Final Birthday Exchange Package Received

Today I received the last of my birthday exchange packages from Britt in Germany. She made me the most adorable "tie on" pillow that is just perfect for displaying right now and I immediately set it out on display. Britt included the PS Birdsong II chart I had on a wish list and 4 great pieces of 32 ct linen in Antique White, Toasted Almond, Sand and Light Mocha. I have been really needing a piece of Antique White and the other colors are just perfect for samplers (or other good things in my stash!) I also received a really cute lavender sachet kit which I will make for my undies drawer and some great cards.

Pin Exchange

I found out this evening that my pin exchange piece has been received in Canada so it's safe to share some photos. I used one of the designs from the July issue of The Gift of Stitching.

I used the finishing technique they showed involving rolling 1" strips of felt up until you have the right size for the design and then you lace your two pieces to the front and back. I was pretty pleased with how the piece turned out and I hope the recipient is too. I forgot to take a picture of the sides but I found a piece of quilting fabric in my stash that worked with both colors and attached it using Mill Hill seed beads and a running stitch. I would definitely like to make another one of these for myself as it was not as hard as I thought it would be.

This is a photo of my Stitcher's Wallet progress. I stitched on it a bit yesterday instead of Friday night. I finished the top band and tested out the DMC#8 to see if I would like it for the lettering. I did not and promptly pulled out what I had put in. The #8 is too thick for my taste and will never work on the little letters that you have to stitch over one in various places on this panel. I will pick up the Ginnie Thompson Flower Thread I need when I visit Joanie in a few weeks.

And speaking of Joanie, this photo is for her - my clean blinds in the living room Joanie! Just three more rooms to go. LOL Can't wait to see the photo of your clean bedroom.

New Start

Thank you everyone for your kind comments on my PS finish. I do think I will end up finishing it as a felt backed ornament which I think will be easier to display around my home. I plan to start the large piece from this chart quite soon as it's one of my favorites.

I promised I would share a photo of my newest start which is an exchange piece so it's probably the only time I can show it until it is completed and sent to the recipient. The mail date on this is October 1st but I think I will be having the piece framed so I need to get cracking to allow time for the framer. I've shown it with the Atalie threads that are to be used but there are also four DMC colors as well. I am hoping I will have enough of the Atalie threads left over to stitch this for myself at some point because it's a really cute design.

From UFO to FO

Well, I was able to finish off my PS Autumn 4 square last night and mark this off my 25 projects list. I love how it turned out - the designer is so wonderful at picking plain old DMC and creating brilliantly colored pieces that have so much character. I think I'm going to wrap this around padded foam core board and then attach a ribbon and a felt or wool backing with a pinked edge and use it as a little hanging decoration. But it would probably look quite cute framed as well but it's so small I'm not sure even custom framing could be done. Any opinions?

This morning I started another piece of my 25 projects list that will be an exchange piece. It's a french designed chart that uses Atalier threads. I've never used them before and I must say I really like them so far - very soft and smooth. They are hand dyed and remind me a lot of GAST threads but somehow smoother. I may show you a little bit tomorrow since it's just been started and a photo shouldn't give too much away.

Stitcher's Wallet Progress

Well, there's not as much done as I had hoped after Friday night - I had quite a bit more - in fact most of the top band - in but discovered that I'd put one stitch in one hole off at the right had edge so it all had to be ripped out and redone and this is how far I got before I called it quits. On Saturday I went and picked up a spool of DMC #8 in black to do the lettering. I still haven't found the Ginnie Thompson thread I know I bought and was going to order another but the website wouldn't recognize my zip code so I gave up and just went and got the DMC. If I don't like how the first row turns out, I'll rip it out and order the GT but I think it will be fine.

As our weather has turned quite cool and fallish this week it was 37 degrees on Monday morning when I walked the dog!), I've been stitching and making a fair bit of progress on my PS Autumn over one piece. I may even finish it tonight!

Very Slow Going Toe

This is the mate to what is likely to be my one and only pair of socks for the Summer of Socks KAL. I had such great plans for multiple pairs of socks but will be lucky to finish this pair. Too many other projects and things vying for my time these days! But I will complete the pair and be proud I at least finished one pair.

Wire Tree Display

Please accept my apologies for the horrible picture but this was hard to photograph! I picked up this wire "tree" recently at an antique store that carried both antique and reproduction things. It was only $22 which I thought was a great price. I knew I had to have it to display smalls and ornaments as you can see. It is now sporting Carol's scissor fob and a wonderful pin cube I received in the pin cushion exchange I am participating in. Mine was sent off on Saturday but I can't show you photos until it reaches its destination.

I did not make much progress on my Stitchers Wallet SAl on Friday. I was so tired by the time I sat down to work on it, I was afraid I would make too many mistakes and have to frog so I only put in about 5 beginning stitches on the third panel. I also realized I have somehow lost one of the GT Flower Thread colors I ordered which was to be used for the lettering inside the frame of the third panel. I think rather than reorder (I'm still hoping I will discover it!) I will use the #8 DMC that was used with the alternate thread listing.

More lovely presents received recently

I've received two more lovely packages from my birthday exchange partners Kathy and Leigh. I will start with Leigh as her package arrived a bit before Kathy's.

Leigh is a very talented beader as well as a great stitcher and I was lucky enough to get example of both of her crafts together! She sent me this wonderful red pin mattress with a heart design, a gorgeous red crystal bracelet that I immediately put on and a great book mark with wonderful heart charms on either end. She also generously included two charts that were on my wish list - LK Halloween Thrillology and PS Friends. Plus there was a gorgeous piece of R&R Fabric in 18th Century Red.

Kathy's package showcased two of her talents as well (two of the many with these ladies!); sewing and stitching and her incredible finishing skills (okay that could be considered three). Kathy made me a fantastic knitting bag she made herself based on all the things a fellow knitter would need. It has a ton of wonderful pockets for gadgets, your pattern and needles and lots of room as it is nice and deep. And she stitched the perfect little pillow for me - a figure of a lady knitting socks! Isn't that so clever and perfect for me? I think so! She also included two great balls of yarn I can't wait to try for socks, some Eterna silks and Needle Necessities fibers, three packages of beads and a great felted bag pattern.

I feel very privileged and spoiled to have received so many wonderful gifts to celebrate my birthday. Thank you all for helping me to start off this new year in my life's adventure.

Garden Goodness

Or should that be godess? LOL Here are some pictures of my "garden". I am growing curly and flat leaf parsely, basil and tomatoes. One of my tomatoes ripened early. The next day after I took this picture (the dates are wrong I think) I couldn't resist and I ate it. Never even got it inside, just picked it and chowed down! LOL

There's nothing like a home grown tomato. I think I'm going to expand this side area of my yard to a raised bed for next year now that I know I inherited my dad's gardening genes.

I have been using the basil to make my own pesto and layering it with mozarella and tomato on some good fresh bread. Yumm-o as Rachel Ray says!

Gift from Carol

Carol and I share the same birthday and I received this lovely scissor fob from her - early of course. She is so organized! The stitching and finishing are wonderful. Thank you Carol!

I was late in getting mine out - I'm so unorganized lately! Hopefully she will receive her package this week - it only has to go one state over but the mail can be quite quirky sometimes.

It's back to work for me tomorrow. I will have finished my pin exchange piece (the stitching part anyway) and will hopefully get that project into the mail this weekend. I'm going to attempt a hand sewn finish so cross your fingers!

Stitchers Wallet Progress

So it's been quite a long time since I have posted. It's been a combination of being on vacation and having some hot weather - the room where I have my PC gets quite warm so it's not been very comfortable to spend time in. Plus I've been busy stitching! LOL

I am now halfway done with this project as I finished the second panel/page during this week's SAL time. I am very pleased with how this panel turned out and I'm looking forward to starting the next one on Friday although that one is a LOT of letter stitching which is not my favorite.

I have taken a lot of photos of wonderful gifts I've received over the last few days but I will spread them out over the course of the week!