A Special Stitching Project

Today I started, AND finished a very special project. I have a co worker, who lost her baby boy about 2 years ago. His name was Matthew ( just like my son), and he was only about 2 months old when he died. This past Christmas she had been searching everywhere for a figurine, or an ornament with a little boy angel on it, and couldn't find anything. Without her knowing, I have been looking and looking for a special angel to stitch for her, and I found him. It is designed by Ruth Morehead, and was in a older Dimensions leaflet called Holly Angels. I changed him a little bit, hair color to brown instead of red, and took out the holly, so it wasn't so Christmasy. I think I will find a small silver frame to put it in. Matthew's birthday is coming up in March, ( he would have been two, and I will give it to her close to the date.





Now I can return to my other works in progress for the remainder of the weekend.

Back To Work

Well, my long weekend is over, and was too short, as usual. I did manage to get some good long hours of stitching in, especially yesterday. I finished another Block in the Erica Michael's Sampler Book, the letter "C".



I also began a new ornament for Christmas 2008. It is by Milady's Needle called Sampler Christmas. I am stitching this on Parchment 32ct Jobelan with DMC. This is what the finished ornament will look like



This is my progress from last night, and working on it at work, during my afternoon break



The days are getting longer. I get out of work at 4:30 PM, and it is actually still light out now, and stays that way on my drive home.

A Long Stitching Holiday Weekend

I have today off from work because of Martin Luther King Day, and it was so bitterly cold too. This morning it was minus 10 degrees here. Brrrrrr. Even the dog didn't want to stay out long.

I got a lot of stitching done this weekend. I am making a needle case for my daughter-in-law's, mother. She and I share the exact same birthday, Feb 22; and she is also a cross stitcher. The design I chose is called AY's Necessities from Historic Stitches. Here is a picture of what the finished project will look like. The needle book is the Octagon shaped item. This is the FRONT




This is the BACK




Here is the INSIDE, with a little pocket for scissors



Here is my work in progress so far. I finished the stitching. The basting lines will come out after I cut it. I decided to stitch it on 32 ct Jobelan, the color Sapphire ( which is a greenish blue). I just need to get the lining fabric, which I think will be some sort of a pink small print, then I can put it together.




I also began another 2 blocks for my Erica Michaels Sampler Book, C & D. Here is my WIP so far on "C".



Keep warm; think SPRING !!!

WHERE IS SPRING !!!!

Yesterday we had another 11 inches of snow!! I ended up not going to work, as it snowed all day long. It gave me a nice day of stitching. I got my first two blocks of my Erica Michaels Sampler Book nearly finished. I just have the border to do. It is stitched in DMC Pearl #12 in matching color to the fabric, so you go blind as you backstitch the border. But, here are the first two done. Only 24 more to go!!!



I have a long weekend coming up with Martin Luther King Day, and I hope to possibly finish C & D Blocks then. Have a good week.


Girly Comments & Graphics

My Family

I thought I would share a few photos of my family, who I am very very proud of.

This is my oldest son Jon, who is 33 years old and his wife Amanda. He has played guitar since he was in the 6th grade, and he just got this new acoustic electric guitar for his last birthday.



This is Jon's stepchildren, Megan and Jacob, and then Jacob up in a tree !





This is my my daughter Shannon, who is 30 years old, with her daughter Kaleigh



This is Kaleigh, my grand daughter, who is 7 years old, taken Xmas Day. My daughter Shannon is in the background, with her husband Al.



This is an older picture of my daughter Shannon and her kids, but a FAVORITE of mine, so I had to include this one.



This is my husband Bob, and our son Matt, who is 29



This is my youngest son Mike, who is 24.



And this is my grandson Zachary who turned 13 years old today



Tomorrow we are in for another snowstorm, so I am not looking forward to that, and driving to work in it. Oh well, I live in Maine, I gotta expect it!!

A Slow Stitching Start to the New Year

I haven't really been motivated to get much stitching done since the beginning of the year. HOWEVER, I found a project that I am really excited about. It's called The Sampler Book by Erica Michael. Here is what it looks like.





Here is what it will look like opened up



Each page is a different letter of the alphabet. The charts are free, from Rainbow Gallery here:

http://www.rainbowgallery.com/freechartdownloads.cfm?ID=11

I have been downloading the free charts throughout 2007, and now, with a group of stitchers, we are beginning the book. It will probably take me most of the year to complete just the stitching, and then it will need to be assembled. I am stitching it on 32ct Lugana, Ivory, with 2 strands of DMC. Here is my first block, almost finished:



I have fallen in love with snowmen charts in the past few months, and have collected quite a lot since Christmas. I stitched one up as a "work break" project this past week. It was in one of the past issues of the JCS magaine, the October 2006 Preview issue. There is a companion snowman in the 2006 Ornament issue that I will do next, and make into ornaments for next Christmas.



Tomorrow is my oldest grandson's birthday. Zachary will be 13 years old !!! Where did the time go. I will try to post some pictures of the day. I am making him his favorite fried chicken for his dinner, and a homemade chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for dessert. More later. Bye for now.