Spring Exchange for Cathy

Year number two of the Seasonal Exchange run by BeckySC is now officially underway. I received a wonderful email from Cathy this morning, letting me know that my Spring Exchange for her arrived safely in Australia. (Cathy and I are partners for this year, and we are in opposite seasons... so while autumn approaches here in New England, I got to stitch her goodies to welcome spring in Australia!). I had emailed Cathy recently asking her if it was OK if I sent her items that were not necessarily exactly about the season, perhaps something in the colors of the season instead... she gave me the green light... thanks Cathy! So, I sent....
Red Desert Scissor Pocket
The Cat's Whiskers Design Studio
28 ct Lilac Cashel Linen, Sugar Maple Fabrics Candy Floss Ltd Edition Color

And... just to send her something that actually said "spring" on it ;-)....

Spring Fob
Trail Creek Farm
32 ct Vintage Country Mocha Belfast Linen, Weeks Dye Works Floss

... And all of the goodies for her!! Cathy is fun to shop for. She let me know it is hard for her to get Just Cross Stitch and Cross Stitch & Needlework magazines by her... so I am going to be taking care of her this year! :-) So glad you like your exchange Cathy - I am already thinking about your Summer Exchange! And have fun at the class with Janie of The Cat's Whiskers tomorrow - wish I could be there too!

Thank you all for the lovely comments on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin. I know one stitcher made sure to let me know twice that she does not care for that witch, but it matches Shelley's theme nicely... and how can anyone not just love Barbara Ana Designs?? I couldn't resist and finally bought her Hallowscornu pattern today ;-)

Stitched on today: Stitched a new CE Exchange **Mailed out SBEBB Biscornu Exchange, and mailed out a new CE Exchange today

Finished Shelley's Halloween Round Robin

I finished up Shelley's Halloween Round Robin tonight while watching a very exciting Red Sox game! I need to read her instruction letter again tomorrow and see if she wants us each to sign our blocks in any way before I mail it along, but otherwise... NOW she is finished :-) Hope you like it Shelley!

Colorful Witch
Barbara Ana Designs
Silkweaver 28 ct Solo Lugana, DMC Floss
Stitched for Shelley for Witching for Stitching Round Robin

Stitched on today: Finished a new CE Exchange, and finished Shelley's Halloween Round Robin

No Ott- Lite!

What a bad day!! I switched on my Ott-Lite floor lamp this afternoon, in preparation of finishing my biscornu for the SBEBB Biscornu Exchange, and the bulb was dead. Well, it had to happen sometime. I run the thing every single day!! We buzzed off to A.C. Moore, but they are discontinuing the bulbs and only had small sized ones in stock. So I had to order a couple from Joann Fabrics' online store... so... gotta wait 5-10 days. But, then when I settled in to stitch, it was not so terribly awful :-)

I went back to work on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin. It is funny, I got so many comments on the witch calling it my "finish," but there is still a bit more to go. The witch has some friends now - a bat and a ghost, as well as her magical wand!

Stitched on today: Finished SBEBB Biscornu Exchange, and stitched on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin **Mailed out a gift today

Getting her message across...

My Halloween Fairy has gotten her holiday message across now, hasn't she? I am up to parts right now that I have to work around while I wait for some more Kreinik braids to arrive that are on order... she is a highly addictive and enjoyable stitch! Too bad she is so hard to photograph indoors at night time. I will try to get an outdoor photo of her very soon to better show the Phantom belfast's true color...

Our house was either hit by lightning today or the ground nearby was. We heard this horrible crack and then a spark in the air in our finished basement where we were watching the Olympics (and for me, stitching)... the coffee grinder started up, but we couldn't find any damage. Mike is going to do a good outside check tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised to find some damage outside, but we did not look far in the pouring rain... I checked, all my cats are accounted for and well ;-)

Stitched on today: Started SBEBB Biscornu Exchange, and stitched on Halloween Fairy

Gifts, New Framings, and a New Start

Finally I was able to get outside to photograph some things while the weather was nice today!

Edda was my partner for the Stitching Bloggers Birthday Club this year, and while she had already sent me a lovely package of gifts for my birthday, she followed it up with this second package that is just amazing! Along with a pretty book of Icelandic designs, Edda stitched this gorgeous little stitching set for me - it is adorable and so well done! And, inside that scissor pocket is a pair of the silver swan scissors I have been coveting! Thank you so much Edda!
I also received a really nice package from Joan. She stitched me the cutest birthday candles fob :-) So cool! And she also sent me one of her lovely pincushions, as well as some beads for stuffing and some flower shaped eyelets. Thank you so much Joan - I love it all!

My DH had some of my samplers framed for me for my birthday. This is a bit of a traditional gift from him. I really like my framer. We get such quick service and a personal touch... these came home this week...

Be Kind and True
Blackbird Designs
Stitched in 2008

House Samplings
Hillside Samplings
Stitched in 2008

Summer Sampler
Butternut Road
Stitched around 1997 or so, the chart had just come out, I think. I chose to use Putty Cashel linen and Caron Wildflowers. I think it was charted for 10 ct linen (??) and Caron Watercolours... I wanted mine smaller and more delicate - it is still a large sampler!

And - a new start today! Terrible photo. I need to figure out how to best photograph this. I know I should be finishing Acorn Sampler first, but I could not resist. I had time alone today while DH had a commitment to take care of... and I decided my Silkweaver Phantom Belfast would be good (cannot tell by the photo, the fabric is much darker) and while I am still waiting on two braids and a packet of beads, I started Nora Corbett's Halloween Fairy. I could not put her down! I still plan to finish Acorn Sampler this month.

Stitched on today: Started Halloween Fairy

A Witch is Born

Finished the witch on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin - is it any surprise why Barbara Ana calls this chart "Colorful Witch." Witchie has several friends and I will stitch them soon too. I was glad to hear from Shelley today that she likes the start to her RR :-)

Well, I have things to show that I can't - well, I can... but I don't have photos. We are in a rainy pattern here and I just can't get good photos, but I will somehow do it tomorrow so that I can show some lovely gifts I received from Edda and Joan, as well as three framings that Mike picked up yesterday. He had them done as part of my birthday gift ;-)

No word on my little client. I tried reaching her mother today, but I think they are busy dealing with the injury... thank you for all of the well wishes. This little girl both needs and deserves them.

Oh, I can show this! I sent a little RAK to An and she has now received it. I was doodling around with this little freebie and I know how much she likes Bent Creek...

Hare Lines Floss Ring Tag
Bent Creek
32 ct Dirty Belfast Linen, Weeks Dye Works Floss

Stitched on today: Stitched a gift and stitched on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin

More Witchiness

I decided to keep going with Shelley's Halloween RR tonight... not chatty at all, though. One of my young clients had a terrible accident two minutes after she left my office this morning and I am really worried and exhausted... not even sure how she is doing right now...

Stitched on today: Shelley's Halloween Round Robin

Witchy Boots

I had an urge to work on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin tonight. I am the first to stitch on this fabric, and Shelley writes that she plans to stitch part of either BOAF's Remember Me or Erica Michaels' Toil and Trouble in her large center section. She asks that we each choose a Halloweeny design that will work with those designs. So, I chose to use Barbara Ana's Colorful Witch. It looks so much like the style and colors of Toil and Trouble, and it is going to fit the block almost exactly... so tonight we see... witchy boots :-)

I am over the moon with the new issue of Just Cross Stitch. I saw the cover of it a day or two ago on Down Sunshine Lane's website, and knew mine was on its way... and it came today. I love this! They did a collection of Halloween Ornaments. I can't decide where to start... the designers are top notch - Just Nan, The Sweetheart Tree, Mosey 'N Me, monsterbubbles, Brittercup Designs, Homespun Elegance, Charland Designs, Elizabeth's Designs (I ordered my bat Mill Hill Treasures for this one already tonight - along with Erica Michaels' Toil and Trouble - LOL), Raise the Roof Designs, Jeannette Douglas, Prairie Schooler, La-D-Da (more witchy boots!!) and SamSarah Design Studio... plus... a sampler - Tombstone Angel by Carriage House Samplings! There are other great designs and a wonderful feature on My Mark Designs... like I said, where to start?? This issue (Sept/Oct 2008) is well worth its money! Oh good, photos are here!

I received a couple of lovely birthday gifts today that I will try to post up tomorrow. It was really rainy and dark here today - not good weather to take photos!

Stitched on today: Stitched on a CE exchange, and stitched on Shelley's Halloween Round Robin **Mailed out Seasonal (Spring) Exchange to Cathy K. today

A little extra birthday :-)

The birthday goodness just keeps on going! I received some more lovely gifts over the past two days...

I received this lovely package from Kathy today - wow, she sent me a pretty biscornu and a fob.. so nice on lovely lavender with a pretty variegated floss. She also made me the cutest little travelling ort bag. That is the little folded up guy in the upper left of the photo. If you pull on the top slightly, it opens up to a little square bag for orts. Love it! And... a generous supply of lovely fibers too! Thank you so much Kathy :-)

And, yesterday I received this lovely little quaker pillow from Rowyn - isn't it just adorable?? Sorry I didn't post it yesterday, Rowyn. It was already dark out when I got it. I couldn't get a good photo indoors. Thank you!!
And, I worked away more on A Quaker Christmas again today - now I have reached the right side border!

Thank you all for the lovely comments on the redwork pinkeep for Goldie! For those who emailed me about where to get the issue of De fil en aiguille, I got mine from Violarium. It looks like it is temporarily out of stock, but I am sure Leena can get it for you quickly if you want it! She is amazing!

Thank you also to all who keep nominating me for Kreativ and Brilliant Awards! I really appreciate them! It was really hard (painful) to choose five blogs when I responded to the Kreativ Award... so I want to acknowledge everyone who nominated me - thank you! I just cannot go through choosing blogs again! I love them all!!

Stitched on today: Started a gift, and stitched on A Quaker Christmas

Redwork Exchange for Goldie

Goldie has let me know that she has received the SBEBB Redwork Exchange that I sent to her. I have been wanting to stitch this little design in an older issue of De fil en aiguille for ages now. When I drew Goldie's name for the exchange, I knew I had just come across the perfect opportunity to stitch it. Sorry the photos are not clickable tonight...

Motif avec ciseaux Pinkeep
De fil en aiguille Magazine, August-September 2005
30 ct Natural Linen, DMC 115

And the rest of her goodies - a chart off of her wishlist and other fun things ;-) So glad you like it Goldie - enjoy!!

Stitched on today: Finished second part of Seasonal (Spring) Exchange for Cathy K **Mailed out a gift today

It's been a while

According to my 2008 stitching file of photos, it has been since July 4th that I have stitched on A Quaker Christmas. Shame on me!! Here is tonight's progess - glad to be back with it again!

Stitched on today: Started part 2 of Seasonal (Spring) Exchange for Cathy K, and stitched on A Quaker Christmas

All kinds of stuff...

I have all kinds of things to show today, so fair warning - this entry is a bit photo heavy!

First of all, I received the most amazing pocketed pinkeep from Vonna today. Isn't it a beauty? I made a wish for one - a pinkeep with a pocket on the back - over on the Make A Wish Exchange very recently, and was excited when Vonna volunteered to make one for me. She also sent me some items from my wishlist for my birthday. What a sweetie! Thank you so much Vonna - I love it all!

Some more birthday gifts have arrived... I know, I am quite spoilt!
Jill is amazing! Jill and I talk sports quite a bit. She totally respects my love of the Red Sox while she is very much a Twins fan. (Truth be told, I love the Twins too - just love the Red Sox more) - we also love Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics. Anyhow... looky what she made for me. How cool is this?? And it is so perfectly stitched and assembled. I love the heart shaped eyelet she used. And she also sent a marking pin that she made herself - and I needed a new one, having recently broken mine... Thank you so much Jill!
WendyJo also stitched a floss ring tag for me - these are the only two I own... she stitched one of my favorite Lizzie Kate freebies - love it, thanks so much Wendy Jo!!

A couple of gifts I put together and sent out also have arrived where they should. First is my little tiny birthday gift for Patti - most of you know already that Patti and I were born on the exact same day, and I think that is very, very cool because Patti is so incredibly cool!

Humble Daisys Floss Ring Tag
Brightneedle
28 ct Misty Green Linen, DMC Floss, Stitched one-over-one

Also, Karen has received the PIF gift that I made for her... as I recently mentioned, I am on a Brightneedle kick lately ;-)
Mama Bird Floss Ring Tag
Brightneedle
32 ct Natural Pearl Linen, GAST Floss, stitched one-over-one

And finally... coming to the end of the line here... I pulled Acorn Sampler back out tonight. All last month I kept thinking, "nope, I am not in the mood." Tonight I let myself realize why. I really don't care for the coverage of the silk on the cashel linen in several areas on the sampler. I will finish it and even frame it. It was a really fun class with Betsy. That said, if I had to do it all over again, I would have stitched this on belfast linen instead. Almost there now - one good lengthy stitching session and it will be finished!

Stitched on today: Stitched a gift, and stitched on Acorn Sampler **Mailed out SBEBB Redwork Exchange today

Back to normal!

OK... back to normal! No birthday stuff in tonight's entry. I remain overwhelmed with that and will spread it out in future entries, but for today I want to show a couple of exchanges that I recently sent out and are now safe and sound in their new homes ;-)

Simone made a wish recently for a mattress pincushion on the Make A Wish Exchange, and I signed up to fulfill her wish for her. Somehow Simone received this all the way in The Netherlands in only two or three days!

Bloom Mattress Pincushion
Country Cottage Needleworks
Wichelt 32 ct Chantilly Country French Linen, Crescent Colours & DMC Floss

I also saw on the Crazy Exchange group that Jenn has received the new exchange that I put together for her... sure hopes she likes it! The chart is a freebie you can get only if you subscribe to Helga Mandl's newsletter, which only came out this past week, so there is still time to get it if you want it ;-)
Flower Freebie Floss Ring Tag
Helga Mandl Designs
32 ct Natural Pearl Linen, DMC Floss

Goal Review Time:

July Goals:

1. Continue to stitch on A Quaker Christmas -yes
2. Continue to stitch on Serenity - yes
3. Continue to stitch on A Spring Ride SAL -yes
4. Continue to stitch on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow - yes
5. Finish Acorn Sampler - no….
6. Stitch some gifts - yes, I stitched three gifts this month
7. Finish Michelle’s NRR and mail to An by 7/15 -yes, and An has received it
8. Start my Halloween RR and have it ready to mail to Edgar by 7/15 -yes, and Edgar has received it
9. Stitch and send new CE Exchange - yes, I stitched and sent two new exchanges – Tess and Jenn have received them
10. Stitch one or two Christmas ornaments - yes, I stitched two ornaments this month
11. Stitch a Christmas Ornament for Staci (Christmas Ornament Exchange) and mail it to her by 7/31 - yes, and Staci has received it
12. Stitch a scissor pocket for Terry (MAW Exchange) and mail it to her by 7/31 - yes, and Terry has received it
13. Start mattress pincushion for Simone (MAW Exchange) and have it ready to mail to her by 8/4 - yes, and Simone has received it
14. Stitch SBEBB Summer House Exchange and mail by 7/21 - yes, and Cathy has received it
15. Start Redwork Exchange and have ready to mail by 8/4 - yes, it is packed and ready to go in tomorrow’s mail
16. Stitch and send Leslie’s NRR to Nicole by 8/1 - yes, and Nicole has received it
17. Stitch and be ready to send HoE Summer Quaker Exchange by 8/1 - yes, and Margaret has received it
18. Stitch and send at least one PIF gift - yes, I stitched and sent three – Melissa and Sharon have received theirs, still waiting to hear from the third


August Goals:
1. Finish SBEBB Redwork Exchange and mail by 8/4
2. Continue to stitch on Spring Ride SAL
3. Continue to stitch on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow
4. Continue to stitch on Serenity
5. Continue to stitch on A Quaker Christmas
6. Stitch and send at least one PIF
7. Stitch Shelley’s Halloween RR and mail to Edgar
8. Stitch scissor pocket for MAW Exchange for Melissa
9. Stitch and send some gifts
10. Stitch and send SBEBB Biscornu Exchange by 8/23
11. Start HoE Needleroll Exchange and be ready to mail by 9/2
12. Start SBEBB Shepherd’s Bush Exchange and be ready to mail by 9/5
13. Finish Acorn Sampler
14. Stitch on Katrina’s NRR and have ready to mail to An by 9/15
15. Stitch one or two Christmas ornaments
16. Stitch and send some new Crazy Exchanges
17. Finish Seasonal (Spring) Exchange and mail to Cathy K


Stitched on today: Finished SBEBB Redwork Exchange, and started a gift

Birthday Thank Yous!

I want to thank my dear friends for the lovely and very thoughtful birthday presents that I opened up today... I am utterly overwhelmed... I owe personal thank yous to many of you. My neighbor gave DH & I a pair of IMAX tickets for my birthday, and Mike and I are getting ready to go soon to see The Dark Knight... I hope to get my personal thank yous out later tonight or tomorrow... as I said, I am so overwhelmed!

To save space, I put the gifts into a slideshow instead of creating a very graphic heavy post... so without further ado, look at the lovely treats I got today! (Pssst - the gifts from Carolyn are actually the SBEBB Redwork Exchange - my head is so cloudy today!!)

Thank you all for making my 45th birthday something very special... love to you all... {{{HUGS}}}

When I got up this morning, as I always get up before my actual birth hour of 9 AM (ish), I finished off this little Christmas ornament:

Let It Snow Ornament
Barbara Ana Designs
Sugar Maple Fabrics 28 ct Ice Crystal Lugana, DMC Floss

I also wanted to take a moment to send special birthday greetings to dear Patti - for those who do not already know, Patti and I share the same birth date - not just the same birthday, but the same birth date. I think I am a couple of hours older than she is, though :-( LOL! Happy Birthday, dear one!! {{{HUGS}}} I hope you had a great day today!

PS - Goodbye Manny Ramirez. I thought I would be sad when the day came that your demands to be traded from the Red Sox were met. Manny, I am not sad. It was time for you to go. Thank you for all the wonderful things you did for the Red Sox, but your negative attitude clearly has hurt the team this year. Best wishes.

Stitched on today: Finished Let It Snow Ornament, and stitched on SBEBB Redwork Exchange

Early Birthday Gifts

**I am having some computer issues and cannot access Google Reader well or consistently at all right now - I am so sorry I have been absent from so many blogs, and I am hoping to get this fixed soon! Also, I cannot quickly access links for the senders of the wonderful gifts I am about to show you - sorry!

I received a Make A Wish Exchange from BeckySC today :-) She signed up to fulfill my wish for a finished tin only a couple of weeks ago. She had two months, per her group's rules, to stitch it, but she sent it right out - and it's a beauty!


She wrote that this is part of a design by Gail Bussi. I think it is absolutely perfect and I really want to thank Becky for making this lovely tin for me - I am thrilled with it!

In the box with the tin were some birthday gifts from Becky! I did not know they were in there, or maybe I would not have opened the box until tomorrow! What a sweet pinkeep! Thank you Becky! She also sent me a whole lotta tea! I think I am all set for tea for quite some time now.... :-)

DH decided that he wanted some space back on our kitchen counter and he gave me a few of my gifts from stitching friends to open today. I hope the senders don't mind that I opened them a wee bit early ;-) As a result, DH was thrilled to regain counter space, and the cats had a little less to climb on.... there is still a stack there, but this dented it nicely! LOL

Valerie sent me this gorgeous kit off of my wish list! I love it so much, and really never thought I would be lucky enough to own it! It is, I think, limited edition or limited release or something like that. She also sent me two skeins of GAST just because she liked the colors :-) I like them too! Thank you Valerie!

Jenn also sent me some gifts! Wow, I am so lucky! I finally own a piece of her stitching! Jenn stitched me a pillow using a fairy design by Passione Ricamo. She also sent me a whole bunch of pretty finishing fabrics... and a little rubber ducky. Thanks so much Jenn!

Thank you, Heather, for these cute items. Heather sent me a pretty floral gardening fork that is already adorning my pot of kalanchoe on my front steps. Looks just perfect there. She also sent me some fruit tea, pretty flower seeds that I shall start in the spring and adorable strawberry fabric :-)

And the final box for today was from Michelle (Cozy Egg) - she sent me a chart off of my wish list, many pieces of finishing fabric, a box of pearl long pins and a packet of those charms I love oh so very much for fobs! Thank you Michelle!

I really value and treasure you, my dear friends. As I approach my 45th birthday in the morning, I reflect on how blessed I truly am. Each of you is forever with me in my thoughts and I wish you all blessings...

Stitched on today: Stitched on a Christmas ornament (not showing it yet, as there is enough good stuff to show from my friends today)