And a RR makes its way home

What a great mail week! Look what found its way to my door, after making its way across Canada, the U.S. and Australia. My neighbourhood RR is finished!!




I love the houses that everyone chose for their areas and all the little extra's make it so fun to look at. I think I'll add a border around the neighbourhood and stitch in all the names of each person beside their home. Huge huge thanks to (starting at the top going left to right) Glenna, Carol, Nicole, Deb, (centre house is mine) Bine, Carissa, Karen and Leslie!

And now just a peek at some sewing/quilting I've been working on ~

A stocking ornament

I finished up my first Christmas ornament of the year. I stitched the Blackbird Design stocking from the 2008 JCS Ornament issue. It stitched up so quickly that I went back through some older issues and found the candy cane design that I remembered seeing before, also by Blackbird Designs. The small square of fabric showing is what I used for the backing fabric.

But I'm not too thrilled with my finishing. I ironed the fusible interfacing to the back of each piece and then whipstitched both together but I found a lot of little threads kept slipping out. Any ideas on how to put these together without a smoother finished edge? Did I cut the margins too small? I really need some finishing classes!

Halloween Stitching

Some Halloween stitching has been finished! The first one is from the new Prairie Schooler Book 148. As soon as I saw this, I had to start it!
And a freebie from The Sampler Girl, called Quaker Boo. This is stitched on 28 ct Jazlyn called Pumpkin Spice, using good ol' 310 ~ black DMC.
A little more random stitching has gone on, including a little Christmas stitching. And of course I absolutely to stitch the Blackbird Design ornament from the new JCS issue, which was so kindly sent to me from a very dear friend. I'll get a picture once I actually have the little stocking finished.

One more week off work for me, and I am finally starting to feel like my old self again. If only I could make this week streeeeetch a little longer! But I'm feeling too guilty about the ladies who have had to do my work for the past few weeks.

Have a great week!

Back again

Thank you all for your good wishes for the surgery! Its hard to believe that almost 2 weeks have passed already ~ I think I was in a big of a fog last week and the days slipped by. The surgery went well - 4 hours of it, although the doctor was not able to do it with the small incisions and had to go for the large one to get all the disease cleared up. Which meant a couple extra days in the hospital and a slower recovery at home. I'm finally able to sit at the computer a little more comfortably, although I made sure I was able to get into a stitching position as soon as possible. Well important things have to come first!

I hope to start visiting blogs and get some more stitching mojo back. I've just been picking at a few different projects here and there without really making any progress on anything.

We had our Thanksgiving Day on Monday and although we missed getting to our cottage for our annual feast, Carrie and our new son-in-law JF cooked an amazing dinner for us. Why is it food always tastes so much better when someone else cooks it?

Here is a picture I snatched from Carrie's facebook page of our cottage - the back end of it! So pretty - I miss seeing all the beautiful colours up north.

Wedding Pics!

Hey ~ its been an amazingly busy couple of weeks and I haven't had much chance to post or read any blogs. Soon I hope to have lots of time for catch-up! Tomorrow is the surgery day for me and I expect to be back up and running very soon.

So in the meantime, here are some wedding pics! It was a gorgeous ceremony and reception, and although the weather was very cloudy, the rain held off and I think the overcast day made the colours in the pictures stand out even more. What fantastic memories we will have of this special day.

The bride-to-be~

Carrie and Maid of Honour Kelly~
With Mum and Dad~

The happy couple during the Rose Ceremony~

And finally....the kiss~

Happy Saturday!

And its only one more week until Carrie and J-F's wedding! There are so many last minute things to do in the meantime, on top of work....its going to be crazy. Kelly arrived last Thursday and the two girls were already off bright and early this morning to get started on their day. Later we have to visit the resort where the wedding will take place and a quick visit to the nearby town for the liquor license. I can't wait for the big day to arrive!!

I also had my preop appointment this week in Toronto for my own big day. The Friday after the wedding is my surgery date, when I am finally going to get rid of these huge ovarian cysts that have been causing so many problems and a hysterectomy as well to get rid of the endometriosis. Its funny really to be so looking forwards to surgery but I can't wait to start feeling better.

I've been getting a little stitching done, not too much, but I got this sweet little design finished up: Its called Buttons & Pins by Blackbird Designs. I just need to find some wee buttons to sew along the open space of the border and finish in into a pin cushion. I used a Lakeside Linen piece of 40 ct something, it looks like a pale old yellow, not as yellowish as the scan came out, but a soft pretty colour.
Most people pile up books and reading to do for their convalescence, not me, I have stitching projects lined up! I may not have time to check in again before the wedding, so have a great week everyone!

And more Prairie Schooler

I think its pretty obvious, I love Prairie Schooler charts, I just can't get enough of them. I was just finishing up the 2008 Prairie Schooler Christmas chart, and working still away at Winter Wind (Book 133) , when one of the new releases came in the mail. This one is called When Witches Go Riding and I fell head over heels in love with it. I mean who could resist the picture of that wicked little witch dancing amongst her pumpkins? So I had to, I mean I really had to, get a start on this one too.

Here you go, a Prairie Schooler fiesta~

Fresh from the Framer

Its a Little House Needlework extravaganza! We just picked these up (along with the Wedding Sampler) and I am so happy with the way they turned out. Now I just have to figure out where to hang them up!
Sampler Lady by LHN, on 32 ct hand-dyed fabric, with GAST and DMC.
A Stitcher's Prayer, on 32 ct hand-dyed fabric, with DMC. Home of a Needleworker, on 32 ct hand-dyed fabric, with GAST and DMC.

Deb's RR

I finished my house section on Deb's RR last night and got started on my tombstone. I can't quite decide what gruesome saying to stitch on it...hopefully some inspiration will come to me. Unfortunately the colours in my section don't show up too well on this beautiful fabric. Then I have to put my little X-S figure in 'Heaven' and I'm done! Early this time too!!

Its the Labour Day holiday weekend, the last big hurrah of summer and we have some great weather forecasted. We are off to enjoy the last bit of summer weather at the cottage. Which means I better get my stitching bag packed like now!

And Tuesday morning, the kids are back to school. That always means a special dance about the house once they leave! I don't even want to tell you how much $$ I have spent on clothes in the past week. No new stash for quite a while .....

WIP update

Thank you for all the kind comments on my Blackbird Designs finish! I haven't decided how to finish this one yet, framed or wallhanging or even pillow?

Here is a WIP update ~ the 2008 Prairie Schooler Christmas kit. Its working up quickly and I love using the variegated Crescent Colours with this.
And last night I picked up Deb's (Lavender Rose Ramblings) Neighbourhood RR. She sent along the charts she wanted us to use and all the flossies - silks, GAST and DMC! I picked out the chart I wanted to use, one of the Morbid Pithies from The Workbasket and got a start on it. Once I get this done, I'll decide which figure to put in 'Heaven' and my tombstone for the cemetery! Its quite a detailed RR!

My arms have been getting a work-out at night time which is when I do my reading - in bed! I have almost finished reading World Without End by Ken Follett, the sequel to Pillars of the Earth.
What a great book, it is as good as Pillars, and one of those books that you hate to see end. The characters are amazing and following their life in the shadow of this cathedral has been so interesting. But while I hate to see it end, the next time I pick up a 1000+ page book, its going to be a softcover!

I will get a WIP pic of Deb's RR as soon as I make a little more headway with it!

Sunflower House

A finish...a finish! Yuko beat me to the end of Sunflower House, even though I had started before her! I think I must be a slower stitcher than I thought LOL!


Vickie at Hedgehog Stitchery had kindly asked if I had any stitched pieces I could let her borrow for display at her shop! What an honour!! I took some pieces over last night, only 3 framed pieces and several unframed. How funny that I felt at a loss to find pieces for her to display! I guess I have given a lot of my stitching away (mostly to my kids!) and I have a not so tiny pile of WIP's. Plus quite a few Christmas stockings/ornaments that are packed away at the moment. Still I felt it wasn't much to show for all my years of stitching....kind of strange really. I think I need to take some time and organize my stitching into an online album, for my own sanity really, because its hard for me to realize that a hobby at that I spend usually a couple of hours a day at, I feel like I don't have much to look at.

I also attended Carrie's wedding dress fitting last night and took my own dress in for some alterations. We got to see ourselves together in our dresses and Oh, my but we look gorgeous!!! Only 5 weeks and counting until the wedding!

Back home again

Holidays are over - and far too quickly! The weather I can't say was the greatest, lots and lots of rain but still, days spent stitching are never too dreary for me.

