Still here..........(picture heavy)

It's getting close to being summer weather here in AZ. We are actually below normal for us, under 100, which is really really nice! :)
I have a few finishes to share, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy. I finished up stitching LHN's Needle & Thread and here it is. I still need to finish it into the pillow form soon.

First I finished the Spring Fob by LK for myself. I shortened the pattern a bit as it was too big for the little gem scissors.


BBD's bluebird was another finish for myself. I stitched it using DMC (i do not recall the # though). I finished it into a pin pillow. I really like this design, this is the second time i have stitched this little guy, one for an exchange then this one for myself.

Next up is Run Run Rudolph. I stitched him a few months back but have finally made him into an ornament. This is a second time stitching this one. I did him for an exchange for Michele for Christmas.

I also have rec'd my biscournu from Shay from the Please Pass the Biscornu exchange. She stitched it on black fabric and it is gorgeous! Thank you Shay!!!!!


I went to the Attic Needlework shop in Mesa, AZ for the Saturday Stitch-in a couple weeks ago and got some fun stash. The stitch-in's are always lots of fun, laughter, some stitching, lots of stashing and eating. Great ladies to hang with! Here is the stash i got that day!

Michele and I are starting a SAL today. We are stitching Sampler Sisters of the Thread by Primitive Needle. Here are my materials for the project. I am using 40ct Colorscapes Dill and the recommended threads. This fabric is darker than the one they used but so far i am liking it.

Michele had sent me some of her stitched pieces to be finished and here are three of them. SB patriotic one finished into a little pillow, not sure who the designer is on the other patriotic one but also finished into a little pillow. The turkey pinkeep is a free design by Primitivebettys.

Michelle from here in Phoenix had me finish a hanging pinkeep for her. She stitched LK freebie Friendship Grows. This one turned out really cute.


For the Please Pass the Biscornu exchange I had sent my March one to Despina. Here is what I sent to her.

I still have a couple other finishes but need to take pics of them.

Happy Valentine's Day

Edited 2/15/10 to add my first punchneedle finish (i forgot about it:) at end of post.

We had a nice quiet weekend here. Well, yesterday wasn't so quiet in our house but fun. When Bailey had her pups last year, her boy pup went to a family and they called the other day saying they can't keep him. Their other dog just isn't warming up to him, he is a digger, etc (springer spaniel, very hyper), can we help find a home. OY! well, the stud we used his mama came over yesterday to get him and take him home for a buddy for CJ (the stud). They all met here at our house, so we had 5 springers running around, 3 girls and 2 boys. it was loud, as our girls were not happy having the boys here. LOL Reggie (the pup - they are 9 months old now) is just a lover and knew something was up, but is enjoying his new home so far. He is about 5-6 inches taller than Bailey, he is a big boy and just gorgeous. he looks just like mama. So when everyone left, it was Costco time, etc. So needless to say, dinner was a frozen lasagne from Costco with their fresh garlic bread. yummy!
Here is Bailey with Reggie (he is the larger one)

Here is Reggie all comfy on the couch, staying away from Bailey.

Today was out to lunch with my brother in law/sister in law and my mother in law. Had leftovers for dinner and then off to Coldstone for ice cream for DH and I. (no kids home this weekend, so quiet). A bit of shopping today Joann's and Cabelas, nothing big. Fun fur was on sale and wanted to get some and Doug needed something for fishing.
I do have a finish to share, it's Fa La La by LHN. I stitched it on 32ct coffee dyed linen. I will do the rest of the series on 40ct, 4x4 is just too big for an ornament. This one may become a flat fold or no sew cube.

I also received my Lizzie Kate exchange piece from Melissa. Melissa stitched Live Simply for me and made a no sew cube. It is really cute! (just wait until my partner receives her piece, LOL).

Doug got me tulips for Valentine's Day (i'd rather have them then roses, they last longer and i think they are prettier). So here is a picture of my mantle with the flowers and my Valentine stitchings.

I forgot about my first punchneedle finish i have. I actually finshed teh class piece years ago, a tiny little pumpkin. But this piece is by PrimitiveBettys, it is a freebie chart on her blog. I just picked out some DMC and went with it. IT was alot of fun but not sure how to finish it now. :)

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.

SBBC exchange has landed

I can share one of my exchange pieces that i have recently stitched and sent off to Ulla from the SBBC group. Ulla had LHN's Caffe Latte on her wish list, so i chose that chart to stitch for her. I stitched it on some coffee dyed/baked fabric (thought it was appropriate for the theme) and made it into a flat-fold. This was a fun stitch and my 2nd attempt at a flat-fold.