Working and Stitching

I have had so little time to stitch that it is really frustrating if I let myself think about it.

It has been a busy summer of cleaning.

The worst part is that I do not pace myself very well so I end up getting hurt and over tired so that stitching at night is not an option.  I would love to blame my age, but the truth is I am just in lousy physical shape!  I think I heard about some exercise program somewhere that takes every day tasks and makes them a work out.  It is probably a California thing.  I can claim that is what I am doing!

Since I killed my regular camera during the flood (note to self:  do not take photos during torrential rain) I am struggling with getting pictures.  It is hard to find a camera these days that takes a decent picture and does not require a computer science degree to operate.

The weather is hot so afternoons are perfect for sitting with iced tea and stitching.  I have also started refinishing a door I got for free from my brother.  What a score.  Am sanding it down to re-stain and varnish it.

 This is the glass in the door.  I have it covered in the photo above to protect it while I am working on it.  Cannot wait to finish and have it installed.

And in the meantime, I am working on Pumpkin Swirl by Glendon Place.   Enjoying it, but it is not going as rapidly as I would like.  I am almost finished with the top half. 

 

 



I have done some work on Gardens of London..  It is interesting to me that the lamp is in greens.  One of the best things about this huge Chatelaine project is that it has so many different areas that have different stitches and threads.  Am enjoying it a lot.  My biggest concern is that it is going to take me so long it will need washing and I won't be able to launder it because of all the threads that are not color fast.  I guess I will have to frame it dirty if it comes to that. 

 

And have done some work on Books Reading Book.  This is my HAED (Heaven and earth Designs) project.  I hope to finish page 8 this week. 

 And a Chatelaine I am working on called Knot Garden.  I work on this when I travel or when I sit outside because it is mostly DMC threads and I will be able to wash it once it is done.  This is just the middle section.  There are many more parts to it!

And here is a little baby bunny that has taken up residence in one of the rosemary bushes.  Obviously, the dogs have not found it yet!

That is all for this post.

Thanks for visiting.

A Finish and a Flood

I have been working on this post for what feels like months!  It is a little rambling, but here it goes.  The camera I was so used to using got too wet during the flood while I was trying to take photos.  Unfortunately, the photos on this posting are not as good as they could be. 

We survived the flood in Blanco, but have quite a bit of work and clean up to do.  There are many who lost everything and some lost their lives.  We are living in a new normal now. The riverbank has changed dramatically and many of the old springs are flowing again.

It has been busy around here with clean up and reworking some water flow.  In addition, there is a layer of sand covering the back yard.  Good for the grass in most areas, but there are many areas that have too much sand for the grass to get through, so it needs to be moved.   I have learned that shoveling, raking and hauling dirt and rock is not for someone my age! All this work has really put a damper on my stitching time! 

Just one of the many collections of debris to be cleaned up.



Back to Needlework!

I finish the mini mandala IIA by Chatelaine.  It was great fun.

Photos jus do not do justice to the special threads, stitches and beads.


Have been far too busy to stitch for more than a few minutes at a time, but things should slow down after this week.

It is raining most of the time so I am getting a little more done at last.

I have been working on Books Reading Books by Heaven and Earth Designs.  I am just finishing page 7 at last and am looking forward to getting into page 8 (of 35!)

I have done a bit of work on Pumpkin Swirl by Glendon Place but not too much.  It is becoming a little more fun as I get into it.  I think I am going to bead as I go since it have it on my millennium frame.

I am making progress on Gardens of London by Chatelaine.  Am working on the third "garden" and am still enjoying this project. 

I also started Knot Garden by Chatelaine.  I am doing this project because it is mostly DMC, which means than I can work on it outside and on the patio because I will be able to wash it before I add the specialty stitches in silks and the beads.

I have not done any work on the Buddha project.  Oh well. 

I have kitted a few new projects so I really want to get going on the ones that are in progress right now.  All of the projects are large and intricate so I may start something smaller next week.  Who knows.

I hope my posts improve in the next few months. 

Thanks for looking

Stitching in Texas at last

We are safe and sound in Texas.  Have not done much stitching since we got here because the house sorely needed a good cleaning.   Now that some of the cleaning is done I am setting up my stitching spots and trying to get organized so I can get to work!

We have had a lot of rain which has given me some time to stitch.  I started a couple of new projects just for the heck of it.

First is Pumpkin Swirl.  It is going well so far, but I am not enjoying it as much as I thought I would.  I will finish it, but I  may use a different frame for it. 

I also started Mini Mandala IIA by Chatelaine.  I am loving it.  It is going well.  I decided to use all the NPI silk threads that were recommended.  They are lovely threads, but a little pricey.  I think I would use DMC in place of these for other projects.  I do like the colors, but on a large project I think the cost would be a consideration.  As far as the Caron and other specialty threads, I would not substitute them.  They are so lovely and really make a difference in the overall look of the project.

I am hoping to finish this little project this weekend so I will have a finish to show next time!  Hurray.

I did some work on Garden of London (another Chatelaine).  Still have a long way to go but I am loving it.  I have not done any of the beading yet. 

I am still working on Books Reading Books, the large Heaven and Earth Design.  I set it up next to the window since I do not need magnification for it.  It has, however been so overcast lately that the light is not quite bright enough to make it comfortable.  When the sun is out, it is perfect!

As I mentioned we have had quite a bit of rain.  No severe weather though.  We are just far enough into the Hill Country that tornadoes don't like it.   Here are some photos of the creek that appears in our yard when we get a lot of rain.  I am loving it.

This dries up pretty quickly once the rain stops.  It is going to be quite the mosquito heaven I am afraid! 

There was a lot to do.  The patio and front of the house needed a good power wash.  We got a little break yesterday so I got that done.  There is still a lot of work to do on the rental cottages, but they are booked this weekend so I will wait until next weekend to work on them.   Hopefully it will dry enough to paint, mow and get them into better shape before the peak of the season.

That is all for the time being.  The days go by so fast here!  It amazes me how busy I can be. 

Thanks for visiting.

Short Drive Day

Had a very short drive day today.  We are in Las Cruces, NM.  Nice park, but I sure wish I knew the secret code that tells the park you want the driver's side facing west.  It amazes me that no matter where we go we are usually not able to enjoy sitting outside under our awning because it is on the wrong side.  Of course we can sit in the shade on the other side of the coach by the sewer connection.    There HAS to be a secret code or something.

This has been a rough trip for me.  I just do not have my "RV legs" I suppose.  I have fallen out of the thing (thank goodness no one was around) and bonked my head in the middle of the night on the side cabinet (a rude wake up to say the least)  and have dropped almost everything I have picked up.    weird.  I think it is because of my cold, but who knows.  Not sure what I will blame once I am over it.

We found out that there is major construction in El Paso on the 10 in both directions causing hours and hours of delays.  It is supposed to be at least usable on Saturday so we are planning to try to get up early and get through.  Otherwise, we could have made it to Texas today.  We have made really good time -- no weather or traffic delays and we have hit no construction slows.  Amazing!

Oh, I also have to laugh.  There are about RV 8 spaces in a row.  All of them are empty.  We are sent to the ONLY space that has an electric meter in the middle of the small grass area outside the coach.  Even if it was shady, there is really no place to sit.  I tell ya, there HAS to be a code!

Will update you on El Paso tomorrow night.  We should be in Fort Stockton in time to watch the race.

We are off to a local brew pub that is dog friendly.

Thanks for visiting.

Headed East

We are on our way to Texas.  So far the trip has been uneventful (which is a good thing) other than a cold I managed to catch before we left.  Not too bad.

The "kids" are comfortable before we are out of the drive way!

Last night we stayed in Blythe just West of the river.  It was pretty, but warm!

Tonight we are Benson, AZ where it is hot!  Of course I like it.  It is nice and dry, tank tops and flip flops are the order of the day.

Have not done much actual stitching so far.  Lots of my projects are just too intricate to do while we are moving.  So I starting work on the Buddha (actual name is Purity, Strength, Truth by Dimensions) project today.  It is on 14 count Aida so it is OK while we are moving.  Got a couple of hours in this afternoon.  Hope to get into a rhythm tomorrow as we head toward Las Cruces, NM.

Am hoping to get some work done on Books Reading Books during the trip, but we will see.

I did some organizing of future projects, Knot Garden and Albambra Garden to be exact.  I put the threads on bobbins.   Not sure which one I will start next.  I also want to use s different fabric than the antique white/off white that was sent from ECC with the supplies.

Nothing exciting to report.

Thanks for visiting.

More as it happens.

Finishes and Framing

Have had a couple of finishes the past two weeks.


I finished the Good Things project from Lizzie Kate.  I made some changes in the border and the items in the corners.  The pattern calls for the top left to be a heart and the bottom right to be flowers of some kind, so I changed them both to spools.  Or my interpretation of spools!  It suits me better.  This was a very quick stitch.  I used a fabric that I practiced dying.  I used mostly the Weeks Dye Works thread as called out on the pattern.  I used some threads I dyed myself for the spools just because I had them.

I just used a 5x7 frame I had hanging around.  Nothing spectacular.


Also finished the Chatelaine Mini Mandala 06.  I just loved this project as you know if you have been following me.  It is so amazing to me that someone can design such incredibly lovely things.  All the beads and such makes this piece really sparkle.  Almost makes me want to get a camera than can do it justice.

The project took about 72 hours of stitching and I am amazed that I enjoyed it so much.  Even the beading, which was a little tedious was enjoyable.  I am glad it is finished, but I miss working on it.  Crazy.

I framed it myself for the time being.  I want to keep it from dust and dirt until I can get it matted.  I did use a spacer between the piece and the glass to help with the preponderance of beads and crystals.

I am still working on and enjoying Gardens of London; a large Chatelaine Mandala.

A great mix of different kinds of needlework.  Mostly cross stitch with specialty stitches and embroidery stitches mixed in.  The vines of flowers are especially tedious for me.  The placement is difficult for me as I am not that good at counting on linen.  Still enjoying it, however, even if I do have a long, long way to go.  This project also has lots of beading (those are the large blank spaces  you see) but I am waiting to do all of it once all the stitching is done.  Maybe. 

I am getting projects kitted and ready to get on the road at the end or the month (hopefully).  There is some spring weather to the East of us so I am not sure yet when we will actually head out.  I am doing the packing in my head these nights so sleep alludes me!  I must be ready to go.

I am going to miss all my "stash" but I think I am taking enough kitted projects to last me a couple of years so I should be OK!

April Arrives

Have been working diligently on my projects so let's get to it.

I have been working on my Chatelaine designs and am enjoying them more than I could have imagined.  They are complex and take concentration, but I love the designs and the threads.  I am even enjoying the beading.

First is Mandala 06.  The colors on this piece are so amazing.

I work a little on Mini Mandala 11b.  I am looking forward to reworking this piece on a better fabric and with the special threads that are specified.  This one, remember, I used all DMC substitutions and while I like it, I miss the variations with the different threads and the textures.  I may or may not finish this piece

Gardens of London is also coming along.  I hit a snag with a particularly challenging portion of the design, but I plan to knuckle down and work on it this week.  Thanks to some postings on this project I am a little less frightened of it.

I did work on Books Reading Books.  I am pleased with the way it is going which is a good thing since this piece is going to take a year or more at the rate I am going.

I have not touched the Buddha piece this month so no progress there.

I finished the bell pull I am doing for a friend.  This is a design by Ink Circles and it worked up rapidly.  Finishing this finish was a big of a challenge.  I would like to have better (or craftier) finishing skills. 

I have also started to put together the projects that I will take with me when we travel in a few months.  I have kitted up several of the Glendon Place dessert series designs.  I am planning on doing Pumpkin Swirl as a gift so will not post it until it is completed and gifted.  I also have others that are ready to go.  I think the Chatelaine Mandalas sort of got me into the symmetrical designs.  I am kind of stuck on them at this point.

I started a small piece just for a change of pace since my WIPs are pretty much all Chatelaines.  Well, the pieces I want to work on that is!  It is "Good Things Come to Those who Stitch" by Lizzie Kate.  Just a quick, small project.  I am using a piece of fabric that I dyed.  I will probably change out the pink on the right side for a gold/brown color as well as make some other changes to the pattern. 

 



 

Last but not least I did some more adventures in dying fabric.  I sure to love doing it.  I also dyed some thread for a tooth fairy pillow for my grand daughter.  Perfect timing as she lost her first tooth just after her 6th birthday.

 

 

That is it for this month's update.  We may be on the road in the next couple of months --- probably late May--so there WILL be road adventures!

Thanks for visiting

Have a great April!