This is Halloween SAL I am doing with a few ladies. I have a strong start.  I like stitching on it but its only on Monday to Wednesday.  By time Wednesday comes along,  my groove is going strong and I don't want to put it down.

What am I doing on Thursday to Sunday?  Well, I am doing some UFOs.  Sunday I picked out Lizzie Kate ABC Lessons.  I didn't get much done. It was very hot and humid plus my air conditioner didn't get into my window until Sunday evening.

This picture show I did finish the word friendship, the rose, the bu
butterfly and the letter Q. I will be getting back to this one in 2 weeks.

This is Halloween House and it went into  the garbage.  What went wrong?  Not thinking and being careless with scissors.   I stitched the left side on Friday and Saturday.  When I was stitching the pumpkin I realize I was missing a row.  It drove me nuts on where I lost it. The gate bars on the right, one with the big pumpkin, is off one stitch.  Now I figure I had to frog everything I stitched.  So I started cutting at top of the left, half way through, I yelled "You Idiot!!" to myself. All I had to do was frog the pumpkins, bottom of the gates, and the grass. Duh! I was almost done than the scissors slipped. By then i lost all my patience, which is hard to do, and threw out the piece.  I don't think I ever threw a piece out before. I did find another piece of fabric and dyed it a blue color. I will probably restarted Halloween  House in 2 weeks.

This house is a freebie from gazette94. I am trying to stitch on it a little each day. Last few days have not been successful.  There is a lot of blue. I do like the pattern.

.Snow by Shepherd Bush

Sassy Fabby's Berry Burst 28 ct  lugana

Recommend threads

I was looking for something in my stash and I came across this, almost finished. I even had 2012 in the corner.  I don't know why I didn't finish  it.  I know it was a Christmas gift from one of my exchanges in 2011 and I started while I was visiting my friend in Virginia. It came out adorable.

This week I will be working on Time To Go and Gaze.  I will try show my progress on Monday.  I was trying to do this week's update on Monday but blogger was not behaving very well. I will leave you with a couple pictures of the moon on June 23rd.It was beautiful and peaceful.

Hugs, Vicky 

Exchanges & Finishes

I participated in the Home Sweet Home exchange  on the Stitched With Love exchange blog. June was my partner and she stitched me a beautiful pin pilloe.  It is gorgeous.  She included the pattern Dew Drop Fairy. It is a pretty pattern and is part of a series.  Plus there are notecards, olive green thread spool, flower printed tissues, fabric, ribbon saying Home Sweet Home, and a postcard close to her home. Thank you June!

I send to Melanie in the U.K.  I stitched LHN Saltbox Village, and included needles, Heart in Hand Family Medley pattern, hand dyed material I did myself, fat quarters fabric, threads, notecards and beads. I forgot the postcard. Melaine said she liked everything!

LHN Saltbox Village

14 count antique white aida

DMC threads

In my Stitching Sisters group, Cindy send me this gorgeous sttiched framed piece for the spring exchange.  It came in this huge box and was light as a feather.  I have to add a backing to the stitched piece and lined it better before I hang it up. I love it! Thank you Cindy!

I finished up the Christmas ornament exchange In The Stitcherhood group. I won't say who got which one because they haven't let me know if they received yet, but I can show them off.  They were very quick and I added beads to add some bling to them.

 The three ornaments came from Leisure Arts Mini Christmas  Ornaments leaflet. I got the leaflet on clearance at Joanns for $2.97.

 Chilly  Penguin 

25 ct, pewter even weave

DMC threads

 gold beads added to the tree

 Puppy on Package

28 ct Antique White

DMC threads

green beads on package

Danish Angel

25 ct pewter even weave

DMC threads

beads to wreath, dress and cuffs

a motif Laughing in Flowers pattern

by  Praiseworthy Stitches. 

in Cross Stitch & Needlework May 2013

28 ct Raspberry Lugana

Threads: JAR Designs Butterfly Blue, GA Butternut Squash,

CC Aunt Marie's Violet, Carrie's Creations Green Grass and Purple 

In my ILCSing group, I participated in the Blooming May exchange.  I stitched an ornament for Tiina. It was shipped to Finland and she got it in less than a week. I added some ribbon and fower printed nail filers.

Judith from Germany send me this lovely exchange, a pin pillow, purple ribbon, and some floral patterns. Thank you Judith!

Butterfly and Seahorse fobs

I bought these 2 fobs from Mary Louise on Facebook. The picture is not doing justice to the fobs.  They sparkle alot. Seahorse is my favorite aquatic fish. I would love to learn how to make my own fobs. I tried to find instructions on the internet but no luck.  

Hope Building Block

by My Big Toe Designs

28 ct opalescent even weave

Threads: Crescent Colors Sugar & Spice, Plum Paisley and DMC 209.

I finished Hope for my aunt. I need to finish it but I am debating to frame it or make it into  a pillow. I have Faith and Love to do and I am thinking to do Hope again for myself.

I join a Halloween SAL in my new group on FB, Every Stitch Counts. On Mondays to Wednesdays, I will be stitching Stoney Creek Fright Night Friends.  I dyed the material a light purple. When I took the material out of the dye bath, it was a bright magenta color. I was so happy it lighten up a lot and it became the color I pictured in my head. That rarely happens.  It usually becomes a color hue I don't expect.  As you see, I am all set to go.

Thank you for reading my blog.  I am now exchange free so all my stitching is for me right now. I might be able do more frequent updates instead monthly.  In July, I am celebrating my 5th year blogiversary, and just notice I had 297 followers. I am gathering items for a gift away and there might be 2 if I get over 300 followers by July.

Have a beautiful week!

Hugs,
Vicky

Giveaway

Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a giveaway on her new 1795 threads collection. The colors are so vibrant and gorgeous.  Go over and enter for a chance. Please mention my name, and I will get extra entries. Please enter.
http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com

Stash and More Stash

My birthday gifts from 123 Stitch came in. Of course I love everything.

American Pride

by AuryTM

One of my gifts were a duplicate pattern. I replaced the pattern with My Big Toe Building Block Faith and I added the threads.  I love the colors too.

Next I got Nora Corbett Pixie Ivy.  She is gorgeous and I had to get the metallic threads and beads.

Last I got a crown needle minder. I love using needle minders.

This past Monday I went to my LNS and I got to shop in a real store. Thistle Needleworks is in Glastonbury, south of Hartford and about 40 minutes away from me.

First I got 2 pieces of 28 count opalescent lugana.  The sparkle couldn't be captured. I am not sure what to stitch on the green piece yet.

The other piece us Midas Gold and I love it. I am going put Ivy on this piece.  I put the pattern on the fabric and I could "see it" on the fabric. The piece is big enough that I might be able put another pixie on it.

I am kitting Snowmen A La Round and calls like 10 spools of Krenik threads. I only pick up 6 of them.

Threads ala glore!  I pick up a bunch overdyed threads mostly Weeks Dye Works.  The threads are going be used for Lizzie Kate Spring String, Waxing Moon Summer Sampler and Simply Spring.  This pile is only half of the colors, I had the others in my inventory.

Some small patterns, Mill Hill Star Crystal, LHN Hometown Village My Home, Sheep Virtues Courage and Saltbox Village ornament.  The beads are for the snowmen.

Of course I couldn't leave without getting a pattern from my favorite designers.  I got CCN April Showers, LHN School of Needlework and Nora Corbett  Letters from Nora Letter V.

In my group, Stitching Sisters I am hosting a Spring Exchange and I got one of my exchanges. InnkFreakk dyes her own threads and they are gorgeous. I can't wait to use them. She included beads, ribbon and piece of Annabella fabric.

Inside the needle book, included the needles (2 different sizes) and counting needles InkkFreakk made herself.

Close up of the outside of the needle book. She did a wonderful job on the exchange.  Thank you so much InkkFreakk.

I had started a new page on my blog and it will be about my weight loss journey.  I am hoping it will encourage me. You are invited to read about my journey.

Have a good week

Hugs,
Vicky

Birthday Gifts, 1st Communion and Exchanges

These lovely gifts are from Angela for the Hop Into Spring exchange on the Stitched with Love Exchange blog.  I love these exchanges. She send me Lizzie Kate Spring String Snippet with the fabric, 2 overdyed threads, beautiful white eyelet fabric, spring color trimming and fat quarters, and gladiolas bulbs. I passed the bulbs to my aunt because she will grow them. I don't even have room for a plant container to grow them myself.  I am not sure what to call the finished item.  I never seen a stitched item finished this way. The only way I could describe it, it's in a shape of a light gift box with sides about an inch wide, and the back is covered with fabric. It is very beautiful and is displaying on my bureau.  Thank you Angela for these beautiful gifts.

Egg Hunt by Barbara Ana

16 count aida, DMC threads

Since my partner didn't have a preference of Spring or Easter, I made two items, representing both Spring and Easter.  The picture above is Egg Hunt from Barbara Ana Designs, done on 16 ct pink aida.  I finish it off in a wall hanging but I think I put too much batting on.

 Lizzie Kate Easter Sampler 

28 count cream lugana

DMC threads

I added threads, fabric, Easter candy, a new pattern from VeeandCo. and a notepad for C.J. She said she liked everything.  I really don't have anything new or updates to show that is worth while.  However, I do have birthday gifts to show. Plus my nephew made his First Communion and he had a speaking part during the mass too.  I am so proud of him.  The following pictures are not in the order I want them in , so I just label them in their order.  

Anthony with his proud parents.




Anthony and his godparents.

Anthony is a chocoholic so his mom got him a chocolate pizza. It was a cool idea.  There was cake too.

Anthony

Anthony reading his cards out loud with a little help with his dad when it was needed.

Here is some birthday floss arriving after my day.

This exchange was the Theme exchange In Stitcherhood group. My partner send me a patriotic theme.  It ws awesome package. Thank you Tonya!

These gifts are from Shelley in the ILCS Birthday Club (ILCSBC). The gift is CCN Red, White and Bloom with the threads, fabric, highlightrs, and Victorian purple scissors. Thank you Shelley!

This gift is from Penny in Stitcherhood group.
Little House Believe kit. Thank you Penny!

These gifts are from Graceann in the ILCSBC.  She send me LHN Sheep Virtues Peace and Love, and huge piece linen in a cream color. It looks it may fit all 12 sheep, but I have to do the measurements still. Thank you Graceann!

 

Tonya from Stitcherhood send me Mirabilia April Blue Diamond Fairy. Thank you Tonya.

Mark from ILCSBC send me Lizzie Kate Our House kit plus the fabric. I can not wait to start this one. Thank you Mark!

Val from ILCSBC send me August Cat pattern plus the floss. Isn't this pattern so adorable!?  After I finish my Spring exchanges, I will be stitching this one too.  Thank you Val!

Cards and floss from the ILCSing group.

More cards and floss from the other ILCS group.

From Debbie Jo in ILCSBC, I got LHN Virtue Sheep Love with the floss and material. It would make a lovely ornament. Thank you Debbie Jo!

 From Shaunterria, she gave me Mirabilia Sweet Pea Prixie with the beads.  I just got the perfect fabric for her. Thank you Shaunterria!

 From Heidi I got 3 Mill Hill kits, Cool Cat, Willow Wings and Black Swallowtail. Plus she included a cord maket to make cords. I will be using it very shortly. Thank you Heidi!

My brother brought me The Bomb for my birthday. It is a 3 layer chocolate cake with chocolate pudding in the bottom layer and chocolate mousse on the top layer. The whole cake is covered with chocolate ganache. It was so good!

I went to my aunt's for a birthday dinner. She made chicken parmigna, mashed potatoes and green beans. My aunt made me a cake. It was a coconut cake with strawberry sauce between the layers and cover with cream cheese frosting.  It sounds good but the flavors didn't really go together very well.

This bookmark was stitched by Mab from ILCS group. She added some tea with the exchange . Thank you Mab!

The final gift is from Ann in Stitcherhood.  She send me LHN Autumn Sampler and Mill Hill Victorian Christmas House. Thank you Ann!

I also received $50 worth of gift certificates at 123 Stitch. I already placed my order and will show you what I bought next time. I should have a stitching update too.  Thank you everyone for the birthday gifts and wishes.   It sure made my day special due to my wonderful stitching friends.

Hugs, Vicky