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

Celtic Knot Biscornu

I found a Celtic knot pattern that I stitched in 2002. I had stitched it white on green and then green on white. I had planned on framing them and putting them in my hallway. But, I never could find frames that looked good with them.

Well in May, my EGA group (Stitching Magnolias) wanted me to bring some projects to the meeting to show people how to finish their projects. At the same time they were finishing up a biscornu. So, I decided to finish these as a biscornu.

I haven't decided what buttons to use. My sister, Jennifer, says to use gold buttons. I think she is right. Now I have to find some gold buttons. I am really happy that I have found a way to make these patterns useful. I'm also thinking of putting beads around the edge. Well, I will let you know when I decide.

Thanks for stopping by

Sharon

A finish and A "I give up"

I finished this on 4/20/2008 but haven't had time to post it. I had to stitch it backwards because it wasn't mine. My friend, Lisha, crosses her x's backwards from me. I had to concentrate really hard to stitch in the correct direction for her. Next, the Ocean Voyage on my sister Jennifer's Round Robin.

I also attempted to complete the Meadowsweet Group Correspondence Course project from EGA. I was the group coordinator for Cyberstitchers. Only 4 people sent their project in to be evaluate. But, mine wasn't one of them. I have also signed up for "My Favorite Bracelet" which I have completed about half of it, "Tiramisu" which I know I will love because it is blacwork but haven't started, and "Florentine Ornaments" which I need to get my sister-in-law, Mari, to paint the canvas first.

I will post pictures this weekend of several things that I am working on. Also, I bought a laptop last weekend. At present, I am tied to one room until my brother, Pete, can activate the wireless. It is a Toshiba which I like so far. It is much faster than my older one (which took an hour to load a word document). Now all I have to do is get all my stitching stuff on it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

EGA Christmas Ornament

Well I finally finished my ornament for EGA and mailed it to Susan. The pattern is the poinsettia by Brittercup design in the Christmas Ornament Magazine for this year. I stitched it on a 32-count hand dyed solo from Silkweaver using DMC's variation thread Ruby. I also added beads to it and made it into a pillow. I thought that would be an easier way to finish an ornament. Well, it is not. It is hard to hold the fabric while you are stitching the border. Also, you have to make sure that the two fabrics match up. I finished it and am very happy with it. I think I'll stitch one for myself.