Not The Usual MLK Weekend

For 20+ years, I have been attending some sort of Stitching Retreat on this Martin Luther King weekend. This year, I stayed home (except for going out to watch the Vikings football game). But I am still stitching--ALOT! I did however, talk to my friends, Joan and Lori, in Aberdeen via Skype. Have you ever done this? It was awesome! I'll be doing that more often. Don't you love technology today!

I already started and finished 2 projects, both of which I cannot show pictures yet. The first one is my piece for the HoE Stitch Red For Your Heart Exchange. The second one is a gift for our August Retreat. This fulfills my goals for January.

So, I decided to do something for me that I REALLY wanted to do. I started this last night and just finished it after coming back home from watching the Vikings game.


This was extremely fun and relaxing to stitch and I love how it turned out. The red and green are the silks from the pattern, which are Splendor. I had not used this thread before and I have to say, I like it. It doesn't snag on dry hands like some silks do. Thanks to Carol R. for sharing this design with me and introducing me to Splendor Silks. Now I have to decide what to work on next!

On a much different note, do you love a good bargain? I sure do. My brother got me a super-bargain. A couple of weeks ago, he called me. Where he works they were having an antique show. He called to tell me he was walking around looking at some of the stuff, and he came across some floss that was in bags on a ring. I asked him how much it was and he said it was $20. I just said oh, thinking that is alot for floss. I then asked him about how many bags were on the ring and he said about 50. I was still thinking that was alot of money and was going to change the subject. He then said, oh wait, it says on here, Sampler Threads. Ok, now he had my full attention and said, it does? And how many are there? He said just a minute. He came back and said 47. I couldn't speak fast enough. I asked him if he could buy it for me and I would pay him back. He said yes. He called me back about 5 minutes later to tell me he got it for $15. I was very excited.


They are all fairly full skeins. What a deal! Thank you Gene!

He also got me this pin. He bought it as it had a red heart on it.


This gives me the opportunity to plug a new blog of mine. Stitch Red for the Heart. Please visit it and read what it is all about. February is American Heart month and Febrary 5 is Wear Red Day.

Thanks for visiting my blog and all the wonderful comments I have received. I was overwhelmed with all of the comments left on my Isa Vautier piece. THANK YOU!

Well, I think that is it for now. I need to get back to stitching.
Hope all is well with all of you!

A Few Things to Share

I heard from Nancy K. that she received my Fall Fair Squares. Here is the front square...


And here is the back square...


Does anyone recognize the design? It is part of Carol R.'s "Sew Autumn". The thread is Silk n'Colors "Autumn Bouquet". I love how it turned out. I wonder what Carol will think?

I got 2 new pair of scissors today! There was a "pink" exchange over on the HoE and Margaret gave her partner a pair of scissors with the pink ribbon pattern on the handles. I inquired about these to her and she graciously sent me a pair. I will be going to the LNS to get a few things in return for her. Thank you Margaret!!


The other pair I order from Joann's on-line with a gift card I got for my birthday. They are like scissors you used in school, rounded tips and everything--except they are Gingher's. I just had to have them.

After quite the day, I am going to honker down, stitch and sip hot drinks!

Have a great weekend!

More Exchanges

I received my 4x8 Winter Exchange from Gaby yesterday and it is a beaute!


She stitched a Trilogy TakeAlong kit and finished it as a very cute long skinny pillow--which just happens to be my favorite finish right now. She also sent me a couple of German patterns, one of which is a peacock sampler--got to love that, a very generous piece of very cool linen, a piece of cotton fabric and her favorite chocolate eggs--which are wonderful.


It is all wonderful, thank you so much Gaby!

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Carol R. finally received my Valentine exchange TODAY! I couldn't have planned that any better except I was starting to get worried as it would have been 2 weeks on Monday. I learned a valuable lesson in sending out of country with this exchange. If you put the value at more than $50, the receiver has to pay a customs tax to get the package. Not fair. Anyway, I stitched "Valentine Spots" by the Trilogy. It is stitched on 32ct. Summer Khaki linen with DMC floss and finished as a bourse--my first one!




I also made her a scissor fob using a small part of the same pattern, and you got to have a red scissors for it.




And of course, I sent her other fun goodies. A red pair of fiskars with a special sheath that has hearts on it. Part of the proceeds from these scissors goes to the American Heart Association--great thing! I also sent her some red pins, heart buttons, a couple different red threads, some Piecemaker needles, a thread counter, Valentine socks and some very scrumptous chocolates which came from a old-fashioned homemade candy store in Cleveland, Ohio.


This exchange with Carol was very fun. Carol is one of the sweetest, most kindest and very understanding people I have met in this blogging world. Thank you so much.

Don't forget about my PIF. Please leave a comment on my previous post. I will be drawing on Monday!

A Special Valentine

I did a private Valentine's Day exchange with Carol R. and today I received her package.

Carol stitched a beautiful heart shaped sampler, that even has a peacock on it, and finished it as a pillow! Could life get any better? Her work is wonderfully gorgeous. Here is a picture of the front of the heart:


And here is the back:


Isn't it just super? Carol also sent me a piece of linen, some extra red gingham, beautiful counting pins and a scissors. I hope Carol is half as pleased with mine. I truly love it all!


Thank you Carol,

A Great Week for Mail!

This past week I received several exchanges and had to wait for my son to come back from New York with my camera.

On Wednesday, I received my SBEBB Summer House Exchange from Vonna. Vonna stitched me LHN's "Berries" and replaced it with my name. She continued stitching fences and finished it as a mattress pincushion. It is just beautiful!










Vonna also sent me some terrific goodies. A LHN pattern, Thread Gathering, which I have wanted for quite some time, my favorite needles, a spool of ribbon, a candle and 2 different skeins of thread.






Thank you Vonna!

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Yesterday, I received my HoE Summer Quaker Exchange from Carol R. Carol made me an exquisite pin cushion which is a CA Wells design that she changed up a bit.















Carol also sent me some great goodies. A spool of ribbon, some floss and a piece of 30ct. Brussels linen. Just lovely!



Thank you Carol!

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And today, I received my Round #8 Fair Squares from Lynda A. Lynda had e-mailed me and asked if there was anything in particular I wanted stitched. I don't usually specify anything special because to receive anything stitched is so special. However, I did say if she wanted to she could stitch me something "stitching" related. I havent' received anything with that theme. Well, Lynda came through. They are just perfect for me, even got the purple involved. I love it!


They are just wonderful! Thank you Lynda.

I really love all of my gifties I received this week. I will treasure them forever. Thanks.