Another Halloween Finish

I worked on this little project while waiting in the doctor's offices with Tracy and finished it today. Not sure if he will be a magnet like the Witch, the top to a little box or maybe a ornament. So many ideas and just not sure what I want to do with it.

"Pumpkin" from Pumpkin Patch Chart

We have decided to have another "Date Night" for Tracy's birthday tonight. Going out to dinner and then probably do some people watching while having after dinner coffee. The skies are really gray and storms are in the forcast so not sure how long before the rain hits. I just may do a rain dance so we can come home early and I can stitch to the pitter patter of the rain.

Until Next Time....Happy Stitching

A Little Stitching

Didn't get much stitching done the past few day but in the little time I had I worked on "Pumpkin Patch........

It's going quicker than I thought it would and I'm sure I'll have it done before Halloween this year. When this is done I think I'll go ahead and try to finish "When Witches Go Riding" too. This is the chart for it.

These are the two other charts I got while at the LNS that weren't on my list of things I needed. Somehow they just jumped in my hand and said take me home too.

I'm going to try to finish another magnet this weekend and see how much more I can get done on Pumpkin Patch since I plan on staying home and stitching all weekend. These plans may change on Saturday since it's Tracy's birthday and we may go out to dinner and a movie unless the forecasted thunderstorm shows up and if it does we will stay close to home so we don't end up in the flooded streets.

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching

Busy Week

The week started off as usual, sitting home stitching but quickly changed on Wednesday. Tracy had to have some blood work done so we decided since we had to be out we would make a day of it. As I have said before we don't have a car and use the bus system. We are lucky it takes us just about every place we need to go but it just takes a little longer. We can take any bus we like for 24 hours for just $5 for the both of us so it is much cheaper than driving with the high price of gas. But that's not what this post is about....it's about our wonderful, fun day and evening.

After the blood work was done we were both starving so decided lunch was in order before we started on our day of fun. There was a fast food place (really 3 to choose from) across the street and close to the bus stop so it was time for a quick hamburger. Full to the brim it was time to venture on to the LNS......

I was such a good girl at the LNS. I had a short list of things I really needed (more like wanted hehehe) and pretty much stuck to the list. I was looking for "When Witches Go Riding" by The Prarie Schooler and didn't see it right off. I thought I'll just ask about it after I get the GAST threads I need and some other things on the list. While I was looking at some fabric my sweetie found the chart (Trust me he is really a much better shopper than I am). Next was some 40 count fabric (am I nuts looking for that). This LNS doesn't cut fabric to size, sells by the 1/4, 1/2 yard but they do have some small cuts. There was no way I wanted a 1/4 yd of 40 count but I did find a small piece to try and see if my old eyes will hold out so I can do some small Quaker ornaments on it. All in all I did really good and only picked up a couple of charts that weren't on my list but couldn't pass them up.

On to my favorite place on the Strip, The Belliago Conservatory......

The Belliago is a really nice Hotel/Casino with some really upscale shops (way out of my price range) but I love to go to the Conservatory to see what they do with flowers. The display is changed 4 or 5 times a year and we always go to see what they have done. I hope you enjoy the following pictures and they will give you a idea of what they did for Summer .....

The entrance... I Love this tree man....he really has to make you smile

This is what the Belliago looks like from the street in mini. It's all done with natural materials

The bears are going fishing....they are all done with bark and flowers. Poppa bear is about 7 feet tall.

The train is all done with flowers and moss and weighs about 6,ooo pounds. That is real steam coming out.

and my favorite part, my DH Tracy in front of the Eagle nest with the Eaglet's.

This is just a small sampling of the almost 50 pictures I took of the conservatory and grounds. When Tracy goes back to work next week I hope to have time to upload all of them in my webshots album.

By now we are both thinking about what we want to do for dinner and decided we would head downtown to Fremont St and find something good there. Now with this being a Holiday weekend (started early here in Vegas, lots of tourist) it took awhile on the bus to get downtown. We opted for the new Buffet at the Golden Nugget and boy are we glad we did. The selection of food was very nice and it was YUMMMMY. I think I ate my weight in "Peel and Eat Shrimp". To cap off our great day we had to make a after dinner stop at Starbucks to have coffee and sit outside people watching. Was another wonderful day for both of us.

This morning (Thursday) was off to another appointment at the dreadful Clinic. I hate that place, we were there almost 2 hours for a 20 minute appointment but at least the news was good. Tracy's BP has really stabilized within normal limits and he has lost almost 20 pounds. This will probably be the last time I'll go to his clinic appointment with him.

Tomorrow (Friday) is another test for Tracy and then we will go to JoAnn's, can't miss the sale can I. Saturday is his Birthday so will probably stay home during the day and then go out for dinner somewhere close to home so he has a chance to rest up from vacation before going back to work on Sunday night. With all this not much stitching has been done but I plan on making up for that this weekend.

Until next time....Happy Stitching

Another Halloween Project

My daughter picked this out for me to do for her while I was visiting last October. About time I got started on it don't you think. With any luck I will have it done in time for Halloween this year.

Pumpkin Patch by The Prairie Schooler

Stitched on Silkweavers Dark Tan 32 count Belfast Linen

with DMC

I'm also going to do the four designs in the corner as magnets for her. The first one (the Witch) is finished and today I have started on another one (the Pumpkin). I am using the same fabric for the Pumpkin and think I may do the Owl on a purple fabric but we'll see.

The humidity is building again today so maybe we'll get another thunderstorm this afternoon. Maybe I should go outside and do a rain dance. LOL Rain today would be OK but not tomorrow. Tracy has some lab work that needs to be done so it will be out and about tomorrow and maybe get some shopping in.

Until Next Time....Happy Stitching

Rain?

Yes we do get rain in Las Vegas! It doesn't happen often but when it does it comes down in buckets. This is just outside my apartment door after about 5 minutes of rain.

I wish I had a better camera that would have captured the lighting, it was awesome. The sun is back out now but there are still storm clouds and we may get some more rain. You may think it strange that I would blog about a storm when there is so much water elsewhere in the country but when you only get 4 inches a year (and that's a wet year) every drop is exciting.

Sunday SAL and End of Olympics

It is hard to believe the Olympic Games are now over. It seems like just yesterday I was watching the Opening Ceramonies. What a end it was today with the Men's Volleyball Team winning the Gold for their coach who suffered such a tragic loss to his family. I will admit I did shead a tear or two after the game and during the interviews. I hope now I can get back to some kind of stitching schedule.

Sunday Just Nan SAL.....

Finally was able to make some good progress on Pansies Please. I finished the middle squares and finally the end is in sight. I hope to have this one finished soon so I can get on to the next Just Nan project whatever it may be.

I have also made a little progess on "Pumpkin Patch" and will have a progress pic of it in the next couple of days.

Hope you have a great stitching week.....

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching

Freaky Friday

First I would like to Thank everyone for their well wishes for Tracy. Like a typical man he really blew it. When we got to the surgery center they asked him if he had eaten or had any thing by mouth after 12 midnight. He got a silly grin on him face, turned red and had to admit he had eaten breakfast. The problem was he got up before I woke up and forgot about the no eating rule. Needless to say the surgery was cancelled. It was rescheduled for Oct. I'm sure he won't make the same mistake again. So since we were so close to IHop of course we had to have breakfast (second one for him). It was really yummmmmy so I did forgive him for his goof up. To make up a little more we stoped at Michael's on the way home. Was a great stop, found something I've been looking for and some good buys. I got the perfect mat for the Gnome and it was on clearance for 49 cents (can't beat that). Found some really nice ribbon on sale, 5 yard bolts for $1 each so stocked up on that. Got some beads to make some more "Stitch Pickers", stuff for another exchange and other little things. Was a great S.E.X. at Michael's. Probably will have another day of shopping this week since Tracy will be on vacation and have to do something fun (he likes shopping more than I do believe it or not.)

FINISHES......
The Gnome is all stitched. He needs to be pressed then I can mount him and attempt my first framing in many years. I still need to find a frame for him but not sure what I want. I think I'll go ahead and mount him and take both him and the mat with me to pick a frame. I'll be sure and post a pic when I have it all together.




This was a really quick stitch from The Prairie Schooler chart "Pumpkin Patch". My DD picked the design out last year when we were at the LNS and I promised to stitch it for her. I have just started the sampler design and hope to have it done and to her in time for Halloween this year. I'll post a update on it with a picture of the design in the next couple of days.

Until Next Time.....Happy Stitching

Mid-week Update

I've made some good progress on "To Gno-Me". With this cold all I've done the past few days is stitch, blow my nose, stitch, take a nap, stitch, eat (got to feed the cold as the old wife's tale says). I'm feeling much better now and have even been able to sleep thru the night the past couple of nights. So while enjoying the Olympics this is what I have done....


I hope to have it finished tomorrow so I can find some mats and a frame over the weekend and get it put together.

Stitching will slow down starting Friday. DH Tracy has his eye surgery scheduled for Friday am. He has to have his droopy lower lid corrected and a inverted tear duct repaired. He injured his eye lid when he was a child and it's now drooping more and the doctor is concerned it could cause infections. So I'll again be sitting in the waiting room and try to get some stitching done. Not sure how the recovery will go so he has taken a weeks vacation. With any luck he will recover quickly and we'll get to do something fun while he is off work, may even sneak another trip to the LNS in.

Well that pesky lil Gnome is yelling at me to get his arms and legs done (should have left the face to last so he couldn't talk to me) so I'd better get back to stitching.

Until Next Time......Happy Stitching

My Weekend

My weekend didn't start too good. Early Friday I felt a cold coming on and by the afternoon I knew I was in for a battle. Stitch one, stitch two, put it down and blow nose. I still feel under the weather but I was finally able to get some sleep last night. Here is my slow progress over the weekend.....


Friday, Santa Day SAL



I now have 11 of the boxes outlined and a little of the fill in done on two of the days.


Saturday L&L SAL



I really struggled with this one and all the color changes between the sneezes. Any progress is good progress I guess


Sunday....New Start

This is for my DD Manda's birthday next month...I better really concentrate on this one. She loves the Garden Gnomes so we will be getting her a cute Gnome to go along with it. Not sure if I'm going to frame it or make it into a flat fold. I'm stitching it on a Silkweaver's 28count Cashel Solo and you can just see a hint of the purple in it.

Hope you had a very nice weekend and....

Until Next Time....Happy Stitching

New Stitching Tool

I was reading the Nordic Needle Newsletter and in the new items they had something of interest. It's called a "Stitch Picker". They were selling them with matching Scissor Fobs for about $20 a set. Well I have more scissor fobs than scissors now and have charts to make several more so why would I want to buy one. I thought about this for a while and looked in my stash to see what I may have to make one myself. This is what I came up with....

So for less than $1. I have a "Stitch Picker". I used a size 22 needle that I would never use to stitch with, a Sunflower and Dragonfly Charm and some beads from my stash. I think it came out nice for my first one. I'm going to look for more charms and make more, maybe even RAK a few to those who have RAK'd me. Maybe if I did them with frog charms they would keep the pesky frogs away from stitching and if they didn't it would make it easier to do the Frogging.

Until next time....Happy stitching (or Picking)

Who Reads my Blog

I got this from Kelly and thought it would be interesting to try it too.

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we've never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post I wrote and why it was your favorite.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually really funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

RAK Received

I woke up from a nap this afternoon feeling Yukkie. Head stuffed up, nose running, throat sore. Could I be coming down with a Summer cold? I can count the number of colds I've has since moving to Las Vegas 8 years ago on one hand with fingers left over. Well maybe a walk to the mail box would make me feel better and boy did it. I am running a exchange in my ILCS group call "Blind Ornament Exchange". Here's how it works, members stitch a ornament and send it to me with a self addressed return envelope. At the end of the exchange I will send a ornament back to everyone participating but no one knows whose ornament they will get. It's a win win exchange, everyone who sends a ornament gets one back and the best part I get to see all the ornaments <:o). In today's mail I received the ornament from Debbie B and she included this chart along with a lovely piece of 28 count Antique White Jubliee fabric.

