bucket 'o placemats

Since I have no stitching pictures today I thought I would show you my bucket 'o placemats. I found this 'vintage style' (that is what it said on the ticket) bucket at Marshall's one day. Had no idea what I was going to do with it, but it was cheap so it came home with me.



I decided to roll up my placemats and stick them in the bucket. That is where they are for now. I've been known to change my mind once or twice so who knows what will be in it tomorrow.

More morning glories

So far, five blooms is the most I've had at one time - that has happened twice. Most of the time I only have one or two at a time. The other vine hasn't bloomed at all yet - same seed packet, planted at the same time - who knows. These pictures are from last week when I had five blooms at once.

Can't you just imagine what it would look like covered in blooms?

No stitching pictures since I'm still re-stitching what I took out on Sunday.

I have another (non-stitching) project floating around in my head but it is kind of like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I'll let you know if I figure it out!

Flip flops and frogs

On Saturday, I made Flip Flop Days into a pillow. I thought this trim was cute - I'm not sure how good of an idea it was for a rookie, but I got it finished (I quit counting at 6 hours - for one friggin pillow!)

I started out to make a 14" pillow and use a pre-made pillow form. Good thing I hadn't already bought the form as my pillow is not 14x14. I forget what it actually measured out to - but it isn't even square! (only off by 1/2" but I know in sewing that can actually be a LOT!) Anywho - I used some of the muslin from the chair project and made a pillow form to fit (or close to it) and called it a day.

Remember the picture of the Red Thread project? Well, all that progress on July had to come out. Yep - I skipped a whole row - at the top of course - so I spent more time frogging than I did stitching last night.

Thanks for the comments on my 'beer bucket'. For a rookie with no pattern, it didn't come out half bad! (if I do say so myself)

Have a great Monday.

More birthday goodies

This is the last of the birthday goodies. Thursday was stitch night and Sandra and Sarah gave me my b'day giftie - they told me the week before that it was on order but hadn't arrived yet - check out my newest scissors!



I picked up the flower frog at Pandora's the same day I got the 'beer bucket'. It was dirty and someone had put gold paint all around the edges (the frog, not the bucket) but a good soak in bleach water and it came out all clean and now I have another place to display scissors. Life is good.

Now for the after shots of the 'beer bucket' (as it will forever be known in this house, I'm sure) Remember what it looked like before?

I painted it white and distressed it a little. Then I made a liner for the inside. I took out the little 'shelf' that was in it to make it easier to paint then decided I liked it better without (easier access). I added magnets to the top for needles and pins or scissors.

Yes, this means I was keeping time with the beast but we are getting along better these days. Still a slow, learning process for me but I'm enjoying it more. The liner came out a little big, but at this point I'm not going to try to fix it. I also made the pincushion to match.

Here is the Red Thread project as of the end of July. I haven't put in a stitch since on it July 30 - maybe I'll get a few in today. I was hoping to be caught up and ready to start the August square by the first, but oh well.
Many things to do today so better get busy.
Have a wonderful day!

Ornament and many thanks

Just so this blog doesn't turn into 'the morning glory chronicles, I'm not posting pics today - but I had five, count 'em, five, blooms this morning! maybe I'll post that picture tomorrow - or maybe I'll have even more blooms! (they sure don't last long, do they?)

I thought I would post a pic of the ornament I stitched for this round of the exchange. The recipient is out of town and hasn't seen it in person yet, but (at her request) I've already posted a picture to the group so I figure I can post it here too.
Now I need to say thanks to Kathy, Michelle and Lee - all of whom have given me the Kreative Blogger award.

I don't know if I really deserve it, but I'll take it! I'm supposed to pass it along to 5 bloggers but so many people have already received it I'll just say if you are a regular here and haven't received it yet, here ya go! Thank you so much ladies. It is so nice to know I'm not just talking to myself here.
Tonight is stitch night so I better go see what I need to throw in my stitching bag. I'm still working on the Red Thread project (and so not finished with July) but I usually take something smaller for stitch night.
Have a great evening - and thanks again for stopping by!

edited to add - I rarely go directly to my front page (I get comments in my email - and you can see my blog links and profile need updating!) but I went over to put the Kreative Blogger pic in and noticed that my counter just passed 12,000! I added it several months after I started the blog, but I never look at it. I'm sure many of you get WAY more hits, but I will be walking around with a smile on my face the rest of the day! Thanks!

One bloom!

So - I went out at 8:09am yesterday (at least that is what time my camera says it was!) to see how the morning glories were doing and this is what I found

Pretty, huh?

On the way back in there were at least a dozen of these little guys having breakfast - I don't usually get close enough to get a good picture (my camera doesn't take good close-up pictures with the zoom. Or if it does, I haven't been able to figure it out yet) Anyway - I leaned in and snapped this one.
Then - as I was leaving for work at 8:55am I spotted this as I was pulling out of the driveway.

One open bloom

Yep - same flower that I shot at 8:09! Of course I stopped and got out to take a pic! Not the best pictures but the bloom is over my head so I have to reach up to take the picture, plus the wind was blowing so it was kind of hard to get it to focus right. Still lots of buds waiting to open. Next year I will put them out earlier. I planted these seeds around Mother's Day weekend and this is my first flower.

Ornament exchange

I received the latest 'installment' in our ornament exchange yesterday. Isn't it pretty?

There were a few other goodies included in the package - here is a pic of the entire package

I haven't been outside to check on the morning glories yet today. Not sure the neighbors would appreciate my wandering around the front/side yard (we live on a corner) in my jammies.
Have a terrific Tuesday.