Coffee and Cross Stitch

Bookstore | Cross Stitch

Over the past couple of months, I've had two people contact me after seeing pieces I've stitched here on my lil' ol' blog, asking for help.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much that means to me.  I've been neglecting my blog so much this past year, yet somehow still inspiring people to stitch their hearts out.

That said, I've made a promise to myself that I'd be better about posting more regularly.  I've even written it in my planner, so you know it's serious business.  I lost my stitching mojo there for a while, but I think I got it back.  At least, for now.  So, fingers crossed it hangs around for a while so I can share some of the fun things I'm working on.

Even with a bit of a lack of stitching mojo, I still managed to finish an ornament.  Little House Needleworks always has the cutest ornaments, and this one is no exception.

And, hello!  BOOKS!  How could I pass up an ornament that's of a bookstore?!

I need to make sure I do the finishing work on this one so I can put it on the tree that I promised myself I'd put up this Christmas.  I haven't had a Christmas tree in 3-4 years, and I miss it.

Oh, and what are you guys reading right now?  I've hit a couple duds so far this year, but I read The Nix, which was ok, The Bear and The Nightingale, which I really liked, In a Dark, Dark Wood, which was unfortunately very predictable, and I'm currently reading The Last Days of Night, which is about the patent lawsuit between Edison and Westinghouse back in the late 1800's.  So far, I'm loving it.  I have nine books on hold at the library for my nook, so hopefully they'll keep me busy over the next couple months!

 

 

A finish, a work in progress (WIP, if you will), and....FABRIC.

Hello to all you wonderful people out there in blogland!  I've been so incredibly busy with work lately, that I've struggled to find time to do anything other than sleep and eat.  BUT, last night, I took some time to sit and stitch...something I haven't done in quite some time.

So, without further delay, here is the latest Little House ornament that I finished stitching --

It's called "Bringing Home the Tree".  I think she is just adorable, and that doggie is beyond cute!!  She has a lil' pink collar and booties!!  I love it!  LOVE!  I just have to get some backing fabric for her, and find some time to sit at my sewing machine and finish her up.  I stitched her on 40 count Maple Sugar by Lakeside Linens.  I used this awesomely amazing lil' tool called the Stitch Starter by Blue Ribbon Designs.  Belinda, if you're reading this, I absolutely LOVE this instrument that you have created.  I cannot go anywhere without it.  

I have this up next to my stitched piece so you can see the size of it done on 40 count linen.  I know some of the ornaments out there can get a little big depending on what stitch count you use, so I figured I'd give you something to gauge how big this one actually turned out to be.  The "Baked Goods" one that I showed you all here a few days ago was also done on 40 count linen, and is the same stitch count, so it is the same size as this adorable little piece.  You must all run out and get a Stitch Starter!   I blogged about it previously here, and Belinda has since created another set of sleeves you can stitch for your starter, all holiday themed.  Love it love it love it.

My WIP is something I've been trying to get finished, but just seem to find other things to do instead...like the 1400 Christmas ornaments you've all been seeing.  However, this piece is totally cool, and I think it's turning out spooktacular....

This is "16 Men on a Dead Man's Ship" by Cricket Collection.  I love so many of her designs, including the seasons pieces of which I've finished Summer, Autumn, and Winter.  Spring is another WIP.  Check out older posts from my other blog to see the pics I posted over there of those finished pieces.  They turned out so great!  I'm still trying to decide if I want to finish them all as pillows, like I did for Summer, or if I want to frame the rest.  Decisions, decisions....

Now that I've shown you my WIP (how cool is that!), I have to show you this amazingly fun and fantastical fabric I found whilst visiting a quilting shop near me that I'd never been in before.  It's not far from my LNS, so one day when I had to pick up something those dear ladies were holding for me, I stopped in the quilt shop to take a peek.  

I went in with the intention of finding fabric to make a nook cover (which you can see a sneak peek of here). When I entered, they had adorable Halloween fabric on display in the front.  So...I naturally had to grab a quarter yard of two of those for my Halloween projects which are still in my stash...not yet stitched...

(ahem)movingon.......

So, I'm coming around one of the display tables, and I see that they have Christmas fabric.  Now, Christmas is my absolute favvvvorite time of year, but it always makes me somewhat crazy to see Christmas stuff on display in SEPTEMBER.  Can we have Halloween and Thanksgiving, Mr. Crazy-retailer-giant-who-won't-let-me-enjoy-fall-before-shoving-Christmas-down-my-throat???  Pretty please?!  With powdered sugar on top of my gingerbread snaps????  No?  Ok, well...I tried.

That said....I start looking at the Christmas fabric because I absolutely cannot control myself because of my love for Christmas, and I found THIS.....

OMG.  THE GRINCH.  Now, my sister will attest to the fact that I know every.single.word to that Christmas special.  Every one.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm forced to watch it alone these days because I recite the entire daggone thing without even realizing it.

Ok.  So.  Not only is the cover from Dr. Seuss's amazing book on this panel....but so are 10 OTHER images from the book!!  

OMG.  I have so many ideas running through my head for this fabric I can't even hardly stop myself.

Greatness, amiright??  Love this fabric.  LOVVVVVVVE.

Now, I did buy adorable other Christmas fabric with which I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I couldn't pass it up.  Sadly, it now pales in comparison to the awesomeness and excitement that The Grinch creates, but I'll share them with you, too --

Cute, right?  I love the little presents :-)  The marshmallow kabob looks deeelish.  Now I want some...haha!

On that delicious note, that's all the creative I have in me for the moment.  I'm hoping to get some more stitching in this weekend, since I'll be able to breathe again for a little while, so stay tuned for more creations!

Have a fabulous fall day, and do something creative today!!! :-)

 

 

Again with these ornaments?

Um, yes.  They're just so stinkin' cute!!  Here's the latest installment:

This one is "Baked Goods" (duh) by Little House Needleworks.  I just love the ornaments that Diane has created for us all this year.  They've all been so adorable so far!  I stitched this one on 40 count Sandcastle by Silkweaver.  I love their fabric - it's so, so nice to work with and the colors they come up with are just incredible.  They're a little more subdued than Picture This Plus, but I love their fabrics, too!  I stitched my Frank n' Boo on their Echo.  

I've also been busy with my Cricut this week -- a friend of mine at work is getting married in October, and we're throwing her a shower in the office.  She already had her big shower in July, but us gals at work thought we'd do something for her in the office, too.  So, I picked out a few things I want to do for her card and for little gift tags to put on the gifts, and this is what I've come up with so far:

This is a little gift tag I came up with using the Tie the Knot cartridge.  The bridesmaids will be in black, and their bouquets will have pink flowers, so I thought this was perfect.  I love how the dress came out in the corner - so dainty!

I did a monogram for what will be her new last name, which came out super cool.  I plan on using this for one of the cards I'm making for her.  The bottom piece is the back of the tag with the dress on it -- I cut out a little shoe for the top!  How fun is this!  I'm telling you -- papercrafting is totally addicting.  Totally.  

Now, you'll have to forgive me for the more personal nature of this next picture.  This is for my stitch bitches.  Feast your eyes on this, ladies --

Are you all seeing this??  Not only do have a-dorable new Christmas fabric, but I got me some new scissors.  You know what this means...Karlie will no longer suspect I've been using her scissors all night.  I still contend that I shouldn't possess anything this sharp...but I digress....

Much love to you all!

That's all I have for the moment!  Stay tuned for more papercrafting fun, and the next ornament -- "Bringing Home the Tree" from Little House!!

Do something creative today!  :-)

And I'm back in the game!!!

Hello everyone!!!!!!  I cannot begin to tell you how fanfreakingtastic it is to be able to have a functioning computer!!!  I've been feverishly stitching, as you'll soon see, since my long absence from the bliggity bloggity world.

First stop, my newest Halloween creation.  This is from Bent Creek's photobooth series, and is called "Frank 'n Boo".   

I think it is a-dor-able and can't wait to frame and hang it for the holiday, which will be here before we all know it.  This series came as a kit -- Bent Creek supplied you with the buttons and the fabric.  I, as usual, did not like the fabric selected for me, so I went ahead and searched through my ever-growing stash of amazing fabric, and picked out 32 count "Echo" from Picture this Plus.  LOVE IT!!!!  I love how the Halloweeny colors just pop off that awesomely spooky fabric!  How funny is that little spider!  Love everything about this!

Next stop on our trip -- Christmas.  I know, I know....we barely made it through summer, and I've already got you singing "It's a marshmallow world in the winter...when the snow comes a tumblin' down...."  BUT, before you all leave me, the Christmas stuff I've been working on are these fabulous ornaments from Little House Needleworks.  Just LOVE these.  They are amazingly quick stitches, and turn out just so daggone cute!!!  

 

As you can see, I picked the fabric for the "Gingerbread Men" and "Tweet", I just need to search for some backing fabric for the "Deck the Halls".  I stitched all of these on 32 count neutral fabric, which I'm almost positive is Navy Bean from Lakeside Linens (lil' help from the peanut gallery if I'm wrong!).  I really need to start writing all this stuff down after I cut the fabric....

For those of you anxiously awaiting my next installment of the progress I'm making on "16 Men on a Dead Man's Ship" by Cricket Collection, you'll just have to wait ;-) 

That's all I have for the moment - I don't want to assail your computers with a massive picture-filled post, so I'll slowly be introducing you to the stuff I've been working on while my computer issue was being resolved.

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to rain from now until Halloween, so get those needles going and do something creative today!!