Summertime heat! ugh

It is just getting hotter and hotter here in AZ. yuck! As long as the AC works i will be a happy camper. LOL I have been getting exchanges out lately and have some to share that have landed to their new homes. I also rec'd a few as well.
First up, from Tanya, i rec'd my exchange piece from her from the Holiday Exchange moderated by BeckySC. Tanya stitched a SamSarah design "Glory" for me and made it into a little bag. Very cute! it is up on my mantle with the rest of the "4th" pieces. THanks again Tanya!

Carolyn sent me another piece to finish for her. Carolyn stitched up JBW's baby stroller piece and wanted it finished into an ornament. This was a cute design and fun finish.


For the Holiday Exchange - 4th of July round I had Myra as my partner. I stitched up Slice of Freedom by Erica Michaels and made it into a pillow. I had the backing fabric in my stash for awhile and just never found the right design to use it with, well finally found it. perfect match.

Jill is my partner for the Friends Stitching through the Seasons exchange. Jill was wanting some Shepherd's Bush designs for her pieces and I am having fun with them. For spring i stitched her Scatter Kindness and for Summer i just stitched Scatter Freedom. This was another fun stitch and finished it into a really cute pillow i think. :) Also, here is a pic of the rest of the exchange i sent to Jill (minus the black iron basket, i just got that at Hobby Lobby for $2.00). :)


This has been a busy month or so for exchanges for me and i still had the Fair & Square 4th of July and Round #19 to do as well. Michele and I were finally paired up as partners. :) we decided to "finish" each other's pieces instead of sending them "un-finished" like what we normally do in the exchange. I stitched Patriotic Bouquet by BBD for Michele and finished it into a pinkeep. :)


I do have a few other exchanges that i have rec'd but need to get pics of them and then will update. I also got a few bargains at the antique store last weekend but again still need to take pics. LOL
Here is a picture of my oldest daughter (21), Brianna and her boyfriend Justin a couple weeks ago at my nephews birthday party. And one of our other daughter (19) Caitie holding her newest cousin Samantha. Caitie isn't fun to take pics of, she tends to be a pain in the butt so this is the best shot of her. LOL The boys (16) were too busy playing with the nerf guns and showing little Ryan (2)how to use them. LOL so no pics of them.

RR home, exchanges rec'd and more pillows

I have had a great mail week this week. I had two exchanges delivered to me along with my Friendship RR has made it home.
First here is the PIF exchange i rec'd from Jules. We are in the PIF exchange together and Jules stitched a floss tag for me and included lots of other goodies. The most adorable scissors that i have never seen before too. Thanks Jules!!


Faye is my partner in the FSTTS exchange that a few of us are doing. Faye stitched one of the patriotic stockings by BBD for me and finished it amazing like she always does. :) She also included lots of goodies, some gorgeous red 35ct linen, some dirty linen, red floss, uncle sam figurine and a patriotic scissor fob that has jumped onto my ginghers already. :) THanks again Faye!



My Friendship RR that i have been doing for the last year has made it home. It has been through the US, Canada and the Netherlands. Thank you to all who stitched your hearts on it. Now i just need to get it finished up.


My sewing machine has been smoking this week. I finished another 3 pillows and have just a few more that need to be handsewn together and will post them later on. I finished up Fa La La by LHN into a little pillow, Faith by Sampler Girl and this other cute little piece that Amy from SC sent to me since she didn't want it anymore. I finally got around to finishing it into a little pillow.




One more thing that i have been doing is trying to make polymer clay buttons. So far they hve turned out good. My first batch was the batch of pink and white flowers, etc. Yesterday i made a bunch of patriotic buttons in different shapes. I will be making more buttons in the near future but only with the cutouts that i have. LOL

Check out Jen's Giveaway

Jen is having a giveaway for her first year blogoversary, go on over and check it out!

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.

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.

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!