Cruise and an exchange

HI! Doug and I are back from our cruise with his family last week. It was alot of fun, got some sun and had some yummy drinks everyday. :) Cabo San Lucas wasn't all it was cracked up to be, quite dirty, etc, but we just walked around and shopped a bit. We did go to Sammy Hagar's bar, Cabo Wabo both days we were docked there.
this pic is of Land's End in Cabo.

this is Doug and I on the ship in front of Land's End


I have a finish that landed for the exchange i was in, pin pillow exchange organized by BeckySC. I stitched BBD's Bluebird for Marie. I am in the process of finishing the stithcing on this for myself as well. :)
here is the pic I took of teh pin pillow for Marie

I stole one of Marie's pics because i forgot to get a pic of the pillow with the rusted safety pin in it. DUH!

April tomorrow, wow

I cannot believe that it is already April tomorrow. where has the time gone?? It is starting to heat up here in AZ, been in the 80's but going back down to the 60's for a few days. brrrr (just kidding)
Well, i have been a finishing fool lately. Chicks Rule has been a very popular design this year, that is for sure. I have finished 4 total so far, one is mine and 3are for other ladies.

this first one is Carolyn's

the back is the same for both Carolyn and Michelle's

Michelle's

Eileen's made into a no sew cube.

I also had a few other designs to finish that were Silver Needle's Secret Needle Night kits stitched by Kelly. These were fun to finish as well.

Let It All Hang Out

Love You

New Year


As for stitchy finishes of my own, i have recently finished up a WIP. Live Love Laugh by La D Da is finally finished and don't know what took me so long to finish it. LOL oh yeah, maybe its the other hundred WIP's i have always calling to me. LOL I stitched it on the recommended 35ct WDW Straw linen but I changed up the colors. I used CC wild berries, black coffee and weeping willow. I really like the color combination on this fabric. I just need to get a better picture of it, but you get the idea. :)

Today came a wonderful surprise in the mail from Lynda A. I am in a "pin pillow" exchange hosted by BeckySC. I rec'd this wonderful pillow from Lynda today and absolutely love it! Lynda did an awesome job on the stitching and the finishing it into the pillow (which is one of my new favorite finishes) and the fabric she used is perfect for it. Thank you sooo much Lynda! It is the March quaker by Workbasket.

Sewing Finishes - woohoo!

So i have been learning to sew with a new to me sewing machine lately. Now that i can correctly thread the bobbin, etc, it is working great! just need to work on my straight line skills, etc. but have practiced with a few of my smalls. It is amazing at how simple these are once you get started. Will not be adding pillows yet to Finely Finished until I am totally comfortable with it though. :)

this is a fair & square i rec'd last year from Lynda A. i LOVE how this one turned out.


believe imagine dream (been sitting in my closet so long, i think it is LK)

Always Kiss me Goodnight by Angel Stitching, really like how this one turned out too.

Snug as a Bug by LK, another one sitting in my closet for many moons. LOL i haven't found the right ribbon for it yet, so it isn't "complete" but finished enough for now.

I also "finished" my first BBD stocking for myself. After not leaving myself enough seam allowance, i have learned. :)But they are pretty simple to make, following BBD's and Vonna's tutorials together. The trickiest part for me was the beaded hanger. LOL


And finally here is my finished Chicks Rule into a pinkeep for myself. I really love how this one turned out. And am finding out that this is a very very popular design this year. I have 3 here in my possession to finish into flat-folds for others. So i must get off teh computer and finish these little guys up.

Almost Friday!

HI! I have a couple of exchanges and finishes, etc that have arrived at their new homes.
First here is Lilang's exchange I sent to her for the Lizzie Kate exchange we belong to. I stitched Live Simply for her on 30ct chocolate linen using DMC. I love the backing fabric, very retro and perfect for the colors. The fabric the piece is laying on is the backing fabric.

Next up is a couple pieces I finished for Michele. She had sent them to me along with a few others to finish along time so I finished these 2 for her birthday present. I also stitched and finished up this really cute scissor keep and fob for her as well.

Exchanges arrived!

Hi! Well it is the first Sunday in March and I can't believe it is already March. Time sure flies. Yesterday the mail brought to me my Spring exchange package from Friends Stitching Through The Seasons exchange and my partner was Faye. Yeah! (i already knew this though because i organized it). LOL But I acted surprised when it came. :-) Faye stitched a really cute bunny pillow for me and included some real fun goodies! Thanks so much Faye!!!! you really spoiled me.


I also see that Gillie has rec'd her biscournu for February from me from Please Pass the Biscournu exchange I am in. We stitch for a different person each month. I stitched a Stacy Nash design for her since she likes prims and used some of my coffee dyed/baked fabric for it. I like it so much that I will be stitching it for me too.
Not much else really going on right now, just wanted to drop in with the exchanges!

Chicks Rule!

Well, i went to Market Day at the Attic this past Saturday and got a bunch of new stash but haven't taken a picture yet. I will try tomorrow. BUT, I have finished one of the goodies i bought. Chicks Rule by LK limited edition kit. I decided to stitch this adorable piece on 30ct light purple linen i had in my stash with good ole DMC. I used a satin stitch for their beaks as well. I really really like how it turned out and now to find the perfect backing fabric to make it into a flat fold or pillow, not sure yet.

I rec'd in the mail today the most beautiful biscournu from Marjorie from the Please Pass the Biscournu exchange I am in. This wonderful small will be spending the spring time on my mantle with my other springy stitches. Thank you again Marjorie.


A couple weeks ago I rec'd an old used sewing machine through the freecycle in our area. I just posted that I was looking for a working machine, nothing fancy whatsoever and had a response in just a few minutes and she just lived around the corner from us. I have never sewed and have wanted to learn, especially to help out with finishing pillows, etc (that will take a bit of time until i am totally confident in myself with the machine). LOL But I have had a brief instruction on it and have just dived right in. I found 2 smallish stitched pieces in my closet and made a scissor fob and a little pillow.

The scissor fob is "no frogging allowed" by Stitchy Kitty (i believe, its been awhile since i stitched this one) and i had some really cute froggy material for the backing. The little pillow my daughter Caitie stitched up Boo from Monsters Inc about 5 years ago when she was 12 or 13. So i made this into a little pillow. I really like how they turned out, still have to make my hand sewing a bit cleaner, but its a start. I hand sewed on the cording on both 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. :)