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

Stitch and Bit@h

Learned this week that the Zocor I’ve been taking to lower cholesterol has elevated my liver function, so I have to stop that and go back to attempt to find something else.  I need to research for natural cholesterol lowering methods. Any suggestions for would be appreciated.  I read someplace that this liver function could make one feel tired and cause weight gain… mine’s probably just natural.  Blah, blah, blah…  Nothing but complaints!  Quit smoking, elevated cholesterol, bp, gained weight, feel crappy – don’t like my hair, fat, but at least all my wrinkles are filled in WITH FAT!! 

What a crazy week.  I am SO tired of the mess at work, it just makes me sick to have to go there every day.  I really have a good job, but it’s the people!  How often you hear “I hate my job, but love the people.”  Not in this case.  One of these days we’ll be getting a new manager, and perhaps then I can change locations…  Doubtful, but perhaps!

After seeing this Oakhaven Designs SAL on someone else’s blog, I just had to join – do I need another SAL?  No!  But it’s so sweet…  It’s a monthly calendar of sorts, and I’ve chosen to follow most of the colors chosen by the designer, and to stitch the hearts in a different color each month.  These are sulky holographics thus far.

The rest of this week’s stitching has been finishing up part 4 of the Needlemania 2 SAL from Sabine at The Sampler Life group.

Thank you for stopping by and please do come back again soon!  Maybe next time there will be something other than complaints!

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

Back to Work in 2010

I just have to say a great big thank you to everyone who continues to offer congratulations and well wishes for quitting smoking - 8 weeks yesterday.  Your support means the world to me!

Isn’t it funny how at the end of the first week back to work the holidays seem like such a distant memory?  Oh, well – there’ll be another day off later this month.  In the meantime, I’ll sit here with my cuppa, give you a little update, check out what you’ve been up to, then on to some stitching while the Roomba does the floors!  Yeah!!

Notice the old Pyrex percolators on the stove that I picked up at a yard sale?  My 35ish year old cousin was fascinated with it on Christmas Eve.  When I told her at one time they had glass insides, she was amazed.  It made her recall her Dad’s (deceased) Corning cornflower percolator – it was worth the $2 (or whatever) just for that moment with her. Actually, I think it was $10 for those two percolators, Corning cornflower (white with blue flowers) three-piece set of the skillets and a loaf baker, and a naugahyde foot stool – oh, and three amber glass pieces – a very large brandy snifter and two bottles with tops.

With all the SALs I’m participating in, I got Blackbird Designs Peacock Pinkeep, and just HAD to do the needle book with a new color Sulky – Redwork.  I started it Thursday evening, then continued with in for Let’s Stitch on Friday evening.  As you can see, it works up quickly using the Sulky.  It’s over 1 on 28ct linen stash.  I’ve admired this pattern for SO long – don’t they do some of the best?

Speaking of SAL – over at The Sampler Life one of the members, Sabine, created a design in memory of Marc called NeedleMania 2.  I’ve stitched up part one using 18ct in a creamy yellow with DMC 815 and 728.  If I hadn’t had to frog a few times, it would have been quicker.

I know it has been freezing in lots of the world this week, so I hope you’re all warm, sitting with your cuppa, too, and doing what your heart desires!

Thanks for dropping by today, and I hope you’ll come back again, soon!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene in SC