Enough all ready!!

No, not stitching but this heat and humidity!  The yard and "gardens" are looking very sad but it is just too uncomfortable to be out for more than a few minutes at a time.  I will have ask that you all remind me of my tantrums about the weather this winter when I'm complaining it's too cold and according to the Almanac it is supposed to be a very bad winter.  DFIL told me he read a report saying that the weather patterns are exactly as they were three years ago when we had that crazy, snowy winter - the only plus if it turns out the same is that we now have a 4X4 and would be able to get out of our driveway!

First - welcome and thank you to my new followers!  Given my sporadic and rather whiny postings recently, I am surprised that anyone is even stopping by anymore, but I do appreciate it. 

Speaking of previous posts, I finally figured out that my mojo was still hanging around but it was being overpowered by my stitching ADD.  Fortunately, I seem to be overcoming it, as I was able to sit and stitch for almost two hours the other day yes in a row with no interruptions!  I know, for lots of you, that's nothing, but for me in the last few months it's a miracle!

Second - hop on over to the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe blog for an amazingly wonderful giveaway.  I should warn you that Nancy has some beautiful fibers and trims as well as patterns.  Please do not hold me responsible for any uncontrolled stashing that may take place just saying. 

Now that I have said my stitching ADD is getting better, I suppose I should show you.

This is Papillion Creations Eightsome Reel.  It's stitched on 28-count Chai Tea Jobelan with HDF silk conversion.

Before:

 After:

 

This is a Mill Hill Buttons & Beads kit Tree Farm.  It's stitched on 28-count Natural linen with DMC and Mill Hill beads.

 

Here's where I started:

 

 And here's where I stopped:
The fabric color in the "before" photo is correct.

 

Next up is Carriage House Samplings Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow.  It is stitched on 40-count Sand Dune from Lakeside Linen with NPI silks.

 

Before:

 

And after the colors are more correct in this photo: 

 

And finally, Blue Ribbon Designs Countdown to Christmas.  It is stitched on 40-count Magnolia from Lakeside Linens with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads.

 

Before:

 

And after unfortunately I have reached the boring part on this one as all that is left on this part is stitching the grid for the calendar.  

 

 
Country Garden Stitchery's Snowgirls and Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden are on the stand for this weekend.

Back Home Again from Indiana

As I was traveling for work for a good portion of last week, I did not get a lot of stitching done. I did take a kitted up ornament with me, but it is definitely too much effort to stitch while traveling by plane as there is not enough room in the cattle car economy class to breath stitch comfortably.  Thank goodness it doesn't take much room to read. I was very pleasently surprised by the location, the meeting was held at the Potawatmi Inn at Pokegon State Park in Angola, Indiana.  The only down side is that I didn't have time to be able to take advantage of any of the walking or biking trails, but the park is definitely on my list of places to visit again.

I got a little time last weekend and yesterday for stitching.  Last weekend Blue Ribbon Designs' Countdown to Christmas was on the frame.

I started with it here:

And finished with it here:

Blue Ribbon Designs' Countdown to Christmas
Stitched on 40-count Lakeside Linens' Magnolia with recommended fibers

I am at the "push through" phase on this portion of the project now.  All that is left is the grid that makes up the calendar and that is going to be very boring stitching. I may have to work the little ornaments into the rotation so that I have something to look forward to maybe something along the line of one ornament for every two blocks stitched.

I started a new project yesterday - Liz Turner Diehl's Flamingerge Egg.  It is a bit outside of my usual, but I have a thing for flamingos although I do tend to keep it in check so there are no flamingo decorations in my yard or my house although I do have a fair number in my cubical.  The entire kit came in this box: 

And came with all of this:

 The only thing missing is the styrofoam egg for the finishing.  And here is what I stitched yesterday:

Liz Turner Diehl's Flamingerge Egg
Stitched on 32-count Antique White Belfast with Madeira fibers

The colors are more coral and turquoise than the orange and blue that are showing in the photo. The piece came with Madeira cotton and silk fibers which I had never used, but do really like stitching with them. The packaging is interesting and keeps the fibers clean and easily organized but it is not ideal for storing leftover bits.

Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden is on the frame for this week.