Until Next Time...

 Hi friends!!  I figured I needed to come share my sewing/stitching/quilting updates with you because it's been a while.  So, let's get started... First up is quilty goodness.  And it comes with a story.  Christmas 2021 I bought myself a block of the month subscription from Fig Tree Fabrics for her Manchester by the Sea Mystery BOM program.  If you are not familiar with Joanna and Fig Tree Fabrics, go check her out.  Her stuff is GORGEOUS!!!  I've bought her fabric forever for clothes for the girls.  Joanna does the block of the month programs and sends out fabric and patterns each month and you end up with a beautiful sampler quilt.  Manchester by the Sea was scheduled for April 2022 thru March 2023.  I got a beautiful envelope of fabric and instructions to make blocks each of those months and did not touch a one of them until we came back from Disney last month.  I'm a member of her BOM group on Facebook and have seen the fin...

 Since I will be at home for the month of August and I'll have access to ALL my sewing and cross stitch supplies, I thought I would make a goal for the month and share it here. In my cross stitch, I have the final installment of Cross Stitch Camp to do.  I'm using the Gather Pumpkins from the Fall Gather Round by Hands on Design to meet the "try something new" requirement since it has over one stitching in it and I've not done that before.  This is being done with all the called for floss and fabric because it came in a kit LOL I'm stitching along with Nichol Spohr's Flying Lessons Stitch Along and that starts August 16.  She posted a picutre of a conversion done on a fabric similar to what I've got and in purple.  You know I am a cutesy Halloween person so this color way was perfect for me.  I've picked mostly Colour & Cotton threads with a couple Weeks Dye Works for mine.  And aren't those floss drops adorable? I want to finish my June Cr...

Ash and Grant came visit the second week of July.  I always love having them at the house.  I miss them terribly.  So, I knew I needed to get my butt in gear and finish her birthday present. I actually finished stitching these pretties back in May, well before we left Odessa.  I even bought the frame for them in Odessa. And cut out the sticky board LOL  I had ordered a new glue gun, but the wrong glue stick size, so that is what the hold up was.  But, with Ashley coming to visit I got the correct glue sticks and got to work. This was easy to finish up and Ashley loved them.  The pattern is A Year of Celebrations by Hands on Design (one of both mine and Ashley's favorite designers). I dyed the fabric myself.  I believe it was a color called paper bag on the Rit Dye website.  I used some of the called for colors, but most of it was switched to Colour and Cotton threads. With this set being done, I am motivate...

 Today is Wednesday, right?  My days are always off after a holiday.  I'm thankful for the rest and family time, but I'm lost on days.  So, we're just going to go with today being Wednesday, even if it isn't (I just checked and it is!) So, with that being said, here's what I'm working on this week in cross stitch.  First up is my June Cross Stitch Camp piece.  Sherri, The Colorado Stitcher on Instagram and Youtube, hosts Cross Stitch Camp each summer.  Each month, June, July and August, has a theme.  June was stitch something with a bird.  I chose Every Day Things by Heart in Hand (this was released this year at Nashville Market).  I am soooo close to being done that I will finish it in July.  This is on 16 count wren by Picture this Plus with all the called for floss. July's Cross Stitch Camp theme was something that grows.  I liberated Autumn 1831 by Samplers Not Forgotten from my wish list on 123stitch.  I'm...

Monday is May 1st and that marks the beginning of #StichMaynia for cross stitchers.  I've participated in this in previous years.  I've never done it exactly as the originators designed -  start 31 new projects, one each day.  That is just a bit much for me and honestly, I don't have the fabric stash to do that LOL   This year I've decided to change it up again.  Instead of starting new things, I am going to work on WIPS that need to be finished.  So, consider this my starting point post for those WIPS. First up to finish is Hands on Design's Year of Celebrations season 1.  I'm doing this as a birthday gift for Ashley, my oldest daughter.  Well, her birthday was in March HAHAHAHA  I started this last May when the second season was released.  I'm working on January's and only have February, March and April left. Next up is another Hands on Design pattern.  I am a member of her Gather Round Club.  Seasonal s...

 Well, hello there!  It's been a hot minute since I've visited with you.  Lots has changed in the last year and several months.   We've had two marriages in the family - Daughters 1 and 3.  Daughter 1 got married in January of 2022.  She and Grant had a wonderful private event at my mom's house with just immediate family.  Daughter 3 had an even more private event since she and Jarrett stopped by the library in the city they live in and got married while out running errands.  It was just the two of them and they've been happily married for almost a month now.  Hubs got a new job with a new company in October.  His new position allowed me to quit my job and once again be a stay at home mom.  Except since all the girls are out of the house I guess I'm a stay at home wife LOL  And since the girls are all out of the house, I am traveling with him as he goes around the country to work!  Currently we are in west Texas as he...

 HI!  I'm back as promised with my focus pieces for #stitchsania this month.   Up first is Calvin and Trixie by Stitching with the Housewives.  I don't know when I started this.  Last September, maybe.  I dyed the fabric grey and then coffee/tea dyed it.  I liked the fabric then, but when I picked this up to work on it this week.  I don't know.  The fabric just looks dirty to me.  And that makes me sad.  But, I have so many stitches in it already that I will just keep on with it. Next week will be an easy peasy finish.  This is the third ornament in the Secret Santa series by Hands on Design.  It's called Silent Night.  I love the fabric and they way the colors pop on these.  I'm going to have to make these a priority this year so I can finish them and put them on my Santa tree. Third focus piece is the squirrel from Waxing Moon Designs Bittersweet Trio.  I have lots to go on this LOL  I have a cou...

 Ya'll know my love of counted cross stitch.  I am wondering why I gave it up for so long.  I started doing cross stitch when I was about 9 or 10.  I remember my grandmother giving me fabric with the blue printed embroidery pattern printed on it to stitch.   Then, when I was in junior high, or maybe a freshman in high school, my mom taught me to do counted cross stitch.  I fell in love!  I've done wedding gifts, graduation gifts, stockings and various other pieces.  I did a teacher piece with a bear holding an apple to give to my Aunt Myra for her kindergarten classroom.  She gifted that back to me when I started teaching.  It will always be a treasured piece. Since I quit stitching and have come back, things have changed somewhat in the world of cross stitch.  There is this thing called Stitchmaynia.  It even has it's own hashtag  #stitchmaynia The idea was to start 31 new projects. One a day for the month of May....

 We have been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!  Spring has finally come to north Alabama and we have been taking advantage of the warmer temps.   The front of the house has been an eyesore for several years.  The girls have parked in the yard so much that I had absolutely NO grass, just a dirt pile.  I have been asking for grass for about 3 years now LOL  I finally got it!  Hubs and I spent a weekend tilling and adding topsoil and planting grass seed.  Of course, we put hay to cover it.  It's been 2 weeks and I finally have little blades of grass showing up.  We also put in a walkway from the main walk to the driveway.  I LOVE IT! We also planted some hydrangeas in front of the porch, and some gardenias in front of Harley's room.  I had to put in a red crepe myrtle on the corner of the house.  I can't wait for them to bloom!  I need to pull the ivy off the house behind the gardenias.  I am not sure where that...