Photos ... Phinally : )

I have finally gotten around to taking a few long overdue photos to share with you.  This will be a semi-lengthy post so you might want to grab some chocolate or chips & salsa or something   : )

This first photo is the stocking I have stitched for April in the Christmas All Year Round SAL.  The theme for April is snowflakes & there they are falling down upon Santa & his sleigh   : )   This is a Homespun Elegance pattern called Stockings 'A Plenty 1 which features 4 different motifs to stitch on these prefinished stockings.  I wish the stockings weren't so ridiculously expensive as I would love to stitch more.  This design is called, appropriately, Santa & Sleigh.

Now ... we all know how I hate to finish things, right?  Pull my hair, poke me in the eye with a stick, take away my candy cigarettes (yes, they are a bad habit of mine) ...

... but don't make me finish my cross stitched items!!!  You can understand my joy when I discovered quite by accident that Faye at Carolina Stitcher does finishing for people!  I contacted her & sent her 10 items I've stitched over the past couple months for her to perform her finishing magic   : )   I can't post photos of all of them now (some are gifts) but I will post two.  This first one is a RAK I sent to Michelle at Michelle's StitchCraft Place.  If this looks somewhat familiar to you, it's because it was the "mystery project" I posted about a few times a while back.  It is a La-D-Da pattern called Yellow Bird.  I didn't like the yellow though so changed it to WDW Navy which my husband picked out & which turned out to be one of Michelle's favorite colors!  How about that   : )

The photo came out a little blurry.  There is money to be made for someone who can come up with a series of cross stitch item photography tutorials or who would perhaps travel to give photography workshops for these sorts of things ... don't you agree?  Anyway, Faye did a great job on this pinkeep finish & she stuffed it with crushed walnut shells ... one of my favorite stuffings   : )

This next finish is also a Faye finish but I'm keeping it ... I think ... lol!  This was the Stacy Nash Christmas Goose Pinkeep pattern that I stitched half its size by mistake   : )   I just told Faye to do whatever she felt was best for it.  I'm very happy with the outcome right down to the beaded hanger   : )

Speaking of Faye, I recently participated in a Spring Thyme Swap over on Samplermakers & guess who got my name?  Yep ... Faye!  It was funny because she was working on my finishes when she found out that she got my name in the swap ... lol!  She sent me the most wonderful package of goodies which included one of her fabulous project bags (mine has a little bee zipper pull on it), a Threadwork Primitives pattern, 3 rusty jingle bells, & 2 packages of my beloved chenille trim   : )   She also included a piece of linen which just happened to be perfect for a Stacy Nash pattern I just started day before yesterday.  I love this linen, whatever it is.  Hopefully Faye knows so I can hunt some down & buy more of it   : )

Back to Michelle for a moment.  She posted on her blog a while back that she had gone to a stitching show & what did that sweetie do?  She picked up a Bent Creek chart while she was there to gift to me!  It is called God Bless You, a Bent Creek Stoneware Wishes design.  I wasn't familiar with this particular line & I'm looking forward to stitching this   : )

I received another surprise gift as well ... a lovely stitched Easter card from Paula at Cantinho do Ponto Cruz.  This is the one & only cross stitched card I have ever received   : )

I actually won something in the recent TDIPT drawings!  I won this cute chick pinkeep made by Mona at My Old Crow Primitives.  Isn't it adorable?  And she included an extra goodie in the package ... a bottle cap pincushion!  

I hope you have enjoyed the long overdue photos.  There will be more although exactly when is anyone's guess   : )