Imelda

When I get a kit in the mail DH calls me Imelda.  As in Imelda Marcos who was known for having an extraordinary number of shoes.  DH thinks I have too many kits.  I do.  He is absolutely right.  Part of the problem is I am highly suggestible.  Mary Corbet gets me into so much trouble.(http://www.needlenthread.com)
 I read her blog and love that she tells about nifty things she has run across.  But then I order them.  The latest kit that she talked me into came in the mail yesterday.  Actually, I got three kits from the UK.  DH knows I am a sucker for anything with a crown on it. This is one of the kits I ordered:

I ordered it not knowing how big it was.  When I got it I measured and it will be about three inches by three inches.  It's a little big for a pin to wear.
The kit was packaged nicely:

Inside the little bags were these treasures:

Along with instructions.

See at the bottom.  This is for an "expert".  Uh-oh.  I better start with an easier one.
 This is for a beginner:

I'll try this one first.
Imelda

Wash

I confess that I wasn't going to follow directions.  Amy Mitten recommends washing the linen in her kits.  I stitch in hand and hate limp linen.  But the linen in the kits was very stiff.  So I gave in and decided to wash it.  Stick it in the washing machine?  No, too harsh.  So I just soaked it in the sink.  I was surprised at the amount of starch (or whatever it is) that came out of the linen.  I was crossing my fingers that it wouldn't be too limp. I was shocked at the outcome.

When it was dry it was still so stiff that it held its shape as I'm holding it up.  Stiff as a board still!  Well, I decided to wash it again.  Still stiff.  I shouldn't have worried about it being too limp.

I got my kit for Sylvan Scenes yesterday.  Oh my goodness, I have so many things I want to start.  But I won't let myself start this one until I finish that SNS Christmas ornament/bag from Barbara Jackson.

So I worked a bit on Eleonora's Box.  I made good progress on one side. This linen is pretty limp and I make more mistakes because of it.

 I bet I could finish this side if I worked on it all day.  But I know I will want to work on some other things too.
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Kinks

I am so happy to tell you that I finished up Anne Hathaway's Needle Book.  I embroidered the needle page.  I liked the purple flowers on the model and I messed with putting in grass.  Then I decided I wanted a vine up one side with roses.  Things sort of took off from there and this is what I ended up with.

It is totally me.  Not perfect.  I kept cutting the needle page to get it even so it's a bit smaller than the model but hey, it's finished and it's mine.

I didn't think I would be able to finish it yesterday.  Right in the middle of cooking dinner, the electricity went out.  Someone had a medical emergency and hit a power pole a couple blocks from my house.  That knocked out the electricity at a most inconvenient time.  Half way through sloppy joes.  So, what to do?  Well, we went out to eat.  We took our time, thinking it would be a while before the electricity would be restored.  When we came back home and went into the house, it was filled with smoke.  What I didn't realize is that I left my electric stove on.  I forgot to turn it off when the electricity went out.  I could have burned down the house!  One pan had burnt to a crisp french fries in it.  The other pan I had emptied out and put my sloppy joe stuff in a bowl to cool off.  The empty pan had a melted spatula in it.  What a mess!  I think I ruined the pan as well as the spatula.
I was glad the electricity was back on so I could finish up the needle book.
Good news!  My Amy Mitten kits came yesterday!

 Now I can get started.  The fabric is very stiff so I think I will wash it to make stitching on it easier.
Thank goodness I didn't burn the house down.
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Maybe Today

No package from Amy Mitten yesterday.  I checked to see where it was.  It left San Francisco on Sunday afternoon.  It is taking it's sweet time getting to me.  But maybe it will come today.  I've got my fingers crossed.
I totally finished the Fold's Cherish Life by sewing on the rick rack.  I put my initials next to it.

I was able to get some other things done yesterday.  I worked on Eleonora's Box.  I made some progress and today I want to work my way down to the border.

I worked on the lettering on Anne Hathaway's Needle Book.  I got it all done!  But I cheated.  I left out several words so I would be done quicker.  Don't tell.

I need to embroider the needle page today.  Then I can put it together.  Yeah! then I'll have it done done.
Wow, that would be great.

It is very cold today, in the single digits.  But my house is cozy warm.  I'm lucky.
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It's a Book

I am almost finished with the Shepherd's Fold Cherish Life needlebook.

 I just have to put the stem of rick rack on the felt flower.  I went back and found the bird that I altered on the scissors fob.

 Then I decided to do one of the birds that I stitched on Treasured Tools.  I'm happy with how it turned out.

I put interfacing on the back and sewed it together.  I put a blanket stitch around the needle page and sewed it in.  Late last night I was scrounging around trying to find the rick rack.  Why do I lose so many things?  (Cause you are so messy!)  I finally found it but didn't have time to put it in yet.

 The whole set:

No package came yesterday.  Correction: no package from Amy Mitten came yesterday.  I got something I bought on ebay that turned out to be not what I thought.  Then I got some more springerle!  It was still listed on Heidleberg Haus's website so I took a chance that they were still making it and ordered some.  I just love those anise cookies.  Yum.

I've got my fingers crossed hoping that the kits come today.  My friend Terry and I are going to have a little stitch along with these.  You know I won't be able to resist starting them.
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Birdy

I got all of the Cherish Life stitched except for the bird on the back of the sheep.

