Monday, June 16, 2014

Recent Projects

My cardmaking blog posts have been few and far between lately. Actually, all of my blog posts have been few and far between.  So to catch you up on what I've been doing.....here are some of the cards I've made over the past two months.  

Stamps & designer paper - Stampin' Up


Can you tell I like this style of card?


All stamps - Stampin' Up


A birthday card made for a sweet girl turning 4 using Graphic 45 paper.



A birthday card for a train-loving 4 year old friend using Webster's Pages paper.


For a friend at church who graduated.


A vintage birthday card for a very dear friend.

I'll try to keep current on blogging, but......no promises!










Monday, June 2, 2014

Birthday Threads!

Cath at The Stitchin' Chicken organized a 2014 birthday thread exchange that I am participating in.  What is a birthday thread exchange??  I send a card and three skeins of stitching thread to the other participants as their birthday approaches.  In exchange, I receive three skeins of stitching thread and a birthday card from each of them.  This exchange has been fun and I've enjoyed keeping up with these ladies through their blogs.

My fiftieth (50!) birthday was last month.  Let's take a look at the sweet cards and pretty threads that I received from the other thread exchange participants........

Mary Jane lives in Peoria.  Look at the stash I received from her.  Two skeins of variegated DMC and a skein of Weeks Dye Works hand dyed floss.  Can you see the name of the hand dyed floss......Peoria Purple.  How clever is that??  Weeks Dye Works needs to come up with a Lewisburg Lime (or something similar) so I can send clever gifts like Mary Jane!  Thanks Mary Jane!



Next up is my treat from Vicky (Waterbury, CT).  Can you EVEN take your eyes off of that birthday card? Ice cream is a favorite of mine, Vicky.  How did you know?  Look at the pretty DMC that Vicky enclosed.  One of my all time fave DMC colors is 931 (that is the blue at bottom right for all my non-stitching friends).  I find myself using 931 a lot!!  Thanks Vicky.



Valerie from California also sent three gorgeous DMC colors.  Don't these colors just SCREAM summertime?  I need to look through my stash of patterns for a little summer sampler which will be just perfect for these threads.



And if Valerie's threads scream summertime, then these DMC threads from Nicole absolutely SCREAM springtime!  What pretty pastels!!  Thank you Nicole.  Oh, you will notice from the photo that Nicole is from Canada.  Don't you love how the threads match the colors of the birthday card?



Gaynor lives in County Roscommon, Republic of Ireland!  The coordinating DMC colors that she sent is so pretty.  Thank you Gaynor!!



Sharon from Manchester (United Kingdom) sent a skein of blue cotton thread which was made in Denmark.  I think I would like to use this particular thread to stitch a small one-color sampler.  The other two skeins that I received from Sharon are hand-dyed floss.  I love stitching with hand-dyed floss.  The color variations add a unique look to stitched pieces.  Thanks Sharon!




And last....but certainly not least......Another summery color selection was sent to me by Cath who lives in England.  I immediately think of watermelon when I see this color combination.  Thanks Cath......not only for the sweet card and pretty threads but also for organizing this exchange!



Does anyone else see the common color scheme of purples, blues, and bluish purples that many of these ladies sent?  I think it is quite incredible seeing how the only suggestion that we make to one another is the TYPE of thread (DMC, overdyed, metallic, etc) we prefer, not the color.  The thread colors sent to each recipient are strictly chosen by each sender.  

Thanks again, ladies, for your birthday sentiments and the pretty threads!  Looks like it's time for me to stop blogging and start stitching!


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Elliot turns 1 today!!!

My great-nephew, Elliot, turned one today.  I got to spend a few days with Eliot and 9 other great nieces and nephews last month.....that was fun.  Here is a picture of Elliot.  Isn't he adorable?



I made Eliot this card for his birthday.


I think he likes the card better than the book I sent him.  




Happy Birthday, Elliot!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Let It Snow!


I thought that title might get your attention.  

I finally finished this project that I had started late last year.  Isn't he cute??


"Let It Snow" by Hob-Nobb Designs.  
Stitched on linen with DMC thread.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Snail Mail Surprise

In the past I have blogged about model stitching for my friend Beth.  (If you missed those posts or would like to know exactly what model stitching is, you can read them here and here.)

The last project that I stitched for Beth was a pattern called Snow Zone.  The inspiration for the design came from a hooked mat that Beth found at an antique mall.  You can read Beth's blog post and see the antique hooked mat here.

Recently I received an envelope from Beth in the mail.  Hmmmmmm.....what's this?  Beth didn't tell me that she was sending me a package.  Let's see what is inside...







Since Beth has the original antique hooked mat of the Snow Zone design, she sent me the piece that I had model stitched for her.  Also enclosed was a "needle minder" with the cutest little pine cone design on it and the latest issue of Sampler and Needlework Quarterly magazine (which has a couple of patterns that I must put on my "to stitch" list).

What is a "needle minder"?  The round disk is magnetized so you can place your needle on it.  No more "where's my needle" panic attacks.  Needle minders are one of those "why didn't *I* think of that" inventions!

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Another Finish!

At the beginning of the year I set a goal to stitch two Christmas ornaments each month.  I started out right on track but fell behind last month.  Last night I finished my sixth ornament.  If I can stitch two more before the end of April, I'll be up-to-date on my goal once more......not sure if that will happen or not!

Without further ado, here is the design I just finished.


This is a Glory Bee Designs pattern from the 2010 Just Cross-Stitch annual ornament issue.  I stitched the design on 32 count platinum linen.  I love the simpleness of the design.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Harvest Delivery

I finally finished this piece on Thursday night!  I dropped it off at the frame shop yesterday.



Harvest Delivery by Plum Street Samplers; stitched on linen.