March WIPocalypse

March has just flown by but I think I've managed to do pretty well with my stitching this month. With the arrival of spring and Easter almost here I wanted to stitch some smalls or ornaments to add to my decor. I managed to stitch three pieces, two of which I also did the final finishing on. I'm unable to show one of my finishes since it's for an Easter treasure hunt taking place this weekend. I'll be able to post a pic of it at that time.

The above was completed for my commitment to the Ornament SAL. Then I continued on my Prairie Schooler kick!

Prairie Schooler Cheep minicard

The ornament for the Easter treasure hunt is also a Prairie Schooler design.

I also completed this handsome fellow just in time for St. Paddy's Day!

Heart in Hand Needleart St. Patrick's Bird

In addition to the smalls, I finished up two of my larger WIPs.

Heartstring Samplery Baby It's Cold Outside

and

Blackbird Designs Awake The Dawning Day

I'm so glad that I got the latter one done because I really want to get this housewarming gift to its new owner so it can grace the walls of her lovely new home. It's off to be stretched today and when that's done Pam can pick out the frame of her choice. 

As a reward for all these finishes, I started not one, but two new stitches. Both are Plum Street Sampler designs - Fruit of the Spirit followed by Viktor and Irina. 

That about covers it for this month. Watch out for some updated photos of the new starts over the next few weeks.

My latest finish and a new start

Could spring be just around the corner? I'm certainly hoping so. I heard the first flock of geese returning to the area yesterday. I've yet to see a robin but I expect it won't be long now.

With the change to daylight savings time I'm feeling much more energetic. Yesterday I finished up two more smalls. One is my ornament for the month and the second is for an Easter blog hop so unfortunately I can't show them until the end of the month. However I can show you this!

Heartstring Samplery Baby It's Cold Outside
stitched on 36ct PTP Ale
using WDW and GAST

Just as winter is coming to a close I finished up this beauty. I loved working on this piece and by next year at this time I hope to have it framed and gracing my walls. 
I managed to get three more of my finishes stretched and matted this month so that I can gradually have them framed over the coming year. Spreading them out doesn't hurt the pocketbook as much as when I take them in together. I decided to display one of them on a easel for now until it's framed. This is one of Midsummer Night's Designs called Peace Inside.

I also finished up this little fella just in time for St. Patrick's Day  celebrations this weekend. I'll be working on a pillow finish for him today. I was hoping to find a large shamrock button to grace that empty spot on the right but so far no luck. The chart called for a JABC large shamrock which it appears they don't make anymore. All I can find are the tiny shamrocks.

Heart in Hand Needleart St. Patrick's Bird

Today I'm halfway through stitching one of the Prairie Schooler minicards which will be finished off as a spring ornament. 
I've completed a little more on BBD Awake the Dawning Day but not enough for another picture.

Having finished Baby It's Cold, I allowed myself another new start on the weekend. It's from Plum Street Samplers and is called Fruit of the Spirit. I'm stitching this with a silk conversion provided by Vicky Clayton of Hand Dyed Fibers on the recommended 32 ct Vintage Sand Dune linen. I've started on the centre house and haven't got too much done yet. The colours of the silks are just gorgeous! This is such a colourful design and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it develop.

We had some exciting news here last week. My mother bought a ticket in Ontario's Heart & Stroke lottery and won one of the vehicular prizes. She has the choice of a 2013 Lexus, a 2013 Mercedes or $70,000 cash! My mom is on vacation in Florida at the moment and they were unable to reach her. However I guess there is a spot on the back of the ticket for an alternate contact number so they were finally able to reach my sister with the news. 
Since Mom doesn't drive she has decided to take the cash prize. She plans on using it to replace her home's carpets with hardwood and to help her vacation down south next winter. Woo hoo, congrats Mom!!

It's a dull rainy day here and the week promises to bring back some colder temperatures. I was really hoping that the sun would remain a few days and help melt some of that snow, especially in our back yard. The back yard faces north and it seems like it takes forever for the snow to disappear back there. I'm trying to get out to the gazebo on some of the warm days but so far the snow is still too deep to get anywhere near the door. My DH says he's going to shovel a path for me to the gazebo door which will certainly help.  When the sun is shining it's very warm inside there and I'd much rather be stitching outdoors than inside after being cooped up all winter. Then I can watch some of my feathered friends as they are all starting to return once more.

We're running out of room here!

These two were having a territorial battle!

Thank you for all of your well wishes. My cold has finally exited after two weeks. It's about time!
Hope your week is off to a great start!

Framed Finishes

Many of you will remember that I stitched a piece for my friend Trish last year as a thank you for the use of her sewing machine and help in finishing some of my smalls. She chose With Thy Needle & Thread Birds of a Feather which was a 3 part mystery stitch. I've had this piece finished and stretched for some time now but Trish wanted me to accompany her to the framers when the time came. 
Two weeks ago we were finally able to make the trip into the city together. Here are the results of her frame choice.

Trish loves primitive and wanted a frame to match her style. Here's a closeup of the frame.

I also brought a piece of my stitching that I wanted an estimate on for framing. I always work with the same lady, Kelly, at the shop. She now knows exactly what type of frames I veer towards and we work really well together. I had brought Plum Street Samplers Olga with me. Kelly found the most fantastic frame for it and then gave me an estimate. To my surprise Trish told her to go ahead with the framing and give her the invoice. When I protested she told me that she never knows what to give me for my birthday and this would be an early birthday gift (my birthday is in May). I was blown away!
She insisted and here's my lovely early gift.

Isn't she fabulous? I adore the frame which just compliments the whole piece so well. Thank you very, very much Trish for this awesome gift!

So far this week I've been stitching on a couple of smalls. One is for a RAK so I can't share it but the other is a St. Paddy's Day stitch by Heart in Hand Needleart called St. Patrick Bird. 

I didn't feel like heating up my iron so it's not the greatest pic but you get the idea. I'm using the same fabric for this as last year's Got Luck? freebie I stitched.

The sun is brilliant today and I feel like getting out for a bit so I might just wander down to The Gathering House and visit the Friday afternoon quilt group that gathers there. I might even take a few pics. 
Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post. I shared the pic of the blackbird on FB and so many others told me that they had also seen signs of spring's nearby arrival. It seems the songbirds are making music in the morning at some locations and the time change to daylight savings is just around the corner. It can't come soon enough for me. Happy weekend!