A Doubting Thomas

A warm welcome to my new followers! 

I managed to get a little stitching progress this week.  First up is Victoria Sampler's Autumn Garden Sampler.  Bands 1 and 2 are complete.  Aren't the colors just yummy?

Victoria Sampler
Autumn Garden Sampler
09/28/2011

Next up is my Nature's Little Helper update.  Almost done with page 5.  With any luck, this page will be done for next week's update. 

HAED's Nature's Little Helper (Warren)
09/28/2011

Now, I would really like your opinions on that rainbow.  (In case you can't figure out where it is, it is the brownish arc under the purple tree branches).  I am not yet pleased with it;  the colors are non-existent and looks even less like a rainbow (color-wise) from afar.  Here's a closer look at the area in question.

Nature's Little Helper
close-up of questionable rainbow
09/28/2011

And here is the original artwork/pattern to compare.

So, what do you think?  I will wait to contact Michele about it until I have the surrounding pages done and I have a better perspective, but I just don't see how it's going to come together at this point.  I have done stitches like this before where things don't look proper until everything is filled in, but the colors are so dull and un-rainbowesque.  I'm definitely a Doubting Thomas on this one right now.  I guess time will tell...

Happy Stitching!
Tamara

Autumn's Arrival

With fall upon us this week, I decided I did not have nearly enough fall stitching to sit about the house.  So the WIP-in-waiting I referred to in my last post is nearly all kitted up now.  It is Victoria Sampler Autumn Garden Sampler.  I am converting most of the floss to DMC, though I am using the Gloriana Topiary and Harvest Grape.  This will be the first time I have used the silk flosses and so should be interesting.  The Topiary color is quite yummy and I'm giving some thought to other projects I might be able to use it in. 

VS Autumn Garden Sampler

I will probably be bad and at least start this one this afternoon.  I have been sick with a cold all week, so I have not done much stitching at all.  I think most of the progress on Nature's Little Helper was done just last night.

HAED Nature's Little Helper (Warren)
Page 5
09/21/2011

I also thought it might be fun to share my older fall pieces.  The first was completed in 2009 and is Mill Hill's Jim Shore's Harvest Trio:

Jim Shore's Harvest Trio
Mill Hill
circa 2009

This is an old Leisure Arts leaflet, the name of which I have forgotten:

Leisure Arts
circa 1997

And lastly, is my pride and joy, Glory of Autumn by Mystic Stitch.  This one hangs over my couch all year. 

Glory of Autumn
Mystic Stitch
circa 2006

I would love to see the fall/autumn pieces of others! 

Happy stitching!
Tamara

NLH Update and a WIP

Welcome to my newest follower(s)! 

I feel like I made some progress on Nature's Little Helper this week.  The tree is really starting to take shape.  I'm looking forward to doing some of the main trunk on the next page.  I'm now passing the halfway mark on this page.

HAED Nature's Little Helper
09/14/2011

My WIP, which I actually started a couple of months ago and just haven't devoted much time to, is Just Nan's Crystal Roses.  I did this one back in 2007 and was not happy with the fabric choice and had wanted to do it again at some point.  Here's the original 2007 finish:

Just Nan Crystal Roses
2007 finish

I wanted the design to really pop on the fabric, so I decided to try it on black.  Yes, I said black.  Did I ever mention that I am a glutton for punishment?  Here's the WIP picture:

Just Nan Crystal Roses
09/14/2011

This one only gets picked up once in a blue moon at the moment, but I'm going to devote more time to it after I finish the current page on Nature's Little Helper. 

For a little added suspense this week, I am kitting up a new WIP-in-waiting and will post the info on that when I get everything together, hopefully next week. 

Happy stitching!
Tamara

Nature's Little Helper Update 2

Sorry, I'm running out of clever names for post titles.  Here's this week's update:



HAED Nature's Little Helper
09/07/2011



I feel like my stitching mojo is waning a bit this week.  I had a holiday day off and hardly put a stitch in!  I'm hoping to do better today.

Happy stitching!
Tamara

Nature's Little Helper Update

Such an anxiety-filled day last Saturday;  it's hard to believe an entire week has passed!  This one was definitely better!  I'm having trouble picking up my stitching today since I started reading "The Help" this morning.  A very good read so far.  Now I'll have to go see the movie, I guess.  I have a feeling this is going to be one of those books you are sorry to see end.

But you didn't come by to see what keeping me from stitching, did you?  I did get the top row of blocks done on Nature's Little Helper this week.  And got into that lovely green!  This page has more confetti than this chart has had so far.  I really want some nice big blocks of color to stitch!!  (Do you hear that Curl Up With A Good Book chart whispering sweet nothings in my ear, lol?)  So here is the update:

HAED Nature's Little Helper
09/03/2011

Happy stitching!
Tamara