Guilty Pleasures

I didn't post yesterday because I was on my field trip to the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild annual picnic. I had a great time. I drove half way there and met friends to ride with the rest of the way. I am not a driver. I don't like it. I am afraid. I hate having to merge. Driving back at 5pm Sunday was the worst part as the interstate was busy and my car starts to shake at 71 mph. So everybody is whizzing by me. But I made it in one piece.

Fun, fun, fun. I had a blast. It is great being around people who like to stitch. Add lots of food and conversation, it is great. Then add kits to stitch and I am in hog heaven.

Everybody showed what was in their sewing bag (Vera Bradley, don't ya know). It was great seeing what people are working on. The house where the picnic was held had many samplers on the wall. Amazing work. My guilty pleasures were a hot dog and ice cream. Since it had been raining, our picnic was inside. There was a raffle for two surprise bags of goodies. You had a chance to buy a special little kit designed just for the guild and it was cute. Then I bought a little strawberry kit that was taught right there at the meeting. It seems that designers send out a notebook of their designs that we could vote on which one we would like taught at the class. We looked at designs from Amy Mitten and Marcia Brown Smith. I got to see the box from the book finishing class I signed up for next year with Marcia Brown Smith. I also got to see the Harvest Moon project. It is so darling! I love the smalls that go in the Elsie box. There were so many interesting people and stories there. It was a great day and I hope to go to more meetings. Everybody was friendly and nice. It was great to have friends to ride with too. Needless to say, I was exhausted when I got home. What a day!

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Still on Page One

I didn't get as far as I wanted on the English Tapestry Sewing Box. That is because I washed the ceiling and the bulkhead in the kitchen. DH is painting the corners right now. We would love to get the whole kitchen painted this weekend. That would be a big accomplishment. The painting will go really fast once we can use a roller. I've been thinking it would be nice to paint it a color instead of just white. I didn't tell DH, as I know what his response would be: NO!

I worked just a bit on In the Sweet By and By. I am working out the colors as I go along.

My sister asked why I don't like pineapples. I love to eat pineapple but I don't like stitching them especially stitching in all black. The kit is from Jackie DuPlessis and is a neat little see through tin. I just need to find a little round design that I like. A pansy! That's it, find one of Just Nan's pansies and stitch that.

Another of the round robin kits is from Catherine Theron. I don't like the flower on it - too stilted. I saw a flower I liked on the front of the Monogram Album I was using and thought it might do. So I started it.

In hopes of organizing my sewing room just a bit, I am going to get one of those plastic drawers and put all my leftover kit threads in it. Right now, leftover threads are scattered all over. If I put them in one central place, it will clean off the top of a lot of things in my sewing room. I can't bear to throw the threads away and sometimes they are very useful.

I am excited about going to meet stitchy people tomorrow. I'm going to take my camera and get some pictures.

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Friday, Friday

I finished putting together the little Barbara Jackson pin cushion. It is sweet. I think it might look nice with some twisted cord around the edge.

I looked at three more of the round robin kits. They all have the same problem. I don't like the design. I wouldn't mind stitching them but they are ugly and I don't like pineapples. So on each one I have to change what I stitch on them. For now, I have put them aside. I worked a little on the English Tapestry Sewing Box. I was reminded that stitching over one is tedious. It is easy to get off a thread on a high count linen. I can only work on this a little at a time. My goal for today is to finish page 1 of the chart. I only have that naked vine to fill in with leaves and some miscellaneous parts at the edge of the chart before I can turn the page to chart number 2. So when I got irritated at this chart I started In the Sweet By and By. I am changing the colors, using some of my Hand-Dyed Fibers (again!) Over dyed floss gives a depth to the design as compared to a flat color. I still haven't found the little finch chart. Where on earth did that go?

There is no word on the counter top although the good news is that DH is getting busy painting the kitchen. He has a lot of the small spaces that must be done with a brush all finished. All the base board has been taken up. Pretty soon we will be able to do the floor. Yeah!

