L*K Monday Stitch-a-long

I know it's Wednesday, but I did stitch for the Monday SAL.  One hour of time seems to fly right by!  I make sure that I sit down and stitch between 8 and 9 pm.  Sometimes it's all the time that I have.  Here's my progress:

I got to frog out half of the M and redo it.  I left out a line.  Oops.  But I'm back on track now!

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

Framed!

A week ago I took a few things up to my framer Mary.  Yesterday I picked up the finished products.

First up is Christmas Rules by L*K.  We thought we were framing it the same as what I used for the Christmas Double Flips series.  We didn't.  I didn't figure that out until I got the piece home.  Oh well.  It looks just fine in the frame we did choose for it.

For hanging, I paired it up with the Christmas double flips and hung them over my bed, on either side of a Monet print that I had hanging there.  The lamp is for when I sit up in bed and cross-stitch.  Gotta have lamps everywhere!  The camera angle is funny because I was trying to avoid the glare from the flash.

I also brought home this Pansy Bouquet.  This is one of the first things I stitched.  I know I was just learning because my top stitches are going every which way.  I think the leaflet is called Country Bouquets, and if my stuff wasn't still half packed and half unpacked, I'm sure I could find it.  We went with a simple frame with just a touch of detail.  I think it looks great!

The last thing that I had framed is something that my Mom stitched for me 30 or so years ago.  She had self framed it and it was being held in the frame with masking tape.  The piece itself was getting a bit dirty, and the frame was kinda banged up as well.  I asked Mary to re-stretch it and add glass and spacers.  I kept the banged up frame because that's part of this pieces history.  This one should be good to go for another 30 years or so.

I hung these two pieces, plus another one I did a while back, between the door and the mirror to my dresser.  It's a column of me!  I almost got away with no glare in the photo!  Close, but not quite, eh.

Now to save my pennies so I can get a few more things framed.  I've still got the wall space to fill!

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

TUSAL - August 29th, 2011

I stitched a lot this past month, the little orts don't seem to show that, though...

From left to right, the little balls of floss are stitching on: Crabby All Year & Cross Stitcher in Residence, the white is for the Heirloom Nativity Sampler (barely seen), and Bless Our House.

I have another picture to show them all in the jar.  It's almost half way full!  I can't believe that my big jar is halfway full of flosses!

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

Weekend Stitching

Look at me!  All on time for the weekend stitching report!

I finished up the snow and other detail work on the Heirloom Nativity and moved up to a band of vines and flowers.  It's looking pretty good.

Crabby All Year is going good as well.  I've actually finished up the Zombies block since I took this picture.  Two more blocks to go! Woot-woot!

And the vines, tree, and dog are going in on Bless Our House.  I think by the end of this week I'll have moved over to the other side of the image.  Getting closer to starting in on the Sampler au Bouquets by Jardin Prieve.  Anyway, this is turning out to be darling as well.

And tomorrow is the L*K SAL night, so Christmas ABC's will get some more time put into it. ... Unless I start in in Six Fat Men.  Those silly snowmen are calling my name!!!  I need more hours in my day to stitch.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

gathering up finishing materials

Mom and I went to a fabric shop Saturday and I picked up some fabric to finish off a few of my recent projects.

This will be finished off into a little wall hanging.  I thought the purple was a good match to the purple I used in the wording, and a good contrast with the blue.  Now I just have to talk Mom into taking a few minutes out of her quilting schedule to do this for me.

This fabric will be for the back of my nativity figures.  I like how it has a nice molted feel to it.  I'm on the look out for a nice cording to go around the outside edge of these guys once we get them sewn up.  Another project that I'm going to have to talk Mom into.

One of my LNS' called to say that the fabric I wanted had come in.  It's a nice 32 ct. cream linen.  So average I didn't take a picture of it.  They also had all of the new L*K patterns... So I had to buy them.

Which reminds me, once again I forgot to pick up the flosses for Tiny Tiding XV so I can give it away properly!!  I am such a ditz.  I did buy some flosses, though...

