so far...

Oh I'm really liking what I'm stitching away on...

The next big project...

Here's a picture of a large piece of hand dyed--specially for this project, piece of 28 count linen that is 30 inches by 30 inches. Its nice and dark, just like I wanted. Paula from The Crossed Wing did it for me. She did the fabric for the other huge project I did, Flower Power. I love her dying technique. Sooooooo nice.

Sharon's gift

I surprised my friend Sharon with a little tiny needlebook. The design was on the cover of the book, Elizabethan Needlework. Love that book! I stitched it on 32 ct, over one. Had to, otherwise it would've been took large. The verse on the inside says "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today." And I chose that because the needles we use create our flowers for tomorrow. The writing came out so tiny, one practically needs a magnifier! lol

My Hollygirl

Another year has passed. This ones been a hard one. But I must say, I just love my daughter! Shes so fun. She's so adventurous (check out that light on her head! lol)She's so talented. She's so clever and creative, spirited, independent, kind, loving and unique. She's so awesome. I'm so proud of her and so grateful to have her in my life. Merry Christmas Me.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! I've been busy finishing little Christmas gifts (that I still cannot post pictures of!) lol I hope you are all enjoying the season, I am really getting in the spirit this year and am even considering MAKING food items for get togethers, rather than just purchasing a yummy dessert. haha

Christmas ornament

We had an ornament exchange in our local stitching group. I liked the one I made so much that I just had to make an extra one for myself! lol Can you believe it was made from one of those $1 or $2 kits from Joann Fabrics? I switched out the fabric of course and oh yeah, the trim and little snowflake ornament at the bottom I added.

Rosewood Manor

Here's a little something I did a couple years ago but never got around to framing it until just now. I had chosen not to stitch the outer parts of the design, so my frame had to be a less-than-easy-to find size. But I found one!!

25 Days of Christmas and 25 give-aways!

I've just come across the most amazing thing! How sweet and generous of this wonderful lady to give away so many things. She's going to make lots of people happy in the month of December.  Maybe one of them will be you!  (and me, too)

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: 25 Days of Christmas and 25 give-aways! Enter Now!!#c2804949280696293032

A Gift for ME!

I belong to B.A.S.G. (Bay Area Sampler Guild) and each year we draw names. The person whose name we draw, is who we make a stitched gift for. Last year I got Eilene Cross and made her that tote bag (that I'm happy to say she uses constantly!) and of all people THIS YEAR to get me, was HER! lol Eilene Cross, MS. (Master Stitcher) She made me this gorgeous needlebook. If you look closely, you can see all the queen stitches on the front. Its just so pretty and I LOVE it!!!!! THEN, if it wasn't already gorgeous enough...she crocheted the edging! Eilene actually teaches at Lacis, which I understand is a fabulous store (though I've yet to drive up there, but I like their website).

Here's a picture of the inside. THANK YOU, EILENE!

Christmas is around the corner

Yes, its true...Christmas is around the corner. I've been busy getting my gifts ready and my Christmas ornament ready for the exchange. I would just love to show them all to you, but WHAT IF someone who is going to receive one of my gifts looked at my blog and saw the something I made, then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore. And I love surprises... And speaking surprises!... You know my mother died in July :( Well, each Friday I got over to her house and visit with my stepdad and look through some of the many things she's left. One day I was cleaning out the corner area near her chair. She loved to collect tins. Oh my gosh have I already found so many tins... So anyway, I'm looking through the bookcase and I come across this tin.

Oh yummy. I love toffee. Unfortunately though, many of the tins I found were empty. So I figured this one was too. Until I picked it up...It was NOT EMPTY. Look what was inside. LOL!!!!!!!! I laughed and was so excited. WHAT A TREASURE BOX!!!!!

oh! My Graden Plot!

Such a busy girl I was stitching away this year... I've got The Garden Plot Thickens by Amy Mitten all framed up. I just love the suede mat. I always love suede mats. I don't care that they cost more. I love them! I picked out the frame and the frame shop FINALLY got it in. Do you know, I ordered it in MAY?! pfffft! I even had to call them like 5 or more times to check on it. All because they offer a 10% discount. LOL I'm only showing part of the picture. Just so you get the idea. And sorry about the glass glare, can't help it.

Herbularius blue beads

I've finished all the beads on Herbularius now. YAY!!!!!!!!!!! This picture shows how I used all blue beads, with no red ones this time. I'm liking it. Now I need to find a wonderful frame for it. $$$$ Cha Ching!!! Probably most of you are too young to know that cash register sound... but as I was growing up, my family owned a bakery. In fact, it was in the family from 1929 to 1978 and it was quite prosperous. At least until the grocery stores started making bread. Anyway, there was an old cash register in the store. The one they used before the new electronic one came along. The old one was really large and had buttons all across it. .01, .10, .1.00, 10.00 etc and you had to press the large button down and pull the lever on the right (think "slot machine"!) and it would make a CHA CHING! sound. lol

a little creature

I found this little kit in some of my mom's things. Its very small, I am thinking 3 inches square, probably. I stitched it in bed. Without my magnifier. Without very good lighting, either. It made me use different arm muscles. lol And strain in other ways. haha When I kept finding mistakes and things I had to take out, I decided to put some glasses on. OH THAT HELPED! Glasses were a good invention. So were magnifying lenses. And especially so are those clamp ones that I use all the time on my QSnaps! I didn't use it on this little thing and when I enlarge it, I can sure tell! Plus I didn't do railroading and there are many places that have blended threads. All in all, its a cute little thing. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it at this point. Have a fun Sunday!p.s. Annette, where in California are you? I wanted to send you an email, but my computer tells me I don't have my mail client set up properly. pfffft!

oh my....

Do you ever do something dumb? lol Oh I did a couple days ago! I was going to go outside--rather quickly, I might add--so I opened the door, tilted my head down, ever so slightly, and started out the door, only to find out my FOOT was in the way and the door banged rather HARDLY into my forehead!!! OH wow. Did it EVER hurt! lol I stood there a moment and thought to myself "you DIDN'T just DO THAT!" oh but I did. And did I ever.I reached up and felt a LARGE dent in my eyebrow. OH WOWWWWW! Immediately it bruised and NOW! You should just see how pretty it is!(I wonder if its because I take vitamins now and vitamins probably make everything better...) lol At first it was a smallish purple bruise under my eyebrow--like the size of a dime. And NOW! OH its MUCH larger than that.Its all where I would place eye shadow--perfect! And the color, its truly lovely. Think DMC 3834, a lovely plum, and a muted 3607, pink, pink, pink. Life is just full of adventures. I love it.

Monogram Book

Ohhhhh, a picture is worth a THOUSAND WORDS! You all must know that hands down, this is one of the best bargains of a book. Its a wonderful book. I just checked Amazon and the new book price is $5.95, which is what I probably paid for it at the shop. BUT, wait! It gets better!!!! There are others listed for as little as $1.01. Now I want to keep an eye out for alphabets that look pretty when done over one and small. Any ideas?

Finished

I finally finished the finishing! I filled it with a separate pouch inside and inside that pouch I a bit of lavender (that I snipped and hung to dry) and bunches of copper bee bees for weight.

There's a side view of it. I have a couple other weights. They work really well on my lap frame. Or when I am doing the beading and I want to weigh the larwe QSnap down on the table....holds it in place quite nicely.

And there is the back. Maybe you can tell that its a monogram of my initials, NT. I just love the book I got it from. It has every combination possible. Its a Dover book and the very, very BEST!

A new adventure

I think I may get temporarily diverted from stitching. /gasp! Only occasionally. I met an incredibly talented woman who is fun and enlightening to be around. She makes glass beads. I've always wanted to learn how to make them. And, well...seeing as how I often get what I ask for... I met this wonderful lady and she is going to teach me how! I put this necklace together (with some of my beads) for her to donate to the cancer fund raiser happening this weekend. I also made another necklace, a matching pair of earrings (all with dolphins on them) and a bracelet. Fun!

Blackbird Designs #30

My mother passed on in July and I have been busy going through her things. She has left me so many treasures! I love it. At least I am finding nice things to put a smile on my face. I think I shall never need to buy another piece of fabric, needles, SCISSORS!, QSnaps--ALL sizes, DMC, lap frame or chart for as long as I live! She has left me many things that are just over half-way stitched. This is one of them. I did not particularly want to put initials in the 2nd circle. So I asked my friend, Valerie what could I put instead. The moment she saw the chart, the words came in her mind "make us sing." I thought it was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!!

No more red...BLUE instead!

The red beads were pretty, but had to go. There just wasn't enough red in the outer border of the design to balance them. I took them out and have them almost all replaced now with the blue ones. I used three of them and just scattered them, choosing the shade as I went. I ordered more of the Delica 864's and now am just going to wait for them to arrive. Looks like there are plenty of the other colors.

well...

LOL I changed my mind. The Holly berries were a bit too much. Now that I have them all in, I don't like them. Not enough red elsewhere to balance them. So tonight I shall remove them and make them into BLUEBERRIES. lol

Another bead change

YAY! My bead order came!!!! I wanted to change the beads so they would all be the same color. I think to myself: HOLLY BERRIES! I stitched one side's on last night. I also changed the center with a different bead. That will be another picture, another day...

Herbularius

Here is the yellow garden. I think of this one as "very French."

Another Herbularius Garden

Here's another garden

One of the Herbularius gardens

I decided not to do the set of 3 Jessica stitches for the center of each (of 4) gardens. Instead I added a pretty crystal. I love crystals... I'm going to make a couple more changes and am now waiting for my bead order to arrive. Silly me had been waiting for a week before I realized I hadn't clicked that final button and that order never was going to arrive! lol

Herbularius

I've finished ALL the stitching on Herbularius!! I've been so busy, only concentrating on that that I've hardly had my computer on at all! (it can be so distracting and such a time sink) I'm just starting on adding the beads now. I'm noticing the red beads seem a bit dark, versus brightish. So I ordered a couple of different shades. I'm planning to make a couple little changes with them. We'll see how they look when they get here. In the meantime, heres a snap of the very center (minus the very center) haha

Awesome book!

I love this book. Everyday Mary Corbet sends out the most wonderful newsletters. Shes so interesting, knowledgeable, talented, and fun, too. I highly recommend signing up for her newsletter. It automatically shows up in your inbox. http://www.needlenthread.com Anyway, one day she reviewed this book (such a great review, its here if you'd like to see what she says about it: http://www.needlenthread.com/books-links Towards the bottom of the list.) After reading her review, I just knew I had to have it. I love the pages in it with the daisies that have each petal a different set of colors that blend so beautifully together. Each petal has their DMC thread color listed, so you know how to get the look. Several posts ago I stitched that rose to match that piece of fabric. Well, I knew I could do better! lol I found a different design, more like the fabric and went to work with my book, changing the colors.

I just love how it came out. I've got plans for this...going to make it into something really useful. I love it when my things have a purpose. Its nice to frame things, but to make them useful, well that is just the best! Soon I shall put my plan into place and stitch it up the rest of the way (will involve the sewing machine). I'm creating a pattern for this new something from one I already have. But I'm not saying what it is yet because I want to surprise you (and make sure I can do it) lol

Medieval Town, all finished

I finished all the beading on Medieval Town. The large picture doesn't show how pretty it is, so I'll attach a couple of close ups. I just love it.

Now I just need to pick out a fancy frame. I'm thinking a gold one...

lately...

So many things to go through at my mothers house. She left me lots of silk threads and beautiful fabrics and things unfinished. I've been sorting and arranging and making a mental plan. This past Christmas we surprised her with Chatelaine's Desert Mandala. She cried when she saw it. Never had we spent so much on a single gift. She was so happy. Sooooooo happy. She had been talking about that design for months. She stitched up all the center and part of the frame around the center. It was coming out lovely. Mom was so excited, couldn't wait to show me her weekly progress each Friday when I came over. Stitching stopped when she went into the hospital for heart troubles. One thing led to another and she was there for just over 3 months. She only made it home to pass into stitching heaven. That was last week. :( Before she left, I promised her I would finish Desert Mandala. That brought a smile from her, even while in that morphine induced state. Too many sad days lately. Darnnit!! Here is a finished picture of it that Jo did. Shes done many Chatelaines, as have I. I'll post my mom's and mine when I finish Herbularius and the rest of the beading on Medieval Town. THEN I shall start the Desert Mandala.

My Cabinet Shelves

I've rearranged my stitching cabinet and thought I would share it with you. I just can't resist those cute sheep, even though they are actually Christmassy. And that little black needlebook in the front is actually very old, it was in my grandmother's things. It even has rusty needles inside. lol I've been stitching a little each day. Working on a gift that I can't post. Its for my groups Christmas exchange. My mama died last week, so I've been quiet here. Contemplating how much I loved her and miss her. I'm so glad I framed her iris picture. It hangs in my bedroom.

Medieval Town...beading!!!!

I worked on putting beads on Medival Town yesterday! Its been years since I worked on this gorgeous design. Do you know I actually lost it for a year?! I looked everywhere. Finally I found it in the crook of the wall near my large antique cabinet, leaning up in the back where I never look. I literally started crying when I found it. lol Looks like I will need to order some of the pink beads, I'm going to be short like 30 beads. sigh. I remembered yesterday that I had kitted that up myself and didn't buy the bead kit because I had beads left from other Chatelaines. Just not enough, apparently. I also now am waiting for the crystal cubes to arrive. So close to being DONE DONE. YAY!!!!!

Blackbird Designs Rose Garden

I found this fabric in the shop that was so pretty that I just had to have it. But I didn't know what I would do with it, I just knew I loved it. Pink and roses. Can't go wrong! Then I came across this pretty little chart by Blackbird Designs and thought it "could" go together somehow. So I pulled out some threads and did my best to match colors. Variegated thread can look so pretty but its challenging to work with (to me) because I don't care for the "lined look" that one can get while stitching with it. I'm not sure yet what I will make out if these, but the fabric can be a lining. Its not a small design stitched up (probably 3x5...?) That was my mini-diversion piece from my monthly Herbularius, massively large design (which I am almost finished with!)

Alpine center close up

Here is the center only so you can see the flower color changes

Chatelaine Alpine

This is my version of Alpine Meadows. I chose a hand dyed cloud-like linen because clouds just seemed so perfect for this design. I made some changes in the flowers around the edges to better represent the season changes. I chose not to make the design square and will have a mat cut for this in a specialty shape. Such a pretty design. Lots of fun to stitch.

Creative Poppy

I purchased and downloaded this pretty heart design from Creative Poppy a couple days ago. It stitched up very quickly. I just love the vivid colors. Not sure yet what I'm going to do with it...maybe cover a little heart tin, maybe stuff it with lavender...not sure. (I think the design is called Cowbell Heart)

Silver Lining Iris

My mother stitched this iris for me because its pink and I love pink and her name is Iris and she loves them. She has all the Silver Lining iris's. I'm embarrassed to say I've had this in my "cupboard" for a few years now, but Mother has been in the hospital for the past 6+ weeks and I figured I just couldn't live with myself if she died and I didn't frame her picture, show it to her, and hang it up in my bedroom. I picked out the frame last week and ordered the mat and put it together last night. I just love how it turned out and can't wait to show it to her.

Darlene O'Stein

Celtic Robertson... What a fun design to do I've been thinking about investing and adding it to the que :)

Isn't she pretty?

Gather ye Rosebuds Such a pretty design. A gift from my friend, Theresa. She gave me the chart, thread, beads, and pretty pink fabric for her. I just love her! (Unfortunatley the color is a bit off, in person shes quite burgundy and lovely)

oops!

I forgot to put the name of that design--Thistles and Flowers by Irene Fuller. I'm still working on this month's part of Herbularius. There are FIFTY TWO of those points to stitch and I am just now starting on the last set of 13. YAY ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The origin of my "something pretty"

Patti asked which design it was that I posted a bit ago. Well, here is the original. It was in an ancient Cross Stitch and Country Crafts magazine (Mar/Apr 1992) I made a few changes, as I often do. I used a taupe-like color fabric, got rid of that dark red (that made the flowers look like hearts in the corners), outlined the borders with 3371, added gold (I just LOVE Rainbow Gallery Petite Braid) and made each of the stitches in the roses look like smyrnas, for a bit of extra texture and detail. So now you know :)

JBW Squirrel

I just love those tiny little JBW charts. I think I have a thing about them, wanting to collect them! I have the deer, a bunny, 2 chickens, the squirrel, probably a bird (because I just love birds!) and probably the cat (because we all KNOW how I feel about kitty cats...) The fun thing about those designs is there are pictures within each of the design. If you look closely, you can find an acorn, another squirrel, a basket, lots of things. I stitched this tiny little squirrel on 32 count over one and it was super fast. I think I did it in 2 days. lol The question now is what shall I do with it? How shall I "finish" it? What shall I make it into?

Herbularius

Part 11 already. WHERE did that year go? Only one more part and then... ALL THE BEADS Such a pretty design. But gosh, there are 52 points to stitch around the border. FIFTY TWO!!!!! I set it in my mind that there might as well be 50 million trillion. That way when I stitch it, I won't have in my mind that I can just "whip it out" really fast. Its like when I take a trip somewhere, if I think of it as a LONG... WAYS... AWAY, then before I knowit, I'm there! I did make a little change in the outer-ist border: instead of stitching regular 'ole cross stitches with that pretty varigated silk, I chose to stitcha Long Armed Cross (some refer to it as a Long Legged Cross). It resembles a Heringbone stitch and just looks so pretty, especially up close.

all of it

Since you wanted to see the finished part, here you go The plan is to stitch it together into a pouch and make it heavy, into a weight for my lap frame. (I use copper be bes for the weight) The back has a monogram of my initials (NT)