For Sale!!

I have listed some items for sale on my Trade Blog.

I love IKEA!

I took my mom to the new IKEA in Tampa while I was down there. I would love to have an IKEA house - I don't think there is one thing I wouldn't like from that store (including the food - their sweedish meatballs are so good)! Well, I'll never be able to afford to have an IKEA house, but I did pick up this cute shelf unit for $19.99! I put it together in about 15 minutes and got out my finished stitching that had been hiding away in my closet. I put the unit near my stitching spot in the living room, so I can look over and see it. These pictures aren't the greatest because I don't have good lighting in my living room, but you get the idea...

Well, I didn't get any stitching done yesterday. It was a lazy day for all of us. I did go to the grocery store, that was about it. Bradley, my nine year old, has started liking Harry Potter. We listened to the first book on the way down to Florida and he really liked it (I did too). I got him the 2nd and 3rd books yesterday and he's already on chapter four. I'm so happy he's a reader! Anyway, I hope to get some stitching done today! Write soon!

Home again!

I just got back from Florida last night. I was able to stitch a little bit while I was down there. I worked on "The Riddle" some.

The lighting at my mom's wasn't too great, so I decided to start something else. I found some 25 ct. Natural Dublin linen at my LNS down there and started Drawn Thread's "Sampler Game Board." I have been wanting to start this over for a long time now.

I also decided not to work on "The Marriage of Minds" any longer. I took out the words and cut off the rest of the linen.

I think I'm just going to frame it as is. Maybe I'll send it to Jill Rensel one day for custom mats and have her paint our names and wedding date on it so it will still be a marriage sampler. :) Well, I'm so glad to have all the boys home again. I missed them so much! Matthew is glad to have his big brothers home again also. Write soon!

Another New Start - Ack!

I decided not to leave today after all. I'm going to go down tomorrow instead. I started working on "The Marriage of Minds" a little bit last night and then I had to put it down. The linen is just driving me nuts! Why did I start it on that awful linen?? Not only did I start it on blah linen, but I also started stitching on the horizontal. This was way back before I realized it's best to start stitching next to a vertical thread (here's a short article for those that don't know about the horizontal and vertical threads). I was just talking about this with Amy. It's the reason why I had to stop stitching my Drawn Thread "Sampler Game Board." So what do I do when a project is driving me nuts? I start something new of course!

I decided to start another Drawn Thread "The Riddle." I got a small package from Elegant Stitch yesterday containing a few silks that I was missing and the fabric - 32 ct. Vintage Fawn. It's much darker than I'm used to, but I'm liking it.

I got a small start last night.

Here's a close up...

32 ct. Vintage Fawn, NPI and Gloriana Silks (1 over 2)

I know I'm going to love this - it's going to take awhile, but I'm really going to try to stick with it. Well, I have to do some work for my brother and I need to finish cleaning before I go down to Florida tomorrow! Write soon (next week)!

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone for you kind comments on my BitB. I realized late last night that it actually was not finished. I forgot to put the yellow on top of the chimneys. It is now fixed and now officially finished. :) I decided I really want to finish an old UFO. Drawn Thread "The Marriage of Minds." I started it way back in January of 2004. Here's where I stopped...

And here's the little bit I did last night...

I'm stitching it on 32 ct. Natural linen using NPI and Gloriana silks. I'm not thrilled with the linen, but there is no way I would start over because of all the work I've already done.

Another Drawn Thread that I've had for a long time that I'm thinking of stitching in the future is "Real Roses." I have always loved this one. I went through my fabric and found a pretty piece of 32 ct. Vintage Bisque by Lakeside Linens that I think will work for it.

I forgot to mention that I went to Amy's again on Saturday. We had so much fun as always. Here is some stash I got at Down Sunshine Lane when I was there...

I really can't wait to start the Shepherd's Bush kit "Home." It's so sweet!

Well, I think I'm going to be heading back down to Florida tomorrow to get my older boys. I was going to wait until the weekend, but I miss them so much! I can't wait to see them! :) I will be without internet until I get back Saturday, so I'll update next week. Write Then! :)

Bird in the Bower Finished!

I had so much fun stitching this one!

I'm almost sad to see it end!

Plum Street Samplers "Bird in the Bower"
Fabric: 40 ct. Vintage Light Examplar
Threads: Needlepoint Inc. Silk
Started: 6/16/09 - Finished: 6/21/09

Well, I'm off to get Carrabbas again for my dh for Father's Day (it's what he wanted). :) Write soon!

Mary Wigham Conversion

I have had a few requests for the conversion and Katrina has given me the go ahead to give it out. Here are her changes....

DMC		Substitution
Blanc		GAST Shaker White
Ecru		GAST Lambswool
225		CC Rosy Glow
310		WDW Charcoal
352		CC Dulce de Leche
356		WDW Red Pear
407		GAST Woodrose
433		WDW Chestnut
435		WDW Pecan
519		CC Deep Fennel
725		GAST Gold Leaf
739		GAST Flax
746		GAST Straw Bonnet
927		WDW Dove
930		WDW Gunmetal
934		WDW Collards
966		GAST Grape Leaf
3052		CC Joshua Tree (I changed this to WDW Kudzu)
3768		CC Dublin Bay
3822		WDW Honeysuckle
3855		WDW Straw
3857		WDW Baked Apple

Thanks Katrina for providing such a great conversion!!

Stitching Progress...

I worked on BitB a little bit more yesterday...

I got the house finished up. Paulette also told me about a chart error. The inside of the windows are charted for the dark brown, but they are actually supposed to be ecru.

I also worked on Mary Wigham last night. I decided to rip out the light green motif. I decided that I wanted it to be a little more darker - like the picture.

The green I originally stitched it with was CC Joshua Tree, this green is WDW Kudzu. I hope it will look ok!

Matthew caught a stomach bug, so I was up with him all night. He is just miserable! I'm hoping I don't get it because I'm supposed to go stitching at Amy's again tomorrow. She's got lots of new thing in at Down Sunshine Lane that I can't wait to see in person! Well, wish me luck that I don't get it! Write soon!

A Little More BiTB

I worked on "Bird in the Bower" a little more yesterday. Paulette told me she wished she had done her name and date in Dark Brown, so I decided to give it a try and I like how it turned out...

I really love this design. I know I said that before, but I can't emphasize it enough! I was in a little slump, which is why I think I was starting a bunch of things - trying to find the right fit and I finally found it! :) Now I'm going through my stash to see what I can start next. I'm thinking about another Plum Street Design or maybe a Drawn Thread - something with silk and deep colors.

Yep, I'm out of my slump! Thank you Paulette! LOL! :)

Another New Start

I couldn't resist starting another new project. I have loved this one since it was released. It's "Bird in the Bower" by Plum Street Samplers.

I am stitching it on 40 ct. Vintage Light Examplar using Needlepoint Inc. Silks. The NPI are definitely my favorite thread to stitch with lately. I would love to have a whole set.... one day.... I can dream right?? :)

This design is like chocolate for me. I don't want it to end! I love everything about it!

Well, going to get back to stitching and listening to my new favorite series of books - The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. They are so good! I wasn't so sure about them after I read the first one, but I decided to give the next one a try and the next one and now I'm hooked! Write soon!

Startitis

I worked on the green motif a little bit more last night. I just wanted to clarify that the color changes are not mine. I have once again borrowed a conversion from my friend Katrina. She has such a great eye for color!

40 ct. Lt. Examplar by Lakeside Linens, various over-dyed threads

I had a touch of startitis right before I went to Florida. I started three designs including Mary. The first was Hands to Work "Two Fine Houses."

I'm stitching it on the recommended 40 ct. Pear linen by Lakeside Linens using NPI silk (1 over 2). The second start was Praiseworthy Stitches "Knots and Flowers Sampler." I'm stitching this one on 40 ct. Purely Primitive by Silkweaver using GAST and Needle Necessities (1 over 2).

That's it for the starts - for now at least. I'm very tempted to start Plantation Sampler with Deb. Margaret's wip pics are so pretty! The more I see the more I'm finding it hard to resist! :) Write soon!

I'm back!

I just got back from Florida yesterday. It was a quick trip. I left my two older boys with my mom, so I'll be going back down in a couple weeks to get them. I have been stitching a little bit. I started Needleprint's "Mary Wigham." I decided to jump on the bandwagon and join the world's largest SAL! :) Here are a couple of progress pics...

I am using various cotton over-dyes - Crescent Colours, Weeks, and Gentle Arts. The fabric is the 40 ct. Lt. Examplar that I got at Down Sunshine Lane. I also got a little bit of stash while down in Florida. I went down to Golden Needle to meet up with Deb, but her mom was sick, so we missed each other this time. :( I did pick up a few things while there...

I got Shepherd's Bush "Meadow Hill" with the Jill Rensel mats (they were having a 25% off sale if you bought the kit and mat together) and Blackbird Designs "Be Kind and True." I got the Needlepoint Inc. silk at a couple other shops. I needed the silks for a few designs I want to stitch in the future. :)

Well, not much else going on here. Dh and I celebrated our 16th anniversary yesterday, which is why I came home early. We ordered Carrabba's to go - it was so good! I don't know what we have planned today. It's almost too hot here to go anywhere, it's not even noon and it's already 85 degrees. Yuck! Maybe I'll just stay in and stitch - if I can get Matthew to take a nap that is! He's in the throes of the terrible two's right now! Write soon!

Pure in Heart Finished!

I finished up this little thread pack today. It was a fun stitch. I've missed stitching LHN designs. They are so simple and sweet.

Little House Needleworks "Blessed are the Pure in Heart"
Fabric: 40 ct. Light Examplar by Lakeside Linens
Threads: Crescent Colours

Well, the school year is almost over and we'll be headed down to Florida on Monday. Deb and I have already decided on a day to meet! I can't wait! I'll be taking a little blogging break until I get back. I will still try to upload pictures to my album. I just know I won't have time for blogging for awhile. Write as soon as I can!