retreats and trees?

who doesn't love a tree and the more the better.
i love that Bellingham has tons of trees and
all different and of course us humans make
them a bit unique with our clippers.
I think this must be a new way to clip bushes
been seeing this in different neighborhoods.
great for driving by doesn't block traffic view.

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this is one of my favorite streets to walk on. this was a few weeks ago when it was beautiful.
another stitch day yesterday with my friends and even with the crazy rain and loads of traffic i had another great stitch/lunch with my  lady friends. Jan and i drove to Redmond and i have never seen such rain and traffic. oh my where do all these people live and where are they going? i do believe we need mass transit in the Seattle area, what is everyone thinking or not?
i'm getting ready for our "Red Barn Retreat" and the NSG retreat in the first weekends of June.
 Red Barn Retreat is first and i have been busy making goodies for my wonderful friends, i will post the goodies after they recieve them don't want to give them any ideas ya know. this is our second year and each time we get together i realize how lucky i am to have a group of friends who love the same things i do and also who believe in the same things i do. i always try to come up with something different and fun to give to them.  i am planning on a craft project of book paper folding i guess thats what you call it. i saw it in magazines and of course all over the craft world and it looks fun and pretty cool. it will be our one thing to try away from stitching. all you need is an old hard cover book and some directions on paper folding and you can create a unique piece of standing art. i will take pics and post.
then it is off to fort worden for the NSG retreat which is also very fun another 3 days of stitching and no cooking or cleaning. i hope to get tons of projects done over the first two weekends in june and have loads to show when i get home.
 i will be thinking of you as i stitch, read and enjoy my friends.
hope you get a chance to do the same.
even a one day retreat is worth the effort.
 all it takes is a friend, cup of coffe or tea, something to munch on and a project. make time to be with your friends life is to short to let another day go by.

how i design and stitch.

i have so many ideas in my head as i am sure many of us creative types do. i try to keep my ideas in a journal and i have little drawings and of course tons of notes, clippings from magazine and newspaper articles, all there to incourage me and inspire me.

this particular piece i am working on is an online project and i wanted to change it up a bit to make it my own. which i like to do as much as possible. i wanted this to be simple due to the time limit i have to complete it. i will use this flower to put on the front of the door of a small chest. the originial designer created a different looking flower.
  the way i start designing is on grid paper. sometimes i may start on the computer, either on my PCStitch program or Jane Greenoff program, both work great but this time it was pencil and grid paper. I next pick out a scrap piece of linen it doesn't for me have to be the exact same count but close to the finish linen piece. next i pick the colors and thread i want to use sometimes i will use scrap thread just to get an idea of what i want. then i sit down and start to stitch the pattern and i always make changes as i go. the first one i stitched is ontop feeling happy with it  i started the bottom piece which will be the final piece and i love it. simple and so far so good. i think i will add a few simple stars around the outside of the flower and i have the bottom yet to finish with different greens to look like grass or weeds.
the best part about designing as i stitch in hand is i can use the original sample piece on another project, a bookmarker or put into a quilt, the front of a journal, the sleeve of a shirt or dress.
the ideas are endless.

i love little shoes!

how could i resist little shoes and pin cushions too. i took a chance, a picture maybe worth a thousands words but are they true? i must admit i rarely go to ebay but i did last week and found these lovely little shoes! i was of course very happy to open each box and see such perfect little leather shoes. all i need now is a perfect little elf to wear them? who made them? where were they made? who knows? i love them and i guess for now that is all that counts.  i sat them on my little wooden sofa and they seem at home for now.

this really looks like a true moccasion. wooden hell, shoe string and leather upper.

i love when simple things make me happy and i must admit these shoes do.

where we stitch!

i have been a very lucky lady i have stitched in many beautiful homes and  gardens. i animal /house sit as a side thing and needless to say i bring my stitching along plus lots of books. i was lucky enough last week to spend many days stitching in this lovely living room. the view was breath taking. trees reaching to the sky and even a bald eagle flew by. when weather permits i sit on the peaceful deck overlooking the incredible gardens and waterfall with fish in the bottom pool.
 how could i complain? what more could i ask for? sweet dog by my side and a sampler project waiting for a new stitch to be put in place. the sky was so blue it almost hurt to look at it. then as soon as i looked away a huge fluffy cloud would roll by. i love the northwest,  weather changes each minute and it never gets to hot for to long. i am a cold climate women, i like a little snow, lots of rain ( i love water) and of course the sun has to be just enough to bring out a smile. i would never do well in the sunny hot states, no air conditioner here.
i think where we stitch makes a difference.
where is your perfect place to stitch? do you have a favorite chair, a quiet room?

the Zen of White?

i have been busy stitching on many projests as usual. the knot tree is coming along nicely and i have 2 baby samplers to complete. one is almost done and the other is still in design stage. my poor Truth Sampler is still waiting nicely in the bag.
 i started a new project a light cotton coat that has 3 or 4 different patterns/colors in it and i love it. I haven't really sewn any clothes for myself lately so it is a big learning curve. i had to take the sleeves out 3 times yes 3 times. needless to say i wanted to scream but i kept my cool and now it looks good. the big task will be that it is reversiable so i need to put both coats together. please say a kind word to the sewing gods for me this week.

i am animal sitting this week and decided to bring out sweet Mary Wigham again. i do love her but i must admit what is it with White thread? i think they don't like me. they seem to lay different, they have a whole unique way of coverage no matter if its Vicki Clayton, Needlepoint Silk, Glorianna threads.  i do like white and i have always wanted to do a white piece but oh my goodness it is a pain. i can't look at it to close or i see every stitch that lays a little off to the right or to the left. i have tried everything i can possibly think of, the way i cross the stitch, how i travel with the thread. i must admit i have dissected this piece more than anything i have ever stitched. it's best to stand back and just enjoy it.
well enough complaining back to Mary and the "White" meanies, who knows i may learn the true Zen of White Thread. if you have any knowledge let me know. i am eager to learn.