New Years start~Days of Advent

I am completely in love with this piece! It is a 24 part sampler designed by Mary Beale. I love the colors and of course the subject matter! I am a complete sucker for biblical and religious themes on samplers and this one is just the ultimate for me! It is a bit pricey to begin with, so I will need to work it into the budget. That is why I am going to start it on New Years, to have enough time to gather all the materials. It is SO gorgeaous!

Holiday starts

I am planning to begin 3 new projects for 2007, each one starting in my down time on a holiday. For example, on Thanksgiving, after all the work is done and the guests have gone, that will be my time to sit down and relax and start a brand new project. Now in reality, it might happen on Wednesday evening or Friday morning, but it will happen whenever that little bit of free time can be found. It is a reward and something to look forward to.
So I am trying to decide what projects I will begin.
On Thanksgiving I think I will start a reproduction from Scarlet Letter , called Ann Greanawalt. I have this one in my stash, kitted with silk threads. I have always been taken by this simple little piece. Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner I have decided this is a good start for that day as it is already kitted and all I have to do is pull it out.

Digital Camera Meltdown!

Well, I finally was forced to solve my camera dilemna! This has been going on for some time, and was mainly me not wanting to spend the money on a new camera! Dumb! Should've just done it long ago, but you know, there always some other expense that comes up. Anyhoo, on Halloween night while we were going around the neighborhood with Isabel trick or treating, dd #1 dropped the camera I have been using and it went skidding across the street! That was the end of that! So I was forced to do the research and get out there and get a new camera.
I bought a Canon PowershotA630 with 8 megapixels. I'm still learning how to use it, but so far I'm quite impressed. It takes wonderful close-ups.
I even took my Pilgrim Cat off of ebay because the improvised pictured with my old pieced together and loved to death Kodak were just SO inferior! They actually made my piece look BAD! But now she's up again, with a last chance to find a home for the holidays! The pics are SO much better! Ain't she a cutie? I hope someone will still be willing to give her a home with Thanksgiving so close now. Ah well, live and learn!!

A few of my current WIP's

These are a few of my Works In Progress. The top is a Chritmas stocking for my youngest daughter, and the bottom 3 are from Drawn Thread, The Marriage Of Minds.

Welcome to my stitching blog!

I have decided to begin a blog devoted solely to my hobby of stitching fine needlwork projects. I am obsessed with needlework. It is what I do to relax from a long day of creating things for a living and running my kids around to their many sporting events.
I began my career in needlework 16 years ago when I was pregnant with my second child. I had some problems with the pregnancy so I was housebound for a couple of months. My mother taught me to cross stitch and a love affair was born. I can't begin to count all the hours I have spent lovingly stitching my little projects. I soon moved on beyond cross stitch, with an eye toward more advanced stitching. I joined a local needlwork guild in the early 90's, an EGA group. But eventually it lost its vigor and the birth of 2 more children pulled me away from needlwork for a while. I went on with other forms of art, eventually opening and operating a business designing cloth dolls and patterns, and this remains my primary source of income today. I am very lucky to spend my days creating things, but in the evenings, when I want to relax, it is the needle and thread that I turn to.
Above are a brief account of some of the pieces I have stitched most recently.

Give Thanks! My Pilgrim Cat

Workshop with Susan Fosnot

Last week I had a wonderful time making a Googlie girl with Susan Fosnot in Woodstock, IL. This doll is made from Susan's original pattern and is oil painted. I love her little chubby arms and legs. She is so dear, I can't wait to get her put together and dressed. I am going to give her to my dd, who is 7 years old.