Jen's Stitching Projects

Happy February!!

2012-02-11T05:15:00.000-08:00

Wow! Have things been busy around our place lately. This semester is already running like a speed train, with lots of projects and things to do. I haven't had as much time to stitch, but I some progress is being made. I worked on a WIP this past week, Autumn Leaves and Sunflower Seeds from Blue Ribbon Designs. This is a really cute piece worked in silks. I just don't like the 28 ct. fabric I am working on. But, luckily it is more than half done, so I will work through it.

I am also working on the CCN February Cottage. Love this. I don't think it will take much more time to have this one finished. Really cute design and I love the colors.

Finally, look at this cute little ornament that I received in the Santa Ornament exchange over at Hooked on Exchanging. Cindy from NY made this little beauty and mailed it to me earlier this month. I really love the beads and can't wait to add this to my ornament collection. Thanks, Cindy for the beautiful exchange. Plus, I absolutely love the card. Butterflies are one of my favorites.

Two finishes to share

2012-01-30T05:41:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have really busy this past week and actually finished 3 projects. Two of them are series so I still need to work on these for a while, but the third is a true, complete finish. First, Lizzie Kate Winter Alphabet. I stitched this on a piece of 32 ct. fabric from my stash and I love the result. I can't wait to frame this one. If you haven't picked up this chart yet, it is so much fun to stitch and really works up quickly.

Next, is Elizabeth Milner from Shakespeare's Peddler. Theresa is releasing this as her free chart of the month, releasing 1/6th of the pattern for the first 6 months of 2012. Again, this is a fun stitch and is easy and fast. I am stitching it on 40 ct. Lentil using the designated silks. This is my first time to stitch one of Theresa's reproduction samplers. I am lucky enough to see the originals of these beauties in her collection and have wanted to stitch one for a while. The problem is that I was a bit intimidated by the sizes of these samplers. I know that the originals were stitched by little girls, but they didn't have research to conduct, textbooks to write, courses to teach, kids to feed, etc. I am just worried that I will start one of these and then never finish. The way that Theresa is releasing sections each month seemed like the perfect method for me. As a matter of fact, I stitched this section in just three days.

My other finish is Blackbird Designs Summer. It is the first of the 3 part 2011 series. Sorry, I didn't get a picture, but will post it later.

So far, January has been a great start to the new year. I have accomplished most of my goals and am still excited about the new year. As the semester is revving up though, I am getting quite busy, but it's all good things.

Hope everyone has a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Crafty business

2012-01-21T06:18:00.001-08:00

So, it has been quite a busy week for me. Classes started on Tuesday. I have three large lecture courses this semester (total of 450 students) plus I am team teaching an MCAT prep course with 30 more students. Needless to say, I have met a lot of new and excited young people this past week. I am actually really excited about this semester. The students really seem motivated, which is always nice.

Now, on to more crafty things. Last weekend I decided to finish some of the JABCo pin cushions that I have been collecting the past year. I, of course, picked this up at Shakespeare's Peddler and have finished some over the past year, but the collection is quite extensive now. So, I got to work and finished 4 in two days. The cutest, by far, was the Cherry Limeade (special limited edition available at St. Charles). Sunday, I coached/coerced my sister Bridget through finishing yet another one with me. These are very, very cute and really fun to do. I still have 5 left to finish, but I will get to them eventually.

Stitching-wise, I have been making progress, but not as much as I had hoped. I stitch a bit more on BBD Summer, but then decided to work on LK Winter Alphabet. It is really cute on this green fabric. Can't wait to finish this one.

Yesterday was a fun crafty day for me. A group of friends and I signed up for Painting with a Twist, a local paint studio that offers classes for the public. This is a franchise business that has studios in lots of different cities and we are lucky enough to have one here in our little area. We met for dinner (and a lemon drop martini). Then we spent the next two hours working on this little masterpiece. I am thinking of using this frame, but Hobbie actually likes it without a frame. We had the best time. Afterwards, we all met at a local martini bar and sampled some of the yummy varieties. I loved the Bananasplitini and the Grasshopper. Needless to say, we had a great time and plan to repeat this night out soon.

First Finishes of the New Year

2012-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Isn't it lovely?! I finished Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart piece last Thursday. Friday, I went by my favorite frame shop and picked out a frame. After a bit of confusion with the framer, I was able to get the correct frame by Saturday and now it is hanging in my house. The finished piece is absolutely beautiful. My sister Sharon says that it is definitely an heirloom piece with all of the family initials and dates. My younger sister, Bridget, is putting together a photoshopped piece that highlights the initials and dates so I can attach it to the back of the piece.

Just this morning I finished the CCN January Cottage. It is stitched on 32 ct. Silkweaver Boo Belfast Linen. I used the called for threads except for one. I didn't have it in my stash, so I substituted GA LA Haze for the roof top.

I also started the 2011 BBD Loose Feathers series this morning. I am stitching this on 40ct. linen, not sure of the name of the fabric though. It will be small and I have to wear my reading glasses now to stitch on 40 ct., but it will be worth it when I am finished.

Well, today is my last free day before the new semester. Classes do not begin until next Tuesday, but I need to go into the office tomorrow and get everything organized and attend a meeting. The textbook work has also suffered a bit over the holidays, so I will focus on that the rest of the week as well. I really enjoyed the holiday this year and took advantage of all my down time, but now it's time to get to it. Looking forward to the new semester.

Have a great day!

Jen

First Road Trip of 2012

2012-01-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

We went to New Orleans! It was a short trip, but we had such a great time. Ok, here's the back story: I got a Cool Daddy deep fryer for Christmas (I was so excited.) The first thing I made with this new kitchen gadget was a batch of beignets using the Cafe Du Monde mix available in our grocery stores in the South. The boys were impressed, but Hobbie thought they needed to experience the real thing to make a fair comparison. So, Hobbie suggested that we go to New Orleans for the day since he had Monday off from work. So, we did.

We walked around the French Quarter and had the beignets (Yummy!!!). Then we decided to walk down Royal Street on our way to the WWII museum.

I love to look at art galleries. I am semi-artistic but too impatient. I appreciate the time and effort that artists invest in their work. I was lucky enough to work at a frame shop when I was younger and framed lots of work of our local artists in Hattiesburg. It was alway so much fun to see what these people created. So, we are walking along, admiring the different artists' work, when we came upon Alex Beard's Studio. I was awestruck. I usually just look at the displayed pictures in the windows, but I had to go into this studio. I was so excited. I LOVE his work. His work features animals and since I am a biologist, I was especially drawn to his work. I mentioned to Hobbie that I really liked the work and wanted one for my birthday in February. He asked which one I liked the most and I showed him the Avery Island Egrets print. HE BOUGHT IT FOR ME!!! He said that he knew if we left the studio with the intention to come back later, I would never go back and get the piece. (I can be a bit of a tight wad). I have to wait a few weeks though because the piece will have a customized mat completed by Alex. I can not tell you how excited I am. Isn't Hobbie the best?

So we made our way to the WWII Museum. Patrick has been to the museum twice with different class trips, but he was excited that we were all going to go and thought that Nicholas would especially enjoy it. We saw the featured film Beyond All Boundaries. It was amazing and very touching. I think it was a great way to start off the year with the realization of just how much has been sacrificed so that we can just decide to run down to New Orleans for the day. I very touching and humbling experience. Nicholas was impressed and wants to go back to visit the museum again. We were not able to go through all of the exhibits.

While we were there, the boys were hungry (teenage boys, ya know). We decided to eat at the restaurant in the museum. I was reading the description to the guys when I realized that this was a John Besh restaurant. I really think I blushed when I read his name. I have a huge chef crush on John Besh. It all started when he challenged Mario Batali in Iron Chef America. Then when I really got to know him on Next Iron Chef, I was too far gone. He seems to be such a genuine individual (and it doesn't hurt that he served in the USMC, I have a thing for Marines). We had a wonderful meal to end the day.

What a great time! And, we made it home early enough that I had some stitching time before bed.

I'm back!!

2011-12-31T10:16:00.001-08:00

I know, I know. It has been way too long since I updated my blog. Lisha, Bridget, Sharon, Theresa, I do apologize. But, I decided to end 2011 in a positive note and post something.

This year has been very busy. I didn't reach all of my stitching goals, but one of my most important was the Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart series. I am happy to say that I have finished all of the month blocks. I still need to finish the last bonus, but it should be completed in a few days. It was a lot of fun to stitch and will be such a family heirloom. I added many of my special family members to the blocks (parents, siblings, nephews, grandparents, and our newest additions Katie and Maddi). I can't wait to finish this and frame it. I know exactly where it will hang in the living room.

Now, as for my 2012 stitching goals I would like to finish some of the WIPs from 2011:

1. Trousse A Tri Fils

2. The Primitive Needle Witches Hollow

3. Cherished Stitches A Quaker Halloween Sampler

4. Gingerbread Stitching House

5. Bent Creek Christmas Mantle

6. Leisure Arts Mistletoe Ball

7. A Quaker Christmas

8. Blue Ribbon Designs Autumn Leaves and Sunflower Seeds

9. Blue Ribbon Designs Peppermint Twist

10. Blackbird Designs Seasons series

11. Country Cottage Needleworks newest series

12. Blackbird Designs Easter Parade.

Hopefully, I will be more successful this year. But if not, it's all right!!

To close this post, I want to share some photos of our wild cats:

This is Josie. And, yes, she is just as special as she seems to think she is in this photo. She is our three year old Maine Coon. This diva has a lot of sass and even more attitude. But, we love her.

This sweet "little" girl is Elizabeth (Lizzie). She is a year old and the nicest cat. Very calm, unless Nicholas gets out the laser pointer and then the girl can move.

Finally, we have Elvis. He is our 7 month old Maine Coon. He is just full of trouble. (I found a mess on the kitchen floor this morning where he pulled something off of the counter and tried to eat it.) He is super sweet and loves, loves, loves all of us. He is going to be a big boy though.

Happy New Year!!!

Update on projects

2011-04-30T14:02:00.001-07:00

So, I have been less productive this month than I had hoped, but I did finish two of the WIPs from my list. This week's finish was LHN Sunflower Inn. The house was a bit time consuming, but overall it was a very enjoyable stitch.

I am working on several projects that are series this year (BBD Anniversaries of the Heart, EM Sampler book, BC Christmas Mantle and Halloween Branch). These have actually made my progress seem slower than I had hoped. I listed these as single projects, when they are actually multiple projects on one piece of fabric. I think that if I can get through one (maybe the BC Christmas Mantle) I will feel like I am making progress. That's my goal this month.

Dream JOB!!!

2011-04-17T09:15:00.001-07:00

I have had the most fun this past month helping out at Shakespeare's Peddler, Theresa Venette's needlework shop. Most of you are probably familiar with Theresa through her amazing designs (Raise the Roof and Shakespeare's Peddler). She is an amazing designer and great friend. After market, she was extremely busy, so I offered to help out. Fortunately for me, she accepted the offer.

Let me tell you, she is a busy woman. But, she is always so positive. Every time the phone rings, she answers with this happy voice, "Shakespeare's Peddler, this is Theresa!" She is so nice to her customers. She answers lots of questions about fabric choice and stitching techniques. She actually is a great role model on how to make the world a better place by just being nice to everyone. And after hanging up the phone, you will often hear her say, "I have the nicest customers!" I have to admit that she has been an inspiration to me and I have been a much more positive person because of her friendship. My younger sister, Bridget, feels the same way. Can you tell that we just love Theresa?

If you are like me, it is so much fun just to be surrounded by all of the wonderful threads and patterns and fabric. Theresa's store is jammed packed with lots of great goodies. We have packed A LOT of orders over the past few weeks and I just know those lucky customers are smiling when they receive them. Who wouldn't love a package of stitching stash!!

If you haven't had the pleasure of visiting Theresa's online shop, do so. She is wonderful.

Now, I have also been stitching some at home. Unfortunately, my day job has really been crazy. I have a lot of students this semester and we are in the "crunch time" on the revision of one of the textbooks, so my stitching has not been that impressive. I did finish the Green Flip Its series from Lizzie Kate. I am going to frame this and hang it in my office. Very appropriate for a Ph.D. in biology to have hanging in the office. Also, I just finished "I Love the Birds" (a Theresa design). It is so pretty. I stitched it on 40 ct. so it is very small and delicate. Once I finish stretching it, I can order the frame and this one may also end up in my office.

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying the Spring weather. We have had some very pretty days mixed with some very stormy days lately. But overall, it has been a very nice Spring. I think I will spend the rest of today visiting with family and stitching. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

What a nice Spring Break!!!

2011-03-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

Wow! The week is over and it is almost time to go back to work. Fortunately for me, I only have lectures on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, tomorrow is primarily catch up in my office, posting grades, and working on the next chapter in the textbook. I actually got one chapter revised over the break, so that makes me happy.

Most of this week I spent at Shakespeare's Peddler helping Theresa pack all those many, many orders. Theresa is one of a kind. She is very busy right now, but she remains so calm. I had such a great time helping and talking. If you haven't checked out her online store and designs, you really should. She is great.

I have been a bit unmotivated with my stitching lately. I selected 22 designs (11 new and 11 WIPs) to complete this year. The main issue is that I selected several series. So when I finish a block, I still am not finished. This gets a bit frustrating for someone like me who loves to mark things off a list. I stitch and stitch and still this list is there. So, I decided I needed to work on a stricter rotation. I just went down my list and worked on a different pattern each day of the week. Some things were slow going others were much more enjoyable. I have three of these to share today.

First on my rotation was Trousse. I love this piece. All of the cats and motifs and letters. I can't wait to finish it and use it as my needlebook. But, I found a major error and spent most of the time pulling out stitches. But, I did make some progress, so that's good.

Next up, Lizzie Kate Go Green Flip Its Series. This one was great. I stitched the 4th block in one night. I love the colors, so bright. When this is finished, I am framing it for my office. Since I only have two blocks to go, that should be soon and then I can mark it off my list.

The next day, I worked on the 5th block in the BBD Anniversaries of the Heart series. If you have been following my progress on this one, you know that I am adding the initials and dates for my family members to these blocks. At first, I was only adding myself, husband, children, our parents and our grandparents. The problem was that I had no one for May. Now, I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers and Hobbie has 3 sisters and 1 brother. We also have lots of nephews on my side of the family and lots of nieces and nephews on his side. I decided to add our siblings and selfishly, just my nephews. So, after adding these extras to the completed blocks, I was able to focus on new stitching and actually finished this square. I love the colors and it looks great with the rest of the piece. I just can't wait to see this one finished, framed and hanging in my home.

I did stitch on several other things, but not a lot of progress. Hope everyone enjoys this beautiful Sunday and has a lovely week. Thanks for stopping by...

A few updates to share...

2011-03-06T08:35:00.001-08:00

Wow, have a been busy lately. Both in my stitching activities and everything else. Fortunately, this is the first day of my Spring Break and I have plans to get quite a bit finished. But first, let's update...

This past week I have found that I love to work with these little wool felt pincushions from Just Another Button Company. I picked up the Pin Feathers that was released at the Nashville Market and actually finished it in one night. It is so incredibly easy and just adorable. Theresa (Shakespeare's Peddler) just loved it as well and thinks that it would be fun to make all kinds and colors of these. I also finished an older one called Mockingbird Hill (or was it Cardinal Hill). Anyway, it is a pyramid shaped piece that represents a grassy hill with lots of flowers blooming on it. I added a leprechaun button to make it a cute addition to my St. Patrick's Day decor. Again, fun and quick project. By the way, JABC directions are perfect and very easy to follow.

Another project that I picked up right after market was Praiseworthy Stitches Wonderfully Wicked Whimsies kit. This kit included the materials to make a needlebook, tiny pin cushion, scissor fob, pin disc, thread keeper, and slide tin. Lots of great goodies. Of course, the picture on the package is so tiny, but the kit has some cute things in it. The instructions for the kit are not that great, but I was able to figure most everything out. After lots of bad words, sticky fingers and recutting of materials, I finished everything. I had purchased the scissors last year, so my set is complete. I changed a few things. The thread keep originally had a key ring but I keep my threads on drops so I changed it to a binding ring that easily opens and closes. Also, the tiny pincushion was a total pain. The ribbon around the top wouldn't lay correctly, so I went through my scrapbooking stash and found this funny eyelash trim that I think looks great. I did make lots of mistakes, including leaving off the orange ribbon that keeps the needlebook closed, but I think this will just be for display anyway.

By the way, guess what I had the pleasure doing this week. I spent two days helping out at Theresa's shop, Shakespeare's Peddler. She is always super busy after market, so I offered to be her assistant. I spent most of my time packaging her wonderful designs. Also, I organized a bit and then helped her pack lots and lots of orders. If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Theresa, you should check out her web page (the link is in the right hand column). She is so nice. I have had the best time helping her and seeing how things run at her shop. She is extremely fast and extremely patient.

So, February was very busy...

2011-02-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

February is the month of birthdays in our family. Two of my nephews, my older son and I all have birthdays between the 4th and 15th. Our family is a bit crazy with the parties and insists that we each have our own cake. So, we have been partying like crazy. I actually had two cakes (Thanks, Lisha. You're the best.) But, I have been stitching some. I stitched a model piece for Theresa of Shakespeare's Peddler and Raise the Roof. It is called "Official Crazy Cat Lady" and is too cute. She released it at market this past weekend. In addition to that I finished another block on the Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart series. Isn't it just too pretty? I can't wait to finish this, frame it and hang it on the wall.

I have also finished a third block in the LK Green Flip Its series. This one was very easy.

Finally, I participated in the Reindeer ornament exchange. I was so lucky to receive an ornament stitched by Edgar. Isn't it pretty? The finishing is wonderful. Can't wait to hang this one of the tree. Thanks so much, Edgar.

Here is the ornament I sent to my partner. Not sure if she has received it yet, but I hope she likes it.

Stitchin' like the wind...

2011-01-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

I am so excited with how much I got accomplished this weekend. First, I finished the second pattern in the Green Flipit series. I love the colors in this project. Perfect pattern to lift your spirits on cold, winter days. This series has 6 patterns, so I am a third of the way finished. FUN!!

Next, I finished this lovely piece. Little House Needleworks Winter Band Sampler. Isn't it beautiful? I love the fabric (Silkweaver Forest Haven). It is perfect. I finished it yesterday while Theresa was over. She is the fastest stitcher I have ever seen. I mean it is like she exists in a different time dimension. I can remember we were at a retreat one time and it seemed like every time I looked at my pattern, she was saying "Finished with that one!" So, it was great to finish this one while she was stitching right there beside me. Of course, she finished a project also. She is an incredible fast stitcher.

So this week I am working on the Sampler Thread Keeper, LK Green FlipIts series, LHN Sunflower Inn, and BBD Pink Hill Manor. I just might get one pattern finished this week, but I also need to work on that owl quilt. Oh, and I need to work at my real job. But, I have a feeling that this week will be productive on the stitching front.

Hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Some more finishes for January...

2011-01-19T06:23:00.001-08:00

So, I am off to a great start, finishing some projects before the first month of 2011 is over. Yes, these are small pieces, but they are finishes just the same. I finished both LK Snowman '10 and BBD Rose Garden on the same day. I am not sure what I am going to do with the Snowman, but I know I am finishing Rose Garden as a pin pillow. I just love the colors on both of these.

I don't have a photo, but I also finished the 3rd part of BBD Anniversaries of the heart. My parents were married in March, 1966, so their initials are featured on this particular panel. I will try to get a photo posted soon.

Now, I guess I will be working on my applique quilt this week so I meet all of my January goals. Hope everyone has a great weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Last round of new starts...

2011-01-14T06:18:00.000-08:00

So, I have started all of my planned projects and worked on the 11 WIPS. Not a bad start to the new year. First up: Day 10 New start: Lizzie Kate Snowman '10. This is such a pretty piece. I love the colors and really like stitching it, even though there is a lot of white. It is actually going pretty fast. The WIP is the letter I page for the Erica Michaels Sampler Surprise Book. These pages are really fast. I finished the whole page in one day, but still need to add the label at the bottom for the specialty stitch - Italian Cross Stitch. I really want to finish this book this year. It would be such a neat thing to add to my stitching displays.

Final day: New start is Blue Ribbon Designs Peppermint Twist. This is so pretty. I didn't have much time to work on it, but it is really. Great pattern for small ornaments as well. The old WIP is a design of my own. I don't have much done on this, so no pictures. It takes some time to decide on the colors. Hopefully, I will have something to show soon.

Now for a couple of finishes: I also want to stitch the Lizzie Kate Monthly Stamp series from a few years ago. I plan to finish these as magnets for my refrigerator. I can't find January, so I started February. These are really easy, but it is a finish. Also, I worked on and finished the first block in the Lizzie Kate Green Flipits: Plant a Tree. The colors are so vibrant and I love the fabric I chose. Another easy project, but a finish all the same.

Update on challenges...

2011-01-10T07:57:00.001-08:00

So, these challenge pieces are coming along. Some are more fun than others, which you can tell by my progress.

Day 5 New project is Gingerbread Stitching House by Victorian Sampler. I don't have a picture because it is just white at this point. Eventually I will have something to share, but it is quite boring now. The WIP for day 5 is also quite boring, so no picture: Bent Creek Halloween The Branch. Needless to say, I wasn't much in the stitching mood on January 5th.

Day 6 New Project: Shakespeare's Peddler I Love the Birds. I am really enjoying this one. I made a bit of progress, but I also had some distractions. I spent the day at my sister's house and my nephew, Tyler, wanted my undivided attention. The WIP for today got a lot more attention. This is Bent Creek Christmas Mantle. I stitched quite a bit on the second stocking. Now, if you are familiar with this pattern, you will notice it is not like the original. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. When I saw this pattern, I was so excited. There would be a stocking for each of us. The only problem is the second and last stocking were out of order for my family, so I switched them. I am also personalizing the stocking, as you can see I added my sister's name to the first one. Very cute!!!

Day 7 New Project: Little House Needleworks Winter Band Sampler. I LOVE THIS PATTERN. I am stitching it on a piece of Forest Glade from Silkweaver and it is beautiful. I didn't have a lot of time to stitch, but this pattern is wonderful. The WIP is an old project from Leisure Arts: Mistletoe Ball. I have to stitch the same piece three times! It is a bit slow going right now.

Day 8 New Project: Little House Needleworks Sunflower Inn. Love the colors on this one. The WIP is A Quaker Christmas. It doesn't look like it but I have made some progress since I put this one down.

Day 9 New Project: Blackbird Designs Rose Garden. I really thought I would finish this one today, but I spent the afternoon at my parents' house, so I still have some work to finish. The WIP is Blue Ribbon Designs Autumn Leaves and Sunflower Seeds. I stitched three of the five squash on this day.

So, I am plugging away and hope to have some finishes soon. Today, I am spending the day with a friend, but we will be stitching. Maybe I can get one of the projects completed today.

Challenge Updates

2011-01-05T07:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have 4 days of 2011 behind me and I have made progress on the "assigned" projects for those days. Some of these projects are just so much fun to stitch that it seems like I am just breezing though, while others seem like stitches are going in but then disappearing some how. It doesn't feel like I am making any progress on those. Anyway, time for the updates:

Day two: New start is LK Green Flip It. I am stitching all 6 together for a piece to hang in my office. Since I am a biologist and I work at a university, I thought this would be a great piece for decorating a rather dull room. This one is a lot of fun to stitch, lots of pretty colors. I just love the bird. As for the old WIP: BBD Anniversaries of the Heart part 3. I am so close to finishing this one and I just love it. I decided to stitch the entire series on a piece of 40 ct. linen and it is just beautiful. My parents were married in March, so this square has their initials and the date of their wedding. Just a few more bricks and the door and windows to finish this one.

Day three: New start is The Primitive Needle Witches Hollow. This is a good example of one that is slow going. I am stitching this on a piece of 40 ct. linen that I received as a Christmas gift from my husband. I love the colors, but it took me several hours to just do this much of the owl. It may have something to do with the fact that my friend, Theresa, was over this day and I was talking more than stitching. As for the the old WIP: Cherished Stitches A Quaker Halloween Sampler is slow going as well. I love the colors and the fabric, but it is a slow stitch.

Day 4: New start is BBD Midnight Watch. I just love this piece. I am so happy that I have started it and hope to have it finished well before Halloween. It is just too pretty, in my opinion. I had to watch my two nephews today, so I didn't have as much stitching time. But I did get the top border complete, so that makes me happy. The old WIP is Blue Ribbon Designs Afraid of the Dark. This is another one that is slow going, for now. I am working on the boxes, which is a bit boring, but next time I pick it up I am going to stitch the pumpkin and cat in the orange box. Can't wait... (Notice the kitten paw in the lower right hand corner.)

Today, I will start on Victoria Samplers Gingerbread Stitching House. It actually calls for lots of different silks, but I am substituted from my stash. This one will take a long time, but it is going to be too cute when I finish. The old WIP is Bent Creek Halloween The Branch. Hopefully this one will stitch up pretty quickly.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone has a great day.

Happy New Year and New Goals...

2011-01-02T05:53:00.001-08:00

Wow, 2010 just zoomed on by quickly, didn't it? It was a great year though. Stitching-wise, I completed over 20 projects!! I didn't complete all of my goal projects, but overall I think I was very productive this year.

Christmas was great at our house. We actually scaled back a bit this year. No major purchases, no huge electronic items. I received several stitching gifts. My husband and boys gave me 4 large pieces of 40 ct. linen, which are absolutely lovely. I also received giftcards to Shakespeare's Peddler from my parents and sister. And my friend Theresa gave me an absolutely wonderful box full of stitching things as well.

For the new year, I am modifying the current challenge of starting 15 new projects a bit. I am starting 11 new projects in the first 11 days of 2011. In addition, I have selected 11 WIPS that I will also work to complete in 2011. So, here are the lists of projects:

New Starts Challenge of 2011 (Start one a day in first 11 days of 2011 and complete before the end of the year)

1. Trousse A Tri Fils from A Mon Ami

2. Lizzie Kate Green Flips

3. The Primitive Needle Witches Hollow

4. Blackbird Designs Midnight Watch

5. Gingerbread Stitching House from Victoria Sampler

6. Shakespeare's Peddler I Love the Birds

7. Little House Needlework Winter Band Sampler

8. Little House Needlework Sunflower Inn

9. Blackbird Designs Rose Garden

10. Lizzie Kate Snowman '10

11. Blue Ribbon Designs Peppermint Twist

2011 WIP challenge (complete these by the end of the year)

1. Lizzie Kate ABC Christmas (finished yesterday)

2. Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart series

3. Blue Ribbon Designs Afraid of the Dark

4. Cherished Stitches A Quaker Halloween Sampler

5. Bent Creek Halloween The Branch

6. Bent Creek The Christmas Mantle

7. Erica Michael's Sampler Book

8. Leisure Arts Mistletoe Ball

9. A Quaker Christmas

10. Blue Ribbon Designs Autumn Leaves and Sunflower Seeds

11. My very own design!

I started yesterday and actually finished the LK ABC Christmas. I only had the last line to do, but it was still a WIP and finished in 2011.

Here is my very small bit of progress on Trousse A Tri Fils and my cute little baby, Elizabeth.

Hope everyone has a great 2011! Thanks for stopping by.

It is not all my fault...

2010-12-18T08:28:00.001-08:00

Ok. I know I haven't posted in a very long time, but it is not my fault entirely. I think part of blame belongs to Theresa. She forced me to adopt a kitten from our local shelter. Well, actually, she sent a link to the cutest kitten picture ever and baited me into going by the shelter. When I got there, this adorable kitten acted as if she had been waiting on me for a long time and was so ready to go home. Needless to say, she is now a member of the Regan family. She is just too cute, but she prevents me from cross stitching. She wants all of my attention, so I have to hold her and pet her instead of stitching. I am sure you all understand.

This is another project that has taken me away from my cross stitching. Isn't it too cute? A group of us decided to get together one Saturday and work on this little quilt together. Each of us would make our own, but at least the peer pressure would get us closer to finishing than if we were working alone. Great plan, but it didn't work. I finished mine this morning and just love it. Not sure if Sharon, Bridget, or Mari are finished, but I am sure Lisha will finish soon.

Here are two update photos. I have been slowly working on LK ABC Christmas. Maybe I will finish this before the end of the year. Maybe. Also, I have been stitching on the Quaker Christmas for a while and finally feel like I am making some headway. It will definitely be a 2011 goal.

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Middle of November? Really?!!

2010-11-17T06:13:00.000-08:00

Wow! This has been a crazy few weeks for my family. Fortunately, our mother is feeling much better and is healing. It is actually amazing how well she is doing, considering we almost lost her just 3 weeks ago. We are now getting ready for a very special Thanksgiving dinner. We have so much to be thankful for this year.

I have been stitching, too. I finished the Snapperville piece earlier this month. I just love it. It makes me smile when I look at it. With the addition of snaps and buttons, it will be just perfect.

I also finished this cute little piece last night. It is time to get in the Christmas spirit, I guess, so this was a little inspiration piece. I just love the colors. I will finish it as an ornament, I'm sure.

Hope everyone has a great day and thanks for stopping by. I will try to be better about updating my blog. I have several other great projects to share soon.

Ready for Halloween

2010-10-25T05:39:00.001-07:00

Wow! October just flew by, didn't it? I think the stress of work and football season just about did me in this year though. Thankfully, my mother is home and doing very well after her surgery. She is still not able to do much, but at least she is getting some well-deserved and needed rest. We have one final game this week, but the official marching season has ended. The kids were great this year. This is a picture of my son, Patrick, on field during the weekend competition. They placed 6th in the state for our school division, which is pretty great. They also placed 3rd for music performance. We are very proud of this group of kids.

This past week I finished a quilt project. I am so excited about this one. Isn't it adorable. This is Spooky Hollow, an applique quilt. This is my very first completed applique quilt. I had such a great time working on this one. I love the fabric colors and everything. I have plans to complete more of these smaller quilts soon.

Finally, we went to a Halloween party last night at our friends, Theresa and Steve. Hobbie and I dressed as Flo (Progressive insurance commercial) and Mayhem (Allstate insurance commercial). Patrick is dressed as Beetlejuice and Nicholas is a "stupid" mime (he wouldn't wear make-up and talked the whole time). We had such a great time last night. Hobbie and I won the Golden Pumpkin award for best costumes. Thanks!

2010-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, where has the time gone. I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted. Well, things have been a bit crazy around here the past month. Marching (football) season is well underway and that takes a lot of our time. Three games and one contest to go. Also, my mother has not been well and that has been stressful. Thankfully, she is home and feeling much better.

So, now for the stitching updates. I have been stitching, but it doesn't seem like I am accomplishing much. First, I finished BBD Trix or Treat. I love this pattern! It was a lot of fun to stitch and I plan to finish it as a box.

Also, I finished RTR This is Halloween. Another great piece. I stitched it on Silkweaver Thunderstorm and think it looks wonderful. I love all of the bright colors.

Finally, I finished SP Jenny Bean's Humble Servant Sampler. This one took me longer than I had expected. It is really pretty stitched on the 40 ct. Not sure what I will do with this one, but most likely frame it for my craft/guest room.

This weekend, I attended the local Quilt show with my sister, Bridget, and friend, Theresa. It was very inspiring to see all of the wonderful quilts, but I just don't have the patience to do such a big project. We also had the opportunity to do some shopping. I did pick up several patterns for bags, which I love to make. I also picked up the pattern for Spooky Hollow. This is a applique wall hanging that is just too cute. I have been working on it the past few days and hope to have it ready by Halloween. I just need to run into town today or tomorrow to get a few pieces of fabric. I can't wait to share this with you guys.

So close to market...

2010-09-20T12:01:00.001-07:00

So, who is excited about all the new patterns that will be released at market this weekend? I know I can't wait to see what Theresa from Shakespeare's Peddler brings back. I have been stitching, but not exclusively on my projects. For the first time ever, I was asked to do some model stitching. Theresa has so many wonderful ideas and she needed some help this year. She asked me to stitch "This is Christmas". It is really cute and lots of fun to stitch.

Saturday, we had a stitching gathering at my house. I finished the Just Nan Christmas biscornu finally. I think it is really pretty. It looks like a lot of work, but is actually a pretty quick stitch.

Now, it's ready for the Christmas tree.

But, first we need to celebrate Halloween!! I picked out several of my Halloween patterns from my stash basket and kitted 3. I started all three on Sunday! Well, actually, I only put in a few stitches on the first two and then worked the rest of the day on the third. This is a picture of my progress on This Is Halloween from Raise the Roof Designs (the companion to the pattern I stitched for Theresa). Isn't it cute already. I love the colors and decided it would look great on this piece of Thunderstorm fabric from Silkweaver. You would not believe how much fabric I still have from winning the prize for their contest a few years ago.

Hopefully, I will get some more stitching accomplished in the next few weeks. I hope to have several of Halloween projects completed before Halloween. (Keep your fingers crossed.)

So for now, I will stitch as fast as I can so I won't feel one bit of guilt when I buy a ton of new patterns and goodies after Theresa returns from market. Yes, Lisha, I said not one bit of guilt and a ton of patterns.

Have a great week.

Where did August go?

2010-08-27T06:40:00.001-07:00

Wow! That was a fast month! With the boys going back to school, USM classes beginning, and football season starting, we have had a full month. I did get some stitching accomplished as well. I have been working on the same few patterns, but my progress is great.

First, don't you just love the Anniversaries of the Heart series by Blackbird Designs? The first and second block are finished. I added my Mother-in-law's info to the January block. February is a big month in our family. Let's see, my son's, grandmother's, and grandfather-in-law's birthdays are all in February. And, of course, so is my birthday. I had to limit this project to just the immediate family, parents and grandparents. I also have a sister-in-law and two nephews that have February birthdays.

I am also making great progress in the Bent Creek Snapperville series. This is an old series, but I just love the theme and colors. Just two more blocks and the border to go...

And, my favorite project this month has been Shakespeare's Peddler Jenny Bean Humble Servant Sampler. I just love the colors in this one. To be honest, it was slow going at first. The upper left corner took me longer than I expected. But once I got to the letters and bee, I was hooked. Just a little work on the border and the lower right corner to go. This is such a sweet piece. I think I will frame it and hang it in my guest room.

I did have a complete week off this month. I didn't have classes to teach, fish to videotape, children to entertain, etc. So , I signed up for two sewing classes at our local quilt store. The first class focused on applique quilting. I have never done this, so thought it would be a great class for me. I had the best time. We were working on a quilt named Hooterville. It is so cute. These are my first two blocks, so forgive the lack of technique. But I am hooked. I have finished all of the tree squares and am working on the 16 owl squares. It is actually a lot of fun, but I can only do one square a day. Can't wait to finish this quilt.

The other class was a "Chubby Charmer" class where we learned to make a large bag. I used a bunch of scraps from some other projects. The best part is that I learned to machine quilt. So my week off was a great time.

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Some progress pictures to share

2010-08-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

So, I have been working on the BBD Anniversaries of the Heart this weekend. This is such a lovely series. I am stitching it on 40 ct linen, which makes it look so delicate and beautiful. Of course, since I have decided to include family birthdays and anniversaries in this piece, I have been doing some research into my family tree. It is quite interesting. My husband's paternal family tree is well researched. So I was able to find his parents' and paternal grandparents' information. I also have his maternal grandparents' birthdates but not their anniversary. As for my family, I have an aunt that just loves researching family information, so I have the dates needed.

The first block (January) only has my mother-in-law's initials and year of birth (MGM 1934). The second block (February) is a bit more crowded. Of course, my initials (JLC) and birth year (1971) are included, as well as my son's (PGR 1995), paternal grandmother (JMO 1903) and Hobbie's paternal grandfather (HMR 1900). Patrick wanted me to include his cousins that were also born in February, but I decided to limit to just our immediate family and then parents and grandparents. You see, I have two brothers and two sisters and Hobbie has three sisters and a brother. And we have 9 nephews and 4 neices, 13 grand neices and 4 grand nephews. So there just isn't enough room for everyone.

I have also been working on the Bent Creek Snapperville. This one is really easy and a nice break from the more tedious Anniversaries piece.

And finally, I have started on Jenny Bean's Humble Servant Sampler. This is such a pretty piece. Theresa is a wonderful designer and I can't wait to see the next one in the series. I would love to finish this one first, though.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone has a great week.

Oh, yeah. One more picture to share. The boys started school last Friday. Aren't they handsome? Can you tell which one isn't excited about a new school year. Nicholas (left) is starting 6th grade and Patrick (right) is a sophomore.

July wasn't the best month for stitching...

2010-08-02T14:24:00.001-07:00

So I have been neglectful to my blog lately. I know, but I have been so busy. This summer semester flew by and I just felt like I was constantly trying to catch up. Plus, our entire family was gone the second week of July. I had to go to a meeting about the textbook, Hobbie was at a conference, and the boys were at camp. Hopefully, I will be more attentive this month. I do have several neat projects in line for this month, so I will definitely want to share.

I did finish one biscornu. This is Barbara Ana Designs Thanksgiving biscornu. It is very cute and quite easy to stitch.

I almost finished this LK Spring piece, but ran out of the green thread. I just picked up a new skein this weekend, so this will be finished soon.

I have also worked very diligently on Remember Me. Isn't it wonderful? I can't wait to get this one completed. Of course, I ran out of the Charcoal thread, but I think I am going to just use the DMC equivalent to complete it.

Have you seen the Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart series? These are so pretty. I have been purchasing these as they became available and have been thinking how I want to finish these. I know I want to stitch them as a single piece, but I really didn't want to buy another piece of linen when I have a drawer full. Luckily, I found a piece of 40 ct. that is perfect for it. I started the first pattern this weekend and had a great idea come to me while I was stitching. I am going to personalize the entire sampler by adding the initials and years for birthdays and anniversaries for me, Hobbie, the boys, our parents and our grandparents. Isn't that wonderful? The funny thing is that each month is covered except for May. I still need to find out the dates of my husbands paternal grandparents birthdays and anniversary, so maybe one of those dates is in May. I can't wait to finish this now...

Stitching like a mad woman....

2010-07-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

OK! I am determined to complete some of these patterns that I have collected over the past three years. I sat down the other night and pulled out several "simple" projects and kitted them. So, this actually got me in a very stitchy mood. I have completed CCN Daisy Sampler. Love the colors on the fabric. This is a super easy pattern to stitch and really cute.

I also finished LK Hocus Pocus. I borrowed the pattern from a friend. I found a scrap of linen in a basket in my craft room and thought it would be perfect. I love the colors and can't wait to add this to my Halloween decorations this year.

Next, I worked on a project using the SamSarah Baubles alphabet series. Theresa came up with the great idea of stitching these as a long sampler or bell pull. I loved the idea and decided to copy her. I have a nice start and since these stitch so quickly, it shouldn't take me long to finish.

I have had this LK Garden Sampler pattern for quite a while and I am not sure why it has taken me so long to stitch it. It was very easy and lots of fun. I just love the colors. This is going to be a gift for my mother. She and my father are major gardeners, so she will appreciate the little sampler.

I also worked on the Quaker Christmas Sampler. I have actually finished one of the six pages of the pattern, so I have stitched even more than what is in the picture. Funny thing is that I stitched while Hobbie and I watched the last four episodes of Avatar the Last Airbender (don't ask why, just know that sometimes it is nice to watch what your husband wants to watch). Anyway, now every time I look at this piece I think of that little Airbender!!

I still have lots of little patterns to work on. Currently, I am stitching on RTR Happy Camper and another Halloween sampler. Hopefully, I will have progress pictures to share in a few days.

Have a great Independence Day holiday and thanks for stopping by!!

A couple of finished projects...

2010-06-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

So, I have been in a very stitchy mood lately. I get these moments of obsession where I want to finish lots of different projects. I love this small piece from Shakespeare's Peddler. It is so pretty!! And what a fast project. I finished it in one night. Now, I need to find just the right size basket to make it into a pincushion.

Raise the Roof Libertyville is a perfect summer project, don't you think? I had the first three pieces in my "To-Do" basket and started working on them about a week ago. I stopped by to visit with Theresa and do some shopping and was able to pick up the last part. I stitched on it yesterday evening and this morning. I just think it is so cute and love the buttons. I think my favorite part is the little motifs under the hill on the last panel. Great design, Theresa!!

Now, I have a few projects in my bag and hope to get one are two finished before the end of the month. I do want to start on the current Blackbird Designs yearly series with the houses. I found a piece of 28ct. Natural Linen in my stash last night that will be the perfect size. I may start this next month.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week and try to stay cool!!

Blackbird Designs Peacock Pinkeep

2010-06-13T12:41:00.001-07:00

I started this pattern a few weeks ago. The pattern actually calls for red and brownish-green silks but I didn't want to spend the money, so I pulled some Threadgather Silk 'n Colors that I had received as a birthday present a few years ago. I think they worked perfectly. I just love the finished product though. This pretty pinkeep will sit on my stitching table for a while.

The finishing was actually pretty easy. The inside is a coil of felted wool and flannel. The top and bottom are just circles of cardboard that I cut from a cereal box. Then I just sewed all the pieces together and what a pretty finish.

Now, I need to decide what my next project will be...

Too long since last post...

2010-06-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a while since I posted, hasn't it? I have been quite busy for the past few weeks, with all of the end of school events and my trip to Denver. I have been stitching a bit, but I don't have that much to show for it. I finished the LK Cat Lessons for People. It was really fun to stitch and turned out really cute. I want to frame this for my kitchen.

Last night, my younger sister and I attended a sewing class at the local quilt shop. We learned how to make a tulip bag. It was really a lot of fun and I think my bag is really cute. I am definitely using this one as my purse this summer. Of course, I have to curb my impulse to go out an get enough supplies to make lots of these. Maybe later in the summer...

I'll try to be better about posting because I have some really neat projects in line for the summer. Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Finally feeling better...

2010-05-03T06:34:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. I have been very sick for the past week. And the little monkey in the picture above is to blame. His mom took him to register for Kindergarten and they picked up more than the supply list. He spread his little illness to almost everyone in our extended family. Needless to say, I have been too tired to post. Notice the cute quilt in the picture? That is the rag quilt that I made for him. He was very happy with it, but his baby brother really loved it.

When I did have some energy this past week, I stitched. Since I wasn't together enough to pay attention to small details like color, I decided to stitch on the Quaker Christmas sampler. I have made some great progress. I am almost finished with the first sheet of the pattern. I am really enjoying stitching on this one, but it does get redundant sometimes.

One more finish to share... Shepherd's Bush Scatter Pumpkins. I think it is really cute, even if the buttons are a bit large for the fabric count that I selected.

We are almost to the end of the semester and I am so excited. Just one more lecture in each class and then exams. I am looking forward to some free time for a few weeks before summer school begins.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Theron's Rag Quilt

2010-04-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

I had posted pictures earlier of the rag quilts that I had made for my boys, Patrick and Nicholas. Well, I had quite a bit of fabric left over from my wild shopping spree for flannel. I decided to use the leftovers to make Theron a rag quilt. I think it is so cute and just perfect for Theron. I still need to sew the squares together for Tucker's quilt, but that should be finished in the next week or so.

Other stitching news: Not much to share. I started Shepherd's Bush Scatter Sunshine. This was a freebie I got a while back and thought it would be perfect for this time of year. I am using the floss the pattern calls for except for a few changes. It should be finished later this week.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!!!

When Barnabe Met Bella...

2010-04-16T04:55:00.000-07:00

FINISHED!!!! Isn't this absolutely lovely? I loved the pattern when I first saw it, but it is so much prettier in real life. I stitched on this one exclusively the past 4 evenings. At first, it was quite aggravating with all of the color changes, but with my "one color" approach, it actually went pretty quickly. Now I need to get some of those lovely pins by Just Nan to add to this biscornu. I do have the bunny and hedgehog, but I think a bird and some bugs would be just perfect. What do you think?

A few finishes to share...

