Winter Cardinal Finished

This afternoon, I put the final stitches in Winter Cardinal. Now I just need to figure out how to finish him. But anyway, I am finished with this pattern by Something in Common, so I am going to offer it as a giveaway. If you are interested, please post a comment saying you would like the chart. If more than one person is interested, I'll draw a name, and then mail the chart to the winner. International stitchers, please feel free to respond.

Oh, I left off the border on this design. You can go here to see the original design at the Something in Common website.

Saturday Night Stitching

On Saturday night, I participated in a Saturday Night Stitch Along with some other stitchers from a forum that I joined. You can stitch on anything you want, so I decided to pull out an old UFO and try to bring it back to life. This project is contained in three different pattern books by Cricket Collection. I have already completed 1st Story, and am almost done with 2nd story since I am skipping the floor with the Christmas tree (I think I do want to finish this in my lifetime...LOL). And the last pattern which I haven't begun yet is the third floor. It has a room where they make dolls and stuffed animals and the attic room where the Elf Secretary reads the letters to Santa. So here is my before-SAL photo:


While stitching, I rediscovered why this project became a UFO in the first place. I really don't like the fabric. It is very slick or slippery and it refuses to be held taut by either my Q-Snaps or even my hoop. I persevered though, and got the elf's head done and some of the wall on the left side. I will continue stitching it on Saturday nights, and I think I am going to try placing a piece of felt between the fabric and the PVC pieces in my Q-Snaps to help with tension issues. Even so, it is a fun piece to stitch.


Here are some more international blog sightings that I enjoyed recently:

Plaisirs d'aiguille Marie-Christine finished Fees de Noel by A Mon Ami Pierre.
Mausimom's She finished the adorable Two-by-Two and Santa Too by Homespun Elegance. I think that I am going to have to get this pattern.
Purr-Stitch Dolci finished the festive Christmas Elf by Mirabilia on a fabric that I really like by Silkweaver.

Happy Stitching!

A UFO Comes Out of the Closet

This week I have stitched primarily on two different designs, and they are both Winter projects. Winter Cardinal by Something in Common is almost done. I have decided to leave off the border because it does not really match my decor...the border is Southwestern in design. So all that is left is stitching all the pine needles in straight stitch. I decided not to put a photo up this time because I am so close to being done. I'll just wait until then.

But I also stitched on The Road to a Friends's House is Never Long. I am trying to discipline myself to keep stitching on this even though the yellow border is ENDLESS. I really love the design, though, so I plow on. I stitch some yellow, then something else, then back to yellow again. I am nearly done with the more interesting parts, so soon it will be naught but yellow left to stitch.

Here is a detail of the little skier.

This Saturday, I am going to participate in a SAL where I have decided to work on an old UFO. This project has not seen the light of day for years. But my kids like it, so I have decided to pull it out of the mothballs and stitch on it on Saturday nights. Here is the before picture:

And here is a detail of the elf in the barn with the reindeer.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Some Recent Stitching

The days are finally getting cooler here in North Texas, and I think fall might be here to stay. You can never tell here, though, we might be pulling the shorts and sleeveless shirts out again next week. Like many people, fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the cooler days, the colors of fall, the pumpkins and scarecrows, the end of mowing the lawn, the shorter days....just about everything about the season, except perhaps football. I think perhaps,, for me, it is because it signals the end to our incredibly brutally hot summers. It is like a drink of cool water to a man dying of thirst. I have noticed, however, that it is the favorite of most people, even of those who are in much more agreeable climates than Texas. Perhaps for some, it is a last calm respite before the rigours of a harsh winter season. But whatever the reason, I just want to take long walks with dogs, stitch out on my front porch and bake pumpkin pie.

I have been stitching some these last few hectic weeks. I started a new project from a French magazine, De Fil en Aiguille, special Alpine issue, called Mon Beau Chalet. Here is my progress so far.

And I started Winter Cardinal by Something in Common. This is a very small design, and all I have left to stitch is snow swirls all around him and the border. I think I am going to try to make my very first flat fold with this one.

On the international blog watch, I'll just list a couple that stood out for me this week:

At Cross Stitch Girl, Daniela has finished stitching the gorgeous Secret Santa by Lavender and Lace. This Santa design just really appeals to me.

At Chalet des Perelles, Cathy is almost done stitching Merry Christmas, Ella Vaughan by Blackbird Designs and I just love the colors. Her photo makes it look much better than the picture on the pattern.

Nivaira at Labores de Nivaira has finished Where the Heart Blooms by Blackbird Designs, but she changed the words. It is just beautiful!

And Paola at Il Blog di Paola has made a delightful flat fold with her stitchery of Blessed Are the Meek by Little House Needleworks.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Reba Jo Dix

Reba Jo Dix

August 28, 1931 to September 30, 2008

My mother passed away peacefully and went to the arms of the Lord in the afternoon of Tuesday, September 30th here at my home. She was a strong, courageous woman full of faith in her Lord Jesus Christ. She will be greatly missed.

Hospice

A month ago, I found myself suddenly providing end-of-life care through hospice for my mother at my home. Last spring she was diagnosed with her fourth metastases of breast cancer. She decided to forego aggressive treatment, and has been in a gradual decline ever since. She moved in with us in August and hospice people were called to help with her care. It has been a difficult journey, but a blessing as well to serve my mother in these last precious days with her.

She is now arriving close to the end of this battle, which has lasted 22 years, and though I don't know when the sun will again shine into our lives, I am trusting that our Lord will cause all things to work for His glory.

My First Blackbird

Well, after a long, long blogging absence, I have been inspired by my completion of The House on Acorn Hill today to actually get out the camera, take a picture and upload it onto the computer. Once that was done, it didn't seem like such a huge step to actually make a new blog post. So here I am.

It seems appropriate that this design is finished right at the beginning of autumn. And I have to say that, even though it has become cliche, I enjoyed every stitch. Fall is my favorite time of the year and I just love the colors that go with it. There are a few more Blackbird designs that I am eager to stitch, so there will hopefully be a new start around here soon.

Since I had the camera out, I snapped an updated picture of my LHN Dear Diary sampler. I am exactly at the halfway point on this one, and I'll be starting on the fifth little sampler tomorrow.

So far, the Abigail Winslow sampler has been my favorite. I just love the little ship, the dock and the brown house.

I also did the Lucy Fairchild in Savannah sampler which came out rather elegant.

I might take a short break on this large sampler compilation to work on a smaller wintry LHN. I haven't quite decided yet.

That is all for now. Until next time...