More starts ? ! ?

Yikes -- I must be totally nuts.  I have 3 more starts (with more to begin soon).  This first one is a class taught at my local EGA chapter.  It's a photo on canvas that will be embelished with embroidery.  The designer's name is Susan Goodman.  The first class involved the border stitching.  There are 2 layers for the border, the first is scotch stitch and the second is basketweave stitch.  I'm almost finished with the first layer.   I have until May 16th to complete the 2 borders.

I took a class from Susan Goodman a couple years ago at a seminar.  This piece is called The Red Window and it involved transfering other stuff to a printed canvas before embroidering over it:

 My garden has more flowers than the designer's, if memory serves me correctly, her garden was mostly greenery.  I thoroughly enjoyed stitching my Red Window garden.  This is a fun technique and I look forward the our second class on the Lily Pond.

My second new start is a lovely sampler by Lady Periphaeira called Star Sampler.  The original pattern calls for 2 colors but I decided to add a couple colors and some specialty stitches.  If you are interested, this is a SAL and you can still stitch along if you are so inclined.  We are up to part 3 so there is still plenty of time to join.

 

And the third and final start (as of today) is a patchwork heart I'm making for a friend.  I drew the heart on the fabric with one of those pens that has water-erasible ink in it, added some patches and started to stitch. 

The last stitchy pic is the Tam's Creations piece called Odds and Ends.  This SAL in on part 12 out of 13.  Hopefully, I can finish this part over the weekend, get the final piece and finish stitching this one next week.  Wellllll, that's the plan as of this minute. 

The next couple pics have nothing to do with stitching. Shasta is about a week away from delivering and I just had to take some pics of her belly. Tomorrow she goes to my friend's house (the expert puppy midwife) to have her pups. I'm going to miss her and cannot wait to see the babes. Shasta looks bigger to me than last time ...... she seems more restless / uncomfortable than the last pregnancy ..... the poor dear.

Later ......

I'm baaack ....

It's been awhile but things are finally settling down and getting back to normal at work -- hooray!  

Now if the weather would only settle down.  We are getting more rain today -- yuck!  The back yard is a big puddle that the dogs refuse to go out into to do their biznez BUT have no problem charging through to chase that elusive squirrel or crow.  Sigh.  And in addition to my dogs, I have a couple house guests for the week.  Happy is old and not so interested in being outside much but Moose is young and full of himself.  He loves to run around the yard, picking up as many sticks and pine needles as possible in his long, lovely Papillion hair.  What a sight!  The first time I let him out he came back a total mess.  Hehehe -- so much for the bath his mom gave him before his visit.  Let's see, today's Tuesday ..... we're supposed to get rain every day this week ..... soooo, by Friday, he should have all the sticks in my yard cleaned up and I'll be hosing him down to get the mud off.

Mind you, my beagles are just as guilty when it comes to getting dirty but not nearly as useful when it comes to yard cleanup.  Willow had mud splashed all over her face the other day, in addition to most other parts of her body.  She, Meadow and Moose had a grand romp through the yard.  When I suggested they spend some time in the kitchen to dry, instead of immediately jumping onto the couch for a nice rub and roll, Willow's feelings were hurt, Meadow didn't get the point and Moose wanted to go back out for another romp. 


Speaking of beagles :)  Shasta is making some beautiful puppies, even as we speak.  Check out that belly -- and that's not from eating too much .....

I'm getting a little long winded here but before I go on to some stitching, I have to tell you about her 'baby'.  A couple weeks before she came in season, Shasta started carrying around this little red bear.  She would take it everywhere with her and protect it if anyone(dog) got too close to it.  The purple bear is her third 'baby'.  The other ones were stolen and de-stuffed by Meadow.  Once de-stuffed, Shasta seems to loose interest in it.  Unfortunately, I only had the 2 until a couple weekends ago when Stormy won 3 more at an agility trial.  Yea Stormy!  Shasta was so happy to get a new 'baby', she almost took my fingers with it.

Okay stitching update ....

I finished this fun Easter SAL from Carol -- and totally enjoyed every minute of it.  Don't you just love the bunnies nibbling on the carrot tops?  Too cute.

Homage to Japan has one more part before it's finished.  Sorry it's laying side-ways, I forgot to change the orientation when in Photoshop.

My "Purple" Garden is coming along nicely.  When I picked the colors, I was thinking "Spring" Garden but everytime I look at it now, I think summer and watermelon.

And last but not least, I have started a new project (can you believe it?  I must be bonkers) called Friendship Heart.  This is the left top lobe of the heart and only part 1.  The photo colors came out kinda sucky -- the fabric is totally off.  In reality it's more a blue-green color, not grey.

Ummm, as to my crazy 15 challenge .... not much happening there but I hope to get back on them now that I have more free time.  

Take care everyone --- stay dry and mud free!