Living in Colorful Colorado

 Wow!  It's been "a minute" since I've posted to my blog!

We've moved from Gulf Coast TX to northern CO.  We're closer to family some family members (our last child in TX would like to move here as well), can enjoy the changing seasons, and enjoy the beauty that is Colorado.  Of course we miss our friends in TX but hope at least some of them will be able to visit.

It seems that I've turned into a hiker!  My co-mother-in-law and her women's hiking group adopted me even before we moved here and I've experienced some wonderful hikes.  It took a bit to acclimate to the altitude here and I've discovered that those hikes that require some climbing are worth the effort.  Glorious views up there!

I'm still stitching and have already discovered 2 LNS' near me.  After not having them anywhere close to me all those years in Texas, I really appreciate being able to drive about 1/2 hour to see things "in person".  I've been attending a weekly stitch group at Colorado Cross Stitcher and, between that group and the Colorado Needleworkers group (and our monthly stitching get together) have met lots of new stitchy friends.  I even ran across a stitcher who lives in our town and we've become friends.

I hope to not take as long before posting the next "installment".  In the meantime, I'll post a few pictures if I remember how. 

Happy stitching (and hiking)!

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Finishes and WIPS

 Last night I put the final stitches in our son's stocking.  I'd finished stitching our future D-I-L's stocking earlier this month.  My goal was to finish by the end of May and, happily, I met my goal.  They're from a single design from The World of Cross Stitching #195 and stitched 2/2 with DMC 3865 on 28 count Cashel Christmas Red linen by Zweigart.  The backstory....I'd stitched a cat piece for Trisha for Christmas 2019 and she requested stockings.  (Someone requesting my stitching was amazing!)  I asked for her input on "the look" and this is what we came up with.)  There's only one design and I altered each stocking just a bit....a row of cats on hers and a row of houses on his (They recently bought their first house.)  I also didn't like the original font for the names so I used another alphabet.

Without further ado.......

I've been doing a bit of model stitching too which I can't show but I also have some other wips.  

Blackbird Designs Liberty House (I joined in with Brenda and Laura's Blackbird weekends.) 

Hands Across the Sea Jessie Watson

Lucy Beam Though He Seemeth Sleeping

 I haven't picked up my HATS Martha Dawson in quite some time so I should give her some attention soon too.  So many samplers, so little time!

Happy stitching!

Progress

 I keep forgetting to update my blog so here are some things I've been working on.

Firstly, we had some damage due to a ruptured water pipe after The Great Texas Freeze.  Luckily our neighbor is a contractor who usually only builds custom homes but has put together a crew to do repairs for friends and neighbors.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that because there are so many repairs needing done in this area that it's taking a while.  We're making progress though and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

On the stitching front, here are some progress pictures:

HATS Jessie Watson

HATS Martha Dawson

Stockings from an old issue of World of Cross Stitching Magazine

 

Lucy Beam Though He Seemeth Sleeping

I also was in the mood to stitching something with a Spring/Easter theme so stitched this little guy designed by HIH from Spring 2020 issue of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitching magazine.

Some models I stitched for Little House Needleworks have been released.  I really enjoyed stitching these...and will probably stitch at least one of the again for me.  

We've had both our COVID shots which makes us hopeful for the future.  We're even starting to think about making some travel plans.

Happy stitching!

 Where Did January Go?

Wow!  Tomorrow we'll already be in February!  I don't understand how, with our going out so little during Covid, that time is flying by so quickly.

Of course, I've been stitching more.  First off is my current progress on HATS Martha Dawson.  I'm participating in a year-long SAL for Martha in a FB group.  I'm loving this border!

In the interest of finishing up some things, I finished some older wips.  Two of them needed very little stitching to complete.

Lizzie Kate Forgive Quickly Kiss Slowly

Primitive Snowman by Ewe and Eye and Friends  (I literally had just a few satin stitches to do to complete this one.  Why I put it away at that point is a distant memory.)

In Full Glory by Blackbird Designs needed only about 30 minutes to complete.  Again...why did I put it down at that point?! 

I'm also progressing on our future daughter-in-law's stocking and ordered fabric for our son's stocking.

I'm planning a couple more sampler starts in the near future.  (Hmmmm...maybe that's how those wips get there!)

HATS Jessie Watson

Lucy Beam's Though He Seemeth Sleeping

I loved both of these at first sight!

Stay healthy and....

Happy Stitching!

2020 Stitching Finishes and Some Current WIPS

 I've been enjoying seeing stitchers' finish parades and thought I'd do one of my own.   I'll group them in themes.

Valentine's Day

This was a wip from a previous year (by Pine Mountain Designs) and

a little freebie by Lizzie Kate.  

Little House Needleworks

St Patrick's Day

A freebie by Plum Street Samplers

Patriotic

Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving

Give Thanks Turkey by Theresa Kogut

Primitive Needle

Little House Needleworks Autumn Sampler

Miss Fortune by Prairie Schooler

Salem Remembered by Primitive Needle

Autumn Alphabet by The Scarlet House (I changed the pumpkin from an orange to an off white.)

Trilogy

Christmas

Bent Creek Stockings for my daughter's family beautifully FFO'd by Vonna, the Twisted Stitcher.  I'll also include the stocking I made (also FFO'd by Vonna) a previous year for my granddaughter.  These were so fun to stitch!

I often stitch a yearly ornament for us and our kids.  When I saw this one, I knew it had to be the one.  It's by BeverlyStreetShop on etsy.  There are also designs for a masked snowman and toy soldier.

I wish I could say I'd thought to do this but I saw someone else online frame a PS Santa in this Kohl's sled frame.  I stitched the 2008 Santa for this frame. 

Anytime

Strawberry House by Little House Needleworks

Birth Sampler for our Grandson (with ID info edited out)

Samplers

Ann Pegg 1877 by The Scarlett House

Jane Marshall by Hands Across The Sea

Garden Gate Sampler by Prairie Schooler

Little House Needleworks Melicent Turner

Some models I stitched that were released in 2020.

Home for the Holidays by Country Cottage Needleworks

Little House Needleworks Hometown Holidays Post Office

Little House Needleworks The Hive

WIPS

 I have quite a few but the 2 most active ones are a stocking (from The World of Cross Stitching #195) for my future daughter-in law and Martha Dawson by Hands Across the Sea.  I'm also working on a model.

2020 has been quite a year to say the least.  I'm thankful to have had my stitching to keep me busy and calm.  Here's hoping 2021 will be a better year.

Happy stitching!