Wednesday, August 7, 2013

I'm baaaak! Actually, I've been here all along..........

Hey all!  Don't know if anyone is still following me since I've been off the blog since March, dealing with many things, but life is getting back to normal, and it's gonna get real quiet soon, as my daughter is less than two weeks away from leaving for college! Sigh, I still can't believe it!

At any rate, I promised a recap of my Shepherd's Bush retreat last September, almost a year ago now!
This set is part of the group sessions, and we received the tote bag (pre-made) the first night. It included a group of small motifs to stitch in the band insert, our choice as to which ones and what order.
 On subsequent nights we had other little sessions on fun techniques using felt and surface embroidery, including the Christmas accessory case. The wooden hand painted thread pallet was included.

 The sampler below was stitched and inserted inside the case, along with several other felt pockets, all of which was assembled by hand. I made the sampler into a pocket for threads, and added a small pair of scissors. I thoroughly enjoyed making this and will use it when traveling.

During the daytime, we had three classes. I took the track that included Chessie & Me, Jeannette Douglas, and the R&R ladies. I have finished stitching the Chessie & Me design Shepherd's Christmas, below. The other two are started but not completed enough to warrant pictures. I'll post when they are completed, hopefully this year.
After the trip, I pretty much spent the rest of the year working on designs for my young nephew and nieces in New Zealand, since we had the upcoming Christmas trip there. My husband's sister is married to a New Zealander, and my daughter had been accepted into a study abroad program in the high school in her town for the fall term, (remember it's summer at Christmas down there!) We had a lovely trip (long too) and experienced a summer Christmas, which was quite nice! First the three designs, then a few travel pics!

The first design, a Janlynn kit by Suzy Spafford, is called Dogs of Duckport, for my dog loving niece Alex.
It's not framed yet, because it traveled in my carry on bag, as did the others.
Next, for niece Eva, Elephant Calfs....from the leaflet Endangered Young'uns by Gloria & Pat.
Finally, for nephew Ryan, Eagle, from the leaflet Nature's Kingdom by Graphworks.
 And now for a little travelogue of our trip to Middle Earth......hubby Matt and I visit Hobbiton, no comments on my hobbit stature please!


 We visit Huka Falls with Matt and his sister Ann....the falls are an awesome turquoise blue!

 Sunset at Lake Taupo, a super-volcano caldera on the North Island, awesome again!
 The view from SIL Ann's deck.....
 The approach to Tiri Tiri Matangi, a native bird preserve island across the bay from Auckland.
 Looking out into the bay from the island trail.....
 Taking a break on our hike up the island.....
 Pohutukawa Tree, the New Zealand Christmas tree, because it blooms at Christmas time!
 The Hoover/Sorensons at Tiri Tiri Matangi....
 Tiri was once a sheep station and lighthouse, which is now automated.
 The view across the bay toward Auckland on the right. That mountain on the left is actually an old volcano!
 My favorite of the many endangered birds at Tiri, a pair of rare Takahe and their chick. They are as big as a goose, with beautiful peacock colored feathers.  Next time we go, I'm determined to spend the night and try to spot some Kiwi birds! Also want to finally get to the South Island, to see the Southern Alps.
 View of the skyline of Auckland on the way to the airport.....too short a time to see all that there is to see,

Friday, March 22, 2013

More catching up on 2012

I'm back with more catching up on last year's stitching....In August I finished two projects, one is an old Secret Needle Night project from The Silver Needle shop....Toadaly Covered...now being framed.

The next one is a Lizzie Kate project, Birds & Bugs. This is a needle book of sorts, came prefinished and only needed stitching!



After that, I worked exclusively on a Chatelaine design, Evening in the Park, before going off to the Shepherd's Bush retreat in Utah with my friend Carolyn. I got almost to the end, and had to take it with me to finish the last of the trees around the outside before taking it to Jill Rensel for framing.
As you can see, Jill did a wonderful job framing it for me! She gave me permission to use her picture, taken before boxing it up with all my framing...btw, she did an excellent job with the packing! I have never gotten anything packed so well in my life! The photo just does not do it justice!

Here is some more framing from last year's projects...just to wrap that up! Raise the Roof's Official Crazy Cat Lady, framed locally.
These are the three Workbasket designs Jill Rensel framed....her picture, by permission.
And these are the four small Chatelaine Micro designs from Jill as well....

Next post will be all about the 2012 Shepherd's Bush Retreat in September, including projects! Come back soon!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Catching up on 2012

Back home from our trip to New Zealand and I have a lot of catching up to do, including here on my blog! Today I want to catch up on last years stitching finishes, and soon I'll post about my trip, with some awesome pictures!

The last stitchy thing I posted was my own Color Wheel Biscornu, so I'll pick it up from there!
I finished what I hope to be my first REAL PUBLISHED FOR SALE pattern, called Recycle It! No picture because I want it to be a surprise once I am ready to publish it. You will all have to wait on that one!

About that time I decided to go to the 2012 Shepherd's Bush Retreat with my friend Carolyn, and lucky us....Jill Rensel, framer extraordinaire  is located only a few blocks away from the Shepherd's Bush store! I have been saving up some finished projects to have her frame. I no longer have a real local needlework framer, the next closest is 3 hours away in the Charlotte area! At any rate, I had two Workbasket designs stitched, Flutterbys, and God's Critters (see below), and finally got out the third from the series, Trellis and stitched it up in July. I made a couple of minor changes to shorten it a bit because it is one inch taller than it's companion (God's Critters) and I wanted them to match. I left off a couple of strawberries at the bottom and moved up the hedgehog and it was then the same dimensions!  It stitched up fast!
Trellis

                                                                      God's Critters

                                                                              Flutterbys

They will have matching frames and be hung as a group with Flutterbys in the middle. It is on a piece of Crossed Wing's Sky linen, and the other two are on Silkweaver's Dreamin' evenweave.

I stitched another freebie biscornu next, and will post it and the pattern link in a few days. Next thing to call to me was Here Kitty Kitty, by Country Cottage. Stitched on a piece of Silkweaver Solo with called for threads. Another fun and quick stitch.  I will finish my catch-up in another post or two.