African Violet

Hi everyone, I just had to share this with you... my african violet has bloomed!!  For those of you who don't know me,  I do not  have a green thumb... and to me this is amazing, I don't know what I did but I was so excited to see a flower and there are 2 more coming.   Toodles for now.  Louise

Coffee Tabletopper - Side 3

Hi everyone, I have been busy doing some stitching the past week.  I worked on the third side of the coffee tabletopper so one more side to go and then the nun stitching to finish it off.  It is close to being finished.

Here is the latest picture.

On Sunday, I didn't feel like working on the tabletopper and with all these new patterns in front of me ... I succumbed.... I started a new Mill Hill Bead kit... after finishing the Wizard, I thought it would be at least a month before I started another beaded kit... well I was wrong, it was barely a week.   I got quite a lot done for a Sunday evening, but to be honest, I had already separated the threads.  This one is entitled "Live Simply", it is so pretty and the best part - less beads than the Wizard (lol). 

So dear friends, until the next time, keep on stitching, remember that each of one of you is very special and I thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  Hugs to all of you.
Louise

Finally, a picture of The Wizard

Hello everyone, I know I promised you a picture earlier on but the sun was not too co-operative.  I took a couple of pictures today and they really don't do it justice.  This was done on perforated paper and is a kit by Mill Hill.  I just happen to love this guy, he called to something within me.  I showed the finished product to a friend of mine on Sunday and she thought it was absolutely gorgeous.  The beads really do make the Wizard, the various colours of beads complement and contrast the threads.  I think it is stunning but then again, I might be a little biased! 

While I was waiting for the sun to shine, I was working on other projects.  I did  a couple of Lizzie Kate's - the BFF and LOL.  I was searching for this pattern after my operation and I just could not find it - I knew I had it but didn't know where I had put it - I really hate that (don't you?).  So while in Branson, I was checking the half price table (it's really a bathtub) and there it was... so I had to buy it!  I found some beautiful overdyed aida - reminds me of clouds in a beautiful blue sky.

And here is an update on my coffee tabletopper, this is the second side that I have finished, am now working on the third side.

That's all for now. 

Louise
PS, I just noticed that the tabletopper appears to have some waves in it, sorry that is my poor picture taking!  Will have to do better next time!

Some of the goodies from Cecilia's Samplers

Hello lovely people, yes I know 2 posts in one day... oh my goodness.  Well, I just have to share with you some of the goodies that I bought in Branson at Cecilia's Samplers.  What a lovely store and the people were so friendly, I will definitely be going back there next year!  I had to buy some new patterns of humbugs, four of them are by Faby Reilly Designs (a new designer for me) but they are so pretty that I can't wait to start stitching them.  I bought the Christmas rose, the snowflake, the mistletoe and the poinsettia.  Aren't they gorgeous.

Of course, I bought some floss and of course some fabric, some lovely opalescent fabric and some overdyed fabrics.

  

And we can never have enough patterns, right, I won't bore you with all of the patterns, just some of the cuter ones.  Check out the one with the frog, I think that I will have to stitch him first, he is just too cute!!

That's it for now, dear friends, I will post the finished Wizard tomorrow, I need some sunshine for a better picture, the current one I have does not do  it justice.

Hugs,

Louise

Claudia Dutcher - Dutch Treat Designs

Hello wonderful people, while I was in Branson I received a lovely surprise from Claudia Dutcher of Dutch Treat Designs.  I met this lovely lady on the cruise in January and we hit it off.  She does beautiful tabletoppers, please check them out, I think they are gorgeous.  Along with a couple of things that I had ordered, Claudia included 2 tabletoppers that she herself stitched for me to use to raise money for my project!!  I am definitely overwhelmed with her generosity.  They are .... well, I think I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  I apologize for the creases in the tabletoppers, I didn't iron them first and yes, they can be washed (in the washing machine!!).     I love the Christmas trees with the holly and berries in

the corners.  The Christmas trees have some sparkle in them.  The teapots are cute and the borders are done in a very delicate pink/white varigated Caron Watercolour - I don't think that my picture does it justice.  The tabletoppers are approximately 22 x 22 inches.   Now I know that I am going to have to stitch the Christmas tree one for me!  And I was already planning on stitching the Teapot one, I love tea and am a big tea drinker (regular, ordinary tea not all the speciality ones).  Nothing I like better than to make a big pot of tea and sit and stitch. 

Take care,

Louise

Back from Branson

Hi everyone, thank you so much for reading this blog, I hope you find it interesting.  Well, as the title states, I am just back from Branson, Missouri.  My friend Janice and I went there for another stitching retreat - this time it was organized by Cecilia's Samplers.  We had a great time, met a lot of wonderful people and some of them were even stitchers (imagine that).  I have so much to tell you about the trip that I really don't know where to start.  So I will give you an update on my Wizard - I was hoping to finish him during the trip but I think I talked too much (for those you don't know me - yes, I can tend to talk a lot especially when I am passionate about something).  As you can see, I am not quite finished him, I still have the left side to finish, some more beads to add and then some backstitching.  I can't wait to see him finished, he has been a lot of work but I think he will be worth it.  Someone asked if this was for me, I replied, if someone wanted to buy it then the money would be donated to the charity.  I will have to try and take this at a bit of an angle when it is finished so that you can see all the beading, there are gold beads, purple beads, little white beads, ice beads, blue beads, red beads, periwinkle beads and dark blue beads - can you see them all? have fun looking. lol

I talked a lot about this blog and about FOP and these ladies were very supportive.  I had brought down a couple of things to show some people - like Laurie's ornaments and some needle minders that I had made - well, they went like hotcakes.  These ladies were very generous and in total I received $139 for this cause.  Thank you so much, your interest and generosity is very much appreciated.  I will have to ask my niece Laurie to make some more frogs because when I told a few ladies about it, they wanted some.  I will ask her to change her sign from a "no fly zone" to "rip-it, rip-it".  I think it will be cute.

Well ladies and gents, I think it is time for this wanderer to hit the hay.  I will post more tomorrow about the trip. 

Hugs to all

Louise

Some Works in Progress

Hi everyone, I will be away again for a little bit but in the meantime I thought I would share with you a couple of the projects that I currently have on the go. The first one is a Mill Hill Bead Kit - The Wizard, I just love it but be warned - if you plan on stitching it, you had better love beading because there is a ton of beads on this one!!

The second one is the Coffee Tabletopper from Dutch Treat Designs, this is the latest design from Claudia. When I received it, I couldn't stop looking at it, it kept calling my name and even though I hadn't finished the Wizard, I had to start the tabletopper! It has been an absolute delight to stitch and if you have never worked on Anne cloth, you might want to try it out. (I apologize for all the wrinkles, I haven't ironed it yet.)

So my dear friends, thank you for reading my blog and until the next time, may all your projects be "frogless" (for non-stitchers, this means an error free project - rip-it, rip-it).

Louise