Stashopolis

Last Friday was the biggest day of the year for all cross-stitch fans of the Inspired Needle (greatest cross-stitch store ever!). Cathy came back from the Nashville Needlework Market with all kinds of new things! She had tables set up with all new projects that she had brought back with her. The appointed meeting time was 3 p.m. I made sure I was there right on time! You should have seen all of the happy stitchers; we were like kids on Christmas morning! I think giddy is the only word that would have described us. Around and around the tables of new did we go..... Commenting and oohing and ahhing! We loved to look at what everyone was buying. I photographed all of my new purchases. Actually, I bought only one new from market item so far; the BBD bird that you see at the bottom of this post.
I had been saving a gift certificate that Mike got me for my birthday. I have had my eyes on all of these projects for awhile. Above you can see that I got the floss and fabric for Mrs. Pearson. Directly above is the stunning Acorns and Threads which I have loved for a long time. Last Sunday the extremely wonderful stitcher, Barb H., brought in her finished and framed Acorn and that was all I needed to immediately jump on the bandwagon.
The same thing happened with The Red & The Black Above. The ever so talented Debby M. is working on this one and it is AMAZING!
I spied this chart in the store about a week ago and loved it. My fellow stitchers told me that if I liked it I better get it as it is now OOP (out of print!).

Below is one of the new Blackbird Designs pincushions. I have already started a few lines on this one and should be working on it right now....but it is Sunday so I am napping, reading, and avoiding all housework as is my usual routine.

This coming Tuesday is our next stitching night....can't wait to see what everyone else is going ape over! What a fun addiction!

Oh, I almost forgot, I bought the scissors pictured below! I have been wanting these for months. I already had one pair of scissors; but I liked these so much better. I understand that people collect scissors too (har-har!).

Pineapple

Okay, unless you really know me, this post is not that interesting. Actually, even if you really know me it is not that interesting. But just as things must be recorded in a baby book; I must record this. I actually purchased (for the first time) an actual pineapple and actually cut it up and actually ate the whole thing!!!!

I know, I know, what is so interesting about that for crying out loud!!!???? Well, the fact is that I eat about one apple a year....not a big fruit eater. Then one day a co-worker brought in some pineapple that was already cut up at the store. Yummy! But expensive! So, I looked up on the internet how to cut a pineapple (duh!), bought one, cut it up and have been eating it!!! It is even sweeter than the already cut up stuff at the store!!! YUM! I should bring pineapple to every social occasion I attend.

I love you Mrs. Pearson!

Last night was cross-stitch night at Inspired Needle. What a great time I had. It is so much fun to share your passion with other people who understand it. The women who go to stitch night are so much fun and so kind. It interesting to see what new projects everyone picks out. Sometimes three or four people get the same thing and a trend is started. Last night I fell in love with Mrs. Pearson. I saw her done up when my Mom and I went to the Country Sampler in Wisconsin. She is kind of on the edge of weird but I love her anyway. Can't wait to start on her!!!

Paper Dolls

I have always loved paper dolls. One day while skipping around in blogland I came across this post on Creative Breathing (which is a blog that takes my breath away!!!!) and there was a link to this site.......Betsy McCall.
So, if you grew up in the 1950's, 1960's or 1970's I am sure you are familiar with Betsy. In each issue of McCall's magazine there was a page with Betsy and some clothing for you to play with.
I wish I had saved those, but now you can go to this site and print out the pages.
I am determined to use these totally lovely pages in card and tag making soon!
Aren't they just the cutest?????

Stamping Again

How exciting! Last Saturday I spent time stamping with my childhood friend Diane. We have been friends since grade school and have always been in touch throughout the years, but have not "hung out" for a long time. Diane had the great idea to meet at Archiver's and use one of their tables.
We had such a great time and it did not seem like years had passed since our last gab session. Hopefully, we can do this a lot in the future.
These are the three cards I made. Sorry, about the scanned images being a little "off." I am having trouble with this new computer and my old scanner.

The Deer Who Saved My Life

I solved my cross-stitch crisis. I laid down my Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow for now. In January I decreed 2010 the year of the Christmas Ornament. I want to make tons of ornaments and have them finished as cute as the one above from Carol's blog and the ones below that Karin and Katrina did.

For Christmas Mike got me a subscription to the digital magazine Gift of Stitching. I wanted this magazine mainly for the ornament pictured above. I love it! Love Prairie Schooler. So, I searched around in my small fabric stash and found an unknown count evenweave. I started it Sunday and am loving it! It feels like the same fun I had stitching in 1993. I even stitched last night while watching TV (which has been unheard of lately)!!!! I am in love and I feel free to stitch what I want right now. No pressure. Just fun stitching! Yipeeeeeeeee!

I think the evenweave may have something to do with it or it might be that the design size is so much smaller. Anyway...it is fun!