Grow Your Blog Party - 2015

This is a first for me - participating in the "Grow Your Blog Party" hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full.

OK - here goes - My name is Kim and I'm NUTS about NEEDLEWORK!

Why do I blog?

I am thoroughly amazed at the connection stitchers have to each other.  The people I've met through my blog are amazing.  They are like family to me - sharing our woes, pain and joys. Such creativity and open sharing of ideas and projects! Reading other blogs inspires me to create more and more.  Sometimes I feel like my head will explode I have so many ideas running around in there.

My motto is "The work of the hands brings forth the spirit of the heart." I love making things for others.  When I share the work of my hands, I feel like I'm giving them a part of me. Our home is decorated with many things I've stitched - from needlework miniatures to a large tapestry.  When I look at each piece, it brings back memories of when I stitched it.  Some of those memories make me smile - others a tear.  But it's all good.

One of my other passions is painting porcelain. I paint in the 18th century European style, meaning the paint dries before I fire it in my kiln.  I LOVE Limoges boxes.  Here's one I painted:

I also love to paint portraits on porcelain tiles with an open medium (the paint won't dry before it's fired).  Here's the portrait I did of my daughter on an 8x10 inch tile:

Needlework, painted porcelain, blogging.  Love it all.

Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you love to create. I will choose one lucky person who leaves a message - a SURPRISE GIFT will be given. Please, PLEASE make sure I can contact you. Sometimes I get lovely messages from people who are "no-reply" and I feel awful I can't reply to them.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit. I'd love to hear from you!

New Look, Grand Opening, On the Road Again

WOW!  What an exciting few days!  If you're wondering if you're reading the right blog, you are.  I've wanted to improve the look and feel of my blog for quite awhile.  Karen Valentine helped me make my dream come true. I hope you like the new look.  Thank you, Karen!!!

Most of my time this week has been taken up with stitching and getting my Etsy shop open. Yesterday was the Grand Opening of "Surrounded By Stitches". 

 It was very exciting for me - and a little scary.  However, I've already had some customers!  There's a button on the navigation bar of my blog, please feel free to pop over whenever you can.  I'd love to hear what you think. 

Now - off to pack.  I'll be flying to Atlanta to see my delightful Prince Charming (who turned 3 months last week!) and my daughter for a week or so.  DH will hold down the fort while I'm gone.  I'm so thrilled to be going.  It's been too long since I've held him - given my daughter a big hug.

Needlepoint, Thread Keeps and 4-H

I've been so inspired lately by ideas for my needlework.  I've almost completed a needlepoint band...

 …that may go around the middle of this pillow:

I designed two more wooden thread keeps and DH made them for me:

 I dug out a tapestry I started about five years ago - it's only 1/4 done, but I'm excited to work on it again - it measures 53L x 35.5W (inches):

And here is another project I pulled out - another large piece DH bought for me 20 years ago while we vacationed in California.  It's from West Germany and measures 23.5L x 19.5W (inches):

My BFF is a 4-H leader and asked me to teach her members how to cross stitch at their March meeting. I've decided on a simple pattern, a freebie from Plum Street Samplers called "Got Luck?".  I tried to find it online so I could link you to it, but can't seem to find it.  It's a cute pattern, only two colors - and very "St. Patrick" feeling.  A perfect theme for a March meeting, don't you think?

Well, off to finish the band for the pillow!!

I've Been Stitching and Stitching….

……..but can't show you 98% of what I've done.  Here's what I've been up to:

1.  Friends Swapaway (joint swap with my friend Kaye from Kitten Stitching) - stitched 14 projects, 12 of the 14 completely finished. (See my post from September 14, 2014 for more information).

2.  2015 Initial Heart Swap hosted by the lovely Cheryll - completely finished and ready to post.

3.  Jenny of ELEFANTZ Stitchery Club swap - stitched and needing finishing.

Needlepoint projects -

Still working on the GI-NOR-MOUS Christmas stocking for Ronin.  Hope you can see the progress:

Front:

Back:

And here's a Christmas stocking for a Lucky Dog - I'm stitching "WOOF!" at the top (instead of a name):

There are also some other projects in the mill……or should I say "in stitches" - HA! - hope to show those to you soon.

Anne Boleyn and a Tudor Rose

Well, I've been playing with the Altoids tins again.  Here is Anne Bolelyn:

Inside top of the lid - Henry VIII and Anne embellished with crystal cabochons :

Bottom, inside of tin - 20th Century portrait of Henry VIII and Anne hunting:

A miniature, magnetized pin cushion (1.5x2.5 inches) with Anne Boleyn's motto, "The Most Happy":

Since I was on a "Tudor-toot", I completed this needle book - The Tudor Rose:

Hope you all are well - Take care -

BRRRRRRRRR!!!

Greetings from frozen Iowa!  We are at the start of a cold snap - the current temperature is -3F with a wind chill of -15F.  And guess what?  It's going to get COLDER!! YIKES!  Oh - wait - there's more - up to 7 inches of snow later today into tomorrow.  That's the not so good news….

The GOOD NEWS is I'll be snowbound and will just have to cuddle up with the puppy, (DH), some stitching  and some good, old movies…..

 HAPPY DANCE!!

You may have noticed my blog looks a bit different.  I'm trying to learn how to have a collection of pictures at the top of my blog - I see others have them and it looks so very nice.  As you can tell, I've not  figured it out yet.  Also, the layout colors look a little - er - off…..trying to figure out how to fix that, too. Hmmmmm……with the inclimate weather, looks like I may have some time on my hands - if my stitching doesn't beckon to me instead - HA!

So, my friends - stay warm - have a cuppa - I know a good, hot cup of tea (or two) is on my list.