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!

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!

Halloween Heaven, etc, etc.

Good Afternoon ladies (and gents?!)! Hope those of you living in the Midwest and elsewhere dealing with the heat are managing alright. It's been a brutal summer and we in Arizona are waiting for the monsoon rains to start for some relief.

I now have my 5th CJC finish


Ark Sampler
JCS Mar/Apr '88
28ct tea-dyed linen
DMC



Here's another angle. The blue on the words and the border sure shows up. That was 823 or 832 DMC. This took some concentrated stitching! It's all I stitched on but I'm proud of it as it's one of the few big designs I've stitched. Here's what the Ark looked like the last time I picked it up-February 19! Shameful! 

I'm now closing in on my 6th CJC finish, take a look-see

That border is killing me. Funny, the border looks like a couch we used to have in the 70's lol!! Anyway, all I have to stitch are the words, pine branches at the top, finish the backstitching in the border, and I need an owl button to finish it off. Below is how it looked on the 4th day of the Crazy

Yesterday I managed to finish-finish two of my finished items

It turned out wonderful. I plan to hang this with a wide satin ribbon with a bow at the top. I'll take it into Michael's or Hobby Lobby to find the perfect ribbon. It'll be primitive with a touch of elegance! I finally invested in a utility knife but it still had problems going through the mounting board. And here is Candy Corn

The fabric she's sitting on is her back side. I filled the bottom with the lizard sand and the top with stuffing. She's a nice petite size. I'm getting ready to put another layer of paint on my box because the first color doesn't quite match the thread on Antique Keys. Aanndd...I've got two ornaments to finish-finish. So my next post should feature those two ornaments.

Sorry I don't know how Beckham got in there but he's so freakin' gorgeous!

Ok, back to business--Halloween Heaven indeed! I just received this long awaited magazine!

I thumbed through it saying this one, this one, this one, so on and so on! And then I took the plunge and got into the Lizzie Kate Mystery Sampler club

I have most of the WDW but need the fabric called for. It's charted for 30ct but I think I'll stitch it on 32ct. Now if I can just find the time to stitch all this!

Couple weeks ago my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to count my stash; Behold!

• 60 Freebies
• 33 Charts
• 6 of those charts have fabric
• 8 Kits (meaning fab and fibers)
• 11 Magazine patterns w/fab
• 21 Magazine patterns w/no fab or fibers
• 2 Books w/fab (like the BBD books I have)
• 6 Books w/out fab or fibers
• 52 Misc. copies from magazines and charts
• 16 WIP's.

My recent purchases are included!

I can't wait to retire! Then I can just sit and stitch and stitch and when I get tired of that, I'll read and read!

I don't know if you all know it but today is Malware Monday. Malware, if you don't know, is inserted into computers by advertising and causes havoc. Since I'm the only one on this computer, I think I'm safe. Just having the same issues from Blogger because of the amount of pics I put on here! So it's time to send this on it's way.

Thanks everyone, for your comments on the last post and for hangin' with me. Keep cool and safe!

BTW, I've added a few more things to my Stash for Sale page. I have more but Blogger or my computer, is slowing waaaay down. I'll add the other things tomorrow. Check 'em out!

Lookie, lookie!

Look what I found while grocery shopping!

And I'm on the waiting list at 123 Stitch for the new JCS Halloween issue. Can't wait for that one! Am I excited? you bet! Look at all those exclamation points!

I am working on a Crazy right now, the Ark. No pics though. I'm halfway finished with it. I'll be back with a post of that finish when I'm done.

I hit Hobby Lobby this a.m. armed with a 40% off coupon and bought the supplies to mount Antique Keys to this box-

I decided to put the design on a box. I know which paint I'll use but just need to nail down which paper I want to line the inside with. I have a trim for the top also. SoCal Debbie had the idea of mounting it into a frame with hooks at the bottom to hang keys. I plan on stitching this again because I STILL have the Belle Soie and I may just use her idea. I also bought mounting board to do some ornament finishing. So be sure to check back; I feel the finishing virus coming back!

Speaking of Hobby Lobby, do you know they already have Fall and Christmas items out?! It's getting so crazy!

Well I'm gonna go lose myself in my new magazine with a large glass of ice water. I'm trying to lose some weight so I'm drinking a lot of water. I don't hardly drink water in the winter but I do in the summer, whether I'm trying to loose weight or not. And it's been pretty darn warm here too.

Take care everyone. Thanks for stopping in and for your comments on the last post. Appreciate it!

P.S.: Jeanne, I found the 2010 Carrot freebie from Cricket Collections. Couple of posts back, you asked if I could send you a copy. Let me know if you still want it and I'll email it.

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!

Finished finishes, finally!

I finally have some finishes to show off, 3 of the 4 freebies that I stitched in March

I trimmed this pincushion with chenille trim and filled it with lizard sand or crushed walnut. My first try with attaching chenille trim (shhh..I glued it on!). The next freebie I turned into a hanging pillow

I used mother-of-pearl buttons to attach the sheer ribbon at the corners and to decorate the middle with three buttons. I was in a quandary of how to finish this. I sewed it up last weekend but it sat for the week. And last but not least...the carrot!

I used the same chenille to trim this and put a small amount of the crushed walnut at the bottom to give it some weight and filled the rest of it with stuffing. Can you see the 3 pink buttoms that are on the lawn? And I had the green check fabric on hand. I'm so glad I finally finished these because they were yelling at me everytime I passed by!

And now onto my 1st Crazy January Challenge finish...drum rolllll, please!


Tweet Gift
2010 JCS Ornaments
called for fab and threads

 You can't see it but there's silver metallic in the middle of the snowflakes and the momma bird's hat and pompom. I may make this a pinkeep. I was almost done with another CJC ornament but I ran out of the thread so I put it down and picked up Tweet. This took some marathon stitching to get it done!

At the end of March I managed to finish up one last ornament but I never put a pic up so here it is

I didn't frame it but it sure looks nice with that frame doesn't it? I will frame my own stuff every now and then but only when the fabric is Aida because it's so easy to line it up. This design is called Rejoice and I got it from the 2009 issue of JCS Ornaments. Those are white beads for the snow. So now I'm two ornaments ahead for this Christmas. Once I can, I'll finish the other ornament when I order the needed WDW thread.

I sell stuff on eBay to raise a little money for things like gas and a few groceries to tide us over. My employer has us on a weird pay period, there's 15 or so days in between paychecks so any little bit helps. I hit the local Goodwill's looking for stuff to sell when I came upon a great find-these Halloween fabrics

Cute huh? I especially like the upper right-hand fab. It's covered with partying witches! They're a good size too. Now I've gotta decide whether I sell them on eBay or keep them for Halloween stitching!

I love working with woolfelt applique and these hopping bunnies are competing with stitching for my time

I have all the blanket stitching of the two bunnies and two 1/2 stars left. Then I've got two tongues to stitch together and then to the left and right edge. The backing goes on somehow. I've misplaced the pattern though! So for now it just sits!
Time for me to hit my stitching corner of the couch while I listen to Rescue Me. What a crazy show with the ghosts! My daughter is gone right now otherwise I wouldn't watch it! I'm stitching on another CJC project but have found that I'm needing a couple of WDW threads! Sheesh! Obviously I didn't kit up everything right what with all these missing threads.

Happy Mother's Day to you all! I have a Mother's Day each day when I don't have to tell my daughter to do her homework, when she calls to let me know she's running late, and a myriad of other 'surprises'. Enjoy the day! Thanks for stopping by and as always, I'm grateful for your comments!

And the winner is.....

Jennifer!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 3

Jennifer, you are #3 and the winner of this exciting giveaway prize! Applause please! Send me your mailing address at azcampis@yahoo.com and I will have your package out right away. Please let me know if and when it arrives (I worry about packages being lost)! Thanks everyone for entering!

I've gotten over the blues and am feeling better about things. Thank You for your kind words, ladies! I picked up my stitching and stitched like there was no tomorrow. I stitched at night, during my three breaks at work, on my day off; I was smokin'! Mostly because I just need a finish of some kind! I'm seeing fellow CJC stitchers celebrating finishes and am feeling left out!! lol! I'm coming close to a finish but I think I'm going to run out of one of the threads as it's a two-color ornament.

I plan on finishing finishes this weekend so I"ll post soon with pics of those.

Thanks for coming by! Have a great weekend, spend some of it stitching!