A little love

Design: Love by Plum Pudding Needleart
Threads: DMC 3052, 3053, 3733, and B5200
Fabric: 32ct cream Belfast Zweigart
Start/Finish: 6/21-22/2010

Three years and blueberries!

I posted for the first time on this blog three years come tomorrow. That year, my first post was about picking blueberries. Alot has happened since then with a change of jobs, the passing of loved ones, and all the ups and downs of life.

Today, my mother thought it would be a great day to pick blueberries. An early celebration, if you will, of the Summer Solstice and three years of sharing my love of cross-stitching with my online friends.


Freshly washed blueberries....perfect for all sorts of yummies!

I am still reading Nicholas Nickleby and almost near the end of the novel with the protagonist trying to thwart his evil uncle's plans and fight for the love of his life.

I hope to get back to cross-stitching this week after I finish reading my book.

Have a happy Summer Solstice tomorrow!

A fun birthday!

Hi, everyone!

Yesterday was a day full of birthday surprises. My family asked what I would like for my birthday...cake or pie?! LOL I asked for chocolate chip cookies. I haven't had homemade cookies in many, many years! I think the last time I made them, they were for a college club bake sale ;)


My mother was suppose to make the cookies herself, but I couldn't resist and jumped into the kitchen to help ;)


A plate of warm cookies!


Geeky goodies for a BBC and history lover like myself!!


Craft gift card, a Kirks Folly 'Cheshire cat' pin, and a lovely Jim Shore figurine of a fairy on spool of thread with a needle in hand! Don't you love her thimble hat?!


A lovely pair of 'reading mittens' made by aunt Snowbird!

The pièce de résistance!! Are you ready for this?!?!? Because I wasn't when I opened the bag that contained this!


A 20th century sewing box made in Romania! Isn't it lovely? My aunt found it online.

I had a fun birthday. I've already spent the day watching Return to Cranford and plan on watching the DVD on Charles Dickens too!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Until next time ^____^

Tin finishes ;)

Hi, everyone! I was able to finish the last of my tin 'finishes' this morning. I ran by Hobby Lobby and bought some ribbon and pink heart buttons for the tins.


Exterior of tins


Interior of tins

I used fabrics that I have had in my stash for quite a while. I think they go well with the designs. Though the photos don't show it, the fabric is also at the top of the insides of each tin.

My only complaint about my tins are trying to find a 'neat' way to finish the edges. I have taped off the braids on each tin and hid them under the ribbons and buttons. Does anyone know another way to do this? How do you finish your pieces with braid?

I hope everyone is having a lovely day!

Until next time ^____^

May recap

May Recap:

Read:
1. At home in Japan : a foreign woman's journey of discovery by Rebecca Otowa
2. The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason
3. Biker Girl by Misako Rocks
4. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
5. A Promise of Romance light novel
6. Emerald Winter by Jamie Jennings
7. Lavender Legend by Jamie Jennings
8. Heaven's Will by Satoru Takamiya
9. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
10. Rock and Roll Love by Misako Rocks
11. The Professor's Daughter by Sfar & Guibert
12. The Law and Miss Mary by Dorothy Clark
13. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 by Alan Moore
14. Matilda by Roald Dahl
15. In the Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale by Souci & Neilan
16. The Lady & The Lion: A Brothers Grimm Tale by Long & Ogburn
17. The Sun Girl and the Moon Boy: A Korean Folktale by Yangsook Choi
18. Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 1 by Kiiro Yumi
19. Heart's Blood by Gail Dayton
20. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
21. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Stitched:
1. Flower by Needlecraft magazine - Oct. 1928
2. Joyeux 1er Mai by Echevette
3. Lovebirds by Reader's Digest, BB of CSD book
4. Violet Biscornu by New Stitches
5. Miniature Pink sampler by Margaret Major

Finished:
1. Printemps pinkeep
2. Very Merry Spring pinkeep
3. 12-16 cell charms
4. Violet biscornu
5. Joyeux 1er Mai tin
6. Lovebirds tin
7. Flower tin

Holiday weekend plans!

On my way to the library this morning, I stopped for a tiny turtle who was trying to make its way across the road. Of course, I had to move it to the other side of the road! You can always tell when hot weather is here with the movement of the turtles. I hope the little turtle I saved this morning is enjoying the afternoon rainstorm we are having now!

I went by Hobby Lobby and bought some notions to make a few of my cross stitch patterns into tins. Ms. BeckyBee gave me the idea to use the giftcard holders there as cross stitch tins!! Hopefully, I will have pictures of my projects by Monday.

In addition to crafting, I hope to do some house cleaning and then relax with a pile of books from the library.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend! Be safe ;)

Pink sampler and other news!

Hi, everyone! I went to the library this morning and found a book that looked interesting, Miniature Embroidery: A Foundation Course by Margaret Major. The book, while instructing the novice on several different embroidery techniques, also includes a multitude of projects to stitch together as miniatures for dollhouses.

I immediately fell in love with the tiny sampler design in the book and rummaged through my stash for fabric and threads.


Design: Pink framed sampler by Margaret Major
Threads: DMC 316, 501, 503, 3708, 3721, and 3852
Fabric: 28ct evenweave antique white by M.C.G. Textiles
Start/Finish: 5/22/2010

As it is a miniature, the design is stitched one over one, which was fun, but quite a trial to my eyesight! You can see the scale of the design by the size 24 tapestry needle in the picture.

I'm not sure how I'll 'finish' this design. Hmmm....I'll have to think about it ;)

In other news, I won a blog giveaway by the lovely Pikko a couple of weeks ago. I received a package of goodies yesterday! Look at all the fun bento stuff she sent me! THANK YOU Pikko! I love everything ;) I can't wait to use them!



With all my stitching and reading lately, I haven't had a chance to thank everyone for their lovely comments on my biscornu and other projects. So THANK YOU! I always appreciate the comments I get on my projects.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Until next time ^_____^

Valiant effort

For an online book club, I've been trying to read Cotillion by Georgette Heyer. After eighty pages of excessive use of slang, I can't go any further. Mrs. Heyer's use of Regency slang bogs down the plot of the book. The novel's heroine Kitty marries Freddy by the end of the novel, but after reading eighty pages of his flippant comments, I can't think how the author made them to be a decent couple by the end of the book.

I really wish I could get into Heyer's writing style as I see her books discussed on a number of blogs, but her style is cringe-worthy to say the least. Well, at least, I've read one of her books.

I'm off to my bookshelves to pick something else to read.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Until next time ^____^

Violet biscornu

Design: Violet Biscornu by New Stitches (British magazine)
Fabric: 32ct cream Belfast Zweigart
Threads: DMC 208, 209, 210, 729, 905, 907, & 3855
Finish: 5/15-18/2010, finished as biscornu 5/20/2010

I was able to find some buttons in my grandmother's boxes of sewing notions that were perfect for my biscornu.

What do you think? I love the simplicity of the design of this biscornu. It is beautiful.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

Until next time ^____^

Biscornu finish....almost O_o"

Hi, everyone! I have finished stitching together my biscornu, but now I'm on the hunt for some buttons for it. I've been through my grandmother's box of buttons and despite all the lovely vintage buttons in there, I didn't see anything that matched the colors of my biscornu.

Well, I might have to wait until this weekend when I can go by my local Hancock's and see what they have in terms of colorful buttons. Sorry, you'll have to wait for photos until then.

Hope you're having a great week!

Until next time ^___^