Patriotic Time!

Well since it is Memorial Day and it is getting really hot here in Arizona, it's time for a patriotic blog. My mantle is all dolled up for Memorial Day and July 4th! I have more finishes to add to it, but need to actually get them finished yet. LOL
I did have a good day of finishing today. I made 3 pillows for my mantle of red, white and blue. Sampler Girls Sweet Land, a Bent Creek Uncle Sam flatbed and a little Pop! not sure who POP is by it has just been hiding in the closet and came out to say hello. :)

the back of Sweet Land (this is also the backing i used for POP)



My mom came over today and we did some sewing of pillows (the above included) and a couple for her as well. She had finished a LK piece, a block one (don't remember which month) and a Sanman's Doodle. She stitched the Doodle over 1 on 25ct evenweave, it is only 2x2 so the little pillow is only about 6in long by 2in high. :) they are not completely finished in this pic, she was taking them home to finish sewing them up and adding the "trims" that are laying on top of the LK piece.
I also finally finished putting together my My First Sewing Box by the Stitching Parlor in my pink whitman tin. I had the top part already in there but just needed to add the bottom.How hard was that, DUH! So it is now complete, the box anyways. I need to put the scissor fob together still. I stitched Workbaskets Hedgehog for the Needles portion on the top over 1. I didn't want the felt in there after i saw this pattern for the Hedgehog, afterall, he has needles (kinda). :)

He's A Flake by LHN from their Ornament series from this year was also another one of my finishes last night. I don't like how he turned out, the shape that is, but it is for me to hang on our tree so that is fine with me. I may stitch him again and finish another way as well. It is a quick stitch. I stitched him over 2 on 40ct double-dyed blue fabric.


One more pic for tonight, i heard that Mayte has rec'd her biscornu from the biscornu exchange. THis was a freebie and i loved how it stitched up. I used GAST blueberry and some matching beads around the edges.

I have more to come hopefully tomorrow, they are sitting on the table ready to be stuffed and a few more ready to be sewn. We shall see what tomorrow brings on the finishing side for me.

I am still here and finishes

I just haven't been posting much lately, obviously. I was trying to figure out the editing on my new camera and just realized it didn't come with editing software. grrrrr so my pics aren't the best right now, but they will have to do.
I was gone for a week in the beginning of this month visiting my parents up in Reno NV. The weather was nice a little rainy but not much. No snow, unfortunately. There was old snow but i just wanted to see some flurries since we don't get snow in our part of Arizona. oh well. It was a very nice visit and did get a bit of stitching done as well. Mom and I did visit the LNS there, very small but I still managed to find a few things i just had to have. They were having a sale on there "cuts" of fabric from last year. There were lots of odd cuts in all different colors sizes, etc. $10 for a pound of fabric and let me tell you, you get alot of fabric in a pound.
I do have a few finishes from my WIP pile. First off I finished up It's a wonderful life by the sampler girl. I don't know why i never finished it earlier, very simple stitch. oh well, finished now. :)
I also finished up Evergreen by BBD. I changed the colors on this one when I saw Karen in SC's version of it. The colors it called for were browns and red, but the cover model showed green and red. weird. I used the greens since it is Evergreen.

Here is red winged blackbird by BC, i left off the star, as I am making this into a floss tag. I stitched this one on 40ct so he is small. Life's A Stitch by LK i stitched a couple years ago and it was just sitting there in my closet. I made this one into a little wooden box for myself. I really like how it turned out and very simple to make.


I also stitched up a freebie from The Sampler Girl last week and finished it into a pinkeep for myself. It is stitched on white opalescent fabric with GAST berry cobbler and tea rose. the fabric the pinkeep is laying on is the backing fabric. Also, last year i stitched up the Hugs & Kisses freebie from Erica Michaels and i just finished this one into a pinkeep ornie for myself as well. I used some fluffy yarn, braided it to get the thickness and pinned it on. didn't even want to try glue with it. I stitched up this cute little one Love by The Stitcherhood, yet another free chart. I made this one into a little pinkeep pillow. They are all displayed on my mantle with other stitching for Valentine's Day.

