July 29, 2012:

It's been a busy stitching week.  I've been in Memphis for Rock-n-Roll Memphis with Susan Greening Davis.  We have been working on a perpetual calendar - it's an beautiful project and when finished it will be placed on a wonderful frame.  It will either go on my fireplace mantel or I might take it to my classroom I think my students would enjoy it.

The project includes a bundle of beautiful limited edition colors from The Gentle Art.

Here is my start of the project with just the numbers stitched.  The numbers are all one over one and there are three separate panels of numbers.

Here I have started stitching the months.  There are four months per panel.  I have made some minor adjustments - added beads to avoid the colonial knots.

Here is a close up of part of the calendar.

While in Memphis we have also had fun visiting family.  We took a tour of the Fed Ex arena where the Memphis Grizzlies play.  Today we went to Graceland and did the tour.  Here is a picture of the boys with Susan Greening Davis:

I was also able to visit a local needlework store Stitchers Inc. and had a great time shopping.  I picked up and kitted several Lizzie Kate designs including Halloween Rules and 6 Fat Men.  I also picked up several Halloween designs, lots of fabric and fibers and some Bohin Needles (my favorite).  I've also been stitching a lot this week and have finished Water Lily and started The Thimble Fairy by Nora Corbett - the last of the Stitching Fairies that I had left to stitch.

I will post some updates on 12 Months of Happiness and The Thimble Fairy soon.  Happy Stitching!!!

July 20, 2012:

My fabric finally arrived and I was able to stitch Part 1 of the Passione Ricamo Mystery Fairy SAL.  I stitched it on Rainbow Dreams fabric from Silkweaver:

I love how Part 1 turned out -- 11 parts to go.  Part 2 should arrive on August 1st - I saw a preview today so I know that the yellow tail you see in the picture will be a crescent moon.  I still have no idea what the fairy looks like, but I'm sure she will be beautiful.

I've also been continuing to work on Water Lily by Nora Corbett.  I love the colors in this one as well:

This cute little guy is my son Christopher who picked out the fabric for Water Lily and decided that she was the one I should be stitching on right now:

Christopher is my biggest stitching fan and takes a great interest in what I'm working on.  He likes to sit with Mommy and help.

Next week I'm looking forward to a workshop in Memphis with Susan Greening Davis.  I'll post some pictures while I'm there.  I'm also looking forward to visiting Stitchers Inc. a Local Needlework Shop located in Memphis.  I don't have a local shop here so I have to order all of my supplies online.  It will be nice to do some in person shopping for a change.

July 15, 2012:

Rhythm is finished.  She turned out very pretty, her colors are very bright and pretty.  I enjoyed stitching her and am looking forward to the other Muses.

I also finished part 1 of the Mystery Halloween Sampler by Lizzie Kate:

I am really enjoying this one - I can't wait for part 2 to arrive - although it won't be until mid-August... and then the final piece of the puzzle mid-September.

Last night with the help of my son Christopher I picked out my next project - Water Lily by Nora Corbett.  He went through all of my kitted projects picked the one he wanted me to stitch.  Then he went through all of my fabric and picked the fabric he wanted me to stitch on.   The fabric was actually pretty perfect colorwise until I started stitching and realized the Krenick in the pattern is almost exactly the color of the fabric (and the fabric is an opal too).  This is a problem because the wing is stitched using the Krenick and will blend right in with the fabric.  I thought about trying to switch fabrics, but he had worked so hard to select the perfect one that I decided to stitch it and then try to blend the Krenick with a darker coordinating thread when I get to the wing so that it will stand out from the fabric... hopefully it will work.  Here is my progress as of this morning:

July 7, 2012:

It's been awhile since my last post but I have been a very busy stitcher.  I finished The Linen Fairy:

She has a lot of sparkle.  I have now stitched 5 out of the 6 Stitching Fairies.  I just have The Thimble Fairy left to stitch.

I also signed up for two Mystery Stitching projects.  The first from Passione Ricamo is a year- long Mystery Fairy stitch a long.  Part one arrived on July 1st and looks beautiful.  I am in the process of selecting a fabric so that I can have part one stitched before part two arrives on August 1st:

I also received part one of Lizzie Kate's Mystery Sampler.  It will come in three parts and each part includes a bonus design.  I have completed the bonus design and have a good start on part one.  It is stitched with beautiful linen and threads from Weeks Dye Works:

This is the bonus design.  The photo does not do it justice - the fabric is actually a really pretty purple.  Here is my start on Part one of the Mystery Sampler:

I have also started Rhythm - one of Nora Corbett's Muses - the colors are beautiful: