Getting Organized

Here it is, another Sunday, and time for another post. I haven't done much stitching this week, other things seemed more important, and I wasn't really all that much in the mood anyway. I am working on the "D" design from M Designs, but haven't made enough progress for anyone to be able to tell what it is yet, so I will wait a little longer to post a picture.

I did organize my stitching closet and boxes this afternoon. Not that they were a total disaster, but things were getting a little out of hand. Here are pictures of the finished result. I love being organized, I sure wish things would stay that way!!! I must really be in an organizing mood this weekend, yesterday I straightened up the garage some (my car was getting very crowded with all the extra stuff that has been brought in lately) and I did some extra cleanup and rearranging in the house too. I still had a few wintery type decorations up, and I decided I am mentally through with winter, so I took them all down and put up some of my spring decor. Made me feel a lot better...especially since the sun was shining all day yesterday also!

I also put the finishing touches and hem into the smocked dress I made for Alana. I am really pleased with the way it turned out and can hardly wait to see her in it.

There is not a whole lot of excitement to share from this week. John and I went to a movie at the theatre last Saturday, something we almost never do. We went to see "A Night in the Museum", and enjoyed it immensely. At one point I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face!!! This movie will definitely on our "have to buy" list when it comes out on DVD. This website I linked to is kind of fun also...there is a mystery game to play if you enter in.

Treasure Freebie

I designed this little piece a few years ago to be used with some beaded scissor fobs I had made, and decided this would be a nice gift to all of my blogging friends. You can see from the photo that I stitched it mostly in blue and white, but the colors can be changed to suit your fancy. The little pink heart in the pattern indicates where to attach a heart bead or charm. Click on the pattern and it will take you to FlickR where you can enlarge and print the chart.

Row 1 is done in white perle cotton 8, a ray stitch variation.

Row 2: done in thread colors of your choice, straight stitches. I used french knots at the heart symbol, but seed beads would be perfect too.

Row 3 and 4: backstitch lettering with one strand of thread, your choice of color.

Rows 5 and 6: these are mirror images of Rows 1 and 2, and can be stitched exactly the same.

I finished the little back by stitching around three sides and hemming the top with a small rolled hem. Then about one inch down from the top edge, I removed about 6 horizontal threads, and wove a ribbon through the remaining vertical threads for a draw string. This is a great little gift bag for a treasure for that special someone in your life!

I hope you enjoy this little pattern. If you decide to stitch it, I would love to see a photo of your work! Please feel free to direct others to this pattern if you like. Thanks for being such a great blogging community!

Smocking About Finished

I have finished the yoke of the little dress for Alana...this smocking went very quickly and easily, I finished it in just a couple evenings of work. I have one of the sleeves partially smocked, but realized I need to try the dress on her before finishing. The sleeves seem to small when completely smocked, so I want to make sure before I finish. This was a fun one to stitch, and I can hardly wait to see her in it!

Hmmm, now I get to choose something else fun to stitch!!

I can't think of a catchy title....again!

Note: This post was actually written and posted on Saturday January 13th. I had begun this post last Sunday, January 7th by uploading the pictures below in preparation for posting, and didn't get back to finish this until the 13th. Sorry for the confusion I may have caused!!

I've been waiting all week to post these pictures, but didn't want to until I was able to give this gift in person to my daughter Amy...she's been sick all week, and I haven't seen her, and didn't want to spoil the surprize by having this pictures here. I saw this little pattern and really wanted to stitch it up for my granddaughter Alana. The wording says "To my Granddaughter, a sweet blessing, a joy and delight, with love, Grandma". It was perfect, because she is such a blessing, joy and delight in our lives. I went to the local Joannes store to find a frame, and found this one with a different picture in it...at 75% off the original price. It was perfect for the design, and looks so wonderful in person. Our Joanne's store is closing, hence the rock bottom price. At least there is another Super Joannes on the other side of town. This local one was practically next door to Michael's and I am assuming the competition was too great. Too bad, because if I couldn't find something at one of the stores, it was easy to go check at the other one. Now I will have to make a special trip. Oh well.


This week has been another bad one weather wise for us. Wind, again, then snow that froze. It's still only in the low 20's here. COLD!! and the roads were treacherous for a few days. I am so tired of this winter weather!


I am so proud of myself that my goals list for January is quickly being finished up, and I may even be ahead of myself by the end of the month in many things. Though, one of my written down goals was to do a once a week post here on the blog, which I was doing regularly anyway, and then I purposely skipped a week because of the above pictures. So I guess I should try and do two posts this week? But truly it has been very satisfying to get so much done, and it's only the middle of the month! I have even started and almost finished the smocking on the next dress for Alana...I'll post a picture in a day or two! Amy wanted white thread on white fabric and it is looking quite elegant. I am very pleased with it.

I've nearly completed charting "My Child's Heart" (Alana's birth sampler) with my new Easy Grapher Professional program. I sat down and installed the program and did about 85% of the chart in two hours last Monday night. I was so excited at how quickly and easily it went together for me! The rest of the job is to chart the ribbon embroidery, with it's free form embroidery, its a little more tricky to get into the chart. (see this old post for a picture) I feel like a child playing again...I love becoming immersed in something so fun that I lose track of time!!