sorry I’m late

I was feeling poorly Friday night and went to bed super early, that and Jerry getting home after being out of town added up to a very busy Saturday. Finally now on Sunday afternoon I have a chance to blog and give the names drawn for the giveaway!

But first….I’ve been making some progress on Quaker Sampling III. There is a mistake on the pattern on the lower left side which I corrected in my stitching but didn’t compensate for on other stitches and that was a bit of a problem, I think I’m back on track now. I’m giving some thought to using paler and paler threads as I work across this design until it the stitches are almost as light as the fabric. I need to pull out some threads and decide where I’ll change..

I picked up some really fun dpns at the knit shop, so pretty. I hoped they would work with this yarn for a project I’m trying but they are a bit small. Guess I’ll have to go back to the yarn shop!

I’ve been trying to keep the cookie jar full, not easy with Jerry and the three boys let me tell you. I’m currently out of chocolate chips and need to use up some brown bananas so I think after this post I’ll whip up some banana bread instead. Under my cookie jar is a pretty little cloth I found at a local vintage shop, I think is very sweet and perfect with my cookie jar.

A pretty view on the way to church last night….

and now the winners —

The Acorn goes to …..Vickie who posted

SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 AT 5:57 AM
That hat does not look super easy to me. Very impressed I am. Please count me in! I always enjoy your blog with fabulous photographs.

and

The Needle Roll goes to…..JackieG who posted

SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 AT 12:56 PM
Love your BLOG Mary Kathyrn. Please enter me in the Giveaway. Beautiful stitching as always

Please email me ladies so that I can send your your prize.

Thank you to all who took time to comment and thank you for visiting with me here!

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this, that, and a giveaway

(from the back door, I didn’t see the bunny til now)

(from my sewing room)

(my living room)

It’s been pretty busy here. Lots to do in the sewing room and not much time for other things. As you can see it’s starting to look like Fall in my neighborhood, I am enjoying the views so are Jane and Yzma!

I’ve been itching to start a big something. I should probably pull out an old big something and get it finished but I decided to make a start on this Quaker from With My Needle. I actually stitched the ‘A’ of this sampler on 4 pieces of fabric in 4 different threads before I settled on this combination. I really liked the way the printed pattern looked, just the dark ink on the paper, I wanted that look (I can’t show you a picture of the pattern obviously) but this gives that feel to me. I’m stitching this on 40 lambswool linen over 2 with 1 strand of DMC 844. I almost went more blue but it’s time to settle in and stitch this – no more fiddling.

On the knitting needles I’ve got started on a hat for myself. I’ve wanted to give color work a try, I do feel sort of like I’m cheating on this. It’s super easy using two skeins of the same yarn just starting in different spots color-wise. Super easy if I count right. I’m using this yarn (Rainbow Trout) and this pattern – fun!

I’ve been entering drawings all over blog town, to no avail, so I thought I’d just have one of my own. This is my 1,200th post so it’s time for a giveaway! I wanted to say thank you for visiting me here. I haven’t had time to make anything new but if you would like to enter your name for one of these two items (I’m going to pick two names one will win the Needle Roll and the other the Acorn) please leave a comment here and I will draw the winners on Friday night. I really am thankful for everyone who takes time to stop by for a visit!

Hope your week has been full of happy things! Back to the sewing room!

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Pinterest Projects and a Winner!

French Puffs

Gardener’s Hand Scrub

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes (and cake)

Unleaving Shawl

Business first! Thank you so much for all your lovely comments for Summer Breeze, I like how it looks on my wall. A name has been drawn from the hat and the giveaway winner is ….Theresa! Please email me your shipping info Theresa and I’ll pop your prize in the mail. Thank you again to everyone who took time to leave a comment.

I don’t know if you do Pinterest..I’m hooked. It is wonderfully relaxing, it’s like looking through beautiful magazines and being able to organize you favorite pictures, ideas, recipes, thoughts….at the touch of a button. Here are a few things I’ve made or am making (with links) that are right off my Pinterest boards. You can see the lemon blueberry cupcakes I made here. This recipe is yummy as cake or cupcakes.

We have had a busy week and today I’m catching my breath. We celebrated Amber’s college graduation yesterday which was a lot of fun. It has been horribly hot here, we are on day four of 100+ degrees and there is more to come. I posted this last picture for a bit of visual refreshment, it was a lovely cool morning when I took that picture not so long ago.

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PS, don’t forget to pop over to the Little House Blog for a beautiful design for supporting Famine Relief in Africa!

Breezy Summer Giveaway!

A big thank you to Norden Crafts for featuring the webshop in their Norden’s Needleworkers post, I’m so excited to be part of their summer blogging.

I squeezed in a Rocky Mountain Wednesday post before getting back to some serious cross stitch blogging today. Serious because it’s about one of my favorite designers, it’s a finish I’ve been stewing on for ages, and there is a giveaway involved!

Whenever the new Prairie Schoolers come out I want to pull out all my PS designs and make big plans. This time I pulled out a stitched design and got busy on a finish. I want to display some seasonal wall hangings that can be changed throughout the year. Here is the first of what I hope will be many. This is Prairie Schooler’s Summer Breeze. I stitched this last summer on the lake, it really does remind me of the breeze on the water when I look at it.

Speaking of the new designs….the webshop specials run through the end of June. The new designs are wonderful!

Now for the giveaway….Please leave a comment at this post, tell me which is your favorite PS design of all time (if you can narrow it down) before I post on Monday June 25th. The name drawn will receive this Friendship Pincushion, some pins for it of course, and a selection of PS mini cards.

Thank you for coming by!

PS Jane says hello!

and the winner is…..

Melissa! Email me with your shipping info when you have a moment please.

Thank you ever so much to everyone who left a comment. Sorry I didn’t have more to give away. I did get more shop inventory however if you missed out last week, I sold out pretty fast.

This is another little finish from Prairie Schooler Mini-Card Collection A. I added ‘friends’ and fiddled with the colors a bit. I’m on the lookout for a frame for this one.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

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PS – Jane says hi!

a giveaway

cards included in set A

As recently mentioned, I’m having a little giveaway! There are collections of previously released mini-cards now available from Prairie Schooler, I do have these at the webshop. I couldn’t resist stitching one of the designs from Collection A. I’ve already started another that I had hoped to finish, but yesterday slipped away too quickly. The other little project in this picture is from Blackbird Designs and for another post another day.

So, the giveaway details – if you would like to enter your name in this drawing, please leave a comment at this blog post by Sunday night. I will draw and announce a winner on Monday (August 8th) here at my blog.

The prize – one winner will receive Mini Card Collection A plus four bonus mini cards and the 2011 Prairie Schooler Santa card.

Thank you to everyone who stops by to see me here, I really do appreciate it!

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a summer sampler

Whenever the new Prairie Schooler designs come out I’m always inspired to start a PS project. I had this one kitted up in a box Jerry recently brought me and it stitched up pretty quickly.

From book # 137 Summer Breeze. I stitched this on 35 count lambswool linen over 2 with 2 strands. I did pink-up the reds a bit. Here is a list of the color changes I made. I used DMC 760 rather than 758, 304 rather than 3777, 3831 rather than 3830 and I used a darker dark brown, 938 rather than 898.

Have you heard that PS has reprinted several of their mini cards??? I’m really happy about this. If you are too and would like a chance to win a few of them, check back here later this week for a giveaway I’m planning.

Still enjoying summer on the lake although I miss Colorado so much that I’m sad at times. Still hoping to see the mountains soon but in the meantime…..

I actually put the final stitches into Summer Breeze while watching sailboat races this morning, soooo relaxing. Doesn’t the water look inviting?? Might be time for a swim!

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1 last item and an update

I’ve drawn a name for the strawberry – Gwen S. who left comment #44, your name was drawn. I’ll email you to get your shipping details when I arrive in Michigan. Thank you all so much for your comments and support!

:0)MK

I have one last item on offer, an unclaimed strawberry from the last PIF I was part of. If you would like this item for free please leave a comment and I will draw a name. This is open to everybody. I’m not sure which of the 3 pictured this one is, I’ve already packed it in an envelope for mailing.

After nearly ending up in the hospital due to a very serious asthma attack Friday night, I am happy to say we are finally moved out of the house. I’m getting used to a whole new medication schedule along with their little side effects. I feel so much better than I did. It was pretty scary!

We are staying at a business traveller’s extended stay type hotel near the location of the work Jerry needs to wrap up this week. In a few days he will drive the youngest two boys and me to Michigan and then fly back here to start on other jobs he has lined up. I will have my own car while I’m away which will be nice. I should be back in Colorado in late May and we will move into a rental home. For this week at least Tyler, Jane, and Yzma are bunking at Amber’s apartment.

Since I was only able to do small tasks moving wise and had to rest quite a bit (I still do) I have had time to finish up the Brick House Sampler I was working on. I’ll share a picture in a day or two.

Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement, it is very much appreciated.

PS – thanks for all the good advice, just want to let you know my asthma isn’t stress related but has to do with having a bad case of bronchitis since February and breathing lots of dust while packing, the stress hasn’t helped but more because I haven’t been able to rest as much as I should. Just started another round of antibiotics, which I hope will do the trick finally.

PPS – my blog is very close to recording its 1 millionth visit!! Thank you so much for stopping by!

how about this one?

I’ve drawn a name for this sampler – Kristy who left comment #3, your name was drawn. I’ll email you to get your shipping details. I do have a few other smaller stitched things I’ll be putting here in the next day or two. Thanks for the help.

:0)MK

Also stitched ages and ages ago, DMC on 14 count rustico aida. This stitches look a bit snug on this one, I’ve definitely loosened up how I stitch since then. The stitched area is approx 5 x 5. I don’t have any info about this design, sorry.

If you would like this for free, please leave a comment. I will draw a name before I list the next item. Sorry USA addresses only, international mail requires a special trip to the post office and I just don’t have the extra time right now.

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another

I’ve drawn a name for this sampler – Maggee S. who left comment #6, your name was drawn. I’ll email you to get your shipping details. I do have a few other smaller stitched things I’ll be putting here in the next day or two. Thanks for the help.

:0)MK

Stitched in DMC on light blue/grey linen. Stitched area approx 3 x 14.5, I think this is 28 count. I don’t remember anything about the pattern, I stitched this at least 17 years ago.

If you would like this for free, please leave a comment. I will draw a name before I list the next item. Sorry USA addresses only, international mail requires a special trip to the post office and I just don’t have the extra time right now.

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