2nd January start

Yesterday was not as productive as I would have liked in the stitching department, I did manage to get started on "Ichabod Seabury" by Primitive Needle, but ended up spending the afternoon at my cousins, putting things on craigslist.  I tell you what, that craigslist is something else.  I have never purchased anything off of it, but I have sold my fair share of items on it.  She had never sold anything on it, and from my experience, it can be only a matter of minutes before the phone calls start coming in.  For example, with her 8 items we listed, after lunch yesterday, within 5 minutes of posting a washer/dryer 2 combo unit, the phone rang and in a 1/2 hour, there was someone coming for it.  Paying cash and it was out of the garage.  She couldnt believe it.

We listed other items, table, bedroom set, etc etc, and already this morning at 10am someone came for the table.  Simply amazing.  Tonight we have an appointment for the bedroom set, which is fabulous, and should have no problem going, as of this post, 5 were interested in it.  First one with the cash wins!

I got back late and picked up Ichabod, around 9pm and started on it. I am using 40ct Swamp from Picture this Plus along with Belle Soie silk threads, changing only the Lasagna for Paprika.  The Lasagna color was way to bright for me.  Strange, I have never in my life used a linen color like this, and it is quite different.  Not hard, but WAY of of the box for me. 

Not to shabby.  If I stayed home, I would have gotten way more done.  I have been wanting to stitch this piece for a very long time.  Did you read, there are a few goodies lined up for us from Primitive Needle.  I love her things, they are always so fun :)

January Starts

Happy New Year everyone!  It is the 2nd of the month already, hard to believe right?  Funny, I could hear the wurring of all the needles all around the country with all the new starts happening.  On New Years Eve, after writing my last post of the year, and working on Bramble, I began to think about another option for January. 

What is the significance of the number 15?  15 starts in January, 15 WIP to be had and hope to be completed in the year 2011 right?  So I had mentioned that I would start 6 for sure, and mostly work on already WIPs that were in bottom of the barrel, but I went into the basement to give a last look for the new start January challenge.  I decided I didnt want to stop at 15.  I was going to go all the way with 31 starts/WIP's in January.  Why mess around?!!  LOL. 

I love a challenge, and what I decided to do, is pull out starts and WIPs (mostly starts) and put them into a plastic tote.  I will pull one out each day to work on, and work on that one all day.  I will take pics of the supplies, and progress pics periodically during the day and when the night is over take 1 final pic.  The following day, I will post the previous days project and progress.  Some are easy, some are HUGE and some are already going. 

And, what I still would like to do, is finish Bramble and the Rose this month.  I said I wanted to finish this piece last month, and you see the progress, but not the finish.  Keep plugging along.  I continued to work on Bramble yesterday as well as my new start for January 1st 2011.

January 1st, the first start of the year is Maria's Dechado by Samplers Remembered.

Using 45ct Vintage Luna from Lakeside Linen along with Soie de Paris, using the colors and linen called for, I started her at 12:05am, put about 20 stitches in and went to bed by 12:20.  Last night, after working on Bramble, I pulled out Maria again at 10pm and worked on her for 1/2 hr.  Not too much progress, but enough to know that she is going to be gorgeous.  I have not ever used this silk before, and I find it kind of slippery, but the sheen is amazing.  Very very nice. 

Since it is the 2nd of January already, I better get cracking on todays project!  It is great fun to see all the new starts going on this month, everyone's blog posts are going to be very very interesting for sure!!!!!  This is going to be so much fun!!!! 

Its the Last Day

of 2010.  Can you believe it?!  I am not alone when I ponder this thought.  So much has happened this year, so much to be thankful for and so many blessings.  Overall 2010 has been a great year.

Christmas was fabulous-- very eventful and we have 2 new little ones in the family!!!!  A boy and girl born on Christmas Eve.  We even got to see them on Christmas day in the hospital.  They are so little, so precious.  They had on tiny red and white crocheted hats on that someone made with love for Christmas.   My cousin and his wife were truly blessed with 2 bundles of joy this year.  They are a miracle for sure :)


We even found out there is another little one coming in the Spring, so many babies!!!

I told my boss that I was not going to be working any more this year :)  So stitching and stash diving was a big part of this week.  Not to much was completed in the stitching department in 2010, but I did finish some pieces, even framed one- Paradise Lost.  Stash was added to of course--that goes without saying, you know you see a pattern you gotta get it.   There are a few designers that 'retire' and discontinue patterns, so you better grab it right?  Then they 'come back' into being, selling their patterns again, and it makes you kind of crazy.  Buy or not to buy?  $8-$10 bucks is better then $40-$50 right?  I dont want to take any chances.  There are so many fabulous new designers, so many great  designs, so much time and effort goes into them for all of us to stitch and enjoy in our homes forever.  I look forward to those new patterns for sure.

I have worked slowly on Bramble and the Rose (one of my favorite designs from Ink Circles) over the last 2 weeks, and have made some progress. 40ct Lakeside Linen- Meadow Rue, ltd edition gloriana threads.  I am getting more and more excited about these piece, making more of a dent in it, it is moving nicely.  I would like to continue working on this piece into the new year, and my first finish of the year be the Bramble and the Rose.

I have been thinking and thinking about the challenges that have been flying through the internet blogs and conversations, 15 starts in the first 15 days of January.  I go back and forth, should I do this?  Not that there is ANY TROUBLE FINDING 15, more like which of all these would be the lucky 15!!!  So, as I write this, I am going to start 6 I think, I may change my mind in the next 24 hrs, but I also want to focus on the 8-10 WIP's that I have going.  Of course, there are no rules, right?! LOL.

I wont tell you until the next post, which 6 or so new starts I am going to do, and which of the WIPs I want to focus on.  I am excited about it however, my boss wants to rehire me next year sometime, which of course I will have to say ok, I will come back to work for you, but maybe in a month or so.  I wonder if I will get away with that :) 

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and those who follow my blog, it is so exciting to read your comments and also read your blogs.  I get so much inspiration from your blogs and conversations.  Thank you to all my friends-- mostly far and not so near, but closer then you think for sure :)  Technically, I carry all of you in my pocketbook on my phone, and of course in my heart.

Another exciting year ahead of us, so many projects to stitch and friends to be made.  Happy New Year everyone!!! 

Total Lunar Eclipse

Many of you I am sure have seen some of these amazing moon pics on the internet already-- Some, may have even seen it 'live'.  My husband and I decided that this was worth staying up for and immediately got our camera out to document this historic event.
Interesting enough, it was a slow start, and questions starting arising, is it the right night?  Is it tomorrow?  Did we miss it last night?  Sure enough over half way into the night, we started seeing the cover.  Outstanding I tell you, simply amazing.  I am glad we decided to stay up for it.  My husband (who dabbles in photography) took the pics, with a Canon 5D and zoom lens.   Here are 3 pictures out of the hundreds he took.

The last pic is shown from further away, and dont keep wiping your screen off for the 'dust' that might be on it....Those in fact are stars :)
(Edited to answer questions.)

Bramble & The Rose

Well, it has been forever since I have posted a thing, I have had my head so far up under my Christmas Tree this year, I almost forget I have a hobby :)  LOL.  Less than 2 weeks till Christmas and so much to be done.  Our winter break is almost here for us, and I look forward to much needed time off.

I keep reading all your wonderful blogs, and all the wonderful holiday baking, decorating, gift exchanges, and I wonder, am I just not in the mood this year?  Work has a bit of a damper on the Holiday Season this year, worrying about everyone else, (which, tis the season right?)  Not too much worrying aloud for me, so I guess Christmas shopping for others will take place next week?  That isnt really late, technically I have until the 24th, 7pm when the stores all close right?  The Post Office doesnt think so :(

I am looking forward to some fun filled next few weeks.  Relatives to see--(yes, you read correctly, relatives) I look forward to seeing these relatives :)  There is a new baby that was born 2 weeks ago, and twins arriving any day.  This is going to be a great next few weeks for sure.  I just found out that another cousin of mine is due in May, they keep trying for the beloved girl...... So far, my 3 cousins in that family have ALL BOYS!!!  Something I am sure, they are drinking from there own faucets :)  Maybe this Spring, we shall have some frilly, girlly outfits to buy.


I have gotten a tiny bit of stitching in, all of you talking about new starts on January 1st, I am thinking of 1 or 2 I could start I guess, but this last week I have been focused on finishing.  I have so many started, that it would be great to get these WIP's that I have had going for like 2 years out of the way, to make room for something just amazing.

For the last few nights, I have been stitching on Bramble and the Rose, by Ink Circles.  Such a great design, that I started at least last year, with the most gorgeous Gloriana Ltd Edition Silk thread on 40ct Lakeside Linen Meadow Rue.  Exquisite combination I must say, and I feel like I am finally making some serious progress.  I have been stuck on page 3 (starting on the top right) and I have almost finished page 6 and started page 9.  You see there are 3 pages across, by 3 pages down, for a total of 9 pages.  I have been in the habit of starting everything I start on the top right, for over a year now.  I love it.  I cant believe I havent started in the center for so long.  They still havent found me to tell me I am doing it incorrectly.  I dont think they will be able too!!!!!  LOL.

So, you wonder, will I ever get over these rambling?  You know, the lack of communication I have daily, these blog posts are simply amazing for all the ranting and raving you have, and you now that your DH is NOT interested in Cross stitch right?  (Well, I cant lie, my Husband is, but really how much can the poor man take?!!!!!) I do have pics of my project, I am not really far, but, it is fun after all to share these with all of you fabulous stitchers who read this blog at least every time there is a new post!!!

My goal is to get this done this month yet.  A big yet small goal for me.  Looking forward to the challenge.  Isnt it gorgeous?  The colors of course, right up my alley.  Cant wait to show you more!!!!!!

Stitching Weekend Finish

Thanks to all that have commented on our fabulous Thanksgiving turkey.  We had a great day and have wonderful memories to go along with it.  I did get a plethora of stitching done and completed Tylers Lion on Friday.  It turned out great, I love the color I chose, SNC Blackened Grass, a lovely combination with Vintage 40ct Lentil Lakeside.

I was excited to use one of my new thread winders for this project, amazing amount of thread used in this piece, because of the overdyed silk, finishing my "x's" and even with 1 strand over 2 on 40ct, almost the entire skein of SNC was used.
The sad part about this post, is I started it on Monday and couldnt get the pics to load onto blogger for some reason, and now here it is Friday, a week AFTER I finished it, and not to much else to show. 

I did start Little House Needleworks 'Mercantile' which is really far out in the field of what I usually like to stitch, but who cares right?  It is a cute piece, easy to do and the colors are very pretty.  I feel this year focusing on smaller patterns, at least I can get those completed and have a sense of accomplishment in my stitching, instead of plugging away 20 stitches a night on my larger pieces.  I do hope to get in some serious stitching time this winter.  Stay tuned for that.



Another week has flown by, within 2 seconds I think.  Nashville rumors are starting to fly, I think we are all in for very nice treats again this year :)  Cant wait!!!!!

Have a great weekend!