Friday, April 29, 2011

Stitching the Blues









Good morning everyone--and what an exciting morning it's been watching the events of the Royal Wedding. I got up before dawn to witness history taking place--I do love a good love story. I was glued to the television as I soaked in each and every detail. From the sweet dresses of the cherubic flower girls to the earnest-looking choirboys to the fresh green trees adorning the aisles of Westminster Abbey; I almost felt as if I was right there myself. Just delightful... And I loved the idea of millions of people from all over the world watching the same event at the same time. I'll have to admit, I got a bit teary-eyed--I always do at weddings. It is such a time of hope...

Anyway, back to my "blue" stitching. I am, and always have been, a lover of all things blue. It doesn't matter the shade of blue--baby blue, periwinkle blue, turquoise blue--I love them all. (It's a good thing I had three sons, isn't it?) And when you combine blue with bunnies--well, that's just about perfect! Now, I've never seen a blue tulip, but, hey, I can dream, right?


As soon as I saw this tulip fabric in the store, I knew what the perfect piece to stitch for it would be: this sweet Tulip Time freebie from Primitive Betty's site. I usually work the opposite way and pick a fabric to complement a piece I've already stitched, but this was a fun change. You'll notice that I changed the location of the words and two of the bunnies--my brain seems to crave symmetry! I wish I was one of those people who could deal with uneven displays on fireplace mantles and that sort of thing, but I like everything well-balanced. Since I wanted to make a tiny pillow out of it, I stitched "Tulip Time" over one on 28 ct. summer khaki Lugana using DMC colors that matched the shades in the fabric. My tulips even cooperated for the photo-shoot as they beautifully bloomed just this week...


I know many of you have already stitched Blackbird Designs' Bluebird pincushion and I finally succumbed to its charms myself. For this piece, I used Nina's Hand Dyed Threads in "Old Jeans" color and stitched it on 32 ct. Belfast Dirty Linen. I just love Nina's threads--they work up so beautifully. I chose to leave out my initial in the upper right corner and will stick some pretty pins in that space instead.


For this finish, I decided to make a long pillow with some coordinating fabric. When I showed my husband after he got home from work the other night, he jokingly asked, "Is that to rest one ear on or what?" Hmmm... I told him it was just decorative and more of a pincushion--not sure if he really understands this whole cross stitch world or not. That is why I've been so happy to discover the wonderfully supportive blogging/cross stitching community--you all really "get" it...


Someone else must have heard it was "blue week" here, too, because just look at what made an appearance at my pond--a great blue heron! I was thrilled to look out my kitchen window yesterday afternoon and see him just standing there like a statue. Wish I could have gotten closer for a better photo (you can click on the picture for a clearer glimpse of him), but, oh my, what a regal looking bird. They only visit two or three times during the year--probably passing by and looking for a quick snack of one of the minnows in our pond. I don't live in the country; I live in the suburbs of a rather large city, so it always thrills me to see this kind of wildlife in my very own yard.


I nearly squealed with delight when I opened this surprise gift from my dear friend Lois at "Of Needles, Pins & Stitching Things". Oh, all right, I admit it--I really did squeal with delight when I saw this sweet bunny scissor fob. Isn't he the cutest rabbit? I was so touched by Lois's kind and generous gift--from the fob to the pretty yellow fabrics to the yummy Lindt chocolate chicks. The little bunny is sitting right here above my desk where he makes me smile ever time I glance up at him. Everything was just perfect and much appreciated. I treasure our friendship, Lois, and thank you again so much for your thoughtful gifts. Your emails always brighten my day and I hope we are still friends when we are old and gray.


We had a lovely Easter brunch here on Sunday for my brother and his family. There were 11 of us including an exchange student from abroad whom they have living with them for the year. When I asked her if she was anxious to head back home at the end of June, she exclaimed in a decidedly American fashion, "No way!" It's so nice to hear from others that they've enjoyed life in the U.S. and to see our country through their eyes. Too often, we take too much for granted living here--I know I do anyway...

My thoughts are with all of those affected by the devastating tornadoes in the south. It surely has been one of the worst years for weather-related disasters I can recall. And, unfortunately, the year isn't even half over yet...

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your kind comments. I truly appreciate the time that you take in saying hello each time I post. And a warm welcome to my new followers, too--I hope to visit you at your blogs very soon. Enjoy your weekend everyone! Bye for now...

58 comments:

Sally said...

Your blue finishes are gorgeous Carol. So pretty.

What a lovely gift from Lois. You know I've been reading her blog for a while and never realised she was from the UK until I read her latest post!

Tricia T said...

What a lovely post full of fun stitchy things! I really like your Bluebird pincushion. Everytime I see it on someone's blog I just love it!!!! I may have to succumb as well!

Your little scissors fob is a treasure! What fun to receive such a sweet gift. I agree that it is fun to meet others that enjoy our hobby!

Mary said...

Hi Carol
I have just spent three hours of stitching whilst watching the wedding and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love all your blue stitches and your lovely blue visitor as well.
Mary

Shari said...

as always........everything is gorgeous Carol! I love the tulip time.....I have always wanted to stitch it, but haven't yet.
oh my! I would love to see a heron up close like that......

BrendaS said...

Carol --
All your finishes are just gorgeous as always. Love your Tulip Time photographed with your tulips. Perfect! It looks like Spring has finally arrived.

Very nice gifts from Lois. Isn't it fun to receive surprises in the mail?!

Have a great week

CATHI said...

Wonderful finishes! Congratulations!

Best wishes
Cathi

Karen said...

What pretty finishes! Love the "blues" too! I love Lois' gifties but especially like the fabric she sent...so pretty and springy!

Hope you have a nice stitchy weekend...

Margaret said...

Love all your blue finishes! And what a great gift from Lois too -- love that bunny fob! I got up at 5am to watch the royal wedding too. It was wonderful!

♥ Nia said...

I had to watch Kate arriving, couldn't resist to take a peek on her dress :) who doesn't love a wedding dress?!! =) eheheh

I love blue too :) My favorite color of the rainbow! eheheh
Beautiful finishes!! Congrats sweetie =)
Hahahahah 'to rest on hear' LOL :D Men! ;) heheeh

Have a great weekend!!! :D

Patty C. said...

The blues look lovely - I like the BBD pincushion - It never gets old :)

Great finishing you have displayed here :)

The Queen Bee said...

Your finishes are so pretty. I especially like the blue in the Bluebird pincusion. My kind of color.

Pam

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

Hey!
I love those blue tulips too and what a beautiful finish for both those pieces. So cheery and refreshing and the perfect fabby to go with the design!!! I've had this one in my folder to stitch for a while, and feel encouraged now to get moving to stitch it too.
I tend to like Dutch motifs and this one is truly so pretty.

Have a great day!
Jennifer
Feathers in the Nest

Annie said...

I didn't get up at the crack of dawn. Just made it to the TV in time to seem them exit the church, take the carriage ride and kiss on the balcony. But with the internet, I got instant re-play, so I've seen all the good parts now. Love the bridal gown and that sexy number on Pippa!

Your blues are so charming. Blue is my favorite color too. I have to restrain myself from buying only blue in my wardrobe.

That heron is amazing. Nothing like that in my backyard.

Wonderful exchange gifts from Lois. How long did the chocolate last?

passionfruitprincess said...

Lovely finishes Carol! And I love the blues too. Your flowers are beautiful, everything says Spring,just wonderful!
Hugs,
Ana Paula.

Solstitches said...

I love your pretty pillows Carol. Your DH cracked me up with his comment. I'm still smiling as I type :)
The wedding was a dream wasn't it?
Hugs,
Margaret

Meari said...

I didn’t get up to see the wedding, but I did catch it as they exited the church and boarded the carriage. I really liked that she wore a simple dress and veil and only had a small wedding party.

Your Tulip Time and BBD Bluebird finishes turned out really nice. Congrats on two more pretty finishes! Too funny about DH's comment. Guys just don't get it, do they? Nice package from Lois, too. You should take a pic of all the stitchy bunny stuff together. :)

Sounds like you had a nice Easter. Mine was pretty low key, as my family hasn’t done an Easter dinner for years. Mom decided it was too much work, lol. Your irises are just gorgeous!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Carol, another lovely pair of finishes you've got there! Congratulations.

Lesleyanne said...

Gorgeous blue finishes. I have two boys so have a lot of blue in my house too - good job its one of my favourite colours. Lovely gift from Lois. I admit to watching the RW too.

Theresa said...

Gorgeous finishes, Carol!!!
Since it was in the middle of night when the royal wedding begins, I've recorded instead, and I'm actually watching it right now as I type. Such a wonderful event, won't you say?!

valerie said...

Love your blue stitches! The tulip is so vibrant! I love it and the fabric matches so well. The BBD pincushion is wonderful as well! What's with guys and their comments about our stitching. They just don't get it!

What a cute gift from Lois...so sweet of her. I didn't get any royal wedding viewing in. Was too busy sleeping in til 10am! But I will watch it on my Tivo later.

Nancy said...

The Royal Wedding was so beautiful, wasn't it? I was also up very early so I could watch it, and I also got very teary eyed. Kate Middleton is just so beautiful, and Prince William so handsome.

Your bunny and bluebird stitches are beautiful! I have the bluebird in my to stitch pile for this year.

Your tulips are gorgeous as is your daffodil and iris arrangement, and the heron is magnificent!

Myra said...

Carol, your Tulip Time finish is just delightful. I love that you chose the floss to match the fabric, it just works perfectly. Now the bird pillow is just divine in my book - the details are wonderful and the brown buttons work so well.

That little fob from Lois is fabulous - she is a sweetheart and her stitching is just gorgeous, isn't it?

Lisa V said...

A lovely collection of blue finishes.
LISA V

Barbi said...

I love your blue period! LOL And the heron in the backyard was a topper. HOW WONDERFUL!!!
Wasn't the wedding splendid? Oh Catherine was just beautiful! The dress couldn't have been more perfect.

Carol R said...

Pretty finishes Carol. Blue is my favourite colour too!

BlackCat said...

The blues in the tulip are awesome! So bright. Your finishing is fantastic.

Christine said...

Great gift from Lois and some lovely blue finishes

staci said...

I love the tulip pic...such a perfect setting for your darling tulip pincushion!

That is a really sweet Easter package you received from Lois!

Andrea said...

Wonderful finishes!

We put on a good show don't we? Can't quite believe how many people watched it from around the world.

Edit said...

Your tulip stitching and your real tulips are so beautiful Carol! Tulip is my favorite flower, no matter what color, I love them all.

The Bluebird design I stitch it also, and made it into a Christmas present last year. Such a lovely design and so fast to stitch. Yours turned put beautiful!

I was also watching bits and pieces of the royal wedding. Fortunately it was possible to follow online, as I was at work.

Have a lovely weekend,
Edit

Wendy said...

hi Carol, sorry i`ve been so quiet for so long, but here I am !
What lovely stitching you have done, all of those lovely spring designs, they really get me itching to start a few new ones as well !

do not get me started on the husband thing !
I often tell him now, what kind of responce I want.
really, you must have to keep working on them, they are just like children sometimes !

we have a pond aswell, and I do see a heron around here often, but, luckaly, he doesn´t visit our garden, or at least not whem I see him.
they are quite big, and really beautiful to see, but I do prefere to see them in someone elses back garden, lol !

Melanie said...

Love your blue items! They are darling. I stayed up to watch the wedding and just loved the trees in the church too. It was great to watch so I'm glad I sacrificed a little sleep for it. :)

Mylene said...

What lovely lovely finishes, Carol.
Did watch the wedding too in between preparing lunch over here so i couldn't sit down and stitch, it sure was a beautiful wedding!
Have a happy weekend!

Catherine said...

Carol, I just love your finishes! Maybe I should do some blue finishes too, to put by my blue glass!

Nicky said...

Wasn't the wedding beautiful!! I love your blue finishes, your tulips and bluebirds are lovely, and so are your gorgeous gifts. So happy to hear you had a wonderful Easter.

barbara said...

What a beautiful post! You've even got me wanting to pull out some blue floss and get busy (and blue is not one of my favorite colors!).

The heron makes me think of Holland. They were the one "wildlife" that I could be sure I'd see pretty much anytime I stuck my head outdoors.

Love your rabbit fob!:D

Lois said...

So glad my little surprise brightened your day Carol! What sweet finishes you've shared this time round. I love your changes to your tulip pillow, I have this one stitched as well, but without any changes, and just love having it out on display this time of year. My back garden verges on the boring and I always love to see the pics you share from yours. What a beautiful sight that blue heron must have been. Glad that you'd a nice Easter with family and, like you, I watched every minute of the RW and loved it all.

KarenV said...

Lovely finishes Carol, the blue threads you've used are very pretty. what a sweet gift from Lois too, so cute!

Michele B. said...

I was up with you watching the wedding, like you getting a little teary-eyed (and bleary-eyed from being up in the wee hours). It was nice to be part of it all, even as a voyeur.

Your blue stitching makes me anything but blue - how perfect your Tulip Time looks amidst the real thing. The buttons on the BBD pillow are such a nice touch. Make sure to show your husband how perfectly the pins look with it - no more jokes about ear rests! I love the picture of your blue heron - what a gift to have him grace your yard.

Enjoy your goodies from Lois. My husband used to do some work for Lindt - he would come home with bags of chocolates. People still ask me if he works there - we all miss the benefits!

Anne said...

Beautiful finishes!! I love tulip time and that fabric you chose is perfect! Men often don't get our little pillows and pin keeps, etc. What an adorable bunny fob from Lois! Enjoy her treats!

Annette said...

I also watched to weddind, loved to see al those people in there beautifull clothes, all the lovely dresses and then the wedding dress...Loved it, also Pippa her sister was so beautifull...
Love your bleu stitches!!!
Great gift you got!! and how wonderfull that you has such a great Easter

Berit said...

Wonderful post, as always! I have never seen a Blue Heron in such an up-close "candid" shot! Beautiful! His coloring is just....wow! I don't know that I've ever seen blue look like that.

Have a wonderful week.:)

Cindy's Stitching said...

I have to admit Blue is my favorite colors also. I love the pieces you have made. The bunnies on the table are so cute. I love bunnies. The wedding was nice to see. Finally something we could all enjoy and make us smile. We see so much of doom and gloom. I still had a tear for Diana.

Kay said...

Your blue finishes are so beautiful! I too watched the wedding, my son was even glued to the tv that morning, I had to tell him 3 times it was time to get ready to go to school, that was how interested he was in the wedding, it was a beautiful service though and I enjoyed watching every minute of it. Anyway.. it is always a joy to stop by and see your beautiful work!

♥marylin♥ said...

hello,
oh those bunnies are too beautiful blue birds and your wonderful! what a talent
friendships de France

Bekca said...

I really do love your Easter center piece Carol, it's so perfect. Love the blue finishes too, that thread colour is perfect. I'm hoping to do more redwork and blue pieces soon myself.
I so enjoyed the Royal Wedding! Didn't they look like a perfect couple riding away in the carriage? I loved it all.
Happy stitching to you and best wishes.

Lynn said...

Your blue finishes are gorgeous!! I'm in love with both of them. I don't know how you whip them up so quickly but I sure enjoy seeing them.
Lois has spoiled you with that little rabbit fob. It is adorable.
I too enjoyed the wedding. I managed to get as far as the altar before work and then watched the actual ceremony after work. It was like a fairy tale!

Giovanna said...

Your finishes are so pretty - congratulations!

Julie said...

Your blue finishes are super Carol. A lovely gift from Lois.

I was thinking about friends all over the world whilst i was watching the Royal Wedding and imaging those of you in the US still in your pj's LOL

Unknown said...

Since blue is my favorite color, I can really relate! I love both the pillows, and I really love the "Old Jeans" floss. Your pix of the heron is really amazing. Our friends had one in their backyard last week. I thought it was because they live not too far from the river which is flooding. It won't get to them, but it is 33 feet over flood stage now.

Glad you had such a great Easter!

Siobhán said...

Fantastic blue finishes, Carol! I love your finishing, too, as always!

Great gifts from Lois!

Gabi said...

Lovely finishes. Both of them are gorgeous stitched and finished. Love the little fob too.

Lynn B said...

Beautiful finishes Carol!

Mavi. said...

Hi Carol, very nice finishes. Very funny your husband to comment on the elongated cushion the birds.
My birds scare me, so I would not have left the house, until the heron was gone, no matter how elegant it is.
Hopefully these weather-related disasters over soon.
I have not much time lately to see if I can devote more hours early to enjoy the blogs and your work.
Good weekend.

Shirley said...

I don't make much in blue but these are so pretty I will have to try more. What a lovely gift, hope you enjoy it.
kind regards,
Shirley

♥marylin♥ said...

bisous bisous

Lainey said...

The Wedding was wonderful. It was so nice to have a few hours off love and happiness in these dark times that are happening in all corners off the world today.
Beautiful finishes Carol and lovely gifts from dear Lois.
You always have such beautiful garden pictures and interesting visitors, can I come live with you please..lol.

Pumpkin said...

Cute, cute, cute! Carol, you're just too perfect ;o) LOL!

Love your BBD finish. It makes a lovely 'ear pillow' ;o) Your DH is funny. I'm glad you found us too!

Lucky you! I've always wanted to get a picture of a Blue Heron but they never stick around long enough.

You're also lucky that you live far enough away that I can't snap up that adorable bunny fob and your bunny decorations ;o)