Elfing around

Just a quick post as I am trying to squeeze in holiday primping and prepping. This year has caught me with my long johns down! I still need to get my cards sent and doing the shopping for our parents.

I have been so stretched and worn out from work lately that I had not been stitching too much. But I am happy to say that I finally finished the border, part I of the BoaF mystery stitch. I started on the tree trunk on part II. When I get some more stitched I will post some progress pics. I also put some decent progress on my big Santa project. Hope to get more done on that too. Stressing over gift projects for several babies are due to join this world after the first of the year. Need to decide what I am going to do and get cracking on those.

Getting anxious about getting my first Hawk Run Hollow project started the first of the year. This shall be an interesting adventure with my girl friend. She will be working on the Autumn pattern and I am working on the Christmas.

Need to get some online shopping done and start those cards.

Keep on stitching. P.J.

P.s. I need to work on attracting more followers. Following several blogs and leaving posts. Guess I need to mention my blog in my comments more often. Any suggestions?

And the stocking was hung with care

A little something for the season. It may not be a lot of stitching, but a lot of love went into it. A co-worker had asked me last year to stitch names on stockings for her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. This year she brought in another stocking for little Ava to be stitched. As busy as I have been I am just pleased I was able to get it done before Christmas. She gave me the stocking in September.



The little house at the top of the posting was a secret exchange gift I stitched up for work in 2006. Hope you are enjoying this holiday season with great cheer with friends and family.

Keep on stitching!  P.J.

Be Ye Thankful

Wishing everyone a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving. This is one of my favorite family holidays. I really get into the prepping and cooking for Thanksgiving. I do miss being close to my family and all the hustle & bustle, conversations and sounds in the house when we are all together. The three of us carry on the traditions, just on a smaller scale.

In keeping with the reason for my blog, here is a project I stitched in 2001. I need to put this in my wrought by me link. So much to do on this blog. Slowly but surely I will get all my handwork and that wrought by others updated so that my followers can have some "play purties" to look at.

Thank you mom for these beautiful pin cushions!

Made with scraps from quilts she has made for us. Can I tell y'all how talented my mother is, she is amazing! I am thankful for the great things she has shared with me and taught me. I wish I was half as creative she is. One of these is going to my girlfriend!

She also quilted the table runner the pin cushions are sitting on.

A great example of some of the simple things she comes up with... Many moons ago we visited Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, we both bought these really neat vases made from split rail fences; we call them weed pots (wildflowers/weeds to some). They have test tube style glass inserts to hold water if you want to use as a vase.

Here is what I have done with mine....

and here is what mom has done recently with hers.

She is using hers as a diffuser and I love the whole arrangement! How tranquil and calming. Makes me think of the outdoors and the woods where this rail may have been used to divide someone's property.

Thank you for sharing your gifts with me mom, wish we were closer (she is in Wyoming) so we could do these kinds of things together. I miss having that with you!

And my Mommy makes NINE

Welcome to my blog, Mom! As soon as I saw the stitched Humbug I knew it was you! I am so excited you've joined my blog. I hope to work on some more Wrought by Others pics (by my mother)over my long weekend. I am taking tomorrow off and Friday is Veterans Day so I will have a four day weekend, hope to get some quality stitch time in.

On another note not about cross stitch, but relates to the name of my blog. I got to see the resident porcupine yesterday morning. I had Libby out for her morning rounds (fenced yard) when I noticed something dark moving across the back yard, coming out of the orchard. I went over to the fence to get a closer look and sure enough it was Gus Gus! Our daughter named him Gus Gus our first year here. I think they are so darn cute, at a distance. :-) When Libby barked once, he stood up on his hind legs and then he turned and hussled back to the orchard for cover. He lives in the big barn next door. There has been a family of foxes, many chimpmunks and a pretty healthy looking groundhog in residence.

Off to reading some of your blogs and getting my stitching organized for the weekend.

Keep on stitching. P.J.

Eight is Great!

Just a quick post to start off November to thank my followers, including the two most recent joiners; Jackie and Penny welcome to Porcupine Needle! Looking forward to all of your comments and enjoy following your blogs as well.

Just to keep it interesting... I will share a picture. I picked up this cute little stand for $10 at a local antique mall. It is going to make the perfect little side table to hold stitching gadgets.

Keep on stitching.

P.J.
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