getaway

Unfortunately, I don't have any stitching to share. I'm still trying to locate my decrepit mojo. I'm hoping today will be the day. I had a chance to stitch with all my wonderful stitching buddies this past weekend, but I opted for football and no stitching. I did miss all those ladies and the food. However, I do get to "live" with two of my most precious friends this upcoming weekend. Sally and Susan (no blogs); along with mom.

Every January mom, myself, Sally and Susan travel down to St. Augustine, FL for a Susan Greening Davis stitching getaway at the beach. Literally, AT THE BEACH. We always have a fun-filled weekend, good food, and score lots of goodies. I won't be scoring too many goodies this trip. Just a nice time away from home with great friends, the best mom and the talented Susan Greening Davis.

This year's project is so cute. I cannot wait to see it in person. I hope I'm bringing a suitcase big enough to bring it back in. Click on the link below to see a photo from SGD's website.

Steamer Trunk

That's it for now. I leave Friday morning so I must be shoving off. Have lots to prepare in the next couple days for a 4-day extravaganza. Yay!

Talk soon...

making headway

For the past two days I have worked on Susan’s Sweet Sampler Tin. I finished assembling the needlebook by choosing a complimentary green batik fabric and using a camel-colored felt that I took pinking sheers to. The ribbon is a stash-find from mom and it works perfectly, don’t ya’ think?! I’m also pleased with my ribbon weaving abilities. This will tie to a pair of scissors to insert into a scissor pouch which I’m currently working on and then that will get stitched onto the sampler piece for inside the tin.

I picked up my threads today and aren’t they gorgeous. Finally, I can continue onward with this beautiful sampler to which I have fallen madly in love with.

Yesterday it was blazing hot. I mean unbearably hot. So – I let the boys play in Cameron’s new pool. Jose is a bit too big, but he can cool off and play with Cameron all the same. It works for now. Our little Lucy-Lu (Shih Tzu) was getting in on the action too. The boys were tossing water in her direction and apparently she thought it solid matter so she was taking the dive to catch the water droplets. She was funny.

Keep cool. I hear it’ll be a scorcher tomorrow. Talk soon!

quite a post

Several things to blab about so hold onto your stitching, quilting, books, and whatever else may blow away while reading quite a post such as this one.

KIDS…

Yesterday afternoon Jose decided to make a hot pocket for himself. Apparently the plate was a bit too hot for Jose’s own good, so he elaborated in order to protect his hand on the trek to his bedroom. Well, we caught him sneaking off to his bedroom to eat. He was trying to explain himself when we wondered what that big bright blue-green thing was. Ahh, now we know.

Tonight after dinner Cameron wanted to help with the pots and pans and everything else…I think. I don’t know what he was trying to do. You figure it out. (Excuse the yellowish floor. We’re meaning to get that replaced at some point.)




PROGRESS…

I’ve made more progress on Susan’s Sweet Sampler Tin. I finished the cloud filling stitch (far right on big piece). I finished the pin cushion with the small pink button and I’m almost done with the needlebook. We could choose any stitch for the front and I stitched the cloud filling. It’s fun and pretty so why not. The baggy with the "doh-dah’s" (Susan Greening Davis term) are some items I’m going to use with this piece. My mother had these and since she’s the best mom ever she gave them to me for my project.

The stitched banding is the needlebook which I have almost done. I finally found some fabric for inside and am in the process of tacking that down and the green ribbon (in the baggy) will be weaved through those three coral rings. Those rings came with the class, but we used the buttonhole stitch to cover them. The rings, green ribbon (my choice), and needlebook are getting attached into the tin.

I’m happy with my pace on this project because it isn’t just the main focus piece, but different little pieces included with the tin. I’ve learned a few new specialty stitches so it’s been so much fun expanding my x’s :o) Susan is truly a fantastic teacher and she’s an artist as well. If she’s ever in your area or your country (‘cause she goes international baby) you should really think about signing up and attending. Annemiek knows her too and she can confirm.

FINISHED…

I am terribly excited about this little finish. Her name is Sarah and she is a product of Susan Greening Davis.

My mother bought this precious doll for me, along with the accessory kit, at our SGD tin class. I’ve had Sarah in my basket for sometime, but she’s had no accessories to adorn. For sometime now I’ve had her pictured atop my blog in that basket, but she’s had no accessories. Yesterday, I looked over at her during lunch and said no more! You will not be naked any longer, so up I went and stitched her apron. The letter “I” wasn’t included, but since there was a heart charm I thought, why not say that Sarah (really me though) cross stitch, so I added the letter “I”. I had a blast with this!

The tiny little needlebook came pre-made so I merely had to hang it from Sarah’s hand.

BUT, and I’m really proud of that BUT, this was the first tuffet/biscornu I have ever done. As Susan describes in her directions, “this is the teeniest, tiniest tuffet EVER!” All I can say is DUH!!! She wasn’t kidding. I always thought that my first biscornu would be the average size but no. I had to make the smallest thing next to a nickel. (I used a nickel for a size reference, well, b/c my last name is Nichols – hardy-har-har! – and it is that small.) I had fun, I guess you could say, since it was my first experience with something this small, but I really don’t want to try this again. LOL Next time, I’ll do one as big as my head hand.

Now that I’ve bored you and kept you from your guilty pleasures, I just want to say thanks for visiting me and leaving comments. It means soooo much that you just can’t possibly imagine how much. You are all so wonderful and fun. Thanks again!

Talk soon!

PS: Btw, I tied the apron around Sarah’s waist and changed the blog topper photo. Sarah isn’t naked anymore - Yay!!!

special stitches

Remember the Susan Greening Davis sweet tin class piece I had been working on, oh not too long ago? I took a small break from it for two reasons. One, I’ve been so involved in my Little House Needleworks designs and two, I’ve been psyching myself up to attempt the “dreaded” interlacing double herringbone stitch. Quite a mouthful, ugh? Photographed below is where I stopped.

And finally, below is where I am today with the interlacing double herringbone stitch in place.

I was quite proud of myself for getting this stitch complete in only one afternoon, and with a bad hand too (I’m injured, long story). I have to admit, there were a couple of people that had hell to pay in order to understand this stitch. I mean, over, under, over, under, under, over, under; UGHHHHH!!! Luckily for me, this stitch appreciated my efforts and it clicked. Of course, there was some playing around on the second interlacing pass at first, but I managed. I think it looks really nice. Besides, it is my first time on this. :D The empty column to the right of this special stitch will be filled with the cloud filling stitch. It reminds me of lattice. I’ll post more on it later.

I leave you with Mr. Funny Face. I caught him playing at the sink. When we ask Cameron, ‘show me your funny face’, these are the faces he gives us. Faces only a mother could love.

Talk soon!

revising and playing catch-up

You know, I get on a roll, something happens and I am set back. Cameron has broken the wireless adapter to my laptop ~ he cracked it as a matter of fact. So, I haven’t had my laptop in 2 weeks. I was making due and finding little ways to use my desktop PC since it is in an area of the house that’s off limits to Cameron, but this past week I’ve fallen way behind. I mean, way behind. I have blog catch-up, group catch-up and email catch-up to do. Then my email/Internet was interrupted and thankfully my dh fixed it, but I didn’t have any access for nearly two days. I loath the dependency I have on technology. It’s frustrating and addictive. Okay, I’m off my Internet/computer hang-ups soapbox...until next time (keeping fingers x'd).

I have fallen off the current rotation wagon. SHAME ON ME!!! I’m disappointed with myself, but a little relieved. Having seven projects for each day of the week leaves little time for those very special projects you just can’t seem to put down. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I’ve decided, the heck with the current rotation and have a loosely fit rotation schedule with less going on. I think I’ll get more projects done this way. Besides, there are days I can’t stitch until nighttime and if that is the case then how much progress am I really having?!?! Not much.

“Who’s that girl” finally has a tree to sit underneath on those hot, hot days, along with a sweet visit from birdie. And suddenly before I knew it, “who’s that girl” had the starting of a pink little cottage to visit.

I can’t keep my hands off the Traveling Stitcher by LHN. It uses Crescent Colors and done on lambswool and is fun to stitch. I’ve had the Needles design stitched, but not assembled into the needlecase holder yet. Aside from the LHN project, I cannot keep my needle away from Susan’s Sweet Tin by Susan Greening Davis.

These stitches are so neat. One is called the Lace Wheels Reversed stitch (right) and Grid for Strap stitch (left). There are several sections or rows to this piece and I have more stitches to learn. One is called the German Interlaced Herringbone stitch (I've stitched it since this photo was taken so more on this specialty stitch later) which is known to make people talk to themselves and go crazy bc of its complexity. This design was all about pulling threads and re-weaving with a Perle cotton thread. So far, I’m having a ton of fun with this project.

I can’t decide which other project, if any, to add to the revised current rotation. I would like to stitch on each project for a couple days and then switch designs, which means that I can only have 2-4 projects per week. Four at the most. I’m thinking I’d be better off with three. I believe I’ll get more accomplished with fewer projects in my hands. I mean, c'mon, I do only have two hands =)!

My mom sent me a link this weekend and I think lots of you will be interested. It’s a free SAL. Go check it out HERE for more details.

Jose’s 12th birthday is May 31st. I can’t believe he’s turning 12 – a tween as society calls them. Where has the time gone? Jose’s last day of school was Thursday, but unfortunately he lacked effort through this school year and has to attend summer school. On the flip side of the unfortunate is fortunately for him summer school only lasts 3 weeks. Whatever happened to summer-long summer school? Ahhh, we need a vacation.

I’ll leave you with a couple of pictures of my sneaky little snake. Cameron managed to get an empty Coke bottle out of the trash, got the cap off, and then quietly snuck into the bathroom and used the cap as a cup. The things that go on his little head…

Talk soon!

classroom fun & good friends

Yesterday was such a fun-filled time. As I said, I attended a Susan Greening Davis class. My friends, Sally and Susan, were there and my lovely mother too. There were a couple of new faces. I had the privilege of meeting another Ohioan named Joanie. She was a delight to sit next to. She and her husband recently moved to the area so I felt it only necessary to bring her under my wing and tell her about the upcoming Moonlight Stitching at our LNS.

Joanie, if you’re reading this, I do hope that you will join us. You will have a really fun time and I’d love to see you again. Remember, it’s Saturday, May 30 from 4:00-10:00 pm and BRING STITCHING!!! If you would like to bring your own drink that is fine too. We usually bring our own even though Pat does supply something to drink ~ some of us girls are addicted to Diet Cokes and Diet Dr. Peppers :o). Hope to see you there, girl!

The Three Wise Men Whitman tin is what I picked for my class project. The other option was the traditional yellow Whitman tin. We also were able to choose coordinating colors as well. Those were two spools of perle cotton and one Watercolours thread. I decided to match mine with the robes of the Wise Men since there was already an abundance of blue in the tin. In class we used a doodle cloth for practice as there were stitches some of us have never stitched before or even seen for that matter - like me.

I also bought a few extra items from Susan. She had these really neat books. One was a stitch guide that stands up. Susan is known for her accuracy of the traditional stitch and/or how the stitch originated and not so much how it is taught today, but how it was taught historically in centuries past. It’s amazing what Susan can teach you!

I also picked up the needle index. How many of us have loose needles lying around and we really have no clue what they are??? (C’mon, be honest! We all have them. ;o) This book is a must have. Each page has a picture of every needle one can possibly own. You hold your unnamed needle to the picture and if it matches you’ve found it. On the facing page is a piece of wool felt attached to the book where you can store that needle for safe keeping. It’s an excellent book. I’m looking forward to going through my rogue needles and giving them a proper home.

I also purchased Susan’s “Orts” chart. I have a glass ORTS jar that I hand painted, but I need something to travel with me around the house for when I stitch and need a place to drop my orts temporarily until they find refuge in the ORTS jar. We also got a tote bag too and as a stitcher you know we can’t have too many totes…well, mom has too many totes but that’s another story for another time.

Lastly, my mother was kind enough (as always) to purchase Susan’s Sweet Sarah Doll for me. I love, love, love this prim doll. Inside the bag is a kit to stitch “Sarah” an apron that says I Love Cross Stitch, a chart to make a teeny-tiny biscornu for Sarah to hold, along with a tiny pair of golden scissors. I can’t wait to stitch this little piece. I fell in love with the reproduction fabric of the bag and then the doll's dress. So sweet, I must say!

I had such a nice time. The lunch and desserts were d-lish. Afterwards a lot of us traveled over to the LNS to see what else we could get our hands on. I bought a few more project bags and some Piecemakers. While at the class, my friend Sally had a bag full of books that she thought I would enjoy. We’re not talking just a couple of books. I’m talking like 30 books…TO KEEP!!! I started reading The Rosewood Casket by Sharyn McCrumb this morning. Such a great time, I had. And then I went home…with a headache.

Winter Love by SamSarah – I love how the scarf flows into the word LOVE. It’s finally taking more of a shape now. I hope I can get this finished next week. My mom came up with a good plan of switching JCS ornament years. This is from 2007 and next ornament will come from the 2008 issue. We belong to a club where we select so many ornaments and then we receive the kitted materials throughout the following year.

I made very little progress on Friday’s rotation project which is my Seahorse Scissor Fob from The Heart’s Content. It’s difficult to see the progress bc of it being over one, but I can show more next week.

Friday afternoon a severe thunderstorm came through. It blew our neighbor’s tree over and thankfully into his own yard. If it had fallen in our yard it would have hit our house and that would have been Jose’s bedroom at risk. Hail accompanied this storm, as well as very strong winds. I got the camera out to capture Mother Nature’s drama, so sorry the photos are a little blurry. The last image is a video of the hail hitting our patio roof. It was extremely loud ~ ear piercing.

Neighbor's tree down, but it took out our fence.

some flooding

hail

I'm off to start stitching on my Susan tin piece. Talk soon!