Frosty Weather

Well, it hasn't been frosty weather here, quite the opposite!  But I'm keeping cool by stitching winter cross stitch.  I have had this particular pattern in my stash for many years.  I was searching for something (unrelated) and stumbled across three of Blackberry Lane patterns and decided to stitch this one first.  This is Frosty Weather.  I stitched it on 32 count blue with white dots fabric.  It's hard to see well, but there are TON of French Knots in there along with a lot of straight stitches.  The tree has birds sitting in it along with a few little bird feeders and some hanging treat bags.  There's a lot going on in this little picture, I think that's what I love about it most.  I think I have a frame handy for it, I'll be getting it framed soon!  

I'll be working on another Blackberry Lane soon.  This one is patriotic, and will be a bear to finish I think, but I'm anxious to get it finished.  I had hoped to start it on Memorial day, but didn't quite get there....too much going on.  

I had a fun outing with my family last night.  We went to see the  Red Sox play at Camden Yards last night.  We sat through a few brief showers, just enough to keep us damp for most of the game...lol.  Miss A wasn't too disturbed though I think she was a little tired, she wasn't her boisterous self.  It was an exciting game as Gunner Henderson hit a Grand Slam that gave them the win.  They are fun to see!  I'm hoping we have better weather for the next game we are going to!  

And that's all the news that's fit to print.  Take care, and Happy Stitching! 

Squirrel!!

I've been all over the map lately...lol.  I'm not sure why my brain wants to avoid Happy Snowman, but when I'm working on it, my mind is wandering to other projects.  I think the part that is left is mainly confetti, not my favorite thing to stitch.  Here is where I left off last week.  Hopefully I'll get back to him soon!  

So what's a girl to do?  Start another project (or two...or three) of course!  I stitched and sent on my exchange pieces though I doubt they have received them yet so I guess I should hold off posting pictures of them just yet.  

I did start something new.  While searching for something else I stumbled across some things I had kitted and really wanted to stitch.  I have always loved Blackberry Lane designs.  I've stitched quite a few of hers.  I'm working on Frosty Weather right now, stitched on 32 count blue with white dots.  Part of this is over one...it sure gives a lot of detail to the little animals pictured in it, but most of it is stitched over two.  Once this one is finished I hope to start another (the name escapes me right now).   Everyone seems to like the fabric I'm using, but I can't take credit for that...the designer stitched this on this fabric to begin with!  

I learned something new while attempting to use my  Pattern Keeper app.  I scanned the pattern into my computer and saved it as a jpeg.  I then sent it to my android tablet through email and uploaded it to PK app.  Voila'!  I can use it to count stitches and to mark off where I've stitched.  My former college roommate has this app and was telling me her husband showed her how to upload a paper chart into the app...so I decided to give it a go.  You can also take a picture of the chart to upload, but it's a little more challenging to get the graph lines to line up.  The only disadvantage (and I'm guessing I just haven't learned how to adjust this yet) is that I can't give DMC numbers to the symbols...but it's ok, I can work with what I've got until I figure that one out.  Ain't technology grand?  

We had a lovely weekend resting and watching some movies together.  Yesterday the kids came over to watch Wish.  Our granddaughter was having troubles sitting still, and whenever music came on she had to dance...lol...but it was lovely to spend some time with them.  We planned a few outings with them this week...they sure keep us busy!  And on that note, I will bid you adieu.  I hope you all are safe from the crazy storms (I was totally unaware that we had tornado watches in our area until after the watches were lifted...scary thought!!) and enjoying life!  Happy Stitching!

PS...Not only is my brain acting like a squirrel, but two of the little animals in this pattern are squirrels!  LOL!! 

Happy Dancing...and not for the reason you think...

We are happy dancing here at DJ's Digs...I've been sitting on some news for quite some time now, but I've finally been given permission to share the happy news!  Little Miss is going to be a Big Sister!  Our lovely DIL has had a rough go the first few months so we were waiting a while before she gave us permission to share the good news.  Please pray for her as she continues along this journey, as things were a little rough with Miss A and we suspect we might have some complications this go round as well.  We anxiously await the new arrival in November...something to be especially thankful for this year!  

So on that note, I better get busy, I may have another stocking to stitch before Christmas...oh who am I kidding, it took me 3 years to start this one!  LOL  Soooo many decisions, and I think I'll wait until he or she arrives to decide on the stocking for him/her.  Speaking of stockings, I've decided to give my hand a break today and find something else to stitch.  I'll be back shortly with more progress I'm sure...but for now, here is where Happy Snowman will be sitting!  Just his coat, hat, background and personalization section at the top to finish.  

Keep safe in this weather, and healthy!  Happy Stitching everyone! 

