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.