Where Do I Begin?

Since my last post on January 5th, I have been struggling with "beginnings". I was so looking forward to beginning a new sampler project after the first of the year. Here it is, the end of January and I'm still trying to decide what to begin. It's not because I don't have anything to stitch, in fact the situation is quite the opposite. I think I have too many choices! But what's a girl to to? I love to stitch and I love to collect patterns!!! Do I think that I will actually stitch every pattern I own. I sure do! Just kidding! In all reality, I know I'll never stitch it all but it's fun to collect and dream about it!

Today, I have been looking through my patterns, trying to decide what to work on; something new, something "in progress", something wintery, sometime springy, or something holiday related? Haven't decided yet but I really do enjoy handling my stash. I also started my Super Bowl Sale shopping list: fabric, threads, and possibly a few new patterns. I've decided to shop online since the closest shop is about an hour away and it is quite small with tons of stitchy things stuffed in it. By the time you get more than a handfull of crazed stitcher's in there, it could very well get ugly! LOL! I'll have to wait for my stuffs to arrive but I think I can find a few things in my stash to fill the time! 

Recent mail stash acquistions: Lizze Kate-"Time for God", With My Needle & Thread-"Hoppin' Along Sampler", and Ewe & Eye & Friends-"Petite Exemplary". Love the bunny! Wouldn't it be perfect for Easter? I may need to order fabby for it.....

When I have had a few minutes to stitch, I've put a few stitches into my Carriage House Sampling, "Alphabet Sampler". It's on 40ct linen and I'm making s-l-o-w progress. 

 

Darn! I cropped the picture before uploading it to my blog but it still pulled the pre-crop version. Don't know why. I need to figure that out, but it will have to wait for another day. Any advice would be welcomed!

I also began Blackbird Designs, "Truly Thine". (Sorry for the flash shiny spot.) No pic of my progress because it is very minimal. I'm stitching it on a tea colored linen from my stash because I didn't have and then couldn't find a comparable pinkish linen online. I plan to add a bit of soft brown (basket) and a couple of greens (leaves and vines) so it won't look so valentine-sy when I'm done.  

I started Paradise Lost with DMC. Not very happy with the colors used for the lions (where I started), so I'm contemplating investing in the silks.  Has anyone tried one of "Hand Dyed Fibers" conversions before? http://hand-dyedfibers.com/oscnuked/ I love her silks but not sure of the conversions. Thoughts?

Pulled out a few of my UFO's to see if they called to me. I'm waiting...nothing yet.

 Just Nan - "Lady Scarlet's Journey"

The Drawn Thread - "French Garden"

So as you can see, I've  been dabbling here and there, but haven't settled on any one thing yet. I really haven't had much time lately. Hoping that will change in the near future.

Part of my lack of stitching focus is due another type of "beginning" in my life. After being amongst the unemployed for over a year, I was offered and accepted a senior training position with a telecommunications company. Started January 11th and it has been a whirlwind. So much to learn! It is very different from the banking industry. Big adjustment for me, not just the job, but working again. (I really enjoyed my time off.)
So although I've been very busy over the last several weeks trying to adjust to working, I've tried to do a little blog hopping once or twice a week. I didn't have time to read much, but peeking at all the pictures has been like mental therapy for me. Thank you for being part of the blogoshere! You, and your blogs make a difference to me and helped to keep me grounded!!!

Thank you for stopping by!

New Year Wishes and Confessions

I know it's late but I'm sending wishes out to everyone for a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!

Now for my confession. I've put this off as long as I can so I'm just going to say it...er...type it.

I did not finish my ornaments from my last post of 2009 and I did not send out Christmas cards.

I hang my head in shame. I could have made the ornaments and addressed the cards in an afternoon if I had actually set my mind to it. Didn't happen. Hope to do better this year!

So instead of sharing my finished ornaments, I'll share a couple of things that I did finish for Christmas this year and a few past finishes.

I offered to help my sister decorate a wreath for her friend's mother. We went to JoAnn's and Michael's to gather supplies and this is what we came up with: The Golden Reindeer Wreath.

Jenn decided she couldn't part with the wreath so she gave the Rustic Poinsettia Wreath that I made her last year to her friend's mother. I was just glad that she made a decision!

Next up, a small cross-stitch design for the Quilting Queen, my neighbor, Pat. Check out her blog, Quilting Can Be Fun.

It was a fun stitch. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed stitching Graph-It Arts designs, simple, yet detailed enough to be fun. At one time, Lynn Waters Buza was my favorite designer. I'd still buy anything she designed. Love her use of color, shading, and detail. I think Pat really liked it!

From a Graph-It Arts leaftet

Designer: Lynn Waters Buza

Stitched on white evenweave with DMC thread

Glass beads used for pin heads

Pat made a beautiful log cabin quilt for my hubby and me in shades of lavender, one of my favorite colors, and a darling little appliqued quilt for our cats. Each of the four squares has a basket of four cats. Our cats love it and take turns napping on it. I'll take pictures and post later. Both quilts are so cool!!! Thank you, dear Pat!

Here are a few Christmasy finishes from past years...

Graph-It Arts

Designer: Lynn Waters Buza

Stitched on Moss lugana with DMC and Kreinik blending filiment

Love the little basket with the french knot berries!

Happy Christmas

Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Stitched on raw linen with DMC fibers

Accented with clay heart buttons

Snowmen Melt Your Heart

Designer: Homespun Elegance

Stitched on raw linen with overdyed threads

Accented with charms, buttons, and beads 

A couple of close-ups to see the detail...Top half:

Botton half:

That concludes my first post of the year. Thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes in my world.

Tree Ornaments are coming along!

Seasons Greetings!

I've stitched three ornaments for the tree this year, one is on the tree and two are waiting to be turned into ornaments (which, hopefully, will happen this weekend). I've added a few pictures below.

A Cookie For Santa

Hillside Samplings

1999 Just Cross Stitch Special Ornament Issue

I love chocolate chip cookies and just love this little design! And it doesn't even have calories! I stitched it on light mocha linen with a dk brown shade of Theadworx and used a piece of dk brown fabric for the back and satin cording from my stash for the edging and the bow. 

Night Before Christmas

Birds of a Feather

1998 Just Cross Stitch Special Ornament Issue

Birds of a Feather designs just crack me up. I stitched this one on a scrap of raw linen and used overdyed threads. I plan to use the fabric in the background for the backing. Edging is still a question mark.

  

Festive Redbird

Homespun Elegance

This one I stitched on a scrap of overdyed tan colored linen with overdyed threads. I switched the recommended shade of red to a brighter red to match the little cranberry beads that I substituted for the charted french knots. I'm not sure yet what fabric I'll use to back it but the fabric in the background of the pic is currently at the top of my list.

Once the ornaments are finished and hanging on the tree, I'll take a few pictures and post them here. I have a few more gift finishes to accomplish, shopping to finish, and wrapping to be done before the big day. I just can't believe that Christmas is only two weeks away! Egads, I'd better get busy!

Hope all your plans are falling into place and you are enjoying the season. Thanks for stopping by.

O Christmas Tree...How Lovely Are Your Branches

Our Christmas Tree is up. It's decorated. Let the festivities begin!

Actually, the tree has been up since the day after Thankgiving. The garland, beads and ornaments followed soon after, but I added the icicles this week. We think we liked the tree better without the icicles!

Around the lowest branches, I hang stockings for each of the cats that my husband and I have had since we've been married. Each of the nine stockings have a special name that we hold in our hearts. Here's a pic of the stockings for the four cats we have now.

"The kittie's stockings were hung on the lowest branches with care,

in hope that the kitties would leave them right there.

So far so good, the stockings are still on the tree.

Hope they're still there for St Nick to see."

Yea, I know, I'm clearly not a poet! But a girl can try to entertain herself, can't she? (I'm sorry that you had to be a witness.)

I've learned not to hang dangling types of ornaments (or icicles) at the bottom of the tree, because the cats think that anything hanging on the tree is fair game. The only way that I can keep the little stockings on the tree is by using twist ties to wire them on. I do have to adjust them every now and then but luckily the cats don't seem to bother the tree like they used to.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday festivities!

Couldn't Sleep...

So I got up to check on the cats...

Megan woke up to see what the heck I was doing up so late.

Found Zoe in the bathroom sink.

Zissou was snoozin' on the cat tree.

And Sophie was taking her daily abluctions.

All are safe and sound so back to bed I go, hopefully to sleep.