Stitches of Heritage

It's A New Year

2009-02-01T16:39:00.003-05:00

Oh my poor, neglected cross stitch blog! Knitting captured all my attention last year and the dust started accumulating here.

But it's a New Year and I know I must divide my attention equally. Honestly, I REALLY miss cross stitching. And when I came across this chart (meant for a sweater), I knew it was time to get back......

So Happy Belated New Year to all & I'll be back soon with progress pics.

Stitch-N-Pitch 2008

2008-06-22T12:14:00.005-05:00

Last night was "Stitch-N-Pitch" night for the DC Nationals. It's a collaboration between Major League Baseball & The National Needlearts Association promoting all forms of needle arts (cross stitch, embroidery, knit, crochet etc). For stitchers, it's a great night to grab your project and head to the stadium for a night of stitching & fellowship. And what a long night it was........ the game went into 14 (yes - fourteen) innings! I brought along a knitting project but the goodie bags were full of great cross stitch freebies too:
That Nationals chart will be great on a handtowel or pillow for some Christmas gifts. My cross stitching has slowed down quite a bit due to vision problems - old age is catching up with me (lol)! Nothing an eye doctor and bifocals (ugh) can't remedy. Have made a little more progress on Prayer Tree and in a recent visit to In Stitches, I picked up the new M Design's Family Tree. Would love to do this entire series on an afghan.....

Blogoversary!!!

2008-05-28T15:41:00.007-05:00

OMG - it's been 2 years since I started this blog. I had high hopes that it would motivate me to finish projects, make some stitching friends, and get a glimpse into what others were stitching. I have not been disappointed! The first person to extend their cyber-hand in friendship was Sharon. By reading her blog & browsing her blogroll, the stitching world unfolded. She sent me great links for ethnic patterns & encouraged me to experience linen. Thanks, Sharon! To this day, I remain in awe of Carol. Her ability to work projects on a daily basis is what I aspire to (but fall short of). Keep up the good work, Carol!

Although I don't get to blog hop as much as I'd like, it's still a joy & pleasure to see what everybody's working on & receive comments from those that like my work. No predictions of what the next year will bring, but hopefully more of the good stuff!

Memorial Day Stash

2008-05-24T17:12:00.014-05:00

Been stitching, been knitting, been working. That's right - medical leave ended and I've jumped right back into the swing of things. Honestly, I miss all that at-home crafting time. Just makes me hunger for retirement.

Last week was a business trip to New Orleans. My co-workers down there were nice enough to send me a gift certificate from one of my favorite LNS Acadian Corner in Metairie. I'm sure they knew my healing time would be accelerated with the thought of shopping. As always, I was not disappointed. Here's shots of my loot:

My favorite pattern has to be Glory Bee's - "Born to Stitch, Forced to Work" (lol). There's also Waxing Moon Design's - Live Simply (w/garden gate charm); Bent Creek's - Everyday Sampler & Valentine Row; Praying Hands' - Christ at Heart's Door; Sisters' - Thanks Be To God; Erica Michael's - Signs of Christmas; and Heart in Hand's - Hearts Sampler, Mind Your Manners, Look Both Ways, Study Hard & Wash Your Hands (gotta make these for the grandboys!). Be sure to check out Acadian Corner's website - they're having a fantastic pattern sale. Most are 50% off. I also stocked up on my fabric with Jobelan in Lavender Sweet, Babbling Brook, and Pewter as well as a Raw Cashel Linen and a Blue Country French Linen.

Surprise, surprise - I did a little more than shop. You can also see my progress on M Design's Pray Tree. My goal is to finish this in the next couple weeks as I rotate this project with a cardigan sweater I'm making. You can see my sweater progress on my other blog, MyDzire4Yarn

No More DMC?

2008-05-04T23:17:00.004-05:00

DMC is declaring bankruptcy. This is the official press release from DMC on 24 April 2008, telling us they will "undertake significant restructuring in the near term". This apparently meant not paying April's wages to their workers in France. That is a surefire way to kill the business, combined with the news report confirming the bankruptcy. DMC's official website is saying the bankruptcy court may hold a hearing in May. DMC is a major supplier of threads for Cross stitching, either as individual skeins, packed in kits, or providing the source materials for custom thread dyers.What does this mean for Cross stitchers? Other thread suppliers should enjoy the opening market opportunities but it may be a while before new colours are in place to replace the DMC colours. Thread prices will probably go up. Less competition will mean thread makers have a chance of making better margins. Ah well. Interesting!

Stitch-N-Pitch 2008

2008-04-26T21:04:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year again! Get ready to pack up your project for baseball & needlearts at Nationals Park! June 20 at 7:10 p.m. the Nationals play the Texas Rangers. Sit among friends, family & Nats fans while you cross stitch, embroider, knit or crochet. Tickets are $13 for an outfield gallery seat (& goodie bag).

Here's the link to order tickets online: Nationals Stitch & Pitch or visit your LNS.

Hope to see ya there! Be back soon with progress pics of Pray Tree.

April Progress

2008-04-18T18:45:00.018-05:00

I need to change my header for Progress Pics on the left to UFOs. Ashamed to say I have not picked up any of them in quite a few months. Somewhere stuck in there is the M Design "Rejoice" tree - started with the best of intentions. Meanwhile, I go into my LNS and there's a tree design I hadn't seen. It's the "Pray" tree - offered by M Design as a freebie to bring attention to those affected by Hurricane Katrina and encourage donations to the charities helping in the recovery. Here's the progress on my Pray Tree. It's done on 28 count hand-dyed Jobelan (Thyme) using Silk-N-Colors (Forest). I promise not to let it get lost in UFO-land and to take a better picture.

Created a second blog for my knitting & crochet progress - it's MyDzire 4 Yarn. Stop on by & let me know what you think. Happy stitching everybody!

Another Milestone

2008-03-25T14:06:00.002-05:00

Obviously, the month of March has always been precious to me. Both my girls were March babies. Happy Birthday Nelle! Twenty-six years ago today at 7:40 p.m. my world changed forever.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T11:52:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter from me & the fellas.

24 Years Ago

2008-03-06T09:19:00.003-05:00

Wow - at 11:44 a.m. exactly 24 years ago today I gave birth to this angel. She and her sister are the loves of my life. Although she has babies of her own, she'll always be my baby. Happy Birthday J!

THE SPOT!

2008-03-05T18:18:00.006-05:00

Although I can cross stitch, knit, & crochet almost anywhere - it's a dream to have a dedicated space in my house. When the youngest moved out, I quickly converted her room in hopes of having my spot. Alas, the computers, printers, scanner and overall storage for stash, books & magazines quickly filled the space.

But I'm finally in heaven. Here's my newly created stitching-spot in the corner of my bedroom. I can now stitch in a comfy BIG chair w/ottoman, next to the window, facing the TV & DVD player. Got my cross stitch & Ott light on my left and a decent yarn stash on my right (Someone gave me a great tip about the mirror behind the chair - it reflects light for great late-night stitching). Should I ever get tired, it's just a hop & skip to the comfort of my bed........ Someone send out a search party if I haven't been heard of in a few weeks (lol)!

BTW, Big Lots has a yarn clearance sale. Here's the Lion Brand Chenille I picked up for $1.50 per skein - I bought all 13 skeins in the bin. I better go back to work soon......

Progress

2008-03-03T18:52:00.009-05:00

I've managed to make progress on a couple of projects. Finished a crocheted beanie to compliment the neckwarmer I made a couple months ago. Also the "sistah" finally has lips & some filling to her church hat. Haven't picked up Peace Angel lately but she's next in line.

Just when I was basking in the glow of not heading out to work everyday, my co-workers reminded me that I work with a great group of folks. I received 2 flower arrangements, cards, and giftcards that I put to good use at Michaels for all this:

Men Should Come With Directions

2008-02-21T21:30:00.006-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Emerson Quillin and his "Listen Honey" series. All his women are super sassy & fun. I have a couple dozen of his cross stitch charts in my stash and I've started buying the rubber stamps to make cards & bookmarks. You'll see "On A Clear Day, I Can Shop Forever" in my cross stitch slideshow. Yesterday I started "Men Should Come With Directions". Doesn't she remind you of a southern sistah with braids & a church hat (lol)? Of course, she's gonna be a pillow cover.........

Tommorrow, more work on Peace Angel.

Wings of an Angel

2008-02-18T18:58:00.004-05:00

Not much progress on Peace Angel but I am enjoying working this piece. Dental surgery recovery is coming along slowly. Gum and bone problems required total extraction and stitches were removed last week. Now it's just healing time until the implants can be inserted. My body just wants to rest and sleep but my mind & hands want to get busy with needlework and craft projects. It would be great to finish Peace Angel during my hiatis as a reminder of all I'm going through.

