A Shenandoah Sampler

Richmond Sampler is finished!

2012-02-12T21:47:00.001-05:00

Cue the Hallelujah Chorus!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Richmond Sampler is finished!

Words cannot express how delighted I am with the finished product. She is simply gorgeous. I visited my grandmother today and was able to get some really nice photos in her dining room. Enjoy a pictorial visit with Anne Maria Clarke and her remarkable sampler...

I hope you enjoyed the pictures...it is because of your encouragement, dear followers, that I was able to stick with this and finish! THANK YOU! Now, for those of you who are wondering what in the world those mossy green stitches were - well, they were my infant attempts at queen stitches as taught to me by Margriet Hogue of The Essamplaire when I took the Richmond Sampler class at the Gathering of Embroiderers. I had never stitched a queen stitch before attempting this sampler. Now I can honestly say I feel like a queen stitch expert! I decided to leave in those beginning stitches as they were part of my journey with Anne Maria Clarke.

Now, what to do with my time??? I am sure to find something and I promise to post soon!

Happy Stitching,

Valerie

January WIPocalypse update

2012-01-16T20:19:00.000-05:00

Once again, I am late to post for a stitching group. I think it's my thing.

At any rate, I thought I would share a quick snap of my progress on my biggest WIPocalypse project, Richmond Sampler. I finished the grass and now I am moving on the the house. I can feel a finish and it is exciting! Sorry for the wrinkles but I thought I would wait to iron her when she is finished.

Thank you one and all for the kind comments on my previous post. I have been derelict in my blogging as of late but please know your comments really do make me smile!

Have a great week!

A Little Richmond Progress

2012-01-08T11:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday!

The weather is beautiful here in the Shenandoah. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping. If I did not know better I would think it was spring and not the first of January! Oh, well. I am sure Mother Nature has a trick or two up her sleeve and hopefully one of those tricks is SNOW! Bring it on!

I have been busy stitching away on Richmond Sampler. I thought that I would share a quick picture...

Those little horsemen gave me a fit. Figures that the men would be a problem. After staring at the graph and my linen for multiple hours analyzing how I should approach those little men, I decided to re-visit my pictures of the original sampler. I am glad that I took so many pictures when I went to view the original Richmond Sampler at the Valentine Museum in Richmond, Virginia. As I looked over pictures and analyzed Anne Maria Clarke's original stitches I realized that Anne Maria fudged her stitches quite a bit. They were far from perfect so I figured if fudging was good enough for Anne Maria, then it was good enough for me. I marched over to my stitching stand, picked up my needle and just stitched the darned things. They may not be perfect but they are done.

I am about two-thirds finished with the grass. After that I will move on to the house and then I will be finished! WOO HOO! I cannot wait!

Thank you for all of the kind comments and a huge welcome to my new followers! Thank you for taking the time to visit my little blog. I hope that everyone has a wonderful week.

Happy Stitching!

New Year Plans, Hopes and Dreams

2012-01-01T16:27:00.001-05:00

Hello dear stitchers!

I hope that everyone is enjoying a fabulous New Year! Hubby and I spent New Year's Eve snuggled up on the couch with chips and salsa and one of my favorite wines. Calm. Quiet. Perfect.

Stitching was definitely on the agenda last night as well. I started with my SAL piece, "The Sparrow" and ended the evening with Richmond Sampler. Yes, I am still stitching away on Richmond but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Seriously! BRIGHT light at the end of the tunnel. I will share progress soon.

I decided to take the plunge and sign up for Measi's WIPocalypse challenge. Lord knows I have plenty of WIP's so why not challenge myself to finish them? As I went through my stash, I realized that I did not have as many WIP's and UFO's as previously thought. So, that was a nice surprise! I have compiled a list of WIP's - old and new - that I plan to focus on. I also added in a few new projects that I would like to start in the new year. I realize that I will not start all of the new projects but I thought I could at least list the possibilities! So, here is my list...

WIP's already started:

Richmond Sampler - The Essamplaire (almost there!)
Rebecah French - The Essamplaire (1/3 finished)
The Sparrow - Tree of Life Samplings (2/3 finished)
Family Record Sampler - Hester's Needle (1/4 finished)
Twenty-Third Psalm - Vera K (2/3finished)
Nantucket Rose - Lavender and Lace (2/3 finished)
Santa and the Merry Animals - Homespun Elegance (a few stitches)
Cynthia Burr - The Essamplaire (this probably won't see the light of day in 2012, but a girl can dream)

A wish list of projects that I would like to start in 2012:
(Note - it is highly doubtful that I will start more than two or three of these projects...but a girl can dream!)
Shores of Hawk Run Hollow - Carriage House Samplings
272 Words - Primrose Needleworks
Elisabeth Hoover - Scarlet Letter
Of Female Arts - Primitive Needle
Peppermint Twist - Little House Needleworks
Winter Sheep - Little House Needleworks
Other ornaments - TBD

As you can see my wish list of starts contains quite a few BAP's. Therefore, I have chosen to also participate in Becky's BAP challenge. Hey, if I am going to indulge in a BAP, might as well do it with other BAPers, right? However, I have promised myself that I will not start another BAP until I finish Richmond Sampler. A little incentive never hurt anyone, right?

I realize my goals are pretty lofty and quite honestly, if I can get four or five of my WIP's finished this year and a half dozen ornaments stitched, I will consider it a good year. Several of my WIP's are dangerously close to being finished (I consider "dangerously close" to be over half finished - yeah, I am generous) so finishing four or five should not be a terrible stretch. Here's hoping.

My New Year's Stitching Resolution is to revisit my goals, make changes if necessary and figure out what to focus on each month. I am generally not that organized but I love my stitching too much to keep putting it on the back burner.

Now, I thought I would leave you with a few snaps of my Christmas presents...

"One Stitch at a Time"

Jim Shore

I collect Jim Shore Santas and my needle worker is right at home with them! Of course, she will stay out all year!

My Longaberger Sewing Notions Basket - it is a discontinued basket but hubby found one for me!

It came with the wonderful liner/dividers

Lovely presents from my friend, Robin. Am I not just the luckiest girl? I love the pillow and it has a place of honor right beside my stitching chair. Penny America contains all of the beautiful threads so we can stitch it together as one of our SAL's

Robin remembered my love of brownies so she found this delectable recipe book. I have not tried the

recipes yet, but I promise it will be soon! They are very famous brownies...listed as one of Oprah's Favorite Things. Hey, if they are good enough for Oprah, then they must be good enough for me!

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments and well wishes for the holiday season. I look forward to catching up with everyone very soon!

Happy Stitching!

Merry Christmas !

2011-12-24T22:33:00.000-05:00

Hello dear readers,

I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Thank you for all of the wonderful comments and kind emails you have sent me throughout the year. Your friendship means so much! I sincerely hope that the New Year brings all of you many blessings!

It has been a very busy couple of months here in the Shenandoah and I promise to update you on all of the happenings! I did find time to put up our Christmas tree.

Hubby and I open our presents to each other on Christmas Eve and I made out like a bandit! I received The Longaberger Sewing Notions Basket with notion trays AND the book, Samplers of the Pennsylvania Germans AND the Jim Shore figurine called "One Stitch at a Time" - just to name a few! Once things calm down I promise to post pictures!

A Blessed Christmas to all!
Valerie

Stitching with friends

2011-11-06T20:42:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow stitchers!

It was a beautiful fall day here in the Shenandoah and I must admit I enjoyed gaining an hour of sleep!

I had a wonderful day yesterday...I spent the day with my dear friend, Robin. She was kind enough to invite me to her house (which is a lovely house, nestled in the woods...absolutely charming!) for a day of stitching. We spent the day sharing projects, stash acquisitions and of course stitching! I took full advantage of her Keurig coffee/tea maker...what a wonderful machine! But it was the fellowship that was the most inspiring.

I brought along two projects to stitch on but ended up focusing on one all day...The Sparrow. I finished the tree trunk and started the leaves. Here are a few pics of my progress...

Thanks to Robin and her enabling ways, I am going to employ The Sparrow as my 15 minute stitching project. The small motifs and fill in (grass and eventual houses) will be perfect for quick stitching.

Thank you to those who left comments about my queen stitches. I must admit that I enjoyed stitching them...they are so beautiful when they are finished!

Also, a big welcome to my new followers! Thank you for finding my little world interesting!

Till next time! Happy Stitching!

Queen of Queen Stitches

2011-11-03T23:06:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess I shouldn't toot my own horn but I can't help it. I just finished the queen stitched baskets on the Richmond Sampler...all twelve baskets...approximately 75 queen stitches each...that comes to a total of 900 queen stitches. So yes, I am calling myself queen of the queen stitches. Well, maybe I should call myself princess for now; I will be Queen when I finish the queen stitched border! Here are a few late night snaps....

Can you tell I was playing with the camera? I have not completely finished the flower baskets, they still need their rice stitched handles. I will get there...eventually.

Blessings flow

2011-11-02T18:58:00.000-04:00

Hello dear stitchers,

It was a lovely fall day in the Shenandoah...the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaves are still hanging on to their limbs. Those leaves are troopers after the winter weather we had this past weekend. As I was driving home from work, I gazed at the Allegheny Mountains to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east (yes, I have quite a beautiful drive everyday) and I thought to myself how very lucky I am.

Blogging has truly been a blessing in my life. It has allowed me to connect with people that I otherwise would never have met and it has allowed me to share my love of needlework with other passionate people. One of these people is my friend Robin (no blog...we need to change that!) I met Robin, a fellow Virginian, when she emailed me to ask where I was from and if I had a LNS and the rest, as they say, is history. We have kept in touch with emails and visits for almost two years. Robin is a wonderful person and a very talented stitcher but most importantly, she is a good friend. She is always sending me the most wonderful cards and freebie designs...truly, she is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met.

Robin's generosity overwhelmed me once again when I celebrated my birthday. Threads, charts and linen, oh my! But what really grabbed my heart was this...

Bird in Hand by Blackbird Designs

32 ct. Flax Fields Line

Rubbed Purple silk from HDF

Stitched by Robin

Isn't it gorgeous? It has a special place in our living room where I can see it from my stitching chair. It reminds me of how lucky I am and the beauty of having a sister of the needle. Thank you Robin, you are a great friend!

November already???

2011-11-01T21:32:00.000-04:00

Hello, dear readers!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Halloween! I spent the evening cuddled up with my Richmond Sampler attempting to finish the flower baskets. I have a few more queen stitches to put in before I share my progress...but I promise it will be soon!

I can show some progress on The Sparrow...but the word "Sparrow" gave me quite a fit Saturday night. I ripped it out not once but twice! Thankfully, the third time I stitched it, it was correct. As I was ripping out "Sparrow" for the second time, I could hear my grandmother's voice in my head asking "Are you pulling it out with your teeth?" What does that mean? Well, when I was younger, my grandmother told me never start a project on a Sunday because according to superstition if you do the devil will have you pulling your stitches out with your teeth! And no, I did not start The Sparrow on a Sunday but if you saw me frogging on Saturday evening you would have thought so. Without further ado here is my progress in The Sparrow...

Thank you for all of the kind comments about DH and his first 5K. I showed him all of your wonderful comments and he was thrilled! You guys made his day! Thank you!

Off to finish those queen stitches...

Proud as can be!

2011-10-29T18:19:00.001-04:00

Hello, dear readers!

I wanted to share a wonderful event with you. On July 4th my husband and I visited Poplar Forest near Lynchburg, Virginia. For those of you who are interested, you can read my post on our visit here. While in the gift shop my husband found a brochure for the Poplar Forest 5K race to be held in October. He picked up the brochure, brought it home and promptly signed up. Now, I must tell you that my husband and I struggle when it comes to exercise and eating right. Well, I guess I struggle more than my husband, but you get the picture. So, I was surprised when DH said that he signed up for the Poplar Forest 5K!

Over the next few months DH worked hard at the gym and ran the local roads. He had his eye on the prize and in the process he lost over 60 lbs! Finally, October 8 arrived and we made our way to Poplar Forest. It was a chilly, sunny morning and I could tell that DH was nervous.

Warming up before the race

Sporting the new 5K t-shirt

Waiting for the race to start

And their off!

Runners ran down this hill and then up the hill in the distance. Then, they had to turn around and come back...those hills were brutal!

DH is coming up the hill...

Many runners were walking the hill (I probably would have too!) but my DH ran both hills!

The race took the runners around the house and here is DH hitting the home stretch...

What a FINISH!

My handsome husband...he never walked once during the entire race!

You are my hero! I love you!

Thank you for letting me share such a special day with you. Now, I am off to get some stitching in so I can share a stitchy post soon!

IHSW Update

2011-10-22T13:42:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow stitchers!

Once again I am late with my IHSW update. Well, I guess better late than never. I was not a hermit last weekend, but I promise I had a good reason for not holing up at home and developing one good case of Stitch A@@. More about that in another post.

I did want to show you my progress on the piece I was able to stitch on last weekend. It is my SAL with my dear friend, Robin (no blog.)

The Sparrow by Tree of Life Samplings

DMC Threads and mystery hand-dyed 32 ct. fabric

I hope to have some Richmond Sampler progress to report very soon...

I have not been a very good blogger nor have I been very good about visting blogs. I hope to get around and visit with everyone very soon!

Have a great weekend everyone!

IHSW Update

2011-09-24T13:33:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I am a week late and $10 short but I figured that you would like to see my progress from International Hermit Stitching Weekend. While I was not able to stitch the entire weekend, I did get in quite a few hours between Friday night and Sunday evening. My attention was focused on Rebecah French and The Sparrow. I will share pics of The Sparrow after I share them with my SAL partner, Robin. Here is Rebecah so far...

Rebecah French - The Essamplaire
AVAS and Zweigart 35 ct. Lambswool Linen

I am enjoying Rebecah French. She is a delightful sampler! I finished the eyelet alphabet and once I finish the eyelet border I will move on to the satin stitch alphabet.

This weekend I will once again pick up Richmond Sampler. My 24" scroll rods from StitchMate arrived and now I can stitch on Richmond with both hands! Hopefully we will see a finish sooner rather than later!

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments. I am feeling much better and your warm thoughts were instrumental to my recovery! It is hard to believe that fall is officially here. I am already enjoying the cooler weather. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hugs and stitches...

Where did the time go?

2011-09-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hello dear stitchers...

Since I cannot seem to focus (or make a lot of sense for that matter,) I am going to "borrow/steal/take" another Valerie's rambling blog idea (Fog City Dweller) and hopefully make more sense. I realize that bad spelling and grammar can cost points here in Blogland, especially when you are a teacher. Yes, I am a teacher and yes, it is my job to educate the youth of tomorrow but sometimes a girl just needs to throw on some PJ's, put her feet up and not worry about wearing the "teacher hat" 24/7. So, if my spelling is terrible and my grammar stinks...don't hold it against me...just look at it as I am saving my educated self for the kids.

~ I guess there is somewhat of a sorority/fraternity of MIA Bloggers who are making their "comebacks." I shall count myself in their numbers. Sorry to be gone for so long...

~ I am shocked but very pleased that I have quite a few new followers! Welcome!

~The month of August was a real rocker! Earthquakes, aftershocks, and hurricanes, Oh My! My own personal life has also been rockin' with the beginning of a new and very busy school year. Then to top it all off, I contracted a lovely staph infection which left me with very little energy. For weeks I have been exhausted and drained but I am on the mend thanks to some really good drugs! I have kept all of you in my thoughts and will be visiting blogs very soon.

~ Speaking of earthquakes, I was home sick from school with the "BIG ONE" hit. I thought it was the drugs...nope, just the earth moving.

~ My StitchMate needlework stand arrived exactly a week and a half ago. I. AM. IN. LOVE. If I was not already married to hubby, I would seriously consider devoting my life to my StitchMate. Stitching is a breeze and I actually feel like I am making progress on some of my BAPs!

~ Not only am I in love with my new StitchMate, I am also in love with the scroll rods that came with the stand. They are just perfect for my samplers. I have ordered a new 24" set for Richmond Sampler. I will have her done before I know it!

~ Since the StitchMate arrived, I have made progress on two projects. Here is Rebecah French:

Rebecah French - The Essamplaire

36 ct. Lambswool

AVAS silks

Here is my SAL with Robin (no blog) I am stitching Tree of Life Samplings "The Sparrow."

The Sparrow - Tree of Life Samplings

32 ct. something hand-dyed

DMC threads

~ I started stitching goals in July. I have not posted my finishes or my new September goals. So, without further ado, here they are:

July Goals:

~~1. Finish Lizzie*Kate ABC Lessons~~ DONE!

2. Finish Richmond Sampler (this is a big challenge!) So big, that I did not finish it.... :-(

3. I will be starting a new Saturday SAL with my dear friend, Robin. It is a Tree of Life Samplings SAL and we are stitching a design of our choice. My goal is to stitch on our new project EVERY Saturday! Well, I started the SAL and I have stitched on it most Saturdays.

4. Pull out Psalm 23 and start working on it again. It needs to be a 2011 finish! Probably make this piece my 15 Minute A Day Project. Yeah, didn't happen.

5. Continue working on Rebecah French. It would be nice if I could finish the first lesson...however, I am trying to be realistic and keep my sanity. She is new and I will post more about her very soon...

I am not finished with the first lesson, but I am getting there. Rebecah has been my main project.

6. I would like to start something new...Shores of Hawk Run Hollow is on my mind...and has been for some time. Actually, I cannot stop thinking about it. So, I guess that means I need to start it?? How about this...I will start it AFTER I finish Richmond Sampler...hopefully both will be this month!!

I did not start anything new. I have tons projects ready to go but I want to get a finish under my belt before I start a new project.

September Goals:

1. Finish Rebecah French Lesson One.

2. Continue working on The Sparrow SAL - every Saturday!

3. Put Richmond Sampler on new scroll rods and get her in the rotation.

4. Start Primitive Needle SAL - I will be stitching "Of Female Arts" and I will attempt stitching on it one day a week.

Well, that should do it! I hope everyone has a lovely holiday! I look forward to catching up with everyone!

We have a Winner!

2011-07-26T20:39:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers!

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes and for your fabulous participation in my birthday giveaway. I have learned quite a bit from hosting this giveaway...especially that I have many more blog readers than I could have ever imagined! Thank you to my new followers...and welcome!! I am still in the process of visiting everyone whether it is though email or their blogs but I promise to get around to meeting everyone. To my "oldie but goodie" followers and readers, you guys are the best! To everyone...thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. You put a smile on my face everyday!

So, without further ado I will announce the winner of my Birthday Giveaway. I used the Random Number Generator (http://www.random.org/) and the winner is......JONETTE!!! Congratulations Jonette! I will be sending you an email very shortly!

Giveaway Reminder and Some Stitchy and Williamsburg Stuff

2011-07-25T10:39:00.000-04:00

Hello blogging friends! It is a very hot here in the Shenandoah; temperature records are being set right and left.

I would like to remind everyone that TODAY is the last day to enter my Birthday Giveaway! I will accept entries until late tonight/early tomorrow morning (trying to take into account time zone differences) and I will draw the winning name tomorrow morning. If you are interested, scroll down or click here to enter!

I don't know if it is the heat or just the lazy days of summer but I have had a hard time focusing on my stitching. I stitched on two projects last week, Richmond Sampler (Anne Maria Clarke) and The Sparrow. I did more frogging on Richmond than actual stitching so I got disgusted and put her down for a few days. Hey, sometimes friends just need a short break from each other and this is one of those times for me and Anne Maria.

The Saturday SAL with my friend Robin (no blog) has been progressing rather nicely. Here is my progress so far...

Now for some stash enhancement! As many of you know, I recently had a birthday and my friends and family certainly know how to spoil a girl. My family gave me a StitchMate Needlework stand (woohoo!), my dear friend Robin spoiled me with lots of goodies and hubby gave me my first Scarlet Letter chart! Here are some snaps of my goodies...

From Robin - La-D-Da "Praise God" with Lakeside Linen and over-dyed threads...how did she know that I have a special love for the doxology?

More from Robin - Tree of Life Samplings "Emma Rose" (our next SAL!) and a great pattern for WIP Pouches!

More goodies from Robin (what a great friend!) - my new pocketbook addition, a Sampler notebook, needles, a bookmark and some beautiful HDF silk!

From hubby - The Elisabeth Hoover sampler - Hubby is from Harrisburg, PA and this sampler was stitched in Leah Bratton's Harrisburg school in 1803. It is part of a group of samplers called "the Susquehanna Samplers" identified by their compartmentalized borders and central human figures. This may look like an easy stitch but after careful perusal of the instructions, Elisabeth will be anything but easy! That's OK, you know how I love a challenge!

On to Williamsburg and Yorktown! For our anniversary my husband and I took a sunset sailboat ride around historic Yorktown. It was a wonderful experience and the sunset was spectacular! I thought I would share some pics with you...

Our boat before the sails were lifted...we sailed on the schooner Alliance

The sails were raised just as we left the pier...

The sun was beautiful...

It was a magical time watching the sun set over the York River. After we docked hubby and I had a lovely late dinner at a neat little restaurant right on the water. While we were walking to our car we could not help but notice the moon rising over the river...and it was RED! Here is a picture...

Isn't the moon stunning! It was a fabulous evening...an amazing sunset and an equally amazing moon rising...definitely a memorable anniversary!

Thank you for stopping by! I hope everyone has a great week!

Giveaway Reminder!

2011-07-21T18:08:00.001-04:00

It is hot, sweltering hot, here in the Shenandoah. The mercury hit over 100 today. Whew!

I was absolutely overwhelmed at all of the wonderful birthday and anniversary wishes! What a lucky girl I am! Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear blogging buddies! You made my birthday that much more special!

***My birthday giveaway is still underway. So, if you have not entered, simply click here and enter!***

I received lots of goodies for my birthday but I have not had a chance to snap their pictures. I promise to share my new stash with you very soon! However, there is one BIG gift that I cannot wait to open...

My family spoiled me for my birthday...they gave me the money to purchase my very own StitchMate needlework stand! I have heard so many wonderful things about the StitchMate needlework stand I am hoping that it will allow me to stitch that much faster. I am very excited and will be ordering my new stand very soon and promise to share all of the wonderful details.

I would also like to share with you a SAL with my dear friend, Robin (no blog.) We finished our Lizzie*Kate SAL and decided to embark on a Tree of Life Samplings SAL. I am stitching "The Sparrow" and Robin is stitching Quaker Peace.

I am enjoying the bright colors on the sampler...here is my progress so far...

Tree of Life Samplings - The Sparrow

32 ct. Vintage Cafe Mocha

DMC threads

I have lots of pictures to share from our anniversary trip to Williamsburg and I promise to post those soon! Again, thanks for all of the well wishes and kind comments!

Valerie

A Birthday Giveaway and a New Start

2011-07-15T07:59:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!

It is a nice, cool morning here in the Shenandoah. Ahhhh...a little relief from the heatwave that has been Summer 2011. Perfect weather for my....birthday! Yes, it is my birthday today and I am another year older but I try to look at it as just being another year wiser!

So, to celebrate my birthday, I am holding my first ever GIVEAWAY! I love parties and since I cannot gather everyone at my home, this is one way I can celebrate with you, my blogging buddies! I am keeping the gifties under wraps (hehehehe) but it will include some fun stuff and maybe even a gift certificate! So, here are the rules...

1. You must be a follower...leave me a comment on this post with your email address or some other way to contact you. If you don't want your email out there for everyone to see just pop me a private email at valiehokie@gmail.com
2. Score an extra entry if you post this giveaway on your blog; please mention in your comment if you have/or promise to post the giveaway somewhere on your blog.

That's it! I understand this is a busy time of year for many of us due to vacations, parties, family gatherings, and just plain summer fun! So, the giveaway will close on Monday, July 25 to give people plenty of time to enter. I will choose a winner the next day. Good Luck!

Now, on to the stitchy stuff! I mentioned in my July stitching goals post that I started the Rebecah French class from The Essamplaire. I was in love with this sampler the minute I saw her...so pretty! I contacted Margriet, owner and designer of The Essamplaire, and she gladly gave me permission to use the photo of Rebecah French from The Essamplaire site. So, thanks to Margriet, here is Rebecah in all her stunning beauty...

The class started the first of July and I thought I would share my progress thus far...

I am currently working on the satin stitch border...I have been playing with the macro settings on my camera and took a close-up of the satin stitches (sorry the pic is dark...light was terrible when I took it)

I hope to get some serious stitching in on her next week with more progress to follow! If you have not been to The Essamplaire website, you must go and have a look! There is some serious eye candy...it is calorie free, but maybe not for your wallet!

Hubby and I will be taking a trip to Williamsburg for a few days to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary (they are only four days apart!) and I cannot wait! I promise to take lots of pics...so get ready for a few more history lessons!

Also, I would like to mention that I have tried to comment on several blogs but have been unsuccessful. For some reason, on a select few blogs, have been unable to leave comments because Blogger keeps asking me for my log in info over and over and over again...and then I still cannot actually leave the comment! It has been quite frustrating. I have tried emailing these individual bloggers but several of them do not have their email available publicly. So, if you have been leaving me comments, but have not heard from me...believe me, I have been trying! I hope this Blogger comment issue gets resolved soon!

Before I go, I would like to thank you, dear readers, for all of the kind comments regarding my ABC Lessons finish and our trip to Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest. I am very blessed to have such great stitchy friends!

Take care dear friends, and good luck in the Birthday Celebration Giveaway!

Celebrating with Thomas Jefferson **** Picture Heavy

2011-07-12T00:31:00.000-04:00

On July 4th, hubby and I headed to Poplar Forest, a home owned by Thomas Jefferson, to partake in the celebratory 4th of July activities. Poplar Forest was Thomas Jefferson's retreat and like Monticello, is only about an hour away from our house. Monticello is located outside of Charlottesville, Virginia and Poplar Forest is near Lynchburg, Virginia. Hubby and I had never been to Poplar Forest and decided to hop in the car and go! There were numerous activities and period demonstrations including several dealing with textiles (we saw flax turn into linen!) I took some snaps and thought I would share them with you.

The house is like a miniature Monticello...so beautiful

Housing for the farm workers

This is one of the outhouses...it is a hexagon just like the house!

Current archaeological digs at the house

This is the back of the house

Wool spinning - this lady was so nice...it was at least 95 degrees...I know she had to be HOT!

Hand-spun, hand-dyed wool. All of the dyes are organic with the exception of the lime green and bright pinky/red...she used Kool-Aid for those!

Lace making...just amazing!

More beautiful lace making,..it was a joy watching the those two ladies work their bobbins!

This is the flax demonstration. We watched how linen was made! Fascinating!

First, the flax is smashed...

Then, the chaff is beaten from the flax fibers

After removing the chaff, the fibers are combed. First through the wide tooth comb (on the left) and then through a finer tooth comb (on the right) The finer the comb, the finer the linen.

This is the amount of line acquired from one quarter of an acre of flax.

This is what is used to make linen!

Spinning the linen...

Finally, the linen is woven. The gentleman is weaving linsey-woolsey, a basic linen used for clothing and at times used for samplers!

Well, that is all for now. I hope you enjoyed the step back in time. Have a great week everyone!

ABC Lessons Finished!

2011-07-07T11:37:00.000-04:00

Happy Dance! ABC Lessons is finished! Yay! ABC Lessons was one of my July goals...and it is done! I used the called for fibers (they came with the chart) and I also used the button pack designed for this piece. A big thank you goes out to Edgar...he mentioned that when you change the fabric count that sometimes the buttons don't fit! He was right! I would never have thought that using 32ct. instead of 28ct. would make that big of a difference...but it did! Thanks to the heads up from Edgar, I was able to move things around just a bit so that most (not all) of the buttons fit!

ABC Lessons by Lizzie Kate

32 ct. Lambswool

Crescent Colors and DMC

Just Another Button Company Buttons

I just love the little sheep!

I love how this turned out. As I mentioned before, I this will hang in my classroom but instead of framing, I will make it into a wall hanging. That means a trip to the new quilting shop down the road from my house!

Till next time...Happy Stitching!

July Goals

2011-07-03T14:28:00.000-04:00

I know that I am coming to the monthly goals party a little late (ok, three days late) but as I tell my husband, "I am not late, I am ready." Having never really sat down and contemplated monthly stitching goals, this is new territory for me. Stitching has been a part of my life on and off for over 25 years. Like many things, my stitching mojo has ebbed and flowed and it completely disappeared during my tenure as a restaurant manager (never doing that again!) After changing careers I found renewed life, especially with my stitching and antique samplers quickly became an obsession.

However, life has been busy and full of *life stuff* over the past couple of years and finding time to stitch was, at times, impossible. Now that I've had a break from work, (thank goodness for summers off!) I have been able to take a serious look at my stitching; short/long term goals, what I truly want to stitch and what can be reasonably accomplished in this lifetime (I crack myself up.)
While I am still working on my long term stitching goals, I have at least come up with some goals for the month of July. I have tried to be realistic but at the same time I have also tried to challenge myself. So, without further ado, I present my first ever monthly goals...

1. Finish Lizzie*Kate ABC Lessons

2. Finish Richmond Sampler (this is a big challenge!)

3. I will be starting a new Saturday SAL with my dear friend, Robin. It is a Tree of Life Samplings SAL and we are stitching a design of our choice. My goal is to stitch on our new project EVERY Saturday!

4. Pull out Psalm 23 and start working on it again. It needs to be a 2011 finish! Probably make this piece my 15 Minute A Day Project.

5. Continue working on Rebecah French. It would be nice if I could finish the first lesson...however, I am trying to be realistic and keep my sanity. She is new and I will post more about her very soon...

6. I would like to start something new...Shores of Hawk Run Hollow is on my mind...and has been for some time. Actually, I cannot stop thinking about it. So, I guess that means I need to start it?? How about this...I will start it AFTER I finish Richmond Sampler...hopefully both will be this month!!

Well, I think that does it regarding my stitching goals. They are lofty but I hope to accomplish most of them. Say a stitching prayer for me! Enjoy the holiday weekend!

A Little ABC Progress

2011-06-30T13:03:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers!

It is hot, hot, HOT here in the Shenandoah. Luckily, the AC is cranking which makes life a little more bearable!

I have been busy stitching on ABC Lessons. I have gotten quite a bit done...all of the words are finished. Now, I just need to finish the letter blocks and the small motifs throughout.

Here is a before pic...

Here she is as of last night...(sorry for the wrinkles)

Hubby and I purchased a new laptop a few weeks ago and Simon has enjoyed sitting next to me on the couch while I peruse the blogs. Please ignore the bright pink dress...hey, it is my summer break and I live in funky house dresses!

Till next time...Happy Stitching!

Richmond Sampler Progress

2011-06-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Hello dear readers!

I promised Richmond Sampler progress and I finally snapped some pictures!

Here is my before picture...

Here she is as of Sunday evening...

Anne Maria Clarke - Richmond Sampler

The Essamplaire

35 ct. ivory linen, AVAS

I finished the trees, flowers, bird cages, vines and chimneys on either side of the house.

Birdie in the cage is over one...isn't he handsome?

Blue birdie next to a very large flower pot

White birdie on the right of the house is also over one...

Sunflowers and pansies...all over one...aren't they darling? So unique!

White birdie next to the sunflowers and pansies...

Vines and berries (over one!) on the left side of the house...

Vines and berries (again, over one!) on the right side of the house

Beautiful blue birdies on top of the house

I will continue to work on the birds around the house (thankfully, they are over two!) and start to work on the queen stitches in the border. She is finally coming together!

Welcome to my new followers! To new and old followers alike...thanks for all of the wonderful comments! You guys are the best!

Saturday SAL Progress

2011-06-22T11:45:00.000-04:00

It is officially summer! Enjoy the long, lazy days while you can! I am still only into my first week of summer break but I am loving the freedom! I have been able to organize myself and focus on stitching! Yesterday was my first day of serious stitchy butt....and I loved it! I stitched on two projects, ABC Lessons and Richmond Sampler. Here is my progress so far on ABC Lessons...

I have enjoyed this piece but the all those letters are getting a bit tiresome. I think that I am going to start stitching the blocks around the letters for a bit of a break. This is a Saturday SAL with my friend Robin (no blog) but lately my Saturdays have been busy. So, I am using the SAL as my 15 Minute Project. I stitch on it for 15 minutes before I stitch on my main project, Richmond Sampler. Believe it or not, 15 minutes makes a difference!

I have made good progress on Richmond Sampler and I promise to share a progress pic soon!

I will leave you with a picture of my dear, old kitty, Simon.

He is loving summer break too! After I get up, he curls up in the bed and takes a loooooong morning nap. Hey, it gives me a good excuse not to make the bed right away!

Happy Stitching!

First Monday of Summer Break!

2011-06-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, it is official...I am free from school until the first of August! To celebrate hubby and I headed to Waynesboro and Staunton...we hit my LNS and our favorite coffee shop.

I went into my LNS, Cross Stitch Station, to pick up some needles...well, I could not walk out without a few charts! I picked up three of Lizzie Kate's Halloween Rules (too cute!) and one of my favorite Sue Hillis designs.

It reads, "The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves." Have any of you worked in an environment like that? I sure have! My last job was the embodiment of that saying! While I am no longer in that kind of environment, I can still laugh at it!

After hitting the LNS, hubby and I went to our favorite coffee shop where I worked on my stitching and hubby read one of his many books. We enjoyed Cafe Mochas and Chocolate Spoon Cake! YUM!

Today I realized that I have not shared my Richmond Sampler progress as of late. I promise to get some pics on here very soon. Till then, dear readers...Happy Stitching!

Wounded Warriors and Blankets of Hope

2011-06-14T21:46:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day here in the Shenandoah...picture perfect in fact!

I thought I would share with you a special project that some of my students participated in. It is the week before summer break at the alternative school where I teach. During the last week of school, we have "Enrichment" which is a week long program where we teach the kids about character and engage in character building exercises. We invited an Iraqi War veteran to speak to the kids. Our speaker, Chad, was a Marine and participated in the first battle for Fallujah. While engaged in fierce fighting, Chad was severely wounded. He spent several years in rehab and is now a part of the Wounded Warrior Project. He gives inspirational talks and we were thrilled to have him come and speak to our kids. Afterwards, the students made "Blankets of Hope" for the "Soldiers' Angels" organization. Our students made four blankets to be given to wounded soldiers...what an amazing experience! Chad was given a "Blanket of Hope" when he was wounded and brought it in to show our students. As many of you know, the kids at my school struggle with mental and behavioral health issues...it was wonderful to see our students so engaged in such a wonderful cause! I took a few pictures with my cell phone (sorry, they are a bit blurry) and I wanted to share them with you...

Chad talking with a small group of students...he was such an inspiring speaker!

Chad, students and teachers tying one of the "Blankets of Hope"

Our four finished blankets...the teacher seated next to Chad has a son in the Army who just returned from Afghanistan.

If you are interested in making a "Blanket of Hope" or would like to learn more about "Soldiers' Angels" click here...

There are other ways to show your support for our troops...take a look through the "Soldiers' Angels" website for other ideas.

Thank you for allowing me to share a special experience!

Summer time...almost here!

2011-06-06T15:42:00.000-04:00

Hello dearest blogging buddies!

It is a beautiful June day here in the Shenandoah. Temperatures are definitely in the summer range and I am aching to get into the pool, however, the school year is not yet over; I have two weeks before break. Till then I will be immersed in final grades, cleaning my classroom and finishing pacing guides.

My in-laws visited last weekend and my FIL loves to frequent flea markets and antique malls. While we were perusing a local antique mall he bought this darling sampler for me...

I don't think that it is from 1828...it looks like it was a stamped pattern...probably stitched sometime during the 20th century. However, it is a lovely piece and I love the colors; it reminds me of Pennsylvania German samplers.

I have been able to steal some time stitching and I have made some progress on a couple of things. I have not snapped a picture of Richmond Sampler...I hope to do that soon. But I have made some nice progress on Lizzie*Kate's ABC Lessons.

This is a Saturday SAL piece that I am stitching with my friend, Robin. She is stitching L*K "Dog Lessons for People." My weekends have been very busy and it has been nearly impossible for me to get any stitching done on Saturdays. I found a wonderful blog, Mary Corbet's Needle & Thread, and if you do not already follow this blog you must check it out!!! Mary has a wonderful "15 Minute Stitching Philosophy" that I have been employing with my L*K ABC Rules. I have to say, it is working! After a week of stealing 15 minutes here and there, I can see progress! I have noticed that when I sit down to stitch on my 15 Minute project, I end up spending at least 20 - 30 minutes on it. Then, I pick up Richmond Sampler and stitch away for at least an hour. Sometimes I am my own worst enemy when it comes to having time for stitching and I just *THINK* that I don't have time for it and talk myself out of stitching by saying "no time for this!" Well, if I keep my needle threaded and ready to go, then it is easier to pick up my stitching and keep going. Now, I am not going to lie, there have been days when I have not put a single stitch into anything but at least I can say I am stitching more days than not.

I have fallen behind on visiting blogs and I hope to get caught up very soon. Happy Stitching everyone!

An Examination of Anne Maria Clarke's Lafayette Sampler

2011-05-27T14:53:00.000-04:00

Hello from the Shenandoah!

As promised, I have compiled research about the Anne Maria Clarke sampler. As many of you know, my trip to Richmond to see the original sampler was very exciting and the records room of the Valentine Museum where the sampler is housed were full of wonderful information. It very important for me to note that much of the information discussed here was drawn heavily from a wonderful conservator’s report, Anne Maria Clarke’s Sampler: A Technical and Historical Examination, written by Susan Adler. Ms. Adler wrote her report in December 1994 while she was a student in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Graduate Program in Art Conservation.

A reproduction of Anne Maria Clarke's sampler

Anne Maria Clarke was born on April 9, 1812, the daughter of Archibald and Maria Clarke. She was probably born in Henrico County, Virginia; her parents, Archibald and Maria Clarke were married in Henrico and her marriage to George Knox Crutchfield also took place in the same county. Ms. Adler accessed records at the Virginia Historical Society that lead us to believe that Anne was married sometime between 1841 and 1844. She bore three children: John, Helen and James. James died in infancy and Anne died in 1851 at the age of 39. She was the second wife of George Knox Crutchfield and although he married three times during his lifetime, he erected beautiful, obelisk monuments at the graves of all of his wives in Shockoe Hill Cemetery.

Gravemarker for Anne Maria Clark Crutchfield

Gravemarkers of Anne Maria and her husband's first wife, Willamenia

Anne Maria Clarke’s sampler came to the Valentine Museum through a donation from a woman in California. She had received the sampler from the widow of a member of the Crutchfield family. We do not know exactly where Anne Maria stitched her sampler; she may have stitched it at home or possibly at school. The linen and large amounts of silk (most likely imported,) along with the long hours required to stitch such an elaborate piece tells us that Anne Maria probably came from a well to do family. Her husband, a well-known sign and house painter, was a long-time member of the Richmond City Council and served four terms in the Virginia House of Delegates. It is doubtful that George Crutchfield himself actually painted houses and signs; however, it is more probable that he was the owner of a well-known painting business. Sign and building painters in the 18th and 19th centuries were quite affluent, especially in large cities like Richmond. Business signs today are electrified pieces of plastic; during Anne Maria’s time, sign painters were in high demand as they were the foundation of advertising. Look at any downtown picture from the 19th century and you will see a plethora of signage. Enough to make any historic downtown development association swoon!

So, why would our dear Anne Maria stitch such an elaborate sampler to commemorate the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette? Well, as most of you know, the French gave us immeasurable aid during our war for independence from the Great Britain. Quite frankly, without French support, we might still be singing “God Save the Queen.” Lafayette served as a major-general in the Continental Army under George Washington. He returned to France during the war to request more aid for the Americans; King Louis XVI agreed and Lafayette returned in time to block English troops and further the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. French support was crucial to independence and Lafayette was not only an important character but the symbol of French aid to the Americans. Put simply, to Americans, Lafayette was a hero in every sense of the word. George Washington regarded Lafayette as the son he never had and Lafayette in return named his only son George Washington Lafayette. The men were so close that Lafayette requested soil from Washington’s grave be placed on his own final resting place in Paris.

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette

In February 1824, President James Monroe extended an invitation to Lafayette to visit the United States to help America celebrate its 50th birthday. Lafayette jumped at the invitation (things were not going so well in his native France at the time…another pesky revolution was wrapping up) and arrived in the U.S. in August 1824. His visit lasted over a year and Lafayette returned to France in September 1825. During that time, Lafayette visited all 24 states and numerous towns and cities. It is hard for us in the 21st century to understand the importance of Lafayette’s visit. However, I believe that Ms. Adler said it best; “Lafayette’s visit was not an event, it was an era.” The only equivalent that comes to mind would be a year long visit by the Queen of England or maybe Prince William and his bride, Princess Catherine. The excitement would be palatable! Below is a platter commemorating Lafayette's arrival in New York from France.

Platter, pearlware with transfer-printed decorations; James and Ralph Clews, Cobridge, Staffordshire, circa 1825. Inscription: "Landing of General Lafayette at Castle Garden, New York 16 August 1824". Pottery exhibited in the DAR Museum, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC, USA.

Entire cities shut down in order to celebrate a visit from Lafayette and Richmond was no exception. For an entire week, regular business was suspended in Richmond and crowds rushed in from all over to see him. Hundreds of festivities were planned to honor the French soldier; he met Revolutionary war veterans, visited schools, attended baptisms and weddings, and was the guest of honor at numerous parades and parties.

So where does our dear Anne Maria fit into all of this? Well, that is a question that I cannot fully answer. We know that Anne Maria was living in Richmond during Lafayette’s visit. Her sampler tells us that she probably came from a relatively well to do family and that she probably met Lafayette, either at a party or she may have been one of the numerous school children he met. While I don’t have solid evidence, if she did not meet Lafayette, I feel certain that she at least saw him in a parade or during some other public festivity.

Now, where does the sampler come into the story? Obviously, Anne Maria stitched her sampler to commemorate Lafayette’s visit to Richmond. However, the surviving dates on her sampler leave more questions than answers. Lafayette’s visit to American took place from August 1824 to September 1825 and Anne Maria included two dates on her sampler, 1824 and January 30, 182? (the thread that stitched the last numeral has since disappeared.) The invitation to Lafayette from the United States was not extended until February 1824; so, Anne Maria could not have possibly finished her sampler on January 30, 1824…Lafayette had not yet been invited!

My reproduction. You can see Anne Maria stitched the Invitation date as 1824 (which is correct.)

If you look closely, you can see on the right hand side of the sampler, the date January 30, 182__. This is a photo of the reproduction I am stitching.

Therefore, it is more probable that Anne Maria started her sampler sometime right before or after Lafayette’s visit to Richmond in October 1824 and she finished it on January 30, 1825 and means that Lafayette probably did not see the sampler. However, that doesn't mean that Anne Maria did not meet Lafayette. As discussed earlier, her parents were probably well to do and would have been involved in the week long festivities celebrating the visit of the Marquis. While there is no solid proof that Anne Maria actually met Lafayette, one would like to think that she probably did meet the old soldier. Her sampler commemorating his visit is large and quite complicated. A young girl of twelve years would not undertake such a large, time consuming project unless there was some kind of special attachment to the subject. Anyone who has attempted to reproduce Anne Maria’s sampler can attest to that! Besides, it is rather romantic to think that a twelve year old Anne Maria, after meeting the famous, French hero was so enraptured that she felt inclined to commemorate the special event with needle and thread.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding the creation of the sampler, one thing is for certain, it is an exquisite piece of art. After visiting Anne Maria’s grave in Richmond, I feel much closer to her and I hope that as I re-create her sampler, she will smile down on me and guide my hands.

Thank you for being patient and listening to me ramble on about Anne Maria. I have made some progress on her and will post a more recent pic soon. I hope that everyone has a fabulous and safe holiday!

Happy Stitching!

Valerie

Washington and Lafayette at Mount Vernon, 1784 (The Home of Washington after the War)

by Rossiter and Mignot

A lovely day with Anne Maria Clark in Richmond

2011-04-24T22:11:00.000-04:00

Hello, dear readers!

Happy Easter to all! The weather could not have been better in the Shenandoah! Sunny skies and gentle breezes. The smell of lilacs filled the air and it was bliss!

I am afraid that I may be a little long-winded in this post so grab a cup of tea or coffee and join me for a spell while I tell you of my trip to visit Anne Maria Clarke.

My trip to Richmond was AMAZING! I wish that I could share pictures of Anne Maria Clark (Richmond Sampler) with you but due to understandable copyright issues, I cannot post them on the blog. I am so sorry!! I know that many of you were hoping to see the real Anne Maria and I am very sorry to disappoint you. The staff at the Valentine Museum were the epitome of kindness and very helpful but in order to take pictures I was required to sign a waiver that I would not publish the pictures. However, I was able to conduct a lot of research, specifically on the Anne Maria Clarke sampler, and I will share it with you once I have my notes in order.

My husband and I started the day in Richmond at Shockoe Hill Cemetery. I read in Kimberly Smith Ivey's book, In the Neatest Manner: The Virginia Sampler Tradition that Anne Maria Clarke was buried there. I knew that Anne Maria Clarke married George K. Crutchfield and might be buried in his family plot. This was a long shot since Anne was George's second wife (sometimes the second wife ends up in her parent's plot and I had no idea who they were.) I procured an old and barely legible, handwritten map of Shockoe Hill Cemetery and found three Crutchfield plots. While researching Shockoe Hill Cemetery I also discovered that a man was found shot to death in front of the gate to the cemetery LAST WEEK. Further investigation uncovered that Shockoe Hill Cemetery is located in a VERY BAD part of town. So, hubby and I were very careful walking around!

As luck would have it we found Anne Maria with little trouble. She is buried in the Crutchfield plot with George K.'s two other wives. While George was thrice married, it appeared as though her was gracious toward his wives. All three, including Anne, had very nice obelisk tombstones and all three women were buried in his family plot. Here is Anne Maria's final resting place

Her tombstone reads: To the memory of Anne M. Wife of Geo. K. Crutchfield

Born Apl 9th 1812 Died March 31 1851

Anne is buried next to George K.'s first wife, Wilhelmina (on left.) George and his third wife are buried on the right (not pictured.)

Although the area around the cemetery is questionable, it is important to note that the cemetery itself is well take care of. The graves are maintained and it is a very peaceful setting. It was so nice to visit Anne Maria; I now feel a special kinship with Anne Maria as I stitch her beautiful sampler.

For the history buffs in the group, I have also included a picture of the Shockoe Hill Cemetery Landmark sign. Yes, Chief Justice John Marshall is also buried there!

After our sojourn to the cemetery, hubby and I ate a quick lunch in the gardens of the Valentine Museum. It was a glorious day and the weather was perfect.

After lunch we made our way to the front of the Valentine Museum. It is located on Clay Street, which is lined beautifully with trees.

I was so excited to get into the museum and see Anne Maria that I neglected to take a picture of the front of the museum!

Once in the museum, I checked in at the front desk and was quickly ushered upstairs to the Archive Room. I was greeted warmly by one of the archivists named Autumn. She had already pulled several needlework books for my perusal as well as the Conservator's Report on Anne Maria Clarke's sampler. As I thumbed through the pile of delicious books, Autumn called the curator to bring in the samplers. I viewed two samplers, Anne Maria Clarke and a sampler stitched by Mary Washington (not sure if there is a kinship to George Washington) commemorating the Richmond Theater fire of 1811. I was allowed to view both samplers for several hours and I took copious notes as I poured over each one. Since the archives were only open from 12 to 4, I did not have enough time to read all of the research articles that Autumn pulled for me. I did, however, get to make copies of most of the articles and I am continuing to read them and take notes.

One thing is for sure, I got goosebumps looking at Anne Maria's sampler. The sampler did not disappoint and I promise to share with you my notes as well as historical research regarding the piece. There are many interesting facts about Anne Maria's sampler and I did find it interesting that she was not picky about ending her crosses with the same leg! Heck, after all those queen stitches, who can blame her?

Thank you for sticking with me through my extensive post. I promise to have a full report on Anne Maria very soon! Until then, happy stitching!

Cheers,
Valerie

Richmond Sampler Progress...

2011-04-20T22:15:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers!

It was a gorgeous day in the Shenandoah! What beautiful weather...I threw open the windows and enjoyed the fragrant breeze.

My spring break has been wonderful and quite relaxing. I have spent quite a bit of time stitching and have only had eyes for my dear Anne Maria Clarke. She is really starting to take shape! Here is my progress so far...

Here was my progress as of a week ago...

It may not look like a lot of progress but those trees...let me tell you! I am glad there were only two of them!

Tomorrow I will be in Richmond, Virginia and visit the original Anne Maria Clarke (Richmond Sampler.) Words cannot express how excited I am! The ladies in the archives of the Valentine Museum (where the sampler is housed) have been extremely helpful. They were interested in seeing my own Richmond Sampler so it will be tagging along with me. I am thrilled that my reproduction will be in the same room as the original! WOW! I will also visit the cemetery where Anne Maria Clarke is buried; I hope to find her grave and pay my respects.

I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to leave comments; they mean the world to me! Thank you for the kind words and compliments. I treasure my Blog Land friends...you guys are the best!

I promise a full Richmond report as soon as I return! Happy Stitching!

Cheers,
Valerie

LOVE Spring Break!

2011-04-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

Hello, dear Readers!

It is a lovely Monday morning here in the Shenandoah. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the leaves are budding on the trees. What a glorious spring morning!

It is Spring Break week for my school division and I am enjoying every minute of it! I stitched on the Saturday SAL with my dear friend Robin (no blog.) Here is my Saturday progress...

This piece is a fun and quick stitch. I love the colors and I especially enjoy reflecting on the words as I stitch them. I cannot wait to have it hanging in my classroom!

I am also planning a trip to Richmond this week. I will be visiting the Valentine Museum where I will view the original Richmond Sampler (Anne Maria Clarke.) Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I will view the original Richmond Sampler! It is not on display due to the fact that it is in such terrible condition. I contacted the archives department who then contacted the curator and after numerous emails it has been decided that the lovely Richmond Sampler will be coming out of storage so that I may meet her! I am beyond excited! The ladies in the archive department at the Valentine Museum have been so helpful...they are needlework enthusiasts too! I am scheduled to view Richmond Sampler on Thursday and I promise to report back with a thorough dissertation. I was also thrilled to find out that the files of the Valentine Museum contain a conservators report with historical information on the sampler and the stitcher, Anne Maria Clarke. It is 17 pages long! When the ladies in the archives department told me that...well...I thought I had died and gone to heaven! SEVENTEEN whole pages written about the Richmond Sampler and Anne Maria Clarke? It is a historian's dream! I am giddy with excitement!

While I stitch away the time till Thursday, I plan on enjoying the lovely weather as well. My kitty Simon is anxious to get outside too. Simon is very skittish and well...he is a mama's boy. He is not an outdoor type of cat but he LOVES to go outside, eat grass and sniff around. I do not allow him to roam the yard by himself so I usually accompany him. When the weather is gorgeous, like this morning, he sits at the kitchen door and begs to go outside.

Since his is a Siamese, he is rather vocal, ALL THE TIME! But that is what I love about him.

His sister, on the other hand, is a total tomboy and stays outside from morning till night.

Not to worry, we live on a farm away from traffic. Both of my kitties are great about staying in the yard and close to home. Besides, the lambs provide them with hours of entertainment. I caught a great picture of the lambs playing on top of the hay bales!

We live on a sheep farm but it is our landlord who owns the farm and the sheep. We are lucky to have such wonderful, picturesque surroundings!

Well, dear friends, I guess I should venture outside with my cat and my stitching...it is going to be a good week! Till next time...Happy Stitching!

Cheers,
Valerie

One day closer to Spring Break!

2011-04-10T22:29:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers!

It was a warm and sunny day here in the Shenandoah! I hope everyone was able to enjoy a lovely spring weekend! We have one week left of school before Spring Break! I cannot wait!!!

I was able to get some stitching done over the past week. I did make some progress on Psalm 23...

Vera K Psalm 23

32 ct. white evenweave

DMC threads

I will be glad to get this one finished...it has only been a WIP for about 10 years!

I also stitched on my SAL with my dear friend Robin (no blog.) As I mentioned before, we stitch on Saturdays and here is my progress so far...

Lizze*Kate ABC Lessons

32 count Lambswool

Crescent Colors and DMC

I am really enjoying the Lizzie Kate ABC Lessons. It has been an enjoyable stitch and the colors are a lot of fun. I plan to purchase the button pack to accompany it. When it is finished, I will be hanging it in my classroom. Hopefully, it will provide my students with some positive encouragement!

Finally, dear readers, I leave you with my dear kitty, Simon. He was lounging on the couch this evening when I snapped his picture. The blue blanket is his Snuggie (he LOVES that thing) and his paw is on my project bag (containing Richmond Sampler.) He is my beloved companion and is beside me every time I sit down to stitch. He is quite spoiled...can't you tell?

I have promised some charts to people over the past few weeks. I will to get to the post office very soon and get those charts in the mail! My post office keeps crazy hours and I sometimes I do not make it in time after school. However, I promise to win at their game this week! Also, a lovely lady named Addie left a comment on my last post about Richmond Sampler. I would like to respond but she did not leave a return email and her email is not listed on her profile.
Addie, if you are reading this, please send me an email at valiehokie@gmail.com. I would love to chat with you!

Take care everyone and have a great week!

Cheers,
Valerie

Richmond Sampler progress and a New Start!

2011-04-04T16:00:00.001-04:00

Hello dear readers!

It is warm and sunny here in the Shenandoah! I think I can say with some certainty that Spring has officially sprung!

Thanks to all of you who commented on Fine Arts Day. It was a special day for me and one that I will hold dear to my heart for years to come. Thank you for your support and well wishes!

Now to the nitty gritty. I did finish the border on Richmond Sampler (finally!) Here is my before progress...

Here she is as of now...border complete and patiently waiting for the house to take shape.

I have also started a new piece, Lizzie*Kate's "ABC's." I am stitching this as a SAL with my dear friend, Robin (no blog.) She is stitching the Lizzie*Kate "Dog Rules." Our SAL is for Saturdays only but sometimes I cheat and stitch on Sundays too! I know that Robin does not mind....it is the only way that I can keep up with her progress on Saturdays! I think that I am going to enjoy working on this one...the pink is such a pretty color...makes me think of SPRING!

Well, that just about does it for this installment. I have been away from blogging for the past couple of weeks due to work and life overload. Not in a bad way, just a lot going on! But I am stitching on an hope to have more to share soon!

Cheers,

Valerie

Fine Arts Week!

2011-03-17T18:51:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!

WOW!! It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in the Shenandoah! The sun is shining and the sky is blue...what a glorious day!

We are in the middle of Fine Arts Week at school and I showcased my "Hidden Talent" today. I displayed four framed pieces as well as two unframed pieces and three works in progress. On the tables I also placed several sampler books and quite a few SANQ magazines for them to look at. The "Hidden Talent" Showcase was before lunch and there were several different staff "hidden talents" ranging from needlework (yours truly) to quilting, dancing, and drawing.

In the room where I was stationed I set up my framed and WIP pieces. I was not sure what to expect but I am pleased to report that the kids were amazing! Of the 35 students that attended about three wanted to learn how to cross stitch! And while not all students wanted to learn how to cross stitch, ALL of them were interested, respectful, well-behaved and asked great questions. I was absolutely thrilled! And while that may not sound like a lot, where I work, it is. I teach in an adolescent mental/behavioral hospital. Summon the worst language and behaviors you can think of and my students have probably done them....twice...at least! So to see the kids interested and RESPECTFUL of my hobby was a blessing. My heart is briming with pride today...I am so proud of my students! It is days like this that make me proud to be a teacher!

I could not snap any pics of my presentation but I did catch a few pictures of the art room before the kids came in...

The three students who would like to learn how to cross stitch will be able to use their art time to learn. Terry, the owner of Cross Stitch Station (my LNS,) DONATED aida cloth, needles and thread for the kids. I am so grateful and lucky to have such a wonderful LNS, and friend, close-by.

Thank you for all of the wonderful comments and emails about Fine Arts Week and my presentation. Your kind words mean more that you know! Until next time...Happy Stitching!

Valerie

Getting in gear...

2011-03-09T20:57:00.000-05:00

Hello dear blogging friends!

The art teacher at school approached me the other day about Fine Arts week. The week of March 14 (next week!) our school will be celebrating Fine Arts through a myriad of activities and special events. She said that she was having a "Hidden Talent" event and would like for me to showcase my needlework. Well.....I must say that I was thrilled about the possibility of showing off my needlework not to mention the possibility of getting some of the kids interested.

So, I began thinking of all of the finished projects that I had and realized that I don't have as many finished projects as unfinished projects! Well, not much can be done about that in only one week but I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could accomplish some serious stitching on Richmond Sampler. Here are the fruits of my labor...

Here is a before pic...

And here is my progress as of tonight...

Stitching these flowers makes me think of spring!

Gotta love those over one berries!

I certainly do not think I will be finished with Richmond Sampler by March 17 but I am trying to at least have the border finished. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Here is my stitching helper, Simon. He always has to be involved with my stitching!

Happy Stitching!
Valerie

Sampler in miniature and dollhouses! (Picture heavy)

2011-03-07T10:17:00.004-05:00

Good day everyone!

The sun is shining and it is a gorgeous day here in the Shenandoah. We received lots of rain yesterday (much needed though!) and now the sun is shining. I have a feeling that the Easter flowers will be blooming soon!

I was going through some old photos the other day and happened upon some pictures that I took at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg, Virginia. Although it was a couple of years ago, I remember our visit like it was yesterday! The sampler "drawers" were open and I was able to drool all over the extensive groups of antique samplers in the Colonial Williamsburg collection. I could not take pictures of the samplers but once I moved on from the samplers (I was there for over three hours!) I found my way over to the doll house collection. I love doll houses and had one when I was a child. Walking through the exhibit I can honestly say that I felt like a kid again and I even found one that even had a miniature sampler in it! Here are some pictures of my adventure with doll houses...

Yours truly in front of the doll house with the sampler. See the tiny sampler on the wall above the bed?

This is a close-up of the sampler

A picture of the entire house

Here is the kitchen...

A close-up of the wine bottles in the kitchen

Living room

Foyer

This is a tiny greenhouse right off of the main house...adorable!

Another lovely house

Dining room...see the little picture of George Washington?

Bedroom above the dining room

I hope that you enjoyed perusing the dollhouses...sometimes it is fun to be a kid again!

I will leave you with a picture of what my future car will look like...including the license plate!

Have a good one! Happy Stitching!

Valerie

A finish and a history lesson

2011-03-03T19:53:00.001-05:00

Hello dear readers!

It was a beautiful, crisp, sunny day here in the Shenandoah. I am looking forward to the first day of spring but cannot help but wonder if there is not one more snow up Mother Nature's sleeve!

I do have a finish to announce...I put the last stitch in Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler on Monday night! This was a SAL with my dear friend Robin (no blog.) She finished hers on Saturday which gave me the incentive to put the pedal to the metal and get mine finished as well!

Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler

by Homespun Elegance

Weeks Dye Works Linen 28 ct. Natural

Called for DMC threads

I enjoyed stitching this sampler...it was quick (only eight Saturdays worth of stitching!) and the colors are lovely!

The history behind the sampler is what really makes this one stand out, at least for me. For those of you who do not know, Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler was designed to honor the family of George Washington. Sandra Sullivan of Homespun Elegance included detailed historical information about why she designed the sampler and the significance of Ferry Farm with the chart.  I did a little of my own research as well and I would like to share with you the story behind the Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler.

George Washington was born on Pope's Creek Plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia in 1732. Westmoreland County is located on Virginia's "Northern Neck" and only a few short miles from Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Birthplace, Stratford Hall. The "Northern Neck" is the northern most peninsula of Virginia with the great Potomac River to the north and the Rappahannock to the south. The Washington family moved from Pope's Creek when George was 3 years old. When George was six, the family settled at Ferry Farm in Stafford County, Virginia, near Fredericksburg. It was at Ferry Farm that George "grew up" with his mother, father and siblings. The famous "Cherry Tree Legend" of George chopping down a cherry tree and telling the truth about it, still permeates our culture and is alleged to have occurred at Ferry Farm.  A 2008 excavation at the site of the Washington's home at Ferry Farm unearthed a wonderful and ironic find. Fragments of enameled creamware were found that dated back to 1765-1775, the latter part of Mrs. Washington's residence, and some shards were found to have a cherry motif! Sandra Sullivan, of the Homespun Sampler worked with the George Washington Foundation to create the sampler. The cherry motif on the enameled creamware along with the initials of the Washington family members who lived at Ferry Farm were used to make up the sampler. If you would like more information about the sampler or about the history of George Washington's boyhood homes, here are the links:

George Washington's Birthplace

George Washington's Boyhood Home - Ferry Farm

Homespun Elegance - Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler

Thank you for humoring me and I hope that the history lesson was informative. One of the reasons I love needlework so much is because of the rich history behind it.  The feeling of being a part of something that has lasted not just generations but centuries.  And it is not only the samplers that amaze me but the people who either created those wonderful works of art or just inspired them.

Till next time dear friends,
Valerie

New Market Stash!

2011-02-26T11:08:00.000-05:00

Hello dear readers!

It is sunny and crisp here in the Shenandoah. Thankfully, the winds have died down. The yard is strewn with tree limbs, sticks, and all other kinds of yard debris. The wind gusts were up to 50 miles an hour yesterday! Whew! Hubby and I will definitely be working in the yard later today!

This past week I headed to my LNS, Cross Stitch Station, to check out the new market finds. There were so many new and pretty things! I did pick up a few new things and I thought that I would share them with you.

First, here is my new favorite stitching tool. It is called "The Buddy Case" and it is by Namaste. It is magnetic and is perfect for holding your scissors and needles. I have my scissors and frogging tool in mine. The magnets are so strong that they can hold a pair of scissors upright! I love this new case...keep needles, thread and Thread Heaven in it too. I highly recommend it to any and all stitchers!

Next, I had to pick up the new Blackbird Designs book, "A Stitcher's Journey." What gorgeous projects! The colors, the patterns, the stories...oh, what a wonderful book! My faves are "Tulip House" and "Seaside Retreat."

I also picked up a new Lizzie*Kate, "One Hundred Years." It is perfect for me and my chosen profession! There were some new hand-dyed fabrics and I found one that I thought would be perfect with the browns in the L*K piece. I could not get a good pic of the fabric but it is a gorgeous yellow...perfect for those browns!

Well gentle friends, I am off to get some stitching done before heading out to the yard for the great "Pick-Up." Thank you for all of your lovely comments! They really do mean the world. I love reading them and feeling connected to so many wonderful people! I do hope to get caught up on my own commenting...so you will be hearing from me soon!

Happy Stitching!
Valerie

The road of good intentions...or the reason why I cannot find time to stitch

2011-02-20T22:06:00.000-05:00

Thursday was shaping up to be a good day. Work was smooth, the kids behaved and all of my lesson plans went........well......as planned (which for a teacher can be quite an accomplishment!) My husband had to work late which meant at least FIVE peaceful, uninterrupted hours of stitching. I was looking forward to going home, slipping into my PJ's and stitching away. Not to mention, I was going to fix one of my favorite comfort foods for dinner, Chicken Casserole. Hubby does not like Chicken Casserole because it has broccoli. Since he was not going to be home, I decided I would whip up my favorite dish and stitch the night away. Besides, he is a chef and he eats at work when he works late.

What was I thinking? Why did I ever think that I would be able to score FIVE hours of stitching time with my ultimate comfort food????

After my smooth day at school, I hop in my car and head to my mother's house (two houses away from my own) to pick up some mayonnaise. My Chicken Casserole recipe calls for mayo (told you it was good!) and I was running low. I arrive safely at my mother's where I promptly get involved in a conversation with one of her "chattier" customers (in case you do not know, my mother is a cosmetologist and has her own shop in her home...think Truvy's in Steel Magnolias....really, it is just like that!) There are several ladies getting their hair done and they all want the latest news from me. This means fielding all of the the necessary questions like, "How's work?" and "How is your husband?" etc, etc. I try to answer as quickly and painlessly as possible without being rude. I finish with the interrogation and make a bee line for the kitchen and the mayo. I grab the needed condiment, say my good-byes, jump in my car, and guess what! The battery is dead. I left the keys in the ignition and the head lights on! AAARRRGGHHHH! So, this means that I now have to jump the car, which is no small feat since I have to WALK to my house to retrieve the jumper cables. The ladies in my mother's shop tell me to wait for my husband to come home and take care of the dead battery problem. I seriously consider this...I can hear my stitching calling my name...but realize that while stitching is high on my list, knowing that I can take care of the problem myself is even more important...not to mention my pride. After hooking up to my mother's car and listening to not one, not two but three different stories about dead car batteries, I finally get my car started. However, by this point, new customers have arrived and I have to fill them in on the details of my life as well as why my car battery is dead. Not only that but I have to listen to even more funny dead car battery stories. Once I finally free myself from the confines of the beauty parlor, I head home to start cooking. It is now 6:00.

O.k, at least three hours left to stitch. Not so fast. Dirty dishes have been left in the sink by hubby (thanks honey!) and I cannot start cooking in a dirty kitchen. Oh, and what is this??? The cat apparently has had an upset stomach ALL DAY LONG! I clean up the cat yak (my endearing term for it,) wash dishes, get dinner in the oven and start laundry. It is now 7:00. I sit down in my stitching chair, turn on the TV, and grab my stitching. What appears on my TV screen? An error message. Yep, seems like the Dish Network box needs to be rebooted. This means a trip downstairs to the satellite box. While downstairs, I switch over the laundry and head back upstairs to my stitching. The phone rings...it is hubby just checking in. He denotes the tension in my voice by saying, "Are you ok?" I will be ok when I can sit and stitch! is what I would like to say but instead simply assuage him by saying, "Fine." He then asks what I made for dinner, which, as you may, remember is not his favorite. "Chicken Casserole?" he exclaims, "Is that all that you fixed?" Apparently, hubby was expecting dinner at 9:00 when he got home. I promise to have something for him when he gets home at 9:00 and it looks like it will be a grilled cheese and soup night for hubby. The timer goes off for my casserole. By this point I am starving and dig into my casserole. It is now 8:00. Where did the time go??? I happily settle into my stitching nook and begin to stitch. I get in FOUR whole stitches when I see headlights in the driveway. Yep, it is hubby pulling in. Apparently when he called he neglected to tell me that he was on his way home. I feel like crying but I jump up and start fixing soup and grilled cheese. Hubby is very good to me so I don't complain......very much at least. He has had a hard day at work and I sit patiently and listen to him regale me with the escapades of his employees. I look at the clock......it is 9:00 and time to get ready for bed. Where did my five hours of blissful, uniterrupted stitching go??? Well, maybe next time. At least it was fun thinking about it.

On Sunday, I was able to stitch quite a bit and actually made some progress on two projects. I stitched on my SAL with Robin (no blog.) We are stitching the Homespun Elegance, Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler. The both of us are really enjoying this piece. I am a little behind Robin's progress but I hope to be caught up this week.

I have been stealing time over the past two weeks to work on Richmond Sampler. Now that I am done with the lovely over one verse, I have decided to focus on the border and flowers. Here is my before picture...

Here is a present progress pic...

Isn't she lovely? I just love, love, love this sampler! Now, if I could only get her done this year!!!

Well, dear readers, I must hop off and get ready to start the work week. I am starting to get caught up on my email and promise to be in touch with those of you who probably think that I have dropped off the face of the earth! Thank you for all of your wonderful and much appreciated comments! They make my day! Happy Stitching!

Valerie

Back from a wonderful Gathering...

2011-02-06T21:49:00.000-05:00

Hello dear stitching friends!

I am back from Williamsburg and an absolutely enjoyable Gathering of Embroiderers! I am jealous that I could not attend another class...Margriet Hogue was teaching another fabulous sampler class today, but alas, there is always next year! I must tell you that the picture on the web of the Cynthia Burr sampler DID NOT DO IT JUSTICE! I took a picture of the sampler and here she is in all her glory...

Isn't she absolutely gorgeous? The majority of the sampler is free-handed...which is a little like, as Margriet described, paint by numbers with thread. Margriet discussed the free-handed section in detail but we did not actually stitch any of the free-handed sections. According to Margriet, the counted sections should be stitched first, then trace the pattern onto the fabric and stitch the free-hand part last. Here is the traceable pattern...

I will have to use a light box of some sort but that is a long way off at this point!

I arrived in Williamsburg around 6:00 pm on Thursday evening. I left straight from work and the drive was quick, only about three hours. I checked in, took my luggage into my room and headed for the restaurant in the hotel for a little dinner. I headed back to the room and headed to bed early. Class was to start at 8:30 the next morning and I wanted to get up early to see what I could find in the Stitching Boutique! There were several vendors, but I knew what I wanted to buy...Essamplaire kits! I headed to The Essamplaire booth and picked up these two beauties...Helena Kutz and Sarah Hatton McPhail

I don't know when I will be able to stitch them, but for me half the fun is looking over the charts, feeling the linen and threads, and thinking about the young lady who stitched such a wonderful piece of art.

Class started and we got down to business. I saw a fellow blogger, Susan (her blog is Plain and Fancy), who is also stitching Richmond Sampler. She and her mother were also taking the Cynthia Burr class. It was great to see the both of them...they are lovely ladies and such accomplished stitchers!

I met so many fabulous people! I am terrible with names, so forgive me for not remembering all names but it was great meeting fellow stitchers! Cissy, Kathy, Anne, Ria, Mary and so many others...it was a pleasure to meet you and stitch with you! My stitching buddy, who shared a table with me was Cissy Smith from A Gentle Pursuit Designs. For those of you who have the magazine, Sampler and Antique Needlework, the Summer 2010 cover is one of her designs. She is a lovely and talented lady and I was so lucky to have met her. We had dinner at the Williamsburg Lodge on Friday evening...and thoroughly enjoyed the amazing seafood buffet! The food was fabulous and the company was even better!

I took lots of pictures and here are several that I would like to share.

Our classroom

My stitching area...

Cissy hard at work!

I set up a stitching niche in my hotel room. I moved the desk near the TV and stitched for hours!

If you are interested, I have more pictures on my Picasa page. I took several close-ups of the sampler, so if you are interested in seeing sections close up go here: https://picasaweb.google.com/valiehokie

Oh, last but not least, I did find something that I have been searching high and low for. There was a vendor who specialized in hard to find needlework books, antique notions, etc. At her booth, I found THE book..."In the Neatest Manner...The Virginia Sampler Tradition" by Kimberly Smith Ivey. I have been pouring over it the past two days. What an amazing book!

Well dear readers, I must go and get ready to start the work week. Thank you for all of the wonderful comments and well wishes for my trip! Reading your wonderful comments means so much! Thank you!

Till next time...

Cheers,

Valerie

Off to another wonderful Gathering...

2011-02-02T15:30:00.000-05:00

Hello dear readers!

It is a blustery, sunny day here in the Shenandoah! The "Blizzard" missed us but the cold temps are making there way here tonight. I hope that those of you are dealing with the terrible weather are faring well and there are no power outages to report.

It is that time of year again, it is time to attend the Gathering of Embroiderers. As many of you know, last year was the first year that I was able to attend the Gathering and I had a fabulous time! I took the Richmond Sampler class (aka Anne Maria Clarke sampler) with Margriet Hogue of The Essamplaire. This year I am taking another of her classes, the Cynthia Burr Sampler. This is an American Mary Balch School sampler from Rhode Island. The class is two full days and I cannot wait! I wish that I could take more of the classes but 1.) I work full-time and cannot take the time off to attend all of the classes offered and 2.) any more BAP and I may go crazy! Here is a picture of the sampler...

Isn't it gorgeous? Apparently there is a large amount of freehand work in the piece and we will be learning about that in depth. I leave tomorrow afternoon (after work) and will hopefully arrive in Williamsburg in time to enjoy the Gathering's Stitching Room.

I promise to take plenty of pictures and share my progress with you! Till next time!

Valerie

Happy New Year and Good Bye UFO's!

2011-01-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

Hello dear blogging buddies!

Yes, it has been too long, but I am glad to be back in the blogging community. Life has been, well, hectic and blogging has unfortunately gone by the wayside. I have not been a good blogger nor have I been a good blogging buddy. However, it is a new year and while I am not perfect, I am going to try to stay better connected to my favorite hobby, stitching and spending time with my stitching friends.

My first year of teaching has been full of experiences (some really great, some not) but even with the bad I am thrilled to be teaching and everyday is a new learning experience! Now that I have a better groove going (aka a more organized teacher) I have stolen some time for stitching. I have finished the over one verse on Richmond Sampler (WOO HOO!) and plan to continue with flowers in the border. Here is a picture of my progress (sorry for the wrinkles...)

Here is a close-up of the stitcher name...oh, to be able to meet Miss Anne Maria Clarke!

Yesterday, I met with my good friend Robin. We hit our LNS, Cross Stitch Station in Waynesboro. Terri, the owner was having a "Going to Market Open House." Everything was 20% off! Needless to say, I stocked up on some things and bought a few pieces of linen. Robin and I also *finally* exchanged our Christmas presents to each other. Robin was so generous and I love everything that she gave me. Here is a picture...

Included was a 1/4 yard of my favorite linen, "Vintage Country Mocha," a darling Sampler Notebook, several gorgeous silks, a lovely chart, "The Sparrow" by Tree of Life Samplings, a beautiful hand-made project bag, and last but not least the most beautiful Christmas ornament. Robin...thank you so much for the lovely gifts! You are a great friend and I am blessed to have met you!

Speaking of Robin, we are working on our own little SAL. It is "Ferry Farm Cherry Sampler" from Homespun Elegance. We stitch on Saturdays and this is my progress over three Saturdays...

Over the past few weeks I have been lurking around the blogs and I am just amazed at the beautiful things being created. I have enjoyed seeing all of the new starts and resolutions to finish those old UFO's.

Seeing so many people make progress on their UFO's got me thinking...I need to fish out some of my own UFO's and finish them! I did dig in my stash and found quite a few UFO's. I had to do some soul searching with some of them. Several of my UFO's were attachments to people from my past. Ex-boyfriends, friends who turned out not to be such great friends, etc, etc. For years I have held on to these UFO's. My reasoning? "I have put in so much time, I CAN'T POSSIBLY get rid of it!" Over the Christmas Holiday, I purchased a book on my new Barnes and Noble Nook (LOVE IT!) called "Throw Out Fifty Things." The author preaches getting rid of the things that are the "garbage of your past." The longer you hold on to these "past items," the longer the past has a hold on you and therefore you are slow to move forward. So, I made a decision to keep only the UFO's that meant something to ME. So, three UFO's have moved out of the house and to my local Goodwill. Maybe someone else will enjoy finishing them and besides, I feel happier and lighter to boot! It was rewarding letting go of those UFO's...not to mention, I now feel happier when I stitch. Those UFO's and their bad memories are no longer calling me from the UFO basket. I did not realize how much of a hold they had on me till I let them go! So, now I am focusing on three UFO's. I will be sharing them with you over the next few weeks. So keep an eye out!

Well with that dear stitchers, I must fly off and make the most of the next few hours at the house. Hubby is at work so it is prime stitching time! Till next time...

Cheers,
Valerie

Progress is progress...I guess, I guess!

2010-10-25T15:34:00.001-04:00

Hello dear blogging buddies!

I hope that everyone had a fabulous fall weekend! I had a wonderful time at home. It was the first weekend I have spent completely at home in months and it was glorious. I cleaned and stitched and loved every minute of it! It was difficult getting up to go to work this morning but it was made easier by the fact that we only have a half day of school today. It was a teacher workday to begin with but my principal decided to give us leave at 12:00! We have had a very difficult and long couple of weeks. I don't teach in a "normal" school (if there is such a thing!,) I teach in a school that is located within a psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents. October is a very busy time because we have numerous admissions. We have been at capacity for several weeks and we are all feeling a little crazy! Our principal decided to give us a half day off just to say "Thanks for doing what you do!"

I have had several friends ask "Why is October so busy?" Well, we are not sure but we think it is because generally schools have been in session for over a month and children with mental issues begin to present their abnormal behaviors more frequently after the few beginning weeks. Those of you who teach school (or just have kids in school) know that there is a "honeymoon period" at the beginning of every school year. It lasts from two to four weeks. If there is a student who is possibly struggling with a mental illness/behavioral illness, it usually takes about four to six weeks before any serious intervention is made. Students with serious mental issues (many are behavior related, such as oppositional defiant disorder) are then sent to the center where I work. It is operated by the state and is an acute care facility. Students live at the center (similar to a hospital) so that they can receive around the clock psychiatric care. They are also provided with a true school experience so that they do not get behind in their studies. I teach teach World History and middle school social studies and some elementary social studies. So, I work with students in grades K-12. In short, I teach the kids that nobody else can momentarily deal with. We try to stabilize children so that they can return home and continue moving forward. The job can be stressful but in the end it can be very rewarding.
Ok, enough about work...time for some stitching! Here is my progress on Richmond Sampler (Anne Maria Clarke)...

I am almost finished with the over one verse...thank heavens I only have about three to four lines left. I have Anne Maria Clarke's name still to stitch (on the left above the birds) but I have decided to wait till the end to "sign" it for her!

I just love this sampler and even though I am sure that I will still be stitching it a year after starting it (February 2010,) I am happy to be comfortably stitching with Miss Clarke. When I find myself wishing her finished (which I must admit, is quite often) I go to visit Margaret over at Days of a Sampler Lover. She is currently stitching the beloved Richmond Sampler as well and making significant progress. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Margaret stitch this sampler and I have also enjoy dreaming that her progress is MY progress!

The birds on the left are looking a little lonely, they are supposed to be flying over the house. Guess I should help them out and start on the house next?

I also made some progress on my Mom's Christmas present, La D Da's "Bushel and Peck." This is a special piece for me...my mother used to sing the "Bushel and a Peck" song to me as a child. At the end of the song, when she sang "hug around the neck" she would grab me, give me a huge hug and shower me with kisses.

I am 34 years old and still feel warm and fuzzy inside when I hear that song! So, when I saw the model stitched at my LNS, I knew that I had to stitch it for my mother. I am using a different fabric than what is called for and different threads (they escape me now) but I like what I have stitched so far.

I also started another project, Cinnamon Stick Christmas IX "Santa and the Merry Animals" by Homespun Elegance.

Teri, the owner of my LNS has several of these model Santas in her shop. I have always loved them and decided this year I would stitch one. Santa can be stitched on linen as a framed piece or he can be stitched on 7ct. Klostern as a 3-D free-standing Santa. I am stitching on the 7ct Klostern with the hopes of finishing him to stand freely. So far, I have only finished his mittens.

I am stitching with DMC since this Santa EATS thread. I hope to have more to show later.

Well, thanks to everyone for stopping by and making my day! Your wonderful comments mean so much! Oh, and a big thank you to everyone who commented about my Clark's Spool Cabinet. Yes, I realize that I am VERY lucky to have one and I promise, once I get her polished up, I will share more pictures! Happy Stitching!

Back from another world...

2010-10-12T19:32:00.000-04:00

Hello my dear blogging buddies!

My, how long it has been! I apologize for my extreme tardiness in posting. All I can say is life just sometimes gets in the way. I started my new teaching job (love it!) and am still trying to adjust to my new schedule. I have been wearing my teacher hat late into the evenings and unfortunately, my stitching has taken a back seat.

Since I no longer have to work weekends, I have been happily attending estate auctions around the area. I was very lucky to attend an auction that had this beautiful piece...

Yes, that is an original Clark's Company Spool Cabinet. Was I lucky to be the winning bidder or what? I was so excited (still am!) and have been working on "sprucing it up." Really all it needed was a good washing with some Murphy's Oil Soap. I have now taken to oiling the outside with good ol' furniture oil. Once I polish the brass knobs, she will look almost new!

Although I have been busy with school and estate auctions, I have been able to put in a few stitches here and there over the past couple of months. Here is my progress on Richmond Sampler...ignore the water on the right side...I was trying to blot out a small spot...

Believe it or not, when I have a moment to spare, I try to read the blogs. I have been pea green with envy watching Margaret's progress on the same sampler over at Sampler Lover's Blog. This is such a beautiful piece and I am thrilled that Margaret is stitching it too. Watching her reminds me that yes, I can finish it too! I just love the Richmond Sampler and have been doing a little research on the young lady who stitched the magnificent original. Anne Maria Clarke was from Virginia and is buried in Richmond. I hope to have more interesting tidbits on Miss Clarke soon...I do enjoy getting to know the young ladies whose stitching I love to reproduce.

Again, I apologize for being absent for so long. I have numerous emails to send out and even more blogs to visit and comment on! I promise to catch up and I will enjoy every minute! Thank you all for stopping by and I love hearing from you!

Some Richmond Progress, Blue Ribbons and a New Job!

2010-07-28T20:52:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!

I trust that all of you are keeping cool while your needles are flying! It has been hot here in the Shenandoah, however, over the past two days the heat has broken a bit and the humidity has thankfully lifted.

I do wish to mention a great giveaway over on Kim's blog Threadheads Unite. She is a stitchy/quilty person and is having not one but two giveaways...one for a stitchy person and one for a quilty person! Make sure to head over and check it out!

Well, I have been madly stitching away on Richmond Sampler. I *finally* finished the flowers on the top border! Woo Hoo!! Now, I get to start the lovely over one verse. I think that I am going to focus on two or three words a week. That way I can get started on the birds and the massive house. I apologize for the horrible pics. I have tried everything to get a good snapshot of this sampler and to no avail. However, I have included a couple of close-ups. Eventhough the flowers have been annoying me, they are rather pretty.

I decided to enter two of my latest framed pieces into our local county fair. And guess what??? I won FIRST PLACE for both!

Needlework is part of the 'Homemaking Division" and therefore shown with such things as knitting, crochet, canned goods, apparel, etc. Where were the quilts? Well, they were shown elsewhere. This is where I get a little hot under the collar. My stitching, along with the knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and other hand crafts are shown in the 4-H Livestock show ring. Yes, you read that right. My beloved stitching was on a table right next to where the cows, sheep, goats and chickens were shown. The quilts, however, were shown in a large, air conditioned room separate from the livestock. The art show was in the same room, and get this, the horticulture exhibits. Yes, the plants were kept in an air conditioned room, free of dirt and debris while my precious stitching sat for six days in an open, dirt floor arena. Now please understand...I love quilts and I appreciate the time and effort that goes into making quilts and I do not in any way think that the quilts should be shown anywhere other than where they are currently shown. I DO think, however, that maybe the homemaking exhibits (which include my stitching) could be moved to the indoor room and the horticulture exhibits moved to the outdoor arena. Just a thought....

(stepping off of my soap box....)

Now, last but not least, I have more fabulous news to report. It is official, I was offered a full-time teaching position and I accepted!!! I am absolutely thrilled and I cannot wait to start (next week!...eek!) For many months, I have had my eye on the Lizzie*Kate design, "ABC Lessons," and told myself that as soon as I had a job I would buy it for myself. And that is exactly what I did.

I plan to stitch it and hang it in my classroom. I think that it will be perfect next to my desk. Thank you to all who have kept me and my job search in your thoughts and prayers. Your positive thoughts and well wishes worked! I am truly blessed to have such wonderful stitchy/blogging friends...you guys are the best!

Well, I am off to watch my annual summer addiction...Big Brother! Stay cool and keep those needles flying!

Friday Night Stitch-In Progress on Richmond Sampler

2010-07-24T11:27:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers!

I decided to participate in Heidi's Friday Night Stitch-In with the hopes that I would start to see some real progress on Richmond Sampler. Well, I can honestly say that I am approaching the end of the top border and could not be happier. I am enjoying Richmond Sampler, but I must admit, I am tiring of the border flowers. I am ready to move on to other things...like the house! Please excuse the terrible photos...the house is dark because of the shade trees surrounding the house. Also, my camera is old, tired and a bit crotchety. The flash, especially, was not cooperative. The scissors, scissor fob and frogging tool were all birthday gifts from DH.

Here is a close-up of what I got stitched last night. As I mentioned I finished the flower in the center and began the flower on the right. I just have to finish the flower on the right and one more flower in the top right corner (where my needleminder is) and I will be finished with the flowers on the top border...woo hoo!

In case some of you are wondering...I have not been stitching the queen stitches in the border or the flower pots. I have decided to wait until I am finished with the cross stitching to finish the queen stitches. I decided this because I noticed that the queen stitches were getting a bit crumpled and crushed. So, I will stitch them last.

Yesterday was a bit busier than I anticipated so I only had about three hours to stitch and as I mentioned earlier, I was able to at least finish one flower and start another. There was a salvage sale at the University where I work part-time as a docent. They are getting ready to remodel one of the academic buildings and basically everything (desks, bookshelves, filing cabinets, etc.) was on sale. DH and I got a 6'3" bookcase and computer desk for...are you ready for this...5 DOLLARS! Yep! You heard right. We borrowed our pastor's truck, loaded 'em up and brought 'em home! I am so excited to have a new computer desk! Our current desk leans to one side and honestly, if a stiff wind came through, I am not sure that it would survive! Also, the large bookshelf will come in handy because we are both book lovers and have way too many books stored in boxes. Now we can put them out and maybe actually USE them!

Stay cool everyone...till next time!

A finish, a birthday and an anniversary...

2010-07-21T20:00:00.001-04:00

Hello dear blogging and stitching friends!

It is a hot, muggy day here in the Shenandoah and there is a storm a' brewin'. The wind is nice and the rain will be even nicer. It is good thing that I did not have time to put out a garden this year because rain has been a rare occurance.

I have been busy with life and stitching lately. Things are slowing down and speeding up at the same time. I have more time for family and friends and they have quickly scooped up my extra time. No complaints here...it has been quite nice spending time with them.

