A Stitcher's Weekend

I have some pictures to share with you from the stitching retreat I attended over the Labor Day long weekend. This retreat was held at Kathy's home on the shores of Lake Ontario. Kathy is the other Canadian participant in the International RR. She has an inspiring and wonderful view of Lake Ontario. What stitcher wouldn't want this in their own backyard?

The lighthouse on the point in the first photo is one we visited earlier in the summer when we were camping.

On Sunday, we were spectators at an outdoor wedding that was held on the public property next door to Kathy's. It was a beautiful spot, but a bit windy.

Despite all of the excitement, I did manage to get some stitching done. On Saturday I worked on the heart for Carolyn's RR.

Carolyn's RR

Here I am handing the RR off to Kathy.

On Sunday I started the Happy Birthday stocking and have since completed it. This stocking clearly dates me!

Happy Birthday

I am working on another stocking that I hope to finish today. I have ordered the Halloween stockings which should have arrived last week. I received the bill for them, but no stockings yet. Not usually the order that you want to get things in!

Yesterday, I finally picked up my finish from the framer. I think it turned out quite well. I had originally planned to hang this in my craft room, but instead I hung it in the dining room and replaced an ugly pansy print that was there.

Each Day is a New Beginning

That's my stitching update for this week. I will have more finishes to share with you soon!

Round Robin & Hugs and Kisses

It has been awhile since I had received a mailing for the International RR. I finally received two - Ann's and Simone's. Here are pics of the hearts that I stitched on their samplers. I used Cherry Bark by GAST on Simone's and DMC (can't recall the number) on Ann's.

Simone's RR

Ann's RR

I've also made decent progress on Hugs and Kisses. I am loving it more and more as I complete each motif.

Each Day is a New Beginning is at the framer's and should be back any day now. I also spent part of yesterday afternoon finishing one of the February stockings by Blackbird Designs. It's so cute! I still have to make the hanger and finish the other stocking though, so I'll wait to post pictures until that is done.

Well, I'm off to go for my (almost) daily walk. Have a great day!

Sweetheart Sampler Stocking Finish

I am happy to report that I have finished my second stocking from the Love is in the Air booklet by Blackbird Designs. I think it's just dah-ling!

Sweetheart Sampler
by Blackbird Designs
Fibers: Gentle Art Sampler Threads
Fabric: 28 ct. Autumn Field Linen

Instead of starting yet another stocking, I put some 32 count French Lace linen on my scroll frame and started the Letter L by Nora Corbett. What you see in the progress pic is the fairy's dress and her leg. It's coming along nicely.

And, as promised, here are pictures of the cards I made for my Mom's birthday and for Mother's Day.

A friend of my sister's had seen the invitations that I had made for my niece's First Communion, and now she has requested that I make a single keepsake invitation for her own daughter. I'll have to find some time to fit that in between job-hunting and wall-painting!

Hope you have a warm and wonderful day!

First stocking finish

I finished the first stocking from the Love is in the Air booklet by Blackbird Designs. I love it. It's just so cute. I ended up frogging two of the hearts at the top and restitching because I didn't like how I had done them. I think I was still getting used to stitching with hand dyed thread at that point. I am going to wait until I have more itty bitty stockings stitched before I finish this one.

Be Mine
by Blackbird Designs
Fibers: Gentle Art Sampler Threads
Fabric: 28 ct. Autumn Field Linen

I couldn't wait to start on the next one, so I dove in right away. Here is my progress so far.

Sweetheart Sampler
by Blackbird Designs

My husband's side of the family is coming to visit us on Saturday, so I made a Mother's Day card for his Mom. I've been a little tired of making cards after doing all of those invitations, so I used a pre-cut card to save myself some time. I also used another of those gold foil roses that I had bought at the CreativFestival. I think it looks pretty good for really not being in the card-making mood.

I'm thinking of possibly putting Celtic Summer back on my Q-snaps and making some progress on her. I also need to get started on the Letter L by Nora Corbett. I am stitching it for my sister-in-law and hope to finish it into a cushion for her for Christmas. She will also be coming to visit this weekend. We plan to visit some cross stitch shops. I think that I will buy the supplies for this new start then, and just tell her I'm stitching it for my sister.

Have a great day everyone!

