Spring Fling - Day Two

Saturday was a busy day! We started out with a plain, heart-shaped paper mache box and an unfinished pine frame (made by Barb's brother).




We got busy painting, then sanding and distressing, then added briwax. In the photo below, the box has been treated with briwax; the frame hasn't been yet. Compare the frame in this photo and the next - huge difference!




We then glued a color photo of the original sampler to the top of the box.




After we were done painting and sanding and waxing, we made flower corsages for the top of the box. The flowers were dipped in wax, making them look like something right out of the twenties!






We will add a bow tomorrow.

Here's another photo of the sampler that inspired all of these projects from Blackbird.



And here are some of the pieces that Alma and Barb created using motifs from the sampler.







Barb and Alma like to use color photos of their stitched pieces, like the one in the frame and the one on top of the box.




Before closing out this post, let me share with you some of the show and tell that was displayed at the retreat. The participants were encouraged to bring their Blackbird Designs finishes. Lots of BBD fans in the room!













Stop back tomorrow for one more update!

Spring Fling or Bust!

With the events of the first part of the week behind me, let the weekend begin!

I arrived at the retreat center Friday morning and found the most delightful welcome gift on the table in my room. Those caramels are like gold!




Tracked down my friends who were anxiously awaiting my arrival. It was good to see friends from Texas, Arkansas, North Dakota, Indiana, Northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois...I'm sure I missed someone here. I made a new friend rom Michigan this weekend!

The Deb's from Stitchville were busy getting the registration desk ready.




I have to include this picture. This is what the Deb's see. Lots of anxious Stitchers waiting to get registered and start Spring Fling!




The door opened at 1:00pm and tables were selected. They were decorated beautifully and of course, there were more gifts!




After everyone was settled our guest designers entered and took center stage; it was so good to see them again! Alma and Barb from Blackbird Designs.




Alma began to tell us about the sampler that our retreat project was based on. It has similarities to the Westtown Schoolgirl samplers and is unfinished.







Barb shared the small framed design that includes fragments of the sampler. Her brother made the frames for us. Our job was to paint and antique them!




Alma shows us the heart shaped box that we will paint and then glue a color copy of the sampler to the top. We're even going to make the wax flower arrangement for the top!




Our first project is passed out. Let the stitching commence!



More tomorrow....

I'm Here! I Made It!

Two, One....Spring Fling!

Just one more day to Spring a Fling!

Here are two more projects! First up, this sweet pincushion.




And last but not least, this is the project we worked on at a Stitchville's first ever Spring Fling. Barb and Alma were there!






The pre-Spring Fling party has started without me. I was supposed to fly home yesterday afternoon, but due to the extreme weather in the Southeast, the flights are all mixed up. Last four flights to MSP last night cancelled.

Trying to rebook was not easy. Pray that my flight tonight is a go!

Three More

Almost forgot to post today. Three more days!






This project is from a BBD class that I took at the Silver Needle!

Down to Four...

After spending nine hours in a plane today (due to weather) the weekend can't come soon enough! Four more days!

This Blackbird piece is called Autumn Song.

Five More Days

Five more days...
Two more airplane rides...
Three more days of work...

Looking forward to Spring Fling!







BBD Loose Feathers Peacock Pincushion!

The Magic Number is Six!

Six more days...




Such a sweet little pincushion. It was a BCRF piece from Elegant Stitch. I love the flower....

Just Seven More Days

Stitchville's Spring Fling begins a week from today!

This design from Blackbird Designs is meant to be a birth sampler. I stitched it to commemorate the short life of one of my mom's sisters.

Eight Days

Eight days....can't wait!

Nine Days

Today's Blackbird post is the class project last summer from the Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI.




Looking forward to seeing Barb and Alma again in just nine days!

10 Days

The countdown to Spring Fling continues....10 days!

Today's Blackbird post is yet again one of their older Loose Feathers. I think this one was called Evening Shades the Garden.

A Little Stitching

I've discovered that I can work on tiny projects on stiff linen on the plane. I started adding the strawberries to this Catherine Theron needlebook.




This next piece shows progress from last night and tonight. This is a piece I started as a spring challenge in the All About Smalls Facebook group. It's called Darling Buds of May from Blackbird Designs.




Time for bed!

Just 11 Days!

Just 11 days until Spring Fling with Blackbird Designs!




This is another one of their older Loose Feathers designs.

Happy Monday. Hope you have a good week!

Four Calling Birds

My March installment of Satsuma Street's 12 Days of Christmas in complete.

Four calling birds,
Three French Hens,
Two turtle doves




And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

12 Days and Counting

I'm always wishing for more time, but I'm hoping time goes quickly these next two weeks. I am so looking forward to Stitchville's Spring Fling with Blackbird Designs!

This is one of their Loose Feathers pieces that I stitched back in 2006. It's called Quaker Garden.

Thirteen Days

Thirteen days until Stitchville's annual Spring Fling! Looking forward to seeing Barb and Alma from Blackbird Designs!

Countdown to Spring Fling

Stitchville's annual Spring Fling is just 14 days away. You can probably guess from this picture who the guest designers are.




Counting the days...

What Have I Been Stitching?

I'm kind of stuck on this one. It's With My Needle from the Goode Huswife. The top half is almost done....



Hope your weekend was filled with stitchy goodness!

And...

And I have a few more words to stitch on the top line....

Disappearing Act

After posting to this blog every day during the month of February, I took a brief hiatus. My friends commented last weekend about my absence, but yesterday, while visiting the Mad Tatter, she scolded me. She looks forward to seeing regular blog updates. Guess I better not disappear again!

Last weekend, our guild organized a stitching weekend at a local hotel. Two days of stitching bliss. With friends. And good food. Doesn't get any better than that!

I worked on Spring Delivery from With Thy Needle and Thread. I also stitched another spool design from Milady's Needle.




Tonight I finished Spring Delivery.




While visiting the Mad Tatter yesterday, I took a photo of the tatted doily on her dining room table.




She is having fun tatting Ice Drops and I found a tree for her to display them on.




While traveling this week, I worked on the Strawberry Needlecase from Catherine Theron. This matches the biscornu that I finished stitching last month.




Won't take long to finish the stitching on this.

I am going to need to find a weekend or two (or three) in the near future for finishing. Lots of projects waiting to be finished!