2,900 Days and Counting . . .

Appetizer . . . one dozen pink roses

Salad Course . . . Iceberg Wedge with Bacon, Red Onion, Blue Cheese and homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Main Course . . . Boneless Ribeye Steaks and Mashed Red Potatoes

2,900 days of wedded bliss to this man . . . priceless

Yes, we do count the days we've been married.
It's one of the many ways we stay in love.

Happy Anniversary, my love!

Sweet P

A Project I Can Show

I can show one of the projects I finished yesterday. I made a version of Leanne Beasley's Couch Companion from one the Australian magazines. Instead of making the stitchery, I used coordinated ribbon and rick rack to decorate the companion. Here it is closed:

Here is is opened:

Here is a close-up of the three pocket side:

I really like how it turned out. I picked up a different package of coordinating ribbon today to make a couch companion for me.

We were given gift cards at work because our Shrink (the amount of merchandise lost during the year) was below the company's goal. I used mine to buy a box of Kreinik Silk Bella thread. There are 25 half-skeins of floss, plus a pattern, in the box. By using a 50% coupon and my gift card I didn't have to a penny for it!
Now I need to find a special, just-for-me, project to make with the threads. Any suggestions?

Sweet P

Baseball Swap Goodies

Last summer Kim and I made a bet about the Red Sox/Yankees games over the summer. The winner would send the loser a package of goodies. Well, they finished the season series 8-8 so we decided to send each other a package. Monday I received my package from Kim. Last night at the first pitch of the game we opened our boxes. Wow! Kim really spoiled me! Here's what she sent.

This awesome baseball wall hanging,

One yard of this cool coffee fabric,

Plus all of these goodies. Two more pieces of coffee fabric, Aunt Martha's transfer pencils, a butterfly cross stitch project, pillowcases to embroider, In The Garden redwork kit, Aunt Martha motif a month transfers, Ricky Tims playing cards, NY stickers, a collection of baseball charms with coordinating fabrics, a Big Papi poster and two Yankees souvenirs - a Yankees hat and an A-Rod keychain. She also included an Australian Craft magazine that didn't make it in the photo. You can see what I sent her here.

It's probably a good thing we're not making the bet this year. As of last night's game the Red Sox have beat the Yankees all six times they've played this year. Sorry, Kim.

Yesterday was Mr. E's day with me. He was sleeping when mommy dropped him off. When he woke up he greeted me with tons of smiles. He has learned to smile and like to do it. I love this photo I got of one those cute smiles.

Well, I must get to my swap projects. The clock is ticking and I'm running out of time getting them done.

Sweet P

Sneak Peek Piles

Last Thursday I spent the morning creating piles in my studio. These are good piles. Piles of cut fabric for the various swaps I'm in this summer. I started working on one of the piles this morning. The rest of them will get played with tomorrow and Wednesday. Would you like a peek at the piles?

Could this pile be for you?

Or maybe this pile - which is actually two projects . . .

Or maybe this colorful collection of fabric is yours?

These are my goodies for the Snickerdoodle Brown Paper Bag Swap.
They will be headed to my partner later this week.

This isn't a pile, but it's what I started for me last night. One of the potential downfalls of my job is that I'm responsible for making the price changes every week. Yesterday there were several yarns that went clearance at the store. This was one of them - Patons Stretch Socks yarn in Plum. I'm making a pair of socks for me using the adult pattern from the Red Sox I made last week.

It's time to get ready to work the afternoon/evening shift. I'll be back tomorrow. Maybe with some more sneak peeks!

Sweet P

Catching Up On Blog Links

I have over 300 blogs in my Bloglines subscription list. They are divided into Family Blogs, Stitchery Blogs, Designer/Shop Blogs, Life and Home Blogs, two folders of blogs of members of on-line groups I belong to, and then a ton of quilting blogs. With so many blogs I generally read all the new entries first and mark the ones I want to comment on later or entries that inspire me to write a blog entry. Sometimes I get behind on making comments and the ideas I want to write about get lost in the list.

I decided this afternoon is a good time to get caught up on two of the entries that have inspired me to write a blog entry. Hopefully you'll indulge me and keep reading.

I've had Jodi's My Creative Journey bookmarked since she wrote it over a month ago. Over the last several months I've been giving a lot of thought to my own creative journey. My Irish grandmother, Dema, taught me many needle arts when I was growing up. I was lucky she lived with us until I was 6 years old. Then she married the widower across the street from us and moved over there. She was always close by.
Dema was always making something - sewing clothes or quilts, needlepoint, beading, or crocheting. I remember making quilts with her using a 4-inch cardboard template, tracing each square and then cutting it out carefully. Our quilts were always tied, never quilted. My first quilt was a red, yellow and blue calico 4-patch quilt for my first born (I was a very young mother).

Our needlepoint projects were done on plastic canvas with yarn. I had a book called 97 Needlepoint Alphabets that I loved to use. I needlepointed my niece's name on squares of plastic canvas and made a wall hanging for her. She is now 26 years old and I think she still has it!

Somewhere my grandma learned beading. She made wonderful bead mats. I am honored to have two of them. Here is a blue and yellow one I have and keep on a table in my home. I made beaded mats too, but unfortunately the box they were in ended up in the trash during one of our Navy moves.
I made many projects with my grandma until my first DH and I moved away when he enlisted in the Navy. For a few years I didn't make any creative projects.

When we were living in Norfolk in the late 80's and early 90's I started cross stitching. Here are four Paula Vaughan projects I stitched then. They need to be cleaned up and mounted so I can properly display them. Little did I know then that quilting would become an important part of my creative life.
When I left my husband my creative endeavors took a back seat to supporting myself and my son. It wasn't until the summer of 2004 when I saw a quilt on DH's aunt's bed that I thought I would like to start quilting again. I took an on-line quilt course from Quilt University and the rest is history.

Somewhere in my upbringing I was taught that you could only do one creative activity at a time - if you quilted, then you only quilted. If you crocheted, then you only crocheted. I've tried to figure out where I learned this behavior and I've often struggled with the concept. When I started quilting again I gave away my overflowing box of DMC floss because "quilters don't do cross stitch or embroidery". Boy was I wrong! When I discovered Australian designers combine stitching and quilting I was in heaven. Now I have a wonderful collection of Presencia Finca floss and a growing selection of projects on my To Do list.

Two weeks ago the crochet bug bit me and you've seen the results - a baptism afghan and a pair of Red Sox for Mr. E. Mary Grace at Hooked on Needles wrote about her daughter starting her own Babette afghan. I checked out the afghan, fell in love with it and bought the pattern. Now, I have no yarn stash, but I think that having to shop for yarn on our upcoming vacation will be lots of fun!

So now I have to think about rearranging my studio. It is currently set up for sewing, but I need to make room for yarn, for embroidery and for scrapbooking (another new endeavor).

You know what? I think I've finally accepted the fact that I can be creative in more than one medium if I want to be. Who's going to stop me?

Tell me, do you work in more than one medium? Do you have a favorite medium? How do you decide what to work on? Are you driven by deadlines? Or do you let your Creative Muse lead you?

I'll answer these questions in an upcoming post.

Sweet P

Crochet Projects

I finished Mr. E's baptism afghan yesterday morning.
I'm happy with how it turned out.

I had one leftover skein of white yarn. So Mr. E and I went to the yarn shop to exchange it. I asked the owner for their best red sock yarn. Mr. E doesn't have any "Red Sox" and I still have the crochet bug. Yesterday afternoon I started one sock and finished it this morning. This morning I stitched the other sock in about two hours. Making these booties could get addicting!
Finally, here is Mr. E in his newest outfit from Dema. Before we went to the yarn shop I had shopping to do at Target. I went to the baby department first and didn't find anything I liked. I did the rest of my shopping then I decided I couldn't leave without something for Mr. E.

I must get working on my swap projects. Deadlines are looming! But first I have to satisfy my crochet bug.

Tell me, do you ever get sidetracked into a different project and find you can't work on anything else until that project is finished?

Sweet P

Kitchen Swap Package Arrived

This weekend I received my Kitchen Swap package from Lizzie. She sent me a wonderful selection of kitchen goodies.

Here are the goodies as they came out of the box. Lovely wrapped packages and three Australian quilting magazines. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love Australian quilting and craft magazines.

Here is what was inside those packages. The Weekend Cook cookbook. I've never seen an Australian cookbook so this is a wonderful treat. A set of three coffee-themed tea towels - perfect for hanging on my fridge. And a lovely set of green salt and pepper shakers and creamer. The color matches my kitchen perfectly. I've already used the creamer for breakfast in bed.

And finally a gorgeous set of placemats with appliqued coffee cups. I love how she made them with one cup on the left and one cup on the right. Perfect for DH and I. He is right-handed and I'm left-handed. How cool is that!

I didn't get any sewing time in this weekend. I hope to get a little bit in this morning before work. I'm working evenings this week so mornings will be my creative time.

Happy Stitching!
Sweet P

Friday Happenings

I'm still working on Mr. E's afghan. I should be able to finish this weekend. I'll post a photo when it's done.

Tuesday was my first day babysitting Mr. E. He arrived early in the morning. When he decided to wake up I put him in his bouncy chair. He gave me this look when I snapped his photo. When I sent the photo to Grampa Boo he asked what was up with Mr. E's "evil" eye? I love this photo of him.
Mr. E has discovered holding eye contact and when he's watching you he is trying to make sounds. I like to think we had a couple of "deep" conversations that afternoon.
Since I work in a fabric and craft store I generally am not an impulse buyer and I seldom buy Christmas themed fabric. But, this morning that changed. The Fat Quarter Shop has this wonderful Christmas fabric in stock and when I read about it on her blog I couldn't resist and ordered half-yard cuts of the fabrics.
I've seen a few Australian designers talk about the Stitchery of the Month Club being offered by Under The Mulberry Tree. I've thought about it for quite a while and this morning I decided I would sign up for it. I'm excited to get projects from 9 Australian designers. I truly think I should live in Australia so I can enjoy the Australian patterns easier!

I hope everyone has had a great week!

Sweet P

I Interrupt This Blog For Some Yarn

Some days I never know where my Muse is going to take me. DIL and Mr. E. came over to spend the day with Grampa Boo and I. She and I finished the baptism invitations for Mr. E's upcoming day. I asked her if her grandmother had found the family's baptism outfit yet and she hasn't. Her grandma has been ill and hasn't had a chance to look for the outfit.

Anyway, I decided that Mr. E needs a special covering for the day. As we were getting ready to leave the house for an errand my Muse decided I should crochet Mr. E an afghan for the baptism. I ran into my studio and pulled out my crochet picnic basket, found the baby afghan pattern book and thumbed through it. I found the perfect pattern for a baptism. My DIL approved the pattern and a stop at Spinning Yarn in downtown was added to the list of errands.

Crocheting was the first fiber art I learned from my grandmother. I'm a lefty and she was right-handed. She patiently taught me to crochet by having me sit and face her while she worked. Thanks, grandma!

I purchased six skeins of Plymouth Encore white yarn, came home and started Mr. E's afghan. By the time I went to the bed last night I had crocheted this far on the afghan and am already on the second ball of yarn. This is a quick and easy pattern and I should have the afghan done soon.

Here is a close up of the design.

Mr. E is getting bigger every time I see him (which is at least once a week).
Yesterday we started tummy time on his boppy pillow. He liked it for a while, then decided it was time for a diaper change.

This Tuesday will be my first Mr. E babysitting day. Oh, I bet we'll have lots of fun!

I hope you are having a great weekend!

Sweet P
Please visit my other blog: Coffee Time At Home to see what's happening around our home that's not related to playing with fabric and thread.

Boxes, Boxes, I Got Boxes

The last 24 hours has been all about boxes in my house.

Yesterday DH presented me with a bag of chocolates handmade by Megan Romano, the pastry chef at Aureole at Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, NV. I immediately fell in love with the box. It had a gorgeous purple and black ribbon on it.

The ribbon slid off and the box opened to reveal the yummy chocolates inside. What's so cool about the box is the top has a magnet on it and is the perfect size to hold a sewing kit. I'm still nibbling on the chocolates, but when I'm done the box will have another life. When DH handed me the box he commented that when he saw the box he knew I would want to keep it and use it for something. Does he know me or what????

Here is the other box I've been playing with today.
Lizzie, this photo is for you. Your Kitchen Swap package is winging its way to you today.

Another swap has been crossed of my list. I've signed up for a few of them lately and I'm having fun working on the projects.

I've started posting more on my Coffee Time At Home blog. I hope you stop be there to say hello.

Sweet P

What I've Been Working On

I can finally show a few of the projects I've been working on lately. First up is the bag for the Snickerdoodle Bag Swap partner, Bev at Kainga Happenings. The pattern came from Bend The Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. I had the striped fabric in my stash and wanted to work with a new fabric. I chose this green embroidered linen. I enjoyed making the bag and I'm happy with the finished bag.

