tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48540761271142299772024-03-21T09:18:15.734-04:00Cabbages and Kings"The time has come," the Walrus said, "To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings."
from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-61563020387925725652014-03-12T11:36:00.000-04:002014-03-12T11:58:37.815-04:00Shout out to Faye (aka, Carolina Stitcher)Well it has been far too long since I've posted here. February ended up not being the best month for me, and March sure did seem to "come in like a lion" rearing his angry jaws. But, now we're into double digits here already, and it's time I got out of this funky mood and back to my stitching!<br>
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First I really want to give a HUGE shout-out to Faye, whom many of you know as <a href="http://carolinastitcher.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Carolina Stitcher </a>from her wonderful blog. If you haven't seen her blog, I encourage you to take a look! (Better have some handkerchiefs ready, cause I promise you'll be drooling over her gorgeous finishing work!!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3CxsnnvVAafwdf4BYuEa_KHL3w1H-xnj_Nd7FkMmvA4Mea8Cq5dFLxbZ1pnpsF-GJmBlorW4EgclqRZhf3lEtprvFd08ieiReVOKcaQM1oHnEoARp8M_0TGFe1S0eHJo6nHKXAPpgIl4/s1600/IMG_2157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3CxsnnvVAafwdf4BYuEa_KHL3w1H-xnj_Nd7FkMmvA4Mea8Cq5dFLxbZ1pnpsF-GJmBlorW4EgclqRZhf3lEtprvFd08ieiReVOKcaQM1oHnEoARp8M_0TGFe1S0eHJo6nHKXAPpgIl4/s1600/IMG_2157.JPG" height="320" width="240"></a> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn6QEa5qznjh2BMKAK6GPbInQdxExZ4EujVf6Sqd4sEULyl94ie5me3TM6aL1X86cNz36Ntrd21JrHQ51IS-NtCzaLgjDEjEalWMGYfPq6gBsMCTQFHbBdmCfIvRmq96TeLjJqHhtxcAj/s640/blogger-image--206142596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn6QEa5qznjh2BMKAK6GPbInQdxExZ4EujVf6Sqd4sEULyl94ie5me3TM6aL1X86cNz36Ntrd21JrHQ51IS-NtCzaLgjDEjEalWMGYfPq6gBsMCTQFHbBdmCfIvRmq96TeLjJqHhtxcAj/s640/blogger-image--206142596.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's a shot of the first project from Colonial Gathering Club. This was suggested to be finished as a "Colonial Candle Pocket" by the designer, Plum Street Samplings. However, I really knew I would probably not use it to carry candles, so I asked Faye if there might be a way to finish it as a pin keep. </div>
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Well, she sure did not disappoint! I absolutely love how she finished this for me - including a little pin all antiqued and rusted holding a little scrap of fabric. I told Faye I think it's just too nice to risk keeping it next to my stitching spot where my Wheaten Terrier might mistake it as a TOY! (He's not the gentlest of creatures when he has anything filled with stuffing in his teeth!) So, for now, I have it sitting on a wall unit across from my stitching spot where I can see it and it's out of the grasp of Seamus. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM5u-UgvqOJNYlbn3JbJIAhHKq0Vgin3dzL4KSioZ7YcudRS0RzFNddDGpKD2ecGK4Sbcs5Vuw2KfmVQl-8kEc_e_y7Mmtva2fuZFAugMEEucoprmikMDhz9Wr0vo2H1e2qZVJMN8RiB8/s1600/IMG_2174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM5u-UgvqOJNYlbn3JbJIAhHKq0Vgin3dzL4KSioZ7YcudRS0RzFNddDGpKD2ecGK4Sbcs5Vuw2KfmVQl-8kEc_e_y7Mmtva2fuZFAugMEEucoprmikMDhz9Wr0vo2H1e2qZVJMN8RiB8/s1600/IMG_2174.JPG" height="320" width="240"></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And wait until you see Faye's work on the Little House sheep series! Or her Prairie Schooler Santa collection! Honestly, her work speaks for itself, but I wanted to draw your attention to her blog in case you might have missed it before. And if you happen to have any pieces that need finishing, you may just want to contact Faye yourself. (Still can't believe I was actually toying with the idea of finishing this piece on my own - sans sewing machine or any finishing experience!) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjX5ck0HiigIvCja8SlrxWg1i0AFrEGIzR-MqWfu2m1hLN5ZhQJwsokP37_kf2g0oafdgbmcO8-C7kW8mulYehFkSBux22w_yCJJBXRyy07JIXEtQZctLVDBPutPWoq4P9WVr0gCrZmV5/s640/blogger-image-1734066903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjX5ck0HiigIvCja8SlrxWg1i0AFrEGIzR-MqWfu2m1hLN5ZhQJwsokP37_kf2g0oafdgbmcO8-C7kW8mulYehFkSBux22w_yCJJBXRyy07JIXEtQZctLVDBPutPWoq4P9WVr0gCrZmV5/s640/blogger-image-1734066903.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Here's my latest "mini finish" of "A is for Anchor" by The Prairie Schooler. I say "mini finish" because I now only need to stitch up B to Z to complete this project! LOL! I'm using DMC floss (one ply) on 36 count Fabric Flair Ivory evenweave for this project. And tomorrow it's on to "B is for Blackbird" along with Jan and her group stitching this project over in Tasmania! To give you an idea of the task ahead, take a look at the fabric I still need to fill! (Gulp) Time to get it back on the Q-snaps so I can pretend it's not that much stitching left. ;-) Happy Stitching! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJUGsw8wW2YXh0L6Daxrw8N8o2uVjZDKPJFugFgMlb3_jJi_N153-IhJStN3RDtcUJ7eNWgT64YSkq3S4VyTpB20mGnd_OU8CyWPscUK-DoBbF3eaj6J_nDY8qcRcguTCsvQYSCdOeB24/s640/blogger-image--99299388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJUGsw8wW2YXh0L6Daxrw8N8o2uVjZDKPJFugFgMlb3_jJi_N153-IhJStN3RDtcUJ7eNWgT64YSkq3S4VyTpB20mGnd_OU8CyWPscUK-DoBbF3eaj6J_nDY8qcRcguTCsvQYSCdOeB24/s640/blogger-image--99299388.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div>
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<br>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-3978567652199727542014-02-21T16:04:00.003-05:002014-02-21T16:08:58.883-05:00It's Hermit time again! Yahoo! <div style="text-align: center;">
Here I was sulking earlier over a really Class-A CRUMMY week, </div>
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when to my glee I happened to check out the blogosphere</div>
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and <a href="http://bbrown426.blogspot.com/2014/02/ihsw-pre-february-2014.html" target="_blank">Bonnie</a> so kindly reminded me... it's time for IHSW again!<br />
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Oh boy, do I need a nice weekend to crawl into my shell and just </div>
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STITCH STITCH STITCH! </div>
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For info on how YOU TOO can join in, check out <a href="http://joysze.blogspot.ca/p/international-hermit-and-stitch-weekend.html" target="_blank">Joysze's blog</a>! </div>
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I'm going to get started PRONTO!<br />
Here's my very modest beginnings of The Prairie Schooler Alphabet series<br />
I'm hoping to finish this first block during my hermitage!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ul6DsbBLqicohairRwcngqBAFqTh-FHs8CzMUEiFn-h3UqeWCWlH_XBJ3QECg1YQoN2gaEFrThthbv7SnRJorvfF5GfTTnuxcORKANHaSZJI_G2VfcWy_FeszcI4KvGge7RRqxaqNe7p/s1600/IMG_2091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ul6DsbBLqicohairRwcngqBAFqTh-FHs8CzMUEiFn-h3UqeWCWlH_XBJ3QECg1YQoN2gaEFrThthbv7SnRJorvfF5GfTTnuxcORKANHaSZJI_G2VfcWy_FeszcI4KvGge7RRqxaqNe7p/s1600/IMG_2091.JPG" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
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"A is for Anchor"</div>
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The Prairie Schooler</div>
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DMC on Fabric Flair 36 ct Ivory</div>
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one ply over two</div>
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Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-7459007863591828422014-02-09T04:10:00.001-05:002014-02-09T04:10:57.284-05:00A wonderful idea from Shakespeare's Peddler! I just finished reading a post by Shakespeare's Peddler designer, Theresa. She has developed a place for all our UFO's to find an adopting stitcher to continue working on those pieces that might otherwise sit stuck in a dark closet or drawer for eternity. I just think this is wonderful - and her rules for the program really have taken everything into consideration that one could think of. Great going, Theresa! I hope she won't mind, but I'm going to paste some of the information from her blog here so any interested stitchers can learn how they can join in.<br />
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Here is a portion of her original post, but PLEASE stop by the link to Theresa's blog to read all of THE RULES of the program before you commit. And maybe drop Theresa a quick comment. I think she deserves kudos for arranging this Adoption Program for our stitching community. <br />
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http://shakespearespeddler.blogspot.com/2014/02/needlework-ufo-adoptions.html<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"[Theresa] started a new group on Facebook to help these wayward orphans find homes. I am including here the same rules I have posted on Facebook. I may edit these rules as issues pop up. I do not accept responsibility for any transactions (except my own) on the page, but am the administrator in that I will keep an eye on the goings-on. I hope that you have fun participating in or just watching the group. You can visit and join the page by going to this link: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/needleworkUFOs" style="text-decoration: none;">www.facebook.com/needleworkUFOs</a>. Encourage your friends to like and follow the page. The more people we have, the more fun it will be." (From Shakespeare's Peddler blog)<br /><br /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-43758883329188759332014-02-07T11:26:00.001-05:002014-02-07T11:26:17.742-05:00And we have a winner! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Woke up bright and early this morning, and completely forgot that today was the day I was supposed to pick a giveaway winner! Debated about extending it through the weekend, but I ended up deciding to review your comments, jot down your names, and cut them into strips. I put them all in my Shaker box and had Shirlee's snowman sled oversee the proceedings. (Thank you, Shirlee!!)</div>
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Seamus came over to see what all the fuss was about, but he couldn't be bothered choosing a winner.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Nah, I'd rather have some chicken."<br />
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And the winner is .....</div>
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Congrats, Lisa V! </div>
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Please email me your mailing address and I'll get your </div>
