Cat in a Bag, Flowers, Flowers, Flowers and Stitching

This is the back half and tail of Lucky, the kitten we rescued from the shelter in October 2009.  You can read his story here.  DH stopped at McDonald's the other night after work.  Guess the empty sack just smelled too enticing; Lucky did his best to get his entire body inside the paper bag.  Maybe DH should have asked for the bag to be 'super-sized' as well as his beverage! 

SPRING HAS DEFINITELY SPRUNG!

I am so excited.  While our Colorado spring weather has included warm days, windy days, rainy days, and even some snowy days; spring is definitely my favorite season.  When we redid our backyard a couple of years ago, we planted a lot of tulips and daffodils.  Last year, just as they were getting to the point of blooming, we had a really nasty storm that annialated them...no flowers to speak of.  I was so bummed!  This year, they have been blooming like crazy!  Here's a bunch of photos for your enjoyment.

There was a story in our local newspaper last week about a woman who lives just a few blocks from us.  She has planted over 5,000 tulips in her yard!  She was welcoming people to come this past weekend to see them in full bloom.  I would have loved to see that, but one thing led to another and we never made it there.

STITCHING UPDATE

I don't have a huge amount of stitching to show this time.  I found myself with very good intentions, but little time spent with the needle in my hand.  If everyone would stop talking so much on the lists and stop writing and posting such wonderful things on their blogs, I'd get a lot more stitching accomplished!

TUSAL

I'm very late in posting my TUSAL for the month.  Ooops!  It looks like there is some green floss trying to escape from the jar. 

OAKHAVEN DIVA SAL

Here's my stitching on this new project as of April 18.  This photo is kind of dark.  Sorry.  Believe it or not, the red on the left will be a cat.  Once again, I used artistic license with my choice of floss colors.

OAKHAVEN 2010 MONTHS SAL

I finished April on Sunday, but not before doing a bit of ripping!  I was stitching along and before I knew it, I'd put a leg on the 'P' and made it an 'R' so had to take that out.  The month of May should be a really quick stitch.

Bride's Tree SAL - April Stitching Finished

The stitching is finished, but I still need to get the ornament put together.  The background is the fabric I'm using for the back.  I got the pins as a freebie in 'Cross Stitcher' magazine, Issue 224 that I picked up at Borders bookstore recently.  The ribbon is from Michael's.  I'll post another photo once it's all finished. 

Wiehenburg Spring Quaker SAL

I simply couldn't resist this SAL!  Her quaker designs are just lovely.  I decided to go a bit outside the box with my fabric and stitching.  The border all around is shown stitched in green.  I simply could NOT bring myself to stitch the tulips in one of the motifs in green; so my tulips are pink.  I'm using DMC floss and Silkweaver 28 ct Cashel Linen called Serenade.  

 

This is what the sampler will look like when it's finished. 

Counted Blessings - A New Project!!

Check out my new blog, Counted Blessings.  I started this blog to record my progress on a project count my blessings.  This will be done by stitching 100 - 1" squares.  Each square will signify and illustrate one of the blessings in my life.  It's not too late to join in this new endeavor.  Check out Amy's Blog, Counting My Blessings to learn more about this project. 

I'm still in the beginning stages of planning my project.  I think I'm going to use a 28 ct Lugana from Enchanted Fabrics.  It is called Mystique Bubblegum, a very nice, lightly marbled pink.  It's my intention to use a variety of threads, buttons, beads, and other embellishments on this project.  It will be quite a challenge to stitch 100 different blocks that are only 1" in size!  Besides that, I've done very little embroidery, so that will definitely be a stretch for me.  But, I hope I'm up for the challenge.  

There are lots of other things I could share with you, but I think I'll call it quits for this entry.  If you've read this far, I commend you, and appreciate you, as well as your comments, very very much! 

I'll leave you with a couple photos of my 'stitching kitty' - Oreo Cookie.  She is always wherever I am in the house, 'helping' me with my stitching every chance she gets.  Unfortunately, her idea of helping is grabbing the floss and eating it.  

Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

Wednesday Updates

It's been a while since I posted an update.  I have several things to talk about, so let's start with today's mail. 

I received my Bingo prize from Shelley for the recent Bingo game I won on ILCS.  It is so cute!  A fall-themed magnetic list pad (going right on the fridge) and an adorable Lizzie Kate 'Boxer Jr'  called 'Autumn.'  I LOVE Lizzie Kate; thanks so much Shelley!  Great choice!  She also included a nice note.

I can see three purchases in my future--so I have the complete set of seasons...they are shown stitched together and put in one frame on the back of the box.

Since I'm hosting the new Bingo round, I need to start thinking about the prize....hmmm....more shopping!

Update on Lucky

As some of you know, our new little furbaby, Lucky, was very ill last week.  Here are a couple of photos I took, that clearly show how his devoted adopted-Mom, Oreo, kept vigil at his side while he was ill.  In this first photo, Lucky is inside the box, sound asleep.  Oreo slept with her head on the edge of the box.

In this one, you can see how Oreo is sleeping with her paw and head up on the edge of the box, just a few inches away from Lucky.  Is that a devoted Mom or what?

I'm happy to say, Lucky seems to be well, altho he'll still be on antibiotics for several more days.  But, he's now racing around the house like a kitten should.  Thank goodness!  We were so worried about him.

Colorado Quilting Council Meeting

Last Saturday, I went to Boulder with a friend from our local Quilt Guild to the monthly meeting of CQC.  The speaker was Nancy Odom of Timid Thimble Creations.  She was an interesting speaker and had lots and lots of quilts to show, which I always enjoy.

I took along my Halloween Kitty wall hanging and my Stitchin' Kitty wall hanging (that hangs above my cutting table), for Show 'n Tell. 

I Have Another Finish!

Well, at least the stitching is finished!  Someone I met on TGOSM list recently (thanks Patti!), mentioned a group called Sampler Guild of the Rockies.  They meet once a month in Denver.  I have exchanged e-mails with the current president of the group, and weather permitting, plan to go to the November 8th meeting. It will be so much fun to meet some other stitchers in person!

They will be working on finishing an Altoid tin.  Since I don't have the design they are stitching, I came up with my own, so I can participate in putting the design on the tin.  It's a simple design--just my initials with a border around it.  I finished stitching it last night.  It's simple, but I'm pleased with how it came out.  I chose a DMC thread color that matches the edge around the top of the tin pretty well. 

First Big Snowstorm of the Season

We had the first big snow of the season today.  From what the National Weather Service was predicting though, it sounds like it could have been much worse than it turned out.  I'll be interested to see the news in a few minutes to see what they say about tonight and tomorrow.  Here's a shot looking out our front door a while ago:

Here's a two photos looking out the back door into the backyard.

I think that's the major updates for the moment.  Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween.  Hopefully our weather will clear up and not be quite so nasty out for those little ghosts and goblins.

I'll leave you with a photo I took of our three dogs last night.  They were all lounging in my office/sewing room.  Of course, as soon as they saw the camera, Max (our Cocker Spaniel) came racing over toward me.  Aren't they quite a trio...small, medium and extra-large!?

Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

Lucky, The Newest Member of Our Family

Some of you know about our new fur baby, Lucky.  He was featured on the front page of our local newspaper on Tuesday; he and his five litter-mates were rescued from a trash dumpster and taken in by a local animal rescue group.  You can read the story here. 

Seeing that little furry face, that looks SO much like my Oreo Cookie (aka 'Helping Kitty,' 'Tacky Oreo' and other names not suitable for all audiences), in my heart, I just KNEW he was meant to become part of our family.

Fairly early the next day, I called my DH from work and said, "How much do you love your wife?"  Having been married for 38 years next month, he knows me pretty well and replies, "What did you buy now?"  A bit indignant, I replied, "Nothing.  BUT, I do have something I want YOU to buy." 

I went on to tell him I'd spoken to the rescue group, and the kittens we'd talked about at dinner the night before would be available for adoption at noon that day.  I told him I REALLY hoped he'd go and get one of these kittens.

He was second in line to choose one of the kittens at noon!  The lady who was first in line choose one with an all black face.  DH said he choose the one he felt looked the most like Oreo, and turns out he chose the one who was featured in the newspaper. 

When DH brought our new fur baby to my office to show him off, one of my staff suggested we name him Lucky, since he was lucky to be alive after being in the dumpster without food or water for who knows how long.  That seemed to fit just fine, so Lucky it is.

This is Lucky taking a catnap during his first evening in his new home.  Isn't he adorable?  He has the loudest purr for such a tiny kitty!

He is giving me that "WHY are you taking my picture over and over?" look.

At first, Oreo Cookie felt obligated to hiss at him, and he obligingly returned the hiss.  However, it wasn't long before Oreo was sneaking over to him to give him a couple of grooming licks and a sniff or two, then letting out a half-hearted hiss.  Isn't Lucky the spitting image of his new mom?!

Today, the hissing is all over and Oreo has taken over her role as Lucky's adopted mom, grooming him patiently and lovingly, just as I knew she would! 

I have a suspicion from his early fame, he just MIGHT be a bit of a ham.  What do you think?

One last photo of the little sweetie...

OK, I think that's the update on Lucky and Oreo for the moment.  Expect more photos and stories of his escapades in the future.

Till Then, Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

Oreo Cookie Attacks Tacky Bob During Stitching Finish!

Oh my goodness, I have so many updates from the past week, I hardly know where to start. Guess I'll start with the last one first (sort of).  Tonight I finished the Kustom Krafts October SAL. Woo Hoo!! It is an adorable poinsettia design, intended to go on a jar lid. I was tempted to finish it as a tree ornament, but found the perfect jar while shopping at Wally World last night.

I decided to add a few green beads to the center, and that's when my 'helping kitty,' Oreo Cookie, got into the act. I grabbed my beading supply container, found some green beads, poured a few out on my Tacky Bob and got to work. As you can see by this photo, my Tacky Bob is now broken and is not so tacky anymore!  The photo doesn't capture just how much Oreo Cookie fur is now covering Tacky Bob!  Maybe I'll rename it my Furry Bob?!  I don't think Oreo will ever be very good at bead work!  Guess I'll have to add a new Tacky Bob to my 'Wish List.'  Dang cat!

As a long-time paper crafter and scrapbooker, I have a 3-ring binder of various shape plastic templates.  One of the circle templates was the perfect size, so I drew a pencil circle on the back of the stitched design and cut it out, added a circle of high loft quilt batting, and glued that to a cardboard circle.  Then I glued all of that down to the jar lid, with the excess fabric glued down around the edge.  Last, I added sparkly ribbon around the side of the jar lid to hide the raw edge of the fabric.  These photos don't do justice to how pretty this looks in person (blame the photographer--me!) 

For right now I 'borrowed' my DH's bag of almond M&M's.  I think this would look great on a shelf or table with red/white peppermints or holiday color M&M's in it.  Thanks so much to Dyan from Kustom Krafts for this free project through her Yahoo group!  Here's another photo of the finished project.

Needless to say, Oreo Cookie is now banned from my stitching area when I'm beading!

Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

'Helping' Kitty and Monday Stitching Update

We had cool and rainy weather over the weekend, which led to some good stitching time for me.  Some good progress was made on "Snowman Welcome Banner."

I also got a small start on the October Kustom Krafts SAL.  It will be a small poinsettia.  It's supposed to go on top of a round jar, but mine may turn into a tree ornament.  I'll have to see what I think once the stitching is complete.  It really is on white fabric; my camera and I didn't get along very well today!

Last, serial starter that I am, I found the perfect pattern to make for my DH for Christmas!  He was in a rock band for several years in high school and college, and at the ripe old age of 67, still loves his guitars! 

I had the perfect fabric in my stash from Silkweaver for this one.  I have yet to put a stitch in, but I do have the threads all collected, so I'm ready to go.  I'll be using the GAST threads the pattern calls for.

In the next couple of weeks, I hope to go through my stash to start weeding out items I know I will never have time to stitch.  I'll be listing them for sale on my other blog "Vicki's Stash to Go."  It is currently empty, but be sure to check back, there will be lots of charts and kits up for grabs at great prices.

Eventually, I hope to go through my stitching magazines and may also have quilting kits, books, and other quilting goodies for sale as well. 

For those of you who haven't met Oreo Cookie, my 'helping' kitty...here she is snoozing on my cutting table (on top of the fleece I bought to make a football-themed throw for our son for Christmas).  She 'helps' me every second that I am in the house; following me everywhere I go.  In this case, she was 'helping' me while I got the binding ready to sew on another Quilt of Valor.

Oreo is still sleeping, now cuddled securely under the quilt; have you ever seen such a 'helping' kitty?

And one last shot, taken this evening.  Oreo is all sprawled out on the top of my messy desk...'helping' me as I read my e-mail and watch TV.  With 'help' like this, no wonder it feels like I never get anything done!  BUT, I must admit, I wouldn't trade our fur babies for anything. 

One last item....check out this blog for a great giveaway: The Happy Needle.  It runs through October 8th.

 

Until next time, have a GREAT week and Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO