What's been going on!

**I know I haven't posted anything in a while. I've been fighting sickness for at least three weeks and just haven't felt like doing anything! We had another snow here in NC. I do love the snow but frankly, right now, I'm ready for spring! I have had some excitement over the past few weeks though! Colby and I went to see Anthony Bourdain speak in Durham. We both love his show No Reservations. We had awful seats but could still hear him just fine in all his snarkiness and hilarity. It was amazing and such a rare treat for us. We then went to Florida for Colby's family reunion. I was so glad to get out of the cold weather and into some sunshine. We had a very nice time visiting with family and we even took a day to ourselves to hit the beach. It was a little chilly but nice nonetheless just to sit in the sand. I'll post some pics later of the manatees we saw!
**I'm also trying to get together my application for the Exchange Gallery at the Visual Art Exchange. I would love to be a part of another show there and actually show more than just one piece of my work. I need to take better pictures of my pieces though and still have to do that before the deadline in two weeks! I'm such a procrastinator!
**I also finished a cross stitch a few weeks ago before I got sick. I made it for a dear friend that I thought of immediately when I saw the pattern in a cross stitch magazine I bought at a thrift store for 25 cents. It's a "vintage" magazine all the way back from 1993! My friend is a massage therapist and her motto it "Healing the world with Love." She truly believes that love that has healing powers. She's magical that way. She also just had a baby about six months ago and is going it alone. She always has a positive attitude and really flows with what the universe lays out for her. She's very special to me.

It actually took me a couple weeks on and off to finish this and there are a few mistakes but I just rolled then and made them work.


The flowers are very pretty and took the longest. There were alot of color changes. I still need to find a frame and give it to her. It's an odd size so hopefully I can find something suitable. I think it's so pretty.

I hope your lives are filled with love and happiness!

Embroidered Valentine's

Happy Valentine's Day all! Hope it is a special one for everyone. Colby and I had some great Italian at a restaurant. We don't really do much for Valentine's Day so a nice meal is good enough for me.

I did receive my Valentine towel and small crafty items for the Embroidered valentine Swap that I wanted to share with you! Everything is perfect! The towel has two lovely love birds in colors that I just love--greens and peachy-oranges. So darling.

She also sent along two great small gifts--a cute cupcake Scrabble tile charm and a perfect needle book.

I've been wanting one of these and even thought about making my own. Seems super easy and so cute!

The needle book is great. It's a smaller one that will be great for travelling. She again used the most perfect colors and added cute button details. Looked eerily familiar to the felt magnets that I made for her!

This shows it opened up and the cute hearts and buttons. How lovely! This swap was fun because of the theme and the awesome partner I had! I don't know that I'll be swapping for a while because I have some other things I want to work on...........but you never know.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Well it's that time of year again---Groundhog Day! I, for one, am ready for spring. I'm tired of cold ears and toes though I know that as soon as summer is here I'll be wishing for winter. I can never be satisfied.


But what this also reminds me of one of my favorite movies---Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie McDowell. Pure genius. I watch this movie all the time and I just love that it's set during Groundhog Day. Colby and I are always quoting it, too. We love it.



One of my many favorite scenes.

I have also vowed that before I die, I will visit Punxsutawney, PA for the big groundhog festivities. Head up to Gobbler's Knob and see the groundhog. It can't get any more fun than that. Granted we have Sir Walter Wally here in NC but there's something about Punxsatawney.


And it seems that Punxsutawney Phil has indeed seen his shadow, so it's 6 more weeks of winter for us!

New painting

I finally finished the painting I started months ago. I still can't really decide if I'm pleased with it or not. I may have to live with for a while and see how it looks to me each day. I'm like that though--I'm always my worst critic. I'm so glad it finished though because it's been sitting unfinished on my easel for months, taunting me every day. So I have a sense of accomplishment that I can now move on to the next painting. I'd love to be able to finish one a month and that really doesn't seem to be too lofty of a goal. I'd really like to be able to show another piece this year so I'm on my way. My blank canvases that I bought on sale are now calling my name.


I sometimes think about just picking up and leaving--not telling anyone where I'm going---and having an adventure. I envy people that do that.


Detail of the embroidery. I like the juxtaposition of different mediums like paint, fabric and thread. I think (at least I hope) that it creates a very dynamic image.


Parting shot of my pallet reminding me that I really do need a new razor scraper.

Valentines Embroidery Swap

My latest craft swap was the embroidered Valentine's Swap. We had to stitch a tea towel a make an extra small gift. It was probably the easiest and most stress-free swap ever. I had fun stitching and researching ideas for it. I came across so many sweet Valentine's images that it was hard to decide on one. But my awesome partner, sundayafternoonhousewife, loves gnomes, and forest animals and things like that. I found that pattern of the gnome knocking on a door and added the mushrooms and created a mushroom house around the door. I love how it turned out.


Close up of the little gnome. He was originally holding flowers but I turned it into a box of chocolates. I love his face!

I also added some hearts to the mushrooms. I was really pleased with the overall design. I think it totally fit the theme of Valentine's Day and also was something that fit my partner's tastes.

For the small gift I actually made more than one but I had so many ideas! She had asked for awrist pincushion so I know I wanted to make her one. I had never made one before so I just looked online at different tutorials and put it together. It was so easy.

I made a little cross stitch of a heart in a hoop with a needle pulling a bit of thread. I thought it was an appropriate design.

I backed with some soft felt for comfort and also put a piece of cardboard in the bottom so she wouldn't poke herself.

I just added a piece of elastic so she could wear it! I though about it later that maybe i should have added another piece of felt to the bottom to cover the elastic but too late now since it's already at her house. Hopefully it's not uncomfortable.

Then I made her some little felt magnets. Again, super simple but really cute. I just layered different colors of felt, added some buttons for a little detail and stuffed them with some magnets inside. Too easy!


I think my partner really liked everything. I'm always so nervous when I send something out. It seems I am my own worst critic. I am anxiously awaiting my package from her and am sure that it will be amazing judging by her other work.
So another swap down. I think I may take a break from swaps right now because I have some things I'm working on for gifts and, for once, a couple things for myself that I want to do. But you never know, an amazing swap could come up that I just won't be able to resist. Have a good weekend!!

Birthday cake and roller derby

My sister's birthday was last weekend and I came up with a bunch of ideas to celebrate. There was actually alot going on--Rent was playing, some cool bands were playing in town and the Carolina Rollergirls were at home. My sis chose roller derby. I was so excited because I have been wanting to check them out but just hadn't made it to a game. We had a great time and I think my sis had a pretty good birthday!

She's blowing her candles out. I made that heart shaped cake. I bought the pans from the dollar section at Target and it turned out great.

I made a necklace and a Pucca cross stitch for her that she really liked! She loves Pucca and this pattern is too cute.





For the necklace I made a little collage on a wood tile, added the "B" and then a few beads. I like how it came out.


We really did have fun at Roller Derby. Our girls rock and really kicked butt!

That score should tell you something. Beat down!


So overall a good night! I'm looking forward to more roller derby. We've planned to go to more games and have some quality girl's nights. Good, cheap fun-----------------with just a few thrown elbows.

Last of Christmas...I promise!

I swear this is the last of the Christmas crafts. I just really wanted to show a bit more of the embroidery I did for the 12 Days Swap. So here goes!

First up: Three towels with the cutest Santa's I've ever seen. They are Aunt Martha patterns and are darling! I only did three of them and will do the rest for myself probably for next year. I stitched them all on these great towels from www.colonialpatterns.com They have a vintage feel with red stripes and are super to stitch on.


Santa on his way down the chimney!

With a sack full of toys. I love the expressions on the faces of these patterns.


And sledding down the perfect hill of snow!

Then wishing you all Happy Holidays! Again, they are just the cutest patterns!!

Next up! I made a huge banner with different little embroidered "flags." I didn't get a picture of the entire thing hanging because I didn't have the space to do so, but here's what each piece looked like. They all had a embroidered design sewn onto Christmas fabric.











And that's that! Christmas is officially over.


What else has been going on:
*My sister's birthday celebration at Roller Derby!
*The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was phenomenal!!
*Lost is back on!
*Colby will be in Vegas for a few days and I'll have the place to myself!
*Eagerly awaiting my towel and small craft for the Valentine's Swap!
*May go the flea market this weekend
*Working on some cross stitches for gifts and a few things for myself!