Yet to be framed

I just had to update......here are two stitched pieces that I had stretched and will be framed next..........First is Cinderella © Willow Hill Stitching

And next is Cirque des Cercles © Ink Circles

Both were stitched a bit ago....Cinderella I actually personalized to be our wedding sampler and I love it!!! Now to find the perfect frames for them!!!!!

A second finish for 2009

I am completely thrilled that I have finished Cinderella Sampler by WHS ....So here are a few pictures of the completed piece ........I added our initials and year that we met to the top space.........and the wedding photo... I added our wedding date on the side of the groom! It's my own personalized wedding sampler and DH just loves it!!!!!! As do I !!!!!

My brother's trip was wonderful but too too short unfortunately! We did manage an overnight trip to see his daughter/my niece in California which was so fun! I drove there and he drove back! We did dinner in Santa Monica (I think??) and the next morning we had breakfast in Venice Beach almost right on the water! I got my beach fix and it restored my soul! I do miss the beach but with her in California I foresee many trips!!!! Here's just one picture of the ocean.... . We are planning a quick trip to Disneyland next week so hopefully my niece will be able to join us! Oh and while she was here for Easter she went through my stash and now has more patterns!!!! Her heart is coming along beautifully.........she now has a job so it's a little slow going . Oh and we totally surprised my brother/her father with her being here for Easter!!!! It was a good Easter and wonderful week!!!!!

I am grateful for the joy in my life....

May your needle fly through your fabric.........

On bended knee......

I have had a wonderful day just busy enough but I got things accomplished which is always a good thing! I had a good Pilates workout and even took Storm to the dogpark.....now I have the evening to myself and yes I will be stitching!

First up is a small bit of progress on Cinderella sampler..... hence the title of my post! Does anyone else find it a bit daunting to come up with a catchy post title! I find most times it either hits me like this one or I'm searching and then choose a boring one!

I have some progress on Scary Scraps by Mosey 'N Me..... I am doing the metallics at the same time for the first time and it's working out.....the pumpkin face was a bit scary without the eyes and mouth! And as promised a picture of the model photo I am liking the 30ct fabric after Cinderella which is on 36ct! I know this is a weekly SAL but I wanted to get the pumpkin done!

And now some more progress pictures that my niece sent of her project... and !!!!! I couldn't be more impressed! And the good news is she is planning another visit soon!!!!!! May be time for another visit to my LNS!!!!!

Well that's all for now...I'm off to stitch and have a big cup of tea!

I am grateful for warm sunny days and family........................

May your needle fly through your fabric.........

Much to show and a book finish

First let me say thanks to all the wonderful comments I received about my nieces stitching piece! I was the first to be amaze by her interest in stitching and oh so happy that she loves it and came upon this on her own! She is amazing! I do think it's in her genes!

I have updates on Cinderella Sampler from Willow Hill Samplings....several pictures follow and I hope they are better than the last! and and and my favorite part of the sampler Her slipper is on the path and she is most definitely barefoot....the next scene to stitch is Prince charming presenting her with the said slipper! She is almost done and I love her! The fabric is a Silkweaver Solo and is 36 count!

Next up is my progress on M-designs Letter J! ! I already have the Letter C done for hubby and then the Celtic Heart all to be framed together! The fabric is PTPlus 32ct Davinci!

I hade another new start yesterday... not shocked I know... It's a SAL with Margaret and Brenda (no blog yet) from my wednesday stitching group at SP. The fabric is 30ct Twisted Peppermint Pink and the pattern is called Scraps the Mummy.....don't have a picture of the model photo but promise to soon! Not much done but it will definitely be fun and it's the first time I'm using anchor threads.....just what the pattern called for. And also Margaret bestowed on me this award.... I am so honored! Thank you dear friend!

The rules are as follows:
1. Copy the Kreativ Blogger Award on your blog.
2. Create a link to the blogger who has nominated you.
3. Nominate 8 other bloggers.
4. Create a link to these bloggers on your blog.
5. Leave a comment on their blog advising them that you have sent them an award.

I am going to bend the rules a bit since I read so many wonderfully creative blogs that I just can't pick 8! So if you are reading this considered yourself tagged........


Off to stitch and have a cup of tea.....

I almost forgot I just finished The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. A simply amazing book that took a while to read but is so very worth it! It gives a new perspective to dracula and is filled with wonderful images and characters that you just can't help falling in love with......I highly recommend it!

I am grateful for dear stitching friends..............

May your needle fly through your fabric.........

Here I am again

I woke up inspired this morning after a good sleep and yes finally stitching last night! I took a quick picture of Cinderella Sampler so it's not the best! So sorry about the shadow........but it was a quick pic before I put it back on the Qsnaps.... It is almost done! I did more after I took the picture! When I told DH that I was going to personalize it as a wedding sampler for us he said and I quote "don't make me cry" . Yes I married a mush and I love him! I am now more determined than ever to complete it and soon!

I was also able to find the design that my dear niece picked All in a Heart by Miss Crescent's Crown... She started in the center and is crossing each "x" as she goes since it done with overdyed Crescent Colors! And it only has 4 colors as well. A perfect first design!

I'm sure everyone has seen these as well but here they go..the new Nora Corbett Pixies.... Lily of the Valley and Lilac. I really thought there were only supposed to be 6 of these. I have lost count but I do love them! And I may have posted them already.......

I am grateful for my dear sweet husband........

May your needle fly through your fabric.........

What have I done......

I have had another migraine but took the new meds since it came back with the old meds and the doc said to try the new ones and in what order to take them...I was just so frustrated the last time I saw him and he listened so we developed a new plan. I am happy to say I am migraine free as I type this post!!!! Still post migraine feeling like I am walking through tissue paper but I took care of me including a nap last night and skipping bowling and then sleeping in and resting today. I did skip Pilates as well but I'm off all next week so I will make it up I promise!!! My niece is getting better but she needs to remain in NY so my California trip is on hold but I plan to keep the time off and rest and stitch myself!!!! Thank you again for all of your prayers and well wishes for her!!! She and her sister are truly my heart!!!!!!

Now on to updates..First is Holly by NC She is done except for the beads and kreiniks!!!! Next is Cinderella Sampler and she now has a pumpkin coach to get around in There is more a new start yes even with a migraine I stitch.....I can't explain it but tend to just go with it... It is Nora's Alphabet which I am doing on PTP Crystal Highland! Next and last is an old WIP that was staring me down so she came out.... Queen of The Fairies by Passione Ricamo I did a little on her on sunday and realized just how much I love her! So she'll be out and stitched in my version of a loose rotation!!!!!

I've seen a lot of the Nashville releases but nothing jumped out at me which is a good thing actually and then I saw this... Quaker Gone Tropic by Michelle Ink. I just sat and stared at it and fell in love with it! I love the whimsy of it!!!! So when my LNS called and told me about the Nashville preview tonight for their "Bird Club" of which I am a member I innocently asked if they had acquired it at Nashville and they did so they are holding one for me.....I wanted to go to the preview but feel I should still be resting! I may go in on monday since I have the week off!!!!!

I am grateful for my niece feeling better and my wonderful husband......

May your needle fly through your fabric.........

New Beginnings!

Happy Happy New Year all!!!! I have been planning this post all day so here goes!!!!!

First I have to say that I am loving Paperback Swap

Which is listed in my sidebar! I am in the process of mailing out nine books and my first is on the way to me. I may never need to go to a bookstore again!!! Check it out if you like!

I worked New Years Day so just managed to get one thread in my new start but it was started so that is what truly matters! I started NC Holly Pixie......after much debate she won out! Here are two pix... and Iam really enjoying her and the fabric is making her pop! I joined a SAL for a bit of motivation and friendship started by Kathy A. and the new blog is Stitch A Mirabilia . So go take a peek if you like and if you want to join contact Kathy A.

Next is my updated Cinderella sampler and I will post the designer soon...it's downstairs and I'm upstairs......

and . She is halfway done now and I am so loving stitching her!!!!! Even on 36count she just flows......

May I also add that there is a new Nora Corbett called Nora's Alphabet out there and exclusive that can be seen here at Cross My Heart Ltd . and yes I am planning on adding her to my stash. Although after her I am considering getting on the stash wagon...but then when the new NC letters come out what to do??????

I am grateful for new starts and choices........

Oh and yesterday was my all time favorite authors birthday...J.R.R. Tolkien 1/4/1892. Happy Birthday Mr. Tolkien and thank you for giving me many hours of reading pleasure!!!!

End of the year already..........

My oh my!!!! I can't believe it's the end of the year already and Sleeping Beauty and Mother's Arms are still waiting to get off the WIP's list in my sidebar....

Happy New Year all and thanks for visiting and commenting as much as you did! I so appreciate it! I have a few pictures to share this post. So here goes...

The first is of our Christmas tree which we managed to finish decorating on Christmas morning. I am so pleased with it and find myself just staring at it especially at night with the lights on! and I am glad we did up the tree! It makes Christmas extra special. I made a special dinner including pecan pie and we celebrated by ourselves which was so sweet since it was our first time being home and celebrating together. Dh did confess that it felt weird not being around a lot of people but it made it special. We opened presents Christmas night along with Storm. She liked her biscuits but was slightly put off by the size of this rawhide....it's peanut butter flavored and she has yet to touch it.... She usually loves peanut butter flavored treats.....Behind her you can see my craft bag and basket of cross-stitch.......

