Fair-ly Amazing!

So much to tell you that I'll just get to it!!  

First I want to let you know about a give-a-way on The Stamper's Stitches blog.  Her and her daughter have been making these adorable little bears.  They are for sale as well, if you don't win the contest.  So go on over and take a look!

It's been a busy week, that's why you haven't seen much from me here.  I put my needle down for a wee bit to pick up a crochet hook.  There are a few ladies I know who are going to have a baby.  I started making this afghan months ago but it kept getting shunted to the sidelines because it's really hard to work on an afghan in the summer time!!  I finally finished it Wednesday.  I wish you could feel how soft this yarn is.  It was a joy to work with.

I've also been busy with these crosses.  I was unprepared for the last time our church had people baptized, I'm hoping that won't happen again.  I've made 15 of these in the past week.  I've already given 3 away to people who have been going through difficult times and needed to know people were praying for them.  Here are the 12 that are left.  

I finished stitching the traveling pattern.  I will give people one more week to sign up and will have the drawing a week from today, September 6th.  Please leave a comment on the post below if you are interested.  I forgot to mention that you must have a blog to participate!  Good luck!!

I picked up a crazy from 2012 to work on this past Wednesday.  This is The Three Wisemen and is stitched on 40 ct over one.  It has been a challenge, to say the least.  I love this pattern though, and hope to finish it before Christmas.  Wish me luck!!

Last but not least, my lovely friend, Ms. M, and I went to the state fair yesterday.  It was an adventure getting there as we decided to take the light rail rather than try to battle traffic around the Baltimore beltway.  We didn't realize that the light rail service was interrupted in the middle of the line because they are getting ready for the Grand Prix race that is being held this weekend.  So they ran the service to a certain point, then you boarded a bus to take you to the next point of service.  What normally would take an hour took two hours...not to mention a lot of confusion.  LOL  We did make it there, though...and just happened to be passing an exhibit just when the pig races were about to begin.  I caught a few of the races.  These little piggies race for ... Oreo cookies!  LOL  We had a lot of fun watching these little guys!

Those guys may have loved oreos, but this is my favorite cookie.  It's a maple cookie, made from maple syrup.  I grew up in maple syrup country...and love anything maple.  I love that I can find them here in Maryland!!  If you haven't tried these goodies, you are missing out!!

 

We went to the Home Arts exhibit hall and were engulfed with some wonderful smells.  Home baked goods, preserved goods, and the needle art display was amazing.  I didn't have my camera with me so took pictures on my phone.  I'm sorry for the blurriness of this next photo, but there was a lady there making lace.  I've never seen anything like it, and would LOVE to learn.  Just what I need, another hobby right?  LOL

I talked to a lady who was demonstrating smocking, and there was chicken scratch, and needlepoint, rug hooking, and cross stitching, tatting and crocheting, knitting and more.  I could have spent hours there, and sadly didn't take any pictures.

And no fair experience would be complete without funnel cakes.  Love this stuff!! 

My heart has been heavy this week for the people of Syria.  I cannot understand a country who would do this to their citizens.  I find my mind drifting to thoughts of them and prayers for those who have lost loved ones.  Will you join me in prayer for the Syrians?  I don't know what is the right response, and have been praying for those who make these decisions, that they would do more good than harm in this situation.  

And that is the end of my tale for today.  Hope you are having a great day!  Please don't forget to sign up for the traveling pattern on the previous post.  This weekend we are headed for the Renaissance Festival.  There will be three couples of us traveling together.  Should be interesting!  Hopefully my camera will be fully charged and ready to take up the task.  See you at the next posting!  *Hugs*  I leave you with a picture of Thomas...doesn't he look excited?  LOL!!

 

 

I won! Will you?

Hello friends and fellow bloggers!

My week was kind of crazy...I don't think I'm fully recovered just yet!  I started out the week with only two things scheduled, and as the week went on it got crazier and crazier.  I didn't get much stitching done until the weekend, but am relieved to report that I have now finished my section of Niina's RR.

But before I get to that I want to get to what I won!  My little pal Nathan picked my name out of the hat and I became the next recipient of the Traveling Pattern!  I learned about it on Astrid's blog.  I'm the 31st person to receive this pattern.  What fun!!  Astrid has shown nearly all the houses and who has had it in the past on her blog, you can find the pictures by clicking on her name.  

I have already begun stitching, and will post materials once I'm finished stitching.  If you would like to be the next recipient, please leave a comment.  I will post the next person to receive this pattern in a future post, so keep checking back.  It won't take me long to stitch this!!   There are a couple of rules.  You must be willing to pass the pattern on quickly to another person.  Please let's keep this pattern traveling!!  I will be looking for someone who has a good reputation for stitching things in a timely manner and one who keeps their promise.  If you are interested,  please comment on this post ONLY, and when I'm finished, I'll choose the next one to receive the pattern.

Speaking of keeping things moving, I have finished my portion on Niina's RR.  I belong to a group called Friendly Stitcher's Round Robin.  There are 8 of us in this group, stitching on each other's pieces and sending them along to the next person.  This is the section that I completed for Niina.

And here is what the whole piece looks like at the moment.  I'll be sending it on to the UK early next week, hopefully!  I've really enjoyed participating in this and can't wait to see what mine looks like!  

Off to get some more stitching done.  Last week was so busy, with meeting up with friends, doctors appointments and a baseball game that I really didn't get much done.  Hopefully once I finish up the Traveling Pattern I will be  able to get more of my stitching done.  Wish me luck!  LOL  

Bloom Where You're Planted...

I wanted to share something that my cousin shared on Facebook.  Just a little background though...

My cousin and I live about 5 hours apart and we are about 10 years different in ages.  We don't see each other much, but thankfully we share a common faith.  I admire her a great deal, and if I ever grow up one day, I hope I'm just like her.  She is a Christian lady, and truly lives her faith.  She never has a mean thing to say about anyone, and I look forward to reading her posts on Facebook each morning.  She ALWAYS has a word of encouragement, and has a wonderful sense of humor with an infectious laugh to go with it.  At the beginning of the summer she posted a picture with an amazing story.  I'm going to quote her here, as I don't think I could improve on her caption, and it shows amazing wisdom and insight.

“As I was taking care of my flowers out back last evening, I thought about this little guy. He sits just outside my raised bed, in the corner, under a layer of hard dirt and stone. Something that had fallen there and had survived the winter all on its own. He pushed up through all of that so he could get the warming sun and right now he is flourising. I thought about transplanting him back into the bed but decided against it..I am thinking this is a sign of the will to survive in a hard world. I need to look to the sun (son) for my strength. I am thinking that God has given me the same ability to try and make my little corner of the world a better place, just like this guys does. This was my lesson of the day yesterday, and wanted to share it....have a geat day everyone....” - Judy

This story was perfect timing for me, as you know the past three and a half years have been one struggle after another, and though some things have improved, I'm still working on others.  I am "battle weary" and sometimes wish things would get a little easier.  Then I'm reminded of this story of this flower that had to overcome such adversity to bloom where it was planted...surviving the cold winter, pushing against hard dirt and rocks and yet gave such beauty to the world.  My prayer is that I would just BLOOM where I'm planted and find a place to shine the Son's beauty.

Just the other day, Judy posted another picture of what this little guy looks like now.  She didn't replant him and later said that it was the nicest plant on her property.  Despite all odds, it not only survived, it flourished.  With the Son's help, we can be just like this Marigold....

Thanks for letting me share your story, Judy.  Hopefully it will inspire others the way it inspired me!  

A finish!

I hope you haven't fallen off your chair!!  Yep...it's a mid week update from yours truly!

I've been getting a bit of stitching done these days, though next week is going to be a bit crazy so I doubt you'll see much accomplished next week.  However this week, this chick is on a ROLL!!

Here is Sweet Flowers!  This was stitched on 32 count white lugana over one using Rainbow Gallery Splendor silk and Gloriana silk.  The SAL I was stitching with had closed long ago, and I had kept up with patterns and such. When they sent the last pages, I was a bit burned out, but I dug it out this week and finished it up.  I feel really good about finishing this one, there is a LOT of work there my friends!!  Sorry for the blurry picture...

I've also been in a round robin circle, and was sent two more RR's to work on this week.  I was able to finish my part on Ally's and when I get my act together I'll be sending it on.  Here is my portion...

and the full piece so far.  Can't wait to see the final picture.  This was a sweet pattern, and so fun to stitch...until I got to the French knots though.  Still I think it came out pretty well!

I've done a little work on Winter's Majesty.  There is a lot of backstitching on this piece, and with metallic threads which is a pain to work on.  These snowflakes are going to be the death of me!  LOL  So I've done a few, and I'll go back to cross stitching and alternate so I don't burn out on all the outlining.  Wish me luck!  Hopefully this will be my work of choice this week.

If all goes as planned, I'm going to hermit for the most part this weekend...so you can see my accomplishments after the weekend, so check back later!  Wish me luck!  And if you are hermitting this weekend, I'll see you on the flip side!

Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer...

Good Morning!

You would think this dawn would be brighter after the storms we had last night, but it seems to be dreary even though the sun is beginning to rise in the sky.  We had quite the day yesterday, with torrential downpours and amazing electric light displays.  Still...it is summertime and the weather unpredictable here in the Mid-Atlantic.

It's quiet here at DJ's Digs for the moment.  But I know in a little while the guys will be waking up and the peace shattered once their feet hit the floor.  We were out late last night (a rarity for us) seeing the movie Elysium in IMAX.  I wasn't enamored with all the violence, but the story was good.  I won't say anything more in case you are off to see the movie.  Let's just say we were all surprised by the events that happened.  And of course, the guys saw the political angle of the movie...and what they saw really did make you think.  I love how my guys can pick apart things they see and understand the implications of what may happen in the future...though I will say it does scare me sometimes.

Enough pondering...LOL  On with the stitching!  I've been stitching up a storm this week.  On Monday I finished three Christmas ornaments.  I really find these sleds to be quite cute!!  They are a quick stitch and so easy to finish off.  Someone was really clever in figuring these out!

On Tuesday I finished off Friendship Blooms.  I enjoyed stitching on this, and hope my SAL partners aren't too angry with me.  My fingers kept straying to this piece and I just HAD to finish.  Sorry Mouse and Babs.  I truly love this one and will have to think long and hard about getting this one framed.

On WIP Wednesday I concentrated solely on Winter's Majesty.  I was finally able to fill in so much of the lower half that I decided there was so much back stitching that I had better get started.  I hate back stitching...especially with metallic thread...and then when you have to double the thread my knickers get in a twist!  I'll be lucky if I have any hair left on my head when I'm through with this piece.  Between all the confetti stitches, blending filament, and metallic thread back stitching, it's a cross stitcher's nightmare!  If I can keep from getting a knot in my knickers I might just come out of this one with my sanity in tact...though considering my already fragile state, that is questionable indeed!!

 


I could use your opinion though.  The back stitching around the flowers calls for two strands of the metallic thread.  It is difficult to pull the thread through the fabric considering the concentration of the stitches here.  Do you think I really  need two strands of thread?  Do they really need back stitching?  There are a LOT of these flowers...with all their confetti stitches...and back stitching...it strikes fear in the heart of this veteran stitcher...fear that I truly will lose my sanity before I finish this piece.  LOL!!

Did I mention there is back stitching around the snowflakes too?  And that they are stitched with two threads of Marlett?  And you wonder why my train goes chuggin' 'round the bend so often.  I really think it will be challenging to back stitch these with two strands of metallic thread, can you imagine what it will do next to that marlett?  The thought of the snag potential there has me shaking in my boots!!

 

When I was resting my  hands (because Winter's Majesty is a pretty big project and it's weight makes my hands tired sometimes)  I was able to put a few stitches in Violet's Blue.  I have loved this pattern since the first time I saw it online.  It's working up quite quickly I must say and is by far my favorite to work on right now!!  

I was able to head up to the Stitching Post to pick up those sleds I had ordered...and look what fell into my shopping cart.  Those things just jump off the shelves, don't they?  You need to be so careful when you go in there...I think those employees train those all day to jump into your cart.  Shameful!!  LOL 

On a final note, I just thought I would share this "devil" cat picture.  I don't know if the angle of the light was just right, or what caused this effect, but here is Thomas, appearing to have one blue eye and one green eye.  Creepy, right?  He has been acting a bit strangely lately.  There are times I wish I could read his mind, and then there are times I'm glad I can't.  LOL  

Devil eyes...am I right???

And on that note, I'll bid you a fond farewell.  I'll see you at the next blog update!

Happy Anniversary!

Good morning fellow stitchers and bloggers!

Today is my anniversary!  Twenty-nine years ago today, my husband made a vow to love, comfort, honor and keep me in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better or for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow his deepest devotion, forsaking all others, and keeping himself only unto me as long as we both shall live.  We've definitely seen all of the above and still we are together.  Thank you for keeping your promises, Honey, and thank you God, for your amazing gift of my incredible husband!

I've been a busy stitcher this past week.  I managed to work on Friendship Blooms, a SAL I am working on with Babs and Mouse.  Here is what I've accomplished this week...close up...

and the whole enchilada!

I've also managed to work some on my Winter's Majesty.  This is slow going because of the incredible amount of confetti stitches.  You can't see the progress as well as I would like because I've been working on quarter stitches in the center of all those flowers at the bottom and along the sides.  I fear I will be a babbling idiot by the time I finish this piece...but determined I am!!  Finish, I will!!  Yoda, I sound like...get out of my head old Jedi master!

When I can't stand the voices in my head any longer, I pull out Violet's Blue that Mouse sent me last week.  I just LOVE this pattern and it's a joy to stitch!!  Ironically last night I finished the wording at the bottom ...  just in time for our anniversary!!  

And on that note, I'll leave you to the rest of your day, as I'm not sure what is in store for me, but I'm pretty sure I won't want to be on the computer when hubby wakes up!!  Have a great day everybody!!