Olympic Projects

As you know, my stitching buddies and I love to think about what we are going to stitch as much as we love to stitch and buy stash.  We plan a start for the new year, sometimes a summer project, fall project, winter project, etc.

The Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics from London will be televised this coming Friday.  I am so excited.  Mike and I are planning on sitting in front of the TV Friday night and most of Saturday to kick off the Olympics.

My stitching buddies and I will keep in touch during this great TV-fest by stitching Olympic projects!   The idea is that you start the project during the opening ceremonies and have it finished by the closing ceremonies!!!  Isn't that fun??  I bet you will want to think about what is in your stash and what you can start on Friday?  Right?

I still have not come to a decision! It could be Hilda's Alphabet Brew by With Thy Needle and Thread.

Or it could be The Town of Halloween by The Primitive Hare.  It is found in the Just Cross Stitch Halloween 2012 magazine and you can see it on the cover below.  I could not find a great picture of the piece all by itself on the internet, but I bet most of you are familiar with this magazine and the design itself because it is fabulous.  

It is kind of strange of me to pick a Halloween design because I really don't get all that excited about Halloween itself, but I love these designs.  They are just to cool not to stitch!!

My friend Karin is going to stitch Maxim and Zoya by Plum Street Samplers.  This is a totally cool piece!!!  I know she will finish it in the allotted time (unlike me who always breaks the rules!)

My friend Patti is going to stitch Land That I Love by Birds of a Feather.  Love this one too! And will be stitching it sometime soon too!

Jayne is going to stitch Home of the Free Sewing Set by Needlemade Designs.  I love this one too!

I think that both Brenda and Linda are going to stitch Jane Osborn - An American Sampler by Priscilla's Pocket.  

I am not sure what Barb, Teresa and Pat are stitching for their project.  Girls, please let me know so I can update this post!  

Also, if anyone else decides to play along, please let me know what you pick.  I still have until Friday to change my mind!!!!

Tomorrow's Heirlooms Retreat - July 2012

This is what is known as "virgin" Q-snaps......Q-snaps that were purchased with the anticipation of a great weekend in store at the Tomorrow's Heirlooms July 2012 retreat.  Tomorrow's Heirlooms is a fabulous cross-stitch shop in Glen Ellyn, IL which is run by a mother/daughter team - Pam and Kim.  Their website is tomheir.com, but it is under construction right now.  They have been in business for many years and they have tons of great charts, threads, etc.  

This summer they planned a fabulous occasion with Lori M. of La D Da and Linda L. from Chessie & Me.  (two of my favorite designers!!!!).  Friday evening there was a meet and greet and shopping in a boutique at the hotel....as you can imagine we were all quite hepped up about it.  

Early on Friday my stitching buddies and I met up for lunch and then checked into the hotel for some relaxing and stitching before the shopping frenzy. 

I was able to meet and talk to both designers and let me tell you...they are both top notch cool women.  Very friendly, easy to talk to and such talent!!!  So exciting.  

Pam and Kim had the boutique organized beautifully and it was lots of fun.  

 I fell in love with this design by La D Da (after my friend Teresa did! I had to copy her and buy it too!) It is named Seven Virtues.

I have loved this design, Glory House, by Chessie and Me for a long time.....so I finally bought it!

 Cast of Characters!  My stitching buddies mean the world to me.  We have so much fun together and support each other and laugh together.  I am lucky that we are able to get together so often and go to retreats, shops and gather in our homes together. Above is Brenda and Linda...I know Linda will kill me for putting that picture up of her closing her eyes, but it is the only one I had with Brenda....

 Here are Barb and Linda (with her eyes open!). 

 This is myself and Jayne.

Here are T&P!  That is Teresa and Pat.

This is Patti and Karin.

 This is the kit we received from Lori M. of La D Da!  Woop!!!  So cool!  Love, love, love the colors.  We received the fiber and fabric.  NPI silks were used.

 Here is the Chessie and Me project from Linda L.  Wow!

 Linda also gave us the chart to do the little Chessie and Flag seen on our floss card.  She also taught me how to do the satin stitch and Smyrna cross this weekend!  I feel empowered!

Okay, I hate pictures of myself but I am relenting and putting this one up because prior to this being taken I had a bit of a shopping frenzy.  I purchased the LED light you see, the clip to the table magnifier, the chart stand and the scissor holder.  My heart was racing after all that fun.  Now I am fully equipped stitcher!!

Here are a couple of the charts I bought.  I cannot wait to stitch both of them!

We had a fun weekend and loved visiting with our other stitching friends, Ellen, Barb, Jean, Jill and Carol.  

Thank you so much to Pam, Kim, Lori and Linda!!!  What a wonderful weekend.

Sights around Inspired Needle

Last Sunday was a stitching day at the Inspired Needle.  We gathered round the table for a very good time.  First up was a surprise!!!!!!  Cathy B. from With Needle and Thread sent us each a pin cushion that she made with her Mom's beautiful tatted tops!!!!  As you can well imagine there were screams of delight from the crowd!  Wasn't that just the sweetest thing ever????  We all met at the Tree of Life Samplings Retreat and became fast friends.  We hope to go up to MN someday to visit and go to Stitchville USA.   

Here is a close up of the beautiful pin cushions.  They are real treasures, that is for sure!!!

The rest of these pictures are from a recent Tuesday night stitching session at the shop.  Personally, I could go for every other day stitching sessions at the shop but I don't think Mr. Mike Duet would understand the necessity of that.

Here is Patti's amazing and gorgeous finish of the Stacy Nash Liberty Sewing Pouch.  Fabulous with a capital F!!!  Hey, that reminds me.  I read on Stacy's blog that she is coming out with a book.  Sign me up immediately!!  I would like to see the galley proofs stat!!!!

 Oh my oh my oh my.....this is Christmas Garden done over 1!!!!!!!!  It is simply amazing.  This is a shop model stitched by Kathy M. and it is a sight to behold!!!!

Here is a little felted coin purse that Jayne bought.  Isn't it CUTE???  Love it! 

At the last minute before closing I spied this chart.  Pointed it out to Karin and she got so excited! It was one she had been looking for.  She kitted it up within about 10 minutes!!!!  Last minute kitting frenzy!  That is so us!

Patti stitched this very cool little pillow in honor of her daughter Molly graduating from high school.  Isn't this a treasure????? 

Getting arty and taking shots of silks.......just call me the Ansel Adams of stitch shop pictures!

Here is the felted purse that would go with the coin purse.  We made up a whole story about the outfit one would wear and where one would be going while wearing this purse.  Basically, it would be a fall day, you would have a cool leather jacket and very cool shoes and be going to the Art Institute of Chicago! 

 Patti finished her retreat pieces! 

 Another arty thread shot.......try not to swoon.

Here are shop models of some of the recent LHN Christmas ornaments.  Sigh.....

Cathy did a conversion to silks of this one.  Her sister Nancy stitched it for the shop and did a super job!  She has not been stitching all that long and I think she is a master stitcher by the looks of the the perfect stitching on this ornament.  Cathy is kitting this one up and I want to be on the list to get one!!!  So sweet!

Patti did just part of the Flower Pot Sampler and made it into a pin cushion.  Love it!!!!!!

This Saturday we are scheduled to go on a one day retreat through the Tomorrow's Heirloom's shop!!!  The designers that will be there are Chessie & Me and La D Da!  I am super excited.  I plan on taking a lot of pictures unless I get overwhelmed by all of the stitching fumes and pass out!!! 

Happy 4th!

My family had a lovely little 4th of July.......unfortunately, my husband is working in Canada and had to stay up there so he missed out and we missed him.  I went over to my Mom's house to spend the day with her and my brother, Todd.    

My Mom always takes time to make lots of special moments.  Look at the table she set!  She used her collection of state plates that she collected as a young girl.  The embroidered table cloth was made by my Great-Great Aunt Weed (yes, that is a nickname!) and my Mom made up the little red, white and blue thread spools with angels and candles on top!!!  So cute! 

 My Mom and I used to make a habit of going to postcard shows and antique shops to collect ephemera.  Here is one of her cards.

 We put the hamburger buns on the United States Capital plate!

 The Happy Birthday USA card is placed near a picture of my Grandma with her brothers and a picture of my Grandpa when he graduated from Purdue!

 A darling hat gives a summery feel!

 Beautiful Roses in July....they are cut short and put in a flower frog for visual impact.

 Our Illinois salad plates.

 You gotta have deviled eggs!!

 It is so hot around here so we were outside admiring the new landscape for a brief time.  This is the house I grew up.  Such wonderful memories.

 My Mom got this cool garden ornament in New Carlisle, Indiana.  It would be fun to go looking for old plates and make your own.

 Ahem, it would not be a holiday without some Tab!!!

Fabulously gorgeous day with my peeps!