tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86121968160611412172024-02-07T08:06:22.945-05:00Cindy Brown's Stitching and StuffMy blog, as I see it, will be mostly about my stitching (mostly hardanger, but some cross stitch too) and a little about what is going on in my life. And my cats, can't forget the cats!Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-17109086271782556582011-06-23T05:14:00.002-04:002011-06-23T05:19:50.744-04:00Two Bookmarks<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IpS9kZodfvwIRESR6nHuBYtxSlZmFUBRGoqqRR6rej46lIsEYmHeqZsVft1E5PaAbkMnX0zv5FjHm0iTxzWcp8Wcai6iNAKZ3QQ6tTP7qieCc5Vmip1ET77eaKNt7lXv2PtkiwUz3Ms/s1600/Baroque+Beauty+Bookmark+pink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IpS9kZodfvwIRESR6nHuBYtxSlZmFUBRGoqqRR6rej46lIsEYmHeqZsVft1E5PaAbkMnX0zv5FjHm0iTxzWcp8Wcai6iNAKZ3QQ6tTP7qieCc5Vmip1ET77eaKNt7lXv2PtkiwUz3Ms/s320/Baroque+Beauty+Bookmark+pink.jpg" width="191px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra9qQC9znwKrSKo395oVyCM0tmNQOrQev-3JVMlqKN5n3t1yVrpinkOLpAQFnIHk1sYNj5n51H4MD9fBuLvEUbRwfYjJxhA2bRZbYIjFpLEC0L5r1rlfbjx7I8AyRHDS6OssejnZhOVw/s1600/Baroque+Beauty+Bookmark+pistachio+nut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra9qQC9znwKrSKo395oVyCM0tmNQOrQev-3JVMlqKN5n3t1yVrpinkOLpAQFnIHk1sYNj5n51H4MD9fBuLvEUbRwfYjJxhA2bRZbYIjFpLEC0L5r1rlfbjx7I8AyRHDS6OssejnZhOVw/s320/Baroque+Beauty+Bookmark+pistachio+nut.jpg" width="185px" /></a></div>These bookmarks were made as an adaptation to a published design. The original was longer. The one on the left was stitched with Dinky Dyes stranded silk, and was given to a friend. The one on the right was stitched with Caron Wildflowers Pistachio Nut. <br />
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I love how different the same design can look stitched with different threads! And of course, different fabrics too. <br />
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And, in case you haven't figured this out by now, I love making small but intricate pieces.Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-56184702925003875902011-06-17T01:06:00.000-04:002011-06-17T01:06:52.583-04:00I'm back! Been busy, distracted, you name it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcuvyMTT4MH2WxJyEF35wxOjtmr4Dpk4lI3ahzqCq4cr1seBR5HHVCVY3JHUD7kZVg0WJ4Czw0256wJSfnx1NJB_g7CTK45dnbhRiVkZfkZo4-M9PjrYqbpT91b5-225d9lGZEoh8IyA/s1600/Hardanger+Basket+good.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcuvyMTT4MH2WxJyEF35wxOjtmr4Dpk4lI3ahzqCq4cr1seBR5HHVCVY3JHUD7kZVg0WJ4Czw0256wJSfnx1NJB_g7CTK45dnbhRiVkZfkZo4-M9PjrYqbpT91b5-225d9lGZEoh8IyA/s320/Hardanger+Basket+good.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, I have really been remiss in posting here, almost a year! I guess other things have just gotten in the way, and I have been pretty busy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is just one of the things that I have done since the last time I posted. This is not an original idea, but the stitching design is all my own. I didn't make it as a gift, and I don't really know what I am going to do with it, but right now it is sitting at my stitching station gathering orts. Hmm, not a bad idea. I finally found something to stiffen it months after I finished it. I was at Joann's Fabrics a couple of weeks ago and found Allene's Stiffen Quick. It is a spray bottle, and you just keep spraying until you reach the desired stiffness. And, you can wash it out if you don't like it. Perfect for this! Glad I waited until I found just what I was looking for.</div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-34728042112778323452010-08-30T04:30:00.002-04:002010-08-30T04:35:39.786-04:00Victoria Sampler Christmas Humbug Contest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDuTWxgmqXZQsVLjhi9z2IhhYMzbsQ7IyW4cTPJoIRD6txarBGLQKRMAs__0FNd6cu1EsyHOoZfXbFrfl2OiNW7kSZ-Ov0U91ZNSgokQrSj_3B8j3iCHqEEkvPjEbt_2H2OOkcKGpndY/s1600/VS+Humbug+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDuTWxgmqXZQsVLjhi9z2IhhYMzbsQ7IyW4cTPJoIRD6txarBGLQKRMAs__0FNd6cu1EsyHOoZfXbFrfl2OiNW7kSZ-Ov0U91ZNSgokQrSj_3B8j3iCHqEEkvPjEbt_2H2OOkcKGpndY/s320/VS+Humbug+collage.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Victoria Sampler is having another contest, so of course I had to make up an entry. This is it, my Christmas Humbug. A humbug is constructed from a rectangle of fabric, and turns out looking like a pyramid, actually quite a nifty little thing. So far there have been lots of entries, and each one is quite unique and beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn't want to use traditional Christmas colors, so had to really hunt through my stash to find threads and fabric that really spoke to me. I ended up with 32 ct. Star Sapphire linen, Dusty Rose (I think) Kreinik ribbon, and for the eyelet stitches, Needle Necessities metallic braid in Passion Flower (too bad this metallic doesn't really show up in the pictures, cause it really adds a lot to it). Plus some matching DMC threads. It was so much fun to do, and I was really pleased with the way it turned out. And, I have a new ornament for my tree. I try to do at least one each year.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGoRFWAuH9KcAslQZOjjYIFy7sqJphcj6b_x7dMH5ry5J_-2dcbQ6ZKg5LwskLDsA8ttasyMxT2iG3PHMqenQ86ruGDy8iVRHsq-Q3TYu-K-ZUvcpGuBG2BYoFhLn2ZoOcVt8luNNvGk/s1600/VS+Humbug+white+bottom+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGoRFWAuH9KcAslQZOjjYIFy7sqJphcj6b_x7dMH5ry5J_-2dcbQ6ZKg5LwskLDsA8ttasyMxT2iG3PHMqenQ86ruGDy8iVRHsq-Q3TYu-K-ZUvcpGuBG2BYoFhLn2ZoOcVt8luNNvGk/s200/VS+Humbug+white+bottom+cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-52306879000261008382010-08-30T03:56:00.002-04:002010-08-30T04:08:30.734-04:00Calis has grown!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpeI4DmI3zrD4NjeVYnlRv47XHgX4hRcvC4HsRInLQMTg05pe6D2c3fPguscbECHgE3kYrK1JC4NFW8YnjNbuAHe4aNi2spSNgJTFjvjo-AysX4_jY4YyXs7T4ZfUYFk5eUbwbgrAIjY/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpeI4DmI3zrD4NjeVYnlRv47XHgX4hRcvC4HsRInLQMTg05pe6D2c3fPguscbECHgE3kYrK1JC4NFW8YnjNbuAHe4aNi2spSNgJTFjvjo-AysX4_jY4YyXs7T4ZfUYFk5eUbwbgrAIjY/s320/020.JPG" /></a></div><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Calis is almost six months old now, and he has really grown a lot! He is a very adventurous cat, but also very loving and funny. I got a few pictures of him up in the tree in our front yard the other day. He loves climbing trees. What would have been the best picture was marred by me cutting the top of his head off, so this one will have to do. He moves so fast that it is hard to get a good picture. Hahaha!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The other cats have come to accept him a little more, but they are still not friends. That will take a little longer I am afraid. But he has a special love/hate relationship with Ming. Of course he loves to jump on her, chase her, all those good things. And she acts like she hates it. But she will also follow him around and act as if she wants his attention when she doesn't have it. Very funny together. I think they will become close friends eventually, and this is just their testing period. And his kitten period, of course.</span>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-36761165174636757082010-08-20T05:54:00.000-04:002010-08-20T05:54:52.105-04:00Update on Donovan, and other things.<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sorry that I have not posted for so long, and also sorry that I have left you in suspense about my son, Donovan's, condition. He spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from pneumonia and diabetic ketoacidosis. He was really sick, but is now just about fully recovered, back to his old self. But when he got home, he required a lot of care, and really kept me busy. So, that is why I haven't written any posts in a while. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I last posted, I have been doing a lot of stitching too. No photos yet, but will get some up in a few days. Also got a new phone, a Blackberry Pearl, and have just about figured out how to use it now. Sure is complicated, but now I don't know how I ever did without it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also had to search for a new background for my blog. When I came back, the old one was gone. Not sure I like this one yet because the other one was really perfect. I really need to find some other websites with blog backgrounds to search for another "perfect" background. Well, perfect to me anyway.</span>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-53382764575187496052010-06-04T04:55:00.000-04:002010-06-04T04:55:01.095-04:00Donovan and Calis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiys3EN3odYz4WhlCyPMT3UXA_h_TI7tLC8BIyimw1mal0sVZHwQPz3mfgXEVJEpeGZ0mNNA3hcO0A8E3gvRmn4pFn6yr64Oe9kiG2bT925KgoRGwLWMPlf-kiLk20F8-n4TdP9am5H5E/s1600/Calis+and+Donovan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiys3EN3odYz4WhlCyPMT3UXA_h_TI7tLC8BIyimw1mal0sVZHwQPz3mfgXEVJEpeGZ0mNNA3hcO0A8E3gvRmn4pFn6yr64Oe9kiG2bT925KgoRGwLWMPlf-kiLk20F8-n4TdP9am5H5E/s320/Calis+and+Donovan.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here is a picture of Calis with my son Donovan. Calis has grown quite a bit since this picture was taken, but I wanted to add one with Donovan in it. He is very sick right now. We had to take him to the hospital this past Monday, and found out that he has a very bad case of pneumonia. He is also diabetic, and that complicates things too. He is in the ICU and is hardly aware of what is going on around him. It is so hard to see him this way because he is normally such an active, engaging and intelligent person. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We are all hoping and praying for his speedy and complete recovery. I will try to keep this updated on his condition.</span><br />
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<div><span family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" ptsize="10" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a></span></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-71397882872811458272010-04-19T03:43:00.004-04:002010-08-30T04:33:51.673-04:00We got a new kitten!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvigQbflsP3ULuKaVq-Gpv00a9FQ9TvN49dh5zdyFc2tD5nouhysEHZFLM2s82OHoSltPtbfsm2LYP1m0X7hMyMBUeu2d9WHht5bJZnXao1WkR34gtEgDA22330g8MX6NQHFT0-bOnWN4/s1600/Calis+in+Kevin%27s+arms,+first+day+here.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvigQbflsP3ULuKaVq-Gpv00a9FQ9TvN49dh5zdyFc2tD5nouhysEHZFLM2s82OHoSltPtbfsm2LYP1m0X7hMyMBUeu2d9WHht5bJZnXao1WkR34gtEgDA22330g8MX6NQHFT0-bOnWN4/s320/Calis+in+Kevin%27s+arms,+first+day+here.JPG" wt="true" /></span></a><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We got a new kitten yesterday! He is so cute, 8 weeks old but tiny for his age, and just so sweet. We named him Calis, from a character in a Raymond E Feist book. We just really needed another cat, what with having four already. What were we thinking! Hopefully the others will eventually get used to having him around. Right now they are warily watching him, and hissing and growling when he gets too close. That is my son, Kevin, holding him. Sorry Kevin, sort of cut your head off, but we really did want a close-up of Calis. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-65770222527790033302010-04-18T02:11:00.003-04:002010-08-30T04:35:02.118-04:00A new design.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7fAFer3cerpC_cNf7sOUTwn-JkUA2kMWpbH-GMVKuDr84C5efvJuHK8Kw5v6sI5T7SBUO1nSDjY5Jfd1JHDcZjeCf9loUm0ZxsawYuirq_xaPJL0KDGnMhdseiy5wlOsCO8qBtkefv8/s1600/Springtime+Serendipity+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7fAFer3cerpC_cNf7sOUTwn-JkUA2kMWpbH-GMVKuDr84C5efvJuHK8Kw5v6sI5T7SBUO1nSDjY5Jfd1JHDcZjeCf9loUm0ZxsawYuirq_xaPJL0KDGnMhdseiy5wlOsCO8qBtkefv8/s200/Springtime+Serendipity+crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is what I am currently working on. It is a new, original design, and I am really getting excited about the way it looks. It is the first asymmetrical design I have ever done, and it has a new stitch in it that I developed. At least I think it is new, I have never seen anything like it before. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The nice thing about this design is that there are so many possibilities for it, several different ways that it can be done - bookmark, doily, with a lacy edge. Love it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" ptsize="10" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a></span></span>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-45468192939567423572010-04-11T11:34:00.004-04:002010-04-18T04:42:45.478-04:00Victoria Sampler's Spring Biscornu Contest - My entry<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoMKj-5r2yBr2VAFzqDLRho2kyBgVeBDGN30gZJrcFiyWVyTjMRh9btB14htprZhk1AR9IQfdLk1_7McpS36htjxtPcjjgMmY8wcK-s2SE3N02xAbyTEqcQ9Qu1brpjr9YhUGN8uylhc/s1600/VS+Spring+Biscornu+pink+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoMKj-5r2yBr2VAFzqDLRho2kyBgVeBDGN30gZJrcFiyWVyTjMRh9btB14htprZhk1AR9IQfdLk1_7McpS36htjxtPcjjgMmY8wcK-s2SE3N02xAbyTEqcQ9Qu1brpjr9YhUGN8uylhc/s400/VS+Spring+Biscornu+pink+3.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again, Victoria Sampler is having a Spring biscornu contest. Speaking of tulips, this one is full of them and other spring flowers, a real garden. I was so excited to see somethig springy, and had so many color ideas running through my head that I really had a hard time deciding on them. So I finally ended up using two color schemes, one for each side. The first one is a white linen background, with pinks and blues, and of course yellows to tie the two sides together. The other side is actually a pale yellow linen with yellow klosters and needleweaving. And the "garden" is of course the same colors as the first side. I'm not sure which side I like better. This was such a fun stitching project, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Thea for another great design, and for having another contest to challenge us all. To me, it doesn't matter who wins, it is just so interesting to see what everybody comes up with - such a creative bunch of stitchers!</span><br />
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<span family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" ptsize="10" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a></span>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-54449949518269487642010-03-01T03:42:00.001-05:002010-03-01T04:07:17.480-05:00We've got snow!<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNciYfPEv9yB_g398v4OtioX1x4GarYkmTwTcTwI4O6nl39yt2sZxZtZZFL7oD3JJwKXHtQz9mWbm87HEMEjWplyEPoTGcTiP5zRcCjZDvYTK8JCK9eDfaJ0K3-C7bEj6GwxsWnAShQC8/s1600-h/Snow+on+table+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNciYfPEv9yB_g398v4OtioX1x4GarYkmTwTcTwI4O6nl39yt2sZxZtZZFL7oD3JJwKXHtQz9mWbm87HEMEjWplyEPoTGcTiP5zRcCjZDvYTK8JCK9eDfaJ0K3-C7bEj6GwxsWnAShQC8/s400/Snow+on+table+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>After a relatively mild January and February (for us) we finally got some snow. The weathermen said we had about 17 inches, but this looks more like 30 inches if you ask me. And it is not a drift on the table, as it is in other parts of the picture. <br />
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While the snow is pretty to look at, I could really do without it. My favorite time of year is spring, when all the trees are flowering and flowers blooming everywhere. I am a warm weather person!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" border="0" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a><br />
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Read more: http://www.mylivesignature.com/wizard2_2.php#ixzz0gujdi6K6Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-43192124607480484522010-03-01T03:34:00.002-05:002010-03-01T04:08:03.790-05:00My Sons' Bookmarks<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfp6_ErYJaGD86kFMZVXunZnuSwKrLnkqvQ3cpnAFZCN4KGaVeQqDm465674xyT0YmJh7QGbRjo62LixW5mzHUmHactl_HuRbN1Sg_80PC6ZypJ6H4DnsPunlX2cfViMBgSOMi_Ir3OA/s1600-h/Donovan+and+Kevin%27s+Bookmarks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfp6_ErYJaGD86kFMZVXunZnuSwKrLnkqvQ3cpnAFZCN4KGaVeQqDm465674xyT0YmJh7QGbRjo62LixW5mzHUmHactl_HuRbN1Sg_80PC6ZypJ6H4DnsPunlX2cfViMBgSOMi_Ir3OA/s320/Donovan+and+Kevin%27s+Bookmarks.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>These are the two bookmarks that I stitched for my sons Donovan and Kevin. I finished Donovan's by turning the fabric to the back while Kevin's was finished by gluing it to some ultrasuede. Kevin's is about two years old now and has been used a lot, and washed a couple of times so it does show a little wear. I thought it would be interesting to show them side by side though, to show how different they look in different colors and finishings. I really like this pattern, but it is so difficult to stitch with blended needles and full, half and over-one stitches! I thought I would go crazy stitching them, but I made it - twice!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" border="0" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a><br />
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Read more: http://www.mylivesignature.com/wizard2_2.php#ixzz0gujdi6K6Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-78560448618928088202010-02-16T04:56:00.004-05:002010-03-01T04:09:11.228-05:00Donovan's Dragon Bookmark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtQiHFPywMj6Nytgc9KYhbQ1AqrTkj8cD0hOtR5lUNCHDKcev3giMNOmQFJ4iHfNLboFe_561T5x-QGxzIOEA3Nk8j4WiiU0EIREhOqcrVGTHMy83s58xSZ6wJE9hKpwndSX-w1VzC18/s1600-h/Donovan's+Dragon+Bookmark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtQiHFPywMj6Nytgc9KYhbQ1AqrTkj8cD0hOtR5lUNCHDKcev3giMNOmQFJ4iHfNLboFe_561T5x-QGxzIOEA3Nk8j4WiiU0EIREhOqcrVGTHMy83s58xSZ6wJE9hKpwndSX-w1VzC18/s320/Donovan's+Dragon+Bookmark.jpg" /></a></div>Tonight I finally finished the stitching on a bookmark for my son, Donovan. I think I started it back in October. Normally something small like a bookmark wouldn't take me very long to stitch, but this is no ordinary pattern. It is Dragon Knot Bookmark by Dracolair Creations (<a href="http://www.dracolair.com/">http://www.dracolair.com/</a>). It is done in cross stitch, half cross stitch, and many over-one stitches too. Enough to drive a person crazy! It also uses blended threads, so even the over-one stitches have to be stitched with two strands of thread. I used 28 count black linen, first time I had ever stitched anything on black, but did not really find it as difficult to work on as I would have thought. To top it all off, I used Kreinik #12 Very Fine Braid for the backstitching to give it a little sparkle. Oh, did that stuff ever break and fray! I used a whole spool of it, with only about a foot left. Whew, glad I didn't run out before it was finished.<br />
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A couple of years ago, I made the same bookmark for my younger son, Kevin, and at the time swore I would never do anything like it again. Well, that was until Donovan saw it and wanted one in blues and oranges. I really do think they are trying to drive me crazy! When Kevin gets home from work, I will ask him to let me borrow his bookmark long enough to scan it, after which I will post it too.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" border="0" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-47017590482449005512010-01-31T17:35:00.002-05:002010-03-01T04:10:01.124-05:00Another Victoria Sampler contest - Winter Biscornu<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BghSJ3olhU4Q5EkIXbEpxNKrDkEVdPTfKSmzUB9QyYF37nabnHXitSp-BUfjv-7FTOOen-KWkLBkH-8WROES6AIJhy9YO4l89Cc8dKyfnCoAQ3HKmNLcq4j3NzoVX6fBhEem2mJRr4Y/s1600-h/Winter+Biscornu+back+psp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BghSJ3olhU4Q5EkIXbEpxNKrDkEVdPTfKSmzUB9QyYF37nabnHXitSp-BUfjv-7FTOOen-KWkLBkH-8WROES6AIJhy9YO4l89Cc8dKyfnCoAQ3HKmNLcq4j3NzoVX6fBhEem2mJRr4Y/s320/Winter+Biscornu+back+psp.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRt0ucxmD-m-sRRrnWdLRQ1RIACELaijk-saeF_TmoSvshYB85kL32AXk37VmAbFk7Rq2ElqvUDgXlZPAjcefgAlI8dkycPJFOB3P2nPZJH39qsmzPaPI_NfEXH9LPXEmblPashdB6Xc/s1600-h/Winter+Biscornu+front+1+psp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRt0ucxmD-m-sRRrnWdLRQ1RIACELaijk-saeF_TmoSvshYB85kL32AXk37VmAbFk7Rq2ElqvUDgXlZPAjcefgAlI8dkycPJFOB3P2nPZJH39qsmzPaPI_NfEXH9LPXEmblPashdB6Xc/s320/Winter+Biscornu+front+1+psp.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently, Victoria Sampler had another contest, this one a Winter Bicsornu. I was preparing to submit my version of this design, but then got sick. Just a bad cold, but did not feel like doing anything, so did not get my stitching finished on time. But I still like the way my biscornu turned out, and thought I would post it here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The front was done following the pattern, and for the back I used an adaptation of Thea's Holly Quilt Block free design. Since this needed to be on the diagonal, and the pattern was on the straight grain of the fabric, I really had to change it quite a bit, but it still resembles the original design.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The fabric I used was Silkweaver's Precious Metals, 32 count. This is a gorgeous light brown linen fabric with metallic flecks all through it, and is one of my favorites. For the stitching I used Kreinik Silk Serica, Silk Mori, and metallic braids. Made for a really sparkly design!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" border="0" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-61219652032047025522010-01-15T12:59:00.003-05:002010-03-01T04:11:02.579-05:00Cell Phone Pocket in new colors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjid5BFg7oOBrI6F22-p8k-vSzYK1dwT_PyNQ1mgVa4fAa-sNzkXOcYIAhjG76dFsBK0RvUHq9wOIypsX9pvVvMy2W2891xRgtpqwA8NHuba7rcT1lELcZZZWFBq5GLC_dZX4GqaJfBlqE/s1600-h/scan0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjid5BFg7oOBrI6F22-p8k-vSzYK1dwT_PyNQ1mgVa4fAa-sNzkXOcYIAhjG76dFsBK0RvUHq9wOIypsX9pvVvMy2W2891xRgtpqwA8NHuba7rcT1lELcZZZWFBq5GLC_dZX4GqaJfBlqE/s320/scan0003.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IEOgTpPPKhwWsH8QjJqlTyLBTB8Yy6H06CGS9YDbVlyX7oYvabf-xjzhLjUhOUxI0w9z0V_wSEg0KYtvgyfqh0vO2ucUvz4lVz8re7L8djLEi1p2ZwM0ARkiU8FV_frGdvi98KHWnQs/s1600-h/scan0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IEOgTpPPKhwWsH8QjJqlTyLBTB8Yy6H06CGS9YDbVlyX7oYvabf-xjzhLjUhOUxI0w9z0V_wSEg0KYtvgyfqh0vO2ucUvz4lVz8re7L8djLEi1p2ZwM0ARkiU8FV_frGdvi98KHWnQs/s320/scan0002.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>After seeing my cell phone pocket, a friend asked me to make one for her also. So, this was my Christmas present to her. I just love the way the different colors look, and how it changes the whole look of the design. My friend has a pink Blackberry Pearl phone, so I had to adjust the size to fit the phone, and the color matches the phone. She is delighted with it!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85789/stitchinbee/b196e6deea63287e23444a1046b9e234.png" border="0" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-86601237629535297532009-11-29T01:20:00.001-05:002010-03-01T04:11:52.818-05:00My BIG cat, Annie<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahvwsp8nJiaqrTLWtpr1qceEllxjqMBSOJe4Dlzh-i2gtaJqZtOX7NTIeX6yBPXk2VAr_vPQS7lbrF2j_R2QjriPIGjVSBVkXDcltO3G6IugQkV_pYoGk9xTMh9te9LrMoEOAW0Kf7As/s1600/3+Annie+on+back+of+couch.JPG"><span></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409413791676541698" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahvwsp8nJiaqrTLWtpr1qceEllxjqMBSOJe4Dlzh-i2gtaJqZtOX7NTIeX6yBPXk2VAr_vPQS7lbrF2j_R2QjriPIGjVSBVkXDcltO3G6IugQkV_pYoGk9xTMh9te9LrMoEOAW0Kf7As/s320/3+Annie+on+back+of+couch.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfFm2AqUzALU13AjcbLh5JLH_R3CF5kVPmJaPPSdN7uT1-jiGHdrxjNDvT2gQ86yvirotvX-vSeDcceggUKOFkMbnR-S3NfPd99DWtkv5TtGLOicgXjCA2CQYWlcKQm6RaDPZhOHqZUo/s1600/5+Annie+on+back+of+couch.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409413786524571826" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfFm2AqUzALU13AjcbLh5JLH_R3CF5kVPmJaPPSdN7uT1-jiGHdrxjNDvT2gQ86yvirotvX-vSeDcceggUKOFkMbnR-S3NfPd99DWtkv5TtGLOicgXjCA2CQYWlcKQm6RaDPZhOHqZUo/s320/5+Annie+on+back+of+couch.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDQCsOK_hJubnlysiLAlhzH-7kta36_rbWYPj5rqD4qdiXqpRbU5Z3GWrpzY9TbjJBj86asYba7jdoWfGW39fwNVcWWEUSepfMMZHbfeiBR6g4J9D58erxYsW0Lv3w3ExY0qga7b-jzA/s1600/Annie+on+the+fence+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409413777382045506" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDQCsOK_hJubnlysiLAlhzH-7kta36_rbWYPj5rqD4qdiXqpRbU5Z3GWrpzY9TbjJBj86asYba7jdoWfGW39fwNVcWWEUSepfMMZHbfeiBR6g4J9D58erxYsW0Lv3w3ExY0qga7b-jzA/s320/Annie+on+the+fence+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />
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<div><span style="color:#663300;">I just realized that I have not posted a picture of my fourth cat, Annie. Got all the others earlier. Annie is 6 years old, and is a really big cat. She has a very sweet face, but that is deceptive. Don't get me wrong, she is a sweet cat, but she is "my" cat as far as she is concerned, and she is very demanding. When she wants to sit on my lap, she sits on my lap. Whether or not it is a good time for me! Hahaha. She usually gets her way too.</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;"></span> </div><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-48080217801944123312009-10-23T01:05:00.000-04:002009-11-29T01:05:57.194-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWGpsV6Rv4SHuavHtYJ0S8GbapW8_xPwFlBrvdykws5cSokLZUKLnSWeUaAtuB-GFgnbgzzD6r_x5LLiPsonF9pThxOeW3UUM29zEzpXHc3JzYSIwKW1L2_HCkGZO9qXGEVCsok4Qmxw/s1600-h/VS+Fall+Biscornu+back+color+adjusted.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395657734913156322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWGpsV6Rv4SHuavHtYJ0S8GbapW8_xPwFlBrvdykws5cSokLZUKLnSWeUaAtuB-GFgnbgzzD6r_x5LLiPsonF9pThxOeW3UUM29zEzpXHc3JzYSIwKW1L2_HCkGZO9qXGEVCsok4Qmxw/s320/VS+Fall+Biscornu+back+color+adjusted.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395657733297554642" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 316px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g_JHe5KVBl0USA0PoQ03Xs12EWZx1TwOINHr4vCLAgJIuctIiNxw7znwzVMBRz269Ptv3-gZmRjvHmjyo-K9MmCf8KNr84QUsSpQRPIbmHj2WupS2Mq-FDtYKa8x-twU7NbdoC2PD2Q/s320/VS+Fall+Biscornu+front+color+adjusted.jpg" border="0" />This is my entry to the Victoria Sampler yahoo group's Fall Biscornu contest. This was a lot of fun! Thea designed the basic pattern and then left it up to us to choose our own colors and stitch it any way we wanted to. There were so many beautiful biscornus!</div><div></div><div>In looking through my stash, I noticed that I didn't really have too many fall colored threads. But then I started looking through my collection of Olde Willow Stitchery floss, and came up with some beautiful colors. Did the whole biscornu with Olde Willow threads, and I just love the way it came out. Then I found a little bee charm to put on the back side of it, in the middle of the sunflower. Perfect! Oh, around the edges, the original design had hearts, which I changed to Rhodes' Pumpkins. Actually just a variation of a Rhodes' heart, but it worked.</div><div> </div><div> <a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-34442298997904087012009-10-23T00:49:00.000-04:002009-11-29T02:03:25.853-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW9ED5xGfK9V50unJur2ajlj5END1BbHOdOyL3gp2Zy0tKlgFvh5tiCy9hfRhHPGN05mW0G0HH9f58vj4TOr8AOwd7umnNzla2gdy85lKmiJ99gZIgOS5GMJHhcexjQKQgy_7Oq4XmBo/s1600-h/Cell+Phone+Pouch+back.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395656176398370866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW9ED5xGfK9V50unJur2ajlj5END1BbHOdOyL3gp2Zy0tKlgFvh5tiCy9hfRhHPGN05mW0G0HH9f58vj4TOr8AOwd7umnNzla2gdy85lKmiJ99gZIgOS5GMJHhcexjQKQgy_7Oq4XmBo/s320/Cell+Phone+Pouch+back.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMn7f3_A5OxZUqQbzk8nCTN95_ae29j3_F1JWISoqo-CywjMFhxmTwYssjNp3igzgSWPbGR9kBEsp-0BqgbXfNYFlhCk1n-0nnUwYkxsB-siXQmw7bnWGnKRFm1CZMaF0VyPQgOGFGopA/s1600-h/Cell+Phone+Pouch+2+lightened.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395653647538342242" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMn7f3_A5OxZUqQbzk8nCTN95_ae29j3_F1JWISoqo-CywjMFhxmTwYssjNp3igzgSWPbGR9kBEsp-0BqgbXfNYFlhCk1n-0nnUwYkxsB-siXQmw7bnWGnKRFm1CZMaF0VyPQgOGFGopA/s320/Cell+Phone+Pouch+2+lightened.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#330033;">New Finish!</span></p><br /><p>Been really busy lately, but still managed to get some stitching and designing in. I made a pouch to carry my cell phone and hang around my neck like a necklace. I don't always have pockets, and kept laying it down and forgetting where it was. </p><br /><p>I was just finished with the stitching when I noticed that I made a huge counting error, and had completed the cutting and stitching so there was no chance of repairing it, only starting over. I decided to use it the way it is. I am so happy that I did because it is so useful, and now I don't lose my phone any more. I was planning to line it with white satin, but tried it out for size and decided to leave it unlined because I liked the way the phone shows through. Can you tell where the error is?</p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></p></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-11797509255378153962009-09-06T01:38:00.000-04:002009-11-29T01:08:16.698-05:00"All you need is love"<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5U_uHWgJIRoCiLm4d0FzZuJl0jD0_DHQ3uhnZpq5aMdRGfsJTFeDbiZLI2irE0dPaFw8-goeR_ruaUe2CCPb2oxKXKlwBPwGAf5OF0J0M8HB4ZOBCT8OFRuOyubYoXp6KmqgT7y5wKCk/s1600-h/Cindy&Mike+Wedding+Pillow+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378225481663553442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5U_uHWgJIRoCiLm4d0FzZuJl0jD0_DHQ3uhnZpq5aMdRGfsJTFeDbiZLI2irE0dPaFw8-goeR_ruaUe2CCPb2oxKXKlwBPwGAf5OF0J0M8HB4ZOBCT8OFRuOyubYoXp6KmqgT7y5wKCk/s320/Cindy&Mike+Wedding+Pillow+1.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#330033;">Today was the wedding of some very good friends of mine. So, I had to stitch something to commemorate the day. I found this "freebie" chart from The Drawn Thread, added the names and date, charted a little border around it, and sat down to stitch it. It was a fun piece to stitch, and only took a few days. Then made it into a pillow, what fun that was. I haven't done any machine sewing in a while, so it really was a treat.</span><br /><span style="color:#330033;"></span><br /><span style="color:#330033;">The wedding was great, the couple is very happy, and I hope they like this little pillow as much as I do!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#330033;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-85930348255118549932009-07-25T02:27:00.000-04:002009-11-29T02:04:32.475-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQ84cDLKJFkWEi9cA_6z_x7qzpMkNG3V6pezXfiR9xNMKIiTamFmxyEBquzLHLCxIsOQXSr_22XhYlsVR8MthRtnvYk9S8OZQ1smDbuIM8WsDs653T633oSDvDOMVZuKW29DVBzbNoug/s1600-h/Ming+in+the+flower+box.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362281192086469506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 298px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQ84cDLKJFkWEi9cA_6z_x7qzpMkNG3V6pezXfiR9xNMKIiTamFmxyEBquzLHLCxIsOQXSr_22XhYlsVR8MthRtnvYk9S8OZQ1smDbuIM8WsDs653T633oSDvDOMVZuKW29DVBzbNoug/s320/Ming+in+the+flower+box.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#330033;">This is Ming. She is actually my sister's cat, but she lives in an apartment and can't have pets, so she is with us now. She was a rescue cat, and is the sweetest little thing! We just love her. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#330033;">She loves to sleep in boxes, and this one just happened to have some flowers in that I had just bought and hadn't had a chance to plant yet. There was just enough room for her. Maybe we should call her Flower?</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#330033;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-42643129652081039992009-07-24T01:43:00.000-04:002009-11-29T01:10:49.225-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQQJ6Stwf8E2_uVwMI7Ia9eoD4uGuJ-Dn3kvCqdlezzZwzDNAQTtYNQZMrV3aGNwzugY8f3TAWwxs2-bkMZsGAz1Zhv9ku9dGa03DVXpgI-Hfb3-SLKtsS6Aa6K6Kp7ixIU7xiCz3ca8/s1600-h/Summer+Biscornu+bottom+finished+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361898485627227970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQQJ6Stwf8E2_uVwMI7Ia9eoD4uGuJ-Dn3kvCqdlezzZwzDNAQTtYNQZMrV3aGNwzugY8f3TAWwxs2-bkMZsGAz1Zhv9ku9dGa03DVXpgI-Hfb3-SLKtsS6Aa6K6Kp7ixIU7xiCz3ca8/s320/Summer+Biscornu+bottom+finished+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><p>Wait! There's more. When you turn the Summer Biscornu over, this is what the back looks like. I reversed the hardanger area, cutting and weaving in the larger, diamond shaped areas formed by the klosters. So it really is a reverse of the other side. </p><p>I thought I would keep this side a little simpler to show off the Gingham fabric better. So I just stitched some blanket stitch flowers inside the klosters. Oops, I just noticed, I forgot to stitch a Dove's Eye! </p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></p>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-51950550398798173142009-07-24T01:33:00.000-04:002009-11-29T01:11:38.558-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuyRv06HXJoV3rLfrJ6WMycR-5-i1etAyfgko7YlDH8_MM9dkxU9XBWQI05iKZuy8hmGG5VZZjiy9MDgYixIo1gBG7AfXBB4gKsZAo2OiOJa-g3G5TcaRLiXHLH9RHVJtECvMoM7IUyo/s1600-h/Summer+Biscornu+top+finished+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361895802209086626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuyRv06HXJoV3rLfrJ6WMycR-5-i1etAyfgko7YlDH8_MM9dkxU9XBWQI05iKZuy8hmGG5VZZjiy9MDgYixIo1gBG7AfXBB4gKsZAo2OiOJa-g3G5TcaRLiXHLH9RHVJtECvMoM7IUyo/s320/Summer+Biscornu+top+finished+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#330033;">I finally finished my Victoria Sampler Summer Biscornu! Wow, those over-one stitches seemed to take forever. Well, I didn't get finished in time to enter the contest, but now I have a great looking biscornu, and the contest was a lot of fun. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#330033;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#330033;">It doesn't show up very well in the photo, but I love the way the metallic braid looks in the klosters. The thread was from Needle Necessities, and the color was called Hydrangea, which is where I got the idea to do hydrangeas for my flowers.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#330033;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-46848553667235042872009-07-13T02:39:00.000-04:002009-11-29T02:05:24.490-05:00My two "sister" cats!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASBqabJXefJpS-yKDPB9rAw8G1JTUYCxA7Gmu3om2BshLd8aMgaQF1pzxrs34eTuDPhXPJFbmh5sfq8QhyN6my3ak5Kht-YSjpWxwvOMxuxqxVJP201a1DDl_2L0uj7NuzUWMAM7ghoI/s1600-h/Paisley+and+Brisa+front.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357837568759881490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASBqabJXefJpS-yKDPB9rAw8G1JTUYCxA7Gmu3om2BshLd8aMgaQF1pzxrs34eTuDPhXPJFbmh5sfq8QhyN6my3ak5Kht-YSjpWxwvOMxuxqxVJP201a1DDl_2L0uj7NuzUWMAM7ghoI/s320/Paisley+and+Brisa+front.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UzJ81bfkWez85avjmkn8x-DkWoSiCY7291HlngUB5hNS4V_3uKW1QShzqwMLRScjMrbzySte2oqB0UdjIe0WxY5EOUVpVriyhqQnT8NauNyUlKPGrsLzpgA5vhIQUJZu5s8o5asMujg/s1600-h/Paisley+and+Brisa+back.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357831568203112882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 284px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UzJ81bfkWez85avjmkn8x-DkWoSiCY7291HlngUB5hNS4V_3uKW1QShzqwMLRScjMrbzySte2oqB0UdjIe0WxY5EOUVpVriyhqQnT8NauNyUlKPGrsLzpgA5vhIQUJZu5s8o5asMujg/s320/Paisley+and+Brisa+back.jpg" border="0" /></a> I have four cats. A few days ago I went out on our patio and there were two of them, Brisa and Paisley, sitting side by side on a cushion. I had to take a picture of them because it is rare that they will be together like this. They are sisters, same parents but from two different litters. Brisa is petite and spunky, quite a litte character. Paisley, on the other hand, is larger (and slightly overweight) and very sweet and shy.<br /><br /><br />Of course, since I got a back view of them, I had to get one from the front too so you could see their faces. Aren't they just too cute?<br /><br /><br />I will have to post pictures of the other cats too, as soon as I get some good, current photos of them.<br /><br /><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-91960705670001027492009-07-07T14:33:00.000-04:002009-11-29T01:13:03.449-05:00VS Biscornu Contest - back side of biscornu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFa_yZwhYCd7Uy5ZPOUmzkiWhufgPiihKbZWOTK56UHLZlXASNdltp-bHIPaH32aQVIEBNqMwEmfM8_vJh-kFL3jHEmdfbHH7ExSCczBAUsOZqD0jrKAsBYQsa6eVwjfqV2P-YsKodDM/s1600-h/Summer+Biscornu+back.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355788633230862402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 315px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFa_yZwhYCd7Uy5ZPOUmzkiWhufgPiihKbZWOTK56UHLZlXASNdltp-bHIPaH32aQVIEBNqMwEmfM8_vJh-kFL3jHEmdfbHH7ExSCczBAUsOZqD0jrKAsBYQsa6eVwjfqV2P-YsKodDM/s320/Summer+Biscornu+back.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#330033;">Since a biscornu is 3-dimensional, it needs a reverse side. So for my reverse side, I decided to reverse the pattern so that the cut-out areas on the front are now the plain areas, and the cut-out areas on the back are where the hydrangeas are on the front. For this side, I used two different colors of perle cotton because I did not have enough of the metallic braid. And since the cut-out areas are larger, blanket stitch flowers fit perfectly. Funny how things work out! </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#330033;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#330033;">This side is not finished yet either, but as soon as I get it all done, I will post a picture or two.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#330033;"></span> </div><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612196816061141217.post-77861793223104994222009-07-07T14:16:00.000-04:002009-11-29T01:13:50.420-05:00Victoria Sampler Biscornu Contest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPuxShhKWwZh7K-4F5HKS7jEee18-b8UTvp49eJrz7d7uqTpmsogNX0kjeMzHKBMiaeUyfSR7PVeRmB0Vdxv-SaNSZCcYG2OUA5ylthTkTCg6famFAuXcTtsHREpbks0bDQNSs0AAxkw/s1600-h/Summer+Biscornu+front.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355784531690367602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 317px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPuxShhKWwZh7K-4F5HKS7jEee18-b8UTvp49eJrz7d7uqTpmsogNX0kjeMzHKBMiaeUyfSR7PVeRmB0Vdxv-SaNSZCcYG2OUA5ylthTkTCg6famFAuXcTtsHREpbks0bDQNSs0AAxkw/s320/Summer+Biscornu+front.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#330033;">Recently I was planning on entering the Victoria Sampler biscornu contest, but was unable to finish my entry in time.</span> Even though I didn't finish, I am so happy with the way it is turning out that I thought I would post a picture of it, along with some of my thoughts. </div><div></div><div>The idea was to take a Victoria Sampler biscornu design and, using our own colors and stitching ideas, create a biscornu that maybe Thea could show on her website. While looking through my stash to see what colors I wanted to use, I came across a metallic braid from Needle Necessities that I decided to use for the klosters. Since the thread color name is "hydrangea" I decided that the flowers should be hydrangeas. The hydrangeas didn't work well with silk ribbons so I decided to do mine in over-one cross stitch and french knots. But the over-one cross stitch takes so long to do, and I didn't have much time to stitch, so that was the reason why it wasn't ready in time. The metallic threads really do not show up well in the picture, so just imagine a little extra sparkle. The colors are just perfect for what I wanted to do. I also love using the gingham linen from Graziano, so I used the blue/white gingham for my fabric. Very summery and yummy!</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/366/A93AF0268014DA25771D89129236A421.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Cindy Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09424073845592230467noreply@blogger.com1