I was unsure how some of those flosses would look on my purple fabric.  With the picture I can see that they will turn out just well.  I really really want to start in on this one!  But it needs to get in line behind Christmas ABC and Christmas by the Letter...  Maybe I'll start it anyway... because I can!

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

Death of a Camera

My camera has died.  I guess I know what I'm putting on my Christmas list for this year.  There are only 124 sleeps to go! (There's an app for that... and it was free!)  So I borrowed Mom's camera for the update.

How is your Christmas Stitching going?  I'm doing some serious progress on the Zombies block.  I think there's just as much black on this as there was brown on the other block... but I'll stitch happily with black and grumble at brown.  Go figure.

I put more snow into the scene with the Wisemen on my Heirloom Nativity Sampler.  It sure does feel like I'm moving slow on this one.  But a little bit at a time will eventually get it all done.

And for the Monday L*K SAL, I started on ABC Christmas.  I put about an hour into it, and feel good with my progress.  I know I'm a slow stitcher already...

I'm trying to decide if I want to work my way up to the upper left hand corner, or just go down from here.  It doesn't really matter as the whole thing needs to be stitched eventually.  Mmmm... Sparkly fabric.

Today I took in my Christmas Rules to be framed.  It should be back in a week or so.  The gal that I use is really reasonable and does framing out of her house.  She does a lot of conservation type framing, and I know my stuff is in good hands.  She hasn't had a lot of business with the down economy, which is the reason for the quick turn around.  ... I just realized that the framing stock I picked for Christmas Rules doesn't match what I chose for the Christmas Double flips.  It looks great... but I wanted the framing to match... to call or not to call... Ugh!

Well, that's all I've got to say for now.
Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

Catch up on Stitching

On Monday I finished up the piece I was doing for the L*K Monday Stitch-A-Long.  I like the way this turned out.  Very cute.  I have it pinned to the back of my door until I can finish it off as a wee banner to hang on the front of my door... My bedroom door, that is, and I've moved back home with Mom and Dad.

See, way cute.  I also managed to finish off the Leaves block on my Crabby All Year and start in on the Zombies! block.  Only three more to go and then it's time to start putting the buttons on.  I've got to save up a wee bit of money so I can get it framed for Mom before Christmas arrives.  I'd better get it done soon so there's enough time to get it framed!

On Sunday, the Wisemen got a little more work done on them.  I added the back stithcing for the tree, the star, and a lot more snow.  Unfortunately the snow doesn't so up so well in the pictures.  Just use your imagination.

The at work project, Bless Out House, also saw some good time put into it.  This is due mostly to a network outage we had.  I couldn't do anything but sit and stitch while waiting for the IT guys to get everything up and running.  Everything that I do at work is network related.  Looking at the data in the old database and comparing it to the data in the new database.  So anyway...

Since I finished off my Monday project it was time to start a new one.  Did I choose any of those patterns that I bought floss for the other day?  Heck no!  I went with L*K's ABC Christmas.  This is a restart for me.  I started it last year and decided I didn't like the fabric I choose.  Here is last years start:

Granted the fabric isn't bad.  In fact it's down right pretty and suitable for the piece.  But for some dumb reason I decided I didn't like it.  Here is what I am going to stitch it on now.  This is 28 count Raw-Gold Belfast linen.  There's just something about the Raw-Gold that I love for L*K and Christmas.

Now I'm going to go back and edit my earlier post because I forgot a thought or two!

Hugs and Stitches
Kay

Sometimes I go crazy... a little bit...

So you guys know that sometimes I go a little bit crazy.  Well, it happened again this week.  I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to stitch up all the L*K yearly Santa's that I've been collecting, a long with a few other L*K's that I have in my stash.  I got to feeling a little bit guilty about not stitching up some of those patterns that have been gifts to me from my siblings over the years.  (Darned flash!)

I have fabric that I want to put these on, I just didn't have all of the flosses.  So... instead of choosing a pattern to start and purchasing the flosses for that chart, I compiled a list of all the flosses used in all the patterns.  I mean, why would you want to limit yourself?  I did consult my collection of floss stash, and edited down on how many skeins I really felt I needed to stitch any and all of these patterns.

And 65 flosses later, and one happy LNS owner, the above is a mess of what I brought home.  I really need to be less crazy.  It's way cheaper.

Hugs and Stitches
Kay

One last though... On my list of things to get was a set of flosses to go with my extra Tiny Tidings XV pattern.  I had the list with me when I went to the shop.  I wrote it out carefully on a slip of paper and put it in my purse.  Well... that list was separate from my other list and I completely forgot to take it out and buy those flosses!!  Ack!!  I guess the give away will have to wait a bit longer. At least until I can get my act together!

Kay the forgetful

Giveaway received, Giveaway starting

A few weeks ago I won a give away by Jennifer of Confessions of a Serial Starter.  I can't tell you how surprised I was to win.  Today, her package arrived and I was again surprised.  Here's what she sent over:

First, on the way of discovery was Mr. Sheepie. He makes me laugh.  I have just the place for him on my bookshelves where he'll be kept company with Mr. Rino and Mr. Lion.  He's really quite cute.

The next thing I discovered are the two little pin cushions.  Aren't they pretty and fun?  Here by my desk I have a few shelves on the wall filled with pin cushions and scissor frogs.  I think they are going to find a home on those shelves.

Also finding a home on the shelves by my desk is the glass scissor frog Jennifer sent me.  This is a great addition to my budding collection.  I don't have another one like it and the holes are different sizes.  I think a pen or highlighter or some such would go great in the large center hole, and then scissors all around.  ... I may have to develop a scissor habbit here in a few.

And tucked away in the bottom of my box was a package of Silkweaver Solo in a 28 ct. Cashel Linen with a few skeins of Belle Soie silks.  Oh. My. Drool.  I usually don't buy silks because of the cost, and these are such pretty colors.  They are Peaches 'n Cream, Puritan Blue, and Icing.  I'll have to find a special project for them... or I can just keep them in my stash and pull them out on occasion and bush them up against my cheek.

As for the Silkweaver Solo, I wish I knew the name of the color.  It is just begging for a Halloween design to be stitched on it.  Isn't it beautiful?  The variation of colors...  I think if I'm careful I might get two projects out of it.  Knowing the problems people have had with the new company that bought Silkweaver, this is really a treasure.

Thank you so much, Jennifer, for you wonderful giveaway!  I wish my pictures did better justice to the prizes.

So that's the Giveaway received.  As for the Giveaway starting, I've decided to give away my second copy of Lizzie*Kate's Tiny Tiding XV, with a cut of fabric from my stash to stitch it on, and maybe a few flosses to stitch it up with.  Won't that be fun?  I'd like to say that I'll post the official entry page tomorrow, but I know how time gets away from me, so it will be soon... I hope...

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

Some stash, some stitching

Yesterday I got to spend the evening with a good friend from college.  She now lives back east and was out here visiting friends and family.  On my way to meet with her, I had to stop in at the Craft Center.  I bought some fabric for Rosewood Manors "Inspiration", and a handful of Lizzie*Kate charts (I think I'm addicted.), and a small pair of scissors that had a purple handle.  There was no way I could turn down purple scissors!  Here's the haul (along with the flosses for Inspiration that I picked up last weekend when JoAnn was having a floss sale).

When I was putting my charts away, I discovered that I'd already purchased the Tiny Tidings chart!  That must mean it's time to make a list of what I have and start carrying it with me.  It'd be nice if there was 'an app for that'.  So... if anyone is in need of a brand spanking new Tiny Tidings XV I'd like to sell it to you for what I paid for it ($8), with free shipping to the US!

Since I was posing, I took a picture of Bless Our House.  It was a stressful week at work and I didn't get to stitch at lunch as much as I usually do.  I expect to be done with the roof top next week, barring any disasters.

