IHSW

Hello again!

It was a great weekend for stitching, visiting and snow of course.  I just hope the snow doesn't stay for too long.  The poor crocuses that were coming out are now frostbitten and don't look very happy in the snow.  

I have a busy few weeks ahead of me and am looking forward to Spring Break.  I also hope we have better weather for Spring Break because my husband wants to go camping!! Crossing everything that it doesn't rain!!

I stitched a bit on 3 WIP's.  Magic Garden is getting lots of love. I took a photo on Saturday morning with a Stellar Jay feather I found on the street.  I love Stellar Jays although they are very noisy and love to squawk right by our window!!

Friday night results

Sunday night stitching

Stellar Jay up north...my photo

not my photo

Such pretty little birds aren't they?!

Knotgarden received a bit of love last night.  

LHN's February is nearly complete.  Funny how February is nearly over.  I need to plan a wee bit better for those monthly designs.  

I filled in the heart with red.  It isn't supposed to be stitched but it looked odd without the red heart!

Until later, take care everyone and have a wonderful week!!

Anne

Snow in February

Big, fluffy white flakes are swirling down from the sky.  Not a usual occurrence for the Lower Mainland at this time of year. Perfect for snuggling in a blanket, watching Downton and stitching....except for the fact that I should be starting my report cards!! There's always next weekend to do them.

I had the desire to do a few posts this week however I have been busy with work and helping my little brother who is here for six weeks doing a plumbing apprenticeship.  The math they have him do is crazy hard! Thankfully, the school provided a tutor for free and he is less panicked! Me too since I was about to try to learn crazy plumbing math in a day!

I wish I could show some of the stitching finishes I have done but I have to wait until the recipients receive them first.  I'm made some progress on all my projects.  Oh, and I received my yarn order from Loveknitting!!  The service was so fast! I got it within 2 weeks of ordering.  Lately I've been having a hard time with some of the cross stitching companies.  I've placed orders back in January and have yet to hear back from 1 and the other finally sent a chart.  Loveknitting is in Great Britain so how it can get here faster than the States, I have no idea! 

Wonderful, cheery colours that I can't hardly wait to start working with.  I need to get some counters for the first chain but Caitlin suggested I could use paper clips, which is an awesome idea.  Thanks Caitlin for the tip!! She's been making beautiful progress on her granny stripe blanket. 

Stitching updates.  I've actually made a lot of progress during IHSW but I'll show the progress tomorrow.  

Knotgarden: filled in green.

LHN's February: stitched hearts.

 
JCS: added more beige to the peacock.  He is frustrating me to no end.  I have to keep frogging his silly body over and over.  I think it's the chart.  The symbol is a tiny dot and even though I scanned it, reprinted it and have been shading in what I've stitched, I seem to be having problems with seeing the dots!! I haven't been wanting to work on it lately.  I may skip the peacock and start another motif.

Magic Garden Friday night SAL with Maggee:  stitched the bug, and started the glove. I so enjoy stitching this design.  Each little motif, creature is a pleasure to stitch!! I don't want it to end!!

Okay, fast blogging now.  I need to get ready for our blini breakfast after church.  Lent is starting in two weeks so we always have blini before Cheesefare week.  

Someone asked me for a photo of the pretty wagon cart I use for my monthly display.  Sorry I can't remember who! I have a terrible memory!

Beautiful wagon wheel cart

March display

Random photos:

Beautiful linens I bought from 123stitch from dear Mouse.  Thank you so much Mouse!! I will be using them for all sorts of projects!

Snowdrops:

Hubby being funny:

 He's feeling better.  The inflammation is going done! WHOOOOOHOOOO!!! But predinsone is crazy.  Let's just leave it at that!

Titus on my granny blanket:

 A murder of crows:

And I'm done!!
 
Thank you all for your lovely comments! I finally responded to all of them and visited some blogs.   I'll be back tomorrow with IHSW progress pics!!

Hugs 

Anne

Playing with Red

It's a rainy day out today although there was a sprinkle of snow last night.  Having a bit of rain is good for the flowers and it means it has warmed up a bit! I hope it continues to get warmer. Last night, I had a finishing frenzy and finished three pillows! Two are Christmas pillows and the other a BBD design. It all started with me reorganizing my sewing box and finding my fabrics.  I noticed I had a lot of great red fabrics, so I began to play.  It took me over 4 hours to complete but I am happy with the results.  

First up is Jingle Jingle, by Plum Street Samplers.  I won the chart from Pat, the Southpaw Stitcher last year and finally got it completed.  The jingle bells took an age to attach. Not sure why it takes me so long as I'm sure there's an easier way than the way I did it!

Stitched on fabric that came in kit with GAST threads

I used some cute striped ribbon that my dear friend used to wrap up some Christmas gifts she sent to me.  I think it works perfectly with the bells.  I used the pretty red with with star fabric on the right for the back.  It'll be a great door hanger for Christmas!

Next, I finally put together LHN's Baked Goods.  It has been over a year since I stitched it.  About time it was finished.  Unfortunately, when turning out the pillow and using a dull pencil end to poke out the corners, one of the corners actually poked out! So I used some ribbon and buttons to cover the hole...sigh.

Stitched on 40 ct. Creme Brulee with GAST and DMC

This will be a sweet ornament for our tree!

Continuing with my red obsession, I pulled out the "Bluebird" turned into a Redbird by BBD I stitched awhile back.  Originally, I bought a box to put it on, forgot about that plan and sewed on a black ribbon. I didn't like the black ribbon so I ripped it out last night.  I'm liking this finish much better than what I had.

Stitched on 32 ct. Platinum with CC's Cupid finished with little buttons from Mouse

I finished a little RAK for someone too on Friday night but can't show it yet.  I like the design so much I might just stitch one for myself too...hehee!!

Wonderful red finishes aren't they?! Funny how none of them are Valentine themed when it's Valentine's this Friday!! 

....wonder if my hubby will get me anything....hmm.

Friday night SAL with Maggee I spent frogging, yet again.  I was gabbing away to my hubby plus watching Treme when I started stitching Magic Garden's little bird with two threads instead of one thread.  I felt the stitches becoming harder to do and I couldn't figure out why until I was about halfway done! Out it came and there went an hour wasted.  So I stitched the bird and the little snail. I'll forgive the bird since he's so cute!

No other progress to report.  My granny afghan is getting larger but I think showing it will be boring.  I'll wait until it gets significantly larger and more interesting!

Hubby news.  He's on prednisone which is helping the inflammation although giving him a terrible tummy ache.  We are hoping this will help get rid of the pain for good.  We both want to say good bye to the pain for good!  Speaking of tummy aches, I ate some eggs this morning and spent the better part of the day feeling like I was punched in the stomach.  Too bad I'm allergic to eggs...I love them so much!

We took a walk last week by the river in an industrial area and found some interesting things along the river bank. Then I took another walk on Saturday and kicked myself for not bringing my camera since my cell phone is horrible for zooming in.  The heron was by the river and looking beautiful in the sunlight.  I got some grainy photos that aren't worth sharing.  But I got a few great shots of the ice blocks in the river that appeared to be moving backwards! It was very trippy to watch the river flowing backwards...strange I tell you!

1930's warehouse

old rope on a tree

Heart!!

Old Cola can my hubby found and was SOOO excited about!

That's all for now. 

Thank you all for taking the time to visit and comment.  I appreciate all the support and encouragement from you all!!

Hugs

Anne...and snoring Titus

Gardens, Colours and More Licking

Hello my lovelies!!

It's a gorgeous day out today and I'm looking forward to a nice walk with the hubby to see if we can spy signs of spring, although it's very cold out and there's talk of snow!

My February display

Out with January, in with February.  I pulled out my pitiful collection of Valentine smalls and displayed them on our drink cart.  I should take a photo of the cart since it's darling and was given to me by my dearest Auntie.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last few posts.  I think I've caught up with my emails. I visited blogs on Saturday night and still have many more to go through.  As usual, I have been inspired and influenced by many of the posts around blogland and have even purchased some things! Uh OH!! One blog, a crochet blog, has been captivating my interest lately.  Lucy from Attic24 has a delightful blog full of colour and inspiring photos that is a joy to visit.  Spying her colour selection for a cheery granny stripe blanket, I put in an order for 17 yummy colours of yarn!! I can't wait to start this blanket! I'm a sucker for colour ever since I was a little girl.  I remember yearning for the 64 Prismacolour pencil colour set, very expensive back then, and received it from my loving grandparents as a gift.  I was overjoyed and treasured that pencil set for so many years.  I actually used to play with the colours as people...ssshhh!! So I suppose my love for colours hasn't changed much since I was 6! 

Onto stitchy news...this weekend has been somewhat successful, minus all the frogging I had to do on Knotgarden AND JCS 1707.  Two teeny mistakes I had to fix; fixed them, then released I made the same mistake!! UGH.  Once was enough but TWICE?!

I turned the peacock upside down for the photo. 

My Friday night SAL with Maggee was successful.  I stitched for a few hours and am really enjoying this design!

That little mushroom is so cute! My hubby asked what that purple thing is in the bottom right corner and I have to say, I don't really know! It's a tulip like flower but it's in a purple box? Strange but sweet.

I also started LHN's February design, gifted by Cindy.  I figured January can wait for another year!

Thoughts of finishing...I need to get a move on that front.  I looked through my drawers and found a few small WIP's, and about 5-6 smalls needing to be finished.  I can't seem to get into finishing mode at all.  I'm always amazed at those who stitch something, then finish right away.  Very smart I say! Hopefully next weekend I can get my behind in gear and do some finishing. As for Love Birds, I went and bought a frame for it but the frame won't allow for anything thicker than a picture to be put in.  How disappointing :(  I'll have to search yet again for a nice frame for the sweet Love Birds.

Samplers.  I love them.  Can't seem to get enough of them so I bought yet another sampler! I know I don't have time for them but I will be retired at one point so why not stock up for then?!  I just fell in love with this Red Deer sampler and had to get it.  I think it'll look fabulous next to Hannah's Leopard...which still needs to be framed..oi vai! I think I'm attracted to bright reds in samplers with animal and flower motifs...just sayin'!

Just a few days ago, I was an honorary recipient of Mouse's birthday generosity!! She sent me a gift card to 123stitch so I had fun shopping today for some lovely fabrics! Thank you dear!! I feel truly spoilt :D

Onto licking news, while I was taking photos of my WIP's, guess who comes and plops down behind me and starts licking loudly?

TITUS!! That's who!!

Yup, get that fur cleaned Titus and then puke it up!!

Need to groom my soft head

Aaah stretch out that back after a good cleaning

Sigh...loud cat licking can be annoying, especially when it goes on for what it seems an age.

Sign off time...here are a few photos for you to enjoy!!

Anne.........