What I am Stitching, Reading, and a Finish

August 3, 2016 My Time Stitching20 Comments

So the days have been quite warm, with high humidity. So staying in and getting things done is what I have been up to. Over the weekend, I finished Mirabilia’s Aphrodite.

Isn’t she a beauty! I will say that I did not like the beading on this one. I love to bead, but these beads were just too far apart and sometimes carrying my threads was not an option. So finishing the end threads was a real pain, and the back of my work is a mess! I just hope that I didn’t stretch some threads too far as to interfere with the framing. I am so glad to have this one done. I just love her hair! So different than anything Nora has done before. She is stitched on 16ct Aida Kaleidoscope from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie. I could not have chosen a more perfect fabric for her. Here are some more shots of her:

Since my trip to Mary Maxim, I have been wanting to get some knitting done. I did finish a project, but forgot to take a picture of it before I gifted it. And remember this shawl I started sometime ago?

Well, I had to rip it out and start over again, as I was doing the yoke with the larger needles and was supposed to be using a smaller needle. I didn’t want to run out of yarn, so thought it best to start it over. Here is where I left it last night:

I have 310 stitches on there and every other row is a different pattern. I did have an extra row in there, but realized I skipped a row, so had to knit back a row and that is where I stopped. When I pick it back up, I will change to the larger needles and hope and pray every row, that I have the correct amount of stitches. Fingers crossed for me 😉

And remember this shawl I started a while back also?

Well, after trying to go on with it, I just wasn’t ending up with the pattern as I was supposed to at this same point. I had started this shawl about 10 times. So this time was the breaking point and I have since ripped it all out and ditched the pattern. I did, however, find another pattern to use this yarn with and can’t wait to start that one after I finish the other shawl. And the new pattern has beads! I will be stringing them on before I knit and knitting them in as I go. I have not done that in years! Can’t wait!!

I am also trying to find time to keep reading this book that my hubby suggested for me:

It is a huge book, with very small print. It is actually 3 books in one. Not my normal style of reading, but since hubby suggested it, I thought I would give it a try. I think I have been reading it since February! I only read if I take time for lunch and then I only get a couple of pages in since the print is so small. This is where I am in the book:

I am more than half way through, so it should be downhill from here, right? It is not the greatest book I have read, but I am anxious to find out what happens to Paksenarrion, the main character. She is a soldier and has fought in many battles. She has left the military, and is on the road to becoming a paladin. So I am very curious to find out how it ends. I can’t wait to be done with it, as I have the first of a Mermaid series arriving in my mailbox today, and I am quite excited to start it.

And, I promised an update on my last few fabrics I have received from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics:

Such beauties!!! I just can’t help myself. I have been trying to cut myself off, but I am totally addicted! I just love all of her fabrics and have a pixie planned for everyone of these. Since finishing Aphrodite, I have pulled the Passione Ricamo SAL #2 out and have put a few stitches in, but I think this weekend I just may start Iris Pixie on the fabric on the far right. The fabric is so perfect for her, it is amazing!

So what new project have you started or what new products have you added to your stash?

cross stitch · Knitting · Mirabilia · New stash! · Uncategorized · yarn

Near To a Finish and Some New Stash!

July 26, 2016 My Time Stitching36 Comments

It’s been a busy couple of weeks. And I have been working pretty hard on Aphrodite. Her hair is amazing, but is taking me so long to finish!

Just look at that gorgeous hair! There are many gorgeous colors in that hair. I’ve worked on it the last 2 nights and I am hoping to finish that hair tonight and get to the backstitching and hopefully to adding some beads! She is going to be Fabulous!!

So this last weekend, hubby and I took a day trip to Port Huron in Michigan. We went to a craft place that I have been wanting to visit for years!!! Mary Maxim. Have you ever received one of their catalogs in the mail? I have, for so many years. And finally, I went to see the store. Love their sign out front.

Isn’t that just the coolest sculpture to hold their sign? Love it! I spent quite a bit of time in there. Looking at yarn and afghan and baby blanket kits. I couldn’t decide what to get! Lots of other craft items there, too. But I was obsessed with all the yarn 😉

Look at that long aisle of yarn!! So many skeins to feel and squeeze and so many colors! This is what I actually ended up getting:

2 skeins of a scarf yarn (yes I am addicted to scarf yarn) that I have never tried before. They will be fun to knit. A skein of Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball and pattern. Maybe I can actually knit this one up since I am still at a stand still with the other 2 shawls I started. The Knit Pink book really caught my eye 😉 It is full of fabulous patterns (yes in pink) and I fell in love with a knitted afghan that I want to make for my younger son and his girlfriend for X-mas. I couldn’t find a tweed yarn at Mary Maxim, so I ordered some this morning from LoveKnitting. I also LOVE the scarf on the cover, but can’t find the yarn called for…yet 🙂 I think it is an Italian yarn. But if I can’t find it, it is a bamboo yarn, so I may find something else I like.

I also found some scrapbook paper and a small bobbin box for my cross stitch threads. Can’t seem to find the little boxes at the craft stores anymore.

After leaving Mary Maxim, hubby took me to Fort Gratiot, where I saw my very first Lighthouse, Ft. Gratiot Light. It is actually the oldest lighthouse in Michigan, built in 1829 and stands 86 feet tall.

The light was automated in 1933 and still guides ships today on Lake Huron into the St. Clair River.

Beautiful Lake Huron. This was on Saturday, and the temperature was a muggy 98 degrees. There were lots of boats on the lake and the beaches were packed.

This is the St. Clair River. The bluest, most beautiful water I have ever seen! It actually took my breath away. This river flows under the the bridge from Michigan to Canada, rightfully called the Bluewater Bridge.

My sweet husband. Posing in front of the beautiful blue waters and Bluewater Bridge.

Just a stone’s throw away from our neighbors in Canada. I love this photo.

So, if you are still with me, thank you for re-living my weekend to Port Huron. I hope I haven’t bored you. It was a wonderful day and I have some great memories and some fun new stash. So now I am going to go work on Aphrodite and hopefully have a finish to show you next time. What are stitching today?

cross stitch · Fabric · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Hand Stamped Cards · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Nora Corbett · Stamping stuff

Mermaid Progress

July 13, 2016 My Time Stitching17 Comments

I can’t tell you how happy I am to finally be finished with Aphrodite‘s tail and that shell! They are so big! The entire part is bigger than my open hand with fingers spread!! Wow, that took a while to do. So now I am moving on up! She is a skinny mermaid, so I am hoping she won’t take me too long to finish. I am itching to start a Pixie! Speaking of which…here are all the fabrics I have purchased from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics specifically for Pixies and a few witches.

Just look at all those beauties!! All except 2, have been matched with a specific pattern. Most of the pieces are about 14 x 17, which is perfect size for a pixie or witch from Nora Corbett. There are a couple of larger pieces that will be cut into 2 pieces for 2 pixies. There is one large piece that is for a larger mermaid. As you can see, I am addicted to Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. The gal that dyes them is awesome. She dyes one of a kind pieces and posts them on her Facebook Page and her Etsy. And she is quick to ship once you purchase. Great fabrics, awesome customer service and quick shipping. I have 2 more pieces on the way for 2 more pixies and that doesn’t even put a dent into how many Pixies Nora has come out with. I may run out of wall space first, LOL.

And for you paper crafters out there, here is my most recent card I made using Stampin’ Up! products.

I love birds, and the Best Birds stamp set with matching dies makes it so easy to create with. So sweet!

So what are you crafting these days?

Black Forest Pixies · cross stitch · Fabric · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Nora Corbett · Pixie

What I Am Up To

June 29, 2016 My Time Stitching30 Comments

It’s been a busy summer so far, but I have still managed to fit in the things I love to do. Over the weekend I picked up this little beauty from my local needlework shop, Stitches N Things, where I had her framed by Juanita, at Way Cool Mats:

I love her! The frame is perfect for her. She is Blossom Collector by Nora Corbett. I stitched her on a One of A Kind fabric from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics, 16ct Aida. And she is even up on the wall in my craft room, along with Queen Anne’s Lace.

I can’t wait to see what Pixie I will do next…I have lots of wall space. I have been purchasing fabrics from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics for all of the pixies I want to do. Just look at all the beauties:

I have 2 more that arrived since this photo and 3 more on the way. All but 2 of the fabrics have plans to have something stitched on them. Just love her fabrics and can’t wait to see what pixie will get my attention next. But it won’t be before I finish Aphrodite. Here is my progress on her:

The shell seems to be taking me forever! I did some major stitching on it yesterday but it still seems far from finishing. But I am determined to finish her before switching to another project or starting a new one. Once I get past the shell, I am hoping going upwards will be much faster.

And since a few of you have asked to see some of my stamped creations, here is one of the make N take cards I had at my Stampin’ Up! Open House a couple of weekends ago.

So that is what I have been up to lately. What is taking up your time these days?

Craft Room · cross stitch · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Stamping stuff

Good Things are Happening in June

June 20, 2016 My Time Stitching41 Comments

Hello my blogging friends. It has been a busy month for me. I don’t know if you know, but I am a demonstrator for a company called Stampin’ Up!. I teach people how to create their own greeting cards and scrapbook their memories with stamps. April 3, 2016 marked 15 years as being a demonstrator. And on June 1, 2016 I reached $200,000.00 in career sales. It may not mean anything to most, but for me, these are 2 goals that I wanted to meet, and I did. And within months of each other. And June 1, 2016 was the launch of the new Stampin’ Up! catalog, so I have been busy making new samples and planning a New Catalog Open House which I had on Saturday.

The Open House went well and everyone that attended had a great time seeing new products, creating a couple of cards using new products and getting freebies. Now I can get back to a normal kind of routine 🙂 I also had another exciting thing happen this month. On June 1, I received an email from a company called Stamp N Storage that my new craft room photos had won May Studio Showcase! I won $75 which I chose as store credit because there are 2 more storage items that I want for my craft room. You can read about my craft room win and see phots here. I LOVE their storage units. My room looks a little different even now, because I keep moving and adding things to better suit my stuff, LOL. Once I get the last 2 items I will take a couple of more photos for you. Hopefully that will be the end of rearranging. I am having fun creating in my new space. It is my own little piece of happiness 🙂

I have been so busy, and I had 2 little vacations in the middle of everything, that I haven’t been able to do much stitching. During vacation time I didn’t stitch at all! Seven straight days with no stitching. I thought I was going to lose my mind! This last week I finally had some time to stitch a couple of nights. But I was only able to put in 12-25 stitches before my eyes drooped too far to see anymore. But here is how I left Aphrodite last night (my best stitching day in a long time 🙂

Not a whole lot more added since my last post about her, but every stitch counts, right? I am hoping to stitch a lot more this week. So sorry I have been out of touch, but what have you been working on lately? I’d love to see 🙂

Black Forest Pixies · cross stitch · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Nora Corbett · Pixie · Uncategorized

Pixie and Mermaid Progress

May 18, 2016 My Time Stitching10 Comments

So last week I told you I put down Aphrodite to start stitching on Blossom Collector. I was going to switch back and forth, stitching on them both. But I have been smitten with Blossom Collector and have stitched solely on her for the last week. Here is where I am with her:

She is going rather quickly. After just one week, I am about halfway done with her. I just love the Magenta hues. The strands of what I think are the blossoms she is collecting, are stitched with Caron Waterlilies and I just LOVE stitching with them. So soft and silky and the strands just glide through the fabric so smoothly! I think it would be fun to stitch with them all the time. If they just weren’t so pricey. Oh well, I will enjoy stitching them when I can 🙂

And here is how I left Aphrodite a week ago:

She is another sweet stitch that was going quite quickly. I can’t wait to get back to her and her gorgeous colors. I was just starting on the shell when I put her down. She won’t be abandoned for long. I miss stitching on her. Wouldn’t it be cool to stitch on 2 things at one time?

So what are you stitching on these days or what can’t you wait to get back to stitching on?

Tag: Aphrodite

What I am Stitching, Reading, and a Finish

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Near To a Finish and Some New Stash!

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Mermaid Progress

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What I Am Up To

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Good Things are Happening in June

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Pixie and Mermaid Progress

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