Eye Candy and more!

I don't know how to Thank Terri at dixiesampler enough for all the great goodies that I won in her giveaway. They came in the mail today and I got down to business opening all the specially wrap packages. So here are the pictures I took of all the great stuff she sent.

Look at all these packages that came out of the box she sent.

I love all 3 of the charts that Terri sent and there are 2 fat quarter of fabric, 1 darker color and 1 lighter colored one. the lighter one I will be using to finish my Basket of Hearts that I just finished stitching. The colors match perfectly!  I am trying one of the Godiva Chocolate Strawberries as I type this.

The next one I opened was this Love Journal - very pretty!

Some ribbon and Ric rack

3 pieces of Linen

Stickie notes, page flags, list pad & journal

5 Sampler Threads & 4 Crescent Colours

2 pkgs heart buttons, 2 pkgs Mill Hill beads

& 4 little Crochet Flowers

The last package that I opened up brought me to tears, I do not have one of these sewing boxes and this one is so beautiful

And inside this beautiful box was 2 Yankee candles and some Hersey's Kisses. I took that stuff out and found laying in the bottom a pair of cute black heart scissors. Aren't they cute.

 My last picture is of everything that came in the box and spread out on my dinning room table.

Getting this box today has really brighten my day!

Thanks again Terri

Everything is awesome and I love it all!

I hope everyone gets a chance to win a giveaway like this sometime it is totally awesome!

Happy Stitching everyone

Denise

Valentines and Giveaways

My last update was last Thursday and the two pieces that I showed you that day have not been touched since, because Friday I decided to start a new piece that I didn't think would take too long to do. I mostly stitch in the evenings while sitting with my DH watching TV. I finally put the last stitches in it last night. 

Basket of Hearts by Tereena Clarke

Fabric - 28 ct Autumn Blush Cashel Vintage linen

Floss  - DMC 321, 666,& 3706

WDW Swiss Chocolate, & Baby's Breath

I plan to go to town today and find some Valentine material to make this into a small pillow. My next project is to get my Christmas ornament stitched for the month of February. More on that after I decide which one I will do, I have so many that I want to do!

On Monday I got an email from Terri at  Dixiesampler that I had won her give away, Oh Ya for me! Thank you very much Terri! I got another email that she had mailed it out yesterday and that I should have it my Saturday so I will be watching the mail box for the the next couple of day. I will post all my goodies when I receive them.

Speaking of Give aways  as you can see on my side bar my Blogoversary is in 26 days so I will be planning a give away of my own. But more info on that in a future post.

Well I am still sitting here in my PJ's so it time to go put some big girl clothes on so my granddaughter & I can go shopping for that material I need. And there are always other errands to do.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Denise

Floss Storage!

I have reading on a few blogs about the way everyone stores there floss. So I thought I would share what I do to store my floss and threads

DMC floss is store 2 ways

The first way is the floss is wrapped on bobbins and these are the ones that I work from and use on my current projects.

and my extra ones are stored in plastic floss keeper bags and are kept in a drawer in my craft room until I run out of one that is on a bobbin or is kitted in another project.

My WDW , GAST & CC are stored in a 3 ring binders. I have 3 notebooks, one for each of the different kinds of thread.

I try to keep them in alphabetic order for the most part.

And as you can see I use Business Card pages  and the threads fit perfectly in them, and you can see them at a glance.

Well that's how I keep my threads organized and it seems to work for me.

Now for some progress pictures

Enchanted Alphabet - I just need to finish the letter Z  and a few  other things and it will done. (hope to have it done soon!)

Metamorphosis is coming alone - I like working on this one because you don't have to change colors all the time.

 And of course I have to include a picture of my granddaughter, she is spending the day with me today.

Off to read some more blogs and do a little stitching while the little one takes her nap!

Happy Stitching

Denise

Exploding Pens

I hope this is not what the rest of the week will be like!
Started out washing the DH's work clothes yesterday morning, did his jeans, threw them in the dryer. Washed his tees and underthings threw them in the dryer - went to take them out of the dryer an found that my DH had left a blue ink pen in his pocket and it had exploded in my new dryer (8 months old). I just sat there and cried!!!!!! Oh the things that went through my head. I thought my dryer was ruined - so after I collected my thoughts I went to my computer and googled ink stains in the dryer. There were lots of ideas and I decided to try one that said to heat the dryer for a few minutes and use finger nail polish remover on a old cloth. It Work!!! It took me most of the afternoon to scrub it out because of the smell. Thank goodness the weather was super out yesterday so that I could have the door open for fresh air. One more disaster bites the dust and we are back to doing laundry as normal.

My last posting I showed a pic of an old WIP called Enchanted Alphabet. I now know why I put it aside. I found some counting errors as I was working on it. So I thought about it, worked on it, and decided not to frog any of it and fudged my way around it. I really don't think anyone will notice because of the spaces between the letters. And I will post a picture of it next time I post, maybe I will be done with it by then. All I have left of it is a lttle bunny, a bird and a butterfly.

I also got another circle done on Metamorphosis, but again no picture. I am thinking this one will be my 3rd finish for 2012. I need to all decided which ornament I want to do for the month of Feb. I think I might do two ornaments - 1 for Valentines day and 1 for Christmas.

Speaking of February my oldest DD is having a birthday this year! Thats right she was a leap year baby. We give her a bad time and tell her she is only 8 years old (she will really be 32) She has had a lot of fun with this thru the years of growing up.

Well I need to read a few more blogs and get some more laundry done. And of course the a few stitches in !

Happy Stitching everyone
Denise

Picking up a Very Old WIP

Here is what I will be working on this week, there is not much left to do on it so it shouldn't take me too long to complete. I don't remember when I started it or what the fabric is that I am using. The copy right date is 1991.

Enchanted Alphabet

by Lavender & Lace

I did use the called for DMC floss.

Looks like I have a bird to do above the little girls head, a bunny behind the little girl and complet the letters S, U,  W, X, Y,& Z and then run a ribbon from the rabbit to the little girls hand and maybe some backstitching, we will see when I get the stitching done. I am going to try and make this my 2nd finish of 2012.

Off to read some blogs.

Happy Stitching

Denise

1st Finish of 2012

I finish my first piece on Saturday. I had started it as one of my 15 new starts for the 2012 CJC. 

Hallelujah

Little House Needelworks

Started Jan. 6, 2012

Finished stitching Jan.  21, 2012

30 ct Straw Weeks Dye Works

and used recommended flosses

I was excited to finish this one so I could move on to something else, like

Metamorphosis by Ink Circles

I have the center one just about done.

I was hoping to have this one completed yesterday (Sunday) and could have if our plans had not changed. You see I had planned on having Lutefisk for supper but when I went looking for the butter in the frig - low and behold all out. And you can't eat Lutefisk without butter! So DH & I went to town to pick some up and as we drove down Main St of our little town, we saw War Horse was playing at the Theater. We made a U-turn and went back and the show was just starting, what timing. It was a really good movie, and I am glad we stopped. After the movie we went and got our butter and a few other things of course. We enjoyed our Lutefisk supper and it brought back memories of my grandparents because they use to make it us on the holidays.

I think I will do a little blog reading and then I am going to finish the center piece of Metamorphosis and then I have been hearing a very old WIP has been calling me to work on it and by old I mean I have not worked on it since I have been blogging an some before that. I will take a picture and put it on my next post.

And I leave you with a few shots of my Jan 2012 TUSAL

Have a good week every one

Happy Stitching

Denise

CJC - Day 12,13,14,&15

OK I made it thur 2012 CJC 15 starts, now too get started finishing some of some of my new starts. And I have plenty of WIP's to work on also.

Here are my last 4 starts -

Day 12 Four Seasons

Four Season by the Trilogy

32 ct Summer Khaki Belfast Linen

and use recommended Weeks Dye Works floss

Day 13 June Sweet Cake

I don't have a colored finished picture of this start. It has been kitted up for a long time ( I think since 2003) and I am not even sure where I found it, It might have been from the Rainbow Gallery web page,

Designer Erica Michael's

Fabric  32 ct cream Belfast linen

Threads  Hi-lights, Splendor, & Subtlety and Mill Hill Beads

Day 14 - Monogram Towel

I don't have a colored finished for this one either. It came out of one of my many magizines and I didn't want to go back thur them to find it.

Stoney Creek Collection

14 ct white - Aberdeen Hand Towel

DMC floss -  310 black

Day 15 - Harvest Hand Towel

Used  14 ct Banded Huck Towel and the recommended DMC floss.

Designer  Elizabeth Spurlock and I found it in Cross Stitch & Needlwork mag.

OK that is all my new starts for 2012. Now I am off to read a few blogs then I am off to get my grandsons and we are going to the sale barn and see if we can find some baby bottle calves to buy.

Everyone have a great week

Happy Stitching

Denise

CJC - Day 8,9,10,& 11

I have not updated my new starts for a few days so here they are!

Day 8

Day 9

Blessed ar the Needleworkers

Sue Stadler of Crossing Montana

Day 10

Blooming with Inspiration

Belinda Karls Nace - Blue Ribbon Designs

Day 11

Petticoat Heart

Just Nan

Didn't get many stitches in last night. I really love the colors in this one.

I can't wait until the 15th is over so I can finish some of these started ones.

My granddaughter is here today and I could not resist the chance to snap a cute picture of her.

I went to the doctor last Thursday and he put me on a liquid diet & some meds for a couple of days and I am as good as new. I have not felt this good in a long time.

We also got our first snow of the season. It wasn't much just enough to make the ground white. But now it feels like winter around here.

Time to go and find my next CJC start for today.

Happy Stitching

Denise

CJC - Day 5,6,&7

Hi Everyone!

First I wanted to let everyone know that I am better after seeing the doctor. He told me after he did some blood work that my liver enzymes were high and that he supected my gall bladder was the cause of this so it was a liquid diet for a couple of days and everything seems to be back to normal now, just have to watch my fat intake for a while.

Now on to my new starts for this year.

Day 5 - Metamorphosis by Ink Circle

I really like doing this one, each of the designs is a different color, so there is no changing of colors all the time.

Day 6 - Hallelujah by LHN

This one is I think I will use as my January Christmas ornament.

Day 7 - USA Tall Trios by The Trilogy

This one I didn't get much done on because I worked yesterday at the Cattle Sale Barn. We had a long day selling bred cows and I came home exhausted. I got a good nights sleep and am ready to start another project,

Happy Stitching

Denise



CJC day 3 & 4

Well I guess I am not over what ever is making me feel sick to my stomach. So DD1 insisted that I make a Dr. appointment. Got one for 10:15 this morning, so we will see what the deal is. More on it later.

Jan 3rd start

Count Your Blessings by Shakespeares Peddler

Jan 4th start

The Best Things by Waxing Moon Design

Not sure what I will be starting today. I will wait until after I get back from the Dr. appointment and see what appeals to me. 

Happy Stitching everyone

Denise