Back from the Framers

Thursday afternoon I dropped by my framer to pick up my latest needlework projects which I'd dropped off. Once more I was thrilled with the results.

Plum Street Samplers Ghoul

A closeup of the frame

Plum Street Samplers Viktor & Irina

I love them both but Ghoul just blew me away! The framer is also pleased with all of the pieces I've brought in over the past couple of years and asked if they could share pics on their Facebook page. I gave them my okay to go ahead.

I'll be back later with some pics of Pumpkin Inferno, a fairly new attraction to our area where I took my grandchildren during our Thanksgiving weekend visit. No stitching took place this weekend. They took precedence!

Thanksgiving Wishes

A very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving to all my family, friends and Canadian stitching bloggers. I hope that your day is a very special one indeed! I am very blessed that my son, his girlfriend and  my grandchildren were able to join us this year. I think it's the first year that the children spend their Thanksgiving with us. How wonderful is that! 
I'll be back in a few days time with some stitching progress for you.

A Pumpkin for Cathey

Words cannot express the pain the stitching blog community is feeling this morning. We have lost a very courageous friend. My sincere condolences to her family and friends. She will be dearly missed.

A Halloween Start

I couldn't resist the pull any longer. Halloween stitches have been calling to me and I finally broke down and started one more piece. I'm sure you've all seen it and I just couldn't resist any longer. Which one is it? Two hints - it's in this year's JCS Halloween special edition and it's by one of my favourite designers. Give up? It's Plum Street Samplers Ghoul Tidings.

Not much to it yet but it's coming. I'm waiting for some of the floss to arrive which I was missing and in the meantime I'm just sort of stitching around the areas where I'm missing floss.  I chose a piece of Picture This Plus Legacy linen as the fabric.

Last night I complete Part 2 of PSS Mary's Sampler II.

As I said, Plum Street Sampler is really a favourite of mine! Each part is quite manageable. I've completed both parts in just an hour or so each. So if you've thought that you just don't have the time, think again. This is a fun stitch and you have a week to complete each part before the next is released.

This past Saturday I hosted a SAL at my home. I was joined by 7 other stitching friends and we had a most delightful afternoon. The weather was really pleasant and we all managed to fit into the gazebo (Clarisse included!) where we stitched away the afternoon. Then we all retired into the house for a potluck supper and a bit more stitching afterwards. I'm afraid I was lazy and didn't take any pictures but I can show you what I accomplished in the way of stitching.

I prefer working on something that doesn't require too much counting when I get together with the group, usually because I spend too much time talking, lol! Filling in the house on This Is The Day was a good choice. I'm not moving as quickly on this due to the 36 ct and the fact that I find I stitch more slowly when I'm using just one strand of floss. It seems to slip through the needle on me a lot even though I'm using a size 28 needle for this piece. 

I'll be back to stitching on the Torah piece this week now that I've chosen a border. It'll feel weird stitching on the 14 ct aida again after working on that 36 ct linen!

My son and his family will be joining us this weekend for our Canadian Thanksgiving. In anticipation of their arrival, I've started to bring out some of my Halloween decor for the kids to enjoy.
Okay, so I enjoy it too!!

I have to be careful with this last one since Clarisse seems to have taken a fancy to it. She likes to chew on the raffia around the neck.
I'll have more pics on later posts. I should also have 3 of my pieces back from the framer this week, including PSS Ghoul. I can hardly wait!

First TUSAL of Fall and another giveaway

Fall is just flying by and so did my TUSAL. I didn't realize until this morning that the day for my post had passed me by. So albeit a little late, here is my first fall post of my orts.

My little owl friend is standing by to show them off.

Lots of black from my Torah stitch and rust, green and melon shades from my Pumpkin Blossom stitches and Song of Spring. It was a pretty fruitful month as far as stitching goes. 

While I have your attention, I've also discovered a second giveaway over at Victorian Motto. This time Nancy is giving away a lovely Sewing Necessaire Present! This would make an awesome gift for a stitching buddy so drop on by her blog and see the lovely gift she is offering.
I'll be back later today or tomorrow with an updated post of my stitching for you. Until then, keep those stitches coming!

Fabulous Giveaways

Come join in the fun! There are currently two fabulous giveaways being offered by our fellow bloggers.

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is offering a chance to win one of her new Gingerbread Trim Packs. If you have never used any of Nancy's trims, let me tell you that you are in for a treat! Head on over and pay her a visit and don't forget to tell her I sent you.

Secondly, Chiara from The Grey Tail is offering the choice between two signed patterns that she will be picking up during her visit to Albimente, the biggest needlework fair in Italy. Hurry on over before she leaves!

You don't want to miss these!

My new start

I'll admit, it took me long enough but I have finally decided on my next BAP. Not much to it yet but may I present This is the Day.

Yup, it's another house! Actually there's a lot more to it than that but this was my center start point so a house it is. I'm stitching this on a 36ct Silkweaver Solo with one strand of floss. The pattern comes from the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of Just CrossStitch magazine. Here's a look at what the final piece will look like.

It's a Hands To Work design which I have loved since the first moment I set eyes on it. It's based on Psalm 118 and our choir has sung an anthem version of it. 
My Tuesday night stitchers have labelled the sheep as levitating sheep since they seem to be standing in mid air however one of the group said that perhaps they were lambs. After all, lambs jump and spring about! I've already made a change in colour to the design. The side panel of the house called for GAST Tomato. Unfortunately the dye lot which I have appeared to be a garish orange colour and certainly didn't look right next to the Old Brick colour of the main portion of the house. I dug through my stash and came up with a substitute. From the little I have stitched so far it looks to be a better combo. All of the pomegranates on the border are also stitched with this colour. I'll reserve judgement on them until I have more of the design completed. I think I'll be changing the dog to a cat as well.

The other new start I had this week is Plum Street Samplers Sunday Mystery SAL, Mary's Sampler. I'm doing version II of the sampler although I didn't have any of the Dark Forest linen that Paulette is using. Instead I used the Vintage Examplar which she suggested for version I. I'm using a 32ct rather than 36 to avoid another purchase.
I've also substituted a few of the colours I didn't have for ones in my current stash. Mary's Sampler is based on the gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke. Paulette has the verses listed on her site.

Pumpkin Blossom Sewing Box is my latest finish.

Love it!

I'll be searching for Christmas designs to stitch soon. I can't believe they already have Christmas decor for sale in some of the stores.
This season I want my BBD 'Tis The Season hanging in my entryway so I paid a visit to the framer last Friday with my friend Pam to drop it off. They give a volume discount so we each took a couple of completed designs and left them. My hubby is paying for the framing of the BBD as a Christmas gift. I'll post a pic when it returns!

September was an absolutely gorgeous month weather wise here. I hope that October continues in the same manner if only for a little while. So far, so good! I'll leave you with a pic that I snapped on a drive through the back roads after my visit to the orchard last week.