I'm still here

Not sure where the time goes, do you? I've been stitching and doing tax returns - and retreating too! Shortly after my last post, I spent 2 1/2 days in Ohio at the annual Covered Bridge Needlearts retreat. Lori Markovic of LaDDa was our guest designer. Lori re-introduced us to using waste canvas on black velvet as part of our class piece. You don't want to see mine - the waste canvas shifted greatly, despite the pinning. But I enjoyed myself and met new stitchers and some old friends from a now-closed LNS in the Pittsburgh area.

Shortly after that weekend away, I went to Northeast PA with my Grape Arbor stitcher friends. We spend 3 nights and 2 full days in a super B & B and just stitch and talk and giggle and eat and yes, a little wine too (afterall, we are in wine country up there). Our hostess makes yummy b-fasts and is also a stitcher. We decided to choose a pattern from the '11 ornament issue and kit it up for each of us and we also included our hostess. Unfortunately I've only started one, but Christmas is 10 months away, so no hurry, right?

This past weekend was my third stitching retreat and was for a short 25 hours as those nasty tax returns are piling up around me. It sure was fun to get away with 16super ladies and see such beautiful work and just enjoy each other and forget about anything and everything else. I'm looking forward to stitching with these ladies again.

In the meantime, I've finished a few things and will do my best to add them to this post. First up are the squares I stitched for the most recent Fair and Square round. The theme was stitch red for the heart. My squares went all the way to Australia and the picture went poof off my camera. But I do have a pic of the squares I receved. This is a freebie from Aury.

Next is my version of October Word Play by Brenda Gervais. Since it was a present for an October birthday friend, I omitted the word hayrides and substituted birthday. I had help with the finishing - and just love the simplicity of the jute trim and hanger. I want to play with the December one too and work anniversary into the piece since the destination is to a couple whose anniversary is in December.

Next is Joy - for an ornament exchange in December. It turned out a little big for an ornament, but the receiver said she has several this size and they fit well on the bottom of her tree. I did the finishing and was pleased how it turned out. The backing material was Weeks wool.

I need to take a class in how to put these pictures into blogger. But hopefully you can at least see that I have been working along. I'm on an alphabet kick right now -have one finished La D Da to share next time, am almost done with a piece by The Good Huswife and have started another La D Da - all alphabets. Let's see what I can accomplish in the next 300 tax returns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be well and find some time for yourself.

Linda

Catching up

Hello my stitchy friends - Life has kept me busy with tax returns on extension until 10/17 and getting ready for retreat and visiting family. I've been stitching, but nothing for show and tell yet. Today, I'm going to Ohio for a weekend retreat organized by Covered Bridge Needlearts and the wonderful owner, Shelley Musmano. We will be joined by Lori Markovic of La-D-Da and I'm truly looking forward to the next 48 hours. There's been some pre-stitching and will have a finished photo next week for you. I've done weekend get-a-ways, but this is the first time that a designer has been part of the retreat and I'm really looking forward to meeting Lori and seeing how we are to finish our pre-stitching.

I recently participated in a Fair and Square exchange with Ruth B from CA (The Musing Badger is her blog). This is the second time I've been paired with Ruth and let me tell you - this gal's imagination and skills are just wonderful. The photo does not do justice to her over one stitching of the Pt Loma lighthouse and the "Quaker" water and embellishments that she stitched. The second square is her "signature" to me. Isn't it wonderful? Now to determine the best way to finish off the squares.

Enjoy your weekend - it's going to be rainy, windy and cool here. Perfect weather to be inside stitching!

Linda

Stitching with a friend

Happy Monday morning to all.

I have (if I can make it work) a photo of my Mystery SAL with iStitch. Carol sent me a resized, non-clickable picture, so let's see if I can copy it. (I have zero skills when it comes to computers). EDITED: My picture was still too big, so I've removed it. I told you my computer skills were zero!

Friday night, I had the great pleasure of meeting Lee and some stitching friends of hers for a few hours of laughter and stitching. It was a good way to end the week! It's a bit of a drive for me, so not sure how often I'll be able to go. The frog paid a visit while I was with the ladies - just can't talk and count at the same time. I saw such beautiful stitching too. Two of the ladies were doing "Spring Quakers" by Karen Kluba - so, so pretty. And being with other stitchers sure gives you some ideas about needle parks and accessories to make life easier for stitching. I was working on LHN's "Joy" - one of the first ornaments from 2010. Sadly, no picture.

Work is calling, so off I go. Hope to be back later in the week with some other photos - I really do stitch! Find some time for yourself to do what you like best this week.

Linda

Almost Labor Day?

Oh my gosh......where has the summer gotten to? The older I get, the faster the pages turn on the calendar. We had all kinds of plans in May for what would get done around the house and who we would visit. Hmmmmmmm - I'll get back to you on that.

I am, however, making a quick trip to the west side of Cleveland to visit my cousin tomorrow. I have 12 cousins, but this one is my very favorite and the visit is long overdue. DH gave me the timetable this morning - first stop is Just Stitching (and I didn't even have to ask) and then on to see Laura and her gang.

I have a retreat piece to finish and part 2 of the IStitch SAL - and a couple of Halloween ornies I want to stitch, but also have two squares for Fair and Square. And nothing is calling to me. Why is it that we have enough stash to open our own store but when it comes time to stitch for someone else - nothing will suit? Hoping to go through the stash a little more tonight to see if I really don't have something that is "just right" for my partner and maybe then I'll only need threads tomorrow.

Hope everyone's weekend has some time for you and what you like to do best.

Linda

I Stitch SAL

Before we left for the Corvette show, I finished part 1 of the Mystery SAL that Carol from IStitch has formed. I tossed threads on the quilt in my bedroom and came up with DMC 3064 and Gloriana Olivine on unknown linen in my stash. The next post of this piece will be the finish - which won't happen until November since Carol is releasing this in parts. I will use the finished piece in my bedroom - either as a wall hanging or a small pillow.

I can't get a small enough picture to post that will still enable you to see the piece, but also protect the designer from anyone enlarging and printing the design. I respect Carol's wishes, so you'll see the end result later in the year.

I am stitching this mystery in honor of our 41st wedding anniversary (8/29). When we got married, we knew not where we were heading and what lied ahead, but we were together and that was what counted.

Linda

Some stitching to show

One of my favorite designers is Carol from IStitch. In a recent exchange with Marcy for the Fair and Square group, I stitched "SEW FORTH" by Carol. It was pastel, sampler like and just called to me based on what Marcy wrote that she liked. I stitched with the HDF just as Carol called for and I couldn't be happier with the finish. The back square was kept simple with just our initials and three hearts.

Last week was certainly different - first the tremors from earthquake, which I felt in Pittsburgh and then Hurricane Irene wrecking havoc on millions of people. In the midst of this, we were in central PA at the annual Corvette show with our dear friends from Massachusetts. Due to the weather, they headed home on Saturday instead of Sunday, but not before I had 3 full days of one-on-one with their sweet 5-year-old daughter Rebecca. What a blessing to have a child put their arms around you and tell you she loves you.

And what a blessing - our family and friends who were in the path of Irene are safe with minimal damages.

Linda

She's alive!

I am still around - keeping busy with work and stitching and reading other's blogs. I need to get more disciplined about staying in touch.

Tax season is long past, but still there are tax returns on extension (which is good for the checkbook) and other work to do. A hot, lazy summer has only added to my laziness. Oh....and a new Kindle, which has increased my reading time. There's still a pile of paperbacks and hardbacks calling my name, but the e-reader is certainly easier to carry and hold.

Our son moved to St. Simon's Island GA in July and that added to confusion and time as he needed help packing up the apartment and oh yes..bringing furniture back home that wasn't destined for the move, but also wasn't ready for donation. We're very glad that he's now an Assistant Professor of English at Coastal George College, but he's also 800 miles away. And I don't fly. Hard to let them go so far away.

I have one meager posting today - my squares received from Marcy M from PA in the Fair and Square exchange. She dyed the fabric with Rit blue denim dye and did this cute snowman for me in hardanger. ::sigh:: Someday I'll learn how to do that too. If only you could see how beautiful her stitching is in person - truly lovely!!

Have other finishes and postings - will try to do that over the weekend. I am currently working on old WIP's and will be starting the Mystery SAL with Carol R from iStitch. Also have a class project for a fall retreat, but still figuring out where to begin stitching! Looking forward to meeting up with Lee and Carol tomorrow for some stitching and a general catching up.

Linda