Trimming the Tree

Here are a few of the ornaments that I have completed in 2020...

Design: Crackers Christmas ~ Snowman

Designer: The Victoria Secret

Design: Crackers Christmas ~ Santa

Designer: The Victoria Secret

Design: Here Comes Santa Claus

Designer: JBW

Book: Santa Claus by Rico Design

2020 Linen and Threads SAL

2020 Linen and Threads SAL

2020 Linen and Threads SAL

2020 Linen and Threads SAL

If you are interested in seeing how I apply cording to the circular ornaments go HERE for my tutorial. 


Until Next Time...

I'm Back...

Like a number of other bloggers, I left the world of blogging.  After a 2 year break, I have decided to return. I am not sure how frequently I will update but I will make an appearance now and then. I wish more bloggers would return and that exchange groups would start up again. I was pleasantly surprised to see that some of you are still around. It was fun visiting your blogs to see what you have been up to. 

So much has happened since I last posted. Here is a quick rundown: 

September 2017

Vacationed in Ireland

November 4, 2017

Our youngest son got married in Georgia. 

We now have another wonderful DIL.

February 2018

Our oldest son/DIL had their 1st child.

Making me a Grandmother (móraí) to this precious little girl.

I made her these two quilts 

April 2018

We sold our Vermont house...

And moved to Georgia (move #10).

We are having a house built and will be living 

about 30 minutes from our son/DIL (that makes me VERY happy).

August 2018

 

Spent a week in Wisconsin visiting this little gem.

Like her móraí, she likes French Macarons...

And a Berry Smoothie

All of our belongings are stored in Vermont, including 95% of my crafting, so I have not been doing much stitching. What I have completed I will share in my next post. 

Until next time...

Hot Off The Press

I just finished this…

2016 Smalls SAL ~ April

Designer: The Little Stitcher

Design: The Lady And The Unicorn (partial)

Fabric: 32ct Mocha HD Linen over 2

Floss: DMC, VMSS, Threadworks

Another butter paddle now hangs on my wall.  I love these little wooden paddles because they are perfect for small finishes.  I decided to paint the paddle black and am pleased with the finished look.  

This project took three days to complete, and that includes the finishing.  I spent much of April working on a larger project and wanted to be able to post a finish for the 2016 Smalls SAL. Sunday I pulled everything together and began stitching and was able to complete the finishing on Tuesday. 

Here is that larger project that kept me busy this month…

Designer: Birds Of A Feather

Design: Good Things

Fabric: 28ct Lambswool over 2

Floss: Sampler Threads

This is a design from one of my all time favorite designers. I came across the pattern online and immediately purchased it. My Black Horse Inn stitching was put aside so that I could complete this treasure, which I did fairly quickly. The piece is currently being framed. 

Tomorrow I must get up early and head Nashua, NH to attend Celebration of Needlework. This year I am only able to attend two days, but am happy that I am able to attend at all!

Thanks for Stopping by…
Until next time…

Easter In The Mile High City

Another trip to share with you but first, let me post my Gifted Gorgeousness for April.
I put aside Black Horse Inn so that I could stitch two Easter gifts, one for my DIL…

2016 Gifted Gorgeousness ~ April

Designer: Elise Tortonesi-Sieb

Design: Egg of Marguerite

Fabric: 32ct Linen

Floss: VMSS

and one for DS2 girlfriend…

La Comtesse & Le Point De Croix (Freebie)

Fabric: 32 ct Linen

Floss: DMC

We spent Easter in Denver, CO visiting my DS2 and his GF.  DS1 and DIL flew from NYC to spend the holiday, making it that much nicer. Do you know why Denver is nicknamed the mile high city? Because its official elevation is exactly one mile above sea level (5280 ft).

We spent a day skiing at Copper Mountain.  I was hoping for a glorious spring skiing day but realized this would not be the case when we exited the hotel to a temperature of 2 degrees ~ Brrr!

Arriving at the mountain, bundled up and anxious to hit the slopes…

Having only skied in the Northeast, I had never experienced the high elevation effects on the body.  I didn't know why I was feeling slightly nauseous and a bit light headed but suspected it was due to the fact that I had not eaten.  When we stopped for a break to get something to eat in the lodge, DS1 informed me that I was experiencing mild elevation sickness and suggested I drink plenty of water (something I never do).  The elevation in the Colorado vs Vermont is much higher.

Stratton, VT

Base: 1,872 ft

Summit: 3,875 ft

VS

Copper Mountain, CO

Base: 9,712 ft

Summit: 12,313 ft

ME and DS2

DS2 and GF

DS1 and DIL

Another highlight of our Easter trip was the unexpected, and very generous, treat from DS1 and DIL: Brunch at Elways in downtown Denver. 

We enjoyed an

Extensive selection of delicious food

Impressive and irresistible desserts

And a fun group of 5 of the best people we know

THANK YOU again, G/M!

In a few weeks I will be attending the  Celebration of Needlework show in Nashua, NH., where I will participate in Barbara Jackson's Sunday Best Stitching Basket class. In the class with me will be my friends, Carol S. and Margaret C. I look forward to spending time with these wonderful ladies!

Thanks for Stopping by…
Until next time…

Two Down And Many More To Go

It is March Smalls SAL check in time…

2016 Small SAL ~ March

Designer: Little House Needlework

Design: Tree Lot (partial)

Fabric: 32ct evenweave over 1

Floss: DMC

I enjoy stitching tiny designs and finishing them using the Tim Holtz pocket watch, this is finish #2. Once again I placed a few Mill Hill seed beads inside so that it looks like snow. My plan is to finish a number of these, all different designs, to give out at Christmas time.  I'm trying to be a tad more organized this year so that I am not in a mad rush at year's end.  

Designer: Little House Needlework

Design: Cardinal Winter (partial)

Design: Tree Lot (partial)

To see all of the March Smalls SAL postings go HERE.

I have been meaning to share my new portable photo studio, which was a Christmas gift. I have only used it twice, but realize that I need more practice to avoid getting shadows. It comes with 4 different colored backdrops, red, white, blue, and black.  It will certainly come in handy on those rainy, gloomy days when natural light is not an option.

Thanks for Stopping by…
Until next time…

Minor Progress and More Travel

It's been a month…really? 

Where does the time go? 

And why have I not made more progress on this?

March 15, 2016 Gifted Gorgeousness SAL

Design: Black Horse Inn

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

VS Last Month

My monthly update is not that impressive. I managed to grow a little more grass and build 2 sections of fencing ~ but that's it for the month!

Black Horse Inn stitching got suspended due to some Easter stitching.  We will be flying to Colorado next week to spend Easter with DS2 and his sweet GF.  In addition to Easter baskets, I wanted to bring them a stitched Easter design.  DS1 + DIL will be flying from NYC to Colorado to spend Easter weekend with all of us so I stitched her an Easter design as well.  I have almost completed the finishing and will post pictures next time.

We usually spend Easter in MA with my cousins and their families.   Although we will miss all of them, we have decided to head to Colorado.  I love it there and am looking forward to exploring Denver.  There are some LNS, quilt shops, and yarn stores that I plan to visit, and we are hoping to enjoy some spring skiing, especially given the dreadful ski season here in the Northeast. Since we missed out on being together as a family over Christmas, I am happy that we are able to all spend time together over Easter.

Speaking of last Christmas, here is part 3 of my California travels along the PCH….

It was a bit cool, but the sky was sunny, so we decided to stop at the beach in San Simeon. Not for a swim but to enjoy the Elephant seals, hundreds of these creatures dotted the sand.  The Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery spreads out over 6 miles of beach.  It is here that we got to see this… 

Our PCH journey began in San Francisco and ended in San Diego.  We spent Christmas day at the San Diego Zoo. Why the zoo? Because nothing else was open!  It was an odd way to celebrate Christmas but we enjoyed the day hanging out with these animals…

Look, I am getting more of that stink eye ~ but now from an elephant!

This just screams, "strike a pose" 

And another one…

Now THIS was rather disturbing…

Until we were told that the dog and cheetah are friends. It is part of the San Diego Zoo Animal Ambassador program, which paired these two together 7 years ago when the cheetah was 1 and the dog 2.  Apparently dogs have a calming effect on cheetahs, although in the picture above it does not seem so. Actually, there is a zookeeper behind that gate arriving with their food ~ both were quite anxious to get at it. 

At the end of our long day we felt much like this Koala ~ tired!

While we spent our Christmas with the animals, DS1/DIL spent theirs with her family in Arizona…

And DS2 spent Christmas with his girlfriend's family in Georgia…Quite the tree!

That's not the end of our California travels but it is the end of this post.  I'm thinking this might be a good time to put needle and thread to fabric and make some progress on Black Horse Inn so as not to disappoint next month.

Thanks for Stopping by…
Until next time…