Baking instead of stitching...

Hi everyone! It has been a bit since I have written a blog. My computer died, so I have been borrowing the child's computer, which is a task in and of itself. Have you ever tried to pry something electronic out of a 14-year-old's hands when they are glued to You Tube and Netflix?  LOL.

Anyway, while I have made some progress on my Mirabilia piece, I'm not where I want to be to take a picture. So I have posted no stitching updates. I also have not had a great deal of time to stitch for whatever reason. Hasn't stopped me from purchasing patterns or threads mind you, but nonetheless, I have not put many stitches in fabric lately.

However, I have been cooking and baking, and tonight I made the copycat of the Cranberry Bliss Bar at Starbucks, which I must say turned out amazing! I tweaked the recipe just a tad, but wow, are those things good. One must like cranberries and white chocolate, however.

I also made Ginger Jump Ups, the recipe of which was put out by Zingerman's - a most wonderful place here in Ann Arbor Michigan. I won't bore you with details, but this place not only has a bake house, but a creamery and a coffeehouse where they roast their own coffee and make the most wonderful desserts. Anyway, they published their cookie recipe, and I made my second attempt at them tonight. This time I did a much better job than a few weeks ago. :) Not quite as dark as they should be, but they are chewy and also amazing, even if I do say so myself.

Baking is like stitching to me - Therapy! And since I am low on funds and don't really have a great deal to do on a Saturday evening, the butter and brown sugar started calling my name. LOL. I will take the proceeds into work on Monday for the work peeps to enjoy, and my dad and daughter will also have a couple bites of something on Sunday to eat as well. I, of course, had a bite of the bliss bar and one of the cookies. Have to make sure they taste right after all. ;)

I hope you have a most wonderful evening. I have saved a few short minutes to stitch, so off I go to find that needle and thread. Thank you for stopping by!

A Teacher Gift

My daughter finished a little piece for her history teacher.  It was Let Freedom Ring by Lizzie Kate. She stitched it on a little piece of opal fabric (a first for her).  She was supposed to finish it last year, but she didn't complete it until just recently.  I used a tutorial by Totally in Stitches to complete it for her.  I think it turned out quite nice for a first time doing it.

It was fun to do it like this. I do need a little work on making bows, but still not bad.

I think her history teacher will be pleased, especially since he also has served in the US Military as a Marine.

Thanks for looking.

Karen

Recent Things Framed.

I've also had a thing or two framed this past summer.  I'm trying to frame things that I've had put away so as to preserve them.  Here is "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" by Sisters & Best Friends. I wanted a Key West feel for this piece, and I think I did a pretty good job of accomplishing that.

I kept it in my cubicle during the month of August. Every time I thought the day was a little long at work, I just looked over at this piece. :)

That is it for me this evening.  Wow, 2 posts in one night after not having been on here for months! Look at me go. LOL

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Check in Time

Haven't been on here in quite some time, but it doesn't mean I haven't thought about it.  Just busy and lacking in words to say I guess.  Anywho, have you ever found a box that contained stash you had totally forgotten about? Just happened to me. I went into my closet and dug out a sewing box looking to see just what kind of ribbons I might have collected over the years for finishing small projects.  Inside that sewing box were freebies I had collected from all the British cross stitching magazines I used to collect.  OMG there were so many cute little freebies!. I immediately called my daughter to the closet and pulled them all out of the box. She went mad! She is such a little stash collector anyway. She immediately started pulling out the ones she wanted to keep. Makes me laugh. She's just like her momma. LOL. That little box I hadn't looked into in a few years brought back so many memories. Oh, and yes, there were quite a few ribbons in there, as well as various specialty threads.  Bonus!

Sometimes the little things bring the biggest smiles.

I hope that you find a little box somewhere that brings a smile to your face this week too.

Until next time,

Karen

My Lady Progress

It has been hot and steamy here in Michigan over the 4th of July.  Last night we finally got some needed rain, but it was rather stormy. Lots of branches blown out of trees, and some folks saw a little damage. But we did need the sprinkles.  I think we are in a bit of a drought here.

I have had chance to work on Lady of the Mist over the weekends thus far, and here is her progress.  She is going slowly in my humble opinion, but slow and steady wins the race!  That dress...

Nora truly outdid herself with this design.  As I am stitching her on 28 count, she is HUGE! Lol! I can't imagine what it will cost to frame her, but in the end, she will make a lovely addition to my walls. This is my biggest project to date I think. Or maybe it's just that dressssssss...

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for stopping by.

Good evening all! It has been a long week for me this week. I haven't gotten much stitching in. It has been warm, sunny, and muggy all week, and of course, now it is raining on Saturday night.  Go figure! Seems the weeks are always beautiful while you are working in a cubicle and never see the light of day, but when you have the weekend off, you are bound to have a raindrop and cloudy skies! LOL.

We ventured to the stitch shop today and to our surprise the little town that it is in had an art fair going on, so we perused those things as well.  My daughter enjoyed a lemonade, and we ended up purchasing the Leaf Collector by Nora Corbett for her. I have my eyes on several things, but since I cannot start another project until Lady of the Mist is done, there is no sense in my bringing in another chart to swoon over.

In my past, I was NOT a one at a time stitcher.  No, I had not only 1-2 going, but more like 7-8 going at one time.  I had stitching in every room of my house.  But now my stitching time is few and far between, so those days have passed. Seems odd sometimes when I look at LOTM and think that there was a time when I would have had her done quite quickly.

Anyway, it is late, and maybe I can get a stitch or two done before bed. I hope that this finds you having sunshine in your neck of the woods. Until next time..

Happy Saturday!! Here it is May 21 already.  Wow, this month is flying by. The year end school functions have started.  Thursday night was the last choir concert for my daughter.  Friday they ventured to Cedar Pointe, and Monday they have their banquet.  Then it is button down the hatches for the last 2 weeks, and she'll be out of there and heading into her Freshman year of high school.  Doesn't seem possible.  I remember when she was under my feet...

But not so much anymore! LOL!  This was taken when she was about 3 years old, and now she's almost 14. My mom always told me to enjoy every minute, because they grow up all too fast, but you just don't realize it. Seems when you are a parent you are trying to provide for them until you get them grown, and you just can't stop and smell the roses.  Maybe that is why being a grandparent is so sweet to most. You get the chance for a "do over." Can't wait for that to happen someday.

I am endeavoring to have some of my finished stitched pieces framed.  It is so expensive to do. I have never really sat down and tried to learn how to do it, although I am sure I'd still have to have help with the mat board and frame anyway. I had Noel framed in November...

So this month (I had to recuperate from the cost LOL!) I had Mermaid of Atlantis by Mirabilia framed. She was stitched on Reef by Heaven Lee Creations (wish she was still in business). She is my favorite mermaid so far by Nora Corbett.

I wish I had the funds to frame all I wanted to frame, but one by one, they will get framed. :)

Well, off to finish off my Saturday.  I hope that you all have a charming weekend. Thanks for stopping by.