Model Stitch released - Too Chic

Hi everyone, I have some exciting news to share with you - well, I think it's exciting.  I noticed that the model stitch that I did for Aury of AuryTM Designs has been released!  You can check out "Too Chic" here at the 123Stitch website.
http://www.123stitch.com/cgi-perl/itemdetail.pl?item=13-1053
I thought that this was so appropriate for me, here is this snowlady having a cup of tea!  And you know that I love my tea!! Regular ordinary tea! Lots and lots of it.
Until the next time, have a wonderful day and perhaps you can take some time for yourself and sit down with a big cup of tea and think of me.  lol  Thank you for reading my blog. Hugs Louise

Wintery day

Hi everyone, well we got a wee bit of snow over night and this morning.  Here are a couple of pics that I thought you might like to see.  First off, we have the view from my stitching chair, then my poor cedars in the backyard and finally my poor car buried in all that snow!!  This will be a quick post because I hear the snow guys and I have to go clean my car off so that they can clean my driveway!! 

Take care, have to hurry. Love to all. Louise

Boxing Day

Hi everyone, were you out shopping today? Did you brave the malls to find some good bargains?  Well, I was out early this morning to go to Michaels (craft store) and today they were offering 25% off your entire order including sale prices - now that was a good deal.  I picked up some more tea mugs (okay, they are giant mugs holding 22 ounces), I love them, I can sit and stitch for a long time with this cup of tea beside me!  And then I picked up some other goodies as well but I didn't spend a lot.
Well, Christmas is over for another year.  Was Santa good to you?  Or did you save Santa a trip by being naughty all year?   I was thinking of the Lizzie-Kate pattern "Be Naughty - Save Santa a Trip", that is so cute.  I think I will have to stitch that one some time this year.  I had a lovely Christmas day, I spent it with Dad - we laughed and talked and worked on  his crossword puzzles.  Dad has done crossword puzzles for as long as I can remember. He uses a pen not a pencil and he seldom makes mistakes!!  Growing up, we were not allowed to touch Dad's puzzles and especially don't write in them!! Even if you knew you knew the answer, we had to verify with Dad!  So yesterday, I look at the puzzle and see some answers (you know where I am going with this, don't you), and I wrote the answers on the puzzle... gasp.... gasp!  I love to see Dad's reaction, he is just so funny.  He will look at the clue, look at the answer that I wrote in, check the other clues around it and if necessary, check the dictionnary before he agrees with me that I wrote in the correct answer.  BUT I only do this for the daily crossword puzzles not the Sunday puzzle, if I write anything on that one, he gives me his "look" and says "Weezie, what did you do?"  To which, I reply.... "Nutting" (nothing) and then we both laugh.    And I have to share this with you, remember the movie Casablanca.... well, Dad took Mom to see that movie before he went off to war.  It had just come out and it was the movie to see at that time and to be very honest with you - I think that it is still a fabulous movie.
Well folks, I hope that you have a wonderful day and I wish you the very best for this holiday season filled with love and good health.  Lots of hugs and thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  Louise

Another cutie finished and delivered

Hello everyone, tis me again.  I had a wonderful stitching day yesterday with my friend Janice.  We usually go out for breakfast and then to her house to stitch and chat. Yesterday, her hubby Dave joined us for breakkie before he headed off to work.  Makes me glad to be retired especially with the crappy weather that we are currently experiencing here in Ottawa today.  Yup, the freezing rain started about 9 last night, then the big snowflakes and they are still coming down.  So it is definitely true, we will be having a white Christmas here. 

Yesterday I gave Janice her Christmas present.  I stitched "Don't Bug Me (I'm Stitching).  It is by Barbara Ana Designs. I stitched mine on 18 count opalescent aida entitled Angel Song, it is an overdyed fabric that is basically yellow-green and light purple brushed throughout, it is very pretty.  In the picture you can see the bits of purple.  And yes, I did switch some colours  (okay, almost all of them lol), the words "don't bug me" were done in Dragon Hoard, the "I'm Stitching" was done in Baneberry and the worm was done in Amber Waves, these silks are by Vicki Clayton.  The spider's hat has was done in Gloriana silks - Ada's Rainbow.  I backstitched the eyes of the worm because they were not showing up very well.  Next time I think I will add a mouth.  This is a small design and I think that I will be making some of them, it is just so cute.

So my friends, until the next time, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and remember that you are loved.  Luv ya dearly.  Louise

Penguin Ornament

Hi everyone, this is my 100th post. Wow, never thought I would have so much to say that I would reach a 100 posts.  For those of you who know me, I am sure that you knew I had a lot to say.  lol   And guess who missed her 1 year blog anniversary?  oops

Well on to the good stuff, here is the latest achievement.  This penguin is designed by Barbara Ana and published by Creative Poppy.  It is so cute, in case you can't read it all - it says "Does this tree make my butt look big??"  I will have to keep in mind for the next time I do this ornie that I need to leave more room at the top and bottom so that you can see all the words.  And for those of you with eagle eyes, yes, the snowflakes are not all equal!  I did it deliberately! 

What's next you ask.... an owl for Barb, she has been waiting a long time for her owl so I will have to get it done before January and my stitching adventure. lol  Good thing it is small and it is all blackwork. 

Until the next time, hugs and kisses. Louise

Good news from Manon

Hello tis me again, I have to apologize to Manon, my former colleague from work.  She and Chantal organized the table at the craft fair and kindly invited me to participate with all the funds going to the FOP.  They are fantastic ladies!! I kept forgetting to tell you that Manon sold another $70 of goodies after the craft fair and she will be donating that money as well to the FOP!  Many, many thanks!!  Luv ya dearly!!

Soccer Santa Ornament

Hi there, I hope that you have had a great weekend.  Many of you have been wondering what I was working on now that the angel is finished....
Soccer Santa, this ornament is from Charlette's Collectibles Book #14, designed by Charlette Dockens.  The leaflet contains 4 other designs: basketball Santa, football Santa, hockey Santa and baseball Santa.  It was stitched on 14 count Blue Whisper aida using DMC threads with the exception of his beard and moustache, they are done in BeCreamed (Vicki Clayton silks) and then I also used Rainbow Gallery Nordic Gold #ND4 for the brim on his hat and his cuffs.  This is a thin, strong metallic thread which was a bit tricky to use.  If I threaded the needle the wrong way, the thread unravelled and became 4 times as long!  I had to make myself a note on the cardboard which end to use when threading the needle.  Apart from that, it wasn't all that bad working with it.  I do like the effect, it is a subtle shine - unfortunately the picture does not do it justice. Now I just have to sew it together to make it into an ornament and it will be all done. The picture is a tad deceiving because this ornament is over 5 inches long! And no, I did not stitch it all in one day. lol

Until the next time, take care of yourselves and remember that you are a very important person!! Hugs Louise

Elegant Angel is finished

Hello, hello... long time no post.. oops sorry about that.  Well, as you can tell by the title of this post - the angel is finished!  She is absolutely beautiful.  The design is entitled "Elegant Angels" by Linda Bird and published by Stitch World X-Stitch.  I used a piece of opalescent white linen and the DMC colours suggested by the designer.  But of course, I had to change a couple of things (lol), I used Mill Hill Petite Red Red # 42013 and Mill Hill Petite Tapestry Teal # 42029 instead of the French knots for the flowers and the hair ribbon.  The hair is done in an overdyed Gloriana silk that I received in a goodie bag, I am not sure if it is India Ink or the Antique Black. For the outlining of the pink part of her robe, I used Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid Red #PB07 and Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid Gold #PB01 for her wings.  She is exquisite and her new owner April loves her. 
I have been wanting to stitch this design for quite some time and folks, if you have this leaflet in your "To Do" pile, I suggest that you start it, you will absolutely love watching her come alive.  As always, hugs to you all and thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to come and visit me.  Louise

Update on the angel

So are you all wondering if I am finished the angel?  Not quite!!!  I am so glad that I did not leave all the over one stitching to the end. I finished the feet this afternoon just before supper and I thought my eyes were going cross-eyed.  A lot of concentration to make sure that the stitches are all done correctly and that I don't miss any and guess what... I am doing my happy counting... 5 more stitches left, 4 more stitches left, 3 more stitches left, and I get down to 1/2 stitch left and don't you know it - I spot a little tiny hole... guess what I was saying bleep, bleep... yup there was a missed stitch and of course it was a different colour than what I had in my needle and yes, you would have noticed the colour difference. So I did what any respectable stitcher would do, I finished off my thread, found the right colour and stitched that final one! And then I was done for the day! (Besides it was almost time for supper. lol)
Until the next time, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Hugs Louise

Another update

Hello, tis me again. I am doing a happy dance, I have finished the skirt on my angel.  Oh, it is so pretty but I am not going to post any more pictures of her until she is completely finished! So what do I have left to do - her feet!! (done over one) some more back stitching in the right wing, around the pink part of the dress and then course completely around the rest of dress once I am finished her feet -  her feet are the only part left to cross stitch.  And then there is a beautiful decorative border around the angel, so I am almost finished.  That does sound funny, I look at everything I have left to do and I can still say that I am almost finished. lol
To all my friends and fellow stitchers, thank you for your kind comments and words of encouragement. Love to you all.  Louise

Update on my Angel

Hello wonderful people, I hope that you are doing well.  I have been busy stitching away on my angel and thought that it was about time for an update. She is now 10 inches long from the tip of her angel wing to the bottom of her dress (and her dress isn't finished yet).  Her angel wings took  me a long time to stitch, I decided to do them with only 1 strand of floss to allow the opalescent fabric to shine through the stitches.  For those of you who stitch, you know how frustrating it can be stitching white on white!!  I know I make more mistakes doing white on white than any other colour combination!  So I have been trying to stitch the wings when I had a nice, bright, sunny day.... well we haven't had a lot of those this past week but I am finally finished the cross stitch part and I still have the back stitching to do on the left wing.  I have been working on the back stitch as I go because I like to watch things come alive, seeing them "pop".  So even though I am not finished doing all the cross stitching on this project, I have done quite a lot of the back stitches.  Enjoy.

Stitching Adventure

Hello friends, well I have changed the name from the January 2013 Challenge to January 2013 Challenge/Stitching Adventure.  It is not a big change but I want this to be fun - I definitely don't want people to be frazzled at the end of the January.  So far, Sandy, Gwen, Di, Carole and Barb have decided to join me in my stitching adventure.  I have set up a page for the participants and I will update it as we go along - hopefully we can get some pictures of everyones projects either as we go along or at the end of the month.  I think it will be fun.  So are you up for a fun month of stitching? 
Love you all and until the next time, warm hugs, lots of them. Louise

January 2013 Challenge/Stitching Adventure

January Challenge - hmmm, I am thinking ahead. LOL  Yesterday while I was busy stitching I was thinking of all the lovely designs that I had bought in the past year that I haven't had a chance to stitch yet.  I have such lovely ones - the penguin ornaments, the biscournus, the humbugs and the beautiful house entitled Victorian Charm (a kit by Dimensions).  And I was quite peeved that I hadn't started them ... well I have been busy stitching other goodies that I liked as well but you know how we can be - never enough time to stitch all of our goodies.  Then I started thinking of Dani and her January challenge that she had taken participated in and I thought - what a great idea.  Now for those of you who know me, I have to take it a step further.. yup .... so for the entire month of January, I will start a new project EVERY day.  (Gulp.)  Which also means that I will have to post EVERY day so that you can see what I have started stitching!!  Now most of you are probably thinking... is she crazy?  and the answer to that is an emphatic YES!  I am crazy about stitching.   To be very honest, the majority of these projects will be cute little ornaments like Happy Holidays by Vals Stuff and some of the Christmas trees by JBW (I love her stuff) and the treble clef series by Ink Circles but I have also included 2 large projects, the house I mentioned above as well as my Winter Santa and then some medium projects - a couple of the Mill Hill bead kits.  So the whole idea of this is to finish all these projects that you start in January over the course of the year.  Even as I read this, I am thinking I must be nuts!!!! 
So ladies and gents - are you as crazy as I am?  What to join me in this challenge?  For those of you who are still working and would like to participate, please join in - start one every other day or the absolute minimum - a new project every week!  Well.... think about it and if you are interested in joining me on my insane road to stitching up some new goodies, please leave me a comment and lets have some fun together. 
Lots of warm, gentle hugs from me to you. Louise
PS, I started putting together the designs that I want to do in a box so when January comes, I know where they are! lol

An update on the Angel (picture added)

Hi everyone, I wanted to give you an update on the angel that I am stitching.  It is coming along nicely.  I will take a picture tomorrow so that you can all see her in all her glory.  I was going to take a picture last week but I had started the face and neck which are stitched over one.  And with her face partially done - she did not look very nice (trust me on this one).  Well, I finally finished the face and neck yesterday so this morning I was up really early (7:30 - that's early for me on a Sunday morning) and was stitching by 8.  Of course I had to make myself a BIG cup of tea (my mug holds 22 ounces) and then I was ready to stitch... my stitching mojo is back!  yahoo.  So the angel's head is finished (including the beads in her garland) and her right wing is done.  So I am currently working on her sleeve which is done in 3 shades of pale yellows which is a lot of fun on white opalescent fabric!  But it is beautiful.  So until tomorrow, love you dearly and thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  Louise

Craft Fair Results

Hi everyone, I have wonderful news to tell you.  Today I participated in a craft fair where I used to work. Two of my former colleagues (Manon and Chantal) decided to get a table at the craft fair and donate ALL the money received to the CFOPN.  They invited me to join them, so I loaded up my stitching goodies in my trusty suitcase and went to work!   As well as my stitching ornaments and cards, we had hot plates from used wine corks and angels made from pine cones - these 2 items were very popular as well as some other nifty things.  In total we raised $475 today!!  Can you tell that I am doing my happy dance!! 

A super big thank you to Manon and Chantal for all their hard work, as well as the others who donated their time and talent to make all the wonderful goodies that sold today. 

Until the next time, remember that you are loved. Louise

 

 

Another cheque deposited

Oh my goodness, two posts in one day....  well, I just had to share the news with you - I deposited another cheque into the CFOPN account - value... drum roll please.......    $300!!  Thank you to all my friends who have bought some goodies from me. 

Aury's Wicked Accident

Hi everyone, I must apologize for not publishing anything in quite some time!!  I am so sorry.  I have been busy, my sister was in town for a week visiting Dad and I.  I had new doors installed and of course I have been stitching.   So are you wondering about the title of this post? 

While we were in Berlin, we decided to go out and take some pictures, there is some really beautiful countryside there. So off we go.  On the side of the road is an upside down shed, so Janice and I convinced Aury (she really didn't need much convincing) to lie down under the shed so it would look like a Wicked Accident.  For those of you who don't stitch, Aury is a designer (AuryTM) and she has this really neat design of a large pumpkin with a witch's hat on the ground and legs and a broom stitcking out of the pumpkin.  So here is a picture of our rendition of Aury's Wicked Accident.  Enjoy.

Here are a couple of other nifty pics that I took.  Luv ya.

 

 

Angel Update

Hi everyone, while I was away in Berlin, I managed to get a bit of stitching done on my angel.  It is starting to come together.  I know that if you check the before and after pictures, you won't see a lot of difference but the arm (that pale flesh tone above the pink on the right) is stitched over one.  For the non-stitchers who are following, this means that I do 4 stitches for every one that I would normally have done on this project.  Enjoy the photo.  Until the next time, remember that you are loved.  Hugs Louise

Spare Bedroom

Hi everyone, long time no hear from eh.  I must apologize to you, while my spare bedroom was getting overhauled, my friend Janice and I went down to Berlin, Ohio for a stitching retreat with some friends down there.  So the old ucky carpet was removed, baseboards removed & new ones installed as well as quarter round, laminate flooring installed, the walls were washed and painted as well as the ceiling.  So here is a picture. The walls are Emerald Mist and the drapes are a dark olive green which is one of the greens in the bedspread.  The trim is all done in white.  I do love the colour combo. 
Tomorrow I will tell you about the trip to Berlin. Hugs Louise

Spare room ready for painting

Hi everyone,  I didn't realize I hadn't posted in a while .... tch, tch, so sorry.  I have mentioned in previous posts that I have been doing a lot of cleaning and tossing a bunch of junk so my spare room is now ready to be painted and fixed up.  And guess where my computer is... in the spare room so if you don't hear from me, don't worry... I just can't access my computer.  Hugs Louise

Quilted Christmas Balls

Hello again, thought I would close off the month of September with some Christmas cheer.... sorry its not booze (lol), they're Christmas balls, the quilted ones.  While doing the cleaning of the spare room,  I found my bag with all the fabric for my quilted balls.  I knew it was in there but just not sure where it had become buried.   So in this wonderous bag were 3 quilted balls, 2 for Christmas and one for all year, so of course I had to take some pictures to share them with you.  And of course I just had to make one.   The big one is a 4 inch styrafoam ball while the others are the usual 3 inches.  I wanted to do a larger size one to see what it would look like and I definitely love the look.  I used different fabrics to have an interesting contrast of colours.  And the one that I did yesterday is the middle one of the trio hanging on my wall.  It is in beautiful shades of turquoises, it reminded me of the ocean on the cruise.
Take care of yourselves, have a great day and remember that you are loved.  Louise

A Present from Cindy

I just had to share this with you.  My friend Cindy sent me some really cute things that she made especially for me (doesn't that make me sound special).   I love the Mug Rug, what a nifty idea and when I have my craft room all set up, that will be on the table right next to my chair to hold my cup of tea for me.  But I have to admit - I was wondering what the heck the Grin'n It was?!?  I felt like one of  the cartoon characters that have the little cloud over their head with a whole bunch of question marks in it.  Well yesterday I was exhausted and it wasn't until this morning when I looked at it again that it dawned on me. duh.... what a dumb bunny - of course it says "Grin and Bear It".   The two little teddy bears made it all the way from Colorado to Ottawa without a mishap.
So folks, until the next time, have a great day and remember that you are loved.  Louise

Merry Mouse

Hi everyone, well ... little sister finally got her "BeeeUtiiiiFull" outfit!  She thinks she looks quite spiffy all in pink.  She loves her nightcap with matching slippers but she is a little miffed at her big sister.  Her big sister also got a new outfit and she looks like a ray of sunshine.  What a pair of cuties.
I found the design in an old Leisure Arts magazine.  It is entitled Merry Mouse and then at the colours, it states Christmas Mouse, the designer is Carol Bowell. I used Charles Craft aida with DMC and Victoria Clayton threads.
So folks, until the next time, take care of yourselves and remember that you are loved.  Louise

It has already been a year

My goodness, I noticed when I signed in today that I started this blog on Sept 20, 2011.  I never thought that I would find anything to say let alone that someone else would be interested in what I was doing.  But the original idea of informing people about this rare disease was and is my main interest.  I love to stitch and if I can sell some things to make money for the charity then that is a bonus.
Thank you to all the designers who gave me permission to sell their stitched pieces, thank you to all who have bought goodies from me, thanks to my friends who have helped me and most of all, thank you for reading.
Until the next time, hugs and kisses to you all, Louise

See what I found while cleaning!

Hello again, tis me.  Just thought I would show you a couple of things.  While I was doing some cleaning (ugh) the other day,  I found this OLD magazine that we have had since 1951!!  It's older than me. lol   It is entitled Home Notes and I believe it is British, the advertisements have monetary values using the letter "d" which my Dad said was for pennies.  So if you know anything about this magazine, please leave me a comment.  Thanks.

The other photo is of a backing for a compact mirror that I did in 2003 and when I found it the other day, I decided that it was about time that I actually put it in its case!  So I laced it together and popped it in - only to realize that it is not centered!!  OOPS, well folks, it is going to stay that way!  It was designed by Eva Rosenstand and it is entitled Bilberry Garland, it came as a complete kit with the floss, aida cloth and the mirror compact and little pouch.

Until the next time, take care, love you dearly. Louise

A new start - Elegant Angel

Hi everyone, at long last I have taken a picture of the angel that I am doing for my friend.  The pattern is published by StitchWorld, designed by Linda Bird and  entitled "Elegant Angels" and it contains 2 angels that can be done separately or together, one has a green drape and the other has a pink drape.  They are both very pretty and I have been wanting to do them for a number of years.  I am using DMC floss and the fabric is a white opalescent Belfast linen (28 count).   I know the fabric looks blue but it really is a beautiful bright white which shimmers and sparkles. So far I have 3 shades of pink and the overdyed gold ribbon.  The face, arm and legs are stitched over one while the rest is stitched over two.  It is progressing quite nicely.  Hugs to all, take care and have a great day/evening.  Louise

Hi everyone

Hello to everyone, I have been remiss in posting... a friend just sent me an e-mail to see if I was alright.  What a sweetie.  She is a wonderful lady that I had the pleasure of meeting at Branson this past April.  We have kept in touch through e-mails and she and her daughter read my blog all the time.  So to my wonderful friend Diana and her lovely daughter Nat, thank you for caring. 
I have been stitching a bit, working on my angel, I will have to take a picture tomorrow to show you the progress.  As well, I have been working on another little Merry Mouse, she is almost finished and she can't wait to show off her beautiful nightshirt and nightcap with matching slippers.  I have her nightcap to stitch and then a bit of backstitching to do.  I did a lot of the backstitching at the doctors office yesterday while I was waiting for Dad.  Yes he is doing fine and it was just a follow up and the best news - the doctor doesn't want to see him for another year!!
I have also been cleaning out some of the boxes that I have had (feels like forever) since I did some renovations, so that has kept me busy and yes, it feels great to get rid of some stuff!!  I spent most of today going through my jewellery boxes and that was an eye opener!  I put a lot of things into a bag for charity and then I cleaned some silver jewellery that I have (that took me all evening), my fingers were black (I am not kidding) after doing all that cleaning!  And the cleaning cloth is no longer white and pristine!
Well friends, it is past the witching hour and time for me to head for bed.  Hugs to all, luv ya dearly and once again, thank you for reading my blog.  Louise

Poppy has beads!

Hi everyone, I finally got my package last week and was able to put all the beads on my Poppy.  It looks gorgeous (if I do say so myself... lol).  I did not do the green that is supposed to surround the poppy so I will be able to use a smaller frame.  The perforated paper has a slightly mottled light green effect which unfortunately does not show up in the picture.  I have to apologize for the size of the picture, when I made it smaller, the background went wonky (now there is a word for you), it looked as if a mad professor was trying to drive you nuts with a herringbone design.  It was horrendous and my eyes were going nuts just looking at it so I left it the bigger picture.
So now that the Mill Hill Poppy kit is finished, what am I working on?  It's an angel for a friend of mine. Sorry, it is not a Mirabilia or a Lavender & Lace angel!  I will post a picture soon of the progress, right now, I have about 2 inches of her dress done, so it really doesn't look like much. So until the next time, keep smiling and have a great day.  Hugs to all. Louise

Another Christmas Ornament - Noel

Hi everyone, yes I have finished another Christmas ornament... funny, we are going through heat waves and I'm stitching Christmas ornaments. lol  This pattern was designed by Mary Beach Jones and it was in an old magazine from 1992, I think it was Leisure Arts but I am not sure.  There was  a pair of them and they are entitled "Symbols of the Season", I stitched up the "Noel" ornament, the other one is a tree not sure if I will do that one but you never know.  I used an overdyed aida cloth from my stash and its colour tends to be more of a dark teal blue-green than the sky blue it appears here.  The floss is some Rainbow Gallery Splendor silk floss in Gold (colour # S1011) and then I added some beads to sparkle it up just a bit.  I do like how it turned out.  Thankfully I had just enough floss to do this one and will have enough to sew it into an ornament but then its all gone.  I am using up some of the odd flosses that I have received over the years at various retreats - you know the ones I mean, the ones that don't match any of your collections of floss!  So the ornaments win with a variety of colours in silks and overdyed threads.
Now you must be wondering what am I working on now.... well, I received my order with my beads and I am back to working on the Poppy putting all the beads in.  Good thing I don't mind beading. lol 
So until the next time, may you have a wonderful day and remember that you are loved.  Thanks for reading my blog. Louise

Pair of Snowmen

Hi everyone, hope you are doing well and enjoying some good weather wherever you are.  Today I finished two more snowmen.  I had started these last week at Janices, I had hoped to start a new humbug but the design was messing with my head. lol  So after making 2 mistakes and realizing that the white was done over 1, I put it aside for another day and started the snowmen.   Once again, I used the Happy Holidays design from Val's Stuff with DMC floss and Victoria Clayton silks with aida from my stash.   You know, I really have to thank the designer at Val's Stuff, this is such a cute design and stitches up rather quickly.  And I am very thankful for that because I  have already sold 5 snowmen and got an order today for a very special one.  I will tell you more about that one later on.    Until the next time, take care of yourselves, you are all very special people.  Hugs. Louise

A visit with Jaxon and family

Hello tis me again.  I had a lovely visit with Jaxon and the family this morning and now I am pooped.  I don't know how my niece Lara keeps up with her 2 kids.  Whew.  I arrived with my treat for myself - a Tim Hortons tea and some timbits for lunch with some watermelon.  The kids don't like watermelon but Lara and I do!  So we had a lovely slice (or two) and slurped to our hearts content.  Then we went downstairs to play.  Jaxon has been watching his big brother when he was at hockey camp and guess who learnt how to "stick handle".  Oh my goodness, what a character, there he is showing me his stick handling skills and all of a sudden he does a slap shot to score a goal.  Guess who lost... me!!  I think I was too busy laughing to really pay attention and then of course I had to steal the ball away from him, so we giggled some more.  I love his giggles, they make you want to share the laughter which I do and then we giggle some more.   At lunch while we were having our sandwiches, he announce he was going to school in September!  Pardon me, and he repeats it.  Oh my goodness, where did the time go.  Well, he is 3 and a half now, he is getting to be a big boy Aunt Louise.  Well, thank goodness it is only 2 mornings a week, hurrummph, I will have to squeeze in my playdates in between school.  I thought I had another year before I had to worry about school. 
I have to share this with you, it is so cute.  While I was saying good-bye to his brother, I was bent over and my derriere was obviously a lovely target for someone.  Guess who starts giving me some pats on the bum and giggling away, when I turned around and looked at him, he giggled some more and ran and hid behind Mommy.... that didn't stop me, I started kissing him, his face, his head, his legs... then I had to stop because I was laughing too much.  Oh the memories I am making.  It must have taken me at least 20 minutes saying good-bye because we were blowing kisses and having group hugs and just being a silly-billy.  May you all have such a day. Hugs Louise

Merry Christmas Mouse

Hi everyone, hope that you are doing well and having a great day.  If you are not, I hope that I can bring a smile to your face with this cute little guy.  This little mouse kept talking to me all the time I was stitching him. He was so chuffed (I love that expression), so happy with his new nightshirt and new nightcap with matching slippers, he just couldn't wait to show them off.  Then his little sister kept asking where's mine?  And I told her, it wasn't ready yet so she just told her brother that her new Christmas outfit was "Bee U Ti Ful".  So I guess I have to get her done quickly so that her brother doesn't outshine her. LOL  

I found the design in an old Leisure Arts magazine.  It is entitled Merry Mouse and then at the colours, it states Christmas Mouse, the designer is Carol Bowell. I used aida from my stash with DMC and Victoria Clayton threads.

I also took a picture of my new Pandora bracelet, it is the second one I have but this one is very special. I bought the letters F, O, and P to represent the genetic disorder that Jaxon has and then I included the "Angel of Hope" on it as well.  Sorry for the poor quality of the picture but the letters were hard to show as they are a triangle shape. 

Until the next time, love to you all, Louise

A Trio of Snowmen

Hi everyone, I hope that you are doing fine and having a good day.  Yesterday I finished stuffing my little snowmen and as I was finished one, I would hang it on my wall.  So here they are, all dressed in their gorgeous outfits ready to be duly admired.  So please say ooh and aah or my favorite... he's so cute!   lol 

I have to apologize to the designer at Val's Stuff, I completely forgot to give them credit for this design!! I am so sorry, I must have been super tired when I posted this. Duh...    This design is entitled "Happy Holidays" by Val's Stuff.  It is so pretty and easy to stitch, I have already stitched several for my friends. They were done on 14 count gold sparkle aida with threads by DMC and Victoria Clayton.

Poppy needs beads

Hi everyone, it feels as if I haven't posted in months and I was surprised to see that it was actually only a couple of days ago. 

Well, we finally got some rain here in Ottawa so Friday was a drearly day... I am not complaining because we really needed some rain.  So on Friday, I had a very lazy day, I did nothing, I decided that it was a reading day and I did not touch any of my stitching at all.  So what did I read... I had borrowed a book from the local library entitled Silent Thunder by Iris Johansen and her son Roy Johansen and I read it, cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it!  It is about a marine architect who has been given the opportunity to work on a decommissioned Russian nuclear submarine.  and the plot thickens....

So the poppy is basically finished except for the beads, I don't have enough to do the project.  I borrowed the pattern from my friend after she had finished hers so I have to order some beads.  I also haven't done any of the green stitching that surrounds the poppy because the perforated paper is an overdyed light green so I am waiting to see if I have to do the green once the beads are in.  So here is a picture as it stands right now.  So I will work on some small ornaments or maybe start the angel that my friend wants me to stitch for her, not quite sure.... it will be a surprise for all of us. lol  Until the next time, take care of yourselves, you are all very special people.  Louise

The Poppy - Mill Hill bead kit

Hi everyone, well... did you guess what I was working on or should I say still working on. lol  Here is a picture of The Poppy (taken first thing this morning), I haven't worked on it a lot today.  I was taking a break from doing some more stitching in red  so I finished and  stuffed a couple more ornaments. You can see their picture below. 

Until the next time, hugs and kisses to all.

Update on the mystery stitch

Update on the mystery stitch... sorry, no picture today.  I will take one tomorrow but I had to share a comment with you.  My friend Marg sent me an e-mail with her guess....  "Of course it's a gas pump from the 40's or 50's. You can see where someone dropped the hose onto the ground"  And while I was stitching it today, I kept looking at it sideways and it looked like a front end loader (truck) or a snow mobile with an extremely high back.  I will give you a hint... it is another Mill Hill bead kit.  I think I should buy shares in that company with the amount of kits that I have bought (LOL).... I won't tell you how many I have in my "to do" pile.  Well folks, have a great day and check the blog tomorrow... there could be a picture for you to see.

A new start and a new finish

Hi everyone, I finished another little ornament - it is the same design by Val's Stuff - the Happy Holidays one just with different colours for the hat, I keep changing them and having fun with the threads. lol

As for the new start, I am going to let you guess what it is.  I kept looking at it as I was stitching and I was giggling to myself because it looks weird.  So please leave a comment with your guess.  It's just for fun.  I want to see what you think it is or could be. lol  (Jan, you are not allowed to guess.) Will give you an update on Tuesday (or sooner).

Take care and have a great weekend.

Audience

Hello everyone and thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.  I love looking at the stats of my blog and I am not sure if other bloggers look at them but I find them fascinating.  I especially love seeing where the audience comes from. Of course a big part of the people who have looked at the blog come from Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, but I am amazed when I see Russia, Poland, Spain, Brazil, Germany, Hungary, China, France, Japan and Latvia.  I just wanted to say welcome, thank you and please stop in again.
Warm hugs, Louise

A Stitch in Time - finished

It's July 31st and I have just finished the Mill Hill bead kit entitled A Stitch in Time.  yea!!  It was a lot of fun but I have to admit that I fudged the backstitching around the floss (my floss is never as messy as their picture shows) and I also used 2 strands of floss for the backstitching for the needle thread as well as the blackwork.  I like how it turned out.  Can you spot my initials in the alphabet?  I decided that this one is for me!  so I personalized it just a little bit.

What shall I work on next? well... I want to do a couple more of Val's little snowmen with the wild and crazy hat - I had a hat just like that when I was growing up.  And to be honest I have a lot of weird coloured threads that will work perfectly with that design.
I hope that wherever you are, you are a lot cooler than here.  We normally have humid days in Ottawa but not like this summer.  We are having a lot of them this year and the humid days are turning into humid weeks.  Hmmm, I guess I will just have to re-read this post when it is freezing cold and it is winter time.
That's all for now lovely readers, until the next time, have a great day and warm, gentle hugs to all of you. Louise

A Stitch in Time

Good morning wonderful people, it is a beautiful morning here and I thought I would share the latest project with you before I get busy and do some exciting chores like laundry and cleaning (ugh).   When I was in Branson, I was talking with Emily (one of the wonderful ladies that I met there) about the Mill Hill bead kits, I was working on the Wizard and she was working on one of the Mardi Gras masks.  To make a long story short.... she showed me the latest kits and of course I had to buy this one!!  It is called A Stitch in Time and contains everything that a cross-stitcher would/could use, it even contains a variety of stitches.  I am currently a little more than half way.  Here is a picture of my progress on this one, I am hoping to have it finished before the end of the month.
Group hug to all of you, Louise
PS, the paper is a little curled but that will straighten out after it is finished, I usually put a heavy book on them or iron them.

Another Finish

Yes, you read that correctly - another finish and no, I didn't start it a long time ago. lol  Well after finishing the Bethlehem, I was sitting there working on my tabletopper and thinking about the cute patterns that I had received in my order from 123Stitch.  Next thing you know, the tabletopper is on the coffee table (I did finish the thread that I was using) and I was searching through the goodies.  I found this really cute pattern and to be honest, it was the hat that I loved.  I had never heard of this designer before - "Val's Stuff".  The pattern is entitled Happy Holidays and I used a piece of unknown yellow opalescent aida cloth, DMC floss and Victoria Clayton silks.  I loved how the Russian Sage silk worked out for the hat. So without further ado.... here are a couple of pictures for you. 

PS, I also got the Santa button I needed for Santa's Coming so I updated that picture as well.  Until the next time - warm, gentle, caring hugs.  Louise

 

Bethlehem is finished

Hello wonderful readers, as you can see, I have completed another Bethlehem.  For those of you who have stitched the pattern and are wondering ... where are all the little stars that dot the sky?  you're right - they are not there.  The opalescent thread sparkles so much that I feel that the stars are not really necessary. 
In case you missed the post with the info about this project ... The fabric is Crystal Stellar by Picture This Plus - it is an overdyed opalescent  blue lugana fabric with tinges of purple and the threads are DMC colour variations number 4240 which contains both light and dark blue as well as purple.  Bethlehem is designed by Diane Arthurs and published by Imaginating Inc. 
This wonderful piece will soon be on its way to my friend Cindy in Denver as well as a couple of the Christmas trees.
Warm gentle hugs to all of you.  Louise

Stuffed Christmas trees

When I started this post I was giggling to myself at the title but honestly that is what this one is about.  I had stitched some Christmas tree ornaments (the design is part a tabletopper by Dutch Treat Designs) and finally got around to sewing them together and stuffing them! These little trees went with me to a variety of places - I worked on them in the airports, on the airplanes, waiting for my doctors appointments (of which I had way too many this past year).  I hope you like them.

Warm hugs

Louise
PS, they are done on an overdyed aida from my stash, DMC threads for the bows, Victoria Clayton silks for the trees and Rainbow Gallery's Petite Treasure Braid for the stars.

Lizzie-Kate goodies

Hello, tis me again.  While I was working on the Bethlehem, I worked on other goodies like these Lizzie-Kate designs.  This is the pattern that I had to buy a second time because I put the first one in a really good spot (still haven't found it yet (big sigh)).  I think these little guys are so cute - BFF, LOL, TMI and OMG.  I used overdyed aida and some DMC as well as Victoria Clayton silks.  Enjoy.

Bethlehem - the creche is started

Hi everyone, well as the title states - I've started the creche.  This design is just so much fun to stitch that I hope you enjoy seeing the progress as much as I love creating this piece.

Hugs to all

Louise

Update on Bethlehem

Hello wonderful readers - I hope that you are having some sunshine wherever you are.  Well, I have good news, I have reached the half way point with Bethlehem. Yahoo!  I love getting to a half way point on any stitching - this means I can look forward to starting a new project soon. lol

Until the next time, take care

Louise

Wonderful day at the lake

Hi everyone, I didn't do a lot of stitching yesterday because we (my Dad, a friend and myself) were invited to my brothers house for lunch.  It was a very breezy day but nice and sunny.  Here are a few shots of the beautiful birds that visited his place.

 

 The woodpecker was having a lot of fun at the feeder but as hard as I tried, I could not get a really good picture of him, so I had to settle for 2 different pictures of him on the tree.

Hugs to all

Louise