With a few of the leftover pieces I made a companion wallet from Leanne Beasley's Romancing The Road Trip book.

I finished the Hope block from Gail Pan's A Christmas Wish BOM.
I still have May's block Peace block to trace and stitch.

I finished the top for DS #2's lap quilt.

And the companion lap quilt for his GF. I used navy blue and white Kona cotton and chose coordinating fabrics from the same fabric line.

Today I made a couple items for a Kitchen Swap. No photos as the recipient reads my blog. I should get more sewing time over the next week. I have four of the next seven days off. Woohoo!

Thanks for stopping by and happy stitching!
Sweet P
See What's Happening at Coffee Time At Home

Mr. E's Night With Dema

I promised photos of Mr. E's visit last week and I'm finally getting around to posting them. When we got home he was sleeping so I put him in his bouncy chair.

He slept for a while, woke up and watched TV for a few minutes before deciding it was time to eat.

After eating it was time to watch the Red Sox game. His friend, Wally, had to join him.

Finally it was time to put on his jammies and get ready for bed. I let him test Grampa Boo's pillow and say hi to Hero. He fell asleep on my chest before I put him down on his little bed in my room. He woke up at 1:15 and again at 5:45. He didn't eat much at 5:45 and fell asleep on my chest for another hour and a half before we got up for the day.

After he ate breakfast he took another short nap until it was time to get ready for mommy to pick him up. I let him lounge around in his onesie for a while. It's getting small on him already.

This past weekend my youngest son and his girlfriend came to visit. We had a great time. Now all the out of town visitors have been here and life can return a simpler pace. Tomorrow mommy and Mr. E are coming over for Jammie Day at Dema's. Next Tuesday will be my first babysitting day with Mr. E.

Thanks for stopping by. I'm hoping to have some finished to show you soon.

Sweet P

First Overnight With Dema

Hello there! Not much sewing has been happening here. I am finally over my cold. My mom has returned to MN and DH is on the road again.

Tonight is Mr. E's first overnight with Dema. DS and DIL need a good night's sleep and I offered to keep him for the night. I picked him up about an hour ago. He fell asleep on the way home and I put him in his new bouncy chair. He seems to be stirring a little bit right now.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day. Mine was quiet with a short visit from Mr. E. I will be seeing DS #2 and his GF this weekend when they come to visit to meet Mr. E.

I am nearly done with the Hope stitchery, a few more french knots and crosses and I'm done. I've been working on the lap quilts from DS #2 and his GF. I have about 6 rows left to connect. I'm going to tie the quilts instead of quilting.

I'll have more photos of Mr. E's visit tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stitching!
Sweet P

I'm Almost Back

Thanks for all the well wishes. I am slowly getting better. Of course it helps to have DH come home for a few days. I have finished the March block from Gail Pan. I'm almost done with the April block too.
I received my Redwork Cushion Swap package from Cathi of Cathi Crafts. Besides the cushion she included a few other goodies: a photo album that will come in handy for keeping photos of Mr. E; an assortment of embellishments (ribbon, thread, button and pin); and Bailey's Irish Cream chocolate that didn't last for the photo. :(

Here's a photo of the back of the cushion. It's a lovely heart stripe fabric.

And here is the gorgeous front. The next time pillow forms are on sale I will be sure to buy one. The pillow will find a special place in my studio. Thanks for a great package Cathi!

Mr. E is now the proud owner of his first Red Sox hat. It's a little big, but he'll grow into it. He was cranky today and finally settled down about 4 pm. He then proceeded to put himself to sleep on his boppy pillow. I couldn't resist resting the hat on his head. After all, the Red Sox are playing against the Yankees. He slept for nearly 3 1/2 hours before mommy decided to wake him up.

In three weeks I'll get my first full day of babysitting him. That's when mommy goes back to work. I can't wait!

Happy Stitching and thanks for stopping by!
Sweet P

I'll Be Back

It's been a long week. I came down with a nasty cold - 24 hours before my mom arrived for a 12-day visit. I've been sniffling, sneezing, achy, stuffy head, sleeping all week. Mr. E has been over to visit, but I've kept my distance.

I've done some stitching, some sewing, but nothing I can show yet.

I'll be back when I'm feeling better.

Sweet P