Soccer season is over, so I finally got a free weekend and it was 

LOVELY!!!

I had ample time to stitch:

I worked on Mary Beale's Sampler Stocking.

I finished page 1!

I also worked quite a bit on Quilty Neighborhood, but I can't show you that yet!

I FINISHED a needle roll!! This has been in my basket of smalls that I keep handy for when I just have a few minutes here and there.

Garden Needle Roll~Shepherds Bush

And I finished a pretty little Christmas ornament. This is an original design. I am waiting for some silk ribbon that I ordered to make the hanger, but here it is so far:

Hope you all had as lovely a weekend as I did.

 And for those in the Northeast who have been so devastated by hurricane Sandy-you are in my prayers every day!

xx

~Annie

New offerings at TDIPT! And more!

For those of you hoping for a new doll, I DO apologize! 
I just couldn't get one done this month
with all of the unrelenting sports(Isabel) and being so sick.

But I do have some lovely snowmen up for adoption.

So click on over to 

TDIPT Mercantile

and snatch these right up!

I am READY for the Christmas season, are you?

I LOVE to decorate for Christmas.

And this year with most of the kids out of the house I am going to really cull through all of my accumulated Christmas decorations and purge everything that is broken or that just doesn't sing to me.

I want to do a vintage white and sparkle theme this year. 

Yes, that what I'm going to call it...

Vintage White and Sparkle!

I just made that up right now! Ha!

Picture little glitter houses with bottle brush trees, 

lots of white sparkly garland, a beautiful feather tree,

 german blown glass ornaments...yes!

And of course, a sampler tree!

Filled with all of the needlework ornaments I have made over the years!

Add to all of this lots of beautiful silver vintage looking mercury glass-LOVE it!

Won't it be pretty! 
Are your Chritmas decorating juices flowing yet??

xx
~Annie

Pinkes Samlper progress and some BIG news!

Quick stitchy update.

I worked on Pinkes Sampler over the weekend.

This is such a pretty sampler, 

I can't wait to get to the whitework part.

Yesterday was my birthday, I had a fabulous day. Gary, Isabel and I went to Milwaukee to watch the Marquette  girls quarter final soccer game-it was freezing but so much fun. They have a great team-so energetic! They won 5-1 against U-Conn. Lucas works at the field, so when he was done after the game we all went out to dinner at a really nice seafood restaurant. It was so good to see Lucas, he is in his senior year, working at the field and also doing an internship, so we haven't seen much of him lately. I miss him. Its hard on us moms when our kids can't come home on their college breaks!

AND THEN.....

When we got home the newlyweds invited us over to their apartment where they had birthday cake, some gifts, and the greatest news ever...

Chelsea is expecting!!!

They just found out-did 3 tests to be sure-so it looks like she will be due the end of June!

Whoopie!!!!!

I am doing the happy dance here!! I am a "baby" person, so this is the best birthday gift I could ever get!!

xx

~Annie

Silk Ribbon dolls reticule

Here is a quick pic of the dolls reticule I promised earlier today. 

It is for my doll Lily, which is a pattern I have been trying to rework. It is one of my earliest patterns, and the doll hair I used then is no longer available. I have tried to recreate the hairstyle using hair that is available today but I am not having much luck. Now I'm considering re-releasing the pattern with a bonnet. Seems like kind of a cop-out, but like I said, the hairstyle is almost impossible with what is available today.

Here she is:

 This is with the old hair, which was an awesome spun wool which was curled in a coil, and was all in one long piece. So with the new wool. which is shorter pieces, I could do a bonnet with a little hair showing at the top. I don't know, perhaps I'll keep exploring the yarns available out there.

xx

~Annie

A Happy Sunny Day!

I am feeling SO much better!

The doctor gave me an antibiotic AND a steriod and I am finally getting over this thing.

 I have now actually had 3 good nights of sleep!

Hurray!

Since I have been doing all of this needlework while I've been sick, I put all of my original cross stitch charts into a slideshow.

I have also been working on some commissions, and I have to show you a sweet little reticule that I made which is silk ribbon on a gorgeous piece of moire taffeta.

Stay tuned...

xx

~Annie

Keep on keepin' on!

Still sick here.

 Can you believe it!

 Its been like 4 weeks.

 But I finally broke down and went to the doctor.

 I know I know...why wait so long.  But I am one of those who hates going to the doctor! Anyhow, they put me on an antibiotic and a steroid, so this aughta do it!!

Meanwhile the studio girls sit around patiently waiting to be put up for adoption.

They never say anything, but I think I've detected a few annoyed glares as I have gone by!

But even though I don't feel too great, I hate to be unproductive. 

So I finished Child of Spring.

This must be my oldest WIP, started around 1993 or so!

 But its not a WIP anymore!!!

Child of Spring

22 count Hardanger fabric

Victoria Samplers

this is the top

this is the middle

This is the bottom

I love the hardanger hearts~can you see the beads? 

This is a very subtle design. I loved all of the pulled thread stitches, 

they are so beautiful.

So even though sick, at least something was accomplished! LOL!

 Almost 20 years! hahaha!

xx

~Annie

Never say never to those Works in Progress

Happy Friday everyone!

I am still sick with a virus that just won't go away, so I'm working very slowly here! During my resting times(too often) I have been doing some needlework. I have been renewing my love for specialty stitches. I pulled out my oldest WIP. 

Don't laugh!

This is a birth sampler I started for my oldest child, Chelsea! She is now almost 26 years old and is the one who just got married! 

LOL!!

...embarrasing...

Yes, that date DOES SAY 1987.

I know...

...pathetic...

BUT, I am enjoying the fine stitches, I had it in my stash, and you know...better late than never!

xx
~Annie