Excited

Did you all have a wonderful relaxing weekend?!  How was your Thanksgiving dinner?!!!  Anyone go to boxmart or Target on Thursday night for fun, and walk off some calories?!

Just in case you were wondering, we had a great weekend!!!  Went to my cousins on Thanksgiving for the best dinner ever-- she is such an amazing cook and we played with the girls for hours.  They are soo cute-- they both have the biggest eyes and longest eyelashes!!   We left there and went home and put on a movie and I stitched a bit.  Friday we visited again with my family.  They had just gotten home with a Christmas tree and were looking forward to decorating it and the front lawn with lights.  So cute, the baby who just turned 1, scooted over to the tree and would touch the branches ever so slightly, turn around and look at you with the biggest grin......then clap her hands  :)


The biggest news I have to share with all of you this great weekend, is that I have 2 finishes to share with you.  Yes, 2.  The first I finished yesterday afternoon is Quaker Study by Carriage House samplings.  Stitched on 40ct vintage examplar from Lakeside with SNC.  I have had a love hate love hate relationship with this piece for sometime now and am more then thrilled to get it done.  I had this problem a few years back with another piece that I had started, loved the piece but couldnt stand working on it.  Why is that?!  It is a great piece and I already have the frame picked out, but wow, what a bugger.

Check.  So the other great finish I have to share with you is Dona Dorothea Gazano Y Garcia otherwise known as Double D, is done!!!!!!!!  I finished her about 12:05am (this morning) and cant believe how beautiful she really is.  She is stitched on 45ct lakeside with a variety of silks.  She is smokin hot!!!!!!  LOL.

What a lot of work she has to her, the bottom left side square and middle square are solid satin stitch and there is some over one, but mostly full cross.  Alot of color changes.   I am super excited about this finish!!!!!!  She was a joy to stitch, and I looked forward to it everyday.   I am also ecstatic that I have 2 more under my belt for 2011!!!!  It has been rough going :)

So the biggest question is--- what is next?!

I am truly Thankful

For so many things this year.  I am thankful for my husband, my family, friends, our health, shelter, food, employement,  etc., etc., etc.  Waking up everyday and being able to do the things I love-- each and everyday.  (Some of course are easier than others LOL) I am thankful that God has provided me with so many wonderful things-- (not all physical things either) and we are truly blessed. 
Today, we are spending Thanksgiving with my cousin and his family.... 2 precious healthy little girls.  It will be nice to relax, play with them and visit with family today.  I am looking forward to some pumpkin pie and a nice glass of wine (of course!)
I am thankful for the opportunities that we have to be creative, in many many ways, and to be able to share these ideas and projects with all of you.  I have met alot of people again this year that share my love for cross stitch and I am thrilled to have some of them now as my friend.  Each and every day is another opportunity and we cant waste them. 
I am excited to show you progress pics of double dee, they are progress pics from last week and earlier this week.  I have not taken the pics from last nights progress, but I am getting closer for sure.  My husband and I watched 2 movies last night, 1 being Smokey & The Bandit--- I had never seen these before and of course have heard of them.  They are pretty funny.  I had a good couple of chuckles with Jackie Gleason's character of Sheriff Buford.

Isnt she coming along beautifully????  I am so excited with the bottow right hand corner, I have loved this since I saw my friends piece this summer.  It was worth the wait.  I have the center satin stitch almost done, so I will post another pic of that in a day or so.  I am not sure how much stitching will be taking place today, but I am hoping at least SOME!!!  I hope everyone has a wonderful day today.  Eat lots of turkey, drink wine and have a great time with your friends and family!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Hoopalooza

In my last post of Double Dee, I had a great comment asking me about the hoops I use for stitching.  As a matter of fact Michelle, your timing couldn't be better :)  I received an order today which included some new hoops. They are Hardwicke Manor Hoops from England.  A Friend of mine recommended these to me several years ago, and I have not looked back since.

  They come in several sizes, my favorite is the 6" for my every day stitching and they also have the 4" and the 5" for smaller pieces and they are great for traveling.  I bought a few more for my stash because I like a hoop with the WIPS I am working on, and it seems that lately I grab my super cute project bag, and I am hoop-less. 

Also, the quality of these hoops is like no other, and I want to make sure that I have several on hand, you never know :) 

I also received a few other goodies, but most exciting is the newest color in the Society of Soie Surfine silk/linen club.  Of course, the color in the picture is not near the beauty that it really is, so pale, slightly mint, but a hint of sage?!  I am the worst in comparisons, but you can get an idea.  Not in the club?  Check out www.societyofsoiesurfine.blogspot.com and read all about it!!  Simply gorgeous!!!

PS:  Thanks to the best shipping manager there is......no squishing :)

Moving along

It has been 4 days since I have been able to stitch and I am going crazy!!!!  Busy busy, but I hope to get some stitch time in tonight.  I wanted show you the progress from last week, I thought I would have more done by now..........I am sooooo close to finishing this row :)

I look forward to starting the satin stitch on the next row... arent the colors just fabulous?!  I cant wait to get this one finished.  I think it is going to make a lovely companion to Maria's Dechado!!!

So many color changes, needles are once again stuck into the side of the couch LOL.  But it makes it so much easier.


Stay tuned for the next update!