Because I am a bad influence....

I was just transferring my wishlist items into an Excel spreadsheet (I know. I am a geek) and checking to make sure sites still had things I had on my list. One of the sites I have in my list is www.overtwo.com. I was clicking around the site a little and came across this:


Coupons for blog owners

If you have a stitching blog, you can save on each and every order at OverTwo.com!

Here's how it works.

Most blogs have a "Favorite Sites" feature where you can share links with your readers. Just add OverTwo.com to this area or any other conspicuous place on your blog, and we'll send you a custom coupon for 10% off each and every order you place through the end of 2007. If you'd like to double your savings, contact us about displaying a custom banner on your site.

You can save even more if you share your coupon with family and friends. We'll flag all purchases they make using your customer coupon, and for every $200 they collectively spend, you'll earn a coupon for 15% off a single order.

That's it! Saving with OverTwo.com is simple, but if you have any question, please contact us.

Catching up on SBQs

I thought I'd do some catching up by answering a few SBQs.

9/5/07: Would you ever stitch one of your BAPs a second time? (This does not include starting over because of mistakes, bad fabric, etc., rather stitching something from the first stitch for a second time.)

Hmmmm. I've never really taken on a HUGE project, though some have been complicated. Probably the most time consuming project I've ever done is the one I did for my friend Michelle's daughter. It was the first time I stitched on plastic canvas, so that was a neat experience, but by the time I was finished with it, I was very, very, very glad I was done. It took me almost 8 months to stitch and finish the piece, and the backstitching drove me nuts, but I think it came out really nice. I'd never stitch it again though. In fact, I should probably go through my stash and look for things like that I can trade.

(BTW, this picture looks a little blurry in spots on purpose for privacy)


8/15/07: How did you get started stitching? Was there a person that inspired you? (Submitted by Jennifer)

Believe it or not, my husband got me started on cross stitching - about 4 years ago. We were looking for a new hobby to try and decided to try cross stitching. I had done embroidery a very long time ago when I was a child (my grandmother and mother taught me) and I had done a bit of stamped cross stitch, but never counted. So we picked up a few kits and it blossomed from there. The very first piece we completed together was a birth announcement for our niece.


7/28/07: Have you ever thought of getting a rider on your household insurance to properly cover your stash (some of us have quite an extensive stash that an average household policy wouldn’t fully cover) in the case of some sort of damage to your house that would destroy/ruin charts, fabrics, floss, etc? (Submitted by Dani)

I never thought about that until I saw this question, and based on what I've seen in some stitching blogs, my stash is nowhere near the size of what some of you have (I'm jealous!) However, we've been acquiring more and more charts and threads and that, combined with my jewelry making supplies and my husband's stained glass supplies and tools will probably make it necessary for us to consider adding onto our insurance policies. And we'll end up moving them on our own when we move to a new house because I don't want anyone else packing and moving them.

In fact, I was talking about this at the LNS the last time I was in and the shop owner said she has some stuff covered, but she has some huge, complicated pieces that she can't put a value on. She could cover the cost of replacing the matierals, but never the time and effort that went into stitching the piece.


7/19/07: Which project (finished or in progress) are you most proud of? Explain why. (Submitted by Ish)

Of all the pieces I've completed, I'd probably have to pick Peas in a Pod by Sue Hillis because I stitched it in secret for my husband for Valentine's Day. It has special meaning for us and even though it's a very simple design, I am really proud of the way it came out. I did all the framing myself on it as well (okay, I bought the frame and mats online but I did put it together!)

Updated Stitching Picture and my floss pile

First, here's the latest on Nautical Dreams.

I got some stitching in over the holidays, but it wasn't the same as being home. I'm more comfortable in my own chair and with better lighting, but I made do because I really want to get this project done. And it inspired my MIL to ask me to teach her to stitch when she retires next year.

And this is the MASSIVE pile of floss we picked up on our drive on Wednesday, plus what I picked up today. I had debated whether or not to take a chance on going to the Wal-Mart a little further away today and I'm glad I did. There's probably about 400 skeins in this pile, just waiting to be sorted out.

Home FROM the Holidays

Whew! We're back home after spending a few days in our hometown with the in-laws. It was nice, but I'm very glad to be home. We drove up Wednesday, stopping at 5 Wal-Marts and a Jo-Ann's on the way in search of floss. Two of the Wal-Marts were completely sold out of DMC, one carried only Anchor (which I thought was very odd) and we raided a picked over selection at the last two stores. We ended up with about 200 skeins of floss for $20 (and some dirty looks from the cashiers until I told them all the skeins would scan the same since they were clearanced out and we had already counted the floss for them.) Now I just have to sort them out and log them into the floss inventory. We also made a stop at JoAnn's for colors we needed but couldn't find at Wal-Mart. There's another Wal-Mart not far from me that I may go hit up today to see if they have anything left.

Thursday we had a nice dinner with my ILs and the extended family, minus one grandmother who wasn't feeling up to coming. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching football and moaning and groaning that we ate too much. But everything was SO good, it was hard to resist. My poor FIL was downstairs later that night in search of Mylanta for his aching stomach! Friday, my DH helped his dad put up the Christmas lights outside and I went out shopping with my MIL. I'm not crazy though - we slept in and waited until late morning before we went out. We didn't venture anywhere near the malls or the big box stores - just a few local stores and the grocery store. Friday night, DH and I went out with some old friends, and Saturday, my BIL and his wife came by with their kids on the way home from my SIL's family's house (where they spend Thanksgiving). They left the kids with the grandparents, so we got to hang out with my niece and nephew for a while before we came home yesterday.

All in all, a very busy holiday, but I still managed to get some stitching done. I took 2 projects with me but only managed to work on Nautical Dreams. I finished the backstitching on the middle section and started working on the top section. I haven't taken any photos yet, so I'll have to post one later. It's really moving along and I'm glad I've been doing the backstitching as I've worked on it instead of waiting until the end. Breaking up the backstitching into little sections seems to help - it's daunting to face all that backstitching at the end.

So that's about it for me. Now I just have to catch up on almost 200 blog posts in my Google reader and download holiday photos off the camera. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Spread the Word...

I just picked this up on my pre-bedtime Google Blog Reader reading, and I love a good sale, so here you go:

From Tales of a Shooting Star

It’s official, I’m going to be running a 25% off of your entire order sale all day this Friday, November 23rd at One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies.

The coupon code will be posted on the shop site at 12:00 AM on Friday and good through 11:59 PM.

I would greatly appreciate if you would all help me spread the word. Blogs, groups, whatever. Anywhere you’re willing to write about the sale.

Bag Sale Day

Saturday was Bag Sale day at my LNS, the Strawberry Sampler. For $12, you purchase a canvas bag and a punch card which is good for a year from the date of purchase. On the 3rd Saturday of the month, everything you can fit in the bag is 20% off. They punch your card for the appropriate month and send you on your way. I bought mine in January when I purchased the Long Dog Paradigm Lost and the fabric to go with it, and it saved me way more than it cost. Definitely well worth the $12 since I used it several more times this year.

This time, I went in to pick up Acorns and Threads. It seemed like every time I went in there, they had just sold the last one, so the held one for me. I also picked up CCN's Winter Welcome that I had been eying up, and a tiny little Sweet Nothing Marriage Sampler by JBW Designs. I like keeping a few small charts on hand that stitch up quick for a gift. I also have Serendipity Designs "Snips and Snails" and "Sugar and Spice" on hand for baby gifts.

I also picked up fabric that I needed for a few projects. The first is Blue Crab by Judy Greer Carmean that I purchased at Sea Needles this summer. I don't have any photos of it since I bought the chart based on the stitched model (there wasn't a photo in the package). But it's a typical Maryland Blue Crab on a white background. The chart came already kitted up with floss and 14 count Aida fabric, but I like the look of a higher count so much better, so I picked up a piece of 28 ct. Lambswool to stitch it on instead (it will look more like sand). I thought about switching out the threads to overdyed but changed my mind. Depending on how it stitches up, maybe I will restitch it over one and make a smaller version with the overdyed threads. We'll see.

I picked out a 28 ct. fabric in Pewter for The Design Connection's Pemaquid Point. Their model was stitched on 14 ct. white aida, but I thought the blue-grey color would look nicer. There will be a little problem at the bottom of the picture where the rocks fade into the fabric, but we can just mat over that section when we frame it. And I got a 28 ct. in Forget Me Not (a pale blue) for Durham Cathedral by Heirlooms Needlecraft, a chart my husband brought back from England when he worked there last year. Once again, the chart was kitted up with white Aida fabric and Anchor threads, but I wanted to use a higher count and different color.

$50 and a LOT of self control later, we left the shop. There were at least half a dozen other new projects I would have loved to pick up, but I resisted. We'll be moving soon and I already have a pile of things to work on. (And I was under heavy supervision LOL). I'm happy with what I picked up and I left myself some things to look forward to, including this gorgeous Celtic Banner by Butternut Road. That's going right on my wishlist!

Finally, I made more progress on my Nautical Dreams, mostly with outlining and filling in the large blocks of color on the stripes. I have one more section on top to finish, plus the rope outline, then the personalization. I'm getting there!

Friday Feast #169

From Friday's Feast: A Buffet For Your Brain


Appetizer: What was your first “real” job?
I worked in a pizza place answering phones and making pizzas. It's where I met my husband

Soup: Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
Probably a craft store or a needlework shop. Being surrounded by all different kinds of projects and supplies usually makes me feel more creative.

Salad: Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…
I say something stupid or I trip / stumble.

Main Course: What values did your parents instill in you?
Respect for elders

Dessert: Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
BIG BIG hair, shoulder pads and layered socks

SBQ: Online Stitching Supply Sources

This SBQ was suggested by Jennifer:

What are your favorite online stitching supply sources?

Usually when I am looking for a new design, I am looking for a specific reason / person and I have a theme in mind, so I start by googling keywords and "cross stitch" to see what comes up. I do both a web search and an image search. That leads me to a huge variety of sources - some freebies, some shops, etc. It's also how I discovered the cross stitching blogs. Sometimes I find something, sometimes I don't. If I find a shop that has something similar to what I'm looking for, I explore the shop further.

I did pick up a few favorite shops doing this, and now I tend to go to them first and see what they offer:

• 1-2-3 Stitch: My favorite shop. I usually go there first and end up ordering quite a bit from them
• ABC Stitch Therapy

I've ordered from Everything Crossstitch as well. They used to offer a 2o% discount on your first order if you signed up for the newsletter, but I don't know if they still do that. They have a great selection and good prices, but I hesitate to recommend them because of a problem with my first order. It was taking FOREVER to arrive and I finally contacted them to find out where it was. I explained that one of the charts I ordered was for a housewarming gift and I really needed it to get started. The CSR checked the records and told me that there had been a shipping problem - my order was packaged with another and sent to the wrong address, so they were waiting for the other customer to return my order so they could send it on to me. I told her this was unacceptable to me and asked if they could please repick my order and send it out ASAP. She said they would, and it arrived a week later.

I know they fixed the problem, but I would have been more inclined to recommend them had they a) contacted me as soon as they found out about the mistake and/or b) repacked and shipped my order to me without waiting for the other customer to return it. Picky, I know, but good customer service is important to me. And unless I'm looking for something only they have in stock, I will tend to order elsewhere instead of going back. I haven't had the occasion to order from them again.

I also go to eBay quite often, especially when I am looking for something that's OOP. I've purchased a few things from Judy. She has a great selection and excellent customer service.

Mostly though, I will try to purchase at actual shops, even if their prices are a little higher. I know I am paying for their expertise whenever I have a question and for being able to see stitched models in person before I buy, so the extra money I spend is, IMO, for a good reason to help keep them in business.

If I only had a brain...

My husband is far more observant that I am. I left the Paradigm / CDC Stitchalong blog open in another window when I called him in to look at something. When he was done looking at what I was showing him, he closed the window and saw the blog, and mentioned that the Paradigm pattern looked very familiar. I said, "Yes, I really like it. I'll put it on my wish list." He said, "I'm pretty sure we already have it." So I went to my stash box to take a look and there it was. Oops! I purchased it last January after seeing a stitched model on the wall of my LNS and falling in love. I even bought the fabric and floss (antique white fabric, dark navy blue floss) to stitch it in, and never started. We were planning to do it as a joint project, but we've been back and forth about moving, so we never wanted to get it started. We're getting very close to making a move now, so once we've done that and settled in, I think it's going to be our new project.

Speaking of new projects, I found a few goodies in my stash box, including one I bought this summer while we were on vacation. There's a nice little needlework shop in Bethany Beach called Sea Needles, just crammed to the ceiling with thousands of charts, kits, fibers, etc. I picked up a piece called Blue Crab by Judy Greer Carmean, which I think may be exclusive to that shop since I can't find a picture of it anywhere. It came kitted up with Aida cloth and what appears to be DMC fibers, but I am thinking I might switch out both and do a higher count cloth and maybe try out some silks or overdyed fibers instead. And since it's Bag Sale day (20% off everything you can fit in a bag) at my LNS this Saturday, I might have to convince my husband to go up with me. (Mostly because I should be supervised in any kind of needlework store...) By the way, my LNS is The Strawberry Sampler.

There's another place I make a point of visiting whenever we go down the shore, Salty Yarns on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, MD.

I like to check out local needlework stores wherever we go since I've found some really nice patterns that were exclusive to the shop and featured local themes. Makes a wonderful souvenier. I had a list of about 5 or 6 needlework shops in Massachusetts when we took our fall vacation this year, and we visited In Stitches in Alexandria, VA, when we were there in March. We do travel quite a bit along the East Coast, so if anyone has recommendations for good needlework shops, please let me know.

A finish and more progress

I finished one of the ornaments I had been working on - the Sea Girt Lighthouse. The fabric you see in the background is the fabric I used to make the backing on the ornament. And there's not as much of a gap in the cording as it looks. This is from Treetrunk Designs Guardians of our Waterways piece. I also need to finish up the Boston Harbor one I made for a gift. I'll be doing that with a red and black fabric on the back and in an oval shape.

I have a few other ornaments to finish up. Most of them are stockings my husband stitched a while back. He laced them on the cardboard, but for some reason we never got around to completely finishing them. I'm going to glue a ribbon for hanging in each one, and then cover the back with coordinating felt. He did these when we first started stitching, so while the stitching is beautiful, we really didn't leave enough room to finish them, so they come right up to the edge of the cardboard underneath. Oh well - they'll be family heirlooms someday!

I also made some progress on Nautical Dreams - the whole bottom part is finished except for some stitching in white on the sky. I did the outlining, but I'll come back when I'm done to add the personalization info. I think the stitching will support the outlining without stretching it out, but I don't want to stretch the personalization info since it's going to be done in one thread in the blank areas.