tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65884859829660209472024-02-07T16:31:03.516-05:00bele chere needlework (bele chere - "beautiful living" - old Scottish dialect)Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-13092104668334128042013-03-21T11:27:00.001-04:002013-03-21T11:27:48.364-04:00Just JaneAfter stitching a bit on IAMEK, my original choice for Nicola's Scarlet Letter challenge, I decided to switch to a different SL design. While I like the design of IAMEK, I'd rather wait til I have more time to play around with the thread colors some. Once my fabric and threads for Jenny Bean arrive, I'll start stitching it instead.<br />
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In the meantime, I've worked on just Jane Pattison. I really am in love with this sampler. I love its simple elegance as well as the beautiful threads and charming motifs. The little birds on the planter look as if Jane did a quick line sketch of them in pen and ink. I am using the <a href="http://www.atticneedlework.com/" target="_blank">Attic Needlework's</a> conversion to silks, but changed the color of the inner block border to a more gold thread after seeing it a similar change <a href="http://robert5458.blogspot.com/2012/07/christmas-in-july.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I used AVAS 100/3 #303. I like the way it looks!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRaZ2Na7dk8MoMO4M1-FYNbCm9hdbEjP3-WPrCYhWRrLa2dNAFDQdUk2RTwtRBOwfXhfpWm27Nr9oqUNOS4GS_lTGKJjc_PzXPm8j4bRRILsLrVMIUXN06B33xmP9BcaAvYXOltIJY2Y/s1600/jane+p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRaZ2Na7dk8MoMO4M1-FYNbCm9hdbEjP3-WPrCYhWRrLa2dNAFDQdUk2RTwtRBOwfXhfpWm27Nr9oqUNOS4GS_lTGKJjc_PzXPm8j4bRRILsLrVMIUXN06B33xmP9BcaAvYXOltIJY2Y/s640/jane+p.jpg" width="582" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jane Pattison, Shakespeare's Peddler</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Light Examplar, 40 count, Lakeside Linen</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Conversion to silks by Attic Needlework</span></i> </div>
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Everything else is pretty quiet here. Spring is here, but barely.
Macon's Cherry Blossom Festival is underway, but the cherry blossoms
haven't really bloomed yet. My tree has just a handful of blossoms.<br />
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That it's for now, and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-19720694134808512132013-03-14T09:41:00.000-04:002013-03-14T13:31:32.711-04:00 Switching blog readers Since Google Reader will soon be no more, I am now using BlogLovin. You can follow my blog and here is the link: <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4983305/?claim=kcvusu5v58z">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>.<br />
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I will have a stitching update soon (I hope!).<br />
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<br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-23826251455798203452013-01-15T12:28:00.002-05:002013-01-15T12:28:58.836-05:00First post of 2013<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did start two samplers on New Year's Day. One was the sampler I chose for the Scarlet Letter challenge, IAMEK Dated 1801, and the other was Jane Pattison. They are in a weekly rotation for for now. I'm still working on the borders of both, so this post isn't too exciting! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZXIy4tWTah2fIqbuqv3pV1kDPw0jKoMB8dY2c4YHE_qrxDs7pYlqtFfOcZsYAsPvKXH-1DBqvnVM27lPENwy1gkpap3Ie5AALcWMP1wKlgqZzSoT35CSdpug1KJ11biKPVFh_4ZZ1wk/s1600/IAMEK+1.15.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZXIy4tWTah2fIqbuqv3pV1kDPw0jKoMB8dY2c4YHE_qrxDs7pYlqtFfOcZsYAsPvKXH-1DBqvnVM27lPENwy1gkpap3Ie5AALcWMP1wKlgqZzSoT35CSdpug1KJ11biKPVFh_4ZZ1wk/s640/IAMEK+1.15.13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">IAMEK Dated 1801, Scarlet Letter</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Unidentified linen, 40 count</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Recommended AVAS threads</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifn2tXTjDqPd37vaKv_Fd_KBTZSGWOlqRmMVAJ8DlEqF7XuE-E8XibzsvRkpfMNw34TH2s2sGp6ORUyDVtE0fcuLNzig7W-O-BoLRVgmq0g0OQwULAKY6uxLZ9CEy8YpNgJyP0i8kSvyc/s1600/jane+p+1.15.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifn2tXTjDqPd37vaKv_Fd_KBTZSGWOlqRmMVAJ8DlEqF7XuE-E8XibzsvRkpfMNw34TH2s2sGp6ORUyDVtE0fcuLNzig7W-O-BoLRVgmq0g0OQwULAKY6uxLZ9CEy8YpNgJyP0i8kSvyc/s640/jane+p+1.15.13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> Jane Pattison, Shakespeare's Peddler</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count, Lakeside Linen</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Silk conversion by Attic Needlework</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a great week!!</span></div>
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<br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-49034804225960747172012-12-29T12:02:00.000-05:002012-12-30T12:19:58.773-05:00Last Update of 2012<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just a quick update to end 2012. I've blogged so little this year, but hopefully 2013 will be different in so many ways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have two New Year's Day starts for 2013. The first is Jane Pattison, and I am very excited to start this one. I love the border of boughs and little motifs scattered outside of the border. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFddhKKBiDnnRro0T-up7jt62n1D_b2JOm_o1w4lpi0QzKMz8HDT7nDrko54xLBoS4oh75Jg93KW5xSuNMEWb3Yru1ZkmtH7QtaOqR_GqplCndOVFgtW7_pcbDKOt9foluWpIPcl9wbvY/s1600/jane+pattison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFddhKKBiDnnRro0T-up7jt62n1D_b2JOm_o1w4lpi0QzKMz8HDT7nDrko54xLBoS4oh75Jg93KW5xSuNMEWb3Yru1ZkmtH7QtaOqR_GqplCndOVFgtW7_pcbDKOt9foluWpIPcl9wbvY/s640/jane+pattison.jpg" width="540" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Jane Pattison, 1806, Shakespeare's Peddler<br />Vintage Light Examplar, 40 Count, Lakeside Linen<br />Conversion to silks by <a href="http://www.atticneedlework.com/" target="_blank">Attic Needlework </a></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My second start will be IAMEK dated 1801. This sampler feels very joyful to me even though the motifs depict serious topics. It looks like Adam and Even are waving hello instead of getting ready to pull apples off the tree. I am stitching this as part of <a href="http://www.scarletletteryear.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nicola's Scarlet Letter Challenge</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlftgi28z9BCtMl1l5sYTt6_evIApv0We76jTrrLxWiRlvFEozGAme0D_kFsr_5Dbe3-4eVdWrUPTbKWh5cCIj62WMrWUbazBtQ88wdre1U-YDNy1XcA7nqE5thvtYbFjYuBBjo84rj2w/s1600/iamek+kitted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlftgi28z9BCtMl1l5sYTt6_evIApv0We76jTrrLxWiRlvFEozGAme0D_kFsr_5Dbe3-4eVdWrUPTbKWh5cCIj62WMrWUbazBtQ88wdre1U-YDNy1XcA7nqE5thvtYbFjYuBBjo84rj2w/s640/iamek+kitted.jpg" width="528" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>IAMEK Dated 1801, Scarlet Letter</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Vintage Sand Dune, 40 count, Lakeside Linens</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Recommended AVAS threads</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've also been working on Sara Elizabeth Brooke by The Scarlett House, and am about done with the top third of the brick house. I should have a picture of that progress in my next blog post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wish each of you a very happy and blessed New Year!</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1443464855"></span><span id="goog_1443464856"></span><br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-83383384613809297172012-12-07T09:53:00.003-05:002012-12-07T10:36:20.039-05:00Catching up <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">December again and time to reflect and plan in between all of the holiday activities! This year found me in a round of stitching and blogging slumps that I hope to leave behind me as I look forward to 2013. I have so many wonderful samplers and small pieces in line to stitch that I need to leave those slumps in 2012.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Although I planned not to commit to any stitching deadlines or commitments, when I heard about <a href="http://scarletletteryear.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year challenge</a>, I decided to join. I love the spirit of the challenge and that there are no regularly scheduled requirements to meet. It sounded like just the thing for 2013. What a great way for Nicola to celebrate turning 50!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a sweet little Christmas ornament I stitched. It is the first design of three in the collection, which I hope to finish in 2013.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLP9umWDQtMJERcQJFnFZWE1ixIurqy2JYHLuRfD7St6xxeMUdUMKz5HhowFbahwn9ZxPGJLMtaIfS9Q1pJXoENLrrFxTVWyYF4VSwFSQk1_FE61njEqAIUZR2aHAMwK5TKuUDmT4o7nU/s1600/133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLP9umWDQtMJERcQJFnFZWE1ixIurqy2JYHLuRfD7St6xxeMUdUMKz5HhowFbahwn9ZxPGJLMtaIfS9Q1pJXoENLrrFxTVWyYF4VSwFSQk1_FE61njEqAIUZR2aHAMwK5TKuUDmT4o7nU/s320/133.JPG" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Christmas is Coming, Plum Street Samplers</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count LL</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just a little bit left to finish on this Halloween/fall design.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCyXosR2BWH6efVgPWf9TRArfOri5NcxOGD9ZVrNuEdSttFUVlgZHgYqtthVZ-l7E1EMeQlroPHBl0kYNMECQ3qK6vHE2yJbVahkQ18SOGvAV247AXG_rgQvEgOWpuT_-tfsDT3jQc_Y/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCyXosR2BWH6efVgPWf9TRArfOri5NcxOGD9ZVrNuEdSttFUVlgZHgYqtthVZ-l7E1EMeQlroPHBl0kYNMECQ3qK6vHE2yJbVahkQ18SOGvAV247AXG_rgQvEgOWpuT_-tfsDT3jQc_Y/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is my progress on Mary Gibson. I love this sampler even though I've frogged too much of it! It's also my first A&E.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kwB_zKsGGbElB9pvBgLraPoxHwfdhY_dDzjOHPB_GGPfe1clUMtKad0Ogb1UbQwDllP2nI1d5OUeqV2QKCqub6smZdIi6STyuPZUzXc_850HvFkJ_ZmztDIgqPOzRG9N715RQc-FtjA/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kwB_zKsGGbElB9pvBgLraPoxHwfdhY_dDzjOHPB_GGPfe1clUMtKad0Ogb1UbQwDllP2nI1d5OUeqV2QKCqub6smZdIi6STyuPZUzXc_850HvFkJ_ZmztDIgqPOzRG9N715RQc-FtjA/s400/024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Mary Gibson's 1824 Sampler, Haslemere Educational Museum</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Vintage Pecan Butter, 40 count, LL</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I need a break from Mary Gibson, I pick up Sarah Elizabeth. The colors and whimsy of this sampler always make me smile when I pull it out of the WIP basket. What an imagination Sara E. must have had. I love the little lady with her hands on her hips, although I'm not quite sure what is going on with her hair and mouth! You can't tell, but I did iron this piece - very stubborn wrinkles! The colors are much prettier in real life, too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sarah Elizabeth Brooke, The Scarlett House</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Vintage Light Examplar, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">40 count </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">LL</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Recommended Crescent threads</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That is pretty much everything for now. I hope you have a great weekend!</span></div>
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Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-35267742816921937222012-01-02T13:00:00.000-05:002012-01-11T15:10:08.886-05:00A New Year, New Starts and WIPocalypseHopefully everyone had a safe and fun holiday season. I think it went by breathlessly fast, but I am excited the new year is here and underway. I look forward to the opportunities, blessings and challenges I know are on their way.<br />
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New Year's Day was thankfully a quiet one here. Friends from New Mexico visited. We enjoyed watching movies, eating our traditional black-eyed pea soup, collards and cornbread, and, of course, stitching! I had two New Year's Day starts this year, Sarah Elizabeth Brooke and Mary Gibson.<br />
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I love the colors in Miss Brooke's sampler! I think it will be beautiful hanging in my dining room. This picture really doesn't do it justice. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFBdG3CtaMBI0rcPrrXCA31UPoxBvBhFk5f3Bmop8Ef-aWhmJv3706LV0S5o4fIXetGeLEggJWUPfVPukgj1K6MtnoGYXjT60r5VxEIgB0as6XwwEeXC3AM_gem-Tr_6pP538hijzLgU/s1600/Sarah+Elizabeth+Brooke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFBdG3CtaMBI0rcPrrXCA31UPoxBvBhFk5f3Bmop8Ef-aWhmJv3706LV0S5o4fIXetGeLEggJWUPfVPukgj1K6MtnoGYXjT60r5VxEIgB0as6XwwEeXC3AM_gem-Tr_6pP538hijzLgU/s400/Sarah+Elizabeth+Brooke.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Sarah Elizabeth Brooke, The Scarlett House</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>40 count Vintage Light Examplar, Lakeside Linen</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Recommended Crescent Colours</i></span></div>
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Next is a beautiful sampler from the <a href="http://www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk/mgsc.html" target="_blank">Haslemere Museum</a> in England. The colors are so pretty and lively! I did a conversion to Needlepoint Silks, so my colors are a little different than as charted. Of course you can't tell that yet as I'm still on the black border. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQxBh8swsnnQD0CrlZQktYQdWWuiRi3hyU_E_io33HFcZIaTg9CoqoRpDTHgnbdZOCdSDFlajnqlDWtq5Z-3KXBorhiy7XOPvOrfj7yfSJz9aOSCkqHRr89XVwZZpM6AdouQM-Jv7GxY/s1600/Mary+Gibson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQxBh8swsnnQD0CrlZQktYQdWWuiRi3hyU_E_io33HFcZIaTg9CoqoRpDTHgnbdZOCdSDFlajnqlDWtq5Z-3KXBorhiy7XOPvOrfj7yfSJz9aOSCkqHRr89XVwZZpM6AdouQM-Jv7GxY/s400/Mary+Gibson.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mary Gibson's 1824 Sampler, Haslemere Educational Museum</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">40 count Vintage Pecan Butter, Lakeside Linen</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Conversion to Needlepoint Silks</span></i></div>
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Here is my progress on Isabella Johnstone. Really, this is fun to stitch and I love the colors with this fabric.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiC3-zAw1QQBkYRrXA0JN1mT5SoiTpUQH-pfUjUsFsYbUgNLQ7sDMNpRIohwEwT1JTZDKagF7mtsPaiSqQ2XoO7Vx2M4_JBAIAeLTx-3viiAg-1OU4XN4Ppy5NBKqm0cMYrR6Hrsae48/s1600/Isabella+Johnstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiC3-zAw1QQBkYRrXA0JN1mT5SoiTpUQH-pfUjUsFsYbUgNLQ7sDMNpRIohwEwT1JTZDKagF7mtsPaiSqQ2XoO7Vx2M4_JBAIAeLTx-3viiAg-1OU4XN4Ppy5NBKqm0cMYrR6Hrsae48/s640/Isabella+Johnstone.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Isabella Johnstone, Summer 2010 SANQ</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">40 count Almond Creme, Tree of Life Samplings</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> DMC</span></div>
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I apologize for picture quality. I would blame it on the lack of sunlight, but I think it really has something to do with the photographer's skills ...<br />
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I signed up for the <a href="http://measi.net/measiblog/2011/08/28/4814/" target="_blank">2012 WIPocalypse</a>. I liked the flexibility of the challenge and think (hope!) it will help me finish more projects this year. There are a lot of projects I would love to finish this year, as well as several new ones I would like to add. I'm sure this list will be revised more than once! My list is <a href="http://belechereneedlework.blogspot.com/p/2012-wipocalypse.html" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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I look forward to seeing your stitching and reading your blogs this year!<br />
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Thank you for stopping by!<br />
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<br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-19268589130960926002011-12-09T07:49:00.001-05:002011-12-09T10:14:38.998-05:00All Is CalmSurprisingly, it is calm even though I am in a flurry of shopping, wrapping, decorating and baking! I love this time of year and it is going by too, too fast. <br />
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My first completed ornament of the year is this sweet design from Little by Little. I've always liked it and it was a fun stitch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRKngaaUSmAIlXC8mvzfMq03UqwBnbWxzlQ4Ep6IB6DdClueJFcyp5QbHOAAdS4v3pq2k_B4QRQRbMw-5YFG6iOVzhjvzKh8vx_BKnsAhepzzH3pT1DesD0FgpEi3KS4lUtDviAbMjOE/s1600/aic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRKngaaUSmAIlXC8mvzfMq03UqwBnbWxzlQ4Ep6IB6DdClueJFcyp5QbHOAAdS4v3pq2k_B4QRQRbMw-5YFG6iOVzhjvzKh8vx_BKnsAhepzzH3pT1DesD0FgpEi3KS4lUtDviAbMjOE/s1600/aic+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>All Is Calm, Little by Little</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lakeside Linen Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>conversion to GAST, WDW and Thread Gather SNC</i></span></div>
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My other Christmas project is started and probably won't be finished this year. I love the color of this thread. It feels Christmas-y to me and is nice to work with on chilly nights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SWZnJ_jiE1u0T6B51UBilwVZOqH7t9pirvknT4QUe7nahyphenhyphenoOk714QmUHUEI6AIliWKmjU8OVcryJ9wgJDHMMrDn6yVwm9FFkZwlFCsYNREgEpi1sZC0hXMvuFBJDi78Rekj589DjW0Y/s1600/chs+quaker+cms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SWZnJ_jiE1u0T6B51UBilwVZOqH7t9pirvknT4QUe7nahyphenhyphenoOk714QmUHUEI6AIliWKmjU8OVcryJ9wgJDHMMrDn6yVwm9FFkZwlFCsYNREgEpi1sZC0hXMvuFBJDi78Rekj589DjW0Y/s400/chs+quaker+cms.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Quaker Christmas Sampler, Carriage House Samplings</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lakeside Linen, Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Gloriana silk, Schoolhouse Red</i></span></div>
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Little Miss Miriam is finished and ready to be framed. I was a little sad to finish stitching her because I loved the spirit of the sampler and enjoyed working with these colors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsRH0SnfnWUtbCH25sKs3KzOeuqnRSGChXGcpTAQE8zl77xw1sO6y_nMjqIUo6gyLIPwalDsH_mEeGpU6iYN9ECZmxm3shGcoTmRFRZeldYGE6GAEnv-PbKk57fZx9F9VxhvS6BVvl6Q/s1600/Miriam+C+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsRH0SnfnWUtbCH25sKs3KzOeuqnRSGChXGcpTAQE8zl77xw1sO6y_nMjqIUo6gyLIPwalDsH_mEeGpU6iYN9ECZmxm3shGcoTmRFRZeldYGE6GAEnv-PbKk57fZx9F9VxhvS6BVvl6Q/s640/Miriam+C+1.jpg" width="560" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Miriam Chilvers 1833, Samplers Remembered</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lakeside Linen, Vintage Maritime White, 40 count</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>AVAS silks </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">My newest start is (finally!) Isabella Johnstone from the Summer 2010 issue of SANQ. I absolutely love the linen I am using. It's a gorgeous color and the picture just doesn't do it justice at all. It's dyed by Jan of <a href="http://treeoflilfesamplings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tree of Life Samplings</a> and is called Almond Creme<span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmWO-bzVPyYYzv0BmGBKZ8vRNLWVNHN9SAeIkfYCSJEjV4AgmRHjmP8wc2VNKkh9oUZIeZWFAyjcpBYwWkIPDlmDV-E7D5tLV5gaR6k_D94p4TQR-u6YDx6F8p2-DgEFSFcCeJi7XD0I/s1600/ij+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmWO-bzVPyYYzv0BmGBKZ8vRNLWVNHN9SAeIkfYCSJEjV4AgmRHjmP8wc2VNKkh9oUZIeZWFAyjcpBYwWkIPDlmDV-E7D5tLV5gaR6k_D94p4TQR-u6YDx6F8p2-DgEFSFcCeJi7XD0I/s400/ij+1.jpg" width="385" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1854 Isabella Johnstone Sampler, SANQ Summer 2010</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tree of Life Samplings, Almond Creme, 40 count</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DMC threads</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Although the leaves are now almost gone from our trees, I wanted to share this picture I took at the end of November. This is the view from my study window and if I'm at my desk working I can look down our driveway. I love this view because it changes often and I can just see a few of the pink rosebushes and our crepe myrtle we planted earlier this year. </span><i> </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zx3WY2nvmQEDKOAuxlogin5iTveul96F1ogCvwYW4ZBYZyL_bZxXNGXiRRqvhaPuRSmlca0Vrw47n1kjQgPMlVlH-5BvtcPHVffJH5Z-60Gq6It2C2fG5E6iS-98HJ3Gb_xQaB0rqe8/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zx3WY2nvmQEDKOAuxlogin5iTveul96F1ogCvwYW4ZBYZyL_bZxXNGXiRRqvhaPuRSmlca0Vrw47n1kjQgPMlVlH-5BvtcPHVffJH5Z-60Gq6It2C2fG5E6iS-98HJ3Gb_xQaB0rqe8/s400/013.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Miss Kitty loves the front porch, too. She keeps watch for anything that moves from her command post. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3ZmFm3UC8CLM3XW-KQe3FfQsCymAW2h7pCOJKGQKEzcX70TF0oUzQDWRJjTW5VF1rlwbhY6lNc3KKBwMH46Hl5LIErCYIGmlQoNHgXEm6RLCmVjaLO58v9VFrDlrHtqTWfZu0wvL-Sw/s1600/misskittyonporch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3ZmFm3UC8CLM3XW-KQe3FfQsCymAW2h7pCOJKGQKEzcX70TF0oUzQDWRJjTW5VF1rlwbhY6lNc3KKBwMH46Hl5LIErCYIGmlQoNHgXEm6RLCmVjaLO58v9VFrDlrHtqTWfZu0wvL-Sw/s400/misskittyonporch.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When she's had enough of the view from the front porch, she will often grace me with her presence in my study and take a little nap on the loveseat.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JtY_XacWDCdwOlmun_ASRMgTx-V96vw6mjvNAl0K_mGPuHjJ75Fo6ASJd3WW6yjuREdCV6S04-3IiKnnHojmGEs9B_F9jO6r5R1kASSrYx_T1pAQ4A_eFaQC8P2BOA7X129iWNJ-1C4/s1600/misskittyonstudyloveseat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JtY_XacWDCdwOlmun_ASRMgTx-V96vw6mjvNAl0K_mGPuHjJ75Fo6ASJd3WW6yjuREdCV6S04-3IiKnnHojmGEs9B_F9jO6r5R1kASSrYx_T1pAQ4A_eFaQC8P2BOA7X129iWNJ-1C4/s400/misskittyonstudyloveseat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for visiting today. I hope you all have a great weekend!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-38768163209151721152011-10-25T18:03:00.000-04:002011-10-25T18:08:45.601-04:00<br />
