Happy Halloween

Just a quick update to say "Happy Halloween". Hope you had a great weekend enjoying the cool, crisp, fall air.

Sorry, I haven't updated my blog with the next installment of photos from the Pals Convention. I will try to get that done in the next day or two. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day for work and play and of course, work always seems to win!

Take care and check back with me again soon! I love to read your comments!

Hugs!

Hello! Back home to reality!

I know, I know.....it's been like forever since I have updated my blog and for good reason. You see, I decided I needed to get away. I needed to spend time with my needle and thread. I needed to laugh uncontrollably and be with great friends. I needed to smell the ocean and stay up late. I needed my PALS!! So, in order to make the most of this get away adventure, I needed to get some stitching done. I needed to put together a grab bag, ornaments and kit up projects. In order to do that, I had to neglect all of my blogger friends. But, I'm back - tired - but I'm back. Back to reality. Since there is just so much that goes on during a PALS Convention, I'm going to break up my blog posts and give you a little each day. Let's start with all of the stitching and finishing I had to do before I left for the trip to Myrtle Beach.

This is my grab bag container. I used my paper crafting skills to decorate an empty paint can and filled it with lots of linen, fabric, scissors and other Halloween goodies.

I also stitched up this altoid tin pin cushion and scissor fob to go inside my grab bag paint can.

On Thursday night, we had a Fall and Halloween stitched exchange. I participated in the Halloween exchange and this was my piece - a Blackbird Designs Halloween Stocking. My good friend Amy got this one.

On Friday night, we had not only the grab bag exchange but the anticipated Christmas ornament exchange. I stitched these three ornies and was finishing them up right up to the last minute!

And last, but not least, here is a Blackbird Designs Halloween Cat design that I made into a pillow for the stitched exchange. At the last minute, I didn't participate so this one got to come back home with me.

There are lots of pictures out on the blogs of those that attended this year. You can see some of the pictures by visiting the blogs I have bookmarked on the right hand side of this blog page under "My Blog List". Go check them out and be sure to leave us a comment. We love sharing and we love to hear what you have to say.

I'll be back tomorrow with another installment of the fun PALS Convention 2010!!

Stay Tuned!!

Thank You and Stitching with Friends!

First off, a big THANK YOU to all of you who have visited my blog and left such nice comments. I don't think I have ever had 14 comments on one post and it was such a treat!! I do hope you will visit often and I will do my best to keep you entertained - LOL!!

I'm a little behind the times with a post but I wanted to share my day from a couple of weekends ago. I traveled up the road a bit and visited some great stitching friends (and blog buddies) at The French Hen in Manning, SC. We had a great time stitching, laughing and enjoying a great lunch of homemade sandwiches and desserts (love that praline cake - yummy).

Here's some photos of some of us stitching away!:

These are my "table buddies" (L to R around the table) - Judy (in the bright pink), Donna, Karen, Amy, June, Susan and Carrie (in the blue):


Here's Nicole, Linda and Faye:

Here's Deborah and Carolyn:

Here's Donna, Myra and Lynn:

Thanks again for visiting my little place in the blog world. I hope to post some photos soon of some stitch finishes. I've been busy stitching away for the Pals Convention later this year so those will have to stay a secret for now. Chat soon!

Halloween Finish

I know, I know....I started with Christmas ornies and here I am with a Halloween finish - tee hee! Well, I thought I had better get started on this one if I wanted it finished for this year. It is Prairie Schooler's When Witches Go Riding. I started this right before going to Tulsa and finished it tonight. I love it! Enjoy!!

Sorry about the wonky photo - it's laying on top of my pillow!

I (HEART) Blackbird Designs

I guess by now you are wondering where in the world I have disappeared to. It's been quite some time since I posted here in blog land and I really have no excuse. I will let you know that I have been busy. Our family went to Myrtle Beach for a week, I have been cleaning/organizing/fixing, etc, my house AND.......I just got back from a fabulous trip to Tulsa Oklahoma to take a class with Blackbird Designs at The Silver Needle!

This trip to Tulsa was LONG - 15 hours - but was so worth it! After crashing from the long drive, we (Kathy, Lorrie and myself) were up early for breakfast at MiMi's Cafe and then headed straight to The Silver Needle. This shop is awesome! I have never seen so many models in one shop before. So many different ways of finishing (cubes, wall hangings, stand ups, etc) and so many of the models were stitched over one. Lots of Vera Bradley and lots of fabrics - oh my! We shopped for almost 4 hours straight! Here's some photos to just show you the goodness......





We then headed to Sonic for something to drink because it was quite warm (114 degrees on Saturday!) and then headed back to The Silver Needle for the Blackbird Designs Meet and Greet. We got to see so many of Barb and Alma's designs, including their original antique samplers, and hear them talk about their friendship, how they acquired some of the samplers and just how passionate they are about sharing heritage and the love of telling a story through stitching. We got to see our class kits all bundled together in a basket and also the actual needlecase and pincushion we would be making the next day (and might I add, served on a glass plate that we got to keep!)....I also got to have my picture made with these two lovely ladies!











And to top off the weekend, I saw some of my Cross Stitch Pals!

Here's Karen(AZ) shopping at the wonderful fabric counter:


Chris(NC), Michele(WA) and Karen(AZ):


Kathy, Lorrie and myself giddy with shopping excitement:


And, two of the nicest ladies I think I have ever met. I just got to "know" Cathy and Joan in Blog Land just a couple of months ago when I emailed Joan to find out how she had finished a beautiful Christmas ornament. The conversation went from ornament finishing to discovering that we were both headed to Tulsa. Joan told her friend Cathy and the rest is history. I now have two great friends to keep in touch with (check out their blogs too for more weekend pictures and fun facts):


I could go on and on about how much fun I had and also share the 156 photos I took, a large number of those were taken of shop models, but I'll stop here and leave you with pictures of an Oklahoma storm. This was just a little pop-up storm but for this southern gal, it was something to see!

Still in the Christmas Mood!

I have been busy stitching AND finishing ornaments for the tree this year and I'm having a ball! Here's the ornament I spoke about last time. This one is done in bright blues, pinks and purples and makes me long for a white Christmas - I don't think it's going to happen in my neck of the woods - LOL! It's a freebie by Barbara Ana Designs.

And, another one to share. This ornament is just my favorite! It is from the JCS 2009 Ornament issue and is by Blackbird Designs. So small but so pretty. I finished it up with a scalloped cut piece of felt and ribbon. Please excuse the blurry photo. Just couldn't get a great picture with this dreadful weather we are having.

Well, that's all I have for show and tell for now. I am actually working on ANOTHER ornament and have two kitted up and ready to go. Stay tuned for more fa la la fun!

Another Ornie for the Tree

Here's another ornament cross stitch project and finish. This ornie was way out of my comfort zone. If you know me, you know I do NOT like to stitch over one. Just don't like it and just don't enjoy it.....but.....this ornament from Blackbird Designs was a joy to stitch! I think it was the fabric and it was just a scrap from my stash. I believe it's 28ct. lugana. Very soft and the evenweave took on the appearance of linen.

Finishing was a little out of my comfort zone too. Finishing techniques that involve the sewing machine make me a bit nervous but after seeing some of the great finishes other stitchers have done, I wanted to try something like that with this ornament.

I'm very pleased with the outcome! I am working on yet, another ornament. This one will be stitched in some bright (turquoise, hot pink, purple) colors - very non-traditional Christmas - but fun! Stay tuned........

Ornies and Finishing - Oh My!

Happy Friday Peeps! Just thought I would pop in this morning and wish everyone a happy weekend. Nothing big planned here. Hope to go see Shrek Forever After and just piddle around the house. Sounds like a plan!

I also wanted to share two finishes with you. Do you remember the snowman ornament that I stitched AND finished only to discover, I forgot to stitch part of the snowman? Well, he has been replaced with a new and improved ornament. I had to use a different ribbon this time and I also decided to not attach the bow. It seemed to distract a little.

Next up is an ornament that I stitched from the pattern, Bethlehem by Diane Arthurs (Imaginating). I just stitched the nativity portion of the pattern to use as an ornament. The photo doesn't show the opalescent linen that I used but it's really sparkly in person. Used DMC 823 and finished with fabric and felt.

Currently working on another ornament and hope to show pictures soon. All I will say is this one is way out of my comfort zone and the finishing will be a new challenge! tee hee!

Another Finish and a FINISH! - NOT!

another edit to add....Does anyone know how to do this type of finishing with beads added to the seams? I would love to get instructions if you have them. Thanks!

photo courtesy of the Freebie Gallery

edited to add.....OMG! I just realized that I made a boo boo! I didn't finish stitching the snowman. I looked at him again and realized he's a little lop-sided. I forgot to stitch the section over on the right past his scarf -arrrrggg. Well, at least I have time to stitch this one again and the finishing was not hard at all. Lesson learned - don't stitch while you're watching your favorite TV show!



That's right, gang! I not only stitched another ornament, I finished it! Two in one month and it's not Christmas Eve! It's amazing!

This is a Prairie Schooler freebie from 2009 (I think) that I finished into a flat felt ornament, basically following the instructions from Vonna - the Twisted Stitcher.

Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day! - (long post)

Today has been a great day! I got surprised this morning with flowers and a home-made card, we went to Red Lobster for lunch and I got in a nice nap. The perfect day! I am so blessed to have Corbin as my son. He's growing up to be a responsible and respectful young man. He's my child but he's also my buddy!

Here's the flowers I got. Don't know how he did it since he was home alone yesterday. I can't help but wonder if he walked the 3 miles one way to the nearest store to get these in the heat of the day....


I also have to share a finish.....not only did I stitch this ornie, I finished it into an ornie! That's remarkable for me and it's only May - whoo hoo!


I also want to share some photos from First Friday in our town. Corbin's high school band played for a couple of hours and did another amazing job.

Stitching Update

Sorry photo is a little dark....Thought I would give everyone an update on the stitching progress. Paradise Lost is coming along. I have decided after PL I don't want to stitch anything, for a while, that has leaves. No wonder Satan was able to hide in the garden! LOL! I have put PL down to stitch a small ornament. Wanted something that was just a quick stitch and I also want a new ornament for my tree this year. Decided to stitch Heart In Hands' Celebration Winter. After the ornament, I may start Blackbird Designs' A Wish For You since it too is another quick stitch.

Bon Jovi Rocks!

I have been missing in action only because I am still trying to get over the "Bon Jovi Experience" from this past Thursday night. Corbin and I were able to get VIP Party Suite tickets to see Bon Jovi - a band I have been in LOVE with since the 80's. It was a FABULOUS concert - one I will never forget. They played for 2 1/2 hours straight and sound as good live as they do on CDs. We are still riding cloud nine! Here's a couple of photos from the 207 that I took - LOL!