Nantucket Girls

I want to thank everyone for reading my blog and leaving great comments. They mean so much to me. Before I get into my stitching I would like to say a few words about Boston and the wonderful people who live here. I was born in Boston, went to college in Boston and worked in Boston for a time. I now live on the Southshore. Boston is a kinda large city with a small town feel. When it was attacked last week my heart was heavy until I saw all the wonderful first responders, medical personnel, runners and viewers run toward the blasts to help however they could. I couldn't be prouder of the people and the city of Boston. Now that the bombers have been killed and captured, the city and state can start to heal. Please say a prayer for the lives lost and the 178 people who were injured. This is the Nantucket Girls Song by PPS. This is going to be a BAP. When finished on 36 ct fabric it will be 24 " x 14". I am about 3/4 of the way though. I am enjoying stitching this piece. These are the 3 sections I have done so far. Section 3 isn't finished yet. I love the nest in section 2. I am not sure why there is a windmill in the design. Eliza is vain. She is always looking at herself and combing her very strange hair. Sorry about the bad pics. I tried to take them outside but it was wicked windy. You can click on any of the pics for a larger view. I will be back soon. I have a wonderful win from Fiona in Australia to show you and a couple of flower frogs that I recently picked up. Until next time .... Happy Stitching! Deborah

Stitching During My Time Away.

I don't know where the time went. It's been very busy around here. Spending quality time with friends lunching and shopping. I have rediscovered Home Goods. Such fun. Took a trip to the western part of the state for some cross stitch. It's nice to see and feel the products. Started the dreaded spring cleaning. Have so much more to do. I always manage to get some stitching time in. I finished the September Word Play. I may have one more to do. I can't seem to find July. Don't you hate that. Next up was Strawberry Bird by Kathy Barrick. I loved this piece the moment I saw it. Couldn't wait to get it done. I used 32 ct. v. pearled barley linen and the suggested NPI silks. This piece was much smaller than the picture suggested. This is the frame I chose. The picture is funky and so is the frame. I couldn't be happier with the final product. Next up is Three Tulips by WTN. I used 36 ct homespun linen and the suggested over-dyed fibers. Even on 36 ct fabric this piece is large. 14 by 10. I think it will be made into a pillow. It is very Springy and happy. Now I am working on The Nantucket Girls by PPS. I am using 36 ct v butter cream fabric and the suggested NPI silks. This is a large piece. It will be 24 by 14 when finished. I am enjoying every stitch. Sorry for the dark pictures. You can click on any of the pics for a larger view. I want to thank every one for the wonderful comments on my last post. I am so thankful that you are all staying with me. Until next time ...... Happy Stitching! Deborah

Seasons .....

The one thing I don't like about blogging is the titles. I am not that imaginative. I have been stitching seasonal or monthly things for years. What I noticed is that that I haven't finished them all. Hence, the title. I have done 3 of the LK seasonal alphabets and needed to do summer. Now summer is done. It will go into an in and out frame. The colors are cheerful. My tastes have changed and I may give the whole series to a friend for her birthday. Next up was March by the DT. I have done all of them except March. I couldn't find a fabric that I liked until LSL added flagstone last month. The fabric is a beautiful gray with a hint of blue. So pretty. These will also go into a in and out frame. Love the shamrock leaves on the trees. Then on to my last two wordplays by WTN. I needed to do August and September. They will be made into door hangers. I still have 3 PS monthly designs to do but I will get to them later. I want to do 2 small St. Patrick ornaments for my bowl. Then it will be on to some of the beautiful new things from Nashville. I love the Stacy Nash design, some of the WTN designs and Strawberry Bird by Kathy Barrick. I have ordered the NPI's for it. Can't wait for them to arrive. I will end with a picture of Stella helping me make the bed. lol We will be getting the storm that so many of you have just gone through. Remember the mild winter we had last year? Maybe next year. Until next time .... Happy Stitching! Deborah

Nantucket and more

It's been a wild couple of weeks in Eastern Massachusetts. The blizzard dumped over 2 feet of snow, left my area without power for 5 days and left a lot of devistation in her wake. I lost many trees in the back yard and two beautiful Christmas type pines in the front. Thankfully none of the trees fell on the house. This past week end we got another 6 inches of snow. I love snow but I have had enough for the year. On to the stitching, which is why we are all here. I went to the framers just before the blizzard and picked up Nantucket. I love this piece. The frame is beautiful. Reminds me of drift wood. It isn't as blue as the picture would suggest. It's a gray blue color. Goes perfectly with the design. I have had many questions about the color of the house, yes I changed the color. I didn't have 2 of the called for color and changed it to King Mackerel by WDW and instead of the Barrel Cactus I used DMC 927. I like the changes. Here are three of my MA pieces in the mudroom. I will just keep adding pieces that remind me of New England. This is Blue Violets by BBD. I love BBD designs and have done many of them but I hate this piece. The violets aren't blue. They are all muddy purple in color. The floss they used for the stems and the vine are so close in color that you can't see a difference. The house is just plain homely. I am so unhappy with this design. This is Red Cottage by PSS. This piece I am crazy for. It's done on 36 ct v strawflower and is about 6x6 in size. I think that I will make it into a pillow. Not 100% sure yet. As I stitched this past week end while the snow fell, I had these beautiful daffodils to look at to remind me that Spring will be coming. Until next time ..... Happy Stitching! Deborah

Valentines

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my blog and for leaving the best comments. I appreciate them all. I have been busy doing Valentine pin pillows. I have had the best time doing them. Hopefully Cheryl and I can get together soon to sew them up.

This is Be Mine by Threadwork Primitives. I used 36 ct examplar linen and the suggested DMC fibers.

This little darling is To My Sweet by Stacy Nash. I did it on 32 ct pinkish fabric over one. Love it.

These two are from The Primitive Hare's design called Little Valentines. All 5 of the designs are so nice. I will do the other 3 next year. They were done on 36 ct. LSL fabric (the name has left me) using SNC silk that I had in my stash.

This is the pin cushion from WTN&T's new design called Valentine Sampler. Again, I really like all the designs in this chart. It was hard to pick just one.

These are my Valentine decorations at the end of the kitchen table. Lots of cross stitch and I really love the pink depression glass candle holders I found thrifting. A close up of the bowl with the pin pillows that I have currently. I think I will have to get a larger bowl when I add the new pin pillows. You can click on any of the pictures for a larger view.

I put Crazy Love by CEC in a frame that I had in my stash. Not perfect but not bad either.

I also finished Nantucket by LHN. This was a delightful stitch. The colors are beautiful and I loved working on the 35 ct. cocoa linen. The color of the house is so pretty. Thanks for stopping by. Until next time ..... Happy Stitching! Deborah

One Year Ago ...

on January 12th the cutest puppy adopted me. More on that at the end of the post. First up in the stitching part of the blog is J. M. Gardner in all her glory.

I really love how this piece turned out. The frame is the perfect match for the rust colors. I had a standy thing put on the back and it will reside on the table next to the couch. Next up is a Valentine piece by CYC. I had a frame in my stash that will fit really well.The design is called crazy love because she charted the L backwards. For people like me who aren't that crazy, she also charted the L going the right way. I used 32 ct. mystery fabric and the suggested DMC and SNC fibers.

I started Old Nantucket by LNH using 35 ct cocoa linen and the suggested wdw, cc and ga fibers. This is fairly large piece and I have a long way to go. It will work well in my Massachusetts mudroom. I love Nantucket and try to go over at least once a year.

Before I bagged my orts from 2012, I wanted to show all the pretty colors. In the Spring I leave them on the patio and the birds take them for their nests. In the fall you can find the nests with the floss in them. They are really very pretty. This is something I have done for many years. Now on to the reason for this post. One year ago on January 12, 2012, Jo and I took a long ride in terrible weather to meet Stella. She and her 5 siblings are Sato (street) dogs from Puerto Rico. 700 hundred Sato's were adopted last year.

Stella then on the day we brought her home and Stella now.

She is the sweetest dog. Until next time .... Happy Stitching! Deborah

JANUARY

January is my first finish of the new year. It is a PS design stitched on 32 ct lambswool jobelan fabric and DMC floss. It turned pretty well. I changed one of the dogs to look more like Stella.

I have started a little Valentine piece but haven't done enough for a picture yet. I wanted to share some stitchy items that I received for Christmas. First up is a flower frog.

It is so much prettier than the picture. I have never seen an oval frog. It's about 7" long and the bottom is a beautiful purple glass. This was a total surprise because Joanne doesn't understand my obsession love for frogs and scissors. Speaking of scissors, I bought 2 wonderful pairs of Dovo's with gift certificates.

Love both pairs but the black ones are the best. My friend, Nataly, had this pair and I knew someday I would own them. They are called Tattoo because of the etching on outside and the inside of the blades. So beautiful!

I will end of with a picture of Stella in her new coat. She is such a girly dog. She actually likes wearing it. Thanks to my new followers! Glad to have you along for the ride. I want to thank everyone for the great comments. They mean so much to me. Until next time ..... Happy Stitching! Deborah