We Interrupt Regular Programming....

....to share a finish that is not related to the January Crazy Challenge! My regular readers will remember back to December when I vowed to complete Game Board Sampler in 2011. (This piece has been a WIP since 2007!) Well, it's done! I took a break from Crazy Challenge pieces this past week and focused on stitching the remaining nine squares left on it and voila it's done! Happy Dance!

The Drawn Thread - Game Board Sampler
35 count Ivory Linen
DMC (1 strand over 2 threads)

For those who are familiar with this piece, yes, I altered the pattern. All of my squares are stitched facing the same direction. This one will get framed sometime down the road.

Yesterday, I spent almost the entire day at my LNS, Stitchville. On the second Saturday of every month they have "Sip N Stitch" from 9:30am - 12:30pm where we do just that! I went in January for the first time and now again in February. It's a great way to meet new stitchers and to chat about our favorite pastime.

It just so happened that the shop was offering a class in the afternoon; the first in the series of JABCO pincushions for 2011 - JABCO Snowman! I thought it would be fun to branch out and do something different and it was fun. It's a lot easier to figure out these finishes as a group with guidance from the shop employees. By the time I left, he was finished. Don't you think he is cute?

A couple of crazy challenge updates...I spent a good part of the weekend working on Happy Hearts from BOAF. The bottom border and the numbers 1 and 2 were complete the last time you saw this. I finished the rest of the numbers and the filling stitches. I think that this might start moving a little bit faster now!



And here's Poppy Maye Russell from Heartstring Samplery -- the top alphabet is complete, and I've started the alphabet on the second row.



Thanks for stopping by and for all of your kind comments about my stitching! I hope that in the week ahead you find time to stitch with needle and thread!

One More Quick Update Before the Weekend Ends

Howdy all! I had hoped to slide this post in before the SuperBowl tonight, but didn't quite make it! Here's another couple of finishes - these are supposed to be finished as pendants but I decided to make them into ornaments instead! I still need to add wire hangers to the sheep and the stocking. Cute huh?

Shepherd's Bush

Christmas Sheep - Quaker Pendant - Tall Stocking

Linen, fibers - as kitted

While watching the football game tonight I worked on Sampler Game Board; only nine more blocks to go. I hope to have this finished by the end of the week. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Weekend Update

How are y'all doing? What a crazy week for weather, huh? The storm that hit much of the midsection of the country missed us, but it's still a dreary winter day here. Overcast and foggy; temperatures have warmed up a bit, but we're heading for another deep freeze on Monday. Brrr.

On the stitching front - I stitched more on "I Sigh Not for Beauty" last Sunday. It's a large sampler and I'm making slow progress. When the border is done I will post a picture. During the week I was traveling again and took the Shepherd's Bush pendants along with me. The stitching on those is done; I'm going to try to finish them this weekend and then will post a photo.

However I do have a photo to share. On the nights that I was home this week, I worked on the Folk Art Handbook from Hillside Samplings. I completed the stitching this morning and finishing was a snap! (I'm asking myself again - "why didn't I stitch this one sooner?") So without further ado, here's finish #4 on the 2011 Crazy Challenge:

Hillside Samplings - Folk Art Handbook
32 ct linen
Sampler Threads (Black Crow) and DMC

The beautiful hand-painted hornbook is from Liberty Hill. This was a limited edition kit from way back in 2005! First time I've finished a hornbook too!

Thank you all for your comments on my last post. It was great fun finishing off those Lizzie Kate fobs. My daughter and I decided to the drawing the old-fashioned way; we put all the names in a basket and she drew one name. The winner of the four charts is:

Pointed Stitcher

A link to my email address can be found in my profile. Please send me your address and I'll drop the charts in the mail to you next week.

Wherever you call home, I hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend! Thanks for stopping by.