Sister's Stitching Retreat

Here we are --- Cari, Cathy and Joan. I think we are some pretty good looking chicks! We were at our favorite quilting shop in Florida - Rainbows End.

Whenever we get together we always have fun gifts for each other. Cathy gave both of us this darling Brighton bracelet and a goodie box she decorated and filled. Mine even had my own personal license plate for my bike. She added some keys, a button hook, old buttons and vintage needle packages. It was darling.

Joan made all three of us these very, very stylish aprons. We wore them for the Sister's Retreat - Meet and Greet - Open House. Are we too cute or what??

A close-up of mine with a little notebook stashed in the pocket....

She also had these necklaces made. The side pictured is a wedding picture of our parents. The other side has my initial - very precious.

She also gave us The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook which is full of the most luscious looking cupcakes. Break out the Kitchen Aid!

I gave the girls a gift bag that included punchneedle projects, lotion, thimbles, a magnet thingy, notebook, pen....soap.... and other stuff...

Here's a pic of the punchneedle projects and a few of the oil cans Cathy scored on eBay.

Then my stash of Valdani floss to use for our projects. I hope we have enough - LOL !! We each got our bird punched and pics of the completed project will be in a future post!

And a funny story about the bird punch. Cathy called me two weeks ago at 8:30 in the morning (now that's 6:30 in Utah). Breathlessly she asked me if I've been on Terri Boog's blog lately...had I seen the DARLING BIRD ON THE OIL CAN that Terri had punched? I answer...of course I've seen Terri's bird...I'm a huge fan of Terri's blog. And I answer, yes sister...this will be a sister Florida project....it's sitting on my kitchen counter!! Whoo Hoo!!

And I hosted a Sister's Retreat - Meet and Greet - Open House on Saturday afternoon. I invited my dearest stitching friends because I wanted them to meet my sisters and my sisters to meet them. We had such a good time. I served salads and lemonade on the lanai. It was a beautiful day. We ate, stitched, and laughed all afternoon. Here are some fun pics.

Sue and Joan

Barb (lounging stitcher) and Susie

Jenny and Cathy

Pink and Rita

Vicki and Cheryl

And my darling granddaughter Carly

All in all it was a wonderful visit but much too short. I have more pics that I'll post later in the week.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoying my vacation with me!!

Happy Day

Don't you love it when the doorbell rings and you find all these packages on your front porch that wouldn't fit in the mailbox?
Here's the latest stash enhancement including handmade soaps nesting in the bird bath. I love the two new designs from The Goode Huswife and of course, the Blackbird girls have outdone themselves, once again, with Honeysuckle Manor!
New Birds of a Feather - Happy Hearts and my second copy of 'With These Hands'. I thought I already had this one but couldn't find it.....until this copy arrived. One of the sisters may be getting this in their gift bag!
A new candle and these cute pettifore pincushion patterns. While cleaning out our parents house last year my sisters and I divided up Mom's tiny tart tins. Now we can fill them with healthy no-fat treats!
Finally - I picked this up this book my yarn store. If you love quilt patterns, and crochet or knit, you will love this book! In my opinion it is a 'Must Have'.

Stay tuned - the next update will be from THE SISTER'S STITCHING RETREAT!! I'm getting so excited! Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Stash Acquisitions

Here are some pics from the 'road trip' to the Golden Needle. I think I have too many Shepherd's Bush pieces...but I always buy more and love every one of them. Here are Holly and Ivy, Glad Heart and Quaker Heart. I also picked up Yule Sampler by The Primitive Needle. I love Lisa's designs.

I already had embroidered this piece and found this barnwood red frame. I think it's perfect.

Here are the fabrics I procured. All are 40 count Lakeside Linen and all are a stitchers half. Left to right: Vintage Winter Sky, Vintage Magnolia, Misty Rain, and Vintage Buttercream. The photos do not do these fabrics justice. They are BEAUTIFUL. Do I have a specific plan for them...of course not....but I will.

These are Erica Michaels designs on 40 count gauze. I had so much fun I stitching the Valentine one I wanted to do another. I couldn't decide which one so I got these. Mother always said, 'If one is nice, ten are FABULOUS". Didn't want to disappoint!
So ladies...I'm off to do some decorating in the Sisters Bedroom. They'll be here next Wednesday!! LET THE PARTY BEGIN!

Ya just never know what you'll find....

Two weeks ago some of my best-est stitching friends, Cherie, Joan, Pink and I take a road trip to Port Charlotte to shop at The Golden Needle. We 'shopped til we dropped' and mind you, this was a week before market! Cathy's shop is wonderful and we all picked up some super stash....of course I won!

ANYWAY...we're driving home and I see this ahead...geeze....why is a 'State Trooper' pulling that trailer...full of convicts?? Drive faster Cherie...let's see what's going on!

OMG - it's not a 'trooper' it's a 'TRAPPER'!
Can you see what they trapped? Two spunky alligators. And these are just babies. Can you see the black tape around their snouts?

Only in Florida...and only on a cross stitch stash enhancement trip!

Charlotte Clayton's Best In Show

The Westminster Dog Show has nothing on Charlotte Clayton. Here is her BEST IN SHOW.

The sweater vest from my previous post is from Classic Elite Yarns Autumn Book 1. The pattern is called Portland Tweed Vest. The yarn used is Classic Elite Portland Tweed. This yarn feels so good. It's 50% virgin wool, 25% alpaca (yum) and 25% viscose. If you get an opportunity to knit a garment with this fiber, you will love it! Here's a pic of the book cover...
and here's a pic of the vest / yarn.
Now on to my 40 count gauze piece from my previous post. The pattern is from Erica Michaels Needleart Designs. The silk gauze is included in her patterns. You just need to mount the gauze in fabric and buy the floss to stitch it. It really was a fun piece. I purchased it from 123Stitch @ www.123stitch.com. Erica Michaels has a web site too @ www.ericamichaels.com
Actually, it was so much fun to stitch and they are so nice to look at, I purchased five more the other day! Yikes... I have: We Are Blessed, To Thee My Heart, Holly Sampler (has cardinals on it), Thanksgiving Bits and Random Threads.

The Big and Small of It All

Here's my very first 40 count gauze finish. I wish I were a better photographer. It really was a lot of fun and quite easy...just the tent stitch (half cross stitch). The finished piece is 2 X 1.25 inches.
And whoo-hoo for me!! I have finished the back of my very first garment. It's going to be a knitted vest...and a very stylish one I might add. Some of my first accomplishments were reading a garment pattern, doing some shaping at the garment waist, and armhole / neck shaping. I'm so proud of myself. Now on to the left and front sides. Fun.fun.fun.

Today is another chilly day in Florida...good for stitching and knitting inside. This weekend it should warm up into the 70's and I'm looking forward to opening up the house for some fresh air!

My house renovation is complete inside and out but I'm waiting for some new furniture. As soon as it shows up I'll get some new pics posted. It is lovely and I'm really enjoying these hardwood floors. My new best bud is the Swiffer Sweeper Vac...in fact I have two!!

Now on to more stitching on Charlotte Clayton. I'm just about finished with the dog in the center!! Pics soon of that one too.

Finishes in Stitch and Knit

Here's Blackbird Designs 'Tis the Season'. It was a fun stitch. This is the second cardinal I've stitched recently and feel a 'bird wall' coming into season!

Also finished another Vine and Leaf Beret. I've got the third one, red, ready to cast on. This is such a fun pattern and so relatively easy. Just keep track of the lace pattern and all is well.

I got a new Macbook for Christmas so I've been playing around with it and I LOVE IT. Today I got the photo's uploaded and everything went very well. So...maybe it won't be another month before I post again!!

I've been working on Charlotte Clayton...I'm stitching the dog in the center of the sampler. Plus I've tried my hand at stitching on 40 count silk gauze. Now that is fun and fast....only half stitches. I'm also knitting my first garment, a darling sweater vest for Corinne. So far, so good. I'm really proud of myself.

So - every one of you stay warm. It's chilly again in Florida. I brought my orchids in the house this afternoon. Orchids don't do well below 45 degrees and it's supposed to be freezing for a couple of days. And, they're getting ready to bloom!! So the cats and I are all snug as some bugs in a rug...or should I say snuggie!!

Knitting and Stitching

I've really enjoyed stitching 'Tis the Season' from Joyeux Noel by Blackbird Designs. I'm stitching on 40 count Lakeside Linen Pear using the called for Belle Soie silks. What a joy...

And knitting too! This is the Eyelet Cap from the fall issue of Vogue knitting. I used Socrates by Alpaca with a Twist. This yarn is more that yummy...baby alpaca, merino wool, bamboo and nylon. It was fun to knit even though knitting 8 inches of k2, p2 ribbing was more than mindless...

It's warming up nicely in Florida. Last Sunday the temperature never got above 40 degrees...today it's 74 and beautifully sunny. It's great weather for knitting and stitching while watching the NFL playoffs!! Ok...along with some serious nap time too!!

Frigid Florida

These kitty cats have the right idea...bask in the sunshine to stay warm!

We humans have to 'put on our snuggie'!! LOL

Merry Christmas

I stitched these two Hummel designs for my Mom and Dad in 1983. I found them last spring at their house wrapped in a piece of bedsheet and in my mother's handwriting was 'Christmas Pictures'. I love seeing her unique handwriting more than the stitched pieces! This year I am especially missing my Dad; my first Christmas without him.

My children and grandchildren will be over tomorrow morning for gift sharing and brunch. It will be a wonderful day. Life goes on as it should.

Merry Christmas!!