Mermaids · WIP

Emerald Mermaid Progress


Yesterday I celebrated my 49th birthday!  Wow, where does the time go?  I celebrated by stitching all day in my jammies 🙂  Here is what I worked on:

Progress on Emerald Mermaid

I know it doesn’t look like much, but I did a lot of confetti stitching yesterday.  Once I finish a bit more greenery, I can move on to adding to her tail.   Here is another photo along with the pattern of how she will look when I am finished; I am stitching her sideways as she is wider than my scroll frame.

Emerald Mermaid progress

I am stitching her on 16 ct Feather Blue Aida.  And I have to tell you that I have had a time with this fabric.  On the back along the bottom rod, I got this stain.  WTH? I’m thinking I must have picked her up one day to put a few stitches in while wearing my black jeans. Some of the dye must have rubbed onto the fabric while on my lap.  I’ve washed those jeans about 7 or 8 times now and the dye still seems to be coming off.  So, I took her off the scroll, washed mainly the bottom half and removed the stain.  The next morning I could see water lines where I only washed up to!  AAAACk!  So I ended up having to wash her 2 more times.  Yesterday morning she looked good as new and I was able to continue stitching on her.  I thought I was going to have to pitch her and start over.  I already had a new fabric picked out for her, too.  I will keep that fabric in mind for a future mermaid.  I would love to get this one finished in about a month.  The word out in the blogging world  is that Nora Corbett is releasing a new mermaid on February 15 and I would love to be able to have Emerald finished before I start a new mermaid.  I doubt that I can finish her in a month as I am not that fast of a stitcher, but it is good to have goals, right?

Fabric · Nora Corbett · patterns

I Love Getting Mail!


Look what arrived in my mailbox yesterday:

Sailor's Delight fabric by StephanieThis luscious,  hand dyed fabric from Hand  Dyed Fabrics  by Stephanie. It’s called Sailor’s Delight and it is 16 ct Aida.  I LOVE the colors!  I joined her Fabric of the Month Club and this is January piece.  She is currently dying a piece of Sky & Grass that I will be using to stitch Roses of Provence on and can’t wait to get it next week.  Her fabrics are so beautiful and my wish list from her is getting longer and longer every time I see something stitched on one.  And I love it that she is located in Michigan as I am.  Click on the link and check out her lovely hand dyes.  From there you can check out her facebook page and see what people are stitching on her fabulous fabbies!

I also received this:

2010 Keepsake Calendar

I purchased this on ebay after trying to find it in stores and couldn’t.  It contains a pattern by Nora Corbett that I have seen many times over the last few months and when I first saw it, I fell in love with it.

Snow QueenSnow Queen.  Me being a snowman lover, I just had to have it.  She is just beautiful and the pattern will be added to my “stash of things to do”.  Of course I have to find the perfect fabric for her and it just might be a hand dyed by Stephanie! I already have something in mind…

Uncategorized

Giveaway Alert!


Good morning.  My stitchy friend over at My Stitchy Ramblings is celebrating her 1 year blogoversary. She is giving away this beauty to one lucky winner:

Image

Go here and leave her some love to enter.  Good luck!

Hubby's stitching · Mermaids · Pillows · Uncategorized

Welcome 2013!


I welcomed in 2013 by starting Emerald Mermaid at the stroke of midnight (after kissing hubby).  Unfortunately I haven’t added very many stitches since.  Here is my start:

Emerald Mermaid start

Not much of a start, but she is on my list to finish this year.  More about my list in a bit. My hubby did have a finish already this year!  He finished his 1st cross stitch project the other night and it turned out awesome!

Banders finished bookmark

He has already picked out the pattern for his next one.  I think he may be liking this??  He wants to make more bookmarks and give them to the elementary school. What a sweetie.

I have put my January pillow in my rocking chair.  Cute little snowmen  on this one:

January pillowI never did get to the December pillow.  I should add that to my list of things to stitch. But I think I am good for the next few months!  I know that I have February and March completed.

Now on to my list.  Here is a list of cross stitch projects that I would like to do this year.  I know that it may be a little outrageous and unobtainable.  But that’s ok.  These are the things that I “would like to stitch” this year.   Her is my list:

1.  Autumn Seasonal Snowman (need to finish)

2.  Angel of Grace (need to finish)

3.  Butterfly Table Topper (need to finish)

4. Mirabilia’s  Emerald Mermaid

5. Mirabilia’s  Roses of Provence

6.  Nora Corbett’s  letters J O Y

7.  Stoney Creek Seasons Banner:  Summer

8.  Heaven and Earth’s Gossamer Princess bookmark (need to finish)

9.  Pixie afghan

10.  Reindeer afghan

11.  Nora Corbett’s Winter Fairy

12.  Joan Elliott Round Robin

13.  Marbek Nativity

14.  A Joan Elliott Flower Fairy

15.  Pillows of the month (April, May, June, July, August, September and December)

So that is my list.  I hope to do some smaller projects in between these larger ones.  And if I see any new patterns during the year that I just have to have, I may add them to the list also.  Because you know that designers are always coming out with new things that I just can’t live without.  So, I will keep you posted on my progress during the year.  What is on your stitching list this year?

Hubby's stitching · New stash!

Teaching Hubby to cross stitch


Good morning on this last day of 2012.  Hubby and I went to Joanne’s yesterday so that I could pick up some floss for some new project starts.  Here is what I bought:

My new stuffLots of floss for Emerald Mermaid and my Pixie afghan.  A new scroll frame because all of mine are so stripped they won’t get tight for me anymore.  And I did not expect to see the new issue of Cross Stitch Collection in but was so excited to see it I grabbed it right up.  Now I have all 6 of Joan Elliott’s Flower fairies.  Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. So hubby bought me lots of nice stitchy stuff.  And…get this….He decided that he wants to learn to cross stitch.  Yep!  All of a sudden, out of the blue.  So here is his new stash:

Banders stashHe decided to start with a bookmark and he found a cute little dragon that he wanted to stitch.  I promised him a Heaven and Earth designed bookmark a few months ago.  I wanted to try a HAED and a good stitching friend suggested I try a bookmark to see if I like stitching over one.  So Hubby picked out a pattern and I have started it.  About 12 stitches.  Hehe.  It is on my list of things to finish for 2013.  Anyway, I think he is tired of waiting and decided to do one himself.  So, he wound all of his floss, I set him up with a box, needle, highlighter, pattern and got him started.  So here he is working on his second cross stitch-I say second because I did teach him years ago and he didn’t like it.

Bander cross stitching

He is doing really good.  He says he can’t watch tv and stitch.  I’m sure he will get the hang of that if he continues on.  Here is his progress so far:

Bandes progress

I think he is doing great.  I can see us…sitting in our side by side recliners, stitching the nights away.  Ahhhh, peaceful.

Since this is my last post of 2012, I want to thank you for visiting me this year to see what I have been up to.  May the New Year bring you Health, Happiness and Love.

Ginny

Fairies

Kudos to the Rocking Horse!


I put my August Fairy in for framing on Monday.  Last night when I returned home from shopping, I had a message on my machine that my framing was ready!  Wow!  1 day; Amazing!  So today I went and picked her up.  Here she is:

August Fairy FramedOh my gosh, she looks amazing.  And the frame that I picked is perfect for her.  The Rocking Horse did an amazing job and so fast that my head is spinning.  Now I just have to find a box to put it in for my Mom for Christmas.  She is going to be so surprised.  Now to figure out what my next project will be…..

Fairies · Uncategorized

August Fairy is finished and off to the Framer!


Hello.  I finally finished August Fairy this morning.  Early this morning.  I put the last bead on at 1:15 am, this morning.  This, after stitching for about 15 hours on Sunday.  Here she is:

august fairy finished

She is stitched on 16 ct Aida, Milk Chocolate.  I think she turned out beautiful and I hope that my Mom likes her.  I called the Rocking Horse on Sat. and they said that if I brought my piece in on Monday, they could frame it in time for Christmas.  So that is why I stitched until my eyes crossed all day on Sunday.  Here is a close up of her sweet face:

close up of head of August Fairy

She is a beauty.  Thank you Nora Corbett for such a beautiful design.  So off to the Rocking Horse I went to put her in for framing.  Here is the frame I chose for her:

Frame I chose for August FairyI liked the swirly pattern that matches her beaded wisps.  And there is a hint of red here and there that really brings out the beads on and around her head.  I can’t wait to get her back later this week.  Here is another look at the gorgeous frame:

close up of frame for August Fairy

I will be sure to post her once I get her back from the framer.

Did you happen to notice that it is snowing on my fairy?  Scroll up and watch a second….see it?  Isn’t that cool?  I can’t take credit for that.  WordPress allowed me to add that to my blog  for a while.  So for now it will snow on August Fairy. Thank you for stopping by my place to see what I have been up to.

Fairies · My nails

Fairy Progress and New Nails


Not much in the way of stitching, but I thought I would share my progress on August Fairy:

She has an upper body and some arms now.  I’m working on the upper wings and pretty soon she will have a face.  I am getting excited to get this finished and start the beading.  My goal is to get her done in 10 days so that I can get her to the framer.  I am hoping to meet that goal.

This morning I went to LaBella Salon  and had a quick polish change.  I think I have found my new favorite polish combination.  Here is what it looks like:

It’s OPI Black Onyx with a silver glitter called Disco Ball by Creative Nails (I think).  This will be great for all of the upcoming holidays.  LOVE IT! Thanks to Nikie and to the gal ahead of me who was flashing the same colors.

Thanks for stopping by.

Fairies

My Progress on August Fairy


It’s been about a month since I last posted about August Fairy.  I’ve worked on her quite a bit and I am happy she is coming along.  I have a few other projects that I am dying to start, but I want to keep plugging away on this one.  My hope is to get her finished and framed in time to give to my Mom for Christmas.  Her birthday is in August and I think she will love this one.  So here she is so far:

I am finally getting to some other colors besides black.  She sure has a lot of black in her dress, but it is striking and love it.  It doesn’t really look like much on the computer screen, but I think I have stitched quite a bit.  I have been wandering over to a mirabilia site on Facebook and can those gals and guys stitch fast!  I wish I could have more time to stitch or stitch faster, but I am enjoying the stitching.  I just have so many projects whirling around in my head and a couple all ready to start.  But I am getting closer to that finishing point.  I like to stitch my ladies and fairies from the middle down and then the middle up.  That way when I get to the top, I can see my beautiful lady pretty much finished except for the beading.  I always do my beading last.  So, soon my lady will have a head and she will really come to life.  How do you like to stitch your ladies, or people in general? Thank you for stopping by to see what I have been up to.

Afghans

Snowmen Afghan


I stitched up this afghan quite some time ago and finally took a photo so that I can share it with you.

It is Stoney Creek’s Snowmen of the month afghan.  When I stitched this ( and it took me a long time) it was offered in their magazine each month or every other month.  I can’t remember.  But I think that you can now  purchase a book of all of these adorable snowmen.  The afghan started out as a piece of sparkly fabric and I had to block off and stitch in the silver thread separating each block.  But it was well worth it as I love this afghan.  I don’t use it much.  It sits on the back of my rocking chair. Occasionally I will throw it over my lap if I get chilled.  What about you?  Have you stitched up any afghans and do you use them?  Here is my favorite block on this afghan:

I love the witchy snowman and that penguin disguised as a tiger is too stinking cute!  Here is the November block since it is reminding me that I need to get my leaves raked up. Hehe.

I think I like patterns that I get to keep adding to each month (or when I can).  Like on an afghan.  I have made quite a few afghans in my time, but this one and one other (I will share that one tomorrow) are the only 2 that I own now.  I hope to add more afghan’s in the future.  Thanks for stopping by and seeing what I have been up to.