The Last Time I Looked...

This WAS a stitching blog.  So, I took a few (bad) pics of what I've stitched on the last couple of weeks.  I admit, I haven't stitched as much as I usually do or like to do.  It's been catch as catch can.  Right now, I am up to my elbows in acrylic paint. 

Before we begin...Here's the disclaimer.

The day is overcast in upstate NY.  The colors are a bit flat. I am using a point and shoot camera and the zoom makes things a little fuzzy.  And the camera operator was in a hurry when she took these pictures and is not responsible for off color or wrinkles in the fabric cause she was too LAZY to drag out the iron and ironing board.

Sue me.

First up! This is an older Merrily Beams chart called Alphabets.  I am stitching it with a very nice AVAS red on a creme fabric. 

I am trying not to get bored stitching the alphabets so I play games with myself and stitch in 4 letter blocks.  So I don't poke my eyes out stitching the line of birds I've included them in the block while stitching the alphabet above them.  I have to play games with myself to stay motivated.  Do you do that?

He's a Flake by Little House Needlework. 

He's eye-less and nose-less right now and looks a tad scarey. Hmm-mn. Honestly, I am stitching him on the recommended Weeks Dye Works linen, Straw but it definitely is g-r-e-y in this pic instead of that yellow ochre color. Sorry folks, see the disclaimer above.


Lately, I've been on a Prairie Schooler binge.  I think it's cause it's Halloween time and I adore her Halloween charts.  (And her snowmen but that's later.)  This is the upper half of Sweeping Cobwebs.  I will be making it into a pin pillow/cushion.   And yes, I just realized that I left off the orange in the border on the lower right.  Geez. 

Lastly, here's another Prairie Schooler Witch from the same chart that's destined to become another pillow finish with a black beaded edge.

Have you been perusing the OLN sneak peeks for the St. Charles Markets?  I have a couple of things on my short list.  Not a lot of the charts have appealed to me yet.  I do want this however:

Kelmscott Needle Minder:

I have a couple of these that I've stuck on my stitching lamp base and I don't know what it is about them, but I find them charming.

And I've recently added to my very gluttonous stash:

From the Drawn Thread because I adore Halloween and she's finally designing something other than flower beds:

I like this one (Too Everything There is a Season) too but I'm going to have to save some shekels before it comes to live with me:

I have a lot of Drawn Thread charts.  I used to buy them just about sight unseen until it seemed that all Cynthia was designing were charts based on gardens.  I love gardens too but they just became tedious to me.  (Sorry true Drawn Thread fans.)  I adore her house designs and was very happy to see the chart above.

And of course, another Blackbird Designs chart was added to my umm-mm, collection. 



This one reminds me off my grandparent's home so I think when I get around to stitching it I'll add their initials to it and the date they married in the flower urn. 
Well, I think the paint has dried sufficiently so I can start adding faces to the pumpkins so my break is over.  I hope you are having the best day doing what you absolutely LOVE. 

I hope you enjoyed your time with me checking out my little corner of the world.  I do appreciate you guys so much!  Thanks for coming by!

Painting - For Sale

As you know, I've started to paint again.  I posted a picture of Boo, awhile back but now I've got a few more things to share.  If you are interested, please email me at Mikes1mom@gmail.com. 

Primitive Bee Skep

Witchy Poo

Pumpkin Witch

Boo!

Thanks for taking a peek! 

One Year Ago....

Our son, Mike, married the lovely Jenna!

Congratulations, Jenna & Mike!  We love you and wish you many, many more happy years together!!!

September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001

New York City

Shanksville, Pennsylvania

The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia

We will NEVER forget!

OMGosh! 50 Followers!!

Wow!!!  I'm more than happy that you all like what you read!  Geez, I feel popular!  This calls for something special!  Hmm-mm-mm....let me think....

Blackbird Designs Exchange from Ela

As you know, last year I created and ran 4 Rounds of an exchange of Blackbird Designs.  It was fairly successful until the last round when 50% of the exchangers failed to complete their commitment to their partners.  It was a hugh disappointment to me and at that time, I decided to end the exchange and delete the blog.  Enter Patti from Tapestry of Dreams.  She asked to take the exchange over and she's successfully grown the exchange with this round.  I wasn't going to participate in Round 5 but she twisted my arm and am I ever so glad!  My partner was Ela from France.  She sent me a fabric roll:

Ela chose to stitch Bluebird's Message over one and set it into a quilted patchwork of beautiful fabrics.  I can't show you how exquisitely made this piece is.  The craftmanship and stitching is beautiful.  I was speechless when I opened up the package.  I am blown away by the generous gift and generous heart of Ela. I know that this piece took a long time to make and I just can't get over how someone that I've never met in person would do something so time consuming for me.  I can't thank her enough.  I will cherish this piece of artwork and will fondly think of Ela whenever I place one of my own pieces of needlework into it while it waits for finishing.

I just had to share this with you.  It came to me during a very bad week and provided me a ray of sunshine in week filled with emotion, a lot of tears and more prayers.  A lot of changes are going on in my life, a lot of adjustments both financially and relationship-wise as I adjust to being the sole bread winner while the DH is looking for work and while he is home 24/7 changing up my routine. 

If you'd like to see more of the beautiful work this exchange has produced, click on Blackbirds Designs Exchange.  If you would like to join these talented stitchers for Round 6, drop Patti a note. Her contact information is on the the Blackbird Designs Exchange Blog.  You won't be disappointed.

It's so nice to have you stick with me

I've not been interested in much lately.  I've stitched and I've done some painting but I am pushing myself to do it.  I do have a few pictures to share though:

A progress pic from Prairie Schooler's Book 165, Sweeping Cobwebs:

I am stitching this on 35 ct lambswool over 2 with one strand of thread and I intended to stitch the entire sampler but as I progressed, the stitches looked, well, thin.  So I stitched the witch on the broom with 2 strands of floss and decided to call it a day after I finished her.  I added the border all around and now I have a stitched cushion of ony the top part of the sampler.  Unfinished in it's final form.  (Story of my life.)  I'm also stitching the witch with the broom at the bottom right corner of the sampler.  80% complete with the stitching. Going to be another pincushion.

Next is an oldie.  I started this when I was a mere child (at least it feels that way!)  It's Ruth Ann Russell's Quaker Medallion Sampler found in an older issue of SANQ.  It's stitched on a mystery piece of Lakeside Linen with DMC.  I made a collossal color error (and I think that's why it went to the Land of the Misfit Toys) but I've decided that it's unique and it shouldn't be voted off the island.  I pulled it out when I saw Tempest Fugit's finished sampler. 

I haven't touched it in a few months.  (Another chapter in my life.)

Lastly, this is With Thy Needle and Thread's, Broom Hilda. I stitched this up the weekend that I got the pattern.  Cute, cute, cute.

As you can see, I'm going to make it into pincushion. With a beaded edge.  Someday.  Someday soon. (I hope.)  If you've been paying attention, you've realized that I am now obsessed with making pincushions. Witch pincushions.  I want a bowl full of them for Halloween.  Just like I wanted a bowl full of patriotic cushions for the 4th of July.  Yeah, they're stitched...

I got my BBD's Summer Basket back from ACMoore.  The lady who waited on me told me that when it came back there was a big piece of lint in the center of the picture so she had to take it apart and clean it off.  She didn't put it back together that well.  And there's no bumpers on the frame so it hangs weird.  Not going back.  And even with 60% off, the piece still cost over $75.00.  Heck, Bea didn't cost that much more that this piece and she's double the size of the BBD.  And Michael's framed it beautifully.

So, right now, this is all I've got.  I will try not to stay away so long.  I hoped to be better about blogging. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for hanging with me.  I've got the give-away almost stitched and it's coming soon!

Thanks for stopping by!  I love it that you've come by and visited me!

Hi!

Thanks for all the encouraging words about my painting.  No takers just yet.  Haven't a clue why though.   Not enough pics?  Need some props to spur creativity and whet an appetite?  I do know that I was anxious to post the pic with the hope that someone would snatch it up..didn't happen.

I have a witch and another ghost, a cat and a pumpkin 90% complete. I hope to post them by Monday.  Then I am on to Christmas painting, snowmen, santas, sleds and ornaments.  This painting gig is cutting into my stitching though.  I am having serious needle withdrawl especially because I have all that cool new stash just begging to be started.

Jan asked about Bea.  I stitched Bea on 32ct Antique Ivory with AVAS 4612, one strand of silk over 2 threads.  It's what Needleprint recommended.  I wanted a reproduction sampler so I stitched it as it was recommended.  Didn't change a thing.  Oh, I toyed with the idea of personalizing it but in the end, my purist heart won out.  I usually don't mess around with repros but I've been known to tweak other patterns here and there to make them my own.  I am getting better about that too and trusting my judgement.  After all, what's 5 years of fine arts with a BFA in graphics design going to buy me?  If nothing else, the confidence to trust my judgement on changing it up a bit.

I started Prairie Schooler's, Sweeping Cobwebs, on 35 ct Lambswool linen but I don't like the way the 3371 is covering the linen even though it's a higher count.  I think I'm going to start it over on something else and finish this piece as a big pin pillow.  This weekend is a finishing weekend.  I've got a number of things waiting to be put together and I must finish off my BBD exchange piece and pop it in the mail on Monday. 

So, I hope you have a wonderful day today, I have a bit of laundry to do and some housework to catch up on.  Then I hope to get creative.

Thanks for stopping by.  Love when you show up and leave comments.  They make me smile!

Show and Tell!

Hi Everyone!
I hope you all are having a great day. I can't believe that it's August already.  Where has the summer gone?  I don't know about you but the days just fly by and it's making me dizzy.

Well,  I've got a couple of things to show you and something to tell you.  First, the Show:
I got Bea framed!!! Squeal!!!  I had a 60% off coupon for Michaels that was burning a hole in my pocket.  So I bit the bullet and marched my hind end down there last week.  A sweet girl named Heidi did the framing for me and she did a wonderful job.  I will be requesting her to frame for me again.

Here she is in all her beauty!  (Click and the pics will get big so you can see the details)

Detail of the frame:

So I got on a framing kick.  I had a 60% off coupon for AC Moore too.  I took BBD's Summer House down there to be framed.  Let's just say I am not impressed and I won't be going back.  I am a bit worried about the piece cause they are sending it away to be framed.  Michaels does it in-house.  The employee I spoke with was fairly knowledgeable but really tried her best to influence the style and type of frame that I wanted to buy.  I bought along 2 other pieces to be framed that weren't stretched yet (The City Stitcher's, Lucy Minton and Autumn Leaves from The Prairie Schooler) and asked her to cut foam core for me so I could stretch them but they don't do that.  So, I asked if the foam core they had to purchase was acid free and she couldn't tell me.  So needless to say, there was no sale at ACM. I'll just wait until another 60% off at Michaels and give Heidi my business.

And now for the (show &) tell part. 

I am starting to paint again.  I've painted for profit about 15 years ago and I enjoyed it.  Did a bunch of craft fairs and sold at home shows.  It was when Mike was a little boy to supplement our income and to get me out of the house.  Well, since things will be tight in the coming months financially,  I decided to try my hand at painting again.  Here's my first piece to sell:

BOO- from the book, A Folk Art Fancy by Myra Mahy 

A close up:

The piece is approximately 11"long by 12" high, hand painted in acrylic (by moi!) and finished with 2 coats of polyurethane. 

Here are the particulars:
I am asking $25 + travel expenses:  $30 total in the US.  If you are in NY, please add 8% sales tax.  International folks, please contact me at J24D29@stny.rr.com for the total price.  Payment can be concealed cash, paypal (no credit cards just yet) and money orders.  If you pay by check, I will hold the piece until the check clears.  So if you are interested in BOO, please email me at J24D29@stny.rr.com.

I will be posting more painted pieces as a get them finished.  I probably will either set up another blog or sell through Etsy.  I'm not sure yet.

I hope you love Bea (as much as I do) and my painting too.  Stay tuned for more pieces in the days to come!

I Need An Intervention

Well, here we go.  I need someone to either reset me (cause I've tilted).  I've done it again. Click, click, click and start.  Even though I have PLENTY to stitch and have enough starts to last me until the next millenium or I live through all of my cat's 9 lives whichever comes first. 

Maybe I need to go to Stitcher's confession...Bless me Father, for I have bought and started.....only to end with this penance:  Thread 3 needles with silk and start no more. 

What have I bought?  What have I started?
I bought all the new Prairie Schoolers, pre-ordered the JCS Halloween issue and the Christmas ornament issue, the new Kelmscott blackbird needleminder and the little bird feeder and a beeskep. 
http://www.silentstitches.com/In%20The%20Garden.htm

And this:

and I started (told you I would!!):

Well, I certainly will be stocked up when I can't buy anything for awhile.  I am not sure if I am hoarding (oh, what an ugh-ly word) cause in a month (yes, A MONTH) my David will be retired and for the first time in 31 years, I, yes, ME, will be making MORE money than he will be?   Am I just binging because just like  right before going on a diet, you eat everything that you love because you might not get anymore?

I don't know the reason but this is it.  No more.  I've got to close my eyes, pretend that you can't enable me, stay away from the OLNs, just say NO.

Yeah...that's the ticket.

Until next time.  LOL!

Thanks for letting me rant.  I  love you guys.

Actually, I think that I am buying stuff because I am getting anxious about all the changes that will be happening in a month.  I am such a control freak and unfortunately, I can't control this. 

Some women buy shoes, others buy jewelry.  I buy needlework.

So that's my story.  I'm sticking with it.

Oh My!! I Have The Vapors!!!! (Swoon!)

I know, I know, I've promised you stitchy pics.  Trust me they are coming.

What I am swooning over are the new Prairie Schoolers!   Oh me, oh my..what a delight (and of course, my clicky finger went click, click, click!  Bad Joanie, bad, bad!!!!)  If you want to see them up close in personal got to Mary Kathryn's E-Handcraft Stitching webstore, she's got a great slide show running.  You can see all the delicious details.  And if you buy the charts, she'll throw in the Santa card and the mini-card (while supplies last) for free!

Of course, this is my very, very favorite one.  I know that I will be putting everything else on hold to stitch it.

Don't you just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!!

And just when you thought you hyperventilated enough, just take a look at this from Liberty Hill Primitives!!!!
Salem House Stitching box! 

Ok....now, I need to lie down and rest.  

Oh Those Blackbird Design Gals Are Going To Kill Me (Or My Checkbook)

Have you been to the Blackbird Designs website???

These ladies are going to kill me or my checkbook.  The new designs are WONDERFUL!!!!  I can't wait until they are released.  Good thing I get paid this week.  I know where a portion of my check is going. 

Have a great time drooling...I needed a mop to swab up.

A Really Great Give-away

Paulette from Plum Street Samplers has the most wicked give-away!!!  Go check out her blog and enter to win!

Paulette is a sweetie, a wonderful designer and a great Mom and Wife.  I love, love, love her designs!

Post with stitchy pics tomorrow!!!! Stay tuned!

M-O-M!!!!! Blogger Is Being Stupid

Blogger has decided not to publish comments left on my blog.  I am moderating them because of the lovely links to Japanese porn (they keep trying to link to the blog, why don't they just give up already) so if you've left me a comment and it doesn't appear, it's all Bloggers fault.  I moderated all the comments but Mr. Blogger is refusing to publish them. 

This morning, I had 3 comments and I tried to post them but *POOF* they disappeared.  At lunch there were 2 other comments which I posted but the counter doesn't register them even though they are there.

So, if you commented and don't see your post, I apologize for the rudeness of Mr. Blogger.  And if you want, please try again.  Only if you want to...but I'd like you to cause I love hearing from you.

And there is that burning question for the giveaway that I'd like some feedback...Patterns and accoutrements or something made by little ol'me?  (Oh and there are now 41! followers to this little piece of my world.  HI EVERYONE!!!  Thanks for following me!  Glad you are here)!

Well, lunch is over so it's back to work...See ya!

It Was A Hay-venture This Holiday Weekend

Here in good ol' Upstate NY, it's been hot, 90+ degrees hot.  Hotter than it's been in many summers and it's going to remain hot until the end of the week when we will cool down to the mere mid-80's. Woo hoo.

So during this holiday weekend, most of my plans were put on hold because we put in hay - 350 bales. The hot weather is just fine for hay. Hay loves hot weather. Farmers who are mowing, raking and baling, love hot weather. The DH who LOVES to hay is ok with hot weather. However, the person who is unloading the truck on to the hay elevator (that'd be me) doesn't love hot weather mixed with putting in hay. You could say she is allergic to hot weather and hay when they are mixed together.  But like a good country girl, I put on my jeans, leather gloves and hat and got down to business. My job involved straddling the truck's tailgate and the sawhorse the hay elevator was resting on, slinging bales (average weight 50 pound and over half my size in length) onto the elevator.  Yes, I fell off the sawhorse once because it gets slippery with hay chaff and took down the elevator. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the making of this hay-venture.  The only injury was a bruised ego and very sore muscles the next day (I have muscles that I didn't know I had and they are very unhappy!).

