PALS Retreat......Here we come~~~

Honestly, I am SO excited about the PALS retreat this year.....I can hardly wait for Thursday to get here!! Seeing old friends, making lots of new friends, stitching, LAUGHING, eating....This year will have a large attendance also.....Get ready.....Lots of photos will be coming up on blogger by lots of stitchers.....I'm so excited!!

 

I have been busy in the craft room sewing up many an exchange item and gift for many customers.... Some for the PALS retreat, some for Christmas....Promises were made to hold off on the photos..so... Trust me, you stitchers have been super busy!!! Love it!!!

 

I, myself, have been experimenting a little with inserting tiny stitches into the front of the project pouches I make.... Here is an example of what I mean...

 

The three spools and stork scissors are stitched on 25 ct Lugana Country Mocha and then I insert it the fabric so it shows nicely on the front of the pouch..... I think its a nice touch.... (photo is clickable for a close-up of the stitched piece.....)

 

Additionally, I stitched another small Christmas design....Need to find a whisk brush now....

Sweeping Snowflakes

With thy Needle and Thread

1 over 1 25ct Country Mocha

dmc threads except Faye's Red SPP by Victorian Motto

 

Lastly, I'd like to challenge each of you to donate an auction item to The Attic's Breast Cancer Awareness Auction... It is a wonderful event and the proceeds go to Cancer Research.... You will find details here, or by calling The Attic at the phone number listed on their web page... There is even a list of all the items donated in the 2011 Auction and the money each item brought....Amazing!

I will be showing a photo of my item in the near future.....

 

 

Need to sign off.....Hope everyone has a great week....And, if you hear a little noise coming from the East Coast of the Carolinas....Its all the 100+ stitchers at the retreat at Myrtle Beach SC.....!  Having big fun!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

Faye

 

 



A few ornies done at the retreat...and more....

Greetings everyone~~~ I hope your weekend is going well and you've all settled down to watch your favorite team...The Tarheels are playing an away game, so we are home on Saturday for once!!

Thanks for all the compliments on my recent posts were I stained/painted/Briwaxed my boxes...It was fun and I did want to mention that all my supplies come from Michaels or Hobby Lobby... I did order some of the paper mache boxes from Sunshine Crafts also...just an fyi~~

As promised, I wanted to show you the 4 ornaments I was able to stitch up at the PALS retreat...

Many of us stuck with smaller projects so to be more transportable...

I love stitching ornaments out the of the Just Cross Stitch Magazines..

This is the Blackbird Designs chart in the JCS 2010 issue..

40 ct Days Gone By

converted to BelleSoie silks except the red

which is NPI Northern Lights Old Gringko

 JBW Designs

40 ct creme linen

converted to Belle Soie Silks

My Big Toe

 40 ct Exemplar Lakeside Linen

converted to Belle Soie silks except

urn is Gloriana Charcoal

Little by Little

40 ct flax linen

converted to Belle Soie silks

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  I also was able to stitch a little on my new larger project....Aren't the colors gorgeous?

Sarah Elizabeth Brooke 1842

by Scarlett House

I am stitching Sarah on 40 ct Vintage Meadow Rue by Lakeside Linen with specified Belle Soie silks.  It will be a pretty good size project for me...But I just love a sampler with a pretty house on it....More to come on this project!! (Nicole is much further along than me....see her progress here...)

I also was able to come home and stitch up one of Tanya's new ornaments...When I saw how Vonna had finished it off with the rusty bell and pretty rick rack trim, it set  my mind in motion....I did not have the specified "Swamp" linen by PTP...But I DID have some LL Woodsmoke on hand, so, I took a chance and here is the outcome....... The Victorian Motto Faded Red rick rack was a perfect match....I hope to get to my finishing desk this week and finish off many of these stitched finished pieces...

Jingle all the Way

Scarlett House

40 ct Woodsmoke linen

RedFox and Icing by BS

Last, but not least, I leave you with a snap of a cute design my dear friend LindaP stitched for my birthday....I failed to post it earlier with all the goodies she gave to me for my birthday....Not because I don't cherish it, but because I had set it aside... Linda and I hope to create a "Blue Basket" in 2012...Mostly because we are LOVING the new Moda Blueberry Crumb Cake fabric.....And, we think we will incorporate alot of that Moda in our finishing...So, why not have a blue basket of stitched goodies??!!  Linda wanted to stitch me the first for the basket....

