Star Spangled Garden

Greetings Friends,

Thank you for your kind words on my WIPs from the last post.

Your words of encouragements helped me keep the

needles flying to finish Star Spangled Garden.

Star Spangled Garden

Country Cottage Needleworks

Now...to get the rest of my patriotic designs out and decorate for the 4th of July.

Thank you for stopping by to spend a bit of your day with me.

Keep on stitchin'

Nan

My Own Throwback

Greeting Friends,

It seems as though school is winding down for the Summer.

The kids have been out for over a week but I've been working to wrap up the year.

I have been finding some time to stitch and have been working on the pieces below.

Ann Lockart 1842

Blackbranch Needlework

Star Spangled Garden

Country Cottage Needleworks

I hope to have Star Spangled Garden finished this week. Ann Lockart is my in between projects, project. I enjoy stitching it but don't mind when my attention gets diverted to another project.

I also have 2 pieces at the framer.

They should be ready this week and I can't wait to show them to you.

Karen of Karen's Handiwork is showing us some of her older pieces in her Throwback Thursday posts. I love looking at her bin of stitched pieces from way back when.

It is amazing how our tastes change over the years and how patterns evolve with the times.

Reading her blog started me thinking about the first piece I stitch.

I started stitching in the 80's when I was about 13.

I can clearly remember the first thing I stitched so many years ago.

Over the years I lost track of the piece and have often wondered where it ended up, which started to make me wonder if I could find the kit. So, to eBay I went....

Sure enough after a few search tries I found it, bought it and it was delivered today.

High Kick

Good Shepperd

I'm not sure if I will stitch it again, maybe....

But it does bring back a lot of memories of stitching it while my dad

watched IU and Celtics basketball games and mom worked her puzzle books.

I hope you are all finding your own time to stitch. I appreciate your visits and kind comments. They mean so much and keep me motivated to keep on stitchin'

Nan

Hello Friends,

Just a quick post to show you what I've been working on.

I finished a small Rosewood Manor alphabet sampler.  This piece stitched quickly and I really enjoyed it.  Not sure how I'm going to finish it yet.

I started A Quaker Study. 

I've gotten quite a bit accomplished and I'm really enjoying this one.

And...here is my progress on Spanish Flair.  

Lost a little mojo on this one which is probably why I got the urge to start A Quaker Study.

Thank you for stopping by and letting me share with you.  I appreciate your kind words.  Friday is a "no school" day for me so I hope to spend most of it stitching. 

Until next time...

Keep on stitchin'

Nan

A Finish & A Start

Hello Dear Friends,

I hope you are all well and finding time to stitch.  I find that with the nice weather we had today I spent most of the day dreaming of being outside.  Working in the flower beds, golf, tennis....

just about anything other than sitting inside in a meeting.  I'm sure you all have the same feelings.  Now that I am home and can do those things I only want to sit and stitch.  Funny how that works, isn't it?

I was recently inspired by a post from our dear friend Faye.  She is stitching the Prairie Schooler Santas.  Loving the idea, I hopped right on the Santa bandwagon.  Of course that meant tracking down some of the older Santas.  I've had quite a few of the patterns for years but never got around to stitching them.  After some fun on eBay I tracked down the ones I didn't have.  I'm pleased to have my first one finished and I have started on the next.   Now I have to decide how I'm going to finish them.....decisions, decisions.

Prairie Schooler

1984 Santa

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While visiting The Attic I came across a design that I had to have.  It is a big design but I've loved every stitch so far.  Here is what I have accomplished so far.

Here is a picture of the complete design.

Lady K's Needlearts

Spanish Flair

The complete picture is in red & black.  The model hanging in The Attic was stitched in bright pink & black which I think it captured my attention. 

 My picture doesn't quite capture the bright pink I'm stitching with but it is stunning in person.  

I think I'm going to need some serious stitching mojo to finish this one.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing a part of your day with me.  

I love hearing from you and appreciate your kind words.

Happy Hump Day!

Keep on stitchin'

Nan

Lots of Spring Up in Here.......

Hello Friends,

Thank you for your kind words on my trip to Arizona.  It was great to get away.  After a week of back to reality, I'm ready to hop back on the plane. 

It has been a busy Spring around here.  I've been busy stitching for several exchanges.  The exchanges have all arrived at their destination so I can now show you all the goodies.

 

Michele and I did a St. Patrick's Day exchange.

Michele sent a great pot 'o gold.

Here is the stitched pieced I sent Michele.

I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I sent along.

Thanks for a great exchange Michele.  I feel like a very lucky girl ;-)

Next up is my traditional Easter exchange with Karen. 
Look at the bunnelicious goodies "Easter Bunny Karen" sent.

 The Easter basket was full of goodies but I dismantled it before I took a picture.

The chocolate was calling to me...

Here is the piece I stitched for Karen. 
I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I sent.

Miss Lapin

The last exchange I have to show you is the friend's

a small group does every year.

Michelle (no blog) is the person I send to.

Here is the stitched piece I sent to her.

I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I sent with the exchange.
(Are you noticing a pattern here?)

For this exchange Edgar sends to me.

