Category Archives: Samplers – Original

Starting over. Sort of.

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Terri | 3 comments

Ack. I’m so far behind in catching up I’m not even going to bother. Suffice it to say, I have been consistenting doing needlework of some sort since my last check in. When it has not involved the sewing maching, I have faithfully been working on my WIPocalypse stitching.

Domesticity:

I packed everything in my stitching room, back up and moved the boxes to the guest room. We gutted the closet, spackled it, painted it, and moved the shelf units back in. I’m in the process of loading it back up, but am determined to organize while I do so, so I don’t put it off any longer. It looks like this:

The designs are in their proper box and they’ll be cataloged later. As you can see, none of my fabric has been unpacked because right now, as I type this post, my work table looks like this:

The fibers in the front in ziplocks are Anchor. I’m leaving them ’til last because I haven’t decided how I’m going to store them. The white box in the middle is not quite full of various fibers that I’ve been sorting (which is the mess you see, minus the
Weeks), and I’ve already sorted one of them. That table needs to get cleared quickly so I can drag my sewing machine back out.

Quilting:

1 sampler quilt needs a bit more quilting, then the binding (which is ready to be attached).
1 quilted tote needs (still) 6 or so stitches in one of the handles to be completed.
1 quilt has been started (intermediate class started last week and I’m piecing the blocks for it).

Stitching:

Since I’ve been going back and forth to quilting classes, and have quilting homework, I haven’t wanted to try to keep up with my rotation so I’ve been focusing on one easy piece. As of last night (4/15/12) Miss Hannah Beeby is now finished!

I’ve pulled Petite Mexican Sampler out and am going to focus on it for a bit. My quilting classes will be over in June (I think) and until then I guess I’m going to be a one-at-a-time stitcher. Fairy Moon is screaming my name from the guest room right now, but she’ll need lots of beading so I’m putting her off. I’m still determined not to start anything new until I finish 2 projects, no matter how tempted I’ve been lately 🙂

In addition to all of the above we have been doing other bits and pieces of decorating in the house. We I have a list of must-haves for the house that includes more painting, furniture, decorative items, and my stitching. I will be taking Hannah with me Thursday night to get her framed. I’ll take another piece in when we gets finished depending on how long she takes. I would like to do one piece a month.

We’ve also been doing some stuff in the yard. Right now M is digging up the oleanders, one at a time, in the front. 7 down, 3 to go. The yard looks so much bigger now and we’ll be filling in some of the space with more pleasant to use desert plants. In the back we have 2 varieties of tomatoes popping out all over the place, flat leaf parsley trying to take over the pump house wall, oregano, cilantro (in 2 different places), rosemary, pickle cukes, crook neck squash growing in, and have been enjoying salads with home grown lettuces. The lemon tree and mandarin tree both have fruit and we’re waiting to see if our little lime tree is going to have fruit this year (it had a hard time this winter and is only knee high). I also planted a peony tuber that is doing well.

3 Comments

Posted in Hannah Beeby, Petite Mexican Sampler, Quilting, WIPocalypse

2012’s first stitching report

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Terri | 12 comments

Petite Mexican Sampler

Petite Mexican Sampler - 1/2/12 - 10 hours

The colors in the 2nd photo are a little washed out. The gold borders shows up better in real life 🙂 It’s fun to stitch now that I’ve figured out the secret to using the silks (dampen them and make sure to use my stitcher’s lotion). I did have to frog a couple of times because the chart has an “x” next to a “+” so now I know to pay better attention 😉

Next up is Peacock Tapestry. I’m using a random generator code on my spreadsheet and it has spoken.

I still need to put my Santa collection away and take down my stitching tree, then M and I are headed out to a movie and the home improvement store, so the stitching will have to wait until this afternoon. He needs some stuff to get his bikes stored, and I’m hoping it’ll take him most of the afternoon to get that sorted so I can stitch guilt free.

I’m almost finished with my 2012 stitching “goals” list so I’ll probably be posting that tonight.

Before I forget, here’s my Christmas present from M. I love the ideas I’ve been getting from Pinterest!

