I Can Finally Show You.....

I can finally show you the finished birthday present for my sister.  I did post it on the Prim Stitcher's Society.   The top was Blackbird Designs Sisters.  I picked up the fabric at the quilt store and is a reproduction Civil War print.  I bought about two yards knowing I wasn't going to use it all but, just liked it and wanted it in my finishing stash.

 A better view of the fabric.  It is just gorgeous material.  I should be able to use it for a lot of finishes.

 The lining put together but, not in the basket yet.  I did have to sew up the final seam.

 I used tacky board for the top.  Bob cut the cardboard for me.  I had my rotary cutter out to cut the fabric.  He was nearly don cutting the board when he asked me how to keep the blade of the cutter out.  I had given him a utility knife but, used my rotary cutter on part of the board and broke it.  :(  OI

 I hand stitched the piece on top of the fabric for that more "prim" look

The picnic basket I got at an Antique mall in La Crosse.  I figured this would make an awesome stitching basket for my sister.  She likes to do needlepoint.  She quilts and does a little cross stitch.  Mostly, tho she needlepoints.

 The basket with the stitching on it.  I glued on the top with hot glue and only burned one finger but, it was a humdinger.

 A little different angle. 

 The inside of the basket with the lining.  I hot glued the edge around the top and a little at the bottom. 

It pretty much was an all afternoon project.  It was a rainy afternoon so, it was a good way to spend it.

Lots of company lately.  Last weekend my sister and her family were at my mom's.  Saturday night, my husband's brother and his family arrived from Atlanta.  Their kids are staying at our house since my MIL's is only two bedrooms.  It has been busy.  Katy has been home this week, which has been good since she has been tour guide.  Ed came Sunday and stayed until after dinner on Monday.  Monday, the boys (except Ed) golfed.  Ed, Katy, my SIL and niece went whitewater rafting.  They had a blast.

With all the activity, I haven't had much time stitching or posting.

Hope your week has been going well.  Thanks for stopping and the wonderful comments.
Keep on Stitching
Monica

A Brilliant Idea

You know it is difficult to come up with a snappy title for blog posts.   Just sayin'.

So here is the brilliant idea.

Arttie, one of the stitchers took this out and slapped some on her middle finger.

She doesn't like to use the little adhesive pads to keep from poking holes in her fingers.  

Sometimes when I have been stitching, I use them.

But, this is a brilliant idea.

She dabs a little bit of new skin on her finger.

Once it dries, she 's good to go.  

This is a picture of the White Chocolate Tart I made last night.  

It called for two cups of Mascarpone cheese but, I got on line and substituted cream cheese and it turned out fantastic!

It was cool.  I never did this before but, I made the tart dough in a food processor.

It was BAM! A ball of dough!!

It doesn't take much to impress me sometimes. 

 I finished Notforgotten Farm,  My Needle is Sharp.
(I woke up this morning realizing I made a mistake with the designer!!  OOPS)

I did this in a weekend.  

I stuffed it with walnut shells and stitched it up.

I want it for a pincushion to keep my the sewing machine.

I love the weight and feel of it.  

 I also finished Cinnamon Heart.

I fixed the wonky section

 And the back.  

Bob's brother and his family are coming for a week.  The kids are staying with us since my MIL's duplex is a two bedroom and we have room.  I've been cleaning and washing some bedding.  Katy will also be home for the week since there isn't much going on in the lab.  I'm happy about that.

Glad tomorrow is Friday.  Ready for the weekend!
Hope you had a great week and an awesome weekend.
Keep on Stitching
Monica

Did I Tell You, We Are Getting A Puppy!

We had a German Wirehaired Pointer who we had to put down a few years ago because he was very sick with Blastomycosis.  It is a fungal infection of the lungs that is difficult to cure.  

We tried the cure but, it was either too far along or he just wasn't tolerating it.  

He didn't have really any symptoms until he wasn't eating his usual amount.  I attributed some of that to Bob being out of town working a few weeks.  Then he stopped weight bearing on one of his front legs.  So, I took him to the vet two days after that.  At first they thought he had cancer.  Then they did some lab work to see if it was Blasto.  It is very difficult to cure.  

It got to the point I didn't want to see him suffer any longer.  

Bob was especially devastated by this and it has taken a long time for him to get over it and decide to get a new puppy.  

When he decided it was time for a new puppy, he contacted the same breeder we got Huck from.  

Two of his females either aborted or weren't pregnant.  

Finally on July 8th we got the phone call that he had 8 puppies:  4 males and 4 females.

We are number 5 on the list.  

We just love this breed.  

They are so goofy and great bird dogs.  

This was Huck

This is what a puppy looks like.  

I downloaded this from the web.  

I expect in another couple of weeks we will have to take a trip to the breeder and make our pick. 

We would like a male.  

I did some sewing today and started the finishing process on two Threadwork Primitive pieces.  

Cinnamon Hearts

And My Needle is Sharp

 Right side out now.

I plan on filling this with Walnut Shells for a pin cushion by my sewing machine.  

 This ended up a little wonky.  

I think I may round out that side a little.  

I learned alot from the instructions.  I didn't know that freezer paper worked so well ironed onto fabric and sew around it.  Then iron on the fusible interfacing once it is lined up.  It just goes against my grain to sew the whole thing and then cut a slit and work from that.  I always leave a littel of the seam open then do a blind stitch in the seam.

I will probably really finish them Wednesday during stitching group.  I have been working on my socks and have the second one started and am past the ribbing.

Otherwise, just another really busy weekend.  Hope you had an enjoyable weekend.
Thanks for stopping and the wonderful comments.
Keep on Stitching
Monica

Some Finishes

It is all about the finishes....at least for me. 

Some people it is the journey.

Not me, it is the finish.

I gain great satisfaction from a good finish.

I got the first sock done.

I love this yarn!

I have the mate started.

 I finished my BBD SAL sampler. 

I'm not sure I'm happy with the bottom.

Those old alphabets don't have a "J" and that's my middle initial.

Maybe I'm suppose to sub something however, I did not.

So what did they do with John or James???

I had tried larger initials but, that just looked wrong.  

I ripped them out.  

 I don't really know how I'm going to finish it.  

I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  

With the finishes, I had a stack of thread to put away.

I did that this afternoon along with the freebies that I have been printing up from the

Prim Stitchers FB bag.  

I had all this stuff in front of me and I thought it would make a good blog pic.  

Back to work tomorrow and Friday's are always busy. 

I did get the house cleaned today.

Hopefully that means a little more free time this weekend. 

Thanks for stopping and commenting.  

I enjoy hearing from you.  

Hope you had a great week.

Keep on Stitching

Monica 

So What Else is New

As always it was another busy weekend.   Got all the chores done except for ironing but, I should have time on Thursday to do it then.  It will wait.  I haven't done anything knitting or stitching this weekend.  I figured maybe I could fiddle around in my room and get some fabric cut for projects.  I got as far as figuring out how large the pieces need to be this afternoon, then I needed a nap.  We were at Mass at 8 am, then out for breakfast and a visit with my mom.  I cleaned out a file cabinet that was my dad's and full of stuff.  I don't think he threw out very much.  It was very organized but, I don't think we need to keep Medicare EOB and the books from each year since 2006.  We brought a bunch of that stuff home and burned it.  One bag of books and non-personal stuff went into the regular garbage.   My dad also had a thing for light bulbs.  The supply he had stockpiled has gone done.  Now you have to remember that he passed away July 4, 2006.  I have a thing for lightbulbs and so does my daughter.  I guess the acorns, well you know the rest.  Then there was laundry and we had my MIL for dinner.

Sometimes I can't decide between the non-flash and flash pictures.  My camera will take one right after the other.  I included both.  I have just a little bit left on the bottom and then I can do the border.

Here is the one with the flash.

The fabric color looks truer but the floss colors in the above look truer

 I keep moving along on the sock. 

I only knit 30 minutes a day.  If I knit longer than that then, my hands get sore.  

  Tomorrow, we are suppose to be experiencing more of the polar vortex.  Can you believe it?
As if we haven't been tormented by that enough this year!!!

Thanks for the great comments.  I love hearing from you, really I do and I'm pretty good about responding back.
Hope you have had a wonderful weekend.  It wasn't too bad here just wish it was a little longer.

Keep on Stitching
Monica

ROADDD TRIPPP!!!!

I have wanted to go to the Stitching Bee for a while.  I was just there the early part of May.

There is nothing like a brick and mortar shop.  

At stitching group last night I proposed it.  

Patty wasn't there yet but, I knew if the other two could go, she'd be game because she doesn't work on Thursday.  

Arttie couldn't go because she was getting ready to leave for the weekend camping.

Ann couldn't go because she was going with her husband and oldest daughter on college tours.

Oh well.  Maybe I could clean and take a nap.  

When I got up to check my email there was an additional post from the Stitching Bee.

I honor of her 19th anniversary she was having a sale.

20% off all patterns and .25 DMC skeins. 

OMG!

I texted Patty right away to see if she was game for a road trip.  

We hit the road at 9 am....it is an hour and forty minutes to the Bee.  

 I picked up some great patterns. 

After I helped Patty find the Halloween patterns, I found this Drawn Thread.

I will have to get the candle screen to finish it because it looks amazing!

I got the floss for last year's Lizzy Kate Christmas Mystery Sampler

 I glommed onto some Brenda Gervais:  Elizabeth Glark 1822 and Friendship Samplers.

 Some really great Patriotic stitches from Homespun Elegance and Threadwork Primitives. 

 Notforgotten Farms My Needle is Sharp and the DMC floss to go with it. 

Patty laughed at me when I bought DMC floss. 

I had to buy some at that price!

After the Bee, we had lunch at Panera.  

I think I have found my favorite sandwich:  Frontega Chicken Panini:  YUM!!!

Stopped at the mall for some B&BW soap, Yankee Candles and Patti got a new pair of tennies without shoe laces.  

She's worried about getting the laces caught in the chain.  

Just before we left this morning, I did get the heeled turned on my sock.  

When I got home, I picked up the stitches and have started decreasing for the instep.

Spontaneous, fly by the seat of your pants road trips are the best. 

Hope you had a great day.

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Back to Work :(

Don't get me wrong, I love my job but, I could use another week off.

It didn't help that there was a CEO on the CBS morning show one day last week that you really need at least 10 days to decompress.

That being said, I could use a couple more days especially since it was a lot of work being on vacation and not much vacating.  

I have made a little more progress on my BBD sampler SAL.

It is progressing nicely.  

 I need to think about my stitching groups Christmas presents.  

I have the pattern, thread and how I'm going to finish it. 

I just need to cut the fabric not a biggy.

I did make it to the yarn store and got some sock yarn.

This is a pair of Momma G socks for a friend of my son who is finishing college this summer and then will be heading off in to the wide world.  

He has been a good friend to Ed so, he deserves a pair.  

Ed also told me that his friend Sam would appreciate a Momma G pair  even more than Carbs.  

I my gosh I have really great yarn for his.  

This stuff is gorgeous.

Hope you have had a great weekend and thanks for the lovely comments.

I enjoy hearing from everyone.

Have a wonderful week. 

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Hooray for the Fourth!

Happy Fourth of July.

Some of the Patriotic Themed pieces from Homespun Elegance.

I have one more I've been working on but, haven't made much progress.

I finished the Land of the Free Sampller.

I had taken pictures of the progress but, life has been busy and didn't get posts done.

I changed some of the colors once I had stitched it and didn't like the contrast. 

Or should I say, lack of contrast.

When I bought the buttons, I couldn't get a rabbit.

I substituted a squirrel.

These buttons never stay on straight.  

It gives it that quirky somethingelse.    

These roses are really taking over the garden.  

It has taken sometime for them to spread.

They actually cut well. 

They don't bloom all summer.  

One has even popped up in the Autumn Sedum.  

The pots on the patio are doing well. 

We have been having plenty of rain but, not an over abundance like some parts of the Midwest.

We also haven't had sweltering heat.  

I have been on vacation/staycation this week.  It has been very busy.  It's becoming time for my mom to go to Assisted Living.  We met with a home care worker so she can do her shopping, take her to appointments and the library as needed.  She is still very independent but, does get very lonesome and needs some company.

Tuesday, we toured the Assisted Living facility closer to my house.  She seemed to like it and we got her name on the waiting list.  We figured out her finances so, she seems a little more relaxed with the idea.  I'm hoping she stays on board with the whole thing.

Wednesday, Katy (who has been home and the main reason why I took the week off) and I went to Milwaukee for her doctor's appointment.  That always is a 12 hour day, 7.5 hours just in travel.
Yesterday, just tried to recover.  Today will be having a barbeque.

Have a Star Spangled Fourth!
Keep on Stitching.
Monica