The first one

I have anticipated for the last few days the finish of my Rosina, but I have not be able to accomplish as much as I had wanted.  It has been quite the week.  Where does the time go??  Already it is this afternoon........... Low and behold, I have put the finishing over 1 words in this morning and here she is.  Miss Rosina Payne.  The first finish of 2012!!!!

I just love her.  FINALLY finished her!!!!  She is one of my favorites, and I am looking so forward to her framed.  I have added a few other pics for your viewing pleasure.....

I am looking forward to getting back to Isabella Johnson and my January 1st project-- Drawn Thread.   Tomorrow is another day :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and I look forward to continued progress reports from all of you!!!!!

12th January Project-Start

Where oh where has the day gone already?!!  WOW, almost 6pm.  Well, not that I dont have a good excuse, we were hanging out with new babies today.  My cousins twins that were born on Christmas Eve are both now home and boy are they beautiful.  Amazing how tiny they really are.  When we saw them on Christmas Day, it is hard to grasp their real size, when they were all bundled up and tiny tubes all around them.  What a special treat today was for sure.

So home again James we went and after reading mail and emails, I remembered that I hadnt posted my start today yet.   Holy smokes girl!  Get going already!!!!!

So here it is.  In all its blazing glory.  Long Dog Beautie Spotte. 

Tremendous work involved just in choosing/switching all the colors to a GORGEOUS selection of overdyed silks and what color linen would work well with all these colors?  With a few valued opinions later, I chose 45ct Misty Rain Lakeside. 
I am thrilled with the start and the result of my selections thus far. 

I started in my usual spot-- top right hand corner.  This is the companion piece to Sonne Spotte, which I also have, but chose this to stitch first.  You can see a better picture here.  Along with many of you, wondering about why I chose to stitch this piece, it is far from my 'comfort zone', but the color is simply amazing.   More then once this month so far, I have stepped out of the box.  But nothing like a little variety right?  I am excited that it didnt take much to really see the first motif.  Both pieces are 315 x 312, making my finished piece 14" x 14".  I cant wait to see more progress on this one for sure.

Tomorrow Friday already, I cant believe that it is almost mid January.  We all need more time :)

5th January Start

A fresh new day is here and isnt it a beautiful?!  I am excited to tell you about my new start yesterday.  Birds of a Feather L'Hiver.  This is one of 4 in the series.  A very long time ago, I bought these patterns,  I was only stitching on 32ct, maybe 36ct but never ever would consider 40.  At that time higher counts existed I am sure, but had no interest in them, so who would have known?  I kitted all 4 of these beauties up with 32ct linen.  After doing some measurements , I realized that these finished pieces would have measured out to be 19" x 24 " each, and that isnt framed yet!!!!  Well, knowing now what I know about frame costs, and minimal wall space, I elected to re-kit these 4 up.

I chose to use 45ct linen on each of these girls, using a color I thought worked best for the season.  Choosing 4 colors of linen seemed more interesting to me, then stitching all 4 huge projects on the same color.  Why not switch it up?  AND, the finished design size is going to be 13" x 17".  Can you believe the difference!!! Also, I converted all the WDW and GA colors to Gloriana, Silk n Colors, Waterlilies, Belle Soie, Dinky Dyes and Northern Lights.  Again, why not?!

L'Hiver, is the one I chose to start yesterday on Vintage Fawn Lakeside.  The color in the pic is SO off, that it looks like Pear on my screen.  You get the idea though.  The red for her coat is so vibrant, and looks fabulous with the dk brown hair, I cant wait to stitch on her more.

But, today is a new day, and I have decided not to start something new today, but break into the WIPs that I had planned on for this month, and see what happens.  There are so many calling me from across the room, it is hard to keep them all quiet :)

January Starts

Happy New Year everyone!  It is the 2nd of the month already, hard to believe right?  Funny, I could hear the wurring of all the needles all around the country with all the new starts happening.  On New Years Eve, after writing my last post of the year, and working on Bramble, I began to think about another option for January. 

What is the significance of the number 15?  15 starts in January, 15 WIP to be had and hope to be completed in the year 2011 right?  So I had mentioned that I would start 6 for sure, and mostly work on already WIPs that were in bottom of the barrel, but I went into the basement to give a last look for the new start January challenge.  I decided I didnt want to stop at 15.  I was going to go all the way with 31 starts/WIP's in January.  Why mess around?!!  LOL. 

I love a challenge, and what I decided to do, is pull out starts and WIPs (mostly starts) and put them into a plastic tote.  I will pull one out each day to work on, and work on that one all day.  I will take pics of the supplies, and progress pics periodically during the day and when the night is over take 1 final pic.  The following day, I will post the previous days project and progress.  Some are easy, some are HUGE and some are already going. 

And, what I still would like to do, is finish Bramble and the Rose this month.  I said I wanted to finish this piece last month, and you see the progress, but not the finish.  Keep plugging along.  I continued to work on Bramble yesterday as well as my new start for January 1st 2011.

January 1st, the first start of the year is Maria's Dechado by Samplers Remembered.

Using 45ct Vintage Luna from Lakeside Linen along with Soie de Paris, using the colors and linen called for, I started her at 12:05am, put about 20 stitches in and went to bed by 12:20.  Last night, after working on Bramble, I pulled out Maria again at 10pm and worked on her for 1/2 hr.  Not too much progress, but enough to know that she is going to be gorgeous.  I have not ever used this silk before, and I find it kind of slippery, but the sheen is amazing.  Very very nice. 

Since it is the 2nd of January already, I better get cracking on todays project!  It is great fun to see all the new starts going on this month, everyone's blog posts are going to be very very interesting for sure!!!!!  This is going to be so much fun!!!! 

Summer Romance

I have to begin saying that summer time is all about fun, friends, excitement and new loves right?  Love being defined per individual of course; I have not a new love, but a new love in the sampler world.  Of course, I told you last week about my start on Scarlet Letter German Band Sampler. I have already put it on the back burner, and started a couple of other things.  Today I am going to talk about the new Queenstown sampler Rosina Payne.  This is the designer of Queenstown Samplers first sampler she bought way back when, and has charted it for us to share and love.  A good Friend of mine informed me of this sampler last week and a few of us lost our breath.  Immediately our hearts were a flutter and we just had to have her.  The same feeling of one seeing that special someone across the room and butterflies fill our bellies and we start blushing.  This is the same feeling we had, and could hardly wait for her to arrive in the mail.   Silk colors and linen were chosen--- let the romance begin.  I was very excited to start the flowers, counting down and over to make sure there was enough linen on the sides for me to start the violets in the center, that I tell you, seeing it in person, the leaves have a texture and they smell wonderful.

My excitement with this new sampler has only been for 1 week, and I can tell you, that it has been very enjoyable stitching her, and seeing her come to life.  I have her in a rotation schedule-- not really a schedule per-say, but the last few nights have been Rosina. 

I have started stitching Rosina on 45ct Porcelain Lakeside Linens with a variety of threads-- Gloriana, Silk n Colors and Belle Soie.  This comes to many as no surprise that I have adjusted the colors to fit me.  Adjusting the peach to pink and scarlet and the purples to violet and aubergine.  The over one verse does send shivers down my spine, but I am always up for a challenge, and love the excitement of trying something new.  I can only invision her beauty when she is done in the colors chosen.  Simply exquisite.

I cant wait to show you more progress on her next week. 

Paradise Lost

So as you can see, I have finished Paradise Lost by Plum Street Samplers.   I am thrilled to have my 2nd piece of the year done and under my belt.  I started this last Fall with a bunch of other stitchers, and have had a blast stitching it with them in a un-official SAL.  This weekend I brought my project with me to TX for a wedding.  Flying time--plenty to get it done.  Stitching on the way fast and furious, also on the way home.  Since flying in for the wedding on Friday afternoon, and festivities starting almost immediately, I only had time to stitch on the plane.  No complaints, although for the first time in my life I wished the flight home was a bit longer, taking advantage of the flowing wine in the first class cabin, I wasnt able to complete it.  I had the heading already in my mind "Paradise Lost is First Class". 

It was a family wedding, and it was just great to see everyone again.  Since it has only been a month, or should I say already since my Sister has tied the knot......Seeing the relatives again was a blast.  I am always ready to get all dolled up for a party.  I made sure to have PL with me--- the end was near. 

Tonight I have completed the PL sampler-- What is officially next, we shall see.  Stitching this beauty on 45ct Vintage Sand Dune from Lakeside with the called for NPI and Gloriana silks, dont you just love the silks???!!!!!! My sampler measures 17.25" long x 7.5" high; an amazing difference in size from the model of 23.25" x 10.5" on 36ct.  I already have the frame picked out, this summer I will have to bring it away. 

What is next?  Well, I have shown my sister what I am going to stitch for her and her new Husband (yes, I did start it!!!!!), so that is next for sure.....but what is next after that?!!  I have a few ideas and I am sure a few more will be thought of in only a matter of weeks.  Projects planned again with friends. 

I am headed into another great summer of fabulous friends, fun and so much laughter, your sides and cheeks hurt for days.  I cant wait to see you guys.  Thanks to everyone for all your encouragement and kind words over the last few and far between posts.

Final question and thought, for the gals stitching this sampler with me--- How are all of you doing on it?!!!!  Finishing this piece makes me thirsty :)

Happy New Year!!

Did everyone ring in the new year having fun?!!! My favorite is to watch the ball drop in Times Square. No, I wasnt there but it is always a tradition to watch.

I worked on Paradise Lost for a few days after Christmas, then put it down to go & visit at my sister place for 3 days. We had a Great time, as usual. It was nice to spend time together. No stitching got done over there, I did show her at least and she was amazed at how tiny it is. I am stitching PL on 45ct Vintage Sand Dune Lakeside with the called for silks. I am enjoying the colors. I love the lions head...he is so cute, even without a body! I hope to start working on it again next week.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend, and is getting the new year started off right!!

You ever have one of those Days?

Anyone have one of those days you wake up and wish you could start over?! Today is one of those days. I got up at 8am, and by 8:25am things were already hitting the fan. Holy smokes. Crazy emails, voicemails, packages not delivered on time! AGIDA I tell you! AGIDA. Yesterday I already started dealing with these things and opened a bottle last night. Let me tell you, I am ready to pour it over my cereal!!! LOL. It is supposed to be a GREAT day today, and maybe after a mid-morning cocktail it will be :).

Progress on the Homecoming Sampler is moving along nicely. On the 3rd out of 4 rows. It really is a cute piece, and nice to see progress so quickly on the animals, although the one I left half done last night, and said to heck with it, I am going to bed already!




A challenge has been brought to the table concerning Paradise Lost, and I am always up for one! I pulled out PL yesterday and decided to start on the top-right hand corner, to get the A & E done. I dont really like backstitching so I thought if I could put it to bed right from the beginning, I would enjoy stitching it for sure. Not that it isnt pretty, it is very pretty, I just need to figure out how to wiggle my nose and get it done immediately. I am still working on it, will keep all of you posted!

I am thrilled to start PL. I have chosen one of the most beautiful piece of 45ct linen. Vintage Sand Dune from Lakeside. OUTSTANDING. Of course, is there any ugly Lakeside linen? Heck No!! I am using the called for NPI and Gloriana silk threads. I cant believe how gorgeous it is so far, and there isnt really that much done! Stay tuned!



I splurged on something for myself, well this isnt really something new, I am always splurging--especially when it comes to stitching! These Dovo scissors--silver handles with blue blades. WOW is all I can say. Absolutely exquisite. I have used them for the past couple of days now and they are amazing. I highly recommend these!!

Hope all of you are having a great day! Mine will be too-- dont you worry.

English Whitework Sampler

School has started again for almost everyone by now right? I was at Target on Monday, the day before the official first day back, and I was watching everyone get last minute supplies, looking for favorite colors, fancy pens and pencils, backpacks or totes. I remember thinking about my first days of school. First of all, I do not wish I was going back to school, just about the the first days :). I remember going with my mother to get my new supplies for the year, and just loving all the 'new-ness' of everything. I love office supplies, new pens, new pads of paper, loose-leaf paper, notebooks, staplers (I do have a red swingline..), paper clips. All the new ways to organize. I love to organize, create lists of things to do, or not to do. Wish lists, stash lists, grocery lists. Isnt it amazing to think something so silly, could make you so happy?!!! LOL.. I know, crazy right? I happen to know several gals who feel the same about office supplies, and all the new things that I wish I had when I was going back to school. Looking at all the gadgets, it seems like if we could have purple push pins, or different colored sharpie markers--in different sizes?! WOW!! But, it is fun to think back. The best part is now, I can purchase those great things now, and I dont have to worry about my homework!

Speaking of homework..... My Whitework Sampler from Needles Prayse has official been started. I have never done anything like this before, and when I opened the pattern, I thought I was crazy for sure. I had never seen anything like this before. What are all these stitches, and graphs and charts? Over 4? On everything? Calm down, breath... it is soooooo much easier then I expected. My good friend sat down with me, and very, very patiently showed me each and every step to this pattern. Even taught me how to do the stitches. (Thank you, Thank you!) My first go around with four-sided stitches went perfectly. I know how to start and end threads. I am very excited with this project, the first night I could hardly sleep. I wanted to work more on it!

It calls for 40ct, but, loving a challenge, (and believe me, this is a great challenge for me to stitch this piece, instead of a traditional cross stitch pattern) I chose to use 45ct Bisque from Lakeside Linen, with 80 and 100 Cordonett Special thread in White. I have it on scroll rods, and I think that there are 11 rows, each seperated with a 4 sided stitch. On 40ct the completed size is 8 3/4" wide; stitching on the 45ct it is 7" wide. It is so fabulous, and so tiny! I have about 2 inches stitched on the 1st official row. Lots of work to be done, but this will be one piece of work when it is done. So you think I can get it done in a year? I am hoping!