Waving Along

I am now officially over halfway done on the second rectangle!  Now I have to decide next time I work on it if I am going to start on the third or just continue with the second until it's done.

Done with the Crosses

Yay!  I've started the specialty stitches.  As promised, I finished the cross stitches last time and have now started doing the special stitches, starting at the top.  There are a -lot- of them, but they'll make the piece stand out even more.  Once I'm done with that, there's a scattering of beads to place, too.  It's well on its way to completion.  Maybe, since it was my New Year's start, I'll actually finish it in the year I started.

Winnings from Gone Stitching and Weeks Dye Works

It's here!  The very first time I listened to Gone Stitching's blogcast, back in March, I entered the competition.  And the next week, I won!  I was soooo surprised!  It took over three months to get here, but it's HUGE and wonderful!  They originally said it would be pearl cotton for use in needlepoint, but I got much more than that.  I didn't know that Weeks had so many products.  I'm so thrilled! 

So, here's an inventory, sort of: pearl cotton in sizes 3, 5 and 8; embroidery floss in two strand, three strand, and six strand colors; quilting thread (wow, something I never knew they had!); wool fabric, and a very nice twill - which isn't even on their product page.  It feels great.  Anyway, I love, love. love this and cannot thank Weeks Dye Works and Gone Stitching enough. 

I've already used some of the size 5 pearl in a temari, which I'll show pictures of later this week.  It is nice and shiny and lays flat very well.  I've also started stitching two different things with the two strand floss.  It is very like linen floss in feel and has a matte texture.  One is a Debbie Draper mystery sampler from Sticklounge, and the other is the Punto Antico biscornu we're working on in CyberStitchers.  Pictures will follow later in the week.  I'll be using more of these things as I go along and will be buying more pearl cotton for sure to use on temaris and in my needlepoint.

Thanks again Gone Stitching and Weeks!

Back to Naptime

I was finally able to return to this last week.  Yay!  I'm still on the first page, but I -will- get it done.

Beautiful Exchange!

Last week, Karin's temari from Sweden got here!  It's beautiful and was part of the Spring GITS from Talk Temari yahoogroup.  She made each flower one that's found in Sweden in spring and even gave me a little guide to them!  Isn't it pretty?  I'll treasure it always.

So Very Close

I'm still working on this, but it's -so-close to being done.  Next picture should be of it all done!

Gifts from Friends

Ana gave me these beautiful pearl cottons and a great magazine when we met.  I'm going to use them soon.

And Sussy gave me this great little paper floral arrangement.  It sits on my desk and the bright pink cheers me up during these dreary winter days.  Thank you both!