I Made it Monday: Blue Ribbon Edition

One of my goals for the new! improved! blog is to have a post on Monday featuring something I've made. This isn't original to me; I was poking around other craft blogs and saw that there are memes for that. But if I learned nothing else in grad school, I learned that recognizing a good idea is a talent, and I've got it. Thus the adoption. Now I know I am not the best at making stitches every day (each day, two words) but in any given week I do make things: cards, dinner, cookies, whatever. I am going to make it a point to share more of those things.

I will also keep in mind that most of you are cross-stitch friends and that one of my goals was to finish-finish more of my stitched pieces.

In fact, you may remember the tiny smalls I stitched back in January. Pictured here is the one I stitched over two. Lots of you encouraged me to try Vonna's finish with the pocket watches. It took me forever, but I finally got around to it. In fact, I did it the night before the dude was due to drive his fair entries down to the Maryland State Fair*. Because there was a Christmas ornament division, and I thought, why the hell not? I also sent Little by Little's Star Light Star Bright.

This past weekend was our traditional trip to the fair. We met best pal and her family and another family, and had a time eating larvets** (deep fried cream cheese with mealworms), cheering on the sausage eating contest (go, Brave Astronaut, go!***), and watching the kids go on rides.

The dude entered his fabulous melon jam, tomato salsa, and mustard relish (a hot dog relish--"pickle" for our British friends) in the contest. Or should I say award-winning mustard relish! He took second in the "other relish" category. But he was really robbed on the melon jam. We both really thought that was his best (perhaps only) chance!

And my ornament that took first place! (Sorry about the horrible photo. It's in a case. I also don't know how they mangled my beautiful bow so badly. I was really proud of that bow!) (I promise a better photo when I pick it up. And fix the bow!)

Now we can both rest on our laurels.

*Residents of any of Maryland's surrounding states may enter.
**One time only. Not because of the bugs. It just wasn't that interesting. As someone said, "more like a dare than a food." Also, I was raised on grilled cream cheese sandwiches which is pretty much what this tasted like.
***One time only as well, I'm guessing. 

Day 26: Contest

I've entered Joann's Create with 8 contest. They have a specified list of items you can choose to make a craft. I chose the following eight: ready-made frame, acrylic paint, foam, buttons, chenille stems, felt (precut squares), ribbon, and scrapbooking paper. I put them together to make this.

It's high concept. I even have a statement:

This frame follows the evolution of a crafter from gluing foam shapes to working with chenille stems (and buttons). The crafter gradually evolves to making felt and paper roses.

In the center is the only picture I could find of myself crafting. I'm cross-stitching jingle bells on a sweatshirt for my grandmother for Christmas from one of those Leisure Arts Christmas craft books. You also pinned real jingle bells onto the sweatshirt. (Yikes, right?) Let's try to ignore the horrible haircut.

I hope my readers who are on Facebook will follow the link and give me a vote if you feel moved. I appreciate it.

Winning Post

Earlier this week, Hoffman Distributors asked on their facebook page why we love our LNS.

I wrote: "Strawberry Sampler. Fun women who run a great stitch-in the third Friday of the month. Sometimes they even show up to work in their pajamas. It's okay, their loyal customers are in ours too!"

I wish I had taken an extra little minute on the grammar--and followed the directions totally (by telling people where Strawberry Sampler is) but no harm no foul--I was randomly picked for a prize! I got to choose one of the Letters from Nora. I chose S--the dude and I may not share a last name, but conveniently enough we share an initial.

We Have Winners!

When I told you that Elizabeth Newlin herself dropped in to check out the contest, I neglected to mention that she also offered prizes! I thought it was too good to be true! How nice is that? I just thought she would pop in and say what nice choices you all made.

So, Kristen (no blog yet), who stitched Number 9, will receive the Bent Creek polar bear snowglobe kit.

And Stitching Scientist, who stitched number 5, will receive a frame so she can finish the project.

Congratulations to Kristen and Heather!

Swirlygig Contest, closing today

Today is the last day to enter the Swirlygig Challenge. I have received some photos of some beautiful work! Stitchers can be so creative.

Something one entrant said made me think about how we should vote: "Even if I don't get any votes, I'm happy with it."

This reminded me when I was a kid and I ran for some class office. I had to watch and see how many of my classmates voted against me. And then I had to put on a brave face as I stood in front of the whole class, knowing the outcome, while my opponent was announced as the winner. (For some reason, the voting kids had their heads down on their desks, but I was standing in front of the class. Naked. Oh, wait, that was the recurring nightmare part.) Anyway, Not Happy. So, I've determined that you won't vote in the comments. No, you'll send me an e-mail. And then I will tell everyone that they lost by one vote, as if you auditioned for Jeopardy (they tell you you missed by one, so you don't look like a big loser to your friends and family who really think YOU should be on Jeopardy). Anyway, I think it's much nicer to think you were close than to know how far off you really were. And how far off you were is a secret I shall carry to my grave. Because I know how that feels.

Anyway, I hope you all will be patient with me as I resize the photos and pop them up in some kind of order for your admiration and consideration. Then we'll have the voting for some period of time, and finally, winners will be announced.

But the way I see it, you're all winners!

Summer-Summer-Summertime

Nothing like a little old school Fresh Prince (remember back before Will Smith was an actor?) to remind us that summer has begun however unofficially. Of course today Southeastern Pennsyltucky is wet and cold. Unofficial, indeed.

The dude and I enjoyed our start of summer by planting some veggies, visiting Bartram's Garden, and seeing an old friend. And sitting around on our asses for good measure. I didn't stitch much, but I did wind loads of floss onto bobbins--AC Moore had a 6/$1 sale. In addition to the 30 I picked up, there were the 150s, 160s, and 3800s that I've had sitting around waiting for a new storage box to live in. Nothing says holiday weekend like shopping a craft store sale.

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In the continuing celebration of my five years of blogging, May's giveaway is a summery scissors fob I beaded imploring you to stitch, matching fat quarters, and a pair of Fiskars embroidery scissors. Just comment on this post. No need to spread the word; you don't want any competition. ;)

Drawing on May 31.

Anniversary Drawing

You know things are nuts around here. So I apologize in advance that December's--Hey my blog is five, I'm going to send you prizes--drawing isn't Stitched.By.Me. But I do think every stitcher could use this lovely prize pack.

It contains five fat quarters of finishing fabrics, a stack of Christmas fabrics that are just shy of a fat quarter, several yard-long pieces of coordinating cording, a pack of 25 count raw linen, a pack of size 28 needles, 100 pearlized pins, and a pair of scissors. Basically it's everything you need to stitch except a pattern and floss, both of which you have plenty of. Go check your stash. I know you do. I'm like Santa.

All you have to do to win is leave a comment on this post. Drawing closes December 21. No guarantees, express or implied, on the arrival date. You know how crazy the US Postal system gets around this time of year. You could mail something in November and have it show up in March. Forewarned!

Drawing

People, you almost let me forget to have my September drawing! Goodness. The good news is that the piece is stitched. The bad news is I'm going to have to have a short open period. Tomorrow (Tuesday 9/30) at 9:00pm eastern, I will pick a winner using the random number generator. You'll win a pumpkin fob based on the design Fall by Amy Brueken and Koneta Ann Hurlstone which was published in JCS magazine. It's bright and fun and funky! And just because it's been five years, I'll include the scissors.

You know you want it. Comment here.

Threads from Down Under

I received my threads from Sharon B on Friday. Very exciting. Saturday we bought a camera and new computer, so I can show you all the fibrous goodness.

I have ideas for the green and blue wool and chenille. But I'm afraid this is going to be like a lot of my ideas...something you'll see eventually.

But aren't these great? Hand-dyed by Sharon herself! Lucky me.

Thanks again, Sharon!

Imagine my Surprise!

I wasn't just not blogging, I wasn't even reading that much. I've fallen behind--over 100 blogs to read. So I was whipping through the big ones--The Superficial, Craft Gossip, and Craft Magazine.

Imagine my surprise. When I hadn't heard from them at the end of July, I just pouted a bit (offline) and went on with my life. And there's not even any one in the house to share my joy!

Contest Entry

May I present the Phillies Biscornu, my entry in the Craftzine Stitch N Pitch contest?

I thought how much the stitching on the edges of a biscornu reminded me of a baseball, so I did my seams in baseball red. The Phillies' "P" and blue star logos decorate the object, which is remarkably round for something made from two squares of fabric. If I don't win (and really, what are the odds?) I will make the chart available here at some later date, once I've sat down and charted the whole thing (I do have a chart of the P available for all you Phillies fans). Here's my Phillies fun fact: I work with a former Phillies team doctor.

Contest!

I've got ideas. Oh, I've got ideas.