In the meantime, it's easier just to knit so I finished this scarf for youngest daughter. I loved this Andes Wool yarn when I bought it, but the striping does nothing for me. Daughter loves it cause her favorite color is green. I still have 2 skeins so I will try making a felted bag to see if the pattern excites me more.
And finally - a funny sent to me by my Aunt Eunice

Stitch A Long

2008-02-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've joined the Lavender Angels SAL for encouragement with the Peace Angel. I'm on a 3-month leave of absence for some extensive dental work (you don't even want to know) so I'm looking forward to making great progress now that I'm out of the Percocet haze. Stay tuned for progress pics and send plenty of prayers for quick healing........

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2007-12-31T21:31:00.000-05:00

I reached so many milestones in 2007, I kinda hate to see it end. I celebrated my 50th birthday; achieved my goal weight; reached Lifetime status with WeightWatchers; walked 39 miles in my 5th Avon Walk for Breast Cancer; was promoted at work and increased my charities; saw the youngest grandbaby start kindergarten (better stop calling him a baby); got my Mom settled in a senior community where she has lots of companionship; displayed my crafts in a "real" shop; and cheered as both daughters became very independent young ladies. Of course with all this good came some sad like losing my Uncle Ed to kidney disease.

With all that under my belt, I have high hopes for 2008. My only resolution is to continue my quest to fulfill God's purpose and live my best life. I am thankful for all those I have met here and the talent that's been displayed and shared. I'm anxious to see what y'all have in store for next year (lol). I'll close the year with a pic of my current project - a knitted scarf & glove set using Uruguay DK - a marino, alpaca, silk blend yarn in a wonderful shade of grape.

O.k. - the mimosas are waiting along with the Greys Anatomy 3rd season DVD, so I'll wish everyone a safe & HAPPY NEW YEAR.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2007-12-24T18:28:00.001-05:00

Reason for the Season

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

But as Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday.

Memaw's Motto

2007-11-27T22:33:00.000-05:00

Quick and fun design from Waxing Moon Designs. I changed the color pallette and used my favorite pillow covers as the finish. The heck with Vegas - my grandboys will choose Memaw's house anytime.......

Black Friday

2007-11-23T22:22:00.000-05:00

O.K., I have to admit today is one of my favorite days. It's gotten a bad rap over the years - mainly from eager shoppers who have temporarily forgotten their "home training" (please, thank you, excuse me, etc)........ But, for me - the shopper extraordinaire - it's a day of deals & squeals.

This year I decided to forego the 4 a.m. line outside of Walmart for a couple hours more sleep. My first stop 6:00 a.m. at Michaels (surprised?) netted the Ott Light I've been stalking. Michaels's retails it for $59.99 & regularly puts it on sale for 40% off. But today - while supplies last - it was $19.99 plus an extra 25% off! Selected, paid for, & on my way to the next store within 5 minutes. The look on my daughters face was priceless - she stayed in the car cause she knows how I am in any craft or needlework store.

Next was Target where it was a bit more daunting. Movies $3.98 (check), games $9.98 (check), Playstation Portable w/5 movie bundle $169.99 (no check). Three Target stores later we gave up on the PSP and headed to Gamestop that had one without the movie bundle option. Oh well - grandson's not interested in movies, just the games. Mission completed.

After a quick nap (I must be getting really old), I spent the afternoon working on Beachcomber Tunic. Here's some progress pics:

Six more crocheted rows on the front & it's on to the sleeves.

Hope everyone enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Handmade Pledge

2007-11-15T12:59:00.000-05:00

I prefer to say "handcrafted" instead of "handmade" but heck - it's all good..... click on the button & make your pledge today!

Extraordinary Quilting

2007-11-13T14:09:00.000-05:00

Last month I shared the art-quilt wall hangings from my Aunt. She is so supportive of me and my efforts to promote the beauty of handcrafted gifts this season in the gift shop. She introduced me to her fellow quilting guild member - Sandra. Sandra is an avid quilter who makes all-things-quilted but specializes in baby quilts, lap quilts, and Quillows. If you're not familiar with quillows (I sure wasn't) - they are quilts with a pocket that enables the quilt to convert to a pillow. Especially great for traveling! Just the concept is fascinating to me but take a look at these:

Absolutely beautiful! You know my heart & soul is forever drawn to "stitches of heritage" so the african inspired themes are my favorites. But there's something for everyone so I also chose the Black Barbie quillow and a cute school theme (perfect for boys).

Of course the hard part is choosing which ones to put in the shop and which will be gifts for my friends & family (lol)! I've always been fascinated with quilting but there aren't enough hours to finish my own stitching to-do list - so thank goodness for Sandra who I'll probably have on speed dial! I'll leave you with more pics of the quilting stash - couldn't say no to the lap quilts........ the angel quilt has the lyrics to Amazing Grace on one side & the Ten Commandments on the other - how perfect!

Spiritual Progress

2007-11-06T20:10:00.000-05:00

I just love this time of year. The change in weather is my cue to pour over the pattern stash in search of the perfect holiday gift to make for loved ones and the perfect hat, scarf, or sweater to make for ME! But before my thoughts go crazy -I'm working to finish up some WIPs. Here's where I am on Southern Roots' Spiritual by Jeanne Bowers - it's done as a pillow cover and about 95% complete. I'm shooting to finish it this weekend.

My knitting mojo is also in full swing. I'm working on the Beachcomber Tunic again and I'm about 30% finished. Since it's a spring sweater, I'm not in a rush but definitely have it in rotation so there will be some decent pics soon. Also working on Leisure Arts Sampler Afghan. It's 60 pattern stitches - you choose 20 of them to design your own unique afghan. I'm only on the 4th square, but I'm enjoying the variety.

No knitting mojo is complete without new stash. My favorite man (the mailman) brought me a lovely package yesterday. It's the Uruguay DK on sale at Little Knits. A blend of merino, alpaca & silk with a full-bag price I couldn't resist. I fell for this beautiful purple as well as a khaki that can be used together or separately.

Let me go make some plans..........

Rain, Rain - Go Away

2007-10-26T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day of the Ft. Myer Craft Bazaar. It's my first bazaar of the season (WAHOO!)& although the rain kept folks away, I really enjoyed browsing (and buying) from the other vendor tables. My favorite was probably my neighbor who breaks & torches glass (wine bottles, vases, etc) & creates beautiful necklaces, earrings, and pins. Who knew broken glass could be so beautiful. Here are pics of my table displays. Tomorrow is Family Day with lots of activities planned so hopefully the sun will make an appearance.........

Best Vacation

2007-10-22T21:41:00.000-05:00

Last week was the best of all worlds - I had a week-long vacation & I spent most of the time stitching. Of course, that means I have pics to share......

This was a housewarming gift for my daughter's friends. She wanted to give them something unusual so I combined her words with a mix of patterns. They got a kick out of the figures - he has dreadlocks & she has a bob so I tried to capture their styles (lol). Can't even remember where I got the aida - the border was so nice, didn't need a matte for the frame.

As I was browsing Hobby Lobby I found this pre-striped aida from DMC (hope you can see the pink stripes). What a good idea - there are about a half dozen pre-printed designs. I selected the stripe to compliment this chart I picked up last spring in Metairie, LA. The pink & green combo is perfect for the AKA sorority event I'm doing in November.

And I can almost remove this from my WIP list - it's the potholder I started sometime last year. Few more fill-in stitches and I'm done.

Family of Stitches

2007-10-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

My Aunt Winnie is an extremely talented quilter. For years I have admired her vision and skill in designing quilts and wall hangings. This past weekend she visited me with a few of her quilted wallhangings. Although she does not normally sell her creations, she provided these one-of-a-kind wallhangings for sale in the shop.

I remain in awe of her talent and grateful for the family that I was born into that is so loving, sharing, and thoughtful. Although I'm still years away from retirement and my dream of a shop of my own, my current opportunities in the giftshop are teaching me things that ensure my own success in the future.

From WIP to FO

2007-10-02T21:33:00.001-05:00

Blessings
by Forever in My Heart
Stitched on 14-count White Birch Aida with 2 ply Silk 'N Colors

Can't believe I started this well over a year ago (August 2006) and just getting it done. Love the design and the sentiment. The leaves put me in an autumn mood. Not quite sure whether the final finish will be framed with a complimentary matte or stitched up as a pillow. Will keep you posted.

Been catching up on my blog watch & y'all are doing some fantastic work. Inspiring me to get to the next project! Be blessed!

Blowing the Dust Off!

2007-09-24T14:11:00.000-05:00

Wow - It's been so long, it's only appropriate to hang out the Welcome towel. This is my latest finish & one of the first items in my shop display. Been super busy between the "real" job (pays the bills) and the "fun" job (feeds the soul). I have other progress pics to show & I promise to be back soon. Gotta catch up on all my blog favorites too......

Pillow Finish

2007-08-26T17:13:00.001-05:00

Better Homes & Gardens
Alphabet Heart Freebie
Charles Craft Pillow Sham
DMC Floss #115

My Goodies

2007-08-23T19:10:00.000-05:00

Back from yet another business trip to New Orleans. Don't think I'll ever tire of the city. Of course no trip is complete without a visit to Acadian Corner in Metairie. And once again the stash enhancement experience (s.e.x.) did not disappoint.

Lots of charts on sale (making room for new stock), so I got Bent Creek's Glory; Never Forget by Jeanette Crews Designs; and Gabriel the Messenger from Stoney Creek. Fabric choices were the Twilight 100% Linen, Blue Whisper Cashel Linen, and Plum Blossom Jobelan. As if that wasn't enough, the mailman left me a bundle while I was gone - Baby Georgia cotton yarn that I ordered from Little Knits. I'm so in love with their 10-skein bundles. The colors are sienna red, dark chocolate, and corn silk yellow that would make a beautiful striped something.

My favorite thing from Acadian Corner has to be this Damask square. Pic isn't the greatest but look close & you'll see a small circle in the middle for stitching. The owner suggested making it into a pillow...... what do you think?

Been Gone Too Long

2007-08-14T19:01:00.000-05:00

It's August already? Summer has been fantastic.

My master plan includes opening a gift shop after retirement (featuring handcrafted inventory - of course!) and I've been blessed with an opportunity to try some things out. A friend has a beautiful, quaint giftbasket store & offered me display space in exchange for marketing/advertising advice & running the shop on Saturdays. Definitely a win-win situation for both of us. Here are a couple pics of the shop - isn't it great?

The best part of the whole deal is that every Saturday I take along projects to work on when I don't have customers (lol), so I'm consistently crafting! My display will focus on cross-stitched handtowels, pillows, bookmarks, ornaments, and framed pieces along with handpainted figurines, angels & santas that I love to do. Figure I'll be ready to setup the display shortly after Labor Day so stay tuned for pics.

In the meantime, I've finished the back of the Beachcomber Tunic and most of the left side. Here are my progress pics....

Tunic Progress

2007-07-25T20:43:00.000-05:00

Almost at the back neckline of Beachcomber - then on to the crochet bottom edging......yeah!! It's been ages since I've completed a sweater and can't remember making one for me. Consistently made sweaters for my girls as they were growing up, but you know the story...... by their teen years they preferred sweaters, caps & scarves from Gap, Old Navy & Guess to handcrafted "Mommy Gear". Now that they're grown, I have a long list of requests. But they'll just have to wait in line!

Beachcomber Tunic

2007-07-21T17:49:00.000-05:00

I have my own little min-rotation going. Splitting my time between knitting the Beachcomber Tunic from Interweave Crochet's spring issue and cross stitching M Designs Rejoice Tree ornament. Here's my progress pic of the tunic back. Excited to finish the knitted part so I can see how the crochet edging will complement it. I'm substituting the recommended yarn with Crystal Palace's Cotton Flamme. Loving the texture!

Y'all know I love a sale & what could be better than something knitted on sale. I picked up this Cable Knit Hobo Bag from Old Navy today. On clearance - it was $8.99! I couldn't knit one for that price. We're talking fully lined with wallet & cell phone compartments. The strap is short but perfect to carry around my projects. They carry it online (it's on sale there too) & it's made from a combination of paper straw & cotton - whatever....... it's sturdy.

I finally have a couple of days off, so I'll be back with pics of Rejoice ornament as soon as I finish a couple more letters.

Stitching Cruise

2007-07-13T13:51:00.000-05:00

Stitchers Aweigh Cruise - Sponsored by Accents, Inc (New Orleans LNS).
October 11 - 15; Sailing from New Orleans to Cozomul, Mexico on Carnival Cruise Line.
Stitching Room available during the day.
Goodie bags, fun & surprises throughout the week.

PACKIN' MY BAGS!...............

WIP & Stash

2007-07-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

Killing 2 (or 3) birds with one stone last week - traveled to New Orleans for business, visited with daughter & attended Essence Festival. Suprisingly enough I actually worked on my Rejoice Tree (thanks to a 3 hour flight delay). It's coming along nicely & I can't wait to add the seed beads to make it sparkle.

Of course no trip to New Orleans is complete without an excursion to my favorite home-away-from-home LNS Acadian Corner. In addition to the new Mirabilia Design "Daisy" (is it just me or does the absence of facial features seem weird?), I picked up a 28 count opalescent raw linen, a hand dyed jobelan called "Thyme" (beautiful with the Dark Forest Silk 'N Colors floss), a lilac linen & a sandstone linen. And for my angel fix, I picked up Lizzie Kate's "Angel's Work" chart.

Even managed a quick trip to the local Michaels. Headed straight to the clearance section where I got a small project organizer ($7) & floss keepers ($2). Not long ago I stocked up on those photo totes from Bed, Bath & Beyond - not knowing what I could do with them - but hey they were $3.99!! Well, spotted the 14 count perforated paper & the lil lightbulb came on: why not stitch inserts instead of using pics? Maybe a small angel & inspirational words or something. Sounds like a plan!!!!! Hopefully I'll finish the tree by my next post............. happy stitching y'all.

The Big 50

2007-06-26T20:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my 50th birthday and as many have attested - it's a major milestone. I'm blessed to believe this is the halfway mark of life & I have much to be grateful for:

- My girls are grown and living on their own;
- I have 2 intelligent/healthy grandkids;
- my Mom is retired and living carefree;
- I am in good health and my faith is strong.

I also have much to look forward to. I finished reading "50 Things To Do When You Turn 50" and was very moved by the following excerpt:

"For a woman turning 50, the challenge is to move beyond living for and through others and focus more on oneself. If you have spent the first five decades of your life graduating from being someone's daughter to being someone's girlfriend to being someone's wife to being someone's mother and then grandmother, this can be a joyous time of discovery - a time in life to figure out what it would mean to be someone in your own right. You are not being selfish or irresponsible; you are reaching for wholeness."

I am sooooo ready for the next 50 years!

Rejoice

2007-06-20T20:13:00.001-05:00

Actually have a couple of reasons to rejoice.

First, here's the framed piece I did for my mom. Couldn't believe the frame was on sale at Target for $2.58....... what a bargain & how perfect for the piece! I gave it to her for Father's Day (she was the initial Supermom for brother & me). It's very special cause it signifies she has a new home - not just a new apartment.

My second reason to rejoice is my current linen project. I've started M Design's REJOICE ornament tree. Chose a hand dyed linen - 28 count - from Acadian Corner in Metairie, LA. I've completed the first E stitching "over 1" instead of "over 2" - something else new for me but I'm loving it. Somehow it seems easier on the hands (but not on the eyes). I promise I'm moving away from the earthtones for my next project, but hey - that's what always catches my eye.

Please take as minute to jump over to my friend Crystal's new blog & welcome her. She's new to blogland but not to stitching.........

At Last.....A Happy Dance

2007-06-11T21:21:00.000-05:00

All I needed was the feel of the needle in my hand to get my mojo back. This is a freebie from Glory Bee Designs completed on Heatherfield White Birch. Sorry couldn't get it placed straight on the scanner but you get the idea. Will mat & frame it this week as a gift to my mom who just moved to a senior retirement community after living in the same house for 33 years. We thought it would be traumatic but she's settling in very nicely. Between the jazzercise classes, bid whist card games, parties & picnics - her social calendar is more full than mine. Enjoy it mom - you deserve it.

On to the next project!! By the way - time just flew by! My one year blog anniversary was at the end of May........ don't even remember stitching life before the blog.

Worldwide Knit In Public (WWKIP) Day

2007-06-08T11:59:00.001-05:00

June 9th is WWKIP Day. You can go here WWKIPDAY to get all the details but hey - who needs details????? Just do your thing!

I plan to spend most of the day manning my friend's giftshop so what better way to spend the downtime than working on the tunic that I've been neglecting.

In other stitching news, last week I actually picked up a needle & linen and started a quick stitch project. It felt so good to get back to something I love so much. Hope to have pics real soon.

Knit & Crochet Happiness

2007-05-14T21:54:00.000-05:00

This is one of those times I'm happy I learned to both knit and crochet. The spring issue of Interweave Crochet has this beautiful summer tunic that is a combination of knit with crochet edging.

Think I'll use the Crystal Palace Cotton Flamme yarn I bought awhile ago. It's a beautiful coral color that will look great for spring. Of course that means I have to finish it in time to wear for spring............

Tonight was the Stitch-N-Pitch baseball game sponsored by the Washington Nationals MLB team. I bought my ticket months ago with high hopes but wasn't able to leave work in time to attend. What a great concept: bring you needlework project (cross stitch, embroidery, knit, crochet, etc) and stitch the night away during the game. If anyone is familiar (they supposedly have them scheduled all across the country), please let me know how it went. Maybe I can travel up the road for Stitch-n-Pitch with the Orioles.

2007 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

2007-05-07T21:06:00.000-05:00

Although this deviates from my normal stitching-related posts, it ends a very busy chapter in my annual commitments which now frees my time to get back to stitching - so here goes:

3,000 Walkers + $7.4 million = One Great Weekend!!!

I survived the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this past weekend. One of the best ones yet. D.C. broke its record for the most participants & the highest dollars earned since the beginning of the event. This is my 5th year participating – each of which I say is my last – but truthfully, it’s probably not. At this stage of life, I am so blessed and it feels good to be part of something bigger than myself, and that I’m helping someone, somewhere, get the treatment they need & maybe can’t afford. If that means I have to walk a little gingerly for a few days & soak my feet a little more often – so be it. I say THANK YOU to everybody who supported me financially, emotionally, spiritually or otherwise. A special thanks to Bill, who’s always there to pick me up from the finish line when I don’t think I can take another step - and my girls, Jaimee and Janelle, who always check on their mom & promise that next year is the year they’ll join me (I’m still waiting)……..

The Saturday morning journey began at 6:30 a.m. at the Kennedy Center with emotional speeches from survivors. Once the show of hands begins from survivors; then family & friends who have been affected; and finally those who just want to see a cure – there is a joining of hands in solidarity………. They have you hooked for the entire 39 miles cause you can feel why you’re there! The first year I participated, the biggest show of hands was for a cure – now the biggest show of hands is from family & friends that have been affected.

Saturday’s 26-mile walk took us through Arlington, Georgetown, Embassy Row, Bethesda, Chevy Chase and ended in Silver Spring. For those of you from this area, that included the dreaded hill up to Sibley Hospital (somebody’s idea of a joke I’m sure). The rain held off until we were into mile 23 which was great because by then your feet are tired & your muscles are so sore you don’t notice a bit of rain (lol). Those last 3 miles of Day 1 are always the hardest for me so I tend to slip into my zone. That’s so I don’t hear all those folks at the cheering stations who have good intentions by saying “Just a little further” or “Right around the corner” when you really have miles more to walk. My tentmate arrived in camp before I did so the tent was already up - wahoo. After a hot shower, hot cocoa, green chili enchiladas (you don’t even wanna know), and a final rubdown with Icy Hot - I was tucked into the sleeping bag by 8 p.m. Slept like a baby until around 6 a.m. when I heard other campers rambling around. Wish I had stock in that Icy Hot cause after layering up for the chilly morning weather, I started out strong on Sunday. With only 13 miles to go, we headed back into D.C. via the Sligo Creek trail, Piney Branch Road and 16th Street. Once the sun came out & the day heated up, we were doing a walking strip tease. The cheering stations ranged from Girl Scout troops, to sorority sisters (Delta Gamma Rho – I think), to oncology nurses and included residents from an assisted living facility who passed out pink scarves. Food & Friends provided lunch on Day 2 and also had groups along the route passing out fresh-baked chocolate chip & sugar cookies. Very inspiring! The final block before the Kennedy Center was lined on both sides with cheering family, friends, volunteers, & crew.

Been Such A Long Time

2007-04-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

Wow - have not posted progress pics in soooooo long. Seem to have lost my cross stitch mojo - lots of charts I want to start or finish but no motivation to just do it. Between a new job, training for the walkathon, relocating my mom, & all the stuff inbetween I can't seem to concentrate on detailed work. But I haven't abandoned needlework completely. Every night I manage to stitch at least 2 rows on the "plain Jane" afghan while I catch the late night news. It's now looking like this:

Really big & heavy.......... I'm on the last skein of cream yarn before starting the edging. Since the cold & wet just won't quit here in VA - I may get some use out of it yet this season.

A few weeks ago my brother gifted me with some great shelving units. With help of some vibrant cubes from Target & lots of file boxes & book/magazine organizers from ABC Distributing, my office & craft space looks really cool. check it out - even my yarn stash has a place.

Keeping the faith that life will slow down soon & my mojo will return with a vengence. Happy stitching to all!!!

Stash Delivery

2007-03-27T20:02:00.000-05:00

Finally, finally, finally......... the rest of my reward stash arrived yesterday from Little Knits. It's Crystal Palace Cotton Flamme. The Cornflower Blue is what I plan to use for the remake of the Sampler Afghan and the Key West Coral will make beautiful spring sweaters. Must not get distracted - I already have so many stitching (cross stitch & knitting) projects in heavy rotation but life keeps getting in the way. I made a resolution this year to do some type of stitching every day - even if it's only one row at bedtime. That's how the blogs have spoiled me - I so admire the ladies that manage to do it everyday..........

But the weather has finally broken (I hope) and I must pump up my training for the next Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. May 5 and 6 will be my 6th walkathon & I'll be following it up in October with the Avon Walk in New York.

Stash Reward

2007-03-20T20:26:00.000-05:00

I blogged about reaching my Weight Watcher goal a couple of months ago. Well, last Tuesday, I reached Lifetime status by maintaining my goal weight for 6 weeks. This means I can now attend any WW meeting, at any time, at any location - free! Huge incentive for me since I've been paying those folks for years. Any who......... to celebrate (without food) I decided to go on a needlework-stash-buying-binge. I am so excited - my first order was delivered today & boy was it a doozy!!!!!

As you can see lots of my favorite things - angels - as well as the rest of M Design's tree ornament series, an adorable baby in prayer, & a really cute cross stitch collector design that reads "..... A stitcher's passion is her pattern collection". All my goodies were ordered from 1-2-3 Stitch (saw it listed on another bloggers site). Great selection, really great prices, and obviously speedy delivery. I now have enough stash to keep me going until the end of time, but this was only my first delivery. I'm waiting on some gorgeous Crystal Palace yarn to start my spring knitting projects....... should be delivered by Monday. Needlework played such a large part in my weight loss journey - it only seems proper that I show my appreciation (lol)

WIP & Stash

2007-03-12T20:22:00.000-05:00

Here's progress on the second block of the Sampler Afghan. It's the Little Shell Stitch. Haven't received my new yarn so continue to chug away at the blah-blue. Saw a post asking for local donations of afghans for the homeless, so when I finish this one, it's headed that way. BTW, isn't the basket beautiful? Found it on clearance at Marshall's for $7.00. Great way to carry my projects upstairs & downstairs. Also treated myself to a trip to my LNS/LYS - In Stitches Needlework. Stopped in for silk floss for M Design's "Cherish" Tree Ornament chart. They had a few more of the designs, so I got the "Rejoice" and "Peace" charts. To really torture me, there was a 50% off yarn sale so I got this beautiful 100% wool - Andes (made in Chile). It's shades of gold & olive that should look great as a felted purse or tote. Have never tried felting but have collected some wonderful patterns online. As if that wasn't enough, picked up Lizzie Kate's Santa '04 chart. Have loved it since Sharon displayed hers on her blog. You're probably wondering when I'm getting back to cross stitch........ soon, very soon.

The Sampler

2007-03-07T07:44:00.000-05:00

Nope - It's not a cross stitch sampler, but the Leisure Arts knitted Sampler Afghan. I bought the book ages ago with the intention of learning some really great patterns. It contains 60 stitch patterns that you can mix and match to create your own afghan design. Each block is 12 inches and the final piece takes 20 blocks. I finished my first block on the return flight from Houston - the Double Parallelogram. Now I'm on to a pretty Shell Stitch block. If you look closely at the pic below, there are some really great patterns in the booklet. My downfall is that I started using stash yarn. Yes - it's acrylic ; OMG it's baby blue; and there's soooooo much of it! In my own defense: (1) I didn't buy the yarn, it came by way of the yarn fairy; and (2) I didn't expect to like the finished pieces, just wanted something to do to soak up all the excess travel time. So to remedy the situation, I jumped online to the Little Knits site and ordered the Crystal Palace Cotton Flamme in Cornflower Blue (really soft & beautiful).
My first time using the site (saw it on another blog). The 10-skein bundles are a nice option. While I wait for my new (better) stash to arrive, I'll go ahead & use up the baby blue skin-irritant as practice pattern pieces. In the end, maybe I can give it away on my local FreeCycle.

Almost Instant Gratification

2007-02-26T21:26:00.000-05:00

What a "quick knit"! Used 4 skeins of Lion Boucle Wild Berries (from the Dollar Tree) to knit up this hat & scarf combo. The subscription to Interweave Knits has my knitting mojo really coming out full force. A handknit sweater is definitely in my future.

But first, I just have to stitch this Waxing Moon Design. Definitely my motto for the grandboys. Headed out to Texas tomorrow on a biz trip so maybe between the airport layovers & hotel downtime I can have it completed before the weekend. Happy stitching to all .......

Quick Trip & New Stash

2007-02-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

Spent a few days in one of my favorite places - New Orleans. Beat the Mardi Gras crush but just in time to catch a couple of parades & visit some of my favorite LNS. Number one on my list was Acadian Corner. It's actually in Metairie - just outside of New Orleans but very close to my field office (meaning I can sneak off at lunchtime). Family owned and operated, their selection of charts & precut linens are only rivaled by their friendliness and helpfulness. Was so excited to find the new "What Happens at Grandma's, Stays at Grandma's" chart by Waxing Moon Designs.

