Hello my blogging friends, and Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you have a wonderful day however you celebrate this loving day. I can’t believe it’s February! I have been so busy and the days have just gotten away from me. I had so many days I wanted to post, and just didn’t get to it. So, this one may be a long one. Grab your favorite beverage and get comfy.
I suppose I should start with my birthday, that happened near the end of January. To celebrate, Hubby took me to a winery about 1 1/2 hours from our house. They just so happened to be having a Winter Wine and Wool festival the weekend of my birthday and I had decided that is what I wanted to do.
I was so excited to get there after the drive. If you know me, you know I don’t like being in a car on the highway. So nerve wracking.
This was my first time to an actual winery. This one was a very sweet, inviting place. Once inside, I made my way to the yarn and bag vendors. It was a very small place for an event like this. There was almost no room to get up and down the hallways. So I searched out the 2 main booths I wanted to shop at.
So many scrumptious yarns! See that yellow/orange and red cowl on the left? I picked up some mini skeins to make that. And a few other skeins to make a shawl.
Then I found the MidMitten Designs Project Bag Booth and purchased a bag and some small notions bags.
Love this new Sassy Style bag! There is already a project in it 😉 Then is was time for some wine tasting.
This was a Raspberry wine, perfect to pair with chocolate! Hello!! I came home with a bottle of this one and a Meade wine. Hubby spoiled me so much for my birthday. It was not so bad turning 55 😉
If you remember from one of my previous posts, we found out that we have to have our basement waterproofed. So hubby and I have been going through things, donating things, pitching things and putting things aside for our boys and hauling it all up and out to the garage. We have done quite a bit, but we are not going to be ready for the end of February, so we have moved it to April 1 with the contractor coming to remove the drywall and carpet the last week in March. I can’t believe how much we have accumulated in the 23 years we have been here. So we are still working on that a little at a time and in between, I am still stitching. So, lots to show you with that. First, I finished the Treasures of the Deep SAL.
Sorry about the blurry photo. Just couldn’t capture it right. But it is finished with all the hundreds of tiny beads. I have to admit, that looking at it from a certain angle, it looks a bit gaudy, but then from another angle it looks beautiful and sparkly.
I stayed up until 1:00 in the morning to finish it so I could take it to the cross stitch shop to put it in for framing. Here is the frame I chose for it:
I was not going to go with a gold frame, but nothing else seemed to work. I think this one will be perfect. And while I was there, a framing was ready to be picked up.
I absolutely LOVE how this turned out!! So beautiful. The frame is so perfect, too.
The weathering on this one matches perfectly with the variegated threads. Now I will need to find a place to hang this one, so I can see it all the time.
While in the cross stitch shop, I was inspired to start a new project; the 2019 Mystery Sampler. I had already ordered a piece of Graceful Gray 16ct Aida by Wichelt, which was there for me to pick up. On my last trip I had picked up a smaller piece of the fabric and a pink silk thread. I started stitching the peacock, but the pink was too light for the fabric. So I hadn’t thought anymore about color, until I was in the shop. And I saw the beautiful variegated thread that I thought would be perfect for a “Peacock Garden”, which is what the new sampler is called. The thread is Gloriana, a silk and the color is called Rain Forest. How perfect!!
I will use it for the borders. So I picked out a color that matched for my peacock. And this is what happened:
And look at that! I am using a Q-snap frame :O I am cringing that my aida fabric will be pretty wrinkled. I am not used to that with using a scroll frame. But I used this for the beading the last half of my mermaid SAL so I didn’t roll over the beads, and it worked pretty good. So I thought I would try it for this Mystery Sampler. Here is what the January and February sections will look like for this sampler:
It is different than the last 2 samplers. This one reminds me more of a Round Robin. I can’t wait to see what will end up in all of those squares. If you want to get in on this sampler (or the last 2) they are all FREE and put out by Linen and Threads. So sweet of them to do this. There is also a Facebook group where people from all over the world are stitching this and sharing and connecting. It’s awesome.
Now for my last project. On February 6, I started this project and was so excited:
By the end of the day, I was so frustrated with this project. It is the Floral Shawl from Woolenberry. I was just not coming up with the correct amount of stitches at the end of row 7. I knitted back several times, ripped out several times, and then just gave up. Then I decided to leave a comment on Ravelry for the designer to see if there was an update or to figure out what I was doing wrong. So after several emailings back and forth with the Sweet Janina Kallio, I kept trying. I arrived at row twenty something and thought I was doing well. My floral pattern didn’t really look right and I was still concerned about the yo ssk knit 3. It just wasn’t feeling right. I was ending up with a yo after the ssk. Anyway, a light bulb finally went off in my head yesterday and I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. I was knitting the ssk on the front needle instead of the back needle. What was I thinking? I knew better. All I can say is that it was a very senior moment. And after a week of frustration, I am happy to say that I am all straightened out and I have the correct stitch count and my floral pattern is looking lovely. I am using AJHC Wool’s Rhea.
If you look in the bag, I am almost up to the frogged strands.
So there you have it. I told you it would be a long post. I think I am all caught up now. If you are still with me, thank you 🙂 That is just about everything I have been up to. So now I want to hear what you have been up to? Have you started a new project? If not, what are you working on?
My Time Stitching 
belated happy birthday wishes, and what a lovely day out you had!
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Thank you, Claire93 ❤ It was a great day! I want to go back to the winery in the Spring and Summer so I can see actual grapes on the vines and taste more wine 😉
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Belated Happy Birthday!! What a great way to spend it! I am really looking forward to seeing the Mermaids framed! You have been busy!! I’ve really been enjoying the Treasures of the deep SAL, even if I am a year behind.🤣
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Thank you, HandmadebyZan ❤ I had a great day at the Winery. I am glad you are enjoying the little mermaids. I knew you would. There is no time frame to get them done. Just enjoy the stitching 🙂 I look forward to seeing your progress.
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Happy Belated Birthday! What a wonderful place you & your Husband visited. A charming way to celebrate your special day. Great yarns, super project bag. Good choices on everything.
Sorting through decades of accumilation is always a challenge. I wish you the best with it.
‘Treasures of the Deep SAL’ is gorgeous. I bet in person it sparkles and shines. Well done!
Your 2018 framed piece is amazing. It’d be a compliment to any room.
Pretty color choices for “Peacock Garden”. It’ll be a beauty too.
Congratulations on figuring out your knitting issue. Yep, I agree the senior moments do make life interesting. (Sounds like a good reason to pop open that wine and enjoy a well-deserved choclate too. 😉 )
I look forward to your crafting updates.
Happy Valentines day! ❤
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Thank you, E.C. For all of your lovely compliments ❤️ I was so frustrated with this knitting. I just couldn’t figure it out. A senior moment for a week is not good. I am glad i figures it out and am happily knitting as I write-well taking a little break while I wrote, LOL Enjoy your Valentine’s Day ❤️
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Looks like you had a great Birthday!
Happy belated Birthday!!
Those yarns look yummy.
Treasures is gorgeous!
I think the gold frame is perfect.
Your L & T SAL turned out so pretty, that frame is lovely for it.
Deciding if I want to commit to the peacock SAL, I do love Peacocks!
I stitched a few small Valentine pieces.
Right now I am stitching on a Sampler called Hester Biddleton, by Brenda Keys.
I am very much enjoying it!
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Thank you, Marilyn ❤ It was a great birthday. I can't wait to see how the Mermaids piece will look in the frame I chose. I wasn't going to do another SAL this year, but the Peacock Garden kept calling to me. I can't wait to see what else will be in the garden. I looked up the Sampler you are working on. I was not familiar with that designer. Very nice sampler. More like the traditional sampler I am used to seeing. Enjoy your stitching on it.
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Happy Birthday, it looks like you had a most fun and memorable day. I love the yarns and the bags you choose. Specially the little notions baggies. They are so cute, they will fit in everywhere.
Perfect choice of wine to get, as soon as I looked at it, I just knew it was something I would have bought as well. Wine tasting is really fun. I love listening to the winery staff as they tell you all about the wine and its origins. Just like knitters, they always seem to passionate about what they do.
I love the mermaids, and I agree the gold frame really works. It compliments the beads beautifully.
🙂 Still my ultimate favourite though, the sampler. The frame is so fitting for the overall look.
And the new piece looks just as interesting.
Well done on the knitting, sometimes we just have to keep going, until it happens in a blink of an eye, and we understand what we need to do. It is looking great.
A bit slow on the crafting side here, we are experiencing rolling blackouts, so many evenings are just candles and lamps, which is not so good for crafting. I do catch up though when I can. 🙂
Enjoy the weekend, and if it is still cold or snowy, keep safe and warm, it will be looking like Spring soon.
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Thank you, Joey. I had a wonderful birthday and I am looking to going back to the winery in the Spring and enjoy the care there, too. I am happy to be finished the sampler and the mermaids and I am looking forward to seeing those sweet mermaids all framed up. Candlelight does make it hard to craft. Are the blackouts to save on power? It is still cold here and we still have snow on the ground. I hope that Spring comes along quickly this year. Stitch when you can and enjoy those stitches 🙂
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🙂 So glad you had a wonderful time, and are planning to go again.
lol, yes its a bit hard to craft when the light are bad, but we try. The issue with the power is an ongoing issue here with the supplier not doing a good job at all, with very bad planning and maintenance. Long story. 😦
Hope your Spring comes early. I think it just might. We have had lots of rain, and I can feel the temps may have dropped slightly here already, specially in the evenings.
I enjoyed some stitching and crafting on the weekend, which was awesome, as it was rainy and no reason to go out. 😉 perfect to stay in and craft. hehe.
Enjoy the new week and take care.
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Belated birthday wishes, Ginny! Looks like your day was wonderful. Hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day too.
Treasures of the Deep looks just gorgeous with the beads added in, and the Linen and Threads 2018 took my breath away – you’re right, the frame perfectly complements the stitching. I have a feeling the mermaids will look pretty amazing in the gold frame too.
You started on the 2019 L&T SAL – that’s great! The thread that you chose fits the peacock theme well, and I love the colors in it.
Glad you got the Floral Shawl figured out. I’ll be waiting to see how it turns out.
Looks like you’re preparing well for the waterproofing. Hope it goes well.
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Thank you, Anita ❤ I had a great birthday. Valentine's was a quiet evening at home with hubby. I am stitching on the Peacock sampler and loving it. I am very curious as to what comes next. So far the shawl is goings well, now that I figured out what I was doing wrong. Such a stupid mistake and caused me to waste so much time. Hopefully the rest of the shawl will go smoothly. At least it keeps my mind off of the contracting stuff that will be happening soon 🙂
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What a fun birthday!!! You made very wise choices. 😉 I love that mini bundle!
And the stitching!!! You do amazing work! The frames are each perfect for their pieces. I love the blingy mermaids. 😍 and the 2018 sampler is as lovely as the 2017 one was. No wonder you succumbed to another!
Good for you hanging in there until you figured out the lace. That will be a pretty shawl.
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Thank you, Salpal1 ❤ The birthday shopping at the wool fest was fun. And since the yarn was bought for my birthday by hubby, it doesn't really count as me adding to my stash ;). It will be fun working on those projects when I get to them. For now I will work on the shawl. I had such a time with a stupid mistake, but I am glad my head is clearer now and I can continue on.
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definitely gift yarn doesn’t count as stash! Neither does souvenir yarn, FYI. 🙂
We have all had those moments, I think – when we know how to do it but we just can’t see it. Glad you have it solved now!
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Salpal1, I did not know that souvenir yarn doesn’t count as well! That is awesome! I will have to remember that when traveling 😉 My shawl knitting is still going well 🙂
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Happy Valentine’s Day and belated birthday. Oh my goodness, you are so creative. I love the mermaids and can’t wait to see what you come up with next. I am just getting a chance now to sit down and explore some of you really creative stitchers, so much fun you all have. I have never been to a wool festival but I would love it. I just finished up some really cute critters I made using wool yarns and wool for needle felting. I am still learning this new craft but having so much fun making things. I will have a post on my finished products in a couple of weeks. Just like you though, I have other things that we need to get done in our home, lots of repairs. I do like my down time of creating though and always look forward to the breaks. Great post, thanks for sharing your birthday with us.
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Thank you, and welcome to my blog. It was a fun birthday and I enjoyed the winery. The Wool fest was quite cramped in the small space of the winery. I have been to some Fiber fests in the summer and fall where they are outdoors and are much better for seeing everything and taking my time exploring. If you can find a wool fest or fiber fest locally, you should go and check it out. Lots of yarn dyers and spinners showing all of their wonderful fibers. So fun! Enjoy all the stitchy blogs that are out there. So many creative people out there. It is good that we have our stitching to keep us grounded with all the goings on in our lives 😉
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Ahhh. Lots of goodies. Happy birthday it sounds like you had a lovely day!
I think that gold frame looks amazing with the blue fabric and the piece itself is awesome. Can’t wait to see it framed. But the one that’s already framed looks absolutely amazing too! You should be super proud of them both!
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Thank you, JJ Crafts. I am pretty proud of both pieces. The piece that I am not so proud of is the shawl I was knitting. I messed up somewhere on the row I was knitting last night and knitted it back, and still couldn’t find the stitch. So I ripped it all out and put it away. I will get it out again someday. I think I want to get a thinner yarn so the lace pattern shows up better, but I have to be really ready to tackle that one again before I pick it up. I may start a new shawl today 🙂
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Belated birthday wishes my dear Ginny! Looks like you had a wonderful day. Wool and wine is a new concept to me and what a great way to spend a day!
Your framing choices are beautiful! And I loooove the Peacock colors. Can’t wait to see that finished 🙂
So happy that you worked out the knitting issues. Looks like it will be a beautiful finish!
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Thank you, Diya ❤ It was my first trip to a winery and I can't wait to go back or to visit more. That there was a fiber fest there was a bonus :). It was quite crowded though and I didn't get to see everything close up. But I had fun anyway.
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You’ve been so busy! What’s not to love about wine and wool in one place, lucky lady! The mermaids are perfect and the frame suits it beautifully.
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Thank you, Mrs. Craft ❤ The winery was a great way to celebrate my birthday. Very fun. I'm still waiting for the mermaids to come back from the framer. I will post as soon as I get it back 🙂
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oh wow! As always I love your long posts. So much funny reading them. I love all your finishes. You stitch so amazingly! I hope everything works out with the basement and I hope frogging out your knitting piece gets you back on track. Happy crafting.
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Thank you, Ivyjade234. I am happy to hear that you enjoy reading my long posts. Sometimes I have so much to share and I really should blog more often. Like today-I had good intentions of blogging today as it is my 7 year blogaversary, but the sun was shining and the roads were clear so I just had to get out. I hope to have a blog update soon 😊
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Raspberry wine sounds delicious! And I love that beaded mermaid masterpiece!
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Oh the Raspberry wine is so good. Great with chocolate cake 😉 Thank you for your sweet comment about the mermaid piece. Still waiting to get her back from the framer. I am so excited!
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Oh my, I am sorry to hear about your basement – good luck with sorting through your stuff. I hear Marie Kondo’s method is good to follow – if it does not spark joy, get rid of it! Not something I have managed to do since moving, mind! I love your stitching and knitting and your framed pieces look awesome! Well done.
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Thank you, Christine. We are still going through things and packing up the basement. We have just a few more weeks before the contractor is set to come and start tearing out the dry wall and carpet. I have used Marie Kondo’s saying a lot the last few months. I have not read her book, but I have seen enough blog posts to know that she feels that if it doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it. We have donated so much and gotten rid of so much. I am hoping that way less things go back into the basement when it is all finished.
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