6th Crazy Finish and more f f's

Without further ado..wait, let me say what 'f f's' mean. Finished finishes!

Here is Hoo Knows, my 6th CJC finish


Hoo Knows
Imaginating
Called for DMC, fabric
JABC Owl

This is so hilarious, I get a chuckle every time I read it! A labor-intensive stitch for sure with the big tree on the left and the border with the two colors and the backstitching. But it's worth it!

I have moved on to Pretty Poppies but no pic. I'll put one up the next post. It's turning out quite colorful and cute. I took a break between Hoo Knows and Poppies to read "The Help". I just loved it! I couldn't put it down but I hated the end. I was sorry to see Aibileen let go. I finally watched the movie yesterday and I thought the book was better. I then moved to "Glass Castles" by Jeannette Walls. This was a memoir of her young years with her siblings and two very dysfunctional parents. Just by reading the reviews, I knew there was going to be a positive outcome but it just bummed me out with the attitude of her parents. Lots of starving, alcohol abuse, irresponsibility, and so on and so on. I won't say how the ending was in case some of you want to read it. After that book, I picked a bodice-ripping romance set in Scotland. After "Castles", something ridiculous is just what I needed! Whew!

I've finished two more ornaments

Here's Tweet. She's on mounting board surrounded with greenish chenille that I'd hoped would match the grass under the mama bird. Then I glued on the ribbon for the bow and hanger. I see I have to trim up the woolfelt a little. BUT here's the star of the day

This may be the prettiest thing I've done! I've had the trim forever waiting to be used on something. It's gold trim that I picked up at an after-Christmas sale. I sandwiched it between the stitching and gold woolfelt on the backside. If you look carefully you'll see yellow pins on the sides; half pinkeep, half flat ornament! The hanger is a sparkly gold trim with little white smidgens (for lack of a better word!). Hobby Lobby has all these trims in small lengths that go for very cheap in their sale corner.

I planned on starting the LK mystery sampler but I don't have the thread for the border so I'm waiting for the order for that and two others. I've decided to stitch on something during the Olympics and unlike many others, I've decided on something British!

Can't wait..for the Olympics and to stitch this.

My box for Antique Keys and Locks is coming along. Tomorrow I should have the lining paper installed, and the stitching on the top. I'm learning as I go and running into problems such as-take off the hardware first! I'm having to scrape the paint off the latch in front. And don't go wishy-washy on the color. I bought some Minwax yesterday and should have put that on in the first place. I sanded the paint that was already on so the wood grain would show and then applied the Minwax. Next time, just buy the Minwax and just use that. I have some ideas for these small keys that I have..I won't say though! You'll have to wait to see the finished product!

Well, there's a storm brewing and I've got to get dinner started. Last weekend, it rained for 2 1/2 days. My zucchini plants just went..BOING!!..and I should have some zukes to cook soon. I've been looking for zucchini recipes and have found several.

Take care y'all! And a big huge WELCOME to my new followers. So exciting!

T.G.I.F.!!

Evening all!

What an exhausting week this was. And we went past Spring and right into Summer! Today the temps here where I live reached 94 degrees! Phoenix reached 111. I'll be staying out of Phoenix until November unless I suddenly receive a lot of money and then I'll have to make a fast trip to Attic Needleworks!

I have some finishes from my Crazy list. Here they are


Candy Corn
With They Needle and Thread
Called for linen and fibers

Sorry for the dark pic. I'll be finishing this into a candy corn shape.



Antique Locks and Keys
Shakespeare's Peddler
Called for linen and fiber

 This is the second time I've stitched this one up. I'm out of the fabric now but I still have more silk to do another later on. As for the finish...don't know. I just know it won't be a pillow! Time to branch out, put on my big girl panties, and try some different finishes! I may try putting this on a box. So stay tuned for that!



Stars and Angels
JCS Ornament '11

This design is very nice in person. FYI: I ran out of the WDW Navy using an entire skein. I'd buy 2 skeins for this one. This will be a flat ornament in the same shape. HOORAY! I now have 4 Crazy finishes with 11 to go. Buuuutttt, I started a new stitch couple weeks ago and it's this one

Fancey Blackett-The Harvest Dance by Pineberry Lane. I'm stitching this on 28ct Antique White linen instead of the 28ct Ivory called for. I recently put in part of the border there on the right. Tonite when I get off of here, I'll stitch on her while watching my 2nd favorite paranormal investigator Zach Fagan with Ghost Adventures. I'm happy to throw in a somewhat big stitch into the mix..kind of challenge myself. It's already the half-way point of the year so I'll stitch more on my Crazy WIP's after I've had some progress on Fancey.

Recently, Theresa of Shakespeare's Peddler put out a call for help on her blog for donations to buy a kitty jungle gym for her local animal shelter. A lot of great needlework designers/companies donated a bunch of stitchy stuff and Theresa offered a $50 and $20 bag of asstd. items...I bought the $20 bag. Here's what arrived (above)-a biscornu pattern from Ink Circles, a freebie from Chessie & Me, a large count linen, the Belle Soie Peacock, that very cute pin with the pumpkin, and a Red Velvet Cake lip balm. Oh, oh, oh..I just love Red Velvet anything so I thought this was weird that I should receive a Red Velvet Cake lip balm. I felt like buying a lottery ticket! Anyway, I've been wanting to try to stitch and build a biscornu so here's my opportunity.

I also put in an order at 1-2-3 Stitch for two pieces of fabric for these two designs

In the Meadow by Country Cottage Needleworks. I haven't stitched anything by this designer so I'm lookin' forward to it. But I'm most excited about this next design that came with the silks

Vintage Stars by Jeannette Douglas. I've separated the silks but I'm confused about two colors that are almost alike. It would've been nice if the silks had been in little separate baggies and labeled. But oh well, I'll figure it out somehow. I'm waiting on two Cross Eyed Cricket leaflets, both Halloween-y and one had to be backordered. I've re-acquainted myself with Cross Eyed Cricket after looking for more carrot patterns, which I'll eventually purchase. I really like 1-2-3 Stitch because they ship so quickly. Come to find out they're up north in Utah, right above me! And their 13 x 17 fabric prices are agreeable to me.

We've finally arrived at the end of this here post and to my ongoing Prickly Pear Jam/Jelly installment. For those of you who are new, for the past few years I've been faithfully watering my Prickly Pear cactus so in the Fall I'd have all these wonderful Prickly Pears to make jam/jelly with. Well, just when the fruit turns a nice dark red, something like skunks or javelina, below, eat my fruits! Well, it doesn't

help when I forget to cover my cactus with something to keep those critters from eating them. My cactus looked like this last week, covered with these really pretty yellow flowers. I should have a

bumper crop by the time Fall arrives. Tomorrow morning I'm gonna cover these up with chicken wire. I don't know, those javelina are pretty crafty. Amazing that they'll eat the fruit covered in sharp spines!

Alrighty, time to stitch on Fancey. Thank You for all your comments on the last post. Jeanne, I'm sorry I didn't get back with you about the freebie of the carrot I stitched. I'll search for it but I may have thrown it out..I'll check. And Dulcinella, I have kept the Halloween fabric. I may use the pumpkin faces fabric for the back of Candy Corn.

Here's to a wonderful stitchy weekend to everyone!

Some good news and a Trims/Embellishment Giveaway!!

Let's get straight to the more exciting news I have to offer-my Trims and Embellishment Giveaway, to celebrate my b-day on the 29th and my gallbladder surgery on the 27th! The insurance company couldn't argue with the test results! I have more 'stuff' on order coming for this giveaway, but here's what I have now

On order are undyed chenille trim to try your hand at dyeing and pastel dyed ric rac, mother-of-pearl buttons, and a special surprise! I may have to go back and order me a special surprise too! I just hope it all gets here in time! What are the particulars for your chance to win you ask? None! Just leave a comment. That's fine and great if you want to follow, and fine and great if you don't. You have 'til the 30th to comment. On the 31st, my daughter will pull a name out of the hat and I'll announce the winner the next morning here since I'll be home recuperating. Who knows, I may surprise someone else with a second place draw for a smaller bunch of goodies!

I survived the CJC 2012 Challenge and took a week to stitch more on Tweet from the 2010 JCS ornament magazine

Here's what it looked like before

Yes, a pitiful start but it's coming right along. I stitched almost all day Sunday. Today, in keeping with my plan to stitch on a new Crazy every week, I've picked up Stars and Angels from JCS ornaments 2011

I'll stitch on this for the week.

I got me some stash too!

I've been admiring Zippity Doo Da for awhile after seeing some finishes of it. Any of you stitched it on a different fabric? I'm not too crazy about the Tin Roof WDW linen used. I'm envisioning it on Days Gone By linen used for Tweet above! And of course I'm getting a nice collection of PSS going. All the threads are for a couple of my Crazies.

Well that's it folks! I have to go pick up my daughter. A huge WELCOME to all the new followers! It's so exciting to see all of you; the more the merrier! Have a wonderful week!

Procrastination rears its ugly head!

Well, I pulled it out! Barely! I know the rules aren't set in stone but still...! Here are my starts for the last 6 days, counting from the last to #10

I thought I had a picture of the chart but I didn't. This is 30ct WDW Gold linen, using WDW threads. How shameful, lol!

O.K, here's my 14th start

This is the beginnings of the pattern at the bottom, the pillow. Using 32ct Queen Anne's Lace jobelan with a mix of CC threads, DMC and some beads. That's a pretty fabric; wish I could find it in linen.

The 13th start is a re-visit to my favorite WIP-Winter at Beacon House or WaBH, from the Jan/Feb '10 issue of JCS. I stopped stitching on this in August to start my holiday stitching. Here's what it looked like then, here's what I stitched Saturday and was having fun, I might add.

I'm hoping to have this finished by the end of the year. Just being realistic!

The 12th start

This is Stars and Angels and I don't have a pic! Sorry! It is stitched on 30ct Parchment by WDW with just two WDW threads.

11th start

Christmas Magic, on 32ct white linen using DMC threads, Mill Hill beads. Still no pic! I'm almost to the finish line! Here's #10

Meet Tweet stitched on ?ct Days Gone By linen with a mix of GAST, WDW, and Kreinik braid. I stitched up one like this, different year from a JCS ornament magazine and same designer, and it was enjoyable so going to make this my focus point for this week. Another Yahoo group stitcher mentioned she was going to spend a week on one of her new starts and then move to another start the next week and I think that's an excellent idea!

Whew, my computer is really acting up. I have a blank square smack in the middle of the screen so I will apologize first-hand for any punctuation, spelling and whatever else mistakes are in this post!:))

I now have 17 WIP's (2 are ones that I already had) and will spend tomorrow and the following days on Tweet. But for now I'm going to read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban while listening to Kill Bill 1 on the t.v. I know, a bloody, bloody movie but it's entertaining!

Have a super week! And a big WELCOME to the new followers!