I have made significant progress on Cinderella sampler having completed the border all around and I looked at it again and really love this piece!!! I was given the great idea of personalizing it for my DH and me as a wedding piece and that's what will happen. I am going to put our initials in the box at the top with the year we started dating and on the bottom the date of our wedding!!!! It'll make more sense when you see it all done! Here are some updated pictures without the completed border. I just finished that tonight after working today. I find that even if I put a few stitches in it relaxes me after working 12 hrs..... and I am halfway done already!!!! The fabric is a Silkweaver solo 36ct and is just perfect! The border was off by one but unless you look closely or know where to look you wouldn't be able to tell. But I am sure some of you will be able to tell.........Amazingly I am okay with it and since it's for me and DH it'll work!

I hope everyone has their New Years starts all kitted up!!!! I have mine almost all together...I will do that later today. My start is still Holly by Nora Corbett . My fabric is Boo opalescent 32ct by Silkweaver. Well I'm off to bed now I have Pilates at 8am and then it's off to SP for stitching and then another quiet night with DH. I am working New Years Day so our celebrating will be low key.

I am grateful for family and friends and the joy they bring to my life........

Wow.......

Let me start by saying thanks to all who commented on my last post! 36 in total!!!! That is a new record for me!!!!! I am amazed at all the wonderful people I have "met" through this blog and so appreciate your visiting me!!!!!
I am still here and have been stitching unfortunately have not taken any recent pictures. So I posted a picture a dear friend sent from about 2 years ago. I can't believe I was that blonde......but I was. I do like the length so that is my new goal. ... And yes that is DH and my friend Andrea. We met under extraordinary circumstances and have remained friends for what feels like forever! She is firmly embedded in my heart as is her family!!!!

As I said I have been stitching and all will be revealed in another post.....so please bear with me. I truly hesitated writing at all since I didn't have pictures but my need to post won out. My Cinderella Sampler is coming along and I did start a Salem Sampler and am thinking of another new start ..one of PR's freebie fairies. Trouble is I have a low level migraine that is messing with my sleep...either I sleep not at all or too much......so it was an afternoon nap for me today so I'm sure I'll be up into the wee hours tonight......

I want to say hello to Deb who hasn't been feeling well lately! My thoughts are with you and will e-mail or call soon.

PS ....TOTF is still at the framers but she will be home soon and I'll post a picture then.

I'm off to stitch a bit and grab a cup of tea.............but first I received this from Karen in an email and wanted to share it with everyone so please indulge me :

"Remember...a layer of dust protects the Wood beneath it.

'A house becomes a home when you can write 'I love you' on thefurniture.'

I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things

were just perfect - 'in case someone came over'

Finally I realized one day that no-one came over; they were all out living life and having fun!

NOW, when people visit, I don't have to explain the 'condition' of my home.

They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice.

Life is short. Enjoy it! Dust if you must ....... but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake cookies or a cake and lick the spoon or plant a seed, or ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time . . . . with beer to drink , rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead. (and stitching to be stitched...my addition)

Dust if you must, but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.

This day will not come around again. Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind. . . And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust! It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived."

I am grateful for lazy days just wandering around...

Unimaginative title or just migrained out....

Well here I am! I find myself with some alone time while MIL and her BF are down on the Strip seeing a show! I did have a new start but not the one I thought...one that was calling my name loudly and was already kitted up! It is Ocean's Daughter by ?!Who Knew?! Here is the model picture and hopefully soon I will have a picture of my wip soon...not enough done to post just yet...I know I'm teasing but hang on I do have pictures to show !

Here is Cinderella Sampler wip picture and Fairy Moon . I did finish my LHN Schoolgirl Lessons And I started another LHN but at the moment the name escapes me. And I brought home Cinderella from my LNS... Stitcher's Paradise and hung her over our bed Not the greatest of pics ...but I was going to hang it elsewhere in the room and asked DH what he thought and where it should go and his reaction was perfect.. "it's the most beautiful piece you've done so it goes over the bed!!!!" Yes he's a keeper!!!!

I am going into the 3rd day with this migraine not really a migraine but an icepick type headache called "chronic paroxysmal hemicrania" I have been living on indocin which is the only treatment and it goes away but comes back and taunts me....right now it's gone and I plan to take full advantage of the painfree state! I am going to get a cup of tea before MIL/BF call to be picked up on the Strip....about a 30 minute ride...I may just go in my pj's.....I can see the conversation now..."in your pj's'" but I wasn't planning to get out of the car".....LOL! I am enjoying their visit now that the adjustment week is over!!! I do love her and she treats me so wonderfully! There is dinner every night...I think I've cooked once in the past 2 weeks! She is a kind gentle woman who is a joy and it is my honor to be part of her family and she raised an exceptional son!!!!!

Okay I'm off to get my cup of tea.....

ETA...Dh just called and he's going to bring MIL/BF home so I get to have my tea and stitch....a keeper for sure!!!!!

I am grateful for quiet nights and finally being painfree.....

Where do I begin????

I have to say that I have missed posting. Disneyland was wonderful! My goddaughter is an absolute joy and full of love and peace and wonder! She truly restores my soul!!!! We had lots of fun. We even upgraded our 2 day park hopper into an annual pass!!!! And we promised that we'd be back lots!!!!! I truly love Disneyland

The day started off ordinary with the 4 of us going for breakfast before a planned day of fun and then I got a phone call that somewhere in my brain I knew was going to come and I'm not being morbid but I just sensed it. I posted about my favorite Aunt in July well I am so glad that I made the effort to go and see her then. We had a simply wonderful day with her which means the world to me!!!!! My brother called to say that she had passed away that morning. I just cried actually sobbed. I then called my cousin to see how she was and to see if she wanted me back in NY. She was sure that it wasn't necessary and that it was more important that I saw her when I did. Needless to say I was sad but carried on and enjoyed Disney. And now I've been flooded with memories of her which are many...... I will share one and that is that she always wore red lipstick and when she kissed you goodbye her lip print was there as proof on your cheek!!! I would give anything for that lip print right now!!!! I think I'll start wearing red lipstick in her memory. She truly was my favorite Aunt!!!!! I will always honor her in my heart!!!! Our wedding anniversary is her birthday and I planned it that way and so on 10/28 I will celebrate and honor her!!!!!!

I did the drive to Anaheim and it was good since my niece will be moving to California in a few months and we plan lots of visits back and forth!!!!! I am looking forward to having her closer !!!!!! Both of my nieces hold my heart and it will be good to connect with her more often. Maybe my homesickness will abate with her being closer! Having my dear friend and goddaughter here was definitely a plus. Making memories was so special and honoring memories is important as well!!!!

I did bring my stitching along but it never made it out of the bag......I have been stitching since our return and here is an update of my most current new start.... It is Trick or Treat fairy by NC done on Crystal Flash 32ct linen by PTPlus . I am enjoying her but need to get back to Cinderella Sampler as well as CdC!!!!

I have also been enjoying the pool and spa!!!!! Luckily we get to enjoy the pool into October as long as we put the solar cover on!!!!! Oh and we got word that my MIL will be visiting soon actually next week for about 6 weeks! I am so looking forward to her visit. She seems to think DH needs her visit but I think I actually need her nurturing as well!!!! And she will have her younger BF with her once again!!!!!

There is so much I want to say but can't think of it all right now or am just not sure how to write it so I'll sleep on it and maybe it will appear in another post......

I am grateful for my Aunt and what she meant in my life.......

Tomorrow

Well I have picked the fabric for Trick or Treat Fairy and have a target of tomorrow to start her!!!!! I worked on Cinderella Sampler this week and can only say that it brings me such joy!!!!!! I will post updates with pictures soon! The designer on Cinderella Sampler is Willow Hill Samplings but I will check again. I am also itching to start another big project that was originally supposed to be my Jan 1st start...where has the year gone???

I worked today and amazingly it was quiet and I was able to read and get a book almost finished...that never happens.......I was glad since I seem to be short on patience at work lately. So it's a good thing I have a short week off and am meeting my best friend and her daughter at Disneyland in like 9 short days of which 4 I have to work! And then they come back to Vegas with us. I am so excited!!!!!
I am grateful for a few days off and my upcoming vacation...............

Have you ever.............

I am somewhat rested from my stretch at work although I'm still napping daily. Aren't naps just wonderful?? As to my post title I got already for SP stitching group this wednesday and arrived and went to get my HAED out to stitch on and I had everthing but the chart symbols! I have never done that before but luckily I had something else to stitch on.......more on that soon. I had little choice but to start something new.....

Here is A Cinderella Sampler that I stitched on while in NY.... I am loving it so. And next is my HAED....The Tower at Stoney Wood........ For the last 2 days I've been at work on the black. Isn't it beautiful?? I'm doing it on 25ct Lugana over one and truly love it. Which I guess is good since this is only the beginning........I am working on pages 1 and 2 at the same time. It seems to keep the flow going.....

As to DH's plane arrival and puppy's trip to the airport....all went well. DH got in at 1:30 am and I got to bed at 3 am and yes much to my great surprise I went to work at 7am.....but that night I was in bed by 9pm and slept through to 8am missing my dental appointment. Puppy enjoyed all of the new smells at the airport but with all of the new smells she hardly noticed DH.......about halfway home in the car she finally acknowledged him!!!!!

I must add that I was nominated by Noreen for a blogging award!!! Thank you so much and here humbly nominate all of my readers and those that are in my google reader!!!!!! I hope that is alright since I am so behind on things and am trying to pare down my computer time to give me more stitching time!!!!!! I'm off to get a cup of tea and a bit of dinner.

I am grateful for days off and afternoon naps............