So, to amuse you, here are some pics of our Hay-venture:

36 bales make a truckload:

Setting up the elevator and getting ready to unload:

There they go, up to the hayloft:

The King of Hay:

Almost done! See the technique of loading the elevator (the King of Hay didn't fall off the sawhorse):

Sweeping up after the last load:

Hay-venture 2010 is history!!

Hay!  YUM!!!

And just so you don't think this was an all work weekend, we grilled, gardened, hung out and went to the fireworks.  I stitched on Alphabets this weekend but didn't get my July 4th pieces finished (always next year, I guess).  And the King of Hay went and helped his buddy put in hay at his place, another 800 bales.

I hope all of you had a terrific July 4th and a great weekend!

PS.  I've not forgotten the give-away.  I am trying to decide if I want to make something or give away some charts and accoutraments to go with them...what do you think you'd like me to give away??  Let me know!

Wow! 36 Followers...

Oh my gosh, there are 36 of you out there in blogville who are actually interested in what I have to say! Wowser! Who knew!

Well, that calls for a celebration....I think I will do a give away to some lucky someone. I will decide tomorrow and post what I am going to give away, so stay tuned!  It'll be good.

I have to let you all know that your comments on my recent acquisition made me giggle and laugh out loud.  Thanks so much for your posts and comments.  (Vonna, you get a pass for your Oh Sh*T comment and Laura with your Obadoobadoo!  was just too funny!)

And, I have to tell you, my clicky finger was really, really bad. I only posted SOME of my recent acquisitions. I'll post more soon too, once I gather up the rest. I bought Carriagehouse Samplings, Homespun Elegance and more...fortunately, the DH hasn't said a word. He's really great.
Speaking of Dave, today is our 31st anniversary. I am so blessed to be loved by such a wonderful man.

Here he is with his two favorite things, his Harley and Daisy.  The motorcycle is a new (to him) toy to celebrate his upcoming retirement.  I can't fault him for buying it (it was a great deal) and he deserves something for his 31 years at IBM.

And I've stitched so I've got to get some pictures of my Wips on this site.  I've worked on Broom Hilda (so cute and tiny!), Alphabets by Merrily Beams in a luscious AVAS cherry red silk, one of the baskets from Blackbird Designs, It's Berry Time, in a berry red Belle Soie and a number of July 4th stitcheries.  Oh! and a frame that I painted for a limited edition (2005) kit from LHN called Americana.  Wait till you see it! 

My weekend will start early, I am taking Friday off and we have Monday to celebrate Independance Day.  I am going to work in my garden, BBQ and stain windows.  And relax.

Thanks again for visiting!  It makes me so happy when you stop by!

Stash, stash, stash...and MORE stash!

Well kids, I gotta thank you for your comments about my "retreating" tendencies. I think I am in VERY good company. Now, I don't feel so alone or so "weird"! because I am such a loner. And an introvert. And a wallflower.

I've bought stash. A lot of it. Hee-hee! Here's some of what I've bought in the recent weeks....
Blackbird Designs:

With My Needle & Thread:
Broom Hilda, just so adorable!

Boo To You:  I love Halloween!

Lizzie Kate!

ABC Christmas

ABC Halloween (Did I say I LOVE Halloween?)

Little House Needleworks:

He's A Flake (LOVE SNOWMEN TOO!)

Simple Joys:  Simply too cute!

I am happy.

I've been remiss in posting this

Awhile back (in May, I believe) I received this beautiful pillow from Conny for Round 4 of the Blackbird Designs Exchange group.   I meant to post it, I really did.  But then I went MIA for awhile and climbed back into my hunker-down-and-just-deal-with-it mode. 

I know you all must think I am daft for it but when I get overwhelmed I usually retreat until I figure out a way to deal with whatever it is that's bothering me.  (Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this...)  I know there are those lucky folks that have BFFs and sisters who act as a safety net but, alas, I do not have the luxury of either. Now, I'm really putting myself out here by saying I'm really introverted and have been hurt many, many times by those I considered friends.  And the nail in the coffin was when I lost my BF because she told me I was a toxin to her life.  So, you see my reluctance to rely on anyone but my Dave and myself when I tie myself up in knots over something...

OK, back to the BBD exchange....

Conny does exquisite work.  I was so impressed by it and she used a hand painted fabric to create it.  I believe she wrote in her note that it was Tentakulum Painter's thread in Matisse.

So Conny, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and ask for a pass for my rudeness because I didn't post this beautiful exchange piece as I should have...