Bubblings From The Cauldron!

Yep, I've been cooking something up. A bit of news I'm kind of excited about-nervous *and* excited about to be more precise. I'm doing a bit of designing now! Well it's actually been a little while, but due to some discombobulation, I'm just now getting around to launching the first one out the door. So, be gentle with me, it's my first rodeo, lol. I had fun putting together all my charts and they were shipped this past Monday. The first design is called (what else?) Witchy Brew.

Now, I'm not the fastest stitcher, as you all know. So, in that spirit, I plan on making fun, whimsical things that won't take you months to stitch. You can ask your local needlework shop to order this and future designs for you. I also plan on soon having a website where you can either download a .PDF or order a chart direct from me. I'll keep you posted on that subject! Until then, just shoot me an email!

Thanks ALL OF YOU for your responses to the floss issue. I have tried all those great methods except Vonna's. Great one by the way. I need to practice that one, which is going down with the needle point, and coming back up with the needle head. That way the floss doesn't twist. Genius! I tried it a few times, but my hands didn't want to do what my brain told them to! I'll keep at it though. I'm a railroader also. But you know how you're going about your merry way, just enjoying life and putting stitches in---then a few days later, you see all the twists and turns that you didn't realize were happening before? UGH! I think I just need to stop obsessing over stitches. And as I say that, I have to admit I took out Halloween Fairy yesterday, and thought about starting her ALL OVER again because I'm not satisfied with some of the stitches, lol!!

Thanks to all my family, and a few good friends, who have encouraged me and never let me give up on myself. I love you and I don't know where I'd be without you guys. And thanks to everyone who reads these ramblings and keeps coming back. You're great and awesome all around. Thank you. Until next time,

*sorry if this post showed up in your feed again! I had to correct the date!*

Non-Stitchy Movie Post!

I'm stitching on my witch, but HAD to share this. If you love vamps, scary movies with a bit of humor, and general freakishness,then you MUST put this on the calendar. October 23, 2009! Great trailer!



This looks SO good. We'll be there the first day I'm sure!

On the stitchy front, I need to be busier! Work is taking alot of my time, but I'll have something to show you in the next couple of days! Take care and happy stitching! I hope you enjoyed the trailer!

Please Remember

...and watch. I will.

The Blood of Heroes

Spooky Hollow Progress

I've been steady working on her. Funny how cross stitch gets done when you actually do it, isn't it?

This sure is a fun project to work on, but check back with me when I start that border, OK? :p Actually, I think the border on this will go pretty quickly. I've also learned to use my beloved Thread Heaven , even on DMC. Half of her skirt was without it, and half was with it and I much more enjoyed the half that I used it on! If someone can tell me how to make floss lay perfectly flat, I'd really appreciate it. Because I've tried for 20+ years now, and haven't mastered that one. I do try however!

Till next time (which will probably be tomorrow!),

New Spooky Start and Progress Too!

Woohoo! I got my mojo back, baby (said in my best Austin Powers voice)!! I started a new project promptly after my last post and have a couple pics. Here is the supplies and fabby for Spooky Hollow by With Thy Needle & Thread:

And my progress thus far:

You know I couldn't leave this witch with a pink face! She called out to me to stitch her true soul, which was green--green with envy, the spirit of Halloween, and lots of other sweet and sour things. I don't have a name for her yet, but she'll reveal it to me before I'm done, of that I'm sure. The model for this design was stitched over one, but no way could I leave her that small. She is "full sized" so I can always see her in all her glory. She also won't stand for sitting in the pile of finished works when she's done. She's going to have to go straight to the framer! Thanks for looking and for all your comments!

Prairie Schooler Finish!

Whew. <--- Notice that enthusiasm? Yeah, the whole month has been like that. The past two days have seen me stitching furiously on my Prairie Schooler Garden Fairy, so that I could finally update my blog, and I've been successful in my endeavor! Here's my little finish for the month. This was a series of 4 fairies, and I've now completed them all-I'm really happy about that. I know Aida seems old school, but I did the first one on it (waaaaaaay back in '95), so I kept it consistent.

Prairie Schooler/Garden Fairy
Fiber: DMC
Fabric: 14 ct. Oatmeal Aida

I'm really excited about Halloween coming up. There's a certain healing of my spirit that comes with Fall. I don't know why, but it's always been that way for me. Lots of time just spent in wonderment at the changing season, the colors it brings, and cycle of it all. It's kind of like my New Year, you know? It's when I take stock of things--usually deciding I've not done enough with my life, lol--and begin to make changes for myself.

