My Poor Neglected Blog

Hello Dear Friends! 

Oh my goodness, I feel terrible for not having updated my blog in so long! I have done some stitching, but not a lot. This has been a really rough year. Just a few weeks ago, we had another family loss. A very dear family friend, who my husband & I considered to be another mom to us and another grandma to our kids. Just like my father-in-law, it was completely sudden and unexpected. I am deeply saddened and have been an emotional wreck. I wanted to share a photo I have of both of them. 

So as for my stitching, recently my Grama, who is 80 (well 81 as of a few days ago) recently got married again! So I decided to stitch something for the two of them. I thought a traditional wedding piece was not fitting for a "later in life" marriage such as theirs. So instead I found a cute pattern that was designed by a friend on Facebook. I posted that I was going to stitch it and how I was going to add my Grama's and her new husband's names on the coffee cups, and the designer loved the idea and said she would make a few changes to the original for me. She added hearts and put their names on the cups and it looks perfect! I am stitching it on 14ct fiddlers light aida. So that is one of the pieces that I'm stitching at the moment. 

Here is design ... 

And here are my progress pics so far ... 

Also, I am in a Stitchalong (SAL) where each month we are all stitching a different White Willow Stitching Tribal pattern over the next year. This month's pattern is the Tribal Cauldron. I have only stitched a little bit so far as I'm really trying to get my Grama's gift finished first. I am stitching it on 28ct opalescent white evenweave. For the cauldron, I'm using a black cotton pearl to create the texture of a cast iron cauldron. I have never used cotton pearl floss before. So it's definitely been interesting to stitch with. For the potion bubbles, I am using Canon Waterlilies 153 Distant Hills, which is a 12 ply hand dyed silk. The Distant Hills color is a green/purple variegated floss, which I think will look perfect! 

Here is a picture of what the Tribal Cauldron design looks like. 

On the Cauldron, I don't really have enough progress completed in order to post a photo yet. But I will soon.

For the project for the Sandy Hook Elementary quilts, after designing all of the patterns, I stitched the one for the school, and then others stitched the individual patterns. The finished squares that I have seen pictures of, have turned out beautiful.

Here is a photo of the square that I designed and stitched for the school quilt ...



Well that is where I'm at for now. I'll be posting more again really soon!

Happy Stitching & Crafting Everyone!!!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

Wedding Piece FINISHED!!!

Hi Friends & Fellow Stitchers ~

YAY!!! I am finished with the wedding gift for my stepsister & her brand new husband!!! I was up until about 4am finishing it up ... and I am so excited about it that I have yet to fall asleep! I am going to be so wiped out today lol.

So I have taken a few photos of the piece. But I love how it came out & cannot wait to hear how my stepsister & her husband like it!

Here is a photo of it all finished ...



Then here is a close up photo of the piece all finished ...



On the names I used the medium colored pink floss (one strand) along with pastel rainbow sparkly blending filament. Here is a close up of the names ...



On the date, I used the medium blue colored floss along with the pastel rainbow sparkly blending filament for the numbers and then the medium pink & blending filament for stars separating the month, day & year. Here is a close up of the date ...



I don't know if I like the numbers that I used. I think the 7 & 9 look funny??? The letters for the names I LOVE!!! And I really like the layout for the names. What do you all think about it all?

I am very happy to have this piece finished. Now it's back to the frog and angel and then Henry. I also have another apron to make that was ordered. And after those things are all done, I have to get my butt busy with xmas gifts! An apron for my daughter, an apron & stocking for my son (my daughter already has a stocking that I made), a stocking for my husband and a stocking for my brother, some hand stitched cards, paint some plaster ornaments, put together beaded ornaments, and then maybe if I don't have other gifts/orders that I have to make & I possibly get all of that finished in time, maybe ... just maybe ... I'll have time to make my own stocking as well LOL!!!

I have a feeling of great accomplishment with this wedding piece being finished. Now on to more projects! :~) A crafters work is never EVER finished! LOL!!!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

Wedding Piece Update ...

Hello Friends and Fellow Stitchers!

Well I am happy & excited to say that I have completely finished all of the cross stitches on this design! All that's left is the back stitching of the words & names & date and then the long stitches of the stars & hearts! I love how pretty the hearts are and I can't wait to get started on the rest! This piece really has been so much fun.

So here are the finished border & hearts ...



I think the hearts really POP, don't you?

I'm really looking forward to your feedback on this one as I want it to be just perfect for my stepsister & her soon to be (in a matter of hours) hubby!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

Wedding Piece Update ...

Hello Stitching Friends!!!

I have another update! Together is moving right along! The blue heart is taking a little longer as I have to pay very close attention to the symbols as one of the blues is the ( symbol and another is the ) symbol and they are right next to each other so it's very easy to mix them up. But I'm done with both of those symbols now, so it's gotten easier. Just a couple more colors of the blue heart and then it's LOTS of back stitching to go and then Together will be all finished! :~) I know this won't be finished in time for the wedding, but I don't think my stepsister will mind at all. She is such a sweetheart and I know no matter when she gets it she will love it. I can't wait to hear how she likes it once she is does receive it & open it up.

So here is my most recent progress pic ...



I love how the hearts are coming together! I think they are so pretty.

Well back to stitching!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend & I'll post again really soon!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

Wedding Piece Progress ...

Hi Everyone!

I had a couple things that kept me from stitching for a few days. So unless I finish this piece tonight and then mail it overnight shipping tomorrow, I won't get this in in the mail in time for my stepsister to receive for her wedding day on Saturday. Although I don't think it's going to matter too much if they receive it early next week. I think it will be a nice surprise no matter what even if it a few days late.

So here is my progress from a few days ago ...



Since taking this picture, I have actually made a lot more progress. The pink heart is completely finished and I have made some great progress on the blue heart. I will post another update later on tonight after I do some more stitching today. I just love stitching this piece. The colors are so pretty and I love the way the colors inside the hearts work together.

Thanks to everyone for all of your support while stitching this piece. I really appreciate it. And thank you to those that have left me comments! I just love getting comments. It helps encourage me so very much! :~)

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

Wedding Piece Progress ...

Hi Friends and Fellow Stitchers!

I am making some progress on this wedding piece that I am working on. Although I haven't been able to stitch the past few days, this is where I stopped then. It is lots of fun to stitch! I am working on getting the pink heart done by tomorrow night. Once that is finished, I will post more progress. But here is where I am so far ...



So what do you think so far? It's really actually starting to look like something!!! :~) Only 9 days until the wedding day. But of course I have to have it in the mail a few days before that in order to get there in time for them to open it on their wedding day! YIKES!!! I had better get my butt busy! LOL!!!

I will post again soon! Hope you all are doing well and stitching like crazy!

Happy Stitching!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

A Little Bit More Progress on the Wedding Piece

Hi Everyone!!!

I have a lil bit more progress that I have made on the wedding piece for my stepsister & her soon to be hubby. The border is really simple & I'm just moving right along on it. It's been really fun to stitch so far. The wedding is on October 17th and since I won't be able to attend the wedding since it is in Texas, I want to have this done a week before so that there is plenty of time for mailing.

So here is my progress so far ...




It's not much so far, but the piece is only 120x120, so I shouldn't have any problems getting it done in time so long as nothing else gets in the way lol.

I'll post more real soon!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

A Little Bit of Progress ...

Hi Friends and Fellow Stitchers!

Boy oh boy, I can't tell you how good it feels to be stitching again! I am so happy to be able to have time to stitch! I have missed it so very much. I do have a little bit of progress to report so far on the piece for a wedding gift for my stepsister & her soon to be husband. It's not a lot of progress, but I am definitely feeling good about how much I've gotten done in the last day. And with an October 17th deadline ... well really more like October 13th, to give time for mailing ... I am also feeling really good about getting it done in time.

So here is my progress thus far ...




I started in the bottom left corner of the design and am working my way around the border. I just love the colors in this pattern. They are so pretty.

Well more to report real soon! :~)

Happy Stitching Ya'll!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥

Yes I'm Still Alive & Around!

Hello Friends and Fellow Stitchers!

Yes, it is I, Margie! I am still around and still alive & kicking! I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted anything here on my blog! YIKES! But alas, September has certainly been a CRAZY & CHAOTIC month! On the 2nd, my mom arrived from Texas and then on the 3rd, my mom, my kids & I left for a long road trip to Northern Cali, to pick up my brother. We ended up having to stay a couple extra days than anticipated, but everything worked out and my brother is now living here with my family & I. I have been driving him around everything so he can look for a job. Plus he also does tattoos, so I have been driving him here & there to do those as well. It's been fun and I love that he is here. But I am also looking forward to things winding down and getting back to normal.

I have not gotten much chance to do a lot of stitching. But I have done a little. I have one project that is just a small piece for an RR of a frog playing a horn. It's very cute. I don't have a color picture of what it's supposed to look like so I'm posting a pic of what the pattern looks like so you can get an idea of it. There is no color key involved, so I'm not attempting to publicly post the pattern. The pattern shows happy birthday to be backstitched into it, but I am not doing that part of it. Just the frog and music notes that go with him.

So here is what he looks like ...




Isn't he cute?! All of the pieces in this RR piece are of frogs in this same series. I think it is coming out really adorable. I am stitching the last section in the piece and then it will be mailed back to its owner in New Zealand! I just know she is going to be so thrilled with it!!!

Another piece that I am starting tonight, is for my stepsister and her soon to be new husband. She announced her wedding date just a couple of weeks ago, and with everything going on, I just now found the pattern that I would like to stitch for them. I was actually kind of hoping to find one of those Dimensions Daydreams kits to do, which are very small and quick and easy to do. But no such luck. However, the piece I chose is not very big and I should be able to get it done in time to be mailed and received by their wedding day ... which is October 17th ... RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!! The piece isn't actually a wedding piece, as there isn't any indication about adding names or a date on it. However, I thought if I remove some of the stars in the design, then I can stitch their names & the date and it will look really nice! And I just love the phrases in the design!!!

Here is what the it will look like ... of course the names & date will be added as well.



Isn't it beautiful?!!! It's hard to read what it says on it with this small picture. So rather than trying to squint to read it, let me just add it here ...

Together we'll walk the trail of life,
Together we'll love, laugh and cry,
Together we'll embrace the Universe,
And together, in dreams, we'll fly!

Isn't that pretty? I think it is. And I just love the hearts in this design! So, like I said I'll be starting this piece tonight. I'm going to be stitching it on white 28 count evenweave over 2 threads. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Well, I'm off to do some stitching before my quiet time ends. My husband is at work. My kids are in bed asleep. And my brother is out with friends. YAY!

Happy Stitching Everyone!!!

Until Next Time,
♥ Margie ♥