A New Start and Some Small Finishes

As we were traveling back from Auburn last Monday I stitched a freebie pattern that Arlene at Nanaland had sent me a copy of. I didn't really expect to have time to stitch anything other than just finishing up Tucker's name that I took very little with me. I quickly threw in some floss and a small piece of linen.

Freebie is from Heart and Hand

It has subdued colors and I think some happy popping colors would have been a little bit better. I may even do it again at some point. I put a quick finish on it earlier in the week. I had a button with an old watch face on it that I thought matched it so it turned out cute. I thought about putting a ribbon around it, but I think I will leave it plain and maybe next year will be the year of the smalls. I can add it to a basket of smalls.

I ordered some ribbons from an Etsy shop. Pretty colors. I think I will put them to good use even though I didn't use them on this pillow.

This is the shop these came from. https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyScrapCabinShop?ref=notif_nfyfs&order=date_desc

Arlene also shared her With Thy Needle and Thread hoopla pattern with me. I was determined to stitch this over the weekend.

I had no linen dark enough for the sheep, so I tried tea dying some for the first time ever. It worked!

On the left is the linen and after an hour of sitting in tea is the version on the right.

I hope to put a circle finish on it this week sometime.

Now, for my newest start.

I am hoping to add blue jays to my bedroom wall in Auburn. The mockingbird is lonely.

I want to do more of these. I have another leaflet with my next project after the blue jays....chickadees.

For now, I started the blue jays this week so here is my nightly stitching progress. I started with the mama's tail feathers. This stitch will be my main focus for the future weeks. 

Spring does seem to be arriving early in the south. It was sunny this weekend which was nice although a bit chilly. Everything is beginning to bloom early. 

We started laying out fresh pine straw in the beds. Didn't quite finish so we will have to finish next weekend.

Florida lawn art...aka...concrete statues!

Groceries have been bought, meals have been planned, calendar filled out for the week so I am hoping to feel a bit better this week. A higher strength of thyroid medicine is now a week in so hopefully I am popping back to life again.

Hoping for sunshine this week,

Sandy

Details of the Name Stitch

I am sharing close ups and details of the Tucker piece I stitched.

I made Lindsay one from this pattern book back in the early 1990s. It is still hanging in her old bedroom. She requested that I do his name in a navy with a nautical theme. I wonder if she has thought about that Tucker's piece will still be hanging in her house long after he is grown. I mentioned this and some of you graciously gave me ideas.

Let's look at the letters up close and see what I used to do the stitch.

For the T, I used bird from the following pattern that Mary at Stitching Friends Forever sent me. I want to stitch these smaller patterns later for the summer after the patriotic season is over. I mean I simply must stitch that flamingo. Thanks Mary. The heron and sandpiper are regular visitors to our local beaches.

The U came from the original pattern book that I had done Lindsay's name with. It has a boy or girl in each letter. I knew I would only do one boy and U was perfect as is for this piece. The only thing I changed was the dog. The dog is personalized to be their Hallie, a Boykin Spaniel. I used the book to make all of the letters. The book calls for a lighter blue, but navy was just perfect for this stitch.

Next up, the C came directly from a pattern that Arlene at Nanaland had sent me and I have been holding onto for some time. I still really want to stitch it for my downstairs which may or may not happen anytime soon. I had to outline the sand dollar to get her to show up on the light blue.

Here is the pattern Arlene sent me. You will need to go ahead and notice the E as well. 

Let's talk K. I was stumped for awhile as to what to do. I even stitched the E first and then it hit me. The anchor. Could it be any more perfect?!

The anchor came from the following pattern which I ordered and will use many times. Keep this in mind again later for the water under that ship and a dolphin. 

I am thinking of some smalls inspired by many of you, so we will wait and see what happens with these ideas too. You should have seen me trying to turn the pattern to make it fit into the K. I am not one of those visually talented people who sees puzzle pieces and knows exactly where they fit.

Now, back to E and R. The E comes directly from the above BEACH pattern. Again I had to outline to get it to show up against the light blue.

When I got to the R, I really wanted to use a dolphin. Another regular sight around our parts of the country. Over half the elementary schools in our district have it as their mascot:)

I counted and realized the dolphin would go into the upper part of the R. I was planning on water all along for the bottom. First I was thinking of this pattern from Mary for waves. 

I am pretty sure at some point you will see this done on the blog. I adore this one.

It turned out I just added water myself inspired by the colors and pattern under the ship on the above pattern that had the dolphin and anchor. I just played with the stitch and let it come to pass. I then added a piling post to the side of the R from one of Mary's patterns that had the dock. Oh and some water splashes under the dolphin as prompted by my husband. 

I love how it turned out. I can't wait to see it framed, so you will get to see it once more later.

Now, let's talk stash. I was watching Carol at Saltbox Stitcher last week and she used an acronym I hadn't heard before. 

S.A.B.L.E.

Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. 

I just had to chuckle. Do we ever stop wanting new stuff?

Now, I hope I have lots of time left. I am only 59.

However, I have lots and lots in my stash and a list of things I want. I just need more stitching time in a day and maybe wall space. 

anyway....

I will be using some of these above patterns this summer.

I am trying not to look too hard at Instagram where people are showing cute stuff daily.

I mean how cute is this by With Thy Needle and Thread that Brenda displayed for market.

Good grief! I love everything about this...would want to display it just like this!!!!!!!!!!!!

Instead of punching the purchase key on 123Stitch and others I am keeping a list in the back of my planner of things I might like. I never showed y'all my new planner this year. It is so cute and just makes me smile every time I look at it.  I will share it one day.

I do have a freebie to share soon. I needed a quick small.

Almost finished. 

I came across another Floss Tuber to share. I am not a huge Floss Tube watcher. I am just going to be honest. I am busy and can't sit for long periods of time, but I have learned to watch those that I like in 20 minute increments. 

I missed this girl on Instagram as well. She did her first Floss Tube recently and just had some adorable stuff on it.

Crosshatch Quilts is also know by the same name on Instagram. I wrote down some patterns ON MY LIST!

I will see y'all soon hopefully with a new small to share AND some outdoor pics. They are trimming trees (the live oaks) in the circle outside. Kind of noisy.

Blessed,

Sandy