First Prim Finish

Hello everyone!

There is finally a finish to share with all of you.  My very first Prim finish!! I had a freebie chart from Primitive Bettys from some time ago and finally stitched it up during our anniversary camping trip (more on that in another post!).  I am pleased with the finish and worked messy stitches around the border to give it that prim look.  

I stitched it on Old Salem linen with WDW threads charcoal and olive, which I used for the key and the "flowers" on the word Crow.  Stitching it made me feel like Autumn is around the corner, which it is! The days are still warm here but with that fall scent in the air.  

I have 3 other finishes I am still working on, adding trims and what not, so I will post photos of that shortly.  Here's a sneak peak to the backs.

As for stitching, Sarah Chapple has been a wonderful sampler to work on.  I probably have said this a lot! Well, she has been a pleasure to stitch so why do anything else right?! So I finished adding some fancy birds and am currently "painting" in the red on the house.  It's great to work on in the evenings when we watch a show as I don't have to count or concentrate that much.  

Before our anniversary trip, I met up with Melissa from Words and Blooms.  We had a lovely time together and she showed me the most wonderful sewing store, Spools of Thread, where I had to get a few pieces of the delicious fabrics just because! Melissa has been on a sewing kick and is making really beautiful tops and tunics.  She started another blog called A Closet Full of Posies, great name by the way Melissa!  Do check it out and see the fantastic clothing she is making!  I love meeting up with Melissa, having a good chat and poking about Vancouver. 

Spy the Titus fluff?

I managed to sneak in the same cat fabric but on white for Melissa as a little gift for her.  She gave me an OTT light as she had an extra lying around and I've been using it to stitch at night.  Wow does it make a difference in seeing what I'm doing!! Thank you so much my dear!!!

Who here remembers an old HAED pattern I started stitching a few years back? Tea Bath Fairy! Well, I dusted her off an added in a bunch more pink to the cup, leaving the metallic threads to fill in later.  

Since I'm on a buying fabric kick (for no apparent reason), I bought some fabric from Terri, Dixie Sampler.  She shipped it so quickly and sent a sweet little card along with the package. She has been dyeing some lovely linens to purchase too, although they are all sold out since many of the members from the facebook Prim Society group have been buying them up like hotcakes!! Hopefully next time I can get my hands on some of her linen!!

Watch for a post on our Ruckle Beach anniversary trip! I thought I'd devote a post to that instead of making this a super long post.  

Happy stitching, knitting, crocheting, making, sewing, everything!!

Anne

BBD SAL Finish and Stitching

Part Two of the August 1st posts.  

Onto stitching! On our last Porpoise Bay trip, I put in the last few stitches in the BBD SAL sampler.  I was pleased to finish it and proud that I stuck with the eyelets! It took me awhile, but I certainly have become quite the expert with eyelet stitching! Here's the original photo from the campsite.

Outdoor photo of my finish

Some ironed, close-up photos.

 

It was a wonderful SAL to be part of.  Thank you Barb and Alma for releasing this lovely SAL!!

I made some progress on Sarah Chapple.  She is such a pleasure to stitch.  I just can't believe how large she really is!! I always choose massive projects but I need to keep at them and make progress!!

Love the little satin stitched pot under the chained fence!

Little pots and birds still to be added!

I'm so glad to say that my little stitched box gift I made for the lovely Carol, from Stitching Dreams, arrived and she was happy to receive it.  It took me awhile to get it finished since for some reason, none of the stores I visited, had boxes that would fit the design I stitched for her.  Thankfully, one dollar store had a box the right size, so I was able to finish it off and mail it to her.  We have developed a lovely relationship over the years, like so many of you, and I was happy to make it for her.  I hope to make more little gifts for others in the next little while!! 

BBD design stitched on 36 ct. Abecedarian linen with GAST threads

I also made a bit of a belated birthday gift for dear Vickie.  It was a little tea cup cozy, some tea and a pink thread, since she loves pink so much! I had to laugh when she said that her daughter took the tea cozy and put it around little Henry's neck! I never thought of it like a dog collar, but that girl has got something there! Maybe I should make some crocheted dog collars instead of teaching!! Probably would do better than I am now! LOL!! I had to borrow Vickie's photo from her blog since I forgot to upload one of mine.

Stupidly, while we were on strike and not making money, I had ordered some stash....seriously stupid me.  Why I did this, I don't know.  Not sure if we will be working in September so I probably have to start looking for a new job.  Really not sure of what the outcome will be.  But look at what I got! Even though I can't afford it, it's really pretty.  I got a bunch of new cottons to make some new cozies and mats to possibly sell at a craft fair from Loveknitting.  Such great service and free shipping over $50 for Canada!! Can't beat that!

On our Porpoise Bay trip, we went to Carolanne's Quilt shop in Gibsons and I got a few little fat quarters for cheap.  Nice for finishing!

Then Needlecraft Corner had and anniversary sale..uh oh! So I ordered a bunch of threads for a sampler, some linens and some mystery NPI silks that I don't know what design they are for.  I can't remember why I got them.  I had copied and pasted the list from 123stitch so I know it was for a chart...it's a mystery for me. 

Two of those charts are from Brenda Gervais' With Thy Needle and Thread.  I might save these for next year once I'm done Sarah and JCS, but I need to devote more time to stitching every day, not once in awhile!! 

So I'm done for stash for a LONNNNNGGGG time! I don't need anymore at all, unless it's the odd thread or so, but it's so hard to resist those new charts that come out!! 

Here's a little photo of my dear stashaholic Titus, owning the threads.  He loves it when mom pulls out the stash!!

I've haven't caught up with blogs and feel uber guilty about it...so I hope to spend some time tomorrow morning visiting people since I miss you all!! 

Hugs to you all!!

Anne

Bikes and Hikes

Part One of my posts!! 

Can't believe it's August 1st already and summer is halfway done! It's been a bustling and hustling time for me as usual with some stitching done in between (in the next post).  Since my last post, I have been going to farmer's markets, exercising, visiting friends and family, biking and hiking.  My hubby and I went for a short two night bike trip to Porpoise Bay and loved having the cyclists campground to ourselves the first night.  We tried swimming the next day in the Bay but the wind was so vicious, as though it had chilly teeth clawing out our bare skin, that we could only go as far outas our knees.  The following day we encountered some rain just after we packed up, which was a relief.  Cycling in warm summer rain isn't so bad.  In fact it was nice to feel warm yet be cooled by the rain.  The mists coming down from the mountains was so mystical it felt like we were a part of a Tolkien book!

Then on Monday, we headed out for my first hike, hubby's 4th, deep into the Coastal Mountains in North Vancouver.  At first I thought, oh this isn't so bad for hiking, but when we passed the "Be prepared sign", it got ridiculously hard.  As I've said, I'm not a hiker really, so scaling steep mountain sides and up rocky creek beds is more for experts than lil' ol' me.  Well, I managed to do it with a weakened ankle and an arm that was nearly broken by a falling rock.  Yes, I did it even though my heart was in my mouth from fear of falling.  My hubby says I earned my Wolverine, Valor, Endurance and Bull's Strength badges (I suppose those are scout badges??) since I persevered and did this crazy, hard hike.  We couldn't get back in time and I was so weak, we had to pitch our hammocks.  The temperature dropped so low that night, I awoke shaking from freezing.  Thankfully, my survivor husband, had emergency blankets in his pack which we wrapped around me like a cocoon.  I think I got 2 more hours of sleep that night then we hiked back.  Every muscle in my body ached! Muscles I didn't know I had! I think I'll stick to cycling though.  I feel much more safe on my bike than on my own two feet!! Enjoy some of the photos.

Survivor man with morning sun on his back

This mountain is a lot steeper than it looks...my heart was racing

Part of the rocky creek bed we traversed

Relief from scaling that mountain

The final stop after all my injuries...the creek water was so clear and pure

Our sleeping accommodations

That's all so far for my adventures in July.  This month, we are hoping to travel some more, where, we are still deciding but somewhere new.  With bikes!! 

Stay tuned for the stitchy post next!!

Hugs

Anne