"Fruit Salad Sampler Cherry" by Sister and Best Friends

It is stitched with GAST threads and will give me a good excuse to add to my overdyed stash. The size would be perfect for another flat fold for my kitchen and I can't wait to get the threads and start it.

Thank you again Debbie for the RAK and for stitching such a lovely ornament for the exchange.

Until next time....Happy Stitching

Olympic Finish

I'm giving myself a "Gold Medal" for this one. I had finished the stitching several weeks ago but was a little intimidated by the finishing. So last night watching the USA get the gold in Swimming and Gymnastics I said I can do it too and here is my results.....

"A Patchwork Garden Pincushion Ball"

by Twisted Oaks Designs

stitched on 6 different colors of 28 count Cashel Linen

with Dinky Dye Silk

Today I've pulled out my "12 Days of Christmas" by Hinzeit project and hope to make some good progress on it since it only has 4 colors.

Until next time.....Happy Stitching

Needles, Needles, Needles

A while back there was some discussion in my ILCS Yahoo group about needles. What size to use, nickle plated vs. gold plated, different brands ect. There were as many different preferences in needles as there are in fabrics. One or two people suggested different sites on the web to purchase needles in bulk. This was of great interest to me since I hate changing needles for different colors in a project and like to have a needle for each color in each project (that means LOTS of needles since I have many projects going at one time). I decided to try Busy Lizzie Crafts in the UK as a source for needles. I could not be happier with Anne and the service she provides as well as the quality of the needles. I have been using the needles for about a month now and NO problems with any of them. Being a 28 petite needle user for a long time I wasn't sure about going back to regular 28 needles but I found these needles to be just a little longer than what I was use to and I think I will now stick to them for most stitching. I ordered in the bulk packages of 50 and this is how they come.



If you are in the market for some really good needles try www.crossstitchneedleshop.co.uk or her other site www.busylizziecrafts.co.uk

As a side note in honor of our US Olympic team I opened the package of gold needles for my current new project (more on that later). I am hoping this will bring them luck and more Gold medals.

Until Next Time with a stitching update.....Happy Stitching

Confessions of a Olympic Junkie

OK....My name is Rene and I can't stop watching the Olympics. Is there a 12 step program for Olympic junkies. I find that I'm taking a nap in the afternoon so I can stay up almost all night watching all the coverage I can find. It's gotten so bad I even found myself watching Men's basketball this morning at 4 am. I never watch basketball....what's wrong with me. I do get a lot of stitching done while watching (listening) to all the coverage. This is my latest finish......

Milady's Needle Quaker Christmas Small

Stitched on 28 count Linen

with Carie's Creations "Bullfrog"

Since I find it more difficult to stitch on projects with lots of color changes during the Olympics I'm going to really diminish my supply of overdyed threads....guess that means more shopping for different colors. I am now working on Coq Au Pins "Hen" and hope I don't run out of thread again before I have the rest of the set done.

Until Next Time......Happy Stitching and Watching the Olympics

Olympic Stitching

I got a little more done on "Pansies Please". I'm still behind in the SAL and probably won't catch up while the Olympics are on. I found it very difficult to stitch with all the color changes while watching and cheering on the USA teams. The progress I did make was done while watching the NASCAR race.

Since it was so difficult to stitch with the color changes I decided to start another of the "Quaker Christmas Smalls". This one I'm doing on a piece of 28 count linen from my stash (no idea what the color is called) with Caries Creations "Bull Frog". On this one the background is stitched and the design is left blank. The chart has 3 different designs and each is done both ways. I will do the other two designs like this one. I think one will be done in Red and the other in Blue. Then I'll do them as I did the ornament for the exchange.

