Knotgarden and a Finish!

Hello my lovelies!

First I would like to thank all of you who joined my tea party and cheered me up.  Your comments really helped me, along with stitching all day on Knotgarden.  I was mainly missing my husband but there were other reasons as well.  So thank you again for your support! HUGS!!

On Saturday, I worked on my Knotgarden as I promised Joyce I would. I also stitched a bit on Sunday  while watching Battlestar Galactica.  I love that show!! Here's my progress so far.  I think it's starting to look really good!

The colours are so much prettier in real life.  I can hardly wait till I get my sister's camera soon.  Then I'll be able to take nicer, clearer photos!!

I thought I'd also include some pics of Jane, with 1 over 1 stitching, the By the Bay freebie, which is finished but not completely, and my Summer Quaker progress.  I had to do loads of frogging on that one which made me mad because I didn't notice that I had started the bottom motif too close to the border which would have made the whole thing off!! No way I could've fudged it!!

Just this morning, I set about finishing the PS Summer design into a little pillow.  That's something I'm good at doing.  Took me an hour to do though.  I was going to finish some other little sewing projects but I had a big fight with a zipper and ended up sewing the damn thing the wrong way.  I'm done with sewing today since I can't seem to do things right the first time.  What's more annoying is that I actually thought I was sewing it on with the zipper facing the front.  Guess I can't tell what's the back and the front of zippers! LOL!

I added a cute little gingham bow on the corner and I think the stars on the other corners are adorable.  At least one thing went well today!!

Another irritating thing for me has been google reader and my internet.  For over four days google reader wouldn't load so I'm slowly working through commenting now that it's working for me.  I updated firefox in order to be able to use the internet without it freezing and flashing me a "stop the script" message.  So far it's been okay, slow, but manageable.  I think I'm going to save up for an 1pad 4 for Christmas.  That's it.  I'm switching to Macs!!!

Here's a funny photo of how flat Titus can get.  He's been good company for me while my husband has been away.  He'll be back on Wednesday which is in two days!! So excited to see him!!

So there you have it! Some frogging, some sewing, some ripping, some swearing (Frak!!), and a finish.  I hope to get back to Jane this week though before we take off on our cycling trip.  When I pulled her out and ironed her, I noticed how VERY close she is to being done!!

Big hugs to you all and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all who have sent me a kind word and email to cheer me up.  What also gave me a big cheery lift was I found out that I won a little something special from Nia! She is the sweetest and it gave me a boost at the right time.  Thank you darlin'!!

Love and hugs from

Titus and Me!


 

IHSW Results

Hello all!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend stitching.  Of course I ended up being fairly busy and only managed to stitch on Saturday.  Both Joyce and I planned a SAL with our Chatelaine's.  I actually managed to pull her off Diablo 3!!!It's a miracle!! Yay Joyce!!! She of course did way more than me with her speedy little fingers, yet I did manage to get some stitching/frogging time with Knotgarden.  Good thing I stitched on it cause I would've been in trouble! LOL

Sorry for the dull photo.  It's dull and rainy here today...blech.

I also worked hard trying to finish my Quaker Summer design and the By the Bay freebie and almost got one of them done.  

I think Nina's Thread colour "Old Berry" is the prettiest colour I have used ever.  The photo doesn't do this rich, luscious, make me think of a real berry colour justice at all.  Too lazy to iron today....it's raining what can I say!

Such a cute design isn't it?! I love that sailboat and red house! My hubby really likes it too.  We both dream of having a boat together so we can float off to sea!

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post! I adore red shoes and I think other than black and grey, that's the colour I tend to buy the most for feet...that and purple!! I've yet to wear them though due to the stupid rain.  The forecast this week says sun but I think they are LYING! This morning, before my hubby had to leave for the airport to visit family in Saskatoon, I checked the forecast and Saskatoon will be at 28 degrees today!! The forecast stated it will stay hot for the week, plus the occasional thunderstorm.  I just have to show you this photo from the weather site that a person sent in.  I love the "Land of the Endless Sky" aka Saskatchewan. I wish I could have gone with him :(

Stunning isn't it?!!!

Oh, and who here wants a Titus photo?!?!?! He's such a popular fella.  So glad I have him because I would be mighty lonely here while my darling is in Saskatchewan. 

I see loads of amazing posts on my sidebar that I can't wait to check out! I am a wee bit behind but should catch up this week...hopefully! That and I plan on doing some actual finishing...hopefully....just send that finishing fairy over to me k!!!

Hugs to all from me and sweet "ladylike" Titus!!!

"ORY" Jar and A Swan

Hello my lovelies!!

I have a finish to share! A wee while ago, okay about 3 months ago...ahem....I started making a little Ort jar after viewing Rhona's Jar topper tutorial. Anywho, after searching the internet for some kind of ciruclar design, I decided to stitch a little flower from Nan's Threadworks pins freebie, and combined it with some lettering from a BBD chart I had lying around.  Using some left over Dinky Dyes Desert Sand threads, I stitched it up rather quickly.  Then I found a little Mason Jar at my local SPCA Thrift mart....and there it sat, staring at me, asking me "Finish me! Finish me!!" Today I got the guts and went for it! It was fiddly to get centered but I think it turned out swell.  Take a look at my new "Ort" jar.  Notice that it says "ORY"? My husband pointed this out to me when I had stitched it and asked "What's an Ory?" I laughed and said "Can't you read? It says ORT!" Then I looked and felt a bit sheepish as I noticed the "T" definitely looked like a "Y". So here's my ORY jar.

I had big hopes on finishing my PS summer ornament to share with you today, but that will have to wait for another day.  I worked hard on finishing it up this morning before this post as well as I worked on my Summer Quaker piece. Here's my PS Summer finish.  Isn't it darling?!!

Hmm, that start is sort of abysmal. How about you look at my fancy cracked blue vase?!! I've had it since I was 12 years old with the lavender from my Nana's garden.  That vase means a lot to me as it started my blue glass obsession.  When we had to move downstairs while our apartment was being renovated, and then back up, I couldn't find this vase for over a year! I actually was quite sad about it...usually loosing possessions isn't too big a deal for me...and I loose lots! But loosing this made me sad.  Then one day I found it in a shoe box under our bed! I have it proudly on display now and it always holds the sweetest little posies for me.

Back to stitching.  Here's my By the Bay piece pictured with a shell from the Haida Gwai islands (I've never gone but a friend brought it back for me...always wanted to go there).

Remember Knotgarden?  Well, there's a very looooong story about why I haven't started it but I'll spare you the details (it has something to do with scroll rods, lapstands and getting irritated about having a hard time finding 27 inch scroll rods anywhere and not paying exorbitant amounts to get them).  It'll get sorted out this weekend. Right, where was I.  Oh yeah, Knotgarden!!!

Some stash for two charts I've been wanting to start.  I also had some linen arrive too but I forgot to take a picture...next time!

How about a pretty picture of my Nana's hydrangeas? I adore hydrangeas and hope to have some in my dream garden some day. 

Before I take off to do errands, I would like to welcome my new followers! Thanks for joining my blog!! Also...take a look on the left there under giveaways.  Sarah from Sarah in Stitches has a lovely blog and a wonderful giveaway! Nia is having a generous giveaway too!! 

Take care and big hugs to all.

Sorry no Titus today.  I sneezed and he ran and hid under the bed.

Need I say more?

Summer Stitching and Sunshine

The sun has been with us for over a week now and it's been glorious!! Needless to say, I have been outside most of the time trying to get as much sun as I can before it disappears. Lots of bike rides, walks, lying on the beach and relaxing with friends and family.  It has been wonderful so far.  I've even managed to kit up a couple of summer small projects to stitch and started two of them.  I haven't achieved a numb butt yet, but I'm working on it!

Last week, my hubby and I went on a really long bike ride all over New Westminster and the Burnaby farmlands.  I love the farmlands.  It's like a whole other world down there.  Quiet, tranquil, peaceful.  There's even an old school that has been boarded up and an interesting place to explore.  I wonder who went to that school and when it got closed.  Here's some photos from that trip, starting with the new quayside dock in New Westminster.  It cost over 5 million to make! (Loads of pictures!!)

 

 Now the farmlands.

The flower nursery we visited was amazing. I couldn't resist and had to get a couple of herbs!! They are very happy on my windowsill.

Catnip and Tarragon

Stitchy news!!! We spent a day hanging up pictures and my stitching.  It felt so good to get it all up and on display.  Here is my lovely display of all things I love!!

I really love the frame I had lying around that fit the Thankful for Ewe Traveling Pattern.  I initially wanted to make a little box for the design but found this frame so I popped it in and we put it up!! It's a wall in progress...there will be more stitching added to this wall...I say this quietly because my hubby doesn't know my plans!Sssshhhhh!

After seeing all the lovely By the Bay SAL's on people's blogs, I decided to finally stitch up a freebie from By the Bay Needleart.  I am using the recommended DMC threads and am stitching this on 28 ct. Aerial Cashel Linen.  It has a lovely mottled effect like the sky and I think it's perfect for this super summery design.  I almost can hear the waves of the ocean and smell the sea while I stitch this.

Next up is that cute little Prairie Schooler Summer design from the Gift of Stitching.  It was the second most popular design for my giveaway.  I've been loving stitching this on 32 ct. Lambswool Jobelan, the same fabric I used for the little bee fob I made.  I think it's becoming one of my favourite fabrics to stitch on! I already have the finish mapped out in my head after I picked up some pink gingham fabric that will work perfectly with this design!!

After seeing La Maisonnette aux Fraises on both Carol's and Lynn's blog, I've also decided to stitch up this sweet little design.  Je l'adore fraises!!! I have some sweet little polka dotted fabric that will be a great match for this piece. 

I'm not finished yet!! I've got some more to show you! I was really on a roll one night...as was Titus playing with my stash!!
I picked out two Quaker designs that I am going to start sometime this week.  I love this Gift of Stitching design called a Quaker Seasonal - Summer.  I will be using 32ct. Belfast linen with Nina's Threads in Old Berry and Weeks Dye Works thread, Madison Rose.  

The other Quaker design I chose to start stitching is the lovely Quaker biscornu from Stacy Nash's Primitive Designs that Carolyn had so sweetly gifted me.  A lovely piece of Natural linen that Melissa had given me is perfect for this primish biscornu. Thanks again ladies! 

Oh and of course, while I was putting some of my stitching away after their photo shoot, I walked back into the room to find.........GUESS WHO?!!



TITUS!!!!!!!!!! He was rolling around on my stuff!! How did he even get there so fast?! I got to remember to put all my stitching away FIRST before walking into the other room for a second! What an adorable, mischievous munchkin!!!

Um, wasn't doing anything.  Seriously Mom!!

Can't resist this chew toy!!!

After this I grabbed my thread bobbin from him.  I didn't want a disaster to happen!

Hmm, should I post a picture of Jane? Not much progress on her....might as well post one for those who look forward to seeing her...Margaret!!

C'est finis!! I hope you liked my picture heavy post.  I will leave you with a few lines from "An Evening Walk" by one of my favourite poets, William Wordsworth.

How pleasant, as the sun declines, to view
The spacious landscape change in form and hue!
Here, vanish, as in mist, before a flood
Of bright obscurity, hill, lawn, and wood;
There, objects, by the searching beams betrayed,
Come forth, and here retire in purple shade;
Even the white stems of birch, the cottage white,
Soften their glare before the mellow light;