Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Happy 1st day of September!



How can it be September already. 
Summer was a blink of an eye and school just started yesterday right? 
 We are now in the 3rd week of school.

Well we are in full swing with cross country meets and soccer practices for Ryan.
He ran a 15.1 this past Saturday at the practice meet.  He is so happy with that time as he was trying to get between 14-15 minutes.  Last year was the first year he ran and he started out with almost 18 minutes.  So starting out this season with a 15 minute time was great.  His goal is to try to get under or right at 13 minutes.  I think he can do it.  He is working real hard. 




Brandon on the other hand started back swimming with his club.  They were on a 5 week break from long course season which ended the last week of July.  He couldn't wait to get back to swimming and see what he can do this upcoming short course season.  We also had the first meeting and swim practice for high school.  He loves to swim high school as it is a little less stressful.  His goal this year is to try to get his sectional cut times and maybe his junior nationals cuts. 

This picture is Brandon doing the breast stroke (which is his favorite) at the State Meet in July.  

As for me I have started back stitching.  It seems like I don't get much stitching done during the summer.  I need to really change that.  Maybe next year as Brandon is driving and can drive himself to practice then I will have my lunch hour back instead of driving kids here and there. 


I have done a little bit more finishing on "Petite Treasures".  I have lined the tray, and have done the little button bag.  It is so tiny.  I just love it. 
 

 


 
I am working on the scissor case and then the larger bag that the tray and all of the accessories fits into.  I hope to have them done this month.  I have been working on a bit of finishing each night.  Whether it is just cutting out silk or ironing on pellon.  At least something and then it seems like I am getting things done.  Plus boys are doing homework and leaving me along for me to concentrate.  Which is what I need when I am doing some finishing. 
 


In the past I have been doing a rotation with 5 projects (with the exception of the Summers) and it seems to really work well. 
I choose 5 projects and break them down into an acceptable amount of stitching that I can get done in a month. 
Here they are......lets see if I can make these goals for the month of September.



1.  Come Tarry by Shepherd's Bush  --
      Goal:  Down to the hill row.
 


 

2.  May Your Hands/Shady Bower by Thistle Threads  -- 
     Goal:  All of the borders and the verses on the accessories.
 
 
 

3.  Little Paradise Sampler in the SANQ  -- 
     Goal:  The house and the right side with the tree and grass.


 

4.  Thine is the Trick and Treat by Prairie Moon  -- 
     Goal:  The bottom left side motifs.  Spider web and above the Oct. 31

 

5.  Grateful to Thee by Merry Cox  --
     Goal:  Stitch needlebook,  sides of box, little square for scissor holder, and square for needle threader case.







I have also finishing goals.  These will range from finishing projects to framing.  I have tons that need to be framed so maybe if I put that in my goals I might be able to get some of them done along with the smalls.
I would like to at least finish one project a month.  If I get a project done faster then I will go on to the next one and so on.  Here is my list.  I will add more once I get projects done.






1.  Petite Treasures by Merry Cox
 
2.  Table skirt around craft table.

3.  Frame Halloweenies by Plum Street Samplers.

4.  Birds and Berries  by Merry Cox.

5.  Frame monthly Shepherd's Bush Fold.

6.  Refurbish an old night stand for my stitching.  
 
 
 
I will try to get pictures of some of these finishes that I want to do next time around.




I think this will give me a good start for the month of September to get back to my rotation.  And Hopefully my blog will help me stay on track.

I am leaving you with a picture of our cows.  Yes we have a farm and we raise registered black angus cows.  Sometimes it is a pain and sometimes it is fun.  The fun part is in the spring when they are having their babies. 

 
This is LuLu.  She is 3 yrs. old and we got her as a bottle calf.  Sometimes she likes to be petted, sometimes not.  Just depends on what kind of mood she is in. 
 
 
 
 
These two are 4057 in front and 43 in the back. 
 
 
 
Well that about wraps up the first day of September.  Hopefully I can meet some of these goals.
Til we meet again my stitching pals.


















Monday, August 24, 2015

Woohoo!! Second post in a week!

Wow, I can't believe I am posting twice in one week.  ( I said I would be back with some stitching updates.)

I have been on a roll with some finishing.  I hope I can keep it up.
I went rummaging through my stitched up projects that still needed the finishing done and I came up with "Petite Treasures" by Merry Cox.  I took this class back in 2010 in Mesa, hosted by The Attic.  I have done the little pin keep and needlebook.  Hope to get to the button bag, lining the tray and scissor keep this week.  I plan on working a little bit each night and soon things shall get done.  The tray a child's cutlery tray.  It measures around 3"x4".  The bottom of the tray is lined with silk.  Will show pictures of that later this week.





I have started the house on "A Young Lady's Workbox"  The house was supposed to be done with one strand of Weeks Dye Works in Brick, but I liked it better with two strands.  Hopefully will be putting more stitches in to this soon. 


Not much to show.  Should have gotten a closer picture.  Oh well maybe next time.


Nothing new this week.  First week of school went pretty well and I say this week will go well too.  Next week we start back to swim practice.  So we soon shall see. 

Have a good week my dear stitching friends, and thank you for visiting.








Saturday, August 22, 2015

Good Intentions!

I had good intentions of keeping up with this blog, getting some quality stitching time in, baking and gardening. But life seems to have other plans sometimes for us. Summers are just not good stitching time for us. We live on a lake and it seems like we are out there every weekend boating and such. I know a terrible way to spend the summer right?  It is if you don't get any stitching time. Come on Fall. Oh how I love thee!!!

Kidos started back to school this past week. I have a sophomore in high school ( how did that happen) and an 8th grader (don't know how that happened either. 10 grader is driving so that should free up a lot of time as I was having to drive back and forth everyday for swim practices. Sometimes in the mornings before school and everyday after.  Woohoo for me. Still teary eyed that he drives off without me. But I can't stop them from growing up.

On a stitching note....... I have gotten "Eternal Love" by Merry Cox all stitched and even finished. This was one of the easiest finishings I have ever done. You know I tend to procrastinate but that free time when kids are not around is going to change that....hopefully. This was one of the classes that I took in Mesa at the Sampler Symposium this past January hosted by The Attic.


 

 


 








This is such a lovely picece. It was fun to stitch and the little tray and all the accessories fit inside the paper mâché box that has a name plate stitched on it.  

I am starting to stitch "A Young Lady's Workbox". Will show you progress in a few short days. I am really going to try to keep blogging as this might keep me stitching more. 

Thank you for stopping by my dear friends. 


Sunday, January 4, 2015

Been too long.........................

My Dear Friends,
It seems like I can not get to this blog to post even though I have a lot to share. But I intend to do something about this and post more often. 
I have finished 4 projects this year.
I have finished:
"My Brother's Keeper" by Plum Street Sampler which I had posted earlier this year.

Next was "Far, Far Away" by Shepherd's Bush.  This was fun to stitch up.  I always love the silks they use and the soft colors as well.  (Sorry if my pictures are not all that good.  I did not have great light.)

Then I also finished "Maria Dale" Sampler that is in Vol. 1 of the Sampler and Antique Needlework.
This is all one color.  I used 500 DMC on 28ct. Lambswool.  I think this is what it called for.  I still astounds me that a 6 year old girl stitched this.  When I was six...I did start to stitch with my grandma but was more into Barbie's and such.  No way could I have done something like this at her age. 
 
 
Last finish of the year was "My Son" by Indigo Rose.  I added my own spin on this sampler and added my two son's names on this.  I had started this years ago and it was good to get this WIP done. 

Oh....I did have two other finishes as well.  I forgot all about them.
I had done the finishing on Merry Cox's "Americana Sewing Case".  Merry came to Arkansas in 2007 and taught this class.  I had it all stitched up but did not have any of the finishing done.  I was excited to get some finishing done as I am very slow in that department.


 
 
 
The other finish that I had was Merry Cox's "House on the Hill Beckon's to Thee".   I had seen a lady wanting to sell this as she was not going to stitch it.  It had everything including the carrier, which are now unavailable as Orleans Shaker Company is no longer, and the scrimshaw ruler.  I knew I needed to buy this as I was afraid Merry would not be teaching this piece again and this is one of my favorites of hers.  There is a little pincushion to go with but I have not gotten that done yet.  Maybe this year. 











I hope to get more finishing done this year.  I am trying to get the "Americana Sewing Case" by Merry Cox done before Jan. 16, 2015.  I am too far away from being done.  I just love how it is turning out. 




I am so excited.  I leave in less then 2 weeks for Mesa, AZ.  I am going to the Attic's,
January Symposium.  One of the presentations will be "19th Century Mourning Practices" by Sandra Ball.  She had done this lecture with for the Swan Sampler Needlework Guild and I had wished that I had lived in Salt Lake City at the time to hear her speak.  When I learned that she was giving this out in Mesa, I was elated.  She will also be presenting Grave stone art work.  Which will be interesting as well.
Next on the agenda will be Holly Rison teaching us how to do scrimshaw pieces.  So excited about this one also.  But I am most excited that Merry Cox will be teaching projects during the weekend and then a separate project on the Monday after the weekend symposium.  This will be fun as I am meeting up with two other ladies from Arkansas.  Ann from the Shepherds Needle in Little Rock and another lady that I have not met yet, I know it will be fun to meet her as well, as stitching always brings new friendships.  So the count down is on..  If you would like to read more about the symposium click on this newsletter and it should take you to the newest newsletter posted by the Attic. 


Well B has officially started swimming for his high school.  He is not at the high school taking classes there yet, but they let freshmen swim as the other teams that we compete against, their school districts have the 9th grade in with the high schools.  In his first meet he came in 6th place in his 100 breast stroke.  He is only 14 and the ones that beat him were 16, 17 and 18 year olds.  So I think he did fantastic.  I say slow and steady wins the race, with him dropping time.  He will get there eventually.


And R just loved cross country this year.  7th graders were allowed to run for the Jr. High.  Our 7th grade is still middle school and Jr. high is 8th and 9th grade.  So he will also get to do track in the spring same way.  He really enjoyed it and can't wait for next year. 

I hope everyone is enjoying the new year.  
I will be posting soon about projects that I am working on, and letting you know how a rotation plan is working for me. 
Til then Happy Stitching.
Thomasina