Winter is finally here!...okay not really

I finished the Winter stitching on Dressmaker's Daughter this weekend.  I have decided for the time being to not add the beads because I think it will make it too heavy to stitch the other three dresses. 

Again this is stitched on 28 count Light Amaretto evenweave - most likely lugana. I did get a start on the Spring dress - but want a bit more done before I share a photo.

My family and I went away this weekend to my grandparent's camp. It has electricity - but no running water (yup Outhouse!). What a great way to get some peace and quiet and stitching time.  That is how I found the time to finish this.  It was such a great night that we are going to go back this week - but just hubby and me. I see stitching and naps in hammock in my future! We bought two hammocks when we were in Mexico our our honeymoon - 9+ years ago - first time using it was this weekend. It was so awesome though.

No the Rhythm didn't get me this weekend. *sigh* I have no idea when I will finish her. Really it is about me wanting to bead and I haven't felt like it lately - although I normally do love beading.

GIVE AWAY!

Okay - I owe you guys a give-a-way. I have reached 54 followers and I am thrilled with this! I love this blog - such a great creative outlet and I'm so happy I have some people that want to read it. So I am going to have a give away. I even know what I want to give away - but I don't have pictures.... so bear with me. This week. I promise!

BUT I do have another give away you can sign up for! I have a blog that I love to follow called "The Crafty Moo!" Sarah is having a huge giveaway because it is going to be her birthday. Stitchers are super generous friends - so I want to lead you over to her blog and give her a holler!

Just keep stitching everyone! Just keep stitching.

Rhythm is gonna get you

I have been half teasing - half not about having trouble finishing my Rhythm Muse. First let me say, she is stunning - her colours are fantastic. I still love her look. But I am not feeling it.  I have had to backstitch her 3 times. The first time it was a colour choice - the called for colour clashed with my fabric - the second time it just didn't look right - oh and I tried a 3rd colour. So it is in there - but it still needs some touch ups. I have some puckering I'm not happy with.

I am 99% done stitching her - the rest is beading. But whenever I pick her up I start to hear this....

No way, you can fight it every day
But no matter what you say
You know it
The rhythm is gonna get'cha

No clue, of what's happening to you
And before this night is through
Ooh baby
The rhythm is gonna get'cha

Rhythm is gonna get'cha
Rhythm is gonna get'cha
Rhythm is gonna get you
The rhythm is gonna get you tonight

Yeah- that is right - MIAMI FRIGGIN' SOUND MACHINE! Lord Help me.... 

So some of my Facebook girls - fellow minions - came up with additional songs to help me make a Rhythm play list - they include:

Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash

Rhythm is a Dancer - SNAP

Rhythm of the Night - El DeBarge

Hit me with your rhythm stick! - Ian Drury

Jump to the Rhythm - Jordan Pruitt

Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's.

So as you can see I have a healthy list of songs to play while I finish this girl.  I think the problem is I never named her - so we don't have a personal relationship (coo-coo, coo-coo - right?!)... Well I said, "Fine then! What is your name?"... Apparently her name is Barbara Ann.  I can't make this shit up.  If I were making it up she would have a different name - not that Barbara Ann isn't a good name - just doesn't conjure up "Muse fairy". So Barbara Ann and myself have a little bit of work left to do - but I will finish her! 

Barbara Ann is gonna get me! I am so close, yet so far away! 

Oh where, oh where has my little blog gone?

Oh where have I been these days? I just got back to work this week from a staycation. It was nice to have a week off with the family. It was very hot and dry -a perfect week to take off. We spent a lot of time in the yard. I did some reading and some stitching.

I primarily worked on Dressmaker's Daughter by Mirabilia. I did do a bit of stitching on Rhythm too - but she's lost her mojo... which is a shame really because I only have about 10 rows left in her wings and beads to do. I don't even have a picture for you... bad bad blogger.

However, I do have some wip photos of DMD.

Not too exciting, but it shows you where I am. It is a lot of solid stitching.  The blue wavy lines are Waterlilies and my first time using them. I really like using them!

I am itching for a new start though - I have the Red Lady Pirate calling to me!

I also wanted to show you a little stash I got a few weeks ago:

These are 10 Letter's by Nora patterns. I picked them up for $1 each!!!!!!! I know, I know I couldn't help myself. I found a LNS on line that was shut down and clearing out and she was selling these for $1 each - I emailed her and said I will take 1 of everyone you have left.

**OH MY! I noticed I have more than 50 followers! Thank you so so much for reading my stitchy thoughts! I am going to have a give away to celebrate! Stay tuned!

CONDOLENCES:

I wanted to take a moment to express my condolences to the family of Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum, especially her daughters which includes Nora.  Marilyn was a very talented artist and her legacy will live on through her designs for Lavender and Lace, Told in a Garden and Butternut Road.

Hawkins Hobbies: 5 Star Service

As you may know I am a Canadian - born, bred and raised.  So it may seem odd that I keep endorsing companies that are based in the UK for cross stitch supplies and fabrics.  But the truth is we live in a global economy - the internet has opened the boarders and lets us choose the best of the best in the whole world.

Recently, I have had the privileged of getting to know and work with a fantastic UK company called - Hawkins Hobbies.  Zarina Hawkins, the owner approached me a while back via Facebook at the suggestion of Kate - the owner of Sparklies (another fantastic UK company).  Kate suggested that I may be a good help in choosing fabric for Mirabila patterns.  

Zarina shop is turnkey - total package - super easy.  You pick what you want to stitch - they send you EVERYTHING - even the needles.  But many stitchers are moving away from the suggested fabrics and choosing a variety of hand dyed options. Zarina wanted to offer her customers the option of choosing alternative fabrics featured by three UK fabric companies - Sparklies, Crafty Kitten and Polstitches.  All three of these companies are of the highest quality. It makes total sense for Zarina to help her customer's think outside the box from the suggested fabric. 

This is where I come in.  It has been suggested I have a good eye for fabric colour when it comes to matching it up with patterns.  I do have a bit of pride in this.  Firstly, never would it be possible without the help of the Design and Fabric Viewer.  This allows me to overlay patterns over different fabric colours.  I have been choosing 2 fabric colours from each of the three companies to give Zarina suggestions to put on her website.

As a reward, which was unexpected by me, Zarina did the kindest thing. She let me choose a pattern as a gift.  I chose Red Lady Pirate.  I have been wanting this one forever.  I adore her. I can’t wait to work on her. 

NOTHING, nothing was as exciting and thrilling as getting my package from Hawkins Hobbies in the mail (and trust me when I say this – I get a good portion of stash in the mail).  The pattern, fibers, specialty threads, beads, treasures, fabric and yes – needles. All there. You can open and stitch immediately. 

I love entrepreneurs – small business owners are the key to the global economy.  Support them whenever you can.  They are smart, they are customer service oriented – passionate... I want to give Hawkins Hobbies a shout out because it has been a pleasure to work with Zarina and again I am still so blown away by the level of service and awesomeness of getting a fully kitted pattern in this way!  I encourage you to take a look at her website and support her and other small businesses all over the world!

Something is fishy....

In three more hours I am on vacation for 9 blissful days! I am looking forward to spending time with my family.  I don't think we are doing anything too fancy - just the way I want it!

This week I have been working on lots of different projects.  I started unofficially rotating things.... Never thought I would do it, but here I am.

This week I have started and finished by next RR (Round Robin) block.  This piece is Emerald Mermaid's Tail by Mirabilia on Tracy Griffin's Mermaid Tail RR (all tails are Mirabilia patterns by Nora Corbett).

Here is the full Round Robin

I also have done some work on Rhythm.  I took out the back stitching - I decided I wanted a better colour.  I haven't yet decided what to use - I'm thinking something around a 434? I also started working on the wings and the bustle is officially finished. I was particularly happy to get a compliment on my fabric choice from Nora herself this week.  Makes a minion shine to get a compliment like that! The colour of the fabric for reference is Weeks Dye Works, Tiger Eye - 30 count linen. 

Ah! But wait - there is more. I have also been working on Farmer's Market. I haven't done much on it this week but there is a significant change since my last photo so I thought I would show this one too. 

I also started Dressmaker's Daughter. I decided to go with the Light Amaretto but there isn't much to show yet. Just a whole lot of 211! I will save a photo for the next post. 

I also got my Crafty Kitten order this week. Four new fantastic fabrics. I am so pleased - again - wow.  Just great work by Dawn Munday.  I can't rave enough about Crafty Kitten fabric - if you haven't used one yet - get one and you will be converted! 

Two hours and fifty minutes left until vacation!..... tick, tock!