Merry Be

What's not to love about these fibers, fabric, beads and silk ribbon?  Tina and Teri at Shepherd's Bush have inspired and enabled me for at least thirty years.  Their stunning designs hang in EVERY room of my home...yes, even in the bathrooms!

It's All Relative....

Here's Strawberry Shortcake, a counted canvas piece, designed by Kathy Rees from Needle Delights Originals of Pensacola, Florida.  I'm using all the yummy called for fibers.  

So ladies, whether it's 1 over 1 on 40ct OR 1 over 1 on 18ct....it's just simply the same but different!!

Try it... You'll like it

If you haven't stitched on silk gauze yet, indulge yourself with one of Erica Michaels counted thread designs.  'Stitching Mends my Soul' is worked on 40ct. gauze, 1 over 1, using the continental stitch for the motifs and the basketweave stitch for the background.

Woof.......

You had to know this was coming....  Boris will be leisurely watching Olga chase the Robin all the while thinking....stupid cat !!

Stitched on Lakeside Linen 40 count Vintage Magnolia using called for threads.

Purrrrrr

If there's a bird in the sky....there must be a cat nearby !!

Olga will be stalking her prey from Lakeside Linens 40 count Vintage Magnolia.

Gone to the Birds

The Christmas Doves and Cardinals flew the coop and the Robin flew in on The North Wind to nest on Lakeside Linens 40 count Misty Rain.

Enter the three Witches

   William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

                      from Macbeth

A dark Cave. In the middle, a Caldron boiling. Thunder.

                Enter the three Witches.

       1 WITCH.  Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 

       2 WITCH.  Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd. 

       3 WITCH.  Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time! 

       1 WITCH.  Round about the caldron go; 

    In the poison'd entrails throw.— 

    Toad, that under cold stone, 

    Days and nights has thirty-one; 

    Swelter'd venom sleeping got, 

    Boil thou first i' the charmed pot! 

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble; 

    Fire burn, and caldron bubble. 

       2 WITCH.  Fillet of a fenny snake, 

    In the caldron boil and bake; 

    Eye of newt, and toe of frog, 

    Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, 

    Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, 

    Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,— 

    For a charm of powerful trouble, 

    Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. 

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble; 

    Fire burn, and caldron bubble. 

       3 WITCH.  Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf; 

    Witches' mummy; maw and gulf 

    Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark; 

    Root of hemlock digg'd i the dark; 

    Liver of blaspheming Jew; 

    Gall of goat, and slips of yew 

    Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse; 

    Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips; 

    Finger of birth-strangled babe 

    Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,— 

    Make the gruel thick and slab: 

    Add thereto a tiger's chaudron, 

    For the ingrediants of our caldron. 

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble; 

    Fire burn, and caldron bubble. 

       2 WITCH.  Cool it with a baboon's blood, 

    Then the charm is firm and good.

WOW

Boy oh boy has the time gone by quickly this month!!  It's been a wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

Here are some pics of my tree.  I have paper doves and paper cardinals.  I think they are so much fun.  Then while decorating I noticed my balled scraps of yarn and thought they'd make nice ornaments...and they did !!  They were also great fun for the cats if the tree got bumped and a 'ball' happened to drop to the floor.  A great chase always ensued.

And my new most FAVORITE Christmas Candy !!  OMG ..... so good I bought a box of them.  Milk Chocolate covered Mint flavored marshmallow PEEPS!!  Yes I shared but I hogged some too!!  They are yummy.

A couple of family pics:

 This is a pic of Corinne, Barb, Carly and Brent.  We had such a fun Christmas Morning.

And Taylor and Chauntel.

Now on to the 2011 Stitching Challenge of one start per day for the first fifteen days of January.  I had such a good time going through my stash. Here's my start for today:

The beginning of Anna's Bird on 32 count Black Belfast Linen.  I decided to do my own conversion of the called for Weeks and Gentle Art thread to my personal favorite....BELLE SOIE .  So far, so good.

I so enjoyed stitching June Morning with the Belle Soie conversion provided by Jean at Attic Needlework that I decided to try it myself.  It's coming right along.

Hang in there with me as I update my blog for the next 15 days.  And mind you that before March 1st I have to knit 5 hats and as many mittens as I can for a family trip to Chicago!  Plus I am continuing to stitch on the Blackbird Design stockings.  I have 6 left to stitch and then finish the last 24 into hanging stockings.  I'm also determined to finish Garden Glade, And All Was For An Appil and Molly this year.  I'll post some progress on those as well.

Thanks to all of you who have left comments on my last post of the fabulous framing from Jill Rensel.  Here's Jill's address and phone numberjust in case you might like to contact her with your framing needs.  She never disappoints !!

Jill Rensel Fine Art     (801) 627-3594
1225 32nd Street
Ogden, Utah 84403

One individual who left a comment wanted to see the entire 'Tis the Season' frame and here it is.  It's my favorite!!

And so dear friends another year is upon us...and that's a very good thing !!  Hugs and Happy Stitching

AN EARLY CHRISTMAS

Look what arrived from Jill Rensel !!!  The 'HV' on the cartons means HEAVY ....  and they were.

 I couldn't wait to open them.  I wished I could take better pic's.  Here is Charlotte Clayton.  The next pic is a close up of the frame that Jill special ordered for me.  Is this a beautiful piece or WHAT????

Earth Gatherer from Shepherd's Bush

Winter Cardinal

Cranberry Tea from Plum Street Samplers

And Wash Day from Carriage House Samplings....thanks Deb!!

La-D-Da  Rejoice, Always Rejoice using Shepherd's Bush thread and fabric color changes.

Shepherd's Bush Finch Song

Carriage House Samplings A Stitchers Prayer.  This frame is just PERFECT !!  It really brings out the colors of the piece.

And June Morning from the Goode Huswife using Belle Soie thread conversion provided by Jean at Attic Needlework.  Thanks Jean....I love this piece and Jill did a wonderful job of framing and matting....look at the flower and strawberry cutouts Jill made...AWESOME.

Blackbird Designs from their book Joyeux Noel, Tis The Season.  The frame and the mats that Jill painted are OVER THE TOP !!  Look at the snowflakes, and holly and berries.  Wonderful !!!  It makes me smile every time I look at it.

Jill's work is stunning.  I just send the stitched pieces to her and she does her MAGIC.  I am so thrilled.  I wish each and every one who visits my blog could see these works of art in person...  Well actually you can....if you come to Florida for a visit!  These will be up on the wall(s) soon!!

Thanks for stopping by.  

Garden Glade

Usually I stitch my pieces 'in hand'.  On colored 40 ct. fabric I sometimes put the piece in a Q-snap standing frame.  The weather here in Central Florida has  been PERFECT for the last week.  Cool mornings and warm afternoons so I enjoy stitching outside.  And Jaxon is 'holding down the fort' so to speak.  There's plenty of room for him but he's got to be right inside the frame.  He's always such a good helper.

And with the cooler weather, he's taken to napping on top of the nice warm sound system electronics.  If the camera didn't flash you wouldn't be able to see him.  He's so cute.

And now on to Garden Glade.  If you frequent this blog you know I always have many 'irons in the fire'.  I couldn't help myself and started stitching on Garden Glade.  Jean Lea of Attic Needlework does an AMAZING job of 'painting' with silk thread.  Her adaptation on this piece is

  SIMPLY FABULOUS.

I have loved putting in each and every stitch!

 Thanks for stopping by....and happy stitching !!