A Stitch in Time*

Moving Day

2011-09-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

New blog address:
http://stopandstitchtheroses.blogspot.com/

Sigh, sigh. I am so sad.

I have had this blog at this place for five years, but now I must move to a new place. It's due to that annoying unsolicited redirect suffered here. I was forced to go back to my original blog template, and it's just too hard to work with it.

I have lost my followers box, and also my blog list. I have lost so many other features that existed on the blog that got taken over, for lack of another expression.

Time to start anew. Do come by and check out the new one!

Found Again-- This Little Blog

2011-09-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

I had an incredibly frustrating problem with my blog, and I've been trying to fix it for days.

Years ago I had some gadgets on my blog that are no longer in use. However, the third party service I used kept my blog address. Just this week, my blog was inaccessible to me and any attempt to get to it led to this third party address.

I was finally able to fix it tonight, but that meant reverting back to the original template I had when I started this back in 2006. So that is what you're looking at now. I will fix it up, just don't know when!

Thanks for bearing with me.

TUSAL is coming later!

2011-08-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

My TUSAL update must wait. I am having major problems with blogger right now, keep getting directed to some sort of spam website.

Very frustrating, will have to return here another day.

Thanks for coming by today!

Summer Queen Head WIP

2011-08-24T22:28:00.001-07:00

Summer Queen Head WIP, a photo by loves2stitch2 on Flickr.

I should pull this one and work on it, too! :)

Fruit Bellpull

2011-08-23T20:02:00.001-07:00

Fruit Bellpull, a photo by loves2stitch2 on Flickr.

I first saw this piece back in 2001 or so, and I HAD to have the pattern. After much searching, I bought it from a stitcher on the Teresa Wentzler Bulletin Board. It's Teresa Wentzler's Fruit Bellpull. Like all Wentzlers, there are lots of blended threads.

I started it in 2002, and I wish I'd worked on it more often. I do need to pick it up more often!

Do you have any old WIPs? Can you relate to what I've done with this piece, and a few other projects of mine? Any suggestions to help me get it done?

I used to rotate pieces, and that did seem to help in getting more done on all my WIPs. These days I just don't have time to get much done at all stitching wise. How can I find more stitching time?

Thanks for visiting today, please help me out!

Can We Go Back? Now?

2011-08-19T06:30:00.001-07:00

Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo, Spain, a photo by loves2stitch2 on Flickr.

Relaxing Afternoon

2011-08-17T07:27:00.001-07:00

Spring Afternoon, a photo by loves2stitch2 on Flickr.

Missing relaxing times right now!

Have a great day.

Summer, Why Must You Go?

2011-08-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Summer is ending for me. Work has officially begun, and students return this week.

I love you, Summer of 2011!

Just wish you could have stayed around longer...

ORT Jar- TUSAL Update

2011-07-31T15:12:00.000-07:00

It's yet another TUSAL update. That's the Totally Useless StitchALong that I'm happily a part of this year. It's sponsored by Daffycat.

Here we are:

It's looking a bit more colorful, and that's because I actually stitched up a tea towel this month.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Tea Towel Finished! Believe it, or not!

2011-07-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

I decided to leave my counted crosstitch projects for awhile so that I could actually FINISH a project.

I stamped up several towels and finished this towel in one evening. I added green accents as the person who'll be getting it has a green kitchen. I will be adding words, but that will come after I've finished the other two towels in this set.

It's great to have something done for once!

Thanks for stopping by today.

White Chocolate Snack Mix

2011-07-13T09:18:00.001-07:00

Christmas is a long way off, but in my previous post I talked about starting to plan and stitch some stitched gifts.

Believe it or not, I did just that on Monday. I actually started stitching up some gifts! I will share more about those another day.

Today I wanted to share a recipe that we make at Christmas time. It's also requested by other people year round as it's so delicious and enjoyable to share at parties. It also makes a great gift when you throw it into a cute tin.

White Chocolate Snack Mix

You might want to divide this recipe in half. This full batch is very large.

1 package (10 ozs) mini pretzels

5 cups Cheerios

5 cups Corn Chex

2 cups salted peanuts

1 pound of plain M and M candies

2 packages (12 ounces each package) vanilla chips

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In a huge bowl (When I make a full batch, I use two large cooking pots and divide the ingredients evenly between the two pots) combine the first five ingredients; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl heat chips and oil (do one bag at a time, use that amount for the one bowl of dry ingredients) on medium-high for two minutes, stirring after the first minute. Microwave on high for 10 seconds, stir until smooth. Pour onto the dry ingredients that are set aside in the bowl, stir well. Spread the mixture onto 4 waxed paper-lined baking sheets. (2 baking sheets for a half recipe). Cool. I set each cookie sheet in the freezer for five minutes maximum to harden quickly. Break apart. Store in an airtight container. The full recipe makes five quarts.

If you bring this to a gathering, you will find that people think it's rather addicting. I think it's that combination of sweet and salty!

Summer, Summer, Let Me Count The Ways I Love You!

2011-07-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

Summer is flying by. Where does time go? I wish I could wind the clock back.

A month ago we were in Spain. That was magical.
It was a lifelong dream to go there! I feel so happy that I was able to go.

La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

A bit before that trip in the earliest part of June we were celebrating all kind of family members' birthdays at our daughter's house.

A few weeks ago after we returned from Spain we celebrated my mother's huge milestone birthday here at our little abode.

Chocolate Curl Cake- delish!

And a week ago today it was the fourth of July with all its fireworks, food, and laughter. What joy it was to watch our 19 month old grandson experience fireworks for the first time! He's still talking about them. ("Boom, boom..psssh...")

Last week my closest lifelong friend came here for several days. We've known each other for 40 years. Yes, forty years!

1979 Photo - Where did my neck go? I had one here.

We had a blast driving around, going to Disneyland, talking, shopping, eating out, seeing Midnight in Paris, (loved it!) and sharing memories. There's nothing like having a long shared history with a friend, is there? She and I are quite opposite in many ways, but our friendship endures through time and distance. (A few years ago I dragged her along to a craft- type fair. I do believe ( based on her facial expression and comments) that she would have preferred going for a triple tooth extraction! It's all good.)

Later this week my mom is coming to visit and we'll do more local outings while trying to stay cool in this presently humid but mostly dry, hot, edge-of- the -desert place where we live.

And the clock is ticking, ticking. Soon it will be time to trudge back to work and get ready for August's school year beginning. The children will be so scared and needy, and that's understandable. They're little. I must be prepared mentally and physically, and organization-wise, too. I won't complain though, it's been great to have so much time off! No whining here.

It's been the best summer we've had in years. So very relaxing, so full of fun stuff. I feel very fortunate and blessed.

Yesterday I was going to start a new needlework project. I was thinking of stamping some dish towels, and starting some Christmas gifts. I've never done that before. That is to say, I've never worked ahead like that in any area of my life, nor have I ever thought of Christmas in July. On top of that, I haven't started a new needlework project in several years. That's right, nothing new in years.

Instead, I did nothing yesterday. That's what summer is to me, too, I guess. Doing NOTHING. I succeeded at that, especially yesterday.

What about you? Are you staying busy this summer, or are you taking it easy? Have you started any new projects lately?

Thanks for stopping by today, and thanks for your comments. I appreciate all of them. :)

TUSAL update

2011-07-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! It's a TUSAL update. That's the Totally Useless StitchALong that I'm happily a part of this year. It's sponsored by Daffycat.

It has been a wonderful month, but there was only a bit of time for stitching, and that happened yesterday. Here is the latest progress in my little ORT jar:

I'm still working on Paula Vaughan's Wedding Ring Bouquet, and in this piece there's a lot of ecru and white.
Here's a better look

I would post a progress picture of the piece, but I don't feel it's changed much since this picture was taken:

Finally, a few peeks of our cats, dog, and the patio. I love summer evenings! It's very hot here in the daytime, but in the evening it's quite nice in the backyard!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Beautiful Vacation in Spain

2011-06-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

We recently returned from a long-awaited journey. We visited Spain! It was our first trip abroad, ever. I've wanted to visit this country since I was a young girl in Spanish class--way back when. Our trip included staying in five different cities, and we also visited several others for the day.

It was a delight in every way. The country was beautiful, the historical sights were stunning, and the people were friendly and welcoming.

A snippet of the places we visited:

Madrid in the Evening

The Stunning City of Toledo

The Alcazar in Sevilla

The Cathedral in Sevilla

The Alhambra in Granada

The Mediterranean Sea

Churros and Chocolate in a Valencia Restaurant

Calatrava's Architecture in Valencia

Cathedral in Valencia

The Mesquita in Cordoba

Guadi's La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

Park Guell in Barcelona- designed by Guadi

More from Parque Guell

The Monastery at Montserrat

Flamenco Dancer in Sevilla

What a fantastic time it was. Now it's back to reality and responsibilities. Maybe some stitching today will ease me back into the routine?

Thanks for stopping by today!

TUSAL UPDATE

2011-06-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

It's yet another TUSAL update. That's the Totally Useless StitchALong that I'm happily a part of this year. It's sponsored by Daffycat. (Please go take a peek!)

This past month has been a very busy one, and it has left NO time for stitching. I haven't stitched in weeks. I miss it.

Vacation is here, nonetheless, and soon I will be picking up my needle again.

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Break, Again

2011-05-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Summer is here!

Mother's Day Gift of Stash

2011-05-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

I am so happy that I received this pattern as a Mother's Day gift from our son. I've had my eye on it for quite sometime now! I doubt I'll get to it for a long while, but it's nice to know it's waiting there when I'm ready to tackle it. Maybe I'll get to it sometime this year? I will probably use DMC and not the silk threads that so many use. Just call me practical! Do you think I'll like it with DMC?

Life has been full of activities in our yard. We've been working on our backyard corner for quite some time now, and it's looking so much better. It's wonderful to have a husband, brother, son, and son-in-law who all pitch in helping us with these projects. If you want to take a peek at it, here's a link for some photos: Backyard Corner Redo

This spring has also brought a completed project that's been waiting in the wings for at least ten years. We've had our backyard deck redone, and it sure looks better. This time we've used composite materials, so it shouldn't have to be done again for a long time. We also had contractors do the work, so that made the whole thing much easier.

The link if you wish to take a peek: Deck Before and After

Summer vacation is right ahead now, and that's foremost on my mind!

Thanks for stopping by today.

TUSAL Update

2011-05-05T21:00:00.001-07:00

Rose Planter This Spring

It's yet another TUSAL update. That's the Totally Useless StitchALong that I'm luckily a part of this year! :)

It's sponsored by Daffycat. (Please go take a peek!) It's wonderful to see that over 200 people are participating in this event.

This past month has been a big, sad one in our lives, and it has left little time for stitching. I don't think I've had the chance to stitch even once since I last posted an update. On top of it, I now have yet another miserable cold.

Nonetheless, without further adieu, here is the latest TUSAL update:

Other Spring Loveliness:

Lasting Love Rose

Lilac

Time to Relax on the Patio

Thanks for stopping by here today.

Needlework Fun

2011-04-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

I have been stuck at home with a miserable cold. Don't you hate that?

In my attempt to entertain myself, I have made a video of my needlework. It includes stuff that I completed years ago, and also pieces that I've yet to finish.

I tried swapping out the music to another track, but thus far I've had no luck.

Take a peek if you so desire:

TUSAL Update

2011-04-04T02:06:00.000-07:00

First Roses of Spring

It's already time for another TUSAL update. That's the Totally Useless StitchALong that I'm fortunately a part of this year! :) I love being part of anything that is depicted as being "useless".

It's sponsored by Daffycat. (Please go check it out!) It's wonderful to see that over 200 people are participating in this event.

I didn't have any opportunities to stitch this month. There may have been an hour, but I am not exactly sure at this point. There's just been too much going on for it, I'm sad to say.

Here you will see my ORT mason jar sitting on top of the armoire. It's in the back, near the vase:

A better look:
Thanks for stopping by today!

An Old Sampler Found

2011-03-19T01:41:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder what will happen to the needlework you stitch after you're gone, or after you no longer have a home in which to keep it? I've thought of this from time to time, and it used to sadden me to see pieces in thrift or antique stores. After some pondering, I switched my view and decided that the thrift store was a better location for an old piece than the local dump. If someone in the stitcher's group of family or friends isn't wanting the piece, at least a piece in a shop has the hope of being loved again.

Recently I came upon a sampler at an estate sale. The estate sale happened to be in a home that one of our family members was purchasing. The owner had stitched it in 1970, and the new purchaser of the home remembered it being displayed on the walls of the master bedroom.

The person who stitched the sampler is now blind, and is in her nineties. She lived in the house for over 30 years! I love the piece's sentiment, and the warm colors. I still don't know where I'll hang it, but for now it looks nice sitting on our piano.

Thanks for stopping by today!

TUSAL update

2011-03-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

It's time for another TUSAL update. That's the Totally Useless StitchALong that I'm fortunately a part of this year! :) I love being part of anything that is depicted as being "useless".

It's sponsored by Daffycat. (Please go check it out!) It's wonderful to see that over 200 people are participating in this event.

Here's my progress since the start of the year:

You can see that it's quite a bit more than last month's very meager showing.

Here's what I've been working on, although this photo was taken in January so I have made a tad of progress since then. (Okay, about four hours worth!)

It's Paula Vaughan's Wedding Ring Bouquet and I'm stitching it with one thread on 22 count hardanger.

I'm tired of saying it, but I'll repeat it again. I hope to get in more stitching this upcoming month!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Little Ornaments

2011-02-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I actually went to my favorite (not so local) needlework store. It's about 20 miles from my house. Although I visit this city several times a month, I realized I hadn't been there in over a year. That is sad, isn't it?

I truly have enough stitching stuff to last a lifetime, but I just had to buy something. I settled on just a small purchase of the JCS Halloween issue from a few months ago. My goal is to stitch a few small ornaments this year, and a Halloween ornament seemed like fun.

Have you stitched anything from this issue? Please share a link here if you have a photo of it online as it'd be a blast to check it out.

This past week has been very stressful, and I truly hope to get in a small stitching block of time soon.

Thanks for stopping by today!

TUSAL

2011-02-04T01:27:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a month, and time has flown by so quickly. I haven't stitched since my previous post. Work has been beyond unbelievably busy. With that being said, here is my almost empty ORT jar from for my TUSAL (Totally Useless StitchALong) update, sponsored by Daffycat. (Please go check it out!) It's wonderful to see that over 200 people are participating in this event.

One can barely see the white and creamy colored threads. I hope this upcoming month allows more time in my life for stitching.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stitching a Bit- WRB

2011-01-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

I finally sat down and stitched a bit, working on Paula Vaughan's Wedding Ring Bouquet. I started this one almost 8 years ago! That's incredible, I guess, although I do have WIPS that are even older than this one. It's done on 22 count hardanger fabric as that's what was handy at home here that one evening I started it. I know that the style is a bit 'dated' for most people, but I like the soft, muted colors of it.

Here it is, last time I took a photo:

I worked on the quilt, in the bottom right corner of the design and so you can barely tell, but here it is now:

I'll work on it again soon! I MUST have at least one finished piece of work this year, right?

Thanks for stopping by today. What's your oldest WIP? Have you worked on it lately?

TUSAL!

2011-01-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

Edited to Add: My January 5th TUSAL Progress
(A Day Late!)
As you can see, the jar is empty. I am sure there will be a lot of ORTS in here by next month's update, right??

I have just joined the 2011 TUSAL group, and I am anxiously awaiting comment moderation and my official TUSAL participant number. Updated: I am now officially added, and am number #188 in the list of participants! Let the thread collection begin!!! Thanks, Daffycat. :) Before I joined the TUSAL group, I had no idea what TUSAL was as I'm so out of the loop. Here you go, you can check it out. It's sponsored by Daffycat

On the other hand, you probably know about it already, as you are surely in the loop about these things. :)

I like the aspect of anything that's useless, and TOTALLY useless is even better! :)

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by here.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T22:29:00.000-08:00

January Sunrise

My husband took the photo above a year ago, but it was January so it seemed appropriate to use it today while wishing you a happy new year.

Hope that the year ahead brings you wonderful things!

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I hope I have more time to stitch this upcoming year. I still haven't made any goals or resolutions, but I think I can fulfill my rather small wish on this chilly January evening.

Thanks for stopping by today!

What resolutions have you made this year? Have you made any great stitching plans for 2011? Do tell!

Stitching Goals?

2010-12-30T10:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve

Last Year's Post-Christmas Mess

Tomorrow night we'll be celebrating the new year--hard to believe it, this one has flown by so quickly.

I have taken my Christmas decorations down, and they're all thrown in one corner waiting to be put away. I don't like to leave them up too long after Christmas. I guess to me I feel like, "It's over, time to move on." Do you take your decorations down right away, or do you wait until after the New Year's holiday?

I have never been one to set stitching goals. I really admire those who do it, but it's just not in my nature.

This year, however, I do vow to finish this piece:

Mirabilia's Summer Queen

There's only a bit of beading left to do, and few patches here and there of stitching. I also noticed that some of the beading needs to be redone. I'm just not happy with how those beads on her head are looking.

I also should finish this piece. I only have a bit left to do:

Oberlin's Minnesota Sampler

I've had these WIPS for far too long ,not to mention several others. I've had an afghan I haven't finished in years and years. It's ridiculous, I think I started it in 1990!!!!

Granny's Attic Afghan by Sue Hillis, with Sam Hawkin's patterns thrown into it

Not to mention Paula Vaughan's Wedding Ring Bouquet, which is pretty well underway:

And the beautiful Fruit Bellpull by Theresa Wentzler, which is barely started:

I'm kind of tired of seeing them unfinished, really, and I don't usually feel that way about any WIP...even if it's very old. Each Christmas I vow to make ornaments for the upcoming year, and I never seem to do it. Hopefully this year will be different, but I won't hold my breath. I'd also like to do a bit of surface embroidery this year, and must figure out a way to factor that into my stitching time. I have a huge pile of iron-on patterns that seems to grow and grow, without any progress in the actual embroidery done! Does that happen to you?

Do you set stitching goals? Do you find you reach them each year? What sort of goals do you set? I used to rotate my projects to try and get more done on them. Maybe I need to go back to that method. Please do share, I would love to know how you do it.

Thanks for stopping by today! Happy New Year to you and yours!

Christmas Memories

2010-12-30T00:35:00.000-08:00

I got this ornament way back in 1987 from a very dear friend. I love hanging up all the precious ornaments I've received over the years. I haven't made many ornaments myself, but some year I will!

Here is a recap of the holiday season, done pictorially:

Animated Figures on a beautiful display we visited

Arriving at the Hotel's Display

Gorgeous Lights!

Viewing Beautiful Lights

Love the Carriage- Some Lucky Folks Ready for a Ride

An Elf

Stagecoach Ride

From Across the Street, and Down a Block

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Some Crafty Project Kits

Love the Colors!

Waiting for Adornment
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I did a lot of baking this holiday season, but I didn't take any pictures of anything I baked or made. The bottom line is I realized that next year I won't do very much baking. I'm saying that now, but maybe by next December I'll forget my words.

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A Few of Our Stockings
Counted Crosstitch and Country Crafts Heirloom Stockings by Donna Kooler (BHG)

Reindeer from Finland- A Gift to my Parents

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It was a wonderful holiday, and we had family with us on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day. I can't believe it's already over for another year. I hope you too had a joyous holiday.

Thanks for stopping by today!

More Autumn Events

2010-12-21T21:34:00.001-08:00

Autumn Colors
Originally uploaded by Elliotphotos

A beautiful fall photo from the photos of Elliotphotos, on Flickr (click on it to get a better view)
'

Before I get to the present time, I wanted to share a few more autumn photos. Above is a gorgeous photo taken by a fellow Flickr member. The colors are so gorgeous. Thanks, Elliotphotos, for allowing other Flickr members to share your photos and enjoy the beauty you've captured with your lens.

One other fall outing we went on was an evening trip to the local county fair. I encouraged my husband to take a photo of this fair stand in all its tacky glory and color. Just look at it:

The nutty ice cream cone towards the top of the stand was about 12 feet tall! It's like a giant sugar nightmare.

Later on in the fall we celebrated our grandson's first birthday. What a fun day that was, and it's amazing to think already a year has passed since he was born.

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Lizzie Kate Design- Sampling Thanksgiving

Finally we're getting a bit closer. Thanksgiving was wonderful! Here are a few photos of that day's meal:

Turkey- Brined and Baked

Coleslaw, Mom's Cranberries, and my orange cranberry bread

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Thanks for coming by today! It's great to have you visiting here.

Dusting the Blog A Bit

2010-12-19T03:01:00.000-08:00

Today someone mentioned to me that my blog had 'dust on it'. She is so right, I haven't been here in a long while.

I was thinking about it the other day, in fact, and decided that I should just post some pictures from the last few months, and thus be 'caught up' and 'to date' on this little blog.

But first, a crosstitched oldie in honor of the season. This was a very unfinished WIP that I completed years after starting it. (like 15 years later, or more...)

It was a Stoney Creek giveaway, and I've yet to have it framed. Oh, procrastination, again! It is truly a seasonal piece called "Home for the Holidays", but it would be nice to have it displayed this time of year, wouldn't it?

Back in October, we visited Disneyland to see the fall decorations and other Halloween features. Here are some photos from that day:

The Main Street Train Station

A Lamppost on Main Street

The Haunted Mansion at HalloweenTime

Sally from Nighmare Before Christmas

Town Square Jack O'Lantern

People on Main Street, Waiting for the Parade

The Balloon Man- One of my Childhood Favorites to See

I always wondered how they managed to carry around all those balloons and not have them get all tangled up together!

Service Dog on Main Street, Disneyland U.S.A

Next time we'll get into November here, and get closer to the present time. Thanks for stopping by today!

I hope you're having a great holiday season.

A Perfect Flop

2010-10-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

I wish I had the chance to stitch a bit lately, but I haven't. It's been a busy, fun-filled month.

Today I just wanted to pop in and share a photo of a cake I baked yesterday. It was baked in honor of our daughter's birthday, and I made the silly mistake of trying a new recipe the day of the party. The cake did turn out delicious, but I had a terrible time getting it out of the pan. It's a vanilla bundt cake, made from scratch. It was topped with rich cream cheese frosting, and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all despite its appearance. I just kind of slapped it all together, and slathered the icing on top to make it stay together. I guess the lesson is that even flops can be perfect, in their imperfection.

The cake after I tried to remove it from the pan:

Thanks for stopping by today!

Finally, A Stitching Update

2010-09-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

I am delighted that I had the chance to STITCH a few evenings ago. Instead of beading on Summer Queen, I decided to work on my neglected Minnesota Sampler. It comes from Oberlin Designs.

Last time I took a progress photo of it, it looked more or less like this:

Now it has progressed to this point:

A few details/close-ups:

If you want to see more sampler photos, check these out:

Flickr Photo Set

I just need to finish the border on the outside, write the state's name, and add a few more touches here and there. Maybe I'll have a finish this year after all?

Thanks for stopping by today.

A Hidden Treasure

2010-08-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

The days are extremely hot--over 100 degrees, and I have been busy with work.

I wanted to share a beautiful piece of stitchery that my niece inherited. She pulled it out of her closet one day, and there it was...in all its glory. It's yet to be framed, but here it is Lavender and Lace's The Bride:

Her husband's grandma stitched it, and after she passed away somehow my niece ended up with it. What a treasure to have!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Titania

2010-08-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

Summer has flown by, and very soon it's back to the daily grind. Sigh, c'est la vie.

I have only stitched once all summer long. I wish I had found more time to do work with my needle and thread, but that's just the way it was this summer.

With that being said, today I want to share a beautiful piece stitched by my daughter. It's actually the first thing she ever stitched. Well, besides little pieces of Aida with simple letters and shapes, that is.

She gave it to her cousin in honor of her cousin's wedding.

So here she is, Titania:

I think it turned out so well!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you find time to stitch a bit.

Summer Queen WIP Beading

2010-06-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

I finally had the chance to stitch yesterday! Hadn't picked up a needle since early April.

I finished the white at the bottom of Summer Queen. Here's my progress photo from April:

I worked on beading for several hours yesterday. I am so, so slow to bead. I haven't yet finished the piece, but here's the latest with the beading mainly showing:

I wish the beading looked more even, but it is what it is.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Manicotti and Stitching Inspiration

2010-06-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

Soon I will stitch! It has been quite awhile now, but all the crazy busy times have ended for awhile. Now it's time for being 'semi-busy'.

Friday was my last day of work for awhile, and it's our summer break. Hurrah! We worked especially late this summer and we're starting again in early August but nonetheless it's grand to have a break.

Earlier this month we celebrated my husband's birthday, our son's birthday, our son-in-law's birthday, and our son's college graduation. Yesterday we celebrated my mom's 79th birthday. We had a great time at my brother and sister-in-law's house celebrating! I brought the manicotti:

Manicotti Recipe
Makes one 9 X 13 pan of Manicotti

One box of Manicotti

Sauce:
1 lb ground beef
1 jar of marinara sauce (or make your own)
one garlic clove, minced
oregano

Cook ground beef, add the other ingredients and simmer.

Manicotti Filling:
1 egg
16 ozs ricotta cheese
6 ozs parmesan cheese
8 ozs mozzarella cheese, shredded (place some aside for the top of the dish)
garlic powder
fresh parsley flakes, a few tablespoons
sweet basil, one tablespoon

Cook the noodles so they're not overly soft for easy stuffing. Stuff the noodles with the cheese filling.

Place 1/2 the sauce in a greased 9 X 13 pan, place the stuffed noodles on top, and cover with remaining sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

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And now for some stitching inspiration:

This piece is called Fantastic Fall Bouquet, and it's designed by Barbara Baatz. (I got this photo of it long ago from a blog, saved it to my computer, but I don't have the stitcher's name and website. If you know the person, please do let me know. For the time being, I just must say thanks to the stitcher of this fine piece!):

I've always loved it, and I finally acquired it sometime back into my stitching pattern stash. I had to purchase it off ebay, as it's out of print and hard to find. It was so worth the hassle! Perhaps I can get started on it sometime soon, but then again free time does fly by quickly. Are there any patterns you are excited to begin soon?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stitching Inspiration

2010-06-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow- Carriage House Samplings. Isn't it gorgeous! This is definitely on my 'to do' list for the future. I love the calming shades of blue, and the charming nautical images.

What's on your stitching wish list today?

Norwegian Stuff and More

2010-05-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

I decided that I might fit in one more post before a new month begins. We're in the middle of a three day weekend, and I am so, so glad for another day off. For some reason stress is really taking a toll on me this year. That's just the way it goes.

I guess I should battle the stress by more stitching (which I haven't done in six weeks or more) and exercise. Does that sound like a good plan to you? I can't do anything about work stress, so I have to find ways to battle it.

I wanted to first share a photo of what we see in the backyard when we're around in the morning. It shows the prelude to the daily battle between our backyard western scrub jays and our local squirrels. I had never seen squirrels around here until lately. I do think our peanuts beckoned them here! We live in a city that has a population of about 300,400 people. I guess I didn't realize there were too many squirrels around here, too.

And one of the scrub jays:

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About a month ago we went to a Festival celebrating our Scandinavian heritage. We had an absolute blast! The food was great, the music was fun, and we even dressed in native garb and posed for pictures. No, they're not being shared here!

Over the years I've bought or received various pieces of Rosemaling. This craft comes from Norway--my late grandfather's birthplace.

Here's what I bought at the festival:

And here is the Norwegian flag flying in front of our house on one of Norway's flag days. I'm very glad to be an American, of course, but I think it's fine to acknowledge one's heritage. It's amazing to imagine my late grandfather sailing over here from Norway in 1904, at just age 16, all by himself on that ship. In steerage, of course. Someday I would love to visit his homeland. I've heard it's beautiful. My grandpa lived in Minnesota, but he also visited southern California a few times. He loved the mountains around Los Angeles, and told my mother it reminded him of Norway. Isn't it funny that no matter where we go, our heart always seems to long for home?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Embroidery Floss That I Adopted

2010-05-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

I have not been here in so long! Life has again been just too busy. I haven't stitched much in the last six weeks, either. Haven't had a chance to read many of your blogs. I miss reading them so much. Hopefully things will settle down soon at work, and I will have more free time to spend stitching, reading, and blogging...not to mention all the other things I like to do with free time.

Thanks for all your kind comments about Summer Queen. I really must pull her out soon!

I have a friend who recently handed me a plastic bag. Here's how it looked:

She said, "Thought you might like this embroidery floss." I have only one close friend who stitches, and she hasn't done it in years and years. A few more people I know used to stitch when it was popular in the 80s and 90s, but they've all given it up completely. I brought it home about a week ago, and just for kicks took a few photos of my progress in going through the floss.

Here you are:

I found a pair of tiny scissors in the mess. They're marked "Overland Germany". I wonder what the story is behind those scissors?

Now as I sit here, I wonder if you've ever received leftover stitching supplies in the form of floss..all tangled up? What did you do with it? You may remember that a few months ago another friend gave me an old WIP/UFO that's a stack of teacups stitched on Aida (See the post from March 28, 2010). I haven't done anything with that yet! I really will work on it "someday".

Finally, here is what I ended up with in the end:

I decided that truly I didn't need these 18 skeins of floss, but nonetheless I did add them to my floss boxes. Shame on me, I didn't take the time to wind them around the little cardboard bobbins. Some of the skeins look old in that the labeling looks like the kind from years and years ago. Even though I didn't wind the floss around bobbins I did, however, take the time to pour myself and my husband a glass of merlot. I will enjoy that glass of wine now, knowing that the large tangled mess of floss that remains is in our wastebasket. Yes, I know it could be strewn about the yard and one of our backyard birds could pick it up for its nest. In reality, I've tried that for years and not one bird has ever picked up even a tiny strand of thread. So it's in our wastebasket, for good.

Thanks for coming by today! I appreciate your visit here.

Summer Queen Update

2010-04-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working on Summer Queen this week. Seems like time to share an update here.

Last time I posted a photo of it, it looked like this:

The annoying thing on this one was that I thought I was practically DONE, until I noticed an entire lower section hadn't been completed.

Now it looks like this:

So I just need to finish the white patch in the middle, close to the bottom--and then also I need to complete the beads and a bit of outlining. The beading is a bear to me, but I'll get through it.

Thanks for stopping by today.

A Stitching UFO Received, Blog Spam, & Orange Cookie Recipe

2010-03-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Blog Spam

Recently I was hit with over a dozen blog 'spam' comments. In the course of a few minutes, someone posted these comments to all these old posts I had here, and the comments consisted of links to adult sites. They have all been deleted, but because of that I have now started 'comment moderation' on this blog. I apologize if your comment doesn't show up right away, and know that it is due to my little clash with blog spam.

Has your blog been spammed in this way? If so, how did you handle it?

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Stitching UFO Received

A friend of mine is in the process of downsizing. She has sold a lot of her craft supplies, and I recently purchased handfuls of fun rubber stamps from her. They're great for me to use on students' papers, and for crafts at school.

On a stitchy note, she gave me this project:

She'd started it quite awhile ago, and she knew it would never get finished. In my book, it's become a UFO. (unfinished object) It's Candamar Designs' "Teacup Stack". I probably never would have bought the project myself, but I thought it might be fun to work on from time to time. My friend also said she didn't want it back, ever! On the downside, it's on an Aida fabric. I haven't worked on Aida in a long time, and I'm not too fond of it anymore. Even so, this poor project needs a bit of TLC and attention. It's also mounted on a sort of stretcher bar frame that rolls, so that will be something new for me if I decide to continue using that set-up. We'll just have to see.

Have you ever adopted a UFO? Did you have any success in finishing it?

I have been stitching some on Summer Queen, and last night I even added more beads. I decided that one shouldn't wait for years in between working with beads. The experience needs to be done more frequently, so that skills in adding beads don't get completely lost!

Thanks for stopping by today. Happy Stitching to you!

Orange Cookie Recipe

2010-03-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I posted a few pictures of these Orange Cookies on my previous post. I've finally returned with the recipe.

This recipe comes from Minnesota, and they were lovingly baked by one of my dear aunts for years and years. We always requested 'orange cookies' when we visited her home. She is no longer able to bake, but the rest of us in the family enjoy baking these cookies again and again.

Enjoy! These cookies are so delicious.
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Orange Cookies
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup margerine or butter
(you may use 1/2 cup shortening with 1/2 cup butter or margerine if desired)
2 eggs
1Tbsp orange rind
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk (add after eggs)
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange rind, and then add the buttermilk.
Add the dry ingredients, mix well. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookies sheets. (They get a lot larger, so don't make them too large or they'll be huge.)

After they are cool, ice them with this icing:

1 Tbsp orange rind
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3 Tbsp orange juice
3 cups powdered sugar

Makes about 40-45 cookies.

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Thanks for stopping by here today.

Cookies

2010-03-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't posted here in over a month. Come to think of it, I don't think I've even stitched a thing in about a month now. Sigh...I really miss it so much. I just can't find the time! Work has been extremely busy this year.

This upcoming weekend I will carve out some time in the day, even if I have the usual list of things that I MUST do. I will cast those aside to enjoy needle and thread.

I baked these cookies a few weeks ago, and I had to take a photo of them. I will share the recipe soon here! We call them "Orange Cookies". They're made with flour, sugar, butter, buttermilk, and a bit of orange juice--and a few more ingredients. The icing has orange juice in it, too. They are puffy, soft, and everyone seems to love them.

Orange Cookies

Thanks for stopping by today, and please come back soon. I promise to post the recipe here very soon. :)

Pretty Pictures

2010-02-07T02:56:00.000-08:00

Time for blogging and any other sort of fun pastime has been sadly short in the past several weeks. I haven't had a chance to work on my pretty Summer Queen for awhile now. Sigh. I so hate when life gets in the way of doing the stuff we like to do, but that's how it is.

I spent 13 years at home as a Stay-at-Home Mom. My heart is still at home, even though I'm now in my tenth year at my 'grown up' job as a teacher.

What have these past several weeks brought? I'm sad to say it, but just work, work, and more work. One would think my job would get easier each year, right? Sadly more and more is put upon us, so time spent doing paperwork becomes massive. This has definitely been my most demanding year ever.

On a happy note, I was recently able to turn in paperwork this week that reflected the completion of my Master's Degree. Hurrah! It took me over two years to do it, while many of my colleagues were able to do the program in less than a year. At least it's done.

Also in the 'happy' department is time spent with our little grandson. I get to see him about once a week, as we just don't live 'down the street' but about 20 miles away. What precious times those are! This picture was taken last week while my mom was holding him. He's wearing a onesie our daughter appliqued with his first initial:

I'll end this with a sharing of a gallery of photos I compiled on Flickr. Thanks to all the people who took these gorgeous photos. Enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thinknsmile/galleries/72157623163594666/

Summer Queen WIP

2010-01-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

I finally decided it was time to just take out my stitching and STITCH, even though I really had so many other things I needed to get done. I also thought it would be a good idea to pull out my Summer Queen (Mirabilia's design) since I hadn't worked on it since last May!

The hard part of the whole process was that the last time I worked on this piece I didn't properly mark my chart copy, thus it took some time to figure out where I was on the chart.

I only have a small section of the Queen to complete, and there was a time I thought I was DONE until I discovered this small section at the bottom of the design.

Here she is, before I worked on her:

Here she is now, after a bit of work yesterday and also last May:

A few more photos:

One more that shows its size:

I plan on stitching some more this week, and hopefully I will finish her sometime this year.

Thanks for stopping by here today.

Sunrise

2010-01-06T17:31:00.001-08:00

Sunrise
Originally uploaded by loves2stitch2

No stitching news, just a beautiful sunrise photo to share this evening.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christmas Stuff

2009-12-29T23:16:00.000-08:00

I am finally here again! It seems as if it has been forever.

Christmas has come and gone, and I still haven't shared photos of some special Yuletide items in our home. I'll share the items today, if you don't mind. At a later time I will share photos from the actual holiday celebrations.

Here's a very special Christmas ornament my dear friend Jenny gave me when our daughter was born back in 1983.

This ornament means "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian, and it was stitched by my friend Janet:

This was also stitched by Janet:

Another gorgeous one stitched by her:

Kathryn stitched these two ornaments. I love how they're simply finished in an embroidery hoop:

Here's a few more ornaments on our tree that I wanted to share today.
I bought this monkey one for my son many years ago:

I bought this one at one of those 'at home' parties. I have no idea what the company's name was.

My brother and his wife brought us this one back from Russia:

This ornament was drawn with pencils by my friend Janet:

Some photos of the tree:

The beautiful nut ring my mom made us a few years ago:

Stockings hung on our antique armoire. We don't have a fireplace, so this works out fine:

Christmas with roses still in bloom:

Thanks for stopping by on this winter's evening.

December

2009-12-06T08:10:00.000-08:00

It's officially the holiday season, isn't it? I don't have anything new to share on the stitching front, but I thought it would be fun to share my holiday stockings again.

They're both designed by Donna Kooler, and they were part of the heirloom stockings featured in Cross Stitch and Country Crafts magazine. I love these patterns, and have all of them in my stitching stash.

I originally wanted to stitch up one for each of our family members, but I've only had the chance to stitch two of them. I doubt I will ever take the time to stitch another one! They were so much fun to stitch, but each one took years. I seem to have even less time to stitch now, so if I were to stitch one I envision that it would take a decade per stocking, and that's just too long to wait! What do you think? I guess I can wait until I retire, but that is years away. It's still something to ponder, however.

I have hung the stockings this year, but here is how they looked during a previous Christmas season:

The Holiday Kitchen Stocking :

Holiday Workshop, before finishing:

Thanks for looking at my stockings,and thanks for stopping by today.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T09:59:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was wonderful! We went to my brother and sister-in-law's house and had a great time visiting, eating, and playing games.

This weekend also marked the start of Christmas shopping for me. I wouldn't dream of going out on "Black Friday". I can't stand crowds and too much madness! Instead we went out for a bit yesterday. I was able to purchase the gifts I buy for co-workers, and for my students. I also had to buy more costume pieces for our upcoming Christmas program. It's fun to be able to buy them instead of having to construct them.

Today will be spent wrapping the 39 gifts we bought yesterday, decorating for Christmas, and getting ready for the upcoming work week. It will be busy and my days will be very long.

I haven't shopped at all for any family members or friends, but I am thankful to be done with the work gifts. It always gets so busy this time of year that it's easy to feel overwhelmed with getting everything done!

I hope to get in some stitch time today, too. I think I'll have to do it soon or else the day will pass quickly without any sort of hobby time.

Here are some photos from Thanksgiving:

Luscious desserts:

Dishing up our meal:

My niece and nephew:

Toasting the Season--My Brother:

My Husband and I with our Grandson:

My Great Niece and my Son's Girl:

My Nephew, Son, and His Girl:

Thanks for stopping by today!

Our New Bundle of Joy!

2009-11-24T00:10:00.000-08:00

I haven't been stitching much lately, nor have I even had much time lately for blogging. The reason there's been little action with the needle is that our little bundle of joy has arrived! It's hard to describe the joy he has brought into our lives.

Just a bit over two weeks ago our first grandchild was born. We are so excited to welcome him into the world! Little Robert weighed 7 lbs, 9 ozs and was 19 inches long. He's a calm, satisfied little baby. Our daughter is doing fine, and she and her husband are enjoying their new life as parents.

Here are some photos of the little one:

This one was taken in the nursery, shortly after he was born and before he had his first bath. His daddy took it.

A few more from the first day:

At home, taken within the past week or so:

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate that holiday this Thursday. Thanks for stopping by today, and for sharing in our joy in welcoming our new little grandson.

More Inspiration Stitching

2009-10-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

This beautiful piece is called "Mermaids of the Deep Blue" and it's from Mirabilia. My daughter loves it, so I think it's in our stitching future! We have taken turns on pieces in the past, so maybe this large piece would be a good candidate for that approach to stitching.

Not sure whether we'll stitch it on the recommended fabric, or if we'll use a different type completely. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stitching, Finally!

2009-10-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

I finally stitched today--for the first time in two and a half months. It was good to break out my projects again. I decided to work on Oberlin's Minnesota Sampler, and will post a photo soon.

I noticed that the last time I posted here I was home with a sore throat. Believe it or not, I was at home again today with a sore throat and virus. I work with small children and sadly I don't seem to fight off their germs very well. Someone is always sick in my classroom, it seems. Any suggestions on building up immunity? Vitamins don't seem to do the trick.

A few weeks ago we went to a beautiful wedding. Our daughter's sister-in-law got married, and our daughter was the matron of honor. Her baby is due in a few weeks, and that is something we're really so excited about! Here are some photos of that beautiful day. Enjoy!

Our daughter with her sister-in-law:

Our daughter and her husband:

Enjoying the reception:

The Happy Newly Married Couple:

Thanks for stopping by today!

An Old Piece

2009-10-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

It's great to be here and post today.

I still haven't had the chance to stitch in weeks and weeks. Right now I'm home with a horrible cold and sore throat. I seem to get these way more often than I should!

While we were in Minnesota last summer, I took a photo of a piece I stitched for my in-laws about 24 years ago. It is on Aida since it is from my beginning cross stitch phase. I don't recall the name of the leaflet from which I got the pattern. Here it is:

Aren't the colors bright? They are a bit unusual together, but I like the overall effect.

Thanks for stopping by today!

A New Arrival .....Soon

2009-09-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

This is a sampler that I need to order and stitch soon. It's Beatrix Potter's Jeremy Fisher Birth Sampler. You see, I'm going to be a grandma in less than two months. Our daughter is expecting a baby in mid-November! I need to get moving on purchasing this pattern, and stitching it up as soon as possible. I haven't talked about the upcoming arrival much here, but just had to tell you today!

I still haven't had time to stitch, so for the time being I can enjoy reading all of your blogs and seeing your gorgeous stitching and other creative endeavors.

Take care, and thanks for stopping by today.

Embroidered Houses by Others

2009-09-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

I wish I had more time to stitch, but lately it's just been far too busy. I haven't stitched in almost a month at this point.

Earlier today I did enjoy putting together something called a Flickr "Gallery". It's a collection of photos that I've gathered from my fellow Flickr users. It's titled "Embroidered Houses". I wish I could publish the gallery here, but I can't. I can share the link, so here you are:

Embroidered Houses Gallery by Loves2Stitch2

It's amazing to see the variety of different needlework techniques used to create such a wide variety of cozy homes.

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Picture is Worth How Many Words?

2009-08-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

I wish I had some stitching news, but I don't! Instead, I would like to share some photos we took recently.

First of all, it's been so HOT that we were fortunate enough to capture with our camera a hawk standing on our driveway. He was drinking water from our neighbor's sprinklers, and also reaching out to enjoy the sprinkler mist.

We live in an urban area, so we're always a bit surprised to see hawks near us.

The other evening we drove to a park near my mother's house and took some photos of the sunset. I really love the colors in these! Sadly there is smoke in the air with fires burning some 25 miles away from where we took the photos, so that makes the sunset's colors especially orange.

I love this one:

Before sunset, and the smoke is visible:

One more with smoky clouds:

Thanks for stopping by today!

Framed Sampler!

2009-08-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Life has gotten extremely busy. After a fairly lazy summer, I'm preparing for another school year. I had to move to a different classroom this year, so it has meant a bit more work in getting ready. School does not start for a few weeks yet, but there is much to do before it can be a smooth start.

On a happy note, I got my sampler back from the framer! I took it to my most local needlework shop, and I am so thrilled with the results. I chose to not mat the piece, and I also chose a wood color that was a bit lighter than I'd anticipated but seemed to go best with the tones of the piece.

Here it is:

A close-up of one side:

I hung it on the wall between or kitchen and family room, and it seems to look all right there.

Thanks for stopping by today!

It's Great to Be Home

2009-08-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

We're back from another trip to visit my husband and also my aunt in the midwest.

It was a great trip, but it's good to be home.

I have some old stitching and fun stuff about the trip to share, but I'll have to do that later.

Again, it's great to be back! I've missed reading all your blogs, haven't been online in a week.

Until Later... a photo of another beautiful Minnesota sunset-

Wedding Ring Bouquet WIP

2009-08-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a project I started about six years ago. I actually started it 'on a whim'. I had the 22 count hardanger in a drawer, and I'd bought Paula Vaughan's pattern at a close-out sale somewhere. It's her "Wedding Ring Bouquet".

It looks like I'm close to being done, but the work goes slowly since it's being done on 22 count fabric and in parts there are lots of color changes.

I apologize for the color quality of the fabric. It's an ecru color and not green as it appears in the photo.

Here it is with some small scissors, so you can see the size of the entire design:

A few more views:

I wish I had more time to work on this one, and get it done.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Beauty

2009-08-04T23:47:00.000-07:00

I stitched a bit on Paula Vaughan's Wedding Ring Bouquet. I'll post some pictures in a few days. The ones I have now are far too green tinged, for some reason.

Vonna, I am sorry about the sweatshirt statement I made in the last post. I wasn't very clear! I meant there was a time that they were enormously popular here in our very warm area. It was at the time everyone was painting on them, and adding appliques. We wear them still, of course, but not like we did in the 90s. I have a few but I rarely wear them as it's just never cold enough here to warrant one.

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I really love the photo sharing site called Flickr. If you haven't looked at it ever, take a peek. My photos were moved there automatically when Yahoo Photos shut down a few years ago, and I've been posting our photos there ever since.

I love to choose favorite photos on Flickr. Tonight I made this collage at a site called Big Huge Labs. The collage is made up of just a few of my hundreds of favorite photos. These are pictures of places I'd like to go or see, places I've been, or just beautiful places. The young lady is also from one of my favorite Flickr photos, and I just love how she's making a wish. If you wish to see more about the photo, click on the collage and you'll get the link to the page it came from as it's shown right below the photo. (Wow, that was way too wordy.
I 'm sorry.) Thanks to all who took these photos!

One more collage to share:
This is a small pile of photos I've taken of stitching I've done over the years, and also some of the threads I use.

Thanks for coming by today.

Lost and Found Stitching

2009-08-03T17:13:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love finding a lost treasure? Well, to me it's a treasure although I'm sure to many it wouldn't qualify as such.

When I don't have to trudge off to work every day, I like to spend some time organizing our house a tiny bit. I started the other day in some different rooms, but today I tackled our very old dresser. I've had this dresser for a very long time, so you can imagine how things just kind of find their way in there so easily.

So today I was very happy to find an old finished crosstitched piece in one of the larger drawers. It was tucked away and quite hidden under lots of other old things.

I'd stitched a Frankie Buckley design on the sweatshirt, and it was a design I got from the old "For the Love of Crosstitch" magazine. This was when sweatshirts were popular, and especially ones that were crafted up with some sort of homespun touch. I made it around 1993, I think, for my Mother-in-law. She passed away a long time ago just after I stitched it, and the sweatshirt was passed back to me. I'd hidden it away so carefully that I couldn't even find it! It was my first waste canvas project, and I've done very few since then.

Here are some photos of it:

I really don't know what to do with the sweatshirt, so I think I'll tuck it away again for more long term safekeeping. If it fit me, I'd wear it on Valentine's Day. Maybe.

A Bit of Enjoyment

2009-07-24T01:39:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say that today I completed three weeks of classes. Now it's time to relax a bit before I start getting ready for the new school year. After school begins I'll have one more class to take, and then I'll be done with this master's program. It's taken me a long time to get close to reaching this goal, so it does feel good.

Awhile ago someone asked me how I made the banner for the top of this blog. I'm sure there are far easier ways to make a banner, but here's what I did. Through the Picasa program we downloaded for our computer, I made a collage of various stitching photos. I love making collages on Picasa, in fact. I then saved the collage into my main Microsoft Photo program. While using that program I cropped it to make it fit in a better way, and I added the caption. It was fun to do, and easy! I am not adept at doing tasks on the computer, but this way worked for me.

So it's off now to get some stiching done. Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you get a chance to relax a bit too.

Almost Done!

2009-07-22T21:09:00.001-07:00

Ah, relief. Tomorrow is my last class this summer. It has been a long three weeks, that's for sure. I haven't stitched a bit, but I hope to get to it soon.

Awhile back I saw one of my stitching friend's pieces, and I really liked it. It was not something I probably would have wanted to stitch if I just saw the leaflet, but in person the colors were absolutely beautiful. Here it is:

I ordered the leaflet from an online store, and it's awaiting me in my very large stash supply box.

Recently I celebrated what some would call a milestone sort of birthday. I really only mention it as I want to show you one of the wonderful gifts I received. My husband and daughter collaborated secretly and somehow managed to get this watercolor painting of our dog done. It's great how getting a portrait like this works. They sent Eddie's photo to the gentleman via email, and he painted him in watercolors and had it shipped to our daughter's home within days.
This wonderful artist sells them through Etsy, and his name is Ron Krajewski. Check out his stuff! Here's a link to his website: Ron Krajewski

Eddie's Portrait:

Another view of Eddie, along with the photograph that inspired the watercolor:

Just click on them for a better view of the work.

Thanks for stopping by today, and have a great day.

Country Skies

2009-07-05T22:27:00.001-07:00

We recently returned from a trip to my husband's home state. While we were there, I did just a tiny bit of stitching. Here's the latest photo of my wee bit of progress:

And a close-up of the canoe:

I moved the canoe from a different part of the original chart since my husband did a lot of canoeing in that part of Minnesota when he was a teenager. I am enjoying working on this relatively simple project after some of the other ones I've stitched.

Tomorrow I'm starting three weeks of classes. I'm looking forward to getting this coursework completed! I hope to find time to stitch in the evening, but we'll have to wait and see.

I wanted to share some photos of our recent trip. It was a beautiful, relaxing time.

We took these photos after we left the city airport and headed towards our rural destination:

When you live in an urban area as I do, you simply can't believe the beauty you see in the midwest's open skies. The folks who live there seem rather amused at our ever present camera, but we truly marvel at the beauty we see there and we try to capture it on film.

A few more from our trip:

Finally, a photo my husband took of an old abandoned farmhouse. Our son-in-law also took some of this one, and he got treated to three ticks jumping on him and snuggling up to him after walking through the thigh-high grass. Good times!

It's interesting to look at an old house like this, and wonder how it once must have looked in its glory days of so long ago.

Thanks for stopping by today!

A New WIP to Keep Me Busy

2009-06-23T22:53:00.001-07:00

I truly have been in a bit of a stitching slump since finishing my sampler in early May. I decided to work first on Summer Queen, but I only put in a handful of hours on that project. I haven't even bothered with a progress photo as so little has changed since the last photo was taken. Life has just been too busy to stitch, but maybe I need a big switch to something less demanding.

So with that in mind, I'm switching it up completely and working on Oberlin's Minnesota Sampler. Here is how it looks now:

I will take a progress picture after I've worked on it for awhile. I'm still winding down from work, and I'm glad it's summer!

Thanks for reading my blog, everyone. It's great to see people checking this little place out,and it's so interesting to see how you arrive here from all over the globe. Thanks for loving and appreciating needlework the way I do. It's great to find kindred spirits, isn't it?

I'm so behind on my blog reading, and I've missed reading all of them. I will have to get caught up a bit, a little at a time.

I'll say goodbye for now with an oldie but goodie. This is a pocket I stitched on a pair of shorts. I did this when I was a teenager, so let's just say it's very, very old. I don't think I could handle all that work on denim at this point!

Take care and thanks for visiting here today.

Time to Relax...

2009-06-18T18:06:00.001-07:00

Exactly one year ago today, it was the last day of school. So today it was again the last day of the school year. Wow, what a year it's been. I'm glad to wave goodbye to this school year. It started shrouded in sadness with the passing of my father right before it began. He was very sick all summer, in fact. Truly it was hard to start the year with such a sad event in my life happening, but that's how life is, isn't it? We can't control much, really, can we?

This group of little children has moved on, and it's always bittersweet. I'm happy to have seen my students learn so much, but it's a bit sad to say goodbye and pass them on to the next teacher.

So just below you'll find a repeat of last year's photo from the end of the year. Last year on the final day of school we went out with our kids, and we toasted the end of the year. Tonight the two of us are staying home. I'm drained, and wiped out. My classroom is moving so this year we had the added burden of packing up everything into boxes before leaving for the summer break. When we don't move classrooms, we can shove it into a cupboard or place it on a shelf. Then we cover up the shelves with paper. I think in the end there were close to fifty boxes packed in that tiny room. I am aching all over, really!

I hope for a relaxing summer, if it's meant to be. I do hope to get some stitching in from time to time, but I am taking three graduate courses so we'll see if that happens.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you all find some relaxation this summer.

Lemon Bars

2009-06-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Aren't there some desserts that just remind you of a certain season? It's summertime now, and I think of lemon bars. My parents' home has always had a lemon tree in the backyard, so my mom always loved to make various desserts that used this great fruit. One recipe she made often in the summer was this lemon bar recipe:

Lemon Bars

1/2 cup margerine
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix the above ingredients together and place in the bottom of an 8 X 8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. (You should lightly grease the pan with shortening)

Mix together 2 Tbsp lemon juice, including the rind, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Pour on top of the warm crust, and bake again at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Frosting: Make a frosting using lemon juice and powdered sugar. Frost after the bars have cooled just a bit.

Note: You can increase this recipe to 1 1/2 in amounts and place in a 13 X 9 inch pan.

I think I'll have to make a batch sometime this week! Thanks for stopping by today.

Hydrangeas

2009-06-07T23:06:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I've noticed that more people are 'following' this blog. Thanks so much for adding your name on the list! Truly I haven't had much to say lately, so I appreciate your patience.

I still haven't taken my finished House and Garden Sampler to the framers. This year has been busier than any I can remember in a long time, but soon I will have a summer break. During the summer I'll be attending classes so that will cut into fun time. That being said though I truly know there will be more time to stitch, relax, and come here than during the school year when I'm teaching. It's been a tough but rewarding year.

Since early May I've stitched a tiny bit on Summer Queen, but not enough to warrant an update picture. I'm just trying to finish the bottom of the dress thus I'm doing little blobs of color over time.

Today I'll share some photos my husband took of our hydrangea bush. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers. Looking at them truly makes me happy. I love the full, colorful blooms. Here's a peek at our Endless Summer hydrangea. We planted it about four years ago, and it's really flourishing.

We used to add the chemical to make the blooms bluer, although it's been several years since we've done so. I like these colors just the same!

And one more angle of the shrub...

I just looked back at my photos and found one taken of the shrub almost exactly two years ago! Here is how it looked then:

I think it's progressed in two years, hasn't it? That's exciting to me. :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

New WIP----A Royal Lady for Reacquaintance

2009-05-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Thanks for the wonderful comments regarding my recently finished House and Garden Sampler. I still haven't had the chance to take it to our not-so-local LNS for framing. Maybe someday soon? Each weekend thus far has been filled with fun activities with family and friends, so for that reason alone the framing will have to wait!

This upcoming weekend a lifelong friend is flying into our area for a visit, so again the sampler framing project will be on hold. She's a great friend, but she doesn't share my love of crafts and needlework, nor has she ever done either thing. We did both have home economics in eighth grade though, and I remember sewing up some cute smock tops in flame stitch patterns. (It WAS the 70's!)

It's funny, very few people I know in my daily life have seen my needlework unless they've been to my home. Even then I don't point it out on my walls, and actually few seem to take note of it.

It's one of those things that few people seem to 'get'. I'm grateful for all of you who take the time to read this blog. Thanks for sharing my love for needlework and all things crafty! You've touched my life with your kind words and spirit.

I am again working on Mirabilia's Summer Queen. The funny thing is, I thought I was just about completely done with her in the summer of 2007. I then realized I had a bottom section that was completely neglected! I've worked on her for about two hours in the last few weeks, so I don't have any new progress pictures yet, but I promise you that I will soon. Here she is though when we photographed her way back when. If you've seen these photos before, I apologize. I don't think I've talked about her here for a few years, so perhaps I'm safe in digging this stuff up again.

A full view: (I only have the bottom to finish!)

Some close-ups of her:

Perhaps because the piece was sitting so long, I noticed that a few of the beads are coming out of her head area. Sigh. I need to redo them sometime soon. My stitching shouldn't be that weak, should it?

Thanks for stopping by here today, and thanks for appreciating the needlework I do.

Finis...Finished...I'm Finally Done!

2009-05-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

I started my House and Garden Sampler around October 7, 2007. I'm finally done! I just added a few more flowers and birds tonight. This week I will take it to be framed at my not-so-local needlework store.

What a fun project this has been. I will now go back to working on Summer Queen. I don't have much left to do on her, so that will be a finish in the near future.

Thanks for your encouragement in completing this project. It's been really exciting watching it come together. I am not quite happy with it, but then again I am a complete perfectionist when it comes to this sort of thing so that's not surprising.

Here are the last flowers I added tonight:

Here's a photo of my 'plan', as it looked today:

Yes, that's about six 8 X 11 graph paper sheets haphazardly taped together, and not very well, either.

Finally, the finished sampler:

I'm going to miss this project. I feel that way after completing all large projects, and large projects are what I mostly do.

Thanks for stopping by today, and thanks for all your comments and encouragement.

May

2009-05-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's May. That means June is not far off, and soon it will be summer.

I am almost done with the House and Garden Sampler. Here are the latest progress pictures. (I haven't done any stitching in two weeks, but hope to finish it this weekend.)

I'm going to add a few more flowers, a few more flying birds, and then I will be done!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Stitching Inspiration and Running Around with a Camera

2009-04-15T21:28:00.000-07:00

I just had a blast playing around on Flickr while watching American Idol. I put together a mosaic of some of my favorite photos from Flickr. These were stitched by many different people, and the credit goes to them. To see their work up close, just click on the link below the mosaic.

1. Little House Needleworks "Sea to Shining Sea", 2. Flea Market Souvenir - FINISHED, 3. Home Of A Needleworker (Too!), 4. Moira Blackburn Birthday Sampler, 5. Village of Hawk Run Hollow (Carriage House Samplings), 6. Rites of Spring (Blackbird Designs), 7. where my heart blooms, 8. evening shades the garden, 9. friends are the flowers, 10. Right side, 11. Shores of Hawk Run Hollow (Carriage House Samplings), 12. Night & Day by LHN

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My husband has really gotten interested in photography, and he recently got a new camera. Last night he and I both ran around the yard taking photographs of what we saw. I love the time of day when daylight turns to evening, so it was truly a lot of fun.

Here's a peek into our back picture window. I love the way the lamps' light bounces off the glass:

I was happy to take this photo of the magnolia tree that we planted several years ago. It's really grown!

I stopped and noticed that a plant that had recently looked half dead was now blooming:

Out front I was glad to see our garden window looking better. My husband has been refurbishing the trim along the bottom of it. It turned out to be quite a job. A two hour project turned into a two day one!

The plants on the porch are potted in some funky pots, that's for sure. I'm not big on everything matching, although I do admire how that looks. Some of the pots were painted and decorated by our daughter, so they are precious to me. We planted the marigolds before Easter:

The front planters are blooming a bit. These planters used to be full of huge, overgrown junipers. We're so happy we redid them several years ago. Our next big outside job is to have the house repainted, as these photos will show:

I took the next one as I love seeing lit windows at twilight

A bit later we took one more photo. The clouds here rarely look this interesting, so we couldn't resist:

Thanks so much for coming by today!

Easter

2009-04-12T22:55:00.000-07:00

Easter is over, and so is my spring break. Tomorrow it's back to the routine of work.

We hosted Easter today, and we all had a great time. I want to share my mom's lemon bar recipe that she made for today, but I'll have to do that on a future post.

Here are some photos from today:

My Great-Niece Hannah during the Egg Hunt

More Egg Hunting

Hannah on Easter

Ethan was here too, and it's the first time he's been at our house. He now weighs over 10 pounds and is doing very well. He was born 10 weeks early and spent the first few months of his life in the hospital. Unfortunately we didn't get a good photo of him today.

Here is a photo of him that we took a few weeks ago, along with his big sister Hannah:

Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy Easter & Sampler Update

2009-04-11T22:47:00.001-07:00

I want to wish everyone who celebrates Easter a happy one! There will be 14 or so of us for brunch here tomorrow, so we've been busy getting ready for that.

Above are some roses from our yard that I've put in vases for tomorrow. I'm so grateful that we have roses now. We planted most of them four years ago, I believe, and they're really doing well now. The red one is called Chrysler Imperial, and I love its brilliance of color. The red and white pedals at the base are from a rose called Scentimental, and the yellow/pink/white variegated one is Cabana. Also in the mix of roses is Tournament of Roses, Oregon Gold, and Perfume Delight.
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I finished the grass area under the lower right hand corner's house. Here it is:

I then added an alphabet from a sampler book I purchased on clearance at a general bookstore. After a bit of thought, I decided upon a deep reddish color for the alphabet. I improvised on the flowers near the alphabet, and I like how they turned out, I think.

I placed some people near the center home, along with the same improvised flowers:

Here's a peek at the whole thing now:

I need to finish the border, and add a few more touches here and there. Then it's off to be framed at some point.

Thanks for stopping by today, and Happy Easter to you. Thanks for all your kind comments and encouragement regarding this sampler! Your words mean so much to me.

Winding Down... and A Cat's Story

2009-04-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

It's already Thursday. Where has the week gone? Time off goes so quickly, it's amazing.

As far as stitching goes,I've added a few more details to my sampler, including a few people and a soon-to-be completed alphabet. Update photos to follow!

You are forewarned. The rest of this post is about our cat, Inga.

Our son found Inga in some bushes near his friend's house about 11 years ago. He was staying overnight at this boy's house, and tiny Inga stood on her hind legs and peeked through the boy's close-to-the-ground bedroom window and watched the boys as they played. Naturally, our son came home the next day and asked if we could keep her. We decided we could, although at the time we had two other cats, and our dog Katie. Inga was tiny then and about eight weeks old, and we had to feed her special food for a few months as she had major digestive issues. She's always had the habit of sucking her toe when she sleeps or relaxes. I guess she's quite resourceful, isn't she?

She's extremely reclusive and basically spends all her time in the back rooms of our house. In fact, she has two rooms to herself as well as our bedroom. She rarely ventures out into the living room or family room, and she never goes outside. Our other cats are in and out all day long. I guess that's what happens when your life starts out in a shrub, and your mom is nowhere to be found.

Our other cats and Inga never bonded too much, but that's how it goes with cats. She's been known to bravely charge our 80 pound greyhound when he comes in our bedroom and she's lying on the bed. He always retreats in complete fear!

She also likes to visit people who use the front bathroom and don't completely latch the door. Odd, isn't she?

She's a beautiful cat, and we love having her.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Sampler Progress

2009-04-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of progress on the sampler:

I added some details under this house:

Then a few flowers were added under another house:

I added a few golden flowers under a different house,and am in the process of adding grass, too:

A few more views of it:

Now I need to figure out what else to add to this piece. I have charted out some words, but not sure if I like how they look or not. We'll have to wait and see.

Thanks for stopping by today.

So Glad

2009-04-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's spring break and I have a week off of work.

We worked in the yard for an hour and a half this morning, and I am in terrible shape. It's time to commit to regular exercise, isn't it?

I've added some more features to my sampler, and will post an update photo soon.

I hope you enjoy your weekend,and thanks for stopping by today.

Scentimental Rose from our yard

Update on Sampler

2009-03-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

This sampler is slowly but surely getting completed!

Ten months ago, I added my version of our little home we live in. Here's a photo of the house when I first stitched it:

This past week I added elements around the house. As you will be able to see, our yard doesn't actually include all of these cute elements, but it's fun to pretend, isn't it? We live in the middle of a large city, so we don't have sheep in our yard, nor do we have a duck swimming in a pond. Haven't seen any rabbits around here, either.

I have thought of adding half stitches for the grass, but just can't do it yet. I'm not sure that it needs the half stitches anyway. Here it is:

I finished the garden around the Tudor style home.

I took some of the garden elements from this piece that I stitched years ago. I did vary the colors and more to fit the area.

Finally, a view of the whole piece as it looks now. You can get a better view by clicking on it, and viewing it on Flickr:

Now I need to figure out what to add to some blank areas. I think it's becoming more of a 'spot motif' sampler than a House and Garden one, but that's okay with me. It's really been fun working on the sampler, and watching it come together bit by bit.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Spring Flowers

2009-03-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I hope you are as happy as I am that the weekend is here again. On top of that, it's springtime!

Thanks for stopping by here today. It's interesting, I added a 'Follower' box in the sidebar awhile back, and I really appreciate that some people have added their names as a 'Follower'. This week I noticed that someone left the 'Follower' box. Sigh. I hope they still come back and visit here once in awhile.

I have been stitching a bit on my sampler lately, I just haven't had time to do an update picture. I promise to post one soon.

Last of all, I want to share some photos from our yard. These were taken in previous summers and springs, and I apologize if you have seen them before. The photos make me smile, and I hope they brighten your day.

Take care, and again...thanks for stopping by here!

First of all, a hydrangea. I love hydrangeas!

A geranium I rewarded myself with when I finished my Master's project a year ago:

A rose from our backyard:

Finally, Scentimental Rose. It's in a pot on our deck:

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Sampler Update!

2009-03-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here are the latest progress photos on my House and Garden Sampler. There is something about the sampler that bothers me, but I am not yet sure what it is. I guess it's my old critical eye.

Here it is, the last time I shared it here:

Here's how it looks now. I finished the bird, added a rose in the upper left corner, and have half the garden around the top left house completed:

Thanks for stopping by today.

Shores, Cobblestone, and "Interesting" Photos

2009-03-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

The pattern above is The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings. I love the colors, and how the various motifs fit together so well. I've seen this one stitched up in photos, but never in person. Isn't it gorgeous?

I have been working a bit on my sampler this week, and I'll have to post an update soon. I am pulling a tiny bit of the cobblestone details and flowers from this piece I stitched way back when:

I'm placing those elements around the Tudor style house.

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I am a complete nerd, and I check from time to time to see which photos on our Flickr account are 'most popular' with people who view the photos. In case you want to see a few, here are the most popular ones according to how 'interesting' they are to other Flickr members. I guess the 'interesting' factor is based on views, comments, and how many people call it a favorite of theirs on Flickr. Much to my husband's dismay the most popular photos are all photos of needlework. The first non-needlework popular one is the tenth most 'interesting' photo, and it's a photo of one of our cats!

This photo is the #1 most 'interesting' one I've posted on Flickr. It's a photo of an apron my brother and his wife bought for our mom while touring Russia and the Baltic States. Isn't it fascinating how it's all stitched up in chain stitches?

The next most popular photo is this one:

I stitched that shirt back when I was a teenager, and this is a close-up of the shirt's cuff. I sure wish it fit me now! Although I think at this age I would look very weird wearing it....I would look "teenile". I love that word--teenager combined with senile.

Here's the next photo:

It's a freebie that took me years to stitch. I got it from the DMC corporation, and the designer is Stoney Creek. I am sad to admit that I still don't have it framed. I started it in 1987, I believe, and finished it in 2002 or so. It's one of my last 'Aida' pieces that was started before my plunge into evenweave fabrics.

The next most 'interesting' photo we posted is this one:

I stitched this pillowcase set for my sister-in-law. I really had fun with them, and I loved using DMC's variation threads here and there.

Finally, our fifth most popular photo according to the "interestingness" factor on Flickr is this one:

I only have to finish the bottom portion, then I'm done! It's Mirabilia's Summer Queen. I haven't worked on it in over 18 months. Perhaps I should put the Sampler away, and finish this one. What would you do?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Spring is Coming & Some Stitching Inspiration

2009-03-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

The pictures above were taken in our yard during the past few springs or summers. I'm happy that spring is coming soon. I am ready for our very mild winter to be ending.

Here's a sampler I really like:

It's called The Embroideress by Joanne Harvey. It has to be added to my long list of "to do" patterns.

I haven't had a chance to do any stitching lately. Soon I will, I hope.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy News & Sampler Update

2009-02-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

First of all, on a very happy note, my niece Windy's baby came home from the hospital last evening! He is just about 10 weeks old now, and he weighs over 8 pounds. He was born 10 weeks early, and only weighed barely 3 pounds when he was born. My niece was admitted to the hospital at the end of November with premature labor, so his homecoming has been a long time coming. Later on this week we'll go visit them and I'll share a photo here. Here's her blog for some photos of him taken a few weeks ago: Windy's Blog

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I finally have some stitching progress to share!

Here's the sampler last time I showed an update here:

I finished the flower in the righthand corner, and have started adding a Berlinwork bird in the lower left corner.

Here it is now:

A few close-ups of the corners:

I'm going to add a few more of these Berlinwork designs in other parts of the sampler. I'm still not sure what to add to the border, but I'm toying with a few ideas. We will have to wait and see.

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Finally, here's some photos my husband took this morning of our dog Eddie and our polydactyl cat Bruce. I love Saturdays! Bruce and Eddie simply placed themselves in this way, so of course we had to grab the camera and capture it! I love how Bruce is resting on Eddie's large greyhound paws.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Stitching Inspiration

2009-02-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

I've always loved house patterns, and I also have a fascination with the sort of pattern shown here. This is Doll House by Brightneedle. I'll have to add it to my every growing list of 'to do' patterns!

I've had some stitching time here and there, and I finished the Berlinwork flower I was adding to my House and Garden Sampler, in the lower righthand corner. I will have to post a photo soon.

Finally, here are a few photos my husband took of a Western Scrubjay that visits my mother's backyard. I love to watch them carefully pick up peanuts, and fly off to hide them in the grass, or in the planter.

Thanks for stopping by today!

An Update on the House and Garden Sampler

2009-02-09T16:42:00.001-08:00

I finally had the chance to stitch a bit this past weekend, and here is a photo of the finished apple tree:

I used a blended needle for the greens of the tree, and for the apples I used a variegated thread where I used two threads that started at the opposite end of that particular variegated thread's color.

After I finished the tree last night, I had to decide what to add next to the sampler. I decided upon a pattern from this book by Jane Greenoff~

I have always loved the look of Berlin work, so I chose a poppy motif from this pattern~

I decided to place it in the lower right corner, just as it is in the pattern.

While I was out today, I decided to purchase a magnifier for my Ott Lite. I am not sure if I like using it or not. Do any of you have any sort of recommendation for lighting? I always said that I would quit stitching when I required special equipment just to see the work. Well that was said when I was 20, so of course I knew nothing about how my love of stitching would grow throughout my lifetime.

Here's the work through the new magnifier~

Here's a photo of the work I've added in the lower right hand corner, as well as a photo of the whole piece so far:

The weather was cold and rainy today, which to me makes it ideal stitching weather. On top of that, I had the day off. It was great to stitch, sip some coffee, and relax a little bit.

Thanks for stopping by today, and please let me know what you do to handle seeing the work well enough when you stitch.

House and Garden Sampler Book

2009-02-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a great stitching resource book that I should have bought before starting my sampler:

It's written by Mary Jenkins. Has anyone else seen this one yet? It is advertised to include all sort of tips and hints on how to design your own House and Garden Sampler!

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Still no stitching update from these parts. I have been down with a tremendous flu bug, so my needle has sat idle for quite awhile now. As someone used to always tell me, "There are better days coming."

Thanks for stopping by today!

Monday

2009-01-26T21:11:00.000-08:00

My Great-Niece Hannah on Thanksgiving

I had to put in that photo above for the simple reason that I love the look on Hannah's face. Such joy and pure happiness!

On a similar fun note, I've been tagged by Road Trip with Ruby. I am supposed to list my five addictions. Thanks so much for tagging me! I enjoy your Road Trip blog and your The Scarlett House stitching blog so much. They are both so beautiful and inspirational.

Here are my addictions, and it's hard to limit it to five:

1. coffee--I like it in the morning, and even drink it at times in the evening. It doesn't keep me awake. I can drink a cup in the late evening, and fall asleep right after drinking it. Coffee keeps me alert, content, and quite happy.

2. needlework--I have been stitching for almost 36 years. I wish I had time to do it more often, but that's how it goes. My job is demanding, and I'm just too tired most evenings. Often times I don't pick up a needle for many, many days at a time, but even when I'm not stitching I'm thinking of a project so I still get enjoyment out of this addiction.

3. decorating magazines-- I now subscribe to three of them. They are lying all over my house in strategically placed baskets so I can pick one up to read and enjoy when I have a free minute here or there. I enjoy looking at beautiful rooms, furniture, gardens, and homes. Last night I followed directions in "House Beautiful" as far as rearranging book shelves to look more pleasing. And... they did come out looking better!

4. color- Color has made me happy since I was a kid, whether it be in a flower, fabric, or in the sky. I love to see the contrast of certain colors together, and how certain colors just seem to harmonize and evoke peaceful feelings.

5. music- I love all kinds of music, from choral, opera, and classical to some rap, reggae, and hard rock.

6. cleaning products for the counter- sorry, had to list one more addiction. I like getting the house to smell great with ones like my new one called Lavender Pine, from Williams Sonoma. I also love Rosemary Mint, from Gold Canyon Candles. There are many more of these that I love buying, and using.

It's time for me to tag someone. I will tag these five people: Windy,Margie,Vonna,Susan, and Debi.

If I didn't tag you and you so wish I had, please consider yourself tagged!

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Thanks for stopping by today.

This and That

2009-01-25T21:45:00.000-08:00

The days have really flown by recently. The weather was crisp today, and we even got a bit of rain a few days ago. It was so refreshing to have our weather be more what one would like it to be in January.

I wish I had some stitching news but on that front I can only share a pattern I really would love to do someday. I first saw this one stitched up at my not-so-local needlework shop. It's called Common Ground by Just Nan.

The colors all look so striking together!

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My great-nephew Ethan continues to grow each day. Here are some photos of him from when I saw him awhile ago:

I'm sure he'll be going home soon. For more photos and updates, visit Windy's Blog.

Here is a photo of his big sister Hannah(wearing the tiara I bought her) along with my daughter when they came by about a week ago:

And another one with my niece Windy reading with her:

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We had a great time yesterday at my brother's house in honor of his wife's birthday. I have a few photos from the festivities but none are truly 'blog material'.

Well, perhaps there are a few of them that might be suitable but that will have to wait.

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About a year ago my husband, our son, and my brother spent a weekend painting our bathroom and bedroom. I hate to admit it, but the wallpaper in that room had hung since we moved into the house in 1990. I am a bit too laid back about getting things done, that's for sure.

I finally bought a few new things for the room. Here's a photo of a pillow I bought that coordinated with the quilt I'd already purchased. Yes, I know I could have stitched one up myself but I thought this was beautiful, and it was already done! The colors of the quilt and pillow make me happy.

The weekend seemed to fly by so quickly, and tomorrow it's back to the grind.

Thanks for stopping by here today.

Nature's Beauty

2009-01-19T22:18:00.000-08:00

I got a bit of stitching in this weekend, but not enough to show you any sort of an update since the last one a few weeks ago.

I did have time to make another collage of photographs with some of my favorites from Flickr. These photos were taken all around the world. I love sunsets and sunrises, as you can see.

If you click on the photo you'll see more detail about where they were taken, and who took them.

Enjoy!

A Bright Surprise

2009-01-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

On Friday night we were going out for dinner and as I looked to the left of our front porch I saw this banner! My husband put it up there as a complete surprise. It lights up!I didn't even knew he'd bought it, in fact. We haven't had a banner in that holder in years, either.

Our son was mortified when he saw it, but I like the sparkling image of the castle. And... surprises are so much fun!

Some Needlework Inspiration...

2009-01-18T00:16:00.001-08:00

I love to look at needlework photos on Flickr. Here's a collage of some of my needlework Flickr favorites from the past several years.

By clicking below the collage you'll find a direct link to the original stitcher's photo page. Thanks so much to all of you for your inspiration. If you click on the collage itself you'll get a much better view of the needlework on the collage.

Enjoy!

1. "Mother's Arms" - Mirabilia, 2. "Castle Sampler" - Teresa Wentzler, 3. Sleeping Beauty, 4. Casa, 5. Medieval Town Mandala (Chatelaine), 6. "Bullskin Village", 7. chatmystery8, 8. chatm6fin, 9. Birth Announcement (Teresa Wentzler), 10. The court, 11. Finished Titania, 12. To Everything There Is A Season....., 13. where my heart blooms, 14. Village of Hawk Run Hollow (Carriage House Samplings), 15. Right side, 16. Moira Blackburn Birthday Sampler

Saturday

2009-01-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad it's Saturday. The work week seems to last VERY long. But at this moment the birds are eating heartily from the feeders as I look out the window

(ok, I took this in the fall but this is what I'm looking at right now.)

and... the finches are singing a beautiful song.

It's been over 80 degrees for five days this month. One day this week it reached 85! I saw lots of folks wearing shorts and t-shirts. Earlier this month we had a high of 58 degrees, so there's a lot of adjusting to do here in a quick time to a span of temperatures. It's morning here now, so it's only 48 degrees. Yes, to those of you in cold climates 48 sounds great. For us it is quite cold.

Personally I wish it were cooler during the day, but I know I shouldn't complain, right?

I hope I have the chance to stitch a bit this weekend. I haven't picked up a needle in two weeks at this point.

Thanks for stopping by on this soon-to-be warm Saturday.

A Quote I really Like...

2009-01-13T22:25:00.000-08:00

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

I saw this quotation in a magazine today, and it really struck me. I love it! Maybe I'll incorporate this into my House and Garden Sampler.

I love looking at decorating magazines and seeing beautiful home interiors online. While looking around online I find so many beautiful home photos, and these views are courtesy of Coastal Living online. I love the bright aspects of these rooms:

Thanks for stopping by today.

Return Visit

2009-01-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

This morning the neighborhood hawk swooped down and sat on our backyard wire for about ten minutes. My husband was able to get a photo of the bird today. What a majestic sight it is to see this creature soar!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a great weekend. It's 77 degrees here now, so we're elated about that change. The highlight though is that it's Sunday, and we don't have to go to work today.

Fun for our Group

2009-01-08T21:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo from Christmas Day.

This is our family having fun with their cameras. Taking photos of eyes, close-up. What more can I say? Here you see my brother, daughter, son-in-law, and our son.

I haven't uploaded the photo of my eyes close-up. It's rather scary. Can you say, "The old gray mare ain't what she used to be?"

Does your family do 'unusual' things for entertainment?

First Day Back

2009-01-05T23:51:00.001-08:00

First day back at work after being gone for two weeks officially and another four days due to having to take personal time. In other words, it was my first day working in three entire weeks. I am exhausted, but glad to be back.

I like the idea of January, with its concept of 'fresh start'. We'll see how long it all stays fresh.

I've gone pink now on the blog. I hope you like the new look!

Update on Sampler

2009-01-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to finally organize my embroidery floss in my sampler's thread box. Yippee! No, I didn't take a picture of it but all of you thread lovers will understand my passion for seeing an organized array of threads! I also worked on my 'blueprint' for my sampler for several hours, and I taped it together so now it looks much nicer.

Here's what I've done to the sampler in the last several weeks.

I added a peacock:

I'd found an antique freebie pattern online, but it was too large. I shrunk it down and the peacock above is what I came up with in the end. I used DMC variations for much of the feathers.

I also added a cat and some pumpkins:

I added an apple tree to the chart. I'm using blended threads for the leaves, and DMC color variations for the apples:

I also started working on the border!

Here's the final photo of the entire sampler so far:

Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

Life has been very, very busy lately.

First of all, all the best for a wonderful 2009 to all of you.

I haven't been online at all lately as I had no computer access for weeks. It is odd how quickly one adapts to life without a computer, isn't it?

Here's what's been happening in our lives. On December 15 my niece Windy

Windy, on Thanksgiving at her house

gave birth to Ethan James. He was ten weeks early, and he's doing very well but he'll be in the hospital a bit longer. If you take a peek at her blog you can see his photos and read more about him.

That same evening that Ethan was born my mother became very ill, and she had to go into the hospital (60 miles away from where Ethan is) for four days. We stayed with her the following few weeks until yesterday when we returned home. Our family moved Christmas down to her house, and it was a very low key celebration this year. In an odd way it was rather a relief to have it be this way. I had very little time to shop for anyone. There were no stockings, no stocking stuffers, and it was all just fine. We didn't even have a Christmas tree down at her house, and I never had the chance to put one up here. That's the first time in 28 years that we haven't had a tree! It was fine though just the same. Christmas is about more than the trimmings, and quite frankly it was freeing to do it in such a simple way. I am happy to say that Mom is doing better, and getting stronger each day.

I got some stitching done while at my mom's, so I'll share that in the next post.

On a sad pet note, a few days before Christmas our cat Coco passed away. Our son was 'home alone', and found her in the morning. She'd been fine the night before, so we really don't know what happened. It appeared she died peacefully in her sleep. She was 12 years old and had been with us so long. We still have her mom here along with our other cats, but nonetheless it's sad to lose a kitty! We miss her a lot.

Coco 1996-2008

Thanks for stopping by here today.

Stitching Lessons

2008-12-09T21:42:00.000-08:00

I mentioned last week that my niece Windy is in the hospital on bedrest. She's now 29 weeks along in her pregnancy, and fortunately labor has not progressed. Above you can see her on the evening I taught her how to embroider. She's enjoying her little project, and has also taken up felting while in there.

A few more photos:

Finally, a photo of our cat Inga enjoying the night air:

I love the markings on her back!

I haven't had the chance to stitch in almost two weeks now. Sigh. That's how it goes.