Going back on Memory Lane with Tropical Fantasy or Fire on Ice: Sue Lentz, designer

I have managed to spend quite a bit of time yesterday on Stichamaze website and had a wonderful time but still need to go back many more evenings to read all of it. While reading the guests' section, all of a sudden I came upon a piece that I have stitched many years ago. I knew this piece by the name of Tropical Fantasy but apparently it was also known by other names like Fire on Ice, which I thought was also a very appropriate name for it. Edith Chapman stitched that one and this is a Sue Lentz's design and a gorgeous one at that.

This was my post about Tropical Fantasy . Unfortunately with the glass over it, I have never been able to really show the details properly. Now by clicking on the close-ups photos on Stitchamaze, you can see a little better, but I can assure you that it does not even come close to showing how beautiful this piece is.
.
Tropical Fantasy is one of my stitched piece that sits just in front of me on the wall right behind my computer, so I am in a position to enjoy it all the time. My framer even went shopping for me at a fabric store and found an absolutely perfect piece of fabric to cover the mat with it. I never stitch the same piece twice but this one, I think I could consider doing it. It is that beautiful and I have enjoyed it that much.
.
Well, time for me to leave Memory Lane and go back to reality with Persian Fantasy and do step 2 of the burden stitch. Funny, I was reading on the ANG list that many stitchers do not like to do that stitch or even hate it, but I really don't mind it at all and the effect is really quite beautiful, but I am also a person who does not mind spending lots of time with a laying tool, so .......... :-)
.
Pierrette =^..^=

Soldier Kissing Pillows: Geraldine Trappey, designer

Stitching Guild Chapter members around the country like ANG and EGA and perhaps others too have been and are still stitching these little "Soldier Kissing Pillows" and our new Cyberpointers chapter, which I am a member of, has also embarked in this project by adopting a battalion that is due to deploy later this year.
.
I have committed myself to stitching 6 of these little pillows and this is the first one, so 5 more to go :-) They take approximately 3 hours each to make I was told, but since I am a slow stitcher, it is taking me a bit longer than that, but it may be because it was my first one. I may be able to get my act together after this first one and gain some speed. Let's hope so :-)
.
What made me want to participate in this project is what I read about it. Here it goes:

"These hand-stitched little pillows are designed to be used as a keepsake for the children and loved ones left behind by the soldiers departing for service of the United States of America. The soldier should kiss the pillow and give one to each of his or her loved ones to hold onto until he or she returns from war."

and then it says:

"We hope the pillows will be a comfort during the lonely times both for the family and for the soldier. They were lovingly stitched with gratitude for your service to our country by ...........(here goes the name of the chapter)".
.
I will be stitching the others in between other projects as I usually do not stitch multiple of the same project, but this is for a very good cause so I felt that I just had to stitch them.
.
Pierrette =^..^=

The Peacock Stitching Chair: Graph A - Chair Back

I have been slowed down quite a bit those last two days with lots of interruptions and false starts, but with persistence have finally managed to stitch the back of the chair.
.
For those who are not sure which project this is, here is the link for it. The one I am working on is the first of the series. Since then there has been a second chair (the green one) and a divan which is also adorable.
.
Yesterday I have received my kit for a credit card case and I am just dying to start working on it, so I may decide to start working on it before doing a bit more on Superstition. We are finally having a nice warm and sunny day today after days of rain, so will now take a much needed break, go outside on the patio and enjoy a bit of sun and while there will think about what I feel like working on next. I am starting to really enjoy often switching projects to suit my moods. This rotation business is not that bad after all. I have resisted it for a long time though (grinning).
.
See you all later :-)
.
Pierrette =^..^=

The Peacock Stitching Chair by the Cat's Whiskers Design Studio

Once in a while I love to do projects with friends and this is one of them. I wish I could do this more often but I just have too much on my plate at any given time to do more.

.

We were debating which project to stitch together and have taken the decision to start working on the first of the "Lounge Suite" Series, the Peacock Stitching Chair (photo above).

