September IHSW: A Finish and a Start

Hey Blog Buddies,
I've really had a blast reading all the comments about everyone's animals.  If you're wondering what I'm talking about, go to my giveaway post, and enter while you're there.  You've still got a week left to get a chance to win!

It wouldn't be an IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend) if I didn't finish something, right?  So to keep my streak going, I finished (and framed!) Secret Pumpkin Patch by The Trilogy:

I visited Inspired Needle in Lemont, IL, earlier this week,

and found this perfect little weathered black frame!

So, I was able to frame the piece right away,

and it's now up on my shelf--

never mind that we're only halfway through September!

Framing a piece with a stitched border

that is very close to the frame is challenging,

but I did the best I could and it didn't turn out too bad.

After this small success,

I was inspired to try to finish Grandma's Roses

from the Nordic Needle retreat in April.

All it needs are some bullion knots

to make a rose in each corner.

Several months ago, moonsilk stitches was kind enough

to show me how to do bullion knots on canvas.

What she said seemed to make sense at the time,

but did I go right home and finish up the project?

Noooo.

When I picked it up yesterday too much time had passed

and I just couldn't figure it out,

so I put the piece away indefinitely--bummer!

To cheer myself up, I started a new piece:

Quaker Cardinal by The Workbasket.

(I'm kind of easy to cheer up...)

I've been itching to start this project for some time.

This photo simply does not do the fabric justice--

it's the prettiest fabric I've ever stitched on.

I won it (the fabric) as part of a giveaway hosted by Robin

at Threads of Memory.

Thank you again, Robin!

Since this photo was taken,

I have completed the other leg.

To see what my fellow hermitters

have been up to this weekend, click here.

Hope you had a fabulous weekend

with some time to stitch!

Thanks for visiting!

Derailed by a Pumpkin!

Hey Blog Buddies,

A few days ago, I was blog hopping and ran across a lovely Shepherd's Bush design, which got me to thinking...  Take Joy by Shepherd's Bush is on my WIPocalypse list--and it's a small design which would be easy to finish.  I even have the little box that goes with it!   It should definitely go into my rotation.  However, the kit (yes, it came in a kit with fabric and threads) did not make it into my to-be-worked-on WIPocalypse bin, so I had to go searching for it in the (ahem) larger bins.  So while I was pawing through all the goodies in the first bin I opened (I should have more of a handle on where everything is, shouldn't I?), I came across Secret Pumpkin Patch by The Trilogy--a cute little seasonal design.

The design came with the fabric,

and I'm using DMC threads from my stash.

I haven't located Take Joy yet.

It wasn't in that first bin!

Hope you have a fun weekend!

Thanks for visiting!