Teresa Baird's Sampler for our guild

I've been silent.
I've been stitching!
But this is not my progress picture, this is the goal.

Our sampler guild is working on this design, specially created just for us.

The top will say "San Francisco Bay Area Sampler Guild" (not the poem).

Teresa designed it using things that are native to our area..the flowers, the trees, the fruit, the deer, the quail (California's state bird) as well as the yellow state flower, the California poppy.

I decided to change the dark blue flowers out for a periwinkle like shade, with yellow centers--Forget-Me-Knots, since they grow in my "garden."
I'm also going to change out some of those center borders and make them more ME like.

One of these days I will take a progress picture of it for you to see. I just don't like showing you pictures that are full of wrinkles. And then I'm not overly fond of getting out the ironing board and ironing... hence, the lack of a current picture!

Bat...

Thank you for your comments! (I'm like a little kid, I get all excited when I see I have a comment!!!!!!!)

I forgot to tell you, in the tips of the bat wings are the tiny silver magnets, So his little wings stay closed "on their own"

I wasn't the clever one to come up with that idea. Its a good one, though!

Blackberry Lane Bat Needlebook

I forgot to show you the finished little bat!

I added a felt to the inside and padded it, like a real tummy! (sorta)

The only thing I did different was I scattered filament here and there so it would be "glisteny" and I added those beads, rather than beading all along the edge of the fabric (too busy for my taste)
My mom kitted him and had started stitching him. I just had to finish him, considering how cute he was going to come out.

Mother's Day

I just love where we live.
You would never know we live on the coast and less than 10 miles away are lovely mountains. Ones that my adventurous daughter loves to climb.

I thought she ONLY used a rope when she climbed. But nooooooo. I found this by way of a link someone had posted on her facebook page...a link to the newspaper article with her picture here. lol   Great...

We decided to go on a picnic for Mother's Day.
Just the 2 of us.
The place we often go, Lock Lomond (see below)

was closed, due to the shortage of water in our area. I love to go there and rent a rowboat and row around. And have a picnic. Such a calm, peaceful place. I love the mountains, as you might have guessed.

Instead, we took a drive up the way to a place called Big Basin.
The redwood trees there are amazing.

Being as its a state park, there were lots of people around. But the place is huge.
Holly put her 2 backpacks on the back of the car to rearrange them so I didn't have to carry one. lol  I've never owned a backpack and only just bought a pair of hiking shoes so I could go "for a walk" with her.  So there she is, stuff all spread out. I want to help, so I say, "Shall I put this sweater in the car?" She looks at me all hesitant and says, "Well, I was going to bring it."

I wrinkle my brow. Its plenty hot out. I reply, "you won't need it." So she says ok and I toss it in the back seat.

Then we start walking and she tells me, "Oh no, I don't have my compass with me, but I have a first aid kit and I have things in case you get a blister."

Ok. Wait.  Whaaaa?

"Holly. We aren't going to get lost because we aren't going that far"   LOL

So we're walking along and I realize how stupid I must look, carrying my purse.
Now, Oprah says "The bigger the purse, the smaller your butt looks." So, its not a small purse. I'm so not an outdoor girl...

We walked along the creek. Finally came to a nice table, hidden away from everyone. Beautiful. One wouldn't even know there were many people around, had it not been for the loud child someone in the trees. (After they left, we could hear the buzzing of the forest, so still and peaceful)

Then Holly says "these mosquitos are bugging me!" They don't like me for some reason (except the one that bit me on the ankle...but that was ok, for days its been reminding me of the nice day I had with my girl). Then Holly said, "I know! I have a bananna!"  I'm like "oh?" So she peels it and rubs the skin on her arm. That seemed to help. Go figure. I love how our Earth takes care of us and everything we really need it here for us, if only we how to use what. Guess those outdoor survival classes shes been taking are paying off!  lol

We're sitting there, enjoying this wonderful lunch she made. And I remarked, "gosh, its actually a little chilly,"  as she swatted at another mosquito. Then I looked at her and said,  "...too bad you don't have your sweater..."

HAHA. Gosh did we laugh. Ever since she was tiny, we would always make each other laugh.

 And yes, that's a lizard in her hand...

I hope all you mothers got to have a wonderful day with your children.

WIPocalypse: Eleanor of Aquitaine

I've been working away on her alllll month long.  And now that I have the sides finished (remember, I am not stitching the entire picture, just the pretty part) I could actually be "done" whenever I want. But I do want to keep stitching her and so, I am not done.

My focus is going to switch for a bit to the new Bay Area Sampler Guild's Sampler chart. So you won't see as much progress each month on her, but I will keep her out.  (You know, once they go in their box...there's no telling how long they will stay there!)

Happy Stitching my friends!!!!

Mag Light Cover

I just love this fabric. I found it in the fabric store and had to have a slice. I had no idea what to do with it... then I found this sweet little bird and thought,"Gosh! That would be perfect to make into a cover (on the back) for that dusty magnifying lamp of mine!!"

I did end up stitching some of the flowers THREE different times while trying to get the colors "just right." But I like 'em now!

I joined!

I was thinking about joining the "Stitch from your stash" blog but I didn't find out about it until it was too late. But I did find this stitching blog called :

2014 WIPocalypse

"Stitch like its the end of the world"

LOL. It looks like the only real requirements are to post a picture of my work at the Full Moon each month.

Well, that's pretty doable.

Especially since I already have that Moon thingy at the bottom of my page!

And... there are not really any RULES. AND, anyone can join!

Each month there is a topic to talk about.

I'm not clear where we are to post about that, but I think its to be done on each of our blogs. So that is what I will do.

April's topic is to tell how you store your stash.

Well, mine's a big mess right now and I don't really have it very organized. 

The fabric is in plastic boxes, separated by count...the DMC is rolled on those little spools--except the extras are in another box, sort of organized in baggies. Charts are organized in a file box by topic. Kits are in yet another box. Already started things in another box. And most of those boxes are stacked on top of each other and rather difficult to get to as they are "hiding"  (NOT!) behind my rocking chair.

I sooooooooo need to reorganize.

How do YOU store YOUR stash?

Please do share, maybe I can get inspired by your ideas.

~Narita

 

p.s. Aileen, please email me, I can't find your email anywhere.