was about four or five. I would love for him to get to have the fun of a really big snow this year. My dad recently refinished his sled that he had as a child and gave it to Jake. My dad is 65. The sled was given to him by his grandfather when he was six. So it is one of those neat, old time looking sleds with real metal runners and a wooden slat seat and steering mechanism. Jake can't wait to take it out in the snow, and that is exactly what Dad wants him to do with it... to enjoy it the same as he did when he was a boy and the same that my brother and I did when we were kids. Part of me hates to see it out in the snow, but the other part of me can't wait to get the pictures. I think I have a picture of my dad playing on that sled when he was little. I need to see if there are any pictures of me and my brother playing on the sled when we were kids. Wouldn't that make a great scrapbook page or look great in a frame that has a three photo spots? And I love the family history part of it... my son playing on a sled that came from his great, great grandfather.

Stay tuned... If we get a big snow, I will be posting snow pictures this weekend! :)

Have a good one!

Progress

2010-01-20T19:51:00.004-05:00

You guys just wowed me with your comments on my last post!! The most comments that I have had to date. And I know it is only 18, but that is a lot to me, and I am thankful for each and every one of them. J J J I love seeing new comments both from regular “friends” and from new people too. It made my week!

Long time, no post. I have been so busy with work, Jake’s activities, and dabbling in scrapbooking (another love/hobby) that I have not stitched as much. J

I have continued to work on Plum Street Sampler’s Paradise Lost. I am so enjoying stitching this design. I have taken little breaks on it here and there, but always return to it. I am determined to have this on my wall very soon.

In keeping with my goal of stitching one block per month on CaHRH and stitching the LHN ornament of the month, I have worked a little on both of those. My progress is not even picture-worthy, but here they are…

I have the outline of Block 2 and I have barely started on the fence.

I put some stitches into Pear Tree last night. Love this little cute design.

The plan is to finish Pear Tree first (hopefully by the weekend), then tackle the rest of block 2 with a hopeful (unrealistic?) goal of finishing by Jan. 31. Then it is back to Paradise Lost if I can resist a new start…. I have a hard time sticking to one thing (as my regular readers (and my mother!) well know! LOL!), but I think maybe the trick for me is to have one large “focus” piece that I work on mostly, and to work on small/quick finishes here and there to keep me from getting bored. So far, so good. The only problem is there are so many large pieces that I want to do. Those are the ones that I am most drawn to. This love of large designs and my stitching ADD are not a good combination. LOL!

I have been “stashing” a bit lately. Things have been slowly trickling in….

Several Brightneedle designs… I am trying to grab the ones I want while they are still readily available. So far, I have Dollhouse, Needlework Shop, and Key West Sampler. I have Ezmerelda’s House on the way, and I am looking for Christmas House (anyone have this one that they are willing to sell/part with?).

I also scooped up Plum Street Sampler’s Fishes and Bait after seeing it on Siobhan’s blog… Love her little mermaid porcelain reading room, and this design in particular caught my mermaid-loving, adam and eve-collecting little eye. LOL!

I am still waiting on a few more things. I will share those as they arrive. Nothing too exciting… mostly fabric to kit up designs that I already have.

Looking forward to the weekend. We are going for an overnight in Louisville. DH has a Zija International conference that he is attending. Jake and I are going to hang out in the hotel room and swim in the pool. J My husband is a part-time independent distributor for this company. Amazing products. We have both been using their products for a time now. I can tell a huge difference in my overall health and energy as well as some weight loss. My husband has lost over 30 pounds using the XM3 capsules. He is excited about the conference. I am excited about getting “away” even for just a night. I am more worried about what I am going to pack to stitch than what I am going to pack to wear…. Crazy!

Adam and Eve on the scene

2010-01-09T19:55:00.005-05:00

Adam and Eve have finally made an appearance on Paradise Lost.

I am getting ready to move to another page and move the q-snaps which I find exciting. I usually like to stitch in hand, but I find that with the smaller count fabrics, my stitches are more even using q-snaps. The progress is slower though. (I just took a closer look at this picture and then my actual stitching and realized I didn't finish the 'n' on 'than'... I guess I know what I will be doing as soon as this is posted!).

What an end to a week...

We finally got snow (yeah!!). But it was not near what the meteorologists had predicted. We went from a prediction of 4+" to a mere 1". However, that 1" provided two snow days which I always enjoy. I don't like to have too many snow days because I still like for school to be out before the end of May, but it is fun to have a few.

I am really thankful for the snow days this past week though because Jake and I both were sick, so that meant that we did not have to miss school and work, but were still able to be home. I worked a half day Wednesday, feeling miserable, and then visited the acute care center. I was diagnosed with bronchitis, had chest x-rays to rule out pneumonia, and given a strong round of antibiotics. I feel better, but not great. On Thursday morning, Jake complained with his stomach hurting. By 10:30 a.m. it was clear that he had a virus. He was sick twice an hour all day long. I felt so sorry for him. It was exhausting for all of us. He is much better today, but still a little weak from it all. Until this morning, we had not been out of the house since Wednesday afternoon. Considering it is frigid cold and we were sick... not a bad thing.

I am at the end of a good book for all my reading friends. It is called "Speak Softly, She Can Hear" by Pam Lewis. I read it on a recommendation of one of my best friends. I have enjoyed it. I am anxious to see how it ends. It is a suspense/thriller set in the 70s, flashing back into the 60s. It involves friendships, relationships, secrets, and murder.

I am also listening to a book called "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins upon recommendation of Laura. Oh my.... I haven't made it far into the book yet, but I can see why people can't put this down. It is really good. I am looking forward to getting the second book in the series as soon as I finish this one. It is called "Catching Fire", I think.

Not much else going on in my little corner of the world right now.

Hope you are having a good weekend, where ever you may be. :)

Kellie

Fa La La

2010-01-05T18:47:00.003-05:00

Every time I see/hear the name of this ornament, I immediately think "Fa La La La Lifetime..." Apparently I spent way too much time watching Frasier re-runs on this particular channel over Christmas break. LOL!

I debated on a New Year start this year...I had so many new starts during Christmas that I didn't really think the new year justified yet another one (I usually never even stop to think about a new start...I don't know what came over me...). In the end, I compromised and started (and finished!) the first of the monthly Little House Needleworks ornaments "Fa La La." Cute, fun, and easily completed. I hope to stitch one each month as they come out. We will see.... The stitching probably won't be the problem; it will be the actual finishing it into an ornament that I will struggle with. I don't enjoy finishing nearly as much as I enjoy starting and stitching. I stitched this on a miscellaneous 40 ct. scrap that I had in my "smalls" fabric stash. I like the small count for these.

I have been stitching exclusively on Paradise Lost since finishing Fa La La. I don't feel like I have much to show for it. The leaves on this tree have taken me FOR-EVER. I just put the last stitch into the last leaf. There are 30 leaves on this one tree...not that I have counted or anything... I LOVE stitching it though. It is a lot of fun. I can't wait to start Eve tonight. I am hoping I can keep myself interested in seeing this to completion and have it hanging on my wall soon. This will be the first A&E sampler that I have ever stitched, but already have accumulated a stash of several more to join it.