My next stop was Accents, Inc. This LNS was a regular for me back when they were Accents In Stitches. Post-hurricane, the owner & her husband have combined businesses so it's a combination art gallery, framing and needlearts shop. Very nice - the stitching side is small but chock-a-block full of goodies. I managed to get both the Cherish & America Tree Ornament charts by M Designs (loving them!) & a beautiful Eloquent Christmas design by ByGone Stitches. I'm so excited at their upcoming events. A stitching day camp in March, a 4-day stitching retreat in June and best of all a 4-day "Accents Stitchers Aweigh Cruise" to Cozomel, Mexico in October. Been to Cozomel before but the cruise is a definite for me just because I can hang with other stitchers - in fact my girls want to treat me as a birthday present - WAHOO. Looks like I'll be making quite a few more trips to the field office in the coming months........

Baby - It's Cold Ouside

2007-02-11T19:56:00.000-05:00

Brrrrr .......... it's definitely winter which means I've been hibernating. Not much cross stitch going on but plenty of knitting. Here's my youngest daughter modeling the hat I made for her. Shes's the one who likes bright colors so I used Lion Boucle's Popsicle. Knitted on circulars using about 3 ounces of yarn. Super simple - straight knitting. She likes it so much I'll have to do a matching scarf. Still working on my "Plain Jane" afghan. It's getting big enough to serve double duty as a project & a lap robe.

Super Bowl Sunday

2007-01-25T16:35:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl vs. Knitty Gritty - what's a girl to do?? O.k., I'll commit to the squares, but they can't expect me to miss the Super Bowl AND Prince at halftime(lol)!! Looks like a job for Tivo......

DIY Network is playing the field on Super Sunday with its first ever Knit In by encouraging needle arts enthusiasts to knit and crochet for charity. On Sunday, Feb. 4, when football fans are glued to the tube, DIY is challenging all knitsters and crocheters to pick up their sticks and grab some yarn to help kick off the network's commitment to create shawls and blankets for the less fortunate. DIY is partnering with Warm Up America!, a charitable organization dedicated to the creation of handmade blankets, clothing and accessories to help those in need. The 7"x9" squares knit and donated by DIY viewers will be sewn together into blankets, and distributed to women's shelters, nursing homes and daycare centers. For more information on how to participate in DIY's year-long initiative, including a pattern for the square, log on to www.DIYnetwork.com/knit.

Arghhhh!!!

2007-01-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

After a couple weeks of stitching, I am really not liking "The Baptism". The model on the chart looks so great but I was suspicious of many of the colors when I picked them out. Sure nuff, why are there green stitches for hair & grey stitches in the skin tones? In my opinion it throws off the design. I am so frustrated!! It will be a major effort to start over after substituting all the weird colors. I'm certainly not up to that right now, so it goes to the UFO pile. I've pulled out the Yoruban Women kit as my next project.

On a much better note, I'm proud to announce that after 4 years on WeightWatchers, I reached my goal weight on Tuesday. I've gone from being an overweight (40+ lbs), fast-food-eating couch potato with high blood pressure to a marathon-walking, soon-to-be-50, fit vegetarian (lol). Biggest lesson has been that it's truly a lifestyle change & not a diet so I look forward to the next 6 weeks of maintenance to officially become a Lifetime member. Oops, forgot to mention how my stitching has helped. Its really hard to snack when you have needle, scissors, crochet hook or knitting needles in your hand. Speaking of which - I'm calling this the "Plain Jane" Super Bowl afghan. No real design or color pallette means I can pay close attention to the game while getting rid of some stash..........

Rewind

2007-01-15T20:34:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite projects last year was the Better Homes & Garden's linen heart alphabet. It was my first linen finish and given to my best-sistah-friend for Christmas. I realized over the weekend how I missed seeing it in my finished pile so I began one for my house. Although it was awesome on linen, I decided a pillow worked best for me and I chose Valentine reds as a reminder that it will be done by then. Also stitched a bit on "Baptism". Loving the creme linen background that I chose. It's really making the picture pop.

Always on the lookout for unique frames for my stitching and from time to time Dollar Tree gets some really cool stuff. When I saw this one, the colors from "Skip Rope" came to mind. I now have the perfect excuse to finish another one. Getting into a crazy cycle of liking my finished pieces so much I wanna do them again. Unfortunately that's not helping me work through all these charts I've accumulated.

Retirement just can't come fast enough. Hope you all enjoyed a peaceful and quiet Martin Luther King Day.

Finished Skip Rope

2007-01-12T21:41:00.000-05:00

Here's the finished "Skip Rope" from Cross My Heart design's Shoo Fly Pie booklet. I finished her on a Charles Craft Showcase Huck Towel. Very cute........ she's only 40 stitches wide by 70 stitches high so she fit perfectly.

Pampering Knits

2007-01-08T21:45:00.000-05:00

I love all my mom's sisters (she has 9 & 1 brother) but I have a special bond with my Aunt E. Not only do we share a middle name, but since my mom has no skill with needlework, I like to think my skills were somehow inherited from my aunt. She is a master knitter, quilter, and crocheter who's creations I have admired since I was a little girl. We can be found in a corner at family gatherings talking about our latest projects or sighing over patterns in a craft magazine. Today I received this special package from her. It is a gorgeous cotton chenille washcloth that she made from a Crystal Palace Yarn pattern. And because she knows me so well she included the pattern & a skein of Crystal Palace's Cotton Chenille in "Spring Picnic". I cannot tell you how soft this washcloth is. Aunt E says the more you use it, the softer it gets. Can't wait to pamper myself and spread the joy by making a few of these as gifts for friends & family.

I got a little stitching done on "Baptism" over the weekend. Just as I guessed, there are lots of "confetti" stitches, so it'll probably be a while until I have a decent progress pic. Still believe it'll be on of my better projects cause it appears to be so detailed. Just hope my crafting ADD doesn't take over & I can stick with it. Definitely don't need another UFO.

Happy New Year's Eve!

2006-12-31T09:58:00.000-05:00

My final project for 2006 is a scarf and glove set for ME! Just using up the yarn remnants from my Mom's afghan (it is so warm & cozy). Couldn't decide whether to knit or crochet so I knitted the scarf, added a crocheted edge & crocheted the gloves.

While at Michael's yesterday getting linen & floss for my first cross stitch project of 2007, I picked up these goodies. DD#2 wanted her gloves in red & black. That child loves bright colors - so I found a combo. The 50% off coupon from last week's paper was burning a hole in my pocket so I finally picked up the Weekend Knitting book that was on my Christmas list. Most importantly I have all the materials to start "The Baptism" tomorrow. I chose a 28 count creme linen as the background. With any luck, I'll have weekly progress pics to share.

Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy, prosperous New (stitching) Year!!

Switched to the New Blogger

2006-12-27T22:48:00.000-05:00

I made the leap to the new Blogger & I'm liking it. You won't notice much of a change except that I divided up my favorite blogs and added links to other sites where my crafts are showcased. Oh yes, & changed my avatar to reflect my wishes for a happy, healthy & safe New Year for all!

Guess I better get started on my Stitching Resolutions for 2007. In a perfect world, I'd complete one project a month in addition to one year-long "biggie". Unfortunately, I don't live in a perfect world. Will have to settle for spending more time in 2007 doing what I love ........ STITCHING!

Christmas Gifting

2006-12-26T14:04:00.000-05:00

Hope your Christmas Day was a merry one. Mine was wonderful - full of fellowship and dining with family and friends. After trying unsuccessfully (over & over & over again) to make the "Fetching" fingerless gloves shown on the left for DD#1, I made a cute little crocheted pair. No matter how hard I tried, couldn't get my knitted stitches tight enough between the double points. The crocheted ones were quick & easy (thank goodness, it was Christmas eve). The yarn is Paton's Nuance - a mohair blend with a gold metallic thread running through it. The gold doesn't show up in the photo but it gave them a nice sparkle. Mirrored the double-crochet pattern in a matching scarf (sorry no pic & DD's gone back home). Was stressing about whether she'd like them but her sister has put in an order for a pair in something "bright & colorful" which is always a sure sign that I've hit on something. Committed to taking a class on how to make socks so one day I can make a pair of the Fetching gloves for myself (y'all know I'm stubborn - can't let it beat me!)

Attention Knitters .....

2006-12-19T21:01:00.000-05:00

Run - do not walk - to your nearest Marshall's dept. store. In the clearance section you will find this fantasic book for $3.00!! Yes - $3.00!! It's called Hollywood Knits Style and supposed contains modern designs worn by the stars (Jennifer Lopez leg warmers, Russell Crowe ribbed cap, etc) but who cares - it's $3.00 and has some really great patterns.

I'm sure shoppers were snickering at the crazy lady ooohing and aahing as she flipped through the pages - but take a look at just 2 of the 30 designs contained inside. The "Everything Bag" will be carrying my everything very soon and although these old abs can't sport the "Zip-up Pullover", I'm sure my DD could do it justice. There's also a great "Long Shawl-Collar Coat". My store had lots of copies - in fact, what was I thinking? I'm headed back to get more for my knitting buddies - what a great gift. Happy Shopping!

Ready for the Post Office

2006-12-18T22:03:00.000-05:00

Here's my final batch of baby caps for "Caps to the Capital". Will tag and mail them tomorrow so they can get to the Save the Children Foundation before the January deadline. They were really fun to crochet and brought back memories of my babies (now grown) and grandbabies (not so grown).

Putting the final touches on my handcrafted gifts. Don't want to post pics and spoil it for the recipients (you never know who's reading the blog) so I'll post pics after the holidays. Got some much needed help from my Aunt Eunice on how to knit those darn fingerless gloves for DD. Gonna give it one last try & hopefully have them boxed and bowed on Christmas morning. Thanks Auntie........

The Reason for the Season

2006-12-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

But as Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday.

Artist: Johnny Myers - The Only Solution

Holiday Cheer

2006-12-10T20:01:00.000-05:00

I know I've been AWOL for quite a while. On the downslope of my mission to complete one handcrafted item for everyone on my gift list. Things were going really well until I started these fingerless gloves for oldest daughter. I've seen them on a couple of blogs & their real claim to fame is that it should only take a weekend to whip up a pair. I've never knitted gloves or socks but sheesh - it can't be as difficult as I'm making it (Am I really supposed to knit with 3 needles?). I've read through the directions countless times and have started and stopped just as many times. Gonna go to my "how to" books to decipher what I'm supposed to be doing. Hopefully in time for DD to get these at Christmas (lol).
In the meantime, got some great stash this weekend. First, I'm at my favorite Dollar Tree store and there on the bottom shelf is Lion Boucle!! I cannot pass up $1 yarn but I did limit myself to 8 skeins (how's that for willpower?). Next stop - Michael's - where I was supposed to be just grabbing a small circular needle to make hats for the grandbabies. But the Bernat Matrix was shouting at me: 2 skeins for $4.00!! What's a girl to do? Of course, buy it.......
I know it looks like I've forsaken my favorite pasttime - cross stitch - but don't be fooled. The cold weather here in VA has me hibernating so there's a little bit of everything going on. The new year of course will bring new projects and I've decided to tackle "The Baptism" from Green Apple Southern Roots series. It's 239 x 140 stitches - large by my standards. I'm looking for the just the right linen cause the colors are so muted & it's definitely one that I'll keep for myself. Happy stitching, knitting & crocheting to all. Be back soon........

Hi - I'm Deb & I'm a Craftaholic!!

2006-11-20T14:09:00.000-05:00

You've met Deb - the cross stitcher; Deb - the knitter/crocheter; now meet Deb - the painter. A few years ago I discovered that the Pottery Factory in Williamsburg, VA offered tons & tons of unpainted figurines. There are santas for every month of the year, and angels, and Buffalo Soldiers & Tuskegee Airmen, and lots of children. All of them just begging to be brought to life with an imaginative mind and a bit of acrylic paint. I travel back to Williamsburg often to restock my stash but I thought I'd share some of my holiday works. Yet another craft jockeying for attention, but true to the crafter's creed - I can do it all........

BTW, finished 'Skip Rope' and crocheted 1/2 dozen more caps but that's well short of the 30 I planned to finish by the end of November. Oh well, deadlines were meant to be broken. I'll have pics tomorrow.

My Soul Is Fed By Needle & Thread

2006-11-08T20:04:00.000-05:00

Doesn't that title just sum it all up? I saw it while blog hopping & quickly jotted it down (Would love to have it as a bumper sticker!). Can't believe a week has gone by since I last blogged. Trying fiercely to put a dent in my holiday stitching "to do" list. This Twisted Threads design has always been one of my favorites so I completed another one on a pillow cover. Left off the words and used a metallic gold for her earrings instead of the yellow-fill of the original. Amazing what a few changes will do. I like them both but the mocha sistah seems to have more attitude...... I'm sure it's just my imagination. I have the next four days off from work and I'm looking forward to finishing both "Skip Rope" and "Spiritual". I started Spiritual at the beginning of the year as a gift for my friend's mother. Unfortunately, she passed before I could finish it so I sadly put it aside. But she deserves to be finished and plans are now to give it to my friend as a Christmas present that will always honor his mother.

Fall in Virginia

2006-11-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

I love Virginia in the fall. The leaves changing colors are gorgeous!!! I've added a few minutes to my commute so I can drive down the parkway along the river everyday. So of course, my mind is full of thoughts of knitting sweaters, afghans, hats & scarves. My stash of knit/crochet patterns rivals my stash of cross stitch charts but I'm always on the lookout to add a little something. Yesterday I came upon this Berrocco pattern that I love. It's a swing crop sweater called Charlize. Thankfully, the fuzzy yarn has been discontinued, but I'm loving the shape and can picture it knitted up in something very soft. This weekend I'm headed to the Stitches East Knitting Expo in Baltimore to shop at the marketplace. I had contemplated going for a couple of classes, but honestly, if I learn any new techniques right now I'll be distracted from finishing all the holiday cross stitch projects I have going. But if I happen to fondle just the right yarn - you can bet that Charlize will become my next WIP.......

So Cute

2006-10-29T18:29:00.000-05:00

Here's my progress on "Skip Rope". She's gonna be a cutie. Trying her out on a towel but I'll definitely do another - probably on a small pillow. Also started on my personal goal of 30 crocheted caps for Save the Children's "Caps to the Capital" project. I read on one of the Yahoo boards that the latest count is 7,403 caps from 820 participants. The program only runs until January 2 and this count falls well short of their target goal of 250,000 caps. Hopefully, there are lots of folks like me who are working to get their caps together. Here's what I managed to crochet this weekend in between cross stitching. As you can see, quite a difference in size depending on the yarn type. The pattern calls for a 10 inch cap (since most of the newborns are undersized). Boy oh boy are they tiny!!! Guess I'll become a public stitcher & work them on my daily metro ride & lunch hour. I hope to exceed my goal & mail the contribution by the end of November.

Sharing2

2006-10-26T20:07:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple more patterns I'd like to share. The first is a 1994 chart called "African Rainbow" from Jakki Dukes Cultural Stitches, Shaker Heights, OH. I actually only stitched the four figures on the left as a pillow. Wasn't one of my favorites to stitch but the final product was nice. I got bored with the lack of facial detail but it was still a lovely piece highlighting the different shades of african ancestory. Gifted it to my aunt without taking a pic. During my last visit, I spotted it still on her living room sofa.
The next chart is the Gemini zodiac chart from Julie Hasler's Fantasy Cross Stitch book. Found the book on ebay and it has some fantastic designs. The Aquarius piece is a current WIP. To me this one has a look of Egypt meets Africa. So cool...........

Life is So Good.......

2006-10-25T14:03:00.000-05:00

Wow - what a fantastic week I've had. Charlotte, NC is a lovely city. Gawking at the landmarks, the houses & the skyline made you forget you were walking 39.3 miles (well, almost). No blisters, but plenty of joint & muscle aches. Just reminds me that I'm not the spring chicken I used to be. My Weight Watcher buddy, Priscilla, was a perfect walk partner and a reminder that angels come to you in all sorts of ways. Who would have thought that meeting someone in cyberspace on a message board would start a great friendship. Which brings me to my other fantastic achievement this week. I am the "Blog of the Week" in the current edition of Black Purl Magazine - WAHOO!!!!! To get recognized for doing something you love has to be the ultimate compliment. I started this blog in May when I officially became an "empty-nester" to get connected to other stitchers and crafters to learn, share, and socialize. I've gotten all that and so much more. Knowing that I wanted to stitch more than just the popular samplers, teddy bears & flowers, I made it my mission to find the more unique charts. Now that I get a chance to showcase them, it's wonderful. I'll stop short of thanking the Academy & making my acceptance speech (lol) ............. Be back soon with updates of WIPs and more previews of charts. Thanks everyone!

Walk, Walk, Eat, Walk, Walk, Sleep

2006-10-19T22:56:00.000-05:00

Headed to Charlotte, NC tomorrow for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. Two days - 39 miles......... raised $2,466 for the cause. Take care & I'll have pics next week.

I've Been Tagged!!

2006-10-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by Sharon. The rules; List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether or not they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to. These are my current favorites:

Looking For You: Kirk Franklin
Imagine Me: Kirk Franklin
DejaVu: Beyonce
In My Mind: Heather Headley
Alright: John Legend
Can't Let Go: Anthony Hamilton
Money Maker: Ludacris

Now I'm tagging:
Vera - Vera's Crafty Blog
Renee - Sticky's Little Girl
Carol - Garden of Stitches
Nasheikah - Black Purls
Nik - Nik's Knits
Deborah - Daily Dilemmas
Lauren - I'll Cross That Stitch When I Come To It

Heavenly Comments

2006-10-15T19:29:00.000-05:00

I have been truly humbled by the comments I've received here. I love all my stitching & it brings me joy to know that others admire or appreciate the final pieces. Thanks to all who have reached out to send those heavenly comments my way. Last week Michael's had another of their 50% off coupons. I love these bargains cause it gives me a chance to buy a kit that I usually bypass & this time I lucked up on this beauty. It is "Three Yoruban Women" by Dimensions. Aren't the colors gorgeous?? Not sure I'll use the black Aida that's provided - it screams to be done on linen (you taught me well Sharon!). With so many holiday gift projects vying for my time, I'm setting this aside to be my first project of the New Year. In the meantime, I started this small project on a Charles Craft Showcase Huck Towel. Found the chart on eBay in a booklet from Cross My Heart called "Shoo Fly Pie". This adorable little girl looks like she could skip rope right outta the picture. I've broken Stitcher's Rule #1 by starting at the bottom instead of the middle. The stitching area is gonna be tight & I figure it's better to have the top of the jump rope outside of the area instead of her feet. Haven't gotten too far along this weekend but she should go quickly. Maybe I can finish her before I leave at the end of the week for the Breast Cancer Walkathon.

Linen Finish

2006-10-12T20:30:00.000-05:00

Drum roll, please........ I finished my first linen piece - the Better Homes & Garden's Alphabet Heart Sampler. Chose the DMC verigated floss in shades of gold & brown that I'm very pleased with. A perfect beginning piece for linen cause I could concentrate on the technique instead of color changes, etc. O.K. on to the next project.

For My Lil Spiderman

2006-10-09T18:11:00.000-05:00

Here's my oldest grandson last Halloween. He's 6 (and a half - he'll tell you). He's probably the biggest Spiderman fan in the world. He loves to jump from tall buildings (o.k. the swing set) in a single bound. We have to constantly remind him that even Spiderman has a web to hang on to. Anyway, when he started first grade in September I promised to make him a Spiderman mini-blanket for his cot at after-school care. Believe me not a day went by that he didn't ask how much longer until I finished his blanket. Today he's all smiles cause it's finished. I found the Spiderman duplicate stitch chart online and used a navy blue acrylic (I know - but he's a kid) yarn from my yarn-fairy stash. I was so worried that he wouldn't recognize the character in stitches so the sound of "Memaw, that looks great" made me jump for joy. This is one of those Ah-Ha moments that reminds me why I love to stitch. Of course now the 4-year old wants to know can he get Elmo on a hat. Off to find another chart.....

Sharing

2006-10-05T21:23:00.000-05:00

My love of art depicting African American (AA) images flows directly to my quest to find cross stitch charts bearing images that mirror my heritage. Some designers are progressive enough to provide skin tone alternatives with their designs. But sometimes it's nice to find a chart that reflects the heritage. Over the years, I have built up a stash of AA charts that I'd like to share. Someday I will have stitched them all (post retirement) but in the meantime I'll feature those charts here on the blog from time to time for those that may be interested. The most popular ethnic charts are the Green Apple designs, which are widely available, so I'll skip those & focus on some of the more rare charts. I'll start with "African American Father Christmas" from Alma Lynne Designs. It's been around since 1993 but hard to find. The stitch count is 195 x 126 and actually has about 4 dozen colors. My idea of a definite challange.........
One of my other favorites (and not so challenging) is this simple chart from Designs by Judith Lynn, Inc. Stitched completely in black , it also was released in 1993 and has 154 x 104 stitches. Will definitely give you lots of practice in backstitching.
Thanks for letting me share. I'll probably feature a couple more each week. In the meantime, back to WIPs.......

OMG - It's October Already?

2006-10-03T09:48:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we've slipped into October already. I had such big plans for handmade Christmas gifts plus Holiday Craft Shows & I feel like I'm just crawling along. On October 21 & 22, I'll be walking 39.3 miles in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. This is my 5th year walking & I'm parterning with one of my Weight Watcher message board buddies in Charlotte, NC (instead of my usual D.C. walking). We have never met face to face so I look forward to meeting & talking all 39 miles. The training has really eaten into my stitching time but judging by the aches & pains in my joints, this may be my last marathon walk.

Meanwhile, I only have 5 letters left to stitch on the Alphabet Heart - that will be a gift for my best-sistah-friend. I've finished the knitted afghan for my grandson & started the duplicate Spiderman stitching. Just hoping it truly resembles Spiderman when I finish & not just a red & blue blob. I've done well on completing several art projects (plates, tiles, & figurines) for my table at the next few craft fairs but need to finish the stitched pillow, pot holders & other UFOs. In other words, can somebody make a few more hours in the day? By the end of the week I should be posting pics of both the Heart & the afghan.........

Just A Quickie!

2006-09-22T18:40:00.000-05:00

Daughter asked me to make a scarf to complement her coat. Grabbed this from the yarn-fairy stash & worked it in the carpool & on my lunch hour this week. Looks like the yarn may have been saved from the 70s so I guess it's officially "retro". Well, TGIF!! My weekend goal is to finish the Alphabet Heart Sampler as well as my grandson's knitted blanket featuring Spiderman. The weather's really cooled down just in time for the first day of fall, so this weekend will be perfect for stitching, knitting and football.

Stash and Progress

2006-09-19T20:16:00.000-05:00

Took a quick biz trip to New Orleans last week then spent the weekend with oldest DD in Shreveport. She's settling nicely in her new apartment & new job. It's such a blessing that both of my girls are grown & on their own - it brings me joy to see their lives unfold. While in the Big Easy I visited Acadian Corner, a LNS in Metairie, that has quickly become one of my favorites. My first visit was a few months after Hurricane Katrina - the owner said the store faired much better than her home, so they were keeping part-time hours. If I had to guess, I'd say that all the beautiful Mirabilia angels that line the walls of the store had something to do with it.......... Anyway, I ran through one day during lunch break to make sure they were open & to my surprise they're back to regular hours. Of course I managed to do a little damage (to my wallet) in under an hour. To satisfy my new linen fixation, I picked up vintage cashel linen, hand-dyed linen, & jobelan (somebody has to educate me on these fabrics - I just go for pretty). Also added "Emma's Garden" by Lavender & Lace and Lanarte's "Butterfly Fairies" to the chart stash. I'm partial to angels, but the detail and femininity of these angels are gorgeous. Didnt find a LNS in Shreveport, but there was a Hobby Lobby - and they were having a 50% off sale (does it get any better?) Only had one suitcase so I limited myself to their framing mats. Got about a dozen very unique textured mats that will go well with all my finished WIPs. So I better get back to work. Speaking of which, here's my progress on the Alphabet Heart:

The Ensemble

2006-09-11T19:10:00.000-05:00

When Terry McMillan's first edition of Waiting to Exhale was published in 1994, the front cover was a painting by artist Synthia St. James called "The Ensemble". I immediately loved that book & that picture. In 1998, I sent Ms. St James a handtowel stitched with the image. She loved it and responded with instructions on licensing her images for cross stitch designs. I hope to pursue the whole chart design concept when I retire in a few years & have unlimited time to commit to my creative side. Last night I came across a tee shirt that I started using the same design. It's still one of my favorites reflections of sistah-friends. I plan to finish it to wear as I do this season's holiday craft shows.

My Own Yarn Fairy

2006-09-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

I stopped in my local craft store to purchase the red yarn needed for the Spiderman duplicate stitch in grandson's (almost-finished) afghan. When I got to the register the salesclerk asked if I was a big knitter (Duh, is the sky blue?)? We chatted about knitting, crocheting & cross stitching - thank goodness there was no one in line behind me. She said she had cleared out the odds & ends in her yarn stash with plans to donate it to the store for their classes but the amount that the instructor took didn't put a dent in what she brought. She really didn't want to haul it back home (her husband was soooo happy to have it gone) and would like to gift it to a fellow crafter. She took a quick break & we went to her car. When she opened her trunk I gasped........... we're not talking about a corner stash of yarn - the trunk was full!!!! She said she was embarrassed that over the years she had managed to collect so much & we laughed because of course this was only the odds & ends (1 - 2 skeins) of each color - not her main stash. All I could think was that she certainly had plenty of "Stash Enhancement eXperiences (S.E.X.) over the years. I was proud of myself - I showed great constraint - I did not take all the yarn (to her disappointment) but I've added significantly to my own stash. To celebrate this random act of kindness from the Yarn Fairy I am taking a cue from Renee and setting a goal to make 30 knitted/crocheted caps for newborns for Save the Children's Caps to the Capital Project . I'm tagging each cap with both my name & my yarn fairy's name - without her there'd be no stash.

Progress Pic

2006-09-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

O.K. - I have converted. After years & years of aida & evenweave, my first experience with linen is "da bomb"! I've had to make a couple of changes in my stitching style though. My daughters gave me a lap stand for my birthday last year which was gathering dust in the corner. I've always held my stitching in my hands but the stand makes working on linen so much easier (let's face it - these eyes ain't what they used to be & stitching "over 2" can be hard to see!). Took a minute to get used to placing hands in front & back of work but I'm up & running now. Here's my progress pic. Lovin the DMC variegated floss!! I've always believed that stitching on linen looked soooo professional. This spurs me on to finally tackle a couple of the Lavender & Lace charts in my stash. But first let me finish this up. So back to my new best friends - the stand & lamp........ Oh yeah & thanks Sharon for inspiring me - you're a gem!!

Getting Organized

2006-09-05T17:49:00.000-05:00

I am loving this empty nest!! I had really planned to spend the Labor Day holiday up to my elbows in stitching but got side tracked after a trip to Target. Decided I was ready to transform one of the kid's rooms into my office/craft storage room. The office part was easy - just a desk & a couple of tables for my scanner, fax, and laser printer (can't believe I had all that stuff in the corner of my bedroom). The fun part was the craft space - Found this great 2-drawer wire basket, just perfect for storing floss. I've bundled the floss by number so the colors are easy to find. Then bought some really cute flourescent magazine & file boxes and organized my cross stitch, crochet & knitting patterns. Even found a clear storage box for the stash but I'm not crazy about that - will keep looking for something better. It all came together with the wrought iron shelving units I use for my craft shows. So here's how it ended up. I'm on to the next room. Would love an actual crafting room with a big old comfy chair, Ott light, sewing machine and crafting table, but I guess it's only proper to have a guest bedroom for the kids to sleep in when they visit. Oh well, a girl can dream,huh?? Should have more pics to post of the alphabet sampler in a few days.

My First Linen Piece

2006-08-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

I love the Heart Alphabet freebie from BHG so much, it's my first attempt at stitching on linen. My LNS - In Stitches - no longer carries the linen floss listed on the chart so I chose a verigated cotton in shades of yellow & brown that compliments the Tea Linen. The pic is awful - will take a better one in a couple of days when I've completed a few more letters. Thanks again Sharon for suggesting linen & motivating me.

Back In Stride Again

2006-08-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

It took an evening of going thru my stash to get me motivated again. So I'm cross stitching after work, knitting at bedtime, and painting figurines on the weekend. My goal is to have at least one hand-crafted item for everyone on my Christmas gift list as well as putting together a decent inventory for this season's holiday craft shows (that's why I had to get past my "bored" phase). Just love doing local craft festivals. The spring & summer festivals have passed me by this year (too much going on) but plan to make as many of the holiday craft shows as I can. My showcase website is Stitches of Heritage. Not doing any internet sales; just documenting merchandise, what I've done, where I've been, etc. Lots of stuff is one-of-a-kind so that sight gives me a chance to keep pics of stuff that has sold & stay in contact with the folks I meet at the festivals. Maybe once I retire, I can open my dream arts & crafts shop...... In the meantime, I worked on "Blessings" - from Forever in My Heart Designs. The pic doesn't really highlight that it's on white-birch aida using Silk "N Colors thread. Lovin' it - my first time using hand dyed silk thread & it's wonderful. Planning a trip back to LNS to pick out silk thread for the BHG Alphabet Heart freebie. Of course that's afer I finish the bottom row of leaves on this one. Here's another reason I should visit my stash more often: I discovered this WIP that I forgot about - it's "Going to Market" from Dimensions. Not only did all the colors catch me eye, but the background leaf pattern should be fun to do. So you see I've gone from bored to craft-crazy. If only I could play hooky from the bill-paying job for a while -

R U Ready 4 Some Football???

2006-08-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

Yes - it's that time of year again. Since I can't cross stitch & pay attention to the game at the same time, I usually have a knit/crochet project for game time. This is my pre-season offering and it's for my Mom who loves shades of gray....... I realized the last afghan I made for her was over 10 years ago. It was really fun working with granny squares again. Next is a knitted afghan for my grandson. I found a Spiderman duplicate stitch to put in the corner that he's gonna love ...........

Another WIP

2006-08-12T22:05:00.000-05:00

Yep - that's right; I'm bored, bored, bored. Keep starting new projects only to put them down after a few days. Don't know whether I should switch to smaller projects (that I can finish real fast) or jump into something really big & challenging. Here's my latest WIP. I'm inspired by Sharon to start working on linen. Maybe that's the answer - something outta my element. Will check thru my patterns tomorrow & make a trip to the LNS (just what every stitcher needs for motivation) for linen that catches my eye.

On The Road Again

2006-07-22T21:53:00.000-05:00

Leaving on a roadtrip in the morning to help daughter relocate from Ohio to Louisiana. Of course, gotta drive from VA first. Won't get much stitching done until we arrive in Shreveport later in the week. As promised, here's what I've completed on the Aquarius piece. She's gonna be a beautiful piece. Have decided not to do the windchime thing as outlined in the book - so I started her on a round doilie. Had hoped to be sooooo much further along but got the urge to knit so I'm whipping up a quick scarf & hat just to satisfy the craving to hear the click-click of needles. Swear I must have ADD - can't seem to stay focused on a single project lately. Or maybe I'm really just a crafting junkie at heart. Will check in next week. Hopefully, to showcase some finished items!!!

Work, Travel, Stitching

2006-07-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

That's the order of things these last few weeks. Went down to New Orleans for biz travel for about a week and then on up to Ohio to visit my oldest daughter for the July 4th holiday. This is the piece I worked on in the airports and on planes. It's a kit named "Pansies" from Designs for the Needle. The chart has "Friends are Flowers in the Garden of Life" stitched in the center but, I'm revising it as a wedding sampler for a friend that got married a little while ago. Knowing my track record, it will be done just in time for the first anniversary. One more flower in the right bottom corner, then on to the names & date in the center. I also took along this chart from Julie Hasler's Fantasy Cross Stitch book I found on eBay. It's an unusual Aquarius zodiac sign design. A fantastic piece but lots of color changes so I only worked on it in the hotel & daughter's apartment. Promise to post WIP pics very soon.

This Is Cool

2006-06-23T13:55:00.000-05:00

Ran across this while surfing the web. Now I can visit all the LNS while I'm traveling.

MapMuse.com has added a nationwide map of needlepoint and crossstitch shops to its services. There are presently over 550 stitchshops located on the MapMuse.com maps.The idea is for stitch enthusiasts to build upon what's started by adding information about their local needlepoint andcross stitch shops to the maps. The following information can be provided for each shop- the name of the shop, descriptive text, aphoto, contact information, and a link to a website. It's the most comprehensive and descriptive map for stitchers to locate cross stitch and needlepoint shops at home, and on their travels. Once a visitor suggests a change,it is reviewed for appropriateness and then posted within a few hours. This service constitutes free advertising for the stitchshops. The following is a link to the Needlepoint and Cross Stitch ShopsMap:

New Stash Arrived

2006-06-19T19:47:00.000-05:00

It's here - it's here. The mailman left me a nice package today. I ordered a yard of raw linen aida & a few odds & ends from one of my favorite online sites - In Stitches. They also had a Janet Powers chart from her Heritage Collection called "Birth Samplers". Mind you - I don't know anybody that's pregnant right now so I'll just have to stitch the sampler without the name. Those lil brown babies are adorable.

I'm Back

2006-06-18T19:09:00.000-05:00

This should have been me for the past couple of weeks but I've been sidetracked. Took a mini vacation to Atlantic City, then it was right back to work, work, work. I love summer, but that means yardwork added to the housework. Awaiting delivery of 2 charts and a yard of linen and hope to make a sidetrip this week to my LNS to purchase a couple of Mirabilia charts I saw online. Wanna take bets on whether I'll only purchase what I need? No way!! Almost forgot - Happy Dad's Day to all.

Spring Stitching Fever

2006-06-05T18:59:00.000-05:00

Got the urge to do something quick so I started this decorative pot holder last night. Hope to finish by the end of the week. Sat at work all day thinking about finishing it.......... must be spring stitching fever.

On A Clear Day

2006-06-04T13:03:00.000-05:00

This is another one of my favorites - "On a Clear Day I Can Shop Forever" by Twisted Threads. I love their whimsical charts. I usually do them on cocoa aida or evenweave to give them the sistah-feel. I've also done her on a pillow cover.

Favorite Pieces

2006-05-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

These are a few of my favorite pieces. "Gospel Singer" is one of the few charts that I've done multiple times. The first one was a gift for my mom. This one I did without the Bible in her hand to make it a little different - the evenweave fabric had gold & silver thread borders that made the stitching really stand out. "Portrait in Gold" was done for my Aunt's gift store in Ohio. It was stitched on crochet-edge aida. The handtowels were included in a wedding gift. It was the first time I created a chart....... so much fun. It's so difficult to find charts with ethnic images - I'd like to someday create my own line licensed from leading artists.

My WIPs

2006-05-28T18:45:00.000-05:00

Like all obsessed stitchers - I'm always working on more than one project. "Spiritual" is being done on a Charles Craft pillow cover I found in Walmart's craft department for a very reasonable price - so of course, I bought all they had in stock for my "stash". The stitch area is perfect for this portrait. "Mother & Child is being stitched on a large crocheted-edge doilie. This pattern reminds me so much of my DD & grandson, I had to do it. Now if I would just finish it.........

New Blogger On Board!!

2006-05-28T18:03:00.000-05:00

Hi, I'm Deb and this is my DD#2 when she was about 8. I've chosen her image as my post-retirement-biz logo. I've been crafting & cross stitching for over 15 years & since I love it so much it will become the bedrock of an arts and crafts business after I retire in a few years.