T.G.I.F.

I didn't mean to let so much time pass between posts, but the flu bug caught me and I have been down for the count for the past while. I finally came back to work yesterday, and am still not feeling great, but at  least the weekend is upon us, and for that I am truly grateful!

I know that some of you are continuing on into February with Debbie's Challenge, but I decided not to. I really want to finish up these projects I started, and I have been stash diving as I've been picking out patterns to do for the challenge and there is a whole pile that I really would love to get to at some point this year. Most of them are ones I forgot I even had!

Anyway, here are my last  6 starts for the challenge:

• Jan 26 - Blackbird's Garden from My Big Toe designs. This one is stitched on star sapphire jobelan with over-dyed threads

• Jan 27 - Another mitten...Promise of Spring from Cross-Eyed Cricket, stitched on an evenweave with DMC

• Jan 28 - Necessities Sampler from Little House Needleworks, again stitched on an evenweave fabric with DMC

• Jan 29 - Goodwill from Little House Needleworks. This is another of the Scripture series. It is stitched on a green linen with the Crescent Colours threads that were included with the design

• Jan 30 - Claddagh Mitten from Cross-Eyed Cricket, stitched on a fabric color called Sunset Breeze with DMC threads

• Jan 31 - Traveling Stitcher from Little House Needleworks. Stitched on Butterscotch Cookie with the Crescent Colours threads included with the design. I have wanted to stitch this one for so long. I am glad to finally have it started!

Someone mentioned that I have a lot of started borders...well, yeah, I guess I do! I usually start my patterns in the upper left corner...it's just easier for me that way.  I'm hoping that soon some pretty designs will emerge!

I hope everyone has a great weekend planned. I think the rain that we have been having the past few days is supposed to continue through the weekend, which means getting cozy with my stitching!

Thanks for taking the time to visit!

weekend update

Thanks to everyone who visited this weekend as part of Vicki's  Grow Your Blog party! I have been having computer issues all weekend, but I will be getting in touch with all of you soon, and also visiting blogs from the party. It is such a fun way to get to know new bloggers and share all that wonderful creativity that is out there!

We had a beautiful springlike weekend here...I know that most of our family back East is buried under snow right now, so we are truly grateful for the weather we have had! We drove to the Coast on Saturday for lunch and a little beach time. I got to sit and stitch for a bit, which was very relaxing!
Does anyone know how to upload photos from a Samsung Galaxy 4 to a Windows 8 laptop? I am having the hardest time with this...

Here are my starts for Debbie's challenge from this weekend:

• Jan 23 - Another mitten from Cross-Eyed Cricket. This one is Noah's Mitten, stitched on a pale blue linen with DMC

• Jan 24 - This is a design I have had for a long time. It is from Dinky Dyes Designs (designed by Jo-Anne Mason) and is called The Min Min. It came with the beautiful Dinky Dyes threads, in Warenda and Boulia. They are a joy to work with! Stitched on 32 ct. antique white Lugana.

• Jan 25 - Another design I have had for ages. This one is from Turquoise Graphics and Designs, and is called Ornamental Pumpkin. Stitched on a 28 ct. evenweave with Gentle Arts threads.

I also stitched my bit on DJ's round robin for Friendly Stitchers. She chose a pattern from Blue Ribbon Designs that was in a Just Cross Stitch magazine from March 2011. It is called Berries, Birds and Blooms and is really cute. The colors are so pretty! I stitched the bright yellow flowers because of our springlike day!

Thanks for taking the time to visit today!

Grow Your Blog

Welcome to my blog! If you are visiting from Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party, I hope you are having fun discovering lots of new blogs...and that you may find some that you would like to follow as well.

According to Blogger, I have been blogging since 2006, but I know that when I first started, I rarely posted anything. I think that at that time I was so impressed with some really fabulous blogs that I had found, and I just felt that I didn't really have that much to say or share. Over the years, even though I still don't post as often as some, or as often as I would like, I have come to enjoy the experience more.

So...a little introduction. If you look in my sidebar, you will see that my name is Lynda. You will also see that there is no photo there. I do not like having my picture taken. So, I am represented by Flat Lynda, a virtual representation of myself. And until things change in my head, she will just have to do!

We live in Oregon...my husband and two dogs and two cats and me. We moved to the Pacific Northwest from New York 20 years ago, and I have never looked back. I love it here and feel like this has always been home to me. We have two adult daughters, both live close by, and one grandson who is 6. He is the light of our lives. Being a grandparent is the best!

When we lived back East, I was a school librarian.Since we have been living here, I have worked in public libraries, first as a children's librarian and now as a manager. We are in the middle of a building project that is taking up much of our time and energy. I just realized that I have been a librarian for over 40 years...and it's still fun!

My interests include reading, especially cozy mysteries and biographies; watching baseball; spending time with my family; exploring new places, cuddling with our furbabies, and cross-stitching.

I started this blog as a place to share my stitching, and that is still the main focus. There are many stitching blogs out there, and I love reading them and seeing the photos of everyone's beautiful work.
I know that there is so much other social media around...Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook...but the reason I still love to blog (and read others' blogs) is because I think that when you blog, you share a special part of yourself and that is really important.

Almost forgot about the prize...not 100% sure what it will be, but I can tell you that it will stitching related! So it will be a surprise prize! Everyone can enter. You don't have to become a follower to enter, just post a comment saying that you interested. The drawing will be on February 15.

Thanks to all the other bloggers who are so willing to share their creativity and their talents with the rest of us. I am looking forward to discovering lots of new blogs today and meeting lots of new friends.

And thanks to everyone who has visited here today. Please leave a comment if you have time...they are always appreciated. And I hope to see you again!

All caught up!

Good morning! Here are my last five starts for Debbie's Challenge.

• Jan 18 - A freebie from Plum Street Samplers, Be True, stitched on a cocoa linen with DMC

• Jan 19 -I've had this design for a long time and finally pulled it out to stitch. It is from Ink Circles, and is called Love Letters - Celtic, stitched on an evenweave fabric with Gentle Arts threads.

• Jan 20 - Another one I've had for awhile - Blossoms and Blackbirds from Little House Needleworks, stitched on evenweave with DMC

• Jan 21 - I have a big box full of designs from Little House Needleworks waiting to be stitched. This one came with the Crescent Colours threads. It is from the scriptures series, and is called Gentleness.

• Jan 22 - This is a 2011 Limited Edition kit from Prairie Schooler called Comin' to Town. The linen and Crescent Colours threads were included.

So now I am all caught up...yay! Sorry for the poor photos! Looking forward to starting a few more this weekend, and working on some of those I've already started.

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend planned!

Stitch from Stash Post

Month:  January
Spent:  $18.55
Earned:  $20.00

Last year, I spent very little money over the entire year. But this year, I couldn't resist two items in this first month! Money was spent on a few skeins of floss, a book with a bunch of La-D-Da designs, and a really cute prim Valentine design!

Being part of Debbie's Challenge this month has given me the opportunity to stitch lots from my stash. I had 14 new starts from stash, and also worked on one WIP (Morning Star) and one UFO (Quaker Christmas II - Songs of the Season). I also had three small finishes - two exchange pieces and one of the Cross-Eyed Cricket mitten patterns. I hope I figured the "earned" money correctly!
There are pictures of all my starts in the previous few posts if anyone wants to take a peek!

Even More Challenge Pieces...

Can't seem to shake this chill...hope I'm not getting sick...ugh!

Here are my next six starts:

• Jan 11 - I stitched on a piece that has become a UFO, but one that I plan on finishing this year with the help of the Get It Done SAL...Quaker Christmas II - Song of the Seasons from ByGone Stitches. I started this in January of 2012 and hoped to finish it to go along with my Quaker Christmas. Well, that never happened!

• Jan 12 - Ho Ho Santa from Prairie Schooler. This design was in last year's Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. I would love to think that I can do an ornament a month this year...we'll see!

• Jan 13 - one of my "no stitching" days  :(
• Jan 14 - another day without stitching  :(
• Jan 15 - This freebie from Nikyscreations Primitives is called Friendship. I am stitching it on a mint colored Lugana from Picture This Plus with DMC threads.

• Jan 16 - I doubled up my starts today to make up for Tuesday.  I stitched a freebie from The Primitive Hare called Love Never Fails, but I can't show a picture yet because it is an exchange piece. My second start today was Heart and Home Sampler from Little House Needleworks, stitched on a white evenweave with DMC.

• Jan 17 - Another day of doubling up! This is a freebie from Plum Street Samplers called Lovely You, stitched on Picture This Plus Lugana in Bashful with a DMC variegated thread.

 

•  This last design was gifted to me by Gillie last Christmas. She was my Secret Santa with the Friendly Stitchers' group. The design is called Autumn, Quaker Seasons and is also from ByGone Stitches. I am stitching it on an evenweave fabric with Carrie's Creations thread in Mud Pie. 

So that's it for today. I think I will be caught up by tomorrow! Off to have a nice hot cup of tea.
Thanks for taking the time to visit today, and for all the nice comments on my starts so far. I'm looking forward to spending more time working on these once January is done.

More Challenge Pieces

It is still dark outside, but it isn't raining, so maybe we'll see some sunshine today!
I'm not sure why so much of yesterday's post was highlighted with a white background...I must have hit something on the laptop...anyway, I apologize in advance if it happens again!

• Jan 6 - Secret Egg Hunt from The Trilogy: I've had this little kit for a long time and every year I say I will stitch it, but never get to it. Maybe this year it will finally be finished! It is stitched with Gentle Art and Week threads on a small piece of linen fabric that came with the pattern.

 

• Jan 7 - Today I worked just a tiny bit on a WIP - Morning Star from Blackbird Designs.

 

• Jan 8 - French Lace from Debbie Draper Designs: This is another piece that has been in my stash for ages. It came with the Carrie's Creations threads. I love the blue color.

• Jan 9 - Patriotic Heart Quaker Style from Aury TM: I can't show a photo of this one yet, because it was stitched for an exchange which I just mailed out yesterday. But I can say that I stitched it in a more Valentine-y palette. I plan to stitch it for myself again later in the patriotic colors.
• Jan 10 - Birds Sampler from Brenda Keyes: This is being stitched as part of a SAL with the Brenda Keyes Facebook group. I found the pattern in a book called Traditional Samplers. I am hoping to stitch several samplers this year, so this is my (very) small start. We'll see how it goes!

Thanks for taking the time to visit today!

1st TUSAL of 2015

It's the first New Moon of the year, which means it is time for the Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long postings! If you click on the little TUSAL icon in my right sidebar, you can find out all about it.

So here are my bits and pieces from January:

Stitching the Weekend Away!

 

This past weekend was International Hermit and Stitch Weekend...and for the first time in ages, I actually was able to do some stitching! The weather cooperated...it was a rainy, gray weekend...and both hubby and I decided the time was right to just lay back and relax. So that's just what I did!

I made a few very small starts as part of Debbie's Challenge, finished off two Valentine exchanges and got them ready to mail today, and finished my monthly block for  for Stitchers' Timeout. I also did a tiny bit of organizing in my "craft room"...tiny being the operative word!

I didn't hear about Debbie's Challenge until right before the first of the year, so I didn't have time to kit up all my projects. I've kind of just been picking and choosing a I go. I decided to work on new starts, as well as maybe some WIPs. Technically, I guess I have already failed at the challenge because there were two days last week when I was not able to put in even a couple of stitches. I had two really long days and nights at work, and was just too tired to do anything when I got home. But I did double up on starts this weekend, so I will still have 31 new projects started in January, just not one for each day.

Anyway, since I haven't posted any of my starts yet, I thought I would start off with the first five today and then move on from there over the next few days...I think I'll catch up to the right date eventually! So....here we go...and I apologize in advance for the very minimal starts on most of these!

• Jan 1 - Stitcher's Resolution from Heartstring Samplery: stitched on....with overdyed threads. I am having to substitute some of the colors because I want to use what I have in my stash.

• Jan 2 - Letter S from Jardin Prive: this is my bit on Gillie's round robin as part of our round robin group at Friendly Stitchers. She chose to do the piece in all one color, and she picked out a beautiful multicolored thread. It is gorgeous in person!

• Jan 3 - Life Is Not Measured from Lizzie Kate: this was gifted to me by DJ, my Secret Santa (again from Friendly Stitchers) This is another piece where I am substituting some of the over dyed threads with colors from my stash.

• Jan 4 - Hearts Unite Valentine Pillow Keep from Primitive Stitchin' by Shelly Auen: I fell in love with this cute little design the minute I saw it and caved and bought the pattern, even though I am trying to only stitch from stash again this year. Oh well...it's worth it!

• Jan 5 - Stars and Stripes Mitten from Cross-Eyed Cricket: We are having a mitten SAL all year at Stitchers' Timeout, and Cross-Eyed Cricket is the designer for our January block exchange as well, so I decided to do this one. These mittens are addictive. And this is actually a  piece that I finished this weekend as well.

 

That's probably enough pictures for one post...I'll post the next five tomorrow! Off to make some hot tea...I'm freezing here in my little cubby...something is wrong with the boiler in this old building! Brrr!

Thanks for taking the time to visit...hope everyone is having a great day!

Gifted Gorgeousness - January Post

First report for Jo's "Gifted Gorgeousness SAL"!
So far this month. I have stitched on two exchange gifts for Valentine's exchanges (can't show pictures until they have been received though).
I have also started a Lizzie Kate pattern called "Life if Not Measured". This was gifted to me by DJ - my Secret Santa at Friendly Stitchers this year. I am stitching it on a piece of Picture This Plus lugana with various Gentle Arts, Weeks and Crescent Colours threads. I'll update with a photo later - I'm at work right now.
It's rainy and gloomy here today, and I don't think things are expected to improve over the weekend, so I hope to make some stitching progress. I'm doing  Debbie's Ultimate Challenge, so I have made a small start on several pieces this month, but haven't made many stitches past the starts! I'm hoping to catch up a little bit this weekend...I think this is Hermitting Weekend, isn't it?
I hope everyone has a great weekend planned.
Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Only one week left....

Would you like to find more blogs about topics that you are interested in? Would you like to get more people to follow your blog?

Vicki is once again hosting the "Grow Your Blog" party. This year's event is on Sunday, January  25.

I have participated the past two years and it is really a lot of fun discovering new blogs and meeting other bloggers. This year, she will also be adding your craft choice or focus along with your blog name to make it easier to connect with like-minded bloggers.

If you are interested, the sign up ends on January 17, and you can find all the information you need here. If you try it, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Thanks for taking the time to visit!

Happy New Year!!!

Here's hoping everyone has a wonderful year ahead. Are you all starting a new project today?
Beth (Heartstring Samplery) issued a new design on Monday called "Stitchers Resolution" which I thought would be a perfect new year's start, and since Beth lives not too far away, the pattern arrived yesterday.
I'll try to post a photo. ..I'm doing this post from my phone so not sure if it will work!

I'll be working on a Round Robin today, but will make sure to get at least a few stitches in the new piece.
Now it's back to watching the Rose Bowl
(Go Ducks!!!), waiting for the girls,  and my stitching corner.
Thanks for taking the time to visit...hope you all have a wonderful day.

Another SAL ???

The owner of my LNS is proposing a cool SAL for 2015.

• a new start on January 1
• a new start each Saturday in January
• a new start on the first Sunday of each month beginning in February

So that's 17 new starts in the new year. But the best part is there are no rules. No accountability either.
And no lists. You can change your mind whenever you want...decide on what project you will stitch the night before even. Stitch when you can, for as often or as little as you are able.

Sounds like my kind of low key, low maintenance SAL, what do you think?

last TUSAL for 2014

And I'm late again! Maybe next year I'll get my act together...one can only hope!
Anyway, this is what I had for last month....

 

And this is the total for the year. I didn't do as much stitching as I had hoped, but the colors are pretty!

 

Sorry for the poor photos!

stitch from stash - December

Wow...this is our last check-in for 2014! I didn't do as much stitching this year as I would have liked, but I did do really well at not buying any new stash (until this month!) So, I think I came out ahead!

All my stitching was from stash this month...I stitched two ornaments from the JCS 2014 ornament issue (borrowed from the library):

This design is from My Big Toe Designs - Joyous Square

This design is from Turquoise Graphics & Designs - Winter Joy

I also stitched two of Cross-Eyed Cricket's mitten designs:

Winter Lace

and Arctic Rose

And I finished a pierce I started last month - Pumpkin Farm from Blackbird Designs.

I also stitched a little bit more on BBD's Morning Star, but I don't have a photo of that one.

So...onward to next year! I think there may still be a few spots left...check it out at epicstitching.blogspot.com

Thanks for visiting!

stitch from stash for November

Yay!! I am finally stitching again. I must admit that it was mainly because I had some exchange ornaments to stitch that got me started, but now I really feel like I am back in the swing of things.

I joined the ornament exchange at Friendly Stitchers and stitched this one for Roz. It is from the 2007 JCS ornie issue. The design is from Val's Designs, A Merry Kitty Klaus. I stitched this one up once before and since Roz has cats, I thought it was a good choice.

I also stitched two Prairie Schooler ornaments. This one is from the Nordic Designs leaflet, and was sent to Clare.

This one is from one of the Santa leaflets and was sent to Jinger.

I also finally found my missing Pumpkin Farm pattern (Blackbird Designs). I was supposed to be doing a SAL with Clare and Jinger on this one, but totally misplaced the pattern. That old "safe place" syndrome. Anyway, I found it while looking through some other stuff and made a start.

 

So...

• Money spent on stash: None
• UFO's worked on: None
• Starts from Stash: Pumpkin Farm (Blackbird Designs); Partridge ornie (Prairie Schooler); Santa ornie (Prairie Schooler); Merry Kitty (Val's Designs);Quaker Winter Acorn (Midnight Stitching)

I think that's it! Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!

TUSAL - late again!!!

Better late than never, as others have said! I had to find my froggy...it's been awhile since I even had any bits to post, but I have been stitching this month...a few ornaments for exchanges and I finally also found my Pumpkin Farm chart and got started on that. I think I finally have my mojo back for good...yay! So here's froggy with my little bowl of bits for this month.

Thanks for visiting and hope everyone has a Happy Thankgiving!

An amazing giveaway

Please visit Nancy at her blog. She is having another wonderfully generous giveaway of her beautiful threads.

Good luck!

stitch from stash - September

Well...another month has gone by with almost no stitching...almost, but not quite. Yes this is a very small amount of stitches, but it is stitching none the less. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
This is a start from my stash - Morning Star from Blackbird Designs.
No money spent on stash this month.

Looking forward to seeing how everyone else did this month!

stitch from stash - August

Well...this will be short and (not so) sweet! No money spent on stash this month (yay!), but also no stitching done this month either (boo!)... and I mean none...zero...zilch...nada.
I don't know where August went, but it went by in a blur. I really hope that things slow down soon...this has just been too crazy.
Looking forward to seeing all the great stitching the rest of you are doing!

Stitching from Stash for July

Well...I did spend some money this month - $22.19 to be exact. I had borrowed a pattern from a friend and when I went to return it to her, I couldn't find it anywhere. You would understand if you knew what chaos my household has been in for the past year. Anyway, I decided to just order a new pattern for her, and I did...intending to send it to her. I'm thinking that a gift doesn't count toward stash money. But then, within an hour of sending in the order, I found the original pattern that I had misplaced! To say this is typical for me would be an understatement! So now I will just keep it for myself...hence the stash enhancement. At least I will finally get to stitch it...at some point!

This month I finished two pieces. The first is Bloom from Midsummer Night Designs. I had started this one last month from my stash. Sorry for the shadow on the bottom of the photo!

The second piece was a WIP that I can't remember when I started. It was about a third of the way done when I picked it back up this month. it is Summer Band Sampler from Little House Needleworks. The colors, especially the red, are so much more vibrant in person!

And finally, I started another piece from my stash. This is another design from Midsummer Night Designs, called A Sampler Stitcher. I think I'll work on the lettering next. I'm hoping to complete it during the next few weeks.

Hope everyone had a great month stitching from their stash. I look forward to seeing what you are all stitching!

Thanks for taking the time to visit!

It's TUSAL Time Again!

My little froggy doesn't look too happy, but he should be! There are actually quite a few little snippets in the bowl this month! You can see what I've been working on in my next post!

Thanks for visiting!

stitch from stash report for June

There was actually some stitching going on this month...yay! I got through another month without spending any money on stash too. I have so much here that it makes it a little bit easier. And I really try to avoid looking at any of the new goodies coming out all the time.

Anyway, I finished one of my WIPs...Shades of Autumn, designed by Jo-Anne Mason for Dinky-Dyes Designs and stitched with Dinky Dyes silks which came with the pattern. I love the colors in this piece and it was really fun to stitch. The fabric is much more yellow than it appears in this photo.

When I went to look for another design to start, I found this one from Midsummer Night Designs all kitted up and ready to go. It is called Bloom and is stitched with Anchor threads. I stitched a bit more on it last night after taking the photo, so I think this one may be finished soon.

I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone else did this month.

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I hope you all have a great weekend!

It's TUSAL time

Here's Mr. Froggy with this month's orts. I managed to get some stitching done. Not as much as I would have liked, but I did have a finish (see my stitch from stash post for this month) so I am a happy stitcher! Have a great day!

TUSAL time

A little late, as usual, but here is my TUSAL gathering for this month. I also added a couple of photos to my previous post if anyone wants to take a peek.



Thanks for taking the time to visit!