 I want to slightly alter the bird.  I changed the bird on one of the other parts so I have to go see what I did and where I got the bird pattern from.  Then I can put it together.  I think it will be easy to put together.

I am anxiously waiting for the mailman again today.  I bet he'll have the Amy Mitten kits today. There are several other things that are on the way to me too.

I went out shopping this morning.  I have a new recipe to try for Tomato Soup.  I got some linen in  a Star Sapphire color for an upcoming project.  

I got started on the the back and sides of Eleonora's Box.  I can't count very well.  I had to take out one section four times - so far.  ARGH

Once I get it all set up, it should go faster.  I got nothing done on Anne Hathaway.

 But there is always today!
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Cherish

I didn't get the Amy Mitten kits yesterday.  Bummer.  But I did get the latest Shepherd's Fold kit.  The name of it is "Cherish Life".

I like it and I started it.  It was fun to work on.  I love a complete kit with finishing supplies, buttons and everything.

I was surprised by the linen.  It didn't look the same as the other pieces but what do I know?  I changed it anyway.  So I just used what I have used for the other pieces.  It goes with the backing fabric just fine.
This is how far I am:

I bet I can finish this today.  I changed the writing and just a bit here and there.  I love how there is a felt flower inside the needle book.  Teri and Tina are very creative.

I got all the border put back in Eleonora's Box and my name.  Now to start the last piece of the box which is actually two sides and the back all together.

I also want to work a bit on the back of Anne Hathaway's Needle Book.  I better get busy.
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Tired

I am so tired today.  DH's phone rang three times during the night.  I couldn't get back to sleep.  ARGH.  I'm not sure I should even stitch today.  But only on something really simple.  The Y was teeming with very young basketball players.  It happens every January.  It was so loud I couldn't hear my IPod music.  The good news is that I expect to get some packages in the mail.  I've got my fingers crossed that the Amy Mitten kits will come today.  I know that Shepherd's Bush shipped the fourth part of Shepherd's Fold on Tuesday and maybe I'll get that too.
Would you believe that I got the scissors that I ordered from Ernest Wright and Son in Sheffield England last August?  Here they are:

I was surprised at how large they are.  I expected them to be smaller.  They are quite heavy duty scissors that will last a lifetime.  They are sharp right down to the tip.  Very utilitarian.  Very much worth the price.  I should get rid of some junky dull scissors now that I have these.


I put together the front of Anne Hathaway's Needle Book.  I love it.  I want to finish the other page so I can put it all together.

I finished Love Birds.

I like it on the Sand linen.  I think stitching it on pink would have been way too much pink.  Now how to finish-finish it?  I'd like a small frame.  I'll have to dig around and see what I have.
Or maybe I'll take a nap.
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Confessions

I couldn't help it.  It was too cute.  I had to start it.

I called this one by the wrong name the other day.  It isn't "Love Letters", it's "Love Birds".  There are lots of birds.  I think I can finish this today.

Then I went and signed up for another retreat.  I think I can use DH's Frequent Flier miles so that sealed the deal.  Since I love The Drawn Thread designs, I wanted to go to Silver Needle's retreat in July.  The Drawn Thread and La D Da are going to be there.

I got some more of the border of Eleonora's Box put back in.  I want to finish that up today.

I finished up the edge on the front page of Anne Hathaway's Needle Book.

 I want to read today about what goes inside.  I'm thinking it is probably Skirtex.  I could put that whole page together.  I got the edging on the back page too so I would know where to start the lettering.

 There is some freestyle embroidery and charms on the needle page that makes this book adorable.
Such fun things to do today!
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Treasured Tools

I got the needle book of Treasured Tools all done!  Yeah!

Here are both of the pieces together:

I love that they look just like the photos on the pattern.

I took out all of green in the border of Eleonora's Box.  Then I started putting in the dark blue.  I think I'll be happier with it.

I started the edging around Anne Hathaway's Needle book and got my name on the needle page all stitched.  All that remains is the back page.  I thought about changing it to my and DH's names but I don't think I will.  Too much trouble.  Then I thought of changing it to some quote.  Too much trouble.  Just go with the flow.

I put a couple of leaves on the Yoko purse.  I don't like my leaves very much.  The tip is not sharp.  I need to go back and look at the Youtube video and see how that lady did it.  I don't think I'm folding it correctly.  There are 21 leaves and buds.  At about the 19th leaf I'll get the hang of it.

How can it be Thursday again already?
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And Now For Something Else

I worked really hard yesterday and finished stitching Treasured Tools Needle Book.  So today I must put it together.

It looks like it is pretty easy to finish.  I didn't realize that it has a pocket inside.  Cool.  So it goes together just like the scissors pocket.  I can do that.

Then I got stuff in the mail.  I got the last Drawn Thread that I ordered.

My orders always come quickly from Cynthia.  It looks like Love Letters will be really quick to stitch as it isn't that big.  I'm thinking of stitching it on Sand color linen.

I timed myself and it only took a little more than 15 minutes to take out my name on Eleonora's Box.  I need to take out the date, which will only take a few minutes.  I'm leaning toward taking out the border. . . .

Today's mail came way early.  I got the Whatley Woodlands from Stitching Bits and Bobs.

They win!  Now I can go back and finish that project.  I need to try and finish as much as I can on projects I have going as I know there are two really big projects on their way to me.
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