november & dashing

As of late, I am literally on fire. I just started the November flip-it Sunday night and finished it last night. I’ve had so many finishes lately. I’m not sure what my craze is. I think it’ll become a needle cushion or it can just sit in a basket or atop a shelf through November. I also started something new while at mom’s yesterday. Stacy Nash’s Dashing Through the Snow. It’s a cute primitive piece.

I love that squirrel charm. Squirrels remind me of my Grandparents b/c they used to feed them from their dining room window, and Grandpa used to feed them outside on the porch. Some squirrels would sit on his lap and eat from his hand. There have been a few bites to the hands, but that never stopped Grandma and Grandpa from feeding the squirrels peanuts. Squirrels ran through the house a few times as well. LOL Wonderful memories!

I’m stitching this on 32 ct linen hand-dyed by me. I like it so far. It’ll help with the overall primitive feel. I’m using the recommended threads - can’t go wrong sticking with the SN recommendations.

That’s all I have for now. The sun is starting to lose its appeal. Going bye-bye! The days are so short now, but the weather has been fantastic! Tomorrow I’m taking my third tour of the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, TN with a friend of mine. It’s an awesome place with tremendous history. The Battle of Franklin during the Civil War was fought there. Well, Jose will be home from school shortly, Cameron is still napping, and I have no clue what's for dinner. WOW! Talk soon!

supplies and fabric and progress, oh my!

Today Cameron went to daycare and Jose was home from school. Fall break began today and will continue through next week. I went walking this morning. It was pretty chilly out but nothing a good hard walk couldn’t do to help heat things up. It was perfect! I spent a lot of time in the parking lot afterwards to cool down and do some thinking as if I don’t do enough of that already. Oh well. Afterwards, I headed home to freshen up and check on Jose. I drove to the LQS after lunch. Here are the goodies I picked up…

[Sorry the photos are blurry. I’m still using Jose’s camera. I can’t afford a new one for myself at this point.] I found tons of rick rack (baby rick rack too) which really pleased my heart - made me think of grandma. I had some vintage lace cut and that was satisfying to find that on huge spools for next trip out. I love variety and abundance. I also bought other odds and ends. I basically just stocked up on accessories for when I sew and embellish needlework. I had more purpose to be at the LQS than just for accessories though. I went for fabric. Not a lot, but enough for specific small projects I would really like finished by year's end. For instance,

this is Petite Rouge Lettres that Blackbird Designs gave as a freebie earlier this year. I finished this some time ago, but never finish-finished it. I’m finishing it into a pillow. I picked reddish/white reproduction fabric to compliment the color palette of the piece. I may add some vintage lace but haven’t decided just yet. And,

this is 2007 Christmas Special Edition by Lizzie*Kate. I started stitching this when I was recovering from my cesarean after having Cameron. However, I didn’t complete it until 2008. Here we are in 2009 and I just now decided on its finish. A wall hanging for the Christmas/Winter season. The green and red fabrics are both reproduction and I haven’t decided on the backing fabric, but I can decide on that later. I just want to piece the front together. “Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps into the elevator…” Lastly,

there’s progress on Crows – a fine day by Bent Creek. While I was shopping around I decided to pick up fabric for this one too (why not get a head start, right?). The mottled star pattern was with the Halloween fabs. There are some really sweet Halloween prints, I must admit! This fabric will work nicely with Crows, and it plays off the star perfectly, imho.

I’ve just been informed that the final Stacy Nash kit for 2009 will be coming my way very soon. I cannot wait! I’ve stitched and finished all the ones I’ve received so far this year (there have been 3). Each one has been unique and fun. Quick too.

First thing Saturday morning, and I mean first thing, I’ll be taking one of my long, hard walks. The weather calls for rain and 49 degrees as the high, which the temp may be even lower that early in the morning but I do not care. Well, I do, just not enough to stop me from my daily routine. Besides, living in Tennessee means the weather forecast is usually wrong; dead wrong. All the time. Anyway, I need this time to walk. It does a body gooooooood! I’m off to sit n’ stitch, and I should probably get crackin' on some of these projects too. Oh wait...I still have that table runner to start cutting and piecing ~ duh ~ LOL. Talk soon!

ornaments and such

I can’t believe it’s October already – month 10! This year has gone by so quickly and as if it couldn’t get any worse it’s chilly outside, but that hasn’t stopped my daily walks and exercise. I am feeling healthy and strong.

I finally finished assembling Winter Love by SamSarah. This ornament is from the 2007 JCS ornament issue. I don’t know what I was thinking though. I do not like how I attached the ribbon on this pillow ornament. I should have attached the ribbon to each corner, but after it was together and really noticing this I didn’t want to take the time to take it all apart and redo it. Let this be a learning lesson to thy self. I love the fabric though – 32 ct. Autumn Field. Very pretty and easy to stitch on.

I also finished assembling Dreaming of Halloween by Stacy Nash. This one was fun to stitch even though witchy woman’s dress was the pits at times I did enjoy putting this one together b/c of its interesting shape. It reminds me of a tombstone so it’s very fall-ish/Halloween-ish, don’t you think? :) I used 32 ct. Pearl Grey linen and decided not to dye it. I managed to nestle my initials and year into the vines which I am really pleased with. I was afraid it wasn’t going to work.

Here is the backing for both pieces. I especially love the pillow case ticking that my Aunt Pam gifted me some time ago, so not only does this fabric compliment the dream theme of this Stacy Nash piece, but every time I glance over at it I think of my aunt for making this project that much more special. It just worked out perfectly for this.

And here are the odd couples now. Both all finished up. This isn’t where they reside. The ornament pillow is put away until xmas, but Witchy Woman is working on getting into the fall basket for placement.

I have many 2007 JCS ornament issued kits ready to start. Mom and I became part of a club that signed up to receive kits of chosen ornaments and I have fallen lazy. Mom has 9 of hers complete and the only one I’ve done is the SamSarah. I still have 2008 ornaments coming as well. Anyway, I recently started another 2007 ornament from Brightneedle called 2007 Merry Xmas Pinkeep. As we all know it’s done one-over-one: fun, fun, fun! This one is stitched all in WDW which is really pretty and it actually is going by rather fast for being so small. It’s stitched on Antique White. The ornaments on the tree were fun to do, but I hate finishing off a thread when stitching over one b/c the threads are so tight.

Fantastic news!!! I had my Jane Austen sampler framed and she has returned home. She deserves a post all to her own so I’ll post pics of her at another time. Naturally, photos don’t do anything any justice and especially Jane so when I say she looks gorgeous trust that she does. It’s just a shame that my camera is broke and I have to use my 12 year old son’s camera to take photos now. Ugh! I’ve had a stressful day and would like some zzzz’s. Talk soon!

still "dreaming"

I’ll soon be calling her Witchy Woman (my own name for her) before long, but for now she’s still Dreaming of Halloween by Stacy Nash. She’s turning out quite nicely on the pearl grey linen and I can’t wait to pick out backing fabric for her.

There is something about the 1782 date that I just like…not sure what it is. It looks really cool on the pearl grey. Maybe it’s the pearl grey linen that’s so striking with 1782. Hmmm…I have one DMC 844 row left to cross at the bottom of Witchy Woman’s dress and onto the cloud below her, but HAD to photo her now b/c the sun came out and I HAD to take advantage of that…well…b/c it’s still raining here and the sun hasn’t been present in weeks.

This finally came today…….and I couldn’t be happier (being that I’m the last person on the planet to receive it and mom too) that I have something to read over tonight in bed. Yay!!! I also know whose ornament I'm going to stitch up first. Yep! That be my girl, T! :o)

Lastly, I’m feeling sad that I have to change my summer basket into fall. I love summer way too much to let it go to fall. I do have a Stacy Nash Halloween pillow that I finish-finished earlier this year and I’ll finish my Witchy Woman for it as well soon. So that is a ‘check’ for the basket. I’ll have to come across something else to fit snug. Oh well, plenty of time I suppose. Tonight’s dinner is Tilapia with Rotini pasta with Parmesan sauce ~ Yum! Talk soon!

PS: Mom, thanks for the "doom-and-gloom" comment. I needed the reality check. Love you!

prayers answered

Okay, maybe the sun gods didn’t show, but the rain clouds did part long enough that Cameron and I made it to the Greenway for my much needed and craved for walk and afterwards we went to the nearby park so Cameron could run around and get crazy. Besides Cameron was such a good sport during the stroll he deserved it. We came home and Cameron had lunch and now he's napping.

I wanted to take full advantage of no rain and the sky acted as if it wanted to allow that hidden sun some face time so I decided I better get Jose’s camera and start the progress photo shoot.

The progress I’ve made on Mayflower Landing since last Saturday even though I haven’t really picked it up at all this week b/c I’ve been working on and off on

…a witchy pinkeep by Stacy Nash from her new Merry Hallowe'en booklet. I have forgotten the name of it right now and am too lazy to get up to go check. I’m stitching it on 32 ct. Pearl Grey. Very neat.

That’s all I have for now. It appears it’s going to thunderstorm shortly. Those damn clouds are back. I don’t want fall to arrive. I know everyone else does, but I don’t like cool/cold weather. Winter is even worse for me – too depressing. I just don’t enjoy it anymore. I much prefer the hot, hot summers. Just send me to the sun. Talk soon!



Thanks for the prayers and well wishes! It worked.

where i’ve been; where i am; where i’m headed

Where I’ve been...

The boys and I went camping during the Labor Day weekend with some friends and had a blast. I’m not talking campers or lodges even though there were a ton of people all around us with campers. I’m talking tents, sleeping bags on the ground, sittin’ around the fire, the whole nine yards. The only thing we didn’t do was our business in the forest. The camp grounds had a shower/bathroom house for that sort of thing.

Red tent was for our friend Dave and his entourage. You could park a mini van in this tent it was so big.

These two tents were ours. Surprisingly Jose slept by himself in a tent (left). Cameron, Dh and I were in the other.

Just around our site.

Friday evening was spent setting up our site and the kids just messed around. Cameron didn’t know what to think, but he cozied up immediately to the idea of being outside all the time and was in heaven. Cameron is one brave baby. He wandered off twice; once in the dark. We had to find him with the flashlight which didn’t take long. He was behind our site with the campers. The next time he wandered off he was two sites down sitting on a child’s tricycle. Other than this, he kept wandering off like he was one of us. He just didn’t get it so that was frustrating, but lucky for us Dave and his girls were good about helping us.

My boots came in handy especially in the wee early mornings - glad I brought them.

The view from inside my tent.

It was so beautiful to pop our heads out from our tents in the morning and have these trees looming over us.

Our friend Dave had this hanging from a tree and the only thing that crossed my mind was, “Ahh, what do we need this for?” Dave is quite the outdoorsman so he had some excuse as to why he needed this butcher blade but I can’t remember what that reason was. If you knew Dave you’d understand – LOL.

The strangest mushrooms I had ever seen but so pretty - picture worthy in my opinion.

These little wooden bridges were spread out all through the trail - very cool.

We went for a mile hike the next day which was great. This was the first time I went on a hike and I really enjoyed myself. We saw all kinds of nature enticing sites, at least for me b/c I've never really done this before. I had a really nice time collecting acorns with Dave's daughter Devinee. We chatted and ooh'ed and ahh'ed over the size of some of those acorns (the squirrels must not have been doing their jobs). The kids played in the creek of course and I watched. I think it's true that it isn't so much what you're doing that is enjoyable but that the company we keep that make it so.

We had a good time...That is until Cameron had one of his meltdowns on the middle of the trail. [If you can click on the picture and enlarge it he has his mouth wide open letting all the wild know he's beyond pissed off.]

He decided he wasn’t going any farther. Dh had to carry him the rest of the way which was no easy task b/c Cameron wiggled like a worm the entire time. And wiggle is really an understatement.

Of course, here’s the happy camper once the hike was over ~ little rascal! At least we all survived.

Dh did a terrific job at keeping the fire going the whole time we camped. It even burned through the night enough that there was no flame going, but underneath the log embers were kept so that by morning he could throw another log on to reignite the flames. At one point Cameron decided since daddy was keeping the fire lit by throwing logs into the flame that his Blue Bear should help so in Blue Bear went. Blue Bear escaped with 3rd degree burns.

Somewhere….in a forest far, far away…Smokey the Bear is mourning Blue Bear’s injuries. We pulled him from the flames just in time before too much charring took place. We mended his injuries though and he continued to sleep with us in our tent even though he stunk to high heaven. BB made it home and Cameron continues to love him just the way he is – burnt and all.

We arrived Friday afternoon and left Monday morning. Each child got sick at least for a moment and I turned into Nurse Betty and a pretend mom but it was well worth it. I loved every minute of it and would do it again if I could. It rained our very last night which called for an extremely looooooooooooooooooooong night in our tents, but funny thing is that dh had his laptop (he was on-call for work) and we were able to watch some of Cameron’s cartoons – I know, not camping related, but welcome to 2009, right?

Not a fantastic picture, I know. Jose is being a weirdo and I'm taking the photo myself. Oh well...we're camping, what do you expect?!?! Glamour shots? :o)

Where I am...

Since I finished my Jane Austen sampler and she’s off getting framed I needed another sizeable design to stitch so I decided to begin a new one. Like I don't have enough WIPS...

I fell in love with Mayflower Landing and verse from Diane of Little House Needleworks. I believe I’m quite patriotic and the older I get the more my love grows for my country. US history intrigues me and I really want more pieces in my home that represent the homeland. I thought this design was very appropriate since it is about one of the earliest pieces of our history, and the colors are beautiful.

I changed the linen to 28 ct. Light Mocha instead of 32 ct. Putty, but I’m sticking to all the called-for threads which are a combination of Crescents and DMC. I started this a couple of days ago so it’s proving fun and fast. However, I’ve run out of DMC 3051 so I need to pick some up this evening when I’m at my LNS.

My mom is the sweetest mom in the universe. Right before the camping trip I received a piece of mail. It was the new Stacy Nash Merry Hallowe’en pinkeep book. My mom bought it for me. Isn’t she the sweetest???!!! I can’t wait to start one of these pinkeeps…and then the next and the next and the next. LOL

Where I’m headed…

This evening mom and I are attending moonlight stitching at our LNS with all our friends. I wasn’t able to attend the stitching night in August b/c my FIL was having his birthday on the same evening so I’m really looking forward to hanging with the girls and getting some stitching in. Good munching food too.

I know this is a long post but I haven’t been in the mood to do any daily blogging. Part of that is b/c my laptop is still out of commission so it’s difficult to sit at the actual PC and get anything done. Cameron has become awfully demanding these days and doesn’t allow it either. Plus, I've felt bottled up and preoccupied. Anyhoo...Talk soon!