To Nick with love from Mommy and Daddy

I am very, very proud of this piece, as it's one of the few pieces I've stitched and framed AND hung on a wall in our own home. (More on that in another post). This is something my husband and I both worked on as a gift for our son. I stitched everything but the personalization before he was born, and my husband finished the piece by stitching in the name and the vital details.

Maine Fishing Village Sampler by Seguin Designs
Stitched 2 over 2 on Blue Dynasty Cashel fabric
with various threads
(name partially blurred for privacy)

We picked the piece from about a dozen options I found online. I never get hung up on searching for a specific birth record - I've changed a number of different charts to suit my needs. Of course, limiting yourself to just birth or wedding records can make the search less overwhelming, but you don't always find what you want, especially if you're not going for one of the more popular baby themes. I just look for something appealing that fits the theme, and figure out how to modify it from there, and if you look at the original sampler on the Seguin Designs site, you'll see I did quite a bit of modification.

In this case, my husband picked the Maine sampler because Maine is one of our most favorite places on earth and we hope to take Nick there some day soon. I also like that the piece was relatively simple, easy to modify and embodied some of my favorite "Maine" things including blueberries and lobster buoys. I even changed up the colors on the lobster buoys to add a little more color to the piece and more closely match photos of actual buoys I found online.

I stitched the piece while I was pregnant, and found the repetitive border to be rather soothing to stitch on those night when I was especially tired. When it was all finished, I ordered the frame from http://www.pictureframes.com/ and put my husband to work framing it up. Normally I would have picked a dark wood frame to coordinate with the furniture in the room, but everything else is framed in black, and I like how the black sets off the colors in the piece itself. By the way, if you're looking for framing materials, I HIGHLY recommend PictureFrames.com. They're a great site, their customer service is wonderful, and they have a very cool feature that allows you to upload a picture of what you're framing and play around with frames and mats so you can see what your piece will look like before you commit.

I have some issues with privacy which makes me feel a little uncomfortable sharing details of our private lives sometimes. However, I happen to be ridiculously pleased with how this room turned out, and wanted to share it. Especially since this room started out as what we called "The Princess Room" - pink walls, yellow ceilings, huge swirls, and gigantic flowers and butterflies painted onto the walls. Not really our taste at all, and definitely inappropriate for a boy.
As you can see, we went with a nautical theme, using Nautica William for the bedding, and hanging photographs of lighthouse and other beach / ocean related subjects on the walls. Well, except for the family pictures above the changing table. (Yes, I know it looks like it should be lower, but it's just out of the reach of a grabby little boy.)

One of the things I like best about the photographs on the walls is that most of them come from our own travels. There are photos from our honeymoon in the Outer Banks, from one of our trips to Maine, and also from Maryland and New Jersey.

Friends of ours gifted Nick with photos from their travels as well. Hanging above the chair are two photos from Massachusetts, taken and framed by my friend's very talented fiance, who has traveled all over the world taking photos.

Above the end table are photos of lighthouses and sailboats from another friend's journey to Scotland. (Yes, he did take those photos especially for me.) There is also a larger photo my husband took of a crab on one of our trips to Maine, specifically Bailey Island. You can't tell from the picture because we didn't think to use anything for scale, but the crab wasn't much bigger than a thumbnail.

I love this room. It's one of my favorite rooms in the house, and I love that it's a room that can grow with our son. I'm not a big fan of anything too cartoonish or over the top, so I am absolutely thrilled with how calm and serene this room is.

Fair and Square Exchange with Linda B.

I've met so many wonderful stitchers through blogging and exchanging, and on my latest Fair and Square exchange, I've had the pleasure of meeting Linda. I wish I could introduce her to everyone, but Linda does not have a blog.... yet (hint! hint!)

Linda not only sent me these beautifully stitched squares, but when she saw that I had collected most of the rest of the fruit series, she asked if I had something special in mind with them. I told her that I had planned on stitching them over one, possibly as a bell pull for our kitchen, so in addition to the chart, she included the rest of the floss from the kit.

