A little update

Just a quick note to let you all know that I am still here. I have been crazy busy. With Rory and dog shows and work. I haven't been getting a lot of stitching done. And what I have gotten accomplished is for two exchanges that have to go out soon. Like Monday! So no photos.

Rory and I went to a Match show last weekend. Those are just for fun and most of the dogs there are puppies like Rory so there's no pressure. Good thing since Rory decided to act like he had never been to a show before. Instead of trotting nicely around the ring he thought he would jump up and down and bounce off of me. I wanted to brain him! The judge was a real sweetie and let us try four times before Rory remembered what to do. And then the judge gave him first place over the other setter that was entered! WOO HOO!! Then when I took Rory to handling class on Tuesday he was perfect. Go figure. I also took Rory to have his pictures taken by a photographer at our local Petco. They turned out really nice and I can't wait to get them.

Tomorrow we are off to visit with my brother and sister-in-law. There are two shows right down the road from them so Rory and I get to visit and go to two more shows. These are real shows so I sure hope Rory doesn't decide to pull his stunt again. But if he does that's okay since I do want him to have fun. I only hope he plays his games outside the show ring not inside. My DB wants to come watch me run in circles. (I can just hear the comments now!) That means I'll have someone there to take some photos. Yippee!

The following weekend is another fun Match show. At the same place that Rory goes to class. And the weekend after that are three more shows.

Whew. I am tired already.

So there you have it folks. I do hope I get my exchanges finished soon and manage a few stitches on my wips which are calling out to me. I think I'm going through stitchy withdrawal. In the meanwhile keep your toes crossed for me that Rory does well.

Until next time...................

Love and stitches
Kathy
and licks from Rory too

At long last some stitching.

I do get some stitching in. Not a lot mind you but some. (Oh notice the photo above. One reason I get fewer stitches in each day. Someone keeps stealing my seat. Notice my stitching sitting on the arm waiting for my return.) And since it has been ages and ages since I have updated any stitching, finishes or wips, I have a bunch of things to show you. The above was stitched for my nieces for her Christmas gift. She had stopped to visit one day and was looking at a pile of patterns and fell in love with this one. It is always fun to stitch up something that you know someone really wants isn't it? The pattern is called Make-up by the Sunflower Seed. Stitched on hand dyed aida using my choice of colors in Dmc, Weeks Dye and Kreinik.

Next up are two pieces I did for my sister and my nephew. (Excuse the photos I forgot to take one and my nephew took them with his cell.)














Holly and Berries by LHN. And Irish Blessing, a freebie from The Sampler Girl.
For my friend and neighbor and Rory's "Aunt" I stitched up the newest Lizzie Kate design, Pawprints. On hand-dyed aida (I have a bunch of it!) using the DMC. I finished it as a flat fold. With the back of it as a kind of frame for a photo of Rory and my neighbor's pup playing together. I think it turned out cute and she loves it.





The week before Christmas I was finishing gifts in a marathon finishing session. As you can see I had a little help to get everything finished in time. But in the course of packaging everything to get into the mail on time I forgot to take photos.


That day I finished off 4 ornaments, framed 4 stitched pieces (see three above) and the flatfold. I'm missing photos of 3 ornaments and one framed piece. Sigh.

Oh here is a photo of one of the ornaments. This one is a Lizzie Kate design and I attached it to a large stuffed Christmas Moose that I had. My sister took a photo of the ornament for me. You get the idea.








On Christmas Eve I started stitching on the first of the LHN monthly ornaments that my dear friend Debra H had sent to me. I actually finished stitching it on New Years Eve but didn't have to beads. I picked those up when I took another stitching friend, Mare, with me to my LNS's New Years Day sale. I know Mare enjoyed shopping and I managed to pick up a bunch of fabric remnants, all 25 percent off and in various counts of linen. I really don't have a decent stock home and this will help. I think the smallest piece was 9 by 12.

Mare's visit was a pleasant break for me as well as for her. We stitched, ate, stitched, played with the furry children, drank some wine, ate, stitched and shopped. What more could you ask for in a relaxing few days to start off the New Year?

New Years night as soon as I put the beads in Fa La La, I started the first of my new starts for the New Year. First up is Little House Needleworks The Library. Stitched with the called for fibers on the called for fabric. It is a SAL on the LHN/CCN group on Yahoo. I'm not that far in two weeks but I'll get there.








Next up is my newest start. The Primitive Needle's Simply Live. I love this one and am part of a traveling pattern group on this one. And now it's my turn. I received it from Mylene back in November but didn't have a chance to start it with all my Christmas gift stitching. I also wanted to try silks for this one. I have tried silks in the past (poor Just Nan's Queen of the Needle sits in my wip basket still) but had such a hard time with them. You see I have the roughest driest skin and I have tried so many different hand creams and lotions without success. So I thought I would try a different brand of silk. I had heard a lot about Victoria Claytons silks (and they aren't that expensive either!) and asked Vikki to do up a conversion for me. She did and the silks arrived Saturday. I couldn't wait to start it. I love her silks and they don't stick to my poor rough dried out hands. Well, a little but not enough to be annoying. They just glide through the fabric and are so pretty. Here is a photo of the silks and my early progress. This one should stitch up quick and will be off to the next in the list. For years now I have been trying to get a decent photo of this piece. I only bring it out at Christmas but it is very special to me. This is my very first cross stitch. I have no idea who the designer is. It was a little kit that I picked up at a small department store in Pennsylvania when my Mom and I had gone to visit with my sister and her new baby. (And Sandy is now 20!) I had done traditional embroidery before this but never cross stitch. And this is the one that started it all. Cute huh? Of course when I look closely I can see so many errors but I will always love this one for starting my obsession, er, hobby of stitching.

So do you remember or still have your first finish of cross stitch.

Oh and here is one more reason my stitching has slowed done. It is hard to keep going when your floss goes missing. And to think I had been blaming poor old Rosie for my floss turning up in odd areas a bit damp for wear.Caught in the act!

Until next time.............

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too.

PS. I totally forgot to mention that I won Angela's Make a Wish Rak and am tickle to pieces. I was shocked when I saw the email from her telling me I won. I can't wait to see what she stitches and sends me. But knowing me I will forget and be completely surprised when it does arrive. Thank you Angela.

Happy New Year and first 2010 post

Happy New Year to one and all. May 2010 bring us all love, laughter, good health, fabulous wealth, peace and all our dreams come true. It has been a while since my last blog update. My, oh, my, I haven't posted since last year! But then I have been home on vacation and my computer hasn't been well. But I'm back and have lots and lots to show. So I figured I would do one post today and more tomorrow.

So here are the highlights of Rory's first Christmas.

Rory with all his Christmas goodies. The BIG bone was his favorite.

Rosie checking out her stocking of catnip mice and other toys.

We have to hide them from Rory as he loves her toys too.

Rosie loves the large dog bed and makes good use of it whenever she can.

Even though Rory is now 70 pounds he still thinks he is a lap dog. Well, I don't mind. So he did try out the laps of my nephew, Nick, and nieces, Terese and Sandy. And my dear friend and fellow stitcher, Mare, had both Rory and Rosie join her.

I did have a few stitching finishes and some new starts but more about that tomorrow.I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I'm off now to try and catch up with some of the blogs. I'm sure that will take a couple of days.

Until next time.............

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too.