fabulous finishing!

there's nothing like a box of finished needlepoint to make the week better!

earlier this year i stitched crab salad, and ballooning santa (both by the princess and me) 

take a peek at the stitchy finished goodness!

(images via adornment needlepoint facebook)

 a huge thanks to adornment needlepoint for the spectacular job! i love them oh so very much!

while we're on the subject of weddings...

one of my bestest friends got engaged this spring, and is getting married this upcoming january! i immediately knew i wanted to stitch something for her, but i'm indecisive on what...

last year i stitched this painted canvas for a lee jewelry box for my other friend that got married, and she loved it! it's always excited to get something with your new monogram on it!

but there are so many cute princess and me ornaments that i love too...

and these toppers by the studio midwest are just too precious...

what are your "go-to" stitched wedding gifts?

and it's a finish!

another finish for the books! the remaining two packages stitched up quickly last night during another episode of "the west wing". can't. get. enough. 

all packages are a combination of dmc and kreinik. i love the bows on top!

this weekend i'll put in a serious effort to get back on track with the nativity club. what are your weekend stitching plans?

almost done!

only 2 more packages to stitch and this fun project goes to the finished pile!

i've followed the stitch guide very closely, and love how it all comes together!

i finished up the french knot beard and the pink package last night while watching "the west wing" on netflix (love me some aaron sorkin!)

only the blue and purple packages remain and then this jolly fellow will be hot air ballooning to the finishers!

basket-weaving

i am still reeling from this weekend's good fortune! i feel like eliza doolittle in "i could have danced all night" 

thank you so much for all your sweet words of encouragement, i could not have survived without my sweet stitchy friends! 

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so i stitched a basket this weekend (hence the dorky pun-filled post title)

the first part of the basket stitch called for stranded floss and a padded satin stitch for the balustrade 

then i went back and added the second color floss on every other row

 and finally i went back and added krenik crosses for a little shine

i am ready to stitch the contents of the basket, and then santa will be able to take flight!

wild and crazy!

that's how i feel starting a new project when the other one is not yet complete!

i'm wild and crazy and loving it!

last night i put in a few stitches on the princess and me ballooning santa. i love how the moorish stitch really makes the balloon pop! (no pun intended, lol)

this is such a cutie!

a weekend finish!

i received my replacement thread in the mail on friday afternoon and immediately got to work finishing this little guy up!

after adding the last white stripe in petite treasure ribbon, i beaded his eyes for an extra "oomph"

i love how he turned out and can't wait to send him off to the finisher!

happy monday!

i might have overdone it a bit...

let's talk nativity clubs. 

and let's talk about how many clubs i am currently participating in.

that's right...3!

i'm a crazy overly ambitious person and because i love all three nativities ever so, i signed up for their clubs this year. the dilemma i'm now faced with is, do i abandon all other stitching and just make 2013 the year of nativities? or do i stick with 1 set and save the other two for next year, so i can rotate other projects into the mix? any and all advice welcome!

while we're on the subject of the nativity set that i am actually stitching on, here is my progress from the hour-long junior league meeting last night. this guy will be one of my road-trip companions back to fort worth tomorrow.  

what's that you say? one of the road-trip companions? why yes! i'm adding another canvas into the mix on this wacky wednesday. in case i need a break from the nativity, i'm packing this fun friend in my stitching bag. 

i hit the road for texas tomorrow night! here's to a long weekend and some much needed R&R!

almost there!

bear with me as i have to pick up another card of white treasure ribbon...but at least one half of the stripes is done!

i love how the addition of the stripes really make the crab pop on the canvas. can't wait to get him finished up!

i spent as much time outdoors as possible this weekend enjoying the beautiful spring weather. after a matinee showing at the local movie theatre, i tried a new pop up restaurant that was delicious!

and of course, many MANY walks and outside time with my favorite gal!

last week's work-week was brutal, so i'm hoping this one will be less stressful! happy monday!

starting on the stripes...

i finished up mr. crab last night and just love him! 

diagonal roumanian on the front claws and hungarian diamonds for the body (per stitch guide)

i briefly started on the first (of many) white stripe in treasure ribbon, but am looking forward to the mindless monotony of diagonal satin this weekend...

i have plans to return back to my next nativity canvas once this guy gets finished up! stay tuned

fun weekend!

we had beautiful spring weather this weekend (before the rain came down this morning) and tried to spend most of it outside!

i was so excited when whitney told me she was coming in town for work and wanted to lunch yesterday!

we had a yummy jazz brunch at the columns hotel and it was so much fun catching up on life, love, our furry children, and yes, needlepoint. it was funny to think we had never actually met, but already felt like friends via the internet. such a fun time!

i also found time to start stitching (again) mr. crab salad. i'm much happier with the new color selection (vineyard silk "tomato")

a definite improvement from before, n'est pas? 

happy monday! hope everyone is not too sleepy from the time change!

well that went differently as planned...

don't you hate it when you have a set plan, and then it gets bamboozled? ugh. cut to me monday night...

so there i was working on "crab salad" by princess and me. the stitch guide calls for nova for the crab, so i did as i was told like a good girl and used the called-for thread, and started basketweaving the back legs a la the stitch guide. 5 curse words later, i moved on to the top right claw in diagonal roumanian. 

5 more curse words later...

i ripped it all out. 

yes. ripped every fiber from that damn canvas and called it a night.

i hate to admit defeat...but i just don't have the patience to try and tame the devil fiber le nova thread. i wasn't crazy about the color anyways, and will visit my lns soon to choose a new fiber of my liking. 

i still love this little canvas, and while my affair with nova was short and sweet...i will not give up the good fight!

onward and upward!

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!

princess and me pieces

with multiple shops having princess and me trunk shows right now (pocket full of stitches and needle nook of la jolla) i jumped at the chance to enhance my stash with these precious ornaments. princess and me is one of my favorite designers, i love that they include stitch guides and that each piece they make is a little work of art!

i love the hot air balloon santa, this will look so cute on my christmas tree!