My Busy Needle

Sweet Lynda sent me the traveling "Busy Needle" pattern by LHN the other day.  I had so wanted to stitch it since I saw it on BeckySC's blog, but it was exclusive to "The Busy Needle" cross stitch shop which seems to have since closed its doors, so I was thrilled when she mentioned that she would start it as a traveling pattern!!

Well, it came in the mail on Friday and I was so impatient excited to start that I couldn't stand the thought of waiting until Monday to pick up my floss, when I'll be at the cross stitch store.  Instead, I chose my own colors from those I had on hand and decided to stitch it on 28 ct Tea Monaco over one.  What fun!!  I stitched and stitched all day yesterday, and then, late last night, I realized that I had moved the entire top line over 3 threads.  Oh.My.  There was no way that I was going to frog that black box, so I decided to wing it.  And wing it I did.  I added leaves.  I added flowers.  I shortened vines and lengthened vines.  I omitted the outer border.  And then, just to be ornery different, I made the bees wings swirly on the bottom.  I think they are cute.  But if you are stitching this and think yours will look like mine when you're done... well, good luck with that! ; )

I can't decide how I'll finish it.  It's about 2" square so it would be a cute fob or needlebook... or even just framed...  We'll see!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tricia

New Finds, New Toys, and New Searches!

Inky has had a good week this week!  A bit ago, I saw that Anne had gotten one of these floor stand from Michaels.  I asked her about it and she gave it a good report, and so I grabbed my Michaels coupon and picked it up - for only $31.00!!  It's lightweight, but perfect for me - I can move it room to room.  It was fairly easy to put together, although it was missing a bolt on the bottom.  Never fear, though, the nice lady in customer service said she would send it out the next day.  

You'll notice that I'm taking a break from the Cabin Fever piece.  My back and shoulders have been so sore and working on that piece in hand has really aggravated them.  I was just going to work on this L*K ABC Lessons for a night or two, but then I got the stand and I can't stop!  I've made tons of progress since this post!

Can you spot Inky???  He's by the scissors...

I'll probably leave Cabin Fever on hold for a little bit, because I have the hard to find LHN Busy Needle chart in the mail from Lynda and it needs to be passed on when I am done.  So, of course, it needs to come next.  : )  I'm so excited to stitch that.  It is such a pretty design!

Speaking of pretty designs... I was cleaning out under the sink yesterday and I found my very own scissors frog that had been my Great-Aunt's... it even has her name in her handwriting on a piece of masking tape on the bottom.  Too cool.  I put it in a sherbet glass that I had in the cupboard, and loaded it with all my silver, pink and red scissors.  So pretty!  I've seen a few of these frogs on the Scissors Scamper.  Have you joined yet?  I'm going to be picking up part of the prize today or tomorrow.  Be sure that you are in the running!! : )

Now for a favor.  I have this Shepherd's Bush Fa La La chart and leftover threads that I would like to trade for a used Shepherd's Bush chart.  One of these charts would be really high on my list...

Sweet Stitches Fob

Hold Hope

A Lamb's Egg

O Say

Come Home

By the way, the stitched piece in the picture just shows what the chart looks like.  I won't be sending it along, sorry! ; )

OK, one last picture.  Here's the gorgeous St. Patrick's Day rainbow that was over our house.  It was double on one side and went from horizon to horizon.  There *must* have been a pot o' gold at the end of it, I'm sure!! ; )

A Little March Madness

  

Hello Friends!  Have you joined the Great Scissors Scamper yet?  I am having so much fun seeing everyone's scissors collection.  I've already added a few pair to my wish list and a fob or two as well!!

I pulled out my little March pillow that I made last year in an effort to do a little St. Patrick's Day decorating.  It is ds' birthday, so that makes it a special holiday! : )

My mom just gave my son the little leprochaun, but he was my favorite decoration growing up, so I asked him if I could display it forever for awhile.  He said "yes".   : )

Are you prepared to drool now???  Look, look, look what came in the mail last week!  My very own personal ornament from Mouse.  With a sheep on it!!!  His name is Inky.  Do you see the little jingle bells on the bottom?  My dd loves them.  It has a special place of honor in a basket in my living room, with another winter pillow that I can't bear to put away during the year.   Sigh!  Stitching friends are the best!

Nope, I take that back.  Husband's are the best.  Specially when they buy you a new charm for your bracelet. : )  

Since Spring has sprung outside - or maybe it's summer?  I think it was close to 80 today and our normal seasonal temp is about 45 - Anyway, I saw these pretty flowers at the grocery store for $1 each and picked them up for my table.  The beautiful rose smells as pretty as it looks!! {happy sigh!}

Here's my stitching update for the week.  Lots and lots of stitching on the Cabin, because I really want to have this page done by the end of March...

And last but not least, a St Patricks Day birthday card for you all.  I don't think ds looks at my blog, so it should be safe to show it here. : )

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to join the Scissors Scamper!! : )

The Great Scissors Scamper!!

Greetings friends!!

One of the things that I've found over the past couple years of cross-stitch blogging is that we stitchers *love* our scissors.  We have pretty scissors and plain scissors.  Short scissors and long scissors.  Stork scissors and Santa scissors.  Scissors fobs and scissors cases.  Scissors frogs and scissors magnets.  SO.... let's have a Scissors Scamper and show off our scissors stash!! : )  Which scissors have stories?  Which are your favorites?  Which ones do you take when you are traveling?  Do you pack a different pair with each project, or do most of them just sit in storage and you use a favorite pair?  Just link up your Scissors Scamper post below before April 30th, and I'll draw a name from all the entries to receive something fun.  I haven't picked it out yet, but it will have something to do with scissors, you can be sure! : )  Be sure to link your post back to this one, so others can join in the fun, too!!

I'll start...

First, on a solemn note...

The Scissors Scamper is in memory of the cute green polka dot scissors that is pictured in the logo above.  I used it twice and promptly lost it.  I am so sad.  I love polka dots!  sigh.  

Now on to happier thoughts!! : )

 Here is my scissors stash! It's not huge, so I can show you the whole thing... : )  Each one has its own story, and I love them for different reasons.  The first scissor I got was the little Ginghers on top attached to the scissors tag.  I won it in a quilting shop hop... when I was still quilting a lot.  I fell IN LOVE with Ginghers from that time on, so I bought the lovely green floral ones with my Christmas money later that year.  These are usually my "go to" scissors, so I try to pack a scissors in each of my kitted projects so I'll actually use them all and they won't get lonely.

The cute scissors with red hearts are Dinky Dyes and one of my dd's favorites.  I received them in an exchange package and she swipes them if I'm not looking.  It's ok.  I share well. (Most of the time...) : )

I also received the sweet pink breast cancer remembrance scissors in an exchange.  I'd like to make a "pink" basket sometime and put them in it.  They almost seem too solemn for me to use.

Another exchange gift brought me the plastic blue pair of scissors in the little sheath.  You can see I already had a pair of pink ones like that.  They are the SHARPEST little pair of scissors, and I love the little sheath.  I actually had a blue pair, too.  But my husband used it to cut open one of those hard plastic indestructible things - like electronics are packaged in, and it dulled it so it wouldn't cut thread anymore.  I was thrilled to get these!  I keep these attached to my Vera Bradley lanyard and use them when I'm stitching in the car or on vacation, or somewhere that I don't want to lose them.  They are relatively inexpensive (maybe $5-$7??) so if I did lose them I wouldn't feel nearly as heartbroken as if I lost my Ginghers!

Here's all my Ginghers in a row.  The ones on the left my husband got me for Christmas last year and they sport the only scissors fob I've made.   I love scissors fobs.  I need to make more of them.  (The scissors tag doesn't count really.  It's just a piece of aida and a piece of felt stitched together with the edges cut with pinking shears.  It's fun, though, cuz it has my name on it.)

The blue Ginghers are my newest pair.  I think they are so pretty... almost too pretty to use.  I usually just look at them and say "Awwwww....".  Then my workhorse pair, and my first pair.  

I really hope lots of you will join me on the Scissors Scamper!  I can't wait to see your favorites - your not so favorites and your accessories!!  Here's a little logo if you'd like to use it on your post.  Rather than just copying it, just right click on it (control-click on a Mac) and save it to your computer.  Then you can insert it in your blog post like any other picture.  Be sure to come back here and link up your post so we can all come drool over admire your scissors stash!  (And so you can be in the drawing for the prize, of course!!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Scamper off now to do your post!! : )

Tricia

What a Week!!

Hello friends!

It's been a busy, busy week here!  Where shall I start???  Hmmm....

Well, I finished the February ornament on time, but I haven't "ornamentified" it yet.  (Don't you love that word?  I saw it on Shirlee's blog, I think, but I'm not sure... )

And then I spent hours and hours and HOURS working on these new pages for GraceWorks...

I bought the basics for my Happy Monday Journal...

And drove through THIS...

To go away with my husband for the weekend.

Of course I had to bring some stitching along, and the WIP that called to me was Lizzie Kate's ABC's.  Want to see what I got done??

See the tulip and the half an "i", v, e?   That's it.  I started the letters at the beginning of the word 3 times and frogged them, before I figured out that I had moved the "B" in Be Kind down one row and had gauged everything from that.  So.... being the non-perfectionist that I am, I am just starting the word on the other end and making it work.  I really don't think anyone will notice in years to come! : )

We had a wonderful weekend away and my fabulous DH bought me a pre-anniversary gift of a Pandora starter bracelet.  I.am.in.love.  with him *and* with the bracelet! : )

I didn't have a ton of time to work on my Cabin this week, but there is still some progress.  I really need to concentrate on it, though.  I'm getting behind in my goals, and now I'm swamped getting orders out, so I'm going to set aside all my other stitching for a few days - even my SAL's and UFO Thursday piece - and just spend some quality time with this one.  "Quality time" it will have to be, though, cuz I'm afraid that I won't have a lot of "quanitity time"!

Yesterday, I got a package from 1-2-3 Stitch in the mail.  How incredibly fun!!!  Especially cuz I hadn't ordered anything from 1-2-3 Stitch, even though I have a huge wish list there.  Well, lo and behold, sweet Niina had chosen a chart from my wish list and sent it to me!!!  What she didn't know was how much I *really, really* wanted that particular chart.  She also sent me some Bohin needles, which I haven't used before and really wanted to try.  I was SO overwhelmed with her thoughtfulness that I cried!! What a sweet, thoughtful, RAK!!  It absolutely made my day, week, month!!  I think I'll stitch it while we drive to Branson later this spring.  (Which, seeing they just had a huge tornado, really makes me a little nervous.  I.do.not.like.tornados.)   Here's the chart... {Happy Sigh!}

Card making has been relatively non-existant this week, too.  I think this is the only one I've managed to make.  It's another Pure Innocence image from My Favorite Things...

Well, bless your heart for sticking with me through this marathon post.  If you don't see me commenting this week it isn't that I don't love you all, I'm just running crazy!  I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Tricia

On target and a Yiota's Cross Stitch Review

Hello friends!

I've taken little bits of time to stitch this past week and really feel like I've accomplished a lot.  This coming week I'll need to concentrate on a few things to meet my February goals, though.  I'd like to have this page of the Dimensions Cabin 2/3 done, finish my February ornament, and make some sort of sewn or quilted project by Friday.  It's too bad that I can't sit and stitch all day this week, but I seem to have some other deadlines this week that are a little more important than cross stitch! : )

Let's start with yesterday... my daughter brought in this long-awaited parcel from www.yiotas-xstitch.com.

I say "long-awaited" not because it was slow in shipping, I think it came from the UK in 5 days, but because I knew it would be coming in February and I didn't know when, so I was thrilled to finally see it!  You'll see the Post Office didn't quite get the "do not bend" idea, but that's ok - it was well packaged and not damaged, and  (drum roll, please) out came my pattern...

After looking closely at other reviews and at the patterns themselves online, I realized that these cross stitch kits from Yiota's were not going to be as detailed as, say, the HAED ones.  That was OK with me, as those have so many color changes to achieve that look that they can be overwhelming.  But, because of that I chose a piece that I would love even if there wasn't a lot of shading.  Let me show you what I mean....

This is a corner of the picture on the front of the pattern.  Do you see that there are definite lines in the color changes in the sky?  It isn't a problem at all and it going to be so fun to stich, but it can be different than you'd expect just by looking at the patterns online.

Here's how the kit was packaged...

Don't you just love those bobbins?  I put them on a ring and started to work right away.  I didn't use the enclosed 14 count aida - although it was soft and would work just fine - but after working on "Eye on the Sparrow" I decided that I would like to try to stitch this over one instead.  (I should've just gotten it with the evenweave, but I figured it would all be covered and wouldn't really matter which I stitched it on.)  The pattern is "large print" - the symbols are twice as big as the Dimensions kit pattern that I've been working from - so it seems like it will be very easy to work from.  Here's as far as I got in my little chunk of time I allotted to it...

Now when I got to this point and shot the picture I realized that the length of my fabric was going horizontally across my lap, rather than vertically.  AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH.  Well, I measured carefully, and because I'd left so much on each side, I can continue and it will still fit, I'll just only have an inch or so on the bottom when I'm done.  I know most of you die hard stitchers would have frogged it and restarted, but I can't stand frogging unless there is no other way around it, so I choose to pretend I meant to do it in the first place.

Anyway, keep watching to see my progress!  I'd love to have this done by Christmas, as I really want to add it to my decorations!

Whew!  Long post!  OK - here's a group shot of all my other projects.  Maybe you'll notice some progress on a few of them!

And there you have it!  

Thanks so much for stopping by, and HAPPY STITCHING!

It's Time!

For another weekly update!

First, the winner of my little giveaway is... CALAMITY JR.!!


Congratulations!  Could you email me at inkystitcher @ yahoo.com with your address?  Thanks!!

Now onto the pictures!

First, let me show you what Catherine sent me for the Love and Friendship Exchange.  It was amazing!  She stitched the pretty pillow and put my husband's and my initials on it, along with our wedding year.  That is SO special, cuz this will be our 25th anniversary this year and now I have a stitched remembrance of it!

Then there are beads and a mesh bag and a wonderful pair of Dinky Dyes scissors and lots of deep fall colored floss and needles and... HAND DYED FABRIC.  I could not believe it!!  The best part was that the color of the fabric was just PERFECT for a pattern I've had kitted up since last year, that I could not find fabric for!!  I was so excited that I started it right away!  I'm stitching it over 1 on the Hand-Dyed Monaco...

Do you recognize it?  It's Silver Creek Sampler's "Eye on the Sparrow".  It's coming along so quickly and I absolutely love working on it!  I have put in a few stitches on all my pieces, even my UFO, but I'm only going to show you a progress picture on my Dimension's Cabin which is still pretty close to being "on target" to be finished by the end of the year...

Oh!  Here's my exchange gift that I sent to Shirlee.  I enjoyed stitching her pillow, which was an ornament from one of the newest JCS ornament magazines.  I haven't stitched a whole lot of pieces that just use one color and it was sort of relaxing. : )

Now, for a favorite card... Hmmm... which one to choose...  I know!

This is a digi stamp that I colored with copics.  I followed the My Favorite Things Wednesday sketch and got to use my new Flower and Leaf Trio Die-Namics to cut out the flower and leaves.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Weekly Update and Giveaway

 Greetings, friends!  Here's my update for the week!

Cabin Fever...  Not as much done this week as I would've liked.  I had some trouble with my shoulder at the beginning of the week so I stitched on my "easy" pieces more than this one.  It's doing better now, thanks!

Twilight Bridge...  Just a thread length or two on this one.  I'm in no hurry, I just have to stitch on it a little each week. : )

February Ornament... It's coming along nicely.  I stitch on this when I need something ... ummm... brainless.

UFO Heart and Soul...  Lots of border and a little bit of flower this week.

Precious Moments ... I haven't done a charity quilt block yet this year and I've wanted to start this PM for awhile.  I do wish I would've started this one on evenweave, though.  Lots of fractional stitches in it, which I didn't think about until too late.  Next time I'll remember!! : )

 

Here's a virtual card for Mouse... since I missed her birthday...

and, last but not least, a little giveaway!  

I made this little pillow for an exchange, and ended up stitching and sending an entirely different one!  Plus a magazine and some candy... and I'll add a few of my handmade cards, as well! : )  Just mention you'd like to be included in the drawing in your comment and I'll add your name.  I'll draw the winner when I make my next update, so it might be 3 days, or it might be a week.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Be a blessing!!

Tricia

Love You...More!

It's time for another guest design team challenge over at My Favorite Things! : )  Love these!  They always make you step up your stamping to another level and it's a good thing to be continually inspired.  The theme for this month is Stamp Your Heart Out, and here's what I came up with...

I started by cutting out tons (ok, so not tons, but quite a few!) of little hearts with my Notched Tag Die-Namics in different shades of pink.  I freehanded the "U" and stitched it onto the white mat and then cut out a little tag with the First Place Award Ribbon Die-Namics.  The kraft background is stamped lightly with an older Script background stamp by Stampin Up and then layered and stitched onto a Nesties scalloped rectangle.  The white background is embossed with the Argyle embossing folder and the words are from two different PI sets...  This month's Classic Kids VIP set and Love you with all my Heart.

Love you more!  A perfect card to send to my husband... even WITH all the pink!! LOL!

A Windy Day!

Hello, hello!  It's windy outside today.  I need to run out to the post office, but I really don't want to set foot outside, so I'll do this weekly wrap-up first! : )

First - my favorite card from this week...

The stamp is from My Favorite Things, and the layout is the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge from this week.  The little girl is colored with copics and is sending all my readers some well wishes!!

Now onto this week's stitching...

Heart and Soul from UFO Thursday...

Today's progress on my SAL with DD - Dimensions Twilight Bridge

This week's progress on my BHP... Dimensions Cabin Fever

And, finally, my first finish of 2012.... Lantern Santa (JCS 20011)

I'm tucking this away in a box for later.  I'd like to have some things done ahead for Christmas this year, which is why I'm trying to stitch an ornament and quilt something each month.  

I did get the little quilt layered and quilted, but I haven't sewn the binding down yet, so you'll have to wait until next week for a picture of that one.

Don't forget that I have a few charts for sale or trade in the post before this one.  Let me know if there is something you would like!  You can contact me at inkystitcher @ yahoo.com 

Lizzie Kate, LHN and Precious Moments for Sale or Trade

Hi everybody!  I'm doing a little destashing and thought I'd see if anyone was interested in these...

I would love to trade for something on my wishlist, or I've also listed a sale price (with the shipping included).

L*K November $2.00 (including shipping)

L*K Woof - $2.00 (including shipping)

Little House Needleworks Counting House - $4.00 (including shipping)

Precious Moments Noah's Ark - ADORABLE! $4.00 (including shipping)