Friday, February 26, 2010

New Stash

I made an unexpected trip to an LNS yesterday and picked up a few things. Thought I would share them with you.

__________Splurge__________
Reminds me of Mardi Gras. You can check out some of the other beautiful designs at http://kelmscottdesigns.com/needle-minders.htm. They even have an Adam & Eve minder for those of you stitching your way through A&E walls.

_________Fabric__________
28 Count Linen (1/8 yard each)
(Lugana Summer Khaki (for Mother's TLC), Cashel Light Mocha & Cashel Antique Ivory).



_________New Charts_________
Ink Circles "Fleur d'Orleans"
I saw this on a couple of other blogs and had to have it! The owner of the LNS said one of her customers contacted designer requesting a fleur de lis pattern and this was the result.


Lizzie Kate
"Sons are a Special Joy" and "Home is Where Our Story Begins"
Want to stitch "Sons are a Special Joy" for DS's birthday and
"Home is Where Our Story Begins" for a journal cover.

__________Floss__________
For Theron Traditions "Mother's TLC"
Sampler Threads - Peach Ice Cream, Claret, Victorian Pink, Dried Thyme & Midnight
All kitted up and ready to go, hoping to finish this for DM for Mother's Day.


For Acadian Designs "Fleur de Lis #1"
WDW - Whiskey, Curry & Honeysuckle

(I am currently stitching this chart in Queen Bee,
but wanted to do it again in the recommended threads)

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Hoping to post some stitching progress after the weekend.
Stay warm (I think it is still unusually cold almost everywhere) and come back again.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Pretty in Pink

I had to have some color, so I changed my blog background (I will probably do that frequently).
(UPDATE: ACCKKK! All my past posts have been centered -- what happened???)

To justify this post, I am adding an update picture of my Fleur de Lis. Since this is a "souvenir" project for to 2010 Super Bowl, I changed the colors to make it more "saintly". I like the designers color choices and plan to stitch it again (at a later date) in the recommended colors.



Fleur de Lis 1
Acadian Designs by Michelle Gauthier
Stitched over 2 threads on Wichelt-Permin 32 count linen in Lambswool
using 2 strands of Crescent Colors Queen Bee (will use Blackbird for backstitching)
I am new to the hand dyed/overdyed floss. I really love the varigation in the color, especially in designs like this one.
Not sure if I like this starched linen, it is a little too stiff (for my taste) to stitch in-hand. Would it help to soak it in water before using to get some of the starch out? Will try on a small remnant to make sure the linen is not too "soft" without the starch, but would appreciate hearing from anyone who has tried this already. Read recently on Jennifer's blog about adding starch to linen, but have not seen anyone trying to take it out.
BTW, do you see the "flaw" in my stitching?
I do not know what it is, but you can see it from a mile away. From a distance, it looks like I stitched diagonally across 2 spaces or there is a loose thread end sticking out. Close-up it looks fine. I do not know what it is or what to do about it.
(In case you could not see it, it is in the center about 5 rows up from the bottom).
Any suggestions other than frogging out that section?

2nd Finish for 2010

My first LHN finish! It was a fun stitch (even with the frogging I ended up doing).

I am leaning toward a pillow-type finish because I am nervous to use glue in the recommended finishing. Would love to hear opinions on using glue in finishing.

I like the design without the beads and I am practicing my French knots before trying them on my final piece, I will leave them blank-faced if I cannot "perfect" my knots (besides, if I do hang it on the tree I would not want the knots to be pulled out).


"All Dolled Up!" Fa La La (Ornament #1)
Little House Needleworks
Stitched over 2 threads on 28 count Light Mocha linen
Using 2 strands of recommended DMC threads

I cannot wait to start on Pear Tree. It is my favorite of the first three designs and I have been (enviously) watching other stitcher's finishes for weeks. Thanks for sharing all your inspiring "adaptations".

Feeling a little better today so I will be doing the "Flight of the Bumblebee" throughout the house with my trusty Clorox wipes and Lysol and catching up on the dishes and laundry and other neglected household chores. Unfortunately, this will probably not leave much time stitching today (although I would be happy to be proved wrong).

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Mardi Gras Memories

I have memories of those few Mardi Gras Days when the weather was too cold and DB or I were deemed "too sick" by our DM to go out to the parades. I still remember one Mardi Gras sitting on Maw Maw's (DGM) giant foot stool (big enough for two) so we could get as close as possible to the television to watch the parades while eating a piece of McKenzie's king cake.

This morning, I woke up with a full blown cold - sore throat, coughing, sneezing, stuffy head . . . you get the picture.


Today, instead of watching the parades on a foot stool, I have spent the entire day in bed (without even one piece of king cake), watching Jane Austen DVDs and doing some stitching.
I think stitching goes very well with Jane Austen and, based on the popularity of the designs by The Sampler Girl and many of the blogs I follow, I am not alone in this thought.

Today's Austen-thon marquee looks like this:
  1. Pride & Prejudice (1995 with Colin Firth - might as well start with the best)
  2. Sense & Sensibility (2009 - the recent Masterpiece Theatre version)
  3. Persuasion (mid 90s with Amanda Root & Ciaran Hinds)
  4. Persuasion (1971 BBC with Ann Firbank as Ann Elliot)
  5. Sense & Sensibility (Emma Thompson version) -- if I stay up that long
I wanted to watch Mansfield Park (1983 BBC with Sylvestra Le Touzel as Fanny Price), but am missing the second disc, I am sure it was removed from the player by DH or DS and not returned to the case so it will turn up soon. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 2010 Masterpiece Theatre version of Emma at my local library. I always like to see it before I buy it (or hint that I would like it for Mother's Day).

I also changed my blog header and background and checked up on all my favorite blogs (including yours ; ).

My lovely Mom has not only taken DS to her house for the day, she has delivered hot meals all day:
  1. Scrambled eggs (I still cannot duplicate the fluffiness of her eggs),
  2. Cauliflower soup (chicken broth, cauliflower, garlic & noodles -- great for congestion) and
  3. Grilled chicken with mashed potatoes.
She even boiled a chicken breast for our dog, who is doing very poorly.

The icing on the cake was the dozen red roses my DS delivered with lunch.


Thank your for stopping by, I hope you did not catch my cold while you were here.

We interrupt this blog post for the following non-paid endorsements:

Today made bearable by the makers of --

Kleenex, Sudacare Shower Soothers, Mucinex, Advil,

DVD players and the Remote Control.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Monday, February 15, 2010

TUSAL for February

A Finish for Valentine's, Plans for Mardi Gras & Looking Forward to Independence Day

For Valentine's Day, I have my first finish of 2010.


"Be Mine" by The Sampler Girl
over 2-threads on 28-count Cafe Mocha Country French Linen

using Crescent Colors Cupid

I enjoyed stitching this piece on Valentine's Day while watching the first season of All Creatures Great and Small on DVD (courtesy of our wonderful local library). It is a really great series, cannot wait to stitch to the other 6 seasons.

To finish "Be Mine", I plan to brew a pot of strong black tea tomorrow to soak my finishing fabric (and make a pitcher of iced tea -- yes, Southerners do drink iced tea in the winter).

Mardi Gras is tomorrow and we will celebrate with a final piece of king cake before the beginning of the Lenten season. Since I have come down with a full-blown cold today, I don't plan to attend the parades tomorrow. DS is hoping I change my mind, but while the weather is bright and sunny it is still cold (by NOLA standards - highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s) breezy and damp -- not a good combination when you have a cold.

I will be preparing for Independence Day 2010 by stitching Heart in Hand's "Sweet Land of Liberty". Thanks Ranae for sharing your original chart with me.



I did not mean to "skip" over Easter, but I do not have any specific Easter project yet. I am looking for an Easter lamb chart (or maybe LHN's Love One Another or Mosey & Me's Ewe-phoric freebie). Any other suggestions?

Achoooooo! Time to make some hot tea with honey and go to bed.
Thanks for stopping by, please come back again!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

I recieved this lovely leatherbound book of Jane Austen
(with an even more wonderful handmade card) from my DS.
(DH and I gave him two books about weather.)

(Photo from Amazon.com)

And from my DH, one of my favorite CDs
(with a very funny store-bought card).
(DS and I gave him two books about sports.)


(Photo from Amazon.com)

We will be leaving soon to lunch with my family and I am planning on stitching The Sampler Girl's freebie "Be Mine" while the boys play.



I hope you are also
having a wonderful day.

BTW, we received very little snow on Friday and none of it stuck. So disappointing for DS (especially since they were given the day off from school AGAIN and he sees all that snow in the North on the Weather Channel). So last week was a 3-day school week and we have the next week off for Mardi Gras. Nothing like a 10-day holiday in February.
Hoping to take DS to the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) to see a special Disney exhibit shown at NOMA (thanks to the Princess and the Frog debut). This is supposed to be the only US stop for this exhibit.

I will be posting my TUSAL and stitching progress later today or in the morning.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Snow Day

We might get a little snow overnight, about 1 inch is expected -- in the South this means a school closure tomorrow (and we have next week off for Mardi Gras).

No stitching progress to report this week. I have been volunteering at school and helping DS with some projects that were due this week.

Going to bed now (I am wiped out).

Monday, February 8, 2010

Super Bowl Sunday

Meet our "pet" rabbit Who Dat. He paid us a little visit on Saturday night.



New Orleans never does things by half,
so we had another Mardi Gras parade yesterday.

The start time was moved up to get everyone home
in time for the pre-game.


Ever hear "(When the) Saints Go Marching In" on the bagpipes?


The bands were really rockin'.


A little Super Bowl prediction? (Crush the Colts)



Parade crowd was very light, it is usually shoulder to shoulder.
Even the floats had a lot of empty spaces.
It was still a lot of fun!


A joke from my DS -

Do you know what COLTS stands for?

Count On Losing The Super Bowl



Thought I would share a little of our Super Bowl preparations with you.
I have such a talented Mom!
You have to have a little something sweet
(since we got a sweet victory, the cakes were a bonus).

I think the Who Dat's were under-represented in this cake stadium
-- I am sure it was more than 50%.


Sorry for the washed out picture, but it does show the helmet detail.


Needless to say, we grew up with some amazing birthday cakes!
They taste even better than they look.

Creation

Amazing new chart from Deborah of Tempting Tangles Designs. There are lots of different stitches used in this piece. Check out her blog for more info and some close-up shots.


The creation of Creation

Believe Dat!

The New Orleans Saints are
Super Bowl Champions!!
(Do you think this might explain all the cold weather we have been having? ; )

Time to party with the Lombardi
and
celebrate the miracle in Miami!

It does not get any better than this.

It could not have happened to a nicer guy!

And it is a great boost for New Orleans & the entire Gulf Coast!

This should be a Mardi Gras to remember, so make your way to

DREW Orleans, LoBREESiana and celebrate with us!

I tried to do some stitching during the game, but the game was too good (did get a little done). I will do a stitching progress post later.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

UFOs Unearthed in Louisiana

These are three of my very early stitching efforts. I am sorry to say I did not finish them.

This was one of the first patterns I purchased, Wedding Ring Bouquet by Paula Vaughan. It cost only $2.
I think that I stopped stitching this one because I found . . .


Summers Remembered, also by Paula Vaughan. This was my first time stitching on linen. Something about this piece still "speaks" to me. I might begin stitching it again . . . someday.


I loved this design from the cover of the 1992 Cross Stitch Christmas from BH&G. Designer Sally Shimizu adapted it from an illustration by Judith Ann Griffith.


This is what the finished piece would look like. I think I might like to finish this, too . . . someday. But I will change the hair color to brown (I would not have dreamt of making color changes when I originally started).
It usually bothers me for things to be unfinished, but I will not let these UFOs sap my enthusiasum for my current projects (listed at the top of the blog).

WIP - Pear

This is my first (and probably only) huck towel.

I liked the pear design and the various shades of green and yellow (they look better in person).

I apparently miscounted and my Pear is left of center (isn't that a song lyric?), so I will be keeping this somewhat imperfect effort for myself instead of giving it as the gift I had intended. I already have a pear painting in my kitchen, two items make a theme right?

January TUSAL