Crescent Colors / Little House Needleworks Fruit Series: Apples

But Linda's generosity didn't stop there. A week or so after I received Linda's squares, Linda emailed me and told me she had picked up the last chart I needed, Cherries, at her LNS, and was sending it my way. The shop owner had removed the threads to sell separately and was trying to unload the chart. The threads - they're easy to come by, but these charts are getting harder and harder to find. Linda, I thank you from the bottom of my stitchy heart!
Now onto what I stitched for Linda. I had been admiring Sew Nautical from Carol at Istitchaholic for a while now, and when I read in Linda's member profile that she liked alphabets AND lighthouses, I knew this is what I would stitch for her.





I used a variety of overdyeds, mostly Crescent Colors, for the piece, and stitched it all over one on 32 ct. Antique White. (And by the way, how CUTE is that crab? I think that's my favorite part of the piece.) And I even gave the mermaid red hair, just like mine. Except hers didn't come out of a box.
This is another of my over one pieces. I love how they turn out and as long as I am stitching on evenweave, they're not that hard to do with good light and petite needles. But I figure I better get these in as long as I can still see them - I am sure there will come a day when it will be too much for me.
Linda and I have been emailing back and forth ever since, and I've really enjoyed this exchange with her. There are some really wonderful people participating in the F&S exchange, and I am so glad to be a part of it. If you'd like to get in on the action, Jill has been doing some housecleaning, and is opening up the exchange to new members. Head on over to the F&S Blog to make your application.

Fair and Square Exchange with April K

Why yes, it HAS taken me almost 5 months to post these pictures - from an exchange back in FEBRUARY. I'm not even going to make an excuse about it took me so long or why my blog posting in general is sporadic at best. Otherwise, it would be much like my last several posts.

Moving on....

These are the very pretty squares I received from April:

JBW Designs French Country Amour

Once again, I forsee something destined for a no sew cube, perhaps with a pretty red velvet ribbon and some silver / crystal embellishments.

As to my contribution to the exchange, when I read that April is a huge fan of Halloween, I knew I had the perfect design in mind. I have already stitched the butterflies from the Tantes Zolder website, and this was the motivation I needed to stitch the bats. Mind you, I am not a fan of Halloween, so I'd never stitch them for myself, but after seeing them stitched up at my LNS (Just Cross Stitch in Lederach), I knew I wanted to stitch them. (Speaking of Just Cross Stitch, I wonder if I can pester Carolyn to post a photo on her blog of her VERY cool version of this pattern, stitched on purple fabric and turned into a pillow with an awesomely fluffly black fringe trim....)

Bat Freebie from Tantes Zolder
Stitched 1 over 1 on 32 ct. Antique White with GAST Raven 

NOTE: Above link updated March 2013 as original blog no longer online

You can't tell from the photos, but the Raven thread is a deep black color with hints of green in it. Perfect for these bats. And this is my attempt at being all fancy like and taking a closeup photo...

Something that's been bugging me....

"Oh, I don't have time for that. I'm too busy."

I can't even tell you how many times I've heard that over the last few weeks and it's been grating on my nerves. I know most people probably don't mean anything by it other than they are really busy, but I also don't think they realize how condescending it sounds. As if their time is more valuable than anyone else's, or that the things they're engaged in are somehow more worthwhile than your pursuits.

Guess what? We're ALL busy in different ways. Sure, I am a stay at home mom, but I'm still busy taking care of my son, taking care of the house, and taking care of my husband. I am our social director, appointment scheduler, personal shopper, etc. I am also the one that nurtures our connections to the world outside our immediate family - I talk to my in-laws several times a week, and make sure that cards and emails get sent out to the extended family on a regular basis. My job is 24/7, and I am in no way complaining - I am just pointing out that I'm busy too and what I do has value.

But sometimes when I mention facebook or email or some other social activity that takes place on line, it's viewed as less important than other people's activities. I know not everyone is as connected as I am, and that's fine. But it's driving me nuts to hear people say, "Oh, I don't have time for email or Facebook or whatever." I don't expect them to sit in front of their computer all day long, but whenever someone says that, what I'm really hearing is, "Communication is not important."

