Quilting and Naked Reading

Halloween quilting time is coming up on me!!! These above are the basic centers for my grandgirls' quilts.

This Haunted House Halloween quilt center is for Kellan's and little Jack's lap/floor quilt. I'm making lap quilts for each of my little grands...Jack, 2 yrs., Hadley, 3 yrs., Kellan, 1 yr., Ella, 15 mos., and Amelia, 8 yrs. BTW, Kellan highly recommends full Naked Reading this Summer for the best enjoyment of books! :]

***I have a special REQUEST: Many of you know that my best friend, Elaine, is struggling with terminal lung cancer. She is brave in the face of a 3-4 mo. prognosis, though she sometimes (and rightly so) believes that she has more time with us than that! And, we applaud her for that awesome spirit.

It's sometimes often difficult to help her keep her spirits up. She can't find something to look forward to, or that would make her feel like she's accomplishing something. She says she only has her tv to look forward to every day.

My REQUEST is that as many as would like to participate would send me a 6 1/2" piece of fabric for a quilting project for her. She used to love to quilt...I taught her last year and she made two quilts...but now she can't cut anything out or sew. I would sew them together for her into a lap quilt for her chemo sessions or to use on her bed. It would be sweet if you would also like to send a note with your name so she would know who the piece is from.

I always tell her how important my worldwide stitching friends are to me. Since she doesn't stitch, she really has no frame of reference for that! Sad to say!! :i Aren't we lucky to have eachother and our stitchery!!

I'm off to stitch and watch the JK Rawlings Special on tv. It seems to be awesome, so far....

Love and hugs,

Deb

PS: I've has some strong hesitations to put this request out for Elaine, so for those whom I may offend or upset...please forgive me. I only want to make my friend's life beautiful to the end... Please don't feel you can't comment because of it, as well.... :)

Worldwide Mirabilia RR Update

I'm so happy to share my first stitching on my new Mirabilia RR group through Yuku. Kathy A., among others, is with me on this RR and I know it's going to be fabulous. My piece is focused on Mira Mermaids. Hopefully, somebody will post a progress of mine soon so I can share it with you.

The ones I've stitched are the two small spaced fairies. The lower right-side is the Petal Fairy.

The upper left-side one that's nearly finished is the Feather Fairy. Jen worked the child in the longer section for her own piece because her theme is children and fairies.

Won't this be fun!

Please take time to give me a comment. I really love to hear how you're doing and what you're stitching.....any Mirabilia's???

Hugs, Deb

Primoriginals Giveaway!

Look at this darling Giveaway from Primoriginals on Etsy! She is giving away this $20 valued print and picking up the shipping, as well. Stop by and see all of her really precious items and sign up for this one at http://primoriginals.blogspot.com/2009/o6/its-give-way-time.html

Her pendants are so sweet and just the right price, too!

Hugs, and thank you so much for stopping by and saying "Hi" to me. I love to hear from you!

Deb

Giveaway Winners!!

I'm so happy to announce the winners of my giveaway! While I originally said I would choose 3 people, I extended it to 5 just to share more. This was a random choice, so I had nothing to do with those who won! Here are the winners:

Dani
IvorySpring
Maren
Shari
Wendy

Congratulations!! I'm so excited to send you all some charts. Please email me your addresses!
Hugs,
Deb

Scissors & Stuff

Kellan and Grammie Debi before we got into trouble sticking a little boy's hands into ice cream at his first birthday party around Grammie's Club pool. June 7, 2009

Several comments about my new Mermaid Roses scissors: so I have to tell you they are from ABC Stitch Therapy. They have the best selection of scissors IMHO, for those of us who are collectors. They also have Zecca accessories...scissor point protectors, et. al. One of our bloggish friends pictured and talked about a new blue and white scissor out at JoAnns, which I'm on the hunt for asap.

Also wanted to give you this, my conversion for Mary Wigham. This is the DMC to AVAS. Thanks for mentioning it, Cindy.

Mary Wigham Sampler

Conversion Threads

DMC to Au Ver A Soie

DMC AVAS

725 / 2525

407/ 4611

356/ 4612

963 /943

3857 /no conv. (Dk. Rosewood)

3768 /1746

3052 / 3714and - or 3713

Ecru / Ecru F 2

930 /1715

White/ Blanc

739 / 4241

3822 /2531

927 /1744

Black/ Noir

934/ 3726

352 /931

435 /4236

225 /1011

3855 /4242

433 / 4116 and - or 4122

519 /1442

746 /2542

Other colors I've chosen to use in addition:

1715, 1724,(Blues) 4624, 4615, 2945, 3031 (Reds & Pink) 1833, 2124, 2125, 2133, 3726 (Greens) 4224, 4226, 4614 (Rusts) F14, 2141, 2222 (Tan & Lt. Yellows)

Hope all of us are in a SAL for Mary Wigham by now! It's going to be another challenge like Beatrix Potter.... :]

Hugs to all of you, I appreciate so much your kind thoughts and prayers for Elaine and Jessica. We're all doing well for the moment. You should hear some of Jessica's culture shock stories about Lousiana. Remember she's a New Englander raised in the Boston Area (Wellesley) so the deep South is a foreign as Italy to her!!! LOL

Mary Wigham & Pictures Galore!

I'm a very fortunate girl to have a best birthday twin like Barbara (Mainely Stitching). She sent me this darling little hanging of a Mary Beale angel, some antique lace and a lovely glasswork piece for a necklace or scissor fob. All just my cup of tea. I love them to pieces. Have to think of an appropriate idea for the lace..... Thank you dear friend.

Below is a close up of the beautiful pinkeep Edgar (Blacksheep...) sent me!! I think it's awesome.

Look and drool! Edgar sent me this fantastic PIF!! I just love it. Everything is perfect. The pinkeep is absolutely perfectly finished, naturally, and all "D's!" Wonderful cookie smelling tea in a sweet tin...two gifts in one. And a gently scented drawer sachet....so sophisticated and delicate. He must be watching lots of those old Bette Davis movies! :) Thank you so much, Edgar!! I love every bit of this...even the cute doggie card!

Shepherd's Bush "heart" progress. I get some relief from the BAPs with this little one right now. Somewhere I made a counting mistake, so my outer heart outline is a bit skewed by 2 stitches. I will have to fix them once the inside is finished.

A bit more stitching done on my "This...Day" Sampler. It's such a sweet sampler, if only I werem't on this rotation and spliting myself in so many different directions!! I say that about all of them!! LOL See my Mermaid Roses new scissors?! And a little bit of new work on Beatrix Potter, too.

Below: The Plantation Sampler. I've simply worked the gold inside border all the way down on the left side, at least, and ready to start some alphabet. I love this little "egg" made in tribute to Marie Antoinette (of course :) for my birthday by one of my best neighbor friends, Darlene. Thanks, Darlene! Lace from Barbara. :]

These are my silk toss for Mary Wigham above.... Yummy! I still need to fine tune my camera's color or lighting, I see from these pictures.

Lo, I've finally started my Mary Wigham! I've been so anxious, because I know I'm behind the 8-ball now. I loved working on her, though. First picture is of the threads I'm using...a conversion of DMCs to AuVerASoie. Couldn't resist adding some other colors, too.

Have I added enough pictures? I've been soooo overwhelmed with my DD, Jessica, moving to LA, and taking my darling grandson, Kellan, with her!! And, my BFF, Elaine, has taken a downward spiral with her lung cancer and has been in the hospital. I've been staying with her as much as possible....sleeping overnights...etc... Please pray for her and for Jess and Kellan & my SIL as they readjust to new surroundings.

Love and hugs to all of you. You make it all worthwhile. I appreciate so much your personal comments and messages.

Deb

Giveaway Time!

Dear Sweet Friends, It's time again to thank you for your faithfulness and friendship in the past rocky year. And, to celebrate what I hope is a great new year of health and peacefulness for me and my family.

I want to have a "giveaway" so I can give at least 3 of you something to show my appreciation for all it means to have you read my blog and leave your comments. I think I wouldn't have kept blogging if you hadn't encouraged me with your notes and emails. I would have been so lonely. Thank you so much.

So, please leave a note on comments that you want to participate. See my "Trade or Sale" list on my side bar to choose which charts you'd like. Once all have had a chance to enter, I'll pull three names from "the hat" on July 4th and announce the winners!

Sending hugs to all and good luck!! Deb