Friday Flash Back

Design - "Peacock Sampler"

Designer - Earth Threads

Fabric - 25 count Cream Dublin linen

Started - 12 March 2010

Completed - 13 March 2010

Here's am older finish from back when I was first blogging, so I think many of you have never seen it. I am very pleased with the finished piece.  I've not stitched on 25 count before (I think) and at times I felt as though I was stitching a "Large Print Book"!  That aside, I very much admire what the designer was able to do using just four shades of DMC floss. 

I think my Yellow-rumped Warbler has moved on.  I've not seen him since March 2nd.  It was a special gift to have him for two months, so no complaints from me.  Now the Song Sparrows are serenading me in the morning.  Spring is just around the corner they say. 

Blue on blue - Steller's Jays on a pretty day.

Most days this week have been dull and gray such as this one providing a backdrop for a Junco. 

I still have 3 or 4 Pine Siskins in the area.

I've been trying to get my Red-breasted Nuthatches to eat from my hand, but no luck this week.  The Chestnut-back Chickadees might also be good candidates for hand-feeding. 

Thursday I counted four House Finches - the most I've seen this winter.

Variegated Green - Do-Over!

Here it is again!  This time I used the recommended fabric, and the contrast with the floss was much more apparent. 

Design - Variegated Green

Designer - Earth Threads

Fabric - 28 count Cashel Dark Green Teal

Floss - Wildflowers - Bouquet

Started - 26 April 2010

Completed - 28 April 2010

Now I'm off to Corvallis to visit Friendship Crossing.

Cross Stitch Fumble...Yet Another Start

Well I messed up big-time with my choice of linen for the "Variegated Green Sampler".  I began stitching last night, and after "A, B, & C" it was apparent that the color of the linen and the color of the Watercolors Bouquet fiber was not going to work.  My linen color was too close - not nearly enough contrast to the fiber and the letters literally disappeared into the fabric - ARRGG!!

I heaved a huge sigh, muttered under my breath, stopped stitching, and ordered the Teal fabric that was recommended.  So "Variegated Green Sampler" is now on hiatus...and

I've kitted up another Little House Needleworks buggy piece - Ladybug! As I am using the recommended fabric and fibers this should be a no-brainer!

Variegated Green - Plants and a Sampler

Tokyo Wood Fern and Pansy

Yesterday was "A Study in Green".  I went to Down to Earth and found these two cute small chicken terracotta pots.  I'll probably put small sedums of some sort in them.  

In the evening my mother, sister and I attended the monthly meeting of The Avid Gardeners.  Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery was the speaker.  His topic was "Western Natives and Mediterranean Plants" - using plants best suited for the southern Willamette Valley - lots of new ideas...and plants.  The meeting ended with a raffle and I won the Tokyo Wood fern pictured above and the cool herb pack from Log House Plants pictured below. Log House Plants is a wholesale nursery specializing in unusual annuals and perennials.  The last couple of years they've also developed some real cool Grab and Go instant herb and vegetable gardens. They sell to garden centers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho - so look for them!  Their website has lots of useful gardening information including a monthly Garden News Magazine.  

Italian Herb Pack from Log House Plants

The herbs in my instant Italian Garden include basil, variegated marjoram, oregano, Italian parsley, rosemary, mint, fennel, thyme, and sage. 

They smell so good!

And on to stitching, it too is variegated...When it comes to "The Next Project", I have A.D.D. - my eye always alights on the next shiny new thing!  In this case, continuing on my "Bird Kick" I've decided to stitch "Variegated Green Sampler" by Earth Threads.  The simplicity of this appeals to me - it uses just Wildflowers in "Bouquet" for the entire piece.

Peacock Sampler - A Finish

Design - "Peacock Sampler"

Designer - Earth Threads

Fabric - 25 count Cream Dublin linen

Started - 12 March 2010

Completed - 13 March 2010 

I am very pleased with the finished piece.  I've not stitched on 25 count before (I think) and at times I felt as though I was stitching a "Large Print Book"!  That aside, I very much admire what the designer was able to do using just four shades of DMC floss. 

Peacock Sampler - A Start

Using 25 count linen and only four colors of DMC floss. 

Very simple, very pretty!