HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I have been busy stitching on my Just Nan Ice Garden piece. I am on the last band, then just the beads to attach....hmm...maybe a finish in my near future. I also managed to start and finish The Sweetheart Tree's teenie tweenie #12...Poinsettia On Parade. Now to decide how I'm going to finish it.

The Sweetheart Tree

Poinsettias On Parade

As a New Year's Wish to Everyone I will be giving away this chart [ this is the chart only, as I used the charm on my piece]. If you would like to enter please leave your name in the comment section and I will draw a winner on January 1st! Good Luck to All.

Happy New Year!

Susan

Merry Christmas!

Finishing Party!

Well, today I had myself a finishing party. I pulled out 3 ornaments that I had previously stitched plus the 2 I stitched along with the Seasonal Ornment SAL.

Here's the photos I took of them. The first 4 are Victoria Sampler designs and the last one is by The Sweetheart Tree.

Victoria Sampler

Charity

Victoria Sampler

Faith

Victoria Sampler
Poinsetta



Victoria Sampler
Christmas Rose

The Sweetheart Tree

Snowflakes in Abundance

I really enjoyed myself, but will be glad to get back to stitching:) I want to wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Till Next Time,

Susan

Christmas Mailart

I received my Christmas Mailart from Joanne the other day. Joanne stitched me a lovely envelope with a Chritmas tree on the front and Santa, a reindeer,and snowman on the back. Thank you, Joanne for the envelope and all the goodies you sent along.

Susan

WOOHOO! A Christmas Pillow

JBW Christmas Purse

I finally had some free time today and was able to turn JBW's Christmas Purse into a pillow. This is the first time I've used my stitching and made it into a pillow. Since I found all these lovely stitching blog I've seen all kind of neat ways to finish my stitching...instead of the standard picture frame. This has open a whole new world for me. I know I have a pile of stitched items I need to dig out and decide how to finish them. I have 2 weeks off over the Christmas holidays, so I hope to be able to tackle them then.

Weekend

A busy weekend. I spent most of sunday cleaning up the living room getting it ready for the Christmas decorations. Which we'll put up later this week. To reward myself I pulled out a Lizzie Kate that I piece I stitched a few weeks ago for an exchange I'm in and finished it into a cube. This is my 1st time using this finishing technique. I think it turned out cute. I substituted a flower charm for the called for heart charm {since I didn't have it}...it goes well with the fabric I used for the backing, so I was very happy that it worked.

I also started to piece together the fabric for the pillow I want to make out of the JBW Christmas Purse piece. B ut my body decided it has had enough work today, so I hope to work on it tuesday or wednesday since I have both days off from work. Hopefully, then I'll have a finished pillow to show you. Now I'm off to watch The Amazing Race on TV.

Susan

PIF

Just a reminder that I'll be drawing 3 names for the PIF on tuesday, so if anyone else is interested please leave your name in the comment section. So far, I only have 1 taker, Robin. Will email everyone on wednesday. Thanks for joining in.

Goodies in the mail

Yesterday I received several goodies in the mail. The 1st was a mailart exchange from Mari in Finland. Mari stitched a lovely envelope with a gingerbread man on the front. She sent along some Gast floss, holiday charms, fabric, and a gingerbread ornament. You can see the front and back of the envelope photo's below. Thank you Mari for a wonderful exchange.

front

back

Next, I received my 1st ever F & S squares from Terry P. Terry stitched a design from LHN. I just love them. Now to decide how I'm going to finish them. Thank you Terry for making my 1st round a very enjoyable one. I look forward to many more rounds with this wonderful group of stitchers.

LHN design

stitched by Terry P.

Now I'm off to work on Just Nan's Ice Garden. Till next time.

Susan

Thanksgiving Ornament Finish

Here's my Thanksgving Ornament. I just couldn't wait to finish it, so I did it this evening. I did this along with Vonna's Seasonal Ornament Blog. Joan Elliott

Give Thanks

Cross-Stitch & Needlework Magazine 11/08

32ct Lambswool

DMC threads

Givaeaways

Check out this website http://amyclary.blogspot.com/, they're having a 12 days of Christmas Giveaway. It never hurts to enter!

Mailart Finish and PIF

I just completed my final mailart obligation. This is the Christmas themed mailart that will be mailed to Janien by Dec. 1st. I used the Carpenter's Wheel piece I stitched earlier this fall and finished it off with some cute Christmas fabric on the inside. I hope she likes it. I'm now ready to move onto finishing my Thanksgiving ornament, once I purchase some fall fabric for the backing. I hope to do that tomorrow and have it ready to display in time for the holiday.

Also, just a reminder that there are still spaces available for the PIF. You can read about it in a previous post. So, please sign the comment section if you're interested in participating. I'll be drawing 3 names on 12/9.

Texas RR

This evening I managed to finish stitching my section of the 4 person RR I'm in for Sandy Jo. Her sampler is Oberlin Texas Sampler. I stitched the letter A. Now I'm off to work on another project.

Susan

TAGGED

I've been tagged by Cindy to share 6 random things about myself.

The rules are as follows:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your request.

5. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Here are 6 things about me:

1. I can tune anyone out when I'm reading a good book:)

2. I love Margarita's.YUM!

3. I am an avid soccer or football {for those in Europe} fan. I watch the BPL religiously.

4. I learn about different sports {hockey, football, etc}, so I can have those type of conversations with my 13 year old son.

5. I'm very proud to be a MOM.

So, now I'm supposed to tag 6 people. Since everyone's blog I visit has already been tagged. I will "Tag" anyone who comments here.

Thanks!

Susan

Happy Dance!

I had a productive weekend and managed to start and finish JBW's Christmas Purse. I substituted DMC's variegated red thread for the called for threads, but am very happy with the results. I plan to turn this one into a pillow to decorate for the holiday season...already found some fabric to use. Now I just need to find a block of time I can cut and sew it all up. I have now moved onto a RR I need to complete. It's an Oberlin Samplers Texas sampler. I get to stitch the letter A. Should be able to finish it up in a week or two.

Till next time,
Susan

Where'd the Weekend Go?

Well, here it is saturday again. Boy, the weekends seem to fly by. I spent friday night stitching along with http://http//letsstitch.blogspot.com/ SAT. I worked on Just Nan's Ice Garden again. Got a little bit more done on it, but still have a ways to go.

All that white stitching was getting to me, so this morning I pulled out JBW's Christmas Purse chart and took it to my son's soccer game with me. I guess I needed a bit of color in my life. I don't have the called for threads, but have subsituted DMC's red variagted thread instead. I think it looks very nice. This should be a quick stitch up....hmmm possibly a Happy Dance this weekend. Hopefully.

On another note...I just learned that I was picked to be part of Clara's PIF from her blog http://http://threadpainter.blogspot.com/. This is my first time participating in a PIF. Here is how it works.

If you would like something handmade by me, just leave a comment on this post and on my birthday, December 9th I will draw 3 names. Then, within the next 365 days, each one chosen will receive something handmade by me. All I ask in return is that each person chosen make the same offer on their blog. This is a wondeful way to spread some happiness throughout the stitching community. I hope you join me in this.

Till Next Time

Susan

SAT Progress on Just Nan's Ice Garden

Here's my friday night SAT progress for this week. I didn't get much stitched since we went out to a late dinner. My teenagers decided they were to old to go trick or treating this year, so dinner out was our way of celebrating. I had a good week stitching. I managed to finish my F & S square early friday, just need to mail it off this week. I can't post any photo's till my partner receives these. I hope she likes them. This week I hope to continue stitching on Just Nan's Ice Garden and I also, have a Texas RR I need to stitch on. So, I should have plenty to keep me busy. Till next time.....
Susan

Mailart Finish

Well, I had a productive sunday. Even though the stitching for this MA has been done for I bit I finally spent today putting this all together. This exchange gets sent out in mid November. I stitched a Christmas Village scene on the front and a varigated snowflake on the back. Very Christmassy, I think. I hope Margaret likes it.

I have several other ongoing projects. Just Nan's Ice Garden which I just started friday night as part of Becky's Let Stitch SAT http://http://letsstitch.blogspot.com/ . This SAT has really motivated me to get some of my stash stitched up. I'm also,still working on my F & S Square. Plus, I have one more mailart envelope to make. I'm going to use the carpenter's wheel square I stitched a few weeks ago...photo is in a previous post. Yesterday, I received a Texas robin I need to stitch on. So, I've got plenty on my plate this week. Till next time.

Giveaway

I have just found the neatest giveaway check it out at http://sleeplessnbluefield.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-first-giveaway.html
You can win a shirt with your bloggy name on it.

I'm Still Here

I'm still here, just been busy working and stitching in my spare time. I had a wonderful weekend of stitching that started friday night with Becky's SAT and ended sunday with me completing Just Nan's Summer Stroll. HAPPY DANCE!! I haven't decided how to finish it off, yet. I have seen some lovely wooden boxes that this wood look pretty in...need to check them out.

I'm still working on my next mailart piece. Hope to complete it over the weekend.Will post a photo as soon as it's done. I'm also working on my 1st Fair & Square exchange piece...can't show any photo's till it's received, but it's coming along nicely. I think I'm going to start Just Nan's Ice Garden this coming friday for the SAT. I have a pile of Just Nan charts just waiting to be stitched and these friday night SAT's are a great way to get some of them done. Off to do some stitching. Until next time.

FRIDAY!

Well, it's friday again! I finally had a few minutes and got my DD to post my photos for me. First up is the mailart exchange I got from Taija in Finland. Thank you so much, Taija I just love my 1st MA. As you all can tell it was a Halloween theme.I have already signed up to do 2 more of these MA exchanges, both of them will be Christmas themed. Last week I used my 2nd MA project as my SAT piece [which I've joined over at BeckySC's blog ] and then during the week I managed to complete my stitching and stitched both names and addresses. I just need to find a chart to stitch on the back of the envelope. Here's a photo of it so far.

For tonight's SAT I have pulled out Just Nan's "Summer Stroll". I started this piece over the summer and somehow it got pushed to the side. These SAT's are really helping to keep me motivated. I even found time this week to put all my floss in my Thread Beds. Only need to purchase about 15 skeins to fill up those pages. Hopefully, I can keep myself organized this way.

A Finish

Here are photos of my latest finish. This is a Lizzie Kate freebie I stitched for Georgina. We were to stitch a piece and then finish it. I decided to get creative after checking out Vonna's lovely finishing ideas blog. I picked up a small veneer box at the craft store and used fabric to cover it, as well as, batting in the top and bottom of the box in case she decides to use it as a pinkeep. I think I did okay for my first attempt. I hope Georgina likes it. Will be mailing it off to her this week.

Last night I joined in on Becky's, "Let's Stitch", stitch a thon. I have a mailart envelope I'm working on for another exchange...it's a Christmas Village chart. I got a fair amount stitched and will probably use this project to work on next friday night for the next stitch a thon. Here's a photo of my progress so far.

On a Happy Note... I have off work monday and tuesday, so I hope to get a lot of stitching. Until Next Time...

Weekend Finishes

I had a productive stitching weekend. Saturday after church the family and I went to a local Church carnival. They always have a flea market inside and I managed to pick up Jane Eaton's The Complete Stitch Encyclopedia at a steal. All books were 3 for $1.00. Sure can't beat that price. Later that night I managed to get my Carpenter's Wheel, cross stitch quilt square, finished. After that I began stitching on Susan W.'s RR. She asked that I stitch 2 bands on her Secret Garden [by Carol Tinson] sampler. She had a few color changes, but I think it turned out nice.
I needed my daughters' help to the post photos of the finished pieces. Am slowly learning how to do all these computer/blog things:) So, now I'm working on my Lizzie Kate exchange piece. I'm stitching "Love Is Best" and plan to use it to cover a small box I picked up at the craft store over the weekend. Vonna has some wonderful finishing ideas and I plan to use them for this exchange.

Today I mailed Lillie her Halloween mailart exchange. This was the first time I had ever stitched a mailart envelope. It was neat to see the finished project. As you can see my daughter took pictures of the front and the back for me. I have signed up to do two more of these exchanges, both with a Christmas theme. I can't wait to go through my stash and pick out the fabric and charts to stitch.

I've entered the "Blog World"

Well, I finally did it with a lot of help from my teenage daughter....hence the name of my blog. It's a running joke in our family that I'm "lazy", but we all know the truth...stitching is just more important. Not to mention more FUN!
I actually decided to enter the blog world after joining Vonna's MM & I RR #1. Thank you Vonna for allowing me to join in on the fun. In this non RR I will be designing and stitching my own neighborhood. I have spent much time going through my stash and have decided my neigborhood will be a Country Cottages and Garden theme. I have a large piece of 28ct Forget Me Not Blue Jobelan (39 x 27) that I'm going to use. In my neighborhood I will be using several charts that I found in various magazines . They include: Julia Lucas' Cottage Garden (JCS 8/2000), Julia Lucas' Weekend Getaway (Stitcher's World 7/2000), Shilpa Gore's Garden Cottage (Stitcher's World 5/2001), Frances Dana Gage's The Home We First Knew ( JCS 5/2004), Easter Sunday (CS & CC 3/1994), In the Garden (CS & CC 3/1988), and Roberta Madeleine's God Bless Our Home (The Cross Stitcher 8/1994). This is just a start, next I need to figure out where each chart is going to fit into my neighborhood. Luckily, the actual stitching of this project doesn't start till Dec. 31st, so I have plenty of time to fiddle with my layout.
I also plan to share my stitching on this blog...will just need to get DD's help again. That's all for now.