A Little Update

 Time is flying by! It's over half way through June already! I have a few more finishes to share. These really are the last of the patriotic stitches for the time being! I have pulled out some finishing fabrics and hope to sit down and get all of the ones stitched lately into little display pieces.  

 

Let Freedom Ring

Lizzie Kate

28 ct. Ginnie Thompson Linen Plus (tea dyed)

2 over 2

 

And, since it has been a while since stitching a PS Santa, it was time for another. Of course, I pulled out the patriotic one from my stash.  Love it!

 

Prairie Schooler Annual Santa 2002

c. 2002

25 ct. Mushroom Lugana

1 over 1

 

And, since it is time to move on with the seasons, I stitched one that was kitted up for a while and sitting in the bottom of my suitcase. I always have a few small "kits" to take with me in case I run out of something to work on! As you can see, there is not much extra room to use for finishing, but I liked this piece of linen that I dyed with hazelnut shells, so I'm going to do the best I can.  It's stitched with Victorian Motto thread in Barn Red.  Not a true red but I think it's sweet.  Hopefully I can find or might even have a great fabric to finish it with. A free pattern, found here.

 

Valentine

The Primitive Hare

C. 2012

30 ct. linen (hazelnut shell dyed)

2 over 2

 

 

It's been sooo hot here this week! Where we live there are four distinct seasons and the weather is pretty perfect. (that's why we moved here) The humidity is low year round, unless of course it is raining, but we don't get much. Our elevation is much higher than Phoenix, so in the summer we don't get their heat, but this past week the weather pattern brought high temps to our area! I love to sit out on the patio in the afternoon and stitch, but this week it was done inside! 

 

Last night we hosted a little get together with some of our neighbors since we hadn't been able to do that for so long.  We had it indoors, of course! It was nice. One of the things I made was a charcuterie board.  I'd not made one before, but I see so many on Pinterest. It seems to be a trend lately. Here is mine. 

 

 

That's all for now. Will be back soon!

Memorial Day Finish

Well, I had said no more patriotic stitches for a while, but I just couldn't resist this wee star stitched on black.  And, 28 ct. at that!  It's only 1.75 inches! I had to do the navy stitching outside...in the sun, so an added bonus was a tan!!! I love the way it pops on the black and will be so cute finished for my bowl. 

 

Star

The Prairie Schooler

28 ct. Jobelan black

1 over 1

 Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Two Finishes!

 

Had a finish on Thursday night late, and another last night.  Both are small, but they count, right?? The PS Annual Santa had a lot of white!  That has to be my least favorite color to stitch with! I've noticed that the last few years have a large white animal in the design...

 

 

 

Santa 2017

The Prairie Schooler 

c. 2017

25 ct mushroom Lugana

1 over 1

This has been my "take along" project.  When I need something to do while waiting in the car for Hubby when he is at an appointment.  This is the 4th one I've stitched out of 8 in the leaflet.  I'll just start another!

Santa With Pipe from St. Nicholas II

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1992

18 ct. khaki aida

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay well!

 

Current WIPs

 In the past I would start something new, stitch a bit to see how it looked, and then start something else, stitch, repeat. This would result in a LOT of unfinished pieces! Over the last several years I have done much better. I've actually finished up some larger samplers and haven't started too many at one time!  That's not to say that I don't have a number of WIPs stashed, but at the "current" time I am stitching on 4 that I have sitting by my stitching chair.  

Prairie Schooler Santa

Prairie Schooler Annual Santa 2017

Harvest Blessing

I used the wrong color for the house. I used 356 instead of 632. It probably won't matter, but it will be frogged and restitched...

 

Santa 2009 from JCS Ornament 2009

Even though this isn't a really dark blue, I find that I need to stitch this one in the brighter time of day!

Earlier in the week I thought about making a Dutch Baby.  I'd never made or eaten one, but the pictures on Pinterest sure looked good!  For this one I put blueberries on one side and small dollops of raspberry preserves on the other.  After it baked, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and put fresh blueberries and strawberries on top.  It was really easy and very good.

I try to keep vegetable soup made up for my lunches.  A big pot will usually make enough for about 10-12 days.  I'd already eaten lunch (2 bowls ha ha), so only had 10 to put away.  Several days go in the fridge and the rest go in the freezer until needed. Don't use a recipe...just eyeball it!

Thanks for stopping by!

It's A Wrap For 2020 Stitching

 

 This was a crazy year! Only 19 finishes for the year and they were on the smaller side, too!  That's OK. I enjoyed every minute of stitch time!  I also made a bunch of bears for Project Linus...some finished and delivered and others crocheted but not stuffed yet.  Also, the sewing machine was dusted off and I got 6 quilts sewn for Project Linus.  I worked on a lot of jigsaw puzzles this year. I'd forgotten just how much I enjoy them! Hubby and I worked on our model train layout a lot this year, as well.  So, even though not a lot of stitch finishes, my days were very busy, and that's how I like them!!  I was bad at blogging, so I 'll post all the finishes now...

 Be Kind Be Happy Be Well

Lizzie * Kate

c. 2020

18 ct ivory aida

Our Daily Bread

La D Da

c.2005

28 ct. ivory Jobelyn 

Old Glory

Little House Needleworks

c. 2014

32 ct. lambswool linen

Jacobean Design (#15)

Jacobean Designs/Leisure Arts

c. 1980

18 ct. fiddler's aida

Ewe Be Well

Shepherd's Bush

c. 2020

32 ct. Lugana (I dyed with hazelnut shells)

 

Cornucopia

Book 65 "Acorns"

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1997

18 ct. khaki Davos

Squirrel

Book 65 "Acorns"

The Prairie Schooler 

c 1997

14 ct. fiddler's aida

Santa with Pineapple

St. Nicholas II

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1992

18 ct. khaki aida

Santa with Tree

St Nicholas II

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1992

18 ct. khaki aida

Santa 2000

The Prairie Schooler 

c. 2000

25 ct. mushroom Lugana 

1 over 1

Santa 2001

The Prairie Schooler

c. 2001

25 ct. mushroom Lugana

1 over 1

Santa 1991

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1991

25 ct. mushroom Lugana

1 over 1

Sleeping Beauty "Aurora"

Kandi Patterns/internet

c. ?

28 ct. white Jobelyn

Merry

Heart in Hand Needleart

c. 2019

14 ct. black aida

Nutcracker (#2)

Better Homes & Gardens/A Cross Stitch Christmas

The Season For Stitching

c. 1998

18 ct. white aida

Merry (2nd one I stitched)

Heart in Hand Needleart

c. 2019

16 ct. black aida

Rose

La D Da

c. ?

32 ct. ivory linen

Christmas Cheer Santa

Jim Shore

Mill Hill Kit

c. 2013

28 ct. tea Monaco

 

Joseph Manigault House

Rosalie R. Simons

c. 1976

22 ct ivory Hardanger

 

This house is in Charleston, SC, where we are from. It's now part of the Charleston Museum. Back when counted cross stitch was in it's infancy in the US, local designers began getting charts out in the new cross stitch shops.  In the beginning, they were on a single sheet of (graph) paper with hand drawn symbols. Sometimes the symbols were hard to decipher. That was the case with this one. Even though it's a very small design, I stitched and frogged several areas because I either couldn't make out the symbol or didn't like the way it looked. I had to look at the photo as I stitched.  I never did acquire all of the Charleston designs, but I have enough to finish off to use in a display.  Some I stitched, and a few were stitched by my Mama.

 

 

25 bears

 

10 bears

4 quilts

2 quilts

My ORT jar with 2019 and 2020! I forgot to empty last year, and it's packed really tight. 

During The Stay At Home Time

Well, it has been a while since I've posted!  So much has been happening, hasn't it?

Since having to stay mostly at home I feel like I've been really busy.  The days just seem to fly by!  I never get bored, as there is always something to do.  There is always something to clean, organize, re-organize and clean again!  HA!  Then there are the 3 meals every day and the clean up after...

My stitching has kind of taken a back seat recently...just couldn't settle long enough to really get into it.  But, I did manage to stitch up this cutie from Lizzie*Kate.  A freebie from her website designed for the COVID-19 pandemic.  So, I thought it would be appropriate to stitch it while staying at home.  It's really cute and I have plans to finish it to display in my bowl.

But, when I sit down in the evening after dinner, I have been crocheting more little bears for Project Linus.  (I am wanting to use up all the yarn in my craft room :) ) At last count, I have 70+ bears in various stages of completion.  I love the crocheting, but the finishing...not so much!

I had started a larger piece at the start of the new year.  A sampler that I really do love, but quickly lost interest in.  I think that I'm not enjoying such large pieces right now. Actually, I might be out of the larger designs...haven't really enjoyed one for quite a while now.  Soooo, maybe I'll stick to the smaller ones and clean out my stash and start letting things go...

Here are a few more recent finishes.

Clockwise, from upper left:

Be Kind  Be Happy  Be Well

Lizzie * Kate

c. 2020

Santa with Pineapple

St. Nicholas II

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1992

Old Glory

Little House Needleworks

c. 2014

Our Daily Bread

Lori Markovic/La D Da

c. 2005

I plan to make a little pillowcase for this next one. I'll use it on the kitchen bench.

Jacobean Design # 15

Jacobean Designs

Leisure Arts/Vicki Neil Getchell

c. 1980

Looking back through some of my older posts, I see that I never posted a pic of this crocheted piece.  It was a CAL in 2015, but I worked it in 2016, one block after the other. I really would like to make another one to use as a sofa cushion in the colors of my living room.  

Circles of the Sun

Lilla Bjorn Crochet CAL

c. 2015

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe!

Final Finish pics for 2019

Here is what I stitched in 2019.  I did cross stitching and also a bit of crocheting.

 With these last 4 pics I think that wraps up my stitching for the year.  I had 20 finishes...mostly small, but a finish is a finish!!  Can you tell I like Prairie Schooler Santas?? Will try to get more stitched throughout the next year.  All of my annual Schooler Santas are stitched on 25 ct. mushroom Lugana 1 over 1.

Santa with Cardinal

St. Nicholas II

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1992

Prairie Schooler Santa 1987

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1987

Prairie Schooler Santa 1990

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1990

Prairie Schooler Santa 1999

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1999

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year!

A Bit of Trip Stitching

We have just returned from a 2 week Alaskan cruise.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous! We had rain for about 2 hours while we were on land and it rained one day at sea.  It was nice during the day but the nights were very cool, especially with the wind on deck. So...while on the ship, I found some quiet spots and did some stitching!  I stitched the Santa, and got most of Halloween done.  I put the last few stitches in last night on the flag design.  The light was very bright when I got these pics and the fabric is a little washed out.  Colors are really warmer/darker. I don't stitch on aida often, but for trips, it is wonderful!!

Red Stand-Up Santa from Santa Moon Book # 53

The Prairie Schooler

c. 1995

18 ct. vintage aida

2 over 1

Halloween

Cottage Garden Samplings

c. 2012

18 ct. ivory aida

2 over 1

This is called Flag City and the original has Flag City stitched where I put Old Glory.  I had seen it sometime back on a blog or somewhere that had Old Glory instead and liked it better.
EDIT:  OOPS...I see an away waste knot near the "z".  I need to remove it and insert another picture!!!

Flag City

 La-D-Da

c. ?

22 ct. ivory hardanger

1 over 1