CROSS STITCH, QUILTS AND YOTA OH MY!

Hi every one
Hope this finds you comfy and cool from the summer heat!
The garden is still blooming. But the heat is taking its toll. All we can do is keep watering. Fortunately the garden has the shade of three big trees to keep them from baking in the Texas sun. I do have some inside blooms with our violets.

Have been working on the YOTA SAL.Here is the link if you wish to jion in.

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

Still working on the Joan Elliott Wizards View. YAY! The cross stitch is finished and some of the back stitching is done. There are lots of beads. Maybe I can get this finished by the end  of the year!

Before

                                                   After. Stitched in the hands and outlined.

Have another UFO SAL going with the Brooke's Books bb interactive group.

This is Vermillion Peppers pillow from the JCS magazine.

Before

  After. Will try to get some more stitching in, on this one, before monday.

 Finished Baked Goods into an ornament.There is a story behind this one. I don' care for using glue on needle work. Decided that in order to get the finish I wanted I was going to have to use glue... I have everything laid out on the snack bar. Including the glue. Whilest I am cutting the foam board, DH comes in and says " I see glue... You never use glue" Yes, there is glue on the counter. "when were you going to tell me?" Never... "You mean you were going to keep this a SECRET!" YES! to the grave. DH just walked off mumbling something about secrets and shaking his head.
However, when the results were revealed, DH decided that maybe the experiment with glue was a good thing.

Besides, it gave me a chance to use this great looking braided trim!

 LK's Getting Old received the same treatment with glue and foam board.

Found this in a box, cut it out and made an ornament. Stitched on gold perforated paper.

Lizzie Kate Flip it piece. 

WIP"S include

HAED 2013 SAL Mystic Garden. Only about 100 stitches, as the weekly sal has just started.

 This is Gracie's quilt square. Have the heart done and outlined. This is a freebie chart from another blog. This blogger has a multitude of free charts. Lots of cats and owls! Here is the link
Reçue d'une Amie ! - Mes petites croix et moi !
I found a gorgeous stained glass tree.

 HAED Fun Guy was in last weeks sal. Had a problem with the heel ever since I started this piece. Had to come in from a different angle to correct. A little bit of frogging and back on tack.

 Mirabillia"s Silver Moon Tea has a few added stitches.

And I seem to have "start itis" this week. Looking to start this blackbird bell pull by Jim Shore and Mill Hill. Have it kitted up with the required fabric and even have the wrought iron hardware. Trying to restrain myself as I still have more christmas stitching to do. Okay... a lot of christmas stitching to do. 

Have been unpacking boxes and trying to reduce our possessions as we rent a small house.  Last month, while performing this daunting task, I came across some quilt tops that I had sewn together a couple of years ago. Nothing exactly fabulous. Just 4 inch squares sewn together. This week I took one of the tops and sewed border, backing, batting and managed to sew on a passable binding. Have 2 sides of the binding, on the back side, to finish hand sewing. Here is what the quilt looks like so far.

After the backing and batting was sewn in.

 I have never been a good quilter. Mainly because I am always in a hurry. I haven't been working with DH for the last 2 months and decided that, once and for all, I was going to take the time and work at making good corners and binding. Decided I wanted mitered corners.

 This is with the binding. Still have to finish the backside hand stitching.

 And I managed to, half way, get the binding correct. Well, at least no one will notice if they walk by real fast. The batting is sewn in with the outer quilt edges. Will machine embroider some red work birds and butterflies to anchor the batting in the center and corners.
   My friend Michelle sent me an amazing Pixie Card and some Ginger Bread Men for embellishing some cross stitch finishes! The Pixies are for good luck. And, I will take all the good luck we can use.

Michelle also emailed some absolutely marvelous pictures of her new, 2 3/4 inch tall characters. Michelle continually amazes me with her imagination, attention to detail and the wonderful charms she finds for her babies.                                   So pretty!

Farming community with both cats and mice. Love all the detail, beautiful knitting and baskets of produce. I just sat, entirely stunned, when Michelle emailed this picture. Totally amazing!

                                             Love  the pipe and carrots. Adorable!

 The bicycle is from a child's moble hanger.

  Morty must be a teenager. He does not like to smile for his close up and gives me this "NOT AGAIN!" look.

 Doctor mouse is fabulous!

 Very well prepared and carries his files with him!

Lastly, I keep forgetting to post a pic of my TSUAL. Changed it from the bucket size, I started with, to a big jar. Moved my stitching light to the living room and didn't have room for the bucket.

                                     Have a stitchey weekend and very happy you took the time to stop by!
                                                                            Deb

ISHW UPDATE

Well I can cross 2 things off my stitchers bucket list! I finally got to participate in the International Hermit sal! And, I also stitched a Little House Needle Works design. All in all, I had a good weekend. Didn't start out that way. After setting up some small projectI had a few weekly chores on saturday. So, I am standing on a chair and washing the blades on the ceiling fan. I happen to look over on top of the linen closet AND the biggest darn dust bunnies were STARING at me! These were jack rabbit size..... I get down from the chair and decide to refresh my water bucket with clean water. Then get the vaccume cleaner. If I am to fight dust bunny grime I had better be well armed. The stuffed animals went into a bag, out the door and shook out in the wind. Then there were the picture frames, well you get the idea. I was determined to sit down and hibernate with my stitching.  By the time I finished up it was late  afternoon.  In spite of rampant jack rabbit dust bunnies this was started saturday and finished beading sunday morning. This is a really cute pattern. One of these days it may get stitched as it looks. Had a little bit of a problem with the conversion to DMC floss. Have tons of floss and can't see investing in other threads for small projects. Used DMC variegated thread for the lighter brown in the letters. The color conversions were just way off for what the display picture showed. Now, I know that dyed colors can vary pretty good, so no fault of the designer. Decided to use lighter fabric and do some beading for some of the colors.

 This has been a real reminder, for the last few months, and could not be more true! With this one the DMC conversion was pretty nice and the colors are pretty.

 Autumn Cat Magic got a few stitches put in. Turned out to be a pretty nice weekend!
                                                             Before

After

about 400 stitches. Not sure how this cat is going to turn out. The chart looks quite "blocky" with the colors. Am hoping that once all the colors are stitched in that it looks right.

Thank you for stopping by!

Deb

Short post for the Turtle Trot SAL!

Hi every one. Have been busy stitching and gardening this week. I am still the "keeper of the pineapple plant". After a good rain, we could nearly hear the garden growing.
Had a nice surprise after the rain. And that was some late blooming iris plants.

 A canna that was here before we moved here.

 And here is mr pineapple! New spikey leaves. Likes to be watered down the center of the plant.

Now on to the Turtle Trot SAL.  Here is the link BAP Attack: 2013 Turtle Trot
Link to this SAL is also on my right side bar!
Worked on Mini Autumn Cat Magic. Trying to get my yearly page goal done on this one. Still have a little ways to go.

 A few beads in the dresser scarf.

 Finished the cross stitch on Mill Hill Halloween Love ornaments. Need beads.

 Finished the cross stitch on Brooke's Books stitchers alphabet. Needs beads. (see a pattern here....) I have more WIP's in my last post. Can't see repeating them again.

 Sewed Pumpkin Blackbird into a finish.

 And made the Margaret Sherry Kitties into cards with a blank inside. My all purpose cards!

Told ya it was short!!! Have a wonderful stitchy weekend!
Thanks for stopping by, Deb

P.S. Thank you to all who wished Mom well. She is much better and not with holding info anymore!

Happy saturday and YOTA SAL

The flowers are winding down due to the hot HOT weather. A record 109 degrees on june 29. But, we do have a few blooms!

 We planted this hydrangea bush last year and had blue blooms. This late bloomer now has pink blooms. After reading up on them a little, we found out that color is determined by soil and fertilizer. We fertilize with Best Bloom every 2 weeks. The hibiscus and roses also love this fertilizer.

 One of  my garden buddies!

On to stitching! This is my UFO YOTA piece. This month I got the castle outlined, ring stitched and outlined. His hands, however, are giving me fits. Will try to get those done in the coming month. If you like to join this UFO SAL here is the link. http://pulltheotherthread.blogspot.com/p/yota-year-of-acronyms.html   Am now in 3 different UFO SAL's and they are helping me stay on tract to finish and not create any more of them.

Before

After

Had a few small finishes. They include 4 of the Margaret Sherry kitties for cards. These were fun to stitch. I made more of the card fronts. After a rough 2 weeks I have decided to stitch some cards for friends and family.

Also finished my glove box take away project.

WIP's include     The letter A from Brooke's Brooks alphabet freebie

Worked on 2 HAED's this month The cookies are finally starting to fill in.

 Actually worked on Fun Guys stocking for 3 weeks this month.

 And a new start! I loved this Mirabilia's Silver Moon Tea since it was released last year. Didn't care for the models fabric color. Then while I was rummaging around, for something new to do, I found this fabric in a bin. Light bulb goes on and I dig out Silver from the book case. Am thinking of not stitching the gray sky and let the fabric color be the sky. Will see once I get that far.

  This is an embroidery UFO dresser scarf. The greenery was mostly done, no flowers.

I got the flowers embroidered and couldn't decide what colors to use for the centers. Wanted to do something other than satin stitching. Was trying to find enough of one color of pearls and matching beads. Then brilliant Karen told me to look at my garden for color inspirations. And boy was she right! The result is different colors and sized of beads for brightening up the flower centers. Will be forever thankful to Karen for this great idea.

 Another UFO SAL is Brooke's Books bb interactive group. Has helped me stay with this and hope to finish the pepper pillow this year.

Je had a very early birthday gift delivery from my best friend in France. I mentioned to Michelle that I had bought a big bunch of baby clothes for the new grand daughter due in october. Sears had their Carters baby clothes for 60 percent off. And, well... being a grandma, how could I pass up a sale like that!!! Michelle said she had a few things for GD Lily and new baby. Here are the sweet things Michelle sent to us!

I cried when I saw this sweet fuzzy sleeper with the appliqued animals. Absolutely adorable and will be great for a winter/autumn baby's birth. Michelle also sent Lily a cute Hello Kitty bag and candy. Some disney socks for baby and a beautiful ceramic plaque for her, too.

A beautiful card with Lily's name on it.

 Bright colored bibs, too!

 Michelle really spoiled me with her box full of goodies. The fruit cakes were luscious and a great snack. The Abbey big biscuit cookies are my favorite with the fruit cakes. We have some new friends moving into the house! A winter mouse, pretty kitty cat and a much needed doctor mouse. The lady bug slipper is also one of my favorite slippers Michelle has knitted.

My birthday is not until september. Since Michelle was sending a box with gifts for the babies, all the way from France, that she would send birthday gifts along as well. Everything was packaged so beautifully in satin bags and wonderful turquoise color gift wrap.

 When stitching the HAED designs I have to be very careful. Some symbols are very similar and mistakes can be made very easily. I have a cheap set of Wal mart glasses to fit over my regular glasses. This beautiful eye glass necklace will come in handy for the second pair I keep losing.

 This is what the glass container is for. Michelle's cute slippers. Now I can see them and they are not jumbled up in a small container. Much nicer display with this 3 tiered beauty.

  Here is a very cute kitty purse, an eye glass case with a very soft cloth for cleaning glasses. A wonderful little zipper case with a big tote bag with handles. All great to carry in small handbags.

Michelle's mother sent a gorgeous soft covered personal care case.

 Very nice quality tweezers and utensils.

 These little baby's are the dry version of a hot water bottle. One is filled with cherry pits/seeds and the other with lavender seeds. Put them in the microwave, without the fuzzy cover, with a 1/2 glass of water for moisture. They stay warm for some time and great for sore limbs/muscles. The extra added weight of Morty the cat was not therapeutic, however. Once DH took him outside for a climb up a tree, the french "kettle" was soothing.

  2 new friends are on the kitchen shelf and winter mouse is in the living room cabinet with her new friends.

The gifts didn't end there. Michelle also send a lot of DMC threads. Have you ever come across 24 yard DMC floss skeins? 

 These are older discontinued skein from a neighbor of Michelle's mom. Colors are bright and beautiful.

 Also, 2 pair of DMC scissors. Very good quality metals.

 Assorted threads and wonderful fabrics.

Michelle, thank you so much. You spoiled me greatly and I very much appreciate everything.

I mentioned that it had been a rough 2 weeks. My best friend Michelle and her mother have been having scary health issues. I think of them every day. Then my mother calls me on a wednesday night. Nonchalantly tells me she is scheduled for surgery, friday morning, for removal of a cancerous tumor. AND may need chemo..... This is difficult to explain. My brother, son and I live miles away from mom. On a good day we maybe, and thats a big maybe, are able to get flights out and make arrangements to keep things running smoothly while we are gone. But, I wanted to reach through the phone and spank her like an errant child. For some reason mom thinks hiding serious health issues will keep us from being upset. Quite the opposite. We were all upset and floundering around trying to figure out what to do. My son and I came up with a plan. As it turns out the removal of the tumor went smoothly and the removed lymph nodes tested clear of cancer.  It did get us all thinking of a plan of action to cover 1900 miles of ground quickly. When mom is in better health I will speak to her about hiding her health conditions. For the first time I realized how far away we are from one another. So parents PLEASE DON"T keep your health issues secret from your adult children and family. That leaves family scrambling for arrangements and not with a clear mind. Thank you for listening, it really has been stressful.

Happy stitching!

Deb