Happy Valentine's Day

I finished this fun little stitched design from the Rainbow Gallery by Erica Michaels. It is a free chart from Rainbow Gallery, part of the 2000 Stitcher's Surprise Series. It is not stitched as designed, I used it as a monochromatic challenge where we use one color of thread. I did it all in DMC Variations #4210. I used bee charm I had on had (shown in second photo). I used some rose colored 28 count even weave I had in my stash and stitched it over two.

I finished it into a little pillow to put out as part of my February display. This is the first time I sewed on rick-rack. I think I did ok, if I may say so myself.

That is all from here!

Happy Stitching!!

A Couple of Flat Folds

 Last month I taught a workshop to my local needlework club on how to do a flat fold finish.

I had 4 students and it went quite well, all but one had their pieces all put together except for the cording. We have started back our monthly programs and February we will be making twisted cord!

Here are two pieces I finished in the flat fold manner. The cactus has purchased cording and the heart has cord I made using two colors!

The Saguaro is from a Banar designs kit from the 1990s and the heart is from a local Littleton, Colorado needlework shop retreat. So, I do not have a lot of information on either of them other than that.

I had planned to put the Saguaro in our March expo sale, but I like it too much and I am keeping it!! But I have the chart someplace and can make another one for the sale. Maybe not for March, but there should be one or two sales in the fall. 

What's for Dinner?

Tonight, I decided to use my Pampered Chef Rockcrock Dutch oven to make Chili!

It was super easy. I first saluted some onions in the pot:

Then I pretty much followed the recipe on the package of Pampered Chef's Chili Mix. 

My personal touches were to use 2lbs of ground sirloin. Next time I may try the recommended 1lb, but I wanted leftovers - boy do I have leftovers!!!!! I chopped the beef up using one of my favorite tools, the Mix 'N Chop.

I also used two 15 oz cans of beans - one can of red kidney and one can of pinto, original recipe only called for one can.

It passed the hubby test. He asked when I would be away for lunch this week so he could have the leftovers!!

Shop with me 27/7 here: Home | Pampered Chef US Site

That is all for now. For my next post, I plan to show you a couple stitched items, so please come back.

New Cooking Gadget/Adventure

Hello, I recently became an Independent Consultant for Pampered Chef. You can find my website on my ABOUT page. I wanted to share with you this fun new product. I think it is my new favorite!

Now, before you groan and wonder if this will turn into a cooking blog, NO, this will still be primarily a stitching site. I just might throw in a few fun cooking things once in a while. I just navigate and tell stories better via a blog than on facebook (I do have a separate FB page for my Pampered Chef business by the way). Also, the company does not want us to have a dedicated Pampered Chef blog, but they do allow mention of product in our lifestyle blogs. I guess no hard sales either. So, since I tend to be a boring rule follower, I did not create a separate blog, I will just use this blog.

Here goes:

My new favorite cooking tool is the Rapid-Prep Mandoline. I have (but not for long) a traditional mandolin and as you can see there are blades and lots of chances to get cut with this one. I always worried when they were in the dishwasher, fearing them getting grabbed the wrong way and gave alerts to my hubbie that sharp stuff was in there.

Now for some photos of the Pampered Chef Mandoline:

I did not pull the cover down all the way, but the blade is below that white part and behind the gray slider. There are dials on the back to let you set the cutting type and thickness. You never handle the blade. Big plus for me!!!

It fits nicely in one of my pull-out drawers in the kitchen, right where my other mandolin used to be! There are some good product information videos etc. on the Pampered Chef website if you want more information.

That is all for now, back to stitching!

Christmas Gift Stitching

In 2021 we had a new baby addition to our family. Niece Jill her husband adopted a little baby girl that is the half-sister of the baby boy they adopted last year. Her name was just the right size for me to adapt this "Baby's" First Christmas to Aliya's! Her mom loves penguins, so when I saw this in the December 2021 issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine, I knew I had to make it for her!

My college roommate likes rabbits. But realistic ones not animated. So, when I saw this year long series for 2018 called Mini Bunnies in Just Cross Stitch Magazine, I thought of her at once. It did not stitch it right away, I wanted to figure out a way to finish it. After some stops and starts I figured it out and stitched it for her Christmas this year. Here are the twelve rabbits. Top photo has Dec, Jan, April, May, Aug & Sept.

This photo shows Feb, March, June, July, Nov and Oct. Oops I photographed them out of order.

I found a shadow box that was just the right size, but I needed it to be kind of a reverse shadow box. So I trimmed the mat so it touched the glass and then there was room for all the monthly rabbits behind!

I cut out a template so I would know the opening. I cut comic book board to match the inside, then marked it with air removable fabric marker (I tested it first to make sure it would go away, and it did)! I used the outer mat as my pattern for the size and placement of the picture. For December, I cut the stitched piece leaving a couple of squares one each side, centered it on the drawn square and sewed it on with my sewing machine. I used a longer stitch than normal so not to perforate the comic book board. I also put my initials on the back and the month it was supposed to be, a couple could go either way! You can see, for the other months I did not cut out the stitched piece, I lined it up with the sqaure I drew on the comic book board and sewed it in place. A little trial and error. While both look good, the later method was easier.

Now all Sandra has to do, is open the back and change out the rabbit each month. Being a shadow box, it has a wide frame and sits on a table on its own.

Happy Stitching!!

&

Merry Christmas!!!!

 

Some Christmas Stitching

 I told you about the ornament I stitched for our tree on the post. Here it is on our tree.

This year I joined the online ANG Chapter of Cyperpointers. The November meeting program was this cute design by Linda Lachance of Northern Pine Designs called Christmas Bell. It was designed to fit into an 8 x 10"-inch frame with a matt. So, I am on the hunt for the right frame. It was quite fun to stitch with different stitches, fun thread and beads. 

That is about all for now, more tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For those of you in the United States, Happy Turkey Day!! 

For everyone else, have a great day!

Pillow is a Pine Mountain Design.

Enjoy the day whatever you may do!