I finished my husbands anniversary present in time for our anniversary on Monday. I did not have time to get it framed but that will be taken care of soon! DH loved his present and I enjoyed stitching it for him. Here is the finished product...

I also celebrated my birthday last week (yes, my birthday and anniversary are only three days apart) and had a very special day. Hubby and I went out to dinner and tried our hands at a few games of bowling. Lately we have really taken to bowling and love when we get the chance to play a few games. My mother spoiled me with a homemade German Chocolate Cake (my favorite!) and history books galore! Anyone who knows me knows that I am a book lover, especially books on history! Thanks Mom! My grandmother gave me a generous gift certificate to my LNS and hubby gave me needlework scissors, a cute scissor fob and a frogging tool. My dear friend Robin sent me the most amazing birthday package...just chock full of stitching goodies! She sent me some gorgeous linen (Days Gone By - hand-dyed, and Sassy's Fabby's in Mud Pie, Bluebell and Tan Temptation,)

Blackbird Designs "Blessings and Wishes" with the threads and a choice of linens!!

Also, she sent me the "Winter Sheep" ornament by Little House Needleworks and a lovely Longaberger pink bag - perfect for taking my stitching on the road!

How lucky am I??? Thank you, thank you, thank you, Robin! You are a great stitching friend and I cannot wait to get started stitching on my new stash!

As I mentioned earlier, my husband and I celebrated our anniversary on Monday. We spent the day tooling around and shopping. We had a lovely day together and kept remarking to one another that we cannot believe that we have been married for two years! It feels like time has flown by! I love looking at our wedding pictures and I could not help but share a few...

This was taken through the window of the church right after we recessed and walked outside...our guests and wedding party were still inside the church and it was the first moment we had alone before people came flooding out of the church. I love this picture and am so glad the photographer caught it! The church where we married dates back to 1756 and many of the windows are original so it is neat to have a picture of us through one of the windows.

This was taken before the ceremony in a field right behind the church. My bridesmaids were making me laugh right before I walked down the aisle. I was having quite a bit of fun and enjoying the day!

Here is another picture from the field...this is my favorite and hangs in our bedroom...

The next picture is taken of us right outside of the historic mansion where we had our wedding reception (do you notice a history theme here??? :-)

The next picture was taken on the porch of the mansion. Michael and his groomsmen were, shall we say, channelling their inner "Goodfellas." I chose morning suits for them (since it was a morning wedding) and at first they balked at them. However, I think they eventually liked their morning suits!

We had such a glorious day...a morning wedding, luncheon reception and then off to the beach for our honeymoon! Thank you for humoring me and my wedding pictures. I enjoyed looking through them and appreciate your allowing me to share them with you!

Till next time dear friends...I promise progress on Richmond Sampler...so keep your eyes peeled!

A New Project...

2010-07-11T15:51:00.000-04:00

Good day everyone!

It is sunny and HOT here in the Shenandoah today. I am trying to keep cool and get some things accomplished today. I am finishing up some lingering job applications and wrapping up a few odds and ends that need to be mailed. My post office has the strangest hours but I should be able to hit them when they are open tomorrow.

I have started a quick little project that I will hopefully be able to finish soon. With the craziness that has been my life lately, I neglected to ponder my husband's anniversary present. I am trying to keep up with the traditional presents. For instance, last year was our first anniversary and the traditional gift was to be something paper. Well, I found a print of a gristmill inn that we visited and held special meaning to us. I had it framed and it hangs in our living room. This is our second anniversary and the traditional gift is cotton. Well, I am stitching him a simple sampler on linen (well, it is in the natural fiber category with cotton) and using cotton threads. Problem is, our anniversary is next Monday. I may get it framed in time but probably not. At any rate I chose to stitch Heart in Hand's "Family Medley." I am using 32 ct. Summer Khaki and a mixture of over dyes and DMC.

This is what I have stitched so far...

Heart in Hand "Family Medley"

32 ct. Summer Khaki

Weeks Dye Works, GAST, CC, DMC

I am enjoying this piece and hope to have it finished in the next day or so. Keep your fingers crossed! I hope that everyone is staying nice and cool and logging lots of stitching time. Till next time everyone...

Happy Independence Day!!

2010-07-04T19:02:00.001-04:00

Hello dear readers!

Oh, how I have missed seeing everyone and reading all of your wonderful posts. Life has been crazy and focused on work, work, work. I have dearly missed everyone and am so glad to be able to poke my head in and say "Hello!" Hopefully you all are doing well, stitching like crazy and keeping cool! I look forward to catching up!

As I mentioned, life has been crazy and I have been searching for some balance. What good is life if it all work and no play, right? I do have good news though...I finished the requirements for my teaching license and I received my official license in the mail just a few weeks ago. I have been madly filling out teaching applications and then hurriedly waiting for telephone calls. I have had some calls and interviews, so things are moving forward!

I did get two of my 2010 finishes framed...I am rather pleased with the results. I framed "Blessed Be..." by Blue Ribbon Designs and Sara Schultz by Ginger and Spice. Here they are...

Friday was a glorious day filled with fun, fellowship and a trip to my LNS. My dear friend Robin met me at my LNS, Cross Stitch Station. We talked, shopped, talked and shopped some more! It was wonderful being able to spend time with someone who is as excited about stitching as me! We both found some great stash...unfortunately, I did not snap a picture of what I found...guess I will have to do that next time!

Believe it or not, I have had a *little* time to stitch over the past month and a half, but unfortunately do not have any finishes to report. Here is a snippet of what I have been working on. First, I was able to get about a third of Twenty Third Psalm done...now I am over half done!

I have also logged a few hours on Richmond Sampler. I have had so many people contact me about this beautiful piece and I am thrilled that so many of you are planning on being a part of the online class through the Essamplaire. I have finally stitched the border outline all the way across the top. Now I feel like I am getting somewhere. Here is a pic of my progress so far...(please excuse the wrinkles...the iron was not handy at the time)

I was stitching one of the flowers a couple of days ago and thought my eyes were going to cross! I was stitching with the same color thread as the linen. Whew!

Thank goodness the weather had cooled down because I had to go outside in order to see what I was stitching! If it had been 100+degrees like the past couple of weeks, that flower would have waited!

Again, it is good to be back and I look forward to catching up with you all! Hubby is at work, but I am off to meet him and watch the fireworks! Stay cool and enjoy the holiday weekend!

Valerie

Finally Finished and A New Start!

2010-05-17T13:15:00.000-04:00

Good day my dear stitching friends!

It is a rainy, dreary day here in the Shenandoah but that is fine with me! We need the rain and I am just enjoying being inside...cozy with the kitties and my stitching!

I am proud to announce that I am finally finished with the classes for my teaching licensure. I applied for my license on Saturday and I could not be happier! Hubby and I celebrated by going out to dinner not once but TWICE! Hey, the greatest gift is no dishes to wash, right?

I spent most of Saturday night and Sunday night stitching on my newest project, the Maria Monroe sampler. For the next three weeks, I will be proctoring the State Standardized Tests at one of the middle schools where I have been substituting. So, I needed to have something small that I could throw into my bag and pull out when there is a little free time. I decided on a cute sampler adaptation. Maria Monroe was the oldest daughter of our fifth president, James Monroe. Hubby and I visited their home, Ashlawn, just east of Charlottesville, VA about a year ago. Maria stitched a sampler in 1814 and the original is on display at Ashlawn. I was dying to find the reproduction chart and found a kit in the Ashlawn gift shop. However, it was not an exact reproduction of the sampler but an adaptation. Still, I had to have it. Here is a very bad picture of the finished sampler:

I discarded the aida that came with the kit and supplied my own ivory linen. I decided to use the cotton floss that was contained in the kit since it was already there. Here is my progress so far:

Sadly, I do not have any progress to report on Richmond Sampler. She is on the back burner for another week or two. I will have two projects on my list for the next couple of weeks, Maria Monroe and the 23rd Psalm samplers. I had promised the 23rd Psalm sampler chart to someone several months ago and need to get that one done ASAP!! Here is my progress on 23rd Psalm...

I hope that everyone has a great start to the week! I plan to get caught up on my blog reading and email responses. If you have emailed me, I promise to respond soon! I apologize for getting behind, but life has a way of forcing you to focus on other things! I look forward to seeing all of the wonderful progress being made here in blogland!

Happy Stitching!

Some Richmond Sampler Progress and Lovely Awards!

2010-04-29T18:41:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow stitchers!

I am in the home stretch for my teaching licensure...only a few assignments and two projects to go! I had to video myself student teaching, so I have been suffering through that today. Boy, was it eye-opening...good thing my gym membership is still valid because I will be hitting the gym VERY soon! I have not been around much lately, and I apologize. Many of you have stopped by to say hello and believe me, those little "hellos" have meant the world to me. It is my intention to slowly start to get caught up on all of the wonderful things happening around here that I have missed. I have not been stitching very much, but it has certainly been on my mind.

Over the past few weeks, I have been ever so graciously awarded two blogging awards. Unfortunately, due to the craziness of life, I have been unable to treat the awards with the respect they deserve. However, it is high time that I do. I want to thank Sharlotte for nominating me (weeks ago!) for the Beautiful Blogger Award. Honestly, I was surprised and quite excited when I received word that she nominated me! I felt like I had "arrived" in blogland society! Then, shortly after my nomination by Sharlotte, I received another fabulous blogging award from one of my favorite designers! Belinda from Blue Ribbon Designs graciously nominated me for the "Sunshine Blog" Award! Needless to say, I am very honored and grateful. Thank you, Belinda! When I started blogging I simply saw it as an opportunity to share my work with anyone that might be interested. Really, I needed a way to stay motivated. Little did I know that I would meet so many fabulous people! The inspiration that I have received from all of you has been enormous and to think that you all might enjoy reading about me, well, that is just icing on the cake!

There is protocol that I must follow in order to formally receive my blog awards. So, here are 7 "interesting" things about me...

7. I used to be the General Manager of a fine dining restaurant. I also managed the 200+ wine list and 1500+ label wine cellar. I was twice awarded the Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence.

6. I did not finish college until I was 32 years old. I was mangaing the aforementioned restaurant full time when I went back to school. It was one of the hardest, most challenging things I have ever done but it is, to this day, I consider it my greatest accomplishment.

5. My husband and I met at the restaurant where I used to work. He was a chef and I was his General Manager. In other words, I was his boss. We dated secretly for 8 months and did not announce our relationship until we were engaged! Our co-workers were shocked! Originally, we thought that my now husband or even I would be forced to find employment elsewhere. However, the owner was so impressed with our ability to keep our relationship professional that he allowed us both to keep our jobs.

6. I love history (it was my college major!) During the summer months I work as a docent at Lee Chapel on the campus of Washington and Lee University. Robert E. Lee (of Civil War fame) was president of Washington College after the Civil War. He built a chapel on the campus and he and his family are buried in the chapel. The chapel is almost like a visit to the Holy Land for Confederate Civil War fans. I am a southerner, but regardless of which side he fought on, Robert E. Lee was an admirable man and I love to be able to share his story with people.

7. I love animals and my husband and I walk the dogs and spend time with the cats at our local SPCA. The dogs should be walked at least twice a day but since the SPCA is so short-handed, it does not always happen. We don't get there everyday, but we do try to get in any time with the animals that we can. Generally, the dogs lead me but I love being able to give them some freedom and attention. The cats just love being petted and brushed. I implore everyone to check out their local shelter and give of their time...the animals will appreciate it!

Well, that is about it on the interesting front. I hope that I did not bore everyone! Now, I have to nominate several other blogs, but to be honest, I don't know how to choose! So, over the next few weeks, if I visit your blog and notice that you have not been awarded...look out! You may end up on my nominations!

Now on to some stitching!

Alas, I wish that I had more to report regarding the lovely Richmond Sampler. The only real news to report is that I have decided to use scroll frames. I have been picking up and putting down this beautiful piece so much that some of the specialty stitches are starting to look worn. Also, I am frightened that she will get dirty. So, I pulled out a lovely scroll bar lap stand that my in-laws gave me a couple of months ago. The scroll rods are a bit too short but they will do till I can get longer ones. I like having Richmond Sampler on these rods...while the tension is not the best, I do like seeing it in all its glory and I can keep it on display in the corner of the living room. This is a picture of the stand and the sampler...Simon was napping on the daybed but was most accomodating by posing in the picture

Like I mentioned, the rods are too short but has anyone ever laced the sides of their linen to keep tension there? This is my first time using scroll rods so any ideas or help that anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Well, I am off to contiune viewing and editing my teaching video. Great fun. I look forward to visiting the blogs to see what everyone is up to....Happy Stitiching!

The Kindness of Others

2010-04-05T19:45:00.000-04:00

Good day fellow needleworkers and friends!

Spring has sprung and I could not be happier. I have four more weeks of my teaching licensure program and then, well, the sky is the limit!! Once that is behind me I am going to be a stitching fool!

Thank you all so very much for your wonderful comments and words of encouragement. When I started this blogging journey, I had no idea how many wonderful people I would meet. The individuals that I have encountered here in Blogland have been like angels and they have renewed my faith in humanity. My good friend, Robin, is one of those people. We have struck up a lovely email friendship and she was kind enough to send me some wonderful freebie charts and "The Little Red R Sampler" by the Good Huswife, just because she had them on hand. Here are all the goodies that I got!!

Now, several weeks passed and my stress levels were rising. One day, as I was sitting at the computer working on a school assignment and ready to crack, my husband announced that I had a package. For the life of me I could not imagine what he was talking about since I was not expecting a package. In the computer room he came, with an envelope addressed to me from...Robin! As I opened the package to reveal the pretties inside, I started to tear up. What a beautiful thing to have a friend who sends things "just because." As I laid out the beautiful over-dyed threads, Belle Soie silks, hand-dyed fabric and sampler charts the tears really began to flow. In a world where I felt like people only cared about what I could do for them, I had someone in my life that thought of me instead. What a beautiful gesture! Here is a picture of the second envelope of goodies...(you can see that Simon, the cat, just had to get into the picture...his leg is in the upper left hand corner)

Am I a lucky girl, or what? To Robin, thank you so much. I know that we have exchanged numerous emails since I received your lovely packages, but please know that your kindness is not forgotten!

I should also mention the numerous emails that I receive from people. You have no idea how much those wonderful comments make my day. They remind me that there are good people in this world...we just have to keep our eyes and hearts open to them. Those comments and emails are like Robin's packages, reminders that there are people who care. Everytime I read an email or comment, know that it brings a smile to my face...every, single time!

While this is not a "stitchy" post, I felt that it was important to share with/remind everyone how lucky we all are. We have found a community of people who not only share our passion, but share our joys and sorrows. What a blessing to have electronic hugs and postitive thoughts sent our way when we need it most. To all of my blogging friends, thank you. You mean more than you will ever know!

Till next time...and hopefully a progress pic of Richmond Sampler!

Valerie

It's been too long!

2010-03-29T01:03:00.002-04:00

Good day fellow needleworkers!

It is cloudy, cold and drizzling here in the Shenandoah. However, I am tickled pink to finally be back here on the blogs with my fellow needleworkers. It has been a crazy couple of weeks and I greatly appreciate your kind words and positive thoughts. I have missed being here more than you know. I promise to get caught up on my emails and comments soon!

While I am still working two jobs, I am really trying to carve out more "ME" time. I came to the conclusion that I am not 21 anymore and cannot run on a few hours of sleep a night anymore. I took my Social Studies Praxis, so that is out of the way and I only have five weeks left of class for my teaching licensure. The end is in sight and I could not be happier! I am posting this before I go to bed but I will be back in the morning ready to catch up on all of the wonderful progress that everyone has certainly been making. Eventhough I am still new to the blogging world, I can honestly say that not commenting or blogging was like being away from a really good friend for too long. I am glad to be lurking and blogging again!

I did get some stitching done over the past few weeks and I thought that I would share with you. Again, I used my scanner and if you click on the picture you can get a close up of the stitches.

I was able to get the flower pots and the flowers stitched as well as a bit more of the border. The flower pots are queen stitches but the handles are rice stitch with two different colors of silk. I am not sold on how they look but the directions said to cross over the four crosses in ecru with one large cross in the blue. This week I will have a bit more free time and hope to have another picture soon! Like I told my husband, money is nice but now more than ever I need to keep my sanity and my needlework is my therapy! A girl has gotta have her priorities!

With all the craziness lately, I did get to my LNS a couple of weeks ago. Many of the things that she bought at market were still coming in so I did not get to see all of the new pretties. However, I did purchase a wonderful new needlework organizer. At first I was not sold on it but Teri, the owner swore that I would love it. Boy, was she right! It folds up so I can take my needlework with me and there is even a handy dandy strap so I can throw it on my shoulder and go! There are eight different outside pockets for various tools and threads and the inside is large enough for several projects and patterns. What I love about my new organizer is that I can get everything out and put everything away by just folding the organzier. It is so nice not to leave things out to get lost, stepped on or...well if you have animals, you know what other accidents can happen! It is called the "Handy Caddy" and they have a website http://www.handycaddy.com/. Oh, and another plus is that it is clear...so I can see what I have or haven't got!

I also purchased a new hoop. Now, it has been years since I used a hoop and as some of you may remember, I have been obsessed with stitching in hand lately. I was discussing my queen stitches with Terri, the owner of my LNS, and she recommended that I use a new type of hoop. She said that I would fly through queen stitches with it. Well, honestly I was not sold on using a hoop but she was so adamant and I've had several of the good folks here on blogger also suggest that I try hoops again....so I agreed to try it. Thank you to all of you who persuaded me...I can now say that I love my new hoop! It called the Morgan No-Slip Hoop. It has a patented tongue and groove that keeps the fabric from slipping so it stays taut all of the time and I do not get a sore wrist like when I was constantly tightening my q-snap. Because the fabric is nice and taut, I can fly through those queen stitches! The only way that I got as much done on Richmond Sampler over the past few weeks has been because of my new hoop and organizer.

Well everyone...I am heading off to bed. I will be back tomorrow and I cannot wait! I am looking forward to "seeing" everyone again and catching up on all of the stitching that has been going on! Till next time...

Just checking in...

2010-03-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

Good day my fellow needlewomen/men,

The weather has been glorious here in the Shenandoah. I, however, have been mired in assignments for my teaching license, substitute teaching, student teaching, studying for my Social Studies Praxis and bartending. Yes, bartending. I hated to take on another job, but with the bad weather over the past few months, substituting has been far and few between. So, I am back at my old, old job of bartending. This is not an ideal situation but, at least it is a profitable one. Of course, once I took on another job, the schools started calling again and time came to complete my student teaching. When it rains, it pours!

Richmond Sampler has taken a back seat for the time being, but I miss her so much! I wish that I had pictures but I am writing this from the keyboarding class at the middle school where I am subbing. Sorry! But I at least wanted to check in with everybody and say hello. I am woefully behind on my blog reading, so if you have not heard from me, I promise to get caught up and write soon! The comments that you all have left on my blog mean the world to me. My stitching friends have really brought rays of sunshine to my otherwise overly busy, stressed world. Thank you so much!

I hope that everyone's projects are coming along and your needles are flying! I am looking forward to seeing all of the pretties! Again, thank you so much for visiting...your comments brighten my day! Till next time...which I hope is sooner rather than later...

Queen Stitches...the journey continues....

2010-02-27T20:58:00.001-05:00

Good day everyone!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has left a comment or has visited recently. I was completely overwhelmed when I saw that I had 24 comments on Sunday's post. Now, I realize that for most people, 24 comments is a low number, but the highest I have ever had was 9. I am still rather new to blogging but I can honestly say that I have been grinning from ear to ear all week! Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments. I have been trying to respond to everyone, but I am not sure that the emails sent properly. I am still trying to figure out how exactly to respond to email notification comments. If you did not get an email, I am sorry! I might just try and post the emails as comments but please know that I did "respond!"

Most of you sympathized with my queen stitch dilemma, but some of you said that you enjoyed queen stitches. So, I guess there is hope! One of my fellow Richmond Sampler classmates even found me a left a lovely comment. Thank you, Susan! I hope to see you back here soon...and yes, you will see me next year at the Gathering!

I have been very busy this week with work and school. I had class today for EIGHT HOURS! However, when there are a few free moments I am happily stitching on Richmond Sampler. I stitched part of the border outline and figured that I had better start on the dreaded queen stitches. At night when I was trying to sleep, when I was driving, and even when I was teaching, I was envisioning how I would stitch a queen stitch. I kept visualizing until I felt that I could comfortably stitch a queenie and then Monday I just did it. I stitched nine whole queenies! I was so proud and they were so pretty...but boy did they take some time! There is a real postitive to stitching queenies though, I don't really need a chart. Once I make the outline, I can take my linen, some thread, plant myself on the couch and stitch away. That is what I am really liking about queenies! Honestly, if it were not for everyone encouraging me that I could master queen stitches, I would have taken the easy road and just stitched cross stitches instead. Thank you for your encouragement...these queen stitches are for you! I scanned the piece hoping to get a better view of the queenies...not sure that it worked. Anyway, the inside of the border and part of the flower basket are queenies. Here is a picture of what I have gotten done so far. If you want a closer view, just click on the picture and you should be able to see the stitches better...the border is going to be gorgeous!

Richmond Sampler has been the apple of my eye lately but I should really pick up Psalm 23 soon. I had hoped to get it done by the end of February, so now I guess I will shoot for March. I have been stitching on and off for many years but in the past have only worked on one thing at a time. Lately, I have decided to get a rotation going, however, I feel like I have stitching Attention Deficit Disorder. I guess that I should not stress about it especially since stitching is my stress reliever! What does everyone else do? Any ideas? Is there a cure for stitching ADD?

Well, I guess I should scuttle off and finish my weekly assignments. I only have 9 more weeks to go and then I will be finished with these assignments...thank goodness. I have learned a lot through this teaching licensure program and I would not trade it for the world, but I will not miss having to write three research papers a week. Besides, it takes up my precious stitching time! Till next time everyone...Happy Stitching!

A Lovely Gathering...

2010-02-21T07:29:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

Thank you to all of my lovely blogger friends for your comments about my Gathering of Embroiderers trip! Everyone wished me a wonderful time and I am here to tell you that I had a fabulous time! Hubby and I left for Williamburg on Thursday around noon and arrived in time to check in to our hotel and quickly check out a most wonderful needlework shop, Haus Tirol. I walked in and thought that I had died and gone to heaven! Unfortunately, we got there around 4:00 and they close at 4:30 so I had to do some major browsing and quickly! The ladies there were so nice and everything was gorgeous. If you are ever in Williamsburg, VA, then you must go to Haus Tirol. They have been in business for over 30 years and you won't be disappointed.

We had dinner at a great little Thai restaurant that we found this past summer and headed back to our hotel where I checked in with the folks of "The Gathering." I got my name badge and a lovely "Gathering of Embroiderers" Pin as well as the schedule of classes and a listing of all of the people who would be in attendance along with their addresses and emails. It was interesting to see where everyone was from. There were people in attendance from California, Washington State, Canada, Texas, Wyoming....all over the US! The hotel was wonderful and the rooms were spacious and the beds were comfortable. Honestly, when I went to bed Thursday night, I could not sleep. I was so excited about my class the next day!

Friday morning dawned and I was up at 6:00 am. Class did not start until 8:30 but I just had to get moving! Ate a good breakfast and then went to the meeting room where the class was being held. There right on the front table was a stitched model of the Richmond Sampler and here is a picture.

It was absolutely gorgeous! As I stood drooling over the piece, the organizer of the Gathering, Jeannine came up to me and introduced herself. She was the nicest, most welcoming person and she made me feel right at home. She introduced me to the instructor for the Richmond Sampler class, Margriet Hogue from The Essamplaire. I was so excited to meet my first designer and someone who produces such gorgeous reproduction sampler charts! Jeannine then introduced me to other ladies that were part of the class. It seemed like everyone knew everyone and it was like a reunion of sorts. The all made me feel so welcome and any fear that I had was washed away.

We got started and Margriet handed out our linen, threads and charts. The threads and charts were in this wonderful plastic file...what a great idea! I had never thought to use those file folders for WIP charts before!

I opened the file and there were the Au ver Soie silks! They were so pretty!

Included with the instructions and charts were two life size photographs of the sampler. What a wonderful thing to have! Now, as I stitch at home, it is like the model is here with me!

As we got started stitching the flower in the upper left hand corner, I noticed that none of the ladies were using any hoops, q-snaps, or scroll rods. It was official, I was the rookie coming up to the big leagues. Every person stitched in hand so they simply rolled up the linen and started stitching. I have to be honest, I did not want to stand out so I started stitching in hand too...which as some of you know I have been practicing. Well, needless to say, here it was sink or swim. I still have not gotten the sewing method, but I did master in hand "poke & pull!" Moving along from the flower, we start on the border. This is where it gets interesting.

The border is almost entirely queen stitches. I have never done queen stitches. Little did I know that queen stitches were going to be the bane of my existence. All of the other stitchers started flying with their queen stitches, I instead, raised my hand and admitted that I had never done a queen stitch before. Margriet was so helpful but she only knew how to teach queen stitch through the sewing method. So, I learned how to queen stitch through the sewing method! Now if only I could master those darn x's! Well, I say that I learned...maybe I should say I was shown how. I am still learning. I started practicing my queen stitches around 11:00 am. We broke for lunch at 12:00. We assembled again at 2:00 and finished at 5:00. Below is a picture of what I accomplished. The flowers were stitched in about 1.5 hours while chatting away. The practice queen stitches, in the olive green at the top are what I accomplished in 3.5 hours in virtual silence because I was concentrating so hard!

As I was struggling with those damnable queen stitches, the other ladies were flying through them. Margriet was kind enough to remind me not to worry, that I too will master queen stitches. The jury is still out but I love the Richmond Sampler so much that I will force myself to get them down pat!

There was the most wonderful stitchers boutique set up with vendors and their wares. I was tempted by many, especially the kits from The Essamplaire, but I was good and bought only one chart from Margriet. It is the Mary Stourt sampler, 1760. I purchased it because my grandmother's first and middle name is Mary Stuart. Same pronunciation, different spelling.

I was very disciplined and only bought one more thing...these darling project bags. The larger bag is for your linen and chart and the smaller bag is for threads. They were so cute and much better than the old pillowcases that I have been using for my WIP's. Besides, Richmond Sampler deserves better digs than a pillowcase!

Even though I struggled with the queen stitches, I still had a fabulous time. Hubby and I drove home after the class was over. I wish that I could have stayed longer since the Gathering lasts until Sunday, Feb. 28. Maybe I will be able to stay longer next year because I am definitely going back! It was so nice to be with fellow stitchers and see and learn new things! I am still on cloud nine from the experience! Now I have a wonderful sampler to stitch and through it will be reminded of a wonderful experience. I hope to work on Richmond the next couple of days so I will try to have progress pics soon.

Again, thank you to everyone for your enthusiasm. Knowing that I could share with such wonderful people made my trip and the sampler even more special! What a lucky girl I am to have such great stitching friends in such a wonderful community! Till next time...Happy Stitching!

Progress on Bea...

2010-02-17T21:32:00.000-05:00

Hello good friends!

It is COLD and windy here in the Shenandoah. But at least it is not snowing! I hope that everyone is nice and warm and happily stitching away while watching the Olympics! I have a been busy substituting and trying to keep up with my assignments so I must admit that I have not watched many of the events. But when I do get a few minutes, I like to switch them on and root for the ol' USA!

I thought that I would post a progress pic of Bea. She is coming along slowly but surely. After that nasty frogging incident I wanted to put her down for awhile but eventually we made up and I finished the motif that I was working on. However, I have not been able to spend a lot of time with her the past few days but I think she understands. Sorry if the pic is kinda dark. I hope to get a better one when the sun is out!

Tonight I am starting to pack for my trip to Williamsburg and The Gathering of Embroiderers. I am so excited and I truly appreciate everyone's enthusiasm for me! I promise to take pics of all the pretties and post them for all to see. Hubby is coming with me and I think he is looking forward to it too. Besides, he can shop for my birthday which is coming up....eventually....in July! For those of you who have not seen a picture of the Richmond Sampler that I will be stitching, here it is. It commemorates the visit of Count Lafayette (Marquis de Lafayette of American Revolutionary fame) to Richmond, Virginia in 1824. Lafayette stayed with the Randolph family while he visited Richmond. For those of you who are not familiar with Virginia history, the Randolphs were one of the richest most powerful families in Colonial Virginia and even after Virginia became a state. They are still a prominent family...true bluebloods! I am not sure who stitched the sampler but I hope to find out.

Before I go, I want to thank everyone who has been stopping by and visiting my blog. Your comments light up my day. Really, it means so much to have fellow stitchers take an interest in what I do. I have learned so much through this blogging community! What a treat to have others share my passion. Again, thank you and Happy Stitching!

First Ornament Finish!

2010-02-15T12:31:00.002-05:00

Good day everyone!

Once again it is snowing in the Shenandoah. All of this snow is borderline ridiculous! I am going to the Gathering of Embrodierers in Williamsburg this weekend and neither snow nor sleet nor freezing rain will keep me from my Richmond Sampler class!

I am very pleased to share with you my very first ornament finish. I changed the colors a bit but I like the final product. The colors called for were two shades of green. I decided to use a darker green (CC Spinach) for the tree and a burgundy red (DMC something) for the tree stand. The deer are white and a bit hard to see but I used DMC B5200 so they shine a bit. This ornament is dedicated to Robin who is the reason I got my butt in gear and got this stitched! Thanks Robin!

I had planned to have progress pics of my Beatrix Potter SAL today but at 11:00 last night I was on the way to finishing one of the motifs. Well, lo and behold I found a mistake and set myself to frogging. Since it is snowing and as soon as I clean the house, I will pick Bea back up and have a progress pic for you soon. It was funny, as I was stitching Bea last night I thought to myself, "This has been such a joy to stitch so far! The thread has just glided through the linen and behaved and not knotted up. The color, Bretheren Blue is so calming..." then, WHAM! I found my first big mistake. So much for being calming! I guess that I just got too wrapped up in the new season of the Amazing Race. It was difficult for me last night not to watch the Olympics but I had to watch the Amazing Race. I figured it was one night and the Olympics will be on for weeks!

I mentioned that I will be attending the Gathering of Embroiderers in Williamsburg this Friday. I signed up for the Richmond Sampler class which is being taught by Margriet Hogue from The Essamplaire. Words cannot express how excited I am! I posted a countdown on my blog page. I am sorry that the gadget is asking for a donation. Ignore that donation button. THAT IS NOT ME!!! DO NOT GIVE ANY MONEY!!! I guess that is how they can call it "free!" Anyway, I just thought that it would great fun to countdown. Hubby and I are leaving to go Williamsburg on Thursday afternoon. Check in for the Gathering is from 4:30 to 6:30. Then at 6:30 they open up a stitching room till 8:30 or so. It will be so much fun meeting other stitchers. And don't you worry...I will be armed with my camera so I will take pics of all the beautiful things that you know will be there!

Well, I guess I should go and clean this house. I guess that it's the least I can do since I am home again today (no school!) Thank you to everyone for their wonderful comments. I appreciate them more than you know...they truly make my day!

Happy Stitching!

My first ornament

2010-02-09T13:18:00.000-05:00

Good day everyone! It is cold and snowing here in the Shenandoah. Maybe one day I will be able to tell you that "it is warm and sunny in the Shenanadoah!" Here's to hoping! No school, AGAIN. However, I have been rather productive getting ahead in this weeks assignments and.....drumroll please........I pulled threads and fabric for my very first ornament. Now, don't think that I did this on my own. My dear friend Robin has been the driving force behind this new project. That is what I am loving about Blogland...you find the most amazing stitching friends! I already had the pattern, JBW designs, "A Very Merry Christmas," so I dug throug some stash and found threads that I *think* will work.

I plan to start stitching this tomorrow. I want to put a few more stitches in Beatrix Potter before I put her down again.

Thank you to all of the wonderful new people that I have met through this blog. You all have inspired me more than you know!

Robin, I have thoroughly enjoyed your emails and it is nice to find a fellow Virginian Stitcher. You have gorgeous work and you have inspired me to pick up my first ornament. Not to mention, I am jealous of your finished project gallery...I want a big one too! :-)

Connie, I am glad to have found another PA Dutch sampler lover! I am not a Pennsylvanian but I feel related to the PA Dutch. My ancestors lived in the heart of PA Dutch country centuries ago. There was little land left, so the headed south to the Shenandoah Valley in VA. So, I feel connected and like to think that one of my ancestors probably stitched some type of motif sampler.

Karen, I am glad that you like the 23rd Psalm sampler. It is gorgeous! I have found another VeraK that I want to stitch, "How Great Thou Art." That is a much beloved hymn in my family...it means quite a lot and it will be next...just have to find it first! Maybe we could start a little VeraK SAL!

Margaret from Days of a Sampler Lover has inspired me to start stitching in hand. I only have the hang of about 1/4 of it! I've been looking and looking all over the net for tutorials and all that I found was a short video on YouTube showing someone stitching in hand, no tutorial. Does anybody have any recommendations? I am dying to figure this out! The 1/4 that I have figured out, no doubt is much faster than the poke and pull method. If you know of any books or videos, please let me know! Just write me at valiehokie@gmail.com Oh, and if you just want to email for the heck of it, I would love that too!

Well all...I am off to stitch a little before hubby gets home. It is his birthday and he asked to go to the gym on his birthday. He wants me to go with him. That's love ladies and gentlemen...going with your spouse to the gym because it's his birthday. Guess it won't hurt. I think I am starting to get 'stitchers hips!" Till next time...Happy Stitching!

A new project and some progress

2010-02-05T12:15:00.000-05:00

Good day everyone! The snow is coming down here in the Shenandoah. Weatherman says we should see about 12-16" of snow by Sunday. Well, nothing to do but watch it come down and use the time to study and stitch!

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments about my Sara Schultz finish. You all are so sweet! Oh, and several of you commented on the quilt pictured with Simon and my new threads. I wish that I could say that I made it, but alas, I did not. I bought it in Williamsburg, VA this past summer at the L.L. Bean outlet. The colors were so pretty, and the price so reasonable that I just had to have it. I put it on the daybed in my computer/study/office. The room is the lightest room in the house and it is my little retreat. It is where I read my blogs, study for school and read my latest novel. I love it!

I have been working on several new things lately. Three things to be exact! I have started two new projects and picked up one old WIP. I started the Family Record Sampler and am using roses, pinks, and greens instead of the called for topaz, gold and green. I have been playing around with it a bit and thought that I would use the varigation in the roses. However, today I plan to stitch a rose with less varigation and see what I like better. Here is my progress so far...

I have also joined the Beatrix Potter SAL. That sampler is so beautiful and I have wanted to stitch it for some time. I have not gotten terribly far but here is my progress so far. I am stitching on 32 ct. Antique White and Crescent Colors Bretheren Blue. If you are interested in joining...please do! You can click here! You only have to post progress pics once a month, so it is not an intense SAL.

Finally, I will show you one of my oldies but goodies. It is "Psalm 23" by Vera K. I have stitched another line of verse which is one more than I had! I think that I *might* try to get this one done by the end of the month. We shall see. It is a great stitch to come home to after "one of those days" as a substitute teacher. Keeps me centered!

Well, I think that is about it! Thanks for all of you for stopping by and leaving your wonderful comments! They really do make my day! Till next time...Happy Stitching!

More threads...

2010-02-01T23:38:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! It is quite cold here in the Shenandoah. Sounds like we are going to get more winter weather tomorrow. At this point, I have seen more snow than grass in the past month...hey, in my opinion if it is going to be blue-blazes cold, then at least snow! Careful what I wish for, right?

My mom called me this afternoon, said she had some errands to run in the town north of us and asked if I wanted to ride along with her. Sure, I figure, it will get me out of the house. Well, somehow we ended up at my LNS, where I picked up more threads for my Family Record Sampler. Originally, I thought to go monochromatic but I decided to add some other colors for depth. Pictured above is what I picked out. I am not sold on the lighter pink, but once I start stitching I think it will be fine.

Now, as I was attempting to snap the threads picture, wouldn't you know someone had to get in on the show? My cat Simon decided to inspect the threads and give his approval. He was just too cute...I had to share! I should have progress pics soon...till next time...Happy Stitching!

Sara is finished!

2010-01-31T12:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone! Sara Schultz is finished and now I have two 2010 finishes! She was a joy to stitch and considering I started her on January 5, I think she was a quick stitch too! I actually finished Sara around midnight on Friday, Jan 29. I had every intention of posting her yesterday but as luck would have it, I came down with a terrible 24 hour stomach flu, fever and all, just a few hours after my last stitch on her. So yesterday was spent on the couch oblivious to the snow falling outside. I am MUCH better today and just finished ironing Sara...here she is!

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with her! I greatly appreciate your postitive comments and enthusiasm! I can't think of the last time that I finished two projects in one year. I am so thankful to have found this blogging community and its wonderful stitchers. It has been a blessing to find others who share my hobby. I have always enjoyed stitching but there aren't many people in my area that stitch. So, it is easy to get out of stitching when it seems no one is interested in what you do. Now, I have a whole community of wonderful people who are interested in what I do and it has meant the world to me! Thank you so much!

I hope that everyone has a great rest of the weekend. I am off to finish my research papers for class...yuck. I will post my new project VERY soon! Till next time...Happy Stitching!

Fabric and Threads

2010-01-29T11:18:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! The snow is a comin' here in the Shenandoah. The grocery store was a zoo yesterday and I can only imagine what it will be like today. I ran to my LNS (40 mins away) yesterday to get some threads and fabric. I think I will be finished with Sara by tomorrow and I wanted to get started on a new project. So I bought threads and fabric for TWO new projects. Sorry, I could not help myself! I have joined the Beatrix Potter SAL and want to get started ASAP and I needed the fabric and threads. The called for fabric is Antique White and I decided to go with a different color thread than the original (which I believe is a reddish color.) I have been stitching with a lot of browns, reds, greys, pinks lately and I was drawn to this gorgeous teal-y color called Bretheren Blue (GAST.) I love the color but it is a bit dark so I am going to rinse the threads first and hopefully get rid of any residual dye that may bleed onto the fabric. Here's hoping!

I don't plan to stitch on Bea more than a day or two a week so my other new project will be "Family Record Sampler" by Hester's Needle (another hubby present.) Here are two pics...sorry about the lighting it is dark outside due to the impending snow.

I wanted to change the called for colors, A LOT. My idea was to use the colors of the dogwood tree, pinks, white, green and brown since I am going to stitch my grandmother's family (father, mother, brother and sisters) and the dogwood is my grandmother's favorite! But the lady at the LNS said that it might be better if I went monochromatic and stuck with one color. At the time, I liked the idea since I plan on stitching this piece more than once. So, I chose a bright raspberry color and natural linen. As she was cutting the linen, I saw another color that I just had to have, Berry Patch (Cresent Colors.) It was perfect since it looked just like the colors of my great-grandmother's rose bush.

However, at first I thought the fabric was too dark, but when I put the threads with lighter fabric I like the darker better. What do you think? Does the rose show up against the Natural fabric? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated! As time has passed, I am also leaning towards not using only one color. I think that I am going to introduce a green for the flower vine, a darker and lighter rose for depth. Still, I am going to stitch what I can in this color first. Another trip to the LNS just for thread never ends up being just for thread! Besides, I gotta save money for my trip to Williamsburg and the Gathering of Embroiderers! Well everyone, thanks for stopping by! I adore reading everyone's comments and appreciate your taking the time to visit. I plan on finishing Sara today or tomorrow, so you will be hearing from me soon! Happy Stitching!

Pictures and a Giveaway!

2010-01-27T12:34:00.000-05:00

Hello all! It is sunny here in the Shenandoah today...but the snow is a comin'! Apparently on Friday...guess we will see! I did not get called in this morning so I have been catching up on here and getting some schoolwork done. Then...stitching!

First I want to share with you a giveaway on a fellow blogger's site. Sharlotte from the happy needle is celebrating her 100th post by giving away the most ADORABLE strawberry emery.

It is from Blackbird Designs. So head on over, visit Sharlotte and enter the drawing. I am sure that you will enjoy the trip!

Now, I realize that these pictures date back to December but I finally downloaded the from the camera and was just amazed at some of them. I wanted to share with you a few pics from the Blizzard of 2009. We got about two feet of snow during that storm (in Virginia, no less!) and the pics were taken the day after the storm hit.

You can really see how deep the snow was here!

Thanks for stopping by today. I am finishing up Sara Schultz this week so I hope to have her pics for you soon! Happy Stitching!

A Blast from the Past

2010-01-25T11:13:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! The sun is out after days of rain. However, no substituting for me today...schools were closed because of flooding. We have had so much precipitation over the past couple of months that the rains from the past two days have pushed the small rivers out of their banks. Funny how we are under a Flood Warning and the sun is out. Luckily, I am in one the higher elevations and not near any body of water. But I have heard that the waters are raging elsewhere so my thoughts and prayers go out to those who are being affected by this weather.

I don't have a progress picture of Sara today. It never fails, as soon as I get close to finishing something, I find a mistake and set myself to frogging. Oh,well. My goal is to have Sara finished before the end of the month. I am still on track...as long as I pay attention!

As I was going through stash this weekend, I came upon my very first piece of cross stitch. I was nine years old when I stitched this and I just had to share it with you. It was a kit that was given to me by a close family friend. Everytime I look at it, I smile. I can't help it. I smile because of its simplicity, the memories attached and well, because it was my first project! I've come a long way, baby!

Cute, huh? Well, I thought that I would take a picture of the BACK of the piece. Now this is going to make you laugh!

Holy smoke! Look at all of those knots! Now, I am still proud of my little girl, but I cannot help but think of the antique samplers that other nine year olds stitched. Mine is a far cry from those girlhood embrodieries but I guess we all have to start somewhere!

I hope that I was able to bring a little giggle to you today. I will be framing my "I Am Special" girl soon and I will share it with you when she is finished. I plan hang her with my other needlework...a reminder of how far I have come!

Happy Stitching!

Sara, the work continues...

2010-01-22T09:49:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone!

It is cold, icy, snowy and rainy in the Shenandoah today. School was cancelled so that meant no substituting for me! Yay! I have been away for awhile because I have been busy stitching and working on school assignments.

I must admit that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I am enrolled in a program for teaching licensure which is truly a blessing. I will be able to get my teaching license in less that 6 months. Naturally, the program is going to be a very intense, fast paced course. I expected that. However, on Orientation Day this past Saturday, one of our professors said that we need to tell our families that we would not see them again until May and that they needed to get used to living in a dirty house. If they cannot live in a dirty house then they need to learn to clean it themselves or move. I giggled of course, but then I saw the assignments. Holy smoke we have THREE research papers due EVERY week. Then we have to peer review nine other papers. Plus we have a group project, plus we have student teaching to complete. So, just suffice it to say that I was crazy with worry. Besides, when would I have time to stitch? Over the past week, I have gotten myself together and tried to formulate a schedule. The schedule consists of doing some kind of school work for several hours a day and then I will "reward" myself with stitching. It seems to be working since I am on track with my assignments and making great progress on Sara.

Speaking of Sara, here she is!

I only have about a quarter (or a bit more) left to stitch on her. I am hoping to finish her before the end of the month. That will mean that for the first time EVER I have started and finished a project in the same month of the same year! WOO HOO! She has been a joy to stitch (only a few frogging incidents) and quick as well!

I have gotten a bit behind on reading my blogs, but I do wish to say thank you to those who continue to stop by and leave such wonderful comments. I promise to stop by soon and visit you too! I hope that everyone has a great day...Happy Stitching!

A Gathering of Embroiderers

2010-01-14T11:28:00.001-05:00

I just sent off my registration for the Gathering of Embroiders in Williamsburg on Feb 18. I have never been to a 'gathering' before and I am excited to meet some new people and hopfully some fellow bloggers! Money is a bit tight so I only registered for one class, The Richmond Sampler. It is being taught by Margriet Hogue from The Essamplaire. I cannot wait!! I think that I may have to de-stash so that I can come up with some extra $$$ since there will be vendors there as well. It will be so much fun to see all of the pretties and new charts. I love my not so local, local needlework shop but it will be nice to see what others have to offer. If you are interested, there are still some seats available in some of the classes. Here is the link for more info http://www.stitchingbee.org/ and here is a pic of the Richmond Sampler...isn't it gorgeous?

I also have a TON of books (mainly Civil War) that I will put up on ebay or maybe AbeBooks. My FIL frequents estate auctions and buys boxes and boxes of CW books for me. My major in college was history and one of the periods that I specialize in is the CW. Many of the books he has given me I already have in my collection so I figure that I can sell the others. Besides, it is going to a good cause...new stash!

Also, I am starting to think about what pieces I am going to enter in the local fair. Last year not one person entered any needlework! What a shame! I plan on changing that. I entered one of my pieces several years ago but there were other pieces that year and I got second place. I framed the piece myself and I am convinced that I did not get first place because the other entry was professionally framed. Oh, well. This time I am going to enter several of my finished pieces. Blessed Be and Sara will be two of them. So many people browse through the arts and crafts and maybe, if I am lucky, someone will take an interest in antique samplers too. I would love to form a local sampler guild...but I am getting ahead of myself!

Well, I guess that is enough blabbing for one day. I hope to have more done soon on Sara to share with everyone...till next time...Happy Stitching!

More work on Sara...

2010-01-12T22:09:00.000-05:00

Good evening! It is a clear, cold night here in the Shenandoah but there is a heat wave predicted for Friday. I have heard from trusted sources that we may reach over 45 degrees on Friday! WOO HOO! I might actually be able to sit next to my stitching window this coming week. The windows in the house are TERRIBLY drafty and lately it has been so cold that I freeze when I sit next to my window. I love my Ott-Lite, but nothing beats actual sunlight.

Speaking of stitching, I have gotten some stitching done on Sara this week. Actually, I should be further along but Sunday night I realized that the first motif on the left was over too far by two stitches. It took me most of the night to pull it out. How frustrating! I guess that I should consider myself lucky that it was only one motif and not half of thee sampler like my last project (see Blessed Be...)

I am really enjoying stitching on Sara and I have decided that I am going to contact the Reading, PA museum where the original is housed. As I stitch on Sara's sampler I feel a sort of connection with her...especially when I come across her mistakes and stitch them exactly as she did! (See, not everybody is perfect!) Nonetheless, I would love to know more about her and I hope that the museum in Reading will be able to help me. Hopefully one day I will go to Reading and see Sara's original in all its glory.

Before I go, I would like to thank everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog. I have really enjoyed reading the wonderful comments that you all have been kind enough to write. I know how hard it is to find time to read the blogs and commenting is one of those things that takes time as well. Please know that it is very appreciated! THANK YOU! I have enjoyed this experience and look forward to more blogging fun in 2010! Till next time...Happy Stitching!

My New Project! Sara Schultz ~ 1827

2010-01-09T17:13:00.000-05:00

Good evening! Here in the Shenandoah today the sun was shining and only a slight skiff of snow was seen from our snowfall last night. I did not get called in to sub today so I had a few hours to stitch! I wanted to show you my newest project, Sara Schultz from Ginger and Spice. This is one of my "Santa Presents" and I am really enjoying stitching her! I bought the fabric and thread on Monday and have gotten a good start on her, I think.

This is the pattern book. It says that the sampler is in the collection of the Reading Public Museum. Guess the next time hubby and I are in PA we will have to swing by and take a look at the REAL Sara!

This is a closer shot of the sampler. I am trying to hurry through the letters so that I can get started on the beautiful motifs!

This is what I have stitched so far...

Here are the threads...the picture does not do them justice. I chose 28 ct. Zweigart Antique Cashel Country Grain fabric and sampler threads Dark Chocolate (Gentle Art), Gingersnap and Toffee (Simply Shaker.) These colors remind me of a really good latte with an extra shot of espresso! YUM!

Well, I am off to get supper ready and stitch a little bit more. I hope all is well with everyone and you have been able to find some time to stitch today! Till next time...Happy Stitching!

Welcome to Sharlotte, Tracey and Ranae!

2010-01-08T17:52:00.000-05:00

I was thrilled that you came by to visit! Thank you for the wonderful comments! Yes, I am a lucky girl and all those wonderful charts will certainly keep me busy!

Ranae - hopefully I got the wonderful charts because I was a good girl...if I was a bad girl then I am happy to continue on that road since it appears to pay off too! hehehehe...

Sharlotte - about the quilt...I wish I could say that I made it but alas I must give credit to LL Bean. I found it in a LL Bean outlet this summer. I loved the colors and I put it on the daybed that I have in the computer room. I just makes everything so much brighter! Thank you for the compliment!

Tracey - I know that you must LOVE your Ott-Lite! I bought mine at Michael's this summer with a 50% off coupon + 15% more off! I hit the jackpot on that one! However, I would pay full price if something happens to the one that I have. It is indispensible! Enjoy your stitching!

Again ladies, thank you for coming by. I look forward to keeping up with your blogs! Happy Stitching!

Boy, Santa was good!

2010-01-07T18:11:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

As I write, the snow has just begun to fall here in Virginia. I like snow, but this winter it has begun to wear out its welcome. The snow from the storm on December 18-19 is STILL ON THE GROUND! And I don't mean just a little! We have had one other snow since then and this falling snow makes the fourth snow fall of the winter! Oh, well...it just gives me a great excuse to curl up in my stitching chair and work on my newest project. Speaking of new projects, I realized today that I had not shared my Christmas presents with you. My hubby, who thankfully appreciates my hobby (obession?), was with me several weeks ago at my LNS. While we were there he put several of the samplers that I drooled over on a wish list. Lo and behold, on Christmas Day guess what I found under the tree? Not one or two or three patterns...but SEVEN! I was, excuse the pun, like a kid at Christmas! Several of the charts are Pennsylvania Dutch samplers and I am excited to try them. DH is from Pennsylvania Dutch country and honestly, until I met him had never really explored PA Dutch needlework. It simplicity is charming so my next project will be "Sarah Shultz~1826." She is not pictured here because I have begun stitch her and I need to take a pic of the fabric, threads, etc. Pictured here are: Hester's Needle "Family Record Sampler", Rosewood Manor "Family Reunion" and "Willkommen", Sandra Sullivan "Woolly Squirrels", The Goode Huswife "PA Christmas" and Carriage House Samplings "A Mind Independent and Free." Am I a lucky girl or what???

I did take a closer picture of one sampler that I think I will start rather soon. Rosewood Manor, "Family Reunion" is a collection of motifs that can be personalized with family initials. This was the first pattern that I found and immediately fell in love with it. There are a total of 46 motifs and about 45 alphabets; a goldmine! I love genealogy and I thought this would be a beautiful way to stitch something that would include mine and hubby's family. Also, some of the motifs will make gorgeous Christmas ornaments! While I was in PA for Christmas, I gathered some info and names so that I could start relatively soon. I am going to order the fabric and a few of the threads so I can get started by February.

Thanks for looking...stay warm everyone and Happy Stitching!

Needleprints...Oh My!

2010-01-05T13:21:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a fellow blogger I have been introduced to the Needleprints blog. I have had a glorious time reading the blogs, downloading the *amazing* software and planning my next projects. For those of you who don't know, you can download wonderful, editable stitching software and two gorgeous Ackworth sampler charts (editable too!) all for $20!! There are other printable charts all of which are available in PDF if you don't wish to download the stitching software. I love being able to print my charts over and over without worrying about copyrights! No more torn charts with holes worn in them! If you have not visited Needleprints, please do so but make sure you have a good chunk of free time and a big pot of tea with you! Here is the link: http://needleprint.blogspot.com/