What's not to love with a pretty bird in the design???

Thanks so much Linda!!! Double thumbs up~~!

Alrighty....I'm outta here....Hope your day is great and your hands stay busy stitching....

((Hugs))

Faye

~~ A Halloween Eve post...~~~ Boo!!

I know I posted earlier today, but just had to send out a Halloween eve evening post also...

This little project has been done for a couple weeks, just needed that last coat of Briwax...

I have been in Blackbird state of mind here lately....

Cast a Spell

Blackbird Designs

30 ct Weeks Straw

Specified overdyes

I just had to stitch up one of the bonus patterns included in this chart....

It is nestled in my fall smalls in the dough bowl on my kitchen table....

The glass lid will protect the stitching....I might drop more Halloween trinkets in the smaller sections...Or, perhaps I will pop out the Halloween stitcheries and re-use the box for a Chrismas creation.......I'll let my imagination decide.....

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Earlier I posted about a Blackbird Designs gift I had made....If you emailed me about the containers in the box, those 6 little containers come with the box!! Paper mache box that I painted black, then brown, then distressed and finally Briwaxed....Inside the containers I put buttons, charms and that kind of thing for Nan.... It truly was a fun project!!!

She really seemed  happy to get this gift~~

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My dear friend Charlene, needed a little pick-me-up, so I found a Blackbird designs pattern that fit into a little wooden lid I had and I stitched her initial into a small pincushion....She loves red like I do, so this was made to put a smile on her face....And, it did.....

Lastly, I wanted to make a few fobs to share with friends...The crowned fob went to Paulette of course....because she IS a queen!!!  The "Bloom where you're planted" went to Jennifer because I know nature will take its course and blessings bloom in good time...... The others have a  little fish attached to honor our time spent together at the PALS beach retreat 2011...the beads really did look like something you'd expect from the ocean waters.....

Oh..... I wanted to show a super up close look at the darling bat trim the Michele attached to the cute Witch pillow she gave me............Isn't it just perfect???  Just like her!!  Love ya Michele!!

OK....enough for tonight....Hope you get lots of treats and no tricks tomorrow everyone....

Soon I will post photos of the 4 ornaments I stitched at the retreat and my latest new project...the start of a most wonderful sampler............

Faye

~~Happy Sunday~~(photo heavy..)

Greetings friends!!! Here's a quick snap of a recent finish...more details to follow in an upcoming post.... First, I wanted to share a few snaps about the retreat in Myrtle Beach...

Morning Star

Blackbird Designs

specified threads~40 ct Lakeside Pearled Barley

Victorian Motto Sampler Hand-dyed chenille trim~ Faded Red

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Wow. What a week! Can you believe I am still unpacking from last weekends retreat to Myrtle Beach?  Had hoped to come home and immediately put out a post, but between work and my schools Fall Festival Friday night.....so here I am now....

We all had the best time at the PALS retreat last weekend! Lots of us were able to reconnect with old friends.....

And, of course there was those WONDERFUL guest designers that we all were dying to meet for the first time...... Wow, what a treat to have them in come and mingle with all of us....Bottom line- they are just normal people like all of us!  I have no idea where my picture of Marie of

 Blackberry Lane Designs went, but she and her wonderful wares were there....

And....this fantastic lady came....

And, another icon was in attendance....

And, there were MANY that just cut up and had BIG fun while stitching.....



Needless to say, we all shared goodies and here's a few I was lucky enough to recieve.... I was so spoiled, I tell ya!!

 Beth was so sweet to give a goodie bag filled with lovelies....

Another total highlight for me, was finally getting to meet Jennifer!!!!  Jennifer is my exchange partner in the Friends Stitching through the Seasons exchange...Throughout 2011 Jennifer has sent me seasonal goodies...Check out my Fall package! omg....It was loaded!!!!

Okay, next post I will reveal more details about the gifts I took for friends....and no telling what else!

Have a great Sunday everyone~~~

Faye