I’ve been working on a little Doctor Who piece for the boy. I got it from wee little stitches on Etsy.
I had fun filtering it through Instagram, and I’m sort of having fun posting from my phone. The screen is tiny (like the wee little stitches)!
I’m just doing three doctors, though you can get all eleven. It’s so cute and pixel-y.
Happy stitching! 🙂
So WordPress changed the page for writing posts. The old page was intuitive and helpful. This page, the opposite. I only see things that appear to help those that know HTML, in spite of clicking the Visual tab. I am not one of those HTML-type people. I’m pretty pissed and discouraged. WordPress doesn’t want casual bloggers? Tell me. <insert irrational, frustrated name-calling here> It doesn’t help that I discovered this on a day when other programs are successful in their attempts to make me crazy. Oh, whaddyaknow? I saved the draft, and everything changed back to “my” normal. So that’s a good thing.
Anyway, Full of Hope is finally finished.
I used the ribbon from the kit and attached it in a simple serpentine fashion. I bought additional pink pearly pins to attach the ribbon with the serpentine pattern. I love it.
Here she is, ready to be mailed to my cousin. She was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas. I stitched this in my mother’s honor, I finished it in hers. With the pinkeep, I sent all my hope for a smooth recovery. I noticed in the picture that one of the pins is sneaking out. I hope she slips that baby back in.
I hope this finds you healthy and that you enjoyed your Valentine’s Day.
Happy Stitching! 🙂
The men in my life known as the husband and the boy are both named Jack. This meant stitching Waxing Moons Designs’ Jacks are Wild was inevitable. I began this project with big, speedy plans. I would finish stitching before Halloween. Stop laughing! OK, laugh. I know you share my delusions. I’ll enjoy laughing at you when it’s your turn.
I had fun with this project. I used DMC Glow-in-the-Dark for the lightning bolts, DMC Rayon (I think they call it Satin now) for the sunglasses and DMC Memory Thread for the spirals. I figured if the Jacks were wild, the stitching should be, too. 😀
Vitals:
Jacks are Wild by Waxing Moon Designs
Stitched 2 over 2 on 32-ct Silkweaver Superstition Reflections
Stitched with the following substitutions: instead of GAST Black Crow, I used Raven, and DMC Satin for the sunglasses; instead of GASS Butternut Squash, I used DMC memory thread for the spirals; and instead of GASS Picket Fence, I used DMC glow-in-the-dark.
I took of this picture of the project in the dark to test the glow-in-the-dark threads. They glow, with varying results. I don’t know if you can tell, but if you look at the center Jack’s teeth, some stitches are brighter than others. The brighter stitches are glowing. I used a photo editor to brighten the photo, so it doesn’t appear to have been shot in the dark, but it was. The lightning bolt on the bottom right doesn’t stand out in regular light, because that part of the fabric is white, too. It is detectable in the dark, though, just like in this photo.
Silly fun.
My birthday was yesterday. In addition to stitchy goodness, I also received a lovely drawing from the husband. I don’t know which is more moving: the sentiment or the drawing.
Happy Stitching! 🙂
I stitched a few things for my step-daughter, who recently graduated from nursing school.
First up is the ornament I shared earlier, Christmas Mosaic by M Designs.
I also stitched Merry Christmas Stocking by Blackbird Designs.
Last is a sachet. It’s a freebie from the blog, Broderies Passion Martine 290. It was published 20 November, 2011. It was charted to say, “best wishes,” but I changed it a bit to suit my needs. It’s stuffed with walnut shells and lavender. This diploma is a scrapbooking brad.
It’s been a long time since the boy has asked me to share a picture on my blog. How could I possibly resist?
Meet Isaac Clarke:
From the Dead Space Wiki: Isaac Clarke is a systems engineer working for the Concordance Extraction Corporation and the main protagonist in the {Dead Space} games . Oh, how the boy wants this game!
He whipped this off so quickly, I can’t tell you. It’s a God-given talent that he doesn’t get from his mother, at lease not directly.
Come and gone. Sigh.
Welcome to my tidy blog. My sister recently visited my blog and told me it’s quite tidy. So, thanks for that, Sissy M! Um, I think. Hope. Accept. I yam who I yam.
I had a wonderful Christmas, and hope you did, as well. It was a small, quiet affair, just me, the husband and the boy. December was filled with Christmas stitching and fun.
Stitched by me, for me
One piece I stitched for myself was Atalie’s Decembre 2007 biscornu. I finished it fairly early in December, but I was waiting for the ornament from Wendy and didn’t get around to posting a picture. I like the teeny beads in the same color as the tree’s ornaments on the seam. I originally planned to cover some wooden beads with the red beads and attach them to the top “corners.” I didn’t bc I decided the shape wasn’t quite right. My first attempt was a bit of a disaster. If I’d thought they would work, I would have kept trying until I was satisfied. I admit I’m sort of glad I didn’t like it, haha.
Vitals:
Decembre 2007 biscornu, designed by Martine Viard Ligier of Atalie.
Stitched on 32-ct Little Boy Blue linen w provided silk fibers.
I also stitched myself an ornament from the 1998 JCS Ornament issue. The plan was to finish before the Night Before Christmas, but I came down with a HumBug. It wasn’t the kind where you don’t have Christmas spirit, but the one where you are sick. I was so fatigued. At one point I sat down to stitch the girl’s hair, and only got in two stitches before I stopped. I snapped to several minutes later. I’d been staring into space, about to doze off. It was after Christmas before I managed to finish. I’m not sure if I’ll finish it as an ornament or a flat fold. We’ll see what inspiration I get.
This was a lot of fun to stitch. The dark blue night wasn’t even tedious. No, really! It took forever, but I didn’t mind. I’ve admired this for so long. I feel so lucky to have it! I’m so goofy. 😉
Vitals:
Night Before Christmas by Birds of a Feather as appeared in JCS Ornament issue, 1998.
Stitched on 32-ct Shell linen instead of Raw linen and with recommended fibers except the following substitutions: GAST Soot instead of WDW Charcoal, GAST Mistletoe instead of WDW Emerald, WDW Peach Fuzz for WDW Mexicali,DMC 4240 for WDW Navy, CC Lettuce Leaf for WDW Aqua, and WDW White Lightning in Santa’s beard and WDW Icicle for GAST Oatmeal.
Here’s a snippet of my lovely stitchy Christmas:
In addition to the pieces I stitched for myself, you can see my stitchy gifts and the card Wendy made me for our exchange. The pink fabric is the nearly impossible to find 24-ct congress cloth in rose. Had I known “rose” meant pink, I don’t think I would have been so nervous about getting the “just right” fabric (canvas). The husband was told that congress cloth isn’t made anymore, as it’s too fine for needlepoint. He managed to find a supply about 40 miles from home at Homestead Needlearts. Apparently, Theresa is rolling in congress cloth. She had to check to make sure she had a big enough piece of rose, but she was enthusiastic when she said she has congress cloth. Hooray! and Huzzah! for the husband. Now I can begin Bargello Symphony. I’m excited and a bit nervous. You can see I also got two Shepherd’s Bush kits–the new Merry Be pincushion and the Take Joy kit, along with the box that Take Joy is designed to go in. The box is hinged. The way it’s painted, I thought it was metal. It’s not. 😀 I also got a gift certificate from The Rocking Horse, my favorite LNS. That’s it on top of the congress cloth–they slip the certificate into a giant die-cut flos bobbin wound with different colors of yarn. How fun!
The other stitched piece you see is a gift from my dear friend, Jay. She stitched this for her mother many years ago. It’s Christiana Campbell’s in Williamsburg, VA. Jay told me her mother loved the tavern, especially the oyster stew and huge checkerboard napkins. I’ve only been to Williamsburg once, and never visited the tavern. If I make it to Williamsburg again, I’ll make a point of visiting Christiana Campbell’s. Jay has been slowly parting with her late mother’s things, and thought I would appreciate the gift. She was right. Thank you, Jay.
In the interest of full-disclosure, and too keep a reminder for myself, I share a picture of my bead-covered bead misstep.
I need to get my goals for next year organized. If I should refrain from posting until after the New Year, please have yourself a safe and festive New Year. I hope to see you next year. Happy stitching. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans. 🙂 Brightest blessings to my non-American friends. I’m grateful for all of your visits and cameraderie.
Our family celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday. My dear step-daughter Katie came to visit from Pittsburgh, where she is a nursing student at Duquesne University. She has to work today, so we celebrated on her schedule. Thank you to the boy’s school, who wisely gives students the Wednesday before Thanksgiving the day off. It was a wonderful day.
Last year I stitched Elizabeth’s Designs Give Thanks twice, as I’d inadvertently purchased the semi-kit twice. *embarrassing* No, wait, it was planned, so that I would have one and could give one to the step-daughter as well. Yeah, that’s it. Given my amazing skill at stitching without finishing projects, the stitched pieces waited patiently in a drawer for my attention. While the SD visited, I finished her piece into a pinkeep. My piece is still patiently waiting. She had to delay her departure for an hour while I completed my finishing, but she was pleased with the pinkeep, and I hope, it was worth the wait.
She had forgotten I’d stitched one for her, too. How could that happen? It’s only been a year since I stitched them, and it’s not like she’s crazy busy with school and work. I can’t imagine how waiting and wondering for her prize isn’t in the forefront of her thoughts daily, but there you go. I asked her opinion about the backing fabric and ribbon trim. She gave her opinion freely, but was wondering why I cared so much what she thought. So: even though I told her I’d never attached ribbon trim this way before, and that I’d never used eyelets when finishing before, she didn’t know why I was announcing this to her or apologizing for being slow.
I’m happy with it, and she’s very happy with it. That’s the most important part. Here’s a photo with bits of the side and back added for fun:
A note of warning here: the ribbon on back is placed too low. When it’s hung on the wall as is (which is what she wants to do with it), it tips forward. I had to stitch the ribbon to the back close to the top. Next time I use the ribbon and eyelet for hanging, I’ll be sure to place the eyelets much higher and closer together.
Happy Stitching! 🙂
Part 7:
The husband’s computer is in the shop. He keeps asking can he check his email and then playing Spider for hours on end. I can’t wait to pick it up. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you’re only a day away!! 😉
Shortly after I finished this ship in a bottle, I “lost” Shores of Hawk Run Hollow–to the husband. It’s my own fault. I showed him the completed Block 9 and asked him what it reminded him of.
He said, “Indiana?” I think it may have been because of the building’s color. One home we considered buying when we lived in Indiana was a converted barn. It was cool. Then again, it could have been the Mail Pouch barns that are still scattered around the countryside. We lived in the (very small) town where this one is located:
Yeah, I guess I can see it. I was going for Nova Scotia–
I shoulda kept my mouth shut. He didn’t pay much attention to Shores before that. I started stitching the ship in a bottle, and he was transfixed. He told me he loved the boat. Well, yeah, I could have guessed you would. “Is this our Nova Scotia cross-stitch,” he wanted to know. No, I sorta made this our Nova Scotia cross-stitch:
I guess we can have two.
Part 8:
Very near to my completing Block 10, he asked me who I was stitching this for. “Me, I told him, just me.” I even know where I want to hang it. Then I get the puppy dog eyes. “Why? Do you want it?” I got an eager nod, complete with a sheepish grin. *sigh* OK, I guess you can have it. So now it’s not mine anymore. I know he’s going to hang it in the basement. It’s where most of our Nova Scotia and ship collection is.
Block 10 completed. I knew he’d like the ship in a bottle because he owns one. It was a going away present from the staff when we left Nova Scotia. I got to meet the artist. He was a dear, elderly man who was unable to continue making the ships due to failing eyesight. It was a treat to meet him. That day is a fond memory.
I believe the husband’s cat approves. You can never be too sure with her.
Happy Stitching!
My sister is an amazing quilter. She’s a genius. She recently completed this quilt, which she designed from a photo of my mother at 15yo.
Amazing, yes?
