what to start now?

i'm going through a bit of postpartum stitch depression now that my big project is finished. while i'm enjoying my little break, i am also perplexed with which project to start next. here are the two in the queue for the immediate future.

i've put a few strands in this holiday cross stitch from jbw designs. i can't wait to pick it back up again! this will be my travel project since i'll be flying to palm beach for a wedding this weekend.

who can forget the water meter ornament? should be a quick finish once i get back from florida. 

a HUGE finish!

stitchy friends, i am pleased to introduce my completed stocking!

love her turkey work coat! i'll trim it once it comes back from the finisher. 

the cuff and beaded name

i decided to use real beads for the garland, it adds some more dimension and i love the colors!

thanks for all the encouragement, i'm really happy with the final result! 

at least it's friday?

in my rush to get out the door this morning i completely forgot to get a picture of my progress on the stocking. 

but i can tell you that the cuff is complete, beaded name and everything!

and i'm maybe an hour away from the poinsettias being finished! 

my goal this weekend is to finish the turkey work on the coat, and find some killer jewels for the stranded bead garland. 

could this project be done by next week?! i hope so!!!!!!

look for picture updates this weekend!

i have a dream...

that one day i have a little girl (or girls) 

and that i can decorate the nursery with these cross stitched beauties from birds of a feather

le printemps

l'ete

l'hiver

l'automne

stingy stitcher

i had mentioned in a previous post that i am a stingy stitcher.
guilty. 

this is also a subject that palma and i discussed at length while she was in town. while stitching is a hobby for most of us (or at least until robin and vicky hire me to be their personal assistant, lol!) the work we produce tends to be more meaningful than that of a hobby. 

we make cherished treasures that will be passed down and admired for many years. and when you devote as much time and love as we do, it can sometimes be difficult to give away. 

will the recipient know to store it in acid-free paper? will they keep it in good condition? and most importantly, will they truly appreciate the time that went into making it?

for me, it's a catch 22. i always see so many canvases and potential projects and think, "this would be perfect for insert name here." but then i come to my senses and remind myself that insert name here probably won't appreciate it as much as i do. or won't love it the way i do. 

it's almost like fostering a pet. you grow to love it so much that even though it's going to a good home, you still want to check up on it and make sure it's doing ok. i still check on the family sampler i made for my parents last christmas every time i travel home. why? because i'm a crazy person with nothing better to do my blood, sweat, tears, and not to mention cricket's hair...are woven into that linen for all eternity. i grew to love it just as if it were my own (like a foster pet). 

it's hard to give my work away. especially to those that are unfamiliar with needle arts and all the work that goes into it. it's hard when i feel that i don't get the adequate praise i feel i deserve because they don't know any better. and it's hard feeling like a selfish old scrooge lady because i don't want to share my work with the people i love the most. 

the holiday season is quickly approaching, and tis the season for giving. i'm curious to know what you all think of my predicament...am i really just being a selfish old scrooge lady?

death by basketweave...

devil, thy name is basketweave!

these were my sentiments at around 9 pm last night when i finally put the last stitch in the cuff. 

more specifically, the basketwoven background.

i had finished the top and bottom borders over a week ago and started on the basketweave around thursday night.

the black and gold borders are alternating scotch stitches, as well as the all black border at the top. the red and white triangles are padded in petite very velvet, then stitched with splendor multiple times. 

i'll start with beading the name tonight, but i feel the hard part is behind me! 

and because she was being so good and patient...here's a gratuitous cricket pic!

how was your weekend?

holiday house

have you seen the newest releases from

little house needleworks?

gingerbread cookie

holiday house

i am in love with the holiday house pattern! the topiaries, the cardinals, and the hint of snow? perfection! 

i want to experiment with the letters and maybe try adding my last name instead of the alphabet. i think this would also make such a sweet gift for friends or family around the holidays. even though i tend to be a bit stingy regarding who receives stitched gifts, this small size would stitch up in no time!

what do you think?

look what i got!

the first piece to the princess and me nativity club came in the mail this week and i could not be more excited!

i'm practicing self control and making myself hold from any new projects until the stocking is complete, which  will be about a week or so! 

so stinkin excited!

starting over

remember my frustration with the water meter ornament? 

i made a trip to my lns this weekend determined to turn this canvas around. luckily, my mentor diana was in full agreement that it needed something more. we both agreed on beads for the stars, but she suggested maybe introducing a color variation to the mix. 

here's what we chose.

i absolutely love the olive green memory thread for the crescent moon and beams. diana noted that the actual water meter covers are full of gunk and grit from being on the streets. the olive really works well with the background color and brings another level to the piece. 

for the stars, the choice was clear.

i am fully re-charged on this project 

and can't wait to get re-started!

holy beads batman!

thanks to diana at my lns, i just discovered the most amazing place in the city! 

the bead shop.

after driving by it on magazine street all the time, i always assumed it was a mardi gras bead store (apparently they get that a lot). but with diana's urging, i went. i saw. i conquered. 

people, they have new orleans themed charms!

and for my kappa angel? how perfect is it that our symbols are the owl, the key, and the fleur-de-lis?

a closer look

the possibilities are endless, and i will definitely be going back. this could get dangerous! luckily, they have a "busy beader card" that gives you a stamp for every $10 you spend. after 10 stamps, you receive a $10 bead buck to use towards the next purchase! 

i'm in heaven!

fabulous finishing

one of my favorite things is receiving a phone call from my lns telling me that my finishing is ready! (well, that and the postman delivering a box full of stitchy goodies to my door)

i know this is a bit belated since i'm coming up on my third christmas in new orleans, but better late than never!

this danji canvas originally posed a challenge as the mask was painted pink and the colors were all wrong. 

i changed the yellow streamers to green with my christmas cocktail beads, then went over the mask in purple silk lame braid. the "ribbons" attached to the mask are done in "mardi gras" by dinky dyes. i love it! i went over all the lettering in memory thread and had the painter add "1st" at the top to commemorate my time living here. 

this project goes to show that no matter what a canvas looks like, you can always jazz it up any way you want! i'm really pleased with how this turned out. 

let's talk nativity clubs...

i am so excited and proud to say that i joined my very first needlepoint club this week! after all the wonderful advice on my nativity dilemma, i was thrilled to learn of the "princess and me" nativity needlepoint club with what's the point. 

photos from what's the point

aren't these the most precious things ever?! i am so excited and can't wait to receive my first canvas this month. since i have so many other projects i will be working on simultaneously, i opted to do one canvas per month. 

thanks to everyone's helpful suggestions and advice. i have a sneaking suspicion that this will be the first of many nativities to come!

moving right along!

i've been spending quality time with my stocking, and finished up the background this week. the beads are the perfect little touch and add so much pizzazz to the piece. i've started on the cuff section and would like to try and complete that this weekend! 

starting to come together! i am determined to finish this project this month!

i don't like it...

i made progress with the water meter ornament last night, but after looking at it again this morning, i'm not sure how i feel about it. 

the stars are all so irregular that outlining them doesn't really help. it only makes it look more primitive. 

the moon beams are also irregular that doing a straight satin stitch doesn't make it look any better. 

i think i'm resorting to beads. yes, i've made up my mind and don't try and stop me. beads will be the perfect accouterments for this piece. 

i really was resigned to do this without the help of beads, but it's just not working. back to the shop i go this weekend! at least it will give me some quality time with my lady...oh how i've missed her...

monday monday

nothing to post today...

i'm almost done with the water meter ornament, hoping to finish it up tonight. then it's back to the stocking for the duration of the week!

tune in tomorrow!

a new purchase

pocket full of stitches is having a brenda stofft trunk show and i have been wanting this santa forever!

i love all of the "santa's wild rides" series, but the pig is my favorite.

even though i've been pretty good about not purchasing new canvases left and right, the trunk show discount made it impossible to pass up! i can't wait to get my needle into this little guy! 

let's talk nativities

i have drooled over all the beautiful nativity sets that i've seen people working on for the past few years, but i never got up the courage to purchase one of my own. which is weird because nativities are my absolute favorite part of holiday decor! i have a million in my collection, but none that are needlepointed. 

 the one that my heart desires most is this precious and whimsical set by princess and me

photo by what's the point?

i love all the colors and fun stitches in this group!

the other set that i absolutely love is by mile high princess (can you see that there is a pattern developing here?) again, i love the whimsical nature and sweet faces.

the question is...how to get started? buy all the canvases at once? slowly work on a few each year? i would love to hear your thoughts and what your process is in stitching a nativity!

stitching the blues away...

psych! 

the blues are complete!

the weekend's endless rainstorm provided the perfect backdrop for my needle to fly! i finished all the blue background and will be moving onto the beads.

a closer snap. the background stitch is really an optical illusion. the shading of the triangular stitches create a checkerboard pattern that i absolutely adore. 

i really feel like i'm on the home stretch! i've divided my threads into stitching groups (coat, flowers, cuff) and i'm thinking this will be finished within the month! can i do it???

i also worked a little more on the water meter ornament background while babysitting thursday and friday nights. i'm flying to fort worth this weekend for a bridal shower, so this may be a "mile high finish!"

i apologize for the week-long absence! what i needed more than anything was sleep, so it was nyquil at 8 pm every night for me, which also meant no stitching. but i'm back!