I Forgot about Slow Stitching on Sunday

Holidays are enjoyable but I get totally off track as to what day it is. It feels like I've had three Saturdays in a row which is why it surprised by the fact that today is actually Sunday not Saturday. Sheesh - I am getting old - LOL!

Anyway I did get a bit more stitching done on my BBD Forget Me Not - the alphabet is finished.

However it isn't stitched exactly as the chart call for. See that P - it is down one stitch further than it should be. So just take it out and re-stitch it, right?

Ummm, it was too late for that as I had counted off  and stitched the two rows underneath based on the placement of the P and that was waaaaay more than I was willing to frog. Okay, I thought no problem I can live with it... and I'm going to, but in order to give the birds in the last row a little head room I needed to make the whole sampler one stitch longer. I extended the inner zig zag border by one stitch and then added a row to the bottom of the urn so everything ends up on the same line.

I'm hoping to finish this one up before next Sunday and I'm ruminating about what to do next. I thought about starting some patriotic smalls but the more I thought about it, the more it makes sense to start on Fall/Halloween smalls. I need to go through my stash and see what is there. I'd love to have a little display of smalls and I love Fall decorating so that would be a great match.

Happy stitching-
carol fun

On becoming a crabby old lady...

I hope that everyone had a lovely 4th of July. The weather here in southwest Ohio was perfect-- really perfect - and you know it has to be true if I'm saying so since I complain about the weather all the time - LOL! I had a quiet day with my younger son. He didn't want to see any fireworks and I was okay with that so we were home by 8pm. I could hear sporadic fireworks going off in my neighborhood on the 4th, and on and off on July 3 too and they were still going off on July 5.

At 10 pm I could hear the firework programs from several municipalities in my area. I could even seen one pretty well from my front porch if I leaned a bit to the right and looked between the neighbors trees.
After the big shows were over I continued to hear fireworks in the neighborhood. I'd have preferred a bit of peace and quiet but I understand that others want to celebrate. I was looking forward to the end of the neighborhood pyrotechnics as all the booms and bangs had Big Dude hiding under the couch. He doesn't like thunderstorms or fireworks. Now I'm not blaming God for thunderstorms but people do have the ability to curtail the noise at say 1:30 am! Really, it had been peaceful for a bit and then BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!! As far as I could tell it was from the house 2 doors down - a rental - with way too many people living in it. I know I shouldn't be judgemental but every time I go past that house there is a crowd sitting on the porch drinking beer or skateboarding in the middle of the street - a busy thru street - it just doesn't strike me as the brightest of behaviors.

I contemplated calling the local constabulary but decided that I would sound like a crabby old lady. And, the weekend had already had me engaging in old lady behavior - I drove to the grocery store to pick up a few items and as I exited the car I looked down and this is what I saw -

I was still wearing my house slippers. From the picture you can tell they are my slippers because they have thread and cat hair sticking to them. Sheesh - I thought about going home and then decided the hell with it. At least I had on real clothes - not pajamas - and I didn't think I'd run into any one I know (and I didn't!)

I was lamenting to my son that I was turning into a crabby old lady - sweet thing that he is, he told me I wasn't a crabby old lady, I was a crabby young lady!

That may be one of the nicest things he's every told me!

happy stitching-
carol fun

A little bit of red, white and blue for the 4th of July

I got an email from a friend yesterday morning talking about decorating for 4th of July. I replied that I didn't have much in the way of patriotic decor but I wish that I had more. Lately I've been drooling over baskets of little cross stitched pillows celebrating the red, white and blue. Now I didn't whip any out yet, and they are definitely on my long list of stuff I want to do, but I did find a little bit of red, white and blue to add to the house.

This is the bookcase display that functions as the mantle and foyer table I had in my last house. This season it is a mix of birds and Americana.

The red, white and blue banner is new - I just made it last night! I had time for a trip to Hobby Lobby yesterday where I found scrapbook papers in red stripes, blue stars and yellow. I've had the die for that banner shape for a while, but this the first time I've used it. I want to play with this again - maybe a banner with birds for after the 4th. This shelf has a nice helping of Debbie Mumm dishes and teapots - all stuff I've had for years. Glad I've found a spot for them.

Love that white bird house! Again an item I've had for a long time. This is the only patriotic cross stitch piece I have - a BBD chart. I definitely have to add to this holiday. I have several patriotic graphs, just need to stitch them. Oh chicken little still shows up in every display I do, he is just soooooo cute!

More bird house and greenery, a bit of Debbie Mumm and Marjolein Bastion.  Oh the bird house that is a bee skep with a roof is my favorite on this shelf.

And to properly welcome the 4th a glizty red, white and blue wreath to hang on the door! I do like the shiny stuff! LOL!

So this is a start - I have a pretty open 4th of July planned - only one place I have to be and that is on the 5th. I think I'll rummage through my stash and find a little patriotic project to start - stitching is a great way to celebrate, isn't it?

Happy stitching!

carol fun

Watching the Paint Chips Dry on Design Wall Monday

I didn't get as much time as I wanted to sew this weekend, but really do we ever get as much time as we want? Anyway I did get the little spacer blocks sewn and I got the blocks arranged on my design wall and I'm waiting for this version of Paint Chips from Stack, Shuffle and Slide to dry.

Now I'm sure I'll make adjustments to the layout as I sew it together but this is a good starting point.

I was really happy to find this background fabric at Fabric Shack the other day. I bought all that was left on the bolt and it is going to be just enough. Love that it has the green and rusty speckly dots on a light yellow background.

As I was putting the blocks on the design wall my older son started "seeing" things in my blocks. Here is a little guy with his arm out waving - I kinda see it and yes he does have 3 legs - LOL!

A forest - I see the trees!

A birthday cake -- well, okay I see the candles but the cake stand looks kinda wobbly.

I'm not sure what that says about him or me except that we are both a bit crazy. As he often tells me "crazy doesn't fall far from the crazy tree" - true true!

Hope today is the start of a good week for all of us!

happy stitching-
carol fun

Moving slow on Slow Stitching Sunday

Well the stitching isn't the only thing moving slow around here... I can't seem to get my butt in gear and finish up any of the multitude of projects I have hanging around. I'll lead by apologizing for not responding to the lovely comments that have you have left in the past week. So sorry. Now I'm procrastinating on completing some paper work, which leads to to dragging my feet on some phone calls I need to make, which has me rearranging stuff instead of putting it away, which leads me to thinking about starting new projects instead of finishing the ones I have started. See? It's a vicious circle and I'm making myself dizzy -LOL!

So I did start this sampler about a week ago, it is the third release in the BBD Loose Feathers Abecedarian series.  After stitching the muted colors of the second release I was craving something brighter and this fits the bill.

Now I again replaced the eyelet stitches with Smyrna crosses. I like the bump in the center of the flowers much better. This one is stitching up pretty quickly as I realized that there are only 2 different branch types growing out of those pots and they alternate right and left. I just need to pay attention to the floss changes and that spot at the top of each plant where there is a space of two stitches, not one, on the stems. Missed it on both sides the first time I stitched them.

When I get this one finished I will have four of the twelve stitched. I received the chart and the linen and the flosses for the latest release, number 11, and I'm chomping at the bit to get it started.
You can see it here. I love the basket of fruit - very summery!

I'm still debating how I'm going to finish these when all twelve are complete. The gals at BBD say that the pieces will fit together as a collage grouping which has my interest. I'm thinking about setting them in a collage group but instead of frames I would sash them with fabric and make a wall quilt. Still have lots of time to make that decision, which is good because like I said, I'm moving slow.

 Okay, must to get out of my chair and get the lasagna made for dinner - don't want my company to be waiting on their meal.

Happy stitching-
carol fun

Feeling artsy on WIP Wednesday

Oh my goodness! I am feeling very artsy today. I have completed the 20 "big" blocks I need for my next Paint Chips quilt and I LOVE ALL OF THEM!! (insert squealing with delight accompanied by happy dance)

This is the second one of these I've made from the book Stack, Shuffle and Slide by Karla Alexander and as you can tell I am quite taken with this idea. Again I started with the stacks and the cutting diagrams the book suggested but after that I went off in my own direction gleefully cutting here and adding bits and pieces there and mixing in as many fabrics as I could everywhere. If you followed the instructions in the book I think you could put the blocks together in a couple of hours - simple, easy peasy. But that just isn't my nature, if there is a way to make it more complicated and busier I am all over it! LOL! It is so much fun to snip and sew and cut and trim and pick and choose and see what develops.

Here are a couple of the blocks I finished yesterday.

I really like how these blocks look using batiks. My only problem was I have a very hard time leaving well enough alone and I had to make myself stop several time and not do any more cutting and adding fabrics. I tell myself I like the look of the big sections of fabric but then the little voice inside my head says "oh it would look even better with a bit of purple or green or orange, now wouldn't it?" That little voice is so persuasive... good thing it doesn't have a bridge to sell me - LOL! Okay, now off to find a pretty batik for the background and get this top together.

I'm hooking up with Freshly Pieced today - you can get there from here. Lots and lots of cool stuff to look at.

Happy hump day!

carol fun

Need more time on Design Wall Monday

I had high hopes for lots of sewing time this weekend but instead I found myself doing other things...enjoyable things... hanging out with my sons... grilling out... but not sewing. Oh well, the fabric will wait patiently in my sewing room. Now I did get a couple of blocks together for my next version of the Paint Chips quilt in Stack, Shuffle and Slide by Karla Alexander. You can see the quilt I'm basing mine off of on the cover of her book  here.

When I pulled these batiks my thought was to use this gold leafy one as the background... not sure about that now.

Here are the same blocks just pinned to my design wall. I won't use a white, maybe a light taupe, I think that might be better. I think another trip to Fabric Shack is in order.

As you look at the blocks, each vertical row started with the same 3 fabrics and the same slices. Then I added more fabrics, slashed here and there, inserted bits and pieces. I know I said I was going to to this simply like the book (insert friends laughing hysterically as they know I can never leave well enough alone and ALWAYS find a way to make a simple pattern more complicated... LOL... its a gift!) I love the busy-ness of all those pieces!

Here are close up of a couple of the blocks.

I have 11 more big blocks to make (8 X10 cut) and then the little spacers. Can't wait to play with this. My older son saw the version I made of this quilt last week (you can see it here) and when I first showed it to him, I just showed him a picture on my Kindle with no info to identify who made it. He was quite surprised. He liked it but didn't think I had done it. I kinda like that I stepped outside my comfort zone. Now I did tether myself to my standard work by using the bright colors in the first version but this design is a far cry from the traditional patterns I usually do and I am having so much fun with this!

happy stitching-
carol fun