HAPPY SUMMER! GARDEN, CROSS STITCH & A LITTLE EMBROIDERY!

Happy summer everyone in our part of the world! Weather is heating up and humidity is a killer. Our garden is blooming nicely and love to watch the flowers now, as in summer they slow down as heat rises. We had a nice surprise when our caladium decide to come back. Last fall, one of the neighbor's horses got loose and made a meal of only one thing in the garden and that was this guy. Bulb plant by nature, we didn't find any trace of it and figured he was gone forever. Didn't plant any more as we figured if the horse liked it, so would the deer. Nice to see him back for another season!

Had a setback with our Hibiscus tree's. They were blooming beautifully and suddenly stopped. Was afraid I was fertilizing them too much. Then I started seeing unopened blooms on the ground... A cut worm was making a very good living off our plants. Sprayed the plants and trees with water and applied seven dust powder. Did the trick and we have blooms once again.

And! We finally have some gladiola's blooming! Had planted a load of them in barrels. Then something kept disturbing the bulbs. Finding them out onto the ground, I can only assume the raccoon's were looking for a tasty treat. After replanting them some "umpteen" times. We have blooms. Now they are to the point where I will have to replant them a little deeper in the pans and cover with more dirt. A job for this fall.

The great pineapple experiment! DH has always wanted to plant a pineapple top. We bought some pineapple fruit at the grocers and picked out 2 of the best tops. Cut one and put it in water. The DH became sick with a chest cold and I became the "keeper of the plant". Changing out the bowl of water, every day, that the top sat in. Original set time for the pineapple top was to be 24 hours in water. Ended up more than 4 days, as DH was sick and didn't have the barrel for planting. Worked out in the end. DH is feeling better and the top is planted. Already putting new greenery on in the center.

Morty has decided to help monitor the pineapple growth. Hopefully he does not treat this like a spider plant. Cats and geese just hate spider plants and will dig them up.  I have even had one cat that dug a hole to bury the spider plant in... So far so good.

Had some cross stitch finishes this month Even have a few sewn and finished off!

This is christmas gift for DH mother. She loves cats.

My take away project for the glove box was this JBW French country pumpkin. And finished Swirly Cat. Don't know if this is the name, but found him as a freebie some where.

Finally! My first biscornu! And I cheated... I had some Just Nan smalls I stitched years ago. Decided to take this one and move the frog to the center and add a flower button for him to sit on. Froggie was originally sewn onto one of the corner. Was lucky enough to find some matching fabric, packed away in a box. Found out one needs 3 hands to sew the things together. But got it done any way and am happy with the result. Can see more biscornus in my future. Would like to make a whole basket of them. With such an interesting shape they are pretty to look at!

                                                                       Backside!

                                Sewed JBW hen into a small standing pillow ornament.

                                                     Hello Kitty made a nice ornie!

SIL love's roosters. Machine embroidered this flower rooster and made a table mat for her. Only have the binding to sew around the edge. I am avoiding that... My bindings are terrible and need to take the time to find the correct way to do that.

                                              Not much felt sewing this month. Only one.

This is a shamrock pattern from Brooke's Books. Made into a quilted candle mat.

WIP's for this month include Joan Elliot's A Wizards View. Have this one in the monthly YOTA UFO SAL  and in the HAEDless SAL the last week of every month.

Link to the YOTA UFO SAL is

http://pulltheotherthread.blogspot.com/p/yota-year-of-acronyms.html 

Anyone is free to join! And you can blog hop to see what everyone is stitching on.

This is my before pic

And after. Finished the hair. Do you see anything different on the face? Sometime back, when I was back stitching Mr Wizards face, DH was commenting on how dark it was. I had already changed from black thread to 3799 which is a dark gray. The more I looked at him, the more it became apparent that even the gray was just too dark for such a pale complexion. The gray also made the inside of his mouth look like he had bad teeth. A wizard wouldn't have bad teeth! He can repair them himself. So out came the gray and back stitched with #356, which is what the Lavender & Lace charts use. DH like's his face much better.

