this is what happens

when I don't post for almost a month...I actually have stuff to show! So much in fact that I have more pictures than I do time...so I will post another installment in a few days with more stitching and some garden stuff.

First, I DID actually finish Maude Eloise :) Made several "alterations" to this one aside from changing the name--the windows of the house I left unstitched, had to fudge the colors of the flowers a bit as I ran out of the floss I was using and was too lazy to go to my LNS, and left out the large gaudy flowers in the basket to the left of the house which I really didn't care for. I think it turned out OK though. It may end up being a Christmas offering for my parents, unless I can produce something more festive before then...

I have been digging deep down into my stash basket for things that have been sitting neglected for eons, as part of my herculean effort to reduce said stash before it takes over the house. Olga here (by Plum Street Samplers) was one of these neglected projects. Actually I originally started her on an orangey-colored linen, with the alphabet and all, then decided that I hated the color, scrapped it and started over on this mottled brown evenweave. I left out the alphabet and finished it as a hanging pillow--this was one of DD's Easter gifts (somewhat Halloweeny but I wasn't in the mood to stitch bunnies this year--besides, it's never too early for Halloween,is it?)

I attempted to balance out the fall-themed stitching with this piece from Country Cottage Needleworks from an old cross stitch magazine, on a linen scrap much pinker than anything I would usually use :) but it seemed to work with the design. I am not much of a pink person. Thankfully DD hates it too. I don't know what I'd do if she insisted on painting her room pink.

This is my failure of sorts, Love Letters (by Brenda Gervais).
I kitted this up and was blithely stitching along on my 28 count linen when I realized that it was quite a bit larger than the 4 1/2 inches it was supposed to be--checked that the count of the linen was the correct one--and finally realized it was intended to be stitched over one. By this point I had just about completed the alphabet so I said the hell with it and finished it over 2. So it will be a very LARGE pin pillow. All that stitching over 1 would have driven me batty anyway.

I have a few more finishes & new starts to show, so come back soon!

Maude Eloise and a winner!

Well I am finally back with a M.E. update. Kiddies have been on spring break this week so I have had very little time for stitching. I have made some progress on Maude, as you can see (yes, I know the stem on one of the flowers is wonky. Too lazy to frog it yet). It seems that whenever I get close to the end of a project I start to lose interest in it. Hopefully I can put those last few stitches into her before she becomes a UFO!

I updated my Rivendell journey too (on the sidebar). The last two months have been pretty pathetic. The last week or so of February I had an excuse for not walking (the flu) but in March I was just lazy. My goal for April is to clear the Midgewater Marshes, about 62 miles (which will bring me to the 200-mile mark in this 458-mile jaunt), and by the end of May I hope to have passed Weathertop. I realize that if you are not a Lord of the Rings fan this does not make a lot of sense; this is mainly for my own amusement : )

And finally what you have been waiting for, the winner of my giveaway-- Mr. Random Number Generator picked #26, Andrea! I will email shortly for your info. Thank you everyone for entering and for all your kind comments. Until next time...

my current project

I actually got the computer again this weekend, with one kid off on a camping trip and the other doing homework : ) This is what I am working on currently, Maude Eloise by Blackbird Designs, using a mixture of Weeks and DMC on linen which I dyed a light tan color

(you can click on the picture to biggify). I have had this in my stash for a few years at least--no idea why I let it sit so long, as I am thoroughly enjoying it! As a reformed quilter, I especially like the quilt stars and flowers along the top and bottom. I stitched my "real" name (that is, the one I was born with, not my married name) on the roof. The willow tree reminded me of the huge one that stood in the back yard of the house where I grew up. I still have pictures somewhere of my brother climbing on it after it blew over during a storm.

Don't forget about my giveaway (previous post). I am putting M.E. away for awhile to stitch something for said giveaway. Until next time...

two ta-da's and a giveaway

Well, as predicted I am once more back to my sparse postings. It's not that I don't have anything to show, or to tell, but I am at the bottom of the food chain in my house when it comes to computer access : ) I'd invest in a laptop but the kids would probably claim that too.

I had a couple of stitchy-butt weekends and finished up my Evening Shades the Garden while said kids were off at a party and on a class trip. This was done with the recommended overdyed floss on tea-dyed evenweave. One of my favorite finishes so far. This will be given a place of honor in my stitching room..if and when I get a stitching room...

My second finish was an oldie from my stash, Sparrow's Song from The Goode Huswife (and another lousy picture). This one I did on white evenweave with the recommended DMC, although I omitted the outer border. I am thinking about incorporating this finish into a small tote if I can overcome my laziness and dust off the sewing machine. I've been pretty good about buying charts this year so far...I admit I've acquired a few (only 3, actually) which is amazing since I pretty much want all the new BBD designs. I don't know how long this self-control will last...

Finally, my long-overdue 100-follower giveaway --now that I'm at almost 150 followers--which is also to celebrate DD's acceptance (with honors) to the school she had hoped to attend (I'm still getting used to the idea that my eldest will be a freshman in high school in a few short months)! It will be a bit of a surprise, mostly since I don't know everything that will be included at this point, but it will have one or two hand-stitched goodies made by me, a pair of Ginghers, charts, and miscellaneous stitchy items. To enter, 1) be a follower, old or new; and 2) leave a comment. Easy! I will leave this open until March 30 when a winner will be drawn.

Thanks very much for all your kind comments in the past. I am still having issues with my work computer so though I read all your blogs pretty much on a daily basis, you'd never know since I can't leave comments :( Hopefully I'll be able to resolve this problem soon! Until next time...

another WIP done and and a new start

A whole lot of nothing new around here...but it's raining, my DD came home from school with the flu and I don't have a lot to do, so I figured why not post a few pictures. I find that I'm starting to tire of my WIP-of-the-month (a whole two months into the year--surprising I made it that far) and am dying to start new things. I did finish Delivering Tricks, my first and probably last of the WIP pile to be completed for a while.

I could not resist this new start--Evening Shades the Garden, an old Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers offering from 2003--I had looked around forever for this pattern. I am using the recommended floss on linen which I tea-dyed. I am loving this one and it is stitching up pretty quickly.

I hope to have some good news at the end of the month or shortly thereafter--we should have word by then on DD's high school applications--and I plan to celebrate with a giveaway of some finished goodies, charts and scissors and such. So come back and visit soon!

and more de-stashing...

As you may be able to tell, I am making a major effort to go through some of my stash that's been sitting for decades (no exaggeration). I don't know if anyone will want these, but I'm putting the offer out there anyway--these kits are all partially done by me, if you want any or all let me know. I will never finish these, most are on aida which I can't stand any more and they are just no longer my taste. If anyone wants pictures just send an e-mail and I will send as many as you like. Here they are:

--Patchwork Heart Quilt Sampler by Linda Bird (on cream evenweave)
--Scenic Farm by Dimensions (white aida)
--Cabbage Pillow by Donna Vermillion Giampa (on white aida but it is solidly stitched)
--Treetop Angel by Diane Arthurs (white aida)
--Neighborhood Quilts by Linda Myers (white evenweave)
--Roses on Toile (needlepoint) by Dimensions

As I said, let me know if you want pictures and I will dole these out on a first come, first served basis. The charts are readable but some are bit crinkled and in all fairness I warn you that they are from back in the day when I did mark my charts (I gave up that habit along with the aida lol).

I've been very bloggy lately

Don't worry, it won't last long, then I'll be back to my once-a-month posts :) In the meantime, here is (not) Red House in Winter. I was going to do this for the Seasonal Exchange but changed my mind and stitched something else instead, so this will probably be the first of the teachers' ornaments for this Christmas.

Since I am short several colors for Snow Garden, I am making this my first February WIP--Delivering Tricks by Homespun Elegance. This one hasn't been sitting around too long, only since last fall, but I'm trying to finish up some of my pile of small half-finished projects before moving on to the larger half-finished projects. Haven't purchased any new charts yet, I'm so proud of myself...but then Nashville is coming up soon...