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Putting Together

I worked on the round robin project from Barbara Jackson yesterday. I used her Pearsall's silk floss and yes, it caught on everything. ARGH. When I got to the back and my initials, I decided to not worry about what it was going to look like and just do what colors I felt like. I have a book of initials called "Monogram Album" that I got from Elegant Stitch. I found a size to fit and even put a crown on top. I love crowns. I am kind of an Anglophile. It isn't really centered well, as the crown will bend over the edge when it is all put together. I am in the process of sewing it together. I thought it was a needlebook but it isn't. It is a pin cushion.

I have had a break from the over one and now feel like I can go back to it for a while. So I plan to work on the English Tapestry Sewing Box today.

I saw the front of Just Cross Stitch's Ornament issue and it looks really good. I know it doesn't come out until September. It is fun to see the new charts coming out in conjunction with the Baltimore show. Although right now, my plate is full.

Our humidity is way down and it is so much more comfortable. We have turned off the air conditioning and opened the windows. It's glorious.

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Change of Pace

I am sick of over one stitching and need a break! So I was looking for that little finch pattern. I didn't find it but I came across a bag with all my Round Robin kits from this year's Celebrations. Well, that will do. So I picked out the JBW one and started stitching with a red from my Hand-Dyed Fibers. Then I realized that I miscalculated and would be very close to the edge. But I continued anyway. Then I thought I would try the same pattern but in tent stitch over one with the same thread. It is interesting to see the same pattern done in two different ways. I'm not sure which one I like best. When I finished those, I dipped into the bag again and came up with a pincushion from By the Bay. I knew it was easy and quick to put together. I just have to glue the stem in the top and the pincushion to the block and it is done. I have the Barbara Jackson kit up next. I am a little hesitant because I hate Pearsall's silk floss. I may substitute the floss, although it is a tiny little needlebook and shouldn't be too bad.

I got a notification of a class that is next October. Not this October but October 2012. Kind of early to have to sign up. But I couldn't resist. It is a Marcia Brown Smith finishing class for a book box with matching smalls. Class is limited to 25 and you have only two weeks to sign up. I hope I get in.

I figured out what to bring to the picnic. My pasta salad made with bow tie pasta with red pepper, onion and Miracle Whip.

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Field Trip

I am excited to be going on a field trip on Sunday. It will be my first meeting as a member of the Kindred Spirit Sampler Guild. It is a picnic. (I have to think of a dish to pass) We are also going to be making a wool felt scissor fob. (I ordered the strawberry kit) I am going to meet up and ride with several other women and my friend Sherri. It will be fun to meet some new people who like to stitch too. (What do I wear?)

I stitched on the English Tapestry Sewing Box. Stitching over one goes very slowly. But I finally got my leaf to match up. I am going to work on the vines on the edge and the big flower today. I want to have an easier project that I can switch up with. I got all the threads for a little yellow finch design. I just have to find it.... I want to stitch In the Sweet By and By but I have to scrounge up some fabric first.

I washed one wall of the kitchen yesterday which led to washing the curtains and the windows. We thought of changing the window treatments but that is a problem for another day. DH painted a small part above the sink. Progress! Now I have to wash another wall. I was finally able to contact the guy we want to tile the backsplash. Yes! I was telling DH that maybe I could do it but he said absolutely not. I'm crafty, why not? I just wish I had a nifty something to add to the very regular unexciting tan tile. But that always doubles the cost.

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Turning Over a New Leaf

I finished off the Bride's tree ornament. It is very sweet. I wasn't sure I would like the beads on the nest but they are okay. I was worried the beads would be too large but they are fine. The over all size is about 3 1/4 inches square. I still am not sure how to finish it. So it can sit on a pile for a while. I got the twirly vine on the English Tapestry Sewing Box finished. I also got a little flower done. This project is reminiscent of a William Morris design. I wanted to get to the big leaf below the flower. Unfortunately, it is not meeting up properly so I have to find where I am off.

My bathrooms are clean. My next big project is to wash the walls and ceiling in the kitchen. UGH. Not my favorite way to spend the day.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

I would like to make the Thistlewood project through Shining Needle Society but I don't like the purple. Mauve or teal would be much better colors.

I love the Rovaris Pendant on Guava Gems blog. It's on my wish list.

Next up on the stitching front is In the Sweet By and By by La-D-Da. I like the English Tapestry Sewing box colors so I may use them on this project.

Have a great day!

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