I have some progress to share...

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

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...

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)

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!!

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...

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...

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

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 ...

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

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...

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

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

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...

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.

Pictureless Update, but I promise I'll do better next time...

A certain person, who will remain nameless, made a comment about the lack of posts from me. I have been somewhat busy with the start of a new semester. But that isn't the main reason for my lack of posts. For some reason I took my camera to work with me and forgot it. So, I don't have any pictures to post. I remembered to bring it home, but the batteries are dead. They will be recharged tomorrow and I promise to have some progress pictures available.

Like many of you out there in stitching blog world, I was so happy to see Becky return to blogging. She is such an amazing stitcher and boy is she fast. She has shared so many beautiful pieces over the past few days I have seriously thought about staying up all night and stitching. But, of course, I am too lazy for that. Thank you, Becky! You are such an inspiration. I say that all the time about Becky, but she does just motivate me to stitch.


This weekend I spent Saturday afternoon stitching with my older sister, Sharon. We watched the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Very cute, especially Johnny Depp. On Sunday, I spent time stitching with my younger sister, Bridget, and our friend, nameless, (oops) I meant Lisha. I forced them to watch Jane Eyre. I was able to make a lot of progress and I will share that with you tomorrow.

Well, I need to call it a night. Thanks for stopping by and visiting. Check back tomorrow for some pictures.

First Finish of 2008

Okay, it was an easy finish, but it is a finish. Today is my last day of my Christmas vacation. Back to school tomorrow. Well, actually, I have to help students with registration tomorrow. Classes actually begin on Monday. So, since today was very cold (at least for a Southerner it was cold) I was very lazy. Stitching and watching TV. I am going to start the next one in the series, but probably will not be able to finish for awhile. I changed up the colors a bit to make the letters a little more interesting. I think it is very cute.

New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year!! We had a wonderful day today. We spent most of the day at my parents' home eating and visiting with family. The kids were pretty good, so the day was mostly enjoyable.

One of the things I love to read on others blogs is the list of goals, so I have my goals for 2008.




1. Finish the projects in my rotation.
a. Mirabilia Midsummer Night's Fairy (progress picture above)
b. Achoo!
c. Heart's Content Colonial Welcome (progress picture above)

2. Complete the entire Erica Michael Alphabet Series and finish the sampler book. I have stitched A, B, C, and D already. I have the instructions for finishing the sampler book, now I just need to get stitching.


3. Complete TW "The Guardian" twice. I found these kits at Hobby Lobby this past year and promised them to my boys.

4. Finish the eagle in flight piece I started for my older brother.

5. Finish at least three of the Wee Beasties kits I purchased this year.

I don't think I can hold to the 10 Project challenge, but I do not plan on spending as much money on new projects this year. I have over 60 pieces of beautiful fabric, a complete set of DMC and plenty of other fibers. I also have over 20 kits and loads of patterns. I should be able to stitch from my stash almost exclusively. Almost is the the important word there. I am going to limit myself more this year.

Also, just a reminder that I am looking for two more people to participate in the PIF exchange. Becky K, Sharon C, and Hannah have already signed up. If you are interested in joining, the information is in the December 31st post.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and productive 2008.

PIF Exchange

In my last post I included a picture of a nice gift I received as part of the PIF Exchange from Marie. The best part of this exchange is the honor of sending 5 other individuals similar types of gifts. The first 5 individuals that leave a comment stating that she/he would like to join will receive a handmade item from me. Similar to Marie's guidelines, I can't promise an exact item or time, but promise that the gift will be top quality hand-made and that you will receive it in the next year. The other stipulation is that you post a similar exchange on your blog promising to send 5 individuals a gift. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? This will keep me in the Christmas spirit for even longer since I will have gifts to make and send to different people. Just leave a comment and I will contact you via e-mail to get your mailing information. Happy New Year!!!

A finish and a wonderful gift received...

Merry Christmas! I am really enjoying this Christmas season. I spent yesterday taking care of my two nephews so that my mother and sister could do their Christmas shopping. The two boys are a handful, but they can be so cute. Anyway, I finished the Mill Hill piece I have been working on. It is really cute. I have a frame for it and plan to finish it later today.



Also, I received the most wonderful gift today from Marie. Earlier this year I signed up for her PIF exchange. My next post will have more information about that. She sent me the most lovely pincushion with scissors and angel ornament. She is very talented and very thoughtful. I enjoy visiting her blog. Thank you so much, Marie. I truly love my gift.

Happy Birthday Lisha!!

My very good friend, Lisha, celebrated her birthday on December 3rd. We got together the day before for some crafting and I was so excited to give Lisha her present. She loves puppies (she has three very cute, big "puppies"), so I was excited to find the LHN Dog Sampler at Shakespeare's Peddler earlier this year. I stitched it up and finished it as a project box.

I used the tutorial on Vonna's page to complete the box. Isn't it just great? I love the idea of the pinkeep in the top of the box. After completing the box, I had to add some goodies, so I picked up some Mary Arden needles (which Lisha loves) and fabric at Shakespeare's Peddler (Thanks, Theresa for the help). I also found a cute pair of blue scissors that matched the box perfectly. I was so happy to see that Lisha enjoyed the present.


Of course, I need to get to work on other projects now. I have been in sort of a slump. I stitched like a crazy woman over the Thanksgiving holidays, but I haven't had the time to do much since then. I finished the semester yesterday, so I should have more time, especially since the textbook work is pretty much caught up for the holidays. I have one meeting next week about a potential research project collaboration, but otherwise I have the next three weeks for rest and relaxation. I hope to stitch a lot in these next few weeks.

Thanks for all of the wonderful comments on my last post. I appreciate everyone taking the time to visit my blog. Merry Christmas!!