Boo Quaker

I finished this sweet little Halloween Quaker designed by Tanya of The Sampler Girl.

The Sampler Girl "Boo Quaker"
Fabric: 40 ct. Light Sand New Castle Linen
Thread: WDW - Mascara
Started: 10/28/08 - Finished: 10/30/08

Well, this is going to be a quick post - I have a conference with my son's teacher! Write later! :)

Acorn Hill and an Ornament Finished!

Little House Needleworks "Acorn Hill"
Fabric: 32 ct. Vintage Luna by Lakeside Linens
Threads: Crescent Colours and GAST
Started: 10/14/08 - Finished: 10/27/08

I ended up getting Acorn Hill finished pretty early last night, so I decided to also finish an ornament - using what I call the Ruth Technique! :) She finishes her ornaments so pretty and so simple. She just sews them on to felt and frays them a little. The only difference on mine was I used pinking shears on the edge of my felt.

I also received some early birthday stash yesterday from DSL! I ordered it on Friday and it was here Monday! Talk about instant gratification!! :)

I got the two new "Sea to Shining Sea" thread packs along with "Peppermint Lane" and Lizzie Kate's "Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle." I love that chart, I plan to finish it into an ornament like the one above. Oh and I also got the "Dragonfly" thread pack from CCN. I forgot to include it in the picture.

Here are the "Sea to Shining Sea" silks on the recommended Natural Belfast Linen...

And here they are on the linen that I think would be perfect for it, which is Sea Storm by Lakeside Linens...

Only I don't have enough. I'm hoping when I go down to Florida this weekend that my LNS down there will have it. I think I remember seeing it last time I was there.

Well, I think this post is long enough now! Write later! :)

Acorn Hill Almost Finished!

I just have to do the top part, which I hope to finish up today! Write later! :)

Peppermint Lane

(c) Nikki Leeman of Country Cottage Needleworks

I love this new design coming out by Country Cottage Needleworks! It's a must have and must stitch for me! I love everything about it - the colors are so sweet (no pun intended)! :)

Well, no stitching for me. I got an inner ear infection (my first ever - my mom gets them all the time), which caused me to get very bad vertigo, which caused me to be sick. Dh went to the store and got me some motion sickness medicine. Thankfully it helped. I'm still a little queasy, but I am doing much better.

I also messed up "Kindred Spirits." I didn't think the fabric looked right (dh said it looked like someone spilled orange Kool-Aid on it). So I decided to dye it a little darker. Well, I ended up dyeing it too dark. So then I decided to start over on a different piece of fabric (PTP Relic), but I didn't like that either. I hate it when I'm so picky! It drives me nuts. I should have just stuck with the original fabric because now that I look at the pictures again I see it looks fine. Oh well, I ended up ordering the recommended 40 ct. Days Gone By from Silkweaver. Hopefully I will get it fairly quick and then I can still get it stitched around Halloween.

For now I think I will get back to "Acorn Hill." Write later! :)

Wow!!

Thank you all for your very kind comments on my class piece! I still can't believe I actually finished it. I did start a few things over the weekend and I finished one!

Little House Needleworks "Pine Tree Hill" from the JCS 10/06 issue
Fabric: 28 ct. Creme Brulee by R&R
Threads: Crescent Colours and DMC

My two other starts were by The Primitive Needle, which I think is becoming my newest favorite designer.

This one is "Kindred Spirits." I'm stitching it on 40 ct. Vintage Light Examplar, which I already had in my stash. The threads are Belle Soie Noir and Kiwi and Sampler Threads Bittersweet.

And this one is "Simply Live." I first saw this on Monique's blog and fell instantly in love! I saw it at Mary's shop over the weekend and came up with my own color scheme using all four of the conversions listed in the pattern. The fabric is 40 ct. Pearled Barley by Lakeside Linens.

Well, I'm going to get back to stitching while Matthew is taking a nap! Thank you again everyone!! Write later! :)

I'm Back!

Wow, I had so much fun at the Pals Fall Fling in Myrtle Beach. It went by so fast!! It felt like I got there and then in a blink of an eye I was headed home. The class was wonderful. If you ever get a chance to take a class with Jane Timmers I highly recommend it! I finished my class piece and that was the first time I ever finished a class piece! Her instructions were so clear and so easy!

I definitely would like to go again next year! For more pictures click here! Write soon!

New Start!

I decided to start LHN's "Acorn Hill" yesterday instead of working on my Bent Creek Sampler. I didn't get too much done. I was trying to decide which fabric to use. I finally went with 32 ct. Vintage Luna by Lakeside Linens.

I am using cotton threads instead of the called for silks. I made a couple substitutions. I'm using GAST Raspberry Parfait and Bittersweet instead of CC Cupid and Copper Penny.

I also stopped by my somewhat LNS today to pick up some fabric for what may be my next Project. LHN's "The Counting House."

The color wasn't listed, but I think it's 28 ct. Twilight Blue Jobelan. I also picked up a few threads I was needing for Lizzie Kate's "Santa Wants to Know." I can't wait to start this one! :)

Well, not much else going on here! I'm so looking forward to my get away to the Pals Fall Fling starting tomorrow night! It hardly seems real. I truly need this break for my sanity! LOL! :) Write later!

Halloween Sampler

I finished up Lizzie Kate's "Halloween Sampler" this morning. I decided to leave out the row of spiders, so I used the bottom part of the tall sampler, and put the short sampler on the top if that makes any sense at all! :)

Lizzie Kate "Halloween Sampler"
Fabric: 28 ct. Heritage Cashel
Threads: GAST, WDW & DMC

Started: 10/12/08 - Finished: 10/14/08

The stitching on 28 ct. went really fast after stitching over one on 32. Now, I'm trying to decide what to stitch next - I may get back to my Bent Creek sampler. Write later! :)

Class Project Stitching Finished!

I finished up the stitching on my class project this weekend. I'm so glad to have it done. Remind me not pick anymore over one projects. They are just too tedious. I need my cross stitch to be fun and easy because cross stitch is my escape! Over one, for me, is not always fun or easy, actually it's not ever fun and easy for me. I have to think too much! LOL! :) Anyway, here is my pic...

After I finished that up I decided to get back to the correct holiday of the season and stitch "Halloween Sampler" by Lizzie Kate.

I'm stitching it on 28 ct. Heritage Cashel using the recommended Weeks and Sampler Threads. Well, not much else going. I've just been cleaning like crazy because we are having an inspection on our condo at noon today! Write later! :)

For Sale!

I have listed some items for sale on my trade blog! Everything has been sold! Thank you so much everyone! :)

Christmas Spirit Mini Banner Finished!

Lizzie Kate Christmas Spirit Double Flips
Fabric: 32 ct. Lambswool Jobelan
Threads: GAST, WDW & CC
Started: 7/6/08 - Finished 10/9/08

I decided not to put the charms on. I kind of liked it plain. I also substituted CC Magnolia Blossom for WDW Whitewash. Now, hopefully I can get my class project finished soon. Write later! :)

Almost Finished!

I've been stitching away on my mini banner and I'm almost done! It's gone faster than I thought it would. I just have to finish up "Holly" and the border now.

After I finish this I need to get back to my class project (Madeira Tin Project). Only nine more days until the class! I can't wait! :) Write later!

Christmas Spirit

I'm getting into the Christmas Spirit by stitching my Lizzie Kate Christmas Spirit Double Flips banner. I'm only doing half of it, so I started at the bottom. I finished "Candy" and "Tree" last night. I have a tiny start on "Santa." I thought I would try to get this finished before starting my other two Christmas LKs.

Thank you all for your very kind comments on "Two White Houses." Many of you also commented on my picture taking. I always take pictures outside (I have a screened in porch) or by a window. I rarely use a flash. I use the macro setting on my camera. It's the setting that has the picture of the flower. It basically means close up. I also use one of the highest ISO settings. For my smaller Nikon (coolpix), 400 was the highest I could go. For my Nikon D40 I usually use 1600, although it can go higher, 1600 is high enough for the pictures I take. Now, for regular picture taking you want a smaller ISO, so remember to switch it back, or you will have grainy pictures. I have made that mistake several times and have lots of grainy kid pictures - not cute! I also use a program (picasa or picnik) to crop and sometimes sharpen, adjust the temperature or exposure. The Pioneer Woman has some great tips. She takes beautiful pictures and is a great inspiration to me!



P.S. My white background that I put all my stitching on to take pictures is just 50 cent poster board. :)

Two White Houses Finished!

Sorry about not posting much this week. I have been busy stitching! I got "Two White Houses" finished up today after working on it off and on all this week.

Little House Needleworks "Two White Houses"
Fabric: 32 ct. Vintage Examplar by Lakeside Linens
Threads: DMC
Started: 9/28/08 - Finished 10/5/08

I have also been working on my class project some. I have less than two weeks now until the class. I finished up the biscornu stitching and now I'm working on the needlecase...

The over one drives me batty, so I can only work on it for a little bit at a time. I also went stitching last night at Keep Em In Stitches. I picked up a couple of new Lizzie Kate kits while I was there (of course I had no will power once again). :)

I love the colors in these designs though. They are not just the traditional red and green Christmas colors - there is blue and pink and even lime green in there too. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to starting one of these. Not sure which one yet. Write later and I promise to be a better blogger next week! : )