Sewing Class

This weekend we went to a craft store. The girls chose some Valentine fabric for little pillows I have in mind made from a Sampler Girl freebie. I mentioned to Nutmeg that it would be cute to stitch up a few for her a couple of her besties. She misunderstood; I was suggesting she stitch them! Maybe we will stick to candy this year...

I divided my weekend stitching time between Mary Queen of Scots and Anonymous Women. I picked up a few DMC colors I was missing and so was able to stitch some of the "fun bits" of Anonymous Women, in particular that big glow-y flower. I stitched it incorrectly. I decided to call it personalization and leave it.

This will be the week the girls and I conquer the sewing machine. If we can get past Latin, French, Math, Composition, et al. hmmmmm....

Well, knock me over with a feather...

I have cross stitch finishes!

I was in a major cross stitch rut. I was working on an autumn design, and I messed up. I know it can be fixed, but I was just annoyed. But this weekend I jumped back in the saddle. Nothing like a new project to cure the stitching blues! First I stitched Tanya's newest ornament from the 2011 JSC ornament issue. Then I searched through my JCS ornament magazine collection. I probably could have stitched 3 or 4 ornaments in the time I spent going through those magazines! I finally chose a Little by Little design from 2001. The colors are so much brighter than they appeared in the magazine photo! I picked out a Mary Beale ornament to work on this week while the girls are at dance. I just need to find a lighting arrangement for the van.

Hector the pound puppy is doing well. He is healthy and happy and loves his new family. Every mom needs more of this in her life!

That's better!

Another Quick Beach Stitch!

Can you tell I am in beach mode? ;) It won't be long now!

This morning while listening to Nutmeg practice violin, I finished this summer freebie by Tanya The Sampler Girl. Stitching to a metronome is not pleasant!

This is a 2011 freebie available on her blog. Tanya left the fabric and fibers up to the stitcher, so I chose WDW: Pebble, Cinnabar, GAST: Mountain Mist, Sea Spray, Bayberry, and DMC: 950, 3862.

Here is a photo of a super-yummy cake I had this weekend at a friend's birthday cookout. She got the recipe from a recent M@rth@ Stew@rt magazine. It was a big hit with adults and children alike! In fact, My Louisiana Man said that next year he wants it for his birthday cake! GASP - He is changing from yellow cake with chocolate frosting to something new and different? What was in that cake? :)

Quick!

It is way past my bedtime, but I just had to finish this design! I have been looking at this free chart by The Sampler Girl since 2005!!

I was trying to go for a faded palette, but I may have gone over the top with the purple. Ah, well. I used GA Bayberry, GA Raspberry, DMC 3866, OWS Virtue Teal, and CC Plum Paisley.

Good Night!

Monday

I finished up 'Scottish Alexandria' a few days ago. I have been making myself work on 'Adam Alone' by Sheepish Designs. I love it, but I have done the easy bits, and now only the hard bits are left.

As a special treat for stitching Adam's one-over-one, I started 'Canterbury Tapestry' by Barrick/Carriage House Samplings. It is teeny-tiny on 40 count!

I don't know how much stitching time I will have this week - Tuesday is the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, Wednesday is the Ash Wednesday service, and Thursday is a homeschool outing to a ballet performance. In between, I will be cleaning, teaching, taxi-ing, and planning lessons and Lenten meals. I'm tired just thinking about that! I think I need a cup of tea and just one more pre-Lent butterscotch blondie!

Cart Before the Horse

I have been working on 'Scottish Alexandria' by Tanya, The Sampler Girl. I love this design! I have been drooling over it on Tanya's blog for some time. It looks good wherever she puts it.

Instead of just finishing it already, I frequently take the unfinished piece around the house to see where it should eventually go. Here are the top three sites I picked today.

1. My bed with the Ralph Lauren comforter I have had since I was 17. Ahem.

(My mom bought another several years ago, but RL has obviously made a dye lot change, so I prefer the old ratty one.)

2. (Well, this is actually #3) the red chair in the front room, aka "The Library"

3. (this is actually #2, maybe #1) This antique chair in the corner of the dining room.

Of course, if I would just finish it already and actually pick out the backing fabric and, oh, I don't know, have it made - we might be able to make a better decision!

In other news, my baby got her ears pierced! It was traumatic - for me. I have done everything I could to protect this child since the day I got the positive pg test. I say "Look left, right, and left again!" in my sleep. And then I drove her to a store and paid someone to poke holes in her ears. It was barbaric.

Look at that smile.

Hmmmm... I still think it was barbaric.

A few stitches

I finished stitching Tanya's Irish pinkeep last night. I want to finish it as a pillow so I added a dividing band down the center. I used DMC with one color change: 407/3373. I made a little more progress on 'Scottish Alexandria." I love those letters!

The girls made a little craft which they insisted be displayed on the mantel! It is a "pop-up" of a medieval kitchen - fun!

Today is our 'long' day: lots of driving, finding ballet tights and piano books, eating healthy, sustaining snacks. I hope to sneak in a few more stitches - I hope you are able to as well!

Keeping It In The Family

I always seem to notice I have not really finished a piece only after I have posted a finish! Here is Lucy Lyons Willis' free chart from 2006 - minus one shamrock! ;)

I next turned to Mrs. Willis' daughter, Tanya The Sampler Girl, for more shamrock-inspired stitching. I plan on making this into a pillow and not a needlebook, so I added a dividing band down the center.

I don't trust myself, family, or cats to keep a pillow clean enough for non-color-fast threads, so I am using good old DMC with one color change. I don't mean to shock anyone into thinking that I am systematic enough to actually begin at the top and stitch my way down - oh no! I just was missing the called-for color of the words which make up the middle of this design.

So I had to start another design tonight! I finally began Tanya's 'Alexandria.' I had to pick a DMC thread (777) to replace the Apple Fritter. I hope I have chosen well - it calls for a lot of that color!

I think I am finally to tired to stitch any more tonight! I love a bunch of new starts!

First Finish in the New House

It's a small one, but such a cute one! I love adam and Eve designs, and this one is so sweet and quick! I used DMC because I want to display it as a small pillow or pinkeep. I worry about spilling something on hand dyed threads.

Here are some random shots: Carnations my parents brought the girls at their ballet recital.

A new rug for the "library." (from Tar-zjay)

And last, but not least, Buttercup's lastest fashion experiment.

What to stitch next?

Sugar, Stitching, and Snoozing

Sunday our church ladies group had a baby shower for MommyLawyer. Here is a picture of the beautiful cake! There was so much yummy food! We played the "dirty diaper" game. I melted candy bars in diapers, and everyone had to guess!

I started Tanya's "Pride and Prejudice." I thought I would just change the colors to ones that I had on hand. Somehow I have messed the borders up, and they aren't meeting up. I have laid it aside for a few days. Maybe after stitching a few Christmas ornaments I will be able to figure out my mistake.

This is my progress on "Agnes Scott." I am fascinated by the color combination!

And who doesn't love a good nap?