I had to go back to work yesterday. I had forgotten how unpleasant getting up at 6:00 am can be. And cold. I know most of the US is experiencing record breaking lows, that even in January, are colder than usual. Here in Kentucky is no exception. We are expected to get 4-6 inches of snow later in the week. If we get it, it will be the first significant snowfall that we have had in a long time.

Michael and Jake are at Little League basketball practice for another 45 minutes. I think I will fix a cuppa hot tea and start stitching Eve.

Have a good one! Stay warm!

Kellie

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T17:09:00.007-05:00

I have managed to sneak in two more finishes before the end of the year.

I finished Reindeer Yule right after Christmas. You may remember I posted this when I first began it back in November, referring to it as looking like a cow with mange...

I am happy to show it here looking more like what it was meant to be... LOL! I changed a couple of threads, trading out the called for DMC on the reindeer body and star to Maple Syrup and Whiskey.

Reindeer Yule

Ewe and Eye and Friends

Unknown fabric

recommended DMC with 2 WDW substitutions

I also finished Cappuccino. This one is sort of a finish, I guess. I plan to add the add the other two thread packs beside this one on the same piece of fabric. But for now, I am counting it as a finish. :)

Cappuccino thread pack

Little House Needleworks

Belle Soie silk in thread pack

28 ct. unknown fabric

I think I counted 22 finishes this year. Among those were a couple of BAPS, several smalls, and quite a few medium sized designs. All in all, I am pretty happy with what I accomplished. I didn't whittle my enormous WIP pile down much, but that is okay. I don't stress over WIPs and new starts... It is all about fun! I plan to make an album with a link in my sidebar eventually of what I stitched this year. I have been enjoying seeing the mosaics and slideshows on several blogs today of the stitching completed this year. There are so many talented and inspiring stitchers out there!! I have learned so much through reading blogs, and made so many "friends" through blogging. I appreciate each and every one of you who take the time to read my drivel and those of you that take time to comment. I read every single comment, and appreciate each and every one.

Do any of you start a new piece on New Years Day? I am not sure if I will or not this year. I have been stitching on Paradise Lost the last couple of days, and I may just stick with that or maybe start block 2 on CaHRH.

I am a little melancholy to see 2009 end. It has been a good year for my family and me. I am not quite ready to bid it farewell. And with the start of 2010 comes the inevitable end of my winter break, and I am not quite ready to go back to work either. LOL!

I usually make New Years Resolutions... then feel terribly guilty when I break them less than a week after Jan. 1. So this year...no resolutions. There are definitely things I would like to accomplish floating around in my head, but the minute I commit pen to paper seems to be the kiss of death for whatever goal I had in mind. So no written resolutions anyway. :)

I wish all of you and your families peace and blessings in the new year. Have a good one!

Kellie

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T09:57:00.005-05:00

I put the final stitches in JB at 2:06 a.m. this morning. I was determined to get her finished. I told DH at 11:30 p.m. that I would stay up until 3:00 a.m. if that is what it took. It very nearly did. I was determined to have this finished by Christmas and knew that I would not have a lot of time today or tomorrow to stitch.

Jenny Bean's Christmas Sampler

Shakespeare's Peddler

40 ct. LL Navy Bean linen

recommended GAST threads

We celebrated Christmas with my parents, brother, and SIL over the weekend. We had such a good time. Stash pictures coming soon. :)

I won a giveaway from Belinda at Samplings from a Blue Ribbon Girl recently. I received this lovely package in the mail yesterday. It was like opening a Christmas present!

Aren't they beautiful? The workmanship is exquisite! And she included the sweetest card. I love all of them, Belinda! Thank you so much!!

My parents are coming down tonight to spend the night with us. I am thrilled! We are meeting for dinner and shopping, and then plan to go to the Christmas Eve service at our church at 11 p.m. (one of my favorite traditions). Tonight, Santa will come, and I am sure that Jake will be up at the crack of dawn ready to open all that he finds under the tree. Afterwards, Mom and I will fix breakfast and we will just enjoy the day. Tomorrow night we will go to Michael's parents to celebrate with them and BIL, SIL, and kiddos. Good times. I am very blessed.

I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas!

Kellie

A little Christmas music...

2009-12-23T14:43:00.003-05:00

Enjoy!!!

My favorite Christmas song sung by Danny Gokey....love his voice and his version of this. :)

Hope to have a finish of Jenny Bean to post later tonight or tomorrow.

JB, Jake, books

2009-12-17T18:21:00.004-05:00

I have been working almost exclusively on Jenny Bean’s Christmas Sampler the last several weeks. However, I don’t feel like I have made tremendous progress on it. Things are so busy already in our household. My stitching has had to take a backseat. My goal is to have JB finished by Christmas, and then to start block 2 on CaHRH. That is the goal anyway…it may be a little too lofty considering all that is going on between now and then.

In non-stitching news, our son Jake got baptized on Sunday. That was a HUGE event for us. J We are so proud of him and so pleased that he has made this most important of decisions so early in his life. That makes this Christmas even more special than usual for our family.

Let's talk books for a second.... I am reading/listening to "Dragonfly in Amber" by Diana Gabaldon at the moment. I am determined to re-read the entire Outlander series before reading the latest "Echo in the Bone." I am finding that I have forgotten a lot from the last time that I read them. I have a couple of Audible credits burning a hole in my pocket. Those of you that like to listen and stitch...recommend some of your favorites to me. I always enjoy seeing what other people are reading and what their favorite books are. :)

I haven’t been commenting as much on blogs lately as I usually do. I just haven’t had time, and I apologize to those of you that I normally comment on. I have been trying to keep up with reading and looking at your work as much as possible. I am hoping that after the holidays that I will have more time to update this blog as well as comment on yours. J I am constantly inspired by the amazing work that I see on your blogs and it motivates me to stitch all the more.

Have a great weekend ahead!

Kellie

Check out this giveaway...

2009-12-10T18:44:00.002-05:00

The Teakettle Corner (which is a "new-to-me" blog) is having a fabulous giveaway. Check out her original post on Dec. 3 to get the details.

I have been working on Jenny Bean's Christmas Sampler. It has been so overcast/cloudy/rainy here that I have yet to get a picture. I am hoping to post an update this weekend.

Chrismas@HRH Block 1 finished

2009-12-02T16:32:00.004-05:00

Most of my stitching time (what little I have had) has been devoted to stitching Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow. I finally finished block 1 last night. Now I am debating whether to start block 2 or go back to Jenny Bean's Christmas Sampler. Jenny Bean is calling pretty loudly. :)

Look at what my mom surprised me with today! I have always loved this nativity that she and Dad display at their house. She came down today and brought this with her. She said she doesn't really have a good place to display it and she has never loved it as much as I have. I am thrilled!!! The pictures don't really do it justice.

Jake and I finished decorating the tree last night. We have had the tree up since Thanksgiving, just had a hard time finding time to put the ornaments on it. I am hoping to have a few more cross stitched ornaments for my tree as I have joined Vonna's LHN ornament SAL. My first ornament arrived in the mail a few days ago. I am going to try really hard to stitch and finish these each month. Wish me luck!

I am thankful...

2009-11-25T14:55:00.002-05:00

for God's saving grace
for my family
that both mine and my husband's parents are healthy and with us
for our brothers and their families
that we are in good health
that we have a roof over our heads, food on the table, basic needs met
for friends
for hobbies
for music
for sunshine
for a pleasant afternoon at home and a long weekend ahead
for simple pleasures
for the Christmas season that is right around the corner

Hoping you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Kellie

Stitching, thank you, New Moon

2009-11-22T13:11:00.004-05:00

I haven't gotten to stitch a whole lot lately. The evenings and weekends have been busy, and it has really cut into my stitching time. And as for blogging and reading/commenting on blogs, my husband has taken over my computer a lot of evenings and that has cut into my computer/blog time. Mind you, he has his own laptop. I just have a newer, faster Mac that we both love. It appears that if mine sits idle for very long, it automatically springs into his lap for the evening. However, I have worked on a few things...

I started Block 1 of Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow. I couldn't stand it any longer. As soon as my threads came in the mail, I put in some stitches. (excuse my wrinkly pictures...I didn't take time to iron today).

I also started Jenny Bean Christmas. Not a lot of progress to show yet on this one.

I also put some stitches in Quakers and Quilts.

And I want to say a big public thank you to Jolene for the prize I won in one of her recent giveaways! I was thrilled!! I later told her that I was secretly hoping this would be the one of four prizes that would show up in my mailbox. I am hoping to stitch that gorgeous cardinal design in this one soon.

In non-stitching news, (and for my fellow Twilighters) I went with a group of twelve girlfriends to see New Moon Friday night. Oh. My. Goodness. I loved it! I loved the first one too, but thought this one was even better. New Moon was my least favorite of all the books, but I just thought the movie was spectacular. I have always been "Team Edward" but I am starting to see the appeal of the Jacob followers. LOL! I will be going back to the theater again to see this soon. I wanted to stay and see it again as soon as our showing ended, and I think I could have talked the eleven others into staying if there was a ticket left to be had in the tri-state area! Good times!

That's it for me...I am off to stitch and catch up on my DVR.

Have a good one.

Kellie

Christmas Finish!

2009-11-12T20:37:00.005-05:00

I just put in the last stitches and attached the buttons to All in a Sleigh by Miss Crescent's Crowne.

I am thinking I will either frame this in a shiny red frame that I saw at Michael's recently or maybe make it into a pinkeep. It is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. I am leaning more toward framing. I think it will fit into a standard 5x7 easily.

I am not sure which one I will pick up next. Maybe my Yule mangy cow. LOL! Good night of TV to stitch with...Survivor, Fast Forward, The Office, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice (which I will record for later).... I love Thursday night TV.

Happy Weekend ahead!!!

Kellie

Christmas Stitching Galore

2009-11-07T14:49:00.008-05:00

The Christmas spirit hit me about 10 minutes after Halloween ended. And I know that here in the U.S., Thanksgiving is the next holiday, and I am in Thanksgiving mode as well (hence the new blog layout), but the two holidays seem to kind of blend together for me. (I think this is because my Christmas crazy MIL treats Thanksgiving as a prelude to Christmas...but I digress).

I love holiday stitching. So I promptly pulled out all of my Christmas WIPs, kitted Christmas projects, and Christmas charts and began organizing them in a Christmas tote. I also filled almost every project bag I own with Christmas stitching.

And then the craziness began.... and my stitching ADD kicked in....

I finished stitching Eloquent Christmas but still need to add beads (this one may go to my sister-in-law who has been eyeing it the minute I put needle to thread, but I will have to stitch another one for me because I absolutely love this design)....

I started Ewe and Eye and Friends' Yule.... (yes it looks like a bunch of crazy geometric shapes gone wild or a funky cow with mange, but it will eventually turn into a cute reindeer, I promise)

I started Lizzie Kate's ABC Christmas....

I started Prairie Schooler's Christmas Eve...

I started Shepherd's Bush's Glad Tidings...

And I put a few stitches in Paradise Lost (you didn't think it was going to be all Christmas, did you? LOL!)

And the sad thing is, I am wildly eyeing Miss Crescent's Crown's All in a Sleigh and Shakepeare's Peddler's Jenny Bean Christmas, wanting to grab them and start them as well. Not to mention Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow which is begging to put in an appearance but I don't have all the NPIs I need yet. (And then there is Vonna's ornament SAL that I need to get working on...)

Sick, I tell ya...

And yes, I do plan to finish some of them. Some of them are going to be really quick stitches (I think).

I have a feeling we will be decking the halls and trimming the tree a lot earlier this year. I usually wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving day, but the last couple of years we have been so busy with family functions (which I love... not complaining a bit!), that I have ended up decorating the first week of December, which is just not enough time for me to enjoy it all. So this year, I am going to get a jump start and make the season and joy last as long as possible.

In other news, hubby's varsity team won their first round of playoffs last night and will advance to the next round on Friday. Go Hawks! And Jake's little league flag football team won their playoff game this afternoon and will play in the Little League Super Bowl tomorrow afternoon. Go Vikings! All kinds of football fun going on around here. :)

And I want to say a big Thank You to everyone who left a comment on my last post. I had 19 wonderful comments (the most ever!) and I loved each and every one of them and have read them several times. You all sure know how to make a girl feel good. :)

Hope you are having a happy, stitchy, fun day in your neck of the woods (that's southern for "where you live" LOL!). I am thinking I may make a cup of hot chocolate and turn on the Christmas carols for my afternoon of stitching. :)

Finished!!

2009-10-31T11:29:00.007-04:00

I put the last stitch in Midnight Watch Thursday night. I am so pleased with how it turned out. Now to get it framed and ready to display next Halloween...

Midnight Watch

Blackbird Designs

30 ct. 18th Century Brown by R & R Reproductions

recommended Crescent Colors, Gentle Arts, and Weeks Dye Works threads

Started Thursday, October 8 , 2009

Finished Thursday, October 29, 2009

As soon as I placed the final stitch, I promptly started Paradise Lost. I have been wanting to stitch this since I saw the first sneak peeks on Paulette's blog months ago. I don't have much to show yet, but I have a four day weekend this weekend, and this baby is going to get lots of face time. :)

Paradise Lost

Plum Street Samplers

Started Thursday, October 29, 2009

Recommended fabric and fibers

Thank you all for your kind comments regarding my mom's and Jake's birthday. Both enjoyed their days.

Have you seen the LHN monthly ornament series? I am excited about these. Vonna is hosting a stitch a long blog for these here if you are interested. I am signed up for a monthly auto and looking forward to participating in the blog. I am hoping this will keep me motivated to work on these all year. I enjoy quick stitches in between bigger projects.

Today is Halloween here (not sure if this is just a US holiday or not...). Michael will take Jake trick or treating around our neighborhood later this evening while I stay home to pass out candy. Where we live, we get slammed with trick or treaters. It seems like people drop them off by the van-loads. It is a lot of fun but it's hectic. Jake is going to be a skeleton this year that has blood pumping through it's chest. Ick. Usually he is some character from Star Wars, but he wanted to be something "scary" this year. After trick or treating, my next door neighbors a.k. a. my brother-in-law and sister-in-law have an annual Halloween party where a bunch of our friends and their families gather to eat chili. We always have a great time. It is definitely chili weather. It has been cold and rainy here most of October, and today is no exception, although I think maybe the rain is over for the rest of today at least.

School is out until next Wednesday!!! Yippee!!! Monday is technically a "work day" for parent teacher conferences, but since most parents work during the day, we have two evenings where we stay late to meet with parents which allows us to have Monday off. Tuesday is an election day, so we have that day off as well. Love these kind of weekends. :) I plan to stitch as much as I can in between Halloween festivities, church, and football. Sounds like a great weekend. Hope you have a great one wherever you are! :)

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-10-22T18:52:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to wish my sweet Mama a very happy birthday! :) She reads my blog from time to time. I have the sweetest mother in the world. So kind and so loving. She has always been and continues to be the best mom ever (yes, I know I am biased). While I don't post a lot of personal pictures here on my blog, I thought I would honor her in another way. I have shown you things that my dad has made for me. Tonight is Mom's turn. She has learned to quilt (self taught) in the last year or so and makes some gorgeous quilts. I have been lucky to be a recipient of one of her quilts as well as a tabletop ort bag. However, I don't use it for orts. I use the pincushion for needles occasionally and the bag part to hold my scissors (in the cute inside pocket) and my ring of threads for whichever project I am working on at the moment. This has been quite a useful little addition as it keeps me and the husband from fighting over the limited table space between our two recliners. LOL!

(Actually I guess Dad gets a little credit on this post after all...he made the quilt rack that it is hanging on in the foyer. :) The wall looks pink but it is more of a rose-ish brown and I don't know why my husband's foot is in the bottom corner. LOL!)

No stitching pictures to show today. I am on a little hiatus from Midnight Watch as I am waiting for threads (maybe tomorrow, I hope). I have been stitching on some random projects--Shores, Quakers and Quilts, My Lady's Quaker, etc. but not really enough progress on any one thing to show.

Jake's 8th birthday is this weekend. He is looking so forward to his party and counting down the days.

Right now the dog is begging to go outside and Jake is wanting me to look up his reading log online and help him with his math homework, so I guess that is it for this post.

Have a happy Friday!

Awesome giveaway

2009-10-21T17:12:00.002-04:00

Here's an awesome giveaway...

http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/

27 very cute fat quarters that would be awesome for finishing needlework or making a quilt. :)

Enjoy!

New Trinkets

2009-10-18T11:28:00.008-04:00

I have been diligently stitching on Midnight Watch. I love this project, but I am ready to finish it and move on to something else. I love the color of the fabric and I really think this design looks fabulous on it, but it is rough textured. I stitch in hand most of the time using the sewing method, and my finger is starting to get a sore spot from pushing the needle through the fabric. I have never found a thimble that I like, but a bandaid seems to do the trick. :)

I don't know if I am going to have this one finished by my self-imposed Halloween deadline or not. I kind of doubt it. I have run out of a couple of threads that I have ordered. I plan to stitch as much as I can with the threads that I have. This design is taking a lot more of threads of certain colors than I thought it would. But I didn't start out with full skeins of some threads.

I have a few new trinkets to show...

My dad made me this beautiful needle holder out of ebony. I know I am biased, but I think it is absolutely fabulous. My dad is a woodworker. His particular passion is wood turning. I think he does beautiful work. I love how this one stands on a table top. I immediately filled it with my favorite needles--Bohin #26. Love those!!

And speaking of Bohin, they also make scissors! I had no idea until I saw these on Anita's Little Stitches site...

Fabulous!! They snip threads perfectly and have a great feel. Two thumbs up for Anita's customer service and super fast shipping! :)

Hoping to stitch some tonight. I would love to get the house almost finished while watching all my Sunday night shows. :)

I am also listening to Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon. I have read all of the books before, but I am trying to re-read/listen to them again before delving into Echo in the Bone. It has been so long since I read the last one that I feel compelled to read again and remember the details. This is one of my absolute favorite series ever... I also recently downloaded Audrey Niffenegger's new one "Her Fearful Symmetry." I loved Time Traveler's Wife, so I am hoping that this one will be a big hit with me as well. It will be awhile before I get to it though.

Hope you are have had a great weekend!

Kellie

Midnight Watch progress...

2009-10-11T12:53:00.004-04:00

I have made a good start on this particular piece, I think. I am hoping I can keep my stitching ADD under control long enough to finish this one by Halloween. I would love to get it framed and sitting on my foyer table before the end of October.

I ran out of GAST Gingersnap used in the border. The design calls for two skeins. I had one full skein and a part of one. It definitely takes almost two skeins. And it will probably take two skeins of WDW Charcoal although the design only calls for one. (edited to add...it's Crescent Colors Blackbird in the border that I think I will need another skein...not Weeks Charcoal...I got mixed up...sorry). So I have quit stitching the border and will work on the vine and house while I wait for a thread order. So far, this has been a really fun stitch, and I am enjoying working on it. Usually borders do me in with boredom, but so far, so good.

A few people asked on my last post if the neighbor's cat's name is really Midnight or if I just referred to her as that because of the black cat in the design, but her name really is Midnight. :) The neighbors adopted three cats from a shelter all at the same time. Apparently the other two cats weren't very nice to Midnight, so she takes up residence at our house. She loves hubby's lawnmower and we find her sitting in the seat almost every time we walk outside. The neighbors behind us (Midnight's original owners), our next door neighbors/inlaws, and our family all love cats (and dogs). Between the three homes, we have eight cats. They all visit the three houses and eat from each other's food bowls. I have always loved cats. I would adopt every stray I saw if my husband would let me. Of course, I don't really want to be known in town as the crazy cat lady either, but I do think they are just the sweetest pets.

It is a sunny, chilly, peaceful Sunday here. The perfect day to stitch. And the last day of my fall break. {Sob...} It is back to the grindstone tomorrow.

Have a great day!

Kellie

Midnight Watch

2009-10-08T16:10:00.004-04:00

Three posts in three days...you can tell I am on fall break. LOL! I think this is a new personal record for me.

I have decided to shelve "Home" for awhile. I am too disgruntled with it to make a decision or to want to work on it. I think it is Siobhan who refers to the "WIP dungeon." I like that...that is where Home is going for now.

I got happy mail today...

I had ordered Blackbird Designs Midnight Watch and fabric a couple of days ago from Needlecraft-Corner. Their shipping is so fast! I loved this design when I first saw it. I am now happily stitching on this piece this afternoon and trying to catch up online with the show Mercy. A terrific afternoon. If my husband would call and insist on takeout for supper, it would be perfect. LOL!

Here's our own little Midnight. Actually she belongs to the neighbors behind us, but she adopted us long ago and stays at our house, sleeps in our garage, and eats our cat food. :) And we love her, so all is well.

Have a great afternoon!

Kellie

Agitated

2009-10-07T20:36:00.003-04:00

This word pretty much sums up my whole day....

Some extended family issues cropped up earlier today. Nothing serious, just enough to be aggravating and to make my day off kilter.

And then, just when I got my attitude somewhat adjusted, I discover that I made a counting error between the H and the O on Bent Creek's Home, and it has thrown a good chunk of the sampler off kilter. I wish I had discovered it earlier, but it did not occur to me until I started the house and figured out that it was not perfectly centered between the trees.

Not sure what I am going to do... I don't know if I will work around it and adjust the border or if I will frog out about a fourth of the piece and stitch it again. I "think" I would have to frog the H, and the smaller letters (a, b, f, g), the star, the two trees on the left, and what there is of the house. I HATE this kind of thing. It makes me fall out of love with whatever I am stitching really quickly. If I frog and restitch, I am afraid I will have those little needle holes and clingy thread fibers. If I don't frog, my eyes will go to that mistake every time I look at the piece. I have decided to work on something else tonight, sleep on it, and see how I feel tomorrow. Not a wise idea to work on it tonight when I am tired and cranky.

I am going to take my cranky pants to the recliner, pick up a fun, easy project (I started My Lady's Quaker right before we left for vacation...this might fit the bill), turn on the TV, and duck for cover until tomorrow.

Hope your stitching is frog-free tonight...

Kellie

All good things must come to an end...

2009-10-06T17:02:00.006-04:00

And so it was with our little mini vacation. We returned home today. We had such a fabulous time. I did not want to come home. My parents went with us, and we really had such a great trip. I would have liked to have stayed for one more day, but with my husband's football practice schedule, it wasn't feasible.

I spent a lot of time browsing around a nice little needlework shop called "Dixie Darlin'." I came home with quite a bit of stash from there....

a design from the Knoxville EGA called Swan Pond Sampler (I have been admiring this model on their wall for years), Rosewood Manor's Quaker Diamonds, Midsummer Night Designs' Liberty, Blackbird Designs Bittersweet Moon

Notforgotten Farms' My Samplar House, With Thy Needle and Thread's Flag Day, Little House Needleworks' The Library, Bent Creek's Home

Lots of fabric and threads....some for the designs I purchased, mostly for designs I already have.

I went back and forth to this shop several times. They are so nice there. They were very helpful with all of my questions and even ordered a chart to mail me that they did not have in stock. It is so nice to get to shop in an actual needlework shop sometimes. I order a lot online because there are no shops remotely close to me anymore.

While on vacation, I started Bent Creek's Home. It is a cute little sampler that is stitching up so fast. I expect I will have this finished either tonight or tomorrow.

I have a little mini finish to show...

Before the end of September, I actually managed to finish block 2 of SoHRH. I was quite excited to finish it before the month's end. However, I haven't started block 3 yet, and with so many new things (and more coming in the mail), I don't know if I will get to it. I don't tend to stress over this kind of thing though. That would completely sap the fun out of it for me. If I get to it, I do... If I don't, that's okay too.

While we were in Pigeon Forge, my mom and I found this little shop called The Pattern Mart. We could have spent all day in there. She had very little cross-stitch, but she had tons of other things... all kinds of quilting, applique, wood, embroidery, etc. I really loved the punchneedle designs. The owner was so nice. She gave Mom and I a lesson in punchneedle and we enjoyed watching her work on a design there in the shop. We resisted temptation (for now), but I know it is only a matter of time before I get into that as well. It was so pretty, and after talking with the shop owner and seeing her demonstration, I think I could pick it up pretty quickly. She had a lot of neat gadgets (like this double hoop stand) that made it seem like it would be a breeze. Mom and I agreed that had we stayed another day, we would both have been back at that shop buying all the necessary supplies and setting up shop in the hotel room, punching the day away. :) Have any of you tried punchneedle? Do you enjoy it?

The one positive about being home is that I have the rest of the week off and no specific plans, other than to stitch as much as humanly possible. It is a cold rainy afternoon here (perfect stitching weather for me). Michael (hubby) is at football practice, Jake is visiting with his other set of grandparents... so I plan to spend the next couple of hours with my DVR and Bent Creek.

Have a good one!!

Kellie

Seven Stinkin' Stitches...

2009-09-28T18:58:00.008-04:00

...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!

2009-09-26T10:03:00.007-04:00

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

2009-09-10T16:11:00.005-04:00

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

Mini Finish and WIP busting

2009-08-31T10:48:00.003-04:00

I finished the first block of Shores of Hawk Run Hollow over the weekend. :)

After seeing Siobhan's beautiful finish on her blog, I am more motivated than ever to start block 2. :)

But in the meantime, I decided to go through some WIPs (I have ahem....quite a few). I found several that are very near completion. So near completion that a few days or possibly a week's worth of stitching would finish them. I pulled one such from the pile yesterday morning and stitched all day. I am hoping to possibly have it finished today or tomorrow. It is Snapperville by Bent Creek.

I have a little more of the border to do, and the snaps and buttons to the border, and it will be finished.

I started this one, I think, back in 2006. I had went on a stitching hiatus after my son was born in 2001. I barely picked up a needle for five years. I was busy and not motivated. In 2006, I started to rediscover my love of stitching. One weekend, my husband and I had dropped Jake off at my parents while we went on a day outing. I convinced him to stop at a cross-stitch store in Louisville and let me look around for a bit (he is always a good sport about these kinds of things). I saw this Bent Creek piece displayed in the shop as a framed model and really liked it. After some hand wringing at the total cost of this project (at that time I had a non-existent stash...so I had to buy everything to complete it...my, how times have changed! LOL!), I bit the bullet and bought the whole thing. I promptly started stitching it and then put it aside for all these years, and I am not sure why. I think I ran out of one of the overdyeds and by the time I ordered the threads, I had moved on to something else. Fast forward to now, and I think this piece is about to see completion. All this to say, that I will always associate this piece with finding my way back to stitching.

We are home today. Jake is recovering from a virus. I decided to let him stay home today and have a day of rest before going back to school this week. Our little county is getting over-taken by swine flu and whatever this stomach virus is that Jake has contracted. It makes me want to wear an oxygen mask to work and put one on my son. LOL!

I'll leave you with a picture of one of my other boys...my sweet Boo.

Have a great afternoon!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Shimmy

2009-08-22T16:51:00.004-04:00

Long time, no post...

I am still trying to get back into the routine of school/work. My workload has increased some this year, and right now, I am just exhausted and overwhelmed. I know it will get better, given time.

I have been trying to stitch some in the evenings. It is what helps me keep my sanity. I have been working on Mirabilia's Shimmering Mermaid for the last couple of weeks and while my daily progress seems minimal, I can see progress. I would love to have this one finished by the end of August. I think it's possible if I just stick to it. I have a bad habit of getting bored and wanting to switch to something else or start something new...

Here's what she looked like the last time I posted her picture sometime in July....

(This one shows the fabric color a little truer than the second picture).

Here's what she looks like now....

I am stitching her on Silkweaver's 32 ct. Blueberry lugana. It is a real soft medium purple color fabric. I love it. I am using the recommended DMC, Kreinik, and Mill Hill beads. I love Mirabilia designs. I just wish I could stitch them faster. :)

I love weekends. Tonight DH is at the first football game of the season (he's a high school varsity coach). Since it is an away game, DS and I opted to stay home and just enjoy the evening. DS will probably end up next door at cousin's house before the evening is over, but I plan to stitch while watching TV or listening to an audiobook. I am trying to listen/read the Outlander series again before the release of Echo in the Bone in September. Diana Gabaldon is one of my favorite authors and the Outlander series is my all-time favorite series. Absolutely. Love. These. Books. I found the first four unabridged on Audible.com. I am in the middle of Dragonfly in Amber (the second book) right now. I highly recommend them....historical fiction, time travel, set in Scotland and the US in the 1700s, romance, drama, humor, unforgettable characters...good stuff, I tell ya! :)

Tomorrow the plan is Sunday School and church with a luncheon afterwards. Our church is in the process of hiring a new music minister. The hiring committee has invited all that participate in the music ministry (I sing on the praise team) to meet the candidate. I am looking forward to it. I can't wait to have a regular full time person back in that position and to begin rehearsals and performing again. I love it.

I hope that all of you reading have a fabulous weekend. The weather here is excellent...low 70s and partially sunny. Makes me excited for fall that is just right around the corner.

Until next time...

Happy Stitching!

Kellie

school, finish, shores, molly

2009-08-06T16:43:00.008-04:00

Today was the first day of school. Only 184 more left.... LOL! (I'm kidding...I don't start counting down this early). All three of us had a great day. I am especially glad that it was such a good day for Jake. He had a rough start last year, even though it all ended up turning out okay. He has a fantastic second grade teacher. He really likes her, and our families know each other well, so that makes it even better.

I have been stitching like crazy since I last posted. I finally finished Bird in the Bower. I had run out of one of the NPIs.

I also decided to stick with the 36 ct. 1 over 2 for Shores. I am loving this now. The coverage is better than I first thought. I tried stitching a portion of it with 2 strands and decided that I liked the 1 strand better. I would like to stitch a block of this each month and perhaps finish it before school starts again next year. That is my goal for now anyway.

I have also stitched a little on Molly. There are some designers that I pretty much like anything they create. Kathy Barrick-Deiter is one of those. There is something about her designs that I am just drawn too. (Not to worry, Siobhan, I know YOU are her #1 stalker, I mean, fan! LOL!). I wish she would design a boy with a dog to go with Molly and her cat. I have emailed and begged. :)

(iPhoto is not cooperating with me today...sorry about the sideways picture)

I have also worked on Quakers and Quilts and started Nora Corbett's Sunflower Fairy in the newest Cross Stitch and Needlework magazine. I will show photos of both of those next time.

Not much else to report. Everyone here is complaining they are hungry (they expect me to work AND cook dinner, what gives?), so I guess I will go see what I can rustle up for supper.

Hope all of you are having a great week!!

Until next time....

Happy Stitching!

Kellie

So many projects...so many problems!

2009-07-25T11:24:00.008-04:00

I can't believe that my summer break is almost over. It seems that the summers get shorter every year. I have one more week off, and then school starts back full force. I am not looking forward to it. Don't get me wrong...I am very thankful to have employment, especially in these tough times when so many are losing their jobs. I just really love my time at home, with very little routine and low stress. One school starts back, things get busy and hectic--not only with my job, but also with Jake's homework and little league football, and with Michael's football season. He is a varsity coach who LIVES football from July to December. I feel like a single parent for six months out of the year. I think he has been coaching for eighteen years. I have been with him for at least fourteen of those seasons...the novelty of it wore off for me a long time ago. LOL! But I digress...

Enough school talk...on to stitching!!

I have run into a couple of roadblocks this week. I finally broke down and bought all the silks for Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. I have been admiring this on so many blogs lately...like Siobhan's and Debbie's. The silks came in the mail this week, but I was determined to finish Bird in the Bower first. You can see how far I got before I ran out of one of the NPIs...grrrr!!

I have an "e", a small flower, and "2009" to add, and it will be finished. I am placing an order with Needlecraft Corner today.

So when I ran out of silk, I started Shores... I have had the pattern and the fabric for some time. However, when I ordered fabric, I mistakenly ordered the 36 ct. instead of the 40 ct. I forged ahead with the 36 ct. I am stitching it with one thread over two, and I am not sure if I am going to like the coverage. I contacted Needlecraft Corner to see about getting the 40 ct. She responded that she didn't have it in stock, and she could order it, but the last time she ordered it for someone it took 3 months to get it. Sheesh. I don't really want to wait that long... so either I am going to have to be happy with the coverage of one thread, or frog what I have done and use two threads (and I really don't want to buy double the amount of silk for this), or try to find someone who has the 40 ct. and start over. I am thinking I am going to be happy with the 36 ct. with one thread and be done. After putting it away in frustration two nights ago, I pulled it back out again today, and it seems better to me now than it did then. Any thoughts/opinions?

While wallowing in my frustration over both of these projects, I pulled out Rosewood Manor's Quakers and Quilts, and I have stitched almost all of the first page. This is the first time I have used Valdani threads, and I really like them. I like the subtle variation and the rich colors.

I think Picture This Plus is having a sale on fabrics today. I am off to check that out, fix Jake some lunch, and hope to get a little stitching in before my niece's birthday party this afternoon. I am either going to work on Q&Q or pull out Molly (who has been calling loudly the last day or so). Still trying to make a decision on Shores before I put any more stitches in it.

Hope that all of you have a lovely weekend with lots of stitching!

Kellie

Edited to add: I meant to write this in my original post, but forgot...I had told Jan that I would post about her giveaway at her blog. Forgive me, Jan, for being remiss.

If you have not done so already, please check out Jan's fabulous giveaway at her blog, Belfonte Notes that she is doing in celebration of her new baby granddaughter. What a wonderful way to celebrate a new life. :)

Some progress...

2009-07-19T16:56:00.005-04:00

I have made a couple of new starts that I don't think I have shared here yet. One of them is Bent Creek's Big Zipper. Wow, is this thing big. I had no idea how big. The fabric is a whopping 24" x 24". I have yet to find a way to comfortably stitch it. I have been stitching it in hand. I have tried Q-snaps in several configurations and have decided that in hand is more comfortable than the Q-snaps. I thought about using scroll rods, but I have never used them, and I hate to invest in something I may not like for one project. I love the design. I love the great big stitches (it is an 18 ct. stitched over 2). And I am going to love it when it is finished. It is just one that I will have to work on a little at a time.

Please excuse all the wrinkles in my photos today. I am too lazy to iron them today.

I have also started stitching Plum Street Sampler's Bird in the Bower. I am really having fun stitching this. I love everything about it...the funky trees, the bird, the saltbox house, the bunny, the tulips, the NPI threads, and the fabric I chose. I am stitching it on 32 ct. Vintage Autumn Fields by Zwiegart. I have not used this linen before, but I can quickly see it becoming a favorite. Unfortunately, I am having a very hard time finding it. Most of the ONS and LNS that I have been to do not have it in stock and they are not having any luck getting it from Zwiegart. I lucked in to a couple of pieces from Drema at Needlecraft Corner, but have not been able to find anymore. I am going to try to contact Zwiegart and see if I can get some help there.

(whew...I will iron next time...these look terrible!)

I am off to check on DS. He's in another room watching TV. He slipped in the dining room today and hit his back on the dining chair. I think he is okay, but I am keeping an eye on it. He is going to have a pretty big bruise, I think.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Another Giveaway to check out

2009-07-19T09:59:00.002-04:00

Paulette at Plum Street Samplers is having a great giveaway at her blog. She is going to give 5 charts of choice to the lucky winner. I personally love her designs. Hurry over, read the "rules" and sign up. :)

Have a great Sunday!

Stay tuned...later today I am going to post again. I have been busy stitching, and have a few progress pictures to show.

Check out this giveaway...

2009-07-15T18:45:00.003-04:00

at Jolene's blog called Dip Diddly Designs. This is a new blog to me, but one that I will definitely be returning to. She is having a fabulous giveaway of the new La-D-Da design and everything you need to stitch it. WOW!!!

Some updates...

2009-07-06T13:58:00.009-04:00

Long time, no post. Things have been really busy around here lately. My college roommate/best friend came to visit earlier this week. She lives in North Carolina. While we keep in touch on a continuous basis, we only see each other every few years. It was great to visit with her and her two children, who are just precious. I took them along with Jake to Mammoth Cave. The kids loved it.

We celebrated the 4th with pizza and a few sparklers with BIL and SIL and kids. It was cold and rainy here on the 4th. I have to say, I don't think I have ever celebrated such a cold 4th. Most everyone had on sweatshirts, and it was downright chilly. Not complaining...I am loving this mild July weather in this part of the world.

I finished a couple of patriotic pieces right before the 4th...

American Log by Primitive Traditions

Unknown fabric

Recommended WDW and GAST fibers

Started June 20, 2009

Finished July 3, 2009

I also stitched the 4th of July Quaker Heart freebie that has been floating around on the internet and several blogs... The freebie can be found here.

Started and finished July 3, 2009

Unknown blue fabric

DMC 311, 321, and B5200

I have picked up Mirabilia's Shimmering Mermaid again. I go through Mirabilia phases...love the designs, but have a hard time stitching one from start to finish (okay, I have a hard time stitching ANY design start to finish...who am I trying to kid?!).

I have also started ByGone Stitches Eloquent Christmas. I have had this chart for a long time, and had even started it about a year ago. However, I did not like my thread and fabric choices. When I was in that LNS in Nashville, the owner had it beautifully stitched and framed. It took me about 10 seconds to get the exact same fabric and silk threads. I am stitching it on PTP Crystal Legacy 28 ct. Cashel with Dark Forest Silk N' Colors. I am picturing this with a silver beaded star on the top and the beaded ornaments on all different colors...just like our tree. :) My sister-in-law has seen me working on this and has went crazy over it. She has hinted more than once that I should make her one. I think I will surprise her with one at Thanksgiving. She doesn't read my blog that I am aware of, so no surprises spoiled. This is a really fun stitch. It's one that I am loving every single stitch.

Lot of pictures in this post, but that is the kind of posts that I love to read...I hope you do too. :)

I will leave with one last photo of some flowers that my husband brought in for me. He is not one to buy flowers (He knows I would much rather have cross-stitch supplies if he wants to do something special. LOL!) However, he has a wonderful green thumb. He grows flowers for me. My favorite flower is the stargazer lilly, and we have these coming up everywhere right now. I also love gladiolas.

We are off to spend the night at my parents and then on to Berea tomorrow. It is an arts and crafts community here in Kentucky. I have never been, but I am looking very forward to it. I think I will take Merry Christmas and some crocheting to work on tonight at their house. I am also planning to put a few stitches into Jake's Tall Sundae. I will post pics of it when I have more progress to show.

Hope you are having a good week!!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Americana

2009-06-27T12:39:00.005-04:00

With Independence Day right around the corner, I have been inspired to stitch some patriotic pieces. I finished LK's God Bless America and the Plum Street Sampler In God We Trust freebie from Paulette that I thought was absolutely fabulous!!

This weekend I am working on American Log by Primitive Traditions. I saw this as a model in the shop that I visited last weekend and fell in love with it. There is something about primitive salt box houses combined with primitive American flags that I just love. The fact that this is a log cabin with a blackbird makes it even better. :) I hope to have this one finished soon.

I am going to finish listening to The Help (I have been listening to this forever-time to finish it already!!) and do some yard work of the stitching kind. American Log needs some grass and trees. Enjoy your weekend!!

Happy Stitching!

Kellie

Stitchy goodness

2009-06-23T16:34:00.009-04:00

It's been awhile since I posted last. My goal is at least weekly, sometimes more, but we have been so busy this last week and a half. Summer is flying by, and I am not accomplishing everything that I had planned to do. Such is life, I guess. Last week was a whirlwind of Quest Camp at school for Jake, and working half days for me. In the evenings, Jake went to our church's VBS and I volunteered in the VBS Rome Marketplace. It was a lot of fun. :) Michael (husband) had a conference in Nashville over the weekend for our home business, so Jake and I tagged along. And I am so glad we did. It turned out to be such a fun, stitchy weekend. It started Friday night when we are hanging out in the room waiting for Michael to get finished with his meeting. He called my cell phone to tell me that there is "some kind of cross stitch conference going on in the lobby" and that they have a marketplace that is open to the public, but I need to hurry as it is going to close in 45 minutes. Okay...he is definitely getting husband of the year this year! Not only did he call to tell me about it, but he asked one of the ladies a bunch of questions to find out all this information. Turns out it was an EGA conference, and there was indeed a marketplace devoted to all types of fiber arts. I found a couple of accessories that I really liked--some mesh bags, a pair of those cute little Kelmscott Gem scissors. Fun stuff!!

Saturday morning, Jake and I drove around Nashville in search of two different cross stitch stores. Thanks to my dad's handy dandy GPS (I need one of these!), I found both and had the best afternoon. Jake was a sweetheart...very patient...while I shopped to my heart's content. Both shops were a lot of fun. Below is my stash haul...

At The Stitching Post (love the name of THAT store!! LOL!), I found a couple of goodies...

Bird in the Bower (Plum Street Sampler), Jill Oxton Cross Stitch and Beading magazine, BBD LF It's Berry Time, and Mill Hill Reindog

I was THRILLED to find this particular issue of Cross Stitch and Beading. It has a Voluptuous Mermaid design that cracks me up. I love mermaids...this is a must have for my fledgling collection.

The next stop was at Cross Stitch Corner. I absolutely loved this shop. I was the only one in there, and the owner was just a delight to talk to. She had hundreds of stitched models, and she has stitched them all. I found things that I would not have looked at twice had she not had the models there in the store. Jake really liked a model of Tall Sundae by Kappie Originals . He kept whispering to me to look at it and ask her if she had the pattern. Normally, this would not be something I would stitch. It is tall and has a ton of back stitching. But I couldn't resist when Jake asked if I would stitch it for him. I got the pattern and the opalescent fabric that she used in her model. And it will be fun... he will probably be married and have kids of his own before I finish it, but that is okay. :)

I also picked up American Log by Primitive Traditions (another one that I would not have noticed if not for the model), LK Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle, two Sheepish designs (Hey Ya'll and Starburst Sampler), and Reindeer Yule by Ewe & Eye & Friends.

Another thing I really liked was that this shop owner had a great eye for color and fabric choices. I bought several fabrics to use with designs that I already have because I loved her fabric and thread choices. I am thinking about starting this one today... the fabric is PTP Crystal Legacy with Dark Forest Silk 'N Colors.

