Zoo with the Grandkids and a finish

Our Grandchildren from Tennessee are here for 10 days. Grandma and Grandpa had them on Thursday and we decided to take a trip to Como Zoo. First off we stopped at Micky D's for lunch.

Here are Jacob and Emily with Grandpa.

Emily and Jacob looking at the HUGE turtle.

Since the theme of our stitching retreat this year is Flamingo's--I needed to get a picture of them. They are really pretty cool in real life. Can't wait until August 9th!!!!

Just finished this BBD loose feather called Sunflower House.
It was stitched on 28 count R & R Evening Song Blue with overdyed threads.
Started on 6-24-11 and finished on 7-9-11.

Here is my progress on Holy Moses. Keep in mind that this will be 32 inches long with I am finished.

Here is the picture of Holy Moses!!! I am really going to like this one when it's done.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

Shop Project Happy Dance

Today I finished Maria Tilley by Needlework Press. This is a shop model for The Country Sampler in Spring Green, Wisconsin. This is the fourth model I have stitched for them this year. I started this sampler on May 5th and finished it up today. I have been doing the Happy Dance since I finished. I enjoyed stitching this sampler and may even stitch one up for myself someday. Now I can get back to stitch some of the many projects I have in my stash.

Then yesterday I was in the mood to do some fabric dying and baking.

Here are the results. On the left is some 28 count coffee and tea dyed and baked. The middle piece is just coffee dyed and baked and the piece on the right is tea dyed and baked. I really like how they turned out. Can't wait to stitch on them.

Then I decided to dye some 32 count miracle mint. It is the piece in the middle. So on the left is a piece that I tea dyed and baked and the one on the right is coffee dyed and baked. I have quite a large piece of this linen so I thought I would try to dyed some of it to make it a more neutral color. I think it turned out well.

In fact I dyed this piece of miracle mint to stitch Holy Moses on by Silver Creek Samplers. Since I needed such a big piece of linen(12 x 42 inches on 32 count) and I had enough of the miracle mint I thought it would be a good idea to try to use it. I like the color and can't wait to start it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Requests for color changes

I have had some requests for my color conversions for this Blackbird Designs piece found in the July 2011 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework Magazine. I have tried to follow up and with those requests but have run into trouble when I don't have an email address. If you are still interested in the conversion please email me.

This was a really fun stitch.

Happy Memorial Day, finishes and progress on Maria Tilley...

Happy Memorial Day to everyone and lets remember to Thank all of those who have served and given their lives so that we can enjoy all the freedoms we have.

So in honor of Memorial Day here is a stitch I just finished.

This pattern is by Blackbird Designs from the July 2011 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework Magazine. I stitched in on 32 count Coffee Dyed fabric. It called for Belle Soie threads and since I didn't have all of them I pulled threads from my overdyed collection. I used Sampler and Weeks threads. Then I put it in a box that I had. Not even sure when I bought this box but it sure worked well. It was a very enjoyable stitch.

I received this cute pillow from Wendy Jo. She was here in the cities and Cathy B I were suppose to meet up with her. I had a change in plans at the last minute and couldn't make it. So Cathy met up with her and return with this cute pillow for me. Thanks Wendy Jo.

Here is my progress on Maria Tilley. This is a shop project stitch. It is coming along pretty good but I did need to take a break and stitch a couple of small things which were the BBD Land of the Free posted above and then the LHN Fresh from the Garden Needlebook posted below.

LHN---Fresh from the Garden Needlebook. I stitched this piece on 28 count tea/coffee dyed fabric and used the threads called for. I made my needlebook and put the design on the outside of the needlebook. I also made my tomato.

Here is what the inside looks like. I put in a pocket and then added round bead. I made a fob with a clasp on each end so I could anchor my scissors to it yet take it off if I wanted. I am really happy with how it turned out.

I had this piece stitched up and just did the finishing yesterday. It is LHN 2011 ornament--Deck the Halls. I had the next two patterns to stitch.

I have also been doing some sewing and quilting. I made this Huswif needle case about 3 weeks ago. This of course is the outside of it all folded up.

Here it is unfolded. It has three pockets and some felt to hold your needles. I enjoyed sewing this case and will probably make a few more.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone has had a great long weekend.
Happy Stitching.

It's been a month---again

For whatever reason I just can't seem to post with any consistency, well maybe the consistency that it is usually only once a month. I would really like to be more current but it takes time and an organized life. I am working on the organize part and it's not going to well for me.

So with that being said I have been stitching quite a bit. Here are the results:

SamSarah--Harried Hare Button Carrot
28 count Dusty Green Fabric with DMC
I really enjoyed stitching and finishing this little carrot. I can't wait to stitched the other two.

Shepherd's Bush 2011 Fob stitched with fabric and threads from kit.
This is a pic of the back of the fob.

And of course this is the front of the fob.
I received this kit for my birthday from Cathy B.
Thanks Cathy. This was a fun and quick stitch.

Blackbird Designs--Basket of Memories
Stitched on 32 count Miracle Mint with
Rainbow Gallery Silk Splendor color # S869.
I had this silk in my stash and thought it went well with the fabric.

La D Da--Yellow Bird
Stitched on 36 count R & R Espresso with
Rainbow Gallery Silk Splendor color # S982.
Another silk I had in my stash.


LHN--Deck the Halls-2011 ornament #3.
Stitched on 36 count coffee dyed linen by me and DMC threads.
Now I just need to get this ornament finished. I am staying on task with
these ornaments so far!


These next four pieces are shop projects I have been doing for The Country Sampler in Spring Green Wisconsin.

With Thy Needle and Thread--Proverbs 31:13
Stitched on 32 count with overdyed threads.

Willow Hill Samplings--Quaker Bluebird
Stitched on 32 count with Sampler Thread--Blackboard.

Notforgotten Farm--Brown Egg Farm
Stitched on 32 count with DMC

NeedleWork Press--Maria Tilley 1835
Stitched on 32 count with Belle Soie and DMC threads.

So there is another update.
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Stitching.

Catch up again.....

Before I start my catch-up post, it it really April 15th? This is what we woke up to this morning. REALLY!!!!! Have to love Minnesota.

Now that I have the weather out of the way I will try to catch-up with what I have been doing. I really hate having to play catch-up but that seems to be how I roll:)

Last weekend was the Stitchville retreat. Stitchville is our LNS here in Minnesota. The teacher for the weekend was Jeannette Douglas. Here she is last Saturday starting our class. As you can see the name of the Sampler she designed for us is "Three Pines Sampler". Jeannette was so down to earth.

Here is the sampler itself. It really is a cute sampler with a lot of specialty stitches. We learned a new and better way to do Queen stitches.

Along with the sampler Jeannette also designed these smalls to go with the sampler. How cute are these smalls!!!

Here is our table of girls. From left to right are: Joyce, Cathy B, LaVonne, myself and Chris.
I knew all the girls before the retreat except Joyce. Now I have another new stitching friend. Be sure to check out Cathy's blog for more of the retreat.

This is the project we stitched on Friday night. It is called Sweet Tulip. Everyone at our table finished this project and here they all are.

This is a picture of some of the designs stitched by some of the retreat girls.


I stitched up Jeannette's new design "Quaker Stitches" I stitched it on 32 count fabric with Belle Soie--Babbling Brook.
We had a very good time at retreat and I really enjoyed listening and talking to Jeannette. If you ever get the chance to take a class with Jeannette you won't be disappointed.

Yesterday one of my stitching buds Jackie and I got together and did a little finishing. We both stitched this Lizzie Kate "Peep" and finished them as stand up boxes. The background fabric is what we used on the sides and back of the box. I think these turned out quite cute.


Then I framed my "Sweet Land of Liberty". I stitched this at the beginning of the year and had to order a frame at Joann's. I am also happy with this finish. With a 50% plus $20 off coupon I managed to get this frame for $18. I just couldn't find the right frame at any of my thrift shops. So I had to order one.


I had these two LK Halloween stitches done for a month or so and finished them off as pinkeeps. I want to stitch and finish them all this way and put them in a basket. Only 10 more to go!!!!

This was a 2010 stitched piece by LHN that I finally totally finished. I think I am all caught up with finishing for now:) After all of that finishing then Jackie, Chris and I got together and stitched. We had a really great time. Thanks for the fun Girls:)

And lastly here is a model stitch for a shop called Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI. It is a design by With My Needle and Thread called " Proverbs 31:13. It was a fun stitch.

Now you can never have enough stitching lights---just ask my stitching buddies! So a couple of weeks ago I bought these two Ott lights. I couldn't pass up a deal. They were on sale for $99 and then I had a coupon for another 25% off, so that made them $75 for both!!! Now they have a new home and I have some new lights.

Sorry for such a long post, thanks for hanging on to the end, but I think I am all caught up now. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Happy Stitching!!!!