Halloween Sweetbag on Legacy BB

This is my sweetbag that I made for Joanne.



I had a blast making it. I combined 2 designs from Blackbird designs Trix or Treats and I love how it came out. The black cat fabric is from Debbie Mumm and the other is a black calico. I filled it with a bunch of goodies, Godiva chocolate, Jelly Belly's Monster Mash jelly beans, a pair of spooky socks, a Brittercup Halloween pattern, WDW cotton in appropriate Halloween colors and 2 miniature halloween goodies that I painted.






I am glad that Joanne was happy with it. It was fun to be creative for a change!

Checking In

Right now, I am staying with my brother in Pittsburgh. I came here to finish cleaning out my Dad's house and bring back some of the furniture. Today, David and I went through just about everything, clothing, tools, drawers, closets...there's not a ton of things left but it was a very emotional day for me. I kept thinking that I shouldn't be doing this and that any minute my Dad would come through the door asking why we were going through his things. It was surreal and I got very emotional and cried more than a few times while we were working on it. Especially when my husband was trying on shoes that my Dad bought and never wore...I just kept thinking that this was so sad. I know that it had to be done, and yes, I have been putting it off basically until the very last moment before the weather got too bad or the house sold and I was forced to come in the winter to clean things out in a hurry. I still don't like it though.

Tomorrow, we have our first open house. Someone stopped by the house this afternoon to look at it while we were there, she has small children and seemed to like the house ok. She may have been put off a little by the price but she said that she was coming back during the open house with her husband. I would like a family to have the house. It would be nice to have children growing up in it again. I think the house would like it.

On the stitching front, I ordered more stuff, oh, I am SO bad. Samplers this time, some quakers and some schoolgirl ones from Threads Through Time and Samplerworks. I got my order from Silkweaver too for Sarah Tatum. I got inspired by the samplers posted on Legacy stitched by Carol (Samplerfarm).

I also want to thank everyone who came to read my blog about the Autumn decorating. I can see the photos just fine but apparently no one else can. I copied them from my blog, apparently blogspot doesn't approve. I guess I will have to break down and get a Phototrail or webshots account. I'll do that when I get back to New York.

Well, it's 2AM so I need to try to sleep. I can't seem to let my mind get quiet, all I can think of is my Dad and work and all the other thinkgs that go bump in the night.

I will post some pictures too, I received my redwork exchange from Helene in France. She stitched the cutest little chick and made it into a small wallhanging. It's so nicely stitched and made. There is such talent on the boards. I love it and I will hang it in my kitchen. I love red. It's my favorite color.

Well, good night all my stitching friends.

Blog hopping this morning

This morning, I went blog hopping. Oh my! I was overwhelmed by the posts of finishes and rooms and stash acquisitions. Mercedes in Spain posted pictures of her stitching room and I think that I could move in there! She has a beautifu library and has set up her room so creatively. I love the way she has displayed her finishes and I love her sampler wall. I must do something with my *craft room*. What an inspiration!

I am also in awe of Patti in New Hampshires over one stitching. I don't do over one because I would get so frustrated frogging my piece. I can't seem to count even when I use my fingers so ripping out over one stitches would drive me nuts. Seeing how beautiful and tiny her finishes are makes me want to throw caution to the wind and give over one a try. I'm thinking seriously about it, Patti, and if I need help I'm calling you!

Danielle has posted stash acquisitions that prompted me to go out and buy, buy, buy too! Yesterday, the postman left me packages, YES! I got my order for some Goode Huswif charts and some Trilogy Halloween pieces. I am now waiting on an order from Silkweaver for Lakeside Linen.

I have to say that I want more time in my day. I need to stitch 24/7. There are so many cool things to create and I get such satisfaction from stitching. It's cheaper than therapy and I come away with beautiful things for my time. Thanks Ladies for enabling, inspiring and challenging me!

Autumn decorations

I love Halloween and I love autumn. Right now, my house is glowing in oranges, yellows, burgundies and reds. I wanted to share some of my decorating for the season.

My kitchen shelf:



My mantle:

Autumn / Fall Exchange

I received the most beautiful little tuck pillow from Sylvie in France, yes, the DESIGNER!!! I was overwhelmed by her work. The tuck pillow is her very own design stitched over one on the teeny-tiniest count linen. She also sent me some skeins of silk and French overdyed cottons. And a lovely card. And one of her patterns. I feel like the richest stitching gal on the earth!





Thanks Sylvie for a wonderful surprise!

Sampler House Exchange I

Many moons ago, I received a beautiful house plaque from JudyWI. The photo has been in my digital camera just about forever. I finally figured out how to upload the photos from the silly camera, so here it is in all it's glory:



She also sent me a number of other goodies, a little redwork tuck pillow. I need to take a picture it. (Sorry!!!) Plus, a large mesh project bag and a needleroll holder. I love everything that she made for me.

I apologize to you Judy, for my tardiness in posting your beautiful gifts to me.

Sampler House Exchange II

From NancyMA...a gorgeous Lilybet design made into a beautiful needlebook.

HalloweenExchange photos!

Pictures!

From Dawn for the Stitching Bloggers Halloween Exchange:



SO CUTE!!! I LOVE IT!

From Nancy in SanDiego, the Halloween Sweetbag Exchange on Legacy Embroiderers:



With all the goodies that she filled it with:




Ladies, I am so thankful for all the hard work and time you spent on making these gorgeous gifts! I am blessed beyond belief!

Got this off of Plush's blog

7 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
1. Go to Hungary.
2. Make up with a friend who hasn't spoken to me in over 2 years.
3. Learn to play the piano.
4. Get to my goal weight of 127 and maintain it for the rest of my life.
5. Learn to speak publicly and not die of fright.
6. Not take my family and friends for granted.
7. Drive somewhere I've never been before and not be scared of getting lost.

7 Things I Can Do:
1. Draw,really, really well (and paint too!)
3. Embroider and cross stitch.
4. Ride a horse.
5. Compromise.
6. Listen really well.
7. Cry (I am an emotional person and it doesn't take much to make me boo-hoo)

7 Things I Can't Do:
1. Ride rollercoasters.
2. Watch horror movies.
3. Knit...I tried but I did it badly.
4. Save money.
5. Understand cruelty to children or animals.
6. Make someone like me no matter how hard I try to get them to like me.
7. Climb ladders or be really high up.

7 Things that Attract Me to Another Person:
1. The ability to see the wonder in everyday life.
2. Compassion
3. Creativity
4. Intelligence
5. Sense of fun
6. Gentleness
7. Conviction of purpose

7 Celebrity Crushes:
1.Johnny Depp
2.Richard Gere
3.Pierce Brosnan
4.John Denver (yeah, I know he's dead but I've loved him since I was a teenager!)
5.Garth Brooks
6. Paul McCartney (I was going to marry him when I was 6)
7.John Cusack

7 Things I Say the Most:
1.And then...
2.You're my woobie!
3.Is everything ok?
4. Are you mad at me?
5. What?
6. I should do that because...?
7. Bite me.

Well - Blech!!!

Ok, so I walk 45 minutes on my treadmill between 3.5 - 3.8 mph for the past 3 nights in a row. I didn't go overboard and screw up my diet royally, like I have in the past. So, I am thinking that I would have lost a pound, right? NO!!!! I GAINED A POUND! There is no justice in the world. I have been stuck playing with this yo-yo 2 pounds for the last freaking year. Up 2, lose 2..up 3 lose 2. I can't get past this weight no matter what I do! I journal, count points. Clean horse stalls, walk, paint an entire 16 x20 foot family room by myself and I gained a pound last week (which I deserved to gain cause I ate pie and Mike was home)and now, another one this week. I don't know what I am going to do! I am so frustrated right now. Yeah, yeah, I've lost 30 pounds...give or take that damn 2 pounds that won't just LEAVE! But I have another 30 pounds to lose to get to goal weight and be free of paying $12 a week to stand on the scale. I thought that this would be over by now. But NO! I just want to cry. Damn menopausal metabolism....

OK, enough ranting....

But I did get a lovely exchange gift in the mail. Sylvie from France made me the most wonderful little autumn pillow...one of her very own designs. She stitched it over one on a very small count linen. And she sent me one of her heart patterns and some beautiful overdyed floss...made my day! And took some sting out of the weight gain. Thank you Sylvie, I love your beautiful gift to me.

