Hey, Friends!
I’ve been working with a bit of stitching thrown in this week! Oh, and I went to my first Zumba class on Tuesday night. I was worried that they’d be way ahead of me, but it wasn’t as ‘structured’ as it might have been. I was pooped when it was over, but that was the intent – to get this ole body moving a little. Looking forward to next time, but won’t wear fleece again!
They say the Ground Hog predicts an early spring – is there anyone out there who isn’t ready for THAT? I don’t think so!!
There’s a Pre-Superbowl sale at my LNS – The Stitch and Frame Shop today, and I need to run by the Office Depot to pick up some more tape for the label maker, so… I’d just as well go by the shop, too! Don’t you think? Of course!! I’ve got a few things on my list, and I want some of that Butter Cream linen I’ve seen you all stitching such lovely things on. 
This week I finished the BBD Valentine Rose, which I modified to honor my maternal Grandmother, for whom I was named, Rhoda Bell who was born in 1902. Victorian Sampler’s Button Up Birdies November Chickadee was a quick and fun stitch! I also did part 2 of the Specialty Stitchers’ Tree of Stitches - the Smyrna stitch that I chose to do in orange.
Last night I wasn’t ready to start a new project, so I went in there and gathered up all that DMC that was hither and yon… Decided while I was at it, I may as well put some labels on the drawers that I could actually read. One cabinet is reorganized – half way with the new labels – ran out of tape. I’ll get the other one done this afternoon while doing laundry. So, I’d better get up and out the door or it won’t get done. DS is coming this evening and we’re going to Nan and Pop’s house for BBQ ribs. Yummmmm….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!
* Reminder: TuSAL is in the side bar this year à
PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC
This week I finished Pink Hill Manor. It was stitched in honor of my aunt who passed in January from ovarian cancer. I made a couple of switches in colors to make it appear even more pink toned, and since my Old Purple Paint was ‘missing’ at the time, there was a custom Blackberry Pie that stood in for it. The initials of her deceased husband and her two children are there, as well. I love how it turned out, and think she would love it, too. 
The finished BBD AotH, A Wish for You, is in honor of my dad, whose birthday is the end of March. As I was taking the photo I realized that the date really needs to be changed – Duh, what was I thinking? Not.
While waiting for some threads on order, I started a design called Bluebirds and Flowers from a Leisure Arts booklet called Old Samplers. As you can see, a little change was in order. I received this Victorian Motto in Autumn at PALS last year, and thought it would work up nicely in this design.
The fourth in the series of Specialty Stitches is the Square Eyelet. My stitches are far from perfect, but it is fun to try new things!
Charlene♥SC
This got me to thinking… why don’t I throw away needles? Well, as I say over and again – my very favorite needles in the world – that I’ve tried so far – are Bohin needles. They flow through linen like silk. Sometimes there will be a little bend in my needles and it took me the longest to figure out why, but because 99% of the time I use Q-snaps to hold my linen and still want to use the sewing method of stitching. But that little bend doesn’t make me throw them out – they’re just getting broken in by then! 
And then there’s the fact that I usually have one needed threaded for each color in use on a project. Yep, I’m usually a ‘one project at a time’ stitcher, and I thread a different needle for each color. I have one of those gadgets especially made for this, but what works best for me is fun foam pinned onto a painter’s canvas. I print a copy of the symbol and name of the color fibers a project calls for, then pin this down on the ‘pallet’ and it’s ready to go. The reason for the painter’s canvas is to give space for the needle without making marks in the table top –I started using this before my side table was topped with glass. See all the accoutrements that I need for stitching? Yours looks similar, I'd bet! 
I’ve started the fourth BBD Anniversaries of the Heart series, A Wish for You. Since this is the March piece, and it mentions health and has a rabbit, it will be dedicated to my Dad. Here’s a photo of the three completed pieces to date. I was sort of hesitant to start this, to me, BAP, but so far I’ve enjoyed each and every stitch!
Feeling a bit of pull on the heart strings, I stitched Be Mine from the Love is in the Air Blackbird Designs booklet. It’s on 34 count creamy white linen with a couple of color subs for those I didn’t have on hand – CC – Jakey Brown for GA Clover and CC-Weeping Willow for GA Avacado. 
This week I finished the BBD Valentine Rose, which I modified to honor my maternal Grandmother, for whom I was named, Rhoda Bell who was born in 1902. Victorian Sampler’s Button Up Birdies November Chickadee was a quick and fun stitch! I also did part 2 of the Specialty Stitchers’ Tree of Stitches - the Smyrna stitch that I chose to do in orange.
Last night I wasn’t ready to start a new project, so I went in there and gathered up all that DMC that was hither and yon… Decided while I was at it, I may as well put some labels on the drawers that I could actually read. One cabinet is reorganized – half way with the new labels – ran out of tape. I’ll get the other one done this afternoon while doing laundry. 