Shop Hop and 100th Post Contest

Now I am going to provide you with a little shock therapy. Posts 2 days in a row ought to do it just fine. I promised you a Shop Hop update. We had a great day today. It is always long and tiring, but still lots of fun to see old friends that come to the Hop every year. Later in the post I will speak to the contest in honor of my 100th post.

First of all, is the Shop Hop Sampler that the pattern is provided free to all those doing the Hop. In the past, the Hop sampler has been a collaborative effort with each of the involved shops doing a piece for the sampler and then it all combined into one. This year it was decided to do something a little different. Each shop was to provide their own Shop Hop sampler. This is the one designed by Anita of The Sunflower Seed. I stitched the model on 28-ct Natural Linen with GAST fibers. It will fit into an 8x10 frame. Everything is available in the shop to make the design. After the Hop, the design will probably be released to the public.

There are 2 other Sunflower Seed designs available during the Hop. These have yet to be released by Hoffman or Norden for distribution. The first is "Resurrection". It was done on 28-ct Natural Linen with Crescent Colours. This is another design that I stitched the model for. One of our Monday Night stitchers requested Anita to design an Easter design that was not eggs and bunnies. This is the result. This was a fun stitch. I loved every minute of it, even when I had to do a little frogging.

The second new design is "Needles and Pins". This is such a fun pattern and I am sure all the "real" stitchers feel it expresses their feelings completely. Since I did not stitch this one, I am not sure what it is stitched on, but I think it is an R&R fabric with GAST fibers. Right now I think this will be the prize for my 100th post contest. I will include the fabric and fiber to stitch it. Make a comment to this post by May 8th, and then I will draw for the winner. That will give those that are behind in reading blogs to read and comment if they choose. I don't think I am ever going to get caught up. I start making progress and then I get involved in something or am away from the computer a day or so and then I am further behind again. About a week ago, I had my Google Reader under 200, but now it is back up to about 225.
Now back to things available during the Hop. You know how the new saying among the kids is "SNAP" to represent things that they are not supposed to say. Well, we have the stitchers version. "OH STITCH". Anita designed and stitched this little piece on Monday. Painted the frame from some unfinished ones in the shop. It is sooooo cute. We it kitted up in the cutest little quilted bag with the pattern, fabric and floss. It is done on 32-ct Lambswool Linen with DMC floss.

Over the last few years, Anita has hand painted snippet jars and needle boxes with her wonderful Sunflower. This year she found some interesting shapes for the snippet jars. I love the ones that look like little milk jars.

Another cute quick design that Anita came up with this little "Alphabet Coaster" series. They are so cute. I think I might make some for Christmas presents. We have all the letter available and extra coasters, if you want to do the same letter to make up a set.

Now I get down to this part and there was supposed to be another picture, but blogger must have decided that I had already put in too many. It is a little "Mini Gentle Sampler". about 4 inches square done on Dk Espresso from R&R 28 or 30-ct and done with the newest GAST colors. I stitched it in about a weekend. We have it kitted with the fabric, frame and pattern and have the threads in a separate packet. If blogger was not so picky, I would try to load it now, but it would probably screw up the rest of this post. I have already been working almost an hour loading photos and composing this. Not going to take the chance. I'll post it next time.

Tonight, I started another one of those Blackbird Design stockings from the April set. Anita got the other ones that she and I had stitched, finished. They are just so darned cute. I forgot to take a picture of them when I was taking pictures. Am using Morris's camera totally. Just don't want all my work to show up pink from my camera. Went shopping online last night. Might have figured out what kind I want to get as a replacement. Maybe can fork over the money within the next couple of weeks. I am sure that Morris is not too excited to have all these cross stitch pictures on his camera.

I have probably bored you enough with all my Shop Hop info, so I better close this down and get some rest. We still have 2 more days to go.

REMINDER: Make a comment to this post by the end of the day on May 8th and be eligible for a new project.

Still plan to post a further report on our recent retreat complete with all the funny comments.

Happy Stitching.

Quick Update

For those of you that are waiting for my report on our recent stitching retreat, I am sorry, it is going to have to wait for a little longer. Decided I needed to do some kind of post in the meantime. Between my busy life and my dying digital camera, things have just not worked out for me to do a full blown report on the retreat. When I downloaded the pictures that I took at retreat, most of them had a pink tint to them. In talking to Reina, (stitching friend) she said that when hers died it was doing that. Waited to get some pictures from one of the others at the retreat. I am including some of them here. Thanks Jan.

