Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) Silhouette Cross Stitch Pattern

Today's finish was another requested breed...the Yorkshire Terrier, or as most people call them, a Yorkie.  I stitched it using DMC #832 on a piece of 32 count Belfast Linen in "Glacier" from Picture This Plus.   

I really liked this color combination together.  I think you all know I'm not a fan of linen, but absolutely loved the color of the fabric.  Thankfully PTP has it available in other fabric options.  Now I'm just trying to think what else I can stitch on it so I know how much to buy. 

This pattern along with all my other silhouettes (which can be found here) is now available for purchase at your local needlework shop or various online retailers.  If you don't want to do a Google search, just click here for a current list of those places.  

If you're a retailer and would like to stock this design, or any of my others, you can purchase here.  

And if there's a particular dog breed, or something else you're looking for in a silhouette, just let me know and I'll gladly add it to my list of designs to create & stitch.  

Modern Dictionary: Forever Cross Stitch Pattern

I have so much fun with each of the designs in my Modern Dictionary series.  If only I had more time to stitch them all.  But we all know how it is....so many projects and so little time. 

This particular piece was stitched on a 16 count aida that I hand-dyed myself in a Light Lemon color.  It's one of the pieces I put in my stash when I knew I wasn't going to be able to dye fabric anymore.  I decided to step outside my box for this piece and instead of using black floss, I went with DMC #300.  And of course you know Rita over at SnowBerry NeedleArts gave it the awesome custom finish.  When I sent this piece to her, I told her create whatever she wanted with it, as I just wasn't "feeling" it.  I think it was the fact I had stitched the rest of the series in black floss, and this one just felt "off" to me.  I was absolutely THRILLED with the finish she did when she sent me the mock-up photos.  And those little coffee beans attached to the knobs...yeah, she made those herself with polymer clay!  Needless to say, once the piece was completely finished, I decided I was OK with using a different color floss other than black.

This pattern along with the other pieces in this series (which can be found here) is now available for purchase at your local needlework shop or various online retailers.  If you don't want to do a Google search, just click here for a current list of those places.  If you have the opportunity, please support your local needlework shops, as they're a dying breed and we need to keep them around!

If you're a retailer and would like to stock this design, or any of my others, you can purchase them here.  

And if there's a particular word you'd like to see a fun definition given to, just let me know and I'll gladly add it to my list of designs to create & stitch.  

Spring Stitching Retreat in Las Vegas

Last Sunday was a beautiful day.  Not only was it warm and sunny, which is the norm here in Vegas, but it was my first "outing" with people other than coworkers.  There are two stitching retreats in Vegas each year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall.  This past weekend was the Spring retreat.

There are no designers or classes at the retreats.  It's basically just a room full of ladies (and one man) working on whatever they want to stitch on for the day. To me it's more like a "stitch-in", especially given the fact the "retreat" is only 7 hours long.  Either way, it was a great day!

I got to enjoy views like this at the golf club where it was held:

And we received a free kit to make this:

It' not quite my "style" so it may end up in my stash and eventually go to a new loving home as part of a giveaway prize.

The biggest dilemma I had for the day was what piece to take to stitch on.  I'm always hesitant to take new designs with me places, as I've had a design "stolen" before where another stitcher basically copied what I was doing and released her own version of it before I did.  Big lesson there!  Sorry, I digress.  

Anyway, I decided it was time I pulled my Pinwheel Christmas Quilt back out. 

When I took it with me Sunday morning I had all of the solid green in the bottom left pinwheel was done.  During the retreat I worked on what will be the gingham pinwheels.  Not a lot of stitching for 7 hours, but there was so much to do...walk around and look at what people were stitching on, look at the displays of finished items, eat lunch, get lots of tips on places I should go check out (I had to tell a few of them more than once I had only been in town less than 3 weeks when they kept looking at me in dismay that I hadn't been to this place or that and didn't know all the quilting stores yet, LOL), and socializing with some lovely tablemates that I hope to call friends down the road.

I've decided this will be a "chill" weekend.  I'm going to Stitchers Paradise later to see about getting some fabric for a new series I'll be designing.  And I'm going to the library to get my library card.  Yay!  There is an art gallery in my local library (which by the way is HUGE!) so I'll check out the current exhibit while I'm there too.  
 
My stitching project for the weekend will be to finish the last 25% of my latest dog silhouette (yes, you can see a portion of it in the picture above) and get that released to my wholesaler, and then a little work on the PCQ.  

I should also have the next Modern Dictionary piece released soon, as it's currently off at the finishers getting some custom touches & the photography done.  Until then...Happy Stitching!

Finishes and Food and Fun

I had a great first full week in my new town of Las Vegas!  Minus missing my son terribly, there are so many positive things and I'm grateful for this opportunity life has given me.

Since I'm back to working just one full-time job, I have more stitching time than I've had in quite awhile.  This past week I was able to complete the next model in my Modern Dictionary series.  It's been shipped off to Rita at SnowBerry NeedleArts and I can't wait to see what she cooks up on a custom finish!  I can't show you pics of that piece yet, but will share a WIP pic of my next dog silhouette.

I'm stitching it on a piece of 32 ct Belfast Linen in "Glacier" by Picture This Plus and am using DMC #832.  I just love the color combination!  I'd like to have it finished by the end of this week, but we'll see how things go.

The next best thing to more stitching time with this life change is all of the fresh fruit and produce I'm able to get cheaply and so early in the season compared to being back in Ohio.  I think I'm going to become an addict, LOL!  It has also prompted me to return to my goal of trying one new healthy recipe per week. (I talked about that here).  

On Saturday night I decided to try a corn & tomato salad.  It was so fresh and crisp and I couldn't stop eating it!  My dinner was a big bowl of it along with some fresh ciabatta bread with fresh butter. Did I say I'm in love with all the fresh food out here?  If you're interested in the recipe, you can find it here.

And because I just can't seem to get enough of all this yummy goodness, I had more of it for dinner tonight.  Now if only I can put down my stitching long enough to fit exercising into my schedule also.  Eh, why shake things up yet.  Haha!

But, Vegas isn't all about stitching and fresh food to me.  I've decided I'm going to try to visit one new place each weekend.  What's the point of living in a new town, in a completely different part of the country, if you don't get out and explore your surroundings and the culture.  So, with yesterday being Easter, and my first holiday here, my boss's lovely wife didn't want me spending the day by myself, and invited me to join them for the day.  Not only did I enjoy a delicious Easter Brunch, but she introduced me to the Bellagio Conservatory.  This is just one of the many pictures I took there.

It was gorgeous and the flowers smelled wonderful.  The best part?  It's FREE!  All I have to do is make the 15 minute drive to the casino from my apartment, park my car, and go wander through some beauty for a little while.  I've already looked and the next new exhibit starts on May 15th with the Summer Exhibit.  And if I want to go later in the day, they have live music every day also.

Well, I think I've done enough rambling for the night.  It's now a few minutes after 8pm which means Antiques Roadshow and my stitching are both waiting for me.  I'll be sure to post again soon and tell everyone about the stitching retreat I'm going to next Sunday.  Until then...Happy Stitching!