Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter!!!

I hope everyone had a very blessed Easter!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

MY BASKET RUNNUTH OVER...



See... It just will not hold anything else. See that pretty green and brown pillow up front?  That came in the mail today with a bunch on goodies!!!  Thank you so much Terri!
I went to my mail box and a package was in it! When I opened it up all this was inside!

Thank you dear friend, you made my day!!! I love it all!  I didn't have any of the Flip-its by Lizzie Kate!  I now have the April one. Hey, that is my name too!   I love the pillow, it say A Very Merry Spring! It will be on display till Summer for sure!
My basket sure is over running now.. I finally finished the eggs last night.


 A picture of their fronts and backs.  I love the rope cording. I have yet to sew WTN&T egg yet. I had a Fall project sitting around that only needed a bow on top...

 It got hot glued with the eggs... I added some smaller rope cording to the bow for this one. Since my basket is over flowing, I changed the littles out to the dough bowl. Put a little colored shredded paper in it.

I may still have room for one more little right there in the front...
I'm sure the others will let it squeeze on in.. I will see what I can stitch up before Easter Sunday.
This has been my day.. I also got my hand dyed threads from an order today to finish the bonus square on AOTH. Then I will move on to square 4. The 3rd square is stitching fast, it is the bonus one with the alphabet.
We were at the baseball field last night watching the boy grand play his game. It was so cold.. I didn't know I was that cold till we left and turned the heat up in the truck.. I remember those nights with his mom when she was little at the softball games. He did real good last night! I am signing off for today and leaving a picture of the Boy Grand...

Brrrr.... He has on 2 shirts, jacket and a toboggan. He is ready to hit that ball!!! I forgot to mention.. he just got his hair buzz cut 2 days before this game... lol  Till Later......

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

WORKING IN CRAFT ROOM, SEWING, GLUEING, AND CLEANING

I have put down BBD -AOTH series today. I started cleaning the craft/sun room. I am now sitting in the recliner in the clean room. I'm about to mess it up again by sewing.... On what you ask?

 This stitch that I did last year by Brenda at WTN&T. I have it all ready to put together at my sewing machine.

 This is the old buffet all cleaned off and decorated for Easter. It is only 5 days away... I am a little late on the decorating..

 This is my little Easter Tree. It has things I purchased and some gifts friends made for me.
I bet y'all have been wondering what happened to the Prairie Schooler Eggs. Well... I cut them out the other day...Fronts and backs.

 Here they are numbered and ready to start covering. I started this step this morning.. Boy, has it been a job..

 I love this Natural Batting. It is real soft and thin. I got it on clearance at Hobby Lobby last year.  I have a lot of it left to use.

 The next step was tracing and cutting 8 egg shapes out of the batting. I have finally put that ironing board up.  Sharpies come in handle!

 Aleene's Tacky Spray is the best product they ever put out there!! I will admit that I love Elmer's Tape Runner that you use for scrap paper!
It works great to run around the edge to help hold down the edges on the inside till you can use the glue to put the fronts and backs together. 

 Unless you have this happen to you today... The thing broke and I had to grab the Aleene's Tacky Glue and then I had tacky fingers!! lol That is why I like the Tape Runner. No tacky fingers.
The four Eggs are sitting under stacks of magazines binding to each other at the moment.. I will post pictures tomorrow.

 I got this book last year to make Zoe Bug some clothes. I did make several pants for her to wear for the holidays last year. I had purchased the Blue Auburn fabric last year. I am going to make a top out of it for her. The stripe will be the pants with the floral as the ruffles.  This is also laid out on my sewing table.

My friend Bonnie ( no blog) and I were email talking today and she mentioned some Bunnies she stitched and made by Brenda - WTN&T.  I lightbulb appeared above my head!!  Where is my bunny and egg I made last year?  I have not seen them!  I had to tear apart the room and hunt those things.. Then I remembered I had some needlerolls by Shepherd's Bush too. Where are those things?  I happen to look behind the sewing table in a tub. Yes, I am still queen of the tubs... lol  The tub had Started Kits wrote on it.. Wait... Those kits are in my cabinet.. hmmm. What could be in this tub...You guessed right!!!

Here they are!!!  I have taken them out of this tub.. They are now in a basket and they are lounging on spanish moss.  Only 5 days till Easter!!!  I will need to make sure to mark through the words on this tub and put the Spring and Easter things with my other Spring stuff.. I also found a birds nest and some fake real looking bird eggs. I found a candle holder shaped like a nest and candles shaped like birds in this tub. Last year's purchases from Michael's sale. 
New to me this year!!    lol
Till later....

Sunday, March 24, 2013

ANOTHER FINISH !!

Another square down and another 12 to go on my Blackbird designs AOTH series. February square is stitched to celebrate the year that hubby and I married. I am movng on to square 3 today the bonus square.  I don't have all the floss I need, so an order went out to 123 Stitch this afternoon. I didn't have GA's Endive. I chose to use GA Dried Thyme instead. I have it in 3 different shades of light to dark.. lol  All 3 dried thymes are a different color!!! 
It is to be cold here in Alabama tomorrow and Tuesday. That is fine with me as long as it is sunny and warm Easter day...
I am heading back to stitching, till later.....


 

Friday, March 22, 2013

GREAT MAIL DAYS THIS WEEK!!!

 Look what came in the mail yesterday for me!!!  I won this from Katherine on her 4th Blogaversary!  Katherine's blog address: http://windyridgedesigns.blogspot.com/ 
Thank you so much Katherine. I won the pack of needles! Look what Katherine added!!  I love the Pinkeep! It is so cute!!!  I think it is made from antique fabric and the cutest button! It is sitting beside my stitching couch end.. ( can't say chair, I have moved to the couch) 


I also received my order from Deb at Stitches N Things. The blue linen is for some of the Santa Village squares. I may have a picture soon of the Post Office. I fell in love with Just Nan's Honey Bunny!  I ordered The Lizzie Kate Chicks and then wished I had ordered the other ones that were released with this design, Flowers and A Bee C.  May have to see if I can find them.. I know they were limited editions.

That is all I have to report today. I went and got my hair cut. It needed it bad.... It was so long and thick I could not do anything with it. Root Booster could not even give it any height.  It just laid there!  Came home and washed and sprayed that root booster,blow dried... Now I have BIG Hair!  lol
You know that southern saying.... Bigger The Hair, Closer To God.
I am way up there... lol
I asked today, if they color hair.. They said no, but they cut and perm!  I almost shouted, People still get perms?  I was told yes!  Hmmmm   Maybe a spiral perm is in my future. I have not had one since the 80's.....

I think I have changed my mind on that perm!!!   lol
 
 


Thursday, March 21, 2013

ANOTHER FINISH....

This is my latest finish. It is by designer, Pineberry Lane. Called Pet Companion Memorial Sampler. I want to frame this one too. I will be using that coupon from Michaels to just buy the frame and glass and I will put it together myself. I used the called for DMC and Hand dyed floss. I stitched it on a hand dyed linen. It has Thdarker veins of tan running through it. If you enlarge you may can see them better.
Rebel will always be missed. She shared her life with us for 16 years. DH is still wanting to get another dog. We have the 2 cats but he is a dog person. I am not ready for that.. Just now got BK where she will use the outside instead of using the inside litter box.. We are still calling her BK. DH calls her Beeker.. She comes to both names...

This is what I am working on now. Blackbird Designs - Anniversaries Of The Heart. I am on the second block. The first block is stitched with the year 1970, when we lived in Michigan and has the first letters of mine, my mom's and dad's name. Also has the Mich for Michigan.  This second block with have the year DH and I married 1981 and our first names under the potted heart flower.  It is really a fast stitch. I only had the border and potted flower stitched when I picked it back up this week.
I have the 2 grand kids today. Their mom had a doctors appointment today. It has been never ending laughs at the things they will say and do at ages 5 and 3. Caught the boy child sitting on my scooter helmet. He said he was laying an egg.... I took a picture and sent it to his mom.. He then had to look at the picture.. he said that he had to hurry and get back on his egg so that it could hatch!  Then Sister jerks the helmet out from under him and puts it on her head and says she is a moon walker!  Never ending fun at Gigi's house!
They are both playing and I am sitting here watching Dora The Explorer on the TV.. maybe I can learn spanish from Dora!  lol
Till Later......




Wednesday, March 20, 2013

MEMORIAL SAMPLER FINALLY HOME!!

 This is the molding I fell in love with. It is a beautiful wood and looks old and aged. I had to make 3 trips to pick it up before I was satisfied. The second trip the lady over the framing department that I left it with was there. I explained to her what had went on and how it looked. She unwrapped it and she didn't like what she seen. She said she herself would work on it the next day. She called the next day and I picked it up.

This is it! Sorry for bad picture. No sun that day. I asked about them just making the frames for me and me buying just the frame and glass. I will do my own blocking.  I also received a coupon for 75% off from her. I will just buy the frame and glass for my recent  finish on the Rebel Memorial. I will post a picture of that one tomorrow.
We had excitement Monday afternoon. We had some bad thunderstorms come through. We had trees come down and took out power lines and cable.  We didn't get our power back on till yesterday afternoon.  We had a generator so no meat was lost in the freezer during the outage.
I am back stitching on Blackbird Designs - Anniversaries Of The Heart.  Still on the 2nd block. That house is a lot of stitching. I am also stitching on CCN - North Pole. I stitch on that one at night in the bed. I was asked how I stitch while in the bed. Well... I sleep with 2 pillows anyway.  I prop them up against the headboard. I am usually turned toward the night stand where all my threads, scissors and chart are.. lol Nothing else will fit on the night stand. I have saline nose spray, lip balm, hand lotion, kindle, picture, iphone, cheater glasses, two remotes, lamp, Stacy Nash cross stitch bird on oil can and a crossword puzzle book.  Does anyone else have that much on their night stand?  lol Oh.. I forgot under all that is a weather radio!  lol Everything is right where I want it. Maybe not the weather radio...
Till later.....

*** Thank you all my readers for your comments and concerns with the framing problem. *** Did cheer me up while waiting.

Friday, March 15, 2013

MY DAY SO FAR......

 I have not yet had a call to go pick up framing. I am sharing this cute picture from Alice In Wonderland! That is how me and DH felt last night..  I had a great morning so far.... Went outside. It is 70 degrees and so sunny. My face got sunburned and I was only outside for about an hour. I got the Spring Fever while I was looking around to see all the yard work that needs to be done.  lol  Fired up the lawn mower put the ear buds in and cranked up the music and rode around and around. Very relaxing!  lol
I came back inside and started pulling out some finished Easter and Spring stitching and decided to finish them today. That has put me in a great mood!  Iron is on and sewing machine light is ready. I will try to put these together today....

 
The fabric behind them will be on the backs. I have all kinds of ribbon and twine to finish them. I did these Prairie Schooler Designs years ago. Every once in a while I will stitch on Aida. It is so easy and not having to really try to see the squares. You have squares to stitch. Just easier... I want to hang them from my Easter tree.
I will leave y'all with this funny picture. It came from Awkward Family Photos or Awkward Pet Photos. Can't remember which one..  lol  Looks like me and hubby felt last night. Except hubby has no hair and I would be holding a kitten and not a slouth!
By the way I love her glasses. I have some like those. They were my grandmother's glasses. I love Cat Eye Glasses!!


Till later.....

Thursday, March 14, 2013

ALMOST A CRY FEST TODAY!

No picture of the framed Midsummer Night Design - Memorial Sampler.  If you remember from an earlier post. I took it to Michael's to be framed. I usually get my stitching framed at Hobby Lobby, but they did not have the modeling for the frame I wanted.
About my visit... Guy at Michael's brought it out.... Unwrapped it.... Turned it around.... and.... I almost lost it!
The worst framing job I have ever seen!  He asked, well how is it?  I said, it is horrible! 
Let me tell you.. It was so wrinkled, and so loose, it was making big bubbles of linen touching the inside of the the glass, that was how loose it was!  I showed him how loose it was and that this was unacceptable to me.  He said that This Fabric, you can never get to tighten up!  I explained to him that I stitch and have this fabric framed a lot and even when it is pinned instead of laced has never looked this bad. It looked like they just laid it on a backing and popped it in the frame! All crooked and the lady said she was going to leave about 1/2 inch from stitching to the inside of the frame. The frame was nearly over some of the stitching.. Just terrible.
I also told him I have framed 2 or 3 of my own stitching and it came out 100% better than this work. I was about to cry.....
He explained he didn't know who did this, but he would work on it and call me tomorrow to pick back up...
I left there so upset!  I had to keep saying to myself, Just breath in and breath out.... Calm down April..... I had a feeling that I should have taken it to a frame shop. It is very special to me. I will go back in there tomorrow..
Take another look... I am praying they will do a great job. If not I am prepared to ask for my money back and take my stitched piece back home with me to take to a frame shop. That is why I hate to pay for something before I even see it! The frame is beautiful... but I paid a lot of money and it looked like something a young child tried to frame.. Just a sad day for me! I was all excited to be picking it up and hanging it on my wall. I didn't sleep so much last night because I was so excited.. Now I know I will not sleep good tonight...
Sorry such a long post and for venting to y'all. 
Hope everyone has a great night!!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

JUST A QUICK FINISH POST

 
 
 
I finished the second design of the Santa Village by CCN. Poinsettia House. I stitched on 32 count Angel Blush (pink) with the called for threads. next up is North Pole. I have it all planned out on unbleached linen.  
I almost have another finish. Pet Memorial Companion Sampler is rounding the corner. I have just the over on verse to stitch and to stitch in Rebel's name and dates. I had been working on CCN on the sofa during the day and then stitching on Memorial at night in bed.
I did manage to pull out the 20 year Heirloom Afghan to stitch on it. Michaels called and my sampler is ready to pick up! WooHoo!
I have been cleaning house today and doing laundry, so tomorrow I am off to go get it!
Off to clean some more, till later.....

Thursday, March 7, 2013

STITCHING AWAY....

I'm back to stitching on Pineberry Lane's Pet Companion Memorial Sampler. I am stitching it on Heritage Linen. With the called for colors. Those little scrolls below the A - G line were over one. I went ahead and stitched A-G and then stitched H-N, so that I could keep up with the counting better. Make sure it all matched to the letters. It came out great. The verse under the last line is over one too. 
I had a shock this week. I had found a frame for my dad's memorial sampler at Hobby Lobby. I didn't know it would fit at the time. I seen it in the 90% off section. It was marked down to $18.10. Wide scroll and decorative frame. I didn't know if it would fit. I measured the size and went home. It would fit!  I didn't go back that night and guess what?  Yep!  Next day I head back to Hobby Lobby. No Frame!! Gone!!  I was so heartbroken.. I knew I should have gotten it that day.. I decided to get the sampler framed anyway. It is a off size of 13 3/4 X 12 1/2. I looked over in their custom frames. Didn't see any I liked. I went to Michaels to see what they may have. I found the perfect molding. Of course, I have that Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget lifestyle!  lol I had my little coupon for 55% off.
Y'all remind me if I ever say I am going to get something framed. Yell Regular Glass Only!  I didn't pay attention and got home and discovered that I had paid nearly 30.00 for  a piece of 14 X 18 masterpiece glass!  Now my design is only 13 3/4 X 12 1/2. Can I get the piece they cut off to use in my other small frames?  lol  I know I am cheap.. or thrifty as I like to call myself...
Plus I don't think I will need the Museum glass. My house is dark and the wall where the sampler will go is dark, no sun ever hits it.
I told Mom, I will chalk it up to a lesson learned in glass. She did the same thing with one she had framed at Hobby Lobby. They don't ask. Oh.. This is also without a mat.I was reading over receipt. It said I saved $ 215.95 with my coupon. So I would have paid close to $ 370.00 for a nearly 14 X 13 frame!  I think, they make you think, you are getting a deal...
I may get the next one done at a framing shop I used to use. I will see how that works out... It has been about 7 years since I had anything framed. Sorry for fussing... I am really excited about getting it back, and I did love the molding for it! I will post pictures when they call!
PS... I have been ordering stuff from market!  I can't ever have enough stuff to stitch!  It is a Disease!
Till Later........


 

Saturday, March 2, 2013

MARKET WEEKEND AND THE MODEL I STITCHED!

This is the model I stitched for Brenda/With Thy Needle & Thread.
It is called, The Bee keepers. I just loved stitching it. Brenda has uploaded all her market designs onto her website. I have already ordered 3 of them today!!  lol
You can see them here: http://www.countrystitchesonline.com/
or click her site on my sidebar.  All are so pretty! I ordered  these three designs.



Just fell in love with them. Brenda has all the threads and linen to stitch these. I am still stitching on Poinsettia House. I need to get back to stitching on Pineberry Lane Dog Memorial Sampler.
We had some snow flurries today!!  I was out driving around in them, looking for a frame for my dad's memorial sampler.
Warm and raining the whole month of February. March roars in and it snows.. What is with that? Plus I have not been able to ride my scooter... I just keeping looking at it when I pass through the carport. I will be scootin' around on it soon!  I hope.....
Till later........