Monday, November 12, 2012

An Exchange to Share

Lainey has posted the photos for the Stitched With Love Fall into Halloween exchange so I am now free to show you what I stitched & what I received   : )

Remember me talking about working on an exchange piece & that the chart photo of the finished piece was taken at rather a distance & how surprised/dismayed I was to find areas of the chart requiring specialty stitches?  Well, this is it ... Bent Creek's The Pumpkin Flower Sampler.

The person I needed to send to was Greta (no blog) & this is the entire package of goodies I mailed to her.
I ordered the little notions pouch from Faye at Carolina Stitcher.  She did a great job making it to my specifications   : )

This is the package I received from Pam.  I'm sorry ... right now I don't know Pam's last name or even if she has a blog.

Edit:
Pam was watching & posted that she does have a last name (Bowman) & a blog as well ... Confessions of a Southern Stitcher   : )   Thanks Pam!   
This is going to be one of the last group exchanges I do.  Next year I plan to do a few one-on-one exchanges with blogging friends (let me know if you'd be interested in doing something like this with me) & some RAKs.  Over the past week or so I've been thinking of my stitching plans for next year.  I have stitched a lot of Christmas smalls this year & I plan on continuing to do that next year.  However, I also want to stitch some of the special items in my stash that I love-love-love ... a Miriam Dowd sampler, some large BBD pieces, & there are 3 My Big Toe samplers that are very meaningful to me.  I keep shoving these things aside to do other things & sure enough I'm going to wake up one day 20 years from now & realize none of these things have been stitched   : (   I am also going to cut way, way down on the stash buying this coming year.  As just mentioned, I have too many wonderful things I already want to stitch & I want to be sure to stitch them!  I'm certain that I'll find an ornament or a small or two of interest now & then (Lord help me, I just got interested in some French designers!) but otherwise I will only be buying linen for the projects I already have ... & maybe some silk threads if they are called for.   

My main plan for this past weekend was to get outside & clean up the gardens for winter.  The weather was perfect for it. Unfortunately I realized after only 2 or 3 hours that this gardening part of my life cannot continue.  Today I am still hobbling around the house with pain & stiffness in joints & muscles I didn't even know I had!  I did not accomplish a lot either.  I trimmed down all the daylilies & dug out these weird ground cover type weeds from a small area in the foundation bed off the back porch. That's it.  Still so much to do but colder temps are coming & I'm guessing I will just have to leave what's remaining, which is a lot, until the spring.  I told John I cannot continue to take care of all these flower beds.  I just can't.  So next year, if we must remain in the devil's playground, I foresee digging up the current flower beds, putting grass in their place, & having someone come here to lay weed preventing cloth over the foundation beds & put down mulch to keep them looking tidy.  And no more buying of plants!!!  None!  Nada!  Although some nut trees would be nice   : )

A warm welcome to all my new followers!  It's always nice to have people visit & then decide to stay   : )   And welcome to my true blue followers as well!  Hugs to you all   : )

24 comments:

Dawn said...

would love to do a 1:1 with you Shirlee!

cucki said...

Wow such lovely goodies ..I love them all so much x

Catherine said...

Wonderful exchange goodies!!

Siobhán said...

Wonderful exchange packages, both sent and received! I can relate to wanting to cut down on buying. I did that the last few years and am amazed at both how much I have NOT stitched and how I've been able to resist a lot of what I get. It also makes the things I *do* buy that much more special to me.

Tricia T said...

That was a beautiful exchange piece you sent, Shirlee! And I'm so glad you are in the Stash Stitching mood, too. I think maybe I need to start a Stash Stitching Support group so we can encourage one another to stick to our good resolutions!!! : )

Tricia
The Stamper's Stitches

Vickie said...

Such a very nice exchange.
I decided what you decided to do, for this year, and I am so glad I did. I only buy supplies I need and occasionally a pattern, rarely. It is so much better that going mental, really it is!

Angela said...

Great exchange sent and rec'd! I would be happy to do a 1:1 exchange with you next year, just let me know. I understand if you would want to exchange with "different" stitchers.

I'm only doing a few private exchanges next year too. I am making my plans for 2013 also.

Still stitching your ornament, LOL. I am enjoying it and should have the stitching done tonight. I have loads of time before our mailing date :)

Have a great week!

Linda said...

What a great exchange you sent and received.

Linda

Nicola said...

Smalls are nice but I never know what to do with them. It's nice to mix up your stitching.

A garden can be a joy and a chore.

marly said...

Nice exchange. You're right - that sweet design doesn't look like it would include specialty stitches. Don't dig up those lovely flowers! Have the guy putting the fabric down include that area too. We use the heavy woven one and it works perfectly. I'm not one to be in exchanges. Wouldn't be able to choose, and deadlines make me nuts!

pam said...

Hi Shirlee,

Last name Bowman and blog is confessions of a southern stitcher! Hope you liked your exchange.

Judy said...

The Bent Creek Sampler is really cute. Nice exchanges. I agree about working on the stash..but I cannot help myself.....I need help in that area! I no longer have a shop close to me...and yet, I still buy more. The flower beds are alot of work and hard on the body! Can't help myself in that area either...just think I have to do it!

Judy heartland stitcher

Mouse said...

oooo lovely exchanges both given and received .. mmmm I am with you on the gardening front too .... stash diet what stash diet hehehhe ...
love mouse xxxxx

Sabine´s Harz Quilt said...

What a lovely exchange. The pumpkin stitchery is really beautiful. Sabine

Yana Hanim said...

wonderful exchange, shirlee :)

Annette-California said...

Oh Shirlee, did you make the zipper pouch your self? I just re-read and Faye did a great job. Great exchange gifts. Your sampler framed is beautiful and the acorn you got is it a Needlebook? Exchanges are fun.
love Annette

Mii Stitch said...

Great goodies for the exchange!! Hope you're feeling a bit better after all this gardening adventure!! I just despise gardening. I love to have a nice garden but am too much of a chicken when it comes to get my fingers dirty... So hubby is doing it for me! :P

Chris said...

Wonderful exchanges! I love the Bent Creek piece that you stitched.
I feel the same way about the exchanges. I enjoy them but, they stress me out.
I think that I am going to try and work on some of the same goals. I have so many lovely projects lined up or started but I keep getting distracted. UGH!
Have a great week, I hope that you have recovered from the gardening.

Michelle said...

Wow what wonderful exchanges x

butterfly said...

Shirlee I always enjoy my visit to you.

Great exchanges, love both of them.

I bet you will be back in the garden next year, I always say you can take over now to my DH but then Spring come's and I am back outside, hugs.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Gorgeous exchange!

My New Year Resolution is to stitch some of the lovely charts I've won/received this year through various blogs. And to try not to buy too many new charts. And sell some old magazine to buy more fabric!

Carol said...

Great exchange on both ends, Shirlee... Your little BC piece turned out so cute :)

I've bought very, very little stash this year. It's actually been very rewarding going through my charts and freebies and finding some "oldies, but goodies" to stitch for my bowl!

Minnie said...

Lovely exchange packages sent and received. I would like to be included in your 1 on 1 exchange, when ever you are ready.

Pixie said...

Hello

I found you through another blog.
Your exchanges are lovely!

Happy weekend.