Even More New Threads!

At the last quilt show I was at I picked up a few new embroidery patterns by a designer out of Australia and when I finally pulled them out last month to stitch one up I didn't recognize the threads she called for.  I brought the pattern to the stores closest to me that carry threads other than the normal DMC stuff but no one knew anything about them.  So I then went to ETSY and after an exhausting  ;) 5 minute search found a seller (also based in Australia) that had not only the thread but also the color I needed. 

It took some time but its finally here.  It feels so different than any other floss I have ever had, it is so silky and smooth.  The color is gorgeous in person and I can't wait to stitch with it! I'll post some pics once I'm well on my way with the project.  Just a few things to finish up post-Christmas (man did it come fast and blow by! Yikes!) and then I can start up on some personal projects.  

I have lots planned for the winter and I can't wait to hole up and get stitching!

Anybody else have any plans?

~Leah 

Fun Mail!

What can I say I'm a sucker for a good sale and while I was away on vacation I might have slid a little online shopping into my fun filled sunny days.  The day after I for back there was a package dropped on my porch that was very appropriately labeled...

All wrapped into one package was a ton of stitchy fun.  I got myself a new hoop, some needles, some patterns, a pair of new scissors, a trio of patterns and most importantly some new floss.  

Since Sublime Stitching announced their floss launch I've been curious to work with it and their latest sale gave me just the chance.  

I haven't had the time to break it out yet but I will let you know as soon as I do.

I hope you all have some fun mail land on your porches as well!! Its back to the grind for me tomorrow,  its crazy that vacations always seem too short no matter how long they are.  

Hope all is well with you and thanks for stopping by!

~Leah 

Vacation from Life

So I had grand plans for this little blog of mine but it seems like life had other plans for me. These last few months have been some of the hardest and most stressful that I can remember. Every time I looked at the calendar a month was come and gone and I felt like I was constantly stuck in the same place but getting nothing accomplished.

I have made a few changes that I am hoping will help take the edge off as we go into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I wanted so badly to have a handmade, homemade Christmas but I just know in my heart it won't happen this year. All I can do now is scale back on my projects, really choose the ones that are important to me and then let the rest fall where they may.

I was getting so caught up in the chaos around me that it was really hurting some of my most cherished relationships. Friends and family noticed the change in me and pushed me to take some time for myself. Well thanks to their pushing and an impeccably scheduled Patriots game I got my little vacation from life. I've spent the better part of the last week relaxing and catching up with friends while soaking up some sunshine (I am still amazed at how much better I feel when I get to play outside in the sun!) in beautiful Florida! Yesterday was the highlight of the week, my brother's birthday and the Patriots vs Miami game. So I got to celebrate and spend the day with my brother while enjoying one of our favorite things. I have one more day here at the beach before I have to head home but I think it was just what I needed to clear my head, clear my heart and refresh my outlook on things.

So I will leave you with what I am looking at as I type this post, my little stretch of sea and sand.

Here's to a brand new start!

I hope all is well with you and your and as always, thanks for stopping by,

~Leah

The swap is here, the swap is here!!

Lets get this out of the way, I am sorry for the long absence but I had a ton going on and just needed to focus on a few other things.  I'm back, I promise!

Even though the month was busy I did get a few little things done, including my uber-cute-if-I-do say-so-myself pincushion for the Modern Quilt Guild Swap.  You may recall I first mentioned this a little ways back but its finally here! Saturday the 17th is when my guild meets next and thats when these little guys will get sent to new, stitch lovin' homes. 

Say hello to my little friend!

Truth be told I have mixed feelings about letting my little guy go.  I am super happy with the way it turned out and sort of don't want to part with it.  On the other hand, I know all of the other guild members probably put just as much hard work and love into their pieces so I can't wait to see what shows up in my mailbox. 

I backed it with a spare charm square.  One of my favorites, Neptune by Tula Pink!

 Strangely enough his pattern was meant for coasters.  I found the pattern as I was thumbing through my copy of Cross-Stich and Needlework and to me it immediately looked like a modern quilt.  

I hope the recipient likes it!!

I have a couple of other WIPs that are no longer WIPs to share but those will come a little later!

Thanks for swinging through, 

Leah ~ :)

Its Game Time!

Hi there everyone! This post is being brought to you buy Logan Airport WiFi! I'm so not excited about this. 

I would much rather be at home on my couch getting ready to watch the Pats kick off but alas I am at the start of another business trip. In order to make myself feel a little better I figured I would take this opportunity to share with you my favorite football season recipe. Well if I am being honest it is my favorite any season recipe. My buffalo chicken dip!

These little guys pack a bit of a punch and can either be made on a stovetop or in a crock pot, depends on your style of tailgating :)

The recipe is super easy and takes no time at all so you can make this right before your crew shows up or the night before.  Here's how it's done...

What you need:

1 cup Franks Red Hot

1 cup light ranch dressing*

2 cans of chicken**

2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

2 8oz packages of reduced fat cream cheese

Couldn't be simpler! Start with the cans of chicken, the franks red hot and the ranch dressing. Warm that up to the point where it just begins to bubble. Add one package of the cram cheese and stir until it is pretty much melted in, then do the same for the second package. I like to let mine melt totally so that I don't have to deal with lumps of cream cheese later. Last step is add the majority of the shredded cheese and stir until melted. One thing to note is that I always use the low fat versions of things, not the full fat, to make sure that the cheese melts well and the dressing isn't too runny. I also use the larger sized cans of chicken but the regular size work just as well, i just happen to like a lot of chicken in mine!  DONE!

Transfer to your serving dish and use the little bit of cheese left over to top it off. Serve it with carrot or celery sticks, chips or wheat thins and enjoy! 

The crock pot version is even easier, toss it all in and let'er rip!

I hope you and your crew enjoy!

GO PATS!!!

Fall is a Fickle Thing

In New England we are used to weather changing in a heart beat so I shouldn't really find this unexpected but just as I finished pulling out my cold weather clothing the thermostat almost hit 70 today...so much for my comfy cozy wool sweater!

Amazing how this is what greets me at my front door (don't mind the paint job, we are in mid-project at the moment) as I leave the house in a t-shirt and sandals! At least we had a few chilly rainy days this past few weeks, I was able to catch up on some cross stitch, make multiple batches of my pumpkin muffins and enjoy a new beef stew recipe. 

My car also had a milestone... and strangely enough it happened on 10/10... I kid you not!

Crazy right?!?! And yes I did pull over to take the picture.

All in all not a bad month so far.  Now I get to spend the rest of the week preparing for a business trip, yippee skippee!

Hope October is treating you well!

~Leah 

Swapping Pincushions!!

I am super excited for this one, I love swaps! I have done 3 so far (1 scrapbook page swap and two small embroidery swaps) and really enjoyed them all.  This time around the swap is being run through the quilt guild I am a member of but another chapter.  The lovely ladies of the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild are organizing this as part of the build up to QuiltCon in February.  They set us up with some basic 'rules' (the pincushion must have a modern aesthetic and must not contain anything breakable) and sent us on our way.  

We will be swapping with members from several other guild chapters from Vancouver, Austin, Wichita, Bay Area, Indianapolis and Northern Virginia as well as Kansas City. Some of these chapters have huge memberships so we are talking a lot of little pincushions shipping all over the country.  I hope I get one from Vancouver, then I can say I have an international pincushion! hehehe

Now here is where my confession comes in, I am not a modern quilter.  I am actually not much of a quilter of any kind but if I had to peg myself as anything I am traditional through and through.  I am still working on finding my stye and the patience to actually see a full sized quilt through until it is completed (I am currently staring at 2 unfinished block of the month quilts).  

I can whip out a mug rug like no one else though!! :)

I hesitated when they first announced this at our meeting but the more I thought about it the more I wanted in.  I am just going to have to go down a different road.  I am going to cross-stitch my pincushion! I found this great little design that actually resembles one of my favorite modern quilts (it very geometric and a bit retro-ish to me) and I chose a fairly modern color palette of grays, teals, lime greens and a splash of coral.  

It looks better than it sounds, I promise. 

 

I started it this evening and here's what I have so far.  

I'm hoping that the recipient likes it. It's always a little scary sending something you spent a lot of love and time on off to a stranger. My fingers are crossed!

I'll show it off once its finished before I send it off to it's new home!

~Leah