Feeling Crabby...

Well...it was a late night last night (even though I was really tired after watching Miss A most of the day) but I was determined to finish Quaker Blue Crab by Samplers Revisited.  This was stitched on Marvelous Fortnight 36 count over one with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads Deep Sea.  I put the last stitches in just before 11 PM.  I'm pleased with how it turned out and now trying to think of a unique way to fully finish it off.  I'm very thankful the frog only visited a couple of times, I counted and recounted so many times!  LOL!!  

It's been a productive year so far with NINE finishes and FOUR fully finished items this month alone!  Perhaps I'll even have a few more before the day is through!  I have a couple more crabs in my to do pile so who knows what will fall into my WIP basket next!  

I finally received my fabric for a SAL that started last month so I'll be getting the threads pulled for that today.  The fabric is called Gothic and is 36 count.  My lovely DIL found this at an LNS in Waynesboro, Virginia called Cross Stitch Station.  I foresee a road trip in my future...LOL!!   It's a beautiful piece of fabric and with a little luck I'll get that started soon!  I have a few SALs I wanted to do this year, but only one of them is started...and not really a lot to show right now so will save that for another post.  

Tomorrow I will be starting the "Love to Stitch" challenge being offered over on Embroidery.com.  This will be the third year I've participated.  Today is the last day to sign up...so head on over there and let's see how well you do.  You will receive a needle minder at the end if you complete the challenge!  (Click here to go to the sign up page).  If you look closely at the picture of my crab you will see the Witchy Stitchy challenge needle minder I received in the mail just last week!  That was a challenge from last October.  I've been counting days that I've stitched at least 30 minutes a day and have reached 344 days as of today.  Before the end of next month I will have stitched a years worth in a row!  What a lovely challenge this has become and I look forward to my 30 minutes of stitching each day!  

I guess that's all the news for today.  If I have more, I'll create a new post.  With all the crazy weather, I hope everyone is safe and warm.  Happy Stitching!   

And Sew it Goes

It is my hope to blog a little more often this year...so even if I don't have a finish, I'll be posting progress pictures along the way.  I've had more time on my hands to stitch this week.  That will change next week, but for the time being, I'll take what I can get!  I am now a little more than halfway finished with Quaker Blue Crab by Samplers Revisited.  This is stitched on 36 count over one so it's pretty slow going where the stitches are more concentrated.  Still I really like how it's coming out.   I've attached my newest needle minder that I received this week.  It was from the Witchy Stitchy Challenge offered on Embroidery.com.  They will be starting a new challenge in February...I love to stitch.  If I can complete that challenge it will be my third "I love to stitch" challenge I'll have completed.  The needle minders are lovely...if you are interested go sign up for the challenge.  The rules are all spelled out there.

I've found a new passion lately for those cold mornings when it takes me a little longer to get moving.  This is my favorite mug (it's Polish pottery and just fits in my hands so perfectly to warm them up on those cold mornings).  There is something about Polish pottery that keeps things within it warm for a long time.  So I can take my time sipping slowly and the coffee stays warm.  I have a few casserole dishes made of this stuff, and it cleans like teflon...nothing sticks to it...it's wonderful!  

We had some storms move through last night, the rain was just pelting down like crazy, it sounded so loud on our roof.  I'm thankful it was rain, though I know some people were hit with a lot of snow.  Wherever you are today, I hope you are warm, healthy and safe.  Happy Stitching!

I knew this would happen...

It's Deja Vu  LOL  You know, when you are somewhere or see something you've experienced before?  Yup!  Here I am starting a new project that wasn't in my wish list and isn't a WIP I was hoping to finish.  Ah well...you know when you have an attack of "startitis" best to go with the flow.  It all happens when I'm searching for something, and I run  across some things I've had set aside.  I don't think I found what I was looking for...but did think I really wanted to start this one.  Blue crabs are a specialty here in Maryland.  They even wrote a song about them...lol.  When I found Quaker Blue Crab last fall I knew I had to stitch it.  It was all kitted up, and just staring at me while I was looking for something else...haha.  Anyway...here's where I am this morning.  I'm stitching this over one on 36 count Marvelous Fortnite with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads Deep Sea floss.  There's a lot of stitches in this little pattern...I hope I will still be able to see when I'm done...LOL!  The fabric is a much brighter turquoise than this picture shows.

What are you stitching on today?  Happy Stitching!

It is finished...

It's been a day....I have tried to motivate myself, but things keep getting in the way.  Today I usually set aside to stitch on a WIP but I woke up and decided today was the day.  I have SO many completed stitching that really needed finishing...and I barely made a dent today, but I had something I'm sending to my cousin as a gift, so I had to get it finished...so I might as well get a few other things finished as well.  This owl is a gift for my cousin.  It's called The Winter Snow Owl by Blackberry Designs.  I've had it in my stash for ages, and now I will have to stitch one for myself...I have it kitted up and ready to go so as soon as I get a minute...I'll get it in a hoop.  I thought I had something that would work for finishing in my stash, but nothing really made me go "wow".  So a few days ago my husband and I went on a hunt for something that would work.  I found this amazing frame...sadly they only had one, but I thought it was perfect.  I found this at Home Goods.  Now that it's done I'll have to get it boxed up and in the mail.  

I have stitched this pattern several times but never made one for myself until just recently.  This will be the last one I stitch!  This is The Winter is Past by Blackbird Designs.  The box I finished it on was "damaged" when I bought it, there were some nails missing, and I recently found similar ones at the hardware store.  They aren't exactly the same size but I'm ok with that.  I haven't seen this particular box in a very long time so I decided I better get mine stitched and finished.  I'm so excited to finally have one of my own!  

I had Fall Posey by Jeannette Douglas kitted and in my stash for a very long time.  I have decided this year I'm stitching mainly for myself ... sorry pen pals...lol  I've stitched so many things and given them away reluctantly but I suddenly realized that maybe others won't have the same love for them that I do.  So...onwards and upwards, it's time I stitched for ME.  I've had this round board for a while now and thought it was the perfect size.  I love it when I don't have to go looking for stuff, it's about time I used up the stuff in my stash. 

 

Last is Hope Song by Heartstring Samplery.  This kit was an exclusive from Homespun Needlework FB page and you could also order the finishing kit.  I received both of them for Christmas from my husband.  It was my New Year's Day start and my goal was to finish stitching and fully finish it.  The kit arrived last week, and according to the directions it needed to be pressed while it acclimated to it's new climate (it was a bit warped, but after about a week of sitting under some heavy books it flattened out pretty well).  Everything was included in the kit including the batting, the rickrack and the mounting board.  I love it...once the glue has dried I'll have to find a place to display it.  I had a few other things set aside to finish, but I'm not feeling up to snuff today so I think I'll wait until I'm feeling a bit better before I wrack my brain trying to decide how to finish off a few other things.  

I'm off to work on some stitching now...tomorrow is another day, right?  I'll be back...till then, Happy Stitching!

Whew, what a ride...

I had so many high hopes for last weekend...but you know...life.  Now where have I heard THAT before?  LOL!!   It was a long weekend here in the states, thanks to Martin Luther King Jr.  So that meant no mail on Monday *sigh* and an extra day with the love of my life.  The kids were out of town...and we found we had to entertain one another...So...we did a few things we don't get to do very often any more.  

One thing was a movie date...we went to see A Man Called Otto.  What a roller coaster ride that was.  My husband and I both thought that it was emotionally draining when we left the theater and we talked about it for hours afterward.  VERY thought provoking, but if you plan on going, bring the kleenex!  

Then we had dinner at Outback Steakhouse.  We had the friendliest waiter (who happened to be the bar tender, maybe that's why he was so accommodating).   Our food was out before we finished our salads AND he gave us an extra loaf of that yummy brown bread to take home with our leftovers!  

We also had a little shopping trip to Hobby Lobby because I couldn't find my glue and wanted to do some finishing.  I FINALLY remembered the foam core I needed to fully finish my Mayflower piece I finished a few years ago, and I picked up some beads I need for a project I'll be starting soon.  

