Crazy August

What a crazy month August has been!! I quit my job at the end of July and am starting a new job tomorrow!! August has been so crazy I don't know how I would have worked through it. My DD#1 is doing well with her pregnancy :). My DS came home for 10 days from working out of state all summer. During that 10 days he had his wisdom teeth out and then we drove him 1200 miles to a college in Wisconsin. Below is a pic of my DS at the college he is attending. My DD#2 isn't going back to the college she was attending, she'll be taking classes locally and working for a year and then she'll re-evaluate what she's doing to do. But this means she is living at home again, which means more adjustments (mostly for me). My youngest started her sophomore year in HS last week.

Since August has been so crazy I haven't had time to breathe never mind stitch. But this past Saturday I spent the day with a good friend and stitching buddy and finally got some work done on the baby sampler for my grandson, she we know it's a boy!!

I have not been able to look at any blogs for weeks so I am so behind on my google reader. I will eventually get to everyone. Thanks to everyone who reads my blogs and leaves comments, I find them so encouraging.

Christmas of Hawk Run Hollow

Here are the results of putting myself back on a rotation :). I've been stitching like crazy on Christmas of Hawk Run Hollow. Finished Block #7 and I am slowly working on Block #11, which is the solid block in the piece. It has felt great to work on this since it's been months since I've had it in my hands.
Before
After

The whole piece

Thanks for stopping by.

Update on Paradigm Lost

I finished one more motif on Paradigm Lost and a few letters that are near it. I have been trying so hard to get the piece for my DD finished and now working on her baby sampler that I'm not working on anything else. So I've decided to get myself back into a rotation, not sure I'm ready to set goals for myself yet but it will feel good to be working on everything instead of just a few pieces. I've currently got 6 projects going.

Thanks for all the nice comments about me becoming a grandmother. I certainly don't feel old enough to be one but looking forward to it :)

A baby on the way

Yes, I'm going to be a grammie :D. Sooooo excited. And DD knows it's going to be a boy. So of course, I have started right in on a baby sampler. Another thing I'm trying to keep a secret from her. Although I've been stitching it while she visits with me but she hasn't asked what I'm stitching on. A couple of weeks ago I showed her everything I'm working on (except OUAT), so I think she figures it's something she's already seen.

So I've chosen this piece from the Historical Sampler Company, I'm stitching it on Lakeside Linen's "Luna", 36 count. It's charted for DMC but I'm doing it all in hand-dyed threads.
Blogger seems to be having "issues". I can't get the wording and pictures to sit the way I want them to. So I'll leave the post like this.

Blooming nightmare

The blooms are definitely a nightmare. I have just barely started on the arbor and it is s-l-o-w going. I'm figuring this is going to be an anniversary gift since the wedding is long over. I absolutely have no time to work on this piece since my daughter and SIL live in the in-law apt on our house. My daughter comes over often and this piece is a surprise so I can only work on it at night in my bedroom and I'm usually too tired to work on it, lol.
So this is what the whole piece looks like at this point.

I decided at one point to take a break from the flowers and did some beading. This is the bottom of her dress.

This is where I'm at with flowers and have a lllooonnnggg way to go.

I am so behind on reading blogs. I'm trying to catch up but having a hard time with it.
Thanks so much for stopping by.

Paradigm Lost Update

I need to finish Once Upon A Time for my DD but her and the new SIL are renting our in-law apartment and my DD comes over, which I love, but it makes it hard to work on her piece. So I always have PL at hand and it's seeing more stitching time than OUAT, lol. I am enjoying this piece but really want to get OUAT finished!
So I've been working on the purpley blue motif, it's so pretty IRL.

This is what the whole piece looks like.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there.
Thanks for stopping by.

Once Upon A Time, May goals

Well, I have started stitching again. Yeah!! I'm mainly working on Once Upon A Time for my daughter and now SIL. Couldn't get it done before the wedding but hope to have it done this summer. I still really enjoy working on this piece. I've been working on the lower part of her dress and the grass.

Here is where I left off over a month ago:

And this is where I am today (sorry about the fabric):


May goals:
1. The wedding and all the preparations - Yes
2. My son graduating from High School and the Open House that followed - Yes
3. Saying good-bye to my son the day after he graduated as he is working out of state for the whole summer - Yes
4. Saying good-bye to DD #2 who also is working out of state for the whole summer - Yes
5. Have a nervous breakdown - Nope (thankfully) :)

A Wedding and A Graduation

This was our big weekend. DD got married on Saturday and DS graduated from high school on Sunday. And I managed to hold off the nervous breakdown. The 3rd picture down is a picture of my two other daughters who were Maid of Honor and a bridesmaid. Somehow I didn't get a picture of my daughter and new son-in-law together. I guess we'll have to wait for the pics from the photographer.
I learned the true definition of exhaustion this weekend and I don't want to be that busy again any time soon.
I haven't picked up a needle in a month but I'm getting together with my good friend this weekend to stitch. Can't wait, we always have a great time together and she's always such an encouragement to me!!

No pics but a sanity update

I have not been around because my DD is getting married in less than 2 weeks. I've been thinking, eating, breathing and living wedding plans. No time to breathe much less stitch. Boy, has this been a lot of work. She gets married 5/28 and my son graduates from high school on 5/29. I have planned my nervous breakdown for 5/30, lol.
Will be back when I can.

Finished a Christmas Ornie and goals

This is an ornament from the 2010 Christmas Ornaments Magazine.
Glory Bee
35 ct Vikki Clayton hand dyed linen (not what was called for)
GAST (I chose my own, didn't follow the pattern)
Began 3-15-11
Finished 5-2-11

Below were my April Goals:

1. Make major progress on Once Upon A Time - Done
2. Finish a motif on Quaker Halloween - Done
3. Finish a Christmas ornie - Done
4. Frame "Town"- Nope (don't know why I can't seem to frame this but it's been on my goals list since January)
Thanks for stopping by!!

Update on Once Upon A Time

Here is my update on Once Upon A Time. I am really enjoying stitching this one. I love Passione Ricamo but this is my first time stitching one of her designs.
Thanks for all your lovely comments, I enjoy reading them.

Exchange pieces

Above are the exchange pieces I received from Bette.

Aren't they beautiful? She gave me a lovely chart from Imaginating, a pretty piece of blue linen and beautiful threads, frame, M&M's and the prettiest flatfold. I don't have a flat fold and her finishing techniques are impeccable. Below is a close up of the flat fold.

I just love the colors and fabric she chose. Thank you so much Bette.
And below is what I sent to her. I did a L*K design and finished it as a cube and sent some other goodies. I hope she likes them.

It is so nice to finally have that virus gone from my computer. I'm enjoying being able to leave comments on your blogs now.
Thanks for stopping by.
Have a nice weekend, and oh by the way, it's snowing here AGAIN!! Unbelievable :(

Update on Quaker Halloween

This is the Quaker Halloween motif I'm working on for April. I am really enjoying this piece.

Great news......our computer virus is gone!!! My future SIL got rid of it for us :).

A very special friend of mine has started a stitching blog and I hope you'll pay her a visit. Her blog is Wicked Stitching. She is a beautiful stitcher and I know you'll enjoy following her.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope everyone has a great weekend.

New profile pic, update and goals

Well, I finally changed my profile picture. Why in the world did I still have a picture of a snowy tree. So now my profile pic is of the flowers my husband gave me for my birthday.

This is my progress on Once Upon A Time. I'm trying to get to the lower left corner so I can start up the flowered arbor. I want to work on the flowers intermittently as I stitch the rest of the piece (because there are so many of them)

My March goals were:

1. Progress on Once Upon A Time - done

2. Get half of block #7 done on Christmas of Hawk Run Hollow - done

3. Finish 2 exchange pieces - done

4. Finish stitching a Christmas ornie - done

5. Frame "Town" - no

I am still having problems with a virus that won't let me leave comments on your blogs. Once in a while I can so I try to leave as many as I can but it's generally short lived. Please know that I'm reading them. I appreciate ALL of the people who leave comments on mine.

Have a great day.

MORE SNOW!!!

This is what I woke up to yesterday.....more snow......we got another 8 inches. Yikes, this winter just won't end.

Catherine of Bramblewood Stitches and I decided to do a Spring/Easter exchange and we opened our gifts yesterday. This is what things looked like before I started ripping paper. And here are the beautiful gifts she sent me. She sent a beautiful stitched piece and all these goodies. Here's a close up of what she stitched for me. I love it!

This is what I stitched for her. I sent along some goodies also that she said she liked.

This was my first exchange and I'm so glad I did it with Catherine since she was the first person to leave a comment on my blog when I started it.

CHRH Update

My daughter went back to school on Sunday, miss her already :(.

This past week I've mostly been working on Christmas of Hawk Run Hollow. This is block #7. It's been a pretty easy block to stitch.

This is what the whole piece looks like now.

I appreciate everybody's comments about the framing job done @ Michael's Store. Many asked me if I would return it. I had already returned it once and was too much of a coward to return it again. But they've certainly lost my business.

The sun is shining here but is only in the 20's. Brrrr.....but I'll take the sunshine :).

"Noah" finally framed

Well, here is "Noah" finally framed. I had it framed at Michael's and don't think I would do that again. The first time I picked it up the piece was very poorly stretched and there was a hair under the glass, so I returned it and picked it up for the second time today and the piece isn't even centered. There's a larger margin on the bottom than the top.

My friend, Ann, usually makes my frames but she no longer has access to a "workshop" so that's why I went to Michaels.

This is my darling college student home on spring break. She's been doing a lot of this since she's been home. I think she burns the candle at both ends when she's at school. She goes back on Sunday, we will miss her.

Ugggghhh, it's snowing....again!

Okay....it is March 21st and it's snowing, no not just snowing, there is ice falling from the sky. It's been snowing ALL day. Enough is enough. I need to see green grass and flowers. I have no Vitamin D left in my system due to the lack of sunshine. I think I need to move south. Well, thanks for listening to the rant but I'm done now.

I got some stash from Silkweaver, which goes by a different name now, when did that happen? Has it been that long since I've bought anything from them? Anyways, the large piece is a fat quarter of 32 ct lugana (solo), it's not as mottled as it looked in the picture on their site but I like it anyways. The smaller pieces are 32 ct linen in 8" x 8" cuts. It was a grab bag I bought and was worth the money.

My daughter is home on spring break from college, so nice to have her here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Update on CHRH

This is block #7 of Christmas of Hawk Run Hollow. This is a fun block to stitch. I'm also intermittently stitching block #11 because that is a solid block and thought it would be a good idea to stitch it as I go.

GOOD NEWS --- Our snow is melting, hurray :) :).

I've also been busy stitching on a couple of exchanges and actually finished them today. I hope the recipients will like them, but I won't be sending them out for a few more weeks though.

Finally, a post

I haven't posted in a long time, so I'm way overdue. I started a new job 2 weeks ago and I am very overwhelmed with the amount of responsibility I now have. I also have some things going on in my personal life that have me feeling down, so haven't been doing much stitching.

But here is what I've been working on. Mainly I've been working on his cape but it's white and tan so difficult to see the progress I've made.

I was fortunate to win Cathy B's giveaway. These are the L*K seasonal scissor fob patterns. Thank you, Cathy!!
Now I'm going to show you the amount of snow we have. The first picture is my husband standing in our driveway.

Here is a picture taken from the driveway looking at the house.

Spring, please get here soon.

Below are my February goals and amazingly I met them all :)

1. Work on Once Upon A Time - Done

2. Finish a motif on Quaker Halloween - Done

3. Finish a motif on Paradigm Lost - Done

4. Finish Part IV on St. Petersburg White Nights - Done

5. Frame "Friendship" - Done

6. Frame "Noah" - It's at the framer's so I can call it done.

7. Find some Spring/Easter patterns - Done

8. Organize the Christmas Ornies I want to stitch - Done

I still have the "worm" in our network. Sometimes I can leave comments on your posts and sometimes not. Please know I'm reading your posts!!

Friendship piece framed

I got this back from the framer's over the weekend. I'm very pleased with how it came out. This piece is for a friend who usually does my framing, so had to take it to someone else :). I hope she'll like it.

I've been working on some exchange pieces so I can't show them. I hope to get back to Once Upon A Time today.

We are having a terrible time with our computers. Despite the good AND expensive virus protection we have on our computers we have gotten what's called a "worm" in our network. This "worm" often prevents us from being able to stay on one site because it will pull you to different sites or block where you want to go. So, I try to comment on your blogs but many times the "worm" won't let me leave comments. Please know if you haven't heard from me that I am looking and admiring your beautiful work. But I keep trying and sometimes the "worm" gives me a pass and let's me leave comments.

Quaker Halloween and Flowers

Below are the lovely flowers my husband gave me for Valentine's Day. Fresh flowers are my favorite thing to receive (especially from hubby).

Now here is my progress on Quaker Halloween. This first picture looks good but you need to look at the second picture to see how close I am to the edge of the linen. And I am not the one who cut this linen. The linen is from Vikki Clayton and I think she must have been in a hurry when she cut this.
Now, it is my fault that I'm so close to the edge. When I started my second motif I accidentally flipped my project around. This was such a silly mistake because I actually marked the top of the linen just so this wouldn't happen. Thankfully the person who will frame this for me is a friend and I've done this to her several other times and she always does an amazing job.

I'm off to a conference (for work) in New York this afternoon and won't be back until late Friday night. I'm not looking forward to it because I am so busy that this is kind of stressing me out.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Paradigm Lost

Paradigm Lost (Long Dog Samplers) has come up in my rotation for February and I've really enjoyed working on this. Excuse the first picture (it isn't ironed). I like it when I see people put before and after pictures on their blog so you can see the progress they've made so thought I'd try it. I finished one of the really large motifs. This is supposed to be a monochromatic piece but I'm stitching it multi-colored with HDF from Vikki Clayton.

So this is the before picture:

And here is the after. I also got more of the alphabet finished.

And here is a picture of the whole piece so far.

I signed up for my first exchange!! If you're interested go to Lainey's blog to sign up. I'm also going to do a one on one exchange with another blogger. I'm very excited about this since I've never done this before.

Thanks so much stopping by to visit.