TUSAL on a hot summer day

Helloooo!

First lets take care of Tusal

Lots of pinks/yellows from Poppies. Yes, I did finish it! And is since I can't wait 'til the 13th, here it is

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At first I wasn't too sure of using this color linen. The model in the magazine uses a lighter color. The big flower on the right was a doozy to stitch. Different colors and its big but it's my favorite and looks more like a poppy. I'm working on another WIP and smelling a finish coming on! Stay tuned!

Next, I want to say Thank You all for your words of Congratulations on my daughter's graduation. We've come down from the clouds now. I also enjoyed your comments on the Whatever ornament. Linda said Whatever is her fave word, EvalinaMaria hates that word, and Silverlotus says Whatever way too much! And her little man is starting to say it too! I tend to mutter that word too when I'm driving down the road and someone pulls a dumb motorist trick, and its better to say Whatever than cussing, right?! Silverlotus, wait until said little man says it to you when he's a teenager! They're able to add a little sneer onto it. It's cute said as a little kid but not when they reach teenage-hood!

All I'm

Turtle Trot May '13, a Winner!, and a Happy Dance!

The first order of business is

LINDA!!!

Since you were the only commenter, you're the winner! Congrats! Send me your mailing address to campbo41@q.com and I'll have your Chocolate chart to you along with a few surprises!

Well! I've have a finish to report on

This guy is from Toadally Aarrgh by Stitchy Kitty, all 2"x2 1/2" of him! Which brings me to the question AGAIN-why/how did it take so long to stitch him? I should mention he's stitched on 32ct Queen Anne's Lace jobelan or lugana using CC/DMC. Actually for as small as he is, there is a lot of stitches there, along with some Kreinik and a bead. I substituted the black metallic thread on his eye patch for regular black DMC. Oh look! I forgot to stitch his other mean eyebrow on the right eye! Anyway I started him last year sometime with just the stitches above his eyes. The color of the fabric is not what it looks like in the pic. I now have just 10 WIPs left to stitch on.

I've learned something about myself stitching on these WIPs and it's that I cannot stitch on too many at a time. I stitch on one and just want to keep stitching! It's hard to move on to another one. Here are the others that I've managed to put in some time on

In the contest I had going since TUSAL, this is the WIP closest to being finished soon. All the flowers are stitched except for the big one at the upper right. The model of this design has the words PRETTY at the top of these flowers; I chose to leave it off. This would make a very nice pillow I'm thinking! Poppies should be done by the next Trot report.

Winter Sampler by Homespun Elegance. Since the last time, I've put in the vine directly below the snow, the alphabet, and the tree. Instead of French Knots, which I can't do, I'm putting in red beads at the leaves of the vine. I'll be picking this up more in the coming weeks. Next up is

Klagetoh Navajo Rug. The only stitching done before was the upper row on the big geometric design. I got kinda bored stitching all that black which is why I started that lighter color border. I just need to bite the bullett and DO IT!!

Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Take care everyone! Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

The Queen's Crowns

We're a week into the Olympics now with some minor sleep-deprivation and this, my Olympics start which I started during the Opening Ceremony last Friday

It's partly cloudy here and just can't get good light. Still having camera issues too. Anyway, here's The Queen's Crowns by PSS. I was so sure this was going to take me past the Olympics to finish, but I'm thinking I can get it done by the end of the games. Not as big as I thought it was, I'm enjoying stitching this. All the crowns are different but for the row of crowns at the bottom. I like the fabric which is 36ct Vtg Maritime white from Lakeside Linens. It's an off white with a touch of very light beige, I think. I may use this color and linen for my Christmas Garden by BBD.

And finally, here's my box with Shakespeare's Peddler's Antique Locks and Keys mounted on it. In person there are lighter colors in the silk that match the trimming on top and the paint in my mind!

See those keys at the lower left? I was thinking of gluing those on the front and/or the sides. But I decided not to. And here's whats going on inside

I trimmed the bottom with burgundy colored ric rac. I like the touch of the wood planks on the sides! For me, this was a gargantuan task because this is my first box. I've read tutorials from other bloggers on how they do their boxes, and I sat here and said to myself---Ohhh, okay! and Oops! and That makes sense!. I like how it looks because as you might know, things look better in person! Now my daughter wants me to make her one and so now I'm on the lookout for a small design that screams 'her'.

Here's what I was working on before the Games started-Pretty Poppies from my Crazies list

I'm thinking of leaving the 'pretty' off of the top. As soon as I'm done with Queen's Crowns, I'll pick this back up. I believe when I finish Poppies, that'll make it my 7th finish?! That leaves just 8 CJC projects.

I will abandon my CJC projects after Poppies for the LK Mystery Sampler. I just ordered Part Two and a few more WDW threads from 123 Stitch, which I just know I'll receive on Monday! They ship fast and it helps that they're in a neighboring state. I know I won't have the Mystery Sampler done by this Halloween anyway and besides that, there's so many other things to stitch. I went and ordered an e-pattern of Quaker Boo by the Sampler Girl. I'll fit that in there too! I keep saying that 3 more hours need to be added to the day to do everything that I need and want to do!

Went grocery shopping this morning and found this annual Holiday magazine that I always buy

I don't know about you but I'm ready for some Fall. I'm tired of sweating and tired of the humidity that arrives with our Monsoon rains. My prickly pear cactus is coming along and I've got it completely covered with chicken wire to keep critters from taking the fruit. My zucchini is going nuts and I'm starting to give some of it away! It's too funny!

I mentioned sleep-deprivation watching the Olympics; Wednesday morning I was one minute late for work because I over-slept! I've been staying up watching the swimming and gymnastics clear up to 10:30 at night and then waking up at 4 a.m. to get ready. I knew it would all catch up with me sooner or later!

Take care everyone and Thanks for your comments!

A Crazy 2nd start

I had today off so I stitched on and off for about 5 or 6 hours. But for some reason, it sure doesn't look like it! It's called Pretty Poppies from the Cross Stitch and Needlework May 2010 issue.

This design called for 25ct beige linen but I'm using 28ct natural undyed linen that I had in my stash. It'll make a real difference what it looks like when finished but I think it'll look fine. I'm also using a mix of regular DMC and variegated DMC listed.

I also finished the beading on this cute ornament that comes from the 2009 JCS ornament magazine

This is Rejoice by Mosey 'N Me. The body of the sheep took a while but it's so cute! The beads are the snow.

Being Crazy that I am, I saw that Becky at BeckyBee's is hosting a BAP Challenge. I took a look at my stash and found that I have only one design that is big enough to meet the requirements! But it means buying a nice big chunk of fabric because one side of this design is over 300 stitches. I think it's a sign that I'll have my hands full enough with this Crazy Challenge! AND at Laineys Stitching Hoose, she's hosting a year long SAL for ornaments. But you know what? I have two ornaments in my 15 so that's good enough. I might become tired of Christmas by the time it arrives after stitching ornaments for 12 months straight!

Well this is it. My daughter and I like to watch this series on tv called Pretty Little Liars and the new season starts tonight but right now they've got re-runs on, so I gotta go!

Welcome to my new followers, BTW! And Thank You for your comments too! It's exciting to see 7 comments left!