Petites Lettres Rouges finis and some exchanges

Petites Lettres Rouges design by Blackbird Designs

32 count Silkweaver Cocoa

Vikki Clayton Mermaid Blue 2327

What a quick little stitch this was! And such a pleasure. I managed to send it off to Alma for inclusion into the BBD contest. :-)

I started back with House #4 from HoHRH and I realized that I don't have a chance in hell of finishing it by the 30th as all the windows plus the house needs to be filled in. Oh well, May is a long month. :-) I should be able to finish this month and #5 without any difficulty (if I actually sit down and stitch it that is!).

I also have a couple of exchanges to report on. First is what I sent out to Ellen S in Kentucky for the HoE Valentine's Exchange. I forgot to take a photo and Ellen kindly posted one on the HoE blog. I made her a box with a JBW design on it.

As fate would have it, Ellen had me in the Woodland Exchange that just went out. This is what she sent me.
I was lucky enough to get Edgar as a recipient. I've been on the receiving end of some of his kindness and it was great to give a little back. :-)

I stitch a BBD design called Country Garden and dedicated it to his recently departed dog, Hunny. As usual, I forgot to take a photo before sending it off so I took this from the HoE blog.

Gilded Dragonfly Finis and a great mail day :-)

Gilded Dragonfly Scissor Purse designed by Just Nan

28 count cream linen

Recommended AVAS silks

I finished the work on my Gilded Dragonfly Scissor Purse yesterday and even got the scissor fob done! I changed my scissor fob a bit, I used the Renaissance Gold metallic cord for the scissor loop rather than the green silk the pattern recommended. I filled it with emery and I love how it turned out. I love it when something that has been hanging around forever is done! Especially when it cost a fortune to buy it.

As far as the finishing for the scissor case goes, it turned out ok and I'm hanging onto the instructions in case I want to use this technique again. The lining did turn out nice and smooth using the sewing machine method. But to those of you who still need to finish their piece two tips. First the directions say to cut 1/2 salvage at the turning point on the scissor case and the rest of it trimmed to 1/4 of an inch. Don't forget to do this! Especially if you use silk lining like I did. I forgot to do this and the silk shredded so much from the stress of turning it right side out I didn't think I would be able to close off the opening. But I manged and you really can't tell how much I needed to adjust the silk. Second, put the snap on the body of the case on before you stitch it all together. The directions say to do this after you stitch the case closed (this part is by hand) and I don't know about you but my hands and fingers just aren't that small and I had a devil of a time getting the snap in once it was closed. I tried twice and both times it came out a little off center. Also make sure it's in right place before you sew it on. I didn't close the top of the case over to test it's position before I put mine on and it's too high so I had to either stitch it in for the third time or put the second piece of the snap on the needle holder wool. I put mine on the wool. I now have three Just Nan treasures and they look so cute together.

The mail came very late yesterday. In my stack were two packages with international postage on them. I'm not expecting anything so I was quite surprised. The first package was from Karen V in the UK. A while ago, I sent her some rings to make some floss holders and she stitched me a thank you. And what a thank you it is! :-) She made me one of her wonderful travel bags for stitching and the prettiest Quaker pinkeep in my favorite shade of blue. And she even tossed in a nice piece of Purely Primitive because it's my favorite linen to stitch on. I am quite overwhelmed by her generosity.

Karen's blog was the first I ever read a couple of years ago. I had just gotten back into cross stitch after an almost twenty year gap and she had just finished up An Open Heart by The Drawn Thread and posted a photo of it on the Legacy Embroiderers Guild Board that I had just joined. I didn't know anything about Drawn Thread and I did an internet search for the chart and for Drawn Thread and one of the websites that came up was Karen's blog. Her work has been an inspiration for me for quite a long time now. And to be the proud owner of some of her work is a real trill. :-) If I were a stitching stalker, I would stalk Karen for sure. :-) The next time I make one of my infrequent trips to the UK, I'm going to ask her to tea.

My second package was from Anna in Belgium. Remember the Stitching Blogger's Birthday Group I joined last year? Well it was my birthday package! Anna said on the card that it was a replacement for a gift that never arrived. Late or not, it is much appreciated. I was feeling pretty miserable when I thought my partner didn't bother with a gift. Anna sent along a beautiful piece of linen, some fibers, chocolate (yummy) and a chart from my wish list, Inspiration by Rosewood Manor as well as a few finishing items. Thanks so much Anna!

My vacation is already half over! How times flies when you are having fun at home. What's on tap for today? I'm going to work on an exchange piece, clean out my craft cabinet - yesterday I needed something and had to go through five boxes to find it so it's long overdue! And I think I want to find a new book by Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser called Master Your Metabolism. I love that show and the push I get from it every week to keep to my diet is enormous. This book sounds very interesting, it's all about how hormones effect your metabolism and I need all the help I can get - I'm at the 50 pound gone mark now and just have around 8 pounds to go. I've started to buy new clothes and they are all smalls - imagine that, me in a size 6! :-)

an exchange received

Anna from Poland reported yesterday that she received her HoE Christmas ornament. I stitched her an ornament from the 2007 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue. I used 40 count Lakeside Linen's Vintage Maple Sugar with DMC and WDW floss. I finished it as a pinkeep. I tossed in a few holiday treats also. :-) I'm so glad you like it Anna! I had fun stitching it for you.

All in a Moon finis

All in a Moon by Miss Cresent's Crowne

recommended Crescent Colours floss

32 count Silkweavers Poltergeist

I stitched up All in a Moon yesterday - super, super quick! My sister's birthday is next month and I'm planning on giving this to her. I'll buy a small wood frame and add a few embellishments to it and paint it black. It was so quick, I might even make one for me!

Jill received the Prairie Schooler Exchange from the Hooked on Exchanging blog yesterday so I can share a photo. The design is stitched from "A Farmer's Almanac", #144, on 32ct. Silkweavers Poltergeist using DMC floss. I finished it as a pin/needle cushion and it's filled with 100% emery. I'm very happy with how it turned out and I think I might make a similar style one for me.
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Here is my new start - Quaker Casket by Sampler Cove. I'm stitching mine on 36 count Lakeside Linens Maple Syrup using a Vikki Clayton variegated silk called Magpie Warbles. I'm a little worried it's too light of a floss. I wanted a delicate look but this might be a little too delicate.

Quaker Cat finis

Quaker Cat by the Workbasket

HDF Premium silk in a mystery color, dark bluish green

32 count Mountain Mist by Silkweaver

Here is my finished Quaker Cat. It's for an exchange so I won't reveal how I'm going to finish it until my partner has received it. ;-)

I started back on the Ink Circles Book of Ink Circles. The new section was released yesterday so I'm two full releases behind and I really wanted to stay current with this one. Right now the plan is to work on it for a week or so. That will give me time to complete both new sections plus get more of the outside frame complete. I'm also way behind with the Papillion Creations Mystery. The new section of that was released on Tuesday - I'm now have two parts to get caught up on.

I'm a huge Cubs fan and so are the Pugs. And they like to show their Cubs Pride. :-) From the left, Aoife, Clancy and Molly.

second exchange received

Yesterday Deanne from St. John's, Newfoundland in Canada posted on the Hooked on Exchanging blog that she received her freebie exchange. Here is a photo that Deanne took as I forgot to (as usual). I took a box that I had purchased around the holidays last year and topped it with Moire. I love how it turned out.

Below is my progress on Medallions. I barely had a second to put in a stitch. I worked out in the yard all weekend to make up for lost time in May. My Dad and I also put the finishing touches on our new screen house on Saturday and yesterday I purchased new furniture for it. Now we just need a new dining table since we lost the original one when the deck collapsed in February. As soon as the sun comes out again (we are having a series of really bad storms here in Northern Illinois) I'll take a photo of our new patio. We all love it and I can already envision many lost hours sitting with the pugs in the shade.

first exchange gift received

Kathryn received her Stitching Bloggers Birthday Club gift. Her birthday was on Monday. I stitched Tulip & Stars Pincushion by Blackbird Designs. I'm happy you liked your birthday gift Kathryn! :-) I borrowed a photo from her blog of the entire package. I never can remember to take one before I send it out.

a wonderful surprise today

I got home today after a hard day at an agility trial with my pug Clancy (two more almost Qs :-( - again no weave poles) and there was a mystery package waiting for me. I opened it up and found my freebie exchange from Wendy Jo! She stitched me a pinkeep from Blue Ribbon Designs in a beautiful williamsburg blue. She also sent along several GAST threads in my favorite shades and to make the package complete, she sent along a couple of treats for my furkids. :-)

What a nice lift!Thanks so much Wendy Jo, the pinkeep is wonderful, I love the design and color and your work is very fine. The pugs thank you also for thinking of them. :-)

Gem Show #1 finis

Gem Show #1 by Courtney Collection

Vikki Clayton Premium Silk

32 count Silkweaver Shadowbrook

I finished up Gem Show #1 from the Courtney Collection yesterday. It was a quick stitch and I think it would look great as a pillow. I would like to do another in a contrasting color but I have too many other things to get to right now to stitch it again right away.

Carol S received my HoE Biscornu on Friday and she says she likes it. :-) Here it is. I really enjoyed making this one for her. It's only my second and I did everything according to the instructions and it's huge! Or at least bigger than I thought it would be. :-)

Peachy Biscornu by Heirloom Embroideries

28 count Antique White Linen

DMC floss and DMC Pearl Cotton

Here is a snap that Carol took of the whole thing. I made her an Easter basket. :-)

I had the hardest time picking out something to start on today. I'm in the middle of working on part 3 of the Papillon Creations Mystery but I didn't want to work on that while on the train as it's in Q-snaps for that's harder to work with on the train. I pulled out Quaker Turtles from With my Needle and My Needle's Work by LHN and had the hardest time deciding. I ended up going with Quaker Turtles which is over one. It sure is hard to work over one on the darkish train. I might change my mind for the rest of the week and work on QT at home and My Needle's Work on my commute. But in any case, I feel asleep after only 30 minutes of stitching so I didn't take a photo. :-)

I've been fobbed!

When I got home from work tonight I had the nicest surprise waiting for me. I received my fob from the Hooked on Exchanging group! :-) Dawn was given the task of creating a fob for me. She sent along a couple of spools of ribbon and the lovely scissors that you see with the fob. Thanks so much Dawn, I love it and your work is exquisite.