Hi Friends!

It's been a week or two since I posted.  Honestly, there wasn't much happening to report on, but today I thought I would at least show you what I have been working on.  With the holidays rapidly coming upon us, my attention has been diverted to Thanksgiving preparation. Even though it will be just Dave and me this year, I pull out the china and crystal.  We will have a small turkey breast with all the trimmings.  Some people think that we are sad to be just the 2 of us, but we really don't mind.  I will miss our son and his family but this isn't our first time being just 2 during the holidays.  

 About a month ago, we had our kitchen's tile floor replaced and Dave had the tile man rip up the tile in our foyer so he could lay hardwood. Oh, the dust!  Even with plastic over the doorframes and over the counters,  the house is a still a dustbin!  I did a massive clean after the tile guy finished but there still is a ton of dirt in places I didn't realize it could settle.    I am looking forward to putting up some holiday decorations next weekend so I will be cleaning some more.

Now on to the stitching.

This is my progress on Teresa Kogut's, Up on the Housetop.  I have gone a bit farther on this piece, the roof is stitched, the deer is standing on the chimney and not floating about it.  Stitched on 36count Lake Superior linen by Hometown Fibers on Etsy. 

I am really smitten with this piece and if I can pull it off, I have the cutest finishing idea for it.  I am anxious to get my idea down on wood, it will be a stand-up piece.   Cross your fingers that my vision can get executed in time for this Christmas. Even if it doesn't make it for this year, I will post the finish of it whenever it is done.

Next is Teresa Kogut's Welcome Jack.  He is such a jolly fellow!  I apologize for the hanging thread tails, you will indulge me in crappy pictures, this blog isn't Instagram worthy.   It's been dark and gloomy here for the last few days.  Definitely not conducive to great photographs as you can plainly see by our weather. 

The fabric is totally blown out here, it is a sweet light blue but it is reading beige.  I am stitching it on a 20ct linen with #5 pearl cotton,  my conversion.   I added cuffs to his jacket and I did mess with the colors.  I want to make it a stand-up, when I was up to Hobbyhouse a few months ago, I bought some Tilda Christmas fabric to back him.   Once again, no rush to finish it.  I really just enjoy stitching him.

Lastly,  a very old Lizzie Kate pattern called Dear Santa, We've Got Cookies.  It's a Tiny Tidings pattern from 2009!  I've stitched this before and framed it.  Gave it away for Xmas that year but it's always been a favorite and I knew I would stitch it again for me.  I am waiting for buttons from Just Another Button Company and once they are sewn on, I am going to do a simple flat mount on red polka dotted fabric.  I have an idea to make a giant gingerbread boy and have him hold it.  At least that's my vision.  I stitched it with 2 threads over 2 on 28 count light Taupe linen by Zweigart, with the DMC equivalents noted on the pattern. I was too lazy to go find the overdyes and honestly, it looks just as cute without the variegated thread.  I still may bling it up with some sparkly beads in the cookies to mimic sanding sugar.

I have been thinking about what I want to work on next.  I always start a Thanksgiving piece but I think this year, I will pick up a WIP that has been languishing.  I don't know which one, it will be the one that calls the loudest. Maybe I will do an ornament or just work on a one of these pieces.

I do know that I am going to start Blackbird Designs, Joyeaux Noel, as my Christmas Sampler.  I've started a Christmas sampler on Christmas Eve for the last few years to work on over the next year.   This sampler has been kitted up for so many years, I think it's time to put some stitches into it.

Finally, I wanted to show you my sweet Murphy.  I had ChatGTP make her into a Christmas Elf.  Looking at her picture puts me into the Christmas spirit.  I think we will get this picture framed. 

So that's all the news fit to type,  Dave is in his workshop making lapstands, Murphy is napping in her bed and it's time to start dinner.  So, until next time,  don't forget to count your blessings as you count your stitches!  
 

 Hello again!  Happy Halloween!

Yesterday, Vonna and I decided on a new SAL together.  We decided to stitch Teresa Kogut's  Up on The Housetop.  Like I need another WIP, but hey, what's one more?

We have been conversing back and forth about fabric choices.   My brain is stuck right now, so creativity is at a low for me. Of course, Vonna has the best suggestions! She suggested a darker fabric because Santa is delivering gifts and it is afterall, night!  She is so clever. 

I am taking her suggestion and going with a darker fabric.  I thought about charcoal or slate.  Then I remembered I bought a couple of pieces of a deep blue/grey linen called Lake Superior from an Etsy seller, Hometown Linens.  I rummaged through a bunch of bags, boxes, bins, and drawers and I finally found it. Right now, I am not organized at all.  It was so frustrating not to have this linen at my fingertips. 

This linen clicked the buttons for me so that's the linen I am going to use to stitch this little cutie.  I chose the 36 count piece because I wanted to use only one strand of thread but after a quick test for coverage and I am going to stitch it 2 over 2.   It is reading a very dark grey in the picture, but it is a true blue/grey, much like a soldier blue.  Think DMC 930.

We are going to start stitching tomorrow.  Tonight, since it is Halloween, I will work on one of my Halloween Wips.  Nothing is close to being finished and they all will go back into their bags until next Fall.  Christmas stitching will commence tomorrow!

I hope tonight is nothing but treats for you.  No tricks!

Hello Friends!

 It's been a decade since I've posted!  Wow, time flies.

I thought I would dust off the old blog and post about my stitching and keep it as a diary of sorts for my creative endeavors. Hopefully,  I will remember how to post pictures!

It's been a great decade, we have retired, I've painted, stitched and my husband and I have a side business making needlework lapstands.  I will put some pictures here:

Our lapstand story began with Vonna,  she asked my husband to build her the ultimate lapstand.  They went back and forth and this is the product of his collaboration with her.  She encouraged him to market them. She posted a video on flosstube reviewing the stand he made for her and BOOM! We are now in the lapstand business!  We will be forever grateful to her for her friendship and her encouragement.  WE LOVE YOU! 

You can purchase them at www.Hobbyhouseneedleworks.com.  We have partnered with them to market our stands.  There are 3 sizes (23", 21" and 18") and 3 different woods (Oak, Cherry and Black Walnut).

Stitching wise, there have been a lot of Wips, some finishes which I will post as we move along.

My latest finish is Teresa Kogut's Vintage Black Cats from her book, Hello Halloween.  I stitched him on 20ct Tiger's Eye linen (Weeks) with DMC #5 Pearl cotton.  He is such a dapper fellow!

Vonna finished him for me and as usual, the finish is exquisite!  

The next finish I want to post for now is my Christmas Sampler.  This is my adaptation of With Thy Needle and Thread's, Noel Sampler.   Some of the changes I made include rearranging the alphabet, replacing the Noel at the top left of the sampler with a snowflake, adding cardinals to the alphabet band adding a band of snowflakes.  I added the bottom band of a sweet couple walking through the pines with their dog too. 

The sampler is stitched on a mystery 36ct linen using the DMC threads called out on the pattern. 

Expertly framed locally by Jeff at Che Bella!  I am so looking forward to hanging this sampler at Christmas and throughout Winter.

Well, that's all for now! It's Murphy time and my stitching is calling.