April ORT Report

I think this must be the most pitiful TUSAL post I have ever made! And I thought last month's ORT report was a bit meager. The only ORTs in my jar are from the bunny fob which is still not finished. This month hasn't been a complete wreck as the one reported in my last update but life has conspired against my stitching time in a big way. I'm holding out high hopes for a better one next month.

My sad little pile is pictured with one of Mama Joan's treasured chickens.

Since we are on the subject of the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long I must share with you another donation to the giveaway. All of these wonderful items came from Sheila of Sheila's Stitches & Stuff. There are some that are just charts but most are full kits, including the fabric & floss. Thank you so much Sheila!

Did you know you can click the links at the bottom of my posts to read other posts related to that one? For example, this post is labeled TU SAL. If you click that link it will take you to all of my Totally Useless posts! You can compare my monthly ORTs or look at all the giveaway donations that have been made. How handy is that? There are also many other labels listed in my left sidebar, look for Quick Find. The bigger the font in my label cloud, the more posts have been made on that subject. I notice my Crabby All Year had lots & lots of posts. I loved that project!

You can label your posts as you make them. While you are composing your post, look for a box that says "Labels for this post" and type your subject in. Once you have made a label it will always appear underneath so you can use it again. If you haven't been labeling and would like to start you can go to the edit posts option and apply labels to your older posts. When I first began blogging I didn't understand any need to label but once I had blogged for some time I realized how easy it was to find a specific old post with it. I find it invaluable nowadays!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

and a Three and a Four

Two more ornies arrived from my Ornament Swap group. This first one from Lori of Stitchin Times Five. Lori stitched me one of Bent Creek's hilarious Photobooth Snowmen. And look ~ jinglebells! I really like the non-traditional colors and the sparkly fabric. Thank you so much, Lori!

Then came this sweetie from Lisa of Hockey Mom Stitchin' Hobby. Oh dear, a darling sheepie from Country Cottage Needleworks! Isn't this lovely? Lisa sewed this into a soft pillow ornament and it is only edged with that dark blue ~ the backing fabric is a light blue...very pretty! I love this ornament, Lisa!

I am getting excited for Christmas and there is still nine months to wait! Only one more Swap left for me to receive. Though, I still have the pleasure of stitching for the rest of members this year. Such plans!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Wondering...

...what my mail carrier must think when I get packages every couple of days. Maybe, "That lady has gone crazy on eBay again...?"

My second Ornament Swap came this week. This one is from Lisa V in Australia. I just love the red and gold colors Lisa has used. And that tassel rocks! The backing fabric has a red & gold theme and the overall ornament is expertly constructed as well.

Thank you, Lisa! I love this ornament ~ soooo much!

Remember I needed some mauve silk ribbon? Glenna was able to get her hands on some to send me. Somehow, she couldn't resist including a very sweet RAK in the package. I love surprises!

I really like these Victoria Sampler bird ornaments. They are just the sweetest images...except for maybe the #2 leaflet ~ those were kind of an odd pair. Thank you so much, Glenna! I really appreciate you getting the ribbon for me and the chart was such a nice gesture.

I haven't finished the bunny fob yet...not had any stitching time this week. It's "Spring Cleaning" at work (my idea) and "the boss" must do her share or she can't expect her employees to do the same. Lead by example, I say! This means I have trashed my hands with all the scrubbing and scouring. No one feels like stitching with cracked, dried out fingers. Blech!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Fastest Mail in the West

Poor Angela has had a terrible time with mailing packages. Some of the packages she sends take weeks to arrive. It was with great trepidation she sent off my Ornament Swap last Monday. I must admit I was a little nervous myself ~ but it arrived yesterday ~ one week, on the dot! Congratulations, Angela...perhaps the "curse" is broken?

Isn't her ornament gorgeous? You will have to visit Angela's blog for the details, I'm sure she will post them soon. The finishing is just lovely. I wish you could see it in person! Thank you so much, Angela!!!

Oh.
My.
Freakin'.
Stars.

Have you seen the new Bent Creek charts out? Here are a couple of lovelies...photos courtesy of The Silver Needle.

Gnomes in a Garden Row. I 'bout fell over when I saw this one. It went straight into my cart and I couldn't type in those credit card numbers fast enough! My daughter, Jessie, loves gnomes (and so do I) so this one I couldn't live without.

Quaker Noel Row. This one is rather a change from Bent Creek's usual stuff. Very pretty! I resisted buying this one. For now. There are also a few "little" designs out new too. These are called Flair, top of page here. There is a snowman, a sail boat and some cute chicks under an umbrella. These were not resisted *grinz* not even for a second!

I wanted to thank you for the sweet comments on my last few posts. Sheba has a swelled head and has been carrying on with the latest of her hedgehog stuffies. I have emailed the recipe for the toffee cream scones to those that had emails in their profile and asked about it. Thanks too, for the offers of the silk ribbon I need want. I believe there is some on the way to me! Little Mr. Bunny is nearly finished and I'm looking forward to putting him together!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

A Bit O' the Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I was out of green food color so I couldn't dye my after-work beer green for the holiday. Poo. I was so disappointed! However, I was pleased the green fabric showed up better in this snap of my bunny. Fabric color is always so iffy when you take a photo, isn't it? I haven't had much stitching time this week. There was a project I've been doing at work and I've come home exhausted every evening. The good thing is, I had to come home early today and will have to again tomorrow or I will be in overtime.

