A finish, a start, and a SAL

Hey, Friends!

It has been a busy work week– so much that I didn’t even venture out for Stitch Night this week – not that I didn’t stop by the LNS to pick up the new Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart, Pumpkin Farm, and a couple of BBDs that were in the sale bin! 

What is the finish?  It’s the December Cardinal ornament from Victorian Sampler Button Up Birdies series (I meant to pick up number two and forgot it).  I used HDF silks and some DMC rayon to get the sheen I wanted.  It called for red beads, but I wanted the snow to show up more, so I used beads there.

The SAL is with a Yahoo group called The Stitch Specialists.  Abi is the moderator/owner of the group, and she is offering a SAL that will teach a number of special stitches.  The first in the series, to get us going, is the trunk of the tree in cross stitch.  I’m using 28ct Irish linen in Tea and started with DMC Variations 4140.  Each ‘limb’ of the tree will focus on a different stitch.

And the new start?  It’s the continuation of BBD’s Anniversary of the Heart series, Valentine Rose.  It is a very tiny start - the green.  There would be more if I hadn't had to take most of it out - I missed the change in design along the border there.  I’m enjoying being a part of the BBD Yahoo group - a great gathering of very nice stitchers!

I did set up a new system for my fabric, some graphs, and threads.  They’re now in rolling plastic-drawer bins.  They're not the most lovely things, but they are practical for me.  I can drag the whole thing around, or pull out one drawer and take it along. 

There are graphs in these.  They're by season, holiday, or theme...

 

These are fabrics, and this drawer has the 32ct and higher . 

The top drawer here IS   reserved for BBD graphs (my new obsession)!

And these are special fibers - the DMCs are in plastic tool chests*.

You will note that I didn't say "organized" within the system.  These are Vikki Clayton's silk Hand-Dyed Fibers. Once I asked her about a certain color, and she asked what design I was using it for.  When I said, none, I just like the color, she laughed ... 

These are silk on wooden spools - often called Buttonhole Twist - that I've collected over the years.  I used them primarily when doing embroidery on crazy quilts.  They are mostly Belding - Hemingway, Coats & Clark or Corticelli.

 These are a variety of miscellanous silk fibers.  The ones on the big cardboard spools are what is sold today as buttonhole twist, but it's not quite the same as the fiber on the tiny wooden spools.  The little black spools are Krenikik, Soie Perlee - don't know if they make it any more.

These are again some old fibers that I collected when I was into tatting.  They're mostly cotton, but a few lovely silks on the wooden spools.  They're smooth and so fine to touch.

One of these days we'll have show and tell with some buttons!  I hear your question, and No, there is hardly anything that has to do with needle arts that I don't love!  

*- the DMCs are in plastic tool chests.  Well, they were.  While moving things about the other day I knocked over one of the chests that fell into the other and pushed half the drawers out, and then I grabbed for it, the others fell out, too.  They're still spread out in there, but I'll get over it one day and put them all back in order!  NO, I'm not showing you that but will show you how they did look.

The forecasters are saying we may be in for more snow Monday or Tuesday.  It’s not that I love snow so much, as you probably guessed, but I really do enjoy the extra stitching time if we don’t have to work!  And since I’m not working today, enough dilly-dallying – I’m off to do a little more blog visiting then on to stitching!  

Thanks for coming by today.  I look forward to hearing your Needler’s Point and checking in to see what you’ve been up to lately!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching

Charlene♥SC

Stashing through the Challenge

Hey, Friends!

What in the world has taken hold of me?  I’ve been on a stash enhancing frenzy lately!  I commented to someone last night that I’m exhausted just watching all the starts the New 15 Challenge participants have done, and wonder if they have enabled me to try to keep up – not starting stitching, mind you, just having!  On-line, in person, no matter… The Blackbird Designs that I never paid attention to… lovely samplers… beautiful linen… and New Year sales.  It has to stop for me – but it’s so much fun.  What I really need to do is set up a For Sale page to sell those things that I know I’ll never stitch.  I feel sort of guilty saying that because one of the very generous ladies on the BBD yahoo group, Barb from England, just passed along to me an older BBD chart.  I am planning to have a Give Away sometime soon, sort of as a Pay it Forward, but more about that thought in the days to come since I haven’t made up my mind what it will be.

And speaking of the Blackbird Designs Yahoo group, I have now finished the Winter SAL, Winter Wonderland.  Yeah!  It was so much fun to stitch and I love how it looks (minus the wrinkles).  Now to get it finished into something… So far the plan is for framing.  What do you think?

Hope you’re all having a fine bright and beautiful weekend, and  thanks for coming by today.  I look forward to hearing your Needler’s Point and checking in to see what you’ve been up to lately!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

My Winter Wonderland

Hey, Friends!
Today I thought I’d share with you a little of the Southern Winter Wonderland.

This is how my car looks today, January 11 2011, or 01/01/11, at about 9:30am.  Over top of that six inches of snow is at least a half inch of icy stuff.  Take a look at this locus limb – that’s about a quarter plus inch of ice that fell after dark last night.

Here’s the path to Pixie’s potty spot.  Not only does she have to smell the ground, but the snow is up to her…belly, so it’s a bit difficult to get the correct angle…  There HAVE been a few times when I got us both dressed for outdoor activities, opened the door, and she turned around and walked back into the kitchen as if to say, "Oh, I forgot.  Not now!"

Today is another snow day for us.  Not only is the college closed, but there’s No Way I’d be out driving on these roads!  Left is the road in front of my neighbor's house.  Next is my driveway - no shoveling for me - that's what sunshine is for; right?  But there isn't any that I can see, and with the temp hanging out at 28, well, it may be later tomorrow before there's enough meltdown. 

Let’s see how much progress I made yesterday on BBD Winter Wonderland.  Doesn’t look like so much, but I’m certainly enjoying it!  More today…

I’ve had several comments about us southerners having more snow this year than our northern neighbors.  Yes, it does seem to be upsidedown, and I won’t speak for the rest of us, but I’m lovin’ it.  Y’all be patient and yours will come…ours is just a tad on the early and deep side.  I heard the forcaster say yesterday that this is more than we’ve had since 2004 – I had 18 inches on my deck that year – and I believe it was February!!

Thanks for coming by today.  I look forward to hearing your Needler’s Point and checking in to see what you’ve been up to lately!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching

Charlene♥SC

Snow Day

Hey, Friends!

We’re having a Snow Day – Y E A H – as is just about everyone on the east coast I think.  My DS lives in Columbia, SC, middle of the state, and they have snow, too.  Hey, Karen, are you having a snow day, too?  Bet’cha are! 

Just a couple of updates, then I’m off to stitch the day away!  I finished Blackbird Designs, Snow Garden last night (1.9.11).  It is a part of the Anniversaries of the Heart series that I’m doing with the yahoo group, Blackbird Designs.  Mine will be on one piece of 32 ct. Belgium linen called Autumn Fields.  I’ve seen several of them, and they all seem to have a bit of different coloring, but guess that’s due to the over-dyed fibers.  With it’s name and the almost faded look it has, it reminds me of a cold, snowy, almost hazy day.  See the similarities of the coloring in the two photos above?  I personalized this one with my parents wedding date, January 20, 1950.

Next I’ve done a few more stitches on the Winter SAL, Winter Wonderland.  Now this one is right up my alley!  Love the bright colors, geese, and blackbirds!  Fun stitching, so that’s where I’m off to stitch today!

Thank you all for your sympathy and condolences for the passing of my aunt.  She will be greatly missed, but I’ll bet she’s cool now!   

Thanks for coming by today.  I look forward to hearing your Needler’s Point and checking in to see what you’ve been up to lately!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching

 Charlene♥SC

Blackbird Designs Update

Hey, Friends!

A couple of updates on my current Blackbird Designs SAL projects. 

This is the current status of Winter Wonderland (below).

And here’s Snow Garden (right).

When I was taking pictures of my BBD Snow Garden with the chart, I noticed how much more silver some of the threads had in them in their photo compared to my actual threads.  I also noticed when I was choosing threads from the rack that there was a lot of variation between skeins.  Have you noticed this too?  It could be the dye lot, or the amount of variation in the dying process, but there can be a lot of difference.  Do you think it has made a difference in which fabric you chose or how your project turned out?

Asking that question reminded me that I don’t believe I shared the Poll Results from the standing frame holder question a while ago.  And now I can't find the details, but apparently most friends here don’t use one.

I've decided to post my TUSAL updates in the side column this year.  See à

Thanks for coming by today.  I look forward to hearing your Needler’s Point and checking in to see what you’ve been up to lately!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching

 Charlene♥SC

A Huge Loss

I wrote the following a few days after Christmas, but never posted it, until today.  This morning, my Dear Aunt Maxine lost her battle with ovarian cancer.  I ask for your prayers and thoughts for my mom and dad and her son and daughter and their families. 

Hey, Friends!

You’ve been sending hopes and wishes that we had a Merry Christmas.  It was a very nice Christmas season, wasn’t it?  Family gathered and shared love and gifts.  My dear Aunt looked me in the eye on Christmas Eve and said, “I made it.” Bless her heart, she sure did!  They have told her that hardly anyone makes it longer than four and a half years, and she will soon be to the five year mark of fighting ovarian cancer.  All the doctors told her in October that there was no more surgery or treatments they can do, and she’s been on liquids only since then.  I realized last week as Christmas was quickly approaching (and I couldn’t bring myself to make the final preparations) that I’ve been somewhat depressed.  My ever ‘in denial’ self didn’t want to pass the mark for which I believe she was striving to reach.  She has lost lots of weight, but she still looks so good.  If you didn’t know her, you would not be able to tell how long and hard she has fought.  She is now living with her daughter, who is courageously fighting the battle with her.  It is amazing to everyone around the family since she (daughter) has not always been the most patient, attending nurse, but she is now!  Auntie did have to go to Hospice Place for a few days before Thanksgiving, but they allow her to come back home when their care is not required.  She has to be infused with blood every week since she is losing blood through her digestive tract.  This is the person in my life whose loss I’ve had to prepare for that I love the most.  She is my Mom’s closest, and only living sister.  In fact, Auntie told me just days ago that it was hard for her to admit, but she loved my Mom more than her own Mother.  It is easy to understand… they were born in the time when the older daughters took care of the babies, and from all accounts, Grandmother was not the most loving Mother anyway.  I need to be strong for Mom, but I can’t offer my shoulder because this is the first time I don’t think I could hold up.  I even felt something from my Dad Christmas day that I’ve not felt before.  He is not the most healthy, so that evening I wondered if it was his way of easing back, gentle goodbye.  But on this reflection, it may have been his sympathy for the coming loss I felt.  I was also disappointed that Dad’s sister from out of state announced that she was coming to have Christmas with us.  Now I can acknowledge that it was probably because I wanted “us” to have the time to celebrate Auntie, and not have to focus on the guest.  She probably thought it would be good to get our minds off the coming loss…    

I guess this is the first time I’ve put these thoughts into words, as tears stream down my face - my admission and acknowledgement that the loss is coming, and sooner than ever.  Trying to guess what thoughts and emotions are going on in my parents, without asking or sharing - a little glimpse into the non communication of my dysfunctional family. 

   Peace♥Love♥Joy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

Welcome 2011

Hey, Friends!

I hope your New Year is off to a peaceful start, and that your Needles are well pointed, smooth eyed, and ready for finishing all that your heart desires!  Speaking of great needles, I have no affiliation, but if you try Bohin needles, you won’t be sorry!!  You can find them at many places, including my own LNS (at my suggestion).  Anita’s Little Stitches also has them in bulk. 

As I’m sitting here looking at my stitched ornie tree, there’s only one that ‘really’ looks like Christmas – the beaded Santa.  The others are various snow/winter themes.  No rush for me to take it down; right?! 

Yesterday my LNS, The Stitch and Frame Shop, had their usual New Year’s Day sale.  I happended to be there to see Karen and a few other ladies I met at PALS this last year.  Hopefully we'll all be there again this year!  Boy did I ever do some damage.  But it was so much fun, and in the mix was a real bargain!  I got the chart they had used for the shop model of Shepherd’s Bush, Finch Song, for $5.00.  The holiday charts were 25% off, fibers were 10%, and fabric was 15%.  See… 

I also signed up for the LHN 2011 Ornament series.  Vonna is doing all the stitching and finishing of these, and she said the first few are adorable!  Diane has already posted the one for January, Tweet, and you can see on the LHN blog. 

I’m so excited to watch all of you with your 2011 Challenges!  Some are doing the 15 new projects, and some are doing the Complete WIPs Challenge.   I know you will make great progress and complete many new works!  I am more of a ‘finish one project at a time’ stitcher, so that I am involved in two Blackbird Designs SALs plus Diane’s All Year Long Christmas SAL seems like a big deal for me!     

I took my car to have tinting added to the windows the other day.  It is a shop with a lot of young people with their music bumping, you get the picture, but there I sat with my cross stitch, mag-eyes, just enjoying myself to no end!  See how much I got done… since last time?  

I’ve barely started on Snow Garden – the first Anniversaries of the Heart series, but it is a start. 

I’m trying to decide which ornament I want to start – there are so many I love.  I do want to catch up with the LHN series to be ready for 2011 to start!

Oops - just about forgot to add my TUSAL for the end of the year.  Can you tell that I'm a colorful stitcher?  A new one has been started, but I'll show it to you at the next new moon - sometime after January 4.

Thanks for coming by today.  I look forward to hearing your Needler’s Point and checking in to see what you’ve been up to lately!

This New Year and always, may you be surrounded by the gift of friendship, the joys of family, and the spirit of love.

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching

Charlene♥SC