Two WIP's down, too many to go

Well, i have decided i really really need to whittle down my WIP basket next to my chair. I counted and there are 33 wip's in there. I am a serial starter and that's what happens when you are. LOL Well I started Earth Sampler by Primitive Needle just over a week ago (so not really an old WIP) and finished that one today. BUt while stitching on it this past week decided to just reach in the basket and grab out a bag. Whatever was in it was getting finished. Sooooooo, the winner was Always & Forever by LHN. I pulled that one out on Thursday night and finished by Saturday.

I stitched Always & Forever on a piece of 32ct mottled linen i had in my stash (no name on it) using Belle Soie Rose of Sharon. This is for Doug and I.


Earth Sampler was stitched on 40ct Lakeside linen V. Autumn Gold (yummy fabric and color) using the called for Weeks and Gast. I also changed 2 of the colors as they didn't show up on this fabric and used Crescent Colours for those 2.


I have also reached in the basket again today and drum roll please.........It's A Wonderful Life by The Sampler Girl was the winner this time.

Also, i rec'd yesterday a beautiful Emery from Amy in SC. I made a wish on the MAW board for an emery and Amy fulfilled my wish beyond anything i had imagined. AND, Amy stitched it in pink. Amy doesn't like pink and she even used pale pink (which she really doesn't like). Thank you sooo much Amy. I love it! it is gorgeous!!!


Here is a picture of my oldest daughter, Brianna (20) and my niece Allison (3) on Easter (and Ally's birthday party too). I really liked this pic so thought i would share with everyone.


And, Caitie had her senior prom 2 weeks ago and here is a pic of her and her date.

Goodies, Goodies and a finish

Well, i need to post the goodies i either purchased or rec'd during our GCGC get together couple weeks ago.
First off I have the purchase i made at The Attic. I honestly didn't get too much, but all the threads you see on the floss tag, i did purchase that day along with the fabric for Earth Sampler (which you can see i am cruising along on), the chart for the floss tag along with hot pink 40ct fabric and another piece of 40ct fabric in V. Fawn.

We also made a quick side trip to a small quilting shop by my house and of course couldn't come out of there empty handed. I got a few fat quarters that are just yummy and now need to find something either already stitched that i can use these for or find something to stitch for them. LOL

I also have a pic of my grab bag from our exchange. I rec'd Michele's grab bag (gotta have the pink bag). Lots of fun goodies in there as well. It was quite funny that Ruth had rec'd a pack of "special edition" (as we called them) needles in her grab bag (they were missing a couple) before me. Well, when i opened up the little pack of needles i rec'd and there was a needle missing. You want to talk about laughing so hard we were crying. It was priceless.

Michele also made little goodie bags for all of us. Here is mine. Very cute pair of scissors, scissor fob in halloween (my favorite) and other goodies in there as well. Thanks again Michele!!!!

edit: the halloween scissor fob came from Chris. thanks michele for reminding me. LOL

Ruth also made all of us one of her famous spool ornaments with pink flamingoes on them. All of us except for Sharon are part of the HO HO HO ornament exchange and Chris had mentioned that she didn't want hot pink flamingoes for an ornament, so this was the joke. LOL

Since I am the current receiver of ornaments for the HO HO HO exchange, Ruth brought mine along with her. It was the first one for me to receive.

In the mail this week i rec'd a package from Mare from the Tiny Treasures exchange blog. I had joined the scissor fob exchange and there was some confusion on my partners end (no worries) and i didn't receive a fob. Mare stitched one up for me and it is just adorable. Thank you so much Mare!


Now for a couple finishes for me. I have been working on Yule Sampler by Primitive Needle. I stitched it on 36ct hand dyed linen tan by silkweaver using DMC and a couple called for CC. I really like how it turned out.

Back in February, The Attic had their semi-annual Framing Frenzy. 20% off your framing, you just bring in your piece and Sandy picks and chooses on her own for you with no deadlines. What fun is that! Well, the first piece is finished and i picked it up on Saturday and LOVING it. It is Doghouse Sampler by LHN. I used buttons made by Patti A (from the 123 board) instead of stitching the dog bone. I am really happy with Sandy's choice of frame and all. Can't wait to see my next piece she has.

More from the GCGC fun

After spending a few hours at the Attic, we went to the tattoo parlor so Sharon could get her little man Josh's baby feet on her upper back. I am not one for needles so i was just cringing with the sound alone BUT i did watch for about 3 seconds and then went back to my stitching. LOL Watching for 3 seconds was an accomplishment for me so that was kinda funny. Sharon's tattoo turned out really awesome and it was probably the first time they have had 4 women sitting around waiting for someone and stitching. LOL After that we went out for some Mexican food at a local place and my daughters came out to hang for a little while while shooting us with their nerf guns. They are such dorks, how fun. LOL

Friday we headed to a friends cabin up north in Happy Jack AZ (just south of Flagstaff). I knew the girls would not be disappointed with the accomodations there. ;) I think we were a little overthinking the alcohol we brought, but hey, what if we got snowed in, right???? LOL We had our own little grab bag exchange of stithcing goodies, etc and floss ring tag "class" if you want to call it that after a couple drinks. LOL And also showed the fine art of coffee dying/baking fabric (it's easier than i think they thought it was). LOL

We ventured off to the Grand Canyon on Saturday after we FINALLY got the hot water working. LOL Frigid cold showers, BRRRRRRRRRRR!!! LOL Now, i have been to the GC a few times in my time here in AZ but it seems to be different every time. The only way to describe it is "breathtaking". There was still snow on the ground and very very very cold. I froze my butt off up there! I am not used to cold weather and OMG it was freezing, the girls were laughing at me. LOL My sister and Aunt Cathy were at the cabin while we were at the GC and my sis made a big pot of Turkey Chili for us and death by chocolate cake. yummy!!!

So here are some more pics from our GCGC get together. One of the pics that Chris took (i stole from her blog) of Ruth, Sharon, Michele and I sitting on the fireplace and it looks like i was crying/laughing. Well, i was. When i stretched my legs across Michele for the pic just having fun my toes cramped up on me and we all were laughing really hard. LOL it was painful but still funny. LOL

AZ get together week

Well, a few friends, Michele, Ruth, Chris and Sharon and I decided to have a little get together here in Arizona. We spent a couple days here in the city and then ventured (it was an adventure) up north just south of Flagstaff to stay at a friends cabin for the weekend.

The girls all came into Phoenix on Wednesday April 1st. I met them at the hotel and we came to my house for dinner and dessert. There was bbq pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad and baked beans and Aunt Cathy made a delicious dessert. We hung around with my family for a little while then ventured back to the hotel for more chatting, laughing and some stitching.

Thursday, we met up for breakfast then went to one of my LNS's here in the valley, The Attic in Mesa. We were hoping to get to the Needler's Nest too, but didn't get to that side of town until it was too late, next time. Here are some pics of the girls shopping at The Attic. We spent a couple hours there then headed to In & Out for burgers.

Ruthann named us the GCGC (Grand Canyon Girls Club). LOL We did make a trip to the Grand Canyon but pics will be in another post. I was so excited the girls were coming here that i actually designed a small piece for us all to stitch in honor of our little retreat. I used my coffee dyed fabric and belle soie and kitted it up for the girls. Thinking of stealing Sharon's idea of framing the piece with our pic from the GC. hmmmmmmmmm



Well here are some of the pics promised above from shopping at the Attic. Notice Chris at the counter with her credit card, it's smoking. LOL
GCGC at The Attic, from left: Sharon, Ruth, Chris, Karen Michele

Chris with smoking credit card. LOL

Sharon

Michele

Ruth