I picked up this today:

Now, say what you will about Martha, but I love this woman. She's brave. She has guts and gusto. And she throws one helluva Halloween party! My idol. This issue is luscious, honestly. I subscribe to Living, but I *treat* myself to this issue every single year.

Have a productive week and I'll be back VERY soon with a new start. Oh, not those pesky WIP's either. Something Halloweeny to be sure! :-p

At a Snail's Pace

As you can see, I've not been burning up the stitching world, nor is my needle smokin'. I don't know what's going on with me. Just a little slump I guess!

Here's a couple digi scrap pages I did of a few beach pics.


And someone asked for a closeup of this pattern from the last post. It's Diane Arthur's Seashell Silhouette by Imaginating. This will most likely be a Christmas present for someone!

Well, that's it for me. I'll do my best to catch up with everyone's blogs. Thank you so much for all the comments and well wishes. It makes my day to read them and I want to return the favor. Take care all, and I wish you a productive and FABU stitchy week! Send me some "get out of your funk and do something with yourself" vibes if you can......... :p 'Till next time,

Back from OC!

We got back Saturday and I was in the ER on Sunday, lol. If anyone knows me, they know I have a habit of getting sick in the summer, usually requiring a hospital stay-heck, maybe even surgery-but thankfully not this year. I had a kidney infection, but that's not the worst. The worst was the Levaquin (POISON I tell you) that I only took two pills of and was sicker than I've ever been in my life! Stay away from that stuff. My doc gave me something else and I'll probably have to have something done about the kidney stones.

Progress on my Praire Fairie:

I got pretty much done and it was so awesome to sit and stitch with this view:

Had to buy some stash while there. Lots purchased at Sea Needles, some at the Spinning Wheel and some at the Salty Yarn. And yes, you better behave in there or you might wind up on the Salty Yarn Blog and you do not want that! So I have my charts, stand in line and pay--then LEAVE, lol.

This was a wonderful vacation and gosh how I treasure those memories. Waking up to the sound of the surf and seagulls is awesome. And when you are boating and the dolphins come so close, it's some kind of magic I swear. We look forward all year to that one week, and we'd love to "retire" to the beach someday. Gives us something to shoot for anyway! Maybe I'll do some digi scrapping pages of the beach and post 'em here--I took SO many pics this time and need to get them in an album. Well, I don't *need* to, but would like to. :)

I have so much to catch up on with all your blogs, and I'll be doing that the next couple days I promise. Thanks to everyone who reads and is remotely interested in my ramblings. Next time I'll have hopefully finished my Fairie and gotten that first line of specialty stitches on Goblin done. I really don't want to give up on that one, but I'm tiring of silk thread, believe it or not.

Have a great stitchy week everyone!

Pre-Beach Posting !

We're finishing up the packing and heading out tomorrow morning-early. I've chosen this for my beach stitching since it's relaxing and simple and small. I can't believe I had to run to JoAnn's and get a few floss colors I was missing:

This is the last in the series of four I have to do, and I just love these! I did the first one waaaaay back in 1995! I had to put Goblin away for a bit--had a hard time starting that first row of specialty stitching. I don't know if it's my eyes, or my counting skills, lol, or perhaps a bit of both. I'll try to get that done soon, but I just can't mess with it now. Maybe not later either-just a warning! I don't know why my summer has seemed so hectic thus far. I feel a bit out of control, like nothing is as organized as I need it to be. Maybe summer part 2 will be a little more laid back with more time for stitching and other fun things. We'll see!

I just can't wait to get to the beach. The ocean makes me feel revitalized, energized, and relaxed all at the same time. Walking on the boardwalk with the warm wind blowing around me as we just walk and decide what to do next...nothing beats it. Not having to worry with what time it is, doctor appointments, grocery shopping, etc. ( generic web photo below!)

We've always wanted to move to the shore someday. I spoke to a woman in a Fenwick restaurant one time. She worked as a court transcriptionist and waitressed part time as well. She had children too. I told her how people always tell me, "Oh, you'd get so used to the beach, you wouldn't enjoy it anymore than where you live right now." She said to me, "that's bull---it's every bit as fun as you think it would be!" With that, she told me how fabulous the schools were and how much she loved it there. Every single year, we entertain that fantasy of moving to the beach. It really gives me the incentive to work hard and continue to pay off our debt and not incur any more. You never know what dreams you can make come true for yourself. I'd have to move my mom and sister with me of course! I just love looking at all the homes and thinking "Well, they did it--so can we!".

I've neglected the old google reader for quite some time, and I need to post to all your beautiful blogs. I also need to email some tin album instructions to someone-I have not forgotten! When I get back I can't wait to see what you all have been up to! Take care and enjoy your week. I'll be back soon with some stash updates I'm sure and hopefully a suntan!

Goblin Start, Stash, and Funny Convo

Funny conversation regarding the virtues of Thread Heaven:

Me: (opening a new container) Yaaayyyy!
DH: What's so exciting?
Me: Sparkles!
DH: What *is* that stuff on top?
Me: It's FUN, whaddya think?
DH: Yeah, but why is it there?
Me: You obviously don't get it.

The people who make this stuff get it though, because they are the ones that add the sparklies!

Yes, the sparkles have no purpose other than to amuse me. And they do. That's how easily I'm amused. I know, I'm a freak. Have you used this stuff? I love it. I don't usually use it with DMC, but for silks and overdyeds, it's a necessity for me.

Here's my start. Eleven days since my last blog entry and I realize I should have had this done already, lol. However, I just haven't had the dedicated stitching time I want. Just like the last design, this fabby is kind of yellow, but doesn't want to show up that way in a pic:

Just a few stash items. My friend Tracy gave me SamSarah's Jumping Jacks. Love those pumpkins! And I had to have the witchy design of course. Then I scored another BBD Loose Feather design off eBay. This is such a great design. I'm happy I won it!

Well, nothing else exciting happening. I'm gearing up for our annual vacation - July 11 - to Ocean City, MD, and we are so stoked! I need to start thinking about what stitching to take. I will either take the Prairie Schooler Garden Fairy (the only one I have left to stitch, out of 4) or another little Shepherd's Bush design for mom's birthday. We'll see! **ETA** Yes Judy, I do know about all those shops and also Sea Needles in Bethany Beach. Oh how I love to shop for cross stitch, but at the beach it's even sweeter!

Thx for all the great comments on my last post about the finish and the scrapbook tin. I had someone ask me to email instructions on how to complete the tin and I'll be happy to do that! Take care and until next time,

Stitchy Finish, Scrapbooking Finish, etc!

WHEW! The past couple weeks have been a whirlwind. Ever feel like you're just running in place, going nowhere fast, but there's so much happening around you? That's the past couple weeks for me. Getting my son through the end of school and wondering how I now have a 13 year old boy. Boggles the mind. That was last week, then we had the party, then he had dentist appointment, then he had a small surgical procedure on his face (I know!!). Had to have a small growth removed from his face and will have some follow up laser procedures. OY VEY. I'm tired.

I told you I finished With my Needle, and indeed I have. Here it is. These are outdoor pics so I'm sorry 'bout the shadows !

BlackBird Designs With My Needle

28 ct. Antique Cotton Linen
GAST Fibers

Oh, I also wanted to post my recent gift to my sister. She also has a June birthday and I wanted to give her something special, so I made her an altered tin album of some pics of us as kids and a couple recent ones too. She cried, which as you all know means.......SCORE!!!! :P She's the beautiful blonde!


Don't mind the little paws in the upper right hand corner. :p

I really love scrapbooking too. This little album uses a digital template from Shabby Miss Jen, which, if you are into digi scrapping at all, is a way awesome site. I just downloaded some Halloweenie type kits. FUN!

Now, what to stitch next? I thought maybe this. It's cute, right? Shepherd's Bush The Goblins. I can't resist a goblin! :

And no one need remind me I still have Halloween Fairy to finish up. Maybe I'll take this opportunity to work on her too. She's crying out to be finished before Halloween this year, after the fiber dye lot disaster of last year, lol. My goodness.

A very sweet lady, Joanne, was visiting my blog and saw I wanted Firefly Fairies:

So what did she do? She sent her copy to me! Joanne, you are an awesome lady and I can't wait to see your Cricket Boo Sheep progress. I think Joanne needs a blog too, in order to show it off. I don't believe she has one, but if you do Joanne, please let me know!! You are too sweet.

Today I scored my copy of Adam Lambert's Rolling Stone cover. I have to wait until all is quiet to read it. I'm so excited he's going to have an album out later this fall. Seriously, Adam fans, how cool is this cover?

And with that, I think I'll sign off before I blog your ear off (or your eyes out?). Have a great night and I'm looking SO forward to getting back to reading posts and see all the gorgeous things you're working on. Thanks for the b-day wishes for my boy. So sweet of you all! You guys really make my day.

Drive by post!

I'm busy as a bee here. Seems time just flies by and I can't get a handle on it lately. I'm basically finished with my WIP - BBD With My Needle - and will post a photo for you tomorrow. My family is going to be visiting today to wish my son a happy b-day and we're trying to clean things up this morning. Should be nice weather for sitting out on the deck.

Have a wonderful Saturday and I'll be back soon with photos! Boy do I have alot of blogging to catch up on, lol. :P