I was able to finish stitching two ornaments, one I posted about on the 15th.  The other was Christmas Love by The Little Stitcher from the 2022 JCS Ornament Issue.  I stitched this on 36 count Petite Point over two but didn't stitch the snowflakes in the pattern because I thought it would be too busy with all the little white dots on the fabric already.  Isn't it sweet?   

I started another piece called Quaker Blue Crab by Sampler's Revisited.  My DIL and I were searching an LNS last September and ran across this pattern.  We found the fabric at The Salty Yarns later that day along with the threads to stitch it with.  I'm using36 count Marvelous Fortnite fabric with Gentle Arts Sampler Thread Deep Sea and stitching it over one.  I think it will be a beauty!  

The other accomplishment (if you can call it that) is the handyman came back to paint the ceiling in the dining room where that gaping hole was repaired about a week or so ago.  I say "if you can call it that" is because some of the "mud" they plastered the ceiling with didn't dry right and it looked like a crack...so where he replastered, we will have to touch up with paint in a few days.  Very minor considering....if I can twist DH's arm to get it done...lol.  We also replaced some hideous light fixtures we have had in the basement since we moved in.  The lightbulbs were impossible to find and very difficult to replace, they looked out of place and would shine in your eyes depending where you were standing/sitting.  Anyway...it's a much nicer, and softer look for the basement now.  I'm thrilled!  I'm also tired because we had to move furniture twice...first out of the dining room, then back in.  We had to take down all the window treatments, pictures from the wall, and the knick knack shelf we had on the wall.  BUT...it's all back in place now!  I started a new project last night...I think this will take some time to finish, but it's going to be interesting.  I'll share more about that next time.

In our spare time we started watching a new series on Netflix.  I wish they didn't have to throw curse words in their programming ever other word, but we are addicted to this show!  I'm not going to give the name, as we probably shouldn't be watching it...lol.  I almost can't wait for DH to get home so we can watch another episode!  We normally only watch movies so this doesn't happen, but when we couldn't watch something on Prime videos that a coworker of his suggested, we landed on this one instead.  Let's just say they keep you hanging at the end of an episode so you HAVE to watch the next one so you aren't left sitting on the edge of your seat!  

Right now I'm awaiting the arrival of little Miss A.  I haven't seen her in over a week, so I'm excited to see her.  I'll be back in a few  days with more news.  Till then, Happy Stitching

January Gifted Gorgeousness

Here we are, the first Gifted Gorgeousness post for 2023.  You'll probably recognize most of these items...as I've shown them before.  I had hoped to fully finish them before now, but you know...life.  If you don't know what Gifted Gorgeousness is, please go to Jo's blog Serendipitous Stitching and check out the sign up page (click here) for Gifted Gorgeousness, that will also list the "rules" and you can even sign up to participate!  The more the merrier I always say!  Then you can link up to the appropriate blog post on Jo's blog (click here).  Let's see...where do I start...

First off is The Winter Snow Owl by Blackberry Lane designs.  I stitched this for my cousin who recently told me that her Mom collected owls (like me!).  I had to share this with her.  I was able to find  a frame yesterday, I just haven't had time to pop it in yet.  Stitched on 32 count  Twilight Blue over two.  Now I have to make one for me!  

Next is Hope Song by Heartstring Samplery.  This is stitched on 36 count Vintage Mocha over two and came as a kit that my husband gifted me for Christmas 2022.  I couldn't wait to get it started and was my New Years start this year.  I have a finishing kit and hope to find the time soon to get it finished and ready to display before the month is over.  Wish me luck! 

 

Next Christmas Night by Sheila Kelly from the 2018 JCS Ornament issue.  I consider this part of GG because my husband has gifted the magazine subscription to me over the years.  It was stitched on 32 count white over two.    

Last is a freebie given years ago on the Living on a Rainbow blog.  My husband loves the Grinch and this was supposed to be his to hang on the tree this year.  I was late getting it stitched, and still haven't fully finished it but hope to very soon.  I'll have to post again when I get everything fully finished!

I'm going to share what my husband also gifted me for Christmas.  I'm spoiled and I know it!  LOL  I'm looking forward to stitching from these books and this Beatrix Potter Quaker sampler very soon!  I guess that's all that I have right now.  

I hope you all are having a prosperous and healthy New Year!  Happy Stitching!

Who Whoooo Has Another Finish?

It's no secret I love owls....and I've had this in my stash for years.  This is The Winter Snow Owl by Blackberry Lane Designs stitched on 32 count Twilight Blue.  

Talking to a cousin recently I learned that her Mom loved owls too!  So I had to stitch this for her.  I will definitely be making another one for me...just not right away.  I love how beads look, and these really do sparkle though you can't see it in the picture...but I sincerely hate stitching them on!!  LOL  Not to mention that over one work on 32 count is a bit challenging.  But now that it's done I REALLY want one for myself.  So....onwards and upwards...now to figure out how to finish this off.  I'm sure a tart pan would be nice, but I think I want something a little different for this one.  I'll have to put my thinking cap on.  

So now what should I work on?  I have 5 SALs I'm thinking of stitching, but I can't wrap my head around them at the moment...so I guess it's on to Christmas ornaments!  Oh joy!  LOL  I've joined a couple more ornament challenges, so here I go.  Or maybe I should get some finishing done...decisions, decisions.  What will she decide??  Stay tuned......  

Happy Stitching!

Fall is in the air...

I'm only one season late...LOL!  I can't tell you how long I've had this in my stash.  I love Jeanette Douglas designs and have a few kitted up waiting in the wings.  With a little luck I might just get one started this year!  Anyway...here is Fall Posey by Jeannette Douglas stitched on 40 count natural over two with one strand of the silk floss included in the "kit".  I have always loved the fall, the leaves rustling as you walk along, that earthy smell that comes as temperatures begin to fall, and the colors of the trees.  I miss the seasons in Northern NY where I grew up.  I guess that's why this particular pattern caught my eye.  I'm glad to have finally found time to stitch it!  

Now I need to figure out a way to fully finish it.  Stay tuned!  I have quite a pile stacking up...I feel a finishing session coming on!  Happy Stitching everyone! 

Ta Da!

I have a lot of 12 Days of Christmas sets to stitch.  The most recent one I've been working on is fairly new, but when I saw it, I had to stitch it.  The others are bigger and will take quite a bit of time to stitch.  These SEEMED small...lol...but there is a lot of work in each of them.  Still, I was able to stitch them all in about a month.  Here are the last two that completes the set.  A Partridge in a Pear Tree 

and Two Turtle Doves.  

These came from the book Sam Hawkin's 520 Christmas Cross Stitch Designs.  There are a lot of sweet patterns in this book so I'm sure I'll be stitching more...but for now I'm thankful to have finished the 12 Days of Christmas set.  Fingers crossed I'll be able to fully finish them off before the end of the month...along with Hope Song.  Wish me luck!  Happy Stitching!! 

Moving right along...

I had an "off" day on Friday, and by that I mean that DH was back at work and Little Miss A was at daycare.  I had the house to myself and since it had been a busy week, I spent the day stitching.  I'm hoping to finish up the 12  Days of Christmas from the book Sam Hawkin's 520 Christmas Cross Stitch Designs.  The end is so close!  I was able to get Three French Hens started yesterday....and eventually finished today between chores.  This one makes me giggle.  I'm not sure if you can really see the detail in this one, but she's dressed like a French lady but is still a bird.  Isn't she regal?  

Someone asked in the last post what the black bird was...that was Four Calling Birds.  Wasn't his scarf spiffy?  

There is so much detail in these little designs...the outlining is killing me!  LOL  Keep in mind these are stitched on 32 count over one.  There are times it's difficult to find the hole when outlining...  I'm going to start Two Turtle Doves next.  While I have enjoyed stitching these, I'll be happy to have these finished.  I made copies of the pages these designs were on as working copies...but they are a little difficult to follow as the different colored blocks are similar in some cases...don't you hate that?  

I did a little happy dance yesterday as the finishing kit came for Hope Song.  Included in the kit was the board, cardboard for mounting, batting, rickrack, and directions on how to fully finish.  Maybe I'll post pictures of the process once I find a big chunk of time to do the finishing.  We have plans for tomorrow and Monday (little Miss A will be visiting for the day) so Lord knows when I'll get back to working on my stitching.  

I was asked to join a Round Robin this year.  I have to say, it was a difficult decision to say no this year.  Not only is my time limited because of Miss A, but we have a lot of plans for this year.  I know of quite a few trips we will be making, now that the kids are getting settled in their new home we are hoping to clear out the basement of all their belongings, then we hope to begin sorting through and downsizing a bit.  We have a little bit of work to do on the house as well.  I even had to tell my Texas pen pal I had to take some time off as I don't need the pressure of having to stitch on a deadline, it was truly hard on me last year even though I really enjoyed getting to know her.  I just know when it's time to create some space.  It's going to be a busy year.  In all honesty I'm a bit relieved.  There are so many pieces in my stash I really want to stitch, so I'm making them a priority this year.  

And on that note, it's time for me to finish up the dishes and head to the basement to go through another box.  Happy Stitching everyone!

We have a finish!

How about that?  I started out 2023 with a new start and now a finish!  I enjoyed every stitch of this exclusive kit by Heartstring Samplery.  This was offered on the Homespun Needlework Facebook page.  It came with the fabric,  36 count Vintage Mocha which they suggested using one strand over two linen threads.  I used two strands...it might have looked ok with one strand, but I like to see and enjoy the colors.  I don't regret that, but it was a little challenging for the bird.  The pattern included patterns for 5 different chickadees so I chose Carolina chickadee as that bird is native to the area of Maryland that I live in.  This was a Christmas gift from my husband and included the finishing kit which hasn't arrived yet.  According to emails he has received, it should be here early next week.  

I've ordered a few of these exclusives, I'm hoping to stitch a lot of them this year.  I had a pen pal that I would stitch for monthly last year and while I enjoyed everything she sent, I realized I was stitching more for other people while juggling obligations with family and decided I really wanted to stitch some of these things I've been holding on to for years.  I've decided to be a bit selfish and stitch things for myself.  I enjoy giving things, but am longing to see some new things hanging on my walls. 

I've also decided I would like to update my blog more regularly this year as I usually wait until the 15th when I post my gifted gorgeousness.  I think I miss posting about a lot of things I stitch...and my memory keeps getting worse, so this way I'll catch everything I stitch.  Fingers crossed!  On that note, I'm going to post some things I fully finished toward the end of last year.   

I finished up some last minute ornaments for my family...I posted pictures in the last GG post but they weren't fully finished.  Here they are and in time for Christmas!

I didn't want to leave hubby out, so finished this Grinch ornament for him.  I didn't fully finish it yet, I just ran out of time, but I hope to set a day aside soon and fully finish a lot of other things I have floating around here.  This pattern came from a long ago post on Living on the Rainbow blog, but it has since been removed.  I'm in the habit of saving images on my computer before I forget where they are, or before they are taken down.  I'm glad I saved this one!  My husband loves the Grinch!  I used Fuzzy Stuff for the brim of his hat so it looks a bit furry...LOL  He loves it, now to get it fully finished!  Finishing mittens was one of those things I thought looked too difficult, but I think I conquered my fears!  I have a few mitten pieces I've finished I now have the courage to tackle...stay tuned!!

I found this pattern in a Just Cross Stitch December 2008 issue many years ago.  I fell in love with it and vowed to stitch it one day.  I ran across it while looking for something else one day and thought I would make it for a friend who loves sheep.  The more I stitched, the more I loved it...and well....I became a little selfish and finished it for myself.  I have had this frame sitting around (gathering dust...literally) for years and thought it would be the perfect  frame...so I fully finished it the same week.  I stitched something else for my sheep loving friend...haha.  I just love this!!  It's called Christmas Gathering and was stitched on 28 count over two with three strands of floss.

