Sunday, June 12, 2011

Where Does Your Heart Bloom?

Dare I say it blooms at home?

Mine does...and in the City of Fog when I pause enough to breathe the moist, ocean air.

I finished Blackbird Designs' Where My Heart Blooms last night! Yay! I started this back in September right before I left for the Shepherds Bush Retreat. I had wanted something new and small to cart around and it fit the bill. I still remember Alma Allen came up to me when she saw me stitching on it and I was just over the moon! Alma Allen...talked to me! Wow! I stitched on it all throughout retreat and maybe a week after and I managed to get to the halfway point before putting it aside. I finally picked it up a two or three weeks ago and managed to get the other half done. I realized that I don't really like stitching over 1 on 40 count and that I really shouldn't leave that part to the very end. *grumble*
Blackbird Designs
Where My Heart Blooms
40 count Lakeside Fawn
Recommended GAST/WDW

Here are a couple of closeups.
I love the eyelets!

And the over 1 detail is great...even if I didn't like stitching it. :)

I'm not quite sure what to do with it now since it was one of those pieces I wanted to stitch but it doesn't necessarily fit in with my decor. For now, it will get ironed and hung in the closet until I can figure out how and when I would like it finished. On 40 count, the finished size is 6.5" x 7". It is very dainty.

I'm not quite sure what to do next. I don't really feel like stitching on Mary or my little BOAF piece. I am debating if I should start L*K Christmas Rules. I could use some whimsy and fun colors and Mary and the BOAF are not fitting that criteria. For now, I think I will try to get back into reading for a little bit until I can decide.

The weekend shaped up to be a nice one that passed by much too fast. I tried a new (to me) restaurant which was a change from the norm but didn't disappoint. I went shopping for new eyeglasses (unsuccessful and more on that later), bought a fantastic new dress (can't find it online), explored a neighborhood that I hadn't in a while, spent time with a good friend and reconnected with a new-ish acquaintence which allowed me to take a nice 2.25 mile walk to the beach in good company. Crisp, blue sky and ocean air. I forget how rejuvenating it can be!

Tomorrow is another acupuncture appointment after work and I'm looking forward to it! I'm amazed one session helped me get to sleep earlier...even on the weekend...where I oftentimes stay up til 2am! Despite the rest, I still feel tired on some days...like this morning. I was a slug until it was time to meet up for my walk. If I didn't do that, I may have stayed in bed all day!

I did get a nice surprise this week in the mail. A while back, Karen V. was trying to rehome some items and I had asked for this cute little purple drawstring bag she had stitched and sewed up. It arrived and is adorable in person. Don't you think?
It is finished so perfectly! I am going to use it to keep my threads together at my stitching stand. I love it! Thanks Karen!

Well, I think that's it for me today. Back to the daily grind tomorrow. Hope you all had a nice weekend.

Until next time...

33 comments:

Gabi said...

Congratulations!!!! It looks fabulous. And it must be even more gorgeous in person.
I just started this one too, it's such a lovely design. But not on 40 ct. Love your close up too.
The bag you received is a darling. And glad you found a nice new restaurant and a new dress :)

Nina said...

What a wonderful finished sampler! Congratulations! I adore it :)
If you don't have invitation to the
http://blackbirddesigns-stitchers.blogspot.com/
blog, just email me, I'll happy to send you one :)
Greetings,
Nina

Sylvia said...

Sounds like a really wonderful weekend - I am so glad to hear. Congrats on finishing WMHB - at first I thought you stitched the entire thing over 1 on 40ct....LOL - it looks so pretty.

I hope you have many more good weekends like this one in store.

Annie Bee said...

Where My Heart Blooms is just gorgeous. Sounds like a wonderful weekend.

Jackie's Stitches said...

Congrats on your WMHB finish! How exciting to meet Alma too!

Chris said...

Hi Valerie,
It sounds like you had a great weekend. The BBD finish is wonderful.

Catherine said...

What a pretty finish!!
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend!!
So glad that the acupuncture seems to be making a difference for you!!

Margaret said...

Love the finish! So pretty! I hear you on the over one on 40ct -- a definite pain. Glad the acupuncture is helping. Hope you decide on what to stitch next soon. Why not start the LK piece? Stitching is to enjoy, right? Glad you had a fun weekend too!

Carol said...

Oh, I love it, Valerie--I hope you can find a special place for it in your home... Maybe just framed and sitting on a tabletop somewhere? I love the size of it--although not sure I could do any over one stitching on 40ct. It really is a wonderful finish...

So glad to hear your weekend brought you so many smiles :) Good luck with the next acupuncture appt. today! And enjoy your week...

Siobhán said...

Woohoo!! Congratulations on the finish! I love the bag from Karen, too.

Best of luck with your acupuncture treatments. My mother swears by them.

Hazel said...

Oooh lovely finish. Love the little bag from Karen too. xx

natalysneedle said...

Lovely finish!!

Karin said...

Congrats on the finish!!! I remember you stitched on this piece at the retreat:-) Are you planning on going next year again?
Sounds like a perfect weekend to me!!!
btw I am going to CA in 2 weeks for our family vacation!!! I am so excited as I have never been and we are going for 2 weeks!!!!!

Deb said...

Congratulations on your finish! I think that is one of their designs I like the most!

Sounds like you had a great weekend, and good luck with your acupuncture treatment!

Katrina said...

Gorgeous!!!! I love it and huge congrats on the finish.

Glad you had a good week and I hope the acupuncture goes well.

Natasha said...

YAY!! It looks great Valerie. You finished that up pretty quick.

Glad you had a nice weekend! The weather was just perfect. Enjoy your accupuncture today,and get rid of all that bad Chi, it already began to dissapate last week :D

Take care! Talk to you soon.

Pumpkin said...

Congratulations Valerie! What an amazing finish :o) Beautiful details.

Sounds like maybe you should stitch something colorful and fun for a change!

What a lovely gift. It looks perfect finished as a bag.

Cathy said...

Nice finish. And great blog!

Ruth said...

Congrats on an obviously successful weekend. It sounded pretty perfect to me. :) The BBD finish would have me floating on air. :)

Hope this week's "daily grind" treats you well.

Myra said...

WMHB remains one of my most favorite designs and yours looks fabulous. I just love all the motifs in it. 40 ct? I'll bet it is dainty and gorgeous too.

Hillery said...

Congrats on the finish. I know what you mean about stitching something that looks so nice, but then it isn't really you. That's where most of my UFO's are.

barbara said...

That is such a great finish - and wow, Alma spoke to you!!!!!! I'm so jealous. That's very cool. :D

I'm glad you're getting a lot out of your acupuncture. I really (really) miss it. The nearest acupuncturists here are nearly 2 hours away. :(

Theresa said...

Wow!!! This piece is stunning!!!!!! I think I'll have to add this to my wish list~~ And did I read it correctly?! you did over one on a 40ct fabric?! That is pretty amazing, even if it's only a small section.

I'm glad acupuncture is helping you. It really is better then its look, isn't it~

Julie said...

The little bag from Karen is lovely.

Over 1 on 40ct ... no way would i be doing that!

It's been lovely to catch up on your blog after my little absence, i've enjoyed reading your random posts, i hope the acupuncture session was good this time too.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful finish Valerie, congratulations!

Glad you like the bag and that you had a fun weekend! Good luck with the acupuncture, I hope the next session goes well.

Nicole said...

Beautiful finish Valerie! I love this design!! It turned out great on the Fawn!

Carol R said...

Beautiful finish Valerie!

Natalia said...

Congratulations on your finish, Valerie !!! It looks beautiful...

Melanie said...

Oh my goodness, it's beautiful! What a great piece. It would lovely framed up on the wall.

What ya reading lately? I'm back on reading for the moment and soaking up everyone's suggestions as I come across them. I read through the entire Hunger Games trilogy this weekend in under 48 hours. Just whoop! And I was done. Stupid Kindle. Makes it too durn easy to just go get the next book and the next one, etc.

Karen V does the most spectacular finishing. She's a flipping genius at it. What a great little bag.

Sally said...

Congratulations on a gorgeous finish Valerie. It is so pretty.

Giovanna said...

Congrats on the finish, it's just beautiful! I wish I could meet Alma too... :-)

Anonymous said...

I love "Where Your Heart Blooms". Very pretty. Congratulations on the finish.

Michelle said...

Beautiful beautiful finish on WMHB!!!! Congrats!