Peacock Bird - A Start

This should be a fun and unique looking peacock!  I'm using R & R Light Chino instead of Pearled Barley linen, but I think the charted colors will still look good.

For the Birds - Detail Shots - Ooops - Don't Shoot the Birds!

           The Owl                                       The Parrot

             

The Crows and the Cat

     The Peacock                                          The Stork

For the Birds - A Finish

Design - "For the Birds"

Designer - The Drawn Thread

Fabric - 14" x 14" 28 piece of count Khaki Cashel linen

Started - 14 March 2010

Completed - 29 March 2010 

Well, if I hadn't had to "frog" out both the large robins, the peacock, the stork's legs, and several letters of the alphabet, I might have finished this up a couple of days ago.  I don't know what it was about this piece that caused me to "misplace" so many stitches - usually I stay right on track.  Anyway, it was worth it!  I'm very pleased with the finished product - the color selection was super and I enjoy the humor of the last baby crow looking over his shoulder at the cat!

Peacock Stash

An ostentation of peacock charts!

I find it remarkable, that no matter what your interest, there is a wide range of charts to stitch.  I know of one stitcher who adores mermaids, when I looked about, I as amazed at the number of designers and designs which utilized a mermaid!

For the several years I've collected charts with bees, beehives, and beeskeps.  I like Noah's Ark charts, charts with hearts (i.e. Valentines), and snowguys.

Last spring and summer I became a rabbit / bunny advocate - and many of my stitching projects featured the adorable rodent.

Just when I thought I'd bought all the motifs that interested me, I discovered peacocks!  So now I'm all about the gaudy bird!  I've already stitched three of the charts pictured above and have the fabric and fiber to do three or four others - now, if only I had the time! 

Chocolate Hare - A Start

I thought with Easter still a week away, I might begin to stitch "Chocolate Hare" by Ewe & Eye and Friends.  The floss colors are very bright and spring-like.  The fabric is Olive Green.

The Peacock Pocket - A Finish

Design - The Peacock Pocket

Designer - HandWork Primitives

Fabric - 26 count Golden Flax linen

Started - 15 March 2010

Completed - 25 March 2010

This design uses very unusual color combinations.  I think it works because they are all bold, "royal" colors.  I decided not to stitch the sampler letters, as I preferred the cleaner look of the design without them.

  

More Fibers

These are new to me - Pearsall's Silks - and are imported from England.

They are available through Tristian Brooks Designs.

I look forward to using them.

HandWork Primitives Peacock - Progress

This is certainly an interesting use of color!  The chart indicates sampler letters stitched around the peacock inside the border.  I kind of like the clean, uncluttered look sans the alphabet...so I may nix that.

The Return of the Grosbeaks

The Evening Grosbeaks have returned!  I love the sound of their bright "Chirrr" call, and the males are especially vibrant - black, yellow, and white with bright yellow beaks.  So glad to see you guys once again!

Another Peacock!

If one project is good, then are two projects twice as good?

Hmmm...anyway I've begun to stitch this "HandWork Primitives" piece,

 "The Peacock Sampler".  The color combinations are very unusual - certainly nothing I'd ever have chosen - it will be interesting to seem the finished work.

For the Birds - Progress

Great colors and a fun stitch...even the border has been fun and interesting.  We won't discuss how many things (and how many times) I've had to frog out something and restitch it!

Celebrate Spring

Come take a walk with me...

It's the first day of spring...

the sun is shining...

the birds are singing...

and the daffodils...

oh, the glorious daffodils! 

A Rainbow of Colors

A selection of new - to me - NPS, WDW, GA,

Waterlilies, Crescent Colors, and Belle Soie 

Not a Bunny in Sight

The last two times I've got outside in the morning to fill up the bird feeders, I've been greeted by an absolutely adorable small brown brush-bunny.  And, of course, I've not had camera to document the "disneyesque" moment.

So this morning, I was prepared - camera at the ready and...no bunny!  I did spy a Steller's Jay atop a small tree, and Doris Doe was glad to see me too!

    

For the Birds - A Start

I began stitching this a couple of days ago, and I could not be more pleased.

The colors are wonderful, and the design is so pleasing! 

I am about done with the boarder and ready to begin stitching the birds inside the square. 

Spring Is Not Far Away

A couple of days ago I had the first sighting of our Turkey Vultures, yes, the returning Vultures are a sign of spring!  Yesterday I heard a pair of swallows high in the sky.  Another sign of spring.  Our covey of thirteen quail has disbanded and scattered.  We now have a group of three - a male and his harem of two ladies!  And this morning a small brown brush bunny was waiting for me in a blackberry thicket as I scattered sunflower seeds on the ground.

Last night I attended the monthly meeting of the Avid Gardeners Garden Club.

The speaker was the wonderful Val Easton.  She writes a column for Seattle Times and has a great blog which I've linked with her name.  Her presentation was on "The New Low Maintenance Garden" - the name of her new book.  She had some great ideas about how to use less space, fewer plants - rely on garden art and hardscape; and thus have the time and energy to enjoy the garden!  I can't wait for Spring!  

Peacock Sampler - A Finish

Design - "Peacock Sampler"

Designer - Earth Threads

Fabric - 25 count Cream Dublin linen

Started - 12 March 2010

Completed - 13 March 2010 

I am very pleased with the finished piece.  I've not stitched on 25 count before (I think) and at times I felt as though I was stitching a "Large Print Book"!  That aside, I very much admire what the designer was able to do using just four shades of DMC floss. 

Peacock Sampler - A Start

Using 25 count linen and only four colors of DMC floss. 

Very simple, very pretty! 

An Ostentation of Peacocks - Finished - Sorta'

Design - "An Ostentation of Peacocks"

Designer - The Yankee Stitcher

Fabric - 30 count Candlelight R & R linen

Floss - Needlepoint Silks

Started - 11 March 2010

Completed - 12 March 2010

That is completed with a caveat - I am missing #106 NPS so have a few more stitches to add when it arrives.  I will then update this photo.

Updated 03/16/10 - NPS #106 arrived and I've stitched the royal purple bits including the "crown" on the peacock on the right, and I've posted an updated scan.

A New Motif - Peacocks!

The last couple of months, I've been collecting charts with peacocks.

Last night I kitted up "An Ostentation of Peacocks" by The Yankee Stitcher. 

March - A Finish

Design - March

Designer - Ewe & Eye & Friends

Fabric - 32 count raw linen

Started - 9 March 2010

Completed - 11 March 2010

This was the perfect project to still today - a windy, rainy, blustery day!

Stacy Nash Stash!

I've been lurking around several months now, admiring the blog and designs of Stacy Nash. So late last week I took the plunge and am now the proud owner of several of her designs!  Perhaps you've noticed a theme - peacocks!   

March - A Start

Titled "March", this should be a quick and fun seasonal stitch!

The Reward for Waiting

I bought this Amaryllis in late November, and then forgot about it.  When I got ready to plant it around Christmas, I was worried that the bulb was no longer viable.  In fact, for several weeks it appeared that nothing would happen.  But then, surprise, finally signs of green.  And now my reward, beautiful blooms!

Snowbird - A Finish - Finally!

Design - "Snowbird"

Designer - Ewe & Eye & Friends

Fabric - 32 count River Willow

Started - 23 February 2010

Completed - 7 March 2010

Okay, I'm not sure just why this took so long to stitch...it just did!  Anyway, the colors (and the fabric) are great and I especially like the rice stitch detail in the interior of the bird's wing (light green) 

Stash - More Rabbits

A small purchase of charts featuring rabbits.

I especially like the Workbasket and the Little by Little charts...

and oh, the Prairie Schooler too!

So, where to begin? 

Chick on an Egg - A Finish

Design - Chick on an Egg (kit)

Designer - Bent Creek

Fabric - 28 count Flax linen

Started - 3 March 2010

Completed - 5 March 2010

Snowbird...Still More Progress

I promise!  This is the last "progress report" for this piece.

The next post featuring Snowbird will be a finish. 

Chick on an Egg - A Start

Bent Creek produced a series of different birds "On an Egg".

I've stitched up a couple of different ones over the years, but still had the unopened kit "Chick on an Egg".  It seems like a good early-spring, pre-Easter stitching project! 

From the Cross Stitch Archives

Chart - Hoppin' Hare

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric- 30 count Light Espresso

Started - 4 April 1999

Completed - 9 April 1999

NW Garden Nursery - Further Photos

The garden of Ernie and Marietta O'Byrne is a four-season garden.  I am always amazed at the succession of plants.  In late February - the hellebores, in March - primroses and iris, and so on and so on, as the seasons change.   

Late February is a brilliant yellow!