Mario, Autumn, & a Scottie

 So in the last week I have finally finished one of my many projects that is on my list for this year (and last).  I've been avoiding doing the crocheted Mario (Pattern by Linda Potts) for my nephew Tucker because there were so many parts.  Well, I haven't finished it completely.  I need to add the eyes and buttons.  So here is a picture of the Mario.  He turned out really cute.  Now I have to make one for Patrick and WaLuigi for Tyler.

Crocheted Mario

Tucker with his Mario

Mario chasing the Mushrooms on Tucker's Wall

 Another finish this week was the Lizzie Kate's Autumn ABC's Snippet.  The pumpkin was stitched using specialty thread.  Now I need to finish the Winter ABC's Snippet.

 I finished this one Friday.  It is a JBW Designs named Scottie Dog designed by Judy Whitman.  I stitched it on white linen using DMC Black.  Jennifer and I are going to make it into a pillow for my friend Sharon Vercher.

This month Jennifer, Bridget, and I are going to a stitching retreat in Oklahoma.  I can't wait to go.  I really don't know what all I am going to take with me.  I'm going to take my Lavender Myst, Tiramisu, Celtic Mystery Stitch-a-long, and maybe some new projects.  I am getting very excited.

Right now I am working on TWO Yoshi's.  One is for Tucker and one is for Michelle.  Then Tyler asked for a WaLuigi.  I have a Luigi pattern by Linda Potts but I will have to change the colors to make a WaLuigi.

Well got to go eat supper.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.  I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Sharon

My Birthday Finish

Lizzie Kate's Summer ABC's Snippet

Yesterday was my birthday.  My cousin Liz took me out to Olive Garden for dinner.  We had a great time.  I had Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo while she had the Chicken Alfredo Pizza.  We had the Lemon Creme Pie for dessert.  Yummy!

Afterwards we went back to her house and watch tv.  I had finished about half of this the night before.  I stitched it on 16 ct Aida using the recommended DMC floss.  The difference here is that I used Mill Hill beads for the seeds in the watermelon rather than french knots.  I was going to use black beads but I don't have any (surprising).  So I used dark blue ones.

Today is the first day of my summer class.  I will be teaching College Algebra in the month of June.  Wish me and my students luck.  There is a lot of material for 16 days of class.  But I am ready to get it started.

Well got to go get dressed for class.  Thanks for stopping by

Sharon

Quick Stitch

Lizzie Kate's Spring ABC's Snippet

So after finishing Wild West (or Treasure Map),  I needed to stitch something simple.  So I started this pattern Tuesday evening.  I had finished it by Wednesday evening.  I used DMC floss as per the pattern for the letters and the egg at the bottom.  I used Crescent Colours; Tangerine for the carrot.  The fabric used was natural Aida, 16 count.  

At the moment I am pulling thread for the Summer sequel to this one.  I was going to used one hand dyed thread on each of the 4 patterns but the summer one doesn't have a big enough area to call for hand dyed thread.

Also, I have two new additions to my family.  I got two kittens from my brother and his wife.  Here they are:

Esmeralda

Periwinkle

Aren't they the cutest.  Well Esmeralda (or Cinderella as Leif calls her) is the vocal one.  Periwinkle (or Starlight as Leif calls her) is the adventurous one.  I love having them until 7am when they wake me up plundering.  They are very loving.

Well, thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed reading my post (or at least looking at my pictures).

Sharon

Wild West Finished!! Finally!!

So here is the history behind this pattern.  As I previously stated, my sister-in-law Mari wanted this pattern.  The problem is she doesn't stitch very quickly.  My sister Bridget said "Go ahead and get it.  Sharon will stitch it for you."  Well that was late 2006 or early 2007.  The following pictures are the progression of the pattern through the years.

4/7/2007

So first up is a picture from 2007.  I think I started the pattern Easter weekend but am not sure.  This is the first picture I have of the pattern.  I had also blogged on 4/7/2007 about starting the project.  I wrote about how easy this project would be since I had finished half of the 3 large pieces.  Boy was I wrong.













This picture was posted in March 2008.  Notice that the new stuff is the bottom half of the miner.  This pattern was very difficult because you changed colors a lot.