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What a busy few months have passed since my last post! I am very grateful that summer is gone and fall is here. I absolutely love everything about this time of year. </div>
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I only have little bit to talk about on the stitching front. The little patriotic design Eagle by Sheepish Designs is now finished. It really was a fun stitch!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMtlyBSGRJyMYlJ3TpTcePjAT0ZoksOrbHU2JxbDwnixLvEbasyPo52TiPCzgtIiYlREs4d2HZt6UYTH4Kgp7Vb-0TCxCE0RDxifmi8Nec33acSe1Wtg78i_efrFjyuFPoTiYpOxZE0Y/s1600/sd+eagles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMtlyBSGRJyMYlJ3TpTcePjAT0ZoksOrbHU2JxbDwnixLvEbasyPo52TiPCzgtIiYlREs4d2HZt6UYTH4Kgp7Vb-0TCxCE0RDxifmi8Nec33acSe1Wtg78i_efrFjyuFPoTiYpOxZE0Y/s400/sd+eagles.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Eagle, Sheepish Designs</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">40 count Antique Cotton, R&R</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Recommended overdyed and DMC threads</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My current project is Miriam Chilver's Sampler 1833. I was so drawn to this design stitched by nine year old Miriam. The little girl/lady's curly hair seems to underscore the irrepressible joy of the sampler itself. When I look at it, I think of a child dressed in new party clothes who barely stands still long enough to have a picture taken before the child off and running.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It would interesting to know if the girl/young lady that Miriam included in her sampler is a representation of herself or someone else she knew. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> I love the colors in the design, too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1ahe1MVexzRqSif6R6k6ul_wzidyv14ECtkPLFLlJCKiQ8LgmVOyZdi7323OI2oMVthrH3o6Ey_khYaW30APju6IpC7P9ebJZxvwPj-OlrB_No2UNwAvhdb514pc5VzPusz6CJdNjWg/s1600/1+mc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1ahe1MVexzRqSif6R6k6ul_wzidyv14ECtkPLFLlJCKiQ8LgmVOyZdi7323OI2oMVthrH3o6Ey_khYaW30APju6IpC7P9ebJZxvwPj-OlrB_No2UNwAvhdb514pc5VzPusz6CJdNjWg/s640/1+mc.jpg" width="536" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miriam Chilver's Sampler 1833, Samplers Remembered</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">40 count Vintage Maritime White, Lakeside Linens</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Recommended AVAS</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">My daughter and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with friends this year. She ran and I walked. The race had about 1,000 more participants than last and year and raised $25,000 over goal! Here's my wonderful daughter before lining up to run. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Georgia National Fair was also this month so we made our annual trip for corn dogs and peach cobbler with ice cream. Thank goodness fair food is a once a year thing!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's always fun to tour the exhibit halls, especially the art and needlework exhibits. It was surprising how few cross stitch entries there were. Here are a few things that especially caught my eye. </span></span></span></div>
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That's it for now. Thank you for stopping by to visit. Have a great rest of the week!</div>
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<br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-7378485088465082312011-07-10T18:08:00.000-04:002011-07-10T18:08:30.990-04:00summer stitching<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJRkAfufKCKxB1k4ckN51wy6gVqYHaW03hDqtxbV1OTvt9LtLB5XNlc4Ea3c-JgFJh_yoYVkNWItnjwMlUMWs3TB-cnAaIzTBkcGGf1tesjG0m5HB-XcZ37hY2DVxiupxHIPESVInNvo/s1600/012.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a>Summer is definitely here in all of its very hot and humid glory! I hope you have had a fun summer so far. We are spending more time in the air conditioning rather than playing outside. More stitching time! <br />
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Here's a little finish, 1863 Honfleur Sampler originally stitched by Lucie Beharel. It's from the Summer 2011 <i>SANQ </i>magazine. I know I've said it before, but whenever I work on a reproduction sampler, I always wonder about the stitcher. It was especially so with this sampler as Lucie and I apparently share the same faith. It was very moving to think that over 200 years ago she was celebrating her faith the same way I do today.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJRkAfufKCKxB1k4ckN51wy6gVqYHaW03hDqtxbV1OTvt9LtLB5XNlc4Ea3c-JgFJh_yoYVkNWItnjwMlUMWs3TB-cnAaIzTBkcGGf1tesjG0m5HB-XcZ37hY2DVxiupxHIPESVInNvo/s1600/012.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJRkAfufKCKxB1k4ckN51wy6gVqYHaW03hDqtxbV1OTvt9LtLB5XNlc4Ea3c-JgFJh_yoYVkNWItnjwMlUMWs3TB-cnAaIzTBkcGGf1tesjG0m5HB-XcZ37hY2DVxiupxHIPESVInNvo/s640/012.JPG" width="434" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">1863 Honfleur Sampler, SANQ magazine</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lakeside Linen 40 count Vintage Light Examplar</span></i></div><br />
Sheepish Design's Eagle is my patriotic piece this year. I've had a lot of fun stitching this design! I think the fabric, patchwork motifs, and the little scalloped border really give it a vintage feel.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60dzm-8Wjc12qKLzQ0F1Ra2EivNsVqdPlnpNMOtu1wesEmCCp8vuWsExjbU9j7ouF2KaKqQ_B7sN8Kyyjf_Wv98rY2C1mTBez7Pl9o39PtXiVNCTM8ejoiAIOwWKzYysgGpaMcuvnsRM/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60dzm-8Wjc12qKLzQ0F1Ra2EivNsVqdPlnpNMOtu1wesEmCCp8vuWsExjbU9j7ouF2KaKqQ_B7sN8Kyyjf_Wv98rY2C1mTBez7Pl9o39PtXiVNCTM8ejoiAIOwWKzYysgGpaMcuvnsRM/s640/025.JPG" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Eagle, Sheepish Designs</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>R/R 40 count Antique Cotton, recommended threads</i></span></div><br />
This sampler has been on my to stitch list for some time. When I first saw it I thought of my own daughter when she was little. She was forever bringing me wildflowers, especially very tiny flowers that grew close to the ground. I also have collection of tiny, round, smooth stones she would find for me. The little girl on the sampler represents my own little girl, who turned 21 this summer (!). I added her initials and put her hands on her hips!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>From His Hand, Plum Street Samplers</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>40 count Vintage Maritime White, Lakeside Linens </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>NPI threads</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">This is picture of her from about the same time she was bringing flowers and small stones. She loved that hat and those pink sunglasses!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I love my stash. I love to go through my WIPs, kitted and not touched projects, and stacks of charts. It makes me happy and I love almost everything in it, but it makes me want to stitch everything at once. I was playing in my WIPs and came across Kind Fond Love and realized I missed it! So I pulled it out, added a couple of motifs, finished the large part of the house, and restitched the off-centered pot and birds. The color of the house bothers me though, and I'll probably redo it at some point. I'll see how it feels when I get closer to being done. If you're susceptible to vertigo, you may want to skip this picture. It was taken at an angle to try and capture all of it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi769W8MGOpXAJn-sKBfxZ7ykjglES-d5eua0_EM0AEJu_Icl9yJfVnJDVR0K7T9yMQTtCn9cH7AjzlTa2ucQPM6adywDL-EpFUp5RsvAw8u4wwGt9CX5URYIt67WtaMyD5YIBlbU0nj9M/s1600/019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi769W8MGOpXAJn-sKBfxZ7ykjglES-d5eua0_EM0AEJu_Icl9yJfVnJDVR0K7T9yMQTtCn9cH7AjzlTa2ucQPM6adywDL-EpFUp5RsvAw8u4wwGt9CX5URYIt67WtaMyD5YIBlbU0nj9M/s400/019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>KFL, Sampler Company</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>40 count Maritime White, Lakeside Linens</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">NPI conversion</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
A closer view.<br />
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</i></span></div>In case you were wondering, Miss Kitty and Cooper are still around. Cooper has really grown and is about 75 pounds now. He is one loud and messy dog with a huge heart and not a mean bone in his body. Here he is watching the ducks at the lake.<br />
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I have a little white table with two chairs that sits outside my office window. Joe and I like to sit there and have a cup of coffee weekend mornings, or an end of the day beverage in the afternoon if the weather's nice. Miss Kitty has claimed it as one of her favorite lounging spots. She can keep an eye on me while I work and one eye on the lookout for lizards that scurry across the porch.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQaAaKRfoAWwxi20Ene5hNXsLCr5BhoxRhFgtgqZx5Q4WLHJ3XOk_5B5_rL5txMlS3OmXUzmjhhahYtVMVK1sdsHr1fJ5sLFaJQAWhSENYTOB4jtfeO_lvK2tKqvTHATZniC8-XyVsqc/s1600/IMG00230-20110406-1601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQaAaKRfoAWwxi20Ene5hNXsLCr5BhoxRhFgtgqZx5Q4WLHJ3XOk_5B5_rL5txMlS3OmXUzmjhhahYtVMVK1sdsHr1fJ5sLFaJQAWhSENYTOB4jtfeO_lvK2tKqvTHATZniC8-XyVsqc/s320/IMG00230-20110406-1601.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miss Kitty</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it! Have a great week!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-40160827846097609102011-03-10T17:45:00.001-05:002011-03-11T09:32:40.555-05:00virtue plantedMy first finish of 2011 is my New Year's Day start - Plant Virtue. What a happy little design with a positive message. I thought a lot about the virtues I would like to, or probably should, plant during 2011.<br /><br />My favorite stitching bits in this sampler were the jaunty rooster, the cheerful sun and those pretty flowers. While working on the rooster, I remembered a book that I used to read to my DD when she was little. For the life of me, I cannot remember the title, but it was about a little rooster whose job it was to wake up the world every morning. Time spent going to the library with my DD and reading every day are really some of my favorite memories.<br /><br />Least favorite stitching parts were the bricks and mortar. I also didn't notice until I finished it that the lower right window is off by one stitch. I wonder if I had noticed it on the chart before I stitched if I would correct or leave it!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5515956662/" title="Goode Huswife - Plant Virtue by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5015/5515956662_8b1a266303.jpg" alt="Goode Huswife - Plant Virtue" width="500" height="459" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Goode Huswife - Plant Virtue</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">R&R 40 count linen, mystery color</span><br /></div><br />Here are the other things I've been stitching. I tried to do a different design each of the first 15 days in January. Seriously, it made me nervous! I'm still working on my list of 15, but have changed the fabric on a couple of them and am still considering swapping some out for other pieces. I'm not posting photos of those designs where I've just stitched a snippet of a border.<br /><br />A little design to honor my sweet husband and our marriage of many years. Not a good picture at all - the colors aren't true; it's really much prettier in real life. One of my goals for this year is to learn how to take better pictures!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5515886688/" title="Goode Huswife Quaker Marriage Sampler by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5515886688_7623706098.jpg" alt="Goode Huswife Quaker Marriage Sampler" width="400" height="337" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Goode Huswife - Quaker Marriage Sampler</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lakeside Linen, 40 count Vintage Light Examplar</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Needlepoint Silk 635</span></span><br /></div><br />I am in love with almost every one of Blackbird Design's Rewards of Merit. Here is Bluebird, and I hope it's the bluebird of happiness and will hang around for awhile. It did take a little adjusting to get used to working on 30 count fabric, but I like texture of fabric and thread for this piece.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5515533521/" title="BBD Reward of Merit - Bluebird by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5515533521_2aaf42ddf5.jpg" alt="BBD Reward of Merit - Bluebird" width="475" height="295" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Blackbird Designs - Bluebird Reward of Merit</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >R&R 30 count Cafe Kona (I think)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I've always thought that Dainty Housewren was a quaint and charming little design so I'm glad I decided to stitch it this year. Here is my start, which looks a lot like the noose/tree in the Hangman word game we used to play as kids. For some unknown reason, I started this with the tree instead of the border; hopefully I've counted correctly! Maybe I was getting tired of stitching borders.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5515228071/" title="IMG_0690 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5515228071_721bc80faa.jpg" alt="IMG_0690" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /></div></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Carriage House Samplings - Dainty Housewren</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lakeside Linen 40 count Vintage Light Examplar<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I also started a reproduction sampler by Muriel Brunet and was halfway through the left upper quadrant when I realized I had ordered the wrong size fabric! That's what I get for not stitching at least the width and length of the border. I'm not posting a picture, although I loved stitching the red alphabet - it's just too painful! </span><br /><br />I don't want sign off without taking a moment to remember Lisa. She was a very upbeat person, encouraging, modest, creative, supportive, funny. She loved primitives, old graveyards with interesting stones, horses, reading, her VW bug, Halloween, but she especially loved and was so proud of her family. I think about her quite a bit when I stitch, as I'm sure many of you do. I was very glad to know her the little bit I did.<br /><br />Have a good week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-60197922360222886312011-03-01T17:16:00.003-05:002011-03-01T17:25:49.750-05:00Remembering Lisa - a generous, creative and lovely person ...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAoidnb-DLIvzKi2v0t5BMr04OiJ8e45u9VLKTvuEu5Jxtn5zTrIB7tykHJSKmbq7ef4rBM_yTHjh_xfHWUlh78OjLt7vR47qDzQmtGsWNWAfRIn-NuDvw4m8aYlmUA9-Qu6aYHsvo_I/s1600/SS%25236-1-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAoidnb-DLIvzKi2v0t5BMr04OiJ8e45u9VLKTvuEu5Jxtn5zTrIB7tykHJSKmbq7ef4rBM_yTHjh_xfHWUlh78OjLt7vR47qDzQmtGsWNWAfRIn-NuDvw4m8aYlmUA9-Qu6aYHsvo_I/s400/SS%25236-1-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579239407105265138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Lisa Roswell<br />Sampler Sisters of the Thread<br />The Primitive NeedleDonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-50249787638999385062011-01-08T15:48:00.013-05:002011-01-08T18:58:38.359-05:00<span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >Happy New Year to my stitching friends! I hope everyone had safe and joyful holidays. I'm glad a new year lies ahead and I look forward to seeing what it brings. A new year is a hopeful thing.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" ><br />"Hope smiles on the threshold of the year to come, whispering that it will be better." - Alfred Lord Tennyson</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >I'm excited about the Crazy January Challenge. Half the fun was digging through stash, makings lists and more lists, and pulling supplies together, and reading how other stitchers were mapping out the challenge to meet their personal goals. Not only that, but this challenge has really motivated me to work on those charts I've wanted to stitch for awhile. Each night while I stitch I always wonder about all the other stitchers around the world stitching for the very same challenge. So, here are my chosen 15, appearing in alphabetical order:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;">Alphabet Sampler - BOAF<br />Bluebird Reward of Merit - Blackbird Designs<br />Christmas Angel Ornaments - BOAF<br />Counting Magpies - BOAF<br />Dainty Housewren - Carriage House Samplings<br />Eagle - Sheepish Designs<br />From His Hand - Plum Street Samplers<br />Hornbook Angel - Primitive Needle<br />Il Etait Une Fois ... Demain - Muriel Brunet<br />Penny Angel - Primitive Needle<br />Plant Virtue - Goode Huswife<br />Prairie Schooler - Parrot in a Cage (from Forget-Me-Nots)<br />Quaker Christmas Samplers - Carriage House Samplings<br />Quaker Marriage Sampler - Good Huswife<br />Waiting for the Harvest Reward of Merit - Blackbird Designs</div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >My NY Day start was Plant Virtue, which I should surely make a point of doing. So far I've also worked on Quaker Marriage Sampler, Waiting for the Harvest, Bluebird, Il Etait, Hornbook Angel, and Quaker Christmas Samplers. I would show pictures but I would be boring you with shots of only borders.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >Middle Georgia is expecting snow and ice on Sunday and Monday. Woohoo! The grocery store was packed this afternoon in true Southern style - a prediction of one inch of snow will pack the aisles and empty out the shelves. I hope it does snow as long as we can keep our electricity. We have lots of firewood, a gas grill and my grandmama's little perculator coffee pot. Oh, and a stocked wine shelf. I can stitch for hours!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >No stitching pictures, but I'll leave you with images from my few days in the Charleston area. DH's sister and BIL invited us to their Charleston place for New Year's. It was a lot of fun and much different than my trips in earlier years (think bathing suits and coolers ...). This was a "grownup trip," more or less. Pictures are of things that caught my eye and that I had time to shoot while out and about: the oldest Catholic church in the Carolinas and Georgia, lunch at a restaurant in what was once an old church, Folly Beach and the Polar Plunge on Folly Beach. We were always on the go and had a great time, but we did get in our blackeyed peas and collards on New Year's Day so the money should be rolling in this year. As I said earlier, a new year is a hopeful thing!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjf07D3v08ynPLDNKsVPosWNOyaIgGI_MTZjbtbNLbUtE8_O6Orw_Ll9Ed6pMGNZpCbPXHkv-MAKPzPgJ8eOX48Us0E3a3w3G0dRXlF4v4Ii0mG25Em-bbQZVKf5Qqw_HdSXMHLSeV20/s1600/mosaic1340b32c2f5502d9893fc18838ac55c77d1eb4c7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjf07D3v08ynPLDNKsVPosWNOyaIgGI_MTZjbtbNLbUtE8_O6Orw_Ll9Ed6pMGNZpCbPXHkv-MAKPzPgJ8eOX48Us0E3a3w3G0dRXlF4v4Ii0mG25Em-bbQZVKf5Qqw_HdSXMHLSeV20/s400/mosaic1340b32c2f5502d9893fc18838ac55c77d1eb4c7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559962985350669970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO84oUN1zQt2yXH1IchCIla2VT4bBSbDFgAeDsdSAYvHAUAyQu27yy0fy9WcefHe0FjMwms_WneO_p4UEQ7Q8_HSiDl_IuGBNnXqiNSsPk1NDssj7aVh3nwfdjBbUfUQvdOuDZBGCzj3s/s1600/mosaica14a25a878fdbd54dfcc90839c7b94a973c2f2d8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO84oUN1zQt2yXH1IchCIla2VT4bBSbDFgAeDsdSAYvHAUAyQu27yy0fy9WcefHe0FjMwms_WneO_p4UEQ7Q8_HSiDl_IuGBNnXqiNSsPk1NDssj7aVh3nwfdjBbUfUQvdOuDZBGCzj3s/s400/mosaica14a25a878fdbd54dfcc90839c7b94a973c2f2d8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559967999770230274" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >Have a great weekend!</span>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-50262887039665311452010-12-24T09:23:00.012-05:002010-12-26T12:50:18.414-05:00Just a few moments of quiet time after Christmas activities! This blog was actually started on Christmas Eve, but I ran out of time. I hope each of you had a joyful Christmas season, and that your hearts and homes were filled with those things that bring you happiness. We have had a lot of fun sharing meals and time at our church with family and friends.<br /><br />BBD's Merry Christmas was finished just in time:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5293809372/" title="IMG_0372 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5125/5293809372_f205a027eb.jpg" alt="IMG_0372" width="425" height="375" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Merry Christmas, Blackbird Designs</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">30 count Sheep's Straw</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">R&R Reproductions</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">recommended threads</span></span><br /></div><br />I was able to squeeze in a few minutes here and there to work on two small Christmas designs. I hope to finish them before the end of the year.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5293796202/" title="Let Nature Sing by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5293796202_f8a4a88ddb.jpg" alt="Let Nature Sing" width="413" height="420" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >And Nature Sing, Little by Little</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >35 count Straw, Weeks</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >DMC, GAST and Crescent threads</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5293118317/" title="Christmas Night by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5293118317_8257c2851e.jpg" alt="Christmas Night" width="420" height="375" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Christmas Night, Chartmakers</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >40 count Black Forest, Lakeside Linen</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >conversion to NPI threads</span><br /></div><br />The rest of the stitching year will be spent finishing both Christmas pieces and kitting the 15 projects chosen for the 2011 challenge!<br /><br />Have a great week!Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-43347466887757688522010-11-29T13:09:00.010-05:002010-11-29T16:27:35.170-05:00I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was quieter than usual, but still lots of fun. This time of year is the best. I love cooking with family and friends, or even by myself and just puttering around in my kitchen. Sitting in my favorite stitching spot and watching the leaves fall outside. They look like bits of gold spinning in the air as they fall.<br /><br />In a moment of temporary insanity I signed up for Minna's <a href="http://minnanharrastukset.blogspot.com/2010/11/ristipistohassutus2011.html">Crazy January Challenge 2011</a>. No, seriously, it sounds like a lot of fun and I enjoyed rummaging through my stash for a list of my 15 projects, and it's encouraging me to work on those charts I've had for awhile that are kitted or partially kitted. If I finish close to that number I'll be happy.<br /><br />I pulled out Blackbird Design's Merry Christmas from the WIP basket and started working on it. The greens in the holly leaf border were almost identical, so I took out part of the border and changed one of the greens. I hope to finish it this week.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5219035404/" title="Merry Christmas by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5219035404_876f48c675.jpg" alt="Merry Christmas" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Merry Christmas, Blackbird Designs </span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">30 count Sheep's Straw</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">R&R Reproductions</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">recommended threads</span></span><br /></div><br />Jenny Bean's Halloween did not get finished this year and is now put away until next year's Halloween stitching. It seems like I did a lot of miscounting/frogging on this piece. Here is what I did accomplish.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5219108352/" title="Jenny Bean's Halloween by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5219108352_044408cece.jpg" alt="Jenny Bean's Halloween" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Jenny Bean's Halloween, Shakespeare's Peddler<br /></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">40 count Vintage Light Examplar</span>, </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Lakeside Linen </span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">recommended threads</span></span><br /></div><br />I was also able to add a few stitches to BBD's Bird in Hand and would like to wrap it up this week, too, if the schedule stays fairly calm.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5219000650/" title="Bird in Hand, BBD by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5219000650_1c9a210659.jpg" alt="Bird in Hand, BBD" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bird in Hand , Blackbird Designs </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">30 count Irish Cream , R&R Reproductions</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pomegranate, GAST</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Mr. Cooper during our walk this morning. Do not be fooled by his calm and well mannered appearance! He had just finished chasing Miss Kitty up a tree.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCVRgoX_AL_t9QsI7ymQI8yVFKlYjdS9uRaMd_kOSyh9gCnfXZeUFgkeGVT7SmBDQf6_hKmXx3OjMkADaLWUAe46Xlo4nG7MZBmaJzOePJblgyS_tact0nEOh8nWvrMtRwaxpDk-Opfo/s1600/IMG00036-20101129-0854.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 356px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCVRgoX_AL_t9QsI7ymQI8yVFKlYjdS9uRaMd_kOSyh9gCnfXZeUFgkeGVT7SmBDQf6_hKmXx3OjMkADaLWUAe46Xlo4nG7MZBmaJzOePJblgyS_tact0nEOh8nWvrMtRwaxpDk-Opfo/s400/IMG00036-20101129-0854.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545047774051704434" border="0" /></a><br />Have a great week!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-22169152247124386432010-10-08T08:00:00.004-04:002010-10-08T19:52:31.657-04:00<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">It's October - finally! It really is my favorite month. I hope heaven is a neverending fall day.<br /></div><br /></div>Don't you just love stitching when the weather gets cool and the nights start getting longer? I was definitely in a stitching slump, but the start of fall seems to have helped change that. Market probably helped that slump along, too. It's always exciting to see the new designs and I've added quite a bit to my list, although I have plenty now that I really like and want to stitch without any additions!<br /><br />Halloween stitching is Jenny Bean's Halloween. I love the names of the threads that came in the kit - Burial Ground, Dried Blood, Swampwater. It's been fun to stitch so far. Cooper the Bandit stole those threads from my WIP basket and chewed up most of the thread tags. I think I've sorted out and relabeled the colors, but if my piece turns out a little different colorwise you will know why ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5062953299/" title="Jennny Bean's Halloween by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5062953299_e7d2b9c03b.jpg" alt="Jennny Bean's Halloween" width="500" height="429" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Jenny Bean's Halloween, Shakespeare's Peddler</span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >40 count Lakeside Linen Vintage Light Examplar</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Here is my progress on KFL. I like this design a lot, though I almost get tired of the slightly drab colors. Then I go blog browsing and look at other stitcher's finished pieces and I'm inspired to keep going.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5063675602/" title="Kind Fond Love by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5063675602_da903d4928.jpg" alt="Kind Fond Love" width="455" height="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Kind Fond Love, Sampler Company<br />40 count Lakeside Linen Maritime White<br />NPI threads<br /></span></div><br />Cooper is in school now. The first night he was absolutely the wild child of the class. I believe he thought it was a big party, and his lab puppiness was definitely showing. The other dogs just looked at him and growled. No one really believed that he does know sit, down and stay, but in the end we all survived the first class and I'm relieved to report that he did very well during the second class, impressing everyone with his repertoire . Cheese treats helped alot ...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/5063073025/" title="Cooper by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5063073025_436183f68f.jpg" alt="Cooper" width="368" height="371" /></a><br /></div><br /></div></div><br /><br />That's it for now. I hope you all have a glorious weekend!Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-19356955181691405732010-08-05T14:12:00.020-04:002010-09-04T15:29:54.328-04:00time flies!Hello! It has been awhile and the time between then and now has flown as if it had wings attached to it!<br /><br />I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. It's been very hot here with the heat index keeping everything at not so comfortable averages of 100-115 degrees. I think it's the humidity that gives it that extra punch. Still, the good stuff of summer is still good - fresh peaches and watermelon, fireflies, floats in the pool, less indoor cooking (yay!!), flip flops, tall stacks of thunderstorm clouds piling up in the sky and the glorious storms themselves.<br /><br />First, let me introduce the newest member to our family - Cooper Hank. He's about five months old now. DD brought him home. Of course, she's back at college now, so the grandparents are raising him. I had forgotten how much energy Lab puppies have and how funny they are. He's very smart but he's even sweeter than he is smart. Here he is with his monkey and pink tennis ball. He likes to carry as many toys in his mouth at one time as he can, or at least one in his mouth while he pushes the tennis ball all over the house.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957063677/" title="Cooper with monkey and tennis ball by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4957063677_4c69103e0a.jpg" alt="Cooper with monkey and tennis ball" width="500" height="472" /></a><br /></div><br />Miss Kitty is less than thrilled that he's here to stay. She often looks at me as if say, "What were you thinking?!"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957135307/" title="IMG_0176 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/4957135307_4206bcf388.jpg" alt="IMG_0176" width="356" height="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><br />I was in a stitching slump for a while but have worked a little on a few pieces. This year's patriotic piece was LHN's America, but I probably won't finish it now until next year. Although it might be just the thing to work on when the winter stitching gets old.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957615616/" title="LHN - America by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4957615616_18fbe7a6e6.jpg" alt="LHN - America" width="428" height="342" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">America - LHN<br />40 count Vintage Bittersweet - Lakeside Linen<br />conversion to NPI<br /></span></div><br />I love the BBD Reward of Merit designs - they are so sweet! Here's the start of Bird in Hand although right now there are no discernible shapes. The only change I've made was to use Pomegranate thread as it's one of my favorite reds. The Reward of Merit Bluebird is kitted and waiting in line.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957479038/" title="BBD - Reward of Merit - Bird in Hand by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4957479038_8776811bb9.jpg" alt="BBD - Reward of Merit - Bird in Hand" width="495" height="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bird in Hand - BBD</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">30 count Irish Cream - R&R</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pomegranate - GAST</span></span><br /></div><br />I retrieved Kind Fond Love from the WIP basket and am glad I did. I'm really enjoying working on it. However, I still wonder if I should have used a vintage piece of fabric rather than the non-vintage Maritime. Hard to say. I go back and forth on this point so I want to hurry up and get it stitched before I end up restarting it on something else. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957920188/" title="Kind Fond Love by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4957920188_17ca6d55fc.jpg" alt="Kind Fond Love" width="500" height="297" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Kind Fond Love - Samplar Company<br />40 count Maritime - Lakeside Linen<br />conversion to NPI</span><br /></div><br />Speaking of restarts, here is the (little) restart on Sarah Verrier. I love this design and am very happy that I decided to stitch it on a different fabric with different threads.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957591800/" title="Sarah Verrier by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4957591800_c6f894941b.jpg" alt="Sarah Verrier" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sarah Verrier - Amy Mittens</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">40 count vintage Pearled Barley - Lakeside Linens</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">conversion to NPI</span></span><br /></div><br />And to wrap it up, I finally had Sarah Tobias framed.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4957694746/" title="Sarah Tobias by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4957694746_21ba06e315.jpg" alt="Sarah Tobias" width="500" height="355" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />That's about it for now! Hope everyone has a great weekend.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-82179550729590733352010-04-18T18:06:00.009-04:002010-04-23T19:41:13.694-04:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4532694354/" title="butterfly in cherry tree by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/4532694354_449bfb0c54_m.jpg" alt="butterfly in cherry tree" height="240" width="209" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > our cherry tree</span><br /></div><br />My last post contained snowy pictures and here we are now at Spring! Cold weather seems so long ago and my last post seems even longer ago. I haven't stitched much since my last post. Instead I have been removing the shrubs from around the house so we can rework our gardens. Painted the front porch. Cleaned out the first of several closets. Picked out paint colors for walls. Picked up tomato plants. Spent evenings in the porch swing with a glass of wine listening for the whippoorwill. You know, Spring stuff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4532038689/" title="Samples of spring by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4532038689_da52f2b297.jpg" alt="Samples of spring" height="500" width="209" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Spring treasures from our yard<br /></span></div><br /></div>One of the things I love best about this time of year is that daylight savings returns. I love the long days filled with light and that feeling that you have extra hours in the day to get even more done. I like stitching in daylight much more than at night; it's such a cheerful thing to stitch in sunlight. I stitch at night, but not for very long and darkness makes me want to settle down and escape into a good book instead.<br /><br />The other thing I love about this time of year is the return of the professional tennis season.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4532635213/" title="nadal by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/4532635213_708df86f93_m.jpg" alt="nadal" height="240" width="160" /></a><br /></div><br />Today I finished the Little Red R sampler while watching the amazing Nadal win his 6th Monte Carlo title. Victorious Nadal above, and here is the Little Red R. And what does that little red R mean...?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">\<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4532951614/" title="little red r sampler by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4532951614_6e0e4d1f58.jpg" alt="little red r sampler" height="437" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Goode Huswife, Little Red R Sampler<br />40 count Lakeside Vintage Light Examplar<br />NPI conversion<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So until next time, have a glorious week!<br /><br /><a href="http://wordsnblooms.blogspot.com/">Melissa</a> asked for the Little Red R Sampler conversion to NPI threads, and here it is!<br /><br />dmc 355 : npi 208<br />dmc 370 : npi 313<br />dmc 501: npi 155A<br />dmc 502: npi 523<br />dmc 613: npi 984<br />dmc 830: npi 316<br />dmc 831: npi 315<br />dmc 926: npi 922<br />dmc 3768: npi 324<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-55273593410649392122010-02-13T16:29:00.004-05:002010-02-13T18:07:51.667-05:00winter/stitching<div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday we had several inches of snow - very exciting for us! It's beautiful and doesn't stay around long enough to become tired of it. It was so cozy inside with a cheerful, crackling fire, a pot of New Chicken Gumbo Soup, a glass of wine and my needle. Life is good.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4354549142/" title="IMG_0080 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4354549142_32406ab65a.jpg" alt="IMG_0080" width="375" height="500"></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4354550768/" title="IMG_0087 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4354550768_df147de0a9.jpg" alt="IMG_0087" width="375" height="500"></a><br /></div><br />Today the sun came out and the snow capped trees sparkled against the sharp blue sky. Even Miss Kitty ventured out into the snow early this morning.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4353867345/" title="snow and sun by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4353867345_34592cd1af.jpg" alt="snow and sun" width="374" height="500"></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4354657780/" title="miss kitty in the snow by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4354657780_14e77b739c_o.jpg" alt="miss kitty in the snow" width="196" height="239"></a><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2"><br />snow kitty</font><br /></div><br />I've worked a little on a few designs. I'm enjoying them all so much it's hard to decide which to work on!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4353920259/" title="vohrw by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4353920259_e0dcac8655.jpg" alt="vohrw" width="500" height="339"></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2">Village of Hawk Run Hollow</font><br /><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2">Carriage House Samplings</font><br /><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2">40 count LL Vintage Maritime White, NPI threads</font><br /></div><br />Quaker Friday got me started working on a sweet reproduction sampler I've wanted to start for several months - The Little Red R Sampler. This one is very fun to stitch. When I studied the chart before I started it, I didn't really notice the little odd things in the design - unbalanced symmetry, dropped stitches - that make it intriguing to stitch. I wonder who stitched it, how old she was, and if it was a practice or learning piece, and if she cared about the odd little stitched places or was just glad to have it done.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4354824162/" title="The Little Red R Sampler by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2678/4354824162_2f29b5580c.jpg" alt="The Little Red R Sampler" width="500" height="375"></a><br /><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2">The Little Red R Sampler<br />The Goode Huswife<br />40 count Vintage Light Examplar, NPI Threads</font><br /><br /></div><br />Not much done on Kind Fond Love. I haven't worked on it much and miss it. They still don't have their heads, but are almost clothed.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4354643612/" title="kfl by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2692/4354643612_14248894c7.jpg" alt="kfl" width="500" height="329"></a><br /><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2">Kind Fond Love<br />The Samplar Company<br />40 count Maritime White, NPI threads<br /></font></div><br />That is it for now. Happy Valentine's Day!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-15899649126873132302010-01-11T08:46:00.007-05:002010-01-11T11:16:22.289-05:00A Shiny New Year<div style="text-align: left;">2010 is here in all its glory and filled with the new promises and hope a new year always brings. It was a wonderful and very fast holiday season but it had very little stitching in it. I am just now catching up on blog reading and it's been fun because it's like being away, coming home and hearing the news of family and friends.<br /></div><br />I love New Year's Day. We always stay home, build a fire and just relax. I made a very yummy black-eye pea soup, fresh collards, cornbread and little peach turnovers. And, like so many stitchers, I started a special project on New Year's Day. This year it is CHS Village of Hawk Run Hollow. I almost hate to put this in writing, but I would like to complete a block a month. Stitching commitments don't always stick around here! I have a few other projects in mind. Most are completing works in progress or designs I have had kitted for awhile. I am considering restarting Sarah Verrier (a New Year's Day start from a few years ago) and using a different fabric and threads. I love the design, but the fabric seems very thin and the silks start to fuzz quite a bit. In other words, I think I would be happier if I used fabric and thread of choice.<br /><br />Here's my NYDay start. I'm not sure what the design in the upper right hand corner actually is, but I like to imagine its the tail feathers of a hawk and its perched on the edge of the design and just out of view:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4265660563/" title="vohrh by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4265660563_ab479fc343.jpg" alt="vohrh" width="400" height="300" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Village of Hawk Run Hollow</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Carriage House Samplings</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">40 count Vintage Maritime White, NPI silks</span></span><br /></div><br />I do love the colors in this Christmas piece, and I love the little snowflakes. This is as much as I stitched before the holidays picked up speed and my projects stayed in the WIP basket. I wasn't sure I'd like working on 30 count fabric but it's been a nice change from my usual 40 count. I think it's the right count and color for this piece. I may pull it out again in the summer when it's in the 100s and humid, the time of year when I dream of icy cold snow.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4263249875/" title="Merry Christmas by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4263249875_a3cbfd6531_o.jpg" alt="Merry Christmas" width="400" height="" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style=""><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Merry Christmas</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Blackbird Designs</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >30 count R&R Sheep's Straw, recommended threads</span><br /></div><br />This is the headless lady in Kind Fond Love. There will actually be three headless ladies, I hope. (Don't worry, I will put their heads on once their bodies are lined up!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4263249875/" title="Merry Christmas by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4263058317/" title="kind fond love by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4263058317_93109bb87e.jpg" alt="kind fond love" width="400" height="368" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Kind Fond Love</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The Sampler Company</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >40 count Maritime White, NPI silks</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And last but certainly not least, Miss Kitty in her festive elfwear.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4264120474/" title="miss kitty as elf by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4264120474_f5e88c5306.jpg" alt="miss kitty as elf" width="186" height="337" /></a><br /></div><br />Have a wonderful week!<br /></div></div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-58132346030935239572009-12-07T09:01:00.017-05:002009-12-07T12:42:55.691-05:00A finish and two startsI do love this holiday season that starts with Thanksgiving and glides into Christmas and then rolls into the promising New Year. So much to be thankful for and all of the little ways holiday season joy is shared with family and friends. No matter how bumpy the year was up to this point, it ends as a reminder of the goodness in life.<br /><br />So, Sarah Tobias is finished and actually has been for awhile. I just haven't had much time to do the fun stuff on my computer. This was a fun piece to stitch and a forgiving one, too. A minor miscount doesn't ruin the design or require much unstitching. I will probably have her framed next year. Please just overlook the quality of the pictures. I think my aging camera is not long for this world.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4165996997/" title="Sarah Tobias by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/4165996997_a4e8e18b24_o.jpg" width="400" height="261" alt="Sarah Tobias" /></a><br /><br />I was very excited to start Kind Fond Love by The Sampler Company. I went back and forth deciding whether to use Lakeside's Vintage Maritime White or just Maritime White and finally decided on the nonvintage. Here is my progress so far.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4166768658/" title="kind fond love by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4166768658_602b30e63e.jpg" width="500" height="493" alt="kind fond love" /></a><br /><br />I just started Blackbird Designs' Merry Christmas from their Joyeaux Noel book. It is a joy to stitch. I'm having fun stitching it while I watch Christmas movies. I want to stitch Joyeaux Noel next year. And wouldn't the little Eiffel Tower stocking be cute to use as a gift container for a pair of earrings, necklace or other small gift?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4165988723/" title="Merry Christmas by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2582/4165988723_c6095900a3.jpg" width="400" height="199" alt="Merry Christmas" /></a><br /><br />I have been thinking a lot about this bowl. I adore this bowl. I cherish it deeply and it gives me so much pleasure to use it, and I've used it a lot during this cooking season. It was my grandmother's bowl. While I love the set of bone china she left me, I think if I had to choose (which I hope I never will!), I would keep this bowl. It's nothing fancy. It's a Homer Laughlin that she probably found a long time ago in a dime store. It never goes in my dishwasher and I store it in a safe place. The chip on its edge is no longer sharp but worn smooth from constant use. I know why she chose this bowl and used it frequently - it's cheerful with its green polka dots, scalloped edge and fading flowers in the center. My grandmother loved her family, flowers, feeding birds and homeless dogs. Her heart always had room for more. Every time I use it I remember the wonderful times spent in her home, the pecan sandies in her cookie jar, the Cokes in little bottles in her pantry, her big front porch with the swing, and the good Southern food she cooked.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4166735296/" title="favorite bowl by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2580/4166735296_fb91da5d4f_m.jpg" width="226" height="240" alt="favorite bowl" /></a><br /><br />Now I'm off to catch up with blog reading. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone is stitching!<br /><br />Have a wonderful week!Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-64357507991419688822009-11-02T17:48:00.005-05:002009-11-02T19:06:52.136-05:00Miss Tobias, Sisters and One Seed<div style="text-align: left;">It's beginning to feel a little like fall here. The sky is starting to show a crisp, clean blue free of haze and the air has a sharpness in it. I love sitting in my living room and looking out at the woods while I read or stitch. The trees are starting to turn to luscious plum, red, orange, gold and yellow colors, and I love to watch them drop their leaves, like flecks of gold spinning to the ground. I truly hope heaven is a perfect autumn day.<br /></div><br />Well, slowly but surely I am moving along and Sarah Tobias is almost done. I have thoroughly enjoyed stitching this piece and I think it's because of a combination of things - 40 count Lakeside linen that I love, same for the NPI silks, variety within the design, lovely colors, thinking about who Sarah Tobias might have been, and the fact that the design is forgiving of my stitching errors. I had in my mind that a symbol was for a thread color other than what it was supposed to be. It seemed to work out fine, or at least I like it just as it is.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4070143412/" title="Sarah Tobias by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2594/4070143412_86ed7af88f_o.jpg" width="494" height="461" alt="Sarah Tobias" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Sarah Tobias, Blackbird Designs<br />40 count Vintage Light Examplar, NPI threads</span><br /><br /></div><br />I seem to be photographically challenged lately and the pictures aren't very clear. But you get the idea.<br /><br />I started Sampler Sisters of the Thread. This is another fun piece to stitch. I really like the alphabet, especially the unexpected shape of the letters. Look at the G and J, and the long leg of the K. Very nice. I've misplaced the Moss thread and that is why there are gaps in the alphabet. I've been twice to my LNS to buy it, but end up sidetracked and leaving without it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4070055010/" title="Sampler Sisters of the Thread by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2554/4070055010_57fa1acfaf_o.jpg" alt="Sampler Sisters of the Thread" height="469" width="693" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sampler Sisters :) of the Thread, Primitive Needle</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">40 count Pearled Barley, recommended threads</span></span><br /></div><br />And you may not really be able to see the next photo, but I updated One Seed for Another with the thread I had to order. I absolutely love fences and gates in samplers and this one is no exception. I adore this vine covered gate. I cannot say the same about the over one verse! You can see the little bit of progress I've made on the one over one verse. After taking out the G in Goode a couple of times, I decided to come back to it later.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4069413785/" title="One Seed for Another by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2655/4069413785_b1e67965d7_o.jpg" alt="One Seed for Another" height="434" width="510" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">One Seed for Another</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Goode Huswife</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">40 ct Vintage Light Examplar, NPI silk</span></span><br /></div><br />In case you've been wondering how Miss Kitty is doing, here she is sporting her new pink collar with tag labeled with her name and phone number. When she gets bored she jumps up on my desk and sprawls out on my work papers as if to say, "Really, you are very boring today and it's time for you to rub my tummy."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/4069446331/" title="miss kitty by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/4069446331_24ecf35d44.jpg" alt="miss kitty" height="298" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />Hope you are all well and have a very good week!Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-57289912242667010002009-09-25T13:41:00.013-04:002009-09-25T15:05:13.363-04:00Finishes and a new start<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Finishes, finally! Actually, they've been finished for a little while, but I've been waiting for the rain to stop and clouds to leave so I could take pictures.<br /></div></div><br />A Whistling Girl is finally finshed. Although I liked the design, I wasn't crazy about using just one thread on 36 count, but I do see that it fits the piece.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3954025660/" title="a whistling girl by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3954025660_6e1eed20bb.jpg" alt="a whistling girl" height="350" width="385" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A Whistling Girl<br />Hands to work<br />36 count Examplar<br />recommended threads, one over two<br /></span></div><br />The Amanson sampler is also finished. Whenever I work on a reproduction piece, I always wonder about the original stitcher. Can you imagine what Erika would think if she knew that her little sampler was being replicated today? Imagine how you would feel if in a hundred plus years someone found a sampler you stitched and reproduced it - that would be amazing! Reproduction stitching always reminds me of something written by Thomas Carlyle:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Past departs not, nothing that was worthy in the past departs; no Truth or Goodness realized by man ever dies, or can die; but is all still here, and recognized or not, lives and works through endless changes. ~<span style="font-size:85%;">"Characteristics" Thomas Carlyle, 1831~<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3954032342/" title="Erika Katrina Amanson by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2439/3954032342_d50e3c15df.jpg" width="477" height="351" alt="Erika Katrina Amanson" /></a></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Erika Katrina Amanson (1870)<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Essamplaire<br />32 count Vintage Examplar<br />conversion to Weeks, GAST<br /></span></div><br />Since its release, I've wanted to stitch Blackbird Design's Sarah Tobias. I like the neatness and clean design of each motif. I converted the threads to NPI silks using Joy's conversion as a guide, and am in love with the color of this red thread (although the picture doesn't do it justice). It complements the mossy brown and different greens very nicely.<br /><br />The first motif is missing its left flower and stem and will have to wait til later to add it as I really wanted to be done with it and move on to the next motif.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3953884094/" title="Sarah Tobias by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/3953884094_d500dab618.jpg" alt="Sarah Tobias" height="461" width="480" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sarah Tobias<br />Blackbird Designs<br />40 count Vintage Light Examplar<br />NPI conversion<br /></span></div><br /><br />Hope you have a great weekend!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3953905338/" title="Fresh peach ice cream! by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3953905338_bf67e2b3e8.jpg" alt="Fresh peach ice cream!" height="500" width="466" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">BabyGirl and BF - fresh peach ice cream!<br /></span></div>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-36732591262332490022009-09-05T09:49:00.005-04:002009-09-05T11:51:50.649-04:00Dog daysThis summer is almost gone and, although there are many hot days left before our fall gets here, we are entering the dog days of summer. And it's time for Georgia Bulldog season as well - stitching and watching the Dawgs on tv = a good thing and one that's on my agenda for today!<br /><br />BabyGirl is back at college : ( and it's funny how even though she was in and out of the house all summer, the house feels like it's missing something when she's away at school. Miss Kitty, who pretty much ignores me whenever BG and her boyfriend are around, is hanging out with me again.<br /><br />The Amanson sampler is almost finished. I ran out of a thread and will finish stitching it whenever it gets here. In the meantime I'm going to finish A Whistling Girl. I have so many projects I really want to start but am really trying to focus on finishing a few first ... we'll see how that goes!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3889988164/" title="Ericka Katrina Amanson by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/3889988164_f471e7d31c.jpg" alt="Ericka Katrina Amanson" height="328" width="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ericka Katrina Amanson, </span><span style="font-style: italic;">The Essamplaire</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">32 count Vintage Examplar</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Weeks, GAST conversion</span></span><br /></div><br />My wonderful husband and I celebrated our 27th anniversary this week, which is why I chose all Allman Brothers songs for my playlist this week - so many good memories! It's hard to believe that much time has gone by. As I tell him regularly - he is one lucky man!<br /><br />Random summer shots from my phone camera. I never seem to have the real camera with me:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3890097392/" title="Dinner on the Lake - BabyGirl and SweetBoyfriend by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/3890097392_5688ce8f02_m.jpg" alt="Dinner on the Lake - BabyGirl and SweetBoyfriend" height="186" width="240" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Girl and SweetBoyFriend, dinner on the lake</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3889226503/" title="beach by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2519/3889226503_0ba6750b4b.jpg" alt="beach" height="344" width="416" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Beautiful morning on the beach</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3890120086/" title="Miss Kitty - Office Assistant by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3890120086_6d7579b839.jpg" alt="Miss Kitty - Office Assistant" height="350" width="348" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Miss Kitty, my Office Assistant</span><br /></div><br /><br />Have a great weekend!Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-8969078467511809822009-07-18T15:28:00.006-04:002009-07-19T13:30:59.958-04:00Whistling while I workI like to mark certain points in life by choosing and starting a new design. Fall, winter, spring and summer. Vacations, my birthday, Fourth of July, Halloween, Christmas and the New Year. All call out for a new stitching start. Not that I don't start new projects at other times, because honestly it doesn't take much to encourage me to start something new. But the special occasions are different. I enjoy thinking about which design to choose and fabric to use. I make sure I have the threads together to start it at the right time. These starts are more deliberate and not so spontaneous as just the regular, ordinary starts.<br /><br />Of course, they don't always come to life on fabric the way I imagined or planned. This was the case with my Fourth of July start, Sweet Liberty by The Marking Sampler. I liked the simplicity of this little design and thought it would be a good addition to the patriotic collection I have planned for the white plate rack in my kitchen. I chose a 32 count fabric rather than the recommended 40 count to avoid stitching the words over one on 40 count, but should have gone with the 40 count so it wouldn't seem so bulky. I'm not posting what I did stitch, but I have put the chart aside to restart on 40 count at some point. Here is the chart model:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3734850763/" title="Sweet Liberty by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2560/3734850763_72faa6d463.jpg" alt="Sweet Liberty" height="250" width="202" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Sweet Liberty</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The Marking Sampler</span><br /></div><br />For a recent trip to the beach, I chose to start a Swedish sampler from The Essamplaire, Ericka Katrina Amanson (1870):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3734879947/" title="Ericka Katrina Amanson by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2617/3734879947_94f4552784.jpg" alt="Ericka Katrina Amanson" height="232" width="365" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Ericka Katrina Amanson (1870)<br />The Essamplaire</span><br /></div><br />It is a simple, sweet design which had been on my "to stitch list" for awhile. Katrina included an anchor, a happy looking dog, a pretty pink house with a fence, and various short borders. I don't know how old Katrina was when she stitched it, but the colors have a certain innocence to them which appealed to me. It was charted for DMC, I worked up a conversion for GAST and Weeks threads. The fabric looks more pink today than it really is.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3735392782/" title="Ericka Katrina Amanson (1870) by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2453/3735392782_e4bd6ed2a1.jpg" alt="Ericka Katrina Amanson (1870)" height="386" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Ericka Katrina Amanson (1870), The Essamplaire</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Lakeside Linen, 32 count Vintage Examplar</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >GAST, Weeks</span><br /></div><br />I also started A Whistling Girl, Hands To Work, before I left for the beach. I like to whistle and I like the humor of the verse. I hope to prove the verse wrong, though! The girl in the sampler has her hands on her hip and has a spunky attitude. She reminds me of the woman in my Sarah Verrier (you can see her in my avatar) who also stands with hand on hip. I didn't notice at first, but there is a difference between the model picture and the actual chart. Can you find the difference?<br /><br />Here's the model:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3734821525/" title="A Whistling Girl by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2595/3734821525_308a763e5a.jpg" alt="A Whistling Girl" height="440" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >A Whistling Girl by Hands To Work</span><br /></div><br />And here's my work following the design as charted:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3734528703/" title="A Whistling Girl by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/3734528703_9c8b2a9f1e.jpg" alt="A Whistling Girl" height="500" width="491" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br />A Whistling Girl<br />Hands To Work<br />Lakeside Linen, 36 count Examplar</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >1 over 2, GAST & Weeks</span><br /></div><br />I've also made additions to my stash, but I will save those for another day.<br /><br />Have a wonderful day!Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588485982966020947.post-16919326704785797292009-06-12T09:15:00.007-04:002009-06-12T09:47:17.259-04:00Voila! C'est fini!A small finish to share (I know - shocking, isn't it?!). Blackbird's charming (and free) Souvenir de France design offered on their <a style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" href="http://blackbird-designs.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. I worked on it while I watched the French Open. It was a fun stitch.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3618719403/" title="souvenir de france by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3618719403_76b58d81c0.jpg" alt="souvenir de france" height="444" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Blackbird Designs<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Souvenir de France</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >32 count PTP Melo </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Waterlilies silk in Periwinkle</span><br /></div><br />This weekend is BabyGirl's nineteenth birthday. These nineteen years have gone by so quickly and are so packed with memories and images. I don't want a single one of them to slip from my memory. We are very lucky to have her in our lives.<br /><br />I look forward to gardenias every year and this year our gardenia bushes were so full with blooms. It's such a great plant and gives so much for so little care - shiny deep green leaves all year and gorgeous creamy white blooms during May and some of June. They were one of my gifts on my first Mother's Day and are very special so I am propagating them in case anything happens to the originals. The are planted next to my study windows and I leave the windows open so I can enjoy their fragrance while I work.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3618704793/" title="gardenia1 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2438/3618704793_49739b1e83.jpg" alt="gardenia1" height="399" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belechereneedlework/3618713963/" title="gardenias2 by belechereneedlework, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3618713963_39f4518781.jpg" alt="gardenias2" height="500" width="405" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Hope everyone has a glorious weekend - <em>à bientôt!</em><h1 class="top" dir="ltr" align="left"><span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></h1> <h1 style="font-weight: normal;" class="top" dir="ltr" align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></h1> <span class="med1"><span class="med1"> </span></span><h1 class="top" dir="ltr" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></h1>Donahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147511848442215020noreply@blogger.com12