Email is not that hard. Type a sentence or two, hit send and you're all done. And I'm not even asking you to send an email out of the blue - I'd do a freaking jig if you'd just RESPOND TO A QUESTION I HAVE ASKED YOU. I don't expect immediate answers, but if you can't check your email and respond every few days (barring any extenuating circumstances like vacations or whatever), then maybe you shouldn't give out your email address. And yes, I know I can pick up the phone and call if it's that important, but I don't see the big deal about people responding to emails either.

I just had a discussion with someone who cancelled their facebook account, and while I understand the reasons for doing so, part of me was a little annoyed when this person said, "Oh, I don't have time for that, and if people want to get in touch with me, they know how to find me." First, I think it's a little self centered that people have to track YOU down if they want to have a relationship with you. And second, when I mentioned that thanks to Facebook, I've found some common ground with people I hadn't previously been all that close to, and developed some really nice friendships, it seemed as if that was immediately dismissed as unimportant. I'm sorry this person didn't have the same positive experiences I've had, but then again, I don't think she was trying very hard either.

Now before anyone gets on me about privacy and such, believe me, I know. Facebook isn't for everyone, and yes, it can be a time consuming pursuit. Anything online can be a time consuming pursuit, and some people are just uncomfortable with it. I understand that, but I do think that the "I'm too busy" excuse is just that - an excuse - most of the time. I think people are so conditioned to be busy, busy, busy all the time and make sure people know how busy they are that they don't stop to realize they have more free time than they know. It's always go, go, go, and yes, some of that is driven by technology and the ability to be "connected" 24/7. Some people want to disconnect, I get that. But I also think that maybe everyone's lives would be a little better if we turned that technology to our advantage and stopped to respond to an email or a facebook post and demonstrated we are interested in something other than our own lives.

End of rant.

Two more Bride's Tree Ornaments

Way back in 2008, I started on a project to stitch a set of Bride's Tree Ornaments for DH's cousin, who was getting married on August 1. While I did manage to get the first one stitched AND finished before the wedding, the rest of them kind of fell by the wayside. I did (do) have at least some of them stitched, just not finished into an ornament, but when I decided to buckle down and finish my son's first ornament into an actual ornament BEFORE I put away the Christmas decorations this year, I decided to finish up a few other ornaments I had hanging around.

Mind you, I am not a big fan of finishing things, unless I have an idea in mind. And even then, sometimes the tedious nature of finishing hampers my progress. But I am bound and determined to finish up AND send these ornaments to DH's cousin before their second anniversary in August. Wish me luck - I think I am going to need it!

This is the "bird in a nest" ornament, a freebie available on the Waxing Moons Website.

Spring Bluebird by Waxing Moon Designs
Stitched over 1 on 18 ct. fabric with DMC threads

I finished it with a pretty piece of floral fabric on the back and a bit of store bought satin cording.

This one I am going to have a VERY hard time parting with -- it's one of my favorites:

Christmas Hearts by Just Nan
Stitched on 32 ct. Bone fabric with overdyed and DMC threads, plus beads

This is one of those ornaments I knew exactly how to finish before I even started stitching it, and it was inspired from beginning to end, not to mention a lot of fun to stitch. So much so that I'm going to stitch it at least twice more - once more in this color variation, and a second time using pink and silver instead of red and gold.

It fit PERFECTLY into a tiny wooden embroidery hoop that I sanded and painted a pretty shade of green to match the thread. I can't stress enough how much a light sanding with a fine grit sandpaper can improve the look of craft store wooden objects. After sanding, I wiped the hoop with a damp paper towel to remove the dust, let it dry, then put on a coat of sealer (available in the paint section with the acrylic paints). A couple coats of paint to get the right color, and a top coat of varnish (also available with the acrylic paints), and the hoop was finished. You can't tell here, but I only sealed, painted and varnished the outer hoop - I left the inner hoop natural wood after sanding.

I tried to be as neat as possible with the stitching, but I still wanted it covered up. I took a plain piece of neutral cotton fabric and glued it to the rim of the inner hoop, across the open area. After it dried, I trimmed off the excess and put the stitching over the top of it. And yes, I used a little fabric glue to hold my stitching in place, then trimmed off the excess stitching fabric after that dried. The painted outer hoop covers the edges nicely, and no threads peek through.

As a final touch, I wrote the name and wedding date of the happy couple on the inside hoop.

Love is Little... and so is the amount of my blog posts

I know, I know. It's been AGES since I've posted anything and it may seem as if I have abandoned not only blogging but stitching as well. Surprisingly, I have been able to stitch, though not as much as I used to. After all, there is a teeny tiny little person that demands a whole lot of attention these days.

I am also working on what is probably the most time consuming stitching project I've ever taken on - a Stoney Creek lighthouse for Kathy. It's on the tedious side - which has convinced me to delete every single Stoney Creek pattern from my wish list. The finished result is gorgeous - wait till you see how Kathy's piece is turning out! - but I think this is a once in a lifetime experience for me.

On the more productive side, I did finish stitching and framing a gift for a friend. She got pregnant shortly after I did, so our pregnancies overlapped and we had great fun sharing stories, helpful hints and birthing stories. Her son was born in January, and I had been looking for a piece to stitch for his room. His parents didn't pick a particular theme, but focused instead on earthy shades of brown and green. Now, it may be my personal bias, but I do think this is going to look just perfect hanging in his room...

Love is Little by La D Da

Stitched over 2 on 35 ct. WDW Beige

with recommended GAST threads

I am utterly thrilled with how it came out. As soon as I saw the pattern on someone's blog, I thought it would make a wonderful piece for a baby or child's room, and filed it away. When my friend told me her color scheme for the room, and that they weren't leaning towards a theme, I knew this was the perfect piece for them. I did make my own little modifications here and there - adding in the name and birth date (GAST Dark Chocolate), and changing the little bird from the recommended gold to GAST Blueberry. You know, the Bluebird of Happiness? I did change the fabric from what was called for - I didn't like the more reddish tone with the GAST converstion, so I went with the Weeks. It was absolutely lovely to stitch on.

My husband did the framing for me - he has so much more patience for it than I do. I ordered a custom frame from http://www.pictureframes.com/ and picked up foam core that I cut to size (apparently I also need a lesson on how to cut that correctly. LOL). DH did all the stretching, pinning, adjusting, repinning, readjusting and cursing. But in the end, it was well worth it. I think the frame sets it off beautifully, and Picture Frames does really excellent work. And did I mention you can upload scans or photos of your pieces and play around with different frames and mats? I would, however, recommend ordering a set of free mat samples before ordering custom cut mats - sometimes the color on screen can differ greatly from the actual mat color.

But WAIT!! There's more!

Art Deco Frame by Julia Lucas Designs (JCS 2005 Ornament Issue)

Stitched on plastic canvas with DMC thread and pearle cotton

I also like to give a Christmas ornament as a gift for a new baby and this may well become my standard ornament gift. It whipped up in almost no time, and it's so easy to personalize. The photograph was taken by an amazingly talented photographer - Ashley Gigliotti. I designed the back of the ornament myself, adapting from the design. The original instructions called for pasting the completed frame on cardboard, but I wanted to make it more of a pocket so that both sides could be used for display.

I used Word to design the birth information, then printed it on linen paper. I sized the photo to fit in the frame and had that printed through Snapfish. Then I used a self sealing laminating pouch from Staples to ensure neither side would get damaged. It was a little fiddly to put it together, but well worth it, and a tiny bit of hot glue worked wonders for keeping things in place.

(FYI: The website is not on the actual photograph I used for the ornament - it's in this photo to protect Ashley's copyright)

This is one of several versions of the ornament I've stitched so far. These are the perfect thing to stitch in the car - I have no trouble finding the holes, and if I have one already stitched, I have no need to carry the pattern around with me - I just stitch from the finished one. You can fit three whole ornaments (front and back) on one sheet of canvas, and the personalization possibilities are endless. You'll be seeing several more of these as I complete them.

A gift for Baby Nick

Bless the Baby by Lizzie*Kate

A few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised (thrilled) to see a package in the mailbox all the way from Japan. Inside was the beautiful piece, stitched for my son by the lovely Yuko.

Once again, I am blown away by the generosity and kindness of my fellow stitchers. When I saw photos of this piece on Yuko's blog, I never imagined it would be coming our way. (You really must see the pictures Yuko took - so much better than mine!) It's a beautiful piece and now hangs proudly in my son's room. It was such a sweet gesture, and really touched me.

I must confess, I've been feeling a little out of sorts about some personal issues. It's nothing major, and may even be a little bit of the winter blues. But it seems like just when I need it most, something like this happens - a sweet gesture, a little gift, a phone call, a card, a note. Something that makes me feel loved and appreciated, something that lets me know another person thought about me, whether they're next door or half a world away. And when you've been let down by people who care more about their own image and agenda, it's amazing what a lift you get from something like this.

A long overdue acknowledgement

I am in the process of cleaning up my blog - deleting dead links, reorganizing, etc., and realized that I have never publically thanked Angela for a beautiful gift she sent me just before my son was born.

Gazette 94: Grille Gratuie 87
28ct Brittney linen in Iced Blue with DMC Threads

My jaw dropped when I opened the package - I never cease to be amazed, thrilled and deeply touched by the kindness and generosity of my fellow stitchers. What can seem like such a small thing - stitching up something because we love to stitch and want to share it - can really make a huge impact on someone's day.

Most stitchers will say, "Oh, it was no big deal. No trouble at all, really." But even if it is no trouble to you at all, you should know that your gift has brought a smile to someone and is quite meaningful. It's more than some fabric and threads - it's that someone thought enough of you to put their time, energy and materials into making something for you. And that, my friends, is no small thing.

So thank you, Angela, for your lovely gift, which is now very proudly displayed in my baby son's room.

Backing fabric

New Cross Stitch Designer...

Redware Pottery Inspired
Lila's Studio

Based on what I've seen of her catalog, I have a feeling that this designer is going to be quite popular with our blogging community. Her name is Lila Umstead and she is based out of Collegeville, PA. She's transitioning from the architectural field to Needlework design and has just released about a dozen of her patterns. You must see them- they're gorgeous.!

If you're an individual stitcher, you can buy the designs directly from her, or send the owner of your LNS to her site for a merchant purchase order. You can also acquire these lovelies at my LNS, Just Cross Stitch in Lederach.

Destiny by Lila Umstead

My last finish of 2009

Nick's First Christmas Ornament

Côté Mer by Couleur d'Etoile

Stitched 1 over 1 on 32 ct. evenweave with WDW Kentucky Bluegrass

I knew when Gaby sent me this chart (as a thank you for sending postcards to help out with her son's school project) that it was destined for something special - I just didn't know what. And then I got pregnant with my son and I knew this would be a PERFECT ornament for his first ornament (I plan on stitching one for him every year). We did Nick's nursery in a sailboat and lighthouse theme, and one of his favorite toys is a Glo-worm type seahorse. See? Perfect.

Just before Christmas, I pulled the chart out of my stash and raided my small cuts of fabric for a piece of evenweave. I knew I wanted to stitch this over one so it would make a petite ornament, and over 1 worked out great. In fact, it's triggered several over 1 stitching projects - I seem to be on that kick lately. (More to come on those later). The thread was one of those "oh isn't that pretty? I bet I could do something with that" impulse purchases.

With the holidays - shopping, baking, traveling, etc., I didn't manage to finish the ornament before Christmas. In fact, I put the last few stitches in it on New Year's Eve! But I was determined to *finish* finish it in time to get it in his ornament box when I took the tree down. And I did - YAY ME!! In fact, I finished several ornaments this past week, including another for our tree, which happens to be my first finish for 2010 and something you'll see in another post.


And because I like to personalize things, I stitched up the back with his name and year, plus a sailboat from the front. I love, love, love how it turned out, including the cording I used to trim. Which just happens to be a smaller version of the drapery tiebacks in his nursery. Yeah, how cool am I?