Moving on!

Thank you all for the encouragement to keep with my CHS alphabet. Seriously I was ready to toss it aside for greener (actually snowy) pastures, but with so many ready to do some happy dancing with me, I felt I couldn't let anybody down. So the alphabet made its way back on the stitching hoop and W for Willow got finished off last night. Then I moved right on over to 'X'.

Lookee what the mailman brought home this week - my Quaker Friendship RR, completed! Isn't it gorgeous! Everyone did a fantastic job stitching on it. I used a DMC variegated thread for the centre motif and asked everyone to chose one of the matching threads to stitch their section. I really wanted to see the change-over from each person who stitched on it and I think it turned out beautifully. This poor RR group has had some issues with someone who left the group and absconded with 3 people's pieces and threads! Unbelievable to have someone drop off the face of the earth and keep others' RR's. We were so lucky to have lovely Valerie step in and take over and unfortunately then get swamped with RR's. Thanks Rowyn, Edgar, Donna, Carol and Valerie for stitching on this beautiful keepsake for me!!
And finally ~ I've been tagged by Melissa to name 5 addictions. And if you haven't dropped by Melissa's blog, be sure to swing over that way and check out her gorgeous stitching (and knitting :0D)

5 addictions (well, I'll name the top 5, or we'll be here for a while)
1. Stitching ..... of course!
2. Quilting.
3. Blog reading.
4. My doggies.
5. and my newest downfall ~ Honey Ginger Green tea (President's Choice brand).

Have a great stitchy weekend!

January Stitching

What have I been stitching on this year? My Carriage House Samplings Alphabet series....started (gasp) in 2006. I am determined to get one of my BAP's out of the way this year and I have been plodding away at this lovely series since the new year started and making some great progress. Until the past week that is...and I feel my resolveto finish this first hedging, and more and more I have been eyeing my lovely pile of stash waiting impatiently for just the first few stitches.

Why, oh why, can't I just see this one through to the end? I'm so close, just a couple more letters and then the 2 signature areas...and the border. But February is looming and some lovely Valentine freebies are out there aching to be stitched. Its like starting a diet for me, and that goal to see it through quickly gets sidelined by the lure of sweet goodies just around the next corner.

Well here it is Monday and I made it through the weekend, with the help of my Saturday afternoon Quilting Club start and something fresh to brighten up these dreary cold winter days.

So I'll leave you with some pictures of my CHS alphabet

As of January 2007 - stitched on 40 ct antique white Newcastle linen, using a combination of DMC and GAST threads.

As of January 2008 - a little more done.



And the latest scan in January 2009 - down to the bottom!

And a couple of pics of Bella modelling her new coat, lovingly sent to her by her doggy nieces, Maddy and Maisie (Kelly's doggies)!

More Christmas stitching....late I know :-D

More Christmas stitching??? I know the season is well and over as the deep cold outside is reminding me, but I didn't get a chance to update my blog very much last month, so I'm going to force a couple more pics. Well these were actually Christmas presents so I couldn't show them beforehand anyways.

This is Prairie Schooler's Winter Wind, on 32 ct Antique white linen. I made this into a flatfold for a Christmas present for Kelly. My first flatfold, using the lovely Vonna's detailed instructions!

And 2 days before Christmas I put the finishing touches on the set of Shepherd's Bush ornaments, 8 of them from the JCS Ornament issues. These were really fun to stitch and so quick too. I used some brushed cottons from my stash to finish them up, and simple jute for hangers. These were a present for Carrie! Bella is settling in very well at home, and becoming my little shadow. She teases me when I'm coming down the stairs by taking little nips at my legs, to remind me that she is there. But by far her favourite game is to race about the house as fast as she can. She will race up the stairs, run about the hall to our bedroom and then back again around and down again. She does this about 5-6 times before she collapses in a heaving little ball on the floor, waits until she catches her breath, and then she's off again. If only I had a little of that energy.

Until next time!