And I have a lot of pictures to show, be patient with me!

First off a start and finish:
Little House Needleworks 'Apples' on 32 ct cream linen with Crescent Colours

And another start and finish:
Little House Needleworks 'Reading' from the Little Women series, on 32 ct antique white, using Crescent Colours.
And next up, another start:

This is the Prairie Schooler 2008 Christmas kit, on the provided linen and Crescent Colours, once again.

And yet another Prairie Schooler start, Winter Wind. Of course I was missing just that 1-2 colours of DMC that i needed, so there are some spaces up top that need to be filled in.

We got home on Friday night but the end of our holidays has been tempered by Kelsey having gotten out of the house and now missing for almost 24 hours. We didn't even realize she was missing until about 2 hours after, as she quite often naps for a long spell after her running about at the cottage. Every one was out looking for her Saturday night but no luck. So the local animal shelters have been called, emergency vet clinics, and she is micro-chipped. We are hoping desperately that someone has taken her in and will call one of these places tomorrow, thinking that nothing would be open on Sunday. Please send good thoughts for her safe return home. Here's a picture of her ~

Updated (Monday) Kelsey is back home! A lady saw her wandering about near busy roads and picked her up for us. Unfortunately with the weekend, she was unable to contact any of the animal welfare groups we had contacted until Monday morning. As soon as J-F got the phone call, we were off to get her and bring her back home, safe and sound! Now to get that new dog tag with the proper address.....

Holidays!

We're just starting....as of today, I am officially on vacation for the next 2 weeks. Ahhhh, that blissful sensation of having absolutely nothing to do, I can't wait! We're leaving for the cottage tomorrow and yes, I still have a lot to do. Am I organized? Not on your life but the important things are already taken care of - my stitching. That bag was packed last night with lovely fabrics chosen and edges sewn over, with various little charts and threads all packaged up and ready for whatever delightful piece takes my fancy. There are absolutely no stitching rules allowed when I'm on holiday, just pick up a piece and stitch, for however long and for absolutely no reason other than for the sheer joy of stitching. I'm sure any neighbours who happen to see me during my vacation must think I'm absolutely nuts, I'm never without a needle in my hand, or cool refreshing drink either. Good thing I have 2 hands.

I have been stitching up a storm since I finished Love with a Capital L (which by the way is enjoying being stretched and pulled at the framers) and I picked up my Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. It wasn't hard to decide which one of my BAP's to return to, this one fairly jumped into my lap wanting some attention. I really think I should just focus my attention one BAP at a time if I ever want to finish one in the next decade. And here is a pic of the lovely H's, with House #4 finished and even a nice start made on House #8. Unfortunately H's isn't vacationing with me, if would entail dragging my glorious but majorly overweight magnifier, and since most of my stitching is done under a tree at the water's edge, that would mean extension cords, etc., and I really don't want the neighbours to question my sanity too seriously. And for some reason I really don't like extension cords next to water.


Before I blog off for 2 weeks, I'll leave you with some delightful pics of what my hubby has been doing in our backyard. Here is a before he started:
And here is a pic once he was finished with his saw and sledgehammer:
There's nothing like a good demolition project to put fire in a man's bones! Well, personally I don't understand the thrill of ripping stuff apart but nothing charges hubby up more than this. I just wish he was as thrilled with the re-building aspect. Meanwhile we have a lovely dirt mess for the doggies to enjoy chasing each other about. Of course they are awfully good about wiping their dirty paws on rugs and furniture once they come back in the house for a drink. I think I will be calling the landscapers when we get home....

Have a great 2 weeks!

Sunflower House and a small finish

Thank you all for your wonderful comments on the Love Sampler! Its so heartwarming to read what everyone has said. I was so anxious to put my last few stitches on this - I just don't do well with deadlines. We are off to the framer's later today to pick out a frame and get that organized, as well as few other small pieces that have been waiting to be framed and displayed.

Sunflower House update - but I'm not happy with how the colours look in the pictures! Really they are much nicer than how they look here. Yuko has put me to shame with how quickly she is getting through this one! I think she's going leave me far behind and finish ahead of me.

And another little finish - this is Bine's Neighbourhood RR. I love the set-up she chose, with a long row of houses. And doesn't it look sweet!

Love with a Capital L

Happy Dance with me!
I'm done I'm done!!! The wedding sampler for my daughter Carrie is finished and in plenty of time to have it framed and displayed at the wedding reception in September. And isn't it pretty, even if I do say so myself :-D

Now I wish I had kept track of the hours spent on this piece, but I think it would have to be upwards of 200. Whew, that was a lot of stitching. Its done on 40 ct Lambswool linen and used 4 skeins of Gloriana Cranberry silk floss. I love how it turned out, and I love the deep red stitching on the colour of the linen. Its my first large piece done all in one colour and I think that's what helped move the stitching along so quickly. And this is very close to the red that the bridesmaids will be wearing at the wedding, how perfect it all worked out since I started long before the dresses or colours were chosen.

But I have to admit that I am very eager to get back to my regularly scheduled stitching and some of these poor neglected pieces that have been languishing since the engagement was announced. Hmmm, and may be even something new?

Some close-ups!

Sunflower House

I missed getting a picture of my Sunflower House last week, but now here it is, with a little more to see. I finished up the house and 3 of the sunflowers. This seems to be working up quickly!
Be sure to visit Yuko's blog to see her Sunflower House too! Her pictures are much much prettier to see than mine!

New stash and new start

Thank you all so much for your feedback on my Comfort Lady's skirt! I really had some doubts and was thinking about bringing in the frogs on this one. But I guess it does make her unique so the washed out, bleached spattered skirt will remain. The Sisterhood Pattern went in the mail at the post office on Monday and is now adding more miles as she makes her way to Sue's.

And I have added another stitching lady to my collection. New stash came in the mail yesterday:
Little House Needleworks "My Needle's Work" and the 2008 Prairie Schooler Santa kit. This is my first PS Christmas kit, it came with linen and Crescent Colour fibres, I want to start this one NOW!

But I did make a small new start on the weekend:
This is "Sarah's ABC Pincushion" from Blackbird Designs' Thank you Sarah Tobias book. I am using a remnant of something....30 ct R&R linen, in a really cool coffee colour. Its perfect for this yummy Gloriana silk called Autumn Arbor, that Annemarie sent to me. As you can see its attached to her sweet little floss fob that she made! I've been saving this for just the right project :-D

Sorry for the scanned pics...hubby is still away vacationing at the cottage...with the digital camera!

And just another wee treat for your eyes, more stash:
Isn't this beautiful! Its designed after an original 'souvenir' book dated 1895. I'm in love with this but I mean it, I am swearing off big projects....well, for a while anyways.

I'm staying inside in our lovely cool A/C today. The huge thunderstorms that went through yesterday did nothing to break the hot humid weather we are having.
Have a great day!

And the Sisterhood Pattern is off to.....

Here is my lady of the Sisterhood! She's done, and I thoroughly enjoy stitching this lovely piece as my initiation. Hmm, I'm still not quite sure about her skirt. I used most GAST threads in this and the original colour I had picked for the skirt was far too dark against the lettering. So I changed to the only other purple I had ~ GAST Red Plum ~ and well, actually it is quite wonky looking. Be honest now, and tell me what you think! Weird but wonderful anyways?

And I know what you are really waiting for ~ the draw, well not so much, as I used the Random Integer Generator for this....and the winner is: Lovely Sue of Stitching and Life in the Company of Pets! Sue is a beautiful stitcher, an animal lover like me and I am so happy the Sisterhood Pattern will be going to her! Sue, please e-mail your address to me and the chart will be on its way.

Thank you to everyone who wanted to join in on the Sisterhood, I'm sure one day it will be making its way to your door! And Happy 4th of July to my U.S. bloggers!

Last chance for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern!

Another peek at the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern ~ that's right, the eyes are missing. Isn't there just always one floss colour that you are missing!!!! Once the eyes are done and the nose outlined, my lady will be finished!

So last chance to get your name in on the draw. I'll pick a name from random draw generator on Friday morning and then off she goes on her merry travels.

And since I celebrated July 1st (Canada Day) at the cottage, I picked up Blackbird Designs Sunflower House again, this time around to start a SAL with Yuko. Its a funny looking house at the moment, as I'm just painting it in all the GAST Butternut Squash.
Lucky, lucky hubby is off for 2 weeks vacation and I guess I'm having a mini sort of vacation as I'm on my own....Nick is staying with hubby this week and Kristy is off to camp as a counsellor in training.

Thanks for stopping by!