I've been playing

I really never knew that embroidery machines could become addictive.....is there a 12 step program out there!!!  LOL  I have become a junkie when it comes to this machine and I'm afraid that my cross stitch is taking a beating in the "doing" phase.  I played with it all day long today and learned how to bring in a picture from any where and turn it into an embroidered piece.  That is just too cool!!!!!  

This is what I was up to today....

For the SAL I'm hosting with Jenn starting Jan. 1, 2013, I decided to start off with making a project bag for the random winner chosen at the end.  Each month a new item will be placed in this bag to be given to the winner who finishes the SAL and who's name is drawn.  It was so much fun designing this and choosing the fabric collection.  I think what I chose is just about perfect.  The main part of the bag is done in the navy background with straight pins design with the logo added to the navy background that has all the stitching necessities on it.  The lining is the same fabric but with a cream background.  

Isn't it wonderful to drool over fabric?  When my DH goes with me into Sewing Studio, he just doesn't understand the "touching" process.  I've tried to explain it to him but I think there is something missing in the males DNA that they just can't comprehend what we are talking about.....at least I know mine is missing that "touching" gene.  LOL  From cottons to silks to linens to velvets.....they all have a "certain touch" that we don't even have to look at the fabric to know what it is made of.  Am I the only one who plays the guessing game with fabric.....you know when you feel a fabric and try to guess what is in it and only then look at the label.  Okay I'm weird but fabric is my favorite thing in the whole world....right next to silk fibers.....but that's a different story for a later date.  LOL

I hope everyone is having a great week and will have lots of time for those little x's this weekend.  May the frog stay away from your door!  (here's a laugh for you.....about frogs.....there's one living on our porch lite so that dang frog is here every dang day) 

Until we talk again,

Have a Blessed Day,

Barbara

A new SAL

Have you noticed that Blogger works great when it's working??  But have some trouble and you're on your own.  Anyways.....

Here's the new French SAL I was talking about in the post that I ended up deleting.  You can find all the information about it here.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A quickie SAL for Christmas

My daughter, Jenn whose blog is Leftsox, is having her first SAL and it's a beautiful Christmas ornament/scissor fob.  She's doing it in 3 parts and you can get the first part from her blog which is here.

The picture above shows the supplies that I will be using.  Two different colors of 28ct. linen....burgundy and olive green (you will find out why when you read her blog).  I'm then using white and silver as my primary colors with silver beads.  This is my project for the weekend.  She's starting her own cross stitch designing company and this is her invitation to stitcher's.  Please join us and have a new ornament for your Christmas tree this year.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Measi's Musings 2012 WIPocalypse

I am changing my mind on what working SAL I am joining.  I have some designs started and I think it would be better if I joined Measi's 2012 WIPocalypse.  You can find all the rules and qualifications under the page listed above and see what WIP's I will be working on throughout the year.  She is also allowing for new starts if you finish with what you are working on.  I'm a pretty fast stitcher and I usually finish quite a few designs in a year....so I fit into this SAL alot better.  If you are interested, go read about it and decide if this is something you would enjoy.  As of right now I am working on the Paris Mandala and a quaker sampler.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Crazy Challenge January 2012

Have you all heard about this?  The concept if very interesting.  Starting on January 1st thru the 15th you start a new project everyday.  What you end up with is 15 WIPs and you have till the end of the year to finish them.  I have joined and I'm just waiting for my confirmation email.  If you're interested, here's the link:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crazyjanuary2012/

I have 4 of the projects picked out so far.  The first of course is my Paris Mandala which I know I started earlier than Jan 1, but it's going to take a year to finish it anyways.  My second one is by Papillion and that's her first SAL called "How Does Your Garden Grow".  I have the fabric and fibers already picked out for that one so it's a no brainer.  My third will be by Papillion also and that's her "Castles in the Air" SAL from last year.  This one I am going to attempt to stitch on 40ct. linen so I know that will take a year for me to do.  No fibers have been picked yet.  My fourth one is the new Ink Circles and that's her new one Metamorphosis.  I have to pick that one up at my LNS on tuesday and we'll see then about the fabric and fibers.  I think the remaining ones will end up being on the small side since 3 of these seem to be quite large.  I've never done something like this and I think it will be fascinating to see what others pick.

So wish me luck because I must be crazy to start something like this.  Although, with all of your encouragement and seeing what others have started with this challenge, there just might be a chance that I could finish the Paris Mandala.  **fingers crossed**

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Getting ready to start the Paris Mandela

Well I'm ready to start my first large Chatelaine design and I'm feeling way overwhelmed.  I'm stitching it on 36ct. natural linen and as you can see, the box is quite filled with silks, metallics and DMC flosses.  I haven't gotten the beads and crystals yet but I'm not concerned since they will go on last.  I plan on ordering them from Fire Mountain Gems if and when I get to that point.  Notice I say "if".  I'm very concerned that this is just a little too large a project for me to undertake.  I have trouble with concentration and this might cause problems.  So wish me luck and if I start falling behind, please give me a kick in the butt to get me restarted.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

The end of a wonderful SAL.....

Well they say all good things must end and that includes this SAL from Carol.  If you haven't been able to join in on this, I highly recommend purchasing the pattern (here) when she offers it.  You'll love stitching it and you can do so many different things with it.  

 Above you'll see it after I finished stitching it this morning.  Don't you just love the alphabet Carol used for the initial at the bottom right.

 And here it is finished into my sewing case.  I used a pretty green cotton for the lining and pocket.  The ribbon is silk that matches the blue stitching perfectly.  Inside you see the wool felt blue for holding my needles and mother of pearl thread holders.

Thanks for looking and blessings as always,

Barbara

First part of a new SAL

 The Threadbasket and C Mon Monde together have started a new Christmas SAL and I just finished the first part.  

I have decided to stitch mine on 32ct Stoneypoint linen using HDF silks.  I truthfully didn't think I would ever get this house finished because you need to finish the part before getting the next part.  I really don't have any Christmas pictures and I really fell in love with this one.  

Now unto my next project which is going to be Pineberry Lane Anne Lancaster Needle Book and I'm anxious to get my thread and needle into it.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A finish, a SAL and some wonderful Pa. pictures

 Good Monday morning to everyone!  I woke up to some beautiful pictures in my email and I'll get to them in a minute but first, I have finished Style Quaker by Jardin Prive.  This was an absolute fun stitch and it's one of those you're sorry to see end....mostly because of the soft colors she uses....so relaxing.

 Next up is part 7 of Carol's SAL.  This one is coming to a close and I shall miss it.  I think it's a great tribute to Carol that I feel that way.  I've started other SAL and just haven't enjoyed them near as much as this one and I think it's because of the designers own enthusiasm.  I want to thank Carol for all her hard work that she has put into this SAL....I shall miss it.

 And now for some wonderful Autumn pictures of Pennsylvania from Marly.  Marly made my day with these beautiful pictures of my home state.   She really has started my week on a happy note and I thank her from the bottom of my heart.  So sit back and enjoy these beautiful pictures of my home state in all it's glory!!!!

I hope your monday starts out as great as mine did.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A finish and another part of Carol's SAL

I spent some of the day stitching part 6 of Carol's SAL.  With each part that I stitch, I fall more in love with this design.   While I was stitching it, I watched one of my favorite movies....While You Were Sleeping.  If you've never seen this movie, it stars Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman and it's a great romantic comedy.  It's worth watching just to see Bill's fantastic hair. :o)  So if you've never seen it, I highly recommend it when you're in the mood for some light romantic comedy.

I also finished the pincushion from the month's issue of Gift of Stitching.  I stitched it on 28ct. light gray jobelan using a beautiful Gloriana silk called Bellagio.  I finished it into a pincushion and I used crushed corn cob for the stuffing.  The backing is a pretty green on green and I made the bow out of the same fabric.  You'll find this for sale in my store if you are interested.  Isn't the acorn adorable!!!!  I bought that this past week at Joann's and I'm going to try to reproduce it in cross stitch.  I'm not sure if it's doable but I'll let you know either way.

Next on my stretcher is a design by Kathy Schmitz called Pin Skep.  I'm also using a Gloriana Florimell Silk Floss and it will be trimmed with Gloriana Silk Ribbon to match.  I think it's gonna be a fun stitch and I'll post pics when finished.

I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend and with this being the first week of October, shouldn't the leaves be turning to autumn colors?  Please, please if they are where you live, please send me a picture of them!!!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Carol's SAL update

Well I have finished this part of Carol's SAL and am loving it more with each passing part.  I hope everyone has a great saturday with lots and lots of stitchey time.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Two finishes and a new SAL

Anyone who knows me knows I love Just Nan designs and this one is just too too cute.  It was a quick and easy stitch with a quick finish but it looks like you took alot of time.  I'm not quite sure how I'm going to display him so if you have any suggestions, I'm open to them.  I just don't want him to get buried in the pile of others smalls I have.

The above design is from Sam Sarah but I changed it quite alot.  They had several of these stitched on one piece of linen but I decided to stitch just one and make him into an ornie.  "G is for Ghost" is the title of it and I think it's so sweet how the included a tile with the letter G on it.  The finishing is different than what I usually do but I think it turned out rather cute.  Behind the stitched piece I placed a piece of wool felt that is an orange and black herringbone and then behind that is a colorful Halloween cotton print.  I pinked around both pieces and tied a bow out of the same cotton print in the front.  

I belong to a Yahoo group called "The Stitch Specialists" and this time the SAL is a darling little owl.  Below you can see the finished product and above my colors that I've chosen.  The fabric is WDW Bed Creek Brown 30ct. and all my fibers are either Gloriana silk or HDF silk.  This does seem to be the year for owls and I can't wait to get into this one.  This yahoo group concentrates on specialty stitches and everything associated with them.  If you are interested in joining such a group, you can find it here.  I will post the parts as I finish them so you can see how this progresses.

I hope everyone has had a great weekend doing what we all love to do.....stitch!!!  I'm sitting here waiting for my Nascar race to start which has been in rain delay for the past 5 hours.  Hopefully they will get it started sometime tonite if not, I get to watch a race tomorrow.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Some new finishes.............

First off, I've finished part 4 of Carol's SAL.  I am really enjoying stitching this sampler and I can't wait to see it finished.  I've decided that I'm going to make it into a stitcher's case for myself and so I'm hoping there's a place for me to stitch my initials.   I also purchased myself a new pair of scissors.  These are fantastic!!!  They are Italian and have the sharpest points and blades of any scissor I've ever used.  They are ringlocks by Forbici Ricamo and I highly recommend them.  They are reasonably priced at $28.00 and I bought them from my LNS Needle Orts.  You can find her website by clicking on the name over to the right under places I love to visit.

 Next is the biscornu pattern I offered for free last week.  I stitched this with a thread that I usually don't use at all and that's Wildflowers.  I wanted it to have a "flat" look about it....not glossy at all and I was able to do that with this thread.  I used 3 different ones....Charcoal for the cats and the words Boo, Black Hills for the decorative stitches and Tumeric for the pumpkins.  The edging is where I really went weird.  I used 1/8" black ribbon and sewd this into loops along the edge.  I think it gives it a quirky finish don't you?  LOL

And last but not least is this very cute design by Cynthia Zittel of Drawn Thread.  You might recognize it but I stitched it in Halloween colors....black, purple and neon green.  I then stitched a black beaded border all the way around it.  You'll find both of these in my store if you are interested.

Well that's all for today.  I'm starting a new Halloween design by Sam Sarah and it shouldn't take too long to stitch it....famous last words.  LOL  I hope everyone gets to do some stitching this weekend and for those in the northeast, I'm jealous of the cooler weather you are starting to have.  Please don't forget that I'd love to receive some pics of autumn in the northeast or wherever you are.  I've been really homesick lately and I'm hoping these pictures will help.  Thank you.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Part Three of Carols SAL

I was able to stitch part 3 of Carol's SAL last nite while watching the race and I really love how this is turning out.  I'm a little anxious to finish this because I just know it's gonna make a gorgeous sewing case for myself.  If you want to see how other stitchers are doing theirs, check out Carol's Blog here.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Carol's SAL part two

I was able to stitch part two of Carol's SAL yesterday.  She's having problems with people stealing pictures from people's blogs and stitching the design from them.  If you ask me, that's pretty rotten.  I know she had to limit the number of people who were able to participate, but to steal it is just low.  That is the reason for my fuzzy picture....anything to help Carol.

Hope all of you are having a Blessed Sunday,

Barbara

My progress on Carol's SAL

I still have to finish the border but I thought I'd share what I have finished so far.  This is part 1 of Carol's IStitch SAL and I'm loving it.  I already have planned on what I'm going to do with this when it's finished, but we'll keep that till later.  I'm stitching it on a 30ct. linen that I dyed and it turned out a really nice blue/green and with the dark blue Mandarin floss, it's a keeper!  

Here's a question.....how many of you use Thread Heaven.  I find that when I'm working with silks or in this case bamboo, the Thread Heaven helps keep control of the fiber.  I noticed that some of these can get hairy and this keeps that from happening.

Tomorrow I'm going to be taking pics of the stash I have for sale and I'll post later in the day about it.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A new SAL by Carol

Carol R. is starting a new SAL and I for one can't wait.  I'm not sure if you are familiar with her designs but you can find her blog here so you can read about the SAL and you can find her patterns here.  She is going to limit the members so that it doesn't get out of hand for her so if you are interested, don't dally.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Slowly working on the SAL

Just a quick post to show the work I have done on the Chatelaine SAL.  I'm really enjoying stitching on the 20ct. Jobelan using two threads.  I think I'm going to order some of this in white or cream and do some hand dyeing just to see how it turns out.  This is a great alternative to 40ct. linen....which my eyes do not like....to get that small stitching I love.  I don't know what I'll do when my eyes no longer like 36 or 32ct.  Not looking forward to that day at all.

Hope everyone is having a blessed day and staying cool wherever you are,

Barbara

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow............

I was watching the weather channel and I just want to give a shout out to all my readers who are getting bombarded by this latest blizzard in the midwest and the north.  Coming from Pennsylvania, I know what it's like to have feet of snow and ice dumped on you, but this one looks particularly nasty.  I was talking with my oldest brother last nite who still lives in Pa. and they were getting ready for some severe icing on the roads.  That I don't miss at all!!!  The last time I talked with our daughter, Jenn, who lives outside Denver, the high for the day was going to be 5 degrees.  OUCH!!!  I just wanted to say please stay safe and warm and if you don't have to venture out, stay inside and stitch.  That's always a great way to spend the day.  

Also, I might not say it enough but I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments about my stitched items.  I know we all enjoy looking at other peoples work, and I am no exception.  I still want to try to get a SAL together.  I would love to hear some suggestions of what everyone would like to stitch.  Maybe we should start out with something small.  I'm thinking of maybe a Blackbird design.  Let me know your thoughts on this and let's see if we can't get something together.

As always, Barbara