Hi all, this is a non stitching post - it has been a busy week -- Book Club on Tuesday then the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival which opened yesterday Friday.  So the Friday newspaper is printed on PINK newsprint paper.  Unfortunately this came out upside down and I tried to get it right side up - to no avail!!

I spent most of the week planning and doing designs for the Ikebana exhibit that will be placed in one of the historic homes in Macon, Georgia.

 Below is my final designs.  I used pine branches and Protia flowers.  I did the mantel and the fireplace.

There were about 23 of us that did one or two designs on Thursday in preparation for the Festival which will last for about 10 days.  We all take turns going to the house to water the designs and to make sure that they are still looking good.  If there is an issue the original designer is called and they go and fix up their design.

 

                                        My design in the fireplace in the front music room

                                              The view of the whole fireplace and both designs

                                                     A close up of the mantel design.

Thank you for stopping by - hope to have some photos of my cherry trees in my yard soon.  They still haven't bloomed just yet!!!

Roberta

Some stitching and where I stitch

Good Morning all,  Thought I would show you where I do my stitching, knitting and magazine reading!

Below is in my sewing hideaway (please ignore the mess!!!)  This is where I stitch things in frames, also do my beading here as well.  I also listen to my audio books in this room and will sometimes watch - actually listen to the television.

 

In the foreground is Dorcas Haynes and Quaker Pincushion is where the high black chair is.  In the background stacked in plastic boxes are my multiple WIPS.

                                            Here is the Quaker Pincushion stitching area.

                                                 This is the start of the second pincushion.

                                                    Here is the start of Doras Haynes.

 Below is where I knit and read my magazines while watching the Television with the family in the evenings.  Sometimes I do sit here during the day reading as well - depending on my mood.

 This is a sock that I am knitting at the moment - I am in catch up mode with my knitting projects!!  It is bad enough that I have multiple stitching Works In Progress - I do not need to have multiple knitting projects as well!!!  I also, try to keep my beading projects also up to day

 Here is my morning and sometimes dinner cooking stitching area.  This is where I sit in the morning watching the news, drinking coffee and getting everyone off to work.  My faithful companion is my sister's cat Jazmine, who is about 14 years old.  She usually sits behind me (as I am pushed to sit on the very edge of the chair) while I stitch and then takes over the whole chair when I leave!!

Well, that is it for this week, next week will be a bit busy, Book Club in at my house on Tuesday evening - I chose the  Tales of Hill Top Farms by Susan Wittig Alberts.  It is mostly fiction with true parts regarding the life of Beatrix Potter when she purchased Hill Top Farms.  It is a darling story and so very different that what we usually read but I wanted to do something light and easy to read.

This week is also the start of the Cherry Blossom Festival here in Macon, Georgia - it is a big event.  It is said that Macon has the largest number of Cherry Trees in the USA, more that Washington DC!  I have 5 trees in my yard - will post a photo next week of my trees - one of which has already bloomed and is getting ready to leaf.

I belong to an Ikebana group and we put arrangements in one of the historic homes during this time - so most of my time will be practicing my design - not much stitching I afraid!!!

Thank you for stopping by  --  see you next week - I will probably be a day late in posting.


Roberta

Some stitching and knitting

Hi everyone,  did a bit of stitching this past week.  I once again picked up Quaker Christmas which I started in 2009 and for whatever reason it got put away, taken out, put away and now it is taken out and will be finished hopefully with in the next month!

 

Now for this past weeks finishes -

one of the pincushions from Scarlet Letter's Quaker Pincushions.

I was lucky to have a friend who happened to have the same dye lot of thread that I was using for this internet SAL.  I ran out of thread just at the end of the last set of numbers.  I am so thankful, now to get it framed.

 

 

 Here is a piece from Beth Twist that I showed last week, the stitching is done, now to finish it into a little pin keep.

I took a knitting sock a month class last year and each month I only got one sock done!!!  so this year I am knitting the 2nd sock.

I am taking an internet class with Jackie duPlessis via the Shining Needle so here is my start for this.  All the stitching needs to be done before March 18th, then we put everything together as a group.  I am really excited about doing this - isn't this design the cutest!!!???  All the supplies and instructions come to you either via postal mail or the internet.  So far so fun.

Well that is it for now  -- see you all next week  --  thanks for stopping by.

Roberta

some stitching some finishes

Below are two little ORTs bags with waxers inside for two birthday gifts for friends.

 What would the chances be that someone would have the same dye lot of thread so that I can finish my JHA sampler!!!  Someone did, I am so jazzed!!

