Twilight Weekend with crocheting

My cousin/friend, Liz, and I usually spend one day a week together doing something.  Well since Thanksgiving, we have hardly seen each other.  So, this Friday and Saturday, we had a Twilight weekend.  We watched the first 2 movies on Friday then the last 3 on Saturday.  I brought my crochet to work on while we watched the movie.  I bought this Bucilla kit at Hobby Lobby over 15 years ago on the reduced for quick sale aisle.  I had started this kit back in December and had completed 10 of the blue and white squares.  I have to make 24 blue and white squares and 24 sunflower squares.  I didn't tuck the ends on the blue and white square.  So, I spent most of Friday on tucking the ends.  I finished the other 14 blue and white squares over the two days. 

Over the weekend, a tornado hit Hattiesburg and Petal (towns near where I live).  The power was out where I worked (in Hattiesburg).  So, on Monday, we didn't have classes.  I spent the day on my couch stitching and crocheting.  I did a different project every hour.  One hour I worked on my sunflower afghan.  The completed sunflower square you see in the picture below was completed in December.  I had also made all 24 brown circles for the sunflower. I tucked all the ends on the brown circles and put the yellow petals on the centers you see in the picture.  I decided to put all the petals on all the circles then crochet the green background.  I thought it would be easier than doing each square completely.

I'm going a little out of order but I keeping the theme together.  Well once a month on Sunday, my sisters, a few of our close friends, and I get together and stitch.  This year we decided to do exchanges.  If you look at my post last week you can see where I got the pattern for making my tool.  I sewed ort contains out of triangles.  Every time I sew, I think I can do this.  And EVERY TIME I get on the sewing machine, I act like a 2-years old throwing a temper tantrum.  My sewing machine pulls the fabric at one speed on one side and an slower speed on the other.  I start out with a 1/4-inch seam allowance and end with a 1/2-inch or 1/8-inch seam allowance.  Well, what should have taken me 1 hour to make took 2-1/2 hours.  They turned out really cute but I forgot to take a picture of all of them (I made 7).

I worked on the S&BF - A Friend's house and Trilogy's - Line Up Boy.  The Boy I am going to make into a Christmas Cracker ornament for my nephew Leif.  Each year my sisters, sisters-in-laws, and I get ornaments for a niece or nephew.  We have the same ones every year.  My two are Nicholas and Leif.  I always get Nicholas a superhero that is popular that year.  Leif's ornament changes depending on his interest each year.  I think this one will be cute. 

A Friend's House - S&BF

Line Up Boy - Trilogy

 Well, I'm off to a good start this year.  I hope to continue posting each week.  This weekend I plan on working on several different projects.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Have a great day.

Sharon

July, What a busy month!

I have no real excuse for not blogging.  I have been really busy with vacationing in Abbeville, Louisiana with my friend Sharon, Vacation Bible School, and working the lab on Wednesday and Thursday.  I have been trying to clean my house of all the clutter.  But it seems to get worse instead of better.  Well, let me be more specific.  My bedroom and bathroom have been cleared of clutter.  These rooms are comfortable and organized.  There is very little "stuff" sitting on the counters and nothing extra on the floors.  My office is completely empty waiting on getting rid of the desk.  Well, all the stuff from my office is in my kitchen, which looks like a cyclone hit it.  I hope to have everything organized before I go back to work on the 8th of August.  We shall see.

As for last week,  I didn't complete any new projects.  I did, however, finish a few old projects.  I got my sister Jennifer to come over and show me how to make pillows.  I have several small projects that would look good as pillows.  The pillows are actually a little larger than I planned but they are cute.  I finished 4 of the 8 that I have (see below).  A couple of them I finished as ornaments.

Lizzie Kate - Flip It Blocks - January

Rainbow Gallery Freebie - England, Ireland, & Scotland Blackwoork

I don't remember.  I finished it in 2006

Raise the Roof - Wise Old Owl

Next week is "camp" week.  I hope to have a lot of things to post then.  This week is preparing for camp.  I plan on bringing 7 new cross stitches, the Halloween Pudgy Needlepoint that I have had for at  least 10 years, and several amigurumi characters that have been crocheted but not put together.  I am very excited about the trip.

Well I am off to choose what to bring.  Thanks for stopping by

Sharon

July, What a busy month!

I have no real excuse for not blogging.  I have been really busy with vacationing in Abbeville, Louisiana with my friend Sharon, Vacation Bible School, and working the lab on Wednesday and Thursday.  I have been trying to clean my house of all the clutter.  But it seems to get worse instead of better.  Well, let me be more specific.  My bedroom and bathroom have been cleared of clutter.  These rooms are comfortable and organized.  There is very little "stuff" sitting on the counters and nothing extra on the floors.  My office is completely empty waiting on getting rid of the desk.  Well, all the stuff from my office is in my kitchen, which looks like a cyclone hit it.  I hope to have everything organized before I go back to work on the 8th of August.  We shall see.

