Done ahead of time! Finally

Yep, July's Country Cottage Needlework  is done and ready! I really got stuck on April, May and June, but when I saw the July cottage, I really liked it and it was a quick stitch. I used a Silkweavers light blue material, instead of the tan it shows on the model.

I think it took me just 2-3 days to stitch and when I finished it I headed to the only place around town to get material....WalMart. I wasn't that thrilled with their selection, but I found something and got busy and "finished" it. I have the darnedest time with those covered buttons, but I think it came out nicely and even got a comment from Carl that this was the best one yet!

My 2nd little finish has actually been done a while ago, but I wanted to save it until I had the box done. Meari has hosted several online "classes" for finishing so I joined her latest box class. I have finished boxes before, but it never hurts taking a class to see if you can "perfect" your talents! I stitched the JBW design French Country Love but totally changed the look of the pattern by using PTP Diva and some Carries hand dyed threads.


I thought I had plenty of room, but in the end, it barely fit on my top! I looked for some small trim. No luck. But when I head to the bigger city I will keep my eye out for something to add to it.

This is what the model looks like!

I also started a Christmas stocking for my son's best friend who just had a baby boy. I have made something for him before, so I know he APPRECIATES home made items. Believe me, I wouldn't make something for someone who doesn't. This is different from my Mystic with ALL the back stitching. I am doing that as I go, so I won't miss something. The ship in the bottle and several other areas will be stitched over one. This is one of the last CSCC stockings called Sportsman's Dream.

Amberlyn came over for the evening and spent the night, she got her first ride around the neighborhood on Papa's motorcycle. Apparently she kept telling him where to turn and when she saw the ice cream store, she wanted to head in that direction! Smart girl!!!! The cut under her eye is from a bike accident earlier in the week. NOT from my house!
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the dog days of summer!

11 Stitching questions

Jayne  tagged me in the newest game going thru blogland so here goes.

 The rules are -- answer the questions another blogger asks and then tag eleven more bloggers asking your own eleven questions. Here are her questions and my answers

1. How do you feel about blended threads as in Teresa Wentzler's projects? (personally I hate them, I'd rather use hand dyed threads)
   
2. Do you launder your project before framing? (only if absolutely necessary, ie you can see the dirt!)
3.  How do you feel about the lack of colour fast in all the flosses now? (fine with me, I rarely wash them)
4. When you begin a project with a black and white chart how do you choose which symbol to begin with? (I typically start in the middle (unless a Mystic or HAED) then find a symbol that is the used the most)
   
5. Do you do your own framing? (sometimes)
6. Do you choose your own mats and moldings or let someone else tell you what you would like? (If I'm having it matted and framed professional, I let them give their opinion, but it's still my final decision. And it usually hits me when I see it)
   
7. Pins or Lace (lace)
8. Do you have any wall space for a new project? (of course, you can never run out can you? Plus my new craft room can hold some more)
9. Have you ever gifted a finished piece right off your wall because someone really liked it? (nope)
10. Would you stitch it again for yourself?
    (depends, if I could depart with it so easily, I might not have been in love with it anyway!)
    

Do you have a group of friends whom share the love of stitching with you on a regular basis? (I have a group of friends online that I see occasionally. I would love to have some closer so it could be at least a monthly occurrence)

Now for my questions:

1. Have you tried any other finishing techniques than framing? YES, TONS!

2. If not, why not?

3. Do people ever comment on your stitching in your home (if they don't know you are a stitcher) Sometimes

4. What's the most expensive piece you have ever done? Chatelaine Tuscany Town Mandela-chart , material, silks, beads probably over $200

5.What's the most expensive finish you've paid for? Did you keep it? Same as above. Jill Rensel matted it and then I paid for the frame. That was over $300

6. Do you think about your stitching every day.....even when you can't stitch?Of course

7.Have you gone out of state or country to meet with other stitchers? YEP

8. Have you ever given a stitched piece to someone and received a better response than you thought? Yes

9. What do you do with your patterns you have stitched? Sometimes if I really like it I keep it, sometimes I gift it to someone else who'd love to give it a new home.

10. What's the biggest change in your stitching since you started? Finding out about hand dyed material and over dyed threads

11. Do you budget for your hobby, or just buy when and what you want??? If I like it, I buy it

I'm not going to tag 11 more, but feel free to answer my questions in the comment section. I'd like to hear your answers!!! 

DONE! With many other non stitching pictures

I have a major finish!! After over 2 years, and 105,300 total stitches, it's done! It really is spectacular looking in real life too! I am keeping this one, if you are wondering! ;-) I was working with a deadline as I am meeting up with another stitcher this weekend to see the Detroit Tigers. So that really forced me into finishing those last few pages as fast as I did.
This is a Mystic Stitch, called Seasonal Collide, the pattern is not available anymore. I think there was some copyright issue with the artist. So don't go looking for it! For once it paid off to buy it when I saw it, and not procrastinate.

Since my last post I also celebrated my 31st anniversary and my birthday! Have I said how much I love the month of May???

Carl bought me a new set of golf clubs (he makes them). We went golfing the day after my birthday and of course I played like crap, but I did hit the ball well in the fairways. I just need to take them to the range and hit them repeatedly to get use to them.


This was the first Memorial Day that my Dad was buried at the National Cemetery. Even though he died in April of last year, we didn't have the committal service until June 25 last year. The National Cemetery is only 40 minutes from my house, so I drove by myself to witness all the graves with flags on each one. It truly is an awesome site and it was really more emotional for me than I thought it was going to be. The last time I was there was during the committal and I'm glad I stopped to get the number of his grave. I really thought I would be able to find it without the number, but when I got there I was really surprised at how many rows beyond my Dad were there already! It's pretty depressing to know that that many more veterans have died over the last year. This is just one small area of the cemetery.
Another big project around here is to finally get my larger pond put in. We knew we wanted to do it, but we did the 1st phase last year, by removing the wooden deck and putting down stamped concrete. So this year is the pond. These pictures are the before.....now granted this was after we had removed ALL the perennials that we wanted to keep, so it really looks BAD!!!









Then this happened.....

and my poor fish had to live in here for a couple days......

And now it looks more like this....although the water is now clearer and you can see the bottom! The sound of the fall is just perfect, not a trickle, but enough to even enjoy from our open family room window. It's over 600 gallons, yes the fish stay in it all winter....even in the Michigan weather. And the fall will run all winter too. I have already seen the birds enjoying the waterfall area by getting drinks!

And here it is tonight, with the light going!



So now you can imagine Carl and I sitting on the patio, having a glass of wine and enjoying the sounds and sites of the new pond!
My granddaughter Amberlyn's 3rd birthday is today! We spent the HOT Memorial Weekend at a friends house and she was in the pool about one minute, when she walked right out the shallow end, around to the other end of the pool and off the board she went with NO hesitation! Man, I wish she had just a bit of fear of certain things. So far the only thing she is afraid of is our friend Bob, who owns the pool! And I mean TERRIFIED!!! Too funny.

And swimming makes you hungry, so you have to have a cupcake!

So here's to the start of a great summer! Thanks for stopping by and sharing my little part of the world.