Emma and the dog

Phoebe took this picture and I just HAD to put it here. She took a few pictures of them looking at each other and giving kisses. For some reason, they both just turned like this and she got it on film. It's a great moment. Kids and dogs. Go figure.

Penny Rug

I thoroughly enjoyed our class at the TANA meeting this month, Penny Rugs. I started with the shapes called for: a nickel, half dollar and dollar (coin). I cut out several pieces but after attempting to assemble them, I found that the pieces were just too small. Maybe they were just too small for me. I think maybe I was stitching around them with too large a stitch. Anyway, Becky brought some large washers and she let me have three of those. They worked wonderfully! I will more than likely use this one as a trivet. Alyssa saw it and wants me to make one for her. I'm not sure what she'll use it for. I think she justs wants Mamaw to make her something.

I was going through some photos the other day and found one of Alyssa with a blackwork princess that I had stitched for her maybe a year or so ago. I had forgotten all about it. I hadn't framed it so it was probably just in a stack with other things. It was a very pretty piece and I remember that it didn't take too long to stitch. Well, I googled it and there it was! The exact pattern I was looking for so I got on Ebay, typed it in, and there it was! I got for $7.00 and that includes the shipping. Not too bad, huh? I have a few things on my stitching plate right now but I would like to start it and finish it for her by Christmas. I'm going to the MMNA Retreat next month so I may take it as my only project and try to finish it off over that weekend. That sounds like a workable goal to me.

I'm also working on a design. TANA has to complete a stitched piece of our logo that is to be done in a 3" circle that is done on a 5" square piece of fabric. It is going to be placed on the Tennesee Valley Region banner that is displayed at TVR events. I have the pattern for the logo because we make nametages with it on it. Our nametags are just basically stitched. For the logo that I have to make I would really like to make it a bit fancier. No, I'm not really a show-off, but I know that it will represent our group and so I want it to be special for that reason. I want people to look at our logo and know that we have some really dedicated stitchers. I have several ideas running through my little mind and several that I've put on paper. I really wish I still had PCStitch. That would make things so much easier. For now, graph paper is working fine.

Tonight a few of us are headed to Marnie's for happy hour before heading off on a shopping spree to the new Hobby Lobby. I have a list and cash so I'm ready to go. Look out Marnie, here we come!!

Watching them play

Nick loves playing with his nieces, Alyssa and Emma and they love their Uncle Nick. We had a cookout at Mike's house and Emma had to have her turn at playing with Nick. He has always gotten down on the floor and wrestled with Alyssa but for the longest time Emma was afraid of him. I think it's his deep voice or the growling that is always a part of wrestling. Well, she finally came to the conclusion that he wasn't really a fierce monster trying to do her physical harm and she joined in on the fun. I just love this photo because you can see how much love they have for each other just by the way they look at each other. It's priceless. That is one of my favorite things about children is how honest their eyes are when showing their feelings. It's almost magical.

Flower Biscornou

I got this pattern at Marnie's Christmas in July Stitch-in. (If I owe anyone for the pattern just let me know.) I made a few changes. The flowers were supposed to be done with ribbon but the ribbon I was using wasn't playing fair so I just decided to do bullion roses. For the stems I used the stem stitch. Ok, that's not so original but it works. Then, I found the button at Hobby Lobby. I played around with my own design for the back as well. I really enjoyed doing this. The biscornous are fun to assemble. Lanna and I saw a pattern for one in St. Albans that had, I think, 9 sides? Anyway, it looked interesting but the pattern was a little pricey just to learn how to do it.

This month our class is Penny Rugs. I saw the finished one on our TANA site and it looks beautiful. I think I've done them before but it's been quite some time ago so it will be fun to try it again.

At the moment I'm working on a silhouette pattern that I've already done. It was hanging in my downstairs bathroom. That one was in green but this one is black. Since I don't have to change colors it moves along quite nicely. Probably won't finish it before the next meeting but I'm not on any deadline.

Well, I guess it's off to bed to reboot for another day!

Small Projects

I actually haven't done any stitching on my large WIPs, but I have been able to complete several small ones. With Nick back in school I have a bit more time for stitching. The stitch-ins that we have helps a lot as well. The last Christmas stitch-in required that I work on something for Christmas (duh) so Lanna showed me how to make the spider to put on the tree. Voila! Christmas stitching project complete!
I'm also still going through the patterns and kits I got while in Nashville and have completed a set of scissor fobs. I'm still on the blackwork phase of stitching at the moment so now these are finished.
The next scissor fob is one that I had done in the past but lost in the fire. Since helping Lanna organize her storage room I found a few perks were involved. One of them was having full access to her patterns and supplies. So, she set me up with all the materials and I finished this one:I don't know that I actually have as many scissors as I have scissor fobs but that isn't the point, is it? I can change them occasionally and so, never get bored.

I've also been working on my family tree. When it's complete I think I'd love to stitch the names and dates as far back as I can find. Right now I'm working on my dad's side of the family (thanks Dad for helping!) and I'm back to my grandfather's grandfather who was a Sergeant for the Union in the Civil War. It's very exciting to find all the history of the people in my bloodline. I'm new to this and now I understand why every time I go to the library there are people there searching for their ancestors. I'm taking the easy way right now and just using ancestry.com but they have a lot of information available and organize the information quite well.

Nick had his first scrimmage game last night but they didn't keep score. They had the 7th graders play on one side of the field and the 8th graders on the other. Nick was in on several tackles. He says this is his best year yet. I think part of the reason is that he is in the best physical condition he's ever been in. He had a growth spurt and is now much taller but hasn't gained more weight. He is looking forward to the season getting started and wearing the jersey of The Fighting Tigers! I need to get an Ironton t-shirt and one of those comfy stadium chairs with the back on it. I'll be all set then!

Chatelaine Picture

I never could find the photo I had taken, so I just took another one. I think it looks better in person but that's usually the way it is with stitched items. I haven't gotten a lot of stitching done lately. I had Alyssa and Emma to stay overnight Saturday. I was so worried that Emma would have a hard time without her mommy but we kept her busy and made sure noone mentioned the word "mommy". We took them to Ritter Park in Huntington. I hadn't been there for quite awhile. They have added some new equipment since I'd been there. We had a blast!

Nick is playing football for Ironton this year. Since we moved he is now in the Rock Hill School District but we'd heard horror stories about the schools there so he decided to go to Ironton since his daddy went there. He looks so adorable in his uniform. When he was little I always called him "Mommy's little linebacker". Well, he's a head and half taller than me and he's now 14 so I can no longer call him that. (Out loud anyway.) Tomorrow is his first day in the 8th grade. it just doesn't seem like he should be that old. It was only a week or so ago that I was in the 8th grade. Well, it feels that way sometimes.

So, I made plans for that day. I'm going to go to Lanna's house to help her organize her craft room. We've been working on it for quite awhile. She has a very LARGE amount of crafting supplies. She loves stitching as much as I do as well as beading, crocheting, needle punch, etc. She used to own a craft shop so she has everything! We have been trying to get her organized so she can find things easier. She does like I do: if I can't find it easily, I just buy another one. She is having a stitch-in at her house on the 25th of this month so we are on a deadline now. I hope she got some of those plastic drawers with labels so we can start putting things away. We have piles all over the floor, couch, table and chairs in their categories. Now we just have to put them somewhere before we open any more boxes, bags or totes. Wish me luck!

Chatelaine

I've seen many beautiful chatelaines. I have one that I bought a few years ago that is just a long, pretty ribbon that I used to put my pins on. I wanted a much nicer one but really pretty ones are either too hard to find or too expensive. I'd rather spend my money on stitching supplies or events. So I just decided to make my own. I can't seem to find the photo I took of it so I'll have to add it later. I made it a little wider than some I've seen but I have a plan. I'm placing my pins in the hemstitched border that surrounds the edges. I'm going to use the center part sort of like a continuing scrapbook of stitches. Before the next meeting I hope to have a small section done with a blackwork design on it. I've been doing a lot of blackwork lately so that will mark this point of my life history.I will also work a pattern of a house, because we lost one and got another one, and a football design because Nick is playing and I just love football anyway. (Go Steelers! Go Marshall!!) You get the idea. I'm still working on that promise piece along with a few other small items. I haven't finished the August Monthly Mania. It's a lighthouse and I usually love to stitch lighthouses but I'm not really happy with the colors in this one. I'm doing it in the colors called for in the pattern and I guess that was my first mistake. I should have changed them to ones I like. Well, I'm almost halfway finished with it so I'll probably just finish it the way it is. Hopefully, September will be done before, you know, September. I love the class piece from last month and I work on it during football practice because it's so easy to take with me. I'm so glad that I took pics of Liz's piece at the meeting. It makes it so much easier to work on. Also, I have another blackwork piece (that's actually done in dark green) that I got at SAS and it's going to be beautiful. It is a Silkstone Design called Tasseled Trimmers. Along with the greenwork it also has some gold cross stitches in it. When I did the last blackwork piece it had gold in it as well and I thought I'd leave the gold out the next time I did one but everyone who saw it loved the gold in it so I guess I'll do it this way again.