This cross-stitched picture is so old, I can't even tell you when I made this - in high school, I think. (The sentiment reads like something from the early 70's, doesn't it??) It still hangs in Mom and Dad's basement.

Mom taught Gretchen and me to needlepoint when I was 14 and Gretchen was 11, I guess. We started with pictures of birds that had already been needlepointed, then we would fill in the background. That sounds kind of silly and boring but it was fun! Mom also taught us to knit and crochet. We've all kind of found our specialty, not by design - just worked out that way. I love to cross-stitch, Mom loves to crochet and Gretchen is the knitter. We all do other stuff too. It's hard to a keep a good crafter pigeon-holed, you know!

In my senior year in high school, one of my favorite classes was called Creative Crafts. We did a little of all sorts of things, from needlework to jewelry making, I don't remember what else. Since I already knew how to needlepoint, I took on a project larger than most, I think. It was Mickey Mouse, on a blue background, I remember. I gave it to Gretchen for Christmas. I worked on it every chance I got, like in the library during study hall. Our "senior will" mentions me and my needlepoint. I love that, because it was so prophetic.

 

This was the start of my "Amish period". This is a needlepoint piece, about 16" x 18", which hangs in Mom and Dad's living room.

 

I did quite a few of these Told in a Garden pieces. This one hangs in Mom and Dad's living room.

 

The little icons represent things New York State is known for - like vineyards and apples.

 

Here comes my quilting period. Not only was I making quilts, I was cross-stitching them as well. This hangs in our living room.

 

These hang in our family room. It's funny, just before we moved here, I decided I was bored with these and I'd probably get rid of them. But then I hung them up in our new house and I like them all over again. Just proves changing things around sometimes can be a good thing.

(I didn't really want to get rid of them. They are very nicely framed - with triple mats. I've gotten away from professional framing because it's so expensive but it sure is nice. I used to say it was very definitely worth the money after spending all that time on a piece. I think I may be heading back towards professional framing.)

 

I stitched this for Gretchen when they got Cosmo as a pup. See what I mean about framing? This is a small simple piece, but the framing really sets it off.

 

I made this for Gretchen one Christmas, when she was doing a lot of gardening. I never thought I'd go for these very simple kits, that come with matching printed paper and a clip-frame, but I just love a lot of the available designs. It also provides instant gratification because they can literally be put together in a weekend or less.

 

Sorry about the glare on the picture. This is a Mary Engelbreit design I made for Mom for Christmas one year.

 

I've stitched quite a few of the Mill Hill Designs over the years. The designs I like best are symmetrical, with tiny stitches and teeny-tiny beads and sometimes a charm. I made this for Mom. This is one fancy frame, not my usual style, but the tiny gold bead-like structure of the frame matched the tiny gold beads of the picture so perfectly.

 

This is a kit that Mom bought and I made for her. I used linen, rather than the white Aida that came with the kit.

 

Why can't I take a straight photo?? I hope Mom's will has my name on this one! This is so delicate and so detailed - plus it's my subject - hummingbirds! The dome mat is perfect.

Let me say this about framing. I can't take any credit for any of these wonderful mats and frames. I take my pieces to Golden Thread NeedleArts and let them suggest things. I don't come up with ideas very well, but I know when we've got it just right. (That link has never worked for me, but I'm leaving it in for now, in hopes that it will someday.)

 

This is a piece I made this year for Kim's first baby. I framed this myself and I can tell, though maybe others can't. I bought this frame at Michael's and I'm real pleased with the match.

 

 

I made this to mark Simon's one year arrival in our lives. It's dated April 16, 1989.

One of my favorite memories of this piece is when I went to pick it up at the cross-stitch / frame shop, it was put behind the counter while I looked around the store. When I went back to get it, two of the clerks were reading it with tears in their eyes! That especially moved me because no one enjoys a good cry more than I!

 

Simon

Once there were two women who never knew

each other. One you do not remember.

The other you call mother.

Two different lives shaped to make yours

one. One became your guiding star.

The other became your sun.

The first gave you life, and the second

taught you to live in it. The first

gave you the need for love, and the

second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality. The other

gave you a name. One gave you the seed

of talent. The other gave you aim.

One gave you emotion. The other calmed

your fears. One saw your first sweet

smile. The other dried your tears.

One gave you up, it was all that she could

do. The other hoped for a child and

was led straight to you.

And now you ask me through your tears,

the age-old question through the years.

Heredity or environment - Which are you

the product of?

Neither my darling neither - Just two

different kinds of love.

 

These next four Santas were part of one large chart but I stitched them separately and gave an appropriately themed one to each of Steve's family members for Christmas 2002. They are: Birdfeeding Santa, Angel Santa, Gardening Santa and Mountain Santa.

 

 

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