When Stitchers Travel

I have a stitchy friend that I meet with a few times per year.  Nashville is a good meet up point between us, so we go there, rent a hotel for a night and spend the day before and morning after stitching, shopping at the LNS, eating out, and sometimes going to an event. It's always so much fun and we leave rejuvenated and happy.

This past weekend we met and we were both looking forward to it so much.  I had a bit of trouble getting our hotel reservation as it was to be the same night as the country music awards and Bonaroo was also happening.  So Nashville was filled to the gills and all the rooms were charged at about 3X their normal rate.  Wow.  But, we managed to find one Extended Stay America in a bedroom community that was still charging it's normal rate.  We got one of the very last rooms.  I don't think there was a vacancy anywhere near Nashville that night.

We also had to brave the traffic and crowds of downtown proper.  We had tickets to go to the Ryman for an author talk - Steven King!  He's making the rounds right now for his new book End of Watch, which is the third in the Bill Hodges series.  Everyone got a copy of the book with their ticket price.  400 of them were signed, but neither one of us got one of those.  Phooey.

(my son's dog...she likes to pose for the camera)

Mr. King was very entertaining and spoke for about an hour and 15 minutes.  He told stories of his life, his writing process, and took a few questions.  He had a very calm and laid back demeanor and was quite a bit more soft spoken than I was expecting.  It was really fun and he kept us laughing.  I'm really glad we got to go.

Of course another high point was shopping at he LNS.  The last time I was there some months ago, I had seen this My Big Toe as a model.  I think it's a pattern that can't really be appreciated until you see it stitched up.  I haven't been able to get it off of my mind since seeing it, so I went ahead and bought it as well as the needed threads.  

As you can see, a few more things crept into my basket.  I needed another Qsnap and liked this small rectangular size.  And I had planned on getting a couple of Mill Hill kits.  I've never done one, and was getting the itch.  I got two nice, summer ones.  Lemonade and Root Beer Float.  The brown fabric and orange/green floss was the only spur of the moment purchase.  It's Barnwood by Picture This Plus.  It's an odd rectangular shape, but I really loved it so I snatched it up.  I might use the threads to do some pumpkins on it?  Or given the shape of the fabric maybe a welcome sign?  Not sure yet.

Saturday night after shopping and attending the event and dealing with the huge crowds downtown ~ we were just done for by the time we got back to our room.  It was so nice where we were staying though, because it was **so quiet**.   There weren't any other hotels in the area, it was more a business district.  So all was calm and no noise and it was so nice to get back to that room and just crash.  We took it easy the next morning, staying right up until time to check out.

If you have a stitchy friend you can meet up with a few times a year (or more!), just for the sake of visiting and stitching, I would really recommend it. It's so fun and so nice to just get away for a little bit with someone else who loves to stitch.  Comparing projects, seeing each other's progress since the last time you met, a little shopping and eating out ~ it's really a lot of fun.

Stitchers who bake ~ Promised recipes

In my last post, I left some teasers about some yummy baking going on in my kitchen.  

So if you would like to have the recipe for this cake:

Go here.

If you would like the recipe for this strawberry bread:

Go here.

And because I'm kinda proud that it won a blue ribbon from the test kitchen very soon after being posted, if you would like the recipe for these Butterbeer Cookies:

Go here.

The strawberry cake recipe is very old and was my mom's.  The bread I've been baking since I was 9.  And the Butterbeer Cookies is a recipe I created myself just a few weeks ago.

Enjoy!

Sneak peak into my kitchen...

This isn't stitching ~ but I must say it's gorgeous.

I stocked up on strawberries this past weekend and today I'm making strawberry cake and strawberry bread ~ two old recipes that have been in my family a very long time.

The cake is currently in the oven.

This is the gorgeous batter...

 More updates to come later...

Victorian Motto Shoppe is doing another gorgeous giveaway!

It's another giveaway time at the Victorian Motto Shoppe!

Click *here* for details.

It's her stunning Halloween themed threads ~ love them!!!

Lots of Victorian styled lovlies

I've got some WIPs to share and also a couple of new projects that I will hopefully be starting soon.

I've been working on Sue Hillis' Christmas in the Kitchen as a SAL with a couple of ladies on Flosstube.  I had not done much one it, but about a week ago really felt in the mood for it.  (Finally.)  So I pulled it out and got it about half done. 

 I changed the called for threads in the word Christmas at the top.  I used a merino wool and silk blend that also has some sparkle running through it.  It's a thin yarn, intended for needlepoint, but it works ok on this 14ct fabric.  I purchased it on a whim last year, simply thinking I would do something Christmas related with it.  I think it works perfectly for this project.

Next is a project that I am creating myself.  Not the patterns, but the stitching and decorating of this object was my idea.  All the patterns I'm using come from the book, Anne Orr's Charted Designs.  It's filled with Victorian motifs, silhouettes, alphabets (it shows you how to space and place your letters for monograms as well,) and florals.  

I found this rounded box that spins at a craft store.  It has six photo frames around the outside and the lid comes off.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to turn it into a stitching box.  I currently have four pictures done for the outside frames.  I have a lot of plans for the inside to dress is up and make it nice and lovely.

I've still been working on the Edwardian Garden Party by Cross Stitch Collection magazine.  I started it at the beginning of last year and have pretty much been working steadily since then.  I'm about 2/3 of the way through.  I just finished this gentleman in his suit last week and the lady next to him, I did her face, hat and decolletage last night.  I'm hoping to get her dress done in the next 2-3 days.

I recently went on quite a search, trying to find one of the patterns for Judy Odell's project, Attic Collection Stitcher's Accessory book.  It was quite the adventure trying to find one, as it is an old pattern that is no longer easily found.  I ended up contacting Judy Odell herself and even she had a hard time finding one ~ but in the end, I found two!  It was given several different pattern ways.  And I'm so excited to have two of them.

This is the original one I found out about and was looking for:

It has two color options, the one shown being Autumn and another that is Summer.  I'm going to kit up the Summer version ~ it is variegated purples and lemon yellows and navy blues.

Then this pattern is called Floral Romance Remembered.  I'm going to kit it up as well.

As well as stitching, I've been doing a lot of baking.  This week a wanted to see if I could create a recipe for Butterbeer Cookies ~ like the drink in Harry Potter.  I did pretty good if I say so myself.  Everyone gave these a thumbs up.

Recipe:

1 butter cake mix, 

2 eggs, 

1/2 C oil, 

2 Tbls water, 

1 tsp. cinnamon, 

1/2 C butterscotch bits, 

1/2 C english toffee bits

Mix all ingredients by hand until batter is smooth and shiny. Drop by tablespoon full onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes at 350*. Once cooled, make the icing drizzle ~ 1 C powdered sugar, 1 Tbls vanilla, 2 Tbls french vanilla coffee creamer. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

From my home to yours ~ enjoy!

First try at Hardanger and Carrot fabric

So.

In an effort to continue growing and expanding my stitchy skills and knowledge, I decided it was time to start tackling Hardanger.  I own a lot of Hardanger books and patterns, but....Hardanger.  

Know what I mean?

I did at least understand the process and wasn't at all afraid of the cutting.  I totally understood how and why it works, so the cutting isn't scary if you understand and trust the process.  It was just an unknown territory.

And I decided to dive in.  

I'm using a pattern from this book.  Who knows how old it is?

And this is the pattern I chose.  It seemed like the easiest one.

I'll admit I'm fudging a bit on this project because I decided to just start it on a whim.  So I didn't have the pearl threads called for.  So I'm using regular DMC cotton, three threads.  This is just a learning experience, so I'm not picky.  I will probably turn the finished product into a Christmas ornament.

But we're not finished yet.  Not nearly.

I'm using such contrasting colors in order to make everything easier to see.  And it's already painfully obvious that I need sharper scissors.  I need a pair of scissors specifically for Hardanger.  But for now, like I said, I'm just trying to learn and I'm not being picky.

I will also say that one of my first impressions is that Hardanger is even more time consuming than cross stitch.  This piece, once done, will have satin stitches, woven bars, and dove's eye specialty stitches.  And the initial stitching part isn't too bad.  (Once you realize that one square on the pattern is equal to two squares on your fabric - and they *don't* tell you that.  You're just supposed to know it by some special mojo osmosis or something.)  But the cutting and then the weaving - oh my mercy, it does take up the time. 

I'll get it done though.  Because I'm stubborn like that.  In the world of stitching there is so much to learn and so many ways to expand your skill set.  I love that.

I have a new project that I am going to start kitting up.  This was on the cover of Cross-Stitch and Needlework magazine last year in the Fall issue.  As soon as I saw it, I fell in love.  I love it all ~ the colors, the pattern, the edge work ~ all of it.  It is intended to be a jack'o'lantern pattern but truthfully that doesn't jump out at me.  I have to look at it a bit before I even see the little faces.  I just think it's a stunning set.

I went to 123Stitch to see about finding the fabric.  I don't want to change anything on this.  I was it exactly as shown, so the 30ct Weeks Dye Works fabric in the color, "Carrot," is exactly what I want.  

And let's just say....CHA-CHING $$$$$$.

The entire set requires two pieces of fabric 16X16, two that are 12X12, and two that are 14X14.  Now, of course, they are not sold in those exact specific sizes.  So to get what I need, I'll have to buy two that is 13X17 and four that are 17X26.  

And that, my dears, will run close to $110!!!

Wowsers.

So I'm just going to go at it a little bit at a time.  Eat the elephant one small nibble here and another there.  I really can't wait though.  I'm just itching to work on this.  

That's all now my dears.  I'm off to stitch a bit and read some stitchy blogs.  

Hugs and kisses and busy needles to you all!

:0)

Finished!!

I finished Rapunzel!  I was so happy to be done with her, I couldn't wait until my daughter's birthday in August to show her.  So I shared it with her right away and she was very surprised and she really liked it.  We're going to get it framed soon.

Mission Accomplished.