I mailed my Halloween exchange today...I am glad that I finally got it mailed. It came out ok, I put a lovely ribbon hangar on the top of it and it didn't look bad after I finished it. I also included a couple of Halloween goodies, one that I painted. I hope that my partner likes it...

Now, I will be concentrating on my Legacy Sampler House exchange and the Stitching Bloggers Fall/Autumn exchange. I am really excited over the Sampler house piece I chose to stitch and I particularly love what I am going to do with the Fall/Autumn piece...hee-hee. And you know what the best part is about this? I have the same partner for both of these exchanges so I could do something related. And I want to spoil this person, cause she has been very, very kind to me.

Then it's off to finish my Halloween Sweetbag. I am 3/4 done with the stitching, so I am looking to finish sewing it together this weekend. I did take my machine in to be serviced but I have a back up if it doesn't come home in time. I got a bunch of really nice stitching treats to go in the bag too...so this is a fun exchange too.
Actually, ALL of the exchanges are fun, I love spoiling my partners.

Well, I got to get off the computer now, my dog is freaking out. He is old and I don't know why he is whining....and now barking. He's deaf so I can't figure out what he heard...LOL!!!

Argh, what a weekend!!!

Sorry, dear blog readers, for my lapse in blogging the last few days. It's been a wild week.

First of all, the kid is doing great at school. One less thing to worry about. He loves it, has buckled down and is studying ALOT and loves AirForce ROTC. Yeah, Mike!

We had a contractor come out on Wednesday to take a look see at the house, oh, he came up with wonderful ideas and I really like him. This is going to cost big $$ I can feel it in my bones. It will be worth having it all done though, it will be the house of our dreams when it's over and done with. We are going to have ALL the windows replaced and the siding redone, some stonework on the frontporch wall and enclose the patio. The contractor wants to take my floor to ceiling front window and bow it out 2 feet and make a curved window seat. Wowser. He also wants to build a fireplace in the patio as we are going to have it be a 4 season room. I am excited and nervous about it at the same time.

The house in PA may have an offer but the couple is being a bit wishy-washy now, so that may have dried up. The house was shown 3 times in the last week, no takers yet.

On the stitching front, I received the most beautiful Halloween Sweetbag from Nancy K. She stitched a Trailcreek Farms pattern, and framed it with the coolest halloween fabric. I JUST LOVE IT!!! She also included 3 skeins of DMC in bright orange, green and purple, a pair of halloween socks, a sunflower scissor fob, an october ornament and a Twisted Thread Halloween pattern. Plus some candy. I AM so spoiled, I love it. I also received a beautifully stitched tuck pillow from Dawn for the Stitching Bloggers Halloween exchange. It's the coolest pumpkin, stitched in metalics (I don't know where you guys get the patience to stitch with that stuff cause it's the thread from HELL). I LOVE IT TOO!

I will post pictures tomorrow, it's been grey and rainy and there is no good light to show off my treasures. THANKS Ladies!!! I am blessed beyond belief.

As far as stitching goes for me, I worked on my exchanges. I finished my Halloween exchange piece, not happy with it, I should have just made an ornament out of it but I wanted to make a little pillow and the sides curved inward. I am tempted to take it apart and try again, but I am afraid that I will REALLY mess it up. Then I will feel really bad. I was trying to do a ruched ribbon around the edges, it came out badly, so I cut it off. Looks like cording for me.

I worked on my sweetbag too, it's coming out good, at least the stitching part. Construction may be another matter.

My autumn exhange needs to be put together and the my sampler house is almost done being stitched. I am a bit stressed right now with all the obligation stitching.

And I also have a cold.

Ok, enough complaining, it's almost Monday and it's back to work. We had to move to a new location, so that's what I've been doing for 2 days. I am all moved into my new desk. Actually, I like it. I am by myself and I have a window. I don't like the fact that my back is to the aisle and I don't hear anyone coming up behind me, so I get startled when someone comes in the cube. I am going to have to change that, otherwise I am going to die from fright. Plus, I am afraid that I am going to get caught surfing the 'net...

Well, enough, I hope everyone had a great weekend and a lovely new week. Pictures soon.

Oh, I am SO behind!!!!

The college guy came home this weekend and we had such a wonderful time with him! The weekend went so fast and we were busy every minute of the day so I got absolutely NO stitching done! On Saturday, the guys went to play paintball for the day and I decided to re-paint my family room. I didn't like the lighter blue that I chose so off to the Home Despot to get a gallon of a darker shade of light blue. Doesn't that sound contradictory? But that's what I did! I painted 2 of the 3 walls and had to quit cause I was go with my friend,MaryEllen to a Chris Rice concert (he's a Christian rocker)that evening. But before that, I took the cat to the vet in the morning, cleaned the horse's stalls, made an apple pie from scratch and a lasagna.

On Sunday, Mike and I went to see a local production of Annie Get Your Gun. Mike's best bud, Charlie, sang in the production, so we went to see him. He was fabulous!
Then it was off to RIT...and back home again. In the car for 6 hours...whew, I thought I was going to go nuts in the car. We got home at midnight. I went to bed but couldn't sleep. Blech. I listened to the chimes until 2AM. Boy was I ever tired in the morning.

Anyway, on a stitching note, I have to finish my Sampler House piece, my Halloween piece and finish my Fall/Autumn piece. I have to stitch my Halloween Sweetbag piece...I am going a bit nuts now.

We also have a contractor coming to the house tomorrow for an estimate on some extensive remodeling. We want to replace windows, put siding and new gutters,enclose the patio. Big dollars. Let's see Joanie have a heart attack from sticker shock!

Also, I got an email from the realtor, there's an offer coming in ALREADY!! The sign went up on Monday. I can't believe that someone is serious so soon! I hope it's a good offer too.

Well, off to do some stitching. Then off to bed. I am going to post pictures tomorrow of a couple of things that I bought and some progress stitching.

Thanks for reading!

The Quaker Friendship Album

I thought I would post the link to the Quaker Friendship album so you all could see the lovely samplers that we are stitching. They are very beautiful and each one is so different. All are heirlooms in the making! Look on the side bar under Quaker Friendship Sampler.

My Quaker Friendship Sampler

A picture of my Quaker Friendship Sampler that is making the rounds with the Quaker ladies on the Legacy Embroiderers BB:



I am so thrilled with it! I can't wait until it comes home and can join Anne Grimshaw!!!

What do you think of it?

Been MIA

Sorry for the lack of updates, this past weekend, I spent painting my family room. I never thought it was so big until I was faced with on l-o-o-o-n-g wall. I am almost done with it. I have to put the 2nd coat on and will be moving the furniture back in before the weekend.

I stitched a little on my Sampler House exchange piece, I am working a Prairie Schooler design and that's all I am going to say about it. My halloween piece is done now, I just have to put it in the mail. I have some cool goodies to go with it so I am really hoping my partner likes it!

Then it's on to the next exchange piece. I am itching to work on some of my Wips but I have too many exchange pieces to get out. That's ok though, I love stitching for my friends so it's not a chore. Hey, stitching is stitching, right? Whether I put needle to fabric for myself or for my friends, it's still stitching. I really enjoy the process especially when the person I am stitching for loves what I made.

On another note, I had my parents photos framed...ouch, it cost $200. But the frame is fabulous and it was well worth it. I blew all the $$ I saved for needlework framing on this job but this truly is an heirloom. I have a bunch of really old photos of my aunts that I would like framed too, but that's going to have to wait until after the holidays. I'll post a picture later.

Silly Quiz

I took this silly quiz and these are my answers. Click on the link below the take and see *The Keys To Your Heart*....So silly...it's fun!

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free. In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved. You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring. You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please. Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. You think of marriage something you've always wanted... though you haven't really thought about it. In this moment, you think of love as something you can get or discard anytime. You're feeling self centered.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Stitching away!

Taking a break from the needle and floss to read everyone's blogs. I just love doing that, it makes me think that I am on a little visit with each of you. Wouldn't it be great to someday get together? How cool would THAT be!

I have been working on my exchanges and the Quaker RR. I started my ornie, I am working on my sweetbag and Halloween exchange. Picked out my House exchange and I am finished with my Autumn/Fall piece. I am 75% finished with the redwork exchange too. The only one I have to decide on is the lottery piece. I am burning up the floss!

In my last post, I told you all that I bought stash. I forgot to mention that I also bought a Just Nan's exclusive from The Silver Needle. It's that too cool Halloween ort box. And I won some things on ebay...I gotta get a grip, but I am having so much fun and I LOVE everything I own, even the stuff that I sold, I loved those things too. Anyway, yesterday, I was pawing through my craft room. I got looking at my painting books and very old magazines and charts. I love them all! There is so much I want to stitch and paint, it can be overwhelming but not in a bad sense. It's a feeling of oh, I can't wait to start this and then that, and oh, I forgot about that piece... Do you ever feel that way? Like you want to start EVERYTHING? And then I go blogg-hopping and see all your work and I want to do even MORE!

There is a thread on the Legacy bb asking if you could have a sampler wall (or a needlework wall) what would you hang? I want a Quaker wall in my upstairs hallway. I want Schoolgirl samplers in my family room. I would like samplers with Bible verses in my family room too. And french alphabets in red or black in my dining room. In my craft room, I would like all the whimsical pieces, Lizzie*Kates, Bent Creeks....a Drawn Thread wall...a Shepherd Bush wall. And seasonal pieces for the kitchen. What about you? Do you have a sampler wall already? What do you have hanging already? I would love to know all your plans...and maybe I'll steal an idea or 2 from you!

I think that next year I am going to put some of these wants into my stitching plans. Definitely I want to work on Quakers (I love them for their graphic quality) and I would like to work on a red alphabet piece. And I want to finish up a couple of Wips. And of course, start a bunch more!

On another note...
I decided on a sell price and the realtor is overnighting my contract. I have come to a place of peace with everything. I placed it in God's hands and it's going to be taken care of. The realtor is very nice and I feel like I *know* her. She is very capable, has a sense of humor and will give me advice when I want it. One less thing to worry about.

Got to see the kid today!

Mike's computer came on Friday. We've been waiting for it for a few weeks now and UPS gave us notice that they had it. So, off to the *hub* to pick it up, I went.

We decided to go to RIT today to drop it off and take Mike shopping for a winter jacket and some other things. It was great seeing him! He's doing wonderfully and it was such a nice day spending it with him and 3 of his friends. We took them to the mall, Target, Best Buy and then the grocery store. I miss him a lot but it's great knowing he's adjusted well to life as a college guy.

On another note, I contacted a realtor on Saturday to put my Dad's house on the market. It was quite an emotional morning for me. My Dad owned that house for over 40 years and there's a lot of memories attached to that house. I was nervous about obtaining a realtor, and really I just shut my eyes and picked one out of the realty book that I picked up when I was home for the funeral. I got a very nice lady realtor who seems to be capable. I am glad, because this is a long distance deal since I am in NY and the house is in Pittsburgh PA. She walked through the house today and sent me an email of her thoughts. She said that the house is neat, clean and tidy and it was evident that my Dad took care of the place. Had positive things to say about the location, the porches, kitchen and garage. Negatives were the bath (no shower) and the house needs a coat of paint. The painting probably will be the sticking point on a sale. I am now debating on whether to have it painted to up the sale price but I run the risk of not recovering that $$. It's a dilemna cause I really don't have thousands to put into it. Blech.

On a stitching note, I finished the stitching part of my autumn/fall exchange (sorry NO PICTURES). Now for the assembly part. I am almost done with the stitching on my sweetbag for the Legacy exchange cause that's due in a couple of weeks. I have to concentrate on the Halloween piece for Stitching Bloggers and my Quaker RR. Then, it's the lottery piece (that's going to be FUN!) and my ornie which is all kitted up and ready to be stitched. I will have a busy 6 weeks stitching up a storm for all my friends. Then I am going to take a break and stitch for me (and continue with the Quaker RR) over the holidays. I have the Gardening exchange to work on over Christmas but that's fine cause I am off 10 days and I get a ton of stitching done during that time. Usually, I kill off a Wip or 2 during that time.

Speaking of Wips...Karen V and I made a deal to stRIP this month, I haven't been good about it unless you count that I LOOKED at my almost finished Drawn Thread piece. I promise, Karen, that I will at least work on it before the end of September. K?

And I had *clicky-finger-itus yesterday too (hanging my head in shame) and I ordered a bunch of things from Lois at Elegant Stitch. After I talked to the realtor, I was in desperate need of retail therapy. (HEY, at least I didn't turn to food like I would have 30+ pounds ago!)
I bought the a few Lizzie*Kates...October Flip it Stamp, Pair O' Pilgrims, Balanced Diet (I'm going to try to stitch this up for my Weight Watcher leader, who's a friend of mine.), Cricket Collections...In a Nutshell I, Ghost Ship, and Sampler Cove's Quaker, Grace Sampler. My credit card is whining but I do feel a little better. Really, I do. And I AM collecting for retirement, right Becky???!!!

So that was MY weekend, how was yours? How is your stitching coming and what did you stitch on this weekend? Enquiring minds would love to know! Have a good week everyone and thanks for reading my thoughts!

I'm feeling the pressure!

I just realized that I only have 2 weeks to finish my Halloween Exchange piece. Then, I have a 2 week break and have to finish my Autumn/Fall piece. Then it's the Halloween Sweetbag exchange and the Redwork exchange! YIKES!!!! I have to get busy!!! I am way behind!

My halloween exchange piece is 3/4 stitched. I am just about done with the Redwork piece. I haven't started the Autumn piece cause I am having a hard time deciding what to stitch. And I am trying to make a special design for the Sweetbag. Too much planning, not enough execution.

It doesn't help that I am in a minor stitching slump. My DH is working a ton of overtime, so that leaves me with the barn chores on top of all my regular after work stuff. I am tired! Last night I went to bed at 9:30. Also, I am feeling a bit blue, it's been a month since my Dad died. That alone sapped most of my energy.

Talk about retail therapy!!!! Yesterday during lunch, I went to the framers to have my parents photos framed. I found pictures of them when my Mom was 19 and my Dad was 21. My Mom's picture is hand tinted and my Dad's is just black and white. I framed them together with a suede mat. Each of the pictures have a filet around them that matches the frame. Then it was off to see Kim at Stitchery Row. (She's next door, so it wasn't a far walk.) I bought 2 patterns, The Artistic Collection's Bittersweet Season and Homespun Elegance's Summertime plus a couple of GAST thread that I need for Summertime. Then, I went to the fabric store after work yesterday and bought some halloween fabric some autumn-y colored fabric and some wool felt. The fabric is for a pin cushion that I want to make for the Autumn / Fall exchange. It's going to go nicely with my stitched piece. Now, I just have to stitch it! HA HA!!

And I just remembered that I MUST take my sewing machine to the shop to be serviced. Ouch, that may put a crimp in some of my best laid plans. I'll have to check and see how my back-up sewing machine is...maybe I will just have to replace the needle in it. Anyway, I am not planning on creating anything too fancy, just straight seams so the back-up machine may be all I need in a pinch.

And now, I am fighting the strong urge to add rug hooking or punch work embroidery or some felt projects. At the fabric store, there was textured and untextured wool felt in such yummy colors . I had this moment of wanting to buy a yard of each to create some of those cute autumn-y table runners...I had to be strong and I and tell myself that I don't need another project!!! LOL!!! Although, I have been trolling the websites looking for that perfect pumpkin table runner...

It doesn't help that I am at work and would rather be home playing in my stash of fabrics and cross stitch things. I keep telling myself that this job is very worth it cause it allows me to have the cash to do the fun stuff with out much question. (Although, there is GUILT involved because I have accumulated much in the last 5 years that I began stitching again. And, we shall stay away from my years of decorative painting and acquiring cute wood cut-outs, paint and pattern books.)
But without this job, I would not be having 1/2 as much fun as I am right now, nuturing my creative side. There's an up-side to everything - even WORK!

TA - DA - A - A!!! Pictures!

Here ya go! Lizzie*Kate Autumn Boxer made into a cube.



And Drawn Thread's Happy Halloween.



And a closer look, sorry that the picture is a little skewed...



I bought an 8x10 unpainted frame and painted it black. Then I added the skeletons. I think it's pretty cute. Don't you???