On November 21, we brought home a new family member: Hero. He’s a rescue kitten, so named because he survived a precarious situation. He was one of four littermates, all of whom were supposed to be rescued. By the time he was rescued, his siblings had been given away to families in similar circumstances as their mother. Hero had almost no coat, he had fleas and worms. He was quarantined in a bathroom for six weeks, enduring multiple treatments for worms. Poor dear. He is very sweet. He does like to fight, a little too roughly, but we’re working on that. When the boy is in school, I don’t get any two-handed computer time, as he begs to sit in my lap. He cleans me, he purrs, and watches the computer screen with rapt attention. He’s already spoiled–condo taller than me, water fountain, toys galore. I wonder if he’s forgotten his original circumstances yet?
He yells at me! When he loses a toy, he lets me know, asks for help. He’s a dear.
I have been stitching, I swear. I hope I manage to share with everyone soon.
I haven’t had much stitching mojo. I’ve mentioned it before, but now something else is aggravating the blahs. I got a new toy, and it’s sort of an obsession. I have missed stitching despite not getting anything done. I recently went to my LNS to browse and get inspiration. It worked a little bit. I started stitching, but I keep going back to my apps. I have been stashing a lot more than I should lately. Here’s a picture of a little bit of what I’ve accumulated. I have embarrassed myself by the total of what I’ve acquired. I shall remain on the Nile by refusing to show you everything. Besides, I can’t show you everything, b/c it hasn’t all arrived yet. Yeah, that’s it.
I’ll stitch all of these tomorrow, because I’m that amazing. Um. Yeah.
I have managed to make a bit of progress on Shores of Hawk Run Hollow:
That pink lovely in the corner is my Dell Mini. Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink! it makes me squeal (silently, fortunately for the masses). This block is a design that seems intimidating and overwhelming, and is simultaneously fun to work on. The intimidating part makes it easy to forgo for iPhone fun, alas.
I started a new project on Tuesday, because having too much to do never prevented any stitcher worth their salt from starting something new. I was itching to stitch something autumnal. This is what I chose from my existing stash, not my new stash:
Pumpkin Harvest kit, a store exclusive from my LNS, The Rocking Horse. They have quite a few adorable designs. Go check them out. It’s OK. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait.
I don’t have a progress picture. I haven’t made much progress as yet.
Before we went to San Diego for the summer, the boy made an Etsy purchase of an amigurumi werewolf doll from a seller in the Phillippines. It never got forwarded to us, but returned to her instead. She sent it back, and it arrived yesterday. His name is Huey, the boy adores him, and already the wolfeh has stolen something from me!
Huey is so cute!
When I told the boy that Huey may sit in my chair, but the wolfeh does not have license to move it, he reminded me that I “need” to make him a chair yet. Nag, nag, nag. Yeah, that’s going to happen next week. Not.
Time to get back to stitching. Or bed, considering the time. Maybe I’ll watch Project Runway again.
Want to know how I know? It was written on the card that came with these yesterday:
He saved to send them to me, and picked a date at random, b/c he wanted it to be “just because.” He gave up a new video game to send these to me.
How old is this darling? Twelve.
I am still verklempt. 🙂
I discovered facebook just before Christmas, and new ways to waste time. Unfortunately, my blog suffered. I’ve missed it.
I’m going to start with the good stuff: a Christmas surprise! A while back, I posted about my love at first sight for a pair of scissors by Kelmscott designs. It went on my wish list straight away, and there it stayed. Until–My father read my blog and ordered them for me! Talk about the magic of Christmas! I didn’t even think to mention these scissors to anyone. Happy, happy, joy, joy! 🙂
It wasn’t the only stitchy gift I received, but it won this year’s prize for most bestest surprise. Such a treat. You think you’re too old for this stuff, and then you find out you’re wrong.
I started a new project on New Year’s Day: Patty Parsley by Carriage House Samplings. I started stitching it over one on 28-ct. black fabric. An insane choice. Stitching on black is hard enough, I have to try to do it over one? I think I’m going back to my original choice: over two on 40-ct. Another mistake was using floss that was too long. It stretched out and looks ugly, which, thankfully, you can’t discern in this photo. Here’s what I managed to stitch on New Year’s Day:
In my Meme for the New Year post, I mentioned that I’ve started Missing You by Prairie Moon. I lamented my fabric choice. Sharon mentioned in her comment to the post that she’s interested in seeing my color choices. Sorry to keep you waiting so long, Sharon. I have no excuse. I haven’t managed to take a good picture, unfortunately. I’m stitching it on Lavender Bliss, and I think it’s too stark, especially with the mustard-colored floss (whose proper name escapes me at the moment) in the center of the sun and cross. I wish I had a better picture. It does look better in natural light than under my daylight lamp, but I’m not loving it. I think I’d be better off with a more standard neutral color.
This picture isn’t very sharp or well-lighted. It looks better in the photo than IRL.
Last year I began working on the Carriage House Alphabet Blocks. I plan to stitch each as a pillow ornament. Yes, I’m stitching front and back. Yes, I’m mad, mad I tell you! This is what I accomplished last year, sometime in July. I don’t believe I posted this picture on the blog.
For the rest of this month, I’ve been working on D, E and F. I started getting sick of it. Every time I’d start stitching, I’d think, “Yes, but what I really want to stitch is PINK!” So I found something pink and finished it last weekend. I’m not sure I’m over my need for pink. I’ve been making very slow progress on the alphabet blocks. Creeping along, stitch by stitch.
New Love by Blackbird Designs:
Stitched one over one on 32-ct. Bo Peep Linen using WDW Romance floss.
Next time (maybe even tomorrow!) I’ll share the wonderfulness that is my son, and how it shone today.
My mother always made Norman Rockwell Christmases. Mad Skilz, I’m telling you.
For my tree, I’ve had a few toppers over the years. Mostly stars, as I recall, because I love stars. I never had anything that I felt attached to, that simply must top my tree until a few years ago. My mother had two angel dolls in her china cabinet that I admired. Once, she told me if I was good, she’d make me one. She forgot about the promise (or I wasn’t good? *gasp*). When I asked her about it again, she told me she would definitely make me one. She didn’t.
She sent me her angels. She was decluttering her home on a massive scale, and I don’t think she was well enough to bother making a new angel. My forever tree topper is now one of these angels. I look forward to stuffing a tree branch up her dress every year. I’m reminded of the best of my mother when I see that angel.
This year, the boy had one item on his Wish List. Well, three, but they’re all related to the main item: a Sony PSP. I wrapped a couple of presents for him to shake. One is tube-shaped. It’s driving him bonkers. He can’t imagine what it might be. I told him I got him a PSP, took it out of the box, and put it in the tube. He doesn’t believe me, but I know he wants it to be true. In our home, we open one present on Christmas Eve. I know what he’ll be opening tonight!
Last night, I told him my best Christmas Eve present story. I was an adult, visiting my mother. There was a small, oddly shaped present under the tree for me. I was sooo curious. Was it the small size? The odd shape? I don’t know. I could not imagine what it might be. When it was time to open our presents, that was the one I chose. It was a pair of embroidery scissors! It was the bestest ever! I never, ever came close to guessing.
Tonight, we’ll learn if the tube has a PSP, embroidery scissors, or something else. It’s going to be so fun. And my mother will be there.
I wish all of you a Merry Christmas.
I put my initials in a heart. Isn’t that sweet? Corny? Sentimental? Lovey-dovey? Yes, I am all of those. The fabric is 32-ct. Silkweaver Cameo, a color I liked more than I expected. I mean, it’s off white. What’s special about that? I don’t know, but I really enjoyed it. OK, time to get down to normal, everyday Christmas preparations.
I participated in an ornament exchange, and Milly picked my name. I squealed with delight when I finally got to open my ornament. I love Santa, and I love Carriage House Samplings, and I love Milly’s beautiful stitching. How lucky am I??
I stitched an ornament for Nancy. One thing she said was that she likes Brightneedle designs. So do I!, so this was an easy pick for me to stitch.
I’ve been busy working on a gift for the husband, which he requested. I haven’t been doing anything else. “Don’t worry about it,” the husband says. “I don’t care when I receive it,” he says. Is he crazy? How long has he known me? Don’t worry about it. Yeah, right. I should have stitched him this, I think it would have been quicker, but I know he’d rather have what I decided upon. As a hint, I will tell you it’s from this series, which I know the husband loves. While searching for a page with the series, my status as a slow stitcher was confirmed. This stitcher stitched six from the series and each of them took less than two weeks to stitch. I’ve been working on mine faithfully for three weeks. Well, four, but I lost a week of stitching time when I visited my guy, so I’m only counting three weeks. I’m hoping to finish the piece this weekend, so I can take it in to get it framed on Monday, and hopefully, it will be ready before he goes back to California. That’s my hope, my plan. If not, well, I did my best. Did I tell you he asked me to do this for him on Nov. 11? I had nothing to go on. I was in a panic. I had planned to stitch him Missing You at a leisurely pace, not as a Christmas gift. I couldn’t give that to him for Christmas, though. It’s not really his style, and if he wants me to stitch him something, it’s got to be something he would like. He asked me to stitch him something with a University of Washington logo (his alma mater). I laughed. How am I going to get a pattern like that in a timely fashion? I could go on and on about the stress and anxiety that has visited me in the last month, but I’ve got stitching to do! 😉
Lookie what I got! The boy made these for me. The step-daughter sent me a beautiful bouquet of carnations in a cupcake vase (TOO cute!), but I was too lazy absent-minded to take a picture.
Wolf on Mario Pumpkin shelf
Today is my birthday! The boy and I took a very early flight to San Diego today. It was a day of firsts for traveling today. We had a theme-park experience at the Detroit airport. I usually fly Northwest, but today we took Delta. The walk to the Delta concourse was very entertaining. Coming down the escalator, we saw a huge blue circle on the floor. Then we could hear electronic music. It was evocative of space and underwater exploration. The walls resembled water, but there were bright colors that changed in time with the music. It was like getting out of the heat in a long theme park ride line and entering the building to begin the attraction experience. Who knew an airport could be so exciting? We took a very small plane to Cincinatti, where we walked down stairs to get off the plane instead of using a jetway. Very retro. The boy was impressed. For the flight to San Diego, we were assigned the last row, which turned out to be a bonus. The flight wasn’t completely full, and the boy and I each had three seats to ourselves. BONUS! We squandered the room by napping. “Mom, it was a day of firsts!” Indeed. Everything that could have gone wrong, didn’t go wrong. Happy Birthday to me. :o) I suppose the worst part is that the husband had to go to work, but meh. We’re together.
This is my birthday card from the boy. I was going to upload a photo of my gift, but I can’t find the husband’s USB cord. *sigh* I purposely didn’t bring any of my extra USB cords, b/c my sweetheart had one at his apartment. grr. Maybe he’ll find it, and I can upload pics tomorrow. Or I’ll get him his own USB cord.
This is my birthday present to me, bought on clearance from ABC Stitch Therapy. I’ve admired her for a long time, but she was too rich for my blood. Now she’s mine. I have plans for her, which knowing my track record, should only take a few years to finish.
Now, everyone celebrate!
This is the boy’s first foray into coloring with Photoshop. To see the original, click the picture. It will take you to a blog about his comics, with this colored version and the original drawing.
Thanks for stopping by and getting excited about Christmas with Tiki and me!
The husband and I are temporarily a long-distance couple. The boy and I went to visit him last weekend, and I left something at his apartment. It was my…my…my CAMERA! *sob* I’m not really a shutterbug, not a photographer by any stretch (perhaps you noticed? how kind of you not to say anything). That doesn’t mean I don’t miss the camera. I have no stitching to share today, but…but…I WILL! We won’t see the husband until Thanksgiving weekend. *whine*
He said he’d mail it on Monday, but of course he didn’t. I knew he wouldn’t, and yesterday I begged him to mail it today. He just called to tell me he tried, but the private mail center he went to didn’t open until 9am, and he was there earlier than that. Maybe tomorrow. He’s a gem. I mean, really. He could tell me to wait three weeks, what’s the big deal, and all that, but he will go out of his way for me.
And now, it’s picture time! I’ll share a picture of an old cross-stitch finish, a cherished picture of the boy as an infant, since we know I have nothing new.
Raised by Poodles 