Reading the thread about floor stands on the 123 Stitch message board has led me to the Stitch Mate.  It looks like a really nice stand.  From what I can see in the base, it's sturdy.  I wonder if they can make it a little bit taller for me.  The FAQ states that the clamp height is adjustable up to 30 inches.  So I got out a tape measure and sat in all the chairs I stitch in and came to the conclusion that 30 inches is too low.  I'd be hunched over the fabric like Quasimodo.  I think I need a clamp height of about 38 to 40 inches.  I suppose I could e-mail them and ask.  I also wonder if it's reversible, if it can be used on the left side of the chair and the right side of the chair.  All the pictures show it on the same side of the chair. ... I know, I know, e-mail and ask them.  I'm just typing aloud to myself is all.

The weekend is here! Yay!  More putting away stuff from the move, and not nearly enough stitching.  I miss being unemployed for the unlimited hours to stitch that I had.  I wish I knew how to make a living wage by cross stitching. But enough ho-humming.  I'm going to get that pile of leaves done on Crabby All Year.  Then I can move onto a new block!

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

L*K Monday Stitch-a-long

Here's my progress from Monday.  I'm almost through with the word "Stitcher" and might be able to eek out the rest of it next Monday.  That would be excellent.  I've been thinking of taking this one to work with me on Mondays to work on during lunch instead of Bless Our House.  I have a whole herd of little L*K's that need to be stitched up.  This might work since I don't think to do the small stuff when I've got big stuff in the hoops.

I read with interest the comments on the 123 Stitch message borad the other day on a thread about Floor Stands.  I've been thinking on and off about getting one for my big projects.  I want something wooden, easy to flip over to the back side, a high stitch height (I work with the fabric about 6 inches from my nose), and easy to change between projects.  I've seen a few that I like, but haven't seen one that fits the easy to change between projects idea.  I'll have to think on it some more.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

A stitch here, a stitch there...

It seems like I'm never going to get to the end of this pile of leaves!!!  I worked on it all week long, here and there where ever I could grab a few minutes.  And I've still got lots of leaves to go.  I wish I liked stitching with brown more than I do... but I don't...  Maybe I'll make the rest of the pile of leaves purple.  I love purple.

The landscapers and roofers have shown up at the house.  After having a few plants smashed by flying shingles, the landscapers have deferred to the roofers.  Landscaping will go in once the roof is finished.

And it started to snow on the Wisemen on their journey. Hopefully it won't turn into a full blown blizzard!

I understand that people are receiving their copies of Just Cross Stitch with the Halloween ornaments.  I sure hope my copy is forwarded okay.  I tend to receive mine at the end of the mailiing, and with forwarding it will be further behind... I'll have to start stalking the magazine rack over at Barnes & Noble just in case and if I end up with two copies, that's okay.

It's Monday, so I'm going to go put a few stitches into Cross Stitcher in Residence.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kar

L*K Monday Stitch-a-long

I know I'm a day late, but let's face it, I'm usually running a day behind. ... Case in point, I came home form work thinking I'd sign up for the Elsue Ornament Exchange over on the 123 Stitch message board, and the first post I read stated that it had been closed.  Well bummer. 

On the other hand, I tend to be 'that person' in exchanges... you know, that gal who faithfully fulfills her obligations only to receive nothing in return.  It's not just in cross stitch exchanges, but goes all the way back to secret santa, secret sister, or secret friend activities waaaay back to junior high and elementary school. ... I want all my cool stuff back!!!

Any how... I put aside some time and stitched to my hearts content on Cross Stitcher in Residence.  Just a few more words to go and I'm done.

I love the fabric.  I need to figure out where to acquire some more.  If I had placed this a little more carefully, I could have got another pattern on the fabric.  But I'm spatially challenged.  This is why I don't design.

I'm having a good time reading the daily e-mail from Attic Needlework in Mesa.  They've been doing a 12 days of Christmas in July/August.  Today was day 8 and they had a deal I couldn't pass up.  We'll see if I got my order to them in time!  No use claiming a stash acquisition when you're not sure if you got your order in in time or not.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay