Happy Dance !

I am doing the happy dance this morning.  My circular piece stitched from A Stitcher's Journey, which BBD calls Thistle House Sewing Box, has found its home.  Since the beautiful embossed round box in the book is no longer available, I decided to have my stitching put into one of the little round boxes that are available now.  Not big enough to be called a sewing box - I guess I'll call it a treasure box.  I'm so happy with the way it turned out.

Special thanks to Carol and Katie at Crafty Ewe

who worked and fought
to get the mat and everything in this little box,

breaking finger nails in the process,
and getting a very pleasing result.

A Stitcher's Journey

I have fallen in love with A Stitcher's Journey.  Not a surprise, as that usually happens around here when BBD comes out with something new.

I have definitely been ready for some quick and easy projects.  Here is what I've worked on over the past week or so.  Now, to turn these into something besides flat pieces of fabric with stitching on.  That's the hard part!

Anybody else stitched on anything from this book yet?

Birds and Berries Pinbox top



Thistle House Sewing Box top -
if only the box BBD used was available!



Oh, My Stars! Pinkeep (when completed)



Little Pin Pillow

I started stitching this BBD pattern to be a needles & pins book, but, as usual, didn't center it properly.  (How hard can that be?  I did well in math in school!)

Anyway, it turned into a little pin cushion.  I'm working on the second start of the needles & pins book.

Looks like February, don't you think?

Pin Pillows

Here are a couple of pin pillows from our secret exchange last fall.  Also a photo of one that I made in 2009, which has appeared here before.  Twenty days until our second secret exchange.  I hope everyone has been working on their heart pin cushion. 

This is the pin pillow I was lucky enough to receive in our exchange, expertly made by Linda (LZ).



Here is the one I made, which Carol chose (sight unseen) in the exchange.




This is one I made in autumn of 2009, which I have shown here before.  Fun!



Anniversaries of the Heart Update

At long last, I have a few photos to show of my Anniversaries of the Heart sampler.  I'm getting further behind on this, and hope to get at least the June block finished before the pumpkin one is in the stores soon.

Most of top row and what I have finished thus far on row 2.



May block - dedicated to my Monday stitching group; I met these gals in May 2006.




What I have finished so far for June.  This will be titled Mothers & Daughters.



Projects for 2011

I joined on online challenge group that started 1/1/11 (not too late to get in on it, though).  You are to list 15 (more or less) WIPs that you have and try to get some of those finished this year.  It is an excellent way to motivate yourself to work on projects around the house...maybe even some long, lost ones...instead of bringing more new stuff into your homes.

I haven't done much of anything yet, and haven't posted any photos.  Just coming off a six week, off and on, sinus battle, and haven't felt like doing any stitching so far this year.  I have great hope of doing some work on Anniversaries of the Heart tonight.  I am about three months behind, and can hardly wait to see the October design, due out in a couple of weeks.  Love the pumpkin and vine.

The challenge website is:  http://up4achallenge.blogspot.com/  Would love to see some of my friends on there.  Already some projects have been finished up (not by me).  Also, I've seen some of my WIPs that I wish I had included on my list...like Open Hearts from Drawn Thread.  That is a beautiful piece.  Must finish some day. 

Back soon.

Back from MIA

I can't apologize enough for letting this blog go...since August! Izzie was born in July, and everything changed then! I've been keeping her blog up to date!

Anyway, if you haven't seen Ann. Of the Heart No. 10, be sure to pop over to Alma's blog. It is awesome.

See you back here very soon.

Check it Out

Oh, fun...the July Ann. Of Heart and the first bonus block are posted on Alma's blog! I like the bonus block. Not sure about July. It is quite different. Heads up...Crescent Colors Camo....don't even know how to spell it...will be needed if you want to stitch as charted.

My Bad !

How can it possibly be more than a month since I have posted here?  My great granddaughter was born three + weeks ago, and that has consumed me, at least mentally, since then.  The blog I have going for her is up to date!

Anyway...last night was BlackBird night at Carol's.  It was just Carol, Rose, Toni, and I.  We had a great time.  No major news about our BBD projects.  Rose and I continued work on our Anniversaries of the Heart; Rose is working on April, I am on May.  I would have to guess that July will be published soon, although I haven't read anything about this on Alma's blog yet.  Carol continued work on her autumn piece.  She put a few stitches in on the big yellow moon behind the house. That would be a great finish for fall if she can finish it up in the next month or so. Toni now has a front door and some of the windows on the house on one of the recent Loose Feathers project...the one with LOTS of birds!

I'll publish some updated photos soon...I promise!

New BBD Patterns

Alma has posted the Anniversaries of the Heart No. 6 pattern.  It is called Happy Birthday.  Well, this fits in just right for my plan, I guess, because I was going to dedicate the June (no. 6) pattern to my mother for giving me life, and my birthday is in June.  I might change the title somewhat.

The other pattern coming out in a couple of weeks is one of their little reward of merit smalls entitled Rose Garden.  A pretty, quick and easy stitch.

Sorry I have neglected this blog.  Will post photos of my progress on Anniversaries of the Heart soon.

Keep cool and stitch!