Right on Schedule.........................

I finished part 5 of Serenity Harbor (I forgot to take a picture but will do it and get it up here by tomorrow.  Anyway, a few days ago I mentioned that I was going to pull some of the old projects where the stitching was done but they were not finished yet out and work on 1 piece a week to get it completed.  Last week I completed the Lori Birmingham tin and this weeek it became the Traveling Quaker Roll.  I actually finished the Quaker Roll itself months ago, but found that I had stitched the fob over 2 when it was suppose to be stitched over one. So I then stitched it correctly over one but put it down to work on class pieces.   I had remembered stitching it but when I pulled the pieces out of the bag they were stored in I didn't see the fob pieces so I started over one again and after about 1/2 hour could see I just wasn't in the mood, so I decided to take one of the motifs from the roll that would stitch up small enough over 2 threads to still fit with the roll.  I finally decided which motif would work, stitched it twice (one for the back and one for the front) and as I got up to go iron the piece, I found the original pieces all stitched.  (are you kidding me?)  I decided since they were over one I would rather keep those so I interfaced them and finished the fob and you can see the finished result in the pictures.  Two projects, last weeks and this weeks, done and on display.  So you can see I'm getting things done, as long as I don't have to go outside.  Now I can start part 6 of Serenity Harbor and pull out another small project.  I decided to start a couple of the Val's Stuff "Spooks of the month."  I started one last night, didn't have one of the fibers (I'm not kidding, I still don't own a complete set of any companies fibers), so today I started another one...this time I do have the fibers.  They are stitched on perforated paper, which is a challenge for me since I pull everything so tightly I've been know to rip the perforated paper, but I'm really trying to watch my tension this time.  While these aren't complete kits, they do come with the perf.paper, backing, and any specialty buttons they use and each month they will be using buttons.  The designs are really cute, I'm working on April's "Frankly, My Dear".  You know how I am about beads...well this design has dots which would make perfect places for beads, but I haven't decided if I want to use them or not.  I might just wait until it's finished.  I'm not sure if the beads with "fancy" it up and I don't think these ornaments should be fancy.  I also need to pick a small project that will be for me, not necessarily a shop model.  I haven't gotten there yet.  Anyway, I've got to get my stitch on....I'll talk to you later!



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A little gift from one of my peeps....

     Had to show you the latest gift I received from Stasi Buhrmann...isn't it too cute for words? This wasn't even a birthday gift (if you remember she gave me the Tools of the Trade Needle Keep and Peep Pincushion for that)...this was just a thinking of you gift.   Pin cushions have become somewhat of an obsession apparently with me, and I didn't even realize it for some time.  But I love them!  Maybe it's because I've been given some really wonderful pin cushions. They are certainly not my mother's pin cushions.   While I have used some of them, many of them are really just for show (I couldn't stand to put a pin in them other than the decorative pins sent with them) and I've got them all over the house at this point.  I love to play with them, arrange them in different spots, remember who gave them to me and the friendship we share.  To me they are like potato chips, you can't have just one.  One thing I love about this pin cushion is how fully stuffed it is.  I'm one of those people who think you can't put too much stuffing in a pillow, fob, or pin cushion.  I like them when they are really stuffed so full they feel heavy.  And the stacking pin cushions are cuter still, don't you think?  I mean they've got a bird on the top, perfection!  Anyway, just wanted to give a shout out to Stasi and say "Thank you" for making my Monday just a little bit more special.  Tomorrow I'll iron my Serenity Harbor and show you my progress.  I'm moving on to part 6.  This pin cushion was Stasi's reward to me for getting Part 5 done.  Whoppee!!!!

July 5th and I've got a finish................Yea!!!!!

Made it through the 4th, in fact I stitched the night away and have a finish to show.  The top photo show's the lid for the Polish Potter Bowl #4 from Olde Colonial Designs.  I did it in 4 nights, working a quarter of the design each day.  So it was an easy stitch, fast and the finishing was easy as well.  This was a win, win and gave me something that I knew I could get done quickly as I trudge along on Serenity Harbor.  The middle two photo's show the scissor case I stitched for Renee for her birthday.  It's part of Blackberry Lane Design's, "Tools of the Trade (part V)."  All over one (ouch!) and Renee picked out a 30 ct. straw linen to have it stitched on using the Tulip Red fiber that the design called for.  It was touch and go as I flew to get it done in time, but pulled that off and handed it off to her on the assigned day.   Whew!!! Sometimes it is just too close to the deadline.  But once that was done, I have some time before I have to have a gift for anyone so I'm enjoying the stitch.  Of course my Serenity Harbor gets my attention every day, but I can't just work on it so I get to pick out some small designs to work along with it, like the Polish Bowl.  But I am pleased to announce, I'm almost through the 5th section of Serenity Harbor...may take a couple more nights since I work on other stuff as well, but it's good to be moving  on this piece.  Amazingly enough, even though I feel like I've been stitching the bay on it forever,  I love this piece.  At the end of the night I take it out of the Q-Snap and look at my progress and fall in love with it all over again.  (thank God since I'm not even half way done.)  In the bottom picture you can see one of the gifts from Debbie Liming, the hornbook. (That's the Polish pottery bowl sitting in front of it.  I'm fascinated with hornbooks and have a few of them now.  Debbie finished this one so that it can be displayed so easily...thanks Debbie..  I always finished mine with the handle down so it won't stand up and now I just leave them laying on the shelf.  Wish I'd thought of Debbie's method myself.  Well, I've got to get back to stitching...Serenity Harbor is just calling my name.  We had a wonderful 4th here last night.  The day was nice, sun did shine and the rain held off  until the fireworks started but was sporadic and didn't stop anything.  I hope everyone was able to get their patriotic spirit in gear.  Wonderful day of celebration!  Have a great day...talk to you soon

Happy 4th of July!

 

 Happy 4th of July everyone.  Hope everyone is going to enjoy the day no matter what it brings in weather.  We're expecting rain most of the day and night so not sure fireworks are in our immediate future, but that's O.K., because most of us have the day off so that's celebration enough, almost!  Some of you have already seen the Patriotic Sampler tool caddy and smalls shown at left.  I seem to be obsessed with the tool caddy and spools...I have to admit I am!  The tool caddy design comes from the Jeannette Douglas chart, "Patriotic Sampler" and I just deconstructed the sampler and used it's parts to create this fabulous set.  I'm already thinking of the next caddy, which I think will be a summer tote....the choices are endless.  Anyway, since one of my loves is Patriotic designs, this was just a natural selection.  My first tool caddy was stitched last year for Halloween, and back then it was the caddy, a needlebook and a fob.  The spool has now been added along with the needle vial.  Fun times!  And these caddys are really handy.  I keep my tools in mine so I don't have to search out my glasses, tape measure, extra needles, pad of paper, pen and scissors each time I sit to stitch.  Anyway, I mentioned the weather is a bit iffy....right  now it's overcast most of the time but it's still warm enough so people are out and walking and the town is full to overflowing. I don't care since I'm off and sitting in my own house with my T.V. on and my stitching just waiting for me to pick it up.  I've already spent 2 hrs on Serenity Harbor this morning....mercy there is certainly a whole lot of water on part 5, but I'm determined to get through part 5 this weekend.  I'm also 1/2 way through the Polishware bowl project...whoppee!  I decided to do 1/4 of the pattern each day so in 4 days the project would be complete.  I'm right on track!   I brought home a few more charts (I worked for a few hours in the shop to give poor Sara a break since she was double shifting yesterday.  In return, I came home with dinner.....I sure got the better end of that deal.  So I'm already eyeballing my next project.  I think picking out the next project is almost as much fun as stitching the next project.  Going through all the bags, shelves, cabinets, closets....yes, I have a lot of places to look and can't wait until I find just the right project.  With Serenity Harbor as my large project, I look for nothing but smaller projects at this point and the choices are endless.  In fact, I've got to get back to the search, so have a great day.  Play safe, stay home and stitch.  Talk to you later..

Seashore Pail...................so cute

 Stacy Stinson gave me this cute Jabco pin cushion, (a pin cushion I wanted but was too cheap to buy myself), along with an exclusive Blackbird small stocking design chart with 2 seashore related designs, which I had never seen before and was thrilled to have them.  I started (and I do stress started) the year long series of the Blackbird Stocking ornaments years ago.  I was right on track for about 3 months, or perhaps 4 months since there were 3 stockings per month, and I ended up with 13 stockings before having to switch off and of course, I have yet to return to the stocking project.  But this prompts me to get these two done and then go back and finish the series which will mean 36 of the original plus the  2 for the birthday for a total of 38...oh, my wouldn't that make a beautiful Christmas tree and I could leave a lot of them for a tree each month since none of them are too Christmasy.  Anyway, thanks Stacy,  you know how much I love my summer beachy stuff.  And of course, there are seashore related pins  included with the gift, simply fabulous.  I am sorry it's taking me so long to get everything up here....honestly, I've been so busy stitching I haven't had time to blog (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it..  Jennifer Humphries also gave me a goodie bag filled with wonderful items, but there was one gift that I've been using since the day I got it and I'm loving it.  I've always used a magnet board and for some reason used Loran's, I suppose because we sell them and it was easy for me to grab.  But Jennifer brought me a magnet board from the office supply store that's so much bigger, about 14" x 11".  Now it's not just a magnet board but also a dry erase board.  But I'm using it solely because of the magnetism.  She also gave me a supply of earth magnets to use...honestly I've never seen any magnet stronger than these earth magnets.  Now the reason I love it so much, I can put not only the chart on there but also the page that lists the colors and their symbols so I'm not always having to find that among the "stuff" on my sofa where I stitch.  I can also keep a list on there of any colors or beads I need to pick up and because it's a dry erase, there was also a place to put a pen so I have a ready made station for my stitching.  I use one of the magnets to hold my scissors so I don't have to fear losing them to the sofa...and my needles are there...oh, it's wonderful. I had purchased a variety of metal easels from Hobby Lobby and one of them was just the right size to hold this board.   I use this for my bigger project, Serenity Harbor, and I use Linda Wimbrow's stitchers tray for my small projects.  I work on a variety of items at one time and it's wonderful not to have to put everything away from one project in order to work on another.  Now I just switch stations and I'm ready to go.  Speaking of which, I started the Polishware bowl project today.  Since it combines over 1 and over 2 stitching I've decided to stitch at least 1/4" of the design each day and then move on to Serenity Harbor for a couple of hours and then I can start another small design if I want to.  I will only be working on small designs with over 2 stitching when I go to work, so you can see I need multiple projects going at once.  This also gives me finishing time each week, as that is my latest resolution, to finish up some of the projects just sitting there unfinished.  (God I hope I hold to this..please give me the strength and perserverance).  Anyway, I'm stitching like crazy and with very few duties this summer (no skatepark at all) I have plenty of stitching time.  It has created a slight issue however.  On the news the other day, for the medical segment they discussed tech neck, which I believe I have, however, it's not tech related but stitching related.  From bending over at the neck to stitch, my neck is killing me and I find I have to pause more often and kind of exercise the neck (they suggested this as a repair).  I'm not sure I exercise it enough and I'm hitting the motrin bottle more, but just can't give up my stitching.  It's leading me to take more breaks to, God help me, pick up more.  Crap!  I'd rather be stitching.  Have a great day...talk more later.

Roses for Sally ....

Had to show you my birthday gift from my good friend, Paola.  But I also want to show you what this years gifts go with so the first picture shows the "Roses for Sally" box which was a birthday gift a couple of years ago, and the scissor fob which was a gift the next year.  This year I got three more smalls for my box which are shown in the rest of the pictures.  This project is absolutely so gorgeous, stitched on 40 ct. I believe, over one and as usual impeccably stitched and finished.  Thank you Paola for such a wonderful gift which will be cherished forever.  It gives me great joy every time I walk in the room, smell the rose scent (Paola always makes sure they smell like roses) and then get to "play" with my treasures.  Wonderful birthday, as usual, but even better this year because not only were my local "peeps" here but also Paola, Debbie and Stasi.  Great weekend!  Thanks again to everyone.    I've been really busy stitching myself.  Had a birthday gift to stitch, whew!  Got it done at 2:00 a.m. the morning I was giving it....thought I might not make it, but was able to present it on time!   So with all pre-stitches out of the way, birthday gift done.....I was able to get back to Serenity Harbor.  Naturally, I'm behind...July showed up Monday, and I'm still on May.  But I'm working on it daily now so I should be able to catch up, hopefully sooner rather than later.  Although, Jackie DuPlessis prestitch arrived on Monday as well, but I couldn't take one (thank God) as others had signed up and Sara always gives mine away in the beginning and this year I'm definitely alright with that.  I need some Serenity Harbor time.  At the same time I'm already looking for a smaller project to stitch along with Serenity Harbor.  I have 3 or 4 small Shepherd's Bush projects, including the needle roll that is part of the Shepherd's Fold series.  I also pulled out "Giving Thanks" from Drawn Thread.  I love the piece and plan to get this done for this year's Thanksgiving holiday.  Of course, I thought the same thing last year....but this year I'm determined.  However it is a little large to lug to the shop, so I need something like a pin cushion, or a small pillow so the search is on going.  I came across the Polishware bowl from Olde Colonial, so I might just start with that.  I collect Polishware so I was thrilled when Pam showed us this in Nashville.  Apparently there were pieces offered before that I missed...darn it all!  But at least I got the bowl and it's cute so I'm a happy camper for the moment.  While I was searching through multiple totes I also ran across several projects I had started and for one reason or another just stopped, "Shores of Hawk Run" (which I loved stitching at the time), and was thrilled to find "And they Sinned" which I thought I had completed the first section of and yet I didn't (funny how my mind always thinks I'm doing better than I am), and then there was a Lorri Birmingham design that was suppose to be on a tin, and while I had put it on a tin I didn't like the finish at the time and stuffed it back in the bag.  Well, I've made a decision, each week I'm going to pick one finished, but not assembled project and work to get it assembled (as I did today with the Lorri Birminham tin) and at the same time start finishing some of the partially started pieces.  Stasi Buhrman so inspired me (as she frequently does with all her finishing) when she completed her "And they sinned" and I swore then to find it and finish it.  I also saw my Welsh Cottage in there, but that got pushed back to get some of these others finished.....hopefully.  I'm thrilled to say I pulled the Lorri Birmingham piece apart and redid it using supplies I have now, which I didn't have back when I put this together in the first place, and I really love it.  I do need to finish the inside of the tin, but it looks so cute with the scrapbook paper used on the tin on the outside and I used an old plastic room key (like the credit card type) as the base instead of the old cardboard and it was the perfect size and I padded with Warm and Natural and perfection, at least to me.  One piece out of the "unfinished bag" and out on display.   I never return those credit card type keys, don't like the fact that my info is on there, but more importantly, I know I can use them in finishing and they are wonderful as the base on Altoid tin finishing among other things.  Try it...no cutting has to be done, they fit right on there. Got to get back to stitching.  Have a wonderful day and try to put needle to linen or aida tonight