A Compliment my Husband Will Never Understand...

Greetings Friends,

 I hope everyone had a safe enjoyable 4th of July.  We spent the evening at the race track, which has a spectacular fireworks show.

My framer called and said my pieces were ready to be picked up so I rushed right in and here are the results.

 Cinderella Sampler

I have loved this sampler from the first time I saw it.  Although I like the finished results, I wish I'd used lighter fabric.  The motifs seem to get lost in the fabric.  Regardless, it might be one of my favorites I've stitched.

 Just in time for the 4th.  This one turned out super cute and love the frame.

Now.....to the compliment.

When I go the pick up my pieces at the framer he always unwraps them and shows them to me.  I stand there like a kid on Christmas morning anxiously waiting to see them.  He opened the Cinderella Sampler, we oooh'd and awww'd over it.  He opened Liberty, we oooh'd and awww'd over it.  He opened The Birds and the Bees and I'm sure this funny look came over my face.  He immediately turned it around so he could see and earnestly asked, is there something wrong with it?  I stammered and ummmmm'd a couple of times and then said, "You've framed with the back facing forward."  He was mortified and apologized over and over.  I assured him it was no problem and he promised to have it ready the next day.  As I was telling my husband about this he had the "Yes, honey I'm listening but what?...."  look on his face.  I tried to explain to him the fact that my back was so nice that he thought it was the front was actually a compliment. 

Although I try to be neat I don't obsess over the back of my stitched piece but I thought this was a funny story and one I'm sure to remember for a long time.

Here is the result of the correctly framed Birds and Bees.

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Here is a cute little piece I sent to my friend Karen for our annual 4th of July Exchange.

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 Although the 4th has come and gone, I usually leave out my patriotic pieces all Summer.

I hope you are finding time to stitch and appreciate you stopping by.

Keep on stitcin'

Nan

45 ct. Linen Isn't So Bad

Greetings Friends,

I've been working on The Birds & The Bees.

My first attempt at 45 ct. linen is going well.  I hope I can finish this by week's end.  

In 2010 I created a facebook page for Nan's Needlework Notions and didn't do a thing with it.
I have resurrected my efforts so hop on over to my facebook page.

This school year is coming to an end, only 4 more kid days (not that I'm counting :).   Looking forward to some extra stitching time this summer and a long awaited vacation with my hubby.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind words.

Keep on stitchin'
Nan

How Time Flies...

Greetings Friends,


It is hard to believe May is here and it has been so long since I've updated my blog.  Thanks for sticking with me during my absence. 


During Spring Break my friend Marsha and I made the 10 hour drive to Minnesota to mark a shop off our bucket list.  We visited Stitchville USA and it was definitely worth the drive.  I was so busy shopping I didn't take many pictures but I did get a few of the shop.  Their website boast 4,200 square feet of cross stitch heaven and over 1,000 framed models. 
They did not disappoint.  Marsha and I walked around for nearly an hour with our mouths agape.  Then we got down to business.  In all, I think we spent about 8 hours (with a quick break for lunch) wondering around admiring the models, enjoying the wall of fabric and filling our baskets with goodies to take home. 

On the stitching front, I couldn't take it any longer and ordered from the Scarlet Letter.  I've admired several from the web and decided I needed to start And All Was for An Appil.  I've finished the outline, now I get to add color.

I also jumped on the Snooty Parrots wagon.  I love this sampler.

One of the things I picked up at Stitchville was a piece of 45 ct. linen (well, more than one but this is what I used first :).  I decided to stitch Carriage House Sampling's The Birds & The Bees on it.  It's tiny, but so far so good.

Here's a birthday gift I sent over the pond to a great friend.

Here are a couple of pieces I finished stitching and haven't finished yet. 

And here is a piece I stitched and finished for a 

Valentine's Day Exchange with my buddy Karen.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope Spring has finally made it to your neck of the woods.  The coming week is supposed to be glorious.  Think it may be time for " porch stitchin' ".

Keep on stitchin,

Nan

The Year of Unfinished BAPs

Greetings Friends,

I trust you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year.  Ours was quiet and uneventful...just the way I like it.  It was so fun to watch my granddaughter and great niece enjoy Christmas this year.

My great niece Norah playing with Uncle Henry and
her great big adorable cheesy grin.

Kayci ready for the slopes and 

a little Christmas brat action.

This year I feel like I have stitched quite a bit.  Reflecting back I wondered where all that stitching time went.  I didn't have a huge amount of finishes but feel like I should have tons finished. 

Then I started looking through my WIPS.  2013 was the year of the BAP.

For years I would stay clear of anything big, preferring to stitch small pieces that I could quickly finish.  Now, I have so many big pieces started I'll never finish them all.  

Start....that is the key word.  I LOVE to start pieces.  Every time I go to a retreat or visit a shop I can't help myself.  I see so many things I have to stitch.  

Here is just a sampling of some of the pieces I started this year.

  

Cinderella Sampler

Willow Hill Samplings

Christmas Alphabet

Prairie Schooler

A Christmas Sampler

Midsummer Nights Designs

Quaker Christmas II  Songs Of the Season

ByGone Stitches

Dragonfly Quaker

Stickideen von der Wiehenburg

 Greetings Halloween

a mon ami Pierre

Shores at Hawk Run Hollow

Carriage House Samplings

12 Days of Christmas 

Stacy Nash

Spanish Flair

Lady K Creations

4 Corners

Little House Needleworks

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

It is hard to believe another year is in the books.  Although I don't make stitching resolutions or goals, this year (2014)  is going to be the year of the WIPs.  Maybe one or two of the above will actually become a finish this year. Thank you for your kind words and friendship, not only last year, but for all the years to come.  

Keep on stitchin'

Nan

Santa's Village....FINISHED!

Greetings Friends,

I was overjoyed when I received the call from the framer that 

Santa's Village was ready to be picked up.  

I rushed in after work and here is what I found...

Country Cottage Needleworks

Santa's Village

Stitched on 40 ct. Tree of Life Linens and called for fibers.

I opted to use only 1 of the buttons.  
You can see the reindeer flying in the bottom left corner. 

The shiny red frame with the white insert is just perfect.  I am so glad to have this finished, I think it is safe to say I'll be avoiding designs with snowflakes and houses for a while. ;)

Thank you for stopping by.  
I enjoy hearing from you and always try to reply to comments if I have an email address. 
 Many of the comments come with no reply option in the email notification I receive.  

I completely understand but want everyone to know I appreciate your sweet comments.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Keep on stitchin'

Nan