1/12/2012

Then in January 2012 I decided to do the 24 pattern challenge (12 new projects & 12 old projects).  So here is what I had completed between 3/2008 and 1/2012. Not a whole lot of new stuff was stitched.  I worked on this project through out 2012 but there were a lot of little areas with several color changes.  It took longer than I planned.

Finally in 2013, I made the decision to complete all started project.  Here is what the project looked like in January 2013.  I started working only on this project.  Which is hard because I really didn't want to work on it.  So instead of cross-stitching, I crocheted instead.  I finished my sister-in-law Mari's afghan (see post First Finish of the Year).

3/20/2013

This is what I had completed in March.  I should have completed the entire project by the end of March but again I was being lazy.  The only things left are the stagecoach and the cow skull at this point.  Well, I continued to work on it for the next two months (mainly the last two weeks) and have finished it.














And ta-da.  It is now complete.  I have washed and ironed it.  I will give it to Mari tonight.  She is planning on framing it and put it in the boys room when they finish building it.  So it took me 6 years and 2 months to finish this project.  I am so glad it is done.

Completion Date: 5/21/2013
Pattern: Treasure Map #015-0234 by Janlynn
Designed by: Diana Thomas
Copyright 2006

Thank you for stopping by.

Sharon Clark

Nearly Completed UFO

This is the Wild West kit that my sister-in-law Mari bought for her son Theron when he was 3.  I told her that I would stitch it.  Well, he is 9 now.  So, I thought I needed to finish it before he outgrew it.  I  have made great progress.  As I completed a section of stitching, I also completed the backstitching.  I have a large red stage coach, a cow skull left, and the coast line of California to complete with less than 1/4 of the border.

It is looking great.  I can't believe it is almost finished.  I hope to finish it this weekend.  My brother and Mari are planning to finish  building the boys room (Theron & Leif) upstairs this spring.  I want to finish and frame it so the picture can hang on the wall in their new room. 

Next big project to finish is the Rose of Sharon.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Books, Books, and more Books

Hello,

So last weekend I was cleaning up my room and decided to organize my pile of books.  When I finish gathering all of the unread books in my house, I had a stack of 55.  (My friend Cheri called me a light-weight).  I decided then that I would spend less time in front of the TV (since nothing worth watching is ever on; and if it is I let the DVR recorded it to avoid commercials), and spend more time reading.  So I started in week six of the year.  If I read a book a week, which is possible for most of the books,  I could wipe out the majority of what I have by the end of the year.  That is, if I don't buy any new books.

So, I went to Paperback Swap and put every book on my TBR list (To Be Read).  As I finish each book I will move it to my read list and then post it for swapping.  I wonder how many I will get through this year.

I really loved to read but I haven't read a whole lot this past decade.  My main reason for not reading was my Ph.D. that I was working on.  I felt guilty reading for pleasure when I was suppose to be reading for my dissertation.  Well, at the end of April last year, I made a decision to stop working on my Ph.D.  for three reasons.  Reason 1, I was on my 3rd major professor and my new major professor was like my 1st major professor; it took him several months to read and critique what you had sent him.  Reason 2, I had pretty much reached my limit and would have to start all over.  Finally, Reason 3, my research was old and dated and had been proven already by others.  So,  now I am actually very happy and less stressed.

I plan on relaxing more this year while completing projects in cross stitching, crocheting, and scrapbooking.  If you look at my UFO Challenge for 2013, I have several projects that I have been working on for years.  I am ready to be finished with these projects.  Well, got to go.  My nephews are playing BanjoKazooie on the X-Box and are having trouble.

Thanks for stopping by,

Sharon  

First Finishes of the year

The first project to be finished this year was Mari's afghan.  I finally finished it last Sunday.  I think it ended up taking 14 skeins of yarn to finish it.  If I had followed the directions to make it at first, it would have made a rug for the living room.  The pattern said to crochet 358 chains. The pattern is suppose to be 45" by 60".  It turned out to be 54" by 88".  Mari was very happy when I gave it to her.

The second project I finished.  I finished just now.  I completed the Winter Basket from the Lizzie Kate season basket.  I plan on separating them and framing them.  

I hope to finish the 5 projects that I have had started forever.  We will see what happens.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon