Feeling a Bit Better

....and now my camera is missing. Well, let's just say, "I don't know where it is." So, because of that, I am going to list the items I received from my friend Lucy as my part of our Personal Exchange.

Lucy was very generous, here are the items that I really have no words for which to thank her. She showed great generosity of not only her time but of her friendship as she chose so many beautiful and gorgeous things.

Lana's Stop Knitting Magazine -- I can't even begin to tell you that I don't know which pattern to start first. They are all so lovely and feminine...... great choice.

Disney Cross Stitch Magazine -- Another WOW item. I am humbled to receive such a wonderful magazine. I will surely use one or two designs for my Disney Neighborhood R & R.

Antique Heart Frame - Reproduction of a beautiful antique, romantic wood frame. Very pretty ivory heart that is ready to frame one of my treasured pictures.

Two organza ribbons -in light blue and wood rose, perfect for ornaments.

Two Lacy ribbons - Antique looking, cottony, lace, ivory ribbons that would look gorgeous if used on the SALexandre project.

One pink rose ribbon trim - Also very pretty as a trim on pillow ornaments.

A jingle bell - Although a simple bell, it brings so much joy when I hear it jingle. It is very antique looking, so much so that one can actually imagine Santa Claus has one just like it.

A dozen Pearl head pins - Awesome for pincushions, pinkeeps.... all sorts of needlebook items....... just great!

Six brown ivy etched buttons - Extremely antique looking. I love the ivy that is etched on the button itself. Great for biscornus and knitted sweaters.

DMC Sampler Book - So if all of this is not more than enough, Lucy sent me a Sampler book published by Mango Pratique that is absolutely divine. I have 4 favorite samplers: The Camel sampler (well, that is what I call it since it has 8 camels and I love camels. The Halloween Sampler is just beautiful. A Sweets Sampler with lots of candy and lollipops and Monochrome Music sampler done in red with classic piano in the middle...... just awesome.

Flower Fairies - Stoney Creeks Flower Fairies foldout that was given as a gift with magazine purchase in Europe. I can see myself stitching a few of these flowers.

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS - I have left the best for last. This was my stitched personal exchange piece. I believe it is a Prairie Schooler design. Lucy stitched it over one thread. A true gem. Precious, just precious. I am so amazed by the stitching. I love it! On the back she stitched our initials. I am just thrilled, thrilled to bits. I don't know what I did to deserve all these gifts, but I am happy that I get to keep company with such a wonderful friend.

THANK YOU ~~~~~ THANK YOU ~~~~~THANK YOU !!!!!

Of course I will take pictures right after I find the camera. Other than that I have been stitching. Many stitches were put down on my Christmas ornament piece, Santa Stamp. I have also stitched quite a bit on my Disney Neighborhood R & R and much stitching was done on my Winter Personal Exchange piece for Lucy.

Warm stitches to all ...........................

A Bit Under the Weather

Once I feel a lot better, I will start posting pictures of the beautiful piece my exchange partner sent me. I am so honored that she stitched that for me. I couldn't believe it when I saw that she stitched one over one. Shocked to say the least. It is a gorgeous piece from the Prairie Schooler, "A Visit from St. Nicholas".

I also have "start-itis". Lately, everything calls me and I start stitching it. My Winter exchange piece is almost finished. The only thing that is left is the backstitching and my rethinking of ripping out a bit and re-stitching it again. After that, is the "finishing" touch and I still have no idea what it will be. I think I will send it early because I can't wait for her to see it.

Other than that, I am looking to find sources that sell or trade French cross stitch magazines. If anyone knows of any good ones, please let me know on the comments section of this entry.

Healthy stitches....

My friend received her Personal Exchange!

She likes it, she really likes it and I am blushing. I'm shy. But, she really likes it! That is what is most important. She put pictures up on her blog which is great because after a few stuffings, I gave up with the picture taking. lol.

I sent her a few things and I would have sent her more if it would have fit. I believe in stuffing those envelopes like a turkey.... lol......

Here is a pic of the stitched ornament. I changed all of the colors.

Taken from: 555 Little Sayings in Cross Stitch
c. 2000 by Chapelle Limited
designed by Marie Barber

For more pictures of our exchange please go to Lucy's page.

On a stitching note: I have been working on my Santa Stamp. Lucy and I will have an informal Christmas SAL together. That way we can encourage each other on our year-long Christmas stitching without feeling the pressure of getting them done.

Wishing you non-pressured stitching.....

