Do you ever have those moments when you feel like you can't get things done quick enough...and that one misstep will cost you dearly? Welcome to my life right now! LOL Where there is too much going on that I can't stop, yet crazy things keep happening and my schedule changes almost hourly...
I had three appointments scheduled this week when Monday started. Two have been cancelled but three have been added...and it's only Wednesday!! I HAD Thursday free...so hoped to see my friend Astrid. Two appointments were made and THEN....Astrid invited me to stay over night along with our "play date". Heaven help me, and I say this with all sincerity.....I NEED A CLONE!!!
Well yesterday turned out to be a very productive day....thankfully!! I found Christmas backing material for an ornament I have to make, and got two pictures framed that I will be donating to a charity for auction to support soldiers with PTSD. Is anyone interested in attending the fundraiser? Bill Johnson was a cousin of mine. Here is some information for you!
And here are the pictures I'm sending in for the auction.
While chatting with the lady who was just putting backing and a wire on my framed piece....she saw how I had framed my pieces and asked if I was interested in a part time job. Um.....I sure miss framing.....but do I want to work week nights and Saturdays? I took the application and said I would have to think about it. After all I'm going to NY in a couple of weeks and bringing my best friend since I was 7 years old back for a holiday. AND...I have a wedding to help plan!!!!! There's a discount on framing though.....decisions, decisions...
I was undecided what I wanted to take as my ornament for our St. Michaels weekend, I stitched and framed this little piece, but decided it was not what most of the ladies liked....here is EEEK by Sanman Originals...all framed up!
As if I haven't got enough stuff to do....I started another SAL. This one is being offered by Tempting Tangles....the name intrigued me so I just had to join. Here is the first portion of Corner of the Earth.
I also determined I wanted to make some "strawberries" this year....you know the ones that Erica Michaels has been designing? She created some called "The 12 Berries of Christmas" and so far I have finished stitching two of them. The partridge in a pear tree....
And two turtle doves.
I have the patterns for the first 9, and once they are done I'm hoping to get them together and display them in a basket when Christmas rolls around (provided I can finish them in time). Wish me luck!!
Off to get my ornament put together, I have to have it sent to Australia by the 15th of July...and when my partner has received it, I'll post a picture of it here.
I've been cleaning out my room, sorting through my cross stitch stuff, and hope to have some give aways soon....so watch this space! Till then....happy stitching!!
It's that time again, time when we show the things we have stitched....either patterns that have been gifted to us, or things we have stitched for others, or things we have stitched with floss or fabric that have been given to us. If you want to read more about it, you can visit Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching, and if you want to see who is signed up, you can see what they've been stitching by clicking on their link on this page.
It was our annual stitch retreat to St. Michaels. As always it was a giggle fest. But the best part about being there was the amazing amount of stitching we got done. So without further ado.....
I was able to finish Leave a Light On. This was a gift from my husband for my birthday last year. I started it on the first of the year! I changed the pattern just a wee bit (for those who have seen the pattern, I left off the beacon lights...they just didn't look right to me). It is stitched on 28 count over one using the recommended threads. It was a joy to stitch! I think I'll miss stitching on this the most.
Next up is the free SAL from Linen & Things. I am stitching this on 28 count Black over one using Bucilla threads. These threads are no longer being made....and I haven't been able to find a conversion chart for the colors, they are 2460, 2464, and 2466. You can find the pattern here, it's never too late to jump in!
I made an ornament for an exchange at our stitch retreat. This was Spell of the Moon by Blackbird Designs. I did the finishing myself, the day before the retreat....nothing like procrastination....LOL
And now....just a few pictures from our retreat. Here are a few things the stitchers were working on...
Here is a picture of all our exchange pieces. We sure have a lot of talented stitchers and finishers in our group...what fun to be able to leave the weekend with such a lovely souvenir!
Here is a close up of the one I came home with.
We even had a little visit from the friendly frog...
We saw a little wildlife while we were there. We watched this loon for quite a while, as it dove and looked for food. It was hard to get a good picture because he was so far away.
I can't explain the serenity of this place...and I took this shot at night one night. Not the best shot as I didn't have a tripod....but the colors came out pretty true...
And last is a picture of all of the ladies who attended. Too much fun...as always. Thanks ladies for such a wonderful weekend!
Tomorrow begins our annual St. Michaels stitching retreat weekend. A few close friends get together once a year at a little out of the way place in St. Michaels, Maryland. We stitch, laugh, eat, laugh, exchange something we have stitched, laugh...and if there's time, we sleep haha. I have been thinking, stitching, and thinking some more and trying my hardest to decide what I'll bring to stitch. I'm not usually a procrastinator but this year I just couldn't get my act together to assemble my ornament for the exchange....until tonight. I finished it up...so I'll post pictures after the weekend once the recipient has received hers.
I've mentioned before that I've lost my mojo, and hopefully this weekend will jump start it again. I've been trying to finish up Leave a Light On so that I can start something new, but I guess I just got stuck trying to do the border. I finally visited my LNS and got some more floss because I was afraid I was going to run out, and stitched on the border with a vengeance. I'm almost done! Hopefully I'll finish up this weekend.
I've been trying to get May's portion of the Linen and Threads SAL done too, and I guess I just ran out of steam. I'll bring that too, and hope to finish that section. Here's where I am on that...
Check back Monday, I'll have my Gifted Gorgeousness post and what I've accomplished over the weekend! Happy Stitching!!
Sending out a distress signal!! My mojo is still missing, so if you happen to see it somewhere, please send it home. LOL How ironic to have a Mayday on May Day. Out of curiosity I looked it up, because I wondered why there was a bank holiday in some areas of the world....and I still haven't figured it out, so if you know the reason, please let me know. I know it has something to do with being the midpoint between an equinox and a solstice, and it's usually a point where spring begins. Other than that I'm clueless. My violets decided to make an appearance....
I hope you aren't too disappointed...I didn't put one stitch in all weekend, even though we were staying in the same building as the Salty Yarns needlework store (which I visited THREE times!!) and there was a needlework guild having a retreat in the lobby of the hotel. Haha!! If I had known I might have joined, grabbed my stitching and sat down to meet the ladies (and there were a lot of them!) Poor Mike felt like a fish out of water! LOL
We had a busy weekend, driving to the coast to spend the weekend by the ocean. It was odd weather while we were there. It was over 20 degrees warmer than the day before, and oh so humid. It led to some pretty weird weather...like pea soup fog. It was so foggy at one point, that even though we were staying right on the boardwalk, we couldn't see the water only about 50 feet away!! But it didn't stop us from walking a few miles, strolling along the boardwalk, taking in the sights. This picture was taken around 3 in the afternoon on Sunday...after some of the fog had burned off....but it was still pretty foggy!
Ocean City is becoming a favorite place to visit (during the off season) .... it's so beautiful there...here are some of my favorite camera shots...
There was a kite festival going on while we were there...here's a few that we saw.
There was a sculpting, carving, world championship going on while we were there. There were far too many to show, but I'm amazed how lifelike some people can make a hunk of wood look. Here are a few of my favorites.
The last one there was one of my favorites as I didn't realize it until later that there waws a little mouse scurrying away as the shadow of the bird passes over....I'm sure he made it to his hole in time which is just there in front of him. It amazes me that people can see these images in the wood before they start carving. I wish I were as talented!! I thought the one above it was interesting too, as that bird of prey is carrying a snake....genius in my opinion so that the snake is holding up that enormous bird and his wing span!
There were real birds being shown outside the convention center where the Championship was being held, but I didn't get there in time to catch all the birds they were showcasing. And then....my camera battery died. Just my luck, so I only was able to capture the Barn Owl and the American Kestrel.
But the best part of the weekend was meeting up with a friend of mine who I don't get to see very often. She and her husband met up with Mike and I for dinner one night. We talked for several hours. She had a surprise for me. If anyone really knows me, they know I sign all my emails with *Hugs* and sometimes I use that as a comment on Facebook. And this is what she stitched for me. Isn't it the sweetest thing? I have it hanging next to my china cabinet for now.
So...hopefully next time I'll have some stitching to show you. As it's the first of the month, I had a ton of SAL pages to print out and get started with. Linen & Threads came out with their 5th part, Passione Ricamo sent out the first step of the new Mystery SAL, and Reflets de Soie posted their 8th step in their SAL. I'm going to be busy for the next little while now if I can find my missing mojo. Til next time.....happy stitching...oh yeah...and *Hugs*
