5/24/2006

I've Moved!

Come check out my new blog home:

Annette's Acre

Please update your links!!!

5/22/2006

Show your Scissors!

On the TWBB there was a call to Show your Scissors by a certain member [Terry]:

Here they are:



1 - Multicolor storks with a homemade fob
2 - Ginghers with a fob made by my buddy Erin
3 - More multicolor storks and purchased fob (bought in Santa Clara at CATS - IIRC, Suz made me do it!)
4 - Hardanger scissors - with a curved tip and homemade fob
5 - Brushed Dovos with another Erin fob
6 - My good Ginghers - fabric cutting ONLY!
7 - My blue steel Dovos
8 - Ladybug Dovos
9 - Multicolor Fish (Nashville CATS purchase)
10 - Purple Victorians - one of my first pair!

Not shown: My first pair - a simple silver embroidery pair :)

My next pair? One of Jo's (Dinky Dyes): See here

Also, I finished off another obligation piece this weekend and it has already been delivered:



For those keeping score, that makes two obligation finishes this month....YES!

Stitching: Sweetheart Tree - By the Sea Fob
Reading: Slay it with Flowers
Listening to (iPod): Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie

5/21/2006

Plan B

Way back in January, I sorted through all my WIPs and was bound and determined to get to them all sometime this year.

Even made a schedule.

Yeah.

Well, here's the *revised* schedule for the remainder of the year. I have managed to pick up 4 so far (Dragon Ride, Autumn Queen, Emerald Mermaid and Fortunate Traveler) but if I have hope of getting thru the rest, I've got to keep track!

May (planned):
Fortunate Traveler - TW Done for May!
Quilt Mystery - Chatelaine

June (planned):
Neptune/Poseidon - Lynne Nicoletti
Noah's Ark - TW

July (planned):
Heirloom Christmas Sampler - Victoria Sampler
Christmas Elegance - Mirabilia

August (planned):
Stroke of Midnight - TW
Sampler of Unpublished Insertion Stitches - Martha Schmidt

September (planned):
L'Epoch Nouveau - Dimple Designs
English Garden Welcome - TW

October (planned):
Shiraz Sampler - Dinky Dyes
Santa's Midnight Ride - Dutch Treat

November (planned):
Egyptian Garden - Chatelaine
Edith Wolford - Silver Lining
Medieval Majesty - Leon Conrad

December (planned):
Catch up!

Stitching on: Ornament RR
Reading: Dark Tort
Listening to: Midsomer Murders

5/17/2006

Exchanges

Today I received my 8-sided pillow (aka "biscornu") exchange from Anne and it is gorgeous!


The piece I stitched has also reached its final destination so I can show it off!

It's Mary's Pin Pillow by Indigo Rose - but with quite a few modifications - as in a totally different color scheme and I left off the alphabet around the edges and add our initials and date instead.

The button and I had a few disagreements. It didn't want to be in the center and after three attempts, it won.

I did add a few more bits to the package, but didn't take that picture....

I have succumbed to "exchange fever" and have even opened three on the Rotation BB. We're doing a Scissor Fob, Bookmark and Ornament exchange (from the JCS issues - the pending release of the 10th anniversary book was the catalyst). If you're interested in joining the group, please come by and check them out!

Of course....that's not the only exchanges I've signed up for. There's the Friendship and House Exchanges on the SBEBB.....LOL

Stitching on: VS Heirloom Anniversary Sampler
Reading (bus): Last Camel Died at Noon
Listening to: The Amazing Race finale!

5/15/2006

As promised....

First, I must show off this gorgeous Exchange I received in today's mail! It's from Karen V and is my "Melanie's Exchange" piece. Paula sent the lovely deep purple threads and two tiny butterfly beads (on the ribbon "tails" on the bottom) to Karen and she stitched this lovely ornament. So gorgeous! She included a lovely ribbon bookmark (she knows me well LOL) that is just too pretty to use ;) Thank you!

This week's "Monday with TW" stitchalong winner: The Fortunate Traveler. I started working on him yesterday and added the "THE", finished the lattice backstitching and backstitched the border (hey, there was a 3-hour Survivor.....*plenty* of stitching time).

This is the *proof*! Chess Anyone? is halfway. 2 knights, 2 bishops, 44 pawns and 16 of 33 squares are DONE! [Extra square is for the white queen - a little stitching to do for that one]

Whew!

Stitching on: Fortunate Traveler
Reading (bus): Last Camel Died at Noon
Listening to: Braves baseball! Go boys!

5/12/2006

Quick Friday Post

Chess Anyone? is officially half-finished! (Pic coming later this weekend)

Heirloom Anniversary Sampler is started!

Answering a comment - Dark Tort is ok. I *really* liked the last one, Double Shot, so not sure how this one will compare!

And finally:

In a Past Life...

You Were: A Redhead Poet.

Where You Lived: Germany.

How You Died: Typhoid fever.

5/11/2006

Retail Therapy

There's nothing like a little retail therapy when you're feeling low.

On Wednesday, after throwing up my hands (temporarily) on a work problem (hint: Amazon + ebook + Adobe + firewall = ARGH!) I went to clear my brain with a bit of retail therapy at an LNS (or two). A lovely card of Cranberry GAST, a skein of some nice grass green yarn (baby gift) and a set of #2 DPNs (as I can't find the one "free" set I have in my stash) served to reduce the stress level just enough that I was able to identify a successful workaround upon my return to the office (benefit of having a spouse at home and a secure ftp).

This morning I woke up in a bad state (recurring health issue) and what better pain relief than a bit of retail indulgence? Thanks to the current Stitching Bits and Bobs sale I have on the way to me: Houses of Hawk Run Hollow (I've had this on my wish list forever), Queen and 1797 Ship Sampler.

I *needed* house patterns, ya see. I'm moderating a "House-themed" exchange and need to have some choices! I'm also participating in a "Foldable Book RR" and the theme for my book is "Stitcher's Neighborhood" - there's more bits to stitch than RR participants, so I'll need to stitch several of the remaining sections.

And to finish off the post today - a couple of meme questions.

Stitching Bloggers' Question:

When you stitch from a kit and use the supplied floss do you have leftovers? If so, how much and what do you do with them? If not, do you usually have just enough or do you have to dig into your stash to finish?

I can only recall one instance when I ran short in a kit and that was a class project using only DMC (thus easily replenishable from the stash). I usually have *plenty* of leftovers! As to what I do with them....well....if it's DMC, I usually toss them and if it's specialty fibers, I'll add them back to my stash :)

Stitchers Meme (new!)

Have a case of startitis? What projects are you dying to start? Which would you start today if you "allowed" yourself?

Rosemarkie by LongDog is calling. Also a tiny elephant Lanarte kit came for my birthday and I really want to start it! Hatz Bootique by Brightneedle is softly calling, too.

Too much stash, not enough time.....

Stitching On: Chess Anyone?
Reading: Dark Tort