Stitching Friends Forever

September Friendship
RJ's Grab Bag/ Friendship Rotation
Mary's Recipe of the month


It's hard to believe that September is coming to an end.   We enjoyed the summer and our vacations.  Mary was able to get away to the beach for a week and then a lovely vacation in Vermont.  The weather was perfect with cool breezes and the scenery quite beautiful.   Hopefully, she will do a Grab Bag with photos soon.   We did not go far this year.  Two really relaxing weeks were spent at the beach one early in the summer and we just got back from another.  This time, all seven days were sunshine, blue skies and perfect water temperatures.

This month is our Friendship month so I'm doing a grab bag on charts sent from stitching friends that I'm truly loving.   And Mary has a delicious recipe for all of our stitching friends to enjoy.


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RJ's Friendship Rotation

I have always been a start a stitch and finish a stitch kind of girl.   Once I'm stitching a pattern I'm just so anxious to see how the next part of it is going to look that I keep going into the wee hours of the night.   But, since stitching SALS with Mary this year, I realized I can actually do a stitch for just one hour a night and stop.   Now I really don't like stopping but I'm doing it.

I've been lucky this year to win some very pretty charts or have been gifted lovely charts by sweet stitching friends.  I really wanted to stitch them as I love every single one of these pretty designs.   It had been hard to fit them in because Mary and I stitch with a theme and a project in mind for the blog.  "Light Bulb moment"...why not try a rotation RJ and stitch just one hour a night on five of these lovely charts rotating the charts every night? This way I'll get six hours of stitching done on each one a month and they will get done.

While I was sick this Spring, I got a great start on all of them by stitching 15 hours on each of these wonderful stitches.   But, starting today the one hour a day rotation starts!!!  I'll show you an update every few months when there is a noticeable change.   Then next year, I'll have another Grab Bag Post showing them all stitched and finished into projects.   I have some ideas in mind already but that may change so I'll keep it a secret for now.  Wish me luck as this will be a challenge for me.

A huge thank you to Catherine, Robin, Rhona, Stasi, and Sandy for these five lovely charts.   Your kindness and friendship is much appreciated.


Here is how my rotation looks after spending 15 hours stitching on each one. 

Lady Liberty:
The first stitch is called Lady Liberty by Blackbird Designs.   It was sent to me by our friend  Catherine.  She knows I love patriotic designs and thought I would enjoy this one.   She was so right!  This has already been such a pleasure to stitch.  I used over dyed threads I had on hand and really like how it is coming along.  The chart shows it as a drum finish but I have a different idea in mind.  You will enjoy Catherine's projects on her blog here

Love the colors in this stitch!

The flag is coming along great...took some concentration!

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A Proper Young Lady:
This chart called A Proper Young Lady is by Hands on Design.   Our friend Robin sent this one to me and I truly love it.   I'm really enjoying the rick rack stitch.   Once you get into the rhythm of it, it goes very fast.   But the real treat of this pattern is the flowers that are all done in a different specialty stitch.   I'm learning a lot and truly enjoying the process.  She also sent these gorgeous threads from Victoria Motto Sampler to try out and I'm loving them.  Robin does not have a blog but she really should because she is a wonderful stitcher and a faithful follower to so many.

Don't you just love the rick rack going around the whole stitch?

Each flower is a new specialty stitch.   I'll try to get a closer view of these flowers and their pretty stitches for the next post.

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Etude aux fraises:
The third chart I won on our friend Rhona's blog.  It is called Etude aux fraises by V.Enginger.   When she offered it, I jumped at the chance.   I have always loved botanical prints but the added bonus is the words are in French. Ya'll know how much I love anything French so this one I totally fell in love with.   I was shocked that I was the lucky person to be picked but thrilled too.It has been a challenge so far because of all the shading with lots of DMC threads.  Just a leaf may take seven different green threads very close in shade.   But, that is what is making it so pretty.  You can find Rhona's lovely blog here

This one has been a challenge but a very worthwhile one!

The shading is so pretty.

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Redbird Sampler:
While I was sick, this great chart Red Bird Sampler by Bent Creek arrived in the mail from our friend, Stasi.  I have always enjoyed stitching houses and letters but the added bonus is a cardinal will be sitting on top of the alphabet.  I changed the letters to mocha because I thought they stood out better against the very dark green and dark brown of the tree and house.   It is moving quickly but there are specialty stitches between the letters which may slow me down.  You will find lots of lovely stitching at Stasi's blog here

This one is off to a great start!

There will be specialty stitches between the alphabet!

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Silent Night Cardinals:
This pattern is called Silent Night Cardinals by Stoney Creek. While reading our friend Sandy's blog one evening, she was showing us her newest stitch and it was this one.   I just totally went head over heals about it and not much later it arrived in the mail too.   It is a challenge like the strawberries because all of the shading is done with over 40 DMC threads.   You have to be very careful with your counting as the colors change rapidly.   But the result is beautiful! Enjoy a visit with Sandy at her fun blog here

This time I made a working chart to cross out as I get the change in colors done.

Aren't the colors gorgeous on this cardinal?  I may do this cardinal just by himself too!

                                                             
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Mary's Recipe of the Month

      This is what I call a  "doctored" cake.   Doctor it with a few added ingredients and you make a plain box cake taste so much better!   Autumn flavors are some of my favorites, apple pie, hot apple cider and everything pumpkin.  The combination of the pumpkin and cream cheese icing is what makes this cake taste so good, so be sure to make the icing!!

Don't forget to make the icing.   You will be so happy you did!

I wish I could offer everyone a slice right now!

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

1 package (18 1/4 oz) spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup of cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 package (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix ( I use Hershey's instant creamy vanilla 3.5 oz)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup of chopped pecans ( I use walnuts)

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except nuts.  Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Stir in nuts.  Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted bundt or tube  pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 mins or until cake tests done.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Frost with cream cheese frosting when cake is thoroughly cooled.

Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz bar of cream cheese
1/4 lb of unsalted butter ( I used salted and it came out fine)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of confectioners sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese, add vanilla and then add confectioners sugar.

I keep this refrigerated but it tastes best at room temperature.


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Thank you all for dropping in to visit with us.   You know how much we enjoy having you.   We will be by to see all of you too.   If you don't see your blog on our sidebar, let us know and we will add it.  Next post will be our "challenges" week.  So we hope to see you all then.   Happy stitching!!! 
                                                                 

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                                  Stitching Mends the Soul - Author unknown