And here’s where it went

I’m in the process of moving my linens from upstairs to the closet next to the dryer, so don’t judge me 🙂

12 Comments

Posted in Domestic, Peacock Tapestry, Petite Mexican Sampler, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse

Licious-ness

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Terri | 6 comments

I didn’t give much thought to joining in on Heather’s Theme-a-licious-ness since I thought you had to stitch on all the categories during the year. Since I’m rotating, I didn’t know if I would be working in a particular project during the given month. I’ve decided to give it a try though, just to see if it’ll work. I’ve started a new page with her monthly themes and will add in under each month what I’ve accomplished. I’m not expecting to have something for each month, but I may just surprise myself 😉

I’ve already spent about an hour and a half on Petite Mexican Sampler this morning. When I first started stitching the border I had a huge panic moment because the gold border didn’t stand out again the fabric with one strand nearly as much as it did on the spool. I’ve since added the olive and light olive tones and it’s looking better. I’m trying to use as many colors as possible really quickly to see how they’ll look. If it’s a fail it’ll be easier to rippit and start over on something lighter. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that doesn’t have to happen though 🙂 since I think the silks are delicious and already have an emotional attachment to the fabric.

Here’s my December ort jar. There’s a whole lot of Hannah Beeby and Houses of Hawk Run Hollow in there. Looks a heck of a lot more better than a lot of the previous months 🙂

December 2011 Orts

I bought the small Yankee Candle candles this year and burned them while stitching. It was a fun way to discover new scents and I plan on reusing them each year. I’m going to “decorate” them up this year. 2011’s orts will stored together in a paint can container with the paltry 2010 orts.

2012 Orts

January-February-March-April

May-June-July-August

September-October-November-December

6 Comments

Posted in Petite Mexican Sampler, Stitching, Theme-a-licious, TUSAL

Happy New Year

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Terri | 5 comments

Have you ever noticed when you thank someone, and use their name, it makes them smile? I have been experimenting with this off and on the past couple of months. I am going to start reading name tags more often.

I am very happy today is the last day of 2011. While I know it could have been a whole lot worse, and many, many people did have it worse than I did, 2011 was not kind to me. I am not going to dwell on it a second past midnight tonight. What I am going to dwell on are the good things I want to happen in 2012.

Here’s a before picture of my January 1 start 😉

Petite Mexican Sampler
40ct Lakeside Palomino
Au Ver a Soie “Soie d’Paris” silk

I’ve been sneaking looks at the Eagle cam the last few days. The nest is being constructed but I’ve yet to see either of the Eagles. This evening, though, I was blessed with the view of a tiny field mouse flitting here and there! All I could think was she/he better get a move on before someone shows up and makes dinner out of her/him 🙂

Tonight M and I are staying in and gorging ourselves on Pollo, Pork tamales, salsa, guacamole, tortillas and rice. There will probably be beer and margaritas involved, too. Most definitely there will be some Whipped Cream Vodka and hot chocolate 😉 Don’t know if we’ll make it to midnight or not, but here’s hoping! We’re watching football right now, but I think I’m going to ramp up the other TV and get him to watch a movie for the rest of the evening.

I also found 1 more WIP so I’m up to 35. My kits stand at 26 but that’s only because I haven’t finished adding them to my spreadsheet.

I’ve been enjoying catching up on my blog reading and seeing everyone’s stitching year in reviews. It’s been making my clicky finger itchy though 😀

The fireworks have started around here. The dogs aren’t exactly sure how they feel about them. It is a little strange living in the desert and having fireworks going off all around. They were illegal for personal use in Oceanside.

Tomorrow I’ll post my ort jar for December and my whole year collection. I’ll also post a progress picture of Hannah Beeby since the light is so dreadful in my house this late.

5 Comments

Posted in Hannah Beeby, Petite Mexican Sampler, Samplers - Original, Stash, Stitching, TUSAL

Organizing, Mystery Sampler, and Destashing

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

I spent the better part of 3 hours in my stash room yesterday. I completely emptied 2 copy paper sized boxes of school stuff and threw away (gasp!) almost every single one of my almost complete collection of BH&G CS&CC magazines. It was liberating. To me and the space in my room. I went from this:

To this:

I also found my very first cross stitch project. I’m going to frame it between 2 pieces of glass so you can see the front and the back (boy have I come a looooong way in 32 years of cross stitch!). I still have not found the elusive Peace rose project. I have the pattern and the fibers, just can’t find the darn stitching! I cannot for the life of me imagine where it is, but I refuse to give up hope that it’s forever lost…just yet. That stack on the floor to the left of the two roller bins is all my finished projects that have never been framed or finished out.

As I said, I didn’t throw away all of my magazines. I kept some that had early releases from some of my favorite designers. I’m thinking of gutting those issues and putting the designs I want into a binder. There are a couple of issues that I have more than one of. One of them contains a Shepherd’s Bush design and I’ll put it on my 4Sale page later.

The other one contains a sampler I’ve always admired and back when I first got the magazine was intimited by. I’ve seen it stitched but cannot remember where. I cannot find anywhere in the magazine who the designer is and am hoping someone who reads my blog will know. I do see it was ‘signed’ by Ruth Lowe, but I don’t recognize that name:

I updated my 4Sale page (see tab up top). I’ve added a few new things and reduced the prices on everything that was already listed. I will be adding more bits at a time.

It’s almost lunch time, so I’m off to prepare something for Kahuna and I and then I plan on spending the rest of the afternoon watching Heros and stitching on FAS.

Ciao!

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Posted in 4Sale, FAS, Stitching

Little bit of everything.

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

I have a happy dance! I finished Home of a Needleworker, Too this past Saturday during my monthly stitch-together. I also started pulling fibers for my new needlepoint project, but I’m not starting it until the current needlepoint piece is finished. I think I have 4 more squares to do.

Instead of working said needlepoint piece I pulled out FAS and started stitching on it again. It’s a little sad since I’m stitching where I can see Bandit’s name, but I’m looking for a place to add Jasper in. Harley already has her spot. I’m almost half way finished with it! I’m thinking of continuing on with it until I’m at that point — with a break to stitch up my class piece.

I’m avoiding The Queen!

Thanks for laughing with me over my stitching stand. I actually have it sitting in my way in my room and put my needlepoint piece in it to see how it would feel using it. I also have been given (to try out) the Needlework System 4 stand. The person who has lent it to me is wanting to sell it to me and I’m thinking of going ahead and buying it. I have looked everywhere for other components to the Grip-It with no luck. I know it’s no longer being made, but I was hoping to find it on eBay. If I do buy the NS4 I can buy other components for it. Thinking, thinking, thinking.

I’ve pulled fabric for the needlepin cushion for the October class. I’ll probably cut and serge it this weekend and start stitching on it so I can get back to FAS. I purchased this particular Loose Feathers design from Drema as a fully kitted piece and the fabric is really dark! I remember in the instruction something about fading the fabric out, but I’ve decided to stitching my design on a piece of Lambswool. The instructions also call for filling it with ground walnut shells and if anyone out there knows….is there a chance they can stain the piece? This thought it is the back of my head since I know walnuts were/are used for dying fabrics.

HarleyQuinn came to work with me this morning and charmed everyone. She had a follow up appointment for her teeth extraction and it was easier to bring her with me so I could get a little work done, than staying at home all morning and driving her back and forth. Jasper was not pleased at staying behind.

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Posted in FAS, Loose Feathers, Puppies

Oops, where did it go?

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Terri | Comments Off

I swear I wrote up a post a week ago! I even agonized over what author to share. Of course other than that I can’t remember a single thing I wrote about since my life has been so boring lately. However, that has changed a teensy bit.

I have stitched! and played in my stash! and cleaned up my dungeon some! and bought stash!

This past Thursday and Friday were vacation days for me. I had a week of use it or lose it vacation and am taking a day here and there for some long weekends. (I am keeping a week saved for Christmas) I thought I was going to be spending them with Kahuna but he got called into work and while I was fairly lazy those two days I did get all my laundry done and I played in the dungeon for a bit.

Friday night I did some major damage in the dungeon. I had thought to start a new project on Saturday but the one I wanted to stitch, believe it or not, I didn’t have fibers for! 😆 I didn’t feel like fondling my fabric either.

Saturday I drove up to the all day stitch in at Melissa and Darla‘s LNS — Needlepoints, Ltd. Darla had no clue I was coming and it was wonderful to see her bright face when I rounded the corner. I brought FAS, Justine, and Hannah Beeby with me but ended up just stitching on Hannah. I started her in Hawaii and haven’t touched her since. I was stitching on FAS when Bandit died and I haven’t stitched at all since then. I can honestly swear that stitching on Saturday, after playing in the dungeon on Friday, my stitching mojo is back! I had a very good time and stitched until my butt went numb – 3 times 😉 Anyway, I’m planning on attending all the other stitch ins through the rest of the year. I’m also going to be taking my Mary Wigham chart up (and the pillow from my stitching chair) and pull fibers on the 29th.

Sunday, I watched baseball, and I stitched! Didn’t even feel guilty about it either. Nope, no guilt.

As soon as I hit “post” I’m off to sit and stitch some before heading to bed…after I sort out the dungeon some more. Believe me this dungeon sorting is going to take some time….I’m hunting for my thingy that goes to my camera so I can upload some pictures. I don’t want to have to climb the mountain in the dungeon that’s between me and the cord whatsit to connect my camera to the computer since that will take me in the opposite direction I’m already sorting. How’s that for logic?

My author for this post is Leah Brooke.

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Posted in FAS, Friends, Hannah Beeby, Justine, Mary Wigham, Reading, Stitching

So, where was I? Oh, yeah!

Posted on September 20, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

Thank you for your emails this past week. I’m sorry I turned off comments, but I just didn’t want to have a bunch of comments that made me feel like everyone felt sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry for myself that I’ve made this decision – in fact, I’ve had a great stressfree week, knowing what I had waiting for me the upcoming weekend.

This is the first Saturday in a long time that I have absolutely no obligations. The ONLY thing I have to do this weekend is go grocery shopping. That leaves lot a ton of room for catching up on my DVR’d stuff, stitching 😉 and maybe a load of laundry or two. I do plan to ride this weekend though.

Kahuna has been fighting off ‘pneumonia’ since the weekend before last. He finally went to the doctor and had his lungs xrayed this past Thursday. Thankfully they are clear. He got pneumonia (for the first time) in bootcamp 100 years ago and didn’t have it again until about 1999, when he got it twice in a 3 month span and has had it (what feels like) every other year since then. It scares me and I get all hovery and naggy about going to the doctor. So he’s hanging out in the garage doing some tweaking to his tri-bike instead of surfing like he really would rather be doing trying not to cough up a lung.

I watched the first episode of Fringe bright and early this morning and thought it good enough to keep watching it. In the past I seemed to miss out on a lot of early showings because we go to bed so early and everything is on at 10:00 p.m. here. That’s changed a bit since we finally broke down and got a DVR. I have a couple of West Wing DVDs waiting for me to stitch to today, and this afternoon will find me in front of the TV watching the LSU/Auburn game. Need I say . . . Geaux Tigers?

So, where was I?

Training – I finally bit the dust and rode on heavy traffic roads this week. The first attempt I swear there were a couple of times I actually closed my eyes and prayed that I wouldn’t get run over. There are a LOT of road-ragers living here that hate cyclists. I survived and will do it again this week – at a further distance. Kahuna goes with me and that helps me feel safe. At least if I get run over, I’ll have a witness 😉

Work – going okay. The paralegal who went out on extended sick leave 2 weeks after I started returned about 4 weeks ago to work 4 hours a day. It’s definitely taken a lot of work load off me and I’m starting to get a tiny bit into what I was hired for…personal injury litigation. I’ll miss the criminal work, though.

Reading – I’ll be updating my Books tab (up top) some time this afternoon. I have several things to add. I even read the Twighlight saga twice over the past month. I’m looking forward to the movie release in December. Have I said lately how much I love my Kindle? Right now I have some books by James Grippando waiting. I like his books that feature the character criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. The first book in the series is The Pardon.

Stitching – working on French Alphabet Sampler this weekend. Before and after photos will be posted soon-ish. I’m pondering what to take with me to Hawaii next month. Probably Hannah Beebe since I’m embarrassingly behind (read = not even started) in the stitch-a-long I started and am thinking of also taking Mimi’s Tape Measure kit. I’ve also pulled out 3 things to have Jill Rensel frame and will make a final decision on that by the end of the weekend.

Stash – I added to my collection this week too. I’ve just now started collecting the Drawn Thread Chartpacks for Sampler of Stitches and received ABC and DEF. I also got Homespun Elegance Delivering Needlewares and Home is Where You Hang Your Needleswork; and Katidid Designs Come Gather (the colors match my dining room).

Puppies – they *trapped* a gopher this morning. It was on the other side of the fence and was a very brave critter. Every time it popped its head out of the ground Harley would spaz and bark like there was a grizzly bear over there. Bandit supervised the whole time. Kahuna said it even kept poking its head out of the ground at him when he was getting the trap ready to push into the tunnel. It was rather a large one as our gophers go and it’s now in the trash bin waiting on the Monday morning garbage truck. It was hard work and the puppies are now recouperating in the sunbeams coming through the windows.

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Posted in FAS, LSU, Puppies, Reading, Stash, Stitching, Training, Work

Decorating dreams

Posted on July 27, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

I love reading decorating magazines. I have such varying tastes and find myself falling in love with an elegant dining room on one page, and a country eat-in kitchen on the next. I have a stack of magazines that I need to go through to tear out the inspiration pages for a folder I have.

Recently I’ve found myself reading more and more decorating blogs and saving certain pictures from them. That’s so much easier and takes up less space than the magazines and saves the trees 🙂 The last few pictures I saved were from desire to inspire. The entries on this blog are usually very long so I only look at them when I have time to sit a spell, like on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

I absolutely l.o.v.e. this kitchen.

And would have no problems whatsoever eating off this table.

And could easily entertain people in this dining area.

And imagine the sweet dreams sleeping under this chandelier!

But enough of that.

I stitched on French Alphabet Sampler last night while watching some of my DVR’s stuff. I’ve got my stitching groove back!!!

Kahuna didn’t get into today’s race. Long story….the Marine Corps dropped the ball, yadda, yadda, yadda. I think I’m more disappointed than he is 😆

I’m headed out dress shopping with a friend today. I haven’t worn a dress in almost 10 years and I have an opera and wedding coming up. I’m also looking for some work clothes (denim trousers, etc.). She has a great eye for design and has been ‘shopping’ for me all week. I can’t wait to see what she picked out…and I’m going shoe shopping too! Woohoo! If it works out I may just ‘hire’ her to shop for me for the rest of my life! 😆

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Posted in FAS, Life, Stitching

Brain dump

Posted on February 25, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

Didn’t really know what to title this. It’s more of a “get it out of my brain” kind of post.

Friday’s car disaster is over. The rain didn’t let up much so I went out in the rain to cover it. Looked like a wet rat when I got back in the house and kept hot water going all day for Japanese milk tea. I didn’t watch the DVDs I have, but I did just about clear out the DVR and I got quite a bit of stitching done.

Saturday the sun came out enough that I could uncover the car, roll down the windows and remind myself over and over not to let it happen again. Of course, I also spent a lot of time looking out the window wondering if it was raining again. Kahuna had a 56 mile bike ride and we ended up going swimming later that afternoon, after he recouperated some.

Sunday it was raining, again. I was heading out the door to WW and discovered I hadn’t received my monthly pass, so I didn’t go. I found out after I called them that I could print one off. I could probably have figured that out earlier, but honestly I didn’t want to go out in the rain. When it slacked up I headed to the grocery store, but it was raining again when I got there and all the carts were soaked. It was an interesting experience seeing all the wet people and water on the floor everywhere while we shopped.

Kahuna had a 2 hour run and wanted to re-carb so we went out to pizza. We wanted to watch the NASCAR race, but it was raining north of us as well and the race was stopped. I turned the Oscars on and sort of listened while stitching and finishing laundry. I’ve seen so few of the movies, though, so it wasn’t all that great to me.

I finished up a RR I was working on plus I finished the 1st 3 bands of Ann Holewll.

I’m back on FAS and enjoying every stitch. I reworked one of the parts to include Bandit’s name and will do the same elsewhere for Harley. I’m working kind of weird on this page because of the rework and am keeping my fingers figuratively crossed that it works out.

I have errands to take care of after work today so am skipping the gym. Tomorrow I start back running, but since it’s for such a short period (15 minutes) while I get used to my new orthotics, I’m swimming too.

Making Filipino Adobo Chicken for dinner tonight. Haven’t had it in forever and I can practically smell it now. I made brownies yesterday. I’m getting back into my “homemaker” mode where I’m wanting to cook all the time again. One more reason I need to be a kept woman….can cook more!