As for last week,  I didn't complete any new projects.  I did, however, finish a few old projects.  I got my sister Jennifer to come over and show me how to make pillows.  I have several small projects that would look good as pillows.  The pillows are actually a little larger than I planned but they are cute.  I finished 4 of the 8 that I have (see below).  A couple of them I finished as ornaments.

Lizzie Kate - Flip It Blocks - January

Rainbow Gallery Freebie - England, Ireland, & Scotland Blackwoork

I don't remember.  I finished it in 2006

Raise the Roof - Wise Old Owl

Next week is "camp" week.  I hope to have a lot of things to post then.  This week is preparing for camp.  I plan on bringing 7 new cross stitches, the Halloween Pudgy Needlepoint that I have had for at  least 10 years, and several amigurumi characters that have been crocheted but not put together.  I am very excited about the trip.

Well I am off to choose what to bring.  Thanks for stopping by

Sharon

June Accomplishments

I have been sort of busy this last month and a half.  I got out of school in mid-May.  Since then I have been helping my mom keep my nephews, Theron and Leif.  Theron had his tonsils and adenoids removed the second week of June but he is doing much better.

 As I stated in my last post I was going to start on the Rose of Sharon pattern.  I have been working on it but not diligently.  I've worked on other things as well.  I decide to work down the pattern rather than one color at a time.  I know that I have to change the thread more often but I won't have to frog as much.  Last weekend I was working on it at Jen's house and watching the TV.  I have to use the highlighter on the pattern to keep up with where I am.  Well.... I dropped the highlighter on my fabric.  If you look close on the left side of the dress, you can see where I took out the thread and used the Tide pen.  I will have to redo that part. It was very upsetting.  Jen came to my rescue with the Tide pen after I had pulled out the threads.  The fabric had pink highlighter on it also.  It is looking beautiful.  I can't wait to finish it and frame it; I have more than 50% left to do.  Which reminds me, Jen and I have decided that we are going to finish a couple of pieces a month rather than let them sit in a box after completing them.  In June I framed a Valentine pattern (Dimensions Kit), Bent Creek's Summer Snapperland, Bent Creek's Snapperville, and a Lizzie Kate pattern about house cleaning.  Next I want to frame, Bent Creek's Red Thread, Heart in Hand's Monthly Markings and Ink Circle's Celtic Mystery Stitch-a-long

I have also been working on Tiramisu from EGA.  I was going to do one band per month but got behind.  I had to finish band 4, 5 and 6.  Well, I completed band 4 and band 5.  They were both wide bands with intricate details. My mother really likes Band 5. Band 6 is also wide and intricate but band 7 is thin and quick.  I think it is looking very good.










I also have been crafting along with my stitching.  I worked on two plant holders (using up what I have, woo hoo).  I had already completed one with the girls months ago.  So I had left over teal and a full pack of pink.  I created a pink one and then used the teal and pink to make a third one.  They look lovely on my porch.  Too bad that the pots are old and not pretty but they are.

Combo with teal in background

In the afternoons the boys and I have an activity time.  We have been making the Christmas crafting ornaments that my mother has given me.  The first set that we completed were the crystal ornaments.  The boys each took one home.  Then while Theron was away at camp, Leif and I created the snowman ornaments and the red ornaments.  While "we" were making the red ornaments, Leif made himself a snake out of the pipe cleaners and beads.  I had to take it apart because he used the pipe cleaners for the ornament.  But, it was a cute snake.

Another craft that I completed was a quick to make Raggedy Anne doll.  The directions said it would take 45 minutes.  Well, it took longer but she turned out cute.  Now I have to make the Raggedy Andy.  As you can see, it is not the typical Raggedy Anne.  Her hair drives me crazy because I can't get it to lay down correctly.  She is so cute.











Last weekend I wanted to do something different.  I went through my stash and found Shakespeare's Peddler's Passport Pincushion.  I had a little trouble making the pincushion.  The first one turned out UGLY.  The second one as you see is very cute. It took me a couple of days to complete it. I created the pincushion and cross stitched all of the "passports" the first day.  The second day I spent attaching the "passports", buttons, charms, snaps, and pins.  Most of the passports are from the booklet but I created the house passport.  Not very creative but I did it.  It is sitting on my desk where I can see it everyday. 






So in July, Jennifer, Bridget, Theresa, and I are going to Silver Needle's stitching retreat in Tulsa.  My sister-in-law Katie wanted to come but her doctor won't let her travel that far (She's due August 28).  Jen, Bridget, and I went last year and had a blast.  One day we got to make buttons with the ladies from Just Another Button Company (JABC).  The second day we got to meet and talk with the creator of The Cricket Collection.  I had a really good time at these sessions, cross stitching non-stop, and shopping.  JABC gave everyone a pattern to display their buttons.  I didn't realize that is what the pattern was for until I was organizing my stash (and putting it all in the Cross Stitch Guild App on my phone).  So I spent a couple of days working on this pattern.  The pumpkin is stitched in WDW's grapevine.  I ran out of thread and had to wait a couple of days to complete it.  The pattern only called for grapevine but I played with the pattern a bit.  I used DMC for the golden vine and DMC 3051 for the words.  I attached the buttons that we as a group made.  Our group made some of the purple flowers.  But, not this purple flower.   I am going to get Jen to help me make it into a cube.  I think it will look nice on the shelf this fall.

My mother was very sick this time last year.  She is doing much better now.  Well, she has decided that she needs to stop cross stitching.  So my sisters and I helped her clean out all of her stash (or so we thought).  We separate the patterns and gathered all of her thread.  Jen has all of the extra thread at her house (which is a lot of thread).  Well, yesterday while Mom was looking for some fabric for making a baby blanket, she found some more stash.  She has several pieces started or near finishing.  So being the good girl that I am, I volunteered to complete the projects that she found.  I will add another list to the side with her projects later this week.  So, come by and look at it.

Well got to go.  The boys want to swim.  Thanks for stopping by

Sharon

Christmas Ornaments Completed - Last year

Jennifer & Mari's Trees










Bridget & Pete's Trees






Mine & Mama's Trees

Every year the ladies in my family make homemade ornaments and exchange them (in addition to presents). This year I gave Christmas trees. I got a pattern from Lily for the Christmas tree. I crocheted the smaller tree. Instead of plain buttons, I used seasonal buttons to make it look like a decoration. I think they turned out really cute. The girls (and my brother Pete) really enjoyed them. Note: since Pete isn't married I also give him an ornament for his tree.

All Seasons Ornament Exchange

I stitched the above Lizzie Kate Summer Basket for Terry. I backed it with daisy fabric and used ribbon attached with heart buttons for the hanger.


Terry sent me the above ornament. I think that they are sheep from Little House or Country Cottage Needlework. I love this ornament (fluffy sheep are so cute). For the backing she stitched my name. I really love it.


Well got to go. Thanks for stopping by.
Sharon

Gifts Received - PIF & ornament

Jennifer and I were in an ornament exchange. I also signed up for a PIF on her blog this past year. Well, she delivered it to me last week. So I'm posting them for you to see. The ornament is the January block from Lizzie Kate Stamp series. It is really cute. I have hung it on my ornament board with all my other beautiful ornaments.


The PIF is a Halloween Pattern with buttons. She made it into a cube. I really like it and plan on displaying it during Halloween.

Well since I have receive a PIF, I must now open my own PIF Exchange. The best part of this exchange is the honor of sending 5 other individuals similar types of gifts. The first 5 individuals that leave a comment stating that she/he would like to join will receive a handmade item from me. Similar to Jennifer's guidelines, I can't promise an exact item or time, but promise that the gift will be top quality hand-made and that you will receive it in the next year. The other stipulation is that you post a similar exchange on your blog promising to send 5 individuals a gift. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? I think so. Just leave a comment and I will contact you via e-mail to get your mailing information. Good luck.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sharon

I've been busy

Really!! I have finished a couple of the blocks on the Ink Circle Celtic Mystery Stitch-a-long. I also finished the September 2007 block from the Seasons Club at Fireside Stitchery. I will have pictures to post soon. The reason I don't have any right now is that the dogs got the camera out of the car during the 4th of July holidays and carried it off. We found it in the rain. My sister Bridget took it home to dry it out. Now, I need to get the photos from her.

I also received my ornament from my sister from our ornament exchange and my PIF from her also. They are beautiful. Pictures to come when I get the camera back.

I've also joined a book swapping club. I have so many paperbacks that I need to read or have read. I have mailed off 4 so far and am waiting on another.

On top of all this I need to find a full time job. I found a posting for a job for which I would be PERFECT. I have filed my application and am waiting for a call. I really would like this job even though it is an hour and a half away.

Well my nephew Leif is crying and I've got to go.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Exchanges Sent and Received

Harvest Ornament Exchange

Terry has received her Harvest Ornament Exchange. The pattern I used was Trail Creek Farm's "Awesome In My Autumn". I use stitched the leaves and the pumpkin. I put seed beads around the edge and used them to make the hanger. Terry really liked the ornament. I really liked the pattern and can't wait to stitch it for myself.

Christmas Ornament Exchange for Hooked on Exchange

My Partner has received her exchange. I stitched a snowman from Sisters and Best Friends "Buddies" on Silkweaver Fabric. I received my exchange today. Shelleen used an unusual tin to frame the stitched project. I think it is really cute.

Floss Tag Exchange

Cathy Boyd received her exchange from me on the 11th. She liked it. I stitched the pattern "My Street" from Floss Box. I stitched it on silkweaver fabric.





Thanks for stopping by

Sharon

This weeks activities

This week has been a very busy week. First Monday was Bunko night. I was the hostess but since my place is very small, Theresa (a member of the group) offered her home to me. I brought my cousin Liz along to fill in a place. Well, she filled in a spot but she also knows how I cook (not so well). So, she cooked the shrimp ettoufee (I cut up all the vegetables and cooked the rice). I made "Cajun Caviar", a wonderful dip, for an appetizer and "Pig Pickin' Cake" for desert. (I think the "Pig Pickin' Cake" may also be called mandarian orange cake??). Well the food was a success and everyone had fun. Then of course Tuesday was election day. I did my civic duty.

Now I posted previously that I had "lost" my floss tag exchange. Well, my mother found it on the dining table in some papers on Friday afternoon. I finished it last night and mailed it today. When the new owner receives the package, I will post a picture of it.

I received my Floss Tag exchange from Shay T. I think the floss tag is beautiful. At first, I did not notice the daisy. All I saw was the S which is wonderful. I was pleasantly surprised when I was showing it to my sister and mother to find the daisy. I loved all the goodies that came with the floss tag, sunflower facbric, linen, silk threads, buttons beads and Just Nan's - Blitzen Glistens! ornament. Everything was wonderful. The threads, beads, and buttons are perfect together. I will have to find a project to used them. Thank you Shay for such a wonderful exchange.









I also received my Harvest Ornament from Terry P in the All Seasons Ornament Exchange. She did beautiful work. She must have wonderful eyes because it was stitched on 40 count. It is wonderful. When I mail mine to her and find out she has received it, then I will post a picture.

Well got to go. I am organizing the fall festival at my church and have to get things ready.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Burgundy Flower Ornament Completed

Last night I completed the Burgundy Flower Ornament from Just Nan. The pattern is on the back of the Burgundy Bouquet Leaflet (JN051). While stitching the pattern I didn't think that it looked like a flower. Well, it isn't a flower rather it is 3 flowers. I didn't realize this until I was looking at the picture I took of the project. I used the threads called for by the pattern (DMC) and regular linen 28 count. I think it is very pretty.

I will try to finish the rainbow birds for my Mother this week (month). My WIPs list is getting shorter (yippee!) Once I have reduced my WIPs list to one (Lavender Myst will be awhile), I plan on starting "The Rose of Sharon" from Miriabilia. I have had the pattern since 1992 and really want to do it. Then I will be working on GCC Tiramisu, Rose of Sharon, and probably Hang Ten from Raise the Roof. I only want to work on 2 - 3 projects at a time.

Well got to go stitch. Thanks for dropping by.

Sharon

Christmas Ornament Exchange

I finished my March exchange Christmas Ornament. It is a variation of the O Tannenbaum pattern by Jane Timmers of Fancy Work in the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Edition.

I used the two large trees from the pattern but I used thread from DMC, Kreinik. and Wildflowers by Caron. I think it turned out cute. I didn't have all of the thread called for in the pattern so I improvised. I hope that Gina likes it. Since our group (crazy for cross stitch C4C) will terminate at the end of the month. It will be hard to complete an ornament a month but I will continue to try. I have 5 ornaments that need to be completed by Christmas. So that leaves me 4 ornaments to do just because. You see I joined a sub group of the EGA Cyberstitchers that stitch an ornament a month. With my exchange I was also in the ornament a month group. Since the C4CS group had a deadline I thought I could use them both to make my goals. Now, I don't have deadlines. I don't work well without deadlines, but we will see.

Busy Week

My goodness what a week it has been. I gave a test Thursday night and had to have midterm grades posted to PeopleSoft by 4 pm Friday. But, it wasn't the test that I gave Thursday that held me up. It was having to read all 150 discussion board replies for the Orientation class that took forever. I submitted all my grades by 3:59 pm with a few seconds to spare.

As far as stitching went, I finished the ornament for my ornament exchange. Again I got my sister Jennifer as a my exchange person. I stitched the Victorian Lace Snowflake by Karen Kluba of Rosewood Manor. I got the pattern out of the JCS Christmas Edition 2007 Magazine. I loved working on this one because I worked it like reversible blackwork. Before I put on the beads you couldn't tell which side was the front without really looking. After I added the beads, you could. Not just because of the beads but because of the thread. When I stitch this for myself, I am going to put the beads on as I go instead of last. Jennifer loved it. But, I didn't finish it because she said she would. I'm not big on the finishing. I love to stitch but finishing... I'm learning but it's not so easy.


As far as my Snapperville goes. I have completed the squares. I finished the Town hall on Thursday. I changed the thread used for the building. It called for Harvest Basket. But, Harvest Basket was the same color as the fabric. So instead I used Virginia Beech (which was my substitute for Shaker White). I think it turned out pretty good. It took longer to complete this one because I wasn't concentrating when I started stitching the building. I got my windows out of whack. So, as usual, I had to re-stitch the house.



I started the Stockyard yesterday about 6 pm. I finished it about 1:30 am last night. This is one of the squares that caused me to buy the whole set. I think it is the cutest one of the set. My sister Jennifer already had the one with the cat on the fence and I had the pumpkin patch. When I went to buy the stockyard, Jennifer reminded me that we had the other two. So, I decided why not get the set and stitch them all. Now, all I have to do is stitch the border. Which, Jennifer and I think is what makes the set adorable.

For this set I 26 specialty threads but replace 12 of them with thread I had on hand. For example the borders called for Bark, I used English Ivy. The following are the other 10 exchanges I used (substitute, pattern): Freedom for Deep Sea, Dried Thyme for Kudzu, Arizona Petrified Wood (limited edition) for Barn Grey, Flax for Harvest Basket, Black Coffee for Onyx, Cinnamon for Rust, Gold Leaf for Schneckley, Black Hills for Seaweed, Dark Chocolate for Swamp Water, and Toasted Marshmallow for White Wash.

Now I have the winter snapperland to stitch. I love the chalet and the villa. Also Theresa for Raise the Roof designs is creating an "other side of the tracks" street that I can't wait to stitch. I think it is hilarious.

Today I am going to work and and try to complete the Cherry Hill from Country Cottage Needleworks. Here I also used thread I had on hand. So, I substituted Bramble Bush for Roasted Chestnut, Evergreen for Weeping Willow, and Willow Leaves (limited edition) for Cherry Tomato. The fabric is "Rock-a-Bye" from Silkweaver. (The same fabric I am using for my Christmas fairy.) I thought this was a cute pattern when I bought it. But, the more I stitched it the more I fell in love with the pattern. It is not hard to stitch and the sheep are so cute. I am almost through with it. I had to stop because I ran out of Dandelion Stem for the grass and leaves on the tree. When I finish this one, I am going to get Jen to help me make it into a square. I'm going to put it in my display shelf with my spring decorations. It is so cute.

Well got to go. Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Exchanges Received

This week I received several of my exchanges. I am a member of the Crazy for Cross Stitch Exchange and the Hooked on Exchanges group. In the Crazy for Cross Stitch Exchange I have joined the Secret Sister Exchange, the Christmas Ornament Exchange, the Postcard Exchange, and the Birthday Floss Exchange.

Right now, the Secret Sister Exchange is behind a couple of months to me. I received my February Exchange for Kathy and I liked everything in the package. The tuck wall hanger is really cute. I also love Lizzie Kate and Bent Creek patterns. I have yet to receive for December and January. I need to check on those again.

I received my February Christmas Ornament Exchange also from Kathy. I really like it. So does my sisters. They were very impressed with the way it was finished. I can't wait to hang it on my tree.






From Hooked on Exchanges, we had a scissor fob exchange. I have previously posted, the one that I sent. So, here is the one that Paula sent to me. Isn't he so cute; I love snowmen. I'm going to start using him today. Because I alway lose my scissors when I'm stitching. I stand up to look for them and boom they fall on the floor. So, now I won't lose them. I also received some goodies from Paula. The chocolate covered mints are divine.


I really enjoy doing the exchanges because I love getting packages in the mail. I now have to go and buy for my person for the February Exchange. It's funny, my sister Jen was my January SS Exchange and now she is my February Christmas Ornament Exchange. I need to go shopping to finish the two exchanges. Soon the Hooked on Exchanges group will be starting a biscornu exchange. I can't wait for that. Of course I have to get busy.

Also, I am a member of Cyberstitchers . The president's challenge is the Artist's Way training. We started this week. We'll see how it goes.

Sharon