Once I get this flower in, there is only the background to stitch. I'm looking forward to seeing him come alive when he gets his whiskers & eyes. I do believe he will become a scissor fob. There is a problem though...I want silk ribbon for the edging. I have no silk ribbon. I am also terribly allergic to silk so I don't want to buy any. So I have a request...Is there anyone that has a couple of feet of 4mm Mauve silk ribbon (the kind used for ribbon embroidery) they could send to me? You would be such a blessing! I'd like to try it out before I go buying stuff I can't use. I am hoping, hoping, hoping I can use my Gloves In A Bottle lotion and not have a reaction.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Sheba and the Hedgehog

Sheba can be the funniest Border Collie. This video was taken with my camera a few years ago. The ending is so silly! Dogs make your heart smile =]

Rick's computer is playing up and I wanted to save this video in case the computer decided to crash and we lost it. I uploaded it to You Tube as a precaution. I think I've shared this on my blog once before but as a link instead of embedding like this. Now you don't have to leave my blog to see it.

Never mind how I sound like an Oklahoma hick. I was baby-talking my dog!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

A Bunny For Spring

I made a new start yesterday. Just a little one. From my birthday stash, I kitted up the Bent Creek Bunny, chose a nice spring green fabric I dyed last year and pulled the DMC colors. The first thing I do with any Bent Creek I'm stitching with DMC is check the colors to the model photograph. They never match!

See the light sand colored #613? That was the color listed for the brown of the bunny. No, not the pale tummy...the brown! I substituted this nice color #3862 in brown. One that actually matches. Now, I know this was "designed" for overdyed cotton ~ but still!

I only had a few minutes of stitching on this and I'm already enjoying it immensely! This little bunny will make a nice scissor fob or pin pillow. I've been stitching for suprise exchange and I do get a little frustrated not being able to share at least a little stitching!

Now, if you will excuse me...

I made toffee cream scones and tea.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

TUSAL Donations Galore

Here are some TUSAL stash donations I've been needing to share. I keep getting behind on my blog reading ~ so since I am (for once) caught up on my reader I decided to get caught up on my posting as well.

These treats come from Angela of Hooked On Stitches. Two wonderful charts and a simply gorgeous Christmas ornament. I'm in a Swap group with Angela so when I heard she was stitching for the TUSAL I was excited...Angela's stitching and finishing is divine.

Cutest ornie ever! Thank you so much Angela!

These goodies are from Erica of Erica's Places. She sewed two lovely project pouches. And the stork scissors she sent didn't photograph well ~ they are actually white & pink swirled, very pretty. Thank you, Erica! We loves handmade, it's sooo special!


Lastly, these four kits come from Susan of Yellow Flower Meadow. Susan is a new-to-me blogger. I didn't meet her until she joined my stitch-a-long. But she obviously knows her stash! These Shepherd's Bush kits are scrumptious! Thank you, Susan! By the way ~ Susan recently moved her blog to a Blogspot address so she could really use some followers...please go visit!

~*~

Don't be shy! If you would like to make a donation for The Totally Useless Stitch A Long giveaway email me and I will give you my mailing address. The giveaway won't be until January of 2012 so there is plenty of time!

For those of you concerned about the postage costs I am going to incur when I go to ship all this to the winner...thank you! I just might need some help, but not yet. I will let everyone know as the day approaches and I am sure of the costs involved. *hugs*

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Stash and More Stash

The last of my birthday stash arrived and since so many of you requested a peek I thought I'd share. I don't usually buy so much stash but it was my birthday and I felt like treating myself. I never worry about how much stash I am accumulating. I think of it as "saving for retirement." One of these days I will be on a limited income and will be glad I have so many fun projects to stitch. Hummmm, an investment in some 11 count fabric might be a good idea...as my eyesight will probably go before I actually run out of stash to stitch. ROFL

Bigger charts. Freakin' adorable.

Smaller ones.
Do you think I have a "thing" for Bent Creek?

Lizzie*Kate and Val's Stuff too. Notice how most of this is Halloween or Christmas? What I notice is that the majority of these charts were stitched by one of you recently. You shameless enablers!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

The ORT Report

It's the New Moon! Let's see those ORT jars!

Here is mine for the last month...not as good as last month but I'm okay with that. It was a horrible month for me and I'm just glad it's over! Most (all?) of these ORTs are from my Ornament Swap project. No fair trying to guess what it could be, Angela!!!

And...because I am way behind on posting things that have come in for the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long giveaway, here is a peek at another donation! All of these goodies have come from Kelly of Kelly's Miscellaneous Thoughts and Stitching. Wow! Kelly is spoiling us with the stash, isn't she?

Lots of charts and kits from Lavender & Lace, The Trilogy, Heart in Hand and Little House Needleworks. Oh, heaven! I loves them all. Thank you Kelly! Now, if that isn't inspiration to keep posting those ORT Reports, I don't know what could motivate you!

Thank you, thank you and thank you for all the happy birthday wishes left on my Facebook wall and in email yesterday. I had an absolutely lovely birthday. I got to buy lots of stash and we went to see a movie and went out for a yummy dinner. A great birthday celebration! Thank you all for making my special day even better!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox