Finishes

Hey, Friends!

While I was out in the snow last week I couldn’t believe I saw a big breasted, fluffy robin!  We had several 70◦ days this week, but I didn’t notice a one – but I was at work during the day, too.

Eliza Scattergood by Plum Street Samplers is finished.  She is stitched on 36ct Exemplar using the recommended NPI silks.  I did make a little change to the verse.  The original:

"Eliza Scattergood, her work 1839. When I survey this work of mine, I'm filled with joy and dread.

May Christ my life with his entwine before my days' last thread." 

My version:
"Eliza Scattergood, her work 1839. When I survey this work of mine, I'm filled with joy and dread.
May all my stash be stitched and hung before my days' last thread."  She was a fun project – first finish of 2014.

This week, I finished the second piece – February Flip It (2001) by Lizzie*Kate.  Since my fabric – linen sample stash – was smaller count, I replaced the charm with a stitched heart, and the recommended DMC.  As I was stitching I kept thinking, this doesn’t look like the other finishes I’ve seen, nor does it look like the chart picture!  After more careful examination, I was stitching the ● instead of the •.  After that correction, it became more familiar.

So, what’s next on the list?  We’ll see…

Have you been shopping from the 2014 Market?  Wow – so much beautiful work, such hard decisions to make!

  

Thanks for stopping by and saying Hello!

Peace♥Love♥Joy

Charlene♥SC

August - Catching Up

Hello, hello!  How’s everyone?  Having a wonderful weekend, I hope! 

Last Saturday morning I took off to Manning, SC to meet and stitch with a group of ladies at The French Hen Café.  Amy from Down Sunshine Lane (left in white) planned this soirée, and I was so happy to meet her and other on-line stitchers and to reconnect with another!  It was a fun day of stitching, chatting, eating, chatting, stitching, chatting, stitching, door prizes, stitching…  This group has been together before, and they really made me feel welcome into their fold.  I finally got to meet Faye (right).  She is just as sweet in person as she is on her blog, The Carolina Stitcher!  I also got  to put the correct Karen (left in green) with Karen’s Handiwork! 

Carolyn (right in blue), of Carolyn’s Stitching Chatter, was there with her friend Deborah, and I got to sit with them.  Carolyn and I have been to another retreat, and it was great to see her again!  There are more in our future, too!  Hop over to the links here and you can see more about the day we had through their lens – well, except for Karen’s!  LOL.

I took Lizzy Kate’s Alphabet Lessons along to stitch, but since I hadn’t picked her up in quite a long while, I couldn’t remember what fabric it is on.  Was planning to look it up here, but of course I didn’t record that tidbit of information.  I’m planning to continue on for a while to see if it can’t it get completed. 

I did finish stitching LHN ornament, Love One Another, on a piece of tea dyed fabric I dyed a while back.  When I saw this one I fell in love, and want to finish it as a stand/flat fold.

This month’s TUSAL seems to be featuring red…

Hope there is a cool breeze in your part of the world.  Thanks for dropping by, and I’d love to hear your thoughts today!  

    Peace♥Love♥Joy
and Happy Stitching!Charlene♥SC

Hello? Hello!

I got a new phone this week, and so far I love it.  Not that I’m a big phone person – either at home or on the move.  Hardly ever use either, as a matter of fact, well, except periodically at work, but you know – must have one.  Actually the cell phone is a safety issue for me, but I decided I wanted one that would do more than just sit in my purse, so I got a Blackberry Tour.  I know – the latest and greatest, at Verizon at least, is the Droid – all touch business.  Not so much for me.  I wanted a type pad, to have access to spreadsheets, email if possible, and oh, by the way, phone capability.  Have you looked at them recently?  So many gadgets and gizmos to choose from – it’s not easy to pick! 

I signed up for Camp Stitch Away this week.  It is the last weekend in March in Little Switzerland, North Carolina.  It’s sponsored by my LNS, The Stitch and Frame Shop, so hop over to take a look at the details if you like.

I’ve had a nice stitching week – which means I haven’t done much else around the house, but then do I ever? 

There were a couple of evenings with Lizzy*Kate’s Alphabet Lessons.

Wanted to stitch up another little ornie, so I chose Love, a freebie from The Stitcherhood, on a scrap using Gentle Arts limited edition, Lady Bug.

I joined the Little House Needleworks Monthly Ornament Stitch-A-Long Blog, Too group, so I’ve got to get on the ball with these!  This is the almost completed Fa La La.  I'll finish that up today, and move along to something...

It's chilly and dreary here today.  Aren't there just some days when you don't even want to get out of bed?  Just ask Pixie!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

January TUSAL

That previous post was edited so many times, it hardly looks anything like it started – LoL - but hopefully better and accurate. 

I’ve been negligent in the past to give my TUSAL the credit it deserves, so I will begin this post with my January 15 version.  I use clear, glass ornaments to collect my ORTs.  It sits atop another glass container that holds floss tags, pieces of linen threads that unravel, some longer strands that may be used for initials, etc.  When I went to get more, they didn't have the larger size like the ones I have.  I do hope they get more!

If you’re interested in joining the TUSAL (Totally Useless Stitch a Long), click the link here.  The only “requirement” is that you post a picture of your TUSAL every month on the specified date.  I usually get mine up a couple of days late… sorry!

Now, I’ll add the stitching I did last night while watching the playoff games. 

I did a small piece for an ornament by Stitch Wiz called Everything Loved.  It’s on pink 18ct using DMC floss.

Then I stitched on my Lizzy*Kate Alphabet Lessons.

And I think that’s what I’ll continue stitching while watching the football playoffs today.  I hope you have a wonderful day doing whatever it is your heart desires! 

Thank you for stopping by and do come back again soon! 


Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!
Charlene

Holiday comes to an end

Stitch and Frame, my LNS, had a Happy New Year sale on January 1.  Just so happened that I got some money and a gift certificate for Christmas, so what better time than this to go stash shopping?  

I’ve had my eye on a pretty pair of copper colored scissors for a while, and they were just what I had in mind when I requested the gift certificate. 

I’ve admired several of the samplers by Lizzy Kate, but when I saw Alphabet Lessons I couldn’t resist.  I picked up the LHN Sampler Monthly for Jan/Feb I’d ordered, and one of the ornaments of the month that I’ll be getting monthly.  I also picked up a snowman chart from the sale bin and some linens – do you think I have favorite colors?

So this helps define some of my goals for 2010.  I’ve updated the list on my left sidebar if you care to take a look.  I’ve one finish – the little sampler I did trying out one of the sulky threads, and one new start – the LK Alphabet Lessons.

To add a little time for stitching – ha – I got myself a Roomba – the little robot that does the vacuuming for you.  I’ve only used it a couple of times, but so far I love it!  My floors are nice and shiny, and all I had to do was push a button and then empty the little bin.  

The holiday break is just about over – back to work tomorrow.  It really doesn’t matter how long the break is, I’m never ready to go back.  The good news is that we will have a holiday on January 18, MLK Day.  Then there’s the stitching retreat to plan for in mid-late March!

Quit Smoking update:  A big thank you to so many of you who offer encouragement and support.  Someone from an email group asked me how it is going.  This may be a repeat for some, but here’s some of my reply:

November 13, 2009 was the date of my last cigarette.  After only these few days, my nasty cough is gone and my shortness of breath is better.  Even get more stitching done.  I was never one who smoked inside the house, but those outside breaks do take time!  During this type conversation, this topic never fails to come up.  I smell better!! 

I quit once using a combination of bupropion and patches.  Personally, that way was harder because you still have the withdrawals and strong desire.  I know it's hard to believe but with the Chantix, you just don't want them anymore.  The medication blocks the nicotine receptors in the brain.  My son tried to tell me how they worked, and I still didn't think it would work for me.  During the first week of Chantix, you can smoke as much as you want.  As bad as we all know they are for us, as much as I did want to quit, and as unappealing as they were after the first few days, it is a scary thing to know that "tomorrow will be the last".  I don't really know the psychology behind that, whether it's the fear of failure or the addiction saying “You can't do this,” but that was the hardest part for me.

If anyone else is interested in quitting, I encourage you to do it!  What a brave way to start the coming new year!! 

Thank you for dropping by today and I enjoy and appreciate all your words of kindness and opinions

    Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene