Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

Remember this guy?

I am headed to Austin on Friday for another Tony Minieri class, so instead of getting the Russian Magi going, I thought I'd work on the Frontier Bear for which Tony did the stitch guide.

I started working on the mountains, which uses Accentuate, only to find that 2 of the spools that I have are a different tint (all the same number) than the one I started with (and have used 90% of).   I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I spilled tea on the other 2 or something and that I can find additional spools that match what I've done so far at Colleen's when I go up.

I worked this morning on the flag and flagpole, etc.  I think it's turning out nicely.  

Gotta run. 
Happy stitching.
Jane

Done with the snow. On to the trees.

I'm sure you think I've disappeared from the face of the earth.   I have to tell you I don't have much to show for my silence.   I've just been busy doing STUFF.  I guess I did plant a bunch of pots -- 3 more this year than last -- but not a whole lot else.   I'll show you pictures of them once they've grown a bit.

I have finished the snow, and have made a tiny bit of progress on the trees.   They are going to take ForEVer.  

I'm headed to Indiana tomorrow to be with my Dad on Memorial Day.   On Tuesday night, we're going to have another dinner party at his house.   This time for 10 people instead of 8.   Cyn of Windy Meadow asked me what I was cooking for the weekend - amazingly I'm not cooking at all until Tuesday night, when I'm going to make Pioneer Woman's Lasagna (which is wonderful) and a big salad.   For dessert I'm going to make a Meyer Lemon Semifreddo with mixed berries.   I think that sounds wonderful and summery and light - perfect after a meal of lasagna.  I've never made it before; I'll let you know how it turns out.

I did one thing this week in the name of needlepoint that I'm sure I could never repeat, even if I tried to plan it out.    You know how everyone is saying right now that DOVO scissors are the absolute best scissors for stitching?   How they're just the right size and very sharp?   I ordered some - and proceeded to get them stuck in my bare heel the other night while I was stitching.  Without realizing it, I dropped them on the floor and next time I put my foot down to shift my position on the sofa, they STUCK in my heel.  I can attest to the fact that they are extremely sharp!  Those suckers HURT!!

I still like them, but I'm considering a pair of steel toed (and heeled) shoes to wear while I stitch. 

Oh well.   Back to stitching.
Love, Jane

More snow

 Actually, I've finished the sky and I'm back to working on the snow.  I ran out of thread and had to ask Colleen (at The Needleworks) to send me more.  And now I'm closing in on it.

I've decided I'm procrastinating doing the animals.   Not sure why.   They're all long and short stitch, which isn't scary to me - but I'm doing EVERYTHING else but the bears.  

I got a new cookbook recently - Emeril at the grill - and we're going to cook from it for dinner tonight.  Flank steak with chimichurri sauce.  I've made flank steak many, many times, but not his recipe, so we're doing it.   There's also a tomato, avocado and red onion salad recipe in it that I'll make as well. 

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Gotta run to the grocery!
Happy stitching.
Jane

Slowly, but surely

I am making very slow progress on the Frontier Santa again.   You'd think since I'm working the swirl stitch, which is 8x8 part of the time, it would go fast, but it really isn't.   I guess there is a lot of snow to cover.

But, I've got it entrenched in my little brain, and I don't have to think about it too much to get it right.  I do have to count it on the bigger stitches to make sure they're straight.

I like the effect of the swirl stitch on the snow.  I actually like it better in the photograph than in person, but maybe I'm too close to it.  Either way, I think it will work just fine. I may need to layer the bear and raccoon a bit to make them "fatter" than the snow, but I think we're on to something here.

Happy Stitching.
Jane

Back to the Frontier Santa

I've been working on this guy off and on for the last few days (most off, actually).  I'm messing with the snow at the bottom.   I think I told you I wasn't crazy about what was specified in the stitch guide - so I've played a little bit.  

Colleen at The Needleworks gave me a stitch for it that she was using on her current piece - I loved the stitch, but thought I'd keep looking for something curvy and hilly like little mounds of snow.   I found this swirl stitch and tried it horizontally.  I sort of like it. 

What do you think?

Happy stitching!
Love, Jane