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"I Sigh Not For Beauty" sampler and supplies in the mail. </div>
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Thanks to everyone for your entries and comments - I really enjoyed reading what</div>
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everyone will be working on this year! Some exciting projects planned! </div>
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<br />Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-41670553279940999772014-02-04T15:36:00.000-05:002014-02-04T15:38:56.553-05:00A GIVEAWAY, a Small SAL finish, and stitching By the BayWell here it is February, and I'm already slacking off on my promise to keep this blog updated more often.<br />
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First up, I've reached 200 followers, and I believe I promised A GIVEAWAY when I had ANOTHER HUNDRED PEOPLE join up as followers! Since I've somewhat named 2014 as "The Year of the Sampler" I thought it would be appropriate to give away a beautiful sampler chart (plus a hand dyed linen and the flosses needed). <br />
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THE GIVEAWAY! WINNER ANNOUNCED FRIDAY, FEB 7th</div>
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This is C Street Samplerworks "I Sigh Not For Beauty" which was designed by Ruth Ann Russell and "inspired by late 18th Century samplers from the Boston, Massachusetts area." It has all the things I love in a sampler design - a grand house, trees, floral border, and several birds perched here and there -- I think I even spy two butterflies. (I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">apologize for this lousy photo.)</span></div>
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WHAT YOU'LL WIN: the complete, brand-spanking-new chart; a 1/4 yard cut of 32 count Apple Brown Bindy hand dyed linen by R&R Reproductions; and the DMC flosses needed to stitch this. I must confess (before I have a disgruntled giveaway winner on my hands) I didn't have three of the colors of DMC used in the model, BUT I dug my way through the boxes of STASH and was able to find some pretty close matches and all are full, unused skeins. Yippee! All you'll need to supply are a needle and scissors, and some lucky soul will be on their way to happy sampler stitchin' ! </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">HOW TO ENTER - leave a response to this blog post BEFORE 1:00 AM Friday morning, (EST). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Tell me YOUR plans for your 2014 stitching. You don't need to list specific goals, but tell me about a project(s) you hope to finish or start this year, or maybe a new technique you'd like to learn, or maybe a retreat you plan to attend - anything goes, really, AS LONG AS IT'S RELATED TO STITCHING. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> I'll give each valid entry/response a number and pick one at random from a Shaker Box, and announce the winner on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7th. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As for me and my stitching, I did finish a "small" for the "2014 Small SAL" I signed up for (tap logo on left side for link.) I'm posting the pic several days late, but I did actually get the stitching on this finished before January ended. This is "A Colonial Candle Pouch" - the first project sent to those stitchers participating in the Colonial Gatherings Club via Dyeing to Stitch, the R&R Reproductions' blog. It was designed by Plum Street Samplers. I haven't done the "finishing" on it yet -- I don't own a sewing machine - but I'll figure out something. (Those Colonial stitchers didn't have sewing machines anyway, right?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCo97ARDLdgDL6eUuygwOZYP0zd9rZmnU8vCWAvoBFsDaGKfiaJmXQB8pujxGKF-nkqu0mrNNzxy5eDkU_EZOYSuBPW0RVoiIElrBCsgbpbp-uOyfbmp1SUkrkRInufoUGeh1LY0gd-D4/s640/blogger-image-531530905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCo97ARDLdgDL6eUuygwOZYP0zd9rZmnU8vCWAvoBFsDaGKfiaJmXQB8pujxGKF-nkqu0mrNNzxy5eDkU_EZOYSuBPW0RVoiIElrBCsgbpbp-uOyfbmp1SUkrkRInufoUGeh1LY0gd-D4/s640/blogger-image-531530905.jpg" /></a> Col. Gatherings "Candle Pouch" by Plum Street Samplers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Keeping true to my Sampler of the Year theme, I've been working on Cornelia Vanderveer by Scarlet Letter as well as Snooty Parrots by Barbara Ana. (I'll post pics of them next time.) I'm having a little By the Bay SAL with my friend Kathy, which we started a couple of weeks ago. This is where I left off on By the Bay's "Tidal River." It's a fun project filled with the blues and greens I love plus lots of little details to bring the bayside scene to life. The fabric is 32 count Blue Dynasty and DMC threads. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> I'm working on this between other projects, cuz that's just the way I roll! Ha ha ha. Until next time - good luck on the giveaway, and happy stitching! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">DON'T you wish you were HERE - hanging in a hammock, and sipping a Margarita? </span></div>
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Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-31155595434640294982014-01-26T10:50:00.002-05:002014-01-26T10:50:52.381-05:00I'm WEAK, I tell ya! WEAK!<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, it was inevitable - sooner or later, I just knew I'd buckle and give in against my "promise" not to buy any new stash in 2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ah yes ... There she is! That VIXEN! That SIREN! That Scandinavian temptress so lovingly batting her Nordic eyelashes at me and whispering softly in my ear, "Come on, Kevin....you know you want me."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes....yes...I confess -- resistance was futile!! Those 28 shades of the softest Au Ver a Soie -- those gentle hues of blue and green .. those luscious deep ruby red bands ... THE BIRDS! Come on - you know I cannot resist BIRDS! (It's so unfair the way she teased me, I tell you!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sure, I had some caveats to my initial "no new stash" assertion - such as, I'd allow myself to continue my purchases of a couple of series of charts I had started stitching in 2013 (Blackbird Designs' Loose Feather series, SamSarah's "Winds of Change" series, to name a few) BUT I really thought I'd at least make it through the end of January without any other MAJOR stash enhancement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">(You say "hoarding," I say "stash enhancement" - Let's call the whole thing off!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And so, making her way here to South Florida along the great continental USPS route from EBAY to my eagerly awaiting mitts, may I introduce to you: Miss <a href="http://www.scarlet-letter.com/samplers/simensen.php" target="_blank">Anniken Simensen of The Scarlet Letter</a> collection of reproduction samplers. She wears that emblazoned "A" so proudly. </span></div>
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Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-18382052644166914612014-01-23T06:45:00.001-05:002014-01-23T06:45:16.346-05:00"Another Hundred People"<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIeOGPp4_ZE4pvkHAbODqTqS4i6Y1AKVHrLKhWTS9YWMN8vHE26ADd8GzPudlC00j02jsgNGuXqMHT164dlymPZXtRgXsjcR1gF9MEHEGiFNJImQatbDCa1PCff4_fQV-spJYGP4Uiyxe/s640/blogger-image-1592902981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIeOGPp4_ZE4pvkHAbODqTqS4i6Y1AKVHrLKhWTS9YWMN8vHE26ADd8GzPudlC00j02jsgNGuXqMHT164dlymPZXtRgXsjcR1gF9MEHEGiFNJImQatbDCa1PCff4_fQV-spJYGP4Uiyxe/s640/blogger-image-1592902981.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">First up this morning, I'd like to thank everyone who sent birthday wishes my way. Between the blogosphere and Facebook, I felt like Mr. Popularity on the 17th. I also appreciate your comments regarding my first finish of 2014. I'm still working my way through replying to my blog comments, and if I missed you, I do apologize and thank you for taking the time to stop by and/or comment. I promise I'll do a better job of responding to comments in the future. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And speaking of comments, it looks like another "milestone" is approaching my little piece of CYBERSPACE - I have almost reached 200 followers. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> (Hence, the title of my post this morning.)</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">And, what better way to celebrate a milestone than ..... a giveaway?</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">That's right, folks - when I eventually reach the "200 followers" benchmark, I shall host another giveaway here on Cabbages and Kings. I'm not sure exactly WHAT I shall give away, but I promise it will be something nice and definitely stitching-related. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more info. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Here's a bit of "Broadway show" trivia - does anyone know the name of the show where today's blog title hails from? A bit of "Kevin" trivia -- I was in a production of this musical back when I was in college. Yep, that's right - at one time before the back issues plagued my every waking hour, I was a bit of a "song and dance" man. Well, maybe more of the "song" and less of the "dance," if truth be told! My singing is now saved for the shower or when I'm alone in the car. You're welcome! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Have a great day, and I wish you lots of happy moments filled with needle and thread this coming weekend. Stay warm if you're in a part of the country dealing with those horrendous sub-zero temps! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-18034709602338472612014-01-19T00:16:00.001-05:002014-01-19T00:16:56.594-05:00First 2014 Happy Dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPjoqnhfY7Fd-uL8GDzdNUrx5tdPL0Btt8k3xEmhMmwktgQN63pxxXD_91c7BQfyovFsvQ0ykoEyAmqRwn42dwE5IHLzZTVt0FU7_nXKLSE6BlfHAOtSOEYIQeqdO22VD3Xcsu82e4w-A/s640/blogger-image--1223957933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPjoqnhfY7Fd-uL8GDzdNUrx5tdPL0Btt8k3xEmhMmwktgQN63pxxXD_91c7BQfyovFsvQ0ykoEyAmqRwn42dwE5IHLzZTVt0FU7_nXKLSE6BlfHAOtSOEYIQeqdO22VD3Xcsu82e4w-A/s640/blogger-image--1223957933.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lizzie Kate's "Hearts and Holly"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>My first finish for 2014, and my first cross off my WIP-ocalypse and Turtle Trot lists. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJA8CMd72_jZhW9KoxBU9dmaIYuffcMxvH079MxwFLaFcPDRe3LXHrDkjO6DeMevaYCplFWR9sa03kQXvuJEZxEuZrm4wBW-NSAhmDkKEQdi5uMweE8zlalR4E4U1J4kkhCX7HD4rfnuN/s640/blogger-image--1383815541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJA8CMd72_jZhW9KoxBU9dmaIYuffcMxvH079MxwFLaFcPDRe3LXHrDkjO6DeMevaYCplFWR9sa03kQXvuJEZxEuZrm4wBW-NSAhmDkKEQdi5uMweE8zlalR4E4U1J4kkhCX7HD4rfnuN/s640/blogger-image--1383815541.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-70328541289540255872014-01-16T04:34:00.002-05:002014-01-16T04:44:53.106-05:00My first International Hermit Stitch Weekend approachethThis Friday is a special day. For starters, it's my 49th birthday - the start of my last year of my FORTIES! Yikes - where did they go?? Seems like only yesterday I remember hiding in the living room of our house in Monmouth Beach waiting to surprise my mother on her fiftieth birthday, and before I know it I'll be hitting the big five-oh myself in 2015!<br>
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Secondly, this Friday begins the first 2014 <a href="http://joysze.blogspot.com/2014/01/january-2014-ihsw-and-pic.html" target="_blank">International Hermit Stitch Weekend</a>, and I cannot think of a better way to enjoy my birthday than locking myself inside with my pile o' WIPs happily stitching away and listening to Audible or "watching" some Netflix while my needles ply the linen. :-)<br>
If you're interested in joining me and my fellow hermits, click the link above and input your information on Joyce's blog post. The more the merrier!<div><br></div><div>Here's a pic I took a few days ago of my WIP of Lizzie Kate's "Hearts and Holly." I'm almost done with the third and final section. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Here are parts one and two - I edited part two a bit in order to capitalize the word "Christmas." (I knew it would drive me batty with the lowercase "c" as it was charted.) </span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZ4XRRSa1eBdhyPJBhW3ypimbmtTmmmBKwb5Hg7vm9BamHMg3zTi_lQlDrqCfghXAoaIZjD-yz7ol7fGEyGmKSnxtSZtCdhn7RbpI620B7NKVo-Bbdtytvr44OBtVSn81U-NVtTKZpAm8/s640/blogger-image--187453519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZ4XRRSa1eBdhyPJBhW3ypimbmtTmmmBKwb5Hg7vm9BamHMg3zTi_lQlDrqCfghXAoaIZjD-yz7ol7fGEyGmKSnxtSZtCdhn7RbpI620B7NKVo-Bbdtytvr44OBtVSn81U-NVtTKZpAm8/s640/blogger-image--187453519.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy stitching, and think about joining me and the other hermits this weekend! </div><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-88232474094845095692014-01-10T15:24:00.003-05:002014-01-11T22:37:27.972-05:00A new start and The Turtle Trot Ten 2014Well I promised myself I'd work on more SAMPLERS in 2014, and I started the New Year with Barbara Ana's "Snooty Parrots Sampler." I'm happy to report that I finished the January section of<br />
this project (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/snootyparrots/" target="_blank">I'm doing the SAL that's located on Facebook</a>) and I now can devote the rest of this month to focusing on WIPs. Here's the update on Snooty Parrots:<br />
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In my effort to keep up with my plans for this new stitching year, I've joined a couple of groups I think will help me stay on task with whittling down my WIPs. <br />
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1. Blackbird Designs "Away We Ride"<br />
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2. Drawn Thread "Tocatta No. 2"</div>
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3. Lizzie Kate "Very Scary" </div>
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4. Lizzie Kate "Living with CharmDouble Flips"</div>
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5. Lizzie Kate "Hearts and Holly"</div>
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6. Blackbird Designs "My Hearts Desire"</div>
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7. Blackbird Designs "Forget Me Not" </div>
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8. Quaker Christmas II </div>
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9. Scarlet Letter "Cornelia Ann Vanderveer 1835"</div>
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10. Scarlet Letter "The Sampler"</div>
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Thanks for stopping by! </div>
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Have a great weekend and happy stitching! </div>
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<br />Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-10438000457125854892013-12-30T13:11:00.001-05:002013-12-30T13:11:01.243-05:00A Year in Review or PRE-viewI'm not one to dwell on the past. I mean, sure I think about the past- who doesn't? But the past is just that - PAST, OVER, KAPUT, SAYONARA BABY! <div>All these year in reviews on TV and mass media are just "filler" to me. Who cares what already happened when it's time to look forward to what the new year has in store, right? Right!</div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCG6om6MROkocpc6UDlt87D7JMq101eTXuKYjzBLUxzDDhESIzuX5n5xCCB1f_f3BrtNcB9PrCrhiADQ9noAwEfw5Kp3xYBk90HGqH3KkqDN1gCjE_dx3ZeXKRE0TbkUwx5y_KyZNWBd5/s640/blogger-image--958381523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCG6om6MROkocpc6UDlt87D7JMq101eTXuKYjzBLUxzDDhESIzuX5n5xCCB1f_f3BrtNcB9PrCrhiADQ9noAwEfw5Kp3xYBk90HGqH3KkqDN1gCjE_dx3ZeXKRE0TbkUwx5y_KyZNWBd5/s640/blogger-image--958381523.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">First of all, a big "no no" in my book is the concept of a RESOLUTION. New Year's Resolutions by nature are just begging to be broken. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> C'mon, let's be honest, have you ever stuck tried and true to a resolution you have made? What? You have?! Well, good for you! I mean it - you deserve an award or something because I've never stuck to a single one I've ever made, and I'm talking about 48 years of my life. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>But, this doesn't mean I don't have PLANS! </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-PfhCIs89UcE6N9htdmT0mLV0pczca-AxiA3KLm9sFx5mmeVnzOKUVZjYkE7OkUtepbvzhRI6xr2duASET6ytvsKHkudV2qIm3cGEiZVZzQymFCWrWC-gO_-gasGKQYvkKK90imNCSar/s640/blogger-image-1898580075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-PfhCIs89UcE6N9htdmT0mLV0pczca-AxiA3KLm9sFx5mmeVnzOKUVZjYkE7OkUtepbvzhRI6xr2duASET6ytvsKHkudV2qIm3cGEiZVZzQymFCWrWC-gO_-gasGKQYvkKK90imNCSar/s640/blogger-image-1898580075.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> Ah yes, the PLAN. You see, if you know me well, you'll know that I'm famous for my plans. Maybe it's because I spent almost twenty years writing up lesson plans for the classes I taught? I don't know for certain, but I do know I'm forever <i>PLANNING</i> and jotting notes to myself for things I hope to accomplish that day, or week, etc... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZjDvA7qmc2AaNMsT3d0csar_VfwisWmVV7ZYUesQAsZZSOqdl2AWgjbijJzKqsElvLzeoJp3IWD4PYOUqUuJW91X7KcqKMVzmK3v794_CdmYHF0AIP6aiJ7zBn1_BySFxbXmFqMfCSYG/s640/blogger-image--2061926486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZjDvA7qmc2AaNMsT3d0csar_VfwisWmVV7ZYUesQAsZZSOqdl2AWgjbijJzKqsElvLzeoJp3IWD4PYOUqUuJW91X7KcqKMVzmK3v794_CdmYHF0AIP6aiJ7zBn1_BySFxbXmFqMfCSYG/s640/blogger-image--2061926486.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> It's no surprise then that an imminent New Year is just bursting with opportunities for planning. Mind you, NOT <i>resolutions</i> - they're begging to be broken -- but plans, well they're a whole different story! <b><i>Plans are ADAPTABLE</i></b>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">You can change or modify plans and a lightning bolt doesn't strike you down. Friends don't scold you if you change your plans. You don't beat your chest crying and cursing at yourself if your plans need a little tweaking here and there. And so, with that in mind, I've created my Master Plan for 2014. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sIw3OrNIOnAk1h-JIhg-zIgUay-cyVU_FTnMiN7NaH5X_aTmMzcUUMPAp1w_hGuRXJehhICY46R7wD0-Xyo823NHmkE8735r6FPPvPOdjH7TbnaUookM62p_1bwYDWSxwZ5BTOeuIgrN/s640/blogger-image-1321044197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sIw3OrNIOnAk1h-JIhg-zIgUay-cyVU_FTnMiN7NaH5X_aTmMzcUUMPAp1w_hGuRXJehhICY46R7wD0-Xyo823NHmkE8735r6FPPvPOdjH7TbnaUookM62p_1bwYDWSxwZ5BTOeuIgrN/s640/blogger-image-1321044197.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>I'm calling 2014 "The Year of the Sampler!"</i> That's right, folks. That big old cardboard box you see above is just chock full of samplers all kitted up and ready for me to dive into. I'm not going to <i>STRESS</i> about schedules or deadlines or rotations either. Stitching brings me joy and relaxation. No point in putting a big ole damper on the works by drafting some schedule I must follow. No way! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Starting Wednesday, January 1st, 2014, I PLAN to focus on my stash of samplers. I hope to make a whole year out of stitching my little heart out by concentrating, first and foremost, on the samplers I've bought over the years. Since I've already started "The Sampler" by Scarlet Letter, and "Cornelia Vanderveer" by Scarlet Letter, those will be my focal projects to begin the year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f3J6OQ-SDvj8AiKspP1KoGpYcjyWwGbJMWG-OlMCmiqjbbt2qv21NtZvtYsauavvw-vUwCPmZf9hx36642pKl6mkaUf_UDmDWZnyqodyGk55zBhVQvBACPwR_pumGrc3nMZCsqV606m8/s640/blogger-image--579286344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f3J6OQ-SDvj8AiKspP1KoGpYcjyWwGbJMWG-OlMCmiqjbbt2qv21NtZvtYsauavvw-vUwCPmZf9hx36642pKl6mkaUf_UDmDWZnyqodyGk55zBhVQvBACPwR_pumGrc3nMZCsqV606m8/s640/blogger-image--579286344.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have some SAL's I've signed up for as well, like Barbara Ana's "Snooty Parrots" and Blackbird Designs "Christmas Garden" (both are SAL's on Facebook) so I'll try to keep on top of those as well as my Scarlet Letter and other samplers waiting in that box. It's really open to change and adaptation but I do hope to concentrate on this plan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-5vmh4h2uMRTn41_dyv_E6SddtntQ4e3DvLTETxsYZviKP_dr6Prep-ge9hQMoUhLARt3lZ_-W8kQChOWr4D_X_6E_EFiH-T53wHPGhDXrsMRuh3n7bRtHzD4GX6x91k1TvhokyauRqB/s640/blogger-image-298953737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-5vmh4h2uMRTn41_dyv_E6SddtntQ4e3DvLTETxsYZviKP_dr6Prep-ge9hQMoUhLARt3lZ_-W8kQChOWr4D_X_6E_EFiH-T53wHPGhDXrsMRuh3n7bRtHzD4GX6x91k1TvhokyauRqB/s640/blogger-image-298953737.jpg"></a></div>"Jacob's Ladder Sampler" by Kunst and Vliegwerk (K&V 9704) stitched by Laurie. Posted on Corgi's Cottage blog 9/8/2012</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">How about you? Any stitching plans for the year ahead? Here's wishing you all a HAPPY, HEALTHY, and PROSPEROUS new year. And may your plans bring you peace and joy in the coming year without any of those nasty guilt trips which resolutions are prone to bring along. Plan, stitch, change plans, adapt, but above all strive to be happy no matter what the new year brings your way. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijK1jyUFvJXBn2IoA6G-XiolIYDcnE-ddvqsuywbJwayQ2D6RjmKY4u-g5wqRQk_h9PYIevnOau6TLn1iLOZ3DZ-_0Fa4sZ5vRptBOUu5JljUfQmotopvZBeqv_pJpKRpoSk87FBt_M5mS/s640/blogger-image-1224130544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijK1jyUFvJXBn2IoA6G-XiolIYDcnE-ddvqsuywbJwayQ2D6RjmKY4u-g5wqRQk_h9PYIevnOau6TLn1iLOZ3DZ-_0Fa4sZ5vRptBOUu5JljUfQmotopvZBeqv_pJpKRpoSk87FBt_M5mS/s640/blogger-image-1224130544.jpg"></a></div>"Norfolk Diligence" by Heart's Ease Examplar Workes </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-56307173828840268542013-12-25T05:48:00.003-05:002013-12-25T05:48:47.331-05:00Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hope your Christmas is Merry ... And by that, I mean I hope Santa</div>
