Chatelaine Start, Some Finishes, Bird Rescue and a Great New Gadget

It has been a projective couple of weeks to finish out May.

Mini Mandala IIB

Finally all three of these are done.

It is really so shiny!  Wish a photo could do it justice.

All three in this series all done and framed.  Really enjoyed each of them.

Old World Vinery, Chatelaine

I have beenlooking forward to starting Old World Vinery by Chatelaine this month.  I waited until I have to close the house up for the summer since this project cannot be washed once it is done.  I am doing it for my sister to hang in her kitchen.  I just hope I can finish it in a reasonable amount of time.  It does not look as daunting and detailed as Gardens of London, which is taking me forever to get through.  I am using the recommended Antique White linen and the recommended threads with DMC threads instead of NPI silks.

It is HUGE.  I have it on 34" scroll rods..the biggest ones I have!  I had to order special covers since I know this project is going to take a while.

Just the very center.  It took me a while to get it all lined out perfectly but it will be worth it.

New Gadget

I have finally found the PERFECT thing for those projects that require a lot of beading.  It is called a Bead Smith and it is a sticky little mat (I understand it comes in two sizes).  It can sit right on my project and hold the beads making it so easy.  I have tried lots of different things and this thing is the best!  I highly recommend it.  I got mine from Amazon.  These are the beads for Pumpkin Swirl.

Also have made some progress on my other WIPs.  I have been SO busy.

We had company last week and I had to rescue a little blue jay that required feeding every hour or so for a week.  He is grown up and back where he belongs.  He fell out of the nest and could not even hop.  It was great fun getting him "back on the wing" even though I am not sure it was a successful rescue.  I am not sure he was ready to release, but he is back in nature now one way or another.

He is at the bottom right of the photo on the large branch.  Poor little guy.

Lavender Fields

Framed and is ready for the Lavender Festival in June.

I was lucky to find the frame and matting at the local thrift store/food bank for only $4.00 and it came out really well.

Wildflowers

I need to figure out how I am going to finish it so I can send it off to Michigan as a memento of our friends' trip to the river.

 That is disappearing ink that has faded to nothing.  Perhaps a pillow.......not sure.


A busy and productive month.  I am looking forward to summer this year.  We have had clouds and rain for most of the month.  I hope we have a quiet and dry Memorial Day this year.  We have company coming in for the weekend so it should be fun.

Thanks for visiting and, of course, for your kind words and encouragement.

New Month, New Starts

Books Readinig Books, Heaven and Earth Designs

I started row 3, Page 13.  Just a few stitches less than half way done.  Perhaps I will finish by Christmas but I am not holding my breath!  I am amazed how detailed it looks when I take a photo.

Just realized I already posted this!  Sorry about the repeat!  ha

Mini Mandala IIB

Making progress, slowly but surely.  Just beading and final metallic around the border and it is ready to frame.

Outdoor Projects

I need at least one project I can work on while I am sitting on the patio outside in the afternoon/evening.  That means they have to be done with DMC so they can be laundered.

Wildflower Bouquet from the Posey Collection by Fine Needlework Designs in DMC on 14 count ivory aida.  This project was given to me by a member of my Brother-in-Law's family as a thank you for staying at our house on the river.  I thought I would stitch it up, put "Texas 2016" on it and send it to her as memory of her trip.   I always like projects that have a plan!

Pumpkin Swirl, Glendon Place

I finally drug this project out again after frogging it and getting lined back up.  I am off one stitch somewhere, but I am determined to work around it and finishe the last 1/4 of this project this month.  Well, maybe not until June what with all the beading, but it is definitely back in my rotation now.  It seems to be taking forever!

The weather has been so spectacular that I do not stitch during the day most days and I am pretty worn out in the evening.

We are having some company next week so I probably will not do alot of stitching.  I am SO ready for a new start, but I have SO many ongoing projects I am trying to stop myself!