Monday, February 23, 2015

I'm still here!

Hello fellow bloggers and dear readers....I've neglected my poor blog for way too long but 2014 was a crazy year for me with family issues and all sorts of life events and things just fell off the track.   I'm trying to get back into some kind of normal routine this year and want to get back to blogging a bit more regularly.   I also finally caved in and joined Facebook last fall.  I've enjoyed joining some stitching groups but it does take some of my time.  However, I don't want to quit blogging so need to find time to balance both.

Even while not blogging, I try to stitch whenever I can and haven't lost my love of stitching at all.   In fact...I'm so excited - I'm going to a stitching retreat the end of April!  I've always wanted to attend one somewhere and since I'm a member of the Primitive Stitchers Society on Facebook I decided to go their retreat in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.   I will be taking a class with one of my all-time favorite designers - Kathy Barrick!  Woohoo!  I'm also taking a punchneedle class with Lori Brechlin from Notforgotten Farm.  Plus there will be a vendor mall and I'm getting to meet up with a cyber stitching friend whom I've corresponded with for a few years now.  I can't wait!

Here's some photos of what I've been doing the past 6 months...I'm making an effort to get through that pile of stitching items that need 'finishing'  - either getting them framed or made into a flatfold, pillow, etc.   I'm delighted that the pile is getting much shorter!



First up is this sampler from Heartstring Samplery which I got framed - this is "Forever Young".  I did an SAL with a friend and we loved stitching this piece.



This is also a piece I got framed in time to display it for Christmas last year - this is "Winter Silhouette" from Imaginating.  I wish I could get a better photo but the glass interferes with the blue color.  I display this one on a little easel as it's short and wide so works well on an easel instead of  hanging.

Below is a little project that I've been doing for a couple years now.  Several years ago I stitched this entire year of Shepherds Bush monthly-themed pieces ("A Year in Stithced") and I had a frame made that I rotated them in and out of each month.  However...I never really liked the frame too much so gradually I took all 12 of them apart and made them into little pillows that I could display each month.  I was so happy to get the last couple done in December!  I like them so much better this way so I guess it was worth all the trouble.




  
This is "Plum Pudding" by JBW Designs.  I made it into a little stand with a Christmas fabric border and an easel in back.  I'm using this method of finishing more often now that I'm gotten pretty good at it. I don't want to get every little piece I stitch framed - I'm running out of wall space and you all know how expensive framing can be. I'd rather put my framing money towards my bigger pieces.


Above is another easel-type finish I did.  This is Goode Huswif's 'Ida Mae Crow'. I stitched it a few years ago - it's out of print now but I suppose you might find it now and then on eBay.  I love how it turned out and I had a little crow I had made that fits right in with it.


This Halloween piece I made for a very good friend of mine that I work with.  As soon as I saw this pattern by Sue Hillis ("Yes I Can!") I knew I had to make it for her.  My friend loves driving a stick-shift car and she loves Halloween and witches. It couldn't have been more perfect and I found some great matching fabric in my quilting stash.  That's one good thing about having a large quilting stash....I almost never have to go buy fabric for something!

Just in time for Thanksgiving last year I finished up this cube of "Thankful Quaker" by Bent Creek.  I changed up the colors quite a bit in this as I thought there was too much brown. I basically pulled some pretty autumn colored threads from my stash and just stitched whatever color I wanted for the different motifs. I've done cube finishes before but I wanted to learn how to do the ones with hard sides that I'd seen modeled in a shop in Las Vegas.  I couldn't find any tutorials online for this type of cube so I just had to experiment but it worked out well.  I used several layers of foam core for the inside which I also weighted so it sits nicely and doesn't topple over. I used matboard on the sides plus I added some beads as little "feet" and a twisted cord trim on the front.  I'm glad to add another skill to my finishing list!





I've recently finished these 2 pieces below which I stitched as SAL's with a friend.  First is "Penny America" by Tree of Life Samplings, and the second one is "Trees of  Green" by Heartstring Samplery . I need to drop of Trees of Green at the framer soon but I'm working on a finish now for Penny America so that one won't get framed.  



I need to get through my blog reading list and catch up ...I'm been reading some posts here and there but still way behind.  I'm glad to see so many of  the regular blogs I read are still there as I enjoy reading about what all of you are doing.    For those who haven't dropped me off their list, I thank you!   I miss connecting with my fellow bloggers and I'm looking forward to trying to post at least a few times each month now. I've still got a little backlog of things to share and plenty of projects in progress!

29 comments:

  1. You've been busy! I really love your finishes, especially the SB pieces...so cute!

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  2. Beautiful finishes! I've done easel finishes, but never even thought about using fabric. I love it! Ida Mae Crow is my favorite. :-)

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  3. Do hope 2015 is a huge improvement for you. What great stitching and finishes! Love the stick one!

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  4. What fabulous pieces you have stitched and finished! Wow! I do like how you changed up the colors in Thankful Quaker as well as how you finished it.

    Robin in Virginia

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  5. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE--BEAUTIFUL FINISHES

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  6. All great finishes!
    Can't wait to see how you finish Penny America.
    Marilyn

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  7. Wow! Lovely eye candy to drool over. Great finishes all!

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  8. Love all your stitching and finishes. Totally understand how "normal" can change and get out of hand. Good seeing you blogging.

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  9. Yay! You have not disappeared like so many others. What fantastic work you have done. It feels so good to deplete that "needs finishing" pile, doesn't it?!

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  10. Glad to see you have been busy stitching and all of your finishes are wonderful!! Laura

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  11. I work in IT too and am stuck in front of my PC all day. I am thankful for those that continue to blog. I enjoy it so much more than facebook or instagram.

    your finishes are wonderful! I love the changes to the Thankful Quaker and the fabric on your Halloween piece is just perfect! You have great eye for picking complementary fabrics and finishing forms. Thanks for sharing your great finishes! I would be interested in how you did the hard sided cube. I did one out of a foam block and wasn't very happy with the results.

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  12. so many great pieces that you finished up Jeanne - lovely!! and I have to say that Frosty Forest of whatever it's called by CCN is simply amazing. I am so glad you are going to attend the Prim Society retreat - If I didn't have so many EGA commitments this year I would have thought about it. I'm glad you are starting off 2015 in better shape - Of course I haven't given up on one of my favorite bloggers. take care Mel

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  13. Hi Jeanne, lovely to see a post from you and all your latest stitching, wow! I love how you've finished some of the pieces :)

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  14. WOW, WOW, WOW. So many pretty pices. All of the stitched pillows together look so pretty. They are all just beautiful. Enjoy your stitching retreat.

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  15. Wow - the finished stitching alone is beautiful but then the actual 'finishing' of them all if great! What an inspiration so thank you for sharing pics of them!

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  16. So good to hear from you again - you were missed. Great finishes. Can you share how you do the stands?

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  17. You certainly have been productive! So many beautiful finishes.

    Your upcoming retreat sounds SO exciting. I look forward to reading a post about it.

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  18. beautiful things and beauituful finishes.

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  19. So glad to know you are still around! Wonderful projects. Hope to hear from you again...sooner!

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  20. Enjoyed reading your update. Lots of great stitching goodness! Welcome back.

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  21. What a great group of stitching finishes! Congrats. You are inspiring me to do more flatfolds.

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  22. So many beautiful finishes! I love the Winter Silhouette, it's stunning.

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  23. I'm so glad you haven't give up blogging, Jeanne, as I would truly miss your gorgeous stitching and finishing :) I just love everything, but Ida Mae just makes me smile!! I have that chart and can't imagine why I never stitched it...

    And your monthly SB pillows are just adorable!! I loved seeing the entire year displayed all together.

    Thank you for the update--I'll look forward to the next one :)

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  24. Jeanne ... you have been very productive while you have been away from us. Beautiful finishes, each and every one.

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  25. Anonymous11:14 AM

    How wonderful to see a post from you, Jeanne! I agree, 2014 was a heck of a year. Your finishes are fabulous, but I'm totally preoccupied with the fact that you're taking a class with Kathy Barrick! Oh my heavens - I'm so envious (but in a really nice, supportive way!). Have a great time!!

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  26. Wow! Truly a feast for the eyes! So many beautiful works. Congratulations!

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  27. Wow, you were so productive indeed. So much eye candy in just one post, gorgeous.
    I love whyt you were doing to the Year in Stitching pieces, they are so nice all these little pillows. I'm also in some monthly stitching this year and also finish my pieces as little pillows. It's always so nice to find the perfect finishing for them.
    A class with Kathy Barrick, how cool is that. She is also one of my all-time favourite designers.

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  28. You have finished some beautiful pieces! It's so fun to see everything at once.
    Welcome back to blogs land!

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  29. Fantastic finishes and finishing. Good to hear from you again

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