IHSW Update

Last weekend was IHSW!  

I was VERY productive last weekend!

Started and completed part three of Lizzie Kate's Holly and Hearts Sampler.   While I still love the sampler overall (especially the soft colors), I didn't particularly enjoy stitching this part.  I absolutely HATE stitching houses!  They are in a word.....BORING!  But it is done!   And I DO love the final outcome!

I also downloaded and completed part 8 of the Plum Street Samplers Mary II Sampler.  Was VERY pleased to NOT see more stars!  However, I did feel that she could have had us stitch more on it this week.  Especially as she is hinting that next week (which is the final week) will be a doozy!

AND......I was also able to get a start on the car seat blanket that I am knitting for Baby E!

Overall a VERY productive weekend!  Am very happy with all I was able to accomplish!

Until next time my friends...... Have a Happy Stitchy Day!

Just a quick post to show that Dance of the Graces did indeed get some love this week.  In fact,  they were sooooo demanding that I quickly got not one but TWO pages completed!   We are on the final 2 rows of this piece.   With only 12 pages left to go!  I will be working the last two row of pages together from this point on as the last row is only 12 stitches deep.

This weekend is the IHSW weekend.   I intend to do part 3 of the Lizzie Kate Holly & Hearts Sampler and Part 8 of the Plum Street Mary II Sampler.

Until the next time,  have a wonderful stitchy day!

It would seem that my stitching mojo is making a comeback!  Yay!

Since my last post, I have gotten completely caught up on the Lizzie Kate Holly & Hearts Mystery Sampler.   And just in time time too!   As I just received part 3 in the mail Saturday!

I am also keeping up with the Plum Street Samplers Mary II Mystery Sampler.   Only two more parts to go on this one......

PR Into the Deep Mystery also saw some love this week.   I fell waaaaay behind on this one due to all the things that have happened over the past several months.   All the parts have been released, but I was still on part 4 at the beginning of last week.   Part 4 is now complete  (sans beading)...

While I should either work on Lizzie Kate or PR......I think I will pull Dance of the Graces out this week and work on it.   Those girls are starting to get really loud and calling for my attention!

Until next time,   Happy Stitching everyone!

A finish and another pic of Baby E

Last week was a good week!    Managed to get the baby afgan for my friend's daughter completed.   Turned out really well.   Now I can turn my attention on to other things that have happier thoughts attached to them!

Over the weekend I was finally able to start the sampler that is being offered for free in 9 parts over at Plum Street Samplers.  I chose to do Mary II (although I may also go back and do Mary I as well).  So far 5 parts have been released (a part is released every Sunday) and I managed to do all 5!  Sorry for the poor picture quality.....the colors are a bit washed out.

I was also finally able to start the Lizzie Kate Christmas Mystery Sampler that has been sitting here staring at me since I returned home.  The first two parts have been released and there is only one more part to go.   So far I am really LOVING the colors on this!

I also have plans to start another Mystery Sampler put on by iStitch.   This is an Advent Sampler and sounds really intriguing!  Carol indicates that she will be doing her's on 40 ct in white, red and green but that the count size and colors are totally up to each individual.    I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge of 40 count.....so will have to look around in my stash to see what I can come up with.  The cost for this is minimal ($10).  She has a few spots available for sign ups, so if you are interested....you need to hurry!   I believe the fun is slated to start on December 1st.

And here is another picture of Baby E!  He is such a bundle of joy!  And is growing sooooooo fast!   This Grandma can't wait for Christmas to get her hands on him again!

I also want to express my thanks for the wonderful thoughts and condolences sent my way!  They meant a lot!

Until next time my friends,  have a wonderful stitchy day!

Rollercoaster of Emotions

I know it has been quite some time since I last updated this blog.   There has been a lot of upheaval here recently.  Some of it good....some bad....

As some of you may remember,  in August we were expecting the imminent arrival of our first grandson.  This was the Good....  Ethan Daniel arrived in the very early morning hours of August 17th.  At the whopping weight of 8 lbs 13.6 ozs, 22 in long.....he was a BIG boy!   Looks just like his daddy!  He has definately stolen our hearts!

While we were in Indiana welcoming our grandson into the world, we got a frantic call from my mom saying that my dad had just been admitted to the hospital with congestive heart failure.  Then begins the frantic drive back to San Antonio.   Because we inherited my daughters cat, who took an instant dislike to Ethan and also because I needed to get an allergy shot before I could join my family in Phoenix.

Unfortunately, a little over a week after I got there Dad passed away during an angioplasty procedure.  I am thankful that I got to spend some time with him before the end.  But god how I miss him!  He was our family's rock!

As a result, my stitching mojo has just about disappeared.  However, I am forcing myself to work on a baby afgan that needs to be done before the end of the year.  It is just hard to work on it, as I started it while dad was in the hospital.

Here is what the afgan looked like before the weekend.....

And what it looks like now..... I am backstitching as I go.

I also made some progress on Dance of the Graces before all this started......

And also finished Little House Needleworks Mystery Sampler.....

Until next time my friends......Have a good day!

Been lax again about updating this blog......don't really have any excuses to give you this time.  Just been enjoying myself with my stitching and anxiously awaiting the phone call from DD announcing that the baby is on his way!  No Grandson yet....but should be soon!

In the meantime,  I have put the finishing touches onto his blanket.   Got the backing sewn on.   Decided to go with a soft flannel.   Not the best sewing job in the world, but it is on!

Also worked on the PR Mystery "Into the Deep" SAL Part 3.   Can't decide if I like the fishies or the seahorses more.   They are both soooooo cute!   I also have part 4.....it was released really early.  Wasn't supposed to be released until the 1st of August.  So I think I will save that to do a bit later.   I'm still holding off on all the beads for now, so it looks a bit strange, but I'm loving how it is turning out so far!

Received a lovely surprise in the mail the other day!  Monique from Tiny Treasures 2 sent me a lovely scissor case.   I wasn't expecting a second one!  I kind of feel guilty for not stitching her one now (even though we were only supposed to stitch) one for the exchange.  I'll have to think of something to thank her. 

And I also spent a LOVELY amount of time with my Dance of the Graces.   It is soooooo nice to be stitching on this lovely piece once again!  And I'm making very good head way too!

Well.....That's it for now folks!  Have a wonderful day!  Until the next time....

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe 4th of July!  We had family over for a BBQ and other than that.....was just a quiet day! 

Got my 2012 PR Mystery "FATUM" back from the framers.  She turned out really lovely!  And she is already on her way to her new home.   Should be there by the end of this week!

Also had Halloween Rules by Lizzie Kate framed......love how this turned out as well.   Can't wait for Halloween to put it out! 

The scissor case and pincushion that I made for the Tiny Treasures Exchange has been received.  Sounds like Amanda likes it.  The sewing on it is a bit wonky though as I'm not very good with a sewing machine.   I adapted a portion of the Ink Circles Circ de Coers for the case and pincushions.

I also managed to get another page (actually 2 pages) done on Dance of the Graces.   However, this picture only shows one of the two pages......as I've been lazy about coming upstairs to get the camera to take a more up to date picture!   And now the lighting is all wrong to take one tonight.  Maybe tomorrow. :)

Well.....that's it for now folks!   Have a Great Evening and Happy Stitching!

Last weekend was a 2nd IHSW bonus weekend! 

I worked on (and completed) the Ink Circles RYO SAL.  LOVE how this turned out!   It was a very fast stitch! And it was sooooooo very easy to pick my own colors!

Last month I was part of an exchange on Tiny Treasures Exchange II.   We did Scissor Cases for the exchange.  I had never done one before.  The one I did has not yet been received, so I can't yet show how it turned out.   But the one that was done for me by Amanda is just beautiful!   She combined my two favorite things --- Butterflies and the color yellow!

 

 

I also found some time to start and complete part one of the LHN Song of Season SAL.   This was a very quick stitch as well.   Can't wait for the next part to come out!

 

 

 

Unfortunately, not much work got done on Confetti of Hardanger.  I did get the cutwork done, but was unable to really concentrate on the pattern.  So have put this aside for now.

 

 

While waiting for the next parts to Song of Seasons and Into the Deep to come out......I have dragged Dance of the Graces back out of the UFO pile.   That hasn't seen any love since January!

 

 

Well......That's it for me......Have a Great Day everyone!







Another Late IHSW Update

Last weekend was IHSW.....snuck past me!  But I wasn't idle!

Since my last post I have completed 2012 PR Mystery SAL!  I absolutely love how she turned out!

 

 

I have also started the Ink Circle RYO SAL.  At first I chose to go with the 738 colorway, but the browns just got totally lost in the design!   So I ended up with the 434.   LOVE how this is turning out so far!   Four pages down......one and a partial to go!  Hope to have this one finished soon!

 

The new 2013 PR Mystery SAL started on June 15th!  I ordered my fabric (Caribbean Tides) from Leslie at Under the Sea Fabrics!  It is just GORGEOUS!!!!  AND......have also finished the 1st part already with the exception of the beads!  And this design is going to be LOADED with beads!

This weekend I have pulled Confetti of Hardanger back out and will be working on the final part.  Hope to get this one finished over the weekend or early next week!  Here is how it looked the last time I had it out....

I have also signed up for the Little House Needlework Song of Seasons SAL.   Received all the materials in the mail yesterday.   Depending on how far I get with Confetti, I may pick that up and do part one.....

AND........the final surprise gift that I had worked on back in 2010/2011 was FINALLY given to my brother!   So I can now show you what I had worked on WAY back then.....LOL.  Snow Leopards are his favorite animals of all time and he was absolutely tickled by the gift!

And.....last but not least,  my husband has been slaving away making this......

....for our 1st grandchild due in August.   It isn't quite finished yet, but is getting close!   This is his 1st piece of furniture!  I'm soooooo proud of him!   He is doing such a beautiful job on it!

Well.....that's it for now folks! 

Late IHSW Update

I know I'm late in updating what I did last weekend during IHSW.   But this week has been chocked FULL of doctor appointments (both for me and DH) and allergy shots! 

I did work on PR Mystery SAL 2012/13 as I had indicated I would in my last post.   As a reminder, here is how she looked before the weekend......2 parts behind with the final part to be released on the 1st.

Imagine my surprise when, over the weekend, I received an email with part 12 (the final part!).  Laura released it early!   YAY!!!!!!   So.........here is what I got done!   Page 10, the filigree border and good start on pages 11 & 12!   Still quite a ways to go, but am hoping to have the cross-stitching on this done sometime this coming week.  Then I'll still have the BS and beading to do!

Laura also announced that there will be another PR Mystery SAL starting up in June!   This one will be 9 months long.   The sign up have already started and deadline to sign up is June 15th.   She has only given a sneak-peek of a tiny corner of it, but it appears to possibly be a mermaid this time around and she promises that it will NOT be full coverage like this past one was.  Very intrigueing!  Anyone interested can go to:

There is a VERY interesting and different SAL being done by Ink Circles called RYO2013 (Roll Your Own 2013).   Tracy has designed a Mandala to be stitched.   However, she has not "given" you the colors.   The colors are TOTALLY up to you!   But don't be afraid, she gives very good guidance and suggestions on HOW to come up with your colors.   The SAL for this is through a Yahoo group.  After going back and forth on this for about a week or so, I finally dicided to take the plunge and signed up for this one too!

After reading Tracy's "package" (which is only about a page), I decided to go with the colors in my bedroom.  And, of course, immediately broke her first suggestion to NOT use ANY shade of brown!  LOL!  I am doing mine on Dark Chocolate Linen.  The outline of the mandala will be in PTP gold rather than the black that she suggests.   Then for my 4 family groups I picked, sage green, slate blue, tan (or copper) & dusty rose.    Once that was done, I gave Tracy the DMC #'s that I had picked and asked her to make up a "mock" of the mandala for me so that I could get a feel for how the colors worked together.   This is how they turned out......she did two of them for me one w/tan & the other w/copper tones.

I DO love how the colors work together!  I just have to decide which of the two I like the best!  At this momment I am leaning more towards the tan version.....but who knows, I may change my mind once I start stitching it and see how the tan looks up against the gold PTP.

That's all I have for now my friends.   Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! And those of you that celebrate Memorial Day....Stay Safe!!

IHSW & Update

This weekend is the IHSW (International Hermit Stitch Weekend).   Not sure yet what I will be working on.   Probably PR Mystery SAL as I am 2 parts behind on that now and the final part will be released on the 1st.

Here is how it looks now: 

I have finished the cross-stitching on the Woodland Babies Afghan.  Just need to put the backing on it now. 

Have also finished the LK Halloween Rules.  Love how this turned out!

The last couple of days I've been working on the knitted cow outfit for my Grandson.  Have the back done and am now working on the front.   Hope to have this finished within the next week or two as well!

I have also joined an exchange over on the Tiny Treasures Exchange II board for a Scissor Case.  Have never done one before.  Have the stitching complete, now just have to figure out how to finish it.

Well, that's it for me!  Happy stitching!







IHSW Update

Last weekend was IHSW!   I continued working on the baby afgan.  Started the 2nd Skunk square.   While I didn't get it finished, I did get very close!   I should have it finished by the end of today.   There are 3 more squares left to do after this one!

Can't wait to get this finished!

IHSW Weekend

This weekend is IHSW weekend!  Hard to believe we are to the 3rd weekend of April already!  Where has the time flown?

I will once again be working on the Woodland Babies Afgan.  Here is were I am so far (although, I do have one more square done than the picture shows).....

Stoney Creek Woodland Babies Afgan

Sorry I can't seem to figure out how to rotate the picture on here!

Here is a close up of a couple of the individual squares.....

  x2

  2nd chipmunck

 

Well that's all I have for now folks!  Have a great weekend!

IHSW Update

Last weekend was IHSW (International Hermit Stitcher's Weekend).   I'm a little slow in updating.....but I worked on another square of the Stoney Creek Woodland Babies Afgan.  I was hoping to get the square completed.....but this was not the case.   Maybe it will be done today....

Just before the weekend started, I finished the fox square......

Hope everyone had a great weekend and a Great week to come!   Until next time!