Until Next Time....Happy Stitching GO USA

Ornament for Exchange

Milady's Needle Quaker Christmas Smalls

Stitched on 32 count Opalescent Raw Linen

with JAR Designs ""Perfect Pine" and Crescet Colours "Cupid"

While watching the Olympics I finished stitching this ornament for the ILCS Blind Ornament Exchange. I would have finished it into a ornament but I'm having a problem deciding what color fabric to use for the back. I have some really nice gold ribbon to use on the edge. What do you think, Red or Green for the back?

Going to be another day of sports while stitching today. I'm going to be working on "Pansies Please" while going between the Olympics and NASCAR. Since today is Basketball at the Olympics it will be more NASCAR, I hate Basketball and don't like the idea that they allow the Pros to play. I think the Olympics should remain for amaturs only.

Until Next Time.....Happy Gold Metal Stitching

GEO Kaleidoscope Biscornu Front
GEO Kaleidoscope Biscornu Bottom

After some major frogging I managed to finish the bottom of the Biscornu. Someone had mentioned that the stitches looked like pearls so I decided to use some small pearls on the corners and larger pearls instead of buttons in the middle. All in all I am very happy with the outcome. Now I'm on to start a ornament for a exchange while watching the opening of the Summer Olympics.

Until next time....Happy Stitching

GEO - Kaleidoscope Done (Sort of)

GEO - Kaleidoscope

Free design, stitched on Silkweavers Solo

with #12 Ecru Perle Cotton

I've been working on this off and on for a while and decided it was time to get it finished. I think I will make it into a Biscornu like the other GEO's I've stitched. I need to figure out how much of the design I want to do for the bottom but probably just do the border.

I really need to get started on a ornament for the ILCS exchange I am running. Can't have the mod be late can we. I think I may have found a design I want to use but will probable change my mind several times before I start. I also need to get something stitched for my DD for her birthday. Have a really cute Gnome to do for her, just need to get it kitted up and started.

Until next time....Happy Stitching

Exchanged Received

This is the magnet I did for Lou in the ILCS Magnet Exchange. She really likes Halloween and is getting married on Halloween this year. It is stitched on 28 count Black Cashel with DMC and Crescent Colours with a few Mill Hill beads. I backed it with orange felt. I'm happy with the outcome and that Lou really likes it.

Celtic Spring Update

After getting some frogging done I managed to get the word Spring done. Now I'm going to work on the borders before starting the lady. There will be lots more beads and metallics so it will be slow going I'm sure.

Another Ornament Finished

"12 Days of Christmas" by Just Nan

Four Calling Birds

These cute little designs are a quick stitch even with all the color changes. They are only 2x2" and really fun to stitch. I can usually complete one in a little over a day of stitching. I really need to get 4 more of them done this month so I will have them all ready for Christmas this year.

It's going to be another HOT day here today so I'm going to stay in and stitch, stitch, stitch. Not sure on which project but there are plenty to choose from.

Until next time....Happy Stitching.

End of Week Update

This has been a good stitching week. I finished the stitching on "Queen of the Needle" finally. She needs a good pressing and then then beads and charm added. I hope to get that done this weekend. I can hardly wait to get her to the framers and on my wall.

Coq Au Pins.....

I am almost 2/3's done with stitching the "Hen". I love working on this and can't wait to get to the rest of the set. It's taking me a little longer than I thought it would but I am really enjoying the stitching. This picture shows the color of the fabric a little better.


Flat Fold Finish.....


This is the flat fold I did for the class. I decided since it's for my Grandboys I wouldn't add any trim to it. Don't want to make it to sissyish with trim and bows. I think the Lizzie Kate designs make great flat folds and plan on doing some Halloween ones.

I started another of the Just Nan 12 Days of Christmas last night and hope to finish it today but not sure if it will get done. Tracy has another check-up with his primary care doctor and those are the appointments I hate. A 20 minute appointment can mean a hour and a half at the office Grrrrrrrrrrr This is the office that it is impossible to stitch in, very loud and crowded. We will probably do lunch after the appointment and maybe do something fun if it's not too hot.

Stay tuned for a updated picture of "Queen" sometime soon and Until next time....Happy Stitching