HAPPY stitching

Sometimes a girl just has to stitch her way to  "happy".  Here is my latest new start.   It's a freebie by La Comtesse & le pointe de croix.  The photo doesn't do the sparkling hand dyed even weave pink fabric justice.  The fibers I am using are color wash hand painted silk by glissen gloss and needle necessity overdyed braid. 

Winter isn't my favorite season and I long for spring's arrival.  Work has been a challenge but I bought a few lottery tickets and I am dreaming of a brighter future.  Just taking one day at a time and making the best of each day. 

Snow, sniffles & stitching

This year's bug which has been going around finally bit me.  My train commute is most likely where it happened.  My system fought hard but all those bugs worn me down.   Been drowning the germs with tea and chicken soup and eating lots of fruit. This  translates into more stitching because I didn't 't feel well enough to do much else except sleep.

I am feeling a litte better. We've prepped for the expected blizzard but I really hope we don't loose power.  We forgot to fill up the generator with gas but it is half full.  There is a state of emergency in the NY / NJ / CT tri-state so we are hunkering down. Here is the piece I've been stitching.  I started it this month. The cat in piece has our Murphy's coloring.

Where did 2014 go?

Time seems to be passing at warp speed.  I remember as a kid thinking I was stuck in a slow motion machine because there were long periods where time just creeped along at a snails pace.  I wish everyone a happy, healthy,  and heartfelt joyous 2015. 

  Here are some of the recent things I have been working on.  A copy of WIPS I finished stitching like the snow man who will get his charm attached when I decided how I am going to finish him.  A few ornaments done on plastic mesh need ribbons, backing and wires.  One ink circle done on paper and a fall piece which I got from my friend Vickie at one of our retreats.   She had kitted them up.  A just nan kit I have been working on when traveling which is a ufo as is the floral heart.  And lastly a kitty kit I just started a few days ago.  Oh there also is a little flower I stitched on left over plastic which will become a book mark one day soon.

Mare

Some stitching

I just completed Cat Paw prints by doop design on 28 CT even weave.   There is a cat button I will be attaching once I iron and decide how I will finish it.  The Rhodes heart done in splendor silk on the right gave me a hard time.  It took me 3 attempts before I liked the look of it. I changed up the fibers and I am pleased with how it turned out.  This is my first piece by this designer.

Also including a photo of my latest heart wip.   This French freebie design is by Cachounette 010410 which I am stitching in dmc 4025 on pale blue 18 ct aida for my heart quilt project. 

Latest crochet wip blanket and another finished

We have 2 adorable nieces which live in Vermont.  I completed a blanket for Sadie who loves pink.  Done in homespun pink and Caron black yarn.

I am working another blanket for Abby.  Abbys favorite color is blue so I am calling Abbys blanket the waves. It is only about 15 inches so I have a way to go.  I need to complete this by September. 

Homespun blanket finish

This Thanksgiving after seeing a picture of another blanket I made my sister in law announced that she wanted me to make her a blanket for Christmas.  Well since it takes time that did not happen in 2013 but I did finish it in 2014.   She hasn't gotten it yet so this is just a peek at it.  My Murphy was a little annoyed at me when Janis' s blanket was finished and got put away.  It was made with Lions brand homespun yarn which washes and drys wonderfully.   In 2013 I made myself a blanket with this same yarn and it has been laundered a few times and looks and feels great.

There was also a new scarf and cowl for me completed.

Doesn't Murphy look comfortable? 

Hooked on crocheting - baby blanket

Where to start when you have not blogged for a while?  Let me start with my latest love affair.  I fell hook line and sinker with yarn again a few years ago.  With so many beautiful new yarns, how do you select the right one for your project .  All those luscious colors and textures make it very hard to choose.

Here my latest baby blanket with a matching baby bag which has a cross stitched Shepard s bush design stitched on the front.  It's a ripple or zig zag design done in chenille pink/ orange plush yarn.  This was completed a few weeks ago and given to Angie, a very pregnant Amtrak customer service rep who I see weekly on my commute.

Angie is having a little girl so I customized the Be Extraordinary" SB kit and added a 3rd line to the design "baby (flower) girl".  I attached it to a tote bag which has nice elastic mesh side pockets perfect for bottles or sipping cups.