Styling your self!

Stitching day at the French Hens in Manning, SC on March 10th - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Hope you can make it!!! Hope to see you there - email with any questions and please let me know if you plan to attend!!

I have been stitching a bit off & on all month while listening to "The Fiery Cross" (Outlander Series) by Diana Gabaldon.  (GREAT book btw - it's much better than #4 was!).  It appears January is to be Monochrome Month for me.  Actually, it appears that 2012 is going to be Monochrome Year  by looking at my "to stitch" list!  I finished this about a week & a half ago - it's "Let's Sew" by Imaginating.  It's stitched on 32 ct Antique Ivory or Light Sand (it wasn't labeled!) with black DMC.  I think it's adorable!   It was a super quick stitch & when I showed it to my mom a week ago Sunday she liked it so much that she wanted to stitch it too!  I have finishing plans for this one - so stay tuned! Next up is my "revised" Personalized Sampler by Stephanie at Nouveau Encore Designs.  She designed the sampler in 2007 (I think?) and I had a fairly decent amount done on it (not quite 1/3, but a good bit).  I picked...

I decided to enter a contest via Quokka Quilts Blog for the Fat Quarter Shops Bloggers Choice Bundle - click the link for more details. I know what colors I would love to buy if I could just go & spend whatever I wanted - these are my choices.  We were to pick 12 prints & 3 solids.  I didn't want a solid white, so I choose the one with the little red dots, it's "close" to solid.  I love the reds/aquas together and think these would be really fun to work with.  I don't have a chance in the world of winning, but it was a fun way to spend some time on a Friday night - now I want to buy a ton of fabric. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to visit Quokka's blog - and visit the Fat Quarter Shop as well! :-)

Happy New Year to everyone!  I hope 2012 is the best year ever - for all of us!  I finished up a stitching project last night. I started it on Dec. 10th but just didn't have a lot of free time to stitch in December, but I did finish it last night. This is "Naughty or Nice" by Lavender Wings. I've had this in my stash for a few years & I've always thought he was so cute. There is a Mill Hill Gold Star treasure that goes at the end of the gold at his hat, but I can't find it. I'll get one ordered next week. I think he's cute....  (though he does need to be ironed, this is straight off the q-snaps!)... And these are the contents of my Secret Santa Sack from Carol !  Isn't everything just wonderful?  She made the cutest little zipper bag and pincushion and stitched/framed LHN's Blossoms & Blackbirds and sent all of those goodies (pre-cuts, buttons, scissors, needles, patterns, a die for my GO! Baby, etc) from Sept. through Dec.  I love it a...

Time sure has been flying by around here - is it just me or is it that way for you as well? I've done a bit of stitching, sewing & finishing, but not as much as I'd like.  Isn't that always the way?   Most of it I can share..... Stealing the idea from Karen (thanks Karen!), I made two mini bottle cap pieces for winter.   The designs are little motifs from Lizzie Kate's "Winter Alphabet".  I left the sled off the snowman & added more "snow".   I still haven't made them into ornnaments OR magnets - still thinking about it. Oh, and they're stitched over 1 on 25 ct.....  The bottle caps are 1". And I also stitched the Little House Joy & Peace on the same fabric over 1.  You can see it next to the 1" bottle caps.....  I still need to "finish" it as well. I stitched a Sue Hillis design that I just love!  What do you think of my finishing?  The ribbon is sort of like a "velvet" that came from Michael's a...

Yes, I'm slow to get things posted.  I kept planning to take pictures & post, but it seemed there was always something else I needed to do as well.  Anyway, here we go - finally..... ;-) First, this is the Grab Bag I took to the retreat.  I made a tote bag from this cute fabric which apparently was a good idea because it was "most popular" (traded the most) and I won a prize (2nd pic!).... These were donated by Karen AZ , she sells "Thirty One" items, which are wonderful!!  Thanks again Karen, love them!   And this is the grab bag I came home with!  Isn't it great?  It was made by my wonderful friend Judy - hand appliqued and it's just amazing!  I'm totally thrilled with it!   The inside is lined and she did an amazing job - inside & out! And not only did I get Judy's grab bag, she also made a special gift just for me - isn't this lovely? It's wonderful - I do so love pincushions - and it's sitting on my "lazy sus...

I know, it's been a few weeks now since the retreat, but I've been crazy busy since we have been back.  I do want to share some pictures with you though.....  hope you enjoy.... (I THINK the pictures should be clickable for a larger view) The group of stitchers from all over the USA & Scotland (or most of them at least!) Stitching - if it were daytime, you could see the ocean.... The lights outside the window are on the pier at the resort.....  The grab bags set up & ready for the taking....  ;-) and more grab bags..... Do you see one you'd like??  Or two, or ten?  ;-) And here are the participants - ready start "grabbing"..... Stephanie FL is on the hunt for HER favorite - Steph is my wonderful right hand with the games, exchanges, etc.  She is SO creative & I appreciate her help every year - more than I can say! They are all playing so nice aren't they?  Watch out - some of these sweet & friendly stitches  ca...