The Peacock's Feather

A Little Spring Stitching

It is safe to share a photo of the spring designs I stitched for Chiara, as she received them today (and I only mailed them out last Saturday--very efficient mail!).  This was an exchange on the SBEBB and our theme was simply "spring".  I wanted to try something a little different, and when I went through my chart stash I decided it was time to try the Prairie Schooler chart "Garden Gloves".   I also stitched the little freebie design that came with this same chart and I thought they made a nice little pair.  I really enjoyed stitching them (though I always enjoy PS designs), and I plan on making more of the gloves.  They also have little felt Christmas stockings designs that I will also have to try my hand at.  I sent along a few other goodies, which you can see if you click on over to Chiara's blog. 

It's Always the Same Story

First a little updated photo on my PS "March" design.  It scanned a bit on the dark side, but here is the first of what will be three large-ish shamrocks.  I doubt I will have it stitched by Friday, but I am enjoying working on it anyway.  As for what is always the same story...I took a long look at the calendar yesterday and then at the dates I need to mail out my Spring exchange and two other gifts, and yikes, the exchange is due at the end of the month!  For some reason I thought it was due to be mailed out in April.  So I pulled out my things and started stitching on the exchange last night.  This morning I really looked at it in good lighting, and I hate the colors.  I had chosen a Prairie Schooler design from one of the seasonal charts.  It is a cute design, but the photo's colors are not at all true to the actual colors (I hate it when that happens).  They seem much more muted in the photo when in reality they are much darker/brighter.  If I continue stitching it--I will have to change the colors.  I had planned on stitching this and one other smaller thing, so I moved on to the smaller thing first.  Hopefully that will go better, though I need to find felt for the finishing (and so far I have not found the right colors in my local craft stores!).  I always choose a design, start stitching it, and then doubt myself that I choose a good design!!  It is always the same with me!  So now I am second guessing myself once again.  But I better make a decision fast as I need to get moving on it!  I may not have many update photos to share while I am stitching my exchange (whichever I decide to stitch)!

May Your Heart Be Filled With Beauty

Here is the Valentine's Day project you have heard so much about!!  I heard from the lady I stitched it for, and she received it and seemed pleased with it.  I am happy with how it turned out, though it was a challenge on some of the over one stitching.  I think the beads really make it looks nice.  I would eventually like to stitch this one for myself or one of the other designs from the chart.  The chart is by Blue Ribbon Designs and is called Valentine's Wishes.  I mailed one other Valentine's gift out on the 1st of the month.  It was travelling all the way to France, and I have not yet heard from the lady I made it for.  I hope it arrives tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest.  I had hoped that I would get it there in time, but you can never tell with the mail when it will actually arrive!

Is anyone else watching the Torino Olympics?  I am not really into sports in general, but I do love watching the Olympics, and the Winter games are my favorite.  I think I could pretty much watch any of the sports and be quite happy!  Are there any Italian stitchers who will get to go and watch the games in person?  I would love to be able to go sometime!

A Valentine's Day Gift!

Look what came for me in the mail today!!  I didn't even bother to pretend I would wait until next Tuesday--I just ripped open the box!  I *love* the gift Jennifer from my Yahoo stitching group sent.  Prairie Schooler is one of my most favorite designers, and this is a lovely ornament!!  It is one I have seen but never stitched or received.  Excellent choice for me!  The linen color is a bit browner than in the photo--very nice contrast to the red and green colors.  I will have to find a nice place to display it--now I am glad I opened it, so I can enjoy it before the 14th! She also sent along a lovely frame--I will have to find a nice photo for it and put it on my mantle, and a bagful of chocolate goodies!  It has my favorite dark chocolate, as well as a mini assorted box and a heart shaped Altoid tin (which I have not noticed in the stores this year).  As I always do when I get something from another stitcher--I feel very spoiled tonight!!  Many thanks to Jennifer!!

My Little Christmas Tree

Here is my little stitching tree.  It has all the ornaments that I received through exchanges or as gifts.  I only bought it a couple of weeks ago, so there wasn't much selection.  I was hoping to find a sort of feather tree, but maybe I will find something better for next year.  At least I can display my lovely ornaments!  I have two of my own that I completed the stitching on, but I have not done the finishing.  Again, there is always next year!  The ornaments have all gotten compliments!  It is nice to display such lovely work!

Last But Not Least

My last exchange has made it safely to Tracey's house!  I think everything is finally where it is supposed to be now!  I stitched this little skater from the Birds of a Feather chart White Christmas for Tracey--a fellow BOAF fan!  She was very fun to stitch.  I am actually quite pleased (finally) with how she turned out--both stitching and finishing!  I did the finishing by hand, and I thankfully had no problems. It is hard to see, but there are small white beads stitched on as well--snowflakes!  I have stitched two of the four ornaments from this chart.  I guess I need to stitch something for myself now as well!  Is she not cute, or what?!

Two Small Finishes and Very Cool Links!

I can finally share a couple of finishes now as they have arrived at their destinations.  This is a mailart I made for Gina in Australia.  She very kindly sent me a stack of bookmarks (which I collect), and I finally finished up this envelope for her as a thank you.   As it is springtime in Australia, I chose a nice spring-y Prairie Schooler design, and I found some lovely stamps with flowers and birds on them.   It only took a little over a week to travel from here in the center of the US, all the way over to Australia!  Gina said it arrived in good condition, too.  Kudos to the US and Australian postal systems!  The back has only my address and a little bird. 

Here is the Prairie Schooler ornament that I stitched for the exchange I just posted about.  (I received the lovely angel from Katla). I had some frustrating finishing problems on this one.  I used my sewing machine--and I won't go into detail about it, but I had planned on having more border than there is here.  Leah in Canada was the recipient, and she was very gracious about receiving my poor little ornament.  It was too late to start over.  Actually it is nicer in person, and after a while it grows on you.  I think I just had so many difficulties with it, that I needed to just set it aside for a few days.  Since this sewing machine problem, I have been finishing the last projects all by hand.  At least you can control where your needle goes then!!

Merumo posted these links on the Legacy Board, and if you have not already seen them, you must look!!!  Recently a needlework group in Japan had their semiannual stitcher's get together in Tokyo.  There were 42 participants, and they displayed their (absolutely gorgeous!!) needlework.  Check out: Christmas 2005, Round Robin and More, and Gift Exchange.  I love looking at those photos--it gives me lots of inspiration.  If nothing else, I can at least aspire to continue to improve in my finishing skills!!  I wish I had some local group here like that.  How lucky they are to be able to share their work!!

Finally, Patti finished her Angel of Tulips! we were having a mini SAL, but then I got caught up in my last exchange projects.  She stitched it over one, and it looks wonderful!  This was my last progress photo.  Really one good weekend of stitching and I could get this one finished, too.  I am working on a project for my MIL.  I will share a photo soon as she will not see it here.  I am stitching an eight corner pillow. This will be my first attempt at finishing one!!  Soon....I will get back to my own projects!

A Prairie Schooler Exchange

I participated in a Prairie Schooler ornament exchange over on the Prairie Schooler Bulletin Board, and Katla's gorgeous ornament for me arrived today in the mail.  This has been a very nice mail week so far--I have been spoiled yet again with another beautiful ornament!!!  I love this design, and I love how she finished it for me!  I started stitching the ornaments from this chart for my mom on black fabric, but I never finished them.  She looks quite lovely on natural fabric!  My ornament has not yet arrived to its recipient!  I mailed it the day before Thanksgiving, so it should really be getting there any day now!!

Katla also included a lovely handmade card, a 2006 calendar of New South Wales (which looks like a beautiful place to live), which I will hang next to my computer, a cut of fabric by Kiwi Illusions called Mushroom, which looks like a very nice color to work with, and some freebies I was interested in!  I have been wanting to collect all the Workbasket Quaker freebies, and now I think I should have nearly all of them.  There are some wonderful ones in the set that I really want to stitch!!  Many, many thanks to Katla for a lovely ornament and much appreciated goodies!!

An Ornament for Me!

Anne, in my Birthday Buddies group stitched this gorgeous ornament for me!!  I am stunned--it is so lovely!  She used Swavorski crystals around the edge, which she says can be taken out and used as marking pins.  I think this design came from one of the back JCS issues.  I must say, they are really more lovely in person than as a flat image in the magazine!  Her stitching is really perfect!

Here is the back of the ornament.  I tend to be pretty lazy about the personalization part of gifts, I admit.  She really did a nice job on this.  It is as nice on the back as on the front!  I can't wait to get some sort of little tree, so I can hang my growing collection of ornaments!  I put up my regular tree, and my niece and SIL helped.  It is chock full of ornaments, as my niece had to use them all.  I don't think I could add another one.  I think my stitched ornaments need a tree of their own anyway!

Anne was fortunate enough to have just gone on vacation to London.  She spoiled me with yummy British chocolate that she says she bought in Covent Garden.  She also included this gorgeous Victoria and Albert Museum Diary.  I received my degree in Art History, so she really chose well when she bought me this.  It has such wonderful illustrations.  It is almost too nice to use!  But now I have something small to carry with me to keep all my exchanges straight!!  Many thanks to Anne for such a nice gift!  I mailed off my ornament today (a full week late!) to Tracey for this same exchange.  The post lady said she should have it by Wednesday.  Fingers crossed she is right!!

My Little Snowman

My little BOAF Snowman ornament finally made its way to Iceland!  I stitched it for Rosa.  You can see a nicer photo of it on her blog as well as the other little goodies I sent along with it.  She had mentioned she likes snowmen, so I went with a (mostly) snowman theme.  I really enjoyed stitching it and also enjoyed picking out the other little things to include along with it.  Birds of a Feather is one of my favorite designers, and I wish they would start releasing more designs again (not that I don't already have a few I can stitch...).  I had been a little anxious as it took well over two weeks to arrive, and I was afraid it had gotten lost somewhere!  Now I feel much more at ease.  It seems fitting that a snowman should go to live in Iceland, doesn't it?!  Happy Holidays, Rosa!