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brought you some new stitchy things to add to your stash! </div>
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Have a wonderful holiday</div>
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- Kevin</div>
<br />Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-21783376641111873852013-12-12T09:32:00.002-05:002013-12-12T09:36:07.232-05:00Santa, can you spare an elf or two?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another Christmas is upon us, and, as is "tradition" here with me, I once again find myself hanging my head in shame regarding the many incomplete Christmas items I had hoped to stitch in time for the 25th.<br>
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First off is this Dimensions Gold kit which I've admired for a couple of years and finally purchased from EBay. I opened the kit this morning just to glance at the charts, threads, and instructions and immediately felt my heart racing like a kid opening his gifts under the tree! That joy and thrill of starting a new project was slightly hindered when I pulled out the "pre-sorted" threads for the project and found this:<br>
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Can we say, "Ugh!" However, I'm undaunted and will persevere in untangling this "rat's nest" of threads and, hopefully, will start stitching this shortly. I mean, what's wrong with adding one more project to the ever-growing WIP pile, right? (Don't faint - this is the stack presently tottering next to my stitching spot: </div>
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Yes, I know, I do suffer from a case of SADD (Stitcher's Attention Deficit Disorder) which is why there really are do few photos of things actually FINISHED on this blog. Lol! </div>
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Aside from the stack there, I have a Scarlet Letter sampler calling my name over on my Millenium frame and stand. And, these three WIP's that are in various states of completion (or should I say various states of "beginning?) </div>
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Santa - can't you spare an elf or two who knows how to stitch to come down to sunny Florida and away from the cold North Pole? </div>
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Away We Ride (Blackbird Designs)</div>
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Hearts and Holly (Lizzie Kate) </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Quaker Christmas II - Songs of the Season</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Merry Christmas to all of my stitching friends out there! I have to run now -</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">that Dimensions kit is calling my name! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>
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<br>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-23113162459993805202013-12-03T08:25:00.001-05:002013-12-03T08:34:34.023-05:00Hurry -- SANTA'S taken Nancy hostage at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe!<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Santa is busy over at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe! </i></h2>
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<i>If you haven't visited Nancy's wonderful blog </i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-third-day-of-christmas-give-away.html" target="_blank">Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe</a></i></div>
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then get on over there and leave a note for Nancy, errr, I mean Santa ...</div>
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you see, I know Nancy is SUPER GENEROUS with her lovely giveaways of her gorgeous threads, </div>
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BUT....</div>
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I have a sneaky suspicion that SANTA may have taken our dear Nancy HOSTAGE!!</div>
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Yes, that's right! </div>
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Go look for yourselves -- she's giving away so many things each day, the only explanation is</div>
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that Santa (and his elves) must be forcing her to work like crazy over there! </div>
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We'll know for sure if we see his white beard flecked with "Sampler Blue" or "1795 Green" </div>
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or any of the other HUNDREDS of colors Nancy dyes her threads with! </div>
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Mark my words! </div>
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If you find any multi-colored fingerprints on the dish of cookies left for Santa</div>
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on the morning of December 25th,</div>
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then I know my suspicions were correct! ;-)</div>
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Good luck on entering Nancy's giveaways, </div>
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and check out her <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe" target="_blank">shop</a> link while you're on her page too! </div>
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Nancy is very talented, and I'm sure you'll love her large pallette of colors! </div>
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Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-7120752889330794522013-12-01T17:17:00.002-05:002013-12-01T23:29:08.284-05:00Advent Calendar Blog Hop - Day Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">W</i><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">elcome to the Advent Calendar Blog Hop! </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pofvrxwDUCg/UputOup5P9I/AAAAAAAAHFU/2d_T4EgvwzU/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pofvrxwDUCg/UputOup5P9I/AAAAAAAAHFU/2d_T4EgvwzU/s320/13+-+2" width="240"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prairie Schooler 2013 Santa</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">18 count Country Mocha Aida </div>
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<i>In case you didn't know, Jo over at<a href="http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Serendipitous Stitching</a> </i></div>
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<i>is hosting </i><i>her annual Advent Calendar. </i></div>
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<i> Make sure you check her blog each day for daily surprises behind each door! </i></div>
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<i>Today is Day Two of Advent which means we're getting closer to Christmas with each passing minute.</i></div>
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<i>No wonder poor Santa has his Cuckoo Clock chirping and his trusty compass and clock both </i></div>
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<i>attached to his wrist! Poor guy. And here I thought I had it rough trying to keep up with </i></div>
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<i>Christmas stitching. (Unlike Santa, I gave up on a lot of my plans - not enough hours in the day</i></div>
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<i>to stitch all the Shepherd's Bush stockings I wanted to make - LOL) </i></div>
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<i>My motto: There's always next year! </i></div>
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<i>Jo asked that each of us participating in the Advent Blog Hop share a recipe or tradition</i></div>
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<i>which our culture or family follows each Christmas. </i></div>
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<i>I come from strong Scandinavian roots, having a maternal grand-mother who was Swedish</i></div>
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<i>and a paternal grand-mother who was Norwegian. </i></div>
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<i>Every year we spent Christmas Eve at my Norwegian grand-mother's house, and I miss</i></div>
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<i>that tradition terribly now that she's gone. One tradition which she always made sure</i></div>
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<i>we followed was the Scandinavian tradition of having Risengrod, or rice porridge, Christmas Eve.</i></div>
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<i> (My grandmother actually made and served rice <u><b>pudding</b>, </u>not<u> </u>porridge.)</i></div>
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<i>It </i><i>was DELICIOUS, and </i><i>no one in our family has </i></div>
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<i>ever been able to replicate it just like hers despite many attempts.</i></div>
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<i>We'd go to church after dinner, </i><i>then return to her house for coffee and the rice pudding.</i></div>
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<i>The tradition is to have one almond hidden in the batch. </i></div>
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<i>Whomever gets the dish with the almond is supposed to have a year of good fortune ahead,</i></div>
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<i>but my grandmother always added a little special wrapped gift to the person receiving the almond. </i></div>
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<i>I found this <a href="http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/ricedishes/r/riceporridge.htm" target="_blank">link</a> which explains the tradition a bit more and includes a recipe - </i></div>
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<i>but I'm not </i><i>vouching for its taste as I've never had this rice <b style="text-decoration: underline;">porridge </b>before<b><u>.</u></b></i></div>
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<i><b><u>Here's to wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holiday! </u></b></i></div>
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<i><b><u>Don't forget to eat your Risengrod on Christmas Eve to keep the nissen away! </u></b></i></div>
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<br>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com23Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.216999 -80.121557tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-51468571691907805202013-11-03T06:42:00.001-05:002013-11-03T06:43:28.764-05:00Village of Hawk Run Hollow<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vYJz0TV-DUlyelAxXUYsuFxFXkBImox6ctLnsmpIBT-nR6vykhOuI4jQU-_EfB_krc9uUbbDCXC9Yvo9MMopSjCMEqvP56prwnfZ_Y4wFdMutDDdlqOQYNwl8DfUFIIsL3sQqUhOa3o9/s640/blogger-image-951651330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vYJz0TV-DUlyelAxXUYsuFxFXkBImox6ctLnsmpIBT-nR6vykhOuI4jQU-_EfB_krc9uUbbDCXC9Yvo9MMopSjCMEqvP56prwnfZ_Y4wFdMutDDdlqOQYNwl8DfUFIIsL3sQqUhOa3o9/s640/blogger-image-951651330.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Finally picked up my framed Village of Hawk Run Hollow on Wednesday, and I'm so pleased with the beautiful framing job which Kathy did over at The Crossstitch Cupboard (Fort Lauderdale). Karen - the owner of CSC - chose the frame. I think her choice perfectly suits this piece. She actually matched the shade of the distressed parts of the frame to a color in the stitched piece, and it looks ideal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I stitched this on 40 count Golden Harvest linen by Silkweavers. The silk flosses I used were a conversion dyed by Vikki Clayton, and I loved stitching with them. Next BAP is going to be Shores of HRH, but not until I finish the annual Christmas stitching (what am I talking about? I haven't even finished the Halloween stitching I'm working on here! LOL!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy weekend, everyone. And enjoy your "extra hour of sleep! </div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com32Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.217066 -80.121142tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-63295034992299382652013-10-31T02:33:00.000-04:002013-10-31T06:31:36.913-04:002013 Halloween Blog Hop<div style="text-align: center;">
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Pumpkin Pete says, "Thanks for stopping at the next stop on the <a href="http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-trick-or-treat-blog-hop-2013.html" target="_blank">Halloween Blog Hop</a>!" </h2>
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Your blog hop letter is:<br />
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In case you're not able to see, your letter is <b><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span></b></div>
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Now follow Pumpkin Pete on over to the next blog on your Halloween Hop:</div>
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<a href="http://needlespinsanddragonflies.blogspot.co.uk/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://needlespinsanddragonflies.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-57921276601458243552013-10-28T10:04:00.000-04:002013-10-31T02:40:23.952-04:00Dragonflylotus hand spun threads - discount code!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sorry I haven't posted in ages. </div>
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Today I wanted to post about the beautiful hand spun wool fibers which I've been using to stitch my LHN Sheep Virtues project. Liz at <a href="http://www.handspunthread.com/" target="_blank">Dragonflylotus Hand Spun Threads</a> has created a beautiful line of 100% wool fibers specifically for this project, but she has all sorts of gorgeous fibers at her site.</div>
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If you're a floss hound like I am, you'll be happy to know Liz kindly gave me a code </div>
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for my followers to use towards 10% off your order through November 4th! </div>
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This code is good towards anything on her site.</div>
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The code for your discount is: CABBAGE</div>
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I think her <a href="http://www.handspunthread.com/products/12-little-sheep-virtues-wool-thread-packs-prepaid-option" target="_blank">wool fibers</a> are perfect for the LHN sheep (baa baa...) but you'll see all sorts of goodies in a wide pallette of colors at her site. </div>
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If you hurry on over, she also has a <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stash Enhancement Special on the <a href="http://www.handspunthread.com/pages/stash-enhancement-specials" target="_blank">Petite Manzanita Silk Palette</a> which is 40% off until Thursday, October 31st! GREAT BUY!! :-)</span></div>
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And, speaking of Thursday, it's almost HALLOWEEN! Yikes! </div>
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To get in the "spirit" of the holiday, Saturday night I watched the film "The Conjuring" on demand. </div>
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It's based upon an actual case of a New England house haunting in the early 1970's </div>
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and I'd be lying if I said it didn't scare the daylights out of me! </div>
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Check it out if you like scary movies! </div>
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And let me know afterwards if you'd like to play "hide and clap!" EEK! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xS9F-HI87D0/Um5sN6O8bLI/AAAAAAAAGoo/C-ko4YGtlcI/s1600/13+-+4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xS9F-HI87D0/Um5sN6O8bLI/AAAAAAAAGoo/C-ko4YGtlcI/s1600/13+-+4" height="320" width="316"></a></div>
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I'm trying my best to finish up "Away We Ride" by Blackbird Designs before Halloween arrives, </div>
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but I still have quite a bit to stitch. Hoping today will be a marathon stitching day! ;-)</div>
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Have fun browsing Liz's <a href="http://www.handspunthread.com/" target="_blank">site</a> - and use that code (CABBAGE) </div>
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to try out some of her beauties at 10% off ! </div>
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Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-33872297064068065142013-10-04T07:24:00.000-04:002013-10-04T07:57:26.150-04:00I'm back! Two blogs I highly recommend you visit.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kVLIme5G0RceUPLoWn5aElbKV8lJ8Wl1uVDD-7jW-azcwXYaHpAehDvET6TLTBN4b8oDX0u0OUF82HyxWrpwDqqd3BtbsHRDuUueQBe87RI4To-OLdoxjztyHZ6ArDV6en6ce_ggf3bt/s640/blogger-image--501685780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kVLIme5G0RceUPLoWn5aElbKV8lJ8Wl1uVDD-7jW-azcwXYaHpAehDvET6TLTBN4b8oDX0u0OUF82HyxWrpwDqqd3BtbsHRDuUueQBe87RI4To-OLdoxjztyHZ6ArDV6en6ce_ggf3bt/s640/blogger-image--501685780.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Let me begin today by saying, where in the world did August and September go!? Is it just me, or did those months seem to fly by this year? I am long past due for a blog post, and today I would like to talk about two blogs which I highly enjoy. I hope you might take a minute between counting stitches this weekend to check them out. (Just click the titles below to visit them.) I probably have mentioned these two before, so forgive me if I'm repeating myself, but they really are worth a look.<br>
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First up is <a href="http://blacksheepsite.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blacksheep's Bit of the Web</a> which is a quite popular blog that you may already follow. If not, you owe it to yourself to take a look at Edgar's beautiful stitching (and his travel pics, the mouth watering goodies he likes to cook, and his adorable pooches!) I should warn you, a visit can be a little enabling if you're a shopper - and what stitcher doesn't like shopping, right? Maybe I'm just very easily tempted to add to my stash when I see his gorgeous work! If you stop by today, please remember to wish Edgar a Happy Birthday!! (Hope he doesn't clobber me for sharing that info!)<br>
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The other blog I hope you'll visit is by the award-winning designer Theresa Baird, and it's titled <a href="http://heartseaseexamplarworkes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Heart's Ease Examplar Workes</a>. I am already drooling over her latest design, "Norfolk Diligence," which is due to go on sale sometime this month:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUqZCtZIYnR3q7S4tD5OUUWqVaHmUpz5iX2wZV10AH4tU8sQdiPJtgBXpRr16ONcQ2lXE9r0aH4JNyc1dmMFgILxE3_1fV40WZM-s0KIODt6YozDbIxEqTrXY5jQ4cIZl_1s3RW8tC61g/s640/blogger-image--1594553485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUqZCtZIYnR3q7S4tD5OUUWqVaHmUpz5iX2wZV10AH4tU8sQdiPJtgBXpRr16ONcQ2lXE9r0aH4JNyc1dmMFgILxE3_1fV40WZM-s0KIODt6YozDbIxEqTrXY5jQ4cIZl_1s3RW8tC61g/s640/blogger-image--1594553485.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">What do you think? This is DEFINITELY making its way to my stash ASAP! I should note that Theresa also stitches her own models, and I think you'll agree she does beautiful work. I'm a huge lover of samplers with a well designed house in the design, but I really love the border on this piece (isn't that checkerboard border that transforms into the floral border neat?) I also love the floral bands in this design, as well as that sun and moon on either side of the house! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I think I own all of her published sampler charts, and I have started stitching "A Maryland Inspiration," which I love (let's face it, I love ALL her designs!) If you go back through her blog, she has been leading a SAL of "A Maryland Inspiration" with </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">suggested stitching for each month and t</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">ips for stitching each section -- I'm behind (of course) but I do love having her previous posts to refer to as I work on this piece. Here's a pic of Theresa's model and the ribbons she won for this design:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yQuKV_-PhJs5dm5BMw6Q4a3mg61ptFMLoBs-1mnjCzMyDH97lSiNE364_uhUa-yqQDF4BQ85x2o_gG87hsUHY0Q7sWRRZPMdqZa6HnxFtuCBbdKX4NDQEaTRdcGvta4Le7fRXJ9X963S/s640/blogger-image--15642140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yQuKV_-PhJs5dm5BMw6Q4a3mg61ptFMLoBs-1mnjCzMyDH97lSiNE364_uhUa-yqQDF4BQ85x2o_gG87hsUHY0Q7sWRRZPMdqZa6HnxFtuCBbdKX4NDQEaTRdcGvta4Le7fRXJ9X963S/s640/blogger-image--15642140.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I won't spoil the joy of taking a look at her blog by posting ALL of her model pictures here, but I do hope you'll take a minute to browse the border of her blog where you'll find photos of her models and some pics of future releases. I tend to love Christmas designs (and Halloween!) and I'm really looking forward to the chart for "Belsnickle's Victorian Christmas" when it is published. I'm sure you'll agree it's going to be one you'll want to add to your own Christmas stitching collection: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nhMzhl00kbDFFjynRqeLeNHkn6QPpvu9_pkYSRrMqtVHzS0mwJrefEA_hEADvvgJ0KBCMMC3v75EugAlgfBzLPvJxABKQfpXnaz4Ov0tQqg7rT3iDz_kRJbK_nf_5Wa1kX3isbZPp2Ow/s640/blogger-image--1551952016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nhMzhl00kbDFFjynRqeLeNHkn6QPpvu9_pkYSRrMqtVHzS0mwJrefEA_hEADvvgJ0KBCMMC3v75EugAlgfBzLPvJxABKQfpXnaz4Ov0tQqg7rT3iDz_kRJbK_nf_5Wa1kX3isbZPp2Ow/s640/blogger-image--1551952016.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Hope everyone has a great weekend full of stitching and blog hopping! Kevin </div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br>
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<br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com11Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.216988 -80.121452tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-4581450554962202302013-08-12T11:41:00.001-04:002013-08-12T11:41:37.017-04:00Wild Berries and M WoodsA beautiful sunny day here in South Florida. Not yet broiling out - but getting there!! I had a guest join me outside for my morning coffee today. Seems to be enjoying himself. Think he's thinking, "Now where is that cabana boy with my DRINK?!" Wish I caught the plants earlier - they're covered with beautiful purple flowers at dawn, but they wither as the day wanes on. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr00eEfa5Lz6TJFIwgCPKalF_5RnFGTXZK8JZkoiKL5GcPwFMwffNpnsSXmC0YTstamB4KEMc-HIL-6EtRv4DhTXFTi0xafuh5tLzwQ7mUzHxV15IxvPAN21-bVRVxQqrY04WhyL1-r_vZ/s640/blogger-image-528373041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr00eEfa5Lz6TJFIwgCPKalF_5RnFGTXZK8JZkoiKL5GcPwFMwffNpnsSXmC0YTstamB4KEMc-HIL-6EtRv4DhTXFTi0xafuh5tLzwQ7mUzHxV15IxvPAN21-bVRVxQqrY04WhyL1-r_vZ/s640/blogger-image-528373041.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Finally completed "Wild Berries" and really like how it turned out. Tomorrow I plan to get over to Cross Stitch Cupboard in Fort Lauderdale to drop this off for framing, along with my Village of Hawk Run Hollow and Shepherd's Bush Green Snowman. Will be great to see the gang there on Tuesday night. Been WAY too long since I joined the stitch-a-long group! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5QOd6HoKF_Q_XjDY0iMj6qNqAlyUNpFcJqkWedV1g7vUOQU3e5lP5cjWoIEOyAlqPWNBahVJkQ0gWmgtidDHippW04ObVexHQmG73Ro9GbRTvukIW6nNaoKnkITH9J6ei8P55Jr5G1Zx/s640/blogger-image-1529463730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5QOd6HoKF_Q_XjDY0iMj6qNqAlyUNpFcJqkWedV1g7vUOQU3e5lP5cjWoIEOyAlqPWNBahVJkQ0gWmgtidDHippW04ObVexHQmG73Ro9GbRTvukIW6nNaoKnkITH9J6ei8P55Jr5G1Zx/s640/blogger-image-1529463730.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And, I had a package arrive here Saturday full of the most GORGEOUS silks by Gloriana (Tudor silks) as well as (gulp) 50 count Lakeside Linen Vintage Meadow Rue. These were the June sampler of the month selections from The Attic in Arizona, and I can't wait to start this one. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The photos just don't do these silks justice -- they are MUCH brighter in person, as is the linen. I really need a NEW iPhone as I still have the 3GS model. But, if you zoom in you can see just how teensy this 50 count linen is (the color is beautiful). Sorry about my shadow - was taking pics out in the sun to "try" to get the color right. Didn't quite work. Oh well! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXyV_6yumvByF8Sz7f7lo-imobebvX00K-5qO1Iq5njkdeYoeQTtlKiV_-IqH8dDoFXRpXhennHw8VnXAWukFtZ8IC72xJCn3h9f9orZXVAjZfGaDEyfkiLbWkc14a1rmeRowN_jZ7KLV/s640/blogger-image-409185434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXyV_6yumvByF8Sz7f7lo-imobebvX00K-5qO1Iq5njkdeYoeQTtlKiV_-IqH8dDoFXRpXhennHw8VnXAWukFtZ8IC72xJCn3h9f9orZXVAjZfGaDEyfkiLbWkc14a1rmeRowN_jZ7KLV/s640/blogger-image-409185434.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28SeJ9215ApyUhzpQwcc18utoUHaUzfvB6d7-N9Oo3xpLETIx_ceff_qLGv6TbmcaSCEhkBXOLcsKEjbZpDXILSltmBvEO26yti5x2wg19uXw85HWPillicXt2TW_cMUa6jHyE_fWka_f/s640/blogger-image--1628793525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28SeJ9215ApyUhzpQwcc18utoUHaUzfvB6d7-N9Oo3xpLETIx_ceff_qLGv6TbmcaSCEhkBXOLcsKEjbZpDXILSltmBvEO26yti5x2wg19uXw85HWPillicXt2TW_cMUa6jHyE_fWka_f/s640/blogger-image--1628793525.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I3yBCDIYfG1YKp8DAR4n_fOHSMYB7Q_SFRZhSLBfJnd_7eztAAeoxVuEtcesXnVS4xy_0_2nqvvmrRxXI0Y1Nbm0YSG36dVWJiUjhzR4fMcpQ5ojozTqG7jckrwXWYHT2EG9QIjz5aiF/s640/blogger-image--1189286738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I3yBCDIYfG1YKp8DAR4n_fOHSMYB7Q_SFRZhSLBfJnd_7eztAAeoxVuEtcesXnVS4xy_0_2nqvvmrRxXI0Y1Nbm0YSG36dVWJiUjhzR4fMcpQ5ojozTqG7jckrwXWYHT2EG9QIjz5aiF/s640/blogger-image--1189286738.jpg"></a> Here's the chart for M. Woods with the model done on a lighter shade of 40 count linen, I believe. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And, as you saw earlier -- an inquisitive friend had to come out to see what all the fuss was about. He wasn't too happy that "his" lounge ottoman was being used as my photo studio! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2vq56BlIn-cf0cJZ37yQDEGk-Wv0qb07-ZK_pxoc_slrKKI7pFwHFM_Nd1Q2TccFW8UWISs6Wyus5VQ_yVVkQxOH-ZNRKmtWubjmINhxh8AWyz97DlhyCRuS0gaEhLLV_8CCsXCz6_-P/s640/blogger-image-1853276006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2vq56BlIn-cf0cJZ37yQDEGk-Wv0qb07-ZK_pxoc_slrKKI7pFwHFM_Nd1Q2TccFW8UWISs6Wyus5VQ_yVVkQxOH-ZNRKmtWubjmINhxh8AWyz97DlhyCRuS0gaEhLLV_8CCsXCz6_-P/s640/blogger-image-1853276006.jpg"></a> AHHHH, much better! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy Monday and happy stitching! Kevin and Seamus </div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com21Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.217113 -80.12144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-91780089977221536482013-08-01T11:20:00.001-04:002013-08-01T11:20:46.408-04:00New Pretties from The Drawn Thread!!Love all of these!!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpj7nNENTtSfuNvKfVMvORRgsCHGlH-mH6JW1re72tWRvntLVV6Yxp-u-6zmNFa6KOYU3TcvVvoEixUaKkaXztCiOYvEK8ckSdo9OXrUvG_-VTnfo0BqjFnGu4WyNFfYr3RWQIqF86Umw/s640/blogger-image--790509581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpj7nNENTtSfuNvKfVMvORRgsCHGlH-mH6JW1re72tWRvntLVV6Yxp-u-6zmNFa6KOYU3TcvVvoEixUaKkaXztCiOYvEK8ckSdo9OXrUvG_-VTnfo0BqjFnGu4WyNFfYr3RWQIqF86Umw/s640/blogger-image--790509581.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Autumn Garden</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEldsTTUHnImLfqgwAcSw2T2UkMGo32XKG12k1Zz4Kje0no2Frf1fLwdpaxnK9ka5tmKF21GzMF1OkhIHPUO3_U2sRD3GvX0NQMId7Gv-e_eeHRciQ3RG5exMKZbH9ZdCCQFCUWo6ay1pB/s640/blogger-image-759526183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEldsTTUHnImLfqgwAcSw2T2UkMGo32XKG12k1Zz4Kje0no2Frf1fLwdpaxnK9ka5tmKF21GzMF1OkhIHPUO3_U2sRD3GvX0NQMId7Gv-e_eeHRciQ3RG5exMKZbH9ZdCCQFCUWo6ay1pB/s640/blogger-image-759526183.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When Skeletons Dance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDRyjQBkFqZQfLuz_ugrEkK8IyNYZck2UXESmV_owgncGFWgIO9kqhGNEOQfNzSMw5RqYv_WEPuEO56udmUg35WMC5VLgGLPlCZrMxmt_XHHd_i3y8cFmQAI1NUiob7CCQ-aD1rM8dVF8/s640/blogger-image-1698192233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDRyjQBkFqZQfLuz_ugrEkK8IyNYZck2UXESmV_owgncGFWgIO9kqhGNEOQfNzSMw5RqYv_WEPuEO56udmUg35WMC5VLgGLPlCZrMxmt_XHHd_i3y8cFmQAI1NUiob7CCQ-aD1rM8dVF8/s640/blogger-image-1698192233.jpg"></a> Halloween Screen</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoFYP4NlDqcB6PgwGjx5gF3QL2jwY5wIFzDVwDuq9jc3GUBjQM-EDF5Wkg8fRPeNt39eypvQ5WGyGcb-kzpKEaYVYUkWzI-DTt54osotw2-F2xZg0lWm_ftBWdGlk0w0iGPSQUOL0MHr9/s640/blogger-image-831100364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoFYP4NlDqcB6PgwGjx5gF3QL2jwY5wIFzDVwDuq9jc3GUBjQM-EDF5Wkg8fRPeNt39eypvQ5WGyGcb-kzpKEaYVYUkWzI-DTt54osotw2-F2xZg0lWm_ftBWdGlk0w0iGPSQUOL0MHr9/s640/blogger-image-831100364.jpg"></a> Autumn Jumble </div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com6Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.216912 -80.121496tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-19678679732284206352013-08-01T10:42:00.001-04:002013-08-01T10:42:55.948-04:00Seamus got a haircut!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhb4n4gw8kEAhc-UKiU81WFhHWz6MojBDOzEiY-O6fKmNpEjXOf9aZNeAtfXIhV7CCTe6T9ZycQUuDKzdBsaR7TBNV2C4MtzPYA8gRQZitnjb1SYTMWPxlvRnHXhyWu2xQLd76BekjTQ8/s640/blogger-image--650048406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhb4n4gw8kEAhc-UKiU81WFhHWz6MojBDOzEiY-O6fKmNpEjXOf9aZNeAtfXIhV7CCTe6T9ZycQUuDKzdBsaR7TBNV2C4MtzPYA8gRQZitnjb1SYTMWPxlvRnHXhyWu2xQLd76BekjTQ8/s640/blogger-image--650048406.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And here's Mr. Seamus rockin' his new summer crew cut! He looks about 20 pounds lighter. Wish that worked for ME when I get my hair cut! ;)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqt9IYRo1avs5XpincMATicpRltMHt_PKjB-Nc4QE4tYBZd41Lz_ICNnaB8bwAx0b2jOjW83v1Qn0dz0b8K-Ky6UoFrN31u6XHqzqf47MX-6yqwRSzlusrkftakJJrxBU6DvHuoQpJXfmv/s640/blogger-image--1024909535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqt9IYRo1avs5XpincMATicpRltMHt_PKjB-Nc4QE4tYBZd41Lz_ICNnaB8bwAx0b2jOjW83v1Qn0dz0b8K-Ky6UoFrN31u6XHqzqf47MX-6yqwRSzlusrkftakJJrxBU6DvHuoQpJXfmv/s640/blogger-image--1024909535.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Getting there stitch by stitch... Had ANOTHER fiasco with the FROG last night! Grrrr! This is my third time stitching this tree!! Hopefully, it'll be the "charm," as they say! I want to get to the bird today! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPZi0YhJh39yPnBkX_yB_zrRAM21Nq4XW66YI0p7lgFJe6xoAIXVy01omioYscS_mhnd7EkReLCZCeo8oeiaIKqASS5PCMXZAk-WT7DJzKzIiddYx56RZuqWIs0qWK0wpdJdyFj1e3zP1/s640/blogger-image-912389871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPZi0YhJh39yPnBkX_yB_zrRAM21Nq4XW66YI0p7lgFJe6xoAIXVy01omioYscS_mhnd7EkReLCZCeo8oeiaIKqASS5PCMXZAk-WT7DJzKzIiddYx56RZuqWIs0qWK0wpdJdyFj1e3zP1/s640/blogger-image-912389871.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">No explanation needed. :-D</div><br></div><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com8Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.21695 -80.121422tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-63538757286845114762013-07-31T05:46:00.001-04:002013-07-31T05:46:46.447-04:00Wild Berries and a dastardly FROG!If any of you have insomnia, you know what torture it is to spend the night shifting and re-arranging pillows and so forth -- ANYTHING to get some SLEEP! I usually can't sleep more than three hours at any one time, tops. I know that it's bad for me - trust me. But I take a slew of medications for my bum back, and I guess the payoff for trying to live with some moderate reduction in pain is lack of ZZZZ's. :-(<div><br></div><div>I usually can't even stitch when I'm up all night - I just cannot seem to get comfortable or can't focus my eyes something. Well, the past night or two I decided I'm going to change THAT and was progressing along quite nicely (I thought) on the newest Blackbird Designs "Wild Berries" when -- wouldn't ya know -- I discovered yesterday that I had managed to totally mess up my count. Don't you hate that!? Drives me bonkers!! And this was such a careless error on my part. But, of course, one little row of stitches off can really throw your project into a tailspin, right? </div><div><br></div><div>And, once I start frogging, I seem to have trouble STOPPING! It seems like I'll start out thinking, "Oh, I'll just need to take out this teensy little row," or "OHHH...this isn't TOO bad a mistake!" WRONG!! Like a knit sweater with a loose thread that just unravels to pieces, that seems to be my "story" every time I begin to pull out a mistake. And last night was no exception. What started out as just removing a little bit of a border, ended up with my pulling out a good hunk of the border...and then the alphabet letters which were off....and then the tree trunk that was off...and then.... Well, you get the idea!</div><div><br></div><div>Tonight I conked out around 10 PM while watching TV (I must be revisiting my "teaching" hours!) and then, as usual, up I popped out of a sound sleep sometime shortly after midnight. I took my pain medication as my hip was SCREAMING at me, then I checked on emails, then thought, "I really need to fix that Blackbird piece - insomnia be cursed!" </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA-Q7AsvPYRvtmLjMqbJYxTaCInl-5-G8nLDWbnVskZ2dRpGnZhyphenhyphen2TlF5BKCI3mpJADY8P6CRB0g5TgNuKqVjf41Ht-KCEuWMTejZUbyx_jOaBXXqbgdeUuRipYI2n7TDr67vMmZJZhE5/s640/blogger-image-676447267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA-Q7AsvPYRvtmLjMqbJYxTaCInl-5-G8nLDWbnVskZ2dRpGnZhyphenhyphen2TlF5BKCI3mpJADY8P6CRB0g5TgNuKqVjf41Ht-KCEuWMTejZUbyx_jOaBXXqbgdeUuRipYI2n7TDr67vMmZJZhE5/s640/blogger-image-676447267.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I must have dozed off for a while because it doesn't seem like I made a lot of progress during the night. </div><div>But I have the coffee cranking and I plan to spend the day moving right ahead with this. Here's where I was at about 2:00 AM (I think?) I can't even remember what time I snapped the picture! Lol! I am further than this now, but just don't feel like getting up to snap another photo. I must say -- the colors the Blackbird girls chose for this design are very appealing to me. Hope the pic does them justice (I did click the "auto enhance" just to brighten it up a bit!) Ok, JAVA - I smell ya calling to me! Off to caffeinate myself and STITCH my fingers off! Have a great Wednesday, folks. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com9Pompano Beach Pompano Beach26.217032 -80.12138tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-62856885776626233242013-07-28T10:23:00.000-04:002013-07-28T11:04:10.868-04:00I'm still alive and kickin' -- STITCHIN' actually!Well, I have been a very, very bad blogger! I honestly have been so busy stitching lately (and, yes, STILL working on organizing as well!) that my computer time has been taking a hit. There are only so many hours in a day, right? I guess I finally came to the realization that I cannot ever hope to catch up with my HOARD here if I spend a large hunk of each day attached to my iPad, SOOO I've been trying to limit my computer time to my morning coffee time only -- and let me tell you, it's been working! <br>
<br>First, here's a small project I finished - the first in the series of twelve Sheep Virtues by LHN. I'm using hand-spun, hand-dyed wool fibers by Liz at Dragonflylotus. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguW6BE_pBuYbulS0PQyBZHDfifuTewL-XwfrJaaUXTOa4xRuY0MR4mVp1Lp8IfL7S8vDlo71ByYYD1n03xnCFWczdztNkmEt4C9lIzyqXASxNmvmutMWEzTmyi6AHIE8L7Zd5TVe31TofL/s640/blogger-image--737508570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguW6BE_pBuYbulS0PQyBZHDfifuTewL-XwfrJaaUXTOa4xRuY0MR4mVp1Lp8IfL7S8vDlo71ByYYD1n03xnCFWczdztNkmEt4C9lIzyqXASxNmvmutMWEzTmyi6AHIE8L7Zd5TVe31TofL/s640/blogger-image--737508570.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have a lot of catching up to do on this series, as I believe we're up to the sixth sheep. So, I'm only five behind. Baa baa!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Next, I've started stitching this GORGEOUS sampler by Theresa Baird - A Maryland Inspiration. Don't have a progress pic to share yet, but here's a photo of the model. Don't you absolutely love it? Theresa is definitely at the top of my list of favorite designers! <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7Ly2iInhHGHZ6Rna4cEUqiyMlrvTM0GMFepcq9dwZ41mjgKQS_TjTORXYdqeuPckXPew4VV_wrCVapKOYnuXn5ulR2QfkVskERn0boB-35ZXZUUbxwYKVtKvbzGnthN0zcx9S4Uz-0mA/s640/blogger-image-1808398084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7Ly2iInhHGHZ6Rna4cEUqiyMlrvTM0GMFepcq9dwZ41mjgKQS_TjTORXYdqeuPckXPew4VV_wrCVapKOYnuXn5ulR2QfkVskERn0boB-35ZXZUUbxwYKVtKvbzGnthN0zcx9S4Uz-0mA/s640/blogger-image-1808398084.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I also grabbed two other charts designed by Theresa Baird: Stone House on the Brandywine, and A Cottage by the Sea. The cottage chart is only available at Salty Yarns, so head on over there if you want to stitch this beauty!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKu1xWbect3v3RiG24lMKEF-AWMXcfzfjCAW8P_iA7L4APTXCbBXrwXR-FR4skbRdXiTtN90CnwONF5HB-nI_t-pIIv_y6Yf2hhiTs7wxi73rBnRQhTMt1xcTUqFnxLdiSeIa6bG5VgDGj/s640/blogger-image--348733754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKu1xWbect3v3RiG24lMKEF-AWMXcfzfjCAW8P_iA7L4APTXCbBXrwXR-FR4skbRdXiTtN90CnwONF5HB-nI_t-pIIv_y6Yf2hhiTs7wxi73rBnRQhTMt1xcTUqFnxLdiSeIa6bG5VgDGj/s640/blogger-image--348733754.jpg"></a> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHnGqBED4lZ3fSwJnBP3t3It751SHLVXoKy2_H8K0Y8BCfApjzCgxqXaqeCGwFeXvURYgg_Ch7aqd-jVkPB4xIf7jw7bhEl-_Mxh31ES5b2wc7Of5CBFE3QhWz6OlO9ANiLI9IUOg9S0b/s640/blogger-image--281205883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHnGqBED4lZ3fSwJnBP3t3It751SHLVXoKy2_H8K0Y8BCfApjzCgxqXaqeCGwFeXvURYgg_Ch7aqd-jVkPB4xIf7jw7bhEl-_Mxh31ES5b2wc7Of5CBFE3QhWz6OlO9ANiLI9IUOg9S0b/s640/blogger-image--281205883.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Today, I'm busily at work stitching the first in the new Loose Feathers series by Blackbird Designs, called "Wild Berries." Again, this is a model pic (sorry!) but I'm about 1/2 way done and am hoping to finish this one today or tomorrow! The colors of the Gentle Arts fibers for this one are beautiful, by the way! Don't you love the bird? I have a weakness for designs with BIRDS and HOUSES. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_7f7-7-5ydAxgsIckm1WE7j_mkqqivvsADC8xmcf0KfFZUy7qSav6qmRadQDWgx3ZlVG61FgpiZU96D3cWwTzRCFak7JPbWUjwpiJbOc5r7bqTiVhMdW7vbQzIjHYimH_oBlBxJTwZM7/s640/blogger-image-2040607406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_7f7-7-5ydAxgsIckm1WE7j_mkqqivvsADC8xmcf0KfFZUy7qSav6qmRadQDWgx3ZlVG61FgpiZU96D3cWwTzRCFak7JPbWUjwpiJbOc5r7bqTiVhMdW7vbQzIjHYimH_oBlBxJTwZM7/s640/blogger-image-2040607406.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm also working on the Lizzie Kate "mystery" Halloween design from last year, and have two Scarlet Letter samplers I'm still working on - "The Sampler" and "Cornelia Vanderveer." Whew - long list, I know! ;-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lastly, I have been pretty diligent with my "Operation Organization" here. I've managed to sort almost all of my stash into groups by designer, type up lists of the titles of a good number of my charts (by designer, and in ALPHABETICAL ORDER, thanks to Word), and have labeled and organized all my fabrics AND fibers! I know that sounds like I must be finished, but NOPE!! Still dealing with piles all over my craft room (aka, Guest Bedroom!) and still have a hefty STACK of WIP's sitting next to my stitching spot. But I did finish constructing my two lateral filing cabinets, so I have a place for a chunk of my charts to reside. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNkkuzsMdl3TSEeRkjehsmCn_UAJBs6YJRkWSer8h7eQWybXt1Zre7EWqQbsi0OBlPVj3p5UEHZxCMJiZxx8LW6WdCawtz6vuovjhAes286FBtOOuwR6ovosfUzRtVuAkc1eH0HAKT0MC/s640/blogger-image--1293539183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNkkuzsMdl3TSEeRkjehsmCn_UAJBs6YJRkWSer8h7eQWybXt1Zre7EWqQbsi0OBlPVj3p5UEHZxCMJiZxx8LW6WdCawtz6vuovjhAes286FBtOOuwR6ovosfUzRtVuAkc1eH0HAKT0MC/s640/blogger-image--1293539183.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For some reason, my Wheaten Terrier Seamus has decided he likes jumping up and getting comfortable on my stitching area - so I now need to cover everything or move it all out of the reach of his dirty paws anytime I move away from stitching (like right now). But, he's a sweetheart and I love his company, so I'm not complaining. He had a very scary (and expensive) bout with some mystery illness</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">last month, and I was really scared I was going to lose him. So, I'm grateful he's back to his energetic self and happy he wants to spend time with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmcrJIKWx-PvdDSiJAKZMbW1Ia2SWYwPuMCLX8Ii9YyyX2ALW3ZTchu7mTjSL7bUA2sPQxc4EKa1zf5HOYpKGr70akunP5lyMlFXreEHCRwkhiWAMCO4-GHlEOLioZ3fqQPc2wufoQVjw/s640/blogger-image--703875329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmcrJIKWx-PvdDSiJAKZMbW1Ia2SWYwPuMCLX8Ii9YyyX2ALW3ZTchu7mTjSL7bUA2sPQxc4EKa1zf5HOYpKGr70akunP5lyMlFXreEHCRwkhiWAMCO4-GHlEOLioZ3fqQPc2wufoQVjw/s640/blogger-image--703875329.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Hope everyone has a great Sunday. Happy stitching - and next time I'll have more actual pics of my progress on my projects!! Kevin </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div></div><br></div></div><br>
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<br>Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4854076127114229977.post-23576301992588978672013-06-14T14:42:00.001-04:002013-06-14T14:49:24.029-04:00Men Who StitchI had an interview by Emma from DMC threads for their "Men Who Stitch" series. <br />
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It appeared today at the <a href="http://dmc-threads.com/" target="_blank">DMC Threads blog</a> along with some photos of some of my finishes. I'm glad they are doing this series about stitching and showing that our craft extends beyond gender lines. It is rare to find guys who stitch, but it's definitely something I think more men would enjoy if they tried it. I happen to find it very relaxing and stress-reducing (except for the occasional FROGGING of course). Here's the article:<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hi all! I’m back with the second in this month’s series of interviews with Men Who Stitch – this week I’d like to introduce you to the talented stitching of <em style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Kevin Tober</strong></em>, who you can find at the blog <strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://cabbagenkings.blogspot.com/" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Cabbages and Kings</a></strong>. I was captivated by Kevin’s detailed, intricate cross stitching – read on to learn more about him and see some of his favorite projects…</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a class="fancybox" href="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit.jpg" rel="fancybox" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Village of Hawk Run Hollow, stitched by Kevin"><img alt="Village of Hawk Run Hollow, stitched by Kevin" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-13058" height="243" src="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit-225x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(201, 188, 176); box-shadow: rgb(214, 214, 214) 0px 0px 5px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; outline: none; padding: 6px;" title="Village of Hawk Run Hollow, stitched by Kevin" width="183" /></a><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">How long have you been stitching? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I started stitching while recuperating from back surgery in 2004. I pretty much taught myself by following the directions in a Dimensions Gold kit. I really got hooked on this hobby when I brought my finished piece to a local cross stitch store for framing (The Crossstitch Cupboard in Fort Lauderdale) and was asked to enter it in their annual contest. I won a ribbon and prize money and was hooked ever since!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">What is your favorite aspect of stitching – collecting materials, planning, starting, finishing, etc? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />This is rather funny, because I’m known as “an enabler” in some Facebook stitching sites I like to visit. I guess the collecting of materials is one of my favorite parts – I love seeing new designs and collecting charts from my favorite designers. I’m definitely a “floss junkie” as well, and love purchasing, collecting and sorting different flosses for various projects.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">What is your favorite project that you have stitched? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I loved working on Kathy Barrick’s “Village of Hawk Run Hollow” by Carriage House Samplings. It was my first attempt at using 40 count linen, which I really ended up loving, and I recently stitched the model for <strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://kathybarrick.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-sneak-peek.html" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Kathy’s “Crowned Heart” design</a></strong>, which was exciting. I also have several large projects by Martina Weber of Chatelaine Designs which I’m working on that are enjoyable due to the variety of stitches used and their size.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit2.jpg" rel="fancybox" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Kathy Barrick's "Crowned Heart" stitched by Kevin"><img alt="Kathy Barrick's "Crowned Heart" stitched by Kevin" class="size-medium wp-image-13066 alignleft" height="243" src="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit2-202x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(201, 188, 176); box-shadow: rgb(214, 214, 214) 0px 0px 5px; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; outline: none; padding: 6px;" title="Kathy Barrick's "Crowned Heart" stitched by Kevin" width="164" /></a>What kind of reactions do you get when people see you stitching? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I have to confess, I don’t really stitch in public so I haven’t received any shocked stares or crazy looks yet. I do appreciate that fellow stitchers (both male and female) are very accepting and encouraging when they see that a guy enjoys this hobby of counted cross stitching which is usually considered a craft done by women.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">What would your dream project be? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I’ve started stitching “And They Sinned” by Dames Exemplar, and it is my dream to complete it. I’ve recently begun stitching reproduction samplers, and “Ann Medd” by Scarlet Letter is one that I’d like to stitch someday. The designs by Heaven and Earth Designs are also something that I hope to one day stitch. Those are intimidating to me due to their size, the intricacy of their design, and all the confetti stitching, but I hope to one day complete at least one HAED piece. I have one all kitted up, DMC all organized and on spools ready to start it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a class="fancybox" href="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit3.jpg" rel="fancybox" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Medieval Garden stitched by Kevin"><img alt="Medieval Garden stitched by Kevin" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-13068" height="206" src="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit3-300x285.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(201, 188, 176); box-shadow: rgb(214, 214, 214) 0px 0px 5px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; outline: none; padding: 6px;" title="Medieval Garden stitched by Kevin" width="216" /></a><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">How many hours a week do you spend stitching? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />This alternates because of my back problems and subsequent chronic pain. Stitching is a great form of pain management for me, actually, but it’s a “catch 22″ situation as I just can’t seem to get off the couch and stitch on some days. I’d say this might be anywhere from a couple of hours a day stitching to ENTIRE days (and nights) when I’m feeling well and excited about a project I’m working on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Do you have any other creative hobbies? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I can’t draw, but I do have a sister who’s an artist. I do love the performing arts, though, and used to be active in theater before my back problems. I can play the piano and sing as well.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a class="fancybox" href="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit4.jpg" rel="fancybox" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Sail Away stitched by Kevin"><img alt="Sail Away stitched by Kevin" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13074" height="300" src="http://dmc-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/edit4-110x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(201, 188, 176); box-shadow: rgb(214, 214, 214) 0px 0px 5px; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; outline: none; padding: 6px;" title="Sail Away stitched by Kevin" width="110" /></a><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Do you stitch from patterns or do you create your own? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I use charts/patterns and have quite a lot of “stash” to choose from. I would like to try designing my own someday!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Do you have any favorite DMC colors? What is your favorite DMC thread? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I love the 500 through 504 range, because blue and green are my favorite colors. I love the variegated Delft Blue as well. The <strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.dmc-usa.com/Products/Needlework-Threads/Embroidery-Threads/Cotton-Embroidery-Floss.aspx?technique=embroidery" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">six stranded embroidery floss</a></strong> is my favorite because it’s readily available at so many stitching and craft stores, and so many projects are charted for DMC floss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Do you ever meet and share your work with other stitchers? What is your favorite way to do that? </strong><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />I used to go every Tuesday evening to The Crossstitch Cupboard’s weekly stitching group, which I really need to start doing again! I love Facebook and have many online stitching friends. I also love following stitching blogs and seeing/sharing work through blogging.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kevin, it was wonderful to meet you! Thank you so much for sharing your responses with our readers and for doing such wonderful stitching with <a href="http://www.dmc-usa.com/Products/Needlework-Threads/Embroidery-Threads.aspx?technique=embroidery" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">DMC Threads</a>!</span></div>
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And on that note, I have quite a few WIP's here that desperately need some attention! Lol! Have a great weekend and happy stitching!Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807266704220985470noreply@blogger.com26