End of August finishes

It's been a strange stitching week & had it not been for Alison I probably wouldn't have completed these projects. Thanks Ali for letting me join your finishing long weekend. It helped me through some tough moments when I probably would have just put the stitching to the side otherwise.

Here's our friend 'Boo' in the Halloween needle roll for Katrina's August SAL. Lili & Mirjam you were right that Boo really needed to be outlined. What was so difficult about this stitching project you ask? Actually there were a few new techniques to learn which is always pretty daunting. I had never removed threads before nor had I done a hemstitch, yet once I just got at it they were really no problem. What was the problem then? Now don't laugh because it's really too ridiculous for words. The SPIDERWEBS (of course barely visible on the image) which I left to the very last were a pain to do. I love to cross stitch because everything is so exact & symmetrical and this was very difficult to do with the webs. You will note that I added a little black bead to the center of each to draw your attention away from my 'symmetrically challenged' webs.

This afternoon I hope to complete the finishing (stitch the back seam & add the orange ribbon & filling) but you'll have to wait for a picture of the completed needle roll until the next film is developed. Thanks Gail, for leading me to great finishing instructions.

And here we have Martina Weber's 'Tiny Rose Mandala Garden' which is still one of my very favorite projects ever. All I had left to do this week was the beading (another first) but once I got the hang of it that went well. I wish you could all see the garden in person as the image truly doesn't do it justice. I'm hoping to get the rose garden framed ASAP. Some day I'd love to make one of Martina's larger pieces. For anyone out there who admires her work like I do - this is an excellent piece to get a feel for her patterns.

A third stitching project was completed this week. It's a zodiac sign started for DS about 15 years ago which needed about an hour's worth of work to finish. Rather than post a picture of that now I'll wait until the sign for DD, which was started at the same time but is still in the early stages, is a little further along and post both pictures at once. There's a lovely description of the symbolism enclosed with the pattern which I'll share with you at that time.

Aaaah, now it's time to relax & read all your blogs & catch up on the latest news. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

Wednesday update

First of all I would like to say thankyou to Ali, San, Lili & Katrina. Ali it was so nice of you to take the time and make the effort to find me when I seemed to be unfindable (my blog's URL wasn't posted in my profile). San & Lili thanks for leading Ali to my site. Also Lili thankyou for your kinds words which I'm sure I don't deserve. That same day Katrina posted on her site that she couldn't find me either. Thankyou all for 'finding me'. Friendship like this is so important in life and I hope I may call all of you 'friend'.

Here is an update of my needle roll for Katrina's SAL. Although I started pretty late in the month I have been able to stitch it quite quickly & should have it finished by the 31st. It's a real fun pattern. The mauve to the right of the cats will be removed as its only there so that I can stitch the spiderweb a little more easily. Actually once the webs are done & I've decided whether or not to backstitch around the ghost (the pattern doesn't call for it but I think it might define it a little more) I'll be ready to start completion.

Also near completion is the rose mandala garden. Everything has now been stitched and I hope to get the beading done this coming weekend. Will post a picture as soon as it's finished.

Once both of these projects are done I'll be back down to two - 'Frederick' & MP's 'Greek Church'. I'm starting to feel a little sorry for Frederick as he must be wondering why he's always left to the side when I pick up my stitching. Anyway, Maria & I have promised to get back into our SAL routine in September and even though I dislike the black aida I hope to make some quick progress then.

On the reading front I just started Susan Vreeland's "The Forest Lover", a historical novel about the Canadian artist Emily Carr.

That's all for tonight. Now it's time for coffee & a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.

Bouquet for 'D'

This morning I received an e-mail from my dear friend 'D' letting me know that her son who is a Canadian soldier, has arrived home safely from Afghanistan. This is wonderful news.

'D' this bouquet is for you. Wish I could bring you some celebration flowers in person but that will have to wait till we see one another again.

Halloween in August

Just a quick update before the weekend. Here is the start of the needle roll for Katrina's SAL. It is being stitched on 28 ct antique white evenweave. I've substituted DMC 51 & 53 for the Wildflower colors from the Caron Collection.

Gail - thanks for the link to the needle roll completion site. What an excellent step by step explanation & great pictures. It will certainly be a big help in getting it done right.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!

A finish, a start and what's next

These past two weeks have been pretty strange. For starters the hard disk on my laptop crashed. Thank goodness we have an extended warranty as this was the second crash in two years. It took several days for the repairs which meant no work and all play and I was able to do some extra stitching & reading. Once the HD was replaced DH was able to transfer all my info from the old disk to the new. Whew.... sigh of relief as I hadn't made a back-up the previous week. Then last week suddenly my blog was down. It took Blogspot about five days to get that fixed and lucky me, everything was still intact.

But now I’m back and ready to bring you up to date on my latest stitching efforts.

'Volleyball Game' is finished and was sent off, along with 'Sea View', to Sedona AZ where they will be incorporated into the quilts. You're probably thinking that these volleyball players have very muscular legs, and you're right. However, that's the way the pattern was and I figured I might as well just leave them as is. Who knows, maybe volleyball really does build up leg muscles.

Of course I just had to start Michael Powell's 'Greek Church' and it really is a fun new project. The use of both half and whole cross-stitches gives a very nice effect. As you see I just had to do a bit of the back-stitching so I could see the picture coming to life.

Yesterday I joined Katrina's (A Kiwi Stitching) needle roll SAL and picked out a cute pattern called 'Happy Halloween'. It's a freebie from Whispered by the Wind. I think it's going to be fun making my first needle roll although I may feel differently once I have to actually make it into the roll. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it I guess and just enjoy the stitching for now.

That's all I have to report for the moment. I'm looking forward to everyone coming home from their vacation and blogging all their latest news. I so enjoy reading what all of your lives are like.

Lovely surprise from Liz

What a lovely surprise in the mail this week from Flyingstitcher. I've never read this cross-stitch magazine before Liz, and love all the wonderful things in it. The mini craft box is going to come in very handy when I open up the packets of beads for the Mandala Garden. And then the Michael Powell pattern for the Greek Church - WOW. I know exactly what my next project is going to be and can hardly wait to start.

It was so nice to see Namu honored in the magazine as "Stitching Genius of the Month" and rightly so I must say. What she did is simply amazing - stitching a strawberry onto a mesh sieve. You're very talented Namu.

A wonderful gift Liz - thank you so much.