Stitchaway Finish and Rewards ;-)

I've finished my Camp Stitchaway project! It really is small... thus the challenge by Meg that we make a larger one!



This is a closer view of the pincushion:

and the needlecase:

Yesterday, it rained all day! Instead of being smart and staying inside to stitch (or clean house), I went bargain shopping. I had heard an advertisement that Beauty Brands had all their hairspray on sale for 6.97. It was worth the drive to save that much... and while I was 'up that way' I went to A.C. Moore with a 50% off coupon and bought some linen to practice my new found skills! And just up the road a piece was Hobby Lobby. There is a HL here in town, but they somehow have different stock (and discounted items). I found a few things,

then browsed over to the scrap booking area. That is one thing that I have NOT allowed myself to start, BUT... all the storage containers and such were 50% off. I saw this carrier, "the Paper Studio rolling tote," looked it over, walked away, looked at it again, walked away, then decided I had to have it!

This was the only one they had that I could find. They do have other color schemes, but I like this brown and aqua/teal just fine.

It has inside, adjustable walls ...
inside pockets ...

outside pocket on both sides and front, handles for picking up, a long rigid handle for pulling on wheels.

Found Treasures

As I mentioned in the previous post, there were antique shops I wanted to see on my way to the stitching retreat, but didn't. The day when I was out and about, I did stop. They had some lovely things, but the finds I couldn't resist were two hankies for $1.00 and two gallon baggies of "Very old Lace, Collars & etc." previously marked $25 each - now $4.00. See what you think... I think they're really pretty.

...and there are more!

This was go good, that on Monday I went to the new Children's Home thrift store. I scrounged around and got this all for $10. There's a nice lap/baby quilt, two round, small hoops, not to mention several stitched cross stitch pieces, a nice sized piece and smaller piece of cq fabric, four silk ties, thread...

So, with this success I went on to the Hospice thrift store. Wow... Someone had donated an artist's collection - there were music/score books and sheets (all of which I left), painters books, and what? yes, cross stitch patterns! I went through and pulled the ones I liked, and at the counter asked how much are these, and she said 10 cents a piece and started counting. Then she said, you've got so many, how about $3.00. I said great, and gave a little extra.

Before long I'll have to another donation of my stuff to these thrift stores so someone else can treasure them for a while, and I can get more old ones to treasure! It is such fun to find things and wonder who used them, and get to use my imagination for their use!

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA

Camp Stitchaway

On Thursday, March 12, I headed to Spruce Pines, NC for my first cross stitching retreat. It was chilly and drizzling rain, but not such a bad drive. I saw a couple of places that I wanted to stop, but was anxious to get there, so forged ahead. (I'll share my 'finds' in anothr post later.)

When I arrived, Carol Peggy was setting up tables and such, so I pitched in for a bit. Later others started arriving, and we got our rooms and mates. Since Springmaid bunkhouse is mostly for kids at equine camp, the rooms had bunk beds, so we took off the top mattress of two rooms and made one for me on the floor. It really wasn't half bad - actually better than the one on the bed frame, I think! Jeanne was my roomie, and we got along very well.

Kiki and Jeanne are the ladies I met online who invited me to The Stitch and Frame for stitch nights, and also encouraged me to attend this retreat. Thanks, ladies! I had a blast and learned SO much. There were about 25 stitchers there, and here are some of them. I thought I had photos of everyone, but some just didn't turn out well.

Bobbie and I were 'the smokers' so we spent a little more time together outside - she in her 'smoking jacket' and I with my spray bottle - Fabreeze!! Water's Edge is Bobbie's design company.

Thursday night we had soup and salad for dinner, and just stitched (some had knitting class) and got acquainted with the other stitchers. Beginning Friday, we had a catering couple join us, and they prepared three square meals! It was great food.


Friday morning was 'whatever' time, so some went shopping, others went to pan for gems. I went down the mountain to find a stitching light. I got a desk model of the floor lamp I use at home that I love. Just a note * don't rely on your GPS to navigate you through the mountain tops! It asked me to turn in places where there were no roads, and I wound up in Switzerland - Little Switzerland, that is! *


We played Bingo - but of course I didn't win; however, I did win a door prize.



We started our project on Friday afternoon. The guest instructor was Meg Thompson Shinall, daughter of Ginny Thompson - THE Ginny Thompson Flower Thread - and designer/owner of Morningstar Embroidery Group. Our project was Camp Stitchaway Stitching Tray. This is Meg's sample tray. The approximate size is 8x10. Hers has a notebook, pen tray, ORT box, pin cushion, biscornu, and to be scissor tray.





This was my first experience with stitching on linen. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it is a slower process for me since I don't have the 'feel' yet and have to count over every time. While some of the group went out on Saturday to take in the locale, I stayed in since it was cold, rainy, and generally yucky outside, so I had fun stitching.



My first Klosters - spelled incorrectly on the photo - dove's eye, and nun's stitch.

These together make a peek-a-boo. I don't believe anyone finished the project, but the challenge from Meg was to make a big, full-sized tray for next year. We'll see... This is my try for this project, and it is about 6x6.



After breakfast on Sunday morning, we all packed and headed home. There wasn't so much rain, but it was foggy.



It is a lovely place, and I hope to go again next year. You should think about coming, too. It's great to put real faces and personalities with our on-line friends!

PS:
Thank you, friends, who have asked about Pixie. She had a good time with DS and his Great Dane, Kilo (who is spending this weekend with us). She is doing a lot better with less limping and more use of her leg - though still on medication.

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA

Stitching with Pixie

Hey, Friends.

Thanks for your concern about Pixie. The doctor says she has a subluxated knee, and we're trying some anti-inflammatory meds to see if that will ease her pain. Since it wasn't caused by "doing" anything, we think she must have just turned it on a stone or divot. She can't jump up or down from furniture, and has to be carried up and down steps, but that's about it for now. She does seem to be putting a little weight on it, once in a while.

This is a little cross-stitch finish. I thought it was cute, but don't know what I'll do with it - maybe hang it at work?? Sanity?? by Jessica Willis Burr from The Gift of Stitching, October 2006. I used Finca #12 for the solid, but mostly Omega #50 variegated cotton.



I've also started Quaker Blues, by Leeanne - StitchWiz, on My Nifty Needle. I'm using Vikki Clayton's silks from Hand-dyed Fibers. Such lovely silk fibers! At the local stitching group Tuesday night, one of the ladies asked if she could see them, and she took the bunch in her hand and just eewwwddddd. They really do have that wonderful 'hand' you're looking for!

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA

Poor Pixie

My sweet little Pixie was out behind me last night doing her business, and she gave a yelp. I turned to see what was wrong, and she hobbled up to me. When we got inside, she was holding her tiny, little foot up, so I looked and felt, but couldn't see anything wrong. Hobbling around with that foot off the floor, didn't jump up into the chair with me; when I got up, she went under the coffee table, just not herself. This morning when we went out for her morning business, she walked up to me to pick her up - she wouldn't even go. She's always held that leg up when she tinkles, and it must really hurt when she does that, so she wouldn't.

I've read online that toy poodles, especially, are real candidates for joint sub-luxation - but that it goes out and back in. When it wasn't better this morning, I felt her knee and couldn't tell so we have an appointment with the vet at 2:30 to see what is happening. If she confirms that's what it is, I just may take her to my chiropractor this afternoon to see what she has to say about it. I know she does treat pets, too.

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA

Snowfall - March 1, 2009

The predidtions were right on target ... it began snowing in the early evening on Sunday, March 1, 2009. By about 9:00 pm, the deck furniture was covered. I stayed up late, with the expectation that work would be cancelled.

This morning at sunrise, the beauty of the fresh, unblimished snow covering the yard. If you notice the road looks as if it's beginning to clear, but that is ice! The temperature is 28.

The expectation is that it will rise to about 35 today, but the low of 15 tonight will create more ice for tomorrow morning. Work is cancelled today, and possibly a delay tomorrow, but we won't know until about 6:00 am once again. Here, in South Carolina we are not as prepared as our northern neighbors to cope with icy roads. I could probably deal with the snow, but glad I don't have to. Ice; no way!!

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA