Some birthday stash and a winner

Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for all your lovely comments. They certainly brighten my day. I had a nice birthday. DH treated me with some nice stash...

some fabric and charts and a few threads...
2 Just Nan, 2 Blue Ribbon Designs, one from Threadwork Primitives, and 2 Heaven and Earth Designs. Looks like I had better start some of these soon.








and some more threads...













We stayed home as we had spent the day cleaning up the snowfall. We got about 8-10". Hard to tell the exact amount as the wind picked up and we had some drifting. Some of that is gone now as we had rain most of the day yesterday. We are expecting more tonight.. not sure if it will be rain or ice...although I would prefer snow.

DH also chose a winner for my drawing... and the winner is Cath of the stitchin' chicken who wrote "Happy Birthday and Blogoversary . hope you have a lovely time. Great stitches , they will be lovely gifts. Please enter me for your giveaway . Thanks x "

Cath, I've sent you an email... when I get your snail mail address, I'll post your package.

Sorry for the delay in my post.. DH and I got involved with an animal rescue earlier this week. We found two stray dogs around his cousin's summer property and the temps were falling below zero. We are in the process of  giving them a forever home with us.  I will share some photos in my next post.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

It's beginning to look a lot like winter

Hello everyone,

We woke up to a few flurries this morning. Had very light snow showers for most of the day. Doesn't it look so pretty?


I've been listening to Christmas music and getting my packages ready to be mailed out to friends and family. I hope to have everything ready to go by the end of this week.







One of the gifts I'm sending out is this lovely bookmark from the mini card collection 'D' © 2010 The Prairie Schooler, Inc.
Fabric:16ct Taupe Aida  (prefinished bookmark that I purchased online)
DMC Threads
Stitch Count: 94 x 24, 2 over 1














Even though it's looking a lot like winter, I also wanted to share this lovely ornament that I stitched up a couple of months ago. I got the free chart with an online order.
Halloween House © 2013 The Prairie Schooler Inc.,
Fabric: 28 ct Silkweaver Purple Frenzy
DMC Threads
Stitch Count: 36 x 36, 2 over 2
I found this lovely trim ..and thought it would be a nice match.







My birthday is coming up at the end of this week... and it's also my blog anniversary this month. So I'm having a giveaway - I haven't taken a photo - it's a surprise... but it will be some good stitchy stuff... if you want to enter, just leave a comment. Please make sure your email address is in your profile. I'll draw a winner next week (December 16th). 

That's all for now.
Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

A few small Prairie finishes

Hello everyone,
I've got a few small finishes to share today. I like to keep a few small projects in a travel bag for when I have time to stitch while away from home. These past few weeks I have been making the most of my time in waiting rooms - so I  have a few fall projects ready for finishing - I hope to share them soon. I did find some time this week to make a few scissors fobs / ornaments.

First finish is from the mini card collection 'D'  © 2010 The Prairie Schooler, Inc.
Fabric: 30ct lambswool evenweave
DMC Threads
Stitch Count 29 x 29, 2 over 2

Next is another Prairie Schooler design, this one is from the booklet #138 Measure of a Year
Summer Beehive © 2007 The Prairie Schooler, Inc.
Fabric: 30ct lambswool evenweave
DMC Threads
Stitch Count 30 x 33, 2 over 2

I'm currently working on a few Christmas ornaments one for an exchange and a few for gifts.

Until next time, have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Fall exchange

Hi everyone,
Last month I took part in an autumn themed exchange. My package travelled to Singapore to Ellen at Stitch-Passion.

I chose to stitch her a fall themed needle roll.

Autumn Squirrels
Designer: Janelle Giese -  published in the September 2013 issue of cross-stitch & Needlework.
Fabric: 28 ct Lambswool Linen
Threads: DMC, Kreinik Ombre, Kreinik #8, Kreinik Cord
Mill Hill Beads
Stitch Count: 42 x 70  with cross stitch, half stitch, quarter stitch, back stitch, straight stitch, wheat stitch, stem stitch, couching, and blended threads.

Here is the package I sent. I'm so glad that she liked what I sent her.














Ellen sent me this beautifully stitched Bent Creek pillow. So beautifully stitched and finished.















She also included these lovely extras. I can't wait to find some fun projects for the trims and buttons.

This was such a fun exchange. Thanks Ellen for such lovely gifts.


Until next time....Have a wonderful day!

Lisa M

Snow....Really??

Hello everyone,
Yes, we had snow showers on Friday and yesterday. Luckily, it warmed up a bit each day to melt away. We still have a few more outdoor chores to finish up before winter really arrives.

Sorry I've been away so long. Shortly after my last post, my Dad injured his leg. He was finishing up some outside chores when his ATV tipped and landed on his leg... luckily nothing was broken - just an awful lot of bruising. So I have been running errands for my parents while he is laid up.

Also DH had some kidney stones removed on this past Friday.  So I have been quite busy- Although the procedure was long enough that I had plenty of time for some stitching.

I planned  to write last weekend, but we had a power outage that resulted in our computer no longer working when our power was restored. Our new computer has arrived and now I'm loading some of our programs... but I wanted to take a break and share with you some fall pictures and a recent finish.

Here is autumn scissor Keeper freebie from The Drawn Thread

I used an ornament size cut of fabric from a grab bag, GAST Threads and I substituted DMC 4130 for the called for needle Necessities. For the hanger I used DMC 936 as I didn't have any of the called for 930.

Here is one of our burning bushes.















And a cedar waxwing enjoying the mountain ash berries.












One more picture of the colorful leaves...

I hope to have a few more fall pictures for my next post.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

W.I.P. Update

Hello everyone,
I've been away for awhile as my Dad had some health issues recently. He twisted wrong getting into his vehicle resulting in a problem with his leg. After several days - and lots of Dr. visits, we found out the problem is 2 blood clots in his leg by his knee. Hopefully the treatment won't take too long.


This fall has been so nice - we've had lots of brilliant colors. (The last few years the colors were more washed out). Hopefully I'll be able to share some pictures in my next post.The robins and cedar waxwings returned to eat up the mountain ash berries. Now we are waiting for some of our winter birds to return.

I did get my exchange piece stitched, but when I started to finish it I realized that I needed 2 threads - they came in the beginning of this week and I got the piece finished today. It will be awhile before I can share it though. 

Since I had to wait for the threads, I picked up my Heaven and Earth Storykeep and added about 1000 stitches.

HAED Forest Walk Storykeep Chart design by Michele Sayetta (Artwork by Anne Stokes) © Heaven and Earth LLC 2009  now at 10950 stitches.
25ct Dublin Linen
DMC Threads (90 colors), 2 over 1














DH & I celebrated our anniversary yesterday. The sun was shining and the fall colors were so beautiful and we had temps in the 70's - it was so different from our wedding day  15 years ago - we woke up to snow flurries and temps in the upper 40's - thankfully the snow melted before the church service was over and we were able to get several outside pictures.


Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Fall is here

Hello everyone and welcome new followers.
Sorry about the time between posts.Things are finally starting to get back to normal. Fall arrived earlier this week - we had frost a few mornings.But then we had summer come back with the high heat and humidity for a few days. Today was back to more comfortable weather.

Our hummingbirds have left. The bluejays are back. The leaves are starting to change color... and some of them are already falling. The birds have been flying into the mountain ash trees to gobble up the frosted berries. This year we have lots of crab apples. The turkeys have returned. It won't be long before we get to see them fly up in the tree to shake the crab apples to the ground. The deer have already been around our apple trees and the wild apple trees.

Our flooring arrived - but it wasn't what we ordered. Somehow the truck got loaded with the wrong item. We finally got the correct flooring yesterday. Today I spent finishing all the touch-ups on the ceiling molding. Tomorrow my Dad will come over to help with the hardwood flooring.

Last week, I turned on our oven to make dinner and smelled the propane additive. The valve had a slow leak that had been there for some time. Since it was an older stove that had already been repaired for the same problem in the past, we decided to replace the stove. Since we have a grill it wasn't that much of an inconvenience to wait the week for the delivery truck to arrive.


I haven't had much spare time-  but I did manage to dig a project out of my finishing basket .Since it seemed to large for an ornament, I turned it into a stitcher wallet.

From the September /October 2011 Issue of Just Cross Stitch 
Witchy Kitty ©Michelle Lash of Brittercup Designs
Fabric: 28ct Silkweaver BOO! Cashel Linen
Threads: Weeks, Gast and DMC instead of the called for Crescent Colors
JABCO Button
Stitch Count: 66 x 66

 Inside...


 I signed up for a fall exchange - I picked out my project - so that's what I'll be stitching  this week. I'll try to get another finish ready for next week.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Red or Green?

Hello everyone,
I haven't had much time for stitching lately as I've been filling my evenings with priming and painting... but our room is almost done. The flooring should arrive sometime next week.

Last month I ordered some chenille trim from Victoria Motto Sampler Shoppe as I wanted it for this Prairie Schooler Cardinal from Prairie Birds Book No 24... but now I can't decide which trim I like best.

Red....

or green....

 The fabric is actually a mint green 18 ct aida but it was late when I took the picture and I didn't want to fiddle around with my camera settings.  I'll post a better picture when I get it finished.

Maybe I'll have to stitch it again so I can have one of each. (LOL)

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Critter alert and BBB Exchange

Hello everyone,
Sorry it's been awhile since my last post. We've had some computer connection issues lately.

Last week we saw this fellow/gal crawling across the driveway toward the garage. It wasn't too happy when we closed the garage doors. It stayed around most of the day.






I recently took part in the Birds Bees and Butterflies exchange at Stitched With Love Exchanges. I never realized how many bird bee and butterfly patterns I had until this exchange.You can see all the lovely stitching at the gallery here.

My partner Marcy sent me such a lovely package.   She knew that I like birds and that fall is my favorite season. Isn't this owl so pretty? Such lovely colors. Marcy told me that it is by JMD Designs.

And this lovely pillow pincushion is a design from Blackbird Designs.

She also sent some fabric and trims....

Notepads and a owl shaped pencil sharpener...

And a pattern book that I didn't have...
Marcy,  you spoiled me! Thank you so much.









I stitched for Kathy (no blog).

Kathy mentioned that she liked prim designs- so I dug through my stash and found something with a bird and a bee :)
May Floss Tag from Booklet #62 Primitive Floss Tags: April, May and June © 2010, The Needle's Content
Fabric: 28ct PTP Willow
Threads: GAST
Stitch Count: 40 x 60, 2 over 2


 front...

 and the back

 I also sent her Her Majesty - Pincushion from the Honeybee Hill Booklet © Blackbird Designs 2013 
Fabric: I used 30ct Old Mill Java (R&R) as the sheep's straw was back ordered and I didn't want my package to be late.
Threads: GAST
Stitch Count: 94 x 69, 2 over 2

 I made a muslin bag with crushed walnut shells for the filling. I found some bee beads at my not so local box craft store.. so I placed them on some eye pins with some amber and black bicones.

I added a tea bag holder, some bird post-its, an emery board, some bird named threads, and some bird patterns by her favorite designers. I'm so glad she liked what I sent.


Until next time - Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Too early for Halloween?

Hello everyone,
Thanks so much for all your comments. I haven't been able to get much stitching or finishing done lately- so this week I decided to stitch and finish this  lovely Prairie Schooler freebie. It is available on their website here.

Boo © 2012 The Prairie Schooler, Inc.
30ct grab bag evenweave
DMC Threads
Stitch Count: 32 x 49, 2 over 2

Until next time - Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Pretty Pink Pinkeep

Hello everyone,
Sorry I missed last week's post. The weather here has remained hazy, hot and humid -  we had a few cooler nights... so I took advantage of that and spent my spare time in our kitchen.
 
Mostly I stitch in the evenings but this summer is proving to be difficult. We seem to have a bumper crop of insects this year - especially the black flies, mosquitoes, and biting no-see-ums. I did get the last stitches in my exchange piece today. I will get it assembled this week as it's almost time to mail out.  This is a secret exchange - so instead I'll share another finish.

Pinkeep from Sweet Songs of Spring © 2010 Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC
Fabric:28ct Bone Brittany
Threads: WDW ( DMC for Cording)
Stitch Count: 40 x 66, 2 over 2

I just love how this came out. Belinda has a new special design - you can read about it here. 
 



Our den renovation is coming along slowly -  but we are making progress...we found that we had to replace both windows... the second one had to be ordered - but it should come in by the end of this week.We also found some problems with the electrical work - luckily my Dad (retired contractor)  has been helping us. Everything was moved into our bedroom and my sewing / craft room for the next few weeks. Hopefully, I'll be able to navigate to get to my sewing machine and other supplies to do a bit more finishing this week.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

This week's small finish

Hello everyone,
It's been hazy, hot and humid here this past week. We've been lucky - we had very little damage from the rains and wind. Hopefully the rain will hold off this evening as our town has fireworks tonight.

This week's project is for our dear friend JM who loves bunnies. We are getting together in August and I wanted to have a little gift for her.

Honey Bunny Limited Edition Ornament Pinkeep by Nan Caldera © 2013 Just Nan, Inc.
Fabric 32ct Country Mocha Belfast
DMC Threads
Stitch Count 46 x 27, 2 over 2










 
 And I finished another little beaded fish.
 This one is from Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch & Beading, Issue Sixty Four © October 2005
Long Nosed Butterfly Fish by Jill Oxton
Square Stitched
Miyuki Delica Beads
Gold Silamide Thread
Stitch Count: 39 x 29

That's it for this week - I have received my supplies for an upcoming exchange so I'll work on that this week.Hopefully I'll also find some time to finish another project that has been in my basket so I'll have something to share again next week.
Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

A few small finishes

Hello everyone,
This week I wanted to share another small finish that had been sitting in my finishing basket for too long.

French Country Ornaments Reindeer Collection, Reindeer 2 designed by Judy Whitman © 2011 JBW Designs
Fabric: 28 ct R&R French Vanilla
Threads: Crescent Colors
Stitch Count 21 x 23, 2 over 2
Embellished with cherry cola Miyuki Delicas







 



And... this week's beaded fish

Batwing by Jill Oxton from Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch & Beading, Issue Sixty Four © October 2005

Natural Silamide
Miyuki Delica Beads
Stitch Count 43 x 24 , Square Stitch






 

Another one of our summer visitors is back - enjoying the mock orange blossoms.

Thanks so much for all your comments. They really brighten my day!

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Home Sweet Home exchange

Hello Everyone.
It's been longer than I thought between posts. We've had a lot of rain recently, and our phones lines and  Internet connection has been spotty. It took quite a few days to get our security software updated.

Recently I took part in the Stitched with Love Home Sweet Home Exchange. All of the beautiful projects can be seen in the gallery here.

My partner Kathy (no blog), sent me this beautiful finished Bent Creek Welcome Knocker,














 

... this  lovely primitive  fob, and this beautiful stitched card.












 
And she spoiled me with these wonderful extras.








 
 I love everything!  Thanks so much Kathy!


My package traveled to Austria to my partner Silvia (no blog).
Since the theme was homes, I chose an older Dragon Dreams Chart as it has a log home, pine trees, and mountains that are so common here.

Of Woods & Wilderness © Dragon Dreams Inc. 2004  (stitched only the center design)
Fabric: 28 ct Tumbleweed

Threads: DMC (21 colors)
Stitch Count: 65 x 65, 2 over 2
Finished as a stitcher's wallet










with the extras...








Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Summer and under the sea

Hello everyone,
What a difference a week makes! It's hard to believe that last weekend we were seeing frost and snow mixing in with rain and now we are seeing temps that are summer - mid 80's ° F. I haven't gotten much stitching done this week - our living room fan is too close to my stitching area - but it will cool down in a few days and things will be back to normal. Since it feels so much like summer, here is:

Summer Ornament by Pamela Byrd Smith of The Prairie Schooler, Inc.
Just Cross Stitch Magazine June 2007 Issue
Fabric: 32ct Lambswool
DMC Threads
Stitch count 36 x 51, 2 over 2







As the temps climb I find myself spending more time on the ground floor our our home where I have a little area set up to work on some beading projects.  I was looking through my magazines came across a few patterns that I thought would make a nice mobile for my brother when I get them all finished. My brother worked part time in a pet store when we were young. As a result, we had lots of pets - birds, fish, snakes... you name it. We also had several aquariums in our house - salt and fresh water. Here are the first two that I finished. 

Regal Angelfish by Jill Oxton
Jill Oxton Cross Stitch & Beading, Issue 62 © April 2005
Light Gray Silamide
Miyuki Delica Beads
Stitch Count: 54 x 29







Small Gold Seahorse by Jill Oxton
Jill Oxton Cross Stitch & Beading, Issue 65 © January 2006
Natural Silamide
Miyuki Delica Beads
Stitch Count: 26 x 53

 I found a few more fish patterns  in an older (1983) Dover Booklet that I had forgotten about, now I just have to wait for some beads to arrive in the mail so I can get started on these.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Busy as a Bee

Hello Everyone,
Spring is in the air. Here is the view from our front door looking down our driveway. Soon we'll be able to begin planting our vegetable garden.

 Our neighbor's honey bees have been buzzing - enjoying the blossoms on our crab apple trees.It looks like we will see quite a few apples as well - the wild apple trees are also loaded with blossoms.

Our rose breasted grosbeaks have returned- they look in our window every morning until we put the feeders out. (We bring them in at night - hopefully that will keep the black bears away).









This week We had some snow mixing in with some rain, and some strong winds with multiple short duration power outages. When we finally got our power back for good, I sat down to work on  stitching on one of my Heaven and Earth designs only to find out that that my stitching light needs a new bulb. It looks like I'll be busy with some finishes or beading projects while I wait for my new bulb to arrive at the end of the week.

My finish for this week is  a kit that I had in storage for quite some time.

Home Tweet Home Adirondack Chair Kit © 2004 Stoney Creek Collections, Inc.
28ct white evenweave
DMC Threads
Stitch Count 28 x 42, 2 over 2

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

Patriotic finish

Hello everyone,
This week I have a freebie finish to share with you It is available here, click on designer OakHaven Designs.

America the Beautiful © 1999-2011 Tonia Pappen OakHaven Designs
Fabric: 28 ct mystery linen from a grab bag
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count:  48 x 57, 2 over 2









We've had more feathered friends arriving, including this rare red bellied woodpecker today. This is the second year that we have seen this woodpecker.












We usually only see the hairy and downy woodpeckers. They are year round visitors to our feeders.


We also have some pileated woodpeckers around - but I haven't been able to get any pictures of them on my camera.

I'll share some more of my spring visitors in my next post.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa