Thursday, December 30, 2010

More Presents!

My Mom gave me the two charts above (she also said she wants to stitch them too!)
I got lots of great, great, great books!!!!!!!!!!



I finished the John Lennon book. It was very sad. So mad that he was killed. I think they could have picked a more attractive cover though. I am now reading The Emperor of All Maladies which is a history of cancer. I like to read books with a medical theme. Can't wait to dive into the Fannie Flagg for lots of fun. My nephew got me the Cleopatra book! I saw the author on The Daily Show and she was so interesting!! The Where Women Create book speaks for itself now doesn't it???

I am going to be going through my date book tonight. That is where I write down each book I have read in 2010....I need to post my Best Books of 2010 tomorrow!!!! I would love to know what the best books you read in the last year were.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Presents for Pretty Girls Part One

I have been spoiled for days and days now!!! Above and below are three charts my Mom picked out for me for Christmas!!!! So excited! I want to do something a little different with the Snowflake Serenade chart by making some of the boxes into separate Christmas ornaments.
When I was little my parents gave me a book called "Take Joy" by Tasha Tudor. When I saw this Take Joy project by Shepard's Bush I hoped that Santa would bring it to me.......he did (by way of my Mom!).
My Mother-in-law did the sweetest thing! She called my shop, Inspired Needle, and asked Cathy to help her put an order together for me. As I left Cathy with some specific hints it went very well! One of the things she got me was this totally beautiful and totally cool project bag.
Now here is a really great story......for an upcoming birthday my stitching buddies surprised me with "The Skating Party" by Praiseworthy Stitches, the fabric for the project and this beautiful needle minder that I had been pining for!!!! They are the coolest bunch of people!!! Thank you to Patti, Pat, Teresa, Linda, Jayne, Cathy, Barb, and Karin. I am so looking forward to spending lots more stitching and laughing time with you gals in 2011.
Close-up of the needle minder because it is truly a work of art!
My wonderful sister-in-law, Denise, got me the wonderful Vera Bradley purse (the pattern is called Gabby and it is in Twirly Bird Navy), the wallet and pencils. I LOVE it so!!!!! Her brother, my husband, is getting me the big carry all tote in this pattern for Christmas....it is coming via mail. How exciting!!! I am truly a Twirly Bird now!
I have a few more things to show you soon......my camera is acting like a kook right now. I have been working on Take Joy tonight. Progress pics soon along with more pics of my haul!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!


Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.


Saturday, December 11, 2010

Getting in the Spirit

Just wanted to share some of my vintage Christmas postcard collection in case anyone is out there crafting today and needs some beauty and cuteness!





Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Mary Peacock


Yesterday, out of the blue, and for no reason (other than that she is one great person!), my friend Barb gave me this chart. I have wanted to stitch this for about two years now. It is a difficult to find chart. Several of our stitching friends have the chart and I have lusted over their progress. Barb knew the chart was getting scarce. She said that she wanted me to be able to stitch it when everyone else got going on it.

Well, as you can imagine, many hugs were given and a merry evening at the stitch shop was held as I gathered fabric and thread to start that very night on Mary Peacock!!!!!

Every time I get together with my stitching friends I am in awe of their kindness and generosity. We always laugh a lot; but we also support each other through happy times and sad. If Santa brought me nothing else this year; I am happy and content!

Thank you Barb!!!

Thursday, December 02, 2010

A Beautiful Video of a Moment in Time

Watch this!!!! It is SO WONDERFUL! Thanks to Beth for showing it on her blog!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Puttering

We put the tree up today and I am slowly decorating. Above and below are two things I stitched years ago. My Mom finished them for me. I love the blue Santa!!! Prairie Schooler on top and Cricket Collection pattern on the bottom.

Okay, here are some of my works in progress!!! Above, is Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow. Last year I started this on 36 count and got very frustrated. Finally, last Friday I got the 32 count fabric and I can tell I am going to love working on this huge project! I started again last night.
Christmas Eve by Prairie Schooler. So cute! My friend Pat did a thread and linen conversion for me!
Deck the Halls by The Sunflower Seed. I love this! Started it on Friday, but it got interrupted by CHRH.
Miss Mary's Pin Keep by Primitive Needleworks. I am envisioning this in a basket of smalls (which does not exist yet).
Liberty Belles by Little House Needleworks.
Sugar Plum Fairy by Little House Needworks.
I got out some of my Christmas decorating treasures.....wanted to show my Dutch friend, Karin, my small little wooden shoes!

Above is a dear little wooden ornament that my Mom got for me a long time ago.
I found a very cute tart warmer buried in a box. It makes everything so homey to have candles burning; especially on a Sunday afternoon of hibernation in the house.
My Mom got me this little votive holder from Yankee Candle. I can't find my votives anywhere though.....may have to make a trek to Yankee Candle. I love that store!
Lastly, I came across this darling little angel. She is hanging on the tree now. I am doing my decorating slowly over this week. Have to have stitching time or I will go insane!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Thanksgiving

I Ate Too Much Turkey

by Jack Prelutsky

I ate too much turkey,
I ate too much corn,
I ate too much pudding and pie,
I'm stuffed up with muffins
and much too much stuffin',
I'm probably going to die.

I piled up my plate
and I ate and I ate,
but I wish I had known when to stop,
for I'm so crammed with yams,
sauces, gravies, and jams
that my buttons are starting to pop.

I'm full of tomatoes
and french fried potatoes,
my stomach is swollen and sore,
but there's still some dessert,
so I guess it won't hurt
if I eat just a little bit more.





The images that you see here are from my beloved postcard collection. My Mom and I used to go to postcard show after postcard show and find such amazing vintage images. I really miss attending those shows!!! Please feel free to use any of the images in your artwork.

I am wishing everyone a very lovely Thanksgiving. I hope you are surrounded by beloved family and friends! Oh, and lots of good food!!!!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Solo Stitching

I was working on the project above, Liberty Belles by Little House Needleworks. I love it, but tonight I got in the mood to work on Sugar Plum Fairy by Country Cottage Needleworks. Love the colors! I have not gotten (is that a word?) very far yet, but I am enjoying it very much so far!! Will get some progress pictures up here soon!
By the way, the Sugar Plum Fairy was finished by Vonna of The Twisted Stitcher. Gorgeous finish......hope to have it done this way myself!

Edited to Add: The picture of the projects in this post are taken from the internet. They are not my finished work. My projects are nowhere near done yet!!! I just wanted to show you a picture of what I was working on.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Rorschach

Can you imagine the fun??? Teresa brought her entire collection of Prairie Schooler patterns to stitching the other day. I love their designs!!!

Pictured above is a chart I had never seen. I asked everyone which chart of the three they would do....it was interesting, nearly everyone picked #3 (the one with the deer). I would do the #2 chart.

Which one would you do?

EDITED TO ADD: This is PS #83. The title is Winter Samplers.

EDIT #2!!!!! SEE BELOW FOR A NEW POST. I made some kind of mistake and it went below the current post.

Sunday Stitching

Last Sunday was stitching day for the addicted. Here are pictures of some of the great projects from my friends.
If you would like to know the name of any of these beauties just let me know in the comments section. I am too "ketonked" to list them right now. (Kee-tonked is a word my Mom made up and it means totally tired out!)
The projects here were stitched by the marvelous and lovely Linda, Karin, Jayne and Nancy.
How about this wall of fibers!!! Yes, please!!!
The color of the thread in this project that Jayne is working on is just TOO stunning!!
Above and below are Nancy's projects. So gorgeous!
I have had so much fun reading your comments this week!!!! Thank you so much!