First Finish

Hey, Friends!

As we all think, where did the time go?  It’s back to work in the morning, and I’ve just finished processing for tonight.  I certainly could have used another week off, but I finished up my first 2012 piece today.  It is Primitive Angel head (stone) from Country Rustic. The linen is a small ornie piece (35 or 36ct) from Hand Dyed Fibers using DMC 844.  It was fairly quick and fun to stitch.  The frame was in my thrifty stash pile and only had to be swiped with some Briwax to become presentable.  Now she’s in the collection above my bed… upper right.  

Woo Hoo!  I’m a winner!  Did you see in the side bar that Nancy of Victorian Motto was having a drawing on New Year’s Day?  Well, I was one of the winners – and I got to choose the motto kit I’d like to receive.  Isn’t that fantastic?  I’ll surely post photos when it arrives.  By the way, I notice she's having another one now...

I received an order –placed before the New Year (trying to stick to using stash), from Jan at TheTree of Life Linens and am I ever glad. Aren’t they lovely?

I’m grateful that I can still recognize images in the clouds, etc.

Thank y’all  for each and every comment you send along!  See you soon!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

Days Away!

Hey, Friends!

I’m popping in today to ask if you recognize this little quip:  DF&GR.  If not, you should hop over for a visit on Edgar’s Blacksheep’s Bit of the Web.  Not only is he a prolific, wonderful stitcher~ enabler, San Francisco tour guide, but he is also quite the vintage movie critic!  He’ll go shopping at the drop of a hat, then bake up something that will make your mouth water!  Edgar’s fourth-year Blog Anniversary is coming up, so he’s taking entries now and will soon have the Who Hounds reach into the BOD (bowl of destiny) to draw a lucky winner. 

So what am I doing posting on Thursday, you ask?  Oh, how happy I am to have a few days off work.  I’m laz-ing about this morning on the computer.  Yeah, you’d think that I would want to be far-far away (since that’s what I do, lately 60+ hours a week) but this is the fun stuff.  I have a few finds and a bit of stash to share, too.  I’ll have to take a peek back to see what you’ve seen already, so give me a few minutes.

Here are a few goodies I lucked upon last week.  I was looking for an antique shop, but happily found some thrift stores along the way!  Milk glass has caught my fancy recently, and who doesn't love a 'different' frog?  A couple of bone dishes from the GW, and a handled shot glass is perfect to get my scissors up to hand's reach on the side table.  Oh, and that heart scissor fob just hopped into my bag at Stitch and Frame last time I was there!

These little Blue Birds of Happiness are signed and dated.  I already had one (that is not), and didn't realize theses were until I got home and was looking online to see if they are plentiful..  They aren't valuable, but just sweet little collectibles. 

And the Waverly fabric they're sitting on is actually three sample pieces that are about 30x30.  It's called Country Weekend, and thought it would make great pillows or seat covers. 

All these lovely trims are from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shop.  I'm in hopes that all these pretties will help me want to finish more stitching!     

I was able to find 'In Her World' design by A Mon Ami Pierre and 'Favorite Font Sampler' by Plum Street Samplers at .Amy’s ~ Down Sunshine Lane. 

As for stitching, well, Bunny & Co. has kept me company, but it didn’t get finished for Easter.  I was even thinking of laying it aside after Sunday passed, but decided I’d regret it later, so it will get finished, hopefully before returning to work next week.  I’m ready to move on to something else if you can’t tell.I appreciate your comments and remarks very much.  It's nice to know we have stitching friends out there in the cyber world whether we see them often or not.  So now I'm headed off to see what you've been up to, try to leave a word or two for you, and get more enticed for something or other. 

Hope y'all have a delightful weekend ~ safe from storms and other bad weather!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

Spring's Coming

Hey, Friends!

It was a very busy work week, and with a little vertigo thrown in to put things ‘off kilter’ it seemed even more rushed!  There are no finishes, but a little stitching was done this week.  I’m still enjoying ‘A Wish for You.’  I’ve changed the door’s initial to an ‘S’ and lightened up on the trim and windows with Weeks Parchment.  Hopefully the weekend will see it completed.

It was a fabulous stashing week!  My LNS – The Stitch and Frame Shop – came back from ‘Market’ with loads of beautiful and fun stuff, so I grabbed my list and headed off.  The BBD girls had been busier than I remembered reading about – there were several pincushion rewards that I couldn’t resist, including this one, Breath of Spring, plus the great Stitcher’s Journey book. It is really fine and there are some great photos of it all around that I'm sure you've already seen!

I found several charts I’ve been ‘needing’ for some time on etsy, too.  Someone had some items for sale without a blog, and I picked up this lovely book from the Charleston (South Carolina) Museum, Samplers and Embroideries from Charleston and the Lowcountry.

AND I received the prize, Blessed are the Needleworkers, I won from The Wooley Stitcher's Blog.  It not only has the great chart, but also the silks to stitch with!  Thank you so much, Kim!

I hope you’re all enjoying the sunshine as much as I am today.  It’s still cool, but tomorrow is supposed to be in the 70’s.  How great is that? 

Spring must really be on the way – the guy who cut my grass last summer came by this morning to see if I still want to have his service this year.  Ha, ha, ha…  I loved it!  Not having to spend a part of the weekend doing yard work – of course!!  I also noticed the Tulip Tree is showing its color…

Thanks for stopping by, and I’d love to hear your comments or your favorite finds  this week!

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

Redwood in SC

Edited to add giveaway link

The Vintage Workshop Window is having a neat giveaway of Fresh from the Garden giftsets.  Take a look and enter to win!

Not a lot going on this week, but wanted to share what a lovely Mother’s Day weekend we had!  On Saturday, DS and I went to see Iron Man II ~ and I really enjoyed it, no matter the critics.  Then we went to Nikota to sit on the floor for Japanese.  He got a redwood tree for shading the back yard and planted it for me.  It is young, and needs lots of water (summer planting??) but one day the deck will be shaded for real afternoon enjoyment!  On Sunday, we took steak and fixin’s to Nan and Pop’s to grill out.  She had to work, so we had everything almost finished when she got home.  I got her a purse, and she seemed to like it…

Wish we had smell-a-blog so you could get a whiff of these wonderful jasmine climbing up the banister of my front porch.  They do smell divine!!

I was able to complete and submit at work this week the form declaring that I have not smoked for six months!!  This will be another $25 savings on insurance premiums per month.  Believe me, there are days when I think, if I still smoked I’d go out and have one!  When I turned in the form, the lady in Human Resources said, “It’s been ten years since I quit, and there are days when I feel like I could eat one!”  I know exactly what she meant.  I have quit before and started back after years.  I know people who can have one with a drink, and not touch them any other time.  I’m not one of those.  We were told at our end-of-year meeting last week that beginning in September, the campus policy on smoking will be “in your vehicle, only.”  They didn’t want to try to put in place a total ban for the sake of adults who do smoke, but also don’t want to infringe on the rights of those who don’t smoke, so that’s what they came up with.  Another reason to be SO glad I’ve quit. 

This is TuSAL week, and as you can see the 2010 ornie is getting more full by the month.  If you like to learn more or join in the useless fun, hop over and visit here.

And speaking of hop...  Have you seen the cutest little Rabbit scissors ever?  I got mine from Anita's Little Stitches!

On the stitching front this week, I finished a little piece by The StitcherHood, Stitcher’s Sampler.  Once again, using one of my favorties for this type design, DMC 115.  I’ve also been stitching an ornament, but will show you later.

Did you get to enjoy those few days of cool weather last week?  Wasn’t it wonderful to have early spring weather in these days that feel so much like summer?  Whatever your weather this week, I hope you’re wrapping up a wonderful weekend, enjoying a lot of whatever it is you decide to do!

Thank you for coming by for a visit and for sharing your kind words with me!  I love hearing that you’ve stopped by!

 Joy ~ Peace ~ Love
and Happy Stitching

Charlene

May ?

A couple of words about my last post, My first meme …  Yes, it was amazing that I could recognize her – but I credit that mostly to my great desire to see her.  It was a wonderful program, but as I told someone else, there were four teachers in the program, and I do recall the names and a couple of things the others taught me, but none like Mrs. Campbell.

On one of my yahoo groups, Patti, the Rocky Mountain Stitcher, recently finished the Bremen Town Musicians.  It reminded me of a set of Scherenschnitte (German scissor snipping) pieces I did years ago, but still hang in my dining room.  Looking at the photo makes me realize that some nicer framing would do wonders for these!   And wouldn’t that lovely cross stitched piece look lovely hanging with them?  Maybe …  I believe it’s buried deep in my stash someplace. 

Last week I finished stitching my OakHaven Designs monthly SAL for April.  I used as close to diamond colored thread for the hearts, Sulky Holoshimmer. 

I’ve also been stitching the NeedleMania 2 SAL with The Sampler Life group.  Part five is now finished.

As much as I say and plan to quit stash gathering, I’ve gotten a bit more…  Cricket Collection, Soft Boiled.  Won’t these be cute with that 2010 Carrot? And from Carol the Linen Stitcher, who is downsizing,  a BlackBird Designs The Blackbird Sampler. 

Thanks for stopping by.  I'd love to hear your comments!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and a joy filled Mother's Day!

    Peace~Loveand Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Sun Shining

The sun is shining beautifully out the window…and it’s only 45`, but that’s better than it could be; right?

We had a bit of a snow event ~ everyone was saying, oh, it snowed on this day in March last year…  It snowed wet, heavy stuff, but pretty to watch, from about 10 am Monday until after midnight.  Since it had been a little warmer, the results only caused a two-hour delay for work.  This is how it looked around midnight.

I’m sorry to say I’m dropping out of the Round Robin for the Weather Poems.  As generous and kind as Ally is, and as sweet and pretty as the graphs are, I just don’t think I can handle twelve of these.  I’ve stitched for hours and hours on this little March chart, and see what’s finished? 

After that decision, I picked up Paulette’s Trifle (Plum Street Samplers) and began happily stitching away with DMC #48.

Want to see a little of the stash I’ve collected over the last little while.  These are some finishing fabbies and a few linens…

…and speaking of Paulette, on her blog she recommended some soaps from Wendy at BeSem Natural Scents.  With the cold weather induced dry skin, and all the butters and oils included in these little beauties, I had to give them a try. They arrived quickly, and they are THE best smelling, soapy, soothing soaps I’ve tried!  Wendy offers a ‘sample pack’ so that you can give several a try to pick your favorites!  She also threw in an extra-Pine.  I also got the Travel Bar, but it's in the shower - and yes, I did use it to wash my hair, too - as a test to see if it would really be a sub for shampoo bottles in the cosmetics case!  Yep, believe it can.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!  I really appreciate all your tips, suggestions, and concern last week, and have put some to the test.  Will let you know how they work out - and I am feeling better.  Hugs and love to y'all.

Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Mid-January

[Edited today to replace finished picture, forgot to include TuSAL, and to include finished an ornament.]
I’m looking forward to having Monday off work – MLK Day, but don’t tell anyone.  I just want to spend the day doing nothing but stitching!  Ssshhhh - Do you hear that nagging voice in the background asking about organizing the craft room?  Oh, they called for a reminder that Pixie has grooming on Monday, but at least it’s afternoon.

I started out last weekend stitching the “A” from Brookes’ Books Alphabet Series SAL.  Decided to wait until the end to add beads since I’m using Q-Snaps and the beads may get crushed, so it doesn’t really look finished, but all the stitching is done. The goal is to have A and B done in January.

Next I worked on part 2 of the NeedleMania 2 – one of the girls has finished part 8 – and it’s a nine-part series!  It’s not difficult, but my stitching rate is probably in the slower percentile of slow!  It’s not finished either, but when it is I’ll be stitching an ornament of some sort.  Did I show you the Blackbird Design needlebook?  Here it is. 

 Here's the ornament I stitched while watching New Orleans whip Arizona!  Everything Loved by Stitch Wiz done on pink 18ct with DMC.

The Gift of Stitching is an on-line cross stitch magazine that I subscribe to, and have bought the previous years, too.  I decided one day to browse through some of the previous issues to see if there was something to fit the bill of the Ornament a Month SAL challenge.  WOW, was there ever!!  There are so many great projects in this magazine, and I tend to forget which ones fit the need of what I’m looking for so a good browsing once in a while is a very good thing.

Did I tell you that the enabler, Edgar, over at Blacksheep’s bit of the web, enticed me into Carriage House Samplings, Alphabet Blocks?  And a sale at Down Sunshine Lane got me on a few others – Primitive Needle’s Tombstone Spots and LaDDa Girl in the Red Dress and A Penny Saved.  Enough stash for the New Year; right? 

Do you know that Gentle Arts is now putting up their has Sampler Threads in 10-yard skeins?  I noticed them on Anita’s Little Stitches.  Check out her blog for this and other new items that she has!

I forgot to include my TuSAL for January, so here it is.

I’m going blog hopping now, then stitching and watching the football playoffs in a little while.  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