2010-04-12T05:37:00.001-07:00

So, this weekend was a very productive stitching weekend for me. For some strange reason I have really wanted to watch the Harry Potter movies lately. I'm not sure what started the whole interest, but I have been thinking about it for some time. Well, this weekend we watch all six movies. I got up Saturday morning and cleaned the house a bit (didn't sweep or vaccuum). At 10:00 a.m. I started the first movie and we watched them the rest of the day. This of course gave me plenty of stitching time. We finished the last movie at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

So here are some of my finishes for the week. I actually finished this (CCN Joyful Summer) earlier in the week. I love the fabric I selected for this piece. I might finish this as a flatfold.

The big project for the all day Harry Potter marathon was Blackbird Designs Awake the Dawning Day. I have really struggled with this one for some reason. Once I got the house completely finished the rest of the pattern was pretty enjoyable. However, while watching the movies I did misspell a word and had to rip out some of my work.

The other finish I have is actually part of a bigger project. This is the bottom of the Just Nan When Barnabe Met Bella. There are a lot of color changes in this piece. So, I tried a different approach. I stitched only one color at a time and complete all the stitches for each color. It actually went very quickly that way. The top is a bit more detailed, but I hope to finish it in the next week or so.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by...

Not so much to share....

2010-04-03T06:07:00.001-07:00

So, I haven't been as productive this month as I was in January and February. I have been so busy with other things that by the time I have a chance to sit down and stitch I am just too tired. I know, excuses, excuses, but that's my story and I'm sticking with it. My big finish this month was Patrick's rag quilt. I made one of these for Nicholas about a year ago. I cut the squares for Patrick's about a year ago and then got distracted by other things. Well, during Spring Break I decided I was going to finish up some of the sewing projects I had laying around. I finished three pairs of PJ's for my dad (he was so happy) and this quilt. It was really easy and turned out so nice. Patrick likes it and has it on his bed now.

You know how one project leads to another. Well, I had all of this left over fabric from Patrick's and Nicholas's quilts so I decided to cut squares for another quilt for Theron (my nephew). My mom then said, "What about Tucker?" (He's another nephew.) So now I have two more rag quilts read to be assembled and another stack of fabric for quilts for the last two nephews (Tyler and Leif). All this from just trying to tie up some loose project ends.

Now for cross stitching news. I haven't finished anything since my last post. I did buy quite a bit though. Due to a little bonus that we received in March, I decided to use my extra cash on some patterns I have been wanting for a while. I also purchased some 40 ct linen for future projects. I can't wait to stitch on these, but they are in line behind some other lovely projects, so they will have to wait.

I have been stitching though. Here is my progress on CCN Joyful Summer. I have made so many mistakes. I think I have the hang of it now and will be able to finish it in the next week or so.

My other slow-going project is BBD Awake the Dawning Day. I don't know what it is about this one, but I just can't get going on it. Maybe now that I am working on all the cute flowers in the border that will help inspire me to stitch, but I don't know.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a lovely Easter Sunday. Thanks for visiting.

Christmasland is completed..

2010-03-12T04:46:00.001-08:00

One more down, oh so many to go. I have been a bit slow the past week with my stitching. In my mind I was whining about not stitching fast enough and would get discouraged and just not stitch. Fortunately, I broke through my own brattiness and finished RTRD Christmasland yesterday afternoon. I just love this piece. I'm not sure if the fabric choice was the best since the white doesn't stand out as much as I like, but I do like the sparkly aspect. It is pretty!!

I also pulled out one of my new patterns from last months spending spree. This is Blackbird Designs Bluebird. I used a piece of 40 ct. linen left over from one of the Jenny Bean samplers. I also used thread I had purchased from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. It is a bit lighter than what the pattern calls for, but I like the look. I will finish this as a pin pillow.

It is so nice to finish some of these patterns, but I have so many more to do. AND, I stopped by Shakespeare's Peddler yesterday. Several new patterns arrived plus her store is chock full of other wonderful projects. Thankfully, I maintained self control and didn't purchase anything (this time). Next month, though, boy do I have some spending plans...

Yule Game Board is complete...

2010-03-04T14:05:00.001-08:00

Yippee!! Another finish for me. I love this piece. The colors are really nice and the stitching was actually very easy. Can't wait to see this framed. Now, I need to stitch on some other projects.

Have a great week.

A finish and some stash...

2010-02-26T19:49:00.001-08:00

Well, I finished it. Nora Corbett's Halloween Fairy. Isn't she pretty? This was actually a very fun stitch. The fabric is a nice match to the colors of the fairy dress. Can't wait to get this one framed.

I also added some new patterns to my stash. I stopped by Theresa's Thursday afternoon to see what she brought back from market. I picked up some of the new Blackbird Designs patterns, as well as the Quaker Samplings III from With My Needle. I also got the new Jenny Bean pattern and some of the threads for that one. I found the Quaker Halloween Sampler, too. This one is so interesting. Finally, I picked up the new Spider Web Scissors. These are very interesting.

I actually accomplished all of my goals for this month, plus some extra stitching. At the beginning of the year I started a notebook that lists the projects I would like to finish with all of the information about the supplies and how much I have spent for the project. I think writing all of this information down has made a big impact on my interest in stitching. If the pattern holds, I should have some very interesting finishes for this year.

Have a great weekend!!

A very productive weekend...

2010-02-22T06:00:00.001-08:00

This past week, we moved our bedroom from the second floor to the first floor. That meant that I had to give up my craftroom. Well, let me tell you, it is amazing what you can pack into one room. My craft supplies are spread out all over our house. We did manage to get our bedroom painted (still have trim to complete) and set up before Hobbie's surgery on Wednesday. Now for the rest of the mess, I am just taking my time so I can do some purging. I have lots and lots of unfinished projects, so I tried to tackle some of them this weekend.

First up, I finished the LHN Poinsettia House piece as a box. It is so beautiful. I love the colors and the cording. Great thing is that this is all from my stash. I am impressed.

Next up, Bridget's birthday presents for the past two years. (Shameful, I know.) I have been putting off finishing the needle book and pinkeep for 6 months now, but finally completed them. The box was a project that I started for her 2008 present, but took my own sweet time to complete. I think they all turned out wonderful. She was very happy with the gifts, even if they were late.

Finally, I spent some time stitching this weekend. I completed the first page of NC Halloween Fairy and have made some nice progress on the second page. I think I just may finish this before the end of the month. And, I made a bit more progress on Primitive Needle Yule Game Board. Not much left on this one, just the green squares and the mirror image of the top part. Maybe this one will be a February finish as well.

I hope everyone has a nice week and thanks for stopping by.

Updates and a couple of new starts...

2010-02-19T05:42:00.001-08:00

Well, I have been stitching, but I don't feel like I am accomplishing as much as I did in January. It may be that I don't have as much free time, but I'm not sure. I have been doing pretty well onmy goals. I finished the Jenny Bean Christmas Sampler and have stitched on the Quaker Christmas. I just don't think I will finish the Halloween Fairy by the end of the month. But, who knows.

So without further ado, here are some pictures of my progress

Last weekend we all met at Lisha's for a stitching day. Sharon and Bridget arrived a little later than I did, but we still had a lot of fun stitching. Theresa and her mother came to visit for a bit, but they had a Mardi Gras Party to attend. I stitched a bit on the Quaker Christmas. I think this is going to be very pretty when I finish it, but I really need to spend more time on it.

I have also been working on the Nora Corbett Halloween Fairy. I decided to go ahead and add the beads as I stitched. It is going to be beautiful! I just might be able to finish her before the end of the month. (Keep your fingers crossed.)

I also started part 3 on Raise the Roof Christmasland. This is such an easy stitch. I love the silks and can't wait to finish this and have it framed. Theresa is releasing another series called Libertyville. You can see it on her webpage. I love it, too, especially the motifs in the hill.

Next up is a new start. This is Yule Game Board from The Primitive Needle. I worked on this Wednesday while Hobbie was having hip surgery. It is very easy and is stitching up quickly.

And finally, I also started Blackbird Designs Awake the Dawning Day. I love the colors in this one. Very cute.

As most of you know, this weekend in the Nashville market. Theresa has been working very hard and has some wonderful designs that she will be releasing. I was joking with her that I would be stitching like a mad woman this weekend to make room for all the lovely things she will be bringing home from market. I can't wait to see what other designers have released and will be making my new wishlist soon. I just love the excitement of market. I do know that Jenny Bean's newest sampler will be at the top of my list.

I'm catching up with that Jenny Bean...

2010-02-10T20:04:00.001-08:00

I finished the Jenny Bean Christmas sampler. Isn't it pretty? I love the holly. Can't wait to frame this one. Theresa posted a picture of the newest Jenny Bean sampler. It is another beauty. I just love the wings on the bees.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I really had a wonderful birthday. We still have plenty of leftover King cake and Hamburger cake. Nicholas doesn't like the King cake so I told him he could have the other cake. Hobbie was the lucky one to find the baby in the cake. I hope he remembers to pick up another cake. Well, maybe not. My clothes are getting a bit tight.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

It's my birthday!!!

2010-02-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

This post has nothing to do with stitching. I just wanted to show off the cake my younger sister made for me. This is her second attempt at decorating a cake with fondant. I am totally impressed. She did a fabulous job. The sign doesn't make sense unless you are familiar with the Facebook game, Cafe World. We all play the game and that was her inspiration. I just have to say this is the sweetest thing. I can't believe she did this. Thank you, Bridget.

My birthday gets even better. My friend Lisha took me out for lunch today also. We went to the new Greek restaurant in Hattiesburg and it was delicious. Thank you, Lisha.

And, my brother Ricky and cousin Kevin came over today and installed a new back door for me. What great guys.

I am very blessed with wonderful family and friends. I do appreciate all of you. Thanks for making this such a great birthday.

A good start to Jenny Bean Christmas Sampler

2010-02-07T20:22:00.001-08:00

Well, I started this one on January 25th and I am just about done. I have two holly leaves in the bottom border and then three more bands to do. The rest is pretty easy. The next band is a repeating diamond motif, the next band is the remainder of the alphabet, and the final band is the Jenny Bean "signature". I love the colors in this one and the holly leaves. I hope to be finished with this one by Friday.

In other stitching news, I stopped by Shakespeare's Peddler Saturday to pick up all of the threads I would need to finish lots of projects. I have a list of 17 projects that I really would like to finish this year. I have also pick out 3 or 4 more projects. So, Saturday morning I went through all of them and made a list of the needed threads. Believe it or not, I needed 28 different colors. I was able to get all but one. Theresa said she had just sold the last GAST Soot. No problem, it will be a while before I need that one anyway. This purchase was my birthday present from Hobbie and the boys. Aren't they sweet?

I am continuing to stitch on the Halloween Fairy. She is so pretty. I am sure I will finish her this month. My other projects include the Christmasland series by Raise the Roof and the Yule Gameboard. I will post progress pictures later in the week.

Have a great week!

Framing Day!!!!

2010-01-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

This is a "stitchy" Welcome piece I finished a while ago and BC EduCATed.

Here are three Halloween pieces. The bottom left is SP Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler.

Jeanette Douglas Designs Pineapple Stitches

Jeannette Douglas Designs Pomegranate and Pears Stitches

Well, I decided to head to town early today and see if I could find some frames for my big pile of finished stitching projects. Earlier this month I went through all of my pieces and measured them all and recorded the information in my Stitching Notebook. Fortunately, I had this with me today. My first stop was at Shakespeare's Peddler. I wanted the frame for her Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler. Theresa has been straightening her shop and had several frames priced really well. Since I had my handy, dandy notebook, I was able to pick up several that would be perfect. After visiting with Theresa, I headed to Lowe's to pick up some paint and to pay for our new carpet. I then stopped by Hobby Lobby. They had the frames for 50% off and I found two frames that were perfect for the JDD pieces. So after an afternoon of stretching needlework, I have 7 pieces ready to display. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon.

Progress update...

2010-01-28T19:03:00.001-08:00

Well, I haven't been stitching as much this week as I have the past 5 weeks. My job is justing taking too much time away from my hobbies. I am really having fun with these two though. The Jenny Bean Christmas Sampler is very cute. I love the holly leaves. I am surprised at how quickly the stitching is. I am sure I will have this one completed during February.

The Halloween Fairy is just too pretty. This one is also stitching up very fast. The pattern is on two pages of the magazine and my progress is most of the cross stitching from the top page. I still need to add all of the beads and the metallic threads, but those always seem to go quickly for me. I just love the colors of this piece though.

I think my next start will actually be a continuation. I have all four parts of Raise the Roof Christmasland. I finished the first part already. I think I will stitch on part two over the weekend. Should be fun.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Two new starts...

2010-01-25T17:16:00.001-08:00

Well, this weekend I decided to organize my stitching stash...again. We have decided to move our bedroom downstairs into my current craft room. Our current bedroom will become a den for the boys to watch TV, play videogames, etc and for my crafting area. Friday the boys helped me move just the cross stitching supplies. It was a total mess, so I had to get everything straight again. I got my threads all together, my patterns all organized, and my fabric sorted by count, fabric type and color. It looks so pretty. While I was doing all of this I selected my next few projects:

First I started the Jenny Bean Christmas Sampler by Shakespeare's Peddler. Theresa posted her newest Jenny Bean sampler on Saturday, so I thought I better get ahead of the game. I am stitching this on 40 ct and it is so pretty. I just started, but I already love the colors.

Next I started the Halloween Fairy by Nora Corbett that was in the September 2008 Cross Stitch & Needlework. I bought this way back then and have had it kitted and ready to go for some time. I picked a 28 ct. Silkweaver Jobelan Solo and absolutely love it. The colors are perfect. This one is stitching up fast, which is surprising considering how detailed it looks.

Finally, I have finished yet another piece. It's small, but it still counts. I found a skein of Six Strands Sweet Fruitcake in my cleaning and decided to use it to stitch Shakespeare's Peddler Abby Rhoades ornament. I think it is cute and will make a great ornament on my tree next year.

Well, January is almost over and I am so happy that I was able to get so much accomplished. If I can keep up half this pace I just might accomplish all of my goals this year. I did pick up some new patterns at Theresa's on Friday. Have you seen the new Lizzie Kate Green Flip-It series. It is adorable and since I am a biologist I really need this one for my office. Also, since I am a cat owner too I had to buy the new Cat Advice for People.

Hope everyone has a great week!

And another finish...

2010-01-22T19:46:00.001-08:00

Alright!!! I love finishing these patterns. This is the last of the patterns I have been dreading. I bought the button pack to go along with this pattern and then realized that the size was off. But, my resolution this year is to enjoy myself and not fret over things that don't really matter. So, I used the buttons anyway. I figure the button bees are closer to the "front" of the piece and that the butterfly is just really healthy and big. I think it looks so pretty. This piece will be finished as a box top.

Now, what to stitch next???

Another January finish..i

2010-01-20T07:28:00.001-08:00

Man, I am on a roll this month. Last night, while watching The Office, I finished Sharon's Christmas Fairy. Sharon, my sister, started this project a while ago, but had some issues with seeing the fabric. She has whined and whined about for so long and finally convinced me to finish it for her. She had stitched everything but the wings, head, hands, and tree. So I really didn't have too much to do. The wings were the most frustrating. Once I completed that, the rest just took me a few hours. The beading was easy, too. So, I guess I shouldn't complain. I called Sharon as soon as I finished and she is very excited. One more project bites the dust!!

The rest of the evening, I worked on another WIP that I have been putting off too long. I don't know what it is about this piece, but I was not enjoying it at all. Last night I finished the bee hive and now the rest should be quite easy. I hope to finish it this weekend. This was suppose to be a present for my younger sister, Bridget. I think I will frame it for her and give it to her as part of her very late birthday present. (If you are reading this, Bridget: Surprise!!)

I have been very fortunate this month to have so much time to stitch. It really feels good to check so many things off my list. Not a bad start to 2010.

Pineapple Stitches completed!!!

2010-01-16T09:10:00.001-08:00

Yea!!! I have finished another project in January. This is Jeannette Douglas Designs Pineapple Stitches. I bought the pattern, fabric, and thread pack last spring and have been looking at it since then. I love these patterns from JDD. I stitched her Pomegranate and Pears Stitches a while back and really enjoyed it. So, since my goal this year is to stitch primarily from my stash, this is a check in that column.

One other thing that I have been doing is getting rid of some of my stash. Instead of keeping patterns that I have already stitched and will never stitch again, I have been posting them on eBay. Here's my logic... If I can get a little bit of money from selling some old patterns, then I can use that money to buy new stash without guilt. It works. I sold 8 patterns in the first week in January and made enough money to purchase the last parts of the RTR Christmasland series that I love. So, no guilt.

One other note: a water pipe burst in my craft room. Fortunately only 1/3 of the room was affected and my stash was not in that 1/3. I lost all of my mat board, foam board, craft paper, watercolor paper and several bags of polyfil. All of my stitching bags were also soaked, but I should be able to wash and dry those with no problem. The carpet has partially been removed and the walls and ceiling are almost dry. The adjustor comes by on Monday, so hopefully we can have everything back in order by February.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and happy stitching...

Busy year already...

2010-01-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

Well, since I have some free time at the beginning of the year, I am trying to make the most of it. I finished another one of my "goal" projects the other day. This is LHN Dream. I bought this one on impulse and then decided I really didn't like it as much once I got home. Sharon said she would be happy to receive it once I finished it (she is so generous). So, I stitched it up and actually think it is cute. Too bad I already promised it to Sharon.

Speaking of Sharon... Here is the progress I have made on her Christmas Fairy. She is old, you know, so she can't see the fabric as well and begged me to finish this project for her. She is so lucky to have such a nice and young sister, don't you think. Shouldn't be too long on this one.

I don't have a picture, but I am also stitching on JDD Pineapple Stitches. I absolutely love this one. It is a lot of fun to stitch and just beautiful. I purchased the thread pack for this one, but surprisingly it doesn't have enough of some of the threads. I will need to buy a skein or two to finish.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and try to stay warm...

Finished a project already!!!

2010-01-04T07:08:00.001-08:00

Jenny Bean's Halloween Sampler is complete. I am actually surprised at how quickly I finished this one. I had the top left corner completed back in November and then put it aside to work on other projects. I pulled it out on the 1st and just put the last stitches in it this morning.

I think this is one of Theresa's best patterns. I love the border and the alphabet. The tree is so pretty, too. Now, I can start on one of the other 16 projects that I have waiting on me. (As I stated in my last post, I have decided to pull together some of the many patterns that I have in my stash and work on these this year.)

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you have a great week.

Good-bye 2009!! Hello 2010!!!

2009-12-30T09:45:00.001-08:00

I can not believe this year past so quickly. I know people say that all the time, but it was just super fast for me this year. I am very happy to say that the textbook is finished. The publisher was nice enough to send me a framed copy of the cover. Isn't it really nice?

(Hobbie's stocking I painted in 1991 and Nicholas's stocking)

I have been stitching like crazy. I finished Nicholas stocking and it is so pretty. I am happy to say that both my boys had handmade stockings for Christmas for the first time. So glad I only have 2 children...

I also finished this Tournicoton piece. Very festive...

I have just two more projects to complete in the next two days. One is this pretty LHN piece (Poinsettia House). I should finish it tonight. It was very fun to stitch and very quick. I also want to finish Barabara Anna's Winter Biscornu tomorrow.

Now, for the 2010 goals. I really need to get to stitching. These are just a few of the many patterns I have hoarded over the past few years. I stopped by Shakespeare's Peddler yesterday and got the fabric for the Holiday Game Board and Quaker Christmas. I also ordered the fabric for Quaker Virtues, RTR Sleepy Hollow and Cross Eyed Cricket Sleepy Hollow. Now I have 20 projects lined up ready for stitching. Some are easy, some are not so easy, but at least I have the materials to work on them. I know I will still purchase new patterns as they become available, so I'm not even going to try to say otherwise (no use ending the year as a blatant liar). But I will plan better this year and finish even more.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve and Happy New Year to you all.

December goals and stitching updates...

2009-12-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

Wow!! It has been a while since I updated my blog. It isn't all my fault though. Our computer crashed right before Thanksgiving. Hobbie decided it was time to make a change and ordered a new iMac. We love it.

I have been stitching some over the past month. I am still working on some of the same patterns though. I have made some great progress with Nicholas's stocking. Just need to finish Santa, the two reindeer, and the sky. This should be finished in the next week, just in time for Christmas.

I have also been working on the LHN Two Red Houses. This is a very easy stitch. Not much left to do...

And, isn't this just too cute. This is a Tournicoton pattern. I love her designs. My nephew, Theron, picked the fabric for this one. Just the two reindeer left on this one also.

Well, the semester is finally over. I have to admit that I really enjoyed teaching this semester. I had some really great students that worked extremely hard. Several graduated yesterday and fortunately have jobs lined up in January.

The next five weeks are going to be so nice. No class, no textbook writing. I do have some data analysis to do, but that is fun for me. I plan to spend the next two weeks at home working on my craft projects though. Plus, several of my stitching friends and I have a three-day stitching "retreat" planned. We are going to gather a different person's house each day and stitch and eat and stitch and eat. It should be a lot of fun. I am hosting the first day and have a very festive menu planned. I will post pictures next Monday.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season. We will be finishing up the decorating today and will be attending a party tonight. I just love Christmas.

Long overdue update...

2009-11-23T05:10:00.000-08:00

I have been stitching a bit this month, but my progress is slow. First, I finished the CCN Gingerbread Cottage. I think it is really cute. This will be a present for one of my sisters.

Next, I finished LHN Two White Houses. If you are familiar with the piece you will notice that it is a bit different from the original. I was at a friend's stitching and mentioned that I didn't like the alphabet in the pattern and she suggested that I not stitch it. Can I do that? Well, yes, you absolutely can. So, I followed her suggestion. I really like this pattern and will finish it as a stand up for my Thanksgiving decorations.

Finally, I had this little piece in my stack of "to do". It was very easy and very cute. I will finish it as a pin keep.

I am still stitching on LHN Two Red Houses, Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler, and the stocking for Nicholas. I might be able to finish one of these in the next few days.

I can't believe that November is almost over and the holiday season is here. Fortunately, this year I am in a much happier mood.

November is going to be a great month for stitching...

2009-11-02T06:02:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about how well I am doing with my list of projects. This summer I decided to work mainly from my existing stash and try to get some of these older projects completed. Well, the new patterns that came out in early fall were wonderful, so I did purchase several new things, but I have really plowed through a lot of my older stuff, too.

This month, I wanted to finish some of the Halloween patterns that I have collected. I posted some of the smaller ones on my blog last month, but I am happy to say that I have finished one more. This is L'automne d' Anne by Tournicoton. I really like her designs. This one looks like a child's coloring page to me. It was a lot of fun to stitch and turned out really cute. I really love this designer too...

So much so that I also purchased her newest Christmas pattern this weekend. I still need to find the right fabric, but this is in my bag of "Things to stitch" for November.

I am also making great progress on Theresa's Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler. I really love this one. The fabric is 40 ct, which is very small for me, but I love working on it. I stitch on this piece while I watch Ghost Whisperer, just to get the mood right. I am hoping I can finish it in the next week or so because I have the Jenny Bean Christmas sampler in my bag also. I need to pick up the fabric and threads still, but can't wait to start on that one.

This weekend, I went through my basket of patterns and picked out 5 projects to add to my list. These include LHN Two White Houses, LHN Two Red Houses, CCN Gingerbread Cottage, Barbara Anna's Winter Biscornu and The Trilogy Autumn Tree. I have already started on the Gingerbread Cottage and Autumn Tree. Actually, I am almost finished with the Autumn Tree (very small piece). These are the patterns I hope to finish this month. Keep your fingers crossed because I just have a feeling that my fingers will be moving at supersonic speeds this month.

Several finishes and some progress photos to share...

2009-10-20T13:31:00.001-07:00

So, I am just lame at updating my blog. Sorry, but I do have some great updates. First, I finished a couple of Halloween/Fall patterns that I got from Shakespeare's Peddler this summer. She was running a clearance sale and I picked up the following two patterns. I really like the moon pattern. The Fall Fling piece will be finished as a pinkeep. (Sorry, I didn't rotate the picture before I uploaded it.)

This past weekend we had a girls' day of sorts. This is a picture of me and my youngest nephew Leif (he came to visit for a while at the end of the day). My younger sister wanted to organize a scrapbooking day for several of our friends and in the process raise money for the church. Though we only had 6 people attend the event, it was a lot of fun. We started with scrapbooking. I'm not as excited as scrapbooking as I was in the past, so it didn't take me long to change gears. We all eventually switched to stitching.

Now, I am so excited about these next two projects. I started L'automne d'Anna a while ago, but have made quite a bit of progress this week. The piece reminds me of a child's coloring book page. It is also a lot bigger than I thought it would be, but I really like the colors.

Have you seen Theresa's new Jenny Bean samplers? She released the Halloween sampler at market and just finished the Christmas samplers. I love these. I started the Halloween sampler yesterday. I am stitching on it while I watch Ghost Whisperer each night. Hopefully I can finish it by Halloween. This one is a lot of fun to stitch because of the variety. The letters are not all the same style, so it doesn't get boring. You check out the Christmas sampler at Theresa's blog. I can't wait to get it next month.

Wow! Is it October already?

2009-10-07T04:55:00.000-07:00

These past few weeks have been crazy. First, though, I have a lot of finished projects to share. Theresa from Shakespeare's Peddler was on her way to market and I wanted to finish some of my stash so I would feel guilty buying some of the new wonderful things she would bring home. So, I went through my basket and pulled out all of the small Halloween and fall projects and started stitching. I even had a stitching day for the girls so we could all sit around and gossip and stitch all day. So, here are some of those projects...

This is a Trail Creek pattern that has been sitting around for awhile. I didn't buy the buttons, so I just went through my scrapbooking stash to find something appropriate. (Aren't you impress, Lisha?)

I got this pattern at a stitching retreat a year or two ago. It was very easy to stitch and quite cute. I think I will finish this as a no-sew cube.

Don't you just love biscornus? I found this pattern online and don't know why it has taken me so long to do this. I just think the spiders are perfect for the little witches. Cute, cute, cute.

And this is another Barbara-Anna biscornu. I think I purchased this pattern last year. I changed some of the threads because I don't have access to Anchor here in Hattiesburg. But it is still very cute.

And finally, Trilogy's Halloween Line-up. I bought this one quite a while ago and kept putting it at the back of the stack. It was a very fun stitch. I love the spiders on this one too.

I have restocked my stash a bit. I now have Shakespeare's Peddler Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler (love this one), including the fabric and limited edition threads. I just might start this on later this week. I also picked up Lizzie Kate ABC Christmas, Blackbird Designs Midnight Watch, and The Primitive Needle Witches Hallow. All three of these are very pretty. I don't know if I will stitch them this year or wait until later. We will just have to wait and see.

On a different note, this has been a very dramatic month. It seems like every week something was happening. Fortunately, mostly good things. Patrick's band performed at their first contests last weekend and made all superior at both. I also attended my 20 yr. HS reunion. It was nice to see everyone.

The boys are very excited about their Fall Break. They will be out of school Friday and next Monday and Tuesday. Fortunately, I don't have to be at work Thursday or Friday, so I have a bit of break myself. I need to catch up with some research and textbook writing though.

Have a great week...

Another finish!!!

2009-09-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

I finished Blackbird Designs Moonlit Garden. It is so pretty. I really want to frame this for October. This was a fairly quick stitch. Once the house and moon were completed, everything else came together pretty quickly. A friend told me that the pattern would sell on eBay for a nice price. I checked out current auctions and was surprised at some of the prices. Of course, since Tucker (my 4 year old nephew) sat on the pattern, I can't advertise it as mint condition.

I am also working on Halloween Line Up. This is a lot of fun. I really like the spiders. I have two more lines (pumpkins and owls) at the top and then the row of trick-or-treaters at the bottom. This should be finished soon.

Well, I don't have any other photos to share, but I am working on a few other projects. I have Nicholas's stocking. The stitching is slow, but I am oh so close to finishing the leaves. I really believe that once I finish the leaves, the rest will move at a much quicker pace.

I also started a Tournicoton pattern. It is a Halloween pattern that is really cute. It is all DMC floss, so I am making great progress with it. I will try to post a picture later this week.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Happy Labor Day!!

2009-09-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I have been very bad about updating my blog. But, I have been very busy, really. Of course, the boys went back to school at the beginning of August and my classes started in the middle of August. Even though I am only teaching 3 classes I have over 300 students to deal with. To top that off, I had to fly to Dubuque last week for a meeting about the textbook. AND I have been sick most of the last two weeks. So, there are my excuses.

But, I do have some stitching to share. I finished the LK Boo Club. Isn't is adorable? This was a very quick and fun stitch. Can't wait to get it framed.

After finishing this, I have been bitten by the Halloween/Autumn bug and have picked several appropriate projects. I am so very close to finishing the Moonlit Garden piece from Blackbird Design. I have just a few more stars, leaves, and a pumpkin to stitch and then the verse. This is my project for the rest of the night.

I have several other fall themed patterns kitted and will show some pictures of those when I have enough stitched to be recognizable.

One last picture to leave you with. This is Josey, our wild cat. She is almost a year old. It is amazing how big she has gotten. When I first brought her home she could fit under a ball cap.

Have a great week.

I really did try to update my blog...

2009-08-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

but for some reason, I couldn't upload pictures earlier this week. That's OK though because I have a finish to share and some new projects. First, the scarecrow is finished. He is really cute. I have to admit that I did not enjoy stitching him though. These older patterns just have too many color changes.

I have made some good progress on Nicholas's stocking. Can you see Santa's legs? Again, this is an older pattern from Leisure Arts, so there are constant color changes. Once I finish the last branch of holly leaves I think it will be a lot easier to stitch. I love the pattern on this fabric though.

My new projects include the LK Boo Club. I love this series of pattern!!! Each pattern stitches up very quickly and it is so easy to stitch. Can't wait to finish this one.

And my last project is the Blackbird Designs Moonlit Garden. Again, this is a pattern that I think is just really cute. I love the checkerboard pattern house. This is a lot of fun to stitch and seems to be moving along pretty quickly.

I got up early this morning, got the boys off to school, did a quick grocery shopping trip to a local store, and headed to the office this morning (all before 9 a.m.). The textbook is moving right along and I had two chapters on my desk to review and send back to the publishers. One was due next week and the other at the end of the month, BUT I decided to work really hard and get both ready to mail today. Mission accomplished. I dropped them off at FedEx on the way home. And finally, I had to prep some for a project that we are starting next week. We were able to get everything ready and before noon. SO, since I was so productive at work, I can spend the entire weekend stitching and stitching and stitching...

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Update...

2009-08-05T05:52:00.001-07:00

Since I have kind of let my blog slip this summer, I have decided to be a bit more active and post progress pictures of my stitching more often. I may not post every day, but I will try to be better. Yesterday was a big day stitching-wise since I finished the Shakespeare's Peddler sampler (see last post for picture) I had been working on for some time. I also stitched on an old pattern I have had lying around since 1995 (the same year my now 9th grader was born). This little scarecrow is quite cute. I know, it is a bit old-fashioned since I am stitching it on aida, but I really like it. I only need to finish dressing the poor guy (shoes and hat) and he will be done. I watched "Becoming Jane" while I stitched on this one yesterday. I love that movie.

Today I will stitch on Nicholas's stocking. I bought the fabric for this project in Feb. 2008. Last year I finished one of the stockings for Patrick, just in time for Christmas. This Christmas, Nicholas's stocking will be completed. I haven't made much progress, but the leaves are the hardest part for me (lots of color changes). I have just a few more branches and then I can stitch Santa (my favorite part). My rotation includes two days of stitching on the stocking, so I will post an update photo on Friday.

Hope everyone has a great day.

July was a very busy month, stitchingwise...

2009-08-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the summer break I decided to limit my new stash purchases until I had finished some of the UFOs in my craft basket. I had several projects that have been hanging around for some time. I have a bad habit of thinking I have to do things even if I don't like them anymore. So, my original list including 17 projects. Sharon was visiting me last week and we were looking at all of my projects and she asked me if I really liked all of them. When I admitted that I didn't like a couple of them she convinced me that I didn't have to stitch them. What a relief!

So, I did finish several projects this past month. I am most happy about finishing SP A Weary World Rejoices. It was a slow start, but once I got accustomed to the smaller thread count of the fabric, I was able to finish it. I actually finished the date this morning.

I also completed the three Summer Bungalows from CCN. These are really cute and were very easy to stitch. I have big plans for finishing these.

LHN Winter Wonderland had been forgotten in my stitching basket for quite a while. I pulled it out and was able to finish this one in about a week. I love it. I think the fabric is perfect.

I also finished this JBW Christmas tree. I only had the border to complete, but had run out of floss and couldn't remember what I had used. Marie sent me a skein of Victorian Sampler thread that was a perfect match. Thanks, Marie. This will be finished as an ornament for my tree.

The boys go back to school at the end of the week. Next week is a free week for me. Classes do not resume until the 17th at USM, so I have a bit of free time to enjoy. Of course, I need to prep for the fall semester (I am teaching a new course and using a different textbook in my other classes this semester). But I planned to enjoy my time off.

I have several projects kitted up and ready to go. Hopefully, this month will be another productive stitching month for me.

Not a lot of stitching to share...

2009-07-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't stitched as much as I wanted this week. I have one finish to share though. This is another silk gauze piece from my stash. I really, really like these projects. They are so cute and quite easy to do. Theresa has almost convinced me to stitch one of my stash patterns on silk gauze (she sells the gauze at her store). Maybe after I have finished my stash purge I will try a small project.

Speaking of my stash purge. I mentioned in my last post that I have sworn off buying any more stitching stash until I complete the 17 current projects I have in my "to do" basket. Well, at present, I have 6 projects underway (CCN Summer Bungalows, A Weary World Rejoices, Nicholas's stocking, LHN Winter Wonderland, JBW Christmas Tree, Scarecrow from an old magazine). The CCN project and JBW project are almost complete. I should have those done this week. I have also completed two other projects from the list and given them to my sister, Sharon as a PIF gift and an ornament exchange. I don't have pictures to share though. That leaves just 9 projects to go.

By the way, we went to the beach this past Monday and had a great time. If you are ever on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, consider catching the ferry to Ship Island. It was a fun trip and a beautiful beach.

I have been very busy...

2009-07-08T14:19:00.001-07:00

The summer is just flying by. I am teaching two classes this summer, so that is taking up some of my time. The textbook is also eating up a lot of my free time. BUT, I have found time to work on some of my existing stash. Last weekend I went through all of my patterns and kits and discovered I had 17 projects that were either started or kitted. What an eye opener. I need to avoid the stitching store for a while. Since our budget is tighter in the summer I made a Summer resolution to not purchase any new patterns until I have completed these 17. (I still have lots of other patterns in addition to these, but they aren't kitted, so I don't feel as guilty about those.) Fortunately, most are pretty simple. I have actually completed several.

The first photo is of a silk gauze Christmas tree. I purchase the kit at Hobby Lobby when they were clearing out all of the stitching kits. Talk about tedious work. That is quarter next to the stitched piece! Glad I got this one out of the way before the eyes get any worse.

This is another CCN pattern (Summer Bungalows). I love here patterns. I'm not sure if I like it on this fabric as much as I thought I would, but it is still cute. Plan to finish this as a needlework case.

I forgot to take pictures of my other two finishes. I completed LK January Flip It last night. This will be finished as an ornament for my sister, Sharon. Also, I stitched the Silver Needle Witch Way kit for Sharon also. I am very late completing some PIFs and this is one of them.

As I finish these projects, I am posting the patterns on my wishlist page. If you see something you like, check out that page. The link is in the sidebar.

Have a great week.

Lots to share...

2009-06-26T15:46:00.001-07:00

I haven't cross stitched much this week. I have been very tired, especially today. I don't know if it is the weather or if I have some type of bug, but I have been very lazy today. Anyway, instead of cross stitching, I have been sewing. I made a pair of pajama pants for my dad for Father's Day. He was very happy. Apparently, his old pajamas are beyond repair. That got me started on a sewing frenzy.

I finished my summer and fall stitching bags also. This is a project that Lisha and I signed up for at our local quilt shop. We learned to make these really nice charm totes. Well, if you know how to make one, why not make lots. I made two last year, a winter tote and a spring tote. I then made one for my mother for Christmas and my sister for her birthday. Well, I pulled out the supplies and finished my summer and winter totes.

Now, I can change with the seasons. Nicholas thinks I should have one for each day of the week. (Careful, boy. You shouldn't make those types of suggestions to a person with my type of personality.)

Finally, I finished Nicholas's rag quilt. Isn't it adorable? It was very easy. I have the material to make one for Patrick, so maybe I will work on that next month.

Hopefully, I will get more cross stitching done over the weekend. We are getting together at my younger sister's house this weekend to stitch and talk. I'll let you know how that goes...

Have a great weekend!

Two finishes this week...

2009-06-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

I finished LK ABC Lessons this weekend. I think it is so pretty on this fabric and can't wait to have it framed. This was a very nice piece to stitch. It was easy enough to stitch while watching TV.

My other finish is O'Starry Night from Little by Little. Very easy pattern and very cute. It is stitched on Smoky Blue Lugana (28 ct) from Silkweaver. Isn't it perfect? This would make a very pretty ornament.

The past few days have been so busy that stitching time has been limited. Hopefully, once the next few tasks on the textbook are completed I can relax a little bit. Also, I have declared a ban on buying any new patterns or fabric during July. The stash is getting a bit outrageous. There are at least 3 kitted patterns in my "to do" pile that I can work on, not to mention all of those UFOs and WIPs. If I focus on some of these projects, maybe my savings balance will increase over the next month. Who wants to be my accountability partner? Lisha?

Shopping Spree Saturday!!!

2009-06-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Shakespeare's Peddler is having a Cyber Sidewalk Sale and she has some really amazing prices. Earlier in the week, I purchased two patterns that were on my wishlist: Holly and a pattern for Tournicoton. Well, today, I decided to drive into Hattiesburg and shop the patterns to see if there were any that I just had to have. What a great idea! I picked up lots of great patterns at really great prices. Everything that I bought was 50% off the original price. I love the Just Nan Christmas Biscornus and was excited to see that there was one in the sale box. Even the embellishment packs were on sale! If you are interested you can check out the specials at Shakespeare's Peddler website.

I did purchase one item that was not in the sidewalk sale: Just Nan Bunny Charm Garden Pin. Isn't this just adorable? There are several in the series including bugs and a hedgehog. I really want to collect several of these because they are so pretty and detailed.

Though I have been very busy with work and gardening (spent all day yesterday at my parents' farm picking and snapping beans), I did get some stitching done this week. I have made some progress on LK ABC Lessons. I am certain that I can finish this piece in the next week or so. A Weary World Rejoices is taking a bit longer than I expected. I love stitching on it, but I made a mistake on one of the windows. Instead of putting it down and starting something else, I forced myself to make the correction and stitch on it the rest of the evening. I am glad that I did because I was able to finish all of the motifs on the bottom half of the pattern. I still need to finish the side borders. I really think the top half will be faster stitching. Hope to finish it by the end of the month.

Thanks for stopping by and all the nice comments. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

The Eagle is finished!!!!!

2009-05-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

FINALLY!!! I finished it Friday night. It is really pretty. Pete was very happy with it. I still need to frame it.

I also finished Love Birds by Miss Crescent's Crowne. This was really easy and stitched up very quickly. This was the first time I have stitched with Belle Soie silk. Very nice.

I have also made a bit of progress on LK ABC Lessons. Only three rows left.

Baltimore was great. I had a very good time. The conference was very helpful.

The Quaker Turtles are finished....

2009-05-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the cutest things? I love them. They are so tiny. It was a bit tedious to put them together, but it was worth it.

I also finished CCN Bumblebee. I absolutely love this one. I stitched it on a piece of Silkweaver Precious Metals 28 ct Opalescent Lugana. It is really pretty and it only took me 2 days to complete it.

The boys are almost finished with school. After next week I will be the parent of a high school student. I can't believe he is old enough to be in high school. Time flies...

It's finally May!!!

2009-05-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am so happy that it is finally May. That means the semester is almost over. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my job at USM, but I also love the end of the semester. I will have a few days to just relax. Oh, who am I kidding, I can't relax. We have a lot of work to do on the textbook, so I have a few days to work on the book. I didn't have as much stitching time this month, but I did finish all the parts of Quaker Turtles. I just need to assembly the little guys. My son really, really wants one. I don't think he realizes these are sewing goodies. He just loves the idea of the turtle.

I have also worked very hard on this Bald Eagle. Pete's birthday was the 19th. Yes, I missed his birthday. So, maybe he will get it by the end of May.

I have also worked on the A Weary World Rejoices and ABC Lessons a bit this month. I love both of these. I usually pull one of these two out when I have had a frustrating day. Helps improve my mood.

By the way, this is one of our textbooks. I just love the cover. And there's my name in the lower right corner. I am still amazed to see that.

My goals were less that accomplished this month, but hopefully May will be better for stitching. I just really want to finish that Eagle!!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Fair and Square Exchange from Marie

2009-04-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

I received the cutest squares from Marie (TX) this weekend. I love the little house and the cat on the roof is a great representation of our wild cat, Josie. If we would let her, I'm sure she would love to walk around on our roof.

Thanks for the nice comments. Have a great week.

Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler Completed!!

2009-04-10T08:06:00.001-07:00

Well, with the exception of 23 stitches, the sampler is complete. I ran out of Peacock and need to either purchase another skein or find floss that is close enough for that small number of stitches. I think this is such a pretty piece. I can't wait to frame it and hang it in my dining room.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend. I am off to buy Easter candy today.

Rufus the Rabbit and some exchanges

2009-03-30T06:04:00.001-07:00

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I finished Rufus the Rabbit this weekend. It was a very easy project and quite cute. This was actually from a pile of stash my sister received from a friend. We were amazed at all of the wonderful patterns and fabric that her friend decided she didn't want any more. Of course, my sister was very happy to receive all of the wonderful stash and was sweet enough to share some with me. Thanks, Sharon. I plan to finish this as a no-sew cube for Easter.

I also have received some really nice exchanges over the past few days. First, Bridget C. sent me these cute squares for the Easter Fair and Square exchange. These will be finished as a pinkeep, hopefully in time for Easter display.

And Clare sent me this wonderful biscornu and extras. Isn't it pretty? Thanks!

Well, I didn't do so well with my March goals, but plan to be more productive in April. If I can just get through with the bald eagle, I will feel much better. I have also decided to try a rotation again to help "push" through these projects. I think this will be a big help.

Have a great day.

Progress report...

2009-03-27T06:17:00.001-07:00

Well, I have been stitching pretty faithfully each night. I just haven't seemed to make much progress though. One of my goals this month was to finish 2/3 of the eagle for Peter. I have really tried, but this is not the fastest stitching project I have done. I worked on it three nights this week and am not even close. Once I finish the head and the tail, the rest of the wings should be fairly easy. It is just a chore to work on the head and I haven't even started the tail. Peter's birthday is the 19th of April. I may, by some sliver of a chance, finish this by then.

As some of you may know, I am always inspired by Vonna and Becky. I love to read their blogs.
Both of these ladies are extremely positive and inspiring. So, since I take so much inspiration from them, when they each started new projects, I decided that was a great idea. So I started two new projects (Remember there were two people inspiring me.) I started Mosey 'N Me Rufus the Rabbit. This project has been in my "to do" basket for some time and I thought that with Easter coming up, this would be just the thing to stitch.

Also, I picked up Shakespeare's Peddler A Weary World Rejoices this month. I love this sampler. Theresa is very creative and I love the message of "hope" that the motifs in this sampler convey. Theresa stitches on smaller counts often and I always love how delicate her work looks. So, I am stitching this on a smaller count than I am accustomed. I think this is either 36 or 38 count. I started it last night and love it.

Another project that I have in the bag is LK ABC Lessons. This one is very easy and fun to stitch. I figure if I finish one line a month, that's progress.

A group of friends and I get together each month to do something. We were playing Bunko, but some of the members wanted more variety this year. Well, our hostess this week suggested sewing these little bird pincushions. Isn't it cute? It reminds me of a purple martin. I can't say that I did the sewing. I cut out the fabric, pinned it together, and filled it with walnut shells. Lisha and Theresa actually did the sewing for me. Thanks!!

One last note. I am continuing my pledge of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle this year by offering the patterns on my trade list for free. Check the link in the right hand column. If there is anything there you would like, please e-mail me and include your mailing address. I will drop them in the mail to you asap.

Thanks for stopping by...

Biscornus and Dragonfly

2009-03-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It has been way too long since my last post. I promise, I have been busy. But, to the important information. I have been stitching quite a bit lately. I finished a biscornu for Hooked on Exchanges and the Blackberry biscornu from Sweetheart Tree. I think they are both very pretty, but I absolutely love the Blackberry biscornu. It is my favorite so far. I am now working on a frog biscornu and will post pictures as soon as it is completed.

I also finished the Dragonfly kit from Country Cottage Designs. I love it, but not sure I really like the fabric I selected. I will most likely finish this as a pinkeep.

Last week, I completed a box with the SamSarah "B" pattern. It was really cute, but I gave it to my younger sister, Bridget, before taking a picture. I will try to remember to get a picture to show everyone.

Have you seen the new Pineapple Stitches from Jeanette Douglas Designs. I absolutely have to get that one. I love it. I will add this to my wishlist since I am trying to cut back on spending right now.

Wasn't this week beautiful? We are on Spring Break and boy have I enjoyed the week. It has been very cool and breezy here in South Mississippi. (We haven't turned on the A/C in the past three weeks!!) Hobbie was also off this week, so we have made some progress in our yard. He removed an old fence the other day. The boys and I made two raised beds for vegetables. So far, I have planted green onions, chives, shallots, bell peppers, carrots, beets, radishes and cantaloupe. After I pick the last two heads of cabbage in the larger garden area, Hobbie is going to get that area ready for planting also. I plan to have cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, eggplants, and okra. My parents have much larger gardens and are planting beans, peas, corn, and lots of other veggies to share with us.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope everyone enjoys this wonderful spring day.

Update...

2009-02-24T06:09:00.001-08:00

I have been so busy over the past few weeks. I have two new nephews, Tyler and Leif. They are both so cute and both doing well, as are their mothers. Also, my son's band performed at Disney World on Friday the 13th and I was lucky enough to be a chaperone. The kids' performance was wonderful. I am extremely impressed with this young group. There is so much talent and potential there. We had a wonderful time on the trip.

Now, on to stitching news. I have received three great exchanges in the past week. First, my Lizzie Kate exchange from Mercy arrived. She was very concerned that it was late, but boy what an exchange. She completed a box and did an absolutely wonderful job. It is perfect. The fabric she selected was perfect for the pattern she stitched. She was extremely generous also by stuffing the box full of wonderful goodies. I took the box to our stitching group and everyone was very impressed. Thank you so much Mercy. I love the exchange. (By the way, Mercy also sent a big bag of Raspberry Hugs, but they didn't make it to the picture.)

Next, I received squares from both the Winter Round and Round #11 from the Fair and Square Friendship Exchange. Jill sent me a pair of really cute snowman themed squares for the Winter Round and Kaye sent me a wintery themed square for Round #11. I love both pairs of squares and will finish these as pinkeeps. I mailed their squares yesterday and will post pictures once the squares are received.

Finally, February is my birthday month. My husband was trying to get a copy of the Benjamin Button movie poster for me. I really, really want that poster, but he was not able to find one. So, I went to Shakespeare's Peddler and bought a few of the new patterns she brought back from market. I love the new Lizzie Kate alphabet and can't wait to stitch it.

Thanks for stopping by. I have been so busy with writing lately I haven't had a chance to visit many blogs. Hopefully, things will slow down a bit after this week though.

A little progress...

2009-02-07T06:03:00.000-08:00

One of my goals this month is to finish a very old WIP. My older brother, Pete, loves predatory birds. I have stitched two pieces (hawk and golden eagle) for him over the years. I had started a bald eagle about 5 years ago, but did not get very far. This year I want to finish it and give it to him as a birthday gift in April. This month my goal is to finish the center section. I started with just stitching the black. So far, so good. I have made pretty good progress with just three days of stitching. Now if I can just stay motivated.

By the way, I am adding some older patterns to my trade blog today. Take a look, the link is in the sidebar.

And, now I would like you to meet my newest nephew, Tyler. Isn't he adorable?

Review of January Goals and List of February Goals

2009-01-31T05:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I can't believe it, but I actually accomplished all of my January goals. Of course, the list was short, but the projects weren't necessarily small. I completed parts 3 and 4 of the Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler earlier this month and posted a picture. It is so pretty. I can't wait to get the final installment and finish the whole thing.

I also finished one part of Quaker Turtles. At first, I thought I would count just one medallion as a part. But that would take me 8 months to complete the whole thing. So I decided that one complete turtle would be more appropriate. I can't wait to finish these as the little turtles. They seem so cute.

(His stocking is the one on the left)

Also, I started on Nicholas's stocking. During November and December of last year I completed a stocking for Patrick. He was able to use it at Christmas. Unfortunately, I didn't finish Nicholas's. So my goal is to have this done well before Christmas. As you can see, it was a small start but a start none the less. It should be pretty quick once I finish all of these leaves with the constant floss changes.

Now, on to February. This is such a big month for my family. It is my and Patrick's birthday month. And, February will soon be the birthday month for two nephews and a niece. My younger sister and my sister-in-law are both due in February. Both are having boys!!! Bridget is scheduled to deliver on the 3rd. Mari is not due until later in the month, but she has had some complications and may deliver as soon as next week also. To make the month even better, Patrick and I are going to Disney World. Though Patrick is only in the 8th grade, he is a member of the high school marching and concert band. The band is performing at Disney and I am going as a chaperone. I LOVE DISNEY!!! We are both so excited. (Don't worry about Nicholas, he actually hates to travel. He would rather go camping somewhere close to the house.)

My goals for February:

Second part of Quaker Turtle
Work on Nicholas's stocking
Complete 1/3 of the bald eagle pattern for Pete (my brother)
F&S Round #11 Square
F&S Round #12 Square
F&S Winter Round Square
HOE Biscornu

Not too bad, since most are fairly small projects. Wish me luck. And thanks for stopping by.

Quaker Turtles Progress and Things to Trade

2009-01-21T05:51:00.001-08:00

I am moving slowly but surely on Quaker Turtles. Stitching one over one is hard for me. One of my goals this month was to finish one part of this pattern. Well, I am almost there. Tonight, hopefully, I will finish the bottom shell of the needlebook. This is so pretty! I can't wait to do the finishing.

By the way, I have cleaned out my stitching stash and have lots of patterns for trade or sale on my Wishlist page. The link is at the top of the sidebar if you are interested.

Thanks for stopping by.

More Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler Progress

2009-01-17T17:53:00.001-08:00

Well, I finished the 4th part of the Mystery Sampler. I am so pleased with this piece. I can't wait until the last part is available. Stephanie had asked about the patterns, these are patterns 30 - 34.

My next project will be a part of the Quaker Turtles. I want to complete one of these this month.

Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler Progress

2009-01-11T20:11:00.001-08:00

Well, I am moving right along with this piece. The house seemed to take forever. Actually, the side seemed to take forever. The front of the house went really quickly and so did the roof. I love the clusters of grapes. I just need to finish the vines and birds above the house to complete the third part of the sampler. The fourth part looks like it will be a very fast stitch. I hope so since one of my goals for January was to complete both the 3rd and 4th part of this sampler.

I did finish stitching the piece for the HoE Lizzie Kate exchange. I just need to complete the project and it will be ready for mailing. I hope to have that done by Wednesday.

Thanks for stopping by. Oh, by the way, Marie, that is a great idea for all of the thread. I will need to remember that next year since I threw away the thread already.

Silly Project...

2009-01-07T14:41:00.000-08:00

A while back I saw someone post about her "ort jar". She kept all of her thread clippings for the year and started over each January. Well, I thought that would be fun, so I started my own "ort tin". Here are the results, with a few threads from the past few days. I really packed the thread down into the tin over the year to make everything fit. It is amazing how much thread is in that little mass. Well, the tin is empty and ready for a new year.

By the way, all but the Christmas fairy pattern are still available. Check out my last post for a picture of some patterns I have up for trade. If you don't have anything to trade, e-mail me anyway.

Happy Stitching!!!

Jen

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We certainly did. I truly enjoyed the past two weeks. And I am actually looking forward to starting a new semester. This is mainly because I have a new job. Well, actually, it's my old job. In 2006, I left my instructor position at the University of Southern Mississippi to take a similar position at a local community college. I loved working at USM, but the community college offered me a substantial increase in salary. Well, money isn't everything. To say the least, I wasn't happy. The atmosphere was very different. So, fortunately for me an opportunity became available and I was rehired at USM. I am very happy and look forward to this next semester.

Well, enough about work, now to the important stuff... stitching. I know I have been horrible this Fall about posting, but I have been stitching. These are some of my finishes.

The first is the LK FlipIt. This was really cute and very easy to stitch. I plan to frame it. The second is Pere Noel Charmant by Tournicoton. This was a present from my older son for Christmas. I think it is really cute. This was a bit of challenge at first because the pattern is French and I am not bilingual. There are lots of specialty stitches, but everything is in the instructions and with a little bit of focus, I was able to translate. I am finishing this as a pinkeep.

Currently, I am stitching on the Blackbird Designs mystery sampler. I have completed the first two sections and have a nice start on the third. I picked up the pattern with the fourth section today. I love all of the blackbirds. This will be framed and hung in my dining room, most likely.

Finally, I have several patterns that are up for grabs. If you see anything you like and would like to trade, just e-mail me at jlregan @ bellsouth dot net. My wishlist is in the sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Newest Family Member!!

2008-11-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

We have a new addition to our family. Last spring, we lost our Felisca. She was such a sweet cat and we loved her for 18 years. Hobbie and I had decided not to get another cat. Well, who could resist this little sweetie? A person at work had four kittens that needed homes. When I saw this little girl, I just couldn't resist. So, I brought her home. Patrick and I decided that Josey was a great name. After one night, though, she acquired a very fitting nickname: Sassy. She loves the boys. Nicholas enjoys holding her while he plays videogames. Isn't she pretty?

A few progress pictures and finishes...

2008-10-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks I have been working on Sam Sarah's Twenty-Five Days. (OK, Lisha, it's been more than a few weeks...) I have finished all but one of the squares as well as the background. It is really cute. I am now working on attaching each square to a piece of wool to make the individual ornaments. It is not hard, but I can only do two or three at a time.

I have also worked on several exchanges. This week I received two of the prettiest exchanges ever. First is a Halloween exchange from Edda through Hooked on Exchanging. She sent me this beautiful biscornu and all these lovely goodies. I love everything.

Next is this wonderful set of Halloween squares from Stephanie through Fair and Square exchange. I love the squares. I finished these as a pinkeep and absolutely love the final product.

Thank you ladies for the wonderful pieces.

I'm back!!!

2008-09-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since I had posted. WOW, where does the time go. I have been very busy with work and the textbooks. Also, my older son is in the marching band this year and now we are gone every Friday night. I have accomplished a lot since my last post, but I only have a few photos.

First, I have received some wonderful exchanges this month. First, is the photo of my squares from Sandra G. for the Fair and Square exchange. She sent me some beautiful squares that I finished as a pinkeep.

Second, I received a wonderful Prairie Schooler Exchange from Becky in OK. I love the ornaments.

Thank you, both for the wonderful exchange.

I have been stitching alot, but I don't have any pictures. I did attend a quilting class in August and learned to make these wonderful bags. I completed the autumn color bag for the class and then had to make the second one the next day. These are really easy and make great stitching bags.

I will try to do better at posting. I have lots of wonderful projects in the works and can't wait to share them with everyone.

"Tigerlily" by Nora Corbett is complete!!!

2008-07-19T17:50:00.001-07:00

I finished this afternoon!! Isn't she beautiful? This was a very easy piece to stitch. She will be framed and hung in my craft room along with Midsummer Night's Fairy that I stitched earlier. I just need to take the time to find the right frames.

I am starting the new Lizzie Kate Christmas Double Flip-Its tonight. I have all but one of the threads and a piece of fabric that is perfect. Lisha and I are doing this as a stitch along, just like the Tigerlily piece. I have to get started so I can stitch it before she does. She is a very good motivation for stitching.

Thanks for stopping by.

I have some progress to share...

2008-07-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

I finally feel like I have had some time to stitch. This summer is passing so quickly and I have so much going on with work that I don't feel like I have enough stitching time. I spent Saturday afternoon at Lisha's house stitching and that got me motivated. I stitched on Tigerlily some on Sunday as well as yesterday, so I have made quite a bit of progress. Just a little bit more on her head and then her wings and this one is finished.

Also, Saturday morning I got out JDD Pomegranate and Pears. This one is so pretty. I love the colors. This one will take a bit longer to finish since the remaining portion requires a little more concentration on my part to stitch one over one. I think I will finish this as a box.

I have also worked on Blackbird Designs Union Forever. This one is actually very easy, but I only stitch on it every now and then. I just love the colors though. Can't wait to finish it.

And finally, a finish. I completed the stitching on J is for Juggler (Victorian Sampler) this past weekend. I still need to finish the hemstitching, but I need to get the bell pulls first. This was another fun one to stitch. I bought the thread pack so I wouldn't invest so much into all of the silks, etc. Even though it cost me $30 it was a savings, since I do not have any of the threads called for in the pattern. Even with me stitching the entire pattern, I still have enough thread left to almost complete it again. I only used up one of the threads. If anyone is interested in stitching this, let me know and we can work out a trade for the pattern and threads. Just e-mail me at jlregan at bellsouth dot com.

Back from California and Fair and Square Exchange

2008-06-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I am home from a long and fun trip to San Fransisco. I attended a conference for my college and am quite exhausted. I learned a lot and am excited about using some of the techniques in my classes. The city was beautiful, even with the smoke from the nearby wildfires. We were able to visit some of the sites, but we only had a few hours every evening for sight seeing. We are going back in the winter, so maybe I can see more.

When I got home last night, I had a package waiting for me. I had received my squares from Mary Kathryn for the Fair and Square Exchange. She sent me some beautiful bee themed squares, some needles, thread and a bee button. I love all of it. I finish all of my squares from this exchange as pinkeeps. This one will be beautiful

These are the squares that I sent to Mary Kathryn. I thought the pattern was perfect for the Friendship Fair and Square Exchange. This is a great exchange to participate.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

I'm off to California for the week...

2008-06-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

I am attending a conference this week in Oakland/San Francisco. I leave tomorrow morning, so I wanted to make a quick post to let everyone know why I haven't posted for a while. When I get back I promise to show lots of progress pictures. Most of what I have stitched lately are for exchanges that have not been received, so I can't show any pictures of those. Enjoy your week.

Wow, how time flies... (Lots to share)

2008-06-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am so sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I have no excuse. I have been busy with the textbook, a professional conference, gardening, and a wonderful stitching retreat, but mostly I have just been lazy. I am really enjoying my summer vacation.

I have lots to share. First, I received a wonderful exchange from Laurie through the Hooked on Exchanging group. She made me a floss tag for the Freebie exchange. She also included lots of wonderful goodies including the pin cushion, which I absolutely love.

This past weekend, I attended the Shakespeare's Peddler Stitching Retreat. It was held in Hattiesburg, MS, which is only 20 minutes from home, but we had such a great time. My two sisters, Sharon and Bridget, and our friend Lisha, also attended. We stitched quite a bit. Theresa, owner of Shakespeare's Peddler, is a great person and was a wonderful hostess. At the retreat we participated in a Pins and Needles Exchange. I made a small sewing box. I stitched a Lizzie Kate design for the top and then included scissors and a pack of needles. I was very excited about the finished product. I thought it was so cute. I received a beautiful scissor fob, stitched by my friend, Lisha. She included a pair of scissors, which I love.

Of course, we had a chance to do some shopping while at the retreat. We each received a gift certificate as part of the retreat package. I used my gift certificate to pick up a Loose Feather piece and started stitching on it. I also got the fabric to complete the Sam Sarah Twenty-Five Days piece. I had purchased the leaflet back in February and started stitching on the small pieces. I can't wait to finish this one.

While at the retreat, I stitched on the J is for Juggler band sampler I purchased last month. It is a lot of fun and very easy to stitch. I love using the specialty threads and the learning the different stitches. Can't wait to finish this one.

Lisha and I also started working on Tiger Lilly. I just love this piece. We have decided to do this as a SAL. I stitched on it yesterday some and am making great progress. How is your piece coming along, Lisha?

Thanks for stopping by and visiting. I will try to do better about posting more often.

A big finish and thank you!!

2008-05-17T06:45:00.001-07:00

First I would like to thank all of you for your kind words about Felisca. It was a lot harder than I thought and I still miss her, especially when I am stitching. She would either sit on the arm of my chair or in my lap while I stitched. After eighteen years of that, it does seem very odd not to have her around.

Now, I do have some finishes to share with everyone. The first one is a square I stitched for Cole's Love Quilts. I think it is so pretty. I used a pattern from one of the Leisure Arts Christmas Remembered series (I have the whole set). I especially love the way the M in Mary looks like a butterfly.

The second finish is the biggie. I finished Midsummer Night's Fairy. She is so beautiful. I worked exclusively on this project this week to finish. The fabric is perfect. I can't wait to have her framed so I can hang it in my craft room.

Now on to some more power stitching. I need to finish the dalmatian puppy for Nicholas next week. I am also stitching a couple of exchanges that are due this month.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

A long and sad week...

2008-04-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

The semester is finally coming to a close, just two more weeks of classes and one week of exams. I am so ready for this summer. This week was especially exhausting. I have been really busy with classes, writing and preparing for several projects I will be working on this summer, but the week hit a really sad note on Wednesday. When I got home that afternoon I found Felisca, our 18 year-old Siamese, in a very bad way. She was not able to walk far without falling down and then had a hard time getting back up. She was diagnosed a few years ago with a thyroid tumor after she suddenly became the most voracious eater. She couldn't get enough to eat. The vet didn't think she would last 6 months, but she did. She lived another 2 1/2 years. Earlier this month we noticed that she was really losing weight and having a harder time getting around, but she seemed to be comfortable. Unfortunately, that all changed this week. She was so pitiful. My two sons and I took her to the vet so she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. It broke my heart. My husband gave Felisca to me as a birthday present before we were married. She was our first "baby". She has traveled all over the place as we moved around for college and graduate school. She was a beautiful cat. You can see that in the picture above. Many of the students I have taught over the past 10 years remember me talking about her in genetics class. She was also a topic in my anatomy and physiology classes when we discussed the endocrine system. I know that I did the right thing, but it still makes me sad. I really thought I was prepared for this event since she was so old and her health was failing, but I wasn't. I will miss her so much.

On a less somber note, Mylene brightened my week by sending me a beautiful pinkeep exchange. I love the pinkeep. She did a wonderful job stitching and finishing it. And she also included some wonderful goodies. Thanks, Mylene, I really love the exchange.

Finally, I finished most of the Misummer Night Fairy. I worked on this one piece this week and was able to finish all of the first page. The backstitching and beadwork are complete. I only have to stitch her head and the top part of her wings. So close...

Long overdue update...

2008-04-06T17:10:00.001-07:00

Things have been very crazy for the past couple of weeks. I had a business trip that was less than enjoyable. After returning home, I have been sick for the past week. I had one of the busiest weeks of the year this same week, so to say the least, I am tired. I haven't had much time for stitching, but I did finish one project and finished a couple of pinkeeps.

The first photo is of a square I stitched for Cole's Quilts. This is such a wonderful project. The squares are used to make quilts for sick children. The kids are so cute.

The second photo is of a pinkeep I made using the Earth Day squares I received from Amy from the Fair and Square Exchange. This is my second set of squares with this group. Amy stitched some beautiful squares and I love the pinkeep.

The last photo is of the Daisy square I stitched last month. I finished it as a pinkeep also. Very cute.

I have several projects that just need to be finished. I have sort of stalled in my rotation, but hopefully will get going again. I hope to have some progress pictures later this week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Biscornu Exchange received and a finish

2008-03-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

I received this wonderful package today from Mylene (Netherlands). What a great surprise!! I am a member of the Hooked on Exchanging group and this was the Biscornu exchange. Mylene made me a beautiful biscornu and a biscornu scissor fob as an extra. She also included some lovely ribbon and buttons. I love everything and am thankful for the beautiful work. Thanks, Mylene.

I also finished another of the CCN pieces, this time the Daisy square. I changed the color of the word but am not 100% happy with it. Originally, the word was stitched in the green color, but I was afraid it would not show up very well on the fabric. The other two I have stitched have the words stitched in the same color as the flowers, so I decided to keep to that pattern. I'm just not sure. I do love the blue house on this fabric though. And the dragonflies are just too cute. I will finish this as a pinkeep also. I have already picked out the fabric and trim. I just need a little bit of free time.

Thanks for visiting my blog. By the way, if you want to visit a very funny stitching blog, visit WB Stitches. The link is to the right. She is such a funny person.

A few more finishes ...

2008-03-16T17:05:00.001-07:00

Well, it's back to work tomorrow. Though we didn't get all the things we hoped to do completed this week, I did have a very good crafting week. I finished the above piece (Winter Bird Delight by Praiseworthy Stitches) over the past week and decided to finish it as a box. I love the color purple and was very happy to find the right shade of purple to go with this piece.

I also finished PS Scatter Eggs this week. This was a super fast stitch. I started it yesterday and was happy to finish it before the weekend was over. I'm not sure what I will do with this one. It will probably go into the chest for now. When I purchased the pattern and buttons, I didn't notice the fabric it was stitched on so the buttons would work. The model piece was stitched on a 19 count fabric over two. I have way too much fabric to buy another piece, but luckily Hobby Lobby had their fabric on sale and I found a light blue piece of 18 ct. I have enough to stitch the Scatter Sunshine piece also (I think).

Finally, I picked up some ribbon yesterday to finish the Peter's Cotton Knits box. I think it is perfect. Thanks for stopping by my blog. All of the comments are much appreciated. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

A day of finishing

2008-03-12T13:55:00.001-07:00

It is Spring Break this week, so I have big plans to finish a lot of projects around the house. My husband even took the week off to help. Unfortunately, he has been sick for the past few days, so the big projects will have to wait until tomorrow. So, I just couldn't let a free day be wasted. Today, I have been working on several of my completed pieces, doing a bit of finishing. First, I finished my biscornu for the Hooked on Exchanging group. Can't post a picture yet, but it is really cute. Next, I finished a CCN piece as a pinkeep. This is the second of this series that I have completed and each will be made into a pinkeep.

Since this was so easy, I decided to finish the blocks that I received from Sonda in the Fair and Square exchange as a pinkeep also. It turned out so pretty. I followed Vonda's example and grouped my pins to add a bit of interest. I think this is so pretty. Sonda did such a wonderful job stitching the piece, it had to be finished as something pretty.

Then, I went through my chest of finished items and decided to work on one of the Easter pieces I have. I finished this RTRD piece as a block. The cording was made with floss from an old kit. I had a bit of trouble with the cording, but finally got my husband to help. It is so cute. I still need to add a bow, but I need to find the right ribbon.

I do have a couple of other items to try and finish today, but my nephews (2 and 4 years old) are coming to spend the night with us. That will definitely limit how much crafting I will do the rest of today.

February is a wonderful month...

2008-02-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy this month that I haven't had a chance to post in quite a while. First, my birthday is February 9th. I had the best birthday this year, thanks to my wonderful friends and family. My sisters and friends had a birthday party for me. Aren't they the sweetest? We played Yahtzee and Phase 10 and ate quesadillas. We had such a great time. They also gave me some wonderful stitching presents. Lisha designed and stitched a biscornu fob for me. It is in the picture above. I absolutely love it. She also gave the scissors to go with it. I also received several skeins of floss and a travel DMC StitchBow bag (thanks, Kim, I am using it for my DMC variations floss). The next day, my husband took me out to eat. We had a wonderful time. And then, we had ice cream cakes at my mother's the next day. I was very spoiled this year. The patterns in the picture above were also presents from my boys. I picked out several new patterns that I really wanted to stitch and the threads needed to finish them. I couldn't resist a couple of the patterns and stitched on them this past week.

My son, Patrick, also had a birthday this month. He is 13!! I can't believe my baby is already a teenager. He is a great kid. We are very lucky.

My first finish was CCN Violets. I was very excited about this kit. The price was great since it included the CC threads. I did substitute a different purple, though. I finished it as a pinkeep and absolutely love it.

Second, I finished the cutest biscornu from Barabara Anna Designs. It is very bright and happy. Makes me ready for spring and Easter.

I plan to get back on my rotation this week, but thought it would be OK to enjoy some birthday stitching for a while. Now, I need to get to work on the fairy. I also need to finish my squares for the Fair and Square exchange, a biscornu for an exchange and something St. Patrick's for a third exchange.

Another Update and February Goals

2008-02-03T20:23:00.001-08:00

Well, I haven't been able to stitch as much as I would have liked this week, but I did almost complete another letter in the EM Alphabet Sampler Series. First, I stitched more on the Midsummer's Night Fairy. She is so beautiful. If you compare this photo to the last, you can see that I have added quite a bit to the bottom of her skirt. Just a bit more and I can stitch her face and the rest of her wings. Of course, next will be all of the beading. I can't wait.

Next, I worked on the letter H in the Erica Michaels Alphabet series. I really love this project. Each letter stitches up so quickly and you have the ability to improvise on the color choices to make it unique. I try to follow the suggested color palette, but do try to use several shades of similar colors to give it some interest. I changed the color of the house on this one and changed some of the letters. I think this one is my favorite so far. I still need to stitch the name, but that shouldn't take too long.

Finally, I completed one of the actual pages. Following the finishing directions, I have this one page ready for the book. It is quite easy, but looks so nice. It has given me a really good idea for a future project. I can't wait to finish the entire series and make it into the book. If you haven't started this project, I highly recommend it. I know Petra has decided to do it, and I hope she is enjoying it as much as I am.

Saturday was a very busy day for my family. We got up early and went shopping. Having only boys, it is not very likely that I can do much stitching shopping with the entire family in tow, but I made it a point to stop by Shakespeare's Peddler first. Theresa has such a wonderful shop, with all of her patterns stitched and hanging on the wall. Patrick and Nicholas stayed in the car, but Hobbie (that's my husband) came in and looked around while I picked out fabric for the boys' stockings. I also picked up some Lizzie Kate patterns for a RR I am participating and the buttons for Santa Clothes. After the fun stitching, we headed to Kohl's to buy the boys some clothes and shoes. This was my first trip to Kohl's and boy was I happy. We were able to get everything, except socks and underwear in one stop. Now, I don't need to do laundry every night to keep my very picky children happy. My older son will only wear certain clothes to school, so he wants me to wash the same outfits over and over. Now, he has several similar outfits. It's like living with Monk. Nicholas, on the other hand, just loves to buy cool clothes.

OK, now to get to the other point of this post: February Goals

1. Finish the stitching on Midsummer's Night Fairy
2. Finish Achoo! for Nicholas
3. Complete two sections on HC Colonial Welcome
4. Complete I - L on the Erica Michaels series

I think I am going to stop there though. If I complete more, that's great because March is going to be extremely busy with the two textbooks.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week.

Updates and two finishes

2008-01-27T19:39:00.001-08:00

I have a couple of finishes to share first. Last week I completed the "F" in the Erica Michaels Alphabet Series. I also did the outline stitching and Kloster Blocks for the page finishing. I didn't finish the page because I needed fusible interfacing. Picked some up at Wal-Mart, but haven't finished it still.

This weekend I finished the "G" in the same series. Petra had posted a comment thanking me for enabling her. You are going to love working on this series. I will take the blame for enabling you to work on this series. I love that I can choose from my existing stash of fabrics and mix and match the threads to come up with my own take on each block. I think the book will be really pretty once I finish. I can't wait to see how your pages look either Petra.

I have also made some great progress on Midsummer Night's Fairy. I have just a bit more on her skirt and then finish the upper portion. After I finish the stitching, then it is on to the beading. She is so beautiful.

Finally, I have worked some on "Achoo" for my son, Nicholas. You can see the puppy's face, finally. This one is coming along quite well, considering I only stitch on it one day a week. Very easy piece.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments. Everyone is so sweet and encouraging.

Progress pictures...

2008-01-15T18:17:00.001-08:00

As I promised, here are a few of the projects I am currently working on and the wonderful Christmas present I received from Lisha.

The fairy is coming along wonderfully. I am more than halfway through the stitching, but I haven't started the beading. I just love this piece though. The fabric is perfect. Can't wait to finish her.

This is the next block in the Erica Michael's alphabet series. These stitch up so quickly. I just need to finish the four-sided stitching around the fox and the stitch name at the bottom. Very cute.

Finally, this is my present from Lisha. Two Mill Hill Santa booklets plus several of the treasures needed to start one of the projects. Thank you, Lisha. I love my present.