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!

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!







 

Stoney Creek Woodland Babies

 

I have been busy with my stitching though.   Have continued to work on the Stoney Creek Woodland Babies.  I don't think I will be able to get this done in time for the Baby Shower in April as planned though.  But I am quickly approaching the 1/2 point.   This has been a total joy to stitch thus far!   The space between the bunny and the raccoon (the one I'm working on now) is supposed to be a tree.   I don't like the look of the tree and will repeat one of the animals in it's place.   I have yet to decide which animal I will do, so I have skipped it for now.

Confetti of Hardanger is also moving right along.   Part 13 is complete!  Part 14, the final part, dropped this past weekend and has yet to be done.   I have to say I am sorry to see this one finishing up!  I have really enjoyed this one!   Learned alot along the way!   Hope there will be another SAL on Stitcher's Specialists Yahoo Group as this was a load of fun to do!

 

Also made progress on PR Mystery SAL!   Part 7 is now complete.   Part 8 was just released on the 1st of March.  I'm also enjoying this one as well!






Does anyone remember the Charity piece I worked on in the fall of 2011?  Where I did one square out of 20 that was to have been ultimately quilted together?  The quilt was to be given to the mother of a dearly beloved internet community stitcher that has passed away suddenly.   Well I'm pleased to say that the quilt was completed.   Arlene from another BB gathered all the cross-stitched pieces and quilted them together.   She did an AWESOME job on it!   Here is a picture of the finished piece!

HEAD Chelsea's Gift

 

As there was no interest in the Giveaway, there is no winner to announce.   I even allowed the Giveaway to go a week longer than originally planned. Oh well.....  Maybe next time?

 



Well, that is about all I have for this time my friends!   Have a wonderful day!   Until next time!

Sorry.....I did it again......Long time between posts!

Since my last post.....DD got married, parents and one of my brothers came for a visit, I went to AZ for Thanksgiving and got back in time to do Christmas preparations for our Scandinavian family to come for a visit.  We also helped my In-Laws celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary!

DD and DH

DD and DSil

The wedding was absolutley beautiful!   Couldn't have had better weather for an outdoor wedding!  Everything went off without a hitch.....that is, until the wedded couple climbed into the Bently to take them to their Honeymoon Hotel!   The people at the venue decided to give the couple an opened bottle of RED wine to take in the car with them when they left.   They neglected to tell the couple that the cork was just barely in the bottle.    At some point in the 30 min drive to the hotel, the bottle became uncorked and the wine spilled all over DD's beautiful wedding gown!  I got a frantic and tearful phone call from DD on what to do with the dress as club soda was not taking out the stain.   I told her the only thing she could do at that time was to put the dress in the tub with water as cold as she could make it and let it soak over night and that we would take it straight to the cleaners in the morning and could only HOPE the stain would come out.   They emptied the hotels Ice bin on their floor into the tub with the dress and cold water!   By the time, we got the dress to the cleaners the next morning you almost couldn't see where the wine was on the dress.   The cleaners had the dress for six weeks and in that time, they were able to get the stain totally out!

Eagle Moon

Cherished Memories

While in AZ  I was able to give three of the special projects that I worked on last year to my brothers.   One of my brothers was not able to make it home for Thanksgiving or for Christmas, so he has not yet received his gift so that one I will hold off on showing you.  But here are the other three...   The Celtic Tree one is a conversion of a picture that my brother, Joe, drew.  He had no idea that I had taken his picture on a previous visit home with the intention of cross-stitching it for him.  I do believe this was the first time I've every seen him speechless when the completed piece was presented to him!

Celtic Tree Knot

 

 

Confetti of Hardanger

I've been quite busy on the stitching front too!   Have Continued to work on Confetti of Hardanger and have kept up with the steps.   The latest step has just dropped so I will be working on that this weekend.  I must say I'm really enjoying this.  I actually find it quite relaxing!

 

PR 2012 Mystery SAL

Passion Ricamo's Mystery SAL is also coming along nicely!  I've managed to keep in pace with this as well.  The next part on this will drop on the 1st.   I have modified it though.   I decided I didn't want to do the word that she charted at the bottom of the piece between the fairy and the scrollwork....so I have moved my scrollwork up to just under the fairy.

 

And Dance of the Graces also saw a bit of love.  I am hoping to get close to a finish on it this year.  Time will tell.  







HEAD Dance of the Graces

 

 

 

Last weekend was IHSW (Internatinal Hermit Stitch Weekend).  Last year I didn't participate, but this year I thought I would go ahead a do so.  Late in putting up my progress pictures due to blogger not letting me upload pictures until today (what's up with that?).   Anyway, I decided a new start was necessary for this.   So.......out came English Whitework Sampler.   I'm doing this on 40 ct linen which is a Silkweaver Sale Special that I got off their FB sales.  I'm loving this so far!   But I'm now going to have to put it aside for a little bit, cause I need to get started on a baby Afgan for my 1st grandchild that is due in August.

 

English Whitework Sampler

Well,   I think that's it for now my friends!  Enjoy your new year and keep on stitching!