Copyright

(c) 2009 - 2024 (MEM)

Please keep in mind that, unless otherwise noted, everything on my blog is copyright material of some sort. Either by me (as picture taker, writer, creator) or more importantly by the designer of the needlework pieces I present. If you promise to be copyright mindful, my promise to you is to do my best to provide you enough information in my post for you to obtain your own legal copy. Please be respectful of these copyrights and not take business away from our wonderful designers. Thank you.
............. . ."She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight" Proverbs 31:13 NAS


Thursday, December 29, 2011

Christmas Stitching for My Nieces

My twin (fraternal) nieces live in California and I live in Colorado, so sadly I do not see them much. But the internet helps. I like to make them something for Christmas and usually make an ornament. I was thinking their tree might be getting full, so I made each of them key chains. They are 23 so ideas for gifts to make can be tricky.

For one niece I used the chart from the November 2011 Issue of cross-stitch & Needlework Magazine. I stitched in on some green aida I had on hand and changed some of the colors to one's she likes - lime green and pink. It is folded on itself and therefore the same on both sides.


For my other niece I made a key chain showing her favorite sport - soccer. The chart is from the book by Sam Hawkins called 501 Cross Stitch Designs. Published in 1993 by Meredith Press for the American School of Needlework. For this one I did not fold it on itself, I sewed ultrasuede on the back (shown here under the stitched piece).


They were fun to make and I am told they liked their gifts.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Do as I Say, Not as I (don’t) do

Here in the states when we change from or to Day Light Savings time it is suggested we also change the batteries in our smoke detectors. I even reminded my blog readers on my blog. But did I do it???? NOOOO!
So last night at 3:50 am, I am sound asleep and hear this beep and a female voice that says “low battery.” Having been sound asleep, and hubby still sound asleep, I wonder if I dreamed it? So I lay awake for a bit, but finally fall back asleep. Then at 4:20 am I hear a beep and the female voice saying “low battery.” This time hubby wakes up too, and of course if we are up so is the dog.
I go downstairs for a 9 volt battery. No battery, so I go upstairs and take one out of the clock radio in the guest room, hoping it has enough oomph to make the alarm happy until I can get a new battery. We screw the alarm off the ceiling and peer into the battery slot and see three AA batteries. So, down the stairs I go for the correct batteries.  Batteries replaced, alarm screwed back on the holder, step stool put away and the dog calmed. She was shaking and right at the bottom of the step stool! She HATES the low battery beep. At the other house she hid under the bed for the entire night once.
By this time it is approximately 4:30 am. Hubby can’t go back to sleep and decides to go to work early. I lay there for about half an hour and finally fall asleep only to be woken by the alarm a half our later at 5:30. I see lots of coffee in my future today!
Because all good blog posts should have a picture, here is Miss Maddie in her Christmas finery, sent by my friend Sandra who lives in NY State.
zzzzzzzzzzz - she does that so well!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

TUSAL Dec 2011

Almost forgot in all the preparation for Santa and the new moon being the 24th! Here are my orts since the
last new moon. Santa was nice here, for those of you who celebrate, I hope he was good to you too.


Happy Holidays to you all what ever holiday you celebrate!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

"The closest thing to heaven on this planet anywhere Is a quiet Christmas morning in the Colorado snow" From the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band song Colorado Christmas.

Have a nice day everyone

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Snow & Telework Day

Well it snowed overnight and is still coming down. Lucky for me I can telework and stay safe and sound inside. I took this photo at 6:40 am today when I let Miss Maddie out.

It looks to be at least 12 inches on the table. Despite this being my 5th December here, I do not have any high snow boots, so I could not run out and get a real measure. So I used the unofficial measure of  how far up the snow is on the dog! It was up to her elbows and that is about 10 inches. Must be more by now!

So it looks like this is a year when we will have a white Christmas. Believe it or not we do not always have a white Christmas. According to the weather folks and 110 years of data we have snow falling on Christmas about 15 % of the time and snow (1 inch or more) on the ground 3 out of 10 years. So if you want a white Christmas this is the year in Denver!!

I posted this photo with info on the local news network's facebook page and they aired it! With my name and what I said about snow up to the dogs elbow! Wow.

Well break time is over, gotta get back to work.

Friday, December 16, 2011

BUSTED!! Dec. 12, 2011

Just as I suspected!
Caught in the act when I was home sick earlier in the week!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Six Inch Snowman

I like to make things for my family and friends, especially at Christmas. Usually I make ornaments, but my mother-in-law does not put up a tree anymore. So I came up with this cute little stand up snowman (photographed laying down because it was just easier that way). It is approximately 6 inches tall and 2 inches wide at the base. I put some crushed walnut shells in the base to help with the standing up and the rest is stuffed with fiberfill. It is the first one I have made and I can see some refinements already - if I decide to make any more that is!

I know I can safely post this before she gets it because she does not have a computer!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

SGR gift and Christmas Decor

In  my post of yesterday, you may have noticed at my place setting a pretty box on my plate. Everyone got a gift and I thought I'd share a picture of it here. From what I could tell we all got them same gift, but the boxes were different.
See the little snowman family to the right of the silver tree and in front of the box they came in? They are the cutest little things!

I bought the silver tree a few years ago as a a newer version of one my mom always put out at Christmas. I have her tree and it sits on our mantle, but it is a little worn with age. I made the tiny reindeer near left bottom and not sure if you can see any of the tiny candy canes my brother made out of wires - both these were originally made for my mom's tree. It sits on my mom's sewing machine near the entry into our family room. I found the pretty vintage table cloth at a garage sale many, many years ago and it fits just fine.

I just love decorating for Christmas!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

SGR Christmas Tea & Ornament Exchange


Sunday was the Sampler Guild of the Rockies (SGR) Christmas Tea and stitched ornament exchange. Each table was set up by a member who volunteered to bring 8 place settings. All tables were different and very pretty! My table consisted of pink and clear Depression glass for the setting, lovely silk poinsettias (pink) and various greens with little glass ornaments sprinkled all about. I took a picture of my place setting before we sat down to eat.

We also had an ornament exchange the only rule was that it had to be stitched. Yesterday I posted about the ornament I made and here is a picture of the one I received from Robin a guest who came well prepared and I hope she joins! In the picture below her ornament is on the left and the little white heart at the right was our make and take for the day. I finished it last night and if I want I can take it back in January to put some glitter paint over it. We were given felt with a heart outline and filled it in with buttons and pearls also provided. We had a second piece of white felt, sewed the two together with a running stitch, stuffed it, closed it and cut with pinking shears. Hanger and bow added to finish it off.
The make and take was a lot of fun, the food was great and being with fellow stitchers is always priceless!!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Another Gift Exchange

Yesterday was the Sampler Guild of The Rockies Christmas Tea and ornament exchange. Here is the ornament I made for the exchange. It (and the needle minder design) are from the book 365 Tiny Cross Stitch Designs by the Kooler Design Studio published by the American School of Needlework in 2000. I used small finishing forms I had on had to make each of them. For the needle minder I used the Sept. 12 design and only did the spools of it. For this one I used a mini sampler listed as the Dec. 8 design and the 1 x 2 (approx.) finishing form. It is pictured on the fabric I used for the backing.
I will post a picture of what I received as soon as I get it taken!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Good Things Come to Those Who Stitch


What else can I say?? Just completed.
Lizzie N Kate – Good Things – Snippet #572
Not sure the fabric I used, but I did use the suggested threads:
Weeks Dye Works and Sampler Threads.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Commemorative events are taking place in Hawaii. Just before 8 am (Hawaii time) Dec 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes  attacked the American naval base at Pearl, destroying 5 U.S. battleships, hundreds of war planes and killing over 2,400 people. The attack lasted 2 hours.

As you may know, this event catapulted the United States into World War II. Both my mother and father (they met and married after the war) would feel the pull to join the military and do their part. My father joined the Army, and became a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and fought in Africa and Europe. He jumped from a glider on D-Day into the fields of France. My mother joined the Army Air Corps (before there was an Air Force) and worked stateside at the Santa Ana Army Airbase doing the paperwork necessary for mustering folks in and out, training etc. My brother has the blue star flag our maternal grandfather proudly hung in their front window.


Today is one of the few days here in the United States we are supposed to fly our flags at half-staff the ENTIRE day [the others are Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 17), Patriot day (Sept. 11), and Firefighters Memorial Day (early Oct date varies)]. Interestingly enough on Memorial Day it is only flown at half-staff until noon.
Here is what the History Channel says about the attack and of course you can always use your search engine for more information.
To all the WWII Veterans still living I thank you and may all who have gone before us rest in peace!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Stained Glass Ornament – sort of

As you can see by the markings, I did this in 2005, but I never really like the finishing job. I put it in a wooden hoop that I wrapped in black ribbon. It just did not look quite right. So this year I took it out of the hoop and used the inner circle of the hoop as a template to cut out two pieces from comic book board. I did a running stich around the stitching and some fabric and gathered it up around the comic book circles. I then sewed the two pieces together (after I remembered to insert the hanger, which is not always the case) and added the red bead trim. I think it looks a lot more elegant this way!
Happy, Merry Stitching Everyone!!!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Foothills EGA Christmas Party

Regular readers of my blog will recall I teased you all with a post about some finished projects and all I showed you were the boxes! I promised more details at the appropriate time and now’s the time to show you one of them. Here is what I made for our Foothills EGA gift exchange.

TA DA......
It is a magnetic needle keep using a 1.5 in square finishing form, shown here before I put the two halves together. I had the form on hand and I got the idea from Its' Daffy Cat. The recipient really loved it and that makes me very happy. Here is a very cute pin cushion I received, it was purchased at a craft fair and I am told the seller had them all laid out on a tray and it looked like lots of cupcakes. It is made of re-purposed wool from sweaters and jackets. Isn't it the sweetest thing??



That's all for now!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Noel Christmas Ornament

Here is an ornament from last year that we did as a program with the Sampler Guild of the Rockies. I finally finish finished it this year. We had the option of putting whatever we wanted in the center, like initials, etc. I decided NOEL would be nice.


Have a nice day!!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Sunset & Snow

I took the sunset photo on Nov. 30, 2011 while stopped in traffic. I have only lived in Colorado for a little over 4 years and this is the first time I thought the "Purple Mountain Majesty" really looked a shade of purple. Picture does not do the mountains such justice, but the sunset was fantastic. I hope you enjoy it.



I think the nice sunset was the calm before the storm. The next day we had 6 inches of snow (5 when this picture was taken early in the morning). You can see that Miss Maddie's paw prints from an hour or so earlier are already getting filled in with snow.


Columbine Chapter of ANG Gift Exchange

At our November ANG meeting (there is no December meeting) we had our annual potluck and gift exchange. It did not have to be something made by us, so my gift to give was a pair of Fiskars foldable scissors. One can never have too many scissors! Here is what I got from Madonna (aka Front Range Stitcher).

Santa is painted on a gourd and is already hanging on our tree. The socks say Stitching Girl (so appropriate) and the luggage tag is a fund raiser for the 2012 EGA National Seminar. It says Stitch in many different languages.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Another Christmas Ornament

But first a note to my readers and commenters - THANKS!! I am still trying to figure out how I can reply to comments with an email. It is not that I have not read and appreciated your comments, I just have not figured out all this techno cyber stuff yet!

Now on to the good stuff! Here is another ornament I finished this year. First on the fabric it is backed with and then on our tree. I have really been on a roll lately and trying to get these smaller projects finished. It is called Oh Christmas Tree and is designed by Carolyn Standing Webb of Carolina House Designs. I think it was a Foothills Chapter EGA project last year (or shamefully the year before).


Christmas will soon be here!!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Leeping Deer Ornament

This is an ornament for our tree this year. It was from last year as a Sampler Guild of the Rockies fundraiser. It was designed by one of our very talented members.

December has started out here with some snow and chilly temps, but should recover soon!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

WOO HOO or Another Type of Finish

Well, I did it and I finish off the month of posting on my blog every day for the month of November!! I hope I was able to supply interesting posts and not just a lot of filler. I was not sure I would make it, but thanks to my friend, Sandra, who sent pictures of things I have made her and just keeping my eyes and ears open I was able to come up with stuff. And surprisingly most posts had pictures!
Thanks for hanging in there with me this past month!
CMission Accomplished!J

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Last Round of Christmas Ornaments - for now anyway!

Here are a couple of round ornaments I have made for Sandra. She made the mistake one year of telling me how she wanted to decorate her tree with handmade ornaments and was a little short. I have been helping to fill her tree ever since!

Again, not sure the years I did these, but I think I the top one was done a few years ago and the bottom one may be one of the first ornaments I made her, perhaps in the mid to late 1990s?

Monday, November 28, 2011

A Beaded Ornament

I learned to make this beaded ornament when I lived in Iowa. I made this one for my friend Sandra.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

More Christmas Ornaments

Here are some ornaments I made for Sandra that are quilting related since I know she is a quilter.

Not sure what year I did these, but I do recall enjoying making them!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Getting in the mood for Christmas

Christmas ornaments I have made for Sandra that are trees.

I think you can figure out what year I did the top one! The bottom is a mill hill kit I did last year.

Friday, November 25, 2011

A House Divided – Nebraska vs. Iowa & TUSAL

Before we get to the main event, here is my TUSAL for the November new moon.

Today is a big college football day in the United States. Many rivalry and other important games are played today or this weekend. I went to graduate school at the University of Nebraska and my mom was a HUGE Nebraska fan, so my allegiance has always been for the Huskers. Well, 14 ½ years ago, I married a man from Iowa with strong University of Iowa roots and I started to root for Iowa too. As fate would have it this year Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference, which is the conference Iowa is in and so we now have A HOUSE DIVIDED!   
I will still root for Iowa – just NOT today!!
GO BIG RED!!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today here in the United States it is Thanksgiving Day. I have many things to be thankful for and hope you do too - where ever you live.


Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Turkey in a Bowl

Here is a Thanksgiving display I had on a table at our house in North Carolina. All are gifts from my sister-in-laws. The pretty crystal bowl was from my brother's wife and the turkey and towel are from my husband's sister.



This is a Pine Mountain Designs pillow I did in 2007 and this year it is on the entry table which I showed yesterday.


Enjoy your day!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Entry table display for November

People who read my blog regularly know we moved in April and the new house had the perfect place in the entry way to put a table and create a seasonal display. Here is my November display.

These are my fall items with the turkey and pillow added for Thanksgiving. I posted a close up of the pillow here last year, if you are interested.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Cornucopias - oops now has pictures

I have been carrying these cornucopia baskets for years and so far they have not been crushed! Last year I did update the little one with new and different fruits and vegies.
I see the big horn of plenty below is not very plentiful this year!  I placed the small cornucopia on the kitchen table and may make the bigger one fuller and put it on the dining room table – just not sure about that yet.
Have a great stitching day!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

A Little Help From My Friend

Earlier in the month I told you about my friend Sandra who lives in New York State and how I have made her gifts and ornaments over the years (she has made me things too, which gives me an idea for something to post about)!  Well she sent me some more pictures and I plan to share one with you today and some others later in the month.
Here is a picture she sent showing the entire collection of ornaments. Here is just a taste of what is to come.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Friday, November 18, 2011

More Fortune Cookie Wisdom

You may be able to tell by now that we eat a lot of Chinese food. In fact, we have a restaurant we like about a mile and a half from our house that we visit at least once a week.
·         Good fortune is always on your side.
·         Your happiness is intertwined with your outlook on life.
·         Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.
·         Faith is knowing there is an ocean when you can only see the stream
·         A good way to keep healthy is to eat more Chinese food.
·         People who are late are often happier than those who have to wait for them.
Also, just found at my desk - Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Have a yummy day!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Fortune Cookie Wisdom

Some sayings I have liked:
· Your sweetheart may be too beautiful for words, but not for arguments.
· Learning is a treasure which accompanies us everywhere.
· You love Chinese food.
· You enjoy giving gifts of yourself to others, you will be rewarded.
· Pray for what you want, work for what you need.
· You are original and creative.




Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Miss Maddie and her menagerie!

Miss Maddie was funny Sunday. She ran down the stairs from the kitchen into the family room and picked up beaver. She then dropped it and ran a few steps to pick up rabbit. She then went to the back door and dropped rabbit and turned back to pick up duck.  Out she went with duck! Decisions, decisions!!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

My Soul is Fed by Needle and Thread

Here is another finish finish. I first posted about this stitching last February.
I decided to sew some fabric around it so it would fit into a box I bought from DMC (in 2006 or 7). It came with fabric, linen floss and a chart to stitch a flowery insert with initials (along with some other nice DMC products). I was not too crazy about the insert and had trouble sizing my initials to fit. So when going through my box of finishes in need of finishing I thought this would be perfect for my sewing box!
I put felt feet on the bottom of the box so it would not scratch the end table and it sits next to me by my stitching chair. It holds various stitching supplies and some parts of stitching in progress. I can close the lid and the whole “mess” is hidden from view!  See the mess in the picture below.
The needlebook and cloth go inside too, but they covered up all the other stuff inside so I set them out.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Alphabet w/Hare Finish Finished

As promised in my post yesterday here is the stitching all done and attached (using heat and bond) to the notebook cover. It is the next to the last thing to finish from the Sampler Guild of the Rockies June Retreat.

Happy Stitching!!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Samplers

Today is the monthly meeting of the Sampler Guild of the Rockies (SGR) so I thought I would write a little bit about the Sampler Consortium which I learned about at one of the guild meetings last year. The consortium is based at the University of Oregon in Eugene and is a collection of experts, scholars and others who are interested in the study of historic samplers and girlhood embroideries.

The Consortium has three goals and I quote from the website:
  1. "To advance the study of historic samplers and other girlhood embroideries;
  2. To increase access to information and research relevant to the study of historic samplers and girlhood embroideries;
  3. To design, develop, and support projects that advance the study of historic samplers and other girlhood embroideries."
Membership is open to anyone with an interest in samplers and girlhood embroideries and is currently free (an application form can be found on the website). Members also receive an email with information about samplers, books and exhibits.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will leave you with an alphabet sampler I am working on. It is a free-Bee from La D Da called Alphabet w/Hare and was one of the projects from the SGR June retreat. I stitched it on the supplied fabric which I only remember is NOT an evenweave. The stitch count of the design is square (89x89) but you can see here the outcome on the fabric is not square. I used some DMC variations floss (#4200) I had in my stash because the supplied floss was not overdyed and I liked the overdyed look on the sample shown at the retreat.  It is to be put on a notebook cover (that has pinkish flowers like the floss) supplied by the retreat as well. When it is finish finished I will post it. All the notebook covers and the fabric and floss to stitch the alphabet were different, so it will be fun to see all the different finishes at show and tell.

Happy Stitching!!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Happiness Is Cross Stitching


Earlier in the week I found this very cool blog by a lady in the UK called Happiness is Cross Stitching (and it is)!  She had 1725 followers on the day I found it and I can see why. Her pictures are great, showing nice details on the finishing and at the time there was some very cool Halloween stitching on her header. I am glad I found this blog, but wish I found it sooner. I guess that is what the archive is for!

I plan on checking back since she has a shop section and tutorial section (among others) on her blog too. I think you might like her blog too, so check it out (unless you are already one of those 1, 725).

Friday, November 11, 2011

Veterans Day in the U.S. of A.

Happy Veterans Day and THANKS to any of you (and your loved ones) out there who may be reading my blog.
We are FREE because of the BRAVE!!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Friends Part 3

This is a bag I made to hold thread or small fabric scraps. It is show flat. It has drawstrings to pull and hold the scraps, but travels flat.

I know my friend likes red, so when I saw this polka dot bag at the Sampler Guild Sale I bought it for her and then made the red pin cushion and put it in the bag.

Doesn't Sandra take good pictures!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Friends Part 2

This is a Pine Mountain Design Pillow I made for my friend Sandra not sure what year.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

What Are Friends For?

I told Sandra, my college roommate and friend, in NY State about my quest to post every day for the month of November. So she sent me some photos of gifts I have made her to help fill the days. Today I give you a door hanger I stitched and finished myself. Sandra is a quilter, so I thought she would like it.


Sorry I do not recall the designer or when I stitched it. I want to say it is by Sue Hillis???