Beads and More Beads

It always takes longer than I think it will to finish a project.  Yesterday I put the small shiny black beads and paillettes on each side of the blackwork biscornu.

 I had to take out the backstitch edge on the top and put two lines of backstitch in the correct place.  I did some of this while watching the very last episode of Downton Abbey.  I am sorry to see this series come to an end.  I so enjoyed the characters.

Then I started whip stitching the backstitches together while adding beads.  I got about half way around when I started to wonder if I would have enough beads.  I loved how it was looking but it didn't look like the photo on the pattern.  The beads were too close together.  I think I was supposed to add a bead on every other stitch, not every stitch.  So I took it all out and started again.  ARGH.  Now it looks like the photo.

 This will be done very soon.

Again today I'm hoping for the Amy Mitten kit in the mail.  I got the pre-stitching for Spring Fling.  I'm getting excited as it is only 22 days until I leave for Minneapolis.  It is going to be so much fun!  Betsy Morgan is a great teacher too.
The bathrooms are clean and all is right with the world.  Well, you know what I mean.
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Black and White

I am amazed at the mistake I made on the blackwork biscornu.  I am almost done with the bottom.

 I realized I totally messed up the backstitch around the top.

 How is it possible to have the chart right in front of you and not follow it?  The answer is I was not paying close enough attention.  So now I will have to go back and take out the backstitch on the edge and put it in correctly.  I didn't even realize that there are two lines of backstitch around the edge.  I'm just clueless!
With luck, I'll get this all put together today.  It would be great to have a finish.

I went walking at the Y and there were all kinds of people there.  I sort of like it when it is deserted and I am the only one.  I'm going to try walking outside tomorrow.  I hope the trail is clear of snow and ice by then.
I didn't get the Amy Mitten kit yesterday.  Hopefully, I'll get it tomorrow.
Here is where I am on the Z Sampler scissors fob.

 I changed the heart to a pink color.  It was charted in green.  Green?!?!  I tried different colors on the edging thinking that if I made it a light cream color that it would look like lace.  It totally disappeared!  So I went back to the color that was recommended (612?).
This coming week is supposed to be warm.  But of course, warm is a relative term.  I hope we get rid of all the snow and I can walk outside everyday!
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Boo Hoo

The mailman did not bring me Amy Mitten's new kit. Maybe it will come today.

 However, he redeemed himself by bringing me a different package.  I got the doll from England.  Yeah!

What?  It doesn't look like a doll?
That's the fun part.  The doll fits inside.

Right now she is almost naked.  She does have shoes and socks on.

 I need to make her a dress.
She has to bend her knees to fit in the egg.

I have to find just the right material for her dress.

I started on the bottom side of the blackwork biscornu.  I would like to finish that up today.  We'll see.

Have a fun Saturday!
A

16

It was 16 degrees when I got up this morning.  No walking outside.  Off to the Y I went.
We went out to celebrate our anniversary last night.  Yes, more flowers!

 I'm embarrassed to tell you how many years (44).  Then you'll know I'm really old.
Here's what I accomplished on the blackwork biscornu:

There is a whole other side of the biscornu to stitch that is not the same as the top.  I couldn't find the piece of fabric for that so I got something that is the same count and theoretically the same color.

I'll work on that today.
The new Amy Mitten kit is scheduled to arrive today!  Yeah!  I'm so glad I finished the Quaker Bag so I can start this new one.  This kit has no cross stitching but it will be very interesting to construct.
I started a batch of candied orange peel. I know, it needs to be spread out way more.

 It is drying in the sun.  I wanted some Grand Marnier to sprinkle over it but when I saw some at the store it was 39.99!  No way, Jose.
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Good Mail

I got two packages in the mail yesterday.  Love it!
In the first package were these two sacks.  Nice packaging.

They came from Gable House Goodes.  Inside were the waxers that I ordered.

They are beautifully detailed.  How could I ever mess them up by actually using them?  Not only that but they smell good too.  They are scented.  I have to tell you that they took a long time to get here.  I ordered them 2 1/2 weeks ago.  I emailed after a two weeks to make sure they got the order.  No response. I guess I am spoiled as the Amazon stuff comes very quickly.  Also, I thought I was getting "wedgewood" color which looked to be blue/green in the photo on the website.

The ones I got are definitely green.

In my second package was the kit from Silver Needle's Circle of Friends club.

 It was designed by Shepherd's Bush.  It looks to be a fun stitch but I will change  few things.  It says "the heart of my heart".  I'm thinking of leaving off the top part with the lettering and making a needle book out of it. I couldn't resist, I started it.
I found the blackwork biscornu chart!  It had fallen behind the laundry basket of shame. I'll show you my progress tomorrow.
I think we are going out to eat tonight.  Fun!
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Wandering

The sun is shining brightly outside.  But it is very cold and the road hasn't been plowed yet. DH thinks we got about 9 inches of snow yesterday.  School is cancelled again today.  I just saw a Fed Ex driver try to gun his way up the hill and fishtail.  So I am staying put.  No Y and no walking today.  Maybe things will improve later.

I went looking for something fun to work on yesterday.  I wanted to do more on this blackwork biscornu that I started.

But so far I haven't found the chart for it.  It is somewhere in the laundry basket of shame.

While I was looking for the blackwork chart, I ran across this kit.

 I saw it on someone's blog and just loved it.  So I bought the kit but hadn't started it yet.  It is over one on 40 count.  (Shoot me now)  But hey, I could try a bit and see how it goes.
Not too bad.  I'm thinking of tweaking the colors a bit.

I made a mistake!  The kit coming from the Silver Needle is a Shepherd's Bush design.  The tracking says it should be delivered today!

I am almost done with the pre-stitching for the May retreat.

 I did some experimenting with threads and stitches trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

 Instead of doing 5 rows of backstitch I decided to do 5 rows of stem stitch.  Looks good.  Then instead of large rice stitches with more added on, I decided to do two rows of  long armed cross stitches instead.

 I'm happy with that.
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Straight Lines

That's all I stitched yesterday, straight lines.  I extended the lines on Monica's skirt.  Try to contain your excitement.

Then I went digging for some pre-stitching that I have for a retreat in May.  I had started the basting but hadn't finished it.

I didn't finish last night either.  There is more to do.   My mind is busy thinking of how to change this.

I started a new book, When Breath Becomes Air.  I hope it isn't too sad.  It's by a doctor who died.

I've got some nifty things coming in the mail this week.  I got notification that Silver Needle's Circle of Friends has sent me a package.   It is a kit by Chessie and Me.  I have no idea what it looks like.

The doll I ordered from England has made it to Chicago so it shouldn't be long now.

The new Amy Mitten kit is supposed to be here on Friday.  Last night the instructions were posted so I read through those.  It will be fun to make - and not too hard.
Schools are closed again today because of bad weather.  It was sleeting when I drove home from the Y this morning.
The Nashville Needlework market is this week.  I've got some Just Nan stuff on pre-order.
Bring me something fun Mr. Mailman!
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