Purely About Stitching

Hello everyone!

I promised a post dedicated to stitching, so here it is.  With the world as it is, in turmoil, and our provincial government piercing the hearts of teachers, I try to find a bit of solace in stitching. Although I have enough BAP's to work on, I started a new design I had kitted up some time ago.  Also, I added some finishing touches to my pillow finishes and worked on JCS 1707 since it was calling to be stitched.  Funny how some projects are like that...calling from my WIP pile: "Work on me! Work on me!!" So without further ado, enjoy a smattering of stitchy photos.

La-D-Da's O Birdy finished with chenille trim

Primitive Hare's Litha freebie as a prim finish

JCS 1707 Progress

Birds of a Feather's Bitter Flower Sampler started

Tea Bath Fairy cup...kreinik filling in...a little each day!

Did I title the post "Purely About Stitching?" Yes I did, but forgive me for I just have to show you these lovely photos of some late summer flowers, two of my favourite people (my mom, dad, sister and brother are too!), and my fluffball.

Gorgeous pink dahlias

Sunflower ripe with seeds

My two favourite people, Nana and Hubby

Furball Titus giving me morning love eyes although they are a bit googly

Some things are on my mind that I feel I need to say.  My blogoversary is coming up September 12th and I wanted to do a giveaway.  However, with the strike as it is, I cannot afford to send anything right now.  All of my husband's pay chq is going to rent, food and bills.  That's it.  Nothing left for anything else.  When the strike has ended, and we get a contract, I thought about celebrating with a giveaway then.  How about that? I've so enjoyed blogging over the past 4 years and getting to know so many of you.  Our little blogging community provides us the opportunity to stitch together worldwide, share our passion for crafts, and best of all, supporting each other through the good and bad times in our lives.  I thank each and everyone of you who have sent me an encouraging word, prayer, good thought through everything in my life, whether it be stitching related or not.  It's a great solace to know people care and have big hearts, particularly when the world looks so bleak.  Please accept my deepest gratitude for you, especially those who take time out of their day to comment and to those who enjoy reading my posts.

Hug to you all

Anne

O Birdy and Blackbird Designs SAL

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was rainy but productive in a stitchy sense.  I would've rather cycled around and worked out my hips/thighs that have bloomed over the winter, however, sitting on those same hips/thighs catching up on Hart of Dixie with needle in hand was equally exciting!

So I finished La-D-Da's O Birdy. Thinking of a pillow finish with a twisted cord for trim. 

Details: Stitched on 40 ct Flax Newcastle linen, fast becoming my favourite linen to stitch on. Threads are a mix of DMC, AVAS and GAST.

I also threw in a few more stitches into Sarah Chapple and Magic Garden, my SAL with Maggee.  I still can't believe how long MG's fence is taking to stitch up!! Hopefully next Friday I will finish it.

Then after browsing through online stitching stores, and making mental lists of a plethora of designs to stitch, I came across the Blackbird Designs SAL that Alma and Barb are sharing with us.  I have yet to make a simple alphabet sampler and so have decided to participate in this SAL.  I'll need to put down my other projects to make time for this one.  I pulled some threads and had some difficulty with the pinks/purples.  I want to use my favourite Dinky Dye's Madi's Rose but I couldn't find it in my stash??!! Not sure where it took off to! Then I pulled two linens and am unsure of which one to use.  Let me know what you think.

Lakeside Linen's 36ct Buttercream.

This one is much more yellowish in reality, less cream! The yellow is very pretty and brings out the gold.

Or PTP's 36 ct Legacy Linen...nice marbled antique look.

Hard to decide.  Hubby thinks the Legacy but I'm leaning towards the buttercream. Decisions...I'm the worst with them!

Granny stripe progress! I've been crocheting on the train which is great.  I'm about to add another colour in for my ride tomorrow morning.  Can't decide between a teal or a dark plum colour.  I'll bring both.

I also had a surprise in the mail.  I recently won one of those darling little LHN sheep charts from Tricia at The Stamper's Stitches.  She included the most adorable little handmade card with the chart.  Once I stitch the design, I'll pass it on to the next stitcher. Thank you Tricia!!

From last week's bike trip, some black leafed clovers and pretty succulents.  We have a terrible time keeping succulents, no matter how much we DO NOT water them, they ALWAYS die on us.  I so wish to be able to keep succulents at some point in my life!!

Have a wonderful week! It's going to be sunny again when I work....isn't that the way?!

Anne

Pascha and Beginnings

Christ is Risen!!

This is what we say for a few weeks after Pascha.  We had a good Pascha last week although both my husband and I got sick. I even had to take a day off of work which I never do!  For Pascha, we had our late night service and the hymns were beautiful.  So uplifting for the soul.  We broke the fast afterwards and ate some kulich and syrny pascha (sweet cheese dish).  The next day, my mom came briefly from Edmonton, flying back to Prince George.  I suppose they don't have direct flights from PG to Edmonton, so they have to come through Vancouver.  It was so good to see her for an hour! We ate roast beef rather quickly and chatted very fast too.  Then she was gone. 

Yummy kulich

Pascha breakfast

My beautiful mother and me

My sweet hubby and mom

 As for crocheting and stitching, I managed to make a few new starts.  Why I start on more projects, I don't know.  I'm becoming a serial starter! I know I should just focus on what I have but I couldn't help it! This weekend, I started Sarah Chapple.  I got the recommended fabric, 35 ct Rook and found it so dark and stiff.  So I washed and ironed it to get rid of the sort of rusty stripes I found on the fabric.  The rusty stripes are still there but much more muted.  Then I started the sampler with 2 strands of silk over 2.  I made a lot of progress but then thought, 1 strand provides just as much coverage, might as well save the silk, so I ripped out my progress and began again.  Here she is so far.

I would have bought new linen for Sarah, but my hubby found out the cost of the linen and said "Heck no! You are stitching on that and are going to be happy with it!"  So I guess I'll have to make do!

I also started a sweet little design, La-D-Da's O Birdy which was loaned to me by the lovely Carol.  I'm using 40 count flax linen with GAST and AVAS threads.  I'm loving it so far!

I added a few more motifs to JCS 1707. It's coming along nicely. I know I have to tackle the lion/griffon creature at some point but right now, I'm loving the motifs.

My granny stripe has grown a bit.  I added a stripe on the skytrain on the way to work one day.  It's the perfect traveling project, IF I get a seat!

Blue stripe on Pascha

Nothing else much to report. I'm still waiting for Meari's mailart to arrive.  It's taking a surprisingly long time to get there. I also am stitching a little something for a friend so I can't show that yet.  

Thank you all for your lovely comments on the last post.  I'm glad it uplifted people! It's nice to hear that I can create a nice post every once in awhile!! 

Of course I shouldn't leave Titus out of this post.  Here he is "helping" me iron my stitching.  I "love" how he flops onto it and gets all his fluff embedded in my linen.  So much fun....

Hugs

Anne