May IHSW Update

It never fails...My kids seem to know when I have a Hermit and Stitch weekend...lol.  Our DIL, who is an amazing amateur social director always finds fun things for us to do, and I'm thrilled they invite us along on their adventures...but it never fails to land on a IHSW weekend.  Thursday night I worked on Happy Snowman Stocking by Dimensions and finished the night here...  

Friday night we attended an Orioles Baseball game.  It was a fantastic game!  We all had a blast, even Miss Cutie Pie.  

It was busy but I managed to stitch a bit and here is where I stopped for the night...

Saturday was a stay at home day...but the usual weekend chores had to be done this day...so I ended the day here...  

Sunday was the Arbutus Art Festival and there was tons of vendors, wonderful food, stuff for kids to do, and was sunny and HOT.  LOL  We had a wonderful time with the live music and Miss Cutie Pie antics.  She danced, fed the goats, and picked out an egg and dinosaur which she played with the whole time we were walking around.  

I came home hot, sunburned, and beat, but managed to stitch a bit more.  

Today was my best day yet...and here is where Happy Snowman Stocking will be resting for the night.   

I really hoped to get a lot more stitched, but tomorrow is another day!  I hope others were more productive!  Happy Stitching everyone! 

Carina Nebula is finished!

Woo Hoo!!  I have had my eye on this particular pattern for well over a year.  This is Carina Nebula, by Climbing Goat Designs.  My husband bought it for me for Mother's Day and I couldn't wait to start it!  I truly love how it's finished.  I had all the materials to stitch it in my stash, so it was a no brainer when I decided to stitch it for the May 4th challenge!  It was stitched on 28 Laurel Green over two.  I'm thrilled to have it finished...now to decide how to fully finish it...  

It's International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (according to the Facebook group) so I'll be back working on Miss Sassy Pants Happy Snowman Stocking if I have time this weekend.  My family has a ton of things planned, but I hope to really get a lot done on this project.  I'm determined to finish it off this month...wish me luck!  Here is my starting point!  

I'll be back on Monday for a progress report, Lord willing and the creek don't rise!  I'm off to get this party started!  Have a great weekend, and Happy Stitching!

May Gifted Gorgeousness

Hi Fellow Stitchers!  Welcome to my May post for Gifted Gorgeousness (GG).  If you don't know what GG is all about, you should visit Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching.  (Click here)  Basically we post on the 15th of each month things that pertain to stitching gifts.  They can be gifts to us, or to others, and may be fabric, patterns or floss.  It's a great way to give a small nod to those things we have been given, to let those who sent them know we appreciate their gifts.  

I've been a little distracted lately with some challenges that have been going on.  May 4th I started a pattern that was gifted to me from DH as my Mother's Day present.  I had been mentioning it to him, and while I was surfing one day, he told me to buy it.  It was the perfect project to start for Star Wars Day (May 4th), a challenge I'm following on the Stitching Shack Facebook page.  Some days I get a lot done, others have not been so productive, but I have still been getting my goal of at least 30 minutes a day done!  At last count I've not missed a day in 810 days!  This is called Carina Nebula by Climbing Goat Designs.  It is stitched on 28 count Laurel Green over two.  I love her space related patterns, as I've always enjoyed sky watching!

Before I was distracted by the challenge, I had begun stitching on Happy Snowman Stocking which is a Dimensions Needlepoint Kit.  I've had a ton of advice how to stitch this stocking, all great advice, but in the long run I decided to just use either the basketweave, or the tent stitch.  There are too many color changes to do anything more fancy.  Eek, don't crucify me for being basic...lol.  Maybe if I had a little more experience I would try something more elaborate...but for now, this is what I'm doing!  Hopefully I'll finish Carina Nebula soon and get back to my Snowman.  

I finished this cat in the hat for a gift for an exchange.  While I love how it turned out (I wish you could see all the sparkle) I'm not sure this is the type of ornament she would like, so I'm on the prowl for another pattern.  So...this may (or may not) be a gift...we'll see.  This is Kitten in a Santa Hat from Summer 2017  Stoney Creek Magazine.  Stitched on 28 count white over two.  

I guess that's all the news for now.  I hope you all are merrily stitching along!  Happy Summer!   

May the 4th be with you!

Happy Star Wars Day!  May the 4th be with you!  I have been following The Stitching Shack on Facebook, and they started a challenge for this month.  We can either stitch on a Star Wars themed project or start a new project that pertains to space.  Since I couldn't readily put my hands on my Star Wars WIP, I decided to start this pattern.  