Determined to finish some UFO's This one is in the Brooke's Books group monthly UFO SAL. This is a UFO for a good reason. I learned a very valuable experience with black fabric. Cashel is usually a good grade of fabric. I was in the habit of making a phone order, with my LNS, about 2 weeks before we were due home from long weeks on the road. Ginger, the shop owner, would have my order waiting for me and we also took time to look through all her new things. I ordered a yard of this cashel black 28 count fabric. Never had a problem before. Kitted up the pillow and a wizard, took them on the road with us. Became apparent that all fabrics are not a like. This is so tightly woven that it is difficult to count threads and would serve better as fabric for a piece of clothing. I muddled through a James Himsworth wizard and finished that. Then started this pillow. Finally decided I just didn't have enough light to be able to work on this one and didn't want to work so hard stitching a project. So into the UFO bin it went. Now I have an OTT floor lamp and it is worth it's weight in gold. Can get a better look at the fabric and making some progress on this one. Don't like putting in so much time on something, only to give up. Thank you mr OTT light!
                                                                      Before

                                                                     After.

Had this in the HAED SAL for 2 weeks in a row. Nearly have my 2013 page goal finished on Bubbles.

 YAY! I finally made it to the other side of Autumn Cat! Always surprised when I do that. HAED's are so big.

A bit of stitching on Margaret SHerry October Friends Cat and Mouse.

Made my HAED 2013 page goals on Fun Guys Snowball Stocking. Finished the 3 bottom pages in this weeks SAL. Was not sure about all the browns and beige colors used in the shading around the boots/shoes. When the last confetti stitch was stitched, in place,  the piece just kind of "shimmered" as a water color painting. Accurate to the mock up pictured. Very pleased with the way this is stitching up!

 A nice surprise in the email box on friday! Page 3 of the 2013 HAED SAL ahead of time. Have to admit... Starting on the top left page, instead of the bottom left page, put me off my element on this one. As evidenced by the confetti mess on my hands. Now have page 3 and made it to the bottom corner to get a good handle on this one. Have in this weeks SAL and now working my way up. Try to clean this one up and get some stitchin' done!

 My new glove box takeaway piece!

Brooke's Books Spring house for group members. We are having a house challenge contest. I am not entered. Absolutely love Brooke's seasons houses!

My sister in law decided to buy a kit. She thought it was a stamped embroidery. Then found that it was counted cross stitch. She gave it to me and I have decided to change the fabric for linen and stitch it for her for christmas. Not a WIP yet. Will start this one soon. One of my stitching "bucket list" goals is to have holiday gift stitching done before december 23rd. Well! I can dream!

 Took a stab at hand embroidery this month. Not sure what these will be used for. One of those "lets try something different" moments.

I forgot last months picture. So this is my TUSAL bucket.

Michelle has also been busy this month with knitting her miniature mice and cats! It amazes me at how much detail Michelle can knit into a 2 3/4 inch tall character.

 I love the colors of this kitty cat soccer player. Michelle tells me this is their team colors. Very pretty!

 The beautiful pink blouse, on the girl cat, has organza hearts on it. Michelle uses organza ribbon and hand cuts tiny hearts. She says if they fall out of her hands, and onto the floor, the hearts disappear.  Love all the charms and utensils Michelle finds for her creations.

 Calling doctor cat! And nurse mouse!!!

 Every mechanic needs a helper!

 I absolutely love this! Michelle added straight pins to the basket for knitting needles. And she wound the skeins of yarn, by hand, and cut embroidery thread papers for the yarn paper wraps. The basket is even knitted!

 This one made me laugh! A cat walking a puppy dog on a leash!

 Even knit the stripes on kitty's tail!

 Beautiful kitty with basket of apples! Michelle is so creative! Absolutely amazing work. Such attention to smallest details.

I have one last picture and you don't have to look. It is not for the squeeeeemish! But, this is DH after a day of working on diesel trucks...

I have my laundry and shower cleaning workout, for sure. Fortunately, I don't get quite as dirty, being his helper!!!

Think that is all for now.

Happy stitching and thanks for visiting!

Deb