Prelude To A Stitch

Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler, Part 1 by With Thy Needle and Thread

2011-06-13T09:13:00.000-05:00

I just received my Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler, part one, with the Weeks Dye Works threads. At the present time, I am working on One Nation also available at 123 Stitch! , but, I would love to work on the sampler! I think I may have to do a rotation, no?

Блоги@Mail.Ru: Старые джинсы превращаются....

2010-12-31T09:33:00.000-06:00

I know that I haven't posted in ages and, even though today is New Years Eve day, I would love to make a resolution to blog more often. Unfortunately, resolutions tend to last about a month so, I will try to blog something as often as possible, even if it isn't cross stitch related! Which brings me to this cute little Russian site that I found through another cute site; http://michelemademe.blogspot.com/2010/12/merry-christmas-to-you.html

Блоги@Mail.Ru: Старые джинсы превращаются....

The possibilities are endless with these cute little ornaments. I can see using a bunch of cute ribbon I have in my craft closet on these!

Happy New Year to all of you out there in Blogger Land! I wish you love and peace in 2011

I love it!

2010-09-28T17:54:00.000-05:00

http://smile.ly/16182.cfm

I received a free box of this sweetener and I love it!

Grilles De Maryse ~ Beautiful New Rose Sampler

2010-04-29T18:48:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite designers, Maryse, has a new sampler out! Check it out for yourself, it is a beauty! I'm waiting for her to get back to me regarding mailing outside of Europe. I would love her to send it PDF to save the 3 Euros, which isn't much really and, the pattern itself is 12 Euros.

I will post later when I hear back from Maryse. While you are there, check out her free patterns, they are so pretty!

Craftzine.com blog : Smock Curtains

2010-03-26T04:30:00.000-05:00

Craftzine.com blog : Smock Curtains

I giggled when I saw these smocks being used this way. How clever is that?

Maggie and Mildred by Holly Klein

2010-03-16T08:13:00.000-05:00

This animated cross stitch video was done by Holly Klein. It was not only amazing to watch, it warmed my heart! A lot of work had to be done to complete this video. There is a nice interview with Mr. Xstitch here about this video: Maggie and Mildred interview with Holly Klein

Maggie and Mildred from Holly Klein on Vimeo.

Mill Hill Charmed Mitten - Snowman's Garden Kit GIVEAWAY!

2009-11-15T15:37:00.016-06:00

The winner of the Mill Hill Charmed Mitten Kit is....Trish! Congrats Trish..I will be emailing you shortly for your snail mail addy. Thank you everyone for entering!

I promised I would post my second giveaway yesterday but I was out shopping with my husband for the past couple of days. We decided to get a new gas grill for our home and a new flat screen television for our bedroom. My husband likes to drive all over the place looking for stuff, I personally do my shopping online and then go to the store and buy it! I did enjoy our time together though because for the past 3 years, he has worked a lot of overtime and on his days off, he had to go to Illinois to visit his parents who have since passed on due to cancer. Yes, we lost his dad in October 08 and his mom in September 09. A very, very, sad year for our family.

On a lighter note, it is my 45th birthday on the 23rd of this month, and because Christmas is right around the corner, I am giving away a Mill Hill Charmed Mitten Kit - Snowman's Garden. This kit includes everything you need to complete the mitten ornament, brand new and never opened.

Just leave your name and email address in the comments, and I will use the randomizer again to pick the winner. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! I will pick a winner this Friday, November 20th.

Only one entry per person. Open to people in the continental US and Canada.

M Designs Chart Giveaway

2009-11-01T22:02:00.003-06:00

Since we have 2 double posts, I actually have 14 entrants...the winner of the M Designs Sampler Girls pattern is....#5 Kim - kimberlybreid@hotmail.com. I will be emailing you Kim to get your snail mail addy. True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 14 Result:5 CONGRATS KIM!!! Everyone can enter my next contest that I will be posting tomorrow.

As I was rifling through my stash again tonight, I came across two copies of "Sampler Girls - Chart #042 by

M Designs". Since my birthday is this month, November 23rd, I thought I would have a few GIVEAWAYS of my personal stash to celebrate my 45th birthday!

If you would like to be entered in this drawing, if you so choose..please follow my blog, then leave a comment that includes your name and contact info, like your blog or email address. On NOVEMBER 13th, 2009, I will chose a winner by means of the randomizer. GOOD LUCK!

*Please only 1 entry per person. Giveaway open to residents of the USA and Canada*

Stay tuned for more birthday fun in November! If you are following my blog, you will be the first to know of my giveaways of new patterns, fabric, DMC threads, specialty fibers and MORE!
Have a great week everyone!

Granny's Unfinished Symphony

2009-10-28T04:52:00.001-05:00

As noted in my last post, I was going to post a photo of my Granny's last unfinished piece of cross stitch. You have to understand, my Granny never had more than one w.i.p., at least not that I ever saw. When any of the family took her shopping for patterns, DMC threads and fabby, she got what she needed because she never knew how she was going to feel or when she'd get out again. Once in a while, one of us would get the call asking for more DMC threads. We would pick up other pattern books while getting the threads so she could make something for us, however, we would have to wait until she was done her current project...that is why this last piece is so precious to our family.

When Granny passed away, my mom took this project and had it framed as she did all of the pieces Granny did for us. Mom had the framer leave the threaded needle pierced into the aida fabric. Mom also had the framer put a small plaque with Granny's name and her year of birth and year of passing. It's hard to see in the picture I've posted, has lots of reflective light. I may try to take another picture outside in natural lighting. The colors are not represented properly either because of the lighting.

I feel so honored to have had my mom give this picture and I will hand it down, along with my projects, to my daughter and step children. I have a couple of her pattern books and I think I have this one in one of them.

The plaque says
"Anne Gach 1906-1992"

Thank you for reading my post.

My Muse, My Granny

2009-10-27T06:32:00.000-05:00

My mom sent me a couple of pictures of her as a little girl with my grandparents, her brothers and our cousins. I wanted to post these pictures, not only because they are from the early 1940's, but because my Granny taught me how to cross stitch and sew.

*Left to Right: Cousin Rose, Granny holding ??, Cousin Annie and the little girl is my mom who was born in 1937*

I was a little girl when Granny and Papa owned a dress shop on 118th avenue in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I remember sitting on the huge cutting table watching Granny slice through fabric like it was butter. She would give me the fabric scraps and I would sew, by hand, all things for my Barbie's! I also would sit in the back with my Papa making fabric buttons to match the clothing the ladies had ordered through my Granny. And, FYI, I had the coolest clothes to wear to school. One of a kind, no one else had them!!

When I was in my 20's, Granny was a widow. My Papa had passed away when I was 15, in 1980. We moved Granny to a seniors apartment where I would visit her and she would always have a cross stitch project going. She had done some Ukrainian embroidery, but had a passion for florals. She insisted that I learn to cross stitch and that when I came to visit, she would coach me and give her critique.

Granny passed away in 1992, she was 86. Two years later my daughter, and only biological child, was born and I didn't have time to stitch...until around the year 2000! Which leads me to where I am now with my favorite pastime and hobby. I have a framed UFO that Granny was working on, on my wall. I will post it soon.

Front row Left to Right: Granny, Cousin Rose and Cousin Annie
Back row Left to right: Papa, Cousin Peter and my mom's brother - Uncle Ed

Stash Enhancement Update

2009-10-23T11:29:00.000-05:00

Good day friends! Today I am working on my "stash for sale or trade" list. I hope to have a list done by Sunday. As usual, I was distracted by an update at one of my favorite x-stitch pattern designers blog, which led me to her website
The Sampler Girl has a large portion of her beautiful designs on sale for 5 bucks, 5 bucks, 5 bucks, with FREE shipping in the USA! *GASP* I know I am supposed to be decluttering but what stitcher can pass up that deal? Here are the details: "From 12AM EST Oct 23 - 12AM EST Oct 24 ... ALL PATTERNS (except three new releases and booklets) are $5 each. All orders receive new free chart."
Here is what I added to my stash!!!

Sense and Sensibility

On Travel With Jane Austen

Now go and get 'em!!!!

Too many patterns, time to declutter!

2009-10-18T22:00:00.002-05:00

So, today it was a nice cool day here in on the Gulf Coast of TX, which inspires me to actually get things done around my home.

After doing laundry, cleaning under the kitchen sink, sanitizing the kitchen, and other numerous tasks, I decided to go through my pattern library. To my delight, I found tons of patterns that I am willing to part with. All I need to do is take pictures of each one, load them onto one of the photo websites online, and then let the exchanging begin!

One of the goodies I found was an extra copy of Le498! This was a collaboration between Gigi , Carinne and Stephanie. The book of July 2005 called LE 498, for Child Focus, its a beauty! I am hoping in exchange to either get one fabulous trade, either pattern, fibers or fabby.
I will be busy preparing my trade list and wish list but, follow me and I'll keep you posted!

Peace,
Laurie in TX O:)

See You On The Rainbow Bridge Missy...

2009-07-17T18:29:00.003-05:00

Today my fur baby, Missy, passed away in my arms. One day we will be together again. Thank you for being such a good friend to me and for loving me unconditionally for 12 of your 14 year life.

I will always remember how blessed I was to walk into the ASPCA and you were the first cat I saw. You were so beautiful and when I walked up to you kennel, you threw yourself up against the side of the bars wanting me to love you up! I told myself right there that you were the one. I found out that you had only been brought in that morning and I was the lucky one because I was the first one in the door that morning!

I love you Miss Missy. I hope you had the best life ever with our family because you brought so much love and joy into our lives. You are already missed terribly....

My Latest Purchase! ENABLING ALERT!

2009-05-31T08:00:00.005-05:00

I saw this design yesterday and fell in love! Yes I ordered it! Now I will have another W.I.P.!!! UGHHH!

Rosewood Manor - #S-1011. Language of the Flowers

Life is a Dance

2009-05-31T07:34:00.004-05:00

It seems that I spend more time surfing the net and looking at beautiful cross stitch work and patterns when I could be stitching my own UFO's.

Today I am posting the progress of Life Is A Dance by Jo at Dinky-Dyes. I am also using Jo's silk threads, which btw are lovely as always! The fabric is one from my Silkweaver stash collection. This design will be hung in my 15 year old daughters room as she loves dancing and has been in choir 4 years now and just made choral for her sophomore year!

I've been working on this for about 6 months now and I probably would have this finished but, my mother lives with us for the winter months here in TX and goes back home for the warmer weather in Edmonton, AB, Canada, for the rest of the year. While she is here, I am very busy and just don't have the time to stitch.

I hope to take more pictures of my w.i.p.s. in hope of making progress on all of them. ROTATION may be the key to getting anything accomplished.

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-05-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Look out needles, here I come!

2007-06-02T10:54:00.000-05:00

I am very happy to report that I have been on Prednisone for the past 3 weeks and am feeling much better, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
I am really excited to get back into stitching, I have so much to stitch! And UFO's, a ton of them!

I am going to finish my Coffee Menu by LHN, and then move on to other projects that remain in the UFO piles.

I still have some soap to make, melt and pour, and a bunch of sewing. I have so much to do but I want to get out and walk. Just be outside! I have been locked up for a few years now due to illness.

One banana bread, two banana bread...

2007-02-20T20:47:00.001-06:00

Welcome to my little blog on the big world wide web! The name of my blog is Prelude To A Stitch. The name came to me a couple of years ago when I was trying to think of a name for my online business that would carry cross stitch, sewing and other needlework supplies. I am not up and running 100% as I would like to be but I do take special orders right now for cross stitch supplies such as patterns, fabric, specialty threads, Q-Snaps, and many other stash enhancement goodies! I want to expand into sewing supplies next. We shall see what happens!

Now on to one of my other hobbies, baking! Yesterday I made 27 mini loaves of banana bread with my new Wilton mini loaf pan. It took no time at all to whip up a batch of this muffin recipe, which I turned into mini loaves.

What I love about this recipe, and most other muffin recipes, is that I didn't even have to use my Kitchenaid mixer. I mixed it all up in my large, 8 cup, Pampered Chef Batter Bowl and Whisk.

Banana Muffins or Mini Loaves

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

3/4 Cup Oatmeal *uncooked - quick oats*

1 egg Beaten

3 tbsp. oil or melted butter/margarine

1/2 Cup of Milk

2 medium Bananas *about 1 cup*

1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts *I used Pecans*

Preheat oven to 375. Spray muffin tins or mini loaf tins with non stick cooking spray, I like the one for baking with flour already in it.

Blend flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Stir in oats. Add remaining ingredients, stir until all dry ingredients are moistened. DO NOT OVER BEAT!

Fill muffin tins / mini loaf pans 1/2 full. Bake for 20 minutes.

I sometimes sprinkle brown sugar on top of the muffins before I bake them to give them a nice, sweet, crunchy topping.

!!ENJOY!!

Tags: baking+crafts

Cool New Web Word Processor for Your Blog

2006-10-13T05:10:00.000-05:00

I thought I would let people know about the new web word processor for your blog. If your like me, this makes blogging easier as I am not so good at blogging yet.

All you have to do is go to: www.writetomyblog.com and check it out for yourself.

If you know of other blogging tools, feel free to send them to me. I love to learn about these cool tools!

Have a great, COOL weekend! It is finally cooling off here in Texas, YAY! It has been in the 90's since April....too hot for this Canadian but it's better than snow! :(

Tags: blogging+tools