I was in a used book store just before Christmas in Harrisburg, PA and found this book called Sam Hawkin's 520 Christmas Cross Stitch Designs.  Thumbing through it I found a set of 12 Days of Christmas ornaments!  In my mind, they seem out of order, though I've been told that is the original order of the song....tomayto, tomahto...LOL  It doesn't matter to me as long as the characters are the same.  Anyway...I decided to start with the 12th character and work backwards.  I have finished nine of them!  It's hard to tell from the photos but they are stitched on 32 count Ice Blue over one.  Here they are in reverse order as I have finished them...

I hope to finish the last three soon.  I just adore the detail in many of them.  Some are a little "off" to me, but hey...I can't break up the set, can I?  LOL!!  I can't decide which is my favorite, the Piper has so much detail, but the Maid looks so ... I don't know, her dress catches my eye.  Do you have a favorite?  Wait until you see 3 French Hens...hahaha that one has me scratching my head.

In other news, they came to fix our ceiling yesterday.  There has been a big gaping whole in our dining room ceiling since June when our tub in the upstairs bathroom developed a leak.  We had someone come and give an estimate, and we told them we would like them to come back to do the repairs.  They didn't answer phone calls, emails, texts, or faxes for months so finally we decided to contact a local handyman.  He arrived yesterday and replaced the dry wall and replastered the area.  He will be back in a few days to finish painting.  I'm so glad to have that hole gone!!  While he was here we asked about replacing some light fixtures in the basement.  I have disliked those fixtures since we moved in, and the lightbulbs are hard to find and expensive to replace.  He told us he could do that in the matter of 90 minutes...so we bought some light fixtures to replace them.  Hopefully he can do that at the same time!  I'm so excited!!!  

So far 2023 has been an exciting and a good year for new projects and finishing old ones...not just in the stitching department!  I used to try and make New Year's Resolutions but would end up breaking them.  So no more resolutions.  I do like to make a list of goals.  To me they are less binding, something to strive for but not beat myself up if I don't quite reach them.  Something about turning that last page of the year's calendar and starting afresh in a New Year....Just like my first project says...it's my Hope Song.  Happy Stitching everyone!

Ringing in the New Year

Happy New Year (a day late).  I meant to post yesterday, but then I had some Kohl's cash I needed to spend before they expired, and I needed some things from Michaels, and Staples...well we had to have lunch out...and then DH decided our tree needed to come down as our ceiling is going to be fixed this week.  By the time I sat down to stitch, I was pretty tired.  I hope this isn't the way things will go this year.  If so...I'm hoping my new motto will be, "Go with the flow".  Famous last words...lol.   

I have this tradition to start something new on New Year's Day.  Usually it's something I get for Christmas.  This year DH surprised me with an exclusive pattern from Heart String Samplery.  Hope Song...it's sooooo right up my alley!  My Mom loved birds and so I guess I've picked up that passion from her.  We have feeders in the back yard and love to watch the cardinals, blue jays,  finches, wood peckers, hummingbirds and other birds that visit.  I'm pretty sure I've seen some chickadees too.  They are fun to watch.  So I chose to start that one.  The kit included all the specialty fibers and 36 count vintage mocha fabric.  I'm stitching over two but using two strands instead of the suggested one strand of floss.

I'm participating in a challenge to work on WIPs only in the month of January so I think I'll work on this until it's finished.  My goal is to finish up some WIPs I've had going for a long time.  I hope I can keep an attack of startitis away while I do this...but you know...go with the flow!  lol!!  

What are your New Year's Traditions?  Do you have any goals for this new year?  My main goals are to finish up a ton of UFOs I have sitting around and to stitch at least 32 minutes a day.  If you want more detail, you can visit my 2023 Goals page!

All righty then...time to put my plans into action.  I was promised I could stitch the day away today, let's see if that actually happens...haha.  I have little Miss A tomorrow so no guarantee I'll get any stitching done then.  I can't wait until she's old enough to hold a needle, I hope to pass my passion on to her.  Wish me luck!  Again...Happy New Year, may it hold all kinds of blessings and wonder...and as always Happy Stitching!   

EDIT:  I meant to say 30 minutes a day, using the key pad, and didn't reach far enough below...and hit the 2 instead...LOL!  Going with the flow....