Happy New Year!

Some stitching, fresh veggies and a good read.

The blue Celtic Knot embroidery piece stitching is completed and I decided to do another piece using a light green fabric and green floss.

12/25/14

My stitching is getting better though my tracing of the pattern shows a rather unsteady hand, I think it adds the human quality, after all it is hand crafted and hand stitched.

This is the green fabric with the pattern traced and waiting for stitching. This morning I made an early morning visit to the Crones' Cradle Conserve to clock how much time it will take me to drive there for the Crazy Quilt workshop next Saturday. While I was there I bought some just picked vegetables fresh from the earth.

Below the tomatoes, are red and yellow carrots, white turnips in the center and purple and white radishes, I have them prepped for a salad for later today, with each slice I made the aroma of soil filled my senses, nature's perfume at her best.

Sunday, December 28th and here is a look at the stitching on the green piece I started yesterday evening and early this morning.

I still don't have any idea what to do with these practice pieces though the more I look at them I'm leaning toward journal cover.

I am about three quarters of the way through reading A Social History of Tea, if you are a tea lover its quite an interesting read.

Merry Christmas

A book, some stitching and a Wish for All

I have chosen the first book I'll read for the 2015 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge here is the link if you are interested.
http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.com/2015-witches-witchcraft-reading-challenge-sign-up-post/

I have read the Joyce And Jim Lavene Peggy Lee Garden mystery series books and some of the Renaissance Faire series and I'm looking forward to beginning this new series next week after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays pass and I have time to unwind with a cup of tea and a good read.

Stitchery update:
 I am making progress on the Celtic Knot embroidery piece I began stitching on Monday.

12/22/14

The blue micro pen I chose to trace the pattern onto the fabric turned out to be a good choice and the blue floss covers the trace lines well.

12/23/14

I  began stitching the piece without the use of an embroidery hoop, one thing I did notice is I should have used a second piece of fabric for stability, since this is a test piece I can make the changes which will include crayon tinting the knots.

12/24/15

Today I slipped the piece into an embroidery hoop to see if it changed the work, I noticed the stitches flowed through the fabric more easily.

I wish for all a Christmas filled with Joy, Health and Happiness.

A little stitch project

I have finally squeezed in some time to trace the Celtic knot pattern onto the fabric for my next hand embroidery project.

I was going to use the crayon tint technique I learned in October but this is a busy time of year and I barely had time to trace the pattern between packing, shipping and drop offs at the post office, so I'm just going to stitch it, I need something to unwind with in the evenings and this may due the trick.  Its a good piece to practice my stitching on.

I enrolled in an upcoming Crazy Quilt class held at the Crones' Cradle Conserve here in north central Florida, I am looking forward to a day long workshop full of stitchery, surrounded by other quilters.

It's a great way to start the New Year off crafting.

Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 2015

http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.com/2015-witches-witchcraft-reading-challenge-sign-up-post/

I have just signed up for my first reading challenge of the New Year and I have added a link if you are interested in joining a new reading challenge for 2015. I am planning for the Crone Level which is 16-20 books.

A little crafting

The next hand embroidery I plan to work is the knot pattern above it's on the light box waiting to be traced, I may use the crayon tinting technique once I decide what color thread I want to use.

I haven't had too much time to get in much crafting as December is a very busy month for me.  I do try to keep a small project or two on hand for the late evening when I am winding down for the night, my latest project is the beaded scissors fob.

I have just filled out my registration form for the Crazy Quilt workshop to be held at the Crone's Cradle Conserve on January 3rd. I thought it would be a nice way to keep up with the embroidery. I have renewed my interest and working the stitches for me is very relaxing, not like when I was in my twenties.

Room with a view

I found my future dream window, I can picture pots of herbs lining the window shelves perhaps overlooking a garden.  Next year I am planning to look for another house and this type of window would be perfect. Though having it built to specification could work too.