Or the sundae...I am really thinking about starting the sundae...

Also last week, I worked on This is the Day. I have run out of some threads, so I am going to have to stop and order a couple before I work on this more. I am posting a recent picture for Julie who asked to see the design. Julie, it is in JCS Jan/Feb 2009 if you are interested. It is a fun sampler to stitch.

I also wanted to thank ALL of you for your kind comments. It truly makes my day to find comments on my blog. I read all of them...usually more than once, sometimes out loud to my husband. :) I am always grateful that you took the time to leave me a comment. I appreciate all the kind comments on my basket. It was a lot of fun and not nearly as hard as it may appear. Martha Wetherbee and her husband Alan make sure that you are doing things correctly. They do not let anyone leave with a less than perfect looking basket. If I can do this, anyone can...believe me. I know Martha and Alan teach a lot of classes in New Hampshire and Florida, and apparently some in Kentucky. If you ever have the opportunity to take a class with them (or any basket class for that matter), I would highly encourage it. It is a very rewarding experience and you come home with an instant heirloom. I think they plan to be back here next year for the next basket in this series, so stay tuned...I plan to be there to weave it. :)

That's it for now. Jake has come back home from next door bringing two cousins with him who want my leftover lasagna for supper. We are planning to go out with BIL and SIL to Chili's as soon as Granna gets here to keep the kiddos. :)

Have a great week!!!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Run...don't walk

2009-06-15T13:07:00.002-04:00

Head over to Deb's blog at Thread Gatherer and check out her fabulous giveaway!! :) :) :)

Summer Breezes and Baskets

2009-06-13T18:01:00.007-04:00

I have another finish to show off. I completed Summer Breeze on Thursday. For some reason, the swan motif in the upper portion of the sampler threw me for a loop. I had to frog something different in that motif several times. But it is finished and going to be put into the "need to be finished finished" pile. I am not sure what I want to do with this one. Maybe framed for an easel on the foyer table during the summer months.

Prairie Schooler Summer Breeze

32 ct. Lambswool

DMC threads

Started ?? 2008

Finished 6/11/09

I made a basket today. Our local homemakers extension office sponsored a basket-making workshop with Martha Wetherbee today. From what very little I know about baskets and basket weavers, apparently Martha Wetherbee is like one of the rock stars of basketry. I was certainly impressed by her knowledge and skill, and how well she was able to teach a room full of rookie basket weavers to make this sweet Lincoln Bicentennial Basket. The lid of the basket has a piece of the Boundary Oak from Lincoln's birthplace inlaid into the top of the basket with two of the first newly released Kentucky Lincoln pennies inlaid into the boundary oak (one penny is on top of the lid and one is on the inside). I won't bore you with all of the historical details I learned today about baskets, Abraham Lincoln, pennies, and indigenous wood, (although I found it fascinating!) but I will say in short, that I learned a lot and was really excited to have had the opportunity to attend this workshop. Okay, I will bore you with one little detail...the interwoven reeds on the basket are called "stitches"...just when you thought this part of the post had nothing to do with stitching! :) It was a lot of fun. I would really like to take more workshops with Martha and her husband Alan and make both Shaker baskets and Nantucket baskets.

I am not sure what I will stitch next. After a finish, I get restless for a few days and work on something different every five minutes (okay, not really, but it seems like I am switching projects every five minutes). It takes me a while to find a groove again. I have worked on CHS Molly and CEC Summer Place this week, but not enough progress to show either. I am debating between working on a WIP or pulling out something new tonight. Decisions, decisions! LOL!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Setting Sail...

2009-06-08T15:12:00.004-04:00

I finished LHN's Blessed are the Merciful late last night. This one is my favorite of the Saltbox Scripture series. I love the sailboat and the blue house. Crescent Colors' Tartan Blue is one of my all-time favorite colors of thread to stitch with. I think I will probably finish these into little pinkeeps to be displayed seasonally. I have the spring and summer one both stitched. I still have the fall and winter ones to do.

I think I mentioned in my last post that I had pulled out a bunch of WIPs that I haven't worked on in awhile. I decided to pick this Prairie Schooler design up and try to finish it up this week. I have a bad habit of starting projects and losing interest about halfway into them. I guess the upside is that I do usually go back to them at some point. This is Summer Breeze.

I think we are taking a road trip to Hobby Lobby this evening. I need more yarn for my blanket that I am making, and HL has it on sale this week. The closest HL to us is about 45 minutes away, so we will make a night of it with dinner out and a few more stops in the area, I am sure. One of the many things I love about summer...picking up and taking off on a weeknight to do whatever without having to worry about bed times. :)

I have been watching some really good movies lately. Last week, I watched New in Town with Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr. It was a cute movie, with several really funny parts. I also watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. FABULOUS! I absolutely loved this movie. I thought Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett were just wonderful in their respective roles. I am probably the last person on earth to have seen it at this point. I love movies that stay with you and make you think after they end (I like books like this too). This will be a movie that I will eventually add to my collection. And I want to read the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that inspired the movie. I am getting ready to watch Marley and Me, which I know is very sad at the end. I want to see it, but I don't. Our pastor related part of this movie to Sunday's sermon yesterday. He said he even cried at the end. Oh boy... I plan to spend the afternoon watching it and working on Summer Breeze.

I forgot to mention in my last post that Melissa at Words and Blooms is having a giveaway. Check it out if you haven't already. And check out her wonderful blog. I love reading her blog, seeing her stitching and her lovely garden. :)

Have a good rest of the day!

Happy Stitching,

Kellie

Stashing

2009-06-06T13:44:00.008-04:00

I have been doing some stashing in recent weeks that I thought I would share.

First, is Quakers and Quilts by Rosewood Manor. I have been wanting this design since it first came out. I finally ordered it and the little balls of Valdani floss that go with it. I think I am going to stitch this on one of my favorite fabrics, Silkweaver Purely Primitive.

A few other charts....Snow White Sampler by Willow Hill Samplings, The Simple Things by Blackbird Designs, and Oh Mother Dear by the Sampler Girl.

I found this cute design in Elizabeth's Garden Etsy Shop.

It is called My Cat's Quilt.

A few other "finds"...

mesh bags from Down Sunshine Lane

(she has great prices on these if you are in need of any...), some fabric from Hobby Lobby, and a magnifying stitch thing that I am not sure I will like, but could not turn down for the low clearanced price of $4.

And last, but not least, I am hoping to turn this into a very simple crocheted throw. I am just learning how to crochet, so I am not sure how it will turn out, but I love this soft colorful cotton yarn. :)

Not much happening on the stitching front so far this weekend as I have been doing more crocheting than cross stitching. I did start a little LHN Saltbox thread pack that I hope to finish up this weekend. I will post pictures when I have it finished as it isn't much to look at right now. I also pulled out some WIPs that haven't seen the light of day for a very long time that I would like to put a few strands in before relegating them back to the WIP pile. I will share those as I work on them too.

Hope you are having a great weekend wherever you may be. It is a sunny mild 77 degrees here today....very unusual for June in Kentucky, but I am not complaining. :)

Happy Stitching,

Kellie