He sent a great stitched piece finished on this gorgeous box.

And all the goodies.

Thank you for a great exchange Edgar.  I'm looking forward to a great year.

I've been stitching quite a bit.  I'm back to working on some bigger pieces.  Currently, I'm working on Prairie Schooler's Sweeping Cobwebs.  I hope to have it finished and off to the framer soon.  While in Arizona I started Ann Lockart and Blackbird Design's Tis the Season.

I'm enjoying them all and have a hard time deciding which one to work on when it comes stitchin' time.

Thank you for stopping by and your sweet comments.  I appreciate them so much.

Have a great week!

Keep on stitchin'

Nan

Arizona 2012

 Greetings Friends,

I officialy arrived home from Arizona last Sunday late in the evening.  I have been trying to post pics on blogger all week and finally gave up.  I thought I'd try again tonight.  I've had better luck but can't seem to get all of them to upload. 

So, here is a snapshot of my Arizona Trip 2012.

I arrived in Phoenix Arizona on Tuesday morning. 

Karen met me at the airport, we picked up Yvonne and away we went. 

We spent Tuesday bumming around and stitching at the hotel.

On Wednesday we took a trip to The Attic in Mesa Arizona.  The Attic is the "Taj Mahal" of stitching shops.  If you if ever get the chance to visit plan on hours and hours.  As you can see in the pictures, this shop has everything.  The shear pleasure of looking at the models can take hours and hours.  I also spent a great deal of time with the linen and fibers.  I know I'll be visiting again one day and will plan on spending more than one day at The Attic.  The ladies who work in the shop were great.  I think they got a little tickled at a first timer like me.  I just walked around repeating the phrases, "Holy Crap!", "Wow!" and "This is unbelievable!"

 The Attic

Mesa Arizona

 Karen

 Yvonne with her "goodie" bag.

The three of us after making our purchases.  We are worn out but happy!

On Thursday we made the trek up into the mountains to the cabin.

The scenery was amazing.

As we drove the scenery changed from cactus and rock to pine trees and snow. 

 I loved seeing all the cacti.  ;-)

The mountains were breathtaking.

 The cabin was a treat.  It was a beautiful, rustic cabin. 

Perfect for 3 stitchers to hide away. 

On Friday we headed to the Grand Canyon.

 Beautiful scenery along the way.

 Me at the Grand Canyon

On Saturday we spent the day stitching away. 

The week went by very fast.

Thank you Karen for being such a great host. 

I had a blast and can't wait to get back to your "neck of the woods."

Thanks for sharing my Arizona trip. 

Thank you for stopping by.  I so appreciate your visits and sweet comments.

Keep on stitchin'

Nan

The Final Verdict on the Letter "A"...

Happy Sunday Morning Friends,

Thank you to all my friends who called, sent texts or emails to check on me last week.  Stitching friends are the best and the ones who know where I live know that I was very close to the tornadoes that ripped through the midwest last Friday. 

My town did not get hit but towns as close as 20 miles south were devastated.

The clean up will be long but times like this reaffirm your faith in the human race.

So many people have pitched in to help and donations are plentiful to help those affected.

Again, thank you for thinking of me and continue to pray for those affected.





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I decided to try a new local framer with the two pieces I had finished.  

  When I walked in I ran through the normal lists of question a

stitcher wants to know about their framer.  He seemed to have all the right answers.

But one question I asked seemed to make him terribly uncomfortable.  I asked him if he could tell what the picture was?  He turned a few shade of red and after a few ummms and coughs he said "Well, I wasn't going to say anything but, no."

At least he was honest....another good quality in a framer, right?

I reassured him not to feel bad as my husband couldn't tell what it was either.

So after explaining it was the letter A we spent quite a while trying to decided

on a frame for this busy piece.

I left my pieces in the hands of my new framer and was delighted when he told me

I'd only have to wait a week for him to frame my pieces. 

True to his word I got a call one week later and rushed right in to pick up my pieces.

Upon viewing my letter A...

I knew the framer had done a great job with the framing but I'm still no closer

to the love I'd hoped to have for this piece. 

And to reinforce my thoughts.....

The letter A was sideways...he had to move the hanger on the back so it was actually at the top of the frame.  *framerturnsredagain*

"A"

M Designs

So the final verdict on my letter A....

It didn't turn out the way I'd envisioned but I have a new framer

who appears to know how to frame linen.

Check out the other piece he framed.

Home is Where you Hang Your Needlework

Homespun Elegance

I love how this one turned out.

I hope that everyone is enjoying mild weather.  We've had such a mild winter here.  Daffodils are popping out of the ground, birds are singing every morning and the sun is shining.  Feels like Spring is here.  Although it has been mild I am still ready for some bone warming sunshine.  You know the kind of warmth that sinks into your skin all the way to your bones.

In a little over a week I'll be on a plane to Arizona to visit my friends Karen and Yvonne. 

Can't wait to see the Grand Canyon, visit The Attic and spend some time stitching with friends.

Thank you for stopping by and following the saga of my letter "A".

I love hearing from you and appreciate your sweet comments.

Until next time...

Keep on stitchin'

Nan