Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Smalls SAL - April 30



My small was completed earlier in the month and given as a gift to my MIL for Easter. If you came by for Jo's Easter blog hop, you've already seen it...but really I just love it, and I know she did too!


With a bit of a closeup...


See you in May!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

TUSAL - April 29

http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-totally-useless-stitch-long-2014.html

Been quite busy sewing this month. Worked on a wonderful cross-stitch gift for my Mother-in-law, which I gave to her for Easter. I'll be showing that off (again) in my SMALLS report tomorrow =)

I'm thinking I'll put these lovely threads out for the birds, but I'll wait till next week as we are to get rain for the remainder of this week. That should clean up the rest of the snow around here, and make a great dent in the ice floe currently bobbing in the middle of my pool.

Here is my collection for this report:


Didn't think my crocuses would come up this year with the weird weather we've been having. So grateful they did!

And check out the comments of Daffy Cat's post to see the pretty ORTs of others =)

See you again...May 28...Happy Stitching!

Monday, April 28, 2014

Holes, Holes, Everywhere!

Vickie M., I'm pretty sure you didn't, but thought I'd ask just in case...did you catch and relocate that armadillo that was playing in your garden?

Here is why I ask...


 sew creative, wavy patterns,
and even making tiny holes.

I am sure it cannot be my precious squirrels, for they have not touched even one tulip bulb (of which I hear they are rather fond). My beautiful perennial gardens do not seem to have been touched. One whole side of my yard remains, as yet, unscathed.

I suppose it could be a vole. They are not large, and I know for certain I did not get rid of all the white wormlike grub thingies from my yard last year. Could that be it?

I suppose I could take my photos to the local garden centre...they will likely be a good source of information. All guesses welcome...speculation adds to the fun...so bring it on!

Sunday, April 27, 2014

New Digital Magazine

Have you heard about the launch of a new digital paper piecing magazine by Janeen van Nierkerk of Quilt Art Designs?

http://qadpublishing.blogspot.ca/


Individual patterns or magazines can be purchased through Craftsy, but she also has an annual subscription available, just click on the above image and it will take you directly to quad publishing.

I've already purchased the first issue, and can't wait to get started, but my picnic blanket for the upcoming hop must be completed first. Well, break is over and I must get back to sewing, but I was really excited to  mention this new magazine. Congrats Janeen, I am really excited for your new launch!

Monday, April 21, 2014

Final Day of SUPERPOWER hop...

 
MONDAY APRIL 21
QuiltnQueen ( our cheerleader for this hop)

Today's list of SUPERPOWERS plus recap...

Day 7
~ SUPER quilter, embroiderer, crafter (and dare I say Cheerleader)
~ Bloodhound
~ Stitching (especially for the benefit of others)
~ Super creative stitcher
~ Corset maker
~ Créatif (and Born Organized too!)

Day 6
~ Super Nurturer
~ Coffee drinker
~ Super Sewer (in triplicate!)
~ Super Procrastinator (so busy being SUPER MOM)
~ Last Minute Projects
~ Super UFO Finisher/helper

Day 5
~ Railroad Mouth (Braces lol) survivor
~ Super Machine Trapunto and embroidery
~ Superpowered Stitcher
~ Super Woolly Worker
~ SUPER LIMPER Redwork stitcher
~ SUPER, SUPER, SUPER Cross-stitcher!

Day 4
~ Colouring outside the lines
~ EPP with the sexy hexy
~ Tambour Embroiderer...lovely!
~ Busy Bee or Flower Gardener Extraordinaire
~ Mistress of Mess
~ Super Sewer

Day 3
~SUPER MugRuggy
~A weight watcher
~SUPER brave bug kisser :0) with beautifully stitched runners
~ Spreader of light and love
~A Java Junkie
~SUPER Stitcher, able to create community one stitch at a time

Day 2
~ SUPER GiGi
~ A smiling soul
~ Dream achiever
~ Creativity
~ Chocolate lover
~ SUPER Fox 


Day 1
~ #1 Rescue Woman
~ Diminutive projects filled with SUPER stitching
~ Cross-stitch
~ Quilting
~ Reading
~ Super Pincushion designer



Boo hoo...It's over.... but, happily, on to Picnics!


Friday, April 18, 2014

Happy Easter...blog hop

Welcome! If you are here for the Easter blog hop



Then your letter is...

W

and your next link is Gypsy Rose's blog:


Happy following! If you aren't here for the hop, but would like to join in, begin at Serendipitous Stitching...Jo would love to see you!

Thursday, April 17, 2014

SUPERPOWERS Revealed on Day 5

Today's reveal of SUPERPOWERS include:


~ Railroad Mouth (Braces lol) survivor
~ Super Machine Trapunto and embroidery
~ Superpowered Stitcher
~ Super Woolly Worker
~ SUPER LIMPER Redwork stitcher
~ SUPER, SUPER, SUPER Cross-stitcher!

As always, check back with Mdm. Samm to see which creative lovelies were chosen for WOW, and CREATIVE top 2?
  
Also, if you want to see all participant entries in one place, check Mdm Samm's Pinterest board...link found on my right hand sidebar. 

Tomorrow continues with Day 6 of the SUPERPOWER hop with:
 
 
Have a lovely evening!

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Day 4 ~ SUPERPOWERS Revealed

But first...here is an idea of today's weather...



It was cold enough that Harpo (the kitty) snuggled under the blankets all night, and now is loving the woodstove, which of course is also where I can be found *wink*

Today's reveal of SUPERPOWERS:

~ Colouring outside the lines
~ EPP with the sexy hexy
~ Tambour Embroiderer...lovely!
~ Busy Bee or Flower Gardener Extraordinaire
~ Mistress of Mess
~ Super Sewer

As always, check back with Mdm. Samm to see which creative lovelies were chosen for WOW, and CREATIVE top 2?
  
Also, if you want to see all participant entries in one place, check Mdm Samm's Pinterest board...link found on my right hand sidebar. 

Tomorrow continues with Day 5 of the SUPERPOWER hop with:
 
THURSDAY APRIL 17
 I'll be there with my notepad and pencil taking notes of powers and inspiring ideas. Just cause, inquiring minds want to know....

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

SUPERPOWERS REVEALED ~ DAY 3

Oh, but there were some secret super powers revealed today!

Our ever growing list has gained:

~SUPER MugRuggy
~A weight watcher
~SUPER brave bug kisser :0) with beautifully stitched runners
~ Spreader of light and love
~A Java Junkie
~SUPER Stitcher, able to create community one stitch at a time

 And we are a creative community with sew much love to share.

Did you remember to check back with Mdm. Samm to see which creative lovelies were chosen for WOW, and CREATIVE top 2? They were SUPER!
  
Also, if you want to see all participant entries in one place, check Mdm Samm's Pinterest board...link found on my right hand sidebar. 

Tomorrow continues with Day 4 of the SUPERPOWER hop with:

WEDNESDAY APRIL 16
 Gratuitous photo of the day:


Apparently my son has begun walking to the garbage can in bare feet. Sunday gave us a dusting of snow and he walked barefoot regardless. I had to take a photo of his footsteps when I saw this out the window...do you see? 

When questioned how he managed to walk in two directions simultaneously, he laughed as hard as I did because it was not intentional and he hadn't even noticed. F.Y.I. My son is 6'1" and apparently walks with a long stride. So I guess my word is "priceless!"


Monday, April 14, 2014

SUPERPOWERS Revealed

Wow, today was just SUPER!

Continuing our list of SUPERPOWERS...

~ SUPER GiGi
~ A smiling soul
~ Dream achiever
~ Creativity
~ Chocolate lover
~ SUPER Fox

Phrase of the day?  
Smile, it is contagious!

Tomorrow continues with Day 3 of the SUPERPOWER hop with:

TUESDAY APRIL 15

 
Did you remember to check back with Mdm. Samm to see which creative lovelies were chosen for WOW, and CREATIVE top 2?
  
Also, if you want to see all participant entries in one place, check Mdm Samm's Pinterest board...link found on my right hand sidebar.  

 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

More SUPERPOWER reveals on Day 2

Loved Fridays lineup of lovelies didn't you?

Our list of SUPERPOWERS so far include:
~ #1 Rescue Woman
~ Diminutive projects filled with SUPER stitching
~ Cross-stitch
~ Quilting
~ Reading
~ Super Pincushion designer

One word to finish off by describing Day 1?

SUPERcalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!

Tomorrow is Day 2 of the SUPERPOWER hop with the participation of the following blogs:

MONDAY APRIL 14
 
 What delights await us this week? You'll have to visit them to find out, and be sure to let them know how SUPER they really are!

Then remember to check back with Mdm. Samm to see which have been chosen for WOW, and CREATIVE top 2! 

Signups are open

for the next blog hop...


**Full information found at Sew We Quilt**


Hostess keeping us hopping:
!Sew we quilt


Cheered and kept organized by:
I Piece 2-Mary
I Piece 2-Mary

Sponsors:
For beautiful baskets..

For beautiful laminates and sew much more...


Mdm Samm says: YOU WILL NEED....

#1 create a picnic quilt

#2 obtain some kind of picnic basket ( I recommend taking a peak at Peterboro Baskets, also a sponsor of our hop...

#3 plan a detailed menu and share your basket contents.

#4 take photos of your outing and share how your day went....

#5 what books or games did you bring along

( no phones, no electronic gadgets...must be left in the car or better yet at home)

How to sign up...


will require : 
In your subject line...
Yes, I want a Perfect PICNIC.
Your name
Your email addy
Your name of your blog
Your url...
 
 
Quilt Inspiration can be found here:

with Cori Blunt of Chitter Chatter Designs (website) as well as her blog Creativity Amongst Chaos.

Friday, April 11, 2014

What is Your SUPERPOWER?

What a question! What a fun hop! I had so very many ideas.

Thank you Mdm Samm and Pauline for organizing this hop and us as well! And of course, our sponsor...DMC Threads...without which I would be completely lost!

Did you ever notice that when someone asks you what you are good at more often than not you begin thinking of all the things you are not (yet) good at?! Well the next logical step is to turn that to a positive.

For example, I like to buy buttons, trims, fabric, patterns that I don't need for a particular project, but rather just because I like them, or just because they are a good buy. I love beginning new projects...apparently more so than finishing them, so this would make me a "collector". Oh I had lovely ideas for making a wall hanging or curtain for my craft room, but I had other things to do first...

Also, I thought of describing myself as a "scratcher" of kitty bellies, of dirt for gardening, and of chickens...that is, I love to do chicken scratch embroidery. I bought the fabric for new curtains for my living room...green gingham in 1/4 inch check, and the green DMC floss to use for the embroidery, the curtain fabric sits awaiting me to make them into curtains, but I had other things to do first...

I love to do cross-stitch...guess that makes my superpower CROSS-STITCHING, and I found the most lovely Easter sampler at Plum Street Samplers. It is called Rejoice. I wanted to make this for my mother-in-law for Easter. She lost her daughter to lung cancer just before Christmas, a 50-year-old, never smoked a day in her life, physically fit and active elementary school principal. My mother-in-law is a strong Christian, and has been leaning especially heavily on the arms of Jesus for the last year. The following song lyrics were provided with the sampler, and I will include them in the card when I give her this gift..

Rejoice, rejoice, O Chrisian! Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.

He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know he lives?
He lives within my heart.

 


Thank you DMC for such an awesome product as your floss (and other things). I began cross-stitching  in my early teens with DMC, and until last year I never knew there was any other product...why fix what ain't broke...

Here are today's participants...can't wait to discover their SUPERPOWER!

FRIDAY APRIL 11
 
Thanks so very much for visiting and for leaving your lovely comments. Each and every one is truly appreciated!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Upcoming Blog Hop - Schedule


Organized by  Sew We Quilt's...Madame Samm

Cheered by Quilt n Queen's...Pauline, 

and Sponsored by DMC

http://dmc-threads.com/

Go visit Emma Broidery for some awesome inspiration and fun freebie links and patterns!


And here is the final list of participants in this hop...look, there I am on the first day. Better getting cracking on my project eh?! 

**Updated April 9, DMC Threads will be joining in the fun on April 15. Yay! I'm at least as excited to see their work as I am to show my own lol!
FRIDAY APRIL 11

MONDAY APRIL 14
TUESDAY APRIL 15

WEDNESDAY APRIL 16
THURSDAY APRIL 17
FRIDAY APRIL 18

MONDAY APRIL 21

Monday, April 7, 2014

Tonight I'm...

working on my SUPERPOWER project...(only a few days left till my big reveal)

listening to...(toe tapping is necessary)

  

and dreaming of cheese bagels for dessert...


What are you up to?

Friday, April 4, 2014

Flags on Stick Giveaway ~ winner is...



The winner as chosen by Mr. Random Generator...



Very cute squirrel and so fun to go with your bird, I mean, squirrel feeder. I love the idea of a flag on the window.

Congratulations Carla! I have sent you an email. Thank you to all who left such lovely comments. 
Fun for all is what these hops are all about.

Thank you Mdm. Samm and Thearica for such a lovely time!

Be sure to come back and see my SUPERPOWER unveiled on April 11th. Happy Stitching!