This is called Carina Nebula by Climbing Goat Designs.  I fell in love with this pattern quite some time ago when I saw it on the NASA website.  Yeah, you read that right!  I did some digging and found out the Climbing Goat Designs were the designers...and they were going to begin a SAL last year.  I signed up for the SAL called Wonders of the Hubble Space Telescope which I completed in December of last year.  Carina Nebula still held some fascination for me and while surfing last week I mentioned it to my husband...who told me to buy it as my Mother's Day gift.  That brings us to today when I thought it would be appropriate to start on Star Wars Day!  I actually had some 28 count fabric I thought might be a good choice for the fabric (it's a complete coverage pattern) and it's called Laurel Green.  I didn't want all white, or all black, and this seemed like a good compromise.  

I have another finish to share, this is called Kitten in Santa Hat by Stoney Creek that I found in  the Summer 2017 magazine.  I substituted the holly leaves button for something I had in my stash.  Such a cute pattern!!  I do love their Christmas designs!  

I guess that's all I have for today.  I hope you are all having a lovely Star Wars day (keep your eyes on the skies, I hear we are passing through a debris field in the universe and we may be able to see some shooting stars the next few nights!  Happy Stitching!    

And Sew It Begins...

I mentioned in my last post I should start the stocking I hoped to stitch for my Granddaughter.  Well I decided it was time.  I didn't have the right size stretcher bars, but oh well...I can still see the whole pattern so, here we goooo.  I should have taped the edges, I wasn't thinking, and will probably do that some time today.  I finished the toe last night...I hope I'm able to finish this thing...lol.  The floss is so...what's a good word?  It's not soft, so when I run it through my fingers while pulling it through the canvas, it's making my fingers sore.  Has this happened to anyone else?  Anything for my Granddaughter, though...right?  UGH!!  I'll just keep picturing her sweet face when she sees it.  Here is Happy Snowman Stocking by Dimensions.  Fingers crossed this works up fast!!  

I learned that a very close friend of mine lost her Mom this week.  I can't stop thinking about her, and her wonderful Mom....and with Mother's Day approaching, I miss mine all the more.  I wish I lived closer, I would love to just be there for support but she lives 500 miles away.  What is it about Mothers?  Sometimes we can laugh with them like they are our best friends.  Sometimes we fight with them like they are our worst enemies.  But always, we love them because they love us unconditionally.  So many times lately, I have wished my Mom was here.  To meet my Granddaughter (who impresses everyone who meets her), to help me with sewing my finished stitching,  just to share something funny that happened in our family that only we would think was funny.  Sorry for the downer, I just had to type that out.  I find it cathartic to just get it out of my head and down on "paper".  I hope those of you who still have your Mom with you, that you cherish her and hold on tight to those treasured memories.  Life is so fleeting sometimes.  

Off I go to work on the stocking...Happy Stitching (she says thinking positively)! 

Spring has sprung!

Well, after I finished Anne, I wanted something quick to stitch, I just needed a little "atta girl" for meeting a big goal.  I dipped my hand into my box of kitted items and picked up Spring Basket Pinkeep by Stacy Nash.  

The picture of the pattern made it look small and cute and a quick stitch.  Boy was I wrong!  LOL!!  I thought I could finish in a day or two...took nearly a week!  That's ok, it's finished now, just barely under the wire to finish before the end of April.  This was the naughty pattern that was missing a specialty fiber.  I found it the next day, so no worries.  I do like the look of it, but in all honesty, it's a pretty big pinkeep if you ask me!  While the pattern shows that it's finished as a pillow, it's pretty big for my taste, so now I'm uncertain how I'll finish it.  So...it's going in the "to finish" pile until I decide what to do with it.  Stitched on 36 count Ballet Slipper by Fox and Rabbit over two using hand dyed fibers.  

Now I should probably start on that Christmas stocking.  When I ordered this kit, it said it was Cross Stitch...nope, it's needlepoint...so now I'm thinking I should pull out my Needlepoint book and see about some specialty stitches...this could take a while folks.  While I do enjoy Needlepoint SOMETIMES, it's not my favorite.  *sigh*  

Well I do have an ornament I should stitch for an exchange.  That's another issue I'm having...LOL!!  What should I stitch?  I've pulled out a few different patterns...but I'm having trouble deciding on the ONE.  I've never been good at making decisions...let's just leave it there, shall we?

So...it's now the first of May....Happy May Day!  I know the Europeans symbolize this day with Lily of the Valley.  It was one of my Mom's favorite flowers.  She had a patch growing in our back yard, and they would smell so sweet in the spring.  We loved to pick bunches of them and she would put them in a small vase on the windowsill in the kitchen.  When I see them they remind me of her.  Maybe I'll throw caution to the wind and just stitch some Lily of the Valley...

Hopefully by the next posting, I'll have made a decision.  Till then...Happy Stitching!