Oopsie!

Wow! I'm way behind in posting to this blog. I'd been feeling overwhelmed lately as I have an upstairs hallway to paint, yard work to do, taxes to file, a Round Robin to keep up with, etc. At least I have been pretty good about posting on my Cross Stitch Confetti blog.

So here is what I have been working on lately. It was actually causing me some stress as I knew that the deadline was looming!

These are invitations for my niece's First Communion in May. I made ten invitations with coordinating envelopes in four different styles, but all using the same layout. I love how they turned out! It had been awhile since I had made some cards, so it was good to get back into it. I just wish there hadn't been the pressure of a deadline.

Here is a progress update for Each Day is a New Beginning. I have all of the backstitching done on the bottom half. I just need to adjust my scroll frame and backstitch the top half and then I will be finished. Yay! I can't wait to have this framed and up on the wall in my crafts room.

I also started stitching one of the stockings from Blackbird Designs' Love is in the Air booklet. It is so much fun! This is my first experience stitching with hand dyed floss and I am loving it! I've since bought the January and March stockings. I will have to get April as well since it has just been released.

I decided not to use the R & R fabric that the pattern calls for after all. I was at my LNS and she said that the quality of R & R fabrics is not quite as good as some other's. Plus it would be a bit of a pain to have to order since neither of the LNS's I frequent carry it. So I went ahead and started stitching the stocking on the Autumn Field fabric that I had bought. I really like how the threads look against the fabric.

Last, but certainly not least, is a photo of Willeke's Round Robin after I stitched my heart on it. I think these are the colors that the pattern calls for, but it felt a bit wrong stitching a gray heart. As long as Willeke loves it, that's all that matters!

Until next time, happy stitching!

Love is in the Air!

I recently fell in love with the monthly stockings series by Blackbird Designs. But, as is my cautious nature, I wanted to see one of them up close and personal before I committed to buying more. So I placed an order for the By the Chimney with Care January stockings. Turns out that particular month was back ordered, so I went with the Love is in the Air February stockings instead. I received it in the mail this week and was not disappointed! They are so adorably cute that I will be placing another order for the January and March stockings.

Now I was on a mission to buy the supplies. I am typically not one to stray too far from the materials list. I knew that my odds of finding 30 count R&R Reproductions linen in St. Valentine's Blend and Irish Cream at my LNS were not good. She did sell me on some gorgeous 28 count fabric called Autumn Field that really popped with some of the Gentle Art threads. I placed a special order for the Irish Cream fabric. I also picked up some Mill Hill beads for the stocking hangers instead of the Czech glass beads from the supply list (gasp!). But I really didn't want to run all over town trying to find these beads when the Mill Hill one's seemed just as good. So here is what I ended up with -


Then last night, the more I thought about it, the less satisfied I was with using both 28 ct. and 30 ct. fabric for the stockings. I would have to adjust the stocking template to be a bit bigger for the 28 count. Finishing projects is not my strong point, so I need all the help I can get. Having to adjust the template, although not that difficult, is certainly not helpful.

I made up my mind after talking to my boyfriend (OK, common-law husband, OK husband really :). He said that I should definitely not make different sized stockings. I think he thought it was a no-brainer. :) Although the size difference would be hardly noticeable, I do think that I wouldn't be happy with it. So, that meant I could either stitch it all on 28 count or on 30 count. If I went with 28, that meant I would probably have to select several other colors of fabric. I didn't really see any other 28 ct. fabric at my LNS that I liked for the stockings so, at long last, a decision has been made! 30 count R&R fabric it is! And that, ladies & gentlemen (?), is my somewhat muddled thought process. Aren't you glad you stopped by? LOL. Of course, that means that I can't start stitching these stockings until I get the fabric. Boo hoo! I also still need to get a few skeins of Crescent Colours and find some backing fabric.

While I was at my LNS, I bought the June needleroll by The Victoria Sampler. I had so much fun with the first one, that I thought I should stitch one for my mother-in-law. It will probably be a Christmas gift.

Yesterday I received Willeke's RR in the Friendship Sampler RR. I doubt that I will have time to stitch on it this weekend. I have to get some spring cleaning done and I'm also in the process of painting the upstairs hall.

That's all for today folks. Enjoy your weekend!