Annette's Acre

My first pieced quilt top….(click to biggify)

Size is approx 36″ x 58″ 

The design showed a thicker border on the right, but I decided to do thinner borders around all four sides instead.  I am very pleased with the result and can’t wait to take it to the quilt shop on Friday to see about having it layered and quilted.  The quirkiness definitely helped hide some less-than-perfect bits.  I do need to work on how I manage the seams on the back, but for my first attempt at a pieced quilt top, I think I did alright

Wow, another month gone by! 

School is back in session (at least for one kid) and while the heat continues in Arizona, the end is in sight. 

For this month’s Ten on the Tenth, I’m going to expose ten dark secrets. (Only ten.  There are more.)

Yes, I’m posting ten long-suffering works-in-progress.  None of these pieces have seen the light of day for at least a year… most several.  Here we go….

1 – Stroke of Midnight by Teresa Wentzler

I probably have a few more hours in her than reflected here.  This design is what led me to the stitching community back in 2000.  And I still love it. 

Don’t let the snail’s pace progress fool you.

2 – Desiderata by Indigo Rose

This would definitely go faster if I worked on it now and then.  I can’t even remember the fabric this is on.  I do know it’s DMC.

3 – Brave Hearts by Little House Needleworks

Silk (1 over 2) on 40-ct fabric.  I really need to get a better light setup in my stitching corner….. yes, that’s an excuse and I’m sticking to it!.

4 – Fortunate Traveler by Teresa Wentzler

Isn’t that pretty?  Yeah, I think so, too. 

5 - Skeleton Crew by Cricket Collection

Given my avowed love of all things Halloween, one would think this would be further along.  It’s just all that white…..

6 – Lilac Pixie by Mirabilia

Poor lilac was a victim of the Mirabilia Round Robin.  I was Mira-ed out   I’m sure she’ll come back after Summer is done, though.

7 – Toy Shop Bead and Buttons from Mill Hill

Now that I know Missy Ann’s beading trick, this one will probably get done before Christmas

8 – Egyptian Garden by Chatelaine

I love love love this design.  Not  a fan of printing each chart, but I’ll work thru that.  I just haven’t found the magic system yet….

9  – Rosemarkie by Long Dog Samplers

I think fear is keeping me from stitching on this.  I’m using a lovely Needle Necessities overdye.  You know, the *discontinued* thread people?  I have at least five skeins, so running out is a relatively small risk….but still….  to get all that way and run out… [shiver]

10 – Noah’s Ark by Teresa Wentzler

Probably a *little* further along.  I would have sworn I had most of the ark done.  Funnily enough, the animals aren’t that scary any more.  I guess after starting (and finishing) pieces on 40-ct, 25-ct over 1 is cake.  The light issue….that’s still a kicker, though.

Just digging up the pictures makes me want to pull them all out and give them some love.

I’m sure the feeling will pass.

This month’s jar is full thanks to three small knit projects this past week   Can’t show results quite yet…so just imagine that lovely orange, yellow and red in three..umm…things.  The blue/white/brown bit is actually a swatch for a new pair of socks (progress pic coming).  The floss is from Summer Queen.

Wonder what next month’s will look like?

Another week gone without a post.

It’s almost too hot to think here in Arizona.  We’re in our annual monsoon season and after living in the southwest, more or less, for the past almost-30 years, any increase in humidity is very noticeable to me.  Here in Phoenix, we suffer through July and August to fully appreciate and enjoy the rest of the year

A couple of inquiries regarding the new scissor holder from my last post.  Here are a few more details:

• I found it at a small antique shop in Prescott. 
• It is ceramic.  Two pieces – the top is circular with 13 holes (12 around the outside and one in the center).  The bottom is simply a large “cup” with a lip around the inside for the top to settle in.
• There is a maker’s mark on the bottom but I’ve not been able to find any info.  It says “JL Collection”

In between bouts of PuzzleQuest 2, I have managed a few x’s here and there.  Here’s my Mirabilia Summer Queen:

Click to biggify….

This is essentially everything on the “back” of the chart.  I’d estimate she’s about 60% complete.  Here’s the full pic from the Mirabilia site: Summer Queen

I’ve been off work this week…

First, I’ll show what I haven’t done much of:

This is my July Truly Useless SAL entry.  As you can see, there is a paltry amount of thread in there…. not much stitching going on in the last month!  I have managed a bit of gaming and reading, still a relaxing week.

DH and I ran away for a short break to cooler climates here in Arizona.  We travelled just a couple hours up north to Prescott, Arizona, where it’s at least 20 degrees cooler than in Phoenix

We stayed at lovely little hotel just off the courthouse square:

A historic hotel, built in 1917.

Wonderful lobby:

Small, comfortable rooms..

(These were taken from the doorway.  There’s a small closet to the right.)

The bathroom was almost as big as the room…

We walked around the historic downtown area, stopping for a late lunch (very very good)…

Wandered thru antique stores and a candle shop and just relaxed and enjoyed the cooler weather. 

I did find something that I put right to use:

These are just the scissors I had in my main stitching area.  I’ve got at least three more pair in other areas of the house LOL.  I’ve also got several naked scissors… need to work on that…

Back to work on Monday!

Time to show off two recent bits of exchange stitching.  

ABC Exchange (Hooked on Exchanging blog)

What I received…. a gorgeous pillow.  Love love love this!  Click to biggify…

I also sent a small pin pillow based on the Blackbird Designs “Know Your ABC’s” freebie.  I also did a small fob (recipient initials on the front, mine on the back with the date).  The cord is made from black DMC and metallic threads.

Finishing fabric you may recognize from this pic

Chatelaine Exchange (Chatelaine Board)

Today’s mail brought me this gorgeous ornament based on sampler designs from the Ruby and Sapphire mini-mysteries:

And the back:

I sent a biscornu based on Mini Mandala 1 and a beaded fob:

Since I missed posting for May, I didn’t empty the jar.

This is since April….

I can see some Halloween-y colors in there and can pick out colors from my recent exchange stitching

As I missed May, I’ve added a moon phase widget on the left there… to hopefully remind me.  Or at least I know where to go when I think “Oh, cr&p!!  When is this month’s TUSAL date??”

….to stitch Halloween stuff:

Mill Hill Lunar Trick – completed June 6th (started June 5th)

Finished as a magnet with dark purple felt backing

Blogging is obviously not a priority lately….

When we last met, I was planning a few days off….

Friday, I took advantage of the day off and did the “Saturday” errands a day early.  Nail appointment, grocery store, a visit to Hobby Lobby for some fabric:

Love love love the key fabric.  You’ll see more of that soon….

This selection went with a bit I bought last week from FabricLovers.com (Great site – great shipping and packaging)

(Phone pic – mildly crappy)

I also played with my new phone:

A Blackberry Curve 8900 with a Starry Night phone cover   I bought it thru Amazon Wireless which was quick and simple and way cheaper than buying it thru my provider.

Friday night (at 8:30 PM) kids and I went to see Prince of Persia.  Having played a few of the PoP games (Xbox360 and PS3) we spotted a number of game references: camera shots (showing the path to take), acrobatics (wall running, jumping) and even a couple lines including the favorite “That’s not how it happened!”  (Nice tie in to the post title, eh?)  I really enjoyed it.  Jake is certainly easy on the eyes….

Saturday, Sunday and Monday were all spent at home.  I didn’t leave the house.  I stitched more in those three days than I have in the last month.  Unfortunately, it was all exchange stitching (Chatelaine – done!, ABC Exchange – stitched!) so no pics for a bit.  I did break out the sewing machine on Sunday and tried out a recently acquired pattern:

Keys!  The bottom fabric I bought over a year ago when a local fabric shop was going out of business.

Bag is about 8″ across the top.  You can see the inside of the bag, too.

The pattern has three different sizes and this is the medium size.  I’ll use the pattern again – I like the pleat detail at the bottom – but will put in the zipper a little differently as I don’t like how the ends turned.

Tuesday, I visited the new Sea Life Aquarium here in Arizona with the kids.  Nice set of exhibits including jellyfish and seahorses.  Also managed a stop at a local Bead Shop and Krispy Kreme (chocolate and original glazed… yummm).

Back to work today…… but kept it easy and worked at home   Sadly, tomorrow I’ll have to pay attention to the alarm clock   But it’s a short week and a quiet weekend ahead!

I hate when time flies by and you’ve nothing to show for it….

Almost nothing.  I did finish my last Mirabilia RR piece over the weekend.  This is a section of Mira’s Morning Glory pixie:

If you want to see the full thing (it’s a very wide picture) click here: Sophia’s RR

Mine came home already and is off to the framer.  I’ll post when it comes home

Next up is a piece for the Chatelaine Exchange and an upcoming ABC Exchange   Someday soon I’ll stitch for me again!