Ack Google Reader

Ack blog reader is going away, really???????????  So after trying several readers, I've decided to switch to BlogLovin,  I was able to import all my feeds using these instructions.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I will do a stitching update in a few days!!!!!

Happy Stitches,
Katrina

Oh Happy Dames!!!!!

I finished stitching Examplar Dames Dames Boarding School this afternoon, thanks to my friends challenging me to stick with it!!!!!  I fell in love with this piece when Paulette's mom, Marsha, stitched it for her for Christmas last year.  I am so happy to have it finished, now to get it framed and on my wall :-).

It was stitched on Lakeside 40 count Meadow Rue with just a couple changes/substitutions (substituted CC Dublin Bay for WDW Kentucky Blue, GAST Avocado for WDW Hostas).

Next up for me is to finishing stitching With Thy Needle and Thread MJ Gardner!!!!  It's such a sweet piece and I have already made a lot of progress on it.

I hope everyone is having a very happy New Year and finding lots of time to stitch!

Happy Stitches!!!!

Katrina

Plans for the New Year and My Friends!!!!!!

I thinking making resolutions for the new year is a futile endeavor!!!!!  IMHO it's better to focus on an action.  My goal for the year is to accomplish more by making better use of my time.  I would like to spend more quality time with my family and friends, exercise more, do some things around my home I've been putting off,  and of course stitch more!!!!  A lot more this year than last.

That said I did have a few finishes last year that I still need to share!!!!!

top to bottom, left to right:  Plum Street Sampler Trim Keep, Goode Huswife Wintergreen Swan, Blackbird Designs New Love and Blackbird Designs Dear Friend

I am so blessed to have a close group of friends who all stitch too, we have stitching days, go away for weekends, text about life and all the fun things we are stitching and just generally have lots of fun!!!!!  The only problem is they are terrible enablers and when I think I have my stitching plans all worked out I get waylaid and sidetracked by their projects ;-).   

Take for instance the Scarlet Letter Year stitchalong, my projects were Elizabeth Sheffield, Mary Jones and Jenny Bean.  All samplers I would like to finish!!!!  Then Paulette dragged out her Ruth Bacheler again, Jen decided she had to start it too, and Karin got her's out, well I couldn't just not get my Ruthie back out could I???????  And since I was getting her out I decided to revamp the colors a tiny bit to suit myself!!!!!   Natalia is the most disciplined, she is waiting to start until we all work out the bugs, LOL.

Instead Natalia and I decided we would start Dona Dorothea together!!!!!  I am still patiently waiting for her to start ;-).  She's finishing another project up first.

We won't mention the Attic Needlework Ann Bower stitchalong that Jen convinced me to start and then dragged her poor mother into it too.  Okay, well maybe I texted Jen a bazillion times, begging her to play along with me but she definitely coerced invited her mother to stitch it too.  We'll save pictures of that for another post.

I tend to have serious startitis and a complete lack of follow through which has not escaped the notice of my friends!!!!  Last week I was moaning about how little I feel like I finish.  I won't name names but someone mentioned that if I would just stitch on the same piece for a week I might actually make some progress on the multitude of projects calling my name ;-).  Never one to turn down a challenge, I promptly agreed to work on Dames Boarding School for at least 7 days.  I have actually made some good progress and I am still stitching her.

With a little discipline and plenty of encouragement from my friends and fellow bloggers I hope that this year I will accomplish lots on the stitching front with several finishes!!!!!!!  I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and happy New Year and I look forward to seeing everyone's stitching in 2013 :-)!!!!!

Happy Stitches,

Katrina

I Need an Intervention...

I have a serious case of startitis :-).  The worst part is these are just the projects in my stitching bag.  I also have a basket of other projects, all started, in stitching wallets sitting next to me.  So you see I have issues, LOL.  

(left to right, top to bottom) My Stitching project wallets, SL Jenny Bean, WTNT MJ Gardner, BBD Sarah's House and Hannah Lovina, Smalls, Dames Boarding School, SL Elizabeth Sheffield, Paradise Lost, SL Mary Jones 1801

I hope everyone is almost ready for Christmas and you all will have at least one stitching present under the tree :-).  Thanks for taking time to read and comment on my blog, I so appreciate it.

Happy Stitches,

Katrina

The Best Laid Plans and Catching Up

I had grand plans of posting every week or so this year but life and a bit of slump got in the way!!!!!  Not that I haven't stitched anything, I have, mostly gifts which I will share in another post :-).

I learned to frame my own needlework, Natalia taught me.  My first attempt was Blackbird Designs Christmas Garden!!!!

I also framed Primitive Needle's A&E!!!!  I learned that the Weeks Dye Works 40 count linen is very stretchy and harder to pin.  I really had to work with the A&E to get it pinned straight, I think overall I did well.  The first picture is deceiving, it's actually even on both sides.

One of the things that has kept me very busy is my Sampler Guild, I am the Assistant to the VP of Programs so I spent the summer assisting and planning for our 2012-2013 program.  Our major project this year is a sewing box, that can be personalized.  A big thank you to Paulette from Plum Street Samplers for changing the verse on one of her free designs.  Here is my box so far!!!!!

I've worked a little bit on a lot of different projects, BBD Sarah's House, WTHT M.J. Gardner, PPS Paradise Lost, EFTH Dames Boarding School, I will share pictures in another post!!!  I have to save something for later ;-)!!!!!!

We've had a very busy year.  My DH and I have traveled a lot this year, DC, California, Germany and we are celebrating our anniversary next month in Hawaii.  I also went to Chicago to go to the Inspired Needle Retreat.  We got the happy news that we are going to be grandparents for the first time.  Our DS and his wife are expecting a baby in March.  We celebrated my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.  Life is good and I am thankful but sometimes my hobby has to take a backseat to everything else that is going on :-(.   I am hoping to do better and stitch more.  I have a huge list of projects I want to stitch!!!!  I hope you all are happy and healthy and finding lots of stitching time!!!!!

Happy Stitches,

Katrina

Happy Mother's Day

Remember when I posted about my new start for my mom :-)????  I am happy to say I have finished stitching her, the frame is ordered and I will give her to my mom today.  I decided to stitch my great-grandmother's name and the year she was born.

Blackbird Designs Eveline Cunningham, stitched as charted on mystery R&R Linen

I have several blog posts planned for the next couple weeks, my first attempt at framing my own pieces, thank goodness Natalia is a patient teacher :-), my current projects, plans for the summer and fall but those will have to wait for another day!!!!  I hope you all have a happy mother's day with at least a little stitching time.  We are blessed to have my mom and dad living close.  I will make dinner today for my parents, children and my DIL's mother.  My DH owes me a dinner out, LOL.  

Finally in honor of mother's day I thought I would share a favorite photo of my mom with me, I am the oldest, and my sister :-).

Happy Stitches!!!!!
Katrina

Blackbird Christmas Garden and Elizabeth McCully

Yea!!!!  I have finished Blackbird Christmas Garden :-).  What a fun piece to stitch, I loved all the motifs and I am very happy with the alphabet.  


Just a note, I've sent emails to everyone who asked for information on the change.  If you asked for it and didn't get it, I didn't have an email address or I got a reject when I tried to send it.  Please let  me know if you didn't receive an email and were expecting one!!!!

Next up for me is a present for my mom and another Blackbird piece, Eveline Cunningham!!!  I am going to stitch my great-grandmother's name, Elizabeth McCully, on it.  I hope it will go quickly, I need to start on a class piece for the Sampler Guild of the Rockies spring seminar. 

  
I hope everyone is happy and healthy and finding lots of time to stitch :-).  Thanks for taking time to read and comment on my blog, I so appreciate it.


Happy Stitches,
Katrina