Come On Over!

It's a beautiful day for stitching on the deck!

Sounds Like a Plan

Later this month I will celebrate my 11th Blogoversary. Our tradition these last few years has been to walk down to the Gazebo at the golf course and have a Paw Paw Punch. This year I thought I'd try something a little different.

The first project I ever blogged about waaaaay back in 2006 was this one...

It's called Lighthouse Teapot and it was one of the Secret Needle Night kits from the Silver Needle in Tulsa, OK. I found it wadded up in the envelope it came in so I had to practically soak it with Best Press to get the wrinkles out. Looks like it's still a bit damp there!

Anyhoosie, I have the finishing kit that came with the design so my big plan is to get this all finished up into the standy-uppy thing it's supposed to be. I figure after eleven years it's about time!

Tomorrow is Friday so I will be working on my Random Thoughts for the SAL! Really looking forward to it!

But what to work on today???

Hmmmm....

It's a SAL!

Clare over at Craftlady in Kiwiland suggested we do a Stitchalong! Both of us had started Random Thoughts by Drawn Thread so we will be stitching it together now and sharing our progress. Here is where I am...

Not too much done so far.

We are both planning to stitch on Fridays and anyone is welcome to join in. If you want to stitch something smaller there are a bunch of feebies over on the Drawn Thread website.
The more the merrier!

Be Brave

Be Brave

by Shepherd's Bush

stitched on 10-ct. Pewter Tula

with Classic Colorworks, Sampler Threads, and DMC

Good golly, miss Molly, but this turned out cuter than I expected! I have the necessary fabrics for making it into a pillow, a la SB, so I'll try to do that next week. I didn't notice until I was doing my pre-picture ironing that the floral fabric has little flags stuck in among the flowers! I'm just in love with the whole darn thing!

(I must give a shout out to the Twisted Stitcher for introducing me to Best Press! It has made ironing a breeze! Thank you, Vonna!)

We're heading into the long 4th of July weekend here! No big plans but I'm sure we'll find plenty to keep us busy!

More Summer Stitching

I decided to take a break from Lizzie Kate-ing and grabbed this chart by Shepherd's Bush out of my Big Basket of WIPs. I hadn't actually started it but since it was all kitted up I thought that was close enough to earn it a spot in the WIP basket. This is on 10-ct. Tula and I must say it's a nice break from linen. Getting three strands of floss to lay nicely hasn't really given me any trouble so I should be able to get this one done before too long. I believe Shepherd's Bush had a whole series of Be This and Be That so I might have to look into getting a few more.

We had a great weekend here at the lake! We managed to cram so much into it that it felt like a three day weekend! The weather was fabulous so we spent a lot of time outside. I think we ate every single meal out on the deck!

You gotta love summer!

 

We've been flirting with the idea of renting out our bottom floor on Airbnb so we spent Sunday afternoon doing some cleaning and tidying up in case we decide to pull the trigger there. Family came over for an impromptu pizza party Sunday evening and helped us make sure all the pinball machines were in good working order. We'll have two bedrooms, one bath, full kitchen, large patio, just steps away from the lake. Plus pinball, foosball, ping pong, and free parking! Sounds like a great place for a vacation to me! In fact, this whole area used to be a resort back in the early 1900s. Next door to us was the old WigWam Hotel and where our house is was the annex where the hotel employees lived. Down the street was a dance pavilion where they played big band music. There is a lot of history in this area.

Time for lunch and then I'm heading out to the deck with my stitching!

Birds, Bees, and Berries

As promised, here is Birds from Lizzie Kate's Summer Smalls! I wasn't kidding when I said these were quick to stitch! Bees and Berries are soon to follow!

(Sorry about the blurry picture... I think I must have deleted the "good one" when I was going through my photos! Am I the only one who takes a half dozen shots of everything and then goes through them all later to pick the best one?)

Sum-Sum-Summertime!

I thought this would be an appropriate finish to share today! This is from Lizzie Kate's Summer Smalls and it's just too darn cute! I'm also working on Birds from the same collection and should have that one finished PDQ! If you're looking for a quick summer project, I couldn't recommend these more! I used the called for Weeks Dye Works threads and the colors are super summery! The pinks make me want to dive face first into a big slice of watermelon!

Thanks for stopping by!

Liberty Framed

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon painting and pinning and straightening and pinning some more. I ended up with red paint on my shirt which I totally deserved for even attempting to wield a brush while wearing white.

Durr durr durr! What was I thinking???

Anyhoosie, this is what I ended up with after all my effort. Not too bad but I'll only award myself the "I Did My Best" ribbon for this one. Next time I'm in town I'll swing by JoAnn's and pick up some ribbon for a hanger and maybe a few doo-dads to dress it up. Right now it's just... meh.

Every time I frame something I learn a little more. This time it was to trust my eyes and not the ruler. If it looks wonky, you need to make your adjustments before you have the whole thing in the frame.

And most important... wait for the paint to dry.

It's Finally Finished!

A Prairie Year

by Prairie Schooler

stitched on 28-ct. Lambswool linen

with DMC

I am tickled pink to have this one done! And it didn't take me eight years! This has to be some sort of record for me!

I love how it turned out! I just wish I knew what to do with it now. Have it framed? Or make it into a wall hanging?

I'm going to have to have a serious finishing day here soon!

Now For Something Completely Different

I've always, always, always wanted to stitch a Mirabilia or Lavender & Lace design. Or to be more accurate, I've always, always, always wanted to finish a Mirabilia or Lavender & Lace design. In my many years of stitching I have started one of each. I have most of the blue fairy complete on L&L's Firefly Fairies and around the beginning of this millennium I started Mirabilia's Ashley's Roses. I just love the summery look of her dress!

Every time I'm deciding what project to work on next I think to myself, I really should try to get a little more done on these. And every time I choose something muuuuuch smaller!

(Have you seen these charts??)

So Tuesday when I decided to reward myself with a new start, my Big Box of BAPs was sitting right there. Nostalgia took hold and I opened it to find Ashley in her beautiful summery dress, looking up at me.

Doggone it, Ashley! You win!

Here's where I am after two days of working on her big pink bow...

My goal today is to get the rest of it done. I have dinner already simmering in the crock pot, and as soon as the sugar soaks into my strawberries, I'm going to scarf them down and get busy stitching!

A Little Finish

A Little Liberty

by Lizzie Kate

stitched on 30-ct. natural linen

with DMC

I started this kit from Lizzie Kate last summer and got as far as stitching the sunflowers and the word Liberty before setting it aside. Per my usual MO, I never picked it up again and into the WIP box it went. It took me a few hours one afternoon last week to finish the stitching and I attached the beads yesterday so this is another one for the win column! Woohoo! I have a little frame I picked up at the thrift store that is the perfect size for it but I want to paint it first. Tomorrow just happens to be errand day so i will have to add a stop at the craft store to my list.

I've been working on the December block for my Prairie Year piece but that's going incredibly slow. I recently discovered Floss Tube and it's a major distraction! I set up my laptop so I can watch videos while I'm stitching and it's like having a friend right there with me! And yes, I will admit to sometimes talking back to these friends like they can actually hear my comments! I might have to launch my own Floss Tube channel but we'll have to see. I'm awfully shy.

I've been itching to start something new so I might look outside of my WIP basket today and see what I can come up with. I've been doing pretty good getting old projects finished so it might be time to reward myself!

Have a great day!

November in April

A Prairie Year - November

I got behind on my Prairie Year months at the end of last year so I thought I'd get them all finished since I only had two more to go. It felt a little strange stitching a turkey in April! He must think he's a spring chicken!

Here's what he whole thing looks like now...

I know I should continue on with December, especially since it's so cold and grey outside today. I have the fireplace going so I might just grab a cup of coffee, tuck myself under a blanket, and at least get started on it.

Thanks for visiting!

Spot the Cat

Spot the Cat

by La-D-Da

stitched with Needlepoint Silk

You would think I'm a machine with the way I've been cranking out finishes lately! This one didn't have much left to do, mostly just the stars and moon and a few bits here and there. Makes me question why I put it down when all I had was maaaaaybe three hours of work left. Oh well! That's just how we roll in the Empire!

I wish I could tell you what fabric I used but I haven't a clue. It calls for 30-ct. Confederate Gray from WDW but I'm pretty darn sure that's not what this is. If I ever figure it out, I'll be sure to let you know!

We have another bee-yoo-tiful day ahead of us here! Unfortunately I have to stick around the house waiting for the appliance repair folks. Our fridge has been out since we got back (over two weeks!) and it's been one wrong part after another and a lot of phone calls and waiting. We do have another fridge on the lower level we've been using but after the first week of trudging up and down the stairs every time I needed something cold, well, let's just say I'm ready to be done with that!

At least I can pop some windows open, put on some music, and stitch while I wait!

And Another!

May Word Play

by With Thy Needle and Thread

stitched on 32-ct. Cobblestone linen

with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads

This was so much fun to stitch! I love all the little motifs! From the birds and bees to the white picket fence, just a heck of a good time! And the best part is I have the June Word Play waiting in the wings! Woohoo! I really want to finish this as a door knob hangy thing with the rusty jingle bells and all. I saw the model at my LNS and it was just too darn cute to pass up!

My Big Basket of WIPs is calling to me but first I better put away some thread and get the ottoman cleared off. I have vowed to be more organized here at the Empire instead of leaving things in piles that seem to keep growing and growing. Something about my thread though... even when it's organized it still seems to be a huge mess. I may have to come up with a whole new system.

Thanks for stopping by!

Woohoo! A Finish!

At Home With Jane Austen

by The Sampler Girl

stitched on 30-ct. Abecedarian R&R linen

with Classic Colorworks

I found my missing Sassy Brass yesterday so I sat down and finished the missing bitts lickety split! I'm not lying when I say I've had this sampler all kitted up in my To Do Basket for at least eight years! I don't know why it took me so long to finally stitch it! It is such a pretty piece, quick and easy and just the happiest colors! And I couldn't agree more with the quote from Emma!

Love love love!

It's an absolutely gorgeous day here in southwest Michigan! I have the windows open and I'm seriously thinking about trying out my stitchy goggles on the deck this afternoon. I can watch the coots on the lake and maybe get a little sun while I relax with my stitching! I wonder what the neighbors would think if I hauled out my floor stand!

Much Better!

Soooooo much better!

Everything I think I might work on in the next couple of months is kitted up and waiting for the mood to strike! The rest has been put away in an orderly fashion!

Now for some serious stitching!

Two Days Later

I started stitching in 1985 so this pile represents 30+ years of WIPs. There's a birth sampler I never finished for my son who will be 27 this month, an SB from the 90s that only needs the beads and buttons sewn on, a house warming present for someone who has since moved from said house, fall projects I stopped working on when PS Santas called to me, winter projects that got set aside when the weather started warming up, BAPs I lost interest in, Mania starts and stitch-a-longs and the list goes on and on.

Now comes the fun part! I get to go through this mess and decide what I might still like to finish and get it all organized. I'll need to find missing threads I've pilfered for other projects and get things kitted up again. I'll make a list or two and order what I need and hopefully come out the other side with my sanity intact!

 

 

One More

I finished the 123 block on my Farmer's Alphabet this morning. And yes, I'm officially stalling! I'd almost rather have a root canal than organize my stash! But it really REALLY needs to be done since I seem to never put anything away! It's super cloudy and chilly outside so the perfect day to sit in front of the fire and sort through boxes and bags. I just need to figure out where to start!

R is for Rhubarb

I finished the letter R on my Farmer's Alphabet before having to set everything aside and focus on cleaning and packing and shutting down the house in Florida. We are back at the lake in Michigan now so I've been busy cleaning and unpacking and opening up the house here. I haven't had a chance to organize my stitching so I have no idea which old projects I want to keep working on and which new ones I want to start. I managed to make quite a mess of the Empire before I left so maybe the first step is to get things put away so I have some room to ponder. It might finally be time to pull out every single project I have yet to finish and make a real plan to get some of them done.

Deep breaths... I can do this...

One Potato

Here's my progress on Farmer's Alphabet. I took the picture with a quarter so you could see just how small these little over one squares are. I'd been skipping around, doing what I could with the threads I have here with me in Florida but that got old fast. I ran over to Michael's yesterday and picked up a few of the missing colors so I could at least finish a few of the letters. Irish Potato is finished and I'm working on Rhubarb. I will have to do some frogging on the border because there's a break in it where the leaves overlap. I was on autopilot when I was stitching the squares and didn't pay attention to the pattern at all. It is not going to be fun pulling out those tiny stitches!

Phil and I are heading back north on Friday. We will be busy closing up one house and opening the other so my stitching time will be minimal. It's hard to believe our three months in Florida are over. My next post might be from the Chicken Ottoman Empire!