Sad News....

I was deeply sadden today when a stitching friend let me know of the passing of designer Lisa Roswell - http://morningjournal.com/articles/2011/03/01/news/doc4d6cf04830ff6655864007.txt. I always enjoyed receiving photo Christmas cards from Lisa, that showed a wonderful happy family.

My stitching friend and I were members of an on-line stitching group, going back to 2000, that Lisa was also a member of. We were a small group that all shared the love of stitching. We are a much smaller group today, and we keep in contact through Facebook now.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa in person, before she was a designer, at a market day event held at a cross stitch shop in Ohio. I'm so thankful that I was able to meet Lisa, and I'll treasure our get together even more after today.

I'm feeling the desire to pull out one of Lisa's designs and starting it today.

My thoughts and prayers are with Lisa's family.

A Crazy January Finish

I knew the project that I started on Saturday would be a quick, easy finish. I did all of the stitching on Saturday, but didn't sew the buttons on until Sunday.

Here's Gobble + Wobble by Bent Creek:


I've been working on Lizzie Kate's Jolly Holiday today. I tried to post a picture of my progress, but blogger wasn't cooperating for that one.

Off to stitch more on my LK!

Day 15...

The last day of starting new projects. Today's project, Bent Creek's Gobble + Wobble is a quick, easy project. I'm sure this will end up being my first finish of the challenge.


Off to stitch!!

Day 14...

Today's project is another that I hadn't planned on stitching for the challenge. I came across it when I was getting yesterday's project out. This is It's Here We Go A Haunting by Shepherd's Bush. I bought it last fall during the annual Shop Hop in September. I loved the box, but thought it was a little pricey, but I couldn't pass it up with the discount that each shop gives during the event. The picture really doesn't do the box justice. The fabric is a fabulous "blotchy" (for lack of a better term) linen too.
If I had planned on stitching this when I was pulling out projects, I would have sorted the threads then. I'm not sure how much stitching I will get done, because figuring out the colors will probably take most of my stitching time today. I love the fall colors though!

I can't believe that tomorrow is the last day of new starts. I'm going to stick with one of the projects that I had planned on for tomorrow. I have a pretty free day tomorrow, so I should get quite a bit done on my Day 15 project.

Day 13...

And, today's projects isn't one that I had planned on starting during the challenge. It's a freebie pattern, that goes with the book The Mitten by Jan Brett. Pam, had sent this to me for Christmas a couple years ago. My daughter loves the book, but I never got around to stitching the chart. The photo doesn't show the fabulous sparkle on the linen.



I help in my daughter's Kindergarten class on Wednesdays. Yesterday, while I was there, the teacher read The Mitten to the class for the third day in a row. The class is learning how to "retell a story, without having to read the book to someone", and they're learning the difference between a fiction and a non-fiction book. Kindergarten is so different than when I was in Kindergarten. I know that I didn't learn the difference between fiction and non-fiction when I was five-years-old. Jan Brett happens to be the favorite author of daughter's teacher. The month of February, the class is having an author study on Jan Brett. Again, I know that I didn't have an author study in Kindergarten. I'd like to have the project finished, so my daughter can share it with the class when they read The Mitten again next month.

I did find my skein of Weeks Dye Works Monkey Grass yesterday. I'd given up hope, and had planned on picking another up at my LNS later this week, if I could find the time to run into that side of town, so I was glad to find it.

It's hard for me to believe that it's already day 13 out of 15. I'm looking forward to next week, when I might actually have a couple of finishes to show!

Day 12...

I wish that I had today as a "me" day. I know if I did, then this would be a start and a finish today. With everything that I have going on, it's not going to get much stitching time on it. Another Lizzie Kate project, C is For Cure. I saw this finished at my LNS, and had to kit it up including the Stitch-A-Gift banner. The threads, beautiful springy colors, match the banner perfectly.


Off to start my day!

Day 11....

Today's project is another winter project but it's stitched with such bright colors, it almost feels like spring. This is also the project that I've wanted to stitch for a while, but for some reason, am always short one thread. And, it's always the same thread each time. Has anyone seen a skein of Weeks Dye Works Monkey Grass laying around? I know that I've specifically bought a skein of it on my last two trips to my LNS, but somehow, they're disappearing. I'm not sure how far I'll get on this today, if I'm not able to find a skein in my stitching bag or basket.


I didn't realize how many Lizzie Kate projects are in my 15 until today. Definitely one of my favorite designers.

Day 10...and some progress pics...

Today's project is Lizzie Kate's It's a Jingle Out There! Way too cute! I can't wait to have this one finished, because the colors are just popping off the fabric. And, it's another one that I can finish-finish when the stitching is done since I'd bought the Stitch-A-Gift banner for it when I bought the chart. I didn't realize how many of the banners that I'd bought until I started picking projects out for this challenge.

I took a couple pictures of the projects that I started at the end of last week - which are some of my favorites. First, is Lizzie Kate's Jolly Holiday.

Not the best photo. The white lines going through the design don't show up the best.

My next project is Country Cottage Needleworks' Joyful Summer. I really should have stitched this one sooner. I can't wait to get back to this one. I'd like to get all of the leaves and stems stitched before my monthly craft club meets next week, since it would be easy to fill in the leaves while talking. More talking goes on each month than stitching, but it's a great "girls night out".

Be back tomorrow with another start!

Day 9...

More than half way there. While this challenge has been fun, it's starting to get to me having so many projects started. There have been a few that I just wanted to continue working on, but needed to start something new. I'm planning on posting a couple progress pictures tomorrow, on some of my favorites from last week.

Continuing with my spring thing, here's today's project - Lizzie Kate's Chicks Rule.

The fabric color is really washed out, but the yellow is so pale there really isn't much color to it to begin with.

I think the project for tomorrow will be back to winter and/or Christmas. Only a handful more new starts, and then I can get back to finishing something.

Happy Stitching everyone!!

Day 8...

My project for today is another spring design, Just Nan's Dewdrop. Another day to stitch spring colors!

We have Saturday things planned for today - a family baby shower luncheon and a shopping trip afterward. Not sure how much time I'll have to stitch, but I think this one will move right along.

Day 7...

Today is a "me" day! My darling daughter is off to school and my husband is at a farm outing with friends. I ran all the errands that I had planned to do today, yesterday afternoon. So, I have the day to stitch. My project for today is Country Cottage Needleworks Joyful Summer. With all the snow on the ground, it's time to stitch some pretty, spring colors.

Day 6....

Today's project is a fun one - Lizzie Kate's Jolly Holiday. I love the colors. The colors aren't traditional Christmas, but so fun to stitch. I'm also loving that as soon as this one is stitched, it will be finished-finished because I bought the Stitch-A-Gift banner that it's shown in.


Here's the photo that wouldn't upload yesterday. Bent Creek's Giving Thanks Zipper before I started it.


This afternoon included a trip to my LNS. I needed a thread for today's project and the threads for a couple later projects.

We're getting snow today and it's suppose to continue to snow through the weekend. Perfect weather to stay inside with a cup of tea and stitch.

Day 5...

Sorry, this is going to be a picture-less post. Blogger isn't cooperating, and I've had a headache all day, and my computer isn't helping the situation. I started an older Bent Creek Zipper - Giving Thanks today. I love the autumn colors, and I've "planned" on stitching this one for years. I'm thinking that this will make a cute Thanksgiving decoration this year. It won't take too long to stitch, so there's plenty of time for it to be actually finished-finished by then.

I'll be back tomorrow with photos for day 5 and 6.

Happy Stitching!!

Day 4....

Before I share a photo of my day 4 project, here is a picture of yesterday's project. I really wanted to keep working on this one. It's still calling my name from my stitching basket.


My project for today is one that I've had for way too long. It was a special release (at least at that time) from Bent Creek. I don't know if it's still available or if it's been re-released. Here's Bent Creek's Noel.

It's the perfect day to work on Noel. We're getting snow today. The snow that we had all melted over the weekend, so it's looking more like winter than spring again.

Happy Stitching!

Day 3...

The project for today is a Christmas gift that I received from a dear friend. Heart In Hand's Wonderful Time of the Year. I love the pinks and greens in the design and the buttons are just too cute. It will look fabulous with my Christmas display.


Blogger isn't uploading pictures the greatest, once again, so I'll try later to post progress pictures of the first two days projects.

Today is a "me" day, so time to stitch before the school bus reappears at my house this afternoon.

Crazy January 2011 Challenge...Day 2...

My start for today is the first of 12 ornaments that I plan on stitching during this challenge. A few years ago, I stitched at least 12 ornaments during the year, but somehow I fell off that wagon. I'm planning on having 12 new ornaments hanging on my Christmas year in 2011. My first ornament was an easy choice - Lizzie Kate's Last Minute December Kit. I had to resist stitching it last month, it's so cute!


Not much time for posting today. It's my birthday!!

Crazy January 2011 Challenge...Day 1...

Here is my pile of projects for the challenge. The stack on the right hand side are just some of the supplies for #2 of my challenge - 12 Christmas ornaments. I went through my stash and chose mainly kits, so I wouldn't need to buy a lot for the projects. I had the fabric for all of the charts that didn't have it included, and I just needed to buy a few threads for those projects. Two of the projects I'd already bought the hanging banners for, but never got around to stitch.
My project for today is one that I've had for a number of years - And To All A Good Night by Blackbird Designs. A good friend sent it to me, and even though I've loved it since the first time I saw it on-line, I never started it. This challenge will rectify that! I already can't wait to have this finished and hanging in my home. (I tried uploading a photo of it, but blogger keeps rotating it, and it's driving me crazy! Maybe blogger will play nicer tomorrow.)

Check back tomorrow to see what project Day 2 will be...