Happy New Year!

Well it is hard to believe that another year has passed. Every year I say I am going to post more to my blog and then life just gets in my way. Well it is 2017 and I am going to give it another try. Not that anyone ever comes to visit my blog.
So I did manage to complete a few things just prior to the end of 2016. I stitched an ornament for my grandson Hayden. It was a lovely free pattern from The Snowflake Diaries. It turned out rather well. I stitched his name and the year on the front and my initials on the back. I also made a beaded ornament and then mounted it on silk for my girlfriend. Lastly I lost a stitching friend last year and managed to acquire one of the pieces of stitchery she started. It was actually 75% done so I finished the ribbon embroidery .... not my thing at all. I added the beads my friends initials, my initials and then another row of whitework so it would fit in the frame better. I gifted the finished piece to my son's girlfriend who knew my friend as she was best friends with her grandmother.
So hopefully I can be organized enough to post once or twice a month. :)

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: Favorite things give-away! Enter Now!!

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: Favorite things give-away! Enter Now!!: As promised.....lets have another Favorite Things give-away!!! Those seem to be the "favorite" give-aways.....you tell me your fav...

Circles

"Circles commonly represent unity, wholeness, and infinity. Without beginning or end, without sides or corners, the circle is also associated with the number one.

In some cases, there is a distinction between that which is contained within the circle and that which lies without."

Source http://altreligion.about.com/od/symbols/ig/Geometric-Shapes/Circles.htm

I have always been drawn to certain shapes. The two that really stand out for me are the circle and the hexagon. Recently I started exploring the circle in a stitched form. I was very inspired by embroiderer Chris Richards as she includes the circle shape in many of her embroideries. 

I drew a circle on muslin and then drew various sized circles inside. Some I marked off with little dots as I knew I wanted to create some spokes and needleweaving. I am posting a photo of my progress so far. I chose a very muted palette but can see more vibrant colours would be just as welcome. I will continue to experiment with the circle in a more three d format as I can see the addition of pockets, puffs, and holes would take the shape to another level. :) 

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: NEW PRIMITIVE FLOSS SET, GIFT BOXED, GIVE-AWAY, EN...

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: NEW PRIMITIVE FLOSS SET, GIFT BOXED, GIVE-AWAY, EN...: I picked 12 of the new Primitive colors and put together a gift box. Lets give one away! Drawing to be October 7th, lots of time to ent...

I've been really enjoying taking Karen Ruane's online course and have been playing with some ledger work. See photos. This shows I am very regimental and it is hard for me to be free in my design process. This is why I tend to lean to counted thread projects. I like the free form style of embroidery as well .... I just don't seem to be able to shake my tendencies towards symmetry and order. Guess I will just have to work on this. I have restarted reading The Artists Way by Julia Cameron so maybe it will help. I bought two children's books a few weeks ago. I was in search of The Princess and the Pea .... alas no luck but I did come home with Alice in Wonderland and The Secret Garden. Children's books always stir my imagination .... something that seems stinted now that I am an adult. I've managed about 3/4 of Alice so far and never realized how silly the book really is. Parts of it I really like and others not so much. I am also about half way through The White Princess. Phillipa Gregory's writing style appeals to my taste and of course anything Tudor-like I find enjoyable.
The Northwest Sampler Guild offered up a challenge this year .... we could purchase packets of silk for $5 and stitch whatever we wanted. The only stipulation was all threads had to be used somewhere on the piece. I chose a Prairie Schooler bookmark pattern. I added my own handmade buttons to the center of the flowers and used Nun stitch the edge. I used all Gloriana threads introducing a few different colours in addition to those received and was rather pleased with the result. See photos.

A New Year 2015

Well I see allot has happened since my last post. My dearest friend lost her son to brain cancer. What a great loss. He was a real trooper right up until the end. I can't even imagine losing one of my children .... even though they are all grown and flown so to speak. I have included a photo of Scott and me just after his first surgery. <3 p="">I am on a bit of a creative journey these days. Enjoying the online class of Karen Ruane. She is such a wonderful inspiration and mentor. I go to bed every night with a million ideas dancing in my head and awake the same way. I look forward to making notes, sketching and experimenting with my stitching. You can check her blog here http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/
I have included two of my ledger pages from her class.
I am busy preparing to teach my Button class in April. Not sure if anyone will sign up but I am having fun experimenting. Here are some of my singleton buttons for display.
 I am also trying to finish a challenge for the Northwest Sampler Guild in time for their yearly tea. I won't be attending but I can still participate. Participants received beautiful Gloriana silk threads and ribbon in very sizes and types and then have to stitch something with them. I chose a bookmark and will include some of my buttons on it. Photo to come upon it's completion.

Well I feel Spring is finally here. In celebration I have donned my cheery striped socks. I received these from my sister Lynne. I think they just fit the bright mood the warmer weather has brought. The last few weeks I have been pretty busy with  .... work, gardening, stitching and some stressful health issues affecting friends and family. I received this gorgeous bouquet from my best friend. I visited with her and her son when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I am happy to say the tumor is cancer free and we are praying it will not continue to grow.
My rhubarb is doing very well .... I am looking forward to eating some this year. I also planted my herb wheel  ..... so I am hoping the deer leave some for me.
We received our chicks yesterday! 24 of 26 survived the journey. They are a nice mix of heritage breeds, including Americanas, Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps and a few others I am not 100% able to identify. You don't get to choose the combination .... so I guess we shall see. You also receive them un-sexed so I am really hoping we have mostly hens.
I still have not had a chance to sew together the crazy quilt pears I cut out ...... but as you can see from the new photo the project has mushroomed. My friends have been giving me their scraps and I now have 19 pears cut out. I think today maybe the day I sew a few together...... I am just dying to embellish them. I also started a new sampler .... "Boris" by Plum Street. He is such a cute little dog I am enjoying stitching him. "Olga" and "Sergei" are kitted and waiting for their turn. :)
I have also included a photo of some of my female relatives. I want to make a crazy quilt incorporating their photos. I have been so inspired by all the beautiful photos online and can't wait to get started! Till next time ....

A New Beginning

I am going to make another attempt to resurrect my blog this year. I enjoy reading them so much I feel it is time for me to give back. The focus will still remain on stitching and some of my other handcraft endeavors. I will occasionally mention books or movies that interest me. My photos may not be as sophisticated as the eye-candy you see on other blogs but you will at least get the general idea of what I am trying to convey. I seem to cycle in my interests  .... often I am all over the map being torn in different directions. Pinterest has become a huge inspiration for me. So many ideas being shared on a wide variety of subjects, from gardening, art, embroidery .... you name it. There are also numerous tutorials available. I have several new projects on the go and will post photos that will hopefully inspire others to create. I decided I want to get back to some basic hand embroidery ..... or rather some crazy quilting. I always have these grandiose ideas that sort of wither and die. This time I decided to start small and make a pear pincushion. The problem is I got carried away with cutting out the sections and ended up with fabric for three pears! Can't wait to sew them together and get started. I think I will try and incorporate some of the stitches from TAST and kill two birds with one stone as it were. Google TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday if you dare). I have also been trying to satisfy my hunger for colour by playing around with crochet. I have given you a sneak peak at some of the colour combinations I have been playing with and will post more when the items are finished. I also have a love of handmade buttons so as I explore that craft I will share photos and information on my progress. Finally I have three movies just waiting to be watched. :) Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy New Year!

Wow hard to believe a year has passed since I last posted. I guess I have spent more time viewing other blogs rather than keeping mine up-to-date. I had great fun starting lots of new projects at the beginning of last year .... and I actually managed to finish some. Unfortunately work got in my way for at least half of the year and I found myself too tired to complete much stitching. I have started the new year with the same enthusiasm .... let's just hope I manage to maintain it. This year my plans are to stitch a collection of Christmas ornaments, some for my children and some for myself. I realized over the years I have given so many away that I have very few of my own. I have included a photo of the first six ... obviously two of them still need beads and the metallic and they all require finishing, but you get the picture.The pattern is from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament edition 2010.

My plans also include an online tutorial conducted by Amy Mitten. If you haven't already seen it check it out at http://www.amymitten.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=25

The project is a lovely bag to house pretty thread winders. I can't wait to get started on this project. I am also anxious to get back to my Livret de Brodeuse which I have included a photo of the front cover and a heart insert for one of the pages. Finally I am almost finished the stitching for the Silver Sewing Etui a pattern by Linda Danielson. I changed it up a little to personalize it and stitched two initials instead of one. I will post more pics when I have completed the project.

Crazy January Challenge 2011

We have so many chart in our stashes, so let's start stitching them!
The rules are simple:
1. Start stitching a new design every day, from January 1st to 15th.
So by January 15th you have 15 new WIP's to stitch.
2. Try and finish everything you started during the year 2011!
3. Show photos in your blog if you have one, in January and during
the whole year while you stitch, as we all love to see photos!

Some blogs are keeping track of participants. If you are interested in
this leave a comment with your blog address and I will create a list.
Have fun stitching!!
Thank you to Minna for sharing this challenge on her blog.
www.minnanharrastukset.blogspot.com2010/11/ristipistohassutus2011.html

Golden Journeys Part 8

Golden Journeys Part 7

Golden Journeys Part 6

Golden Journeys Part 5

Machine embroidered bowl with strawberries,

Surface & Stumpwork Birds, Cross-stitch Bottlebrush

Golden Journeys Part 4

Goldwork Thistles, Goldwork "H", Goldwork Wheat, Blackwork Path.

Golden Journeys Part 3

Needlepoint Peacock, Crewel Briar Rose, Bag Pulled Fabric & Drawn Thread Traycloth, Armorial Bearings of State of Victoria.