Pretty Purple Flowers

In the spring, these trees with purple flowers bloom along the streets.  They're beautiful, even if they have sticky sap.  I have no idea what kind of tree it is.  The leaves look like acacias or locusts, being compound opposite with about 11-15 leaflets.  If you know what they are, please tell me!  In the meantime, enjoy the pictures.

Covered in White

Yay, I actually finished the project I started January 1st of this year!  It's gorgeous too, with beads and a lot of Rhodes stitches.  I liked doing this project and keeping to the schedule I set for it.

Five of Twelve

Five of twelve parts done!

Still Outlining

Well, I'm back to working on the regular rotation stuff.  Here's my Tuscany, looking barely worked on more.  I'm -still- doing backstitching on part four.  There's a LOT of it.  Then I need to put the Rhodes stitches in, too.

All Finished Up

The stitching was done last year, but the finishing was done this one.  And it's all sent out as part of an exchange!

Still Another...

completed stitching ornament from the JCS 2010 ornament issue.  I believe I've stitched more ornaments from this than from any previous.  Now to complete them into finished ornaments... the stitching's the easy part.

Where the Charity Hearts Go

I just got notice the other day that one of my hearts was put into a quilt.  These are the hearts designed by children.  You can read about it here.  It's all in German, though, so if you don't know the language, here's a link to the translation.  They're always looking for stitchers if you're interested.

It's Not Red

This is the ornament Tis Red from the JCS 2010 Ornament issue.  It's done in Florimell Peacock, my current favorite thread.  Now I just need to finish it into a fob of sorts.

Christmas Star

Another ornament from JCS Christmas 2010.  This one was titled Christmas Star for some reason.  Original was in red; I decided on Jelly Beans.  I like the way it turned out.

Spindles on Black Temari

 I think my temari technique is improving, at least from the way this temari looks.  I'm falling in love with kyo-temari thread, too.  The shine just makes the temari pop.

A Finished Heart

The heart's all done and in Germany now, ready to put into a quilt for a sick child!

Twisted Middle

Another temari for gifting.  This one, I was practicing a technique on the obi.

Taking Shape

The top of the tree is pretty well defined now.  Working my way toward the bottom.

Another Part Done

Seventeen of twenty-five parts done!  Yay!

Seamwork for Gerry

And another seamwork block - this one for Gerry.  She's making her blocks into a tunic, so no really dimensional or poofy stuff.  I hope she likes what I ended up doing.

Diced and Seamed

 This is Cathy L's seamwork block.  It's food related.    Lots of seams to cover, too.

And here it is after I finished.  My onion plants don't look much like onions, but they look pretty good there anyway.  I also did a mushroom to keep the theme.

Middling

I've got the middle of my Baumchen done, so only four more parts to go!

Another Ornamental Start

Probably my last ornament start of the year, it's also from the JCS 2010 Ornament issue.  This one's called Christmas Wreath.  I am sticking with the basic colors, but stash shopping, so it's not the ones called for.

Last of the Calendar Girls

This was the last of my Calendar Girl gifts - from Robin.  Thank you, Robin!  And I got a pretty nice stash of some wonderful threads overall and fabrics to play with, too!

Another Ornamental Start

This is the start of Mill Hill's Silvery Tree kit.  It's worked on perforated paper and has a lot of beads.  It's also got a lot of confetti stitches, but it's small.  I like the colors on it.

Second Part of Quaker

I've completed the second part of the quaker star.  Now to get some other things done so I can return to it.

A Simple Temari

Just another little temari to give away.

En-JOY-ed

Here's the JOY ornament all made up.  It's been sent and received for an exchange, and the recipient likes it.  No more can be asked!

A Calendar Gift from Kay

And Kay sent me this stash for the Calendar Girls swap.  Isn't it beautiful and Christmasy?  Thank you, Kay, and I'm going to start that star soon!

Thanks Abi!

As part of my Calendar Girl experience with Friendly Stitchers, Abi sent me these lovely threads and the wonderful fabric.  The colors are right up my alley!  Thank you so much, Abi!

All Seams Right for Gerry

Another seamwork block done - this one for Gerry.  She's going to be using it as part of a garment, so no real big, chunky things on it.  I hope she likes what I've done.

Another Bit of Glitz

More gold added to this.  Part five's almost done!

Ready to Send

This ornament got mailed out for an exchange.  But I took a picture first!

Stars and Stripes

Another temari, this time from a combination eight.  I made up the pattern, though it's fairly simple.  It's to be one of  the ones I give away for Christmas.

More Jewels - Diane

Diane wanted all flowers on her block, no gold, and no primitive.  This is the plain block I decided to work on.  The swirls at the top looked like stems to me...

So I made them into stems, then added some ribbons.  The rose ribbon I got in the states; the black and silver was from here.  Some rose spray and a blue motif and voila, a done block.  I hope she likes it.  I believe I have now done the majority of the blocks in this round robin.

Four of Nine

Behind on this like every other stitchalong.  I'm at least now done on the fourth part.  I have two other parts already given me and have started on the fifth.  It'll get done soon, but not before the end of the year, I think.

Another JCS Ornament

This one was a really quick stitch.  Now to finish it and give it to its recipient!

Specializing

Still working on the specialty stitches for this; I think I can make it.

Up to the Top

Another part about done, and all the way to the top of the piece. 

Slowly I Heart

Still just progressing...

Circling the Flower

Working on Quaker Star again; it looks very good, I think, in these rather traditional Dutch colors.

It's a Joy

I finished stitching the JOY ornament from the new JCS ornament issue.  I truly have fallen in love with the Florimell thread from Gloriana.  I only had to use one strand to get good coverage.  Now to make it into an ornament.

Dense Square

This square I'm working on is particularly dense.  On the other hand, I really like the way the design is looking...

Stitched Up and Ready to Finish

I got the Windows of Faith, Peace and Hope ornament stitched.  It's from the current JCS Ornament issue.  I think it came out pretty well.  The green variegated is from Threadworx. 

More Food

 We had dinner across the street from the beach one of our evenings in Punta del Este.  Here's what Andreas had.  I just ate some of this first bit and had a chorizo.  This appetizer is called a tabla del campo, and is basically a rustic thing..  Flatbread, nuts, dried meat and cheese.  It tasted good.

The above picture is of Andreas' main course.  It was three diferent fish - salmon, tilapia and swordfish, if I remember.  There was a mango salsa on top of it.  He said the fish was dry, in general, and obviously frozen.  The one that was the best was the salmon.  Despite its very long coastline, it's hard to find decent seafood in Uruguay.

We had dessert too.  This was an "exploded lemon pie".  There was very little lemon and a lot of meringue in the way they serve it here - dried.  There was also a shortbread cookie crust.  Bland, but at least it wasn't the ubiquitous dulce de leche...