Shots of Spring

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Amen Brother Ben, it's almost (officially) Spring!  The trees are in bloom, the grass is starting to green up, and time has sprung forward already.  I couldn't be happier about it if I tried.  

Daffodils:  harbingers of Spring

It's been a hectic month with my father in the hospital so I haven't stitched as much as I could have, but here's an update on Flower Bed:

I've made a couple of color substitutions but nothing dramatic.  I think if I can carve a couple of hours out this weekend, I'll have it in the bag.  It's been fun stitching with the seasons and if I'm really lucky, I'll get "The Rain Fell" started soon!

Happy Weekend Friends!  Hope yours is happy, relaxing and stitchful.

In the mood for...

JBW Designs

"French Country - Amour"

thread:  red overdyed from stash

After finishing Lucky Ewe, but before I got to far into Flower Bed, I had the urge to go back and pick up a Valentine finish. 

I simply adore these small, French Country JBW Designs...and as it turns out, they are just about a weekend-sized project for me (without burning too much midnight oil).

Now it's back to Flower Bed for me...

Happy Thursday!

A March finish!

It's March!  It's MARCH! 

Which means bye-bye February, hello SPRING!  Yes, I know it can still snow in March, but I'm feeling more optimistic by the day that I'm going to escape this winter without any of the havoc last winter brought.

It makes me smile...

So does this little guy:

"Lucky Ewe"

Bent Creek kit

He has been on my "To Do" list for at least a year (remember this post from 2011?)  And, rolling right along, I grabbed Flower Bed out of the P.I.G. pile and put the first stitches in it last night:

"Flower Bed"

the Trilogy

I haven't given much thought to how I'll finish-finish either of these pieces.  They are just making me happy at the moment, and that's enough for me..

Happy Stitching Friends!

Head Start / New Start

Last year, I had the big hairy idea that I would stitch a cute seasonal design every month.. Yeah RIGHT!

That didn't happen, but I am delighted to say that I've gotten a great jump on March with this Bent Creek cutie...

A bitterly cold wind is blowing here today and I'd rather stay inside and stitch than to run around getting my errands done, but duty calls..

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Fat Tuesday / First Finish of 2012

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Well what do you know?  I actually finished Tis the Season AHEAD of my goal deadline of Leap Day!  YAY!

Blackbird Designs

threads:  Belle Soie silks

fabric: 32 ct. stash linen

I loved Loved LOVED the color palatte and simplicity of this design (a.k.a. NO backstitching) but if I'm totally honest, I'd do a few things differently if I were to stitch this piece again. 

• Save the cardinal for last so the red has less of a chance to rub off onto parts of the fabric where it does not belong.
• Space the date a little better so it doesn't look so scrunched up.
• Work the berries in something other than eyelets.
• Push "Tis the season.." an inch or so to the right so as not to end up with an empty corner in the lower right.

For me to have finished it in just over a month, a normal stitcher could probably whip it out in a couple of weeks.  If it is on your "To Do" list, I hope my observations help you with your planning. 

Onward and upward!

The end of the vine...

Happy Long Weekend Friends!

Popping in really quickly to share a little progress report on Tis the Season:

Blackbird Designs

The vine is complete.  I'm down to 9 holly leaves and about 11 snowflakes.  Then of course, there are a few more berries and the date to add, but they won't take long at all.

With a three day weekend ahead, I have a really good feeling that I might just make my Leap Day goal with this one!

Here's hoping we all get the 'Must Do' list finished as quickly as possible so as to save a little time for the 'Want To' list.

Happy Stitching,

Unconventional Valentine's

In honor of St. Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share a pic of one of my oldies but goodies, stitched many years ago for my sweet hubby...

Better Homes and Gardens

America's Best Cross Stitch

This piece was originally charted to be a sampler but I substituted the Japanese verse for the alphabet and it became an unconventional love letter to the hubs.  If memory serves me correct, I gave it to him just before we were to move into the house we built together out in the woods.  It represents the country setting of our place perfectly.

To this day, I feel the same.  We all need very little.  But to love and be loved, there is nothing better.  I'll close by wishing each of you a heart full of love this St. Valentine's day.

Winter's Arrived

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It seems my dream winter (warm and dry) has sadly come to an end.  The flurries began yesterday and left us with several inches of the white stuff this morning.

And, it's bone chillin' cold to boot.  Brrrrr!

Carmen, I think, has the right idea...

I'll be spending a little time with Tis the Season this afternoon, trying to work in my snowflake and holly leaf for the day.  I fell off the plan a bit last week, so I'll see about making up some time this week.

Here's the progress...

excuse the wrinkles, please...

And that is all the news that's fit to report.  Here's hoping you are warm and cozy, wherever you may be..

In the Red Zone (progress report)

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YAY!  The cardinal is finished!  Only 17 snowflakes and 15 holly leaves to go...

I'm forecasting one snowflake and one holly leave per day for the next two weeks.  Taking into consideration a few uber-busy days that I won't be able to stitch at all, I'm guessing I'll be finishing this up around the end of the month.  Who knows, maybe I'll even have it to the framer before Leap Day.  That would give me something to leap about!

Happy Weekend Friends,

Happy February!

***

Yay!  Another winter month over!  I can only pray that February will be as kind to us as January was.  I have a feeling that the other shoe will drop sometime (sooner than later), but one can pray for 'later'...

I've been making slow but steady progress on Tis the Season...

Even though I love the cardinal, I think my favorite parts so far are the snowflakes - - probably because they are super fast to stitch.  The row after row of red is starting to get a little monotonous but I keep plowing ahead, knowing the cardinal will be finished soon!

We have family visiting this week and SuperBowl preparations to make on Saturday, so I doubt I'll have much progress to show before next week this time.  But if I surprise myself, I'll let you know!

Happy Stitching,