Under Construction

My daughter, Sarah, is trying to help me clean up the mess that is this blog.  You might not be able to see it, but there is a lot of underlying code that appears to be impeding my ability to utilize some of the new Blogger features.  So please be patient while my blog is undergoing renovations!

Stitching and Giveaway

I have actually been doing a little cross stitch.  I finished another motif on the infamous wedding sampler.  Sorry, no picture today.  But if you can recall the sampler, or if you search for a picture of it, you'll recall that the middle is composed of Hebrew letters, and I'm headed there to finish the second half of them. 

I also wanted to mention an exciting giveaway on a new-to-me blog, Fashionably Modest Patterns.  It's for a $40 gift card to CSN Stores.  I'm going to have fun exploring their website!  Head on over to Gretchen's Monday post to enter.

Sunflowers

Tonight I finished the Sunflower Needle Cushion that I mentioned in my last post.

Sunflower Needle Cushion

from Summer Booklet 2010

   by The Sampler Girl

Stitched on 18 count linen (unknown color)

Thread:  recommended DMC colors

I still plan to finish this as a door hanger.  Here are two possible backing fabrics:

What do you think?

Summer Stitching

Although the wedding sampler is in my floor stand, I haven't been working on it much.  We are planning a family movie night on Saturday, so I will probably work on it then.  In the meantime, I started a quick project from the Summer Booklet 2010 by The Sampler Girl, which I won in a Facebook giveaway.  (Thanks, Tanya!)  Unfortunately, there are no pictures, so you'll have to use your imagination.  Not even a photo of my progress.  The project is the Sunflower Needle Cushion, which I am thinking of finishing as a door hanger.  Now if I could steal some time to sit on the porch and stitch!

Birthday Card Contest

My friend, Lori, is hosting her annual birthday card contest!  I decided to enter this year, and here's what I came up with.

Here's the recipe:  (It's long - I'll warn you!)

Stampin' Up! Stamps:  Stem Silhouettes, Nicer Person (unknown set), Happy Birthday (inside, unknown set), Stella Stamper (back credit)

Paper:  Stampin' Up!  Prints Pack, s.e.i. Lovebirds, misc. cardstock and decorative paper

Ink:  Versacolor Ash Rose, Brilliance Lightning Black & Pearlescent Ivy (inside)

Accessories:  ribbon - Stampin' Up! Satin Ribbon Purely Pomegranate, Spellbinders Nestabililties Labels 1, 2, 4, 6 and Curved Rectangles

The card didn't come out exactly as I envisioned, but I hope Lori likes it.

A Card and a Question

A dear friend is participating in graduation exercises for a local college on Friday night.  (She actually finished her coursework in December.)  We are planning to go, so I made a card for her.  I wish it didn't take me so long to make cards these days, but since I am mixing shapes of Spellbinders dies, and trying to be less monochromatic, coupled with the terrible fibromyalgia flare I'm in, spending an hour or more isn't unusual.

For this card, I used Spellbinders Labels Four and Eight, as well as Fancy Tags.  The background paper was run through my Cuttlebug with the embossing folder, Swiss Dots.  The floral stamp is by Stampin' Up!, and was stamped with Brilliance Lightening Black, which has a hint of gold in it.  You may be able to pick that up in the second picture.

The wedding sampler.  I haven't cross a stitch in probably six weeks.  Hopefully, I will get back to it soon; I've missed my stitching.