Winter Exchange!

Today I received another fantastic exchange from sweet Sylvie. If you've been following what Sylvie has made for me...it goes as follows: Summer = backpack, Fall = flatfold and this time for Winter she made a Hanging Key Holder to hang our car keys on:

Country Cottage Needleworks Winter Cottage Key Hanger

Stitched by Sylvie 1 over 1 (!)

I also received these lovely extras: two chart, two skeins of Vicki Clayton hand-dyed fiber, a huge orange/chocolate Lindt bar (yum!) and some sweet wintery stickers!

Thank you Sylvie, your package brightened my day! It's around 40-45 degrees outside, which is the warmest it's been in 2 weeks...but supposedly we're supposed to hit 17 tonight and the temps are supposed to keep dropping. I really don't mind it though because I think that we need to get cold and stay cold to kill some of the bugs and germs out there!

Well back to some more secret stitching :) I enjoyed reading everyone's "take" on the Shores of HRH! I'll be interested in seeing how many start this project up come next month! :)

Shore of Hawk Run Hollow Is HERE!

Carriage House Samplings

"Shores of Hawk Run Hollow"

Nashville Release 2008

So what do you think? Hmmm....I don't know if I'm "totally" in love....but it sure is nice isn't it! I love the verse...I think KBD writes the nicest verses...I love the fabric it's on...the more I look at it and look at the colors/houses/lighthouse/sea life on it...the more I think....I'm SUNK! :)

Super de Duper Prize!

Good mail day today! Simone over at her blog had a contest this month for her 100th post and I won!!!!!!!

Here's the cutie that I won:

Thank you Simone, He's a sweetie and I shall cherish him always! :)

Next Up: Well, my DH went in to work this a.m. and he e-mailed me before I went to work, that he hit a deer :( First I asked if HE was ok? He wrote back saying "Yes, he was fine, but the car was dented on the hood". Then I asked was the deer dead? He wrote back to say, "No but it should be for denting the Breeze!" (model of our car - Plymoth Breeze)....LOL! I thought that was pretty funny because we joke about our "sports car" all the time between ourselves. It's red and 12 years old, it looks good, but its a stripped down model and our "work" car (that he and I drive to work only - since we both have to drive quite a way to work and it gets better gas mileage than our minivans). Although, now that I think about it, I don't know how great it will look with a big dent in the hood....

Thanks for all the good feedback on the floor stands/lap stands, etc. Don't know if I'll be getting one or not yet...especially with a car bill now....

No other pictures of what I'm stitching...I'm stitching just nothing I can show.... :( sad to say that my January goals are OUT THE WINDOW! But such is life...I've met some of them, but see as my first real goal setting experience, I may have been a little optimistic :)

Ok, until next time...I wish everyone to stitch happy!

Your Opinions Please :)

Fellow Stitcher's and Friends...I recently saw in the past couple of weeks on a couple of different blogs that I check in on, and then when I was purusing Floor Stand Models myself during early January...these: Needlework System 4.

In my searching I found the detailed manual here: Stitcher's Paradise

And then Danielle posted about this and found a link to a very detailed review of it from a fellow stitcher, found Here

Now then I'm a Q-snap, fanatic...I will not use a hoop or stretcher bars, scroll frame, ever again....it's Q-snaps for me, baby...has been for years. These floor stand models has a Q-snap option. I've never used anything other than "in hand" stitching for smallish projects and Q-snaps for larger. I've never used a frame/stand/anything else. As I age, I find that I have aching elbows and hands at certain times...usually when I'm stitching a lot daily - which hasn't been an issue for a couple of weeks :( LOL!

So, I would like your opinon on A.) this product if you use it B.) your experience with stands in general C.) do you recommend stands? D.) is it just better to keep on "keeping on" the way I'm doing?

I don't want to spend $100s of dollars and not use it or like it....although my DH said, "well it's your hobby"...WHAT?! what drug has he been taking?! LOL! - makes me want to just go crazy and buy it since he said I could! And if you don't know him they way I do, let me just give you a few "key" words: old school, German, penny pinching, fanatic.... get the idea?! LOL!

Any help or insight would be GREATLY appreciated :)
Thanks!

Von's Neighborhood and a SWEET surprise!

Hello Friends :)

I've recently done some "redecorating" and thought I'd share...this is in our "office" or computer room:My grandma's wooden ironing board, that I cleaned up...that's the quilt she made when she was a little girl draped over it....

This shelf I got from Hobby Lobby and it's pressed tin, plus a sampling of all the china patterns that have been passed down to me from my Grandma and my Aunt....if your wondering....I'm the only girl on both sides, so.....that's why I have so many different patterns, and I love them all and am thankful that I can pass these down to my children.

My Grandma Epperson's Fiesta Ware...I've always loved Fiesta Ware and I think it looks darling scattered around a picture

My Grandma Weber's favorite "decorating" China, I remember her having it hanging on her walls, and I simply love it too, I've taken half and hung them in here and I've taken the other half and hung it over a window in my kitchen. I love all china that have a picture on it, or tells a story on it...and this does both, for me :) So that's the redesign...thanks for looking!


Next up: Yesterday I received a package from Staci (she doesn't have a blog) but she is a member of Fair Squares and was a past partner of mine, anyway...I couldn't figure out why Staci was sending me a package. Inside was the most lovely of notes and a wee wrapped parcel. In the note Staci said that she had starting stitching a set of squares on her first round and soon found out it wasn't going to work. So she threw them in the "drawer of doom" to finish for herself at a later date. Well she finished them alright and said it was screaming "Vonna" to her so she sent the finished item to me and here it is:

Floss Ring Keeper Tag

stitched and finished by: Staci (from Colorado)

(front)

(back)

I don't think Staci (or anyone for that matter) knows that this is how I keep my floss when I "kit" up my WIP's...but I use these rings all of the time...and what a super way to "dress" it up and make it your own....I believe I see some Floss Ring Keepers in my (and others) future!

Staci: I cannot tell you how much this touched my heart...and believe me I needed a "pick me up"! Thank you for thinking of me and making me this lovely gift! I shall cherish it always and put it to good use! (I already have ;) ) Staci also sent me some Altoids chewing gum...I believe I am hooked, for a I am a rabid gum chewer. Thank you again Staci!!

Next Up, Von's Neighborhood:

Vonna's Stitched square for Von's RR

Design motifs from: Spring Garden Sampler and the alphabet block T by the Prairie Schooler

I think it turned out pretty good and I put things in there that remind me of "me"...LOL!

I have a beehive and bees which behind sheep are my FAVORITE motifs of all :) and I made the birds Robin's because my Mom used to sing that song that has the words..."when the r-r-robin comes b-b-boppin' along..." and I remember that as a child and I just like them, so there you go - ROBINS in Von's Neighborhood! :) I love the urn on the fence too.....so there ya go Von, hope you like it....(sorry the pic's are dark....)

Here's the entire Neighborhood for Von:

The only thing left to do is sign my block and it's done!

Until next time Stitch with dancing fingers :)

Crazy Exchange for Janaina

Hello Friends :)

Long time, no blog....I have been very busy, a little grouchy (a lot actually), been cleaning my house (that's never ending), having meetings with my kid's teachers to check progress, doing laundry, feeling blue (I think this is cyclical) and in general doing NO stitching :(

Although, I must say that, "this too shall pass", and I'm ready to have it move along!

One good thing that happened recently is that we joined Netflix! I've wanted to join for some time, and finally the big man (DH) gave me the nod! So I signed us up before he had second thoughts and two days later I held in my hot little hands something I've been wanting to see FOREVER - The Gillmore Girls Season 1 Disc 1! HELLO! it's a great show, isn't it?! LOVE it watched the pilot and first 4 episodes twice (once by myself and then once with my daughter-Katie) and we're hooked! Today is when we watched it together and my DH was home for MLK day, so he watched too...I think (secretly) he's hooked too :) Even though it's a "chick" show! LOL! We're posting the DVD back tomorrow and next on our list is E.T. (my kids have never seen it).

I just found out that Janaina finally received my return Crazy Exchange gift to her! This is what I stitched for her:

Small House Freebie ~ Diane Williams ~ Little House Needleworks

Stitched on 32 ct. Raw Linen

Using DMC Threads

Finished as a Pinkeep

I believe that Janaina liked what I made for her and was happy to meet and make a new friend!

I worked this weekend but today, I've been dutifully stitching away on Von's Neighborhood...let's hope I can get it knocked out by the end of the evening...and if that is the case I need to get my rear off this computer!

Thanks to all of the sweethearts that have written me over the last couple of days to check to see if I'm still alive! I'm still kickin'!! :)

Until next time....Stitch Happy!

Winter House from Finland

Hello Friends...


Yesterday, I received a super parcel all the way from Finland, from sweet Tuula. She made me a super pinkeep from a Passione Ricamo freebie available on their website. Here's the snap:

Here's all the lovely extras that she sent me as well:

I've gotten lovely Atalie threads and a DMC skein in the most gorgeous reds, a linen band strip, some pins for future pinkeeps, a chocolate bar, a calendar featruing Tuula's favorite artist, three postcards with descriptions of where they are in Tuula's country/town and the most lovely note. What a spectacular package and what attention to detail Tuula showed me. Thanks Tuula, I shall cherish it always!

Well about that LHN RR...it's a no go from this corner....my DH came home last night and said that not only is his current project going to go on a bit longer (long days without him being home), he's been made manager of another one......So.......I cannot commit to another thing. I had to e-mail and tell the moderator sorry, I'm going to have to pull out...but in the good note, there was a very special friend of mine that signed up and another too, so I'll be replaced and all's well that ends well!

BUT I did order the fabric yesterday for it....DH should have told me sooner, huh?! ....too bad his loss, my gain :) and it's, of course from Sassy's and in another of my favorite colors Creamy Cocoa...and the idea I had for it was a strike of sheer genius...LOL!...aren't they all?! But the layout and what I was planning to do...hmmm........ So I'm going to participate in a ME, MYSELF AND I ROUND ROBIN! Yep, no deadlines, no mailing fees, no questionable stitching....yep....sounds like a dream doesn't it?! LOL! I'll be starting that puppy as soon as I get my fabby, from Sassy! :) Would anyone like to join the ME, MYSELF AND I ROUND ROBIN?! :) just kidding...but you know I hear it's really flexible to get in.


Well I hear Ellie out there playing with her Petshop Pets and "hossies" and I love the conversations she has with her make believe play. Right now she's saying, "Mama, Mama, I need you Mama!" I said like three times (during the writing of this post...) I'm here Ellie what do you need, milk? and I kept on hearing the "Mama, Mama, I need you Mama!" so I ran out there and the Zebra and Penguin are "talking" to her My Littlest Pony...I don't know who the father was...but anyway...she really didn't need me and I can't figure out if it is the Zebra or the Penguin, but someone needs their Mama. Hope that the delinquent mother Pony figures out that one of her children is in trouble...because this Mama is getting confused of which "Mama" is needed! Until next time....Stitch Happy!

Snowy Monday....

Hello Friends...it's snowing outside, just soft spitting snow and it did it off and on all day yesterday and so far today too! Not really any accumulation, just enough to make the roads a little slick if your driving like a maniac....which I witnessed some parents driving like this on the way to school today, but that's nothing new!

Well this weekend flew by and I didn't get NEAR anything accomplished like I wanted too, but hey some things WERE accomplished so I'll share those :)

I'm in the Bride's Tree SAL (link in my side bar under groups I belong to) and January's theme is a House which represents "protection or shelter" so here's my start:

Winter House by Prairie Schooler

From Up on the Rooftop Leaflet

DMC threads

Sassy's Fabbys - 32 ct. Creamy Cocoa (another of my FAV colors Lauren offers)

Then I thought since it's about 3 weeks away from maildate that I'd better get my rear end in gear with the next stitching obligation for Hello Neighbor Round Robin...this is Von's RR. She chose English Cottages and Gardens. There's quite a few cottages with lovely gardens, but I thought I'd focus on a garden with a nice gate/stone fence...here's a snap of the start:

I think I'm getting involved in another Round Robin, this one focusing on Little House Needleworks.....I know I should have my hand slapped, but I can't stop myself! I dream about stitching and all the lovely things I can start and go about...and I love Round Robins, the designing of them, the layout of them....so there ya go...brings me pleasure....SO, look for updates on that adventure soon...

That's about it for me when it comes to stitching this weekend, so I thought I'd round out this psot with some pics form the weekend....

Ellie playing with her "hossies" and stable


Jacob sitting asking what he could do because he was "bored" :)

Ellie playing the bitty ballerina princess

Another of the bitty ballerina with my better half....

You may be wondering where is Ian and Katie? Well we only let our kids play computer on the weekend and he had his head glued to the computer screen. And Katie? Well she was next door playing with a neighbor girl :)

Until next time dear friends....stitch HAPPY - I plan on it....after my Girl Scout meeting today that is...

CDC Week #6

Week #6 of stitching Ink Circles ~ Cerque de Cercles. I FINALLY got that large motif done. It reminds me of lilly pads...that's what I envisioned when I was "coloring" my pattern and it looks on fabric just how I had it envisioned in my mind. It's always a happy thing when it turns out that way.

SO there ya go for this week. :)

I don't work this weekend, thank heavens, so we'll see what sort of trouble I can get myself into.

Have a good one! Stitch Happy!

New Tutorial!!

I just finished a tutorial for a Mattress Style Pinkeep...please either go to my tutorial links on the sidebar or go HERE .

Hope you like it! :)

My Frosty Friend

Hello Friends!
Yesterday I received an exchange from my Frosty Friend ~ Jeanne and here is what she stitched for me:

Frosty Friends Door Knocker!

Isn't it sweet?!

I believe this is from Heart in Hand Winter Needleroll/Fobs Leaflet

(if you look *really* closely...you can see the Needleroll version that I received last year from Cathy B. in the Winter Wonderland Exchange! LOL! Jeanne picked it out right away that I had the Needleroll version as well...no matter because BOTH are lovely stitched and finished. I especially LOVE door knob hangers because they make me happy when I see them hanging there...I have this one haning on our downstairs bathroom door (which is near the foyer and I decorate seasonally)!

And here's all the goodies Jeanne sent me:

I'm ashamed to admit that the DOVE bar is history....the kisses have been divided amongst the three big kids...but the patterns, now there's something to savor! Jeanne sent me Blackbird Designs "Awake the Dawning Day" and a completely kitted Little House Needleworks "Snowflakes"...LOVE them both! Thank you so much Jeanne for your attention to detail and your generosity, I appreciate them both! Makes me sad that I only have 1 more exchange to go on the SBEBB.

Yesterday was as you read....a busy day.....and it wasn't made any better by me being a complete grouch. Ever have one of those days when your brain is telling you to be "nice" and your mouth is opened and stuff is flying out of it that is "not nice"? Well that was my day yesterday...we got through it, but I was a real grouch the whole day, leaving me feel quite badly about myself, and trying to start today with a prayer to be nicer and do things with more grace and love rather than nastiness...let's hope I got it out of my system, I hate feeling like this.

Have a great day, today is supposed to be my Dear Diary Sampler day...but I've GOT to finish an exchange or I'm in deep trouble! I don't have much stitching left so maybe I'll be able to eeek in a little on the Sampler if not...I'll do it tomorrow! Until next time.....

Manic Monday...

Hello Friends!
Hope all is right and well in your world! I survived the weekend although it kicked my patootey!

I did have the ultimate ENABLER forward me a newsletter from a ONS to show me this:

It's the newest from A Mon Ami Pierre designs and isn't it just DIVINE? It has lots of things that appeal to me 1.) Sheep (although do you see the fox up there by them? doesn't fox eat sheep? Our quaint country scene could turn into a blood bath if he's hungry!) 2.) Houses 3.) Country theme 4.) Stitching ladies I think I'm sunk.....
Thank you ENABLER! :)

Next up: Heard from my Fair and Square Partner that she returned home from her Holiday Vacation to find my package here they are:

This picture doesn't really show the beauty of them...the colors were so vibrant, I didn't want to send them...but I did and there ya go, here they are :) Will DEFINITELY be stitching me a set of these!!

Ok, well true to my work I didn't place one X in anything all week...although I had a huge week of stitching during the last of my kids winter break....today it's back to the grindstone and boy are we jumping in with both feet! It's the kids walked to school by 8:45, then my power walk with Ellie, then back home to load up to go to yet another Girl Scout Manager's meeting ... yes, I know....then off to Girl Scout Cookie Meeting...yep, again that time....and then rush back home where I MAY be able to slip a stitch in or two depending on how WINDY the speakers are at the meetings....Then it's walk to school to pick up the kids, get back home start supper/do homework, then off to a Cub Scouts with all four of them at 6:30, then back by 8:00, hurry up baths for 4 kids, and prayers, tucks and off to sleepy by land for 4 kids then HOPEFULLY Mom can take a shower, put on her jammies and be stitching by the time DH gets home at 9 p.m. ! YIKES!!! Maybe I need to start off the day with medication rather than vitamins? My DH is working from 6:30 a.m. (after a 45 min. drive to work) until 8:15 p.m. (then a 45 min. drive back home) because he's got a huge project coming down the pike. So Mom's solo for the foreseeable future...he's even going to be working the weekends I'm not working...I guess I'll get to high five him on the way in and out the door! :)

Until Next time....Stitch with smiles :)

I know, I know....

I keep on posting and I'm supposed to be finished posting for the weekend :) BUT....

it's just a few minutes before I step out the door and I received the sweetest e-mail from dear Susan telling me she's received my Frosty Friends Exchange for the SBEBB! And I must share it with you ~ my dear readers!

Desinger/Design: Little House Needleworks - Diane Williams - Winter Wonderland elements

Fabric: 32 Ct. Raw Linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours and DMC as called for

Finished as: Pinkeep

I really like how this one turned out....I've been experimenting with placing the pins in different numbers/arrangements around the pinkeep (hence my blurry top picture) and I really liked how this one turned out...I thought it looked like clusters of snowflakes.

Anyway...well....I guess that's it for today, not much stitching went on yesterday :( but I did start my SBEBB Winter House Exchange...and I've got an idea and a new tutorial planned...we'll see if it works out.....

Until Next time....stay warm and stitch like there's a sunny tomorrow!

One last quickie post before the weekend...

Fair and Square Friendship Square Exchange

Stitched for: AmySC

Fibers: DMC threads as called for

Fabric: Sassy's Fabby's "Sugared Coffee" 32 ct.

Design taken from: Prairie Schooler's Leaflet #60 ~ Spring Samplers

AmySC loves bunnies and I was trying to go for something unusual and not "out there" so frequently and when I stumbled (literally) over this pattern...I just thought THIS IS IT! I was a little unsure of the colors once I started, but as I filled in and it was finished, I thought it turned out great! So there it is....this was my last finish of 2007.

Thanks for the nice votes of confidence for my smooshing today....went fine, in and outta there in 1 hour. Let's just hope all was fine and I can get on living...

So stitch this weekend for me, as I won't be crossing one X since all the crap ( I mean) lovely things I have to do this weekend :)

CDC and sing with me...

Hello Friends :)

Yesterday, was Cerque de Cercles day and here's my progress to date: You can follow each week and the changes each week brings by looking in my CDC WIP Album in my sidebar. I was a little antsy yesterday and working 1 over 1 on black made me cross-eyed and have heart palpitations, so stitched as long as could take it, I got really pretty much done, those are a lot of tiny stitches in there! I've got maybe 20 stitches left on page one and then it's done!

After I put CDC away I pulled out "My Song" (the generous gift from Cathy B - see previous post) and put a few stitches in it....btw....my Mom sometimes reads my blog, but not often, and guess what?! Yesterday she read....so she called me and said: "Yes, that would be a lovely birthday gift for you Mom." So since I said it now I've got to get to it...here's my progress:


Doesn't look like much but that's at least 2 hours of work....
I really like stitching Blackbird designs because their patterns work up quickly.

Ok all for today, I have to leave RIGHT NOW for my yearly mammogram (I'm a little young, but my Aunt (Mom's sister) passed away at 51 from breast cancer) So I started at 35 getting Mammograms. So off to get my chest smooshed, let's hope all is ok, I hate this...not the procedure just the worry that they'll find something...I've been obsessing about it all week...

Work this weekend too...that stinks, but come next Tuesday...smoooth sailing...nothing on the agenda! Have a great weekend!

Dear Diary...

Dear Diary,
Today I got a fantastical surprise package from my friend Cathy B.! She sent me the most wonderful of gifts, it is the Blackbird Designs pattern "Their Song" and all the WDW flosses and fabric to do the design with! Isn't that spectacular?! And here's a picture of it:

I'm so excited to start this and "feel" I may start it *really* soon...so I guess I'll have to change my goals because of this...or maybe I'll just add it to my list ;) I've earmarked this project as the gift I'm stitching for my Mom's birthday on Feb. 25, do you think I can get it done Dear Diary? I sure do hope so!

Well yesterday it was *very* cold here in Indiana, the mercury never rose above 7 degrees, and the wind blew all day and made it feel in the minus 10 degree range...yikes Dear Diary, my tootsie and bum were cold! So we stayed inside all day and all I did was make a big pot of chili and finish this:

My second "completion" of the 2008 - Patience Pillow by LHN from the Abigail Winslow pattern. I decided yesterday that each 'patterned' piece of my Dear Diary Sampler, I will consider a finish...I believe this will give me many small victories along the way!

So was this all that I accomplished, heck no! I went on and did this:

The border outline and bottom vine of Abigail's Dear Diary chart! I'm getting VERY excited as I see it "coming" to life! I don't want to put it away...what shall I do? Well, I put it away anyway, because to day is laundry day and CDC stitching day. Let's see what I do with it and I'll show you tomorrow!

I still have one more spot on my PIF list....any takers?

I hope today that I stitch with nimble fingers :)