THE BUZZ FROM THE HIVE

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

I'm Back to Do Some Sharing and Strolling (585-589)

 


  Greetings! I am back from my Covid fog, waiting to get a vaccine...hopefully only one...and want to get on with it....normalcy!!!  Covid really knocked me out for awhile...ran a low grade fever every day for 10 days, lots of coughing and fatigue. The doctors don't really do anything except send you home to take over the counter meds and vitamin supplements. I didn't pick up a needle for over two weeks, but I made up for lost time when I did. Now my hubby, who sweetly shared it with me, had no real issues, except cold-like symptoms for a few days. But I will say, he took very good care of me...cooking meals, doing laundry, etc..I am a lucky gal!!! I hope you are all well, getting vaccinated and looking to the future! Hang in there! And thanks to Mary for motivating me today to get this post done!!!

Now to get on with the sharing...be sure to read to the bottom as I'm doing a giveaway of three separate charts.

First up are my finishes to add to my Stitch Stroll...all smalls and/or ornaments. The first two are ones I stitched many moons ago, but recently finished. Home for the Holidays  by Twisted Threads was stitched in 1998 and can be found in the 1998 JCS ornament issue. Wooly Man by Ewe and Eye and Friends was stitched in 2003. The TT ornament was stitched as called for but I substituted a JABCO bird button for the silver bird charm. The E&E&F was a kit using a wool fiber. It was supposed to be stitched on 18 ct linen over two, but I did it over one...not sure what I was thinking at the time, but that was way too thick a thread for over one...but I persevered!! I also left off the buttons on the brim of the hat as I thought it looked good with just the accent color.


I am participating in an ornament SAL on IG, sponsored by Carol from Stitching Dreams. The goal is to stitch and finish one ornament a month. Here are my two for January and February: On the left Is Ravens from Noah's Ark Christmas VI by Plum Street Samplers...I did this for my hubby who is a Baltimore Ravens fan. You can't tell from the photo but it's stitched on 28 ct Straw Gingham, over one. I finished it flat,  added some tiny blue rick rack and a bird  at the top of the hanger---we'll see how long that manages to stay put! :)   And Rudolph by La-D-Da was stitched on 30 ct. Dark Cappucino from R&R, over one. I had added the red highlights in the deer and '&' sign but when my granddaughter saw it she suggested I change the 'o' in Rudolph to red to look like his nose....so out came the black 'o' and in went the red. I had the tine frame on hand and it fit perfectly with some red rick rack on the sides.

My final finish is from a class I took recently with the Delaware Valley Historical Sampler Guild. They hosted Linda from Erica Michaels and she gave a class on finishing ideas for strawberries. We got lots of great ideas and she even designed a strawberry for the Guild. I kept my finish rather simple.. a large green button and a pair of JABCO pins that picked up the blue in the design. I did mine on a 40 ct mystery linen, which is darker than the photo shows. I also changed the wool top from green to red.

 


Now on to a couple stitch finishes that are waiting to be FFO'd. I started the French Bee Etui  by Heartsease Sampler Workes the end of December. It is stitched on 36 ct Maritime White with Belle Soie silk and Kreinik metallics. It will eventually all fit in the sweet Whitman's tin.


 Next are the January and February Word Plays by With Thy Needle and Thread. I've had these for a bit and was motivated to start them as I just love monthly designs...and they don't take long to stitch. I'm on the hunt for a fun way to finish them! They are being stitched on 40 ct Picture This Plus Oaken linen. I have changed out some colors to use hat I have in my stash...not really an issue as there isn't a lot of any one color.


 I  just finished my March ornament for the SAL on IG. It is Hot Cocoa by Little House Needleworks. I won this in a drawing by Vickie at A Stitchers Story and it is too darn cute! Thanks Vickie! Stitched on a 30 ct mystery linen using the called for DMC except for the red. The original color was too 'pink' for a Christmas ornament...now Vickie may disagree with me. :) I used 498 in place of 3721.


I also managed to squeeze in some pre-stitching for a Merry Cox class I'm taking with the Orange Coast Sampler Guild in April. It will be a Zoom class and I am thrilled to be able to attend. It is a small piece that will go into a lovely tiny shaker box. It was stitched on 32 ct Sand, over one, with GAST Heirloom Gold. I put my grandmother's initials and DOB on it. It's called A Petite Regal Sewing Set  and my grandmother weighed all of 78 lbs., which was a miracle as she had a stash of Hershey bars, Devil squares and Goetz's caramels in her bedside table. That table happened to be a Martha Washington sewing cabinet which she gave to me, along with her bedroom set, when I got married. She decided at the age of 79 she needed a new bedroom set!!!  When she passed I got her 'goodie' tin and it's back in the cabinet...sans goodies!  She was a true lady and never wore a pair of pants her entire life; she lived to be 99 1/2. Her name was Mary Duke Codd , but we called her Gigi. I grew up with her, living with my family, from the age of 5 until I got married and moved out. She was an avid reader and crossword puzzle lover; she didn't drive so I often took her to the library.... I credit her with my love of reading. She passed away on the 21st of March, 1995.  
A funny aside....my siblings and I were always blamed when some of Gigi's 'goodies' went missing. Years later, my Dad confessed it was HIM!!!!

I am continuing with my iStitch Band Sampler SAL. This year I've chosen blues with a splash of yellow.

 And I got two more houses done on The Houses of Hawk Run Hollow ( the two on the bottom left). I am not stitching the saying at this time...thinking of using something else as I'm not fond of the morbid nature of this one. 


 Thanks so much for sticking with me...now onto a reward for a few lucky people. I am paying these three charts forward...two were kindly given to me (Hot Cocoa and Shamrock Row)..and the third (Sweater Weather) I bought and downloaded as a pdf--it is NOT a copy. 


 If you'd like a chance at one of these, please leave a comment and put the name of the chart you're interested in in the comment. You can enter for any or all of them, but I will choose a different winner for each. I'll do the drawing on the 17th....so I wish you the luck of the Irish!!! Please, if you are a no reply blogger and wish to be entered, you need to send me your e-mail address so I can notify you. My e-mail is stchnbee@aol.com. Otherwise I will wait a week after I post the winners on the 17th and if  I haven't heard from you at that point, I will have to choose another winner.

To close, here is a photo of my bottle tree during one of our ice storms. At least it didn't get bent over/ damaged!!!


 Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi
 




19 comments:

  1. Love all your finishes as usual Stasi. Your cheerful blog helps keep stitchers motivated and it is fun to read. Keep on stitching!

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  2. Stasi - All of your stitching is beautiful! I am glad you are doing well and the stitching bug came back. - Leslie

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  3. So glad you are feeling better. Beautiful finishes!

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  4. So sorry to hear you had such a tough time with Covid, sounds awful! So glad you’re better. Lovely stitching as always!

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  5. What a lovely long post Stasi. I think your Hearts Ease Etui looks amazing and as I have one of those tins, I shall be looking for that chart very soon. Your band sampler is coming along well and I'm pleased that I can see your banding as I intend ordering some today as I have a hankering to stitch something to go on a spool. Please could you enter my name for the Sweater Weather chart, if I am eligible in the UK. Glad you are feeling better after your Covid infection.

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  6. You stitched some great pieces.
    Love that Berry, she has some great designs.
    I like your bottle tree, I want to get one too.
    Hope you are feeling better.
    Marilyn

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  7. OH my Goodness Stasi, it's hard to believe that covid slowed you down any! I don't know where to start!! You always have the neatest variety of stitching in your posts. So glad to hear your much better and that your husband was a good nurse and kept the house running smoothly.
    French Bee Etui is the exact kind of stitching that amazes me. All those little stitched piece that will be worked onto that box. I look forward to seeing that FFO. I enjoy the word play series. Have you thought about making them into a standing flat fold? You didn't stitch 2 ornaments but 4!! The band sampler colors are so pretty. I'm amazed that you stitched 2 more houses. And, the fill with all that black background must have been so time consuming. I see many, many hours of stitching in those houses!!
    I think my favorite of your stitching is the set your making with your grandmother's initials. How fortunate you were to have her influence in your life living with her. Do you still have her bedroom set? I got a kick out of her wanting a new one at the ripe age of 79!! She had 20 years of enjoying it instead of thinking my life is nearly over why bother with a new set. Certainly a lesson to be learned in that! So glad you posted, I always enjoy your chock filled posts with stitching and the personal stories that go with it.

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  8. I forgot to add that I would enter the giveaway for the Christmas Hot Choc ornament. I have catching up to do with carol's 12/12 and this looks like a much quicker one to stitch and it's adorable. I have the Irish one in my WIP. Thanks for offering these.

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  9. Stasi, you are amazing--I can see why you love bees because you are a busy one yourself! I'm so glad you're feeling better. Love your story about your Grandmother. My Granddad drank a shot of whiskey every day and lived to be 91. I think he needed more chocolate instead!!

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  10. Totally enjoyed seeing your finishes and your WIPs, Stasi! You have been busy with your needle and thread. I am glad you are feeling better from your bout with COVID. What wonderful memories you have of your Grandmother; thank you for sharing some of them with us.

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  11. Love all the finishes. Bottle tree is nice.

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  12. I am so very glad you are finally feeling better my friend. I am waiting for my chance to be vaccinated also. Your finishes are darling. Your Houses are so gorgeous! How blessed you were to have your Grandmother living with you. Both my Grandmothers died when I was very, very young.

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  13. Always love seeing your cross stitch items and glad to read you are doing better. We are scheduled to get our shots next week. Would like to add my name for the hot chocolate pattern. Thank you.

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  14. Your sure did make up for lost time, Stasi--amazing how much stitching you've done! Love your newest ornaments and the Wordplays and the new house blocks. I feel like such a slacker--ha ha! I just keep getting distracted lately... will stitch a half hour or so and then start wandering around and getting distracted with things in the house. Spring fever, maybe?

    Speaking of fevers--I'm SO glad you have finally recovered from Covid. Such a bad case compared to many, but I'm glad you were able to avoid the hospital. I'm glad your husband had a lighter case and was able to lighten the load when you were so ill, too.

    That bottle tree is so cool! Do you leave the bottles up all year or is it a winter thing?

    Would love to throw my name in the hat for Shamrock Row... I have some St. Patrick's Day stitching, but am always looking for other cute designs. Enjoy your evening--good to see you back! ♥

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  15. sweater weather looks fun!
    dq

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  16. Stasi: All are beautiful finish's, I do like the design with your Grandmothers initial's, what a lovely tribute to her.
    All your projects are beautiful.
    I am so totally in love with the bottle tree and ice cycles.
    I am happy to see a post and hear you are doing well.

    Catherine

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  17. I would like to throw my name in for the hot cocoa and sweather weather. I'll leave the Irish alphabet for the Irish. It's good to see you back blogging. Take care of yourself.

    Needlework Samplings

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  18. Wow wee! You have been busy. I love everything you shared. I’ll throw my name in the bucket for Shamrock Row and sweater weather.

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  19. Your band sampler is beautiful! Thanks for offering the giveaway charts. I would be interested in Hot Chocolate. Donna www.cardsbydruth.blogspot.com

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