.

I read the instructions yesterday and started basting using the "layout map for chair pieces" provided with the instructions. There are 12 pieces in all. There is not so much stitching in this project as there is a lot of assembling to do in order to construct the little chair.

.

I have done part of the basting yesterday and will try to complete the rest sometimes today. It does not take all that long to do but I need to be careful in measuring each different sections. After that the stitching may begin :-)

.

Pierrette =^..^=

I did a little finishing with "Party Girl"

This is how I finished my little "Party Girl" (a Jean Walter design), something between an ATC (artistic trading card) and a postcard as it is a little bigger in size than your regular ATC (which is the size of a playing card as a rule).
.
I stitched a little border around the picture, put some padding and a rigid piece of stiffener (can't recall the name of it). It is rather rigid and can be used to make fabric bowls, and then stitched the back with the front.
.
A while back now, my best friend Terry who lives in England, had her bag stolen while doing grocery shopping and she lost some embroidered pieces that I had made for her which she was carrying in her handbag and having fun showing them around. Her bag was never found by the police and I knew that she was very sad about it, so I made up my mind that I would slowly restart making more fun little pieces again and sending them her way as little surprises, rebuilding her little collection with some new pieces. They will all be sizes that she can easily carry around with her. They say lightning rarely strike twice at the same place, so hopefully they won't get stolen this time around.
.
I recall those pieces that I had made for her which were stolen: Gardian Angel, Halloween ID card, Fabric envelope so that she could carry them in it. I thought there was something else too, but can't recall.
.
I can now post this blog entry as Terry has just received her little surprise this morning and can't stop laughing. Her husband is there looking at her and wondering what is the matter with her. She has not told him yet, keeping him in suspense a bit longer before she shows it to him :-)
.
Yesterday I ended up not stitching at all, so Angelina is still headless and armless, but should resume my stitching today.
.
Pierrette =^..^=

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

I was busy stitching and then I came upon this "party girl" and thought to myself "Hum, she is exactly what I need to celebrate the new year 2009", so I stopped everything that I was working on and stitched her.
.
She is nothing like me, as I am more the quiet type, so she will have fun for me while I peacefully sleep, all warm and cozy in my big bed, dreaming about her dancing the night away. I am so glad that I won't have her hang over afterwards. Nope! On January 1st I will be feeling all refreshed after a long night sleep and roaring to go to stitch the day away :-)
.
To all of you who will be reading my blog, I am wishing you the best year ever, filled with laughter, good health, love, enough money to add to your stash and everything else that your heart desires :-)
.
Pierrette =^..^=

Cross Stitch Horrors

[Cross stitch project that I am working on]


I came across this some time ago and thought it was just so funny until it happens to you that is, that I wanted to share it with you all. I have no idea who the author is, so here it goes:

CROSS STITCH HORRORS

Today I joined a cross stitch class

And though it may sound dumb

Where once my fingers used to be

I now possessed a thumb

I couldn't thread the needle

And this creates a 'hitch'

For without a threaded needle

You can't create a stitch

The instructor had to thread it

And though it sounds kind hearted

She muttered lots of muffled words

And hastily departed

She showed us how to make a stitch

And where we should begin

But the first stitch ended painfully

Beneath my tender skin

Well, I've never been heroic

And I believe one lady said

The screams that issued from my mouth

Would surely wake the dead

The class was in an uproar

As they crammed to take a peek

For my face was now a deathly white

And my legs were feeling weak

My finger was in tatters

I tried hard not to cry

But the gash looked like a canyon

There was a good chance that I'd die

The teacher yelled impatiently

What she said I'll never know

For I fainted in an instant

When the blood began to flow

The teacher phoned the ambulance

For the wound was very deep

But she said the blood-drenched patterns

Could now be mine to keep

As they placed me in the ambulance

She let out such a shriek

When I tried to reassure her

That I'd be back next week!

It's another bad hair day bookmark

Just finished the little bookmark and have temporarily put it on top of the book I am currently reading, which is "The Torn Birds" by Colleen McCullough. I remember reading that book years and years ago in a French translation and I just loved it. This time around I am reading it in its original version (English) and still having a ball.

.

Tomorrow I will be working on Gay Ann's Challenge Ornament, but for now I will take a break and perhaps read a little more in my book :-)

.

Pierrette =^..^=

It's another bad hair day: Added a little border

I love visiting blogs as you just never know what wonderful ideas you will find and not long ago I was visiting Laura Perin's blog and she was talking about adding borders to your projects and I thought it was a wonderful idea as it really makes the project look more finished so when I finished stitching this project, I immediately thought of Laura and her blogging about borders and wanted to add one before I finish this as a bookmark. I only needed a little border so I did a row all around with one strand of black DMC using the backstitch. It really does make a difference, doesn't it? I will leave a little bit of canvas all around before I turn the fabric under and attach to some fabric for the back side, so I now need to go hunting for the fabric in my boxes :-(

.

Be right back!

.

Pierrette =^..^=

It's another bad hair day

I wanted to make a little something for the son of a friend of mine and wasn't sure what until I saw this lovely dog designed by Claire Crompton and then I knew that I had to make it for him. Not long ago he just acquired the most beautiful dog, a big one who is called Marz. This little design looks a little bit like him, at least overall.

.

At first I was thinking of making this as an ornament but after thinking about it, I decided to make a little bookmark for him as it will be so much more useful and hopefully bring a smile on his face whenever he looks at it :-)

.

I will be right back with another photo once the bookmark has been done.

.

Almost forgot to mention that I found this lovely ornament on this site. They have lots of them, so you may also find something that you like.

.

Be right back!

.

Pierrette =^..^=

Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm

While I was searching for something else I found this lovely Victoria Sampler project that I started a while back. It is named Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm and you can see a photo of the completed project here.

.

I was looking at the picture and there are still quite a bit to do on it, so I will keep it close by so that I can do a stitch here and there and eventually it will be all done. This is mostly cross stitch, something that I don't do very often, so that will be something different to work on.

.

Better go back and try to find what I was originally looking for :-)

.

Pierrette =^..^=

Pincushions

I thought that I might as well unite all the pincushions that I have either made or received under one big photo as well :-)

The first top row are pincushions that came from kits. There is a Victorian Triangle which I have made for my friend Terry, then the Victorian Heart that I have kept for myself and the third one of the first top row is called Victorian Antique Ivory which I have given to Rengin as a thank you.

In the middle row, the white one on the left with silk flowers I have also made for Anne as a thank you, the middle red one I have given to Terry and the little Assisi one I kept for myself.

On the bottom row, the white and blue biscornu was a gift from Terry as well as the doggy and also the pink one with the Brazilian embroidery.

It is fun to be able to see all of them together since many have found good homes and I can't see them anymore :-(

Pierrette =^..^=

Hollyhock House Window

On a trip to Chicago some time ago, we went to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's residential houses, furniture, etc. and we stopped at his little gift shop and saw a few cross stitch designs and bought a couple. This is one of them which is called "Hollyhock House Window", that I stitched for my husband's office.

Pierrette =^..^-

Tropical Fantasy

Tropical Fantasy close-up below.

Tropical Fantasy is a Sue Lentz cross stitch design that was especially created for Rainbow Gallery (1994).I have to confess that I am not big on cross stitch, but I have enjoyed tremendously stitching this design.

Tropical Fantasy has a dimensional look to it because of the Rhodes stitches of all sizes that we can find in this piece. There is also some Smyrna crosses as well as the regular cross stitches.

This piece is outstanding when looking at it upclose and unfortunately so difficult to take a good photo, mainly because of the glass over it.

The design is a little over 8 inches square and has been stitched on a 20 count fabric. The material list is mainly Reflecta, Fiesta and Neon Rays threads and to top it all some 2mm pearls added in the border.

If you want to see a closer look at the details, please click on the photo itself :-)

Pierrette =^..^=