Happy Mothers Day

I am not a mom to humans but a mom to Krissy and Blondie.
Happy Mother's day to all the Moms.

Happy Mothers Day Mom, I miss you so much.

Catherine

DIY Reusable Tea Bags

I just had to post this for all us tea lovers this is a great idea. Enjoy the video.
Please make sure you prewash your fabric.

Catherine

Almost Finished Stitching Class Project

Greetings My Dear Friends: I hope today finds you stitching away.

I am almost finished stitching my class project from Spring Fling in April sponsored by Stitchville USA, Deb does an amazing job each year with getting teachers and choosing a beautiful venue for the class.

I finished three of the pieces on Monday evening, I am so excited to be able to get to the finish line and construct the pieces.
This is the Huswif, it will hold needles scissors and threads,  at first I was not sure I liked the colors, the three pinks are so close in color its hard to tell them apart.

                                                               This is the Pin Cushion

                                                                   This is the Box Top

Many of you have written and asked about the scroll rods, I never like scroll rods until I tried the EZ Stitch No Basting System, this is Velcro that is amazing, I have put permanent EZ Stitch on both rods, my stitching stays taught and lets me stitch away after tightening the rods, the stuff is not inexpensive, it is so worth the money especially since I do not have to be crabby when the fabric slips like before EZ Stitch.

If you try this system please remember to pull one thread where you are going to attach the Velcro, this way you get a straight line before attaching the EZ Stitch Velcro.

  If you try this system let me know how it goes and if you like it or not. I love using this method this way I can have one hand under the fabric for the needle and one on top, I get so much more stitching done this way instead of stabbing and pulling the needle with one hand.
( I hope you understood what I have explained)

This is a photo of the back of the fabric with the EZ Stitch on it.

Todays forecast is: Rain and a boatload of stitching after I work on the Alter Cloth for Church.
Happy Stitching my dear friends.

Catherine

Jo From Senendipitous Stitching's People's Choice

I have decided to join Jo over at http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com for the May People's Choice this months choice is Flowers, please pop on over to see what Jo has been up to.

My Flower Choice:    

Some of these are very old designs coming out of Cross Stitch And Country Crafts Magazines, I still have a few of the magazines from the 80s and 90s, some beautiful designs were made way back then, not just goose and basket designs.

So sorry about the color of the photos, not sure why the camara was acting up like this.

This basket and rose colored flowers was an exchange from  Sarah, she did a beautiful job on stitching and finishing, it is the Blackbird Design Unicef Of Pinkeep's.

This Biscornu is from Conny,  it is her own design http://remakeremixreuse.blogspot.com

This was another exchange from:  Conny From Holland, it was part of a Blackbird Designs exchange.

This is a Victoria Sampler  Pin Keep, I made this a few years ago it was from a class retreat.

This was from a Blackbird designs Retreat Friday evening class.

This was a kit I bought from my friend LaRue, I just love the bright color of  Blues.

I did this several years ago I just love the bee's and the Pink Flower, the framing was done by Cindy Johnson who is a master at framing.

This is my newest framed piece, I finished this this winter. This is a Blackbird Design from a class from a couple of years ago ( do you see a pattern with Blackbird and me)

Well that my peoples choice for this month, next month June I believe is going to be Peoples Choice Mermaids, this will be a fun one to see from other stitcher's, stop over to Jo Blog, address link is above.

Hugs
Catherine

A Very Late Update

i am so behind on posting, I have done some stitching every night, I am happy to say I have made some progress on my Blackbird Design Class Project.

I will hopefully have this piece finished by Saturday.

Thank you to all who left comments on my last stitching post, I have emailed thank you to some of you and will send the rest out tomorrow.

Thank you to those of you without emails.

Catherine

Remember this

Just a test

Trying To Get Caught Up With Stitching

Greetings all: I hope your week is going well.
I have been busy with a jewelry sale at Church which was so much fun, we had a goodwill offering and made a boatload of money, people are so generous, the President of the CCW at Church wanted to do this it was a blast.

Well it is ISHW International Stitch & Hermit weekend, I love this weekend I do get lots of stitching done.
A little over a week ago I started the needleroll piece from Blackbird Designs Retreat, I am almost half finished with the stitching.

Above is where I was Friday, the below photo is where I am at 16:00 this afternoon, I hope to get more done this evening.

We are in the process of taking down four fifty foot trees, this is Mike with one of his new toys,  he also bought a big chain saw.

                                                                           Giggles

The weather is getting better here finally, I hope you all are having great wesather.

Hugs
Catherine

S Stitching Update & A New Project In The Future

Hello to all my Dear followers: Thank-you for your lovely comments on my last post, to those of you who do not have email's thank-you for stopping by.

I have done some stitching, I started on Friday evening stitching on my Blackbird Design Pear, I have done so much, I stitched on Saturday and a little yesterday, I hope to have this finished by Wednesday.
I am not sure why the photo shows a lighter fabric, the sample at retreat looked like the fabric I am using, maybe its the light? who knows.

I was so happy to come home from grocery to find a box on the counter, I opened it even before putting the groceries away, it was my Victoria Sampler Strawberry Pin Cushion kit.
I will start this after I finish with the Blackbird Designs Class Projects.

My friend asked me how could I afford to buy so many things, I said we started to save when we first got married and have retirement funds, not just Social Security, she is struggling and cannot understand my hobbies.

The snow is melting, the sun is peeking out every once in a while, hopefully the rain will miss us on Wednesday.

Have a great week stitching, beading crocheting, quilting and whatever other hobbies you have.

In advance thank-you for your kind comments and for your visits.

Catherine

Some More Photos of Snow and Retreat

I just have to post the photos of the snow we are getting today, I am so sick of snow but when outside and its falling, its so beautiful, we live in a small golf course community, it is so quiet and with the snow falling I love it.
I do want spring now, hopefully it will be warm again soon. Look how big the flakes are.

I have to tell you I met three Ladies who were from out of state who said they were Blog followers of mine, they do not have Blogs themselves but do follow, that was so exciting for me, I will not print their names because I did not ask for permission to do so, it was such  a pleasure to meet them, I almost cried I was so happy, I believe it was their first time at this Retreat, I hope to see them next spring.

I have a few more gift photos to share, now I am not sure if you know this but I use notepads and notebooks all the time, I keep notes of all the events and volunteering I do.
My Dear Friend LaRue gave me a Cactus notebook, I am loving this for two reasons, it came from her and it has a cactus on it.
I used to grow cactus before my cat decided to eat them thorns and all, I will get more when she goes to kitty heaven someday.
Thank-you LaRue.

I won the first prize Deb at Stitchville USA gave out this is way up my alley, I love samples of items, this has a sewing kit with the tiniest scissors thread and needle, soaps for cleaning hand washables, a nail file and hand wipes, this is a must to have, the soap does not need to be rinsed out how about that.

I also did get a pair of scissors, they are black and oh so cute.

I also received a carrot bag with goodies in it from my friend Kathy, it is adorable, thank-you Kathy.

I am a pencil user, the eraser will come in handy, I am always writing when I stitch or am on the net looking and reading blogs, when I see something someone is stitching I write down the designer and design name, this will come in handy.

Okay this is my last brag then I will stop.

Linda a sweet little lady who I call little girl gave me counting pins, they are a beautiful color aqua blue, believe it or not I do use counting pins.

Well enough bragging so sorry, I get so excited at Spring Fling every year.

Happy Spring  I think!!!

Catherine

Hello My Dear friends

Greetings Friends: Thank-you to all who do not have emails to send thank-you for posting comments on my last post.
I have been very busy, I have had several funerals from Church friends and Mikes Cousin this past two weeks.
I am excited to tell you I had a retreat last week-end, on Thursday evening a few of us arrived to have a relaxing time and loads of fun.
I was the second person to arrive, Judy was the first, I have to tell you she is an amazing stitcher, her cross's are perfect, I would love to stitch like her.
Many arrived at about five or later.
We eat a lite supper and have a few cocktail's, fun and more fun.

Blackbird Designs were the Designers, I am telling you they are amazingly beautiful, not only outside but inside too.

These are the projects:  Rope Pear, The box can be bought at Hobby Lobby, this came with the kit.

This is the Garden friends Bag, I am so loving this, the design is so sweet.

This is the  Summer Flocks A pin Pillow, so cute.

This is Hollyhocks Were There, this is a hufwife, I call it a needle roll.

These come with all the fabric threads and trims with box to finish all.

We had so much fun I sat a an amazing table, do not get me wrong the table I sat at the last few years was full when I arrived so I sat with four ladies, ( I really missed LaRue and Sue this year) not sitting together.

I sat with a Lady from Texas, she made me this: 

She copied the piece and made a box top label, they match, she is so sweet, a very funny Lady.

This was from my dear friend Kathy, she is such a sweetheart.

I do not want to make this a long post, I will post the rest of the gifts I received on my next post.

This is what is happening here: Thunder, snow rain sleet and more snow plus hail,  today.

We have so far seven inch's of snow not including rain hail and sleet.

Time for dinner, I will be showing you my progress and the Alter Cloth I am working on for Easter Sunday.

Have a great weekend.

Catherine

ISHW Update A Finnish and a Completed Project

Thank-you for visiting my last post, to those of you who do not have emails, thank-you for your comments.
It has been so busy here, Mike fell and almost took out an eye, I need to wrap him in bubble wrap, I have finally gotten over  my cold, I did do some ISHW stitching last weekend, on my Easter Stitch by Brenda Gervais.
I have been doing some finishing in between home things, I have been clearing out closets and cabinets, what a great feeling.
The snow is almost gone just snow in the parking its where it was piled high.
I hope it gets warm enough to get plants.
I am a geranium lover, the hummingbirds love them, so do bees, its fun to watch them be busy eating.

So this is what the fabric looked like before using the spray stain I used, the lighting is not the best today, it does give a better look in better light, I did not use a lot of the stain I just wanted a little color. I do need to press it, I am out of pressing cloths, maybe I will pick them up Thursday.
This is the spray, dries fast.

I stitched this pattern and finished on February this year, I love Brenda's designs.

I was going to make it into a pin cushion but decided on this finish instead, wood can be found in wood section at JoAnn's,  I like to have all my threads ready for stitching a design, I will be finishing ore that way I when I kit up a design I will have the threads ready, if I have a couple of kitted designs that use the same thread I put a little note saying which kit the needed thread is in.
I stained this wood with a gel paste you rub on and let sit for a little and wipe down, it has a bit of a satin finish.

Its Sunday a day of rest, I will be drinking my latte and stitching and maybe another finish or two, until next time, Gods Blessings To You.

Catherine

A Little Update

Thank-you to all who have commented on my last post, I will send email thank-you's tomorrow.
To thoise of you without email address thank-you and I hope you continue to stop by.

I have been able to stitch a little, I had planned to have this design finished by last evening, we had a call that my cousin had a stroke so family comes first.
I am so happy to be almost finished I will have this done by Easter, yahoo.
I am noy happy with the color thread for his vest, I bought the right color thread, it looks rather like a patch work vest, I am not going to frog it Mike likes the way it looks I guess that is okay.
I hope to have it finished by tomorrow evening, I am not sure I want to finish it into a pillow just yet, maybe a stand-up fold, I am loving him he is so cute.

My wonderful husband has bought me a gazebo for part of the deck, we have 52 feet of deck on the back of the house, i just want someplace to sit out of the sun and bugs, he has the rest of the deck opened for tanning.
It has been warm here I know some of you think 35-40 degrees is not warm but after the winter we have had  it is like a tropical heat wave for us, snow is melting way to fast some areas have been evacuated, it just breaks my heart to hear this, we are lucky our sump pump has never been used, the neighbors on each side have had theirs going, we had extra drainage done when we built this home.
It is time to stitch.
Have a great week
Catherine

Some Stitching

Hello my dear friends: I have had a busy week, we are putting in new cabinets in my sewing room, my beading supplies and fabric along with everything else has a new home, I just need to get the rest in order.
I had a ball  at retreat, I sat with three ladies who were a hoot.
I finished the Brenda Gervais designs I was working on, I will show photos after ironing them.

I started a new Brenda Gervais design it is the Easter Parade design.

See how light mine looks, I could not figure this out so I studied the above photo, I used the called for fabric and threads, the photographer took the photo in the shade, see the light on the left of the ducks face, I feel much better now about the colors, however I will be doing a tamp dye, I will use a cloth to just dampen the fabric and tamp onto the finished piece, of course I will try this on and different piece of fabric and thread first.

I see a designer pattern going on here do you? I love here designs and love the new ones out, she is doing a series, I am not sure I will do that myself.

We will be getting rain here today tomorrow and Thursday, however that means flooding, when will it just be a normal winter and spring, of course we have not had a winter or spring like this in years.

Just a couple of photos found on Pinterest to make you smile, I hope .

 This would be my dog we have so much snow I will have to take a photo of her out in the snow before it melts.

This is what we will look like after all the melting happens, of course my dog is a lot larger and I am oh so much older then this little sweety pie, giggles.

I hope your week is a great week

Thank-you for stopping by

Catherine