Heaven Above...progress

This past weekend was a washout in my neck of the woods.  Don't get me wrong, we needed the rain.  It actually made for good stitching weather.  DH and I decided we'd do the weekly grocery run on Saturday in anticipation of the monsoon that was called for on Sunday.  This also meant we didn't have to leave the house!  Such a luxury when you work all week long.  I decided to dedicate the weekend's stiching time to "Heaven Above."

Progress as of 3/16/16

Progress as of 8/14/16

As you can tell from comparing the pictures, lots of progress has been made.  My goal was to get all the small motifs in and start on the sun in the lower right corner.  Friday night the peeps got together for a girls night of stitching.  I got a good many of them done then and decided I'd keep on rolling with it.

Here's a closer shot so you can see it a bit better.  I plan to stitch the sun "in the round" so I don't get a stripey look.  I'm hoping the variegation of this floss will give a nice spiral effect.  We shall see!  Once I get the sun stitched in I'll be able to start page three of four and will be half way finished!  The bottom half is mostly all words.  I like words.

This is what was next to me the whole time I was stitching.  Shelby was quite the Velcro dog all day yesterday.  I couldn't resist a snap of this cuteness.  Two of her favorite things right there with her, that blanket and that bone.  Love that silly pup!

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Well good people, it's a short and sweet one today.  Hope you all are well and able to push needle through fabric today.  Thanks for stopping by to visit today.  Have a good week!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

I'm back...

Did you miss me?  I'm finally collecting my thoughts after the Shepherd's Bush Retreat.  Wow, what a week it was too!  I have so many things I want to share.  It was an amazing week and I had so much fun.  It was hard to come back to reality!

Speaking of coming back, here's what was waiting for me from across the pond. It's a gift from Mouse over at Tales of a Stitching Mouse!  A while back Mouse posted a picture and I was the first one to correctly guess what it was. You have to go see.

She was so sweet to send me this lovely package complete with a huge hunk of beautiful Victorian Motto floss, some yummy herbal tea and the most perfectly stitched pin cushion I've ever seen!  Oh yes, Bentley sent Shelby some biscuits to try too.

Just check this little cutie out!  It is just so very me!  She said the design came from a British cross stitch magazine and I dearly love it!  It is just so perfectly stitched and stuffed firmly just like I like them.  I simply can't quit admiring it.  Thank you so much, Mouse!  I will treasure this precious gift always!

 

Look at that lovely tea color.  Mouse said if I didn't like it I could use it to dye fabric.  Hmmm...I don't think any fabric is going to get to touch this tea.  It's way too yummy!  Excuse the dusty keyboard.  I see the cleaning fairy didn't come while I was away.  LOL!

Here's Miss Shelby patiently waiting for her cookie from Bentley.  I missed my girl while I was gone.

Yep, she likes her cookie as much as I liked my tea!

Thank you again, Mouse!  I love everything you sent and Shelby says thank you to Bentley too.  It was a nice surprise to open when I got home.

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Thanks for stopping by today!  I'll be back later to tell you all about the retreat.  It's going to take several posts to catch you all up.  I don't think you'll mind though!

More later,

The Inspired Stitcher

Tiara Stitch-in

Wow, what a week I've had!  Lots of things happening lately and now today is the first of August!  Really?!  This summer has just slipped right past me for sure.  Let's start with the stitchy stuff...

Saturday was our monthly Tiara stitch-in.  I worked on my Rouge du Rhin "L" for my tote bag project.  I actually got the stitching finished on Sunday.  Hmm...I should probably take a picture of that.

Moving to my left, check out these beautiful morning glories!  I'm told this one is going to be close to four feet long when it's done!  Looks great so far.

I love the colors in this Shepherd's Bush.  This peep is hoping to get it done by September so she can have Jill Rensel frame it for her.  Won't that be stunning?!

This one is a reproduction of an antique quilt in the Shelburne Museum's collection.  I love the bright colors!

I actually saw this quilt when the traveling exhibit "Art of the Needle" came to town.   The quilt was donated to the museum in 1955 by Ida W. Beck who lived from 1880 – 1967.  She was a shut-in who specialized in needlework and monogramming. It's stunning in person!

This one is a golden anniversary sampler one of my peeps is doing for a friend.  Her friend's hubby passed away not long ago but she's going to finish the gift anyway.  So bitter sweet.

This is a new start on the "Folk Art Hornbook" by Hillside Samplings found on the Bay of Evil.  I'm glad to see the Bay of Evil (eBay) gets other folks in trouble too.  LOL!  I love the painted hornbook that goes with this one!

Making the full circle around the table, this is the one that was being worked on to my right.  It's by Jeannette Douglas called "My Story."  I have this one in the stash from the Shepherd's Bush retreat 2010.  Unfortunately I never got further than the trees.  LOL!  This one is so pretty in person!

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We were a smaller than usual group as you can tell by the WIPs.  Here's what came for show and tell.

An Erica Michaels piece.  I like the frame!

I love the saying on this Country Cottage piece.

I love the colors of this Praiseworthy Stitches "Faith."  There's just something about Quaker designs.

I don't recall who this one is by but I love the charms on the ribbon.  I'm told they came from Hobby Lobby.

I love the colors of this JBW wedding sampler.  That silver frame just sets it off!

This is Little House Needleworks' "Elizabeth Hancock" sampler.  I remember when my peep was working on this earlier in the year.  She changed out the colors of the flower vine because the called for white was just now showing up.  I like how it turned out! 

This one always reminds me of my "I Sigh Not for Beauty" since they both have the same verse on them.  Speaking of, I did give "Beauty" some more attention at the stitch-in in the afternoon.  I got the house all the way done.  I didn't take a picture because it doesn't look that much different than the last time you saw it.

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As I mentioned earlier there's been a lot happening around here lately.  Some of you know my 10 year old car gave up on me before I gave up on it.  LOL!  So we had to go car shopping.  Most folks would be excited about that...me, not so much!  I equate it to bra shopping, a necessary evil.  So we spent two angst filled days shopping and I found one...finally.  Whew!  Hopefully I won't have to do that again for another 10 years!

The same day we picked up the new car, my little girl got her snippety snip done.  Poor baby!  Here she is that evening.  As you can tell by the ears and the sad face she's not feeling too hot.

She was a real snuggle bunny that night.  My little velcro dog wanted me to stay right by her side all night long.  At one point, she even put her head on my shoulder and let out a big sigh.  Talk about melting my heart!

I'm pleased to report it's been a week today since her surgery and you'd never know anything happened to her.  She was actually her normal fired up self the very next morning!  If only people bounced back from surgery like that.  LOL!

***

Well folks, that's all I've got today.  I've been doing some gift stitching lately so I can't share that just yet.  I hope everyone has had a good week so far.  Thankfully we are barreling toward a weekend! Yippee!!!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Secret Stitcher

Yesterday the mailman brought me a big package from my Secret Stitcher.  I couldn't imagine what she could have possibly sent!  Well, check this out...

Oh Secret Stitcher, you got me!  You really got me this month!!!  I giggled and giggled when I opened this package last night.  Here's what was inside. 

Now dear friends, I know you are thinking okay what's so funny about that?  I have to tell you a little back story.

Last month at Tiara we got on the subject of shoes somehow.  I don't remember how.  Anyway, I told the story of how my honey hates gold shoes.  He calls them Grandma Max shoes.  This is because his grandma loved her gold shoes.

Well, I bought a pair of metallic gold sandals one summer and he just about had a fit!  Now mind you, my honey is not one who normally says anything at all about what I wear.  However, he just kept on and on teasing me about these shoes.  He was really a happy the day these sandals finally died.

For Christmas that year he and his sister even went so far as to find a pair of sneakers just like the ones I wore, spray painted them gold, and wrapped them up for my present.  Well, I just about died because I thought they were my sneakers!!!  Of course they were quite pleased with themselves that they got me.

Ever since the sandals died, I've been on the look out for another pair of gold sandals to tease him with and actually wear.  Guess what?!  Now you know why I loved this package so much!

The craziest part is these flip flops are exactly my right size too!  Now Secret Stitcher, you really are good!  I don't remember mentioning what size I wear.  Maybe I did.  Anyway, they are great and I intend to wear these as long as they last!  LOL!

She also remembered Shelby and sent her some treats.  Which she enjoyed and wouldn't leave me alone once she sniffed them out.  That pup just cracks me up!

Speaking of, I thought I'd show you a recent pic of my girl.  I just love that tail!

Well, folks thanks for hanging with me on this post.  I know it's not really stitchy but it was just too good not to share!  Hope everyone is having a good week.


More tomorrow,

The Inspired Stitcher

A One Woman Retreat

You know what they say about the best laid plans...well that's how my Friday went.  My honey and I were supposed to go south for a weekend getaway and our plans fell through.  Since I'd worked through my lunches, came in early and stayed late several days last week I ended up having enough time built up to take the day off.  Since I really wasn't planning on being in town anyway, I made the best of it.

Does this place look familiar?  It should!  It's where the LNS holds it's annual retreat.  The difference is there's no snow on the ground in this picture!  I decided to escape to the local state park's lodge and stitch the afternoon away!

Here's the view of the lake this time of year.  Isn't it just so pretty!

I can't show you the front of what I'm working on here because one of my readers will see it and it's a surprise.  However, I don't mind showing you a bit of the back and the "nest" I made sitting there by the fireplace.

What a Cut Up! freebie from The Dandy Hare blog

I did get another project moving along again while I was there too.  Remember this one from the WIP list at the beginning of the year?  What got me to thinking about this one was Carol's post over at Stitching Dreams. She stitched hers over 2 and made it into a super cute pincushion. This made me remember mine in my WIP bag. So out it came and off to the woods it went with me.

I decided since the light was nice and bright I'd frog the border where I was off count.  Now I can't decide if I want to put it back in or do something else.  I'm also percolating on how I'm going to finish this little sweetie.  What do you all think?

I have to say it really felt good to just escape for a while and stitch uninterrupted.  I could have stayed home and worked on house chores but I'm really glad I didn't.

When I did go home I took Miss Shelby for a good long walk in town.  Here's a recent picture of her.  She's getting to be a big girl now.  I read that Dalmatians grow up the first year and out the second and third year.  I can tell you for sure she's all legs at this point!  She's also loosing her milk teeth.  She lost three of her fangs just this past weekend.  My furbaby is growing up!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today and if you get the chance, I highly encourage you to take yourself a one woman (or man) retreat somewhere.  You don't have to go far to reap the benefits!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Secret Stitcher

Just look what landed in my mailbox yesterday!  What a sweet package of fun my Secret Stitcher sent me.  She sent me a "March" note pad with the cutest frogs on it, a super cute card, and a fun little bag full of green floss!  Just look at those paw prints on that bag.  Too cute!  Even Ms. Shelby made out.

Here she is checking out her gift from Secret Stitcher!  Yes, she loved them!!!  OMG, I could hardly keep those paws off the table once she had a nibble.  I can see these going to puppy school with us...if they last that long.  LOL!

Thank you so much Secret Stitcher for all the St. Patty's goodies and for remembering Shelby.  It really brightened my day to come home to such thoughtfulness.

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 Crocuses and Daffodils in March!!!

Here are some other things that brightened my day when I got home.  Just look at those happy colors!  We are having a rare eary spring around here and my flowers are all blooming and looking lovely.  Daffodils are my most favorite flowers in the whole world.  I love them even more than roses.  I'm so glad to see them again!

***

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I hope it's nice where you are.  I plan to spend some time outdoors if the weather cooperates.  The yard really needs some attention with all the sitcks laying around.  Best to pick them up before they get flung out the side of the mower.  We'll be getting it out soon at the rate the grass is growing!

I also still want to do a post about last weekend's classes. But I'll save it for another day. There's a lot I want to share with you and I've not had the time this week to do a proper post. Soon!

Thank you so much for stopping by and for all your lovely comments. 

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Leap Day BAP Update!

 

Happy Leap Day!

Don't you just love my new frog?  It came in my Happy Meal the other day.  It's a Build a Bear Workshop toy.  I thought it was pretty lucky to get a frog in the drive thru.  I took it as a good sign.  Besides you're never too old for Happy Meals or toys in my world!  LOL!

  

Well, I'm happy to report that stitching can be done with the furry one around.  I just had to get creative!  Here's my BAP update for February.

As you can see, I didn't make it all the way across the top but I got pretty darn close considering I was fending off an alligator the pup most of the time.  Thankfully my honey had mercy on me and occupied the furry one on Sunday so I could make a big dent in it.

I'm hopeful that next month I will have much more to show you on this one.  I'm also hopeful the furry one will be getting over this biting business.  My hands and arms make me look like I'm being abused...yeah, by an 11 pound bundle of energy!

Speaking of, I'll leave you today with a pic of Her Crazy Self.  This picture cracks me up.  It really does capture her in all her wild-eyed glory when she's fighting her recharge aka nap!  Nope, she's not all cuteness all the time.  I wish!  LOL!

I hope everyone's February was good.  I hope March will bring you plenty of stitchy progress and spring flowers too!  Thanks to all who stop by I appreciate your visits.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

It's TUSAL time again!

 Holy cow, it's TUSAL time again!  Now just where did this past month go?!  I'm pretty sure lots of things happened since the last TUSAL but unfortunately it hasn't involved much stitching as evidenced by my pitiful addition to the jar.

So what has been my deal you ask?  As my close peeps know, we've had two deaths in the family very close together. My honey lost both the men in his life that were father figures.  As though that wasn't enough, my maternal grandmother had a heart attack also. It's been a really emotionally trying time for us. So that's why I've not been myself lately. I say this not to extract sympathy but to just explain my quietness and lack of stitching.

The other thing occupying my time as you might know is the adoption of our little fur baby, Shelby. Tonight we started puppy class! Yes, she's going to learn manners even if it's the last thing I do.  I'd like to raise a pup that folks don't mind being around and I'd like to keep my hands intact as well as the furniture! Cross your fingers that this school thing takes!

I hope you all have made tons of stitchy progress so I can live vicariously through your blogs until I can return to my normal stitchy self!  I'm slipping in a few stitches here and there but not nearly as many as I'd really like.  You know what they say..."this too shall pass."  Oh how I'm countin' on that right now!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Blue Ribbon Sewing Box

Design:  Blue Ribbon Sewing Box

Designer:  Patrick's Woods (Sherri Jones)

Fabric:  32 ct.

Floss:  Silk as kitted

Started:  12/29/11

Finished:   2/12/12

I finally got the Blue Ribbon Sewing Box pre-stitching done!  That's saying a lot considering I've been chasing a little fur ball around for the past three weeks.  Lets just say, my stitching time has become extremely limited these days!  I have the teeth marks on my hands from a certain someone to prove it too!  We've also had some family stuff going on again too that's kept me from stitching.

Thankfully last Sunday my honey took over the chasing and gave me the chance to get this one done.  I've waited to post about it until we had a good sunny day to take pictures.

Now all I have to do is pull some threads (which I'm a little nervous about) and cut the pieces out!  I really enjoyed this one a lot.  I love the colors.  They are just so springy!

Here's a close up of one of the pocket slips (top piece) minus the pulled threads and the top of the mattress style pincushion (bottom piece).  I really enjoyed those blue overlap stitch flowers on the pocket slips!  I can now say I'm much better at tent stitch too!

Here is a close up of the smalls.  I think I may have posted about these earlier but I couldn't resist showing them again.  My favorite piece of this whole project is that bouquet of flowers tied with that blue ribbon. I am getting so excited about finally getting to put this all together!  Soon...very soon!

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Of course I can't resist sharing the latest picture of my alligator sweet puppy!  She's really enjoying that chicken and the raw hides gifted to her by Aunt Marsha.  Thanks again, Marsha!  Those raw hides have saved my sanity and my hands this week.  LOL!

Well, it's a quick post today since someone is napping right now!  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you all have a great stitchy weekend!

Until next time (and hopefully with fingers still intact),

The Inspired Stitcher

Super Bowl Sale Stash



This past Saturday I was able to slip away for a little bit to shop the LNS's Super Bowl Sale.  I came away with two things I've had on my wish list and of course the new issue of Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly.  I really should subscribe.

I've wanted Bent Creek's cRows kit for a while now since I saw it stitched on someone's blog a while back.  I can't remember exactly where.

I also fell in love with Heart in Hand's Dog Sampler for obvious reasons.  I actually saw it last time I was in the shop for a stitch-in.  It seemed fitting I get it now that little Shelby has come to live with us. Of course I'll change the colors to look more like her.

Speaking of her cuteness, I'll leave you with a picture that I just love!  Yes, she has totally smitten hubby and I.  She takes her naps on the couch.  I'm sure this is the beginning of what will probably become a bad habit.  Oh well, I ask you how can I resist that cute little face?!

Thanks to all who have taken the time to leave me a comment or visit with me today.  As always, you really make me smile and brighten my day!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Meet Shelby

I'd like you to meet our new pride and joy, Shelby.  She was born December 12th!  We picked her up last night from a farmer who placed an ad in a local newspaper.

My honey has been watching the newspapers and looking online for months now hoping to find a litter.  When he saw the ad we called right away.  The farmer said he only had two girls left.  We decided we'd better go right away.  Needless to say, my honey took a vacation day and I left work early and off we went!

There were two mothers (who are sisters) that had their litters a day apart!  The farmer said at one point he had 14 puppies.  One of the mothers had four and Shelby's mother had the rest.  What an over achiever!  There were 11 puppies when we got there including the two girls! 

The farmer put the two girls in a pen by themselves for us.  It was hard to decide which one to choose.  Shelby was the one that kept nibbling on our fingers and giving kisses. So I guess you'd say she chose us!

Here are her siblings and cousins!

Here's her mother.

Here's her father.

Here she is with her new Daddy.

Just look at that cuteness!

My honey and I had another Dal who passed away three years ago.  She was almost 13 years old!  We have finally gotten to the place where we were ready for another one!  When they say dogs leave paw prints on your heart they aren't kidding!

So if I'm absent this week, you'll know what I'm up to.  I'll be playing with a little spotted pup that's stolen my heart!  It's just too hard to resist all that cuteness!

Thanks for stopping by and for all your sweet words.  Hope everyone has a good week!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher