New Beginnings and An Old Friend....

Hello, hello! I certainly wanted to get a post in sooner, but alas the month of February has flown by, like it usually does, I might add! It is my birthday month, and with the few days short that it boasts, it is almost always quick and over, with the blink of an eye! I hope that all of you have had decent weather, although we have had some weirdness going on at times and with the creeks and rivers being at flood stage, that is always a concern! But all is good for now, supposed to dry up and warm up (a bit) for a few days, before the weekend and the forecast of more precipitation!

With today being the last day of the month, I am determined to get this post, posted! I have been working on several things, so it doesn't appear that I have made much progress on anything, but I have had a blast doing what I am doing, so that is what counts!! Progress will come, I just need to stay at it!

I actually have Three "New" Beginnings this month, which is a great deal for me! Many of you, might think that is silly, especially those of you that joined in the January Crazy Challenge of starting how-many-new-starts-was-that-again???? Anyway, I love and have loved looking at all of the wonderful new starts out there, but to be honest if I had started that many, I would have been definitely found certifiable!!!


First off is Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart, A Wish For You:

I am doing this all on one piece of fabric, 40 ct Silkweaver's Purely Primitive, one thread of recommended over dyeds over two threads (with a couple of substitutions). I am doing them in NOT the same order as the talented ladies of Blackbird Designs is releasing them. I just felt that this one would look better first, and I will be doing this particular square to celebrate my youngest daughter, Ashley. Hope to finish it up in the next week, we shall see!

Secondly is Mary Glover:

Very little done on this project, but it is started! Thanks to Siobhan and her wonderful enabling, when I saw this sampler and the details on her blog, I just had to do it myself! Please visit Siobhan's blog, if you have not already been there, her projects and pictures are a true feast for the eyes and will definitely not disappoint! Also she has the details on how to sign up, obtain and take part in this SAL. She also has a recent picture of her progress and she has quite a bit more done on it! I did convert the DMC to NPI's, if you would like to have that list, please let me know, and I will edit this post later, with my conversions! I am such a silk snob when it comes to sampler stitching these days! I am stitching it over two threads, with two threads on 32 ct...I forget the name of the color now, although I do know it is an R&R!

Thirdly, here is my birthday start, Needleprint's Marianne Wenn Sampler:

Again, very little accomplished, but it is a start and I am so loving this one! I shared with you all, in a previous post, my conversions from the DMC to NPI silks and I chose 36 ct R&R Flax Fields, stitched with one thread over two threads. I WILL finish this sampler, someday!

NEXTLY (oh my goodness, I am going to have some friends all over that form of english usage, but I don't care,  I like the sound of it!) a re-introduction of a very old friend, Plum Street Samplers Seven Days of Creation:

I am not sure what YEAR I started this, Paulette, do you? Sorry, dear friend, I am not putting you on the spot! I do know though, it has been several years, and when I got it out of the wip bag, I thought to myself, self, you have that almost half done, it needs to be finished and on the wall! So, I vowed, once I got it in the scroll rods to work on it as often as I can and get more progress done on it. Because it is so very pretty!! I am stitching it on 36 ct R&R Creme Brulee with my conversion of DMC to Crescent Colours cottons.

BTW, Paulette is a very dear and old friend too, and if you haven't yet purchased or stitched any of her designs, you are missing out! Her creativeness is so heartfelt and she puts so much of herself in to each and every design! I have them all, and hope to live long enough to stitch many more of them!

Well, I guess that is it for this month! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my posts; everytime you leave a comment, I am blessed immeasurably! Today, I am thankful to the Living God for friends such as yourself, whom I have learned from and developed many, many happy memories!!

I hope this video works....it is of my 20 month old Allie Bug, going on 30 years, reading the daily paper!

Love, Jan

Birthday Wishes and Pictures to Share!

It's Monday, the 26th of July and all day it has been my daughter's 31st birthday! I had a bit of a birthday celebration at the house yesterday afternoon! With the exception of my youngest daughter and her wee family, everyone else was here, even my parents! So it was a great day, full of celebration, fellowship, good eats, that left me with a satisfied heart at the end of the day! Happy Birthday to my dear Megan Brooke!! May you have many, many more birthdays, my darling one! Momma loves you enough!!!

Many of you have been experiencing a heat wave like we have around here of late! In fact, the entire summer has been a hot one and very humid! I have been trying to walk every evening, and sometimes with the horrid heat being so bad, I am unable to do that, which I need to do, and have grown to look forward to. So, guess I am really looking forward to Autumn...hope we have an early one!

I had a friend visit a few weeks ago, and she sent me this ever so sweet pincushion as a thank you gift! I was thrilled, it is Blackbird Designs Bird In Hand! Isn't it lovely? Thank you so much, Kathy!

 She also finished this little design that I had stitched, by Lizzie Kate, Work, Pray, Trust! While she was visiting, we went to Joann's and picked out fabric and trim and she created this little cutey for me!

Another special friend, Lizzy, blessed me with this Sweet Friendship stitched piece, which I had framed! I am so pleased with it, thank you so much, Lizzy!!!

I am so blessed with such special friends, my cup runneth over!!

Also back from the framer's is Little House Needlework's Brave Hearts, stitched on 40 ct Vintage Pearled Barley by Lakeside with the recommended Belle Soie Silks. A fun stitch, that I started a couple years ago and just finished, about time, huh? I love the molding on this one too!

Another small finish, that I stitched a couple of months ago and just got in a frame is Shakespeare Peddler's Count Your Blessings:

In other stitching endeavors, I am working on a bit of secret stitching, and also Sunflower House by Blackbird Designs. Also trying to get some ornaments stitched, before Christmas creeps up and I won't have anything stitched for friends or family! Must keep up the momentum! Here is one I just finished, designed by Brittercup Designs and titled 'Mine'...I think it was the title that enticed me, so cute!

Other then designing and I just had a recent release, Road Home, if you haven't seen it yet, please visit Tree of Life Samplings blog! I have three more I am working on now, and will most likely, by that I mean, I hope, will be released pretty close together, we shall see!

Thanks for your visits and especially for your ever so sweet and encouraging comments! Keep them coming, they mean the world to me!

Till next time, have some fun with your stitching!

Love, Jan

Sharing some framed stitchings!

Hello to all of my blogging friends! I have a few pics to share with you, of some projects I have stitched, and finally have framed. I am having trouble with the pics being wonky in the setup process, hopefully you can decifer what is what. I got Megan's Christmas gift framed, A Right Sprit by La-D-Da and the frame is just perfect for it, I think. The close up isn't great of the stitching part, but does show the frame well. Also Autumn Bouquet by Blackbird Designs is finally framed, have had it stitched for a couple of years. Also Autumn's Bounty by Black Star Designs, another one that just goes so perfect with Autumn Bouquet I hung them together. Sharing a photo of them on the wall, just so sorry for that giant flash 'eye' showing up!

I will be away this weekend, granddaughter Alexandra will be dedicated this Sunday at church! Wouldn't miss that for anything, plus I get to babysit her on Saturday evening, while her momma and daddy go on the Holy Walk! So lots of cuddles in store for me! Also they will be here for Christmas this year, they should arrive on Christmas Eve day! I will write more later, just wanted to share these framed finishes with you, in fact have some more shares, but that will be another post, hoping for before Christmas! So far behind, but having great fun getting it all together!

Make some magic with your stitching! Thanks so much for stopping by! Oh, the picture of Allie Bug and me was taken during my last visit the first of November! She is growing so much and getting so strong! We are hoping she will be sitting up by Christmas by herself!

Love, Jan