Just a few finishes and one of my new starts

I am really pretty happy to be making progress on finishing a few of my projects. I always have such a hard time at finishing my cross-stitching pieces. I really need to get better at it. I have to say it is a wonderful feeling to finally see some of this work on display in my home. In the past, my finished needlework seemed to always get gifted but of late I am finally keeping some goodies for myself. I finished the SAL from 2010 called "My Little Heart" designed by Sylvia Kuhnert. I  love the way this looks. I did some subtle changes here and there in the design. I even managed to frame it. The night we were out shopping for the frame and floss for a new projects was quite eventful. It was stormy when we left here but everything seemed fine when we entered the Hobby Lobby store and did all our shopping. I was accompanied by the hubby and my son Jared. When we were exiting the store, rain was pouring down and the tornado sirens were blaring. They had sounded out while we were in the store but we NEVER heard them because of the store music being played. I don't know about anyone else but I find this very scary to think we could have been swept away and killed in a tornado because of store music taking a priority during a storm! Scary stuff to think about. The other issue was that it was closing time when we were leaving the store and the employees were pushing to get everyone out in spite of the fact that everyone should have been trying to find shelter until the warning was lifted. Traveling home in total blackness was most unpleasant. So anyhow, once we were home safe and sound I did proceed and framed the SAL.

I am glad I went with a simple frame for it. I also manage to download Sylvia's newest SAL which is being released at the turn of each season being that the new SAL is all about the different seasons of the year. I completed the first Season "Spring" on an old piece of rough looking linen and then turned it into a simple flat fold. I have never tried this method of finishing before but I have to say, I love it!

This is just such a simple sweet little piece. It makes me happy and smile just to look over at it. I think the whole thing only took me about two days to stitch and then just a few hours to make it into the flat fold. It could not have been simpler!

Since finishing these items, I have since started a number of new projects. I did work some on my Great-grandparent's 1899 wedding photo piece. It is coming along but I think I will wait until I have more progress to show before I include a new photo of it. I took one of the photos from my magnolia tree and imported it into PCStitch 10 and created a chart and have started work on it working on size 18 count Aida cloth in a sky blue color. Speaking of the chart, I was asked if this was something I could share. I thought it over and I have decided to share the chart freely. Please understand though, the Magnolia Tree is in the process of being tested so if you choose to download it, just understand, it is not fully tested. Also, please do not attempt to upload the PDF to any website nor attempt to sell my chart for profit. I ask that you play fair. You can access the PDF by clicking the title here: Magnolia Tree ©Copyright 2012 By Andrea C. Heslin I will be posting a progress photo of the Magnolia Tree in my next update. As I said, I am working on a number of new projects or rather trying too. I recently put in an order for my very first Heaven and Earth (HAED) design chart. I have to say I was really getting antsy and impatient for my chart to get here. I got my fabric, got all my floss and I even got all the floss wound onto bobbins and organized into it's own project floss caddy and then I waited. I waited and then I waited some more. I called the company and found out that they were having issues with a dead printer. So I waited some more, lol. Finally on the 10th I received notice of it being mailed. Yehaa, so exciting. The morning of the 11th.......... I slipped and wiped out all over the floor while racing to let the dog outside. Banged up my right knee and landed hard on the palm of my right hand. I ignored my hand and was being careful with my knee. I even made sure I walked with my cane to play it safe. I went over to the koala sewing cabinet to retrieve something and when I went to close the door, it fell off the hinge and landed against my left knee. Later when the hubby came home from work, he walked in and saw the koala cabinet door resting against my PC desk and me sitting with both knees elevated. He was cracking up laughing at his wife the klutz! Now this was bad enough but later in the evening, I hobbled to the refrigerator for a drink but when I swung the door open, the rail that went across the lowest shelf in the door flew out followed by all the condiment bottles. What a day! Joe did come in and pick everything up for me. I did have to go to an Urgent Care facility though last night to get four x-rays and a look at my right hand and wrist from the fall. I wound up with this.....

So the doc says I sprained the ligaments in my thumb and wrist area and need to wear this for the next 6 to 8 weeks. WHAT!!!!!  I cannot fathom wearing it that long. I have cross - stitching to do. So......... guess what was in today's mail. Yup, my new design chart I ordered from HAED! Talk about karma biting you in the butt! I decided I would stitch anyhow. I can stitch some left handed. I had the fabric all set up already in my scroll table frame so why not give it a try, right. I tried. It worked until my back started hurting from me leaning in close over it to see what I was doing. I wound up taking it out of the frame and decided I would give my q-snap frame a try. So far not so bad. I figure it will drive me crazy though enough to eventually just move back over to using a hoop. But for now I am going to try and keep using the Q-Snap.  This photo below is my beginning progress on "Earth Song" in 18 count on Aida cloth.

I nearly forgot, I have one more tiny finish to post about. I finally made a biscornu. I have admired these funky little decorative pincushions for a few years now and have always wanted to make one. Well I finally did it this week before the injury, lol. I think it took me two days to complete it. I made a very small one using up some scraps of 18 count Aida cloth for it.

Isn't that just so dainty looking?! I love it!

Well that is about all I can think of to share at this time. I hope to share more about the other new projects I have started in my next posting. TTUL for now.