45 count......any ideas to help me??

Hey everybody! I finished stitching up all the black of the little poodle for my next magnet. I began the pink to fill in her fur. Oh my! It was nearly impossible to stitch it straight. The black went so smoothly.

I began on her front foot. I removed all the stitches last night. Oh man! That was horrible! What am I doing wrong? Does anyone know how to fill in all those lovely swirled poofs of poodle fur with pink DMC?!? I just don't see how I can get the stitches in there all straight and orderly like the black stitches are. It was all warped and lumpy and bumpy looking. Yucky poo! If no one can give me a helpful tip to get it done well on this 45ct linen, I think I will just have to finish the magnet off as is. Now you know I just love the pink. So I will incorporate some more of that pink velvet ribbon I have in my stash. Last time I was in JoAnn's they were discontinuing it! I love that velvet ribbon!

I thought I would show you this slate we hang at the back door. I have 4 of these slates that I bought about 15 years ago. One for each season. Well I realized that I was never crazy for the summer one. Sorry Beth, it's a bee hive with a bunch of bees. They are all hand painted by an artist. I thought about it and realized I could get our artist, Emerson, our almost 16 year old, to paint me Mabel on the backside of it.

 Didn't it turn out great?! I love it! ♥

 

 

Fuchsias that my husband surprised me with last month. :)

Pinks!!! or dianthus

Well that is it for today folks. Please let me know if have a tip for me on 45 count I appreciate it. Hello to Michelle my newest follower. So glad to have you. :)

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

A scissor fob for June

Hey everybody! Thought I would finally show you the project I last worked on.

Bent Creek, The Littles, Bunny

32ct lambswool, 2 over 2

This is the little scissor fob I made for June. It was her birthday yesterday and she decided to wait until then to open it. I took these pictures a week and a half ago when the peonies were still in bloom.

32ct lambswool, 2 over 2

I found the perfect letter J for her in a book from our library. I wanted one with flowers, since she loves gardening so much. The book is titled101 Weekend Cross Stitch Gifts by Lesley Teare. I used "Love Letters". I am very happy that June likes it very much.♥

I love this little bunny very much. I received this chart from Sally and stitched it up. Then I realized it would be great for June who loves rabbits. I am going to stitch him up again for myself, after I finish the poodle! Then I will pass on the Bent Creek chart. :)

I totally forgot to tell June until this very moment! I placed a 2012 American penny in that fob. Thought that would be fun and give it a little weight. :)

I am still stitching on my latest poodle magnet. I really like this one. It is my favorite thus far.♥

I am reading The Tale of Castle Cottage by Susan Wittag Albert. I like it. I have liked this whole series by her. It is The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. They are based on her life in the Lake District. You know, Booklist says it best regarding these books- "A consistently charming series."

Hello to Teresa, my new follower. I am glad you found me. New followers are always welcome here!

Thank you for your many wonderful comments my friends. You are appreciated.♥ Have a fantastic day now.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

A little bit of garden work

Good morning everybody! Today is dear June's birthday. Happy Birthday June! I am happy to know that she received my gift and will open it today. That was the last project I had been stitching. Now you know why I couldn't show you yet! Soon.

Mabel says "Hi! And thanks for the prayers!" Here she is panting and smiling up at me in the backyard yesterday. The grass is turning a bit brown from our lack of rain and hot, hot weather around here. She will finish up the last of her medicine in a week. She is 90% of what she used to be. We still take her up and down steps, I think that will be permanent. That's okay. Her back legs slip a little if she gets real excited. Otherwise she is great.

Do you see the icky spider in it's web there? I don't kill the spiders outside the house. ;)

Lastly, this one is for Beth. I am not into bees myself. ;)

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Baseball and sunburn

Hey everybody! How are you today? We all have varying degrees of sunburn around here. Mostly a bit on the back of the necks as we put sunblock on our faces. We went to a Milwaukee Brewers game with my youngest brother Jonathan, his treat. I am not a sports kind of girl. I don't mind attending a game once in a while. The three teens loved it. They enjoy whatever adventures Uncle Jon dishes up, since he is the one with the money! The seats we had yesterday cost  $110 a piece! Can you believe it?!? I still can't! Sorry, we just don't live that way. Now of course Uncle Jon had to give them the tailgate experience as well. Well not the "full" experience, as Brian and I do not drink and my kids certainly don't! But he did grill up some brats. We enjoyed a full lunch with all the goodies that I brought along as well. And we did win, 6-5 over the San Diego Padres.

That was actually my first tailgate "party", which cracked my brother up. We lead quite different lives. ;) Have you guys tailgated? Do you do that in your town? Do you guys eat brats? Do you know what a brat is? ;)

Sedum 'Chocolate Drop'

Hot Cocoa Rose

You need to head over to Parsley's blog for her giveaway here. Very cute.♥

Hope you guys are getting a little fun in the sun in. I haven't stitched all weekend. I will today. Thanks for your sweet comments, I love them! You are wonderful friends, thanks.♥

Looking forward to your answers to my questions from up above,
Vickie

What is that?

Hey everybody! Hope you are having a fantastic day. I am, despite this rotten pain.

So what is this?

Oh c'mon, what else?! The beginnings of a poodle! This is 45 ct white linen. I like it. I just have to use the magnifier.

I have been going for early morning walks in nice weather for a couple of years now with my mother. I have to take the kids into town for school. Two blocks away from Madeleine's school is McCarty Park. It has a nice path that goes around the large pond there. So once in a while my mother and I meet to walk. Today was most likely our last walk there. School is done for the year and Madeleine is finishing 8th grade tomorrow and is done with the church grade school. She is joining her brothers in high school!

So I brought the camera because I have been thinking of you guys, my devoted and well loved followers. I took this one of heron number one.

Great Blue Heron #1 McCarty Park, West Allis

Then I caught number two for you.

Great Blue Heron #2 McCarty Park, West Allis

And lastly number three.

Great Blue Heron #3 McCarty Park, West Allis

Aren't they wonderful? The one has been there for years. The two other joined in about two weeks ago. Sometimes they chase each other off if they invade in each other's space. Such a sight. They are so beautiful.

Mama duck and ducklings are so sweet!

Lastly, the girls say hi! Mabel is improved. She is probably 90% her old self. We continue to lift her up and down steps. The vet also says to hold off on all walks. She is being weaned off the steroid. She has been off pain pills for half a week. We will not ask her to do any of her tricks either. We are happy to still have our little Mabel, we just need to look out for her back for her.

Thanks for stopping by. You are appreciated. ♥

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

We have a winner!

Hey everybody! I had two ladies display interest in the magazine. I drew Jo's name. :) Jo, please email me your mailing address so I can get that out to you.

Clementine Rose

 Isn't this a pretty, dark pink rose? I call it Clementine, after my paternal grandmother. She died from cancer when I was just one year old. My grandfather died just 6 months prior to that. They say it was of a broken heart, since he knew she was dying. I was their first grandchild.

Well, this rose bush was hers. It was planted by her at my childhood home, where my family still lives. About 10 years ago my mother's husband sprayed weed killer around all of her roses. Well not just the weeds died! Almost all her roses did too. She planted some with my father years ago. Some were from my grandma and grandpa when they lived there.

Two years ago this one popped up! A surprise to us all. My mother wanted me to have it, since it was one from my grandma. Brian dug it up and it lives here with us now. It is still rather small, but alive! It is more than 50 years old.

my grandmother, Clementine Pietura

This is a picture I have of her. I believe it was taken right before my grandpa left for World War II.

I began stitching another poodle freebie last night. I intended to make another magnet of it. We will see. I am not always the best at figuring out finished sizes of things. Not great at eyeballing it. Even though I am stitching this little girl on 45 count, it may not fit my bottlecap finish I would like to keep using for the poodles. This is my first time stitching on 45 ct and I like it. I am using my magnifier.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Look what I have won!

Hey everybody! I hope you are having a super day.

First off, I need to ask if anyone is interested in the Just Cross Stitch Magazine I am giving away? See the previous post for more info. :) I am drawing a name tonight.

These are the cross stitch patterns I just received in the mail this morning from Maggee.

my giveaway win from Maggee

The Garden Party one from Bright Needle cracks me up! The animals are all wearing hats of some type, too cute. Like my white poodle girls? They are sisters. Pansy, Viola and Violet. Violet is the one with the attitude.

Well, gotta run. I pulled out my next stitch. Another poodle magnet! HA! I think I have found a new obsession. Oh yes, I finished my small gift with the pink beads. Can't show you yet! Soon.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie