From UFO to WIP to HD

At last! I started this band sampler ages ago - it was designed by Jana Kerr and published in the EGA monthly magazine. I chose the color scheme - and since I have no sense of color, I originally thought I had chosen badly, and so put the project away. But, after pulling it out again, I think I like it. I really enjoyed the different techniques involved. Hopefully I improved my skills. I will finish it as a bell pull (after giving it a good pressing!)

I have decided to restrict the number of projects I have going at one time. I have just so many zip top storage bags. So, I will have one project per bag, and will not start a new project until I have an empty bag to use. I am hoping this will cause me to complete more projects! Wish me luck! My other plan is to do less lurking and more commenting on stitcher's blogs!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, filled with peace and joy. And I wish everyone a Happy New Year! I received the loveliest hand made card from Von, with a wonderful wish for the new year: unlimited stitching time. What a great sentiment!

So now I am off to start my Neighborhood RR. I have Heather's piece to work on. Her theme is farms - I think I may stitch a grist mill - a place where the farmers take their corn to have it ground. I think that would fit the theme and be interesting. Thoughts?

Until next time, Margaret

Birthday goodies and Soon-to-be ornaments

I was completely spoiled by these birthday gifts from a special stitching friend, Carol. In addition to keeping up with a fabulous blog, she is also the one who introduced me to the wonderful world of blogging. (Well, to be truthful, I spend more time lurking that posting or commenting - but I love to read about other people's projects!) I am late in posting this picture. Carol posted a nice picture of the scissor fob she stitched - I show it here attached to my Dovos. However, she is too modest to show pics of the wonderful extras she included. Many thanks, Carol!

I have been stitching Ornies - these four are done (meaning the stitching is complete) and hopefully over this weekend they will become done-done (meaning ready to hang on the tree).

I think all of these are from JCS ornament issues. I struggle with the finishing - I am just a beginner, and my projects seem to always turn out lop-sided. I guess I just need to practice.

And here are two more that are not done yet - I lack beads for the Teresa Wentzler Celtic Cross and I ran out of thread for the sampler one (the poor reindeer has only two legs). So I'm off to send a note to the Needlecraft Corner, ordering some stuff!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Happy stitching, Margaret

Von's RR

Here is my completed block for Von's RR. Her theme is English cottages, and she said she loves gardens - this chart is from a Cross My Heart publication titled Garden Cottages. When I saw it, I thought it fit the theme perfectly. Now, we won't go into how much confetti stitching was involved and how horrible the back of the piece looks - it will certainly give the stitchers who stitch on it in the future something to tsk, tsk about!!!!!

This piece is really pretty - I love the background fabric - it's a little unexpected - a lovely blue/gray - the others have been more neutral. I hope Von is pleased!

Also, here is a picture of the real kittychernoff - when we adopted her from the pound in 1997, she had a bacterial infection, and we weren't sure we could cure it - so we didn't name her. We didn't want to get too attached to her, just in case the vet wasn't able to cure her (at least that was our rationale). So, the vet labeled her chart as Kitty Chernoff - well, many thousands of dollars later, she was cured and a permanent part of our family; but her name remained kittychernoff. Since she is the only one in the house that is allowed to touch Mom's cross stitch stuff - I adopted her name as my online nickname.

Happy stitching! Margaret C