Last week I was busy making stuff for a brunch that was held at the church on Saturday. On Friday, Morris's cousin Jackie and husband Richard came from South Dakota for a visit. They were here until Monday morning. You know how stitchers are---we would rather stitch than clean house. So I had to spend some time cleaning and preparing for their visit. I went from Wednesday night until sometime on Sunday after lunch without stitching. That is an extraordinary length of time for me to go without stitching. I am surprised that I did not turn into the b***h that I usually do when I do not get a chance to stitch. We are a wonderful time with Jackie and Richard. Even took them to a Royals baseball game on Saturday night. Royals lost. Boo!!!

However, on the stitching front I did finish something. Finished the Blackbird Design freebie that was on their blog. They were running a contest while they were gone to France. Checked in on the contest yesterday. There were 133 entrants. Wow!!! Congrats to the winner, Brenda and to one of my blogging buddies, Marie P who was one of the second place winners. My sampler was started at our stitch retreat so I put in "Stitcher's Retreat -- 2009.

Blackbird Design Freebie

30-ct Creme Brule by R&R

Mahogany Belle Soie

During our retreat, I finished my LHN--From Sea to Shining Sea. You even get to see a picture of me with it. This is one of the pictures supplied by Jan. I should have done some photo editing to cut down the size, but haven't figured out how to do that yet with pictures that I get from someone else and not downloaded through my camera program. Still am technology challenged on such things. I don't often allow my photo to be taken, much less post them here.

All that I am going to cover about our retreat is to include a group picture of all my stitching buddies. These are the same people that I stitch with every Monday night.

Back Row: (l-r) Linda, Anita, Janet, Jan

Front Row: (l-r)Reita, Reina, Marcia, Moi

Laying in Front: (l-r) Jack, Josie

The B&B where we stayed has a new rescue dog Josie. She is a beautiful Golden Retriever. They were worried about how she would handle the guests. She did great and just came in the room where were stitching and hung out with the girls. The retreat was as wonderful as it always is. Lots of laughs, a good amount of stitching and a really wild game of CLR Floss Toss. More about all of this later. Suffice it to say that there was one time I was laughing so hard that I made myself dizzy.

The big thing on the agenda right now is the Heartland Shop Hop that begins tomorrow morning at 9:00AM. Have worked at The Sunflower Seed from around noon the last two days helping Anita get ready for it. Left there tonight at closing with everything ready to roll in the morning. I am going to try to take some pictures tomorrow and if I am not too tired maybe post them tomorrow night. Anita has a freebie Shop Hop sampler done (actually I stitched the model) along with fabric, floss and frames to go with it. There are several other specials available, like a mini-sampler, a fun new little design and 2 new designs. The new designs have not even been released through Hoffman and Norden yet. I stitched one of the new designs and the mini-sampler. If you are the in the Topeka and Kansas City areas, the Hop runs Thursday through Saturday. Come in and see all the goodies that are available.

My next post will be my 100th. I will be doing some kind of giveaway to those commenting on that post. Not sure now what it will be, but it will probably be a pattern with fabric and possibly the floss too. Stay tuned for that.

Countdown

This is going to be a quick post with no photos. Am currently in several countdowns. To begin with, I along with my Monday Night stitching buddies are doing a retreat this weekend. Beginning about 1 tomorrow afternoon until around noon on Sunday, there will be nothing but stitching and laughing. I am taking my trusty notebook to record the many overheard remarks that need to be repeated. We all have been leading very hectic lives and need to have some chill out time with our "chick friends". We had a little test run about two weeks ago when a portion of us took a "chick trip" to the KC area to acquire some Vera Bradley bags and Brighton jewelry. I will try to do a report sometime next week. It will be a busy one for me. We will be having company from South Dakota for a long weekend plus I need to do some cooking for some events going on at the church that I cannot attend, but will help with some of the food preparation in advance.

Another countdown is my finish of LHN "From Sea to Shining Sea". I have completed all the 5 parts, now I have a little bit of vine to complete on the border. Thought I would get to it tonight, but I was cooking for the retreat and on the phone with my sister dealing with issues surrounding my elderly father. That is a totally other issue that I don't even want to get into. Not working on any Sunflower Seed design models. She had one ready for me and I started it Tuesday night and I did not think the colors were working the way she would want. Took it back to her yesterday and I was right. We have put it on the back burner for a week or so. This weekend I will work on some other WIPs and a Blackbird little stocking and freebie sampler here. Being the fiber snob that I am, I plan to stitch it with Belle Soie. Pictures later.

Two weeks from today is the first day of the Heartland Cross Stitch Shop Hop for 5 shops in Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka. Have been helping Anita at The Sunflower Seed to prepare for it. Preparations will really be intense after our time off to re-charge this weekend. Shop Hop will be April 30th, 9-6, May 1st 9-6 and May 2nd 9-5.

The final countdown has to do with my blog. This current post is No. 98. My plans are to do a giveaway to celebrate my 100th post. Not sure what the giveaway will be, but it will be something special. I am selfish, so it will not be a stitched piece. It most likely will be a pattern with fabric and maybe some of the required fibers. Probably be in the neighborhood of $20-25 retail value. So watch for the 100th post and be sure to leave me a comment on that post. I will draw from those commenters approximately a week following the post. All the details will be in the 100th post.

Off to see that my stitch bag is properly packed. That is more important than my clothes. LOL!! Thanks for stoppping in. Have a good weekend.

Framed and Other Stitching Adventures

With some tweaking and jiggling of the camera, I have managed to get some photos over the last couple of days. Most of these photos were taken at the LNS today where the lighting might be a little better. Hopefully, this was just a little hiccup with my camera. Not ready to buy a new one.

A couple of weeks ago I picked up several pieces at the framer and dropped a hefty chunk of change. It is all worth it because they do a fantastic job.

American Baby Sampler

by Willow Hill Samplings

28-ct Heritage Cashel by Picture This Plus

Mix of called for threads and some changes

Sampler Heart

Freebie

Mystery Fabric

Valentine Pack Sampler Thread

Color Name - Box of Chocolates

Valentine Quaker Heart

Freebie

Mystery Fabric

Needle Necessities Fiber

Quaker Motif

From Long Dog Mouline Rouge

28-ct Lambswool Linen

WDW Stepping Stones - New February 2009

Have managed to get some stitching done on From Sea to Shining Sea. Finished Part 4 and started Part 5 and some more border. Plans are still to have it done by the Shop Hop the end of the month. Haven't stitched on this for several days because....

I have become obsessed by The Blackbird Designs little monthly stockings. This one was stitched last weekend. I changed the colors on this one. I did not like the green they had used. As an example of the funky things my camera was doing, this was shown as done in black. I could not post something that was that off in color.

Fractured Quaker Stocking
30-ct Korty's Special Blend R&R

WDW - Bullfrog - New February 2009

Then this evening I finished another of the stockings. These stocking are out of the March stockings. I picked up the stuff to do the 3rd one in this month today while I was working. It called for a couple Crescent Colours that I did not have. (Just starting to get a collection of Crescent Colours)

Wild Clover Stocking
30-ct Korty's Special Blend R&R

Recommended WDW

Finished the design model that I had been working on for The Sunflower Seed. Not sure when it will be released so I can show it here. Now I am working on another small design model and it should be done in a few days. Especially, if I can stay away from doing the stockings. Anita has done one stocking from January and one from February, so I am hoping that she will provide me lots of help to get these finished to be used as store models for the Shop Hop. They are really fun to stitch, don't take much fabric or time. I am thinking that the Quaker one could be done in several complementary colors and used on a swag or wreath for Christmas.

Saturday part of our Monday Night Stitchers, aka Sunflower Stitchers are going on a road trip. We have all become Vera Bradley and Brighton jewelry nuts. In the KC metro area, there are two stores virtually side-by-side devoted to those two things. Whoopee!! A road trip. Also just down the street is a Cheesecake Factory. We are all dusting off our credit cards and ready for a big day.

BETSY UPDATE: She is doing better. Anita is giving her insulin shops after she eats twice a day. She was so glad to be home from the vet and be at the shop again. Has been doing some limping around, so ended up getting some meds for osteoarthritis and that seems to have helped her. Since she was a pound puppy, we don't know for sure how old she is, but we think in the neighborhood of 13. So she is entitled to have a few aches and pains. We will just take good care of her.

I am still trying to get caught up reading blogs in my Google Reader. I am getting closer to being caught up, but you all keep posting, sometimes faster than I can read. Have not been doing too much commenting. Sorry!!! I am concentrating on getting read and caught up. I will say that I see some amazing stitching going on out there. It all does a very good job of enabling me. Thanks everyone. All your visits and comments are greatly appreciated.

Just was looking at the number of posts that I have had. I am closing in on 100 posts. Have been thinking of doing some type of give-away to celebrate that. Not sure what it will be, but keep watching.

Happy Stitching!!!!!!!!

Camera Problems

Last night I was all ready to do this big post with lots of pictures and the camera started acting up. All the photos came out with a slight pink cast to them. Could it be that my 5 - year old digital is dying on me? Planned to show 4 framed pieces and progress on "From Sea to Shining Sea". Also this weekend, I finished one of the Blackbird Designs Stockings from the March set. Of course I changed the color and "no" I did not use silk. LOL. Have done a little playing with the camera and I have taken a picture here at the LNS while I am working. It looks better. Maybe tonight I can get some photos up.

Yes, I am working on a Monday. Betsy the shop dog has been sick and Anita called me yesterday that she was not doing very well and had an appointment at the vet for her this morning. We were both thinking the worst. However, this morning she was better so we may have dodged a bullet. Late last week she was diagnosed with diabetes. Never heard of it in dogs, but have heard of it in cats. Hopefully she continues to improve. Those furbabies are a very important part of our lives.

Better get back to work/stitching. Try to have pictures, etc tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks to all who visit and comment. It is greatly appreciated..

A Finish, Progress and An Award

Although it has been a while since I posted, I will try to keep this from being a novel. Sometimes I get carried away.

American Baby is finished and at the framer. Finished it on March 1st after starting it on January 1st. As documented during stitching, I made a few changes in the colors of the sheep and the bunnies. Then at the end, instead of stitching the stars on with floss, I used gold looking star charms. I think they add just the right finishing touch.

American Baby

by Willow Hill Samplings

28-ct Heritage by Picture This Plus

GAST and Crescent Colours Floss

Have been spending a lot of time stitching on LHN "From Sea to Shining Sea". The first photo was taken on March 8th. Had plans to do an update around that time. Then something happened and I did not get it done. This was a few days after I worked the election board for the city election when I knew I would have plenty of time to stitch. For a 12-hour day working the election we had a total of 32 voters. Very slow day. The most we had in one hour was 7 voters. Got to get quite a bit of stitching done.

This photo was taken after a weekend of stitching at Heartland Stitch-In 2009. It is a weekend camp sponsored by Heartland Stitch Counters Society out of Leavenworth, Kansas. Usually they have a designer come in for the weekend. This year they decided to have no designer and make it a relaxing weekend to just stitch on whatever you wanted. I was able to finish part 3 and make a good start on part 4. Got a little more border done.

The weekend stitch-in was great fun. It had a 50's theme and was decorated accordingly. Everyone won a door prize and was given a chance to delve into the big grab bag barrel. Lot of fun, good food and stitching was going on for the entire weekend. I had a very pleasant surprise too. A friend that I had met at another camp in 1995 was there. We had not seen each other for at least 5 years. We had gone to the other camp together for several years. She is from Arkansas and although we had each other's contact information, we had not kept in contact. Tammy it was so good to reconnect with you. The camp where Tammy and I met was the first camp for each of us and the other stitching friend with me. We really connected since we all showed up with a small stitching bag and a pair of scissors and everyone else in the room had big magnifying lights, special chairs, and lots of bags. We soon learned that you practically move your stitching nest with you to camp. LOL! Along with seeing Tammy again, I made friends with 3 other stitchers from Texas. Thanks, Wanda, Eileen and Helen for a great weekend and we will do it again next year. Actually, Wanda came into the LNS when I was working on Thursday and during the course of the conversation, we found out that we were both going to the same camp the next day. Then we sat at the same table for the weekend. Have already had e-mails from both Tammy and Wanda, since this weekend. Stitching friends are the best friends.

Michele-X Marks The Spot made a "Special Friends" award to me several weeks back and I am just getting around to thanking her. The description for this award reads "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines. I am to choose eight friends to share this with." Receiving this award is very special because it states that just exactly how I feel about my blogging and stitching friends and why I do this. Thanks, Michelle.

I am not sure that I can choose only 8 people to pass this award on to. There are so many special friends in my stitching blogging world and many have already received this award, so I think I will just leave it at that. That way I don't have to make the choices and leave off some deserving ones.

Still working on a design model for The Sunflower Seed and will continue on From Sea to Shining Sea. Had a little visit from the frog on the SS design, but have it fixed and moved on. Should have it done by the end of the week. Preparations are in full swing for the Shop Hop that the Sunflower Seed participates in that is April 30th, May 1st and 2nd. Hopefully I can have From Sea done before then. Today I am off to a meeting at the church and then more stitching later.

Happy Stitching.

Keep On Stitching.....

A FINISH!!! I tend to have a lot of things going at the same time and it is hard to know when I might have a finish. Finished BC-Valentine Row just a few days after Valentine's Day. The frame is on order at the LNS. Really pleased with this finish. Like the design and it was fun to stitch. It is a Picture This Plus orphan fabric. Everyone that sees it says they love the fabric. Now I need to see if Marilyn and Shari can figure out how they made this orphan. LOL!!

Continue to work on LHN-From Sea to Shining Sea. Finished up part 2-Southwest and have Part 3-The Mountains started. Tuesday I work the local city primary election. In the area where I work, there is only one thing on the ballot. There are 5 people running for mayor and the primary will cut it down to 3. Therefore, I think I will be able to get a lot done on From Sea to Shining Sea. Or, at least, that is my plan.
Have had a couple of Long Dog Sampler pieces on my "I want to do" list for some time. Anita brought Mouline Rouge back from market for me. This is a BIG piece. The design size is 364x364. On 28-ct fabric the design size is 26x26. Just itching to stitch this. And of course I want to use Belle Soie. Oh such a fiber snob that I am. Right now I am looking at Elegant Eggplant for the floss color and the new Shale from Picture This Plus in 28-ct. Tried to find something in 30-ct, but so far have not found anything that I like. Not to fond of going to a smaller count. It is more difficult to see when I am not at home with my Daylight magnifier.
Since I have been in such an itch to stitch this new Long Dog, I decided to take a piece of mystery fabric (I think it is Lambswool linen) and a new color from WDW to stitch a motif out of the design. Here is the end result. The WDW color is Stepping Stones. It is sort of purplish with some gray in it. Hard to see in this picture.
One of the gals in my STO Yahoo group was doing some downsizing of her stash and I relieved her of 3 pieces of fabric. Did not take a picture. I got 28-ct R&R Irish Creme, Silkweaver 28-ct Days Gone By and Sandcastle. Have never had any Silkweaver fabric before. Am anxious to find something to use it on. Yeah, another project to start.

With Anita gone to market in February, my regular weekly day and her having jury duty last week, I ended up working at the LNS 9 days in February. I use the term 'work' loosely because it really is not work. It is like being in the candy store all the time. Finished up the design model for the Shop Hop Sampler and the frame is on order. Now I am working on another design model for her.

Hope this makes sense, because I have been interrupted a couple of times. Morris came down to tell me that there was a coyote in our back yard. Then had to call the neighbor since it went their direction and they sometimes have a little Boston Terrier outside. Also talked to another neighbor and ate lunch before I came back to finish this up.

Just had to include this photo. It was taken this morning after breakfast and reading the Sunday paper. Muffin and Morris laying in the sun taking a nap. We had an inch or two of snow early on Saturday and was cold all day and supposed to be the same today.

My stitching friends will be so thrilled when they log on tomorrow morning to see that I have done a post to my blog. They bug me all the time about adding to my blog. Little do they know that I would rather be stitching than taking photos and fighting with blogger to post something. Actually the last couple of times I have had good luck with blogger. (KNOCK ON WOOD).

Thanks for all your visits and comments. They are all appreciated. I am going to try to do better and now wait 2 weeks between posts. The key word is "try". LOL!!!

Happy stitching to all!!!!!