New 2009 Start & Stash Pics

What could be better than stitching and stashing in the new year?? More stitching and stashing!!!!

Don't worry, I have been very good. The collage I am sharing with you today is a compilation of items that are have been in my stash for months.

Little pretties that I picked up during my Summer vacation and have recently re-discovered leading to a "there you are" moment. Yes, I have lots of those "aha" moments because I have ALOT of stash.

I find that going through my stash gives me a new perspective on my stitching taste. One thing that I was pleasantly surprised to find were 2 Prairie Schooler freebies. Although I am not a fan, I must admit these are pretty cute! I can see these stitching at least the snowman for 2009.

It seems that my tastes have ventured into the over-dyed fibers. Those pictured are some of my favorite combinations. Eucalyptus by Weeks Dye Works happens to have attracted me more than any. Hopefully, I will find a pretty pattern that will showcase its beauty.

My Mirabilia stash happens to be growing at a steady pace. Let's see if I can stitch some of those pretty ladies soon.

Oh yes, there is a Just Nan "Over the Top" Boo. I hope to stitch at least the design as one of my Halloween projects.

Okay, okay, I won't make you wait any longer...... here is my first start of 2009.

Dear Santa, Letter
The Cross Stitcher Magazine (US)
June 2007 Issue
Designed by: Ursula Michael

Please note that I am only stitching the Santa stamp portion of the design as a Christmas Ornament. I think that the Santa is really cute and will make a great addition to my ornies.

As you can tell, I have enough to keep me stitching without going to purchase more. Definitely considering stitching out of my own stash for a few months in 2009. Lots of people are doing it and being very successful.

Wishing you fast stitches.......

I love cross stitching !!

Ever since encountering a piece my fourth grade classmate, Anne-Marie, was stitching I have been hooked. Part of me wonders if she continued to stitch or if she was just the "matchmaker". Still, an enduring match was made that opened my life to many days of fulfilling cross stitching.

Other than Anne-Marie the only other stitchers that I have ever met that I have relationships with are my BFF, Michelle, and my BFOLF (best forever online friend), Lucy. They both know how much cross stitching is a part of my life and enable me as much as possible. Thank you ladies.

Michelle and I have gone to countless Michael's, Ben Franklin's, A.C. Moore's, Spirit of Cross Stitching festivals, local and not-so-local cross stitch shops. She even gave me a dozen of cross stitch magazines before she moved which I have treasured since. Lucy and I have shared exchanges and cross stitch ideas for several years now which have encouraged many more projects and many more projects after that. It is wonderful to have friends that one can not only share life with, but also hobbies. I am very thankful for them.

In 2009 all three of us will be stitching different things, but we are all connected even though I am equidistant from both of them. Literally, they are half world's apart with me right in the middle. The love of cross stitching connects us like unbreakable thread.

Here I am able to share my love of cross stitching with all those who read my blog. I thank you for coming and spending quality time with me. Some posts will be filled with pictures, others with words of encouragement, but all posts will be filled with my gratitude to you for reading.

Lately, I have been spending my time cross stitching my Disney Neighborhood. Little by little it is coming together. When taking a break from it, an Ursula Michael's design named "Dear Santa, Letter" takes its place. I plan to stitch only the Santa stamp portion of the design as a Christmas ornament. There are so many Christmas ornaments that I wish to stitch for 2009 that it is important to start early while the drive is high.

Today, I joined the Halloween SAL blog. There are a few Halloween designs that I hope to have finished for 2009. One of the major reasons that I joined the SAL is to support other stitchers. Planning a SAL blog and keeping it going is a lot of work and I take off my hat to those who take up the challenge and make it work.

As a treat for your reading this far, here is the latest pic of my Disney Neighborhood R R. Hope that you like it.



Grateful stitches.......

The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful

First the good: Doggie Modeling Sweater

These were the best pictures taken. He is definitely the best dressed dog on the block.

The even better
My cousin emailed me to tell me my aunt loved her LOVE, PEACE and a CURE pillow.
That is wonderful news to hear. I am very glad that she liked it.

The bad
Stitching with light grey floss on light blue fabric is blinding.
Yuppers, I can't stand it! I can barely see the floss going into the light blue evenweave.
But, I will persevere and continue stitching the castle on my Disney Neighborhood RR.

The beautiful

A picture is worth a thousand words......

The Castle, c. Disney 2000
adapted by Stoney Creek Collection, Inc. c. 2000

The yellow lines were my guidelines for positioning the castle. I will take them off soon because I find them more of a hindrance than a help. Believe me it is hard to type that because it took a very long time to grid the fabric.

That is all for now. In a few hours I'll be back to post pics of WIPS and New Year starts.

Back to regularly programmed stitching.....

Life Happened

Let me start off by saying I do not like drama. I enjoy peace and quiet, stitching, knitting, reading and shopping to name a few. Yesterday life's drama hit like a waterfall, literally.

Since it has been brutally cold in these parts of my world, one of the water pipes in my humble abode decided to burst and in a few minutes, torrential downpours similar to Niagara Falls proceeded to fall in my livingroom.

Holy Moley!!!! Water, water everywhere pouring down from the ceiling. Lucky we were home when it happened or else I can not imagine what I would have found or not have found.

Now we are in the drying stages......This weekend I will clean up and throw out many things.... Happy New Year!!!! But, I am thinking very positively, we were home when it happened, pipe burst prior to entering the wall so there is no breaking of the walls to find the leak, no water damage to electronics or cross stitch stash.

Thought I would blog a bit in order to keep the momentum going.

Even though drama happened, that did not stop me from stash ordering. Holly, one of my favorite Mirabilia cross stitch patterns was on sale at 123stitch and I had to order it. Two days into the new year I have purchased Mirabilia's Christmas Flourishes, Easter Fairy and Holly. Luck had it that I found a few stitchers who were looking to sell their items. Most of the time I love trading/buying from trading albums because it is a win/win situation. A few years ago all I did was trade items. Stopped trading for a long while because it was getting out of control. It became a job just to log in what I sent and what I was expecting. Little by little I am starting to check stitcher trading lists when I see them.

If you are looking for sales this month check the following shoppes:
http://www.needlecraft-corner.com/
http://123stitch.com/
http://www.thestitchingpost.com.au/

I have purchased from 123stitch and Needlecraft Corner and they are both great!

The Stitching Post in Australia looks like a place I would order from too.

If anyone has a trade/sale list and wishes me to look at it and/or list it on my blog, leave a comment on this post with your trading list url and I will place a link to it.

Back to my regularly scheduled Disney Neighborhood R R stitching........

First 2009 Finish

Irish Fisherman Sweater ... doggie version
There it is!! My first knitting finish of 2009...and I am on a roll.

Doggie is wearing it now. First, you have to understand that my dog is very mellow. So mellow, people think he is on Prozac. lol. He is not scared of anything, lets you give him a manicure and brush him silly. Only thing that he is not crazy about is getting his teeth brushed and taking a bath. So, when I fitted the sweater for armholes and neck closure, he took it all in. After I finished it and put it on him, he is kind of wondering why his skin is blue .... lol..... He won't move in it..... lol. Once is he more comfortable in it, I will take a pic of him modeling his first sweater.

I love it, the cables are perfect. The back length is perfect, but the chest came out a bit long. It is also roomy, but great for when he runs around. One of the arm holes is a tad bigger than the other, but it is not very visible since the holes are toward the underside.

Bottom line is that I think I did a great job and everyone who sees him thinks he looks cute and very handsome.

Going to stitch the night away.......

2009 Has Arrived!!

Hoping that everyone has made it safely into 2009. It was a pretty quiet evening for me for it was brutally cold. Still, I managed to see fireworks and feel the wonderful love of family.

As I reflect on 2008, I see that I blogged, stitched, crocheted and knitted more. My wish is that I continue this trend in 2009.

Keeping a stitching budget is in my 2009 plans as I have tons of stash. Being a bit more disciplined will ensure that I only buy items that I really truly desire and will someday stitch. There are many stitchers on the net that have been challenging themselves to stitch from their stash and only purchase items for those projects when needed. Sometimes I will do that, other times I will allow myself to go crazy and shop. After all is said and done things will balance out. They always do.

A better can do outlook and positive thinking along with the doing will definitely make 2009 my best crafting year yet! I am looking forward to all the blessings of 2009. With 2008 behind me I venture forth to fulfilling my stitching wishes. I will continue to blog about my crafting throughout the year. Making this blog an exclusive crafting journal where I can share my stitching experiences with every stitcher who comes.

On the sides of the blog I will add lists of WIPS, finishes and other blog sites. Hopefully, my blog will also appear on other stitchers blog lists. More pics of my stitching and doggie are promised for 2009.

Life is good! Needles up!!!!!