WIP - Prairie Schooler booklet - Home Words

There is no place like home.  Home Sweet Home.  The soft place we have to land when life is tough.  Home might be a traditional family of Mom and Dad (you might be either), 2.5 kids, minivan, and a nice home in the suburbs.  Your home might be a partner and three cats or three roommates and one cat.  But whatever it happens to be, I hope that you have a safe place to land where there is someone or something that loves you and comforts you.

I would like to make a wall in our dining room set aside for wordy cross-stitch - the samplers, the sayings, and so on.  My dream is to paint it a warm, buttery yellow that will just make those who enter feel embraced and cozy.  That's the plan and I hope to make it happen this summer.  Then I can add more and more wordy cross stitch projects to the wall.  Perhaps seasonal changes or perhaps not.  That's the beauty of thinking about it and having options.

So, here's a work in progress.  It's a Prairie Schooler, because I love my Prairie Schoolers and it is from a booklet entitled Home Words.  The one I'm working on is Home Sweet Home.  It's on 18ct. Aida, but you know, I have to get back to you on the color.  It's kind of an oatmeal shade...and I like it with the style of the sampler, it has a rustic but not primitive feel.  It makes me think of a happy place for me, aside from home, Colonial Williamsburg.

 I think the pet on the left is supposed to be a dog, but I'm thinking for me it should be a second cat, we always have at least two in the home at any given time.  

Surprise through the mail

Isn't it wonderful to come home to happy mail?  A handwritten letter or postcard?  Yes, it beats little bill window envelopes every time.

Imagine my joy and surprise to find this beautiful stitched postcard in my mail.  It came from Virginia Beach unscathed from my darling friend Jana!

She's the bestest!

I hope to have something new to share with you soon, I've taken up the needle once again!

A finish - meet Cinder

Just a little ornament to add to my rather meager collection of fall smalls.

This is Cinder and he stitched up quite quickly and was fun, I love whimsical, retro, vintage Halloween.  Not much for the scary gory stuff.

The chart is from Hinzeit.  He is attached to thin chipboard and then wool felt was added, a twist of floss outlines the stitched portion.  I didn't put the ribbon on yet, but wanted a photo to prove to myself I can finish something.

Mr. Owl is progressing, I need to put up a status report on him.  I hope to get him done for Halloween but it remains to be seen.

Progress on Mr. Owl - as of September 13, 2013

Stars are done, moon is done, the lower body is progressing.  My optimal plan is to finish his body by the end of this weekend and then get going on the rest of him.  I want to get him finished, cleaned and completed so that we can enjoy him this autumn.  Pillow or framed?

What's your vote on this?

Owl progress

Here's the latest on where I stand with my Autumn owl.  The top is nearly done - and the bottom will be the rest of Mr. Owl, his branch, and pumpkins at the bottom.  Very fun to stitch with lots of bright colors.

Woo hoo - He's found, he's found!!!!!

Yep, my November turkey is now found and sitting along with the other unfinished months.

That is, they are stitched but just aren't finished.  So far, my only finish is the doorknob hanger pillow I made with the July eagle.

This is part of a long term stitch along I've shared with Linda and Debbie.

I have December, January and February to go before I'm done.

I'm so happy I've found this.  Hooray!!!!

So, the plan is to finish my current in progress owl for Halloween and then concentrate on making some stitchy Christmas presents.  I hope to squeeze in time to finish the Prairie Schooler months.

Finish to Share - Home of a Needleworker

I started this Little House Needleworks pattern back in April and only now finished it.

But a finish is a finish.

I did not stitch it on linen but used beautiful Crescent Colours floss on it, the subtle color variations add a nice little something.  This is it immediately after the last stitch was made.

Now it just needs to be gently washed, pressed and taken off for framing.

Now I can go and finish the owl!