Better picture of ornament

I stole Nicole's picture she took of the ornament i stitched for her. It is by The Sampler Girl from this year's JCS ornie issue. Nicole's pictures are always perfect so here it is.

Ghouls Night Out

Just a quick run by here. I stitched up the freebie "Ghouls Night Out" by The Sampler Girl yesterday and finished it into a pinkeep tonight. I stitched it on 30ct Guacamole linen using DMC. I left off the zig zag border, as i was indecisive on what color to use and decided i liked it without the border anyways. LOL I used straight pins with different beads added to them all around the outside.

A birthday exchange and more

So last Friday, the 3rd was mine and my hubby's 41st birthdays. we went to a wonderful resort just a few miles away from home for a little "sta-cation" for the weekend. It was a wonderful time just the two of us. We went to the movies, we saw Year One with Jack Black, it was pretty funny, weird but funny. We ate dinner one night at the resorts restaurant which was really nice, had drinks beforehand by the pool. Just a nice relaxing weekend with no plans whatsoever. I did bring some stitching and worked on a couple things but not too much.
Well, yesterday's mail brought a package from Germany from Gaby for the SBBC for my birthday exchange. All i can say is WOW!!! Gaby really spoiled me. First off she made the largest biscournu i have ever seen and it is really beautiful, the beading on the sides is gorgeous. Gaby also sent along a couple little strawberries that she made and a pretty little Angel Heart pillow that she also made. Then there was a couple little German kits and a French chart for a heart thread holder (the ones that fold up). Thank you sooooo much Gaby!


On Thursday I had an actual "finish". I had stitched up God Bless America a year or so ago but it was just hanging around in my closet. SOoooooo, i decided to try and make a "tube" type pillow finish with it. I added a piece of fabric to the end of each by hand sewing it on, that part was the easy part. LOL Now, I DO NOT sew so this was tricky for me. LOL I did sew the back together but of course it turned out not so good looking so added a couple big star buttons to cover up a little of the yuckiness on the back. LOL All in all, it serves it's purpose but do not go looking at my finishing service for anything like this. LOL The front looks really cute though and it is for me, so i am somewhat happy with it.

I also finished up the stitching on Sunday, a day late, but it is finished, the Freedom (not sure of the name) by Sampler GIrl. It was a quick stitch and really cute. I see a no sew cube in the future for this finish.

And here is my latest project that is calling my name loudly. It is Milady's Needle called Practice Sampler. It is being stitched on 40ct V. Autumn Gold using DMC. It is a really cute Sampler and i just love the colors. So i took a pic of it to show you, with no wip pic as of yet (not enough started).

I had promised myself i wouldn't start anything new until i had a few more of my WIP"s finished but this one was just calling to me. BUT, i do have a couple wip's sitting on my stitching table just ready to be picked up at any given moment to be finished up and they will.

An exchange rec'd & a "finish"

I was one of the lucky ones to be the recipient of a PIF from Edgar and rec'd it yesterday. It is a beautiful pinkeep. He stitched the "K" square from Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Zoo for me. I really really love it! very pretty colors and beautifully stitched and finished. Edgar also enclosed some other goodies as well. Thank you so much Edgar.

I also have a "Finish" for Michele. When Michele was here in AZ in April visiting she brought a few of her stitched pieces for me to finish for her. This is one of her fair & squares stitched for her by Amy in SC and i made it into a no sew cube. I really like how this one turned out using 2 different ribbons. I have another finish for Michele but need to take a pic with my actual camera not my cell phone. LOL



In my last post i showed you the first finished piece i stitched and framed for our friends cabin. Well here is the 2nd piece i stitched for her. It is another Sampler Girl pattern stitched over 1. It is a little small for this frame but i still like it.

And, of course i should leave you with some puppy pictures. They are getting so big, they are 7 weeks on tuesday. One has left to her new home today, we'll miss little Squirt. Reggie is leaving on the 20th of July when her new family gets home from vacation and just waiting to get the final yes on the 3rd puppy to leave.