End of 2012 and Start New Year 2013!

These lovely gifts came from Shirlee for the Christmas exchange on the Stitched with Love Exchanges blog.  The ornament was stitched with my favorite Christmas colors, blue and silver, and so beautifully put together.  I am going hate to put it away for next year. Plus I got q-snaps huggies, aida fabric, scissors, cat needle minder, and a bar of shea soap, which smells so good. Thank you Shirlee!

These are the gifts I gave to Jayne.  Some silk threads, scissors, Sue Hillis Spool Tree pattern, fabric, erasable highlighter, and a stitched pillow. The stitching took me awhile because the greens in the dress was very random. Near the end, I added green where I think the green should go, but the gold specks are uniformed.  I stitched the skin one over one, which was more easier to do than the dress. Here is a close up.

Caroler 

a freebie from Whispered by the Wind

25 count Stormy Clouds

DMC and Kreinik gold

Earlier this year, I joined an online class to make a top stitch box. I gave the box to my sister.  I decided to make another box for my second sister.  I stitched the top, stained and lined the box as I was taught.  Everything looked great.  (My sister came Sunday before Christmas.  She had to work a double shift on Christmas).  The only thing I had to do was attached the screws. No big deal, so I thought. I had the last laugh on that one. I am screwing the hardware on and they aren't getting tighter.  I am putting pressure and turning and turning, but it seemed the holes were too big  for the screws.  Because I got behind stitching, I put in a lot hours to get this box done in a weeks time and  the screws were too small.  I was so disappointed and frustrated.  I was going to get another box and send it to my sister in January. I took the stitch part off the box and made it into a wall hanger. I gave it to her next day, which she said she liked better than the box because she can hang up somewhere now. I guess it worked out but I am still disappointed with the box.

Dream by Joan Elliot

32 count Rocky Mountains even weave

DMC threads and beads

Hope by Joan Elliot

32 count Rocky Mountains even weave
DMC threads and beads

Merry Christmas by iStitch designs
25 count Stormy Clouds
stitched one over one, DMC threads

A picture to show how small the ornament is.

My sister , Amy, posing for me.

I had signed up in an Advent exchange with the Stitcherhood group.  These are just a few items I received. I, also, got needles, fat quarters fabrics, floss bobbins, another ornament, 4 out 6 Lizzie Kate Snow Belles and Lizzie Kate Santa '12 pattern.

Snowman towel on Day 10

 Stoney Crerk Snow Happens on Day 23

My first day gift, crystal snowman ornament.

Snowman candy jar with M&Ms peanuts and Almond joys, my favorites.

 Day 25 Glendon Place Murky Manor.  I hope I can start it in the coming year.  It was on my wish list.

Part of my Christmas tree.  The snowman ornament was stitched by Pat, I received this year. This is a new tree this year and all the ornaments barely got on there.

This past weekend, I stitch a little more on Lady Slipper.  The dress is starting to form and I think I am going to make it my weekend stitch. I do want to finish her by my birthday in April.  I am not making too many goals this coming new year.  I seem to make my goals too high, and than I feel bad not making them.

My goals for 2013:

1. Lose 25 pounds before my Las Vegas retreat 

2. Exercise 3 times a week for a period 20 minutes.

3. Finish Lady Slipper by April 21.

4. Finish 6 more projects I had started

5. Stitch 4 pages of HAED The Accolde.

6. Stitch 4 pages on Witches 'n Bits Time To Go

I think the goals are doable.  

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and this coming New Year will be filled with lots of finishes, good health, and happiness.  Happy New Year 2013!

Hugs, Vicky 

I Came Back!

 It's been so long since I did a post, almost 2 months.  Let me show you what I have been up to.  The picture above is Tea by Barbra Ana. It was done on Stardust Aida with the recommend threads. I finished into a dimensional ornament which I learned at my retreat. I had trouble with the trim because I cut it at the wrong spot.  It looks a little awkward. It was for Dawn in OH from Stitched with Love blog.  Dawn send me some wonderful gifts.

She send me a teacup, honey holder. counting pins, a q-snap wrapper, teabags, a cup warmer mat she made, and a no-sew cube with stitched teacups.  It is adorable.  And the teabags came in handy when I was sick last month. Thank you Dawn!



Since I was still doing my update, I figure I will add my gifts from Rosa for the Fall into Halloween exchange. You can see some beautiful stitching and gifts at the Stitched with Love blog.  My gifts is the last picture. Rosa send me an ort bag, which I love so much. Included was some threads, Harvest Mice pattern leaflet, and she made a needle book and she crochet the cover. It's adorable and a wonderful idea and gift. Thank you Rosa!

I started a new project, Lady Slipper by Nora Corbett.  It is one of my birthday gifts. I had it kitted in May and I put it where I saw when I got up and when I went to bed. After almost 4 months, I decide to start it. The picture above was the first day. Its only one color.  The picture below has a blended color of a light green and the first color I stitched. Unfortunately I had not been back to this project yet but I will try before the end of the year.

I did a Fall/Halloween exchange in my Stitcherhood group.  I stitched  a freebie from Kit&Bixby on Silkweaver Solo aida. I included some goodies for my partner. I love the pattern so much I am doing another for myself.  The picture below is the exchange I received from Tonya.  I put the gel stickers on the slide door. My father noticed them 2 days later, lol.

 

This is the close up of the ornament Tonya stitched for me. It's so adorable.  Thank you Tonya.

This is Hallow Jack from Oak Haven Designs.  It was stitched on a scrap piece of aida. All I know it is 18 count and hand-dyed. It's going be finished into an ornament. I just didn't get to it yet.

I got involved in a Lizzie Kate round robin.  I was going to send 6 Fat Men but couldn't get the borders to meet. Here is my progress so far.

 This Kim R's RR. She send Dog Lessons for People. I stitched the 2 lines under the title. This was the second rr I got. I have this in my wips and I know I will be getting to this after the new year.

This is Vickie's rr, the third one I got. She send What If.  Its a cute pattern. I stitched "girls didn't cause so much drama", the blue heart and 'and saying goodbye."  I was going do the words before "and saying goodbye" but I didn't have the skeins for it. I really need to update my threads.

This is Berly's rr, the first one I got. She send Ghouls Night Out. This is so adorable and I love the fabric she chose, so sparkly. I can't wait to see it done. I have one more rr to do and than I should be getting mine next.

 My nephew turned 8 years old in October.  Here he is with his birthday gift.  He had his party at a bowling alley.  He was the best bowler, which was not a surprise.  He loves any kinds of sports but hockey is his favorite.

We had the first snowstorm and we got about 8 inches of the white stuff.  It is all gone! But it was pretty while it lasted.

Giveaway

Sarah, of CraftyMoo, is having a  birthday giveaway celebrating her birthday.  Just click on the blog's name.

August Update

I am finally doing a stitching update. I finished Star Spangled Garden by Country Cottage Needleworks at the beginning of the month.  I loved stitching this piece. I end up changing the blue and red threads to DMC 312 and 498 threads.  The originals threads were too light against the fabric and I wanted a darker color. The fabric is a Silkweavers solo.  I got the pattern at The Silver Needle, while I was in Tulsa, OK.

I spend my birthday gift certificates at 123 Stitch. I was going to get a yard of fabric but some patterns were just calling me.  I got 2012 Halloween special issue, Lizzie Kate Mystery Sampler part 1, and Little House Needleworks Spring Band Sampler, The Mercantile, and Old Nantaucket patterns. While I was on my vacation, I got the pattern Little House Heart of America from Judi. She  had finished her piece earlier this year and offered the pattern.

I had signed up for a Lizzie Kate round robin  in my ILCSing group. I decided I was going to send the 6 Fat Men.  I got the patterns, and picked a nice blue fabric in Virginia. I got the copies, threads and stitched Snow Friends. I started doing the borders and I kept making mistakes where the borders will not line up and I will be half a stitch off.  It was driving me nuts. The fabric is 32 count linen, not an even weave and I have to admit I am having problems seeing the holes at night. So I am giving up my morning reading to stitch on  6 Fat Men. I  end up sending some Christmas snippets for my RR.  I did get Berly's RR over the weekend so I will be stitching hers this week.  This is 6 Fat Men as of last night:

This morning I frogged and started on Snow House.

Last night I picked up one of my UFOs:  LHN Pumpkin Hollow.  I had finished one third of the pattern last night. I had majority of the top done and I had to frog the lettering below it because the border was off by a stitch, but that is part of the middle of the design. Before picture:

My progress from last night's stitching.

When the olympics started, I started a new project but I only worked on it for one night.  I have to find some time to work on it more.

It is Little House Coming to America.  I am stitching on Silkweavers Summer Winds. I just don't have enough time.

Thank you so much for reading my post and for any comments you may leave behind. I love reading them and they brings me inspiration to continue my stitching.  I will try to post after my Labor Day weekend.  I can't believe the summer is almost over.  Have a great week!

Colorado Springs, Tulsa and Virginia

This update is way over due.  I meant to do this a couple weeks ago. I have been down in the blues and I don't understand why, and when I think  I am getting out of it, I go back into it. Today I decided to post about my trip. I took the Greyhound  to Colorado Springs. I got to Columbus, OH and found out they had changed schedules on June 2 to accommodation  their summer schedules. guess what? It was June 20, which meant I did not make it to my transfer in Indianapolis. My schedule was changed to where I had to switch buses at truck stop.  I got to Pueblo, CO on time but the next bus was 3 hours late.  I was 45 minutes away.  When the next bus came, it was almost full but I got because I was getting off at the next stop.  The bus didn't make it. It overheated right outside Colorado Springs. Vickie H picked me up at this diner with Meari and we went straight to Ruth's Stitchery. thank you Vickie! I did buy Lizzie Kate Bacon Bits,  cat scissors, and Just Cross Stitch pre-ornament issue. I got to the hotel after 9 and my supper was vanilla  milkshake from Sonic. The picture above is the view from my hotel room, whom I shared with Penny and Sandy.

I was up before 7 am and Penny and I met with Karin and Meari.  We went  to a wolf center in Divide, CO at 9000 feet altitude. I did get sick on the tour and they got the golf cart for me. It was embarrassing but I did feel better  with some water.  The wolves were beautiful and are very sociable creatures.  It was very hot too and some did not want to leave the shaded area. I can't blame them.  At the end, the guide had us howl as a group. In return you can hear the wolves howling back.  It was so awesome!

For lunch, we went to Miramount Castle , a real castle built in the mountains!  We all had tea, either hot or cold.  All of us  wore Victorian hats as we had lunch.  Our server, Faith, was a sweetheart.  Here we are with our hats and than Faith.  We all liked her outfit.

left; Sandy, Karin, me, Penny, Vickie H., Meari, Mare

A few of us toured the castle.  I only saw the second floor because they only had a lift just to the second. I had my walker with me.  The first floor was a dedication to the volunteer firefighters. There were fire coats and helmets and the girls dressed up. I took the pictures but mine came out blurry.  I forgot to change the  settings.

After the castle, we went to Old Colorado City  for a bit of shopping and to stop by Holly Berrys, which was more a knitting store. I didn't take much  pictures of this area.  I was tired and it was a hot day. we  head back to the stitching room for a hour or two.  We went to Hobby Lobby for sandy needed a skein and Vickie wanted some bobbins.  We went to Texas Roadhouse for supper, than back to the hotel for Meari's class on flat ornament and cording. No one finish  the ornament at the retreat. I still have to finish mine.

Saturday was more of a relaxing day. I opted to stay at the hotel.  It was hotter that day than the day before and I couldn't see myself walking around Cripple Creek with it being that hot.  I visited with Mare in the morning and met with Meari for lunch.  We had to eat from the market because the restaurant was close. We were having lunch when we discovered about the wildfires that was happening in the area.  We went to the stitching room to stitch and watch  the headlights from the wildfires.  Mare finished her stitching and she gave me the  pattern.  Here is a picture  of Sandy.

There  was a pizza party after the ladies  came back with rotel cheese dip.  We pick out the patterns we wanted from the designers who send patterns to the retreat.  I, also, brought home 2 frogs. One of them  was for the most frogging and the other one being the last one to frog. I had stitched Lavender Blue on the bus for the 2 days I was on the bus.   I discovered I was off by 2 stitches and everything I  stitched had to come out.  I was so aggravated that I end up snipping the fabric.  It is not bad and I can still stitch on it still by using some interface. Unfortunely, I have not been back to it. I think I will end up buying the pattern.  I took out my Enchanted Mermaid but  had frog on her too.  I gave up stitching that night.

Sunday was checkout day.  Meari had left really early.Vickie was driving back home and she took me to Tulsa,OK. She went 2 hours out of her way and I am very much appreciate she drove me.  driving through Kansas, there was a wildfire going next to the highway on the other  side.  We got to Tulsa in about 12 hours.  

I was in Tulsa to visit  my nephew, Jacob. I  hadn't seen him in 4 years.  He had grown up so much. He is into videos like a typical teenager.  He looks like his mom but he acts like his  dad.  It sure makes me believe behavior is in our DNA as well as our environment.  It was in the triple digits on the 2.5 days I was there so doing outside activity was out.  We did go to the aquarium but my camera batteries died.  I was so upset.  I have pics on my camera but I need a card to transfer them to the computer. Here is a couple that I did get on my camera and a picture of  Jacob and me.

After the aquarium, we went to The Silver Needle.  I love that store.  I picked up a couple LK patterns, CCN Star Spangled  Garden and the threads.  I wanted to get this in Colorado  but they didn't have it.  I left for Virginia and the bus ride was terrible. From Tulsa  to St.Louis, the bus was crowded and I got stuck in the back. The bathroom stunk awfully bad and the a/c was not working probably, plus it was late.  I had to buy a ticket from Philadelphia to Williamsburg, I got stuck almost 12 hours in Philly at the bus station.   I got on the right bus but the bus got stuck in traffic.  remember when  I told you the bus schedules got change, well it effected Virginia and the last bus to Williamsburg left with out me. The next bus was at 7 the next morning. I was so devasted that I burst into tears.  Those tears got me a hotel room courtesy by Greyhound.  I needed to sleep in a bed and I was so refreshed for that last hour on the bus to getting to Williamsburg. 

I stayed at my friends' house until July 19. They had went to Florida while I watched the dog and cat. They had found new homes for the cocker spinals and it was quiet with out them. I did some stitching, of course, and my finish is a couple posts down.  My friend's son drove from Virginia to New Jersey.  We  had lunch at Genia's inlaws and than Genia drove me to my sister's in West Haven. I got to spend some time with my nephew.  He made me a bracelet than charged me for it. the cost was $400for the bracelet, $170 for taxes and $2 for his time.  Of course I gave him the money but it was play money.  This is what happens when Grandpa babysits his grandson. The picture above.

  So I am leaving this post with a couple  pictures of Zoey and Piper.  thank you so much for coming to the end. I promise there will be a post on my stitching within  a week. Have a great week.

I forgot to give you the link to the rest of my pictures.  Press on pictures.