STILL A LITTLE TIME LEFT

to get an entry into my Eleven Questions Give-Away.  You have until 7 pm central time tomorrow - August 1 to enter the give-away.  See my post on July 18 for details.  Your entry must be posted through a comment on that blog post.

MYSTERY SAL FINISH

This is my finish of the Mystery SAL from By The Bay Needleart.  It will be hung in our *vacation home* (which is really a camper on a permanent camping spot).

ILCS SUMMER ORNAMENT EXCHANGE

This is the ornament I designed and stitched for my exchange partner, Colin.  I added magnets to the back so it could be placed on a refrigerator or filing cabinet.  The colors are vibrant and bright, but my camera washed them out.

JULY ORNAMENT FINISH

"He's A Flake"

All Dolled Up

Design By

Little House Needleworks

Completed

July 25, 2012

A LOOK AROUND MY HOME & GARDENS

Despite our hot and dry weather, I still have some flowers blooming.  The Resurrection Lillies are in full bloom, but they aren't as vibrant as they were last year.

Snickers is recovering well and pretty much back to normal (can you tell she still doesn't like getting her picture taken).  Dottie is always protecting her family and home.  All that stuff stacked up in my living room belongs to my youngest daughter.  She's getting ready to return to college in a couple of weeks and we get to live with her dorm stuff stacked in the living room!

Tomatoes ripening and Dottie laying/playing in the grass while we work away in the garden.  Dottie also likes the porch swing!  The orange glow is the huge bonfire a neighbor had over the weekend.  It looks close to that shed, but the fire is really out in the open.  I decided to enjoy the bonfire from the comfort of my porch swing.

NEW STASH

Sorry about the pic quality, I had to use my phone.

I used some gift certificates to add to my STASH.  I got 3 new punch needle designs, the Christmas Preview Issue of JCS, some needles, new overdyed threads and 4 new cross stitch designs and a sample pack of 36 count evenweave.

After seeing Pink Carnations by The Sweetheart Tree on a finished box, I knew I had to get that design.  It's the design in the center of my pic.

STILL A WEEK TO GO...

on my Eleven Questions Blog Give-Away.  Go back to my previous post for all the details.  Make sure you post your answers to that post to be entered in the Give-Away!

Sorry, no stitching pics to show you this week because all of my stitching has been for exchanges.

Have a great week!
Happy Stitchin'

BLOG TAG & A GIVE-AWAY!!!

Shelley tagged me recently. 

Here are Shelley’s questions (and my answers) -

1. If you were stranded on an island with one other person, who would you choose...Oprah Winfrey or Ellen DeGeneres?
   
   Ellen DeGeneres
   
   
2. Which fabric do you prefer to stitch on...Aida or Evenweave?
   
   Evenweave
   
   
3. What is your favorite genre of movie and why?
   
   It depends on my mood, but I usually go for a comedy, drama or romance.
   
   
4. Who is your favorite cross stitch designer?
   
   All of them!  Seriously, too many to name.
   
   
5. What kind of flooring do you like in your home...shag carpet, hard wood or stone?
   
   Hardwood
   
   
6. What kind of illumination do you use when stitching?
   
   When I can stitch near a window with a lot of natural light, that’s what I like the best, but when I stitch at night or when I can’t be near a window, I use an Ott Light knock-off.
   
   
7. What is the farthest you have traveled from home?
   
   Not sure which is the furthest in miles, but Canada, New York, Florida, Caribbean and California.
   
   
8. What is your favorite brand of specialty thread?
   
   Another one of those questions that’s difficult to answer.  I like WDW, GAST and many others.  The more variegated the colors, the better I like them.
   
   
9. How many languages do you speak? (Note: Klingon is a language!)
   
   Two - English & “Sister”.  My younger sister and I have our own language and way of communicating with each other.
   
   
10. Do you stitch in hand or with the aide of a hoop, qsnap, stand, etc?
    
    I stitch in hand 99.9% of the time.  Occasionally I will use a hoop, q-snap or scroll frame, but only because a client has insisted that I use one for a particular project.
    
    
11. Do you believe in ghosts?
    
    My husband asked me this question when we first met.  Yes, I do believe in ghosts;  I also believe in angels and through my Christian faith, I believe in the Holy Ghost.

 

My Eleven Questions (with my answers):

What was your first cross stitch project and how old were you?

My first embroidery project was stitching the outlines of fruits and vegetables on my grandma’s flower sack towels.  From there I stitched outlines of doves, peace sign, LOVE and flowers on the only two pairs of blue jeans that I owned. 

My first true counted cross stitch project was a wishing well with spring flowers.  You can read about it here..

What is your favorite thread/fabric color?
My favorite color is PINK.  A soft pink fabric and any variation of pink threads.

What is your favorite stitching tool or accessory?  Why?
My favorite stitching accessories are the stitched needlebooks I have received in exchanges.  I carry them with the project(s) I’m working on and they remind me that I’m not alone in my love of stitching and that I have some wonderful stitching friends.

Do you have furbabies that “help” you stitch?
I have two dogs, Snickers and Dottie.  Whenever they see me get my stitching station set up, they situate themselves so they are on each side of me. 

Where is your favorite place to stitch?
In the summer time, my favorite place to stitch is on the screened in porch - provided it’s not too hot and humid.  In the winter time, my favorite place to stitch is near the woodstove where I can be toasty warm.

What was your most difficult stitch project?
My most difficult stitch project was a wildlife scene with over 200 different thread colors that were used both individually and blended.  It took me eleven months to stitch and the finished piece was 18 x 22 inches.

What would cause you to throw away an unfinished project?
Nothing would make me throw away an unfinished piece now, but in my earlier years, I didn’t think twice about tossing a piece of aida if I had a major mess up. 

What is your STASH weakness?
Variegated anything - threads, fabric, ribbons, cording, etc.

Do you have a LNS near you?
The nearest LNS was about 2 hours away, but they are closing, making the nearest LNS over 3 hours away.

How old is your oldest WIP?
My oldest WIP is just over a year old.  I haven’t pulled it out to work on it since last fall.

How many projects do you actively work on and do you have a rotation schedule for them?
I generally only work on one or two at a time.  I’m considering joining a few SAL’s that will be BAP’s with a new portion of the design published each month.  I’ve never had a rotation for my projects. 

Rather than tag eleven blogging friends, I thought I would invite you to comment on my blog and answer the eleven questions.  Lets make it a give-away too!  A winner will be picked randomly from all the comments to this post.

Give-Away Rules:

1. You must be a follower of my blog.
2. You must comment to this post and answer at least 3 out of 11 of my questions.
3. Make sure to include your name and valid email address.
4. Post a link on your blog and let me know (include your blog address) and you'll get a second entry. 

Random Drawing will be August 1st so you have plenty of time to enter!

Prize will be a selection of STASH (fabric, floss, stitching accessories, etc.)!

Good Luck!!

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN...

you trip over your laptop cord and the thing bounces to the floor!

Don't you just love how it looks like I have a world map on my screen now!

My friendly "nerd" is now working on the laptop (see below) and ordering a new screen (well maybe ordering a new screen).  Hubby says we should just get a new laptop.  I hate the thought of buying a new laptop when the thing is still working. 

BEWARE!!!

There is a computer virus called Live Security Platinum going around.  It's one of those virus' that latches onto a vulnerable website and then infects everyone who visits that website, except it's virtually impossible to know which website it's latched on to.

According to my computer guy, it mimics anti-virus software and flashes virus alerts.  It's an aggressive, sneaky virus too.  It corrupts the true anti-virus software so that it can't detect and stop the virus from infecting the system.  It also locks the user out of shutting down the system, closing programs, downloading, installing and updating anti-virus software or malware utilities.  Once this virus takes over, it writes files in different locations on the hard drive so it can regenerate itself every 20 minutes and every time the computer is rebooted.

I am very vigilant about keeping my anti-virus software up to date, but this virus was able to by-pass my anti-virus software by corrupting it's files.  You can do an internet search for more information.

PASTEL LINEN?


I came across this in my STASH.  A looong time ago, I won this fabric on an ebay auction.  The description was 28 count pastel linen and it included four pieces (red, blue, teal & green) that are a half yard each.  Even though it was not what I was thinking pastel linen would be and the picture on the auction looked very different than what I received, I kept the fabric.  I guess I thought I’d find a use for it *someday*.

So, what should I do with it?  My eyes bug out just looking at the threads of this fabric.  I had to take a needle and thread and stitch a row just to see if it was actually something I could stitch on.

I have some designs that I’d like to stitch for pillows and this fabric might be good for that, IF it can be bleached or dyed.  It’s a heavy fabric, almost like a denim weight.  I do like the general color of the fabrics, just not the colored fabric thread with the white fabric thread.  

I was thinking maybe it could be dyed to be more of a solid color, but I know I’d have a difficult time matching the colored fabric threads.  I also thought about bleaching it, but I’m worried bleach would damage the fabric threads.

A FINISH!

Stars and Stripes

Little House Needleworks

Completed July 2012

HUNGARIAN FOLK ART MOTIF

Hungarian Folk Art Motif

Mini Mystery SAL

by Manka Mintai

Completed July 2012

NEW, BUT HOLEY

This is a new tshirt.  Took it home and removed the sticky label from the front so it could be washed prior to wearing it.  Underneath the sticky label I found these holes smack dab in the middle of the shirt front! 

Went back to the store with the shirt, but they wouldn't take it back because the sticky label that they put on the front of the shirt had been removed.  I can't believe it!

Anyone know of any way to repair holes like this?  Because of where the holes are located, a patch would look really odd and out of place.  So frustrating that clothing can't even be purchased without holes and the store won't stand behind their product!  I hate the thought of a new tshirt becoming a rag before it's ever worn.


Have a great and safe week!

Until next time,
Happy Stitchin'

I’M CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY ~~ 

ALL MONTH LONG!

Patriotic Heart 

Punch Needle Pillow

Completed

July 2, 2012

IN MY GARDEN

Despite our extremely hot, dry weather, my flowers have been looking pretty good.  This year the yellows, oranges and reds are particularly vibrant.




PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELSEY
(sorry my pics of her pics aren't too good)

Starved Rock State Park

Utica, IL

My youngest daughter took these photographs at her favorite state park.  She was late in getting a Father's Day and Birthday gift for Hubby and decided to frame these 11x13 prints for his belated gifts.  Don't you just love the handwritten note on scrap paper in place of a card!

These Were Taken Around Chicago

 
Came home from work one day to find this ensemble on one of the living room walls.  Every room had several 5x7 framed prints placed in them as well.

SNICKERS

Sutures removed, hair growing back and no more cone (E-Collar)!  She's doing pretty good, all things considered.  Her appetite is coming back, she's navigating around the house and yard better and begging for people food.

❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀

Between work & board meetings, power outages and my mom's appointments, I've been kept really busy.  I've got alot of SAL's that I'm wanting to get involved in, so I'm getting all the materials kitted up.

I've never been one to have alot of projects going at once, but I think I'm going to have to start a rotation schedule. 

I'm also working on an exchange but, sorry, you'll just have to wait for more details until the piece is finished and I know the recipient has received it.


I hope you are able to find some time to relax and find the beauty of nature in your everyday life!


Until next time...
Happy Stitchin'