My start of Chatelaine’s Swan Lake aka Mystery 14. I’m stitching as charted (so far) on 28ct. Light Blue jobelan. And loving it.
I think the fabric color is truest in the first picture, threads truest in the third. There is a crystal for the center but I am considering substituting a mother of pearl button with a swan painted on it. I would lose the pulled eyelets because of the size of the button, but I don’t think I really care.
Quick stitch, quick finish!
by Shepherd’s Bush, stitched as charted (except for the mistake I added and wasn’t in the mood to frog). It’s inserted into the recommended box, and the finishing was dead simple. Really, anyone can do this. The only skills needed are tracing a circle and cutting it out.
I’ve started on Chatelaine’s Swan Lake but only posted a quick & dirty picture to Twitter. Once I have something worth showing I’ll get it posted here.
I also finish on occasion!
Letter L by Mirabilia stitched as charted on 28ct. African Daisy jobelan. Took me about 20 hours to stitch and went off to Jill Rensel for framing today. Stitched for my cousin’s brand new little baby girl Leah.
My dear friend Cheryl continued my happy birthday with a surprise.
Blackbird’s Loose Feathers #20 and a gorgeous pair of Elena Gingher’s. Awesome. I have the best stitching friends in the world. đ
I’ve also started stitching on Shepherd’s Bush “Take Joy”. I bought myself the chart/kit and the box for my birthday. Â I’m hoping to post a finish in a day or two.
My kit for Chatelaine’s Swan Lake (the 2011 mystery) arrived, the fabric is 28ct. Light Blue joblean. (yes I have a jobelan fetish) I need to get started on this and get back to the long neglected CaHRH <- which I promised to my Mother for Christmas ’11.
The 3 (awesome!) Downside Ghosts books by Stacia Kane are going to….
10. Ash!
Smash Attack Says:
December 27th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I have a brand new Kindle, so YAY! My favorite book series of 201o is The Disillusionist Trilogy by Carolyn Crane. Iâve heard nothing but awesomness about The Downside Ghost series. Thanks for the opportunity!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
The pile o’ vintage goodies and Blackbird calendar is going to live with…
17.
staci Says:
December 27th, 2010 at 10:49 am e
Happy Blogoversary and Happy Birthday to You (and to us as well!)
My home would be perfect for your stuff!!!
Congrats to Ash & Staci! Be on the lookout for emails from me.
Let me tell you all, I opened this package from Kathy Monday morning and for the next 10 minutes the only words that came out of my mouth were “oh my goodness”.
Seriously. Yeah, my jaw is still kinda dropping. Kathy made this for me.  I told her, I think the only thing I have that’s nice enough to keep in this is the Christening gown my Grandmother crocheted for me.  This is so beautiful in person… The design is Memory Keeper by The Workbasket stitched on 32ct Mushroom Lugana with a combination of overdyed cottons. And lots of bunnies. Bunnies! This gives me a serious happy.  See that bunny in the second photo, upper right corner? He’s my FAVORITE. And then of course the rabbit thread drops – which I love. I’ve almost run through my first supply of these. Bunny scissors. OMG, love.  Thank you 1000 times Kathy! This is an extraordinarily wonderful gift and I will TREASURE it forever.
But you know what happened next? Gabi dropped a kindness bomb on me! I open up my Gmail and what’s there? I gift certificate for Amazon! My birthday was bookended in wonderful thanks to Gabi & Kathy. Â Thank you so much Gabi for a perfect ending to my day.
Thank you to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday here and on Facebook. đ I’ll get the winners for the two giveaways up shortly.
It probably hasn’t escaped notice that I am a book junkie.
(not my pile – but i could do this if i wanted to)
Every year on the Tuesday (book release day is on Tuesdays, just like DVDs) closest to my birthday I treat myself a pile of shiny new releases from that day. This year my Birthday Books are:
In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz
The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn et al
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning  which sadly isn’t truly a Birthday Book – its release has been pushed back for something like the 3rd time and is now not coming out until January – but too bad, I’m counting it.
But this post is not just about what I’m buying – I’m giving away books! My favorite trilogy of 2010 – Downside Ghosts 
written by Stacia Kane. You can read about the series on Goodreads. Sound like something you’d like to read? Well if you have a Kindle – or are willing to read on one of the zillion free Kindle apps  (this is the easiest way for me to do this, and I’m all about the easy ;p ) leave a comment below telling me your favorite book or series of 2010 and you could be the lucky winner of Unholy Ghosts, Unholy Magic and City of Ghosts!
The vintage collection is also a giveaway but if you want a chance at that you must comment on that post.
Ladies, I don’t know how this happened. Good taste reared its head in my household.
Blackbird Design’s 2011 Calendar
Footed compote for your scissors and orts!
Two vintage* doilies.
A fistful of buttons from the vintage button jar along with a thimble all inside a glass and silver plate dish*.
Fat quarter of cross stitch print quilting cotton.
And a cupid needleminder.
*Vintage = older in used condition, with love love spots – otherwise know as antiquing – otherwise known as stains.
*Dish is actually a coaster, but dish sounds nicer doesn’t it?
Since it’s fairly obvious (see tacky posts) that I simply can not abide such tasteful objects in home I must re-home them! So happy blogversary and birthday to me, the gift is for you. If you think you can provide this little collection with a good home just leave a comment below and I’ll pick a winner… Thursday, that seems like as good a day as any.
The Downside Ghosts Trilogy are also part of my blog/birth giveaway, but if you want a chance at those you must also comment on that post.
 | Sonda in OR on Swan Diving |
| January Socks… on Needle Minder Tutorial | |
 | Pointed Stitcher on Swan Diving |
 | Dani on Swan Diving |
 | Anne S on I stitch |
