June's stitching - WIPocalypse and Smalls

HAPPY CANADA DAY 150!!

Although the calendar tells us that summer is here, it sure doesn't feel like it. Our days have been rainy and cool. Perfect stitching weather but unfortunately I've been busy with other matters which has prevented much of that. I've only picked my needle up again during the past week. 
I didn't have the time to start any new smalls but I did do the final finishing on two from last year to add to my Canada Day display.

The first is a freebie by Jan Alexander of Tree of Life Samplings which I made my own by adding the Canadian flag. I found the sweet backing fabric at my local quilting shop.

The second is designed by Nan Lewis of Threadwork Primitives and is also a Canadian version of her patriotic chart Land That I Love. Nan designed this version for me and I am thrilled with how it has turned out. It is backed with some lovely wool.

There is room at the bottom of the stitching for the addition of a charm or pin. I have a Canada 150 pin which I am considering adding to this.

I have put very few stitches into BBD Summer Jubilee since my last WIPocalypse. Here is an updated pic.

I have put this aside to start the stitching for a wedding piece that my son Chris and his fiance Violet have picked out for their nuptials this October. It is designed by Silver Creek Samplers and is called Forever Love. It is based on the verse from I Corinthians. It's not a very big piece but it will look lovely when it's completed and framed. 

I also found this stitch I had put aside in the early spring and forgot about it. I'm not sure if I ever shared a picture of it before now. This is called With My Needle by Heartstring Samplery.
I'm hoping to get back to it and Summer Jubilee as soon as the wedding piece is completed.

June has brought some feathered visitors back to our neighbourhood once more. This is the only time of year that we see the Cedar Waxwings around. Once they have cleaned off all of the berries from the neighbour's tree they fly off until the following June.

Today was a wet, dreary day, certainly not what we had in mind for our Canada Day celebrations! However there was a bright spot of colour who arrived at our feeder to greet us and his colour was perfect for the holiday.

I'm off to Syracuse, NY later this month to meet with some of my close stitching friends. I can't wait to see them all again! One of the girls is bringing some more framed finishes that Patti Nicolosi has finished for me. I'll have lots of pics to share on my next post. 

I want to take this time to wish all of my family and friends a very Happy Canada Day today! We are 150 yrs young and so very proud! There isn't anywhere else on earth I would rather live.

As well I want to take the time to wish all of my US friends a very Happy 4th of July. I hope you all have the most enjoyable celebrations!!

PSS Retreat

WARNING: PICTURE INTENSIVE!

So the first weekend in May marked the start of the Prim Stitchers Society Retreat. This year the retreat took place in Columbus, Ohio and ran from the Thursday evening through Saturday night with everyone departing on the Sunday morning. Several of us arrived a day early to spend some time catching up and stitching. 

The retreat began with a meet and greet on the Thursday evening. Patti Nicolosi of By My Hand Needl'werk brought several framed pieces of our needlework which we had sent to her months before the retreat. Here's a sampling of her handwork.

 Faye with one of her fabulous finishes!

Patti and I showing off the 3 finishes which she did for me.

She does beautiful work! 

As you can see below, we had a lot of fun catching up!

 

After everyone was reacquainted we spent the rest of the evening in the stitcher's lounge. The lounge was open 24 hrs and well stocked with treats and beverages. I spent part of the evening volunteering in the setup of the merchant mall.

Elizabeth kept finding more bins for us to set up!

The following two days there were classes scheduled in the mornings. I didn't participate in the classes as this was my first retreat and I wasn't sure about them. I work at a very slow pace and thought it might be difficult to keep up but most completed their projects in class so I probably could have managed. Instead I had a leisurely breakfast and spent the morning stitching in the lounge.

Friday at noon the Merchant Mall opened to retreat participants and then to the public at 1:00pm. I volunteered to help out on the floor of the mall for a 2 hr stint. Here are some pics of the mall following our setup. Warning: There is a lot of eye candy!!

Stitches n Things from Fenton, MI brought their shop

Notforgotten Farm's Booth

This is Truffle Pigs Antiques and Handmades

More Truffle Pigs

  
The next group of pics is of the booth by Primitive Handmade Mercantile. PHM is made up of a group of artists who make handmade items to sell online. Some of the artists included Nan Lewis of Threadwork Primitives, Theresa Meloon of Dulaney Woods, Michelle Blanco of Yankee Girl, Teresa Miller Primitives, Carol Woodard and Linda Hanneman.

Jan Alexander's Tree of Life Samplings

Summer House StitcheWorks

 Other booths not pictured included By My Hand Needl'werks, Dixie Samplers Hand Dyed Fabrics, Robert Lehay Shaker Boxes, Dames of the Needle, Carolina Stitcher and LucyBeam. There was plenty of eye candy for everyone and I came home with lots of goodies.

 Lots of trims from Dames of the Needle 

 A punchneedle cushion by Linda Hanneman of PHM

 A gorgeous drum finished by my friend Theresa Meloon of Dulaney Woods

Another drum finish by my friend Nan Lewis

 One of Rob LeHay's shaker boxes (left), charts and finishing fabrics

 One of Faye Riggsbee's project bags, lots of Dixie's linen, 

and some velvets by Dames of the Needle

 A sweet ditty bag with velvet strawberry by Nan

of Threadwork Primitives

As you can see, I went overboard a bit...... well maybe a lot! I also purchased a 4 drawer thread cabinet from Teresa Miller which I will be picking up from friends in Syracuse this July. 

On Saturday evening at the retreat's end there was a banquet and exchange. Participation in the exchange was optional and your gift had to consist of a stitched item no larger than 10" x 10". As you saw on my last post, I stitched a Blackbird Design and finished it in a tin hanger. In return I received a lovely finish which can also be seen on my last post.

Here are pics from the banquet and our final evening stitching in the lounge.

 Jenn is one of my fellow Canadian participants

From lt: Nan, Cathy- Jenn's mom and another Canadian, Jenn and Elizabeth

 Our co-organizer Ridgely and Pam, another Canadian friend

Our retreat organizer Terri, also known as Dixie along with Nan

 Michelle Blanco, Theresa Meloon, Cathy Tonelli and Pam Derks

Lots of stitching going on!

 Cindy Ruckford Cabrey, Beth Seale, me and Cathy 

 Me and my roomie Michelle

 From left: Myself, Jenn Natti, Nan Lewis, Michelle, Theresa, Cathy and Pam

 Jan Alexander, Elizabeth Talledo, and Cindy

  

I had the most amazing time! I reconnected with good friends and made many more! I want to thank Terri and Ridgely for the incredible work they did to put on such a fabulous retreat. It was my first PSS retreat but it certainly won't be my last!