Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Book of Ink Circles - Update 2

Can't believe it is New Years Eve.  Another year has flown right by.  They seem to do that, the older we get! The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems to be closer together, unlike when we were children, the time between those holidays, seemed to crawl at a snail's pace.

Somehow, with all the cooking, shopping, returning, mailing, I still managed to stitch a bit on my latest project.  I am also excited, that for Christmas, I received a longer cross bar to my cross stitch stand, along with two more sets of velcro rods for my stand to work on some of the larger projects I have in my stash!

I also volunteered at some point to teach my son's girlfriend how to cross stitch, so that she can make a piece of Nautical flags that spells out my son's last name.  Thankfully, I actually had a book, that I held onto that has the cross stitch patterns for each flag in it.  Sure will come in handy!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and that the New Year is truly awesome!


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Ink Circles - First week

Well, I decided to start a new project (already.)  This one is from a free pattern off of www.inkcircles.com  The pattern is called Book of Ink Circles, and it is done it installments that you can download and print out, as required.  The patterns download and print out beautifully so they are easy to follow and read.

I am doing this project for my oldest son.  When I saw this pattern, I thought it looked very masculine looking.  So.....it went into my "to do" list.  I purchased 28 ct. linen and am using the sampler hand dyed threads to give it some more dimension.  I hope my son will like it!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Framed projects

I am always so excited when I get the call from Michaels, that my latest cross stitch project are framed and ready for pick-up.  Yesterday, I picked up these!
 Moira Blackburn's Season and Time Sampler - Being donated to charity auction
 Rosewood Manor - Spring Quaker



Mother and Daughter Sampler - can't remember much about these.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - Finish!!!!

Somewhere about midnight last night, I placed the last stitch in this sampler.  WHOOPEE!  This sampler was actually a joy to work on, as each state square was completely different.  Used different colors, and the backstitching was positioned differently in each square as well.  It was well worth the effort, it turned out beautifully and I am certainly glad I made the effort undertake this one.

The finished size is 18 inches high and 23 l/4 inches wide.  I haven't a clue which sampler in my stash I will undertake next, but do know that I will also be attempting to knit myself a hat and scarf until I decide.

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - Update 12

Whoosh!   Made it through Thanksgiving.  It was wonderful having my family here, and both of my younger two children.  Hopefully, the oldest will be able to spend some time with us at Christmas.  I have been really working away on this sampler.  Especially now that the remodeling is done, the cooking and cleaning has been completed.  And....most of my Christmas shopping is done too.   For once, I'm way ahead, not sure how that happened.  Course there is still mailing to do, and wrapping, and decorating.  Although, the tree is in the family room, just not decorated.  But...am super sure it will be done before Christmas.

Anyways,  it is getting towards the end of this particular sampler.  I took these pictures last week, and just haven't gotten around to updating my blog.  I can tell you that more progress has been completed, and I'm thinking by sometime tomorrow, that this will be a completed sampler.  I can hope!  PS.   Don't know why these appear upside down, because they are not saved on the computer this way, but I'm sure you get the jest.


Saturday, November 23, 2013

Mount Vernon - Take along project

I always take a small cross stitch project with me, when I have a long ride in the car, maybe spending time on the boat, have to wait in an office.  Keeps me busy, and I don't realize that time is flying by.  I don't recall how exactly long I have been working on this particular chart, but even though it's not all that large, it took me awhile.  Especially since I only picked it up to work on it, when in the above situations.   But...I was bound and determined to finally complete this little memento of some of my traveling, or places I have visited. I have several more smaller projects that I picked up along the way, one very similar to this one of Woodlawn Plantation, which is where the embroidery exhibit is held each year in this area.  My kids purchased one of the outer banks, and I think I have a chart someplace for the last vacation in Ocean City, Md.  I only have a couple of these completed, and these are the few that I actually frame myself. Nice reminders when I am using my sewing machine, of the places and memories I have from the locations.


Sunday, November 17, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - Update 11

Well, I took a nap today, which explains why I am still up at 2:20 a.m.  Shouldn't do it, messes with my body clock, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open.

Michael's was having a sale on their custom framing.  So my husband suggested I pick out a few things to take into be framed.  I took in my last poster print of St. Michaels, Md., which luckily I already had a frame for.  Took in Moira Blackburn's Time and Season Sampler, which is the one I am donating for a charity auction, Rosewood Manor - Spring Quaker, and a set of mother/daughter samplers I had completed quite some time ago.  Supposedly they will be ready in two weeks.  Can't wait.  I forgot that I had so many completed projects.  I now only have two left, and that's one that is completed, and the one I am working on now.

I also received my six unfinished frames which I purchased on the internet.  I managed to get them stained and polyurathaned.  I purchased six prints of sea coral on e-bay which will look wonderful in the new bathroom.  Unfortunately, 3 of the 6 frames came with shattered glass, so I am awaiting replacement glass.  Hopefully they will send them with bubble wrap this time, which they failed to use, on the original shipment.

Progress on Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler.  Three more states completed, as well as some fill in and new letters for the words.  I am trying not to think, what project will be next when this one is completed!  But....at least I won't have to go anywhere, as I have quite the stash!





Sunday, November 10, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - Update 10

The bathroom is almost completely done!  But, everything is in to be completely useable, including the new shower door.  So awesome!  Waiting for some frames to come, for some pictures I purchased.  Still have to complete the Roman Blinds.  All the towel bars are hung, got to get some new towels to match the new color scheme.  But those will be "company towels"  for when we spruce things up when company arrives.  For now we will stick with the burgandy towels.

In deep cleaning the whole second floor, carpets, cleaned blinds, dusted, cleaned windows, wiped down doors and wood works, cleaned bathrooms, I was unable to do a lot of stitching.  I managed only 2 completed states this week, however I did get alot of the fill in work done.  I'm guess, hoping, maybe even delusional, that I will be completely finished with this within the next two weeks.  We shall see!




Saturday, November 2, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - Update 9

It's amazing that I have managed to complete three states since my last update.  We are still putting the finishing touches on the master bath.  But it is useable!  Working potty, shower, and faucets.  I am happy with that.

Now, I am trying to work my way through the house, and clean up all the construction mess, that has accumulated throughout the house.  No sense in cleaning, if there was an accumulation of more dust everyday.  Instead of spring cleaning, it's winter cleaning, before my family arrives from Florida for the Thanksgiving.






















Friday, October 25, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler Update 8

Alas I haven't had much time to cross stitch as we are still in the thick of bathroom renovation.  It looks like it will be completed by this weekend.  Everything that I could do for the renovation has been done.  As of this writing, I am making the faux Roman Shades for the bathroom windows.  I will be glad when those are done, because that type of sewing is not my favorite.  I can do it, but I would much rather being doing something else! 

I am officially at the halfway mark for my piece. It is slow going, as there is so much detail, but at least I can jump around from place to place.  Otherwise, I would go crazy with all the Algerian Eye Stitches.  I wonder if it will be done by Christmas.  Although my family, from Florida arrives at Thanksgiving.  My brother and his wife will be visiting for 3 weeks, and my mom will stay till the end of January.  So, I'm not sure if'll I get alot of stitching time.





Monday, October 7, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - Update 7

Well, after wasting most of the day fooling around with Blogger, I finally figured out that the only way I can update my Blog is to sign on through Google.  Go figure?!  I have been really busy, and although not too busy to cross stitch, just too busy to post.  We decided to renovate our master bathroom, and it has been a project that started it August.  After many problems, with getting a contractor, and problems too many to even list, with The Tile Shop, we finally got the project started.  I acted as the General Contractor, picking out the tile, the cabinets, the granite, the hardware, the lights, faucets, sinks.  I even found the sub-contractor to do the tile, which is the only thing we are not doing ourselves.  But....with that on my plate, I just haven't had the time to post on my blog.  Sorry for the few that follow me, I have been a bad, bad girl!!

Meanwhile here are some of the states, that I have managed to complete since my last post.








                     

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Rosewood Manor -American Quilt Sampler update 6

Not enough stitching time as I would have liked.  Busy, busy week!  Starting out with a soccer tournament in Richmond, of which my youngest son played in the early game.  My oldest son and his girlfriend came up form Norfolk to spend the weekend with us. School started on Tuesday.  It hen on Thursday, hubbie and I drove to Chesapeake for dinner with some Navy friends, a change of command ceremony on Fri. Jump back in the car for the return trip to Manassas, because we had company and my step daughter coming for a visit as well.  Plus two more soccer games, one Sat. And another Sun. Plus still in search of contractor for our bathroom renovation.  Needless to say, I only managed to complete two states this week.  Oklahoma and Nebraska.   Hope next week is a bit less busy! 

Friday, August 30, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler - update 5

Well have managed to complete three more states. Utah, Rhode Island and Florida.  Worked on a lot of the wording and the background for the wording.  Slow going!  But, at least each state is like working on a mini sampler each time, so maybe just maybe, I won't come to the "I can't wait to get this finished stage."   The stage you come to when you are ready to mentally move onto another project.

I don't know why the last pic is so blurry.  You will note there is one state I am having some difficulty with completing.  I just haven't liked the way it looked, so I sort of skipped over it and get back to it!

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Rosewood Manor - update 4

Making progress!  It may not seem that way, when I look at how much I have completed and how much I have to go.  The pattern is printed on a very large piece of paper, and I'm only on the front side.   I do skip around a bit, between the top part and bottom of the pattern. Especially since there are so many Algerian Eye Stitches.  Lots of additional back stitching of different colors within each square of each state.  Plus, each state is outlined via back stitch in brown.  So proud  of myself when I get a state finished!




Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Cross stitch Outer Banks style

Just returned from our yearly family vacation in Southern Shores, NC.  We rent a house that is within walking distance of the beach, which the kids and their friends take advantage of.  In the three years we have rented the same house, I have never been to the beach.  I prefer the pool. Granted I only got to use the pool the first couple of days.  By Wednesday, the temperature had dropped to 70 degrees, the skies were gray and it was either raining or drizzling.  

But...as long as I have a few romance novels and cross stitch projects, I'm a happy camper wherever I am and no matter what the weather is.         

I did have a visitor/supervisor of my work.  Normally I dislike bugs, spiders, snakes, amphibians and all other manor of reptiles.  But this was sort of cute, because it was clearly a baby.
                     


Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Rosewood Manor - American Quilt Sampler Update 3

Surprise!! I have managed to finish 3 more state squares.  My own home state of Michigan, the W. Virginia, and also Maryland.  Pretty proud of myself, although at least this time I was not so arrogant with my stitching abilities, that I figured I could knock a state out every day.  Not so much on Alphabet blocks,  took me 3 days to finish each square.

 

Friday, August 2, 2013

Rosewood Manor - update 2


It's amazing that I found any time whatsoever to cross stitch.  I have been so busy with things to do.  I have had to resort to making lists for things I need to do, including cleaning out my refrigerator. (Ugg!) make doctor and dentist appointments,  for not only myself and the kids, but the dogs too.  I did manage to finish one pending project today.  These are night stands that I purchased in 1984 at an unfinished furniture going out of business auction.  I don't remember how much I paid for them, but when my oldest son was in grade school he has them. And they were stained wood color.  My daughter came along, 14 years later, then they were white with pink drawers.  Then two years later my youngest son came along.  He used them too.  They were white, with a red, blue and yellow drawer fronts.  Coat of paint, new knobs and they were recycled.  I am now using them to store sewing supplies.  I certainly have gotten my money out of them.

I managed to finish two more states.  North Carolina and Idaho.  I sort of skip around on the piece because there is a lot of fill in stitching.  Especially since the last several pieces I have worked on have over their fair share of the Algerian eye stitch.  Speaking of which, several months ago I was searching the web, and came upon The Scarlett Quince website.  They have a lot of helpful hints, but what I found was directions for what they call a "pinhead" stitch.  They have illustrations how to use the stitch on both linen and Aida.  It has been a real lifesaver for those charts that have that one pesky random stitch.