Peacock Pinkeep Giveaway

I am giving away this "Peacock Squared" pinkeep that I designed and stitched. It is stitched with Caron Waterlilies silk thread, 2 strands of color "Dawn," on 32ct. linen (some shade of blue). The size is about 3" X 3."

This giveaway is open for U. S. addresses ONLY.

Sign up by adding a comment on this post by midnight (U.S. EDT) September 10th, 2010.

This pinkeep has no pins--I don't have any to match, so you will need to add your own pins.

My Lizzie Kate Lovers Challenge

This is the photo album cover that I stitched for the Lizzie Kate Lovers Challenge.  I made the dragonfly out of gold glass beads.

About The Peacock Chart

I've fixed the chart. I had created it on fade-out graph paper. You can see the grid now.

I stitched mine as a pinkeep on 32 ct. linen, but I don't have any matching trim. I hope to buy some next week and post a picture by Wednesday. 

A Free Chart for You (Revised)

Peach Art PDF 2

I'm not sure if everyone can see the PDF, so here is a JPEG:

Lizzie Kate Challenge

We made the bus on time today. I will devote the rest of the day (until 4:30pm) to finishing my entry in the Lizzie Kate Lovers Blog Challenge.

Fall Is In The Air

The birds have begun to assemble in pre-migration flocks.

The leaves are turning on some species of trees.

A hawk soars overhead.

First Day of School

Granddaughter and several others on her stop missed their bus. I know that we had several minutes to spare, as I keep track by clock and watch. The driver must have come a few minutes early.

 I had to call transportation and they arranged for the next bus passing by  to pick them up.

Tomorrow we will be out there ten minutes before the scheduled arrival (at least). 

She gets no recess all this year (Grade 6), and phys. ed. only in the second semester. In light of the obesity rate among West Virginia children, I do not understand this policy.

Pinkeep for Aubree

I received word that Aubree's pinkeep arrived safely. This was for the HOE "For The Birds" Exchange (2010).

This design  is a freebie from Berthi Smith-Sanders.  It is on 32ct. linen, and I changed some of the colors. The top is finished with a ribbon rose.

Here is the reverse:

I Used Valdani Thread

I don't have much extra cash for specialty threads. I have accumulated plenty of DMC that needs to be used. I bought some skeins of Valdani because it was advertised as colorfast and because it was on sale (online). There is no local needlework shop here--the nearest shop is one and a half hours away.

I used some of it on my HOE "ABC Exchange 2010." It frayed and broke several times. I will not buy this thread again.

I have been using DMC embroidery thread for 38 years, and never it has frayed or broken.

Some Dish Towels

This is a set of five dish towels that I embroidered for a friend's birthday. I drew the designs freehand, with a quilting pencil.

A Morning Visitor

Carinne's Birds in Tree Freebie

I stitched several bird designs in the past couple of weeks, and this is one of them. It is "Aux Plaisir des Oiseaux," a freebie by carinne. I changed the colors a little and used some overdyed thread on the flowers. I want to stitch this again, but employ a different color scheme. It is a very pleasing design.

You have to hunt through the website under the "grilles gratuites."

Souvenir de France--My Version

This is my version of BBD's "Souvenir de France."

One of my dreams is to visit France someday. Right now, the closest I get is via one of Cara Black's mysteries. This piece incorporates BBD's Eiffel Tower design as well as motifs from Dover Publications Anne Orr charted design books.

From bottom left, going clockwise around:

a crown to represent past royalty; a lily; a heart for romance; a little bird; grapes on the vine; a butterfly for happiness; a stylized marguerite (daisy); decorative scroll work to evoke the magnificence of historic architecture; and "liberte" to acknowledge the transition to the republic.

A Xmas WIP

This is the start of a cat ornament from the Just Cross Stitch July/Aug sneak preview issue. It is on 32ct. linen.

A Flowered Heart Freebie

This is a freebie heart that I just finished.  I stitched it on Monaco fabric.  The designer is gazette94. It is heart #08 under "grilles gratuites."

Embroidered Pillowcase

I have almost completed one of a set of pillowcases (from Tobin crafts). This is a birthday gift. Since it is composed of mostly loop stitches, it works up quickly.

My Christmas Projects

This is an assortment of embroidery kits that I received a few days ago. I plan to stitch them and give them as Christmas and birthday gifts.

The eagle is for family who are veterans/retired federal employees.  I thought it was a cool and untypical eagle picture.

The peacock is for a friend who likes them. After I finish it, I plan to stitch one for myself, but I will use linen instead of Aida.

A Swallowtail

This tiger swallowtail has a broken wing, yet is able to keep flying. It is on a milkweed flower.

This "For The Birds" Didn't Fly

This is the first project that I had stitched for the HOE "For The Birds" Exchange. I made it into a photo album cover.  It is JBW's "Lark" stitched with Threadworx thread. I had stitched several different bird designs and chose this one because  I wanted to send my partner a contemporary design.

However, when I ironed it (without steam), the thread bled a little onto the muslin back cover. It was noticeable to me, and so I decided to rip it out and make it into something else.

 I didn't like the plain muslin background, either, and some of the seams were crooked.

I sent my partner a pinkeep instead of this, and I will post a picture as soon as I hear that she has received it.

Summer Flowers

"For The Birds" Received

I received this pretty bird-themed biscornu from Ina. She enclosed a pretty card of greeting and wrapped everything in the sea urchin fabric. Isn't it a fine piece of stitching? It is accented with tiny green seed beads.

The reverse is here:

I added it to my basket of biscornus.