2011 Chatelaine Smalls Exchange - PHOTOS!!!!!!!!

I got a package from Australia!!! Wanna SEEEEE? Silly question. Of COURSE you do!



Yes, I'm a tease. But really, I got a Golden Ticket (apologies to Charlie in the Chocolate Factory)!



There are two, actually. The paper is so shiny. Makes my inner crow positively giddy. :D But, yes, I will open them. Look what Wendy sent me!



And look! There is stitching inside, too!


Excuse my not so stellar photography!

Now you HAVE to see the close up!



Isn't that needlebook to die for?! Wendy's stitching and finishing are just perfect! And, I love the extra goodies she included. A true Chatelaine stitcher, she included a skein of SNC Coastal Seaweed. How many Chatelaine's use that one? And, of course, the needles are much needed and appreciated. I went hunting an #28 just the other day.

The design is the Strawberry freebie recently released by Chatelaine Designs. So fresh and fun! I just love it! AND, I get to claim the honor of posting the first pictures to the Chatelaine BB for the exchange! BONUS!

Thank you SO much, Wendy. I already treasure this needlebook. :D

Hello, World!

I'll spare you the excuses and promises. Life happened. It will happen again. Meanwhile, there will be blog posts. So, without further ado:

I have a finish to share! I stitched this earlier in the year for my cousin and her new husband as a wedding gift. The design is based on JBW Designs' Golden Hearts which I personalized with a random font I liked. I also changed all the colors to match the Mardi Gras theme of their wedding (awesomely fun reception, I might add). It's stitched on 32 ct. cream belfast linen (which was supposed to be 36 ct, but the LNS had it mislabeled, so I couldn't add all the personalization I wanted to). I laced it and mounted it in this box.



I have another finish and some WIP progress to share, too. But, I need fodder for other blog entries, so you don't get those today!

I'm also going to start a new venture soon. I have lots of projects laying around for which the stitching has been finished, but the project hasn't been "finished" (i.e. made into it's final form). There used to be a thread on The Wagon BB called "Finish-it Fridays" in which we would post about finishing plans for the weekend, and then come back with photos of what we accomplished. I found that thread very inspirational, and I'd like to revive that theme. I'm still working out the details, as well a compiling my list of projects to finish. But, Finish-it Fridays will be returning in some form in the not too distant future! Get ready to ornamentify and observe my attempts at boxification, among other endeavors.

As if I've not got enough on my plate, I am also hosting the Second Annual Chatelaine Smalls Exchange on the Chatelaine BB. Check it out, if you have an interest.

Stitching to share!

First, yes, I have been playing with the new blogger templates, which also means a new background. I'm not quite satisfied, so there will be more tinkering. But, I've reached my limit for today. :-) I can only play with technology for so long before I hit overload.

And there has been stitching! Pics of my June rotation on Nativity Story Table Runner:

Close up of what I stitched this month (The Holy Family):


As always, my photographic skills are lacking. The second pic shows the fabric color more closely, but the floss is more accurate in the first pic. Oh well. I figure I'm past the halfway point with stitching on this. Really, the Holy Family is the most intense stitching. Definitely on track to finish by year end.

Picked up Medieval Town Mandala for a while. Started on the 6 o'clock town. Again, full shot and close up views:



Colors on the full view are really off. I couldn't fix it no matter how I played around. I really am lacking in the photo editing abilities. These towns take an eternity to stitch. Really, if I can push through the last two, the end would really be in sight. But I do seem to get bogged down by them. Will continue with MTM this week.

Oh, and I received my Chatelaine Smalls Exchange for 2010 from Val!



It's the pincushion from Nantucket Violets Basket finished as a biscornu. The fabric is Silkweavers Parkside opalescent belfast linen. Val did a wonderful job with the finishing! I really love it - particularly because it is from a Chatelaine Design I do not currently own. And the colors are so perfect for my office/hobby room which is painted a medium violet shade! The SNC is Vintage Violets, a color used in several Chatelaine Designs. I don't have a local source for SNC, so I am really happy to receive it! Thank you, again, Val!

No word from my recipient yet, but that's as expected. My exchange has a bit far to travel....

I have started the finishing for Snow Queen's Slipper. As soon as I get this posted, I plan to make a bit more progress on it, so maybe there will be photos soon-ish (don't hold your breath, though).

Stitching Update April 22

Thought you might like to see what three wise men actually look like since I know it's an image from fantasy. :-D Click to biggify and see whole image.






I'm about a third of the way finished with this and still enjoying the stitch! I'm finished with it for this month though. I stitched a bit on Hanging Gardens the other night, but no real progress to show. So, that will be a pic for another post.

Today, my friend W came over to play (I don't use real names without permission in the blog). W assisted in the very important task of selecting fabric for the design I am stitching for the Chatelaine Exchange. I think we did a good job! No photo as it is a surprise exchange.

W is my hero right now. I may be a clueless wonder. I had no idea you could switch a dryer door to hinge on the other side! W "fixed" my dryer and completely changed my life. It may make me completely pitiful to confess that I almost want to do a load of laundry right now, just to have my dryer open on the correct side. It's really the little things that make me happy.

Oh, and yes, I did have a doctor's appointment yesterday. After two weeks on the liquid diet, I have lost a total of 9.5 pounds. My home scale shows 9.8, but I am not quibbling over three tenths of a pound! I am so thrilled with my progress. The doc did explain that my weight loss will slow some as I lose weight because as you lose weight it takes fewer calories to maintain the new, lower weight. I can handle that. At least the scale is finally going in the right direction! I've gone from clothes that were a tad snug to clothes that are a bit loose. Another 3-5 pounds should see me back in my "skinny" clothes. At least, that's what I'm hoping. Thanks everyone who has been cheering me on. I really appreciate the support!