 Just another little something that I picked up from Etsy from Beth Twists blog.  This is done on 40count and I didn't have the threads required so I used WDW that I thought would work.  The strip of fabric on the bottom will be cut so as to use the strawberry section will wrap around the finished and put together design.

 Here is as far as I have stitched on my SL piece.  I had wanted to have this done (there are four designs in all for the pincushion) my the end of the month, but looks like it will not happen.  I still plan on starting Dorcas Haynes on March 1 which is part of my SAL with Nicola's Scarlet Letter SAL.

 Here are some lovely flowers still looking good from Valentine's Day.

Hope you all are having a good week, today it is rainy and a bit cool, good stitching or cleaning out weather.

Until later - have a good one  -- thank you for stopping by  --- Roberta

Some Stitching

It seems like trying to put a post up here just takes more time that I seem to have!!  how is it that there is just never enough time in the day to get everything done!!!

 

Below is all I have done this month on my Scarlet Letter SAL piece.  I am doing the 4 Quaker Pincushions for this SAL and I was hoping to get all four done by the end of the month so that I could start Dorcas Haynes the first of March -- I need to get a move on!!!

This is my TUSAL (totally useless stitch a long) for January and February.

                                     

And what forever reason this came up  upside down is beyond me, but this is the JHA SAL that I am also doing.  I used a mystery evenweave from my stash and Gentle Arts Raspberry Parfait for the fiber.  However, I have run out of thread!!! so now the search is on to find this or something close.  I still have to finish the border and the 1,2,3,4,5 everything else is done as of this morning.

Not much else is happening here other than some cleaning and organizing and enjoying staying in due to rain and cold weather - no yard work yet!! though one of my cherry blossom trees has bloomed!

 

Oh almost forgot, I am going to have my kitchen remodeled - just at the beginning, will let you know what will be happening - it may be no cooking for a few weeks!!!!

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

Roberta

Where have I been - at Callaway Gardens

 The Callaway Gardens resort/conference center in Pine Mountain, Georgia has a needlearts school every January.  For the past two years my EGA group have volunteered to set up the exhibit, merchandise night and the bookstore.

 

I only took pictures of my pieces in the exhibit because of privacy.

 

Below is my Sanctuary which is sewn to a cranberry piece of felt which I think will lay in my glass top coffee table - I received a blue ribbon for this piece.

Below is from Blackbird Designs - Joyeux Noel - received a yellow ribbon for this.

 I just love the frame that I had found at the framers.

 This is Rain Rain  and I framed it myself from a yardsale find and some distressing - it didn't win a ribbon - but that is OK.

This piece is from a National Seminar with teacher Susan Goodman.  I call it House in the Garden - it also won a yellow ribbon. 

Below are the goodies that I bought either at Merchandise night or at the boutique (the Needle Bug from Montgomery was the shop this year - great shopping)

These shaker boxes is from a gentleman from Virginia who comes every year to Merchandise Night, his work is just gorgeous. 

From the Needle Bug these cute catch alls

 Of course, I saw these cute little Lantern Moon bags and just had to have them.

 as well as these scissors (can never have enough) and stitching tools.

 Look at these project bags they are mess and very light to carry, just love the colors of these.

 Below, upside down are some books that I bought

 The piece du resistance!!! is there is a wonderful shop in the small town of Pine Mountain who sells Vera Bradley = look at what I bought at 40% off - it still was a hefty sales slip, but I just love this pattern and had to buy almost everything there was with this pattern. 

 To top it all off - the VB was put into this cute little bag - do you think I have enough project bags???

Well, that is it for now, have been getting some stitching done and will try to get some photos posted soon.

 

Thank you for stopping by

 

Roberta

A quick Hello

Hi All, just wanted to let you all know that I am still around and about.  I am busy volunteering at the Callaway NeedleArts School, here in Pine Mountain, Georgia.  The EGA group I belong to ( The Dogwood Chapter of EGA) are responsible for the bookstore, exhibit and merchandise night (that is my responsibility).

I hope to get some photos up for you all to see some of the beautiful needlework that people have done.

I put in 4 pieces for exhibit and won a Blue Ribbon for one piece - Sanctuary and I also received 2 yellow ribbons . 

I have been getting some stitching done - working on Dutch Beauty and a wonderful little red piece that is a SAL - will let you know the name when I find the bag the SAL piece is in!!

Will try to get some photos up within the next few day.

For now - Happy Stitching and will catchup with my blogging and reading soon!!!

Roberta