Au Natural

Hey, Friends!

Oh boy, oh joy --  I’ve been a lucky winner once again!  I won a great giveaway over at Bobbi’s Mostly Stitching blog.  It was a giveaway dedicated to Widgets & Wool Primitives generations of stitching, and I just love the thought and the designs! 

Giveaway from Bobbi

Widgets & Wool Primitives

I first opened the box, and there is a wonderful piece of BBD Blueberry Crumbcake fabric wrapped around more goodies.  I pulled the ribbon, and out fell the four W&WP designs: Springtime Happy Dance (rabbits and tulips), The Love in Your Heart, Black Hat Society (yes!), and Better Not Pout J.  What a wonderful selection!  And then more BBD in the form of a dollie pyn pillow from Prairie Horizon Stitchworks!  Finally, a sweet little sampler magnet that looks quite familiar with its yellow house, flag, and kitty.  It says, This 

Dollie Pyn Pillow & Magnet

needlework of mine can tell, when I was yours I learned well. … 2004.  Is it Moira Blackburn?  Bobbi, thank you so much for your generosity!  I love every piece!

When I sat down with my Halloween issue of Just Cross Stitch, I realized that the PSS Rotted but not Forgotted chart was missing.  Not to fear, Just Cross Stitch has a corrections page, and it’s linked there.

I was reading over at Lee Lake Stitcher’s blog that she decided to forgo the hair color and become au natural.  A couple of years ago, I was sick of my hair – way over processed and so far from my natural color I could hardly remember what it should look like.  I saw some girls with what looked like single strands of iridescent tinsel in their hair and thought it was so striking.  Then I thought , if my hair wasn’t colored, I imagine I’d have my own tinsel… wonder how gray it really is?  Then an article about gray hair being chic , owning who you are, redefining beauty at any age.  For a variety of what others say, have a look here.  Now, I know there are some of you who will say – I will always dye my hair - and I say – more power to you!  But from my experience … without the color treatment I no longer have brown splotched door trims, base boards, and towels in my bathroom?  Actually, I had given that up to spend countless hours in the shop with my hairdresser, not to mention the amount of stash money I was spending there.  And so, to date there is not a drop of any residual color in my hair.  There are gray streaks along the front, and quite a few iridescent tinsel strands through the rest – but here’s what I thought would be revealed (or this) – and actually it is like this. It is pulled and straightened here, but it's never as curly as that last image.

Speaking of hair – Pixie went to the groomer last Saturday.  Sometimes our hair looks more alike than others!  They must have gotten a little soap in her eyes – see how pink they are?

Before

After

Thanks for stopping by, today and always.  I appreciate your words of encouragement and all your comments!

I'm grateful for less than 100˚

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

March Ends with a Lamb, too!

Hey, Friends!

Last week I did some experimenting with walnut stains.  I have a few old, dark, flaky, walnuts, so I put a couple in a plastic, carry out salad dish with water and put them in the microwave for about five minutes.  Then I plopped in a piece of light colored fabric.  I left this to soak overnight.  The next day, I lined a cookie sheet with foil, turned on the oven to about 225 and let it bake for an hour, turned off the heat and left it in to cool.  Here are the results before (top) and after pressing.  I did pour on a little extra of the liquid before baking. 

Spring is really in full on progress.  Pixie is enjoying a while on the deck – see the red dogwood in the background?  There were not nearly so many blooms last year.

Thanks for stopping by, today and always.  Your kind words are always appreciated!

I'm grateful for my fur kid, Pixie!

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

January Wins and Finds

Hey, Friends!

The new year has commenced, and it has been much the same.  I’ve been stitching away, but want to wait to show you the progress when it’s closer to completion. Hopefully that won’t be too long since we have a long weekend!    

I'm going to leave this packaged until ready to work on it, so sorry for the glare.  Remember that I was the winner of a prize from Nancy at Victorian Motto?  She has others going on if you haven’t entered! There was a box on my steps when I got home yesterday and I couldn’t figure out what it was… then I saw the return address!  Oh, boy – but why such a big box?  So that the perforated paper wouldn’t get creased – but I hadn’t realized it was this size - about 18 inches long. I chose Forget me Not, and it is wonderful!  There’s also some gold for backing the piece if you wish, and all that wonderful thread! Nancy, all your things are so lovely, and you are so generous! Again, thank you VERY much!

On my way to the chiropractor yesterday I saw a sign at a consignment shop that nearly everything was 50% off… who can resist that?  The shop is in an old house, so in the nursery I found a box of knitting needles.  No, I really don’t knit that much, but when I want to start something, I’m usually using the set of needles that would be just right for the project.  Yes there are KIPs here, too!  In the kitchen I found this set of made in the US – oven proof – heavy brown mugs.  Won’t they be perfect to keep that cuppa steamy while blogging or stitching?

There are just some mornings when we don't want to get out of bed, aren't there?

I’m grateful for Martin Luther King, Jr., and that my workplace observes his holiday.

Thank y’all for each and every comment you send along! 

PeaceëLoveëJoy
and Happy Stitching
Charlene♥SC

Hello? Hello!

I got a new phone this week, and so far I love it.  Not that I’m a big phone person – either at home or on the move.  Hardly ever use either, as a matter of fact, well, except periodically at work, but you know – must have one.  Actually the cell phone is a safety issue for me, but I decided I wanted one that would do more than just sit in my purse, so I got a Blackberry Tour.  I know – the latest and greatest, at Verizon at least, is the Droid – all touch business.  Not so much for me.  I wanted a type pad, to have access to spreadsheets, email if possible, and oh, by the way, phone capability.  Have you looked at them recently?  So many gadgets and gizmos to choose from – it’s not easy to pick! 

I signed up for Camp Stitch Away this week.  It is the last weekend in March in Little Switzerland, North Carolina.  It’s sponsored by my LNS, The Stitch and Frame Shop, so hop over to take a look at the details if you like.

I’ve had a nice stitching week – which means I haven’t done much else around the house, but then do I ever? 

There were a couple of evenings with Lizzy*Kate’s Alphabet Lessons.

Wanted to stitch up another little ornie, so I chose Love, a freebie from The Stitcherhood, on a scrap using Gentle Arts limited edition, Lady Bug.

I joined the Little House Needleworks Monthly Ornament Stitch-A-Long Blog, Too group, so I’ve got to get on the ball with these!  This is the almost completed Fa La La.  I'll finish that up today, and move along to something...

It's chilly and dreary here today.  Aren't there just some days when you don't even want to get out of bed?  Just ask Pixie!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Camp Stitchaway

On Thursday, March 12, I headed to Spruce Pines, NC for my first cross stitching retreat. It was chilly and drizzling rain, but not such a bad drive. I saw a couple of places that I wanted to stop, but was anxious to get there, so forged ahead. (I'll share my 'finds' in anothr post later.)

When I arrived, Carol Peggy was setting up tables and such, so I pitched in for a bit. Later others started arriving, and we got our rooms and mates. Since Springmaid bunkhouse is mostly for kids at equine camp, the rooms had bunk beds, so we took off the top mattress of two rooms and made one for me on the floor. It really wasn't half bad - actually better than the one on the bed frame, I think! Jeanne was my roomie, and we got along very well.

Kiki and Jeanne are the ladies I met online who invited me to The Stitch and Frame for stitch nights, and also encouraged me to attend this retreat. Thanks, ladies! I had a blast and learned SO much. There were about 25 stitchers there, and here are some of them. I thought I had photos of everyone, but some just didn't turn out well.

Bobbie and I were 'the smokers' so we spent a little more time together outside - she in her 'smoking jacket' and I with my spray bottle - Fabreeze!! Water's Edge is Bobbie's design company.

Thursday night we had soup and salad for dinner, and just stitched (some had knitting class) and got acquainted with the other stitchers. Beginning Friday, we had a catering couple join us, and they prepared three square meals! It was great food.


Friday morning was 'whatever' time, so some went shopping, others went to pan for gems. I went down the mountain to find a stitching light. I got a desk model of the floor lamp I use at home that I love. Just a note * don't rely on your GPS to navigate you through the mountain tops! It asked me to turn in places where there were no roads, and I wound up in Switzerland - Little Switzerland, that is! *


We played Bingo - but of course I didn't win; however, I did win a door prize.



We started our project on Friday afternoon. The guest instructor was Meg Thompson Shinall, daughter of Ginny Thompson - THE Ginny Thompson Flower Thread - and designer/owner of Morningstar Embroidery Group. Our project was Camp Stitchaway Stitching Tray. This is Meg's sample tray. The approximate size is 8x10. Hers has a notebook, pen tray, ORT box, pin cushion, biscornu, and to be scissor tray.





This was my first experience with stitching on linen. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it is a slower process for me since I don't have the 'feel' yet and have to count over every time. While some of the group went out on Saturday to take in the locale, I stayed in since it was cold, rainy, and generally yucky outside, so I had fun stitching.



My first Klosters - spelled incorrectly on the photo - dove's eye, and nun's stitch.

These together make a peek-a-boo. I don't believe anyone finished the project, but the challenge from Meg was to make a big, full-sized tray for next year. We'll see... This is my try for this project, and it is about 6x6.



After breakfast on Sunday morning, we all packed and headed home. There wasn't so much rain, but it was foggy.



It is a lovely place, and I hope to go again next year. You should think about coming, too. It's great to put real faces and personalities with our on-line friends!

PS:
Thank you, friends, who have asked about Pixie. She had a good time with DS and his Great Dane, Kilo (who is spending this weekend with us). She is doing a lot better with less limping and more use of her leg - though still on medication.

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA

Stitching with Pixie

Hey, Friends.

Thanks for your concern about Pixie. The doctor says she has a subluxated knee, and we're trying some anti-inflammatory meds to see if that will ease her pain. Since it wasn't caused by "doing" anything, we think she must have just turned it on a stone or divot. She can't jump up or down from furniture, and has to be carried up and down steps, but that's about it for now. She does seem to be putting a little weight on it, once in a while.

This is a little cross-stitch finish. I thought it was cute, but don't know what I'll do with it - maybe hang it at work?? Sanity?? by Jessica Willis Burr from The Gift of Stitching, October 2006. I used Finca #12 for the solid, but mostly Omega #50 variegated cotton.



I've also started Quaker Blues, by Leeanne - StitchWiz, on My Nifty Needle. I'm using Vikki Clayton's silks from Hand-dyed Fibers. Such lovely silk fibers! At the local stitching group Tuesday night, one of the ladies asked if she could see them, and she took the bunch in her hand and just eewwwddddd. They really do have that wonderful 'hand' you're looking for!

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA

Poor Pixie

My sweet little Pixie was out behind me last night doing her business, and she gave a yelp. I turned to see what was wrong, and she hobbled up to me. When we got inside, she was holding her tiny, little foot up, so I looked and felt, but couldn't see anything wrong. Hobbling around with that foot off the floor, didn't jump up into the chair with me; when I got up, she went under the coffee table, just not herself. This morning when we went out for her morning business, she walked up to me to pick her up - she wouldn't even go. She's always held that leg up when she tinkles, and it must really hurt when she does that, so she wouldn't.

I've read online that toy poodles, especially, are real candidates for joint sub-luxation - but that it goes out and back in. When it wasn't better this morning, I felt her knee and couldn't tell so we have an appointment with the vet at 2:30 to see what is happening. If she confirms that's what it is, I just may take her to my chiropractor this afternoon to see what she has to say about it. I know she does treat pets, too.

~Happy Stitching~
Charlene in SC.USA