Snow Garden Framed

My frame came yesterday... and I didn't like the color (that's what happens when you order off the internet sometimes) but it was a cream color so I painted it.  I was going for a shabby-chic look.  I added a few layers of paint and then I mounted on foam core with pins and then laced the back up and put it in its little frame.  I'm pretty happy with the final product!

More stash...

Mail Call!!!!  I mentioned earlier how the mail lady had been letting me down... well she came through today!!!
I got STASH!  
1. LHN Poinsettia House with threads
2. LHN Winter Band Sampler
3. BBD Valentine Rose AotH series
4. Ackworth Variations Part 2

Then to top it off I got a swap! From Sonda my Fair & Square Holiday partner... she had some family issues arise during the holiday time and was set back.  I hope all is well, Sonda!  Today in the mail I received these lovely squares that she stitched for me as well as a beautiful scissor fob.  Thank you so very much!  I am going to make the squares into an ornament.  I will post a picture when I get it finished.

We started our Bible study today.  We went through the 1st chapter of Daniel.  It's really quite fascinating how God works.  Actually the first chapter is very action packed!  

Well, good evening to you and yours... stay safe and warm.

KimVDR

Snow Garden ~ Done!

Well, Blogging Buddies it's true.  It's done! Yeah! It really was an enjoyable stitch... my complaints were all things that I messed up... I'm working on ordering a frame.  I will post the finished/framed product soon hopefully!  Thanks for all your sweet comments.  

Hmmm... now off to start a new project???  Maybe just a quick cute little something for my secret Valentine... ;-) and work on some of my WIPS, oh and just ordered linen and threads for 2 new stockings... and CCN Snowflake Serenade is on the way... ;-)

Snow Garden ~ 1 more day

Good morning! I hope you all are snug as a bug!  For those Blogging Buddies in the East and North East, stay warm and safe and home if you can!  I was just reading a bit about your storm.  I have yet to turn on the TV... but I saw that you were suppose to get pounded... and that for one the weather people were right and you did get pounded.  Well, looks like a good day to stitch! :-)  Here is progress on BBD AotH ~ Snow Garden.  Almost done! and that peacock is done... except the specialty stitches in the tail.  I have the key and one more initial and some snowflakes left... one good sit down and I should be able to call it good.  Am checking on frames now, so I can begin the wall of AotH.  I'm thinking old, shabby chic, white/cream. 

Thanks for stopping by and any comments! 

Happy Stitching.

KimVDR

Snow Garden

Ohhh.... I think that peacock might be the death of me... LOL  
no seriously... I finally chose the colors.  I began to stitch, man, he was looking good.  Almost done... to the tail... hmmm... what's this? what did I do wrong... wait... count that again... 1, 2, 3, 4... hmmm... look at chart... 1, 2, 3... hmmm... look at bird... hmmm... I'm off... how can I be off... oh, wait... way over here at the beginning... yeah, 5 stitches NOT 6! ARGGGHHHHH! can I fake it? can I leave it...? no... long, deep, drawn-out sigh... ok, pull your stitches... and of course, that's not easy.  So, finally, stitches are pulled and bird started over.  I'm beginning to get impatient to finish this one! :-)

On a bright note... we have wonderful, glorious, sunny sunshine!!! (which is good since it's only 3 degrees! yikes!!! that's cold)  Sojo is very much enjoying the sun.  
All of you Bloggin Buddies in the North East... be prepared... I heard your to get some major weather tonight and tomorrow.  Stay Safe and Warm.

BBD Anniversaries of the Heart SAL & my little stitching corner

Hello there Blogging Friends! I promised update to my AotH SAL.  This is a SAL (stitch along) That I'm doing with the BBD (Blackbird Designs) Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blackbirddesigns/

I started on January 2nd.  I'm getting close to done... if I keep stitching like I have been.  This is the 1st design of the series, Snow Garden.  There are 14  designs total, 1 for each month and 2 bonus.  Some in our SAL are stitching on one piece, some are stitching separate.  I'm stitching separate. I think they will look awesome framed individually and grouped together.  I am stitching Snow Garden on R&R Iced Cappaccino 40ct linen.  I am using most all the colors called for in the chart.  I have changed 4.  I substituted WDW Dove for GA Toasted Barley, I substituted GA Sable for GA Cindermill Brown, I substituted WDW Chablis for GA Lexington Green and I am going to substitute ?? for GA Portabella.  I'm having most trouble with the Portabella.  I love the look of the sample but my Portabella is mostly brown.  I'm not sure what to use, I thought I'd try GA Green Pastures... too dark, pulled the stitches. I thought I'd try GA Mountain Mist... still a little dark and too tealish... pulled the stitches.  I'm inclined to use both Woodsmoke (roof) and Dove (letters & side of house) to achieve the look I want.  Stay tuned to for continuing drama on the color of the peacock! LOL!  For the year I chose 1990, my wedding date.  The VDR is our last initials (seriously 3 letters!) Then I will add K, M, B & C for our family.

 1-2-11

 1-4-11

 1-8-11

 1-9-11

The Christmas tree went away yesterday.  I spent a good part of the day taking Christmas down.  Then I rolled up the rug, swept all the floor, rearranged the furniture, put back down the rug and vacuumed it again.  My hubby wanted to know I rearranged and I pointed to the recliner and said: "That's My Stitching Spot!" It has a lamp for me, a place for all my stuff and a cup of coffee.  Ahhh, he just nodded his head as though this was important to him too.  

This is Sojo, my mom-in-laws dog.  I'm babysitting.  He thinks he's pretty important and that your job is to wait on him hand and foot and play with him and pet him and watch him and read his mind when he wants to go out to potty and to clean up potty if you were too stupid to read his mind and know that he wanted to go out.

There's this SAL that I've been seeing on other blogs called TUSAL ~ Totally Useless SAL.  You are suppose to keep a container of all your snippits of thread.  I can do that... and actually for me it's not that useless cause it keeps my Spot neat and clean.  Well, sort of... lol

Have a wonderful day!  Remember it's a wonderful life!

KimVDR

Hand Dyed Flosses and Threads

Oh how I love hand dyed threads! I buy them just because they are pretty... I have to admit, I get a little frustrated when I buy a chart and I don't have any of the flosses listed even though I have many, many skeins of floss... but they are pretty to look at! lol 

 Now, my only gripe with Hand Dyes are the exact reason that I love them... the color and of course there are different dye lots... so just because your chart calls for this specific color and you love the picture from the chart... you may not get the same look... in fact you probably won't get the same look... and that's ok because it makes that project our very own... and no one will have one just like us.  I am doing BBD Snow Garden right now.  I have changed some of my colors because as I started to stitch with the charted colors I didn't have the same variations that the picture shows.

The chart calls for  GA Cidermill Brown for the window side of house but I used GA Sable because my Cidermill Brown wasn't all that different from the GA Harvest Basket which the windows are stitched.  Probably my biggest change so far, however; is the other house wall.  The chart calls for GA Toasted Barley with GA Woodsmoke for the roof.  I am using Woodsmoke but changed the T.Barley to WDW Dove (which is a color that I LOVE and have adored this floss forever, I have a new project in mind just for it... share later)... 

My last change that I think I'm going to make is my peacock.  In the picture he looks mostly greeny/blue with some browns, the chart calls for GA Portabella... now, I love the Portabella that I got, but it's almost entirely a rich chocolatey brown(in the middle of picture)... not quite peacock material... lol... so, I'm thinking either GA Mountain Mist (lighter color at bottom) or GA Green Pastures (on top)... I haven't decided... I think I will stitch him last...

I'm stitching on R&R Iced Cappaccino 40ct 2/2

Valdani Hand Dyed Perl Cotton... I still haven't used any... it's too pretty!

1/2/11 Progress Already???

My oh my... Yesterday I started the Blackbird Design Series: Anniversaries of the Heart SAL.  I'm starting with Snow Garden Design 1.  I'm not going to do it all in one piece, but rather all individually framed and grouped.  I love this chart! I'm stitching on 40ct RR Iced Cappuccino with all the recommended threads.  I have one slight goof that is causing me a little fuss... I'm stitching 2 over 2 and as you all know on 40ct that probably should have been 1 over 2.  Oh well... I have nice full stitches... lol!  Here's a picture of my progress... 

This is the progress on Gingerbread Trio.  Such a very cute design... I am partial to gingerbread cookies and gingerbread men in general... I saw on another blog a gal that stitched only 2 of the little guys with a heart in between... It was so CUTE... I'll find it again and post a link!

This is the progress on N.Hinde 1778.  Too funny... I was looking back over my stitching reading the alphabet, hmmm... I'm missing the J... HOW DID I MISS THE J??? hmmm... she didn't stitch the J... hmmm... do you think there's a story?  Why didn't she stitch the J???  Maybe it is the initial of a man... who broke her heart and she just couldn't bear to see the letter J again... hmmm... but wouldn't he have 2 initials and wouldn't she have skipped the other too?  Maybe she just screwed up.  Boy, that's not a very good story ~ sounds like something I'd do... LOL... oh, well... I choose the first... only he didn't leave her... he died tragically and she only knew him by his last name... poor, poor girl... she didn't even get to know the first name of the man whom she loved!  She pines for Mr. J!!! (ok, so I have a slight dramatic flair)

Well, hope you all have a lovely day!  Kids go back school tomorrow, that makes me happy and kinda sad... It's lightly snowing... again... I need to wake everyone so they can get ready for church and make some breakfast.  It's potluck day at church, taking bean soup.  Until later...

KimV